Thursday, May 5, 2011

We are finally on the road again after nearly a week in Winnemucca, NV.  Not much there to see and do, but we did spend more time on planning our trip to Alaska.  We had phone service and Internet and the price was right.  We were waiting for the weather to warm up a little more.  Leaving this morning we headed north into Oregon and another BLM parking spot, Antelope Valley Reservoir.  A whopping 4 spaces, which in BLM parlance means 4 picnic tables, 4 firerings and pit toilets; works for us.  Two 40’ motorhomes out of place there, but we didn’t care as we were the only ones there. 

Friday, May 6, 2011 - Antelope Reservoir

Last night we were able to hear the coyotes howling all around the reservoir.  Really makes you feel isolated.  But we are on the move again so we can get phone service.  John and Tillie had their house broken into for the second time and they need to be in contact with the police, neighbors and insurance people.  They are real troopers and definitely have the right attitude.  I would be on the first plane home.  I would feel so violated.

Saturday, May 7, 2011 - Nampa, Idaho

We planned on doing our Mother’s Day dinner this evening rather than face the crowds tomorrow.  A couple stopped by in their car; they have an American Tradition, similar to John’s RV and we got to talking.  They were able to give us the name of a very good local restaurant named Kahootz!  But we had to go to dinner at 4 pm, because it was really 5 pm.  And it’s a good thing we did, we got the last available table before they started lining up out the door.  Kahootz has 43 beers ON TAP!  Decisions, decisions.  We all had the prime rib for dinner, it was very good.  I would recommend this restaurant definitely.

Sunday, May 8, 2011
Happy Mother’s Day

Bob cooked breakfast for me this morning, yum!  We are moving up the road today, one step closer to Alaska.  Our original plan was to drive up to  Cascade and stay in a state park.  We could have parked there, but basically the campground didn’t have any facilities turned on, and we were all looking forward to some water and electric hookups, so we kept on trucking up the road.  This is beautiful country.  We saw a sign that said we had passed the 45^th parallel, which said we were half way between the equator and the North Pole.  The landscape around here reminds me of early March at home.  The forsythia is blooming, tulips are out, daffodils and crocus.  The grass is green, but most trees still have not started to green up, depending on the elevation, at any given time on the road.  And then we passed through the town of McColl, where the snow is still piled up by the houses about 5 feet, and the lake was still frozen!  We knew we still had to move on; we weren't going to stay here.

 We were following Rte 55, which goes along the North Fork of the Payette River and the Lower Salmon River.  These rivers were rushing with white water rapids for 40 miles at the very least.  (We found out later, most of the rivers are still closed to kayaking and rafting as they are still to dangerous to ride.)  I'm sure they were also very cold from the snow melt.  This highway is the gateway to Hell's Canyon  National Rec Area and the Snake River, which is just over the mountains to the west. The Payette and Lower Salmon Rivers were also the route that Lewis and Clark used on their journey to the Pacific Ocean.  It is also within the land of the Nez Perce Indian Reservation.  The Nez Perce National Historic Park has 38 different sites across Oregon, Idaho, and Montana giving the history of the Nez Perce Indians.  What a rugged land they lived in. 

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

We left fairly early this next morning.  By our standards anyway.  We headed back to Rte 95, stopping along the was at the Coeur D'Alene Casino and Resort to play a couple of one armed bandits for a while.  Before continuing on, we stopped at the Reservation gas station where we were able to buy diesel for $3.97.  We haven't seen those prices in quite some time. 

I have to write all this stuff down, so Sandy and I will remember all we've seen and done on this trip.  There is so much happening, sometimes we can't even remember what days we have spent in what town.

Friday, May 13, 2011
Friday the 13th....

Woke up this morning to continue our northward trek about 80 miles to the town of Sandpoint, ID.  This is our last mail stop before we cross the border into Canada, which we picked up on our way into town before proceeding to a Walmart.  Our plans were to overnight there before proceeding to a Corps of Engineers park and campground which doesn't open until tomorrow.  After parking, Tillie went on to Curves, and the rest of us drove out to the campground to check it out.  It's a beautiful campground located on Lake Pend Oreille, (pronounced Ponderay).  It's the deepest lake in Idaho at over 1100 ft. Absolutely beautiful.  So is Sandpoint, which has a thriving downtown.  Very sophisticated and upwardly chic!  We also found there is a campgound located on the county fairgrounds much closer into town for only $2 more a night.  Not quite the view, but definitely a gas saver for all the running around we will do while staying here.

We will be staying here for 9 or 10 days waiting for the weather to warm up before heading across to Canada.  This is it, last stop, get'er done now, whatever it is that needs doing.

A couple RVing in another park, suggested we check out the Pend Oreille Winery located downtown.  That's where they were headed. So after dinner we all rode downtown.  What we discovered was it was a winery, yes, but they don't grow any grapes themselves.  It was basically a boutique winery.

Moved to the county campground even before we had breakfast.  There had been a strange man sitting outside of John and Tillie's RV last night.  He was sitting there drinking.  It was weird.  It was cold, windy and rainy last night. He slept the night at the base of their steps and when John started he generator in the morning, he got up, went over to another camper parked there, opened the door and went inside.  Go figure.

Sunday, May 15, 2011
Happy Birthday Tillie!

Actually it was a quiet day here at camp.  The day started out sunny and windy and by dinner time, it was windy and rainy.  We have been expecting this rain for two days. So has all of northern Idaho.  They even drained the lakes around here.  With the weather warming up so quickly and with all the rain they have had lately, the snow pack is melting too fast and they expect a lot of flooding.  Thankfully we are not located near any streams or rivers.

For tonight's birthday dinner, we took Tillie to Trinity at Sandpoint, affectionately known as TSP.  Tillie and I had stuffed halibut, with different sauces, Sandy had the same and John got calamari.  Very nice restaurant located lakeside in the downtown area.  Our waitress and the service were wonderful. 

Thursday, May 19, 2011
Happy Birthday Rick! 

Got transmission fluid changed.  I stayed at the campground in the car until John and Tillie woke up.  We didn't want to lose our space to early arrivals for the 50' bash weekend. 

Motorhomes, trailers and 5th wheels have started arriving at the campground, later in the afternoon, which we have previously had all to ourselves.  They are all participants in "Lost in the 50's Bash being held this weekend in Sandpoint.  This is their biggest event of the year and it is a VERY BIG DEAL.  These people are bringing in restored cars that are absolutely fabulous!  One man pulled in with a 45' King Aire by Newmar, pulling a 3 axle trailer with a matching paint job as his RV  In the trailer was a multilift with 2 cars inside.  One was a 56' Chevy that he paid $100,000 for.  (The longer we were here, the more we found out that's a average price for some of these cars.

Drove up the mountain to Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort.  There is still a ton of snow up there.  Back home we would still be skiing on this 5-6 ft of snow.  The view from the top up here is awesome.  It overlooks Lake Pend Orielle, the largest lake in Idaho and also the deepest at over 1100 feet.

Saturday, May 21, 2011
Happy Birthday, Sandy!

Monday, May 23, 2011
Entered Canada Today   

What a day!  We are waking up earlier and earlier as the sun keeps rising earlier.  I'm talking 6 AM folks.  That is not me. We also thought we might wake up to the white stuff laying on the ground because of the cold temps and rain, but we were okay.  Dry roads! First Bob and John walked over to the glacier. I would have gone but this heel spur keeps me from doing much, bummer. There are only certain areas that you can walk on, or else you could fall into a crevase and not been seen again for 100 years after the glacier recedes. The "toe" of the glacier is at 6500 ft.  After they got back, we took to the road again. 

We had not gone very far before we saw cars ahead.  An animal jam; A GRIZZLEY BEAR!  It was just munching and foraging just off the left side of the road.  I was able to get out and get pictures not 30 ft from where he was standing.

Back on the road we were excited now!  Wildlife!  Further down the road, more cars.  A BLACK BEAR on the right side of the road.  I did not have to get out to get good pictures. Amazing!  These guys look at you and yawn; what are you people looking at?, and go back to eating.  When we pulled away, the sound of the diesel engine scared it and took off for the woods.  At least I got some good pictures.  Down the road a little ways we saw a couple of female elk on the left side.  A little while later I saw a bird I thought had caught a fish, then I realized it was a bald eagle!  I got a picture of it flying but you can't tell it's an eagle from the picture.

We stopped and ate lunch in Jasper in our coaches.  It's a quaint little town located within Jasper National Park.  As we left, on the outskirts of town, Tillie saw a coyote but we missed it.  But we were rewarded later on  when we came upon a male elk with his antlers already growing with the fuzz still on them.

Then we came across...we're not sure what they were.  Either they are mountain goats shedding their winter coats or they were Rocky Mountain Sheep.  We have got to get a book and find out.

What a day!  So much wildlife in one day!  The only thing we have not seen yet is a moose!  Good things come to those who wait.  I can wait a little while longer. I surely can't complain.

In the last three days we have been though three Canadian National Parks; Kootenay, Banff and Jasper National Parks.  We traveled thru Banff in 1991, but in a different direction and it was during July.  The weather was a lot nicer then.  So much has changed since then.

Thursday, May 26, 2011
Happy Birthday Kiera!

Bob grilled pork chops on the grill last night with the last of his Carolina Treet.  He is so happy to have a new supply of his favorite barbecue sauce!  Thanks Mom and Dad!

This morning we took off for Dawson Creek.  It was a dreary sort of day, through country that was pretty boring.  We are out of the Rocky Mountains now so there is not a lot to look at, and with the cloud cover so low we couldn't see anything anyway.  But we finally got lucky,  A momma moose ran across the road and into the woods, so fast we didn't get  a picture.  And just as quickly we then saw a baby moose, again too quickly to get a picture, darn! We were able to get diesel in Grande Prairie for $1.179/L at a No Frills Station.  For each litre we bought, we got 3 1/2 cents free to spend in their grocery store.  After lunch we headed on to Dawson Creek

We received word today, that Uncle Robert Passed away this morning.  We are so very sorry to hear that he is gone.  It was not a good day.

First thing we did was move out to Northern Lights RV Park, set up, and started a load of dirty laundry before we headed out for sight seeing.  We stopped at the Mile "0" sign to get our picture.  It's the touristy thing to do.  We also stopped to see a movie on the making of the Alaska Highway at the Visitors Center, it was well done and very interesting. The Alaska Highway was originally 1528 miles long, but it is shorter today (about 1450 some miles) because they have straightened the road in places when making repairs to the road.  The U.S.A. paid for the materials and supplied the men to build it, and Canada gave the land for it with the provision that the road be turned back over to the Canadian Government six months after the war ended.  It was built in a record breaking eight months and 12 days. 

Bob and I went back into town and got the windshield fixed first thing this morning.  No problems there, thank goodness.  So we started on our first leg of the Alaska Highway.  It's a beautiful day.  Sunny and warm....the first time in a long time we have seen a day like this.  About 20 miles up the road we took our first detour to cross Kiskatinow Wooden Bridge, and it's curved no less.  Amazing!  It is still in great shape.  A beautiful day, but didn't see much in the way of wildlife, go figure.

Ran into Bill and Margie again at a rest stop. Not too far after we left the rest stop, Bill got on the horn and said he had lost all air line pressure.  We all pulled off to see if we could help diagnose the problem.   His air pressure was okay but the gauge and alarm were giving false indications.  This is scary when that is what operates your brakes.  We put him in the rocking chair as we moved on down the road to Laird Hot Springs Provincial Park Campground, and he had no more problems.  The sky looked kind of ominous, but we all quick jumped into our swim suits and headed for the hot springs.  They were heavenly!  There were two pools, Alpha and Beta, with Alpha being the hotter pool.  The further away from the one end we got, the cooler it got.  Twenty minutes was about all we could take.  Headed back to the RV's for dinner.

Bob took the lead and John covered the rear today.  Drove just about 150 miles up to Watson Lake to see the Sign Post Forest.  Bob and John finished making our sign last night.  After eating lunch, we took off for a tour of the signs.  Bob had to get down his ladder to get our sign put high up on one of the poles.  We did see one other sign from Wilmington, NC, painted Carolina Blue, no less.  We are spending the night here also at another provincial park next to a lake. 

After dinner we went to see the show at the Northern Lights Centre on the Aurora Borealis.  Well, half the show was on that, the other half was on Astronauts and the Space Shuttles, which I thought was very interesting, but the others felt they had been duped and there wasn't much info on the Northern lights.

I am having to put the names of places along with the dates because we are traveling so fast now I can't remember what we did where.  It's all becoming a jumble.  Thank goodness I am keeping this blog.  My memory is not as good as it used to be.