Day 22 and 23, Antigonish to Sheet Harbor to Coal Harbor, Nova Scotia

My apologies, with my slow internet and computer issues, I have attempted to load photos for 4 days, hence somehow, (yah right, it's me ), they are a little bit out of order. This pic is at the end of day celebration on day 23 of the relay at Cole Harbor, place, the home of Sydney Crosby, (no he was not there), but Rick Hansen and the lieutenant govenor of Nova Scotia, Mayaan E. Francis, and myself were there

Why don't we go back a few hours on Day 23 to a little town called Porter's Lake, about 28 km from Halifax, pop. about 3200, these people were genuinely excited to have us there at their community center, and once again, hot dogs and hospitality for all.

Jake posing with our medal bearer group at Porter's Lake, these people had incredible stories on how they make a difference in their community, volunteering and helping out on so many worthwhile causes.

When I let Jeff out at his designated spot to carry the medal, he decided to pick up a paper while he waited for the convoy to arrive.(usually one of our medal bearer attendants arrives right away)

Medal bearer breifing, we tell them Rick's story, tell them the logistics of the event, a little history of the medal, and then it is time for them to brag a bit, a tell us why they were chosen to be medal bearers.

When we left Antigonish on Day 22, September 14 for you people in the "real world", I snapped a pic of Dawn, one of our shuttle bus drivers outside the Antigonish correctional facility, a 22 bed minimum security prison built in 1948, it is right around the corner from our hotel

The Antigonish courthouse, old school , the kind you see in movies

Good-bye to the Maritime Inn, and no , it was not the best breakfast in town!

Jake, with some folks from the Sherbrooke Opportunities society, and I had a medal bearer breifing in the town of Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia, this was the coolest place, restored to an authentic 1860's to pre WW1 Nova Scotia village, it is the largest Nova Scotia museum site.

A panoramic of the warm-up dance, soon to be sweeping the nation, a little dance we started doing with the medal bearers to the tune of Katy Perry's Firework song, the reason you haven't seen any pics, is cause I am always shaking my booty, it is quite addicting.

Sherbrooke Post Office

A  proud mom and daughter in Sherbrooke

An actual working blacksmith shop in Sherbrooke, a lot of the townsfolks were in period costumes, something they do during the tourist season

This fellow rode this penny farthing bike with the Rick Hansen medal on, he real job is the blacksmith in town

Posing with some of the townsfolks

Passing the medal off to a young difference maker, she had her class come out and cheer her on!

Looking down one of the streets of Sherbrooke

The town surprised us by providing lunch at the local teahouse

I dare say , this was the best blueberry pie I have ever had, I tried to buy a couple to take with, but alas, there were none left to be had.

Another small town filled with friendly people, and they treated us royally

On the way to Sheet River, Nova Scotia

Randomly along the side of the highway, there was this kind of old ship graveyard

Crossing into Sheet Harbor, a town that dates back to the late 1700's currently with less than 1000 people

We place this sign up at all the medal bearer briefing spots

These first nation ladies honored us in Sheet Harbor with a traditional native drumming song about safe travels

A small but enthusiastic crowd in Sheet Harbor

Porter's Lake made up their own sign for the relay

After Sheet Harbor on day 22, it was time to hit the highway to Halifax. I get a kick out of some of the names of the towns in Nova Scotia, no disrespect intended!

Rush hour on the smaller highways in Nova Scotia

Back to Porter's Lake

Rick signing autographs in Cole Harbor. Whenever he shows up there is a huge line of people to see him, many with stories from when Rick wheeled through their area 25 years ago

Jake with a cake baked for the relay in Porter's Lake

Porter's Lake

Hank and Pat, another hard day at the office.

One last picture leaving Antigonish. I think I almost have this blog thing figured out, hopefully I can start firing the pics out faster, I am falling behind we are on day 27 and I have a zillion pics to upload.