I’ve never understood why Nabisco doesn’t market Shreddies in the USA. I grew up on Shreddies, a great breakfast cereal, and was delighted to have it as part of my breakfast this morning with Phil and Marilyn. Here they are at the drop-off point in Coronation Park a little later:
As I got started, I took a couple of pictures, one of the coastline of the lake:
and one looking over to the Toronto skyline:
I spent the whole day on Lakeshore Road. The first segment, still in Oakville was really beautiful. There were large houses:
and lots of color:
A glimpse of the lake:
and another with an interesting, dark sky:
At one point, as I was entering downtown Oakville, someone was shouting at me from behind, and it turned out to be my dear mother-in-law:
She had found me with the SIGHTINGS tab on my website and walked with me for a little while. It was so wonderful to see a familiar face and have company on the road.
By the way, if you would like to own one of these properties:
there is a deal going on; you can get one for as little as $1.2 million:
More color:
and a custom fence:
Eventually I came to the end of Oakville and entered Mississauga:
The change was dramatic, from spacious residential to commercial. Here is a laker:
and an ugly, smelly, noisy chemical plant (Suncorp Energy):
The plant was huge and reminded me a lot of the Bayway refineries in New Jersey, for which that state has a poor national reputation. I walked quickly through all that ugliness and eventually reached a portion of Lakeshore Road where I was able to get a Tim Horton sandwich and a few blocks away visit an art gallery, the Harbour Gallery. I went in there because Sandy (Day 26) had told me he had some art hanging there. I took a picture of the owners and their daughter in front of one of Sandy’s paintings:
That’s Jackie, Denny and Jenna, from the left.
Not too long after leaving there I heard another shout behind me and lo and behold, it was Marnie, an old church friend from my youth:
She lives in Ottawa, was in Toronto, and looked me up, again via the SIGHTINGS tab on the website. She had had a little trouble because I was in the gallery when she was looking, but eventually she found me. We started walking together and I heard ANOTHER shout from behind. It was the biggest surprise of all, my dear wife Fiona:
I knew she was driving up to Toronto today from New Jersey, but I thought she was headed for my son’s house. She also had tracked me down. The three of us walked together for a while and the miles slipped away.
We saw a series of bicycles like this painted different colors:
and a lovely rock garden:
My goal for the day was to reach a motel I had booked in the morning. It didn’t take much argument to convince Fiona that she ought to just stay with me tonight and then head on to Toronto tomorrow. She and Marnie left me to walk back to their cars and Fiona then drove on ahead to the hotel. The intervening distance flew by quickly for me.
I passed the Credit River. Upstream:
and downstream, emptying into the lake:
Here’s a nice idea for a crosswalk:
I met Fiona at the motel and once we were settled in we went out to a fine Greek restaurant, tucked away on Lakeshore Drive.
Tomorrow will be a special day, though not the last day. After going about six miles I will … well, that must wait for tomorrow’s post. But it will be very special, so stay tuned!
Almost there! It must be exciting to walk and see Toronto’s skyline ahead of you!
It is! Whenever I catch a glimpse of it, it is larger — great incentive!
I hope it’s a nice motel after being apart for a month! Your face just shines when you’re with your beloved! But, I don’t think you read that real estate sign very well – the 1.2 million only gets you a lot – no house! Have a great time as you cross the finish line!
The motel was pretty low-end, but that was consistent with the cost, which was fine. You’re righr — it’s just the lots that are over a million. Counts me out in any case. Just two days left!
Happy for you. What a journey. Enjoyed reading your daily log and it has made for some interesting exchanges with my own daughters, as we think what such a trip must be like.
That’s cool, Scott. I hope the trip was inspiring for the younger generation. More about that later today …
So Happy for you that fiona came along for a while. it’s amaizng how our wives still give us wings to walk to the end of the world together. Well I guess that’s love. You are blessed my friend. ( And so am I)
Jean-Luc Happy finish line tomorrow
What a beautiful expression, JLT! Yes we are very blessed. Finish line is Saturday, not today. Stay tuned!
Must have been very special to see family come along side for awhile.
Your wife, that had to be a big surprise. Almost there. You can probably smell it.
Yes — wonderful surprises all day yesterday, especially seeing Fiona. When I went by that chemical plant I sure could smell it! But yes, the rest seems easy now.
Fun to see and talk with Fiona on Monday night at the Kenilworth prayer meeting, then to see her with you on your walk!
She’s a traveller, that one, for sure!
What a day my friend, full of wonderful surprises. Can’t wait to see what is going to happen on the special day you said.
Giving thanks to God for your family and friends. Keep it Up.
Thanks Ricardo. Today and tomorrow should be quite fun. Stay tuned …
Great day with lots of visits! How do all these people track you down with the sightings label? Smartphones? Web browsers? Pulling over to look at their laptops? Regardless they were all very successful. It must be a sign that you are getting close to the other “home base”
Russell
I tried not to think of distracted driving when they caught up with me. I think there was some contact with Matthew back at command control. Fiona especially, who didn’t want to turn data roaming on when she crossed the border.
Is the surprise that you will be continuing to Ottawa? Was it an unusual feeling to know that Fiona covered your entire journey in hours while it took you 30 days to reach the same point?
Rats — you guessed it! As for the 30:1 ratio of walking to driving, I’ve been thinking of that a lot over the last month so it didn’t feel strange.
Great what modern technology can do, lovely to see you and Fiona together again. You have been so lucky with the weather, Allan and all the hospitality and kindness you have received on your walk. Enjoy the last couple of days.
The weather has been fantastic — just that one bout of rain approaching the border. Rain is predicted for Saturday, so I may be crossing the finishing line all soggy, but at least I don’t have to set up a tent when I get there!
Unintended or not, thanks for the nod to my employer in the background of your crosswalk picture. Happy to see you and Fiona together. Each day is full of surprises, eh?
Unintended, but glad to oblige, John. Yes, surprises all the time. Not really a metaphor for life, for the most part.
I am very happy that you are almost at your destination Allan! Wonderful journey for you and for all of us who followed along the way with you online! Again thanks for all the beautiful pictures you shared and naming all those who you met along the way and telling of there kindness and hospitality. Although few more steps (miles) to go, it is great to see you reunited with Fiona and family members; just a Little more to go brother!! I thank The Lord for protecting you and the good weather he provided you with during the journey! Also, advance CONGRATULATIONS!
Thanks, Awni. The weather has indeed been great. Probably I will do the last bit in rain tomorrow, but I will have a place to dry out when I’m done!!
I woke up this morning and it hit me! What a great destination you have chosen, six miles in today!
Just one mile now! Hanging out a bit longer at Timmy’s.
I feel the excitement mounting as you draw near the finish line! So happy you had your wife and other friends and family to cheer you on!
Most definitely, Kathy. Just one more short walk left for tomorrow — can’t wait, even if it is in the rain.
I think the painted bikes along the various roadways are unofficial memorials to someone who has been killed there in a traffic accident. I know that’s what the white ones are anyway.
Yes, the white ones are “ghost bikes”. I don’t think the colorful ones were that. They are all evenly spaced, every 50 meters or so, and they each have a basket with something growing in it — probably flowers in the summer. I think they are probably just street art.
Your wife drives to Toronto the way most of us drive to Quick Check! I’m not surprised she found you! I’m very impressed with your mother-in-law’s use of the “sightings” tab…she sounds quite internet savy. How terriffic to meet up with friends and family.
It really was fun having them join me. Yes, Moyra is indeed very internet savvy. She’s pretty amazing.
Looking at your day 31 sightings page, you seem to be doing some back tracking, are you lost, hallucinating,..?
😉 Stay safe, God bless.
That was only a tiny backtrack, along the lake — I was killing time, as you will see when I get to the Day 31 post! Good observation, though.
I see now, what a great experience to be able to share with Peter’s class.
Yes indeed. But thanks for following so closely! You are like the control center team, making sure I don’t get lost.
Wow — Congratulations. Each day, after my time with The Lord, I check on your progress and pray for you. What a remarkable experience and wonderful photos. Thank you for sharing with us.
It has been a wonderful adventure for me Holly. Thanks so much for your prayers.
I love the piano crosswalk!!!
It’s been great following along with your trip, I can’t believe it’s just about over!
Yes, I loved that crosswalk too. More should be like that!