BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south

Subject: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: artbrooks
Date: 19 Feb 11 - 08:04 PM

Beginning to plan a road trip this summer - north from Albuquerque, across Canada from Brooks to Montreal or Quebec City, into Maine, Boston area, DC, south and west to home. We'll mostly be on main highways to make the overall time more manageable. Southern Canada (can you say southern and Canada together?) and upper New England are terra incognita for us, so...
   Thoughts on points not to be missed?   
   Is there tent camping readily available along the Trans-Canada, or is it mostly RV parking?
   May-Sept. timeframe...preferable times or times to avoid?

Art

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 19 Feb 11 - 08:54 PM

May to September sounds about right. :-)

Seriously, I recall a family summer trip (Dad taught college and had summers off) camping from NJ to Wash. state, returning through Canada... it was probably at least 8 weeks, but then that was the intent. Dad didn't like to drive more than about 6 hours of a day (this was when the speed limit was 55mph and we were pulling a tent trailer): he liked to be at the campground in good time for setting up before dinner. We spent several days possibly up to a week in each of Tetons/Yellowstone, Olympia (where my sister was in college), Victoria, Banff/Jasper, and Quetico Provicial Park.

Earlier in my history for maybe 7 weeks (while my sister was at 8-week summer camp), we did a NJ to Banff/Jasper and back; when my parents looked at the map afterwards they said, "why didn't we go all the way to the Pacific??"

Just realize that there's an awful lot of wheat from the Canadian Rockies to Ontario, and then there are an awful lot of spruce trees!

You'll have fewer black flies if the forest (and New England) part of the trip is later in the summer. (You know the song, right?)

Sounds like a wonderful trip for you and Jenn.

A handy tip: your AAA membership gets you CAA benefits, as well. (I found this out after locking myself out of my car in Toronto.)

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 10:37 AM

Art-

Sounds like quite an adventure. We'd certainly like to get together with you for some music when you arrive in Maine. We're in the Midcoast area.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 12:26 PM

Hi Art,
   Canada doesn't end at Quebec and for fantastic scenery the Atlantic Provinces are only rivaled by the Rockies. My native Cape Breton Island is rated as one of the most beautiful on earth. Newfoundland is another island of fantastic beauty. Prince Edward Island is another beautiful Atlantic island and New Brunswick and mainland Nova Scotia both have spectacular rugged ocean coastlines. All of these areas also have a musical culture that is vibrant and alive.
In Ontario don't pass the Bruce Peninsula and in Quebec the Gaspe Peninsula is also majestic.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: SINSULL
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 12:42 PM

When you leave Charley's, plan on visiting the southern Maine contingent. Warm beds, hot meals, a lobster or two and some great music.
By the way, Art, the re-write of A Planet Called Treason was better than the original. Cleaned up a bit. Thank you, again. I love my earrings but have yet to be able to eat the dog poop.
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: GUEST,999
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 01:12 PM

Art, if you need a place to stay when you get to Montreal, please let me know. Ain`t in Montreal, but close enough. Quebec City (the capitol of the province) is a goodly trip north of Montreal. Driving seems to be a new experience for many folks in Quebec, something you`ll see for yourself. I`ve been many places in this country. I can attest that what Sandy says is understated. Cape Bretoners are certainly a breed apart. You`ll find no better hospitality anywhere in this country. (By that I mean the Maritimes: Nfld, NS, NB and PEI.)

However, seeing as you`re coming from Brooks, Alberta, you`ll be close enough to the Trans-Canada as makes no difference. You`ll be missing some beautiful country to the north, but you`ll see enough trees as you cross the country--what we got lots of here is land, trees and history. I always found the Rockies really interrupted the view, and when I remarked that I didn`t even receive a chuckle from a room fulla teachers. Anyway, there are the Badlands in south Alberta, the Hoodoos are worth a trip in themselves. Cypress Hills in south Alberta and Saskatchewan. Not sure about camping--however, I`d think so being that ther are Provincial Parks. Keep in mind they have bear there. Just let èm know you`re around and they`ll mind their own business, mostly. It means that you`ll likely be passing by Winnipeg. I don`t know the place very well, except for a fairly sleazy hotel that sold me tobacco at some strange hour of the morning when I was crossing Canada by train. Anyway, there is a street in Winnipeg called Valour Road. The story goes that someone noted that three old soldiers lived within about four or five blocks of each other. They didn`t really know each other. I haven`t mentioned that each was given the Victoria Cross (a similar medal to the Medal of Honor in the USA).

The area in south Manitoba is beautiful. Lake of the Woods is somethin` else, and it`s near there that you have to choose between the norther or southern route. I would elect to take the southern. I`ve driven both and with no offense meant to the north, it`s really lots of miles of lots of miles--and of course, trees. The southern route pretty much follows Superior then Huron. At Sault Ste Marie (often just called the Soo) yad best have a good look at a map because you`ll have decisions to make at that point. The drive along Lake Ontario is slower than the freeway (Hwy 401), but the views are prettier. Beer on Mudcat would be worth writing to because he`s a Maritimer--just been displaced for more than a few decades--and he`s done the drive often.

I don`t know why the terms `driving in Montreal` and `kamikaze with a death wish` seem to go together so easily, almost as if they were made for each other. IMO, no trip to Montreal should miss a good smoked meat sandwich with a kosher dill pickle. Grab some bagels on St Viateur. Get to the Gaspe. Ormstown could be along your way, and please know you`ll have a place to stay along your way.

Anyway, I hope you have a great trip, Art. Take care.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 06:42 PM

Definitely, if you are covering all that distance, the Maritimes are terrific. We can offer you some hospitality in Montreal and time it so we can get to Adrien's music event in southern Quebec (Ormstown) on a Friday night! Lots of terrific musicians down there, including Bruce. Don't ask B about how I drive in Montreal! I get around just fine. It's the French temperament, very similar to southern CA and the Spanish.

Then you need to get up to Quebec City (about 2.5 hours), along the St. Lawrence, and along the Matapedia River down into New Brunswick, etc and THEN down to all those folks in Maine.

You might try catching some CBCTV to get a feel for it. If you see the Republic of Doyle, the Newfoundland scenery !!!!! The rest of the show is a farce, a VERY popular farce but the scenery is great. Newfoundland/Labrador has the best commercials on TV!

North of Superior is amazing. View from Terry Fox Park is spectacular.

The black flies should be over by the end of June.

Depending on time, you might like Algonquin Park in Ontario - wonderful history of logging in the area. And some dynamite musicians in the area.

Dinosaur museum and park near Lethbridge, Alberta.

Trip around the Thousand Islands in St. Lawrence R., Ontario. Frogprince did it two years ago and enjoyed it. I loved it.

I've been back and forth a few times. LONG trip across the prairies but lots of good stuff to see if you do research.

Geez! makes me want to go on a trip! Actually, hoping to get to Windsor, NB 5-12 August. I almost forgot!

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: gnu
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 07:19 PM

Been said above kinda... but, I'll add... New Brunswick ain't called "The Picture Province" fer nuthin eh.

In any case, you will see a lot of great scenerey and meet a lot of great people no matter where you go... both north and south of the border. Hope youse enjoy your trip. Bon voyage!

Don't forget to write!

It would be a wonderful thread if you could chronical your tour with posts and pics. I would very much enjoy such a thread.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: artbrooks
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 07:28 PM

Wow! Keep them ideas coming!

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: gnu
Date: 20 Feb 11 - 07:45 PM

I have been to almost every nook and cranny in Atlatic Canada and there are many amazing nooks and crannies.

But, if I wanted to see sommat I haven't (since I was a lad) seen I would want to explore "Thousand Islands"... of course, there are many others, but a cruise through there would be among the tops. Yeah, it's in Uppity Canada, but I know some nice people from there.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: jacqui.c
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 07:44 AM

What SINSULL said. We, in the Greater Portland area, are very close to I95 and I295 so it would be an easy run down from Canada to spend a couple of days here. Local guides to the sites of interest,and, hopefully, it will have stopped snowing by then!

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: artbrooks
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 08:24 AM

The plan is, from wherever we end up in Canada, to come through Portland, down to New Hampshire (north of Manchester) to visit my uncle, then on to Boston to see a high school friend of Jenn's.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 01:29 PM

Portland was about a 12 hour trip, in the snow and rain, from Antigonish, Nova Scotia when we did it in December (1997). But much nicer in August! And very beautiful. There is much to see, even in that short piece. Time to smell the sea air, go on a whale watch in the Bay of Fundy, the Bay of Fundy itself..... We saw bald eagles. What a trip!

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: kendall
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 01:48 PM

The Maritimes and Maine, in addition to great scenery, also have great people. We feel sorry for tourists that they were not born here.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: gnu
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 02:11 PM

Yes indeed, Kendall. Except for Art when it's -40WC and the snow is drifting as high as the eaves.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Nancy King
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 03:16 PM

Hi Art --

If you end up passing through Maine in June or September, let me know -- I'll be at my cottage on Sebago Lake (about 45 minutes west of SINSULL and Kendall and Jacqui) and would love to see you and Jenn. A lot of folks think Maine is only about the coast, but the lakes are beautiful too -- and warmer for swimming!

Nancy

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: artbrooks
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 03:26 PM

Nancy, the only time I was ever in Maine was when I was about 14. My father had a friend who loaned us a cottage on a lake (somewhere?) for 2 weeks in August. As I remember, it snowed.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Bert
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 03:28 PM

Come up I25 and stop and see us in Colorado Springs.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: artbrooks
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 03:44 PM

To short for a stop, Bert - but we'll probably be up there for the Colo. Renaissance Festival.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: gnu
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 04:51 PM

Art... if you were on a lake in Maine in August and it "snowed" you must get some heavy frosts down south that you think are snow.

I dunno if Maine gets frosts near high altitude lakes and streams on a full August moon but I have seen them in NB.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Maryrrf
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 07:12 PM

If you pass through Richmond stop over and visit!

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 07:27 PM

Lot's of 'folk' in DC area that you have met at the Getaway....keep us informed.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: SINSULL
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 07:29 PM

Thew Press Room is about 45 minutes south of me. So you may be able to work in some music and friends there if you time it right.
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Beer
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 11:11 PM

You Play an instrument and sing??
Adrien

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: artbrooks
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 11:19 PM

Jenn plays - I croak.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Beer
Date: 21 Feb 11 - 11:45 PM

Reason I asked was that I would book you in 3 coffee houses. Two of which I am just going to get started with music come the first Thursday in March.

Jenn plays what?

adrien

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: artbrooks
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 07:42 AM

Guitar...but usually alone and with good friends. Thanks for the thought, but we are part of the audience, not part of the show. :>)

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: jacqui.c
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 07:46 AM

Audience is good. Where would performers be without them?

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 22 Feb 11 - 08:13 PM

Gnu: Snow in Maine, inland in August is not apocryphal - not when Art was 14. Similar climate to central Ontario; about 1990, I went away for a week, thinking of the wonderful green beans I would have when I got home. BLACK beans - an an east-facing slope. Choice words were said. I was told there used to be snow in each month, not just frost.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: artbrooks
Date: 30 May 11 - 09:25 PM

Plans change - decided that there was too much driving involved for a road trip. As of now, Pgh on 8/25, NYC 8/29 and on to Boston on 9/1. Leaving Boston on or about Sept. 3d heading for Halifax...maybe by bus if such a thing exists. Possibility of an overnight stop in Maine...once upon a time, there was apparently a bus from Bangor to Halifax, but I can't figure out if it still exists. Then to Montreal by train 9/7 and on to Toronto (also by train) 9/10. Home by air on 9/13.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 May 11 - 09:09 AM

Art-

There's a nice train run from Boston to Portland and we might be able to pick you up in Portland and find you a place to stay overnight.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 31 May 11 - 09:33 AM

I'm not sure about bus service from Portland to Halifax ..... Is the CAT (High speed catamaran ferry) still running from Portland to Yarmouth N.S. ... if it is you can take it from Portland, then catch a bus to Halifax.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: maeve
Date: 31 May 11 - 10:27 AM

I believe the CAT service pulled out of Portland in 2009, biLL.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 31 May 11 - 12:52 PM

so the CAT service has been pulled out ... thanks Mauve.

Regarding bus service ... I believe there is no bus service from Portland or Bangor to Halifax.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: artbrooks
Date: 31 May 11 - 12:52 PM

Yeah, the ferry is gone. We can fly, of course, but the fare is exactly the same from Portland to Halifax as it is from Boston. I'm waiting for an answer from Acadian Bus Line.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 31 May 11 - 01:07 PM

I think Acadian used to have a regular scheduled bus to Bangor, but in the last year they have had to do some cut backs and the Bangor route could have been cancelled .... I tried their website ... Bangor and Portland look like a no go.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 May 11 - 05:41 PM

No, the CAT has not come back since it disappeared in the Bay of Fundy fog in 2009.

One used to be able to catch the Atlantic Express train as it roared through Brownsville Junction, Maine, year ago. But now there not even the echo of a whistle in that town.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: gnu
Date: 31 May 11 - 08:02 PM

The CAT is gone? GOOD RIDDANCE! It was killing whales... not that anyone making $$$ on the ferry gave a crap about the whales.

I sent the following to NS Tourism after I tried to find some info on their site...

"Why don't you have a "How to get to NS" link prominently displayed on the website?

Isn't that the SECOND thing people want to know?

My friends in the US are a little upset that they can't find out about air travel, bus, ferries... whatever... on your website."

I am sure I will promptly receive one of those, "Thank you for your enquiry but we are on coffee break and don't care." emails.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Charley Noble
Date: 31 May 11 - 08:41 PM

gnu-

I know that the CAT ran down a fishing boat entering Yarmouth Harbour in the fog but I hadn't heard about the poor whales. It did run 40 to 50 mph. We were just happy that we weren't cooped up as we were on the Scotia Prince for 10 hours.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: gnu
Date: 31 May 11 - 09:22 PM

Never heard a tha Right Wales (endangered) bein mowed down by The Cat??? Goodness gracious!!! Twas big BAD news here. Just Google "right wales" and sniff your way through.

Minds me a tha time I was on an engineering crew inspecting the MV Joeseph and Clara Smallwood (large ice breaker class ferry that does over 25 knots) in dry dock. We got round to the front and the mechanical enginner looked up at the bulbous bow and said, "So this is what it looks like to a seal." We all broke out in laughter... for about five seconds. Funny how some things can strike ya funny and immediately so sad it makes ya feel guilty for laughing. Innate human nature?

Anyway, glad to hear that killer ship is gone.

As for The Prince... that was the first and last time I was ever sea sick. It was because of the fog. I've been aboard in fog since but I had the presence of mind to visit the bar.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: artbrooks
Date: 31 May 11 - 11:00 PM

Greyhound says that they can get you to Halifax from Portland...via Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City...maybe the Halifax city web site doesn't list info on getting there by bus from the States because you can't!

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: number 6
Date: 31 May 11 - 11:10 PM

Here's a solution Art .... you can take a Cyr bus (Cyr, a local Maine bus line)from Bangor to Calais Maine ... walk across the border into Canada at St. Stephen N.B. ... then catch an Acadian bus to Halifax.

Calais and St Stephens are 2 small villages that border Canada and the U.S. ... not far a walk from one village to the next.

biLL .... :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 01 Jun 11 - 01:42 AM

there also used to be a great ferry from Bar Harbor to somewhere in Nova Scotia but not Halifax. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: gnu
Date: 01 Jun 11 - 07:21 AM

Bar Harbor to Yarmouth... on The Cat which then switched to Portland.

Reply from NS Gov't as per my post above...

Good morning,

Our department was recently restructured by the Nova Scotia Government back in January 2011. The Tourism division is no longer part of Communities, Culture & Heritage. All travel and tourism information on Nova Scotia can be found at www.novascotia.com

Sorry for the inconvenience. You can also find any travel references at our main government page at www.gov.ns.ca

Thank you.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: artbrooks
Date: 01 Jun 11 - 08:00 AM

A true adventure, biLL...but maybe do-able.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Jun 11 - 08:56 AM

Has the St. John (NB) ferry to Annapolis Port Royal also been discontinued?

Going by bus from Portland to Quebec to Halifax is quite roundabout. Nice, I suppose, if you like to spend an extra 12 hours on a bus!

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 01 Jun 11 - 09:13 AM

It could be do-able Art ... :-)

Charley ..... please .... it's Saint John, NOT St. John ... we Saint Johnners are very sensitive regarding that .... the answer to the question ... yes, the ferry from Saint John to Digby N.S. is still operating.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Jun 11 - 09:26 AM

biLL-

Well, be thankful I didn't write "St. Johns."

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 01 Jun 11 - 10:07 AM

Darko, son of Ratso ... can you just imagine that family living next door to you .... whew.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 01 Jun 11 - 10:13 AM

Ooooooops ....... that post should have been in the "BS: Ratko Mladic Arrested in Serbia" .... thread

my apologies

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: gnu
Date: 01 Jun 11 - 06:42 PM

Saint John to DIGBY ferry... not Annapolis Port Royal. Unless they changed it??? Hmmm... can't see how they could do that???

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 02 Jun 11 - 04:26 PM

So, if you manage to get to N.S. by horse or on foot, we will see you in montreal on 9/7!?

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: artbrooks
Date: 02 Jun 11 - 07:32 PM

We already have train tickets from Halifax to Montreal, arriving the morning of the 8th and VIAing on to Toronto on the 10th. Reservations at the youth hostel.

Subject: RE: BS: Road Trip-Can,ME, south
From: Joe Offer
Date: 02 Jun 11 - 08:08 PM

Hi, Art -
I've driven from Halifax to Key West, but it took me ten years of two-week vacations. I'd advise that you stay east (the ocean side) of Highway 1 as much as you can, and don't drive on the Interstate Highway at all. Why waste your time looking at traffic? It's an absolutely wonderful trip - IF you take it slowly, you'll find wonderful things in every mile.
-Joe-