X-Canada - Apr21-30
Yes, absoolutely, you're correct. I really, really suck at this blog. Definitely. Couldn't be more right about that.
But now is the mother of all postings. I'm doing this in a few parts, so you can pick and choose Suzanne's great adventures by date.
I managed to pack up all of my small stuff, sell the big stuff and hit the road sooner than Carrie Tait. Huge props to Tait. As much as we both hated London, I managed to cruise down the 401 a few days earlier. Much appreciation to her for letting me sleep in her apartment on my last night so I didn't have to sleep on my floor with all of the spiders.
As much as I tried to reach the Ont-Man border on my first day, it was impossible. I made it all the way to Iron Bridge though. If you don't know where that is, don't worry. It's a town that consists of three motels and two gas stations somewhere between Sudbury and the Soo. That's the night I thought the hotel manager was going to turn off my hot water because I said that I didn't follow the Leafs, I am a Flames fan.
#1 way to stop a conversation in Ontario: Admit that you don't give a shit about the Leafs. And then confess to cheering for a team in ANOTHER CONFERENCE!
The second day on the road was much like the first. Trying to find CBC one frequency at a time. Giving up. Listening to all of my CDs. Singing out loud to songs with no lyrics.
Yes, going insane.
But I was never bored. Or more importantly, I was never in danger of falling asleep at the wheel. Yelling at slow drivers and giving the thumbs up to truckers kept me in the game.
As I drove and never stopped, I realized that I was ahead of schedule. I was shooting for Winnipeg on Friday afternoon, so I could hang out with Jay and Bill and not have to worry about taking them away from work or anything. I slowed down and enjoyed the views....of rocks and trees. Oh, and more rocks...and trees.
I stayed in Kakabeka Falls, ON the second night. That's just west of Thunder Bay. Do you wanna know what's cool about Thunder Bay? The Sleeping Giant. If you are ever there, take a look. It's creepy. It's a giant land formation that looks like someone sleeping on their back. It's huge...and accurate. I remember Jay and I stayed near the Giant on our giant X-Canada tour in 1997. That's the night it rained so much that the TransCanada was closed due to flooding. Good times.
I made it to Winnipeg at 5pm on Friday, right on schedule. I had a blast in Winnipeg. That city has so much going for it! London always seemed like a city that was flatlining. Winnipeg seemed like it had strong vital signs.
Jay, Bill and I went to a Korean restaurant for dinner. The food was great and the lady who runs the place lectured Bill on his unhealthy ways when he tried to order a Coke. Then she suggested a beer or plum wine 'for good health.' Ahhh, Korea.
Later that night, Jay and I went to a bar downtown and through luck and good looks (Jay's, not mine), we drank free for the evening. Yah Winnipeg!
The next day, we braved a massive windstorm to sit on a patio and drink beer, have lunch and chitchat. My brother was in town so he joined us as well. We narrowly avoided being impaled by a Starbucks deck umbrella that had come loose from its moorings. That little Ford didn't fare as well.
Could you sue Starbucks for that? If any company had deep pockets...
While in Winnipeg I managed to hang out with Charlene for an evening and talk about her upcom ing nuptials to her imaginary fiance. No, she's not nuts. I just haven't met him. He's conveniently 'ill' every time I roll into town. :)
Then, I drove to Regina. Man, did I miss those rocks and trees. Clouds and tumbleweeds are pretty too, I guess....
I spent 4 days at my parents' place in Regina. It was great to see the new paint job in the living room and hang out with the folks. But to be honest, I spent most of my time watching TV. Obsessively. I even watched Oprah and reacquainted myself with every CSI and Law and Order out there.
Lesson Learned: I can't own a TV. It's like crack. I can't shut the sucker off.
Next: Calgary
Yes, absoolutely, you're correct. I really, really suck at this blog. Definitely. Couldn't be more right about that.
But now is the mother of all postings. I'm doing this in a few parts, so you can pick and choose Suzanne's great adventures by date.
I managed to pack up all of my small stuff, sell the big stuff and hit the road sooner than Carrie Tait. Huge props to Tait. As much as we both hated London, I managed to cruise down the 401 a few days earlier. Much appreciation to her for letting me sleep in her apartment on my last night so I didn't have to sleep on my floor with all of the spiders.
As much as I tried to reach the Ont-Man border on my first day, it was impossible. I made it all the way to Iron Bridge though. If you don't know where that is, don't worry. It's a town that consists of three motels and two gas stations somewhere between Sudbury and the Soo. That's the night I thought the hotel manager was going to turn off my hot water because I said that I didn't follow the Leafs, I am a Flames fan.
#1 way to stop a conversation in Ontario: Admit that you don't give a shit about the Leafs. And then confess to cheering for a team in ANOTHER CONFERENCE!
The second day on the road was much like the first. Trying to find CBC one frequency at a time. Giving up. Listening to all of my CDs. Singing out loud to songs with no lyrics.
Yes, going insane.
But I was never bored. Or more importantly, I was never in danger of falling asleep at the wheel. Yelling at slow drivers and giving the thumbs up to truckers kept me in the game.
As I drove and never stopped, I realized that I was ahead of schedule. I was shooting for Winnipeg on Friday afternoon, so I could hang out with Jay and Bill and not have to worry about taking them away from work or anything. I slowed down and enjoyed the views....of rocks and trees. Oh, and more rocks...and trees.
I stayed in Kakabeka Falls, ON the second night. That's just west of Thunder Bay. Do you wanna know what's cool about Thunder Bay? The Sleeping Giant. If you are ever there, take a look. It's creepy. It's a giant land formation that looks like someone sleeping on their back. It's huge...and accurate. I remember Jay and I stayed near the Giant on our giant X-Canada tour in 1997. That's the night it rained so much that the TransCanada was closed due to flooding. Good times.
I made it to Winnipeg at 5pm on Friday, right on schedule. I had a blast in Winnipeg. That city has so much going for it! London always seemed like a city that was flatlining. Winnipeg seemed like it had strong vital signs.
Jay, Bill and I went to a Korean restaurant for dinner. The food was great and the lady who runs the place lectured Bill on his unhealthy ways when he tried to order a Coke. Then she suggested a beer or plum wine 'for good health.' Ahhh, Korea.
Later that night, Jay and I went to a bar downtown and through luck and good looks (Jay's, not mine), we drank free for the evening. Yah Winnipeg!
The next day, we braved a massive windstorm to sit on a patio and drink beer, have lunch and chitchat. My brother was in town so he joined us as well. We narrowly avoided being impaled by a Starbucks deck umbrella that had come loose from its moorings. That little Ford didn't fare as well.
Could you sue Starbucks for that? If any company had deep pockets...
While in Winnipeg I managed to hang out with Charlene for an evening and talk about her upcom ing nuptials to her imaginary fiance. No, she's not nuts. I just haven't met him. He's conveniently 'ill' every time I roll into town. :)
Then, I drove to Regina. Man, did I miss those rocks and trees. Clouds and tumbleweeds are pretty too, I guess....
I spent 4 days at my parents' place in Regina. It was great to see the new paint job in the living room and hang out with the folks. But to be honest, I spent most of my time watching TV. Obsessively. I even watched Oprah and reacquainted myself with every CSI and Law and Order out there.
Lesson Learned: I can't own a TV. It's like crack. I can't shut the sucker off.
Next: Calgary
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