So, many of you will have deduced that we did not spend as many nights sleeping in the RV during our trip west as we had planned.  We did do one Walmart night, several truck stop/service centre nights and two nights in the Winnebago free camping parking area in Iowa., but we also coped out a bit a did motels.  First night was due to a snow storm.  Stayed in a Comfort Inn right after we crossed the Mississippi.  I believe that was probably our most southern point on the trip - and it snowed.

As the driving got tougher and we moved away from Interstate 80 we found less and services. Up to that point the rest stops on the interstate had free dump stations, and you could even stay overnight if you needed.  There were so many big truck stops it was amazine.

We took off across country through Iowa, but stayed at Winnebago, then drove through Minnesota into South Dakota and found we could not stay in the rest stops and truck stops were not well marked or as plentiful.  Of course the traffic, especially the truck traffic, was much lighter. Thus less truck stops.  There were two things we really missed about not finding campgrounds open. Showers! And a place to fill our water tanks.  

Everyone keeps asking about heat, but we were OK with the propane furnace.  Now, in the campground, we are using a small ceramic heater and its keeps us nice and toasty warm.

We also found that the rates for the motel were quite reasonable in November and included breakfast.  So we stopped before dark (by 5), had supper from the RV, breakfast in the motel and lunch out.  So we rated the motels:

Best Western - top rating.  Everyone was comfortable, clean, wonderful beds and decent breakfast.  Nice, comfortable table and chairs.  Good TV. Good value - we would look for them again

Comfort Inn - next best.  Breakfast is a bit same old, same old.  But very clean and comfortable.

Econo Motels - will avoid in the future.  Terrible breakfast, tired and tacky.  

America’s Best Inns and Suites - will avoid.  The one we stayed in was so worn it didn’t feel clean.  No breakfast.  A couple of weird bugs.  Just second or third rate.

So there you have it.  Best Western - best value

The Watson motel rating fall 2011

We have booked into a Best Western, next to John’s apartment building for Christmas Eve and Christmas night.  Putting our mouth where our opinion is - or something.

More next time.

Julie

December 3rd.

We’ve had a few days of catching up with old friends and family, and meeting new friends.  We had an IHOP breakfast with old friends Rob and Elizabeth in White Rock followed by a great visit and a game of cards at their home.  The boys trounced the gals so we must have a rematch. 

We also went into the city for the first time.  Hard to believe we’ve been here for two weeks and only into Vancouver once.  John and Chrissy have been busy with work, and we really didn’t relish driving the RV in - just because of parking.  Its at a premium in the city.  Now we have the car and a parking pass for John’s neighbourhood so are heading in again tomorrow.  Our first trip entailed brunch with the kids and a bit of shopping at Granville Island Market.

John and Chrissy came out to the campgrounds for supper the other day.  They had a big job in Surrey, not far from here, so set up at the hotel in the afternoon and came over.  Jack and I had a big giggle because on the way, the headed for Hwy 1 east, same way they had sent us when we got lost.  Didn’t they make the same mistake I had - ended up heading into Vancouver instead of a couple of miles east to us.  Julie felt very vindicated.

We’ve lucked into a few days of sunshine so have been out and about, exploring the Fraser Valley.  We both love it here - it is so green, so fresh, and something different to see.  On a sunny day the mountains to the East, North and even South are magical.  The sun lights up the snow on the mountaintops and it is just magical.

We took in a Christmas marketplace in Abbotsford the other day.  I can’t wait to go to the city to see the Christmas Lights Sail Past and Stanley Park.  Would love to go up Grouse Mountain to go sleigh riding and enjoy their Christmas spectacle, but I think it might be out of our price range.  We are finding some things very expensive here, especially food - both in grocery stores and restaurants.  Breakfast, for example usually costs us close to $25 by the time we are done.  Coffee is the killer - $2.50 each.  So we gave started going back to McDonald’s for coffee stops.  Love their $.80 seniors price, better coffee - and we get to read the paper!

We went out and got an insulated bag so we can start taking picnics.  Jack likes to go out everyday so it’s a compromise!  And, the meals are pricey, but huge, so we are starting to share.

This week we've connected with Sandra (our sister-in-law in Victoria) so will be going over there for a visit with her and other friends, and also my friend Kasey in Vancouver.  

More next time.  All the best to you all.  Remember if you want to get in touch, email me at julie@seacroftpei.com

Julie

November 27/11

OK, so we survived the getting lost and now know we can handle the traffic, the crazy drivers, the poor signage, - well all the things that go with city driving that we are not used to.  And we did it at night, in the rain.  We’re smiling.  

Decided to reward ourselves next day.  Sun was shining, beautiful blue sky, white clouds up against the mountains, fresh air day.  Took country roads, my handy dandy map book and headed for Abbotsford.  Visited Fraserway, a posh RV dealership to buy a new sewer pipe bit to replace the one Jack dinged yesterday.  Found a terrific Greek restaurant, Rendesvous, in Abbotsford (Jack is still raving about the calamari) then meandered off looking for some farm gate eggs.  Visited a market for fruit and veggies.  All in all a lovely day.  Figured we should enjoy it because they are forecasting 100 ml rain and high winds.  Again.

They were right.  Limited our out-and-about to a Christmas Craft Fair at the community hall and coffee in a tea room. Then going to Langley to the Canadian Tire store.  It is absolutely bloody amazing how many things you have to go get, buy whatever; when you are a) camping in an old rig which you were too busy to pack properly, and b) married to a Jack who wants everything right.  Drives me bonkers sometimes, but he does keep things in good working order.  Frustrating though  - we constantly seem to be going to a store to get something.  Earlier it was to get a second key cut for the car.  Had to go to three different places, but the good news is the guy can fix the door lock on the passenger side of the RV.  The tumblers all sort of fell apart before we left home.

This time, we just got home and settled in when the heater quit.  Its just a little ceramic heater, several years old, but is all we need and costs us nothing to run since electricity is included in our fees here.  Our furnace is propane, and like all hot air furnaces blows cold before hot, so its not as cozy as the little heater.  So it was back to Langley (we have made a pact to try and have a Langley-free day in our near future) for a heater, then back to figure out the laundromat.  We have such a rewarding life!

By the time the laundry was done, it was absolutely pouring with rain so we left it in the car and made a bee line for the dry.  Woke up to more rain but figured we have to take our approach to life from the locals and just ignore the wet stuff.

It amazes us.  It can be pouring and windy, but when we drive through the village there will be people sitting outside having coffee or tea or whatever concoction the local cafes serve up.  They are a heart bunch - give them a roofed in porch, or an awning and they are out there in the great outdoors.  Its one of the things we love here.  And, you can bet on seeing at least one person sitting with a dog at their fee, or hanging nearby.  Dogs are welcome everywhere here.  Most of the folksy eateries have places to tie them and water bowls filled.

So we drove by all the outdoor enthusiasts and went to a White Spot for a $30 breakfast.  Bacon and Eggs with home fries and toast - nothing amazing.  We have made another pact.  We have to pack a picnic when we go out and stop with the restaurants.  Too expensive.  We explore in the other direction today - west to White Rock.  Had a yen to see the Pacific.  OK, I know its really the other side of Vancouver Island, but its salt water and it was lovely on Marine Drive - even squeezed in a little walk in the rain.  We drove around looking for our friends Rob and Elizabeth, but since I left their address in the RV we failed to find them.  Called when we got back - we were on their street.  Huh.  Going to meet up with them tomorrow.  By the time we got settled back at the campgrounds the sun was shining and the skies a beautiful blue.

Event personified one of my dilemmas.  Do I unload my purse and save my shoulder, or do I carry every darn thing we, or read he, might need?

Funny, when its raining you don’t see anyone much around here, but when the sun comes out the emerge like kittens tumbling out of a box.  Many with dogs prancing around their feet.  Its kind of neat.  Jack does wonder what they do when its raining.  He is already starting to by a bit trying with his need to be out and about all the time.

Must be off. All the best to you all.  Remember if you want to get in touch, email me at julie@seacroftpei.com

Julie

November 22 

OK, so when I left off we had just arrived in Fort Langley.  As I mentioned before we instantly loved it when we drove into town.  There are a lot of little things that make me, and/or us, love the part of BC.  I love the air, it has freshness and slight scent of pine or woodlands that you only find in mountain regions in the cool weather.  I also love the holly that grows wild, the lacy cedar trees that seem to flow in the wind, and the mountain views that pop up through the trees or open areas.  I love the blackberry brambles, and all the green stuff growing.  We both love the fact that people are outside - sitting in sidewalk cafes, under an umbrella or port roof if its raining, or just bundled up if it snowed.  We both love the little shops and eateries, lanes and courtyards.

It isn’t all perfect, but it sure had a lot of little things that bring joy.  Among the imperfect things: the sheer volume of traffic between here and Vancouver; cost of things like gas ($1.31/l when we arrived) and Becel ($6.49). 

So what happened since we arrived.  Well, day one we woke up to snow.  Yup, everything what white and crunchy.  Lovely to look at about an inch of white stuff everywhere.  Most of it quickly melted away - none on the roads.  We went in to Langley on an exploratory mission.  Found a lovely little fish mart where they sold stuff to take home, or will cook it up for you to enjoy right there. We were looking for a coffee shop - the guy said , no problem, I’ll make you coffee - and he did.  Next door is a Japanese fruit and veggie stand.  We got halibut fish cakes, and salmon cakes and fresh asparagus for supper.  Great find.  Also sought out the important things for Jack - a bank, a Canadian Tire store, that sort of thing.  I spotted a scrapbooking store but left it for another day.

Next day was a bit of a repeat, found an RV dealer (our hot water isn’t working so we are taking it in to get fixed before we do our final set up.).  We had a look at some used Rvs for sale and got the salesman all excited.  No question we need and would like to upsize our RV.  Still don’t want a “bus”, but would love a bit more space.  More comfort for Jack.  He’s having kind of a hard time with his hip and has basically crashed.

Sunday we woke up to a hoar frost.  It was amazingly beautiful.  We are on an island, so morning fog/hoar frost is expected. We walked into the village for breakfast and took lots of photos.  The avid outdoor types were out on the river in things that look like outrigger canoes, and folks were partaking of good grub or coffee at the little eateries. There was also a little craft fair in one of the courtyards. Then John and Chrissy invited us in for roast beef dinner.  John came out to get us, but Jack had crashed and couldn’t go.  I did.  Went in the afternoon and came back at lunchtime on Monday.  Jack is still down ans out so this is a stay in day.  Except I had to go clean the “yard.”  

We had a windstorm last night.  Branches and stuff hitting the rig woke us up in the night and the power was off for two hours.  No damage, and its very mild in temperature so all is good.  I gathered up all of the wood and stacked it by the fire pit to dry.  John does love a good campfire, so I’m hoping it dries for him to use.

OK, I’m off to get lunch and then write Christmas cards.  Think I’m going to tell Santa to leave a CD player under the tree.  A bit of Christmas music would be perfect on this relax day.

All the best to you all.  Remember if you want to get in touch, email me at julie@seacroftpei.com

Julie

One thing I forgot to mention in yesterday’s post.  We finally located the Wild Horse Monument I have spoken to several people about.  It is a lovely group of larger than life sculptures of wild horses running in a small herd which has been placed on top of a butte so it looks like real horses running, silhouetted against the sky.  I had seen them before and thought they were in the Dakotas.  Turns out they are in Washington, As you come down off the Columbia Plain, winding down into this canyon where the Columbia River flows you see the wild horse sculptures off to the west.  Unfortunately the scenic pull off where you can photograph them was closed so we couldn’t stop.  Once again I didn’t get a good picture.  We’ve had discussions with several of you about where they were, so now you know.

On the 18th of November we had a leisurely breakfast of Dungeness Crab Eggs Benedict, went and found a local Walmart (wanted to get a hoodie, undies and socks before crossing the border). Can’t believe how cheap clothes are here - and we were the day before the big Black Friday sales. Then headed for Canada.  No trouble or delays at the border. He only asked one question, “ where did you stay in the U.S.” Kind of floored us for a minute then we both started, “Well last night was in Bellingham at a Best Western. The night before that in an Econoline in Spokan. A truck stop in where was that, somewhere in South Dakota. Oh, before that was the America’s Best (that wasn’t) in Sheridan Wyoming.  And we stayed in Lansing Michigan.  Oh and there was that place in Iowa - the Comfort Inn where we had snow - can’t remember the name.”

The border guy held up his hand to stop us, handed back our passports and said Welcome back to Canada. Never got to tell him about Forest City, Iowa.  Returned to the homeland and got to Fort Langley in time to check in before lunch.  

What a great spot.  We fell in love with it as we rolled down the street.  Old village with loads of little cafes and interesting little shops.  It has a community or neighbourhood feel.  We are staying at the community park which is just over a bridge across part of the Fraser River, one third or so of this Island is this community and camping park.  The rest is Indian Reserve, so pretty well left wild.  There are lovely walking trails, loads of big, lacy cedars.  Many hardwood are just turning colour so it is lovely right now.

Since we arrived a few days early we couldn’t get into the camp site we had booked but went in the one next door.  Didn’t really bother us because we have to find a cheap car to buy before we set up permanently.  As it is right now we have to unplug the electric and water before we can drive anywhere.  Unfortunately John is very busy with work so can’t drive us anywhere and since we are buying it in his name (his insurance) he needs to go with Jack to check out cars.  Jack has about 20 possibilities from Kijiji - the online site.  Plan is to buy something for less than $2000, then sell it after we are gone and hopefully get some or all of our money back.  Even if that doesn’t happen we will have wheels for much less than a rental car.  And with what we saved being out here in Fort Langley compared to the camp ground in the city we are a couple of thousand dollars ahead of the game.  

The campground in the city is great in terms of being close to John, being close to shopping and the city.  But it would have cost us well about $1,500 a month to stay there, and its basically what John calls parking lot camping, and loads of traffic noise from the Lion’s Gate Bridge.

Where we are is lovely.  Relaxing, quiet except for the trains blowing their whistle at a level crossing between us and town which is kind of a nice sound.  Folks are very friendly - both fellow campers and the staff.  We love it here in Fort Langley.  And this cost us $1,700 for four months.  That includes electricity, cable TV, taxes - everything.  Only downer - it’s a 45 minute drive or more to get to John and Chrissy’s place.  John came out for a visit the day we arrived, Turned out he had a photoshoot not far from us.  So that was nice.  He is so busy with work it will be a few days before we see him again.  

Enough for now.

Love Julie

Remember if you want to contact us you have to email julie@seacroftpei.com

OK, so I had the date wrong on my last entry.  It was the 17th, but we were in Bellingham, so I was half right.  Today is Sunday, and I think it’s the 20th - but I’m not sure.

To pick up where I left off, in Spokan, Washington, we left there early because they were forecasting a “severe storm” for Seattle and area which would mean snow in the Pass between there and Seattle.  So we happily said good bye to the second worst hotel/motel of the trip.  We are rating them.  Worst was an America’s Best Inns and Suites in Sheridan, Wyoming, next worst was an Econoline in Spokan.  Best were Best Westerns with Comfort Inns coming in a close second.  The best of the lot, a Best Western in Bellingham was $89 a night and an absolutely great room and hotel.

Back on subject.  We left at the crack of dawn only to get lost and end up at the Spokan airport.  Friendly cop got us back on track and we headed west.  Some of the most unpopulated arid land we’ve seen on the trip.  Lots of sagebrush growing and not much else.  A few tumbleweeds were racing across the highway as the winds picked up.  The landscape gradually got a little less arid, and irrigation systems bigger and bigger.  A nice seasonal touch came with the Christmas light scenes at the front of a lot of the irrigaters.  The decision has been to go as far as the mountains and then make a decision about the pass.  It was snowing by the time we got there.  Jack said we would keep going till we saw a place to pull off - a restaurant or hotel.  Well of course you get in these high mountain passes and there are no pull-offs other than chain up areas, no restaurants, no hotels.  It got icy and slushy and was snowing hard.  A constant uphill for miles, but the little Rialta just kept chugging along and finally we reached the summit.

The long downhill run was the worst driving.  Its steep, lots of curves and goes on for several miles.  And it was still slush and ice.  Jack was pretty tense by the time the snow turned to rain and the road levelled out.  What makes this such a tense, difficult drive is the trucks, amount of traffic and the fast pace.  Even in the mountains they are passing, which means blowing you about and covering you with slush or spray.  

Anyway, we stopped for lunch, at a really neat little restaurant on a golf course.  It was raining so no golfers. Then we decided to get north of Seattle before rush hour started.  Hah, its always rush hour on these big highways.  Jack had big ideas of getting into Canada that night but we decided to get settled for the night and head to the campsite in the morning.

Remember if you want to get in touch its julie@seacroftpei.com

Stay warm, healthy and happy

Julie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

November 18th, I think Bellingham, WA

I can’t believe I haven’t been able to write on the blog for so many days.  Its been a hectic, sometimes stressful, sometimes wonderful time.

We continued west on I-90 until the turn off to the South Dakota Badlands National Park.  Jack knows its one of my favourite places in the world.  So he gave me the gift of meandering the 37 miles through some of the most spectacular landscape you will see anywhere.  We’ve been seeing quite a bit of wildlife, mostly deer and what we call prong horns - not totally sure whether they are deer.  Anyway there was a herd of deer hanging about at the Visitor Centre when we got there.  Other than the folks we chatted with there we pretty well had the park to ourselves for our drive so it was wonderful.  Even the sky cooperated, the clouds opening up to give us the occasional blue vista.  Stopped in Wall for a 5 cent coffee, and a bit of Christmas shopping then got back on the road.  Stayed in Sheridan that night, in Wyoming, close to the Montana border.  Opting for a motel seems best right now so we stayed at the worst place of our trip that night.  Wasn’t really bad, but we’ve been spoiled so far.  We offset the cost of motels by having their continental breakfast and then having our supper from the motorhome.  This time of year rates are down so its been a good option as it saves us having to worry about dumping tanks, buying propane, battery charging and stuff.  We found almost no campgrounds open and with the weather and our vow not to drive after dark, truck stops make for a long evening.

To this point its been grasslands, rolling hills, badland type vistas.  But when you get to Wyoming you start going through and over mountain ranges.  There are 6 or 7 of them all together.  We lost the glorious sun and started facing storms, often running between them.  There would be huge rolling black clouds on either side of us, but we managed to get though to Billings. Montana where we stopped for coffee at one of diners you read about.

As we left Billings for Butte we got into high, high winds.  Really hard driving those passes, and even the flat area because of side winds gusting up to 60 miles per hour.  They seemed to lurk around corners and blast us as we drove by.  Some light snow before Butte but not bad.  

The challenges started the next day.  We left Butte with more high winds, but now had to cope with snow in the passes.  At one point in Lookout Pass near the border to Idaho we had poor visibility it was snowing so hard, slush and ice.  A big truck was labouring up and down the steep grades and around the curves like a snail.  So Jack tucked in behind him for the worst of that pass.  For most of that pass our average speed was 23-25 miles and hour.  Traffic would whiz by us at times but we just stayed with him until we came out of the pass to a lower altitude and the slush disappeared.  Our rig doesn’t like that.  She spun a few times, but Jack is a great driver and took it slow and cool.  I was so thankful he was driving.  It was tense, but not scary.

The highway through Idaho is stunning in the beauty of the mountains, but hard to drive in these conditions.  We did another bad pass there, but got through and stopped for the night in Spokan Washington.  Felt pretty good about thing when we stopped not realizing there was another storm and the hardest pass still to come.

For the record the only wildlife we saw in Montana and Idaho was a couple of flocks of wild turkeys.  

At this point I must quit writng.  We are in Bellingham, Washington, Just a few miles from the border.  Will be in our Fort Langley campground this afternoon - if I get going and pack up, shower etc.  So.  More next time.

Keep up the good spirits folks.  Remember to get hold of us you have to email julie@seacroftpei.com

November 12th, a few miles east of the South Dakota Badlands.

I’m Baaaaaaaaaaack.  Its been a couple of days since I was in touch.  Three enjoyable days actually.  We left the Comfort Inn with beautiful sunshine to start the day.  Puffy white clouds on that still amazing horizon.  I’m totally enamoured of the huge skis and distant horizons here.  We made our way west on I-80 to DesMoines, the turned due North heading for Forest City Iowa.  Started off on another interstate, but map reading Julie decided a short cut was in order.  Which was great but just after we left I-35 Jack the pilot informs Julie the navigator we are almost out of fuel.  No worries says I there is a town just a few miles down the road.  There was.  Huge grain elevators with several streets of houses and a few little stores.  The fields came right up to the town.  Like so many out here on the prairies it seemed to have just sprouted up in the middle of the corn patch.  Couldn’t find a gas station, so the navigator told the pilot to park and go find a person to ask about the closest gas.  He comes back and says there is a station a few miles back, or a few more miles forward and wanting to go to the closest one.  OK, says I with my navigator brain set, when we get back to that intersection which was do we turn.  Oh, he says.  So we went to the one that was “up 69 till the T, then west 5 miles or so.”  So off we go.  Him sweating about running out of gas.  Me having fun at his expense.

You have to picture where we were.  This part of the Iowa prairies seems to be basically flat but undulates a bit.  You can see long distances and there is little to interfer with the view.  Farms are set a long way back from the road.  Little compounds surrounded by rows of trees - shrub or low bushes on the outside, then pines, then tall trees I think of as cottonwoods, then, in some cases, some apple or other smaller trees.  House, barns, equipment sheds are all inside.  Its easy to see why.  Acres and acres are planted in corn with few breaks between fields.  The corn is mostly cut now, but the stubble is there.  Planted within the corn are hundreds, if not thousands of windmills - the new modern ones.  These wind farms just seem to go on and on.  The one other thing seen, usually far back from the road, are long, low buildings that we finally found out are pig or chicken factory farms.  Iowa is the hog state, but we never saw a pig outside.

Pretty efficient these farmers.  They grown corn and feed it to the pigs and chickens.  What is left is turned into ethanol.  The pig poop is spread on the fields - liquid from big tanks.  They cultivate the land right up to the base of the windmills.  No wasted land here.  Its black loamy and valuable.  The exception is a regular occurance of natural areas, set aside for wildlife or "public use."

Anyway, we navigated out way to a gas station and then got back on the road to Forest City.  To anyone who doesn’t know this  is the home of Winnibago RV’s.  They own 600 acres, about 80 of it under roof.  Basically everything that goes into producing an RV except the chasis and motor and appliances is manufactured here.  They have a stitching plant (upholstery), plastics plant (where they create all their own bits and pieces) and so on.  Jack has long wanted to visit and take the factory tour.  So we did.

They have a visitor centre, with a museum and a bunch of RV s that can be checked out.  As part of that they provide up to 3 nights camping with electrical hookups free of charge.  They also have a huge campground for rallies, and another big camping area for dumping tanks and so on.

We arrived too late for the tour so stayed the night.  Did the laundry the next day, then took the tour.  Jack loved it.  I enjoyed it but was not crazy about the catwalks above the production floor that we climbed up to.  So now all we need is a hundred thousand or two to buy the rig of his dreams.

Today we continued up the back roads jogging west, then north to meet up with I-90 in Minnesota.  Kind of hated to leave Iowa.  Fascinating place for an ‘observer’ like me. Saw quite a few deer today, and even more road kill.  Sad to see so many deer, pronghorns and small animals bite the dust because they try to cross the road.  Especially when there are miles and miles of unpopulated land the other way.

Had a chuckle when we passed two hunters obviously stalking some prey in  a marshy, brush area.  As we passed them a deer sprang up from behind them, ran across the road in front of us, crossing our lane then jumping down into a big culvert when went under the other lane.  He obviously saw them and was out of there.

So here we are now in South Dakota.  Another state I enjoy.  Landscape changed a bit.  More rolling landscape.  Trees in places, but mainly grasslands.  Not much corn here.  Because of the big skies there are many moments when it seems like the road just disappears into the sky, or drops off the earth just ahead of you.  It was a grey cloudy day, so the grasses were not the lovely golden hue they would be if the sun shone.  Still lovely though.  We are in a motel - find that 3 days without a shower is about all we can take. Enjoy boondocking but it would be better if some RV parks were open.

One noticeable difference.  The truck traffic is much less on I-90 than on I-80.  At one point on I-80 I could see 22 trucks.  Too many, too close.  Here, even with the wide open spaces you can usually only see 4 or 5.  

Well folks, more next time.  I have to get back to work.  Hope everyone is well and happy. Remember if you want to get in touch email julie@seacroftpei.com.  Jack doesn’t check his email as often as I do.

Julie - who is looking forward to the Badlands tomorrow!

Well, here we are holed up in a hotel in Iowa so I thought it a good time to catch up with the blog.  Just crossed the Mississippi River in a raging snow storm.  High winds, miserable stuff.  So we pulled into the IOWA 80 - largest truck stop in the world, parking for 800 trucks and almost full.  It is a pretty neat place. I could have spend some big bucks on the art and dodad's in there.  T-shirts like you can't imagine.  DVD's - well everything a trucker could want, or would take home for the wife and kids. 

We went in because it was the first place we could get off the highway and out of the snow and viscious wind.  Our little Rialta has no traction (light in the front end and they don't make snow tires in our size) so its dangerous when it gets icy.  IOWA 80 is like a bit of a mall inside, two levels of shopping, eating and services for truckers - and us other mortals.  The complex also houses things like truck washes (like a car wash but bigger), a trucking museum, service bays and etc.  What is the most impressive is the parking.  Reefers and others don't turn the trucks off so there is a mighty rumble of engines.  The parking area was nearly full when we pulled in - the snow and wind were really bad, so most traffic was pulling off.  The landscape here is nearly flat so this storm was powerful.  Yesterday the sky was so awesome with fast moving clouds.  Tornado warnings were out, but don't think it hatched any.

Got a room in a Comfort Inn across the street and are now paused in our westward trek.  Supposed to be sunny tomorrow.  Spent last night in a truck stop with parking for 200.  Lulled to sleep by the roar of reefers and idling engines.  Actually slept like babies with our little rig hidden among the big boys.

We had a great visit with Mom in Ontario.  Got her a new chair for watching TV, had a little birthday party and so on.  She was pretty tired when we left.  Had a nice, but brief visit with Jenny and Jess and had a shorter reconnect with my Aunt Ann and Uncle Peter, and Uncle Phil and Aunt Donna.  We returned the rental car Monday morning, then hit the road going through Sarnia to Lansing, Michigan on the first day.  The traffic on the highways in Ontario is mind-boggling.  Slow getting across the border because of the volume of traffic, especially trucks.

Tuesday we traveled through Indiana and into Illinois.  Most memorable part of the trip was the sky.  Landscape is very flat, cultivated farmland outside of towns and cities.  So the sky is huge.  There was a huge storm system moving across the US from Texas way which made for awesome clouds formations which were constantly changing.  

So back to today.  Didn’t make much progress 3 hours driving, but no regrets.  We promised ourselves we would not drive in bad weather so we didn’t. Just looked out window and the sun is now shining and snow is melting.  We could get a few more miles in, but are staying put.  Jack is laying on the bed snoring away with the kind of bliss that men feel when they have the TV on sports or cartoons, clicker in hand and nothing to do but create some zzzzzz's.

Tomorrow we head for DesMoines, Iowa, then up to Forest City where we will tour the Winnibago plant before going up to I-90 and heading due west.  Looks like 2-3 days of good weather ahead.  Some snow and rain brewing over the rockies so we’ll see.  Might hole up again before we hit the coast.  

We've been traveling interstates all the way.  Don't enjoy them - traffic is gruesome and you just zoom by everything.  But they are good for making time, which we want to do, and have lots of truck and rest stops which we appreciate.  Boondocking is a lot easier on the pocketbook.

Have been doing well camping in the rig.  Warm and cozy.  A little disorganized just because we have been on the move.  When we stop I have been working on Frommers revisions - will be glad when that is completed so I can fully relax.

Look after yourselves folks.  Remember if you want to contact us email julie@seacroftpei.com

Julie

November 5th  -  Quite a lapse of time since my last post.  Sorry about that.  Jack and I are now in Fonthill, visiting Mom for a few days.

The day before we left PEI it stormed something fierce so we had a flurry of activity on Oct 31st, trying to get everything into the RV and get on the road.  A bit apprehensive when we left because they had a bad snow storm in New England - I think I heard a million people without power.  Sure enough well before we hit Moncton the landscape was a bit of a winter wonderland with snow.  Fortunately for us the roads were clear.

We drove as far as Bangor the first day, then just into New York State the second day.  This was our first real experience boondocking and it went fine.  Not hooking up to power was fine with the exception of not being able to charge or plug in the laptops, phones or camera battery is a real inconvenience.  We do hope we can find campgrounds open after we leave here, just to be abel to do that.’

I am really challenged now. The editing/revisions work I still have to do for a travel guide arrived just before we left, so I’m having to work to try to get that done and sent back to them.  Puts a bit of a damper on the early days of our trip because we are supposed to be visiting and enjoying some R&R and I’m having to work.  Still it won’t be long before its done.

Trip here went well.  Snow was gone by the time we got to mid-Vermont and the weather turned beautiful.  Had fog for a hundred miles or so in New York State.  The highway runs close to the Erie Canal for a long way and it always seems to be foggy in the mornings.

Now we are in Fonthill, staying with Jenny and Jess - bless them for being so great about letting us stay and come and go to suit Mom.  We parked in their drive and plugged in.  Only challenge now is a flat battery.  Jack forgot to change the cooler from plugging it into the cigaret lighter to  an electrical plug so it after 3 days it drained the battery. I didn’t even know you had to do that.  We are in learning curve here!!!

Had a good time with Mom so far. We rented a car for the four days we are here.  Took her out to get a new chair for her bedroom.  She watches TV there and loves having an electric rig.  She uses a remote to put up the foot rest and lay back a bit.  That was Thursday’s mission.  Yesterday we took her out to get new shoes, a lamp, her Christmas cards - that sort of thing.    Polished off the day with our traditional wings and pizza night with Jen and Jess.

Plan is to return the car and head out early on Monday.  Mom’s birthday is on Sunday - having a drop in do for that.  For now, I have to go.  Want to try and get a bit of work done before the rest of the crew wake up.  Love to all.

Julie

Don’t for get if you want to get in touch email us at julie@seacroftpei.com