BAYFIELD TO TOBERMORY ONTARIO…A GREAT FIRST DAY ON THE ROAD:))

It was a bee hive of activity this morning as we scurried about taking care of last minute things.  Went through our house check list half a dozen more times.  Last minute laundry, cleaning etc. etc.  Double checked to make sure all doors & windows were locked.  We have neighbors keeping an eye on the place for us plus our good neighbor Bruce will be coming in to check things.  We are also having our bathroom partially renovated while away so our good friend Rob from Deer Park Lodge  will be in & out over the winter months.  Rolled the rig out & pulled in front of the house to hook up the Jeep.  A quick good-bye to a couple neighbors & we climbed aboard.  I pulled the gearshift handle down into gear, stepped on the gas & had the big wheels rolling at 12:22 p.m.  We were finally on our way:))

AS I BACKED THE RIG OUT OF IT’S SPOT THIS MORNING I THOUGHT AHEAD 6 MONTHS TO THE MORNING I WILL BE DRIVING IT BACK INTO THIS SPOT AGAIN

 

JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM GETTING THE BIG WHEELS ROLLING

Having had no lunch our first stop was McDonald’s in Goderich followed by a $192.00 fuel stop just up the road.  From there it was a relaxing sunny afternoon 3.5 hour scenic fall color drive on quietly paved back roads for most of the way to Tobermory.  We knew all the traffic would be going the other way & it was.  All the week-enders were headed home & by the time we reached Tobermory we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves.  Unhooking the Jeep in Tobermory’s large information center parking lot  a cream colored car pulled up.  They had seen our Triple EEE roll through Wiarton.  They too were Triple E owners saying how much they too loved their coach. 

 

We found where the ferry parking lot was located & pulled ourselves into lane 4 where we knew to go from talking to folks at the reservation office a couple days ago.  We ended up being the only vehicle in the whole parking lot for the night.  Now how nice is that.

 

It was only a short minute walk to the Chi-Cheemaun (Ojibway for big canoe) docking area so we walked over to watch the ‘big canoe’ sail into the harbor & nestle into her resting place for the night.  We watched as many vehicles disembarked.  The Chi-Cheemaun was built in 1974 at a cost of 10 million dollars in the Collingwood Shipyards.  Carries approximately 140 vehicles & 638 passengers.  225,000 passengers a season. The bow visor alone weighs 50 tons.

OFF-LOADING THE BIG CANOE

  

 

STEEP RAMPS ARE LOWERED TO DISEMBARK MEZZANINE PARKED VEHICLES

 

I TOLD KELLY ALL THE VEHICLES LOADED IN THE MORNING HAVE TO BE BACKED ON…SHE WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THAT THOUGHT:))

We both remarked again tonight sitting in the rig how nice it is having all the additional space compared to our last couple shorter Class C’s.  We wisely left 2 of our 4 dining room chairs at home & appreciate that extra space as well.  We are just so totally happy with this rig.  And Kelly is so totally happy with her Blackberry phone which she received used from her daughter a year ago.  She spent time these past few months learning it’s capabilities & set up a plan for it.  Emails, etc.  I think it does everything except pour coffee.

SEEN IN THE PARKING LOT NEAR THE BOAT DOCK…DON’T ASK CAUSE I DON’T KNOW

And we are so fortunate to have a little doggy who travels so well.  Max used to whine a lot & Checkers just seemed to be frightened of the moving vehicle.  Pheebs just seems to love traveling.  Gets on the couch looking out the window wagging her tail.  Today she was walking around with her Teddy Bear while we were driving wanting to get a game of toys going.

A LOOK ACROSS THE HARBOR AT SOME NICE GLASS TOPPED TOUR BOATS

THIS NEW STATE OF THE ART POLICE BOAT WAS BUILT IN HALIFAX NOVA SCOTIA JUST A YEAR AGO & I THINK IT MIGHT BE FOR DUTY HERE ON THE GREAT LAKES

 

So all & all we had a very fine first day without any glitches or screw ups.  The Gremlins left us alone.  Weather was great, rig ran well, very little traffic, & we got to see a big canoe at the end of the day.  Now that was a bonus.  I always enjoy seeing things I have never seen before. 

 

It will be an early start in the morning as this whole place comes alive around 7 a.m.  Apparently we get measured before boarding & I’m sure driving the rig onto the big canoe will be another experience.  Kelly will drive the Jeep on board separately.  It’s about a 2 hour crossing & Pheebs will stay below decks in the rig.  Oh & our Bell MiFi Turbo Hotspot is working like a charm & the internet is reasonably fast.  We’ll see how we make out Monday on Manitoulin Island.

 

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A lawyer was well into a lengthy cross-examination when he stopped and said: "Your honor, a juror is asleep." The judge ruled: "You put him to sleep; You wake him up."

AT LONG LAST….WE’RE READY TO GO:))

SPOTTED THIS GREAT BLUE HERON WINGING OVER OUR PARK’S POND THIS AFTERNOON
When we phoned about the ferry from Tobermory to South Baymouth about a month ago they said we didn't need reservations because this time of year it's not as busy as the summer.  Just to be sure Kelly phoned again this morning & it's a good thing she did.  We were planning on boarding the 8:50 a.m. ferry Monday morning & had she not double checked there wouldn't have been room for us.  Luckily we were able to reserve one of the last spots.  Seems like Monday morning is a busy time no matter what the season.  Lady on the phone said a lot of logging trucks heading north.  We will roll out of Bayfield Sunday afternoon maybe around 1 p.m. & head directly for the ferry dock parking area where we will spend the night in the lot & be lined up for boarding first thing in the morning.  Our plan on disembarking the CHI-CHEEMAUN (big canoe) at South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island is to drive 75 miles to the Islands westerly end where we will camp at a Marina camp ground near the MISSISSAGI LIGHT HOUSE for a day or two or maybe three depending on weather.  I may not be able to publish any posts while there because it sounds like internet signals are either very slow, sporadic, or non existent.  We will be traveling with a Bell Telephone modem while in Canada so we have our fingers crossed that will work for us in most places.  From previous long ago travels above Lake Superior I remember there being some fairly long stretches between civilizations.  Of course that was back in the early 70’s so who knows what it will be like now. 

 
A WATER LANDING & A GRASS STRIP TOUCHDOWN

In Friday's post I mentioned about Kelly doing a lot of cooking.  A reader wondered about getting that food across the border.  We plan to travel in Canada for the first 10 days or couple weeks before reaching the border somewhere in southern Saskatchewan so figure we'll have all our pre-cooked grub eaten by that time.  It seems the rules for what kind of foods allowed by Canadians to take across the border have a habit of frequently changing so it's always a good idea to either phone the border or just simply do not take any food with you to be on the safe side.

 
AND A COUPLE PICS TODAY OF OUR GOOD NEIGHBOR MONICA    


 

If I walked around the property to check & make sure everything was put away & secure I walked around the property a hundred times.  If I walked around the rig once checking all the bins I did it a hundred times & if I stepped up into the rig once & stood looking to see if everything was in order I did that a hundred times too.  And checking around the house before we leave constitutes another hundred walk-arounds.  It's just the way it is for our semi-annul 6 month departures from one country to another & back.

CHECKING BINS FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME
I think today had to be the most perfect weather day of the entire year.  It was so quiet in the forest this afternoon I could hear single leaves falling through branches to the forest floor all around us.  Shafts of  golden sunlight made their way through the forests dappled canopy alighting softly along our trail as Pheebs & I walked quietly in thought.  Well I was in quiet thought anyway with the only thought on Pheebs mind being the hurried scrambling of an occasional Squirrel along the way.

 

Ready to publish this post now & my mind thinks ahead 24 hours to where we will be Sunday night at this time.  It will be the first leg of our 6 month adventure & I like to think we will be parked alongside placid Georgian Bay waters in Tobermory's Little Tub Harbor enjoying a mighty fine Lake Huron sunset.  The first of many sunsets & sunrises we will see in our travels.   Thanks to all my readers who managed to stick with me through the thick & thin of another long summer.  Happy to have you all back aboard once more for another up coming season in the great American South-West................:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((  The old man had died. A wonderful funeral was in progress and the country preacher talked at length of the good traits of the deceased, what an honest man he was, and what a loving husband and kind father he was.  Finally, the widow leaned over and whispered to one of her children, "Go up there and take a look in the coffin and see if that's your Pa."

HOW DID PHEEBS GET HER NAME & WE ARE DOWN TO OUR LAST DAY & A HALF

MANAGED A COUPLE QUICK SHOTS OF THIS COUNTRY HOUSE AS WE WENT FLYING BY TODAY…(NO COLOR ENHANCEMENT)

Two of my favorite food items are hard to find in the States.  Natural peanut butter & creamed honey.  Zehr’s Supermarket in Goderich carries the salt & sugar free 26 ounce natural peanut butter I prefer so had dropped in a couple days ago to pick up a couple jars.  I was in one of my penny pinching moods again & balked at the $6.19 per jar price tag.  Left the store empty handed.  But what to do about my daily peanut butter fix.  I relented this morning & decided to bite the bullet & go back & pick up a couple jars anyway.  Imagine my surprise after I sullenly trudged up the aisle expecting my wallet to part with another 15 dollar bill & found my peanut butter on sale for $2.99 a jar.  I grabbed 6 of em & ran like nuts for the cashier.  Felt so good about that I splurged for a vendor’s hot dog outside the entrance of Zehr’s & split it with Pheebs who was waiting patiently in the Jeep.  We snagged a few more photos on the way home.

 

A reader asked how we arrived at the name Pheebs for the Pheebs.  The family who had her before we did named her Evelyn & we knew we wanted to change that.  We did notice they called her ‘Evie’ for short.  Took us awhile to think of a name & I mentioned to Kelly one day driving to Mitchell Ontario to see my Uncle Harry that we should try to think of a name that rhymed with Evie.  Figured it would be easier for Pheebs to learn a new & similar sounding name.  Kelly right away came up with the name Phoebe & that was it.  Pheebs official name is Phoebe but I naturally got into the habit of calling her Pheebs.  On rare occasions when I need to get her immediate  attention I will bark out a loud 'Phoebe' & she comes running right quick.  And what is my pet name for the Pheebs.......'Bugs or Bugsy':))  Our little Motormouse's real name was Cora & I called her 'Beans or Beansy'.  In fact I just remembered a few paragraphs I wrote in a post back in 2010 about my nicknames for our Bayfield Bunch dogs.  It's called, SIR FROG-A-LOG, LADY FLOP-A-LOT & LITTLE WEINERLY BEANS  The paragraphs begin about half way through my post…………..:))

PHEEBS LIKES LAYING ON OUR CARPORT’S COOL CONCRETE FLOOR WHILE SOAKING UP WARMING RAYS FROM THE SUN

I think many Snow Birds might agree that about 80 to 90% of all packing done for a long trip gets done in the last couple days before travel.  If too much is packed a month or more before hand there is a good chance it is going to be shuffled around & re-packed again & again.  I think Kelly has already taken more clothes back out of the rig than she had put in the rig this past month or so.  Clothes aren't a big thing for me & I have a tendency to wear the same half dozen clothing items I have year after year.  In some cases I could almost substitute the word years for decades.

BEEN GETTING THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE RIG’S DASH TWEAKED OUT

 

PHEEBS KEEPS AN EYE ON OUR BUSY BEE ACTIVITIES TO DAY & WE PROBABLY WON’T TRAVEL WITH FULL BINS AGAIN THIS YEAR

Kelly’s been very busy in the kitchen these past couple days cooking up a big batch of food to take with us when we leave in a couple days.  We’re at the stage where we are loading food oriented pantry items now.  Having a house in Arizona means we do not have to take as much stuff with us on the road as we did when we were boondocking for long periods a few years ago.  I like the idea of being able to travel lighter.

 

Despite our gas prices spiking today here is an article which may warm the hearts of traveling RVers this Fall.  DRIVERS MAY GET A NICE HOLIDAY GIFT AT THE GAS PUMP (Thanks Jan) We haven’t totally filled up the Big EEE yet since getting it last May but I’m sure we both will be staggered in a few days when we do.  With a large 75 gallon gas tank it will be our most expensive fill up since we began Snow Bird RVing back in 06.  Oh Dear:((

In part here is an interesting comment from Ed over at the THE PEREGRINATING GRAYBEARD.  Ed says, "On 25 September 2014, a new rule proposed by the U.S. Forest Service pertaining to photography and film permits sparked internet outrage. According to circulating posts about the issue, the agency would like to charge fees of up to $1,500 before allowing "commercial filming and photography in federally designated wilderness areas." When the proposal is finalized in November 2014, reporters and other media outlets who do not obtain permits could face fines of up to $1,000.  Ed's full comment can be seen in the comment section of my Thursday post.

  

Thanks to JANNA for her cordial invitation to drop by her & Mike’s western Montana ranch on our North-West-Southerly journey but it is Eastern Montana we will be briefly slipping through on our way south from Rouleau Saskatchewan to Custer South Dakota.  From Custer we plan to follow MIKE McFALL'S route down into North-Eastern Utah.

As much as I look forward to heading for the South-West in the Fall & back home to Bayfield in the Spring I always miss things when we leave for either destination.  For me heading out in the Fall one of the greatest things I will miss is sitting right here in our cozy Sunroom where I put my daily post together each night.  With big bay windows in front & to the sides of me, relaxing stereo music, big screen monitor, easily accessible & wide keyboard, a totally comfortable chair, nice soft lighting & lots of space around me to set things like cameras, atlas’s or whatever, it is a hard place to leave behind.  Along with my cushy recliner it is one of my very much most favorite spots in the whole house.  I sure have written a lot of posts sitting here over the years.  Yep, I will miss it alright but I also know my thoughts of Bayfield will quickly be left behind with each mile traveled as my mind focuses on our travels ahead.

 

GROANER’S CORNER:(( A man is struck by a bus on a busy street in New York City. He lies dying on the sidewalk as a crowd of spectators gathers around.  "A priest. Somebody get me a priest!" the man gasps. A policeman checks the crowd ---- no priest, no minister, no man of God of any kind.  "A PRIEST, PLEASE!" the dying man says again.  Then out of the crowd steps a little old Jewish man of at least eighty years of age.  "Mr. Policeman," says the man, "I'm not a priest. I'm not even a Catholic. But for fifty years now I'm living behind St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church on First Avenue, and every night I'm listening to the Catholic litany. Maybe I can be of some comfort to this man."  The policeman agreed and brought the octogenarian over to where the dying man lay. He kneels down, leans over the injured and says in a solemn voice.  "B-4. I-19. N-38. G-54. O-72. . ."

WE HAVE FINALLY DECIDED ON OUR ROUTE & A WEE CASE OF THE JITTERBUGS

Had myself 6 months of prescriptions to pick up this morning so it was a trip to WalMart in Goderich for Pheebs & I.  Of course we made a Jeep tour of it & slowly poked our way along a bunch of scenic back roads on the way home.  Wednesday morning we did the same thing after picking up our new gas cap at the Bayfield Garage.  Dash engine light is out & the new cap appears to have solved the problem.  Say, did I tell you about this amazingly beautiful weather we are having....................:)) 

 

I SURE LIKE LOOKING AT COUNTRY PROPERTIES

I generally get myself a wee case of Jitterbugs just before any of our semi-annual cross country trips.  Not something on my mind all day but just at those moments when I'm half dozing in my recliner I am reminded.  Suddenly one of those 'what ifs' will roll through my quietly relaxing mind like a stampeding Buffalo.   Don't suppose Full-Timers get that as they are usually on the move much more often than we are.  It's when one hasn't traveled for a long period of time like a Snow Bird's 6 months that jittery thoughts can creep into one's mind.  Nothing serious but just enough to remind one of the unknowns on the open road ahead.  Thankfully there is a sure cure for the jitters & for me that comes the moment I pull the gearshift down into 'Drive', step on the gas & get the big wheels rolling.  Instantly all those Jitterbugs go flying out of my body as my mind turns to the long journey ahead. What a great feeling that moment always is.  Yes indeed:))

 

 

We finally made a decision on our route plan & we will be doing the northern route up & over Lake Superior through Manitoba, Saskatchewan, South Dakota & Utah before heading on down into Arizona.  Doing a few MapQuest mileage calculations today it looks like we will probably log about 3,300 driving miles for this years trip between Bayfield Ontario & Congress Arizona.  That’s about a thousand miles more than the usual couple of routes we take.  I have a feeling we are going to miss our Interstate CRACKER BARRELS along the way.  Only Cracker Barrel in South Dakota is Sioux Falls & we won’t be anywhere near there.  I see there is one in St. George Utah but not sure if we will get around that way.  One each in Flagstaff & Kingman Arizona & for sure we will be passing through one of those 2 places so we might just catch one after all.  Each one of those is only a couple hours from Congress.  Looks like we might roll out either Sunday or Monday afternoon with our first destination being Tobermory on the northern tip of Ontario's Bruce Peninsula.  No time lines on this trip again so we will just go at our own pace.  No specific places to be so we'll just get to Congress whenever It is we get there.

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Harold and Al were on a small chartered airplane when the pilot suddenly had a heart attack. "Don`t Panic," cried Harold heroically. "I’ll land this baby!" Seizing the controls he headed for the runway at LaGuardia Airport, and began wrestling the diving plane to the ground. Just as the wheels touched the ground, Al screamed, "Red lights!! Right in front of you!"  Immediately Harold threw the engine in reverse and jammed on the breaks, bringing the plane to a violent stop just inches from the edge of the lights.  "Brother!" he puffed, wiping his brow. "That sure was a short runway!" "Yeah," agreed Al, looking side to side, "but look how WIDE it is."

---

Taxiing down the tarmac, the jetliner abruptly stopped, turned around and returned to the gate. After waiting for an hour, it finally took off.  A concerned passenger asked the flight attendant, "What was the problem?"  "The pilot was bothered by a strange noise he heard in the engine," the attendant explained. "Oh, and it took a while to fix it," said the passenger.  "Not exactly," was the reply. "It just took us awhile to find a hard of hearing pilot."

IT IS THESE ENCHANTING AUTUMN DAYS I WILL REMEMBER

As I have mentioned many times before my favorite time of year is Autumn & that time is upon us right now.  Our weather is beautiful & with today's 70 degree temperatures I felt it was our year’s best day.  Pausing momentarily on our afternoon forest walk I marvelled at the serene peacefulness that enveloped Pheebs & I.  Blue Jays in the tree tops & squirrels scurrying about the forest floor shuffling through early fallen leaves.  A constant chorus of invisible Crickets stir my restless Soul.  These are absolute wondrous weather days we are experiencing.  Autumn's magic is truly upon us & when it is all said & done some day it will be these enchanting Autumn days I will remember………………….

Mentioned a couple blogs or so ago I was reading a biography on Canadian singer/songwriter Neil Young.  A reader jogged my mind reminding me I hadn't mentioned the name of the book.  It's written by author Jimmy McDonough & is called, 'Shakey: A Neil Young Biography.  The book tops out at 786 pages so figure at my current reading pace it's gonna take me about 3 years to get myself from cover to cover.  Here's a quote about the author.  (Jimmy McDonough is the author of the acclaimed book "Shakey: A Neil Young Biography". The chronicle of writing "Shakey" turned out to be nearly as fascinating as the subject itself. Weighing in at over 700 pages, the biography -- while flawed -- is considered to be one of the most definitive rock and roll biographies ever written. McDonough spent eight years writing the book and interviewed more than 300 of Neil's associates.)

Noticed a Facebook 'Friend Request' from a fellow RV Blogger a couple days ago but didn't click on it.  Good thing I didn't or I would have been scammed for the third time.  Not the RV Blogger's fault, his account had been hacked.  So just a reminder 'again' that I do not accept Friend Requests from anyone.  Nothing personal I just do not want to be scammed again.  I also do not accept any kind of game requests.  Also I have been receiving 'Linkedin' requests & have not accepted any of those either because I don't know if it's a scam or not.  Plus I am not into social media sites anymore.  Think I may have downloaded that Linkedin program one time about10 years ago.  That was back in the days when I would download just about anything if it was free.  A hard lessen learned there & it is rare for me to download anything from anywhere any more.

I SEE A LITTLE PUPPY DOG FACE HERE IN THESE GREEN LEAVES

Sure is a lot of work getting ready to go away.  Cell telephone plans to be ramped up with home phone plans put on vacation.  Same thing with cable TV & Internet services.  Insurance plans both medical & vehicle.  Credit card companies to be advised of our travel plans, bank advisories, & the list goes on.  All done by phone & emails of course & in our case it is Kelly who looks after all that.  I would sure be in one big huge confusing mess if I had to make all these plans myself.  Kelly is the one who makes all these winter trips possible & believe me when I tell you she is the one with the most good brains in this family:))

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A job applicant was asked, "What would you consider to be your main strengths and weaknesses?"  "Well," he began, "my main weakness would definitely be my issues with reality--sometimes I have a little trouble telling what's real from what's not."  "Okay," said the interviewer. "And what are your strengths?"   "I'm Batman."

---

The elevator in our building malfunctioned one day, leaving several of us stranded. Seeing a sign that listed two emergency phone numbers, I dialled the first and explained our situation.  After what seemed to be a very long silence, the voice on the other end said, "I don't know what you expect me to do for you. I'm a psychologist."  "A psychologist?" I replied. "Your phone is listed here as an emergency number. Can't you help us?"  "Well," he finally responded in a measured tone. "How do you feel about being stuck in an elevator?"