1036 September 9, 2023 One Day Closer!

It was a quiet and peaceful night.  We did hear an owl and the train came through at 10pm and midnight and before sunrise.  It didn’t bother us though and we slept.

I took a walk this morning through the town of Martin. 

The playground invoked many memories.  Tim would not get onto the carousel last night.  I remember riding on these when we were kids until we felt like throwing up.

The metal slide was so hot in the summer sun that it would burn the backs of your legs.

I walked to a farm field and could not identify this crop. It was rapeseed or canola.

I found a country road and walked awhile. 

There was a field of sunflowers that went on as far as the eye could see.  I tromped through the dewy grass to take pictures.  The petals were withered and the faces were bent and heavy with shining black seeds.

I met Cindy, the woman who I spoke to yesterday about our campsite.  We talked for a long time about small-town life.  Her nearest shopping is 100 miles from here.  Of more concern, advanced medical care is very far away.  There is a town several miles away that has several doctors.  She and her family can go there to be evaluated.  If it is something of grave concern, the helicopter is called.  She also talked about the wind and winter weather.  Several men in town have trucks and equipment and they keep the community roads clear.  Everyone is well stocked and prepared before the snow comes and blows and drifts in November. 

We took Route 52 south and east to Interstate 94.  We passed more miles of hayfields and corn fields and soybean crops.

I did a short stint in the driver’s seat.  94 is a good, straight road.  There was little traffic and few trucks and I thought this might be a good place for me to take a turn. 

We stopped at a rest stop for lunch.  There was a state trooper assisting a tow truck parked right in front of us.  Tim decided to take over.

We passed Sanford Medical Center.  This is the only Level One Trauma Center in North Dakota.  Coming from the east, we take for granted the amazing medical care that is available to us at home.

We went through Fargo and across the Minnesota line.  I was relieved not to be driving here.  There were areas of construction with only one lane open and the traffic was heavier near the city with lots of merging vehicles. 

It rained this afternoon.  We decided to stop before Minneapolis.  We traveled 400 miles today and we are one day closer to Atlanta!

I found a Harvest Host site in Monticello that accepted same day requests.  We pulled into the backlot for Nordic Brewpub.  We got settled and then went inside for dinner.  Tim had a good stout similar to Guiness and a southwest protein bowl.  I had a salad and wild mushroom flatbread with a pineapple cider.  We chatted with another man at the bar and we enjoyed our meal.

I am looking forward to walking in this small town in the morning.

Thanks to all the farmers!

1035 September 8, 2023 Goodbye Canada!

This morning, we were up before dawn.  We decided not to forego our exercise.  While Tim did his yoga and stretching, I walked laps around Thatcher Center (Walmart and surrounding stores).  I watched the sunrise over Moose Jaw.  This town is home to the largest moose in the world.  A 32-foot metal sculpture stands at the Tourism Center and is the city’s claim to fame.  Unfortunately, GPS took us around the city instead of through it so we missed the humongous moose. 

We drove across the Great Plains of Saskatchewan; past nubs and stubble leftover after the wheat was shorn and harvested.  You had better like riding a tractor if you live out here and as Tim said “have a comfortable seat.”  Golden hay bales and silver silos glinted in the early light.  The clouds were windswept across blue skies.  Raptors sat perched atop telephone poles waiting for breakfast.  A red fox prowled the field.  In the distance there appeared to be a smudge of grey smoke but as we approached, we could see a large flock of small black birds.

There was a lot of truck traffic.  There were wide loads on trailers carrying giant 12-foot tractor tires.  There were trucks hauling farm equipment and all of the supplies that keep the farms running; fertilizer, fuel, and other agricultural stuff.  As we got closer to the US border, livestock grazed in fields dotted with pumpjacks, methodically drawing oil from the earth.  There was a field of sunflowers, faces tipped toward the sun. 

We crossed the border at Portal, North Dakota and the time changed to Central Time.  One border patrol agent walked the drug sniffing dog around our rig.  The second agent asked lots of questions.  She had us disembark and then she boarded the RV.  We could hear her opening and closing cupboards.  We were cleared to enter the US.

Goodbye Canada! 

We have spent a lot of time at both the Mexican and Canadian borders.  When you enter Mexico, sometimes there is a wall.  Whether or not there is or isn’t, it is immediately apparent that you have entered a foreign country; the pastel houses, the distinct difference in resources.  When you cross into Canada, there is only a swath of grass separating the two countries.  One country melts into the next.  The cities in western Canada look very similar to our US cities.  English is the primary language.  Home Depot, Staples, McDonalds, Walmart, and a host of other stores and businesses are familiar.  Canada also grapples with issues of illegal drugs and homelessness. 

There are many things uniquely Canadian.  Some things Canadians do better.  The country is cleaner.  There is less litter.  There is more of an effort to recycle and use clean energy. 

In our experience we have found Canada to be a welcoming place.  The people are gracious and kind and helpful.

Now we return to America; American flags and dollars and gallons and miles.  Hopefully there will be lower grocery and fuel prices!

In North Dakota, the landscape didn’t change much.  There were a few corn and soybean fields mixed in among the grain.

We did see a group of about 20 pronghorns grazing in the high weeds.

Today Tim drove 330 miles.  Travel was slower because we were on 2 lane country roads.  There were also a couple of long areas of construction where we waited each time for more than 30 minutes for a pilot car. No set it and go today. 

We found a small campground in Martin.  Full hookups and a pull through site for $15.00.  We were greeted by a man who lives in town.  He knew we were coming so he came over to mow.  Everything was neat and well kept when we arrived.  We asked if there was a café or restaurant here.  There isn’t.  According to the 2010 census, 78 people live here.

I was cleaning the multitude of sticky bug corpses from the windshield when the gentleman came back.  He said that he was sorry that there was no café but that he did have some fresh vegetables to share.  He gave me a bag of roma tomatoes and cucumbers from his garden.  He wanted no payment, only a thank you!  Small town America at its very finest!

We enjoyed tuna salad and boiled eggs and a beautiful cucumber and tomato salad.  We haven’t had fresh tomatoes all summer and these were sweet and meaty and delicious!

There are train tracks directly across the street.  We have heard four trains go by since we got here at 4pm.  I’m sure the trains won’t sound those horns overnight!!!

Tim and I both saw this poem on Facebook today. Without knowing, we both sent it to each other…it speaks to us!

1034 September 7, 2023 Home Sweet Home

We were awake before 6am and on our way by 7.  We stopped for diesel fuel and coffee as soon as we passed the outskirts of the city.  It was cloudy and smoky and raining on and off.

There were geese flying overhead in vee formation; traveling south like us!  In fact, there were geese or ducks in almost every pond.

As we passed Elk Island National Park, we could see wood bison to the south and plains bison to the north.

We took the Yellowhead Trail or the Trans Canada Highway, Route 16, south and east.  We crossed from the Alberta Province into Saskatchewan.  We knew that this portion of Canada was plains.  We could see 360 degrees at the horizon for most of the day.  The road was wide and good and Tim was able to set the cruise control for 110kmph and just go.

The roadside was flanked by hundreds of miles of hayfields and wheat fields.  We believe that this must be Canada’s breadbasket.  There were threshers and harvesters out in force as soon as the sun was out.  We passed granaries and train cars loaded with grain and tall silos filled with grain. 

Our way was dotted by small and bigger towns.  There are not too many RV’s travelling this way.  As we approached Saskatoon, we crossed over the Saskatchewan River several times. 

In the city, we dropped down to head south on 11. 

We settled for the night in Moose Jaw at a Walmart. We needed to stock the RV with food and supplies.

I spent the evening getting things reorganized and unpacked after our extended hotel stay.  I have everything back where I want it and it feels really good to be home and driving and moving closer to Atlanta.  Tim drove almost 500 miles today and I think he was happy to be moving too! 

1033 September 6, 2023 Royal Alberta Museum

Another walk in the industrial area.  Edmonton is a trucking hub.  There are lots of truck repair shops and parts suppliers in this area.  Lots of safety messages as well.

I am determined to find something beautiful on each of these walks. 

This afternoon, we drove to the Freightliner to check on the RV.  We had not heard anything and we were anxious to see when our new turbo was scheduled to arrive.  We got a pleasant surprise.  Our RV was in the bay and the mechanic was actively working on it.  He showed Tim the seized turbo and explained how the damage to the turbo likely caused all of the other problems in the emissions system.  It was his best guess that we might get the RV tonight; pending the fact that no new codes popped up when it was tested.  We knew better than to get our hopes up.

We drove downtown into Edmonton through the “Gate of Happy Arrival” into an Asian area.

We saw many tents here in this part of the city. I cannot imagine what these people do when winter comes.

We spent a couple of hours at the Royal Alberta Museum. 

We wandered among the exhibits in the Human History section.  First Nations Peoples have lived in Alberta for more than 13,000 years.  There were ancient artifacts including tools and pottery.  The collections followed the people over time.

Worlds Meet showed the changes that began as Europeans came to the area.

There was a portion dedicated to the residential schools for indigenous children.

There was a beautiful tribute to the cultures and traditions of the tribes that remain in Alberta.  It was an immersive exhibit and I found it very moving.

The transformation of Alberta was depicted by the many modern changes that occurred in the most recent decades. 

I love old medical stuff.

Tim likes old trucks and tractors.

We went upstairs to the Natural History wing.  There were displays of the animals who lived here during the Ice Age and then the animals who live here now.

We spent a brief time in the Gems and Minerals room.

We really enjoyed our visit and I know that I could have spent a lot more time there. 

A Ukrainian Catholic Church.

We went back to the hotel and watched the progress across the street.  We could see that the RV was outside and undergoing the regen.

We walked to Aloha, a poke bowl restaurant not too far from the hotel.  We had a really tasty meal.  Tim even tried the kimchi and the seaweed salad.

When we got back, the RV was parked out in the lot.  This was a good sign.  We went into the service department office and we were told that the rig still had to undergo code testing and then quality control before they could say it was ready to go.

We got a call and email at 7:30. The RV passed testing and our invoice was complete!!!  We could pay online and then pick up our vehicle either tonight before 10:00 or tomorrow at our convenience.  We will get a good night’s sleep in the hotel and leave in the morning.

Dare we hope…

1032 September 5, 2023 Marooned

At 2:19am the fire alarm began to screech. We dressed quickly and walked down the five flights of stairs to the parking lot. Three firetrucks arrived and the firemen in full gear entered the hotel. There was no fire, rather a belt on the furnace was worn and smoking and that set off the alarm. The foremen worked to reset the alarm and we were all able to return to our rooms.

This morning, I walked again in the industrial area. I saw a bit of green space and saw these beautiful mushrooms.

We planned to go to the Royal Alberta Museum today. It has been recommended and has high ratings. It was damp and chilly and a good day to do something indoors. We put it in GPS and we saw “Closed Today” when it loaded directions…there went our whole plan for the day.

We went to get a few groceries. The hotel fridge is really small so we get a little at a time. It gives us something to do!

Afterward, we drove in the neighborhoods of Saint Albert. It looks like a really nice community. The leaves are beginning to change here.

We had a really quiet day. We went to the hotel restaurant again this evening. We were hoping to get some news today from the service center but nothing yet…hopefully tomorrow!

1031 September 4, 2023 Edmonton Mall Over The Top

It was cloudy and chilly this morning.  I got dressed and ready to walk and when I went out, it was spitting cold rain.  I went back into the hotel and decided that I would use the hotel laundry.  The machines were empty.  I went to the room and collected everything I needed and when I went back down, the machines were full.  I sat in the lobby and talked to Mom. 

I went back to the room for the Jeep key and I found a nearby laundromat where I was able to get the job done.

When I returned, the rain had stopped and I walked in the industrial park.

When you look on Trip Advisor for the top things to do in Edmonton, West Edmonton Mall comes up first.  Several people have told us that we must see this mall.  Eddie and Chris told us to skip it!  They gave us lots of recommendations for Abraham Lake and Jasper and Banff.  Today the weather was dismal.  We drove to the mall.

This place is the largest mall and entertainment center in the world.  There are over 800 stores.  In addition, there is a roller coaster, a carousel, , a casino, a hotel, a mini golf course, a marine life aquarium, and a Toyota dealership.  There are high end stores including Tiffany’s, Gucci, Coach, and Rolex. The Gucci store had a velvet rope across the entrance and a bouncer to allow customers to come in.

Today was a holiday and there were great crowds of people.  It was really noisy.

There was a running train for children.

There was a 2pm sea lion show.

There was a water park.

There was a full-service Asian grocery store.

There was also an ice-skating rink with its own Zamboni.

There was an amazing LEGO store.

Tim bought tart cherry juice at the health food store.  I found a new silicone spatula in a knife store.  We really were not there to shop.  We were there to gawk and to see the spectacle.  The opulence is comparable to Vegas.  It was totally over the top.

We rode in the elevator today with a pair of teenaged girls.  They greeted us and asked if we were evacuees.  They are from Hay River a 12-hour drive north from Edmonton.  They are here because their home and their community are at imminent risk because of wildfires.  I told the girls that I would keep them in my thoughts and I have.  I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to pack a bag and leave your things behind, not knowing what you might find when you return.  Perspective.  It reminds us that our troubles are small in comparison. 

We had dinner in the hotel restaurant.  We will see what we come up with to stay occupied tomorrow. 

1030 September 2-3, 2023 Elk Island Camping

Another walk in and around the industrial area to begin the day.

We had until 1pm in the hotel room.  We checked out a little early and went across the street to collect a few things from the RV for our overnight adventure.  We needed our pillows and blankets.

We drove the 30 miles to the park.  We took our time, wandering through all of the loops and overlooks. 

We saw this bison bull in a picnic area.  We were out of the car, a safe distance away, taking pictures when a ranger showed up and asked everyone to return to their cars.

Soon after, another bull was walking on the yellow line in the center of the road.  He crossed in front of the Jeep and walked off into the trees.

We took the road to the west entrance and saw some white pelicans in the lake.  They should soon be flying south.

We drove the outer edges of the park and reentered at the north gate.  We stopped to look at this snake on the pavement.

We stopped to walk at Beaver Pond.

The Cree First Nation People called this pace Amisk Wuche or Beaver Hills.  When white settlers came, they trapped and harvested the beavers for their pelts.

We went to the campground office to register.  There was a BBQ food truck set up in the parking lot.  We had decided not to bring a big dinner with us.  We were going to have yogurt and fruit and nuts.  All of a sudden, BBQ sounded very appetizing.  It was delicious!  We sat under a shade tree and enjoyed our sandwiches. 

We watched a long line of people at the soft serve ice cream truck.  It was too hard to resist.  We sat under the tree savoring this rare treat!

We got set up and organized on our campsite.  Tim napped and I read.  Later, we took our bikes for a nice ride.  We walked the boardwalk. 

The lake area was extremely crowded on this beautiful albeit smoky and windy day.  The lake had a blue green algae alert and swimming was discouraged.  There were a few brave souls out there anyway. 

We were sitting outside in the evening.  We were talking about how we are usually tenting in a remote location and not in the middle of a busy campground.  The couple next to us was camping in a 4WD van.  We began talking with them.  Edwina and Chris are from Edmonton.  They told us that there might be an opportunity to see the Northern Lights which is something we have never seen.  They both take beautiful photographs and she shared her pictures of the Northern Lights at Elk Island.  They have also traveled extensively in the southwestern states.  We have been in many of the same places and it was fun to share stories.  The evening passed quickly and as often happens after such a conversation, we were reenergized and excited about exploring; thinking about where future trips might lead us.  As we went to bed, Edwina and Chris promised to wake us if the Northern Lights were going to show their colors.  During the night, the smoke and clouds moved in.  Maybe next time!!!

The last couple of weeks have been stressful for us.  We are accustomed to having things go our way.  We are usually lucky and probably spoiled.  We were on our way home and having to be delayed has been a disappointment.  Having said that, last night, talking with likeminded folks, it made us remember how much we love what we do and how grateful we are for the opportunity.  The evening helped us to adjust our perspective and that was much needed!

This morning, Chris came out with his map to show us how to get to Lake Abraham.  Unfortunately, the weather tomorrow calls for clouds and highs in the 50’s with a low of 43 degrees…we may not get there this time.  We chatted until it was time to go about all manner of things.  We were happy to get a chance to meet this bright and adventurous couple.

We drove to the hotel, taking a long and wandering route back.  Today was a recovery day.  We were fairly lazy.  I went to get a few groceries and some food for dinner.  Tim watched the NASCAR race. 

1029 September 1, 2023 Making The Best Of It

Another morning walk around a huge block in the industrial complex.  Thanks, mom, for listening this morning <3

Tim went across the street to see where the RV might be.  It was sealed behind the garage bay doors and no one was working on it.  He decided to go in and talk with the service department.  The turbo for the exhaust system is seized up.  There were no replacements here in Edmonton.  They found someone to rebuild the old one and they were offering a one-year warranty…in Alberta.  The turbo would not be complete until next Friday.  NO THANKS!  A new turbo would have to come from Seattle.  We authorized expedited shipping but because of the holiday weekend, no one was sure what that means.  Hopefully we will get the turbo early next week and then they can install it.  Maybe we will be here another week or so…

We were disheartened. 

This afternoon, I was able to get an appointment to get my hair done.  It was a nice treat and uplifting!

We went to the RV to get rid of all the spoiling food that we bought more than a week ago.  The shop has been able to keep the fridge plugged in so at least all of our freezer food is okay. 

This evening, I went out and bought a bottle of wine and a taco tray from Real Canadian Superstore.  It was really good and plenty for both of us.

Tomorrow, we are going to drive back to Elk Island.  We have made a reservation for a campsite and we will stay in the rooftop tent.  It is something we enjoy and something to look forward to.  The weather is supposed to be perfect.  I started to get things packed and organized.

Sunday, we will return to this hotel and stay until the RV is right.

1028 August 31, 2023 Maybe Tomorrow…Again…

I was in a new neighborhood this morning when I went for my walk. Through Lexus and Mercedes and Maserati and Jaguar and other luxury car lots.

The forecast for today was 70’s and cloudy with a 10% chance of rain however; it began to rain as I wandered through the car dealerships. I found a place to stand under an awning and waited for the rain to let up. I was able to run quickly across to the NAPA store where the rain began again only harder. Tim called to check on me and just a couple of minutes later, he was there to rescue me.

Maybe we will see some sun later.

We both went to the hotel fitness room where he used the weights and I hopped onto the treadmill.

We went back to the room and we waited.

We called the service center at noon and they expected that the RV would be ready by the end of the day. We checked out of the hotel and went to get a few groceries. We went to First Truck and saw that the RV was being scanned. The mechanic said we should know by 2:30pm if we were good to go. But, there was a new code…

At 4pm, we went out for an early dinner…still hoping…

At 5pm, when we returned, the mechanic was under the unit, taking things off…

We spoke to the customer service guy who told us we should get a room…

Now we are back at the Holiday Inn…maybe tomorrow?!?

1027 August 30, 2023 Maybe Tomorrow…

I started the day with a long walk in the city. I saw this small origami frog on the sidewalk and it made me smile!

Last night, we heard from the Freightliner Service Center. They were partway through our repair and the manifold studs were breaking during removal. The studs were in stock. They also noticed that a mounting bracket appeared to be cracked. They did not have a replacement and they were going to find the new part in the morning and let us know how that might affect our timeline. We had been able to have an extended 2pm checkout form the hotel. At noon, we still had not heard form Freightliner. A call to them revealed most excellent news. The bracket was not broken as they had feared! We were on schedule to get our unit repaired by 8pm. Great!!!

We packed all of our things and checked out of the hotel. We drove across town to the Freightliner where we could see the RV was in the bay and was being fixed. YAY!!!

We went to a nearby park that was little more than a block of green grass. We found a shady spot where we had lunch and then relaxed for a couple of hours. I had a good book to listen to and I was happy.

At 4pm we went to look again and the RV was on the computer doing the regen.

We decided to go to an early dinner at Ricky’s across the street so that we would be ready to leave when the RV was ready.

We went back to Freightliner and we saw the guy unplug the RV from the computer and then he proceeded to pull it back into the bay. Tim got out to speak with the mechanic. There was bad news. The RV was throwing codes indicating that the exhaust system was STILL NOT HAPPY!!! ARGHHH!!

There was another Holiday Inn directly across the street. Last weekend when we arrived in Edmonton, it was completely booked. Tonight, there were openings. We checked in and we were allowed a late checkout tomorrow to allow us extra time to figure out what we will need. The view of the First Truck Center from our hotel window.

We were able to talk with service. There is a recall for several of the gaskets on the Cummins exhaust catalyst system. They have ordered the parts and they should arrive tomorrow morning. Maybe replacing these gaskets will be the answer…we hope so.

We settled into our room and then went back downstairs for a drink. The bartender served me a Gigi Plus pour!

Lee and Claudia were back at Salmon Grove this week. A black bear began frequenting the campground and became a nuisance. Unfortunately, it had to be put down. There was bear for dinner.