To: n0abe@sio.midco.net

X-Type: Email; Outmail

Subject: TRAVELOGUE NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO, MI, WI

X-Via: K4CJX

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Wow! how the time flies. In our travels we have seen a lot of falls but I will have to say the Niagara Falls is the best we have seen. The way to see Niagara is to go to the Canadian side and just forget the American side. We parked in the RV lot before 10 am and it is free as long as you walk to the falls. We rode the Maid of the Mist. One gets wet on the street from the mist and especially on the boat but it is worth it. We did not go behind the falls or do the other tourist type things with the gardens, butterflies, marine life, tower viewing, etc. A great place to see the falls for free is the viewing stand just to the right of where you purchase the tickets for the Maid of the Mist boat tour. We then headed into Ontario, and found it to be the busiest, most progressive part of Canada we have been in and we have been in all of it! This is the Toronto area, lots of big towns around there also and acreages, soybeans, corn, grain, alfalfa, grapes, fruit, berries and some dairy and other livestock. Lots of businesses and chain stores and malls, the closest to the US we seen anyplace; although places in Quebec I would rank second but not nearly as progressive as here. The Interstates are the best we have traveled on in Canada. Just about all the roads in the countryside were oil. It reminded us of PEI.

We then headed north for Lake Huron and soon got into all kinds of lakes, hills and trees. It was much prettier than I expected but much more populated and much more businesses and towns than I expected but a nice area. Soon it is going to be 4 lane all the way north along Lake Huron and the water in Lake Huron is absolutely clear!

We stayed in some very nice Provincial Parks, one was called Chutes and had a beautiful falls by it. We are now seeing all retired people with campers in the campgrounds. You can tell school has started! People are really starting to take notice of our map on the side of the RV. We have also spotted a couple that have most of the states filled in but we are the only one we have seen with all of Canada filled in.

We then went into the USA at Saulte Ste Marie, Michigan on the Upper Penn. and went over some very high bridges and seen the locks. We made and instant decision we were going to check the out. BTW we seen a SD car from Douglas County. Our first known, actual people from SD. We only seen one other SD plate at Cape Spear in Newfoundland but don't know if it was an RVer who licensed in SD or actually was from SD. The tour of the locks and film is great and we also did the boat tour of 2 hours where you actually go through the locks. I can not recommend this enough. We also toured an steel manufacturing plant and learned a lot about the process of getting the iron ore there.

We then went to St. Ignace where people go to Macinaw Island. It looked pretty touristy to us so we did not do it but did go over the Macanac Bridge the longest suspension bridge in the world. There are some rocks called Picture Rocks on the north side of the UP that we seen some great pictures in at the breakfast buffet place we ate at. They would be on my recommend list but looks like you might need a boat to see them well. There were also great pictures of the bridge, lightening hitting the bridge and northern lights in the back ground of the bridge and one of just the northern lights and a winter picture of a sled on Macinaw Island.

Edith found some great shops and we spent a couple of hours going through them. We then traveled along Lake Michigan in the Upper Penn and spent sometime on a sandy beach of which there are a lot. Again the water is absolutely clear. There are lots of trees, lakes and rivers and hills so again very pretty and some of the trees are starting to turn. The people here are very nice and seems definitely midwestern!

We were on Hwy #2 all across New England and now we are on it across the UP. It goes all the way across the country but is two lane most of the way so would take a long time but is a decent road and real good scenery. There are bear, moose, wolves and bobcats on the UP and of course lots of fishing but it does get cold here in the winter.

We traveled along the shore of Lake Michigan and seen a number of long, great sandy beaches. Very wooded right up to the lake. We then went up to Houghton on the North side of the UP by Lake Superior and then headed for WI and traveled along Lake Superior. We had a grinding noise on the front brake so when we entered WI at the welcome center they said there is a nice city RV CG right on Lake Superior at Ashland, WI and a Ford dealer right east of town. We got parked and I ran out to Ashland Ford. They were just great, gave me very special accomadation and got me in instantly, found out I needed new pads and the front disc's turned down and even though it was 4 pm they said they would get it done yet today which they did and the price was very reasonable. BLESSED AGAIN! The RV is heavy and one has to brake hard and so really no complaining a bit. That really is the first thing I have had to do to the F-350 in nearly 60,000 miles. I will have the pads checked and disc's checked more closely now before we go on a trip. Tomorrow we go to Virginia, MN to see Joan Stickey who used to live in Salem and then we head for Salem. When the web site is done with selected pictures of the trip I will let you know.

Some brief reflections: The big highlight was the radio operation from St. Paul Is. I think, Newfoundland, PEI, Cabot Trail, Peggy's Cove, NS Schoodic Point in Arcadia National Park in Maine and Niagara Falls were the highlights of the trip. Honorable mention goes to St. Pierre and Miquelon, SOO Locks at Saulte Ste Marie, NH White Mountains(Old man of the Mt., Flume), New Port RI, Historic tour of Boston, Lake Champlain, and Mackinac Bridge. One definitely needs to go to New England about October 5th until the foliage peaks and the same could be said for the Adirondacks in NY and even the UP of Michigan. One could go a little early and tour Boston, etc and then head north and work back south.

As always we met some great people and had some great visits!!!

[MID: 1565_W0SD Sent Via: K4CJX Date: 2002/09/13 02:54:34]