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Wings & Shakes
  • Mash and Malice
sept. – nov. 2016

Wings & Shakes

Una aventura de 82 días de Mash and Malice Leer más
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  • Mash and MaliceWings & ShakesViajero

    Progress Map - Idaho

    25 de septiembre de 2016, Estados Unidos ⋅ 🌫 21 °C

    Technically number five, although it was a fleeting visit.

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  • Mash and MaliceWings & ShakesViajero

    Day 19 - Rivers Run Through It

    26 de septiembre de 2016, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Today started very much the same as yesterday. For a moment, it was Groundhog Day in IHOP. We ordered similar things to yesterday and the decor looked the same. There were large jugs of coffee and everybody had a smile. However, we were in a different state and the mood had changed. It was not at all busy like yesterday in Seattle, Washington. Everybody then was excited, clearly restless at the day's upcoming football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers. We knew this because nearly everyone, including the staff, had Seahawks shirts on. Nope, this morning's meal was delivered at a leisurely pace to locals reading the paper in the college town of Missoula, Montana. Phew, we weren't trapped in an endless loop of pancakes and The 49ers losing. Although just like yesterday, once we had eaten, we were hitting the road again.

    Whilst on the road, there has been much discussion, well it's come up a few times, about our favourite bodies of water. We've seen lots of lakes, rivers, streams, creeks, brooks, a sea and the exteriors of a few swimming pools. Although Alice says that doesn't count. Alice is firmly in the lake camp. I really liked Clear Lake from earlier in the trip but after today I'm sticking with rivers. Or should that be I'm flowing with rivers. We followed various rivers the past few days as they either trickled or gushed close by. They are always changing, never the same, pushing on, regardless of rocks or other obstacles. Rivers create paths that humans follow and chart, such as the Columbia River that we crossed yesterday. It was charted by Lewis and Clark with a lot of help from various local tribes along the route from 1804 and ensured a North Western Passage for the then recently formed United States. The rest is history as they say and yet I can still see that river going past.

    The Earthquake Lake which we also encountered on our way through Yellowstone had what I can only describe as a foreboding feel. All looked well except for groups of seemingly dead trees sprouting out of the lake. It was strangely eerie.

    What lifted the mood was spotting bison! Loads of them. I thought they were nearly extinct! The deeper into the park you go, the closer they were to the road, nonchalantly eating away, wagging their tails. They looked pretty happy and so we didn't want to disrupt their dinner or snack time and kept a safe distance when taking photos.

    On arrival at our accomodation, we registered at the main desk and then located our cabin which was out in the back. It's a cosy (when the heater is on) space with no TV, Internet or even phone reception. That's right. We are now officially off the grid with bears, wolves and bison outside. Gulp!

    Song of the Day:
    Rihanna - Shut Up And Drive (self-explanatory!)    Leer más

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    Day 20 - Blowing Off Steam

    27 de septiembre de 2016, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Yellowstone is special. The park is a combination of other worldly and quaintly historic. Most geysers sprout out water and steam from below the earth's crust whilst most hot springs have a kaleidoscopic range of colours representing the various microbes living in the most extreme temperatures. At the same time we stayed in a cabin that is part of a hotel from the 1890s and does it's best to keep the feel of a hotel from the turn of the century.

    We ventured out in the car armed with the map given to us when we entered the park. Yellowstone is huge and it took about an hour to get to Old Faithful, the geyser with the most predictable eruption. It erupts roughly every ninety-one minutes and the large crowd as we arrived signalled we had timed it right. Within ten minutes a few puffs of steam were followed by a whooshing of water with sounds of bubbling and splatting as the water hit the ground. The fountains of water slowly increased in height and having a clear view of the actual stream was dependent on the direction the wind was blowing the steam. After a few minutes of occasionally high peaks the show was over. Satisfied, people turned around and headed to the visitor centre. Alice and I followed and looked at a walking route that would take in a host of hot springs and geysers. We embarked on the walk and all the sights varied in size, activity and age. The range and strength in colours of the hot springs were particularly attractive.

    The walk took a lot longer than expected as each natural phenomena required a plethora of photos. We are here as the peak season has just finished. The other main cafeteria had closed two days ago which limited our food options. However, this benefited us when it came to the numbers of people in the park. It was still sunny and hot and at no time did we have to wait to see anything. Over-hearing a couple of people talking, a frequent visitor mentioned that they had visited in June and it was overwhelming. Alice and I had heard a similar remark from tour guides in Yosemite and the increased crowds in the peak season is leading park organisers to a rethink of the current balance of preservation and recreation. This seems to be the trend for all National Parks in America and I would definitely recommend visiting just after the peak season and as soon as you can. It's a tough balancing act and I feel that preservation will and should always tip the scales (as long as the funds are there of course!).

    We got back in the car and saw the spectacular Grand Prismatic Spring. It's obviously grand and is one of the must-see springs and once there its size is overwhelming. The pictures I had seen of it before were always aerial shots and so when you are next to it you can only see a part of it. Although a touch disappointing at first, how this spring interacts with its environment is more appealing due to its size. The large amounts of water that are leaving the spring rundown a hill to the Firehole River (what a name!) and as this incredibly hot water hits the river via certain channels, pillars of steam are seen rising. Also due to the vast amount of water leaving this large spring, there are obviously increased volumes of minerals being deposited resulting in vivid colours of red and yellow amongst others in the basin and channels of where the water flows. Added to all this is a curtain of steam surrounding the whole place which transported me to another planet or who knows where. A unique place.

    There was one more stop off point in the car and that was the paint pots. The title becomes apparant when you see geysers in this area with thick mud as opposed to clear water, bubbling, slurping and popping.

    It was time to head back to our cabin and get ready for dinner. We got dressed up as we were back in the nineteenth century and we both had a lovely fish dinner. A great day.

    Song of the Day:
    Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance (heard it in the car and the timing was excellent. Thank You Now 14.)    Leer más

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    Day 21 - Done & Done

    28 de septiembre de 2016, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Not a lot happened today. It was a long driving day and at our destination, Sheridan, we had pizza. That was about it. One interesting thing though was the Big Horn mountain range which was another visual treat on the way. At the summit we were over 9000 feet above sea level and signs were pointing to rocks of various ages and the oldest that we noticed predated the Cambrian Period, 2.5 billion years ago. Also, it was a particularly hot day and in the car we had the air conditioning on and so it was a bit of a surprise to pass large patches of snow that were shaded from the sun. That was pretty surreal. And we hit the 3 000 mile mark today just outside Cody.

    Yep, that was about all. 'Done and done' as our waiter at the pizza restaurant liked to say.

    Song of the Day:
    Roy Orbison - You Got It (heard it in the car)    Leer más

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    Day 22 - Wild Wild West

    29 de septiembre de 2016, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    As we head East we are coming into contact with defining periods and events in Nineteenth Century American history.

    The notion of the Wild West captured the imagination of a nation. One of the most famous locales in this time is the town of Deadwood. I mainly know of this town in the years from 1876 via the TV Series and I could not wait to visit. It was both as tacky and as interesting as I had hoped. The TV series from what I understand is fairly accurate (with the usual dramatic license accepted) and this allowed for some memorable scenes to be replayed in my mind as we walked around the small town. Along the way, useful information boards helped fill in the history, or further cloud the myth that has grown with time. We then walked up to the Mount Moriah Cemetery where both Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane are buried.

    I'm glad we had a quick visit here and it helped to break up the driving with a bit of history and walking. And tacky giftshop purchasing.

    The Wild West theme continued as we passed Sundance, the town that lent it's name to the outlaw Harry Longabaugh, better known as The Sundance Kid. It is also in this area that the extraordinary story of Hugh Glass played out. This 1823 story of survivial is behind the recent movie 'The Revenant'. All these events and places represent a defining time in history for this nation. This region is identified too by it's rugged terrain and history and yet that American hospitality is also ever present and welcoming.

    We arrived at our motel by the early evening in the town of Wall. This town is best known for the Wall Drugstore which has been the number one stop-over on the way to Mount Rushmore since 1931. It just so happens that's why we're in the neighbourhood. So, today outlaws, tomorrow Presidents...

    Song of the Day:
    Will Smith - Wild Wild West (obviously!)    Leer más

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    Day 23 - Make It Monumental!

    30 de septiembre de 2016, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    There was one objective today. To see Mount Rushmore. We had breakfast and then had a quick look around Wall before we were going to head off for the 90 minute car journey to get there. A friendly shop assistant asked us our plans today and she said today was the annual round up of bison at the Custer Park which is right next to the monument. She said at least 20 000 people would be there and advised not going. This was the first potential spanner in the works this trip as we had planned to get back on the road tomorrow in the opposite direction. We also had no idea what else we would do in Wall all day if we did not go. We went back to the motel for Internet access to check out this round up. The round up even made the local news. It did specify that it was mainly a morning event and we just decided to go anyway.

    Turned out fine in the end. We did not encounter any traffic going there or on the other side of the road. Mount Rushmore itself is impressively imposing and the visitor centre had the usual facts about the Presidents in front of us. I'll admit I didn't realise Theodore Roosevelt was one of them. After taking a few photos it began to drizzle and it felt like the right time to leave. On our descent, there is a small town called Keystone. It clearly existed to serve the building of Mount Rushmore and has a kitsch appeal with a long arcade on one side of the road with a saloon amongst other stores. Alice and I had a coffee a bit further up the road and then leisurely made our way back to Wall.

    We added some more excitement to the day by visiting Walmart on the way, ensuring we had snacks and supplies for the long drive tomorrow.

    When we got back we had an early dinner and an early night. We had hit the Wall! (I know, these puns are getting worse)

    Song of the Day:
    Presidents of the United States - Peaches    Leer más

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    Day 24 - Badlands to Flatlands

    1 de octubre de 2016, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We had an early start as the journey was going to take at least eight hours today. And so when in a rush you end up talking to an incredibly friendly American at breakfast. Twenty four days in and the London attitude of head down, eat, no eye contact, walk, next objective is slowly being filtered out of my being. We exchanged pleasantries and Yellowstone stories and then it was time to leave.

    The Badlands National Park is accessible from Wall and we took the scenic route through the park before getting back onto the I90. The peculiar moonscape scenery is all around with a few tufts of grass atop stumpy hills and the occasional tree breaking up the vista. We have seen quite a few different types of mountains on this trip and again this place feels entirely different to what has gone before. A brief and enjoyable detour.

    Next up, the I90 for over five hundred miles of straight roads. We were gonna need more coffee!

    In that time we crossed a time zone and hit the 4 000 mile mark. We also saw lots and lots of corn fields. Once we reached Rochester, it was dark, not certain what the real time was, buzzing from caffeine and really hungry. We started driving at 9:45am and we reached Rochester by 8:45pm. We needed a lift.

    Luckily there was a chicken wing chain called Buffalo Wild Wings nearby. I had a mix of Buffalo Sauce (hot), Asian Zing and Teriyaki and Alice had the Bourbon Honey Mustard, Spicy Garlic and Buffalo Sauce (mild). The mild buffalo was actually my favourite as the hot was so hot I couldn't taste the sauce through my burnt tongue, lips and mouth in general. I'm glad I didn't go for the extreme hot! Alice could not choose a favourite although the hot buffalo was definitely at the bottom of her list. There was another buffalo sauce heat rating that we didn't choose, medium, which might be the one for combination of heat and taste. These wing meals are essentially practice before we reach Buffalo, yeah that's right, the home of Buffalo Wings. The Portland wings are definitely winning at the moment.

    Back at the motel, a bit of Saturday Night Live on TV and then it was time for bed.

    Song of the Day:
    Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Roadtrippin'    Leer más

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    Day 25 - Phil? Ned? BING!

    2 de octubre de 2016, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We are just one day's worth of driving away from reaching a city where we can lay our hat for.... a whole three nights. Can't wait.

    We crossed two state lines today and apart from more corn fields the other observation of note was the increasing levels of traffic that we are going to have to get used to now that we are leaving the plains behind. The journey was also extended a touch by a detour. However, it was very much worth it.

    Woodstock, Illinois is an American town with a picture perfect town square. We arrived on a Sunday evening and locals were merrily milling about getting coffee, going to the cinema and partacking in other such wholesome activities. It felt like a movie set. Funny that because it is here that the majority of Groundhog Day was filmed. There are plaques dotted about marking where memorable scenes occurred and it took us a while to locate them all. This Easter Egg hunt for plaques was a fun way to stretch our legs and have a laugh. The town is a big aspect of the movie and also a pleasant place to relax and is well worth a visit.

    We got back in the car and it was another ninety minutes before we reached Chicago. Just outside the city, the drive was quite a challenge as the heavens suddenly opened on busy roads with endless major roadworks, combined with numerous toll booths each with different charges and gates opened. However, the rain stopped before reaching our airbnb and it was nice to be in homely surroundings. We quickly headed out for a fancy yet surprisingly cheap dinner at The Bristol and then it was time to head home, curl up on the sofa, and watch a movie. Groundhog Day no less! I'm glad I brought it with me.

    Song of the Day:
    Sonny & Cher - I Got You Babe (If you don't know why, watch Groundhog Day!)    Leer más

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    Day 26 - In the Windy City

    3 de octubre de 2016, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    It was time to explore a new city. What better way than on a river boat tour.

    The tour was specifically about the architecture of Chicago and as the guide explained 'our skyscrapers are our mountains'. The weather was overcast and we were told that this was actually perfect weather for the tour as it was neither too hot or too cold, it wasn't raining, and it wasn't sunny. The direct sunlight would just bounce off all the skyscrapers making it difficult to actually see anything. That was lucky! My knowledge of skyscrapers was less than limited and it was illuminating to hear about the city's history as told through the buildings that make it distinct as we made our way up the Chicago River. Ninety minutes later we were back to where we started, although hungrier. It was lunchtime.

    We had planned to have deep dish pizza whilst in Chicago and there was no time like the present. We ordered the classic and were informed that it would take up to fifty minutes to make. That's the best way of saying to a customer 'so, about that appetizer...' and we therefore went with bruschetta whilst waiting. When the deep dish did arrive it was mighty. It's basically a huge pie and it was as tasty as imagined. However, I would still go with a standard pizza over the deep dish if I was to choose a favourite. Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. Definitely worth a try though.

    We then strolled through Millennium Park where you can take numerous photos of yourself via a large metallic bean sculpture. A bit further down from the bean there are two large walls with people's faces projected (from the inside) and every hour or so a fountain of water spurts out their mouths. Another interesting addition to the park. Alice and I didn't hang around waiting for the fountains and instead decided on a long walk to the United Centre. On the way, we made various detours to see streets and buildings that were used in various movies, including The Dark Knight and Road to Perdition.

    We got to the United Centre an hour later and it was time for the day's main event. The Chicago Bulls were playing the Milwaukee Bucks. We got to our seats and being a preseason game it was not a sell out but the atmosphere was still impressive. A large inflatable Benny the Bull was floating around the court as DJ Flipside did his best to get the crowd going by mixing a song every 10 seconds whilst dancing and smiling at the camera that was on him. Just before the game started the lights dipped and each player ran onto the court with the spotlight on him as he high-fived his team mates and the announcer continued to rouse the crowd. The national anthem followed and then it was time to begin. The Bulls stormed into an early lead and it looked like this was going to be a walk in the park. At the end of the first quarter somehow the Bucks were in front and they comfortably held on to that lead right through to the last quarter. In that time, the end of each quarter was a chance for various acts to perform, including dancing seniors, tumblers and drummers. Also each timeout called, led to a group of people running out on to the court, shooting free t-shirts into the crowd. Everyone went crazy! And this wasn't the peak. That was the parachute drop, whereby cannisters containing even more t-shirts were this time dropped from above with mini parachutes attached for the lucky recipient to catch. There was much excitement and having seen the prices of official merchandise (one t-shirt was $300!) I can see why. Back to the game and it wasn't until the final quarter that the Bulls pulled it back and with about three minutes to go it was level. Alice and I were really into the game by the last quarter and it was with the last two shots that the winner would be decided. The Bulls ended up missing their first penalty shot blowing their chance of winning. The crowd were gutted and started fleeing home. For a preseason game it looked like both sides really wanted to win. A great spectator sport and it would be nice to watch another game before we leave the States. On our way back we stopped off at a bar rounding off an eventful day.

    Song of the Day:
    Quad City DJs - Space Jam Theme    Leer más

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    Day 27 - By the Quiet Lake

    4 de octubre de 2016, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Today was a chance to see another side of Chicago that we didn't see yesterday. Michigan Lake is so huge that if you knew nothing about where Chicago is situated you would swear that the city straddles a sea. It's no surprise that the word 'Michigan' comes from the Ojibwa word 'mishigami', meaning 'great water'. When standing right next to the lake and looking out to the horizon there is nothing but blue against blue. The atmosphere around the lake seems to create the sense that you are on the seaside, particularly whilst strolling up and down Navy Pier watching the gentle waves lap against the shore. To take this to the extreme, Alice and I visited the Signature Lounge at what was The John Hancock Centre on the ninety-fourth floor and looking out at the lake at this height, and still, all that could be glimpsed were two shades of blue. An incomprehensibly large lake. Alice was happy.

    I've just given a brief summary of most of the day centred around the lake. We started the day at Navy Pier, having lunch at Bubba Gump Shrimp we added some much needed fish to our diets. We also got two complimentary glasses with our drinks. They're going in the souvenir bag! Then we walked the length of the pier, found a pleasant and unexpected beach and then walked leisurely along the lake. The weather is on our side at the moment (please stay there!) and it was a lovely sunny day, perfect for taking it easy.

    Next up was the a birds-eye view of the city which simply has to be done in Chicago. A skyline to behold. We enjoyed the view with drinks.

    A quick look in some shops and then it was off for yet more buffalo wings. Jake Melknick's Corner Tap was the establishment and it was chosen due to a good review on a website somewhere. Well, they have good taste as these wings were up there. Only eight in a portion and they were the most expensive. Not a good start. However, the wingettes and drumettes (I'm now learning the terminology too) were huge and there was a satisfying crunch to each piece and just enough sauce. I went for a mix of medium and hot buffalo wings and Alice had the apple smoked bourbon. For me the medium was just right and that's what I'm sticking with in future, although the apple smoked bourbon were also as good as they sounded. Alice definitely preferred hers. Alice also had a shake today, as the shake aspect to this blog has taken a hit recently due to vast amounts of everything we are eating. It was the york peppermint shake from the Hershey Store and she says it was creamy and smooth with a subtle hint of mint. Currently number two behind the alcoholic ones we had in Portland.

    Enough about food for now. We headed back to our accommodation and ahead was an exciting evening of suitcase rearranging. The next four days are going to be on the road again and we will be staying in four separate locations. I'm gonna need to locate those clean socks tonight!

    Chicago is a huge vibrant city and we have barely scratched the surface. We have enjoyed it greatly and it gets another big tick from us.

    Song of the Day:
    Journey - Don't Stop Believing    Leer más

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    Day 28 - Good vs Bad

    5 de octubre de 2016, Estados Unidos ⋅ 🌫 21 °C

    Another epic drive today. Two new states and another time zone. We are now on Eastern Time for a while, giving us a mini-break from messing about with the car's clock.

    We have hit the fourth week marker and we're getting into a rhythm whilst at service stations. We pull up, one of us prepays for petrol whilst the other wipes dead bugs from the windscreen, then it's time for a much needed restroom break. Country Music is definitely the music of choice in service stations. It is whilst in a service station that every fizzy, sugary, fatty and salty snack ever imagined is available. That's the bad.

    We started the day however with good intentions. With lunch approaching we were hoping to come across a chain that we recognised so we could go for something that we had seen before that was light. We then spied Applebee's and we headed straight there. Alice had slices of steak with spinach and grains and I had grilled chicken with rice, apple pieces and cranberries. They were both really tasty and we felt good about ourselves. We even just ordered water as it's taken a while to stop ordering fizzy drinks with every meal.

    Now the bad. At the half way point we pulled up at a service station to fill up, swap over and maybe get a coffee. Low and behold there in front of us was a Cinnabon stand. I had only previously heard about Cinnabon from a Louis CK sketch. It's a huge bun with handfuls of sugar, icing and cinnamon. It is served with a knife and fork and you still somehow end up with sticky fingers. Well, at least we washed it down with water!

    We got to our stop-off point for the night by about eight and we popped to a local eatery for dinner. We kept it simple, shrimp for me and shnitzel for Alice. Back at the motel they had an indoor pool and a hot tub that Alice and I decided to make the most of before they closed the facilities at eleven. The hot tub was ridiculously hot and the pool reassuringly cool and so we spent the time alternating between the two. With temperatures correct, we relaxed and made plans for the following day in Cleveland.

    Song of the Day:
    R.E.M. - Nightswimming    Leer más

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    Day 29 - Rock & Bowl

    6 de octubre de 2016, Estados Unidos ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    It was time for two pillars of Twentieth Century American culture - rock and roll and bowling.

    We stayed in Cleveland for primarily one attraction, and that is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I didn't know much about the place before visiting and it is an interesting museum of rock memorabilia. The displays are grouped by cities and genres and in some cases bands or artists have their own displays. The Beatles section is of particular note and included items such as Ringo's drumkit used from the mid-1960s onwards for albums and the last live shows and curiosities such as John Lennon's passport. It is well worth a visit and is bound to have something relating to an artist or band that you like.

    We then got settled in our hotel which was downtown and then had a think about what to do in the evening. We had thought about bowling a few days ago and just down the road from the hotel was a bowling alley. We weren't sure if it would be busy but luckily there was a baseball game in Cleveland with the Cleveland Indians taking on the Boston Red Sox. It seemed like a big deal as there were lots of fans talking about this post-season game and I'm guessing there was a lot riding on it. Most of the bowling alleys themselves were available and Alice and I snapped up an hour on one of them. We got our beers and food from the lane service and the baseball was also up on the big screen giving the experience that added 'americana' from a usual visit to the local bowling alley at home. Alice started in unforgiving form and blew me away in the first game. By the second, I had regained some composure and as my game had improved Alice's waned. We didn't have enough time to finish the third and so it ended in a fair draw. We then headed to the bar where the excitable home crowd cheered on the Indians. In one of the innings the home team managed three homeruns which were warmly received in the bar as people clapped and cheered raucously. It was a fun atmosphere in which to see the night out.

    Song of the Day:
    Ian Hunter - Cleveland Rocks    Leer más

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    Day 30 - Buffalo Falls & Wings

    7 de octubre de 2016, Canadá ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Today involved an amazing spectacle and an unexpected disappointment.

    We drove to Buffalo from Cleveland in a journey that saw us hit the 5 000 mile mark and pass through another two states. The weather was hot and it felt like a mid-summer's day. Just outside Buffalo is today's main attraction, Niagara Falls. I had actually seen them before from the Canadian side and it was interesting to see them from the other side. Once we parked up we struggled to find the pathway to the falls, nearly walking up the path to the Canadian border. We decided to go on the Maid of the Mist. We paid for our tickets and then took the elevator down to the docking point. We had just missed the last boat and that meant a wait of about thirty minutes. The person by the entrance assured us we would be the first on and that led to us having a prime spot at the front of the lower deck of the following boat. We were all given bright pink ponchos and as it turned out, we were going to need them where we were standing! As the boat moved off, the American Falls sprayed the left-side of the boat in a fine to heavy mist and a rainbow suddenly appeared sprouting from the pooled water. I looked up to my right at the boundary with Toronto and by the time I looked back to my left another rainbow had appeared above the first one. We were now heading straight into the heart of the semi-circle where the other falls surrounded us. The sound of water crashing increased the further we entered and by now vision was difficult as heavy sprays had turned into a drenching and at eye-level there was a shroud of mist. I managed to look over the front of the boat and noticed numerous waves moving in all directions with nowhere to break. The boat began to pivot and lurch around before leaving the vortex. The thundering sound lessened as we slowly made our way back to the docking point. Alice and I were both soaked and laughing hard. It was an exhilerating experience and the closest you would ever want to comfortably get to these beasts of the natural world.

    We made our way back to the car drying off quickly in the sun and then we headed to our hotel for the night which was in Buffalo. We dropped all our things off and headed straight out to dinner. Yes, it was to have buffalo wings and it was where it all started back in 1964 at The Anchor Bar. The legend says that these tasty morsels came into existence when the the owner of the restaurant russled up a quick snack for her daughter and friends one night with random ingredients to hand. Thereby creating the first batch of buffalo wings. If this place is where it started, all I can say is, others took this idea and improved on it vastly. The medium wings I ordered barely had any sauce on them and the sauce itself was dripping in oil. Alice had the mild and they were worse. We were both certain that they had absolutely no sauce on them whatsoever, they were just chicken wings cooked without seasoning. Poor. On top of that our soft drinks were both flat when they arrived. I never understand why restaurants cheap out on the soft drinks, come on, even putting a can in front of me is better than getting the most out of a two litre bottle. The bar is also one of those places that have the shutters closed leading to the impression of a shifty establishment and where we were seated was opposite a stage with a large bowl on it with piles of dirty plates and dishes. No surprise that this has been our worst eating experience of the trip so far. I'm sticking to random reviews online for future buffalo wings establishments. We will give them a break for now though.

    We went to a local Tim Horton's as we walked back to the hotel so we could at least enjoy a sickly sweet dessert and hot drink. We talked about the amazing sight of the falls and the unpleasant taste of those wings. Highs and lows indeed.

    Song of the Day:
    T.L.C. - Waterfalls    Leer más

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    Day 31 - Whao-mart!

    8 de octubre de 2016, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We awoke to the sound of rain against the window. Doh! We had managed to avoid a full day's rain since being in the States but today it arrived with a vengeance. It is a driving day which is handy although it would have been nice to see the vibrant colours of the changing season's trees without rain spattered windows. We still have plenty of time here in the East to see this annual marvel in more detail. A gentle reminder of our luck with the weather so far.

    We wanted a hearty breakfast that would lift the gloomy mood of perpetual drizzle. Alice searched for the nearest IHOP. We ordered large breakfasts that took a while to arrive. When the food arrived it was served with an ample side of apologies and it wasn't long before we felt full and content. IHOP just hits the spot, particularly on a wet weekend. The ultimate comfort food. We were now ready to embark on another six hour roadtrip.

    We have encountered many toll roads since Chicago and we decided to take the scenic and cheaper routes for all future journeys. The added benefit of these routes is seeing small town America close up. We pass though many small towns and villages that proudly display the stars and stripes and being this time of year, pumpkins too. I didn't realise how big a deal Halloween is here with the majority of houses having anything from a solitary pumpkin to a full-blown spooky scene with witches, ghosts, cats, lights and fake cobwebs. Some are particularly inventive with tombstones that have funny messages and skeletal hands on people's front lawns. In the supermarkets there are even Halloween cards. Happy Halloween! Driving through these towns there are also a lot of signs showing political support for a Presidential candidate, local DA or Senate Representative. It's noticeable how Republicans out number Democrats when it comes to showing political allegiance in these parts of the country.

    We arrived at our destination just outside Albany and quickly dropped our things off and went to get dinner. We had a noodle meal that was fast and healthy and then it was time to go to the biggest Walmart in the US. We were ready for this although it didn't look particularly big from the outside. We picked up a few items and the further we ventured inside the more disorientated we felt. We entered from what appeared to be the first floor, looked around, and descended to the basement floor and looked around. By the time we paid for our goods we left the store and were left staring at an unfamiliar carpark. We realised we were on the other side of the building and had exited from the basement floor. It was then easier to go back through the store, up the escalator and leave via the entrance we first come through. We could only assume that the building is on a slope as there are no steps obvious on either side of the building to explain why entering and leaving on different floors results in an outdoor carpark. I feel like I've now been inside an MC Escher drawing!

    We drove back to our hotel and gave the new kettle a test run. A movie, tea and cake were consumed before bed.

    Song of the Day:
    Walking on Sunshine (it may have been raining as we drove, but in our minds, we were walking on sunshine!)    Leer más

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  • Mash and MaliceWings & ShakesViajero

    Day 32 - Maine-ly Rain

    9 de octubre de 2016, Estados Unidos ⋅ 🌧 11 °C

    One more big push and we would have made it coast to coast. Just a six hour drive and three new states to go.

    We started the day with another big breakfast, this time from Denny's. It was very similar to IHOP and Alice and I both had the vegetarian omelette with hash browns. Similar with taste and satisfaction too and we were now ready for the drive to come.

    Before too long we crossed into Vermont and we both noticed the density of trees increasing and with that the variety in colours of foliage. From bright reds to pale greens to strong yellows and everything in between. It was overcast and felt like an average autumnal day, and yet, whether looking out to a valley of multicoloured trees or appreciating a singular tree in a front garden with orange leaves, the beauty of this effortless display made it feel special. Unfortunately it began to rain about an hour into Vermont and did not let up from there. We were still able to appreciate the views through the rain until New Hampshire and then even the rain got in the way. It just got harder and more intense the further we drove and made driving quite difficult at times.

    We reached Portland by the evening and we quickly dashed from the car to get all the luggage in our accommodation before getting drenched. We popped out and found a local bar. They had a pub quiz on and Alice and I decided on just eating and drinking. We assumed there might be US specific questions and before long there were questions about quarterbacks from 1983. We were happy with our decision. We returned for the night and watched the Second Presidential Debate. Alas, more questions asked without answers attempted...

    Song of the Day:
    The Beatles - Rain    Leer más

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