I woke up this morning and it was such a beautiful day that I had to go into the water! I woke up Devin and we both decided to swim. The sun was glinting off the water, and it looked warm, but it wasn’t at all! Northern Ontario water has not warmed up! But it was really nice, although by the time we dove under, our legs were somewhat numb.
It was great! I love early morning swims. We relaxed in the morning, and then headed out back onto the TransCanada, heading to Thunder Bay. Again, Ontario is HUGE! So we made it just past Thunder Bay, to an okay campsite in Nipigon.
We had to make to a site before the start of the hockey game, and so once we set up (quickly) we headed to the only restaurant that served beer. I read while Devin watched the very unfortunate game, and we walked back to the campsite in the late night sun. It is light up here super late, which is great. -Lauren
At the end of the day we ended up in this small camp site called ‘Still Water’. It was the first time we didn’t pick our campsite. The girl behind the counter was obviously related to the owner. I’m guessing the daughter of the privately owned campground. Plus they had a huge amount of purchasable Geo rocks. Must be a big thing up there, but either Lauren or I was very interested.
The ‘daughter’ gave us a double camp site, two side by side. Informed us of the internet room and inquired if we were planning on watching the game tonight.
“of course” I replied and then her eyes squinted and asked who I was rooting for.
“Canucks”
“oh good, me too’
She gave us the password to the internet and mentioned that the ladies washroom or restroom was out of order. For the rest of the time at Still Water we watched the women go into the bathroom first as the man stood guard outside, until it was their turn. I did this myself on a few occasions, but it was easier for me because our ‘double’ camp site was right next door.
Setting up camp we encountered a older French couple preparing for dinner. By encounter I mean the French man yelled from this picnic table 20 yards away.
“Going to watch the game?” in a strong French accent.
“defiantly” I shouted back
“you think they can win?”
“of course they can!”
“what about their goalie? That Lou”
“hes fine, he never loses at home”
The man nods and smiles continuing to eat his dinner, his wife sits beside him, as they both begin eating their bbq dinner.
I turn back to our lot and admire my new Vancouver Canucks stickers. I bought them for $2.50 at the first Canadian tire we shopped in after getting back in Canada.
They can’t lose, I thought to myself, and suddenly remembered how hungry I was, Lauren must be too.
Earlier we had asked the ‘daughter’ a good place to eat and watch the game and she recommended a place about ten to fifteen minutes walk down the road.
We finally arrived and took our seats near the big TV. Someone had settled on the nature channel and the one guy in the room was watching it with idle curiosity.
“mind if I change it to the game?”
“Oh, that’s right its game night” The trucker replied
Or he said something like that, I don’t really remember because I was too busy looking for the game. I sat down with Lauren, she pulled out her Kindle, and smiled.
“I’m just going to read” she said playfully.
I laugh, “ok but your missing out on a great game!”
The waitress comes by and asks what we would like. Lauren asks for cider, the waitress says no but they might have something in the kitchen and the two women go into the back room looking for an alternative. Lauren emerges with some pink coloured drink and my beer arrives shortly after. But this time, four other truckers have made their way into the room and are ordering their dinner and watching the game.
Lauren sits quietly and reads while stealing quick looks at my face. She admitted to me later that it was more entertaining than the game or her book. I was told my expressions went from happy and excited to shock and angry. The game was not going well, and by the end of the second, we left. I just couldn’t watch Luongo the Vancouver ca-sucks goalie any longer.
We reached the campsite 10 minutes later. Lauren stayed out of arms reach as I may have been angrily swinging my elbows. I headed over to the internet room, still hopeful that something had changed in the third. On my why over I heard angry shouts, it seemed that Boston had scored again.
Vancouver had totally choked, I hate to call myself a fair-weather fan, but at that moment I was disgusted that their efforts. I slowly pealed my new stickers off the bike, the first came easy, the second gave more fight than the team itself and as I angrily scratched at the white adhesive stained with the blue and green colours of the teams logo, Lauren noticed what I was doing.
“Taking your stickers off?”
“yup”
“I’m sorry they lost”
“me too”
At that moment the finial bit came free, I stood up and Lauren gave me a hug.
I was one disappointed hockey fan.
~devin
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