After a fabulous long weekend with old friends, Tom and I continued our drive northeast. We took highway US 127 north from the Irish Hills of Michigan to where it connected with Interstate 75 near Grayling, Michigan. From there, Interstate 75 led us all the way to the Canadian border at Sault Ste Marie. From the Canadian side of Sault Ste Marie, we headed east across Southern Ontario on Highway 17.
Traveling from Michigan to Ontario
Tom and I drove 380 miles our first day back on the road, after four nights in Southern Michigan. Aly was sad to leave "Big D" and his wonderful lake house. She pouted in the back seat most of the drive.
We stopped at several rest areas along US 127 to eat and stretch out. But, mostly, we drove... and drove. We listened to a lot of Bob Seger as we made our way up Michigan's mitten. Many of his songs are about being on the road but Roll Me Away was the pick of the day as we passed Mackinaw City and crossed Mackinaw bridge to the Upper Peninsula.
The views of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron were spectacular with so much water in every direction. We crossed many bridges as we first passed through the US Customs Toll Plaza then Canadian Immigration. Every time Tom and I drive across the Canadian border we think we understand and have complied with all the rules regarding what can be brought in. We're always wrong and end up having something confiscated. We're just happy it wasn't our dog!
After crossing the border and driving through the Canadian city of Sault Ste Marie, Tom and I use the iOverlander app to find a great place to boondock. Bobbers Restaurant and Motel, in Bruce Mines, has a large parking lot behind the restaurant and they welcome RVers to park overnight. That alone is much appreciated even if it is just an ugly parking lot. But, this one was wonderful! We parked at the back edge of the parking lot right next to a beautifully maintained park with views of the Bruce Mines Marina. We happened to arrive just in time for dinner and Tom couldn't resist getting a burger and fries from Bobbers. He said it was delicious!
You can view a few photos of our drive from Michigan to Ontario on the Carpe Diem Facebook page by clicking on the image below.
Traveling across Ontario
As Tom and I made our way east from Bruce Mines, we passed through Amish communities, Indian Reserves, small towns. We took a break and restocked supplies at a Walmart in Sudbury, one of the biggest cities we'd passed through. Then, after passing through North Bay, another bigger city, we stopped for a break at the Corbeil Conservation Area.
As we drove across Southern Ontario, Tom and I were astounded by the beauty and the amount of water. We'd never seen so many lakes and rivers... BIG ones! Our highway roughly followed the Ottawa River. It wasn't alway visible because of all the vegitation but whenever we caught another glimpse of it, we were convinced we were looking at a lake, not a river. It was so big and so beautiful we could no longer resist! We pulled into Driftwood Provincial Park and found a campsite!
You can view a few photos of our drive across Ontario on the Carpe Diem Facebook page by clicking on the image below.
Tom and I had considered taking more time to explore Northern Michigan but realized an extra day or two wouldn't be enough. Our primary focus for this trip is the Maritime Provinces and we want as much time as possible to explore them this summer. We vowed to return to Michigan in a few years when we can really enjoy it. Then, after driving across Southern Ontario, we realized we had to add THAT to our future trip list as well. I suspect there could be a "Great Lakes or Bust" trip sometime in the future! It's so BEAUTIFUL up here!
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