Day 10 - Sept 11th, 2008 - 562kms Munising Michigan to South Baymouth, Ontario
Longest day ever on a scooter!!! So we left at 6:30am and drove until 9pm. We're now camped at the bottom of Manitoulin Island. I was trying to convince Keri just to pitch our tent in the woods, but she's too scared to do that, so we got to pay $27 to pitch our tent in the woods. It was so dark setting up our tent we had to keep the scooter running just to have some light. I got worried for awhile cause there was some awful vibrating noise coming from the scooter. Turned out a screw had fallen off our license plate and that's where the noise was coming from.
The best part of today was buying the duty free booze at the border. The storage compartment came in very handy there. Getting back into Canada was a doddle. We didn't have to undergo any of the ridiculousness that occurred when we entered the states. However about 2 hours after Sault St Marie we were pulled over by a cop. There was a shoulder about 1 foot wide and lots of traffic so I was having to pull over all the time to let people past. I noticed a police car behind me and did the same thing to let him past. Unfortunately he didn't pass so I came back onto the road, then his lights went on and it was downhill from there.
He was the nicest cop Keri and I have ever met. The main reason we were pulled over was in case I was drunk (which would explain the swerving off the road and back on again). After seeing that I was sober, he decided he might as well run my license, and due to a minor traffic ticket that was never dealt with, my license was suspended and I couldn't drive! So Keri jumped in front and I sit on the back looking like an idiot.
We raced and raced down Manitoulin Island determined to catch the ferry. If we could catch the ferry we could drive late into the night and make it to Barrie! We were both so excited as we got closer and closer. Singing and shouting around each corner hoping to see the ferry docked and ready for us. That was not to be the case as we pulled right up to the water and no boat was to be seen. After a long day of riding hotel was what we wanted. However the only place open was wanting $98 for the night. I'm normally really good at talking down a good deal however this lady didn't understand proper business if it hit her in the face. She took $8 off and even that was a contest. I laughed at her and we scooted away to find somewhere else to sleep.
The whole of South Baymouth appeared to be sleeping and it was begining to get scary out. 1 more day left...the excitement was killing us.