After the usual wakeup routine I went for breakfast, and afterward met Dwayne. Dwayne was probably 5, and enchanted by my bike. He kept asking me how I was gong to ride it. This was a question I had never really considered an answer to, and every time I started to answer he would look away uninterested, so I finally settled on, "I just get on and ride it the same way you do with your bike."
He seemed satisfied with that answer, or at least distracted, and started pointing to things and asking, "What's that?"
I continued to answer, and then when he asked about the feather I told him it was to help protect me while on the road, and he looked at me with wide eyes and said, "I need one of those!"
I told him that it only really works if you find it on the ground near your bike, and that way you know it's meant for you. His face fell a little, and then he said, "I better start looking," and looked around on the ground.
Just then his mother called for him and he turned away and started walking toward his mom, but he kept talking about something, and looking at the ground. I told him goodbye, but he didn't hear me and just kept walking. Dwayne reminded me that there is wonder in the simple things, and reminded me of the best highway warning sign I've seen on the trip. Somewhere in Kentucky, I think, I saw a yellow diamond warning sign that said, "Watch Children". I am sure that they want us to make sure we don't hit them, but I take it to mean that they can teach us a lot if we just watch them, Thanks, Dwayne!
Shortly after Dwayne left I was getting ready to leave and a cop pulled up behind my bike. For a moment I got a little nervous, but it turns out he was admiring the bike and that was really all. We chatted a little about riding, and he told me about some spots to stop on my way to Thunder Bay. I have to say that it is pretty great to talk to cops and just have a conversation!
I left Marathon headed west and started ticking off the places the officer had told me to stop. First on the list was Aguasabon Gorge.
The falls are actually a spillway from a hydroelectric dam. Too bad none of our spillways are that neat in the States:
The next stop I made was at a little wayside, (although not a direct recommendation by the officer). I stopped because coming down the hill I had seen a tremendous view, and I thought I might be able to get a shot. I had to stand up on the picnic table to get it, but I got it:
I was told that I should stop at Canada's longest suspension bridge, but I was short on time, so I had to pass it up. I did, however, make it to the Terry Fox memorial just outside Thunder Bay, and I am glad I did. I had no idea that there was a one legged cancer survivor who tried to run across the country to raise money for cancer research! That's awesome! And the view was great to boot:
Once in Thunder Bay I went straight to the meeting because I was running a little late. The meeting was the Welcome Group, and that's exactly how I felt. The discussion centered around how we have come to believe in something. I love meetings like that because, of all things, we are all pretty honest and open about that. Thanks, Welcome Group!
After the meeting I rode out to Chippewa Park. After crossing one of the scariest bridge I have ever been on I rode for a long way through the dark, but when it came time to turn into the park a fox ran across the road in front of me, and then led me down the road to the entrance to the park. Thanks, Fox Guy!
