Day 15

July 13, 2017

Big problem this AM, freezer door won’t open.  Pulled, pushed, pried, nothing worked.  So called ahead to Billings to a big RV dealer and they said they would look at it.  Had our breakfast without fruit (trapped in the freezer), broke camp and started off through some fantastic scenery.  The Yellowstone river is still following IH-94 (maybe the river was there first).  We crossed the river a couple of time as it took the slow route while our road was mostly straight.  Went through Rosebud, where last night the storm warnings were, Big Horn, Custer, made famous by some general, Pompys Pillar, and Billings, where we stopped.  The technician was able to force the door open then based on the manufacturer’s input he removed the latch, ordered a new door to be sent to Kalispell, MT to be there when we arrive on June 20.  In the meantime we hope the door stays shut and should except if we make a hard left turn.  So back on the road.  We had lunch at a Red Lobster just outside Billings then drove on 2-lane roads to Cody, WY where we were booked at a RV park and trout farm.  Most expensive camp so far but they had a nice laundry and we got half our dirties done.  We were very tired so early to bed.

Yellowstone River along IH-94 near Billings MT

 Scenery along IH-94 near Billings MT

 Scenery near Cody WY

 First snow sighting near Cody WY

 Scenery near Cody WY.  Photo taken from our campsite

Day 14

June 12, 2017

52 degrees this morning, thunderstorms forecast for part of our journey today.  Still headed west on IH-94 from Dickinson to Big Sky RV Park in Miles City Montana.  But what a day, we only went about 30 miles and entered the Theodore Roosevelt National Park made up of three separate units, North Unit, South Unit, Elkhorn Ranch.   The Painted Canyons in the South has a drive of 35 miles through some of the most wonderful scenery one can ever see.  We had lunch at Medora ND at Cowboy Cafe.   This little village has 112 inhabitants and all is open in the summer only.  We saw prairie dog villages, an antelope, wild horses called “Feral horses” and only one buffalo.  Bob thinks he was picketed so the tourists could get photos.  Our drive of about an hour and one half was followed with Iris driving us to Miles City MT.  Comparing North Dakota to Montana is difficult as we really enjoyed ND but you can really see why they call MT “Big Sky Country”.  The thunderstorms danced all around us but where we were it was high wind and little rain.

Entrance to Visitor Center at the park

 Painted canyons visitor center overlook

 Our lunch place- note the flags

 Private residence in Medora, folk are patriotic here

 Only buffalo we saw

 Wild horses

 Prarie dog

 Antalope

 Painted canyons

 Yellowstone River in Montana we followed most of the afternoon

 Driver extraordinary

Day 13

June 11, 2017

Reluctantly left Lee and Lorraine and headed west on Highway 200 for 40 miles, turned south on Highway 3 for another 40 miles, turned west again on IH-94 past the state capital of Bismarck where the landscape changed from flat farmland to rolling hills.  It was a beautiful drive.  There are natural low spots in the fields that are wetlands, some shallow with grass growing in them, some look like a small tank (pond) and some have formed into lakes.  Quite scenic.  We stopped at Walmart, got fuel at New Salem where we took a photo of the world’s largest holstein cow (a statue).  We arrived Dickinson ND where we spent the night at North Park Campground and due to the time change we arrived about 1:30 PM  Fixed some lunch, had a nap then watched some TV.  Very windy all day today so Iris declined the invitation to drive.  

We’ve now been 1,934 miles since we left Georgetown.

 Rest stop built to look like a vintage gas station

 Sweetbriar Lake

 World's largest Holstein cow at New Salem ND

Day 12

June 10, 2017

Surveyed the damage to the car and motorhome, not too bad but will have to be fixed when we get back to TX.  Certainly drivable.  Big pancake and sausage breakfast by Lorraine and fresh strawberries.  Gave them a tour of our motorhome then we got some photos of Lee’s trophy room and Bob learned some new stuff about his camera (only 3 years old).  A drive around Carrington was in order with the tourist highlights, the water tank painted in patriotic color, the X-rated Indian Chief statue, Lee’s boyhood home, then house Lee and Lorraine lived in before building the new house, golf course, some of their farm land and the downtown.  Lunch was at the CBS Bar & Grill for hamburgers, fries and onion rings.  This venue was the VFW at one time but is now the best burger joint in town.  In Lee’s youth wedding receptions and dances were held here.  Today a pinochle tournament was going on.  Back for a lovely long nap.  Happy hour then a fantastic pork roast for dinner.  Another pool game and lots of talking.

Photo of hail shown with a quarter.

Lee's trophy room

 Musk ox and mountain lion above

 Lee with moose, deer, mountain goat and bison

 Bob, Iris, Lorraine & Lee with polar bear

 Iris & polar bear

Day 11

June 9, 2017

Slept in (this means we went to bed at 8 PM last night and slept until 6 AM this morning).  Leisurely breakfast then hooked up the Fit and began our return to the USA.  Using the same crossing as 4 days ago but we had to clear US Customs & Immigration not Ann Margaret with the glock.  Some difference.  No questions about guns but they are very worried about Canadian tomatoes and peppers coming into the USA.  Then onto two lane roads that were fine until we got to the point where they were rebuilding a 20 mile section and we had to stop and wait for the pilot car coming from the other direction.  We chatted with a nice lady holding the stop sign for about 20 minutes and finally away on very bad road base so at the first opportunity we turned south (we were proceeding west) to avoid the construction.  After much changing of roads we arrived at Carrington ND the home of Lee & Lorraine that we have cruised with before.  They have built a new house  so we had the grand tour (understatement), saw Lee’s trophies from his hunts all over the world, Lorraine had fixed a wonderful dinner that we enjoyed with lots of talk and laughter.  It had been windy all day but now it got serious with rain and hail that started small like bb’s and ended up like golf balls.  It finally passed and then the sun came out.  Upon inspection we found dents in the Fit roof and one place on the Unity hood.  That’s what insurance is for.  Bob and Lee shot pool while Loraine and Iris visited until bedtime.  During the night another front came through with lots of wind, lightening and thunder with a little rain but it was over in about 15 minutes.

Day 10

June 8, 2017

Up early again to be at LTV by 7:45 AM.  We then had some breakfast at Tim Horton but found it was not like we had experienced many years ago when it was a sit-down, white tablecloth, order off the menu type restaurant.  Today was like going to McDonalds.  Back at LTV Steve went over our list to see where we were, then we went back in the shop for Kevin to show us how the new thermostat and the new water heater switch (inside) worked.  Steve had the coach washed and it looked brand new.  He said he had to wash it to be able to find the paint chip off the front hood as he could not tell what was paint chip and what was North & South Dakota bugs.  Back to the campground but discovered a scrape mark on the floor and that the bed still did not go down smoothly.  So called Steve and he said come back at 2 PM which we did and all is now well.  We had a bite of lunch at the tea room next door while they worked on it.  Returning to the campground we got set up with the satellite dish out and had a quiet evening.  Robert and Brenda had departed for eastern Canada so no party tonight.

Day 9

June 7, 2017

Up early to be ready for the technician to take our coach into the shop.  There was a very nice lounge for customers with computer and coffee and comfortable furniture.  Met Robert and Brenda from NC with a one week old Unity that came to Winkler to do the factory tour.  We decided on lunch at Los Rios, supposedly a Mexican restaurant but we decided it was the wrong border.  Not memorable in a good way.  At 1:00 PM back to the main building of Leisure Travel Vans (LTV), five of us on the factory tour. Dean, known to all for his videos on U-Tube about LTV products, was our guide.  We’ve watched so many of his videos that we feel he is part of the family.  Very good tour to see the three product and production lines at work.  Bought some groceries at a huge local food store before receiving our coach back at 4 PM.  We opted for a night at the city campground and it was much quieter.  Brenda had stopped to pick up a couple of pizzas,  we brought some wine and we enjoyed dinner outside under Robert’s awning.  Soon another Unity drove in and a couple from Calgary joined us, then a big Lincoln SUV stopped and four other Canadians joined us and they all had a big time comparing our 3 motorhomes.  Ended up with 10 folks in all, one of whom was retired from LTV.

 Iris in front of the factory

Dean with Bob & Iris