The Final Leg & More Than 12,000 K

We woke very early, fully expecting to be in Edmonton by 6:30 in the morning. After getting everyone ready, bags and all, we saw a road sign that said Edmonton was still 163 km away!

Our train ride was extended by a few more hours.
About three hours later than expected, we rolled into Edmonton station. Our vehicle was waiting for us thanks to cousins Danny & Judy! Also awaiting us were hot showers, hot coffee, and some delicious breakfast treats! More thanks to Danny & Judy...love you!!

As we drove to Danny & Judy's, I took the girls to see Baba's old property. All that remains standing now is the garage and the small outbuilding that was my uncle's man cave. He called it his budda...don't know why.
The lots are surrounded by suburbia, none of which was there in my childhood. Many memories flooded back, all good ones tinged with melancholy for a childhood from forty years ago.

We were a bit slow to roll but eventually got on the road. We made a straight shot for Red Deer,  and then on to Calgary where we were delayed a bit by Peter's Drive-in. The classic burger joint takes debit now! Best milkshakes, too.

It was in the failing light of the day that we finally landed where it all began...or at least the first marathon began. On August 1st, Brenda started her first of nine marathons from the Continental Divide in Kootenay Park. We thought it was fitting to take our last Pioneer shot from the same location twenty-eight days later. 

And finally, at around 10:30, we pulled into our own driveway. The pets greeted us, happy that we were home. It didn't take long for the four of us to find our own beds. With deep and satisfied sighs, we all tucked in for a good sleep.

It was an epic dream that Brenda proposed many, many years ago. It lingered in the background of our lives for the last eighteen years. Now the dream has been realized and all the plans unfolded to create some unforgettable moments in our lives. I know that we will revisit this blog and laugh about the adventure for years and years to come. Thanks for joining us across this land.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely!!

Day Twenty-seven: Back On The Prairie

We woke up in Winnipeg with four hours to spend in the city. It wasn't long enough to venture too far from the station, but long enough to explore The Forks. 

The Forks is a Heritage site with Parks Canada. We found one more pair of chairs. 

And we were still smiling after twenty-seven days in each other's pockets!

We took in some beautiful views, including the Canadian Museum of Human Rights. 

Also the St. Boniface cathedral. 

And the tomb of Louis Riel! 

The Forks is the junction of the Assiniboine River...

...and the Red River. 

This mural is painted over a bridge at the juncture. 

The rest of the day was spent watching the prairie pass by...

Such big skies and not so flat in many parts.

...and finally watching the sun set on one more day.

Travelling by train is not for everyone, but I really enjoyed it. Having a cabin would make it more comfortable through the night, but the unrushed and relaxed feeling of the passing hours and passing miles is a treat. It is travel from a different, less complicated time.

Day Twenty-six: The Train, The Train

Train travel takes time, a lot of it. We found ways to pass the first day. It was relaxing and slow paced. A nice change. 

Northern Ontario is enormous as we discovered on the drive east. This view, away from the highway, underscored the vast empty space of endless trees! Hours passed and we saw only trees from the window, going off in every direction.

We made a single stop in Hornepayne, where the remains of what was probably a great station greeted us. 

The day ended with a beautiful sky and some quiet time together. 

We settled in for our second night in the great big bed that was our seats.

Day Twenty-five: Planes, Trains, & Automobiles...and a ferry or three!

Day twenty-five started very early, leaving Jennifer's at 4:45. Quick drive to the airport where we said goodbye to the spark. The plane awaited to carry us to Toronto for a Wonderland day. 

Toronto was a busy terminal but with little in the way of food. We landed at terminal 3 which is under some construction, so it was Tim's again! Should have bought shares. 

A taxi ride later and Wonderland in sight. 

And what a sight!

If you like roller coasters, then this is the spot to visit! More than a little intimidating they were. The two newest ones seemed to have vertical drops to set them off!

Eight hours and as many roller coasters later, the rain soaked bunch that we were wrapped it up to head for the train. Big thanks to the staff at Wonderland! They were exceptional with help to store our bags. Leaving Norman, we had literally everything on our backs or in bags to carry. Our gear filled a storage room!

Union station was our destination. One hour on the 401 (you wanna see traffic?!), and we pulled up outside in downtown TO, the big smoke!

The ads in union station made train travel look so glamorous. 

Not so much. Every bag in the picture is ours, and a few aren't visible. 

Then there was the sleeping arrangements in steerage. Ever see "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"? We felt like Charlie's four grandparents all sharing the one bed!

We did eventually fall asleep and begin our two day journey back across Ontario & the prairies.

Day Twenty-four: Tradin' Down

On day twenty-four we prepared to say goodbye once more to Newfoundland. It was a wonderful visit that was all too short. We took our last shot of Norman as we passed the keys off to Regina, wishing her many happy trails. 

From the ferry, one last lighthouse was visible, its light signal steady and bright. 

Behind us the sun rose on what would be our last day of driving. 

We traded Norman in for this spark. Way more cramped but only $30 of gas for the drive to Halifax from North Sidney! Norman was far more thirsty!!

We drove and drove one last day, arriving at our neice Jennifer's home late. After a short visit, she showed us our beds out of which we had to jump by 4:00 the next morning. 

Day Twenty-three: The Western Shore

On day twenty-three, we set out for our final trek with Norman. We left Pasadena, headed for the Codroy Valley which is on the west coast and near to Port aux Basques, from where we board our final ferry. 

We passed through Cornerbrook one last time. 

After about three hours of driving, we arrived in the Codroy Valley. Makes a very pretty picture. The wind was blowing pretty strong. It's known to blow through this area at some very high speeds, exceeding 200 km/hr!

We drove out to the lighthouse point where high winds, a fog horn, and crashing surf made for a dramatic coastal experience. 

En route from the lighthouse we pass this marvelous private museum belonging to Gus! It was awesome, full of vintage treasures and fun memorabilia. 

My dad would love this one, complete with the A&W served on a window tray! I'm old enough to remember those days. Loved them!

We moved on and parked on the beach where Regina cooked us up a scoff of cod and scrunchons in Norman. Great dinner! 

We strolled on the sand and caught a beautiful sunset. 

 

Before we left the beach, we toasted Regina's new camper van with some champagne! Norman will be hers. 

We kipped one last night in Norman and set our clocks for a really early rise. 

We would head for the ferry before the sun and say goodbye to Newfoundland, probably with some tears.