The Long Ribbon of Asphalt

I travel for my job and I make weekly trips to Belleville and Kingston, Ontario. It's a routine drive down freeway highway. There can be a lot of traffic but there is a median, on-ramps, and multiple lanes.

Starting a the beginning of November, regular trips to Sudbury, Ontario have been added to my tasks. Sudbury is about 500 kilometres away down a two-lane, undivided highway. This time of year, a lot of the trip happens at night. It is a very different experience from driving down the freeway.

As I was driving out to Sudbury, I started to think about a long two-lane highway through remote country. I grew up in a small town on the Canadian prairies, I have driven many miles down two-lane highways. Even with traffic all around you, I feel isolated. There are stretches where people don't really live. To access the highway, you simply drive up to the intersection and turn the way you want to go. It has a simplicity you don't experience on the freeway. It reminds me of home.

Although this lifeline for these communities is not at the state of the art, it is still well above a dirt cart path that was probably the first over-land route through this area. When you don't have the width and infrastructure of the freeway, it looks different as you drive between hills and through valleys.

The real key to enjoying a trip like this is to not be hung up on how long it is going to take you to get there. You will be held up by traffic. You will face some weather. You will lose time. However, I have satellite radio and music on my phone, synced to the car. I can find music that matches the mood and enjoy the drive. 

You probably won't be able to use the cruise control for a lot of the trip. For some reason a lot of people in Ontario don't embrace the magic known as cruise control and their speed varies greatly as they travel from place to place. Because you will get trapped behind slower moving traffic, you will have to disengage the cruise control and accept that you will be held up from time to time. 

All that being said, I am nostalgic for the feeling of driving down the two lane highway though vast wilderness. It takes me back to a simpler time and sometimes we need a bit of that in our life.

Taking a Look Around

A nation's capital is often a very interesting place to visit. Annually, many tourists flock to Ottawa to check it out. Sometimes I get a bit annoyed as they slowly walk and gawk about but, ultimately I understand they are just enjoying the sights of Canada's capital. 

A friend of mine moved to the Washington DC area so I took this opportunity to check out another nation's capital. As I write this I am still in the area and will be seeing more tomorrow before I head back to the Great White North but I wanted to share a few things.

Unlike Ottawa, which was already a community (and many say nothing more than an overgrown logging town) before it became Canada's capital, Washington was designed to be the capital from the beginning. As such, they had the opportunity to make everything work together. For the most part, they got it right. Pretty much everything is purpose built, buildings were not purchased to be used by the government such as the Prime Minister's residence in Ottawa. I'm not saying one way is better than the other but as you move about Washington, you can tell it was set up a specific way.

A lot of time and effort was put into the monuments. I must say they are very impressive. They are big. They make statements. They also work together to make a generally pleasing area to visit. The National Mall is well thought out and the various components work with each other. You can walk from one attraction to another quite quickly and it all ties together well. I was very impressed.

Me in front of the White House

Although I had heard that the White House was a bit understated for where the head of The United States of America lives and works from, when I saw it, I really had that feeling. It by no means is a small building but compared to some of the monuments to Presidents that have been built, it seems rather regular. I know it wasn't supposed to be too grand or opulent but I was taken aback by how it looks. All that being said, it is still much bigger than my living space.

Some of what I saw today made me think while some of it made me dream. A capital can be a very inspiring place to look around. I had those feelings today. Some of it came from looking at the Wright Flyer in the Air and Space Museum while some of it came from looking at the legacy of a nation that purposely tried to define itself. 

Today was a good day and it has triggered some interesting thoughts about what is possible and how to go about making it happen. That is an important aspect of a national capital. It must be a place to make a nation believe it can be great. It must make you see what others overcame and have you root around in your soul to find a better you. If you let it, Washington DC can do that. When you go to any memorial, you can see how some people saw a bigger picture or did more than expected. It will stir something up in you, at least it did for me.

When you get a chance go somewhere and take a look around. Hopefully it stirs something up for you.

Searched

Last week I was flying as a passenger in the United States of America. Air travel is so benign that in the dead of winter, people do not feel the need to wear pants while they are in a metal tube, flying so high that if it depressurized they would be unconscious in under a minute. 

I understand the need to keep the travelling public safe. For the most part, I agree with the steps taken to achieve this. Although a nuisance, passenger screening is important. 

When I arrived home, there was a notice in my luggage stating that it had been opened and inspected by the Transportation Safety Administration. As I read this, I felt really uneasy. Somebody had opened my luggage and looked through my possessions while I was not present.

I don't know if there is a better way to do it. I have no problem opening up my luggage for inspection if it is legal and helps to keep everyone safe but, I would like to be present when this happens. If I am present, I am able to ensure all my possessions stay in my possession. 

Americans often want to talk about how they are free but I find it peculiar that they accept their luggage being searched when they are not present. If something was confiscated you would not know until you arrived at your final destination. 

I understand the need for these inspections but I think an x-ray machine is adequate to look at everything and nobody will be touching my stuff when I'm not there. It feels like a minor violation of my privacy. Nobody needs to know what shampoo or toothpaste I use. it doesn't matter and they really don't need to learn this info when I'm not present.

I don't mind the full body scanner. I don't mind the physical pat down but having someone look through my luggage when I'm not around feels different and unpleasant.

On the Road Again

For the last eight and a half years I lived in Winnipeg I traveled a lot for my job. I was away from home an average of one-hundred days every year. I missed a lot of things and my friends were often annoyed. There were times I really didn't like it.

I'm writing this from a hotel room in Mississauga. Tomorrow I am starting a new job with a lot of travel. It is a Territory Manager position in Eastern Ontario and I'm real excited to start the job.

When I looked back over my working life, I found that I enjoyed my job the most when I was travelling a lot. Because of this I will now be travelling on a regular basis. I think what I like the most is the variety that work travel provides. When you don't go to the same place everyday and see the same people, it can be a lot easier to deal with the annoying folks out there. I'm not big on routine so this will work well.

I also have a plan to exercise while on the road. It sure beats sitting in my hotel room and twiddling my thumbs one night every week. I'll be able to stay in shape and make good use of my time on the road.

It feels a bit like I'm going home. I will be travelling regularly and I will be once again working in building materials. I grew up in that industry, literally. My wonderful father owned a lumber yard when I grew up. It feels really right and being someone who identifies with what he does for a living, it is important to believe in who you work for and what you do.

Again, I'm taking on a new adventure. This one feels like it will fit really well. Of course, only time will tell but I was happy when I was travelling and once again, I will be travelling.

It's Quaint

I've been in Prince Edward Island for last five days. It's a really nice place with really nice people. Before I go much further, I should mention this is not my first trip to The Island. I should also mention that I like busy cities. That being said, I really enjoyed my time. As part of what I was doing we did some tourist type stuff. 

Only in PEI would you go to a potato farm. This wasn't just any potato farm, the owner of the farm was also in a Frito-Lays commercial. It was the one where they pass a bag of chips across Canada, he's the last one to get the bag. His farm is fully automated to the point that you don't need to be in the tractor while it drives the field doing what it does. Really amazing, if you ask me.

I also ate lobster and raw oysters.This is not the first time I have had either of them but let me leave you with a piece of advice. If you haven't had any shellfish in a while, don't start with eight raw oysters. It was very tasty and it all stayed down but it wasn't without consequences. However, when you are travelling, you need to take in the local activities. The lobster, as always was great. I can't get too much lobster. I can't believe that at one time only the poorest of the poor ate lobster in Newfoundland.

People in PEI drive differently. They will stop for you no matter where you are and they are not in a rush. It's a big change from any big city. However, if you are not used to it, things are happening that you don't expect.

Overall, PEI is very quaint but the people seem really content with life. They always want to chat and will always make time for you. As well, they are a lot of fun, even if it is a bit slower pace.

The Flop House

When I arrived at home after work yesterday I looked around my apartment and noticed it has become really messy. I admit that I don't like to clean. However, I also like to have a clean place. Normally I will let it get to a certain point and get fed up and clean it. It is well past that point and I wasn't sure how it got there.

A bit of reflection made me realize I have been using my home as a bit of a flop house.

I've been travelling quite a bit in the last month. From each trip I come home, sort through a bunch of mail and don't feel like doing much for a day or two. Through all this my place has accumulated a lot of mess. It just happened during the month of June that just flew by.

Right at the end of May I was in North Bay. A few days later I went on the great adventure known as Bonnaroo. Somehow I hurt my ankle and subsequently my foot so cleaning wasn't much of an option when standing for any period of time was nearly impossible. Just as the foot was getting usable I was off to Burlington Ontario and here we are. I'm home and its a mess.

I'm going to take some time over the next couple of nights to get things to an acceptable level. It just surprised me how it somehow spiralled out of control.

When I lived in Winnipeg my place would get messy over the summer while I didn't really live there. I would be home for a few minutes or a few hours about once a week. The mail would pile up and the dishes would get used without getting washed. So, after eleven weeks, it was a mess. It seems to have caught me again. I don't like it. I'm going to fix it. I guess my disdain for cleaning overpowered my desire for a clean home.

You Can Take The Boy Out Of Winnipeg

Today I'm going to Winnipeg. It's been about ten months since I moved away and I haven't been there in about five months. I went back several times in the first five months and now that I haven't been for a while, I miss it.

I should be clearer. I miss my friends.

I am very happy that I moved to Ottawa. It has provided me with a lot of fun and opportunity. I have met some great people but it will never replace my friends and I don't want it to.

There are a lot of great things that come out of my friendships. They will continue. In this day and age it's easy to maintain contact. The Internet has forever changed that facet of our lives.

As I wait for my flight I am looking forward to seeing some amazing people and that's a great place to be.

Playing Tourist

I drove up to Pictou Nova Scotia today. It's a really nice place. I wandered around and took some pictures. It was a good day off.


I have the opportunity to travel as part of my job and when I have time off I like to explore a bit. This was a neat place to visit. It's historic sea-side town. It looks good and there were a lot of people around.  The place was fairly lively.


If most people have their way they wouldn't work but I think a lot of people would let their time go to waste. It's their choice but after the enjoyment I had today, it has been reinforced to me to get out and see things. It doesn't have to bee the coolest things but as you see more you get a greater sense of the world.


All to often people let their lives slip by. I too have been guilty of it at times. It's important to see what the world has to offer. Especially being Canadian, living in such a diverse nation, the more you see the better you appreciate others point of view. You can get a lot of this by playing tourist.


It was a good day today and I better understand a few more things because of it.

Quickness

I was walking about downtown Ottawa today. I headed from my place to the Rideau Centre. This is a part of my walk to work. I think my walk to work is going to take longer than my walk home. It is up hill. It seems to be more up hill than I first realized. It is not insurmountable. I did notice that going home was a much easier walk. I was also walking into a very stiff breeze. This probably added to the effort. I realize this in not mountain climbing but I'm from Winnipeg (read very flat.)

I am excited to be walking to work.

There is the cost savings. I will not be spending money on a bus pass or fuel for my vehicle. This is always a benefit.

There is the fitness aspect. Walking between 25 and 30 minutes twice a day, 5 days a week will be a good addition to my fitness routine.

I think the biggest benefit is the quickness factor of walking. I have discovered downtown Ottawa rush hour traffic is ridiculous. It moves slow. People drive like idiots. It is difficult to make turns. The downtown area is not designed to drive to work. By walking I will be able to move quickly. I will be able to keep moving when traffic is at a standstill. I will not have to wait for public transit. I will not be tied to a schedule. I can stop and take care of errands on the way home. I will be able to enjoy the city atmosphere.

I realize a rainy day will lessen my enjoyment as will very cold weather. In January I will be walking in the dark. Considering all that, I will probably miss the walk once I get into it. I have not been exercising since I left for my house hunting trip. I need to get back at it. Having said that I have missed my regular exercise and I will have to get back at it.

There are pros and cons to every course of action. I see the pros of this walk to work significantly outweighing the cons.

I'm looking forward to work on Monday.

Delays

As I relocate from Winnipeg to Ottawa I have to travel from one to the other. Today was the first leg of the drive. I went from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay. Sounds easy enough.

There were a few delays.

The Elevator. Yes the elevator in the hotel in Winnipeg delayed me. It would not come to my floor and pick me up. I would push the button, the light would go out but no door would open. This happened several times.

The Accidents. As I was driving down Fermor Ave in Winnipeg and I approached Lagimodiere Blvd, the road was closed by a police cruiser. No big deal, I will just zip down to the Perimeter Highway and zip around to the Number 1. When I got to the interchange at the Trans-Canada it was closed so I had to go up to Dugald Rd and back down PTH 207 to Deacon's Corner.

The Restaurant. I stopped for lunch in Dryden ON. I sat down in a restaurant I have ate at several times. It took over twenty minutes for someone to come over and greet me.

The Semi in the Ditch. There was a semi being towed out of the ditch that stopped traffic for at least 25 minutes.

The Snowplough. I caught up to a snowplough going 50 km/h. It was ploughing the shoulder, not the driving lane.

Now there are some upsides to the trip today.

I arrived safely.

I am closer to the destination.

I did the only time change required on the trip.

I may sound as if I am complaining. I may be a bit but when you are driving all day it is easy to get a bit grumpy. Some of these delays are part of travelling. Some are caused by people doing their jobs poorly. It doesn't really matter in the end.

Tomorrow I drive to Sault Ste Marie and the adventure continues.