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August 24 Thursday Bicycle touring from Baudette Minnesota to Rainy River Manitoba to International Falls Minnesota It is foggy this morning. It was warm last night. I didn't get up until 9 AM. Our radio is not working. I think perhaps there is moisture inside messing with the circuits from all this humidity in the air, even though I've been keeping it in a Ziploc bag. Maybe that's worse, trapping the humidity inside with it? Anyway, it won't turn on. We cycle back over the border into Canada at Rainy River. There is only a teeny weeny grocery store. It is stocked with lousy fruit, no selection of dry goods, and stiff prices. Even Sharon was complaining. I asked, "What did you expect? Ralph and Randy's?" She says I just like the US better because I am an extrovert and Canada is an introverted nation. I only like to eat good food, I tell her. I only like the good things about the States, like low food prices. They can keep their crime rate and guns. The park we eat at is strewn with garbage, even though there are lots of garbage cans around. It doesn't make a very good first impression on people coming into Canada, especially after the scenic park we stayed at last night in the States. Sharon says that is just superficial. She says America is more showy and more materialistic. She says Canadians have more savings, even though we have more social programs. Is that because we worry more? The people who founded America were adventurers, whereas the people who eventually settled Canada, a lot of them came to escape persecution. Is it in our genes that we want to be left alone? We value our privacy. And, of course, there are more Americans, so they have more exposure to each other, which in turn makes them more outgoing? They get to practice more. Canadians stay inside all winter and many live quite a distance from neighbours. Canadians seem suspicious of outsiders, whereas Americans come right over and ask us any question they have on their mind. I like the way they acknowledge me at least with a head nod. Canadians act as though they don't even see me. And the way they drive ... sometimes I don't think I'm far wrong. I don't think that is polite to not acknowledge someone, but Sharon says that is not what they mean. I am only perceiving it as such. She sticks up for Canadians, saying they will help you quicker if you need help, whereas Americans will only assist you if it interests them to do so at the time. I don't know ... I've never had any problems with getting help from Americans. Sharon sums up with "Of course there is more differences between individuals than there are between groups, so these are all just generalizations." Which we seem to like to do so much. Aren't humans interesting? The highway we cycle to Emo on is cracked and bumpy. It is still 30º C and still humid. My shirt now smells sour as it has never dried properly since the rain soaked it. The traffic has been light. We are cycling past many hay fields. Some trees are already beginning to change colour. The rivers here look like brown sludge. We pull of bicycles off the road and eat lunch at Emo. We lay our plastic ground sheet in the shade of a huge tree behind a store. It is hot, so this looks like a good time and place for an afternoon siesta. Gotta practice up for when we do our cycle tour in Spain. The wind picks up a bit and it is refreshing in the shade. We pedal our bikes down Hwy 601 to Fort Francis. The road surface deteriorates beneath our bicycle wheels. There is even less traffic now and the scenery is better. Trees line the road in some spots. There are well-kept homes and yards. In a few places that we cycle past, I can see down to the river which has many trees growing along its banks. The pool in Fort Francis is closed with an out-of-order sign posted on the door. We cycle to Pither Point on the instructions of a woman who tells us there are public showers there. There is a campground and a public beach. We go to use the washrooms. Sharon finds an open shower door at the back. We take turns showering. I try a new concept in wash and wear clothing. I soap down my shirt while I am wearing it, then take it off and wring it out and put it back on. It dries almost right away. Nice and cool too while it is drying. I feel much better now. We cross the border into International Falls, population 8,300. It is 8 PM. We stop at a tourist info, but it is closed. There is a custodian cleaning up. He see us and opens the door to give us a Minnesota map. He tells us the sheet paper plant is the largest in the country. It looks like they cut the trees on the Canadian side, make pulp, and then ship it across the river inside huge pipes. It is almost dark now. We cycle down the street towards a church which has a tiny lawn. There are a bunch of people out for an evening stroll. We pedal towards Hwy 53 where there is a campground out of town. On the way we pass a ball field. It looks like an ideal spot to camp ... the only problem being there is a game going on, complete with giant bright floodlights. We rein our bicycle to a hat, deciding we may as well stop and eat. Maybe we can wait until they are finished? I didn't think they can play much longer on a Wednesday night. The game finishes. Another games starts. It is 10:30 PM. Don't these people have to work tomorrow? |
