Canada

En route

On the move towards Norway House I did not resist the pleasure of seeing again Pisew Falls under the morning sun without fog. Hwy #373 to Norway is partly a gravel road, with a metallic bridge then a free ferry to cross Nelson River. It operates the every day 24h /24h until the ice prevents movement. It is then to replace by a ice bridge.

Pisew Falls

Nelson River country

Gravel road

Norway House

Norway House was at the time of the fur trade an important crossing point on the Hayes River towards York Factory on Hudson Bay. The Norwegian peasants built buildings for Hudson Bay Compagnie, HBC, from 1813. Archway warehouse is the oldest building dating back to 1840/41 remaining as well as the jail built in 1855. Cargo were transported by rowing boats, York Boat, to York Factory. The way was a true adventure requiring to transport the loads on the back of men to cross the rapids by towing the boats on banks. I bivouacked beside Archway warehouse.

Archway Warehouse	Jail

York boats

And the "Mounties" came!

Unusual fact in Canada around 9 p.m. three cars of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, RCMP, surrounded my truck with gyrophares. Typing against the truck body three policemen with a bad look asked me for my documents. I believed to dream that I was in the USA. No, I was well in Canada. I informed them of my bad mood. The policemen adopted a tone more agreeing. Finally at the end of a few minutes they told me that they did not have tourists at Norway, I found it hard to believe. I had been the object of a denouncement, because the two buildings, Archway and Jail, were on a private property. I was to leave on the other side of the road on the carpark of Fort Island Arena.

On Tuesday morning I carried out various controls of my truck. Then around 10 a.m. on the departure, a car stopped close to my truck and a man offered two pins and a ballpoint pen by explaining me with the delighted look that he knew my disappointment of the day before. He belonged to Norway Community Council. I asked him then if there were a wireless connection. The answer was negative but he invited me to the administrative building, at 30 meters, where he placed a computer at my disposal. It proved that connection was very slow, despite everything I sent two e-mails in 40 minutes. I decided to remain on the spot for a second night.

Cross Lake

On Wednesday morning before leaving I returned to the administrative building to consult my mailbox. I was then interviewed by a member of the Council on my project to feed the local gazette with an article concerning a foreigner visitor if not strange one. The site of Cross Lake was inhabited since the remote times by Nikkikoonas (Otter People). At present the various islands are connected by causeways and a bridge since 2002, Kichi-Sipi. The village is inhabited in majority by First Nations of Pimikamak Cree Nation approximately 5600 people. For the summer period various festivals attract aboriginal people from the vicinity. I found a bivouac at the edge of a channel. Silence and quietude of the place encouraged me to stay two nights.

Hwy # 374, route de graviers	Cross Lake Band Office

En route Hwy #392

Friday, September 14 was announced radiant to do lot of mileage up to Snow Lake. Only attraction on Hwy #392 was Wekusko Falls and the two suspension bridges, otherwise nothing.

Wekusko Falls	Suspension Bridge

Snow Lake

While arriving at Snow Lake I discovered that Snow Lake Mining Museum was closed for the season. Moreover the Library was also closed on Fridays and was opened on Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. without outside connection.The rise of the city was dependant on a tour of layers of gold in 1927 and with the exploitation by Hudbay.  I found a bivouac at the entrance of the city on the Public Boat Launch with the hope not to see again the RCMP.

Hudbay Co

Snow Lake Mining Museum & Sheave wheel	Information booth

Cranberry Portage

Cranberry Portage was created in 1920 at the edge of the Lake Athapapuskow. It reached 2000 inhabitants in 1928, terminal of the railway line. Currently with around 700 inhabitants it is a vacation resort with Northern Buffalo Sculptures Gallery.

Northern Buffalo Sculpture

Flin Flon

Flin Flon was named after a character of the novel “The Sunless City” by Preston Murdock, Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin. It celebrated its 75th birthday in 2010. Hudbay has exported copper and zinc for more than 80 years although the copper smelter was stopped and that the 250-meter high smoke stack was sealed in 2010.

Flintabbatey Flonatin	The 250-metre smoke stack