We don't have to learn Irish dancing, do we? I'm pretty sure that's grounds for disownment in my family.

We can do Irish Car Bombs. :cool:

Been away from the computer for 2 weeks, but now recovering. I'd like to say the interlude was spent enjoying the new babe, but instead I've been busy entertaining the stream of encamped friends and family (in-laws finally left today...).

It's like we just got through a successful Christmas, so someone decided that we needed a sequel that is twice as long.

Anyway, I'm still undecided on whether to fly or drive to a rendezvous. Flights cost twice as much as two years ago, thanks to less competition, fuel costs, more security theatre, etc.. I would prefer to drive to NH and fly back home, but somehow it doesn't work that way.

Budget: Yes, this will be more expensive than 2006. The most important factor by far is that the US$ is worth almost 20% less. Also, fuel prices are higher than at any time except briefly post-Katrina. It's just under $1/L here in Ottawa ($3.70/gal), which means about $1.10 in the Maritimes and $1.20 in Newfoundland. By my calcs (C$1 = US$0.98, 1USgal = 3.78L), that makes for about:

US$4.25 / gallon.

And that's for regular. Not quite Europe, but half-way there, in more ways than one.

A couple lurkers have thanked me for posting budgets for previous years. arcticmini.com, so I'll try to update that soon for 2008.

With all the co-pilots disappearing, participation this year appears to be hitting a new low. Fortunately, many new people have expressed interest in going in 2009, which is promising. Hopefully, they'll convert into actual trip-goers. I'd hate to see participation dwindle any further.

Stop trying to guilt me!

Stop trying to guilt me!
That's why I haven't suggested that you get The Cod to raise money for you, he seems good at it.

************************************************** ************************************************** **********

In other news I purchased a second tow strap so we can use 2 cars to pull out anyone who gets stuck. Don't forget your tow eyes.

I finally had some good results uploading kml files to google maps!! I still want to experiment further with the log settings so I can reduce the file size to accommodate the whole trip. As things are now I can have about 2,000 miles worth on google maps (rough estimate).

That's why I haven't suggested that you get The Cod to raise money for you, he seems good at it.

************************************************** ************************************************** **********
.

True. But I only fund raise for worthy causes.

Been away from the computer for 2 weeks, but now recovering. I'd like to say the interlude was spent enjoying the new babe, but instead I've been busy entertaining the stream of encamped friends and family (in-laws finally left today...).

8>< snip

Anyway, I'm still undecided on whether to fly or drive to a rendezvous. Flights cost twice as much as two years ago, thanks to less competition, fuel costs, more security theatre, etc.. I would prefer to drive to NH and fly back home, but somehow it doesn't work that way.

8>< snip



From the time of the post, I thought the little one's been keeping you up! :rolleyes:

When you say drive to NH, in whose car and to what town/city?

True. But I only fund raise for worthy causes.

Who invited you in here? And what's more worthy than shipping me off to the Great White North for a rematch with my nemesis, the Smallwood? Don't you want the chance of me barfing into a paper bag again?

That's why I haven't suggested that you get The Cod to raise money for you, he seems good at it.

************************************************** ************************************************** **********

In other news I purchased a second tow strap so we can use 2 cars to pull out anyone............

Maybe we should use that second STRAP to tow-hook NoNo along.
:p

Folks,

PM me with your MINIs make and year so I can approach MOP about a few spares, "just in case."

Do we need more tow straps? :eek:

Folks:

I cannot tell you how disappointed I am, that I cannot partake in the adventure, this year. Maybe next year.

Now - you've gotta check this out... You think you're roughing it in your MINI? Nah... :aargh:

Trans Labrador Highway, Winter 2008 - ADVrider (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=303995)

We really lucked out last year. This guy wakes up in Lab City and it was -55°C, that's -61°F. Yikes!!!

Hey, y'all:

If there's anything from last year that I can loan you for the trip, just say the word.

Check out the list of stuff that I brought - Pete has the link to last year's spreadsheet. Tools, Cruisecam video mount, whatever...

From the time of the post, I thought the little one's been keeping you up! :rolleyes:

When you say drive to NH, in whose car and to what town/city?

Mine.

I figured my car could provide snow-shade for a driveway with a missing MINI.

Alternatively, I could go straight to Calais and see about leaving my car at the Inn. The direct route is quite a bit shorter, and on smaller roads (mixed benefit in winter).

Check out my nearly-due-east route to Calais, and then imagine the big V required to dip several degrees of lattitude to Manchester. Yet the route through Manchester only adds 2 hours of driving. Freeways are impressive.

from: 129 Cavanagh Dr, Carp, ON, Canada to: Calais Motor Inn, Calais, ME - Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=129+Cavanagh+Dr,+Carp,+ON,+Canada&daddr=Calais+Motor+Inn,+Calais,+ME&sll=45.135555,-68.060303&sspn=2.235831,4.372559&ie=UTF8&ll=43.117024,-71.608887&spn=9.252105,17.490234&z=6&om=0)

Mine.

I figured my car could provide snow-shade for a driveway with a missing MINI.

Alternatively, I could go straight to Calais and see about leaving my car at the Inn. The direct route is quite a bit shorter, and on smaller roads (mixed benefit in winter).

Check out my nearly-due-east route to Calais, and then imagine the big V required to dip several degrees of lattitude to Manchester. Yet the route through Manchester only adds 2 hours of driving. Freeways are impressive.

from: 129 Cavanagh Dr, Carp, ON, Canada to: Calais Motor Inn, Calais, ME - Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=129+Cavanagh+Dr,+Carp,+ON,+Canada&daddr=Calais+Motor+Inn,+Calais,+ME&sll=45.135555,-68.060303&sspn=2.235831,4.372559&ie=UTF8&ll=43.117024,-71.608887&spn=9.252105,17.490234&z=6&om=0)

Well, you're certainly welcome to leave the car at my place in Milford NH, about 30 minutes west of Manchester NH.

Google indicates that a drive from your place to Calais ME by way of Portsmouth NH is 12 hour 15 mins (excluding a side trip to Milford)

from:129 Cavanagh Dr, Carp, ON, Canada to:I-95 N @43.070463, -70.786448 to:45.179133,-67.2789 - Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=6859575456681900359,43.070463,-70.786448%3B9321624960625623222,44.874600,-67.899710&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=129+Cavanagh+Dr,+Carp,+ON,+Canada&daddr=I-95+N+%4043.070463,+-70.786448+to:45.179133,-67.2789&mra=dme&mrcr=1&mrsp=2&sz=10&sll=45.066731,-67.475281&sspn=0.442289,0.933838&ie=UTF8&ll=44.323848,-70.817871&spn=7.167767,14.941406&z=6&om=0)

Well, you're certainly welcome to leave the car at my place in Milford NH, about 30 minutes west of Manchester NH.

Google indicates that a drive from your place to Calais ME by way of Portsmouth NH is 12 hour 15 mins (excluding a side trip to Milford)

Exactly. Only 2 hours extra, despite the big dip south. All thanks to faster roads (and Google's major handicapping of secondary highways).

The more I think about it, the less interested I am in flying, despite the fact that it decreases time away from the family. Murphy's Law says that if I fly, the weather will be bad and I would miss the rendezvous again. If I drive, the weather will be perfect. So, it's much better if I drive.

The offer of a parking space is appreciated. On second thought though, leaving my car in NH means having to take the long way home, and spending the extra day doing the return leg.

Instead, I could route outbound through Calais but park my car in Moncton., the first place that I could branch off during the return trip. Taking the TCH home from Moncton saves me a couple more hours beyond the so-called Atlantica shortcut (linked in my last post), thanks to the Fall 2007 completion of the TCH freeway through NB. Indeed, the freeway completion now makes the Atlantica shortcut a bit of an oxymoron.

Alternatively, if I plan to take the Atlantica shortcut home, I could leave the car earlier, in Bangor or Calais. I'm assuming that there aren't any legal or insurance issues with me leaving my car in another country while I return to Canada.

In either case, the outbound option of dipping south via NH remains, although I admit that since it requires a very early morning start, I'm less likely to bother.

Calais is only a 7.5 hour drive from the ferry, which we have to be at by 10:30pm AT, or 9:30pm ET. Given 2 hours for meals, that means we likely have 3-4 hours available for play time, provided that the weather is good for traveling.

Therefore, we should plan some activities.

I propose the following.

First, there's a quick photo op and leg stretch at Reversing Falls, as we cross the St. John River at Saint John. Since it will be low tide, it will look like a normal rapids, but on the return trip, it will be going up.

Second, I know that in previous years, much interest has been expressed in seeing the tides of Fundy. Unlike in 2006, the tides this year will be low during the day on Friday, which is perfect for getting down to the shore. So I suggest that we take the scenic loop through Fundy National Park and check out Cape Enrage and the Hopewell Rocks (http://www.thehopewellrocks.ca/english/panorama.htm). This adds 75 minutes of driving, and we'll need about 1 hour at the Rocks.

Third, in Baddeck, after dinner but before boarding, we could arrange for a 1 hour stop at the AG Bell National Historic Site Museum. Besides a telephone or two, the museum holds many of the lesser known inventions of the famous Scottish-Canadian who made his summer home on the shores of Bras d'Or Lake in Cape Breton. These include hovercraft, hydrofoils and the Silver Dart.

How it might work is detailed in the proposed itinerary. (http://www.arcticmini.com/2008itinerary.htm).

I thought we saw some enrage and rocks last time. Will this be different?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From the rocks website.....

Our Mission Statement:

To ensure a safe and positive experience for all visitors and staff
through self-sustaining stewardship.

NOOOOOO!!!!!! I wanted to see Fundy! :(

Well, it's official, my UK trip came through, so there's no way I could go on this trip. But in a way, my trip will be like the Tour du Nord. Going to Sumburgh, on the Shetland Islands. So, basically middle of nowhere. Won't be as cold probably, but it'll be dreary. And, while you guys are puking on the ferry, I'll probably be puking out of a helicopter. So, have fun. I'll have to shoot for the next trip.

TCH Stephenville Access Road to Port aux Basques Jan 28, 2008 2:32:13 PM Snow Covered Good

Advisory: Wet and slushy and slippery sections. Use extreme caution in Wreckhouse area, avoid if possible; high winds, E70-80, gusting to 100km.

Calais is only a 7.5 hour drive from the ferry, which we have to be at by 10:30pm AT, or 9:30pm ET. Given 2 hours for meals, that means we likely have 3-4 hours available for play time, provided that the weather is good for traveling.

Therefore, we should plan some activities.

I propose the following.

First, there's a quick photo op and leg stretch at Reversing Falls...

Second, ...seeing the tides of Fundy...

Third, in Baddeck,...

How it might work is detailed in the proposed itinerary. (http://www.arcticmini.com/2008itinerary.htm).

I'm all for some photo ops!

The itinerary looks precisely planned. Thanks!
I remember last time at Port aux Basques, NL, prior to queuing to board the homebound ferry, every vehicle had to go through some quarantine/inspection station (...I only wish they'd give us car washes as well there, besides scraping clear our license plates). We may wish to give ourselves more time to clear before that 22:45 cutoff.

Shawn, the Irish dance studio owner in Saint John's (and now on Iceland, too), is arranging for us to be interviewed on local television. Stay tuned . . .

(NoNo, now we really need you ~ to make us look good!)

BTW, Shawn was in Boston and was invited by the American consulate to perform for the Red Sox and Jon Papelbon last November. No doubt Jon could have used the lessons:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxIBml2byoo

Well, it's official, my UK trip came through, so there's no way I could go on this trip. But in a way, my trip will be like the Tour du Nord. Going to Sumburgh, on the Shetland Islands. So, basically middle of nowhere. Won't be as cold probably, but it'll be dreary. And, while you guys are puking on the ferry, I'll probably be puking out of a helicopter. So, have fun. I'll have to shoot for the next trip.

OK, that really is the middle of nowhere, especially compared to a city of 100K+.

At first, I thought you had overestimated the warmth of the Shetlands. But no. Their February average high is nearly 5C, while St. John's is -2C. 5C is St. John's' mean for the whole year.

That's surprising, given that the Shetlands are located at 60N, compared to St. John's at 47'30''. In fact, the Shetlands are more than 6 degrees north of the most northerly of all the ArcticMINI runs (2005, on the road to Chisasibi, QC).

Clearly, we've got to find a road to the Shetlands...

I'm all for some photo ops!

The itinerary looks precisely planned. Thanks!

Your welcome.

Of course, it might be for naught. Something about itineraries surviving contact with the weather.

I remember last time at Port aux Basques, NL, prior to queuing to board the homebound ferry, every vehicle had to go through some quarantine/inspection station (...I only wish they'd give us car washes as well there, besides scraping clear our license plates). We may wish to give ourselves more time to clear before that 22:45 cutoff.

I believe the inspection is after checkin, so arriving 75 minutes before departure, our reservation would be safe.

In any case, given the weather-dependent travel nature of winter travel we'll be keeping an eye on the clock.

Once spent a week on Grand Manan Island (http://www.grandmanannb.com/) at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy. Interesting place. Crazy tides, of course. Only way to get there is by an hour and a half ferry ride on what can be really really nasty seas (as you know). Good times being on a 231' RORO ship getting bounced around like a toy in the bathtub...

YouTube - Rough trip for the Grand Manan Ferry

-Ricardo

First, watch this video:

Suliven, in 13m swells off NZ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7KBgptJZho&eurl=http://www.mini2.com/forum/new-york-new-england-region/150273-tour-du-nord-iv-february-2008-a-8.html)

Seem familar? That's the Suliven, a sister ship to the Leif Ericsen, Marine Atlantic's transport-truck freighter, and substitute vessel when the Smallwood or Caribou break down.

And the swells in 2006? 11m, not much less than the 13m waves seen in the video.

Will Nono be able to resist these enticing videos?

Send her a few of those scopolamine patches to stick behind her ear...

-Ricardo

I can resist the videos because YouTube is blocked here at work! HA!

What isn't blocked at your work, besides M2 and eBay (which actually surprises me a bit)?

-Ricardo