What an amazing feeling to finally arrive in Thunder Bay and be surrounded by the greatest support network and most hardworking people behind Path of the Paddle and the Trans Canada Trail. Our launch from Thunder Bay corresponded with the Trans Canada Trail board meeting at Fort William Historical Park. It was moving to speak with all those who have worked so hard over the past couple of decades to make the dream of the Trans Canada Trail come true. Carrie, Jon and the two of us laughed as we drove to our launch wearing our matching red POPA t-shirts about how our true identity as wilderness nerds was on full display. It has been refreshing to be with so many similar minded people working towards a common goal. It is equally as refreshing to have conversations about how we hope POPA and the TCT erases the sometimes-elitist view of canoe tripping by working to make this trail extremely well documented and accessible to ALL Canadians.
And so, at 5:30 AM, with great ambition and massive smiles we paddled down the Kam and on to the great Superior ( largest fresh water lake in the world!!!!!) and our motivated over - exhausted minds and bodies carried us a whole 35 KM to a great sunny rock site. Here we sit now, unbelievably excited and appreciative for what is to come during the next ten weeks, knowing very well that the Grand Portage and upstream trek on the Pigeon River might not bring such upbeat and cheesy blog posts.
