LEAVING MONTANA

It’s time for me to get on the road again.   I’m leaving this morning for Chico, CA.

The time spent here in Montana and with Diane has been a very healing time.   I
Think I am totally de-stressed!  

I’ve written a lot about the big skies of Montana – every time we drove into Great Falls,

I was awed by the vista.   Now that the fires are all out, and the smoke has left the area, we can see beyond the 90 miles to the cabin,  - northward for miles along the Rocky Mountain front.
It’s hard to believe you can see so far!

We enjoyed a deliciously wonderful Thanksgiving with Diane’s son and his family – unfortunately her daughter and other son were unable to join us.   It was a very cold

Day – 23 degrees on the thermometer, but the wind chill brought it down quite a bit.

I had most everything packed by Tuesday, and still had Friday to finish up – I had to get a new tail light cover -  I asked Mark if he could help me put it on -   it obviously just “clicks” in place – but we couldn’t get the old one off – so instead of waiting til Saturday to get my oil change,

I made a trip into town on Friday to get the tail light cover put on, oil change, gas up and stop at a grocery store – got to pick up some Cream of the West, and hopefully some Gold Leaf iced tea –

Then it was back to Diane’s to do laundry, put everything else I can into the truck, and enjoy left over turkey sandwiches!!!

 Diane did her Christmas decorating on Friday so I could see it before I leave – took her all of 15 minutes.   It was just the perfect touch – not too much  nor too little.  

I’m spending tonight and Sunday night in Helena – with my friend Barb, then its on through Idaho and Nevada and into California.  I hope to make it in two long days driving -   I don’t like to drive after dark, and the days are short – but I’m going to push for 450 miles a day -   with the higher highway speeds out here, I should be able to do it -  Hoping for Twin Falls the first

Night and Reno the second – then it’s only about 100 miles more, but I don’t want to take on that particular road at night, after a full day of driving.  I just remember the 500 miles drives to upstate NY to see Angie -  took me 12-13 hours -   I’ll just have to shorten pit-stops and keep up the speed.  (course before Brooke moved to VA – I’d take the eastern shore route – not an interstate, lots of little towns and took forever)   Once she moved to VA and then to MD – I’d drive the 160 miles to her place, spend the night and leave for NY in the a.m. which helped a lot.

 Post script:   I pre-wrote the above so I could post this early Saturday – but then, I had an adventure on Friday.    I stopped to fill up with gas, first - $$   Then I got an oil change $$$

Then – I decided to stop at the ATM and get travel cash -   OOPS   The ATM as much as said “you can’t get blood out of a turnip!”   Most distressing – my check had been direct deposited on Wednesday, and I hadn’t bought a thing since – so into the bank I sallied – full of righteous

Indignation.   Imagine my chagrin when I realized my check was not posted Wednesday because it’s not due til NEXT Wednesday.    OOPS.   I quickly transferred funds to cover the gas and oil change, then remembered  the check** I wrote at the Vet’s for Tucker’s heart worm medicine.

Well, now, this all put my travelling in a different perspective.   I packed up turkey sandwiches and froze them so I’d have them when I left Helena.  Didn’t pick up anything but some ice tea and a jug of water at the store.   So, anyway, once I simmered down and checked out my funds and realized I was ok –  trip was back on track!

** About the check for the vet – when is the last time you’ve been able to do this?   The Vet didn’t accept plastic -  I told her that I had checks, but……    they are out of state,  the address is wrong, the phone # is wrong and the bank has changed.    She shrugged and said – well, that’s ok!  And……   she didn’t even ask for an ID!!!!     Ah, living in the West!!!

It’s now Sunday, and I’m in Helena.   I checked the road cam for Monida Pass – and it is snowing.  Not good!   But – the road is clear and snow is due to stop this evening.   Monida Pass is about 7000’ – but it’s not a mountain pass – there are mountains around it, of course – but the pass itself is high prairie.

 I’m also having trouble getting and staying on the internet – so I’m not quite sure when I’ll get this posted -  I’ll keep trying today, though!

 Well, we started out from Helena bright and early – about 6 a.m.    I had noticed a little roughness  while driving the day before – this morning it really got bad!   I finally figured out that I had let the truck sit for a month, and it probably had condensation in the gas tank  - which turned out to be the problemI had a bit of the additive left and it helped, but then it got worse again – I limped into Dillon, MT – got some more additive and filled the gas tank – got back on the high way and……..  I couldn’t get Luv to go over 40 mph.   I swung back into Dillon, stopped at a repair shop and ended with a new fuel filter.  All is fixed.

 I ended up making it to Twin Falls – and stopped for the night.   I wanted to go farther, but the next stop would have been 164 miles and I felt that was too far.   So early up tomorrow and hopefully Reno or even Chico tomorrow!!!

Until next time,

Bear Hugs

 Luv ‘n Boots and Tucker, too

And Little Bear, of course

She believed she could do it and so she did!