Heading Home

The road trip officially comes to an end today, and I would say that I got a lot done in my visit to Thunder Bay. There's always work to be done no matter where I go, but there were some good laughs, some great lunches, and a number of people who made the visit far more than just "work visit". However, that also means that I'll have to plan a trip to be out here again next year, so I'm sure I'll be visiting the shores of Lake Superior once again in 2027 and I'm already looking forward to the trip!

I will say that if you do happen to be in Thunder Bay, you want to hit an amazing restaurant named The Sal. A couple of co-workers hyped it up by talking about the great food they have, and I am here to tell you that they were spot-on with their reviews. I wasn't all that hungry when we visited, but I ended up getting the "Loaded Grill Cheese" - bacon, cheddar, swiss, crushed mozza sticks, garlic aioli on rye - and it was the kind of comfort food that I needed on a road trip!

The burgers were huge, the crispy fries were served in solid portions, and the clubhouse sandwich ordered by my colleague looked like it needed a forklift to pick up. I don't usually give restaurant reviews for the simple reason is that my palete isn't your palete, but there were enough good offerings at The Sal that everyone can find something they like. Make no mistake that there will be a regular visit to this great restaurant whenever I'm in town! It was so good!

Before I get out of town and hit the highway, I did want to make mention of a new battle that long-time hockey host and interviewer Christine Simpson is facing as she revealed that she has breast cancer today. Christine was formerly with Rogers Sportsnet, but did not have her contract renewed in 2024 after establishing herself as one of the premiere interviewers in the game. Today's announcement sucks to see, but she stated that doctors caught it early and that "they’re very optimistic about my outcome". Obviously, I'm in Christine's corner.

I never met Christine, but she always seemed so positive in her professional work. I've never heard anyone say anything negative about her either, so this leads me to believe that she's a genuinely upbeat and fun person to be around. I'm hoping Christine kicks cancer's butt and it's too afraid to ever return. She should be working in hockey still, so maybe we'll see that after she wins this fight!

I'm already late getting on the road with some last-minute work I needed to complete, so I'm off now. It should be a quick jaunt heading west back to Winnipeg, and I'm already looking forward to getting home and seeing Meg, the furball, and getting back into the routine of life. It's been fun in Thunder Bay on this road trip over the last few days, but there's always something to bring me home!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!