NC Media Watch

We have arrived at Mount Rushmore

Russ Steele

We are going to spend the day in the area around Mount Rushmore, with some side trips to survey some NWS Surface Stations in Hot Springs SD and New Castle, WY.  Anthony Watts has more details on the surface station project here.

We also hope to catch a sunset over the Devils Tower at the end of the day.

 

Cultural comments on our Trip to Canada.

Russ Steele

We are now back in the USA, and with some down time from our travels on the 4th of July I want to share some of my mental notes on our visit to Canada.

A week ago Friday was another down day, no traveling or touring. We took a direct hit in the GMC 2005 windscreen, on the drivers side with several big spider runs up the glass. What ever hit the window, it was hard enough to spay some glass on the dash. The local Levis GMC dealer was unable to help, but they located us a local glass shop, where the GMC spent the afternoon. As we sat down in the shop to wait for the truck repaid, the lady the desk handed Ellen the keys to the company van, "Go any where you want, please come back by 3:30," she said. No papers to sign, nothing but take the keys and go. How refreshing. In the US we would still be signing papers and leaving our credit card for a deposit. But, hey they are holding the truck and if we want it back we will being their van back. It was the disarming trust that was so refreshing.

 

The Canadian road sign system is quite good. Some Providences have eliminated a lot of road side clutter by banning billboards that obstruct the view. Fewer signs in the eastern providences, but as we came west the rules seem to be relaxed and we saw more road sign clutter. Most commercial signs are at the business location, not down the raod. To help travelers the government posts signs with the type of services that are available at the exit or on the next town. In may cases they post direction signs in white letters on a blue background with tourist information which are very useful to the traveler.

We are back in the USA

Russ Steele

This post is a little late. Typepad had problems posting the pictures this morning and we have been on Mackinac Island all day.

Yesterday we crossed the border at Sault St. Marie in the late afternoon, and spent an hour on the Sault St. Marie bridge just getting to the US entry point, only to be greeted by a surly Home Land Security Border Guard. Not much of a welcome home!  Such a contrast with those agents on the Canada side of the border, who like to chat and smile a lot.

In 1964 Ellen and I covered the route, from Quebec to Sault St. Marie, on our way to California. We were married in December of 1963 and were living at Loring AFB in Maine. My B-52 flight crew had 30 days leave from 15 May to 15 June, and just being married we did not have much money to spend on a vacation, so we packed some cloths, put the gas and a credit cards in our wallet and headed for California in my 1962 Corvair Manza. We drove to Quebec and then to Montreal and then across Canada to Sault St. Marie. Forty four years later we made the same trip, though at a much slower pace and much better accommodations.   

There have been a lot of changes in the last 40 years along the route, better roads, better communications, and more services. It was a lonely road in the 60s.

Some thoughts on in vehicle WiFi(edited)

Russ Steele

Ken Bensinger, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer writes about Chrysler offering wireless Internet access in 2009 models. The struggling automaker's announcement comes shortly before California enacts a law that requires hands-free cellphone use while driving.

The nation's third-largest automaker is set to announce Thursday that it's making wireless Internet an option on all its 2009 models. The mobile hotspot, called UConnect Web, would be the first such technology from any automaker.

Glenn Reynolds makes note at Instapundit.com, "I already have Internet in my cars thanks to EVDO."

Verizon Coverage Map, click for a larger image.

We start back home today

Russ Steele

Yesterday we reached the end of the Gaspe Peninsula, with our friends from Locust Grove, Georgia, Betty Lou and John Reifschneider

 

Today Ellen and I start our return to Nevada County. This will be our first full day traveling West. We still have some stops scheduled on the Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec and Montreal, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Wyoming before making a serious dash for the barn in Nevada City.  As you can see in the pictures the weather has been foggy and rainy. Not typical weather for June according to the local Gaspe residents. More like May weather they say.   It is forecast to rain today, our shiny trailer is going to get covered with road grime again. Ugh!

We have arrived at the Gaspe

Russ Steele

View from our Tete-Indian campsite on the Gaspe Peninsula

It has been rainy and foggy since we left Prince Edward Island, not the spring we expected. In fact it is not the spring the camp ground owner expected either. "This is the weather we have in early May not in late June," she said this morning I was asking for the location of a car wash, and we got into a weather discussion.

Spring in Quebec and the Gaspe is road construction season. This part of Canada has the red dirt we have in Nevada County, and it colors things about the same. Every thing that gets covered with the red mud gets dyed pink.  One our way here we pulled through several construction sites, and the trailer was covered in red mud, stripped up both side of the front. No pictures, and the rain was most of it off as we progressed to our campsite.  On one detour, I almost had to put the truck in four wheel drive to get back up on the pavement. Yes the mud is a slick as . . . You can use your favorite term here.

Touring Canadian Habitats and Climate History

Russ Steele

The people and government of Canada have invested money and time in the recreation of their historical past, including thousands of volunteer hours. While in Nova Scotia we have visited multiple sites that have been recreated to portray 17th and 18th Century habitation of the region. These recreations include ships, forts, fortresses, and community restoration.  These restored and recreated historical artifacts have become major tourist attractions in the region. In the case of Louisbourg, an 18th Century French Fortress, on Cape Breton Island, the decision to rebuild was an economic one. The Cape Breton coal mines were closed in 1960 for growing safety concerns, creating a large unemployed work force.

 

Archeologists had been working at the Louisbourg site since the late 1800s and researchers discovered the French had been good record keepers, saving over 750,000 plans, drawing and textual descriptions of Louisbourg in France and Quebec. A decision was made to rebuild the Fortress using these documents and by training the miners to be carpenters, stone masons, and artisans.  It took 20 years, starting in 1961 and finishing in 1981. In twenty years they have restored 20 percent of the Fortress and stabilized the remaining 80 percent for future generations to restore. 

How is the Internet access in Canada?

Russ Steele

My friend Howard asked about our Internet access in Canada. It has been quite good, some of the best we have experienced coming across the US and Canada.

Canada is very Internet savvy. When Internet is available along the freeway they post an @ sign letting travelers know that access is available near the freeway exit. One County on Cape Breton Island, publishes a directory, which they distribute at information centers, listing all the free public access points. Most of the access points are in public offices and libraries. Some have WiFi access, while others only provide a terminal for checking e-mail, or making reservations.

Tidal power?

Russ Steele

Democrats and their fellow traveler environmentalist are always talking about earth friendly green power sources. One potential source of green power is tidal flow, yet we do not see many tidal power plants. Ellen and I visited the only tidal generation plant in North American. It is located on the Annapolis River near Annapolis Royal on the northern shores of Nova Scotia. The station came on line in 1984 and generates 30 million kilowatts a year, enough to power 4,500 homes.  Details here.

Nova Scotia must not have gotten the recession memo

Russ Steele

Peggy's Cove, the most photographed town in Nova Scotia

For last two days we have been driving through small and mid-sized towns in Nova Scotia and have seen few houses for sale. And we are seeing a few that have recently sold to new owners.  Missing are the going out of business signs on store windows that we saw in many US small towns.  On several heavy industry buildings I saw "we are hiring" banners. This could just be preparing for the coming summer building season, or business is picking up. (See Update)

This is not to say all is well in a land that depends on summer tourism with soaring fuel prices. Many RV Parks are hosting an increasing number of long term residence. Trailers and big RVs with porches, planters and large wood piles out behind are all indications that the owners are planning on a long stay.  More RV Parks appear to becoming mini-destination resorts, with owner parking the RV and driving a more fuel efficient vehicle to the camp site.

UPDATE: We were on the North Coast of Nova Scotia today (10th of June) and saw many farm and wood lot properties for sale.  A museum docent said that many framer were selling out, moving to Alberta where there was money to be made in the booming oil fields.