C2C

Roping and Visiting

2012-01-12T21:51:00.001-08:00

On Wednesday we got to do some visiting and watch some roping. Started out pretty dusty but after spraying the arena down with some water it was much better.

They use a mechanical steer for practice which they pull around the arena with a quad. It was a fun afternoon.

Maricopa AZ Jan 12 2012

2012-01-12T21:42:00.000-08:00

We are in Maricopa Arizona and staying at the John Wayne RV Ranch. On the second night of our stay we were treated to a spectacular sunset and the added bonus of seeing the full moon rising over the desert. The sight was truly amazing.

Singing Christmas Tree

2011-12-10T20:08:00.000-08:00

We attended the 44th annual Singing Christmas Tree at Broadway Church in Vancouver. It is an event attended by approximately 20,000 people each year and we could easily see why.The 100+ voice choir stood on a platform shaped like a Christmas Tree and along with the 35 person orchestra were spectacular! It was a fantastic event and I would reccomend it to anyone.

Biosphere 2 Arizona

2011-03-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

Just slightly north east of Tucson Arizona near Oracle is Biosphere 2 which calls its self the largest green house in the world. While indeed the facility is pretty amazing I was surprised to discover that the facility was not equipped with elevators (except the one to go view the sea project) to allow access to handicapped persons to view the facility.

The Biosphere 2 covers 3.4 acres and is 91 feet high at the highest part. It is sealed from the earth below by a 500 ton welded stainless steel liner and from the sky above by 7,200,000 cubic feet of sealed glass. It remains the largest closed system ever created.

The human experiment was conducted from 1991 to 1993. Eight individuals were sealed in the Biosphere with only two months of supplies at which time their crops were supposed to have been matured.
The agricultural system produced 83% of the total diet and some of the crops included bananas, papayas, sweet potatoes, beets, peanuts, lablab and cowpea beans, rice and wheat. During the first year the crew was hungry as it was an El Nino year and received less than the normal amount of sunlight which effected the crop yield.
They also had 35 hens and 3 roosters, 5 goats which they used for milk (they only ended up having about one ounce of milk per day). They also had 2 sows and one boar pig as well as tilapia fish. They had only about one meat meal every two weeks.
Biosphere 2 suffered from wildly fluctuating levels of CO2 levels which resulted in most of the vertebrates and all of the pollinating insects dying.
During the human experiment oxygen levels which began at 20.9% fell to the dangerously low level of 14.5%. The crew became unable to concentrate or answer questions rationally. The medical team decided to boost the oxygen levels by injections.

This was the crew's private living quarters.

This is the crews dining room.

This is the kitchen which was equipped with every modern convenience. The menu was built around rice, beans, wheat, sorghum, sweet potatoes, beets and peanuts. The only sweetness that the crew had came from bananas, papayas, and other fruits.
The crew had to learn to cook without oil and limited ingredients and each crew member took on the cooking duties for the group every eight days.

This is the rain forest section which started out with approximately 300 different species of plants. Only about 100 species still live here today.

This is part of the ocean project. It is amazing to see this lush paradise with the Arizona desert as a back drop.

This the savanna grassy area.

This is the desert area which was just starting to awaken from its winter slumber. A few flowers were beginning to bloom and some of the shrubs were starting to bud.

We then went down to the mechanical section of the operation. As with most things what goes on underground is even more intricate that the above ground operation.

The Biosphere has two lungs or variable air-volume control devices. The purpose of these lungs are to create an area for the air that is expanded from the heat of the days sun to go and to allow the air to return when the night time cooling and contraction occurs. The heated air is forced down tunnels and pushes a circular plate which is attached to the ceiling by black membranes upward. When the air cools and contracts the plate which is attached to the black membranes lowers forcing the air back up the tunnels. Without these lungs the expanded air would have no where to go and may cause the Biosphere to explode.

This is the lung from the outside.

This is just as we were exiting the lung.

This is the energy center. Inside the five arches are two large generators. the primary generator uses natural gas for fuel and the second uses diesel. There are also boilers to heat water and chillers to cool water. The large towers to the right are used to cool air by drawing air across a column of water. This power center is just used to mainain power during the frequent power outages during the monsoon season in summer.

Tombstone Arizona March 20 2011

2011-03-29T08:51:00.000-07:00

We blew into Tombstone with the tumbleweeds on March 20 and spent an enjoyable week exploring "The Town Too Tough To Die".
When Ed Schieffelin left Fort Huachuca in 1877 to prospect his comrades told him he'd fine his tombstone before he found silver. Consequently he named his first claim the Tombstone. Rich strikes of silver lured more miners and prospectors to the area creating a settlement that adopted this name.
As with many mining towns lawlessness gambling and prostitution abounded.

At some times it was hard to tell the "good guys" from the "bad" but some that gained recognition were Wyat Earp, Doc Holliday, Billy Clanton and the McLaury brothers. Their most famous battle of course being the Shoot Out at the OK Corral which actually took place in a vacant lot on Fremont street next to the corral.
On October 26 1881 Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan Earp with the help of Doc Holliday exchanged shots with Billy Clanton and Tom and Frank McLaury. At the end of the battle Billy, Tom and Frank all lay mortally wounded. />

Billy Clanton and the McLurys along with some of the more colorful characters and past residents of Tombstone are buried at Boothill Graveyard, named that because many of the people buried there died violent or unexpected deaths and were buried with their boots on.
As I walked down the streets of Tombstone in the early morning with the tumbleweeds blowing ahead of me and the shop signs squeaking as the wind blew them I remembered the miners , the western legends and the working ladies of 130 years ago.
This is the Birdcage Theater which was a saloon, gambling house, live performance venue and brothel all wrapped into one. It still displays many bullet holes here and there that tells the story of its wild history. Many shows were performed here acrobatic and otherwise including one performance where the ladies walked on the ceiling. This feat was accomplished by the ladies wearing magnets in their boots.
Surprisingly enough this huge mirror (which had to be brought by ship around the Horn from the eastern states because the railroad refused to guarantee its safe arrival) and this bar with the original lights hanging above it also survived the many gun battles which took place in this establishment.
The "cribs" above the main floor is where the ladies plied their trade. Some of the more famous ladies were Big Nose Kate, who was Doc Holliday's girl, Madame Moustache, China Mary who handled all of the Asian prostitutes and of course Big Minnie who was the wife of Joe Bignon who was the owner of the Bird Cage Theater.

This is the world's largest rose bush and is in the Guinness Book of World Records. It was brought from Scotland as a root in 1885 and is a White Lady Banksia Rose. It covers about 8000 square feet and is so large the branches have to be supported by posts. It blooms in April so unfortunately I didn't see the blooms but I can imagine that it must be a sight to behold.

Las Cruces New Mexico and the White Sands National Monument

2011-03-21T21:37:00.000-07:00

On our way from Fort Stockton to Las Cruces New Mexico we saw these beautifully painted overpasses.

While in Las Cruces New Mexico we got to see this beautiful full moon.

We also got to see the Rio Grande which was pretty non dramatic at this point but was flowing pretty fast.
This was on our way out to the White Sands National Monument.

We then drove out to see the White Sands National Monument which was really quite remarkable.

Rain in the mountains dissolve the gypsum in the rocks and carry it to the Tularosa Basin which has no river to drain it so the gypsum and other sediments are trapped in the basin.
The water then evaporates leaving crystalline deposits. Eventually the crystals are broken down into sand sized particles which can be moved by the wind.
These glistening white gypsum sand dunes cover 275 square miles of desert and is the largest gypsum dune field in the world.
The sand dunes driven by a strong southwest wind eventually covers everything in its path. Plants and animals have adapted to survive their surroundings. The plant life survive by growing rapidly enough to avoid getting buried and many of the animals survive by evolving white coloration as camouflage.

There were many people playing, walking and sliding on the dunes.

The dunes are quite high and the road has to be graded and plowed so the blowing sand doesn't reclaim it.

It truly is one of the world's great natural wonders.

Fort Stockton Texas March 17 2011

2011-03-21T19:42:00.000-07:00

We stopped for the night in Fort Stockton and were surprised at what the little town with a population of approximately 8,000 had to offer.

Molly and I went to take a picture of Paisano Pete - 11 feet tall and 22 feet long he is the world's largest roadrunner.

We found a very nice Visitor Information Center which was constructed in 1911. Originally the building was the train depot for the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railroad..
We also found a self guided driving tour of some of the historical buildings in town. It was well done and very interesting.

This is the historic Old Jail which was built in 1877.
Saint Joseph's Catholic Church. The first services at this church were held in 1872.

This is the oldest house in Fort Stockton believed to have been built in 1855 to serve as quarters for the civilian merchant J.D. Holiday. During the Civil War the building was used as shelter for travellers and stage coach passengers on the San Antonio/El Paso Trails.

The Alamo - San Antonio Texas

2011-03-16T18:52:00.000-07:00

We are in the Lone Star State (Texas) and today we visited the Alamo in San Antonio.
Originally the Alamo was a mission named Mision San Antonio de Valero and was home to the missionaries and their native converts for nearly seventy years.

In the early 1800's the Spanish military stationed a cavalry unit in the former mission. The soldiers began calling it the Alamo, which is the Spanish word for cottonwood, in honor of their hometown Alamo de Parras, Coahuila. The first recorded hospital in Texas was established at the Alamo.

For the next ten years the Alamo was held by both the Revolutionaries and Royalists during Mexico's struggle for independence.

In December 1835 Ben Milan led Texan and Tejano (Texans of Mexican decent) volunteers in a five day battle resulting in their occupation of the Alamo.

On February 23 1836 General Antonio Lopez de San Anna with his army of Mexican soldiers attack the Alamo. The Texans and Tejanos held out for thirteen days and on the eight day a band of thirty two volunteers arrived from Goncales bringing their numbers to nearly two hundred.

The defenders saw the Alamo as the key to the defence of Texas and were ready to give their lives to defend it so when Colonel Travis drew a line on the ground asking any man willing to stay and fight to step over it all but one did. David Crockett, famed frontiersman and former congressman from Tennessee was one of the Alamo's garrison.
This is part of the Long Barrack.

On March 6 1836 the Mexican soldiers stormed the Alamo's walls before daybreak. Canon and small arms fire beat back several attacks but, regrouping, the Mexicans eventually gained entrance to the compound. A desperate struggle continued until the defenders were overwhelmed. By sunrise the battle had ended and Santa Anna entered the compound to survey the scene of his victory

This is the courtyard.

On the afternoon of April 21 1836 the Texas army attacked Santa Anna's camp near Lynchburg Ferry. The Mexican army was taken by surprise and the battle was over in eighteen minutes. During the battle the Texican soldiers repeatedly cried "Remember the Alamo". Santa Anna was forced to order his troops out of Texas.

This is outside the sacristy which is were the women and children hid during the battle. They survived unscathed.

People worldwide remember the Alamo as a heroic struggle against impossible odds - a place where men made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.

It is amazing how so much of the original structure of the Alamo still exists.

These are original walls of the Alamo.

Vermilion Ville - Lafayette Louisiana March 11-12 2011

2011-03-13T13:55:00.000-07:00

We visited the Cajun/Creole Heritage Park and it was very interesting. The visitor center was modeled after a Creole plantation house. Notice how low the stove was. Creole women were usually under 5 feet tall. La Maison Des Cultures - an Acadian style home built in the 1840`s. It is made of colombage which is a half-timber wall framing system and bousillage which is a mixture of mud and Spanish moss. The exterior staircase leads to the garconniere where the older boys in the family slept. Le Cabanage de Latanier - is a replica of a Native American dwelling hand built on site by an elder of the Houma Nation. It is a single family dwelling and features outdoor cooking with a boulillage oven.a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wAvn2CjDBi0/TX06oWVKQ2I/AAAAAAAACbE/GFWHlXqZ_fA/s1600/Lafayette%2Band%2Bthe%2BTobasco%2BFactory%2B085.JPG"> Le Hangar A Bateau - features several styles of boats built during the time of the early Acadian settlement in Louisiana. Beau Bassin - built of colombage and bousillage. Spinning, weaving, quilting and textile crafts are demonstrated here. This is a 150 year old Acadian loom. Instead of weaving wool and flax in this new land the Acadian women learned to weave cotton. Most homes had a kitchen separate and set back from the main house. This reduced the risk of fire to the main house and kept the heat and smoke away. Le Presbytere - a tiny cottage attached to the chapel. Notice it too has the outside staircase going up into the sleeping quarters. La Chapelle Des Attakapas - is a reproduction based on the Catholic church at Pointe Coupee. Catholicism was the only legally allowed religion in Louisiana before 1803 so the Acadians, the Slaves and the Free Men of Color all worshiped in the same churches. The following day we returned to see a performance by some Irish dancers and also got to hear some Celtic playing as well. The dance instructor who used to be one of the performers in River Dance tried to teach us a few simple steps. We all had fun learning which I guess was the whole point. Then on to the professionals. They made it look so easy. The junior group. The intermediate group. This is the whole group. It was a wonderful way to spend a couple of afternoons.

Cajun Jam Session -Louisiana

2011-03-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

When we checked into the Lafayette KOA they told us that there was a Cajun Jam session held every Friday night close to where we were so we decided to go and have a listen. This is where the jam session was held. In La Maison de Begnaud which is also a tourist information center. Sometimes the jam session is held in this outside location. What a surprisingly wonderful evening. We listened to a group of about 14 musicians, all varying ages, some guitarists, violinists, accordion players and some playing spoons and triangles. Most of the audience kept time to the music with triangles or spoons. The performing group kept changing as one would tire and the next would anxiously take their place. We were made to feel so welcome and were offered spoons and triangles so that we could participate in the music.

The Tabasco Factory

2011-03-13T07:36:00.000-07:00

On our way to Lafayette we stopped to tour the Tabasco factory. It is here that all Tabasco sauces are produced for distribution around the world. The Tabasco operation, founded in 1868, is owned and operated by the McIlhenny family on Avery Island in south Louisiana. Most of the family and people who work in the factory and their families live on Avery Island.
The peppers are hand picked and all the pickers carry a "petite baton rouge" (small red stick) which is painted the exact colour that the pepper must be for picking. When the peppers reach maturity they are crushed, mixed with salt from the Avery Island salt mines and allowed to age in barrels for three years. The barrels that are used are purchased from the Jack Daniels whisky distillery. It seems that the distillery can only use the barrels once while Tabasco can use them repeatedly and at the end of the barrels useful life they are chipped up and sold to be used as flavor chips for Bar-B-Q's.
At the end of the three years the pepper mash is mixed with white vinegar and allowed to age another thirty days.
The resulting sauce is then bottled and shipped to different counties around the world. The day we toured the factory they were producing sauces for Hungary.
The left over pulp or mash is then used to make "hot" gum and candies or ground up for use in crab boil mixtures and other Cajun spice blends.

Our stop at the Tabasco factory was very pleasant, informative and rewarding and we topped off our tour by enjoying a bowl of crawfish etouffee...yummy! I would highly recommend the stop to anyone who finds themselves in the area.

Mardi Gras New Orleans March 3 - 8 2011

2011-03-12T09:37:00.000-08:00

Here we are lucky enough to be finding ourselves in The Big Easy during their most festive season of the year....Mardi Gras.

So many old buildings most of them remain the same as they were originally...business' on the main floor and residences on the second floor.

Many beautifully decorated homes as well all celebrating Mardi Gras.

The origins of Mardi Gras can be traced back to Medieval Europe but was brought to Louisiana by a French-Canadian explorer, Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieru de Bienville who landed in 1699 and in 1702 the settlement of Pointe due Mardi Gras which is now called Mobile celebrated its first Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras was and still is it's own season with weeks of celebrating with balls, parades, dressing in costume and partying.

The motto for Mardi Gras is "Bon temps Roule!" which means "Let the Good Times Roll!" And roll they do until midnight on Fat Tuesday when the New Orleans Police Department marches through the streets of the French Quarter and pushes the crowd ahead of them....time to go home the party's over.
The first account of Mardi Gras "throws" (beads etc.) being thrown from floats or balconies is in 1871 and may be linked to a rural tradition still practiced in rural Acadian Cajun Country and is called the Mardi Gras Courier Run. As the Courier and his entourage rides from house to house they engage in a rowdy celebration. Once the Courier obtains permission to enter a private property the group will often charge toward the house where the group sing, dance and beg until the owner offers them an ingredient for a gumbo. Often the owner will throw a live chicken into the air and the group will scramble to catch it.

We saw many costumes.
Some simple.
Some very elaborate.Some slightly X-rated but mostly just folks having a great time at the Greatest Free Show on Earth.

Now where else would you see The Tooth Fairy, The Easter Bunny and Santa all in the same place.

There were lots of parades, beads and other "throws" and lots of good company. "Bon temps Roule!"

We enjoyed eating King Cake which is a popular cinnamon-roll like cake which is iced and topped with traditional Mardi Gras colours (purple, green and gold/yellow) sprinkles. The cake has a small trinket (usually a baby sometimes said to represent Baby Jesus). The person who gets it in his or her piece of cake is declared King or Queen for the day and is usually expected to supply the next King Cake or host the next party. We also very much enjoyed the parades and merry making and just being a part of the Greatest Free Show on Earth.

New Orleans

2011-03-11T13:10:00.001-08:00

As we arrived into New Orleans we were able to see the bridge to the right of us that had been partially destroyed by the tidal surges of Hurricane Katrina. The old bridge was a reminder of the damage that water can cause. There were many other reminders throughout the city as well...some areas already repaired and others waiting their turn.

It was easy to see how such a disaster could have occurred while driving along one of the major routes and looking up to see the stacks of the large ships passing by in a waterway at least 20 or more feet above the level of the land.

New Orleans is the 5th largest shipping port in the USA handling everything from cargo to passenger ships.

Space Shuttle Discovery's Final Launch Feb. 24 2011

2011-03-07T12:07:00.000-08:00

On Feb. 24 2011 the space shuttle Discovery launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida for its final mission.
Discovery was NASSA's third space shuttle to join the fleet. It has completed more than 3 successful missions since its initial launch in 1984 which is more than any other orbiter in NASSA's fleet. Discovery has undergone many major modifications over the years.
It was Discovery that carried the Hubble Space Telescope into space in 1990 and has also carried satellites into space. ferried modules and crew to the International Space Station and provided the setting for many scientific experiments during its years of service.

I, along with many other spectators, some waiting since early morning, waited anxiously while the clock counted down to launch time. Then after a brief hesitation when there was a computer problem in Huston we all got what we had waited for the magnificent spectacle of the launch of Discovery into space. It left me and countless others speechless and with a tear in our eyes it was so amazing. And then all that was left was a vapor trail....God Speed Discovery, good luck with your mission and your safe return to earth.

Kennedy Space Center Feb. 23 2011

2011-03-07T10:25:00.000-08:00

On Feb, 23 we went to the Kennedy Space Center where we got to have our picture taken with an astronaut.
We boarded a bus which took us for a tour of the base.

We got to see many interesting things including the Space Shuttle Discovery poised for launch the following day.

Our tour took us to the Apollo Saturn V Center.
Where we got to see one of the original control centers.
As well as some of the space suits used.
One of the Lunar vehicles used.

We also got to see the type of rocket that was used to launch Apollo VII which was a manned eleven day orbit.
Then it was back to the Visitor Center where we saw this guy just "hanging around" right next to "The Rocket Garden".

Daytona 500 Feb. 15- Feb. 21

2011-03-03T17:35:00.000-08:00

This is one of the tunnel systems that is used to transport vehicles to and from the infield under the race track.

We checked into our infield camping spot on Feb. 15 at Daytona Speedway along with many other racing fans and so began six electrically charged and fun filled days of racing excitement.

Tuesday and Wednesday we got to see the time trials and practice runs and they were lots of fun to watch.
They used these machines which sounded like huge hairdryers to clean and dry the track.
On Friday we went to the Fan Zone...

We got to check out some of the cars...

Get some of the drivers autographs...(There were a few other people waiting in line with us). On Friday evening we watched the NextEra Energy Resourses 250, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. It was a great race with lots of crashes...fortunately none of them too serious and we enjoyed wathchig it from the Fan Zone. On Saturday there was the Drive 4 COPD 300 and if that wasn't enough excitement for you there was always the midway.

Then Sunday of course was the big race that everyone had been waiting for The Daytona 500.
The grandstands were packed and many of us watched from the top of our motorhomes.

The drivers, to reach higher speeds have developed "the Daytona Two Step" which is one driver pushing the other while both drivers are under power. This allows them to reach speeds of over 200 miles per hour.

Naples Swamp Buggy Race January 30 2011

2011-01-31T19:02:00.000-08:00

The swamp buggy is a vehicle that was designed to navigate the Everglades and was used in its development as well as for hunting and off road transportation. As will happen hunters would gather to compare stories and buggy designs. These stories led to challenges and races between the different buggies which usually took place through a muddy bog on Raymond Bennett's potato farm. The first organized race took place on Mr. Bennett's farm around 1943 between a dozen or so hunters. The potato patch has since evolved into the Florida Sports Park and is now known as the "Mile of Mud". The depth of the mud is hard to gauge because of the brown swamp water that covers every inch of the track. It is estimated to be about 5 or 6 feet deep in the deepest section which is commonly referred to as the "Sippy Hole". There were lots of Jeeps racing too and here are some of them going through the Sippy Hole. And of course some didn't make it. During intermission we even saw a flying lawnmower. What race would be complete without a Queen and her court. At the end of the race the winner gets to dunk the Queen into that lovely muddy swamp water....yuck! Makes me wonder why anyone would want the job of Queen. Now in this sport you can't be afraid to get a little wet. There were some amazing machines and some very skilled drivers but for the most part it was a lot of good old boys just having fun. It was a great race and we had so much fun watching it.

Naples Sunset Jan 14 2011

2011-01-14T19:42:00.000-08:00

This amazing couple, Bill and Cheryl who are our neighbours at the Rock Creek RV Park offered to take us out in their boat so we could take some pictures of the sun setting on the Gulf of Mexico.

We passed by some homes of the rich and famous.

We saw some yachts.
Some sailing ships.

And some of the most beautiful sights.

Ah-h-h the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.

Finally time to head back in again. Day is done.

Bonita Beach Jan. 13 2011

2011-01-14T19:11:00.000-08:00

We found this great dog beach after several failed attempts and it was very worth the effort. It was clean and quite large (although I am told at high tide is is not as nice) and lots of friendly dogs and people.

Lots of doggies having fun doing what doggies do.

More doggie fun. All in all I ended up with one very tired, wet and sandy dog. It was a good day.

Homestead Florida - Coral Castle - January 11 2011

2011-01-14T12:11:00.000-08:00

Molly and I went to see this neat Coral Castle.
The story goes that ED Leedskalnin who was jilted by the love of his life built this castle and dedicated it to her. Being of smaller frame, 5 feet tall and weighing 100 pounds, without any help and using only simple tools he carved and moved tons of coral rock.
Ed originally built the castle in Florida City on an acre of land that he purchased for $12.00 but in 1936 a subdivision was proposed for the area and Ed fearing the loss of his privacy he moved the entire castle 10 miles north to Homestead where he purchased 10 acres of land. Ed used the chassis of an old Republic truck on which he laid two rails and pulled by a friend with a tractor. Ed did much of his work at night and no one actually saw him load or unload the trailer.

Throne Room.
Bath Tub - the tub was lined with concrete because coral is porous and would not hold water.

The Cooker - The cooking pot is the rear end housing of an old Ford. It hangs on a pulley riding on a rail. The food is placed in the container, which seals itself when taken off the stand and pushed over the fire. The sealed container actually acts like a pressure cooker. It was used to cook hotdogs for the school visits to view the castle.
Molly is being a good sport and sitting in one of the coral chairs.
The upper floor was Ed's living quarters and the lower level was the tool room.

Everglades National Park

2010-12-30T19:10:00.000-08:00

This park is the largest subtropical wilderness in USA and covers 1,509,000 acres (6,110 km2) The Everglades National Park was established in 1934 but it took 13 years to acquire land and funding and the park officially opened in 1947. It was established to protect the fragile wetland ecosystem which is created by a slow moving fresh water river that spans as much as 50 miles wide and varies from a few inches to a few feet in depth. The river begins in Lake Okeechobee and travels its 80 mile course to Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico where the fresh water meets and mixes with the salt producing brackish water which supports such life as the American Crocodile, great white heron, blue crab and many other species of fish, birds and other wildlife.

We stopped at the park Visitor Center where were advised to visit the Anhinga Trail if we were interested in viewing alligators, turtles and some of the parks bird population. Well it turns out the park warden sure knew his stuff. We saw as many as 20 or more alligators, some turtles, a striped snake and many types of birds.
Wood Stork.

Alligators.

Red Bellied Turtle.
Great White Heron.
Anhinga.

As we drove further into the park the vegetation changed from grassland to scatterings of baldcypress trees who loose their needles in winter to cope not with cold but with seasonal draught.

As we neared Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico the vegetation was much more lush.

December 23 - 28 Florida Keys

2010-12-28T14:19:00.000-08:00

We traveled to Marathon Florida on the 127mile (205km) Overseas Highway which links mainland Florida with the islands or keys as far out as Key West. This intricate network of highways and bridges began as a railway line.

Henry Flagler had a vision of connecting the Keys by a network of bridges and in 1904after many years of planning and feasibility testing construction began. In 1912 after battling heat, insects, food and water shortages as well as hurricanes the Overseas Extension of the Florida East Coast Railroad was completed.

The Overseas Railway had a short life however and on Labor Day in 1935 a hurricane damaged the line beyond repair. The roadbed and remaining bridges were sold to the State of Florida. Most of these old bridges have today been replaced and some of the old bridges are used as fishing piers.

This is the historic 7 mile bridge in Marathon Florida which began its life as a railway bridge and was modified in 1935 for automobiles. The bridge was retired with the building of the new bridge in 1982. It is still used for a walking path and access path to Pigeon Key and as a fishing pier.
This famous bridge has been used in such films as True Lies, 2Fast2Furious, the James Bond films, Licence to Kill, CrissCross and Up Close & Personal. This bridge also appears in the series Life After People.

These are some images of the new 7 mile bridge which was completed in 1982.

We arrived in Marathon and checked into the Jolly Roger Campground. Very friendly staff and so many dogs Molly felt right at home .... very dog-friendly.

We were just settling in to our campsite and a couple with a large black lab told us of an off leash beach for dogs (and of course people) so Molly and I drove down to check it out. It was a wonderful beach, groomed each day and there were dogs of all sizes and shapes playing. Doggie Heaven!
December 24
Molly and I went to the dog beach to try and get a sunrise picture.

After lunch we all went to check out Key West which is the southernmost point on continental USA (Hawaii being the most southern point). Key West turned out to be a bit busy for us but we did manage to see a few of the sights. The southernmost point is marked by a large cement marker shaped like a bouy and on the marker is says "90 miles to Cuba".
This house is said to be the Southernmost House.
The Key West lighthouse which was built in 1847. The lighthouse which was deactivated in 1969 now serves as a museum. It is the 15th oldest lighthouse in USA.
This is Earnest Hemmingway's home which was bought for $8,000 and given to Earnest Hemmingway and his wife as a wedding present. The home is now a museum.
We saw Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine which was built in 1922 by Sister M. Louis Gabriel and her fellow nuns. On the day that the shrine was dedicated Sister Gabriel blessed the grotto saying "For as long as this grotto stands this island will never suffer the full force of a hurricane". When hurricanes threaten the island residents head to the grotto to pray.

We made it back to the Jolly Roger Campground in Marathon just in time to take a few sunset pictures.

This morning we left Marathon to move to Florida City and I must say for the first time in awhile it made me sad to leave.
So one last sunrise picture and one last play on the dog beach and off we go.
Here we sit waiting for a boat to go under the raised bridge....takes me back a few years and for those of you who don't know the bridge in Gaspe where I grew up opened as well to allow ships to pass.

Lunar Eclipse December 21 210

2010-12-21T02:42:00.001-08:00

Today in the early hours of the morning, 1:30 to be exact we got to witness a rare spectacle. A total lunar eclipse which coincided with the winter solstice. The last time this occurred was December 21, 1638 - 372 years ago and will not occur again until December 21, 2094.
I had to borrow the photo above because our camera would not capture the beautiful copper color of the moon.
The skies were clear here in Daytona Beach and it was a rare and beautiful spectacle which lasted roughly three hours.

Goodyear Tire Test at Daytona Speedway

2010-12-15T17:09:00.000-08:00

Since the opening of the Daytona Speedway in 1959 the track has only been repaved once in 1978 and at that time it was only resurfaced. The 2010 paving project took all the existing asphalt off down to the limestone base. The track base remained true to Bill Fanace Sr's original plan.
Paving began on July 5th 2010 and was completed enough today to host The Goodyear Tire Test. Eighteen drivers are taking advantage of the two day tire test getting a preview of the track surface before the big race February 20 2011.

We got to watch some of the testing today and it was amazing. You could litterly feel your chest compressing as the cars passed by.

Canaveral National Seashore

2010-12-12T21:16:00.000-08:00

Today we went to see Turtle Mound which we discovered was located in Canaveral National Seashore park. The park located on barrier island is home to many species of plants and birds. The park has the longest undeveloped stretch of beach (24 miles) on the east coast of the state. The north portion of the park is connected to the southern portion by the beach only and has no through road.

Turtle Mound consists of more than 33,000 cubic yards of oyster and other shells, and covers nearly two acres (8,100m2) This prehistoric mound stands nearly 50 feet high and was constructed by the Timucuan Indians as far back as 800 to 1,400 AD.
There was a wooden walkway leading to the summit of the mound and on our way up we encountered this vulture who held his ground until we got very close.

On our drive we stopped to see what remains of the once thriving town of Eldora. The town was settled around 1877 with the settlers clearing the land, installing cisterns and planting crops. Some of the crops included pineapple, citrus, olives and vegetables.
Two years of killing frost in 1890 destroyed most of the citrus industry causing many of the residents to leave and by the turn of the century almost all business on the island had ended.
A few of the remaining residents kept their homes as vacation homes for many years but eventually this too ceased.
The Eldora State house has been restored and is now a museum to offer an example of the homes during the era when Eldora was a thriving community.
We drove out as far as the road extends on the north portion of the park and stopped for a short walk on the beach. During and for 48 hours after a successful space launch this section of the park is closed to the public. NASSA positions its northern most tracking device in this area during launches.

Daytona Speedway

2010-12-11T18:13:00.000-08:00

Today we took a tour of the Daytona Speedway, home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. The track was built in 1958 to host the former Daytona Beach Road Course race and opened in 1959. 1958 was the last year that Daytonas race was held on the beach.
The track was designed to give spectators a better view of the race and to allow the cars to reach higher speeds.

The track features multiple layouts, the primary being the 2.5 mile (4.0km) high speed tri-oval. The tracks 180-acre infield also includes the 29-acre lake Loyd which was formed when millions of tons of soil was removed to help form the high banked turns on the track. The high water table in the area resulted in the hole quickly filling with water forming Lake Loyd.
In July of 2010 repaving of the track began and is expected to be completed by December 15 2010. Goodyear has scheduled a tire-test on the new surface for this date.

This tunnel runs under the track and is used to get people and vehicles to the track and infield.

Multiple garages are available for the drivers and their crew members and are assigned by the speedway.
This is one of the inspection stations where everything is weighed and measured to ensure that it meets the racing standards set by Daytona Speedway. The car is weighed with the driver inside it so even the drivers weight has to be accounted for.
We got to visit Victory Lane....notice the black marks left by the last winners tires.
We got to view the track from the press tower.

This is the official pace car for the Daytona 500 race in 2011.

Daytona Beach

2010-12-10T16:55:00.001-08:00

We are in Daytona Beach nicknamed "The Birthplace of Speed". We drove on the world famous historic beach and although the speed limit was lower than the "greats" reached back in "The Day" it was quite a feeling.
The first historic race on this beach dates back to 1903 when Ranson E. Olds (father of the Oldsmobile) raced against and lost to Alexander Winton.
It was also on this beach that in 1935 Sir Malcolm Campbell posted an unprecedented official one mile speed of 276.82 miles per hour.
One of the spectators who witnessed Campbells record setting run was William Henry Getty France who would continue to usher in a new era of speed. In 1947 he and 18 other members of the racing Industry would come together to form the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). In 1948 France opened the 4.1 mile stretch of race track that ran north along the beach and south on Highway A1A near Ponce Inlet.

We drove on down to see the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse which has the distinction of being the tallest lighthouse in Florida at 175 feet (53m) high and its light can be seen 20 miles (32kms) away. In 1998 it was declared a National Historic Landmark.

The lighthouse was first constructed in 1883 and the lamp at that time was kerosene. The lighthouse was transferred to the Coast Guard in 1938 and they oversaw it for the next three decades. It was abandoned in 1970 and deeded to the Town of Ponce Inlet. The town made it and the surrounding caretakers buildings into a museum which is still open to the public today. In 1982 the lighthouse was restored to active service because high rise buildings were blocking the Coast Guard's beacon on the other side of the inlet.

Jacksonville Florida

2010-12-05T13:50:00.001-08:00

We have finally made it to Florida and are now in Jacksonville. We are staying at Pecan Park RV. It is a huge park...600+ sites, swimming pool and nice clubhouse.
Santa is already here...says it is too cold up in the North Pole so he is hanging out here till the big day.
Today we went for a short drive to see the Atlantic Ocean at Fernadina Beach. It was beautiful and the sand is very fine...almost like ash in texture. Molly was so excited!

On the way back to the motorhome we finally got to see an armadillo that was on a quiet enough road that we could stop and take a picture. He just posed so nicely for me...so cute.

The Incline Railway, Chatanooga Tennessee Nov 27

2010-12-01T19:39:00.000-08:00

Called America`s Most Amazing Mile the Incline Railway opened on November 16 1895. Known simply as `The Incline` the railroad rises up the steepest part of Lookout Mountain and boasts an incline of 72 percent at the steepest part of the track. I certainly believe it as we were slipping out of our seats. It is used not only as a tourist attraction but also as a means of transportation to get people and sometimes freight up and down the mountain. Originally the cars were made out of wood but are now made out of steel and are built on an angle to allow the passengers to be more comfortable on the ride. Notice the angle that the car sits or should I say perches at when it is at the top of the mountain.

The view from the top of the mountain was spectacular and you could see for miles.

I am not sure if you can see the angle of the track out the front window of the train car but it was pretty much staight down.

On the way back to the motorhome we saw this pick up truck along the side of the highway engulfed in flames.

Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville Nov 22 2010

2010-11-30T18:56:00.000-08:00

This building was opened on May 17 2001 in downtown Nashville and is made up of symbolic images of music. The windows look like piano keys. The round discs surrounding the tower symbolize the different size records and cds used to record country music and viewed from the air (no I didn't see it I just read this) the building is shaped like a bass clef.

Inside the Hall of Fame there is a collection of memorabilia that illustrates country musics story through two centuries.

There were many instruments used to shape the country music world and some of them are displayed here at the Hall Of Fame.

It was so great to see some of the costumes that were actually worn by some of the great singers.
This is Elvis Presley's Solid Gold Cadillac. This 1960 cadillac was accented in 24 karat gold.a d its exterior sheen is due to forty coats of a translucent mixture of crushed diamonds and fish scales called diamond dust pearl. The interior has a gold plated television.
This Gold Piano also belonged to Elvis and was a gift to him from his wife. It was covered in gold leaf.
Many great faces adorned these walls, some of them gone already and some of them very much alive.

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General Jackson - Nashville Nov. 21 2010

2010-11-30T15:11:00.001-08:00

We took a lunch time cruise aboard the General Jackson. The General Jackson is a 300 foot paddle wheel riverboat. It is one of the largest showboats in USA with four decks and a two story Victorian Theater located in the center of the boat.

Tim Watson and his band entertained us while we ate our meal and cruised up the Cumberland River. It was a great experience.

Nashville November 20

2010-11-28T19:03:00.000-08:00

I decided to take a tour of Nashville and chose Tommy's Tours. Turned out to be a witty and informative tour and well worth the time. We saw this full scale replica of the Parthenon. This full scale replica of the original Parthenon in Athens was built in 1897 as part of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. Today if functions as and art museun and as a centerpeiece for Centennial Park.

We saw Printer's Alley which gets its name from the early connection with Nashville's printing and publishing industry which is still a thrives in Nashville today. The orininal location of Printer's Alley however has given way to hotels, resturants and honky tonks some of which have showcased such famous performers as Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams.
The Ryman Auditorium - a 2362 seat live performance venu which is best known as the historic home of the Grand Ole Opry. It was used for the Grand Ole Opry live broadcasts from 1943-1974 when the Opry was moved to a larger venue at Opryland. It was reopened in 1994 as an intimate performance venue and museum. This is where we saw the Grand Ole Opry performance and the seating is pews. Not too soft but different.
We drove out to see some of the star's homes and there were many beautiful ones but hard to get a picture of.
Alan Jackson's house. Some of his video's were filmed here as well one of which was "Drive".
This is Dolly Parton's house all decked out for Christmas.

The Grande Ole Opry November 20 2010

2010-11-28T15:22:00.000-08:00

We and two other couples we met at the campground caught the shuttle downtown, grabbed some supper and headed to the Grand Ole Opry.
Little Jimmy Dickens was one of the hosts and sang a few songs.
Marty Stuart also helped host the show and did a few of his songs.
Charlie Pride was one of the hosts and sang a few songs as well one of which was Crystal Chandeliers.
Paul Shafer treated us to some of the best piano playing I have heard in a long time.
The Charlie Daniels Band and of course many other performers as well. The Grand Ole Opry is still brodcasted live via radio and therefore is complete with advertisements as well, some of which are as entertaining as the show itself.

After the Opry show we headed to see the honky tonk scene where we saw this unusual fellow, a bit eccentric but he could play the most amazing piano and will be playing Jerry Lee Lewis in an upcoming movie. I am sure he will do a great job of it.

We stopped at the famous "Tootsies" bar which is located acoss the back alley from the Ryman Auditorium. The performers from the Grand Ole Opry would slip arcoss the back alley to Tootsies for a quick drink between sets. Many famous performers have sang at Tootsies and their pictures decorate the walls of the place.

Christmas Light up at Opryland, Nashville

2010-11-23T11:42:00.002-08:00

We checked out the Opryland Hotel Complex, a nine acre complex which recently re-opened after the devestating flood in May 2010. During the flood many of the common areas in the complex werer under 10 feet (3m ) of water. The flood also affected many downtown businesses and destroyed many homes. Most of the restoration has been done and except for a few places it is hard to believe that so much was destroyed. After exploring this magnificient complex we headed outside for the Christmas Light Up ceremony and were treated to a live show and yummy hot chocolate. The light up was spectacular with its 2,000,000 twinkling lights and a bonus fireworks display!

Graceland

2010-11-15T21:56:00.000-08:00

This is the staircase that you see as you walk in the front door.

This sitting room is just to the right as you walk in the door. This is a 15 foot white couch and there is a magnificient stained glass that partially closes off the inner room where the piano is.

The Dining Room ... this beautiful room was just to the left as you walked in the front door.

Elvis` parents bedroom.
The TV Room....rhinestone studded cushions, lots of mirrors and bright yellow room ....all looks pretty normal to me.

The Pool Room .... in this room the ceiling, walls and the couch were all covered in the same fabric.

The Jungle Room ..... unique in that the back wall was a flowing water wall and the floor and ceiling was covered with green carpet.

There were so many trophys, as well as gold and platium records that it was unbelievable. It took three rooms to display all the awards.

This is Elvis` final resting place.

Memphis City Tour

2010-11-15T20:24:00.000-08:00

Today we toured Memphis where we got to see some of the downtown area and the Mississippi River as well as a glimpse of Mud Island. It is not really an island but instead a small peninsula crated when the river was diverted in 1960. Today it houses a museum, resturants and an amphitheater. It is accessible by monorail, by foot or by ferry.

We drove by Victorian Village, a street where in the mid 19th century a few wealthy lawyers, bankers and cottom giants etc. built victorian style homes. The homes have been maintained or restored to their original glory and some of them offer public tours.

We made a stop at the famous Beale Street named birthplace of the Blues and Rock and Roll. It has many bars, resturants and of course Schwab, a 120 year old general store.

We drove passed the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assinated on April 4 1968. It has been kept exactly the same as it was when he was assinated and is now part of the National Civil Rights Museum. A wreath hangs on the motel's second floor balcony where Martin Luther King was standing when a single bullet claimed his life.

We passed by the Pyramid Arena ahich has been a focal point of the city's skyline since 1991. The arena, guarded by Ramses a 20 foot statue which stands outside, is 32 stories high, holds 21000 people and has a stainless steel exterior. Sadly it is being used less and less but plans are underway to breathe new life into the Pyramid.

We were treated to a special performance by the Peabody Ducks. The story goes that the owners of the Peabody Hotel went duck hunting using live decoys for the hunt. After the hunt was over and being pretty full of Tennessee Whiskey the "Boys" thought it would be pretty funny to put the "live decoy ducks" in the hotel fountain which was in the lobby. The hotel patrons were so thrilled whth the spectacle and so began a tradition of having ducks in the lobby fountain. At 11:00 AM each day the ducks are brought by elevator from their penthouse suite in the hotel to the lobby fountain where they spend their day and then at 5:00 PM they get out of the fountain and march along the red carpet to the elevator which again takes them to their penthouse suite. The ducks "work" 7 days a week but after 3 months they are able to retire and do what ducks do for the remainder of their lives.

Bristol Caverns

2010-11-07T17:57:00.000-08:00

Founded in 1863 by Samuel Sesler who was digging a cellar the caverns had been used for many years before by the natives as an escape route and as a means of fresh water and to keep food items cool. After its discovery it continued to be used as a means of fresh water and for keeping things cool but was also used by the mayor of the town to hold council meetings in. It seems its constant temperature...apporximately 70 celcus and the outstanding accoustics made the chambers excellent for this purpose. It was said that whatever was said in the room could be heard by the mayor.
The river which helped form the caverns now flows some 180 feet below the surface.

The amazing stalactites attached to the roof of the caverns extend in some areas to meet the stalagmite which form upward from the cavern floor. The caverns are continually forming more stalactites and stalagmites from the constant dripping of ground water through the roof of the caverns. It takes approximately 150 years for a statactite to grow half of an inch.

This tour was so worth the small sum of $9.00 and time-wise the approximately 45 minutes that it took. It was very informative and a joy for the eyes.

No I didn't go into this small space...I stayed on the designated path and kept an eye out for the bats that the tour guide was kind? enough to point out to us.

Peggy's Cove to Bristol Tennessee

2010-11-07T11:42:00.000-08:00

After a brief stop and a too short but very nice visit with Shane and Sharon we rushed to have a quick visit with Van and Wanda in Shediac, New Brunswick. We are starting to panic now as the campgrounds have been closing around us and it is getting harder and harder to find a place to stay. From there we headed west to Wookstock where we were to cross the border into the USA. We encountered no line ups or long waits so either we lucked out or that is a good place to cross. We will try that route again if we are crossing from New Brunswick.
Oh no, I know it has been a long day....did we make a wrong turn someplace????
No we aren't far enough south yet!
After camping here and there along the way we have arrived at Lakeview RV Park in Bristol Tennessee. It is a great campground with mostly good internet and clean level sites overlooking a lake.

We are also in the home of the Bristol Motor Speedway known as the "The World's Fastest Quarter Mile". The speedway was constructed in 1960 and held its first NASCAR race on July 30 1961. Bristol Motor Speedway boasts the distinct quality of extraordinary steep banking (36 degreees which after resurfacing is reported to have been dropped to 27 degrees. Still pretty steep!) It also has two pit roads and ampitheater-like seating. The seating is such that I don't think there is a bad seat in the house. It is the largest sporting arena in America holding 165,000 spectators.

We also saw the famous quarter mile drag strip nicknamed Thunder Valley where many of the fastest cars have strutted their stuff. There is a sand pit at the end of the strip to help stop the cars at the end of the drag and if that fails there are back up rubber fences. The seating in this venu is also fantastic and it would be hard to have a "bad seat".

Peggy's Cove

2010-10-17T19:13:00.000-07:00

We are once more in Glen Margret near Peggy's Cove and camped at Wayside Camping. I am once again amazed by the beauty of the place and the fantastic view. This is what we see when we look out our front window!

Just up the road from where we are staying was this fantastic house / museum. Although the museum was closed the building was a true work of art. How many hours must have gone into this pain job.

Peggy's Cove is supposedly one of the most photographed places in Canada and I was snapping just like the rest of the gang. This picturesque village was supposed to have gotten its name from a young girl who got shipwrecked on the rocks while on route to Halifax. From then onward the villagers began referring to her as Peggy of the cove.
While the boats are harboured safely in the calm cove the sea displayed its strength and fury just outside the protected cove

You see many signs warning people to stay off the rocks but as you can see the signs often go ignored. It is no wonder there have been several deaths due to carelessness.

Good Bye Newfoundland

2010-10-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

October 11 2010

We leave St. Johns this morning headed for Port aux Basque and the ferry which will take us acoss to Sydney, Nova Scotia and the mainland. We have had a memorable visit to Newfoundland with its unusual ruggedness and awe inspiring beauty.

So many communities still have fishing as a prominent trade and their docks and coves harbour all from the small dingys to the large fishing ships with their fishing gear jutting form their decks.
There are also some who dare to farm in this rugged rocky place with sometimes only a scattering of soil.

Brave souls all of them, proud of their island and rightly so with its spectacular rugged scenery that is so rich in history. The shores of this island have seen Vikings, Portugees, Spaniards, English, French and who knows how many more nationalities landed in some point in history. Some settling and some just taking advantage of the rich fishing grounds but all of them leaving their mark in shaping what is Newfoundland today.

We have tried to see as much as possible but have left some stones unturned for our next visit. The leaves are starting to turn their autumn colours and it is time for us to move on.
We will board this fine ship the Leif Erickson and say good bye to Newfoundland. Hope to see you again someday.

Baccalieu Trail Newfoundland

2010-10-11T15:18:00.000-07:00

Our adventure today was to tour the Baccalieu trail. The name Baccalieu is derived from the Spanish and Portugese name meaning codfish. As early as 500 years ago fishermen from Portugal, Spain and the Banques crossed the ocean to fish in the rich grounds off this peninsula.

Our first stop on our trip around the Baccalieu Trail was the picturesque village of Cupids. Settled in the 1600`s it is the oldest official British Colony in Canada. In 1612 Nicholas Guire`s wife gave birth to the first recorded birth of an English child on what is now Canadian soil.

At Bay Roberts we saw this whale bone arch marking someone's driveway and although I thought it was pretty unique we saw several more before the day was over.

This is an odd thing to take a picture of but notice the intriguing name.

In Bay Roberts we saw a farmers out selling their produce by the roadside so we stopped and bought the fixins for a Jigg's Dinner. It consisted of cabbage, carrots, turnips and potatoes all in the same bag. This is how it turned out .....m-m-m....Thanksgiving Dinner.G">

At Spaniard's Bay we saw this beautiful and huge Anclican church. I was surprised at how many Anclican churches we saw in Newfoundland.

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V>Although it was threatining to rain Molly and I got to have a little run on the beach at Harbour Grace. It amazes me how the houses are perched pratically on the edge of the cliffs. No foundations needed when you build your house on solid rock!

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We stopped at Bay de Verde which is located almost at the top of the peninsula. The name is Portugese meaning Green Bay. Bay de Verde was initally popular to the French, English, Spanish and Portugese for it's abundant supplies of fish. Caribou was also plentiful in the area and the visiting fishermen hunted them as well. The community is still popular for its fish but is seeing increasing amounts of tourists as well.

At Red Head Cove we found it hard to find a place to perch long enough to take a picture but the view was spectacular. Even on a calm day, which it was, the sea was displaying her power and sheer force.

On to Grates Cove, home of the Grates Cove Rock Walls Historic Site where hundreds of rock walls, formerly used for walling in vegetable gardens and protect them from the grazing sheep, are scattered here and there. It amazes me that people would even attempt farming with so little soil available and the constant battle with rocks and harsh weather is a constant. These are truly hardy souls.

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At Heart's Content (yes it is really called that) we again saw the big fishing boats. It was a nice quiet little comunity.

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At Whiteway we saw the famous landmark called Shag Rock. It has also been called " the shipwrecker" and it is pretty easy to see why!

Bell Island

2010-10-07T16:46:00.000-07:00

This is the ferry we crossed on and the island in the background is Bell Island.

Today we visited the small but beautiful Bell Island. It is located just a short 20 minute ferry ride from Portugal Cove across Conception Bay. It measures 9.5 kms long and 3 kms wide with most of its population perched atop its massive cliffs. We had a great day exploring and although we didn't have a map it turns out we didn't need one.

Our first stop was the lighthouse which no big surprise was located on Lighthouse Road. It was built in 1939 and is perched atop a cliff 50 meters above the sea.

From 1894 to 1966 Bell Island was home to an iron ore mene which started out as a surface mine then an underground mine to the shoreline and eventually to submarine mining. When the mine closed in 1966 the men were working more than 4.8 kms under the floor of Conception Bay.

Lance Cove claims the distinction of being the only community to take a direct hit from the enemy during WWII. A torpedo was said to have slammed into the shore shaking the residents in more ways than one. This is also the area where in the fall of 1940 four ships loaded with iron ore were sunk by torpedoes from German submarines. A total of 69 lives were lost. The rusty skeletons of the sunken ships can still be seen off shore.

We saw the Sacred Heart Grotto which was built with items from the now demolished Sacred Heart church and although vandalized in 2008 was completely restored.

While we were in Lance Cove on Bell Island, Newfoundland we also got to dip our tires into the Atlantic Ocean completing the ritual we began in Tofino, BC in April , 2010.

C2C.

The Irish Loop

2010-10-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

This morning Molly and I took our bottle of Pacific Ocean water + sand that we collected in Tofino, BC and poured it into the Atlantic Ocean in Tors Cove, Newfoundland. We also collected a bottle of Atlantic Ocean water + sand to take back, God willing, to the Pacific Ocean. The ocean is much rougher here on the Avalon Peninsula and it was hard to find a safe place to make the exchange.

David, Molly and I drove around the Irish Loop today ... sadly though about one third of our drive was in dense fog. It made me think of the Irish who settled this area and wonder what they must have thought when they saw this beautiful but rough land blanketed in fog. They must have suffered many hardships trying to carve a life for themselves and their families in this harsh new world.

In Ferryland we saw the Holy Trinity church, built in 1865 in the Gothic Revival style it is the last remaining of five stone churches built during this period. I tood a picture of the house that was right beside it and although I don't know the story on it I found it facinating.

Due to the fog we missed some of what I am sure was spectacular coastal views especially in Portugal Cove where many fossils have been discovered and where there is an ongoing attempt to preserve the area and the fossils. We also missed out on a trip to the Cape Race lighthouse . It was at this lighthouse that the Titantic's distress call was first heard and answered.

By the time we reached St. Mary's the fog had cleared and we were again able to see the beautiful scenery and a spectacular bridge.

After a quick stop for gas we are on our way again back to our eagle-nest perch in Tors Cove.

Cape Spear

2010-09-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

We are currently parked at Celtic Rendevous in Tors Cape, Newfoundland and this is what we see when we look out our front window. Breathtaking and hopefully the perfect vantage point to observe the so far elusive Puffin. I am beginning to think I am the only person who has travelled to Newfoundland and not seen a moose, iceburg, whale or a puffin. Oh well there is still hope...we have about a week and a half left before we head to the mainland again.

Today we visited Cape Spear which is the most easterly point in North America. The scenery was breathtaking and you could litterly feel the power of the ocean as it slamed against the shore.

You can also see the heavy gun batteries and magazines built in 1941 to protect the harbour during WWII.

Cape Spear is also the home of this 1835 refirbished lighthouse which is the oldest lighthouse in the province.

To get to Cape Spear we drove through Petty Harbour, a picturesque little village perched, as so many are, on the edge of a rocky shore. With its NARROW streets and houses built practically on the street it makes driving through the village a job for a small vehicle ... very glad at this point that we didn't bring the motor home but opted for the jeep instead.

St. Johns

2010-09-29T17:32:00.000-07:00

Today we decided to explore St. Johns. We had heard many stories about the disarray of the streets and overalll confusion in the downtown area. We discovered that the stories are true!

We did however muddle our way along and were able to locate Signal Hill. Originally known as the Lookout by the 1700s it had become known as Signal Hill. By the 1900s cannons were fired to announce the time of day and flag signals were used to warn of the approach of ships.

On December 12 1901 Guglielmo Marconi recieved the first wireless signal sent across the Atlantic Ocean.

We were also able to find the famed George Street and although it was pretty calm today we were able to see the potential for a huge street party!

Along the way we saw many brightly coloured row-houses.

L'Anse aux Meadows

2010-09-19T19:29:00.000-07:00

We ventured north from St. Barbe along the breathtaking shores of Newfoundland past some of the most beautiful and amazing terrain.

On our way we saw many garden plots along the highway....some many kilometers away from any settelment. When the road was constructed the residents decided to take advantage of the already cultivated soil and plant their gardens there and the idea caught on. In actual fact in many areas that is the only soil available on the barren terrain.

We stopped at the Cape Norman Lighthouse just outside of Cook's Harbour. It is the most northern point of Newfoundland Island. The landscape is amazing and here the sea is furious and beautiful.

We then went to L'Anse aux Meadows, a National Historic Site, where Vikings landed and settled over 1000 years ago. It is believed that the settlers were led by Leif Eriksson, son of Erik the Red. We got to see the ruins of three halls and five smaller buildings that were built by the Vikings. There were also life size replicas of what the buildings would have looked like as well as the tools and equipment that would have been available to them.

Somehow I can see the Vikings arriving to this place and in fact in some ways you can still feel their presence...or is it just ghostly images in the mist?

Labrador

2010-09-17T17:34:00.000-07:00

We boarded the ferry at St. Barbe and headed on a trip to Labrador for the day. We landed in Blanc Sablon, Quebec and headed up the coast of Labrador as far as Red Bay. Although we didn't have much time till our return ferry (about 4 hours) we were determined to see as much as possible.

The town of L'Anse au Clair is the gateway to the Straits and southern Labrador. It is the beginning of the Trans Labrador Highway. It has a restored 100 year old church which houses the Gateway to Labrador Visitor Centre.

The Point Armour Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada. It was built in 1855 and stands 109 feet tall. It is still acitve and helps aid navigation through the sometimes treacherous Strait of Bell Isle.

This ancient burial ground in L'Anse Amour was built by the Maritime Archaie people and marks the grave of a child about 12 years old who died about 7500 years ago.

This picture was taken near L'Anse au Loup.

We were amazed by the stark beauty of the landscape. From pools of water dotting the land far above sea level, to the huge boulders scattered in fields which were covered in a spongy tundra-like vegitation.

The town of Red Bay was first used as an outpost by the Basque whalers in the 1500's and today marks the end of the paved highway in Labrador. After taking a few pictures, admiring the scenery and mailing my postcards we head back to catch the ferry to St. Barbe.

This is a section of beach just outside of Blanc Sablon, Quebec.

Waiting for the ferry to take us back to St. Barbe, Newfoundland. It has been a busy but very rewarding day.

Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland

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Western Brook Pond

We hiked out to Western Brook Pond which is said to be one of the purest lakes in the world. The massive cliffs of Westen Brook Pond were formed as glaciers carved through this massive block of granite.

The Wreck of the S.S. Ethie

On December 11 1919 the SS Ethie ran aground during "the worst strom ever". She was driven by steam and sail but was no match for the high winds and raging sea. Her 92 passengers and crew escaped with their lives, including a baby that was sent ashore in a mailbag.

The rusty "bones" that you see are all that remains of the SS Ethie.

Lobster Cove Lighthouse

Until the late 1800's there was no lighthouse at lobster head. Each resident of Rocky Harbour dontated a pint of oil per week to keep a light burning in the window of a local house.

In 1897 the prefrabricated cast iron sections of this light tower were hauled from St. John's.

Norris Point Nfld

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This view is of Norris Point in Gros Morne National Park.

We are currently staying at a KOA in Norris Point and enjoying the excellent views. There is a `Moose Trail` that goes around a small lake and Molly has had lots of fun exploring it. So far the only moose I have seen has been Molly but I am still hopeful. We plan on staying here for at least one more day before we head north to St. Barbe.

Newfoundland September 11 2010

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Since leaving Tofino BC we have had a magnificient summer travelling across the country visiting with friends and family seeing some fantastic sights and lazing on the beach for longer than we had planned. We have definately had a summer to remember and although most of my pictures are trapped on my old computer I will remember them in my mind till I can get one of my smart children to release them for me.

After a six hour ferry ride we docked in Port-aux-Basque Newfoundland.
It was truly amazing to see, rock rising directly out of the ocean and a handfull of hardy souls who had bravely built their homes, who knows how many years ago, on this beautiful but severe coast. We unloaded from the ferry and in wind that made it hard to stand upright travelled up the coast about 20 km where we stopped for the night.