Relaxing!

It's "Miller Time" here in SD. We just got back from a ride along the bike path. This time we drove the "upgrade" first, so coming home was the BEST !! One hardly had to pedal ! One thing about those rail beds they never have much more than a 6% grade, but you can certainly "feel it" when it's non stop uphill!

The scenic tour we did to Custer State Park this morning was AWESOME! It's called the "Needles Highway" and I don't think I've ever been on such a spectacular drive. Again your narrow twists and turns (we aren't pulling the trailer by the way. We are doing side tours from our campsite) plus all these narrow and pointed rock columns jutting to the sky (needles!) and then throw in a colored tree or two -- wow ! It's hard to describe and pictures don't do it justice!

Once at the State Park, we took in the pancake breakfast and wandered through all the craft exhibits (and we only spent $6. if you can believe it!). Everybody is really hyped up for the buffalo roundup and the crowds are picking up! We drove the wildlife loop and saw the buffalo but we won't stay for the roundup.The traffic & lineups will be unbearable and we don't have the patience!

We paid for an extra night - tomorrow but we have to move as this site was reserved. We will then go to Rapid City on Monday and *ahem* get the truck looked at AGAIN !! This is getting very frustrating, but the pulsating or power surges seem to be getting worse at low speeds. I did some research on the internet and think our truck computer needs an upgrade. One mechanic had mentioned this in passing, but we thought we could wait until home. I think the new throttle control that was put in has lead to this.  It solved one problem and created another!

Well enough computer time.... cheers!

It's FRIDAY!!

We had a busy and enjoyable day. Spent all morning at Mt. Rushmore "with the Presidents". Found the displays, videos and reading all so very interesting.

It's incredible how they ended up with those huge sculptures by setting off dynamite charges and drilling bits at a time. Just the logistics of working on the side of a mountain in the 1930's, poor funding etc. etc. It's AMAZING! and such likenesses!

We'd packed a lunch, so we sat in a park in Keystone and then did a tour of the Rushmore Cave -- stalactites & stalagmites. Ron REALLY enjoyed the tour. It took me a bit to overcome my claustrophobic feelings and "hear" what the guide was saying.  It was a different experience for sure!

We took in some of the shops in Keystone, but quickly found one was pretty much the same as the next one, so didn't spend too much time there! It was on to a scenic drive through Custer State Park. Very pretty with the colours! One section of the road has vehicle restrictions. It was very steep, narrow and winding. Some tunnels were single lane only and you had to blow your horn as you drove through. There were some great views and we stopped many times for a longer look. We saw the presidents & Mt. Rushmore from a distance.

The Fifth Head

This is the weekend of the big annual buffalo roundup at the park. The herd is corralled for testing, branding & sorting with some being auctioned off. We are undecided if we will stay. Last year there were 11,000 people in attendance!! We will, however, take in some of the festivities starting tomorrow - entertainment, craft booths etc....

We ended the day with a 17 km bike ride on the converted rail bed trail behind our campground. We drove in to Hill City and back. A nice ride on a great path. We'll try the other direction tomorrow.

as I said, it was a busy day.  We are now planning for tomorrow's activities.

Hill City, SD - Mt. Rushmore et al

Crooked Creek Campground
Site #56 - $27, p/w/s, Internet

We are now in the Dakota Black Hills, not too far from Mt. Rushmore. We had 2 campgrounds in mind near Keystone but they were closed so we continued along a county road which we knew would take us to Hill City. The road got quite narrow, winding and fairly steep.. It was not the best choice for pulling a big RV!

Anyway, we made it here and we did see some beautiful countryside!! We had to stop at a railway crossing for the old 1880 train that does public tours along that route, so that was cool to see. This train has been on several westerns over the years and for a week in August it becomes "Thomas" the beloved engine for the broadcasting of the kids TV program, "Thomas & Friends"!

So we have paid for 3 nights and will do a few tours, starting with Mt. Rushmore tomorrow.  We are excited to tour this area!

a P.S.

Farm Island Recreation State Park
Site #23 - $14 (with pass), p only

This past stretch felt like we were driving through Southern AB.  There is a lot of dry looking pastureland - lots of cattle. Also we drove through many Indian reservations! It's warmer with windmills on the horizon again.  So you guessed it.... Wind !! It was a bit of a tough drive with lots of fuel consumed.

Anyway, we arrived at our destination.  It was a bit of a letdown. It sounded so WONDERFUL in the book, but it's not as nice as the last stop. Oh well, we are on the Missouri River and there is a nice paved bike path in to Pierre. We'll check out what Pierre has to offer when we get fuel. We may only be here 1 night!

South Dakota

Lake Herman State Park
Site #? - $19 ($5. park fee, $14 camp) State Pass $23

So we are in South Dakota now.  It is probably about straight south of Winnipeg. I think I'm glad to be out of Minnesota. We passed mile after mile of windmill farms, so that tells you something.  It's a windy windy state! One also kind of wonders when you receive a campground map with the town's two "Storm Shelters" clearly marked on it!!? It was very hot while we were there however. It was the first time we left windows and vents open all night and we still found it too warm for sleeping.

The countryside looks very much like our Can. prairie's except here you see miles and miles of corn fields and beans (soy, maybe?) rather than the wheat & grain crops. Also, lots of silos.

Just before hitting the SD border we had another downpour. The temp dropped from 29C to 17C instantly.  And us in shorts and tank tops!

This State Park is near Madison. It's a beautiful park on a peninsula in to the lake. We decided it was worth a second night's stay. Glad we did as we got to watch a commercial fishing operation at work.  The nets were set up in front of our campsite when we woke up and after our morning bike ride we were able to watch them "tighten the nets", plus sort and count all the fish which took all afternoon. They ended up with 3300 carp (and buffalo fish I think they said??) which we assume they wanted 'cleaned out' of the lake and which will be shipped live to a canning plant. We didn't know anyone ate carp, but it's popular in the Jewish communities we were told. They didn't finish and the fish were "corralled" in 2 separate net/pens for the night, so they will be back this a.m. We were so disappointed they hadn't come back before we left at 9:15 as we would have liked to have seen the completion -- how they would "pack up" 3300 huge fish???  It was very interesting and cheap entertainment!

Today the sun is shining and it's a little warmer again. We aren't planning on going very far today. There is supposed to be a nice "camping & recreational area' near the state capitol of Pierre, SD, so that is our destination.  It is just a couple hrs. down the highway.  From there we will head to the Black Hills & do the "touristy" things there -- see Mt. Rushmore etc.

PS and oh yes, did I mention the new fuel pump didn't stop the pulsating. It seems to only happen when we are pulling at lower speeds.  It works fine on the hwy once we get passed the 50km.

later Monday

We are considering ditching the " I <3 my truck " license as the truck is still being a pain!! It started "pulsing" as we left the campground this morning, so we stopped at the local Chrysler dealership. 

Of course, we had to disconnect the 5th wheel so they could drive it in the shop. They talked like they only had to finish up 1 vehicle and they would then have a look at it.

However we sat for 1 1/2 hrs. before they even checked it. Of course it didn't pulse when they took it out without the 5th wheel. Anyway, they did change the fuel filter as "maybe' that was the problem and it hadn't been changed for 2 years! Definitely thinking it's time to retire that 10 yr. old beast!?

Kiesler's in Waseca, Minnesota

Kieslers Campground & RV

Site #K4 - $22, p/w/s, Internet $2., Temp 32 C

We stopped early at 2:30 p.m. Just passed Rochester (where we had stopped for lunch) and south of Minneapolis somewhere! We've been sticking to secondary highways rather than the interstates. We saw a spot that looked good pulled in. It was Kieslers Campground actually (!) and it was on a lake with a bike path around the lake. The temp was 30C, so where better stop than at a beach! It was a little bit windy, but we are loving the hot weather! It's hard to believe it's the first day of fall and curling has started in some communities back home!

We enjoyed the bike ride around the lake and a late supper (cooking by flashlight). I think it's getting darker earlier. (It's probably the reason we were in bed by 9 p.m two nights ago!! )

We opted for the cable TV and the 72 stations rather than the fire as it was still pretty windy when we were finished supper. Ron got his fill of channel surfing and we caught the highlights of the Green Bay Packer game that we missed live!! (Greg & Kim can't imagine our being there and not taking in a game, let alone some festivities or 'tailgating'!!) It would be nice to get some Can. news for a change though!

Internet was available at the campground for $2./day, but I didn't want to pay. (yes, I'm CHEAP) We haven't paid extra for it yet, and not about to start! I'll continue to do my emails sitting at a red light in some small town. Gotta love those unsecured sites!!

We were back on the road by 9:30 a.m. today with no planned destination in mind.

Another day . . .

and we continue on.  We will probably get through Wisconsin today and in to Minnesota - Rochester area.

Ron was back to the campground by 11 a.m. and we left Green Bay by noon yesterday. The fix took a little longer because when the mechanic opened the box it contained a used part. He was pretty upset and not sure how that happened. Anyway, they drove 1/2 hr to another town and got a "new" part. I am sure glad that one was available because in Toronto there were 123 on back order!!
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Roche-a-Cri State Park
Site #15 - $12, n/w (Park Fee $10), Temp 24C

We spent last night at a nice State Park "Roche a Cri" or Rock with crack near Friendship, Wisconsin. There is a large rock mound in the centre of the park where there apparently are Native American petroglyphs and pictographs, which we didn't see. People would climb this cliff for the view. Now it is accessible by stairs. 303 or them! I can't believe we actually climbed them all. I was going to quit 1/2 way but Ron continued on and I didn't want to miss out so up I went.



You certainly could see for hundreds of miles, but mainly just treetops which hadn't turned color yet. I'm not sure the climb was worth it. And going down was a real knee killer for me!

After supper we sat around the fire. We were both pretty tired after an early morning, long drive and stair climb.  We decided to have our showers and head to bed. We were laying there and Ron says "I wonder what time it is?" I looked at my clock and it was 9:10 !!! We had quite a chuckle.  Old folk.

Green Bay, WI Truck Repairs & Laundry

Apple Creek Campground (De Pere, WI)

Site #13 - $31, p/w, Internet

I'm sitting at the campground just out of Green Bay waiting on a couple of loads in the laundry. Ron is at the Dodge dealership hopefully getting the truck repaired. They were booked up, but said they'd slot us in if he had the truck there by 7:30, so Ron was on his way at 7 a.m. We did a trial run last night even though he insisted he 'knew the way"  Well, one wrong exit and a couple of turnarounds and we finally found the place!! So yes it was good we did the trial run!

I'll never understand him.  He WON'T ask for directions -- We sat at a Walmart for 1/2 hr. while he studied maps and tried to find a campground, but wouldn't ask anyone or call the dealership to find out where exactly THEY were located -- which exit to take etc., and if there was some camping in the area! And yet he asks the lady in our next camping spot if she has any extra Green Bay tickets and when she says "no", he says "couldn't you leave your husband at home?" Go figure -- we KNOW he's not shy!! What's with men and asking for DIRECTIONS!!??

After locating the dealership last night we stopped at a "super" Walmart and picked up a few supplies. It's open 24 hrs. We had considered 'camping' there for the night, but with no other units on the lot, we weren't sure. (Someone assured us later that it is quite acceptable in US - same as Canada) Oh well, I think I'd rather be sitting at the campground in the sun doing laundry.  

It was SO hot at 32C when we arrived, but we had huge winds and a big downpour in the evening. There were tornado warnings in some areas -- glad it didn't get THAT bad.

If Ron is finished early enough, we will leave Green Bay, this afternoon. I'm sure he will be busy checking out the NEW trucks as he waits. I know there were some 'long boxes' that caught his attention last night!

Back here at the campground, laundry is almost done.  Signing off . . 

Green Bay it is . . .

The fall colors were much more prominent leaving "the Soo" --- gorgeous!! Unfortunately it continued to pour buckets for the first hour of our trip. Visibility was not good! I can't remember the last time I saw it rain SO hard for SO long! Also, the truck "cut out" twice on us before we had even left the campground so that was a little nerve-racking. We wondered if we were going to be leaving after all, but it's been running good since. It is not fun having that issue hanging over our heads! One is afraid to pass in case you lose power when facing oncoming traffic !! Sure hope we can get it resolved soon!

Later: We originally planned to go 1/2 way to Green Bay and spend the weekend somewhere on Lake Michigan. Then to Green Bay on Monday regarding the truck. However we verified the truck part is available in Green Bay and they will slot us in at 7:30 a.m tomorrow - (Saturday)  Now we will "make tracks" and drive all the way. I'm hoping the fix is quick and it is indeed the cause of our problem!! It was very difficult to drive by all the nice campgrounds we saw on Lake Michigan !! I would have loved to have spent some time on the lake!

Leaving Sault

Well, it's pouring rain this morning.  It is not fun packing up wet, however, Ron is out doing the jacks now and I guess we will continue on. It looks like we may go to Green Bay area (how about that Greg!) as we think they have the truck part there. I have an email in to them now. Also Ron may look up an old school buddy (Lorraine Rodgers - for you Kesslars that remember her) from his Mazenod days. She is close to GB.

We spent nearly 3 hrs. at the locks last night watching 2 huge ships go through. It is pretty amazing to see how fast the water can rise the 21 ft to put them through.  Also, it is interesting to watch the boat traffic go by.  The fishing must be good. There are a lot of fisherman out there!

anyway must go. It's my job to back up the truck and hitch up.

Sault, USA

Soo Locks Campground
Site #? - $22US, p/w, Internet

We arrived at Sault Ste. Marie, the US side, Michigan. We had planned on going further down the road, but it is already 4:30 p.m.  We didn't make good time today with all the road construction. We did have one loss of power to the truck just out of Sudbury.  We pulled over to the side of the road, re-started and it seems fine again. Weird thing. It might be time to trade this truck in!! Too many miles on the odometer and things are starting to go!

This was our best trip through US customs yet.  We didn't have to show them our fridge or anything in the 5th wheel. We answered a few questions and he told us to go! I'm sure we aren't supposed to bring wood, but he didn't ask about that (and now I'll dig my lemon & lime out of the garbage can (in baggies!)

So this campground is right on the water at the locks and we got the LAST site available! (Our site is not as nice as the water sites.  We are road side, so we will likely have road noise to contend with! There is a campground just down from here, but they are also full -- some RV rendezvous taking place apparently. Anyway, we will watch the ships come up the locks and do a bit of grocery shopping for oranges, etc!!

Wednesday & Thursday

Horseshoe Lake Campground & Cottages
Site #L2 - $31.80, p/w, Temp 30C & muggy!

Wed. 4 p.m. - We arrived at Horseshoe Lake, just south of Parry Sound. Made it all the way with NO truck problems. We just hope it continues! We started following signs to a campground just before this one and the road got narrower and narrower to one lane traffic only and then proceeded down a steep hill.  There was no warning and no where to turn around. (Man it seems like we get ourselves in to these situations lots!!) Anyway we finally found a little area at the bottom of the hill and got turned around. It was a bit of a struggle (and a whole lot of stress!) to get out of there and up the hill again. But the old work horse made it!!

Further down the road we arrived at this place. It's a nice quiet spot on the lake. The only other campers were in a rental motorhome and were from Vienna Austria. We sat on the beach and had a visit with them. After supper we sat around the fire.
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Thursday a.m:  Today we continue north to Sault Ste. Marie (to get around the lakes!) and then will cross the border later this afternoon if all goes well! The weather has been great, however, it certainly cools off in the evening and mornings! I'm still trying to get used to the humidity. It is quite a change from MH!

Family Tree Discoveries

so that interesting info I came across today was that grandpa Shook had more siblings than the one I discovered a few years back.

I had mentioned the Pearl Shook that was born before grandpa. Well, it turns out there was a Charles Shook born in 1905 that only lived for about 8 hrs and another Pearle Shook born in 1906 who I assume died as a baby, but couldn't find the death certificate!!

Isn't that something.  Noone ever talked about it, but maybe Grandpa didn't even know!!

Brockville, ON

And we are having more truck problems. The throttle cuts back to an idle and we lose all speed. It eventually 'picks up' again but it is a little inconvenient! This has now happened about 4 times. We figure we really weren't out of fuel back at Sault Ste Marie.

We took it to the dealership this a.m. and there are no parts in ON so it can't be fixed anytime soon. You think maybe it's an known issue?  We decided will continue our trip and hope for the best. Hopefully we will find this part as we go. (maybe in the US)

So while our truck was in the shop, we spent the day at the library and genealogical room that is located in the museum. I did find some interesting family info. We took our lunch break at a nice little deli in downtown Brockville.

Now we are on our way back to the campsite. We will pack up and leave in the morning.

Monday Eve in Mallorytown, ON

Rockport Lighthouse Campground
Site #22 - $31.80 (x2), p/w/s, Temp 19C

I'm feeling rather lost not having a baby over my shoulder this evening! Things are pretty quiet with just Ron & I now. We were getting pretty comfy with our daily 'grandparent routine" and we will certainly miss it!!

We didn't drive very far today. We were set up at our campsite just past Brockville, ON by 1:15 p.m. We took the scenic route along the St. Lawrence River and really enjoyed the view!! We drove through some pretty 'quaint' towns with lots of old and beautiful buildings. This is the "1,000 Island" region. There are all these tiny rock islands with a lone cottage/home built on it. The only access is by boat. Cool !!

So we picked up a few groceries and went for a bike ride along the bike path. The library wasn't open, so we'll head there tomorrow and check out the geneological section. We will likely stay a 2nd night.

Leaving Ottawa

Well, we are leaving Ottawa this morning. It is always tough to say goodbye. We will really miss those little ones!!

We will spend tonight in the Brockville area south of here and we will see if we can find any of my grandfather's (Shook) family records.  From there we will head to the US, crossing the border at Sault Ste Marie. We'll take our time, go to the Black Hills et al!

Sunshine Day

It's always a little bit of a break here when Connor goes down for his nap at 1:30.  The baby is snoozing also.  Ron just took the truck to see if he could get an oil change and Kim is doing laundry -- that never ending job !

It rained most of yesterday but sun is shining today. We went for a walk and then to the park to play on the swings & slide. Ron took Connor out in the rain yesterday. He loves to be outside.



                      Watching Dad play hockey
Other than that, not much else is new. Our days centre around the kids and their schedules. Connor goes to bed about 8:30 so we get our visits in with Greg after that. I think he is taking Friday off and we may go to the science centre.

Beer Break

Ottawa & Connor's Birthday!

Guess what??  We are pretty busy here! I am taking a few minutes now while everyone is having a nap except Grandma! (Though I feel like I could, my eyes are pretty heavy right now!!) Connor 'goes down' at 1:30, so I have the sleeping baby with me, so mom can have a nap. Dad is at work and Grandpa is lying down in the 5th wheel.

It was a bit of a 'tight fit' backing in to the driveway with the tree on either side, but with a bit of maneuvering, Ron made it.  It is much nicer to be parked close than commuting to and from the campground which is 1/2 hr. out. We can't open the slide, but that's not a big deal as we are mainly just sleeping & showering in here. So, since arriving Sat. There was the prep and then Connor's birthday on Sunday. It was a Construction Theme. How cute it that!?

The kids all got 'hard hats' and little orange aprons (free from Home Depot) when they arrived. There were signs and caution tape around the yard. "Kid's at Work" hung over the sandbox and Greg & Ron picked up a bag of gravel so there was even a 'gravel pit'. Kim made a 'dump truck' cake with crushed up oreos in the back for 'dirt'. That was quite an ordeal -- I won't go in to big details, but she was up until 1 a.m. Sat night trying to get it all together! Icing melting off and one side fell over after it was half iced!! I felt bad for her, but it ended up turning out so very cute!

This morning Ron & I took the kids for a walk. Ron pushed Connor on his new tricycle and I had the baby in the stroller. 

The days are going by so quickly. And it's always very busy!

Still Friday . . .

Morning Mist Campground
Site #17 - $29, p/w/s, Temp 30C & MUGGY!!

We were too tired to drive the last 2 hrs. to Ottawa, so decided to stop at a Prov. Pk. Only problem is?? THEY ARE CLOSED!! And you don't know that until you head up the driveway and see the closed gate!! So, we were trying to back out of a very tight spot and we ended up stuck in the soft gravel shoulder (on a downhill !!). No way we were going ANYWHERE~!! (yes, Jim Kesslar, I know what you are saying!! A 4x4 Dodge would do the trick!!)

Well, we are stuck but, no problem, right??  We will just call our "Good Sam" service.  OH YEH !!! NO CELL SERVICE HERE!! Telus doesn't work ANYWHERE in ON!!

Ron stands on the side of the road trying to wave someone down, but of course noone's going to stop! So I make this big sign:  "NEED CELL PHONE TO CALL TOW" and some kind gent pulled over right away!! Before the "Good Sam" people got their truck dispatched, a highway service truck stopped and he provided the tow we needed!

We then drove back 10 min. to a campground we had passed and knew was still open.  We are now having a much needed relaxing evening.

                                             (Ron is on his 3rd beer!! it's been that kind of day!! *smiley*)

We WILL see you tomorrow Greg & Kim.  We would have loved to have been there for Connor's swim class, but, we just won't get to Ottawa & set up in your driveway on time. (Maybe next Sat??? Hope he has a class!!)

It's FRIDAY!!

Lakeside Park, Thessalon, ON
Site #45 - $22, p/w/s, Temp 29C & cloudy

We arrived at Thessalon on the North Channel of Lake Huron around 5 pm.  From this campground you can walk across the street to the beach. It feels very hot & humid to us 'dry country' folk. We sat at the fire until about 10 p.m. when it started to rain. 
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Friday:  It is 1 p.m and we are almost there! But would you believe we ran out of fuel -- just a few km out of Sudbury. We barely got pulled off the highway!! yikes! Luckily Ron carries a jerrycan with some extra!! So we are now stopped in Sudbury for fuel (for the truck AND us!) and we are about 500 km from Ottawa.

The heavy traffic, high winds and driving through the small towns along the way certainly slows the trip down!  It will likely end up taking us another 7 hrs!

We haven't seen a lot of sun the past few days and we are a little early for the fall colours. However, some of the maples are starting to show red. It will be beautiful in another couple weeks.

We are looking forward to meeting Carter and we will be celebrating Connor's birthday on Sunday with friends.  It will be fun!!

Note: The "check engine light' wouldn't go off after fueling up. Ron ended up calling the dealership in Sudbury. He suggested disconnecting the batteries for 2 min. Luckily that did the trick !! Ron was a little concerned something else may be wrong!

Mon, Tues & Wed: humming along . . .

Well, if you can call a diesel "humming' !!!?

Redden's Trailer Park
Site #18 - $30, p/w/s, Temp 21C

We spent Monday night at this campground that we had stayed at 2 yrs. ago.  It is just past Kenora on the lake. We are in the same site even. It was another good travel day except for the last 55 km. THE DREADED CONSTRUCTION!! You think you'll be there in 1/2 hr and then the signs appear. It seems like a LONG stretch at 60 km/hr with stops, and it took well over an hour to travel that last leg!

Anyway, we arrived at 6 pm (local time) and enjoyed another relaxing evening around the fire sipping wine.  And we had a good night's sleep without the trains!
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Tues. Sept 4:
Our goal was to go beyond Thunder Bay to Rossport area at the northern tip of Lake Superior. However, once again we were slowed down for road work.  As in stopped and/or reduced speeds. One section was completely stripped down to the gravel. This seems strange on the #1 Hwy! For the most part and in our favour, the traffic is light. In fact we've commented that at times it seems like we are the only ones on the road!

So it was a gruelling trip but we made it to Rossport.  Driving 9am to 6pm is just about too much for us old folks!! We didn't make good time with all the road work and then the traffic picked up considerably after Thunder Bay. Also, we ran in to some pretty thick fog just before we stopped for the night. Very scary!! (Glad it wasn't dark yet!) We hit a bird - a large yellow one, so felt bad about that! and we got a stone in the windshield, damn!! We'll take it a little easier the next couple of days!
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Rossport Campground
Site #E2 - $29, p only, Temp 18C & cloudy

Once again, Rossport was a beautiful camping spot. It provides such a picturesque view of Lake Superior and there's the soothing sound of the waves lapping on the beach -- Love it!!  And then the TRAIN rolls by AGAIN!! What a way to ruin perfection!

We enjoyed another campfire but it was early to bed.  We are trying to adjust to the time change. We were so tired and slept so well that we didn't even hear the trains through the night! There was more fog when we left at 9 a.m.

Night at Grenfell, SK

Grenfell Regional Park

Site #1 - $15, p only

We made pretty good time today and drove until 7 p.m. In Ron's words: "It is so nice not to be driving in the wind." That was the deciding factor to keep going!  The trip went pretty quick for me. I worked on the computer most of the way -- getting caught up with my 'scrapbooking" or my digital photo albums. I hadn't worked on them all summer.  And then we arrived in Grenfell.

It's a good thing we don't speed.  There were 3 cop cars sitting in the ditch between Regina and Grenfell. Guess they were picking up all the speeders heading home after the long weekend!

This is a decent little campground. We pulled in to a drive through site that was completely level and it even had  a box of wood sitting by the firepit for us. Nice welcome!!  It was almost too good to be true. And, yes it was !!! There were TRAINS!! ALL NIGHT LONG!

Anyway, it was a beautiful evening.  We hadn't anticipated that we'd have any fires along the way -- and we may even do some Walmart parking lots, but it was nice to relax here last night.

I didn't sleep well, but Ron seemed okay with the trains. He said "there were only 2 through the night".  I said if that is all you heard, you were lucky!! There were at least 6 !

We were on the road by 8:45 am.  Tonight we'll make Kenora or beyond. The wind is coming straight at us today, so it's not smooth sailing like yesterday.

Fall 2007 - Ottawa & USA

Well, we did it... all packed and ready to hit the road....  We are getting away a day early as Ron's team had to cancel tonight's windup for lack of caterers on this holiday Monday!!! They'll get together tomorrow night, but we don't want to stay the extra day...

so we'll be in touch along the road when we can...  We hope to be in Ottawa by Saturday for a week to 10 days.... (if Greg & Kim will have us that long)... we should be able to park in his driveway as it is long enough to accommodate us.... so that will be nice!

and then from Ottawa to to states etc. and take our time home...

Probably won't get home until mid October...
anyway... must go...