Back Home and Planning the Next Road Trip

Late night we saw the movie " Of Mice & Men" based on John Steinbeck's book so got up late and took the scenic route highway 2 to Beaconsfield.

A short stop at 1000 Islands and Brockville and we were welcomed by the Bienvenue sign entering Quebec.











12,192 kms and we are back in Beaconsfield already discussing about our nest road trip.
a' bientot Until next time,

Renata & Arun

On the Last Leg- The Slow Road to Home

A short visit to Museum London and we are on our way to Home.The progress is very slow on the highway 401. During the drive on 401 East we keep recalling our yesterday in the Point Pelee park. The nature that is gifted to mankind and how the mankind is destroying all of it slowly and steadily.


Tired of driving on 401 we have taken a night stop in Trenton Ontario, a town by the Lake Ontario from where so many young soldiers went to Afganistan and never returned back!




We plan to start early tomorrow and expect to be back \Home early afternoon completing our 12,000 kms road trip acroos Canada and USA.


Already planning our next trip? Yes we are!!

Greetings to all,

Renata & Arun

Back in Canada and to Point Pelee Park

Port Huron lighthouse was still closed for the season so we headed to the Museum. and soon found ourselves in Sarnia, Ontario back in Canadathe museum was to open at 11 a.m, the lady at the reception let us in with a courteous smile. After the museum we headed for the bridge and quickly found ourselves in Sarnia, Ontario, back in Canada.

The drive to Point Pelee was through very rural area but finally with few detours we did reach the park. The borad walk through the marshes was very interesting. A short trolly ride and a little walk brought us to the southern most tip of Canada, something we shall remember for a long time.
Driving from Point Pelee to London Ontario it seemed athat most of the truckers had decided to give us company on the road. Thus it was a slow stressful drive but we are here and tomorrow shall proceed further towards home.

Renata & Arun

Across the Mackinac Bridge and to Port Huron

"Go straight and when you hit the traffic lights, turn left and you are there". This was the reply the waiter gave me at the Crocker Barrel restaurant in Port Huron when I asked him where the washroom was!! Indeed there were traffic lights fitted and they did turn from red to green.

After visiting two of the Ojibwa Indians museums in St. Ignance we headed for the Mackinac bridge that is the longest in Michigan state and onwards to Port Huron.

At the museum reception we were welcomed by Gwen savaed who herself has Ojibwa Indians forefathers and was longing to visit Quebec where her forefathers came from.

These museums are full of the artifacts and memorablia of Ojibwa Indians. Their culture and their initial hospitalty and eventual fight for survival when the British and French claimed these lands less by negotiations and more by force.

Presently we are just across the border from Canada and shall cross over tomorrow morning to Loonie country.

Greetings

Renata & Arun

St. Ignace - Where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron Meet

In Wausau we drove up to the Rib Mountain and were enjoying the view from top, taking some photographs when a man got out of his pick up van came to us, flashed his Sheriff's badge. he then told us that we had not only driven up without buying a permit, but parked at a wrong place and made a traffic violation by making a U turn where none was allowed. He informed us that he has enough evidence to fine us and make us appear in the local court. Pleading our case as

innocent foreigners , we somehow wriggled ourselves out of the situation, got into our cars and proceeded to St. Ignace via Marinette and Escanaba. The museum at Marinette was closed but the loggers landmark of the horse cart loaded with logs and the surrounding park was very captivating.
At our next stop we visited a 1897 built lighthouse that in the bygone days assisted hundreds of ships to the port of Escanaba. Good weather and lovely waterfront but we had to get on our way.

Reaching at St. Ignace we were happy to get a room overlooking the lake from where I write this now. Later today we start on our last US leg to Port Huron to cross over the border back to Canada.


With best wishes,

Renata & Arun

Crossing through Minnisota and Wisconsin

A visit to the wonderful Sioux falls was a good start of the day. Having forgotten something in the hotel room and driving back to retrieve it, did not leave much time to explore the other interesting sites in Siox Falls. The downtown area is very interesting. We had a good meal at Minerva, one of the good restaurants in the area.

Back on the road again to Minneapolis. Highlight of the day was meeting with my college batchmate Ben Wahi after 46 years . Ben and Susan gave us a warm welcome and we had a nourishing brunch at his home in Skycroft Drive.
We visited the St. paul's Cathedral and James Hill's mansion before hitting the road towards Wausau in Wisconsin.

On the road again but the scene has changed. No more endless roads from horizon to horizon with cattle, mainly angus bulls grazing here and there. Here the road is lined with trees and farm houses and some industry is seen.

Our co-travellers got a flat tire that could not be repaired due to Sunday so we had to drive within 80 kms/hrs as advised with the spare wheel. Reaching late in Day's Inn Wausau , we headed straight for the Texas Grill and had our fill of complimentary peanuts before the meal was brought.


With warm greetings,

Renata & arun

In the Sioux Land

Endless highways- is the feeling we had today bon the 90E. The visit to an antique auotomobile collection & show was the highlight of the day.

This part of the country ias filled with Sioux heritage. The Akta Lokata museum in Chamberlain was very interesting but alas no photography allowed.

The main street in Wall is a place where once again one feels to have been thrown in the past.

The gold rush, the cowboy stores and the memorablia!

Overall had a very good drive to Sioux Falls and now getting ready to get to the busy metropolis of Minneapolis.

Renata & Arun

Bear Country USA

Bears, bears and bears- black and grizzly. We never saw so many bears roaming freely and us closed in our car. It is the Bear Country USA in Rapid City on the way to Mount Rushmore. Seeing so many bears, Arctic Wolves, Reindeers and other animals including mountain lions was a feast to the eyes.

We started our day on the road from Sheridan to Rapid City and the first stop was "The Devil's Tower". A very strange form of a hill that stands right in the middle of nowhere. The location where "Strange Encounters of the 3rd Kind" was filmed. So many legends behind it with the most popular being of the 3 young 'Indian' maidens who being chased by a bear climbed on top of a small hill and the hill rose high towards the sky to save them . The ridges on the sides are said to have been made by the bear in an attempt to raech them clawing his way to the top.

We ended the day at the Mou nt Rushmore Memorial Monument and Park and were very impressed by the idea and work put in towards the construction of this landmark.

Greetings and best wishes to all

Renata & Arun

Red Lodge MT to Sheridan WY

Getting up in the morning at Red Lodge we found the city fully covered in snow and the snow was still falling. The Yellowstone park visit was abandoned. The hotel Pollard where we stayed is a historical hotel full of nostalgic charm so we didn't mind spending few more hours in the hotel with a nice complimentary breakfast. however the weather did not clear and we started driving eastwards and reached Sheridan WY just about 3:30 p.m.

Here we visited a local saddelry and museum.

And YOU BET we met some cowboys shopping around for saddles and ropes.

The town of Sheridan reminds one of the gone days of wild west. A main street with both sides lined up with taverns, banks, outfitters etc.

You bet I tried to mix around with cowboys too !!

In Red Lodge we met some friends of our co-travellers.

And the site of a fouled bank robbery of 1897 just opposite our hotel in Red Lodge.

In Red Lodge we had our evening meal at the Humphry Bogart restaurant but didn't try to down some liquor as he did!!

That's all for today.

Renata & Arun

Butte, Montana-Living in History

The historical mining town of Butte was a well worth stop-over. The historical buildings are well preserved and still in full use.

We spent a couple of hours roaming in the town and gradually made our way towards Red lodge our tonight stop. The weather has gradually become cooler and presently it is about zero. We were welcomed in Red Lodge with streets full of snow and slush. We are informed last week about 4 feet of snow fell in the surrounding area.

The entrances to the Yellowstone park were closed today. We are hoping tomorrow is a better day so that we can see at least a part of the Yellowstone Park tomorrow before proceeding to further east.

And just before leaving Butte we met some cute travellers also on a long jouney.

That is for now. Cheers

Renata & Arun