August 9 through August 12, 2005

Tuesday August 9:

This is our normal "Get Ready" trip we do every year before departing from home on our long trip.  It gives us a chance to discover those essential things that "migrate" from the RV to the house over the summer at home.  This time we are happy to have our favorite daughter Carol :-) accompany us, and choose Montreal as a destination, as she has never been there.  We departed home at 9:40 AM for Montreal.  We drive hard, fueling at the US side of the border and continuing across.  We are relieved to skip the whole RV search and three hour delay we experience last trip.  :-(  The roads changed character immediately on the Canadian side, passing through lots farmland.

 There are also a number of  pleasant looking small towns.

Of course, the road signs are just a bit hard to understand...but hopefully those we cannot comprehend do not apply to us!  :-)  We are happy to use the small kilometer markings on our speedometer...which we once again "newly" discover after over two years of disuse.  We arrived at the Old Montreal parking lot where we had always stayed before (N45.50999d, W073.54700d), took a ticket and proceeded toward the back parking area,  when we were approached by a very polite officer in a golf cart telling us we could not park RVs here, for the last three years. I'm sure we've been here since then...but how can we argue?  He said the only place to park RVs now was 800 Mill St, (N45.49445d, W073.55037d), east on Rue Notre Dame to a left at the short blue bridge, then follow the road around to the right a short distance to 800 Mill on the left.  We are told the 800 Mill lot does not normally take RVs except on weekends, as it is a commuters lot weekdays, but for $30 CDN they can take us tonight, as lots of commuters are on vacation this week (we were happy to have enough left over CDN cash from last trip to pay this unexpected bill).  It was hard maneuvering in this lot due to cars parked everywhere, and the attendant helped a lot directing us, but finally told us to wait until the car ahead left, then move closer to the fence.  We ate the prepared dinner Claire had brought, then walked down town, across the bridge and through the beautiful waterfront park.

These Segway riders intrigued me...I had never seen one in action.

I am amazed at the speed (notice the blur of the background caused by panning the camera) and apparent easy use and smooth ride the units provide...but for $5000 each I guess they must have something going for them to sell at all.....  :-)   The quaint streets of Old Montreal are quite interesting, but it has been a long tiring day too.....

We geezers find this lamppost a welcome support...  :-)  After finding an ATM to replenish our cash, we walked through a number of shops.  Carol finds this tall light haired Canadian guy attractive....  :-)

I think we're both happy she doesn't get bear hugged!  We then went on to Nelson square before heading back.  

This is a BUSY place...with lots of restaurants and shops to poke through.  As dusk gathers, we roam the narrow alleys of Old Montreal....

We decide this is about as much fun as we can have in one day and head back to the RV.  On the way we passed Gibby's restaurant, and asked whether they needed reservations; they indicated they could take us weekdays without one.  We sat and talked for a while, but it was not long before sleep for us; Carol is used to New York hours and more evening activity than us, so she stayed up and read a bit more of the old Harry Potter books we brought along.

Wednesday August 10:

Today we had a leisurely breakfast on the RV, then walked to the subway station to ride to the underground mall.  On the way we stopped at Notre Dame Cathedral and paid our admission...it is a BEAUTIFUL place!  

The blue light coming through the elaborate stained glass windows over the alter is ....just stunning!  We had been here before, but thought it was a MUST SEE for Carol.  Montreal has a lot of snow in winter and the underground mall is a GREAT convenience then, although it does involve a lot of walking to see much of it....  Claire was tired, but OK in her hip.

She did appreciate a place to rest her legs though.  :-)  We surfaced again at McGill University, and quickly walked through it, admiring the stone architecture.

We rode back to Old Montreal on the subway.  The walk back to the river was pleasant although it was hot.  This fountain had been in operative and filled with kids when we were here in hot weather before, but this time it was spurting vigorously, and all we could do to cool off was sit close.... 

Carol picked a nice restaurant with a second story open air deck for lunch.  It had no smoked meat (Montreal's version of pastrami), but my seafood wrap was delicious.  The local draft brew was pretty good too.  :-) 

On the way back to the RV we asked at Bonaventure restaurant for reservations at 8:30.  We wandered back slowly until the thunder claps got STRONG.  Then we hurried, and heavy rain started as we dashed across the parking lot for the RV.  Carol was startled by a nearby strike just as she entered the RV...and I do not believe she used either of  the steps in the doorway...  :-)  It rained VERY heavily and long.  We decided we would rather chat and snack on the RV than walk through the rain to a restaurant.   Just as night fell, we moved the RV to a place adjacent to a construction trailer in the driveway out of this TIGHT parking lot, so we could depart in the morning after all the commuters parked.  Then Claire and Carol watched a movie on tape before they turned in at ???...   I was in deep sleep long before.  

Thursday August 11:

I was awakened by dump truck's backup alarm at 7 AM.  He was maneuvering for an unknown reason right next to us, 3 feet away if that.  I dressed quickly and asked it we had created any problems for him being where we were...he said "No...thank you!" in a heavy French accent.  After a quicky breakfast, we left Montreal around 9:40 AM.  The lot owner gave us driving directions and his project pamphlet;  he is building an Italian restaurant complex right next to the lot, project phone number 574 907 0707.  Using the directions we found highway "Aut 10" VERY easily...just west on Rue Notre Dame under the Bonaventure highway, immediate left up the ramp, and we were OUTTA THERE!  It was SOO easy, and we have struggled mightily with that before.  We crossed the St Lawrence Seaway, here a canal in the MIDDLE of the shallow river.

This seaway connects the Great Lakes with the Atlantic ocean and allows ocean going ships access to Great Lakes ports.   We had no problems with US customs at PH 55/ I-93, but the agricultural inspector came aboard.  He looked through our fridge, at veggies and frozen meat; said if we had beef, it would need to be in original US supermarket package to get through.  We had only chicken and pork, repackaged, and he seemed to know by looking through the plastic baggie that it was not beef.  Hooray for a QUALIFIED government employee!  :-)  We stopped in NH along 93 for lunch, then continued to LL Bean in South Freeport ME, where we asked how to find the nearby Harrakesett Lobster  Company for a much desired lobster feed.  We had to pay $1.25 to park in back of the boat yard for an hour, but the lobster Carol bought was delicious and sweet tasting, as was the ear of super sweet white./yellow corn boiled in the husk.

We enjoyed a short walk on the docks and looking over the harbor too.

 LL Bean  said we could still overnight in their lot, as it belonged to Bean and they still allow it.  Carol went to shop.  I found several open WiFi nodes, but was unable to connect as the signal was too weak.   The strong ones here were encrypted.

Friday August 12:Carol shopped LL Bean until near noon, then we ate lunch on the RV and departed for home.  Carol spent much of the time sitting at the table finishing Harry Potter.  :-)

She sure LOOKS like she's having a good time!  :-))  The trip went well, and we were back home in time for dinner.

PLANS: The above seems almost like ancient history, being it is written on Sept 9, 2005, as we prepare to depart Yellowstone National Park for the 600+ mile drive to Seattle Washington, then a trip down the Pacific coast on US 101 before we turn east toward Yuma AZ, where we meet our November 8 flight home for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.  We left home for the fall trip on Thursday August 25, bound if possible for Yellowstone National Park before snowfall...well, we drove hard, we've been too tired to keep up with the web page, but we are keeping the log, taking pictures, and WE MADE IT!  :-))  Yellowstone is a BLAST...but more (MUCH more) about that on later pages still to be written...first things first, ya know!

Until next time... ENJOY!

We sure are!!  :-))