Dala in Beardmore, Ontario
I’m cold. But completely content! It is day 5 of our Northwestern Ontario tour and my heart is bursting from the beauty of this fine land. I am so happy that we are finishing off 2010 (an amazing year) in our home province of Ontario. There must be something that comes with the long winters, long drives and thick forest that makes people in the North the warmest of all. Our first show was in Geraldton, a beautiful town north east of Thunder bay. The drive was familiar at first, as we passed by Red Rock where we played at the “Live from the Rock” Festival in 2008.
The community in Geraldton welcomed us with open arms and even invited us out for a lovely reception after the show, where we witnessed the ongoing debate about our possible routes to the next show in Manitouwadge:
1. The Long Way: (6 hours) Follow hwy 11 down and to hwy 17, through Marathon and up.
2. The Short Way: (2 hours) Take the unpaved, single lane, bush road through the wilderness, avoiding the many giant potholes, logging trucks, and moose…. all of which ultimately have the right of way.
Dala and their tour manager Paul in Manitouwadge, Ontario
Our drive to Manitouwadge (the long way) was long, but beautiful, and we made sure to grab a picture with the town’s over-sized welcome sign (our goal is to take a picture whenever we see something over-sized). The next day was spent cooped up in our van, listening to T. Bay radio, and reading quality literature as we made the 8 hour trek to Dryden.
I am currently sitting in my room looking out over the Wabigoon River. Including tonight, Sheila and I have three more shows until we return home to Toronto. With our boot-tucks in full swing, we are fully enjoying this peaceful time up North.
Thank you Ontario, for helping us end our whirlwind year with a reminder that the most beautiful places in the world are in our own backyard!
Amanda