After breakfast in North Bay, I rode across the street to fuel up. I didn’t like the sound of my bike AT ALL! This was the first time hearing this new sound and I was pretty sure it had something to do with my chain. Great. Dan said I needed to keep an eye on it, so when I was stopped at the pump I had a look. The tension seemed pretty tight, but I also knew it would loosen up with every mile I put behind me.
This day was an absolute scorcher! I kept to the 17 and had Tanya’s addressed plugged in so I felt confident I would arrive in Deux-Montagnes (Two Mountains), Quebec by mid day. I worked in a lot of stops, but each time I set out again, I immediately felt thirsty. It was annoying because I didn’t ALSO want to have to make a lot of bathroom stops too!
I’d hoped to see my friend Darwyn whom I’d met on my motorcycle adventure in Peru last fall, but our scheduled didn’t align this day. On I went. Eventually I get to Ottawa. I knew I’d need to go through it as Ray had already given me the heads’ up back in Wawa. What I did not have the heads’ up about, was the fuckery it would take to get to the other side and past Ottawa!
After Petunia (remember, this is what I’ve named my phone rather than saying “Google Maps” eleventy nine thousand times) had me wandering around some very fancy neighbourhoods, riding in circles, and not getting anywhere, I finally stopped under a big tree to figure my shit out. I had to peel my jacket off because it was virtually glued to my very sweaty self. A 37 degree day is a hard one with all that gear! With the humidex, it was 42!!!
Just as I was shimmying out of my jacket, Chris texted from Deux-Montagnes. He and his sister Tanya are my destination this day and I felt like I was NEVER going to make it out of Ottawa. When he asked where I was, I replied, “lost in Ottawa”. He immediately called and wow was I grateful! He talked me off the ledge and assured me that my phone would get me through the fuckery of Ottawa. Off I go again.
I’m guessing it was because my brain was starting to melt, but once on the road again, I realized I’d forgotten to close my dang tank bag. If it hadn’t been flapping in the wind, and if I hadn’t been worried shit would start flying out, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. Stopping was out of the question in the busy day-time traffic, and rolling up the top so I could secure with one hand was definitely out. So I folded it over and leaned on it. I figured I’d come to a red light soon enough. Yeah. Nope. Fawk! without any place to pull off, I’d have to wait. When I finally got it taken care of, I nearly lost my left side case by a maniac driver. Jeeze!
I managed to catch a glimpse of Parliament, but Petunia wouldn’t take me right past. I have to admit I wasn’t too broken up by that missed opportunity. I needed the highway again so I could cool down! The wet towel I’d wrapped around my neck was now steaming!
Back on the highway, it was certainly obvious when I crossed into Quebec! Holy rotten roads, Batman! When I wasn’t dodging cars, I was navigating potholes, uneven lanes, and the municipality’s crazy attempts at road repair. Seriously, friends! Did they just dump left over concrete on these spots and call it done? Yikes! All of this was worth it though. I was on my way to see people that mean the world to me.
About 8 years ago I met Bruce. He lived across the road from me and was one of the dearest friends I could ever have. I loved him very much. When I had something exciting to share, I told Bruce over coffee. When I was going through stuff, Bruce listened with kindness in his eyes. We shared meals together, laughter, and always much love. We adopted each other as family. When he passed last year, I got a chance to meet his kids Tanya and Chris. I adopted them as my family too. They are a big part of my reason for doing this epic adventure now and I noticed I was pulling harder on the throttle the closer I got to them. it had been almost a year since I’d seen them.
With the toxicity of my recent work gig, I was left doubting a lot of things in my life. As the miles slipped away in ribbons of broken road behind me, I found myself wondering if perhaps I was wrong about my relationship with Bruce’s kids too. Those doubts immediately dissipated when I arrived. I parked, got off my bike, and turned to see Chris with a big smile. Man he looks just like Bruce! We hugged hello and I knew I’d made the right choice to stop to visit. We walked towards the back yard and I saw a very shaky hand reach over the top of the gate to unlatch the door.
Tanya stepped through and we both burst into tears and shared an incredibly powerful and heartfelt hug. that embrace spoke volumes. It spoke of our mutual gratitude that the friendship forged in grief was solid, that the time between our last words meant little, and that we were sisters from another mister.
We spent the next seven days laughing until we cried and I can’t wait to see them both again upon my return.
August 11, 2025.
This morning was slow going and wasn’t feeling so great, even after my long rest day in The Soo’s Best Western. I’d called Dan’s Custom repair and confirmed they’d be able to get me in to tighten my chain. When Dan came out to talk to me with his great big larger than life smile and laugh, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. He zipped my bike in and took care of the burned out bulb, tightened the chain, and checked my oil. I’d planned on getting things taken care of in Halifax, but Dan figured I’d be ok until then if I kept an eye on my chain tension.
If you’ve been following my stories, you know how lonesome I’d been on this trip after saying goodbye to Brian back in Portage La Prairie. I have to admit, I teared up quite a lot after Dan’s greeting. I teared up again while I sipped coffee and ate my banana. When someone is REALLY present with you, it melts lonliness immediately. Thank you for this, Dan!
I was off and racing east again in not time. The joy was back and I reminded myself that I am the master of my journey. I can choose to think about the lonliness, or I can embrace this adventure fully and focus on all the things I GET TO DO! My pre-Dan-greeting morning was the last time I felt lonliness. I’m writing this two weeks later and I’m happy to say it truly has been a joyful trip despite the fact I’m doing this alone.
When I came to Thessalon Bay, something told me to take a look. Again, I don’t often do these things when I’m on a mission. I’m headed to see people so I felt my journey had purpose today. Anyway, I toured around Thessalon Bay and eventually stopped by the water. I took a break, ate a yogurt, apple, and a granola bar. Embracing my adventure means I need to stop more often. I had a chat with my friend Trina from back home and we had such a nice visit! If you’re reading this, Trina, thank you for filling my cup that day!
The day was really heating up by this point. I had to do an extra loop through town to fuel up and my timing was terrible! With all the road construction, I ended up sitting on the highway waiting for it to be our turn. 32 degrees, fresh black top, sun beating down, me in full gear. I think I must have sweat out all my water break within the first 15 minutes of that wait!
With the wind wicking away what I’d lost in my wait, I soon decided I needed another break. I noticed a library on the side of the road in some little community, and pulled off into a side road. The gal in the library happily led me to her washroom. People have been so accommodating and I found myself thinking again about all that for which I am grateful.
By now the day had risen to a whopping 35 degrees so I started unzipping every vent, removing every panel on my jacket I could, and taking off the back panel of my riding pants. The heat is oppressive and it feels like I’m riding into a blast furnace. No amount of speed brings cooler winds. Chugging my VERY warm water without any shade was sub optimal, to say the least. I guess my timing is improving, because a semi truck pulled up beside me. The shade cast by the truck was a welcome relief, but then things get even better! The driver popped up over the top of his cab and asked if I’d like a cold bottle of water! I jogged over to accept, surprised by the amount of energy the thought of a cold one got out of me.
Next stop? North Bay, ON
Day 1 of my Cross-Canada-Motorcycle-Adventure 2025.
I’m going back 26 days now to write about the beginning of this adventure. I finally felt the cortisol slip away on or about day 6 or 7 of this trip. Why a belly full of cortisol you ask? Let’s just say I spent the last 16 months dealing with a work bully, an incompetent leader, and project owners who felt the need to micromanage every minute detail of the work without having any understanding of the actual work at all. That cortisol overload left me feeling shaky in the saddle that first day! Well, that first week, to be honest. I was grateful Brian rode with me the first few days. His presence has always been such a welcome calm in my hectic life!
Our plan was to get to Moose Jaw on our first day. We set out early and stopped off at my parents’ place for a quick goodbye and then headed out! Highlights of the day were getting busted while trying to secretly plant a Hula Honey on Brian’s trunk lid, chatting over our Lexin communications system, stopping for lunch in Coronation, spotting the headless horseman, and of course, sheltering in Elrose, Saskatchewan.
We had been on the road all day and were still three hours from Moose Jaw. Thunderheads loomed and we knew it was only a matter of time before it hit us. We came to a T-intersection and headed left. The wind was really hammering at us now, but the storm still seemed far enough away that we might just get only the edge of it. Two kilometres later, we turned around and headed for shelter in Elrose. The wind, the downpour, the lack of anywhere else to haul off and safely don rain gear screamed “turn around”. When we stopped in the sleepy main street of Elrose, Brian pulled out his phone to see if this town had a diner or anywhere, we could get out of the rain and wait for the storm to pass.
Meanwhile, a fella strolled over and asked if we were looking for shelter. I confirmed we were, so he pointed down the road and advised the rec centre was at the end of the street. “The place is open. You guys can stay as long as you need or want. The lights are on the left.” I thanked him heartily and led the charge towards the rec centre.
Well holy pie, Batman! What a great facility! We had the entire complex to ourselves. We had washrooms, water bottle refill fountain, outlets to charge our helmets and phones, and of course, a warm place to stay out of the storm. The kindness of that fella to point us in the direction of shelter without knowing anything about us, will stay in my heart for years to come. He renewed my faith in people and reminded me that above all else, be kind. This has been my mantra for most of my life, but being on the receiving end was such a welcomed treat.
We left about 45 minutes later and with Brian’s expert navigation, we rode the rest of the way into Moose Jaw rain-free. The guy’s a genius, really, and I miss him heaps on this journey!
I packed up my bike in the crisp 10 degree morning and thought about what lay ahead for me. I decided to go into Amherst to get Jules looked after as it was really only a few extra miles from the PEI turn off. I wanted to be sure she was in tip-top shape before hitting the island.
I waved to the fella a few doors down then ducked back in to grab my coffee and wandered over to visit. I learned Rick, retired, was visiting people in Fredericton with his wife. When he asked where I was from he exclaimed, “Wow! You’ve come a long way!”
“I certainly have,” I replied.
“Where you headed?” I told him PEI, then on to ride the Cabot Trail, and then on to Yarmouth to visit family before turning for home. He shook my hand and congratulated me. We visited for a while longer and he told me about having lived in Calgary, visited the Yukon and we talked bikes for a spell. I finished my coffee and bade him farewell. I enjoyed the visit and it was a welcome introduction to my day.
After gassing up, I was once again on my way. The air is much cooler now and I was missing the 30 degree temps from a few days ago. The traffic was light, the tunes were happy, and gradually the day warmed up to 16 degrees. I learned something today; do the hard stuff first. Yesterday 16 felt frigid. But if you start out before the day warms up, 16 ends up feeling comfortable.
I was wary of every road construction sign and each of Petunia’s frequent warnings of road closure ahead. Rick let me know I was headed for rough terrain for a “good long stretch” before Moncton. He wasn’t kidding! The road was rippled from paving machinery; you know those endless grooves parallel to the lane before they actually lay down new pavement? Yeah. Those. You’ve seen them before. They’re the ones that come right after the road signs of motorcycles wiping out.
That went on forever and most drivers don’t care, or don’t know how that kind of a road surface impacts a bike. Thankfully a white SUV adopted me and kept a respectful distance behind. This prevented others from racing up behind me to bully me into a faster speed than I wanted to ride on that shit. When the lane opened up and I moved over, my Guardian Angel did too. The speed demons raced past and we carried on at a respectable 90 km/hr. My Guardian Angel turned off at Moncton and I carried on over a much improved road surface.
I passed the turn off to PEI and shortly after that I passed the “Welcome to Nova Scotia” sign. And then it hit me. The tears came fast and my helmet physically lifted when my cheeks broke into what must have been a million watt smile.
I ACTUALLY DID THIS!!!
Hitting Nova Scotia felt like home. It felt like every good thing I’ve ever experienced in my life all happened again in a millisecond. It felt like holding my babies. It felt like chocolate. It felt like Brown Eyed Susans. It felt like Sunflowers. It felt like friendship chasing away loneliness. It felt like laughter with loved ones, starry nights, and sunshine-y days. It felt like being held when you’re exhausted. It felt like being lifted up. It felt like running barefoot in the sand. It felt big. It felt electrifying. It felt like nothing I’ve ever felt before.
I rode my motorbike across the second largest country on this PLANET! I rode my bike across the continent!!!!!
When I jumped back on Jules after her makeover and headed for the bridge, the tears still streamed across my cheeks. PEI. A bucket list dream come true! I looked out over the ocean and was grateful I was on a bike so I could see over the bridge. As I gazed into the distance, it felt like anything was possible for me now!
I chose to go towards Summerside. No particular reason came to mind, it just felt right. I chose the Shine Motel. Again, no reason. It just felt right.
I dumped my gear and headed back out on my bike to explore. I didn’t get far though. I came across a busy little area and parked. I ate some food, listened to a very talented musician in the square, and did a bit of poking around.
I found Anne with an E almost immediately. Although she was $25, I knew she was just what Jules and the gang needed.
I strolled back to the boardwalk to listen to the fella sing. He really was talented. I was overcome again. It’s so hard to describe what I was feeling. It was all beautiful, wonderful, joyful feelings. When I was eating, the tears fell and I didn’t care to stop them. Now they are back. All I can say is that I was so full of joy that it was spilling out through my eyes. It wasn’t sadness. It wasn’t exhaustion. It was pure joy. I wandered away to look out over the water. I could still hear the music, but at least now I could let the tears run their course in private.
The next shop I wandered into was the silversmith. If you know me, you know I like to buy myself an adventure ring to commemorate my experience. Melodie was the silversmith today and I told her what I was looking for. She immediately took me to the ring she had just placed in the display as I crossed the threshold to the shop. She had only just finished making it when I walked in so I was truly the only person to touch it outside of herself! I tried it on, but it was too small. No problem. She resized to my gargantuan 61/4 and now it’s a perfect fit! I’m not a photographer (clearly), so it’s mostly cut off in the pic below. It green sea glass in an artfully crafted silver setting.
Back on the bike, Jules and I tried to get close to the coast. With road closures on the #11, however, we had to detour. Eventually we returned to the highway, but with evening traffic heavy with folks going home after work, I couldn’t pull off for any pictures. The roads are very narrow! It reminds me of the roads around Pembroke, N.S. I could hear Dorothy’s and Chantal’s voices as the driver behind me, “Tourists!” followed by much laughter. I can’t wait to see them soon!
Anyway…when I finally had a quiet stretch, I headed off the beaten path. The road narrowed even more and was heaved from cold weather and likely larger vehicles. Not knowing where I was going, but seeing blue on my GPS screen, I continued on. If I had to turn around, I was going to have a hell of a time maneuvering over the massive heaves in this little road!
Soon the lane widened and fishermen were parked with just enough room for me to turn around so I could point back the way I’d come. This might seem like a small thing, but I don’t normally attempt sketchy tight turns if there’s a chance I’ll get myself in any kind of trouble when I’m alone. The boats were all still out, so who knows how long it would be before help arrived if I needed it! Even with all of this in my head, it FELT right to stop there.
I walked down to the beach. I collected some red sand to take home. Thankfully I hadn’t tossed my ear plug canister! I meant to a dozen times, but somehow it kept appearing in my pocket. Now I know why. I walked in the water. I wanted to throw my head back and holler, “I DID IT!” but the beach was lined with homes and I didn’t want anyone coming out to see just what I did in their back yard. This was my moment and I wasn’t interested in sharing it just yet.
I stood there looking out at the ocean and just let all the feels come. It was as though the water was asking for my tears, “Let me take everything you’ve been carrying Deanna. You’ve carried it this far, let me take it now.”
As my tears fell into the North Atlantic, I felt lighter. Maybe this trip has been more than crossing off a bucket list event. Maybe it’s been about tossing my luggage into the sea and letting go.
When I left Dan’s I pointed east again. I’m heading to North Bay and already melting in the hot temps of Ontario’s current heat wave. This is the first time I’ve set out without a final destination in mind for the day and surprisingly, I wasn’t the least bit stressed about it! I’d spent a bit of time looking at hotels and saw there was a lot along the way. I was shooting for North Bay, but if I decided I was too beat, I’d just stop sooner. I considered the River Mist Inn in Sturgeon Falls, but when I got there, I still had some steam in the tank to keep moving.
This was such a great day on the road. With virtually no traffic, I made really great time. The tunes, the wind, the smile on my face, and ribbons of road ahead all made for a pretty sweet experience. With a 6 hour ride ahead of me I knew I’d need to make regular stops to stay fresh in this heat. About 90 min into my ride I saw a sign for a picnic pull out. I wheeled in, used the facility, had some water, a small snack and was ready to rip again!
When I came to Thessalon, I figured it warranted a peek. I was due for another break and the name of this place stuck in my brain. In my search for hotels on a previous day I recalled seeing pictures of this place and was curious. It is a pretty little town, but I didn’t see a diner. With road construction underway here, I was forced into a detour. It was a happy accident that I found myself looking out over the north shore of Lake Huron. I pulled into the empty parking lot and had a little picnic.
Once I pulled off my helmet and started unpacking some lunch, a lady walking her dog stopped by to chat. She told me I was an inspiration taking off by myself across Canada like this on a solo motorbike tour. This is happening a lot to me today! I was starting to feel a bit braver knowing my chain was tighter and Jules’ lights glowed.
While munching on my Babybel cheese, granola bar and apple, I had a chat with my friend Trina from home. I slid into the ginormous red adirondak chair to get comfy for our video visit. What a welcome treat that was! I could have chatted away for an hour, but the clouds were rolling in and it was time to…make time!
With the detour out of town, I found myself at the highway sooner than expected, but I really needed to go back for gas. Ungh! There were eleventy nine thousand vehicles coming down the road and at least that many waiting for their turn at the change of the flag. Ah well. Road construction; what d’ya do?
I’d be stuck behind traffic, but you never know when the next fuel stop will appear on the horizon! Back I went, fuelled up, danced to the tunes in my helmet while Jules got a good drink, and took my place in line again on the highway. Fresh, black pave. 32 degrees. Heat from the bike. Even after I shut Jules off, I still melted and felt like I needed water again.
When I arrived in North Bay Petunia told me I still had another 30 minutes of driving before I reached the hotel I had in mind. I hadn’t booked ahead, but was optimistic. When I walked in to the Ramada, the gal at the front desk said she wanted me to see the room before she booked it for me. “Is it really that bad?” I asked. She advised that seeing I am on a bike with a lot of stuff, she just wanted me to be sure I liked it before hauling gear into my room. One look told me that yah, it’s DEFINITELY a good room!
I really had no concerns before she even offered to show it to me. Given the lobby, I figured it was a safe bet. With breakfast and taxes, it was only $109 all in! The pool, hot tub and sauna were all out of service, but that’s no big deal to me. It’s rare I take a swim anyway.
There must have been something in the Ontario air this day, because this very sweet young lady with all her questions about my trip while checking me in remarked, “You are very courageous! You inspire me to know that I can maybe do a big thing one day too!” When she asked how I stay so positive, I had to think for a minute. What DO I do?
Sure, I’ve been up and down and lonely and overjoyed often all in a span of a few hours on this trip, but at the end of the day, my formula is really pretty simple. I think about that for which I am grateful, I strive always to be kind to others, and I laugh big as often as I can.
Anywho…if you look hard enough in the lobby picture below, you might even see their resident groundhog looking through the window!
After breakfast in a very pretty space, I set out for my next stop: Deux-Montagnes, Quebec.
It was raining the morning I left Sault Ste. Marie, but it was already 22 degrees celcius at 8:00 am. I opted for a tank top and shorts under my riding gear. Within 10 minutes I was already sweating due to the intense humidity. I stopped at Dan’s Custom Repair to get my chain tightened and have them install the new bulb for my headlight.
I walked in and spoke to the fella in the front and he said he’d get Dan out to talk to me. I was full of apprehension about this stop. Would they take care of my bike right away? As I rolled in I saw someone hop on a bike and pull it around back. I heard it going on a lift when I walked in the door. I knew this meant they were just getting into another bike. This apprehension built into not a small amount of stress because I was already telling myself a story about how I may need to spend another night in The Soo.
Dan came out from the shop and he said, “Hey, how you doing?” I followed him out the door and responded with, “Great! I’m losing 2 pounds in this heat every time I stop!” or something to that affect. Dan has a great big smile and a big booming laugh and I immediately felt better. I told him what I was looking for and he said no problem, grab yourself a coffee inside and they’d help me out right away.
While I waited, the first fella came back to chat. He told me that he was impressed that I’m doing this trip and said, “You’re one brave lady!”. I sure didn’t feel brave! I felt stressed, tired, and nervous about the day. Talking to him, however, helped settle my nerves. I sipped my coffee, ate my banana, and waited. Before long Dan came out and let me know it was all done. He advised I’d need new sprockets and a chain soon, but to keep an eye on it and tighten again if I needed to. Holy Pie Batman! I was planning to replace my tires before heading for home, but hadn’t really factored in any repairs. Stress. Anxiety.
I told him how much I appreciated his time and how his greeting had made me feel a lot better about the lonliness. He too remarked how brave I must be to do a cross-Canada trip alone on a bike. I asked if he’d be ok if I took a selfie with him for my stories and he happily obliged.
Thank you heaps and heaps, Dan! You helped out Jules and lightened my load enough to carry on feeling a little more hopeful about the day!
August 9
When I said goodbye to Amelia and her mom and switched on my ignition, my dash told me I had a blown light bulb in my headlight. Dang it! It was another hot and sunny day, but it’s still better to have lights! I could tell I still had my bright head light because I could see its reflection on the vehicle ahead. I made a mental note to find someone to change it for me when I got to Sault Ste. Marie.
Once I rolled into Sault Ste. Marie, I was on the look out for a bike shop. I need my chain tightened too. I saw a place, but it was already closed. At least there was something and I was there till Monday morning, so I’d get it taken care of. I was surprised by how unphased I was. I guess this means all that built up cortisol over the last 16 months must be gone! Maybe it’s because I booked a suite at a nice hotel for two days, but I know it’s also because the fuckery gig is slipping into the background with every mile I put behind me.
I followed Petunia’s directions, but the heat must have been getting to her too because she had me going in circles. I pulled over to get a closer look at her directions. She said I’d arrived, but I was in a parking lot for some long-closed business. I looked up to see if I could see the place. It was the next parking lot over! Not crazy about getting back into traffic just to take then next parking lot, I noticed a foot path through the trees. That’s good enough for Jules, so I zipped through the trees and right into a primo parking spot across from the front door!
The Outdoorsman in Wawa was a lovely motel and the owners were wonderful, but the Water Tower Inn had a pool calling out to me and a beautiful suite waiting for me. Check out the big reveal below!
After dumping my gear in my amazing room, I went for a stroll to explore the Water Tower Inn. There was an outdoor hot tub and although it was smokin’ hot outside, I knew it would feel good on my tired bones. After a 30-minute soak, I jumped into the icy cold pool inside. OK, not so icy cold REALLY, but just the right temperature after the hot tub. Next stop? Shower and food!
It was Saturday night, and my luck was still up! I saw a sign on a pillar next to my bar stool boasting the award-winning live music! The band was pretty great playing everything from the Beetles to 80’s rock. I closed the place down and enjoyed sleeping in the next day.
With a whole day to spend off the bike, I headed out to find a bulb for my headlight. Thanks to Brian, I knew which bulb to buy and that they had them at Canadian Tire. It was a long and sweltering walk. I spotted a shopping mall off to the left, so I decided to walk through that until I couldn’t anymore. The air conditioning would be a welcome relief, even if it was only a short while. The mall doors were open, but the stores didn’t open for another hour yet. It was a bit spooky being the only person in the mall with everything closed. Another zombie apocalypse feeling. I’ve had a few on this trip!
I started off down the mall when I heard children laughing. I turned around and there was nothing there. What the hell, man! Remember, I’ve already determined I’m the only one there. I started off again and I hear the laughter. I stopped dead and just sort of waited there. One foot wanted to bolt off down the mall, but the other pivoted to force me to have another look. That was when I saw the ‘kid-ride-on-machine-thingy’ outside one of the stores. THAT had a repeating child’s laughter sound to draw people in. Or in my case, to send people running. OK, I didn’t run, but I didn’t stick around, either.
I bought the bulb, hit up the grocery store for some fruit and a pair of shorts which I changed into in the washroom for my walk back to the hotel. All in it was a 5 km walk. Not a long distance really, but it was eleventy four million degrees outside. I felt like a homeless person shlepping down the street with my jeans and apples in a Canadian Tire bag slung over my shoulder.
Back to Brian. This wonderful, sweet, beautiful man of mine has a lot more confidence in me than I do in myself. He sent me the directions to replace the bulb. It looked easy, but I gave up after step one. I took the cover off the back of my light and took one look at the two wires through the sweat streaming down my face and thought, “Nope.”
I’m going to a bike shop in the morning, I’ll just ask them to put it in. It was too hot, too awkward, and too much fuckin’ around to really want to do it myself. I retired to my room to lay in front of the AC and zone out on some TV instead.
Dinner was a wonderful treat that night! I walked down to Giovanni’s Restaurant and had Fettuccini Alfredo. With the beet salad, a basket of bread and a bowl of freshly grated parmesan cheese, I had enough food for THREE people! I enjoyed have of everything and boxed the rest for a second dinner later that night.
If you’re ever inThe Soo, consider staying at the Water Tower Inn and dining at Giovanni’s!
I’m exhausted. My body is telling me to take a break. Today’s ride (August 8) was the best I’ve had as far as scenery and weather goes! The traffic was heavy only here and there and heavy only meant 5-6 vehicles ahead of me. There were plenty of passing lanes, so that was no problem.
Other than a detour Petunia planned, it was smooth sailing I need to change the directions settings in my google maps! Right now it’s set to avoid highways and Petunia took it seriously. She took me off my route and kept yelling in my ear to take the clearly washed-out road at the end of an otherwise dead-end cul-du-sac in the middle of nowhere. It took me 20 km to find out it was washed out, so that was fun. But you know what? All things for a reason. Who knows what may have been on my path had I not detoured.
Anyway, I arrived in Wawa running on fumes, a full bladder, and a very sore butt. When I pulled in to the Outdoorsman, they switched my designated room so I could check in early. I was very grateful!
All the way here the joy of my adventure split my face in two. I’ll admit that I was so filled to the brim with that joy that I often felt it overflowing down my cheeks.
I had dinner next door at The Vikings. Holy Pie, Batman! Talk about loud. There was a table full of people heading to a fishing lodge sitting right behind me. They seemed to believe they were the only ones there – their voices were waves of hoots and hollers thundering down on my head. I thought I had a headache BEFORE I sat down for dinner. Yowsers! If you’re ever there and it’s loud, there is a staff picnic table in the cute little yard out back. I spied it from my bar stool and let the waitress know I’d finish my dinner out there. She agreed it was a good idea and held the door while I carried my plate outside.
I spent 3 hours looking for lodging for the next day that night. It’s the weekend and there is nothing from here to freaking sudbury! That’s 6 hours of highway away and I KNOW I don’t have that in me. I settled for a conference centre in Sault Ste. Maire which is only 2.5 hours away. That lengthens the number of days in Ontario, but I need a break.
The next morning (August 9) was a hard one for me. I didn’t sleep so well the night before. I’d turned off my AC and woke up a lot feeling parched. At 6:45 am I finally hauled out of bed and wandered over to the office for coffee. I sat and visited with Ray, the owner of the Outdoorsman. He is a very nice man and his wife Lyne was very kind to get me checked in early yesterday.
I had breakfast down the road and faught tears on the walk over. And again over my beautiful breakfast that included fresh avocado. And again on my walk back to my room. Lonliness is a really heavy load for me. It really shouldn’t be; I’ve carried it for most of my life. Not ready to pack up yet, I bypassed my motel and kept walking to the Young’s General Store. The original Wawa Goose was stationed there and I wanted to see if the original base was still holding it up. There are a lot of geese in Wawa! I passed one on the way to the store as well.
Anywho…Mom texted me when I told her I was staing in Wawa and told me Dad said I needed to go find his message on the goose. Regrettably, the base was covered with plywood. It may not have even been the original base, either. I was excited to potentially discover whatever my dad may have scrawled there long before I was even a twinkle in his eye. Not being able to look for it felt lonely too. It’s hard to shake.
While getting packed and ready, the other bikers sauntered over to chat. Weird “conversation”. It wasn’t really a conversation, more like they talked at me as they talked about all they had done, and where they had been. It was as though I wasn’t even really there. I felt invisible when my follow up question was entirely ignored and then they started talking amongst themselves about their planned route. Just….weird.
I finished packing up in silence, and planned to out-ride the lonliness as quick as I could. It turns out it takes 60 km to get ahead of it and I finally felt the gratitude flow through my veins again. I rounded a curve and the view of Lake Superior was quite breath-taking. There was a beach ahead, so I pulled in to have a look. This isn’t something I generally do, so I kind of surprised myself.
As I was kicking down my stand and switching off the ignition, I was greeted by such a warm and welcoming smile by the woman parking next to me. Amelia and her mom Jillian were headed in the other direction, but stopped to see the beach too. We three had a lovely visit before checking out the lake.
Amelia, if you do happen to find my blog, I want you to know what a difference you made in my world that day. When you smiled and said hello, my spirits lifted immensely. When you took the time to chat and we swapped stories, you filled my cup. Thank you for sharing your light with me! And please thank your mom too! I hope you had a great 10k and the rest of your drive was wonderful.
You know friends, we each leave a piece of ourselves behind with everyone we meet. What will you leave in your wake today?
Rob and Jerry invited me for breakfast as they learned of a local grill. That sounded way better than leftover pizza!
We walked into the ‘Cranky Pants Cafe’ and the guy barked out “What do you want?” Jeffy ordered first, to which Mr. Cranky Pants barked “What do you want to drink?”. When he barked at me, I kind of stumbled…”uhhhhh, same”. He repeated the ritual with Rob.
As we munched on our backon and egg muffins, an older lady was ordering. Mr. C.P. raised his voice to her, “TEN DOLLARS!” The poor woman apologized to this guy. Jeepers, man! I think he’d have been happier if no one walked into his grill!
Anywho, I stayed at the Telstar Motel in Kakabeka Falls. This was on the advice of Rob and Jerry – what luck to have met them! Not only was it nice to have friends for a short while, it was good to get intel on a nice place to stay. Friends, if you’re fortunate enought to be in Kakabeka Falls, Ontario and need a place to stay, the Telstar Motel is a fabulous stop! I had a kitchenette with two beds and an amazing air conditioner. I bought lunch at the grocery store across the street. I fuelled up across the street. I even did my laundry across the street! There is a pharmacy that has fabulous iced coffess too! That’s saying something because I typically don’t drink iced coffees! It’s down a ways and…across the street ;)
For dinner I ate at The Eddy next door. It’s a small menu, but the food was tasty! I had the Eddy burger. It’s pub foot fare without the pub feel, but like I say…it was tasty!
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!
The Happy Canuck 