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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta
    Posts
    614

    Default The Great Lakes Tour and Kentucky, 2016

    Been a bit lazy this year on doing a vacation pictorial for our 2016 vacation.

    We did a three week trip to Ontario down to Kentucky and back home. A mere 10,721 Kilometers (6661 miles). We left September 16, 2016 and got back October 8, 2016.
    We managed to see or stop at each of the Great Lakes, go through cottage country in Ontario, visit a bunch of good friends, drive through the worst rain storm that I have ever driven through, see relatives, have a perplexing car problem, taste good food and drink and see a lot of different parts of Canada and the USA not seen by us before.



    So it begins

    DSCF3172 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Managed to leave work early on Friday so we headed out to Swift Current for the first night. Short warmup drive.

    DSCF3173 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    Welcome to Saskatchewan.

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    Getting close to sunset but we are heading east.

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    Moon rise, the pictures do not do justice to the amount of light that was not there. This is why the pictures taken on the roof of the car are so shaky. The moon rise was incredible though.

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    First Motel, the next morning. Old, not good looking anymore but clean, bug free and inexpensive.

    DSCF3184 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Take note of the fall foliage. This changes so much through the trip depending where you are.

    DSCF3185 by ssicarman, on Flickr

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2012
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    Calgary, Alberta
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    Default

    So onward and southeast from Swift Current through Moose Jaw and Estevan to the American border.

    Welcome to Saskatchewan flat.

    DSCF3186 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    You can always tell where there is a farm or used to be a farm, trees.

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    Then we come to the way to tell where a town is, grain elevators. Sadly they are dieing out, being torn down as the railways cut service to the small towns.

    DSCF3192 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    This town and grain elevator though are special. It was a pleasant surprise for us to see this one.

    DSCF3194 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Dog River of Corner Gas fame. Canadian show so many of you may not know it but I think most Canadians will.

    DSCF3195 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    This is the real town

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rouleau,_Saskatchewan

    This is what has happened to the set

    http://regina.ctvnews.ca/end-of-the-...sask-1.3146178

    DSCF3196 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    Continuing through the town. Seemed like a nice town.

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    Welcome to the USA. No pictures of the border crossing for obvious security and me getting in trouble reasons.

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    Heading to Minot.

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    Welcome to

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    It was an interesting drive through North Dakota. Lots of cattle, lots of corn----lots and lots of cattle and corn. A field of cattle, a field of corn. Repeat and repeat. Broken up by cities/towns with military bases and places that I figured out where missile silos. Middle of no where, large areas with concrete barriers inside, surrounded by chain link fence. Clues military HUMVEE parked at the gate at a couple of them. No pictures though, drove past them before realizing that they were there.

    Welcome to Grand Forks.

    DSCF3215 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    We can recommend a place not to stay there.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    South Wales UK
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    1,901

    Default

    Well you most certainly have got those 'Wide Open Spaces' over there. with some nice pictures to go with it!

    With you current weather I bet you just wish you were rolling back the time clock and being there, not here!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta
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    614

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by XCovlov70 View Post
    Well you most certainly have got those 'Wide Open Spaces' over there. with some nice pictures to go with it!

    With you current weather I bet you just wish you were rolling back the time clock and being there, not here!
    The weather was certainly nicer then than now. Wait for the tail end of the trip though.
    As for wide open spaces there is no shortage in those areas.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2012
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    Calgary, Alberta
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    614

    Default

    Next morning onward to Escanaba, Michigan via Duluth for the first of the Great Lakes. Kiss the prairie's good bye, we are going through trees now.

    DSCF3216 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    First tree with red leaves.

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    First glimpse of Lake Superior coming into Duluth.

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    Lake ship in the picture. Stopped for lunch in Duluth at a place called Culvers, looked like a local place but through the rest of the trip we saw more of them so they are a franchise set up. Very much enjoyed the food there.

    DSCF3238 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Coming into Ashland on Superior and a coffee stop.

    DSCF3240 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    Trees and hills, big change from day before.

    DSCF3244 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Welcome to Michigan.

    DSCF3245 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    DSCF3246 by ssicarman, on Flickr

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta
    Posts
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    Default

    Next morning and we leave from Escanaba heading for the Canadian Border for Sudbury and then to Huntsville for a few nights.

    First glimpse of the waters of Lake Michigan.

    DSCF3247 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    So we have now made it over the top of the lake and gotten to the area north of Mackinaw City.

    DSCF3255 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Time to head north to the border crossing at Sault Ste Marie.

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    I-75

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    Coming up to the bridges to cross the border.

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    One the Transcanada Highway to head to Sudbury.

    DSCF3270 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Made it into Sudbury for supper as it was getting dark. Then a run into Huntsville in the rain and the dark. Once off the Transcanada Highway we got onto the twisty two lane secondary roads to go cross country to Huntsville. The roads were fun to drive in the dark as you could only see as far as headlamps went. Next day in the sunlight you could see how twisty they were and the results if you missed your turn. For some reason the speed at which the roads were now driven was slower.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2012
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    Hotel in Huntsville. Better than the Super 8 in Grand Forks.
    Nice morning though. Warm and sunny.

    DSCF3271 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Driving down the main road through the town.

    DSCF3272 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    Bridge over a lake, Main Street Huntsville.

    DSCF3273 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    Coming into Bracebridge

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    We got to go into Bracebridge to go to a medical clinic.
    Remember the hotel in Grand Forks? That Super 8. It was not so super. Run down room, toilet loose to the point you wondered if you were going to tip over. Worst part though was someones wife ended up with spider bites on an arm and shoulder with red lines running outwards. Pharmacist at a local Huntsville drugstore put enough fear of into us that we headed straight for the medical clinic in Bracebridge. It was bad enough that if not treated it would have been hospital instead of just needing two types of pills for ten days of no booze on vacation. Some one was not happy.

    I got kicked out to explore the town while she spent three ish hours at the medical clinic. Much to her disappointment I did not go to Santas Village.

    DSCF3278 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    Some artistic type shots of the bottom of the railroad bridge.

    DSCF3287 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    Looking down from the railroad, dam, woolen mill area.

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    Looking back

    DSCF3292 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    The grist mill was to the right of the walkway in the above picture.

    DSCF3293 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    South Wales UK
    Posts
    1,901

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    Spider Bites! OUCH!

    I hope the pills worked quickly to fix the 'problem' and stop the discomfort, missing out on what looked like a nice stroll around the town with some interesting pictures was a shame.

    While I think that railway bridge if it is still in use could maybe do with a coat of paint?

    'Grist Mill' Never heard that term before, but it was interesting to read the story about it!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta
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    614

    Default

    The bites were worrying. The drugs seemed to make a difference within a day, the lines stopped growing.

    I think that the railroad is still in use but probably not real busy.

    Once done with the clinic and drugs procured we went off to visit the lake area where her parents used to have a cottage.

    DSCF3300 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    Take note of the rocks that the rocks go through. The Canadian Shield showing its self.

    DSCF3303 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    Nice twisty road like most of the secondary ones here.

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    The lake that the cottage is on.

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    Other end of the lake. The first lake pictures were taken from the left side of the picture near where the trees jut out.

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    Across the lake from the first pictures.

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  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta
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    Done at the lake. Off to the nearest town.

    DSCF3336 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    Back to Huntsville for supper. Far left in the picture is the restaurant. Ate outside on the upper deck. This is the lake from the earlier pictures from the road.

    DSCF3342 by ssicarman, on Flickr

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    Some nice shacks on the lake

    DSCF3346 by ssicarman, on Flickr

    The next day we are off to visit a friend and hit another Great Lake. This time we actually get feet wet.

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