We continue east on Highway 17 leaving Thunder Bay. We are on the Terry Fox Highway of Courage which runs for 83 kms between Thunder Bay and Nipigon.  17 kms into our day we reach the Terry Fox Monument and Lookout. The monument is a 9 ft tall statue of Terry in full stride sitting atop a 45 ton granite base which in turn sits on a foundation of locally sourced amethyst. The exact spot that Terry ended his run on September 1, 1980 is located 11.5 kms further east down the highway and is marked as Mile 3,339 in honour of the distance he had run to that point. The Lookout offers a panoramic view of Lake Superior and the Sleeping Giant of the Sibley Peninsula. Very inspiring. While returning to our truck, another truck pulling a trailer pulls in. On the back of the trailer is a large poster proclaiming ”JAMESRUNSCANADA” I scan the QR code on the poster and find out it is another young man, 22 year old James Newman from Oakville, who is running across Canada in support of scholarships for displaced children. See the link here for more info  www.jamesrunscanada.ca

Terry Fox Monument and Lookout

Sibley Peninsula and the Sleeping Giant

Back on the road we continue along the north shore of Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world. Passing stunning granite outcroppings, the same as yesterday only today the ditches are also filled with thousands of lupin stalks in full blooms of purple, pink, white and blue. A stunning contrast to the stark beauty of the hard stone.

About 60 kms into our day we see signs for the advertising the Amethyst Mine Panorama then the Diamond Willow Amethyst Mine and finally the Blue Point Amethyst Mine. The area is famous for its rich, high-quality amethyst and at these three sites you can “pick your own” amethyst (for a price of course) We pass on the opportunity and continue on.

Our destination tonight is WAWA located at the north east corner of Lake Superior. Along the way we pass more granite outcroppings, lupins, little lakes and the occasional glimpse “of the great lake they call Gitchi Gumee” from the Ojibwe word gichi-gami meaning “great sea” or “big water” The line is from the classic Gordon Lightfoot song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”

Nearing WAWA we are in the heart of Gitchi Gumee country. WAWA is the gateway to the Boreal Forest and the name is derived from the Ojibwe word wewe meaning “wild goose”. So what do you think the town’s mascot is? Correct, a giant goose stands proudly above Highway 17 at the turn off to WAWA. Originally established as a fur trading post, it boomed in the late 19^th and early 20th century due to massive gold and iron ore discoveries. Shortly before reaching WAWA we passed the famous Hemlo Gold Mine.

Well the dog and Vicki are both snoozing so it is time for me to wrap the arms of Morpheus about these weary shoulders. I wish you all “Mino nibaa”