The Last 14 Hours of Day 7

HOME! Starting in Danville, PA we went back on the road right around 6:30am. Our plan was 2 hrs. driving 2hrs sleeping in the van. Yes, we had made room on the front bench so a person could actually sleep quite comfortably (spoon-style) while the other was driving. We pretty much kept going like that through the entire day and I must say it made a difference. Whenever one of us took over driving again we felt quite rested and fit for another 2hrs.   While it was still very hot and muggy in Danville it changed a lot as we climbed up in elevation and got into the State of New York. Weather stayed pleasant all day long and we relished the much drier air we could breathe now.   I really understand why so many people are driving north in the summer.    New Hampshire is also selling Lottery tickets and Alcohol along the highway. It would make for a good reason to call the cops in our former country of residence, NORWAY, where it would spark a National outrage. Towards the end of the day we noticed Molly getting a bit restless and we felt it too: It was time to end this trip and get home for a long rest. This was day 7 afterall and we all were getting tired of being on a constant move.   We still had to get by the city of Boston and with this being a Saturday I-495 turned out to be a real challenge for our patience. The 6-lane highway was clogged with cars and more were entering at every access ramp.   But finally even that lay behind us and when we crossed from New Hampshire into Maine the highway cleared. The air was full of intensive pine scent and we knew that we would be home very soon.                                Empty: Maine Coastal Hwy 1 Travelling through Maine is the kind of experience any vehicle could relish. It is you and the road and the seemingly endless highway through green forests. We were both thinking of what difference this was compared to the hectic, stinking traffic and polluted air in Edmonton.   After a short shopping stop at Wally World in Ellsworth we another 3hrs to our home base. Passing our customs office on Campobello proved to be the same friendly meeting as we are used to. The officer could hardly believe it when he heard we been driving all the way from Alberta. It’s just not what most people would be doing, so it seems. Arriving at our house was like a party, a joyful reunion with the past. And not only for us but for Molly also. Even though it was dark by now, Molly inspected the place and came back with an old bone, she had dropped last year. Molly is one big happy here and so are we.   We just flipped on the breakers for power and went to bed. Most of the work of emptying our van was done this morning. I could hardly believe how much stuff we had been traveling with. It seemed like we could fill up the entire house with it. But as things were put back where they belonged everything got back to order. And then in the afternoon we got a bad message from Edmonton. Our friend there told us that a storm had brought down a big branch from a nearby tree where our trailer is parked and landed against the rear wall of our trailer, breaking through the material leaving a gaping hole above the rear window. How we are going to get this fixed is still unclear. Now, that this trip is over we thank you for following us along. Other postings about Island living might come along shortly.

With Potato Salad And Wieners In Danville, PA (Day6)

The rains had left but the humid heat with temps around 30-32C (90sF) continued all day long. Getting out of the van was like stepping into an overheated greenhouse. We ran up I-80 all the way and paid tolls seeing most all of our saved Dollar bills fly out. One of the attendants said it right out: Highway Robbery!                                                  Bridge over I-80 I decided that it was a good time to get into a Quick Lube for an oil and filter change. This was done for 44 Bucks in place close to I-80. In Canada that would have been over 120 Bucks!!!                          This guy coming right out of the civil war??? They checked lights, tire pressure, belts and made that dash-oil-light go away again. Figuring out that we were from Canada a young woman working there told us that she almost moved to Calgary. I told her that she wouldn’t be happy there as she most likely didn’t have a clout about sky-high housing costs and the generally unappealing city.                                                    Highway pleasure The whole thing took about an hour and we got back on I-80 East.                    Beautiful Pennsylvania Farm with owners’s motor home Gas prices seem to be rising by the hour. Indiana had already 2.99/gal up 20cts from the previous day and underway we have seen $2.85-2.89 many places in Pennsylvania. We stopped in Danville, PA for the night and after moving into our room I drove into town to find a grocery store. I was bound to find potato salad and wieners. Entering the WEIS-Market was a most pleasant experience. The store is really inviting, has a lot to choose from and competitive with its prices.  Before I knew it I had 2 1/2gal of juice, a pack of cheese, a box of most delicious blueberry Danishes, Wieners and a box of potato salad, all balancing in my arms. Why didn’t I take a basket or a cart?  Because I hadn’t expected to buy anything else than Wieners and potato salad! That’s why. I’m sure you have done the same….ending up with buying more than you initially intended. That’s how these stores make their money. Yet I paid only 16 Bucks for all of my stuff. Way less than a visit at the local restaurant would have been. We ate like hungry wolves and the potato salad with Wieners was just fantastic. Meanwhile dark clouds have moved in over town and already we hear remote thunder claps approaching. Hopefully, this will lead to cooler temps. We are sure glad we got a new AC installed in our van. We would have been melting if we hadn’t. Will we reach Campobello Island tomorrow? It’s almost 12hrs driving left from Danville. Come on by again to check it out. Most likely we will not be up to a posting before the day after tomorrow.

Rain, Rain, Rain …..and more Rain (Day5)

First of all I am thrilled that I can use Live-Writer again. I really thought I had seen the end of this rather practical application. I just hate the blogger editing software. Today’s drive started in rain and ended in rain. It was raining most of the time and when we stopped for a leg-stretcher somewhere in Indiana a thunderstorm added to our pleasure. At times the pelting rain was so bad that I was considering to just pull over.  Traffic on I-80 south of Chicago was terrible. In fact, I never saw it this bad before ever. We were surrounded by trucks. And from time to time a full idiot big-city-driver was adding to our entertainment by zapping between the lanes.                                        Bea walking in a rest area We also saw a car making intimate contact with a guardrail, where after it made an involuntary cross over 2 lanes, all that with no other vehicles hitting it. Lucky bastard! Tonight we are holed up in South Bend, IN where we have been a couple of times earlier. Our highlight in this town is Elia’s Greek Restaurant which still serves HUGE portions at prices not even Mc.Donald can compete with. And it is all home made!

More Saskatchewan, North Dakota And Wisconsin. (Day 3+4)

After a full day of resting at our friend's place we were ready to get back on the road and we were out and rolling at 6:45am. After the previous day's terrible heat this promised to be a fine day with somewhat cooler temps. Our destination was the little rural town of Underwood,ND where our long-time friends Diania and Glenn are residing. 

Rouleau, a little village at Hwy 39 was location for the making of the Corner Gas TV-series, and while we had driven along that place before we had never stopped to take a closer look. This time we did and I was thinking of AL from the Bayfield Bunch who visited the place just last fall. Did I see his foot prints in the sand? I sure did!

Just before we reached Estevan we stopped at the Souris Valley Museum and Visitor Centre. Three nice young ladies were ready to inform visitors about the area which became an economic boom area when coal was discovered. Some real huge machinery is on display at the visitor centre.

The trip through the southern part of Saskatchewan was mainly uneventful, if we don't count the traffic chaos at Estevan. We were just on top of a bridge when traffic ahead of us stopped dead in its tracks. Being on the bridge we could see far ahead and what we saw was discouraging. 

The line-up of trucks and cars was endless. And we could see a few yellow construction signs as well. This was nothing for yours truly. When the oncoming lane was available we dashed ahead in the left lane to a turn-off where we could turn around. There is another border crossing straight south of Estevan and it's only 9.5miles away.
The border crossing was reminding me of an abandoned ghost town - it was that empty of cars and activity. The female officer looked like we had disturbed in her noon nap, but she proved to be efficient and we were through the border before we knew it.

North Dakota lay before us and another 2.5hrs brought us to Underwood where our friends were in full preparation mode to get their potluck-style supper ready. And what a supper that turned out to be.

Grilled and marinated chicken, vegetables, potato salad, more salad plus an incredible dessert. California wine was on the table as well. Thanks Diania,Glenn, Carolyn and Dick for this Welcome-Meal and a great evening.



After breakfast and a morning chat around the table, our 4th day started right around 7:30. Hwy 83 brought us down to I-94 which we have followed all day through North Dakota, Minneapolis and finally into Wisconsin where we found a Super 8 at Baldwin,WI.
Underway we stopped at a truck-stop called Clearwater, where they had an incredible bakery.

The above pastry, enough for 2 people, was only 1 Dollar and a coffee was 99cts. What a place!

Tomorrow we will be driving through Illinois and into Indiana, maybe even reach beyond.

But that will be a story for another day.