Sometimes my job involves travel and although I stay in nice hotels and rent nice cars my van is still home and it’s nice to come back to.
I landed in Toronto Friday from St John New Brunswick, Thanks to Kim and Tom for picking me up from the airport and looking after my home while I was gone, had the weekend to kiss my kids and hug my friends and I was off again Monday morning for Northern Ontario. With my van this time!
Roadtrip!! Woohoo! I love northern Ontario at any time of the year. Just the drive itself I find so much peace in! Open road, radio on or off it does not matter. As long as the tires are turning I am happy! Down the highway to Timmins for work! Woohoo! Dancing!! Google says about 8 hours. I always add for different reasons. I am drinking coffee so stopping to pee will be in order. Stopping to eat and the fact I am driving a fully loaded 19 foot RV. Yes it’s a van but she is very heavy. Now there is no water but filled the propane and the gas tank and she starts slow and stops slow. I am a slow but steady wins the race kind of girl equals not the same time as Google! Lol!
I would have so liked to get a campground or lodge. When you are this far north there is not a lot open in March. I stayed at Dunlop Lake Lodge when I worked in Elliot Lake. I so recommend a stay there if you get a chance! Such a beautiful place with such beautiful people!
I thought maybe they would have cabins or lodges open for the snowmobilers but the only one is over an hour away and as much as I am an explorer I am here for work and its March in the North! Haha! No given the roads will be good. I need to be somewhat close to work. So hoteling it is.
When I arrived in Timmins it was -10 C ( 14 F) that night it plunged to -22 C (-7 F). Now I will not lie to you. When it gets that cold and everything freezes in the van, it is not fun! Chipping ice and squishing my milk carton to make coffee is just dam annoying! So being the whimpy Canadian I am hoteling it when it’s this cold is kind of Ok. It’s a nice suite although an older hotel but I do not need fancy I just need comfy. Comfy it is. The bathroom is a long way away tho! Lol!
Saturday brought van day! Beautiful sunny day! Time for a roadtrip. Off to Chapeau! About 2.5 hours west. Highway is dry but side roads were not! Lol! Kept to the highway mostly. Funny what you see. They had little cuts out of the side of the snow banks along the road. I am thinking to get the water to drain since the banks were so high on each side. Still major puddling going on. Had to pay attention, but a beautiful drive just the same.
Stopped at a great little restaurant and gas bar just outside of Chapeau called The 101. Great little place with a nice store. Good meal, nice people. Small town Canada! And they had Sugar Pie! My friend Annie Darlington who is an amazing cook turned me onto Sugar Pie. It is a French Canadian dish that is very good! Another friend that is good for my soul but not my ass! Love those friends! 💜💜
Chapeau is a beautiful little town. Found the cemetery. It was definitely not a walk thru! Lol! Loved the tree!
Then I carried on down the street and found a nice little parking lot by the frozen water and it was coffee time! Sometimes you just have to stop, appreciate the beauty before you and sip your coffee and say ahhhh! People ask me how I find these spots. Google satellite is my best friend. But sometimes like this time it was just a turn right, turn left and see where it leads!
Back to Timmins and try to find a spot to watch the night sky. Hoping for an Aurora Borealis! I found an app that will give me a 30 minute warning when the best time to see it. I love the night sky and there are a million stars! But sadly no color tonight! Snow is coming and that means clouds. There will be more adventures and more chances to lay under the night sky and see the magic roll by!
Thanks for coming along on my latest Chipmunk Adventure!
Stay tuned! There is more to come! See you next time!
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