Our Adventure - Day 3

Our Adventure - Day 3

We started our day early again this time making sure to stop for a breakfast of champions at Timmy's. 

❤️yum❤️

The only real sight seeing that we got to do in Thunder Bay was driving up top to a lookout point where we had a gorgeous view of the "sleeping giant". 

❤️can you see it?❤️

❤️Love❤️

Then we were off like a shot winding our way through the rest of Ontario. What a massive province. We had another wild life sighting chain of events starting with another 3 moose sightings. I got a chance to watch the below beauty wandering about on the side of the road. I have to admit their noses wobbling as they walk make me laugh. 

❤️moose friend❤️

I keep forgetting to mention my travel buddy! No I'm not talking bout Jeremy, I'm talking about my skully friend who dances by my side. Also makes me laugh and smile while driving. 

❤️skully❤️

We stopped after several hours of driving... Still in Ontario at a little truck stop for more nutrients determined to keep our energies high so we could make a nice dent in our trip. Second breakfast was delicious and happened to be across the street from another gem... Tacky statues! How could we resist pulling over and posing with them?!

❤️spidey❤️

❤️Mousey❤️

As we were pulling away nature man spotted a coyote! He was running on a dirt road beside the highway. We quickly veered off and "chased" him down trying to get a photo. Of course he was as sly as a fox so we missed the photo opt but it was fun!

❤️the almost shot❤️

 

After that close encounter... While STILL in Ontario we saw two bald eagles soaring above us and a magpie flying beside us. It was interesting to watch the scenery change around us as we drove through the final windey streets of our home province. At some point we noticed the trees where a bit different and that the hills were smaller. The time change was weird to drive through as well. We suddenly gained an hour which made us feel like we could go forever! When we finally passed kenora which is the last main town in Ontario I started to finally feel the excientment of seeing a new province. Manitoba was around the corner. 

❤️around the corner❤️

When we did finally cross the border we were so excited we stopped at the tourist center to take a peek!

❤️manitoba❤️

We used the rest room, signed the guest book and chatted with the lady at the front desk. Then we hopped back in the cars and headed to Winnipeg! It was only about an hour and a half until we got there. The roads were wide and flat and a hugely better driving experience. The speed limit was 100 instead of 90 and because everything was so flat you didn't feel like you could hit an animal at any moment! Freedom to buzz through! Another huge difference was that gas was crazy expensive in northern Ontario. We are talking anywhere from $1.45/$1.55! As soon as we crossed over to Manitoba we were seeing gas at $1.24! Filling up two cars for a cross country road trip... That kinda thing makes a huge difference. So of course we filled up and decided to eat some dinner. Humpty's restaurant, which was attached to the petro would have to do! We had fun but jer gave me the giggles and im sure our waitress thought we were crazy. 

❤️yum❤️

❤️don't give him a laser❤️

This was around 5pm Manitoba time (6pm Ottawa time). We were toying with the sea of calling it quits for the day but the idea of having so much more driving to do tomorrow spurred us on to keeping going. I gave jer the deepak audio CDs while I broke out my audio book Pillars of the Earth by ken foillet. We were determined to keep going! Manitoba was increadably beautiful. You could see for miles but everything was so rich with bright greens and fresh lookin fields. We were making incredible time so kept driving and driving and driving. We had this burst of excitement to keep going. 

❤️beauty❤️

❤️Flat❤️

We noticed a little town close to Saskatchewan named Russell...too good to be true! 

❤️our way into town❤️

We decided that would be our resting place. I am now laying in the most adorable hotel in the most adorable town! I am so happy with our progess today and that we ended up in an amazing place to rest our heads! I'll post pictures tomorrow so you can see what I mean. 

❤️wish us luck❤️

❤️S&J❤️

Our Adventure - Day 2

Our Adventure - Day 2

We started out the day very very early... 4:30 am if you can believe it! We got a chance to really take in the northern Ontario scenery as we left Sault St.Marie and headed on our journey. It was light out when we left but the sun had yet to make it into the sky. Over the next several hours we watched the sun rise and took in the sights. 

❤️sunrise❤️

❤️Sunrise❤️

❤️Sun officially in the sky❤️

We ended up seeing three moose eating in the early am along the side of the road which we were very excited about! Jeremy is the animal spotter in our little family so he helped point out the moose to me (which I would have otherwise missed). 

❤️moose spotting❤️

❤️Moose spotter❤️

After that we ended up seeing a total of three moose dead on the shoulder of the road. The first one shocked me and it took me about half hour to get over the sight. It was horrible to be completely honest. We think that it must be the night time trucks since there was no car debris... Those guys are massive and would destroy a car if one ran out. 

To regain my karma and good vibes I broke out my first audio cd deepak chopra 7 spiritual lessons to a successful life. I enjoyed it so much I listened to it twice! It's amazing. Very inspiring. I hope to listen to it a few more times and start applying some of the principles in my daily life once we land in beautiful British Columbia. 

We needed a pee break and found a pretty little path with an out house. 

❤️civic posed for us❤️

We walked down the path a ways and came across a lake. Not sure which one because there were a million along the way. 

❤️lake love❤️

❤️Path love❤️

❤️Love❤️

Only downfall of adventuring in nature..... Mosquitos. And of course my main squeeze comes out unscathed. Me on the other hand... Three in the back of my neck and we were only out there for 15 minutes!!!! Of course I also put the bug spray in the trunk of the Mazda which has the bike rack with our bikes attached to it. Silly me. Jer was like a kid in a candy store. He's really one with nature. At one point he was searching and analyzing the plants along the edges of the path. I of course love this about him. 

❤️plant man❤️

We kept thinking Thunder Bay would be a perfect spot to eat lunch. We snacked on our fruits and veggies that we had brought and prepped for the trip in the hopes we could keep our energy up. After a while we realized we had made a fatal error... Ontario is stupidly huge. We kept thinking... Well we have waited this long for food what's another 234 km, 187km, 136km, 110 km, 86km, 68km, etc etc etc!!! 10 hours it took us to get there. I'm know to be a bit of a bear when I'm hungry. Let's just say I lost my cool. It also did not help that it rained for the last three hours!!

❤️rain❤️

When we finally arrived in thunder bay, half starved and exhausted, we went to a Finnish diner named Hoita suggested by our food expert Gianni.  It was exhibited on the popular food network show "You gotta eat here" and was packed! As we sat there half dead, grumpy, and did I mention hungry? The waitress mentioned that they were majorly behind on orders and the food would be delayed. It was a good thing we were too tired to protest. Or leave. It only ended up taking about half hour to arrive and when it did... Amazing. And that's not just the hunger talking. I had pancakes, bacon and eggs. Oh so good. 

❤️yum❤️

So what happens when you pig out? You go into a food coma. We were forced to call it a day. It is 6:45 pm and I'm laying in bed at a crappy little super 8 motel in downtown thunderbay. I am the happiest girl I the world!!!

❤️sleepy time!❤️

I swear we will be out of Ontario tomorrow!

❤️wish us luck❤️

❤️S&J❤️

Our Adventure - Day 1

Our Adventure - Day 1

With the cars packed to the hilts, the house cleaned out and us ready to adventure we finally left Ottawa on our grand trip to beautiful British Columbia. It was a sad start to the day with the final goodbyes to Family and friends. Lots of tears and sniffles and hugs. We also had to come to terms with leavin our beloved kittie behind. The new house in BC allready has 3 kitties who are outdoor/indoor and carriers of common outdoor cat diseases. It was the best decision to not expose our Monty.  I have to admit it was probably the hardest pill to swallow (And anyone that knows me is aware of my aversion to swallowing pills). 

❤️cutest cat award❤️

We had breakfast at the new little a&w in stittsville with nana around 6:30. It was a Nice and relaxing way to start the day and get us ready for the trip ahead. 

❤️yummy❤️

Nana and I shared our last hug for the year and then we were off to do the same with my best friend Kristina. 

❤️Nana❤️

❤️Kristina❤️

As we went to take a fake cry picture my emotions showed. 

❤️Cry❤️

It was tough. I'm going to miss everyone and could feel my heart strings being pulled and had to have a little pity fest before I could cheer up again. Nana, Eric, Nancy, Jeremy's parents, his brother & his sister and their partners, his nephews, his cousins, my cousins, Kristina, Jackie, Gianni, Sarah, Rehan, Ian, Angie, Nick, Steve, Kelly, Emily, Travis, Jimmy, Jordan, Jasmine, Kevin, Jess, Rosina, Kaya, and so many more amazing people who have been so important to us. We will miss you. We appreciate you. We will be back. 

❤️On the road❤️

Lucky for me my phone holder was at a perfect selfie taking angle! I spent our 11 hour drive listening to old CDs and my old iPod which was surprisingly entertaining. I sang as loudly and obnoxiously as I could for most of the trip. Dance mix 97, against me acoustic ep and Bedouin soundclash were a few of my favorites for today.  Jer and I kept in contact through walkie  talkies which were super handly. We were able to keep tabs on each other and chat along the way. 

❤️walkie talkie❤️

A friend of ours Brian had a beautiful piece of art framed for us as a special reminder of Ottawa. We brought it along for the ride and decided we wanted it to be our mascot to remind us of Ottawa in all the new places we will be visiting. 

🎉strapping the civic in🎉

We finally made it to North Bay and decided to stop for some grub. This being jer and I we had to do it right!

❤️wacky wings❤️

🎉pose with civic🎉

Guess what they had on the menu that I could not resist?!?!

❤️hotdog❤️

While we where there we noticed that there were all these street signs with the kms of how far we were from different destinations, one really struck home!

❤️long way to go❤️

Then we hit the road again ready to make some headway. We came across this little gem and couldn't resist getting a picture of Jeremy at Jeremy's truck stop!

❤️winning❤️

Phew! Long day! We finally made it to Sault St Marie around 7:30 and buzzed around looking for a cheap comfortable little motel! Skyline Motel was the winner!

❤️our home for tonight❤️

❤️Dinner❤️

❤️Sleep❤️

❤️Night all!❤️

❤️wish us luck for tomorrow❤️

❤️S&J❤️

Our Adventure - Packing & Cleaning

It's a cleaning and packing kinda week!

❤️nana❤️

What would we do with Nana? After finally finishing work we have commenced to packing, fixing cars and cleaning everything we can get our hands on. Nana made the mistake of volunteering to help and since she is such a pro at laundry I figured it was best to make use of her skills. After about 12 loads she was still smiling! Sorta. And it might have been 15 loads! My excuse is that we needed to clean all sheets, towels, robes and bedding... And she has the nicest washer and dryer out there. 

❤️the fixer❤️

Jer got to work on our cars right away. He picked up supplies to re-do our breaks, oil changes, air filters and fix the nasty crack in my exhaust. After 3 days of laborious work he has finished it all! We are back to purring like a kitten and stopping on a dime. I have to admit that I'm a lucky girl with a handsome grease monkey at my side. 

❤️supply hunting❤️

❤️babe❤️

Amongst all of this packing and cleaning we have been saying our farewells and good lucks to friends and family. Every day there is a lunch or dinner or stop in. It's hard because we are so lucky to have such an amazing and positive group of people supporting us which makes us miss them all so much more. You know who you are. We love you and appreciate your kind words. We have been sharing these special moments and it has been wonderful to reconnect and iron out the bonds of friendship. Family of course is just as important. Part of the reason to travel this huge distance is to be with family! Jeremy's wonderful mother hosted another get together and I'm pretty sure the highlight for him was spending time with his nephews who are his favorite people on the planet. 

❤️train❤️

❤️Bubbles❤️

At this point we have two days until we leave! Friday June 6th is the day we are off to adventure!!! Going to squeeze In a few more visits and cleaning, gather the last of what we need for the trip and then go!

❤️wish us luck❤️

S&J