T.O. Boat Show Jan/14 to Jan/22

[Catigale]

....trick question...there is North Tonawanda and Tonawanda, but no South Tonawanda....


And everyone knows its ....

Tronno......

[Crikey]

And you're lacking something, if you come from Lackawanna (which is near Tonawanda)!

[pokerrick1]

Excu me - - - but Tonawanda is north on the Niagara River and Lackawanna is south on Lake Erie (where Bethlehem Steel used to be). (Down by over the skyway, hey!)

Rick

[seahouse]

Hey everybody. Teeyoh then!

Hey John, Ross, & Rick (And anyone else kind enough to join us) - it’s a date, then!

How ‘bout a rendezvous around lunch time, say 12:00? There’s a concession stand just in and to the north of the west entrance that’s just inside the arena area where the “world’s largest indoor lake” is set up. Kind of around the back of where Prestige Yachts is slated to be. Unless there’s a better location to suggest? Don't recall seeing a Timmies there? Anyone else going to be with their admiral?

I’ve noticed that the show seems to be moving away from sailing and focuses more on power boating in recent years.

The traffic circle (in Burlington, IIRC) on the “Queen E” is long gone, and the speed limit is now 100km/hr (=62mph), although it is more dangerous if you don’t go 120kph. Too many collisions there, it was probably ahead of its time, because they are bringing them back (at least in lower-speed areas) as a way to ease congestion, save fuel and pollution, and they take up less real estate than a clover leaf. Love them in Buffalo, lots there, way better than those dinosaur thingys, yeah, yeah, stop signs and stoplights. You’ll love the recently-added lanes on the QE too.

As far as dangerous highways goes, it’s the 401 (East-West through Toronto). Statistically the busiest stretch of highway in North America (yes, Los Angeles is second). There’s a straight section east of TO going toward Montreal where people get bored and fall asleep at the wheel (called Devils Alley or something). And then they die. Now they design highways (and long bridges) deliberately with curves to prevent these accidents.

Coming from Buffalo you won’t be going on that one, but when we go east (such as to Ottawa, or Montreal) we normally don’t go that way anyway, we avoid it and go through the US (90, and 81). Roughly the same time and distance, more scenic, highway more divided, less monotonous, and cheaper gas. (Yes, the Canadian gas is cheaper to buy in the US than it is in Canada – taxes ).

Want to speed your border crossing, or airport clearance time? Get a Nexxus card. The most secure form of ID a North American citizen can have, and it puts you through into the fast lane. Mexico is not on board with that one, though.

Rick you might recall back in the days when Bethlehem Steel opened their doors during a ladle pour (or something like that) and the sky across the lake lit up bright red, like a giant bonfire in the sky. Long gone, of course. Now Lackawanna is landmarked by the giant wind turbines, which I am looking at out my window as I write. They’re a great reference point for conning when sailing.

Hey Rick, Tonawanda and Lackawanna are near each other, depending on how big yer map is!

- Brian.

[Crikey]

Excu me - - - but Tonawanda is north on the Niagara River and Lackawanna is south on Lake Erie (where Bethlehem Steel used to be). (Down by over the skyway, hey!)

Rick

OK, OK! It's been a while..... Since Casa Cardenas changed owners, and the Admiral's retired, we have only crossed the border to pick up our and its motor. No more margaritas unfortunately!

Brian, noon on the 14th sounds good to me, and we'll be coming in the Admirals flagship. Wasn't there a licenced (this IS Canada!) eatery further inside?
If we adapt this date, and time to accommodate the group - I'm (we're) flexible.
We need MacGregor caps, or something.

Ross

[Catigale]

...i was a young man coming of age when the Bethlehem plant shut down - makes the current economic downtown look like a walk in the park compared to what it did to that area...with respect to any the Board out of work..

There were no retraining schools, assistance, etc...you were just screwed...you went from upper middle class to unemployable overnight, and your house became worthless too...

...and, to confess the impetuance of youth, I thought I had it tough because it took me some months to find a job with my newly minted college degree.

Never forget when an older guy opened his door into my beater car in the parking lot, dented it, got out yelling at me for parking so close, then broke down and started crying on my shoulder about how he had three kids headed for college, and had just lost his job at the mill...

[Crikey]

I just figured it out!

Rick is from Cheektowaga

[pokerrick1]

We need MacGregor caps, or something.

I was thinking the same thing - - - except I have McGregor baseball caps - - the golf kind - - - I bought them online in 2006 when I couldn't find any in golf shops (McGregor golf OOB?). Actually I bought them from a golf shop online near Ft. Wayne IN that turned out to be a wannabee scam artist - - he failed to ship the dozen hats even after he was paid and after many phone calls, so I called the Ft. Wayne police and learned they knew all about him and were trying to build a case against him.

I then called back the vendor and told him I would spend $2,000 to fly there and testify against him to get my $200 in caps if I had to. Then he shipped me my caps, after he realized I was crazy!

I gave one each to Mike and Jeff Inmon and most of the rest to other MacGregor owners. I still have a few I wear playing poker once in a while.

Rick

[pokerrick1]

I just figured it out!

Rick is from Cheektowaga

Almost - - - actually Genesee/Fillmore - - - Kensington/Bailey.

Rick

PS I had a Polish girlfriend once who lived in Cheektowaga, Hey!

[Crikey]

OK! I'm stopping ..... Hoo Hah!

[seahouse]

Hats! A great idea. I will wear a "Buffalo Canoe Club" ball cap, blue with gold burgee on it. I always liked the unpretentious title of the "canoe" club. I even saw a canoe there once, but who knows that? (And whoda thunk it was in Canada)? http://www.buffalocanoeclub.com/Default.htm (Also note a Peace Bridge current traffic link near the bottom of this home page).

Rick - what colour (color) are (is) your cap(s)? Sorry to hear about your divorce - maybe you can look up that old Polish girlfriend on the way?

Crikey -I looked at the map on the show website, but I couldn't positively identify points where the concessions were. If you know one on the map, lets do that one- I'm flexible too. And will it be a slouch hat for you?

Also - for those who aren't already aware, a better price (rather than at the gate) on admission can be had if you buy through their website here https://www.microspec.com/tix123/eTic.cfm?code=TIBS2012

- Brian.

[pokerrick1]

Rick - - maybe you can look up that old Polish girlfriend on the way?

I don't think so - - - she would be waaaaaayyyy too old for me now - - - she was MY age then NFWJ

Rick

[seahouse]

Rick- got it, but what's the "J" stand for? Or did you mean to type "M"?

[Highlander]

pokerrick1
said .!! after he realized I was crazy!

U forgot Certified C. !

J

[Highlander]

Rick - - maybe you can look up that old Polish girlfriend on the way?

I don't think so - - - she would be waaaaaayyyy too old for me now - - - she was MY age then NFWJ

Rick

Ahh! A cougar she was then !!

J