Twisting in the wind

I have recently become affiliated with an author/reader interactive website called loveahappyending. I initially heard about this NEW website through a friend who writes and reads romance, but the website is not specifically romance.. it caters to and promotes new authors in almost every genre. All of which I think is a wonderful thing. Promotion and marketing are not easy tasks, self promotion and self marketing is even tougher. And if you are a newly published writer, time promoting oneself is time not writing and/or editing. This websites partners authors with readers according to the interests of both, thereby, hypothetically, increasing network capabilities using social media. I certainly hope it works and so far it’s been great fun.

I have been partnered with Chris Longmuir, the author of Dead Wood, a Dundee International Book Prize winner (2009). I initially met Chris (virtually) through the same friend that introduced me to loveahappyending. I had purchased her book and enjoyed it tremendously. She’s an excellent writer and her story was nothing short of brilliant, even though it was a dark and gritty crime novel. Since then Night Watcher was released and I purchased and reviewed it. Again, a fabulous story. Chris’ latest release is A Salt Splashed Cradle, an historical saga. A different genre but just as engaging. I will be back with a review. However if you are interested, my known and unknown readers, you won’t be disappointed checking out this new website… particularly if you are an avid reader.

http://www.loveahappyending.com/

And the author for whom I am an Associate Reader: http://www.chrislongmuir.co.uk/

I’ve been lazy in posting my final day of the trip, and I think it’s because I’ve done this leg a few times and there isn’t too much exciting between Sault Ste. Marie and home. There are Central Ontario views (trees and the Canadian Shield), the Ottawa River and Valley and construction. Not sure when they do construction out west because we ran into very little, but they do it where ever you are driving in Ontario. It was a very long day with many stops. One thing I did notice though is that they could build a few more road-side stops with port-a-potty facilities (with accompanying signage). The most interesting view we had that day was a poor woman who must not have been able to wait one more second. She was a passenger on a motorcycle and she was answering the call of nature in open view right beside the road. Almost caused an accident! I had to yell at the husband to watch the road..lol (And no – no picture. She may have thrown her modesty to the wind out of necessity but I wouldn’t exploit it.)

It’s been a huge trip for me… just over 10,ooo kms and half of it alone. It has been frightening and empowering at the same time. When I left home to head west I was extremely nervous; it was a long way on many roads that I hadn’t previously traveled. I learned that it’s great to be able to get up and go as the whim hits, change route or  take time for that second cup of coffee. No one complained or pushed me to hurry up. But it’s not as much fun with no one along to share the experiences with. While the countryside was still beautiful, I did miss someone to share the high spots with. But I’d still do it all over again. What a fabulous country we have.

It was a shorter day today and we are ensconced in one of our favourite small motels… the Bavarian Inn in Bruce Mines. We stayed her about 6 years ago when we were biking home from Thunder Bay. At that time it was strictly heritage German, the decor and the food. It’s been sold and modernized somewhat. The decor has lightened up and the food has more mainstream type dishes and they’ve extended the bar and added an outdoor patio. Food is still excellent and prices reasonable.

Bruce Mines has the distinction of being the first copper mining town in North America..although those mines have been closed for years now.

It was too long a day yesterday to blog; we didn’t get in to a motel until after 10 pm after 1100 kms  on the road. While I like traveling, I prefer by far to do it in smaller chunks. And I was about ready to throw the camera out the window. Pictures at 110 km/hr are blurry, above that – there really is no use.

In case you haven’t been following the news, there are still devastating floods in Manitoba and south through North Dakota. Rivers are really high, huge fields lie under water and the stench is over-powering. Yellow sludge floats on the swampy water… not sure what that is – decomposing seed and/or fertilizer?? The plane we saw coming in to land was a crop duster; so close I thought he was going to land on the road then he was over us and coming down.

It was easy to tell when we were back in Ontario: piney scents filled the air, lakes sparkled under blue skies and the horse flies were the size of budgie birds. Home sweet home – almost.

A friend once said to me that her father complained of not being able to see any scenery because of the trees. At the time I laughed, but today I spent the day dodging trees and hydro lines trying to get photos of mountains, icefields, valleys and rivers. The forest grows untamed and crowds the roads, population is sparse and there are few roads off the main road and even fewer signs of habitation. Once more we were back up above the snow line and the road twisted back around on itself over and over as we first climbed the mountains and then descended. It was a beautiful sunny day, by turns hot and cold in the car depending on our elevation.

I find this southern route beautiful but almost sad. There are deserted homes and barns littered with abandoned and used up vehicles. As the mills closed down it seems there was little else for people to do to make a living, some lumbering maybe, service jobs in the towns and villages, some agriculture in the valleys. There is a coal mine here in Sparwood which must employ a number of people and perhaps there are others that help keep the economy flowing, but it must be difficult to make a living here.