Day 18 & 19 Windsor to London to Kitchener

Okay, my son wanted to see a map of where we have been on the 2015 Pan-Am torch relay. So I found this post card, that has a lot of lines that are similar to where we have been so far, (at least on the left of the C.N. tower)

Random day 17 shot in Tecumseh, looking down the tracks towards Windsor.

One last look at the "home away from home" for one night, the Holiday Inn in Windsor.

as it fades away in my side rear view mirror

My partner and host, Haley gets the torchbearers practicing their exchange of the flame. Today we were in a community centre in the town of Essex, Ontario, population about 19,600.

Another pic of the graduating class of torchbearer 101

The relay went through one of our last school stops of the relay, this time in Essex. (It's going to be hard to keep the school stops up when they are on summer vacation.)

Our second meeting point of the day was in London, Ontario. (population around 360,000)  Our 2nd meeting point was at the tourist information center. Behind the center was a little pond, including a lot of water lilies, and lily pads.



The left side of the lake

the right side

I can guarantee this will be a one and only torchbearer group by the lake shot

Not always a lot of support on the road for the torch bearers, but support just the same.

I can see the police closing in on me, (why do I always feel so guilty?) It was still a great end of the day in London, Ontario.

The real end of day was taking my shuttle bus to Vouageur bus lines in London. They are the ones that loaned the shuttle busses to the relay. It was over due for service, and the air conditioning fan wasn't working!

That's only one row, this company had a gazillion busses, I'm sure they are not missing the 3 shuttles they loaned us.

Back at the hotel, the flame is being put to bed in these lanterns. There is safety in numbers.

Day 19 in Windsor. This is our last school start of day celebration for the relay

The gym was full, and you could feel the energy, especially when the Pan-Am mascot, "Pachi", got the kids going.

Day 19, I was back on the media pace motorhome cruising between London and Kitchener-Waterloo. The morning looked like it could be a soggy day, but  it improved as we moved on.  

We have a lot of sponsor stops, including this one at one of the OLG, (Ontario Lottery, and Gaming Corporation), casinos.

Next stop, downtown Ingersoll, population just over 12,000

and then it was on to historic Stratford, population about 30.800, and the home of the Stratford Shakespeare festival. Today, a pontoon boat carried the torch along the Avon river, to this island, and walk bridge.

Our next insertion point of the day (where we drop off the first torchbearer), was at the Tavistock O.P.P. (Ontario Provincial Police HQ)

and the first torchbearer in Tavistock  was with  the antique fire truck, flame? torch?

small town west coast boy (me) always impressed to see the water towers

We like to think nothing can stop the relay, but then reality sets in, like this train, which temporarily set us back 10 minutes.

our lunch celebration for day 19 was in Woodstock, population about 38,000

Like I have said before, some communities get it right, and Woodstock was one of them. They made it into a community event and was well attended.

Getting close to the end of celebration in Kitchener-Waterloo, population around 477,000. CIBC is one of the relay's major sponsors

Sometimes I cannot seem to download the pictures in order. This is swan on river in Stratford, about 20 pics and hours ago on day 19.

We had a community stop at Sir Wilfred Laurier University in the afternoon. Although school was not officially in, there was still a strong turn out. Sir Wilfred, check this link.

Day 19 ended in downtown Kitchener.

We are always ahead of the torch, and end of day found me behind the  stage as I parked the media motorhome. While the celebration was going on, I spied the Pan-Am flame in the cauldron on stage through a narrow gap behind the scenes.

The show must go on, but I humbly listened behind the goings on.

I drove the great orange creamsicle to our home away from home for one night only, the Holiday Inn in Kitchener. , next stop, Burlington.