http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/blackops/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from blackops en-us Sun, 27 Dec 2009 06:50:43 +0000 Sun, 27 Dec 2009 06:50:43 +0000 Day 63. 18319KmHome again home again.I got up just after 1100hrs and wrote my entries for the last couple days. Dad still has dialup so I had to wait till I got home to post them.Mom has always cooked a big meal for Sunday lunch and today was no different. She puts the roast in the oven before they leave for church so it is ready when they get home. I can smell it now as I am writing this.After http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Ontario/Mississauga/blog-424846.html Day 62. Saturday.I got up around 1000hrs and had some toast with mom and dad. Closer to noon I unloaded the bike and rode to Stratford to visit my brother and family. We had some Chinese for dinner and I rode back to Woodstock about 2200hrs. The clouds had moved in during the evening and were holding in the heat which made the ride quite comfortable. I loaded the bike back in the trailer since I a http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Ontario/Woodstock/blog-424845.html Day 61 18163KmAs far as the clock was concerned I had no rush ahead of me today however with an over height vehicle you cannot make a reservation on the ferry to Tobermory so the sooner I got there the better chance I had of getting on. This was basically the last day of driving so instead of peanut butter I had a bacon sandwich for breakfast. Not real bacon but the precooked boxed stuff. It's http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Ontario/Woodstock/blog-423957.html Day 60. 17503KmWhen I started day one two three driving along the St Lawrence day 60 seemed a long way off but I knew I'd get to it.I had another restless night an although I would have liked to sleep longer I knew I had 600Km ahead of me so I got up and made some toast with PB. Oh by the way last night I had one of those Dole bagged salads which I often buy but this time I got the Thai or O http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Ontario/Sault-Ste-Marie/blog-423671.html Day 59. 16906Km.It was 0300hrs by the time I crawled into bed so I barely made the 1100hrs check out time. I called CAA and waited by the truck. I had searched tire dealers and found one a couple blocks away so I just got the CAA dude to air it up so I could get there. The tire had come off the rim on one side so it was a bit of a challenge to get it to seat again but after I jacked the weight of http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Ontario/blog-423655.html Day 58. 16755KmRather than take the most direct route on Hwy 17 I googled a camp site in Fort Frances and decide to take the more scenic Hwy 11 option but first I had to stop at the home of my favorite store. Princess Auto started as a wrecking yard in Winnipeg and is now everywhere but Quebec.When I got there the campground was a run down trailer park that allowed overnight parking. No thanks. T http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Ontario/Sault-Ste-Marie/blog-423654.html Day 57. 15828Km.Unless something exciting happens to me along the way I think the next few entries will be fairly boring since I'm just chugging home on flat land.I got up about 0930hrs and skipped breakfast other than a couple granola bars while I was packing up. I feel like I left summer back in Medicine Hat because the last couple days have been in the low 20's and last I looked it's no better http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Manitoba/Winnipeg/blog-422848.html Day 56. 15319KmAs I was getting ready for bed last night there was some lightning in the sky and I did hear a few drops. That is the first rain I have seen in weeks. On the drive today though it rained for an hour or so. The sky was very dark to the North so I think they had it harder. I could'nt get the camera out fast enough and being on the Trans Canada it's not as easy or smart to just pull o http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Saskatchewan/Regina/blog-422204.html Day 55. Saturday.The forecast is 34 and sunny. It's 28 at 1100hrs. I turned on the AC in the trailer a couple times this morning while I was trying to catch a few more winks. My site has no shade other than what the awning provides me.On the recommendation of my new found friend at the bar last night I went to the Clay district and had a look around their museum. It's in an old factory. There are http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Alberta/Medicine-Hat/blog-421920.html Day 54. 14832KmJust a couple hundred K down the road but I was tired and finding a place on the weekend is getting more difficult. Besides there is a blues bar just down the road.It was after 0230hrs when I got to bed this morning so I did'nt hit the open highway till after 1100hrs. It's hot again. Over 30 and sunny. Not as humid as it would be at home though. I was pleased to see more wind turb http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Alberta/Medicine-Hat/blog-421643.html Day 53. Thursday.It was a rainy day when me auf brother Raule...I miss those commercials. I have no idea where that came from.I got up around 0930hrs due to nature screaming. I had looked up an oil change place the day I arrived so I already knew where I was going problem is the GPS map is too old and there is no street listing where I was headed so I entered in the street name and the highest nu http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Alberta/Lethbridge/blog-421336.html Day 52. 14615KmToday was the first day I used the AC in the truck. Summer may finally be here.I need to get the oil changed in the Dodge again so I needed to get to a descent sized city. Lethbridge or Medicine Hat were my destinations of choice depending on when I got going and how long I wanted to drive. Calgary was just too obvious and besides I was there on the trip out. Leaving Sundre Hwy 2 http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Alberta/Lethbridge/blog-421326.html Day 51. 14094KmTis a sad sad day when one has to say farewell to the mountains.For some reason I was antsy in the night again. I got back to sleep around six and I thought I saw nine on the clock but when I actually got up it was just after 10. Being a travel day I would have started a bit earlier but who cares if I did'nt get as far as I had planned. By the time I was locked and loaded it was af http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Alberta/blog-421243.html Day 50. Monday.It's been a sight filled day.I was in no rush to get up since I was'nt going anywhere except for a ride today. Several years ago my then boss introduced me to the idea of putting bacon on a chicken sandwich. Bacon being my favorite swine product with pork rines a close second does'nt have a bad use as far as I'm concerned and it goes nice with chicken. Why am I telling you this O http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Alberta/Jasper-National-Park/blog-421227.html Day 49. 13737KmI was'nt far from Lone Butte before I spotted the mountains again. Big mountains. The Rockies again. The trip across Hwy 24 does'nt take too long. It's less than 100Km. Once you turn North on Hwy 5 the GPS says the next turn is in 349Km. I fueled up in Clearwater a town I've looked at on the MLS site before but after having seen it there are lots of nicer places.I'm cruising along http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/Alberta/Jasper-National-Park/blog-421225.html Day 48. Saturday.What are Saturday's for Sleeping in right Although I could have easily stayed ion bed longer my minimal good cense told me to get up at 12.30 so I would be able to sleep tonight. I fired up the BBQ and toasted some bread and broke out the peanut butter. I hav'nt had any in a while and if I'm going to have much more before I get home I'm going to have to restock. The sky was mixe http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/100-Mile-House/blog-419886.html Day 47. 13264KmI woke up to tent poles clanging. There was a group of teenagers here camped in about a dozen large tents. Easily 100 kids and this morning they were taking down all the tents and it sounded like they threw all the poles in one pile. One of the other tailgate party campers hooked up and left just before I did. I had picked out a few possible campgrounds knowing it was going to be t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/100-Mile-House/blog-419636.html Day 46. 12929KmHere it is about 12 hours after I left Victoria and I can't even tell you exactly what time it was. I caught the 11.00 ferry with about ten minutes to spare so it must have been close to ten. I called my parents and was talking to my mom while waiting in line but had to hang up when boarding. For some reason they want you to pay attention when driving on and off the ferry. I stayed http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Whistler/blog-419348.html Day 45. 12706Km.Tis a sad sad day. I have to get a grip on the fact that I'm headed home. Now I don't expect any tears since I have more time to get home than the average Joe has for his entire holidays. After I loaded up the bike I noticed a low tire on the trailer. I pumped it up some with Bob's tire pump before saying my good bye's then looked for a tire dealer to get it checked. I could'nt fe http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Victoria/blog-418714.html Day 44. Tuesday.After my shower I decided to take advantage of Bob's laundry room before my looming departure back East. The thought of returning to work really does not appeal to me. I hope it's picked up some though. The thought of sitting half a day waiting for a load... well I just don't think I'd do it.The air filter I ordered for the Dodge is supposed to be in this morning so I'm waiting on http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/Vancouver-Island/Courtenay/blog-418555.html