Well before we get to Thunder Bay there?s Kakabeka Falls.
Top 1/3 of Kakabeka Falls
When I was going to University in Thunder Bay, there was just a little park and some real nice viewing platforms. Today there is quite a substantial park and the same real nice viewing platforms. We?re not sure if you have to pay the day fee as the signage is unclear, so we quickly sneak down to the viewing platforms to take a few pics. I must say, the falls are still impressive!
Upon our return to the parking lot, we are met by these two guys who are just starting out on a trip and thinking of going to Yukon. So we fill them in on what to expect, where to go and so on. Then it?s off to Thunder Bay.
Thunder Bay has not changed much since my departure in 1986. The place is a lot bigger and there has been some major development in terms of big box stores, fast food restaurants and the general businesses that make our cities work, but the town still has that run down, rough around the edges look and feel. I suppose it doesn?t help that we arrive under threatening clouds and a raw, cold wind out of the North.
Clouds above Thunder Bay
We unhitch the trailer in the Intercity Mall?s parking lot, a huge place with over 110 stores … just like Calgary or Vancouver. We have some running around to do and a web site to update and we don?t want to waste anymore time than we have to in ?the big city?. We get directions to a Starbucks … only to discover this one does not have an Internet connection. Come on you guys, Starbucks is supposed to be connected! We are directed to Lakehead University where we are assured there is a connection. We stop in at the Universities library first and are told that Internet connections for people with laptops are on the second floor. No luck as we cannot find a server. From there to the main building which has computers in two Kiosks that have Internet, but again we cannot find a server. Frustration mounts … on a long shot, I suggest we head over to where the Outdoor Recreation department is located, on the way there we pass a Macintosh computer lab, full if IBM computers, and lo and behold it is empty of students and in one try we are on the net! Total time from start to updating our site, one hour and forty-seven minutes … we?re going to spend more time in the city than we thought.
It is easy to get caught up in the hurly-burly (a Macbeth saying) of a big city. We rush through walking the dogs, a quick tour of the high points of Thunder Bay (the Sleeping Giant, Kangas Sauna, the Hoita), get gas, wash the truck, re-hook and then away.
Can you see the Sleeping Giant?
Thunder Bay view
On the way we cruise through Centennial Park and end up on the long way, via Lakeshore drive, out of town. That was one way to get slowed down!
We arrive at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park around 7:30 p.m. somewhat shell shocked from our reintroduction to the ?real world?. Set up, supper and off to bed. Man are there ever a lot of deer and porcupine in this park!
