Protection Against Ebola.

5737 km - 7 days

____ Early Sunday morning on the Thanksgiving Weekend in Canada; I was headed East on the Trans Canadian Highway. Listening to the radio news and the story that told of the nurse in Dallas who had caught Ebola from the guy who flew in from Liberia, West Africa. A long way from Manitoba, yet I was carrying 12 pallets of medical equipment destined for the fight against the killer disease. Gowns, gloves and masks donated by Payne Transportation. I was giving thanks that I was only taking the stuff as far as Toronto International Airport.

____ As far as Hearst on the first day; at the end day two and I was parked on the unloading dock of CS World Cargo. Listening to the jets take-off and land just over the fence. GlobalMedic is the Canadian charity that was organising the transfer of the equipment to West Africa and by the look of things; this could become a regular shipment. The rest of the trailer was loaded with furniture and after trouble-free drops at Brantford and St.Catharines; I got a message that Baltimore would be unable to unload me until Wednesday. So, out with the bike and a ride around the lanes of Port Hope and Port Granby, alongside the north shore of Lake Ontario. Then the heavens opened and it rained for the rest trip.

____ Baltimore, then Ottawa and I was empty. A reload from Trois Rivieres in Quebec Province, booked in to load on Thursday afternoon and the trip looked like it would be at least over-running by a day. Empty oil-drums to Winnipeg; bringing back memories of the last empty oil-drum load that turned out to be full of jet fuel. Another story; with it's repercussions. Still the rain came down, Highway 117 through the park to Louvicourt. Running in the rain, running in the dark and running the gauntlet thrown down by the hunters.

____ As long as there is meat in the butcher's shop and meat on the shelves of the supermarkets; I wont be going off into the woods looking for animals that I can shoot. I hope that all the animals get this message and don't come onto the highways looking for me. Stirring-up harmless creatures causes thousands of road-kill and the strike-rate running through Northern Quebec and Ontario is a bad as it gets. A driver needs to concentrate 100%; looking well ahead for any movement. Focussing on the delineators, to see if anything crosses their reflectors. Keeping out of cruise-control. I do see two moose, just before the last of the daylight. Both are standing on the wide margin at the side of the road; watching traffic and hanging around. The most dangerous of all animals in a potential road-kill situation.

____ There are two sorts of animal; those that run away from you and those that run after you. There are two types that run after you; those that want to eat you and those who think that defence is the best form of attack. This last lot are usually big; elephants, rhinos and moose. Moose don't fear much. They don't fear cars or trucks and often they will just hang around at the side of the road watching and eating. Of course, sooner or later, they wander across the road and bang. I saw one victim on the Saturday morning; a heap of fur and flesh with fifty yards of blood-stained highway.

____ Highlight of the trip was the Pipeline Truckstop at Louvicourt. If one restaurant can serve up a ham and cheese omelette with hash-browns, toast and coffee for $6.72 including tax; why can't they all do it. Most places are double that price and not as good.

Moose on the loose.