Down the Seaboard.

Summary.  Days 30-31, July 31-August 1.  Drive from Providence, RI to Baltimore, MD, sightseeing in Baltimore.

Details.  As noted in the prior post, the sightseeing portion of the trip is largely over, and now it is traveling long distances mixed in with family visits.

The devil you know…..While the specter of the I-70 drive has been looming the whole trip, I’ve been sort of unconcerned about it….hell, we’ve driven KC to B’More and KC to Utah (and back each way) before, so those devils are well known.  What wasn’t known was the drive down the eastern seaboard.  Until it was upon us, that is.  The drive from Portland to Providence took us down I-95, the primary artery running down the seaboard.  It wasn’t all that bad, at least until we hit Boston.  The ever-reliable GPS (against which I’m apparently powerless) took us through the middle of Boston.  What a mess.  It was the middle of the day, so traffic was likely not all that heavy, at least by comparison to the rush hours.  We only came to a complete stop a few times, so maybe that’s a victory.

This experience got me sort of concerned about the trip from RI to Baltimore, which goes through the New York City area.  I talked to a guy in Providence who told me how the NYC stretch could be a real parking lot, and suggested a couple of alternatives.  I read a bit about the NJ Garden State Parkway, in which posters suggested the “Park” portion of the name was appropriate, i.e., traffic stoppages were apparently pretty common.  So in contrast to my sheep-like following of the GPS in past days, I concocted my own route largely bypassing the NYC area.  This route basically took I-287 across the Tappan Zee Bridge north of the City and continued a bit west into NJ.  It was a good 30-40 miles out of the way, but was designed to avoid the worst of the NYC metropolitan area.

So, we started off about 6 AM, an early start but late enough to (hopefully) miss rush hour.  The first part of the drive was pretty nice, with trees lining the interstate and moderate traffic.  Within about 50 miles of the NY turn off onto I-287 signs of trouble began to appear–overhead electronic signs warned of an accident ahead.  The GPS screen started showing the same thing, with the mechanical voice providing a verbal warning.  We took the suggested detour and…..ran into another wreck on CT-15, the alternate route.  Probably 30 minutes lost in working through this, but I got back on my I-287 route, with the rest of the NYC-area drive open and uneventful.

While not the motivation, my alternate route through NY/NJ missed a bunch of toll roads.  However, I still spent $14 on tolls to go with an equal amount the day before.  And the NJ Turnpike section of I-95 was one of the messiest, ugliest stretches of interstate you can find (and that is saying a lot).  On the other hand, I did sort of hear the Sopranos theme song in my mind on this drive.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDDkCiUhHCc

Lunch stop on the NJ turnpike. The rumble of machinery, idling trucks and interstate traffic noise provided an appropriate backdrop to the uninspiring scenery.

Family visits.  The point of stopping in B’more was to see Sara and meet her friend Chris.  We did both on Wednesday night, meeting at Hamilton’s Tavern in B’more for dinner.  Amazingly, I took no pictures!  But it was fun, and the Gals were (mostly) good.  On Thursday, we had dinner with Sara and her friend Lisa.  This time I took pictures.  We went to Iggy’s Pizza in the Mt. Vernon (I think) neighborhood.  A very pet friendly restaurant, where dogs are allowed indoors.

Golden convention at Iggy’s–Balley (unrelated, on the left), Lola and Maddie.

Pre-dinner family picture.

K and Sara at Iggy’s.

Sara and Lisa at Iggy’s.

Culture and education.  In all the times we’ve been to Baltimore, we’ve never visited Ft. McHenry.  This is the location of a battle during the War of 1812 that inspired Francis Scott Key to compose the poem that would become the Star Spangled Banner.  It was very interesting and inspiring in its own right.

Cannons at Ft. McHenry National Historical Monument.

Gals on the outside looking in at the National Monument.

Beer(s) of the day(s).  Watermelon Wheat (yes, really) from Hamilton Tavern in Baltimore and Sam Adams’ Latitude 48 IPA from the White Marsh liquor store.

Uber-obnoxious vanity plate of the day.  “SWANKY-1” on a Hummer.  A Hummer.  Speaks for itself.

Next up.  The I-70 odyssey begins.  Baltimore to Indianapolis, IN, to Kansas City, MO to Grand Junction, CO and finally home.  A day at a time.

History lessons.

Mentor and protege in downtown Providence, RI.

Summary.  Days 28-29, July 29-30.  Drive from Portland, ME to Providence, RI, sightseeing in Providence.

Details.  The original schedule for July 28 was a drive from Hancock, ME to Providence.  But the early departure from Hancock changed this to a short three hour drive.  So we spent a bit of the morning looking around Portland, primarily at the Eastern Promenade, which occupies the farthest eastern portion of Portland’s peninsula, and contains a beach, park area and views of Casco Bay.  July 29 was spent sightseeing in Providence.

Lure of the water.  One thing evident on this trip is the way that water lures people.  Oceans, bays, lakes, doesn’t matter.  If there is a body of water, people will flock to it.  We were on the walkway along the Portland bay on a cloudy, misty 68-degree Monday morning and there were people sitting / walking on the beach, looking for shells, kayaking, etc.  This is all fine for those that enjoy, it, but it’s not my thing.  Mornings along the coasts are frequently foggy and moist.  Lakes mean humidity and mosquitoes in the summer, and “lake effect” winter snows in northern locales.   Now I remember why I moved to the desert.

Portland beach on a cool, cloudy Monday morning. Apparently clothing optional, at least for these little kids.

History in Rhode Island.  The visit to Providence reminded me how much interesting history is in evidence in our east coast states.  The first place visited was a National Memorial to Roger Williams, the founder of Providence in 1636 (!).  Williams was a champion of religious freedom and the separation of church and state, something the nut jobs in the Middle East should embrace.  Williams named the city in honor of God’s “providence,” while he personally died penniless.  A visitors center and a nice green space highlighted the Memorial.

Green space in the Roger Williams National Memorial.

Eight foot tall hydrangea in the green space. Mine never looked like this.

Downtown Providence also features the “Independence Trail,” a 2.5 mile loop which highlights historical sites in the city and is marked by a green line painted on sidewalks.  (The Williams Memorial is contained within this loop).  We followed the Trail for a bit, constrained by canines panting in the 80 degree temps.   There were many items of interest.  I liked the story of the Gaspee http://www.gaspee.org/ considered one of the events leading to the Declaration of Independence.  There is also the first Baptist church in America, dating back to 1638 and established by Roger Williams, and a number of historical memorials.

First Baptist Church in Providence.

Lots of historical stuff to see–I’d forgotten how much fun that is.

Next up.  The dread of the I-70 drive grows with each day.  After the visit to RI, the sightseeing on this trip is essentially done.  Heading to Baltimore next (our third visit there this year) to see Sara and meet her friend Chris.  It’s always fun to see the kids, so that will be OK.  But then the 2,300 mile drive back to Utah begins.  Fortunately, it’s broken up at about the halfway point by family visits in Kansas City.  At this point, we can put away the GPS–the directions are real simple.  Drive I-70 west until it ends by turning into I-15.  Get off I-15 at exit 8 in UT, and we’re just about home.  Looks easy on paper.

Blue skies (for a change).

It was a long journey, but Mads finally made it coast to coast.

Summary.  Day 26, July 27.  No travel, sightseeing in Acadia National Park.

Details.  Fortunately on many fronts, the weather improved greatly for our visit to Acadia.  The rain moved out for a day and it was downright sunny and warm in the afternoon.  We went to Bar Harbor, then Acadia, then back to Bar Harbor for dining with dogs.  The latter is always an adventure.  Of course, on a Saturday in late July, we had plenty of company, especially in the Park.

Hancock, ME, where we were staying, is about 5 miles from Bar Harbor–however, travel time is about 45 minutes.  The reason is that Hancock sits across the bay from Bar Harbor, so the straight line distance is short, but the road route is relatively long.

National parks are typically not dog friendly–paved areas are frequently OK, but dogs are almost always prohibited from hiking trails.  Acadia fit this bill.  Most of the Park is located on Mount Desert Island, which showcases a variety of scenery including Cadillac Mountain, shorelines, woodlands and lakes.  We spent most of our time viewing the sights available from the Park Loop Road.  Not much otherwise to say about Acadia…..pictures are much more effective at communicating the beauty.

Acadia shoreline view #1.

Shoreline view at Acadia, #2.

Acadia shoreline view #3.

We also managed to get a family picture, thanks to a fellow traveler.

Family picture at Acadia.  K is not really strangling the dogs, threats notwithstanding.

One of the attractions along the Park Loop Road is “Thunder Hole.”  I can’t really explain it, but according to the Acadia website…..”When the right size wave rolls into the naturally formed inlet, a deep thunderous sound emanates. The cause is a small cavern formed low, just beneath the surface of the water. When the wave pulls back just before lunging forward, it dips the water just below the ceiling of the cavern allowing air to enter. When the wave arrives full force, it collides with the air, forcing it out, resulting in a sound like distant thunder.”  We had plenty of company in waiting for the phenomenon.

A large crowd hanging around Thunder Hole.

Finally, we drove to the top of Cadillac Mountain as the last attraction along the Park Loop Road.  Fortunately, we had a nearly clear day, and the views were outstanding.

One view from Cadillac Mountain.

Dining with dogs, again.  With the warm weather, the plethora of eating establishments in Bar Harbor and the dearth of choices in Hancock, we sat outside at a casual eatery in the tourist area of Bar Harbor for dinner.  The dogs were pretty good–tired from the sightseeing, most likely.  Everything was calm until a chocolate lab showed up and I didn’t see it in time to prepare.  A bit of chaos ensued, but was quickly calmed.

Beer(s) of the day.  With no real schedule and a warm afternoon, sitting outside in the restaurant (the name escapes me) sampling some ME beers held some attraction.  Tried three different local brews, an amber ale, a pale ale and the Allagash White Ale.  All OK, but none outstanding.

Next up.  Another rest / sightseeing day in Maine.

Dog days

Mads enjoyed the view from atop Mt. Philo.

Summary.  Day 24, July 25.  No travel, sightseeing near Burlington, VT.

Details.  Today was a typical vacation day with dogs.  Don’t get up too early.  Get out of the hotel room by 9:30ish.  Do stuff outdoors most of the day.  Come back to the room late afternoon, eat and take a nap.  (The dogs, that is.  I went to the fitness center).  Miss out on some stuff that would have been interesting, but wasn’t dog-friendly.

When we checked in on Tuesday, a nice young hotel employee asked if we had plans, said he grew up in the area, and made some very good suggestions for activities while we’re here.  Yesterday we did the recommended activities near Stowe, VT.  Today we took his advice to hike up Mt. Philo and enjoy the views of the surrounding countryside.  It was cloudy yesterday, but a gorgeous sunny day today.  The hike wasn’t real strenuous…..it was in deep shade, so it was cool and pleasant.

K and the dogs on the Mt. Philo trail.

Mt. Philo is only 968 feet above sea level, but as they say about West Virginia, “everything is relative.”  The views were very nice–Lake Champlain is the body of  water in the view, with the Adirondacks further in the background.  Vermont farms dominate the foreground.

Mt. Philo view #1.

Mt. Philo view #2.

K in an Adirondack chair, looking out over…..well, the Adirondacks, while keeping the dogs in line.

If we’d taken some food and a couple of books, this could have been an all-day location.  As it was, we headed down and went to Shelburne Bay park, at Lake Champlain.

View across Lake Champlain from Shelburne Bay park.

Mads at Shelburne Bay park….looking a bit tired after her hike up Mt. Philo.

And that was pretty much it.  Visited a coop farm store and bought some stuff.  Took K to an antique shop, where she seemingly spent forever.  Drove old US 2 back west a bit, then returned to our hotel.  Would have liked to visit the Shelburne Museum http://shelburnemuseum.org/ but it doesn’t appear to be dog friendly.  Such are the trade-offs of vacations with dogs.

Reflections on Vermont visit.  We’ve spent just a couple of days in the Burlington area, and seen very little of the State.  But K and I agree that this has been one of the high points of the trip.  The northwestern section of the State features a mixture of well kept farms (the best description of the area housing and farms was provided by a local, who says they are “tidy”), forests, and even some mountains.  Stowe, VT, where we visited yesterday is actually at the base of a ski mountain.

Vermont does not appear to be very densely populated, and has no really large cities (recognizing this is a relative term).  The capital city of Montpelier has about 8,000 residents, and the Burlington area something less than about 225,000 (Burlington itself is less than 50,000).

Of course, my favorable impression was perhaps influenced by the cool summer days.  And while it can get hot–last week it was apparently in the 90s–high temperatures in the 70s during summer appear to be more the norm.  The flip side is the cold winter–the record low temperature in VT was -50 back in 1933!  So, I guess I could summer here, but would need to be out by the time the leaves were dropping in the fall.

Beer of the day.  Harpoon Summer Beer.  The packaging says it is brewed in Boston and Windsor, VT. and they claim to be New England’s largest craft brewer, started in 1986.  I recall having Harpoon beer at Fenway many years ago, so this all sorta makes sense.

Christmas in July.  Actually this should be “Festivus in July.”  We ate carry-out Panera for dinner while the Seinfeld Festivus episode was on.  As I say with many of the series episodes, I really like that one.  Featured the “two-faced” woman, the “Human Fund,” and other side plots.  Vacation evenings with dogs are about as classy as daytime activities.

Next up.  We should complete the US 2 drive tomorrow, covering the balance of VT, crossing NH, finally arriving at our lodging in Hancock, ME on the Atlantic coast.  Three nights in ME, then heading down the Eastern seaboard.

Hexakaidecagons

Mads gets tired after a bit of hiking.

Summary.  Day 23, July 24.  Sightseeing day in VT.  Pioneers Day in UT.

Details.  A very nice day of sightseeing.  With nothing going on, we spent much of the day in Smuggler’s Notch State Park in Stowe, VT along with some stuff in surrounding areas.  Cloudy weather, with temperatures ranging from the upper 50s to mid-60s made for a cool, pleasant day.

The name “Smuggler’s Notch” arose from a time that goods were smuggled between the U.S. and Canada when trade was banned between the two countries (the Embargo Act of 1807).  Given the proximity to Canada, this ban created great hardship for VT residents with limited economic alternatives.  The “Notch” area contains numerous caves suitable for hiding or storing contraband.  One of these is accessed via a short trail off of VT 108, or the “Mountain Road.”  It was windy, foggy and 57 degrees when we made the trek.

Low hanging clouds at Smuggler’s Notch.

Family picture on the trail, taken by a friendly fella.

We also hiked down by a nice creek and falls, also within the Park.

Falls in Smuggler’s Notch Park.

Haunted bridge.  Vermont has something like 100 covered bridges.  The one we visited is allegedly haunted.  (See http://www.emilysbridge.com/).  Not much a tourist trap, as it wasn’t that easy to find and there was no admission and nothing being sold there.  Not everyone was scared, though.

Mads was unconcerned about the history and legends of the bridge.

The Round Church.  This is located in nearby Richmond, VT.  Constructed between 1812 and 1814, the workmanship is really nice.  Each pew has its own doorway, and built in cabinets line the inside walls.  It is not technically round, but has 16 sides.  Someone in TripAdvisor had apparently held her wedding there.  Her review said something to the effect that since the church has no heat, she wouldn’t recommend a winter wedding.  Well, duh.

FWIW, a 16-sided object is called a hexakaidecagon.

Canine meltdown.  Today did feature Lola getting really stressed.  I think the reason was that we had a cooler in the back, with ice, water and a couple of soft drink cans in it.  The contents sloshed and rolled around while driving.  For some reason, this unusual sound really bothered LoLo.  She started standing up on the center console (rather than lying on it), looking around and generally being nervous.  A sudden stop (we were going very slowly) caused her to lurch forward and move the shifter into neutral.  K got very agitated, and climbed from the front seat to the back while the car was moving, trying to pull Lola back with her.  I haven’t seen anyone do that in ages, other than maybe on TV.  Somewhere along the way, Lola also turned on the hazard lights.  As Kramer might say, it was a real brouhaha.  Maybe even a donnybrook.  Man, I wasn’t aware that K knew all those bad words.

Lola resting comfortably after the offending cooler was silenced.

Spending local.  Today we bought some VT maple syrup, Green Mountain coffee (Waterbury, VT), and Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream (Stowe, VT–but note Ben & Jerry sold out to Unilever a few years ago).  Plus, of course, I guzzled some more Otter Creek Hop Session Ale today.  That, along with the 12% tax on my hotel bill, should help add to the local economy.

Up next.  Another day of lounging and sightseeing, before heading to Maine on Friday–and the end of US 2.

Bonus miles

Summary.  Day 22, July 23.  Syracuse, NY to Burlington, VT, 234 miles plus 40 bonus miles, total 274 miles.

Details.  Today was a travel day, with a modest distance to be covered.  We hoped it would be a scenic trek, through the Adirondack Region of northern NY and into VT, with the relatively short travel time designed to provide some time to spend sightseeing.

In truth, it was a fairly bland drive.  Part of this was the weather–we were dogged (no pun intended) by rain through most of the day.  When it wasn’t raining, it was overcast and somewhat dreary, at least until we arrived in Vermont.  As a result, we really didn’t get out and explore the area.  In fairness, the portion of the Adirondack region we saw featured deep woods, multiple lakes and rivers and was relatively sparsely populated.  So others spending more time in the area, in nicer weather, would likely have a much different impression.

Our route started on I-90 out of Syracuse, exiting to NY 8 through the Adirondacks, and then catching I-87 north and crossing into VT to VT 7 towards Burlington.  Following are a few pictures along the way.  WARNING–Pretty much all of these pictures are lousy.  A gray day, poor vantage points and limited camera equipment (read: iPhone) all contributed…..along with the skill level of the photographer.

K and friends having a Tim Horton’s muffin in a park in Ohio, NY.

The sign said this was a “Scenic View” at the West Canada Creek off NY 8.

Ditto this one–this time just past the town of Speculator, NY.

When we hit I-87, it was raining pretty steady.  But at least we were dry, in contrast to the owners of these.

The riders were (apparently) a family of four. Last I saw them, they were hunkered down at a rest stop.

We passed through an Amish section just after getting on NY 8, and saw a few horse-drawn buggies.  I tried to take a picture of one as I was driving, but whiffed, getting only an image of the roadside.  K later told me the Amish don’t like to be photographed, so maybe there was some karma at work.

Bonus miles and entry into VT.  I’m sorta embarrassed to admit this, but I had another tussle with the GPS on the drive.  I’ve simply got to look at the map ahead of time and make certain I agree with the route.  The issue this time was rooted in the fact that Lake Champlain divides NY and VT.  The Lake is really big–it extends north to Canada and extends well south to border much of the Adirondack region.  Of course, to enter VT from NY, one must cross Lake Champlain.  The GPS decided the best way to do this was with the Charlotte-Essex ferry.  I had no desire to take the ferry, not knowing the schedule, the cost or whether dogs were allowed.  Of course, I figured this stuff out as we were just about to the ferry.  Fortunately, a local C-store worker directed me to the Champlain Bridge, about 20 miles back the way we came, with the route winding along the coast of Lake Champlain.  (Running note–when getting lost in a race or on a training run, the additional miles covered are known as “bonus miles.”  This explains why most events I enter are run in circles).  So we retreated and crossed the Lake the old-fashioned way.  The detour was actually a pretty nice drive.

Lake Champlain from the VT side.

Surprisingly, once we entered VT everything changed–the sun came out and the scenery was very pretty.  This portion of VT was very rural, with neatly kept farms all along the way.  By the time we entered a more populous area and reached our hotel, it was sunny and warm.  I hope it stays that way for a few days.

Beer of the day.  After a few days of brews from large (but not mega) brewers, today featured Otter Creek Hop Session Ale.  Named after a major stream in the state, Otter Creek is brewed in Middlebury, VT.  “Hop session ale” is advertised as being between a pale ale and an IPA.  It is tasty.

Next up.  In the middle of our cushy stretch, we have three nights in VT (technically, we’re in Williston, VT, a suburb of Burlington).  So we will have two days of purely sightseeing before heading east to Maine.

The ‘Cuse

Mads really likes the ‘Cuse, but it’s too late–I’ve written my last tuition check.

Summary.  Days 20 and 21, July 21-22.  No travel–hanging around Syracuse.

Details.  Rest days on this trip are decidedly low key and restful.  K caught up on the laundry, I spent a bunch of time on the hotel elliptical, we visited with our son Chris and his friend Amy and toured the Syracuse campus.  So it was (mostly) fun.

Dogs lounging on Sunday rest day.

As noted, the reason to depart the US 2 route was to visit Chris and Amy, along with seeing Syracuse (the city and the campus, but mostly SU).  We toured the campus early Sunday afternoon.

Iconic view of the Syracuse campus.

Who wouldn’t want to go back to college?

Dogs lounging on campus. K, Chris and Amy in looking on.

And, notably, after multiple years and multiple canine road trips, we had yet to have a meal at a commercial establishment–carryout was the rule.  But Chris located some pet-friendly outdoor dining venues, so we decided to give it a shot.  And, surprisingly, it went pretty well.

Dining with dogs at Sunday brunch.

Happy dogs at dinner Monday night.

Finally, a few (mostly) people pictures.

K and Mads at dinner.

Chris and Amy Monday evening.

Chris and me at dinner Monday evening.

Beers of the day(s).  I’ve gotten a little sloppy in recounting the beers of the day.  Lately I’ve been stuck on seasonal brews, including Sam Adams Summer Ale and Sierra Nevada Summerfest, not exactly local craft brews.  But I did enjoy some Syracuse IPA from the Middle Ages Brewing Company when dining with the dogs this weekend, which definitely fit the “local” bill.

Definitely the most low-key two day stretch of the trip.  Except for…..

Spousal conflict again.  K and Chris went to some bookstore today.  K bought more books.  What a surprise.  I’m sure there’s room for them in the car.  Somewhere.

Next up.  A relatively short (under 300 mile) drive through the Adirondacks to Burlington, VT.  This will be another three-nighter and a chance to see a bit of Vermont, a state neither K or myself have ever visited.

Sequestration

Summary.  Day 19, July 20.  North Bay, Ontario to Syracuse, NY.  (USA, BABY!)

Details.  As noted in yesterday’s post, today we would depart the true Great Norther / US 2 route to visit our career student son in Syracuse.  (Chris is working on his doctorate.  He is, notably in the world of career students, largely self-sufficient, but then he’s always been the low-maintenance twin.  Sara is the other side of the “maintenance” coin).

Notwithstanding  the Mapquest-estimated 7.25 hour travel time, I insisted on leaving at 6 AM.  I was just sure the trip would take much longer, especially given the reentry procedure into the US, which I was estimating at one to two hours.  In deciding the return route, I again ignored the thousands of years of development of the human’s ability to analyze and reason, and instead turned our fate to the artificial intelligence of a $99 GPS device.  It (correctly) took us along Hwy 17 to approximately Ottawa, then directed us south towards the border and crossing back into the U.S.

While yesterday’s travel was sort of a grind….today’s started nicely.  Hwy 17 from North Bay was rural, quiet and scenic, and with E Street radio on XM, it was downright pleasant.  We also discovered the Tim Horton’s food chain, which features (among other things) muffins and coffee.  Muffins can, of course, be very filling.  We stopped at a nice roadside park for breakfast.

Saturday AM breakfast stop.

K and the Gals enjoying a Tim Horton’s muffin.

Reentry into the U.S.  The Thousand Islands Bridge crossing at Alexandria Bay is one of the 10 most-used of the border crossings…..some info said that two hour waits were not uncommon.  So when the crossing came into sight, I was relieved that it really didn’t look too bad……I could see the gates, and it looked like maybe 15-20 cars were ahead of us, six lanes wide.  Being a bit compulsive, I decided to use the stopwatch feature on my cheap running watch and see what the time at the actual gate amounted to, car by car.   (I really like to measure stuff: money, time, distances, heart rates……hell, just about anything).  A few of the cars took three-plus minutes!  What the hell could they ask a guy like me about for three minutes?  I could tell my life story in that length of time.  And what did this mean for total crossing times?  Fortunately, some cars only took a minute.  I’d guess they were the U.S. citizens returning to the States.  So, four cars before we hit the gate, government efficiency struck.  Dude in the booth just moved an orange barrel in front of our lane (only) and disappears.  All the other lanes keep moving.  WTF?  How do you choose what lane gets screwed?  When are you coming back?  Is this a Cosmo Kramer problem, and you’re afraid of “missing your chance”?  Is this sequestration?  (Probably good I wasn’t measuring blood pressure during this time).  After 10 minutes, the guy came back, moved the barrel and we proceeded.  We were in the one-minute group, and while I really wanted to ask a snarky question about the delay, my years dealing with the IRS persuaded me otherwise.  Snipping at a government employee in a position of power over you rarely works out well.

A very nice park awaited us after crossing back into NY, USA.

USA! USA!

There were actually picnic tables available, but we opted for lunch at the curb.

Spousal conflict.  K is very easy to get along with, but conflicts can arise over this long of a trip.  K spends much of her riding time sleeping or reading (the latter something I’ve never been able to do.  Damn motion sickness).  She has finally embraced e-books, after a lifetime of collecting the physical variety, primarily in hardback form.  With an e-book library in the hundreds, why would she bring a bunch of physical books on a road trip where the car is already jam-packed?  All of the car door pockets are stuffed with books, and her bags are full also.  I don’t get it.  Plus, while we’re well into the Eastern time zone, her wristwatch remains on mountain time.  Neither of these are logical.  It’s a good thing I’m so low-key and easy to get along with.

Vanity plates of the day.  A shout out to Ontario dog lovers with this one:  “4 2PUPS”.  Then there was the guy at the interminable border crossing with Ohio plates proclaiming, “IM CDN 2”.   A shout out to dual citizenship, I suppose.

Classic cars.  Turns out our visit to Syracuse matched up with the Syracuse Nationals, a big show for classic cars.   There are about four hotels in the neighborhood of our Residence Inn, and gleaming autos were everywhere.  Many were muscle cars of the 60’s and 70s, there was a classic T-Bird, lots of really old stuff.  One of my neighbors has (I think) a Dodge Challenger.  So I sent them a picture of this “sister car,” a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda.

1970 Barracuda. The owner says he has about $100k (!) in it–a frame up restoration.  The plates say “Vitamin C” in reference to the color.

Up next.  While the last few days have collectively been mundane, this starts the cushy part of the trip, featuring three straight destinations with three night stays at each.  We’ll spend much of the next couple of days visiting with Chris, seeing the Syracuse campus and taking the dogs out to eat with us.  All relaxing, except maybe that last part.

Eh?

Summary.  Day 18, July 19.  Sault Ste. Marie, MI to North Bay, Ontario, approximately 275 miles.

Road trip minutiae.  The “Great Norther,” or the US 2 route, is actually a bit disjointed rather than being a continuous drive.  US 2 ends in St. Ignace, (apparently) becomes I-75 up to Sault Ste.Marie, and then is reincarnated as Hwy 17 in Canada.  It then morphs back into US 2 at the far eastern edge of New York upon re-entry from Canada.  We remained consistent with the suggested route up to North Bay (and will for part of tomorrow), but will exit the US 2 surrogate tomorrow, Day 19, just before Ottawa.

Details.  Not much to tell.  Pretty nondescript day of travel, with the scenery not looking much different from the past few days.  Today did feature a nasty traffic accident that closed Hwy 17 and rerouted us to a one-hour detour.  FIW, Hwy 17 is a major artery though Ontario, and closing it was seemingly a big deal.  So we got a tour of rural Ontario.

The day started with….rain.  Take the dogs out in the rain, load the luggage in the rain.  The smell of wet dog in a relatively small auto space.  Annoying, but not a big deal.  The rainy / stormy weather does bother Lola a bit.

Lola looking nervous, with both the storms and the awaiting car.

Mads getting ready. She’s not nervous about much of anything.

Lawless Canadians?  I always thought of our northerly neighbors as a being a law-abiding bunch.  Generally, the stats seem to bear this out, although it varies by type of crime.  The rate of murder with firearms is much higher Stateside, while the Canucks rate much higher in the bribe-paying index.  (Really.  See http://www.nationmaster.com/compare/Canada/United-States/Crimecom for crime stats).  But I didn’t see anything on speeding.  My limited sample says that Canadians completely ignore posted speed limits.  Most of the two-lane highway speeds are 90k/hr (about 56 MPH) and four-lane highways 100k (62 MPH).  I opted for general compliance (maybe 5-10k/hr over) and was pretty much holding up all of the locals.  On the flip side, you can pump gas before paying for it at many stations, unheard of in the U.S.  Pretty trusting, eh?

The “Ugly American.”  K thinks Canada should change from the confusing metric system to the more logical miles and feet, and should increase the speed limits.  I told her I thought sovereign nations could decide their own measurement system and traffic rules.

Zoning.  North Bay, ON seems to have something in common with smaller U.S. cities, that being the lack of attention to zoning.  We were in a nice, relatively new Holiday Inn.  Bordering us were a Home Depot and a Chevrolet dealership.  I guess this would have been helpful if I needed a shovel or oil filter for this trip, but some kind of restaurant would have been more helpful.

Next up.  A very brief stay in Canada, re-entering the U.S. in New York tomorrow.  A bit nervous about the re-entry into the U.S.  Leaving Sault Ste. Marie for Canada, we immediately crossed the bridge over the St. Mary’s river.  Only one lane open, but a short wait for entry into Canada.  Good to have such fine neighbors to the north.  We’ll see how it goes getting back into the U.S.

Pasties

Summary.  Day 17, July 18.  Manistique to Sault Ste. Marie, MI.

Travel details.  Day two of the poorly planned trip through Michigan.  This was an intentionally short trip (less than 150 miles) so that we could enjoy the U.P. and specifically the coastal drive along Lake Michigan.  Turned out there were a couple of problems with this: 1) It rained like hell starting just before I loaded our luggage, raining through the morning and 2) The coastal drive wasn’t that entertaining.

Morning view of Lake Michigan from Manistique, MI.

I don’t mean to sound ungrateful or unappreciative, but I just didn’t find the U.P. all that compelling, rain or shine.  It is bordered by really big lakes, and you can stop and look at them.  Absent canine companions, you could take a ferry across to Mackinac Island.  And maybe it would have been more attractive on a sunny day.  As it turned out, it started raining about 9 AM or so.  The rain let up and we did some sightseeing in the St. Ignace, the city adjacent to Mackinac.  We visited a very interesting memorial to Jacques Marquette, a 17th century Jesuit explorer of the area, and had a picnic (with our mosquito friends) in the area, before heading up to Sault Ste. Marie.

Canine matters.  The rain did more than soak me as I loaded our excessive luggage (K’s toiletry bag alone could induce severe lumbar disorders.  Don’t ask about the clothing inventory).  It also made Lola nervous.  LoLo is nervous about a lot of things, and weather is high on the list.  The move to the desert has been fine for her from that standpoint–it rarely rains, and when it does there is little thunder.  Today’s storm featured thunder and lightning, enough to make a nervous dog uncomfortable.  Once she got in the car in her position on the console, she was fine.  Madeline is fine, rain or shine.

Phantom cyclists.  I read in the KC paper that the Sy-Fi channel was doing a sort of ghost-hunting project at the Elms Hotel in Excelsior Springs, MO.  The season ending episode and the “reveal” describing their findings was on Wednesday night before we left for Sault Ste. Marie.  So I guess I had the paranormal in mind when the phantom cyclists appeared on US 2.  I swear, K and I both saw them, riding in the rain.  I thought it might be fun to get a picture of the poor bastards pedaling in the inclement conditions, so I slowed down to 35 MPH so K could take a picture.  This is what we got:

Not a trace! Note the road shoulder, but no cyclists. K couldn’t have missed the picture, could she?

Pasties.  Signs advertising “Pasties” were all over the place on this drive.

K wanted to investigate getting some pasties.

Turns out it is some kind of a meat and vegetable combination, wrapped in dough.  Sort of like the Calzone that George Steinbrenner favored in the Seinfeld episode.  The pasty is apparently favored by those of Finnish extraction along with others in the area.

Sault Ste. Marie destination.  Our short travel time had us arriving at our hotel in Sault Ste. Marie by mid-afternoon.  Generally, I don’t see much point in getting to our lodging that early, but it was a manifestation of the poor planning for this two-day stretch.  So we checked in, then headed downtown to learn a bit about the area.  Turns out there are two cities with the same name, one on the MI side and one on the Canadian side.  Strangely, “Sault” is pronounced “Soo” on both sides of the border.  And there are a bunch of businesses with this name, such as “Soo Motors.”  The St. Mary’s River runs between the two cities, and features fast-moving rapids.  (“Sault” means “rapids” in old french).  To facilitate the movement of freight, the “Soo Locks” were constructed on the American side of the river to “tame” the rapids and allow ships to move through.  In fact, while we were there, a really big ship came through the locks.  (How is “really big” for precise language?)

Overall, a poorly conceived travel day, but not a disaster.  I learned about a few things: Jacques Marquette, the Soo locks, and pasties.  And that I probably won’t vacation here again.

Next up.  Crossing the border to Canada, where we will diverge from US 2 for the first time to head to Syracuse, NY.  Believe it or not, a trip to Canada is the fastest way to Syracuse from here.  Otherwise, we would have to drive way south, and around Lake Erie.  These are really big lakes!

Bridge to Canada from Sault Ste. Marie, MI.

Mads ready to head to Canada.