After 694 km (which included a ride on the Chi-cheemaun) I am officially in "the north" now. I left Southampton this morning at 6:15 am and arrived here 11 1/2 hours later.
And yes, I got a picture of The Goose.
Backtracking...
The ferry ride was lovely and really with the price of gas it is so much better taking the boat. For $51.00 I missed about 5 hours of travel driving. The passage was calm and the sun was shining the whole way. I think I actually napped on the upper stern deck. There were some seagulls that were following along with the ship the whole way. I think the just glided the whole way, I never saw them flap their wings once!
We passed Cove Island lighthouse and it is the same type as the one on Chantry Island. When you find a template that works, don't mess with it. You could see this light for miles after we passed it. Good thing. It would be very challenging to find your way into Tobermory without it.
Highway 6 on Manitoulin is under construction so there was some challenge there but it didn't slow me up too much. I knew it would be a 6 hour drive from Espanola to Wawa, I only needed to get to Espanola to start my "clock". With sandwiches packed in the Koolatron there was little need to stop for lunch, only a pit stop and I was gone again. I didn't see much of Sault Ste. Marie as the highway takes you around the main drag and that was just as well. The city is quite busy but the roads into and out of it are not. I think, for the most part, I was pretty much alone on the road. Just me the rocks, trees (which are starting to change up here) and Lake Superior. Really pretty country side and the area around Lake Superior National Park is spectacular and I can see why people come here to hike.
Time marching on, the clouds gathering (thunderstorms are forecast) and a little fatigue setting in too I travelled on.
I found my little motel set in a valley off the highway. It's owned and run by a Polish couple. Yup, they had perogies on the menu! YUM! It's a nice little place and the price is right and the restaurant attached is very neat and tidy. Not much to see around but that's okay, I've been sight seeing all day.
When I think about how far I've travelled today and how far it was from Kingston to Southampton and I'm still not out of the province it shows how huge Ontario is. It's so different too. Up here there are no fields, no cattle, no grain, only rocks, more rocks and trees and more trees. Really pretty no matter where you are I think.
So, the western swing of my pilgrimage has begun.
Yippee-i-ay!
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