Labour Day is the first Monday in September in US and Canada. It is a long weekend. We were warned to book early and try not to drive over the weekend as the roads would be clogged. We took that advise and booked ahead for the 3 days of the Labour Day weekend at Chippewa Park and Campground in Thunder Bay. We were now in North of Superior Country, Northern Ontario.

Where is everyone?

Chippewa Park was quite a way out of town and all but deserted. It was beautiful and secluded - but empty! There were other activities at the park which were busy but the RV park was very quiet.  We were the only ones there!! We made inquiries about hiring a car which would have been easy to do and very inexpensive ... but the next morning we decided to move on. Happily we were able to cancel the extra 2 nights we had booked.

On our way out of Thunder Bay we visited the Terry Fox Monument, a 9 foot high bronze statue set on a 45 ton granite base with a spectacular view of Lake Superior. The monument was erected in memory of Terry Fox,  a one legged runner who embarked on a cross country run for cancer research - the Marathon of Hope. The site of the monument is not far from where he ended his 3,391 mile (5,342km) run, stricken down with the disease that ended his life on 28 June 1981.

We were headed for Nipigon but the RV park was closed ... where is everyone?? We ended up driving 200 miles and finally found Neys Lunch and Campground - no vacancies save in the 'overflow' - a grassy field without services. We were self sufficient, but it cost more than most other parks which provided all the services!  Anyway ...

We met a couple of girls - probably in their 40's - who were biking around Lake Superior, all 1220 odd miles!!  They had set themselves a month to do it in. They were from Michigan and had a love of the lake!  One of them said she could recall the day the Edmund Fitzgerald went down. 

We continue to follow this story of the Edmund Fitzgerald!

We were seeing road signs to White River, Ontario - the birth place of Winnie The Pooh!  Come on - you've got to be joking!!  But it's true!!

On 24 August 1914 a tiny female Canadian black bearcub was brought by a local trapper to the Canadian Pacific Railway train station in White River, Ontario. A troop train bound for Quebec stopped at the train station.  A young officer, Lt. Harry Colebourne, a Canadian Army vet attached to the 34th Fort Garry Horse Regiment from Winnipeg, Manitoba got off the train. He noticed the young bearcub and bought it for $20.00. He named it Winnipeg after his home town and later shortened the name to 'Winnie'.
The bearcub became the mascot of the 34th and accompanied them overseas. When Capt. Colebourne received orders to go to France he left 'Winnie' in the care of the London Zoo.
Winnie was to become the main attraction at the zoo, captivating many including Christopher Robin Milne, son of A.A.Milne.  And the rest is history ...

Neys Camp! The best bbq!