Day One: We flew from London (LHR) to Copenhagen (CPH) on British Airways – just a 90 minute hop. As with London we opted for a centrally located citizenM Hotel at Radhuspladen. After checking in at the hotel we walked around the historic inner city for a couple of hours before finishing our first day at the K Cocktail Bar.
Day Two: we walked to the La Cabra cafe on Montegarde. La Cabra is one of our favorite coffee roasters in the world. Having the opportunity to visit their Copenhagen location in person was quite exciting. In the past we have had to settle for buying their coffee and having it shipped to the U.S. (They now have a NYC location but it is just not the same as visiting a location in Denmark.).
The museum chronicles the lives of five individuals in occupied Denmark during Word War II. Some of the individuals were active in the Danish Resistance Movement while others were NAZI sympathizers; one Dane fought with the German Army. A very interesting way to demonstrate the impact of the German occupation on the country and its inhabitants. Well done.
Since Copenhagen is a city of islands – some natural – some manmade, seeing the city from the water is a terrific way to get oriented with the city layout. Also, some of the most notable modern architectural structures in Copenhagen sit on the waterfront. We think a boat cruise or water taxi is a great way to begin your trip if you are visiting the city for the first time.
Day Three: Another beautiful blue sky day in Kobehavn. We crossed the Frederiksholms Kanal onto the islet of Slotsholmen where we passed by the Christianborg Slot (Home of the Danish Parliament). We then crossed over to Christianshavn to visit Vor Frelsers Kirke and Freetown Christiana.
Freetown Christiana dates back to 1971 when several hundred people moved into a deserted army barracks and squatted there. Some of the original squatters and about 1000 other people now call this home and continue to insist that they are not part of Denmark or the European Union. Residency is by invitation only, of course.
Today Christiana has become a major tourist attraction with a number of shops selling food, art and vintage clothing. The main attraction for us was the plethora of street art. Worth at least a short visit – you can get a fine cortado at Cafe Manefiskeren after poking around and checking the out the street art.
After exhausting the inventory of street art in Christiana we set off (by Uber) to the Nordvest District to tour Grundyvig’s Kirke. As you may know we are fans of church architecture and art and this church is architecturally quite different from the many other notable churches in the city.
After lunch we worked our way into the heart of the Nordvest District of Copenhagen. Nordvest was an industrial area until the 1970s when many of the businesses closed due to an inability to compete with foreign manufacturers. The area is now home to a significant block of lower income housing and many small shops and street art. As an added bonus the excellent roaster Kaffedepartmentet is located in Nordvest.
We found ourselves in the mood for “Old School Italian” which vectored us to the Ristorante Italiano for a traditional and delicious dinner. The Italiano has been operating in Copenhagen since 1952. After our dinner we strolled through the area around the historic Vestergarde (sunset is around 2200 at this time of the year).
Day Four: We started our day’s journey at La Cabra. We then strolled through the Kongens Have (not in bloom yet but still lovely) and the small but impressive Rosenberg Castle which is located in the gardens. From there we crossed out of the gardens to visit the Statens Museum for Kunst.
The Statens Museum is very impressive. The architecture is grand and there is a wonderful space which was created when the museum was expanded. The museum has created a set of galleries which trace danish art from the early 1900s through to today. This museum is not to be missed when you visit Copenhagen.
Day Four: We rented bicycles and rode south along the Inderhaven waterfront stopping to visit St Alban’s Church. St Alban’s is the one and only Anglican Church in Denmark, a remnant of the significant sea trade between Great Britain and Denmark. The membership of the church is a mix of English, Danes and Germans. The church quite appropriately sits by the water.
From the church we cycled further south and then crossed over to Christianshavn via the Inderhavnsbroen, a bicycle and pedestrian only bridge (how nice).
We followed the well-marked bike paths crossing a number of canals and waterways through a mix of residential and industrial areas.
Amager Bakke also known as Copenhill is a trash to energy plant with a twist. A year round ski trail winds down from the top of the plant to the ground level. Amager Bakke also has the tallest man made climbing wall in the world. A trip to the top in the elevator also provides fantastic views of the Indre By as well as distant views of the bridge connecting Denmark to Sweden.
After bicycling back to the bike rental shop we walked to the nearby Frederiks Kirke also known as the Marble Church. Fortunately the church was open and we were able to visit the interior which is quite impressive.
After visiting the kirke we walked back to the hotel for a refresh and then strolled across the Radhuspladsen to the nearby Hidden Dimsum for a delicious dinner.
Day Five: Our final day in Kobehavn before a late afternoon flight to London. We succumbed to a bit of shopping bracketed by fika at two Coffee Collective locations. So good!
We really enjoyed Copenhagen. It is a vibrant city with a mix of old and new architecture that works extremely well. The city is very pleasing visually. It is a very walkable city and renting bikes (as we did) is an excellent option (flat terrain) for extending your range without needing a vehicle or an Uber.
There is a plethora of fine dining opportunities, excellent coffee, and terrific museums. Also, there is plenty of street art in the neighborhoods around the city center. Københavnere enjoy a good cocktail and the city is widely recognized as a top-tier cocktail city. There are small cocktail bars all around the city – very handy indeed!
Copenhagen was city six of our 2025-2026 City Tour Series. We hope to extend our series during the fall of 2026. Stay tuned.
Be seeing you!
P.S. As you might imagine President Trump is not popular in Denmark after having made repeated threats to take over Greenland, which is under the protection of Denmark.
P.P.S. Copenhagen is a marvel of bicycle commuting and it is not uncommon to see commuters in full office dress (including high heels!).
This segment of our adventure took us from the Phoenix area across the Sonoran Desert towards the New Mexico border. We headed out toward Superior through a visually jarring landscape, although we were traveling just 65 miles east of Phoenix. We passed through a string of mining towns with their unearthly landscapes, the desolate San Carlos Reservation, the riparian Gila River Valley, the Pinal Mountains and finally, the most impressive Pinaleno Mountains.
SUPERIOR(FOUNDED 1882, POP. 2571, ELEV. 2,888′)
The town of Superior was the first of the mining or former mining towns on this trek. The town was formed in 1875 with the discovery of rich veins of silver resulting in the creation of the Silver King Mine. The silver market crashed within several years, but fortunately for the town folks, copper was discovered and the boom was on again. The Magma Copper Company operated from 1914 to 1996. Back to the bust portion of the program.
Superior, Arizona
Today, the town with its proximity to Phoenix, beautiful scenery, bountiful hiking, rock climbing opportunities and the botanical garden is in the process of becoming discovered.
We stopped in Superior at the Circle K for fuel and firewood before heading up through the Queen Creek Canyon to look for a camping spot in the Oak Flat Recreation Area a few miles east of Superior.
Queen Creek Canyon
The following morning we drove back down through the spectacular Queen Creek Canyon into Superior. First order of business, as always, was coffee and tea. Bellas Cafe appeared as if on cue immediately after we turned the corner on to Main Street. One of the employees we met is a musician and he and his band have played many venues in New Haven.
We fueled up and then wandered around town for a bit. Main Street and the two side streets are not yet entirely occupied, but enough so that town is lively with shops, restaurants, saloons and even a wine bar!
We met one of the artists of the mural below, he owns the building with the courtyard pictured below. He has moved to Superior from Los Angeles and is converting the building (formerly a bar/restaurant) to an art gallery. Bring on the tourists!
BOYCE THOMPSON ARBORETUM (BTA)
After exploring Superior we drove east a couple of miles to visit the BTA. The BTA was founded by Colonel William Boyce Thompson. The Colonel was at the time the owner of the Magma Copper Company in Superior and had built a winter home there in the early 1920’s, Picket Post House. In 1924, Boyce Thompson built the arboretum on 400 acres around Picket Post House. He was an interesting character (click on the link above to read more about Colonel Boyce as well as the BTA).
The BTA covers 372 acres with collections of desert plants from around the world. The collections from diverse desert locations provided us with the opportunity to see desert plants not naturally found in the United States-quite interesting. The arboretum also has five miles of hiking trails which gave us the opportunity to hike up a trail which provided views of the canyon and surrounding mountains. If you ever find yourself in Superior we recommend a visit to the BTA (not so much in the summer). After we finished our visit at BTA we stopped back in Superior for lunch at the Silver King Smokehouse and Saloon.
MIAMI(FOUNDED 1876, POP. 1528, ELEV. 3402′)
From Superior we continued east on U.S. Highway 60which is still intact in Arizona ( Highway 60 at one point ran from Los Angeles, California to Virginia Beach, Virginia) with a plan to find camping east of Globe in the Pinal Mountains.
Miami Copper Mine and Town of Miami, Arizona (Photos above and below courtesy of Arizona Memory Project)
We were not planning on stopping in Miami(this link has an excellent photo gallery of Miami and the smelter) but we were dumbfounded by the size of the mining operations and how the town itself is jammed onto the hills at the base of the mine and across the other side of U.S. 60. So, we found ourselves driving back and forth through town to take in the (to us) surreal scenery. This mine is one of five open pit copper mines in Arizona operated by Freeport-McMoRan(more on that later).
Miami Copper Mine
GLOBE(FOUNDED 1876, POP. 7179, ELEV. 3510′)
Globe is one of the communities along our route east which is in the category of former mining towns. The Old Dominion Mining Company produced copper here for 50 years. The mine had weathered a violent strike in 1917 and reopened in 1919 but only lasted another twelve years as the mine was in poor repair and the shafts were filling with water.
After a slow cruise through downtown Globe (and finding nothing open) we navigated to FR 112 to find a camping spot in the Pinal Mountains.
FR 112, Pinal Mountains, Globe, Arizona
Since we could see that Pinal Peak(7800′) was still covered in snow, we had no illusions that we would make it all the way to the peak. We had pulled off into a layby as the road is a single lane and there was a vehicle coming down (downhill has right of way). He reported through the open passenger window of his mud spattered pickup that conditions at the top were too muddy for our tires We took his word at face value and camped in the layby. No fools, us!
We awoke to a beautiful morning and began the trek back down the mountain to travel east to the town of Safford. If you watch the video below to the end you will see a herd of Javalina crossing the road.
Once we reached pavement we followed Highway 70 east through the San Carlos Reservation and then traveled along the Gila River to Safford.
SAN CARLOS RESERVATION (FOUNDED 1871, POP. 10,000′)
The San Carlos Reservation was established in 1871 and is home to the San Carlos Apache Tribe. The original inhabitants of the reservation were the Chiricahua Apache tribe; they were joined by members of other tribes soon after. The federal government closed the Camp Verde Reservation in 1875 and force marched the Yavapai 180 miles to the San Carlos Reservation. Of the 1400 marched to San Carlos, 375 died en route to their new “home”. Over time the reservation became a consolidation point for a number of different Apache speaking tribes. To make room for the new residents the federal government thoughtfully transported the original Chiricahua Apaches to Florida in 1886.
Apaches Waiting for Rations at San Carlos Reservation (Photos above and below courtesy of Arizona Memory Project)
Today approximately 10,000 of 16,000 tribal members live on the reservation. The reservation was federally recognized in 1934 and encompasses 1.8 million acres (3000 sq. miles). About thirty percent of the members live in San Carlos and the remainder in several other tiny settlements along Highway 70.
Economically, the San Carlos members seem to be worse off than many other reservations. There is, of course, a casino (two in fact) but beyond that there is little industry other than revenue generated from recreation and wildlife permits and a handful of small Peridot mines (open to tribal members only). 49% of the population lives below the poverty line and 36% of working age members are unemployed.
safford(pop. 10,700, elev. 2920′)
Safford was by far the biggest town by population on our route, with almost 11,000 people. The portion of Highway 70 in Safford is lined with the usual “civi town” suspects – fast food chains, Walmart, Home Depot, etc. Fortunately, one block off of the 70, Main Street is intact with local retailers, restaurants and, most importantly, coffee (Ginaveve’s). During our walk around town we also happened upon the local insurance agency, where the big red umbrella is prominently on display.
Agriculture is the primary industry in Safford. The main crop is cotton, which was introduced into the area by Mormon settlers during the 1870s. You are probably familiar with Pima cotton which comes from the fertile soil in the Gila Valley. Latter Day Saints remain influential in the area – about one third of the population is LDS.
From an employment standpoint, many of the residents work in the two mines north of town; the nearby state and federal prisons are also significant employers.
The main attraction for us in stopping in Safford was the opportunity to drive theSwift Trailwhich winds up over 7000 feet through the Pinaleno Mountains to Mount Graham (10,696′). The trail is paved for the first 22 miles and dirt the final 13 miles.
Swift Trail, Coronado National Forest, Safford Arizona
Climbing Swift Trail
The upper elevations of the Pinaleno Mountains are heavily pine forested. So, when Mormon farmers arrived in the late 1800, the trail was built as a wagon route for lumber needed by the farmers and later for the mining operations that were opened in the early 1900s.
The views were as breathtaking as advertised! The drive itself was fun as we navigated the seemingly unending switchbacks that lead around the mountains and eventually up to the top. Once at the top we could see why the Western Apache considered Mount Graham (Dzil Nchaa Si’an) a sacred place. As is often the case, the Native Americans were removed and placed on reservations so that our extraction of natural resources could continue unabated. Fortunately, for all of us, this land is now protected as part of the Coronado National Forest.
Sulphur Springs Valley – Winchester Mountains
Descending Swift Trail
After descending the trail we camped at the base, which afforded us an evening soaking in panoramic views of the snowcapped mountain range – mesmerizing – nature never disappoints!
Pinaleno Mountains
Gila River
In the morning we grabbed coffee and tea at Ginaveve’s and set out to hike along the Gila River within the Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area.The Gila is a 649 mile long tributary of the Colorado and flows all year through the section within the conversation area creating this green strip through the desert. Below this area the Gila and its tributaries are damed several times. By the time the river reaches the Phoenix area it is usually just a dry wash.
After hiking along several sections of the Gila, we returned to the Beast and made our way back to Highway 70 (The Old West Highway) to make the short drive east to Duncan. The Gila River loops north from where we hiked but we rejoined the river in Duncan. Duncan sits within the Duncan Valley and is another agricultural hub in an otherwise barren land. Duncan, like Safford, is a cotton producer. Cattle ranching and copper mining (about 40 miles north is the largest open pit copper mine in North America) are also found in and around Duncan-three of the Five Cs of Arizona – Copper, Cotton and Cattle – the other two being climate and citrus.
DUNCAn(FOUNDED 1883, POP. 879, elev. 3400′)
Simpson Hotel, Duncan, Arizona
We had read about the Simpson Hoteland it sounded charming (it is – subject to liking cats- which we do) and the location in Duncan was perfect for kicking off our final segment in Arizona (Coronado Trail Scenic Road). The link to the hotel website (above) is a treasure trove of interesting information and worth a look.
The original hotel opened in 1914 as the Hotel Hobbs. Subsequently, the property was owned and operated by several different families. The current innkeepers, Clayton Jarvis and Deborah Mendelsohn began renovations in January of 2006 and opened in May of 2007 after 18 months of demolition and renovation. Deborah and Clayton are wonderful hosts adding to the charm of this classic territorial building’s exterior and art gallery interior. Clayton is an accomplished artist and has a studio in the courtyard behind the hotel. We completed our stay with a pizza pie to go from Humble Pie which conveniently sits about 200 feet up Main Street from the Simpson.
This is our post covering the Superior to Duncan segment of OTR 11.0, our penultimate segment in Arizona. We hope you found it interesting.
We departed Tucson (future post) on a southwesterly course heading for Ajo Townsite. The journey took us through the large and mostly desolate Tohono O’Odham Nation. The reservation is about the size of Connecticut with an on reservation population of approximately 9000 members. There are 28,000 enrolled members of the tribe. The Tohono O’odham Nation sits on both sides of the U.S./Mexico border.
Tohono O’Odham Nation
Ajo has been the site of copper mining since the 1840’s. Copper has been extracted by Native American, Spanish and Euro-Americans. By the early 1900’s the production of copper in Ajo caught the attention of Phelps Dodge, the largest copper mining company in the United States. Phelps purchased the mine in 1921 and continued to operate the mine until 1985. During those years the mine employed several thousand people and the town boomed. An employee strike in 1983 ultimately led to the permanent closure of the mine in 1985 . Today, all that remains is a very large pit just outside of the town center.
Ajo Townsite, Arizona
The town’s attractive square and architecture was built by Phelps Dodge to make working and living in town more appealing. The year round population in Ajo is 3300. The town has become a popular snowbird destination during the winter due to the delightful weather. There is also a small artist colony living and working here.
The photos below are two notable murals that have been painted in Ajo since our last visit.
We decided to camp and relax for several days in an area of the desert south of Ajo known as Darby Well.
On our second day of camping at Darby Well we drove south on Route 85 to visit the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (OPCNM). After stopping at the visitor center and speaking with the rangers we opted to drive the Ajo Mountain Loop as the best way to take in the OPCNM in an afternoon.
Ajo Mountain Road, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
The Ajo Mountain Loop is a 21 mile road which provides a great sample of the variety of terrain and vegetation in the monument. The loop starts on the desert floor and winds up into the Ajo Mountains. We took a short hike into the Estes Canyon (photos below -note the arch in the photo directly below).
OPCNM does not receive many visitors relative to other National Monuments and National Parks. The remote location, extreme weather (heat) and proximity to the Mexico border are all contributing factors.
After several days camping in the Darby Well and our visit to OPCNM we decided we were ready to tackle the El Camino. The El Camino is a 142 mile trail through the Southern Sonoran Desert. It starts south of Ajo from the Darby Well Road and then follows an east/west route through a portion of the Organ Pipe Cactus NM, the Cabeza Prieta NWR and finally the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range.
Satellite View of Route
This overland adventure does come with risks. One of the risks is captured in the photo directly above. The other risks are inherent in any extended overland trip – adequate fuel and water, mechanical breakdown, flat tire and, finally, getting stuck in sand or mud. Fortunately, other than a damaged bike carrier and the obligatory addition of more desert pinstriping we did not have any issues.
Our first stop was at the Bates Well Ranch which was owned and operated by the Gray family from 1935 until 1976. The operation consisted of 15 cattle ranches and line camps across the Southern Sonoran Desert.
The ranch is inside the boundaries of the OPCNM. The National Monument was established in 1937 but the Gray family was allowed to continue to ranch the land (many national parks consist of land appropriated from private owners). The National Park Service does not allow cattle grazing but in this case made an exception. Harry Gray, the last member of the family made maximum use of the “exception” raising cattle on the ranch until his death in 1976.
The one advantage of the ranch property becoming public land is that is protected and overseen by the park service. Much of the property is intact and provides a great example of a frontier ranch.
We pushed on from the Bates Well past the Camp Grip Border Patrol Outpost where we could see four border patrollers on a hill scanning southward with their binoculars while the electronic gear above them whirred away.
The next section of the trail brought us into the Pinta Sands. The Sands area was undoubtedly the most enjoyable segment of the trip from a pure driving perspective. Soft sand —deep but not too deep—smooth riding and higher speeds!
Prietza National Wildlife Refuge, El Camino del Diablo
From the Pinta Sands we transitioned to a dramatically rougher environment as we began transiting through the Pinacate Lava Flow. We decided that this area would be good for camping as it was reasonably level and provided a 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains and unobstructed views for stargazing.
Pinacate Volcanic Field
On day two, we continued west until we arrived at the site of the Tule Well. In the 1840s many Mexicans from the state of Sonora were traveling north to work the gold diggings on the Colorado River. One of them decided to dig a well (by hand) and to sell the water to his fellow countrymen as they traveled north. Some accounts claim that the well digger was killed by a traveler who refused to pay for the water. The well fell into disuse between the 1860s and 1890s as this route was all but abandoned due the frequency of deaths from dehydration.
Cabeza Prieta Peak
Circle 8 Gravesite
Raven Butte
After visiting the Tule Well and the Circle 8 Gravesite we continued west towards the Tinjas Atlas Mountains. We were hoping to follow a trail that would lead us to the remains of the Fortuna Mine. As you can see from the video below this area has numerous narrow washes. Ultimately, we were foiled by a wash too deep and steep for the Beast.
Tinjas Atlas
We worked our way back until we found a route that took us in a northeasterly direction to the town of Wellton. This route took us through the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range. It is most advisable to stay on the road if you choose this route as it is an active military gunnery and bombing range! Fortunately, we had obtained the necessary permit and pass to transit through the range.
We exited the desert in Wellton driving through the encroaching housing subdivisions spreading east from Yuma. We spent the evening in Yuma; in the morning , we decided to head back out into the Sonoran Desert and visit the Fortuna Mine using a route from Yuma. The road out from Yuma was extremely rough and rocky but were committed to going out to the mine as part of our completion of the El Camino del Diablo.
As so often appears to be the case, gold was discovered accidentally – in this case by three men looking for stray cattle in the foothills of the Gila Mountains in 1894. They filed land claims and gold was mined here from 1896 to 1904. The story of Fortuna is similar to many of the old west mining scenarios – boom and then quickly bust. The mine was productive – producing 125,000 ounces of recorded gold during its short run. The vertical shafts are still visible (photo below). The remnants of the town that quickly blossomed above the mine are still accessible by foot.
Mine Shaft
Stamp Mill Remains
One other item that we wanted to share relates to the photo below. Periodically as we crossed the desert we would see blue flags placed within sight of the trail. The blue flags are on 30 foot high poles so that they are visible from a great distance. At each of these sites there is a 55 gallon drum of potable water. These drums are placed and maintained by an organization called Humane Borders. The organization has obtained permission to place the water drums along the border (the El Camino is within sight of the border for much of the route). You may read about the Humane Borders organization in the article linked below.
Our two day journey across El Camino del Diablo was an exciting adventure. This is a trip we have wanted to do for some time and we recognized that in the context of our OTR story arc this was the time to make the crossing. There is a point where the physical rigors of this trip would be beyond our capability.
After resting for a couple days in Yuma we will be heading north to explore the Northern Sonoran Desert and the KOFA National Wildlife Refuge.
After our trek through the Coronado Monument and the San Rafael Valley (see previous post) we were ready for a city segment. While on our way north to Tucson we stopped at the THNP. This mission dates back to the late 1600s, and was one of 20 established by Padre Kino, a Jesuit missionary. Padre Kino is revered by the church for his work with the indigenous people of the Pima Alta (O’odham, Apache, Yaqui). There are other historians who have a different view of the work of Padre Kino and his fellow Jesuits. In this article we are not going to delve into the debate over the forced conversion of indigenous people to Catholicism. We have included links below regarding this topic.
While the mission church is the centerpiece of the mission architecturally, it is important to remember that the mission was a self-sufficient community with approximately 200 people living within the mission wallls.
Tumacacori Mission (Photo courtesy of NPS)
The photo above gives a sense of the mission with the church and the remains of storage buildings, cemetary, living quarters and kilns within the walls and fruit orchards outside.
The church that stands within the mission grounds today was commissioned by Franciscan missionaries who had replaced the Jesuits by Spanish authorities who believed they had become too powerful. The Franciscans wanted a much larger church. They began work on a grand design in 1800. In 1820 they dedicated the new church, although over the 20 years of construction the design was changed due budget constraints. The new church, while larger than the orignal, was smaller and less ornate than the original design. Nonetheless, a beautiful structure in our opinion.
Church Nave
Church Sanctuary
Masses were conducted in Latin, but in recognition of the diversity of parishioners, readings and other parts of the mass were conducted in Spanish and O’odham. The O’odham, who were the victims signifcant physical violence from the Spanish settlers who were forcing their removal from their land, were not satisfied with this concession.
Finally, in 1751 the O’odham revolted under the leadership of Luis Oacpicagigua. The revolt was not long lived and the O’odham surrendered in early 1752. The O’odham cannily blamed the rebellion on the Jesuits (who were in much disfavor in Spain at that time) and the colonial governor promptly pardoned all of the O’odham who had participated in the rebellion.
The aftermath of the revolt, as well as the impact of Apache raids on the mission, led to its abandonment. Unfortunately, neglect and vandalism took its toll on the church. Fortunately, President Roosevelt declared the site a national monument in 1908 allowing for the preservation of the monument and no further vandalism or looting.
If you are a history buff, then we think that a two- to three-hour stop here will be worth your while. The self guided tour is well curated and the park staff were knowledgeable and helpful. There are also guided tours available several times a day.
Next is Tucson — comfy bed, hot showers, heated pool — the whole shebang!
Since this was our first visit to Iceland we decided to stay in Reykjavik and use it as our base for the trip. We selected the Ion City Hotel which would put us in the heart of the city on Laugavegur, which is a bit touristy but has multiple specialty coffee shops and restaurants within a five minute walk. The hotel is small with just 18 rooms and its location provided us a view down to the harbor and the night sky. The lobby is tiny as the majority of the ground floor is occupied by Sumac, a restaurant specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine. We were very happy with our choice based on our stylish room, our view, our private sauna and the very friendly, helpful front desk staff.Lastly, how can you not like a hotel with a painting of David Bowie in the lobby! Takk fyrir.
We crashed at the hotel for a couple of hours after our overnight flight and then went out to do some exploring in the neighborhood.
We made our first stop at Reykjavik Roasters, which is just around the corner from the hotel. We know you would expect nothing less of us. RR was founded in 2008 and has been a staple of the Reykjavik coffee scene ever since.
After finishing our drinks (and pastries) we walked up the hill to visit Hallgrímskirkja (the church of Hallgrimur). The church took 41 years to build. Construction started in 1945. Hallgrimskirkja is the tallest church in Iceland and provides fabulous views of the city, harbor, mountains and volcanoes from the top of the 243 foot tower.
Unlike the United States, Iceland has a state sponsored and protected national church – the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (hin evangelíska lúterska kirkja). There is religious freedom in Iceland and a number of other religious faiths are practiced in the country.
After visiting the church we did a bit more strolling, grabbed a quick fish and chips dinner and went back to our hotel satisfied with a good first day. As we lay in bed, as if on cue, the Aurora Borealis appeared and we jumped up and out onto our balcony to take in the show and snap some pictures. We upgraded our good first day to an excellent first day!Húrra!
Day two….DAGG tveir
In accordance with Rule One of Travel (all days must begin with tea and coffee) we checked out TE & KAFFI (directly across the way from the hotel). TE & KAFFI was up to snuff and we added the establishment to our inventory of specialty coffee shops for our stay in Reykjavik.
After fika we spent the morning exploring the city on foot and made our first visit to the waterfront. We also happened upon several more excellent street murals. While down at the old harbor we popped into the one of the three Reykjavik Art Museum locations. The exhibitions at this location when we visited were not a good fit for our sensibilities so we did not tarry.
Towards early afternoon we walked back up the hill from the old harbor area to check out one of the other art museums. This museum, Kjarvalsstaðirat, was exhibiting predominately landscape paintings by both professional and amateur Icelandic artists. The museum is named after Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval (1885-1972). Kjarval is Iceland’s most revered painter and many of his paintings are on display.
The art here was much more to our liking (or comprehension) and was a lovely mix of colorful renderings of the Icelandic countryside and cityscapes.
DAY THREE….DAGG PRIR
For our third day we hit the road (after coffee and tea) in pursuit of the Golden Circle (GC). We rented a 4WD SUV in case we found ourselves off the pavement in pursuit of getting up close to some of the natural features along or near the GC route. This worked out nicely as you can see from the photos directly below.
We made our way Þingvellir National Park (PNP) along an alternate route utilizing the excellent skills of our senior navigator. As we approached the park Þingvallavatn Lake came into view. It is the largest natural lake in Iceland. You may notice in the photo above left the large pipeline. In the States you might expect it to be an oil or gas pipeline – not in Iceland – this pipeline carries geothermally heated water. It carries millions of gallons per minute of boiling water and provides heat for most of the residents of Iceland.
The park is historically important to Iceland as it was the location of Iceland’s first parliament, which met there on the open plains from 930 until 1798. The park location is considered to be the birthplace of Iceland.
Prime Minister’s Summer Residence
The other aspect that makes this beautiful park important is that within the park are the rift valleys that separates the continental plates. The rifts run north – south. The plate to the east is Eurasia while the plate to the west is North America. Some of the rifts are dry allowing visitors to walk through while others have filled with water.
Tectonic Rift
Tectonic Rift
After completing our hiking loop at PNP we continued north on the GC. We bypassed the popular Geysir Hot Springs as we have seen many a geyser (including Old Faithful) during our travels in the Western United States.
Gullfoss
Gullfoss (Golden Falls) is impressive for its sheer force and size – and – it is a traverse waterfall. The water falls 105 feet into a crevice and then flows sideways and then down through a canyon that reaches 230 feet in depth. The waterfall is located on the Hvítá (White) River and is fed by the Langjökull Glacier.
It is hard for us to fathom but Gullfoss was privately owned by a local sheep farmer – Tómas Tómasson. A British firm (it’s always the British) attempted to purchase the property to use it to generate electricity. Fortunately, that never came to fruition and the river and falls remain in their spectacular natural state (owned and protected by the government of Iceland).
Gullfoss
From Gullfoss we started our return to Reykjavik. We detoured across Route 31 to see the Skálholt Church. The first Episcopal church in Iceland was built at this location in the year 1000. By 1550 the Reformation was in full swing under the auspices of the King of Denmark. In order that everyone understood his intent he had Jón Arason, the Catholic Bishop Of Iceland (the last Catholic Bishop of Iceland) and his two sons executed at Skálholt. Lofið drottin! In other news, the current church was built between 1956 and 1963.
Hvítá River Viewed From Skálholt Church
DAY FOUR….DAGG fjórir
We booked a food tour with Wake Up Reykjavik on the recommendation of our good friend Brian. The tour was lots of fun and the food was quite good. The tour included five stops to sample different dishes. We have included below the five stops and a description of the food we sampled. Thank you Brian!
Hotel Borg (The oldest hotel in Iceland) Icelandic pancakes with sugar, jam and whipped cream.Ljúffengur!!
Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur (The Town’s Best Hot Dogs) Traditional Icelandic hot dog with Icelandic ketchup, Icelandic mustard, remoulade sauce (remúlaði), deep fried onions and raw onions. Made famous after Bill Clinton visited for a dog. He had mustard only – now known as a Clinton!
Sólon Islandus(The Salvador Dali place) Lamb chop with mustard umami sauce, mashed potatoes and grilled brocollini
The young woman in the photo (above right) is Alfhedur Kristin Hallgrimsdottir aka Alfie. Alfie was our quite entertaining and informative guide. She is holding the traditional and obligatory sample of fermented shark, which is washed down with a shot of a strong liqueur. The lamb was delicious – the shark is what we would describe as an acquired taste.
Sjávarréttagrillið(The seafood grill) Lobster taco on a soft taco shell with garlic sauce, spinach, pickled red onions, deep fried langoustine, date puree, cilantro and parmesan cheese.
As we left Sjávarréttagrillið we happened upon a former Miss Iceland who was about to do a photo shoot. She graciously posed with our food tour group. She did not appear to mind being outdoors in the 40F temperature without much clothing. Icelanders are tough – and very nice!
Hannesarhollt (The poets/prime ministers cafe) Rhubarb crumble pie – Happy marriage cake! (Hjónabandssæla) Perfect timing as this trip was in celebration of our 45th wedding anniversary!
Icelandic Happy Marriage Cake (Photo courtesy of Autumn Carolyn)
After our afternoon food tour we were in no need of dinner so we retraced our tour route to photograph some interesting murals we had observed while on the tour and took a break at the hotel before venturing out for an evening of jazz.
The jazz concert was taking place at the modern and architecturally award winning Harpa Concert Hall and Convention Center. The Harpa was opened in 2011. This stunning facility sits directly on the waterfront and hosts the Icelandic Symphony, Icelandic Opera, Big Band and many other shows within the various venues housed here.
Harpa Concert Hall
We were quite fortunate that the Trio Óskar Guðjónssonar, Jorge Rossy og Thomas Morgan was performing that night. The three members of the trio are all veteran performers who have toured extensively internationally and played with many renowned jazz bands.
The show was great. The trio played a number of their own compositions as well a several jazz standards. We also enjoyed the polite audience – no talking or videoing during the show! What a treat after experiencing so many disrespectful and boorish audiences at music events in the U.S.
After the show we came outside to find the Aurora Borealis again dancing in the sky over the harbor! If seeing the Aurora Borealis four nights in a row doesn’t warrant a night cap we don’t know what does! We made the short walk over to Apotek. The place was hopping but we were able grab two seats at the bar and have our cocktails and a couple of appetizers. We had a great time discussing the upcoming U.S. election with our bartender – who is probably more knowledgable about our upcoming election than most Americans! Sorglegt!
DAY FIVE….DAGG FIMM
On day five we opted for a slower paced day as we were planning on a long day touring the South Coast the next day. We started our day at Mokka Kaffi. Our intel was that they have the best waffles. We do not know if they are the best in Reykjavik but they were dang good! A bit of shopping in the afternoon completed the day time portion of that day’s program.
We finished our day with an excellent meal at the highly recommended (thank you Alfie) Tapas Barinn. We ordered several small plates starting with chorizo, followed by prawns, lamb and Icelandic foal. Ljúffengur!
Icelandic Foal
DAY SIX….DAGG SEX
On day six we were back on the road for a tour along the south coast of Iceland following the Ring Road (Route 1). Our first stop was Seljalandsfoss, a popular tourist stop as it is visible from Route 1 and the walk from the parking area to the falls is relatively short and level. At 197 feet impressive, but not the best of the day in our view.
We continued along Route 1 making frequent stops to admire the views on a gorgeous blue sky day.
Several miles drive further along the Ring Road conveyed us to Skogafoss (foss translates to waterfall). This waterfall is impressive not just for its height of 200 feet but also its width of 82 feet. You can walk along the Skoga River and stand at the base of this thundering wall of water.
This was probably the waterfall that we enjoyed the most due to the ability to both stand at the base (and get wet) and also at the top of the waterfall via a steep 600 stair climb. From the top there is a fantastic view of the valley below that extends to the ocean. From here, the Fimmvörðuháls hiking trail (summertime only) continues up the mountain along the river providing access to additional waterfalls.
Approximately 15% of Iceland is covered by glaciers. We began to get glimpses of the Sólheimajökull Glacier heading east on Route 1. While we were not prepared to hike on the glacier on this trip (guide required) we wanted to get up close and the hike up to the tongue of Sólheimajökull was doable.
What was immediately apparent as we approached the tongue was that this glacier is currently in retreat. The glacier is currently about seven miles in length. It has had periods of retreat (1930-1969) and periods of advancement (1969-1995). The glacier has been retreating since 1995 and the rate of retreat has accelerated since 2000. Between 2000 and 2015 it shrank by slightly over half a mile. When it retreats the glacier also gets thinner. We hiked by posts indicating where the tongue of the glacier had ended over a period of years. The photo below at the bottom provides a feel for the magnitude of the retreat. While the demise of glaciers in Iceland is not imminent, about eleven million tons of glacial ice is melting annually. Slæmt!
Iceland has a rich history relating to Elves. We visited Drangurinn rock in Drangshlíð. This large rock sits alone in the middle of a field with a backdrop of the Eyjafjöll Mountains. There are a number of cow and hay sheds built into the rock.
The legend is that elves live inside the rock and would tend to the animals at night if a cow was close to giving birth so that the farmers would not need stay in the pitch dark sheds.
Our favorite tale is about a local farmer who went missing for several days. Upon returning he told the local folks that he had been with the elves in the rock. He also said that the elves were lovely, decent and as handsome as humans. Furthermore, he was going to marry an elf woman. Soon after the farmer disappeared but no one looked for him because they knew he was living in the rock with his elf wife. Ég elska þig!
While it was a chilly day we were keen to drive south to the shore and visit a black sand beach. Route 254 took us south along the Markarfljot until we reached the shoreline at the ferry terminal for Vestmannaeyar (Westman Islands). The view from the beach of the sun heading down and the islands in silhouette was mesmerizing. While we did walk the beach there were no shoes off with feet in the water. This is the North Atlantic in September!
The Vestmannaeyjar consist of 15 islands and 30 rock stacks. The islands were created by underwater volcanic eruptions. The population is approximately 4300 people, all of whom live on the island of Heimaey. Heimaey has two volcanoes. None of the other tiny islands are inhabited on a full time basis.
The name of the islands – West Men – is named after the Irish slaves who fled the mainland to the islands to escape their servitude. Ireland was thought to be the farthest land west of the continent – hence West Men. The West Men were, of course, subsequently captured and killed. Frelsi!
Our friends Jim and Sally recommended that we stop at the Hotel Ranga for a cocktail if we were going to be touring the South Coast. The Ranga fit perfectly with our return leg to Reykjavik and of course all the fresh air and sunshine definitely engenders a thirst which can only be quenched by expertly made cocktails.
Takk fyrir, Jim and Sally! Excellent cocktails in a beautiful setting. The Hotel Ranga is definitely on our itinerary for our next visit to Iceland.
Polar Bear, Hotel Ranga, Hella, Iceland
DAY SEVEN….DAGG TI’U
On our final day in Iceland the rains finally came (no complaints from us) so we decided to do what many other tourists do when it rains in Reykjavik. We visited the Perlan(The Pearl).
Perlan (Photo courtesy of Perlan)
Perlan sits on the highest hill in Reykjavik providing 360 degree views of the city and surrounding area from the roof top cafe and observation deck. The glass dome sits atop six geothermal functioning geothermal water tanks. Quite cool!
The food at the cafe is excellent and they have a full bar. The exhibits are also quite good and entertaining. The focus is on the forces of nature which dominate Iceland’s geography, weather and culture: volcanoes, glaciers, aurora borealis, wildlife and more.
One thing we did not get to see were puffins. But fortunately, the Perlan has a very realistic bird cliff and we have included a couple of photos below with our only puffin sighting, albeit inside the Perlan.
We wrapped up our final day with an Icelandic tradition. A wonderful soak at the geothermal lagoon at Sky Lagoon in Reykjavik. Before entering the lagoon we went through a multi-step ritual starting with a sauna, followed by a cold rinse, a salt paste application and then into a steam bath (we skipped the cold water plunge) and finally the lagoon. Delightful! Oh, did we mention there is a bar in the lagoon – Prosecco please!(Photos courtesy of Sky Lagoon)
That’s it from Iceland…..we had a terrific time. It is a beautiful country with stunning landscapes which reflect the fire and ice theme which dominates. The Northern Lights…. what can we say…. first trip – four sightings….we almost feel guilty. The country is modern yet maintains deep connections to its ancient Viking heritage (including the Icelandic language which reflects the Old Norse spoken by the Vikings).
Every Icelander we met was friendly, polite and knowledgable. This is a country that is civilized and humane (with a living wage for all). Iceland is a literate society. Reykjavik is chock full of museums, book stores, galleries, music venues, street art and excellent food (and coffee).
We wanted to take the most scenic and interesting route to Sydney so we crossed the Bras d’Or Lake at the Little Narrows on the Little Narrows ferry. The ferry operates on demand 24 hours a day and is free of charge. Quite the bargain! This is not the smallest ferry we have ever taken with the Beast but we would not venture out into the open ocean on this vessel!
Little Narrows Ferry, Cape Breton (Photo courtesy of Diana Robinson)
The ferry is a diesel powered cable ferry. This one of four cable ferries servicing Cape Breton and we believe the shortest crossing. The full ride across takes under three minutes. Dare we say it is cute?
After departing the ferry we followed Route 223 to the Grand Narrows where we again crossed a portion of the 62 mile long lake and continued on the Grand Narrows Highway (Route 223) towards Sydney and our appointment with Doktor Luke.
Finally, Doktor Luke’s -silly rabbit – not that kind of doctor! Doktor Luke’s| A Respectable Coffee House… where it is always TIME FOR A DAMN FINE CUP O’ COFFEE.
Sydney (pop. 30,000) sits on Sydney Harbour in eastern Cape Breton. The city was named for Thomas Townshend Baron Sydney (Viscount Sydney). The city’s origin is distinctly British as it’s founding (1785) was as a place for British loyalists who remained faithful to the Crown and in opposition to the establishment of the American Colonies as an independent nation. It is estimated that 100,000 colonist fled the American colonies during or after the Revolutionary War (we do not recall that fact being mentioned during history class). About 70% of the loyalists emigrated to Canada. The United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada (ULEAC) is an one of the organizations that continues to actively preserve the history of the loyalists (to learn more click the link below).
Sydney’s early economic engine was coal mining. There were over 100 coal mines in the area and these mines produced more coal than all of the other coal mines in Nova Scotia combined. The vast majority (similar to Inverness-see prior post) of the coal fields were underwater. As with so many places where coal was a major part the economy and culture, the coal industry began winding down in the 1970s. The last of the underground mines in Sydney ceased operation in 2001.
In addition to coal, Sydney was also anchored to the steel industry. Dominion Iron and Steel was one of the largest steel producers in Canada. Unfortunately, the company was also responsible for significant environmental damage. Steel operations shut down in 1988. Read a brief history below courtesy of Sydney Steel.
Sydney Steel Corporation is behind one of Canada’s biggest environmental disasters. At the very end of the 19th century, American investors formed the Dominion and Iron Steel Company LTD (DISCO) and began large scale steel production in Wintering Cove, Sydney. The area was ripe for steel production with iron ore, limestone and coal at hand in troves. It also has a good harbour for shipping and a good fresh water supply. Within a decade of opening, the steel mill was producing 800,000 tonnes of pig iron and 900,000 tonnes of crude steel – nearly half of Canada’s steel production. It was also one North America’s largest steel production company.
During production throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, operations had dire consequences for the surrounding environment – in particular the wetlands and harbour adjacent to the plant. The facility was situated directly adjacent to and north of the coke oven operations. These coke ovens produced a huge amount of hazardous materials that flowed freely into the subsequently named Tar Ponds.
Throughout the 1970s, as environmental activism began to take heed, concerns for the damage that these mills were causing had reached new heights. Environmental groups would consistently uncover evidence that the government didn’t know the damage that the mills were causing to the environment, or they did and were turning a blind eye. In 1980s, scientists discovered polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the lobster caught in Sydney harbour – a direct result of contamination from the Tar Ponds.
Insistent pressure from various sources caused the steel mill to cease operations in 1988, when the Sydney Steel Corporation turned into an electric arc manufacturer. Industrial production ceased altogether in 2000.
After our Damn Fine Cup O’ Coffee at Doktor Luke’s, we set off on a walkabout through the historic district. Our first stop was at Cossit House Museum. This house is the oldest standing residence in Sydney. It was built by Reverend Ranna Cossit in 1787. Cossit was the first Anglican minister in Sydney. The arrival in Sydney of an Anglican minister at this time is not surprising based on Sydney’s loyalist origin.
Cossit moved from New Hampshire as part of the establishment of the Anglican parish. He was accompanied by his wife, Thankful Brooks, and their six surviving children. Thankful provided the good reverend with another six children before departing for the next life while delivering their 13th child. The well used birthing room is pictured above.
Cossit Family (Photo courtesy of the museum)
The Cossit House Museum was well worth the visit. We had two period costumed guides who were both informative and interesting.
After another damn fine cup o’ coffee the next morning at Doktor Luke’s we set out to visit the Fortress Of Louisbourg (pronounced Lewis-Berg). The fortress is a national historic site located about 20 miles south of Sydney just outside the the fishing town of the same name (pop. 1000).
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site
The construction of the fortress began in 1719 and was completed in 1745 by the French who came to this area after Newfoundland and Acadia were lost to the British in 1713. The settlers, who were primarily fishermen, were able to continue fishing the Grand Banks from Louisbourg. The cod fishery was the primary economic industry and was lucrative. The cod was dried and exported to France in exchange for goods.
Unfortunately, peace and prosperity were not long lived as the British and French went to war in 1745. With troops frm New England leading the attack, the British laid siege to the fort soon after war was declared.
While the fortress is impressive to look at and the harbour side was well defended, the surrounding hills made the fortress vulnerable to the British batteries. The New Englanders captured the fortress in just 46 days.
A treaty signed in 1748 restored the fortress to the French. The French carried on for the next 13 years until once again the British and French were at war. The British attacked the fortress with a massive force of 13,000 soldiers supported by 14,000 sailors on board a fleet of 150 ships. The battle was over in seven weeks with the overmatched French losing once again. The British who were determined that the fortress would never be useful to the French at any time in the future completely demolished all of the fortress walls!
The photos in this post are of the re-created fortress and village. The fortress and 50 of the original buildings have been faithfully reconstructed to the specifications in the many documents left by the French. This is quite remarkable as not a single structure remained when the work began to re-create a portion of the village and fortress. The majority of restoration took place over a 20 year period between 1960 and 1980.Quite impressive!
The fortress is a fascinating look back into the history and lives of the French in this area of Cape Breton. The park is staffed by very knowledgable and friendly guides who are dressed in period costumes. We highly recommend spending a day at the Fortress of Louisbourg Historical site.
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historical Site(Photo courtesy of Parks Canada)
After finishing our tour of the fortress we departed for Battery Provincial Park. It appeared on our atlas that we would be able work our way down the coast on backcountry trails. However, we were ultimately thwarted by a locked gate and had to retrace our way back towards the fortress and pavement. Not all bad news because our back road jaunt did bring us to the beautiful Kennington Cove (photos below) where we paused and took in the marvelous views and the sound of the surf. It is all about the journey!
Back on pavement, we drove to Battery Provincial Park to camp for the evening. The park sits on a bluff above the historic St Peter’s Canal, which allows passage between the Bras d’Or and the Atlantic Ocean. Yes, those are franks and beans!
St. Peter’s Canal, Cape Breton
The next morning we were treated to coffee and music at the Farmers Pantry in St. Peter’s. Steve MacIntyre is a singer/songwiter who hails from Part Hawkesbury. Steve performed a set of original songs and covers of traditional Cape Breton music. Who doesn’t like live music with your first cappuccino!
Too Small a Town – Steve MacIntyre, Robyn Chisholm
Well, that’s a wrap from our travels on Cape Breton. We hope you found it interesting and perhaps helpful for your future travel plans. We enjoyed the scenery, people, history and music of Cape Breton immensely. We have one more post to publish which will chronicle our trip back through the Maine North Woods as we return to Connecticut.
After departing Broad Cove we followed the Cabot Trail (CT) west along the northern perimeter of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park (CBHNP). This route took us up into the heart of the highlands and then back down along the western slope where the highlands meet the North Atlantic. As always, lots of spectacular scenery and driving.
Cabot Trail, Petit Etang
Along the way we stopped to hike the Skyline Trail, considered one of the best hikes in CBHNP. The trail leads out to cliffs providing dramatic views of the mountainous coastline and the ocean below. Although the weather began closing in during our hike, we were still able to see for several miles up and down the coast.
From the Skyline Trail we journeyed south on the CT to the Acadian community of Cheticamp. We had booked an AirBnb for two nights with a deck overlooking the harbour. Unfortunately, the rain moved in that evening squashing our plans for cocktails and nibbles on the deck (rough, eh?). We made the best of it— washed our laundry and got a good night’s sleep.
The next morning was still drizzly, so feeling chipper after a hot shower and wearing freshly laundered duds, we set off for coffee at Marguerite Boutique et Provisions. In the ‘it’s a small world’ category, we met a retired long-haul truck driver (J.P. — Jean Paul) who had lived in Meriden (our home base) for several years-and-a young man from Hamden, Connecticut (on a two year solo journey). We also met some folks from California and New Hampshire — all in all, an enjoyable fika segment!
After fika we poked around town a bit before returning to our our cottage for an afternoon lie down — perfetto on a rainy gray day. We capped off the day with a delicious dinner at L’abrie Restaurant, Cafe et Bar. This restaurant was recommended to us by our barista at the Periwinkle Cafe in Ingonish —thank you very much!
L’abrie is owned by the same partners that own Marguerite. You can read more about the partners, their mission and the restaurant by clicking on the link below.
Cheticamp (Photo courtesy of Societe Saint-Pierre)
Chéticamp is an Acadian region on the shores of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, on the western slope of Cape Breton Highlands in Nova Scotia. It is located between Cape Breton Highlands National Park to the north and Grand-Étang and Montagne des Écureuils to the south. These magnificent sites stretch for many kilometres along the Cabot Trail. It’s settlement began in the decade following the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763, ending the Seven Years’ War between France and Great Britain. Chéticamp takes its name from a Mi’kmaq expression meaning “rarely full”, presumably in reference to Petit Étang (small pond) in La Prairie (the prairie) near Buttereau at the foot of Grande Falaise (big cliff) in the estuary of the Chéticamp River. All these names are the legacy of a rich heritage in the heart of a landscape where wild habitats and the sea merge with extraordinary beauty.
Learn more about the fascinating history of Acadian communities around the world at: acadie-on-the-roads-of-the-acadian-people-map-articles-and-references-about-the-acadian-communities
We departed Cheticamp traveling along the coast on the CT through the scenic villages of Grand Etang and Margaree Harbour. At Margaree Harbour we said our final farewell to the CT and our widdershins loop of CB. From there we followed Route 219 to Southwest Margaree, then we veered inland to explore some of the interior of Cape Breton in the distinctly Scottish heritage area around Lake Ainslie.
The photos above are from the MacDonald Farm in East Lake Ainslie – now operated as a museum by the local historical society. Alexander MacDonald emigrated from the Isle of Mull, Scotland in 1823 – receiving a land grant of 518 acres. His son Charles started the first mercantile in the area in 1848 and built the present house during the 1850s. He also established the first post office in 1876 – Charles also being the first postmaster. The post office operated until 1956!
After exploring the farm we pressed on further into the interior on what appeared to be logging roads which eventually gave way to farmland.
East Lake Ainslie, Cape Breton
Much to our surprise and pleasure, after cresting a rise in the road, we found ourselves staring at a bright red building housing the Skye Glen Creamery! We crossed our fingers in hopes that the creamery was open. Fortunately, we had chanced upon the creamery a few minutes before closing and we met one of the owners, Meghan. She and her husband bought the dairy farm (jersey cows) in 2020 and opened the creamery soon after – lucky us! We bought cheese and delicious chocolate gelato. What a tasty way to finish a ramble.
Meghan, Matt, Sophie, and Heidi (Photo courtesy of Skye Glen Creamery)
From the creamery we found our way to pavement and to the settlement of Mabou (Mi’kmaq for place where two rivers meet). Mabou was a definite on our itinerary due to its proximity to the Celtic Shores Coastal Bicycle Trail and the Red Shoe Pub. We checked in at the Mabou River Inn and then made the short trip across the river into town to dine and enjoy live music at the Pub.
The pub is owned by the Rankin Sisters, members of the multi-award winning Rankin Family musical group. The first generation of Rankins began performing during the 1970s. The Rankin family hails from Mabou and it is a big deal when the sisters drop in to perform at the pub. The pub boasts live music everyday and we were fortunate to hear the Campbell Sisters perform on the evening we dined at the pub.
American Loyalists were the first to settle in Mabou during the 1700s (as usual, if you exclude First Nations). The Loyalists were followed by British and Irish settlers but it was the Highland Scots that came to the forefront during the first half of the 1800s (emigrating as a result of the Highland Clearances). While fishing has always been part of the economy along with agriculture, a notable economic driver in Mabou and Inverness County was mining coal and gypsum. Coal mining persisted into the 1960s but was never successful on a large scale because the coal was under the ocean floor and was prone to flooding (not taking that mine tour!)The bike trail that we were looking forward to riding came about because of the abandonment of the rail line (I&R Railroad) as mining wound down.
We set out the following morning to bike the Celtic Shores Coastal Trail (CSCT) from the Mabou Rivers trailhead north to Inverness (and back). The trail is 57 miles one way – our ride from Mabou Rivers to Inverness and back was approximately 34 miles. Inverness is the northern terminus of the trail and sits right on the ocean.
St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church (background) Mabou River (foreground)
The trail is not paved but for the most part is smooth hard-pack and level. We chose this portion because segments to the south are quite windy making the riding difficult from both a wind and trail erosion perspective. The trail has very few road crossings (always a plus) and we only encountered one other cyclist over the entire 34 miles. We had been looking forward to riding this trail and we were not disappointed.
Upon arriving at the end of the trail we sought out lunch to refuel before riding back to Mabou. We felt it only right to dine at the Coal Miners Cafe & Lounge as the establishment is Biker Friendly. Good grub, definitely friendly and best of all – a Red Sox pub!
On our way back south we stopped to take in the view at Cabot Links Golf Course, which is adjacent to the trail terminus. We are not golfers but the course is laid out along the ocean and the combination of the course and the ocean view is quite magnificent (that’s for you Dorothy). The course actually sits on top of one of the reclaimed coal mines. Cabot Links is ranked as the 35th best course in the world while its sister course Cabot Cliffs is ranked as the 11th best. One of the people we met while at Marguerite for coffee had played at Cabot Cliffs – Twilight Round – nine holes at $350.00. The photos below are courtesy of Not Your Grandfather’s Mining Industry and Cape Breton University.
After completing our ride back to the trailhead at Mabou Rivers we made the short drive to Marble Hill and spent a relaxing evening watching the sky as the sun set over the Northumberland Straight.
We will pick up the final leg of our journey on Cape Bretonas we drive two hours for a much needed consultation with Doctor Luke in Sydney. More on that in our next post.
After our delightful pit stop in Moncton, New Brunswick, we began the trek south for our first visit to the province officially named Nova Scotia. Not coincidentally, the land was given to Sir William Alexander by King James VI of SCOTLAND in 1621. For some unknowable reason Sir William decided that it should be formally known by the Latin name Nova Scotia. Of course, like all lands in North America there were indigenous people already here — who called this land Mi’kma’ki.
Historical footnotes aside, we traveled south on Canada Route 2 until we crossed the border at Amherst. From there we took some country lanes south to camp and hike at Five Islands on the Minas Basin.
Southampton,Nova Scotia
Five Islands is a tiny town (pop. 316) situated on the north shore of Minas Basin. There are in fact five tiny islands just off the shore from the town — Moose, Diamond, Long, Egg and Pinnacle. The Minas Basin has the highest tides in the world!
We found a campsite high above the bay providing us with a view of the bay and the tides flowing in and out — draining the basin in the process! We also hiked the Red Head Trail from just above our campsite down along the cliffs ( see bottom photo below) which provided spectacular views and a darn good climb back up to our campsite.
Minas Basin — Red Head Trail
From Five Islands we followed the north shore of Minas Bay on the Glosscap Trail and then looped around the eastern end of the bay and turned west to follow the southern coast on the Glooscap Trail. The trail took us through several small villages. As we neared mid afternoon we began thinking about food – happily we happened on the Frieze and Roy General Store in the community of Maitland (pop. 503). I believe the Chicken Club sandwiches we had that day were the best we’ve had! A bit of background on Frieze and Roy is included below.
The Frieze and Roy General Store was a hub for trade, shipping and shipbuilding in the 1800s. It is still open today, making it the oldest general store still operating in Canada. Frieze and Roy was first opened by Jacob Isaac Frieze in 1839 and later run by David Frieze and his son George. In the 1870s, the Roy family became a partner in the venture and bought out the Frieze family a decade later. The Frieze and Roy families, both from Maitland, were merchants as well as shipowners and shipbuilders. Vessels including the barque Snow Queen, the Esther Roy, the Linwood, and the brig Trust were owned by the established firm. However, as the shipping industry declined in the 1880s, the store began focusing more on general goods, selling everything from farm tools to fine china. The business remained in the hands of the Roy family until the late 20th century. Today, the store stands as a pillar of the community, a contemporary reminder of Maitland’s rich history.
After departing Maitland with our bellies comfortably full we set sights on the town of Windsor where we would stay overnight before attempting to overland from Albany Cross to Keji NP. Windsor sits on a point where the Avon River, the St. Croix River and the Pesaquid Lake converge. Windsor is a bit bigger than most of the villages we had been traveling through (pop. 5500) and offered us the opoortunity for a night in a hotel, pub fare at the British Spitfire Pub and specialty coffee at Gerrish & Grey.
Old Liverpool Road
The overland journey started very well with a relatively smooth wide road through a series of lakes. Once we got a short distance south of the lakes it became apparent that not many folks ventured beyond the lakes. We took an optimistic view and forged on as the trail became rockier and narrower. Three hours later we emerged back onto pavement with several new dents, a loose hoop step and lots of new pinstrips!
Old Liverpool Road
Once we were back on pavement we completed our journey to Keji NP. We continued to have wonderful weather and took advantage of this by hiking along Lake Kejimkujik on our first evening and bicycling around the park on day two. The beautiful Mersey River winds through the park making for particularly scenic riding.
Kejimkujik’s name is derived from the Mi’kmaw, which means little fairies. In the past, Kejimkujik Lake was known as Fairy Lake; today, one of its bays still bears the name Fairy Bay. This notion of fairies is considered to be similar to the “little people”, such as gnomes and elves, present in the folklore of other cultures.”Little people” are believed to assume various forms in Mikmaw culture. One such example is Wiklatmu’, small entities thought to be represented among the petroglyphs.
While this park is away from the coast it still revolves around water with the large lake, the river and many streams flowing through the densely wooded park.From the park we again sought the coast, albeit the south coast and the historic town of Lunenberg.
We originally planned to visit the Black Canyon of the Gunnison (BCG), Rocky Mountain Nation Park (RMNP) and Great Sand Dunes National Park(GSDNP) while in Colorado. But as we monitored the conditions in Colorado during the trip (and spoke with some fellow travelers who had recently been in Colorado) it became apparent that we would not be able to access significant portions of our original itinerary due to this winter’s abundant snowfall in the Rockies.
So, after several excellent weeks touring western New Mexico, we departed Farmington, New Mexico to traverse Colorado in a northeasterly direction to visit GSDNP in southwestern Colorado, while forgoing the BCG and RMNP.
Durango – Four Corners – Route 550, Colorado
Of course, custom requires that our first meal after crossing a state line consist of burgers, fries and, if possible, a milkshake.Happily (and perhaps unhealthily) our tradition remains intact!
South Fork – Eastern Rockies – Route 160, Colorado
After refueling with burgers and diesel we continued our drive to the town of Del Norte. Prior to Euro-American settlement, this area was occupied by the Utes who migrated to the area from the south during the warmer months of the year. When this territory came under Mexican rule during the early 19th century, Hispanic settlers migrated north to take advantage of land grants offered by the Mexican government. Subsequently, this area was ceded to the United States by Mexico.
In 1859-1860 gold was discovered in the San Juan Mountains in what had been Ute territory for 500 years. Never mind, the Kit Carson Treaty (Ute Treaty of 1868) was negotiated in order to remove the Utes from the gold rich Central Rockies in exchange for land on the Western Slope of the Rockies. This treaty, as with most other treaties between the federal government and Native Americans, was eventually violated by the federal government and after the Utes rebelled they were driven out of Colorado entirely (Meeker Massacre).
Del Norte, Photos, Courtesy Denver Public Library
Today the small town of Del Norte (pop. 1600) is mainly an outdoor recreational hub with rafting on the adjacent Rio Grande and a plethora of rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking and camping options.
After a quick tour of the small downtown we headed west a short distance to find a camping spot in the Rio Grande National Forest. We found a great spot in a meadow which afforded us a panoramic view of Del Norte Peak.
Rio Grande National Forest
Del Norte Peak, Elevation 12,400′
The following morning we set our course due west for the one hour drive to visit GSDNP. The park was declared a national monument in 1932 in order to keep the dunes from being damaged by gold mining or concrete manufacturing. The monument was elevated to full national park status in 2004.
Great Sand Dunes National Park – Sangre De Cristo Mountains
GSDNP presents a fascinating landscape with grasslands separated from a thirty square mile sand desert by Medano Creek. The dunes are tucked in against the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains–quite spectacular! The sand dunes at GSDNP are the tallest in North America. Some are as high as 700 feet (Star Dunes is the tallest at 750 feet).
The dunes here are constantly changing as winds from the mountains drives sand down onto the dunes. Weather and erosion form the sand into distinctly identified and ever changing shaped dunes – parabolic, transverse and barchan – as examples.
Unfortunately, our opportunity to explore the dunes was limited due to an approaching lightning storm. One of the park rangers was kind enough to point out the obvious – not smart to be standing on top of a 600 foot dune in the middle of a lightening storm!
Medano Creek
In addition to the fantastic scenery, we were looking forward to driving the Medano Pass Primitive Road. The road is a sandy and rugged 22 mile 4WD road which runs from the base of the dunes up and over the Medano Pass (10,040 feet). The road was not fully open due to the conditions at higher elevation. The road crosses the the creek nine times and the water flow was still too deep due to this years snowfall.We have included a short video clip (below) from our drive on the road to provide a feel for the road and scenery.
Medano Pass Primitive Road
The NPS video below by is about the Navajo (Dine’) People, their four sacred mountains and their relationship to the land that now constitutes GSDNP.
We enjoyed our brief visit at GSDNP and we look forward to returning on a future trip to explore the dunes in depth, boondock up on the mountain and traverse the entire Medano Pass Primitive Pass Road.
Walsenberg, Colorado
On departing GSDNP, we decided to push straight on through to Colorado Springs. Our previous trips to Colorado Springs were business related and we stayed at the world famous Broadmoor. We would not be staying at the Broadmoor on this self funded visit!
The Broadmoor
Colorado Springs sits at just over 6000′ above sea level at the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains. Snow covered Pikes Peak (14,100′) looms over the city to the west creating a stunning backdrop. We did not travel up to the peak on this trip as we had taken the nine mile cog railroad trip on a previous visit (we definitely recommend riding the railroad to the top if the weather is clear -which it usually is in this part of Colorado). The train ride is fun and the views are phenomenal.
Pikes Peak
From our pre-trip research we knew that Colorado Springs held promise for specialty coffee and a vibrant street street art scene. Our first stop was Building III Coffee Bar and Roastery – B3 is located, along with a number of other occupants, in a former public school building now known as Lincoln Center – great to see the building repurposed. Excellent coffee, great breakfast sandwiches and uber friendly staff! Extremely popular – it can be hard to get a seat even with the large amount of seating capacity – but it is worth the wait. https://www.building3coffee.com/
Building Three Coffee
Well fortified with caffeine, we ventured out into the uncharacteristically gray, chilly day in search of street art. We decided to start our pic hunting session in the Knob Hill neighborhood, located a short distance northeast of downtown. We were pretty certain the neighborhood would be street art rich based on reading about the Knob Hill Urban Arts District. The District is a “nonprofit organization dedicated to putting art up on every damn wall we can get our hands on.” Love it!
The photos below are a small sample of the street murals we found in the Knob Hill neighborhood. This group is not kidding about putting art on every wall. We found art in every alley and available nook and cranny. So good! To see more of the street art we photographed during OTR 9.0 in Colorado Springs and other cities see our WordPress blog @streetartfromtheroad: part two.
There are also a number of large scale murals in downtown. The photos below are a few of our favorites we captured while strolling through downtown.
With the cloudy, drizzly weather persisting into our second day in Colorado Springs (coincidently nicknamed “Little London” although not for the weather – there was a large British population in the 1870s) we decided to visit the Fine Arts Center (FAC) at Colorado College. The FAC is located in the Old North End neighborhood – an area of stately late 19th and early 20th century homes and tree lined boulevards.
The Fine Arts Center is home to the art museum as well as a theater school and performing arts venue. The museum was opened in 1936 as an outgrowth of the Broadmoor Art Academy. The Colorado Springs area had become a hub for art on a scale commensurate with the more well known artist colonies in Taos and Santa Fe.
Charles R. Bunnell (1897-1968) March Snow, 1940, Oil on canvas
Victor Higgins (1884-1949) Santa Fe Hills, Date Unknown, Oil on canvas
As with many museums of this size, the collection is regionally (although not exclusively) focused. We have included photos of several paintings which reflect the southwestern focus (and which we really liked). The museum is definitely worth a couple of hour visit when you visit “Little London”.
On our final day in Colorado Springs we ventured out to Red Rock Canyon. We had held off visiting earlier in our stay due to some cloudy weather. Unfortunately, it appeared that everyone else in Colorado Springs had done the same (it was also the weekend) and this popular open space was quite crowded.
Still, we managed to find some quiet spaces and uncluttered views as we walked between and around the rock formations. Additionally, there are a number of moderate and longer trails for the more adventurous which usually provide solitude regardless of when you visit.Do visit when the sky is clear in order to see Pikes Peak rising above the red rock formations.
Interestingly, Red Rock Canyon is a city park consisting of 1474 acres of land. The park was pieced together with the multiple purchases of parcels over a period of years during the 1920s and 1930s by private citizens. It was acquired by the city in 2003. What makes the park’s history all the more remarkable is that many of the parcels were formerly quarries, gravel pits and industrial sites which have been reclaimed. There is little evidence of the past use of the space – without reading about the history you would most likely not think that to be the case.
After our walkabout at Red Rock, we popped over to the nearby Old Colorado City neighborhood. The neighborhood was at one time a separate town that prospered as a coal mining town and in the late 19th century as a gold refining location after the discovery of gold nearby. Typical of so many western mining hubs, the boom ultimately became the bust. The final straw was the prohibition of liquor sales in 1914. In 1917, the town was annexed by Colorado Springs.
The brothels and saloons that once lined Colorado Avenue have long since been replaced by art galleries, restaurants, wine bars, coffee shops and clothing stores. After a bit of browsing in several of the art galleries and book shops we took lunch at La Baguette Cafe and Bakery. Yum – the best bread!http://labaguette-co.com/
We were uncertain what lay ahead in regard to specialty coffee as we were about to venture into more rural territory; so we stopped in downtown for coffee, tea and breakfast at Loyal Coffee. First rate in all regards!https://loyalcoffee.co/
The photo below is of our unanimous choice for best vehicle OTR 9.0!
From Colorado Springs we traveled north – camping near Sterling, Colorado for our last night in the state. In future posts we will chronicle our trek across the midwestern plains en route to Connecticut.
Our first stop after departing Silver City was Catwalk Recreation Area (CWA) where we were looking forward to hiking through the Whitewater Canyon. The beautiful slot canyon formed by the Whitewater Creek once served as a hideout for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as they attempted to evade the Pinkerton’s. Geronimo and his warriors also used the canyon to elude the U.S. Cavalry.
During the 1890s, the power of the upper creek flowing through the canyon was harnessed to bring water to the gold and silver mill which was situated in the lower canyon. Workers constructed a pipeline through the canyon which was bolted to the canyon walls about 20 feet above the creek. A series of catwalks were built on top of the pipeline in order to access it for maintenance and repairs. The boom came and went, and the mines and mill were closed in 1913; the materials were sold for scrap. The 200 or so residents left for other parts to find work.
The canyon essentially returned to its original state with no residents or mining operations. In 1935 the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) utilized the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to create a hiking trail through the canyon. The CCC used the existing bolts in the canyon walls to build a new wooden catwalk as part of the hiking trail through the canyon. The trail was opened in 1937 and survived until 1961. It was replaced by a metal catwalk which subsequently was destroyed by storms in 2013.
Fortunately for us and other visitors, the USFS was able to have a new catwalk built and installed in less than a year. Today the catwalk extends approximately one half of a mile into the canyon, then hikers can continue on the canyon surface for another mile — as long as they are willing to make several water crossings. There are plans to extend the trail deeper into the canyon in the future.
After our hike at Catwalk, we traveled north and ventured across the winding single lane Bursum Road (NM59) to visit the town of Mogollon (mo-go-yone). The town sits deep in the Mogollon Range within the Gila Wilderness at 6500 feet above sea level.
Bursum RoadDriving Towards Mogollon
View from Bursum Road to the West
The town is sometimes referred to as a ghost town but it actually has a handful of residents (apx. 15) and several businesses. We saw several parked cars but no people during our walkabout. The town’s history began when gold was discovered in the late 1800s. Gold was mined here continuously until the 1950s. As a result, many of the structures are still standing today which leads to sense of stepping back in timeas you travel through the small town.
Mogollon, 1940, Photo credit Russell Lee
Gold mining brought as many as 6000 people to the town at the height of production at the Little Fannie Mine and several other nearby mines. The town flooded often (sitting on the Silver Creek) and major portions burned multiple times. The town’s reputation (like many mining towns) was that of a rough and tumble place with several saloons and brothels (and no law).
Little Fannie Mine
After our day at CWA and Mogollon we found camping in the Gila National Forest among the pines and the serenading cattle that were roaming around us in constant search of food. The next morning we pushed northeast out of the forest onto the Plains of San Augustin. The Plains stretch 55 miles from the northeast to the southwest and range in width from five to fifteen miles.
Our primary purpose in transiting the Plains was to visit the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA). The VLA consists of 27 radio telescopes positioned across the Plains via railroad tracks. Each of the radio dishes stands 90 feet tall, 82 feet across and weighs 250 tons. In their widest configuration the radio dishes stretch for over 20 miles across the Plains. The Plains are an ideal setting for the VLA as it is far away from any population centers and shielded from light by the surrounding mountain ranges.
The Very Large Array
We won’t pretend for a second to understand how this works but it is nonetheless fascinating to see the array in action and to learn about the many important discoveries made utilizing radio astronomy. The array has captured activity in our galaxy as far away as 150 quadrillion miles!
We met a motorcyclist who had pulled over for a break while we were off the road near the VLA adding air to two of our tires with slow leaks. He asked us if we were going to stop in Pie Town – we said yes – he said good, it is a tradition whenever you cross Route 60 to stop and have pie!
Well, we did, and it was dang delish! Maria had the Cherry Almond Pie and I had a piece of the freshly made Coconut Cream Pie. Pie Town establishments did a good business dishing out pies for cross country travelers and local ranchers until the ubiquitous interstate was built and diverted much of the traffic away from town.
Fortunately, about 25 years ago the Pie-O-Neer Cafe opened and it has been doing a booming business ever since. In addition to many travelers that now routinely avoid the interstate, the Continental Divide Trail runs through Pie Town. Many hikers stay at a nearby hostel and consume thousands of calories (based on what we saw) replenishing for the next leg of the journey. The town itself has not grown with a population hovering around 25, but they apparently throw a heck of a pie festival every September.
After filling our bellies with delicious pie, we set north across some dusty ranch country on the York Ranch Road in search of camping near El Malpais National Monument (EMNM). As you can see in the photo below left, the desert can be cruel for those unprepared for the terrain.
We found a beautiful spot to camp just east of EMNM on a bluff which provided great views and a spectacular sunset.
In the morning we made our way north to Grants, New Mexico to have our leaking front tire replaced. From there, we set out for the Big Tubes area to explore. There is only one way in or out – the Big Tubes Road ( NPS 300) – a classic impassable-when-wet mud job. Fortunately, while there had been some rain leaving behind some large ruts, the road was fairly dry and passable. Regardless, we would not recommend this road without 4WD and high clearance.
NPS 300
The Big Tubes Area is a massive volcanic landscape that provides the opportunity to explore lava tube bridges, lava tubes, tube caves and lava flows. There are no marked trails, although there are cairns laid out across the field – use the cairns – there are no other usable reference points in this other-worldly place. Even utilizing the cairns we made several wrong turns in hiking out and back across the field.
You are free to scramble down into the tubes and caves and under the bridges. We recommend wearing gloves and a climbing helmet. The boulders in the trenches and tubes are big and sharp!
From EMNM we traveled through several portions of the Ramah Navajo and Zuni Indian Reservations on our way north on the 602 to Gallup. We had reserved a couple of nights at the El Rancho Hotel and were looking forward to staying at this 1940s hotel that once hosted dozens of Hollywood stars ensconced here while filming Westerns in the area. Additionally, the hotel sits smack on Historic Route 66 to add even more kitsch. From the photos below you might suspect we were not disappointed with our decision.
Gallup has a storied history that predates the movie making haydays of the 1940s and 1950s. The first white settlers arrived in the area that became Gallup in the early 1860s. This was Navajo land and thus the Navajo attacked the white settlements. The cavalry was dispatched to physically remove the Navajo people from the area. The U.S. Army destroyed the Navajo homes, crops and livestock. The Navajo were then force marched 400 miles to a reservation where they were held for four years. In Navajo history this event is known as The Long Walk.
The town was formally founded in 1881 as a railhead for the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad. The freight lines that ran through the middle of Gallup hauled the high grade coal that was mined in the area. While the coal mining in the area has largely played out, more than 100 freight trains still rumble through town every day.
American Coal Company – Atlantic & Pacific Railcars
Coal miners in Gallup went on strike in 1933. The situation in Gallup was politically charged due to the multi-faceted race issues that existed in the American West. Many of the miners were Mexican and, influenced by their experiences during the Mexican Revolution, were members of the communist National Miners Union. The white miners aligned with United Mine Workers of America. Additionally, by the 1930s, many Navajo Nation members from the abutting reservation had begun working in the mines in Gallup. The Navajo coal miners did not belong to any union and routinely crossed the picket line – they did not consider themselves as members of the world outside the reservation. This act further intensified the significant racism already directed at Native Americans in the West.
The strike turned violent in 1934 and the sheriff was shot and killed by a Mexican miner. Subsequently, the Mexican miners were deported en masse. The UMWA became the sole union, although it took another nine years for a contract to be signed by the coal companies.
Mural Depicting the Coal Mine Riot of 1934
We took advantage of the opportunity to try the local cuisine. Lots of delicious dishes to choose from. The only item we do not recommend is the beef tongue – it’s a texture thing!
We enjoyed our stay in Gallup. Fascinating western history, excellent local cuisine, fine coffee and great street art. However, please keep in mind this is not a trendy tourist town. As a result of the long history of cultural and socio-economic issues there is a legacy of high unemployment, high crime and poor education which is evident within the community.
A quick stop in Farmington, New Mexico for fuel, coffee and groceries and then we headed over the state line for the snow capped peaks of Colorado.
