Yukon Bound Day 2!...Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay

“Set out from any point. They are all alike. They all lead to a point of departure.” 
― Antonio Porchia

Day 2 began early. I arrived in Sault Ste Marie in the dark and left in the dark this morning, with my sights set on Thunder Bay. Garmindy (my Garmin) proclaimed it would take 8 hours of driving time. With stops it was about 9 hours. As I departed The Soo fog was blanketing the landscape. Eerie and beautiful and casting a blue hue over everything, I took extra care driving. On top of that rain and multiple signs warning to be on the lookout for moose made for an extra-vigilant driving experience. 

The Canadian Shield and construction. Two constants up here these past two days. Frankly the construction doesn't tie up too much time. The unlimited transport trucks really unnerve me however on two lane asphalt highways like the Trans Canada #17. Yet the landscape more than made up for the nervousness. Wave after wave of tree-heavy rock, trees that grew right out of the rock, true tenacity. I know there is a lot of logging up here but fortunately didn't see too much evidence of this. 

Lake Superior. As incredible as I hoped it would be..the earth stretching out in a necklace of islands which span the horizon. I passed through towns including Marathon, Batchawana Bay, Pancake Bay Provincial Park, Wawa, White River, Terrace Bay, Schreiber, Rainbow Falls Provincial Park, Nipigon and my favourite sign, "Rabbit Blanket Lake"(my friend Kelly will like that). The leaves are continuing to turn, but not in a hurry. They echo the rocks in their subtlety. They are dark brown and ancient green still, with the odd flush of red here and there, the colours of dinosaurs that I remember from childhood books, all mottled and seeming to know secrets I am not privy to. The rock appeared to be alive, rising and falling from view like pods of whales, giant humpbacks with their murky skins disappearing under the waves. 

This is a screenshot from my phone. I had no cell reception for most of the day. Normally a welcome thing but alone in the middle of a new place with so far to go, I was unnerved. Still, I was thankful to get a signal in Thunder Bay.

In Terrace Bay, when I stopped at a Tim Horton's I passed this very Canadian sight...a huge Canada flag and a large statue of a Canada Goose. I had to smile :)

Approaching Thunder Bay. So much rock up here. I love it. It was clear and crisp and beautiful today. I am so pleased to finally have seen Lake Superior and do this drive. Tomorrow I leave the Great Lakes and head west to Winnipeg. The PEG. "You know it's made well if its made in Winnipeg!" Never been.  Time to check off another province!

Sasha is doing really well. He wasn't thrilled about being in his kitty condo crate this morning but he settled down in the afternoon. I have toys for him, lots of food, and lots of love.