Vanessamus Terminus, 11,849 Miles

So having survived Canadian customs and the violation of Vanessa, we stopped next in Niagara Falls, NY.  Our first visit was to The Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima Shrine.  This domed cathedral was built in 1965, is 100 ft in diameter, and 55 ft high.  The statue of Our Lady of Fatima on top of the dome is 13 ft high, weighs 10 tons and is made of Vermont marble. PS This is a picture of the outdoor Rosary.  On the premises, there are also over 140 marble statues of saints from around the world.

At Christmas time they have a festival of light on the grounds

The Avenue of Saints directly in front of the dome

Our next stop was the obligatory ride on the Maid of the Mist to the Falls.  As touristy as it was, it was an impressive (and very wet) ride.  Due to the time of year, there were only a few other passengers on board.

757,500 gallons of water per second

Did I say wet?

We left Niagara Tuesday morning with a final stop in Westborough, Mass last night.  We arrived back in Sedgwick at 4:30 pm on Wednesday, April 27.  This will be our last post after an incredible trip. The only thing better than leaving on an adventure like this is getting home again and sleeping in your own bed.

Tired But Happy!

Final Stats:
     11,849 miles
     27 States
     2 Canadian Provinces
     Weight Fully Loaded:  8500 lbs
     22.7 Average Miles Per Gallon (Diesel)
     Lowest Cost Per Gallon of Diesel Fuel:  $1.75 in New Jersey
     Highest Cost Per Gallon of Diesel Fuel:  $3.99 in Borrego Springs, CA
     Only one mechanical issue in El Paso, TX,
     104 nights on the road
     92 nights sleeping in Vanessa
     3 Maritime Crossings for Vanessa
     Major Stops
          Garwood, NJ
          Athens, AL
          New Orleans, LA
          San Antonio, TX
          Carlsbad Caverns, NM
          El Paso, TX
          Tucson, AZ
          Phoenix, AZ
          Sedona, AZ
          Page, AZ
          St. George, UT
          Las Vegas, NV
          Borrego Springs, CA
          San Diego, CA
          Las Angeles, CA
          Monterey Peninsula, CA
          Palo Alto, CA
          San Francisco, CA
          Humboldt County (Redwoods), CA
          Gig Harbor, WA
          Bandon, OR
          Vancouver Island, BC
          Black Hills, SD
          Niagara Falls, NY
     Along the way, we visited friends and family in:
          Garwood, NJ,
          Athens, AL,
          San Antonio, TX,
          Tucson, AZ,
          Ivins, UT,
          Joshua Tree National Park, CA,
          Encinitas, CA,
          Los Angeles, CA
          Pasadena, CA
          Palo Alto, CA,
          Comox, British Columbia
          Raymond, ME
     State Parks Visited
          Hueco Tanks State Park, TX
          Government Canyon State Natural Area, TX
          Guadalupe Mountain State Park, TX
          Lost Dutchman State Park, AZ
          Antelop Canyon Navajo Park, Page, AZ
          Valley of Fire State Park, NV
          Mount San Jacinto State Park, Palm Springs, CA
          South Carlsbad Beach State Park, CA
          Dockweiler Beach State Park, CA
          Humboldt Redwoods State Park, CA
          Nehalem Bay State Park, OR
          Kitty Coleman Beach Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, Canada
          Crazy Horse Lakota Memorial, Black Hills, SD
     National Parks Visited
          Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM
          Coronado National Forest, AZ
          Saguaro National Park - East, AZ
          Joshua Tree National Park, CA
          Zion National Park, UT
          Mount Rushmore National Monument, Black Hills, SD
          Niagara Falls National Park, NY
     Golf Courses Played
          The Palmer Course at La Cantera, San Antonio, TX
          The Quarry Golf Club, San Antonio, TX
          Rolling Hills Golf Club, Tucson, AZ
          Oak Creek Country Club, Sedona, AZ
          Entrada Golf Club, St. George, UT
          Los Verdes Golf Club, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
          The Springs at Borrego, Borrego Springs, CA
          Borrego Springs Resort, Borrego Springs, CA
          De Anza Desert Country Club, Borrego Springs, CA
          Palo Alto Golf Club, Palo Alto, CA
          Salinas Fairways Golf Club, Salinas, CA
          Bandon Crossing Golf Club, Bandon, OR
     Golf Courses Visited (not played but still on the bucket list)
          Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, CA
          The Links at Spanish Bay, Monterey Peninsula, CA
          Bandon Dunes Golf Links, Bandon, OR