Tag: Travel

That was a Rough Week

I’m still not ready to write about the reason behind all of the insanity last week. It’s not really my story to tell. Suffice to say I drove about 100000000 miles over the last 10 days or so.

First, I was off on Friday May 1st. That day we learned that my step son’s girlfriend had an issue that needed immediate attention. She goes to school in Burlington, VT but her family lives near Detroit, MI. On Saturday May 2nd my wife and I drove from Methuen, MA to Burlington (about three hours) to pick up both kids and drive them back to our house. 

On Sunday May 3rd I drove them both to Logan Airport in Boston (about 40–50 minutes or so) so she could catch a flight to Michigan. Then immediately I drove my step son back to Burlington (3.5 hours or so) and after dropping him off at his apartment I drove straight home (three hours).

On Monday May 4th I went to work, then on Tuesday May 5th I had the day off. I was supposed to be taking my wife to a doctors appointment but that fell through. I was also supposed to pick up my step daughter at Logan Airport. She was on a trip to California. Turns out her flight didn’t land until 10:00pm so it wouldn’t have interfered with work. It did mean I didn’t get home until super late which made Wednesday morning rough.

On Wednesday May 6th I worked from home and as soon as I punched out for the day my wife and I jumped in the car and drove to Burlington, VT again. We picked up my step son and then drove further North, crossing the border into Quebec. We immediately went to a hotel and went to sleep. 

On Thursday May 7th we did some major driving. We drove all the way to Lapeer, MI. It was about 9–10 hours. Almost all of it on highways in Canada. When we arrived we brought my step son to where his girlfriend was and my wife and I got to meet some of her family. Most notably, we got to meet her 18 month old niece who was absolutely adorable. After that we went back to the hotel and crashed.

On Friday May 8th we spent almost the entire day just being there for the kids as they went through everything the family needed to get through. My wife and I were distantly on the periphery, but my step son was more involved. In the late afternoon my wife and I excused ourselves for a while. We drove about an hour North in the hopes of seeing a Great Lake (Huron) up close but when we got to the spot we were looking for you couldn’t actually see the lake. You could see little canals running into it, but not the lake itself. We did catch a glimpse from the highway at one point though. That will have to do.

Saturday May 9th was the super crazy day that just sucked the life right out of all of us. We drove home. We crossed into Ontario again and then headed East. We crossed back into the US at Niagara, NY and from there drove home to Methuen. I think it was about 11 hours on the road. We were toast.

On Sunday May 10th my step daughter cooked a Mothers Day brunch for my wife, which was lovely, and we all just decompressed a little from the insanity of the week. Eventually we drove my step son to a bus stop in Manchester, NH (about half an hour away) and he took that home to Burlington. I went grocery shopping and then proceeded to flake out for the rest of the day. I needed the rest.

Now it is Monday May 11th and I am in the office (an hour drive from home) and it’s not even 11:00am and I am already pretty desperate to go home and go back to sleep. What a crazy week. Just… wow.

Divisible by Eleven

Friday May 8th. Yeah, it’s my birthday. Again. I’m 55 years old. I am divisible by 11.

It’s our only full day in Michigan. I might write up the reason for this trip at some point, but not today. Suffice to say we spent a long day here (and even though it is after 10pm and I am super old, the day is not over). Tomorrow we go home. We will cross the US/Canadian border two more times but one time will be at a new location.

There is a teeny tiny possibility that we might stop very briefly at Niagara Falls. The first time my Dad ever let me shoot a photo with his SLR (a Pentax K1000) was at Niagara Falls. I have a film camera here with me but it’s not Dad’s K1000. Still, it would be fun to take a shot or two of the Canadian falls on film again.

Speaking of SLR’s, I have one coming from eBay at some point next week. I had planned to wait a few weeks before I went out to shoot film again, but now I’ll need to shoot a test roll through the new camera so I can get it developed and prove everything works (oh please let everything work) before I take it out for real. That will hopefully happen next weekend. Fingers crossed.

Until then, I have a long, long drive on the books for tomorrow. An hour or so North of Detroit to a half hour North of Boston. Wish me and my wife and my step son luck on this crazy journey.

Cross the Border

That’s it. I’m leaving the country tonight. Just you wait and see. When I go to sleep tonight I will not be in the United States of America.

That sounds super dramatic but let me assure you it is not. It’s true, but it’s not what it seems. It’s not some politically motivated emigration. It’s more like it gets me where I am going.

My step son’s girlfriend is from Michigan, near(ish) to Detroit. Her family is going through some stuff right now (no, it’s none of your business) and my step son, my wife, and I are heading there to show a little moral support (no I am not sharing specifics. As previously stated, it’s none of your business). 

My step son and his girlfriend are both students at schools in Burlington, VT. The best highway route involves first driving North across the Canadian border into Quebec, and then driving Southwest past a couple of Great Lakes and recrossing the border into Michigan. Staying in the US involves detouring around those Great Lakes which adds hours to the trip. 

So the plan tonight is to punch out of work (about 15 minutes from now), load up the car, drive to Burlington to pick up Harry, then drive to a hotel just across the border. Then tomorrow at the crack of dawn start heading around those big lakes. On Saturday we will repeat the route in reverse.

Given the situation in the fascist states of america right now though… leaving Canada is going to be tough. There are a lot of reasons not to leave once you’re there, you know? I’ll do it, but it will be tough, that’s all I’m saying.

Winter is Over

I shipped off three rolls of film for developing two days ago. If things go well I’ll have a few more on Tuesday.

Winter is over, folks. It’s time to blow absurd amounts of money on film photography. Bring it on!

I mean… winter is sort of over. It is still pretty cold out. I went to the store this morning and wore a winter jacket. I’m wearing a fleece jacket while sitting in the living room at home. Still… 35mm and 120 film rolls are out in the mail. It’s that time again!

In other news, in about two hours we’re going to leave the house and drive to the airport in Boston. From there we’re driving back to Burlington, VT and then driving home again. It’s going to be a long day of driving. Maybe I should bring a film camera with me. No… not today.

Traveling Folk

My step daughter is at Logan airport. She’s taking a birthday trip out west and I hope she has a great time. Also, me being me, I am worried about her flight. You know how it is, right?

My wife and I are heading to Vermont to help my step son and his girlfriend out with some difficulties. This weekend I will drive from Methuen, MA to Burlington, VT and then from Methuen, MA to Boston, MA to Burlington, VT to Methuen, MA.

Wish us traveling folk some luck, m’kay? Thanks.

She’s Home

My step daughter is home from her academic trip to Europe!

I think the pilot on her flight from Dublin to Boston must have had a date or something. Either that or he has the airplane equivalent of a lead foot. The plane landed over an hour early. How sick is that? Thanks, speedy pilot!