So I am a few weeks late with this post, but life gets busy when the weather gets nice here in Toronto! The start of this lovely sunny streak started back on the Easter long weekend. Usually easter in Ontario is a long weekend of snow and below freezing temperatures. However this year we got a great start to spring with the prediction of sunny skies and up to 20 degrees! So I organised a road trip north just to see what was out there in big bad Ontario.
Accompanied by Amy (from Wales) and Corrina (from Germany) we headed up the highway to Sudbury, which we passed and continued on our way around Lake Huron. Deciding to go off the beaten track we took a left and went north to explore a track called the deer trail. We had to first however venture through the worlds largest retirement village, Elliot Lake. This town was once a bustling mining town but now features utilitarian type architecture and lots and lots of elderly people! We stopped for some lunch but didn't linger too long as the town was as depressing as 1980's soft rock album.
From the fire look out at Lake Elliot!
On the Deer Trail.
Amy examining the ice fall.
After a very scenic drive through the deer trail we hit the highway again at Iron Bridge and decided to continue east towards Sault Ste Marie. Along the way we discovered a little town on the lake called Bruce Mines. We decided to stop here as it had everything we were looking for, a motel, a bar, a German restaurant and the lake!
The busy Marina!
Corinna, Ali and Amy
Just in case you can't read the picture I think makes it fairly clear!
The Bavarian Inn our home for the night.
The Caribou Cabin in Bruce Mines
The Streets are as busy as the Marina
Chippewa Falls
Back on the road after a very restful nights sleep at the Inn we ventured into The Soo (Sault Ste Maria) for breakfast. Amazed by how small the city was we didn't stick around for too long as we were eager to get to Lake Superior Provincial Park. The first stop was at Batchawana Bay. A Sunny, Sandy camping ground that was of course closed for the season. That didn't stop us though from soaking up some sun and enjoying the deserted beach.
Oooo it's cold but bloody nice to feel the sand between my toes!
Since leaving Toronto we noticed many Nook Shooks along the sides of the roads. The Nook Shook was the symbol of the Vancouver Winter Olympics and is used by native Canadians as a marker to direct other travelers or to indicate a food store. This one was at the top of a look out we stopped at for lunch but they were literally every where along the road.
Lake Superior
My trusty side kicks stopping for lunch
Ah, are those rain clouds up ahead?
Getting ready to dive in!
Once inside the park we stopped at water falls and pretty bays to get some photos and to relish being in the great outdoors. We also decided that a walk through the forest would be a splendid idea and took off along a 8km hike.
As hikes go this was pretty interesting as we were confronted with lots of different terrain and spectacular views.
Ice sheet at the edge of Orphan Lake.
From the top of the hill we huffed and puffed up!
The pebbly beach on the shore of Lake Superior.
My big mug by a stream :)
So we had climbed through dense forest, sparse hill tops, pebbly beaches and now snow on the track!!!
On the last leg of the trail the clouds opened up and the rain came down. Amy and I having been wishfully thinking that the forecast for rain was just all lies was unprepared and soon were drenched. At least it was warm rain and not freezing rain. Corinna on the other hand had brought a umbrella with her and was bouncing along like Mary Poppins in the forest! Once we had changed and were no longer sopping wet we decided to visit Old woman bay (photo above) which would have been so much more enjoyable in the sunshine!
Amy living it up at Old Woman Bay!
Once leaving Lake Superior Provincial Park we drove north to Wawa. What's at Wawa? I hear you ask. Nothing but big geese! Honestly if we thought The Soo was empty Wawa was a dive at the end of the road. After snapping plenty of pictures of big loons I made the decision to take the LONG way round to get to a little town called Thessalon.
I have no photos to show you of the drive to Thessalon this is because the drive took 4 hours which was mostly done in the dark. And when I say dark I mean pitch black can't see a thing dark. On a narrow, pot hole ridden road in the pouring rain! Honestly it was one of the hairiest drives I've ever done. With Amy on moose watch and no mobile phone service we slowly made our way through what I imaging in daylight was a beautiful drive along a river!
We made it though and at 10:30 at night we were lucky enough to find another little motor inn, some beer and woke up to a lovely view of Lake Huron.
The last day of our road trip that took us to Wawa was to make our way reluctantly back to Toronto. So to ensure the trip wasn't over to soon we stopped at Killarney Provincial Park.
The deliciously clear water of Lake Huron.
After visiting another lake side town that was closed for the season. We decided to do another small hike considering the sun was shinning!
I decided to detour off the trail and climb a tree!
View from the top!
Amy and Corinna were excellent traveling companions and although I drove for quite along time they kept me throughly entertained. We left the park and then scooted down highway 400 back to civilization. It was quite a surprise to find so many people on the road at 9pm on a Sunday night after driving for miles with out seeing a sole! I discovered that there really isn't a lot going on just north of Toronto. I can't imagine the vast nothingness that is further north! It was however splendid to get out of the city and see more of Ontario and some of beautiful wilderness that Canada is famous for! I just can't wait for the next adventure!
