Well, the roads in through Northern Ontario are beautiful . . . when they are not under construction.  There is a lot to see and nice, gentle curves and hills to keep us alert and slightly challenged.  Northern Ontario is definitely the “Land of Lakes.”

Northern Ontario is also the “Land of Characters,” to put it nicely.  At construction section on Highway 17 before Thunder Bay, I had a truck containing three “yahoos” pass me in the no-pass construction zone and split Jeremy and I up.  They had to stop at the flagman just like Jeremy and I, so passing me did not get them any further ahead.  While we waited at the stop, the three “yahoos” decided to get out of their truck and stretch.  The driver went in front of his truck and then Jeremy, over the intercom, told me he was actually peeing on his own front bumper!  My Dad would be appalled that someone would defile their brand new Dodge Ram truck like that!  Anyway, I stayed to the left of the pee puddle when we started up again.  We thought we would see these types of characters down South – not, so.  Northern Ontario is where to see them!

We stopped in Thunder Bay for lunch and then headed back onto the highway.  There are some beautiful areas around Thunder Bay.  We might have to come back and explore it.

We got to see some younger “characters-in-training” just outside of Nipigon.  They must have been about ten years old.  We think they were giving us a one fingered salute, but not with their hands.  It was hard to tell what they were doing behind the guard rail.  Lets just say they thought it was great, hands-free fun!

Our goal today was Wawa, but the weather started to look more and more like rain and it was getting dark.  My instinct told me it was time to stop and Jeremy did not disagree when we got to the outskirts of Marathon.  We had been seeing the town advertised for over 100 KM as “Superior in the long run.”  A brilliant marketing campaign, but it did not quite live up to all the hype for 100 KM.  We found a little hotel called “Zero-100 Motor Inn” with a vacancy.  We had a good nights sleep, but I think the name of the hotel referred to the temperature fluctuations of the shower.