Summer 2014: road-tripping to date – August 30
Hallooo! Is anybody still out there in my blogland?
Hmmm. While I wait for answers, or a distant echo, I will try to explain my lengthy absence…in brief…no road trips of note since the Spring of 2013. That’s it!
“Why not?” you ask. Well, new year, new projects, and…time and financial budget priority changes. What does all that vagueness really describe? Why, a NEW WOODWORK SHOP, of course. And that is why we will turn around from our current travels and hasten home in a couple of weeks.
Back to road-tripping…
After a Saltspring Island rendezvous with Dave Roland and family on the first weekend in August, our annual one week beach trip to Skaha Lake followed with Doug, Paula and Hannah Lindsay joining us directly, and a whole host of my own family joining us independently at nearby sites. The week passed quickly and we only had one day of rain on the second last day. This was a timely occurrence to cool the local fire hazards!
A turn-around trip home to Nanaimo had us arriving in time to welcome our wonderful friends from Germany – Alex, Judi, Alyssa and Amanda Benz – and to celebrate Amanda’s birthday with her at Parksville’s mini-golf. After 3 days or so with them, we departed once again for an extended travel trip – this time for quick overnight visits with the Lindsay family in Walnut Grove, friends in Kamloops, an old University chum in Calgary, and on towards Whitefish, Montana after passing through Waterton Lakes and skirting the eastern edge of Glacier National Park. (At first we were dismayed that the rules for vehicle heights had changed, and since we now exceed 10 feet with kayaks on top, we were not allowed to go over Logan Pass. However, although I could have stuffed them inside the camper, we decided that we had seen the pass before, and that we should try the road around the east – a “new” one to me – in keeping with my usual travel planning. This resulted in us visiting the spectacular site of Two Medicine for one night.)
On to Whitefish, where we thoroughly enjoyed a 5 day visit with Bob and Alice, (and Alice’s sister Sue) Padgham (and Springer Spaniel, Ike) in their new home. Whitefish is one of those communities that, in my mind, has ‘done it right’ in planning recreational activities complete with an amazing network of hiking trails, a vital downtown, and facilities for the arts and fitness.
Today, we parted company, and headed south through Kalispell, and Helena to our current campsite just north of Butte. It’s a tad RUSTic, but has services. (The ‘rust’ part occurred when I attached the hose to our camper and turned on the pump for our water. Deep red-brown silt poured through our system! Luckily, it immediately drained out, but I am relieved that it never got into our hot water tank!)
Tomorrow we head east to Lewis & Clark Caverns, and then on to Yellowstone and Grand Teton, before we begin the trek west. We hope to have about a week more in this neck of the woods before thinking of returning.
Montana is a beautiful state, with friendly folks everywhere – except in downtown Helena where there were NO folks today as they were apparently out gallivanting for the Labour Day (or should I say “Labor Day”) weekend. However, just as a personal observation of many references around…”Lewis and Clark” have been given way too much prominence since they did little more than I am doing – passed through the State sight-seeing! Just a thought!
Greetings, love and best wishes to all who continue to subscribe to this blog – despite my long silence!
Tony
Road count:
Quilt shops – 3
Tool stores – 1
roadquill1 
I thought you were in Birch Bay for a while—-no??????
Shirley
August 30, 2014 at 8:59 pm
Ah Shirley! How could I have forgotten our wonderful time with Hendersons and Harris’ at Birch Bay after our Saltspring visit?? Perhaps I was blanking out the trauma of gashed knees, wobbly bike rides, and multiple stitches! (Eeyewww!) Thanks for reminding me! Sent from my iPhone
>
Tony Dobson
August 31, 2014 at 8:32 am
ME … me! I’m here! Great to be receiving your road blog again and hearing about your adventures. But, hmmm, sounds like you’ve got some catching up to do Tony … quilt shops 3, tool shops 1 … ??? Sandy’s winning so far!! 😄. Safe travels! xo
Sent from my iPhone
>
S I
August 30, 2014 at 10:28 pm
was wondering yesterday — where the heck is my bro and wife? — now I know. Safe travels ‘on the road again!’
Sister Sue
August 30, 2014 at 10:47 pm
Yup, another groupie, just waiting and waiting for a post from you! .Relieved to hear you have only had one ‘incident’ so far. We returned to our ‘agricultural’ district on the 27th. We had a super time in the Yukon.
Safe travels and i am so happy to see Sandy is winning the shopping contest.
Gail Lambourne
August 31, 2014 at 7:48 am
So nice to hear of your trip! Lol,Bet
Sent from my iPad
>
BETTY MACMICHAEL
August 31, 2014 at 7:49 am
Good to hear from you. You are going in a completely different direction than I thought????? Our summer has been full of camping in our new trailer with grandkids etc. and fishing out of Port McNeill – a freezer full of salmon –YUM! We have a camping trip to Peddar Bay for 5 days and then we are back to routine – not sure what that is? Enjoy road-tripping. Cheers, Leslie
leslie millward
August 31, 2014 at 10:54 am
It is good to hear what you two are doing! It sounds like fun. The big talk here is the coming wedding! I hope to see you when you get home. Much love, Mom
dorothydobson
August 31, 2014 at 11:00 am
Thanks for the update. Travel well. Guy
Guy
August 31, 2014 at 11:40 am
Great to see you and the Quilter back on the road – enjoy the rest of your trip and look forward to seeing the outcome of the Woodwork shop!!
Travelling Nicki
August 31, 2014 at 10:38 pm
When February/March came and went without any road notes from you, I thought maybe I had been banished from the mailing list. Good to know that all is well and that you are enjoying some great travels. I hope the 3 quilt shop stops included the fabulous store in Canmore on your way to Calgary. I am envious of your national park visits, but I have been spending lots of time in the mountains close to home. Looking forward to hearing more.
EllenK
September 1, 2014 at 9:47 am
Hi Ellen! We missed the 3 quilt shops in Canmore. Your email arrived too late – ALAS! Thanks for listening in still! Tony
coastmariner
September 7, 2014 at 6:47 am
Hi Tony,
Receiving you loud and clear.
We are still B&B-ing….up to our eyeballs!
Your trip sounds fantastic…look forward to your updates!~
t
Tanya Northcott
tnttanya@gmail.com
Cell: 604-817-2144
Fax: 778-479-3388
Desk: 778-479-0088
Tanya Northcott
September 1, 2014 at 6:13 pm
Thanks Tanya! We figured you’d be busy this year with the great weather! Greetings to “Pa” and other members of the family! Tony
coastmariner
September 7, 2014 at 6:45 am