We left the States on Saturday August 3, and headed to our first campground, a KOA west of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The campground was quite full, and we were happy to be off the road and settling in for the night. While Jack was setting up, I went up to the office to use the wifi and find a church -- with Mass preferably on Saturday night. YIKES! Mass was starting in 15 minutes at St. Patrick's in Winnipeg. We dropped everything, and dashed to church -- arriving during the sermon.
Sunday was cool and sunny in Winnipeg, but the farther west we went, the cloudier it got, finally ending in some heavy rain. Our destination was a campground in Regina. Luckily it had quit raining by the time we got there, so Jack didn't get wet setting up. Monday night found us west of Saskatoon and we arrived Monday at our destination, Camrose Alberta.
Our visit to Jack's cousins in Canada was really great. We so enjoyed our stay! I likely gained 5 lbs with all the food we consumed! We visited Eldon and Sharon, Barry and Carol, Joe and Ro, Doug and Anne, and Lloyd and Darlene. Maybe they'll come visit us one day so we can repay their kindness! Burkard men don't take long vacations, however. Perhaps when they retire from farming and are bored with winter they'll come south!!
On August 14 we left Camrose after a farewell breakfast at Tim Horton's with Eldon and Sharon and Barry and Carol. We reversed our tracks and spent that night in Saskatoon, and the next two nights in Regina where we did some sightseeing.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have a training depot in Regina, as well as a Heritage Center. While we were at the Heritage Center we enjoyed a 25 minute movie on the training depot and enjoyed their museum. We were treated to a tour of the training depot and our guide introduced us to her father, a drill sargeant who came out of the Drill Hall to answer questions, and allowed us in to watch a first year troop practicing their marching. The next day we stopped over at 12:30 to watch the whole depot (290 cadets) participate in the Sargeant's Drill, which dates back to the early years when it was used to count the cadets before lunch. It was very impressive!
We also toured the historic Lieutenant Governor's House which was refurbished to the 1890 time period. Very well done! After 1945, the house was used as a rehabilitation center for returning soldiers. In the 1990's after many different affiliations it was refurbished and reopened to the public--FREE OF CHARGE!
Saturday we left Regina and headed for the border and Minot, ND. Note to future border crossings:
DO NOT take oranges or other fruits and some veggies into the US. Ours were confiscated at the border!!!!
Ah, welcome back to the USA!!!!
Friday, August 30, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Michigan and MN Pictures
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| Fred Meijer Park - Michigan |
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| At the farm - Fred Meijer Garden |
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| Jack and Friend |
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| Grand Portage National Historic Site - Minnesota |
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| Grand Portage as seen from Lake Superior |
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| Lake Superior from Grand Portage Visitor's Center |
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| Giant Lawn Chairs - on way to Grand Portage |
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| Learning about native plants - Voyageur's National Park, Minnesota |
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| An inquisitive friend at Voyageur's NP |
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| At entrance to Voyageur's National Park - Minnesota |
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| In the Visitor's Center - Voyageur National Park |
Ohio Pictures
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| Cuhoga Historic Train |
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| Boarding the train |
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| What a wonderful Bike Trail! |
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| At Brandywine Falls |
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| Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Cleveland |
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| On the Train! |
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| Gerald Ford Presidential Library |
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| Ford's Oval Office |
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| Grave of Gerald & Betty Ford |
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| Gerald Ford Library |
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Northern Minnesota July 28 - August 3, 2013
Sunday July 28 we left Madison, WI for Northern Minnesota. We drove i-90/94 to Eau Claire and then I-94 to Hwy 53 toward Superior, WI. We arrived at Cloquet, MN about 4 p.m. that afternoon.
Monday, July 29 we headed north on Hwy 61 to Grand Portage National Monument which is about 6 miles from the Canadian border at the tip of the "arrowhead".
Our first stop was the Visitor's Center and Heritage center where we watched the introductory movie about the Grand Portage, viewed the displays and then crossed over the road to visit the reconstructed palisade area which dipicted the life at Grand Portage from 1784-1803. The North West Company ran themost profitable fur trade operation on the Great Lakes. The company's inland headquarters was located at Grand Portage, the largest fur trade depot in the heart of the continent. This was the site of Rendezvous, an annual gathering in July. During the rest of the year the trappers and the Ojibwe would trap the furs and in July would gather at Grand Portage to await the arrival of the 35ft. Montreal Canoes which came loaded with tons of goods to trade for the furs. After the trading and celebrating was complete, the voyagers would carry two 90lb. packs 8 1/2 miles from the Grand Portage inland to Fort Charlotte, the company's smaller storage depot on the Pigeon River.
Voyageurs offered the Indians items such as glass beads, wool blankets, woven cloth,iron kettles, axes, firearms, traps and alcohol.
Tuesday we remained in camp and caught up on chores.
Wednesday we moved the trailer to Bemidji, MN which is about 3 hours west of Cloquet. Our intent was to headquarter in Bemidji and from there drive to Voyageur National Park in International Falls, MN.
Thursday we drove up Hwy 71 from Bemidji to International Falls. What a lonely road! I think we MIGHT have seen 10 vehicles on our way up. Voyageur NP has 3 Visitor's Centers - about 35 miles away from each other. We elected to visit the Visitor's Center at Rainy Lake which is right outside International Falls. Over 35% of the park is on the water, and the parking lot here was filled with trucks with boat trailers. As is our custom, we watched the film, went through the museum exhibits, and then headed outside for a short hike and a ranger-led tour of an ethno-garden where we were shown native plants and learned about their useage by the Ojibwe Indians.
Friday we did some local shopping and visited the Beltrami Historical Society museum to learn about the Bemidji area.
August 3 we had pancakes at the KOA kitchen and then headed out at 9 for our trip to Canada.
Monday, July 29 we headed north on Hwy 61 to Grand Portage National Monument which is about 6 miles from the Canadian border at the tip of the "arrowhead".
Our first stop was the Visitor's Center and Heritage center where we watched the introductory movie about the Grand Portage, viewed the displays and then crossed over the road to visit the reconstructed palisade area which dipicted the life at Grand Portage from 1784-1803. The North West Company ran themost profitable fur trade operation on the Great Lakes. The company's inland headquarters was located at Grand Portage, the largest fur trade depot in the heart of the continent. This was the site of Rendezvous, an annual gathering in July. During the rest of the year the trappers and the Ojibwe would trap the furs and in July would gather at Grand Portage to await the arrival of the 35ft. Montreal Canoes which came loaded with tons of goods to trade for the furs. After the trading and celebrating was complete, the voyagers would carry two 90lb. packs 8 1/2 miles from the Grand Portage inland to Fort Charlotte, the company's smaller storage depot on the Pigeon River.
Voyageurs offered the Indians items such as glass beads, wool blankets, woven cloth,iron kettles, axes, firearms, traps and alcohol.
Tuesday we remained in camp and caught up on chores.
Wednesday we moved the trailer to Bemidji, MN which is about 3 hours west of Cloquet. Our intent was to headquarter in Bemidji and from there drive to Voyageur National Park in International Falls, MN.
Thursday we drove up Hwy 71 from Bemidji to International Falls. What a lonely road! I think we MIGHT have seen 10 vehicles on our way up. Voyageur NP has 3 Visitor's Centers - about 35 miles away from each other. We elected to visit the Visitor's Center at Rainy Lake which is right outside International Falls. Over 35% of the park is on the water, and the parking lot here was filled with trucks with boat trailers. As is our custom, we watched the film, went through the museum exhibits, and then headed outside for a short hike and a ranger-led tour of an ethno-garden where we were shown native plants and learned about their useage by the Ojibwe Indians.
Friday we did some local shopping and visited the Beltrami Historical Society museum to learn about the Bemidji area.
August 3 we had pancakes at the KOA kitchen and then headed out at 9 for our trip to Canada.
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