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

[pkondz]

Canadian Buffoon's Back to Front Vacation


What in the World?
(Or, that comes later.)

Well, hi there!
Welcome to another installment
of a Canadian Buffoon's Vacation.
If you're a regular reader,
welcome back!
Nice to see you again!
And if you're new around here,
welcome to you too!
Pull up a chair and set a spell.
We're all fairly harmless
and generally friendly.
Drop a line and say "hi"!


I've got some 'splaining to do.
It's been almost a year ago now
since I went to Disney World.

I wasn't going to write about it.
And it's gonna be a while before I do.
A few folks want the story,
and after I thought about it,
I realized that I had a few things
that I wanted to say about it.
But, you know, life moves on.

Since then I have done two road trips.
One West to the PNWMM
(Pacific North West Mouse Meet.)
And one East to Toronto.
And while I was doing that,
I might as well include South
in that and meet...
a whole bunch of really nice folks.


Now normally, people write these things
in chronological order.
"I did this, then this, then this..."
And I will... sort of.
Except I'm going to first write
about my latest trip,
because I know I've got a whole
lot of folks who want to know about it.
Then I'll add in the West trip,
which happened in the middle,
and finish up with Disney,
which actually happened first.
(This allows me to post this
and not run afoul of the DISboards police...
I think.)

Actually, the entire report, from
East to West to South involves
Disney or DISers, so... it all counts.

So this report will be back to front.
Hence the title.


A brief recap for those of you who
are fortunate enough not to know me.

That's me.
(The much more good looking
one in the background is not me.
sorry to disappoint.)

Annnnnd.... I just lost 90% of
the people reading this.

I really know how to scare
people off, don't I?

What do babies and women
have in common?
They both run away screaming
when they see me.

It's just a fact. I always tell nothing
but the slightly stretched and
exaggerated truth in my TRs.


I live in Winnipeg, Canada.
I do have a wife and kids
and do travel with one or all of them
from time to time.
Except DW is more of a homebody
and the kids are growing up, so...
I've been taking more solo trips lately.
I'm a shift worker, so my hours tend
to be all over the map.
But that does allow me time
to take the occasional vacation.
I do have a penchant for throwing
my back out at all the wrong times.
And, of course, like you,
I have a love for Disney.
Unlike you (most likely)
I have a penchant for collecting
Harley Davidson poker chips
by visiting Harley stores.

And just in case you think to yourself
"Hey! I'll send him one from ____!"
1. Thank you very much for the thought, but;
2. I only collect chips from places I've been.
This way I can point to my ever growing
collection and say "I was there."


And for those of you who do know me.

I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry.
You deserve better.
I tried to hire a stand in,
but no one wanted the job.
"What? Go through all that ridicule? No thanks!"

Ingrates.


So you're stuck with me.
Or you could simply close this
window and move onto another TR.



No?
Still here?

Well, then.
For those hardy or masochistic
readers, still here...

Let's get this thing started, shall we?


Fall 2018

I was about to hit the road. Again.
I like driving.
But... I think this time around
I bit off more than I could chew.
I had some slightly long days...
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Let's go back in time first, shall we?
Exactly ten years, in fact.
In September 2008, I had bought a
pair of tickets to see Elton John
in concert in Winnipeg.
Due to circumstances beyond my control,
I had to give up those tickets and skip
the concert.

For the next ten years, Ruby,
my DW, had to listen to me
whine about that.
It was not pretty.

And then Sir Elton announced
a Farewell Tour.
He was going to perform in Toronto.
My sister lives there.
She's as big a fan as I am.
Ruby bought me a ticket.
"Here." She said. "Stop whining. Just go already."


Or something like that.


I decided to drive instead of fly.
I mean, given the choice between
a two hour flight or a 24 hour drive,
which would you pick???

Yeah.... okay, so it's just me.


I never claimed to be the
brightest bulb.
But I like driving, so...
And... it allowed me to add in
a stop or two along the way
to see some folks.

The funny part?
About a day or two before I left,
when all the planning and preparing
was all done...
Elton John announced that he would
also be performing in Winnipeg.



Well... if I'd known that ahead of time,
I wouldn't have gone to Toronto to see him
and wouldn't have met or re-met so many
nice people.

So, I'm kinda glad the Winnipeg stop
wasn't announced until much later.


Okay, back to the recent past.
Let's get this road trip started!

Not so fast!
We need to do some preparing first.

The first thing I did was pick up these:

My wipers were doing an okay job,
but... they were getting up there
in age and I figured new ones were in order.
That turned out to be a smart move.
More on that later.

Okay. Wipers bought and installed,
bags packed.
Miscellaneous junk packed.
Maps and hotel confirmations printed...

Time to go!

And then, about two days before I left,
I threw my back out.
Not completely... not as bad as I have in the past...

But bad enough.
I could still walk, with some difficulty.
So that was a plus.
Much better than being bed ridden
for a few days.
(Yes, that happens.)

I needed to do something quick, though.
I had miles ahead of me.
I ain't got time for paralysis!

I called up and made an
appointment for a massage.
Just lying on the table on my stomach
turned out to be an adventure in itself.
It hurt like the Dickens, but...
after a minute or so, the pain eased off.
The masseuse..... was massive.

I asked him what he did for a hobby
and he said he was a body builder
and had recently won the local championship.

And then he put his arm on my lower back
and pressed down.

I think the screaming caused him to ease up a bit.


I could be wrong.


Eventually, the excruciating pain eased off
and I actually started to relax.
Maybe this was a good idea after all!

Forty five minutes later he was done
and told me to take my time getting up.

Apparently, that was a good suggestion,
because when I tried to move,
I found that I couldn't.
Any movement brought waves of pain
crashing from my lower back and radiating
outward from there.

I eventually got one leg off the table.
The masseuse came back in and asked
if I was okay.
I suspect the grunting, screaming and cursing
may have alerted him that all was not quite well.

I assured him that, given some more time,
that I would eventually crawl out of the room.
He seemed satisfied with that.
He didn't stick around.
I suspect the tears sent him running.
Mine, not his.

Left to my own devices, I eventually got
a second leg off the bed and tried to stand.
I didn't quite pass out.

I kept trying to stand,
and on the fourth or fifth try
I was finally able to maintain
a vertical position with only
some teeth gritting, sweating
and a couple of comments
(sotto voce, the dude was strong)
on the masseuse's lineage.
After a few more seconds, I was able
to shuffle over to the chair where my shirt lay.

I looked down on it forlornly, thinking
that perhaps I might have to abandon it.

I finally managed to do a deep knee bend
and retrieve it.
(You didn't really think I could just bend
over and pick it up, did you???)

As I shuffled out the door to my car,
the masseuse called out to "have a nice day".
I think it's maybe a good thing that Canada
has strict gun laws.

I mean, I was certainly in no condition
to punch him in the mouth.

Ever heard the expression
"The cure is worse than the disease"?
I think this may have been one of those cases.
While I just about died from the massage,
I think in the long run it did me some good.
I do know that by the next day,
I was feeling much better.
I'm pretty sure that when I had
my first DISmeet three or four days later,
she didn't even notice anything awry.
Well.... at least not as far as my back
was concerned.

What do you think, @Chrystmasangel ,
did you notice?


Feeling somewhat more human,
it was time to get this show on the road.
One last gas up of the car...

I don't know about you.
But I have a system when I fuel up my car.
I put my card in the machine,
and while it decides whether or not
I am worthy of receiving it's liquid gold,
I unscrew the gas cap.
Once it's deemed me worthy,
I fill up, and while I wait for my receipt,
I screw back the gas cap.

I suspect you are similarly inclined,
unless you don't pump your own gas.
Or are prohibited from doing so.

Why am I telling you this?

Patience.


Okay! Car filled with bags and fuel.
New wipers on.
Let's go!

I set out and had a minor issue right off the hop.

My GPS, lovingly nicknamed "Itchin' Betty"...
Except it's not "itchin'"...
her name's an alliteration. Figure it out.
Anyway, Betty told me to turn right.
But I wanted to go left.
She wanted me to take the main highway,
and I wanted to take a less traveled one,
that I knew would be shorter.
It was really odd.
She kept telling me to "Turn right".
"At the next intersection, turn right."
"In one mile, take the road, on right."
"Why won't you turn right?"
"There's just no turning you isn't there."
"Don't you love me anymore?"
But I didn't want to.
Turn that is.
I'll think about the love part
if she gets me through this
trip safe and sound.

She kept trying though, telling me my
arrival time in Duluth, MN would be 4:20pm.
Eventually, she stopped trying,
(it would be a good 90 minutes before she stopped)
recalculated and finally agreed with my direction.
And then told me that my time of arrival was 4pm!
By ignoring her I'd saved twenty minutes!

An hour out of town, I came up to
the US/Canada border.
Because I had taken the "road less traveled",
there was no one else there.
It's a small station. Only one customs agent.
I pulled up and was busy fishing out my passport
and taking off my sunglasses and replacing them
with my regular spectacles.

Word of advice. Customs agents do not
want to see you with your designer sunglasses on.
I made that mistake once.

Once.

I absentmindedly handed the passport to the
border guard and he asked where I was going.
"Toronto." I said.
"Why?" He asked.
"To visit my sister and see Elton John." I replied.
Probably more info than he needed, but I wasn't
quite as prepared as I like to be.
I expected a line of cars!
He handed me back my passport,
and told me to have a good day.

I need to come this way more often.


It was a few minutes later, as I drove on,
that I realized I hadn't had time to put
on my "innocent and not-a-terrorist" face.

Huh. Guess my clueless face was good enough.


I proceeded onwards and upwards...
uh... southeastwards.

After a few minutes,
I noticed that my car
seemed to be making
an odd sound.
At first I thought it was
just tires on pavement.
Nope... not that.
Not a good thing if I'm
having car troubles
right out of the gate.

I checked the RPMs...
Too high.
I glanced down and...
I was doing about 70mph...
in fourth gear.

Whoops!
Good way to burn through
a tank of gas.
I flicked it into 5th
and was gratified both
the RPMs went down
and the engine noise
dropped an octave.

I arrived in Duluth
around 4pm.
This would easily be my shortest
drive of the trip.
A mere six and a half hours,
three hundred and seventy miles.
I popped into Harley Davidson Sport Center
and picked up my first poker chip of the trip.
I won't bore you with all my Harley
stops unless there's something
slightly less than dull to say.


Of course, that applies to this
entire TR, doesn't it?
Slightly less than dull.
At least that's the goal.
Time will see if I succeed.


I checked into the hotel.
The Country Inn & Suites, Duluth.
I tend to stay at those all the time.
I get points and they're always clean.

Well... that opinion will change
later on in the trip.

Patience.


I checked in and was given
a couple of drink tickets.
Cool!
I dumped my bag in my room
and enjoyed a glass of wine
outdoors by the fire pit.
After a bit, I decided to
take a soak in the hot tub
to help ease the muscles
in my back.
I planned to do this at every stop.
Little did I know that this was
the last time I'd get wet.

Well.... I'd get wet one other time,
but that would be completely different.
And knock a major item off
my personal bucket list.

Patience.



In my TRs, I'll almost always include
a "did you see it" photo.
There'll be either a hidden Marvin the Martian
(my avatar)
or there'll be something with my name on it.
Obviously, I didn't bother with this
photo scarce chapter.
But you can expect them from
here on out.
And more photos too, of course.
(and far fewer of me...)

Wanna come along for the ride?

Coming up: First DISmeet of many.

Chapter 2. Heading On Down and Up​

 

[pkondz]

Chapter links:


Part 1
Chapter 1. What In The World
Chapter 2. Heading On Down and Up
Chapter 3. Cole at Christmas
Chapter 4. Groundhog Day
Chapter 5. Center of the Universe
Chapter 6. Dear John
Chapter 7. Live in Glass Houses
Chapter 8. Hit and a Miss
Chapter 9. Backside of Water
Chapter 10. A Whale of a Time
Chapter 11. Paradise Lost

Part 2
Chapter 12. Is This Kansas?
Chapter 13. Festival du Voyageur (Live update)
Chapter 14. Turning Japanese
Chapter 15. The Dullness Rubs Off
Chapter 16. Port Land
Chapter 17. Melting Sand
Chapter 18. PNWMM
Chapter 19. Passive Aggressive Market
Chapter 20. Where There's Smoke...
Chapter 21. Falling Down

 

[juniorbugman]

Yea can't wait to read about your journey. Next time we can meet up when you come back to Toronto.

 

[pkondz]

Yea can't wait to read about your journey. Next time we can meet up when you come back to Toronto.

to the TR!

Sorry we missed each other.
Next time for sure!

 

[QueenJen]

Drop a line and say "hi"!

Hi

So this report will be back to front.

I'm already confused.

"Here." She said. "Stop whining. Just go already."

Like that will help. You'll still whine about that one time you didn't get to see him way back when.......

Elton John announced that he would
also be performing in Winnipeg.

This sounds like something that would happen to me.

I looked down on it forlornly, thinking
that perhaps I might have to abandon it.

Sorry your back was out......but you have a way of writing that really paints a picture....

I suspect you are similarly inclined,
unless you don't pump your own gas.

Nope - no gas cap - just press the cover to pop open and pump.....had to do it this morning....the horror. I am usually spoiled and dh refuels my car. At least it was a nice mid 60's this morning with a slight breeze.

 

[MeghanEmily]

You're off to another good start! I'm curious about some of your little teasers/foreshadowing. I guess I'll just have to be patient. Looking forward to hearing about your trips! I'll do my best to keep up and make some comments as time allows.

 

[pkondz]

Hi

Hi, yourself Jen! to the TR!

I'm already confused.

No more than I am, I bet.

Like that will help. You'll still whine about that one time you didn't get to see him way back when.......

No, I'm good now.
Well, I might mention it.


Okay. I'll keep whining.

This sounds like something that would happen to me.

Sorry your back was out......but you have a way of writing that really paints a picture....

As long as I can stand
or lie down while I paint.

Wait, I don't have to bend
to reach the palette, do I?

Nope - no gas cap - just press the cover to pop open and pump

Ah. That's like Ruby's car.
Must admit I do like that.

had to do it this morning....the horror

I would laugh, but...
I see where gas prices are.

I am usually spoiled and dh refuels my car.

That's a good man.
You should keep him.

At least it was a nice mid 60's this morning with a slight breeze.

Annnnnnd...
A little part of me died
as I huddle from the cold and snow.

 

[pkondz]

to the TR, Meghan!

You're off to another good start!

Thanks!

I'm curious about some of your little teasers/foreshadowing. I guess I'll just have to be patient.

Yep, you'll have to be patient
while I doctor up some more
updates. I'll just keep nursing
it along until I can deliver.

Looking forward to hearing about your trips! I'll do my best to keep up and make some comments as time allows.

Thanks for taking the time
to say hi.
I know how busy you are.

 

[Terra Nova guy]

Well, hi there!
Welcome to another installment
of a Canadian Buffoon's Vacation.
If you're a regular reader,
welcome back!

Happy to be here and looking forward to it, as always.

Except DW is more of a homebody
and the kids are growing up, so...
I've been taking more solo trips lately.

Hmmm...I can envision this happening to me as well in the not too distant future.
I would really like a solo trip to WDW someday.

I decided to drive instead of fly.
I mean, given the choice between
a two hour flight or a 24 hour drive,
which would you pick???

I like the idea of road trips. Growing up my family always did them, usually towing a trailer around the province or up on the mainland. I enjoyed seeing all the places along the way. My problem now is that I get terribly sleepy when I drive. My in-laws is about an hour and a half drive. After I do that, I am ready for a nap.

The first thing I did was pick up these:

I know what store website that is!
I suppose if you're Canadian and ever bought a Tire it helps figuring that out.

I called up and made an
appointment for a massage.
Just lying on the table on my stomach
turned out to be an adventure in itself.
It hurt like the Dickens, but...
after a minute or so, the pain eased off.

I have tried massage a few times. Not because I had any major back problem, but just to see what the fuss was about. It hurt a bit during the massage, and I was sore the next day. But immediately after the massage I felt very relaxed, and I had no problems in the days following.

Of course, that applies to this
entire TR, doesn't it?
Slightly less than dull.
At least that's the goal.
Time will see if I succeed.

Shoot for the moon. If you fail, at least you'll land among the stars.

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

Pull up a chair and set a spell.
We're all fairly harmless
and generally friendly.

Speak for yourself. I'll just sit over here in the corner.

I've got some 'splaining to do.

You sure do, mister!

Except I'm going to first write
about my latest trip,
because I know I've got a whole
lot of folks who want to know about it.
Then I'll add in the West trip,
which happened in the middle,
and finish up with Disney,
which actually happened first.
(This allows me to post this
and not run afoul of the DISboards police...
I think.)

Just to stay consistent, maybe you should write these chapters to be read from the bottom up.

Actually, the entire report, from
East to West to South involves
Disney or DISers, so... it all counts.

Eh...Ok, we'll allow it.

That's me.
(The much more good looking
one in the background is not me.
sorry to disappoint.)

Annnnnd.... I just lost 90% of
the people reading this.

I'm just here for the free food. Where's the buffet table, anyway?

I do have a penchant for throwing
my back out at all the wrong times.

You would think, after all of these years, that you would learn to throw it out at the right times.

And for those of you who do know me.

I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry.
You deserve better.

Acknowledgement is the first step.

But... I think this time around
I bit off more than I could chew.
I had some slightly long days...

I remember looking at your map and thinking, "Wow, that's ambitious."

For the next ten years, Ruby,
my DW, had to listen to me
whine about that.
It was not pretty.

Ten years? Talk about the patience of a saint.

And then Sir Elton announced
a Farewell Tour.
He was going to perform in Toronto.
My sister lives there.
She's as big a fan as I am.
Ruby bought me a ticket.
"Here." She said. "Stop whining. Just go already."

Best money she ever spent!

I decided to drive instead of fly.
I mean, given the choice between
a two hour flight or a 24 hour drive,
which would you pick???

The funny part?
About a day or two before I left,
when all the planning and preparing
was all done...
Elton John announced that he would
also be performing in Winnipeg.

And then, about two days before I left,
I threw my back out.

D'oh! That's definitely the wrong time.

I asked him what he did for a hobby
and he said he was a body builder
and had recently won the local championship.

And then he put his arm on my lower back
and pressed down.

I think the screaming caused him to ease up a bit.

This sounds like a scene from a movie.

Forty five minutes later he was done
and told me to take my time getting up.

Apparently, that was a good suggestion,
because when I tried to move,
I found that I couldn't.
Any movement brought waves of pain
crashing from my lower back and radiating
outward from there.

So glad you stopped in for treatment! What a great idea!

While I just about died from the massage,
I think in the long run it did me some good.

Are you just saying that in case he's reading this?

I suspect you are similarly inclined,
unless you don't pump your own gas.
Or are prohibited from doing so.

Why am I telling you this?

Patience.

I need more patience when pumping my own gas?

She kept telling me to "Turn right".
"At the next intersection, turn right."
"In one mile, take the road, on right."
"Why won't you turn right?"
"There's just no turning you isn't there."
"Don't you love me anymore?"

The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. There is no parking in the Red Zone.

Word of advice. Customs agents do not
want to see you with your designer sunglasses on.
I made that mistake once.

Once.

Does it make you look less constipated?

He handed me back my passport,
and told me to have a good day.

I need to come this way more often.

Wow. Clearly you're not very intimidating.

Of course, that applies to this
entire TR, doesn't it?
Slightly less than dull.

Slightly. Ever so slightly...

The Country Inn & Suites, Duluth.
I tend to stay at those all the time.
I get points and they're always clean.

Well... that opinion will change
later on in the trip.

Wanna come along for the ride?

Sure, I guess. Beats doing work.




I mean, uh, absolutely! Wouldn't miss it!

 

[Pluto0809]

I'm here!!

Sorry about your back. I didn't notice anything when you were in Atlanta but I think I was on the tail end of the trip so hopefully you were completely healed by then.

Can't wait to read all about this epic trip.

 

[pkondz]

Happy to be here and looking forward to it, as always.

Thanks, Jeff.
to the TR!
Hope I don't disappoint.

Hmmm...I can envision this happening to me as well in the not too distant future.
I would really like a solo trip to WDW someday.

You get to set your own agenda
and go at your own pace.

I'm trying to figure out
if I can go diving again
when I go in May (with DD).

Probably not.

I like the idea of road trips. Growing up my family always did them, usually towing a trailer around the province or up on the mainland. I enjoyed seeing all the places along the way. My problem now is that I get terribly sleepy when I drive. My in-laws is about an hour and a half drive. After I do that, I am ready for a nap.

That's really not a good thing.
I can still drive for 13-14 hours
without feeling like I'm going
to nod off.

But after that.... I am wiped.

I know what store website that is!
I suppose if you're Canadian and ever bought a Tire it helps figuring that out.

But you're not quite right.
That's a screen shot
from the parts finder screen
at the store.

I have tried massage a few times. Not because I had any major back problem, but just to see what the fuss was about. It hurt a bit during the massage, and I was sore the next day. But immediately after the massage I felt very relaxed, and I had no problems in the days following.

I think that's pretty common.
Next day "ouch"
Day after "ahhh".

Shoot for the moon. If you fail, at least you'll land among the stars.

Huh.
I tend to land amongst the sty
more than the stars.

 

[tinkbell13]

Well, hi there!
Welcome to another installment
of a Canadian Buffoon's Vacation.
If you're a regular reader,
welcome back!
Nice to see you again!
And if you're new around here,
welcome to you too!
Pull up a chair and set a spell.
We're all fairly harmless
and generally friendly.
Drop a line and say "hi"!

Hi pkondz!
I just read one of your previous reports, and well, I ended up here. Figured I should say hello this time as I am joining in at the beginning.

Since you started this one by heading to Duluth, MN, you probably eventually passed right by my hometown (London) on your way to Toronto. Depending on when you passed by we likely weren't here though as we were out road tripping ourselves. DH, DS, DS's GF and I spend most of our weekends from May to October travelling around southern Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, Iowa and New York in our motorhome visiting dirt race tracks (mostly racing and sometimes watching) and theme parks. If you ever see a long haired German Shepherd sitting in the driver's seat of a Holiday Rambler Neptune while it is parked somewhere, we are around there somewhere.

Looking forward to hearing about your road trips and Disney. I probably won't post much, but I will be following along.

 

[pkondz]

Speak for yourself. I'll just sit over here in the corner.

Preferably with your back turned.

to the TR, Mark!

You sure do, mister!

Just to stay consistent, maybe you should write these chapters to be read from the bottom up.

Bottom's up!

Eh...Ok, we'll allow it.

Phew!

I'm just here for the free food. Where's the buffet table, anyway?

It's over in the corner.
The opposite corner where you are.

Hey. You made your choices
now you have to live with them.

You would think, after all of these years, that you would learn to throw it out at the right times.

That would be a trick.
Hmmm.... I guess that's what I have.
A trick back.

Still better than a Nickelback.

Acknowledgement is the first step.

Hi. My name is pkondz.
You deserve better.

I remember looking at your map and thinking, "Wow, that's ambitious."

Overly so.

Ten years? Talk about the patience of a saint.

She's put up with me for much longer.
Not sure why.

Best money she ever spent!

D'oh! That's definitely the wrong time.

Could've been worse.
A lot worse.
Could've been more disabling
(as it has in the past)
and could have happened
during the trip.
That's happened too.

This sounds like a scene from a movie.

Comedy or horror?

So glad you stopped in for treatment! What a great idea!

Well, like I mentioned,
I think it was... eventually.

Are you just saying that in case he's reading this?

He was really strong, Mark.

I need more patience when pumping my own gas?

Yes.
Stop yelling at the machine
and the attendants.


Word gets around.

The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. There is no parking in the Red Zone.

You picked up on that!

Does it make you look less constipated?

Was wondering if anyone
would mention that.

Wow. Clearly you're not very intimidating.

You've met me.
I'm just about the opposite
of intimidating.

Unless I'm on my bike.
Then I am.

Sure, I guess. Beats doing work.

Not by much.
But then again,
watching paint dry
beats work.

I mean, uh, absolutely! Wouldn't miss it!

 

[pkondz]

I'm here!!

to the TR, Ariana!

Sorry about your back. I didn't notice anything when you were in Atlanta but I think I was on the tail end of the trip so hopefully you were completely healed by then.

No, it wasn't.
(still isn't)
You probably didn't notice,
but I was being very careful
each time I leaned over
to take a shot.

Can't wait to read all about this epic trip.

It's epic because you're in it!

 

[pkondz]

Hi pkondz!

Hi!
to the TR!

I just read one of your previous reports, and well, I ended up here.

And you still came here?
You must've gotten lost.


Seriously, thanks for following along.

Since you started this one by heading to Duluth, MN, you probably eventually passed right by my hometown (London) on your way to Toronto.

Nope!
Not this time.
I took a slightly more
circuitous route.

You'll see.

Depending on when you passed by we likely weren't here though as we were out road tripping ourselves. DH, DS, DS's GF and I spend most of our weekends from May to October travelling around southern Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, Iowa and New York in our motorhome visiting dirt race tracks (mostly racing and sometimes watching) and theme parks.

Really!
How cool is that!
Have a picture of your racer?

If you ever see a long haired German Shepherd sitting in the driver's seat of a Holiday Rambler Neptune while it is parked somewhere, we are around there somewhere.

I'll be sure to keep my eyes
open for this:



Yes... I had to Google.
I had no clue what you meant.

Looking forward to hearing about your road trips and Disney. I probably won't post much, but I will be following along.

Thanks!
Much more to come.

 

[MeghanEmily]

I know how busy you are.

I know you understand busy more than most people do! It seems that every time you're here, it's between long shifts or family things. Thanks for the understanding

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Well, hi there!

ZZZZZZzzzzzzzz…
Hummm, What!

Did you say something?

Welcome to another installment
of a Canadian Buffoon's Vacation.

Ohhhh…
Is that all?

ZZZZZZzzzzzzz…

We're all fairly harmless
and generally friendly.

So long as you stay off my lawn…

Except I'm going to first write
about my latest trip,
because I know I've got a whole
lot of folks who want to know about it.
Then I'll add in the West trip,
which happened in the middle,
and finish up with Disney,
which actually happened first.

…em ot esnes sekaM

(wonk ‘ay ,nemo doog a ton yllausu si hcihw)

(This allows me to post this
and not run afoul of the DISboards police...
I think.)

No one expects the Spanish Inquis…
Errr….
The DISboards Police!

A brief recap for those of you who
are fortunate enough not to know me.

Ehhh… who cares about them?
They’ll share our disappointment soon enough.

I really know how to scare
people off, don't I?

Everyone needs a talent.

It's just a fact. I always tell nothing
but the slightly stretched and
exaggerated truth in my TRs.

Well, TR is an acronymization© of the common phrase: “Truth Redacted”.


Isn’t it?

I live in Winnipeg, Canada.

Burrrrrrrrrrrrrr…

I do have a wife and kids

And yet, they haven’t disavowed any knowledge of your existence.

And for those of you who do know me.

I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry.

Yeah, yeah, yeah…

So you're stuck with me.

Or, is it that you’re stuck with us?

Which option is actually more potentially frightening?
The world wonders…

I like driving.
But... I think this time around
I bit off more than I could chew.

Driving with your mouth full…

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Well that’ll certainly interfere with your notion of writing about this trip backwards.

Ruby bought me a ticket.
"Here." She said. "Stop whining. Just go already."


Or something like that.

I suspect it was exactly like that.

I decided to drive instead of fly.

Well, I generally can’t afford to fly, so…

I never claimed to be the
brightest bulb.

Or even a lit candle.

About a day or two before I left,
when all the planning and preparing
was all done...
Elton John announced that he would
also be performing in Winnipeg.

He does that.
We acquired tickets for this same tour, but the evening will also include a little bit of driving.
Only after paying for them did he announce that they’d be stopping at the local venue as well…

Typical… but it truth, where we’ve got tickets is a smaller facility (and less expensive) so I’m good with that.

And then, about two days before I left,
I threw my back out.

You really need to stop doing that.

The masseuse..... was massive.

I asked him what he did for a hobby
and he said he was a body builder

This guy?

Anyway, Betty told me to turn right.
But I wanted to go left.

Always go left.

It was a few minutes later, as I drove on,
that I realized I hadn't had time to put
on my "innocent and not-a-terrorist" face.

Meaning that this was the first time you weren’t asked about constipation.

Huh. Guess my clueless face was good enough.

I’m sure it better matches up with the photo on your passport.

I proceeded onwards and upwards...
uh... southeastwards.

Translation: Down-Over

I checked into the hotel.
The Country Inn & Suites, Duluth.
I tend to stay at those all the time.
I get points and they're always clean.

Well... that opinion will change
later on in the trip.

Hummmm…
But will this one beat out the “Quality Inn, Petersburg, VA”?
That remains to be seen.

Mmmmm…
Roast Minstrel

 

[pkondz]

I know you understand busy more than most people do! It seems that every time you're here, it's between long shifts or family things. Thanks for the understanding

Well, let's see...
This is my fourth shift
I've worked during
my three days off...

 

[pkondz]

ZZZZZZzzzzzzzz…
Hummm, What!

Did you say something?

Nope. Nothing to see here.

to the TR, Rob!

Ohhhh…
Is that all?

ZZZZZZzzzzzzz…

There ya go.
Much better off reading this
with your eyes closed.

So long as you stay off my lawn…

…em ot esnes sekaM

(wonk ‘ay ,nemo doog a ton yllausu si hcihw)

.gnaD .that fo thguoht d'I hsiW

No one expects the Spanish Inquis…
Errr….
The DISboards Police!

Love that skit.

Ehhh… who cares about them?
They’ll share our disappointment soon enough.

You know me so well.


Actually... you know what my one
big regret from this trip is?

Missing meeting you.
I've been telling a lot
of people that.

So... I'm sorry that you're
kinda one of the folks
that don't know me.

Everyone needs a talent.

This one's God given.
I revel in it.

Well, TR is an acronymization© of the common phrase: “Truth Redacted”.


Isn’t it?

Of course it is.
What else could it possibly be?

Burrrrrrrrrrrrrr…

If you have a burr in your
sweater, just take it out.

Sheesh.

And yet, they haven’t disavowed any knowledge of your existence.

That you know of.

Or, is it that you’re stuck with us?

Which option is actually more potentially frightening?
The world wonders…

Hmm... valid question.

Driving with your mouth full…

...explains all the random
weaving across all lanes
of traffic.

Well that’ll certainly interfere with your notion of writing about this trip backwards.

Correct.
I should have said
I'm getting behind myself.

No one else is, so...

I suspect it was exactly like that.

Well, I generally can’t afford to fly, so…

Flying would've been cheaper.
I have points.
But this was more fun.


Sort of.

Or even a lit candle.

Or even an extinguished one...

After it's melted into an unsightly puddle.

He does that.
We acquired tickets for this same tour, but the evening will also include a little bit of driving.
Only after paying for them did he announce that they’d be stopping at the local venue as well…

Typical… but it truth, where we’ve got tickets is a smaller facility (and less expensive) so I’m good with that.

Nice! When are you going?

You really need to stop doing that.

I really do.

I really, really do.

This guy?

That's him!!!

Always go left.

Ya know...
Where is that from?
I've heard it forever, but...

Meaning that this was the first time you weren’t asked about constipation.

Another one who knows
where I was going with that!

I’m sure it better matches up with the photo on your passport.

Clueless?

Yep. That's me.

Translation: Down-Over

Correct.

or... er... incorrect?

Hummmm…
But will this one beat out the “Quality Inn, Petersburg, VA”?
That remains to be seen.

You'll see.
Judge for yourself.

Mmmmm…
Roast Minstrel