PHN Quarantine Blog: Day 1 Complete

I probably owe the state of New York like $1.90 or something close because I always forget about the toll in I-90. I’ve made the drive to Toronto dozens of times at all hours of night and day, and I’m always amazed that I can whizz through Buffalo at full speed. Always. And then the fun began because when Dan Kingerski travels, smooth is not a word that is ever, ever used.

Welcome to the PHN Quarantine Blog. Day 1 is complete.

The fun began at the border. After resisting the temptation to ask the surprisingly attractive border guard to take two weeks vacation and quarantine with me instead, she waited for the right moment and sprang the question every slightly nervous hockey writer who want to cross the Canadian border dreads.

“So, why can’t a Canadian do your job?”

Seriously? I’m a hockey writer. The sidewalk guy talking too loudly on his cell phone as I parked my car at this dump of an Airbnb (I promised I could stretch a dollar if you helped out) was talking about the small details of the hub city and Montreal’s chances of beating “those Pittsburgh Penguins.”

No joke.

His column appears tomorrow.

Yes, that is a joke. He thought Malkin was overrated.

But, no, I didn’t have such a great answer at the border but I drew a smirk from the woman who held my fate on her clipboard. She did ask for my phone number … but that’s because the Canadian government rules forced her.

And so I plowed into Toronto sans a cell phone because Xfinity mobile doesn’t actually have a Canada-Mexico plan which works in Canada. Again, no joke. You must be in the U.S. to use the Canada-Mexico plan and I now have a real case of buyer’s remorse.

Travel and I rarely go smoothly but it’s always an adventure.

The Airbnb looked solid in the pictures. It, however, is not. The “kitchenette” is a dorm fridge but the microwave vanished with a consistent WiFi signal. This is going to be a hard 30 days with buffering Netflix, no cable, and warm soda.

And so, here it is. The great Canadian quarantine is underway. In 14 days, PHN will cover the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Scotiabank Arena. And we’ll bring you the absolute best we’ve got. And then a little more.

For you, and me, it will be worth every moment.

Day 1. Fin.