Autumn Colors

Lake Superior

Manitoulin Island

Terry Fox

The big lake they call Gitchigoomee

The winds of September blew early – and lucky for us it was a tail wind. That wind blew us across Manitoba, through Lake of the Woods, and down to the big daddy of them all – Lake Superior.

We stopped in at a visitor’s centre. A display there had all the great lakes built like so many bathtubs – to illustrate that all the water from the rest of the Great Lakes combined can not fill Lake Superior. The other display that caught our attention was about the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

So from the Chippewan down, we followed around, the big lake they call Gitchigoomee. Terry Fox we did see – or his statuary – from the bluffs over looking the highway.

Maple trees turning red – the forest is said - to be changing colours early. The road winds around, travels up and down. It is beautiful country surely.

At Sault-St-Marie, the locks visited we – that separate Superior from Huron. Lake Superior is passed, this song’s last gasp, as we take our trailer and go on…

To Owen Sound - to visit our friends Brenda and Ralph.

and they respect their apponents

Football

Rider fans are the best

Party Time

“I was thinking about it at work today and I’ve decided I’d rather be rich,” Jen said as she offered us a glass of wine.

It has been a different year for us and we are feeling rich. We started the year in an ‘all inclusive’ in Cuba, then Cat Skiing, then Hele-hiking. Now we had box seats at the Labour Day Classic – Canadian Football League – Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Diana and Dwayne (Jim’s sister and Brother in Law) spoilt us big time in Regina and were responsible for the tickets. We arrived at Taylor field about an hour early. The game was a sell-out at over thirty thousand people. The standing room only section reminded me of ‘the hill’ at the Sydney Cricket ground. The line-up stretched about 100 yards and four people wide. The beer garden was packed with people and the porta-potty queue was about 50 people long. There were loud intoxicated people everywhere with green hair, watermelon helmets, capes, painted faces and signs – and the fans crying out such intellectual gems as “Riders Rule”.

With our special elevator pass we left the throng and arrived at the top floor of the stadium. Mike, our waiter, greeted us and soon returned with refreshment. The field spread out below us. The crowds started filling the stands.

The game started. Riders 3^rd play – field goal. Next possession: 1 yard line and … fumble. The bombers returned the ball more than half way down the field. It was pretty well downhill from there. Fourth quarter (still no touch-down by the Riders) and their quarterback throws an absolute bullet to a wide-open receiver standing behind the goal line. Problem being – receiver was from Winnipeg.

By this stage the ‘Standing Room’ crowd quit watching the game. Soon a streaker emerged from the throng.

“It has gotta hurt to be crash-tackled face down into the concrete when you are naked,” Diana said as the streaker was hauled back onto his feet by a large group of policemen. Handcuffed with his arms behind his back, the streaker was then led 55 yards on the front grandstand walkway to the centre exit. The fans in that section also, were no longer looking at the game.

At that stage even the Saskatchewan cheerleaders left the field.

Saskatchewan lost 17/4. When the game finally ended the mob from the ‘Standing Room’ poured onto the field. People from the stands joined them. Soon there were 2000 people running all over the playing area.

Our binoculars really came into their own. I watched as a gorgeous blonde girl kissed one of the Winnipeg players. Immediately she released her grip a drunken fella with a long, green, dragon tail attached to his butt was groping the player. Drunks were chasing the Winnipeg cheerleaders. Media were trying to interview players. People were climbing the goal posts. All over the field guys were tackling each other. It was bedlam – in fact I would describe it as a Melee. It took a line of security officers and about half an hour to get everyone off the field.

Show over, I zipped up my coat to cover my Riders t-shirt, and we caught the elevator back down to the crowd.

That was a glimpse of Saskatchewan.

“Do you mean to tell me you aren’t going to stop in Manitoba at all?” Our nephew Paul shook his head and laughed.

“Heck no,” replied Jim. “We’ll have to stop for gas.”

We are off to Onscario.

Cobalt Lake

Glacier hiking

Crevas

Bugaboo Lodge