Ok, there are a lot of photos here, and I have reduced all of them, including thumbnailing, if you want the originals, please contact me, as they are dropped right down.
I also cheated this time, there was no way I was going to thumbnail and index 500 pictures, so I used a nice little program to do all of these, here goes:
Solo Trip 2004 - Weddings, VW Golf and lots of Kilometres
Tuesday June 8, 2004 - Day 0
Left Thunder Bay, not much happened, talked to Cheryl to see one last time if she would join me, not going to be much fun alone, and I still hold hope she will fly in on Saturday.
Drove to Wawa, didn't leave till almost 7, getting things done, got an FM transmitter for the laptop and MP3s
Wednesday June 9, 2004 - Day 1
I'm typing this from my tent, laying on my side, I always like getting electrical sites at campgrounds, but let's start at the beginning. Got up in Wawa around 7ish. Finally left around 8ish, I hate mornings. Drove to Sault Ste. Marie, stopped in and got a PS2 to USB for my drive as my laptop only has USB, so my portable drive is useless, and it has all my music and movies. Also stopped in at Tim Horton's as it is camp day, help out the kiddies.
Took a picture of major centres I hit along the way, started with Sudbury and took a picture of the Northgate Mall in North Bay where Cheryl goes shopping while there. The construction between the Soo and Sudbury was a real bugger, lost about two hours with stopping in the Soo and construction. Fueled up between Sudbury and North Bay, car only getting about 1100, but I never did let it run low this trip, was 73.2 or something. Passed North Bay around 3ish. Made Ottawa around 7ish and stopped at Campground Choisy about 50km from Montreal, here in Quebec. Sidenotes (I'm using the PDA to take voice memos so I can write it down later in this journal) I saw an old lady, gray hair and all driving a sporty, with colours and all new Mini. Just looked funny, also had Alberta plates, hmm, go grannie! Also listening to the Bear passing by the Soo and they have a pic up of Miss Canada talking about Camel Hooves, nevermind the to. Have to check it out. Anyways, never ate much today, had some crackers and nutrigrain bars, just not hungry sitting all day, will eat a good breakfast! Oh, ask me about how much apple juice containers can hold
Thursday June 10, 2004 - Day 2
Got up at Choisy Campground and had a nice shower, and headed out. Grabbed some McDonald's at a place I could have sworn I was at before with Jeannette. Headed into Montreal, I still don't like the place, a couple accidents in front of me, plus rush hour made my Montreal drive a few hours long. After that it was nice driving, easy 4 lanes till just outside Rivere du Loop, then the road got extra crappy. It changed to two lanes as I headed into New Brunswick. Fueled up in Edmunston for 89.9!! ouch... Fair bit of construction in Brunswick, but on the plus side, most of the province has very very nice 4 lane highways with 110Km speed limit, so I stuck to the Trans-Canada and flew through the province. Hit Nova Scotia and made some calls at the Tourist centre while I unloaded garbage. A couple more hours to Dartmouth and a fun jaunt driving around downtown and I arrived at Andrew's. He took me to Boston's Pizza where I had my first real meal in 2 days. Driving breakneck speed straight for 12 hours a day doesn't give you much time. Plus I did get the laptop going with the FM transmitter, using the battery backup to keep the laptop powered. Works quite nice. I listened to some music and most of New Brunswick was listening to some comedy MP3s I got, I had tears in my eyes, it was great. Well crashed at Andrew's, I was dead tired.
Friday June 11, 2004 - Day 3
We got up, well I did first, and went down to nuke Jennifer's machine and put on WinXP Pro. Then I got his router working, but seems Eastlink here in Nova Scotia is doing MAC addressing tracking, so I had to call them and put the MAC address of the router onto his cable modem, after that it works fine. We took off and hit Staples as I forgot to bring a CAT5 cable for the laptop. Andrew started paying for everything and I feel bad and need to get him back! We hit Truro for some McDonald's and diesel and it was 82.9, better then Edmunston anyway. I took a wrong turn after entering Cape Breton and we landed up taking the scenic route and the road was, well we're lucky it was even a road. Look at the pics to see the condition, hehe. Andrew had camera in hand and I just told him to go nuts. We arrived at Jennifer's parents place after some directions from a guy at a local Irving. Met the folks, had some nice chat. Andrew's parents arrived, his father didn't remember me, but his mother vaguely did. Then Erin came in with her husband and we talked GIS as that is what they do, although I tend to work more on code, and them maps, but it was nice talking to them. Erin is certainly grown up since I last saw her! We all then went to the rehersal, no problem getting there, although Andrew was a bit nervous and called back to the house to double check the directions. The minister was cool, long hair, earrings, spitting image of Penn from Penn and Teller. His first marriage and his last here as he is off to St. John's. Basic rehersal and then we came back here to the hotel. Checked in and had a mingle time in the Duke parent's room. Then I got a hold of Cheryl and found out she has too much to do, so can't make it, oh well. I chatted with the TBay gang and a bit to Jill as I will try to visit her. Finally went to sleep after yakking some more and then crashed and got a great night's sleep, oh back is almost better.
Saturday June 12, 2004 - Day 4
Well tweaked the back and it was almost 100%! Just moved wrong around 7ish or so, before I got up. Well woke up, and 5 minutes later Andrew called saying he was coming over. So as best man its my job to take care of the rings and get Andrew on time to the wedding. Well I get up and shower and by the time I get out, Andrew is just arriving and dead tired, he was up around 5:30 and just wants to nap, so I go have breakfast. Can't decide between the Cabot Trail (2 eggs) or Ceilidh (3 eggs) but not sure when I'll eat again so I go big. Come back to the room and Andrew is sleepy, so I pull the curtains shut and start yakking to people, from Cheryl, to mom, to Jenna, to Dan and anyone else while Andrew sleeps. Figure he can sleep a bit then I'll wake him a couple hours before the wedding, get him to take a shower, dressed and leave. Well after uploading some pics to the room (I got a trial 10 hours on a SHAW promo for remote dial up access, even though the lobby has high speed) and showing them to the gang. I wake Andrew up around 1ish. Wedding is 3. So he showers and then decides its lunchtime, hmm, ok. So we go out, and I decide to drive as we don't have much time. We head into Sydney, but don't find anything fast, I do find a bank though. So we head out of Sydney and after asking a nice lady, we go out of town for a bit and find Andrew a McDonald's so he can have his 2 veggie burgers and strawberry shake, TO GO! We come back to the room while he eats, and I meet his mother in the hallway, "is he ready yet?" Nope, not even showered, Andrew hasn't changed. So at 2:05 (church is 15-20min drive) I boot him into the shower. He goes decently quick enough, but most of his clothes are new, so he's pulling pins out of shirts and such, so after much coaxing to move faster we finally leave at 2:20ish. Yes, I am ready, and it took 5min for me. We head out, and so do the Dukes, but I asked the front desk to make sure where we are going, again. We arrive just fine, and go straight to the back. The service was very nice, short, and I had the rings =) Erin does have a lovely voice and has grown up to be quite the lady, even though she is apparently a tomboy. After the service we shake hands at the front, and Jennifer's aunt takes a flying leap missing a few stairs and I thought she broke something, but she did get bruised up pretty good. We head back to around Jennifer's parents, just down the road for some pictures. I get some too. Then to Jennifer's parents for a quick break and then back to the hotel for the meal. We arrive at the meal and have some salad and bread. The meal is roast beef with some neato veggies. I toast the bride, and thought I did an ok job, when I got congratulated over 15 times on the speech and was told I was now an honourary Cape Bretoner. The speech went something like "all over the world, everyone knows of Cape Breton and the hospitality of the people there. When people ask me about Nova Scotia and say is it really the paradise they have heard of, I reply yes, and even more so is a place just north of the mainland called Cape Breton, where you will meet some of the nicest people in the world. I've only just recently met Andrew's wife Jennifer, and he has landed himself quite a catch, but from what I have seen and heard from her in that short time, she exemplifies the qualities that Cape Bretoners have been known for and then some. She is a beautiful lady, to the bride!" I'm sure I stumped and said um a few times, but it went something like that. After the meal we retired again for 90min, and I went to upload more pics. My buddy today was the bride's maid Caroline, who turns out to be quite nice. I finish uploading the pics and come back for the reception. The cake is served and Caroline an
d Heather (Jen's sister) manage to get Chicken Dance played. The traditional dances are done and my only dance of the night is when Jen drags me up for one. I actually disappear shortly after the Bride and Groom do. More uploading of pics, some chat on ICQ/MSN and I am out for the count, whew!
Sunday June 13, 2004 - Day 5
Get up, shower and Andrew is again at my door asking if I want to come for lunch, shortly I will.... I go for breakfast and Andrew takes off shortly after everyone comes and says bye. Mr. Duke gives me his card, he wants to see the pics. I talk to Jennifer over breakfast and we shortly pack up and head to her parents for more stuff. We get Oscar and say bye to her parents, very nice people! I'm impressed. The drive back is much faster as I do the proper highway and Andrew goes nutso with the camera again, but I take over at Ann's Pass for a pan at the lookout. He fills the stick by Canso. The rest is a nice drive, as Jennifer and I just yak all the way, I find her nicely intelligent and a very pleasant person. We get back to Dartmouth, and go to East Side Mario's for some grub, we were going to do a movie, but I take a look at Andrew's machines instead. The desktop is not well, but his laptop seems fine. I upload more pics and talk some more to the gang. Sleep...
Monday June 14, 2004 - Day 6
Head out around 9:30 and cross the MacDonald bridge to Halifax, where I go touristy for a bit. Buy some gifts and postcards and manage to catch the Bluenose II coming in. Drive out and fuel up at 74.9 just before Maitland turnoff. Get out to Maitland and see Uncle Jim and Aunt Velma. Jill stops in and says to come out to the gold course and I do. I get to see Hope and her kid, whom I forget the name already. Quick tour of the nice course and head back to Maitland. We stop in and visit Hope's other son, and Jill's kids. We take one back to Aunt Velma's and have a nice dinner. Oh have to tell mom I had some of Auntie Velma's lettuce from her garden. I stay and look at pics and have some nice chat, but move on. Drop off Jill's son, and go see Grampa and Grandma, and head out. Just before highway 102 can't find my phone so I go back to Aunt Velma's to find it stuffed in the side of my camera bag and drive back out, and again to find, I was right at the highway, doh. Well I pull out the camera and put it on the dash just before Truro and film the drive all the way to the Village, like 22min or something, hehe, I really need to film something more interesting. Oh got a coke bottle for Ryan but I just can't drink the stuff anymore, will fill it with Atlantic Ocean water soon. Get in to see Uncle Eddie and Aunt Sandy and have a wonderful chat with them. Take Uncle Eddie for a drive, and let him drive my car as he is interested in getting a Jetta, he seems to really like the car. Yes, both sets of aunts and uncles have told me I have been filling out, or porking out as the case may be. Guess in the last year I really have, but good news I also lost 10 pounds as I have been aware of my inactivity since breaking up with Jeannie and those hour long lunches really are doing me no good. So glad I am getting out again doing things and just have to watch how much I gorge out now, silly desk job. So now I sit here and finish the log for today at Uncle Eddie's place. Just wrote for 30min to get the log updated from Saturday to today. Plan on going down the shore to Bass River, Parrsboro and possibly Port Greville, grandad's birthplace tomorrow along with Victoria Park in Truro. Then head out Wednesday back home. Camp out Wednesday night again around Montreal and off to Kitchener and London to see Jill.
Tuesday June 15, 2004 - Day 7
Woke up around 7:30, felt pretty good. Uncle Eddy made me a Western Sandwich and we chatted for a while before I headed out around 10am. Went to Bass River and met up with Mr. Delany, and chatted with him a bit. Went over the old yearbook and found out most of my old classmates are living pretty close to where they were before. I also took a bunch of pictures and saw My Lynds, and Mr. MacDonald. Went back to the Highland Village to see Margaret Hill (wrong house) and she wasn't home, so I headed West. Stopped in at the Joy Laking place and looked at her art and bought a calendar. Headed out to Port Greville with a small stop at Parrsboro. Went to the Age of Sail museum and saw lots of Hatfield references. Bought a hat for dad. As well, stopped in at the Country Market and bought mom a small acorn ornament made from Nova Scotian tartan. Took a side trip down Hatfield Road to Hatfield Cemetary and got a picture of the memorial to Captain John and the burial ground, was there for the 1983 reunion when it was laid. Drove back and hit Five Houses to get a coke bottle full of water for Ryan Sitch, boy was it cold, still in shorts and not a sunny day. Stopped in at Margaret's and she wasn't home, so was turning around and a bunch of kids were next door so I asked them if they knew Margaret Hill, they knew Margaret Reed, who used to be a Hill, hehe. Got the right house so visited with her a bit and chatted, again, lots of people are still around. Kim McKellan is out west, Danielle Michaud is a doctor in Ontario, but the rest are more or less around. Back into the village, more pics, some spagetti with Eddy and Sandy, will have to see what I can do about clams on the way out, maybe some dulse too. Went out after dinner to get gas and landed up stopping in at Debert, MacElmond Pond Park to unload garbage and finally hit Truro for gas, 76.9 half tank. Stopped in at the old Truro Mall to reminensce. Drove back and hit Masstown Market, place has again changed. Rested up with Aunt Sandy as Uncle Eddy was at his Masonic meeting, and we watched the English debate for Election 2004. Time to get some rest, big drive tomorrow!
Wednesday June 16, 2004 - Day 8
Left Aunt Sandy and Uncle Eddie's place. Not much, but lots of driving again. Things went a bit faster this time, as the traffic was moving nicely and the hour gain because of the time zone.I refused to fill up in Northern New Brunswick though, too expensive for diesel. Filled up just before Montreal, 78 cents, hmm, not bad. I made Montreal around dinnertime and wanted to camp on the other side of Montreal this time, but there were accidents again, and I thought I missed my exit I was headed to the Toronto area, not up to Ottawa. So again, it was a mess to drive. Camped out in Cornwall in a cheap little campsite, $15, and didn't even pay GST, no receipt. Ate at A&W and rested. Installed Deluo on the laptop and put London, 75 mile radius onto the iPaq
Thursday June 17, 2004 - Day 9
Woke up and drove to Cardinal where I got diesel for 64 cents, wasn't even empty, but figured I would fill up and stuff the tank as much as I could, cheap gas. Nice truck stop and some breakfast. Wasn't going to go full tilt as I had lots of time. So drove to Kitchener. Accident in Toronto area made traffic stop and go. So I pulled out the PDA with the GPS and fired up Deluo. This was the start of a powerful new relationship. I told it to find all major malls within 50miles and found Fairview. It told me exactly how to get there and when I got to Kitchener and made a wrong turn, it adjusted instantly and told me how to get back on track, it was one of the most AMAZING pieces of software I ever bought. I took time in Kitchener for some pictures and memories. Next I typed in Jill's address in London and it brought me exactly to her front door, I love that software! Wish I had it when Jeannie and I travelled, hehe. Well took Jill out to East Side Mario's for some food and we talked and played crib, bedtime! Allergies were not even bad.
Friday June 18, 2004 - Day 10
Left London and stopped in to top up the tank again. 66 cents roughly a litre. Drove a bit and realized I had no cash, and going through the US I will need money for the bridges, so made a quick detour in Strathroy? and got some cash. Hit the border and got the most thorough questioning and even my trunk searched but hey, I'm innocent so I took off. Missed the highway 69 turn off, and with a ton of construction, it was best. Plus I never visited Detroit so I made a 30min detour and saw the city. Drove up I-75 and hit the Soo mid afternoon. Oh, Macinaw Bridge is still a bit freaky to drive across. Called Kresta about 10 times in the Soo but no answer, so I headed to Wawa. Gave mom and dad some gifts and rested up.
Saturday June 19, 2004 - Day 11
Headed back to Thunder Bay and unpacked!