Started the day at a bakery, loading up the van galley with a huge blueberry scone, muffins and raspberry pie.
Headed off the Island and joined the Trans-Canada highway which, surprising to me, dropped down to two lanes with occasional passing lanes.
We turned off at anything with an interesting sign or map point that showed a lighthouse or Island. Drove down one dirt road because it showed crossing two Islands to reach a lighthouse. Abandoned the van on a big flat granite rock and walked the remaining kilometer (we’re in Canada now). We weren’t sure there would be room to turn around, but there was.
The lighthouse turned out to be privately owned and available to rent. Walking back to the van we saw it had changed color!
A black Sprinter had pulled over next to us thinking we knew something they didn’t. They were from Utah, have 135,000 miles under their wheels, and are heading to Alaska from here.
Toured the first copper mine in Ontario in Bruce Mines. It was a bit of a disappointment, but still interesting and only $5. The mine had been filled in to 12 feet deep and was more of a covered tunnel than a mineshaft.
Based on a posted act, there may have been some problems with gunpowder storage back in the early mining days!
The town had also converted an old church to a historical museum.
Tiny libraries are springing up all over. This one looked like the Canadian lighthouses along the shoreline of Lake Huron.
In the town of Spanish, we followed signs to the municipal marina. It featured a 650 step, open stairway to the top of a granite outcropping and Beth climbed to the top! The marina was protected and several powerboats were arriving from the Detroit area.
Leaving town we passed the remnants of a wood pulp plant.
Reaching today’s destination of Chutes Provincial Park we claimed our campsite, then set-out in search of waterfalls. This was the first site where our 30 amp cord wasn’t long enough to reach the outlet. Power poles are between sites. Luckily we had our long 15 amp cord and it is cool enough that we don’t need the air-conditioner.
Found the first waterfall right off one of the camping loops. A couple of the sites are within earshot of the Falls.
Chutes got its name from the log chutes lumber companies built along the river to get logs around the waterfalls. The Two-Rivers trail took us to two more sets of waterfalls before we turned around and headed back to the van for dinner. A ranger startled us saying hello, as he passed. His electric ATV didn’t make any noise on the pine straw covered trail. Good showers here felt great, but now it is time to stop typing and try a sliver of that raspberry pie…
