Born on a mixed subsistence farm in rural Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Moved to Ontario in 1967 to attend University at what was then Waterloo Lutheran University and moved to Oakville, Ontario in 1971. Without intending to live up to the name became a letter carrier the following January and have worked for Canada Post ever since. I retired in August of 2008.

Wednesday, December 02, 2015

Heading South in 2015

November 16, 2015
When it comes to travel by motor vehicle, boring is good. In part that involves proper preparation and packing. Certainly there are always those little things. Having to jump start the battery before departure and having to repair the battery tender connections before getting off, at least the generator started. American Customs was routine, I'd shaved my beard to ensure my physiognomy matched the passport photo. Driving through Buffalo and Lackawanna in the dark is not pleasant but preferable to rush hour traffic. I paused at the Erie Welcome Centre to make coffee considering myself lucky that I wasn't seeing white stuff flying. Before heading due South I skirted the edges of Cleveland Ohio.

In Ashland, Ohio stopped for fuel ($1.99/American Gal) and brunch at Dennys where I took the opportunity to read the day's comix. An hour later I found Cross Creek Resort in Delaware, OH without incident. After a few miss-steps I've figured out the difference between South and North Old State Road—a difference my guides failed to mention. The park is already celebrating Christmas. I caught up online and went to bed.

Decided I deserved to sleep in and so miss rush hour traffic in Columbus, OH and Indianapolis, IN. Stopped at a travel centre for fuel and brunch at Dennys once more. Since I visited Terre Haute last they commenced highway construction hostilities making finding the KOA there a challenge, not something one appreciates after a long drive. The donkeys welcomed me with a nibble at my coat tail.

Day three began with fueling north of the highway. Gusting crosswinds and early morning heavy showers made this the worst day for driving I had in my travels. This day I encountered the other bugbear of driving, mile upon mile of highway construction and rough roads. I got through St. Louis, MO without incident and continued the long drive to Lebanon, MO. There was a sale on traffic lights when the city was built, they have one every block. Fourteen miles out of town in the boonies the campground was obviously closed for the season—their web site made no mention of fall closure. Drove over to my fall-back position, the Bennett Spring State Park. Their campground was open for self-pay. Oh Joy! After finding a site that had working electricity put the money I had in an envelope, wrote up the required info and dropped it in the vault. I considered it a minor miracle that their Wi-Fi was up and working and since I was the only person spending the night there I enjoyed excellent service. The warnings about bears proved an exaggeration, expect they'd trundled off for hibernation. It was one very quiet night.

Next day I took the north exit from the park which crossed a canted Bailey bridge that gave me cause for trepidation before I gingerly crossed it. The detritus from recent flooding had been pushed to one side. Got gas in town and headed toward Tulsa, OH. This day's drive seemed long and involved a toll highway for part of the trip. Hoardings along the highway remind one that one is entering the Bible Belt culminating in the sign for Oral Roberts U. For once there was someone in the office at Warrior Campground when I arrived.

Most of Day 5 was spent in Oklahoma State which lived up to its rep with a steady headwind blowing across the plain all day. The sunshine reflecting off the soil gave it a fluorescent Orange cast. The Oklahoma Welcome Centre provided half-decent free coffee. Little but prairie farmland to see save for the passage through Oklahoma City. I pulled off the highway there for gas. West of there farmland gives way to open rangeland dotted with scrub. Entering Texas one begins to encounter their countless wind farms. I stopped in a few miserably small towns before I found a place to stop for lunch made in my RV. The Overnight RV Park in Amarillo proved to be at the end of the airport runway and had non-working Wi-Fi as had everyone else in the area.

I did break down and accept a limousine ride complete with longhorn hood ornament to the Big Texan Steak Ranch. Staff were accoutered in Stetsons and cowboy boots. Christmas tree and decorations already in place. A plaster model missing a thumb was seated at one of the long tables. Did he complain about the service? I did not order the 72 oz steak. After overeating I took a look at the rattlesnake in the gift shop and the facilities for “Cowboys” and “Cowgirls” before I caught a ride home. Overnight the temperature plunged to 28.

Next day it dropped as low as 24. I wore winter coat and gloves as I gassed up. The wind turned during the night pushing me West to Albuquerque, NM. The terrain was flat and dusky until a dark patch of cloud proved indistinguishable from the foothills ahead. A cold front was plainly visible as I passed through it. After the height of land I entered the basin that holds Albuquerque at 5000 ft. No word from the gentleman I went there to visit for the next 24 hours. American RV Park was welcoming as ever. After several visits to the area I finally got to drive old Route 66 into Old Town. Finding parking was a challenge. Haggling is expected in the many gift shops and sidewalk displays where turquoise and silver jewelry, ceramic pots, along with Copper Arm bands bear prices in the $500 range. I did break down and buy a nativity collection with a Pueblo inspired theme for a price that would have scandalized my mother.



Monday, November 23rd I got ready for travel and took in the complimentary continental breakfast provided by the Park before leaving. For the first 125 or so miles I retraced my route toward Texas before turning South on Hwy 84 at Santa Rosa. In Fort Sumner which may or may not be the burial place of one Billy the Kid I stopped not at the museum/fort but at the local grocery store. Just East of Clovis I crossed back into Texas and the Central Time Zone, Albuquerque is on Mountain Time. Here one enters the cotton belt where half the crop is yet to be harvested and the fields are dotted with pumpjacks. Highway here is a two-lane rated at 75 mph with slower zones through small cities. The KOA in Lubbock is North-West of town just off HWY 84 too near a railway track. There's a ring road surrounding Lubbock, a 'town' famous for country music, government, education, and medical facilities—shopping.

Tuesday Morning got off early to beat traffic gassing up first. The four hundred mile drive was through rolling countryside on two-lane and four-lane roads sometimes divided headed in a generally South-Easterly direction. Somehow I'd forgotten how miserable it is to drive into the rising sun. Albuquerque was 5000 ft, Lubbock 3000 ft so it was essentially downhill to Austin at 700. A slight crosswind and unstable winding roads made the posted 75 a might too fast for me. All was well until I reached a large gathering of emergency vehicles 10 miles North of Leander 30 miles from Austin blocking 3 of the four lanes. Lots of mangled cars. Made Austin without a fillup but the low fuel light came on as I backed into the driveway here in Austin.

I got here just in time, a few days ago Chicago got 12 inches of snow. It's greener in Austin:









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