I guess that I have finally decided to continue with this newest journey, seeing as I am now in Ottawa! I had many reservations about doing a cross-Canada drive before I started out, and those reservations and worries have dogged me since I left Vancouver: I’ve been worried about the long driving distances, the wear and tear on my dear Toyota, the cost of gas and accommodations (although I am camping on most nights, many campgrounds have become quite pricey), the vagaries of the weather (too hot, too cold), the bugs, etc., etc. I have considered turning back west multiple times a day, pretty much every day, as of this writing, even though I passed the geographic centre of Canada, located a short distance east of Winnipeg, many days ago.

But, each morning, despite my misgivings (and a few panicked calls to Brent), I continued to head East, resulting in my arrival here in Ottawa! I had originally planned to begin posting about my cross-Canada trip when in Winnipeg, but I held off because I still wasn’t certain that I wasn’t going to turn around and head back home. So, I am finally making a start with this first post, “Ontario – Part I”, but I don’t know how often I’ll be able to post as I have little access to wifi as I travel. We’ll see how it goes!

Whiteshell Provincial Park – Falcon Beach Campground, Manitoba, to Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park, Ontario, 531 kilometres

Shortly before leaving Manitoba, I lost the prairie, with its far-reaching, expansive, beautiful-sky views. The road was now bordered by trees, and would continue that way for many hundreds and hundreds of kilometres across Ontario. Luckily, that monotony would be interrupted often by quick glimpses (as I drove on by) of pretty lakes, beautiful marshes perfect for moose, and wide and impressive rivers.

On this first day in Ontario, there was a mix of sunny skies, and some very heavy afternoon thunder showers. I drove mostly in silence, but I also listened to CDs – Elton John, Neil Young, Van Morrison, and Abba were good company on the road. A highlight of the day was the sighting of a mother moose and her calf feeding by the side of the highway, and a short while later I reached Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park, my stop for the night. I viewed the impressive falls,

and I walked the trail along the top of the gorge, with views back upriver.

The trail I was on was part of a portage route used for centuries by the Ojibwa, and later by the fur traders of the North West Company as they ventured westward from Fort William on the shores of Lake Superior (near present-day Thunder Bay.)

Kakabeka Falls to Pukaskwa National Park (342 km)

The next day I was back on Highway 17, heading east, despite having slept poorly and feeling strongly that I should head west instead! I made my first stop just past Thunder Bay at the Terry Fox Memorial which is located just west of where Terry had to end his Marathon of Hope due to a return of cancer, this time in his lungs. He is a hero of mine, and I always took time in my teaching, when it was close to our school Terry Fox runs, to impress upon my students how strong, courageous, humble, and determined this young man was, and how he contributed so much to our country and to the fight against cancer. He ran 5,373 km across Canada – nearly a marathon a day for 143 straight days – and since his run hundreds of millions of dollars have been raised for cancer research. I was happy to see others stopped there as well.

I continued on, with peeks of Lake Superior as Highway 17 travelled sometimes close to the great lake and sometimes farther from its shores, up and around hills, and past many small lakes, marshes, streams and rivers. It was Canada Day, and I listened to some of my Canadian CDs (Neil Young (again), Joni Mitchell, and Spirit of the West), and I also tuned in to CBC radio for their coast-to-coast coverage of Canada Day events, including some of the performances being held at the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. It was a good day of driving, and a highlight was seeing another moose – a female who crossed the highway about 300 metres ahead of me, surprisingly graceful on her incredibly long legs.

I had a reservation for the night (the first of 3) at the Agawa Bay campground in Lake Superior Provincial Park, but I had read positive reviews about Pukaskwa National Park which has a FCFS campsite, and many trails, so I took the access road and 15 km later I was able to get a great campsite and I knew that I wanted to stay there. It was such a wonderful park, with iconic and beautiful Canadian Shield, “Group of Seven”, scenery – rugged rocky headlands, off-shore islands, dramatic pines, three long curving beaches of golden sand,

and the seemingly endless expanse of Lake Superior.

The vegetation was gorgeous as well with many low-growing shrubs, mosses, and lichens,

and also wildflowers that were new to me. Yellow-blooming blue bead lillies, and tiny pink twinflowers, grew in areas of shade,

and I also met (clockwise from top left) bunchberrry, Labrador tea, Canada anemone, encrusted saxifrage (an Arctic plant that is able to grow this far south because of the cool conditions created by the massive amount of water in Lake Superior), and wild rose.

Three trails led directly from the campground and the Visitors Centre, and I connected all three to hike a total of about 8 kilometres. I was excited to find the iconic National Park red chairs atop a headland above Hattie Cove,

and I marvelled at the shapes of the ancient rocks, sculpted by glaciers, waves, and wind.

It was a truly marvellous park, and my favourite stop in Ontario. Thank you Pukaskwa!

Pukaskwa National Park to Lake Superior Provincial Park, Agawa Bay Campground – 276 km

The next day was a shorter driving day enlivened with views of lake, after lake, after river, after lake. Very scenic. Unfortunately, driving on HIghway 17 at speed, with other cars behind and not much of a shoulder, makes it very difficult to stop for photos. Fog had rolled in over Lake Superior as I entered the provincial park, and made for this atmospheric photo when I stopped at Old Woman Bay.

I continued on to Agawa Bay campground, at the far southern end of the park, and found my campsite with its view, across the camp road, of Lake Superior.

The fog came and went all day as I strolled the long beach, searched for pretty rocks, spent time at the Visitor Centre, and read an entire book. I broke up my reading sessions with small walks on the beach, and I was drawn there again to watch a long-lasting and beautiful sunset.

The next day, I drove back west to access several park hikes that I was interested in. First there was the short 500 m trail to the Agawa Rock where there are 150-400 year-old pictographs of animals, canoes, and supernatural creatures, painted with red ochre by the Ojibwa. Viewing the pictographs involves walking along a narrow slanted ledge below a rock face, and I found that my hiking boots were slippery on the very smooth rock. I was alone there, so I reluctantly decided against taking those last few steps to view the art.

Next, I drove to the trailhead for the Pinguisibi Trail which follows the Sand River for 3 km upstream, past a series of falls and serene stretches of river.

It was a wonderful trail, full of roots and rocks and hard packed soil, in the shade of trees and with the rush and roar of the river alongside. But, I was alone again, with no other cars in the parking area, and I was concerned about the possibility of meeting a bear. I kept up a nice loud silly and cheerful monologue, “Go away bear! I have bear spray but I really don’t want to use it!”, but after about 2 km, as I got further from the trailhead, I decided that I had best not go on. I turned back reluctantly, and of course passed a pair of hikers about halfway back. Oh well! My next stop was beautiful Katherine Cove where I had planned to have lunch,

but the highway was close and interrupted the peace so I returned back to camp. Feeling somewhat disappointed with my morning, I made lunch, read again for a while, revisited the Visitors Centre, and then decided to do the 3.2 km lakeside trail that led from the campground to the mouth of the Agawa River. My expectations were low, even though a young park interpreter had said that the trail was “pretty”. It was wonderful! And definitely very pretty, along an old road and then a sandy trail with grasses, flowers, birch trees, and tall, very old white pines.

I saw bunch berrry and twin flowers again, as well as a hardy plant with tiny yellow flowers growing in pure sand, orange hawkweed, and (wow) pink lady’s slipper!

Agawa Bay Campground to Lake Grundy Provincial Park – 516 km

This was a long day of driving, with a section of freeway that I hadn’t expected, just as I was beginning to feel tired. I made a quick stop at the French River, which I had been excited to see as it was an important part of an historic canoe route, along with the Ottawa and Mattawa Rivers and Lake Nipissing, that connected settlements on the St. Lawrence with the upper Great Lakes and the far West. The route was used by indigenous travellers, by the voyageurs, and by the great explorers Mackenzie and Thompson. The Visitor’s Centre was closed by the time I arrived, and despite my fatigue I began a trail walk, but it was buggy and I quickly decided to retrace my steps, take a quick photo of the river,

and continue on to my next campsite at Grundy Lake Provincial Park, not far distant, and luckily accessed on a quiet and slow highway.

Grundy Lake Provincial Park actually has four lakes, swimming beaches, and trails to hike so I had booked two nights here. I arrived hot and sweaty (so humid! 37 with the humidex), and should have gone for a swim, but I chose a shower instead and the water was really hot. Aaargh! The following morning, I woke early and set off to hike the short Swan Lake trail. It was an auspicious start as the trail led right away onto a floating boardwalk over a beautiful small lake with irises and pond lilies, a beaver lodge, and gorgeous rocks and trees all around.

But, after I crossed the boardwalk and entered the forest the black flies and deer flies began to swarm me. I probably should have turned back, but I continued on the 1.5 km trail at a faster walk, then a jog, then a quick stop to break off a branch of leaves to use as a switch, then a bit of a run, then a quick stop for another switch for my other hand, then a full run to get out of there, switching those branches back and forth around my head like a crazy person. I was hot, bothered, sweaty, and highly irritated, and it wasn’t yet nine in the morning! How would I spend the entire day here? And, the next day of driving was going to be a long one, so I decided to forgo my second night of camping at Grundy Lake to travel to North Bay, about two hours away, for a hotel night of AC and electricity, clean sheets and wifi. It was a good decision, with a lovely drive along quiet roads,

and a long stop in the pretty town of Callander, on Lake Nippising,

where I spent time in the welcoming library while I did laundry in the laundromat next door. The day was a welcome break from camping and the heat.

North Bay to Fitzroy Provincial Park – 313 km

A rainy day of travel, off and on, with just a few stops along the highway including here, for obvious reasons,

and here, at Deux Rivières, where the Ottawa and Maganasipi rivers meet.

Then, on the latter half of the day’s journey, the terrain changed to the rich farmland of the wide Ottawa valley, with its large dairy farms and fields of corn. The day grew very warm and muggy, the traffic increased as I got closer to Ottawa, and suddenly there was freeway driving and a missed turn. Thank goodness for the Google Maps lady who got me back on the right road to arrive at Fitzroy Provincial Park, located on the Ottawa River. I had planned to swim here, but the beach was incredibly busy with families and groups large and small seeking an escape from the heat on a Sunday afternoon (I took the least “crowded looking” photo I could).

I returned to my campsite, hot, sweaty, tired, and despondent to mope a bit (I don’t do well in the heat). But then, I put on my bathing suit and returned to the beach, determined to at least put my feet in. The water was cool, and I waded in, and then swam, out past the roped off area and the busyness, to better views of trees across the river and clouds moving across the sky. I was swimming in the Ottawa River, so I guessed that I was likely going to finish this drive across Canada…

Thank you for reading! 🙂