T,T & WT

Take the Skyway!, originally uploaded by mickzilla.

Toll Booths, Turnpikes, and Water Towers... that's a summary of our trip across Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and into Minnesota. I had to look up Turnpike in Wikipedia - it's just another name for a toll road :)

We drove all day in order to save a day and spend it at the Mall of America, which we'll adventure tomorrow. I kept my normal pace of about 140km/h and wouldn't you know it, a Wisconsin State Trooper didn't really like that....

It was pretty classic, i noticed him at the side of the road just about the same time he noticed me. He pulled out from the bush he was hiding in quite quick, in what looked like he was getting ready for a hot action high speed chase. I instead hit the brakes, and dropped from 140km/h to about 90km/h just as quick - so there he was, a fair distance in front of me, looking as if he was not really sure of what to do next.

I continued to craw at 90, and eventually he had to hit his brakes hard in order for me to catch up so he could pull in behind me. Which he did. I guess he ran my plates, cause the cherry's didn't go on for about a minute or so - but when the did, i put on my right turn signal, and drove for a bit - looking for the perfect place to pull over. Which I found about a mile down.

When the State Trooper got the car, he was very nice and I realized Wisconsin accents sound very Canadian (or at least his did)..

He said, "All the way from British Columbia, eh? Where ya heading?".
I responded with, "The Great Mall of America, sir!".
"Oh, great - have you ever been there before?"
"Nope first time!"
"I pulled you over cause of the speed, you know that right?"
"ummm... ya"
"How fast where you going?"
"Oh, about 110 Kilometers per hour"
"What's that in miles?"

I then squinted at the odometer, after a short pause, looked up and responded with, "Umm, 70?"

He quickly said - "It was a lot faster than that", and left with my license and registration.

After about 5 minutes of Ma and I trying to calculate out how much it would be, (As we had seen signs just before in Illinois where it said speeding "Min. Fine $375" - but that was road work zones) he came back and said, "At the speed you where going, the State of Wisconsin fine would be $300...... but I'm not going to ruin your weekend - and I'll give you a warning!"

"Oh thank you thank you thank you thank you!"
"But slow it down - set the cruise control, or you'll have Winsonsin state troopers all over you for the rest of your drive."
"Okay Sir!"

But little did he know, there is no cruise in the Fit - just when my foot falls sleep on the petal - and that's what started this whole ordeal to begin with.

The West Edmonton Mall

There's a truck in the room..., originally uploaded by mickzilla.

We survived Jasper, and the Mountain Goats - I never did find the part of the park that I paid to get into to - but at least I supported the Park economy none the less.

A short day of driving, just a quick 4 hours and we where into Edmonton. I figured every other street would be "Wayne Gretzky Way" or "Wayne Gretzky Ave." but alas, I was wrong - i guess they never forgave him moving to L.A. We did find Alberta's greatest tourist destination, and the biggest mall in North America. From 1983-2006 it used to be the biggest (by total area) in the world - but China has built 2 bigger since. Apparently communists really like to shop.

The mall area itself didn't seem too big - maybe about the same size as the Metrotown mall in Burnaby, BC - but what did make it massive, was the full Waterpark, Amusement Park, and Hockey Rink located inside. Not to mention the the life-sized replicate of the Santa Maria in the lake located inside. We couldn't do it all - but we did go skating for a hour - it's pretty neat doing that in the middle of a mall.

Since we roughed it last night - i went to check out the "Fantasy Land" hotel that's in the mall - apparently they do theme rooms. Since it was Wednesday, and they had extra "Truck" rooms - we got a deal, and signed up for it. I'm sleeping in the back of a Truck tonight - Keona's sleeping in the cab. The room also has a hottub - go figure.