Page 68 - USA ROAD TRIP SUMMER of 2000

The scenery is monotonous and unrewarding until after Wawa.

That is not a misprint. It’s Ojibwa for the Canadian goose. From
that town east, the road rises up and over many high cuts in the

hills giving spectacular views of Longfellow’s Gitchee Gumee, the

Indian name for Lake Superior, “The Big Sea Waters”. There was a
very steady and brisk wind from the north all day which pushed

our car and the surface of the lake around quite a bit. There were
crashing breakers on the north facing beaches. It’s still strange to

see all that crashing water on a beach without the smell of salt in
the air.

The gas stations along the way are all full service. I haven’t seen

that in years and was so taken aback at the first stop that I didn’t

say anything to the attendant. So when we stopped again, I
thought to rectify what might have been seen as a social failing.

The 20-something young man who began filling the tank and

washing the windshield approached. I asked him if they had full
service all year round. He answered, “Yup.” Pressing on, I opined

that it must get awfully cold for such work in the winter. He
agreed with, “Yup”. I enquired if they got a lot of snow in these

parts. I was assured they did by the enunciation of an even more

spirited, “Yup”. Just for the heck of it, I tried once more. “Do they
keep the roads plowed though all winter?” A proud, “Yup”.

My social obligations met, I retired to the A&W Root-beer store

where Lois awaited with floats for each of us.

The paper placemat informed us that we were in the hometown

of Winnie of Pooh fame. Seems a soldier bought the young bear
as a mascot for his regiment in this town as they were passing

through on a train trip during WWI. He named it Winnie after his

68