Big Ride Across America 2011

Sunday, Sept. 18

It's been a long time, and this will be my last post. It's just too hard to get internet access and drive 200 to 300+ miles per day. Irene passed over Nova Scotia, Carol had help to board up her house, and the storm passed over her, too. We loved NS, and hope to return there sometime in the next few years, and also visit PEI and Newfoundland.

Quebec was fun, though Noel was glad to enter Minnesota where all the signs are in English. We saw Quebec City, spending 2 days in the walled Vieux Ville (old city). We enjoyed Montreal, but I was sick that day and the modern art museum had only 2 exhibits open. We did better in Ottawa, visiting the National Gallery, where the highlight for me was the Group of Seven. We then travelled the entire north shore of Lake Superior. On the last day in Canada I figured out that we were ahead of schedule and didn't have to drive 300 miles per day. We have since slowed down.

We are in Detroit Lakes, MN. We came from north of Duluth, where we learned that it's a good idea to check on events before deciding where to stay. Saturday was the annual rollerblade marathon from 2 miles north of our campground to Duluth. It was fun to watch, but it took us hours to get through Duluth. Today we decided to do some birding. We have a great blue heron, many robins and grackles, a pair of chickadees some doves, ducks and other birds in our campground. We drove about 50 miles to the reserves and saw a bald eagle and a crow. I think we're a little early for the 270 species that are supposed to be there.

Tomorrow we head north to US 2, going home via northern North Dakota and Montana. We may visit Glacier NP if there's no snow expected. We will stay with our friends Town and Linda Bradner in Sandpoint ID, visit the Jesuits in Spokane, then home via I 90, arriving home sometime before Sept 29 so I can get ready for my week in Port Townsend starting Oct 2.