Tales from The Road

[Warp daddy]

Did a quick trip to Montreal and headed home. Highly recommend. Side note: the exchange rate is favorable right now (we just got lucky with that).

About 800 miles. Fuel cost of $115 - high speed charge up and down and a top off at hotel L2. The Rivian charger in Queensbury is perfecto location wise - 2.5 hours from Montreal and 3.5 from home.

Man, the food in Montreal is fresh, clean and good. My wife put together a mini walking food tour map for the fam in the Miles End area: gnocchi, Montreal bagels, Ukrainian perogis, ice cream (including home made soft serve which I have yet to find in the US). The bagel place (Fairmont bagels) happened to have the best pretzel I have tasted.

We went to Jean Talon market (sp?) a cool open air market. Had some very good ‘prosciutto’ from Quebec ham cured there that therefore cannot be called prosciutto.

One night homemade hand pulled noodle place where I had Dan Dan noodles medium spice (reminds me of bolognese without the tomatoes and add chili). So good.

Very walkable city with lots of great places to run near the old port area. Did 9 miles Saturday morning in some drizzle and was pretty much alone though I saw a big group (maybe 50) about to start a run. From that area ran onto what I think is one of the landfill islands adjacent by an industrial area. Felt very walking dead/zombie apocalypse as it is picturesque and overgrown there.

Our stay was at china town (points hack at holiday inn) across the street from the metro, five minutes walk from down town, 10 to old town and 10 to old port. Subways and buses ran at least every 10 minutes. The china town is small and quality but also a great spot to get to other areas of the city. We didn’t need to drive over a 4 day stay.

Fast forward to a sunny Sunday and the old port area was quite the people watching operation. We shot over to Mont Royal (their Central Park but overlooking the city). Fun time.

Montreal and Quebec city are very fun places to visit .. Montreal is 2hrs away so a quick trip . We also love their nations capitol just 56 miles away

There are also some really cool places along the St Larry on the Canadian side in the 1000 islands region . Kingston in particular the original nations capitol city which is home to Royal Military College (their West Point) and Queens University and a vibrant downtown area along the River and areas on The Lakeshore . Another easy stop in the area is Brockville and Gananoque both on the River in the 1000 Islands region

 

[tirolski]

If folks are going up outta Denver the Loveland Pass had a landslide.

Extended closure expected as crews begin to clear Loveland Pass landslide

A landslide struck Loveland Pass early Sunday morning, burying U.S. Highway 6 at mile marker 226. No injuries or vehicle damage were reported.

www.denver7.com

I-70 is gonna be nuttier than nutty.

Brief hourly closures of I-70 near tunnels possible for indefinite time period following Loveland Pass landslide

The Colorado Department of Transportation stated in a news release Monday it will clean up the 100-foot wide mountain slide on Loveland Pass that has blocked U.S. Highway 6 since Sunday in two phases. The...

www.summitdaily.com

Just in time for mountain vacations...

 

[MarzNC]

If folks are going up outta Denver the Loveland Pass had a landslide.

Didn't take as long as expected to get the road re-opened.

June 18, 2025

Loveland Pass reopens following large landslide

After being closed since Sunday, June 15, U.S. Highway 6 over Loveland Pass is open again. The Colorado Department of Transportation gave Loveland Pass the OK to reopen to motorists and recreationists as of 1...

www.summitdaily.com

"
After being closed since Sunday, June 15, U.S. Highway 6 over Loveland Pass is open again.

The Colorado Department of Transportation gave Loveland Pass the OK to reopen to motorists and recreationists as of 1 p.m. Wednesday, following a landslide that was 100 feet wide and 15 to 20 feet deep.

The agency said it took seven tandem dump trucks, continually hauling 92 tons of mud and silt to clear the debris, in a Wednesday news release.
. . .
According to CDOT, while there is a history of partial slides in the area, with a similar on in 2003, the area had stabilized and shown no further movement in the past 22 years."

 

[Harvey]

I like the old style rest areas on the Thruway better

Big surprise huh

 

[x10003q]

View attachment 29478

I like the old style rest areas on the Thruway better

Big surprise huh

The best part is the closed on Sunday (huge travel day) Chick Fil-A restaurants. Way to serve the people.

 

[Harvey]

Maybe it's a southern baptist thing?

 

[x10003q]

Maybe it's a southern baptist thing?

" Why is Chick-fil-A closed on Sunday?

Our founder S. Truett Cathy made the decision to close on Sundays in 1946 when he opened his first restaurant in Hapeville, Georgia. Having worked seven days a week in restaurants open 24 hours, Truett saw the importance of closing on Sundays so that he and his employees could set aside one day to rest, enjoy time with their families and loved ones or worship if they choose, a practice we uphold today. "

Why is Chick-fil-A closed on Sunday?

Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays, a tradition started by founder Truett Cathy in 1946, to allow employees to rest and spend time with family or worship.

www.chick-fil-a.com

They can close anytime they want.

However, when there is a limited venue choice, like a limited access highway rest stop, all the restaurants need to be open all days. If you cannot fulfill a Sunday (one of the busier days if not the busiest) you should not have a franchise in this type of location.

We sometimes hit the New Baltimore rest stop at mile post 127S on the NYS Thruway on the way home from VT on a Sunday. There is a Chick Fil a, Shake Shack, and Panera. The lines at the SS and Panera are crazy. The building is designed for and has the business need of 3 restaurants, yet only 2 are operating on a busy travel day. It is a total fail.

In addition, south of Albany, Plattekill MP 65S, Sloatsburg MP 33S, and Ardsley MP 6 all have Chick Fil A closed on Sunday. So at a minimum, 1/3 of the food service below Albany is closed on the NYS Thruway. There are Chick Fil A restaurants on the I-90 portion of the NYS Thruway, also.

 

[Tjf1967]

Not many bathrooms. That's a problem.

 

[Peter Minde]

The big issue with New Baltimore is that it serves both northbound and southbound traffic. Anymore, if I'm heading to NJ, I try to bring a sandwich with me. Either from home or from one of the fine establishments in the Tri-Lakes. Beats anything the rest stops have to offer.

Although I agree, if yer gonna stand on ceremony and be closed Sundays, Thruway Authority shouldn't have signed a contract.

 

[Harvey]

Beats anything the rest stops have to offer.

I REALLY miss the Sbarro that was at Sloatsburg. A casualty of covid.

That place had excellent food.