Sam and Adam

In the morning we headed off to Canada. We passed some auto parts stores, and jumped at the chance to change our battery cables. The van was getting a little hard to start when hot, and then the cables were worn. One of the terminals had even started to melt from a bad contact, so we couldn't wait longer. All of the cables off was a little trickier than we thought (as usual when fixing the van), but eventually we were back on the road.

Melting battery connection and bad wire.

Crossing into Canada was a cinch. We were asked a few additional questions at the border (compared to my parents), especially concerning camping and employment, but they let us pass with no inspection or fee. It was very chill compared to all the Central American crossings I had experienced last summer.

We met up with our friends Sam and Adam and their 7-month-old daughter Sylvia. Adam is a farmer, so we got to eat some delicious fresh veggies for dinner. He made a spicy Indian dish – with fresh cauliflower from the farm. Blueberries and raspberries were ripe during our visit so we went outside to snack on them for dessert! Since we were so far north, the sun was out pretty late. After dinner, Sam and Adam let us help expand their chicken coop fence. It was a fun project.

The farm had dark black soil. Adam was growing endless varieties of veggies, and they were all doing very well. He even had two coops of chickens and a few ducks that he raised for eggs.

The dogs, Molly and Roscoe, are well. Molly still is eager to lick legs, but amazingly has mellowed out a bit after a few more years. Roscoe is still frightened of everything, and even looks to little Sylvia for comfort from the air cannon blasts on nearby farms that keep birds away from blueberries.

In the morning, we met the the couple of farmers that Sam and Adam live with. They got a kick out of Adrianne and me trying to round up some chickens that had escaped through a small hole in the new fence, we sure felt like city slickers trying to chase the baby chicks back in the coop. We were sent off with a variety of fresh fruits and veggies, a special treat for the road trip.

It was great to see Sam, Adam and Sylvia so happy.