Vermont return

[chris vickery]

Have just returned from my weekend wurl-wind tour North Bay ON to Bristol VT USA... left at 0800hrs Friday and just returned now (saturday 2300hrs...)

What I learned on my trip...
1) I can put the Ford/Chev debate to rest, once and for all. For those of you who know me, my 1995 s**tbox pickup commonly referred to here as Old Blue has again proved its worth having attained another 1550kms to add to the sum of 267,593 total kms. Proof enough that Fords are built tough and mine certainly looks the part. I am suprised that US Customs allowed my wonderful gem to grace their highway system. Accordingly, many of its brethren are still on the road there albeit you have to look to see them. Many are parked incognito in places like scrap yards, farm lots etc.

2) We are getting screwed by the Canadian Taxman.
Fuel was $3.89/US gallon, converted at $1.05 Canadian exchange for a total of $3.70/US gallon Canadian dollars or approx .93 a litre...compared to $1.39 in North Bay ON

3) Beer was $4.69 for a six pack of tallboys of locally crafted golden goodness converted to $4.47 CDN dollars or 74 cents a can, once again see above re: Taxman...

4) upscale hotel at $89US less my 5% CAA discount, exchange etc $80.50 CDN compared to the national Canadian average of $139 per night...Plus two comp 10% discounts at a really great steak and seafood place down the road.

5) Top of the line steak and seafood supper. The wife had a 10oz filet mignon plus shrimp, baked potato, veg, salad bar and a pint of Imported Canadian beer. I had the chicken Teryiaki with jumbo scallops, veg, local wild rice, salad bar and a pint of locally crafted Porter. Total $65USD less our 10% com discount, exchange etc $55.70 CDN. Did I mention the fact that the local restaurants insist on local purchase for their supply of meat, veggies and seafoods? Nothing like fresh seafood from Boston or Portsmouth.

Its been over 15 years since I travelled to the US but with our current dollar exchange rate I highly recommend a trip. Wish I had more time. The people in Vermont were exceptionally friendly, the state is ultra clean and tidy, has the lowest crime rate in at the United States and the deals were good.
On the downside, crossing the border on the long weekend into the US from Montreal was not my best idea as the wait was almost 2 hours and US Customs was not friendly at all. On the upside, Canada Customs at Cornwall ON was very quick, 1 minute at the gate, a friendly discussion of fixing up old army jeeps and smooth sailing at secondary customs (5 minutes max to pay the Taxman) My French Canadian wife accompanied me and was a terrific spotter for all things green. I think she is now trained. She was ecstatic when she spotted St Hubert BBQ just past Customs in Cornwall so that was dinner.
All in all a great trip and my jeep tub is home and was certainly an excellent buy as well as the other goodies I found for it along the way.