July 11^th & 12^th. 2025: Day Thirty-Seven & Thirty-Eight

Days in Hotels VS Campgrounds VS Guest: 13/14/10

The issue with missing a day is I definitely don’t remember as much, especially with all them bleeding together like they are but on the 11^th I was primed to see Superman at the drive-in theatre. My cousin Jackie’s husband let me know that even though my radio may stay on when I turn off the car it might time out after a few minutes. So as a backup I went to Canadian Tire and bought a small “boom box” plus the cabin air cleaner that was recommended to me by the French mechanic a few weeks ago at Bumper to Bumper.

When I arrived at the drive-in it was a way bigger production than I expected. The screen was huge, there was a full concessions area, and lots of people were sitting outside in lawn chairs by their car. I had to tune into 90.7FM and the boom box I got was, for lack of a better term, a piece of shit. After fiddling with the car, the pre-movie announcement basically told you how to do it. Turn on the e brake, turn off the car and turn it on again in accessory mode. Worked like a charm. It was hot though, and I had a choice between windows open with a weird echo from other people’s speakers, plus bugs, or great sound with the windows rolled up, less bugs but sweltering heat, including fogging the windows. I did a little of column A and a little of column B.

The movie was great but there were many distractions, like figuring out my optimal comfort, people walking about and the occasional set of headlights flicking on and off.

POST TRIP NOTES: I’d see the movie again with Sarah when I got back and enjoyed it much more the second time and caught a lot of things I missed.

I went back to Glen and Jody’s and promptly went to bed.

Day thirty-eight I was up at 11am, and this, as I would learn pretty quick, pissed off my Uncle as he had “things to do.” I said I’d be ready in an hour, and he said I was going alone then. It was snippy, and passive aggressive and I wasn’t having any of it. I had just finished explaining only days before I had sleeping issues stemming from childhood. I got ready and was going to go without saying goodbye and was ready in forty minutes. This was after he asked me to move my car before I showered because he had to go. He was still in the same spot when I gave him the benefit of the doubt and popped my head in and Aunt Jody says “are you going with him?” and it was a curt “nope” and I said “kay” and walked out of there.

I ran the scenario over and over in my head and was annoyed he just did it to prove a point. He wasn’t busy, he didn’t go anywhere. His car hadn’t moved, and I was ready before he expected but he had to say “nope” anyway to save face. I talked myself down and said it was the best time for it to happen (next to not at all) because I’d be gone the next day regardless. I love my Uncle, but there’s zero patience in his heart and I’m surprised his mouth hasn’t landed him in more trouble.

I had a long visit with Nanni. I was there for four hours or so.

[redacted]

I asked about my mother and got a lot of the stories I already knew, either from Nanni or someone else in the family. That she was dressed to the nines while my dad slummed it in sweatpants. That she and my Uncle Glen had it in for each other because he saw through her lying and schemes. That they thought he could do better, and she was too old for him. He was nineteen and she was twenty-eight when they met. I told Nanni about my falling out with her and what happened since.

When I visited her last time, she asked if I wanted anything and I just couldn’t do it and I told her as much, but Glen and Jody said she wants to do it now so she could see the joy on my face. So, I had been steeling myself for this day and that’s what made it extra frustrating for Glen to act the way he did because he knew how important this meeting was. I even asked him a couple days previous if we could take a single car when we go because I might not be okay after and got the typical “oh you’ll be fine” boomer-esque, single sentence pep talk. I’d also learn later that Aunt Jody wanted to wake me and he stopped her. He flat out planned to be annoyed…scheduled it. I’ve told them multiple times before and during this stay I have insomnia, and somehow, I’m still treated as if I’m being lazy.

The thing I wanted the most as it would turn out was already claimed by my cousin Brent and he confirmed it when I texted him. Here is a list of what else I got and the meaning, if any, behind it.

• Electronic “Pocket Slot”. I remember playing with this in car rides when I was visiting in the early 1990s. I remember it fondly. Takes 2 AAA batteries. Fired up when new one were put in. Copyright 1992.
• An Uno Deck Copyright 1979. I love Uno. That’s it.
• A history of UFO crashes By Kevin D. Randle. I was a big fan of UFO conspiracy when I was growing up, and thought this would be an interesting read. My guess is it belonged to Papa. The inside cover has a Christmas 1995 sticker with my parents names.
• IQ creator II. Some kind of puzzle. I thought it looked familiar but now I am second guessing myself.
• Two Player Championship Golf Electronic Game. I remember playing this too but not as vividly. Takes three AA batteries and fired up after cleaning away battery acid. Manuals included. Copyright 1991.
• Native American carving. A chief carved into a tusk of an unknown animal. Given to Papa by Aunt Jody.
• Large Lava Lamp. I’ve always loved lava lamps and one of the first ones I remember is in the room I’ve been sleeping in for the past week. I haven’t tested it but above all else I’m determined to get working if there’s something wrong with it.

POST TRIP NOTES: The lava lamp worked great when I got back, but it was pretty cloudy so I switched the water. I discovered it was not that simple and spend days with Epsom salt and dish detergent getting the mix right so the wax would flow properly again but I did it, only to mess it up with food colouring later. It’s in storage until I can find a professional.

If I remember more, I’ll have to add to this entry at a later date but I’m pretty exhausted and I have an early, and long day of driving tomorrow. I’m not sure where I’ll end up by the evening but my next major stop is Fort Frances to see my Aunt Jayne.

Brent, Jackie, John, and Lara were here when I got back and we had a BBQ. Jody asked if I wanted a hamburger or a sausage and I said both and when Jody mentioned it to Glen he was like “We. Are. Having. Sausages.” And just repeated that louder when she said I wanted both. Annoyed and on my own short fuse, I said “what’s the difference? They’re both going on the grill.” That may have done something because he was fine after that. Back to the normal ribbing without the extra bite. Even asked if I wanted cheese on it and if I wanted my bun toasted.

I said my goodbye’s to everyone as they left and have been trying to hydrate ever since. I was originally going to go to Queen West today downtown but there was a heat warning, and I have sun burns on top of sun burns.

It’s time to pack it in and close this chapter of my journey.

July 13^th, 2025: Day Thirty-Nine

Distance Travelled: 692.8
Distance From Home: 2717KM
Days in Hotels VS Campgrounds VS Guest: 13/14/11

Mississauga, Ontario –
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

I must have hit snooze like five times. I was up every thirty minutes until about 7:30am, showered and said my goodbyes to my Uncle. I had already said goodbye to my Aunt the night before.

I picked up Starbucks of course and they gave me a hot Americano at first instead of cold, so I got both. This is the second time it has happened and I can’t complain.

My initial drive was met with some very heavy rain which slowed down traffic and there was construction which also slowed me down.

I had some bouts of anxiety. I think it’s because things are wrapping up and I’m not sure what I will do when I get home, but I reminded myself how excited I actually am. Plus I took a tuna break and felt a lot better. I mean, I also had a venti and a half of coffee so that probably didn’t help. Maybe tomorrow I take it back a notch and that way I can cover more road with less peepee breaks.

I’m back in Sault. St. Marie thirty-one days later, in the same Motel in the same room, as per my request. I ordered from Toppers Pizza, because I will truly miss them when they are no longer available.

July 14^th, 2025: Day Forty

Distance Travelled: 1074KM
Distance From Home: 1769KM
Days in Hotels VS Campgrounds VS Guest: 14/14/11

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario –
Fort Frances, Ontario

The whole time I was getting ready I debated whether or not to steal the key from the motel as a keepsake. I know it sounds bad and ultimately, I decided not to, as I didn’t want that karma following me.

Speaking of karma, when I was at the Starbucks drive though, I had a woman in front of me giving too much space and I couldn’t reach the mic for my order. I was crusty, and impatient so I let the horn give a brief, but poignant beep. Nothing. So, I kept inching closer and closer until I actually came in contact with her bumper. Still nothing. As I would recount later to my Aunt Jayne, I drove twelve thousand kilometers without a single incident and the first time my car came in contact with something foreign, it was on purpose because I got pissy about waiting an extra minute for my iced Americano.

Well, when I got it, the lid was loose, and I spilled some in my lap so instant karma is a real thing. Frustrated, I asked for napkins and gave the drink back for a fresh one.  Then I was on my way. The little bitch had his drinky drink, but not before checking the bumper for damage.

This was the longest drive on my journey but I’m eager to get home so after a little back and forth with my Aunt Jayne via text, I was determined to make it all the way to Fort Frances in one go, rather than stay in a motel or campground. I felt like at this point I had my fill of campgrounds and spending a week at my aunt and uncles in Mississauga had resensitized me to the idea of crawling out of my car in the middle of the night to piss in an outhouse.

While on the highway, I glanced in my rear-view mirror and saw what must have been well over a dozen motorcycles. When the road split into two lanes I let them pass, and on their backs read “Hell’s Angel’s Ontario” Not my first encounter with the famous “group” but the largest. Later I’d see a pair with one wearing something with the word “devil” and “Toronto” but I didn’t capture video for that so I can’t confirm.

POST TRIP NOTES: I would learn when I got back that there was some kind of Hell’s Angles convention in Calgary, so I was literally driving back with them.

I knew I was going to pass The Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, and the one pit stop I would allow myself today was popping in to grab the sticker for my car, which I didn’t get when I was there in June. What was supposed to be an in-and-out affair turned into an hour, filled with doubts, turn arounds, and bugs, but eventually I’d get said sticker. Worth it.

I also totally forgot to stop at Kakabeka Falls, and now it’s nearly eight hours behind me, so there is another loss for the original itinerary.

Like any time on the road in these last forty days I dealt with weather, and tailgaters. I also had to break for a mother deer and her offspring on highway 11 towards Fort Frances. That road was long, quiet and empty and I kept my eyes peeled for moose, as per Aunt Jayne’s advice.

I arrived at my aunt’s at 8:30PM but my body was still on 9:30PM and even though it was past her bedtime, Aunt Jayne helped me unload. I had a room waiting for me and after we drank and talked about family, I would have a bed that felt like a marshmallow. Easily in my top five beds from the trip.

We of course talked about my mother, and how she has alienated everyone. I told her about my talks with my father’s family too about how they perceive her.

While I thought that my grandmother was being taken care of in Thunder Bay it turns out she’s in town. I can see her if I want, and I haven’t made up my mind on that. She’s pretty far gone with dementia, and she said my cousin Ryan finds the place depressing, and he seems like a tough nut, so I can only imagine. I also had the opportunity to see a lot of the other family, but my cousin Gina and her granddaughter are coming Thursday which will make this space very cramped and that would relegate me to the living room. I’ll likely leave Thursday morning.

It was also offered to me to go down to a storage locker and pick through what was my grandparents’ belongings for keepsakes.