R-r-roll up the r-r-rim!

Friday, March 15, 2013
Windsor, ON – “Welcome home!” was the friendly greeting from the border services officer as we pulled past the wicket and entered Canada once again. Even though there were no familiar faces or even sights to see, since we’ve never crossed into Canada at this border point, somehow it felt kind of nice to be ‘home’ again in our own country.

Mother Nature was kind again today by giving us overcast skies and zero precipitation as we pulled out of Lima and headed north. It was still cold, but that’s to be expected in this part of the world this time of year.

The first part of our trek today was through wide expanses of farmland, where rows of dry stubble from last year’s crops awaited the tilling and sowing of new seeds as the soil softens and temperatures rise. Bare trees stood in clumps around the farm buildings, and overhead were flocks of geese, migrating to their summer territories.

Before long we were into more urban landscapes as we approached Toledo, perched right on the state line with Michigan. There was evidence of the auto industry for which the city is known, with assembly plants and smokestacks. Toledo is located along shipping routes between Chicago and New York, and next to the Erie Canal, so that accounts for some of its importance, as well as the glass industry that flourishes there.

We stopped at the Michigan welcome center to pick up another map when we crossed the state line. Displays in the center showcased the state’s wine country, winter sports, ethnic communities and even a teddy bear factory that sponsored one display.

Detroit came next, with a vast array of suburbs followed by heavy industrial sections with low grey buildings and chimneys spewing white smoke into the sky. Henry Ford built the first car here, and the auto industry played a huge role in the city’s development, but the population has declined by half from 60 years ago, leaving a lot of depressed areas. The population of Detroit is 82 per cent African-American according to recent statistics.

Our little motorhome and car were dwarfed by the armies of semi-trucks zooming past on Interstate 75 toward the Ambassador Bridge that would take us into Canada. I’m sure hundreds of them must make the crossing in one direction or the other every day. After negotiating the various turns and lineups, we crossed high up over the wide Detroit River and then down into Canada. That’s where we met the friendly border crossing agent, answered a couple of questions, and then moved into the city of Windsor.

Our hotel is right along the route from the bridge that will lead us to Highway 401 tomorrow. And across the street is a Tim Hortons where we had our lunch and r-r-r-rolled up the r-r-rim to win on Val’s coffee cup. Except we didn’t win anything today! Our prize this time is being ‘home’ once again after a terrific holiday. Only a few more sleeps before we’re in Ottawa.