Whew! Quite a ride this morning from Geneva, Ohio, across the state and into Indiana. Expensive too! Halfway through Ohio, I-90 becomes a toll road. K-ching! And then it is also a toll road in Indiana. Neither state tells you what "class" vehicle you are until they ask for your money. Towing the travel trailer--which has two axles--puts be into a more expensive category. It cost me $17.75 in Ohio and another $10 just to get half way across Indiana to Elkhart (RV Capital of The World!). We've got another 90 or so miles in Indiana tomorrow, but we will be looking to take a non-toll ride on US-6 and US-30 to Chicago. Then Illinois gets a chance to soak us for some $$ as we head north on I-345 toward Volo, Il.
We covered approximately 285 miles on our way west. I can't say it was a leisurely drive as parts of it took us through Cleveland on I-90--during rush hour. Mysteriously, all the heavy traffic seemed to come from the western suburbs and the traffic from the east remained relatively light.
After just two day's traveling, I find that the distances/times I initially allotted were super generous. We're pulling into campgrounds at 1 to 2 in the afternoon when there's plenty of traveling time in the day. That has already caused us to alter our plans starting Sunday morning. We have dates with our DIL's parents for tomorrow (Friday) night and Saturday we'll be back on the road on Sunday heading to the northwest with an admonition from the Wagon Master to be in Dawson Creek by June 22.
Well, now! We can do a lot between Sunday morning June 13 and Tuesday June 22! First, we'll nearly double the travel distances as we leave Volo so that instead of stopping at Osseo, WI, we'll go through to St. Cloud, MN. That's half way to Minot, ND, our next stop on Monday night. That cuts what I had as a three day trip to just two.
Tuesday we cross the border and a time zone--gaining an hour--and enter Canada heading to Regina. It will be "only" a 3.5 hour trip (depending upon the border crossing) so once in Regina, we will, perhaps, "spend" the afternoon doing some honest-to-gosh sightseeing stuff.
Wednesday it's another half day drive to Battleford, SK and some more sightseeing in the afternoon.
Thursday the 17th it will be on to Edmonton where we will spend the "saved" day on the 18th to visit Ft. Edmonton Park, a living museum.
June 19th we'll drive from Edmonton all the way on to Dawson Creek. It'll be along day, but we will again cross a time zone and gain an hour. Officially being in Dawson Creek on the morning of the 20th will give us time to get acquainted with other early arrivals and do some sight seeing of the town. (There are some good birding places, I hear.) We can also spend some time cleaning the trailer, doing laundry and sundry other things before starting the Caraventure.
As I said before, no matter how well you plan things out, those plans never survive the first day's activities without modification.
******
Driving across Ohio this morning I remembered why I like to head west--or south. When you do so, the mile markers on the highways decrease with your progress. You know exactly how many miles before you reach the state line. heading the other way, the numbers increase starting at "1" on the western and southern border. You have no clear idea of how you are progressing.
******
Interstate Highways: Love 'em for making time. Hate them for the uniformity.
Interstate Highways:
generally speaking (which means there may be some exceptions--especially on the three digit statement below):
One or two digits (5, 10, 80, 81, 75, 25, etc.): even runs east-west; odd runs north-south.
Three digits (287, 264, 195, 3, etc.): even first digit runs around a city/metropolitan area, odd first number into a city
******
Birding can be done at 55-60 miles an hour, but it is not easy. You have one shot of maybe 3-4 seconds to ID the bird before either it has flown out of sight or you have. Still, there are some birds that are relatively easy to ID even at those speeds. Today for instance, while traveling along I-90, we saw Crows, Great Blue Heron, Sandhill Cranes, a Kestrel, many Turkey Vultures, Red-tailed Hawks, Red-winged Blackbirds, Goldfinches, Mourning Doves, English Sparrows (rest area parking lots), and a few others I've forgotten.
1 comment:
If I didn't already tell you - the road out of Dawson Creek up thru Yukon Territory to the AK line can be vicious. Tough on people & their vehicles.
Stores on either end of the Alcan sell bumper stickers & window signs stating "I survived the Alcan" for a reason.
Post a Comment