SUNDAY DRIVE
On Sunday afternoon, we decided to do what many people do on Sundays, we took a leisurely drive.
We began our day trip at Done-Rite Tire & Auto on Carrick Street. We headed to the Harbour Expressway and hung a right. We continued straight until we reached Water Street. At Water Street, we took a left and drove for roughly 12 kilometres until we reached Arundel Street. At Arundel Street, we took a right and followed the road. As we drove, we entered the Township of Shuniah and Arundel Street became Lakeshore Drive.
As we continued on Lakeshore Drive, we passed some Lakeshore treaures including Wild Goose Park and the Thunder Bay International hostel.
Fun Fact: The Honourable Patty Hajdu has said that Wild Goose Park is one of Thunder Bay’s greatest treasures.
We then headed Northeast on Lakeshore Drive until we reached McKenzie Station Road. At McKenzie Station Road, we took a left and headed for the Trans-Canada Highway. At the Trans-Canada Highway, we hung a right and drove for roughly 15 kilometers until we reached Pass Lake Road.
Fun Fact: While we were on Pass Lake Road, we noticed a number of vehicles pulled over on the side of the road near “Karen’s Kountry Kitchen.” When we slowed down to determine what the attraction was, we saw a person rock climbing. We have since learned that Thunder Bay has renowned rock-climbing sites.
We continued on Pass Lake Road for approximately 20 kilometres, until we saw the sign for Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. We decided today was a good day to visit the Thunder Bay Lookout, so we turned right and drove for 9 kilometres down the dirt road.
We parked in the parking area and stepped out of our vehicle. We walked through the parking lot until we reached the line-up for the observation deck.
Fun Fact: The observation deck, which is 100 metres above Lake Superior, allows you to see Thunder Bay from the perspective of the Sleeping Giant. The “boardwalk” is made of wood and extends beyond the cliffs of Amethyst Harbour.
When it was our turn, we carefully stepped onto the deck. I immediately felt like I was walking on the suspension bridge at Eagle Canyon all over again. My youngest daughter yanked her hand out of mine and headed for the edge of the lookout. My older daughter pulled out her iPhone and began taking photos. It’s amazing how fearless children can be.
With the line-up forming behind us, we took our photos, had a few laughs and let the next group take our place. We were amazed at the number of people who were visiting the Lookout. It was nice to see so many people enjoying the local attraction.
We got back in our vehicle and decided to continue our drive. We headed North East for roughly 20 minutes until we reached Silver Islet.
Fun Fact: In the late 1800’s, the Montreal Mining Company extracted over $3.25 million in silver from its mine at Silver Islet. That’s the equivalent of $64 billion today. That’s a lot of silver!
We really enjoyed checking out the Thunder Bay Lookout, Silver Islet and taking our time driving home. Sometimes, the best drives are the ones without destinations.
We give this day trip a 10 out of 10!