.png)
_edited.png)
Crossing Canada Day #4: "Inspired by Terry Fox"
Updated: Dec 16, 2021
We continue to chronicle our Cross Canada Journey during a very historical time in our country; during a Global Pandemic and with a Federal Election looming. Welcome back friends....
We woke up early and made out way off Manitoulin Island but not before getting a panoramic photo off the Ten Mile Point (photo above). “We will return to this place for a longer stay and with our bikes” I exclaimed as we drove away. A fella at the campsite we stayed at said you need more than 1 day to discover Manitoulin Island.
The drive from Sault Ste Marie, along Lake Superior was magnificent. Here, highway 17 is sandwiched between the Superior coast and the Great Canadian Shield. The Shield, the mighty, huge range of geological stone that was left after the erosion of the ancient mountains. Lake Superior was vast, like an inland ocean. Upon the higher Rocky altitudes were lakes and islands.
Lake Superior Park, another place to explore at another time. The most expensive gas was before Marathon/ White River: $1.579/L (September 4th, 2021). Schreiber was another town we drove through. We saw their story on Still Standing, a CBC series about Small Towns who are down on their luck but not down for the count, hosted by Jonny Harris.
We really started seeing some election signs on this part of the trek. Blue, Purple, and Orange signs doted the small towns and communities in Northern Ontario. Maybe the tides are changing. So far, small town Canada is done seeing Red.
I wrote in our travel journal: “Seeing the power and beauty of Northern Ontario has rekindled my love for this country. And how can you really, fully appreciate this country if you don’t get to experience it - in all its glory?”
At 7:20 PM, 10 minutes before we had to check in at Trowbridge Falls Municipal Park in Thunder Bay Ontario, we made a quick detour to see the Terry Fox Monument.
Jim writing again,
The drive all along the beautiful rugged coastal landscape of Georgian Bay and Lake Superior put an artistic drive in my gut. Here I am, driving in rain again; a trend for me on this journey. Further north, I noticed a small town called Hawk Junction, a friend I served with in the Military was from there.
Along the trans-Canada Highway, we noticed a different road sign that we haven’t seen before. It was a sign that read: Group of Seven Route on it. Before the time of coloured photographs, and Instagram, artist attempted to capture this route with a painting or sketch. They may not have achieved the true glory of the rocks, the water and the trees but what they did capture, was the spirit of the area and thereby attracting more people to this raw, and wonderful piece of Canada.
