The Long Drive Home
Having driven to Winnipeg, we needed to drive home as well. Rather than retrace our route up to Winnipeg, we elected to follow the north shore of Lake Superior, re-enter the U.S. at Sault Sainte Marie, and drive home through Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia. We didn't retrace our out-route until Charleston, WV.
Sunday, 15 October 2023
Winnipeg, Manitoba to Thunder Bay, Ontario
We collected our truck from the Winnipeg airport economy parking lot and started heading east.
Manitoba and western Ontario were very flat. As we approached Lake Superior, we started encountering substantial hills.
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| Fall color in the north woods is mostly yellow (tamaracks, aspens) against the evergreen spruce. |
Monday, 15 October 2023
Thunder Bay, Ontario to St. Ignace, Michigan
This long day of driving was made even longer by frequent road construction delays. Overall, the road condition was excellent. Many states in the U.S. could stand to learn some lessons from Ontario, which has considerably more challenging freeze-thaw issues.
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| More north woods fall colors. |
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| Every once in a while pink granite outcrops were noticeable along the road. |
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| As we got further south, oranges and reds started creeping into the fall color as maples were added to the forest trees. |
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| Moose crossing signs were common, but it was very difficult to get an adequate picture from a moving vehicle. |
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| Bridge over the Nipigon River. |
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| Nipigon Bay |
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| Nipigon Bay |
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| Sign at the U.S. Welcome Center in Sault Ste. Marie. |
Tuesday, 17 October 2023
St. Ignace to Clifton Forge
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| Our original intention was to spend the day on Mackinac Island, but in the morning the island was shrouded in fog and the temperature was about 40°F. Since the ferry crossing alone would have been over $70, we decided we'd return another time, and started the 14-hour drive home to Virginia. |
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| The bridge over the straights of Mackinac is a classic suspension bridge that connects Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. |
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| Mackinac Bridge |
What an incredible trip this was!
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