Three points for #10

They don't often get the scoring summaries right but they did tonight. An opening goal assist followed by a second period pass shot goal and lastly a one time from the hash marks to top corner blocker side. 

If it weren't for the 4 goals I was on the ice for, we would have done alright tonight. That and maybe a few less penalty minutes but that's hard to come by when playing the team with the most PIMs, especially for our team...

Arizona Adam returns

It has been a busy trip. I arrived in Tucson at 1:30 and spent a total of 20 mins in the hotel. 

After grabbing a quick sandwich at Eegees, I made my way to Bombardier to get my inspection done. An hour later, I was done. Yep, 7 hours travel today for a 1 hr inspection to be followed with a 7 hr flight tomorrow. At least I found some pretty significant snags so it wasn't all for nothing. 

After work, I made my way to one of the local craft brewery's (Barrio) to meet up with one of the guys I worked with on the Medevac project - he is no longer with Bombardier but is definitely keeping himself busy as a contractor. 

After a few hours catching up, I made my way to Katie and Jason's. We then went to one of my favourite restaurants here in Tucson - Oreganoes. A few wings were had and then some pizza and pasta. 

That was Katie's pizza, no one else's. Hahaha

I'm looking forward to my flight to Denver tomorrow. Hopefully I can enjoy some more James Bond that can stream to my iPad, just like the flight down. 

Peterborough

It has been a while since I blogged. So much that I'm almost out of practice. 

This week has started with a short trip to Peterborough for some project design reviews with a customer. One project is coming due in January and the other (medevac) not until late 2017. 

After a travel morning, an afternoon long meeting followed by dinner with the customer, I was ready to get to work at around 8:30. But not after talking to Lola.

 Work started at around 9 and finished at midnight. Lola was working too. 

Arizona Adam - working

Lola working

Lola's dying plant(?)

Then, it was a matter of trying get to fall asleep after plowing through some work. That (sleep) didn't happen until at least 1:30am. 

Today started with breakfast at 7:30 and then a meeting with the customer that started at 8:30 and finished at around 2:45.

Looking sharp

Equally looking sharp

One of six aircraft we have approved and waiting for FAA approval

I am now sitting in the car in a Walmart parking lot while my coworker is meeting with a guy who has a minivan for sale that he is interested in. Good thing we have some time before we need to be at the airport. 

Well I should call into a meeting with Transport Canada to see how projects are progressing. 

St. Louis

I'm back on the road. But this time (knock on wood) I should be home tomorrow. 

My flights took me through Minneapolis:

Into St. Louis. Here was my view on the second flight:

Right at the engine on the MD-90

Flights were on time and without delay. Somewhat unheard of flying through the Midwest. 

When I arrived, I was the only one I the shuttle to the rental car facility:

According to the driver, that was because everyone's flights were delayed by an hour because of a storm earlier in St. Louis - so I guess I lucked out. 

Now I'm all settled in at the hotel. Up on the high roller floor with a king suite. 

Now, time to relax a bit, do a 3.5 mins plank with Lola via FaceTime and then go to bed. Tomorrow is going to be busy so that I can make it back for my 10:50 pm hockey game...

Goodnight!

Puzzled and Beached

After a few months, I pulled out the puzzle that we started early in the summer at Pelican Lake and now finally completed it! 

We also have been enjoying some blue jays baseball. It is exciting to watch a team that is playing so well!

Here is a photo from the weekend! We had a great time at the "kings" cabin.

Swimming at the Brereton Beach

A deer decided to join the boys while they were golfing at Pinawa golf course

Lastly a stary night. Photo by adam. He read an article while he was in Montreal last week on how to take photos of the Milky Way. All weekend he hoped for a clear night (as the forecast was not favourable) and he lucked out.

Hope you all had a great long weekend and survived "back to school".

lola

Reunited and off to the lake!

Time to relax and chill with the King's at Brereton Lake.

Don't worry we put on our rain jackets!

Hope everyone has a safe and dry long weekend! 

Lola

Throw back Thursday

Also known as #tbt. 

This one goes WAY back to Sunday (which feels like it was months ago - what a week). 

Lola's favourite place in Montreal:

Also, from Sunday - one of the Lieutenants from Louisbourg, on display at "Hotel de Ville" (City Hall) which was fitting from our recent trip to the East Coast that feels like years ago (already...)

Closed?!?!

A Montreal favourite, Le Bifthèque, is closed due to bankruptcy!

I must have been here just before it closed because it was not that long ago that I came here with two guys from Transport Canada. 

Shucks...

Watching the game with Lola, texting

It's only Tuesday?

Hard to believe that it is only Tuesday. I have already completed 4 interior evaluations, three remain - two tomorrow and one on Thursday. Then, home time!

Tonight's dinner is at Jack Astors - just down the strip mall from last night at Marathon Souvlaki. 

Tonight should be quiet. That sounds like I have been rowdy every night - not so. Last night ended with some work and then talking to Lola (along with completing day 20 of our 30 day planking challenge - another 2.5 mins long plank...). But still, tonight should be quiet - talk to Lola and planking. And then sleep. 

I am definitely looking forward to the weekend at Eric and Jamie's (parents) cabin at Brereton Lake. I don't want to jinx it but I'm even going to try and leave work early. We will see how successful I am but I am definitely owed a "few" hours. 

Not much else to really talk about today - still trying to unwind from work today.   Hopefully this beer with supper helps ;)

Put on a few miles today

Start:

4 hrs later:

Sunday's Sunny Sunday

Once again, it's AA, this time on the road in sunny Montreal. 

I figured instead of taking the milk run and risking a flight through Toronto, might as well take the direct flight in the morning which puts me into Montreal by 2:30 local time. 

Good choice. It's sunny and 27*C here today with a few clouds. 

I started off with strolling down St Catherine's street which, as Lola can attest to, is full of shopping. This was intentional - I am looking for some other gift ideas for Lola's big 3-0 in just under a month. I have several ideas but had a few that I wanted to check out here in QC. Unfortunately nothing panned out. 

Next, to the Vieux Port ("Old Port" en Anglais ("in English")) to see what's going on. There's always something going on here whether it be street performers, food trucks or small boutiques and shops of local artists. 

Here are a few of the sights:

A rope climbing and zip lining attraction

RC sailboats!

The Jacques Cartier bridge and La Ronde amusement park

A "beach" and the Molson factory in the background 

Marche Bonsecours

After all the walking, I was starting to get hungry. Well, really I was getting thirsty for a beer. So, I made my way to Les 3 Brasseurs and enjoyed a black IPA and a Flammekueuche (flatbread pizza - delicious)

Now, it's almost time to make my way back to the hotel. Although, I still have half a beer to drink...

Keep posted for more blogs this week. Chances are likely I'm here until at least Wednesday. 

The final leg of our journey

Well, it's that time that we all dread during our vacation, the day we need to go home.

This trip is not unlike any others, we had a great time seeing almost all that there is to see in Atlantic Canada. From Fredericton, to Halifax, onwards to Sydney then Pictou and lastly Charlottetown, we have had a blast. And ate a lot of food.

Today was fairly relaxing. We started out with a larger breakfast at Smitty's, knowing that we needed to eat an early supper due to flight schedules this evening. Fuelled up and armed with our ninth Timmies, we were ready for the 3.5 hrs drive from Charlottetown to Fredericton. 

The Red Cliffs scenic drive

About 31 mins into the drive, we made a detour to see another lighthouse, this one in Victoria. One backseat passenger was a mildly excited when he heard "Victoria's Secret" instead of "Victoria's Seaport". The view was slightly different, but still magnificent. 

Victoria Harbour 

We arrived in Victoria PEI slightly before the tide started to really come in. We explored some of the sea floor and the red sand cliffs while the water started to come ashore, rising ever so slightly with each wave. 

The NAB crew on shore

Lola on a sand bar

Once in Victoria, we explored the small town looking at a lighthouse, wandering down the wharf in and out of a couple gift shops and then taking a photo by the largest tree on PEI (height was x feet and canopy was about 128 feet in diameter). The tree was massive and definitely was the largest that we had seen on the island so far.

The tree

The ladies in a boat 

Shortly outside of Victoria, we could start to see the confederation bridge that spans 13 Km between PEI and New Brunswick. Another short stop at a beach for a few pictures of the bridge and then we were off to pay the toll an drive across. Lola took time lapse photos of the drive on the go pro. I'll need to mash together a video and post it. 

Confederation Bridge

The drive through New Brunswick was a relatively uneventful 3 hrs drive. Many conversations to pass the time, including a game of "phonetic alphabet" which was initiated by Lola to help her with her radio license that she is studying to get for work. 

The Passengers catching a few zzz's enroute to Fredericton

The game consisted mostly of AA giving hints when the passengers could not think of how to say the letters of the alphabet phonetically (A = Alpha, B = Bravo, etc). Other than Lola thinking that animals were the basis for many of the letters (J = Julliet, not Jaguar as she thought), everyone was generally able to guess the correct word except for Y which we later found out to be Yankee.

There also was a slight mixup with the letter M. The hint was "a shortened version of a boys name". Correct answer - Mike. Lola's very proud answer after the hint - Andy. Well, I guess she was partly right - Andy is short for Andrew, just didn't quite go with the letter. 

The stopover in Fredericton was short. A stop at Tims to use the washroom, then park the car, find a boutique that Gwen has been wanting to return to for three years to get another coffee mug, find somewhere to eat and then gas up, return the van and catch a cab to the airport. 

We were successful. Lola got another coffee mug, this one she claims is hers but we will see how often she grabs mine on Saturday mornings...  

Lunch/supper was at The Snooty Fox, a British style pub only a couple blocks from the river downtown. Blair finally ordered what he was recommended to get out east - deep fried clams and fries. And he liked them!  And not surprisingly he should, other than a slightly chewy texture, there wasn't much of a fishy flavour and really just tasted like batter/breading. 

We finished with a little bit of spare time so we quickly wandered around the Old Barracks on the riverfront and buy a church before returning to the car to drop it off. 

No caption needed

The YFC airport was quaint. With only five gates and one small security area, we were through security in 15 mins. 

The flight from Fredericton to Toronto has been interesting so far. A two hour flight is sounding like it will be longer as there is a weather front moving into the Toronto area. We have already had a few rough patches of turbulence, one of which started to cause some ice build up on the intake duct on the engine cowl. Hopefully we get home tonight. If not, oh well. Better to be safe than sorry. 

Well, we are now at the airport waiting for our baggage.

We have had a great trip. Some of us are not looking forward to work tomorrow and this week while others still have some vacation time left to enjoy. However, it too will soon pass and we will all be back into the hustle and bustle of daily lives, ready for yet another vacation. 

The BANG'in Recap

Tim Hortons log... (9 total)

Tuesday- Fredericton & Moncton

Wednesday - withdrawal

Thursday - Truro & Mulgrave (Port Hawksbury)

Friday - Baddeck

Saturday - St. Peter's

Sunday - Charlottetown

Monday - Charlottetown

Tuesday -Charlottetown 

Meal Log

Monday - 

Fionn MacCool's (Toronto Airport, Lunch)

Hilltop restaurant (Fredericton, dinner)

Tuesday - 

Fredericton inn (Fredericton, breakfast)

Hopewell Rock Cafe (Hopewell, Snack)

Tide and boar (Moncton, lunch)

Gahan ( Halifax, dinner)

Wednesday - 

Continental Breakfast (Halifax Hampton Inn)

Dockside (Lunenburg)

Salty's (Halifax)

Thursday - 

Continental Breakfast (Halifax Hampton Inn)

Peir 20 - Lobster Shack (Halifax, Lunch)

Frank and Gino's (Truro, Dinner)

Friday -

Salt water (Sydney, breakfast)

Bell Bouy (Baddeck, lunch)

Coastal restaurant and bar (Ingonish, dinner)

Saturday -

Salt water (Sydney, breakfast)

Lobster Kettle restaurant (Louisbourg, lunch)

Mother Webb's (Antigonish, dinner)

Sunday -

NFL ferry (caribou, breakfast)

Rachel's (cavendish, lunch)

Lobster on the wharf (Charlottetown, dinner)

Cows (peakes wharf, Charlottetown, dessert)

Monday -

Eden hall b&b (Charlottetown, breakfast)

Point Prim Chowder House and Oyster Bar (point prim, lunch)

Cows (creamery, Charlottetown, snack)

Fishbones (Charlottetown, dinner)

Tuesday -

Smitty's (Charlottetown, breakfast)

The Snooty Fox (Fredericton, lunch)

Places we stayed:

Fredericton Inn, NB (July 27-28)

Hampton Inn, Halifax, NS (July 28-30)

Holiday Inn, Sydney, NS (July 30-Aug 1)

Dolan's Inn, Pictou, NS (Aug 1-2)

Eden Hall Inn, Charlottetown PEI (2-4)

Historical sites/parks and villages (points of interest)

- Hopewell Rocks

- Peggy's Cove

- Lunenburg

- Bluenose II 

- Citadel Halifax

- Peir 21: immigration museum

- Alexander Keith brewery

- Alexander Graham Bell Museum

- Cabot Trail

- Highland National Park

- Fortress of Louisbourg

- Fleur-de-lis trail

- St Peter's Canal

- French River (James Petrowski's Residence)

- Caribou-Wood Islands Ferry (Northumberland Strait)

- Anne of Green Gables House and Lucy Montgomery residence and grave site

- North Rustico Harbour Beach

- Peakes Wharf

- St. Dunstans Basillica

- Province House (outside only, closed for restoration)

- Portion of East Coastal Drive

- Charlottetown Center of the Arts, Anne of Green Gables - The Musical

- Victoria by the Sea

- Confederation Bridge

- Barracks Square

Lighthouses (10 total)

- Peggy's Cove, NS

- Lunenburg, NS (saw by boat)

- Baddeck, Cape Breton, NS

- Louisbourg, Cape Breton, NS

- Wood Islands, PEI

- North Rustico, PEI

- Point Prim, PEI

- Victoria by the Sea, PEI (2)

- Fredericton, NB

Kilometres travelled by Van: 2,605

Number of group selfies: 27 (compilation below!)

Laughs: Too many to count!

Volkswagon vehicles pointed out: lost count!

How many times we went to St. John, New Brunswick - 0

 

We had a great time and hope we have the opportunity to travel together again! 

Signing off from the BANG's...

Lola (with AA's help)