It’s amazing how flat this country is. Until it isn’t. Driving across the prairies, the only thing that comes to mind as a desire is something to look at, a bend in the road, perhaps even a new type of tumbleweed to replace the old. It doesn’t come.

And then you see a small sign in the distance that says “Welcome to Ontario”. Actually, it says, “W lcome to O  ario”. But that would be splitting hair. And that would require new shampoo.

And you think that life is about to improve.

But Ontario brings with it several things of note. One is that mobile reception is far too advanced for Upper Canada. It simply dies at the border until you arrive at Thunder Bay. So are roads with more than one lane each way. And, while we’re on the subject, bends make my ankles hurt. Cruise control doesn’t work well when you have some aging, mindless fop between you and motoring relaxation.

But I have arrived in the city of lightening bolts. And, again, as with most Canadian cities, I wouldn’t have even noticed it was here, if not for the airport and some proximate hotels.

How do these places survive?

That’s the longest day of the trip, I believe. And I have survived. Hot tub?