Did you know that the Pennsylvania Turnpike opened in 1940? They built it using the old railway right of ways and it was the first of its kind in the world.
You go through a gate at one point, taking a ticket and then when you decide to get off, you go through another gate and pay.
Even Oregonians must pay the toll….even if you ask.
If you get on going the wrong direction, it could be as many as 20+ miles before you can get off again.
Sometimes you can do a u-turn just past the gate to go back the other direction if there isn’t too much traffic. (If you have a really nice toll booth person.)
Sometimes you have to go down 3 exits to turn around and go back the other way. (If your toll booth person is a grouchy man who hates his job.)
Sometimes the signs over the ticket taking booth is confusing and a man will run out to hand you your ticket, in which case he will be really cranky and yell at you.
Sometimes you could get confused and think you are on the Turnpike when in fact you are on a “freeway” and get to go all the way to the Philadelphia NFL stadium before you realize that you need to go the other direction…in which case, you can take an alternate road and make a big circle back to your hotel.
Sometimes the Turnpike will run all the way to the border of one state (pay the toll), and then pick up again just over the border (get another ticket). New Jersey Turnpike booths have two levels for dispensing tickets…a 12 passenger van is between these…too tall for a car level and two short for the truck level. The booth decides where it will spit the ticket out, and you will likely bonk your head reaching for the ticket at the truck level.
I have come to the conclusion that toll roads are a good think, but most toll booth attendants hate their job!
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Monday, October 8, 2007
Update from afar
Hey, its me Dena. The one they left behind. I now know the reason. Tonight as Betsy was laughing so hard on the phone, something about drinking liquid soap, and Val and Vicki were laid out on the floor from sheer exhaustion... they pleaded BLOG FOR US!
So....here is what I know. I continue to talk to them everyday, with the exception of last Friday. When they arrived they were so pumped and full of energy! Helping set up for the events at the host hotel, busy, busy, busy! Agility and Rally those first few days and then Saturday was the sweeps and the KinLoch puppies were in attendance! Alex, Goren, Marty and Cork. All showed well but their brilliance was missed by the Judge. Must be the heat...LOL Yes, it is hot and very humid there. Seems strange to me here in the Pacific NW.
Sunday was Montgomery and Kona and Mary were entered in the working class. They both won their classes! Seems the idea of a working cairn has yet to become a reality at the Specialties as they were the only ones entered. But that works for us!
Today was Earth Dog. I understand that the event site was wonderful. The 80 degree heat and high humid was not! Happy and Kona were entered. Stories to follow by their humans! Betsy has had a cold, but feels much better today. Maybe it was that liquid soap! Or all that laughing!
Last night at dinner they decided to wait and pack up after Earth Dog and stay one more night in the hotel. Good plan as they are very tired. They will hit road towards home in the morning (Tuesday) after a well deserved night of rest! Back to the KOA's and back to the speaker phone calls from the road trying to hear the words through the laughter! I miss them!
Night Vicki, Night Betsy, Night Val-da-ree.
Drive safe girls. We love you!
So....here is what I know. I continue to talk to them everyday, with the exception of last Friday. When they arrived they were so pumped and full of energy! Helping set up for the events at the host hotel, busy, busy, busy! Agility and Rally those first few days and then Saturday was the sweeps and the KinLoch puppies were in attendance! Alex, Goren, Marty and Cork. All showed well but their brilliance was missed by the Judge. Must be the heat...LOL Yes, it is hot and very humid there. Seems strange to me here in the Pacific NW.
Sunday was Montgomery and Kona and Mary were entered in the working class. They both won their classes! Seems the idea of a working cairn has yet to become a reality at the Specialties as they were the only ones entered. But that works for us!
Today was Earth Dog. I understand that the event site was wonderful. The 80 degree heat and high humid was not! Happy and Kona were entered. Stories to follow by their humans! Betsy has had a cold, but feels much better today. Maybe it was that liquid soap! Or all that laughing!
Last night at dinner they decided to wait and pack up after Earth Dog and stay one more night in the hotel. Good plan as they are very tired. They will hit road towards home in the morning (Tuesday) after a well deserved night of rest! Back to the KOA's and back to the speaker phone calls from the road trying to hear the words through the laughter! I miss them!
Night Vicki, Night Betsy, Night Val-da-ree.
Drive safe girls. We love you!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
PA Day 5 - part 1
The drive yesterday was full of construction but wonderful scenery. We got in late so we decided to go straight to the KOA. We walked the dogs and off to the showers for us. It is quite warm and humid here.
AAA said it was about 15 minutes to Kimberton but I guess that was from West Chester. It turned into about a two hour drive.
Unfortunately Val and Kula missed JWW (Jumpers with Weaves) and we got set up in time for Mary's Rally Excellent run. Val stayed at the van and further set up our 'home' for two days with the 9 dogs. That way they could be in the x-pens.
Betsy and I went up to Rally. The Parson Russell Club hosted the event but apparently forgot to get stewards for Rally....that would be three or so. Well, Betsy can now be the head steward for Rally. We had an awesome judge that will be in Salem next month for regular obedience. :) One of the other Cairn folk watched the stopwatch and another gal was going over to help after her agility run.
MARY DID IT!!!!!!!! I was a spaz but apparently she did pretty good. I think I blanked out in there because I don't remember much of it. With a score of 82 she was High Scoring Cairn in Rally Excellent A/B and got a great CTCA bag. She earned her third leg for her Excellent Title. Thanks to Rachel for all the other legs getting there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I came back to camp and Betsy had lunch with the judge. Val headed up with Happy and Kona and I stayed and did a bit more straightening. That included putting in stakes as the wind came up and the canopy tent started blowing away.
All for now. Please check back on all the posts as we will probably add some pics.
AAA said it was about 15 minutes to Kimberton but I guess that was from West Chester. It turned into about a two hour drive.
Unfortunately Val and Kula missed JWW (Jumpers with Weaves) and we got set up in time for Mary's Rally Excellent run. Val stayed at the van and further set up our 'home' for two days with the 9 dogs. That way they could be in the x-pens.
Betsy and I went up to Rally. The Parson Russell Club hosted the event but apparently forgot to get stewards for Rally....that would be three or so. Well, Betsy can now be the head steward for Rally. We had an awesome judge that will be in Salem next month for regular obedience. :) One of the other Cairn folk watched the stopwatch and another gal was going over to help after her agility run.
MARY DID IT!!!!!!!! I was a spaz but apparently she did pretty good. I think I blanked out in there because I don't remember much of it. With a score of 82 she was High Scoring Cairn in Rally Excellent A/B and got a great CTCA bag. She earned her third leg for her Excellent Title. Thanks to Rachel for all the other legs getting there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I came back to camp and Betsy had lunch with the judge. Val headed up with Happy and Kona and I stayed and did a bit more straightening. That included putting in stakes as the wind came up and the canopy tent started blowing away.
All for now. Please check back on all the posts as we will probably add some pics.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Pennsylvania Road Trip Day 4
Yipee! Today we will make Kimberton! Hopefully before dark to give doggies and 2 foots a chance to get settled and unwind before trialing tomorrow. We have had a wonderful experience so far, and are all getting along famously. Kind of scarey actually. But, we laugh a lot and are kind of silly like that. The Turnpikes and toll roads are wonderful and we are enjoying the beautiful scenery, the leaves are almost beginning to turn and hopefully we will get the full show before we leave next week.
Last night we stayed in another KOA, this one in Middlebury, Indiana. They are great for what we are doing, the dogs are in their nice crates, cozy in the car right outside the door...no lugging tons of stuff in and out! The weather here is very humid and unlike the last two nights, last night we had the fan going to keep some air circulating. Odd what we have incountered in the last four days...see picture. Vicki tried to pick this guy up, we said "No way!", so she settled for a picture.
We added an additional 100 miles on the trip so that we could let the dogs play in the nice play yard at the KOA. (Hopefully won't rue that tonight!).....ask us later what this is all about.
Betsy has just announced she isn't feeling well. We will start an aggresive program of "Airborne" and ask for your special thoughts for her...hopefully virus Val hasn't taken out her buddy!
I have the last three days on my computer and will download them when I can. More later, gotta go take care of Betsy!
Our foster children.
Some of you know of Clive who was found in Portland. Betsy thought he was saying "I've got candy!" When in fact he was saying "I WANT CANDY!"
Sassy and Freaky were found in Dog Pound #3 at a travel plaza east of Chicago. Sassy is from the south and says to the GSMC (not the GSDs) "My, how nice. :)" Freaky came from Africa as he was ousted by the Lion King. They seem to keep the Cairns in line not to mention us. Here is Clive singing to all of us on the Ohio Turnpike. Sorry you don't get the whole song but the blog wouldn't take the full file.
A little history.
To help fund the trip (and to get rid of a bunch of stuff hanging around the last 15 years) we decided to have a garage sale at my house. Val (with dogs) and Dena (with Hunter) came down the Thursday night before. Betsy stayed Friday night on and Rachel came on Saturday and Pat came for the days. Thursday night we set up the 'sale' - 4 pop-ups plus my large Costco canopy was to shelter all our belongings. Here is Betsy blowing up a bowling pin. Her hat and scarf were designed and made by Dena.
Val slept in the baby room and Betsy and Dena slept on the hide-a-bed. Val woke up to Betsy and Dena calling her name only to find the couch trying to eat them. We made $455 for the trip. The next weekend was Turner for KinLoch, Perrys, Rachel and Betsy while Dena went to Gig Harbor. "Kona" picked up his first Master Leg while "Happy" and "Zoe" earning their Junior Earthdog titles plus of qualifing Into legs. Poor "Hattie" was unable to play due to her LPS (lavender pillow situation.) This first photo is Greg and Rachel with Kona, Oliver, and Sammy off leash in the corn field wiht the sun setting. This was just prior to Oliver catching a scent and running off into the open field chasing birds. It is good to know that Rachel is young, fit and fast. And yes, even the great Oliver is not perfect off leash.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Good Cornin Dena and the rest of the world. We are in Nebraska and all two and four foots are fine. This is Vicki typing under Vald-da-ree because I have forgotten my password again.
It is 0830 hours central time and the sun is coming up in our eyes. We are heading to Cabella's and hopefully they will be open. I'm so wanting brush pants. Val has the last two days in her computer and will post at the next Wi-Fi spot.
Last night was wonderful............we had heat! It was so cold the night before as we headed out yesterday morning, the sprinklers to the fields were on and there were icicles hanging from the fences and the dog's noses.
Luckily we had left on Saturday and missed the snow that surprised the Salt Lake and Wyoming area. Around Sweetzer Summit they had had to plow the roads. The mountains and landscape were beautiful. A trucker that I met last night had come from Salem, OR heading to Fort Wayne, Indiana with a load of plywood. He picked up his sister in Utah and had to stay the night because of the snow. But he did say that this route was the best way to get to PA.
The dogs have settled in and we are getting faster at unpacking and packing. Betsy took a shower last night (very good girl) and Val and I did wash our hair in the little sinks. We are much more refreshed. The KOAs are turning out to be really great. Twin Falls had a fenced dog yard so the youngsters got to run and play. "Jack" the Westie from Colorado looked on longing to join them. Between my Noni shots, Virus Val's Airborne, and Puff's with Vick's we will fight off the evil East Coast Virus that Karl Sterns talked about.
Dena - Val has a great marketing scheme when we get back. "Lavender travel pillows -- for that special time in your bitches life." and "Rosemary sachets -- for those hard times in your pre-stud's life. They seem to be working really well. Both the dogs and humans are getting along.
We are at milepost 314, shucks, not only did we miss Cabellas - Betsy was right again. Val did say there were more. :)
Well, by for now. Wish you were with us and we miss you all.
P.S. Greg - Val thanks you for letting her play. What size crate did you want?
It is 0830 hours central time and the sun is coming up in our eyes. We are heading to Cabella's and hopefully they will be open. I'm so wanting brush pants. Val has the last two days in her computer and will post at the next Wi-Fi spot.
Last night was wonderful............we had heat! It was so cold the night before as we headed out yesterday morning, the sprinklers to the fields were on and there were icicles hanging from the fences and the dog's noses.
Luckily we had left on Saturday and missed the snow that surprised the Salt Lake and Wyoming area. Around Sweetzer Summit they had had to plow the roads. The mountains and landscape were beautiful. A trucker that I met last night had come from Salem, OR heading to Fort Wayne, Indiana with a load of plywood. He picked up his sister in Utah and had to stay the night because of the snow. But he did say that this route was the best way to get to PA.
The dogs have settled in and we are getting faster at unpacking and packing. Betsy took a shower last night (very good girl) and Val and I did wash our hair in the little sinks. We are much more refreshed. The KOAs are turning out to be really great. Twin Falls had a fenced dog yard so the youngsters got to run and play. "Jack" the Westie from Colorado looked on longing to join them. Between my Noni shots, Virus Val's Airborne, and Puff's with Vick's we will fight off the evil East Coast Virus that Karl Sterns talked about.
Dena - Val has a great marketing scheme when we get back. "Lavender travel pillows -- for that special time in your bitches life." and "Rosemary sachets -- for those hard times in your pre-stud's life. They seem to be working really well. Both the dogs and humans are getting along.
We are at milepost 314, shucks, not only did we miss Cabellas - Betsy was right again. Val did say there were more. :)
Well, by for now. Wish you were with us and we miss you all.
P.S. Greg - Val thanks you for letting her play. What size crate did you want?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)