We left Hinton/Jasper on Friday morning, heading to Dawson Creek using Scenic Rt. 40 North. It was a bumpy ride on a 2 lane road but we made good time; even with some construction. We were going too fast to get any pictures of the bear, beaver, white tail and mule deer and caribou that we saw. They all take off as soon as they hear the rattle of our diesel engines. They don’t feel as protected as the animals in the parks and run away as soon as we get close.
Continue reading “Dawson Creek: Walter Wright Pioneer Village and Windshield Repair 07/20 – 07/21/2019”Banff and Jasper: Columbia Icefields, Johnson Canyon, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Wildlife 07/15 – 07/19/2019
We had a short drive from Calgary to Banff where we stayed in Banff Tunnel Mountain Village II. Since we did not have full hookups in Calgary, we made a stop at the rest stop so we could dump. We knew we needed empty tanks because Banff also did not have full hookups, but fortunately we did get 50-amp electric which we didn’t think we would get.
Continue reading “Banff and Jasper: Columbia Icefields, Johnson Canyon, Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Wildlife 07/15 – 07/19/2019”Fort Steele 07/11/2019
We left Blackwell Island RV Park in Coeur, d’Arlene early this morning so that we could get to Fort Steele in time to visit the Fort Steele Heritage Town. We had no problems on the drive and surprisingly no problems crossing the border at Eastport/Kingsgate, British Columbia. They really didn’t ask too much about anything in the motorhome except to ask whether we were carrying any guns and have we ever carried any guns in the motorhome. They asked where we were from, where we were going, and what were Maryland gun laws in regard to carrying a concealed weapon. Probably the easiest crossing ever.
Continue reading “Fort Steele 07/11/2019”Butte, Montana to Coeur d’Arlene, Idaho – Start of the Fantasy RV Tour 07/10/2019
After leaving Cody, Wyoming, we stopped for 2 nights in Butte, Montana. At one time it was a thriving town, but due to steep, continuous declines in copper prices the Berkeley operation was shut down in 1982. Currently there is only a very limited amount of mining in operation and the population has shrunk considerably. We took a trolley ride to learn the history of the town and to view the mining area. The guide told us there was still a lot of pride in the city, but that jobs have been lost and many people have left the town. As part of the tour we viewed the Berkeley Pit. The Pit is 7,200 feet long, 5,600 feet wide and 1,780 feet deep. The current volume of water is 40 billion gallons of polluted water, that rises an average of 1 foot per month. Sirens went off during our tour which happens when any flock of birds tries to land in the water or anywhere near the Pit. These sirens were put in place to protect the birds from the contaminated water. From what the guide told us, it appears the EPA and the mining owners have been in contentious discussions for many years on how to clean up the contamination.
Continue reading “Butte, Montana to Coeur d’Arlene, Idaho – Start of the Fantasy RV Tour 07/10/2019”Spearfish and Deadwood South Dakota 06/27 – 06/30/2019
After leaving Hot Springs, SD, we stopped for a couple of days at the Spearfish KOA. What a nice place to stay! I think this is a new KOA, or at least one that has been renovated because it was a very nice campground. And we finally had more than 2 or 3 cable channels. Not that we watch a lot of TV, but it is still nice to get the news in the morning and to be able to relax a little before turning in for the night!
Badlands National Park and Prairie Homestead 6/18 – 6/21/2019
I did not realize that the entrance to the Badlands KOA was on the other side of the Northeast Entrance to the Badlands National Park. We got in with no problem since Randy and I now both have a lifetime pass to National parks, but it did cause me some anxiety traveling over the winding, narrow road down to the White River KOA in our large RV.
Mitchell, South Dakota: Corn Palace and Dakota Discovery Museum 6/17/2019
There is not a lot to do in Mitchell, South Dakota, but we still spent the morning sightseeing. We liked the Dakota Discovery Museum on the Dakota Wesleyan University. The University is a small 4-year university, founded in 1885, affiliated with the United Methodist Church with less than 800 students.
Continue reading “Mitchell, South Dakota: Corn Palace and Dakota Discovery Museum 6/17/2019”
Sioux City, Iowa, and North Sioux City, South Dakota: Sergeant Floyd River Museum & Welcome Center, the Sergeant Floyd Monument and the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center 6/15/2019
Because we were a few days ahead of schedule and there were no reservations available for any of the campgrounds that I called in the interior of South Dakota, we stopped in Sioux City for 2 days. We stayed at the KOA in North Sioux City, SD. We also will stop for 2 days in Mitchell, SD.
The Start of our Summer Adventure: Kristina and Brian’s Wedding in Ocean City, Maryland, On The Road Again and RV/MH Hall of Fame, Elkhart Indiana 6/09/2019
After our stay at Treasure Beach RV Park and Campground in Selbyville, Delaware, to be close to Brian and Kristina’s wedding, at The Golden Sands in Ocean City, we finally hit the road again to start our summer adventure.
Continue reading “The Start of our Summer Adventure: Kristina and Brian’s Wedding in Ocean City, Maryland, On The Road Again and RV/MH Hall of Fame, Elkhart Indiana 6/09/2019”Back in Westminster!
It still doesn’t feel like we were in the Keys for (almost) 6 months. The last few days were really stressful with all of the packing needed and with Ty’s medical issues. Ty had his final checkup at the Marathon Veterinary Hospital on Monday morning as we were on our way out of the Keys. The Vet said all of his blood work looked good and he was over the 72 hour window where he was still in danger from the poison. They were so good to us there. They squeezed us in when they didn’t have an open appointment for Monday morning and saw us as soon as we walked in the door. It still added a couple of hours to the first day of our trip home, but it was a relief to know that Ty would be OK.