Nomad Life - Day 309

In my new Nomad Life "Base", I slept better than I had during the previous few nights.  This morning, I woke up at 0545 and started teleworking immediately.  At 0815, I went to the lobby of the Euclid Motel to check on whether they might have anything for breakfast (they didn't).  As a result, I skipped the morning meal.  While returning to my room, I noticed that the ground was quite wet - I guess it rained overnight...  Starting at about 0845, I started hearing a lot of noise outside - when I looked out my window, I discovered that there was some kind of fitness event going on in the yard next door.  Their fun went on for about 90 minutes but, fortunately, it didn't interfere with my telework day.  I was in my room (lots of meetings) until about 1215, when I walked to the nearby Wendy's to get some lunch.  By that point of the day, the weather was overcast and temps were at 66 F.  Inside the restaurant, there was a line - I finally paid at 1230 and returned to the hotel.  Meanwhile (unbeknownst to me), the staff of the Euclid Motel must have gone into my room and changed the linens - I only noticed a few hours later, after I'd been working all that time.  This was the first time that something like this has happened during my year of Nomad Life (I'm normally very careful to try to keep the staff from entering).  Fortunately, there was no harm done.  I worked until 1600 and then took a nap for about 90 minutes.  At 1815, I left the hotel and drove east until I reached the western bank of the Saginaw River (I believe the main area of Bay City was on the opposite side).  During this point of my explorations (1825), I stopped to pay my respects to the USS Edson (DD-946), one of only two surviving Forrest Sherman-class destroyers with a decorated record of service during the Vietnam Era.  In that area, I was surprised to see a lot of egrets.  Using Google Maps, I tried to reach the Rear Range Light - sadly, I found access to it blocked by security gates.  Instead, I drove around the restricted area, making stops at the Bay Harbor Marina, Mariners Preserve, Bay City Yacht Club and DNR Boat Launch.  Upon arrival at the last spot (1855), I found some great birding spots near the water and I happily walked around recording lots of species.  I hadn't given up trying to see/visit the lighthouse and, when I realized it was only about half a mile away, I decided to hike towards it on a "trail" that headed south (through a powerline path) from the DNR parking area.  Along the way, I saw/heard some active red-tailed hawks and recorded my first Yellow-Bellied Flycatcher (birding "Life List" reached 514).  In addition to the birding milestone, I successfully reached a viewpoint for the Rear Range Light.  In the distance, the sun got lower and lower in the sky and I returned to my idea of exploring other areas near Saginaw Bay.  I was on the road again at 1930 and drove towards the northwest in search of an access point to the Bay itself.  This effort was rewarded when I reached Bay City State Park (1940).  Since there was no gate guard at the entrance to the Day Use Area, I drove inside the first parking lot I found and managed to get access to the water.  The "beach" for Saginaw Bay was very marshy and full of reeds, with the available sand being (in my opinion) more for show than truly functional.  In the distance (across choppy waves), I caught a glimpse of Shelter and Channel Island.  During my walk near the water's edge, I came up on some fearless sand hill cranes - what a surprise.  Along the way, I reached one mile of walking for the day.  Hoping for more, I returned to my car and repositioned to a trailhead I'd noticed on my way to the State Park.  By 1950, I left my car at the State Park Drive Trailhead for the Frank N. Anderson Trail and walked toward the northwest.  The trail was paved and took me deep into a "forest tunnel".  I turned around at the State Park boundary (also on State Park Drive).  There were lots of bikers and, at one point, a little girl (with her mom) on a scooter - otherwise, I was alone.  The fireflies came out as I was finishing my walk (2030) and I realized I was the only person in the area.  All told, I probably walked about one mile of the Frank N. Anderson Trail (I later learned I’d driven on the part of the trail on State Park Drive when I'd earlier crossed the Kawkawlin River).  In my car again (after about three miles of walking), I drove south on State Park Drive until I was able to find the Walmart that was located on Wilder Road in Bay City.  I then did some much needed grocery shopping and learned about the Michigan can/bottle redemption process.  By 2050, I was back in my car and ate my "dinner" while driving back to the hotel.  I was in my room again by 2100.  For the rest of the evening, I watched movies and finally went to bed at 2355.  Overall, a good work/life balance day!

Nomad Life - Day 308

Sadly, my visit to Port Huron and with my friends was going to come to an end today.  It's been a great Nomad Life stop!  During the night, I must have slept restlessly because I recall being awake at 0440 - fortunately, I was able to fall back to sleep and didn't turn on the lights until 0700.  After that, I did some reading, puzzles, Duolingo and blog in the guest room at Erik and Moira's.  By 0845, I was packing up my car.  Before departing, though, I ate breakfast (sourdough toast) and spent time visiting with my friends.  They helped me do some planning for rest of the day (and later in my travels through Michigan).  I finally departed from Erik’s at 1040 - it was a bittersweet moment...  I made a quick stop for fuel at Murphy Gas (Walmart) a bit north on MI-25 (1045).  This was one of the few gas stations nearby that offered fuel for a price less than $4 but the overall cost for filling my tank was as high as I've seen since my visit to the West Coast last Fall.  Outside, the day was overcast and windy - the temps were very pleasant (66 F), though.  As I continued north on MI-25, I passed Lakeport State Park, a place where Nicky and I camped way back in 1997.  Beyond that landmark, I did some exploring in the town of Lexington (Sanilac County).  Starting at 1115, I walked around in the area near Tierney Park.  There was a church service going on in the amphitheater at the Marina.  At Erik's suggestion, I walked on the rocks (jetty) on the north side of the Marina harbor - I had to stop about halfway, though, because the area was off-limits for construction.  After returning to my car, I continued north until I arrived in Port Sanilac (1155).  I was able to find a big parking lot near their Marina and then explored the area near the lighthouse on the "hill" above the harbor.  This time, I was able to walk the full length of their (southern) jetty - it was built with cement, rather than rocks.  At noon, I heard a loud siren coming from somewhere nearby and wondered if that was a callback from the Cold War (like happened in my own town when I was a boy)...  Off the coast, Lake Huron was sporting some large waves; as if I hadn't already had to conclude that paddling was out of the question, I was reminded at this point and many others for the rest of the day...  Changing my focus, I looked around in the center of town for a place, the Alli Bar, that Erik had recommended.  I located it by 1225 and met the owner.  For the next 30 minutes, I relaxed in the eclectic courtyard of the bar and tried some local beers.  Hardly anyone else was there but I liked looking at all the signs and beach life decor.  Erik had mentioned that the place reminded him of the Flora-Bama in Pensacola and I agreed with that sentiment.  After paying for my drinks (1255), I did some more walking nearby; I was on the road again by 1315.  Temps had, by then, risen into the low 70s.  During the next hour, I made a few stops along the Lake Huron coast: White Rock Roadside stop (Huron County) at 1345; Harbor Beach (stopped at Pack Street "Pier") at 1400; and the Point Aux Barques Lighthouse at 1425.  Along the way, I saw swans floating in the surf, had to pause for baby deer to cross the road with their mothers, yellow flowers on the fields, watched ominous storm clouds to the west and marveled at all the windmills in the fields nearby.  I enjoyed the scenery and history I encountered at Port Aux Barques and could tell I'd nearly rounded the tip of "The Thumb" of Michigan.  Later, I kicked myself for not getting off of MI-25 to the northwest of that location (e.g., Grindstone or Eagle Bay)...  Instead, I drove to Port Austin (arrived at 1450) and confirmed that kayaking was out of the question.  With Turnip Rock being a major attraction nearby, I made my best attempt to find a viewpoint (since I was denied one from the water side).  After backtracking towards Port Aux Barques, I struck out several times because of private neighborhoods and access restrictions.  Oh well...  I returned to Port Austin and looked around a bit.  One interesting feature was the Garfield Inn, which had apparently been visited frequently by the 20th President (in the 1860s, before he was in office).  Eventually, I headed out of town (via MI-25 again).  My next stop (1515) was at Jenks Roadside, just west of Port Austin.  With the turn around the tip of the The Thumb complete, I was treated to even more windy conditions - my car actually was affected!  My route took me through the towns/areas of Port Crescent (& Dark Sky) and Caseville.  At the latter location, I had to deal with heavy traffic related to the "Cheeseburger in Caseville" event.  At times, I got good views of the choppy water in Saginaw Bay.  When I turned towards due south, I got farther away from the waterfront.  Hoping to do some birding, I drove west to the coast and visited Sumac Island (1600).  After that, I gave up on following the water - instead, I used side roads (to the south) until I could rejoin MI-25 and passed through Unionville (Tuscola County) at 1615.  I was surprised that my entire journey today was on MI-25!  Just before I arrived in Hampton (Bay County) at 1635, a light rain began.  Fortunately, the precipitation didn't last...  At 1645, I stopped in Essexville so I could get some dinner (I'd missed lunch) at Taco Bell.  While eating my meal in the restaurant, I researched nearby hotels in order to find a base of Nomad Life operations for the next few days.  When I found something that looked good, I drove into Bay City to check it out (before making the reservation).  Along the way, I crossed the Saginaw River - it looked like a nice place to visit and I made note of several parks I'd seen there.  At 1715, I arrived at the Euclid Motel and, after verifying it was a good place to stay, made reservation while sitting in their parking lot.  When I tried to check into my room, however, the manager and I had several problems with the keys.  I was finally in my room by 1735 after walking about 2.7 miles for the day.  I spent the rest of the evening catching up on eBird, blog, reading, etc.  Since the hotel didn't apparently have a restrictive VPN, I was able to access my streaming services to watch new episodes.  My full day was complete by 2315.  Time for a new Nomad Life adventure in a new (to me) part of Michigan!

Nomad Life - Day 307

Another day in paradise!  This morning, I woke up at 0630 at Erik & Moira's home in Port Huron.  As I usually do on a weekend morning, I spent some time reading, working on Duolingo exercises and completing puzzles.  After that, I got ready for a bike ride that Erik and I had talked about the night before.  Along the way, I lost one of my pinkie toe toenails (the result of the Mount Washington climb just over a month before).  I met up with my friend in his kitchen at 0730 and we headed out to the garage to gear up for our ride.  Erik let me use his "junk bike" that had some strange pedals - I was glad to have the set of wheels...  Outside, some nasty forecasted weather was holding off but the sky was very overcast (temps were in the low 60s).  Starting at 0745, we pedaled south (through the Sherman Woods neighborhood) along the waterfront until we reached the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse.  The sunrise on the Canadian side of the lake looked awesome (I stopped for photos).  Pretty soon after that, I we ended up on the roads I'd driven on Monday when I was exploring just under the Blue Water Bridge.  In the process, we rode the full length of the Blue Water River Walk and the central portion of the Bridge to Bay Trail in Port Huron.  As we approached the Black River, we passed a landmark I noticed on my Google Maps app: the "Easternmost Point of Michigan".  Along the way, we passed lots of monuments, road signs and local attractions, including two popular coffee shops that we'd considered visiting.  Regarding the stop for breakfast, though, we ended up making the decision to keep riding as long as we could because the weather seemed like it was about to turn negative.  Next, we crossed over a drawbridge on the Black River and talked to the keeper, who was watching the traffic from his window.  We then continued south and got closer to the water again.  We passed lots of ships and interesting skyline features on the Canadian side - this was the town of Sarnia (Moira's hometown).  Even though I think Erik would have turned around earlier, he tolerated my interest in trying to reach the end of the Blue Water River Walk (trail); before long, we reached tunnel under Military Street and finally turned around.  During our backtrack to the north, it started to rain.  We made our way back across the Black River - by then it was a full downpour.  After that, we rode as fast as we could but the rain still soaked me to the bone.  Somehow, we kept going through the wall of water until we arrived at Erik's home (0915).  In all the chaos, I'd lost track of the distance and time - later, Erik's Strava reported that we'd biked 9.5 miles in about 90 minutes.  Wow!  In the house, we cleaned up and changed into dry clothing before spending some time relaxing (and working with our Strava accounts) in Erik's living room.  At about 1020, we decided to go to one of the coffee shops we'd missed while trying to avoid the rain.  By then, it was only sprinkling.  When we reached Downtown Port Huron, we decided to eat brunch at The Raven Cafe.  Inside the eclectic restaurant, we both ordered brunch (quiche, raisin toast, and fruit).  I enjoyed the interesting atmosphere and we had more good conversation.  After getting done with our meal (1145), we started walking around nearby.  Along the way, we visited The Exquisite Corpse (another coffee shop), the Wrigley Center (mall with a climbing wall, speakeasy, restaurants and game rooms).  Beyond that, we spent a lot of time watching drawbridge operations (in two places) while we checked out the local Community College (SC4), marinas and boat slips (including one for the "Huron Lady II") on the Black River and birds.  Somehow, the rain had held off and we had an enjoyable time (I got lots more steps).  On the way back to Erik's home, we chased a large ship as it transited the St. Clair River - that was interesting!   Our exploring ended in the comfy living room again by 1305 and I spent the next few hours hanging out with Erik and Moira.  During this timeframe, Moira shared one of her "Sap Sucker" (sweetened with maple sap) sparking waters.  Erik started talking about going to the movies but I wanted to go to church.  As a result, I stayed behind when he departed and focused instead, on my first (ever) session on a Stand Up Paddleboard.  In addition to advice that Erik had provided before he departed, Moira also helped me (from the shore) as I paddled around near the Sherman Woods beach.  In the end, I logged about 30 minutes (0.5 miles) on a mostly smooth Lake Huron.  I did fall in the water a few times, mostly due to passing boats and ships (Moira got good photos and videos).  Done at 1620, I returned to the house and started some laundry.  I then got changed for church and talked with Moira and Curtis for a bit.  At 1645, I drove St. Mary's Church to attend Mass.  The service was interesting, especially the heartfelt Homily about Apostolic Succession.  I made it back at Erik's by 1750, just as it started raining again.  While waiting for Erik to return, Moira helped me with laundry.  On my computer (in the guest room), I was able to catch up on my blog and eBird entries.  At 1830. Erik and his friends returned from the movies.  With goodbye's completed, I joined him, Moira and Curtis in their minivan as we drove into Downtown Port Huron.  After parking near the Wrigley Center, we walked to the Alley Room and met up with more of Erik's friends (Tim & Becky, Mary).  For the next 90 minutes, we had some great conversation while enjoying a delicious pizza dinner (I tried a pear and brie version).  The place had local beer and this helped our discussion about travel (theirs and mine).  I got lots of ideas for my trip to the Upper Peninsula.  We were finished eating at 2030 and said goodbye to the others before walking to the Wrigley Center.  Erik suggested that we try to get into the speakeasy ("The Laundry Room") that was accessed through a door with laundry machines (needed a special code ).  This was a very nice venue (old room, darkened windows, books, drinks) and it had very friendly staff.  By 2040, we'd ordered a round of drinks and really enjoyed our time in the pleasant atmosphere.  We stayed until 2110 and then headed home to Erik & Moira's.  I visited briefly with my friends in their living room but then went to the guest room.  Before bed, I had some communication with my friends in Midland (MI) and Minneapolis - hoping to see them all soon.  I wrapped up my evening with some reading and Duolingo exercises (bed at 2300).  What a wonderful day on/along Lake Huron!

Nomad Life - Day 306

For some reason (outdoor noises?, room temperature?), I woke up at 0430.  Fortunately, I managed to fall back to sleep but then, I woke up with a start and realized it was 0650.  Despite this rude awakening, I managed to rouse myself quickly and get online.  At 0715, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Super 8 (Imlay City) and then got a work out in the Fitness Center, with 20 minutes on the stationary (recumbent) bike for four miles of cycling.  After that, I went back to teleworking.  Meanwhile, outside, it was very sunny, with temps in the 60s.  When I reached 2.3 hours of telework inside my hotel room, I checked out and departed Imlay City (0930).  This decision was rather unusual, since I am always interested in staying put on the "checkout day" of one of my Nomad Life stays.  Today, however, I had scheduled a routine car service appointment at a Subaru dealership in Mount Clemens, about 40 minutes from my hotel.  To reach that, I initially used MI-53 to make my way towards the south.  It was slow for trucks until I reached a four lane section - after that, the speeds were very good.  Upon reaching MI-59, I turned east on a road with lots of traffic lights.  Along the way, I passed an old McDonald’s (it had large, single arches on each of the building and featured a freaky looking little man on the sign).  By 1020, I'd reached Fox Subaru of Macomb and dropped of "Nessie" for her 102K Mile Checkup.  For the next three hours, I teleworked from the service department waiting area.  The time might have been shorter but I finally had a chance to resolve the pesky TPMS issue (replacement batteries).  Also, I wanted to make sure I got as much time online before it was time to drive to my next location.  At 1330, the dealership returned the car keys to me and I made my way east (on MI-59) until I could get on I-94.  Speeds picked up tremendously and I was soon approaching the city of Marysville.  Feeling a bit hungry, I made my way to the local Big Boy Restaurant (arrived at 1350).  I'm sure I've been to one of these places in the past but I couldn't remember it at all.  For this reason, I ordered the signature burger ("The Big Boy") and substituted fries for the salad bar.  The food was good and I filled up on lots of greens and fruits.  During this time, I also logged into my work computer (1 more hour of telework).  When I finished my meal (1455), I used city streets to make my way north.  Eventually, I found myself on Business 94 (Gratiot Street) and had great views of the St. Clair River.  After passing through Downtown Port Huron, I arrived (1510) in the Sherman Woods neighborhood, where my friends lived.  For the next hour, I visited with Erik, Moira and Curtis in their comfortable living area (it had large windows that allowed for views of Lake Huron).  They also had lots of art in their home about the joys of living on the lake and I began to appreciate the sentiment.  At 1545, Erik suggested that we go sailing in his Hobie Cat.  This was probably the first time in over 35 years when I'd been in a sailboat of any kind.  The little boat was easy (for Erik) to maneuver and we reached a top speed of seven knots has we zig-zagged back and forth across the mouth of the St. Clair River.  Fortunately, no large ships passed nearby - we would have had a heck of a time getting out of the way...  The surf was just perfect and the southerly wind helped us avoid the heavy current we might otherwise have experienced.  Erik had planned ahead with refreshments and my "dry bag" kept all of my valuables from getting drenched as the waves crested over the bow and canvas "deck".  At one point, I noticed a butterfly (probably a Monarch) flying overhead - it seemed to be crossing the lake to Canada.  After around four miles of sailing, we returned to the beach (the same place where we'd launched) and Erik stowed his sailboat.  Meanwhile, I took advantage of the fact that Erik's friend had left his kayak for me to use.  Starting at 1710, I launched into Lake of Huron and headed north along the beach.  Unlike my Tuesday paddle in the same area, the waves were much bigger and the southerly wind created a "bow wave" for me.  I made my way between lots of anchored motorboats, dodged jetskis and watched burka-clad families swimming at Lakeside Park each.  When I reached Krafft Road Beach, I turned around and really had to work hard to fight back to my starting point.  The waves crested over the bow of my borrowed kayak and I couldn't help but wonder whether Tequila Sunrise would have gotten through the paddle without swamping...  I made it as far as the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse Beach before wrapping up my 2.5 miles on the water at 1810.  After today's experience, I believe that St. Clair County (including the River and southern part of Lake Huron) is very familiar - the whole vibe and day-to-day feel seems similar to Cape Cod and its Canal.  Each time I got wet, I expected to feel the familiar salty sensation but it never came.  Otherwise, it's sort of an indirect Deja Vu...  Since Erik had returned to his home, I had to figure out how to load up the kayak on its wheels - once I felt good about that, I rolled it back to Erik’s neighbor’s house (at one point, I had to lift the whole assembly off the ground to clear some stairs).  After that, I joined Erik’s family at home - they had just sat down for dinner but I didn’t eat (still digesting "The Big Boy").  During this pleasant conversation, I enjoyed some new beer and had a great time visiting (lots of Navy stories).  At about 2125, I excused myself and retired to the guest room.  I set up my work computer and wrapped up the last 0.7 hours of my telework day.  By 2200, I'd closed up my work computer for the week and had started watching a new streaming service episode.  With some reading and Duolingo, I didn't turn off the lights until 2315.  Another great day on Lake Huron!

Nomad Life - Day 305

After yesterday's jaunt down towards Detroit, I felt like I should stay closer to my hotel and work computer.  The work day started early again (0550) and I went to breakfast at 0745 in the lobby of the Super 8 (Imlay City).  Immediately after finishing my morning meal, I went to workout in the Fitness Center and (again) logged four miles on the stationary (recumbent) bike in 20 minutes.  Returning to my teleworking, I made some good progress with work projects through the morning.  At lunch time, I ate the leftover food (from Dedo's Deli) from yesterday's meal with Leslie.  Otherwise, I stayed busy straight through to the end of my work day (1710).  Since the weather was pretty nice (sunny and 74 F), I decided to walk on some more of the Rail Trail to the west of Imlay City  Like I had earlier in the week, I parted at the Imlay City High School on Blacks Corners Road.  By 1740, I was walking southwest on the Polly Ann Trail.  Unlike the paved section I walked on Monday, this part of the trail transited through a working farm - cornstalks blocked many of the views I might otherwise have had.  One nice thing about this "rural" feel was that I got some birding hits.  As opposed to yesterday, this section of the Polly Ann was located completely in Lapeer County.  I reached Newark Road, crossed and then backtracked to the north.  By 1825, I'd reached my car again and decided to try to finish a paved section ("in town") to the north.  I drove over to the trailhead parking spot where I'd started my backtrack on Monday and started walking by 1830.  This short section (between 4th Street and Blacks Corners Road) was the last part of the Polly Ann Trail that was paved nearby and I was done at 1840.  With my daily exercise completed, I already knew I was heading to dinner nearby.  On the way, though, I checked out "Downtown" Imlay City - it seemed like a nice town but I didn't stop.  Instead, I got on  MI-53 and drove back towards my hotel.  By 1845, I was parked at Lucky’s Steakhouse, which my friends had recommended when I saw them in Port Huron.  Hoping to get the best experience, I ordered the (House) Prime Rib, which came covered in a sauce of mushrooms and melted gorgonzola.  Unexpectedly, the entree also came with a loaded baked potato and Caesar salad; I also had a Lucky's Ale (amber).  Despite a heartfelt conversation with the bartender, who assured me that I would only get a little pink if I went with "medium", the steak was practically mooing when I first cut into it.  For the first time in many years, I sent back some food, hoping that they could darken some of the ultra pink steak.  Asking for food to be "fixed" is not a normal thing for me and I felt very uncomfortable.  The bartender lady was nice about it though.  While I wasn't entirely satisfied, the kitchen staff did improve things a little bit.  Regardless, the meat was still very rare...  I managed to eat about two thirds of the food, mostly because of the sauce being so good.  In the end, the bartender gave me my free beer for free "because I didn't give you good advice about the color."  She had been so invested in my satisfaction for the entire meal and was even the impetus for me to request the steak be recooked - I guess she very much wanted me to like it...  Of course, I did my best to thank her properly.  When I got back to my hotel (2000), I found several police cars in the lot - they didn't look too busy but I wondered what they were doing.  During this time, I remembered something I'd heard from Erik about the large migrant worker community in Imlay City and their difficulties with the government.  Not sure if any of that was involved in this scenario but I was confronted with something more immediate and annoying when I parked my car - a large group of folks (actual hotel guests?) had set up a grilling party in the back of the hotel and were playing music very loudly.  Hoping to drown out their celebration, I spent much of the evening watching streaming service episodes and YouTube videos.  Before during out the lights, I did some reading and Duolingo exercises.  With the noise outside finally ended, I went to bed at 2315.  While I got some funny looks from people I've met in Port Huron about my choice to stay in Imlay City - the hotel price was good, I felt secure and I was able to follow my normal Nomad Life routines of being active and trying out new food/drink.  I'd definitely return again!

Nomad Life - Day 304

I slept pretty well overnight and was feeling quite rested when I woke up at 0545.  I started teleworking and, at 0800, went to breakfast in the lobby of the Super 8 (Imlay City).  While there, I met a Belgian businessman who was very chatty, mostly because he was trying to understand our breakfast options but also because he had never been in Michigan before.  After talking to him for a little while, I went back to work in my room.  During the day, I did lots of travel planning for my upcoming work trips (to the west of my current location).  At around noon, I ate "lunch" (snacks) and finalized plans for meeting up with my cousin, Leslie, later in the day.  Since my afternoon was slow, I was able to wrap up my work day at 1400.  I left Imlay City about 10 minutes later and used MI-53 to drive towards Detroit.  When I was young, my mother's family had roots in Rochester and my own family used to make the trek from Massachusetts to Michigan everyone.  In the intervening years, my Michigan relatives have mostly passed away but Leslie still lives nearby - my trip today was directed towards Auburn Hills.  When I reached 34 Mile Road, I started a zig-zag pattern of driving on back roads to the southwest.  Eventually, I reached Rochester Road and this took me into the area where some of my family used to live (I had a Deja Vu sense at times).  After turning on to Tienken Road (headed west), I arrived in Auburn Hills (1455).  I had to get through a security gate (that took some coordination) but made it to Leslie's home about 10 minutes later.  She seemed very happy to see me and I liked meeting her little dog (another rescue, like her previous ones, but not a golden retriever).  Leslie had already bought lunch (gourmet sandwiches named "The Professor" (pastrami) & "Campus Turkey") from Dedo's Deli and we set up in her dining area to eat.  She offered me a Vernors ginger soda (a local drink), which I don't remember having before, and it was quite good.   For the next several hours, we talked about family, discussed my recent travels and did some genealogy research.  It was a nice visiting!  When evening arrived, I asked Leslie if I could depart for some outdoor exercise before the sunset and she agreed.  After saying goodbye to her, I departed from Auburn Hills (1935).  Google Maps was offering the same zig-zag route towards the northeast but I spotted a trailhead for the Polly Ann (Rail) Trail in the town of Oxford so decided to drive the "longer" way towards my hotel in order to take advantage of the opportunity to get some steps.  As I drove west on Dutton Road, I passed some Sandhill Cranes in a small marshy area - this was my first time seeing this species!  Next, I drove north on MI-24 and passed a part of pretty Lake Orion.  By 1955, I'd found the parking for the Polly Ann Trail (at Davison & Pleasant in Oxford) and started walking towards the west.  I learned from some signs that I was on the "Oakland County Section".  During the course of about 45 minutes, I walked between Seymour Lake Road and Oxford Road / Glaspie St).  By the end, I probably walked about one mile of trail (two miles if I count the backtracks).  Along the way, I identified some interesting bird species, saw several bikers and families walking together and located a local ice cream stand (it was VERY busy).  With the sun mostly gone, I departed from Oxford (2035) and got back on MI-24.  Hoping to avoid extra driving distance, I turned east on Ray Road, which (almost immediately) became dirt.  For the next 20 minutes or so, I found myself driving through "tree tunnels" on backcountry roads (including Lake George Road, Leonard Road, Forest Street and Dryden Road).  During this window, I passed Lake George, returned to the pavement and passed through the town of Leonard.  Eventually, I arrived at MI-53 and had an easy drive back to my hotel (arrived at 2110).  Since the Fitness Center closed at 2200, I quickly changed clothing in my room and made it to the gym in time for four miles of biking in 20 minutes.  With my workout completed, I then checked on my work computer (nothing urgent) before taking care of eBird entries.  I spent the rest of the evening reading, doing Duolingo exercises and chipping away at more of the compromised password resets I needed to address.  (I'd started with over 100 but am getting close to the end of the "project"...).  Bedtime was at 2300.  Glad I could visit Leslie today!

Nomad Life - Day 303

As as already happened a few times during the last year, I arrived in an area where one of my friends lived without realizing it.  Sometimes, someone will ask "why didn't you let me know?" when I post photos about my visit; by then, it is too late to do anything about the situation.  Fortunately, I made the discovery this time only one day into my stay in Southeastern Michigan - overnight, I figured out that one of my Navy buddies, Erik I., lived in Port Huron.  Even though I'd moved to Imlay City (about 30 miles west) for a hotel stay, we were able to make plans to get together after work!  My day began at 0610 as I started teleworking immediately after I was awake.  At 0800, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Super 8 (Imlay City) before returning to my computer.  I ate snacks for my lunch and then confirmed the meet-up time with Erik, who had graciously offered to pick me up at my hotel and take me to his home for an evening of fun on Lake Huron.  At around the same time, I also confirmed plans with my cousin, Leslie, for the following day and made a reservation for 102K Mile Service for my Subaru (set for Friday).  Sadly, my other cousin (Lynne) didn't respond to offers for a meet up - oh well...  Beyond these plans, I kept teleworking until 1450, when I went to work out in the Fitness Center of the hotel.  No one else was there and I spent 20 minutes on the stationary (recumbent) bike (logged four miles).  Returning to my room, I got back online and finally finished work day at 1530.  Shortly after that (1540), Erik picked me up and we drove to his home in Port Huron.  We'd last seen each other nearly 20 years ago but used to fly together all the time when we were both stationed in the Atlanta area.  When we arrived in Port Huron, I was surprised to see that he lived only about 0.25 miles from the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse, where I'd explored the day before!  I'd had no idea...  Actually, I'd thought he still lived in the Upper Peninsula (where his family is from) or Duluth.  When we went inside his pretty house (located only about 100 yards from the shores of Lake Huron), I met his wife (Moira) and son (Curtis).  Nest, we went to Erik's neighbor's house to borrow a kayak (for me).  We then walked a short distance to the beach for the Sherman Woods neighborhood.  Erik used a paddleboard but I kayaked out into Lake Huron for the first time (1645).  We had beautiful weather, with only some high clouds, a light breeze and temps in the lower 70s.  Since Erik wanted to show me a nearby canal, we first paddled north, along the shoreline and were soon in front of a large Public Beach.  A bit after that, we encountered two of Erik's friends on a boat and ended up talking with them for nearly 30 minutes - they even shared some of their beer with us.  During this time, I learned a lot about the lake culture and general "speed" of things in Port Huron.  With dinnertime fast approaching, Erik told me we needed to head back to the shore so he could cook dinner on the grill.  Reluctantly, we paddled south again - by 1745, we were ashore again but left our boats about 30 yards from the water.  After we'd walked back to Erik's, he started up his (new) grill and put some chicken on to cook.  Meanwhile, I met another of Erik & Moira's neighbors and had a nice conversation about the neighborhood.  At 1830, we sat down to dinner as a family.  The food (grill chicken, corn on the cob, salad) was very good and I tried a Vodka cocktail in a can called "Water Hazard" (it was pretty tasty).  We finished up eating at about 1900 and Erik suggested that we could resume our adventures on the water.  Twice in one day!  We walked down to the beach again and were in the water by 1915.  This time, we paddled south towards the mouth of the St. Clair River.  Erik warned me about major currents near there and told me I'd never be able to get back to the house if we went too far.  I believed him because of what I'd seen in the water the day before...  We ended up right in front of the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse (water side) and then I tempted fate with a bit more exploring of the shoreline closer to the river.  I managed to reach the Coast Guard restricted area (fenced) before I started to feel the effects of the current.  When I turned the kayak around (i.e., 90 degrees to the flow), I could immediately feel the flow trying to sweep me away.  Even though I'd have another good story if I'd had trouble, I was glad to make it back to where Erik was waiting.  To his credit, he'd mentioned that he would have come to pick me up if I'd gotten swept downstream... At around this time, my friend started telling me stories about some of the huge ships that often pass his home; he said some are so big that they can never exit the Great Lakes ("Lakers").  As we paddled back towards his beach, we discussed how dangerous it is to paddle in the St. Clair River, mostly because of the huge ships but also because of the swirling eddies.  My friend admitted that he'd only ever tried to paddle in the area during the annual St. Clair River Float Down (he said that event was "unsanctioned" but always drew a huge crowd).  Also interesting, he mentioned that he'd seen Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris sailing by at times.  We reached the beach by 2020 and got a photo of ourselves.  While Erik was stowing his paddleboard, I went swimming in the lake.  The water was very shallow (sand had filled up the basin nearby after recent harbor dredging) but the water temps were great.  The sky had some high clouds but, otherwise, was very beautiful (temps still in the 70s).  Topping off the visual, I noticed that the nearby lighthouse had turned on its (green) beacon for the night.  Altogether, I believe I paddled about four miles in two hours.  After returning the kayak to Erik's friend, I changed clothing and we chatted about other things to do nearby.  Moira told me about all the farming going on in Imlay City and remarked that they had a great steakhouse ("Lucky's").  She also offered to let me stay with their family over the coming weekend!  I told them that sounded great and we made plans to meet up on Friday afternoon.  After that, Erik drove me back to my hotel in Imlay City (we arrived at 2030) .  What a fun afternoon of camaraderie and water adventures!  For the rest of the evening, I caught up on finances, blog entries, eBird (covering all the places I've previously visited in Michigan), reading and Duolingo.  I did watch a few videos but was pretty exhausted by the time I turned out the lights (2330).  Very glad I figured out my friend lived in the area before I drove north!

Nomad Life - Day 302

With the long days of driving and exploring the Toronto area, today seemed like such a slow, boring day.  I was up at 0615 after an overnight of fitful sleep but, fortunately, I did feel rested.  As has usually happened during the Nomad Life, I started teleworking immediately.  At 0800, I went to breakfast in the lobby of the Days Inn (Port Huron).  The food was good and the dining area wasn't too busy.  As I was returning to my room, I asked for a late checkout and was pleased that the desk clerk approved the request (the lady the night before told me it would cost money).  Before getting back on my work computer again, I was able to make a reservation for the rest of the work week at a cheaper hotel in nearby Imlay City.  Beyond that, I had meetings all morning.  At a good break in the action, I left the hotel at 1155 and started exploring the town of Port Huron.  After last night's downpour, I was surprised to find that I had wonderful weather again - it was sunny, breezy and 74 F!  My first stop was the Fort Gratiot Lighthouse, which was located only about a mile away from my hotel.  I was able to park in a lot next to the Coast Guard Station and take a walk along the coast of Lake Huron.  To the south (not quite above me), the Blue Water Bridge was (again) packed with cars and trucks.  But I was safe and mostly solitary in the pretty park that surrounded the historic lighthouse at the mouth of the St. Clair River.  Out on the water, there were many, many kinds of boats - it looked like a great day to be under sail.  Next, I drove a short distance until I found a small green spot on the river itself that was located directly under the Blue Water Bridge.  I spent a little time walking in this area, the International Flag Plaza and found a "rail trail" there that I believe was called the Blue Water River Walk (it could also have been part of the Bridge to Bay Trail (St. Clair County).  There were boats in the St. Clair River, despite what looked like huge eddies and major currents.  At one point, I got to see a huge ship (tanker? cargo?) pass by (northbound) - the bow wave on it was HUGE.  Moving my car again, I made my way to a historic building to the south of the big bridge that was connected with Thomas A. Edison.  The Edison Depot was where he got his start as a newsboy (selling the daily papers).  His family lived on the Fort Gratiot post when he was young and the town of Port Huron has sure made a big deal about their connection to the famous inventor.  Case in point, I soon found a statue of Edison and a large park named in his honor.  One point of interest sign described an "engineering feat" that involved a huge railroad train tunnel under the St. Clair River and I next drove into "Downtown" Port Huron to try to find it.  I arrived at the location advertised by Google Maps but didn't see anything like a tunnel or even train tracks.  I did, however, find another part of the Blue Water River Walk.  With a 1300 work meeting fast approaching, I located a nearby McDonalds that had WiFi and got online just in time to work with my colleague.  At 1400, I closed up my work computer so I could get some lunch - right across the parking lot, I spotted a place called "Savvy Sliders" and thought it looked better than good ol' Mickey D's.  True to its name, I found the "classic" combo of two nice (small) burgers and fries to be good - I did pay a small upcharge to convert my drink into a milkshake made with frozen custard (a very good decision).  Everyone else who came into the place had ordered something to go and it became clear this was also a pizza and wings restaurant.  With my meal completed (1430), I departed from Port Huron and drove west (on I-69) to Imlay City.  Upon arrival at my new hotel, the Super 8, I received excellent service from the clerk (Shiva) who took good care of me during the check-in process just after 1500 (I even got a welcome gift, despite using Booking.com for the reservation).  Immediately after I got settled in my room, I resumed my telework day and didn't log off of my computer for good until 1900.  Mollie called right around that same time - it was good to talk with her!  Thinking that daylight was nearly gone, I left the hotel and drove west on Newark Road until I was able to find a parking spot at the Imlay City High School that allowed me to walk on the Polly Ann (Rail) Trail.  I might have driven just over a mile (nice)!  From my car (1920), I walked north until I reached 4th Street - the whole section was paved.  After arriving at my car (1950), I realized I'd walked about 1.5 miles, which wasn't a lot for me but it felt good.  Returning to my hotel (2000), I skipped dinner and, instead, sent lots of texts and worked on social media.  Meanwhile, outside, the sunset was very late (not surprising because I'm getting near the Central Time Zone).  At 2100, I went to the Fitness Center and rode the stationary (recumbent) bike for 20 minutes (4 miles).  In my room again for the last time, I worked on my blog, caught up on finances and updated my Nomad Life fitness records.  Oh yeah - I also filled in the gaps for my eBird records for Michigan.  The evening concluded with a little bit of reading and Duolingo - I was lights out by 2300.  Port Huron was a nice surprise of history, scenery and good activities - wish I'd been able to stay there longer...

Nomad Life - Day 301

Monte had promised to continue showing me around the area and I was very much looking forward to that when I woke up this morning at 0615.  As I usually do on weekends, I spent some time with reading, puzzles and Duolingo.  There was no breakfast provided by the Residence and Conference Center at Sheridan College (Trafalgar Campus) but I was looking forward to eating at a local Tim Horton's later in the morning. Had I been a bit more prepared, I would have been able to make myself some food in the kitchen provided within the dorm room where I was staying.  At around this time, I thought about going to Mass (there was actually a Catholic church nearby) but then reconsidered - the time I had to visit with Monte was very limited.  Switching gears, then, I worked on making hotel reservations for the coming night.  Unfortunately, I learned that I couldn't complete any of the transactions for prices I saw online - I think the Canadian IP address was blocking the discounts.  Instead, I caught up on blog and eBird entries while exchanging texts with Monte about his ETA from Bronte (I was closer to the center of Oakville).  At 0800, I checked out of my room at the Residence & Conference Center and loaded up my car (had to walk a good distance to reach it).  After rechecking the contents of my "day pack", I started doing some birding and explored a part of the campus (0820). Outside, it was 68 F and a bit breezy - the day was sunny and pleasant again.  Monte picked me up at 0830 and we then drove (via the scenic route) toward Bronte, where he lives.  Along the way, we passed so many beautiful homes along the waterfront of Lake Ontario (especially between the college and the center of Oakville).  When we arrived at his apartment building, Monte took me on a tour of the amenities and to his new home (since early July).  Everything was very nice and I liked how he had a view of Lake Ontario from his balcony.  After this short overview of his condo, we descended to the ground floor and walked towards the northeast.  We were able to make our planned stop for breakfast at the Bronte Tim Horton's - what a nice touch (like the poutine yesterday)!  We ordered at 0915 and got our food shortly after that.  Among several good items I ate, I also tried a "Harry Potter" Timbit.  Hoping to partially thank Monte for taking care of the water taxi the day before, I insisted on paying for the food.  We chatted for a little while before we departed the restaurant (0950).  Next, Monte took me on a walking tour (following the route he does each morning).  Initially, we were on sidewalks and streets as walked northeast again.  Following Lakeshore Road, we made our way to a road called Third Line.  At the end of the pavement (1005), we found a pretty green area with some benches (which I later learned was called End Park).  We then doubled back to Waters Edge Drive and walked a bit west until we could get on the (Great Lakes) Waterfront Trail (the same trail we'd walked on in Toronto the day before).  Continuing west, we soon found ourselves in the middle of Water's Edge Park and enjoyed the Canadian Summer Vibe.  Many people were out with their pets, there were bikers, joggers, boaters, etc.  Everyone said "hello" with a friendly smile.  It was clear that Oakville was a wonderful suburb!  As it had been when the day began, the weather was beautiful and the lake beaconed me...  As we had earlier in the car, we passed by many pretty homes.  As we followed the waterline, we transitioned into Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park, which included a fancy marina.  Monte joked about buying a boat and letting me ride it into US territorial waters every day so I could telecommute - haha!  The Waterfront Trail ended after it turned north to Lakeshore Drive but we next tried to get access (for more birding and to research for kayak rentals options) to the water on the other side of Bronte Creek.  Sadly, we hit a proverbial "dead end" in the search.  I should mention that Monte had lived in Oakville several decades ago but had not "re-found" everything of interest.  In other words, almost everything we were doing was almost as new to him as it was to me.  We then turned towards Monte's building.  On the way inside, however, we explored a vibrant farmer's market that was taking place at the base of the towers - they had lots of good food and trinkets for sale.  We also looked around inside of the local market (Farm Boy).  By 1115, we finally reached Monte’s apartment again.  For the next 60 to 75 minutes, we spent time visiting and catching up on news.  As had happened when I visited him in Hanover (NH) a few months earlier, our conversation was light and varied.  Monte told me some interesting (and frustrating) stories about what it has been like for him to "repatriate" to Canada.  At 1315, we departed from the apartment in Bronte and got in Monte's car for the drive to Downtown Oakville.  This was, essentially, a backtrack from our morning "scenic route" drive.  We arrived in the shopping district at 1325 and started walking northeast on the Main Street.  There were lots of pretty flowers (actually, I'd also been seeing them everywhere prior to this) and, to get a feel for the welcoming and pretty town, Monte insisted that we walk the full length of the busy shopping zone.  I'm glad he did!  Along the way, we encountered lines for food at every restaurant we saw.  During the backtrack, though, we noticed that a place called the Spice & Saffron (Indian Cuisine) had no lines at all and it had plenty of empty tables.  Hungry for a late lunch, we stopped inside and were warmly welcomed by the staff (1400).  As the server was going over the menu, I figured out that they had something called the "Chicken Independence Day Platter" on the list of specials.  When I ordered that, the owner confirmed that yesterday was, in fact (as I'd suspected while out on Centre Island), the day for the event.  The online menu described my order as follows: "While the specific chicken curry variation changes based on the chef's daily selection, a standard ... thali at Spice & Saffron typically features a combination of the following items: The restaurant's signature 'Because I love Butter Chicken' (slow-cooked chicken with caramelized tomatoes and spices); Usually a rich Dal Makhani (Lentils); A seasonal mixed vegetable curry or chickpea side; Fluffy, steamed basmati rice; Freshly baked plain or butter naan cooked in the tandoor; Tangy yogurt (raita) and a side of mixed pickles or spiced onion salad."  As I'm sure you can guess from the description, the food was excellent!  Adding to the nice ambiance, the staff was very friendly.  For some reason, almost no one else came into the place while we were there.  Regardless, we enjoyed ourselves and had no trouble filling up the time with more good conversation.  When we finished eating (1510), we walked back to Monte's car and he brought me back to where my own car was parked (near the Sheridan College Residence & Convention Center).  After we arrived (1545), I said goodbye to my friend and got started on my drive back to the USA.  Initially, I used the QEW (ON-403) as I headed towards the west.  Almost immediately, though, I was in a traffic jam.  Eventually, I switched to ON-402 made it through through Brantford.  Beyond that, I had a nice time talking to Erin on the phone.  At times, there was some light rain but the traffic thinned out, allowing for faster speeds.  At 1700, I stopped at the "ONroute" Service Area in Ingersoll for a 10 minute break.  After getting back on the road, I made it to London by 1730 and was happily on my way, closer and closer to the border, soon after that.  Meanwhile, the weather was still great (sunny and mid 80s) and the traffic remained light. I listened to audiobooks and some Spotify music - life was good!  Just as I was approaching Blue Water Bridge, however, I got completely stuck in a 1.5 mile back up.  Starting at 1830, the single lane for cars allowed for barely any movement.  Of course, there were lots of line cutters...  Paralleling the automobile queue were two lines of huge trucks.  As I inched towards the bridge, I figured out that I was waiting in a line to pay the toll first.  Boy, did I miss the opposite set-up on the NY/ON border...  When I finally reached the tollbooth (1900), I was startled again to see the digital sign (on all gates) change to “Cars on Hold”.  It soon became clear, however, that it wasn't just the cars that were waiting - trucks were held too.  Since there was no information being shared with us, I researched possible explanations.  Google AI hinted that the delay was due to US Customs metering, bridge weight limits and traffic from the "St. Clair River Float Down" event that had just ended at 1900.  In the end, I never got a definitive answer.  The tollbooth re-opened at 1920 and I paid a few minutes later (1923).  It seemed that I was finally off ON-402 (transitioned to I-69) and in the clear!  Sadly, though, I moved from one line into another: the backup on Blue Water Bridge for Customs was still horrendous.  As before, there were two lanes for trucks but only one for cars but someone thought it would be a good idea for a shift across the road (i.e., cars went from being on the left to the right).  In between this chaos was a  lane for people with the NEXUS pass.  Adding to the problems, this lane was so narrow that most trucks with trailers couldn't get through, causing a third backup.  Gradually, I made my way across the last few hundred yards of pavement.  Since I was mostly standing still (with little stop-start-stop motions from time to time), I was finally able to make reservation at a local hotel.  At least that was one less headache to deal with before bed...  Meanwhile, several huge ships passed underneath the bridge - one gave five blasts (I learned later that might have indicated a potential collision with a small craft).  As interesting as this was, the sensation that the Blue Water Bridge was swaying was quite unnerving...  I definitely felt better after I was on the "downhill" and sitting over Michigan soil!  After I was finally lined up in one of the several auto lines for Customs, I thought my troubles were over.  Unfortunately, I got affected by one more SNAFU when the digital sign turned to “Closed” on the lane next to me.  Fearing they'd be trapped, people started trying to push their way into line in front of me, despite the fact that the lane they were vacating was still moving.  At one point, a lady tried to insert her minivan in front of me and I honked loudly.  Sorry, but I was not in the mood to wrap up the ordeal.  Since she was undeterred by my horn and I was unwilling to surrender my spot, we ended up sitting next to each other until the truck/trailer in front of me moved.  Somehow, we managed not to trade paint and I was through customs about five minutes later (2030).  Altogether, the process of returning to the USA took about two hours total - sheesh.  Thinking about it later, I realized that I could have walked the 1.5 miles much faster...  By that point, the chance of going to church had evaporated - this felt strange because it was the first time I've missed Mass in a while.  With the border crossing completed, I drove about one mile to the Days Inn (Port Huron) and checked in for my overnight stay (2035).  Along the way to my room, I passed a guy who was happily grilling meet on the back tailgate of his truck.  We chatted briefly as the pleasant smell wafted in the air.  For this reason, I wondered about him moments later - just after I got into my room, the sky started pouring down rain!  Feeling tired of driving and all the rest of the bureaucracy I'd just endured, I was in the mood to relax.  I spent the rest of the night watching movies, reading and working on Duolingo exercises.  Bed time was at 2300.  Over the course of the last two days, I had a personal guide for the highlights of “Urban Ontario” and some perfect weather.  Very glad I transited from New York to Michigan via Canada & hope to return to Toronto again soon!

Nomad Life - Day 300

Time to see Toronto!  This morning, I was up at 0545 and got in my reading, puzzle and Duolingo exercises while hanging out in my room at the Historic Niagara Inn (Lockport).  Since I'd missed it the night before, I filled out a preference card for my breakfast and dropped it off in the living area while I was packing up my car.  After completed the self-checkout process, I looked for something like a "desk" (my room hadn't had one) in the historic living area/lounge.  An end table served for this purpose and I spent about 30 minutes there, working on my blog.  When my requested time (0800) arrived, I closed up my computer and walked to the nearby dining room to have breakfast.  No one else was there and the place looked like something out of "Great Expectations"...  Still, the food selections (fruit, toast, French toast) were very good!  I was surprised to meet a young man who apparently worked there - he seemed like a very competent and friendly chef.  After finishing my meal (0820), I got in my car and departed from Lockport.  It was another beautiful day (sunny and clear, 70 F) - I've been so lucky during the last few months!  Using a route I'd found by querying Google AI (I'd asked for "lowest toll" instructions), I started west on NY-31.  After avoiding every toll I encountered during my trip across New York, there was still some more to avoid.  Not completely trusting Google Maps to stick with the plan, I kept entering the route whenever the map app recalculated.  This process took me north on Comstock Road and then Upper Mountain Road, which turned out to the be the correct route to the bridge to Canada.  Along the way (town of Sanborn), I entered the Tuscarora Indian Nation (the sixth tribe from the south that joined the Iroquois Confederacy; I encountered their ancestral lands when I was hiking the Appalachian Trail) and spotted a gas station (Smokin' Joe's) with a wonderfully low price for fuel.  After filling up my tank (0840), I continued driving until I entered the town of Lewiston.  Shortly after that, I arrived at I-190 (near the customs area on US side) and was soon started across Lewiston-Queenston Bridge (0855).  At first, I found myself in a traffic jam in middle of the Niagara River.  Suddenly, at 0900, the lines started moving quickly and I was able to roll the rest of my car across the Canadian border.  It was fast line for Customs and I was completely through by 0910.  Once I was on ON-405 (0911), I had to stop to pay a toll for the bridge (on Canadian side).  After that, I continued west and passed through St. Catherine’s.  There was evidence of lots of wineries and vineyards everywhere I looked.  Eventually, ON-405 became the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) and I was pleased (but surprised) by the much faster speeds.  Sadly, there was much more traffic.  As I hugged the coast of Lake Ontario, I got lots of good views (including some of the Toronto Skyline).  I crossed a huge canal on the way to Hamilton (arrived there at 0940).  After that, I switched to ON-403 (still QEW) and continued (northeast) towards Toronto.  At Exit 107, I stopped to recalibrate my map (and take a break) at a Tim Hortons (1000).  On the road again within five minutes, I finished my drive into the Toronto suburbs and arrived at the Bronte GO (train) Station in Oakville (1015).  My old New Hampshire neighbor and friend, Monte, had recommended it because they had a huge lot for free parking.  As I started packing up a "day bag" for my trip into Toronto, I was surprised by how windy it was.  To ensure I didn't get a lot of blisters, I wore my newer hiking boots. Inside the station, I bought day pass for the trip to Toronto (1020), receiving assistance from a nearby dad.  The Lakeshore West train departed at 1025 and I was safely onboard (I was sitting on the upper deck of the car).  All around me, I saw Blue Jays fans - they explained that there was going to be a game (with the Yankees) at 1500.  They hinted that I should join the fun (standing room tickets were available) - that sounded great...   At Oakville Station, lots of kids got on and the train got progressively louder with each stop as we got closer to Toronto.  We arrived at Union Station (Downtown Toronto) at 1115 and I immediately walked to the base of the CN Tower (1465 feet).  There was already a huge line (not a good sign) but I got help in finding out how to buy tickets.  During this process, I decided to get access for both the Main Observation deck and the higher levels.  Everything was on a timed entry so, even though it was only 1130, my tickets were set up for 1200 and 1315, respectively.  The queue moved steadily, fortunately, and I was inside the tower shaft by 1145.  There was a long security line but then people whose tickets were for later in the day were told to wait.  Fortunately, I had a 1200 ticket and was one of the very few allowed to pass to the next queues.  While waiting to get on an elevator to the Main Observation Deck, I met a young family from Detroit and had a good time talking to them.  There were signs everywhere that told visitors that it was the 50th anniversary of the tower's construction (Monte tole me later that he'd ridden to the top during the first year).  I entered the elevator by 1214 and was rocketing upward.  Our conductor lady gave great elevator speech in the one minute she had - we arrived at 114th floor (Main Observation Deck) at 1215.  I began to explore and was startled to see, among all the views, the baseball stadium underneath the tower.  In the distance, I believe I could see the Buffalo skyline.  I made several circuits of the deck, checking out for prominent landmarks.  My favorite thing was, by far, the view of Lake Ontario and the harbor areas.  Eventually (1230), I started trying to get up to the summit of the tower - sadly, the staff were even more particular about the timed entry tickets.  Since I couldn’t get in line early for the very top, I ordered poutine at the VUE Bistro (1230) and ate my food while looking out over the city.  During this time, I was texting with Monte, who was inbound on the Go train.  With my lunch complete, I found out that I was allowed to go to the level below the Main Observation Deck.  When I checked out what was there, I discovered that I could walk on a glass floor!  Lots of people (even little kids) were playing games and lounging on the floor there.  Not bold enough to go all the way out on the glass, I only put my foot on it - yikes.  Nearby, I was able to go “outside” - there was a nice breeze there.  By then (1305), I decided to try the queue for “Le Sommet” again.  Since they seemed to be running a bit late, I didn’t want to miss my window and started waiting.  This turned out to be a good decision because I entered the (small) elevator at 1317.  When I reached the top, I did a round in the cramped room/gantry up there.  At about that time, I started wondering if it really worth an extra 12 CAD...  There was a large pendulum there that was supposed to show how much the tower was swaying - it was not moving, fortunately.  By 1325, I was waiting to come down again because Monte had reached the CN Tower.  Before long, I reached main level again.  On the way to the last queue, I walked on the glass floor to get around "lookie loos" who were blocking the path.  I got in the last line of my visit to the CN Tower by 1335 and was soon inside the elevator.  As we descended in the fast elevator, the conductor pointed out the glass elevator floor that I was standing on (yikes!).  I reached the bottom by 1345 but then had to escape from the gift shop  and make a long walk back to the exit door.  This was enough effort (my frustration level was constantly rising) but then I had trouble trying to meet up with Monte.  Eventually, we found each other near the Joe Carter statue in front of the Rogers Centre (1400).  Hoping to find food and beer, we next headed towards the northeast until we were walking on the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail.  Monte had lived in Toronto about 25 years prior but had only just returned to the area - as a result, much of his memory was "dated".  This initially led to trouble in finding a place to sit down.  He asked a lot of people for advice but no one (including the staff at the tourist places) seemed to know where we could go.  Eventually, I noticed a place called the NBA Courtside Restaurant 1430.  We sat at the bar and I sampled a few of the local beers while Monte got lunch.  The staff was very nice and Monte & I caught up on all the things that had happened since we last got together (back in early July).  When we finished (1510), we walked back to the ferry landing area and I bought a ticket (Monte's didn't need one because he was a senior citizen) for the ferry to Centre Island (1545).  Beyond the ticket counter, the waiting area was SO crowded.  For some reason, there were LOTS of people who appeared to be of Indian extraction.  The whole place was a mass of humanity.  When the gates opened to allow people to board, it was a massive push towards the center and there was no order at all.  Monte and I changed locations about halfway through (after noticing that the far left side seemed to be moving more quickly) but we still missed the first boat.  Luckily, another boat started boarding soon after the first departed.  Once again, though, things were very crazy!  We made it on the boat and took the only spot left - by sitting in the middle of the boat, we didn't see much during the transit.  Fortunately, the ride wasn't long and we arrived on the island at 1625.  Whew!  Since there were already a TON of people in the area, I suggested to Monte that we skip the beach visit.  Instead, we started walking around on Olympic Island.  This was quieter and allowed for some beautiful skyline views of Toronto.  Continuing south, we crossed a bridge and were soon walking through a busy amusement park.  It looked like fun but we kept going.  Along the way through some tree lined islands, we found an old (Anglican) church.  Soon after that, we finally reached the beach and enjoyed a walk on a quiet(er) boardwalk.  When we ran out of solitude, we ended up in the huge crowd along the waterfront (beach).  There were Indian flags everywhere and I told Monte that I wondered if it was an Indian National Holiday (we later learned that it was their Independence Day).  There were so many bikers (and four wheeled pedal carriages) nearby! Hoping to get away from the crush, I suggested we start trying to find the lighthouse at Gibraltar - Monte agreed but we never found it.  Instead, we turned around and walked north toward the Toronto Island BBQ & Beer Company we'd noticed when we arrived.  As we passed the queue for ferry back to the mainland, we noticed that the line had got longer and longer (ugh)...  We arrived at the restaurant and found another huge line for the food - they apparently had no wait staff at the tables and everyone who wanted food had to wait in one place.  As I had been doing all day, we waited until it was finally our turn at the front of the queue (1835).  By then, I knew exactly what I wanted for dinner: a BBQ brisket sandwich and fries.  Meanwhile, Monte had ice cream.  Frustratingly, we had to wait in a separate line for beer (1840).  Topping off all the waiting, I had nearly reached my limit by then with the automatic tip setups...  Oh, and I learned that the "Beer Company" didn't even have their own beer...  Monte and I sat outside and watched the series of ferries passing (fully loaded) and persistent gulls.  We were blessed with very pretty weather.  It actually took a long time for my food to arrive (my beer was nearly gone) but it tasted good.   When we were ready to leave the island, we checked out the ferry queue and found it was as long as we'd seen it all day.  Monte was ready to leave (due to our walk to the train station and 45+ ride back to Bronte) so we decided to take a water taxi at 1950.  This time, we crossed in rough seas but much faster than the ferries.  Meanwhile, we didn't see any of the big ferries... After arriving at the pier (a different one than the one we started from), we started walking north and arrived at Union Station by 2015.  It wasn't a line but we then had to wait until 2047 for our train.  The platform wasn't too busy but after we made our first few stops, we picked up a lot more...  Meanwhile, it had gotten very dark outside.  For some reason, the train not moving very fast - as a result, we didn't reach Bronte Station until 2140.  By then, I had a big headache and was ready to go to my hotel.  After saying goodbye to Monte, I found my car and used the QEW to drive farther north into Oakville.  Sadly, Toronto queues got me one more time (traffic)...  Still, I arrived at my lodging, a dorm building on the campus of Sheridan College (Trafalgar Campus), at 2200.  With help from (I think) a student desk clerk, I checked into my "double" very quickly.  The accommodations were pretty nice but not like a normal hotel.  Oh well, "live by Booking.com, die by Booking.com"...  After unloading and parking my car, I was back in the room again by 2215.  For the next 45 minutes, I worked on social media, did some reading and completing Duolingo exercises.  I turned out my lights by 2300.  What a day!