Halifax: August 27, 1912 <<< >>> Victoria: October 17, 1912
| Today's Statistics: | Travelling from Rossport, Ontario, to Thunder Bay, Ontario | |||
| Distance: 205 km | Driving Hours: 4.5 h | Fuel: 51 l | Weather: Cloudy | Temperature: Min. 6 Max. 15 |
Terry Fox was only 22 years old in 1981 when he ran his "Marathon of Hope" to raise money for cancer. The native of Port Coquitlam. B.C. began his run in Newfoundland and ran 3339 miles (5342 km) until he was forced to stop near Thunder Bay. The cancer that had claimed his right leg had recurred. Although he didn't complete his cross-Canada run, he has inspired Canadians ever since, and annual Terry Fox runs continue to raise funds for cancer research and treatment. The Findlays and John Nicol were pleased to be able to visit the monument dedicated to a true Canadian hero.
Although it is located in the centre of Canada, thousands of kilometres from the ocean, Thunder Bay is one of Canada's largest and busiest ports. The city was formed in 1969 when two cities - Port Arthur and Fort William - merged to form the city of Thunder Bay, on the western shores of Lake Superior.
Fort William was a North West Company fort where each year thousands of fur traders would come to exchange furs for supplies. Today the fort has been restored and visitors come to experience life as it was during the fur trading days.
Port Arthur's history is as a shipping port. The port is still the major eastern port handling grain from Canada's prairies. The massive grain elevators at the port have long been a dominant feature of the port's skyline. Grain is brought by train from the prairies, then loaded onto ships and transported across Lake Superior, through the locks at Sault Ste. Marie and on down the St. Lawrence Seaway to destinations around the world.
It was another interesting day on the road through hilly, forested areas. The traffic was light, with only a small number of cars and some freight trucks passing the Reo. Many of the trucks were carrying logs on their way to pulp or lumber mills. The logs are cut quite short and are carried on short trailers which have hydraulic lifts on the back, allowing the truck driver to unload the logs himself.
At day's end the Findlays and John Nicol said goodbye to beautiful Lake Superior and even the old Reo seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at having made the halfway point so successfully.
The highway from Nipigon to Thunder Bay is dedicated to Terry Fox
... The Thunder Bay Police welcomed the Reo.
On this day in 1912 ...