Day 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

Dear Gilles, 

We had a ZERO day on Thursday. I was able to get all the laundry done and wash the underside of the truck to remove the salt. I met our newest niece. And we just regrouped from the long days of driving through Ontario. 

Friday, Mom and I went to a quilt show in Etobicoke, then there was a sleepover of minis on Friday night. Some are not so mini any more. 

Another snowstorm came through the prairies, including Thunder Bay. And there was freezing rain warnings for Toronto area.

On the weekend, Brother invited to a Dane Cook live comedy show in Niagara Falls. We went, we laughed, we gambled, we stayed the night and came home. Freezing rain was scheduled and yes, it was wet. But ice was nowhere to be seen on the route.

We're planning on heading out to the civic centres in the area over the next few days to see if we can get some lapel pins for our collection. 

Loves, 

Day 13

Dear Gilles, 

We woke up in Sault Ste. Marie to a clear, cloudless day. We walked over to City Hall and requested a pin. 

Then we walked a little more to the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Museum.  In the museum was a side room for Entomica - an insect display. Unfortunately, there was a school group scheduled to come in, so we only had about 25 minutes to talk to the biologist.  

Bushplane Museum

I found out that there are only four instectariams in Canada. We've visited the one in Victoria because we found it by chance in 2022. It had two leaf cutter ant colonies set up all across the walls in tubes. We will make a point to going to the Montreal facility, which is the largest in Canada. And the fourth one is in Deer Lake, Newfoundland. 

As we were leaving Sault Ste. Marie - we found the listing for Canada's Largest Loonie in Echo Bay. It was a detour, but a minor one with 60km/h speed limits. 

Arrived in Toronto. Parked the truck, neatly into Mom's driveway. Neatly and with no room to spare. 

Tomorrow is a ZERO day for laundry, truck wash and no driving. The boys will catch up with all their cousins and spend some unrushed time with the Toronto family. 

Loves, 

Day 12

 Dear Gilles, 

The roads from Thunder Bay to Sault Ste. Marie were bare and wet. Good driving conditions. Very little traffic.  

We started the day at Tim Hortons and were gifted a muffin from another BC traveller, who was charged for two, but only wanted one. 

Then we headed on the road. 

Northern Ontario is snow covered. The snow banks were up to the bottom of the signs in some points. 

Our first stop was Nipigon for Paddle to the Sea park. It's winter. There are no tourists. The snow had been plowed to banks and we had to go through knee deep sinking snow to get to the top of the lookout. 

Then we went to White River. Again, the snow was up to our knees, thighs etc - either way there was no shovelled pathways AT ALL. 

We made it to Wawa just before 3pm. Luc was sleeping as we drove downtown and found the Municipal Offices. The clerk was very happy to provide Patric and I with 3 lapel pins. 

Ending the day with a swim in the pool. Tomorrow we'll start at the Bushplane Museum and the Insectarium. And end the day in TORONTO. 

Bushplane Museum Link

Insect Museum

 

Loves, 

Day 10 and 11 - Thunder Bay Snowed In

Dear Gilles, 

The weather came. 

Yesterday

Today

The snow is EVERYWHERE. 

I am choosing to not drive around Lake Superior in a snow storm. Wawa was looking OK - until it wasn't. There is a travel advisory due to blowing snow. Sault Ste Marie can't make up its weather mind. 

We have a nice AirBnB place to stay. It's clean. The beds are comfy. The kitchen is available for frying up persians. There is a deli across the street with a steady supply of persians and a strip of convenience stores a block away. 

We have entertainment outside on the 'busy' street of Red River Drive. There were 4 sets of sirens today, but it seems to have quieted down. Sleeping to traffic noises is a new experience.

We have all of our electronic devices to plug in to. Luc and I are watching Reacher Season 3. Patric has designed a logo for our trip with the Canada Flag, moose and mountains. 

We have groceries from the previous week. Leftovers from takeout and lots of water and tea. 

I will dig our gum boots out of the truck (as long as the locks aren't frozen shut) and we'll take a walk in the snow; Through the un-shovelled sidewalks, dodging slush splashes from the road. 

I'll brush the truck off as best I can without a snow brush - that I consciously left behind. 

Tuesday promises to be sunny. 

Here's some photos while we could still see the sun. 

Persian from Nucci's deli

Hodder Greeks price list

Loves, 

Day 9

Dear Gilles, 

We're in Thunder Bay!  I really loved the time we spent here. The day hasn't started yet. I've caught up on writing to you and the boys are just taking some downtime. We'll take a walk to the Hillcrest Park look out - 1.7 km away. 

I do not like the forecast for the next few days though. We've been really lucky with driving up to now. I'll evaluate as the day goes on and perhaps we're staying in TBay for a little longer. I don't think we can stay at this AirBnB though - she's blocked out all future dates for March and April for reservations. But we may as well stay in Thunder Bay rather than Nipigon, Terrace Bay or Wawa. 

Nipigon has a "Paddle to the Sea" park that we will stop at once we get there. The story means more to me than the boys, but they're coming for the ride regardless. 

Day 8

Dear Gilles 

We drove from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay today. 

It was a long day, but didn't feel that long. The temperature was -10 to -6C, but there was a biting wind with snow in it and it felt COLD. Must be that 'wet cold' that we've forgotten about living in a more arid region. I took most of my photos from the drivers seat. 

We stopped at the Kenora Visitor Centre - in the downtown core. We asked about embroidered patches. They didn't have any but directed us to go to City Hall for a lapel pin. So we went and got our second pin. 

When we got to Dryden - we visited City Hall and picked up our third pin. 

Roadside Attractions continued to be on our list. But it's no longer a mission. It's a 'nice to see'. I just checked this list for Manitoba and realized we missed LOTS of items in Winnipeg. The streets of Winnipeg (and east) are narrow and full of pot holes. The highway is really bumpy. 

Vermillion Bay also had a BigFood statue. Boys did not care with the actual photo - but we drove around behind it - and took photos of it's butt.

Upsala has a man-eating mosquito. 

We went through another time change. 

Made it to Kakabeka Falls, and our old residence. I had to tell them to bundle up before the short walk to the lookout. It's cold! 

Day 7

Dear Gilles,

We're in Winnipeg for a ZERO day. But it's not really zero - because I still had to navigate driving around Winnipeg and visiting places. 

Today we went to the 

Canadian Human Rights Museum

It's heavy. We were told it was a 'must do' sight to see. The railway museum and the Forks are nearby, but there's only so much time in a day. 

My favourite section was the contemplation garden - full of basalt columns that reminded me of home. 

Then we went to the MINT and took a 50 minute tour. 

Supper was pizza, wings and garlic bread from Red Swan Pizza - around the corner from the hotel. We ate it in the breakfast room which was handy since the hotel room is so small. 

Day 8 will be driving Winnipeg to Thunder Bay where I have an AirBnB reserved on Red River Road. 

Day 5 and 6

Dear Gilles

I am now officially losing track of time. These letters to you help to ground me and ensure that I know which way is up. 

We drove all the way to Moose Jaw in one shot from Edmonton. It was a long day. 

We stopped to see some of the 'big things' but not all of them. 

We went to Mundare for the largest Ukranian sasuage.

We went to Vegreville for the egg. 

We stopped in Lloyminster and ate at Hotsuls. Luc had a plain hot dog and Patric and I had a 6 item plate. It was delicious.  

They have a great business plan. It was a small shop, not in the downtown core. They can make all their menu items in bulk - and just keep them warm. Their shop, for a Tuesday, had pretty constant business, both pick up and drive through. All substitutions are allowed. It's just a matter of persons liking (and craving) their menu items. 

Lloydminster Survey Stakes 

This 'art work' was also in Lloydminster.

We arrived in Moose Jaw. 

We stayed at a Days Inn. It had a water slide. The water slide was used. 

Diane at the front desk was a fantastic host, so I got a business card to email her manager and let them know. 

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On Day 6 we got up early and headed to Mac the Moose. 

Then we headed over to the Moose Jaw Tunnels. I had booked us in to the Bunker Tour - which I thought the boys might like better than the Chicago tour. No photos allowed. 

We checked out the downtown and got our first embroidered patch (a moose) of the trip. 

Then we went into City Hall and inquired about complimentary lapel pins from the payment clerk who was from Newfoundland. We went up to the second floor and got a gold pin of a moose. 

We then stopped in to a hobby store and Patric got a souvenir 20-sided-die. He's happy.

Then headed out to Dog River (Rouleau SK) - 51 km away. 

Corner Gas

It was a quick tour in Rouleau. There's not much Dog River memorabilia there. But we went to City Hall, and they gave us some post cards and we put a pin in the map for where we are from. 

This is Oscar and Emma's house. All the interior scenes were completed on a sound stage in Regina. 

We could consider also visiting Schitts Creek, Kim's Convenience and perhaps some of the scenes from the Murdoch Mysteries. 

Once we finished Rouleau, we made a dash for Winnipeg. It was a long day. We arrived around 9pm with the time change. 

Loves,

Day 3 and 4

Dear Gilles

We spent Sunday (Day 3) at the Telus World of Science. 

Telus World of Science

I purchased an annual membership to the Saskatchewan Science Centre - in Regina at the beginning of March. An annual membership allows for reciprocal benefits with many other museums and science centres across Canada. 

Saskatchewan Science Centre

Association of Science and Technology Centres

Canadian Association of Science Centres

We were able to spend the day at the Science Centre for 'free'. 

Afterwards, we found a Cabela's. They had lots of clearance items - I purchased a down vest and we found hiking shoes for Luc. 

On Monday (Day 4), we decided to go back to the mall to see all the extras that we missed on Saturday. It was visibly less crowded, which was nice. 

We had lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory. Toronto's restaurant has 100 times more artifacts, memorabilia and interesting things to look at. 

I also walked in to the BEST public washroom stall!  

Mom and tot toilets - side by side!  

After the mall, we went driving around. I found the Talus ball sculpture!

Check out the YouTube from:

Leroy and Leroy

In Fort Edmonton - I stopped to ask a plow driver taking a break in his truck in the parking lot if I could take a picture of his truck and the name tag. 

He did not allow it. I thought the name "King Plow" was pretty cute! 

Plow names

I asked if Edmonton uses GPS for live tracking of their plows and he admitted that they do. I asked again if I could take a photo. He again said NO. AND promptly turned his engine on and drove away. 

I guess he didn't want there to be any proof of where he was or how long he had been there. <grin>

Then we crossed the North Saskatchewan River on a footbridge - and didn't see any pirates.  

Tuesday (Day 5) we will spend all day driving to Moose Jaw. 

We will skip past Drumheller, and Medicine Hat. We'll catch Medicine Hat on the way back home.