12/4/2021
The expedition of 1 started out at 8AM as Tom drove into the morning sun. The boreal trees were numerous but gave way to more open spots of exposed granite known as the Canadian Shield. Most of these bald spots were due to logging the black spruce for lumber and pulp as the winds blew away the shallow roots that held it all together. Man’s obsession with paper and 4’x8′ sheets of OSB will someday turn Canada into another Chad: barren and ground, down to sand as the unimpeded acid rain wash the rock away. In the future, alien explorers will label our extinction as: The Tree People. About halfway thru the journey exists a huge, underground, hydroelectric powerplant whose reservoir extends hundreds of kilometers west at the headwaters of the Churchill River. Stopping at the spillway, the enormous thundering water pounded Tom’s chest as incredible volumes were regimentally released. Tom was mesmerized by the display while the little, invisible, black flies feasted on his exposed flesh. Months later, the puss-filled bites would finally heal and leave a burning memory. Just another reason why camping wasn’t in Tom’s vocabulary. As his journey was coming to its fruition, Goose Bay/Happy Valley and its purpose unfolded. Situated in a deep bay with access to the Atlantic Ocean, the Churchill River sent its captured electrical energy pulsating towards Canadian mines and American cities. It needed protection. The eastern Canadian Air Force is based here. The air strip was constructed in 1941 as a US war effort and is supplied with American fighter jets. The Trans-Labrador highway was constructed in 1992 and this land-supply-route is what Tom Foolery saw in 1996. The mission was complete. After spending a night in Happy Valley, the car was spun around, and Tom launched the Frenchie mobile back to Labrador City. The return trip was a bit shorter as his discovery stops were less frequent, now knowing that the greatest danger up here is a squadron of Canadian black flies.
Torked Truth 