Fall Colors
Pat in Algonquin
Hike in Algonquin
Boat used to hall logs across a lake
Parliament Building in Ottawa
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
October 2008 Pictures
Fall Colors
Pat in Algonquin
Hike in Algonquin
Boat used to hall logs across a lake
Parliament Building in Ottawa
October 2008 OT, NH and PA
House of Commons
Notre Dame Cathedral
Pat at Locks
Rideau Canal
Bomb at Diefenbunker
Before heading east from Georgian Bay, we took a cruise around Perry Sound on the Island Queen. There’s supposed to be 10,000 islands in the area and we saw quite a few. Next we went to Algonquin Provincial Park. The last time we were there, 18 years ago, 2 campers on a backcountry canoe trip were attacked by a black bear and partially eaten. (Not a joke!) The ranger assured us there had been no attacks since then. Due to the blustery weather, canoeing was not a priority for us there. We did enjoy several hikes in the park and they have an excellent Visitor Center and a comprehensive interpretive trail at their Logging Museum. The highlight of the park was the fall foliage. It has been a long since I’ve seen such vivid colors.
We had planned to spend two nights in the Ottawa area, but ended up staying four. Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is a great place to visit; even the bus drivers were friendly. We toured a museum, Parliament and the home of the Governor General. We were fascinated by the Rideau Canal. Built between 1826 and 1832, the canal provided a secure water route, away from the American border, in the years following the War of 1812. The canal is a National Historical Site and connects Kingston at the head of Lake Ontario with the Ottawa River and Montreal. Incredibly, the canal still operates as it did in 1832, except now pleasure boats have replaced cargo barges.
Jumping forward to the Cold War period, the Canadian Government built a huge four story bunker to house crucial elements of the government in the event of a nuclear war. We took a detailed tour of this facility called Diefenbunker.
Back in the USA, we attended a Rialto RV rally in the Franconia Notch area of NH. The Old Man of the Mountain had succumbed to erosion and gravity a few years ago, but the area is still very popular as the traffic jams attested. We returned to PA and MD to visit with family, friends and doctors. We enjoyed the hospitality of Pat’s father, Tom & Julie, Ann Chab and Ron & Sarah.
We had planned to spend two nights in the Ottawa area, but ended up staying four. Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is a great place to visit; even the bus drivers were friendly. We toured a museum, Parliament and the home of the Governor General. We were fascinated by the Rideau Canal. Built between 1826 and 1832, the canal provided a secure water route, away from the American border, in the years following the War of 1812. The canal is a National Historical Site and connects Kingston at the head of Lake Ontario with the Ottawa River and Montreal. Incredibly, the canal still operates as it did in 1832, except now pleasure boats have replaced cargo barges.
Jumping forward to the Cold War period, the Canadian Government built a huge four story bunker to house crucial elements of the government in the event of a nuclear war. We took a detailed tour of this facility called Diefenbunker.
Back in the USA, we attended a Rialto RV rally in the Franconia Notch area of NH. The Old Man of the Mountain had succumbed to erosion and gravity a few years ago, but the area is still very popular as the traffic jams attested. We returned to PA and MD to visit with family, friends and doctors. We enjoyed the hospitality of Pat’s father, Tom & Julie, Ann Chab and Ron & Sarah.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Sept 2008 AB to ON Pictures
Picture Captions
Lewis and Clark Statue in Ft Benton MT
The headwaters of the Mississippi, Lake Itasca, MN
Puppets in Duluth Museum
Don and Pat at North Shore falls
Pat at highest falls in MN
Lewis and Clark Statue in Ft Benton MT
The headwaters of the Mississippi, Lake Itasca, MN
Puppets in Duluth Museum
Don and Pat at North Shore falls
Pat at highest falls in MN
Boundary Waters
Picture Captions
Pre-dawn in Boundary Waters
Pre-dawn in Boundary Water
Don canoeing in Boundary Waters
Pat carrying the portage pack
Pre-dawn in Boundary Water
Don canoeing in Boundary Waters
Pat carrying the portage pack
Sept 2008 AB to ON
Picture Captions
Loon at Killarney Provincial Park
Lake and hills at Killarney Provincial Park
Fall colors at Killarney Provincial Park
Moose at Killarney Provincial Park
Birch forest
Lake and hills at Killarney Provincial Park
Fall colors at Killarney Provincial Park
Moose at Killarney Provincial Park
Birch forest
Trip Report Sept 2008
In our travels we have crossed paths with the great explorer, Capt. James Cook. From Whitby, England; to Cooktown, AU; to the Big Island and many points in between we have visited many of the places he first explored. This month we started to follow the path of Lewis and Clark in MT and ND. This led to trouble when we drove up a dirt road to get to the same lookout that Clark used to survey the Missouri River. Our RV got bogged down in the mud (called gumbo in MT). But we were so inspired by their ingenuity that we dug/jacked/and planked our sinking RV for almost two hours until we had it free. Lewis and Clark were lucky they didn’t have an RV!
Feeling more like explorers now, we tackled the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. This area is a wilderness so there are no signs to tell you where you are located. The outfitter warned us ‘ keep track of your position, or you will get lost’. This proved to be challenging as we crossed large lakes with lots of islands and inlets. On the last day the wind, rain and waves pounded us head-on and compounded the difficulty of finding our way. We never got lost, but it was nerve-racking at times. We found our pickup point and got out on time.
After visiting the North American Bear Center, we left Ely, MN and headed to Duluth, MN. From here we would continue our circumnavigation of Lake Superior (1300 mi). We completed the US portion several years ago, so now we wanted to do the Canadian portion - Thunder Bay to Sault San Marie, ON. Ontario has several Provincial Parks and there was one National Park along the shore route. To be honest, the best portion of this trip around Superior is the section known as the “North Shore” (from Duluth to Thunder Bay).
Heading east after leaving Lake Superior, we spent some time at Killarney Provincial Park. This is a little gem that Ontarians would rather keep to themselves. A mountainous wilderness of sapphire lakes and pink granite outcrops draws paddlers to its remote campsites. We settled for a day trip into the lake system and were rewarded with our first moose sighting of the year. The fall colors added to the natural beauty of the park.
In our travels we have crossed paths with the great explorer, Capt. James Cook. From Whitby, England; to Cooktown, AU; to the Big Island and many points in between we have visited many of the places he first explored. This month we started to follow the path of Lewis and Clark in MT and ND. This led to trouble when we drove up a dirt road to get to the same lookout that Clark used to survey the Missouri River. Our RV got bogged down in the mud (called gumbo in MT). But we were so inspired by their ingenuity that we dug/jacked/and planked our sinking RV for almost two hours until we had it free. Lewis and Clark were lucky they didn’t have an RV!
Feeling more like explorers now, we tackled the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. This area is a wilderness so there are no signs to tell you where you are located. The outfitter warned us ‘ keep track of your position, or you will get lost’. This proved to be challenging as we crossed large lakes with lots of islands and inlets. On the last day the wind, rain and waves pounded us head-on and compounded the difficulty of finding our way. We never got lost, but it was nerve-racking at times. We found our pickup point and got out on time.
After visiting the North American Bear Center, we left Ely, MN and headed to Duluth, MN. From here we would continue our circumnavigation of Lake Superior (1300 mi). We completed the US portion several years ago, so now we wanted to do the Canadian portion - Thunder Bay to Sault San Marie, ON. Ontario has several Provincial Parks and there was one National Park along the shore route. To be honest, the best portion of this trip around Superior is the section known as the “North Shore” (from Duluth to Thunder Bay).
Heading east after leaving Lake Superior, we spent some time at Killarney Provincial Park. This is a little gem that Ontarians would rather keep to themselves. A mountainous wilderness of sapphire lakes and pink granite outcrops draws paddlers to its remote campsites. We settled for a day trip into the lake system and were rewarded with our first moose sighting of the year. The fall colors added to the natural beauty of the park.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Travel Update – Aug 2008- WA and BC con't
Travel Update – Aug 2008- WA and BC
While staying with Tom and Cornelia in Washington, we visited the Seattle Underground and learned about the early history of the city. We also visited the Seattle Aquarium and the Sculpture Gardens. On our last night we saw a production of “Chorus Line,” which was a disappointment.
We left Renton and headed east toward Spokane. The area around the Grand Coulee Dam proved interesting. At night there was a laser light show on the downstream side of the dam. The show covered the history of the dam. This area was subject to massive flooding when ice dams collapsed during the Ice Age. These flood waters created the largest falls in the world, at what is now called Dry Falls. We climbed Steamboat Rock, an 800 foot high formation that withstood the erosive effects of the massive ice age flooding.
We arrived in Fernie, British Columbia and stayed at our chalet with co-owner Eldon. He was waiting for us to go on an ammonite hunt. Our initial attempt had only limited success. We returned with a guide, and after a tough bushwhack up a stream bed, we found what we were looking for, the Coal Creek Ammonite. This is the second largest (1.4 m wide) ammonite fossil in the world. It is estimated to be 200-145 million years old. We recovered from our hike with a soak in the Lussier Hot Springs. The best part was the scenic mountain drive to get to the hot springs. Pat and I did a bike loop around the town of Fernie. My bike broke down, and while I was waiting for Pat to return with the RV, I saw a black bear in the town park just down the hill from me.
After Eldon headed home, our friends Tom and Julie came to stay with us. During the next two weeks we did lots of walks and hikes in the area. We visited the Frank Slide area, where the side of a mountain collapsed and buried the town of Frank, AB. We put on coveralls and hardhats with lamps and joined an underground tour of a former coal mine. Down the road in Elkford, we took a bus tour of an active surface coal mine operation. We passed a group of bull elk and big horn sheep on the way up to the mine. We took a day trip to Waterton Peace Park, which is just north of Glacier NP. In between hikes, we saw a grizzly bear walking near the road. I guess he didn’t mind the sleet that had just pelted us. At the end of the month, Tom and Julie flew home and we headed back to Waterton.
On August 28, Yanjin and Eldon presented a paper in Ocean City, MD on “A Pilot Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant is Helping to Protect Caribbean Coral Reefs”. This paper was the result of several years of effort by Eldon, Yanjin and I to improve wastewater treatment at a resort in Bonaire and reduce nutrient pollution of their coral reefs. Unfortunately I was stuck in beautiful British Columbia at the time of the presentation.
While staying with Tom and Cornelia in Washington, we visited the Seattle Underground and learned about the early history of the city. We also visited the Seattle Aquarium and the Sculpture Gardens. On our last night we saw a production of “Chorus Line,” which was a disappointment.
We left Renton and headed east toward Spokane. The area around the Grand Coulee Dam proved interesting. At night there was a laser light show on the downstream side of the dam. The show covered the history of the dam. This area was subject to massive flooding when ice dams collapsed during the Ice Age. These flood waters created the largest falls in the world, at what is now called Dry Falls. We climbed Steamboat Rock, an 800 foot high formation that withstood the erosive effects of the massive ice age flooding.
We arrived in Fernie, British Columbia and stayed at our chalet with co-owner Eldon. He was waiting for us to go on an ammonite hunt. Our initial attempt had only limited success. We returned with a guide, and after a tough bushwhack up a stream bed, we found what we were looking for, the Coal Creek Ammonite. This is the second largest (1.4 m wide) ammonite fossil in the world. It is estimated to be 200-145 million years old. We recovered from our hike with a soak in the Lussier Hot Springs. The best part was the scenic mountain drive to get to the hot springs. Pat and I did a bike loop around the town of Fernie. My bike broke down, and while I was waiting for Pat to return with the RV, I saw a black bear in the town park just down the hill from me.
After Eldon headed home, our friends Tom and Julie came to stay with us. During the next two weeks we did lots of walks and hikes in the area. We visited the Frank Slide area, where the side of a mountain collapsed and buried the town of Frank, AB. We put on coveralls and hardhats with lamps and joined an underground tour of a former coal mine. Down the road in Elkford, we took a bus tour of an active surface coal mine operation. We passed a group of bull elk and big horn sheep on the way up to the mine. We took a day trip to Waterton Peace Park, which is just north of Glacier NP. In between hikes, we saw a grizzly bear walking near the road. I guess he didn’t mind the sleet that had just pelted us. At the end of the month, Tom and Julie flew home and we headed back to Waterton.
On August 28, Yanjin and Eldon presented a paper in Ocean City, MD on “A Pilot Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant is Helping to Protect Caribbean Coral Reefs”. This paper was the result of several years of effort by Eldon, Yanjin and I to improve wastewater treatment at a resort in Bonaire and reduce nutrient pollution of their coral reefs. Unfortunately I was stuck in beautiful British Columbia at the time of the presentation.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
July 2008 Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii
July 2008 Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii
On our way through Oregon we stopped at Crater Lake NP. We were amazed that there was still 2 feet of snow on the ground. We spend the Fourth in Bend, OR. We watched the fireworks from our campground and did more hiking across snow covered trails. After a quick visit with our friends Tom and Cornelia, we flew from Seattle to Kauai with them for the week. We hiked in Wiamea Canyon and later took a boat trip along the Napali Coast. We enjoyed a zip-line trip near Princeville.
After Tom and Cornelia returned home, we picked up Pat’s sister and brother-in-law, Linda and Rick. We flew to Hilo on the Big Island with them and stayed in a Bed and Breakfast. Kialeau volcano has been very active since March. We wanted to see the lava flowing into the sea, but the Park Service keeps you a mile away from the discharge point. In order to get a better view, one evening we took a small boat out to within a few hundred feet from where the lava tube discharged explosively into the ocean. Words and pictures don’t do justice to the explosions, fireworks, heat and lighting produced when the hot lava mixed with the ocean. The 45 minute high speed boat ride was a bone-jarring, white-knuckle ride each way.
One day when we were searching for a new place to go snorkeling, we found a rocky beach. Swimming in the surf just off shore were four green sea turtles. For twenty minutes we watched these turtles fight over a Sprite plastic soda bottle, which they thought was a jellyfish. A lot of the turtles’ energy was wasted trying to eat trash.
Linda and Rick celebrated their anniversary in Hawaii. After touring most of the island, the four of us headed to Oahu. We spent a day at the Polynesian Cultural Center and hiked to the top of Diamond Head. Pearl Harbor took a whole day as we visited the Arizona Memorial, the Bowfin submarine, and the Battleship Missouri. Linda and Rick returned to York, PA and we flew back to Seattle and stayed with Tom and Cornelia again.
On our way through Oregon we stopped at Crater Lake NP. We were amazed that there was still 2 feet of snow on the ground. We spend the Fourth in Bend, OR. We watched the fireworks from our campground and did more hiking across snow covered trails. After a quick visit with our friends Tom and Cornelia, we flew from Seattle to Kauai with them for the week. We hiked in Wiamea Canyon and later took a boat trip along the Napali Coast. We enjoyed a zip-line trip near Princeville.
After Tom and Cornelia returned home, we picked up Pat’s sister and brother-in-law, Linda and Rick. We flew to Hilo on the Big Island with them and stayed in a Bed and Breakfast. Kialeau volcano has been very active since March. We wanted to see the lava flowing into the sea, but the Park Service keeps you a mile away from the discharge point. In order to get a better view, one evening we took a small boat out to within a few hundred feet from where the lava tube discharged explosively into the ocean. Words and pictures don’t do justice to the explosions, fireworks, heat and lighting produced when the hot lava mixed with the ocean. The 45 minute high speed boat ride was a bone-jarring, white-knuckle ride each way.
One day when we were searching for a new place to go snorkeling, we found a rocky beach. Swimming in the surf just off shore were four green sea turtles. For twenty minutes we watched these turtles fight over a Sprite plastic soda bottle, which they thought was a jellyfish. A lot of the turtles’ energy was wasted trying to eat trash.
Linda and Rick celebrated their anniversary in Hawaii. After touring most of the island, the four of us headed to Oahu. We spent a day at the Polynesian Cultural Center and hiked to the top of Diamond Head. Pearl Harbor took a whole day as we visited the Arizona Memorial, the Bowfin submarine, and the Battleship Missouri. Linda and Rick returned to York, PA and we flew back to Seattle and stayed with Tom and Cornelia again.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Trip Summary - Three months in Australia
Trip Summary - Three months in Australia
What a great trip! It was easy to fill a week in Sydney and enjoyed the ferry rides around the harbor. We were amazed by the animal and scenery of Tasmania. We drove the dirt roads on Kangaroo Island and spotted Koalas there. The Grampians Mountains were dramatic and the Snowy Mountains lived up to their name. The Blue Mountains offered lush vegetation on steep cliff side trails. We bounced along the sand roads of Frazier Island and sailed around the Whitsunday Islands. The coral reefs were the best I have ever seen. We found many interesting stops in the Cairnes Highlands. Cape Tribulation was very tropical and we walked through one of the oldest rainforest on earth. We enjoyed a 4 WD trip up to Cooktown. We flew to Darwin for a trip to Kakadu National Park. After a flight to Alice Springs, we explored Ayres Rock, and other sights in the area. We flew home from here.
Commentary
Traveling in Australia is considerably more expensive than traveling in the US. For example we paid $1.80 to $2.40 for a liter of diesel. But the cost of the trip was the only down side. You get to learn a new language, Aussie slang; learn how to drive on the left; learn how to shift with your left hand (It’s a lefty paradise). It’s an easy and friendly country to explore. Crime is very low, the climate is predictable and the wildlife is just so darn interesting.
In three months we managed to see the best of central and eastern Australia. We could have easily filled 6 months covering the same area. We traveled by rental camper van, but most foreigners are under 30 and travel with just a backpack. Certainly this is a great adventure for the young at heart. Very few Americans travel to Australia and even fewer get beyond the big cities, Ayres Rock and the Great Barrier Reef. It’s worth the effort to see it all! We will return to see what we missed.
I hope you have the time to read the weekly updates which will give you a better understanding of Australia and our travels.
Don
What a great trip! It was easy to fill a week in Sydney and enjoyed the ferry rides around the harbor. We were amazed by the animal and scenery of Tasmania. We drove the dirt roads on Kangaroo Island and spotted Koalas there. The Grampians Mountains were dramatic and the Snowy Mountains lived up to their name. The Blue Mountains offered lush vegetation on steep cliff side trails. We bounced along the sand roads of Frazier Island and sailed around the Whitsunday Islands. The coral reefs were the best I have ever seen. We found many interesting stops in the Cairnes Highlands. Cape Tribulation was very tropical and we walked through one of the oldest rainforest on earth. We enjoyed a 4 WD trip up to Cooktown. We flew to Darwin for a trip to Kakadu National Park. After a flight to Alice Springs, we explored Ayres Rock, and other sights in the area. We flew home from here.
Commentary
Traveling in Australia is considerably more expensive than traveling in the US. For example we paid $1.80 to $2.40 for a liter of diesel. But the cost of the trip was the only down side. You get to learn a new language, Aussie slang; learn how to drive on the left; learn how to shift with your left hand (It’s a lefty paradise). It’s an easy and friendly country to explore. Crime is very low, the climate is predictable and the wildlife is just so darn interesting.
In three months we managed to see the best of central and eastern Australia. We could have easily filled 6 months covering the same area. We traveled by rental camper van, but most foreigners are under 30 and travel with just a backpack. Certainly this is a great adventure for the young at heart. Very few Americans travel to Australia and even fewer get beyond the big cities, Ayres Rock and the Great Barrier Reef. It’s worth the effort to see it all! We will return to see what we missed.
I hope you have the time to read the weekly updates which will give you a better understanding of Australia and our travels.
Don
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