Day 2 - Amethyst Mine, Kakabeka Falls, Quetico Provincial Park

Today morning I woke up next to Rabbit Blanket Lake. It drizzled a bit and I loved the smell of fresh air. I couldn't enjoy the scenery yesterday as it got dark right after we arrived, so I enjoyed the view today morning.

It was the first morning on my trip so my getting ready routine happened a bit slower then I expected. Needed 2 hours from the moment I woke up up until I was sitting in the car ready to go, breakfast included. This will get better with the days and I also took many pictures, also from the car as it still was nice and shiny. With time it will get dirty and I am going to take less and less pictures from it. But seriously, could you resist?

The first part of the road was foggy. Having the great lake and the woods next to you, it made a misty feeling. The scenery was breathtaking with many downhill moments where you would think that the road will end in that vast lake that was spanning the horizon. And guess what, on the road I stumbled upon the same RV I was writing about yesterday. Now I could read off the brand of this giant: MONACO Signature Series... the name tells it all. Go to the manufacturer's website and dream a bit (starts at $628k).

First stop was at the amethyst mine east of Thunder Bay. Well, it is said to be the biggest such mine in North America, but I think only because there are no other. There is a 15m deep quarry, ~300m long and there was one guy down there flushing the surface with a water hose. Full capacity is 4 persons I was told. There is an area where they throw some excavated rocks and you can dig for your own amethyst. Kids enjoy this very much, and you can buy it per pound. I don't know why I pictured an underground mine with purple crystal hanging from the walls, but since it was on the way, it was worth a stop.

Next station was Kakabeka Falls. This is a nice picture taking spot. A wide river bisected by a rock formation, falling down 40 meters in multiple steps. It was perfect candidate for my first experiment with slow shutter pictures.

Continuing on Hwy 11 we gained one hour by entering the Central time zone, helping us with an early arrival at Quetico Provincial Park, Chippewa campground and making a nice campfire. Tomorrow we will aim for Manitoba. Tonight I have a chipmunk running around my tent all the time.

Distance travelled: 650 km