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kevin_standleeOnce I logged off from Day Jobbe this morning, we packed up out of the hotel and got moving about 11 AM on the final leg of our trip to Winnipeg to attend Pemmi-Con.
To be honest, I found today's trip very forgettable. Lisa did most of the driving. I've had too many nights with too little sleep, and having no air conditioning in the van makes it worse. We did not have time to do any sight-seeing, and the wildfire smoke seems to have drifted east across our route again.
We refueled in Grand Forks ND, then briefly popped over to East Grand Forks, MN to look for a a replacement light bulk for Lisa's mini-Maglight flashlight. (They didn't have any.) Then it was back onto I-29 as far as Pembina ND (last exit before the Canadian border, where we swapped drivers, as Lisa thought that me driving would look better to the Canadian border people.
Crossing the border was routine. The guy examined our passports, asked us questions about where we'd been, where we were going, how long we'd be in Canada, and what we were carrying. We explained that we'd come up to Canada via Yellowstone Park, would be in Winnipeg for a few days before taking the train up to Churchill and back, then we'd be going home via Glacier National Park. We had none of the contraband items and apparently did not set off any of their alarms, and the border guard sent us on our way.
MB-75 is under construction for a significant portion of the trip up to Winnipeg, which slowed us somewhat. Unlike some American tourists, Lisa and I understand that the speed limits and distance signs in Canada are in kilometers, not miles.
As we came into Winnipeg, we stopped at a grocery store to buy some supplies and also hit the ATM for some Canadian currency. Then it was time for the final segment of the journey to Winnipeg.
We arrived at the Delta Winnipeg about 7:45 PM. The staff were very helpful. They'd already checked us into our room (which does have a bathtub, which Lisa needs), and they let us use a bell cart. One of the bell staff came out to ask if we needed help, and we explained that due to the nature of some of the things we're transporting, we'd rather move them ourselves, and for a wonder, he understood. I asked if it would be okay for us to make two trips with the cart, even though that meant the van would be standing for longer than 15 minutes at the curb, and he said that would be okay. I tipped him $5 to let us do the work ourselves and let the van sit there. He looked astounded and said it was the easiest work he'd ever had!
It did indeed take two cart loads. We needed to get everything out of the van that we might need during our stay and afterwards, in case the mechanic to which I'm taking the Astro needs to work on it through our Churchill trip. Fortunately, the Delta hotel room is large enough, with enough storage space, to hold everything.
After unloading the van, I moved it to the RBC Convention Center parking garage. The clearance in the hotel's garage is an astonishingly low 6 feet even, and the minivan won't fit. Even the 6'5" clearance in the convention center garage seems tight to me. But at least I won't have to pay for parking when the van is at the mechanic's shop.
The total one-way mileage from Fernley to Winnipeg: 1,861 miles — just short of 3,000 kilometers.
Lisa and I scouted out a convenience store from which we bought some milk (it just barely fit in the room mini-fridge). I then ordered dinner for take-out from the Elephant & Castle located just off the hotel lobby. It was a good meal, and welcome because we'd not had any lunch, not that we had any appetite while traveling in the heat.
Tomorrow morning, I will take the Astro to the mechanic a couple of kilometers from the hotel that said they could work on auto air conditioning. I really hope they can fix it.
Now it's time for me to get some sleep. I hope to get at least eight hours tonight, for the first time in a week. Tomorrow the move-in continues for Pemmi-Con.
To be honest, I found today's trip very forgettable. Lisa did most of the driving. I've had too many nights with too little sleep, and having no air conditioning in the van makes it worse. We did not have time to do any sight-seeing, and the wildfire smoke seems to have drifted east across our route again.
We refueled in Grand Forks ND, then briefly popped over to East Grand Forks, MN to look for a a replacement light bulk for Lisa's mini-Maglight flashlight. (They didn't have any.) Then it was back onto I-29 as far as Pembina ND (last exit before the Canadian border, where we swapped drivers, as Lisa thought that me driving would look better to the Canadian border people.
Crossing the border was routine. The guy examined our passports, asked us questions about where we'd been, where we were going, how long we'd be in Canada, and what we were carrying. We explained that we'd come up to Canada via Yellowstone Park, would be in Winnipeg for a few days before taking the train up to Churchill and back, then we'd be going home via Glacier National Park. We had none of the contraband items and apparently did not set off any of their alarms, and the border guard sent us on our way.
MB-75 is under construction for a significant portion of the trip up to Winnipeg, which slowed us somewhat. Unlike some American tourists, Lisa and I understand that the speed limits and distance signs in Canada are in kilometers, not miles.
As we came into Winnipeg, we stopped at a grocery store to buy some supplies and also hit the ATM for some Canadian currency. Then it was time for the final segment of the journey to Winnipeg.
We arrived at the Delta Winnipeg about 7:45 PM. The staff were very helpful. They'd already checked us into our room (which does have a bathtub, which Lisa needs), and they let us use a bell cart. One of the bell staff came out to ask if we needed help, and we explained that due to the nature of some of the things we're transporting, we'd rather move them ourselves, and for a wonder, he understood. I asked if it would be okay for us to make two trips with the cart, even though that meant the van would be standing for longer than 15 minutes at the curb, and he said that would be okay. I tipped him $5 to let us do the work ourselves and let the van sit there. He looked astounded and said it was the easiest work he'd ever had!
It did indeed take two cart loads. We needed to get everything out of the van that we might need during our stay and afterwards, in case the mechanic to which I'm taking the Astro needs to work on it through our Churchill trip. Fortunately, the Delta hotel room is large enough, with enough storage space, to hold everything.
After unloading the van, I moved it to the RBC Convention Center parking garage. The clearance in the hotel's garage is an astonishingly low 6 feet even, and the minivan won't fit. Even the 6'5" clearance in the convention center garage seems tight to me. But at least I won't have to pay for parking when the van is at the mechanic's shop.
The total one-way mileage from Fernley to Winnipeg: 1,861 miles — just short of 3,000 kilometers.
Lisa and I scouted out a convenience store from which we bought some milk (it just barely fit in the room mini-fridge). I then ordered dinner for take-out from the Elephant & Castle located just off the hotel lobby. It was a good meal, and welcome because we'd not had any lunch, not that we had any appetite while traveling in the heat.
Tomorrow morning, I will take the Astro to the mechanic a couple of kilometers from the hotel that said they could work on auto air conditioning. I really hope they can fix it.
Now it's time for me to get some sleep. I hope to get at least eight hours tonight, for the first time in a week. Tomorrow the move-in continues for Pemmi-Con.
