Parliament buildings (middle of three) day time



And at night



We did a hop on and off bus tour and found the Civilisation Museum, the left and right edges of the building represent the two Canadian mountain ranges the Appalachians and Rockies with the prairie land between represented by the grass. In the background you can see the back of the parliament buildings and the parliamentary library the round building



We got off the bus at the Aviation Museum which we enjoyed. This is in the foyer and is a plane originally used by the air force for initial pilot training but now only used by the acrobatic pilots (like the Roulettes at home)



We enjoyed our time in the cockpit of the same sort of plane



Notre Dame Cathedral (Ottawa version)



The Prime Minister’s Residence



A street view heading for the Market area



Convention Centre



The Hotel Fairmont Chateau Laurier with a War Memorial in the foreground



Locks on the Rideau Canal beside the Chateau Laurier – which is emptied out to 2 feet deep in the winter and locals can skate for 8kms!



Another Government building mirrored in its neighbour across the street

Bits and Bobs:



Having been born a ‘Bell’ Norm thought it appropriate that I include that I have my very own call / telephone box (many) in Canada!



The Cruising, the coffee, the company, what can I say…I’m lovin it!

The morning dawned clear and sunny and we headed out for breakfast. This is the main street of Wellington which used to be a tiny country town until tourism came to town but it hasn’t lost any of its charm. The café was to the left of our accommodation



Looking from inside the Red Poppy into the street. We loved the pressed tin walls and ceiling



A quick look at Lake Ontario behind our accommodation before we headed off



We crossed from Prince Edward County back to the mainland over this bridge. It was really steep on the other side and then a more gradual descent this side, I guess to accommodate yachts and other boats in the channel



Following a lot of productive farmland right down to the lake edge (not the sea which I’m finding it hard to get my head around) we found an impressive Church in Kingston



A view of a property on the road from Kingston to Brockville



Looking up to the Courthouse and Courthouse Square in Brockville



Tonight we headed to the ’Fairmont Chateau Laurier’ to celebrate Sharen’s birthday with drinks and dinner. They have a half day on their tour tomorrow and we have a lay day so we will catch up in the afternoon as well. This is in the restaurant as we had our dinner which was delicious! L - R Nola, Norm, Ken, Sharen.

Bits and Bobs:



Quirky décor at the Newsroom Suites.

Last night’s Accommodation:



Newsroom Suites
Prince Edward County
269 Main Street
Wellington, ON, Canada

Well the Newsroom Suites were an unexpected treat. Comfortable bed and space. Small dining bench and sink, fridge and microwave and other appliances so possible to be self-contained if you wanted to. Generous size bathroom and beautiful linens and towels. There are 3 apartments we were # 3 on the veranda. The other 2 are upstairs and the office and what looks like a big office so perhaps a local paper…who knows on the ground floor as well. Love the garden out front which is a delight and also gives good privacy. A quirky decorating feature are an antique camera and typewriter (similar to what I learnt on) ouch, pains me to say that. (above in the bits and bobs). Nice and cosy and comfortable. No meals on site but dinner across the street and breakfast only a couple of shopfronts away.

Last night's dinner:
Also enjoyed our dinner at ‘Pomodour’ (the sister restaurant of the one directly across the road which was booked out and only spot was at the bar at the front door…no thanks). As it was at Pomodour we sat at the bar (a broad single slice of a tree) but could get served straight away. Loved the industrial décor and sweet smell of wood as well as a DELICIOUS DINNER. Have enjoyed the Canadian cuisine more than the American so far.

Breakfast was had at the ‘Tall Poppy’….clearly not in Australia or no one would be game to dine there for fear of being ridiculed / criticised etc. but the meal was superb.

The forecasters were right it started raining overnight and didn’t let up for much of the day so we donned our waterproofs which worked well and gradually got ourselves into a manageable rhythm. We (well me) were grateful for the lower maximum speeds today especially on the concrete highways as they were very wet and slick and we were wary after seeing lots of shiny patches on the concrete yesterday so it was gently as we went. We planned to travel more rural roads away from large amounts of traffic and road spray and it worked well and also meant we saw lots of lovely little communities and some incredible real estate especially on any lakeshore we came across.



Glad we got some photos on our way to dinner last night because the camera didn’t surface until briefly at lunchtime today and when we got into Wellington. This is a Collingwood street scene. Attractive town with a population of approximately 19,500.



We liked this Mural in Collingwood. Happy not to see graffiti anywhere.



Look what we found on our walk back to our accommodation last night. The music out the back on the deck sounded pretty good!

It was a shame it was so wet today because we travelled through some spectacularly beautiful and productive farmland and even some leafy forest areas which were reminiscent of the UK. Norm was pleased we found some gently undulating terrain today with some corners as he has found the last few days with long long straight stretches of flat road mesmerising and not his favourite riding…I agree.



We had lunch at a bar and grill next door to the Art Deco style Roxy Theatre in Uxbridge and loved the quirky building behind as well. Note the curved (half tank) roof of the theatre which is the same as what was the old theatre at home in Traralgon.



Wellington is a gorgeous place and would be a great spot to drop and explore for a bit. What a welcome sight, this is the veranda directly in front of our suite tonight. Lovely! I really should have been sipping a cool drink while Norm washed the bikes (which were filthy disgusting) and he used the drink bottles we had been using and no longer will since one leaked over everything in my pannier.



And this is the view from the veranda to the main street and to the restaurant across the road where we will dine tonight. Even in a downpour (God forbid) we shouldn’t get too wet.

Bits and Bobs:

Interesting to see the different variation of road kill on the roads here compared to home. We have seen evidence of squirrels and raccoons with an occasional deer and even an eagle yesterday. A change from wombats, rabbits, foxes and the occasional wallaby or kangaroo….not looking forward to encountering a deer, moose or elk and in fact also not a bear or mountain lion. We Aussies aren’t used to NOT being the end of the food chain. We saw signs today to beware of deer n the spring and fall and it is the fall now.



A resident squirrel at our Collingwood accommodation



A sign on the door of the bar and grill where we had lunch today. Appealed to my sense of humour. You can also see opening hours.

Last night’s Accommodation:



Joseph Lawrence House B & B
492 Hurontario Street
Collingwood ON L9Y 2N1

A lovely stately home beautifully furnished and comfortable. Would be lovely to spend several days here. We had the Oxford room (1st floor) with ensuite which was tastefully decorated and comfortable and I could have stayed in the bed all day!. The common sitting area and breakfast room were lovely and the large side veranda sitting area a superb spot to sit with a glass of wine in the evening (shame I didn’t have one). The gardens are a delight and the owners own quarters are not intrusive on the guest space nor (I hope) the guest space on theirs. Our hosts were welcoming and helpful but left us to do our own thing so we were happy. Happy to recommend it and good value for money with breakfast included and my goodness what a breakfast it was...my first ever candlelight breakfast!

Also enjoyed our dinner at the ‘Admiral’s Post’ a pub / bistro but with a good menu and great service.

After yesterday being so cold we donned our merino long johns and long sleeve T’s today and were much more comfortable even without the Dri-az-a-bone (oil skin) over pants and along the lake views saw some spectacular real estate and many buildings reminiscent of the Lindel Cedar Home we imported from Canada in 1972 and other more palatial examples they also produced. Many look all year round residences but a huge number holiday homes only.

When we fuelled up this morning the attendant told Norm “you’re the second lot of Louisiana plates we’ve had here in two days, the first ones were two bikes and an RV up here huntin bear”. Norm asked “do you get many bear up here?” to which the reply was “ooh yeah”. Needless to say we didn’t stop for an afternoon nap outside of town anywhere today.



Working farm north of Sauble Beach on the way to Tobermory



Looking from the war memorial across the harbour at Tobermory. Saw a sticker equivalent to the ‘Buy Australian’ slogan we have on the back of a pick-up truck it said “still got a job? Keep buying foreign”. We have seen a lot of evidence of abandoned small acreage properties and houses and partially completed subdivisions today. This is largely an area reliant on summer trade so a 3 month window of opportunity. Must be tough!



An example of an old giant of a barn just north of the turn off to Lions Head in the process of disintegrating but still working with hay inside it and grain trucks lined up.



Looking along the cliff face from the marina in Lions Head



An enjoyable lunch was had at Wiarton Inn and this was the view across the street which was jam packed with cars and people …. good to see.



The front on view of the Inn…with a couple of good bikes to see as well…what a surprise!



Looking across Owen Sound where we had enjoyed the view (as also in Colpoys Bay east of Wiarton) where we rode between great cliffs and a couple of islands in view off shore as well so I assume carved out by glaciers many years ago.



We stopped for a quick stretch (and photo) in Owen Sound and the bike was surrounded by interesting wary looking individuals quite quickly. The guy in the red T shirt was full of a story of how his bike had been stolen by a crack dealer and he subsequently stole it back and so it went on ... Norm decided to let me take the photo by myself and he would stay with the bikes then we got out of there quick. We can only assume that tawdry people on motorbikes supply drugs in the area.

By the way the maximum speed we could travel today was 50 – 80 KMH and this wasn’t because of the condition of the road which was brilliant but those were the MAXIMUM speeds. The only positive is that we have had brilliant fuel economy!

Bits and Bobs:



Interesting parking sign in Grand Bend which we discovered last night says more than you might expect. The Council at Sauble Beach has instituted exorbitant parking fees increasing them over the last 5 years with a drop in local business then a minimal recovery initially but this last year a dramatic decline. They are currently $15.00 and a $25.00 fine if you park for over 2 hours and accommodation numbers there have reduced by 60% and a number of attractions didn’t bother opening for the summer (the ONLY season they have to earn an income). So much for supporting business! The only consolation the townsfolk have is that the beautiful Sauble beach will still be there when the bean counters in the Municipal Offices are long gone.

Last night’s Accommodation:



Centennial Motel
10 Sauble Falls Parkway, General Delivery,
Sauble Beach, Ontario N0H 2G0
351 Gratiot Avenue

A comfortable motel, well maintained, clean, comfortable bed and room to spread our stuff about to sort out and convenient to the beach. Our host was very welcoming and helpful which was good to experience at the end of a pretty big day. There is also a pool and hot tub but after a very cold windy ride we didn’t bother trying them out. Dinner and breakfast options handy. Good value for money.

We also enjoyed our dinner at the ‘Red Road’ restaurant an indigenous restaurant which had great food and service and also good value for money. No alcohol available (only coke products) but didn’t detract from the experience.

Well where we stayed last night ‘looked’ like the sort of area in movies one should avoid at night with some interesting individuals travelling back and forth and yelling for no apparent reason. I have to confess I felt relieved we could cover our bikes before they were there for too long and that they were still there this morning. DOH we had brought some disc locks for the bikes and forgot we had them! We really must be losing the plot. Detroit (home of the car industry) really is a dying city and the area we were in was quite empty and the hotel I’d say is part of a bid to renew things and they did it quite well. We were told today (not in Detroit) that there used to be 1.98 million people in Detroit and there are now about 980,000 which is staggering!



A hint of the Detroit skyline from behind our hotel…it looked quite attractive really.



We crossed into Canada over a massive bridge around Port Edward and were welcomed into Canada by a brusque young officer. Don’t know if he speaks any differently to people when he’s mad at them or he just has one winning way to do it. Didn’t impress either of us in fact the first grump we have come across on this trip.



A quaint little Church where we headed off Lakeshore Road (a lie except for a couple of brief glimpses) to find the Ipperwash Beach on the lake which was quite lovely and unbelievably rough.



The other side of the road shows some interesting contrasts. A farmhouse (hiding behind trees) and barns (old school) and a solar panel and wind turbines to the right (new school). These were the first of many and showed us that it wasn’t unseasonal but ‘normal’ for there to be a gale blowing and we saw many many more between there and our destination.

We have enjoyed the changing views today with farmland changing from huge expanses of corn and other crops, then to vegetable growing and later cattle which I assume are dairy as we have seen a cheese factory or two. Been interesting to see the variations in the barns as the type of farming has changed and sad to see some beautiful old timber barns literally disintegrating.



We detoured into the little lakeside village of Grand Bend which was an interesting mix of real estate from expensive to pretty scarily rough.



An example of a well-kept barn and silo complex and again the house hidden behind trees and given the wind likely so it is protected!



We enjoyed seeing the picturesque town of Goderich Ontario. There is a major refurbishment underway of the town centre and this is the Courthouse in the centre of (not surprisingly Courthouse Square) though it is in fact an 8 sided square surrounded on the outer rim by a collection of picturesque shops. Looking across at the Courthouse.



We arrived in Sauble Beach late in the day and checked out the beach after we checked in and where to get a meal. A very nice beach and the wind is nowhere near as rough as it was when we checked out the beach this morning when there were literally rows of white caps pounding on the shore … pretty impressive since it is a lake!



We dined at an indigenous restaurant on the beach and this is the tail end of the sunset.

Bits and Bobs:



The dogs in Goderich Ontario can apparently read as I found this on a shop wall. …. Okay so it was beside a pet grooming shop and it was too high for them to read anyway being my waist height but it appealed to my sick sense of humour.

Yesterday as we were trying to track down a toll transponder bracket and unlocked phone we parked in the car park around a massive shopping centre (J C Penny’s, Sears and several other brands) and the car park space was massive! Literally acres and acres but we could ride anywhere we wanted across car park spaces to get anywhere we wanted without having to steer around parked cars. It was scarily empty….almost looked deserted! The Auto shop had no cars being serviced and there was NOTHING parked anywhere near there and the stock in there was extremely limited. The few shops in the complex we went into were all but empty of customers and were loaded with stock with very few staff anywhere. It was eerily empty and we found ourselves thinking how we had previously thought retail business in Australia was slow but it’s nothing to what we saw yesterday.

We were also directed to a Lowes store looking for a transponder bracket (a Bunnings equivalent) which had good patronage and the car park area was reasonably full which led us to assume that people are maintaining their homes themselves rather than spending money on just shopping.

By the way, last night on the TV there was advertising for 0% interest for car purchases which is supposedly starting to stimulate some interest. Pretty grim all round really.
PS. We have seen many more examples of empty car parks around shopping centres today including in the one we finally got a phone … now we are in the process of getting it unlocked! No unlocked phones sold in Canada we are told. A security issue perhaps as we had to provide a verifiable name and address to apply for the unlocking.

Last night’s Accommodation:



Hilton Garden Inn Detroit Downtown
351 Gratiot Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48226

The hotel is really very nice and has great amenities complete with restaurants and bars and gym and pool. Parking is available though we were told to park the bikes on the footpath adjacent to the rear entry where the parking attendants monitor the comings and goings so it didn’t cost us anything. We were pleased about both because it didn’t cost us anything and because the area looked like it has its challenges. All the staff were welcoming and friendly and the room and bed beautifully comfortable.

We had a 9.30am slot for breakfast and were quite grateful after what felt like a big day yesterday. The resort was a welcome sight to two weary travellers last night after finally getting all our bits and pieces sorted at the bike shop then grappling with the traffic and heading off for a pretty solid ride. I’m happy to report that the conclusion we had made about the interstate traffic yesterday was confirmed again today and that was that overall it was more predictable and not as fast or as pushy as on a lot of the motorways in the UK so we had the opportunity to familiarise ourselves with the bikes without being under too much pressure.



We had hoped to see Meyer May House which was one of the last Prairie-style family homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright so headed for Grand Rapids (a huge city we hadn’t planned to explore) and mistakenly thought it was attached to the Voight House Victorian Museum…and it may have been but that was closed however the trip want wasted as the Museum was surrounded by many beautiful homes. The one above was a couple of doors down as an example though brick houses were in the minority.

The pressure today came from wasting close on 2 hours in a couple of bursts trying to track down another toll transponder holder because the transponders are much larger than we have at home and both carriers we brought are way too small. We got one at the bike shop but so far haven’t come across another bike shop. We were also looking for an unlocked phone for Norm to drop his sim card in it since the one he brought with him doesn’t work here and after being told at AT&T in Chicago that they don’t sell them but any Radio Shack would we found one this morning and nope they don’t sell them so we decided to try another one later in the day and you guessed it they didn’t either. Have had the same luck with the transponder carrier in spite of being redirected to many auto parts places so we will see tomorrow. Interesting to see all the shops which don’t sell unlocked phones compared to home where they are in supermarkets and roadside fuel stops at home.



Streetscape in Lansing.

Enough whingeing we have enjoyed the great views as we have ridden through densely leafy forests and acres of cornfields and many more broad-acre crops punctuated with picturesque barns and farm buildings peeking above the crops, just lovely. With time slipping away we decided to call in to the Oldsmobile Transportation Museum in Lansing as we figured we would be too late to get to the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn.



A very cool looking Oldsmobile (late 30’s or early 40’s but cannot remember exactly)



More from the Oldsmobile Transportation Museum – a 1908 and 1938 REO fire truck.

On the work side of things we’ve seen heaps more trucks today predominantly long bonneted Freightliners and Volvos. We’ve loved seeing lots of Freightliners painted the same colour as our Trucks, Light Stellar Blue including the different versions we have seen over the years. I have to say the sweeping striping on ours and detailing certainly enhances the effect.



After seeing lots of great vehicle combinations coming towards us it got too much for Norm and he pulled into a roadside break area to see if he could find any and was rewarded with this shot.

We have enjoyed seeing a huge variation of trucks freight and vehicle configurations today. Michigan is the home of ‘Michigan Mules’ which basically means you keep adding axles to increase the weight you can carry and we saw many different versions of that today including massive girders under escort and blades for turbines parked up for the night.



Shot this one when we fuelled up at a small servo, he was stuck while another truck fuelled up.



And another as we came out from having a bit of lunch on the way to Lansing.

Bits and Bobs:



This bank sign caught my eye in South Haven. Now maths may not be my greatest strength but I’d like the people looking after my money to make a bit more sense than this!

Last night’s Accommodation:



The Victoria Resort
241 Oak Street
South Haven, Michigan 49090 USA
www.VictoriaResort.com

The resort is set in a large lush shady garden and although relatively old is in excellent condition and has been lovingly maintained and decorated. There are a number of separate cabins and we were downstairs in a multiple dwelling where 3 small rooms are now a cosy bedroom, sitting room and bathroom. The furnishings are lovely, bed was cosy and comfortable and apart from a few plumbing and creaking timber noises which is to be expected from a building this old it was incredibly peaceful and it didn’t detract from our experience. Our host was very welcoming and helpful and our breakfast in the charming little breakfast room was a great start to the day. Good value for money.

Great value also was a delicious dinner at the Clementine restaurant / bar. Happy to recommend that as well.

We farewelled Sharen and Ken last night after dinner as we planned to head off before holiday sleep in time today and did so. After being quoted a cab fare of around $100.00 yesterday to get to the bike shop we got a cab to the station (about $7.00) train to Westhaven ($10.50 total) then cab (about $8.00) to the bike shop in West Chicago and arrived shortly after 10am to find a couple of great looking bikes waiting for us…..also mighty good to see they really did exist after all the horrified comments we had from people asking if we were SURE they existed and happy to report they do.



Nola getting ready to head off from the bike shop, her bike on the left and Norms on the right.

We had a lovely warm ride from West Chicago to South Haven and I have to tell you Robert at the bike shop had told us some of the highway was a bit poor but it was awesome to what we have in Victoria at the moment and I’m pleased to say they are using thick tar strips to coat cracks in the surface to keep the water out and stop the surface from deteriorating which has stopped at home. Enough of work….other than to say we saw miles and miles of rail yards and empty carriages sitting idle not to mention yards full of empty and ageing semi’s and skel trailers in transport yards on the way. We also saw many many lovely leafy suburbs. What a treat.



It was great to meet the team at Du Page Honda / Yamaha for the two of us and here is Robert (who we have dealt with to make this all happen) Nola and Norm



Lighthouse point on the Eastern shore of Lake Michigan at South Haven.



Looking up the river towards the picturesque town of South Haven and the drawbridge which is just out of sight. By the way as I walked to get back on the bike a couple had just landed a salmon around 2 foot long!

Bits and Bobs:



We have seen lots of people on motorbikes. The locals appear to be the ones without any sort of protective gear….even helmets and the tourists on bike tours are the ones with all the luggage and protective gear. We’ve seen a lot of both.

Last 3 night’s Accommodation:

Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel
221 North Columbus Drive
Chicago IL 60601 USA
www.radissonblu.com/aquahotel-chicago

The hotel was a delight from start to finish. This relatively new hotel being not quite 2 years old is in beautiful condition. Our room was lovely, the bed unbelievably comfortable and the restaurants serve delicious food and there are many places to sit and unwind. The pool and gym facilities are awesome and there is even a ‘tan’ track for guests more serious about their fitness levels than us. Every staff member was cheerful and helpful and we felt incredibly welcome and well cared for. A nice start to our break.



The Aqua building (designed by a woman …YAY!!)Bottom third is the hotel, middle third rental apartments and the top third private condominium accommodation.



Typical of some of the beautiful floral arrangements which were evident in the public areas. A lovely touch.

Where yesterday was hot and humid (31c) today after a brief wild thunderstorm last night is less humid (27c). Another good night’s sleep was followed by exploring more of the ‘Windy City’ on foot firstly and I decided again I love Chicago. The architecture is incredibly varied in style height and surface treatment and no matter which direction you look the vista is different but complimentary. Another feature is that there are many layers of road underneath the city floor so there are wide pathways for foot traffic in the CBD area and the gardens and plantings throughout this area (not just in the Magic Mile) are lush, varied and picturesque. A great look.



An interesting collection of buildings. The tall cylindrical glass one in the background with the telecom tower on top is the Trump Tower. We heard yesterday that the Trump Penthouse has been reduced to 31.5 million dollars to buy, a .5million dollar reduction….any takers?



We think this may have been a deterrent to jay walking and crossing the intersection on red. I asked if I could take their photo and was told ‘yeah that’s fine….so long as you’re not from some down-under type country’ to which I replied ‘I wouldn’t think so!’ Needless to see no one believed that.

We followed our morning stroll with an ‘Architecture River Tour’ (supposed to be the most popular city tour) which was both an opportunity to view the city from the water as well as another perspective from that height and ended up with way too many photos to choose from so have picked this one of some of the skyline.



A skyline view from the river. The tall black tower with two white telecom ariel's is the Sears / Willis Tower.

We closed our day with cocktails in the former Sears Tower now the Willis Tower but had our drink and walk around to take photos from the Hancock observatory on the 96th level for a spectacular view across four states. After the various tours I am totally confused about which is the tallest building in the city so you’d better Google that yourself. We returned to our hotel for dinner and finished organising our gear for tomorrow when we collect our bikes…..both excited and nervous about that.



A view to the north from the tower along the shore of lake Michigan.

Bits and Bobs:

We learnt yesterday that the Architect Burley Griffin who designed Canberra was the second trainee Architect taken on by Frank Lloyd Wright which didn’t really surprise us given the hint of Prairie House look of some of the original buildings in Canberra. Liked the connection!



A handy neighbour to have beside our Hotel if a fire breaks out!

We thankfully sank about 10 feet into the mattress and slept like we were never going to wake up…well except for a toilet stop or two and then to the alarm at 9am this morning. We had a delicious breakfast at the hotel then tried to convince ourselves that we were awake and functioning well enough to venture out and headed out to find a taxi. Thankfully we didn’t come to any harm and had a great day including a twilight tour of the city with an entertaining guide ‘Osiris’ then back to the hotel for dinner and bed.



This is what we found to the left of our hotel in North Columbus Drive when we ventured out..….a road closure for the filming of ‘Transformers 4’. I hope our grandchildren are impressed!



We visited the beautiful leafy suburb of Oak Park to see the work of the Architect Frank Lloyd Wright which was a real treat. This is the first home he built (1889)and subsequently lived in with his wife and family and also worked from when he built his studio (the octagon building to the left of the main home building.) It was a treat to walk through this incredibly practical, timeless and quirky building.




My favourite of all the houses we visited on the self-guided walking tour built in 1896 (Simpson Dunlop House). Incredibly picturesque and lovely to see it is preserved so well given it is privately owned.

We headed off at 11am (Melbourne time) and landed in Los Angeles 8am (LA) time then on to Chicago where we touched down 6pm (Chicago time) and are now happily settled in our Hotel after a short walk and dinner and feeling very weary are now ready for a good sleep and a bit of a collapse for 3 days to recover from some of our exhaustion before we collect our bikes on September 3rd and head east. Hope you can join us for the ride.



Ken, Sharen, Nola and Norm in the Virgin lounge before we headed off from Tullamarine Airport (Melbourne). By the way we couldn’t speak too highly of the flight over. The Virgin staff were brilliant, the food superb and a ‘flat bed’ to sleep on it was the least my ankles have swollen flying for long periods.