North America Road Trip 2012
In 2012 we spent six months touring USA and Canada.
We shipped Nicolle to Halifax, Nova Scotia and drove to Chicago taking in Niagara Falls and the Amish settlement of Berlin.
We then drove Route 66[click], taking a detour in a huge loop to visit the National Parks[click], to Los Angeles. We drove the Grand Sur and up the West Coast [click] to Canada where we visited my cousin on Vancouver Island. The Alaska Highway[click] took us to Alaska and the Yukon [click] where we drove the Top of the World Highway and the Dempster Highway[click]. We then drove through the Canadian Rockies[click], the Great Plains[click] and the Great Lakes[click] to Quebec[click], New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island[click] before returning to Nova Scotia[click].
[click] to return to Home Page
We shipped Nicolle to Halifax, Nova Scotia and drove to Chicago taking in Niagara Falls and the Amish settlement of Berlin.
We then drove Route 66[click], taking a detour in a huge loop to visit the National Parks[click], to Los Angeles. We drove the Grand Sur and up the West Coast [click] to Canada where we visited my cousin on Vancouver Island. The Alaska Highway[click] took us to Alaska and the Yukon [click] where we drove the Top of the World Highway and the Dempster Highway[click]. We then drove through the Canadian Rockies[click], the Great Plains[click] and the Great Lakes[click] to Quebec[click], New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island[click] before returning to Nova Scotia[click].
[click] to return to Home Page
Halifax to Chicago
Tuesday 6th March
Flight Heathrow to Halifax, Nova Scotia 6½ hours ~ many empty seats ~ meal skimpy & snack cold ~ views of pack ice in Labrador Strait.
Taxi to Fresh Start bed & Breakfast – faded grandeur of old colonial house – shared bathroom. Many period features.
Walked into Halifax (through a run-down area). Cold wind blowing in from sea. Pizza at Boston Pizza – tasty but small and expensive.
Return to B & B along Brunswick Road – many lovely old houses and original churches built by early German settlers.
Flight Heathrow to Halifax, Nova Scotia 6½ hours ~ many empty seats ~ meal skimpy & snack cold ~ views of pack ice in Labrador Strait.
Taxi to Fresh Start bed & Breakfast – faded grandeur of old colonial house – shared bathroom. Many period features.
Walked into Halifax (through a run-down area). Cold wind blowing in from sea. Pizza at Boston Pizza – tasty but small and expensive.
Return to B & B along Brunswick Road – many lovely old houses and original churches built by early German settlers.
Wednesday 7th March Walked to Downtown Halifax and visited shipping agent – boat not docking until next day. Walked along interesting harbour broadwalk to Pier 21 – Imigration Museum – fascinating. Tried to research Copp family tree but records for WW2 Canadian GI brides not yet available. Researched Pook family on line and discovered fascinating family history.
|
|
Thursday 8th March Back into Halifax and took photos Along Brunswick Road. Spent morning in very interesting Maritime Museum – a lot to read and sections on Halifax explosion and Titanic disaster. Visited shipping agent – boat now docked and Nicolle should be released from customs before noon tomorrow. Returned to Maritime Museum and stayed until closing time.
|
|
Friday 9th March Up early – very wet and windy. Walked to shipping agent for 9am. After a short wait all paperwork was completed. Walked to customs – no problems. Taxi to dock – problems finding entrance! Nicolle dirty but no visible damage. Drove to B & B to collect luggage. Filled a water can (sub zero temperatures so not risking filling tank). Filled up with diesel – cheaper than UK but prices rising. Had great difficulty finding LPG – went from place to place but finally had success. Shopped for food in Walmart and Atlantis. Unpacked bags and cleaned floor of van. Overnight on Walmart car park – very cold.
Saturday 10th March
Cold night but good to be in Nicolle and about to start our journey.
Headed to Saint John in New Brunswick. Roads good and duelled but not motorways as we know them. Avoided toll section. Lunch in McDonalds car park as no roadside rest areas or pull ins. Uncrowded roads.
Overnight in layby overlooking Bay of Fundy.
Sunday 11th March
Very cold night 11° C.
Drove to St. Stephen border crossing.
Gave in passports, filled in a form, passports stamped, exit card stapled to page.
No check made of vehicle, all very quick.
Drove across v. uninhabited beautiful forest/lake area – pretty Maine villages.
Overnight Walmart car park, Farmington.
Monday 12th March
Continued west on Route 2 through forested countryside.
Passed Mt. Washington – snow capped. Rivers still frozen.
Picturesque colonial villages many founded in 1760s.
Woodstock – too touristy but pretty with many colonial clapboard houses.
Overnight Walmart car park, Rutland.
Tuesday 13th March
Managed to find a truck stop at Fair Haven (VT). Clean shower + towel $5. Fresh water tap so filled water tank and spare water container.
Lunch in layby on Interstate Highway. Sat nav took us a very rural rouite to join Highway 20 – scenic route.
Stopped at Ballston Spa – lovely old colonial houses and interesting history.
Passed an Amish horse and buggy – elderly couple wearing typical Amish clothing – top hat, bonnet etc.
Highway 20 passed through interesting small villages/towns.
Overnight at McDonalds car park near Lafeyette (NY).
Saturday 10th March
Cold night but good to be in Nicolle and about to start our journey.
Headed to Saint John in New Brunswick. Roads good and duelled but not motorways as we know them. Avoided toll section. Lunch in McDonalds car park as no roadside rest areas or pull ins. Uncrowded roads.
Overnight in layby overlooking Bay of Fundy.
Sunday 11th March
Very cold night 11° C.
Drove to St. Stephen border crossing.
Gave in passports, filled in a form, passports stamped, exit card stapled to page.
No check made of vehicle, all very quick.
Drove across v. uninhabited beautiful forest/lake area – pretty Maine villages.
Overnight Walmart car park, Farmington.
Monday 12th March
Continued west on Route 2 through forested countryside.
Passed Mt. Washington – snow capped. Rivers still frozen.
Picturesque colonial villages many founded in 1760s.
Woodstock – too touristy but pretty with many colonial clapboard houses.
Overnight Walmart car park, Rutland.
Tuesday 13th March
Managed to find a truck stop at Fair Haven (VT). Clean shower + towel $5. Fresh water tap so filled water tank and spare water container.
Lunch in layby on Interstate Highway. Sat nav took us a very rural rouite to join Highway 20 – scenic route.
Stopped at Ballston Spa – lovely old colonial houses and interesting history.
Passed an Amish horse and buggy – elderly couple wearing typical Amish clothing – top hat, bonnet etc.
Highway 20 passed through interesting small villages/towns.
Overnight at McDonalds car park near Lafeyette (NY).
|
|
Wednesday 14th March
Headed north to shores of Lake Ontario and found a pretty park on lakeside for lunch. Followed lake shore west until road turned inland.
Not a very interesting drive once away from lake.
Walmart car park at Niagara Falls for the night.
Headed north to shores of Lake Ontario and found a pretty park on lakeside for lunch. Followed lake shore west until road turned inland.
Not a very interesting drive once away from lake.
Walmart car park at Niagara Falls for the night.
Thursday 15th March
A rather late start due to heavy rain.
Drove into Niagara Falls and paid US$10 to park at visitors’ centre. Visited Tourists’ Visitor Centre, Observation Tower and walked across to Goat Island. Saw the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.
Walked across Rainbow/International Bridge into Canada – showed passports but no other documentation required. Followed pathway to Horseshoe Falls – too much spray to get full impact of Falls. Views to American Falls were excellent. Returned to US side of falls – 50c charge each and passports shown.
Returned to Walmart car park for a further night.
A rather late start due to heavy rain.
Drove into Niagara Falls and paid US$10 to park at visitors’ centre. Visited Tourists’ Visitor Centre, Observation Tower and walked across to Goat Island. Saw the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.
Walked across Rainbow/International Bridge into Canada – showed passports but no other documentation required. Followed pathway to Horseshoe Falls – too much spray to get full impact of Falls. Views to American Falls were excellent. Returned to US side of falls – 50c charge each and passports shown.
Returned to Walmart car park for a further night.
Friday 16th March
Left Niagara Falls and headed south to AAA offices near Bufallo to get maps of the western areas of the USA.
Rather boring drive and no view of Lake Erie despite following its southern shores for the day.
Overnight at Walmart car park in Cleveland Heights – looks a prosperous area of the city.
Saturday 17th March
Drove into downtown Cleveland – lots of derelict buildings – side roads in poor condition. John visited “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” museum –excellent. I stayed in van and researched Route 66!
A hot day.
Returned to Walmart at Cleveland Heights for the night.
Sunday 18th March
Thunderstorm in the night has helped clear the hot, oppressive air.
Headed south to Canton which is the gateway to Amish country. Everything there is closed as Sunday is a day of rest – will explore the area tomorrow.
I opened my Mother’s Day cards and gifts.
Overnight on Walmart car park at Canton
Monday 19th March
Headed towards Holme County, Ohio to visit the Amish communities around the town of Berlin. Horse drawn buggies on the roads and horse drawn ploughs in the fields.
Visited the Amish-Mennonite Heritage Centre in Berlin – guided tour of “Behalt”, a 360° mural depicting the history of the Amish people – fascinating and a real work of art. Watched a video about the Amish way of life. Visited a number of patchwork quilt shops in Berlin and the village of Charm.
Drove across Ohio and into Indiana – thunderstorms.
Overnight on car park next to Walmart at Columbia City, Indiana.
Left Niagara Falls and headed south to AAA offices near Bufallo to get maps of the western areas of the USA.
Rather boring drive and no view of Lake Erie despite following its southern shores for the day.
Overnight at Walmart car park in Cleveland Heights – looks a prosperous area of the city.
Saturday 17th March
Drove into downtown Cleveland – lots of derelict buildings – side roads in poor condition. John visited “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” museum –excellent. I stayed in van and researched Route 66!
A hot day.
Returned to Walmart at Cleveland Heights for the night.
Sunday 18th March
Thunderstorm in the night has helped clear the hot, oppressive air.
Headed south to Canton which is the gateway to Amish country. Everything there is closed as Sunday is a day of rest – will explore the area tomorrow.
I opened my Mother’s Day cards and gifts.
Overnight on Walmart car park at Canton
Monday 19th March
Headed towards Holme County, Ohio to visit the Amish communities around the town of Berlin. Horse drawn buggies on the roads and horse drawn ploughs in the fields.
Visited the Amish-Mennonite Heritage Centre in Berlin – guided tour of “Behalt”, a 360° mural depicting the history of the Amish people – fascinating and a real work of art. Watched a video about the Amish way of life. Visited a number of patchwork quilt shops in Berlin and the village of Charm.
Drove across Ohio and into Indiana – thunderstorms.
Overnight on car park next to Walmart at Columbia City, Indiana.
