Thunder Road June 21st

Thunder Road June 21st

Morning started unexpectedly at 7 am compliments of the previous Comfort Inn Room 243 resident. Brett couldn't find a way to turn the alarm off so he just put the pillow over his head and went back to sleep. I couldn't as well but I did find how to turn it off station. Now I was awake and no one else was.

I spent a relaxing morning taking a shower, checking my mail, had breakfast with a nice couple from Oshawa and read the paper. By 10:30, I figured my young sleeping beauties where rested enough for the long run to Thunder Bay. By 11 we were fueling up with high test gas and highly nutritious snacks.

With Kyle at the wheel, and Brett in the self proclaimed 'Shotgun Seat', we left the 69 and pointed down the 17 across the top of Huron to Sault Ste Marie on the first leg of the day.
The road is generally good, with passing lanes every 10 k or so. I took it as my job to limit Kyle to only passing there. He is very comfortable with the van and is a good driver, but no reason to take chances pulling a trailer.
Two hours into the drive, the generation gap closes some at Kyles request. Instead of 3 different MP3 player going in unison, Kyle turns off his and asks to listen to mine. Now don't think the taste gap closes completely as I accommodate his whining by skipping past J Lo. As the small towns, gentle rivers and Amish wagons pass by, I think I detected a head bob in tune to the music.

We stopped in Sault Ste Marie to stretch our legs. We decided that since Thunder Bay was still 688 km away and it was 4pm, we weren't likely going to make it tonight. A walk through ARP & Walmart to assess the cultural essence of the Sault (and empty our bladders) , encouraged us to press on.

We hit the road again, listening to the Brett Miester's IPod. Unlike the Edmond Fitzgerald, we are ''able to put 15 more miles behind'' us. Whitefish Bay passes to our left under sunny skies.

Not 60 seconds later, I catch a flash out of the corner of my eye of Class 4 Whitewater. Kyle sees it too and he pulls a U'ie. Blinded by the trailer, I trust no 18 wheeeler is barreling down on us. My nervousness is replaced with amazement as another line in the ballad comes to life '' from the Chippawa on down to the Great Lake". Photo op, a chance to stretch our legs and smell the mist off the falls.

Shady Rest Motel and Pancake Bay are tied for first place in the 'Best Name Contest'. Wish we were going by way of Cheboygan. We can do better.

We play 'peek a boo' with Superior for hours as we wind north west toward Wawa on leg 2. The scenery is spectacular, a mix between the Bras d'or Lake & South Shore.

Wawa was a wash. One mother of a goose and a couple of gas stations. Kyle described it as Ontario's Siberia. We decided to go for leg 3 and end the marathon drive in the Village of Marathon 180 km farther west. I took over the driving to give Kyle a break. Must have counted 500 mini Inukshuks on the drive. Every boulder or crop or rock had one or more. We arrived in Marathon to what I can best describe as Deliverance North of 40. God, I can't believe Ontario makes fun of the east with this Goelier Haven in their own backyard.

Back on the road for 30 minutes to find a 2 star hotel near an LCBO. I think we deserve it.

Don't drink and drive.