Frank Wulfers

This Saab has been sold so I better finish up this trip report!

Part 1 and 2 of the report can be found here:
http://saabworld.net/blogs/frank-wul...ba-part-1-323/
http://saabworld.net/blogs/frank-wul...ba-part-2-328/

I had been on the road for a while and decided to stay at the same campground for another day. The Lake of the Woods area is quite scenic and it was just nice to explore the area and not do much for most of the day.



I had to climb up a bit to take these pictures and one of the locals was making a lot of noise. I guess he wasn't used to visitors.







As I mentioned, this was a day for relaxing. I found an even better spot at this campground and decided to move the tent. I got a few things at the small local grocery store and I didn't feel like cooking dinner. The LCBO store (beer, winde and liquor store in Canada) had quite a few good choices for such a small place. I made another campfire in the evening and just sat in that chair for most of the time reading and enjoying the view.







These Inuksuk rock structures are quite common in northern Ontario. I always find them interesting to look at and find on the side of the road.

http://www.athropolis.com/arctic-facts/fact-inuksuk.htm

Inuksuit - Signposts of the North

An "inuksuk" (pronounced "in-uk-shuk") is a monument used for communication and survival that is usually made of un-worked stones.
Inuksuit (plural) have been used by the Inuit people as guides and markers for special places in the Arctic, marking trails, caches of food, nearby people, or the migration routes of caribou.


Such a marker is of considerable importance on a landscape that could be otherwise featureless or constantly changing because of ice and snow. These "signposts" were essential for survival and Inuit tradition forbids their destruction.


An inuksuk-like monument in the form of a human being is called an inunnguaq (an imitation of a person). These seem to have been a recent development and many inunnguat (plural) are being built by non-Inuit but are incorrectly called inuksuit.

This one was quite large and high up.



Ride reports on motorcycle forums often feature pictures of food places and local delicacies.



I don't know how famous these fries are but they were quite delicious. Best eaten "Dutch style" with some mayonaise. . The burger was a bit plain but quite tasty. What can I say.. I am easy to please when it comes to road food.



Shortly after lunch, I reached the Manitoba border.



The change from the rugged and rocky scenery in Ontario to Manitoba was quite significant. Huge skies and very flat and straight roads.



Every landscape has its own beauty and it was a nice change.



Winnipeg is a pleasant place to spend a few days.



If you only have time to visit one place or museum, I can highly recommend the Manitoba Museum. There is a lot of information on the history of Manitoba and there are special exhibits of the sailing ship Nonsuch and the Hudson Bay company.

Stroll the waterfront of 17th century England, where the two-masted ketch Nonsuch awaits high tide, morning light and a voyage into history. In 1668, the original Nonsuch sailed into Hudson Bay in search of furs. The voyage not only led to the founding of the Hudson’s Bay Company two years later, but was instrumental in establishing commerce in western Canada. Built in England to celebrate the tricentennial of the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1970, the Nonsuch is considered one of the finest replicas in the world, and sailed 14,000 kilometres of salt and fresh water before finding a home at the Museum.

I didn't take my camera inside and found the above picture on Flickr.

I have always been intrigued by the hisotry of the Hudson bay company which is headquartered in London and Winnipeg. This is their flagship store in Winnipeg. I had a feel of an old store last updated in the 1970s but that gave it some character. They even had a fur department, dating back to their beginnings of a fur trading company.





I spent a few hours walking through downtown to explore the local sights. In addition to sea and airports, I am also easily attracted to railway stations.



I only stayed one night in Winnipeg and headed back East the following day.



When it was getting dark, a few moose were crossing the road. I had seen them in Michigan and Ontario before but they always are a magnificent site. Even though I would not want to hit one of these huge animals, it's comforting to know Saabs are built to withstand a crash with a moose and let you walk away to tell about it.

This is not a very good picture but they were walking pretty quick and light was very low.



I stopped at a basic but decent roadside motel. The Saab was doing very well and it is an excellent tourer for the long distances on this road trip.





There was quite a lot of rain on the way back along the Lake Superior north shore. But I don't mind the rain. It's actually quite relaxing and comforting.



There are a few of these places in Ontario where you pass the divide between the Atlantic and Arctic watershed.





I made another stop in Thunder Bay as I wanted to see Little Finland. Thunder Bay has the largest number of people of Finnish descent outside of Scandinavia. So it is not surprising there still is a lot of Finnish history to be found in the city.

The Finlandia Club and Hoito Restaurant is quite a well-known establishment.



Some random pictures on the way back towards Michigan.







The fog and rain wasn't too bad to drive in, even though it obstructed the beautiful views I saw here before.







I bet you didn't know where the official home of Winnie the Pooh is. Well, neither did I but it is in White River, Ontario.



There is not much else to do in White River and many run-down establishments hint to a richer past.



More great roads for driving and beautiful scenery.









The long bridge between Canada and the USA, connecting the Ontario and Michigan sides of Sault Sainte Marie.



The US Customs building and border crossing.



A short drive through the UP of Michigan brings you back to the Mackinaw bridge, the place where many northern adventures started before.



Instead of the usual tacky souvenirs (that are most likely made in China), I try to save different mementos of trips. I stopped at the side of the road on the north Shore of lake Superior and collected some rocks. I was wondering how difficult it is to build a inunnguaq without any tools or adhesive. And it is not as easy as it may seem. Perhaps not the greatest work of art but a great reminder of another awesome road trip.

Safe travels to all of you explorers!



The full album with 118 pictures can be found on Picasa: https://picasaweb.google.com/113579073485167939315/RoadTripLakeSuperiorNorthShore#