Week 1- Victoria - Northern Ontario - Jun 21, 2008

So here we go. I haven't had too much time to actually stop in any one place along the road for more than a few hours (other than Herbert Sask, but I'll tell you about that later...) I'll just give you some of the highlights of the past week on the road.

I started off by missing the 5pm ferry in Victoria by two minutes and the promised 6pm never appeared. I guess the theme of this is make plans, sure, but be prepared to take what comes as well. Deep breaths, a beautiful ferry ride, ahhhhh. I rolled into Surrey to load up on some water (and care packages, thanks mom!)at almost 9:30pm and didn't leave until almost 11pm... got as far as the Wal Mart parking lot in Chilliwack where the young folk with muscle cars apparently like to practice their street racing skills on a Saturday night.

Up bright and early the next morning; a nice hot day ahead and many lonnnnggg hills and passes in between, but the ol' green goat performed well. (I wish I could say his thirst for diesel was quenched easily...) I got to visit with some old friends and have a wonderful meal there; it felt very much like I was at 'home'. Next morning after a quick stop at the bank, Canuck Tire for supplies and a chance visit with another old acquaintance (at his sports store), I was off to take on more passes and highway. Again, the ol' green goat did well on the Salmo Creston and other than a stop for fuel in Cranbrook, wanted to keep on going. Just outside of Fernie the road luck changed as a semi trailer spilled its load of panes of glass across the highway. Got to have more goodies from the care package along the highway and read my book for a few hours while it got cleared up. Stayed in Sparwood overnight and checked out the world's largest truck (the Titan) on the way out the next morning. The Elk Valley is a beautiful drive and coal is king there. Stopped in Lethbridge for lunch and ate below the huge tressle (sp?)while overlooking the valley below and train up above. Made it into Medicine Hat that night and camped just out of town at the Gas City Campground. Rode the bike into town along the river trail and got "attacked" by hanging caterpillars (a scene out of some psycho thriller). Got off the trail and rode through a beautiful neighbourhood on 1st ave (think Rockland for the Hat).

I stopped for lunch the next day in Herbert Saskatchewan. It was founded in 1908, two years after the railroad station was built. Mostly Mennonite settlers/farmers and the museum in the old station served a lunch there called "faspa". Basically, a plowman's lunch of cheese, pickle, bun and sausage. Very tasty! But the ol' green goat wanted to graze there a bit longer and wouldn't start. Local mechanic was busy. An employee at the gas station tried to jump start it, but I had to call CAA. After my snooze in the shade a fellow named Dave came walking by and noticed the BC plates. "I lived in Duncan for eight years" he says. We got to talking and turns out he used to work on Dodge's and after a few minutes I tried his suggestions and I was started up again and back on the road to Regina! Thanks Wawa Dave! Got to visit with Greg and Jocelyn in Regina. We had an amazing Bison roast meal with fresh green onions from his garden. Then I got the 25 cent tour of the city: it's really pretty interesting. I'd like to spend more time there.

I whipped along to Winnipeg the next day and my buddy Rod caught up to me on the highway just outside of Portage (he had just got off work); weird! Had a good visit (and great ribs!) with him and his two boys and wife Brenda. On the road the next day, but a quick stop at the Royal Cdn. Mint to pick up some supplies for the trip (to pay for the fuel!). Got through the lake of the woods area, Dryden (watch out for the moose along the way) and just outside of Thunder Bay, but not before going through one of the most amazing thunder storms of my life. The rain was hitting so hard, with such volume, that it looked like I was driving into a fog bank and on a river. The lines disappeared and even the truckers and there are lots of them on this route) slowed down to 60km/hr. I spent the night at Kakabeka Falls Prov. Park: a mini version of Niagara (at least that's what they look like to me).

I took the northern route this morning. The road is long, with many a winding turn... (cue cheezie 70s song) I decided at the end of the long day to stop in Cochrane Ontario, home of the Polar Express Railway, but it doesn't open past 4pm and that's not until July. If I had known, I would have stopped at the annual quad mud bog competition west of town and at least have had some cultural entertainment. I passed on the Husky parking lot for the night in search of a campground with internet access and kept driving SE until I found myself about 20 mins outside of Shania Twain's home town of Timmins ON at Cameron Lake near Iroquois Falls. I hope to get as close to Ottawa tomorrow as I can tomorrow, but that's another long day's drive. We'll see what the ol' goat has to say about that.

Week 1- Victoria - Northern Ontario

Jun 21, 2008

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