Warning: Inconsistant grammer, spelling and point of view can and will commence......
NOW
October 2.
Alberta bound in my boots:
After a solid morning Mamma and I get Gary (the van) loaded down like never before. Gary spent the night at the cabin and a bear visited him in the wee hours. Mom, Glen and I laugh at smokey barking at the tracks on the van. He's so smart. My big furry oaf. He ran off before I got to say goodbye. I say so long to the little house, my creative space and.... I don't like that. much..... I say goodbye to Mom and Glen and I dont like that either. By 1pm I set off climbing the south Taylor hills (with some depressing soundscape like i'm leaving forever or something), one last glimpse of that little valley and...... I"M FREEEEEE! the sads start to leave. By dawson I already need coffee ( thanks to Rob and Mother keeping me up all night) I get lost in thoughts and words, I listened to Big & Rich' first album full blast, for some reason that really sticks out. must have been joyus. Valleyview marks the beginning of my living on coffee bagels and carrots which will continue for the rest of the week. Lucky for me darkness creeps in and i'm stoked. I love driving in the dark. I don't know if it's the mystery of it all or the fact that nobody can peer in the windows to see the song and dance show going on inside a joy filled gary. haha see I never really understood why anyone would tint their front windows, but now I know it's no gangster, mobster wanna be in there. Just a humble soul who is dancing their butt off in a seated manner. I arrived in Edmonton around 9 30 stoked to see my family. Only when I get there nobody is home. No problem I hacked into their internet and found the courage to post a new song! haha. I had a great stay and visit with Myles, Danielle and Lilly. Lilly didnt eat any of my stuff this time.
October 3 & 4
Meeting Saskatchewan:
Once again here I am with a late start, 1:30 today. I just couldn't leave Lilly shes so cute! I set off east to the land of the big prarie skies or..... miles and miles of brown grass.... and the odd swamp. and oh my gosh so much roadkill.... skunks.... porcupines.... coyotes :( poor little guys. I was not stoked on that but I was so stoked to find Starbucks in Lloydminster especially after having a crappy gas station coffee a couple hours earlier. ah yes.and now the art of finding balance between the coffee and the bladder control. This marks the start of a very long detrimental couple days for my bladder. Lord knows you know how much I love trees. I love them even more after visiting saskatchewan. I roll into Saskatoon about the same time the kings of leon show was starting. bummer! My Wonderful cousins Harv, Arlene and leaha put me up for the night, Their dog toni greets me by peeing on my boot. haha. she loved me i'm told this ment. I had such a great visit, such great people. In the morning we had a nice walk, Arlene and I went and had this awesome sandwich along with some beet and dill soup at souleio, the guy taking our order got confused and told us about his wonderful deet and bill soup. ha. If you ever are in saskatoon check out this trendy little cafe ^^^^^ I loved it, it had a great vibe and I had with me, great company. I had planned on heading out early but i was having a hard time leaving.... I wanted to stay and visit more. Arlene & Harv sent me on my merry way with a handful of maps, (which would come in very handy soon) a bottle of water, new music and a happy soul. I suffered another 3 or 4 hour jont in the wonderful flat place. I really Loved saskatchewan. really. I love the big sky and free vibe. and I like Saskatoon. I didnt really set out till about 5 30 since I had got myself lost in search of fuel. a thirsty Gary led to setbacks. I enjoyed the sunset immensly tonight! the dark came and all the coffee and the bottles of water were doing what they do..... ahhhhh. I was so desparate that I told this waitress in some random roadside town that I was pregnant. SORRY HAHA! (I am most definatly not!) she wouldnt let me use the bathroom unless i bought something, and I didnt want to buy a cruton so I could relieve my bladder. so....... oh well. i'm sure thats not the first time thats happened. Roadside peeing just feels uneasy when your alone in the dark. ya know. yaaaa. you know what else feels uneasy in the dark. Regina. man I didnt know what the hell I was doing I was so tired and confused in a foreign place. I did however navigate the city well I just couldn't find a safe place to set up camp. and then walmart appeared. I got all settled in my little mobile house, but i couldnt sleep because I was so rattled and excited to be reliving van life. brought back memories of my gypsy summer.
Toni
Prarie Gary
October 5
Goin' ta Winnipeg:
to Winnipeg I go. long. straight. flat, relentless road. I loved it. Said goodbye to my cell service for the remainder of the trip. but really.... did i need it?? nah. This was the craziest day. I got out of the van in Brandon and stepped into a windy heat wave! it was +31 ( in october!!!) with 50- 60 km wind gusts! woah. I bought an apple in Brandon and ate it sitting on the sidewalk outside the grocery store. I felt like aladdin. or just a street rat. but i'll go with aladdin. i spent the remainder of my driving break shooing bees out of the van.... they really wanted my sandwich. I started to get really antsy and uneasy when the sun started dipping low west... where'm I gonna sleep in Winnapeg!!! ack! well, I looked up my cousin Gwen who I hadn't yet met. I found her lovely little house no problem and she filled me full of food and tea and good company. I really enjoyed our short little visit!
October 6
The Longest Day EVER
well I didn't get much sleep.... I'm excited to reach ontario today perhaps that is why. Gwen made waffles for breakfast and then took me for a little drive around her surrounding area. on the road again.... I seem to stop at the weirdest places for fuel. just weird. but i'm like oh i better just stop who knows when the next one is. so I kept getting the dodgy ones then there would be a nicer one 10 minutes later. ah well. i prefer dodgy, they have more character. I made it to ontario, and said goodbye to the divided highway and 110 speed limit that i had gotten very used to. I began to get very frustraited and hoped to get to thunder bay soon.... OMG winnipeg to thunder bay felt like never! I had to have two coffee's and a red bull just to cope. sooo sorry body. I must say i did really like all the scenery and really liked reuniting with the illusive picnic table sign.... or rest stop if you will. I also noticed that Ontario sure has alot of very odd signs with really obvious driving tips " Larger trucks take up more room" " watch for trucks turning" yes thank you. I seem to have forgotten these very rare happenings. glad their was a sign. also the moose signs look like rearing unicorns. so i was hoping for my first unicorn sighting. I didnt see any. I did pass 7 cop carrs though. which kept me ..... off my toes. scoff scoff. I quickly learned that ontario is huge and that i may in fact be crazy after all. I started going stir crazy.... talking to myself.... cursing a little bit..... ackkkk it just took so long! and I was so tired after my restless sleep. when i got to thunder bay, i could not get my bearings, iphone was playing tricks on me, there were pedestrians all over the place, it was dark, I got pulled over because i had stopped and forgot to turn my lights back on... (oops) it's not my fault, Gary lights up like a christmas tree, so you think they are on. anyway they were not. but the police man was nice and told me to just turn them on and that he was pretty sure that law was the same in bc too. sooo that was nice since i was lost and mad and confused and tired and hungry and on the verge of a breakdown. All i wanted was a bath. After checking 3 hotels(it was hard enough just finding them) I finally found one with vacancy. and i must have looked like such a hopeless rat that the clerk felt sorry for me. (actually she was just really kind, noticed how done I was and genuinly cared ) She gave me an expensive room for standard room price. I had never been so excited to see a king sized bed in my entire life. I enjoyed every inch of that room. and suddenly had energy again. thats what happens when kindness is laid upon your path. I was naturally buzzing about the place well into the night.
October 7
Last day on the road make it good:
Meeting lake superior that was something!!! wow! I was so excited I hopped out of the van many times to put my feet in the warm sand! It looked like the ocean. I was convinced it just was. Another really really long drive. beautiful colors though the maple leaves, The golden tamaraks. I was Fine while the highway was near the lake but when it went away from it i would get bored and annoyed. i wanted to follow that shoreline. when i got to wawa and saw tim hortons i was so parched for my fix of coffee and bagel I think this was the day I appreciated it most! The time change started throwing me for a loop right away when communicating with my beloved BC'ans. I made it to the soo at nightfall, the older couple next door let me into the house as the fam was out at their cabin. I felt weird in the house full of things but no occupants and just moving right in! I joined them at the cabin 2 days later after exploring the city. the cabin is a rustic dream. I am in love.
I would not have survived a drive across the canada without tim hortons, my iphone, cbc radio, bagels OR WITH more than 2 provinces lacking a roadside tree.
Well today i'm going into my 3rd week here and i'm still sttling in but i think i am finally comfortable. I can navigate well, i've enrolled myself in yoga been swimming and skating... and to 4 concerts! reconnecting with this fam :) it's all good! The best part was getting here though. It was alot of driving all by myself.... but lots of music full blast and meditation and cbc radio! if you ever get the chance to do a roadtrip alone. jump on it. its the most freeing, liberating experience! I loved every moment. I would love to visit the maritimes now!!! i'm half way there ! it would be stupid not to explore whats around the next bend. anyways. I gotta wrap this up. If my atrocious grammar is bothering you i'm reallllly reallllly sorry! i especially dont like capitolizing things .... or adding apostrophe's. blame it on my little hands! I'm pretty sure I got more out of writing this than anybody will reading it, but if you are still with me, thank you so much for giving a crap what in the world I am doing. and i really really hope you can take something from this! I have an idea.... Go on an adventure, then tell me all about it!!! Never ever lose sight of adventure in your life!
Namaste
L
Ps. Gary says HI!
Oh and for all my penpals..... Get ready! I've got a whole stack of fun coming at ya :)
much love.
NOW
October 1,
Last taste of home for awhile:
well scramble scramble I am trying my best to get my things packed up and set off on my big adventure. Only, I'm struggling, big time. By noon still, all I have packed is my snowboard and a pair of moccasins. This is much too exhausting, I think instead I will go to town and say more see ya laters (they feel alot like goodbyes) I went for lunch with Dad. I can see the worry in his face, I know he's really going to miss me. I pretend to be strong. "If I don't go now Dad, will I ever go?" He knows what I'm saying is true, for it was an idea he had planted in my head just two months before. Having my parents support in taking off is a big deal for me. While running into so many friendly faces in town I begin to feel increasingly uneasy about leaving. Its so comfortable here. People know my name. Why am I leaving? It seems i've forgotten. I've got to get home! I head back to my lovely home nestled in the hillside. A beautiful terrace with a wide open space, room to say hello sky, yet crawling with aspens and spruce and shrubs of every kind. The trees stand tall guarding this special place. This is where my roots are. (not to mention all those spruce roots i've tripped over, stubbed an unexpecting toe on or collected foot sap from) I'm out moping in the yard with smokey, family assumes I am in the little house packing. Meanwhile It's 5:30 and Momma has prepared my favorite meal. Roast beef with potatoes and gravy and veggies.... YAHOO. Oh and of course squash pie with all the fixings. Grandma and Grandpa walk over to enjoy the feast with us. By this time I have managed to gather nearly 20 pairs of boots, shoes and moccasins in a big pile by the door and I'm trying to fit them all in a toolbox. This is when Friends begin to appear, Rob shows up just in time to catch the closet gathering episode. Good god do I have alot of clothes. about an hour later Mir and Jessee show up too! they keep me company while I struggle through my "I hate packing disorder". Somehow through all the rants, dance spasms (on my behalf, I call it the antsy dance) laughs, and cups of tea, I'm starting to get excited. I feel warm and supported, and what do you know.... I'm packed! Momma Rob and I kept time with the moon until 3 am brain storming goofy stuff. (sounds like the 3 of us) The last day is done. And what a special day it was. What a special week. Everyone that I was supposed to see was saw. (bahah). I fall asleep full of gratitude in my humble little bed, with the moon for a night light and night sounds pouring through my windows.
Last taste of home for awhile:
well scramble scramble I am trying my best to get my things packed up and set off on my big adventure. Only, I'm struggling, big time. By noon still, all I have packed is my snowboard and a pair of moccasins. This is much too exhausting, I think instead I will go to town and say more see ya laters (they feel alot like goodbyes) I went for lunch with Dad. I can see the worry in his face, I know he's really going to miss me. I pretend to be strong. "If I don't go now Dad, will I ever go?" He knows what I'm saying is true, for it was an idea he had planted in my head just two months before. Having my parents support in taking off is a big deal for me. While running into so many friendly faces in town I begin to feel increasingly uneasy about leaving. Its so comfortable here. People know my name. Why am I leaving? It seems i've forgotten. I've got to get home! I head back to my lovely home nestled in the hillside. A beautiful terrace with a wide open space, room to say hello sky, yet crawling with aspens and spruce and shrubs of every kind. The trees stand tall guarding this special place. This is where my roots are. (not to mention all those spruce roots i've tripped over, stubbed an unexpecting toe on or collected foot sap from) I'm out moping in the yard with smokey, family assumes I am in the little house packing. Meanwhile It's 5:30 and Momma has prepared my favorite meal. Roast beef with potatoes and gravy and veggies.... YAHOO. Oh and of course squash pie with all the fixings. Grandma and Grandpa walk over to enjoy the feast with us. By this time I have managed to gather nearly 20 pairs of boots, shoes and moccasins in a big pile by the door and I'm trying to fit them all in a toolbox. This is when Friends begin to appear, Rob shows up just in time to catch the closet gathering episode. Good god do I have alot of clothes. about an hour later Mir and Jessee show up too! they keep me company while I struggle through my "I hate packing disorder". Somehow through all the rants, dance spasms (on my behalf, I call it the antsy dance) laughs, and cups of tea, I'm starting to get excited. I feel warm and supported, and what do you know.... I'm packed! Momma Rob and I kept time with the moon until 3 am brain storming goofy stuff. (sounds like the 3 of us) The last day is done. And what a special day it was. What a special week. Everyone that I was supposed to see was saw. (bahah). I fall asleep full of gratitude in my humble little bed, with the moon for a night light and night sounds pouring through my windows.
October 2.
Alberta bound in my boots:
After a solid morning Mamma and I get Gary (the van) loaded down like never before. Gary spent the night at the cabin and a bear visited him in the wee hours. Mom, Glen and I laugh at smokey barking at the tracks on the van. He's so smart. My big furry oaf. He ran off before I got to say goodbye. I say so long to the little house, my creative space and.... I don't like that. much..... I say goodbye to Mom and Glen and I dont like that either. By 1pm I set off climbing the south Taylor hills (with some depressing soundscape like i'm leaving forever or something), one last glimpse of that little valley and...... I"M FREEEEEE! the sads start to leave. By dawson I already need coffee ( thanks to Rob and Mother keeping me up all night) I get lost in thoughts and words, I listened to Big & Rich' first album full blast, for some reason that really sticks out. must have been joyus. Valleyview marks the beginning of my living on coffee bagels and carrots which will continue for the rest of the week. Lucky for me darkness creeps in and i'm stoked. I love driving in the dark. I don't know if it's the mystery of it all or the fact that nobody can peer in the windows to see the song and dance show going on inside a joy filled gary. haha see I never really understood why anyone would tint their front windows, but now I know it's no gangster, mobster wanna be in there. Just a humble soul who is dancing their butt off in a seated manner. I arrived in Edmonton around 9 30 stoked to see my family. Only when I get there nobody is home. No problem I hacked into their internet and found the courage to post a new song! haha. I had a great stay and visit with Myles, Danielle and Lilly. Lilly didnt eat any of my stuff this time.
October 3 & 4
Meeting Saskatchewan:
Once again here I am with a late start, 1:30 today. I just couldn't leave Lilly shes so cute! I set off east to the land of the big prarie skies or..... miles and miles of brown grass.... and the odd swamp. and oh my gosh so much roadkill.... skunks.... porcupines.... coyotes :( poor little guys. I was not stoked on that but I was so stoked to find Starbucks in Lloydminster especially after having a crappy gas station coffee a couple hours earlier. ah yes.and now the art of finding balance between the coffee and the bladder control. This marks the start of a very long detrimental couple days for my bladder. Lord knows you know how much I love trees. I love them even more after visiting saskatchewan. I roll into Saskatoon about the same time the kings of leon show was starting. bummer! My Wonderful cousins Harv, Arlene and leaha put me up for the night, Their dog toni greets me by peeing on my boot. haha. she loved me i'm told this ment. I had such a great visit, such great people. In the morning we had a nice walk, Arlene and I went and had this awesome sandwich along with some beet and dill soup at souleio, the guy taking our order got confused and told us about his wonderful deet and bill soup. ha. If you ever are in saskatoon check out this trendy little cafe ^^^^^ I loved it, it had a great vibe and I had with me, great company. I had planned on heading out early but i was having a hard time leaving.... I wanted to stay and visit more. Arlene & Harv sent me on my merry way with a handful of maps, (which would come in very handy soon) a bottle of water, new music and a happy soul. I suffered another 3 or 4 hour jont in the wonderful flat place. I really Loved saskatchewan. really. I love the big sky and free vibe. and I like Saskatoon. I didnt really set out till about 5 30 since I had got myself lost in search of fuel. a thirsty Gary led to setbacks. I enjoyed the sunset immensly tonight! the dark came and all the coffee and the bottles of water were doing what they do..... ahhhhh. I was so desparate that I told this waitress in some random roadside town that I was pregnant. SORRY HAHA! (I am most definatly not!) she wouldnt let me use the bathroom unless i bought something, and I didnt want to buy a cruton so I could relieve my bladder. so....... oh well. i'm sure thats not the first time thats happened. Roadside peeing just feels uneasy when your alone in the dark. ya know. yaaaa. you know what else feels uneasy in the dark. Regina. man I didnt know what the hell I was doing I was so tired and confused in a foreign place. I did however navigate the city well I just couldn't find a safe place to set up camp. and then walmart appeared. I got all settled in my little mobile house, but i couldnt sleep because I was so rattled and excited to be reliving van life. brought back memories of my gypsy summer.
Toni
Prarie GaryOctober 5
Goin' ta Winnipeg:
to Winnipeg I go. long. straight. flat, relentless road. I loved it. Said goodbye to my cell service for the remainder of the trip. but really.... did i need it?? nah. This was the craziest day. I got out of the van in Brandon and stepped into a windy heat wave! it was +31 ( in october!!!) with 50- 60 km wind gusts! woah. I bought an apple in Brandon and ate it sitting on the sidewalk outside the grocery store. I felt like aladdin. or just a street rat. but i'll go with aladdin. i spent the remainder of my driving break shooing bees out of the van.... they really wanted my sandwich. I started to get really antsy and uneasy when the sun started dipping low west... where'm I gonna sleep in Winnapeg!!! ack! well, I looked up my cousin Gwen who I hadn't yet met. I found her lovely little house no problem and she filled me full of food and tea and good company. I really enjoyed our short little visit!
October 6
The Longest Day EVER
well I didn't get much sleep.... I'm excited to reach ontario today perhaps that is why. Gwen made waffles for breakfast and then took me for a little drive around her surrounding area. on the road again.... I seem to stop at the weirdest places for fuel. just weird. but i'm like oh i better just stop who knows when the next one is. so I kept getting the dodgy ones then there would be a nicer one 10 minutes later. ah well. i prefer dodgy, they have more character. I made it to ontario, and said goodbye to the divided highway and 110 speed limit that i had gotten very used to. I began to get very frustraited and hoped to get to thunder bay soon.... OMG winnipeg to thunder bay felt like never! I had to have two coffee's and a red bull just to cope. sooo sorry body. I must say i did really like all the scenery and really liked reuniting with the illusive picnic table sign.... or rest stop if you will. I also noticed that Ontario sure has alot of very odd signs with really obvious driving tips " Larger trucks take up more room" " watch for trucks turning" yes thank you. I seem to have forgotten these very rare happenings. glad their was a sign. also the moose signs look like rearing unicorns. so i was hoping for my first unicorn sighting. I didnt see any. I did pass 7 cop carrs though. which kept me ..... off my toes. scoff scoff. I quickly learned that ontario is huge and that i may in fact be crazy after all. I started going stir crazy.... talking to myself.... cursing a little bit..... ackkkk it just took so long! and I was so tired after my restless sleep. when i got to thunder bay, i could not get my bearings, iphone was playing tricks on me, there were pedestrians all over the place, it was dark, I got pulled over because i had stopped and forgot to turn my lights back on... (oops) it's not my fault, Gary lights up like a christmas tree, so you think they are on. anyway they were not. but the police man was nice and told me to just turn them on and that he was pretty sure that law was the same in bc too. sooo that was nice since i was lost and mad and confused and tired and hungry and on the verge of a breakdown. All i wanted was a bath. After checking 3 hotels(it was hard enough just finding them) I finally found one with vacancy. and i must have looked like such a hopeless rat that the clerk felt sorry for me. (actually she was just really kind, noticed how done I was and genuinly cared ) She gave me an expensive room for standard room price. I had never been so excited to see a king sized bed in my entire life. I enjoyed every inch of that room. and suddenly had energy again. thats what happens when kindness is laid upon your path. I was naturally buzzing about the place well into the night.
October 7
Last day on the road make it good:
Meeting lake superior that was something!!! wow! I was so excited I hopped out of the van many times to put my feet in the warm sand! It looked like the ocean. I was convinced it just was. Another really really long drive. beautiful colors though the maple leaves, The golden tamaraks. I was Fine while the highway was near the lake but when it went away from it i would get bored and annoyed. i wanted to follow that shoreline. when i got to wawa and saw tim hortons i was so parched for my fix of coffee and bagel I think this was the day I appreciated it most! The time change started throwing me for a loop right away when communicating with my beloved BC'ans. I made it to the soo at nightfall, the older couple next door let me into the house as the fam was out at their cabin. I felt weird in the house full of things but no occupants and just moving right in! I joined them at the cabin 2 days later after exploring the city. the cabin is a rustic dream. I am in love.
I would not have survived a drive across the canada without tim hortons, my iphone, cbc radio, bagels OR WITH more than 2 provinces lacking a roadside tree.
Well today i'm going into my 3rd week here and i'm still sttling in but i think i am finally comfortable. I can navigate well, i've enrolled myself in yoga been swimming and skating... and to 4 concerts! reconnecting with this fam :) it's all good! The best part was getting here though. It was alot of driving all by myself.... but lots of music full blast and meditation and cbc radio! if you ever get the chance to do a roadtrip alone. jump on it. its the most freeing, liberating experience! I loved every moment. I would love to visit the maritimes now!!! i'm half way there ! it would be stupid not to explore whats around the next bend. anyways. I gotta wrap this up. If my atrocious grammar is bothering you i'm reallllly reallllly sorry! i especially dont like capitolizing things .... or adding apostrophe's. blame it on my little hands! I'm pretty sure I got more out of writing this than anybody will reading it, but if you are still with me, thank you so much for giving a crap what in the world I am doing. and i really really hope you can take something from this! I have an idea.... Go on an adventure, then tell me all about it!!! Never ever lose sight of adventure in your life!
L
Ps. Gary says HI!
Oh and for all my penpals..... Get ready! I've got a whole stack of fun coming at ya :)
much love.