07-20-08
This is the third day of relaxation on the trip -- that is, not getting up, packing, and driving for hours. That is, the third day we've stayed in one place. So, let's catch up on a few things...
07-15-08: We went to Strathroy, Ontario. Yes, we crossed Michigan and entered Canada.
We attempted to make a stop at Battle Creek, Michigan, but the facility we had selected to visit -- Cereal Center or Cereal University or some such -- was closed. By the look of it, it was the place we meant to visit. Outside was a mural of all the favorite Kellogg cereal brand mascots. So, we went from there through Lansing and Port Huron, rather than braving Detroit at rush hour.
At the border, the Canadian customs agent seemed to be recommending that we continue on and rest in New York after Jennifer told him we were headed for Niagara Falls. But we stopped at Strathroy, that being plenty late enough in the day. So, in Strathroy we drove around a bit, went to Wal-Mart to buy milk for Jellybean's nightly snack, and then went out for ice cream after obtaining the correct currency.
07-16-08: We went to Rochester, New York. Of course, before arriving there we had to adventure a bit in Canada. Jennifer agreed to detour a bit from the major roads.
I had planned this anyway, but it didn't hurt that we met a very nice older couple in London who gave us a few suggestions -- including that we spend the evening at Niagara Falls on the Canada side. Thus, we went from Strathroy to London, to St. Thomas, through a couple of towns to Port Rowan, where we stopped at a park on Lake Erie while Jellybean played and Field Pea stretched. From there we went back up to Hamilton, and then around to Niagara. This means we saw four Great Lakes on the trip -- Michigan (at Indiana), Huron, Erie, and Ontario.
The highlight of the trip, though, was Niagara Falls. Ok, so they were smaller than I thought they'd be. We still got to ride a boat almost underneath them. Jellybean loved it. Jennifer could tell the story better than I can. Jellybean got in his poncho and pulled the hood up over his head and very tight. Then he twisted it so there was no chance of water getting in. Then he tied it to the handrail at the prow of the ship. In the process, the poncho got pulled up around the rest of him -- but his face was not getting wet. The ponchos, by the way, aren't tinted as dark as my sunglasses. His visibility should have been just fine.
We didn't stick around Niagara Falls for much longer than the boat ride, as we did need to get going again.
07-17-08: We went to Williston, Vermont. In everything else I've written, I've probably said Burlington, but the actual spot is a short hop from there. On the way, we went to Troy, New York, to see RPI again.
The place has changed a great deal over the past twenty-two years. There was a lot more to it than there used to be. It seemed slightly less friendly to visitors. The copper roofs on the Quad were now shingled. We were not there at the right time of day to stop and make a long visit -- we still had three or four hours to go.
The bad thing about this day was that I did not manage to stop and visit Harry. This was the best day for that, but our e-mails didn't get back and forth in time to arrange it.
07-18-08 through 07-20-08 (so far): Break time. No major driving, just visiting Julie and her children. Jellybean is loving it, and I think Natalie and Ethan are, too. They are 4 months older and 8 months younger than Jellybean. Jennifer and Julie are not nearly caught up on girl talk, but they're doing what they can. The children are, at the moment, in the middle of the second-longest afternoon nap I think Jellybean has taken. Friday we sat around the house. Yesterday we took the children to Shelburne Farms, where they got to chase (and catch) chickens, milk a goat, watch bunnies, ride a tractor, and so on. Jellybean -- and he came up with this idea on his own as far as I know -- says he's going to teach Grampa how to milk a goat. We may or may not be going out tonight. It has been rainy the entire time we've been here, and the most fun places for the children aren't open late on Sundays.
-=-
No comments:
Post a Comment