Hey, Bunky, think you've got a problem with gasoline prices in the $2.50-$3.00 range, you ought to motor to Canada, where petrol is selling for $1.15 to $1.20 a litre, which means $5.00 a gallon. We're happy that the Chrysler minivan is producing 24-25 miles per gallon. Talk about wringing blood out of a six-cylinder turnip.
In spite of high fuel prices, traffic seens to be consistent with the population level in southern Canada, but that's still mean roads that are less congested than those in the United States, which is great, since most are two-lane. The lower level of traffic may explain drivers who cross the double-yellow to pass uphilll and going into curves. They apparently just don't expect to meet anybody. Freqent passing lanes--usually for uphill traffic--help drivers go with the flow, but produce the occasional dicy situation. That's because, where visibility allows, approaching drivers can use the opposite-side passing lane, if it's otherwise unoccupied. Thanks to this situation, we've witnessed what looked like a game of chicken, on several occasions. At least, most drivers seem to know about signaling lane changes with more than a Minnesota-like one blink of the turn signal.
Police seem to be very nice, for example, a fatal crash blocked Hwy. 17 (the Trans Canada) east of Toronto. An Ontario motorcycle trooper addresed onlookers about a prospective delay of hours, prefacing his remarks wiith a polite "Ladies and gentlemen ..." He and some locals provided information about a detour, which required a 20-mile backtrack to a rural route. Heck, that was better than sitting there, which was required of several semi-drivers who didn't have room to turn their rigs around.
Our route to the Gaspe Penninsula followed the St. Lawrence River, which--as it approaches its mouth--makes the Mississippi look like an irrigation ditch.
It's been well worth the cost of the trip to see that mighty river and the provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Good scenery and a good time. The bottomless cup of coffee exists north of the U.S. border, but not the endless flow of Coke and Pepsi to which we're accustomed. Two glasses; two charges. And the only kind of ice tea you can get is of the powder-mix variety with sweetner and citrus. We're developing a liking for hot tea with meals.
Posted by Professor at October 6, 2005 08:33 PM