The blog is alive and so are we.

I'm going to keep it short as I'm sitting in a cafe on Commercial drive.  The only place we can get internet on a holiday monday.  We made it fine, the apartment is great and everything is well.  Hopefully, if the public library has wifi there will be more updates tomorrow and things will get started.  Hope everyone is well.

G

Day 2: Sault Ste Marie to Thunder Bay

The animals were tres happy to not be stuck in the back seat of the car last night.  Other than Bella barking a couple of times it all worked out well.  Not the best sleep, but not because of the hotel, but because Caroline and me were a little nervous about the pets being alright in the room.

Early walking of the dog by the river and getting ready and we got on the road around 9.  Thank you Tim Hortons for giving day old tim bits to the dog.  I think it made Bella's day.  The drive to Thunder Bay around Lake Superior is beautiful.  Except for the monsters that follow you, or more often make you follow them.

I had to slay the beast.  I won't lie, it was not easy, but I feel confident in that I did the right thing as not  only did it stop chasing us, I was able to save a family of logs that the monster had strapped to it's back.  We did a good thing today.

Took a little stop at one of the first lookouts around the beautiful scenery.

Caroline stole a shot of me.

I tried to steal one, but she's too quick.

The view.

Long drive after.  Lunch by a big ol' goose of a friend.

The pets did even better today.  It helps that Bella's willing to shove her head into smaller and smaller spaces.  It saves on space.  

She's really trying to get closer to us on the long drive.  She did finish that sudoku in record time though.  She's doing my taxes next year and only charging half price.

Problem with the one lane twisty highway is getting stuck behind trucks.  Lots of trucks.  I think it took about 100km to pass all of them.

The morning was sunny but the afternoon looked like it nearly evening with dark clouds but no rain until the last hour.

So lots of driving through beautiful hills of trees and lakes got us to Thunder Bay about 6pm and checked into a small room at Travelodge.  Perhaps the greatest thing that happened today way as soon as I checked in the clerk said "Ah, there's a fax here for you."  Which proved that I'm just as important as I always thought I was and perhaps I'm not just pretending I'm living in a movie, I actually am.  I replied with "thank you, and hold all my calls except if  Mr. X rings and asks for Johnny Brown."  Okay, I didn't say that, I signed the pet form and went back to the car.  The fax was from Caroline's Mom and was vet records that we had forgotten to pick up before we left Ancaster.  

Wendy, thanks for faxing that over, and fulfilling a dream of getting an unexpected fax in a strange place.  Now if I can only receive a package from an anonymous sender at the next hotel.  Any takers?  Surprise me.

More pics from Sault Ste Marie

Here's the one's that wouldn't upload yesterday.

Bella looking unhappy in the back seat.  I believe she's saying "I do not remember to agreeing to this."

Charlie refusing to drive.

I am in Sudbury.  I am big.  I am nickel.  What am I?

Sleepy dog is happy dog.

Sault Ste Marie waterfront.

Me relaxing with Charlie.

Day 1: To Sault Ste. Marie

Very very early start.  Up at 4:15am and although we planned on getting on the road by 5am it didn't happen.  So by 6 we were on our way.  Ran into a little traffic through Oakville Mississauga but by time we hit the 427 it was clear sailing.

Stopped at a little town called Cold Water for gas.  Chris & Emma, thank you for the gas cards, as they came in handy at our first fuel stop (here).  And look, no more expensive then Ancaster!  Just one thought for all those civil engineers, road planners etc out there.  When you make an exit on a 400 series highway, put an on ramp at the same place.  What the hell!  Driving kilometres around down the road to get back on.  We made it though.

A long drive to Sudbury and found the big nickel.  Never as exciting as you would hope.  Actually, it's like it goes out of it's way to disappoint.  But worth seeing once.  We ate lunch there and then make the long haul to Sault Ste. Marie.  Long day.  Pets were very good although Bella gave us some dirty looks for sticking him in the back seat with not enough room to stretch across the seats.  But they both were pretty patient.  It's going to be an early night as we're both exhausted from getting up early.  Here are some photos.  Charlie's getting pretty good at driving, but don't worry I only let him have the wheel for 10 minutes.

Okay, pictures aren't going up right now, but they'll be on my flickr and on facebook.  Early bed time tonight.

G