Accounts of a journey in the past '08

[Sheriff Roland]

I've been asked to share elements of my 'vacation' to Manitoba this past couple of weeks.

I have posted elsewhere day by day accounts of happenings and have taken some pics along the way. Some of these will be mundane, others might be of some interest.

I've decided to give it a shot.

Here's my pre-departure post to get this thread going. Hope you enjoy the experience.

And so the adventure begins. I'll be leaving in about 15 minutes.

I didn't get nearly as much sleep as I should have, getting up at 3 (maybe 3:30) this morning. Read up on all three sites, then started packing (wonder what I forgot THIS time).

Clothing for a 2 week trip (the everyday and some more dressy stuff) - that's a new one for me. I'm use to going away for less than a week at a time. Pills, personal grooming products, accessories (camera, i-pod, charger, book, coffee mug), snacks, safety materials (flashlight, lighter, extra whatever for the car).

Then, before 5, I returned to bed for an hour lay-down (during which I got up 3 times to get things I had forgotten).

Now I'm having breakfast and typing this all calmly and occasionally getting up to collect more stuff (windshield wiper fluid, cussions).

Again I wonder what I'll have forgotten this time ...

[Kelda]

so why 'vacation'? What were you doing?

And where is Manitoba?

[Sheriff Roland]

so why 'vacation'? What were you doing?

And where is Manitoba?

Hummm, I'm not sure what was being asked by the first questions. Bryan and I had done an eastern car trip long ago when we were a couple. And at the time we talked about someday doing a similar trip out west. Last year, when I travelled to Alberta, Bryan was busy with another trip, to Australia. So when the occasion of my retirement and his school reunion in Winnipeg coincided nearly perfectly, we started making plans to travel together - to Manitoba.

Manitoba is the province in Canada ajascent to and to the west of Ontario (where I live in Toronto.). A few maps:



Totonto is along lake Ontario, the most easterly of the 5 great lakes. A trip from Toronto to Winnipeg (Manitoba's capital) is a 3 day trip. It's a trip that will take you halfway to the west coast of the country. It's a trip that, if going in the other direction would take you to the east coast of Canada. Let me put it this way ... I rented a car and put down very close to 5 000 km during this trip.

 

These two maps indicating towns and lakes names might be useful in following along with the trip.

[Kelda]

vacation in quote marks - it seemed like it was a working holiday or something!

Looking forward to the next installment!

[Sheriff Roland]

Heading north, I knew I was gonna want to stop from time to time to take pics a the scenery. Didn't really. Most a the pics were taken through the window by Bryan while I was driving. Did however stop once before reaching North Bay and took a couple a pics including this one. Note that there was still some snow on the ground. There would be more'n more of it on the way north, but hardly any in Manitoba That would all be gone on the way back.

[Sheriff Roland]

Bryan's just sent me his 180+ photos to supplement my 180+ photos. Might even start a new thread about the bears!

In the meantime, I learned that Bryan is a miserable companion until he's had his 2-3 cups of coffee. It was apparently MY fault that he forgot a blanket at his place. Oh - and do you remember my wondering what I would have forgotten on this trip? Well just before leaving my house I went back in to get something (prob'ly the cushions), and left the keys in the door. Mimma (who's been staying at my house for a couple a months now) found em there as she left for work and telemessaged Bryan 'bout that bit of information. Bryan proceeded to treat me as an incompetent for the blanket & the keys (and a couple a other pointless subjects - like my choise or roads to leave Toronto and which highway I should use to get to Timmins) until lunch. Not the best way to start a trip.

Still, the scenery was nice. And he napped - until I stopped the car to take these two pictures.

[injest]

Bryan's just sent me his 180+ photos to supplement my 180+ photos. Might even start a new thread about the bears!

In the meantime, I learned that Bryan is a miserable companion until he's had his 2-3 cups of coffee. It was apparently MY fault that he forgot a blanket at his place. Oh - and do you remember my wondering what I would have forgotten on this trip? Well just before leaving my house I went back in to get something (prob'ly the cushions), and left the keys in the door. Mimma (who's been staying at my house for a couple a months now) found em there as she left for work and telemessaged Bryan 'bout that bit of information. Bryan proceeded to treat me as an incompetent for the blanket & the keys (and a couple a other pointless subjects - like my choise or roads to leave Toronto and which highway I should use to get to Timmins) until lunch. Not the best way to start a trip.

Still, the scenery was nice. And he napped - until I stopped the car to take these two pictures.

yep you can tell you two used to be a couple....

[Sheriff Roland]

I really like the rock faces along the road. I had Bryan take quite a few of these pictures. This is one of the best in which the rock face is so well portrayed both through the window & in the mirror (& this is as good as I can look while driving.)

I believe we've gone beyond North Bay for this photo

[injest]

I like that one!

[Sheriff Roland]

Rollin down the Highway - approaching Latchford (pop 300) or Temagami (pop 500?)