Far North Rambles #32: My Head Map Is Broken

Far North Friday: My Head Map Is Broken: In my head, I visualize landmarks and the path, trail, or road I am taking. That is my head map. Perhaps it is a behaviour of someone who spent a lot of time navigating by map. But, there was one time when my head map broke and I spent 15 minutes driving around trying to figure out exactly where I was. It was a little embarrassing.

In late February 2005 and I drove with Andy Yesno (Eabametoong First Nation) to Fort Hope via the winter road. Once on the winter road, north of Pickle Lake, Andy would see people in the bush he knew. Andy would announce to me “wood cutter” or “trapper”. We would stop and he would chat with people, then we drove on.

After my visit with Eabametoong First Nation, I was on my own to drive back to Thunder Bay. I left under darkness, early in the morning, to capitalize on the “hard frozen” snow. At the Kabania junction, I had a decision. I could turn left the Pickle Lake and Thunder Bay or I could turn right and visit with Neskantaga First Nation at Lansdowne House. I chose to go right. After all, I had come all this way, I was in the neighbourhood, and if I didn’t visit, word would get out that I was so close and did not stop by. It was only a couple of hours away.

Now, the winter roads through the Boreal Forest are not like the winter roads in Northwest Territories that you saw on that TV show Ice Road Truckers. Those TV roads were wide and straight. The Boreal Forest winter roads are narrow and curvy - hardly big enough for two vehicles to pass, let alone a tractor trailer (see my video from a second winter road trip on 2011: https://www.youtube.com/watch…). I was glad it was dark because I would see the lights of the very few oncoming vehicles before we met. I met no other vehicles.

I had visited Lansdowne House, in the homeland of Neskantaga First Nation, several times. I had walked the community many times. But, this time, I realized that I did not have a clue where I was. I knew I was in the community, but my head map did not tell me “you are here, in front of ….”. My head map was a blank screen! I drove around and around. Still no head map. Now, I am not talking about being lost in Toronto, Thunder Bay or Winnipeg. I am talking about a community with one circular road and a crescent road attached. How hard can this be? Still no head map. I was completely lost. I kept driving around and around.

I thought “I am driving a white rental truck. No one will see me. I am camouflaged against the snow”. Then I remembered, no one arrives in a remote community, via the winter road, without hundreds of eyes locking on the vehicle. Especially a white, rental truck, being driven by an outsider, who keeps driving by their house about every 3 minutes!

Then, suddenly and mysteriously, my head map flashed to active. Bingo. There is the old band office. I stopped, went in, and sat with Thaddeus (rest in peace). It was election day, but Thaddeus called Incumbent Chief Peter, who came over to say “hi” (Photo below). I apologized for driving around and around. I suggested that perhaps no one had seen me. Chief Peter laughed and said “the whole community saw you - several times!” - or something like that. We chatted. We wished each other well, and I left to drive to Thunder Bay.

It is a strange feeling when my head map shuts down - especially in a small, remote, fly-in community, on a cold February morning, while driving a white rental truck. Yes, it was embarrassing, but it all worked out.

Andy Fyon, Sept 4, 2020 (Facebook, Sept. 4/20).

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