Day 57 Monday 8-31-09 South Baymouth to Owen Sound, ON68

Day 57 Monday 8-31-09
South Baymouth to Owen Sound, ON
68 Miles
2718 total miles

I earned my breakfast last night by cracking Earl's back. Earl, you will remember, is the co-proprietor of Carol and Earl's restaurant, location of home-made, Manitoulin island soul-food. Earl was feeling bunch better this morning after the wrenching I gave him and prepared me his "kitchen sink" omelet in recompense for the adjustment. Leaving there very fortified, I made my way to the ferry terminal, bought my passage to the other side and waited for the boat to arrive for the 28 mile crossing. Met some motorcyclists on the boat who related a tale of near disaster from the day before, when one of them was run off the road onto the soft shoulder while he attempted to pass a transport at 80 mph. People's summer clothes have returned along with the summer weather and everyone is smiling again to enjoy what remains of the summer which many here say "never came". After disembarking the ferry in Tobermory, I stopped for a cup of coffee at the Secret Mermaid café and met several kind people who shared some stories and soul wanderings and recommended some more books to read. I think I have enough in the stack now to last a couple of years-- well , if that's what it takes... Among them was singer-songwriter, Lianne Cranfield, who invited me to a performance to be held Tuesday night. Alas, I will be in Barrie, by then 150 miles away! The ride down ON Route 6 was wrist-jarring and finger-tip numbing, with poor road margins and mostly no shoulders. Mostly a straight shot, and I would have preferred to take the more scenic shoreline route, but feeling pressed for time a little and wanting to make up for some of the dreary days on the north shore decided to roll as fast and straight as possible, weather permitting. I made it to Owen Sound around dinner time to find, to my great satisfaction a Chinese buffet, and this was a good one! While there I asked the waitress for directions to any nearby camping sites and when she was unable to give me any solid information, a lady at a neighboring table, "Mother" Theresa, joined the conversation and gave me some alternatives. She asked me to join her and we proceeded to have a conversation about life, love, marriage, Edgar Cayce, and her life experiences. We agreed that I should call her "Mother" for M. Theresa, and she would call me "General" for G. Lee! She is semi-retired now and has some rental properties, boundless energy and a positive outlook on things. Bellies full and ideas spinning, we parted with her leaving me a phone # in case of emergency while here in Ontario, and her best-wishes for a successful journey. I got to the "Harrison" municipal campground in Owen Sound late, around 9 p.m., set up tent, showered and crashed. No one was there to receive me, and to my dismay the next morning I discovered that my stay had just cost me $32, the most I have paid for camping, to date, on this trip. I had heard that Ontario camping could be ridiculous, but this was over the top. I quickly realized why in the morning, as campground personnel swarmed around doing not much of anything in the morning. This campground, by all appearances, is something of a local jobs program and the fees show it!