Once back in Canada, I felt pretty good about making it to Thunder Bay. With every kilometer behind me though, I grew more and more weary. After my soggy shift in direction, fighting winds, the stress of where to go to avoid thunder heads, I was ready to stop hours before Thunder Bay.

Right about the time I felt this exhaustion start to brew, I saw the first sings for Atikokan. My spirits lifted at the thought of only 2 more hours on my bike. All the detours Petunia took me on were fun, but they added a couple hundred km to my day. You KNOW it’s time to get off the bike when it takes forever to count down the last 10 k!

I turned down the Atikokan road and saw a billboard for the White Otter Inn. Yayyyy! They’ll have a bed! I mean, how many people REALLY go to Atikokan? Turns out a lot. So many, in fact, that when I practically stumbled into the Inn, the lady at the desk just started shaking her head no. My heart sunk. “No room for me?” I said in the most forlorn voice I’ve ever heard from my own mouth.

“No dear, but you can try the Quetico”. My phone was dead by then, so I asked if she could call them for me. She did; they had a room. Thank Goodness! I rolled in and at first glance it looked dilapidated and under construction. No bother; they had a bed!

Dale was sitting outside havin’ a beer. I dumped my gear in my room and wandered over with my Gatorade. Dale let me know where to find grub, so I hoppped back on my bike and found the local pizza place. 45 minute wait. Gross. I arranged for delivery to my room and I grabbed a couple pops from the local LCBO thinking I’d join Dale outside the motel. The roads in Atikokan meant those pops would need to sit a spell after being in my side case!

It was a welcome visit given that I hadn’t REALLY had a conversation since Brian and I parted ways. I was missing him deeply, so having a chat with anyone helped fill the void. It’s not the same when Deanna doesn’t get to talk to people! If you know me….you get that…

My pizza arrived and I filled the void in my belly too. I generally don’t eat lunch when I ride, and my powdered eggs and leathery whatever pretend meat that was in Fargo was long used up. As I ate, 2 BMWs rode in. I could see their feet under the truck next to my bike, so I knew they were oogling Jules. She really is a good lookin girl!

In the morning I was packing up Jules when Rob and Jerry (the bikers) invited me for breakfast and to ride with them to Thunder Bay. I happily accepted. It’s nice to not eat alone now and then. It’s nice to feel part of something now and then too.

We rode together to just outside of Kakabeca falls and stopped at a picnic spot. We’d been on the road for about 200 km, so a stop was welcome. I was surprised by how ready I was to be off my bike already. After a short visit, we prepared to leave.

Leaving people, or rather being left behind by people, has always been hard on me. In my haste to not be left behind, I forgot the shades Brian loaned me on my trunk. I didn’t even realize until I opened my visor to push up my sunglasses! Jeepers man! The number of times I forget, lose, or drop sunglasses is ridiculous!

I must be starting to get back to myself though. I get to my motel and wave goodbye to Rob and Jerry and watch them disappear down the road to Thunder Bay. After dumping my gear in my room, I headed back for the sunglasses. Yup! they were right where I’d dropped them! Retrieving them is honestly a new thing for me. I must really be crazy about you, Brian, or I never would have gone back for them! lol! I have a cheesy as heck grin here, but it’s a testament to how nice it was to have friends…even if for a short while!

As it was only a 2 hour day on the bike, I had time to do laundry, get some healthy food from the grocery store, and walk the 3.5 k to see the falls. Today was a perfect day!