Friends of mine

Hello from Ignace. We have not yet walked here but drove in tonight to celebrate two very special occasions.

On Saturday evening we waited along the side of the road for Carmen (Diane's husband) to arrive. He will be with us for two weeks. He is a trucker by trade and has taken over most of the driving. This brings a fresh dynamic to our days. But he is a subtle task master...today he said to me, "You are doing a kilometer every time I catch up with you." So of course, I made SURE that I did a kilometer by the time they caught up. I don't know if he is playing mind games with me or just commenting on stats...:) either way it made me purposeful about how fast I was walking.

Diane is very thankful for the little holiday. But she isn't idle, she is cooking up a storm! Cooking is one of Diane's gifts. It is their anniversary today and so we made a special trip into the nearest town! Congratulations Diane and Carmen on your 3rd Anniversary. May your marriage be a living description of Christ's love for His church.

We also celebrated reaching half way with a dinner at the PetroCan!!! Not a bad meal for having to walk 1590 something kms to get it! So we are thanking God for His faithful presence and care.

Since Thunder Bay we have been surprised by all the flat land.

This photo was taken while crossing the Kaministiquia River on Hwy 102 (north of TBay).
I like the three modes of transportation which are descriptive of eras in Canadian history and economic development: the river, the train, and the road.

For a couple of days now we have been walking beside a train track. I haven't told you about my friend the train. Every day my friend meets me along the road. Sometimes I can only hear it calling from deep within the bush but it's always there. Always there working harder than I am pulling long long lines of double high trailers to destinations beyond the north. We meet and pass knowing that we will meet again tomorrow or even later in the day. Lately, while the tracks have been so close to the road I have taken to waving at my friend the train and it always responds with a very very loud blast or two from its red engines. Why this brings me such pleasure and comfort I am unsure and I know the personification of this object is irrational but fulfilling. I have other friends too, they have had a bad rap (witches and stuff) but they also have an honourable history (God used them to feed Elijah). Forgive me if I have written about this before. Every morning (we are usually on the road by 6 am at the latest) the ravens come and say good morning. I imagine them to be watching over me as the eagles do for Gandalf in the LOTR. I speak to them and always ask how they are. They often move from tree to tree with me while I walk along. Then they move off to start their day. It is nice to feel like (if only in one's imagination) part of the life that goes on along the road. Then there are the truckers that pass me and let me know they recognize me by honking and waving. And lots of other vehicles honk and give me the thumbs up too.

Then there are the people who are really my friends, like Diane who has been so faithfully committed to her calling to drive the RV for all this time. Although we have had (it goes without saying it is inevitable) our differences and have had to construct our own personal space within the confines of this small world, we are very well suited to work together. I could never do what she is doing and she has no desire to do what I am doing and yet together we will get the job done. Thanks Diane for all you do.

Paul asked me this morning on the phone (we have had amazing cell phone coverage in the north) if I was getting tired of getting up everyday and walking. I can honestly say every night before I go to sleep I think, "I get to walk tomorrow!" Every day is different and I look forward to seeing my friends along the way, talking to Paul, seeing new sights (every stream is different, every town a new outpost) and accomplishing my goal for the day in different ways. Like today, I started at 10 to 6 and walked for 17kms before stopping at 9:30 to have bfast. Then I only had 2 more hours of walking to do to finish the day. So after a long break, I finished the day at 1:30. I think I will do that for a while, its so nice to get so much done in the early morning.

On another blog I started to give you an outline of our day...I will try again.

5 am Alarm rings (bedding stashed, Diane does circle check on vehicle, I get ready to walk)

6 am Prayer together, on the road (short breaks decided by necessity to use the washroom, or change clothes-hot/cold/raining) Diane sets a timer for 7 min and when it rings she catches up to me.

9:30 am Have stopped for a long break (1 hour) and have bfast (look at maps, chat, laugh)

11 am Back on the road

3 pm Done for the day, park along the road or whatever is happening that day

As I look at the schedule it seems sparse but each day is really full! I'm not sure I can explain that but... There are always things that happen that we can't anticipate. Yesterday, friends from Melfort came by on the road and then shortly after we helped a grandmother and her two grand daughters who had broken down along the road. Carmen assessed their problem and then unhitched his car and followed them to the nearest town to make sure they made it there. They wanted to give him some money for his kindness but he refused so they made a donation to the Walk! These are the roses along the way and missing them would be missing the best part.

I want to say thank you for the wonderful care package that I picked up at the Upsala post office. Along with the candies, gorp and body care products (just what I needed) your words, all of your words took their place in my heart and will be the fodder for many a mile.

Excuse me Canadians the alliteration of "many a mile" works better than the practical: many kilometers :)

After our rad gave up and Canadian Tire couldn't help we were towed into Thunder Bay by this semi. It was my first ride in a semi. There was only one passenger seat so I sat on the bunk in the back.

It was a privilege to walk this section (100 kms from west of Nipigon to T Bay) as it is dedicated as the Terry Fox Courage Highway.

Sorry about the poor quality of this photo of us at the Terry Fox Monument.

We made it to TBay!

North of TBay we came across an RV dealer that was willing to fix a leak in our roof that was dripping on my bed. I was sleeping with a dishpan beside me, not to mention the permanent damage be done by the water to the RV. So while Diane waited with the RV I walked on alone. This was my lunch: sardines, bagel (very stale but I dipped it in the sardine juice), and I didn't get around to eating the granola bar. Eating sardines in the middle of the bush isn't the smartest thing to do but the wind was at my back, the road in front and there was lots of traffic so I could hope someone would stop to help if a neighbourhood bear smelled my lunch. I got to day's end before Diane came. The roof has not leaked since, and it has had plenty of opportunity! There is a great sense of adventure in walking unsupported. However, it is only because I know it will only be for a short while. When the RV was getting the rad fixed and we were camping in my tent we dearly missed its amenities. I even got caught relieving myself on a side road. The person was kind enough to wait at the end of the road until I appeared and explained our predicament to him. He understood and didn't mind.

Construction on a bridge causes a long line up to form right where Diane had decided to get out and get some sun and finish her book. What an intrusion! As I crossed this bridge the traffic was flowing with me and someone leaned out their window and gave a $5 donation. People are so trusting and caring! I deposited that money today and will send a cheque in along with other spontaneous donations tomorrow.

Milestones pass day by day. Here we have come the the artic watershed, and then a few days later a time zone change.

These last two photos are of the Kakabeka Falls. They usually run at between 11 to 13 cubic feet per second but at the time the photos were taken it was rushing at 100 cubic feet per second. It was an amazing and chilling sight. This is a wonderful destination for a vacation, come see Canada! Forget the cruises in the winter...this is where its at boys and girls!!! While Diane and Carmen took off for some alone time I stayed (very comfortably) at the Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park.

Well, my friends. I love you and want to thank you for all your prayers, support and encouragement!! This journey is a test of my faith. The evil one has not been sitting idly by while good things are happening. External circumstances (outside of the walk) have threatened to leave me undone but your prayers, and God's faithful compassion and provision have sustained and strengthened me to keep moving west. I was explaining to my Mom the other day that when you are beginning to expect more from your body you have to break it and then allow it to rebuild, then go back and break it again and then allow it to rebuild. I feel that my character is going through that process. I would not be a friend if I let you believe that I am tripping happily along without days of tears and hours of fear. But I would only be telling you a small part to not include God's grace in my heart. The tears are wiped away and the fear is dissipated as the threatening clouds. He gave me these verses the other day, "We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses;" 2 Cor 6:3,4 I am privileged to know that many of you reading this blog have endured much hardship in your lives. We are blessed as we have drank deeply of his rich grace. I respect and honour each of you as you keep on serving your families, your churches, your co-workers, your communities. You are Christ's hands and feet.

HEY! He's promised to come back and make it all right. Thats our hope, thats our goal, thats when we finish the journey. Until then I remain His servant and your friend. Denise