Streaking!

It was a easy drive 4 hour drive from St. Louis to Kansas City.  We had just a little down time at the hotel before being picked up by our wonderful hosts, Richard and Philip White.  For those of you who do not know this fine family, you're missing a real treat.  Richard and his wife Mei-Ling have three very cool children (I should say young adults).  Juliana who is currently teaching in South Korea, Richard who is attending Penn and Philip who is a junior in high school.    They are a part of Beth's extended family that we enjoy every summer at the beach.  They live in Atchison, Kansas which is about 30 minutes from Kansas City.
Richard and I share a love for BBQ that goes back a very long time (Peebles BBQ in Auburndale, Fl).  Kansas City is well known for it's BBQ.  Take a guess what was first up on our agenda?  He had a place he wanted to take me that I had not been to before.  Naturally I trusted his judgment and as expected it lived up to the hype.  The place was called Q-39.  Although it was a little more upscale looking than the joints we tend to seek out it was fantastic!
http://www.peeblesbbq.com/
https://q39kc.com/
We were soon on our way to one of the nicest stadiums in Major League Baseball, KaufFman Stadium.  The Rays were riding a one game winning streak.  The Royals on the other hand were coming in after a disastrous weekend in Cleveland where they lost three straight games without scoring a run.  Their streak of consecutive innings without scoring actually dated back to the 2nd inning of their Thursday game, a game they also lost.  After last nights game the Rays winning streak has reached two games and the Royals streak of scoreless innings has now reached 43 innings.  They are now within 5 innings of the all time record.........a record I'm sure they don't want.
Win or lose.  Streak or no streak.  It was a great evening with two great guys!

Ben, Philip, Me Richard

A couple of handsome young men!

You can't see it but I was trying to make a 2-0 sign with my hands.  Our record on this Baseball Road Trip.

Really Good Stuff!

I was up early this morning and on my way back to the airport.  This trip was a little different because Beth wasn't with me.  In spite of that I was excited for where I was going, who I'd be seeing and what we'd be doing.  I was catching a flight to St. Louis.  I'd be meeting Ben and we'd be embarking on a "mini" baseball trip.  Today it was the Rays and Cardinals (more on that in a minute).  Tomorrow it's on to Kansas City for the Rays and Royals. In the past we had done several "whole family" baseball trips.  It was a blast having the whole family together for them.  Adulthood for Ben and Sarah and everything that goes with it has made it pretty much impossible for all of us to pull these off anymore.  Hopefully down the line there will be opportunities.  So today it was just Ben and I and a "mini baseball trip".
On the plane I noticed a young boy and his dad.  It was pretty obvious by the Rays shirts and hats that they were wearing that they were on their way to the game as well.  I told the boy that I bet I knew where he was going.  His dad broke into a big grin and shared with me that it was a baseball trip for his 10th birthday.  They really got a kick out of me telling them that me and my son were on a baseball trip as well but that my son had a few years on him (19 to be exact).  As we were getting off the plane Ben was there waiting on me so they were able to briefly meet.  We saw them at the game and it looked like they were having a blast.  Really good stuff!
As far as the game, it was a good one.  Chris Archer pitched seven great innings and left the game with the Rays leading 2-1.  Two pitches into the eighth inning and the Cardinals hit a homerun to tie it up.  The Rays have seemed to magically snatch defeat from the hands of victory numerous times over the season.  Ben and I were convinced that we were about to see it happen again.  Some how, some way it didn't happen today.  A home run by Logan Morrison (his second of the day) and the Cardinal fans were soon on their way home with a loss.  Ben and I high fived each other as if we were responsible for the Rays victory.  Good stuff!  But the really good stuff, a 10 year old there with his dad and a 29 year old there with his dad.............Really Good Stuff!

Happy Rays Fans!

Rays Outfield Celebrating the Victory!

A Post Victory Meal

Gateway to the West!

Digby, St. Andrews by the Sea and Portland

We've made our way back across the border and are at the Portland, Maine airport.  Tonight we will be flying back to Tampa and heading to Anna Maria Island.  I'll be there long enough to unpack, say hello to NaNa, wash clothes and repack.  I'm going to be heading to St. Louis first thing Sunday morning for a little baseball trip with Ben.  He and I will be going to a Rays/Cardinals game on Sunday.  We'll drive to Kansas City Monday and catch the Rays/Royals game that evening.  We're hoping to be joined Monday night by the White Family.  Of course no trip to Kansas City would be complete without some BBQ.  Richard has never steered me wrong and told me this summer he has a new place he wants to take us.  My mouth is watering already!
Ben and I will then fly back to Dallas Tuesday morning.  I'll be in Texas until next Sunday.  Spending some time with Ben, catching up with a few friends, and next weekend going to the Florida/Michigan game.  It's going to be a fun week, however................... Beth will be staying in Florida.  We've barely been out of each others sight since retiring.  Hopefully we'll survive!
Our last stop in Nova Scotia was Digby.  It's been a recurring theme to most of our destinations on this journey, a small fishing village.  Like most of them, it was also located on the Bay of Fundy.  Digby is famous for it's scallops, clams and lobster.  We enjoyed a couple of nice meals along their waterfront.  Affordable prices, as fresh as it comes, a nice view and great company (at least I think so).  Digby's harbor was truly a "working harbor" with a fleet of boats that were constantly going out and coming in. 
http://digbyarea.ca/
We left Digby and Nova Scotia by ferry to St. Johns, New Brunswick.  Our final night in Canada was spent in St. Andrews by the Sea which was just 25 minutes or so from the US border.  It was so close that I'm pretty sure that Sarah Palin would have been able to see Maine from there.  St. Andrews by the Sea is a small village (what a surprise) located on the New Brunswick side of the Bay of Fundy.  There was one difference. It is more of a resort town.  It was recently voted the best Canadian Destination of 2017 by Travel and Leisure Magazine.  It's Main Street looked similar to Disney's Main Street.  It was lined with small shops and restaurants all very well landscaped and decorated.
We stayed at a hotel that had been operating since the 1800's that really reminded me of the place that the family went in the movie Dirty Dancing.  I kept looking for Kevin Bacon and Jennifer Grey.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28A9Jgo92GQ
http://standrewsbythesea.ca/
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/ysjak-the-algonquin-resort-st-andrews-by-the-sea-autograph-collection/
So far this year we have spent a little over five weeks in Canada.  Friendly people, great food and incredible scenery!

Digby

What the claws of a 40 pound lobster look like!

Seafood processing on Digby Wharf

St. Andrews by the Sea

St. Andrews by the Sea

Maritime Lighthouses

There are around 200 working lighthouses on Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.  Obviously we didn't see but a few of them as we traveled around.  Enjoy some pictures of the ones that we did see!

North Rustico, PEI

Wellington, PEI

Wellington, PEI

PEI National Park

PEI National Park

Panmure Island Provincial Park, PEI

Charlottetown, PEI

Wood Island Ferry, PEI

Wood Island Ferry, PEI

Chetticamp, Nova Scotia

Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia

Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia

Digby, Nova Scotia

Prim Point (Near Digby, Nova Scotia)

Prim Point (Near Digby, Nova Scotia)

Draining the Swamp

Blogger at Work!

I'm not sure what dock Otis Redding was sitting on as he watched the tide roll away.  If it was the Bay of Fundy I can certainly understand why he would be so mesmerized. 
We've been in Wolfville, Nova Scotia for the past two days.  Our hotel overlooks the Bay and like Otis, we've been watching the tide roll away........and back in......and away......and back in.  I don't know when I would get tired of it but I do think it would take a while.  Our hotel has a balcony that makes for great viewing as the small swamp like bay fills and empties.  When empty it looks like a big mud pit.  As quick as it empties it begins to refill and when full it has probably 45 feet of water.  Like clockwork it fills and empties every 12 hours and 35 minutes. 
Yesterday we did an eight mile hike to the Cape Split point.  This jut of land sticks out in the bay making for a relatively narrow passage (7 miles from the point to the other shore).  According to what I have read over 100 billion tons of water flows through this during every tide change.  Additionally, it is said that when flowing at it's maximum rate it is greater than the flow of all the rivers and streams in the world.  Now I'm not exactly sure how to begin to calculate that so I guess I'll just have to take their word for it.  What I can say is that we were there two hours before high tide and the flow was so great it was producing huge waves, whirlpools and even a steady roar.
The tide is coming in now and we have to check out in about an hour.  I think I'll quit blogging for now and just sit back and hum an old Otis Redding tune.
http://www.bayoffundy.com/about/

There are lots of wineries in this area.  We had lunch at the Luckett Vineyards.  Steak and Mushroom Pie and Beef Stroganoff

They put this working phone booth in the middle of the vineyard.  It actually works (Beth is on the phone with Debbie) and you can make a free call to anyone in North America.  It was a rotary dial phone!

On the dyke at Wolfville.  This was used by the early farmers (1700's) to create very fertile farmland.  It's still in use today

From the park behind our hotel at high tide

Taken from the same spot as the picture above...now at low tide!



A local said the "muck" is about 3 feet deep.  We took his word for it!  We also learned Wolfville was originally named Mud Creek.  It was an accurate name but probably not the best for tourism........nice rebranding!

At high tide the water is about two feet below the deck

Cape Split Point

What 100+  Billion Tons of moving water looks like

 

Merry Christmas from Lunenburg!

Today has really been "cooler" weather.......with a fair bit of rain as well.  The high has probably been around 65.  The wind has blown pretty steady off of Lunenburg Harbor making it even chillier.  No complaints here, it feels great.
Even though it was drizzling a little this morning we were able to get out for a walk.  There is a really nice trail from the harbor area that leads to a longer trail called the Back Harbor Walking/Biking Trail.  The trail was lined with trees that served somewhat as a large umbrella keeping the raindrops to a minimum.  Since the start of the trip we've been on "Moose Patrol".  So far we've had no luck with seeing a moose but we did have a small white tail deer hang out with us for a little while this morning.
Rainy, chilly days are perfect for gaining new knowledge.  I'm not sure if it worked or not, but we did enjoy visiting the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic which is located on the waterfront.  One of the highlights was a young lady who did an outstanding 20 minute presentation on lobsters and lobster fishing in Nova Scotia.  Everything from molting, how to tell the difference between a male and a female, lifespan, size, etc. was covered.  We know a whole lot more about lobsters now than we did earlier today. In case you are wondering, the largest lobster ever caught in these waters........44 pounds!
As we drove into Lunenburg yesterday I noticed a sign proclaiming it as the Christmas Tree Capital of the World.  I was quite impressed with this lofty claim so I did a little fact checking.  Within about 20 seconds I learned that Indiana, Pennsylvania and Oregon also make this claim.  I would imagine if I would have spent more time looking into I could have quickly found even more places claiming this honor.  For a moment I was feeling as if I had fallen for a little sneaky Canadian deception.  I was happy to learn that with a little more checking Lunenburg is the "Balsam Fir Christmas Tree Capital of the World".  A well deserved honor and as a reminder there are only 126 shopping days till Christmas!
http://www.christmastreeproducers.com/aboutus.html
https://fisheriesmuseum.novascotia.ca/
Next up is Wolfville............wine country of Nova Scotia!
https://www.wolfville.ca/experiencing-wolfville.html




On the Harbor Trail

The Fisheries Museum

A brush with Canadian greatness!

Close to seven hours in the car can be described as long periods of silence interrupted by random conversation.  As more and more miles pass the conversations can get a little nuttier.  Does anyone out there remember all the words to the theme song for Petticoat Junction?  Beverly Hillbillies, easy!  Gilligan's Island, simple! Green Acres, piece of cake!  I just couldn't pull out the sheet music for all of Petticoat Junction.  It was a long drive but we made it safely in spite of ourselves.  One other thing, I may be getting old but the live version of Free Bird (recently added to my playlist) is still pretty dang good!
We are now in the port town of Lunenburg (pop. 2,500).  After getting here and settled into the hotel we did a little walk around to get our bearings.  The town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of it's architecture and being the best example of a planned British colonial settlement in Canada.  The 200+ year old colorful homes along the waterfront have been well maintained.  The "old town" section is very hilly.  We decided it is kind of mix of Polperro in the UK, Monterey, Calif and a little bit of San Francisco thrown in for good measure.  It's going to be a fun couple of days here if the weather holds out for us.
As we were checking into our hotel we started talking to two ladies who were checking in at the same time.  The clerk reached behind the counter and pulled out two pictures for one of the ladies to sign.  Beth, never being one to miss an opportunity asked "what famous person are you"?  She and her traveling partner were quite amused and shared with us that she was Canada's first female astronaut!  Her name is Roberta Bondar and she flew on the Space Shuttle Discovery Mission STS-42 from January 22-30, 1992.  In addition to being an astronaut, she is also a physician (Neurologist), a world class photographer and has been recognized as one of Canada's ten most influential women.  She was in town with an exhibition of some of her photographs that she has done in celebration of Canada's 150th Birthday.
The exhibition was open to the public and she invited us to attend.  Not being ones to turn down a personal invitation from a real life astronaut we joined about 150 others at the exhibition.  Her photographs were amazing. It was very interesting to hear her describe how she took them and what they meant to her.  We were very fortunate in our timing and Beth's curiosity!  It was a brush with Canadian Greatness that we'll remember for a long time!
 http://www.robertabondar.com/astronaut.php
http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronauts/biobondar.asp
http://www.therobertabondarfoundation.org/roberta-bondar-photography/

Now we know what famous person you are!

Dr. Bondar sharing stories about space and her photographs

Near the waterfront in "Old Town Lunenburg"

More examples of the architecture of Lunenburg

She didn't realize the bell would actually ring............until just before the picture was taken

One of several "Tall Ships" in the harbor.

Chilling in Ingonish!

Ingonish Beach

Driving the Cabot Trail non-stop would take about 6 hours.  To do that would be a shame.  There is so much to see along the way.  We are in the town of Ingonish for the second night.  It will be our last night in Cape Breton and on the Cabot Trail.  Like our first two stops, Baddeck and Cheticamp, Ingonish is a small village. It is more spread out and seems larger but it's population is less than 2,000. 
http://ingonish.com/
We're staying at the Seascape Coastal Retreat which is a small property with 10 cottages overlooking a very scenic bay with mountains in the background.  They really spoil you here.  Around 5:00 PM they deliver hot hors devours to the cottage.  Yesterday it was bacon wrapped scallops and today it was coconut shrimp.  I only wish some of my non-shellfish eating Adventist friends would have been here.........more for me!
http://seascapecoastalretreat.com/
We enjoyed a nice hike on the Middle Head Trail earlier today.  It wasn't too long (around 3 miles) or too difficult but there were amazing views along the way.  Ingonish also has a really nice beach that was located near the trailhead.  There are a few crazies who get in the water.  Me and cold water don't get along so getting my toes wet by the occasional breaking wave is good enough for me.
http://www.trailpeak.com/trail-Middle-Head-Cape-Breton-near-Ingonish-NS-1881
http://www.novascotia.com/see-do/outdoor-activities/ingonish-beach-and-freshwater-lake-cape-breton-highlands-national-park/6000
Tomorrow it's on to the South Shore region of Nova Scotia and the UNESCO World Heritage City of Lunenberg.  Mostly a driving day but as I've said before it's the journey not the destination.
https://www.explorelunenburg.ca/
If you've followed this blog for a while you know that Beth and I  spent quite a bit of time in Barcelona back in January.  Spain and Barcelona in particular are favorites of ours.  Our prayers are with the good people of Spain. Especially the victims and families of those killed or injured in todays senseless attack.

Panoramic taken from the Middle Head Trail

Happy Hikers on the Middle Head Trail

Beth and a big rock on the trail



Beth balancing a fellow hiker on her shoulders!

Ingonish Beach

Laying in the sand taking pictures of the clouds

Laying in the sand taking pictures of the clouds 2.0