I just called Acer to find out how much it would be to get a replacement screen for my Acer Aspire One. They informed me a replacement screen costs $449.
The punchline? The whole laptop cost me $349 new a month ago.
Monday, September 29, 2008
a few general observations about our foray into Canada
All told, we ran 6300 miles from start to finish, across 22 days. Our longest day was just over 800 miles, our shortest was probably 200 miles. There were a couple of days -- one in Newfoundland, and one on the long ferry from Goose Bay to Lewisporte -- where we did no riding at all.
It seemed to us that Labrador and Newfoundland see themselves as being very separate from the rest of Canada. For example, we saw Canadian flags flying everywhere in Nova Scotia, but in Newfoundland I think the only place we saw Canadian flags were in national parks.
Canada has coins in units of $1 ('loonies') and $2 ('toonies'); the smallest bill is worth $5. They, like everyone else in the world besides the US, have colorful, pretty money.
Throughout Labrador and Newfoundland, it was common for people we'd meet on ferries or at gas stations to invite us for meals, to stay at their homes, etc, and we exchanged contact information with several folks who were interested in the progress and outcome of our trip. We didn't experience this in the US (other than our excellent few days in Virginia with clutch problems), not at all in Quebec. The greatest thing we took away from eastern Canada was the incredible friendliness of everyone we encountered.
We expected to be asked more (or perhaps even challenged) about US politics and foreign relations, but were only asked about what we thought about the upcoming elections, once, very tactfully.
There were a lot of women out walking alongside the highway, often very far from the nearest town. Coming from an area where it's rare to walk outside of one's neighborhood and where safety might be a concern for a woman walking alone on a major highway in a rural area, we thought this was interesting.
Outside of the most metropolitan areas in Canada, you cannot 'pay at the pump' with a credit card. Fairly often in Newfoundland, they can't even tell how much gas you got from inside the station, and so you have to tell the attendant the amount you owe. It also looked like a lot of stations were full-serve, although we always filled out own bikes rather than asking the attendant to do it. We also saw no hint of a gas shortage anywhere in Canada or the northeast US, although Canadian gas prices were raised the last week we were there. Only when we got close to home did we see any evidence of a gas shortage.
Here's a sampling of gas prices we paid at various points of our trip, in CAN$ per liter, then converted to US$ per US gallon using the exchange rate at thee time of this posting. (1 liter = 0.264172052 US gallons)
Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec (ESSO), 9/5
$1.314 CAN$ per liter
$4.82 US$ per US gallon
Baie-Comeau, Quebec (Petro-Canada), 9/5
$1.384 CAN$ per liter
$5.08 US$ per US gallon
Churchill Falls, Labrador (Ultramar), 9/7
$1.481 CAN$ per liter
$5.44 US$ per US gallon
Reef's Harbour, Newfoundland (Irving), 9/11
$1.454 CAN$ per liter
$5.33 US$ per US gallon
Baddeck, Nova Scotia (Esso), 9/15
$1.507 CAN$ per liter
$5.53 US$ per US gallon
Regrets from our trip (only a couple):
We didn't have lobster in Maine or Nova Scotia, and we didn't spend any time to speak of in Halifax or Peggy's Cove.
When we took the long ferry out of Goose Bay, we missed some neat areas of Labrador.
It seemed to us that Labrador and Newfoundland see themselves as being very separate from the rest of Canada. For example, we saw Canadian flags flying everywhere in Nova Scotia, but in Newfoundland I think the only place we saw Canadian flags were in national parks.
Canada has coins in units of $1 ('loonies') and $2 ('toonies'); the smallest bill is worth $5. They, like everyone else in the world besides the US, have colorful, pretty money.
Throughout Labrador and Newfoundland, it was common for people we'd meet on ferries or at gas stations to invite us for meals, to stay at their homes, etc, and we exchanged contact information with several folks who were interested in the progress and outcome of our trip. We didn't experience this in the US (other than our excellent few days in Virginia with clutch problems), not at all in Quebec. The greatest thing we took away from eastern Canada was the incredible friendliness of everyone we encountered.
We expected to be asked more (or perhaps even challenged) about US politics and foreign relations, but were only asked about what we thought about the upcoming elections, once, very tactfully.
There were a lot of women out walking alongside the highway, often very far from the nearest town. Coming from an area where it's rare to walk outside of one's neighborhood and where safety might be a concern for a woman walking alone on a major highway in a rural area, we thought this was interesting.
Outside of the most metropolitan areas in Canada, you cannot 'pay at the pump' with a credit card. Fairly often in Newfoundland, they can't even tell how much gas you got from inside the station, and so you have to tell the attendant the amount you owe. It also looked like a lot of stations were full-serve, although we always filled out own bikes rather than asking the attendant to do it. We also saw no hint of a gas shortage anywhere in Canada or the northeast US, although Canadian gas prices were raised the last week we were there. Only when we got close to home did we see any evidence of a gas shortage.
Here's a sampling of gas prices we paid at various points of our trip, in CAN$ per liter, then converted to US$ per US gallon using the exchange rate at thee time of this posting. (1 liter = 0.264172052 US gallons)
Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec (ESSO), 9/5
$1.314 CAN$ per liter
$4.82 US$ per US gallon
Baie-Comeau, Quebec (Petro-Canada), 9/5
$1.384 CAN$ per liter
$5.08 US$ per US gallon
Churchill Falls, Labrador (Ultramar), 9/7
$1.481 CAN$ per liter
$5.44 US$ per US gallon
Reef's Harbour, Newfoundland (Irving), 9/11
$1.454 CAN$ per liter
$5.33 US$ per US gallon
Baddeck, Nova Scotia (Esso), 9/15
$1.507 CAN$ per liter
$5.53 US$ per US gallon
Regrets from our trip (only a couple):
We didn't have lobster in Maine or Nova Scotia, and we didn't spend any time to speak of in Halifax or Peggy's Cove.
When we took the long ferry out of Goose Bay, we missed some neat areas of Labrador.
started the repairs this weekend
Kenny's bike needs some maintenance after this trip:
One fog light has lost its mounting bracket.
Rear tire is past needing replacement, eek!
Rear shock is at the end of its life, so Kenny will be biting the bullet soon on some Ohlins ;)
Kristy will be bikeless for a few weekends :(
We have a new set of handlebars on the way!
Also need to order the right mirror.
Will order fork rebuild kits for both forks this week, one is weeping badly and the other is a bit damp also.
The right/front brake line is in bad shape at the handlebar, so the line will be replaced, as well as the rear brake line just to do it.
Looking for a replacement for the PIAA 910, whose lens is cracked (although damned if the light doesn't still work), apparently we have to call PIAA for availability/price for this.
The transmission needs to be flushed, to check for any problems after all that work that was done in Virginia.
Not to mention fresh fluids and filters for both.
One fog light has lost its mounting bracket.
Rear tire is past needing replacement, eek!
Rear shock is at the end of its life, so Kenny will be biting the bullet soon on some Ohlins ;)
Kristy will be bikeless for a few weekends :(
We have a new set of handlebars on the way!
Also need to order the right mirror.
Will order fork rebuild kits for both forks this week, one is weeping badly and the other is a bit damp also.
The right/front brake line is in bad shape at the handlebar, so the line will be replaced, as well as the rear brake line just to do it.
Looking for a replacement for the PIAA 910, whose lens is cracked (although damned if the light doesn't still work), apparently we have to call PIAA for availability/price for this.
The transmission needs to be flushed, to check for any problems after all that work that was done in Virginia.
Not to mention fresh fluids and filters for both.
General impressions of Quebec
Everywhere we went in the maritime provinces, if we mentioned we'd come up through Quebec, we'd get knowing nods and questions about the people of Quebec, and whether we were treated well.
I found most in Quebec to be much like people in large cities in the US -- generally standoffish, having no real interest in you or your circumstance, not likely to initiate conversation of any kind, but giving the impression that all this is because they're too busy doing their own thing. Rarely was anyone actually rude. We are the obnoxious sort of travelers who do not speak any French beyond Bonjour and Au Revoir so we were in a way asking for resentment, but we didn't notice any resentment or rudeness connected to the fact we didn't speak the language. Just about everyone was very conversant in American English and seemed willing enough to use it with us. Occasionally, we got on well with a lone Quebec native in conversation, but this was the exception; for most, it's all business.
The BMW dealership in Montreal is no exception; they were unusually standoffish (I thought) compared to other dealerships we've visited. Nevertheless, we bought t-shirts and a few other little things without trouble and had no real complaint about it.
Interestingly, the Montreal dealer is a joint BMW and Harley shop, neatly split down the middle so that on one side you have the rather utilitarian BMW 'ambiance' with no frills but an astounding selection of gear (the best selection we've seen in any BMW shop), and on the other was a bustling leather-and-chrome shopping arena complete with cafe :lol3
The only outright rudeness we experienced was here, at a hotel in Baie St Paul:
Our habit when getting a room for the night is that one of us goes in to check rates and availability while the other stays outside with the bikes. On this occasion, I entered the lobby, and within the first few steps in the lobby, the woman behind the counter came running at me exclaiming 'no, no' and motioning at me to go back outside. I went out, the woman from behind the counter did not follow me out or offer any explanation... and I told Kenny that I was pretty sure I had just been booted. He asked why, and of course I had no idea. We related the story to a few people down the road, and were told that in some areas of Quebec, there had been a lot of violence and drug traffic brought in by the Hells Angels, and as a consequence there are some people in Quebec who will not deal with any mpotorcyclist. This was something no one wanted to discuss any further, even in Labrador or Newfoundland, so it seems to be a point of embarrassment.
We left this hotel and went to a motel less than a block away, the Motel des Cascades, and got on very well with the clerk there. The rooms were extremely clean and pleasant, and the rate was very good.
Note of interest: Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) becomes Poulet Frit du Kentucky (PFK) in Quebec. We didn't see any Starbucks (although I'm sure they're there), but there's a Tim Horton's on every corner, and if you asked for iced tea at one of these Tim's in Quebec, you're likely to get a mug of hot tea with a glass of ice to pour it into. Kenny, an avid sweet-tea drinker, was foiled time after time as he attempted to obtain some kind of cold tea throughout Canada.
I found most in Quebec to be much like people in large cities in the US -- generally standoffish, having no real interest in you or your circumstance, not likely to initiate conversation of any kind, but giving the impression that all this is because they're too busy doing their own thing. Rarely was anyone actually rude. We are the obnoxious sort of travelers who do not speak any French beyond Bonjour and Au Revoir so we were in a way asking for resentment, but we didn't notice any resentment or rudeness connected to the fact we didn't speak the language. Just about everyone was very conversant in American English and seemed willing enough to use it with us. Occasionally, we got on well with a lone Quebec native in conversation, but this was the exception; for most, it's all business.
The BMW dealership in Montreal is no exception; they were unusually standoffish (I thought) compared to other dealerships we've visited. Nevertheless, we bought t-shirts and a few other little things without trouble and had no real complaint about it.
Interestingly, the Montreal dealer is a joint BMW and Harley shop, neatly split down the middle so that on one side you have the rather utilitarian BMW 'ambiance' with no frills but an astounding selection of gear (the best selection we've seen in any BMW shop), and on the other was a bustling leather-and-chrome shopping arena complete with cafe :lol3
The only outright rudeness we experienced was here, at a hotel in Baie St Paul:
Our habit when getting a room for the night is that one of us goes in to check rates and availability while the other stays outside with the bikes. On this occasion, I entered the lobby, and within the first few steps in the lobby, the woman behind the counter came running at me exclaiming 'no, no' and motioning at me to go back outside. I went out, the woman from behind the counter did not follow me out or offer any explanation... and I told Kenny that I was pretty sure I had just been booted. He asked why, and of course I had no idea. We related the story to a few people down the road, and were told that in some areas of Quebec, there had been a lot of violence and drug traffic brought in by the Hells Angels, and as a consequence there are some people in Quebec who will not deal with any mpotorcyclist. This was something no one wanted to discuss any further, even in Labrador or Newfoundland, so it seems to be a point of embarrassment.
We left this hotel and went to a motel less than a block away, the Motel des Cascades, and got on very well with the clerk there. The rooms were extremely clean and pleasant, and the rate was very good.
Note of interest: Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) becomes Poulet Frit du Kentucky (PFK) in Quebec. We didn't see any Starbucks (although I'm sure they're there), but there's a Tim Horton's on every corner, and if you asked for iced tea at one of these Tim's in Quebec, you're likely to get a mug of hot tea with a glass of ice to pour it into. Kenny, an avid sweet-tea drinker, was foiled time after time as he attempted to obtain some kind of cold tea throughout Canada.
I labored over these crude infographics
in hopes they might assist fellow travelers. First, the distribution of iced and sweet tea in eastern North America.
Also, some car trends I noticed in the maritime provinces of Canada. America, this is your future:
Also, some car trends I noticed in the maritime provinces of Canada. America, this is your future:
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
From Portland to Atlanta in two days
The morning of the 19th dawned bright and warm, and for the first time in two weeks we were again traveling without wearing multiple layers under our jackets. We made a beeline for Max BMW, where we met Rose and picked up some swag.
From there it was smooth sailing south, one last lunch stop at a Tim Horton's, until we came to a screeching halt in New York's Friday rush hour traffic. Stop-and-go-and-stop-and-go for two hours, now that's adventure.
Finally, we reach and cross the damned bridge, and pick up some speed on the other side.
Then, New Jersey, and a nice Holiday Inn for the night. I'm still carting around all this dehydrated food, but it was getting a bit late to start the search for a campground in the Garden State... next time I'm bringing less food and more money!
On Saturday, we got an early start, gathered our unmarked small bills, dug through hotel cushions for change, and embarked on a tour of the Toll Booths of I-95.
We liked this tunnel.
We saw some interesting cars on the way home:
The guy driving this trash-filled car got really pissed when I started taking pictures, so I left him alone.
Some pretty neat clouds at sunset, too.
We stopped for a late dinner at Cracker Barrel just over the GA state line around ten, and got home at about midnight. We noticed once we got off the highway that most of the gas stations here are completely out of gas, and there were several cars that seemed to be surfing around looking for an open pump. This is really the first evidence we saw of a fuel shortage... they had no problems in Canada (although prices there went up quite a bit while we were there), or in the northeast as far as we could tell.
That last day, we did over 800 miles, and boy was my wrist sore... but seriously folks.
From there it was smooth sailing south, one last lunch stop at a Tim Horton's, until we came to a screeching halt in New York's Friday rush hour traffic. Stop-and-go-and-stop-and-go for two hours, now that's adventure.
Finally, we reach and cross the damned bridge, and pick up some speed on the other side.
Then, New Jersey, and a nice Holiday Inn for the night. I'm still carting around all this dehydrated food, but it was getting a bit late to start the search for a campground in the Garden State... next time I'm bringing less food and more money!
On Saturday, we got an early start, gathered our unmarked small bills, dug through hotel cushions for change, and embarked on a tour of the Toll Booths of I-95.
We liked this tunnel.
We saw some interesting cars on the way home:
The guy driving this trash-filled car got really pissed when I started taking pictures, so I left him alone.
Some pretty neat clouds at sunset, too.
We stopped for a late dinner at Cracker Barrel just over the GA state line around ten, and got home at about midnight. We noticed once we got off the highway that most of the gas stations here are completely out of gas, and there were several cars that seemed to be surfing around looking for an open pump. This is really the first evidence we saw of a fuel shortage... they had no problems in Canada (although prices there went up quite a bit while we were there), or in the northeast as far as we could tell.
That last day, we did over 800 miles, and boy was my wrist sore... but seriously folks.
From Antigonish to Yarmouth in two days... our last days in Canada
First, some artistic photos of a scrap ship we found by accident early in the day.
We were tempted to board until we contemplated the depth of the rust in the deck...
Look at the size of these ropes... with Kristy's booted foot for comparison.
Check the name on the dinghy:
We found Krauch's, where they smoke salmon and other seafood. Here, you can buy a small package of the best smoked salmon you've ever had for $5, in just the right amount for a picnic lunch at the south Nova Scotia shore.
We also made some miso soup, and added to it some dehydrated veggies and buckwheat noodles. It would have been better with a bouillon cube or two to add some weight to the broth. Still, w ate right from the pot.
Then we took a walk on the beach at lowest tide.
As we were packing up from our park picnic, Kenny discovered that he was completely out of rear brake pad and was in dire need of a replacement set. Of course, it can be difficult to track down a cycle shop when your phones can only do international roaming at god knows what rates (I still haven't had the courage to check my cellphone account...). We were pretty close to Halifax, though, and were lucky enough to come across RPM Cycle in Dartmouth just outside Halifax, a mere hour before closing time. Better yet, they had one set of brake pads to fit Kenny's bike... whew. Then, they invited us to pull our bikes around back so Kenny could swap his pads. That was really nice... top notch shop.
They had a few police motorbikes in for service:
A water crossing into Halifax, the home of the only Starbucks in Nova Scotia!
As we were heading into Peggy's Cove, night began to fall. We'd really hoped to see the lighthouse in the daytime, but I have to admit that at night the lighthouse is especially striking.
We took lots of photos:
Then we found the downside of the highway in southern Nova Scotia; unlike the US, there is not a gas station and five hotels at every exit. As it got to be 10 or 11PM, we found the gas stations were closing, and when we followed a 'hotel' sign, it turned out to be 10 or 15 km to a hotel with no vacancy, or a B&B -- and it was a bit late to knock on someone's door looking for a room.
Finally, we lucked into Bridgewater, and found a hotel whose entryway lights were blazing... very welcome as it was approaching midnight and we were both a bit frazzled.
The Fairview Inn, the oldest operating inn in Nova Scotia... quite a find for two weary travelers.
This place was great; the rate wasn't outrageous, the rooms were pristine, the entire inn has a wonderful romantic ambiance, and the dining room served a great breakfast the next morning. When we return to Nova Scotia I think we'll make it a point to stay there again.
On the morning of the 18th, we had an easy hop to Yarmouth and the fastcat to Portland, Maine.
We met a KLR rider who was returning to NY after a week of touring the island solo.
The Cat's arrival in Yarmouth was very late. We were told that there had been a bomb threat in Portland, and the ship had to be searched. When it docked and began to unload its passengers, a flotilla of bikes and riders disembarked, ready for a Nova Scotia weekend adventure no doubt.
Then it was our turn to board.
This ferry was the swankest of all four ferries we took on this trip, it even had a casino and a gift shop.
The wake this ship throws is also very different from the other ferries.
Not to mention the cruising speed... that's 71 km/h.
Nevertheless, because the Cat got a late start, we arriven in Portland, Maine, and stopped at the first hotel we could find, never mind that it was in a pretty sketchy neighborhood and the room smelled a little... off.
We were tempted to board until we contemplated the depth of the rust in the deck...
Look at the size of these ropes... with Kristy's booted foot for comparison.
Check the name on the dinghy:
We found Krauch's, where they smoke salmon and other seafood. Here, you can buy a small package of the best smoked salmon you've ever had for $5, in just the right amount for a picnic lunch at the south Nova Scotia shore.
We also made some miso soup, and added to it some dehydrated veggies and buckwheat noodles. It would have been better with a bouillon cube or two to add some weight to the broth. Still, w ate right from the pot.
Then we took a walk on the beach at lowest tide.
As we were packing up from our park picnic, Kenny discovered that he was completely out of rear brake pad and was in dire need of a replacement set. Of course, it can be difficult to track down a cycle shop when your phones can only do international roaming at god knows what rates (I still haven't had the courage to check my cellphone account...). We were pretty close to Halifax, though, and were lucky enough to come across RPM Cycle in Dartmouth just outside Halifax, a mere hour before closing time. Better yet, they had one set of brake pads to fit Kenny's bike... whew. Then, they invited us to pull our bikes around back so Kenny could swap his pads. That was really nice... top notch shop.
They had a few police motorbikes in for service:
A water crossing into Halifax, the home of the only Starbucks in Nova Scotia!
As we were heading into Peggy's Cove, night began to fall. We'd really hoped to see the lighthouse in the daytime, but I have to admit that at night the lighthouse is especially striking.
We took lots of photos:
Then we found the downside of the highway in southern Nova Scotia; unlike the US, there is not a gas station and five hotels at every exit. As it got to be 10 or 11PM, we found the gas stations were closing, and when we followed a 'hotel' sign, it turned out to be 10 or 15 km to a hotel with no vacancy, or a B&B -- and it was a bit late to knock on someone's door looking for a room.
Finally, we lucked into Bridgewater, and found a hotel whose entryway lights were blazing... very welcome as it was approaching midnight and we were both a bit frazzled.
The Fairview Inn, the oldest operating inn in Nova Scotia... quite a find for two weary travelers.
This place was great; the rate wasn't outrageous, the rooms were pristine, the entire inn has a wonderful romantic ambiance, and the dining room served a great breakfast the next morning. When we return to Nova Scotia I think we'll make it a point to stay there again.
On the morning of the 18th, we had an easy hop to Yarmouth and the fastcat to Portland, Maine.
We met a KLR rider who was returning to NY after a week of touring the island solo.
The Cat's arrival in Yarmouth was very late. We were told that there had been a bomb threat in Portland, and the ship had to be searched. When it docked and began to unload its passengers, a flotilla of bikes and riders disembarked, ready for a Nova Scotia weekend adventure no doubt.
Then it was our turn to board.
This ferry was the swankest of all four ferries we took on this trip, it even had a casino and a gift shop.
The wake this ship throws is also very different from the other ferries.
Not to mention the cruising speed... that's 71 km/h.
Nevertheless, because the Cat got a late start, we arriven in Portland, Maine, and stopped at the first hotel we could find, never mind that it was in a pretty sketchy neighborhood and the room smelled a little... off.
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