Were we anxious the night before? Absolutely. For some reason, everyone slept in the same room even though that will probably be the norm for the next few months. We got up too early (4 o’clock), did our walk, “fed” the kids (if you can count a breakfast of cucumbers as a meal) and posed for the obligatory Day 1 picture in front of the tree. Paigey wanted to take the picture to see how much or how little we change when we get back. If I don’t come back with a better tan, I’ll be surprised.
Anyways we were so anxious we actually packed the jeep the night before and hoped no one broke in. All I had to do was “fight” with the bikes and get them mounted on the back. I imagine many of my future posts will be ranting about the bike hassles. Morning departure was a breeze and we were on the road by 9am.
We will not miss the Toronto traffic as it took us a while to clear the city as we headed north to Lively (a town just outside of Sudbury). I spent most of the time checking the rearview mirror to make sure the bikes didn’t fall off the back. We had our first rest break at Port Severn and it felt like the vacation kicked in. Paige read, the kids played in the playground and I got in my steps along the water. Izzy tracked me down and we found a crayfish and a frog. Julie heard our yells and came by and helped us find an even bigger frog. Paige, not to be outdone found a baby snapping turtle. It was one of the best wildlife spotting of their lives. We ate a hack lunch of fruit, veggies and cheese bread by the car. Again, the fruit and vegetable consumption of my kids is something I’m going to have to get used to. Apparently, two English cucumbers is the normal snack consumption for them.
We were running late for an appointment so we bypassed Sudbury and missed the obligatory photo at the Big Nickel! The good news is we got to our relatives in Lively in time for a killer dinner (this time it was the carrots that were destroyed). The kids played on the swings and the trampoline and then proceeded to break a rule of the trip by playing with some friendly chipmunks. Luckily Isabella did not get bit. We slept soundly that night with a great first day in the books.
I am not really sure what form the updates will take going forward. I’m thinking I’ll post once per destination but we are still trying to figure things out. But enjoy some of the stats so far below!
By the Numbers:
- Steps: 15,700
- Total Kilometres: 452
- In-Transit Time: 9:10 (left Toronto) – 17:15 (arrive Sudbury (more accurately Lively)
- Expenses: $130 (all for gas)
- Ice Cream Consumed: None
Wildlife Spotted
- 1 crayfish (a big one)
- 4 frogs (3 massive ones)
- 1 snapping turtle (baby)
- 1 tadpole
- 1 chipmunk
Ciao for now
Mike
Family Travel Countdown 