The goals for this trip were to (re-)visit all the national parks north and east of the Mason-Dixon line, (re-)photograph the college campus signs of the colleges/universities I needed to (re-)visit, do some family history in several states, and, visit friends in Massachusetts. This also allowed me to cover some new highways I had never been on, and, spend a third night in all states needing a third night except North Dakota (which will be done next year).

New England and Southeast Canada: Before, and after, New England, there were dozens of stops planned in other states. Other than visiting some friends in Massachusetts, the main purpose of this entire trip is three-fold: college signs, national parks, and, family history research. The first two I managed to achieve all my planned goals. However, family history research fell way short of hoped-for results.
In southeastern Canada I wanted to spend some time in New Brunswick since I skipped right through it in 2019. And the original plan was to go around the entire perimeter of Nova Scotia. But, to cut down on the number of miles (as well as hours and days) of driving) I decided to skip the southwestern part of Nova Scotia, thus, missing one national park there and its night sky view of the center of the Milky Way.

MISSED VISITING:
--Xenia Ohio Library and County Clerk Office
--Family history research in Westchester county just north of Manhattan Island
--Dummerston Vermont
--Some historical societies that are open only a day or two per week, or even per month!
--Decided to skip the southwestern portion of Nova Scotia -- between the cloudy forecast (I wanted a clear dark sky night) and I have driven many more miles than I planned and the lease car agreement limits the number of miles I can drive -- only thing really missed there is the Kejimkujik National Park and its night sky
--Decided to skip the Glace Bay portion of northern Nova Scotia (but did go to Sydney for the Cape Breton visitor center)
--Seeing the center of the Milky Way Galaxy from the two big national parks Kejimkujik (Nova Scotia) and Kouchibougauc (New Brunswick) -- cloudy for the nights I was in their areas
--Seeing, and photographing, whales -- chances were at Saint John New Brunswick (must get on a boat) and at Digby Nova Scotia (skipped this half of Nova Scotia)
--Sunrise/sunset over a large body of water -- weather failed to cooperate
--Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion -- the forecast was continued rain, plus, after talking to someone who had worked there in the past and said the place is more about celebrating holidays than showing their garden and mansion

OBSERVATIONS: Some observations made while traveling in this area:

• Ahhh, if I were a New England resident, I would put together a group who go into each cemetery, fix/cleanup the headstones as much as possible, and photograph every headstone and mark their coordinates on a map for all others to find. Need mirrors to reflect sunlight onto headstones to make readable when photographing, or, have a very bright flashlight.
• A first seen: a vehicle headed in the opposite direction on an interstate somehow lost a tire and it came bouncing across the median and the car about 100 feet in front of me had to swerve to miss it
• Safety Corridors or Safety Zones along interstates I have seen only in New Mexico and Ohio
• The mountains of western Maryland are beautiful to drive through along the interstate. However, because of the slow uphill climbs of the big trucks, they kick out much exhaust, thus, polluting the air which tends to hang around. Thus, little towns that otherwise would be pictureque to visit, or even live in, have a smelly pollution problem.
• Driving through southwestern Pennsylvania, I was reminded of a "tourist slogan" I came up with a couple of years ago for the state tourism department: Pennsylvania, the state designed for touring". I say that because a driver never gets to go quickly through any part of the state thanks to construction zones, heavy traffic, slow speed limits and curvy roads.
• Driving west-to-east across northern Delaware reminded me why I chose NOT to move to the area -- rush hour traffic is a constant all day
• Quite a number of interstatae rest stops in several states were being totally rennovated
• Driving south-to-north through New Jersey reminded why the state is my LEAST FAVORITE state to drive through. Couple that with the fact that self-serve gasoline is not allowed (I filled my tank in Pennsylvania just before entering New Jersey and was able to exit to New York without needing to get gas in New Jersey), and I really want to avoid this state.
• New York, at least on their southern turnpike, do NOT like to put up signs that tell at each exit if there is gas and hotels and restaurants like most other states provide
• Driving through the seaside/seaport towns in both New Jersey and Rhode Island reminded me why I could never live in such places -- too much traffic, narrow streets, too little parking and one must usually pay to park anywhere, tourist-trap businesses dominate
• NEHGS really, really, really disappointed me!!!!! I spent an untold number of hours over the previous eight months researching and planning and preparing for two days of family history research tasks here. I got to the door to find out they are still closed for rennovations -- five years after purchasing the building next door and 18 months after starting the rennovations that was supposed to be done by now. Since I have no plans to ever return to New England, I may not renew my membership next summer.
• Weather has been pretty nice for the first sixteen days of this trip. In fact, it was unseasonably warm in New England. Tree leaves are just starting to turn colors, moreso the further north I get in New England.
• Massachusetts drivers really do not like drivers driving the speed limit or even just a few MPH over the limit. They want to drive 10 to 20 MPH over the limit, thus, I rarely pass any vehicles but hundreds pass me.
• New Hampshire drivers, whom I recall as normally driving below the speed limit, now really do honk often at other vehicles. They all maybe learned their driving skills on Manhattan Island!!!
• Rockingham county New Hampshire was a bust for being able to do any family history research. The historical society is closed and the library has next to nothing for family history. Thus far, at all places to this point on the trip, the usefulness of family history research has pretty much been Zilch!
• Town Clerk of Marlboro, I was told, was on vacation the day I appeared. Just as I was about to walk out the door, the town clerk walked in. The staffer I had been talking to told the T.C. why I was there. The T.C. smiled buig and said "Come on back and let's see what we can find". He looked through the files himself for each of my ancestors. Then he pulled out a book on this history of the town, explaining how the book is available online after it was imaged by Google. The guy new his materials and willing to help, even on his day off. On the other hand, the T.C. in Newfane was acted as if I was bothering her. She gave terse "Don't ask me anything" type responses when I inquired about the general type of information in the records. Then she walked out of the room until I left. What a difference those two town clerks were. The Brattleboro town clerk was also quite helpful for finding books I needed,
• Maine certainly turns out during the warmer months to do road projects. In a twenty mile stretch, there were six places where they had narrowed the highway to just one lane.
• I was surprised at how many people were in Acadia National Park -- thousands -- on a Tuesday when school is in session. I wrongly assumed that maybe a couple of hundred would be in the park then. Numerous large busses brought in many. QUite a number of people from other countries were there. It is fun to see how people from everywhere love seeing the natural beauty of our planet.
• New Englanders all tend to drive 10-20 miles over the speed limit. And if they are on a two-lane highway, they quickly catch up to me (who is doing maybe 1 or 2 over the speed limit) and tailgate until either they can pass (a short passing lane is often present) or I decide to pull off road to let them go by (and get off my tail!!).
• Nova Scotia drivers are almost as bad as New Englanders at tailgating and driving well over the speed limit.
• Both southeastern Maine towns of Lubec and Eastport look quite run-down and poor. Too bad because the Campobello tour guide said Eastport was a rather busy shipping port during Franklin Roosevelt's day.
• There were several massage places along the highways between Lubec and Eastport. Interesting, given the seemingly poor economic conditions of the towns.
• Canadian Highway 1 between St. Stephens and Saint John is one of the best I have driven on in Canada -- four lanes limited access at 110 KPH the whole way, and, low volume of traffic (on a Thursday morning 8:30 am to 10:30 am)
• I asked a local how to pronounce the Cape Breton Island town of Whycocomagh. I thought it was "Why-cocoa-mah" but heard it is "Wi-koag-ka-muh"
• On Cape Breton Island, very popular, it seems, based on the number of signs and businesses for them, are pizza places and massage places
• It seems that mornings on Cape Breton Island start out the first hour or two after sunrise with fog or dense clouds that get a bit clearer later in the morning.
• I was stunned throughout the tourist areas of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia how often people were escorted by taxi cabs -- even to the distant-and-remote places
• The Cabot Trail around the Cape Breton National Park is reportedly "world famous" because of its beauty. On a sunny day when the leaves are in their fall colors and the roads are uncrowded, that might be true. However, when it is cloudy and countless slow-moving vehicles are everywhere and tree leaves are 99% green, the area looks like so many other North American places.
• A driver on the Cabot Trail around the Cape Breton National Park very rarely get to drive the speed limit (which constantsly changes anyway). That is due to curves, hills, traffic (many drivers go 10-15 miles under the speed limit) and road construction projects.
• Cape Breton Island is has a rather lightly density of homes and businesses. That makes quite a difference for the travelers who need gas/petrol stations, lodging, groceries and restaurants.
• On Cape Breton Island I actually saw a house with an old fashion television antenna.
• The addresses for Nova Scotia all appear to be five digits long, at least, all addresses east of the town of pugwsash
• While on Cape Breton Island, whenever I got to a parking lot of any sort, I would look at where the license plates are from. Well over 870% of the are Nova Scotia. Saw one Florida, one Massachusetts, and three from other provinces.
• At least in September, at least 80% of the tourists are either retirees or southeast Asians.
• Only time I went through a rain, and it was rather short, was just as I was entering Cape Breton National Park
• Maybe Cape Breton National Park and the famous Cabot Traill would have been more spectacular if the sky was clear with sunshine and the leaves have turned to their fall colors. But since I got neither then the park really has nothing over many other parts of North America. The western coast of the park, south of the rough road of thetown of Cape North, is more spectacular than the eastern or northern sections.
• Many places in North America have road signs saying "Hidden Driveway". Nova Scotia has one that says "Hidden Crest'.
• Neither New Brunswick nor Nova Scotia has billboards and other signs about buying guns or references to the Bible -- quite different from the U.S.
• I kept noticing all homes in the rural parts of Nova Scotia and New Brunwick have a regular mailbox as well as a wooden structure that is either rectangular in shape with a slanted top, or, it is a hexagon-shape. I finally asked after trying to determine what these wooden structures are for -- trash collection designed to keep out animals.
• While all English-speaking provinces often provide the Engllish and French words on signs, Ontario is pure French. That means a non-French speaker must guess at what some sign says, I did pick up some French words based on highway signs [sortie=exit, sur=on (maybe 'next' makes more sense in the context), nord=north, quest=west, sud=south, parc=park] but wrote down more and later looked them up online: chemin-path (?maybe town makes more sense in the context), rue=street, lac=lake, du=of, travaux=works (i.e. road work), chantier=construction site, verte=green, des=of the, rang=rank (which makes no sense in the context)
• Canadian hot111els are better than U.S. hotels for amenities (except for providing a bedside clock) and a quiet place to sleep but they are less good with providing HVAC -- Canada is more about fans and baseboard heaters (and separate thermostats per room) and an air conditioner in the window
• Quebec drivers drive even faster than drivers in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, especially on their interstate-like highways
• Verizon really let me down on this trip. Earlier in the year when in western Canada my phone worked as normal thanks to Telus handling it. However, in southeast Canada, including southern QUebec, the service was handled by a company called Rogers. With Rogers, my phone could not do anything unless I connected the phone to a wifi. What was interesting was than when driving along the Canadian highway 2 that is just east of the border of northeastern Maine, I briefly had Verizon connection. Same for when I was at a Quebec hotel within just a few miles of Vermont, I also got Verizon connection. Once I entered Vermont, the phone worked as normal again.
• I had long looked forward to driving down the nighway on the penisula that runs through the northern section of Lake Champlain. That would be from Alburgh to South Hero. Since the lake is so beautiful (I have seen it from several points north and south), I expected the penisula area to be very quaint and beautiful. However, it all looked like they had seen their better days long ago. And since I drove through this area in the morning, everyone was in "rush hour" mode and were speeding and tailgating. I pulled off the highway several times to let the tailgaters go on by.
• I was really surprised at the stretch of highway that goes from Miramichi in eastern New Brunswick to the provincial capital of Fredericton -- the road surface was in terrible shape, very narrow and winding and hilly. Fortunetely, for most of my time on it I had the road to myself -- guessing all the locals knew to stay off it!!!
• I think the reason why Canada and the U.S. resurface roads so cheaply -- which means they must do that every few years -- is to keep jobs for road construction workers. On the other hand, I think governments should spend the extra money up from to lay down roads that will last for decades before the need to repair them. The Roman Empire knew how to build roads that are still around 2,000 years later (although their roads did not have heavy trucks and millions of cars running on them).
• While driving through three Canadian provinces over a week's time, I only saw a single PT Cruiser -- UGLIEST VEHICLE EVER MADE. When I got back into the U.S., I saw five of them on the first day back.
• Houses in Canada and especially in the U.S. really are decorting their yards this year for Halloween -- and so early too! They are going all out by putting up characters that are often doing something. The one that struck me the most was five somewhat dressed skeletons standing around a circular table looking like they were having a conversation. And that was just one of dozens and dozens of Halloween scenes I saw.
• Based on how few trees in Canada were in their fall colors -- maybe 1% to 2% -- I assumed that meant that states further south would have a later-than-usual fall (last year Kansas City had its earliest fall ever in my memory!!). But when I got into Vermont and New York, they were more like 40% trees with fall colors. Unfortunately, because it rained the entire time I was in those states, I was unable to get the full effect (much less take photographs) of the colorful leaves.
• The planned family history research in several states and towns ALL turned out to give me zero new information. Bummer! That made me realize that I should re-think the trip I am planning for the spring of 2025 through the mid-eastern states since they likely could also produce no new information for me.
• New York drivers are similar to Massachusetts drivers along interstates -- they pass your vehicle then put in front of you with maybe 10-15 feet clearance vs. about 8-10 car lengths
• Illinois was really into the road construction projects in 2024. Driving along several interstates saw a construction zone every 5 to 7 miles.
• Along I-72 in west central Illinois are highway signs that say "High Shoulder"

The Bests:

1. The national parks in the U.S. and in Canada, especially the beauty of Acadia National Park and Cape Breton National Park
2. Helpful town clerks of New England
3. Sunny weather most days
4. Saint John New Brunswick: Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Staff, Reversing Falls, watching tug boats turn a huge cruise ship 180 degrees around
5. Finding such a nice grocery store (called Co-Op) in Whycocomagh, Nova Scotia where I could get things for three meals while in town

The Worsts:

1. Nearly every New England driver is now a speeding tailgater
2. People of the 1800's did not know to use better stone for cemetery headstones, thus, all engraved letters/numbers are totally gone a century later
3. Hotels abandoning actual bars of soap and the little bottles of shampoo and conditioner for hanging-on-the-wall soaps and shampoo/conditioner. Any many times these hanging bottles are totally empty!
4. Inconsiderate hotel guests who either don't care about, or, are totally unaware of, the disturbing noise they make for other hotel guests.

The Totals:

• Driving: 6187 miles in 25 days
• States: 16 -- Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine
• Provinces: 3 -- New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec
• Major Universities: 7 (2 repeats) (total 541 visited) -- Coppin State (repeat), Bryant (repeat), Stonehill, Clark, Merrimack, LaMoyne, Mercyhurst
• National Parks: 18 (4 repeats, 4 Canadian) (355 of 429 visited): Hampton (repeat), Gloria Dei, Great Egg Harbor, Pinelands, Gateway, Morristown, Touro, Blackstone, Saugus (repeat), Acadia (repeat), St. Croix Island, Fort Ticonderoga (repeat), David Berger, Campobello (New Brunswick) ,Carleton Martello Tower (Saaint John), Fundy (New Brunswick), Kouchibougauc (New Brunswick), Cape Breton (Nova Scotia)
• Pictures Taken: 939 (and deleted 78 of them)

Remaining to Visit by State
• AL - DONE, but would like to revisit Russell Cave in the northeastern corner that was missed in Sept. 2022 trip
• AK - DONE, but would like to visit the Klondike National Park site in Skagway which requires driving through northwestern British Columbia in Canada
• AZ - DONE
• AR - 2025 visit the Buffalo National River NP southeast of Harrison
• CA - DONE, but three parks in the San Francisco area were closed in June 2023, have twice failed to get into Lassen Volcanic park after getting there twice, and, in L.A. would like to visit JPL and Mt.Wilson
• CO - DONE
• CT - DONE, but maybe visit Quinebaug & Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor
• DC - Smithsonian is worth a future visit along with some of the memorials on/near the Capitol Mall: LBJ, FDR, MLK, WWII, Sewall-Belmont House, revisit Greenbelt
• DE - DONE, but might have ancestors there (via the Riggs line)
• FL - DONE, but maybe will visit Orlando area where a high school classmate and a cousin both live, still want to take the ferry at Fort Matanzas, and, re-attempt to visit a couple of places on the Gulf Coast: Sarasota (downtown), Pine Island and the Naples Botanical Gardens
• GA - DONE
• HI - DONE, such a long flight
• ID - DONE, but would like to drive from Boise to Moscow to cover that part of the state to yet drive through
• IL - DONE, but Chicago has some tourist-type places yet to visit
• IN - 2025 Searls family history visit to Brown county (south of Indianapolis) and even Fountain county (just west of Danville Illinois), polus a friend lives here
• IA - 2025 Searls family history research in the counties of Plymouth and Woodbury, would go through here on the way to Fairbanks, Alaska
• KS - DONE, but I currently live here
• KY - 2025 several counties for family history research
• LA - DONE, but have some cousins in New Orleans
• ME - DONE
• MD - DONE
• MA - DONE, but MUCH family history here plus I know many fellow Toastmasters in Boston. And, a good friend lives in this state.
• MI - DONE, but would like to determine what (and where) scenic things can be seen in Pictured Rocks National Park and maybe someday ferry to Isle Royale National Park
• MN - DONE
• MS - DONE
• MO - DONE, but I live too close to KCMO to avoid it
• MT - DONE
• NE - DONE, but maybe re-photograph a couple of college signs in Omaha-Lincoln area
• NV - DONE
• NH - DONE, but some famiy history research needed in two southern counties
• NJ - DONE, but have some recently-found family history here
• NM - DONE, but I loved the town of Albuquerque and the surrounding area when I spent four days there in 2004
• NY - Many many places yet to revisit (from the 2015 trip) in this state. Also, need to visit White Plains area (family history research) which is set for fall 2024. A visit to the New York Historical Society (77th St and Central Park West) might be a good idea too.
• NC - DONE
• ND - 2025 visit the International Peace Garden. Would like to drive from Bowman to Rapid City, South Dakota to cover a part of those states I have yet to drive through, plus, need to spend a night at a third hotel in the state
• OH - DONE, but family history research could still be done here. Also, one cousin in Columbus.
• OK - DONE
• OR - DONE, and N E V E R want to be in this state again (despite two national parks there I have never visited)
• PA - 2025 some hopeful family history discoveries brings me back here to check out the new clues
• RI - DONE
• SC - DONE, but have recently discovered one ancestor who lived a few years in this state. Also, national park Historic Camden to yet visit is in this state.
• SD - DONE, but would like to drive from Rapid City to Bowman North Dakota to cover a part of those states I have yet to drive through
• TN - DONE, but maybe more family history research in Memphis plus there are several other counties (i.e. Grundy) where ancestors lived before moving to Shelby county, PLUS, would be nice to find the Woody Cemetery property owners at home
• TX - Brother lives in this state as does a friend, also, would like to visit Amistad NP and drive from Amarillo through Lubbock and on to San Angelo to cover a big chunk on the state I have yet to drive through
• UT - DONE, but some friends live in Salt Lake City area
• VT - DONE, but family history research in several counties could be done
• VA - DONE, but have several cousins living in this state
• WA - 2025, three national parks -- lakes -- in the north central part of the state, plus a good friend living in Seattle
• WV - DONE
• WI - DONE, but would like to maybe re-attempt (it was pouring rain years ago when there) to visit the House of the Rocks and Taliesman near the town of Spring Green
• WY - DONE
• AB - DONE
• BC - DONE, but would love to drive along the coast of Vancouver Island all the way to Port Hardy, several hours for two ferry rides are needed. Could also visit several places in central B.C.: Prince George, Terrace and Prince Rupert.
• LB - Would like to visit Newfoundland/Labrador but getting there and back is much traveling and plane changes with actually very little to see beyond the area around St. John's
• MB - DONE, although it would have been nice to get a sunrise or sunset photo over either Lake Manitoba or Lake Winnepeg
• NB - DONE
• NS - DONE
• NW - The Northwest Territory towns of Hay River and Yellowknife might be worth a visit but a lot of traveling to get there with little between here and there
• ON - DONE
• PE - DONE, though I did entirely miss the western half of the province
• QC - DONE
• SK - DONE
• YK - Yukon is iffy if it is worth a visit someday since it is a long way to there and really nothing in particular to see or do except the scenery