Day 1 - Tuesday, 9/17
8:15am - Bob & Linda drove us to the airport
10:25 departed SWA flight - stopped in Orange County - arrived in Denver to change planes. Departed 5:10pm - arrived Boston Logan at 11:00pm
We picked up our rental car at Avis - 2013 Ford Mustang convertible.
We headed for our the Nantasket Beach Resort on the coast of Massachusetts. Lots of construction and traffic in Boston but we finally arrived about midnight. Our room had a small kitchen, fireplace, and jacuzzi in the room. We fell asleep about 3am (about midnight back home).
Day 2 - Wednesday 9/18
We drove to Provincetown. Nice drive through the coastal areas. When we arrived in town, it was packed with lots of bus tourists. Shops looked quaint like Mendocino/Carmel but so crowded that we opted to drive through town and out to the seashore. We bought sandwiches and Coke/chips at a Stop and Shop, drove back to the shore and ate in the car overlooking the ocean. Quite a few people on the beach enjoying the warm sun.
We arrived back at the hotel about 8pm and headed for the pool/spa.
Drove 225 miles today.
Day 3 - Thursday 9/19
11:00am - left Dunkin' Donuts in Nantasket and got on the Mass Tpike
Visited Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass & each enjoyed a double scoop ice cream cone at Cold Stone Creamery
Crossed into Vermont and drove thru Green Mountain Natl Forest. Traffic great all day.
Beautifully mild, in the 70's. Foliage all green.
4:30pm - Stopped for deli lunch in Manchester Depot
8:00pm - Arrived at Marriott Courtyard in Lake Placid & relaxed in the pool/spa
Interesting sign in the pool area:
Day 4 - Friday 9/20
Left the hotel at 9:15am and traveled past Lake Saranac where Norm's family used to vacation
Drove thru the Adirondack Mountains
Temp outside at 3:30pm is 90!!
Arrived at Niagara Falls - took photos on the viewing overlook
A wedding was going on - so romantic!
Left Niagara Falls at 5:30pm
Ate dinner at McDonalds and booked room for the night via hotels.com
Filled up with gas- 27.4mpg
We drove through blinding rain during the last 45 minutes or so....
10:30pm - Arrived at Red Roof Inn in Middleburg Heights, Ohio and glad to make it in one piece!
Pam took a shower when she got to the room and found that Red Roof doesn't supply hair dryers. The front desk said only the superior rooms get the dryers. We thought our price was superior enough!
Day 5 - Saturday 9/21
Left Red Roof Inn at 10:15 in 65 degree pouring rain
10:45 Arrived at Cleveland Avis Rental to ask for proof of registration needed to enter Canada (the Boston Avis forgot to give it to us) Avis said its no longer needed.
Cleveland Race for the Cure was going on today so some streets were blocked off. TV showed the runners soaked in the rain.
Got to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame located on the wharf next to the Cleveland Brown's stadium and Nasa Hall of Science. The Brown's were playing and we could hear the announcers on the loudspeakers. We ate lunch in the RandR cafe (hot dogs, coke and cookies). The exhibits were wonderful. We could easily spent an entire day watching all the film clips and looking at the clothing, guitars, and memorabilia.
Main entry area:
Left RandR at 2:00pm and finally got on the 80 turnpike at 2:45 - all city streets. We stopped quick for a Starbucks frapp then kept going. The GPS was set on shorter distance. We've changed it to shorter time. That change shows that we should arrive in Milwaukee at 8:10pm rather than the "shorter distance" at 11:00pm.
4:30pm - on the road again after stopping for gas and tacos - averaging 27 mpg
Paid toll of $10.50 at Indiana border then had to grab a new ticket. These tolls add up.
7:00pm just became 6:00pm when we crossed from Eastern to Central time.
6:22 - paid $7.90 for toll into Illinois
6:40 - paid another $1.80 toll
6:45 - paid another $4.00 tolls
8:15pm - McDonalds and gas (26.8mpg) outside of Milwaukee
9:15pm - arrived at Fairfield Inn & Suites, Milwaukee Downtown - fitful nights sleep- lots of guests in hallway partying from the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Game that had just finished. We're in the 10th floor and seemed quiet when we checked in. Finally called the front desk at 3am!!!
Day 6 - Sunday 9/22
Up at 8:15am for a nice breakfast in lobby. Lots of people in the lobby wearing Brewer fan shirts. 10:25am - Arrived at the Harley Museum - not crowded at all and were able to take lots of photos.
Left at 12:30pm; got gas in Black River Falls and took photos with the Wisconsin Cheese Mouse
195 miles later - Arrived Americas Best Value Inn at 7:15pm. Drove 399 miles total today - average 29.4 mpg. Got to our room and watched the Emmys on TV
Day 7 - Monday 9/23
Breakfast of waffles and checked out at 8:15am and filled up gas - 30.5mpg.
12:15pm visited the Grand Portage National Monument Heritage Center.
12:30pm - crossed the Canadian Border and visited the Terry Fox memorial. He was a one-legged runner who ran across Canada in 1980 raising money for cancer research.
2:00pm- Arrived at Chris & Claire's house
Lunch of cold cuts & wine then took a long walk around the neighborhood and down to the swimming dock - BBQ'd steak dinner and wine at the house
Day 8 - Tuesday 9/24
Breakfast of Finnish Pancakes and fruit then took a car ride to visit The Fish Shop Gift Shop near their house. Then we drove to some parks and walked to view Lake Superior at different overlooks.
We had to visit the Thunder Bay Harley store:
We ate lunch at Madhouse restaurant/bar in the old town area of Thunder Bay.
We visited different shops and the last one was a clothing store called Take A Hike where Pam bought some clothes. Could have bought lots more. Great store!
Chris made a fire in the fireplace - dinner of scrumptious homemade pizza, wine and blueberry bundt cake for dessert.
Day 9 - Wed 9/25
Slept in again then enjoyed breakfast of eggs, toast, fruit, hot chocolate & coffee.
Left at 11:50am in overcast foggy skies with top up
Arrived in Nipigon and visited the monument to 'Paddle to the Sea'
Arrived in White River - Took photos at the Winnie the Pooh statue.
The town also advertises itself as "the coldest spot in Canada" but it's a myth. We still took a photo of the large thermometer on the side of the hiway anyhow.
3:30pm - Lunch at A&W in Marathon - Arrived in WaWa about 7:20pm to take photos at the Canada Goose statue. It's a symbol of the community of WaWa whose name is an Ojibway Indian word meaning "Wild Goose".
We saw this sign on the side of the road....looks like the X-Files:
7:40pm - Arrived at Best Northern Motel for the night.
Day 10 - Thursday, Sept 26
Up at 8:15am - left at 9:00 - temperature 49 degrees outside - top is up on the car
11:00am Arrived Sault St Marie - Lunch at Subway & fill-up w/gas - 29.1 mpg
Noon - on the road again - temperature is 68 degrees outside - top down again
5:15pm - filled up gas 27.4mpg - Tried to use wifi at two diff McD's but didn't work!!!!
Booked with Hotels.com over the phone - Arrived at Knights Inn in Arnprior, Ontario at 9:35pm with the top down in 51 degrees
Day 11 - Friday, Sept 27
Left hotel at 9:45am - 58 degrees and warm sun then 10 min later we drove through Tulley fog then back to blue skies
11:00am Filled up gas between Ottawa and Montreal - 29.3mpg and shared a Subway for lunch
I loved this guitar made of flowers on the side of a bridge embankment.
We stopped at an Indian Trading Post along the way - pretty fancy.
1:00 - Arrived in Montreal. Parked car in parking garage then walked to Tourist Bureau, then walked down Rue Saint Paul (oldest street in Montreal) with art galleries and boutiques.
2:10 We had an English speaking tour guide of Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal and the Chapel. The organist has been playing there for 40 yrs. At 2:30 he played over 1/2 hr including "The Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by JS Bach". There are 7000 organ pipes.
After the concert, walked to Place Jacques-Cartier (monument of Admiral Nelson, street artists, and cafes) found a Starbucks and had an iced mocha, walked to the Pavillon Jacques-Cartier, then to Bonsecours Market (pricey, upscale boutiques). This dress was out of post-it notes.
Parking garage cost $17euros - yikes.
4:45pm -Left for freeway rush hour traffic - more stop than go - temp 70 degrees with top down
7ish stopped for dinner of Big Macs at McDonalds. Wifi did not work again. Made hotel reservations via phone with Hotels.com at Château Repotel Duplessis - L'Ancienne-Lorette
Day 12 - Saturday, Sept 28
Breakfast of bagels, juice and a banana - foggy outside
9:45am Left hotel for Old Quebec - Filled up gas 27.3mpg.
Arrived Old Quebec parking garage at 10:35am - warm shirt sleeve weather - quite a few people outside. Walked to tourist bureau, along the wharf, and climbed up to the Citadel. Good view - found our way into the Citadel. Wandered a bit through the streets and outside the wall then used our GPS to find our way back to the garage.
12:50pm Left parking garage heading to Maine with top down
1:20pm stopped for lunch at an IGA grocery store - a lot like Nugget with the upstairs seating and decor. 2:10pm - back on the road 75 degrees and blue sky
3:40 - passed through U.S. border and the border guard kept asking probing questions, asked to see the Avis contract, asked for the trunk to be opened, asked to see Norm's drivers license, twice asked what business Norm retired from, then asked Pam - finally we were allowed to proceed
4:00ish - Stopped at McDonalds for dinner of Big Macs and made reservations via Hotels.com at Super 8 in Bangor, Maine. The wifi worked fine now that we're back in USA.
7:10pm - checked into Super 8 for the night
Norm made reservations for our last two nights in Boston at Harborside Inn of Boston, 185 State St, Boston Massachusetts located across from Faneuil Hall Marketplace and one block from tourist bureau.
Day 13 - Sunday, Sept 29
8:30am - checked out and went to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast - Filled up gas 24.7 mpg
10:00am - Spent morning in Bar Harbor soaking up the sites
11:40 - drove around Acadia National Park and visitor center. Took photos at Cadillac Mountain. 4 tour buses of people were at the top with us. Two cruise ships were parked near Bar Harbor - Princess and Holland America.
1:45pm stopped at Taco Bell for lunch
2:15pm on the road again. Scenic coast road had only few views of the sea - blocked by trees. Otherwise very scenic. 7:15pm stopped for McDonalds dinner (with the dollar menu) and
Gas 31.1 mpg. Last gas needed for car.
8:25pm - Arrived Boston and Harborside Inn Boutique Hotel (across from Faneuil Hall) after numerous wrong turns and an extra toll.
Parked car a block away in a parking garage then walked to Starbucks for a hot chocolate for Pam. No car needed until we return it to Avis Tuesday. Over 4,000 miles added to the odometer.
Day 14 - Monday, Sept 30
Blue skies and light jacket weather. Flowers in the gardens and hanging flower pots. Great time of year to visit.
We walked by the First Meeting House in Boston (built in 1632), through the Boston Common and the Frog Pond in front of the State House.
Took a guided tour of the Massachusetts State House.
Heard stories about the cod in the assembly room and "holy mackerel" in the senate room.
We were told that the "arm and a leg" expression came from the painters who painted the elected officials and charged by amount of extra work involved. It was cheaper to only paint one hand so the other went in the jacket or behind the back.
Our guide told us about the 54th Volunteer Infantry (made of all free blacks) and there were a number of women celebrated for their services toward equality. One exhibit was a globe with celebrated women's photos on the globe surface, with little glass pieces on the globe and all around the floor of the stand. The title of the globe is "Breaking the Glass Ceiling".
We toured the Governor's office and saw paintings of the previous governors. Interesting that Mitt Romney has a picture of his wife in his painting. Dukakis's painting really stood out because it looked like a colored sketch rather than a painting.
3:00pm lunch - Philly cheesesteak sandwich, fries and coke at Quincy Market. Walked through the restaurants and shops of Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, New Market and South Market - took lots of photos - including the Boston Harley Shop. The restaurant signs were real colorful.
Gotta love how Dick's embarrasses the patrons with paper hats!
5:15pm - 8:15pm headed to Starbucks in hopes that Norm's Nook would connect - no luck at hotel. It worked fine at Starbucks - downloaded all photos and enjoyed a hot chocolate & frappacino.
Day 15 - Tuesday, Oct 1
Breakfast at Duncan Donuts
Took awhile to find the Avis rental return - they changed their location with an all new rental car area during the two weeks since we rented the car and the GPS didn't know so it sent us back to the old spot. 11:50am -Turned car into Avis - Cost of rental $491
Our SWA flight departed 1/2 hr late .
5:05pm - arrived Houston for plane change. Shared a Subway, chips and soda for dinner. Next flight departed at 6:25 on time to SMF with a stop in Phoenix.
10:00pm - arrived back in SMF, got the luggage, waited about 20-30 minutes for Super Shuttle. We were the second stop for the shuttle and we were home about 11:00 (which was 2am on the East Coast). We unpacked what we needed then fell into bed.
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