Day three travel began a bit later than the other two because I left myself more time in the day to drive. The weather forcast was expecting snow in the mountains and heavy rain everywhere else. Breakfast was free at the hotel at 6am so I had a cinnamon raisen bagle and a coffee and got on my way. It was beautiful seeing the sun rise behind the mountains. It really creates at creat pink and purple sky!
I was very careful driving because of the rain and snow forcase, but it never really was an issue until I entered Vancouver (of course). There was a few feet of snow on the mountains already but the roads were fairly dry and cleared so it was a great drive. A few times it rained but it was nothing to slow me down.
I stopped at this lookout in Washington that looked out over a river at the bottom of a canyon. What a great view. It was a petrified forest and was beautiful to look at.
Hours later I entered Seattle and thats were the traffic started. It took me a while to get through the greater Seattle area. Again the border crossing was no major deal and I floated through. Once on highway 99 to Vancouver the storm hit. Huge thunder and lightning, flooded highway areas and accidents (just to add the the regular Vancouver traffic at 5pm on a Friday evening. It took my about an hour and a half to get to the border to the Smiths house.
What an amazing house they have. They were generous enough to give me my own room which I was able to put all my belongs in and out of the car. We had waffles for breakfast this morning and coffee. I'm so excited to get out and see VANCITY!!!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Travel Day Two
My Day two drive started at 5am and I was on the road in the dark. When the sky was starting to lighten up and everything looked grey a big buck deer ran out in front of me and I had to hit the brakes. Luckily I say it running from a good distance so I was able to prepare the stop well in advance. Lets just say that woke me right up for the rest of the day!
My drive started out quite flat but to my surprise was mainly hilly and quite a beautiful landscape. I thought that because I was directly south of Saskathewan (sp??) that it would be flat flat flat. There was the a national park that had a big canyon and I drove past herds of deer grazing in fields. I found the drive to be quite relaxing.
The day ended around 5:30 pm, after driving the most km...about 1700km in one day. 15 hour drive when you include the time zone change. I was in the middle of Montana nestled in the mountains. What a great place to stay. It felt so comfortable being surrounded by the mountains. I got free wi-fi there so I was able to chat with Michelle and say hi to Carol and Anne which was nice. It was great seeing familar faces. I didn't expect it to be so difficult leaving Cambridge, I knew I would miss it but didn't expect that I would feel sad leaving. I am definately excited about the future here but will most defineately miss the past.
My drive started out quite flat but to my surprise was mainly hilly and quite a beautiful landscape. I thought that because I was directly south of Saskathewan (sp??) that it would be flat flat flat. There was the a national park that had a big canyon and I drove past herds of deer grazing in fields. I found the drive to be quite relaxing.
The day ended around 5:30 pm, after driving the most km...about 1700km in one day. 15 hour drive when you include the time zone change. I was in the middle of Montana nestled in the mountains. What a great place to stay. It felt so comfortable being surrounded by the mountains. I got free wi-fi there so I was able to chat with Michelle and say hi to Carol and Anne which was nice. It was great seeing familar faces. I didn't expect it to be so difficult leaving Cambridge, I knew I would miss it but didn't expect that I would feel sad leaving. I am definately excited about the future here but will most defineately miss the past.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Travel Day One
Wednesday morning I left Cambridge at 4:45am to begin the three day journey our west.
I started driving west to the Sarnia border. At the border I got stuck behind a RV that was stopped in front of me forever. I was getting worried that I definately chose the wrong line to go through. Finally the RV was escorted away by a border officer and I pull up. The lady takes my passport, asks me where I was going and why. I told her I was moving out to Vancouver and she looked through the window and saw all I had stuffed in the car. She then turns to me and says I have to keep you here for one minute. I thought...oh great, now this is going to be a disaster. Then she instantly turned around and said "You're lucky"...I say, What? She said...The RV in front of you was taken for a Random vehicle search, If you were one car ahead you would have been searched! Honestly, I had every square inch of the car packed and if I had to take everything out and try and put it back together it would have been a disaster. The ironic thing was that I almost passed the RV coming up to the border, but decided to stay behind it and be patient.
Once I got into Michigan I started seeing dead deer everywhere. This gave me the idea to begin counting: 13 dead dear on the side of the road, just through Michigan. I drove through Flint Michigan and say a General Motors plant. All that is left is a bus and rail division....It was sad to see after watching Roger and Me, Especially with the automotive industry in the tank and most likely never returning to the glory days of the industrial revolution to the 1990s.
My final destination day one was my hotel at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was a massive mall....It might even be larger than the west Edmonton Mall. When I arrived I noticed something that made me leave the mall almost immediately. The Mall of America was a micocasm of America itself. Pure consumerism. All I really say on my first day drive was store after store, after billboard after billboard. When I got into the mall it was the exact same thing I was looking at for 12 hours as I drove to Minneapolis.
I started driving west to the Sarnia border. At the border I got stuck behind a RV that was stopped in front of me forever. I was getting worried that I definately chose the wrong line to go through. Finally the RV was escorted away by a border officer and I pull up. The lady takes my passport, asks me where I was going and why. I told her I was moving out to Vancouver and she looked through the window and saw all I had stuffed in the car. She then turns to me and says I have to keep you here for one minute. I thought...oh great, now this is going to be a disaster. Then she instantly turned around and said "You're lucky"...I say, What? She said...The RV in front of you was taken for a Random vehicle search, If you were one car ahead you would have been searched! Honestly, I had every square inch of the car packed and if I had to take everything out and try and put it back together it would have been a disaster. The ironic thing was that I almost passed the RV coming up to the border, but decided to stay behind it and be patient.
Once I got into Michigan I started seeing dead deer everywhere. This gave me the idea to begin counting: 13 dead dear on the side of the road, just through Michigan. I drove through Flint Michigan and say a General Motors plant. All that is left is a bus and rail division....It was sad to see after watching Roger and Me, Especially with the automotive industry in the tank and most likely never returning to the glory days of the industrial revolution to the 1990s.
My final destination day one was my hotel at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was a massive mall....It might even be larger than the west Edmonton Mall. When I arrived I noticed something that made me leave the mall almost immediately. The Mall of America was a micocasm of America itself. Pure consumerism. All I really say on my first day drive was store after store, after billboard after billboard. When I got into the mall it was the exact same thing I was looking at for 12 hours as I drove to Minneapolis.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Departure Delay
Due to the unfortunate passing of my uncle Ron this Saturday I have postponed the departure to Vancouver until Wednesday, November 18th. I am staying to attend the funeral on Tuesday the 17th
and spend some extra time with my family before embarking on the long three day drive out west. I was given a great visual the other day about driving up to the mountains and then entering into them the closer I get to the coast. This image makes me so anxious to see the mountains and the ocean again. I can't wait to be engulfed by such beauty and nature. I have always had a passion for the ocean and never dreamed that I would live by it someday (well I dreamed of it but never thought it would become my reality)
I want to remember my Uncle Ron in this posting. He was a loving man with a big heart. Although he was taking through a rough journey on this earth he still had room in his heart to love his family so much. His passion for sports, food and family will define his live in my memories. We will miss you Uncle Ron.
and spend some extra time with my family before embarking on the long three day drive out west. I was given a great visual the other day about driving up to the mountains and then entering into them the closer I get to the coast. This image makes me so anxious to see the mountains and the ocean again. I can't wait to be engulfed by such beauty and nature. I have always had a passion for the ocean and never dreamed that I would live by it someday (well I dreamed of it but never thought it would become my reality)
I want to remember my Uncle Ron in this posting. He was a loving man with a big heart. Although he was taking through a rough journey on this earth he still had room in his heart to love his family so much. His passion for sports, food and family will define his live in my memories. We will miss you Uncle Ron.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
RoadTrip
Monday November 16th Jordan starts his roadtrip out to Vancouver. First stop will be Minneapolis, checking out the Mall of America (huge). Second night will be a stop in the mountains of Montata in the city of Billings. The third day I will drive the rest of the way to Vancouver and should arrive early evening. I'll be staying with my Aunt and Uncle Julie and Ben. We have been so thankful for them and all their help and support so far. We are so excited for this adventure to begin. Can't wait to see what God has planned for us in the near future. Check out our blog to keep posted on everything new. I will start posting on the road.
Jordan, Michelle and Pancakes
Jordan, Michelle and Pancakes
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