johnboystravelblog

August 14, 2019

As I continued driving west along the north coast of the Gaspé Peninsula I saw a sign for the Rimouski-to-Forestville ferry which shuttles passengers and vehicles across the St. Lawrence River.  A short time later I saw the radio/radar mast for a ship surprisingly close to the road.  I stopped the car and walked back to see what it was all about.

I researched the name of the ship online and found a YouTube video of it striking the dock with the rear of the ship, presumably on this side of the river.  It didn’t appear to be significant enough damage to take a boat of this size out of service but you can see where it now sits, quite a ways above and away from the river.  It isn’t in a place conducive to effecting repairs so evidently this is the final resting place.

August 14, 2019

Say what???

That cryptic name and location describes something I saw which is a little out of the ordinary.  As I continued driving west along the northern edge of the Gaspé Peninsula I saw this object off in the distance:

Nothing unusual about the wind turbines in the foreground – it’s the large object in the background which caught my eye as I was driving.  As I drove I started to form thoughts about what I’d say about this object.  I was going to describe it as “new technology” but as it turns out that isn’t true at all.

The object you see above is a VAWT – Vertical Axis Wind Turbine.  It was, and still is, the largest one ever built.  Construction started in 1984 and it was put into service in 1987.  Unfortunately it’s productivity was short-lived.  It was taken out of service in 1993 as problems developed with the “large and expensive bearing” which allowed it to rotate and it remains “parked” in it’s present configuration.  éole (all lower case) is a water company which may have helped develop and fund the project (they have other windmill devices to draw water from the earth).  Eole is also the French word for Aeolus, the mythical Greek “keeper of the wind”.

I stopped and took photos several times the closer I got to this huge wind turbine.

As it turned out I was able to drive right up to the base of it!

This is the base which allowed it to rotate atop the concrete building:

This is the observation platform at the top:

The turbine is 315 feet tall and the sides which used to rotate are 215 feet across.  It appeared to be much taller than that because it was built on a hill higher than the conventional wind turbines which surround it.

There were a few people milling about while I was there and there was a small food truck selling drinks and snacks.  Signs indicated that trips up to the observation deck were available for a small fee but I didn’t see anyone up there and I’m afraid of heights so you couldn’t get me up there at gunpoint.  The sign at the entrance indicated that to get up there you’d need to climb steps.  Uh, no thanks.

This was the view of the side road I had taken to get to the facility entrance.  Hard to tell from the photo but this road slopes steeply downhill towards Route 132 which runs parallel to the coast and which I had been on all morning.

 

 

 

 

August 14, 2019

As I approached La Martre from the east I could see a red lighthouse out next to the Gulf.

Once I got up to where the lighthouse was I saw that there was a small pull off area with a miniature lighthouse for kids to play on and a small shelter.

There were two bicycles propped up against the shelter but no one in sight.  When I got out of the car to walk up the gravel road and get a photo of the lighthouse up on the hill a head popped up from inside the shelter.  A young lady was cooking something on a portable camping stove down on the ground inside the shelter (it had been getting increasingly windy as the day progressed).  Turns out her friend was out by the water admiring the view.  They had ridden a train (with their bikes) from west of Toronto and were on a several day-long bike ride.  Fortunately they were riding east so the wind was behind them but they were still tired and were taking a break and she was cooking breakfast.

I drove further up the highway and there was a small overlook with some covered picnic areas and up on the hill an area to look down on a harbor a short distance away as well as out over the St. Lawrence River.

Up on top of the small hill there were some wooden “sculptures,” the most interesting of which was a man riding some kind of flying machine.  There were two older couples there when I arrived taking pictures near the sculpture so I walked past it to examine what was beyond it.  The two men were taking pictures of the two ladies who were standing on either side of the sculpture and they were laughing up a storm.  When I walked past it I realized why and I said something to the effect that “I hope you young ladies are behaving yourselves…”.

From behind he was riding a propeller-driven craft.

But from the front there was a very large “protrusion” extending out from between his legs.  (Unfortunately his left leg was missing but the effect was still the same).

They were cackling like little schoolgirls and it was fun to see them having a good time.

Further up the road there was a tiny little town and I saw this sign hanging out in front of an establishment.

In Canada restaurants make a big deal about saying they are “licensed” on their signage.

Looks to me like this is a licensed cocaine dealer cleverly disguised as a small convenience store.

August 14, 2019

Wednesday was a travel day as I left where I had been staying north of Gaspé and went north, then west along the northern edge of the Gaspé Peninsula.  I had been lucky with timing when I traveled west along the north edge of New Brunswick province a few days earlier by having the morning sun behind me and after I had crossed in to Québec province had the afternoon sun behind me as I traveled east along the southern edge of the Peninsula.  That luck transferred to today as the morning sun was behind me or to my left as I traveled towards La Martre.

Here are things I saw at various points throughout the morning:

The road pretty much ran parallel to the shore the whole way and there were many views of towns, often with church steeples, jutting out into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  I can’t stress enough how enjoyable those driving days were.  The scenery is simply spectacular.

The photo above is of a small river  to the left of the road leading out to the Gulf with a gray and red walkway running along it.  The photo below is of a small ice hockey rink I saw to the right of the road as I drove.

I drove through a small town and then the road turned 90 degrees to the right.  The photo below is looking ahead.  Take note of how steep the hillside is and how close it is to the roadway below.

Shortly after traversing that section of road it turned left and again ran straight along the coastline.  I saw these two signs within sight of each other.  The first is a “watch for fallen rocks” sign.  When I saw that there were two I remember thinking “Wow, they’re really serious this time…”.

Here is a closeup of the second sign:

Avalanche warning.

I now wish I had parked my car off the opposite side of the road and had walked back up the road to take a photo of it as a small speck at the base of the mountain.  The hillside was incredibly tall and steep and there was virtually no room for rocks or snow to fall without hitting or blocking the roadway.

There was a tall concrete wall bordering the coastline.  At random intervals there was a set of vertical stairs leading straight down to the rocks below.

 

I was somewhat concerned that, after I had pulled off safely to a small parking area behind the guard rails, there was one other car parked and a set of sneakers up on top of the concrete wall.  I was afraid perhaps someone took the final plunge.  I was greatly relieved that as I walked back to my car after taking photos I saw a guy quietly fishing down by the water back the way I had come:

August 13, 2019

That phrase generally applies to real estate.  In this application, I saw something the morning that I left Gaspé to drive north and west around the northern edge of the Gaspé Peninsula and when I went back to get my pictures I discovered I could get 3 completely different shots by just standing in different places.

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I arrived home in Durham Tuesday night after spending some bonus days with my youngest brother, sister-in-law and niece in Cleveland, Ohio.  I have some errands to run but will be posting more later today.  With Hurricane Dorian approaching it looks like I’ll have 2 indoor-days to try and get lots of posting done!  Based on it’s projected path it sounds like Durham will get a bunch of rain but not much wind.  I just hope the power doesn’t go off.  Sometimes minor wind will bring down trees whose root system has been weakened by earlier rain events.

August 26, 2019

Real time.

I can think of nothing better for my last post while physically in Canada than a tribute to the late Richard Williams, head of animation for “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” who, sadly, passed away 10 days ago.  While hunting for street art and graffiti in Toronto I found this amazing drawing downtown on Saturday:

RIP Mr. Williams.  Thank you for sharing your talents with the world.

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I head back to the United States on Tuesday and have two items on my agenda before reaching my youngest brother’s home in Cleveland, Ohio.  I plan to visit with he and his family for at least a few days before heading home to North Carolina.  There is a tropical system approaching Florida and it’s timing and track is still up in the air so I may delay my arrival in North Carolina until that all gets sorted out.  It will then take me a few days to unpack and get my photos organized for posting.

I have updated the Home Page (the first thing you see) on the blog with a summary of my last 2 weeks which remain unposted (other than tease posts).  I have LOTS of photos so posting will go on for a while once it resumes.

Thank you for your patience!

August 21, 2019

My first full day in Ottawa, at the advice of my Airbnb hosts, I left early and drove downtown to a parking garage they recommended. “Early Bird” parking (in before 930am) was only $18, they said, and I wanted to beat rush hour traffic. Lucky for me parking has been reduced to a mere $10 (woo-hoo!).

The parking deck was very close to a Farmer’s Market type place (indoors and outdoors) where vendors sell all kinds of things – food (fresh fruits and vegetables as well as prepared food), novelty food, crafts & souvenirs, etc. I milled around there taking photos for well over an hour, some of which I will post eventually. I studied the map I picked up at the Visitors Information kiosk in the Market and started to organize my day. First stop, the Parliament Building.

As I started walking that direction I saw the name OTTAWA spelled out in huge letters so of course I took a picture:

Don’t be misled by the wet pavement. It had rained overnight but the sky was already starting to clear and it became a magnificent day.

Shortly after I was done taking my photos a family of 5 came over and the parents told their three teenage kids to get in position so their Dad could take their picture. Daughter 1 chose the big O, their son Sam chose the fourth letter (the first A) and I believe the other daughter selected the W.

Well then Mom starts yelling “Sam, stick your head through the A hole….”. Apparently Dad couldn’t see him in the camera viewfinder.

Sam seemed to be reluctant or uncooperative.

By about the third time she’s emphasizing each word: “Sam! Stick.. your.. head.. through.. the.. A.. hole….” she yells, slowly, like Brad Pitt in Fight Club.

She repeated this several times until Sam, not a small individual, finally got his head far enough into the A so that Dad could see him and take the shot.

Poor Sam the trained circus monkey…

But that’s not all – then Dad speaks up and says “Sam, stand between the two T’s and pretend that you’re Hercules holding them up”.

And of course Sam the trained circus monkey dutifully complied.

I’m surprised they didn’t throw him treats when he did what they asked.

And note that daughter 2 now has her head in the A hole!

I briefly considered following these folks around for a while for, if nothing else, the potential entertainment value but didn’t want to be thought of as a stalker so we went our separate ways.

August 24, 2019

Saturday was my first full day in Toronto.  I had been here for a few days maybe 30 years ago.  I remembered it as a very clean, modern city – very different than Québec, which is very old and French but has considerable charm.

I bought a pass which allows me to use three different public transportation options, bus, street car (modern trolleys, not like San Francisco’s classic street cars) and the subway.  My car hasn’t moved for two days and won’t move again today, my final full day in Canada this trip.  Public transportation, and lots of walking, is a perfect way for me to get around.

Saturday I went to Union Station, the main transportation hub downtown, to stop at the Visitor Center for maps and brochures.  On the way there I saw Robin, of Batman and Robin fame, ascending a set of stairs from the subway.  I thought – OK, just another day in Toronto….  He had lost lots of weight, not that he had much to lose, and had apparently undergone a sex change operation (Batman might be pleased with the result, actually).

Turns out Saturday and Sunday were the last two days of a HUGE, 4-day comics and fantasy exposition in town this weekend at the Convention Center and there ended up being an inordinate number of people dressed as their favorite characters milling about town.

While at Union Station I also saw this display:

Damn – I should have made this one of my “Go ahead, count ’em, I’ll wait…” posts.

 

August 26, 2019

Real time.

I saw that sign about 3 blocks from where I am staying in Toronto.  Please permit me to talk about myself for a few moments.

I generally think I have a fairly calm, go-with-the-flow demeanor, BUT, as we have learned from recent events, I am prone to fits of rage, usually short lived in intensity but the results of which linger and sometimes fester.  Road rage probably brings out the worst in me but Québec is starting to get on my nerves too.  I often tell people that some days it’s a good thing I don’t have a gun.

My friend and frequent blog commenter Shawn is my confidant and occasional JohnBoy whisperer who can temper my anger and speak calming truths.  She has talked me off the ledge more than once, believe me.

My friend and former co-worker Shari has indicated, politely but to the point, that I have become particularly SASSY, Mister (her words, and very apropos) during this trip.  My mother, may she rest in peace but who is undoubtedly keeping her eye on me and is becoming increasingly concerned about my ultimate destination, would be buying Ivory soap by the pallet at Costco.  I can be alarmingly potty-mouthed.  I sometimes surprise even myself.

I am grateful every day for the amazing beauty I have seen and charming people I have met on my journeys.  I used a phrase as a post title during my first trip to the Northwest US two years ago “The Best Day Ever” and since then have determined that pretty much every day is the best day ever.  Tomorrow is fixin’ to be the best day ever.

All that said, I’ll try to keep things in perspective going forward.

August 25, 2019

Real time.

I have been incredibly impressed as I have driven around Eastern Canada with the number of classic cars from the 60’s and 70’s I have seen in everyday use. Some appear to have been just well maintained and original but some may have been restored. Regardless, I always feel like I’ve found treasure when I see one “in the wild”. Sure, car shows are fun but that’s like going to a zoo. It’s more challenging to just stumble upon “free range” Mustangs and Barracudas.

Long ago I decided not to stop and photograph them (they are often on private property) but merely enjoy my fleeting glimpse. I see them very randomly in the US but have seen an inordinate number over the past 7 weeks. I only started photographing them about 2 weeks ago when I decided to make this post (and have seen more than just these).

The first was parked at a Tim Hortons where I had stopped to use their wifi and washroom. I saw it when I arrived but didn’t prepare to take the pictures until I had done my business and was ready to leave. As I was getting in position the owners walked up and fortunately, unlike the mime with the goofy little car in New Brunswick, were more than willing to let me take my pictures. They were just out for a drive, and have used this vehicle to travel the entire length Route 66 in the US in the past.

We had a brief conversation about Route 66, which I have considered driving myself (and have done small portions of already). I asked their opinion of it, as my experience had been that the luster has worn off somewhat and it is sometimes reduced to being just a service road parallel to a modern interstate highway. They said they thoroughly enjoyed it and that the trick is to get a book, which I will order on Amazon when I get home, showing the nooks and crannies which still breath life, and have maps to find the more obscure parts (it is not very well marked and I have gotten lost more than once trying to follow it).

This car was parked along the street in Québec City one day as I was making my early morning walk to the pastry shop:

We used to joyride in a car like this when I was in high school. My friend Mike Harvey would “borrow” it when his mother was sleeping. He would always put gas in it when we were done with our little drive so she wouldn’t know, but I’m sure she did (and he probably used her money!).

This one was parking in a private (for residents but publicly accessible) parking area near the Château Frontenac hotel in Québec City.

I friend of mine from high school had a similar car, not quite as souped-up, several years after we graduated and when he was gainfully employed.

And finally, just a few days ago after my boat ride through the Thousand Islands, I came upon this beauty outside a car repair shop as I was driving towards Toronto.

I’m still kicking myself for not taking pictures of another gorgeous Thunderbird I saw on my way to Ottawa. It was like the one the CIA agents were driving in Goldfinger when they were tailing James Bond.

I was fascinated by cars when I was a kid. I was born in suburban Chicago and lived the first 12 years of my life there. Since I was about 8 by Dad would take me down to McCormick Place in the Loop (downtown Chicago) to the annual car show each spring. I would gather brochures and make little scrapbooks, which have sadly been discarded (as was my large Matchbox car collection which some of my cousins and I would play with out in the dirt and grass under a large tree at my grandparent’s house in West Virginia, then methodically clean with Q-tips).

Back in the early 60’s new models had “reveal dates,” usually in September, and were transported to dealers under car covers. I had a little Brownie camera which took black & white photos and I would sit near a busy street in Evanston (the first suburb north of Chicago, where we lived) waiting to capture new models when they drove by.

I am particularly fond of cars from the 60’s and 70’s and, when I can’t get back to sleep in the middle of the night, sometimes scan Tumblr accounts and other websites for pictures of cars I liked or remember seeing and save them to an ever-growing folder on my laptop. Seeing these cars out and about in everyday use brings back lots of memories.