March 30, 2010

Sudbury to Dreydan, ON

By Lydia

Today we drove from Sudbury to Dreydan. Most of the drive took us along Rte 17 hugging the northern coast of Lake Superior. Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes with a shoreline distance of 4,385km and a retention rate of 191 years (measured based on volume of water and mean outflow rate).

We drive through rolling hills and big pine forests. I see three small lakes along the road. Signs indicate their names. Mom lake, Baby lake and Dad lake.

Around 4:30 in the afternoon, we blew the van's fuse for the second cigarette lighter. We are plugging inverters into the cigarette lighters to charge things such as computers, gps and cell phones. With both cigarette lighters inoperable, we pulled over to Archie's rest stop just across from the lake. In about 15 minutes, both fuses were replaced and we were back in business!

We stopped inside the rest stop and met with the owner. He told us that just a few days ago, temperature was very cold; however, today it is a balmy 12 degrees Celsius. Despite this spring warmth, he told us that the lake is still frozen. We saw the ice as we drove off, but guessed it would probably be thinning and breaking up with a couple more warm days.

Thunder Bay has been our first target destination. We finally reach Thunder Bay around 6:00 in the evening. We take an extended stop for emails and administrative things and then pull out to continue our drive; leaving behind Lake Superior.

We have been alternating driving and have been on the road continuously since departure. At midnight, we decide to take an extended rest stop in Dreydan.

By Marcelo

We crossed the midnight hour just past lake Simcoe. Full moon was illuminating the road ahead. I have only been to Lake Sincoe once before, and it was to test XOF1 the first time complete (chassis and array), it was March 2005, a freezing -12C, with the wind chill effect it felt it was "minus a lot". The frozen lake Sincoe ice road was XOF1's testing grounds, grim from ear to ear with the sight of the lake, reminded of our sweet victory.

Pumped with adrenaline from the excitment of being on the road again I kept on driving as long as I could until fatige took the best of me. Lydia, had snoozed for a bit and feeling up to the tast took the driver seat while it was my turn to catch some z's on the passenger seat. We are pulling double shifts in order to make to Edmonton on time, we'll have XOF1 on display at the Telus World of Science in Edmonton on Friday. We are very excited with the opportunity.

Past the midnight hour, the full moon was brightening the road ahead

Lydia catches on some ZZZZZ

Sue. St. Marie, ON the biggest onion ever!

Lydia helping a hunter in trouble with the moose in the Sue. St Marie

Clear roads in Northern Ontario. What happened to all the snow?

Lydia in the driver's seat and a Wawa goose getting ready for easter.

In most places the easter bunny lays the easter egg. In Wawa, ON it is the Wawa goose

Goose Landing

Goose Taking Off

Marcelo's shoes scaring off the birds!

Thunder Bay here we come!

Rock blasting next to the road. (Marcelo told me this is why it is so hilly north of Lake Superior - because they make mountains so that the drive is more interesting, hmmmm....)

Slowwww

Rocky and winding northern Ontario

7% grade - use low gear

Solar Marcelo being eaten by a gas guzzler

A modest sign post in Archie, ON

Strong winds, Hail the flag Oh Canada!