That's More Like It

About three months ago I reserved our hotel rooms for The Big Trip. Perhaps the place I was most excited about visiting was Gloucester, Massachusetts. It's always a bit of a compromise between a decent room and how much coin one is willing to give up, you know? I booked us at an EconoLodge in Malden, which is on the northeast side of Boston. We pulled up to it today about 2:45 or so, and my skin started crawling. Suffice it to say the rooms were crappy (all they had was a smoking room), the breakfast area left a lot to be desired, it didn't have a pool, and by all appearances we weren't in the nicest section of Malden, if there even is such a thing. Valerie broke out the cell phone and started calling, and we wound up in the next town over, which is Medford, at a Hyatt. She's a good girl, and she is pleasant to look at too:)

Cha-ching! We're on the 6th floor--my oh my the kiddies love elevators (we must be from Medaryville)--the room has a 42" plasma TV, "my" office area is very nice, the downtown has a beautiful area to walk and enjoy the little shops, and Medford looks to be a really neat place to stay. Y'all with an itinerary, note the adjustment. We decided (before getting to Boston, not just because of the nice hotel!) to spend three nights in Boston rather than Friday night in Portland, Maine. That means we will be driving to Deer Isle from Boston, which is still a relatively short drive.

Quick blog for now--just wanted to report the good news on the nicer hotel room and also to let you know about the change in our itinerary. As excited as I was to visit Gloucester, the others feel the same way now. We are scheduled to go on a whale-watching boat trip tomorrow morning, and obviously Boston has an enormous amount of history to take in. I will put up another entry later tonight about yesterday and whatever might go on later this evening! Some things I may not share;)

Thank you Eli Lilly!

Somebody's Gotta Clean That Up!

I mentioned yesterday that I was impressed at how fast the locks operated at Lockport. When they opened the valves, 3.5 million gallons of water were displaced in three minutes. Well, as usual, God trumps the best efforts of man. We visited Niagara Falls yesterday (I'm writing this on Tuesday morning), and, uh, yeah, that's impressive. Every second, 1.5 million gallons of water pour over the falls. I tend to dislike things that have been so altered by tourism that it's hard to keep your eyes on the beauty for all the trinkets in the way. With Niagara Falls, in spite of man's best efforts to sell junk and move people around in boats, buses, and helicopters, the power and sheer beauty of God's creation shines through. And what's more, I'm going to go ahead and disagree with Darwin and his bunch of hooligans here...He did it in 6 days. Six twenty-four hour days, just like we know now. Genesis 1:31-2:1 says, "Then God saw everything that He had made and indeed it was very good. So the evening and morning were the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth and all the host of them were finished." I can only imagine the delight that God must have had when He completed an especially beautiful part of His creation. When He touched the waters and started things flowing over the falls, I am sure He stepped back and gave Himself a little pat on the back.

The falls are impressive from the topside, but you get a whole new perspective from the deck of a boat that's about 60' away from the bottom of the falls. We rode the Maid of the Mist, which was just incredible. We went by the American falls, and even though we were on the starboard side with the falls on the port side, we could still easily feel the rush of wind and spray that came off the rocks. Very cool. But then the fun started. We were sort of wondering how important it really was to wear the blue rain ponchos--the answer to that question is, "It's important." The captain of the Maid pointed the bow toward the Horseshoe falls, and we just kept going closer, and closer, and closer...until it felt like the bow was buried in the avalanche of water. The spray coming off was like the most intense rain storm I've ever witnessed, and the roiling water bounced the boat all around. We stayed there with our noses into 1.5 million gallons per second for probably a minute or two. It seemed like quite a while. Then we swung around to port and headed back for the dock. Truly, truly, I say to you, the Niagara Falls is one of those things that one just has to experience.

To continue the uniqueness of our adventure, we ate lunch at The Rainforest Cafe. Just as advertised, every once in a while the gorillas would dance, the elephants would trumpet, the lightning flashed, and the thunder rolled. Braden and Brenna didn't care for it initially, but they adjusted. Braden had three mini hot dogs, Brenna had chicken tidbits, Alex had pepperoni pizza, Drew had a hamburger, Valerie had crab cakes, and Mike had an 8 oz. steak and shrimp. The shocker at the Rainforest isn't limited to only the tropical rainstorm...it continues when the bill comes...$136! Oy.

We chose to cross into Canada for our Niagara Falls adventure, which means we had to come back through American customs. Being the gifted prognosticator that I am, I announced, "The border crossing here is really busy because of all the tourists. Let's swing north about 8 kilometers and cross at the Lewiston/Queenston Bridge. There's no way it's as busy as Rainbow Bridge." WRONG! The single lane that fed auto traffic gradually widened to two lanes, then three, and so forth until there were six lanes of cars going through the border. We sat in traffic for over an hour, and when we eventually made it to the front of the line, got checked, and were cleared to go through, I said to the border agent, "I thought it would be faster here than at Rainbow bridge." His reply says it all, "I wouldn't come through here on a dare." OK, lesson learned.

Drew and I went to a Buffalo Bisons baseball game last night, and as luck would have it we got there on half price night, for a double header no less! We paid $14 and got to watch two AAA baseball games. The popcorn was $1. There is just nothing like minor league baseball.

Day two of The Big Trip is in the bag, and we're off to a good start.

Incidentally, I would very much appreciate a comment from everyone who is checking out this blog. Yes, everyone can see what you write, so don't reveal any trade secrets, but thus far I'm getting consistent comments from my good friend Kevin Kaluf and the occasional comment from my mom. I sure hope more than two people are checking this thing out, considering the amount of time I'm putting in! It's a lot like being the FCA leader at KV, as Kevin and I can both attest. You spend a lot of time putting together something neat for the kids, and nobody shows. I remember going to a football game at Purdue once with FCA. I paid for a bus with FCA money because I really thought the kids would enjoy seeing Purdue play Michigan State. As it turned out, there were six of us on the bus, including three teachers and Drew! So, to make a short story long, I would very much enjoy a comment from everyone who made it here. It's very easy and you don't need to be profound.

And now, on to Troy.

Every Good Sermon Has Three Points

As the son of a Baptist preacher man, I learned long ago that every good sermon has three points. Two points, and they wonder what in the world you did all week; four points, and there's a good chance the MCL will run out of brown gravy. Three points--the mark of a seasoned preacher. And so I endeavor to bring you day one of The Big Trip in three solid, meaningful, no-fluff points, because people see through that sort of thing.

Point #1

Lots of driving today. We pulled out today at 3:02 a.m.--that earns an Oy. Blue Van arrived at the Sleep Inn (get it? what a great name for a hotel) at 2:15. I made it through almost 75% of a 6 hour audio book before anyone so much as stirred. Gates of Splendor by Elizabeth Elliott, by the by. The story of Jim Elliott, Nate Saint, and three other radically saved men who gave their lives for the sake of the gospel. A great read (ok...listen); let me know if anyone out there in Cyberland would like to borrow it. Actually, the part about nobody stirring is inaccurate. About 4:30 or so I came to a stretch of 80 that was under construction, and the lanes did the jog to the right thing. The powers that be chose not to fill the rumble strip, so I drove onto it and didn't have any way to get off right away. As I'm trying to negotiate my way off the RRRRRRRRRRRRRR without completely departing the roadway, Valerie wakes up, screams my name, and jerks the wheel toward the middle of the interstate! Very little traffic at that time of morning, so no harm was done. I got a good laugh out of it, and she managed to get back to sleep after 10 or 12 seconds. We stopped for breakfast in Cleveland at 8:00, stopped for a quick break as soon as we got into Pennsylvania (the picture is Drew and Braden with a delightful device known as a Foxtail), stopped for lunch and a visit to the USS Niagara at Erie PA, then finished the drive off. A little under 12 hours altogether, including about 9 hours of driving.

Point #2

The Erie Canal is an amazing feat of engineering. I took a few notes as our tour guide/boat captain was steering us along on our two hour tour, our two hour tour. The canal is 360+ miles long, and took 7 years and $7.5 million to build. It was originally 4' feet deep and 40' wide. After some time it was dredged to a depth of 14' and widened to between 80' and 100'. Before the Erie Canal it took around 7 weeks to cross New York state by wagon. After the canal was built the same trip could be completed in 7 days. The south side of the canal was blasted flat when they widened it, but the north side still has the original towpath that the donkeys, oxen, horses, or dogs (yes, dogs) trod while towing the boats. Originally there were seven or eight locks at Lockport NY, but now they use two locks that each raise/lower boats a total of 50'. They gravity-feed 3.5 million gallons of water to raise the boats--5.5 minutes to go up, and 3.5 minutes to go down. The water, once used, is released downstream--it is not pumped back upriver. Accessing the locks was originally free, then those brilliant deep thinkers in the DC decided to charge for the service. The cost was between $5 and $20 for a two-way ticket, or $25 to $100 for a season pass. After a few years someone took a closer look at the finances and figured out that it cost $200,000 more per year to collect the fees than those fees were bringing in. Amazingly, rather than raise the fees to make up for the shortfall, they scrapped the plan altogether, so the entire canal system is once again free to use. Anyhoo, it was very relaxing, and the contribution of the Erie Canal to our country, and to the McKay family specifically, is rather extraordinary.

Point #3

Jeff Mengel is right--Tim Horton donuts are an institution. After the canal expedition we stopped and indulged in one donut each...plus a ten-pack of Sour Cream donut holes. Hey, it really makes no sense to just discard the middle. Yummy. I think I prefer the ambiance of Krispy Kreme, but it's fun to buy a donut from a true hockey fan, which everyone up here seems to be. The gal that checked us in this afternoon at the hotel was upset because the Sabres lost two of their best players this offseason. Ya gotta like that.

So day 1 of The Big Trip is in the bag. I'm farther northeast than I've ever been before, and I managed to pee in every state along the way, which as everyone knows is the only verifiable way to take credit for a new state. Thus far all is well. If we can manage a good night sleep, which I hope starts within the span of a few minutes (or as soon as Man vs. Wild is over--Bear Grylls is my hero), Niagara Falls should be incredible tomorrow. Seriously, what are the odds that it will stop flowing tonight, right? Dad, I did check into riding a barrel over the falls, and as it turns out they discourage that sort of thing. Also, we plan to take in a Buffalo Bisons AAA baseball game and eat some wings. Tommy want wingie! The best laid plans...

Hugs.

The Clampetts Go to Maui

That great philosopher Jeff Foxworthy has a bit where he describes what it was like when he flew his whole family out to Howareya for a vacation. With their decidedly non-citified mannerisms they were pretty much ducks out of water.

Loading up my clan and heading to Maine will very likely be much the same. We delight in staying in hotels, because the kids are allowed to jump on the beds, other people wash our towels and bedsheets, and some hotels feed you donuts and pancakes for free! We'll be staying in hotels thirteen nights over the next three weeks, so I'd say the odds of a child returning home with Post-Concussion Syndrome is at least 60-40.

The van is loaded (the cooler and a few dry bags will be on the cargo carrier) and the plan is to leave sometime after midnight. We're driving to Buffalo, NY the first day. There is a waterfall in the area that people are big on. Any opportunity to go through Canadian customs and undergo a strip search seems like a good time! The inimitable Jeff Mengel has been down that path, and he feels like we're safe as long as we're not in a hippie van with wall-to-wall shag carpeting.

The McKays go to Maine...God help us...and them! Grandpa's Cottage will never be the same after seven nights of Braden's thorough search pattern. The Coast Guard should find as much stuff as he does.

Vaya con Dios, muchachos!

Part 2 of 3

Beaver Island, Michigan.

Just the name evokes memories of an era gone by. Gentlemen wearing bowlers, women wearing hoop skirts, riding bicycles with the giant front wheels. Children scamper around the front yard wearing woolen knickers and knee socks. 4th of July parades include the whole town; some throw candy and others catch it, but everyone plays their role.

All that, or perhaps flat-tailed rodents.

Either way, it's a nice break from the rigors of Medaryville.

In reality, Beaver Island circa 2007 is not too far removed from that idyllic scene. Drew and I were there over the 4th of July, and the parade was great fun. Truly, the whole town was either in the parade or along the parade route. Everyone was regaled in Americanawear...except for Drew and I. I shall be better prepared the next time, and I do hope there is a next time. We were up there for kayak training with Ken Bruland at Inland Seas, and I would heartily recommend BI and Ken for anyone looking for a short, inexpensive, entertaining getaway.

Ferry Ride to Beaver Island: $21

Double room at The Brothers Place: $75

Basic Strokes & Rescues class @ Inland Seas: $60

Shamrock burger for lunch: $12

Toy store and museum: worthless

Everyone on the island asked us, "Have you guys made it to the toy store and museum yet?" Finally, on the third day, we were able to oblige. Seldom have I seen a more complete collection of useless crap. We were told to expect a whole bagful of trinkets for $5, and that would have been the case were we in the market for buttons memorializing the hippie days of the 60's or a gross of those pills that turn into foam trains when you place them in fish tanks.

This post is entitled Part 2 of 3 because this, The Summer of Mike, has three acts:

1. Ecuador
2. Beaver Island
3. WoodenBoat School trip to Maine

God bless the good people at Eli Lilly, whose Teacher Endowment grant made possible this, The Summer of Mike.

More later about Act 2, and I shall post at some point in time about Act 1.

About time to head down to Reynolds for Day 4 of "There is no one at the White County Fair this year."

Hustle, make the play, be the hero.

But for the sake of a key...

So today was our first day to man the Timm Services booth at the White county fair. To say the nine+ hours under the big top was anticlimactic understates things. Our expectations, which is to say out hopes, of landing a few big fish at the fair were pretty low, and in retrospect, we'll have to lower them a good bit. And that's fine. I'll enjoy the time to visit with Steve the septic man and Richard the preacher man and Marty the security man. The National Guardsmen next door are always good for a few laughs as well. Eavesdropping on their witty repartee leaves me little doubt as to why my brother-in-law (military company commander) has a difficult job. Those folks...men and women both...might possibly have come from the shallow end of the gene pool. God bless our men and women in uniform, and I pray that they do their job well and make it home safely.

Valerie and the three youngest'uns made it down mid-afternoon, and they rolled out around 7:45 or so. It's about 40 minutes from home to the fairground. Septic Steve left at about 8:15, so I waved the white flag shortly thereafter. About 8:30 I remembered where the keys to the Yamaha were...in the front pocket of the backpack cooler, which was in the van, which was probably in our driveway, Valerie and the kids just having completed the drive. Yikes.

The silver lining was that I had remembered to take my cell phone out of the van before the initial departure, so getting the key back down to me was a matter of a quick phone call, and an additional 40 minutes of driving for Valerie and the three youngest'uns. Of course, Braden is almost 17 months old, so he just loves going for drives wherein he has the opportunity to sit strapped into his racing seat for a good long while, sans the opportunity to throw balls or swing bats. Those are his two great loves.

It was a delightful ride home, cool and clear, not a deer in sight. And the White county fair has good breaded tenderloins.

Hustle, make the play, be the hero.

Let's Roll

Henceforth and forevermore, let there be a McKay Chronicles, dedicated to the adventures and misadventures of Clan McKay of Medaryville.

The idea was to compile a record during this, the Summer of Mike, that would keep friends and family up to date. Thus far this summer I have been to Ecuador on a 9-day mission trip that went very well, and also to Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan along with the Drewster for three days of kayak training. Ken Bruland at Inland Seas is a virtuoso in a sea kayak, and I now can say that I feel almost as comfortable in a kayak with the smooth side up as I do with the bumpy side up--which is to say that we spent quite a bit of time upside down!

We leave for Maine in about 10 days, which is the penultimate event during this, the Summer of Mike. Friends and family, my hope is to direct you to this locale so you can keep up with Clan McKay as we traverse east and let us know your thoughts and ideas.

Hustle, make the play, be the hero.