Two Dudes, Two Dogs, Two Roads

It has been awhile since I last posted and Tom has been threatening to take over this blog.  This is a personal and traveling blog and we have just recently returned from a 10,550 mile road trip which warrants a narrative with pictures and the occasional review.

I, fortunately, work for the State of CA as a Special Events Coordinator and Stage Technician for CalPoly's Performing Arts Center.  The position I hold is what they call an 11/12 position.  In short, I work for 11 months and get paid over 12 months.  August is the slowest time at the theater, thus my month off.

The month of August coincides with my annual PowWow in Restigouche, Quebec as well as Carnival in Provincetown.  I have missed both of these annual events for the past 5 years since moving to California.  The month would give us an opportunity to spend some time with my family and some of our old friends.

Planning the trip takes me awhile.  Research on gas prices, routes, things to see & do and timing require me to scour the internet to get the idea of costs.  This trip was estimated to cost $4000 round trip.  It would involve driving up to British Columbia, taking a right to Quebec following the Trans-Canada Highway, down to Massachusetts and then following Route 6 from Provincetown to Bishop, CA.

I had hoped to blog along the road with AT&T's iPhone.  I contacted them and was told that based on my usage, it would cost roughly $30,000 to utilize my phone in Canada as I had planned.  I was told that there was fast wifi, much faster than the states, available in Canada.  I relied on their comments and decided only to utilize the wifi using my MacBook Pro.

We planned to depart on Tuesday, July 26, 2011.  I also planned on having a packing party the day/night before in order to say goodbye to a few friends, have a cocktail or two and pack the car.  We live next to The Merrimaker, so my thought was to share our packing while drop-ins could have a drink at the bar.  What happened was an impromptu gathering in the field of Morning Glories on the opposite side of the house.  It was a wonderful evening with well wishes, drums and an amazing gift of tube socks filled with rice for neck rests from friends.

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