Ottawa (Construction) Capitol of Canada

Crossing the St. Lawrence River to Canada

Our crossing through customs was very quick and simple.  We always get excited about crossing the border.  I'm afraid they'll take away my rib eyes or take exception to all the liquor we are haling.  No problem today.

The customs gate

Wesley Clover Park: our camp for our 4 nights in Ottawa

Site 3D7

A rolling stone gathers no moss, but apparently a rolling canoe will gather fungi

We could hear the playing of the bagpipes from inside our coach.  We walked out and saw a young man playing.  He and his mother had traveled from Winnipeg to Ottawa to attend the funeral of his grandmother the next day.  He was going to play at the service and was practicing.  It turns out that he is totally blind.  Click here for a sample of the music.

There are several pavilions in the park with very interesting carved features.  No two were alike.

See the fish carved into this knot hole?

On Friday we toured Ottawa.  We soon learned that this weekend was a holiday, and apparently the one where most people travel.  Ironically, most people could not tell us the name of the holiday, just "August long weekend".  We did a little research and found that it is called different things and is celebrated on different days in the different provinces.  Click here to read more.

The locks at the Rideau Canal

The Rideau Canal was opened in 1832 and stretches 126 miles from Ottawa to Kingston ON on Lake Ontario.  It was built to provide an alternate route to Lake Ontario in case there was war with the US.

Looking downstream at the locks

We took a city tour on a double decker bus

On Sunday we returned to town and toured on our own.  The highlight of the day was the ceremonial changing of the guard on Parliament Hill.  The whole process lasted about an hour and was very formal.  Lots of guns, pipes, drums and brass horns.  Extra cool!

This is the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica 

All of Ottawa was under construction.  They said it would all be finished on Canada Day July 1. 2017, in time for the 150th birthday of Canada's independence.  Right!

The East Block of Parliament 

We also toured the Royal Canadian Mint.  all coins made for circulation are now made in Winnipeg, not here.  Here they mint collectors coins, investors coins (pure gold or silver, athletic medals and military medals.

Enjoying a brew on Elgin Street

This gold bar weighed 24 lbs and was valued at $520,000.  The bar was chained and there was an armed guard, just in case Dorcas made a run for it.

 There are many fantastic museums in Ottawa, but we just didn't have the time to see them.  This is the National Gallery of Canada.

The Canadian War Museum.  The windows on the right spell a message in Morse Code.  Unfortunately I don't know Morse Code.

We've never been to a city that has a US embassy.  It's not very attractive.  We should have done better.

This is the Canadian administration building.  I'm not sure what they administrate.

The West Block of Parliament

The War of 1812 Memorial

Our guide Philippe

The Mounties have evolved over the years.  Shouldn't they be driving Broncos or Mustangs?

An amphibious tour bus

I think there was a motor in there somewhere.  They were going fast even when no one was paddling.

It never fails to amaze us what we find at Canadian food stores.  All we wanted was a gallon of milk.  We settled for 4 liters in a bag.  The bag contained 3 sealed pouches containing a total of 4 liters.  We emptied one into a 2 quart juice jug.  It wasn't pretty.





There was a bit of wildlife in camp.   This was one of a pair of hawks near our coach:

While this hawk was sitting here occupying the squirrel, his mate swooped down on the squirrel .  Luckily for the squirrel he missed.

Black squirrels are common in these parts

Looking for another black squirrel

We have had a great time in Ottawa and wish we could stay longer, but tomorrow we have reservations at Algonquin Provincial Park, about 165 miles west.

Chillin' In the Adirondacks

The weather continues to be fantastic.  We departed our camp at Pulaski NY and headed east towards the Adirondack Park.  We topped off with diesel and visited our last-chance Walmart for some grub in Lowville NY, about half way to our next camp.  We knew we would be entering Canada in 6 days, so we were careful not to buy too much restricted stuff.





We checked into Limekiln Lake Campground in the early afternoon.  We had originally reserved site #24.  When we checked in the ranger said that was not a very good site for a rig of our size and began looking for alternate sites.  We mentioned that a site open to the sky would be great, so we could use our solar array.  After several attempts (oops, that one is occupied) he suggested #47.  Oops again, that's an administrative site, which means it is held open for some honcho that sometimes comes by.  They called the honcho, who said she would not use the site during the next 6 nights.  So, we were reassigned to site #47, which was perfect.  It was large and open, and we were able to park parallel to the road providing a good bit of privacy.

Site 47: our home for 6 nights

The rangers warned us that bears were very active in the area.  Each site is equipped with a steel bear box.  I set up my wildlife cam, but I didn't even see a mouse.

The "bear box"

We spent one afternoon paddling on Limekiln Lake.

Paddle on Limekiln Lake

Old homestead on Limekiln Lake

A primitive camp site on Limekiln Lake

Ducks on the pond

"We have to go that way!"

Matilda says "I like to run!"

New York is apparently too poor to build speed bumps in the park.  Instead they build "speed pimples" which are much smaller and cheaper.  They are strategically placed, about every 100 yards, and you will generally hit them with your right wheel.  They apparently can't afford to paint them either, so you don't usually slow down until after you hit the pimple.

A speed pimple

Everything a Gypsy needs in one convenient location

The Strand Theatre in Old Forge

Dorcas was really excited about seeing the new movie "The Secret Life of Pets" .  It was showing in Old Forge at the Strand, which opened in 1923.  We checked it out one afternoon and really enjoyed the show.

There were tons of film artifacts in the Strand

The Bear, Matilda and me

Lunch at Long Lake

Adirondack chairs on Blue Mountain Lake

Entrance to the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake

The Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake is fantastic.  It is chocked full of Adirondack culture, lore, art and artifacts.  If you are ever in the area, plan to spend the whole day.

"... and that's the TRUTH!"  (apologies to Lily Tomlin)

The museum has over 1900 boats in its collection, of which only a small number are on display.  There were traditional guide boats, canoes and power boats.

Traditional Adirondack guide boats

Traditional canoes

The Adirondacks also has a tradition of fast power boats

There is a resident boat builder who is currently building a traditional guide boat.  It will take over 2000 hours to complete.  The last guide boat built here was sold at auction for over $28.000.

A guide boat under construction.

Overlooking Blue Mountain Lake

Parked at the beach at Long Lake 

A view from the Dash Cam:  Crossing Long Lake

Sadly we must depart the Adirondacks.  We left our camp at Limekiln Lake and headed east and north through Long Lake and Tupper Lake before leaving the Adirondacks.  We stopped at the Walmart in Ogdensburg NY, a few miles before the bridge that will cross the St. Lawrence River, and into Canada.  There we had lunch, bought groceries, and reviewed our inventory of items on board that may be of interest to Canadian border agents.

North to Canada!

Quote of the Week

This quote was posted in the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake (a great place to visit).  Thankfully we have not been greatly affected by such varmints.

"Blackflies, Mosquitoes and Punkies: a cosmopolitan police, detailed by Divine Providence to guard the great hunting park of the Republic from the incursions of cockney poachers and murderers of deer in summer.  Long may they wave!"

North Woods Walton Club toast, 1858

Photo of the Week

They apparently don't run cable TV to beaver huts in the Adirondacks

Rally Time on Lake Ontario Pulaski NY

When we decided we would not go to Alaska this year, a rally hosted by the Diesel RV Club in Pulaski NY, became our primary destination on our route to our traditional canoe trip in the Boundary Waters in Minnesota.  But NY is not on the way to MN from NC you say?  But of course it is, if you also want to visit the Adirondacks, Ottawa, Algonquin Provincial Park and the Canadian Shield north of the Great Lakes.

Welcome to New York  (photo taken with my new Garmin Dash Cam)

We departed PA and headed to Brennan Beach RV Resort on the eastern edge of Lake Ontario in Pulaski NY.  Although Pulaski is named after General Casimir Pulaski (pə-las-kee), area residents have traditionally pronounced it with a long "i" (pə-las-sky). Go figure.  Brennan Beach is huge, with over 1500 units.  Most are seasonal sites, meaning they are rented out for the whole year.  There are about 100 transient sites for gypsies like us.

Our home for 5 nights

It is significantly cooler here.  We're a bit farther north, at a higher elevation and on the shore of Lake Ontario.  Highs have been in the mid 80s, while lows have plummeted into the 60s.  A far site from the historic heat dome covering most of the country.

A nice place to park

My friend Wayne always marvels at a "sincere wood pile"

A sincere wood pile

The rally is hosted by the Diesel RV Club, a chapter of the Family Motor Coach Association.  The stated mission of the DRVC is:

The purpose of the Diesel RV Club is to serve all Family Motor Coach Association members with an interest in diesel powered motorhomes and coaches – whether Type A, B or C – in how to maintain them, how to get maximum performance, and how to keep repair costs to a minimum. The Chapter will host rallies which combine social and technical programs for the purpose of:

• Exchanging information on how to keep diesel coach repair costs to a minimum, how to maintain them and how to get maximum performance,
• Helping promote diesel engines in all RV Types and help our fellow RVrs,
• Providing opportunities for fun and fellowship, and
• Supporting FMCA activities such as rallies and engagement at international conventions.

Anyone is eligible to visit one of our events as a guest prior to joining. We look forward to making your acquaintance.

There were a number of very knowledgeable folks in attendance and 9 hours of seminars on technical topics.  There were fine meals and social hours.

On the last afternoon before the rally ended I changed the serpentine belt and the air conditioner drive belt on my engine.  I had plenty of knowledgeable help and the use of many tools.

On one of our outings we went to Old McDonalds Farm, which is a large outdoor petting zoo and a working dairy.



  We took the dairy tour and watched the automatic milking process.  They milk 16 cows on each side with automatic equipment.  They have almost 1000 heifers.  Each one is milked 3 times per day and produces about three gallons of milk per milking.   Moooooooo ....

Milking the heifers

All cows have electronic chips to keep track of them.  In the nursery, where week old calves are housed, they go to a milk feeding station whenever they are hungry, where each on is identified and given just the right amount of milk dependent on their age and when and how much they ate last.  Old man McDonald's come a long way.

Strutting his stuff

We took another outing to Boldt Castle on Heart Island in the St. Lawrence River in the Thousand Islands area of NY.

Dorcas on the boat to Boldt Castle

George C. Boldt was a self-made restaurateur and hotelier during the turn of the 20th century.  He built Boldt Castle for his beloved wife Louise.  Unfortunately Louise died in 1904, before the castle was completed.  Boldt immediately stopped construction and never returned to the island.  For 73 years, the castle and various stone structures were left to the mercy of the wind, rain, ice, snow and vandals. When the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority acquired the property in 1977, it was decided that through the use of all net revenues from the castle operation it would be preserved for the enjoyment of future generations.

The Power House

Graffiti on the 4th level

Dorcas on the rooftop

Boldt Castle on high

More graffiti 

Looking down on the main foyer

Lunch snack anyone?

This guy had a 1500 HP Packard airplane engine

The Children's Playhouse

The Yacht House

The rally theme was "The Lake & the Lighthouse".  Unfortunately we visited neither.

Next stop: The Adirondacks!