I'm back after a week of touring through the Grey & Bruce counties of Ontario. Lots of driving, sightseeing, entertainment and relaxation.

After checking into the motel in Hanover and settling in for the night, I tripped across the street to the Hanover Slots. I never win at slots. But I did that night. I hit TWO jackpots and walked out with my winnings. Pretty much paid for the trip right there.

Next day was the Holstein Rodeo. Travelers tip : Buy the Backroads of Ontario Atlas BEFORE reaching Tobermory......got lost in the hills around the rodeo in Holstein, so we missed the first half, but caught the best part (bronco & bull riding), under the blistering sun. I figured this would be a real small event. Was I wrong ! Thirty thousand people packed in on the Saturday for the rodeo. And at night for the concerts, they were turning people away.

And I saw one of THE BEST guitarists I've seen in quite a while in a band named 'The Joe Dirt Band'. This guy was playing like a wizard, a la Jeff Beck, Eddie Van Halen. Just goes to show ya, there's great musicians everywhere and they can show up anywhere - even at the Holstein Rodeo.

Inspired by this guitarist, at our next stop on the bay in Wiarton, they lit the campfire at 8 PM and down we went, with my acoustic and tall glass of grand marnier & kahlua (I call it a Monty Creesto). Started playing and soon after, I noticed a small crowd of resort guests all sitting around the fire. So I started to sing too....after promising not to sing anymore, they came back, lol...kidding. Anyways, it was good. Check this out, I'm playing Norwegian Wood by the Beatles and a huge flock of birds flew over our heads. As the mosquitoes were now taking numbers to land on me and sink their fangs in, it was becoming difficult to play, so I got up, while playing one of my originals and ran around the property to shake off the mosquitoes, not missing a note either ! This of course brought the rain and everyone had to run for cover. Lol. That was too funny. I've never brought rain before.

Now you all you know me, I'm strato-bat. The towns of Wiarton & Tobermory pretty much shut down at 9-10 PM, during the week anyways. So I was flying around the lights by myself......

But during the day, Tobermory is a hive of activity with the ferry going back & forth to Manitoulin Island and several tour & diving boats out each day. The wife & kid went on the glass bottom boat tour. Seriously, the water is so clear, you can see right to the bottom. So they looked at shipwrecks underwater and sea-stuff I guess...I'm a land guy, lol......Anyways, a very quaint town, with some expensive looking yachts in the harbour and the owners just cleaning them all the time and smiling a lot. I guess so, life is good if you own a yacht. But the town just moves too slow for me. Seriously, it's kinda like the Bahamas, after the 3rd day you slow down to their speed. We left on the 3rd day.

Great vacation and......it was all pretty much free. Gotta like that. And glad to be back. I was watching the market as best I could (via stockwatch) and read some of the postings here on my new blackberry. Perhaps I have brought back some of my luck for NOT.

strato-slots