I really wanted to go see the Terry Fox National Historic Person Plaque. Terry Fox was on his cross-Canada run for cancer when his disease got the best of him and he dropped out near this spot where his monument stands. But surprisingly, you can’t walk or cycle on highway 17 in this area. I was diverted off the highway to Lakeshore Drive, which is lovely, but the Terry Fox Plaque only seems to be accessible by cars. I don’t know if this constitutes irony or tragedy.
I’m actually not as bummed out about it as I might have been a month ago. I seem to be a little calmer about things these days. Maybe the bombardment of traffic and insects has hardened me against the little disappointments in life.
I was actually quite happy to get off highway 17 onto Lakeshore Drive. This section of highway 17 is newly widened into a four-lane divided highway. The paved shoulder is only one foot wide and is covered in rumble strips. The highway is very busy, so I was only able to walk on the gravel shoulder, which isn’t the worst it’s been along the way, but was nevertheless energy draining.
Lakeshore Drive was like a bit of heaven. It has wide paved shoulders, an 80 km/hour speed limit, and beautiful acreages all along it. In my first hour on this road, only eight vehicles passed me. I could hear the birds, the insects, and the tiniest trickles of water as I walked along. And despite that the views of Lake Superior are few along this road, it was bliss.
I had forgotten what it was like to pass through a town with more than 1,500 residents. So, when I finally arrived in Thunder Bay just before noon and saw the restaurant choices, I was paralyzed with indecision. I finally decided to get some Italian food from Angelo’s Pizza, but, sadly, there was no seating. So, across the street I went to La Poutine. Why not? It brings back memories of my favourite part of this walk so far, which was through Quebec.
