8/22/78 to 9/03/78
4107 MILES

We planned our trip home to follow the Transcanada Highway (1) across the southern border of Canada to the Thousand Islands and then to drop down through New York to home base. It was mostly a pleasant drive through farm land and orchards. The towns had very interesting names such as Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Swift Current, Moose Jaw, to Winnipeg and Sault Ste Marie.

There wasn't much of the usual tourist attractions along the way. We enjoyed the drive through the wheat fields and relaxing in our trailer with a couple of cocktails after driving 300 to 400 miles per day.

We did do a little sight seeing in the quaint towns. The Card home in Cardston, AL. and a beautiful Japanese Garden in Lethbridge.

Car trouble caught up with us as we approached Winnipeg. One of the disk brake pads scored the rotor requiring its replacement and a brake job. There was no convenient place to park the trailer. We finally parked alongside of the fire station courtesy of a cooperative and friendly fire department.

Winnipeg was/is a nice town with little traffic, lots of lakes, pine trees, and quite a few Indians.

Trouble in White River

We continued on to White River, Ont. which has a reputation for having the lowest temperature. I'm not sure if it was for Canada or North America. Trouble struck again. We discovered that we had a bad bearing in a trailer wheel. It had frozen and wore away the bearing seat in the hub. We really had a problem. No source of supply. No chance to get parts from Holiday because of the airline pilots strike.

We did learn of a trailer dealer in Wawa about 60 miles to the east. They did have bearings but no hub. I bought them and hoped to find a way to correct the hub problem. There was an industrial plant in White River and they cooperated by giving materials in an attempt to shim the hubs so that we could move on. It didn't work.

Next we heard of a trailer service in Thunderbay; about 250 miles to the west. We made a flying trip to Thunderbay. They had hubs which they had just received the day before. With the hub and more bearings we returned to White River, installed the parts and headed home. All together we drove over 600 miles to repair the wheel problem.

Sault Ste Marie was very interesting. We watched as they moved the large tankers through the locks. One could stand right along side of the operation. Sault Ste Marie, the oldest city in Michigan, was founded as a mission in 1668.

We were getting anxious to get home. We stopped in White Fish Ont. enjoyed the Thousand Islands and drove 439 miles to stay in Clayton N.Y. for our last night on the road.

next: The Finale
Contents