Louisbourg Nova Scotia- July 30-31/08

Louisboug - Nova Scotia

It is Thursday - July 31 and I woke to the smell of salt air and the Seagulls making their usual noise but thought I was dreaming and really in Comox. As the sleep cleared I remembered we we in Louisbourg Nova Scotia. Sunday- July 27 we said good-bye and THANK YOU to the Hartley's for a GREAT time in Ottawa and headed up 417 to get through Montreal. I planned to hit Montreal on Sunday about 10 AM so there would be little traffic. On our whole trip this would be the most difficult drive as you have to go through Montreal unless you go a much slower route through Maine. There were so many horror stories of taking the wrong turn and ending up in downtown Montreal in a huge Motor Home. We were prepared with two GPS's, maps and much rehearsed local knowledge. Lynne Dixon, our Sudbury Host used to live in Montreal so helped plan our route. We rehearsed it over and over again. We wanted to take the highway 20 bypass which is a LEFT hand exit off the freeway. Lynne gave us great info and said when you get to the IKEA store on the right start moving into the left lane for your exit. THANKS Lynne in worked and we made it through Montreal unscathed and made every correct turn. Traffic was heavy but when I put my turn signals on people seemed to let me in. It was a long day as we continued up highway 20 past Quebec city to Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraskaiere. This is a small town just before Riviere de Loup and we stayed at the
Camping le Rayon de Soleil . They spoke some English- Were Good Sam Rated- and had English option Web Site. It was a GREAT campground and would recommend it as a stop. I walked around the campground and EVERY car was from Quebec. I tried to make some conversation to our neighbours but NO ONE spoke English. Interesting !!!!!

Monday we got going and headed up the Gaspe on Hwy 20 to Mont Joli then turned right and took 132 to New Bruswick. I really liked this area and it reminded me of France. Our destination was Kouchibouguac National Park in New Brunswick. I made a on-line reservation ( Cost $10.50) plus $28.50 for a no-service camp site. By the time we checked in to our site and loaded up with water it was another late day. The Park was nice but too much money for no services. We left for Port Hawkesbury and made the mistake of taking some back roads that we though would be scenic. In Nova Scotia the Freeways are great but back roads horrible for big rigs. We stayed at a really nice place called Linwood Campground just outside Port Hawksbury. Wesnesday- July 30 we made it to Louisbourg and are staying in the Louisbourg RV Camground right on the water. Yesterday afternoon we made our first visit to the Louisbourg Fortress..WOW. Yesterday evening treated ourselves to a Lobster Dinner the went to the Louisbourg Playhouse for some Celtic Music and comedy. It was GREAT.
Today we are spending the day at the Fortress and will have Lunch in a Period restaurant on site. Tomorrow August 1 we board the ferry at North Sydney for our 6 hour trip to Port-Aux Basques and Newfoundland. Hey.. WE MADE IT !!!!!!! More to come from Newfoundland.

Note: The blue words are links to sites. Just click and you are there....

Ottawa July 20-26/08

Ottawa

Good Morning from Ottawa. It is 8 AM and we have just got up after a rainy night. I wanted to update the Blog before I do my bike ride down the Rideau Canal and by the Parliament Buildings. Our campground is called " Rideau Heights Campground " and actually in Nepean which is a suburb of Ottawa. It is 10 minutes from our friends house and central to the city. Ottawa is the " Biking City " with lots of routes to explore. I have known Stuard Hartley for about 20 years when he was the regional manager for Clinicare. Stuard and Janell have been great hosts and both took a week of their holidays to show us around. This afternoon we are going on a boat trip down the Ottawa River. Early Sunday morning we will leave travelling through Quebec to Nova Scotia. It will take 3 days to get to Louisborg which is about one hour from the ferry terminal to Newfoundland. We will spend July 30 & 31 at Louisberg going through the Huge reconstructed fort. We have a RV spot reserved right on the water. August 1st is the big day and at 12:30 we take a 6 hour ferry ride to Newfoundland where we will stay for a month. This is a new experience for both of us. We are still in good health and really enjoying travelling. I wish I could say I was homesick but that is not the case. We talk to our parents daily on Skype and our Telus Aircard was the BEST investment we have made. It keeps us connected to high speed Internet.
Cheers.. Must go for my Bike Ride.

Sudbury Pictures

Lakefield Pictures

Ottawa Pictures

Lakefield July 13-19

Cool Morning in Lakefield

Well we arrived in Lakefield just out side Peterborough after a great stay in Sudbury. Lynn and Keith were great hosts to Sudbury which we found to be a beautiful city EXCEPT for the terrible roads. Thanks Lynn, Keith and Colin ( Keith's son and a GREAT chef) for your great hospitality and wonderful dinner at your home . We are in a great RV site in the city campground right in Lakefield. Since we came from BC they gave us the VIP site which is right on the water with no one around us. It is quiet and the view spectacular. We met Steve and Barb Jordon who are the parents of Dave Jordan - Jennifer's longtime partner. We are enjoying Lakefield and the Jordan's are wonderful hosts. Yesterday was a cruise on Stony Lake followed by an open air concert in Peterborough. I uploaded most of our photos. There are some more from Fremont. There is the On the Road Set which outlines our travels around the lakes. We are off to Ottawa Sunday and then get ready for our trip to Newfoundland- August 1.

Mom's Vancouver Birthday Party
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtbrown/sets/72157606159480854/

On the Road
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtbrown/sets/72157606217730654/

Sudbury
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtbrown/sets/72157606217506176/

Lakefield
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtbrown/sets/72157606217456602/

Champion – Michigan & Sault St.Marie

Tuesday- July 8

It is Tuesday morning around 7 AM at Michigamme Shores www.michigammeshores.com and we are up early to drive through Marquette Michigan on highway 28 to Sault Ste. Marie. Marquette is a small town on Lake Superior that is supposed to be very unique and picturesque . We left Fremont Nebraska Saturday July 5 after spending just under a month with Dave, Tanya, and Jake. They were great hosts who opened their home for two Canadians on a long venture. As we headed north on I-29 toward Fargo I realized how much we enjoy the excitement of seeing new places. It was the longest day I have traveled clocking just under 800 KM as we pulled into Forest Hills RV park in Audubon Minnesota – just before Detroit Lakes (www.foresthillsgolfrv.com) It was the Saturday of the July 4- Long weekend so was worried about the traffic and distance we had to travel. That is why we stayed on the Interstate and to our amazement were almost the only ones travelling. Easy drive- No one on I-29 and it goes straight North to Fargo. Forest Hills was a great RV park but soon realized we were in Mosquito territory. This is the first time in our trip they bothered us so closed the windows and doors and fired up our air conditioner. BANG-BANG-Bang..... Not sure why it is making an awful noise but something isn’t working.. Another maintenance problem! Restless night but we had good screens on all the windows which helped even though a few got through. It was a beautiful sunny morning when we left for Duluth Minnesota on Lake Superior. Our destination was Lakehead Boat Basin & RV Park
( www.lakeheadboatbasin.com ) in downtown Duluth on the waterfront next to the famous bridge over the lock. The RV site was just a parking lot but an excellent location. Most of you who travel in RV’s understand that many ( almost all ) RV parks are situated next to a railway line and have “ Train Noise “. Well we thought we were safe on the waterfront until 3 long blasts of a horn were sounded before the bridge is raised. It is raised over 30 times a day !!!! So much for a quiet stay. It was about 39 degrees on the pavement so decided to invest in a fan since the AC wasn’t working. Punched in Wal-Mart to the GPS and off we went. Drive for 25 minutes only to find it had been converted to a Sam’s Club. ( Exactly like Costco including the $40 membership fee). We left with a Sam’s membership and fan for about $ 100. (Membership $40 + Fan $60). Cooled us down and we had a great evening walking around the boats. Monday Morning- July 7 we took highway 2/41 to Michigamme Shores campground. No Internet so couldn’t post this Blog.
Today- Tuesday - July 8 we made it to Sault St Marie in the Aune Osborn Campground right on the locks on the US side. Found it in Woodall’s Directory but didn’t know it was the city campground. Great spot which is normally full all July & August but today was only 30% occupied. That is the inevitable result of high gas prices. Gail & I decided to treat ourselves and went out for dinner after looking at the Soo Locks. Great whitefish dinner at a popular restaurant on the waterfront. Tomorrow we will re-enter Canada and make our way to Carol Campground on Richard lake in Sudbury. Long time friend Lynn Dixon and Keith will be showing us around.
Pictures are coming but just haven’t had time or a high speed connection to make it happen.
Updated Itinerary on right in red.