Simply Superior.....

Another challenge came Run The Dream's way which we were prepared for! This week, there was a lot of discussion that running between Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa would be the toughest topographic challenge until the Rockies.  Great news- Terry and I survived and lived to tell the tale!

It seemed that the 200+ kms experience to Wawa was similar to a story most grandparents tell us about walking to and from school in the middle of winter- It was all Uphill!  Tuesday was the greatest challenge only because I got my facts mixed up.  Originally, I thought I was told the steepest climb was before Montreal Harbour River.  It conveniently worked out that we were staying at the Twilight Motel, in Montreal Harbour River, so in the morning Terry and I run and rolled to the motel for a mid-day break.  We conquered what we thought was the steepest climb until the afternoon run! 

As we started again and travelled around the bend- WOW!  This hill was steep, winding and had no end in sight!  Fifty minutes and 9 kms later we made it to the top!  This was just the beginning...For the next two days Terry and I experienced another 90kms of this through Lake Superior Provincial Park and made it to Wawa! 

We were greeted by the giant Canada Goose!  Wawa takes its name from the Ojibwe word for "Wild Goose"- Wewe. Intresting fact- This town has had four name changes since the early gold rush in 1898 (Michipicten City, then Wawa, then Jamestown, then Wawa again!)

We were also greeted by Wawa Councillor Ron Rody, Community Living Representatives and Troy, a six year old boy who deals with the day to day realities of living with autism.

Special thanks to the Wawa Motor Inn for hosting Run The Dream.

Along the way we met a small furry friend at the Twilight Motel.  We enjoyed each other's company for a little bit.

The Dream Continues...And Rolls On!!!

Into The Wild....

"Success is determined by those who prove the impossible, possible."

                                                 -James W. Pence

It's moving day! The next three weeks will be nothing but wilderness until Thunder Bay (625 kms away).  There are going to be a lot of roadside naps, amazing running terrains and quiet northern nights.  Everything else will be an adventure!

Destinations on the map to be conquered include Lake Superior Provincial Park, Wawa and White River.  Lots of pictures will be taken- including more of Terry dozing off in the daisies!

I'd like to recognize a former colleague of mine for continuing to prove that anything is possible.  Yesterday, in Penticton, B.C., Rhys Spencer completed yet another Ironman Canada Race.  Anyone who completes a 3.8 km swim, followed by an 180km bike ride, followed by a 42 km run in the span of one race has my utmost respect! Congrats Rhys!

*For those wanting to see some other pictures that haven't been posted on the blog you can visit the runthedream.ca Website> Scroll onto the Connection Centre> Click on "Images Along The Way"

*As well the entire portion of the run route for Canada has been finalized> Scroll onto When and Where> Click on Jonathan's Route and Schedule

The Dream Continues....And Rolls On...Into The Wild!

The World At Large....

From the "Big Nickel" to the "Large Loonie".  As I was running towards it I asked myself why is there a "Large Loonie" in Echo Bay?  The Answer- Robert-Ralph Carmichael, a resident of the municipality, was the designer of Canada's Loon Dollar Coin in 1987.  Remember that fact!  You never know when you might be on Jeopardy and may need to know that fact!  Could be a Daily Double!

So Terry and I continued onto what will be our last major urban area for some time- Sault Ste. Marie! I never realized how close we are again to the United States border.  I can look out our hotel window, at the Water Tower Inn, and see the I-75 Expressway which, if travelled, can take you all the way to Miami, Florida.  That trip will be saved for another year!  Terry and I are heading the opposite direction!

Sault Ste. Marie has been home to Memorial Cup Champions (1993 Junior hockey team), hometown of Roberta Bondar (first Canadian woman in space and a McMaster Alumni), the Esposito family and where Wayne Gretzky played some of his hockey on the way to the NHL.

I'd like to thank the Children's Rehabilitation Centre of Algoma for inviting Terry and I to come and speak about Run The Dream as well as take us on a tour of their facility whose services such a large area of Northern Ontario.

The Dream Continues...And Rolls On....

Ohhh We're Halfway There.....

Yes, you read the title of this blog correctly! Distance-wise, give-or-take a few kilometres, the halfway mark has been reached!

There has been a lot of running so far this week- Monday, 61 kms; Tuesday 42 kms; and today 40 kms.  Between Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie the road crew has stayed at the MacIvers Motel (just west of Blind River) and are braking camp from Thessalon (the Carolyn Beach Motel- amazing sunsets) tomorrow morning and onto our new accommodation hosts the Water Tower Inn, in Sault Ste. Marie!

When Terry and I are not running/rolling, sleeping or eating we've found a few amazing hidden experiences along the way.  Firstly, there were the rapids on the Mississauga Native Reserve, across the street from the MacIvers Motel and then there was the beach oasis where the shallow water went on for hundreds of metres!  Oh and almost forgot to mention that we saw our first porcupine- Alive!

The Dream Continues...And Rolls On!! 

Kilometre 4,000!!....

"There are three types of people in this world- Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened.  We all have a choice.  You can decide which type of person you want to be!"

                           -Mary Kay Ash (Thank you Tom Jackman for the quote!)

The Run The Dream route travels along the Highway 17 (the Trans Canada Highway) and Terry and I will be running and rolling this highway, with the exception of a few side roads all the way from Sudbury to Winnipeg (approx. 1,500 kms).  On Friday night, around 6:15pm, the 4,000 km milestone, since St. John's, NL was achieved in Espanola, ON.  An ironic story- Our accommodation for the evening, Goodman's Motel, intersection of Highway 17 and 6 is the same motel Terry Fox stayed in as he ran through!  

FYI- I just happened to find this large sword in the parking lot and thought it required a photo-op.

Also, just wanted to say thank you to the Greater Sudbury Police Force for the escort out of Sudbury the other day.  Funny story-  As we were being escorted out of town, a women in a pick-up truck left her tailgate down and two gas cans fell out onto the road.  The officers attempted to flag her down but she sped off.  Only the name "Bob" was on the gas can, so on behalf of Run The Dream, I'd like to thank "Bob" for donating the 30 litres of gas and the officers for physically filling our tanks.

Another road crew change- Special thanks to my brother Justin for spending two weeks on the road escorting Terry and I (from Newmarket to Espanola).  We welcome Barry and Meghan Tatchell, from Mississauga, for the week to Sault Ste.Marie!

The Dream Continues.....And Rolls On!