The Cross Country Tour

After dropping the non-resident daughter off at the airport on Saturday morning, I headed to my friend S's house to pick up some things I had left with him. I couldn't fit it all in and the non-resident daughter too, so had dropped some stuff off before I picked her up. I also dropped off Stormy there too so had a wonderfuly albeit short visit with him. I also got stuck in S's driveway...and wanted to torch my car by the end of it. Winter was my enemy on the west coast for sure. After I got out of the driveway, I took S. for a quick lunch and then headed back to visit for a little with Stormy and S's family before returning to New Westminster where I had spent the previous night with an old high school friend. It was snowing like crazy, as it had been most of the friggin time on the west coast since Christmas. We braved the weather and drove downtown to West Hastings and visited the new Amsterdam Cafe, where my friend bought me a lovely t-shirt that smelled very strongly...we stopped at a tavern close to her home, had a beer and then headed back to her place for some catching up. I headed out early the next morning, headed for Kamloops.

Kamloops was at the end of the Coquihalla Highway, aka the Coke. The highway was somewhat intimidating when others talked about it so much, how bad the weather gets, how steep the mountains are, that chains are required, that it closes on a moment's notice, etc. However, I was fairly lucky and although the roads were snowcovered, they were manageable and I was able to make fairly good time and got to Kamloops in daylight. I visited there with good friends for the night, did some laundry, and left the following morning, destined for Calgary.

After crossing the Rocky Mountains, the skies cleared, and the highway levelled out. I made it to Calgary in good time, and spent the night hanging out with my cousin J., who cooked a lovely supper and we watched one of our favorite movies, Love Actually. After sacking out on her comfy sofa, I left early again the following morning, destined for Winnipeg.

The prairies were a blur, as they usually are, however I was treated to a stunning sunrise just outside Calgary, and had to stop to snap some photos with the big camera. I didn't stop much along the way otherwise, passing everything but the gas station. It was a long friggin haul to Winnipeg, but I made it, and arrived in the 'peg by about 9pm I think, where I bunked in with my ex-husband's sister and her husband for the night. It was great to see them, and to catch up on their lives. It had been several years since I had seen them both. I was exhausted so decided to stay an extra day and rest up, and visit some more. I left early again the next morning, bound for Thunder Bay.

Northern Ontario was a waste of space...dammit it took FOREVER to cross. I made it to Thunder Bay by about 7:30pm, and found my hostel relatively easy. I didn't particularly like it as it was more like staying at your nosiest aunt's house...what a busybody the hostess was and my room was right near the common areas where she lurked, chatting endlessly on the phone. I left really early again in the morning, headed for North Bay.

I did not make it to North Bay, having taken the northern route through Kapuskasing. It took FOREVER!!! I ended up checking into a motel about 8:00pm that night, having had ENOUGH of the endless, boring, two-lane highway, with trucks trying to force me off the road. I got up the next morning and headed for North Bay, arriving mid-morning and had some things I hoped to accomplish there before moving on. I have an infant sister buried there, and no one has visited her grave since the funeral. At first it was difficult for the family, and then we moved away and never returned. I had promised my mother I would stop by with some flowers and visit the dear little one in the cemetary. It was not to be. Turned out there was no grave marker, and 2 feet of snow or more in most of the cemetary. Without a marker and all that snow, it was impossible to locate, as I didn't know where to start. I visited the funeral home, and after a few calls, was connected with a gal who could help me find it in the spring. After shedding tears of loss about not being able to fulfil my promise to my mother, not to mention my inability to visit with the sister who came after me, I left the flowers against the fence in the graveyard, the wreath and teddy bear with the funeral home, and hoped someone would find her in the spring. I later spoke to the gal who managed to locate the plot's whereabouts, and she promised to bring her flowers in the spring and take a photo of the plot to send to me.

After the emotional rollercoaster that was North Bay, I headed for Petawawa to visit with another high school friend that I had managed to keep in touch with ever since...those are rare. Some things never change...she was much like I remembered her. We went out for supper and before long I had to hit the road again, as I was destined for Munster, just outside of Ottawa. I made it there by about 9pm, and was completely exhausted by that point, so made the executive decision to stay an extra day to do some laundry and rest up a bit. I did some shopping in Kanata with my cousin's wife, and left Munster early the following morning, destined for Sussex.

I didn't make it to Sussex. Turns out it was much farther than hoped, and took much longer to get there. I ended up staying in another hotel, just outside of Woodstock. New Brunswick was another boring and long drive, with little to see from the highway. I got up early the next morning and headed for Sussex to visit with another dear old friend. It was great to see her, and I thoroughly enjoyed the brief tour of her huge 150 year old home, which she runs as a bed & breakfast, and a few apartments. By late morning, I knew I should get my ass in gear and finally make it to Dartmouth. I landed there about 3pm, and was ever so glad to finally get the hell out of my car, and to see the folks.

There I was, having completed a cross-country tour in January. It took me 9 days, and once I was out of BC, had nothing but terrific weather across the country. BC was beautiful this summer, but what a friggin mess it was this Christmas...I was glad to be out of it. Now I have to find a job and a place to live...in the meantime, I'm bunking in with my parents. Stay tuned...