Canadian Buffoon's Back to Front Vacation - Update! 05/18 - Falling Down

[franandaj]

Tourtiere

This sounds good! I'm going to have to try it!

Then I guess you'll just
have to come up here.

But I doubt they serve it in summer, which is the only potential time you would get my butt up there!

 

[pkondz]

This sounds good! I'm going to have to try it!

What's not to love?
Pie.
Pork.
Put gravy on it
(and you should)
and you've got the
holy trifecta of food
right there.

But I doubt they serve it in summer, which is the only potential time you would get my butt up there!

Then you'll never know!

 

[laura74]

I know it's been a while, but I hope I can jump in again. We have a trip coming up next month so am looking at blogs! Was so excited to see my old pal Ponzie had a new report! Wondering if you are going to ever get to Disney though. I don't have much room to talk though since I can wax on about coffee packets, pool trivia and other ridiculous things for chapters. I recently reread my posts and am considering doing it again because I had forgotten so much until I read it again. Anyway, hi Ponzie!

 

[pkondz]

I know it's been a while, but I hope I can jump in again.

OH.
MY.
GOD.


Laura!!!!! Hi!!!
Holy smokes! Talk about a blast
from the past????

How are you?
How's Monkster?
How's Mr. Squid???

It's so good to see you again!
to the TR!!

We have a trip coming up next month so am looking at blogs! Was so excited to see my old pal Ponzie had a new report!

That's great! When are you guys going?
Technically, we're (DD22 and I) there
the last day of next month... but still...

Wondering if you are going to ever get to Disney though.

It is a back to front TR.
The Disney part will come
after the Pacific NW part
which is where I am
in the TR now.

I don't have much room to talk though since I can wax on about coffee packets, pool trivia and other ridiculous things for chapters.

Heh. You and me both.

I recently reread my posts and am considering doing it again because I had forgotten so much until I read it again.

Oh! That'd be great!
If you do decide to write
another TR, let me know, okay?

Anyway, hi Ponzie!

Hi @laura74 !

 

[Pluto0809]

Actually, it was quite warm
that evening.
I think when we arrived
it was only -14C/7F.
By the time we left,
it was still a nice, fairly
mild -20C/-4F.
So not bad at all.

That would be a hard no from me. It's 27F here right now and I'm freezing. I can't imagine -4F! Thank goodness this is just a quick cold snap for us and it will be back to the low 70s by Sunday!

 

[pkondz]

That would be a hard no from me.

Bit too chilly for you?

It's 27F here right now and I'm freezing.

I can understand that.
When it gets up to 27F
I might put a light fleece
jacket over my T-shirt.

I can't imagine -4F! Thank goodness this is just a quick cold snap for us and it will be back to the low 70s by Sunday!

Do you burst into flames
when it gets that hot?

 

[docsoliday1]

That would be a hard no from me. It's 27F here right now and I'm freezing. I can't imagine -4F! Thank goodness this is just a quick cold snap for us and it will be back to the low 70s by Sunday!

We're going to be getting that cold snap here tonight, but not quite as cold. They're saying 40s.

 

[docsoliday1]

Bit too chilly for you?



I can understand that.
When it gets up to 27F
I might put a light fleece
jacket over my T-shirt.



Do you burst into flames
when it gets that hot?

Bit too chilly for normal folks!
I think polar bears and Canadians are the only ones who like it colder.
(Okay, maybe Penguins too)

 

[pkondz]

We're going to be getting that cold snap here tonight, but not quite as cold. They're saying 40s.

I'm sorry, you're saying
it's going to warm up
to the 40s? Very nice.

 

[pkondz]

Bit too chilly for normal folks!
I think polar bears and Canadians are the only ones who like it colder.
(Okay, maybe Penguins too)

Couldn't tell you about penguins...
Despite all the rumours on the
DISdads thread.

 

[pkondz]

Turning Japanese

Six a.m.
Wakey, wakey!
Time to get the lead out.
Put the pedal to the metal.
Hit the road, Jack.

First though, we must decamp
before we depart.
I had to get dressed,
deflate my sleeping pad,
roll up my sleeping bag,
take down and pack up
the tent fly and tent,
and then pack it all up
and stow it in the trunk
of the car.

I was on the road by 6:10am.

Nope. Not kidding.
It takes me literally ten
minutes to break down my
camp and be on my way.

Besides... I didn't really want
to dawdle too much,
as the skies were looking a tad...

Tornado-y.

While not as bad as the day before,
I was glad once I put this
cumulonimbus cell behind me.

Luckily, there was little to no
weather on the other side of it
and I enjoyed a mostly
uneventful drive.

I say "mostly"...
There was this one little thing.

I was toodling along,
minding my own business.
I was slowly catching up
to a car that was...
how shall I say this...
Extremely stupidly, illegally,
and dangerously driving
in the left-hand lane.

As I got closer, I thought
"Surely, they'll move over."
They did not.
And they did not call me Shirley.

I moved into the passing lane
so that I would fill their
rear view mirror.
That should do it, right?

People. Please.
Never underestimate
the human mind's capacity
for ignorance.

I sat behind this car for a
mile or three, then gave up.
I moved back into the right
hand lane and after watching
for another few seconds
to see if she (I could see
the lone occupant at this point)
would finally clue in...
I began to pass her.

When I was directly beside her,
she decided that it was finally
time to change lanes.

Who knows how many minutes
or hours she'd spent in
the passing lane.
But now that someone was
finally in a spot that she couldn't
have, that was the time to move.

I leaned on the horn while
simultaneously slowing and
moving onto the shoulder
and she finally looked
elsewhere than...
I presume she was at least
occasionally looking ahead?

She startled at the sound of
the horn and jerked back
into her lane.

I accelerated and left her
safely, and probably quaking,
behind me.

I'm quite sure when she got
home, or wherever she was
going, that she told the
following story:

"I had just moved over to
(insert reason. Pass a car?
Miss a bunny? Get better
cell reception?) and was
moving back into the
right hand lane when
this maniac swerved
around me and tried to
pass on my right!
Isn't that illegal???"

And everyone will nod
sagely and she will
go on driving in the
passing lane, secure in
the knowledge that she
is an excellent driver.


Yeah. Stop.
Get out.
Never drive again.

If you are perhaps getting
the feeling that this is
a major peeve of mine.

You're right. It is.


Okay, enough doom
and gloom.
I spotted this Windows XP
background wannabe.

Not too far off, right??


I made two quick pit stops.
One in Medicine Hat, Alberta,
(People? I can't make these
names up, I promise you.)
an hour and a half down
the road.
There I picked up my first
poker-chip of the day.
I then drove another couple
hours to Lethbridge where I
grabbed my second chip
and then five more minutes
took me to...

The Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden.

What?
You've been reading these
things for how long
and this surprises you???

Who are you?

The Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden
was publicly opened in 1966
and the Grand Opening
was held the following summer
coincident with the
Canadian Centennial.

It's not overly large,
but it is one of my favourite gardens.
I've seen it three times now...
And expect I'll see it again
at some point.

The design and information on
maintenance and improvements
were provided by masters and
students in landscape architecture
from the University of Osaka, Japan.

Included in the garden
is a tea house that was
built in Japan and then
disassembled, shipped
to Lethbridge, and reassembled.

You are invited to explore
the interior of the tea house.

I love its simplicity
and clean lines.

The large sliding doors that
you see in the following photo,
lead out to the Japanese
rock garden (aka Zen Garden.)

I've mentioned it before,
but the gravel is meant
to represent waves,
and the rocks, islands.
There will always be an
uneven number of rocks,
but one may be cleverly
hidden or disguised
in plain sight.
Can you find all fifteen
"islands"?

Through the other sliding
doors, you exit onto
a veranda with a vista
of the rest of the gardens.

After admiring the view for
several minutes,
I retraced my steps
through the tea house
and explored the grounds.

You are also rewarded with
views back to the tea house.

Paths take you from the
tea house, through the gardens,
towards the large Bonshō style bell,
a symbol of friendship
between Japan and Canada.

I must admit to a little photoshop
trickery in the preceding photo.
In the spirit of full disclosure,
there is a bench that sits
alongside the path.
But there were two people who
were sitting there with several
items of clothing and other
bric-a-brac littering the ground.
It really detracted from the photo,
so I removed it and them.

Moving on...
One can sashay on and
over the bridge to get
a different perspective
of the gardens.

All in all, I probably spent
an hour or two here,
just relaxing and taking
it all in.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself.


Time to keep moving, though.
Three more hours of driving.

I began to see the foothills
of the Rockies.

I did a quick pit stop at Harley Davidson
of the Kootenays and then turned south
and drove another hour to the
Canada/US border.

Okay... here we go.
At the border...
Maybe this time will be different...

I tentatively drove up to the
mostly deserted border crossing.
I guess there's not a ton of
traffic in the Kootenays.
You'd think the Kootenays
would be more cosmopolitan.
But then again, the Kootenays
are in the middle of nowhere.
So the crossing in the
Kootenays is probably never
all that busy.


I just like saying "Kootenays".



Kootenays.


I also like saying "hootenanny".


I slowly approached.
I'm always a little nervous.
You hear horror stories
of over-zealous border
agents.

Okay. It's go time.
Put your game face on.
Neutral, non-serial-killer
expression.
You just came from a Zen
garden. Exude that.
Go.

Hand over passport.

"Where do you live?"
"Winnipeg." I say.
"Manitoba." I add, in case
he hasn't heard of Winnipeg.
"Canada." I continue, in case
he hasn't heard of Manitoba either.
I do not add "North America,
Western Hemisphere, Earth,
Solar System, Milky Way,
Local Group, Virgo Supercluster,
Laniakea Supercluster."

I assume he knows we're
in the Universe.
Let's not be silly now.

"Where are you going?"
"Seattle."
Well... I'll wind up there
eventually. Close enough.
"Reason for the visit?"
"Vacation. Road trip.
See some friends.
Pacific NW Mouse Meet."
Okay... stop talking now.
"Leaving anything in the US?"
"No sir."
"Bringing more than $10,000?"
"I wish, sir... but no."
"Are you constipated?"

OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!
STOP! JUST STOP! ENOUGH!

"Sure... why not." I reply.
He nodded and said. "I understand, son."
He then handed me a box of Ex-Lax.
"Take these. Just make sure
you're where you want to be
for the night, first."


Defeated, I drove on.


The drive through the
Kootenays...


Kootenays


...and northern Idaho
was spectacular and fun.

A real hootenanny.

I drove through a portion of
Kootenai National Forest
and along side two other
National Forests.

The drive was only marred
at one point when rain started.
But it only lasted for a few minutes.
I drove past a small
group of motorcyclists,
stopped on the side of the road.
Moments later, it started to hail.
I sure pity those guys.
I presume they put their helmets
back on and stood there in misery.


I'll have to think on that more
if/when I decide to do a multi-day
or even multi-week bike trip.


An hour and a quarter later,
I arrived in Sandpoint, Idaho.
I'd seen something on some
website and thought it might
be worth a look.
It was on the way, so... why not?


The Cedar Street Bridge Public Market
was originally a footbridge built
in the 1800s.
It was destroyed in 1893 and
replaced by a pedestrian/auto bridge
in the 1930s.
By the 1970s, the bridge had
fallen into disrepair and the town
was considering tearing it down.
Instead they repaired it and
turned it into a public market,
opening in 1983.

Certainly an interesting
looking structure.
The support beams alone
make it stand out,
let alone all the windows.

I drove into downtown
and parked.
Picturesque little place.

After looking around a little,
I ventured over to the bridge...

... and sashayed inside.

There were some unique
little shops inside
and I just poked around
wandering down the length
of both levels.
I didn't see much to buy.
I did buy one small item
but that was about it.


Until...

Excuse me?
They have gelato?
Well, I'll have to get...
Wait... chocolate chip cookies?

What is a man to do?
Gelato? Or a cookie?

I did what any sane
individual would do
and got both, of course.

I scarfed down the gelato
and took the cookie to go.

I cannot confirm that it
lasted until I got back
to my car.

Okay... last quick leg
of the day's drive.

Another hour brought me
to Newport and the
Newport/Little Diamond Lake KOA.

I checked in and was escorted
to my campsite for the night.
I was glad of the escort
as the place was a bit of a maze.

I set up my palatial residence
and wandered over to check
out what I presume was
Little Diamond lake.

Yep. It's water.
Time to relax and call it a day.

Map for this update:

Did you see it in this chapter?

Coming up: West coast... ish.

Chapter 15. The Dullness Rubs Off​

 

[Terra Nova guy]

First though, we must decamp
before we depart.
I had to get dressed,
deflate my sleeping pad,
roll up my sleeping bag,
take down and pack up
the tent fly and tent,
and then pack it all up
and stow it in the trunk
of the car.

I was on the road by 6:10am.

That's efficient. Much better than I used to be packing up a campsite back in the day. Of course back then it was 3 days worth of mess from 3 or 4 nineteen- or twenty-something guys. Much easier for one I suppose.

Besides... I didn't really want
to dawdle too much,
as the skies were looking a tad...

Tornado-y.

Yikes! Very cool picture with the lightening though. Almost calendar worthy.

If you are perhaps getting
the feeling that this is
a major peeve of mine.

You're right. It is.

Mine too. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to drive. I rarely find it relaxing.

I spotted this Windows XP
background wannabe.

Very nice. If it was on my computer, I would believe it was one of those stock Windows wallpapers.

One in Medicine Hat, Alberta,
(People? I can't make these
names up, I promise you.)

There's crazy names all over this country. We may have a few of the strangest here. If you have time, look at this link - scroll down the article to get to some of the place names.

https://www.familyfuncanada.com/newfoundland-place-names-will-make-blush/

You are invited to explore
the interior of the tea house.

I love its simplicity
and clean lines.

Very nice. Something else I have never seen outside of TV or movies. I appreciate the clean lines of Japanese décor.

Can you find all fifteen
"islands"?

Erm...no. There's 14 rocks. Since there are waves around the edge, is that meant to represent the fact the viewer is an island, that being the 15th? I have no idea... Where's Mr. Miyagi when you need him.

I assume he knows we're
in the Universe.
Let's not be silly now.

It's a US border agent. Never make assumptions....

What is a man to do?
Gelato? Or a cookie?

Tough choice. Like deciding between your children. Nothing wrong with both.

 

[TeresaNJ]

Wow, you really do travel all over the place! Love the Japanese Gardens! So pretty. The bridge/market seems like a really neat place to visit! You certainly are the adventurer!!! Tell me, how does your back feel about sleeping in a tent? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[docsoliday1]

Turning Japanese

Six a.m.
Wakey, wakey!
Time to get the lead out.
Put the pedal to the metal.
Hit the road, Jack.

Taking after @Steppesister with the violence here, eh? What did the road do to you? I realize objects on the road have attacked you, but that's not the road's fault!

I say "mostly"...
There was this one little thing.

I was toodling along,
minding my own business.
I was slowly catching up
to a car that was...
how shall I say this...
Extremely stupidly, illegally,
and dangerously driving
in the left-hand lane.

As I got closer, I thought
"Surely, they'll move over."
They did not.
And they did not call me Shirley.

I moved into the passing lane
so that I would fill their
rear view mirror.
That should do it, right?

People. Please.
Never underestimate
the human mind's capacity
for ignorance.

I sat behind this car for a
mile or three, then gave up.
I moved back into the right
hand lane and after watching
for another few seconds
to see if she (I could see
the lone occupant at this point)
would finally clue in...
I began to pass her.

When I was directly beside her,
she decided that it was finally
time to change lanes.

Who knows how many minutes
or hours she'd spent in
the passing lane.
But now that someone was
finally in a spot that she couldn't
have, that was the time to move.

I leaned on the horn while
simultaneously slowing and
moving onto the shoulder
and she finally looked
elsewhere than...
I presume she was at least
occasionally looking ahead?

She startled at the sound of
the horn and jerked back
into her lane.

I accelerated and left her
safely, and probably quaking,
behind me.

I'm quite sure when she got
home, or wherever she was
going, that she told the
following story:

"I had just moved over to
(insert reason. Pass a car?
Miss a bunny? Get better
cell reception?) and was
moving back into the
right hand lane when
this maniac swerved
around me and tried to
pass on my right!
Isn't that illegal???"

And everyone will nod
sagely and she will
go on driving in the
passing lane, secure in
the knowledge that she
is an excellent driver.


Yeah. Stop.
Get out.
Never drive again.

If you are perhaps getting
the feeling that this is
a major peeve of mine.

You're right. It is.

I was just telling someone today my drive to Disney should be 40 minutes except for the morons that find it impossible to leave the left lane unless they're 10 feet from their exit. And then they cut off 1-3 lanes of traffic to do it. I wish the police could/would give tickets for being an idiot.

Okay, enough doom
and gloom.
I spotted this Windows XP
background wannabe.

Not too far off, right??

I'd say it looks pretty darn close

What?
You've been reading these
things for how long
and this surprises you???

Who are you?

What?
You think we actually read these?
A lot surprises me, but crazy Canadian isn't one of them.

I've mentioned it before,
but the gravel is meant
to represent waves,
and the rocks, islands.
There will always be an
uneven number of rocks,
but one may be cleverly
hidden or disguised
in plain sight.
Can you find all fifteen
"islands"?

Several possibilities.
1) There seems to be extra waves in front of the 4th rock from the left, so maybe there's one there.
2) The rock at the end of the walkway?
3) I tried counting the small rocks between the sand/gravel and the walkway...I saw WAY more than 15, but lost count somewhere around 70.

I must admit to a little photoshop
trickery in the preceding photo.
In the spirit of full disclosure,
there is a bench that sits
alongside the path.
But there were two people who
were sitting there with several
items of clothing and other
bric-a-brac littering the ground.
It really detracted from the photo,
so I removed it and them.

No way, you photoshopped something??? I'm shocked! And a little part of me just died....



LAUGHING!!!

Canada/US border.

Ruh roh George!

Mmmm...trains! Wonder how many engines it took...it looks failrly long and looks like coal cars and if loaded, would take a lot to go up and down mountains.

Okay... here we go.
At the border...
Maybe this time will be different...

I doubt it

Hand over passport.

Not yet

"Where do you live?"
"Winnipeg." I say.
"Manitoba." I add, in case
he hasn't heard of Winnipeg.
"Canada." I continue, in case
he hasn't heard of Manitoba either.
I do not add "North America,
Western Hemisphere, Earth,
Solar System, Milky Way,
Local Group, Virgo Supercluster,
Laniakea Supercluster."

Nope

I assume he knows we're
in the Universe.
Let's not be silly now.

Wait for it.

"Where are you going?"
"Seattle."
Well... I'll wind up there
eventually. Close enough.
"Reason for the visit?"
"Vacation. Road trip.
See some friends.
Pacific NW Mouse Meet."
Okay... stop talking now.
"Leaving anything in the US?"
"No sir."
"Bringing more than $10,000?"
"I wish, sir... but no."
"Are you constipated?"

There it is!

OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!
STOP! JUST STOP! ENOUGH!

"Sure... why not." I reply.
He nodded and said. "I understand, son."
He then handed me a box of Ex-Lax.
"Take these. Just make sure
you're where you want to be
for the night, first."

At least you finally admitted it. That's the first step! Just remember when you start going to CCA (Constipated Canadians Anonymous) meetings....My name is @pkondz and I'm constipated.

The Cedar Street Bridge Public Market
was originally a footbridge built
in the 1800s.
It was destroyed in 1893 and
replaced by a pedestrian/auto bridge
in the 1930s.
By the 1970s, the bridge had
fallen into disrepair and the town
was considering tearing it down.
Instead they repaired it and
turned it into a public market,
opening in 1983.

Certainly an interesting
looking structure.
The support beams alone
make it stand out,
let alone all the windows.

After looking around a little,
I ventured over to the bridge...

... and sashayed inside.

There were some unique
little shops inside
and I just poked around
wandering down the length
of both levels.
I didn't see much to buy.
I did buy one small item
but that was about it.

Cool looking and cool idea/concept, but I'm not into shopping so not much there.

Excuse me?
They have gelato?

Except maybe that!

Well, I'll have to get...
Wait... chocolate chip cookies?

What is a man to do?
Gelato? Or a cookie?

I did what any sane
individual would do
and got both, of course.

I scarfed down the gelato

And why wouldn't you?

Did you see it in this chapter?
[

/QUOTE]
Nope. And I even waited until I got to a real computer so maybe I could see.

 

[Heluvsme]

Awww, Medicine Hat. My sweet, dearly missed, Grandma was born there!

I love that you're camping, but I can't help but think back to your trip to Italy--- isn't camping torturous for your back??

Dawn

 

[vamassey1]

First though, we must decamp
before we depart.
I had to get dressed,
deflate my sleeping pad,
roll up my sleeping bag,
take down and pack up
the tent fly and tent,
and then pack it all up
and stow it in the trunk
of the car.

I was on the road by 6:10am.

I have to say, I'm very impressed.

Very cool picture, but also scary.

I accelerated and left her
safely, and probably quaking,
behind me.

Stories like this do not help my piece of mind since I'm headed out tomorrow on a road trip.

Okay, enough doom
and gloom.
I spotted this Windows XP
background wannabe.

That's pretty spot on!

I love all your photos but these are my favorites.

All in all, I probably spent
an hour or two here,
just relaxing and taking
it all in.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

I find this such a contrast to your behavior when you go to Disney. Go, go, go in Disney but the opposite when you go to a Japanese garden.

I just like saying "Kootenays".

Me too!

The drive was only marred
at one point when rain started.
But it only lasted for a few minutes.
I drove past a small
group of motorcyclists,
stopped on the side of the road.
Moments later, it started to hail.
I sure pity those guys.
I presume they put their helmets
back on and stood there in misery.

In my mind I'm seeing the scene from "Wild Hogs" where this same thing is happening.

Certainly an interesting
looking structure.
The support beams alone
make it stand out,
let alone all the window

Very Cool!

Not what I was expecting but lovely.

I did what any sane
individual would do
and got both, of course.

Did you see it in this chapter?

I did! Hope he enjoyed his tea.

 

[pkondz]

That's efficient. Much better than I used to be packing up a campsite back in the day. Of course back then it was 3 days worth of mess from 3 or 4 nineteen- or twenty-something guys. Much easier for one I suppose.

Well, like you said...
It's just me, and the
tent isn't very big.
And just one night.
I'm not there long enough
to make much (if any)
of a mess.

Yikes! Very cool picture with the lightening though. Almost calendar worthy.

Thanks!
Took a bit of patience.

Mine too. Sometimes I wish I didn't have to drive. I rarely find it relaxing.

I usually find driving
relaxing.
Throw in the occasional
heart stopping moments
to keep things entertaining.

Very nice. If it was on my computer, I would believe it was one of those stock Windows wallpapers.

There's crazy names all over this country. We may have a few of the strangest here. If you have time, look at this link - scroll down the article to get to some of the place names.

https://www.familyfuncanada.com/newfoundland-place-names-will-make-blush/

I actually knew several of those.
I really want to get out to the
rock one of these days.
No idea when that might be, though.

Very nice. Something else I have never seen outside of TV or movies. I appreciate the clean lines of Japanese décor.

Just something about it
really appeals to me.

Erm...no. There's 14 rocks. Since there are waves around the edge, is that meant to represent the fact the viewer is an island, that being the 15th? I have no idea... Where's Mr. Miyagi when you need him.

You'll see.

It's a US border agent. Never make assumptions....

Ah! Thanks for the tip.

Tough choice. Like deciding between your children. Nothing wrong with both.

Nah. If I have to decide between
the kids... I'll just pick one of
our dogs.

Easier.

 

[pkondz]

Wow, you really do travel all over the place!

I do seem to be getting
around quite a bit, lately.

I'm kinda trying to
make up for lost time.
I've worked so much
without taking more than
a fraction of my vacation time...

... for years.

I've decided that I better get
going and see some places now,
rather than wait for some
indeterminate time in the future.

Love the Japanese Gardens! So pretty.

Yes they are!
And yet... English gardens
don't do it for me.

I guess I'm not that big
into flowers.

The bridge/market seems like a really neat place to visit!

I thought so.
I was glad I stopped
to check it out.

You certainly are the adventurer!!!

Nah. Just driving around.

Tell me, how does your back feel about sleeping in a tent? Inquiring minds want to know.

That's a bit of a story.
I did some research
on sleeping pads.
I also talked to a couple
of people at MEC
(Mountain Equipment Co-op.)
I inflated the pad and tried
it out at home.
It seemed fine and...
It turned out it was.

I was concerned, but it was
more comfortable than I thought
it would be.

But...
I did take it extremely slow
each morning.
I'd kinda... test my back
before making any sudden...
heck before making any moves.

 

[pkondz]

Taking after @Steppesister with the violence here, eh? What did the road do to you? I realize objects on the road have attacked you, but that's not the road's fault!

Excuse me?
It most certainly is
the road's fault.

A good road wouldn't have
put all those things in my way.

I was just telling someone today my drive to Disney should be 40 minutes except for the morons that find it impossible to leave the left lane unless they're 10 feet from their exit. And then they cut off 1-3 lanes of traffic to do it. I wish the police could/would give tickets for being an idiot.

Grrrrrr.... MOVE OVER!!!

I know of one instance here
where a woman got a ticket
for being in the left lane.

But just one.

I'd say it looks pretty darn close

I thought so!

What?
You think we actually read these?
A lot surprises me, but crazy Canadian isn't one of them.

For someone who didn't read
any of it, you sure quoted
enough of it!



Explain that!

Several possibilities.
1) There seems to be extra waves in front of the 4th rock from the left, so maybe there's one there.
2) The rock at the end of the walkway?
3) I tried counting the small rocks between the sand/gravel and the walkway...I saw WAY more than 15, but lost count somewhere around 70.

You'll see.

No way, you photoshopped something??? I'm shocked! And a little part of me just died....



LAUGHING!!!

Okay... technically every photo
is photoshopped.
I crop every photo to the same size
to fit nicely on the DIS.
Most photos get at least a little tweak.
But I usually don't take stuff out.
I could... but it's a lot more work, of course.

I just wanted to let people know
in case anyone noticed.

Ruh roh George!

Here we go again!

Mmmm...trains! Wonder how many engines it took...it looks failrly long and looks like coal cars and if loaded, would take a lot to go up and down mountains.

Unfortunately, I don't remember
how many there were.
And... you're only seeing a fraction
of it.

There it is!

Yep!

At least you finally admitted it. That's the first step! Just remember when you start going to CCA (Constipated Canadians Anonymous) meetings....My name is @pkondz and I'm constipated.

"CCA"

Cool looking and cool idea/concept, but I'm not into shopping so not much there.

I don't shop either.
I was more or less stretching
my legs and that's about it.

The concept of a market on
a bridge was intriguing...
not the shops themselves.

Except maybe that!

And why wouldn't you?

Right????

Nope. And I even waited until I got to a real computer so maybe I could see.

It's there.

 

[pkondz]

Awww, Medicine Hat. My sweet, dearly missed, Grandma was born there!

I love that you're camping, but I can't help but think back to your trip to Italy--- isn't camping torturous for your back??

As I mentioned to Teresa,
I researched and bought a
highly recommended sleeping
pad to lie on.
Between that and the high loft
sleeping bag, I was pretty cozy.
I did try it out at home before
venturing out and...

That first night was a trial run.
If I'd been in pain afterwards
(and I wasn't!) I would've
switched back to hotels.