As we have traveled, we have discovered there are four different ways to see the country. About half of our mileage has involved seeing the countryside as we tow the RV from campsite to campsite. But most of our adventures happen while the RV is parked. The repertoire of trips come in 3 forms:
- Truck trips. As soon as we arrive in most locations, we unhook the truck and used it for most adventures. Affectionately referred to as “Prince Adam” (the beast in Beauty and the Beast), the truck can take us almost anywhere. It has limitations: it is large, difficult to park, noisy and fuel inefficient. Our two other alternatives fit those situations for which the truck is not well suited.
- Motorcycle adventures. We bought the Can Am in September, and have put about 2500 miles on the cycle since then. The bike takes time and effort to offload an reload, so we do not use it at every location, but it is perfect for scenic adventures and quick trips to the market. We have done some overnighters (Yellowstone, Texas hill country), climbed Pike’s Peak, and have done 3 of the top 10 motorcycle rides in the country, with plans to do the other 7. We have also discovered that our favorite rides are back roads in rural countryside areas that are not famous. The cycle has its disadvantages as well (exposure to weather, more wearing for long trips), but is my favorite way to travel while parked.
- Rental car road trips. On three occasions during our first year on the road, we decided the best thing to do was to rent a car and do a road trip. Since that describes our whole life at the moment, think of this as the “road trip within a road trip.” In Utah, we planned a trip like this to see all 5 National Park locations and Monument Valley. While our rig was being repaired in Kansas, we took a road trip to visit my mom and sister in Colorado. The subject of this blog is our most recent road trip. Renting a car for 8 days, we made a 1300 mile circuit of Lake Erie.
The road trip had 4 major stops: Detroit, to see the Henry Ford Museum and meet up with the best man at our wedding, whom we had not seen in 45 years, and to meet his wife; Toronto, to take in a game at our 17th MLB park; Niagara Falls, to re-visit, one of our favorite landmarks, and then a wide swing through Virginia to spend Mothers’ Day with our daughter and her family.
The pics below are some high points along the way.
The Henry Ford Museum is impressive, from the moment you walk in the door. 
It is basically a history of American industrial and political progress. I loved the exploded Model T. Cars and planes of every era are beautifully displayed. I loved this “exploded” view. 
One of my favorite displays was Buckminster Fuller’s model home. He envisioned whole communities of these circular futuristic houses. 
For its day, the interior was ingenious. 
We had a wonderful dinner with our best man, Dr. Carl Freeman, whom we had not seen in 45 years, and his lovely wife Charlene. 
The CN Tower in downtown Toronto is striking. Needed a real camera for a wider angle view, but this cell phone shot will have to do. 
The dome was closed for the night baseball game, but it was fun. 
The sparse crowd reflects the status of the last place Blue Jays, who lost the game 9-1. 
Niagara panorama — American Falls on the left and Horseshoe Falls on the right. 
The day was overcast, and couldn’t get night pictures for fog, but was an enjoyable day.