Halifax N.S is an odd place to start a 6 months tour of the United States. For several reasons it seemed a good idea to ship our motor caravan there, (a Mobilvetta Euroyacht 170) as it is the first stop for the Roll-on Roll-off ferry from Southampton and is reputed to be a pilfer free port - and finally Michael has always wanted to revisit the town where he lived for two years whilst in the Navy.
To further complicate the start of our tour we flew to New York and then took the train to Halifax via Montreal.
The countryside we had hopes to observe from the train turned out to be trees, trees and yet more trees but nevertheless the three day journey was very enjoyable being sociable and relaxing.
The two days in Halifax were spent walking the wide Boardwalk along the waters edge where the old warehouses have been converted into shopping arcades, restaurants, museums and theatres, climbing to the Capitol (an old fort guarded by sentries in full Scottish regalia, taking a tour on a red double-decker London bus and visiting a local fishing cove.
Collecting the van was simple. everything was intact -the Agriculture and Customs departments had already passed it as fit for import - so a quick signature and we were on our way.
First stop to fill up with diesel (amazingly cheap) and then to find a propane station to purchase a refillable gas bottle.
From Halifax it was a short drive north to Moncton, New Brunswick, before turning south for The States. A detour to St John to see the Reversing Falls, an amazing sight - a waterfall in one direction as the tide goes out and a waterfall in the opposite direction as the tide comes in. Whilst parked, watching the falls we were given some very useful information by some Canadian caravanners who had come over to ask about our "rig".
They told us that an American chain store called Wal-Mart allowed R.V.'s to park overnight in their car parks and that in the Wal-Mart edition of the Rand McNally Road Atlas all the stores were listed. There were many times in the months that followed that we were very glad of that information!
The U.S.A border control at Calais Maine gave our passports a cursory glance and to our surprise just waved us through- we can only guess that as our visas had been stamped in New York it was presumed that the motor caravan had already been examined in the U.S.
The drive across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont was lovely, with the trees in their Autumn colours of pale yellow through to bright red, and little towns with their white painted wooden houses surrounded by green lawns were very picturesque. The drive across New York State on Interstate 90 was very long and very hot so instead of making straight for Niagara we detoured north to Albion for a night at Lakeside Beach State Park - cool and very quiet with lovely views along the lake.
At Niagara we took a trip on the 'Maid of the Mist' to view the Falls from below and got very wet, then visited the Cave of the Winds and the Bridal Falls and got very wet again. Parking for Motor caravans is on Goat Island less than a 1/3 a mile from the Falls and even that short distance need not be walked as there is a tourist bus to take you there which runs every half hour. With such superb views of the upper rapids from around the island we opted to walk.
A short detour back eastwards to Lockport to see some famous old Locks necessitate a stopover at a Wal-Mart as the local campsite was closed.. Back to the falls this time to the Canadian side and a stay at the K.O.A. campsite on Lundy Road from where a bus to the falls leaves every hour for the twenty minute journey. Visiting all the sights at the Canadian Falls is made easy by using the air-conditioned "people mover" buses.
We went down behind the Falls before bussing to the board walk which runs along the edge of the lower rapids and then on to take a ride over the river on the Spanish Arial Gondola. Back to the centre and a ride up the Skylon to view the Falls from on high - a ride we repeated after dark to see the spectacular light show played onto the falling waters.
Staying in Canada we crossed Ontario to Detroit., Michigan . On the way we spent a day and night at Rondeau State Park - a lovely forested peninsula on Lake Erie where we cycled for miles on quiet pretty roads through clouds of Mayflies
During a very pleasant four days spent with friends in Detroit we visited the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village at Dearborn. I had expected the museum to be cars, cars and more cars but there is so much more - trains, wagons, bicycles, old motor caravans and caravans, and a set up of the old Ford production line.
All the presidential cars are there - (even the one Kennedy was shot in).One theatre there told us the history of Mo-Town and in complete contrast another gave us an "Introduction to the Internet" To see the village we had to return a second day (we could use the same ticket) Greenfield Village is a collection of widely differing buildings which have been collected and arranged in a village setting.
There are mansions, houses, a Cotswold cottage, farms, shops and small factories. Most of the buildings are from the last century but there is an eighteenth century farmhouse and an earlier slave cottage. What makes a visit really interesting is that the attendants in the various houses are dressed in the period of that house and speak as if they are the original owners, making history come alive.
From Detroit across Michigan to Benton harbour on Lake Michigan where we seemed to be an oddity to some people "English folk in Benton Harbour Never !" The campsite being closed it was once again overnight in a Wal-Mart car park.
A brief ride through the top of Indiana and we were soon in Illinois. It being a Sunday we had presumed that it would be a nice quiet day to visit Chicago. Wrong - we had unknowingly picked "Walk for Aids day" and there were thousands of people walking the streets.
The view of Chicago from Lakeside Drive was attractive with the Lake and beaches on one side and the many different coloured skyscrapers on the other. We managed to find a parking space on the beach (metered) and attempted a sightseeing walk but there were just too many people around for comfort so back to our vehicle and so north for Wisconsin.
On the way we stopped at the Ba'hai Temple - a beautiful white concrete building that looked as if was made of lace. Our only stop in Wisconsin was at a small tourist resort at Lake Geneva .The lake was large with lots of big hotels on the shoreline and in the town very expensive boutique type shops.
The campsite was closed but the owner let us stay for one night. We would have liked to linger at Lake Geneva but there was a hot gale blowing which made walking difficult so west to Iowa and a campsite on the banks of the Mississippi. .
In our guide book the town of Dubuque (Iowa) sounded interesting but I think it has seen better days as there were many houses and business premises boarded up and derelict .Loving the thought that we were by the great Mississippi River we decide to travel north along it.
Soon we were in farming country with vast fields of crops, isolated farmhouses, very narrow roads which were nowhere near the river.. The roads had no numbers or signposts and even navigating by compass was difficult as we kept coming to T junctions with roads going east and west when we wanted to go north!. At Guttenberg we came to the river again and there watched sets of barges, sometimes as many as 15 negotiating the huge lock.
The Indian Effigy Mounds Monument - a hillside covered with burial mounds in the shapes of animals and birds just north of Guttenberg is fascinating. At the Visitors Centre we watched a short film on the area before hitting the trail to see the mounds. It is a very steep climb with many explanatory boards on the way explaining the flora and fauna which gave me a good excuse to stop and get my breath back!. At the top of the hill there are fabulous views back down the river.
On the way to Mason City, where we had planned to spend the night, we saw an intriguing sign to the " Smallest church in the world" . It was already getting dark but we thought a small detour would be alright.
In all the detour took us two hours as the road to the church was unmade and potholed, needing very careful driving. To see the church we had to park with our headlights trained on it and as the location was very isolated it was quite eerie.
The pretty little building seats just eight people and was built by a woman to give thanks for the safe return of her son from the Napoleonic Wars. By the time we arrived in Mason City, Wal-Mart was our only option.
The next few days we spent with new friends, met at Halifax, at their home in the town of Clear Lake (Iowa). This was a very special time with lovely people and it was very difficult to move on but we left with the promise that we would meet them again during their winter stay in Las Vegas - a place very clearly on Michael's itinerary.
The town of Clear lake is very pleasant with a pretty lake ,tree lined streets and little obvious Industry - very much a town with a feel of community On to West Bend and a visit to the Grotto of Redemption. a weirdly fantastic edifice full of religious scenes built out of crystals and different coloured stones which sparkle in the sun. Quite beautiful but with the temperature in the 90's difficult to appreciate.
North into Minnesota for a stay at Kilen Wood State Park and at last a cool breeze. Because we were travelling 'out of season' the state park entrances were not manned and so we had to self register and deposit the camping fee in the box provided.
State Parks charge just one fee whereas National parks charge for entrance plus a camping fees. Still in Minnesota we visited the town of Pipestone - named after the locally mined red stone.
There are good self guided tours to see the mines which only native Americans (Indians) are allowed to mine in fulfilment of ancient treaties. In the Visitor Centre there were demonstrations of Indian basket and jewellery making.
Into South Dakota and a very uncomfortable drive to Mitchell through 22 miles of road works. It was our own fault as we had ignored a sign that said 'suggest you find another route'. Mitchell is famous for its Corn Palace, a large minaretted building, its outside walls covered in huge pictures which from a distance looked like paintings, but were in fact formed by different coloured corn cobs (Maize).
Each year after harvest the palace walls are stripped and a new theme portrayed. Sport was the theme when we visited and the panels showed tennis, hockey and football players , gymnasts and swimmers and so much more, an amazing sight..
After crossing the Missouri River we made for The Badlands - a sixty mile long escarpment rising out of the flat prairie, the edge of which has been weathered into a moonlike surface of crevices and pinnacles, totally devoid of vegetation. There are well marked trails throughout the area and we spent a pleasant four days there.
The walking surface is very crumbly which makes walking the steeper tracks rather scary..
The campsite in the park is basic - flush toilets and cold water stand pipes only, but the pitches are well spaced and the views superb. Whilst at Badlands we took a side trip to see the famous Wall Drugstore - few could resist a visit as the adverts for it start from a hundred miles away.
From small beginnings in the 30's, when to attract customers passing by on the freeway free ice-water was offered, the store now takes up most of the main street of this little town.
Free ice-water is still offered and honeymooners and truckers can get free coffee. Inside the extensive store are smaller stores selling every conceivable thing , cafes and amusement park - very touristy but fun.
The Mount Rushmore's car park and visitor centre were undergoing a refit, leaving only a very small viewing platform from which to see the carvings so we did not linger. Instead we took the spectacular Iron Mountain Road to Custer State park.
On the narrow steep road were several tunnels, framed from the exit of which, we had been told, there would be fabulous views of THE Heads.
It was only later that we learnt that we should have been going in the opposite direction!. The campsite in Custer State park is in a lovely narrow green valley edged by a tumbling river and surrounded by pine covered hillsides, with the added bonus of buffalo grazing nearby.
A snowstorm during the night made the scene even more beautiful. Facilities at the campsite are excellent - heated shower block, launderette, water and dump station, and there was only one other family on the site for us to share it all with.
Crazy Horse Monument next - a gigantic sculpture of a mounted Indian Chief, Crazy Horse being carved out of the sharp edged of a steep sided mountain.
The scale of the project is mind boggling and although the sculpture is unfinished - only the head is complete - well worth a visit.
The nearby Indian Museum has a very interesting collection of costumes paintings and artefacts from the different Indian tribes. North to Deadwood and a very good steak dinner at the Four Aces Saloon - 4 courses $5.
The gambling saloons serve low priced meals hoping to get your money in other ways! Deadwood main street is lined with authentic looking old saloons with staff dressed as cowboys and bar girls but the buildings are in fact fairly new as several disastrous fires destroyed the original wooden ones.
A bus tour with a very informative guide include a visit to Boot Hill and the Mount Moriah cemetery where Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickock are buried. I had always thought they were a couple but apparently they hardly knew each other - another Hollywood myth blown.
Into Wyoming and a quick look at Devils Tower, an enormous granite monolith featured in the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
The Alternative Route 14 through the Bighorn Mountains to Cody is not recommended for R.V.'s but with complete confidence in our vehicle we traversed it and were rewarded with breathtaking views of surrounding peaks.
Cody is of course Buffalo Bill's town - his statues dominate the town and an extensive museum is devoted to his memory. Yellowstone and a bit of a shock - a three hour wait to get in.
Because of road works within the park the east entrance does not open until 6pm.(after dark). Once through the gates there was a 60 mile very uncomfortable drive over unmade up roads before we reached a campsite, Lakeside which is a no facility site in a pine forest and only $5 a night.
Next morning we awoke to find ourselves in deep snow. Soon after a Ranger came by to say the entrance roads were going to be closed.
And we should leave the park and return in about four days when the storm would have passed. Starting to comply we decided we had not travelled all that way to be beaten by a little snow. so turned back.
At Yellowstone village we had un-crowded views of Old faithful and an interesting 2 mile walk along the boarded path amongst the geysers and also a welcome stop at the village store, where we partook of hot doughnuts and coffee.
The spacious Yellowstone Lodge, wooden built with large central hall in which cosy armchairs were grouped round a huge open fire afforded a warm break from the intense cold outside.
The central Madison campsite ($10) has a manned Ranger station ,electric lights and cold water only toilet blocks.
Because of road replacing schemes there were lengthy detours to all the northern attractions so opted to view Mammoth Hot Springs and the river gorge only. On the fourth morning with the van sheathed in ice, the water pump frozen and the diesel sluggish it was time to head south.
We clinked down through the Grand Tetons as lumps of ice dropped off the underside of our vehicle.
The K.O.A. campsite at Bear Lake Idaho greets frozen travellers with well stocked shop, hot ,hot showers, large launderette, propane and diesel station and a large car-wash big enough for R.V's.
To another K.O.A this time at Salt Lake City Utah. The site is very extensive but the individual pitches are very small and cramped.. The campsite facilities are good and a bus for the city centre leaves every half hour.
We took a tour of Temple Square and also went to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing on their practice night I was disappointed with Salt lake City which was somewhere I had always wanted to visit - the city seemed bland and lifeless.
Shops are grouped into one large deserted looking Mall, no coffee shops and everywhere closed down by 9pm.
The Great Salt Lake is a twenty minute drive from the city. Once a popular tourist destination with its own railway terminal, but a disastrous flood followed by a drop in the water level ruined the area.
Only one large building remains and that is an empty shell inside of which are a few photographs of before and after the flood, a model of the building in its heyday and a small sweet shop in one corner. Visits to four National parks next.
Zion where we climbed the Rim Trail to walk behind waterfalls and then followed the river into the narrowing canyon through hanging gardens of ferns.
Bryce where we watched the sun rise on the fantastically shaped yellow and orange peaks and pinnacles in the bowl shaped canyon - below freezing at dawn when we first arrived and 90f when we hiked out of the canyon four hours later.
Capitol Reef where we cycled the narrow canyon our voices echoing off the sheer walls.
Finally Arches NP where the scariest part of the visit was the drive into the park up what at first glimpse looked like a sheer cliff.
The Arches campsite was in a lovely setting set amongst pines and huge rocks with sweeping views over the park. The site is so popular that bookings had to be made by 9am to ensure a pitch .
In Aches the most spectacular natural arches are quite some way from the roads and take strenuous walking to reach. There was just one we didn't make because reaching it entailed a walk across a very narrow causeway with 100ft drops on either side - the head was willing but the knees definitely were not.
A ranger 'Walk and Talk' introduced us to Indian Rock Art and after leaving the park we spent several days visiting the numerous Rock Art sites in and around the town of Moab.
South and a visit to the Indian Cliff Dwellings at Mesa Verde, Colorado. It is a mystery why the tribes moved from the flat plateau to halfway down the almost sheer sides of the canyon and there were moments when I wished they had not. The climb down to the cave buildings via ladders and shallow cut steps - not helped by a violent thunderstorm - was frightening but once on site well worth it.
The campsites in the area were closed so it was Wal-Mart in Cortez for the night and for the next day also, as a heavy overnight fall of snow closed all the roads.
Four Corners, where Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico meet, Mexican Hat Rock and Monument Valley we visited very briefly as it was freezing cold with the coldest wind imaginable blowing.
Kayenta where we spent a night is an Indian town without street lights and the houses are mostly of the 'permanent mobile home' type. The deserted campsite left a lot to be desired with litter and stray dogs in abundance but it was late and we had no choice.
To use the showers we had to get the attendant from the launderette to unlock the doors for us. Not fancying being on my own I chose to share the men's room with Michael where we found wood lice on the walls, shower curtains hanging by a piece of string and toilets without doors.
We then knew why we were the only campers., but there was loads of hot water and so hot in the block that we dried our towels there.
Arizona and a super four days at the Grand Canyon, walking the rim trail and driving to all the overlook points..
Very good campsite with nearby supermarket and launderette. Seeing The Grand Canyon Story at the Imax Theatre in the village was almost as scary as walking the rim trail, with its wonderful footage of the canyon taken from a micro-light plane and from a raft on the river.
On to Route 66 and lots of small towns full of little old wooden buildings, saloons and shops selling Route 66 memorabilia.
One of the towns we remember in particular was Oatman a one street town with wooden boardwalk pavements, dim dark dusty shops and wild Burros wandering in the road - very atmospheric.
In complete contrast, was Lake Havasu a large modern town in which stands the old London Bridge. Mike being a Londoner had to walk over it here as well.
We thought the bridge in its desert setting with the Colorado River diverted to flow under it looks OK but its surrounding 'English Village' with its mock Tudor buildings, model of Big Ben in a miniature Hyde Park and a London bus from which ice cream is sold - words fail me!
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USA Tour Pt 1