Whirlwind

I've recently done some work in Trenton, and these trips make for a good way to blog. While I would much rather be blogging about adventures and such, this will do. I am not trying to fill up netspace, just sharing my experiences.

I had never been to Trenton before, so I was delighted to see something new. Here are my adventures.

So this is the plane that was taking me from Calgary to Toronto. I always take a picture of the planes I'm about to fly on.

This plane was flying to London, UK. That would be cool to do someday.

This is Winnipeg from 35,000 ft. On the hi-res photo, you could actually see the forks. A very cool place to see.

This is the Holiday Inn in Trenton. It was comfy, and I didn't arrive until 11pm (9pm, Alberta Time), but travel and driving is always exhausting.

I thought it was funny that this was the alarm clock in the room. I had the same one as a kid, so I knew how to use it. (and I still have it today!)

Driving around Trenton. Yup, it looks like Ontario.

Compared with Alberta, there are many more brick houses in Ontario. I thought they looked pretty nice.

I arrived at the base 2 hours early (well, my contact there was 2 hours late), so I drove around the area and explored what I could. 

This is driving along the south of the base.  Those are the A319 transports for DnD.

Since there are many buildings on either side of this highway, there were pedways across the roads for everyone to, well, get across (d'uh!). Pedways. Fun with you feet!

I was amazed that traffic lights in Ontario were the same colour. And the same orientation too. In Alberta, they are sideways, with 2 shades of yellow, a blinking green that alternates between green and purple, and the stop light is a black light that only works if you are wearing a white shirt.

This is the work that I had to do. Change those 3 connectors to different types of connectors. That's all I will say about work.

I always make sure to get in some exercise when I go anywhere, so the morning I was to leave, I went for a jog around the area. 

I have a knack for looking at a map and being able to find trails for running (since I prefer them to roads). So a quick glance at a Trenton area map and I found my route. It proved great!

It crossed the Trent river via a Dam Bridge.

Beside the Dam Bridge was a train bridge. Yes, they have train bridges in Ontario as well.

Like I said, my knack for finding trails, even when the locale is unknown to me.

The trees were budding! March 30th! I hope it was doing likewise in Alberta (it wasn't).

Looking down the Trent River towards the lake.

And yes, I made it back to the hotel, showered, and headed north towards Ottawa.

I flew home from Ottawa, so on my way in to the airport, I slightly detoured through heavy rush-hour Friday traffic into our nation's capital. Ah, good memories from November 2010!

I wanted to get out and wander a bit, but I knew that finding a gas station on the way to the airport had proved difficult on my previous visit to the city. So I gave myself plenty of time to get to the airport (which is only about 20 mins from Parliament Hill).

And the plane that took me home. Gate 22. 22 is such a good number in my life!

 The trip was a whirlwind, but it was good. Only two nights away from home, but still two nights too many. I did some awesome work and got everything done ahead of time (hero biscuit!). I also reconfirmed my abilities with my profession, if that makes any sense.

I was also fortunate enough to visit my granny who lives in Perth, halfway between Trenton and Ottawa. She's 93, and we spent a few hours together which is always a treat! She's doing so well and it's always such encouragement to see her! I wish my wife and son could have been there, but I'll take what I can get, especially on company dime!

:-)

A variety of things...

Disclaimer! These photos were all taken with my camera phone, so quality is not so good...

We in Alberta think gas prices are tough at about $1.10 per litre. Well, I was in Ottawa two weeks ago...

This is the plane that took me home from my recent travels to Trenton. I was only gone 2 nights, but it was long enough.

Zebras at the Calgary zoo. We were there early last Saturday, but not early enough to beat the 1.5 hour line to the new Penguin Exhibit. The rest of the zoo was pretty sparse, giving good photo opportunities.

I am patiently waiting for my luggage at Pearson International Airport in Toronto. I had a 2 hour drive after I landed at 8:30pm in Toronto. I couldn't, however, resist the urge to take a detour through Toronto downtown along the Gardiner Expressway past the CN Tower.

I bought free-range eggs from the Butcher shop in Cochrane, and I was delighted to find my first ever double yolk! 

My guitar arrived a few months ago, and it is awesome! I picked it up during one of my lunch breaks at work, and every was so grumpy that I couldn't try it until I got home. Oh well, it is fun!

This lion escaped in the Calgary zoo and rest rather animatronically in the Transalta Building on the roof of a hut. Tourist, beware!

At CFB Trenton. I didn't take too many photos, but those are C-130s off in the distance. I pointed out several of them that I used to work while I was at SPAR Aerospace in Edmonton.

There was a poster for the Cochrane Guitar Festival, so I thought all I had to do was take a photo of this barcode with my camera-phone and it would take me to the linked site. Needless to say, it did not work...

I had some meetings in downtown Calgary, and I was on the 15th floor of the building. I took this photo of  9th ave SW. I am always a little awestruck when I am among the tall office buildings of the city. I guess that's the small town kid in me.

And of course, rather than park my car in Calgary's core for $15 (for a 1 hour meeting), I took the Ctrain. Again, a treat for a small town kid like me.

My wife commandeered my new camera (see previous post), so I used my camera phone to take photos. But since the quality is lousy, I will likely save up another $150 for a second camera for me!

:-)