So......when we woke up this morning, it was -29C.....our first thought was: "Will the car start". We weren't able to get a heater inserted because Audi assured us, their cars don't need one. We weren't really convinced about that remark, but it did start, so all was well. Ray actually tucked it up with a blanket the night before, but we were still very happy it started!
We left around 9:45 a.m.. It truly was a magnificent day with lots of sun, cloudless blue skies, and the temperatures slowly warmed up throughout the day to -9C when we arrived in Winnipeg. The first part of the drive through Ontario was magnificent. Where yesterday the scenery was all about the lake, today the scenery was all about the beautiful forests of evergreens that lined the road as it rolled through undulating countryside.And the aromatic, sweet smell of the trees was divine! You really got the impression of vastness. Just miles and miles of trees as far as you could see. We entered into the Arctic Watershed where all rivers flowed north to the Arctic. This whole area is one of lakes and everywhere you turn there is a small frozen lake covered with white snow.
We were almost out of Ontario - had just stopped in Kenora for a snack and a tea and were speeding down the wide, straight, highway, when "zap", we were caught on radar. Fortunately, I think the officer took pity on us when he looked in the car and saw how stacked it was. He came from Toronto, and very politely told us to slow down, and that the police in Manitoba were fiends for speed. Sometimes you need a little lesson like that just to make you realize you are not vulnerable! And when you are treated with respect, it makes far more of an impact than if we had been left criticizing the officer for being "abrupt" or "threatening" or whatever. Oh, and I forgot to mention that yesterday, just after White River we were stopped in a ride program at 2:30 in the afternoon. Again the officer was so polite and friendly. She routinely asked us where we were going, and when I answered "Vancouver", there was an almost indiscernible pause, before she responded "oh"....."have a good journey"! I guess she realized that there was no way we would have been drinking with that vast a drive ahead of us! So now we have been stopped in 2 ride programs, and once for speeding. I hope our stint with the OPP is over!
Once we crossed the border into Manitoba, the land straightened out, and the temperature warmed up. It's only -9C in Winnipeg. We are staying in a Comfort Inn which is very comfortable, had dinner in Michael Pi's; had a very nice chat with a DataValet technical assistant and now my email is working.....world wide I am told! Kudos to him. Xplornet isn't a patch on Shaw! So......we're off to bed. Randall warned us that there is a storm approaching Winnipeg, and we noted that roads west of us were closed to night.....so we will see what the morning brings! Pauleen: Thank you for the lovely biscuits/cakes: we had some with our morning "coffee" today ....and yesterday, and thoroughly enjoyed them!
1 comment:
Quite an adventure so far. The pictures are beautiful - that certainly is a lovely part of our province. Sherry
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