MoyaMobile-Canada's Trip To ScaperCon 2003

Page 2: Thursday - The Drive Down

The crew began the trip on Thursday morning picking up the last of the DRDs at Kipling Supway station. This was followed by a quick stop at Wendy's.

"No, I do NOT want fries with that!"
"Wendy's makes the best Grilled Zhigan Sandwich."

Crais acted as navigator. Here he points the way to the Highway 401.
After a long drive down the QEW, Highway 403 (BORING!), Highway 401, and Highway 402 (EVEN MORE BORING!!!), the crew reached the Canada/US border.

D'Argo prepares his ID for the border.
Crais is unimpressed with US border security, and tries to take over directing traffic.

A border story.
True story: Our conversation with the lady diligently protecting the USA against Canadian Terrorists went something like this:
Border Lady (BL): Where are you going?
DRD-Andrew (DA): Rosemont, Illinois.
BL: What's going on down there?
DA: We're attending a science fiction convention down there.
BL: A science fiction convention?
DA: Yes... (We always worry how border people will react to this type of statement...)
BL: So, what's your favourite science fiction show?
DA: (Caught off guard by the unusual question) Well... Farscape.
BL: Farscape??
DA: (Preparing for the full cavity search) Yes...
(A slight pause which felt like an eternity, during which Andrew ponders if he should have lied and said "Enterprise"...)
BL: You know, I just got into that show this year, then they cancelled it! So now I watch Stargate cuz it's the only thing on Friday nights.
DA: (Completely blown away by the way this conversation has gone.) Uh... yeah, that's true...
BL: Ok, move along. Have a good trip.
Scapers are everywhere!
When driving through Michigan to get to states on the other side of Lake Michigan, Canadians can either take the I-94 through Detroit, or use the I-69 bypass to completely avoid the Detroit area, meeting back with the I-94 closer to the Indiana border. The plan was to take I-69. Unfortunately, MoyaMobile-Canada missed the turnoff for I-69, and the crew soon realized that they were on the I-94. Crais was immediately fired as navigator, and John took over.

D'Argo uses the sky to determine his exact location. He comes to the conclusion that he is at a BP station.
John uses a map to determine the best path forward. "Look, D'Argo, if we stick on I-94, we'll end up in Illinois anyway, so why bother turning back?"
Unfortunately, John didn't count on the road construction in Detroit. It took hours and hours for the crew to pass through Detroit, including a stop for gas in an incredibly scary part of the city.

Lesson of the day: Avoid Michigan. The roads suck, and Detroit has scary people in it.
The supper hour found the crew of MoyaMobile-Canada still in Michigan. John decided that a stop at a local eatery was in order.

John consults with a local about the best place to eat. The local recommends "Big Boy", a chain not found in Canada.
John found some of the local dining customs confusing, but doable.
John thought that some of the food needed more spice..
John thought that some of the food had too much spice..

John and DRD-Karenza greeted a pair of Daleks travelling undercover.
After some cole slaw and American Mountain Dew (which is a different neon colour than Canadian Mountain Dew, and far better tasting), John did some exercises...
...and tested his manual dexterity...
...before returning to MoyaMobile-Canada.

Harvey had the next driving shift. He wasn't happy to learn that this meant he had to buy the gas.
Here, Harvey and an unknown friend get MoyaMobile-Canada ready to Starburst.
After a lot more Michigan (the MoyaMobile-Canada crew agreed that a wormhole across Lake Michigan is desperately needed), the ship hit Indiana and finally Illinois - only to find the Dan Ryan Expressway gridlocked with traffic. This was the trip that just wouldn't end! The ship crawled through Chicago into the airport-area suburbs, and just when the crew thought that it could get no worse - the rain started! ARGH! This and yet more construction in the Rosemont area made finding the incredibly poorly-marked parking for the hotel tough to find. But, finally, MoyaMobile-Canada arrived at the ScaperCon hotel. After 13 hours of driving (on a trip that normally takes 8-10 hours), ScaperCon was about to begin!

Continued... More Thursday, the Hotel and the Bar

"No, I do NOT want fries with that!"	"Wendy's makes the best Grilled Zhigan Sandwich."
Crais acted as navigator. Here he points the way to the Highway 401.

John consults with a local about the best place to eat. The local recommends "Big Boy", a chain not found in Canada.	John found some of the local dining customs confusing, but doable.	John thought that some of the food needed more spice..	John thought that some of the food had too much spice..
John and DRD-Karenza greeted a pair of Daleks travelling undercover.	After some cole slaw and American Mountain Dew (which is a different neon colour than Canadian Mountain Dew, and far better tasting), John did some exercises...	...and tested his manual dexterity...	...before returning to MoyaMobile-Canada.
Harvey had the next driving shift. He wasn't happy to learn that this meant he had to buy the gas.		Here, Harvey and an unknown friend get MoyaMobile-Canada ready to Starburst.