We Came Full Circle

The trip from Winnemucca, yesterday, went without a hitch, although we were up earlier than usual due to the time change and anticipation of getting home.  We managed to get into Sparks around noon and amazingly the folks at the Marina RV park put us in the same spot as when we were there to get ready to go! We did, indeed, come full circle - a 4,000 mile circle!

We packed up the truck with fridge and pantry stuff from the RV and went home.  Maggie was so excited to be here.  She ran around the house and yard like a bat out of hell.  She was a crazy dog!  She is loving just being able to go outside with out getting on the leash - and we are quite happy about it, too.

Rog and I went for lunch and then back to the RV and spent a couple hours unloading more stuff and doing a good cleaning of the inside.  We only made the two trips, though, so we didn't really have all that much to move.  We closed it up and came home for a nice evening of rest.  We didn't even try putting anything away except the groceries.  We were much too tired. 

This morning we went back to the RV around 9am to finish the cleanup and dumping tanks, etc.  We had the RV parked in the storage place by 11am.   There is a Raley's grocery nearby so we stopped there on the way home so we would have food for lunch! 

So, you remember right at the beginning we said that the kitchen sink faucet in the RV wasn't working well so we borrowed the sprayer from home.  As it turned out Rog fixed the RV sink.  Then, today when putting the sprayer back on to the home faucet he broke it completely.  It had been hovering on it's last legs and we've been talking about replacing the faucet one day. Well, today was that day!    We found a new faucet at Costco when we went there to finish getting groceries.  So, poor Roger got to spend the afternoon replacing the faucet in the kitchen.  Hardest part was removing the old one.  Then the lines from the faucet to the water connection were too short so I got to go to the Ace to get another water line (we could use one of the old, but the other didn't fit).   I found stuff under the sink I forgot I had and I also wonder if I'm alone in cramming so much stuff under there.  

Maybe tomorrow we will get to laundry, putting Roger's workshop back together, and get back to our walking with Maggie and gym morning routine.  Got lots to do to catch up!  

We enjoyed the month away despite our not so fun adventures with the RV.  It was good after not being out for so long.  We now have until mid November before we go out again - and then it will be for a very long time.  

248 Sure Felt Like 500....

....miles, that is.  Roger was so exhausted when we finally landed and set up in 97 degrees.   The drive from Boise ID is not fun.  It's a two lane road all the way through some pretty inhospitable and, frankly, ugly countryside.  When you first head south on Idaho55 the route takes you through some awesome farms, vineyards, and orchards.  Then, you are in Oregon and the landscape turns to a moonscape.  Nothing out there at all for over a hundred miles. Once you finally find the Nevada border at Fort McDermitt, once again there are farms and ranches to see, but still it's mostly desert. Not a favorite route of ours - it's two lanes with a good deal of traffic, mostly big rigs - and not many places to stop.  

Tony was telling us that his last return trip to Boise from home his car broke down in the middle of that Oregon moonscape about 10 miles from the nearest habitation.  No cell service out there at all.  He said he figured he just needed to start walking and hope he got picked up.  After an hour a woman stopped and then took him to the nearest pay phone where he called his roommate to come rescue him.  His mom and stepdad apparently later drove up and towed his car back to Reno.  Poor kid - that must have been quite scary.

Tony stayed overnight and left about 8am and we got on the road at our usual time of about 9.  It was so nice having him with us and talking about trips he and his sister made to visit us in our RV when we were wintering or doing the Spring Training Baseball thing in Arizona.  He did say they were happy times and remembers things we didn't.  We also looked at old photos and talked a little about the geneology project I've been working on for years.  He says he's sure Stephanie will be the one to take over as it would be too tedious for him.  He's excited about his classes next semester (start of his junior year) and told us he is finally starting to see real life applications to what he is studying and "it's cool."  

Roger was sure he had fixed all the RV problems with only one day to go! Well, one of the task lights over the kitchen sink had pulled loose from the ceiling and was dangling by the wires. All the vibrations of the road (and today's was quite bumpy) just work those screws loose. So, once again, his traveling tool bag comes to the rescue.  He's going to be happy to park this baby for a while, I'm thinking.  

This RV park is one we've stayed in before - not a favorite but there's not much choice here.  Since we were here last it has become a KOA and I had hopes of some improvements. Well, not so much.  Still the same ole issues - the utilities are not in the right place.  They have the electric box at the front of the site and most of the 5th wheels and travel trailers have their outlet on the back.  The first thing Rog did was get out his power cord and lay it out so we knew where to drop the RV.  Unfortunately, we had to park so far forward there is no room for the truck so we had to park it at the office.  This, even though, they have our length in their database.  Again, it would have worked had the power pole been at least half way back.  

We've been watching others - one guy ended up driving out and around and putting his rig in backwards so his cord would reach. Then he ran his water hose under the RV to hook it up.  Another guy who just pulled in had already dropped his RV and got his cord out and it was about six inches too short.  He had to hook back up and start over.   The sites are all gravel and delineated by landscape timbers.  The one difference we noted since the conversion to a KOA, was that we were met by a guy in a golf cart who called into the office and then showed us to our site.  I didn't have to go in, as I had prepaid as always when making reservations on the KOA site.  It was nice because it was so darn hot - the less walking back and forth the better.  Still, not a RV park on the top of our list.

Tomorrow - home.  We'll park in the Sparks Marina RV park again to "decommission" the RV and get it ready for storage until we leave again late November.  (We'll put it in storage on Tuesday)  It's a short drive - comparatively - only 162 miles and all interstate driving.  Piece of cake!!! :-)

A Day With Tony

We enjoyed having Tony come out to the RV park and spend the day with us.  Of course, the kid drove 40 minutes in the wrong direction thinking we were in Mountain Home KOA instead of Meridian KOA! He wasn't smart enough to read his Grandma's email telling him where we were before he set out this morning.  No worries, he made it, we had a nice lunch and then relaxed hanging out at the RV.  It is so super catching up with him and his life here at Boise State.  Can't believe he's been here two years already!  He's going to spend the night with us, too.  So great to have him here! Even Maggie thinks it's pretty wonderful.  We weren't here when Tony got here and Maggie even let him in the RV to wait for us.  Amazing.  I didn't think she would let anyone in.  Maggie has found a buddy! 

While we were waiting for Tony this morning (and why we weren't home when he got here), we went to Camping World and got the parts for Roger to finish his repairs. Yay!!  All done and best of all we won't need service when we get home. 

Another fire - Rog took this from the roof of the RV last night.   Boise is between us and that mountain.  Tonight there are lots of tents set up here in the KOA for firefighters.  The air was smoky today and the local news said that the fire was no where near contained.  

So, tomorrow we head south to Winnemucca, NV for the night and hope there are no fires on our route.  Last time we drove it, the area was black from a previous fire but there's been enough time to get some vegetation back to burn once again. Even without the black scorched earth, it's an ugly drive through the desert and we aren't looking forward to it one bit, but it's the shortest way home.  

Roger's Vigilance in Checking the RV Pays Off Big Time

We pulled into our site in the Boise-Meridian KOA and while putting in the chocks on the driver's side, Roger noticed a screw in one of the tires as he checked them.  No telling where we picked it up, but it had to be fixed.  I just happened to notice two tire shops on the road as we came into the KOA.  He walked over there and one of them happened to be a commercial tire company for big rigs.  They agreed to fix the tire, had plenty of room for Rog to maneuver, and so he came back and got the rig.  Maggie and I sat in the shade under a tree at our site while he was gone.  It wasn't long and he came back with the tire fixed and said the shop had waived the cost.  They were great - took him right away and didn't charge us anything.  I'll have to find them on the web and right a review.  So, we escaped a blowout on the road.  (A VERY scary thing.) The tire guy said it would happen the next time we had a driving day - which would have put us in the middle of nowhere between Boise and Winnemucca, NV on Sunday.  Lucky we were, today, and inconvenienced very little!  

Mind numbing boring - that's how I felt about today's drive. Miles and miles of agricultural land - alfalfa, wheat, potatoes, corn, and who knows what else.  I so wish farmers would post signs for those of us who can barely tell one crop from another. We followed the Snake River most of the day which meant we were back on the Oregon Trail.  Just east of Boise we started getting buttes of basalt and sagebrush.  There just was nothing that captured my interest today.  It was I-90 all the way with lots of truck traffic and hazy skies from fires somewhere and agricultural dust being kicked up by the big machines.  Wheat is being cut and baled right now and it sure sends particulates into the air.   

We are back to summer - mid 90s here in Boise.  Air conditioner is churning away as I write.  

Our neighbors are retired Canadian military - both of them. She's Navy, he's Army - from Victoria, BC.  They've got the cutest little Winnebago trailer being pulled by a Jeep Wrangler. Tiny, it is.  They are on their way home and have logged over 9K miles touring the western U.S.  

Speaking of miles - at one point today Roger checked our mileage on this trip and it was over 3,300.  We will be close to 5K when we get home and will have been out almost one month to the day.  

We have met several families over the last month who have been to Mount Rushmore.  They don't mention other parks but that one although we have been in Yellowstone country.  I can't get over how many have gone there, including our neighbors.  I mentioned it to him and he said it was quite crowded when they were there.  One little freckle-faced red headed boy from Georgia told me when I asked where they were going, "I don't know but we just went to Mount Rushmore."  He and his sister had come up to me in a rest area because they wanted to pet Maggie.  I think with the celebration of National Parks this year, they are seeing a boom in visitation.  

Tony is working late tonight which works for us as we are tired and will go to bed early.  Last night was a lack of sleep night for both of us.  Turned the light out and my eyes flew open and the brain started running.  Fell asleep around one o'clock.   For Roger it was waking up at 3 or so and not going back to sleep until after 5.  No reason for either of us that we can tell - just one of those nights.  

So, we will see our kid tomorrow.  Can't wait for a hug.  

A Mostly Perfect Day

Sunset last night was pretty awesome with the sun lower than the storm clouds on the other side of the reservoir.  We didn't get even a hint of a storm here.  

There was no smoke this morning from that fire we saw last night!  That was so good to see.  Knowing how much of the west is on fire is such a sad thing but seeing it in person is heartbreaking.


This place was so relaxing today.  The temperatures were cool and the sun was shining.   Maggie and I had lots of short walks around the campground just checking things out and we spent some time in the chair under the trees.   I managed another couple of loads of laundry - I couldn't believe it was time already but Rog was down to one pair of underwear and two t-shirts.  The laundry room is close by, no one around doing any laundry, so it was no problem. Besides, the more walking I do the better!  I've been bad about doing my exercises but my back (knock on wood) has been doing great. The first few days  on the road I was taking a muscle relaxer at the end of the long driving days, but that didn't last long.  I'm so thankful of the success of my surgery - it's amazing.  Of course, Roger is still on my case when I start to do something I shouldn't :-)

Roger spent the morning in a chair under the shade tree watching the construction guys finish putting in new sewer lines in the row of sites in front of us.  Wonderful entertainment for him - sitting there with his audio book checking on the workers! Then, this afternoon, he remembered he had an extra switch for the lighting panel that we have been having problems with. One switch for the outside lights that he had taken the bulbs out and disconnected the wires to the switch, and one switch for the inside lights that heats up when it's on.  Well, he fixed the outside light situation and put those bulbs back in.  He's sure he can fix the other with a new switch and we stopped at the local Ace Hardware on our way back from getting fuel.  They didn't have the right one, so the plan is to go to Camping World on Saturday in Boise and pick one up along with a running light lens to replace the one that was broken when a bird strike occurred earlier in the trip.   So, he's sure the electrical issues are fixed (and fixable) and we won't have to take the RV in to a dealer when we get home. The gas issue should be resolved with the regulator that is waiting for us there.  He wanted to wash the truck again after going through that storm on the way here.  When he asked the camp host permission she told him he could but that maybe he didn't want to.  Apparently the water is very "hard" and she told him that the mineral deposits on the paint if he didn't get it dried off right away would be permanent.  So, he opted out of that chore.  

Tomorrow we are off to the Boise area to visit with our grandson, Tony.  He is coming out to the KOA near Boise to hang out with the old folks on Saturday!  It'll be great seeing the kid - it's been since Christmas break since he came home. He stayed in Boise this summer for a job (two actually) so he didn't make it back to Reno/Sparks to see anyone this summer. 

A Diamond in the Rough

The whole way today I had my fingers crossed that tonight's destination would be OK for a two night stop.  Last night's KOA stop was typical KOA - sites close to each other, crowded, not necessarily well maintained (exception being that one at Deer Lodge), too much traffic noise and too light during the night.  So, what were we going to get tonight? Every night it's a crap shoot - you never know for sure what you will end up with.  We are staying at a city park in American Falls, ID.  It sits on the southern edge of the American Falls Reservoir on the Snake River.  It is wonderful!!!

 Willow Bay Rec Area is owned and maintained by the city of American Falls.  We have a huge, grassy, shaded site with a view of the reservoir.  There are very few folks here which makes it even better.  They are doing some repairs and upgrades on the sites in the row in front of us and the camp host told Roger that by next year the sites we are in will be paved and the utilities will be moved to allow easier hook up.  One area has already been upgraded and looks really great. Our site is prime as far as we are concerned.  It will be dark and quiet tonight - except maybe for the trains going by on the edge of the park behind us. Not too many RV parks without trains within hearing range.   We even have decent WIFI!  We will absolutely enjoy sitting here tomorrow!

We went into the little town of American Falls tonight (4,500 population) and found a Mexican restaurant where we got a great meal. 


From the campground we can see the smoke from a wild fire over the crest of some hills.  It's gotten pretty big since we noticed it right after we arrived.  We've watched the big planes dumping retardant (I assume) but the smoke cloud just keeps getting bigger  and bigger :-( 



Our trip today was longer than the last few travel days but it was all interstate driving for Roger - good because it was easy and there was no traffic - bad because it was pretty boring.  He listened to his Audible book most of the way.  Once we got out of the Montana mountains the terrain leveled off and we saw wheat fields, potato fields and sugar beet fields.  A few cattle ranches but also horses and sheep ranches.  We could see mountains way in the distance, but it was mostly ranch land. We did drive through the Fort Hall Indian Reservation (Bannock and Shoshone) and saw very little of anything  along the highway but these large ranches.  I saw a sign for a Potato Museum but really didn't have any inclination to stop :-)  (Not much can top the Corn Palace in South Dakota!)  We followed the Snake River today from Idaho Falls through Pocatello to this reservoir where we are tonight.  It's a beautiful river and surely supplies a lot of water to all those crops.  

The temps this morning were COLD.  When we got up at 7am it was 38 degrees!  We, fortunately, turned the furnace on before we went to bed in anticipation of a cool night.  Even when we stopped for lunch near the Montana/Idaho border, we sat in the sunshine with our sweatshirts on.  It's a bit warmer here - about 75 this afternoon and we expect about 80 tomorrow, so we should be very comfortable. 

We Backtracked a Bit Today

We backtracked a bit today - something we don't like to do and as a rule try not to, but when there's only one way in and one way out it gives no choice.   We managed to be on the road about half an hour before the rain started which made the landscape look different than when we drove the route in the opposite direction.   No doubt about it, though, western Montana has some awesome scenery.  It is just so beautiful - mountains, rolling hills, wheat fields, ranches with grazing cattle, sheep, and today we even saw goats!  They've got the title to the movie right - "A River Runs Through It."  Everywhere you look there's a beautiful river.  I can't adequately describe the beauty.

Then there's Butte, MT.  The town sits at the base of a mountain that has been strip mined for copper since the late 1880s.  I don't think there is any copper coming out of there now, but there is so much of the mountain gone.  The tourist flyer we got at the campground office lists lots of sites to visit here - all related to mining history.  Roger said that when he went on the search for fuel he ended up going into town a bit and it reminded him of old steel towns in western Pennsylvania - not very nice or prosperous looking.  

I mentioned yesterday that Roger spent the morning washing the truck.  It looked so good when he was done.  That new paint just sparkled in the sun.   Then we hit the storms this morning and the big trucks splashing dirty water all over and it looks so sad now.  Guess he's going to have to find another place that will allow him to wash it again.

It's cold today - with the rain and thunderstorms the temperature hasn't made it to 70 anywhere we were.  We ate in the RV at lunch and were wishing for a way to have a hot lunch! Tomorrow's forecast, though, is for sun and mid 80s so we will be going back to summer.  It's a good thing - Rog only brought one pair of jeans and they are getting a workout the last couple of days!

After the last day on the road and her craziness, I medicated our Maggie today.  It kept her a lot calmer in the truck, but she again didn't want to get in.  She hopped in for me OK, but I left the door open while I went to get the lunch totes off the picnic table where I left them, she jumped out and ran back to the RV stairs and went inside and tried to hide.  I had already closed up the sliders so she had no where to go.  I had to carry her to the truck.  At the lunch break she was better about getting in, but still hesitant.  Hope this is a phase and not going to be an always thing when we travel.  

Tonight there is a rig in the RV park that is simply amazing.  It is a Freightliner cab with a platform on the back where the "smart car" sits and attached to the hitch is a super long 5th wheel.  All vehicles have the same maroon and gray paint scheme and it really is super looking.  Pretty darn big and pretty darn long.  A sign says "Private RV.  Not for Hire."  Wonder if there is someone famous in there or if it's just some rich full-timer touring the country?  I find it more impressive than some of these huge motor coaches.  I can't get a picture of it because I don't want to violate their privacy, but it is so awesome looking.  We aren't the only ones impressed, though, as we keep seeing people walking past us to surreptitiously check it out.  It's like a parade of people with their mouth's hanging open!  Very funny.  

Sometime today I lost one of the new earrings I bought from the Navajo gentleman in the Wyoming rest stop.   :-(

Tomorrow we go to American Falls, ID just west of Pocatello and will have two nights there after two days of driving.  

I don't think it got up to 75 today!

It's been wonderfully cool today.  I even found myself sitting outside in the sun with Maggie on my lap to get warm this morning.  

Rog washed the truck this morning and then we went to the grocery store.  It seems as if we are always hunting up a grocery store, but when you think about the fact our diet comprises 85% fresh produce (the rest is bread, pasta, eggs, dairy, and chocolate) and the fridge is very tiny, I guess it's not all that unusual.  

Because it was cool today, I spent the afternoon cooking - making stuff for lunches for the next few days - pasta salad and potato salad. We have two days on the road coming up so we should be all set.  Got lots of fruit and cheese to go with it!

So, an evening of watching the Olympics and playing Words with Friends is on the agenda and we are on the road again tomorrow.  It's been a good rest but we are ready to head south towards home.  

Tomorrow an overnight stop in Butte.  

Huck Pie

Well, the huckleberry pie was not worth the calories or the cost. Bummer.  The filling was good but the crust was like cardboard. Very disappointing.  Won't be getting any more from that place!

Our new lamp and some LED lights in the wall sconce behind the sofa bed sure make a difference.  I plan on doing some crocheting tonight while we watch the Olympics.  I haven't done any for ages.  Hope I remember how. 

We went out exploring this morning, but that was disappointing. Nothing open on Sunday mornings except the churches and Wal-Mart.  No galleries, tourist shops, restaurants that we could find.  We went looking for the dam that is associated with Flathead Lake (the largest body of fresh water east of the Mississippi, according to something I read).  We missed the signs and ended up way out in the ranch/farm land.  Pretty, but we've been looking at that scenery for a few days now.  So, back into town we came to check out what there was to see.  Nothing.  We had nice views of the lake but that was about it.  We did find a restaurant that was associated with a hotel that was open and had lunch.  That was our excitement for the day. We've been here before when we went to Glacier NP several years ago, so driving around looking at the scenery just doesn't appeal.  And we avoided some storms and flash flooding, too, by staying home. (See next paragraph)

It has looked like rain off in the distance all day and tonight when we watched the local news we found out that most of western Montana is under a severe thunderstorm/hail storm watch.  We are surrounded and are sitting in a storm holiday, thank goodness.  

Cloudy, light winds, cool (I don't think it reached 80 today) enough for long pants for me.  Silly Roger - he only brought one pair of jeans he had bought recently and one nice pair of pants. The jeans were dirty and the pants fell off him.  He has lost a lot of weight in the last few months - down to a 30 waist size. When we looked at the pants he brought - 34.  No wonder he had trouble keeping them up.   I should have such problems! 

Anothere quiet day planned for tomorrow.  Maybe some touristy shops will be open to check out?  

A Miserable Day for Maggie

As we were leaving the Deer Lodge KOA this morning and I took Maggie out for her pee walk, she took me straight to the office looking for Cass and her dog cookies.  I had the hardest time getting her back to the truck and when it came time to go, she sat down on the grass, ears lowered, and looked at me as if to say, "No way."  Roger had to pick her up and put her in the truck.  She was not a happy traveler today at all and if we didn't have such a short drive I would have drugged her.  We haven't done it in a while because she's been so good, but today I was ready to shove two pills down her!!

When we stopped for lunch we found a small cafe out in the middle of nowhere and pulled in to the large parking area. Roger went in to get a coffee and ask permission to park there and Maggie didn't like that at all.  I tried to get her to walk around and check out the good sniffs, but she sat down and just looked at me.  I tried pulling her and she slipped out of her harness and took off towards the cafe.  Nothing I yelled at her did any good - Stop, Stay, Sit, No, Bad Dog - nothing.  She just kept going with her tail down looking like a fugitive on the run. Rog had to catch her and carry her back to the truck.  

Now that we have parked for a few days, she is a happy camper once again.  She is minding, mostly, and enjoying being with us not in the truck.  She's finally relaxing but still won't get far from Roger.  I'm not sure she is speaking to me!

Today we drove northwest from Deer Lodge to Polson, MT which is located at the bottom end of Flathead Lake.  Once we got off I-90 we drove onto the Flathead Indian Reservation and I'm thinking we may just be on the north side of it here in Polson.  (From Wikipedia:  The Flathead Indian Reservation, located in western Montana on the Flathead River, is home to the Bitterroot Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d'Oreilles Tribes - also known as the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation.)

This reservation is not quite as derelict as the Crow Reservation, however.  Yes, there were some pockets of run down trailers and homes, but for the most part the homes were what I would call average.  There were cattle ranches and wheat fields and the tribes are building a big casino on the south end of the reservation.   The signs are in Engish and one of the local languages.  The ones for the towns have the name of the town in English followed by the Indian name followed by the translation such as "home of the broad aspen."  They were fascinating.  I got a photo that was legible but it was only with the two languages and not the translation.

The tribes have also built land bridges across the highway for the wildlife, which I gather is quite abundant here. 

This part of Montana is an outdoorsman's dream - hunting, fishing, off roading, etc.  There are mountains, streams, forests, camp grounds every where.  Makes you want to grab a fly rod and join the crowds.

To our delight and surprise the place we are staying for 3 nights is wonderful.  It is an RV resort - not a campground or RV park. It's well maintained, the sites are large, there's grass and trees, and a swimming pool.  We really lucked out and got an end site on the perimeter of the property.  We have a large grassy area with two spruce trees and we look out over an open field and an orchard to the beautiful Mission Mountains. 

When I took a walk with the Maggs earlier I discovered that one side of the park borders a golf course and another a field with horses.  It's so serene.  It's a small park and the hosts told me that many people live here all summer, but you wouldn't know it because there's no junky stuff outside the RVs.  It's a bit pricey, but, so comfortable.  We are talking about returning and spending more time here another summer.  

I found a place that sells huckleberry pie and Roger stopped for me so I could get a slice for dessert tonight!  He's a good guy!

Of course, no day goes without  an RV adventure - we are now having other electrical issues.  Remember the outside lights that stayed on?  Well, he fixed that by disconnecting the wires to the switch and pulling the bulbs out.  Now, the living room overhead lights are dimmer than normal and the panel with the switch for them gets hot when they are on.  So, after dinner we went up the street to a Wal-mart and bought a floor lamp and we will leave those overhead lights off until we can get home and get them repaired - along with the other things connected to that panel if need be.  

It was an overcast day with some haze we think might be coming from a fire.  Late today the sun came out but it's just been perfect.   Temperatures in the 70s and low 80s.  Expect the same tomorrow.

Tomorrow we go exploring.   

We Should Have Stayed Here for the Rest Day!

We are back to grass - no trees - but lots of grass!!!  Maggie's happy, I'm happy, therefore, Roger's happy.

We got on the road at our regular time this morning - around 9am but only had less than 100 miles to go.  I had booked this place last minute when I couldn't get into the next place today and we needed an interim stop.  We are in Deer Lodge, MT which is a bit north of Butte and south of Missoula along I-90.  It's a small town and from what I read in the local flyers, the second town to be incorporated in Montana. The old territorial prison and several related museums are the main attraction for the city. The another attraction is a huge ranch with original buildings that have been dubbed a national historical site.   It's a beautiful valley with high mountains west and south of us. The campground is next to the Little Bigfoot River and is quite comfy.  Temperatures were comfortable until about 4pm and I had to turn on the AC.  Once the sun goes down we can shut it off.  

We almost had an incident on the road outside of Helena this morning.  Two big dogs loping down the center of our lane headed directly for us.  Roger slammed on the brakes and swerved to the side which had a narrow shoulder.  I was hanging on to the door with one hand and on to Maggie with the other.  We missed the dogs with the truck and just barely with the RV.  Our hearts were pounding.  That could have ruined our day.  We just hope the line of traffic behind us missed those critters too.  It was quite scary.

We got into Deer Lodge very early - around 11am.  Most places don't let you come in until after noon or 1 o'clock.  We pulled into an empty parking lot and I called the campground to see if we could go on in.  Cass, the owner, said she had no problem with it but she was at the bank and for us to just pull in.  She had our site posted on the door and we had started setting up when she got back.  She told me to take Maggie off the leash and let her come in the office/store with me when I registered and she gave her a "cookie."  Amazing welcome.  We are used to people being pleasant, but this was such an enthusiastic welcome!    This is the neatest, cleanest, most well maintained KOA we have been in.  It's tiny in comparison to most as she doesn't have many sites, but it is meticulously clean.  She's got her grandson working here learning the ropes in hopes she can turn the place over to him.  At one point today she was teaching him how to "deadhead" some pansies she had in a flower box.   She had some dog-shaped dog cookies on the counter in the office that she and her grandson made.  Of course I had to get two for Maggie. She just got the tail of the dog but that was enough for her to beg for more.  Maggie loves them and tonight when I took her for her "business" walk she headed for the office and was upset when I wouldn't let her go in.

We looked again for a barber - none in this town.  We did find a Safeway and while Roger was getting fuel I walked over to it and got some much needed produce.  (I got in trouble because Roger didn't hear me tell him where I was going and after he got the fuel he frantically was looking for me everywhere. He thought I'd gone into the store at the station to use the restroom.  He couldn't find me anywhere.  He finally spotted the Safeway and found me there.  It was a bit of an anxious moment for him to have me just disappear.  Next time I'll leave a note in my seat!!)  The mom and pop places we have frequented have had a rather limited selection of the foods we eat.  It was good to load up although I suspect our next stop will have a grocery store as it is an even larger town.  

Last time we were through Helena I fell in love with it.  It's a very nice looking city.  Only problem is I can't live in Montana - Not even for the summer months.  They don't recycle - anywhere.  It is a very RED state, too, although most of the folks we have met have been very nice but politics have never been brought up.  It is a very beautiful place, though.  

Tomorrow we will go about 150 miles north to Polson, MT which sits at the bottom end of Flathead Lake.  We have 3 nights reserved and hope to do some sightseeing in the area.  

Another Day Without Air Conditioning!

It was 47 degrees when we got up this morning around seven - about 56 in the RV.  We did use the "fireplace" for a little while this morning to take the chill off.  This afternoon the temps are still below 80!  Yay!  No wind to speak of, so, the day is super pleasant.

We had a leisurely morning getting ourselves moving.  Rog made me some blueberry pancakes - my first of the trip - and they were super good.  We went into the town of Townsend looking for fuel, a barber, and a drug store.  We found all of the above but the barber was backed up five deep so Rog opted out.  We found a small bakery/deli (4 tables) that mostly sold doughnuts but did have a limited menu of sandwiches so we ate lunch before we came back to the RV.  

I fibbed when I said this place was a total gravel parking lot. We do have a small patch of grass in a raised 6' x 10' bed between the RVs.  Something's better than nothing.  We did sit out there for a while this afternoon with Maggie stretched out in her flat dog impersonation.   The rest of the place, though, is pretty much gravel with some sparse grass areas around the buildings and for the tent sites.  Not many places to take the dog to do her business - the prairie grass along the outer perimeter is pretty stickery and she tiptoes through it and then tries to squat and bounces right back up when she hits the dried grass.  

Rog said he saw lots of boats going out this morning as the winds were calm and the fisher people had to stay home yesterday.  We've only a slight breeze this afternoon and it is wonderful after yesterday's constant winds of around 35 with some major gusts that shook the RV.  The RV windows are open and the ceiling fan is running and it is quite comfy today.

Roger is getting his day of rest - he's sitting outside with his earphones listening to his Audible book.  Well, he did strip the bed and remake it, cook breakfast and do the dishes after, and then helped me fold laundry.  So, almost a whole day of rest. I've already had a short cat nap - me and the Maggs on the couch.  

This camp store has a huge bookstore which I wandered through while the washers were going.  Ended up buying a book and hoping it is one I can talk my book club into reading.  "The Milagro Beanfield Wars."  




Montana and horses seem to go together and this camp store has a couple of pretty cool looking ones.

What a Difference a Day Makes

We have phone service, we have internet, we have TV, we have wind blowing at about 35 mph, we have 70 degree temps, and we are basically sitting in a gravel parking lot.  Such a difference from the last two days.  (I just posted what I had written while we were unable to make any entries.  So there will be two for today.)



Although the temps in Big Timber were mid to high 80s, it was quite warm - enough to run the AC.  It's amazing how fast these tin cans heat up with the sun on them.  Today when we got up it was cool so we put on long pants and I put on shoes instead of sandals.  We are glad we did.  We never saw temperature readings above 74 today. Tonight it is to get down in low 40s.  But, tomorrow, it's going to start warming up again.  In the meantime we are enjoying not having the noise of the AC running.  

As I mentioned we are no longer following the Mormans or the 49ers but now we are following in the footsteps of the Corps of Discovery.  We crossed the Missouri River a couple of times today and I did see a sign pointing to the Headwaters of the Missouri River.  Even here it's a good size. I don't think we will be following this path much past Helena as we head further north to Flathead Lake and the our intrepid explorers headed west towards the Columbia River.   I   a few years ago we stayed outside of Great Falls, MT and there was an interpretive center we visited so I'm thinking that once we pass Helena on Friday we will lose the trail.

Our campground for tonight and tomorrow had the promise of being a great stopover.  The reviews were good and it was listed as the best park in the area.  It's near a huge body of water -  Canyon Ferry Lake.   It's in a beautiful valley of wheat farms with mountains in the distance.  We are eight miles out of town.  There are no railroad tracks.  But, it's a gravel parking lot full of RVs, ATVs, and boats.  It looks as if most of the folk are seasonal and are here to fish and go off roading.  Lot's of camo painted vehicles and outerwear on the guys.  We stick out like a sore thumb!  Oh, well. It can't be all bad - there's a small cafe next door whose specialties are chocolate nachos or huckleberry ice cream!
   
Tomorrow we will go into town (Townsend, MT) and get fuel and look around.  It looked like a nice downtown area - very small, though.  So, unless something else breaks, Rog will get a day of rest!  

Maggie and I had a bit of a disagreement this morning.  She was being willful as we were getting ready to go and then once we got moving she would sit and pant in my ear and every once in a while she would kiss it - not once, mind you, several times. This while I am trying desperately working Google on my phone to find an RV repair parts place in Bozeman to stop and look for the propane regulator.  She was driving me crazy most of the drive and I spoke sternly to her several times.  We made up later when we got set up and had a nap together.......

Once we got wifi today we ordered the propane regulator from Amazon and it will be at home when we get there. Since we aren't running the furnace at night, we should have no trouble.  

Our stop for lunch today was another truck stop parking lot where we ate inside the RV (big time wind today) - but instead of a little cafe like before, this place had a bakery and deli!   Yep,  fresh bread for sandwiches and toast and some turnovers for dessert tonight.  

Monday and Tuesday in Big Timber MT

We are right in the center

It’s Tuesday afternoon, the second of August, and Maggie and I are sitting under a lovely big cottonwood tree next to the RV and enjoying the 80 degrees.  It’s supposed to get hot later, so we are enjoying the breeze and being able to be out.  Poor Roger has gone in to the town of Big Timber, MT (about 5 miles) looking for a high pressure regulator for the propane line and getting fuel for tomorrow’s journey.

No, the propane saga is not over.  We thought it was, but no.  We were still getting a leak somewhere.  Rog put that new pigtail to the system in when we were in Colorado, had the tank filled, and we’ve been traveling with it off.  He checked it yesterday and we still had a leak. Today we traded in the tank at a propane place.  Thought we were good.  Put the new tank in, hooked it up, and it’s still leaking somewhere.  A neighbor said he heard a hiss coming from the pressure regulator, so that’s probably been the problem all along.  With both of us not hearing well we never heard the noise.  So, as I said, Rog hopes to find a new regulator or we are back to hauling around a tank that’s turned off because we can’t trust it.   

As I type, Rog just pulled in - no new regulator, but the propane store manager is coming out to take a look at our problem.  Stay tuned.

Sunday night in Sheridan, after I finished the journal entry and as we went to bed, we had a large thunderstorm hit - winds about 60mph, lightning, heavy rain.  We had just opened up the windows for the night and had to go shut them in a hurry.  It came on fast, lasted about half and hour, and then moved on.  

Monday we continued north on I-90 into Montana.  We left the Oregon/California/Morman Trails as we passed through Casper on Saturday and the Platte River took a left turn and headed more westerly.  Now we are on the Lewis and Clark trail along the Yellowstone River.  We are in Big Timber, MT and according to all the signs and plaques around town, the expedition stopped here at the confluence of the Boulder and Yellowstone Rivers.  According to the map we will be following our explorers for a while.

We drove through the huge Crow Reservation and it was so depressing seeing the dereliction and poverty.  We passed by the Little BigHorn National Monument - we had been there years ago on a Memorial Day and it had put us into a sad state.  We didn’t figure we needed more of a downer than driving through the rez.  

Windmills - you know, the kind that are on farms and ranches that are used to pump water to the surface for the livestock.  Well, we saw one with a solar panel attached.  Go figure.  Wind?  Sun?  Got it all!!

Trains - last week all we saw were trains with miles and miles of coal cars attached.  On Monday we saw trains with different cargoes.  One with airplane fuselages that Rog thought might be coming from Boeing to an assembly/paint plant.  The other one had all the cars loaded with wind turbine blades.  A bit more interesting than the coal trains.

Billings, MT looks like a nice place although there is an oil refinery and a power plant but as you know the interstate doesn’t go through the nice neighborhoods.  The next town on the highway, Laurel, has the west coast’s largest rail switching yards, which were visible from the interstate.  It was Yooge!!  

We found another very nice Rest Area on Monday just outside of Billings - no Indian jewelry, though.   We had a nice lunch and break from riding.   We got into Big Timber around 2:30pm.  

We are staying in the Spring Creek Campground and Trout Pond RV park.  It is a lovely little campground that we stayed in on our first trip through this area.  They even put us in the same site that we were in before.  The Boulder River flows along beside the campground and there is a natural spring in the middle of it - the campground, not the river.  They’ve built a pond and stocked it with trout.  There is lots of grass, trees, and very friendly people.   We did find that pizza place in town last night and it was as good as we remembered! 

Our neighbors are from Billings, MT.  They park their rig here for the summer and come on weekends.  This week they are on vacation so are spending it here.  Very nice people.  They even offered to dog-sit Maggie while we went to town today but she would have nothing to do with that.  Before we even left she had slipped out of her harness and run back to the steps of our RV.  We ended up just leaving her in the rig while we were gone for the hour or so.  They have a little mini-doxie named Gonzo!  He’s a cute little guy and the dogs seem to tolerate each other once the initial sniffing of butts was completed.

I’m writing this in a word processing document and hope to pull it into the journal tomorrow night -  along with some photos - assuming we have wifi or a phone signal (we’ve been told that AT&T is pretty much worthless in Montana) so I can use the hotspot.  We do have wifi here - not strong enough, though to upload the journal/blog.  The computer says I’ve got four bars when when I go to do anything it drops to one.   I’ve better luck with the iPad and can at least play Words for a few minutes before I get kicked off.  

We couldn’t get the Dish TV to work - too many trees.  So, no TV, no news of the Trumpster’s latest stupidness from the phones or iPads.  It’s really kind of nice to not know what the latest silliness is in the world.  Besides we have plenty going on ourselves.  

While we were in town this morning we found a small grocery store and got some needed items.  We also stopped at Gusts’ Mercantile in downtown.   I had seen a t-shirt with a very nice graphic done by a local artist at the visitor’s center when we got lost on our way into town and had to ask for directions.  The lovely lady there gave us directions to the campground and also told me that I could get the shirt at Gusts’ in town.   When I went today they had no shirt in my size in the color I wanted, but I did find a western style shirt on a sale rack that will remind me of Montana, so the trip to Gusts’ wasn’t wasted.  

Actually, I’m glad we went in that store.  There was a very old dude wandering around the store and he started a conversation with Roger when he saw Roger looking at an old Navy uniform up on a shelf.   It was the old dude’s from WWII.  He was a torpedoman on a destroyer in the Pacific.  He had a display case with a model of his ship, pictures of men from the ship, history of the ship, etc., etc.  Rog spent some time talking to the old guy about his service and the man was very glad to have someone who had been in the Navy ask about the old days.  Then I spotted a newspaper article in the display case about Mr. Gusts and his store and I asked if he was that person.  He smiled and beamed with pride.  I’m glad we took the time to speak with him and make his day.  We figure he had to be at least 91 and he was there working in his store.  No, the trip into that store was not wasted at all! 

Everywhere we have been today we’ve encountered the nicest people.  Everyone trying to help us out.  As it turns out the propane guy drove out to the campground because he couldn’t believe what Rog was telling him about the set up of the propane system.  Then when our neighbor came over and told him that his  system was set up just like it he realized that the regulators are there for a reason.  He tried to get us a new one by tomorrow morning, but no one he called even heard of the high pressure regulator for RVs.  Amazing.  So, we are back to just shutting off the tank on the one side and moving on.  We were told that there are three big RV places in Bozeman and we should find it there.

In the meantime, we noticed that a running light in the front had a broken lens.  On Monday a bird flew into the RV and we think that it must have hit that light.  So, as I write, Roger is off to an auto parts store that our neighbor thinks will have the lens, otherwise we have an exposed electrical hazard.  Let’s hope he finds one.  When he left Roger told me to try and find more stuff for him to fix while I was gone.  Think he was serious????

When Rog got back (with no lens cover) and after a long session on the couch thinking about “stuff” he took the panel off the wall in the hallway that has all the switches on it.  Remember I told you about the scare lights coming on and not going off?  Well, that particular switch, even in the off position, was burning a red light.  It was getting quite warm being on all the time.  In telling our neighbor the story he mentioned fire possibility from a messed up wiring problem.  So, as I said, Roger removed the panel and pulled the wires to that switch out and taped them up so they wouldn’t be touching anything.  This is a problem he can’t fix - it’s going to take an RV electrician.  Looks as if we will have to take the RV in for service when we get home and be very careful not to look at the new ones on the lot while we are there. 

We had a good for you dinner after last night’s pizza, but then while we were sitting outside enjoying the evening breezes, Rog went down to the little store and got ice cream.  We are having a hard time staying on our low sugar diet, but Oh, Well - we are on vacation!

It’s bedtime again.  I’ve been adding stuff to this narrative all day as I think about things.  I’ll probably still tweak it a little tomorrow when I upload it.

Tomorrow we are off to Townsend, MT where we will stay two nights.  The temperature forecast is for high 60s tomorrow an low 70s for Thursday.  Hopefully Roger will get a day of rest like today was supposed to be.