starting point = ending point

We packed the van, one last time. Each one of us very versed in the part we played in getting ready. Some held the door, some went back for the cooler, others put the laptop where it went, charger plugged in, cups in holders, pillows under head, . As I checked out, others typed in our new destination....this time 4185 Wilmot-Easthope Road, which sounded sweet to our ears (even mediated by magellans voice).  The last day of driving was filled with sun, birch, rocks and slow changes back to the world we said good-by to on April 3rd. A world that seems so much different to us now. A world we were excited to greet. Like the polarity of strong magnets, we were drawn closer and closer. People sat up in their seats, pointing out everything that was now becoming familiar. Living and learning can sometimes be summerized as "coming all the way back to a starting point, only to know if for the first time".   For that I say amen, and may it be so in our new lives....

-Joseph-

 

Isaiah found a piece from another car, probably with another story to tell, i later found it under his seat and we'll have to see if he can keep it or not...   

we stopped one last time...Joshua made it up his route, and I had to turn back due to the rock my right hand was on giving way a bit....below, a fresh juniper branch helped inspire us to keep on heading home

blessings and counting

^{We awoke to a sunny, Saturday morning in Sudbury. After sleeping in slightly, we grabbed some breakfast and headed to Dynamic Earth – home of the Big Nickel. We donned our hard hats and headed 500 feet below the earth for a tour of an old and modern day mine. We were thankful we were not a 19th century family living in Sudbury for Joshua and Joseph would be making this trek daily for 10-12 hour days with no safety lights but a candle on their helmet. Dynamite, candles, helmets and picks were to be purchased individually and the daily wage was $1.60. Much has changed to improve upon the safety of our miners, but it is still a daunting and dangerous profession. We maxed out our admission at Dynamic Earth by arriving when they opened, leaving at closing time, watching all 3 movies (how nickel is mined, the history of Sudbury and Planet Earth: Caves), trying all hands on activities and of course trying our own hand at panning for gold. Joshua shows great possibility at this task (is this because of all the episodes he's watched of Alaskan Gold Rush or just natural talent :) He found the most pieces the attendant working there has ever seen in one day. In fact, he was kindly asked to put some back for future patrons :) Samuel and Isaiah spent most of their time in a hands on area that simulated a mine while Abigail tried her hand at driving a computer operated excavator. This has been a wonderful day of learning and exploring, but we can all admit that we are definitely excited about tomorrow – going home! :)}

^{PS Happy 35th Birthday Shika and Happy 45th Wedding Anniversary Mom and Dad. We love you!!}

^-Katrina-

an early morning, and eager new form of amped up amphibian Isaiah, ready to spend as much time below the surface...!

before the tour of the mine started, people had the chance to drive in actual cabs, of the large dump trucks, and diggers, as you can see from the image below, there was a line forming and Abigail would not be denied...

in the damp, and dark people were a bit glossy eyed and did not know what to expect....I found out five times that wearing a hardhat is for a reason - not just for show. 

Samuel, walking in a mid-century style mine, the improvements here were cedar beams with were much safer then pine.  At the end of the tour, there was a replica rescue capsule like the one used to rescue the miners in Chile mine....

I have no real comment, other than I'm convince that this stretch of water has been panned before, it also could be my technique, or the pressure of the new gold rush.

^{Today we went to the big nickle mine in Sudbury, it was amazing to see the mine how it was 100 years ago and then to see what it was like in the modern day. After the tour we went down to the “hands on” area, which included a pan your own gold that I was able to unlock the code to find the most gold out of anyone in my family. For the rest of the day at the mueseam and I was able to successfully drive the simulator exavater. Tonight I am very excited about getting home and look forward to pulling into out driveway tommorow afternoon.}


-Joshua-

we were looking for Abigail for quite some time before we realized that she was deep in thought, and moving actual equipment in the tour area underground, this simulator  actually controlled a sample machine in one of the  shafts we saw earlier in our tour. 

we had a luxury of empty movie theatres, with everyone getting to pick out the perfect seat...

with a constant, sulphuric acid smoke stack in the background, I wonder how many neighbourhoods in sudbury throw things out containing nickel (or any metal for that matte) knowing what work is involved in the mining, smelting, and refining stages, I know for me personally, its hard to just look the other way.

a loop needs to be connected

The map shown above, is slowly filling in with the route we are on. Actually, it was the very first map we made through the CAA website when we started researching this trip. We started in our home town of New Hamburg, Ontario and added places along the way until it crashed their website. After some silence, Katrina and I looked at each other, then back at the screen and wondered if we were getting in over our head. It did seem like a long way of going from New Hamburg, to New Hamburg after all. Before closing the frozen CAA website, I took a screen grab, and decided to continue our planning another night.

Fast forward to now, we are one day away from getting back to our starting point. Our loop is almost filled in, we are one checkout away from checking in again at home. We are glad for where we came from, and know thats where we belong. Schedules seem desirable to those who have not one, since we left. Someone even mentioned from one of the backseats yesterday, that they are looking forward to math again. What a wonderful time to return, we are ready and getting closer!

-Joseph-

either it was the bright city lights of  Sault Ste. Marie, or the exterior lights on the hotel....either way, it was quite a glow,  and it was hard to sleep.

even with two full thermal presses of coffee on tap up front,  after seeing a  sign that read "Life's too short for bad coffee" I had to pull over and support this business.... and had a pretty smooth indonesian and enjoyed a drive through that did not have a line up out to the main road...

its basic at this point, we head either south, or southeast, and slowly we are heading in the right direction. 

as you can see, we made it to Sudbury, thats a nickel in the skyline, and tomorrow we tour the mine/museum...

Isaiah now has an update to his missing tooth up front, and reaching many new milestones each day, another one of them is being able to swim under water, as seen below!

Today we went to sudbury. Before we left, we went to look for some more cars. We went to a few different stores before we found the ones we wanted. After we got the cars we left for the hotel. When we got there we talked a little bit, then went swimming. When we got back dad had a surprise for us. I got some goggles and Abby and Sam got some toy cars. We ate supper and had mac'n cheese and hot dogs. After supper Sam and me and dad went swimming again. I really like my new goggles. I can dive deep now. I love today.

-Isaiah-

missing is ok, too

Today we went from Thunder Bay to Sault Ste. Marie. Again more beauty of Northern Ontario: I mean driving along the coast of Lake Superior. It was foggy most of the time but still beautiful. We stopped once at a beach, well it was actually a bay, “ Old Woman Bay” to be exact . We collected lovely rocks, saw where a river and the bay meet, and got sand in our shoes.:) We hopped back in and kept driving only to stop a few minutes later at an overlook. The boys climbed the rocks while I ran back and forth from mom to them occasionally climbing to0. We then hopped in the car for the 2^nd time and started of. Of course we had to convince dad NOT to pull over at lovely trout streams. We continued to pass lakes, ( three of which had the names Mom Lake, Dad Lake and Baby Lake.) :) forests, and mountains. We had a bathroom break at a store of hand carved/ made wood items. Again gorgeous. We pressed on and arrived at our hotel at five, but we kind of expected that with all the stops. We went swimming, then went to get supper. Today was a wonderful day. Thank you Jesus.

-Abigail-

dry or wet, these rocks of lake Superior are each one unique and each one hard choosing which one stays on the beach 

Abigail did a great job describing our day....I think Lake Superior is our favourite Great Lake! So I think I'll share a little how I felt today. It had nothing to do with the location or scenery – just one of those days that I know each one in our family has experienced at some point. Almost 2 months ago we lost a very dear friend, Anders McClean. It was an unexpected, sudden death of a wonderful 13 almost 14 year old. Since his death, it feels like a day does not pass where one of us has some tears, shares a memory or misses him. And today was one of those days for me. As the rain fell on the windshield this morning, tears would periodically flow from my eyes; for his parents, his sisters, a church body, friends and my children – all who have lost someone significant to them. So as we continue to grieve we also rejoice in the hope that we will see Anders again (before our trip on our white board we had written: Anders is with Jesus!) and we let our tears fall just like raindrops on a windshield. Much love and prayers to the McClean Family.

-Katrina-

Samuel had wanted to bring back part of a tree that a beaver had cut down but on our last hike, all of them were in the ground, this one was chewed on both ends and became a perfect "ancient hunting weapon" that he read about,  and now had the time and safe space to practice throwing

even with a tank 3/4 full, I still topped things of at wawa, just to say I did, and  not to run out before the sou....