Well - I am officially in a different province! And experienced a one hour time difference along my drive today. I started in Thunder Bay - where gas this am to fill my tank was 145.9 (holy poop!) and my (new) hotel was conveniently located right on the Trans Canada with the Shell right beside it, and beside the Shell was Tim Horton's - pretty perfect if you ask me! I was comfortably on the road by 0745, and arrived in Winnipeg by 1330. I made pretty good time, considering one hour of my drive just disappeared all of a sudden and my arrival time was bumped up by that hour : ) a lovely feeling! I'm not looking forward to the opposite effect on the road home though. Today I believe I drove 680km total, with 673km being on the same road **yawnn...**
I filled up again in Dryden, it seemed like it was pretty well right smack in the middle of point A and point B for me. It also brought back some memories from our drive out west with my grandparents, aunt and cousins. I'm pretty sure I was around 13/14 years old and we had stayed in Thunder Bay at a family friends. I had been struggling with an ear ache I tried to keep secret because I didn't want to ruin any ones trip. So, when it got to the unbearable point (chronic ear infection kid right here), my Papa got us to Dryden ER in the motor home and my aunt and I sat in the ER for what felt like days.. But I think it was really only around 6 hours. Let's just say - it was nice to be able to drive right on through without such aches today : ). AND pleasantly surprised to see the gas drop right back down to 129! (it's sad that I think that's cheap gas....)
I was anticipating some more photo ops along the way with more scenic viewpoints, but was sadly disappointed to see there were pretty well zero scenic viewpoints. BUT it was still a very pretty drive, this part of Ontario/Manitoba is just littered with lakes! most seemed pretty small, with the odd larger one that gave me a nice view and a break from the road. This trip wasn't as winding, especially when I hit Manitoba. It seemed like as soon as I crossed the border BOOM - FLAT and STRAIGHT! I was making such good time I considered just pushing through to Brandon and finding a hotel there for the night, but found myself fading quickly on the long... straight... boring... road.
So I checked in early, staying at another Super 8 Motel that I googled last night after that horrible Super 8 Motel in Thunder Bay. Very nice room - it's got a water closet though. It's strange. Sink and vanity out in the room, with a pretty tight room next to it with a toilet/bath/shower.... Not sure that will be something on my "must have" list when house hunting (if that ever happens - that commitment scares me a little haha!).
Winnipeg is bigger than I thought, I knew the population of the whole province is pretty well half of the population of Toronto alone, but I was still expecting a little smaller. Something like 650 000 people here. I'm right on the edge of the city too, with most amenities down the road. Little known fact about Winnipeg you may not have known - it is the Slurpee consumption capital of CANADA. Wonder what's rampant through this city - diabetes anyone...? LOL.
Unfortunately, I don't have pictures from this stretch. I really wanted to pull a "Walk to Remember" scene on you all and take a picture of "being in two places at once" (I watched that movie... a lot...). But there wasn't really a spot on the border to do that so I kept rollin' on.
Google maps says its about a 3 hour drive to Virden tomorrow, a measly 3 hours. Piece of cake! Also, google maps seems to over exaggerate how long it will take (OR, I drive maybe a little too fast.... hehehehe). I plan to stop in Brandon to get my electric skillet for my hotel room and take my time. I'm not sure when I can check in to the Comfort Inn, but will make that call in the am. I'm also craving breakfast.. I found a Cora's about 10 minutes away and plan on taking full advantage of it after a little bit of a sleep in : )
I'm always shocked at how much I have to say after a day of what felt like not a whole lot. Sorry for the lack of pictures, I will post some tomorrow of Virden and my more permanent hotel room lol. I start bright and early Monday am with a day shift. 0700-1915 - we get paid for the report portion! woo! I'm [poopin'] bricks now.. more than before. I've become to realize how far from home I am and nervous for meeting new people and starting my job. BUT I will just keep telling myself - be positive, this is experience will be what I make of it so I'm gonna make it an amazing one : )
Sorry for the drawn out post! It will be a better one tomorrow : ) ..... Hope everyone one is doing well back home! Miss you all! And as always - I'm free for facetime/skype!
I filled up again in Dryden, it seemed like it was pretty well right smack in the middle of point A and point B for me. It also brought back some memories from our drive out west with my grandparents, aunt and cousins. I'm pretty sure I was around 13/14 years old and we had stayed in Thunder Bay at a family friends. I had been struggling with an ear ache I tried to keep secret because I didn't want to ruin any ones trip. So, when it got to the unbearable point (chronic ear infection kid right here), my Papa got us to Dryden ER in the motor home and my aunt and I sat in the ER for what felt like days.. But I think it was really only around 6 hours. Let's just say - it was nice to be able to drive right on through without such aches today : ). AND pleasantly surprised to see the gas drop right back down to 129! (it's sad that I think that's cheap gas....)
I was anticipating some more photo ops along the way with more scenic viewpoints, but was sadly disappointed to see there were pretty well zero scenic viewpoints. BUT it was still a very pretty drive, this part of Ontario/Manitoba is just littered with lakes! most seemed pretty small, with the odd larger one that gave me a nice view and a break from the road. This trip wasn't as winding, especially when I hit Manitoba. It seemed like as soon as I crossed the border BOOM - FLAT and STRAIGHT! I was making such good time I considered just pushing through to Brandon and finding a hotel there for the night, but found myself fading quickly on the long... straight... boring... road.
So I checked in early, staying at another Super 8 Motel that I googled last night after that horrible Super 8 Motel in Thunder Bay. Very nice room - it's got a water closet though. It's strange. Sink and vanity out in the room, with a pretty tight room next to it with a toilet/bath/shower.... Not sure that will be something on my "must have" list when house hunting (if that ever happens - that commitment scares me a little haha!).
Winnipeg is bigger than I thought, I knew the population of the whole province is pretty well half of the population of Toronto alone, but I was still expecting a little smaller. Something like 650 000 people here. I'm right on the edge of the city too, with most amenities down the road. Little known fact about Winnipeg you may not have known - it is the Slurpee consumption capital of CANADA. Wonder what's rampant through this city - diabetes anyone...? LOL.
Unfortunately, I don't have pictures from this stretch. I really wanted to pull a "Walk to Remember" scene on you all and take a picture of "being in two places at once" (I watched that movie... a lot...). But there wasn't really a spot on the border to do that so I kept rollin' on.
Google maps says its about a 3 hour drive to Virden tomorrow, a measly 3 hours. Piece of cake! Also, google maps seems to over exaggerate how long it will take (OR, I drive maybe a little too fast.... hehehehe). I plan to stop in Brandon to get my electric skillet for my hotel room and take my time. I'm not sure when I can check in to the Comfort Inn, but will make that call in the am. I'm also craving breakfast.. I found a Cora's about 10 minutes away and plan on taking full advantage of it after a little bit of a sleep in : )
I'm always shocked at how much I have to say after a day of what felt like not a whole lot. Sorry for the lack of pictures, I will post some tomorrow of Virden and my more permanent hotel room lol. I start bright and early Monday am with a day shift. 0700-1915 - we get paid for the report portion! woo! I'm [poopin'] bricks now.. more than before. I've become to realize how far from home I am and nervous for meeting new people and starting my job. BUT I will just keep telling myself - be positive, this is experience will be what I make of it so I'm gonna make it an amazing one : )
Sorry for the drawn out post! It will be a better one tomorrow : ) ..... Hope everyone one is doing well back home! Miss you all! And as always - I'm free for facetime/skype!