Epic Road Trip, Part 6

So, have you been wondering whether Kate and Sandy ever made it home? Well, yes, indeed we did! Never underestimate how big our wonderful country is. It took us seven days to drive home from the Niagara Region (and over a month for me to get this final installment written).

Days 27 - 33, the journey home.

After three fun filled days with the ladies of Troop 16, we started the epic drive back to Alberta. We chose to come home over the north shores of the Great Lakes. This was a very, very long drive, with beautiful scenery … and kilometer after kilometer of trees, and lakes, and rock as we made our way across the Canadian Shield.  This was followed by kilometer after kilometer of prairie fields. Along the way, we made a point of stopping at a number of unique, and some iconic, points of interest along the way.

Return day one:  after stopping in Grimsby to visit Drue, a troopmate we hadn’t seen since the day before, we carried on passed Hamilton and Parry Sound, home of the great Bobby Orr. We spent the night at Oastler Lake Provincial Park, and were now along the north shore of Lake Huron.

Sunset, Oastler Lake Provincial Park

Return day two:  Carrying on, we stopped in Sudbury to visit the world’s largest nickel. Weighing in at 13,000kg, it would be a wicked item to find in one’s pocket change! 

Sandy with the Sudbury nickel

We spent the night at Blind River, and walked across the highway to view the Mississagi River, where we watched the water flow in two directions at the same time. 

 Mississagi River

Day three:  After over two days on the road, we finally made our way to the end of Lake Huron at Sault Ste. Marie, home of Dr. Roberta Bondar, Canada’s first female astronaut. 

Click here for more info:  Bondar info 

Sault Ste Marie street art

We stopped a few times this day to take in some of the unique sights as we began the drive around Lake Superior.  The special stop of the day was in White River where the orphaned bear cub that served as the inspiration for Winnie-the Pooh was purchased by a military veterinarian from Winnipeg as he made his way to Europe to serve in WWI. 

On the north shore of Lake Superior

Sandy finds her place

Canada goose, Michipicoten

With Winnie the Pooh at White River

Click here for a short summary about the famous bear:   Winnie Info

We spent the night at White River Provincial Park.  It was a little nerve wracking making our way to the campground as we had to drive quite a way off the highway and into the park, along a narrow, twisting road, through tall trees and thick bush as it was getting darker and rain started drizzling down. And we didn’t see any other vehicles.  Finally, we found the campsites. There were other units, obviously set up for long term stays, but because of the weather, we didn’t see any other people about. It was rather eery, so we just parked, had our dinner inside Boxy, and spent the rest of the evening watching a DVD and reading. As soon as the sun was up the next morning, we were outta there!

White Lake Provincial Park

Return Day 4:   Our first stop this day had us take a short walk off the highway to Aguasabon River Gorge and its spectacular falls, which we found rather mesmerizing.

Aguasabon River Gorge, Lake Superior in the distance

As we continued on, just east of Thunder Bay, we stopped at the Terry Fox Memorial. It is located close to the spot where he had to abandon his Marathon of Hope run across Canada due to the spread of cancer to his lungs.  

In the month of September, most communities hold a Terry Fox Run to continue his fund raising legacy. The day we were at his memorial was the local Terry Fox Run and we watched as a group of runners started their event from the site.

Here is a brief summary of Terry’s story:  Terry Info

We completed our trip around the Great Lakes with our arrival at the western end of Lake Superior and made our way through Thunder Bay. 

We carried on and spent the night in Dryden, Ontario. The weather was still nice, sunny and 26C as we set Boxy up for the night. So nice, in fact, that I set to work on the blog (update 5) as we sat outside having a glass of wine.

Return Day 5:  Well, so much for the nice weather. We woke up to a chilly morning of only 6C, and had to get into long pants for the first time the whole trip!  We drove through Kenora and took in two interesting sights. The first was a giant spider made from a Volkswagen Beetle.  The second was a deer standing on its hind legs to munch on apples in someone’s front yard. Due to the traffic we were in, we were unable to get a photo of the deer, but it was pretty cool to see!

Finally, we made it all the way through Ontario and into Manitoba. A few kilometers across the border, it was like we passed through a magic doorway. Instantly, we were out of the tall trees we had been in for forever and onto the prairie. As if on cue, we both stretched our arms out and announced how good it was to finally be back in open spaces!

Prairies at last!

A little further west, and we found ourselves at the longitudinal centre of the country.

We carried on to Winnipeg where we spent the afternoon, and again checked out our favourite Vietnamese restaurant, T. H. Dang. This time, it was open!!! We happily went in.  It is a tiny, family run restaurant.  The service and food seemed even better than we remembered when we discovered it two years ago.

Really happy diner

Return day 6:  The following day, we caught up with Sandy’s brother, John, as he was taking a load of sweet potatoes to Calgary that he had brought up from the USA. We had fun making childish faces at one another as we passed on the highway, then met for a quick visit when he stopped to re-fuel.

In John’s truck

After another stop to visit our cycling buddy, Heather, in Portage La Prairie, we carried on to Regina, Saskatchewan, home of the RCMP training centre. 

There is a campground on the site, so Sandy thought we would spend the night there. Already mid-September, the campground was closed for the season.  Fortunately, we were able to book a night in the barracks where members stay when they come back for various courses and further training. 

Our room at RCMP training school barracks

As you can see, our accommodation was like a small hotel room, with some interesting historic Mountie photographs for decoration. Here is a test of your observation skills. Exam the uniform of these North West Mounted Police officers, photographed in 1885.  

I trust you immediately noted the likeness to the frock coat of the Blues and Royals that Prince Harry wore on his wedding day. As were were part of the British Empire at the time the NWMP was established, the resemblance of these uniforms is not a coincidence.

While in Regina, we spent the evening with our cycling buddies, Larry and Louise, who invited us to stay for dinner. They are really fun to be around, but I must admit, I was a little nervous when Louise was preparing our meal!  

Dangerous meal preparation!

Despite the chef's protective goggles, we had an excellent dinner as well as a great visit.  Here’s looking forward to riding with them again next year when we meet up to do the next iteration of the Great Annual Saskatchewan Pedal (GASP).

Return day 7:  Our last day on the road! Our final leg took just through Saskatchewan and back to Edmonton. As we made our way west during this week of driving, we noticed how dramatically the leaves were changing to their fall colours as the kilometers and days went by.

Fall leaves, outside Moose Jaw, SK

Our last point of interest was the giant snowman at Kenaston, Saskatchewan. Boy, was that a harbinger of what was to come!

We truly had a wonderful adventure throughout our Epic Road Trip and hope you enjoyed sharing it with us. Our total trip distance was over 8,000 kilometers.

Our approximate route map

A couple of days after we got home, we woke up to snow and realized that summer was officially over and our camping adventures ended for the season.  

Our back yard, Sept 22

Boxy has been winterized and is in her storage place until spring. Here she is in Dryden. She made our Epic Road Trip a fabulous adventure!

Epic Road Trip, Part 5

Days 21 - 23:   Exploring the Niagara Region and Reviewing  Some History

We arrived in the Niagara Region with enough time to spend a few days exploring the area. We found a nice campground, about 25km west of Niagara Falls, where we set up for the next three days. Before we left home, Sandy researched some rides for us and determined we could cycle the length of the Welland Canal.

Welland Canal, Port Colborne 

Lake Erie and Lake Ontario are connected by the Niagara River. Traveling by boat between the two lakes would entail a rather dramatic drop over the Niagara Falls. The Welland Canal was constructed to bypass the falls and move ships through the 326 foot elevation difference between the lakes via a series of 8 locks.  All of the locks fill and empty by gravity, with no pumps required.  Initially opened in 1829, the canal has been widened, deepened, and straightened over the years to accommodate ever bigger ships.

The first day in the area, we hopped on our bikes and pedaled into Welland where we got on the paved multi purpose trail that runs the length of the canal.  We rode south to the Lake Erie end of the canal, at Port Colborne.

Pedaling along the canal

The Niagara Region is quite populated, so there are numerous bridges that move vehicular traffic cross the canal. To allow the ships to make their journey along the canal, these are “lift” bridges that open up to let the ships pass through. 

Lift bridge in position for land vehicles

Of course, the vehicular traffic is stopped while the ships pass through, but there are lots of signs warning drivers if the bridge is open so they can choose an alternate route.

Ship passing through an open lift bridge 

Lots of different goods are transported back and forth between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean through the Great Lakes Saint Lawrence Seaway System, of which the Welland Canal is part.

A product of interest to us is wheat, a major crop in Alberta. The largest wheat transporting ship traveling through the canal has to pay a canal fee of $36,000 per passage. Sounds like a pretty hefty amount, but considering that she can transport  $11 million worth of wheat in a single load, I guess that ticket to ride isn’t too huge after all; it’s all a matter of perspective.

Some of this wheat is milled before transporting through the canal, as this big, old mill in Port Colborne would suggest.

Note how the mill dwarfs the rail cars 

As we made our way along the canal, we passed two different sites with docks for rowing clubs. Long runs of straight canal make a perfect place for rowers to train.  Although there were no rowers out this day, a group of cormorants where taking advantage of one of the docks.  Cormorants lack water-proofing oils on their feathers (odd, being that they make their living diving for food) so they have to hold their wings out to air-dry after fishing.

Cormorants on the rowers' dock

At the end of this day’s exploration of the canal, we stopped for a wee refreshment break. When I came out of the shop with our treats, I found Sandy in discussion with some fellow who seemed rather interested in my bike. I figured they were locked in negotiations and she was probably going to sell my machine on me! 

Turns out, this fellow has the same bike as mine, which is no longer in production.  He was telling her how much he loved his bike and how he wished he had another. Good thing I came out when I did; I could have been walking back to Boxy!!  Total ride distance:  62km

Is Sandy trying to make a deal for my bike? 

The next day, we continued our journey along the canal by heading north through St. Catharines to Lake Ontario.  As we were riding along the trail, Sandy decided to race a ship that was making its way through the canal. 

The race is on!

I am happy to report that she successfully caught and passed that ship and we reached Lock 4 well ahead it.  There is a viewing area set up at that lock where people can watch the lock accommodate a ship as it makes its way through the canal. 

Lock 4 full and ready to receive a north bound ship

On this day, a local volunteer was there to tell people about the canal system, how the locks function, and provide some information about the kinds of ships that work there.  The canal is open from April until it shuts down for maintenance the end of December.  In the nine months it is open, numerous ships of different types and sizes move various goods back and forth to Montreal. Many then head to the Atlantic to work on the ocean while the canal is closed.

Sandy directing lock traffic as the ship she raced moves into the canal (always the cop 😂)

After spending a considerable amount of time at the lock, we carried on with our ride. We rode the remaining length of the Welland Canal to its connection with Lake Ontario. Some sections of the trail passed through some pretty sketchy areas of town, but it was nice to see murals on some old warehouses along the way.

Reproduction of an old advertisement
encouraging one to purchase locally made bicycles

We continued east along Lake Ontario and passed many vineyards, wineries, and orchards as we made our way to Niagara-on-the-Lake. After enjoying a very nice lunch there, we hopped onto another path, this time along the Niagara River, and rode south towards Niagara Falls.  This area is ripe with history, as many of the battles and events of the War of 1812 took place here.

Think of Laura Secord as the Canadian (well, we were British at the time) equivalent of Paul Revere.  Information she overheard and relayed about an impending American attack lead to victory for our side at the Battle of Beaver Dams. A quick summary is available here:  Laura Secord Heroine

Laura Secord Monument

We continued riding south along the Niagara River, up a brutal hill, and on to Niagara Falls. From there, we turned west to make it back to our campground. Total ride distance:  92km

Welland Canal on left, Niagara River on right

The next day was cool and dreary, so rather than ride, we went for a walk then drove into Niagara Falls.  Another important engagement of the War of 1812 was the Battle of Lundy’s Lane. This “was one of the bloodiest battles of the war, and one of the deadliest battles ever fought in Canada.” This was a strategic victory for the British as the much decimated American forces were forced to retreat.  

Lundy’s Lane, now a major entertainment section
of the city of Niagara Falls 

Of course, no discussion of the War of 1812 would be complete without mentioning Major-General Sir Isaac Brock who initiated the defence of Queenston Heights when the Americans came across the Niagara River to try to invade Upper Canada. Although he was killed in battle (before learning of his knighthood), as a result of his leadership and bravery, he remains a prominent Canadian hero. And, who knows, without his legacy, perhaps we would have lost the war and been annexed by the Americans!  For more info:  Sir Isaac Brock 

Sir Isaac is interred beneath the 185 foot column upon which his statue looks out over the Niagara River from Queenston Heights, the site of his final battle.

Brock Monument

The next photo shows Brock’s view of the Niagara River, with Lewiston, New York, on the right, the site from which the Americans crossed the river to begin their assault on Canada.

Niagara River from Queenston Heights

Days 24 - 26:  The Reunion!

The RCMP 1978 Troop 16 was an all female troop of RCMP recruits, admitted in only the fourth year the force accepted women as regular police members. A class of 31 completed the programme before being dispersed all across the country. They had careers of various lengths, achieved various ranks, and are all now retired from the force. All of them spent time on general duty, and some ventured into other areas of policing including highway patrol, under cover work, drug busting, pursuing child pornographers, catching smugglers, and chasing counterfeiters. This reunion celebrated the 40th year since they graduated. Of the 10 troop mates who attended the event, there were two who Sandy hadn’t seen since the day they left Depot.

Ladies of Troop 16, 40 years on!

For some reason, our hotel room served as reunion-central, so there were always extra people milling about.  The group spent their three days together reminiscing about their training days, sharing policing stories, and celebrating one another’s careers. And, of course, there was some time left over to do a little exploring of the Niagara Region.

Horseshoe Falls, the Canadian section of Niagara Falls,
the main attraction 

A good time was had by all, and plans are already in place to have their next reunion in Halifax, 2021.

Up Close to the Falls

After saying our good-byes, it was time for us to start the long drive back to Edmonton. More on that when we post the update for the final leg of this Epic Road Trip.