September 20, 2010
Today was a travel day. The weather was clear, but cool. We had only 113 mile to travel today, so we didn't leave Shelburne until 10 am. We traveled in groups of 2 or 3 rigs, ans spaced out our departure times so that we all didn't arrive at our destination just outside of Montreal, all at one time. We left Shelburne, and in a few miles, took a bridge across part of Lake Champlain to a group of islands in the middle of the northern part of the lake. We traveled this road for about 40 miles. The scenery was beautiful. The only problem was that there were no places where we could stop and park to view some of the scenic views. Most of the rigs stopped for fuel before we crossed the border into Canada, as fuel is a lot cheaper in the US. Fortunately, we have a large enough tank that we won't have to get fuel until we get into New Hampshire. During our trip today, we discovered that our CB Radio was not performing as it should. Fortunately, one of our group is a Radio Geek. We spent a couple of hours working on it and found that the cable between the CB and the antenna was bad. Our friend had all the tools and parts to make repairs, so now the CB is working correctly. We have a busy day planned with a bus tour of Montreal. They tell us it will last about 13 hours.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Days 33 – 34
September 18, 2010
Today was a very nice day. The sun was shining, but it was a little chilly. We started our day with a tour of the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory. Our group had there own tour guide. She was very informative, and it appeared that she spent more time with us, as the next tour had to wait for us to finish. After the tour, everyone stopped at the gift shop and bought lots of Teddy Bears. After the Teddy Bear Factory, we went to the Shelbourne Museum. It is a somewhat unconventional Museum, It is a conglomeration of art, design, and Americana. There was an old round barn that was 3 stories tall. It was moved to this location from it’s original spot a few miles away. One floor had quilts that were made by families or caregivers of folks with Alziemers. Another floor had pottery and ceramics, and the top floor had old Carousel Animals. Outside there was a huge building with Circus artifacts, an old train station, one room school, Steam Locomotive, and a personal train car. A Blacksmith Shop and several other period shops. Also on site was the 220’ SS Ticondaroga. An old paddle wheeler that sailed on Lake Champlain. Then we headed back to the RV Park where we had a little free time. We had our usual Social Hour before going out for LEO (Let’s Eat Out). We car pooled to a restaurant for dinner.
September 19, 2010
We awoke to cloudy skies and a few drizzles. It was also cool. We headed out to Shelburne Farms. The farm was established in 1886 as the model agricultural estate of William Seward and Lila Vanderbilt Webb. The farm grew to approximately 4000 acres. It is located on the west coast of Vermont, overlooking Lake Champlain. Today, it is about 1400 acres, and is nonprofit environmental education center, working farm, and National Historic Landmark. The farm also maintains a herd of Brown Swiss Dairy cows. They make there own cheese on site. There is also a Bakery, Woodshop, and Renaissance School located in the Farm Barn. The Main house is now a 24 room Inn. It is open to the public, and there is a restaurant there that serves Breakfast and Dinner daily. The Inn has a great view of Lake Champlain. Our group was given a private tour of the farm via a wagon. Of course, after we left the Farm, the weather cleared up and turned into a beautiful day. After the farm tour, we went back to the RV Park for lunch. We then had some free time. When we arrived in Shelburne, we passed a Christmas Store, so we decided to go see what they had. Needless to say we didn’t leave empty handed. We then went back to the RV Park for Social Hour and a Travel meeting for tomorrow’s Travel Day to Montreal. After the meeting, we went into Burlington, VT, where we boarded the 144” Eathan Allen III for an evening dinner cruise on Lake Champlain. The boat carries 426 passengers, but beside the 32 people in our group, there were only 7 others passengers on board, but our group were the only ones to have dinner. We also had a piano player serenade us all evening, we even had a sing-a-long at the last part of the cruise. We also got to see the Inn at Shelbourne Farms from the Lake. The cruise lasted 2 ½ hours. New York State is on the west side of the lake, and we had a great view of the Adirondacks.
Today was a very nice day. The sun was shining, but it was a little chilly. We started our day with a tour of the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory. Our group had there own tour guide. She was very informative, and it appeared that she spent more time with us, as the next tour had to wait for us to finish. After the tour, everyone stopped at the gift shop and bought lots of Teddy Bears. After the Teddy Bear Factory, we went to the Shelbourne Museum. It is a somewhat unconventional Museum, It is a conglomeration of art, design, and Americana. There was an old round barn that was 3 stories tall. It was moved to this location from it’s original spot a few miles away. One floor had quilts that were made by families or caregivers of folks with Alziemers. Another floor had pottery and ceramics, and the top floor had old Carousel Animals. Outside there was a huge building with Circus artifacts, an old train station, one room school, Steam Locomotive, and a personal train car. A Blacksmith Shop and several other period shops. Also on site was the 220’ SS Ticondaroga. An old paddle wheeler that sailed on Lake Champlain. Then we headed back to the RV Park where we had a little free time. We had our usual Social Hour before going out for LEO (Let’s Eat Out). We car pooled to a restaurant for dinner.
September 19, 2010
We awoke to cloudy skies and a few drizzles. It was also cool. We headed out to Shelburne Farms. The farm was established in 1886 as the model agricultural estate of William Seward and Lila Vanderbilt Webb. The farm grew to approximately 4000 acres. It is located on the west coast of Vermont, overlooking Lake Champlain. Today, it is about 1400 acres, and is nonprofit environmental education center, working farm, and National Historic Landmark. The farm also maintains a herd of Brown Swiss Dairy cows. They make there own cheese on site. There is also a Bakery, Woodshop, and Renaissance School located in the Farm Barn. The Main house is now a 24 room Inn. It is open to the public, and there is a restaurant there that serves Breakfast and Dinner daily. The Inn has a great view of Lake Champlain. Our group was given a private tour of the farm via a wagon. Of course, after we left the Farm, the weather cleared up and turned into a beautiful day. After the farm tour, we went back to the RV Park for lunch. We then had some free time. When we arrived in Shelburne, we passed a Christmas Store, so we decided to go see what they had. Needless to say we didn’t leave empty handed. We then went back to the RV Park for Social Hour and a Travel meeting for tomorrow’s Travel Day to Montreal. After the meeting, we went into Burlington, VT, where we boarded the 144” Eathan Allen III for an evening dinner cruise on Lake Champlain. The boat carries 426 passengers, but beside the 32 people in our group, there were only 7 others passengers on board, but our group were the only ones to have dinner. We also had a piano player serenade us all evening, we even had a sing-a-long at the last part of the cruise. We also got to see the Inn at Shelbourne Farms from the Lake. The cruise lasted 2 ½ hours. New York State is on the west side of the lake, and we had a great view of the Adirondacks.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Day 32
September 17, 2010
Today we had a short drive, about 37 miles, from Stowe to Shelbourne, VT. We started the day with a travel meeting. As this was our first travel day, there were a lot of instructions and explanations. The morning was cool and cloudy, after rain that began yesterday afternoon and went on into the night. We has a few showers in the first part of the trip, but as the day went on, the clouds began to clear and we actually saw the sun. We had a lighting problem on our tow car, so I took our free time this afternoon to make repairs, and Corinne caught up on laundry. We have tours lined up for the next couple of days. Looking forward to the nice weather that is forecast for the weekend.
Today we had a short drive, about 37 miles, from Stowe to Shelbourne, VT. We started the day with a travel meeting. As this was our first travel day, there were a lot of instructions and explanations. The morning was cool and cloudy, after rain that began yesterday afternoon and went on into the night. We has a few showers in the first part of the trip, but as the day went on, the clouds began to clear and we actually saw the sun. We had a lighting problem on our tow car, so I took our free time this afternoon to make repairs, and Corinne caught up on laundry. We have tours lined up for the next couple of days. Looking forward to the nice weather that is forecast for the weekend.
Days 31 - 32
September 15 - 16, 2010
We are in Shelburne, Vermont. Our tour started on Tuesday with get acquainted meeting and what was expected of us on the tour. Lots of first time people on the tour. We have sixteen rigs or thirty-two people including the four leaders. We have already had two days of tours. Wednesday was a bus tour of the state capitol building and then lunch at the New England Culinary Institute. What a treat. Chicken with some sauce and baby vegetables and a great potato dish. They also served a maple cheesecake and our leader is going to give us a copy. Then the tour continued to the Rock of Ages Granite Quarry. Their pit is two miles wide by four miles wide and ten miles deep. They say it will take them 4,200 years to use it all up. It is a gray granite mine. They make head stones and monuments, arches or anything you want. It was neat to watch the engravers doing their work. We even went to a cemetery that has lots of their work. Lots of unique things. The next day was local tours. 1. Maple Syrup farm, 2. Cider (Apple) Mill where we watched them make cider and go to drink some fresh. 3. Glass blowing studio where we watched the owner make a glass bowl and of course I had to buy some of his things. 4. Ben and Jerry's Ice cream factory for a tour and a "free" sample of Mint Chocolate Chip Ice cream. Very good as it wasn't too minty. 5. Cabot Cheese Factory Store. We had been at the factory four years ago and saw them making cheese. This was the annex and they just sell here. Of course they had lots of samples and of course we had to buy some of the cheese. In the same parking lot was also a kitchen store so we also left some money there buying sever clever goodies to help in the kitchen. There was also a New York Chocolate store but we didn't go in as it was VERY expensive and nothing special. Then after a short time back home for lunch we headed off on a drive to Smuggler's Notch. It is a break in the mountains and also has lots of skiing lifts. You could see the runs cut through the trees. Some also took a hike up to see waterfalls but we didn't go as it was getting dark and then started to RAIN again.
We are in Shelburne, Vermont. Our tour started on Tuesday with get acquainted meeting and what was expected of us on the tour. Lots of first time people on the tour. We have sixteen rigs or thirty-two people including the four leaders. We have already had two days of tours. Wednesday was a bus tour of the state capitol building and then lunch at the New England Culinary Institute. What a treat. Chicken with some sauce and baby vegetables and a great potato dish. They also served a maple cheesecake and our leader is going to give us a copy. Then the tour continued to the Rock of Ages Granite Quarry. Their pit is two miles wide by four miles wide and ten miles deep. They say it will take them 4,200 years to use it all up. It is a gray granite mine. They make head stones and monuments, arches or anything you want. It was neat to watch the engravers doing their work. We even went to a cemetery that has lots of their work. Lots of unique things. The next day was local tours. 1. Maple Syrup farm, 2. Cider (Apple) Mill where we watched them make cider and go to drink some fresh. 3. Glass blowing studio where we watched the owner make a glass bowl and of course I had to buy some of his things. 4. Ben and Jerry's Ice cream factory for a tour and a "free" sample of Mint Chocolate Chip Ice cream. Very good as it wasn't too minty. 5. Cabot Cheese Factory Store. We had been at the factory four years ago and saw them making cheese. This was the annex and they just sell here. Of course they had lots of samples and of course we had to buy some of the cheese. In the same parking lot was also a kitchen store so we also left some money there buying sever clever goodies to help in the kitchen. There was also a New York Chocolate store but we didn't go in as it was VERY expensive and nothing special. Then after a short time back home for lunch we headed off on a drive to Smuggler's Notch. It is a break in the mountains and also has lots of skiing lifts. You could see the runs cut through the trees. Some also took a hike up to see waterfalls but we didn't go as it was getting dark and then started to RAIN again.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Days 28 - 30
September 11, 2010
We awoke to another beautiful clear day. We broke camp and headed for Montreal. We had a pleasant drive until we hit Montreal. The freeway was bumper to bumper, almost all the way across downtown due to a traffic accident. Then it moved ok for a couple of miles until just before a tunnel under a river that we had to take. Then it was bumper to bumper through the tunnel and until we hit the next freeway interchange, where most of the traffic cleared. We just relaxed and did laundry for the rest of the day. Our main reason to stop in Montreal at this time is to visit the Botanical Gardens, as we will be returning here in about 10 days with our RV Caravan for a four day visit.
September 12, 2010
We knew that two days of sunshine in a row was too much to expect. We woke to solid cloudy skies, cold & wind. We did make our trip to the Botanical Gardens despite the on and off showers. We spent several hours at the gardens, then headed back to the rig for dinner. At 7 PM, there was a Japanese Lantern Festival at the Gardens that we had planned to attend, but about the time we were planning on leaving to go back to the Gardens, the sky opened up. Needless to say, we stayed home. Tomorrow, we head back into the states to meet up with our RV Group in Stowe, VT.
September 13, 2010
Another day of cloudy skies. It started to sprinkle as we left the campground. We had a pleasant drive with on and off showers for most of the trip, but the rain stopped just before we arrived at our destination. We stopped in Waterbury, VT for fuel. It looks like we can make it on the first part of our tour without having to buy fuel in Canada this time. After we settled in, we met our Tailgunners, then the sun came out in time for Happy Hour. The last of the rigs arrived during Happy Hour, and the Wagonmasters showed up just before Happy Hour. They were doing another tour in New York City. They put on a Breakfast for that group this morning in Jersey City, NJ, then drove straight through to Stowe, VT. We have 2 Staff rigs and 14 Customer rigs in the group. Not too big. Tomorrow is the official starting day of the tour. We will have our rigs inspected and have a group orientation to get thing started.
September 14, 2010
Today is the first official day of our tour with Adventure Caravans. The only official activity is our Orientation this afternoon. Everyone introduced themselves, told a little about their lives & interests. A rundown of what to expect on the tour was given, by the wagon masters.
In the morning, folks went shopping, or just explored the area. Did we mention that we had rain?
September 15, 2010
This morning started out early. A tour bus came into camp, and we were on the road by 8:30. Our first stop was at the Morse Farm Sugar Works. We had a presentation by the owner on how they collect sap and turn it into Maple Syrup. There were samples and the obligatory gift shop. Then, we went to Montplier, VT and took a tour of the State Capitol. After the Capitol, we went to the New England Culinary Institute for lunch. After a great lunch, our servers, who are students there, told us a little about themselves and their schooling there. Then the head Chef came out and spoke to us. We got on the bus again and went to the Rock of Ages plant in Barre, VT. They are the largest manufacturer of Granite Monuments. We picked up a guide on our arrival and went up to the Granite Quarry, where we were able to see the workers cutting Granite. This is the largest Gray Granite quarry in the world. The size of this quarry is 2 miles X 4 miles X 10 miles deep, and has been mined since the mid 1800’s. They say that it will take n4200 years to completely mine this Quarry. After leaving the Quarry, we stopped at a cemetery a few mile down the road. Most of the monuments there were manufactured by Rock of Ages. You may have already guessed, yes, it rained today.
We awoke to another beautiful clear day. We broke camp and headed for Montreal. We had a pleasant drive until we hit Montreal. The freeway was bumper to bumper, almost all the way across downtown due to a traffic accident. Then it moved ok for a couple of miles until just before a tunnel under a river that we had to take. Then it was bumper to bumper through the tunnel and until we hit the next freeway interchange, where most of the traffic cleared. We just relaxed and did laundry for the rest of the day. Our main reason to stop in Montreal at this time is to visit the Botanical Gardens, as we will be returning here in about 10 days with our RV Caravan for a four day visit.
September 12, 2010
We knew that two days of sunshine in a row was too much to expect. We woke to solid cloudy skies, cold & wind. We did make our trip to the Botanical Gardens despite the on and off showers. We spent several hours at the gardens, then headed back to the rig for dinner. At 7 PM, there was a Japanese Lantern Festival at the Gardens that we had planned to attend, but about the time we were planning on leaving to go back to the Gardens, the sky opened up. Needless to say, we stayed home. Tomorrow, we head back into the states to meet up with our RV Group in Stowe, VT.
September 13, 2010
Another day of cloudy skies. It started to sprinkle as we left the campground. We had a pleasant drive with on and off showers for most of the trip, but the rain stopped just before we arrived at our destination. We stopped in Waterbury, VT for fuel. It looks like we can make it on the first part of our tour without having to buy fuel in Canada this time. After we settled in, we met our Tailgunners, then the sun came out in time for Happy Hour. The last of the rigs arrived during Happy Hour, and the Wagonmasters showed up just before Happy Hour. They were doing another tour in New York City. They put on a Breakfast for that group this morning in Jersey City, NJ, then drove straight through to Stowe, VT. We have 2 Staff rigs and 14 Customer rigs in the group. Not too big. Tomorrow is the official starting day of the tour. We will have our rigs inspected and have a group orientation to get thing started.
September 14, 2010
Today is the first official day of our tour with Adventure Caravans. The only official activity is our Orientation this afternoon. Everyone introduced themselves, told a little about their lives & interests. A rundown of what to expect on the tour was given, by the wagon masters.
In the morning, folks went shopping, or just explored the area. Did we mention that we had rain?
September 15, 2010
This morning started out early. A tour bus came into camp, and we were on the road by 8:30. Our first stop was at the Morse Farm Sugar Works. We had a presentation by the owner on how they collect sap and turn it into Maple Syrup. There were samples and the obligatory gift shop. Then, we went to Montplier, VT and took a tour of the State Capitol. After the Capitol, we went to the New England Culinary Institute for lunch. After a great lunch, our servers, who are students there, told us a little about themselves and their schooling there. Then the head Chef came out and spoke to us. We got on the bus again and went to the Rock of Ages plant in Barre, VT. They are the largest manufacturer of Granite Monuments. We picked up a guide on our arrival and went up to the Granite Quarry, where we were able to see the workers cutting Granite. This is the largest Gray Granite quarry in the world. The size of this quarry is 2 miles X 4 miles X 10 miles deep, and has been mined since the mid 1800’s. They say that it will take n4200 years to completely mine this Quarry. After leaving the Quarry, we stopped at a cemetery a few mile down the road. Most of the monuments there were manufactured by Rock of Ages. You may have already guessed, yes, it rained today.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Days 24 - 25
September 9, 2010
Today we awoke to dark cloudy skies. As we prepared to leave for Ottawa, we experienced a few showers. We hoped that the day would clear as we traveled, but no such luck. The first 30 - 40 miles of our trip was in a very populated area. After we got through that, we were back into open farm land with few little towns scattered along the way. Quite a nice drive. We arrived at the RV Park, south of Ottawa. As we were registering, the Park owner said that they weather is supposed to be a lot nicer tomorrow. After settling in, it began to rain on & off into the evening.
September 10, 2010
Finally, we awoke to clear skies. A great day to go into Ottawa. As in Toronto, there was a lot of construction in the downtown area. Ottawa sits on the South side of the Ottawa River. Quebec is on the North side of the River, Canada's Parliament sits on the shore, overlooking the river. Quite a pretty setting. There is a green belt that runs west of downtown, along the river. It has a walking, riding, jogging path along the river. The river is quite wide, but appears shallow, as there were several rapids. There are a lot of Apartment/Condo buildings in the downtown area, and also lots of shops and eating places as well. It's pretty obvious that a lot of people live & work in this area.
Tomorrow, we travel to Montreal.
Today we awoke to dark cloudy skies. As we prepared to leave for Ottawa, we experienced a few showers. We hoped that the day would clear as we traveled, but no such luck. The first 30 - 40 miles of our trip was in a very populated area. After we got through that, we were back into open farm land with few little towns scattered along the way. Quite a nice drive. We arrived at the RV Park, south of Ottawa. As we were registering, the Park owner said that they weather is supposed to be a lot nicer tomorrow. After settling in, it began to rain on & off into the evening.
September 10, 2010
Finally, we awoke to clear skies. A great day to go into Ottawa. As in Toronto, there was a lot of construction in the downtown area. Ottawa sits on the South side of the Ottawa River. Quebec is on the North side of the River, Canada's Parliament sits on the shore, overlooking the river. Quite a pretty setting. There is a green belt that runs west of downtown, along the river. It has a walking, riding, jogging path along the river. The river is quite wide, but appears shallow, as there were several rapids. There are a lot of Apartment/Condo buildings in the downtown area, and also lots of shops and eating places as well. It's pretty obvious that a lot of people live & work in this area.
Tomorrow, we travel to Montreal.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Days 21 - 23
September 6, 2010
Sault Ste. Marie, ON to Sudbury, ON. As we broke camp this morning, it began to rain. We left the North shore of Lake Superior and started along the North Shore of Lake Huron, but we only got brief glimpses of the Lake, due to either distance from the water, or trees blocking our view. The majority of turnout areas are only suitable for cars. We had on and off rain for the better part of the day. This was just an overnight stop.
September 7, 2010
Sudbury, ON to Toronto, ON. We had some on and off rain overnight, and just as we were getting ready to leave the RV Park, the skies opened up. For the first 75 – 80 miles of today’s trip, we had lighting, thunder, and torrential rain. After the rain stopped, we had partial sun. By the time we reached Toronto, it was mostly sunny, but that didn’t last, as the forecast was for afternoon thunderstorms, and the skies began to cloud up again. The temperature when we arrived was 86 deg, the first time we have been above 60 deg in over a week. We also got internet service, although it is very slow, so we were able to do some catching up.
September 8, 2010
Toronto, ON. Today we woke up to on & off showers, wind, and a high temperature of 65 deg. We headed into the city area of Toronto. Lots of activity going on. It kind of reminded us a little of New York City. Lots of residential buildings as well as neighborhood shops & stores. Also a lot of new and remodel construction that created a lot of traffic problems. Went to the Provincial Legislature building. Saw a lot of the sites in the city center, as well as along the Lake Ontario waterfront. We just drove around, because there is no easy to access parking, and with on & off rain & wind all day, it was difficult to get out and just walk around. Tomorrow, we are off to Ottawa.
Sault Ste. Marie, ON to Sudbury, ON. As we broke camp this morning, it began to rain. We left the North shore of Lake Superior and started along the North Shore of Lake Huron, but we only got brief glimpses of the Lake, due to either distance from the water, or trees blocking our view. The majority of turnout areas are only suitable for cars. We had on and off rain for the better part of the day. This was just an overnight stop.
September 7, 2010
Sudbury, ON to Toronto, ON. We had some on and off rain overnight, and just as we were getting ready to leave the RV Park, the skies opened up. For the first 75 – 80 miles of today’s trip, we had lighting, thunder, and torrential rain. After the rain stopped, we had partial sun. By the time we reached Toronto, it was mostly sunny, but that didn’t last, as the forecast was for afternoon thunderstorms, and the skies began to cloud up again. The temperature when we arrived was 86 deg, the first time we have been above 60 deg in over a week. We also got internet service, although it is very slow, so we were able to do some catching up.
September 8, 2010
Toronto, ON. Today we woke up to on & off showers, wind, and a high temperature of 65 deg. We headed into the city area of Toronto. Lots of activity going on. It kind of reminded us a little of New York City. Lots of residential buildings as well as neighborhood shops & stores. Also a lot of new and remodel construction that created a lot of traffic problems. Went to the Provincial Legislature building. Saw a lot of the sites in the city center, as well as along the Lake Ontario waterfront. We just drove around, because there is no easy to access parking, and with on & off rain & wind all day, it was difficult to get out and just walk around. Tomorrow, we are off to Ottawa.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Days 19 & 20
September 4, 2010
Our drive today continued along the eastern shore of Lake Superior, from Wawa, ON to Sault St. Marie, ON. Today was still raining, but not as intense as yesterday. We actually got some pretty good views of the lake, and the sun poked through a few times. We arrived in Sault Ste. Marie in early afternoon. After settling in and eating lunch, we headed into town to get oriented. We then headed back to the motorhome for the evening.
September 5, 2010
Today, we actually woke up to some sunshine and no rain, but it was cool. We drove out to the little community of Gros Cap, on the shore of Lake Superior. They have a small beach area and a small marina with about a dozen boats. The ships coming from and going to the locks at Sault Ste. Marie pass through this area. We saw two while we were there. We then drove back towards Sault St. Marie and stopped at Point Des Chenes Park. This park had a long sandy beach with picnic tables on the sand, and grassy areas between the parking and the beach. Then it was back into town and a visit to the original lock in Sault St. Marie. It was completed in 1895, and was the last lock built to complete a sea lane from Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean. The locks are actually located in the St. Mary’s River that flows between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. The original locks, located on the Canadian side of the river, are now used only for recreational passage, but are closed for repairs at this time. The commercial locks are now on the United States side of the river in Sault St. Marie, MI. We toured the town somemore, then headed back to the rig for the evening. Tomorrow we head further east to Sudbury, ON.
Our drive today continued along the eastern shore of Lake Superior, from Wawa, ON to Sault St. Marie, ON. Today was still raining, but not as intense as yesterday. We actually got some pretty good views of the lake, and the sun poked through a few times. We arrived in Sault Ste. Marie in early afternoon. After settling in and eating lunch, we headed into town to get oriented. We then headed back to the motorhome for the evening.
September 5, 2010
Today, we actually woke up to some sunshine and no rain, but it was cool. We drove out to the little community of Gros Cap, on the shore of Lake Superior. They have a small beach area and a small marina with about a dozen boats. The ships coming from and going to the locks at Sault Ste. Marie pass through this area. We saw two while we were there. We then drove back towards Sault St. Marie and stopped at Point Des Chenes Park. This park had a long sandy beach with picnic tables on the sand, and grassy areas between the parking and the beach. Then it was back into town and a visit to the original lock in Sault St. Marie. It was completed in 1895, and was the last lock built to complete a sea lane from Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean. The locks are actually located in the St. Mary’s River that flows between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. The original locks, located on the Canadian side of the river, are now used only for recreational passage, but are closed for repairs at this time. The commercial locks are now on the United States side of the river in Sault St. Marie, MI. We toured the town somemore, then headed back to the rig for the evening. Tomorrow we head further east to Sudbury, ON.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Day 18
September 3, 2010
As we went to bed last night, we were looking forward to clearing and a nice drive around the North Shore of Lake Superior, after a day of rain yesterday. But, about 1 am those thought were shattered. It began to rain again. Thankfully, we got a short break about the time we had planned to leave Thunder Bay, to hook up the car, unhook the rig and hit the road. We had steady rain all day,and the weather report is for on and off rain through Sunday. We are in Wawa, ON tonight, and will head for a couple of days at Sault Ste. Marie, ON tomorrow.
As we went to bed last night, we were looking forward to clearing and a nice drive around the North Shore of Lake Superior, after a day of rain yesterday. But, about 1 am those thought were shattered. It began to rain again. Thankfully, we got a short break about the time we had planned to leave Thunder Bay, to hook up the car, unhook the rig and hit the road. We had steady rain all day,and the weather report is for on and off rain through Sunday. We are in Wawa, ON tonight, and will head for a couple of days at Sault Ste. Marie, ON tomorrow.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Days 16 & 17
September 1, 2010
Today we traveled from Ignace, ON to Thunder Bay, ON. It was beautiful day, mostly bright sunshine with a few scattered clouds and the temperature was good enough for shorts & t-shirts. We again passed multitudes of lakes. Many were as small as 1 acre or less, mbut there were several very large lakes also. As we approached Thunder Bay we got a great view of Lake Superior. Originaqlly, this was to be a one night stop, but we decided that we needed to do laundry, and just take a break. Fortunately with the washer & dryer in the rig, we were able to rest and do laundry at the same time.
September 2, 2010
We awoke this morning to gray & cloudy skies. By the time we were ready to set out on today's venture it was raining, and rained pretty much all day, sometimes heavy. Our first stop was at the Terry Fox Memorial. This is a tribute to a young Canadian Cancer patient. His cancer was in remission, and he had lost one leg, but decided to run across Canada from East to West. He made it as Far as Thunder Bay when it was discovered that his cancer had flared up again and he could not continue. He died shortly after that event. We then went to Kakabaca Falls. These falls are known as the Niagara Falls of the North. Very pretty. Fortunately, we only had a few sprinkles while at the falls. We then took an drive through Thunder Bay.
Today we traveled from Ignace, ON to Thunder Bay, ON. It was beautiful day, mostly bright sunshine with a few scattered clouds and the temperature was good enough for shorts & t-shirts. We again passed multitudes of lakes. Many were as small as 1 acre or less, mbut there were several very large lakes also. As we approached Thunder Bay we got a great view of Lake Superior. Originaqlly, this was to be a one night stop, but we decided that we needed to do laundry, and just take a break. Fortunately with the washer & dryer in the rig, we were able to rest and do laundry at the same time.
September 2, 2010
We awoke this morning to gray & cloudy skies. By the time we were ready to set out on today's venture it was raining, and rained pretty much all day, sometimes heavy. Our first stop was at the Terry Fox Memorial. This is a tribute to a young Canadian Cancer patient. His cancer was in remission, and he had lost one leg, but decided to run across Canada from East to West. He made it as Far as Thunder Bay when it was discovered that his cancer had flared up again and he could not continue. He died shortly after that event. We then went to Kakabaca Falls. These falls are known as the Niagara Falls of the North. Very pretty. Fortunately, we only had a few sprinkles while at the falls. We then took an drive through Thunder Bay.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Days 11 - 15
We apologize that there are no photos attached to the next posts. We have not had good internet and I keep getting dropped while attempting to upload photos.
Days 11-12 August 27-28, 2010
We traveled from Regina to Roblin, MB today. We stayed at a nice campground overlooking the Lake of the Prairies. Or primary reason for this stop was to visit with Gordon & Doris Mensch, members of our Church that live in Langenburg, SK, but winter in Hemet. We visited them at their home on the lake. After we settled in camp, we went over to the Mensch’s. Their two daughters also came to the lake for the weekend, so we had a great visit. After dinner, we went back to camp.
On Saturday, Gordon had arranged a tour for he & Bruce, of the Potash mine where Gordon used to work. On the way to the mine, we dropped Doris & Corinne off at the Mensch’s home in Langenburg, where Corinne got a tour of their town, and also did some shopping. Bruce & Gordon continued onto the mine where we had a great and very interesting tour. We spent 3 ½ hours underground at 3200 ft below the surface. We drove approximately 15 miles to get to the spot in the mine where they were actually mining the Potash ore. I got to bring home a sample of the ore that had just been cut. This ore is over 200 million years old.
After picking up Doris & Corinne, we had lunch then headed back to the Lake House to visit more and eat dinner. On the way back, Bruce got a bonus. As we were driving through fields of wheat we passed a combine harvesting the Wheat. Gordon asked if Bruce had ever ridden in a Combine, and he said no. It was into the field, chasing after the Combine. We caught up with it and Gordon got out to arrange a ride for Bruce. It was a great ride for one lap around the field. After arriving back at the Lake house, Bruce & Gordon went up to the Garden to harvest fresh veggies for dinner. Bruce thought he had lots of toys, but he doesn’t hold a candle to Gordon. He has 10 acres at the Lake to take care of.
After Dinner an more visiting we said our good-byes to Gordon, Doris, Twyla, & Tricia. We had a great visit and look forward to seeing them all again this winter in Hemet.
Days 13-14 August 29-30, 2010
Our drive today, took us from Roblin, MB to Winnipeg, MB. As we were breaking cap, it began to rain, but not bad enough to stop us from completing our tasks and getting on the road. Our first line of business was to get fuel, our first time in Canada this trip. Diesel was just over $3.50 per gallon as close as I can figure, as there fuel is priced by the Liter. Rain was on & off for the first 1/3 of the trip. We traveled through Riding Mountain National Park enroute. It began raining again just before our arrival in Winnipeg. After we got setup and the rain quit, it got warm & Humid.
On Monday morning, we were rudely awoken by a thunder storm, and it has rained on and off most of the day. There is another Alfa Motorhome in our campground. This morning, the owner came over and told us that he was having some problems and wondered if Bruce could help. He had recently purchased the rig and had no manuals for it. He ended up spending about an hour going over different things.
We had planned to take of tour of the city, but it was raining, so just drove around until we got tired of fighting the traffic. There were several accidents and jams due to the rain. We found a store near the campground and did some grocery shopping then headed back to camp. Shortly after we returned a huge thunderstorm rolled through for a couple of hours.
Day 15 August 31, 2010
We left Winnipeg under still cloudy skies, but we could see some clearing beginning to happen. After not too long, we left the prairie and farm land and entered the land of forests and lakes. For a while, it seemed like there was another lake around each bend in the road. Some large, and some very small. We arrived at our campsite in Ignace, ON, and are parked looking at Davy Lake. We will head for Thunder Bay, ON tomorrow.
Days 11-12 August 27-28, 2010
We traveled from Regina to Roblin, MB today. We stayed at a nice campground overlooking the Lake of the Prairies. Or primary reason for this stop was to visit with Gordon & Doris Mensch, members of our Church that live in Langenburg, SK, but winter in Hemet. We visited them at their home on the lake. After we settled in camp, we went over to the Mensch’s. Their two daughters also came to the lake for the weekend, so we had a great visit. After dinner, we went back to camp.
On Saturday, Gordon had arranged a tour for he & Bruce, of the Potash mine where Gordon used to work. On the way to the mine, we dropped Doris & Corinne off at the Mensch’s home in Langenburg, where Corinne got a tour of their town, and also did some shopping. Bruce & Gordon continued onto the mine where we had a great and very interesting tour. We spent 3 ½ hours underground at 3200 ft below the surface. We drove approximately 15 miles to get to the spot in the mine where they were actually mining the Potash ore. I got to bring home a sample of the ore that had just been cut. This ore is over 200 million years old.
After picking up Doris & Corinne, we had lunch then headed back to the Lake House to visit more and eat dinner. On the way back, Bruce got a bonus. As we were driving through fields of wheat we passed a combine harvesting the Wheat. Gordon asked if Bruce had ever ridden in a Combine, and he said no. It was into the field, chasing after the Combine. We caught up with it and Gordon got out to arrange a ride for Bruce. It was a great ride for one lap around the field. After arriving back at the Lake house, Bruce & Gordon went up to the Garden to harvest fresh veggies for dinner. Bruce thought he had lots of toys, but he doesn’t hold a candle to Gordon. He has 10 acres at the Lake to take care of.
After Dinner an more visiting we said our good-byes to Gordon, Doris, Twyla, & Tricia. We had a great visit and look forward to seeing them all again this winter in Hemet.
Days 13-14 August 29-30, 2010
Our drive today, took us from Roblin, MB to Winnipeg, MB. As we were breaking cap, it began to rain, but not bad enough to stop us from completing our tasks and getting on the road. Our first line of business was to get fuel, our first time in Canada this trip. Diesel was just over $3.50 per gallon as close as I can figure, as there fuel is priced by the Liter. Rain was on & off for the first 1/3 of the trip. We traveled through Riding Mountain National Park enroute. It began raining again just before our arrival in Winnipeg. After we got setup and the rain quit, it got warm & Humid.
On Monday morning, we were rudely awoken by a thunder storm, and it has rained on and off most of the day. There is another Alfa Motorhome in our campground. This morning, the owner came over and told us that he was having some problems and wondered if Bruce could help. He had recently purchased the rig and had no manuals for it. He ended up spending about an hour going over different things.
We had planned to take of tour of the city, but it was raining, so just drove around until we got tired of fighting the traffic. There were several accidents and jams due to the rain. We found a store near the campground and did some grocery shopping then headed back to camp. Shortly after we returned a huge thunderstorm rolled through for a couple of hours.
Day 15 August 31, 2010
We left Winnipeg under still cloudy skies, but we could see some clearing beginning to happen. After not too long, we left the prairie and farm land and entered the land of forests and lakes. For a while, it seemed like there was another lake around each bend in the road. Some large, and some very small. We arrived at our campsite in Ignace, ON, and are parked looking at Davy Lake. We will head for Thunder Bay, ON tomorrow.
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