CHUGGING RIGHT ALONG

We got up and on the road fairly early.   I decided to play some music instead of listening to my book.  The first song was Helen Reddy's  "I Am Woman"  Such uplifting music.   Here I am - Single and with the freedom of the open road.  How empowering!!!

While stopped for gas, I chatted with a fella at the next pump.  He had a huge 5th wheel.  I asked him how long he had been hauling it - 15 years and 400,000 miles.  Wow!!!!  He said he was tired of travelling and tired of being re-tired.

As the day went on, I kept moving my next campground stop further west - I eventually made it half of the distance I had left to Grand Forks.  

I found a KOA near Eau Claire, WI.   It was a beautiful setting.   My tent site was in the trees, with a tree lined path to the nearest washroom.  There were no other campers within sight of my tent.

However, the mosquitos were voracious.   After my tent was up, I set my thermacell lantern in the tent to scare out any bugs that had gotten in it.   I then turned off the lanterns - or so I thought.   About 45 minutes or so later, I tasted something in the air - Oops.   I put the lantern outside, pulled off my tent fly (the actual tent is mesh), grabbed Tucker and went for a walk around the camp.  Great.  I'm trying to poisen us - especially wee little Tucker.  By the time we returned, the tent air was clear of what ever is in a thermocell.

I just pulled the fly over the tent, not bothering to tie or peg it.   We then crawled into bed.

Sometime during the nite I awoke to the pitter-patter of little raindrops - I reached out and pulled the fly over the end of the tent, but I was too late -  the bottom of my down comforter was wet, my sheets,  and Tucker's bed  The down comforter still kept me warm though.

Generally, Tucker sleeps at the foot of the bed, on top the covers.   This night was the first time he crawled under the blankets and slept next to me - he was shivering.

We woke at about 5 a.m.  I read a while, then decided to get on the road.  

Wisconsin:   Wisconsin has no regard for travelling pets.   At each rest stop, the pet area was far removed.  The Welcome Center, I had to carry Tucker over piles of construction debris to get to the pet area, and it was nothing to brag about.

At another rest area, I had to walk clear across the picnic area, and across the huge truck parking lot to a narrow swath of mowed weeds - stiff and stickery with piles of cigarette butts, trash and garbage to pick our way around.  It was the worst in all the states I had crossed

I then crossed into Minnesota, and at the very first and every rest stop after that - the pet area was close to the car parking lot, and of lush green grass!  

Just as I arrived in Minnesota, I ran into a severe thunder storm, rain so hard I could barely see in front of the truck.  Luckily the welcome center was within a mile, and I sat out the storm for about 45 minutes before continuing.     I'm reading "Game of Thrones" so it was no hardship.

I safely arrived in Grand Forks ND about 6 p.m. Saturday night.   My truck stuffed with wet gear from the night before.  The rain continued  - it is now Tuesday, and it is still raining.

Next blog will be about discovering family.

Til next time,
Bear Hugs
Luv 'n Boots and Tucker
And don't forget Wee Beastie, also

She believed she could do it so she did