USA and Canada in 2015

5m 04s

The first part of the 2015 journey to the USA and Canada. Starting in Sydney and ending up in the San Jose area.

2m 28s

Cosmetics company Mac had a large promotion in the centre of Westfield Valley Fair in San Jose. Happened upon it as Jeffrey and Wen took me along to the Apple store, I think.

9m 13s

A two day drive after picking up a rental car in San Jose. Head down the coast to Madonna Inn at San Luis Obispo for the first day's drive. Then head to Las Vegas, through very windy areas and a few dust storms. Also passed by a tractor/trailer apparently blown over in the wind on the freeway. Presumably the trailer was empty.

9m 59s

After some morning shopping, it was off to Red Rock Canyon, just to the west of Las Vegas. However some areas were better illuminated in the morning, so before heading to Springdale, UT it was time to head back to Red Rock Canyon for the morning light. THEN drive to Springdale.

0m 11s

The view from my room at Hampton Inn, Springdale Utah.

10m 32s

A day's journey through Zion National Park, from the Shuttle bus to the park entrance, then another bus through the park, followed by walks into the park.

10m 29s

The drive from Zion National Park, through the tunnel to Glen Canyon Dam then towards Grand Canyon.

7m 58s

Glen Canyon Dam is located on the Colorado River upstream of the Grand Canyon. This formed Lake Powell, which inundates a number of canyons, but provides recreational boating facilities, while the dam provides hydro-electricity.

9m 49s

The day started at Grand Canyon Railway, then to the Catholic Church for Sunday Mass, scenes of the Canyon then drive to Tucson, south to I40, east to Flagstaff thence I10 and then I17 to Tucson.

13m 57s

The day's travel was south and east from Tucson to Tombstone, with its old west attractions, then on to Bisbee, the location for (mythical) sheriff Joanna Brady, and a town with a rich heritage from the now closed copper mine.

10m 48s

The day started with an opening time arrival at the Pima Air Museum, south of Tucson, to secure a spot on the aircraft boneyard across the street from the museum (located in Davis-Monthan Air Force Base). The tour is followed by walking around the museum, then a drive to Denny and Geniva in Peoria, north west of Phoenix. I stayed the night with them, then drove to Phoenix airport, returned the rental car and flew to Atlanta.

9m 57s

Video recorded over several delightful spent with Toni and Roger on their lake house in Georgia.

11m 49s

Toni and I headed to the town of Blue Ridge, GA, to catch the tourist train along the Teccoa River to the conjoined towns of McCaysville, GA and Copperhill, TN. And return. And drove home via back roads, rather than the highway

8m 01s

My last full day in Georgia was spent in Atlanta with Toni, including a tour of CNN Headquarters, and The World of Coca-Cola at their headquarters. And riding MARTA (train) to/from downtown,

9m 12s

Toni and I drove to Point Clear from Arrowhead Lake. Mostly along Interstates. After arriving at Kent & Shirley's home, joined Kent out on the next door neighbour's wharf with Sport and Missy, their 2 dogs.

9m 33s

Toni and I headed up through Mobile and down the western side of Mobile Bay to Bellingrath Gardens and Home. Mr. Bellingrath bought the Coca-Cola bottling license for Mobile in the early days, and became quite wealthy. But also very civic minded, including opening the gardens to the public on a regular basis. His wife died in 1943, and he passed away in 1955, having created a foundation to honour his wife and maintain the gardens and house.

12m 06s

Assorted activities - Toni returns home, walking along Scenic Highway 98, renting a car and then off to downtown Mobile for lunch.

9m 16s

A not especially interesting drive, being mostly flat country and the majority on the freeway. Did pull in to a rest stop to change the temperature settings for the car - it's via a touch screen, and so entirely bad for car use.

9m 46s

A tour of areas south and east of Gainesville, Florida. Covers "horse country", Silver Springs, Boulware Springs and pumping station, walking trail and finally a drive through downtown Gainesville.

10m 53s

A drive to Coral Key, on the west (gulf) coast of Florida, and the following day a trip to the Florida Natural History Museum at the University of Florida, Gainesville. Of most interest was the Butterfly Rainforest exhibit.

0m 23s

This is the hotel room at the Best Western Inn in Naples, Florida, and also the view from the balcony. There is a screen on the balcony to keep the pests away, as well as a table and chairs. This room is on the third floor. The room allocated to me was not ready at the time, so they gave me this room, at the same rate. I am not complaining.

9m 03s

A two day journey of mostly driving from Gainesville, to Naples for the evening (and a delicious Japanese meal) then through the Everglades to Homestead and on to Key West. Alas, the camera either flattened the battery or overheated in the sun, and recording stopped before Key Largo, the first of the string of Keys.

12m 14s

A full day walking around Key West, and some night walking too.

10m 42s

Departing Key West on Saturday morning, driving up the chain of islands and on to the mainland. Drive continues up through Miami, where the camera battery runs flat, and to Fort Pierce

11m 48s

A bus tour and then walk around Kennedy Space. Includes arrival and departure. Excludes Apollo and Atlantis (shuttle) exhibitions.

13m 22s

The Apollo 8 exhibition at the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral uses the equipment used to control the launch of Apollo 8 as the first manned flight around the moon. Followed by the exhibition area with a real Saturn V rocket and a piece of moon rock to be touched by human hands, among much other memorabilia.

11m 53s

A building dedicated to the Space Shuttle Atlantis, with the shuttle in the building, as well as a facsimile of the Hubble Space Telescope, and a shuttle simulator/trainer.

10m 46s

Drive from Daytona Beach to Savannah, GA followed by a night walk around the historic district, including the waterfront. After an excellent dinner.

12m 43s

Two organised tours today - first by bus in the morning to get an overview of the old city, then walk to join a walking tour of a smaller area in greater detail. Finally a view from across the Savannah River, then head north on US 17 to South Carolina, destination Charleston.

12m 51s

A day in Charleston, starting at the Magnolia Planation to the north west of Charleston, then to Patriots Point for the ferry to Fort Sumpter, where the first shot in the Civil War occured.

11m 54s

Drive through South Carolina back roads to reach I20 and head west into Georgia at Augusta. Stop to look over the Augusta Canal before resuming the journey to Atlanta, spending the night just south of the airport, before departing the next day for Toronto.

8m 50s

After flying from Atlanta the day before, Sunday was a nice relaxing day, featuring Brunch with Garry and Lynda's daughter Carly and her partner Dave. Later in the afternoon, a walk along Lake Ontario was very enjoyable.

10m 11s

Garry and Lynda took me to Port Perry for a pleasant couple of hours. Port Perry is on Lake Scugog, north of Ajax, and not directly connected to any of the Great Lakes.

10m 57s

Starting from Ajax, Garry and Lynda took me to see Niagara Falls. Even though the cross-Canada train journey starts on Friday with a bus tour to Niagara Falls, I wanted to go this day as well, since it can be a casual tour, rather than the planned activities on an organised tour.

12m 12s

Touring downtown Toronto, led by cousin Andrew B. Train into the city, then to the Museum, Queens Park, old and new City Hall and assorted other attractions, finishing at the CN Tower. And then video of the CN Tower after sunset.

11m 29s

The bus tour was actually the first day of the trans Canada train journey. The train leaves Toronto about 10PM, so the day is spent at Niagara Falls. Even though I had been there a few days earlier, that was a flexible visit, as opposed to today's bus schedule. However, today was interesting and included activities not done earlier.

12m 08s

The train left Toronto about 10PM on Saturday night, and we spent all Sunday crossing Ontario. Selected sights from the train.

1m 55s

Little did I know at the time that this is the town where Harry Messel grew up, having been born a few miles to the east. I wonder if this town knows of his success?

14m 42s

Little did I know at the time that this is the town where Harry Messel grew up, having been born a few miles to the east. I wonder if this town knows of his success?

14m 37s

During the night the train crossed from Saskatchewan to Alberta, stopping in Edmonton for a short period, where it appears another carriage was added to the train. Then on to Jasper, where the journey on this train ended as the night was spent at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, out of the town itself. Arriving late, there was little time to explore.

16m 19s

A bus tour along the Icefields Parkway of Alberta, from Jasper to Banff, stopping at the Athabasca Glacier for a walk on it. Also stop at Athabasca Falls, Bow Lake and Lake Louise.

15m 35s

Pickup from Fairmont at Banff to train station and board the Rocky Mountaineer, which also stopped at Lake Louise before heading through the two spiral tunnels to descend the western slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, then following rivers into Kamloops.

16m 41s

The second day of Rocky Mountaineer travel starts in Kamloops, follows the Thompson River to Lytton where it joins the Fraser River through the Fraser River Canyon all the way to Vancouver for the night.

13m 48s

Arose early (after late arrival in Vancouver) to be at the Vancouver train station at 5:30am for the 6:30am departure of the Amtrak Cascades service to Seattle. Later services are by bus! The train travels along the edge of Puget Sound for much of the way.

15m 37s

Much of the time in Seattle was spent meeting friends and sharing a meal with them. This involved a certain amount of driving, mostly on familiar roads. And included a visit with Marilyn who bought my home, and has transformed it beautifully.

16m 24s

Chase the Snake is named after the Snake River in SE Washington State, and forms part of the border between Idaho and Oregon and Washington. The route is mostly on back roads, showing the change of climate from the west side with its copious rain to the dry climate of Eastern Washington.

18m 48s

The day for riding around south east Washington state, including Idaho and Oregon. Includes Wawawi Grade, Old Spiral Highway, Asotin Grade, Rattlesnake Grade, then to Enterprise, Oregon for fuel (bike and human) and return before heading to dinner at the farm.

15m 49s

Sunday afternoon often has slow moving traffic crossing the Cascade Mountains, so I decided to spend the night at Leavenworth. So north from Pullman then west via Quincy to Leavenworth for the night, then up the Tumwater Canyon next morning, with very little traffic!