Access the Haskell Free Library From Either the US or Canada

Like Rue Canusa, the rules are simple. You can enter the library from either the US or Canada, but you must return to the country you entered from. You can move freely inside the library, as if the border was not there. There is no customs checkpoint to go into the library, as there is no border crossing there. If you need to formally cross the border, there two ports of entry within about half a kilometer of the library.

While there is parking on both sides of the border, the only entrance into the library is from the US. If you come from Canada, you must stay on the sidewalk and go directly to the front door. There is a US Border Patrol agent just outside the library who can help you if you need anything.

The library is completely bilingual, with books in both English and French. They also have French-speaking and English-speaking librarians. When you walk into the library, one of the first things you’ll notice is the black line across the floor. That black line is the international border.

For a small space, the library had an impressive choice of books, especially when you consider that the books are in both English and French. Genres ranged from children’s books to young adult novels to many different kinds of fiction and non-fiction.

A Look At the Border Near the Haskell Free Library

Before jumping in to look at the border, take a step back and think of all of the fences, barriers, razor wire, and other deterrents at the US-Mexico border to discourage illegal crossings. If that’s one end of the spectrum, the border at the library would be the opposite end of the spectrum. Here, the US-Canada border is protected by … cue the drumroll …

… a row of flower pots.

While you may be tempted to laugh, this picture is an ode to the simpler times in the early-to-mid 20th century. As you drive through both Derby Line and Stanstead, you will see plenty of surface streets like the one seen in the picture that cross the international border and link the two towns.

An Ode to a Simpler Time

You could pass freely between the two towns before both countries tightened border security. Today, all of those streets now have fences, gates, or in this case, flower pots, across the road. It’s now highly illegal now to cross the border anywhere other than an official port of entry. If you’re caught illegally crossing the border now, you may face fines, imprisonment, deportation, and/or being barred from entering the country for a minimum of 5 years. Don’t even think about doing it.

Here are a few more photos of the border near the library.

The Final Stretch

As I get on Interstate 91 to head south, it finally starts to set in that this incredible adventure is coming to a close. I found truly fitting that with my history of chasing storms in Oklahoma, I had to tiptoe my way through severe thunderstorms and Tornado Warnings as I made my way through New Hampshire and Massachusetts. I am happy to report that I made it safely to my parent’s house in Massachusetts without incident from the severe weather.

This is not a trip that will be forgotten anytime soon, but I’m looking forward to spending time with my family and then gearing up for the “business” part of the trip. I’ll be loading up a trailer with the rest of my stuff that my mom and dad still have and hauling it back to Arizona. Here are some final numbers from the trip:

• Total Distance: 5,587.3 km
• Total Driving Time: 58 hrs, 4 mins
• Countries Visited: 3
• States/Provinces Visited: 15
  • Mexico: 1 (Sonora)
  • USA: 12 (AZ, NM, TX, OK, MO, IL, IN, OH, MI, VT, NH, MA)
  • Canada: 2 (Ontario, Québec)
• Duration of Trip: 11 Days

The post Road Trip 2019: Haskell Free Library and Opera House appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

Rue Canusa is a Glimpse into the Past

It wasn’t too long ago that crossing the US-Canada border was much more open than it is today. Small border towns became united by the fact that the border ran right down the middle of them. Customs checkpoints were minimal, and in town, you could cross back and forth between the two countries pretty freely. However, both the United States and Canada began to crack down on border security during the second half of the 20th century. As a result, the international border quickly morphed into a divider instead of a symbol of unity in most border communities.

Two communities that seem to have defied the border division over time are the towns of Stanstead, Québec and Derby Line, Vermont. They remain united by Rue Canusa (French) or Canusa St. What makes the road unique is that the international border runs right down the middle of the street. The houses on one side of the street are in Vermont, and the houses on the other side of the street are in Québec. We can take it a step further. When you’re driving down the street, the traffic coming in the other direction is in a different country.

What About Customs?

So I know exactly what you’re wondering, here. How does customs work here? It’s actually pretty simple. Rue Canusa is a Québec Provincial Highway (QC-247). If you’re coming from Canada and staying in Canada (i.e. not going to any of the houses on the Vermont side of the street), you do not need to check in with customs. If you’re doing anything else, you must report to customs. My understanding is that there is a special protocol for people who live on Rue Canusa, but I do not know what it is. Rue Canusa is only about 500 meters in length, so there really aren’t that many houses along it.

Rue Canusa in Photos

Here is short a photo essay of my drive down Rue Canusa. I was heading eastbound, so Québec is on the left side of the street and Vermont is on the right side of the street.

Well, that was a really cool little detour. It’s now after 4 PM, so it’s time to scoot back across the border into the US. Our final stop of this epic adventure is the Haskell Free Library and Opera House.

The post Rue Canusa: A Symbol of Unity on the US-Canada Border appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

Histoire #1: There Are a Lot of Centrevilles in Canada

Il y a beaucoup des Centrevilles au Canada.

This one comes from my uncle. When he first moved to Canada many many years ago, he noticed tons of signs for the town of Centreville. They were everywhere. It felt like every other town he came across was called Centreville.

It didn’t take him long to figure out that Centreville was not the name of the towns. The signs were for “Centre-ville”, which means “downtown” in French.

Histoire #2: Le Pont à Péage et Les Ensignes Bizarres

After crossing the border from Ontario into Québec, my top priority quickly became getting around Montréal before a) the bad weather set in and b) rush hour began. I had the route all mapped out before leaving Arizona, so I knew exactly where I needed to go. Follow L’Autoroute du Souvenir, which is what the 401 becomes when you cross into Québec. Take Autoroute 30, which is the bypass road around the south and east side of Montréal. On the other side of Montréal, get on Autoroute 10, which provides access to Sherbrooke and points east.

As skies darkened and traffic started to build, I found myself behind a bright yellow semi truck. You don’t see too many colorful semi trailers like that in the United States (or Canada for that matter). It kind of mesmerized me. My GPS then alerted me that we were approaching the turnoff to Autoroute 30. I snapped out of my mesmerized state in order to focus on navigation.

Anyone who has been stuck behind an 18 wheeler knows that seeing signs can be a challenge at times. This is especially true when you’re trying to navigate in traffic or weather – the exact scenario I was in. As I was on the ramp to Autoroute 30 trying to see around the semi, I happened to catch this sign out of the corner of my eye.

An Error in Planning

Now, I’m thinking to myself that I specifically remember planning this trip so that other than the Turner and Rogers Turnpikes in Oklahoma, I would avoid toll roads. Well, apparently I missed one. By now, I was past the point of no return. I had committed to the toll bridge. Thankfully, I had plenty of cash and a credit card with no foreign transaction fees. There was nothing to worry about.

Anyone who has been to the United States knows that most highway signs primarily use words and not diagrams. Anglophone Canada operates pretty much the same way, as does many of the tourist areas of Mexico near the US border. Those areas are increasing efforts to go fully bilingual.

The Ikea Challenge at 100 km/h

It turns out that Québec and Francophone Canada use the European approach to road signs. They use diagrams and not words on their signs. If you’ve ever put together furniture from Ikea, you know what deciphering these diagrams can entail. As I crested the toll bridge, I started to look for the signs for “Espèces” (cash) or “Carte de Crédite” (credit card) to pay the toll.

Instead, I saw two diagram signs. One just had a giant dollar sign on it, and the other looked like a cop trying to arrest someone. This was the Ikea diagram challenge all over again. As an added bonus, this time I had the challenge of doing it at 100 km/h. I wanted to pay with cash, so I essentially ended up just flipping a coin and chose one of the lanes signed by the giant dollar sign. Thankfully, that ended up being the cash lane. I paid the toll and continued on my way to Magog.

Histoire #3: Le Lac que Personne ne Peut Prononcer

Magog, Québec is well-known for its beautiful lakefront, which provides plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities, recreation, and relaxation. The name of the lake, however, is a mouthful. Thankfully, it’s the same in both French and English: Lac Memphrémagog. The name is derived from a Native American (Algonkian) word, Memrahabegek, which means “where there is a big expanse of water”. The lake itself is huge, spanning over 50 km from Magog, Québec south to Newport, Vermont.

Unlike English, almost all words native to the French language are pronounced how they’re spelled. French pronunciations are not quite as straightforward as Spanish pronunciations, but they’re close. Where you start to run into pronunciation issues is where you have words that are not native to the French language, such as “Memphrémagog”. In all of the years I have spent studying the French language, I have never come across a word as long as “Memphrémagog” or a French word where you have so many “unnatural” pronunciations so close together.

Trying to Pronounce Memphrémagog

The evening before I left my uncle’s house, we decided to become a bit more cultured and learn the correct pronunciation of “Memphrémagog”. A quick Google search landed us on a webpage that had sound clips of the correct pronunciation in just about every language you could think of.

With the lake being in Québec, it was only natural to get the proper pronunciation in French first, and then in English. Once we had some good laughs trying to get it right (we eventually did get it right), it was time to truly bring this to the absurd and listen to it in other languages.

Before long, we had also listened to the pronunciation in Spanish, Italian, German, Swedish, Finnish, Polish, Greek, Russian, Serbian, Arabic, Punjabi, Chinese, and Japanese. As expected, it did reach some pretty absurd levels. We had plenty of good laughs trying and failing to pronounce the lake’s name in all these different languages. It amuses me just how easily entertained we are sometimes.

Histoire #4: The Most Canadian Anti-Road Rage Message I’ve Ever Seen

I’m normally not one to poke fun at stereotypes, but sometimes it’s just too easy. Unlike Americans, Canadians are known for being well-mannered, friendly, and at times even too polite. Canada was actually named the most polite country in 2015. With that reputation, you would think something like road rage wouldn’t be an issue, but apparently it still is. Shortly after turning off of L’Autoroute du Souvenir to go around Montréal, I came across this message on an electric sign.

The sign essentially says “Don’t yell at others. Be courteous.” While I’ve seen plenty of humorous electronic signs over the years, I don’t think you’ll see a sign like this in the US anytime soon.

Alors, voici mon sortie sur l’autoroute pour aller à Magog, Rue Canusa, et la frontière des États-Unis. À la prochaine fois!

The post Road Trip 2019: Histoires de la Route vers le Québec appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

One of the last stops along the waterway as you head west towards Lake Huron is the Big Chute Marine Railway (Le Ber Roulant de Big Chute in French). The railway sits near the town of Muskoka, about 15 km west of Gravenhurst, Ontario. It is open to boat traffic from May to October.

What is the Big Chute Marine Railway?

What makes Big Chute so unique is that there is a marine railway instead of a lock. Because of an unusual land barrier between the two bodies of water, building a lock was impractical, if not impossible. The marine railway was much more cost-effective and efficient to both build and operate. The railway covers a distance of 228 meters, with an elevation change of about 20 meters.

As fascinating as it was to sit and watch the railway, my uncle and I actually came to Big Chute to go paddling. We loaded up the canoe and set off down the river. We weren’t sure how far down the river we could get, so we decided to go until either we couldn’t go any further or we got tired. At that point, we would stop for a picnic lunch.

The first obstacle we got to was a large dam, so we had to beach the canoe and carry it the short distance around the dam. On the other side of the dam, it became really tranquil and peaceful. We were away from the crowds and it really was just us, the river, and nature.

We Didn’t Make It Far

A short while later we got to our first set of rapids. We beached the canoe and climbed up on the bank to scout the rapids. My uncle and I spent a few minutes contemplating a plan. We were confident we could get safely through the rapids. However, neither of us were all that excited at the prospect of having to carry the canoe around the rapids on the way back. This would be where we would have lunch.

A Moment for Reflection

Being able to sit on the banks of the river also gave me the first opportunity to reflect on the trip so far. Less than 2 weeks ago, I was sitting on the beach in Mexico at the beginning of the trip. That felt like it was about 2 years ago. A week ago, I was driving across the west Texas prairie on my way to Norman, Oklahoma. Again, that seemed more of a distant memory now rather than something that had just happened. I had left Norman just 4 days earlier. Funny how criss-crossing your way across three different countries will do that.

As great as the trip has been so far, it’s also important to keep looking forward to what’s ahead. It’s hard to believe I will be leaving my uncle’s tomorrow morning for the final leg of the trip exploring Québec. After that, I’m heading to the trip’s final destination at my parent’s house in Massachusetts.

It seemed like a blink of an eye once we started paddling that we were back at the boat launch at Big Chute. It turns out we had only paddled a little over a kilometer downstream. We really didn’t make it that far before we stopped. I snapped a few last pictures of the marine railway. We loaded up the car and headed back to Washago.

A Final Stop on the Trent-Severn Waterway

On the way home, to see a comparison, we stopped at the Couchiching Lock (L’écluse Couchiching in French), which is also part of the Trent-Severn Waterway. After seeing the lock, it became quite obvious why the Big Chute Marine Railway was built instead of a lock. That’s it for now. Enjoy the photos. À demain au Québec!

The post Road Trip 2019: Big Chute Marine Railway appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

From Indianapolis, I set my sights on crossing the border into Canada for my second stopover of the trip. I’ll be spending a few days at my uncle’s house in Washago, Ontario, which is near Toronto. My original plan was to not have to cross the border on the weekend. Alas, it was a Sunday and I wasn’t about to wait around in Indianapolis. I got off to an early start to avoid getting caught in traffic. Many weekend warriors return home from Canada on Sunday afternoon. My Global Entry card allows expedited entry into the US, but does not get me anything crossing the border into Canada.

The Detroit-Windsor Border Crossing to Canada

The most direct route to my uncle’s house is to cross from Detroit, Michigan into Windsor, Ontario. That crossing is one of the busiest ports of entry on the entire US – Canada border. After crossing from Ohio into Michigan, it felt like it took forever getting up to Detroit, despite it only being about 45 miles. All while watching the wait times on the CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) website get longer and longer.

The Ambassador Bridge is the direct link between I-75 in Michigan and the 401 in Ontario. By the time I started coming into the southern suburbs of Detroit, the wait at the Ambassador Bridge was close to an hour and a half going into Canada.

Time to go to Plan B: the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel

I was very happy, and a bit surprised, to see that the wait times at the tunnel were only about 10 minutes. The route to the entrance to the tunnel is disturbingly well signed. Navigating the streets of downtown Detroit was a breeze. After a short jaunt through the tunnel (a little under 1 km), you pop out in another country.

Fun Fact: The Detroit/Windsor border crossing is the only spot on the main part of the US – Canada border (i.e. excluding Alaska) where you can go south from the US into Canada

What to Expect at Canadian Customs

The process for entering Canada is very similar to entering the US. Restrictions on what you can bring into Canada are very similar to what you can bring into the US. When you pull up to the primary checkpoint, give the CBSA agent your passport. US passport cards also work entering Canada at land and sea ports of entry. Answer their questions truthfully, and be transparent. Don’t try to hide anything. Some things they may ask about include, but are certainly not limited to:

• The purpose and duration of your visit to Canada; where you plan to go
• If you’re carrying meat products or fresh produce
• If you’re carrying any weapons (guns, knives, etc) or drugs
• If you’re carrying any alcohol
• If you have medication or prescription drugs
• Do you have any past criminal convictions? If the answer to this question is yes, you will likely be denied entry into Canada unless you file the proper paperwork ahead of time

Onward into Canada

After a short 10 or so minute wait in line and a brief, friendly stop at the primary customs checkpoint, I was on the streets of Windsor. I ended up leading myself a bit astray trying to get around a couple street closures. When you leave the customs area, you’re actually facing back towards Detroit. I didn’t realize that, but I quickly got my bearings straight. Once I put the Detroit skyline in the rear view mirror, it was a quick and painless drive to get out to the 401.

Other than a half-hour delay due to an accident in a construction zone, I had a smooth run up the 401 to my uncle’s house. That accident was amazingly the only slow-down on the entire trip, other than a few short at customs. I know my uncle has some hiking and canoeing planned and I’m really looking forward to being able to do it when everything’s not buried under 2 feet of snow.

Funny Addendum to this Leg of the Trip

One pattern I noticed on this trip is that whenever I crossed an international border, something really funny and unexpected happened. This one happened at the first gas station I stopped at in Canada. I swiped my credit card at the pump and entered my zip code. I was getting ready to select the fuel type and put the nozzle in the filler to fill the tank when the pump asked another question that caught me completely off guard.

How much fuel do you wish to purchase?

The kicker was that you could only select a dollar amount, you couldn’t select a volume. And there was no “Fill It Up” option. Now I start doing the math in my head that I’ve done time and time again. The tank was a little over 1/4 full. I knew pretty much the exact number of gallons I needed to fill it up. From there, it’s easy to figure out how many dollars it is.

The Metric System Unexpectedly Got the Best of Me

I looked up at the price on the electric sign in front of the gas station and it immediately dawned on me that my math had gone awry. Oh crap, I’m in Canada. Those prices are in liters, not gallons. I start to do the conversion in my head. By now, it had thrown me enough curveballs to slightly knock me off my game. I’m trying to do the (very) approximate conversion of 1 gallon = 4 liters minus a little bit in my head, but the numbers just weren’t coming out right. For some reason the fact that I was paying in Canadian Dollars instead of US Dollars thre my logic off. The currency type was irrelevant because it stayed the same throughout the calculation.

Now, here’s where the rational person would pull out a calculator to do the conversion, but I don’t admit defeat that easily. After a few more attempts at the conversion and getting unnecessarily thrown off by an exchange rate that I didn’t know (or need), I got a number that sort of made sense and sort of didn’t. I had been on the road all day (remember this day started back in Indianapolis) and eventually just said “Screw It” and picked my best guess at the dollar amount: $50 Canadian.

It’s Better to Be Lucky than Good

After pumping the gas and completing the transaction, I got back in the truck to see how I did on the calculation. Much to my surprise, I absolutely nailed the guess. The needle on the fuel gauge was just above “F”, prompting a quick impromptu celebration before getting back on the road for the last few kilometers to my uncle’s house. The ensuing times I bought gas in Canada on this trip I came in “guns-a-blazing” and ready to do the math correctly. I was both happy and a tad disappointed when I discovered those pumps all had a “Fill It Up” option.

The post Crossing the Border into Canada: What You Need to Know appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

I’m back in the 405, yeah

It’s always great to go back to your old stomping grounds and this time was no different. After being on the road for three days, I was looking forward to a few days out of the truck and catching up with friends from my days at the University of Oklahoma in Norman.

I find it truly fascinating how the human memory works. When I lived in Norman, I often went storm chasing. Certain experiences, both good and harrowing, get permanently seared into your memory. You remember every detail vividly – the sights, the sounds, the smells, and the feelings. The feelings usually went to one of two extremes:

1. Absolutely ecstatic and excited. You took that perfect picture of a tornado ripping across the open prairie. The storm was never a threat to any structures or civilization
2. The epitome of “holy shit” moments.

Reflecting on My Fondest Storm Chasing Memory

Coming in on Interstate 40 from Amarillo always brings back 2 distinct storm chasing memories. The first, ironically, happened nowhere close to I-40, and in fact didn’t even happen in Oklahoma, but I digress. On May 19, 2012, I photographed seven tornadoes near Harper, Kansas, about 20 miles from the Oklahoma State Line.

Every decision I made that day turned to gold, and Mother Nature rewarded me with a front-row seat all to myself of the only tornadoes to strike the Great Plains that day. All of the other chasers were in Nebraska chasing a triple point that ended up busting.

Back to the present day, I pulled off of I-40 in Weatherford, Oklahoma to gas up at one of my favorite truck stops. It seemed like I fueled up at that truck stop just about every time I chased storms in western Oklahoma. When I pulled up to the pump, there was one memory that instantly came right back: the May 31, 2013 El Reno tornado.

Looking Back at the May 31, 2013 El Reno Tornado

On May 31, 2013, I watched that El Reno storm from a safe distance behind the dryline. I holed up on a dirt road south of Weatherford for most of the afternoon as one of the most powerful tornadoes in Oklahoma history tore its way down I-40, bulls-eyed for downtown Oklahoma City. Dopper radar measurements confirmed wind speeds of at least 296 mph.

After the sun went down, I made my way back to the truck stop in Weatherford. I planned to wait for authorities to re-open I-40 and then head home. I didn’t realize that after the tornado lifted, the storm dropped over a foot of rain over parts of the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas, including Norman, causing massive flooding and more havoc.

One of the More Harrowing Drives I’ve Undertaken

By 11 PM that night, I-40 was still closed. So were all the other east-west roads I would have taken to get home. Authorities announced that it would not re-open until the next day. This left me with one option. I had to take back roads to get home. My best option was Highway 9, but it was a flip of a coin whether it would be flooded. I knew if I could make it to Interstate 35, I could get home. I took a gamble. If I ran into flooded roads, I would keep diverting south until I reach I-35. If I have to drive all the way to Texas, so be it.

The trip home that night was one of the sketchier things I’ve ever done. Every hill I went over, and every corner I went around, I constantly wondered whether the road would be underwater on the other side. More importantly, would I be able to stop before reaching the edge of the water? I got incredibly lucky that night. Highway 9 was dry the whole way to I-35, and I made it home to Norman without incident, despite Oklahoma City being underwater.

Another Great Visit

This trip was another fantastic trip to Norman. We ate plenty of good food, played plenty of our favorite NBA video game, and had plenty of good laughs. We also got to partake in one of our favorite pastimes of poking fun at the local weathermen on TV. It’s time to get back on the road and head for my next stopover in Canada, and I’m already looking forward to stopping in Norman again on my return trip in a couple of weeks.

The post Road Trip 2019: Norman, Oklahoma Stopover appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

Amarillo by morning, Amarillo’s on my mind

Palo Duro Canyon has been on my bucket list ever since I lived in Norman. Moving to Arizona and exploring the southwest only fueled my desire to visit even more. This trip, I finally decided that I would make the trip to the canyon. No excuses.

The Grand Canyon of Texas

Palo Duro Canyon is often referred to as “The Grand Canyon of Texas” and “The Grand Canyon’s Little Brother”. Meaning “strong wood” in Spanish, it is the second longest canyon in the United States. It is roughly 200 km (120 mi) long with an average width of 10 km (6 mi). Only Arizona’s Grand Canyon is longer. Palo Duro Canyon is part of the Caprock Escarpment.

The entrance to the state park located only about 40 km (25 mi) south of Amarillo, Texas. The canyon was formed by the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River during the Pleistocene era. Humans first inhabited the canyon about 15,000 years ago, and have continuously inhabited it ever since.

Shortly after entering the state park, you get your first view of the canyon, and boy, did it not disappoint, especially in the early morning light. A stunning 180-degree vista of the canyon greets you prior to the descent into the canyon.

Descent into the Canyon

One of the big differences between the Grand Canyon and Palo Duro Canyon is that you can drive down to the bottom of Palo Duro Canyon. The road to the bottom of the canyon is steep, but straight, with the exception of a switchback at the very bottom. The State of Texas paves and maintains the road, so it is in very good condition.

After hours of driving across the prairies of far eastern New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle, the descent into the canyon felt like I was instantly transported back to Arizona and Utah. At the bottom of the canyon, I was able to see rock layers similar to the Grand Canyon, rock formations like the ones you see in Zion National Park, and hoodoos that always conjure up memories of Bryce Canyon. There was also plenty of prickly pear cactus and other desert plants, which is a common sight across much of West Texas.

There are plenty of outdoor recreational activities in which you can partake at Palo Duro Canyon State Park, including hiking, camping, mountain biking, horseback riding, and much more. It looks like there are some really spectacular hikes throughout the entire park. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to do any of them. I needed to get back on the road and head for my next stopover in Norman, Oklahoma. Maybe next time.

View Full Photo Album

The post Palo Duro Canyon: The Grand Canyon of Texas appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

Now I don’t know
I don’t know
I don’t know where I’m a gonna go
When the volcano blow.

Set on top of the Continental Divide outside of Grants, New Mexico at an elevation of 8,000 feet, the Bandera Volcano is a fantastic adventure. Cool off, take in the fresh mountain air, and escape the scorching summer desert heat.

A Violent Geological History

Approximately 10,000 years ago, the Bandera Volcano violently erupted, spewing magma and lava out the southern side of the mountain. As the lava flow cooled and hardened, it created the ice cave at the entrance of a collapsed lava tube. Because the lava rock is such an incredible insulator, the unique shape of the ice cave traps frigid air inside the cave. Temperatures inside the cave never rise above 31°F (-1°C), even in the dead of summer. Coming from the sizzling deserts of Phoenix, nothing felt more refreshing that walking down into the ice cave.

From the visitor’s center, there are two very short hikes to the volcano and the ice cave. Please be aware that both hikes are above 8,000 feet. If you are not accustomed to being at high elevation, you will be huffing and puffing even though both trails are relatively flat. I opted to head up the volcano first. The trail to the volcano is about half a mile one way and rises about 150 feet in elevation.

One you reach the edge of the caldera, the first thing that really stands out is just how big the hole in the ground is. The volcano itself is 800 feet deep, which doesn’t sound like much. To put that into perspective, those are full-size pine trees growing inside the crater, as well as on the rim. The amount of force required to make a hole that big in the ground all at once is astonishing. The equivalent amount of dynamite or TNT required to make a hole that big is incomprehensible.

How Does the Bandera Volcano Compare to El Pinacate and Crater Lake?

I found it fascinating to compare the Bandera volcano to other volcanoes I’ve visited in the past. Most recently, in 2017, I visited maar craters (which are formed by volcanic explosions underground) at La Reserva de la Biosfera El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar in Sonora, Mexico and at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. The maar craters are much more symmetrical in shape. They are also much much bigger than the caldera at the Bandera Volcano. The Bandera Volcano is 800 feet deep and no more than 1,000 feet in diameter. Cráter El Elegante at the El Pinacate Reserve is about one mile in diameter and 850 feet deep. Crater Lake is about 5 miles in diameter and has an average depth of 1,200 feet.

From the volcano, you have to hike back to the visitor’s center to access the trailhead to the ice cave. The trail to the ice cave is an easy hike. It’s about 1/4 mile one way. Other than the 70 or so stairs you need to descend to enter the cave, there is no elevation change.

Like a Walk-In Freezer

As you descend the stairs into the ice cave, logic would dictate that the temperature would gradually drop as you descend into the cave. Amazingly, logic and reasoning will lead you astray here. If you’ve ever gone into a walk-in refrigerator or freezer, that’s essentially what happens when you enter the ice cave. You’ll cross a magic threshold as you descend and the temperature will instantly drop from whatever the ambient air temperature is (about 80°F when I was there this afternoon) down to about 30°F inside the cave.

The unique shape of the cave, coupled with the incredible insulating properties of the lava rock, traps cold air inside the cave and creates the walk-in freezer effect. The ice is over 20 feet deep and is roughly estimated to be up to 3,400 years old. The greenish teal tint to the ice comes from Arctic algae and alpine moss. Both are incredibly rare to find this far south.

If you’re ever passing though western New Mexico on Interstate 40, I highly recommend a stop at the Land of Fire and Ice. If you have additional time, driving the full length of NM-53 is a scenic and breathtaking alternate to Interstate 40. It passes through the Zuni Reservation and becomes AZ-61 once you cross into Arizona.

View Full Photo Album

The post Bandera Volcano: New Mexico’s Land of Fire and Ice appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.

I need a little time to vegetate my mind, escape from my reality. Just Mexico, tequila, and me.

There’s something truly special about the start of a road trip. The fresh air, the open road, and that sense of freedom. There’s no better feeling in the world. This trip was particularly special for me for reasons I’d rather not go into, so I decided that I would go all out and make this one particularly epic. It will take me through 3 countries, 15 states/provinces, and cover 5,500 kilometers.

A Special Beginning

I couldn’t think of a more appropriate place to start this trip than Puerto Peñasco. The city, which sits at the top of the Gulf of California in the Mexican State of Sonora, is where the desert meets the ocean. Look one way and you’ll see the sparkling azure waters of the Sea of Cortez. Look the other way and you’ll see the stunning mountains and dunes of the Sonoran Desert. It’s about as close to Margaritaville as you can get. And that’s coming from someone who lived in Florida for 6 years.

As I sit on top of the hill overlooking El Malecón, a spectacular sea breeze starts to fill in. It’s instant relief from the 105-degree heat and high humidity. That feeling of freedom and being on vacation finally starts to truly set in. The smell of the salty air coming off the ocean. The smell of the fresh Peñasco shrimp wafting over from the waterfront restaurants and the street taco stands. Then down on the street you start to hear the country and western beach music from north of the border blend with the regional Sonoran music. It puts you in laid back and relaxed vibe. You only need to worry about which taco stand you want to get lunch from.

Jimmy Buffett Would Be Jealous

My favorite part about visiting Puerto Peñasco is indulging myself in the region’s world-famous seafood. The Rocky Point shrimp put the fresh Gulf of Mexico shrimp I would get when I lived in Florida to shame. It’s not even close.

I managed to get a seat on the patio at one of the waterfront restaurants at El Malecón for lunch. It was so hot out everyone was sitting inside in the air conditioning, so the only other person eating on the patio was a local street vendor selling Mexican dulces (candies). While I was waiting for my shrimp tacos to cook, he and I struck up a casual conversation. Like most interactions with the locals, we conversed half in English and half in Spanish.

After a little shopping and a mandatory stop at the local fish market to get a big bag of fresh shrimp to bring home, I made my way back to the truck as excitement started to set in. This is kilometer zero, the official start of my road trip. I can’t wait to see the sights, friends, and new experiences the next 5,500 kilometers bring.

All in all, this was a truly awesome way to kick off the trip and a great way to set the mood and tone for the entire adventure. Puerto Peñasco is a special place, and there is no place more appropriate place at which to start this trip. Let’s hit the road.

View Photo Album

Funny Addendum to this Leg of the Trip

They always say that the funniest things happen when you least expect them. Boy did that ever prove true here. I pulled into the Mexican border town of Sonoyta, Sonora on my way back to Phoenix. I made sure I had my passport easily accessible and went over my mental checklist of everything I had to declare to US Customs as I made my way towards the border.

Shortly before you get to the border, two Mexican federal highways briefly come together. When they fork, one highway runs parallel to the border and eventually brings you to Mexicali and Tijuana. The other highway brings you to the Port of Entry and becomes Arizona State Route 85 once you cross back into the US. Here is a picture of the fork (note the green signs).

Bear Right Towards “Oosah”

As I approached the fork, my GPS said very loudly, “Bear Right towards Oosah”. Apparently acronyms are still a foreign concept to the GPS AI technology. Anyway, I burst out laughing so hard and couldn’t stop. I almost had to pull the truck over to re-compose myself.

Keep in mind the setting here. I’m by myself, laughing my ass off in my truck, less than 500 meters from an international border that’s well known for all kinds of nefarious activity. In the back of my mind, I know I’m going to be driving very slowly – no more than 40 km/h (25 mph) – past the Mexican military, federal police, and customs. They’ll notice.

Thankfully, I was able to play the 40 km/h speed limit to my advantage, and used the extra time to compose myself well before reaching the border. I crossed safely back into the US, and after a brief and friendly stop through US Customs, I was on my way back to Phoenix.

The post Puerto Peñasco, Sonora: A Special Beginning to My 2019 Road Trip appeared first on Matthew Gove Blog.