Westbound and Wandering | Day 1 + 2

We left Mount Pleasant around 5 p.m. after I wrapped a bridal shower I shot at Devlin’s Country Bistro. I zipped home, said my goodbyes, kissed the dogs, hugged the family, and jumped in the van. Thank again Donna and Marty!

After a long stretch out of the city on the 400, we finally hit Highway 17—easily one of my favourite drives in Ontario. This part of the Trans-Canada Highway winds through wild, cinematic scenery: towering cliffs, endless waterways, the kind of views that make you forget you’re still in Ontario.

Sadly, we were driving through the night, so most of it passed by in the dark. But even in the shadows, you can feel the scale of the land around you. The Agawa spirit present.

After more than 10 hours on the road (all James at the wheel) we stopped to rest at Old Woman Bay, a small, rugged beach in Lake Superior Provincial Park that we’ve fallen in love with over the years.

We managed maybe three hours of sleep before the sun rose over the shoreline. The lake was breaking on the shore, steady and cold. Groggy but grateful, coffee was made and enjoyed on the beach.

James did some quick bike rack repairs to make sure it could handle the winding hills of Algoma, then we hit the road again.

For the first time ever, we drove past Wawa. After a pit stop for more bike rack adjustments, we kept moving—and were completely surprised by the stretch through Northwestern Ontario. Who knew there were so many mountains in this province? Massive red granite formations, giant black rock faces reaching into the sky.

Wildlife? We did good!. We saw black bears, couple coyotes, deer, lots of birds such as road side cranes.

James spotted a pull-off near the lake just outside of Nipigon. It turned into the perfect lunch stop: freezing dip in Lake Superior (absolutely cold af), hot soup, a grown-up drink, and a moment to actually take in the day before getting back on the road. Definitely got back to the van with some rocks for my collection.

The wildfires are shifting the landscape in unexpected ways. The stretch from Thunder Bay on was surprisingly flat, swampy, with towering black spruce trees.

The smoke hangs heavy and low it doesn't move, just sits like fog across the flatlands. It’s eerie. Beautiful in a strange, unsettling way. Near Kenora James spotted a crazy burnout from the fires, just on top of cliff near a lake. Check out the images below I snapped from the van down below.

We crossed the Manitoba border and found it to be an underwhelming moment. No sign, just wildfire smoke. For the night we parked at a luxurious cardlock truck stop. By luxurious, I mean a gravel lot beside a pile of piss-filled water bottles. But the sleep? Top-tier. We passed out like champs.

This morning: coffee, tea, and back at it.

It’s super flat. It’s super smoky. Note to self for the future: drive through Manitoba in the dark, it's sorta boring. But damn, road trips are fun. And the company is good too.

Bear with me as I learn to manage a mobile office - navigating motion sickness from my head being down, patchy reception, and trying to upload from gas station parking lots.

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