Memorial Day weekend was coming up fast. For months my wife and I had been planning a trip to Toronto. On the agenda was line searching and sightseeing. We both took a couple of extra days off to make a mini vacation of it.

I got off work Thursday and dropped the boys at the babysitter's and proceeded to load the Jimmy to capacity with such necessities as a ladder, cutters, wire, packing and replacement insulators. Also packed were secondary items such as clothes, food and miscellaneous junk. 

Off we went and drove all night. Shortly after daybreak we crossed the bridge from Detroit into Windsor, Ontario. By now my heart is pounding. I'm not tired any more because all that I can think of is pulling a few CD 143's from poles. We hit Highway 3 and after about 30 miles -- EUREKA!! Railroad tracks and telephone lines appear.

Upon closer inspection, I can see some 143's still up. I drove until I found a reasonably secluded spot, got the ladder and my knapsack and started walking. About the third pole I spotted 3 CD 143's in the air. There was about seven feet of swampy yuck between me and the pole. There were no visible signs of life in this mess -- so I waded knee deep to the pole. I unscrewed a greyish CD 143 Canadian Pacific and a straw CD 145 unembossed Canadian piece.

About two poles later I spotted two more Canadian Pacifics. This time I got a greenish aqua (with the "C" embossed backwards). There also was a Hamilton type base CD 143 in ice green that was badly damaged. I figured I had better get back to the car because time was slipping away and my wife was waiting. My wife suggested that I pad better find a place to change my clothes for I wasn't getting into the car smelling the way I did.

We got back to the main road and drove to Toronto. I noted 3 different lines by the city with CD 143's on them, but the area was heavily populated so I let them stay where they were. We had logged many miles with no sleep, so we ate dinner and got a motel room.

The next day was spent sightseeing the beautiful Toronto area which included an unforgettable tour of Casa Lorna. 

On the return trip we took Highway 401 most of the way, then decided to go back to Highway 3 and search that first line. The very first pole I spotted a bluish CD 134 Canadian style, but the pole was way too high -- Darn! I kept walking and spotted 2 CD 143's up ahead and I climbed the pole and ..... WOW! An ice green Hamilton base CD 143 Canadian Pacific and this thing was MINT! Next to it was a mint aqua CD 143 Canadian Pacific. 

I realize that on this trip nothing of significant value was found, but CD 143's are my favorite and the ones take from the poles by me are the most precious in my collection.