Thursday, May 30th

My campsite at Sault Ste. Marie this morning. The weather bright and sunny with a cool wind which increased over the course of the day. I decided to walk the waterfront boardwalk this morning, and anticipating warmer temperatures in the afternoon, thought I'd get my kayak wet finally in Lake Huron before moving on.

Found a coffee shop for a mug of java and then began my boardwalk journey with a Canada goose family. 

This ship had just left the locks heading east and gave a few blasts of its horn which took me back to growing up in Vancouver and hearing the ships in the harbour. This is a very business like waterfront, but the city has done a great job of making it accessible for everyone to use. Although I highly doubt there would be anyone walking this in the winter!









I stopped at the Algoma Art Gallery. Staff were working on the main gallery but let me in to have a look - which included several Group of Seven (how could you not?). The second of the two galleries featured a display borrowed from the Bushplane Museum - which is just down the road. I took this picture for my friend Chris who I'm sure has been to the Bushplane Museum. There was a great article about a woman who got her license in 1979 and spent her career flying bushplanes.



Travelling in a trailer which is packed to the gills helps to curb the gallery shop tendency to pick up things one doesn't need. But I did fall for some postcards from local artists.

Finishing the walk, I found that the wind had come up and you could feel how cold the water is so I decided against launching the kayak into that. Give me a quiet interior lake.
I still feel a bit guilty about spending the afternoon at my campsite, but I'm working on it. I rearranged my sleeping quarters and cupboards, and will tackle the car before dinner. Figuring out the GPS system ready for tomorrow's drive to Marathon, ON on Lake Superior.

I'm reading a book of short stories by Alistair MacLeod and just finished one called "To Every Thing There Is A Season" which he wrote in 1977. A wonderful poignant story of a boy taking a step toward adulthood, and a man taking a step toward the end of his life. I'm really identifying with his stories right now.

Off to do camp chores. While I won't have time to stop at Lake Superior Provincial Park, I'm fine with it - perhaps in the fall. I'm starting to develop some comfort around my ability to find places to stop and a sense of how far I want to drive in a day. While I'm looking forward to tomorrow's drive, it will be a long one.

Wednesday May 29th

Left Blind River in cool fog which rolled in and out from the lake. Took a side trip to Thessalon. They must have known I was coming. There was a bakery with great coffee right next to an excellent fabric/yarn  store. Very nice people. What beautiful surroundings.
Went to Home Hardware for equipment to battle the mosquitoes which get into the camper as I come and go. Decided against the baseball bat and settled for a fly swatter. I may regret it.

The sky had cleared of fog by the time I got to the turnoff for St. Joseph's Island. There is something about an island - a sense of a place apart - which remains until crossing the bridge again. I felt like I had already arrived at Saltspring! I was headed for Fort St. Joseph, a national historic site on the other side of the island. It's a surprisingly long drive, but what a place! The island is quite hilly and as you rise up you're surrounded by maple coming into full leaf, but still with the spring brightness. Underneath are trilliums - thousands of them. Occasionally there is a low area filled with marsh marigolds. It was simply enchanting. Where is the picture you ask? I suffer from the inability to stop and take a picture when I'm really moved by something - I'll work on it.

The Fort was closed unfortunately - opening June 1 - but I'm so glad I went, just to see the island itself. I took the opposite loop of the circular highway back, and this side of the island was quite different. Alder, poplar, tamarack, spruce - beautiful in its way, but lacking the bright magic of the mature maple forest.

I'm set up now at the KOA in Sault Ste. Marie and have detached the trailer in preparation for tomorrow's adventures - kayaking and walking the boardwalk in the Soo. I think there's a museum as well.  In the meantime I'm cooking my first proper meal and settling in to enjoy a sunny but cool evening with a good book.

Tuesday May 28th

Woke to rain on the roof, but cosy in the trailer. Since wifi reaches outside of the house, I'm tucked up in bed waiting for the household to stir. I'll pack up this morning and head to Blind River - halfway to Sault Ste. Marie. Had some difficulty booking tonight's accommodation but am confident I'll find something.
I was disappointed to find that Lake Superior Provincial Park is fully booked, so I'm changing my plans and staying in the Sault for a couple of nights and will drive up for walks in the park. I'm quite content to book only a couple of days in advance. It feels good not to have a deadline.

Staying with lovely friends in Powassan, ON for the last two days. The drive up was interesting - too much weight in the camper I think - needs to be rearranged. But have done that now. Been wined and dined and taken lovely walks in the woods. The birds are fantastic!
First night sleeping in the trailer was excellent - cosy and comfortable.

I've booked nights at Blind River, Sault Ste. Marie (for 2 nights), Marathon and Thunder Bay. That should take me to the end of the week. Couldn't make it in to Lake Superior Provincial Park - it's full. That's a disappointment! But will stop by and book time for the return journey, and hopefully will be able to enjoy it.

This garden fence was made with tag alder cut from the property.

Penultimate Day

Well, it's Saturday May 25th, and I've spent the day testing all of the systems in the trailer, loading it up with impossible amounts of STUFF, and dodging thunderstorms. The latter is why there is no picture, but I'll post one tomorrow before I leave.
The last few days have been exciting to say the least. Trying to level the trailer so that I can start the fridge - it got away on me and 2000 lb of trailer took a little walk by itself. An interesting way to get the heart rate up.
But with a little help from my friends all systems have been tested and are ready to go. The fridge is cooling ready to receive the necessaries (Wellington Brewery beer, for example).

Estimated time of departure is 9:30AM. Destination North Bay.