Matilda & Holden Summer 2023

07/14/2023

We are home safe and sound.
Now to recover from the vacation before I start work on Thursday.

07/13/2023

Last day of vacation.
After a night of rockin & rollin because of the storms. I thought all had past & we’d have another lovely day.
Well, it started out that way.
We got to Blue Earth, the Big Green Giant (yes, he is very big!!) The little museum was quaint too.
As u see the sky’s are blue!! Half hr after this it all went downhill! Rain, wind, storms for 7 hrs of driving!
It was a hard drive & I’m tired!!
2 more legs - nothing to see & we will be home 🙂.
Looking forward to seeing you all at your next appointments.

I CAN truly say. If u haven’t seen some of what we have seen on this trip. Make it a must. It is what I had imagined America to be.
I hope to go back to some sites & towns & to explore some more. I have the 2024 Rodeo schedule and state fair schedule.
This time without dogs, so I can do more exploring.

07/12/2023

Day 4
The town of Wall, SD. Where u can take ur dogs onto every store!!!
Then onto the Badlands I was so lucky it was cool. 60 when we entered and 75 as we left. I was driving in them for 2.5 hrs and could have spent longer.
We encountered more storms so several other things I wanted to see we didn’t stop. Another trip!
Was woken this morning to more storms. !
It seems South Dakota is stormy!!!!

07/10/2023

Day 3.
Boy are my eyes sore from looking!!
So much to see!
Loved the town of Sheridan, WY. Drove to Devils Tower & lost internet and GPS!! But I got Photos!!
Found my way to Sundance,South Dakota. Turned off both phones & had to re-set the car!!! Then it was on to Sturgis.
Finally got to Rapid City,SD.
Mt Rushmore was an adventure!!
Not 3 minutes after getting photo did they skys open up with heavy rain & hail. I had to pull over for a while in the tourist town at the bottom of the “hill”.
Tomorrow the Badlands!!!

07/10/2023

Day 2
Spent it mostly in the car bangin out the miles.
The scenery is just spectacular.

07/09/2023

I’m back in Montana.

Went from British Columbia, Canada thru Washington, Idaho, & overnighting here. Boarder crossing into USA was a breeze. I haven’t had to show my Health Certificate for dogs at all!
Tomorrow I head east to Wyoming ( Sheridan ) long 8hr drive.
Once there I will start my 2 short days of driving (4hrs each). As I am sightseeing!!
Matilda turned 12 today. I’ll bring her some of my steak. I will say, I have eaten some if the best steaks around on this vacation!!

07/07/2023

Leaving Nakusp for our trip back home tomorrow.
Our last vacation day- play with sheep, swim, hike & ofcouse, pack the car!!! 😞.
Stay tuned for posts.

06/28/2023

The trip over to Kelowna and back was quite the drive!!!
An hour to a ferry (which we just missed!) so had to sit & wait an hour the switchbacks and S bends, (a goat trail) for 2hours and finally a regular road for an hour! Yep 4 hr drive to airport to pick up hubby. We overnighted and I drove back.
He’s visiting with us for a week. Then I will repeat.

06/26/2023

People’s beach and the sheep we spent the day with.

06/26/2023

Nakusp BC Canada is breathtaking!
Thus us Arrow Lake at dog beach.
We spent the day out of town in the “woods” with sheep & other Koolies.
Tomorrow I drive to Kelowna a 4hr drive, including a ferry crossing to collect hubby from the nearest airport. I’m told I will travel on a “track” now road that was put in in the late 1800s!!! Many switchbacks, hairpin turns … going between two mountain ridges!!

06/25/2023

Day 6.
We made it!!!
Drove from St Regis, Montana via/thru Idaho (I expected flat - u know potato land!) Nope more mountains then on to Nakusp BC Canada. Our final destination.
Crossing the border into Canada, as u see the station was tiny, the USA one is no bigger. I didn’t get out of car! The birder control man didn’t get out of his booth. I opened the sidedoor for the guard to look in ! As when I opened the back window the screen blocked his view inside car. Then he said “I see u have well cared for dogs.” I went to hand over Health Certificates for dogs & he said not needed!!! Handed over my passport, answered some questions. He wished Holden good luck!! Haha. Yes I explained the reason for driving across country!! Haha. I’m sure he’s heard stranger stories!
It took my phones and GPS about 10miles to switch over to metric. Kilometre and Canadian the ph system.
I just knew to go north.
Over a mountain several actually! It’s around many hairpin bends, lord knows how the trucks do it.
Wow the landscape here breathtakingly beautiful. I came into town on the only road in.
I drove straight to my friends house and Holden met his “lady to be”. Miss Shoofly. They liked each other!! Matilda ever approved of her!!
Found our home base, 3 streets over for the next 2 weeks. It actually belongs to a Duck Toller breeder(a dog breed) !! The house is Very dog friendly!! 5ft fenced yard so they can be st home and off leash. Air BnB love ❤️ it.
Had an wonderful dinner with chat with friends, other than myself and a really nice glass of BC wine.
Sunday is a day of rest! And explore.
I did try to get $$ from ATM.
It’s empty - no money left!! Have to wait until Monday for bank to open!!!
😂 😛💯.
I’m guessing I will use the credit card!!

On Monday we will be off to collect hubby from closest airport. It’s a 4 hr drive one way! And a ferry ride! We r overnighting.
The 3 hr time change is screwing with us in the morning!

06/25/2023

Day 5 pix I had to retrieve from work ph!!

06/24/2023

Day 5
Billings to St Regis, both in Montana.
As I said yesterday. The topography is breathtaking. Today I drive the continental divide (so the sign I wizzed by said!!) rain again in the forecast. This is one of the wettest spring/summer in a long time! Usually everything is dry, bush fires, smoke in the air. Nope everything is green and lush.
Bozeman was a disappointment! Very yuppiefied. Butte also. Not sure what I expected but the town seemed depressed.
The highlight of the day was my stop in a roadside pull off, down a dirt road a few miles.
Prairie Dog Town. I was the only one there and they r cute as.

06/24/2023

Day 5 Update on our drive to come., later
I’m staying in St Regis, MT. Glad I had a room booked in advance. 2 people before me got turned away as it’s a full house!! Only accommodation in town. They are searching with in 60+ miles!!!!
Something to say for planning ahead!
This town is a gem!!! People everywhere, campers, RV….
Rivers, mountains….

06/23/2023

Day4 (I think!!)
Jamestown, North Dakota to Billing’s, Montana.
Stormy start, but they need the rain. Stunning landscape.
Can’t say it enough, amazing, beautiful, breathtaking, drove most of the day without music as the scenery was incredible. A must see. Highly highly recommend. I feel now I’ve seen the “America” I’ve been looking for.
I’ll happily see it again. Need to plan another trip with more time in this region.
I crossed another time zone! This really should have a sign announcing the change.
I’m coming home via S.D so I won’t see it again.
As u see dogs got lots of outs.

06/21/2023

Day 3 done
Wisconsin to North Dakota
Lovely landscape lots of lakes. Lots of lakes. Did I say lots of lakes!!!!
Rolling fields. Then very flat towards Fargo. Then rolling hills and lakes again. Who knew. Not me!
It’s very hot here 90 and humid.
Tomorrow we r off to Montana!!

06/21/2023

Day 2. Done
Had a time change! That threw me!
It was a long 9am. Haha
Ohio, Indiana, Ilionis and Wisconsin.
Wisconsin is where I said our vacation starts! So the picture start there.
OH, ID are flat and lovely farming land.
IL -well it was traffic thru Chicago. And north.
Wisconsin has lovely rolling hills.
It’s very dry so they are irrigating all the fields.
Dogs are traveling well.
Driving is easy in the Pacifica. Very happy with it.
Tomorrow we head to North Dakota.

06/20/2023

Well day one was uneventful.
Our longest drive done easily.
Home to Toledo. OH

Today day 2. I’m banging out the miles!!
Dogs at home r not allowed on the bed! But on vacation. Rules dont apply!
Holden had a bed to himself and Matilda & I shared!

06/19/2023

We’re packed and loaded.
Today we start the journey to Nakusp, Canada. After a quick stop at the Vet to get Health Certificates to cross the border.
Shawn Freyman. Here we come!

06/18/2023

I’m hoping this page works to let u follow along on our adventure!!
Need to work out how to make private!! Any suggestions??

06/17/2023

This is the start of Summer 2023
Our big trip to make puppies!!

06/17/2023