August 9, 2021

I got my very first COVID test because something very important happened today at 12:01 am. You guys!! The US Canada border is OPEN and I. AM. HERE. FOR. IT!!!

The doctor told me I am NEGATIVE and free to shop!!

The van is completely empty. My hair is on the top of my head for maximum window opening. My podcast list and Audible are ready.

IKEA here I come!!!! There are at least 4 (maybe more) of them planned for this quick international road trip…no big deal.

Pics to come with the latest update and haul….

August 28, 2021

You’ve waited patiently for the IKEA update…it’s taken a bit because of a little post-trip project included at the bottom of the post…be sure to check it out!

Here is the trip summary in numbers:

2 days (40 hours)
2 countries
3 Great Lakes (Ontario, Huron, Erie)
4 states, 1 province (NY, MI, OH, PA, ON)
4 IKEA’s (Burlington, Etobicoke, Detroit, Columbus)
1 hour wait at border to go to
0 minutes wait to get back to
3 hours of stop-and-go traffic in Toronto
1,120 miles
22 hours driving SOLO
2 funny moments with border patrol officers:

Funny Moment with Border Patrol Officer #1:

Officer at Canadian border in Lewiston: Um, you paid to get a COVID test to come to IKEA for two hours?

Me: Yep. Do you think that’s weird?

Officer: Um, yeah.

Funny Moment with Border Patrol Officer #2:

Me to Officer at US border in Michigan hours later: Aren’t you going to ask to see my negative COVID test????

Officer: Nope. I don’t care.

Me: (incredulous) What!?!? You would let me bring COVID into our country???

Officer: Lady, I don’t care what you have. If I don’t let you back in, you’ll call your senator and I’ll be fired.

Border Crossing in Niagara Falls

Border Crossing in Detroit

I’m pretty darn proud of myself. I was calm and relaxed the whole trip. I did not lose my mind when I had no cell phone service, no internet, no WiFi, and no GPS for over seven hours in Canada and was relying on very incomplete/inaccurate printed MapQuest directions on major highways outside Toronto and in a traffic jam.

Checking Printed Directions in a Traffic Jam - Goodbye GPS!

I listened to amazing podcasts (We Can Do Hard Things), listened to an intriguing book (Hidden Valley Road), and sang along to great music. And, I spent my first night EVER by myself in a hotel (glorious!!!).