Sundays

On Sunday mornings I wake up in the town of White River.  At this time of year it's snow covered, cold, isolated, and beautiful.  Well, beautiful isn't a word I would use to describe the truck stop but it describes this part of Ontario - you know what I mean.  From White River I travel west to the town of Marathon and then continue along the north shore of Lake Superior through Terrace Bay, Rossport, Pays Plat, and Nipigon before arriving in Thunder Bay.  I'm usually out of White River before 6:30 in the morning and the drive is peaceful, serene, and relaxing on a clear morning but can challenge your driving skills and stamina when heavy snow moves in off the Lake.  Temperatures in the dead of winter often dip below -30 C.  Road closures throughout the winter due to snow are part of your trip plan.

Sunday mornings are my favorite travel time of the week.  On my three hour trek from White River to Nipigon I see little else on the road.  There are a few four wheelers heading to the David Bell mine north of White River for an early shift and the moose staring at me silently from the roadside as I move through the flats on my first leg towards Marathon.  My radio is always off and I spend the three hour trip to Thunder Bay in silence, taking in the vista from my cab presented by the early morning light.  Although I remain alert to the challenges this section of road presents to my driving skills it always imbues in me a feeling of deep reflection and calmness of mind.  This is one of the great benefits I derive from long haul driving.  Although I am strapped to my seat and confined to my cab it is at these times that I am filled with a feeling of personal freedom and liberation.  That is somewhat of a paradox I know, but true nevertheless.

By 10:30 or 11:00 I am usually passing through Thunder Bay.  The business of the highway now requires my full attention for the balance of the day as I make my way towards my destination in Winnipeg.  Arrival in Winnipeg is usually around 6 or 7 in the evening providing me with the opportunity to enjoy my Sunday evening run before dinner, shower, and bed.  Sundays are full and busy days.  Sundays are a routine day of my week filled with the possibility of surprise and challenge.  Sundays define what it is that I love about doing this for a living.  Sundays are good days.