Woodstock Ontario to Sudbury Ontario

Up at 6:00 AM, we had the luggage loaded in the car before the hotel breakfast opened at 6:30. Once again, I had sausages (rounds this time) and scrambled eggs while Sandy had the usual cereal and yogurt.

After stopping by Heather and Tom's house at 7:00 to say goodbye, I fueled at the PetroCan station on Norwich Avenue. I think they mad a mistake because I paid $1.139 per litre while the prices everywhere else were in the range of $1.30. I'm probably a bad person because I did not rush right in and warn them about the discrepancy.

We were on the road at 7:50, driving east on Highway 401 straight into the rising sun. This caused me to think about son-in-law Mike, who had a new job in Mississauga. Commuting from Cambridge, the sun, if it was clear, would always be in his eyes both ways.

Traffic moved along just fine until we got to Highway 8, where (as usual) everything ground to a screeching halt. Rather than idle along the several miles to the Highway 24 exit, we got off at 8 and took Sportsworld Drive/Maple Grove Road around the jam directly to Highway 24 (or what passes for Highway 24 after Premier Mike Harris destroyed the provincial highway numbering system twenty years ago). We followed this to Airport Road and Mono Mills, stopping at Tim's in Erin for coffee and a breakfast sandwich. Then it was across Highway 9 to Highway 400 North, at which point I was very pleased to find us pushed by a south wind.

After stopping at the On Route in Barrie to top up the coffee mug, we continued north uneventfully. North of Parry Sound, I had several random thoughts:

• The fences designed to keep wildlife off the road also confine people to that same road
• The rumble strips on the centre line and fog lines of the highways are probably the most cost-effective way to prevent vehicle crashes ever invented

We also noted logging activity adjacent to the Highway 69 as the land is cleared for the ongoing and seemingly never-ending four-laning project. We arrived home safely at 2:00 PM right on the nose.

Today's Route (314 Equinox miles):

Interactive map

Woodstock Ontario

The Best Western had more breakfast options than the standard Super 8 continental fare. They had some kind of egg things, sausage links and potatoes. That was enough for me while Sandy had cereal and yogurt. She is always easy to please. I really like biscuits and gravy in the morning but that is a creation that is virtually unheard of in the Great White North.

Those who know us are aware that, while Sandy and I were both baptized in the United Church of Canada and both married Catholics our first time around, we have not been believers since before we got together. I consider myself a Deist, believing in a Creator of the Universe/Mulitverse. However, considering the magnitude of Creation, I don't see any credible evidence that the Creator interferes with its operation or know/cares about our insignificant planet. That said, a Creator able to create 170 billion GALAXIES could be omnipotent enough to care about what I did last Saturday night, so I can't say absolutely that believers are wrong. I will just say that, in my opinion, what they believe is improbable.

That said, I have very clear views on religion itself. People can have trouble dealing with the concept of mortality, especially their own. They have difficulty with the trials and tribulations of life in general, so they find comfort in turning to a higher power to make sense out of it all. Voltaire summed it up by saying "If God did not exist, it would have been necessary to create Him." Given the human need, religion fills a void for many people and helps them lead a happier life. As long as they do not interfere with the rights of others to believe or not believe something different, I wish them the best. Life often isn't easy and we each need to find our own way of coming to terms with it.

As the once great and now fallen Cosby said, I told you that story to tell you this one. Our daughters were never baptized and did not grow up with a church a part of their lives. We did talk about the meaning of "Life, The Universe And Everything" but I never took a hard position, hoping they would find their own way just as I did. Both of them married husbands who had been raised Catholic. Kim and Mike recently joined Cambridge Community Church, a friendly and welcoming Protestant venue that we had attended with them a while back. Heather and Tom have joined Calvary Church in Woodstock and we were now going to witness her baptism. I am proud that both of our offspring have weighed their own convictions and joined what seem to be very positive groups in each of their communities. Sandy and I hope this proves them and their families with purpose and fellowship.

We arrived at the church at 9:00 AM. Sandy and I had already been there for a Christmas pageant. Kim, Mike and the girls attended as well. The hall resembled a theatre with a stage, very comfortable seats and all manner of AV equipment. There were musicians on guitars and percussion and a singer. The style of music was very similar to what our friends in the Christian Motorcycle Association play during the worship services at the Freedom Rallies. It's a little subdued for my tastes (I prefer a rousing round of Southern Gospel music making a joyful noise), but they do seem to enjoy it. The baptism was full immersion in a large tub on stage. As Heather came out, they played a video on the big screen of her recounting her journey to this point. She referred to her father as "non-believing but philosophical". I can live with that. Then she climbed into the tub, the pastor said the words that traced all the way back to John The Baptist, and she was submerged.

The rest of the service seemed anti-climactic to us. Rhianna, a friend of the twins from high school who lived in the area. was there with her husband and youngest. It was good to see here. On the way out, there was a lot of handshakings and we were blessed many times. I don't mind that because the intent was sincere.

The entire family repaired to Crabby Joe's in downtown Woodstock. It had just opened and the server, Chris, got a table set up straight away. He was also very good with the kids, one of the best I have ever seen. I tried to reflect our appreciation in the gratuity.

Grandma Sandy and Fiona

Robyn and Mommy Kim

Jolene studies the menu while Jasper peeks and Robyn watches

Jasper waits for food

Reminds me of The Waltons

Enjoying the company

Our hirsute son-in-law Mike

Back at the hotel, I was hit with a resurgence of the flu. Heather and Kim were going to a discussion session at CCC in Cambridge and wondered if I wanted to come along. I didn't want to get too far away from a bathroom so I was forced to decline. Next time. Instead, I went to bed early and stayed there until morning.

Sudbury Ontario to Woodstock Ontario

Heather invited us to Woodstock to witness her baptism into the new church they have been attending. We had planned to go down yesterday. This would have given me a chance to see the Doubleheaders Model Railroad Tour, something I have wanted to participate in for years. Unfortunately, I have been laid low for the last two days with a nasty strain of the flu. It was bad enough that I dropped eight pounds in 48 hours. I was feeling better this morning. At least I was keeping food down for the time being.

Snow had been melting steadily since the end of February but, suddenly, it was colder and the snow seemed to want to hang around. It was bright and sunny but only 15 C when we left at noon.

Highway 69 is looking pretty snow free

Highway 400 was moving well

We stopped at the McDonald's in Parry Sound and again at the On Route service centre in Innisfil. From there, since it was late afternoon on a Saturday, I opted to drive right into Toronto on the 400 and take the 401 West. The 407 is quicker and less congested during busy times but the tolls are expensive enough to be considered highway robbery. The back route via Highway 9 is OK but slow so I try to stick to the big road during times we expect it to be less jammed up.

Of course, the online traffic map from the Ministry of Transportation that I consulted at the Innisfil Service Centre wasn't exactly truthful (why am I not surprised?). The 401 West was very slow to the 427 exit and then jammed up again in Mississauga for no apparent reason.

I reflected on the rest of the drive once we got rolling. The twit driving in the centre lane (it's a six-lane road) at 40 KPH less than the rest of the traffic needs to revisit his driving skills. He was like some kind of obstacle in a video game. There was also a class of aggressive drivers who figured that once they got going fast enough, turn signals didn't matter. Using blinkers is a habit I have developed. I do it without thinking. Not using them is a bad habit that can lead to very nasty consequences. As for the driver of that Ram dually belching black smoke every time it accelerated, you need to get that pig serviced. All things being equal, driving in Northern Ontario looked not so bad.

It was 39F when we pulled into the Best Western in Woodstock. I switched to my light jacket and shoes for the first time since last November. I was still a bit under the weather, so we just laid low for the rest of the day.

Today's route (315 Equinox miles):

Interactive map

March Update

The first of March is upon us. We can see a light end the end of the winter tunnel and hope it is not a train. I need to get the blog up to date in preparation for another summer of travel.

Sandy and I both started the new year on a low note. With no immediate deadlines or responsibilities, we just laid on our respective couches and watched TV. It had all the hallmarks of depression, but there was no sadness involved. We saw the doctor in mid-January and he said we were OK. Sandy actually improved in her answers to his test questions on depression and I said I'd be fine. I was chastised for an A1C that was back up to 10.0. He also told me I should get back to the gym, somewhere I haven't been since last March.

As February began, I looked at a few tasks I was stressing over related to Safe Ride Home and put them on indefinite hold. My first objective was to address the blood sugar so I started a strict diet of protein and green veggies. It took several weeks, but the daily number slowly declined from 15 (270) to 6.5 to 7.5 (117 to 135). It could be better, but the improvement so far has been massive.

The next task was to address my weight, which averaged 208.9 pounds in 2017. How do I know that? Come on, this is me. I measure and record everything, and then chart it. So far this year the average is only down to 205.7, but I have only been working on it for a month. Once I get past the set point at around 202, things should progress quickly. I expect lower weight will translate into even better blood sugar levels.

The last thing I needed to address was the gym. I plotted my activity since the end of 2001 when I joined the YMCA. Faced with the cold hard data, I had to accept that I have not gone to the gym nearly as much as I thought I did after the first couple of years. I only spent four days there in 2017, all in last March. So, on Monday February 19th, I took my gym bag and left the house shortly after 6:00 AM. I got to the Y to find it was Family Day, a statutory holiday in Ontario, and the Y would not open until 8:00 AM. Rather than go home, I drove to Lively and got a coffee at Tim's. Then I drove to Val Caron and checked the Freedom Riders PO box. By the time I got back downtown, it was 8:00 AM. I have gone every second day last week and this week. I plan to upgrade to every weekday next week. The target right now is 40 minutes of cardio at a sustained heart rate of 120 to 125 beats per minute. So far, so good.

The NASCAR season started on February 18th with the Daytona 500. OK, it actually started a week earlier with the Clash, but that wasn't a points race. Yahoo cancelled their NASCAR Fantasy League where VROC has participated for years, but Jamey T set up a new league at nascar.com. It works differently but should be fun to figure out. I didn't do well in the Daytona Demolition Derby but rocked it in the second race last weekend at Atlanta.

Although the weather was exceptionally cold at the beginning of the year, February has been quite warm. Regular excursions above the freezing mark have resulted in significant snow loss. Hopefully  this means an early spring but, if March comes in like a lamb, it might go out like a lion. Regardless, I am ready for both the motorcycle and the golf course. I renewed my membership at Cedar Green Golf Course this past week. Our trips are planned. So hurry Spring. We're ready for you.

New Years Day 2018

New Years Day 2018. This is just a short note to wave goodbye to 2017 and welcome another year of (hopefully) adventures.

We finished the first Safe Ride Home Sudbury campaign after 4:00 AM this morning. Overall traffic was down a bit from the last Operation Red Nose season, but we still got a lot of local people home safely without any mishaps. The re-branding has been a success. Now we need to look at the details and identify areas where we can do even better next year.

The Freedom Riders supported Safe Ride Home Sudbury

Christmas was quiet. We picked Jan up from Extendicare and brought her to the house for the day. Sandy and I don't exchange gifts, finding the practice counter productive when we can get the exact things we want at any time. It was a pleasant day.

Sandy and Jan looking at family photos

Heather flew up with Jasper and Fiona after Christmas. Tom had to work and came up on the weekend. We took the kids to Science North but not out much more due to unseasonably cold weather. They left for home this morning.

Breakfast at Tutti Frutti 

Tunnel entrance to Science North 

 Grandma Sandy and Fiona at Science North

Fiona likes housekeeping

Looking back at 2017, it was a good year. We had our usual springtime in North Carolina and Fall in Arkansas. There was another trip to Solvang, California with a stop in Wisconsin for the Boscobel Rally. Riding in eastern Missouri proved to be better than I expected. And we finally checked the Outer Banks off our bucket list.

Health wise, Sandy was stable. I managed to bring my A1C (measure of blood sugar) down throughout the year by being careful what I ate, but that all went out the window when we started Safe Ride Home in November. The free sandwiches and pizza, coupled with the irregular hours, resulted in my consuming way more carbs than I expected. Daily glucose readings were up to 15 (270 on the scale used in the USA). Although my eyes tested fine again, I need to get this under control before I start having real and permanent problems. My aortic valve stenosis has been steady for several years, remaining at the bottom end of acceptable. That is monitored with annual echo cardiograms. The important thing is that it is all stable, the key question when obtaining medical insurance for traveling to the US.

We have plans for 2018. Smoky Mountains again in May. Eureka Springs, Arkansas in September. Williams, Arizona and Topaz Lake, Nevada in June. And I need to get out on the golf course more when I am home. It looks like it is going to be a good year.

Woodstock Ontario to Sudbury Ontario

It was a slow morning. We left the hotel room at 8:40 AM. After a quick stop at what is one of the better run McDonald's franchises on Norwich Avenue (fast, accurate pleasant, all the equipment works), we were eastbound on Highway 401 in a moderate to heavy fog bank. The temperature was 35 F so ice was not an issue and there was no snow on the ground.

We got off at Highway 8 in Kitchener and took Sportsworld Drive and Maple Grove Road across to Highway 24. This took us to Guelph, where we bypassed much of the city by taking Highway 7 and County 29. In Eramosa, we reconnected with 24.

Fog on Highway 24

A short jog north on Airport Road at the end of 24 brought us to Highway 9 in Mono Mills. Mono has two gas stations which typically boast the lowest gas prices along our route. Today, 87 octane was going for $1.149 compared to $1.209 in Woodstock and $1.259 in Sudbury.

The Highway 24 & 9 route takes longer than following the super slab to Toronto, but I enjoy it more when we have the time to spare.

As we drove along, I contemplated my GPS. Who would have thought, twenty years ago, that we would have a device that showed all the roads, our position on them, and points of interest along the way. Jester had one when we went to SEVROC in 1999, but it was just a green screen with digits on it.

When we left Highway 9 for 400 North (the new ramp is an opposite turn from the old one), the fog lifted. We made a stop at the Barrie ONroute service area just after 11:30. I got a Tim's Chipotle Breakfast Steak Wrap (without the chipotle) to go. And more coffee.

There was still no snow on the ground but the Mount St. Louis ski area must have had the snow making machines going overtime. Their hills were patches of white in a sea of brown.

Snow on Mount St. Louis

Traffic was light on Highway 400 north

Tom Thomson type of Georgian Bay tree

We have Highway 69 all to ourselves

The four-laning of the 100 miles of highway between Parry Sound and Sudbury, under construction since 2004 and originally scheduled to be finished by 2017, was far from done. One of the features on the new highway was wildlife fencing, largely installed into solid rock at what I presumed was a significant cost.

Wildlife fencing in solid rock

Note that the bottom two feet or so of the fencing consisted of a much finer mesh. Then, when the big fence stopped, a much smaller fence carries on. I used to think this was a turtle fence, since I couldn't see it blocking much else and they are very concerned about Blanding's turtles in Northern Ontario. Then I was watching a documentary on Killbear Provincial Park near Parry Sound and saw the same type of fence. It was to keep rattlesnakes off the road. They go to great lengths to protect the Massasauga rattlesnake in Ontario. The fact that it is illegal to kill them should amuse some of our southern friends.

In fact, driving this highway many hundreds of times over the years, I have never seen a dead rattlesnake. I have hardly ever seen a dead turtle. I wonder how much they spent on this dwarf fence of limited purpose while we are still looking for a PET scanner at the hospital in Sudbury?

The world's shortest wildlife fence

Once we got north of the snake zone, the big wildlife fence resumed without the finer mesh. This fencing even has pass through gates for people on foot such as hunters.

Gate in the big fence

White Pine Chutes, Wanapitei River

As we approached Sudbury, the speed limit dropped from 100 KPH to 90. I was still doing 115 when I went by the unmarked OPP Tahoe, but he didn't seem to care, so we made it home unscathed at about 3:25 PM.

Now we will probably be staying close to home until spring.

Today's Route (314 Equinox miles):

Interactive map

Woodstock Ontario - Christmas Pageant

Sandy and I slept in this morning while Heather, Tom and the kids went to church. Heather texted when the service was over and we agreed to meet at 11:40 at East Side Mario's, part of a popular Canadian chain. It was just across the street from our hotel and children ate free on Sunday.

 Sandy and I got to the restaurant first

 Everyone looks ready for lunch

 Cute would be an understatement

Sandy and I shared a very generous club wrap while I also had some very tasty roasted tomato garlic soup. Unlike yesterday, I will report that it was very good. We should consider dining out at ESM in Sudbury once in a while.

Fiona was cute. At 18 months, she insists on feeding herself using a fork. Meantime, Jasper needed no utensils for his personal pizza.

 I can do it all by myself

 Can't beat pizza

After lunch, we went back to Heather and Tom's where we played with the grandkids, talked with the kids and, as the afternoon wore on, snacked a bit on leftovers from yesterday's party. There was lots of food and it was good.

Although Sandy and I are not religious and didn't belong to or attend any church while our children were growing up, we didn't denigrate people of faith either. We figured this would allow our offspring to decide for themselves as the grew old enough to appreciate the great questions of life. Both daughters and their families now attend regularly.

Heather and Tom belong to Calvary Church in Woodstock. They were holding their Christmas Pageant this evening and Jasper's age group had a role to play on stage. The church had a very nice auditorium/stage facility and I managed to get in and seated without getting struck by lightning. It was a fine show, very upbeat and positive. Peace on Earth and good will to all men (and women) is not a bad message, no matter what a person believes.

You can just see Jasper in the second row (look for the glasses)

After the pageant, we went back to the house for a bit, and then Sandy and I returned to the hotel. On the way, we stopped at Wendy's where I picked up a bacon portobello mushroom melt hamburger to go. It was pretty damn good. I can't figure out why I am not losing weight.....

Again, we were in bed early. I read a bit on my Kindle before falling asleep. The Kindle is great because you don't need to leave a light on and, when you have had enough, you just close the cover and slip it under your pillow. If you wake up at night, you can read a chapter before going back to sleep without disturbing your partner.

Sudbury to Woodstock - Tom's Birthday Party

Heather planned a surprise party to celebrate Tom's 40th birthday this weekend. Tom's brother Wojtek and his wife Agnes would be hosting at their house in Breslau (part of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo). Sandy and I couldn't miss this, so I skipped a night of driving for Safe Ride Home Sudbury. Once the teams were assigned and the orientation done last night, I came home and got some rest. Tonight, others will cover for me too.

It was 33F when we rolled out this morning, but the Weather Network said it felt like zero. We were on the road at 7:20 AM after a brief stop at McDonald's (where the damn kiosk printer didn't work one more time). A light rain was falling so, with the below freezing temperatures, speed was moderate and no sudden moves were contemplated.

I started out fine but got bitten by the drowsy bug somewhere down the line, so we stopped for coffee at Tim's at Seguin and then again at the Innisfil On Route. Traffic jammed up for a bit on the 400 around King due to a closed lane, but that didn't last long. Because it was around noon Saturday, we took the cheap route and followed 400 all the way to 401 West without incident.

Slow traffic on Highway 400 near King Road

Heather had a special birthday cake made by Too Nice To Slice, which she asked us to pick up at their shop in Kitchener. The place was a little tricky to find because it was in the back of an industrial yard, but we finally spotted it. They had some amazing cakes in there. This one featured a can of Polish beer pouring over the cake. We gently put it in the back of the Equinox and, with great care,  delivered it directly to Breslau.

The cake arrived safely in Breslau

Since it was still early and we hadn't eaten, we drove back into Kitchener and stopped at Oscar's Family Friendly Restaurant on Victoria Street. The food wasn't anything to blog about, so I won't. Then we headed over to Zehr's for a fruit tray to contribute to the party. It was still early so then we took a tour to Guelph to take on some fuel.

Back in Breslau, we saw that there wasn't much street parking on Avery Court. The number of cars would have tipped Tom off except that Heather told him Wojtek had called to say parking would be tricky because "someone on the street" was having a gathering.

The crowd started to assemble. Food was put out. Children played. Adults talked and had a drink or two. The Polish side of the family brought some good vodka, as usual. We waited for Tom, Heather and the kid to arrive.

Decked out nicely

Sandy is looking cheerful

Are they here yet???

SURPRISE!!!!!

Lots of food

The birthday boy gets a plate

Grandson Jasper found a cookie

Son-in-law Mike doing his Grizzly Adams impersonation

Granddaughter Jolene has finished it all (whatever it was)

Youngest granddaughter Fiona looks pleased

It's tough to blow out candles around a beer can

Happy 40th Birthday, Tom

Now how do I cut this thing???

After the food and gifts and visiting were done, Sandy and I headed out for Woodstock about 7:00 PM. We usually stay at the Best Western Plus but I had left it a little late to book the reservation. Something must have been going on because there was no room at the inn. Luckily I was able to get a king room with couch at the Days Inn next to the Tim Horton's on Norwich. The room was OK and I was able to add a few Wyndham Rewards points to the bank.

It was a quiet evening. We turned in early and watched a little TV on the large flat screen before turning out the lights and going to sleep.

Today's Route (335 Equinox miles):

Interactive map

Safe Ride Home Sudbury

The inaugural Safe Ride Home Sudbury campaign begins operating tonight. President Lesli Green split from the national Operation Red Nose organization after eighteen years, saying that a made-in-Sudbury program will address local issues more effectively.

As before, Safe Ride Home Sudbury will see volunteer teams dispatched to drive people home in their own vehicles if they believe they have imbibed too much holiday cheer. It is a free service, although donations are gratefully accepted. These donations support local youth athletic activities, while all the expenses of the program are born by very generous corporate partners and sponsors. The program will run every Friday and Saturday from now until the end of the year and finish up on New Years Eve, a total of fifteen evenings.

The new brand necessitated a new mascot. Stewie the Sober Bear was built in Toronto to Lesli's specifications. We drove down last month and picked him up at the factory, so to speak.

 Greg, Stewie and Lesli yesterday

Lovely vehicle provided by Cambrian Ford 

R.I.D.E sobriety spot check yesterday to promote the program launch

Once again, I will be the Volunteer Coordinator. This involves receiving applications and background checks from the Greater Sudbury Police Service, acknowledging them and entering them in a database. Reminders are sent out for the nights each volunteer selected. When they show up at the headquarters at NORCAT, they are assembled into teams of Escort Driver (delivers the team to clients), Designated Driver (drives the clients in their own vehicle) and, sometimes, Navigator (handles the paper work and usually accompanies the DD in the client vehicle). I am also the head trainer, providing orientation sessions to new volunteers, and oversee the front of the HQ much of the time.

When all the HQ stuff is done, I usually hit the road with my regular partner JM (who also becomes Stewie for promotional activities).

I have been involved in sober driving initiatives for twenty-five years. In 1993, Norm Hein and I worked with police services to develop the Snowmobile Trail Officer Patrol, which helped police interdict impaired sledders. I was also active for a number of years in Action Sudbury - Citizens Against Impaired Driving. Several years ago, I gravitated towards Operation Red Nose and this past year, I helped with the development of and transition to Safe Ride Home Sudbury.

So don't worry about me for the rest of the year. I will be busy and having fun all at the same time.