Day 11 Thursday May 9/13 North Bay, Ontario 4718 kms

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We took no photos of the area today because there were NO rest stops. Come on Ontario, take a lesson from your southerly neighbours. When we were in Grand Rapids, a Canadian traveller from the Soo told us he always takes Route 2 to BC every year because, in part, the rest stops are far superior to those in Canada (and there are less moose - we haven't seen a single one yet).

This afternoon's leg was incredibly windy, at times blowing me from one side of my lane and back to the other. Add to this a huge amount of traffic on a 2-lane Trans Canada highway and it simply wasn't a pleasant journey. Ian experienced the same behind me, both of us criss crossing each other at times. The other problem is you don't get a chance to really look around at your surroundings because you have to keep your eye on the road and maintain your balance in the wind. We made several stops because you quickly feel badly beaten up. One stop to get salad fixings for lunch (once again still in the topbox at our destination because no rest stops), one stop to get fuel (twice the price of gas in the US), one stop at Tim's in a small town called Verner where we were the only English speaking patrons (to book the hotel in North Bay), and last stop - yes - Super 8 in North Bay. Ian's cousin Daniel (Auntie Joyce's son) lives here, but he left this morning to go to Niagara Falls so we missed catching up with him. There is plenty of beach across from the hotel, on Lake Nipissing but no access to it as it's all private property.

Today was another tough slog due to the wind and traffic noise. It was, however, pretty with rolling farmland and greenery. We passed half a dozen Amish buggies travelling on the gravel shoulder of the highway, their horses trotting along seemingly oblivious to us motorized beasts zooming past. The weather today was cooler and we both plugged back in at times.

It feels like we will really start to make progress tomorrow as we get to Ottawa, where we plan to spend a couple of days unwinding and touring the city. Then short jaunts thereafter to Montreal, Quebec City to take in the sights and stay off the bikes for more than a few hours.

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Comments

[Janet]

Horse and Buggy
As you travel along the winding roads at 120 KMH.. or even 60 in the city limits, to come along something like a Amish horse and buggy traveling at the most 8 to 10 KMH must have left an imprint. I'm sure I would have been thinking about the people in the buggy all day. What different lives we all live, some, like you and Ian, taking the fast a furious, exciting Rd to see as much of this world and our amazing Country of Canada as possible. Knowing we have a set amount of years to see our dreams become reality only to come smack face to face with others, who, in a buggy steer their team of horses or horse ( probably named Neddy) down the road. Clip clopping along the same road day after day year after year maybe pleased a little more then another when a day brings the perfect temperature. hugs, Janet

[JOAN MUMBY]

Quintland
North Bay is close to Calendar, (Quintland - a world renound tourist attraction) where the Dionne quintuplets were born in 1934 - 5 identical little girls, Yvonne, Cecile, Annette,Emmilie and Marie. Cecile and Annette are still alive and live in Montreal. I am sending you a comment every day, But I still don't know if you are receiving them. Love you, Mother