July 29, 2009

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Day 59. 16,906Km.
It was 0300hrs by the time I crawled into bed so I barely made the 1100hrs check out time. I called CAA and waited by the truck. I had searched tire dealers and found one a couple blocks away so I just got the CAA dude to air it up so I could get there. The tire had come off the rim on one side so it was a bit of a challenge to get it to seat again but after I jacked the weight off it it did take air. The repair shop I went to was too busy so he directed me to Kal Tire a half dozen blocks away. They too were busy but had a place for me to park and wait while the tire went flat. I had to explain to two different guys that by the time they got to servicing me the tire would be flat so I would not be able to more the truck so "where should I park now?" People are stupid. That's one of the reasons I prefer dogs.
Once my tire was repaired I got some fuel and looked for a place to eat since it was 1330hrs and I had'nt eaten in 24 hours. The Applebys was close and had a big lot so they won out. I would have rather found a pancake house but the GPS could'nt locate any. After lunch I made a quick stop at the Real Canadian Superstore and was off. The day before I had located a campground in Nipigon because had I stayed in Fort Frances as planned that would have been a days drive. As it turned out I arrived here at 1630hrs anyway due to my delays of the day.
Other than loading and unloading I had'nt been on the bike in a couple days so I took a ride into Nipigon. It only has a population of 2500 so I knew I would'nt find much. I rode through town and back to the highway. I saw a sign for Alexander Dam and lookout so I took the 15Km ride to have a look. Once on this small stone chip covered road I noticed high voltage lines down both sides of the road. Right away I figured this dam must be a hydro electric generating station and sure enough. The Alexander Generating Station. One of three on the river from Lake Nipigon to Lake Superior. It's the third in the row so it has the smallest capacity at 68 MegaWatts. That's enough power to run 680,000 one hundred watt lightbulbs or power over 54,000 average homes. Combined with the generating stations upstream at Cameron Falls and Pine Portage this river generates enough electricity for over 230,000 average homes.

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Photos

good morning
a bad way to spend a Monday morning. Wednesday not so much. Shit happens.

on the road again
leaving Thunder Bay

overlooking Nipagon
I've seen this all across the country. The governments spent money making lookouts off the highways and then don't maintain them. The trees grow so high they block the view.

Alexander Dam
on the Nipigon River

DSCF2019
Imagine you're an Indian with your culture and stories about how Squid turn to rocks or wales into mountains etc. Now a white man comes along and tells you a power that you can't see, hear, touch etc. created everything. You're going to think he's crazy right?

Lonely?
no but I am all alone here.