Day Eight – Last Leg to Canada, Visit with Good Friends, Tag Game

Can-Am RV Centre

On Saturday, Apr. 15^th I didn’t get out of bed until 6:40 am. I knew everything was ready including hookup so took a bit more time. I had a wonderful sleep, waking up once to use the facilities. That’s unusual for me but I also knew I drank a lot of water last evening so not too surprising. We pulled up to the communal dump station at the exit and were on the road at 7:20 am.

Another pretty sky before we leave
Gibbs sees it out his window as we say
goodbye to Stony Ridge/Perrysburg

The sky was mostly covered in blanket-like clouds but I caught a glimpse of the sun trying to poke through. Once off Luckey Rd, the park road, we caught US-23N to I-75S. Then we took I475N untill we got back on US23N. We waited until we got near Ann Arbor and took Exit 35 onto I-94. This was a much improved interstate! From there, it was a straight run east and then north to Port Huron. Bill has parcels to pick up at Bluewater Shipping and then it is a hop, skip and jump to Border Crossing. 😊

We leave Ohio in our rearview
and enter Michigan
A few sights along the way

We don't know how many times we've come this way
but there are always familiar things along the route

The temperature is 60F/15C so shorts weather still. We crossed the Maumee River and although I wasn’t quick enough for a picture, I spotted at least 30 fishermen standing in and spread across the water. Quite a few from the park went out to catch walleye and this is perfect weather for them to enjoy it. There was construction almost as soon as we left Perrysburg on I-75S/US-23N but since it is Saturday, no one is working. 

It was a good choice to get on I-94
after the rought US-23
We only had a bit of construction to deal with

We had 19 miles to our destination but pulled into a rest area to care of business. All 3 of us needed a bathroom break and felt better after the stop. 😊 Bill is quite familiar with the route in to the shipping depot where they have our name and address registered for packages. This saves us paying duty by having it shipped to Canada. He is a happy man to get his repaired motor and his new plane kit from Carolina Customs. If he’s happy, you know. ♥

Just a few miles before our designated stop,
we pulled into one last Rest Area
Bottom picture is Bluewater Shipping with an
easy in and out for us at the back of the building

The office opens at 10 and we arrived at 9:59. How’s that for timing?! Bill got his goodies and stored them in the Suite and we were on our way by 10:10 to the Bridge to Canada. The crossing was simple with 2 cars and an rv in front of us. Nice gal, wondered if we were traveling with the ones ahead of us because they were also in Arizona. 😊 Driving on our 402E, headed to CanAm for a few days. We arrived around 11:30 to a near-full parking lot out front.

Paying the toll always behooves us
One time it was $13, today it was $9.
Both US fees.

Crossing the bridge - top
Reaching today's destination - bottom

We got into a temporary spot, thankfully, and 2 more Airstreams and 1 Imagine pulled in right after us. Some were dropping off for storage, some picking up, others for repair but it made for a very congested area. As soon as owners dropped their rigs, Andy, the owner, and his retired brother, Kirk, pulled them out of the way and into the back storage area. It’s the fullest I’ve seen this lot in a very long time, if not ever. Bill went inside and Gibbs and I walked out to the grass for his business. Good boy!

It took about an hour before Peggy, Kirk and Andy had the units moved around enough for us to get into a spot BUT that’s okay! They are run off their feet, even more so on a warm Saturday, I imagine. We have a spot with hookups for the next few days, just like any other time we’ve come here. These folk/friends have always treated us wonderfully. ♥ The heat has followed us here, or actually was here already, and without a breeze the 79F/26C would be pretty warm.

If you can see our Suite here, you need to know that 
this is the in-out entrance as well so we knew we'd have
to move as would the ones to our right. 

I put the awnings out to block some of the sun and they flapped enough for us to keep an eye on them. The breeze felt good and kept the Suite comfortable. We switched all of our US cards (bank & otherwise) for our Canadian ones and while Bill puttered back and forth to discuss the trailer repairs, I sat and read. We had our sandwiches late so each of us had a bit of a headache. I made a cup of tea and we phoned our friends, Jim and Sharon, to arrange an evening visit. 😊

Chili for supper, warmed in the microwave, since we’re plugged in and then we’scooted across the city. Words can't express how important it is to take time to visit with family and friends. We know all too soon, what happens when we put things off. 

This is an old picture of
our good friends, Jim and Sharon.

Before we left, a phone call to my sister and her husband informed us that they had also crossed the border and were an hour away. We, and Andy, the owner, welcomed them to come and stay for a couple of nights here at CanAm. The parking lot was empty now except for us. 😄 Since Deming, NM, they have been about a day behind us and will now finally catch up in this game of rv tag. 

Empty parking lot now

It was great to see our friends again before we head home on this week. It was a really nice day driving back today, I-94 is the way to go if coming this way. Gayle and John were here when we returned around 9 and we all visited in their Montana until near 11:00. It is very nice to see them and know that family is back to Canada safely as well. 💓

Gayle and John across the lot
with hookups, if they want them
Good night!

Thank you for your visit today and thank you to everyone who followed our journey and welcomed us home. It is always a relief at the end of a long trip to be back in our own beautiful country. ♥