It's official! The Candleman no longer works for UPS! He departed Friday evenining with a solemn ceremony (pictured here). After 22 + years, leaving so many friends, customers and co-workers alike, was such sweet sorrow.
In the Arctic the Inuit People use Inuksuit to stand as landmarks in a very landmark free land. These markers draw upon the wisdom of predecessors and the bounty of experience to make the most of life in a harsh unforgiving land.
Visit some LDS church sights near Hamilton, in Liberty, and in Independence. Then the long trek home through flat Kansas. We hope to spend the night (August 4) in Goodland(#124). We're back in familiar territory. It'll just be a long, long tip home on the 5th. It will feel so good to be home after this long of a trip. What memories we will have.
Chicago to Nauvoo(#135) to see the new LDS Temple. Then down to Hanibal(#137) of Mark Twain fame. Across Missouri to Hamilton where we will spend the night.
After seeing some sites in Palmyra we may or may not go to Niagra Falls on the American side. It depends on our experience on the Canadian side. So we'll either go to Niagra or just head west along the southern edge of Lake Erie. We have a couple of lighthouses we'd like to see. Planning to visit Kirtland (#14), Lakeview Cemetery (this time for me). I've seen pictures and it looks awesome, plus there are some famous people's monuments there. We'll stay the night in Cleveland or maybe, a bit beyond.
The drive is from Cleveland to Chicago. There's a few lighthouses along the way we'd like to see. Up to Detroit (maybe), then over to Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo. Spend two nights in Chicago.
I need to do some research into the battle of Saratoga. I think we'll go to a museum there. We'd thought about skipping Albany, but the capitol building is so beautiful that we're going out of our way a bit to see it. We're excited to learn more about the Erie Canal so we'll do some sightseeing connected with that. After spending some time in Syracuse we'll stop in Skaneateles (#95) to see friends of my Mother's from when she and Dad lived in Guam. I don't even know these people, wasn't even born, but I think it's going to be a fun stop.
We will actually criss-cross out path today. Leave Quebec City, drive back to Montreal then head south to Champlain, NY (#86). I think I'm going to miss Canada. BUT there is still some beautiful driving ahead. We drive back into Vermont (2nd time in Vermont this trip) and will drive down the islands of Lake Champlain. We plan on stopping at Fort Ticonderoga then spending the night in Bolton Landing on the side of Lake George in New York.
Ride the ferry from Rimouski to Forestville (#83). Another great opportunity to see whales. The drive south to Tadoussac (#84), along the St. Lawrence should be beautiful. Tadoussac is down river from the blueberry capital of the world. I would like to ride a tour boat up the Saguenay River - it's supposed to be a beautiful fjorde. Then on to Quebec with some interesting buildings, churches and fruit stands along the way. Somewhere I read about fat strawberries topped with fresh cream and maple syrup from roadside stands in this area. Sounds worth a taste. Spend this night and the next in Quebec City.
Leave Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and drive up the coast of New Brunswick, which is known as the Acadian Coast. Try oysters at Bouctouche, because they supposedly have the best oysters. We'll continue north to Matane (#81) where we will try shrimp poutine (maybe) at Le Mini Restaurant. Then down to Metis Beach where we'll drive by summer villas of some rich people. Stay the night in Rimouski.
We catch the ferry at 8 am and head back to Nova Scotia. From N. Sydney we'll drive up and around the John Cabot Trail, also known as the Gaelic Coast. We plan on spending the night in Cheticamp (#71) or Margaree (#72).
Six days in Newfoundland - are we crazy?! The ferry ride from N. Sydney last 5.5 - 7.5 hours, depending on how many times the ferry has to turn its engines off for whales and other wildlife. Once in Newfoundland we'll stop awhile at Cheeseman Park, one of two nesting sites for the endangered Piping Plover. Candleman is a birdwatcher and seeing these will be a feather in his cap. We'll spend the night in Gros Mornes National Park (#63) on the 17th.
Drive from Lunenburg to one of the Halifax wards for church at 10 am. We'll spend the day and that night in Halifax.
We'll ride the ferry across the Bay of Fundy - hoping to see whales as they like the Bay because of the high nutrient level. Lunch in Digby where the largest scallops in the world are caught. We'll drive around the western tip of Nova Scotia and head for Lunenburg to spend the night.
It will be Candleman's birthday - Friday the 13th! We will drive to St. John, New Brunswick and spend the day seeing and learning about the Bay of Fundy. We're hoping and keeping our fingers crossed that we will be at the Hopewell Rocks (#47 on map) when the high tide comes in. We'll spend the night in St. John.
We leave Montreal and head for Sutton, Canada and Richford, Vermont where some of Candleman's ancestors used to live. He was to get a flavor of the place. Me, too. We planning on stopping in St Johnsbury, VT and checking out a wonderful library. Then it's about a six hour drive to Calais, Maine where we'd like to spend the night. We may decide to stop earlier, we'll see.
In the morning watch the changing of the guards in Ottawa, then travel 2 hours to Montreal. In Montreal we will eat Poutine for the first time.
Leave Toronto. Stop at cemetery near Scugog Lake looking for Candleman ancestor graves. Next stop Kingston, then drive along St. Lawrence and look over at Thousand Islands, hopefully catch site of Bolt Castle. Destination for the day is Ottawa.
We will start our trip by leaving Utah and traveling through Wyoming. The only thing we have planned to see is Devil's Tower. The second day will take us across the corner of Montana, into and across North Dakota. If you have any suggestions of places to see, geocaches, good eating places, etc. we would love the tips.
Then we travel across Minnesota and Wisconsin. We'll be in Ashland, WI for the 4th of July. The next day we travel across northern Michigan, across the Macinac Bridge and will be staying somewhere near Indian River, MI.
The next day we travel south through Michigan. From Bay City we drive around Michigan's thumb to view cemeteries were Candleman's ancestors are buried. Then it's into Canada - Stratford, Wellesley and Kitchner. We'll be spending the night in Hamilton. The next day will include Niagra Falls and then up to Toronto to spend a few days.
Candleman is retiring at the end of June and he wants to take a month-long trip. He gets no arguments from me, although I'm a bit worried about the length of time away from home. Over the next few days I thought I would share our itinerary with anyone who is interested. Our main reason for doing this is we hope you will leave suggestions or warnings about places we are going.