back to the beginning

On Thursday morning, July 28, the odometer read 4,950 as I headed out on the road again.  I stopped briefly at Wasega beach (above) for a short picnic.
I had a vague plan to cruise south from Collingwood and touch on Camp Borden and Alliston. I was born in Barrie, while Dad was stationed at Camp Borden,

and in the early years of my life, we also lived in Alliston and Hagersville, Ontario before going to Churchill and Shilo, Manitoba, then overseas.  Eventually we ended back in Oromocto, then Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Anyway, I revisited Borden and popped into the Canex for old times' sake.  It was such a strange feeling.  Everything still appeared familiar; soldiers walking around in fatigues, the guard at the gate, PMQs.  Shortly afterwards I drove down the road a short way and stopped in Alliston, but could not track down our former house. 

By late afternoon I had arrived in Toronto. I stayed with my sister one night and spent the next at my daughter's apartment. I explored Sunnybrook Park a lovely greenscape in the middle of the city, complete with a river that runs through it and some stables for horses and their riders.  I crossed over an inviting bridge for a short walk, but not three minutes later a sudden downpour soaked me as I rushed back to the protection of my car.  Oh, well, another time perhaps.