Day 93: Tornados - 22km

Ken & Tammy's in Emsdale to Trevor's in Burks Falls

At least my body finally feels a little more rested when I wake up. I can move my legs and feel they’ve healed, my head feels clearer, I can handle today. I woke up twice in the night. Once around 1am, one of Tammy’s horses escaped (we were warned) and was happily grazing by the trailer. I was in a deep slumber but alarms went off when I heard grazing near me.. at first I thought one of our guys had escaped. I woke Jewel up, I wasn’t sure if this was the same horse that Tammy told us would kick and bite. Jewel grabbed him and he was fine being led back to the pen. We checked on the horses, they were fine. We went back to sleep. I woke a little while later to a whinny. It didn’t sound like Ora. I heard movement. That horse probably got out again. Nope.. I shine my light towards our two on the highline. Ora is way further down the highline. As I walk closer, I see her left hind leg is caught around her lead rope. She is calm, much calmer than the last time this happened. I was calmer too. I rubbed her head, and soothed her as I unhooked her lead and her head and leg were free. She seemed okay. The line had become slack and I tightened it and went inside. I was angry. Unless I set alarms for Jewel, I’m always the one worried and checking on the horses in the night. It’s not that she needs to worry, but I feel all the responsibility lies on me. If I hadn’t heard the whinny.. who knows what had happened. I guess even that was chance. I had told Jewel to raise Ora’s lead rope. Twice. “Its too low Jewel.” So I went inside and woke her up. This couldn’t wait till morning. “Jewel. Ora was tangled. Again. I told you to raise the lead rope. And you didn’t. And I’m the one out there fixing it. You can’t leave it that long!” She mumbled something “Is she okay?” Yes I assured her and she passed back out.

I had raised both their leads and so I slept better too. The best sleep I had had in 5 days. The last four were in tents and restless. We took our time, and just as we were about to leave, it started raining. We waited it out in the trailer, and Joseph got a ride from Erika’s Dad, Clarence. We set out on our way. A highlight was I found my water bottle I had lost! I spent all morning looking for it. I knew I left it on Melissa’s trailer but couldn’t find it. 500 Meters down the road, I spotted it in the ditch! Yay!

Barry and Monica Patterson found us along the road and stopped by to say hi! They generously donated to both us and guide dogs. But as always, the most immediate impact we feel is the positive emotional support people bring. Especially familiar faces from our home town. #GoGrimsby!

The day continued like most days. Hills, gravels, talk about random things. Jewel and I both agreed today was better than yesterday. Around 1:30 the rain started. And the lightning, and the thunder. Ken happened to drive by and took the few packs we did bring with us and no longer needed. Jewel and I set out into light rain. It grew harder. We got closer to town, and it continued.

We stopped for Tim’s and were stopped by Brandon, a reporter for the newspaper. It was just chance we ran into each other as I hadn’t gotten around to calling him. We interviewed under the tree.. I didn’t have my oilskin on, just my white t which quickly got soaked through. The rain just got worse as the interview went on. We left to people pulling their cars over and yelling out their windows that there were Tornado warnings. We crossed a bridge and were on a stretch with highway on and off ramps. There was no gravel shoulder, and Lux was having a day off from boots which I regretted. The wind started picking up with the bangs and flashes and that’s when it got scary. The sky was so dark. But it was the wind that made me nervous. We cantered and trotted all the way to Trevors. I was thinking to myself, “should we have stopped at a shelter in town? Did we make a wrong decision?” I guess it only becomes the wrong choice when it doesn’t work out. We didn’t get struck by lightning. We didn’t get swept away in a tornado. So I guess we were okay. We sat sobbing wet but at least inside with Trevor. The power had gone out so we chatted till Tammy and Ken got in.

We changed in to our dry clothes and then Linda and Bill picked us up. Linda is a LFC foster guide mom. She currently has two yellow pups. We had a delicious dinner with them and lots of puppy love. We were going to have pizza, but we told Linda it had been our main meal this past week, and we were so happy to eat a variety of salads and yummy cheeses. The power came back on and I can hear the four of them playing cards in the living room. I’m in the bunk bed, reflecting on time, this trip. We’re 3 months in today. It feels more like 6. 93 days. My friends and brother are at Osheaga, a music festival I’ve gone to the last three years in Montreal. I knew last year I’d outgrown it. But still, can’t help feeling jealous and nostalgic they’re there jamming now. A year ago, if someone had told me I’d be sitting in a cottage in Burks Falls with strangers I would have laughed and said ya right. I can’t believe it’s August. I can’t believe I’ll be 24 soon. Time has taken on a new meaning. And although it seems to go faster and faster, I seem to have a better grasp that things don’t need to happen right now. The good things take time, and I’m slowly becoming more patient. Slowly.