Friday March 19, 2010

home again

ok, we are home
this is bizarre not to be writing about my day (so here i am writing about my weekend)

and while the weekend wasn't as action-packed as our vacation
there was still lots of football, a couple of showings, several dog-walks (buddy has had his first visit to my new abode)
lots of time doing real estate research on the computer
e-mails asking questions about properties

the kids are off to nangor with steve and his sister and family
they are totally excited to be going there

so, back to work routines, gym routines (don't hold me to that)
i was surprised to find that i did not gain any weight while i was gone
julie you would have been so proud of me
i have passed my 6 month mark of no pepsi/chocolate (although i did have sugary candy while i was away)

home again home again jiggedy jig

we arrived home at 5:55
and put on 4731 km on our amazing adventure

we left lehighton (sp?) pennsylvania around 10:30
and totally boogied home

we did slow down to take a picture of the scranton pa road sign
really wanted to drop in and see 'the office' folks

we did drive into binghampton, but once again arenas are not very welcoming in the off-season
we tried to find a sports shop so amanda could buy a jersey
but not a chance

then on the road again
stopped for lunch in this little burg
called cortland
turned out the new york jets were having their training camp there
at the SUNY cortland campus
unfortunately we were too rushed to try to see them
but man, there were tons of people
everywhere there were signs welcoming the jets and their fans
the restaurants were packed!!

so we continue on our way
syracuse, watertown, alexandria
i spend my last american dollar on some treats at the duty-free for sean
(lucky him)

then amanda turned off the gps, said if i couldn't make it home from gananoque i shouldn't be allowed to leave the house again

we made it to the corner of carling and churchill at 5:55
and that is our trip

it was amazing
so much fun
amanda has coloured in a map of the states we have visited
i will take a pic and post it (she was really impressed with her colouring between the lines)

she was also keeping track of the licence plates we saw
we are missing 3 or 4, vermont, nh, hawaii of course, alaska, new mexico (although some people behind us at the arch in st louis were from new mexico, the man kept loudly proclaiming that grizzly bears might perhaps like to eat little children from new mexico (huh???) anyway, we were quite surprised to see an alaska plate today, so we feel our journey was complete

looking forward to next year's trip
we are thinking north-east states

the road from washington

the road from washington takes you through maryland, delaware and pennsylvania

we left washington this morning
and headed for baltimore
hardly took any time at all
we got into town
and our mission was to see the ball fields
and the charm city cake place
so we drove by them
then went to the cake place
but didn't stop because it is in a nasty neighbourhood

then we headed over to the harbour
had some crab cakes, and crab soup (yum to both)
bought some souvenirs
then headed out of town
onward to Philadelphia
saw the Liberty Bell
the arenas (football, baseball, hockey)
just drove by quickly, didn't attempt to see any of them up close
we have figured out by now that they don't want you there

then we went to find philly's most awesome philly steak sandwich
amanda had seen them on tv
rough neighbourhood again
awesome sandwiches though
they were totally yummy

then off to scranton
or so we thought
friggen traffic was a nightmare
so we are in a small hick town called lehighton
watching big brother
we are on the road tomorrow and heading home

runaway ramps

another feature of mountain driving
was these ramps advertised
as runaway ramps
wasn't sure what they were until we approached one
they are off-ramps
that end about 40 feet in and continue on with sand (like a golf course sand trap)
i'm glad i didn't have to see any of them in action

random thoughts

we have had such amazing weather on this trip
it rained coming through toronto on our first night
then rained overnight
we never had rain again until we went through the mountains
then it spit for a minute (not even enough to put on the wipers)
then we passed a sign for a town called rainelle
then a few minutes it rained enough to put on the wipers
rained for a few minutes
then we passed a sign for a town called rainelle
how bizarre