Oh, Canada! - October 8-15, 2011

With some use or lose time on the line at work, the Biologist decided to take a Fall waymarking trip to Canada.  Unfortunately, the Marine couldn't go with her due to his full class schedule at the University of North Florida.  She couldn't let that stop her though, so she took off on her own for another great waymarking adventure.

Day 1:  The Marine took the Biologist to the Jacksonville, Florida, airport bright and early and off she flew to Syracuse, New York.  However, she didn't take the most direct route available.  Instead, she routed through Washington, D.C. and scheduled a 6-hour layover there in hopes of waymarking a very rare target in the United States.  Upon arriving in D.C., the Biologist quickly grabbed her backpack and wheeled computer case and hopped on the Metro at the National Airport station.  She got off at the Van Ness Metro stop to make her way to Rock Creek Park.  Not knowing the best route to take from the Metro station and unable to find a taxi, she decided to take the shortest route on foot, which, as is often the case, was not the best route to take.

ANWB Paddenstoel

She ended up on a busy two-lane road with a minimal shoulder area while pulling along her computer case.  Just before getting to a one-lane bridge, a kind man in a truck rolled down his window and asked if she needed a ride.  "No, that's okay, I only have two-tenths of a mile left to go," she replied.  Yikes!  This was not the smartest thing she'd ever done but she persevered all the while muttering under her breath that the darn target she was going after had better still be there.  And, alas, it was!  An ANWB Paddenstoel.  Sweet!  There are only seven of these in the United States, and the other six had already been claimed.  This one is located 0.9 miles from the Netherlands Embassy and was the first Paddenstoel placed in the United States.  Whew!  That one took some effort.  On an easier walk back to the Metro, she stopped and admired the newly restored Working Water Wheel at Peirce Mill and the Peirce Mill Springhouse.  Then back to the airport to continue her journey north.

Shop24 Machine

The next flight took the Biologist into Syracuse where she arrived at about 4pm and quickly rented a car and started making tracks for another rare waymark.  In 2009, Morrisville State College had a second Shop24 Machine installed on their campus in Morrisville, New York.  She found it without any trouble and enjoyed a short drive around campus to check it out and to visit the other Shop24 Machine that was installed in 2005.  What an excellent day for finding rare U.S. waymarks!  Then it was time to find a place to bed down for the night.  It was a few hours away, but the Biologist made her way to Rochester for the night so she would have a shorter drive the next morning and could get across the Canada border near Buffalo before it got too late.

Battle of Cook's Mill

Day 2:  Off to Canada today!  The Biologist got up early and made her way toward Buffalo along with a lot of Bills and Eagles fans.  She watched a group almost comes to blows at a rest area.  Wow, these fans are a bit rabid.  Anyway, after crossing over the Peace Bridge and answering the questions at the Canadian border crossing, the Biologist started making her way to the site of the Battle of Cook's Mill, a Canadian National Historic Site.  She passed a Welland Welcome Sign and a Welland Population Sign on the way and a Niagara Falls Population Sign on her way back.  After passing Niagara Falls and on her way to Niagara-on-the-Lake, she stopped and found the Marine Biologist team's first geocache in Canada, a virtual titled "The Other End of the Trail" that was also a Cairn waymark that she visited.

Inukshuk

After reaching Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Biologist stopped at Fort George and wandered around this very nice reconstruction of the Historic Fort.  Then onto the historic Butler's Barracks after a quick stop to take photos and coordinates for an Inukshuk in a nearby neighborhood.  At Butler's Barracks, she spotted a War Museum, two Boy Scouts Memorials, and a Non-Specific Veterans Memorial.  It was a beautiful day to wander through this historic site.

Ontario Provincial Plaque

Then it was time to move onto London, Ontario, where she planned to spend her first night in Canada.  After checking into the hotel, the Biologist made her way to the historic No. 5 Fire Hall, a Converted Firehouse that is also an Ontario Heritage Property.  Then onto the Dundas Street Centre United Church.  This Old Church, a Methodist Church, is also listed as an Ontario Heritage Property, and has a lovely Bell Tower and a Dated Cornerstone.  On the way to downtown Victoria Park, she spotted an Ontario Provincial Plaque about Harold A. Rogers, the founder of Kinsmen & Kinette Clubs of Canada.

London War Cenotaph

The first stop the Biologist made in Victoria Park was the striking London War Cenotaph, a Canadian Legion Memorial Cenotaph.  After paying tribute, she walked over to the nearby St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica, an absolutely amazing Catholic Cathedral with two Bell Towers, a Unique Steeple, and three lovely Doorways of the World.  This Old Church, which has its own Wikipedia listing and a Dated Cornerstone, has several Gargoyles guarding its entry.  By now it was getting to be late afternoon and time to start wrapping things up for the day.  After a few more stops, it was time for dinner, some posting of waymarks for new icons, and sleep.

St. Peter's Cathedral Gargoyle

Canadian Benchmark

Day 3:  This morning it was time to start moving west.  The Biologist decided to take some back roads toward Toronto rather than the freeway and was very glad she did.  While passing through the rural town of Innerkip, she spotted a Canada Post Office.  Then further along the way she spotted two Inukshuks for the Milton Heights Campground.  How excellent!  Next was the beautiful Humber Arboretum.  It was a perfect day for a stroll through this lovely garden, and the Biologist spotted a Canadian Benchmark while wandering though it.

She finally reached Toronto and stopped at the Black Creek Pioneer Village where she spent a bit of time admiring the historic structures and re-creations, including a Blacksmith Shop, Old Mill, Working Water Wheel, and One Room Schoolhouse.  Then further on into Toronto where she found another Canadian Benchmark in Corby Park, which has a lovely Rose Garden.  It was getting late by this time, so the Biologist continued heading east and stopped for the night in Napanee.

The Holy Well

Day 4:  Today's primary goal was visiting the small village of Mount St. Patrick and its wonderful Holy Well.  So the Biologist headed north out of Napanee and passed the Artistic Welcome Sign for the town of Renfrew.  Then onto Mount St. Patrick.  After paying homage at the Holy Well and giving thanks for a safe journey, the Biologist started the long drive to Montreal.


Day 5:  Montreal is a scary place to drive.  The Biologist started to do a little exploring after checking into the hotel late yesterday afternoon, but the traffic was horrendous and she chickened out after about 8 miles and went back to the hotel, but not before stopping and finding a geocache in Quebec.  This morning, after checking out of the hotel, she decided to head to the quaint little town of Chambly before making her way back to the United States.

Mairie de Chambly Marker

Chambly was a wonderful place to visit and was filled with lovely historic buildings and scenic water views.  It was also a great place to find Quebec Historical Markers, including ones for Marie de Chambly, Le Couvent des Soeurs de la Congrégation de Notre-Dame, Caserne de pompiers de Chambly-Bassin, and L'église Anglicane de St. Stephen (St. Stephen's Anglican Church) which had a Churchyard Cemetery with some impressive Mausoleums and a Broken Column Headstone.  After stopping for a few more Quebec Historical Markers along the way, the Biologist made her way to the Canada-United States border.  It took a bit longer for her to get back into the United States than it did to get into Canada, but the wait wasn't too bad.  She had a great few days in Canada, but was happy to be back on U.S. soil.


She had hoped to stay the night at a Hampton Inn in Plattsburgh, New York, but there was no room at the inn so she kept on going and took the back roads over to Watertown.  Along the way, she spotted numerous unclaimed New York Historical Markers, a cool Bear Statue and Neon Sign at a restaurant in Malone, and a Worldwide Cemetery.

Cobblestone Building in Cemetery

Day 6:  Today the Biologist rolled back into Syracuse where she planned to stay for the next two nights.  Today she spent most of the day wandering around back roads north and east of Syracuse and found several historic Worldwide Cemeteries where she found many Zinc Headstones waiting to be claimed!  They came in all shapes and sizes and were quite beautiful.  She also found a Woodmen of the World Headstone and several more New York Historical Markers.  While in Altmar, she spotted a sign for the Salmon River Fish Hatchery, where she took a tour of the facility.  It was quite interesting!  She also stopped to see the historic Riverside Cemetery in Altmar and spotted a darling little Cobblestone Building, a Civil War Memorial, and a Non-Specific Veterans Memorial.  Both memorials are listed in the Smithsonian Art Inventory.  What a nice surprise!

Am. Rev. War Grave

In the historic Fairview Cemetery, she spotted an old Hand-operated Water Pump and a Citizen Memorial on the shelter protecting the water pump.  In the 7th Township Cemetery, she found six American Revolutionary War Soldier Graves.  Then on into Cleveland, where the Biologist stopped in a small park with a lovely Gazebo that was built as a 9/11 Memorial.  After stopping to take photos of a Cobblestone House in Cleveland, she next spotted a sign with a Kilroy Was Here character!  Wow, she sure didn't expect to come across something like that.

Kilroy Was Here!

Trinity Episcopal Church

Next came Bernhards Bay, where St. Leger's Army (denoted by a New York Historical Marker) passed during the American Revolution, and an Out of Place Grave in a lakeside park.  In the town of Constantia was the rustic old Trinity Episcopal Church.  This Old Church is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and has a Churchyard Cemetery.  The Biologist's next and final stop for the day (before calling it a night in Syracuse) was the city of Brewerton, where she visited a Fireworks Tree, explored the former site of Fort Brewerton and its Blockhouse History Museum and Historical Society Headquarters.   The fort site and its original earthworks are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.  The final waymark of the day was a Neon Sign for Fran's Florist in Brewerton.  Whew!  This was a busy day with lots and lots of waymarks.

Fran's Florist Neon Sign

Hitching Post

 Day 7:  With only today left before catching a flight home, the Biologist decided to once again travel the back roads, this time down to Cortland.  She again stopped at several Worldwide Cemeteries and spotted many more Zinc Headstones.  There were also more unclaimed New York Historical Markers to read, including one for the Birthplace (Childhood Home) of Francis B. Carpenter, a famous painter of Abraham Lincoln giving his Emancipation Proclamation, and another for the Birthplace (Childhood Home) of William Osborn Stoddard, assistant secretary to Abraham Lincoln during his first Presidential term.  Both these markers were in the village of Homer, which had a couple of Historic Hitching Posts.

Two Zinc Headstones

After reaching Cortland, the Biologist decided to make a quick stop by the State University of New York to find the new Shop24 Machine there.  She decided not to post it since they are such a rare find, but to be ready to visit it as soon as someone else posted it.  After a couple more stops at old Cemeteries and waymarking more Zinc Headstones, it started to rain.  Time to head back to the hotel in Syracuse and a little down time before tomorrow's trip home.

Day 8:  Well, as they say, all good things must come to an end.  It was a fantastic trip, and the Biologist found 11 new icons for postings and 1 new icon for a visit during the week.  These were for the following categories:  ANWB Paddenstoelen, Shop24 Machines, Canadian National Historic Sites, Ontario Provincial Plaques, Ontario Heritage Properties, Inukshuks, Canadian Legion Memorials Cairns and Cenotaphs, Canada Post Offices, Canadian Benchmarks, Holy Wells, and Quebec Historical Markers, and a new icon for a visit to a Cairn.  Sweet!