Toronto And Home

The Ambasssdor Bridge, We are Almost Home!

Tuesday morning I awoke with only one thought, "to go home." We had been on the road four and half weeks and we were ready. Unfortunately this meant we would not be stopping in Montreal to meet up with a friend and eat a smoked meat sandwich or visiting the Insectarium de Montreal.

So we loaded up the car had breakfast and headed west. We crossed northern New York and over into Ontario, Canada. We hit traffic just east of Toronto and that would be the norm until we got to Woodstock west of Toronto. We did make a quick stop in downtown Toronto to go to Mountain Equipment Co-op. There was a bag that I saw in the Halifax, NS store that I wanted to buy.

It then started to rain and the traffic got worse. We averaged about 20 mph for the next 70 miles. Eventually it did break up and the rain stopped. Before we knew it we were crossing the Ambassador Bridge over the Detroit River and into the USA. We got through customs quickly and we were home hugging Mom by 9:30 pm.


Plattsburgh, NY to Ypsilanti, MI, 618 miles 12 hrs 2 min

Mt Washington and Ice Cream

Ned and Joe Pick Out the Perfect Camper

Since we slept in the car last night I was up early and headed out to look for a place to have breakfast. North Conway, NH is one of those outlet Mecca’s. Since New Hampshire has no sales tax they are popular but they don’t open until 9:00 am. So after breakfast we drove to the base of Mount Washington to take the Mount Washington Auto Road to summit of Mount Washington.

The Auto Road was opened in 1861 as a carriage route to the 6,288 ft summit. It is 8 miles to the top and some parts are not for the faint of heart. The weather on the summit looked clear from the base of the drive but by the time we reached the top it had changed. Clouds were swirling around us and the wind was picking up. The summit is home to a number of buildings including the Mount Washington Observatory. In 1934 the scientists at the observatory measured the world’s highest surface wind speed record of 231 miles per hour. Fortunately the wind wasn't quite near that for us. Clouds moving in blocked our view so we climbed back in the car for the drive down. As we descended it began to rain. After stopping at some of the outlets we started for Vermont.


A New Hampshire Covered Bridge


The Clouds Swirl Around Mount Washington


Hang On! Joe Summits Mount Washington


While Ned Shelters Behind Some Rocks

We took the Kancamagus Scenic Byway (Rt. 112) from Conway. It is a 28 mile road through the heart of the White Mountains that climbs to nearly 3000 ft. It is designated a National Forest Scenic Byway and may be the most scenic route in New Hampshire. The last time I was on this road was in June and it was snowing, this time it was raining so the scenery was muted. We eventually entered Vermont and drove to Waterbury, VT for our next stop.

Waterbury, VT is the location of the Ben & Jerry’s Factory. They have scheduled tours to view the making of their ice cream. The factory grounds is sort of like a small fair with games for the kids, a flavor graveyard and of course a scoop shop. You do get to sample some ice cream at the end of the tour but we had to wait one and half hours for our tour so what else are you going to do?


Is That an Ice Cream Factory?


Ned and Joe on Ice Cream


Ned Sampling the Wares While Thinking of His Next Flavor

After the tour we took off for Burlington, VT. By this time we were ready to get home so I made Plattsburgh, NY our goal. With it raining and the broken tent pole I decided to stay the night in a hotel. A quick ferry ride across Lake Champlain and we were in Plattsburgh and to bed.


The Ferry Across Lake Champlain to Plattsburgh, NY


Conway, NH to Plattsburgh, NY, 179 miles 7 hrs 17 min

The Drive to Cape Cod

Ned Works the Locks at the National Canal Museum

We left Carlisle for Osterville, MA where Mary's sister has a house on Cape Cod at 8:00 am. On the way we stopped in Easton, PA to visit the National Canal Museum and the Crayola Factory. The National Canal Museum is a very nice museum showing the canal phase in America's history. Easton is a the junction of the Delaware and Lehigh canals. They are very kid oriented with a displays that allow you to float a canal boat through locks, harnass a mule, buils bridges and design a canal.

In the same building is the Crayola Factory. Instead a factory Crayola has set up "a hands-on discovery center." They have a room that does show you how crayons and markers are made and then there are areas to make art. You can mold clay, paint with hot wax and create puppets.


Joe Takes His Canal Boat Back Through the Locks


Joe Presents his Alien


Ned Shows Off His Model Magic Snake

After Easton we headed on and stopped for a late lunch in Brewster, NY at the Red Rooster. This place has great burgers and my favorite, egg creams (chocolate only please.)

Only one more stop found us in Mystic, CT for a late dinner at food shack overlooking Mystic Seaport. We could see some of the ships and made a note to visit the museum when it was open. We arrived on the Cape about 10:00 pm. Mary's sister picked Mary up at the airport (thank you, Ann) and they arrived about 11:00 pm.

The Red Rooster in Brewster, NY


Carlisle, PA to Osterville, MA 482 miles 10 hrs 11 min