Anyway - before I deal with today - another comment about yesterday. I think I was a bit hard on Ontario. I do not want this to turn into a Banjo Bowl style apology - but I do want to clarify. I took a shot at Ontario's road quality and speeding enforcement. I think the first part of that is because I am still pissed off weeks later about having to drive about 20-30 km down Hw 17 in pouring rain on washboard and potholes full of water - on the Trans Canada Highway for heavens sake - with not even a sign to warn you what was coming. The second part - we have all seen the swarms of OPP down south on 401 and 400 enforcing the speed limit. This is not a shot at them - they are doing their assigned duties. BUT - it is a shot at the fact that we do have speed limits in this province that are far too low. The piece of 11 /17 I drove today was all posted at 90 kph. Anywhere west of Ontario - some of it would have been posted 110 kph - and the rest would have been posted at 100 kph. In the 110 kph areas - you would be staying with traffic at 130 kph, and in the 100 kph - traffic would be moving at 120 kph - or maybe 115 kph. SO - I guess I have to admit - Ontario builds good roads - just like the rest of Canada - BUT - we have unnecessarily low speed limits and that irritates me.
Anyway - today was fantastic. Started out with a glorious sunrise over the Rainy river in Fort Frances
The first 30 minutes or so - the weather was good - including these views of Bears Passage
And - then it got foggy - Yikes - was it foggy. I road for about an hour in fog so thick that twice I stopped and used the napkins in my tank bag to dry off my visor and glasses. It was really nasty - very poor visibility. SO - it might have been pretty country - I have no clue - I was focused on the road.
Another interesting tidbit. My hotel was on the east end of Fort Francis, and I pulled out without gassing up (it was only 33 km since last gas) or breakfast thinking I would stop at the 1st place. Well, about 140 km later, following an hour in the heavy fog, I find a place and stop for gas, coffee (the elixir of life), and food. As I pull in I notice the tanker truck to fill up the station's enviro-tank is sitting there with the hood up. I chat to the guy - and find out the engine will not start. I share my sympathy, gas up, go inside and pay, grab a coffee and a delicious home-made butter tart, inhale the butter tart, and go outside to have a smoke and drink my coffee. Buddy has the truck running! I ask how he fixed it, he says he heard a relay go click, and thought he would give it a try, it started, so he is busy pumping gas into the enviro-tank used by the station. So, I am standing by the bike about 7 meters away, having my smoke, drinking my coffee, and the enviri-tank "full" alarm goes off, the guy from the tanker turns it off, and keeps pumping gas. The next thing you know - the gas is spewing out of the overfull spout on the tank and going everywhere! It is hard to be sure - my best guess is 10 - 20 liters of gas go everywhere! Thinking fast - I put out my smoke! Carefully! Buddy finally turns off the truck. People continue to pull in to the station and leave vehicles idling over the now gas-infused ground which is warming as the morning progresses. Now - those of you who know me well - I am a coffee addict. This is my first coffee of the day which I have waited nearly 2 hour for. I am not giving this baby up easy. I spent a grand total of about 5 seconds assessing the situation, and the specific thought I had (excuse my language) was "Fuck this, these people are without a clue and thus dangerous - I am out of here"! As far as I know - everything was OK - have been listening for news - and no news is good news I guess. Did not get coffee until noon - it is almost inhuman!
Anyway - just before 11 joins with 17 - back into the Atlantic Watershed. Cool! The only one I missed was the Gulf of Mexico down in southern Alberta / Saskatchewan (I forget - I posted the link - you look it up).
Then - about an hour east of Thunder Bay - I see the signs for Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park and decide to go have a look - it is only about 8 km off the highway - and my early start means I have time. Wow. You gotta stop and see this place. Check out these videos and photos.
Btw - it is Friday - so I had on my Hawaiian shirt! BUT - it was cold - so I had my denim shirt on top. I think it may be a trending fashion look! What are your thoughts? Deb?
So - North of Superior - just fantastic views of the lake - and of these outrageous cliffs. I thought I got most of it westbound - but was just as impressed eastbound. A few samples follow.
And - that's it for today! Tomorrow - the final leg to Ottawa begins. I do not think I will make - it is still a little over a 1,000 km - BUT - hey - an early start, and you never know. The official target remains a fairly long leg to Sudbury. But - hey -maybe I can make it a little further!
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