Page 6 - LBMAO - Sept-Oct 2023 - Reporter - web optimized

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

ROAD TRIP SUMMER

TREVOR SMALL
LBMAO President

e had the opportunity to take a trip of a lifetime this summer. It The adventure was amazing. We were able to see the 300-foot-tall
Wonly happened because we had a practise run last year. Last giant sequoia trees which were 110’ around at the base. We got to put
summer, my wife and I were able to travel to the east coast of Canada our feet in icy mountain streams from glacier runoff. We had buffalo
in our first road trip without the kids. We were celebrating our 30th come face to face with us in Yellowstone. No, I didn’t go chasing after
wedding anniversary and with everyone travelling to exotic locations them like a lunatic trying to get a photo. We stopped in the middle of
across the planet there were some major problems with airlines and the road, and one walked directly up the yellow centre line and past
destinations. We decided instead of flying that we would drive our car the car. Close enough that I could touch them, but I was sure that this
out through Quebec City, New Brunswick, PEI, and Nova Scotia. We had 2500 lb animal might not enjoy the interaction, so I watched. The park
a great time and that inspired this year’s trip. ranger had warned us they were in the middle of the rut and might be
With me thinking that bigger is always better, I thought we should a bit testy – getting rejected from a member of the opposite sex can do
go further and explore new areas. Why not go to some of the large that.
national parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite? After some careful We got to see other amazing areas like Alcatraz, the carving of the
planning and research, we worked out a plan to see parts of the four presidents on Mount Rushmore, Old Faithful, the Golden Gate
western USA by car. Google maps is a great tool to see how far it is Bridge, the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Park. All
from one point to another, but it has its limitations. One of the main areas had spectacular scenery and photos don’t do these areas justice.
problems I faced in planning were that roads I wanted to take were We toured some of the most productive vegetable farm areas in the
closed because of the huge amounts of snow that the mountains in world, and we got to see the desert. We drove through some amazing
California received this winter or roads were flooded due to flash mountain roads. My wife did not love the windy narrow mount passes.
floods that had wreaked mountain passes. Google would tell me that Some had vertical drop offs of over 4000 feet. The lack of a guard rail
it was going to take hours to go around a site that should have taken and me looking at the scenery made her uncomfortable (strangely she
a few minutes with a direct route. Some of the maps listed possible objects to that). We took in sunsets on the Pacific coast highway and on
reopening dates for the road. The route from Yosemite to Reno, Nevada the pink salt flats of Great Salt Lake in Utah.
was not supposed to be cleared until the end of July. I was nervous. We We decided to take this trip because we had gained some
were travelling at the end of July. I had planned every day and every confidence in our ability to sit in the car for hours at a time without
stop so that we would pack up in one town, drive to our destination, it ending our marriage. This trip we travelled for over 10,000 km and
then arrive at the new hotel for the next evening. We had 13 different spent over 106 hours in the car. We are still married. We had a great
hotels planned over seven states. We changed time zones 3 times. time, saw some amazing sights. We didn’t get too lost. Only once did
As we set out on this journey, I felt like Chevy Chase in the Vacation we end up on a deserted dirt road that was not fit for cars. We turned
movie. We were on the road, and nothing could stop us. We found out around after 15 minutes of following the GPS. I am sure we were like
that heat and traffic can and did stop us, but it was a great adventure. that elderly couple in the commercial who blindly follows the GPS and
The planning I had done was pretty good. Roads that had been closed that the one or two people who might have watched us drive off into
to snow were opened. Even with temperatures of 117 degrees the desert in a convertible Mustang thought we were crazy.
Fahrenheit there was still snow in lots of places. While we didn’t It all added up to a great road trip. The only thing missing was
have a “Family Truckster” to drive across the country, our tiny rental Christie Brinkley driving past us in a red Ferrari.
convertible was up to the job.

6 LBMAO Reporter - September-October 2023 www.lbmao.on.ca