You know you're in Canada when...

Today, Thursday, Sept. 23, around 3:30pm we arrived back in Bolton.

We knew we were back in Canada when...we passed over the bridge into Sarnia from Port Huron and went through Canada Customs. No hassles, very pleasant Customs officer who appreciated it had been a looooong trip. How long? 22,283km over 73 days!

We knew we were back in Canada when...we were looking for a Tim Horton's to find a washroom and a coffee (I had an Ice Cappuccino - my first of the year! - it was that warm in southern Ontario).

We knew we were back in Canada when...we again saw all the huge garbage toting trucks heading to Michigan with Toronto's garbage and then returning empty - there just has to be a better way. Think of all the costs for roads, trucks, air quality.

We knew we were back in Canada when... we saw all the fall colours in the trees - reds, yellows, oranges mixed in with the green. Vibrant by the time we reached Toronto area.

We found the drive from The Badlands in South Dakota back to Ontario to be 3 days of "just driving" on I (Interstate) highways. Quite mind numbing, not to mention bum numbing! We had one day of solid rain - we moved with the storm mostly across Iowa. The drive across Illinois past Chicago and up to Flint, Michigan was very slow with lots of construction and delays because of 2 serious accidents, at least one fatal.

I don't seem to be able to upload the pictures from this computer so they will have to wait for Graeme's visit on Sunday.

The most used clothing? For Barb a pair of black, knee length shorts. They went with every t-shirt and never showed the dirt! For Laurie, blue jeans.

The clothing that never was pulled out of the camper - the down vest. It was warm when we were in the Arctic! Colder in Vernon - the Okanagan Valley in late August and in S. Dakota for 1 night. Only used the bug jackets once - the bugs were not a problem, even in northern BC and Yukon.

Regrets? Barb didn't savour the tranquility of the dry camp we did at the Arctic Circle enough. It was a beautiful night, and so peaceful. I was having some issues with the fact that we had lost the steps to the camper, so getting in/out was a major leap, and I was grumpy! I also regret we didn't have longer to visit the Badlands and that we missed Valdez in Alaska. Choices were made. And we didn't play enough golf! We also missed a few family members - Laurie's sister and family in the Calgary area. And many folks in the Vancouver/ Vancouver Island areas.

Things to check off the bucket list:
-Chicken Alaska (Laurie's list - we won't ever have to go back)
-Dempster Highway, northern B.C., Yukon and NWT - likely won't do it again and it was a hi-lite - would love to go back and hike in Tombstone Territorial Park.
-Alaska - didn't get to spend enough time in Denali Park, didn't get to Valdez but did see and do a lot, including Glaciers, bears, whales, eagles, Caribou and Musk Ox (Fairbanks, Anchorage, Seward)
-Cassiar-Stewart Highway - including Hyder and Grizzly Bears!
-Alaska highway from start to finish - loved Liard Hotsprings, White river campground,
-West coast of Washington - Cape Flattery - Pacific beaches
-Columbia River Canyon
-Yellowstone Nat'l Park - Old faithful
- Shell Canyon
-Cody, Wyoming and the shoot out with Buffalo Bill, Wyatt Earp and Wild Bill Hiccock
- Wall Drug store
- The Badlands of S. Dakota


Laurie and I played cribbage almost every night - we see-sawed and it finally came down to Barb being one up. We are still talking to each other - and have noticed that often we don't have to say more than 1 word, we're both thinking the same thing!
It's great to be home, the house seems huge (after living in an 8x10 camper for 2.5 months!
Stay tuned for the next adventure - Santa Fe, Taos, Grand Canyon....