loopercube

Going West - Day Three CHICAGO!

2010-07-21T05:43:00.000-11:00

July 10

DAY THREE

CHICAGO!

Going West - Day Two

2010-07-21T05:30:00.003-11:00

July 9, 2010

Day TWO

836 km [9 hours + one hour at border]

Toronto-Chicago

A bit of a late start. This whole month has been dog days of HEAT, but this morning I wake up to pouring rain. I am so UNprepared. I crashed at Sydney's place last night in East Toronto wearing a summer dress and flipflops. I have no jacket, and no umbrella. We eventually run outside soaking wet, grab a quick espresso and make it west on the street car to pick up Bradley and Zoe. Pack the cube, munch on some tasty fresh Samosas and hit the road. We take I-94w towards Sarnia. It takes an hour to cross the bridge into Michigan. WE drive by Detroit to see 8 mile, boarded up buildings along the highway and the giant Rubber Tire. Make it into Chicago at midnight, luckily there is a time change [ I love going west!] so we arrive earlier then expected. Great CITY! Beautiful skyline. The cube has deluxe Valet parking downtown along Michigan Avenue.

Nissan Cube Road Trip 2010 -GOING WEST!

2010-07-21T05:19:00.004-11:00

July 8, 2010

Day ONE

Montreal - Toronto

543 KM [6 hours]

Left early morning from Lionel-Groulx Metro in Montreal. One stop at a sweet Trucker stop outside Kingston. There were old ladies sipping soup, BIg rigs parked outside, and payphones at every dining table. Amazing dog fridge magnets for sale right next to the cashier. WE get into the T-dot just before rush hour. I meet up with Brother Bradly and Zoe in Toronto. We check out all the Brazilian grocery stores along Dundas West. And then meet up with a gang of friends, get some Steamwhistle Beers and drink in the park. Lovely Evening.

On the ROAD part six...CHICAGO!

2009-09-15T09:27:00.002-11:00

DAY SIX

La Crosse, Wisconsin --> Madison --> Entering ILLINOIS! --> Chicago!

Wisconsin = bass fishing, giant cows and cheese

*They also have some really nice people, and great local micro-breweries ;)

In fact we got so wrapped up in local conversation at the bar, I never got to test out the spa hot tub in the Econo Lodge. DANG!

We had a wonderful day in the cube cruising toward chicago.

CHICAGO! My head is spinning with anticipation.

YEAH ILLINOIS!

We had a little trouble through the hasty online booking on Hotwire (never trust the internet!)

We almost shared a king bed between the 3 amigas.

REALLY glad we could clear that one.

Between allison's smelly feet, margaret's midnight mutterings and Sheila trying to shake her leg cramps out...WE are ALL happy to finally have two beds.

We take a quick train into town to Union Station. I LOVE THIS CITY!

TALL BUILDINGS. Beautiful architecture. Chicago River running downtown with bridges and walkways, and train-ways. The Busy bustle of activity. Friday NIGHT! Packs of Chicago Cub fans shuffle along the sidewalks. I am camera happy.

More greasy fried food and beer right on the Miracle mile. The Waterfront is amazing. the city skyline is incredible. Millennium Park is filled with wonderful art and culture and people. I love the BEAN! There is this amazing chrome sculpture of a bean right in the park that gives a twisted magical Mirror reflection of all downtown.

This city definitely deserves a return visit.

A surprise free Concert of the Chicago Opera in the brand new Frank Gehry pavilion, right on Lake Michigan.

There was also an international Wine tasting in the park, which brought crowds of fancy metropolis connoisseurs.

Later that night....Allison discovered "the windy city" of chicago....a little too late. I felt like marrlyn Monroe...just slightly less glamorous.

Stay tuned for LAKE ERIE?

Same cube channel, same cube time

on the ROAD part FIVE....pigs and corn...and more bugs

2009-09-15T09:21:00.002-11:00

DAY FIVE

PIGS!!!!! AND CORN!!!!

...and....MORE CORN!!!

We cleared over 1000 km

RAPID CITY (badlands of Dakota) --> SIOX FALLS --> La CROSS

we crossed South Dakota, Minnesota and cleared right through into Wisconsin.

We are now at the Econo Lodge on the Mississippi River.

(we saw both the WIDE missouri river and saw the sunset over the MIGHTY Mississippi)

So...how long does it take to cross Minnisota? Five hours of popping corn.

One sign actually showed a twist in the road. HA! You can still see for miles in every direction. There is NOTHING but corn. (and some sunflowers!)

We almost had pheasant in or "under" glass. Thanks to Sheila's quick response to wild road foul, she kept her foot steady on the gas...and ducked quickly in time, to avoid the feathered beast. It does not actually make much difference to duck in a car while driving 120 km/hr in a cube. But it seemed to work. whew!

I just want to clarify we stopped FOUR times. Twice for Gas, and an additional TWO TIMES just to clean BUGS from the windshield.

The Kum & Go gas station had a HUGE pig truck. And when I say HUGE...I mean Stately HUGE. That was the great excitement of the day. SQUEALING all the way down the I-90.

we avoided poisonous snakes at the scenic truck stop looking over the Missouri.

Nice to see trees and rocks again. It is humid here by the river.

Chicago for FRIDAY NIGHT!!

on the ROAD part Four

2009-09-15T09:15:00.002-11:00

DAY FOUR

Wapati - Cody (home of Buffalo Bill) - Greybull - Through the BigHorn National Forest - Gillette - WE ENTER SOUTH DAKOTA!- Spearfish to Rapid City

YEHAW!

Rapid City, SOUTH DAKOTA

"The long and winding road of Wyoming"

The cube girls followed the back-roads of Wyoming through Big Horn National park. rich red earths topped by green pastures. This is seriously cowboy country.

There are layers of bug juice on the windshield.

We traversed up to 9033 ft. Open Range bulls gawked at the Cube.

Sheila was seriously worried the CUBE was about to get skewered like shish-kabob by that Bull's horns.

A large heifer mooed at me (fiercely!) and ran off into the woods, kicking up clouds of dust.

Road construction led to some delays in the mountains. switch backs and steep grades winding down to open fields and more grazing pastures.

Grain elevators in Grey Bull. really nice murals of cowboys and indians. We also picked up a story book of famous gunfighters to tell some stories, from the folkloric history of these towns.

wyoming and some real authentic country folk in the Uptown Cafe.

Allison is still a bit sad to miss the taxidermy shop.

Met back up with the I-90. Nice to pick up some speed.

AMAZING DELICIOUS PEACHES.

The locals find our accent funny.

YEEHAW! Dakota!

On the ROAD part three

2009-09-15T08:58:00.003-11:00

BUTTE-Bozeman - Livingston down to Gardiner - WE ENTER WYOMING! - ENTER YELLOWSTONE National Park - Wapati

september 8, 2009

we missed day three due to lack of internet in yellowstone park.

DAY THREE RECAP: Thelma, louis and sheila...

We spent all day in the mystical, magical park called Yellowstone.

no Yogi, but plenty of BUFFALO!

Bison, and Cauldrons and Geysers, oh MY!

Good ol' faithful blowed on time, we saw Hot springs, winding rivers and craggy mountain sides.

it seemed around every bend was a new adventure

one distraction led to another, and soon it was dark as we exited the park. oops!

...and running out of gas, led to some nervous anxiety for the three amigas.

luckily we came across a little wooden lodge, in Wapati.

"The Last Resort" Yellowstone INN appeared in the dark and we checked in.

Pillow top beds.

Antler Chandeliers and mounted deer heads on the wall. Wagon Wheels and pheasants.

The barmaid was kind enough to thaw a tombstone pizza for us, and we drank a couple rounds of Moose Drool beer (brewed in Missoula)

long story short....Sheila did not meet her cowboy....but she did meet Big Mike and his Time Machine.

Live Performance duet of Sheila with Big Mike at the Saloon to a cheering crowd. Patsy Kline "crazy"

We closed the bar

BIG SKY MONTANA

no clouds

I love montana! I love Wyoming!

Amazing day. amazing country side. WE decided to have some fun.

ON the ROAD part two

2009-09-15T08:33:00.004-11:00

DAY TWO

Okanogan - Orando - Coulee City - Davenport - Spokane - opportunity (missed) - ENTER IDAHO! - Coeur D'alene -ENTER MONTANA! - Missoula - Clinton - Butte

September 7, 2009

We made it to BUTTE, montanna. sitting in the Rocker Inn with buds and bad tv.

we hit the road through endless orchards of Washington apples. The best apples I have ever eaten. And the hugest PEACH I have ever seen. We passed by coulee city and traversed wheatfields.

We met up with the I-90 at spokane.

(does that rhyme with Kokanee?)

so...how long does in take to get through Idaho?

Quicker than baking a potato on the engine.

A quick picnic on the lake at Coeur D'Alene. The cool winds and rain clouds pushed us back on the road.

We picked up Safeway sandwiches, cheese, veggies, water, juice and of course beer.

Auntie Sheila's cooler and ice pack is REALLY coming in handy.

pressed on through Missoula.
we saw a sign for testicle festivals in Clynton???? look it up on wikipedia, cause i dont know.

we passed through two Opportunities. (both cities) with no regrets.

Montana sunsets are great. Mountain ranges in all directions. The color of the light is glorious.

Not to mention, entering Montana is such a great excuse to holler YEHAW! At any time.

We aim to hit yellowstone park tomorrow. Auntie sheila is searching for cowboys in wyoming.

And Allison is searching for Yogi the bear.

saddle up! With the CUBE GIRLS!

ON THE ROAD part one

2009-09-15T08:20:00.003-11:00

Victoria-vancouver-avenue zero to the abotsford border crossing into Northern Washington- the silver reef casino - the north cascades to winthorp and the okanagon.

September 6, 2009

If we are lost. we are lost together. (lyrics from the Blue Rodeo)

Day one.

early morning ferry rides. double espresso at the starbucks ferry cafe. We picked up auntie sheila in Vancouver. she has a nice tiger fun fur golf strap on her tightly packed bag. we hit the road. Auntie sheila directs me towards the abotsford border crossing. over the bridge and down back-country roads, following backyard farms with the US line to the right. Hello AMERICA. we cross. Fierce winds throw the not-so aero-dynamic cube across the road. rain flooding the hood, wipers wiping wickedly. splash splash. toumouni diobiote plays mali rhythms. we drive to the silver reef casino to exchange money and play some slots. a quick stop to the gas station for packs of peanuts and hit the I-5 to the northern cascades. crazy traffic crowded double lanes into seatle. highway 20 frees up some space, and we cruise into mountains rainy with indoor fireworks. We pass a town of Concrete. The high school stretches over the road and straddles the asphalt. The Northern cascades are breathtaking. i am driving in a fish bowl. loggers and lots of old cottages for sale. We descend down and out of the park. I strain my neck to look at diablo lake, but the rocky edge and cloud coverage with windy roads make me nervous to veer off the route. And I am trying to pass trucks. We drop down and pull into Winthrop. A wild western town. It is nice to stop and take a walk to stretch the legs. the town is lost in time and space. North East Washington. Wooden sidewalks and hand-painted signs. We take fried chicken at Jack's saloon and wind-down the days drive with a Bud. we snap some photos, and then it is back on the road. WE get to Okanogan for the night. Whew! Long day. we hope to reach Montana tomorrow.

VICTORIA CUBE

2009-09-15T08:10:00.003-11:00

Cube with brother Brad for a run up mt-doug
First Fuel up
Cubing down Store st. downtown
Artist Brian Mcdonald and the Cube.

FERRY RIDES AND ISLAND HEIGHTS

2009-09-15T08:02:00.003-11:00

Tv tower, saturna Island
G.I.F.T.S parking lot. Galiano, Island
The Looper CUBE on the Mayne Queen. BC Ferries.

Great summer working at the Gulf Island Film And Television School.

I rode the ferry victoria-galiano-saturna-victoria-saturna-victoria-galiano-saturna-victoria-vancouver!

The CUBE definitely attracts some attention on the road, as well as on the Ferry. Especially by the local island communities. AND The CUBE was featured in its first student FILM! cop car! yeah.

Giving rides and taking people to beautiful places is a big perk of having wheels.

CUBE LIFE.

PICKING UP THE CUBE

2009-09-15T07:50:00.003-11:00

Here are some photos of picking up the CUBE in Victoria, BC from CAMPUS NISSAN.

3 Generations of NISSAN in the family. My parents, Grandma and uncles came by to check out the new wheels and witness the first ride.

CUBE-TASTIC!

I WON!!

2009-09-15T07:43:00.004-11:00

(winners announced in Montreal. June 23, 2009)

Ok...I am sorry I have not updated this in 2 months.

I WON THE CUBE! I actually frickin won a car.

I guess I have been too busy enjoying CUBE life to write about it.

so...THANKS TO ALL WHO VOTED

....and thanks to NISSAN FOR GIVING MY A FRICKIN CUBE!

It is so tiny and cute and weird looking.

My first car.

Stay up to date on the CUBE COMMUNITY BLOG.

Lucy votes looper 4 hypercube

2009-05-13T13:33:00.004-11:00

Lucy prévoit le hypercube avec la grande angoisse existentielle

George Wants a cube for the family

2009-05-13T03:14:00.003-11:00

George Monceour is down on his luck. His life would be easier with a hypercube. Vote looper.

LOOPER CUBE <<- vote at this link. Do it for George.

puppets need a ride, please vote

2009-05-11T16:53:00.004-11:00

this is rita flavius. you might recognize her from such productions as Le pays qui n'existe pas.A colloborative puppet show produced by Arthuro Desmarteaux and Allison Moore.

Rita is fiery, and she is in need of a van.

Vote Looper. www.hypercube.ca

puppets need a cube too, you know

2009-05-11T15:15:00.000-11:00

This is Richard. Richard is upset, because He works hard for his art, but as a professional working puppet, Richard feels he deserves the respect of arriving to his theatre opening in style...in a hypercube. vote looper. www.hypercube.ca

the LOOPER CUBE!

2009-05-08T05:15:00.000-11:00

HELLO!

I have decided to keep a blog update on the HYPERCUBE event.

I will update this page with my projects made for the HYPERCUBE!

Please keep visiting. please keep voting!