Update Archive

Archive 9/21 - 10/8/2005:
9/21/2005 - (500 miles – 10.5 hrs - L:62F – H:82F) We moved today, pulling the trailer 499 miles in about 10 hours. What a day! Smooth sailing, easy gas stations, didn’t get lost, no wind. It was great! We crossed Illinois and Indiana and part of Ohio before we reached our camp near Sandusky. We drove on the Ohio Turnpike and had to pay a toll ($2.60)…. My first toll on this trip. The Ohio Turnpike is a toll road and instead of gas stations at off ramps you get gas at Service Centers. They don’t charge you to leave the toll-way and enter a Service Center, which has food courts, a rest stop type area, regular and semi gas stations. They are very convenient. I’m in Ohio! How cool! We’re now in EST – lost another hour on the drive today. I’m finally East!
9/22/2005 - (17 miles – 3 hrs - L:62F – H:82F) Did some shopping and tooled around getting a feel for the place. I don’t know why I’m so excited to be in Ohio…
A fantastic thunderstorm moved through in the late evening. Great thunder and lightening, lots of rain. Very nice.
9/23/2005 - (L:65F – H:80F) Worked on a website and that’s about it.
9/24/2005 - (50 miles – 5.5 hrs - L:60F – H:73F) What a fantastic day!! I left Max in the trailer and drove into Sandusky with the ultimate goal of catching the Ferry out to South Bass Island. It turns out that both of the Ferry companies have closed down their Sandusky docks for the season. Ohhhh-kay. I walked around downtown Sandusky for a bit. There is a lot of history here. Many of these homes were stations on the Underground Railroad before and during the Civil War. Locals provided food, shelter, clothing and transportation to Canada. Harriet Beecher Stowe used Sandusky as the gate to freedom for the run-away slaves in her book “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. There are beautiful parks full of flowers and trees. There was a class reunion going on, and they had a band and several concession stands.
I jumped back in my truck, (I had parked in a really short parking garage… my antenna scraped on each of the beams..yikes!) and headed over to Catawba Point to catch the Miller Boat Line Ferry. I had called from Sandusky so I knew I’d be able to catch a ride. The Ferry cost $5.50 each way and the 3-mile ride only takes 18 minutes. I kept expecting to smell brine and taste salt, and was constantly surprised that I didn’t. The water was pretty choppy, adding to the perception that we were on the sea.
Once the Ferry docked I caught the $2 bus for a ride into downtown Put-in-Bay, the town on South Bass Island. (It turns out this is a resort island. I’m soooo glad I’m here off-season.) You can rent a bike or a golf cart to get around the island. The golf carts are street legal and have equal share of the road… they make sure you know that you can also get tickets while driving your golf cart. I was tempted, but since I had no idea where I was going or what the driving situation was going to be, I passed. There were docks and marinas everywhere. The only thing there were more of were bars. You can’t have open containers on the street, but just about every single establishment would sell you a drink. One of the more common shirts says “A quaint drinking village with a slight fishing problem.” This is a party place. (Which would explain why the parking attendant back at Catawba Point asked if I was sure I was coming back today….)
From the bus stop in downtown I walked over to Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial. The Memorial is a Greek Doric column rising 352-feet over Lake Erie (3rd largest in the National Park System – 1st is the St. Louis Arch – 2nd is the Lincoln Memorial – 4th is the Statue of Liberty). It was built between 1912 and 1915 and consists of 78 courses of pink Milford, Mass., granite topped by an 11-ton bronze urn. At the 1913 dedication the three British and three U.S. officers killed in the 1813 battle were reinterred beneath the memorial floor.
I’m embarrassed to say I remember nothing of this battle from any of my history classes. I do remember hearing about the War of 1812, of which this battle was a turning point, but I don’t remember any details. I’ll try to paraphrase what I learned from the visitor center and brochure. The official reasons for the War of 1812 were to stop the British attacks on American neutral shipping and because of impressments of American sailors during the Napoleonic Wars. Just as important a reason was the struggle over the old Northwest Territory on the Great Lakes. By late 1813 the British and the Americans were at something of a stalemate. It had become clear early on that Lake Erie was vital to control of the Northwest. Either army needed free passage on Lake Erie to advance into enemy territory, since the lake was essential for secure lines of supply and communications. While the British held the advantage from the outset, the Americans had started planning to take control in late 1812. The plan consisted of hastily built ships, meant to fight one battle, constructed in Erie, PA. The result was two brigs and four schooners, built in Erie, and five small vessels brought from Black Rock. With Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry in charge, the American set out on Lake Erie to engage the British fleet, which consisted of two ships, two brigs, one schooner and one sloop. Perry was on the Lawrence, which was heavily damaged during the battle. He sailed a small boat from the Lawrence to the undamaged Niagara and continued the fight. When the British saw the approaching Niagara, the two largest British ships, which had also been badly damaged, tried to maneuver into better firing position, rammed, and locked together. Perry broke through the British line, raking ships on both sides with his heavy guns. It was over in only 15 more minutes; the British struck their colors. Twenty-seven (22 were on the Lawrence) Americans were killed and 96 were wounded. The British lost 41 killed and 92 wounded. By defeating the British – the first time an entire British fleet was captured – the Americans took control of Lake Erie and with it most of the old Northwest. The victory persuaded the British to cease hostilities and enabled the U.S. to claim the Northwest at the peace talks in Ghent a year later. As Washington Irving put it: “The last roar of cannon which died along the shores of Erie was the expiring note of British domination.”
How was that for a history lesson?
After visiting the Memorial I headed along the shoreline into the downtown area. It’s a charming place, with a souvenir shop then a bar, then a t-shirt shop, then a bar, then a bar and grill, then another bar, and so on. They’ve done a really good job at keeping the area clean and grassy, with big trees and lots of benches. It kind of reminded me of the islands we visited in the Caribbean. I walked down to The Boardwalk, one of the restaurants on the pier, to have some lunch. They advertise their Lobster Bisque as the best in Ohio. I don’t know if that’s a really good bragging point or not. I wouldn’t have thought Ohio was a big Lobster Bisque kind of state. Anyway, I ordered a bread-bowl of Lobster Bisque and a Heineken, found a table outside along the water and dug in. This is living! I’m on an island in Lake Erie! Eating Lobster Bisque and having a beer. How freaking cool is that!
After lunch I walked around some more, bought an ice cream cone and headed for the bus. The Ferry runs until 7PM, but I didn’t want to leave with all the drunken idiots (not if I can’t be one of them), so it worked out well. I was back at the truck by 5PM.
What a fantastic day!
9/25/2005 - (113 miles – 7 hours - L:68F – H:78F) I left Max in the trailer again and headed into Cleveland to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame …The house that Rock built. The building is very cool, lots of glass, at least 6 levels, and 150,000 sq feet of Rock. You aren’t allowed to take a camera into the exhibits, so you have to check it at the coat check on the ground floor. It’s the 10th anniversary so admission was half price ($10). I could have spent days inside that building. Hail, Hail, Rock and Roll. There are several different movies to watch, numerous interactive exhibits and always there was music playing. The acoustics inside are fantastic. You can be standing in one area with Chuck Berry blasting at you and then turn a corner and The Who is all you can hear. I don’t know what their definition of Rock is, but I was somewhat offended that Britney Spears was even mentioned and some of her outfits were on display.
It was like being inside MTV, always there was music. Watching the crowd was fun in and of itself. All age groups were represented.
There were displays on Joe Fender and Les Paul, The Doors, The Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone Magazine, Buddy Guy, Janis Joplin, Gene Pitney, Jimi Hendrix, Martha and the Vandelas, The Who (huge displays for Tommy – which is a special exhibit through March ‘06), the history of audio media from the original home radio (very large) to the iPod, and so, so, so much more.
The Inductee area was a treat. They showed highlights from the inductee ceremonies. (I want to go to one of those!) Then there was a movie highlighting all of the inductees by year. What a blast to watch! It was like going to a concert.
Of course I had to stop by the gift shop. This stuff isn’t cheap probably because the proceeds from souvenirs, admissions, and donations are what keep the place running.
I took SR6 on the way back to Milan. It follows the Lake Erie coastline fairly closely. Some of the homes on the lake are unbelievable. It was a beautiful drive. By the time I arrived back at camp it was raining, and continued to rain most of the night.
9/26/2005 - (L:68F – H:74F) More web work.
9/27/2005 - (194 miles – 8 hours) We moved today, heading to Pennsylvania via the Ohio and then the Penna Turnpikes ($11.95 in tolls). It was a great drive, only 154 miles, which took us a little over 3 hours. We’re staying with a friend of mine that I used to work with. She’s letting us park in her nice circular driveway (there was a bad moment when I turned down the street and it said ‘No Outlet’ - scariest words you can see when pulling a trailer.)
9/28/2005 - Jane let me borrow a ladder so I was able to fix the new leak in my roof. It looks like the sealant around things like antennas and vents is getting old and needs to be repaired. That’s an easier fix than actual holes in the roof. I was also able to straighten out my electrical cord. I still need to get some sealant for that.
We did some sightseeing in Pittsburgh. What a beautiful city! We took one of the incline cars up to Mt. Washington, which has a great view of Pittsburgh, The Point, the Allegheny River, and the Monongahela River, which meet at The Point and form the Ohio River.
We headed over to what was once the P&LE station but is now the Grand Concourse restaurant. Amazing place. Next was a stop at the Hard Rock for a few beers before we head over to the concert. This is gonna be great!
A friend of Jane’s was able to get us into one of the hospitality tents right outside the PNC Stadium. The Eckert-Seamans hospitality tent was fabulous. The food, catered by The Fluted Mushroom, was delicious, the bar was open, and the bathrooms, oh man, you had to see them to believe them. We were expecting nicer port-o-potties since it was a hospitality tent. I soooo wish I could have taken a picture. There was a full-on sink with soap and everything. Blood red rose petals sprinkled on the counter amid burning candles. There was a feather and fur seat cover on the toilet, in keeping with the black and red Rolling Stones theme. There were separate port-o-potties, two men’s and two women’s! (I didn’t look in the men’s) I have never seen a portable bathroom that nice… not even on a plane! It was amazing.
We went into the PNC Stadium to find our seats to see Pearl Jam open for the Rolling Stones. What a fantastic concert. Pearl Jam was great. The Stones were freaking awesome. Those guys can rock. They put on a hell of a good show.
9/29/2005 - We bummed around, went out for lunch, hung out. It was great.
9/30/2005 - (264 miles – 7 hours) Max and I moved today, heading to New York. The drive was pretty easy, only 224 miles which took us about 5 hours. We crossed the state line, from PA to NY at around 1:30PM. I can’t believe I finally made it to the east coast!!!! We’re in a beautiful camp just above Buffalo, NY. This is so cool!!!
Driving through Buffalo was a little tense. There are tollbooths everywhere! I paid a total of $7.25 in tolls today. The $3.65 charge was my fault cause I shouldn’t have left the toll-way to get gas. I should have used one of the service centers. Anyway, there were some scary interchanges with road construction that I had to go through, but we arrived just fine. The camp is nice and level and has lots of trees. We’re in New York!!
10/1/2005 - (L:47F – H:81F) We didn’t do any sightseeing today.
10/2/2005 - (32 miles – 6 hours - L:48F – H:88F) It was such a beautiful day! Bright and sunny and warm. Some, not many, of the trees are turning color, but everything else is green. We drove to the Fort Niagara State Park, which is only about 12 miles from camp. The French established a post here in 1679 and then a permanent fortification, as well as the “French Castle” in 1726. Britain gained control of Fort Niagara in 1759, during the French & Indian War, after a 19-day siege. The British held the fort throughout the American Revolution but were forced, by treaty, to yield it to the United States in 1796. The British recaptured Fort Niagara in 1813. It was ceded to the United States a second time in 1815 at the end of the War of 1812. The garrison expanded beyond the walls following the Civil War. Fort Niagara was a barracks and training station for American soldiers throughout both World Wars. The last army units were withdrawn in 1963. Today, the U.S. Coast Guard represents the only military presence on the site. Old Fort Niagara was restored between 1926 and 1934. Most of the restored buildings are original and were built between 1726 and 1872. The fort contained nearly 100 other buildings during its history, but they have disappeared, and only recently have archaeologists started to uncover their foundations.
After the walking tour of Old Fort Niagara we headed over to Devil’s Hole State Park and Whirlpool State Park. Both parks were free and had spectacular views of the Niagara River.
From there it was on to Niagara Falls State Park. The parking fee at the SP was $10. I walked through the visitors center and out to the observation area. What a sight. This is my second visit to Niagara Falls (one of the two ‘Natural Wonders of the World’ in the U.S.), but it’s just as impressive this time as it was the first. I paid the $1 fee to see the view from the Observation Tower, a 282-foot tall tower that has a deck stretching out over the Niagara River.
10/3/2005 - (93 miles – 4 hours - L:53F – H:87F) We drove to Lockport, NY to get the part I needed to seal my electrical cord outlet. The countryside is beautiful, achingly green. Some of the trees are turning color and stand out flaming red or golden yellow. My perception of New York has always been ‘city’, like the entire state consists of different degrees of Manhattan. Not so. There are miles of fields out here, corn, squash and apple orchards. This area is filled with winery’s and roadside produce stands. The houses are well-kept and picturesque colonials. I’m surprised at the reasonable property prices, but I suspect the harsh winters keep the riffraff out. Driving through Lockport took us over the Eire Canal, my first look at it. On the way back we stopped at the Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse on the shores of Lake Ontario. The lighthouse is inside the Golden Hill State Park, a beautiful park with really nice campsites. Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse was built in 1875 at a cost of $90K. The stone for its 70-foot tower and the keeper’s quarters was imported from Chaumont Bay at the eastern end of Lake Ontario. The Coast Guard removed the lens and decommissioned the light in 1958. A steel tower with an automatic beacon replaced the light in the lantern room. We toured the grounds (the lighthouse wasn’t open) and took a bunch of pictures. There were stairs leading to the lake on either side of the lighthouse, giving us a good view of Lake Ontario.
10/4/2005 - (175 miles – 13 hours - L:66F – H:88F) What a day. I left Max in the trailer and headed into Canada. I made the trip into Toronto without event, even though it was an effort to remember the speed limit was listed in km/h instead of mph. I found parking downtown and set out on foot toward the CN Tower. The CN Tower is the tallest freestanding structure in the world and is listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. It also holds the Guinness World Record for ‘Worlds Tallest Building”. It stands 1,815feet 5inches tall and weighs 130,000-tons. 1,537 people worked for 40 months on the construction. Concrete was poured continually, the structure growing at a rate of 22-feet every 24-hours. The inside is hollow and every year a stair climb fundraiser is held. Numerous world records have been achieved due to the towers existence….such as the world record for the tallest successful egg drop. I bought the package deal to see the movie, go to the observation deck, walk on the glass floor and take the sky pod up to the highest observation area (1,465ft). The package also included a simulator ride, but I didn’t get around to that. I went up the elevator (58 seconds each way) and walked around, taking pictures of how far off the ground I was. It was an amazing sight.
I took longer at the CN Tower than I thought I would, so headed straight out of Toronto toward Niagara Falls, Ont. The Canadian side of the falls has a completely different view, not to mention the Skylon Tower. On the drive back, a policeman pulled me over to check my registration. He was very nice and explained that in Ontario, you are issued your license plates as soon as you get your car, so they don’t have cars on the road without them, or without really obvious temporary tags. My plates haven’t arrived yet, and honestly I never really worried about them because the (small) temporary tag issued by CA is good for six months. Of course, you can’t tell where the truck is from, which is why he pulled me over. It took about 15 minutes to check everything out and then he let me go, warning me that I could expect to be pulled over in the future for the same reason. Hmmm, maybe I won’t be spending as much time in Canada until I get my plates. The rest of the drive was uneventful, although I felt like I was just waiting to get pulled over again.
I arrived in Niagara Falls, Ont. and promptly became lost. I wound through town and eventually found the Skylon Tower. Hard to miss really. Anyway, I parked and took the ride to the top. It’s a great view of the American, Luna and Horseshoe Falls as well as Buffalo and Niagara Falls…on both sides. I walked down the hill to get a close up look at the Falls from this side. Wow. They are truly amazing. You can get right up to the edge of the Horseshoe Falls and since the breeze was blowing toward Canada, you get soaking wet from all the mist. I took a ton of pictures and then headed back up the hill to watch the Imax movie. The Niagara Falls Imax is the second most watched Imax in the world (first is the Grand Canyon Imax). It was very entertaining and told about some of the daredevils who have gone over the Falls and one kid who went over by accident, in only a lifejacket, and lived.
I headed back down the hill to see the Falls Illumination show. Every night the Falls are lit with several different colors, and it is beautiful. Then came the fireworks. Some of those pictures turned out really well.
Trying to find my way out of town I was involved in a car accident. Major, major, MAJOR bummer. Thankfully no one was hurt and my truck emerged without a scratch. The police were called (the police here are so nice…although I’ve talked with more of them than I would like) and I went through the whole “no I don’t have license plates” story again. That took about an hour and then I headed over the border into the US. At the border crossing I once again went through my explanation as to why I don’t have license plates. Jeez. I finally made it home.
10/5/2005 - (L:58F – H:89F) Bright beautiful day spent at camp…. Dreading what my insurance guy is going to tell me. Working on stuff.
10/6/2005 - (L:59F – H:89F) No sightseeing today.
10/7/2005 - (L:56F – H:70F) It rained all day so we hung out at camp.
10/8/2005 - (L:43F – H:54F) Brrr… the temperature sure has dropped. According to the camp host there won’t be sunny days here until spring. Mostly because of the lake. I’m almost glad we’re leaving tomorrow.


New Pictures: OH, PA, NY, ON