WOW! Lord knows I love a travel challenge! After all, I’ve driven over 130,000 miles alone on US Interstates, backroads and dirt roads to explore my country. I have been to eastern Canada before and had a rough time with the aggressive behavior of the drivers in and around Montreal as well as the poor directional signage. The signage from Montana to Canada wasn’t bad but confusing…even at the border…and staying on the only main east/west Canadian Highway 17 wasn’t even an issue as there were few or no options to get off!
That last two hundred miles to Sault Ste. Marie was a bugger of a drive because of the restricted 20 to 55 MPH speed limit (70 KmPH) depending on numerous (too many to count) stops and slowdowns due to construction of all kinds, dangerous curves, rough pavement, and so much more!
Canada Hwy. 17 East
More lakes!
Add to that way too many “squirrels” of the Donna variety also way too many to count: lakes, rock outcroppings, rivers, wildflowers, trees, disappearing roads, lake beaches, mountains and road signs!
Disappearing roads
Beach at the Lake?
More lakes?
There are NO places to stop in that last 200 miles that are quickly discernible (you see them only when you pass them), no pull-off friendly shoulders (all down-sloped and graveled), vehicles on my bumper pushing me to exceed speeds I was already exceeding and way too much company to cop-a-squat (a friend just taught me this saying)!
By the 130th mile since my last stop, not only was my head swirling but my bladder was bursting. I had to find a place to stop or figure out how I was going to clean up my truck in time for my trip tomorrow to North Bay! So I pulled a “Dukes of Hazard” style brake and 90 degree swerve in an emergency action to a graveled cut off. It wasn’t until I could spell “relief” that I noticed huge cloven hoof prints all around my truck! I hope it wasn’t watching! That’s a lie. At that point, I didn’t care! LOL I tore that gravel up getting away from that moose/Sasquatch/Nessie whatever!
I was so road weary, I drove through KFC! By the way, all the KFC’s have moved from US and are now in Canada! They don’t have the same menu or great chicken, but it was protein, easy and no other real choices on the right side of the road before I collapsed into the entrance way of the hotel de jour!
Tomorrow? UGH! I sure hope the road to North Bay is better that the last 16 hours I’ve driven!
HAPPY TAILS, TALES OR TRAILS…YOUR PICK!
from a Friend 