Timmins to Thunder Bay 779km Through Wilderness

Woke up to rain and impending Thunderstorms in Timmins this morning and got away just before it poured.  Here's the route I took today.

Still not much traffic, in fact for many kms there were just a few cars.  

This is my buddy "Lode King"  I followed him for about 2 hours (for real!).  Every time there was an opportunity (as in a straight stretch) to pass him, oncoming cars and/or road construction down to 1 lane impeded my attempts.   So I just settled back and we kept each other company during the isolated parts of the trip.

Speaking of Gas.  Note to Self.  Even if you have 3/4 tank of gas stop to fill up when you see a station.   There are NO OnRoute stations on Hwy 11 from Toronto!   The only gas you can get are in the towns you drive (literally) through ... You go from 90km to 70km to 50km as you meander through the "main street", and the "towns" are often hundreds of miles apart.  No worries, I wasn't close to running out of gas .. just an observation.  I stopped to get gas at this fancy place.  The only gas station in town.  That's me pulled over to make a hotel reservation in Thunder Bay ;)

Speaking of Observations:

• Mascots.  What'sup with Mascots???  Yesterday was the Big Buffalo.  Today I saw a big bear, a giant fish, and even this, in someone's front yard
• I saw 3 lady truckers driving logging trucks today.  Go Girls!
• I've never ever seen so many lakes in my life.  Seems like every time you turn a corner another lake of a different name appears.  Stunning!
• Lots and lots and lots of trees are covered in the sphagnum moss that I use in my orchids.  I wonder if Northern Ontario is a supply source?
• Light misty rain all morning from Timmins to Kapuskasing.  Sure glad I RainGuard treated my windows before I left, any spray that gets tossed by the truckers simply beads up and runs off :)
• I was going to stop at the Terry Fox Monument as I was coming into Thunder Bay, but I passed it before I realized I should have taken the exit.   There are marker signs every 10km along the highway into Thunder Bay.      
  
  
  I passed this sign outside of Thunder Bay where Terry had to end his run.
• I did see an OPP cruiser today.  He was thinking of playing cat and mouse.  He lost.
  Just past a pullout where I passed 4 transport trucks, so I was pretty much ahead of them by the time I neared the top of one hill.  OPP travelling in the opposite direction pulled over and I figured (it's the ESP thing again) that he was going to try to catch me doing something naughty.  I saw him pull over in my rear view mirror and figured that by the time he made a U turn and passed all the truckers, he'd be about 2 or 3 km behind me.    So I watched for him in my rear-view mirror.   As it happened, a very slow (as in speed limit literally 89-90km) camper truck was just meandering merrily along so I tucked in behind him and we poked along together.  No other cars in sight. After a bit, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but two bright headlights driving so near .. I guessed right --  it was the OPP.  He settled in behind us and we 3 poked along until he got tired of that game and passed us both.  I figured that he was setting up somewhere up ahead thinking that I'd pass the camper and he'd catch me.  Nope. Poked along for another 5km or so, and I finally saw him coming back in the opposite direction.   Probably frustrated the heck out of him!   Speed limit is 90km and I've been cruising at 99 - 103km -- 'tis very relaxing!

Speaking of relaxing, saw a moose today.  This isn't my moose, but my moose was cooling her hooves in a marshy pond as I passed it. 

 My watch for Moose sign 

So, about 50km east of Thunder Bay, the critter signs change from a Moose to a Deer I'd like to know how they (Moose/Deer) know where they are supposed to cross? 

The only other critterish thing I saw today was 

That's all I got today, heading to Winnipeg tomorrow.  Going to take Hwy 17 which is supposed to be more scenic.   Goodnight all!  Will text when I hit the road in the morning

Hugs Olives oxoxo