Arrived at Buttercup Ridge, Dogsled checked out okay.....

Our Location: Buttercup Ridge, Roseneath, Ontario

Hello one and all. I hope you’ve all managed to stay warm, dry and healthy over the spring, summer and now into the fall months. As you can see we’ve arrived at The Farm (sounds like a Patricia Cornwell book, doesn’t it?). We left our home location after saying our goodbyes on Tuesday morning, October 16th, around 8:30 am. Our destination was only a few hours away but a bit further north and we managed quite well as it’s a new season of towing again. Arriving at our usual over night spot in Lively, Ontario we parked beside the abandoned Husky gas station on the small cement pad we like. It keeps us out of the way and makes us very level at the same time. We unhooked and headed off to the little bistro Alley Catz to have lunch with best friend Linda and her sister in law Diane. From there Riley and I headed off to our eye appointments with a new eye doctor, Dr. Teri Fisher. In and out in less than 45 minutes with no money owing. We like that!!! An  afternoon visit with Linda at her home just around the corner from the Igloo and then home for the evening. Morning found us at Linda’s once again for another hour’s visit before  heading out to hook up the Igloo. We wished our friend a very happy birthday before leaving. We didn’t have far to go before unhooking again for an appointment with a nurse for insurance purposes (not travel insurance), as there was no where to turn the Igloo had we pulled it down her street. The whole area was NO EXIT so we couldn’t even park on a different street. A quick 20 minutes with her before Riley and I along with HRH Miss Kitty headed back to pick up the Igloo again. 

Leaving Manitoulin Island via the Swing Bridge in Little Current, Ontario.

Arriving in Parry Sound around 4 pm after a leisurely drive we dropped in to the local Walmart where we spent the night. A few flurries visible in the air but nothing on the ground. Morning found us right at the freezing mark and the dewy moisture had frozen overnight making things icy on the Dogsled and all puddles were frozen. On the road around 8 am we headed south once again exiting the 400 Southbound and catching Ontario 12 East toward Orilla. On this stretch of road we noted snow on roof tops and on the fields, not enough to say it snowed  but enough to know a few flakes had fallen and that winter is approaching. We continued along our way stopping for a stretch only once before we arrived in Roseneath at Buttercup Ridge on Oct 18, my anniversary. (Travel note to self: Continued along until we took the 115/7 to Fowlers Corners, a left there and it’s a straight run to the farm. Best route so far.) We tucked ourselves in beside the little drive shed out of the wind and settled down for a stay. Janet and Dennis (sister in law and her hubby) were on a cruise and returned home around dinner time Saturday evening. We managed a quick coffee and catch up with Janet on Sunday morning before Riley and I headed off to Hamilton.

 

Heading into Toronto on the Gardnier Expressway, you can just see the CN Tower on the right.

Courtney and Matt (oldest daughter and hubby) were to meet us at the storage locker to remove their things but Courtney woke up with a case of vertigo and needed to stay home. Matt and his sister Amy showed up at the locker and we managed to get everything into the Dogsled and Matt’s car and now we can actually walk INTO the locker. Thanks for the help Amy!!!! From there we headed back to Toronto to visit with Courtney and enjoy lunch. Courtney and Matt live with friends Jodi and Shane in the area of Danforth and Coxwell. A very nice home but lots and lots of stairs. A tight fit to get the Dogsled in the driveway, had to angle it in  and still managed to block a bit of the sidewalk, but not a busy street so it was no issue. Courtney broke her foot a few weeks ago and is getting around well in her walking boot. Lunch was delicious and we enjoyed our visit, it was great to see both C & M again, also nice to chat with Jodi again but Shane was absent, away for the weekend. Riley and I headed for the Farm just before 5 pm and although traffic was backed up for a while we still managed to arrive at the farm north of Cobour by 6:30 pm. Another quick visit with Janet and Dennis before calling it a night.

 

A dusting of snow in the Orilla, Ontario area.

Monday, Oct 22 found me on my way shortly after 8 am to Bill Spenser’s Chevy dealership to have a warranty issue addressed on the Dogsled. The beast had an oil leak, still covered for a while under the power train warranty. With the Big Dog on the hoist it was determined the oil pan nuts just needed a bit more torque. So we shall see if that is truly the issue or if it needs a new pan/gasket etc before the warrant expires. Oil level was perfect even after we towed from the Island to here, the trip to Hamilton and Toronto and into Cobourg. So it’s a very minor leak but I’ll be keeping an eye on it. 

The entrance path to Peter's Woods.

Back home before 10:30 am, Riley and I decided a short hike was in order. Peter’s Wood’s is  approximately a mile long through some very nice hard wood trees. Very little colour here yet, but it’s coming, ferns are still green, many trees still green too. However frost has hit in the past day or two so I’m sure the colours will be changing quickly. Twenty minutes later we were heading home.

Some colour but not much yet during our short hike in Peter's Woods.

We’ve been enjoying our evening meals with Janet and Dennis, she is a very wonderful cook!!! We always enjoy our time with family and the time we spend here on the farm. The barn is once again filling up with piglets and cows. Probably about 10 or piglets arrived the other day, and about 20 cows/calves as well. A couple of wild turkeys could be seen strutting their stuff in the fields which were stripped of their soybeans just this past Sunday afternoon. We hear next year’s crop will be corn. 

A bit more colour in this area of the trail.

So we will remain here at Buttercup Ridge until Monday, Oct 29 when we will depart for another destination a bit further south. Walmart on Rymal Road in Hamilton will be our next destination for two appointments and a short drive to middle daughter Bradey’s new home in Brantford will fill our short stop in the area. We’ll be checking out the length of the driveway on that visit as both she and her partner David assure me it’s lots long enough for the Igloo but I want to see it first. We are excited to see them again and their new digs as well.

Can you see the face on this tree in Peter's Woods?  I wonder if it's Peter?

My next post will be from Hamilton as we aren’t doing a whole lot of exciting things here at Buttercup Ridge but enjoying our time just the same. Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed your visit. All pictures today were taken with phone/camera on our journey from Manitoulin Island to Buttercup Ridge.

 

One small pile of these nuts, chestnuts or walnuts, not sure which. We had several more piles like this as well.

Until next time….take care, be safe,

Some more fall colours on our journey southward on Highway69 S just outside of Estaire, Ontario

Not as brilliant as they should be but still nice.

 

Deb

 

From Apache Junction AZ to Deming, NM......

Our Location: 

Walmart Supercenter, Deming, NM

(1021 E Pine St)

The morning dawned to the sound of wind, steady wind and a beautiful day came into being. I was awake long before the sun showed it's wonderful self over the edge of Superstition Mountain but I didn't get up. Although it would be a travel day I still wasn't in any hurry to roll out. A text from  my sister around 7 am (Arizona time) finally told me I should get out of bed.

As promised, yesterday's para glider at Superstition Mountain.

 

Queen Creek Tunnel once again....

Riley was up by then too and we chatted about what time we hoped to be on the road and where we were heading, and you know the drill. We had a quick sandwich for breakfast and before long were busy doing those 'travel day things'. We skipped our hot drinks though as we tend to linger over those and it wasn't that kind of day. We were totally hooked up and ready to pull out by 8:10 am (Arizona Time). We took our time and managed to avoid most of the death wish holes in the road and before long we were on the hard top of N. Hackamore Road. 

Praying hands, and a face or two, do you see them?

Appears a bit skinny here due to the high sides......

It took us no time to make our way to Tomahawk Road, Old West Highway, and then onto US 60. We followed US 60 for a long way, all the way to Globe, from there we climbed onto US 70 East and stayed on it all the way to Lordsburg, NM. 

I love the colour of the rock here.....

 

Yes that is snow on the mountain top, isn't it beautiful?

For those that are interested, I'm going to write the next little piece of information for myself and anyone thinking of taking this route (again). Tomahawk Road, Old West Highway and the beginning of US 60 is not fast, it is city driving with 2 way, 4 way stops, along with numerous stop lights. I find the stop lights more concerning as the speed limit is anywhere from 45 to 55 mph and I take longer than a car to stop so some advanced warning would be nice. The road is good with a few bumps and humps but nothing major. When the stop lights cease to be an issue (about Gold Canyon) the road is good with double lanes, speeds are higher around 65 mph. The route to Superior is good, not difficult at all. I believe from around Superior it becomes a two lane road with passing lanes. IT IS ON THIS PORTION OF THE ROUTE THAT I WISH TO MAKE NOTE. The grades are very steep, sharp, twisty, turning, and appear to be narrow. I know they are regular width but to be honest when the  side of the mountain is standing mere feet from the roadway on both sides it appears narrow. The views are scenic and wonderful to behold but as a driver concentration is extremely important with no time to sight. A few pull offs were available but they weren't on top of the mountains, on the up bound it would have required a standing stop to immediate grades (steep or pretty steep, not gradual grades). The few passing lanes were helpful but still they weren't quite long enough in some places and appeared to stop at the very top of the mountains, not after you crested the top but just as you are cresting, meaning you had to get back into traffic before you actually managed to get to the top of the climb. The curves and twists were sharper than I would like but not bad or difficult but again one had to really concentrate while driving. This portion of the drive for me was  stressful and not the most comfortable drive I've ever accomplished, but it is very doable, although I would caution myself and anyone else going to do this drive to be aware of ice warnings as well. The downgrades are steep as well but usually pretty short. The city of Globe is much larger than I thought and I would like to return for a visit some time when I'm not hauling my home behind me. Historic downtown would be fascinating I'm sure.  US70 from Globe to Lordsburg, NM was fantastic, wonderful, leisurely, scenic and pleasant and made the stressful drive earlier seem worth the effort. Did I mention it was scenic? It was a beautiful, relaxing couple of hours on a 2 lane highway with not a lot of traffic, or at least we didn't seem to have much. A stop in at Taylor Freeze in Pima, AZ right on the roadside of US 70 is a good stop, great milkshakes there. My only complaint about this portion of the road is there is no warning of pull offs available and you are past them before you realize they are there. Signage for historical markers would also be nice as I noted a number of  markers but I didn't notice any advance warning of them. As I said before unlike 'non towing vehicles' I can't just stop quickly and safely so these were pretty much all bypassed due to being unaware of their locations.

 

Left picture we could see in someone's yard when we stopped at a wide spot in the road for a stretch. Top right picture is a fixer upper we noticed on our drive. Bottom right, for any folks that read many western books, Globe was a well mentioned place and as we can see from it's founding, it's been around a long time.

Scenes from our drive today, including the passing over of the Continental Divide.

From US 70 we continued onto I-10 East at Lordsburg, NM and made our way to the Walmart at Deming, NM. We crossed into a new state and therefore a different time because Arizona doesn't do DLS but New Mexico does, we therefore had to move the clocks ONE hour ahead even though we are still in Mountain Standard Time. We are actually parked in the vacant Home Depot lot next door to Walmart as are at least 10 other rigs. The big rigs are parked on our side of the Walmart parking lot of course just across the fence.  

Along US 70, absolutely stunning...

Still warm temps although I put on long pants as I find the wind a bit cool but Riley likes the temperature. We arrived around 2:30 pm NM time, parked, put out the slides and dropped the front feet to give us a bit more stability, and headed to Wally's for a few items on the grocery list. We had to make a second trip after we'd had lunch because we'd forgotten to take our drinking water jugs to fill and both were empty. Between the two of us we managed to consume 4.5 gallons of water in about 3 days. Must have been pretty thirst these last few days as 5 gallons usually last us about 5 days. 

 

A massive open pit mine, we could see it for a long ways but didn't know what it was until we were closer.

I called my dad when we arrived but left a message telling him where we are and that we arrived safely. I'll call him again tomorrow night when we land at our next destination. So we've settled in for the night and are tucked comfortably at the outside of the parking lot and will enjoy our night here. Some facts for the day, we reached elevations of about 4600 feet, the temperature ranged from 54F/12C to 69F/20C, we battled a pretty strong head wind all day used about 3/4 of a tank of fuel which is approx 30 gallons travelling 243 miles/391 km. It took us about 5 hours travel time. We are currently sitting at 4335 feet in elevation.

 

I can see a bear skin rug, can you?

Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed your visit. Feel free to drop a line if you like. 

 

Don't you think this should be on a postcard?

Until next time... take care, be safe, 

On a long and lonesome highway bids you all a good night.

Deb