On the morning we crossed the border into Canada, we luckily secured a reservation on Marine Atlantic for the night crossing. Another eight hour drive from St. Stephen, New Brunswick to North Sydney, Nova Scotia, we were certain that we could make the trip. Although we were very road weary at this point, daily updates from the Canadian Government had indicated a worsening situation and a rapid response that seemed to be closing down the entire economy. We were relieved to be back in our own country. At around 10pm that night, all the vehicles who had travelled from the USA were last to board the ferry. Once on board, we were personally escorted from our vehicle by a masked Marine Atlantic employee to the 8th deck of the ship and placed in an area quarantined from the rest of the passengers. That night about 13 of us camped out in reclining chairs or on the floor, ensuring that we were practicing the social distancing encouraged by Public Health. Though we all appeared well and some of us chatted about the scary times we now found ourselves in, the anxiety for some was quite apparent and at times unbearable. Our governments at the federal and provincial level have done an excellent job of informing us of the
Settling in on the 8th deck
developing situation, as well as of informing us of our responsibility in keeping ourselves safe as well as that of the general public. The response protocol outlined by Marine Atlantic was certainly one where we felt everyone was being protected. Though not ideal conditions (water, coffee and tea could have been provided!) we felt lucky enough to be going home! At around 7am we arrived in Port Aux Basques and were last to be called to the vehicle deck. Greeted by snow, wind and ice we felt sad to have had to cut our trip short but understand that we are living in unprecedented times and take comfort in knowing we are doing the right thing.
Our early morning drive along the south coast of Newfoundland after disembarking from the ferry
We were sitting in our RV in Memphis, Tennessee at Graceland RV Park when we made the decision…the decision to cut our trip of a lifetime short and begin the trek back towards The Rock. Initially our plan for Sunday morning was to go
ahead and tour the home of Elvis Presley, see all the memorabilia and start a leisurely drive east towards Newfoundland but the news of the spread of Co-vid19, the closures of businesses and schools as well as the possible closure of borders heightened our urgency to return to Canada as quickly as possible. So instead, on that bright and early morning,wefound ourselves hitting the road instead of touring the King’s estate! And so it began… our two day journey North back to snow and ice.
The internet is a wonderful thing! As we drove, we listened to radio talk shows and stayed abreast of all the developments across the United States and in
Canada. States of emergency were cropping up all around the world, Trudeau was closing borders to international travellers and limiting the number of airports that would receive international flights. Iconic places like the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville were shut down and neighbourhoods in New York were quarantined. And, of course, supplies at the local Walmarts like toilet paper were limited. Though we felt fine, and still do, we put a push on to get to Canada as we really could not predict where this pandemic would go. Normally
the navigator, I drove for stretches of time so that Steve could rest. On both Sunday and Monday we drove until midnight, camping out on hotel parking lots to catch a wink. After two days of straight driving, across 10 states, we finally crossed the border at Calais, Maine into New Brunswick, Canada. The border services guard was very friendly and of course, asked if we were displaying any symptoms or had been in contact with anyone who had tested positive,to which we have not. So now we are home in our own country, self-isolating, getting ready to catch a ferry back to The Rock!
The expression “everything is bigger in Texas” is true!!! Being the second largest state in the USA by area and by population it is famous for its BBQ, live music and hot temperatures. As we travelled to San Antonio, Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth we had the pleasure of experiencing all 3 before heading east into Arkansas.
Part of the paved bike trail that took us from our KOA Park right to downtown San Antonio
Enjoying a boat ride along the River Walk
First stop; San Antonio!!!! A city rich in history and culture, we decided to stay in the lovely San Antonio/Alamo KOA park on the outskirts of the city for 5 days. With over 7 miles of biking trails, a pool, on site restaurant, clean facilities and friendly staff we decided this would be a great place to recoup after the long
drive from New Mexico. Downtown San Antonio was really a happening place. The San Antonio River Walk is a city park and network of walkways along the San Antonio River. One level below the street it winds itself under bridges along restaurants, bars, shops and museums, connecting the 5 historic Missions of San Antonio. 15 miles in total length (2.5 of which run through the downtown area) tourists can walk, run, bike, or take a boat ride and enjoy the beauty and relaxed vibe of this little piece of Venice.
Just a stone’s throw away from where we lunched on the River Walk was the infamous San Antonio de Valero famously known as the Alamo. Founded in 1718 as the first Mission along the San Antonio River it represents one of Spain’s
most successful attempts at extending its dominion northward from New Spain or Mexico and helped form the foundation for the modern city of San Antonio. Through the Mission, Franciscan Spaniardsfinanced by the Crown, offered the Indians safety and foodwhile converting them spiritually to the Catholic faith. The Mission eventually failed and the old compound was converted to a military garrison. In 1836, after a 13 day siege, Mexican troops reclaimed the Alamo Mission and killed between 182 and 257 Texans including Davy Crockett.
We also visited the San Jose Mission, also known as the "Queen of the Missions". The layout of the Mission compound demonstrates how important community life was. The massive stone walls were used for defense from attacking Comanche and Apache people.
San Jose Mission founded in 1720
Our stop in San Antonio was quite interesting and relaxing but time to move on towards Austin, Texas.....the live music capital of the world! It was quite a bit busier in Austin and a little tricky getting a campground but we were extremely lucky to land a site at Pecan Grove RV Park , right in the heart of Austin! We could have biked along the wonderful trail just up the road but why
Nestled away in Austin!
bike when you can easily walk to all the entertainment. On our first night we went to The Saxon Pub and took in a performance by Denny Freeman and band. We didn't know but Freeman played with the likes of Bob Dylan, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Willie Nelson. We knew we would be in for a Blues treat!
The next day we decided to take in some country and visited The Continental Club. It was hard to believe that at 3:00 in the afternoon we were listening to a fabulous band and the dance floor was full! Texans love to boot, scoot, and boogie in Austin! What a treat!
Finally, to round out our weekend and to experience the more cultural side of Austin, we decided to tour the State Capitol building. This beautiful building appeared before us in plain site on the previous day when we left The Continental Club. We had heard that it was a place to see and that they offered free tours.....why not? Off we went......
Way off in the distance, as the sun sets, you can see the State Capital Building.
The ceiling of the rotunda was quite impressive!
Austin was just awesome and definitely a fun city with a great vibe. With the average age of residents being only 33, make no wonder there was so much activity, restaurants and entertainment!!! We will definitely be back but for now? Time to move on to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Our KOA campground located outside Fort Worth was wonderful and away from the crazy busy city of Dallas. Again, this was a time to recoup from long drives and the party of Austin. We did manage to take in, however, the Fort Worth Stockyards. Our visit here gave us a good idea of what Fort Worth was all about in the late 1800's during the times of the cattle drives.
Like I said, everything REALLY is bigger in Texas!
Texas was a wonderful state and we will definitely be back but now it is time to move on and head East. Part of our daily routine has been to watch the Newfoundland and Canadian news and the recent coverage about the CoVid-19 virus, the world economy and the stock market is concerning. While we feel fine and are not panicked whatsoever it is difficult to predict how things will play out in the coming days, weeks and months. We will begin our journey back towards "The Rock" but still try to take in whatever interesting sights and sounds that we can safely see. Stay tuned, y'all, for our next post!
As we travel throughout North America, we are discovering the unique beauty that each province and state is famous for. There is no better place to get up close and personal with the places we are visiting then by entering the National Parks and Monuments and taking in the variety of events that are offered. Way back at the beginning of this journey, we discovered that many of these National Parks would be bucket list places AND we quickly discovered how expensive it would be to visit, each averaging $25 to $35. It was a no-brainer to purchase the $80 annual pass. With everything we have seen so far, we have already paid for our pass 3 or 4 times over. Such was the case when we visited our last two National attractions in New Mexico. White Sands National Park, located in the northern Chihuahuan Desert of New Mexico, is known for its dramatic landscape of white gypsum sand dunes. Occupying 275 square miles of desert landscape, this fascinating area is even visible from space. We really enjoyed our afternoon on the Interdune Boardwalk and driving the scenic road through the mountains of sand. For just a moment, we thought we were spending February home in Newfoundland!! And yes, I even sled down a dune!
Carlsbad Caverns was the other National Park we visited in New Mexico. Featuring over 100 caves, there are two ways to enter the cavern; hiking through the Natural Entrance or taking an elevator down 750 feet at the visitor centre. Normally, I would have been all up for the hike but I had the off chance of chatting with another tourist on the previous day and her story of descending down into a dark and eerie cave had my claustrophobia on high alert and, for my sake, we chose the elevator ride. If I were to do this again, I would definitely hike in!!! The pictures and video below show a huge underground chamber with stalactites clinging to the roof and other odd formations and features that you would only find in an ancient cavern. As we walked for about a mile underground exploring the various rooms, we were awestruck by the strange beauty and eerie silence that is typical of caves. We were so glad we made it to Carlsbad Caverns!
The National Park Service has done an excellent job in making these caverns accessible for everyone. The trailways and hand rails ensure safety and a promise that you won't get lost!
Down, down we go!
These three stalagmites are known as The Three Giants and were formed from the accumulation of calcite from dripping water. The twin domes are 58 feet from the bottom of the trail and the Giant Dome has now become a column touching the roof of the cavern.
Many parts of the trail were softly lit.
You can really get an understanding of the size of this particular room in the cavern when you let your eye follow the pathway down to where Steve is standing.
Here I was looking up from one trail to the other up above.
Our cave selfie!!
Thank-you, New Mexico, for sharing your enchanted lands with us! Time to move on!
After leaving the southern area of Arizona, our plan was to head North and visit Winslow, Flagstaff, Sedona and then up to the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest……our plans changed! North means cold……and boy did we notice a big change in temperature as well as some rainy weather. We are trying to escape cold weather! The road construction and closures in the Petrified Forest would have also made our travel plans a little more complicated so we decided to move on and head east towards New Mexico. Don’t worry, Arizona, we will definitely be back!
We DID make it to Winslow, Arizona however and stood on that famous corner with the flat bed Ford that The Eagles made famous in their smash hit Take It Easy.
We also visited Meteor Crater which happens to be the best preserved meteorite impact site on Earth before moving on. 50 000 years ago a meteorite estimated to be around 150 feet across and weighing several hundred thousand tons, struck the northern Arizona rocky plain with an explosive force. The crater it left behind is large enough for 20 football games to be played on its floor all at the same time.
To the very far left of the photo above, you can see the Visitor Centre
New Mexico, known as the Land of Enchantment, was already home to Native Americans for the last 20 000 years when Spanish explorers arrived in the 1600’s. Home to 19 Pueblos, there are more cows and sheep in New Mexico than people! This was certainly evident as we drove the I-40 towards Albuquerque! The vast amounts of grasslands and odd rock formations told another geological story of this area. One such place we visited 52 miles North of Albuquerque and 35 miles South of Santa Fe was Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. The cone shaped tent rock formations this area has become famous for are the products of volcanic eruptions that occurred 6 to 7 million years ago that left pumice, ash and tuff deposits over 1000 feet thick. Boulder caps sit precariously atop many of the hoodoos. The canyons we traversed through are the result of wind and water erosion creating an interesting landscape and spectacular scenery. The 3 mile hike through Canyon and Cave Trails was a feast for the senses.
And yes!! We made it to the top where there was snow!!
The hike in and out was truly a remarkable experience and we were in awe the entire time! The video below shows a portion of the trail known as "the slot".
Bandelier National Monument located near Los Alamos in New Mexico was another fascinating site we visited on the following day.The monument preserves the Ancestral Pueblo homes and territory of prehistoric people dating back 10 000 years. What makes this site so fascinating is that the homes were carved into cliff faces and we had an opportunity to get inside and really learn about how these people lived.
Steve climbing into a dwelling. The people painted the roof of the cave with black soot to harden the sandstone.
Steve took this pic as I was climbing up the ladder into the cliff dwelling. Below, in the field, are the remnants of other housing and gardens where crops were grown.
The vertical holes seen in the picture above were used for floor support beams. Archaeologists are able to determine how many stories each dwelling was.
The sign here says it all!!! Four ladders to the top!!
It's safe to say we certainly had our exercise at both these National Monuments. Time to head south now for warmer temperatures (hopefully) and a little fun! Here we come Roswell, New Mexico......or should I say "Beam me up!"
