Heading into the long-haul to Thunder Bay from the Soo, we fired up the team to engage in some good ol’ fashioned conversation. Fancy that. I have to say – when one of us laughs, it’s like a virus… We all catch it, and it doesn’t go away. I am going to have to call these guys every day once the tour ends, because I sure will miss these outbursts/sessions. We laugh so hard my abs hurt!

The only downer in team dynamic on this trip is that everyone keeps stealing my lines and passing them off as their own. It’s like I have to patent everything before it comes out of my mouth. Dave is particularly talented at this skill, and innocently tries to blame it on the fact that he’s in the front driving and can’t hear me say it first. I guess I’m just a producer of content for people. I mean, who really wants to hear an Australian accent, anyhow? We know that On Star doesn’t…

We discovered this when we were out of cell range for a couple of hours and jones’ing hard for some connectivity, and decided to use On Star satellite phone to call back to the Whistler office and let Brad, our web-star know we had uploaded the next two episodes of our video diary. After several frustrating attempts being robot-prompted “pardon?”, or having an incorrect number repeated back at me, Mich called in instead and On Star nailed it immediately. Ouch.

After this painful session of feeling removed and impotent without our HTC Touch Diamond super powers, our phones beeped us back to reality – two bars worth, that is… It was a weak signal, but it was there, and this was our first indication we were about to rock-on in to Wawa! Soon after, there she was…majestically poised right in front of us – the indomitable Wawa Goose - and looking like she was about to take off.

Wait! Dola is here, and she’s really excited to meet you! And man, what a view that goose has… With beautiful Lake Superior sprawling out in front of her, we really questioned whether perhaps Tips was on our side and actually had taken us to the ocean… but no such luck. I don’t think San Diego has any giant geese. Back to reality. Hello Wawa!

“Playfully Irreverent” is one of our core values (interpret it as you like) and our whole crew holds up our end of the bargain by living and breathing that corporate purpose. Given that the goose was a good walk from the parking lot, and knowing full well that Dola was still a little hoarse from having to yell out at Nic in Sudbury yesterday, we took it upon ourselves to exercise this value and drive her right onto the grass to allow her to get nice and cozy next to her new bud… And the result? Aw… instant friends. We were kind of thinking that this might also result in our first police incident, but alas… no such luck. That’s a milestone still left to cross off.

Heading into Wawa town to grab some snacks and gas, we were pretty sure we’d stepped on to an old western movie set. Except it’s not a movie set - this is real. Real Canadian, that is. Excuse my purposeful incorrect use of grammar for effect. Toaster made friends with the ornamental moose, and Mich was thrilled to find such convenient access to mung beans and sour cherry candies – in one hit. Here, folks, is another prime example of what is so great about this tour… Letting us and Dola see all these wild and wonderful parts of our beautiful, vast country. Insert another sentimental moment here… J.

With several more small towns to be passed through en-route to Thunder Bay, my only regret was not getting a shot of the sign which – sincerely – read: “Hunting season yet? Here, Moosey Moosey!” Oh, lordy lordy… We did, however, nearly pick up an additional passenger. He was keen and convincing to-boot. Sporting an authentic Whistler t-shirt, ‘Chris’ had spent a previous winter season living in Whistler, and was absolutely itching to get back. Sorry, Chris… Hope to see you out in Whistler this winter!

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