More Road to Thunder Bay

9th July
Shebandowan to Kakabeka Falls.
We awake to grey skies and another day of long hilly roads. The drearieness is overcome by the sight of a sign saying "Home Baking" We are greeted by Mary and son Dan. She ushers us into the large homely kitchen of her house. We eat the most fabulous breakfast and mary joins us with a cup of tea. She tells the story of how her granny came over from Finland many years ago. She had to travel alone as her husband had gone out to Canada earlier. Her granny had a baby and was expecting another. The boat was full of different nationalities and there was no one on the boat she could communicate with as they all spoke a different language. When she arrived her home was a shack in the hills with bears roaming around. She had several children of which one was Mary's mother. We listened to Mary's fascinating stories and then it was time to pedal again. We were sorting out the bill for the breakfast when Mary said "There is no charge for this!" More kindness. We are on our way to Kakabeka Falls which at one time had been a big Trading Post in exchange for furs. A silver truck draws alongside me "Are you Mave?" the voice says. I nod thinking this is probably another reporter. She stops ahead and says she is Becky's mum. This is great news. She says she has been looking out for us. She is here to support her husband,Stan - remember Stan came with Becky to help wth the filming several weeks ago - who is one of the Voyageurs on the Thomson Expedition. This is a journey following the rivers in big dug out canoes and started on the 10th of May in Rocky . 160 people are involved and work a relay system although a few have been canoeing from the start. The journey ends in Thunder Bay on Sat 12th July (More about Thomson later) We find the camp site where the voyageurs will be staying that night and later, after a meal out, we arrive back to find a note from Stan and Mary Beth. We find them in the group camp site and are invited to sit down and have a beer. The mosquitoes are busy and Stan is covering us up with all sorts of things to keep them away - makes us feel quite at home (midges). We enjoy a chat with some of the group and listen to their stories. It is raining when we make our way back to our tents. Our tents are soaking. It is not much fun climbing into a wet tent but what the Hell.