Category: The DayBook

At about 0540 I decided to have a shower. 

That’s all. No cell service for a while.

The only event today is walking along side the train in Saskatoon.

22 cars on the train. 

There are interesting people to talk to.

Beer and wine tasting.

Good food 

Running about 5 hours late.

No worries.

 

We were told that every car on the train was 71 years old. Most of the passengers are at least that old. 

I presume the engines are younger.

 

Waiting for the seaplane this morning I was entertained by dancing water taxis. They were charming.

Today’s event is getting to Vancouver by a 50+ year old plane.

The pilot is the baggage handler and there is no TSA.

I frequently end up in Vancouver and always stay at the YWCA. my favorite coffee shop was still in business. The grocery store was where it has always been.

So, I had coffee and a cookie for lunch, there’s a deli ham sandwich on tap for dinner and a muffin for first breakfast tomorrow. 

Feeling the years, so I plan to stay in tonight. 

About the blog. There’s no WiFi on the train. And there aren’t many cell phone towers along the way.

I will be on the train from Monday afternoon until Friday afternoon. If the train is on time and it won’t be.

So, if there’s no blog update it doesn’t mean the I have died. Maybe I just couldn’t connect. But, Nobody is promised tomorrow.

Decided to have another Wander Day. This time I wandered towards the ocean.

After a while, I come to a half mile long break water.

I wandered almost six miles and for that I am truly grateful.

Only 3 days into the trip and I needed a day off.

So, I took wander about town.

It was cloudy and in the mid 60s. A fine wandering day.

I believe if you planted a tooth pick here next year you would have a tree.

After almost 4 miles, I was ready for ice cream.
And a nap.

Grateful for nice cool day for wandering.

Some how I missed this installation yesterday. Wonder why they put an avocado on a sidewalk in Canada?

Rain today, but I went to visit Butchart Gardens. About an hour bus ride. It was raining. But that was OK. Made it more interesting and kept the crowd down  

Butchard had small umbrellas for visitors to use. It made visitors look like so many jellyfish.

The gardens were wonderful. Over the top. Sort of reminded me of Singapore Botanical Gardens. 

Grateful for nice hot tea on a chilly July afternoon.

Got a real newspaper with breakfast and this was the political cartoon.

Five passengers. Super flight. 

No algae problem here.

Fire works at 10 pm. Don’t know if I will be awake.

Last-minute addition to my kit – “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore” Button. I resisted putting my “Resist” t-shirt in the bag.

Flying from DC to Newark to Vancouver today. ETA at Vancouver Hotel 9:15 PM. Don’t imagine I’ll be in any shape to post anything.

I last did this route in 2012. I went to Vancouver by train. All the way in coach. Then I crossed Canada by train in coach. And took the MegaBus back home. Oh, and I rode a Harley down Icefields Parkway. Needless to say, Carlton was not with me!

This time: no coach train travel. No long-distance buses. No motorcycles.

But I do get antique seaplanes. A de Havilland Canada Single Otter tomorrow.

Grateful to be going out on another adventure. 

A little wildlife photography this afternoon. 
Very little.

Heading out tomorrow morning.
Every trip. Every time.
I wonder.
Is this the last trip before the really big trip to whatever comes next?

But enough of that kind of thinking.
All packed. A couple of ounces short of 12 pounds.
That should be safely under the seaplane’s 15-pound limit.

I have 6 flights, 4 hotel rooms, and 1 train cabin reserved.
That’s the extent of my planning.
I plan to be back in the Old Bat’s Cave in 2 weeks.

Grateful for one more trip.

All of my friends here at the Asylum remember our 200th birthday back in ’76. We recall feeling good. Going down to the Mall. Watching the fireworks.

Jerry Ford was President.
We survived Watergate.
The Vietnam War was barely over.
We believed we were heading out of a decade of discontent.

That was then.
This is now.

Wrapping up getting ready for my little escape to Canada.
Do I need to take a heavier sweater? NO
How much origami paper should I take? One small pack
Any reason to take a second pair of shoes? NO

Grateful to have a friend who calls on a rainy Sunday morning, offering fantastic cheese enchiladas ready just in time for lunch.