The Wild West

Monday  25^th

After a farewell cocktail party and dinner last night, there was a performance by a singer/songwriter, Lance Brown, who was great. He also taught guitar, so I asked him if he would take mine and donate it to some needy student, which he agreed to do. 

Blount had organized a shuttle to take us to the airport, and we got out there in plenty of time to get trouble free to our very-full-again plane.

We arrived in Denver at 1.30pm and went straight to the hotel in its airport shuttle as it was too early to get the rental car at that time. So at 4.30, I took the Hotel shuttle back to the airport and then the Hertz shuttle to the off-airport rental lot – leaving Carolyn at the hotel having a nap. And …Yup…Hertz declined my credit card again. I insisted that my card was OK, having used it dozens of times in the past few weeks in the USA, but was told there was nothing they could do so “go away and check with my bank”. As Carolyn was not with me, we couldn’t do the same trick as Houston, so I tried to get to another rental company, but the lots are huge and separated by barbed wire fences. So I took the Hertz shuttle back to the airport and the hotel shuttle back to the hotel and rang the bank in NZ. They informed me that there was nothing wrong with the card and there was no record of Hertz trying to authorize a payment with it.

So, armed with this information and with Carolyn for backup, we shuttled our way back to Hertz and confronted them with this information. The agent gave it a go, and the card was declined, however he then told me (rather reluctantly) that Hertz were having a lot of problems with Mastercard transactions being declined b y their new system– and accepted it was their problem, not mine. So they persisted and after 3 attempts using different methods, they could not break through the Mastercard barrier. So I said; “how about you bill my wife’s card but waive the fee for me being the extra driver”. “Can’t do that”, they said – but then another lady came over and told the agent to “just do it”. So, after some creative accounting, we finally got our rental car from Hertz for the original contract price - a mere 2½  hours and 4 different agents asking the same questions. We were given a choice from the “full size” lot and selected a mini van for ease of luggage handling. We didn’t realize until we got to the exit, that it had 2 miles on the odometer!

Love Hertz!!

Tuesday  26^th

Early –ish (8.30) start for Casper WY, but half an hour out of Denver, the traffic came to a halt on the freeway. We followed a few cars that turned off heading for the boonies, and finished up at a place called Firestone, where there turned out to be a large shopping centre. So we stopped at a supermarket (not Walmart) and got the makings of a cut lunch, and by the time we got back to the freeway, the traffic was flowing again.

Casper was a long drive and we were a bit weary to start, but the van is quite comfortable and easy to drive. Not only does it have cruise control, but collision avoidance radar – so almost all you need to do on the freeway is steer! Tons of room and the seats recline – Carolyn found a relaxing position

However, we arrived at the hotel before check-in time so we visited the “Trail Interpretive Centre” which was much like the one we went to in Nevada 2 years ago except it chronicled the settlers journeys up to Casper and Fort Laramie, whereas the other one was for the continuation to Oregon and California. It wasn’t quite as good as the Nevada one, but still pretty interesting.

We also found that there was a dinosaur museum (The Tate) attached to the local College, so we went up and took a look before going to the hotel. They are presently working on a T-Rex that is encased in stone, but is a full skeleton and will be the only one in existence when finished – the next most complete T-Rex being “Stan” at 65% complete and parts of him are on display here also.

Wednesday  27^th

Our hotel room had a door that backed onto the indoor pool area and dining room where a buffet breakfast was served from 6-9am. I woke at 5.40 and looked out the window to see a queue from the buffet lining out the corridor. When we went over at 7am, the buffet was wiped out – absolutely nothing left. Apparently 2 busloads of tourists had checked out early and dealt to everything that didn’t move. The kitchen began to refill the dishes after they left, but we couldn’t wait that long and headed off for Cody and the Wild West.

The route took us over some rolling hills covered with oil wells and buried pipelines…and not much else. I had noticed that we only had 93 miles worth of fuel left, but figured (this being oil country) that there would be plenty of gas stations along the way. Wrong. Halfway to the next town, I calculated that we should make it with 12 miles left in the tank…but no guarantee. Then we flew past a small hotel in the middle of nowhere  and Carloyn reckoned she saw gas pumps outside. So we turned around and, sure enough, they had a battered petrol and diesel pump – with petrol at 3.259/gallon. So I opted for $10 worth to last us till the next (cheaper) stop. She duly worked it out on the calculator and out in 3.7 gallons and off we went. We carried on to Shoshoni and then through a spectacular gorge to a town called Thermopolis, where we stopped to refuel. On the way I got to thinking that $10 worth of petrol should only be about 3 gallons at $3.25 and got out my phone and calculated that it should have been 3.07 gallons, not the 3.7 she put in. That meant we paid 2.70 a gallon for it, which was a whole lot better that the $2.95 we paid in Thermopolis. However, honest as I am, I wasn’t about to go back the 73 miles and tell her of her mistake.

Thermopolis, apparently, is famous for its hot springs (hence the name). However, it also is a Dinosaur dig site and has a very large museum – they just don’t make it easy to find. But find it we did, and we could have gone on a 2 hour tour to the dig site, which would have been neat, but we didn’t have the time. So we took more pix on dino bones, (some of which were a bit different and pointed out defects caused by disease, injuries and just plain old “old age”), bought the T shirt, and headed off to Cody.

Where we arrived at 1pm and were able to check in straight away. This gave us time to go to the Buffalo Bill Centre of the West, which is truly awesome. It has 5 separate galleries and is huge. One is for Bill (of course), one for the plains Indians, one for art, one for natural history and one for guns. There was too much too see and too many pics to talk about here. I stopped taking pix of the gun gallery as there are over 7000 of them on show, so I will just post up a selection of the more interesting ones

Before we got back to our hotel, we checked out the Cody Cattle Company two doors down. Here they have a live concert and a dinner and for the “Trifecta” price of $47, you get those plus tickets to the night rodeo just down the street. So that’s what we did. The Show was a group named “Triple C Cowboys” and the leader, Ryan Martin, is one of the most amazing flat picking guitarists I have ever seen. I got video, but the acoustics sucked, and I see he has stuff on you tube – so check him out. The food was basic “Chuck Wagon” stuff, but delicious and plenty of it.

Then on to the rodeo (and another T shirt). It was very showey and a little tacky with the advertising, and the commentator sounded like a cross between Billie Graham and Michael Buffer (the guy that announces on heavyweight boxing). But it was a bit of fun and Carolyn was right into it, until the young boy on the penultimate bull ride got stomped by the bull right in front of us and was stretchered off after10 minutes to a waiting ambulance. It wasn’t so much the sight of the guy being worked on as it was the near eulogy about him that our commentator was giving us – including a somber “Amazing Grace” in the background!

However, the kid waved to the crowd as he left – so he weren’t daid – and apparently it’s the most common way these guys get injured – trying to ride around on something that don’t want to be rid!

Enough for now - we did Yellowstone today and more tomorrow, but that's another posting.

Week 2 - Buffalo NY to Chicago

Monday 18^th June

We left Buffalo the night before at 6pm and cruised overnight to Cleveland OH. The wind had picked up a little in the morning and it was a little bumpy as we neared the harbor, so the skipper took us in the Eastern entrance of the 5 mile long breakwater to get to the river that we were to moor at for the day. This was on the west side of the river, opposite the city – so not a lot to do unless you took transport over there. However, on the way in we did see the vessel Niagara, a US warship going back to the revolutionary wars, and a B-17 “Flying Fortress” (another WW2 bomber) overflew us as well and landed at the small airport we passed on the way in along the breakwater. I got pix of the Niagara, but was too slow to get the B-17 – so you’ll just have to take my word for it (although another passenger got a pic and said he would email it to me)

We left Cleveland at 10pm that night after a pump-out and refuel (we pump out at every port as the ship can’t go too long without doing so, with the number of passengers aboard).

Tuesday 19^th

Another overnight passage had us at Wyandotte, MI by morning. This cutsie little town is in the Detroit river, just south of the City of Detroit so there was a tour to the Ford factory and museum that Dennis went on, but we didn’t. Instead I walked to the laundromat a mile or so away and did a pile of much needed laundry.

Later that day, the skipper announced that he had decided to leave Wyandotte at midnight, instead of 6am the following morning, as he was concerned that a front moving over Lake Huron may give us some uncomfortable conditions on the 30 hour transit of the Lake to Mackinac Island. I figured on playing some guitar that night, but couldn’t find my thumbpick. I then remembered putting it in my pocket the night before (along with my songlist), so I checked the shorts I had worn – which, of course, had been through the wash at the laundromat. The songlist was papier mache in the pocket, and the thumpick was gone – obviously now resident of the 2^nd washing machine from the front door of the Wyandotte coin laundry.

The earlier departure was a disappointment as I had wanted to see the river and Lake St Clair, but we would now be transiting them in the early hours of the morning. However we would be going down the St Clair river and past Sarnia (Canada) by dawn, so I planned on rising early to get these.

Wednesday 20^th

I rose at 5.45am and found we were still in the St Clair river, around 2 hours from the entrance to Lake Huron. This river flows very fast – around 2 -3 knots – and some quite large ships use it as it is the main thoroughfare between Lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron to the Welland canal and St Lawrence seaway.

Around 8am, we passed under the bridge between the USA and Canada at Sarnia and entered Lake Huron. This where we had had to go in 2012 to get a 3 week extension on our permission to stay in the USA  when we first started the Loop (see “ further down the blog”

Since there would not be much to see for the rest of the day, after breakfast I put my mind to the thumbpick issue and decided I would try to make one. So with the materials of a plastic picnic knife from one of the hotels we had stayed and a bic lighter from one of the ship’s staff, I managed to craft this implement – which may not look flash, but works.

The skipper’s fears of bad weather proved unfounded as the wind dropped and by mid afternoon, the lake was oily calm, and this continued all night as we headed towards Mackinac (pronounced Mackinaw) Island.

Thursday 21^st

However, by the time we arrived at St Ignace for a pumpout before proceeding to Mackinac (no pumpout facilities there), the wind was blowing around 15 kts ENE – which is a cold wind over here! It kept up for the short trip to the island and stayed until mid afternoon. Not only does Mackinac not have pumpout facilities, it also does not have any motor vehicles. What it has instead is horse drawn carriages and lots and lots and lots of tourists. There was a ferry coming in about every 10 minutes (some 2 or three at a time) and they all seemed to be full. The township is small and mainly made up of tourist stores, tour agents and fudge shops (for which the island is renowned) – a bit like Waiheke on steroids!

Leaking sump???

That night we were treated to a Gordon Lightfoot "Tribute" singer - who, of course, did the "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" as one of his songs. He was actually quite good

Friday 22nd

We were due to leave at midday, but again, the skipper decided to leave early to take advantage of the current good spell to get across the open water on Lake Michigan. So we first went back to St Ignace for another pumpout, fuel up and to load on a new clothes drier to replace the one that died yesterday (there was a shortage of towels caused by that). We got underway at 10am and passed under the 5 mile long Mackinac bridge which crosses the Mackinac Strait and officially separates Lakes Huron and Michigan.

The Ship is known as a “thousand footer”, or “Laker”, as they are too long to go through the locks in the Welland Canal, so they just ply the Great Lakes delivering goods to the ports on them – a lot of iron ore is shipped to the smelters around the lakes by them.

It turned out that the skipper needn’t have worried about the conditions, because it was flat calm again all day and during the night  run to Manitowoc WI. Around 3am (although we were not awake to appreciate it) we (showing as the green line) crossed the start/finish (Magenta) line of our Great Loop journey. This was a line drawn between Sturgeon Bay WI and Frankfort MI, where it officially  began in 2012.

Saturday 23^rd

Another warm sunny day – many of the passengers went to the maritime museum and submarine “Cobia” (one of 28 that were built in Manitowoc) directly behind the ship. We had seen it when we were last here, so instead we took a walk downtown and to a small farmers market before stopping at a famous (in Manitowoc) ice cream shop for the obligatory sample of the goods.

Manitowoc is the harbor for a steam ferry that runs across to Ludington MI, several times a day. Its the only coal fired steamer left on the Great Lakes.

We departed for Chicago in fine calm conditions at 4pm, but immediately turned back as one of the crew had been left behind. An unusual sight on our departure was that of a recreational vessel being towed in by a US Coastguard vessel –normally they refuse to do this duty and leave it to private companies like Towboat US.

Sunday 24^th

Another POP (plate of porridge) trip overnight to Chicago and the end of the cruise. We arrived at 6.30am and slowed right up to take advantage of the photo opportunities given by the conditions. We tied up at Burnham Harbour, just south of the city downtown, the place where I stayed with Donna and Alan Huber On their Carver 466 "Alchemist" while shopping for Loopy Kiwi. It was also overlooked by the apartment of the AGLCA's "Harbour Host" where we went on Labour day in both 2011 and 2012 for a Loopers Rendez-vous.

This cruise was 1450 miles long and we have technically “crossed our wake”, even if there is a piece missing in the middle (and it was in a different boat). We leave for Denver tomorrow and I should be able to get this posted to the blog there, as it has been pretty awful trying on the ship.

Then off to the Wild, Wild West!

Oswego NY to Buffalo NY

Friday 16^th

It had been quite windy yesterday down the Oswego canal causing waves to break across the breakwater at the port.

Although the wind had dropped overnight, it was still up enough to slow our trip down to Rochester on lake Ontario today, and we arrived a couple of hours later than scheduled. After lunch, Carolyn and I caught a bus into the city ($1 pp return fare) and went for a wander downtown. There was not a lot to see, so we looked for a bar for a cold beer and found East street with several such establishments. There was one on the other side of the road that had murals of people playing musical instruments and a sign out from that said “come on in and ask Stan to play his Oud”, so we figured it was a bar with live music and went in. Turned out to be a guitar shop and, what’s more, while they didn’t have any $20 guitars, they did have a couple for $100 that were very playable. We went back across the road to a real bar and had a beer and a think about it, then I went over and bought the best of the 2, an Ibanez, complete with gig bag, so I’ve now got something to play on the ship. It turns out it was so near new that the scratch board still had the protective peel-off plastic mask on it. It also has a nice tone and is very loud for a small guitar…and, yes, it is made in China!

The skipper advised that we would be getting away earlier than usual, in case of headwinds or issues locking through the Welland Canal, as it is very busy at present. So we departed at 10pm for the night crossing to be at the canal entrance by dawn.

Saturday 16^th

It turned out to be a dead flat lake all the way and we arrived at 6.30am to take on the pilot, who came alongside right beside our stateroom.

Due to traffic, we didn’t get to enter the first lock until 10.30, so it became obvious we would be unlikely to get through and reach Buffalo, NY by our scheduled time of 5.00pm. The locks are much bigger than the Erie Canal locks and about the same size as those on the TennTom waterway, and locking right through takes an average on 11 hours. Some pretty big ships come through here

While we were in Lock 1, we were overflown by a Lancaster bomber and, considering there are only 2 flying in the world, it is a pretty rare sight (BTW I have video footage to prove it – just no stills….. it was so unexpected)

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As anticipated, we did not leave the canal until about  6pm and duly arrived at Buffalo around 8pm. Being a Saturday night, there was a lot of activity downtown including a loud concert and fireworks displays (although no-one could give a reason for them!) I gave the Ibanez a try out and found it quite a nice instrument. Nobody threw themselves overboard during the performance, so it can’t have been too bad!

Sunday 17^th

It was forecast to be hot and it was. Most of the passengers are heading off on excursions to Niagara Falls but, since we were there last year, we have decided to stay aboard. I went for a wander down to the Military Park, about a mile down the road, but decided to not visit the Destroyer, Cruiser and submarine exhibited there as I am about done with running up and down steep gangways and ladders and squeezing through tight spaces for a while. But it was an interesting walk – the Erie canal’s original entrance was right there (it has been recently restored after being buried for about 100 years after they made a new entrance further up river). I also came across a couple of cheeky squirrels that were the first I  had seen so far this trip and the first for a while with the bushy tails.

BTW, and although we expected it, the stateroom is kinda tiny! This pic shows the two beds, one partly hidden by the bathroom and shower. Its quite a bit smaller than the staterooms on Loopy Kiwi, but its comfy and has the same airconditioning units, so we know how to drive them.

Another thing I’ve not mentioned so far is the meals: For breakfast there is a buffet with cereals, fruit salads etc and then we are served a hot course, which is usually 2 items per day, such as eggs benedict and hash browns.

Lunch is a soup, followed by a sandwich or salad, and cookies.

Dinner is an appetizer, then a choice of 2 mains and 2 desserts, and a hot cookie.

Last night it was ribs – and they were as good as the best of Muldoons. The other main was chicken, both served with a baked potato and corn on the cob. The desserts were pecan pie or strawberry ice cream and cookies were butterscotch chip. There is no shortage of food and almost everybody had seconds of the ribs. Tonight is key lime pie!

There have been some strange dishes served and some interesting combinations but, so far, nothing I have been served I have disliked, and most of it has been excellent!

Beer and wine are complimentary with dinner. Happy hour between 5.30 and 6.30 is BYO, but they provide all the mixes.

Till next time