I am Home!!!!

Hello Fellow Wandering Travelers!!!

Today, I drove from Spokane, Washington to my home in Marysville. I arrived home late and had to put my trailer away, etc, etc, etc.!!!

Anyway, tomorrow, I will fill in all the blanks for my final day of this journey across the USA!!!

But, for tonight, I will just have to say, I am home and my wandering travels are complete for this year.

So, goodnight for now, and I will tell you all about my final day and show you some photos of my trip across the state of Washington!!!

Good night,

Jon

Stil in Spokane, WA visiting Friends and Family!!!

Hello Fellow Wandering Travelers!!!

Today was another day of visiting my family and some lifelong friends!!! I again went to a few book stores then went over to my Mom’s house and visited with my family and then went to visit my good friends Bill and Bobbie!!!

First, I went to a few book stores, just like yesterday, only different ones!! The first was small and didn’t have many books or any that I needed. The next was mostly new books, but I did find a used book that I did not have. Then I went to another book store and it was closed for remodeling!! There are still some more stores that I must explore, but I will save that for another time!!!

Then I went to my Mom’s house and talked to her for quite a bit!!!

Then I went to Bill and Bobbie’s house and talked to them until Bill started to get tired. You see, Bill just got out of the hospital yesterday and was at the doctor’s office today, so he was pretty worn out. It was good seeing him and Bobbie again, but I left and went back to my Mom’s house for the rest of the evening.

Well, that was my day!!! An easy day, but some interesting and fun stuff!!

So, with that, I will go for now, but I will see you all again tomorrow.

Again, to quote that great comedian, Red Skelton, "Good Night and May God Bless!"

Happy Trails ---- Jon

 

In Spokane, WA visiting Family!!!

Hello Fellow Wandering Travelers!!!

Today was a visit my family day!!! I went to a few book stores then went over to my Mom’s house and visited with my family!!! Oh, and I celebrated a late birthday for my brother David who turned 66 this month!

First, I went to a few book stores. The first was mostly new books, but they did have discounts on some new books that I wanted to buy, so I got them. Then I went to another book store and what a find!! This store has a lot of used books and I will come back and spend some time here!!! But that is for later!!!

Then I went to my Mom’s house and saw my sister, brothers and a few nephews. It was good talking with them all!!!

Then I told my brother, David, that since I missed his birthday, I would take him to dinner at any place he wanted. He chose the Red Lobster. Mom didn’t want to go but asked if I would bring some dinner home!!! Well, David and I had a great meal and I ordered one “Togo” for Mom! When we got home, Mom was surprised by the meal and how good it was.

Then we sat around the rest of the evening and talked.

Well, that was my day!!! An easy day, but some interesting and fun stuff!!

So, with that, I will go for now, but I will see you all again tomorrow.

Again, to quote that great comedian, Red Skelton, "Good Night and May God Bless!"

Happy Trails ---- Jon

 

Finishing in Montana, Going Through Idaho, Stopping in Spokane, Washington!!!

Hello Fellow Wandering Travelers!!!

Today was another strictly driving day!!! I drove U.S. Highway 2 from Kalispell, Montana to Spokane, Washington! The scenery was great and the drive wasn’t bad.

Now for today’s story and photos!!! I left Kalispell, Montana and found US-2 to head west!!! I stopped for breakfast (because I just wanted some eggs over easy), gas, and a mocha!!! Once I got going things went pretty fast!!! I drove and drove and drove! I stopped for gas occasionally, but mostly I drove!!! I again saw a lot of beautiful country and the day was really nice. The sun was out with a scattering of clouds, but there was no wind to speak of!!! The temperature was on the cool side since it started at about 66 degrees, but it warmed up into the 80s and was hot when I got to Spokane!!!

Here are a few photos of the country side ---

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Then I reached the Spokane, Washington area and I found an RV Park. I parked the trailer and got into the pickup and went to my Mom’s house to visit with my family. Then I went back to my trailer to get some rest. My internal clock is all messed up!!! At the Montana and Idaho border, I crossed another time zone and I am now back in the Pacific Time Zone. I haven’t gotten used to the Central or Mountain Time Zones yet, so I feel kind of tired. My mind is still in the Central Time Zone, so right now, it seems like 12:00 Midnight, but it is only 10:00 PM!!! Oh, well, I’ll get used to it. Tomorrow, I will spend the day with friends and family, so there won’t be much of a BLOG Post!!!

Well, that was my day!!! An easy day of mostly driving, but some interesting and fun site seeing!!

So, with that, I will go for now, but I will see you all again tomorrow.

Again, to quote that great comedian, Red Skelton, "Good Night and May God Bless!"

Happy Trails ---- Jon

 

Driving through Montana - It is a BIG State!!!!

Hello Fellow Wandering Travelers!!!

Today was another strictly driving day!!! Last night I all of a sudden got very homesick!!! I wanted to be around familiar surroundings and people I know and love. I knew it would hit me because it did last year, too! This year it just happened closer to home. So, my plan is to be in Spokane Sunday afternoon, Stay a few days with my Mom, family, and friends I grew up with and then drive US Highway 2 home on Wednesday. My plan could change at any moment and you all will be the second to know (I will be the first!)!!! With that in mind, today I drove about 350 miles; tomorrow, I will drive about 250 miles. On Wednesday, it’s about 300 miles from my Mom’s house to mine!!!

Now for today’s story and photos!!! I left Malta, Montana and found US-2 to head west!!! It was easy because the place where I stayed was on US-2!!! Once I got going, all I can say is --- Montana is flat and the roads are very nice!!! I drove and drove and drove! I stopped for gas occasionally, but mostly I drove!!! I again saw a lot of beautiful country and the day was really nice. The sun was out with a scattering of clouds, but there was no wind to speak of!!! The temperature was on the cool side since it started at about 66 degrees, but it warmed up into the 80s!!! Here are a few photos of the country side ---

Did I tell you that there are a lot of trains on the tracks that are near US-2!!?? From what I understand, US-2 was built to follow alongside the railroad line!!! At times, there seems to be a train going by every half hour!!!???

Then I turned a corner and there were the Rocky Mountains in front of me!!! Here are some photos as I got closer and closer ----

 

Here are some photos as I am driving through the pass in the Rocky Mountains ---

 

Then I reached Kalispell, Montana and I found an RV Park. I had a list of about six that were near Glacier Park, but I gave up on them after I stopped at two and they were booked solid. I even tried calling ahead, but just got an answering machine!!! Since I am not going to explore Glacier Park, this one suits me just fine!!!

Well, that was my day!!! An easy day of mostly driving, but some interesting and fun site seeing!!

So, with that, I will go for now, but I will see you all again tomorrow.

Again, to quote that great comedian, Red Skelton, "Good Night and May God Bless!"

Happy Trails ---- Jon

 

Driving from North Dakota into Montana

Hello Fellow Wandering Travelers!!!

Today was strictly a driving day!!! After I looked up things to do in Dakota, Montana, and Idaho along US Highway 2, and found practically nothing; so, the next two days will be almost strictly driving days!!! It seems all the good things in Montana are along I-90, not along US-2!!!??? I will go through Glacier Park and will stop at their museum, but that is about it until I get to Spokane, Washington. I will stop in Spokane for a few days and see my family and friends (I grew up in Spokane, remember!!), so there won’t be much in my BLOG Post and then I may just drive straight home!!!

I left Minot, North Dakota and found US-2 to head west!!! I saw a lot of beautiful country and the day was really nice. The sun was out with a scattering of clouds, but there was no wind to speak of!!! The temperature was on the cool side since it started at about 55 degrees and barely got above 70 degrees by this evening!!! I drove through Williston, North Dakota which is the oil boom town for the northwest!!! I was there last year and it seems to have grown by five times!!! The pumping wells have also increased and the truck traffic is out of this world!!!

Here are a few photos of the wells ---

I also went across another time zone when I hit Montana, so I am in Mountain Time now and only one hour ahead of my home in Marysville!!

A lot of times I would come over a hill and scramble to get out my camera because of the great view I was seeing in front of me!! Of course, the camera can’t capture what I see, but it tries!!! Here are some of the views that I saw ---

 

 

And then there were the wild animals that I came across – I was lucky they were on a hill overlooking the highway!!! They were big enough to cause problems if they hit the truck!!!

 

Okay, so they were someone’s field art displays --- I still thought they were cool!!!

Then I got to my choice of RV Parks. There aren’t many in the area of Montana east of the Rocky Mountains. I have found that some of the motels also have RV Parks and that is where I am staying – in the Edgewater Inn & RV Park in Malta, Montana.

Tomorrow night, I will be staying in an RV Park somewhere near Glacier Park. Because it is a weekend, the RV Parks will be hard to get in, but I am trying to make reservations tonight. Wish me luck!!!

Well, that was my day!!! An easy day of mostly driving, but some interesting and fun site seeing!!

So, with that, I will go for now, but I will see you all again tomorrow.

Again, to quote that great comedian, Red Skelton, "Good Night and May God Bless!"

Happy Trails ---- Jon