The Bruce Peninsula, Manitoulin Island, and the eastern U.P.

After the rolling hills of central Ontario, I finally got to the Bruce Peninsula, which is a long piece of land that seperates the main body of Lake Huron on the west from Georgian Bay on the east. Its here that i got my first glimpses of the lake, which looks more like an ocean as the water stretches on to the horizon. Also, the water is exceptionally clear, giving the water an incredibly glowing blue color. Anyway, on to the pictures:

this is the coastline north of Lions Head, on the Georgian Bay. The shore is mostly large flat slabs of rock, and the water is very cool and clear.

Yard sale I passed along the way. It was about 90% romance novels. I ended up buying a Henry Miller book for 25 cents. Miller isn't really a romance novelist, he's more... well read one for yourself.

Dyer's Bay dead end.

After the Bruce Peninsula, I took the ferry to Manatoulin Island. It's a huge ship that holds a bunch of cars as well as having something like three decks with lounges, a bar etc. A nice ride. This is a lighthouse along the way. After the ferry I made my way toward the eastern portion of the island to Uncle Steve's campground and RV Park, where I would stay the night. On the way I saw this:


I happened to arrive just as the main event was coming to a close, so I missed most of the action. I later learned that the smash-up derby is the final event in the Manitowaning Summerfest, which this year included an ACDC tribute band and lots and lost of drinking.
I continued on to Uncle Steve's, where I set up camp. After that I headed into the village of Manitowaning to buy some food and beer. After finding that the stores were closed, I went to the Muskie Widow, the local bar. The place is done up in a fisherman's theme, with mounted fish on the wall, old fishing equipment, and tons of photos of people with the hugest fish I've ever seen.

If you look closely above the bar, you'll notice an airbrushed painting of a muskie on a moose antler- you won't find that kind of work just anywhere!
I was drinking beer by myself, playing the fly on the wall watching people come and go when Sarah (middle) approached me and asked if I'd like to join her table.

She said she had done some solo traveling herself and knew what it was like sitting alone in a local bar. She introduced me to Nimkii and Catherine, born and raised a couple houses from the Muskie Widow. We got to talking and I found out that Nimkii had done a bike tour in Britain, and we swapped a couple of stories. Sarah was in town from nearby Sucker Creek, not to be confused with Sucker Lake, which was right down the road. Catherine was born and raised just a few houses down from the Muskie Widow, but had moved to Sault St. Marie, the border town where I was planning on crossing to Michigan. After no small amount of drinks Catherine suggested that I hitch a ride with her to the So, which would save me 2 day's riding and the danger of being run over by one of many 18-wheelers on the narrow and hazardous Trans-Canada Highway. I took her up on the offer and the next morning we departed. On the way we passed through the Whitefish hills, which are a set of very steep and rocky hills on the north coast of Lake Huron.

On the way, Catherine was nice enough to offer that I stay the night her couch in Sault St. Marie. Once we got into town, we made a quick stop at Anita and Tony's Salon, which she had recently purchased and now owns and manages. It was a cool place, but the all-pink decor was perhaps a little out of date.

She informed me that new drywall and paint are on the way. After a good dinner, good rest and a shower, I left Catherine's place and headed over the border to be welcomed into America. Heading up the bridge:

Traffic laws in the Soo, Michigan

Outside Brimley, Michigan

I'm now in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, or the U.P., which has some beautiful shoreline on Lake Superior. Today I stopped to swim a couple of times at gorgeous white-sand beaches with such clear blue water that you'd think you were in the caribbean.

I also saw a lighthouse oooh ahh.

That's about it so far, tonight I'm in Paradise, Michigan, where I'll begin heading west and south to start the dash to Chicago!
And I've heard that people want pictures of me, so here you go.