Day 4 - July 3 - on to Ontario

After breakfast and adieu to the Russell Convention Centre, back on the road, with visions of another 1,000 km day, and arrival in Thunder Bay... hmmm

Rode through very pretty Manitoba countryside, still lots of small bodies of water, and seeming bird environment.

As we approached Portage La Prairie, Jim was dying for a Tim Horton's coffee. Well, we're in Canada, covering a lot of ground, there has to be a Tim Horton's in sight very soon. Not so! - we passed by Portage La Prairie - no Timmy Ho's in sight - so on towards Winnipeg, but taking the Perimeter Road, again no Timmy's.

The mood could, perhaps have become ugly, until we were distracted by encountering the longtitudinal centre of Canada, just east of Winnipeg. Flat Stanley once again barged into the picture, apparently wanting to be very sure there would be a record of his being in that significant place.

Lots of highway construction was slowing us down, comp9unded by relatively little sleep the night before (we keep losing hours to time zones!)... Bob's solution was to grab a few zzz's lying by the side of the road, but the photo looks distressingly like he's been "laid out" after some grievous event.

By lunch, I was the wet blanket, saying I just didn't have another 1,000 kms in me, so we regrouped, huddled over the map for the 100th time, and decided to get to Dryden Ontario, making it a 725 km day - still pretty respectable, the compromise being that we wouldn't get an overnight in Thunder Bay with the McCartneys as planned, but still be able to visit mid-day on Day 5

After lunch, the sun and heat returned after a very chilly morning. The area west of Kenora I thought was particularly beautiful - lots of little lakes, looking very summer-cottage-y... all very green.

Ended the day at the Best Western at Dryden - funny little restaurant that was out of anything/everything Jim ordered.

Tomorrow off to Thunder Bay to visit the McCartneys, and to see the McCartney (indirectly Hopley) cottage we've heard so much about. No doubt Flat Stanley will be gratified to be able to tell Matthew (little Matthew, not our Matthew) that he's been there.