It was at Echo Bay that I discovered my green Yurtle the Turtle shirt was missing. I guess it decided that it just wanted the trip to be over and it didn't want a long goodbye. I was proud of this shirt as it represented the union I belong too. Now, I am reduced to being a corporate hack with my Reebok and Zellers shirts. I'll have to drop by the Value Village and see if I can bring in another shirt. For being such a dependable shirt. Yurtle the Turtle is entered in the hall of Heros.
I was happy to get out of the Soo and even happier when I saw the long, long stretches of highway before me. Since I was trying to get to Espanola 225 kms away, I wanted to chop off as much as I could in the early evening. Traffic was light and courteous and I made excellent time until I ran out of steam at Bruce Mines. At Desbarats, I saw a yellow sign warning about horse and carriage traffic. I thought it was a quaint country joke until I saw a horse pulling a covered carriage and the lady driving was wearing a bonnet! I looked in the gravel beside me and saw the same kind of wheel tracks too. There must be a colony of Hutterites around there. The sky looked iffy so I decided to book a motel. Creature comforts! I also talk with cousin karen and David Pope (warm showers host near Espanola) and he tells me there is a ferry which will take me to the Bruce Penisula. This sounds nicer than Hwy 17 so I choose that option and cut 200 kms of traffic off. I tell Karen that I will make it there in about 5 days.
The next morning, I need to make up 170 km so I took off flying, I see the lady in the carriage again, painfully DO NOT stop and read the Bruce Mines town plaques or take the mine tours. I need to get to Espanola! On the way, I am passed by the guy who sold me my ticket for the Manitouwadge show (Cal). I recognized the Fred sign on the back of his truck.
Today is the 1st day I question what I am doing. On Hwy 17, the shoulder is about 20cm wide and by far the busiest traffic I have experieced to date. I brace for the transports which go zooming by about a metre away from me but grow strangely used to them. There is traffic coming the other way so there is nothing they can do either. I see two native people ahead. One carrynig a staff with a feather and the other dragging what looks to be a road sign in the shape of a diamond. I stop and ask them about what they are doing. They are protesting the existence of the Indian Act and are Ojibwe who flew to Vancouver and are waling back to Ottawa. Their names are Ash and April.
By Massey, I am ready to say goodbye to the traffic so I take a sideroad which is rough and patched here and there but at least I am not looking into my mirror every 4 seconds waiting for impending death! I see a few horse and buggies along the way and am told they are Mennonites. It is nearing 6 now and I have been at it for 11 hours but I look forward to the music ahead. I finally arrive in Espanola, grab a room (again!) and head over to listen to the concert. Fred is on fire again. He cuts into the Ontario premiers and especially has it in for Bob Rae who "suddenly I feel different about everything I beleive in so I'm joining the liberal party" and Ernie Eaves who Fred wonders is even a real person. He also questions how someone could run the province for 3 years and then just dissappear. He also told a few snail jokes. What does the snail say on the back of the turtle? Weeeee!
The snail is questioned by police after the collision between the 2 turtles and says,"I don't know, it al happened so fast!" Three snails are in the bar and 1 says,"I could really go for some pizza. If you guys watch my beer, I'll go for pizza." Three months go by and the one snail at the bar says, "Forget it, I'm going to drink his beer!" From the door the snail replies,"If you touch that beer, I'm not going for pizza! I really do like him equally as a performer and for his commentary. I made sure to grab some videos so I can at least listen to them while I ride. Off to the ferry tomorrow.