Nova Scotia

Our travels took us to Nova Scotia, for a week in the Cape Breton area and in week down in Digby. While in the Cape Breton area, we drove the famed scenic Cabot Trail around the cape. One sees pictures of a stunning road hugging the side of the land, cutting through a forest dipping toward the blue of the sea.

Now comes full disclosure – that section of road, about 3 miles is the only portion out of 100 miles of the drive that is stunning. Most of the roadway is cluttered with shops, restaurants, whale watching concessions, fishing villages, and more shops. Those sections that are within the National Park, are travels through forests, nice but not spectacular. We have driven; the PCH between LA and Carmel, CA – several times in both directions, traversed the Icefield Parkway along the spine of the Canadian Rockies between Banff and Jasper, even twisted along the Amalfi coast between Sorrento to Postitano. Sadly the Cabot Trail pales in comparison.

Of most fun on the Cabot Trail came close to the end. Around a bend in the road, one comes upon a field of scarecrows. Not your run of the mill, Wizard of Oz type of scarecrow, but ones that have distinct characters. We spent 20 walking around looking at all the characters, including several past Presidents of the U.S.

Moving down to Digby, on the Bay of Fundy, was a smart choice. This is the home of those famous Digby scallops. They are sweet, and whether lightly sautéed, breaded, or grilled these are great morsels of delights. The Bay of Fundy is famous for having the greatest change in tide height. Note the two photos of the same wharf, one at low tide and then the same at high tide.

While in the area, we motored up to Annapolis Royal, the site of Fort Anne. At the center of any garrison town stands its fort. And Fort Anne has been the center of Annapolis Royal since 1634. This was the year that Charles de Menou D'Aulnay erected the first of four forts to be built on this piece of land. To walk along those earthen embankments as did both French and British soldiers, looking out to the bay, watching for incoming vessels, gives one a sense of history.

An unexpected treat in the town was the discovery of a German bakery housed in a Victorian home. Coffee with a delicious poppy seed roll was a wonderful way to end the visit. The town has a stunning collection of Queen Anne and Victorian homes, many turned into bed and breakfast establishments. Certainly the town merits a return visit.

We finished our last two days here in the Digby area by staying in our RV waiting for the two days constant rain and fog to cease. But hey, we are in the Maritime Providences, and the temps are cool. Tomorrow we leave by ferry across the Bay of Fundy to St. John and then to Belfast, Maine.

Prince Edward Island

Our first venture to the Canadian Maritimes, a region of Eastern Canada consisting of three provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, have quickly taught us that a return visit is needed. PEI is a wonderful collection of French, English and Scottish influences.

There is a great collection of small towns, rolling countryside and farms. It would seem, to the casual visitor that every crossroads offers a wonderful white painted church with the tall steeple. There are some more elaborate church buildings including that wonderful Our Lady of Mont-Carmel built of stone on the cliff overlooking the Atlantic during the early 1900’s.

Along the way we were told of a series of small building that were built with glass bottles; beer bottles, wine, whiskey – all colors, shapes and sizes. Sure enough, there they were, including a small church with pews and an altar, all made from glass bottles.

One bit of information, PEI produces more potatoes than Maine or even Idaho. There is a collection of farms, dairies, and fishing villages with roads that form a latticework on the island. The great item we discovered were the Provincial Parks on the island. These “state” parks are in great locations, offer electric, water, sewer [sorry no Wi-Fi], and are very inexpensive. What gems!

We took a day to travel to Charlottetown, the Provincial capital, another to travel along the north shore and Anne of Green Gables area; a third day it was off to the Arcadian (French) section. We dined on fresh seafood, discovered a restaurant that had been designated “One of 10 Best New Restaurant in Canada” located just 10 minutes from our campground.

Located in a village of 12 houses, 1 restaurant and 2 fish markets, this restaurant was a gem. I have never been a fan of mussels – until I had them here. Even in a “salad” of mussels with a cream sauce, these bivalve creatures are as fresh as the crisp waters in which they live. Selections of haddock, halibut and oysters were all wonderfully prepared. Is this an ad – you bet!

Keene, VT and a Reunion

One of the joys of a life in education is to watch the growth and success of your students. Tom Cook and his wife Kelly Todd Cook were part of the theatre experiences at Warren Central HS a number of years ago.

After earning a degree in film / television in LA then working in the industry, he came to Keene State College and is now professor in the Film Studies Program. Kelly is a pharmacist for CVS in Keene. While at WCHS, Tom was always writing, involved with theatre / radio / video production.

He still has the love of media and the joy from teaching. This is the real joy for those of us who have been in education.

We enjoyed both lunch – at a restaurant named STAGE [how appropriate] and then a tour of Keene State.

The Shelburne Museum

These are some photos from the museum. Photos cannot do justice to the expanse and items for viewing.

Lake Champlain and Vermont

Burlington, VT on the shores of Lake Champlain is a great city, with several treasures. Of course near is the home of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, Stowe Skiing area, the Von Trapp Family Inn, and the amazing Shelburne Museum. Shelburne Museum is one of the country's most diverse museums of paintings, folk art, quilts and textiles, and New England history. The museum is a collection of buildings, methods of transportation, and items from life in early Vermont. . The museum, which covers acres of countryside are buildings from the early life, i.e. a one room school building, blacksmith shop, a three level round barn, all taken apart then reconstructed on site.

Among what one finds there is a side wheel paddle boat that cruised Lake Champlain a hundred years ago, a collection of wood carvings that depict a circus parade, that to scale, represents what would be over two miles in length. Many items based upon wagons, animals and artist that were part of famous circus of the day; Clyde Beatty, Sells Floto, and Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey circuses. These were carved to the scale of one inch to one foot. What colors, details and imagination in those works

Electra Havemeyer the patron of this collection married an heir to the Vanderbilt family fortune and brought to their union her family wealth which came from The Sugar Trust, which in the early 1900’s controlled 98% of the sugar harvesting and refinement. Clearly funding was not an issue, and when you see the recreation of several rooms taken directly from their Park Avenue Townhouse and plunked down inside a faux Georgian Home exterior.

Next time in the area, be sure to visit this unbelievable collection of Americana.

Our Mysterious Noise

During our travels since Indianapolis, the RV had developed what can only be described as a “whining” noise at the 45 mph to 55 mph range. At times the whining became so loud that normal conversation was difficult.

I went online to ask fellow HR owners. Wide assortments of causes were offered. The best advice was to take the unit to a truck repair shop, one that works on diesel engines and bus chassis. We found one in Buffalo that worked on our brand of engine, so we “shuffled off to Buffalo” for a day. We became the cause célèbre for many would come to offer suggestions.

While they did service many parts that actually needed some attention, the “whine” was always there when on test drives. I thanked them for the time, paid for the service, as we resumed the travels. Even Kona did not like the whining noise.

Then the epiphany, if not the engine or parts of the chassis there must be something that is vibrating to create the humming sound. That night, I pulled forward the tray, that come out of the front of the coach upon which rides the generator. To the sides of the door I placed sections of the foam tubes of insulation used to protect plumbing water pipes. I slammed the tray closed, reattached the protective bra to the front of the coach and waiting for our next day of travel.

WAAAHOOO – no noise. Our travels were quiet again.

Niagara Falls & The Erie Canal

I had never been to Niagara Falls and with full disclosure I was both amazed and appalled at what met us. The feel of all that power of water flowing over the ridge and plunging to the pool below is amazing. We walked around both the American and Canadian falls. There are some photos of those sights. Shocking was the condition one finds in the city of Niagara Falls, buildings, homes, empty lots, closed factories all part of a sight so familiar to those of us who know of Gary, IN or Detroit, MI.

A highlight was the discovery of the Como Italian Restaurant in Niagara Falls, a gem of an old school eatery. In fact we went twice.

As depressing as parts of Niagara Falls, quite the difference feel is just twenty five miles away in Lockport, NY. This small town has embraced the Erie Canal and preserves it as the canal runs through the several locks that in the downtown. For our stay to visit the falls, we stayed at the Elks Lodge RV sites in Lockport.

We took a day to enjoy a canal ride that took us through the two locks, raising us fifty feet, twice – passing under the “widest bridge in the world” – actually a downtown parking lot, then under a railroad bridge, where the superstructure for the bridge was not above the railroad tracks as expected, but under. The idea was to create obstacles for the barge traffic, thus encouraging shippers to make use of that new transportation – the railroad.

It was fun to watch a workman drive his car one of several auto roads that crosses the canal, run up the stairs and activates the bridge to rise allowing our boat to pass below. He then would lower the bridge, run to his car and drive to the next bridge to repeat the process. This is a busy waterway, with a variety of pleasure boats using the canal. Certainly the workman keeps in shape.

The Beginnings

The RV is filled with clothes, food, a variety of adult beverages and of course Kona. He, a black standard poodle, is just over two years old. You know those teenage years for young boys, full of pep, curious of each blowing leaf along the ground and ready for adventure.

Leaving our home, we travel northeast up to along the rim country of northern Arizona. First stop is Grant, NM. Squeezed between I-40 and the Santa Fe rail tracks, the RV Park offers stereo sound effects of transportation. After dining that night, we went to bed. Note that I said “bed” not “asleep,” for quickly we learned that Barb was ill. To be delicate, liquids flowed from all orifices. In the morning we found the local ER, where the doctor’s diagnosis was some type of viral infection or perhaps food poisoning. With two IV’s of fluid in her and some drugs to calm the body we rested the remainder of that day in our RV. I should note that there was a time schedule for the trip to Indiana so I could attend a rally of fellow RV owners of the same type as ours.

This delay put us behind in our schedule. The next day, with Barb feeling better and able to travel, we set off for Amarillo, TX for the next stop. That night I became ill with the same symptoms that had plagued Barb, it was my turn for an ER visit. Another day of rest and we resumed the journey to Goshen, IN.

We arrived at the Maintenance Session several days late, but enjoyed the time with new friends and fellow Holiday Rambler diesel pusher owners. I came away with many new ideas and an appreciation of the complex working of our motorhome. It has been said that punishment absorbed by an RV traveling down a highway is similar putting wheels on your home and riding it through an earthquake.

After the week, we went to the Chicago area. Daughter Kris and her husband Donnie had just moved there as he accepted a position with the Taylor Street Tattoo, a premier shop in the Little Italy section of Chicago. It was wonderful to spend time with Kris and Donnie and to enjoy the wonder that is this “Windy City.” One of the highlights was a cruise along the Chicago River that gives insight into the Chicago’s architecture history. If ever in Chicago, take this cruise. After spending time with Kris and Donnie, we spent time with Barb’s cousin Susie, then with her uncle and aunt – Jerry and Bernie. They were our wonderful host during a celebration of his eightieth birthday party in Nassau Bahamas last February. Not only is he a wonderful host, but they are a wonderful couple. It is always a joy to spend time in their company.

While in the Midwest, we returned to Indianapolis for an almost daily reunion with friends and colleagues from our life in that town. But now it is time to continue the trip toward the Northeast.