Point Pelee And Back

Who knew that it takes an hour to get to Point Pelee National Park from Windsor?

Corbin spent the day at Cubs camp at Point Pelee (though the camp was an overnight camp, Corbin went for the day only). Tina drove out in the morning.

I was to pick him it up at 3:00 pm. On Tina's advice, Jeremy and I left Windsor at 2:00 pm. Wow that was a long drive. The Shriner's parade in Leamington did not help. The main road was blocked off at the Heinz plant, so (and other drivers) decided to go around the Heinz plant. But guess who was their - the damn Shriner's. Did a U-turn and got back to the main road, which was open at this point.

Arrived at bug-infested Point Pelee just after three in the afternoon. Walked over to the camp and Corbin was doing an activity with his pack. A few of the Leaders were sitting down and said that Corbin had a great time and they had no problems with him. That was good to hear.

The transition home went smoothly. Corbin gathered his back pack and bike and headed to the van.

We stopped at the Dairy Freez in Northridge for some ice cream. Back in Windsor we did a quick stop at Rogers Video to rent some games for the PS2 (the PS2 section is getting smaller by the week - might be time to upgrade).

It was a tiring but uneventful afternoon.

Posted by Adam

Windsor-Brantford Courier Service

I promised my mother that I would deliver her large purchases from Bronner's in two weeks. Two weeks happened to be this weekend.

Jeremy and I left early Friday afternoon (it was a PD day at school). We arrived in Brantford around 4:00 PM. Jeremy was very excited and wanted to play with Babcia right away. However, she was preparing dinner - pork cutlets and mashed potatoes - and told Jeremy that she would play with him after dinner. Supper was excellent.

Jeremy and Babcia played all evening.

Saturday morning, Babcia, Jeremy and myself headed out to find Jeremy a winter coat. At Bonnie Togs, Jeremy picked out his coat (that came with matching snow pants). The size 5 seemed a little to tight, so we settled for a size 6. Babcia also bought Jeremy two shirts, socks, and some mitts. Did some more shopping at Shoppers and headed back home.

It was a strange weather day. Sunny. Cloudy. Rainy. Repeat. Jeremy and Babcia managed some outside time. Jeremy was looking for his friend, Ivey (next door neighbour's daughter). I watched Planet Earth on my mom's 32-inch LCD TV. I was blow away.

Sunday was more of the same. Eat. Play. Relax. Can't complain.

The drive back to Windsor was uneventful. Stopped at Wendy's in London for a quick supper and managed to miss the rain/snow showers. Got some cheaper gas at the Pilot in Tilbury before.

Jeremy and I enjoyed our weekend.

Posted by Adam

Thanksgiving in Frankenmuth & Birch Run

We left Sunday morning around 9:00 AM. For the first time in a long time, there was no backup at the tunnel and it took only about 5 minutes to clear customs. Had to deal with an I-75 detour but that was no biggie.

Had breakfast at the IHOP in Pontiac at Square Lake Road and Telegraph. It was busy, but we were shown our table in about 15 minutes. Breakfast was okay. My pancakes were warm not hot, meaning that they had been sitting for a while. I thought my order came with hash browns but it only came with eggs, bacon and pancakes. Next time I'll pay more attention to the menu.

Arrived at the Birch Run Outlet mall before noon. The place was already hopping. Stopped in at Guest Services to get all the coupons and then began the shopping fest.

Four hours later, we had reached our limit. We headed into Frankenmuth and I checked into the hotel. The room was spacious - a suite room with two queen beds and a pull out couch. We freshened up and headed to Zehnder's for supper.

The wait wasn't too bad at Zehnder's. About 20 minutes. Eventually we were taken downstairs and seated in the room that had the buffet. Everyone but Jeremy chose the buffet - which included roast beef and turkey in honour of Canadian Thanksgiving. Jeremy had - wait for it - mac and cheese.

Everyone enjoyed their supper. I know I was full between the chicken, roast beef and turkey. We walked and checked out a few stores on our way back to the hotel.

At the hotel we changed into our bathing suits and fun in the pool.

The next day we grabbed a bite to eat in the complimentary breakfast buffet. I had a freshly made Belgian waffle and a sausage-egg sandwich. Jeremy had cereal. It was a decent breakfast.

We packed up and roamed around Frankenmuth. Then we headed back to the Outlet mall to check out the part we skipped and headed back home.

No problems at Canadian Customs. The wait wasn't too long - about 10 minutes. My mom thanked us for the wonderful weekend. We thanked her for spending the week with us.

Posted by Adam

Kalahari 2008

Tina and Jen decided that we should return to Kalahari Water Park in 2008, especially since the expansion was complete. Tina booked the trip. We got a good rate staying Sunday to Monday. Of course that meant the boys would miss a day of school, but no one seemed concerned.

We left late Sunday morning. US Customs was about a 30 minute wait. About 20 minutes later we were enjoying breakfast at Denny's in Monroe. The boys were excited.

About an hour or so later, we arrived at Kalahari in Sandusky, Ohio. It wasn't as crazy as last year. Tina went in to get our passes and check in. Our room was ready, so we unloaded the van and then parked it (finding a sweet spot near the main walkway).

Not shortly after, the Joe and Jen pulled in and they checked in.

We changed into our swimsuits and headed down to the waterpark. It was huge. The expansion doubled the size of the facility and added a wave pool, another surfing ride, and bunch of new waterslides. The new part included a deck which increased the room for lounging around.

The younger boys spent their time in the kids waterpark. Corbin and I checked out some of the new slides. He also did the 'toilet' slide, where you swirl around in a bowl and then fall through a hole into the waiting pool.

The major hit was the wave pool. At first, Tina and I tried it out, but it didn't seem all that exciting. We gave it a second look later and it was fun.

We munched on some pizza and then did some more waterparking. Then it was time to head up to the rooms to celebrate some birthdays - Corbin's and Jen's oldest boy's. We had cake and they opened presents.

Our package this year included breakfast. So the four of us went down before it got too busy. It was buffet style, but the selection was great. Tina and I filled up, as did the boys. Then it was time to pack, change into swimsuits, load the van up, and enjoy a few more hours in the water park.

It was a great time with friends. It could become an annual tradition.

Posted by Adam

Ottawa Vacation - Day 4

Last day of the NACAC conference. Tina pulled off another amazing breakfast service. Again, she went to the conference and we headed to the pool.

One family in the pool today, but they eventually left. We spent a few minutes in the hot tub, which Jeremy loves. Back in the pool. It was nice and relaxing. Spent about a good hour in the pool.

Went up to the room, changed and then went down to Laurier Centre to check out the shopping mall. Jeremy knew the way from his previous visit with Tina. One smart kid.

We wandered around and killed some time. I almost bought the boys some Indiana Jones figures at a specialty toy store, but balked at the price. Surely Walmart is cheaper. Complete with our tour of the mall, we went back to our room to prepare to check out. Tina was already in the room.

So I called to get our van one last time - did I mention I LOVE valet parking? By time we were packed, the van was waiting right at the door, and Rob, our boys best friend at the Westin, helped us load the van. Corbin gave Rob a tip. Rob asked where we were heading, and we said Windsor. "Long drive" was his reply and said to say "hi" to St. Thomas, his hometown. One last goodbye to Rob and we were on our way home.

Because the 417 was closed, we took the scenic route down the Rideau Canal. We grabbed lunch at McDonalds and made our way over to the 416 in Neapean. It was around 12:30 PM.

The drive to Windsor was, for the most part uneventful. We did have to deal with some pop-up showers and thunderstorms, but they were short-lasting. We stopped at the rest centres as required. The drive through Toronto was typical. Lots of traffic but nothing major.

When we got to Cambridge, I decided it was time for supper. We pulled off at Highway 24 and had supper at the Boston Pizza. With our tummies full of food, we made the final push to Windsor. A quick stop at the Pilot Travel Center in Tilbury for gas and we arrived in Windsor shortly after 9:30 PM.

For a short vacation with over 16 hours of driving time, it was a great vacation jam packed with things to do and people to see. Tina was glad she attended the conference and I got to spend some much needed time with my boys. It was nice to see Steve, Pam, Owen and Laura and Sarah again. Ottawa is full things to do and see and we will definitely be back.

Posted by Adam

Ottawa Vacation - Day 1 - Part 1

Woke up at 5 AM, packed the van and left at 6:00 AM. The boys were in their pyjamas and half asleep, watching whatever was in their DVD player.

Pulled into the Pilot Travel Center in Tilbury for some gas and grub. This service centre is many times better than the Ontario service centres. They are cleaner and have people helping you out.

We arrived in Toronto around 9:45 AM - missing rush hour traffic but still having to slow down here and there. Had a quick pit stop in Pickering for a washroom break, coffee and DVD change.

The drive between Toronto and Kingston was uneventful. It rained a few times, but nothing major. We arrived in Kingston around 1:00 PM and took a break at Cataraqui Town Centre where we had a late lunch and walked around for about an hour.

It was the final stretch - 401 to 416 to 417. No problems save for typical traffic on the 417. Managed to find the Westin Hotel and pulled in just before 4:00 PM. Ten hours on the road (about eight hours of actual driving time) and we all survived.

We decided to use Valet Parking. A little more expensive but a lot more convenient. Tina registered us and up we went to our room for a much needed unwinding.

Posted by Adam

I Feel Like A Bus Driver

Yesterday, I commented to Tina that every time we made a major stop over the past weekend, we seem to have one more body in the van.

Today was no different.

The reason we stopped over in Goderich was to bring Bev back to Windsor for some more medical appointments. So we had one more body and some more luggage. I felt like a bus driver.

I did manage to break a 'fuel record' with the van, driving for 912 kilometres on one tank of gas. We filled up at the rest stop between West Lorne and Dutton on the 401. So on one tank of gas we drove to Brantford, up to Camp Winston, then across to Goderich and back down to Tilbury. Not bad mileage.

Posted by Adam

Kid #2

We left Brantford shortly before 9:00 AM. I took the 403 to the 407 (worth the toll to avoid the traffic and tourists) to the 400. Naturally, the 400 was packed all the way to Barrie. Highway 11 was marginally better.

Pick up day was well underway when we pulled into Camp Winston at 11:15 AM. Corbin saw Tina and ran up to her and gave her a big hug. I was the next recipient of a hug with Jeremy finally getting a hug.

Tina walked over to the Cabin to get his stuff. Christina, one of Corbin's Counsellor's helped us with the bag. I watched Corbin and Jeremy who ran to the Dining Hall when the heard the bell ring. The four of us grabbed a bite to eat. Corbin didn't eat, but Jeremy more than made up for that.

Corbin said his goodbyes and we left for the trip to Goderich. That drive wasn't too bad once we got off the 400 at Highway 89. Had a small detour around Harriston that threw me for a slow loop. Seems that the part of 89 between Harriston and Palmerston was renumbered to Highway 23. None of the maps, paper or electronic, I use had that change. Oh well.

It was nice to arrive in Goderich after a long day of driving. And unlike a past trip from Camp Winston, this one only took about 3 1/2 hours.

Posted by Adam

Kid #1

After a quick clean of the bathtub and a quick vacuum (and a cool off period), Tina and I left Windsor around 3:00 PM to Brantford to reunite with Jeremy.

The trip up was smooth. We made good time and managed to pull into Babcia's house before 6:00 PM. Jeremy was very excited to see us - no puking this year.

We hugged and kissed him till he got tired of it. Then he went over to play with his friends. Seems that someone had a great time.

Posted by Adam

Camp Winston Via Goderich, Day 3

Part 1 - Goderich to Camp Winston

Camp day had finally arrived. Naturally, today was the day the boys decided to sleep in. So much for being excited, hey Corbin?

Tina and I had our showers and quick breakfast. The boys eventually woke up and had their breakfast.

We packed and left Bev and Gerry's around 9:00 am. The weather was warm and sunny. I got some gas at the Shell station in town. Jeremy watched movies on his DVD player, while Corbin played with his Nintendo DS.

We made our way over to Wingham and followed 86 to 87 to Highway 89. Traffic was light, so I was making good time. In Mount Forest, we saw what must be one of the smallest Canadian Tire stores - the thing could not be more than 20,000 square feet. Compare that to the standard 120,000+ square foot Canadian Store. Around Shelbourne we saw a large wind farm.

Traffic began to increase after Shelbourne. We stopped for a pee break, coffees and timbits at Tim Horton's in Alliston. About 10 minutes later we were heading northbound on Highway 400. We arrived in Orillia just after 12 noon.

Popped into Wal-Mart to get some last minute things and kill some time before heading over to Boston Pizza for our 'traditional' lunch before heading up to Camp Winston - about a 20 minute drive. We made sure to spray on some bug repellent before leaving Orillia.

We take the 'back way' to Camp Winston via S Sparrow Lake Road / Canning Road. This gets everybody into the cottage mood and we get a chance to cross the single-lane swing bridge. We have only seen the bridge swing once. Every year the boys hope to see it swing open.

We arrived shortly after 2:00 pm and the place was a abuzz with activity. A counsellor met us and we headed over to the cabin. Along the way, Corbin ran to Denise, the Camp Director, yelled out her name and gave her a big hug. Denise could not believe that Corbin remembered her name and was amazed at how much he has grown.

In Cabin 5 we unpacked Corbin's stuff. Not wasting any time, Corbin asked if he could go fishing and the counsellor said "let's go". Tina reminded Corbin to say good bye before fishing, so he quickly said good bye and hugged us.

Jeremy played on the Jungle Gym under my watchful eye, while Tina waited in line to see the nurse. Then it was time for the long drive back to Windsor.

Part 2 - Camp Winston to Windsor

I put a new DVD in Jeremy's DVD player and Tina buckled him in. We headed out.

Highway 11 and 400 were packed, as usual. A few slow downs between Barrie and Vaughan, but nothing major. Originally we thought about going shopping but by the time we got to Highway 407 in Vaughan it was 4:00 PM, so we pushed through.

I took the 407 to avoid the 401/Airport area. Yes, you pay a toll, but it is well worth the stress-free drive. Back on the 401, traffic picked up. At the Milton rest stop, Tina took over driving duties, reluctantly. She does not like driving in the afternoon. After 13 years together, I learned something new about my wife.

We had leftover pizza from Boston Pizza, so I had a few slices. Jeremy had some snacks. Even Tina had a slice. Took a washroom break at the rest stop west of Woodstock. Tina got frozen treats for her and I and gum for Jeremy.

The drive was uneventful until mileage 120. Traffic came to a stand still. It was clear that the 401 was closed up ahead. I told Tina not to follow the traffic on the so-called EDR (Emergency Detour Route) and we took a different way back to the 401. The waiting and detour cost us about 45 minutes.

We arrived in Windsor around 9:00 PM tired but happy to be home. The van was quickly unpacked. We let Jeremy stay up a little before we all retired to bed.

Posted by Adam

Camp Winston Via Goderich, Day 1

We signed up Corbin for the second session at Camp Winston. So it was time to get ready and make our way to Sparrow Lake. We had to go through Goderich this time to drop off Bev back home.

Tina spent the morning packing Corbin´s stuff for camp and our stuff for the weekend. I cut the grass and then put down some weed and feed (hopefully this will help turnaround the grass in the backyard).

We left Windsor around 3:00 PM. Tina drove and I sat in the back with the boys. Corbin and I played a game together with our Nintendo DS while Jeremy watched a Harry Potter movie. A quick stop at Parks for a bathroom and food break. The drive was uneventful.

After feeding the boys, Tina and I headed out to find somewhere to eat in Goderich. We didn´t want fast food and we didn´t want a chain restaurant. We settled on Thyme on 21, which is located a hop, skip and jump from Bev & Gerry´s house.

It was busy and we didn´t have reservations. But the owner was able to fit us in said it would be about 15 minutes. While we waited, I drove the van over to Bev & Gerry´s so we could enjoy a bottle of wine during dinner.

We were shown to our table and I ordered a bottle of Pelee Island VQA Merlot. The waitress brought over a basket of freshly baked onion bread that was to die for. What a way to begin the meal.

For appetizers, Tina had the Spinach Salad, while I enjoyed the Vegetable Spring Rolls with a Thai Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce. The salad was light and the vinaigrette hit the spot. The spring rolls were piping hot, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The dipping sauce was perfect.

For the entree, I ordered the Grilled Lamb Tenderloin (cooked medium) with Port Wine Sauce, Red-Skin Mashed Potatoes and Fresh Vegetables. Tina settled on the Rolled Souffle stuffed with Goat Cheese, spinach and roasted peppers in a sun-dried tomato cream sauce and fresh vegetables.

The lamb was grilled to perfection. It was soft and would melt in your mouth. The mashed potatoes were just that and were the perfect accompaniment to the lamb. The vegetables were mouth watering delicious.

The souffle exceeded Tina´s expectations. It would disappear in your mouth leaving the delightful taste of the goat cheese, spinach and roasted peppers in your mouth. The sauce was simply amazing.

For dessert, Tina ordered the Creme Brulé to share, along with coffee. It was the perfect ending to a perfect meal.

We drank, ate, talked and drank some more. Being able to have a bottle of wine with an excellent meal was something we longed for.

If you are ever driving through or happen to be in Goderich and are looking for a great dining experience, we highly recommend Thyme on 21 Casual Dining.

Posted by Adam

She's Back

Tina and Corbin travelled to London today to accomplish two things: to attend a consultation at CPRI and to pick up Beverly.

The drive up was uneventful, as was the drive back. Corbin had an excellent session at CPRI and he didn't have any major transition issues. Tina even managed to pick up Jeremy, enabling me to get a much needed hair cut.

Posted by Adam

Weekend Away: Brantford

This weekend, Tina and I went our separate ways.

I travelled down the 401 and 403 in the Wave to Brantford to help my mom with whatever help she needed. Tina had the van and headed up to Goderich with the boys and Bev.

The drive on the 401 and 403 was uneventful. I arrived in Brantford around 5:00 PM. Because of Alex's surgery, the vegetable garden and flowerbeds had yet to be planted.

So we headed out to buy plants. I said lets go to Lowe's - my mom had never been. She bought plenty of plants and some soil - enough to fill the back of the wave. We also stopped at Canadian Tire.

The next day the real work began. After an excellent breakfast, my mom and I attacked the great outdoors.

The vegetable garden had to be rototilled. While my mom picked out weeds, I got the rototiller down and filled it with a mixture of gas and oil. It took a few pulls but eventually the tiller started up and I began tilling away.

My mom's vegetable garden has about 30 or so years of work. The soil broke up very easily. Not like the clay soil here in Windsor. In about an hour or so, the garden was tilled. Good thing because it was getting hot.

Later we headed out to a few stores for some more plants. We stopped by the cemetery to plant some flowers at my father's grave. Then we had supper at Red Lobster (I had the arctic char and my mom had the salmon).

I relaxed by reading the newspaper and playing my Nintendo DS.

After yet another good breakfast, I loaded the car with my stuff and the rototiller, and headed back to Windsor. I stopped in London to checkout some things at the local Canadian Tire. The drive was uneventful. There seemed to be fewer vehicles on the 401. Looks like gas prices are having an effect.

Posted by Adam

Brantford or Bust

I decided to take the boys to Brantford to give Tina a break and so that she could clean up the crawlspace without interruption.

The drive to Brantford was uneventful and we arrived early enough so that I could be some chips at the chip wagon. Yum. Babcia was excited to see the boys. They played and played and played.

Things were going okay until I told Corbin to change into his pyjamas and to change them in my room, not Babcia's. Things went badly very quick. Corbin became totally non-compliant and went into a loud and long tirade. I had to call Tina to see if she could calm him down - and he did.

Later Corbin and I talked about what happened and had a really good discussion.

Posted by Adam

Christmas Travel Time - Brantford

We departed Goderich around 4:00 pm Sunday afternoon. The weather was overcast and no snow was called for.

I decided to avoid Highway 8 - too many towns, too much traffic and possibly too many police - and take the back roads. The back road was clear and mostly traffic free. We made good time, arriving in Woodstock in little under two hours. The rest of the drive was on the 401 and 403 and we arrived in Brantford shortly after 6:30 pm.

One thing we did notice that about 15 minutes southeast of Goderich was the amount of snow still on the ground. As we got closer to Woodstock and Brantford, the amount increased. In a reversal, Brantford had much more snow than Goderich. Very strange.

We settled in. Corbin and Jeremy gave Babcia and Grandpa their presents. Next, it was all about playing with Babcia until bedtime.

Monday was Jeremy's birthday - more in the post below - so the day was mostly focused around Jeremy. Tina and I did manage to get out to do some browsing at the local stores. The Canadian Tire was confusing as it is being expanded. I stopped by Staples to pick up another USB thumb drive. Next was the new Lowes. It's not as big as the ones found in larger cities, but it has an excellent appliance section and a good selection of kitchen and bath items. A nice store overall.

Jeremy and Corbin continued to play with Babcia, with Corbin taking breaks to play his NintendoDS. Jeremy was a non-stop ball of energy.

We woke up to new snow Tuesday morning. Not as much as two weeks ago. This was perfect snowman snow - very wet. The van was loaded up and we said our good byes. My mom and Alex were naturally worried about the driving conditions. Once we got on the main road, the roads were clear.

The only rough spot on the entire trip was a snow squall around Chatham. Not usually a problem but with the temperature hovering around zero, the squall consisted mostly of sleet, which collected on the highway. By the time we got to Tilbury, all was clear and we arrived safe and sound in Windsor - which had received about an inch or so of wet snow.

Posted by Adam

Kalahari Waterpark Resort - The Next Day

Everyone slowly woke up. We ate in the room - Pop Tarts, oatmeal and cookies. Mmmm, good. Corbin and Jeremy were eager to go back to the Waterpark. We packed up - room check out is at 11:00 am but you can stay in the waterpark till 3:00 pm.


As we were about to leave, Corbin realized he couldn't find his sandals. Tina called the front desk and they had nothing (I was suspicious of this since the hotel guide mentions nothing about a lost and found). This little problem pushed me over the edge and kind of screwed up my morning, but eventually we got all the stuff in the van and joined the Karb family in the waterpark.

Jeremy went on the waterslides at least 50 times. We left Corbin to his own devices - and for the most part this worked out. I went on the tube slides and played with Jeremy and Corbin in the kids waterpark.

We ordered a pizza for all of us and set back and relaxed. Then it was one last bit of fun in the waterpark. Around 2:00 pm we were done. Got dressed and spent some time in the arcade. Tina went to the shop and bought some watersocks for Corbin for $10.00. Jeremy loved playing the shooting games, even if he couldn't see what he was doing. Jeremy got about 180 tickets and got many of the same things as Corbin did. It was time to head back home.

The drive back to Windsor went well. We stopped for gas just before Toledo - $56 for about 80 or so litres of gasoline (compared to $75 in Windsor). And with the dollar at par, the price on the register is the price in Canadian.

Arriving at the Ambassador Bridge, traffic was packed. It took a while to get to the actual bridge, but I managed to squeeze the van through some tight spots and get onto the bridge. All the customs booths were open. It took a total of 40 minutes to cross the bridge and clear customs.

It was a fun filled weekend and the whole family looks forward to returning to the expanded (doubling in size of the Waterpark - biggest indoor water park in America) Kalahari Waterpark Resort. Highly recommended.

Posted by Adam

Kalahari Waterpark Resort - Part 1

We packed and got out stuff together. Fortunately, it is very warm this Thanksgiving weekend - all sorts of records are being broken. That meant that we could pack lightly, i.e. one suitcase for all of us.

Stopped at the TD to get some American money and it took me a few minutes to grasp the receipt that the ATM printed out. US$ 120.00. CDN$119.38. Wow. I just paid less for American money. Amazing. Not a bad way to start the trip.

Not much of a delay at the Ambassador Bridge - about 5 minutes or so. Had to take a different detour to get to I-75 - the area around the Ambassador Bridge on the Detroit side is one big construction zone. In 2009, I-75 will be directly linked to the bridge - no more side streets and traffic lights.

We stopped at the Denny's in Monroe for breakfast. It was a bit slow - the place was packed. But it was hot when we got it. Next we stopped at Meijers in Toledo to buy some munchies. About 40 minutes later we arrived at the resort. The place was huge - and busy. Tina went in to figure out what to do and she came out with our wristbands. I parked the van and walked back across the bridge. We then headed into the waterpark.

Posted by Adam

Off To Goderich via Chatham

Since we both had Friday off, we decided to head up to Goderich tonight to spend the weekend with family and celebrate Madigan's birthday.

We gave Joe a lift to Chatham, where his father-in-law was picking him up to help him move. Tina took over driving duties after Chatham. The drive up was uneventful.

We left Guinea behind - one of our in-home workers was going to stop by and feed Guinea and the fish.

Posted by Adam

Northern Vacation - Day 4

Sault Ste. Marie to Gaylord

Seems the boys like to sleep in when we are in hotels, so Tina and I take turns going to breakfast, which is a nice break from the hectic 'hotel life'. Tina went down first and brought some stuff up for the boys, who were just starting to wake up.

Each Holiday Inn Express has a standard line of breakfast items - cinnamon rolls, boiled eggs, bread, bagels, cereals and drinks. Some have additional items like omelettes, sausages, or local specialities like biscuits and gravy. Tina told me than had omelettes.

I went down and had a couple of warm omelettes, coffee, OJ, banana, toast and an omelette. It was tasty and filling. The boys finished their breakfast - cereal, oatmeal and whatever else Tina brought them. We packed up and checked out and headed to the Soo Locks Boat Tour dock. We arrived just before the 10:00 am departure. It was a overcast day - much cooler compared to when Tina and I took the same tour about six years ago. The boys seemed excited.

We arrived in the lock and Corbin was mesmerized by the rising water level. A friendly employee of the dock shook Corbin's hand when the boat was rising above the top of the dock. Jeremy was confused as to what was happening but seemed interested in the boat ride. About two hours later we arrived back at the dock. We were going to play some mini-golf, but Corbin had a small breakdown at the gift shop, so we nixed that adventure for now.

The last time Tina and I were in the Soo, we happened upon a small Italian restaurant, Ang-Gio's, on the main road into town. It's a fairly non-descript building in a plaza, but the food was amazing. We were hoping that the place was open for lunch - fortunately it was. I ordered fettuccine alfredo with fried mushrooms, Tina ordered fettuccine carbonara, Corbin ordered spagehtti, and Jeremy had a grilled cheese. We also ordered garlic bread with cheese. Our orders also came with a side salad.

The food came out quick and hot. The sauces are homemade and are downright sinful. They are rich but not in the usual overpowering way. I ate all my plate - there were plenty of mushrooms. Even the boys finished their meals. Tina was happy again. So we headed down to Mackinaw City.

It is about an hour's drive to Mackinaw City from the Soo. The drive was pleasant - sunny and warm with little traffic. We parked on the main road and proceeded to find a restroom because Corbin needed to go. With that out of the way we checked out the shops and bought a few things like candies and popcorn and some toys for the boys. After spending about an hour, we headed down to Gaylord, which is about one hour south of Mackinaw City.

We stayed at another Holiday Inn Express in Gaylord. We checked in and set out to find the Bavarian Falls adventure golf (mini-golf) - one of the things on this trip is that we were going to play mini-golf with the boys. After a round trip around the town, we found it. We got out clubs and balls and proceeded to play 18 holes of thoroughly enjoyable family time mini-golf. Corbin and Jeremy had to be told to sit a few times. Jeremy would have gotten a hole-in-one if Corbin didn't stop his ball from going in the hole. Everyone had a good time.

Before stopping at the hotel, Tina went to the Wal-Mart behind the hotel and got some pop and munchies. Back at the hotel, Tina supervised Corbin while he swam and I watched Jeremy.

Posted by Adam

Northern Vacation - Day 3

Sudbury, Ontario to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

We managed to get some sleep, but it wasn't enough. So what did the hotel offer in return for booking us into a room they shouldn't have booked us into? One free breakfast. Yup. Though there were two adults (kids stay and eat free), they offered us one free breakfast for a lack of sleep. Unacceptable. We packed up and loaded the van. I stopped by the front desk and politely told the staff that I am not paying for last nights stay due to the circumstances and that the room offered was subpar. The manager was called up and reversed the charge. No apology. No nothing.

I don't understand why it seems that the level of service at Holiday Inn hotels differs from Holiday Inn Select or Holiday Inn Express hotels. It seems you get better service and amenities from the latter two than the Holiday Inn. I'll be sending an email to Intercontinental Hotels Group when we arrive back home.

Headed out to the Discovery Earth attraction. This is the location of the Big Nickel. When I last visited this place back in the early 80s, there was not much to the attraction other than the Big Nickel and few other things at ground level. Now there is a building with several galleries, a theatre and an underground mine.

The boys were in awe of the big nickel. Corbin wanted to take it with him and buy lots of stuff. He wanted to touch it, so I lifted him and he managed to get the bottom of it. Jeremy used the umbrella to touch it.

Inside, we checked in and booked a 10:30 am visit to the mine. While waiting to descend, there is a control room where kids (and adults) can talk to people in the mine, control a camera and control a digging machine. There is also a playground where kids can play with 'iron ore' bits (foam).

Eventually, we were called into the Miner's Dry - the room where Miners change into their work clothes. We entered the large glass elevator and were given a visual history of mining through an interactive film.

With our hard hats on, we walked into the tunnels, which are about seven stories below ground. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and made sure that everyone could see what was being talked about. Corbin obsessed about the tour guide's light, so he let Corbin hold it. The mine is divided into several sections and illustrates the evolution of mining over the past 100 years. The first section is a mine from the late 1880s, followed by the 1940s and finally the modern mine.

Corbin and Jeremy volunteered to insert 'dynamite' into blast holes and we were asked to go around a corner and stand on wooden platform. Then there was a blast and some shaking. In the modern part of the mine, we visited the lunch room aka the safe room. Then it was back to the elevator. The tour was about an hour long.

Tina and Corbin spent some time in the gift shop, where Corbin purchased some big nickels and gems. We walked over to the Earth Gallery where you can pan for gold, check out some minerals and learn about the history of the Sudbury basin. It was good way to get the day going, and the boys thoroughly enjoyed the place.

Saying goodbye to Sudbury,we headed out on Highway 17 to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Traffic was good and the weather was cloudy and sunny - not a bad day for driving. We stopped in Espanola for some KFC. Just past Bruce Mines, we pulled over at rest stop to stretch our legs, eat some food and use the facilities. After, about 3 or so hours of driving, we arrived in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

US Customs was backed up - it took about 30 minutes to get to the booth, where no problems were encountered. The Holiday Inn Express in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, is located at the first interchange on I75 when you enter the US. We checked in and Tina headed over to the McDonald's beside the hotel to grab some food.

Posted by Adam