Trans Canada Expedition - Day 3

July 16, 2013

First day on the road, tough. Waking up as early as in the 3 morning, everyone packed, washed and loaded up, the trip delayed exactly 1 hours, causing a lot of confusion and plan mess up. Students, team captains, 2ICs and HQ members encountered many different issues and problems along the way. Too many unnecessary stops, inefficient time management, students wandering off everywhere, all a great lecture to our monticle family. These hiccups along the road helps us step closer and closer to reality checks, is 8 hours really possible for everyone to finish? Is 5:00 really sufficient time for everyone to wake up? Questions as such come up along the way, once again challenging the student’s adaptability, the quick problem solving, and time management. A simple test in water already has boggled many brilliant minds, but experience and knowledge came with the struggle. As students are writing their blogs, different groups are working hard on the plans, team captains and 2ICs (second-in-charges) try their best to manage the time as hours and hours were wasted on misconceptions, unnecessary stops and confusions. Tomorrow will be another day to correct the mistakes and do better.

Alan

Today is the first day move out day. We woke up at about 3:00 and pack our stuff we drove a really long time. We travelled 783 kilometers. We took of at abot 6:00am and arrived at about 6:00 pm. We had 5 pit spots in between.

Jason Wong

This morning we woke up at about 3:00 am and packed up our luggage and loaded everything on the sprinters. We had buns for breakfast. Before breakfast we cleaned hq. We drove for a distance of 783 km for 12 hours. We had 5 pit stops which are 3 washroom breaks ad 2 filling up the sprinters. For lunch we had ham sandwich. Then continued driving to our destination pancake bay. After arriving we set up the tents and brought our luggage to our tents.

Mickey

I think today is a bad day. I just sleep 3 hour! Even I sleep in car fo long time, but I stell tired. The ten hour in car I just want to say: boring, hungry, O, MY, GOD!” but our captain is very nice. But I still angry! Tonight I live with tree and something I don’t what is that! I halt them! I hope I can get out of this place soon.

Owen

This morning we were very tired which preparing our trip since we all woke up at 3:30am. We almost fell asleep while travelling on the car. When we arrived the campsite, it was 7 already. We needed to set up the tent that exactly what we ahd done yesterday. But the most worst was we couldn’t wash our clothes and when take a shower since it was going to rain. My clothes were stinky and my body was itchy because of the insects. OMG! My white pants were getting red! NO!

Kendra

Are we there yet? Are we there yet? That was what  was thinking in my head the whole day. After every pit stop, we still needed to drive 3 more hours. At the camp, i helped out with cooking and that was it. Currently I’m being swarmed by bugs. That’s it for today! By the way we are staying at Pancake Bay next to Lake Superior.

Marco

Today, we started moving. We rode a 10 hours ride. In the ride we had so much fun. When we got for lunch we ate it right next to the gas station. The lunch was ham or roasted beef sandwich. It was really tasty. After lunch we went to Pancake Bay to stay for the night. I didn’t need to set up the tent because I had to help Crystal to cook, it was fun, the dinner is chicken breast and corn with mash potatoes. I didn’t really like the mash potatoes because I hate mash potatoes. That’s all for today bye!

Justin Tang

Today, I woke up before I had a chance to sleep, after that I was on a ten hour trip to our first destination. While others could relax and enjoy themselves on the car. As the navigator, I have to pay full attention to whats happening around. It is no easy task, I have to focus myself on the road as well as keeping myself awake. Several times I was able to drag myself away from sleepiness. I was also wanted to pay my appreciation to the drivers, as their job are much more tiring then mine.

Kathy

Today was the third day in monticle. We cost 10 hours to get the sapan park. We went camping okay. We reached at the park at six 0’clock in the afternoon because somebody need to cook. There were just three girls to made the camp. Finally we mad the camp successfully with big!

The help of some boys the view by the way was so beautifully there were lots of forests besides the roads. At nights, we hade a good dinner some girls and boys cooked themselves. I really enjoyed them.

Grace

Today, we needed leave at 5:00 am, so we all got up at about 3:30 after we finished the cleaning, and loaded our bags. We started our long trip. It took about ten hors to arrive at the park. Four girls set u the tent because two helped prepare the dinner, are was taking pictures, and one needed to have meetings. It’s really rocky and sandy here so pegging down the pegs were difficult. Now after finished all the work, we are waiting for dinner.

Quince

Today was a very tiring and sleepy day. Everyone wake up at 3:30am we took off at 5:00am we didn’t do anything when we went to pancake bay. So it is very extremely board. I fell asleep 3 times when we go there. We travelled 783 km today we are going to travel more tomorrow. Bye.

Mireille

Today we finally go out of the office. Now we camp mean from Sault St. Marie. I wake up at 3 am and we go out at 5 am. We made about 5 stops and I stayed in the car during 10 hours. I hurt in my leg because I don’t have a much peace but it’s okay. During lunch we ate sandwich and dinner we ate mash potatoes and chicken corn. I help to cook.

Ryan Hoang

Today was the first day of our travels across Canada. We woke up at 3:00 am to pack up our stuff. I was ahead of them as I finished packing yesterday and only had to packy up my sleeping gear. After we cleaned up the HQ we ate breakfast at the HQ team finished packing the food and gear.

We then started our road trip with only 5 stops along way. At the beginning everyone was tired and sleepy but after near the end everyone was very energetic and we were singing songs from the radio.

When we arrived we started setting up our 4 tents as the cooking team started dinner. After the tents were set up we began to get our bags and find our tent mates for the night. We now prepare for the next day.

As the days are going on at night I reflect on what is happening at home because my mom told me to call her but I cannot as my phone is taken away. I am worried something has happened at home since it occurred before.

Howard

I feel sick. I feel heavily sick. But just saying this is confusing so I’ll have to start from the beginning.

The day start as the usual silent alarm brings the rotting zombies from their sleeping bags and into the usual work routine. We got up by 3 and are leaving Toronto by 6 after hussling early morning with packing and moving.

 Our journey was … chaotic with trip being elongated by a couple of hours. However the journey wasn’t horrible with  many great sights and fun on the road.

At night however, I was determined to help finish the leftovers which resulted in a gross vomiting scene. Next time I’ll make sure to watch my food conumptions.

Michael Fung

Today is mostly driving. We had travelled for mostly 12 hours, from 06:12 to 18:12, and a total mileage of 783 km. Basically, we have lots of delays and problems, including spending too much time in gas stops,  driving into gas stations in which the cost of diesels are comparatively high. Moreover, we also miscalculated the mash potatoes – we still have a quarter pot of them left after dinner. Anyway, as long as we are not delayed too much, and we have a great morale, then it should be fine. For example, I just let the team play some card games in order to add some entertainment and interaction – so that the teammates will get used with communication between each other. Moreover, as long as the drivers have sufficient sleep, we should be able to move on. OMG, the mosquitoes are biting us like crazy! I will keep you guys updated tomorrow! Perhaps before the sun sets! Stay tuned! Good luck!

Jason Wang

            If today’s events could be summed up with three words, those words would be  long, stressful and close. Long would be one word used to describe today as we spent majority of the day inside the sprinters, moving place to place. Stressful would be a second word used to describe the events of today as we were getting used to the new jobs and tasks of this camp, thus we had to work twice as hard to maintain the Monticle standards. Close, even though it is the opposite of long, is the final word I would use to describe today as we had many close calls and almost went completely off schedule as the close proximity each individual had to sit beside one another while on the sprinters. Well, I will cut this blog even shorter than normal as I’m being eaten by a swarm of bugs.

Jennifer Wang

Frankly, I feel like a disappointment. I hear and see a lot of things that most people might miss, or not even think about, not to be pretentious or anything.

It’s tough to be first, and I didn’t know until the day was almost over that I was in charge of the entire convoy and all of their doings for the entire day. I doubt any of the other captains and 2 ICS=’s knew either but I hope they can learn from my mistakes today, which I have passed onto there all.

Could it be just coincidence that Pancake Bay group camping ground was sandy with a base layer of rock? It took us much longer to set up than use thought and since we were so unorganized, I was the one who took the blame that is responsibility . My responsibility. Now that we have truly diversified our investments, tomorrow will hopefully run more smoothly.

My words are short and meaningful, small and powerful, and they are true and honest.

Tiffany

Theres really nothing much to say but, mosquitos. As I am typing this I am being eaten alive by countless amount ofmosquitos

Mike

Today was our first day of camping+movement, and we arrived at Pancake Bay (does not sell pancakes), where we entered the provincial park to set up our tents. Upon arrival, new were greeted by mosquitoes.  Tons and tons of mosquitoes who just bit everyone, with or without their bug spray. Apart from the mosquitoes, there is also an upcoming storm, hope it doesn’t rain.

Matthew

Today we left HQ at about 0530 towards our first destination, Pancake Bay Provincial Park. We drove about 900 km which was about 10-13 hr drive. When we arrived at the park, we spent about half an hr assembling the tents and an hour or so cooking and preparing the food. Team Captains and 2IC’s had another meeting with Billy and this time we talked about having each one of us (Team Captains and 2IC’s) be in charge of one of the jobs: navigation, safety, cleaning and blogs. Unfortunately we had lots of mosquitoes last night which pretty much stung most of us to death. There was also a crazy thunder storm last night which soaked some of the students belongings. Hope tomorrow is a better day.