2017 Day 1 Yakima

Easy day today.  Got away by 9:30, crossed the border without much ado, and traveled south.  Took a picture of the metal "picture window" sculpture just as you leave the US Border kiosks - it always amazes me.

I wonder how my garden will be when we get back - the clematis is loaded with buds, but no blooms as yet.  The rhododendrons are magnificent.

Very nice campsite, in an RV Park.

Went to Fred Meyers and got "stocked up".  On to Idaho tomorrow.

Preparing to start a new adventure

Wow, a lot has happened since the last post - like about 4 years of living on the edge - the western edge of Canada.  We have done several camping (RV-ing) trips around B.C. and Alberta.  Another trip down the west coast of USA to Washington and Oregon.  We've explored Mt. St. Helen's, and  Palouse Falls.  Alas we neglected the BFRT blog.  By the way, it should now read RFBBT as we have a new black truck.

We are gearing up to head south, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, California, Oregon and back through Washington - and it seems important/appropriate that we resurrect the blog.
 But I have to re-learn how to post updates and insert photos.  Whee, here I go!

Before we left Toronto we had a 1 day visit first with Susan and Rick in Bobcaygeon and then a 1 day visit with Bern and Dale in Peterborough. This picture (if it works) is of Bern and Dale - we are about to enjoy a wonderful dinner of leftovers! Flank steak and salata Batata. Yum

Hooray, I'm finally able to blog again

Hi to any followers. My apologies for not blogging since early May. Much has happened since then, including getting this new lap top which has until today flummoxed me about getting access to update the blog. So here we are in Swift Current Saskatchewan! We left Toronto on the 30th of May and went to Bolton and then on to North Bay, well really Powassan for a visit with Tammy and Summer. Then we carried on through Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie to Wawa. Next day we skirted around the top of Lake Superior and missed Thunder Bay entirely on the bypass and carried on to Dryden. The excitement in Dryden was that the Hydro folks turned the hydro off to the entire town at 7:00 Am on the Sunday morning. Luckily we were still on Ontario time and so up an hour early to cope without power. No restaurants open for breakfast so luckily our hotel had planned ahead and had carafe's of coffee and muffins. Easy drive to Winnipeg - stopped at Falcon Lake and the mosquitos were just as bad as we remembered from 30 years ago. Great visit with Laurie's relatives. Aunty Melvie is a remarkably young 85 year old - and we really enjoyed dinner with her and the family. (Karen and Jamie, John, Max and Alice). Its amazing how much those kids have grown in 3 years! Slow start today, but we continued through Regina, Moose Jaw and now here in Swift Current. Next I will try some pictures! We are off to Oyen Alta tomorrow and then on to Okotoks for tomorrow night.

Day 6 ending in Spokane, Washington

Day 6 was a looooonnnnnggggg drive. On the road by 8:30, then 837 km luckily in perfect sunshine. Here in Spokane it is positively hot! Had to dig out my shorts at last. The drive from Billings to Butte is very pleasant. Rolling hills, perfect highway, very little traffic. The mountain passes from Butte over to Spokane were more challenging for me (Barb) as I feel less confident at the speed of curves when rocketing down hill. I think I have more curls and perhaps more gray! But it really wasn't bad, and probably kept me on my toes! Looks like this might be the last camp night as we hope to be in Vernon tomorrow night and then head down to White Rock on Wednesday or Thursday. So far we have done 3942 kilometers, probably 1 day's drive if we went to White Rock via Seattle but we will take 2 to go via Vernon to see Mum and Dad

Billings, Montana

Had a slow start today. The KOA was serving all you could eat pancakes and bacon and eggs so we stopped for that. Then we had to fuel up and pump up a tire, away by 9:30 MDT Beautiful, easy drive - no traffic and blue skies. The dry old hillsides were actually quite green and even velvety from a distance. Saw deer and lots of cattle. Lots and lots of uninhabited space. Very pleasant here at the campsite, in shirtsleeves for the first time in several days. We are alongside the Yellowstone River. Looks like we will try to do two long days tomorrow and Tuesday to end up in Vernon by Tuesday night. Down to White Rock on Thursday morning for sure. Laurie is anxious to have the pod delivered. Glad my May 4th comment made Graeme happy - perhaps he's my only follower!

May the 4th be with you!

Hi to any followers. We started out the day in pouring rain and a brutal head wind heading due north towards Sioux Falls. there was evidence of recent snow falls but there was no snow on the roads Thankfully. As we rounded the turn and headed west on I -90 the weather began to clear and ended here in Rapid City, S.D. with sunshine. Lots of people in shorts so it must have been warmer but cool now. Went out for dinner and a few groceries. Truck behaving well, Barb and Laurie not behaving at all! Played the alphabet game forwards and backwards. We drove through the S.D. Badlands as we love that territory. It's quite spectacular. Took some pictures but haven't been able to get them from Laurie's cell to this blog. So sorry to be so boring. Cribbage again tonight. We have been very fair, we switch winners every night!