Thank you Eric Zermano for the great illustration.
In 2001, while on a 3 month leave of absence, backpacking through Europe we decided that someday we would take a year off from our jobs. That time has arrived and here we are setting out on our one year leave of absence. There will be variety but mainly we will be cruising through Canada and the United States. Our jobs are covered and our house is rented.
July 4th 2009, we set off to Manitoulin Island to transition for one week with the motorhome parked at a cottage that Rod and Natalie have access to. After Rod, Natalie and the kids left we spent the remainder of the quiet week running, biking, swimming and waking up late in the mornings with no alarm clock. By the end of the week we were both into our second books and had spent many trips relaxing in the sauna.
July 12th time to begin our journey. We got our initiation into full time RVing by spending the night on the Walmart parking lot in Sault Ste. Marie with five other rigs. Most Walmarts in Canada and the United States allow overnight stopovers and you will even see RVers with awnings up and lawn chairs out. In compensation I suspect many campers purchase large amounts of supplies at the Walmart as we did that evening.
The drive around Lake Superior seemed to go on forever with the hills giving us a sampling of greater mountains to come in a few weeks time. Northern Ontario was very much like Newfoundland and after 2 days we were longing for some new terrain.
We had the pleasure of spending 4 days with Maria, Franco and Gloria Nacinovic at their camp at Polly Lake. Our initial plan was to stop for 2 days
but the welcome and pampering was too much to resist as well as the Finnish sauna, which they kept fuelled with firewood.
Franco and Maria’s home is in Red Rock about half an hour from Polly Lake. Red Rock was a bustling pulp and paper town with well laid out streets lined by family homes. Gloria said that the street she grew up on was always full of kids playing. The Mill closed 3 years ago and a large number of the young families have moved away. While shopping at the local supermarket we met the 2009 New Year’s baby. This little baby was not born until June 5th this year.
Again thank you Gloria, Maria and Franco for your wonderful hospitality and generosity. Your camp at Polly Lake is truly a magical place.
After two weeks in Ontario we were ready to move on to Manitoba and the Prairies.
Hey guys I hope you're both doing well, thank you again for the house warming gift!!! I see you both have been busy blogging and relaxing. I imagine the time has probably flown by already and you can use Don's beard as a point of measurement for that from one photo to another....assuming he doesn't trim it. I wish you both the best and thanks for using my picture I'm glad you like it...I'll have to make a new one for when the trip is done...Don's beard will probably be really long by then!!!
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