In Seymour, I am working hard to put everything away from the Circle Tour and to get ready for the next outing, camping with Gary at Lost Lake. One thing to finish up is the notes on the Circle Tour.
July 24, 2013
It was another cold night at Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park. That was fine but the continual traffic noise kept waking me up. How many lumber trucks had to go down the road. It wasn't until morning that I realized there was no traffic noise at all. It was the thundering of the falls. The night before the wind had masked the sound.
I packed up after breakfast and a shower and headed to the north part of Thunder Bay. I hung out at the beautiful Centennial Park, hiking around the trails for an hour until 10:00 when the activity director at the senior home arrived. He handed me a check and wonder of wonders, I found a place to cash it. I had money!
Then I drove to the south side for the 2:00 pm performance. Again, I was early so I found another sweet spot, Vickers Park. I watched children at the parks program and sat at a picnic table for perhaps fifteen minutes, scribbling in my journal until I felt the rain drops. I got back to the Subaru just as the deluge hit. I drove to the next venue and sat in the car until there was a slight let up and ran in. This activity director also ran programs at the senior assistance home I had worked in the day before. She handed me an envelope with cash for that one, but it was a check for this current performance. I would have to bring it back with me to deposit at home. Those checks from Canada usually take a while to clear and I have to pay a fee for the service.
Again, the audience liked my performance and wanted me to come back next year, but I don't know that I will be back for some time, if ever. I made no promises.
That performance over, I headed for the border. Wonder of wonders, I was the only person crossing and the border patrol gave me no grief. It took only one minute.
I exchanged the Canadian money at Radon's currency exchange, run by the Ojibwa. Next stop was Grand Marais where I ate dinner at the Blue Water Cafe. Excellent food, but once again, promised wi fi seemed not to exist. If I spend a lot of time on my trips in places like McDonalds, Tim Hortons, or A&W, it's because their wi fi is dependable.
Still, the harbor at Grand Marais is lovely. I walked around for a little while.
On I went, with the intention of stopping at a campground at Two Rivers. But no, they were all full, as were the motels. Once again, I was crossing paths with the tall ships which were heading up the lake to Duluth. Thousands of people wanted to see them so they were taking up all the housing in the area.
I had a brief stop at the Split Rock Lighthouse It was too late to go into the lighthouse, but I could admire it from afar.
At Duluth, I found the same story. No rooms to be had. I kept driving and as it got darker and listened to storm warnings on the radio, I realized I wouldn't camp that night.
Just east of Superior, Wisconsin, I stopped at a McDonalds. The manager steered me to a section of town where there were more motels. I drove past "no vacancy" signs until I saw a budget motel. It was a run down place with a few interesting ladies sitting around the front. I didn't care. I've stayed in such motels before. I only needed a place to sleep and to write a post for this blog. The clerk at the desk (he talked to me through a window since the door was barred) gave me the key to Room 122 and the code for the wi fi.
The room way at the back of the motel proved to be lovely. Everything was immaculately clean. There was a microwave to cook my oatmeal in the a.m. and plenty of towels in the bathroom. It seemed to be sound proofed as well.
The only problem was that way in the back as I was, the wi fi did not work. I checked and found out I would have good access out on the lawn chairs out front of the motel. I joined the ladies and e-mailed Gary to let him know where I was.
I went back to the room, wrote up the post there, then took it out to the front. The wi fi had disappeared! As had the office. It was closed down for the night. The ladies were in for the evening, too.
For only the sixth time since I began this blog in 2010, I failed to post.
July 24, 2013
It was another cold night at Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park. That was fine but the continual traffic noise kept waking me up. How many lumber trucks had to go down the road. It wasn't until morning that I realized there was no traffic noise at all. It was the thundering of the falls. The night before the wind had masked the sound.
I packed up after breakfast and a shower and headed to the north part of Thunder Bay. I hung out at the beautiful Centennial Park, hiking around the trails for an hour until 10:00 when the activity director at the senior home arrived. He handed me a check and wonder of wonders, I found a place to cash it. I had money!
Then I drove to the south side for the 2:00 pm performance. Again, I was early so I found another sweet spot, Vickers Park. I watched children at the parks program and sat at a picnic table for perhaps fifteen minutes, scribbling in my journal until I felt the rain drops. I got back to the Subaru just as the deluge hit. I drove to the next venue and sat in the car until there was a slight let up and ran in. This activity director also ran programs at the senior assistance home I had worked in the day before. She handed me an envelope with cash for that one, but it was a check for this current performance. I would have to bring it back with me to deposit at home. Those checks from Canada usually take a while to clear and I have to pay a fee for the service.
Again, the audience liked my performance and wanted me to come back next year, but I don't know that I will be back for some time, if ever. I made no promises.
That performance over, I headed for the border. Wonder of wonders, I was the only person crossing and the border patrol gave me no grief. It took only one minute.
I exchanged the Canadian money at Radon's currency exchange, run by the Ojibwa. Next stop was Grand Marais where I ate dinner at the Blue Water Cafe. Excellent food, but once again, promised wi fi seemed not to exist. If I spend a lot of time on my trips in places like McDonalds, Tim Hortons, or A&W, it's because their wi fi is dependable.
Still, the harbor at Grand Marais is lovely. I walked around for a little while.
On I went, with the intention of stopping at a campground at Two Rivers. But no, they were all full, as were the motels. Once again, I was crossing paths with the tall ships which were heading up the lake to Duluth. Thousands of people wanted to see them so they were taking up all the housing in the area.
I had a brief stop at the Split Rock Lighthouse It was too late to go into the lighthouse, but I could admire it from afar.
At Duluth, I found the same story. No rooms to be had. I kept driving and as it got darker and listened to storm warnings on the radio, I realized I wouldn't camp that night.
Just east of Superior, Wisconsin, I stopped at a McDonalds. The manager steered me to a section of town where there were more motels. I drove past "no vacancy" signs until I saw a budget motel. It was a run down place with a few interesting ladies sitting around the front. I didn't care. I've stayed in such motels before. I only needed a place to sleep and to write a post for this blog. The clerk at the desk (he talked to me through a window since the door was barred) gave me the key to Room 122 and the code for the wi fi.
The room way at the back of the motel proved to be lovely. Everything was immaculately clean. There was a microwave to cook my oatmeal in the a.m. and plenty of towels in the bathroom. It seemed to be sound proofed as well.
The only problem was that way in the back as I was, the wi fi did not work. I checked and found out I would have good access out on the lawn chairs out front of the motel. I joined the ladies and e-mailed Gary to let him know where I was.
I went back to the room, wrote up the post there, then took it out to the front. The wi fi had disappeared! As had the office. It was closed down for the night. The ladies were in for the evening, too.
For only the sixth time since I began this blog in 2010, I failed to post.
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