Note: When I last left off, it was Sunday and I wanted to send the update before the day was done. I now take up with the end of that day.

Monday, September 14, 2009
Sunday afternoon - Bruce and Rita pulled into the driveway as I was finishing the removal of bugs from eight different states, and I stopped to greet them. Bruce was looking tired, but in high spirits and we went into the house and visited while having a beer. He was tired enough to go to bed, so I finished washing the RV and then Rita and I had a pizza and visited until 9:30. She too was tired from the ordeal and I needed to feed Zack and then shower before retiring, so excused myself and went to the motor home for the night.
Monday morning - Shortly after rising, I fixed my coffee, let both Zack and Zoey out, and then went into the house. Bruce had been up since 7:00 and Rita got up shortly after. They were having coffee, so I sat in the living room and joined them. Rita had dug out some recent photos to share and Bruce explained as I went through them. Before we could finish, the visiting nurse and a social worker showed up to check on Bruce. They examined him and then talked about medications, dos, and don’ts for the week. Both were very pleasant and helpful to Bruce and Rita, leaving after about 45 minutes with instructions for them to call if they needed anything.
Bruce is really tired from all of the procedures and his stay in the hospital, so he naps for a couple of hours in the afternoon and then is ready for bed by 8:00. We did a lot of visiting, discussing our times in the Air Force and people we both remembered, along with other discussions about childhood and memories of the past. Rita and I visited after Bruce went to bed and then I excused myself and went out to shower and make the bed with clean linens. I did two loads of wash while Bruce was napping and Rita ran some errands, so needed to get the clean clothes put away before I went to bed.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009
I awoke to heavy rain this morning, but it didn’t last too long and is still warm. I fixed my coffee, checked my emails, and then went in to visit with Bruce while Rita went shopping for groceries.
When Rita returned, we all had some lunch and then I played with Zack before we too went shopping while Bruce napped and Rita put things away. I managed to spend over a hundred dollars buying a relatively small amount of groceries. The prices are higher by 20 to 30 cents or more for the same item back home, but then I expected that, without competition unless you drive 30 miles to a larger town.
We returned, put the groceries away, and then played for a while. I visited with Bruce and he felt like he needed to get up and move around, so we took a walk. He has a path cleared to the back of his property, wide enough for his truck to collect the firewood he has cut. The property is a thick forest of many varieties of trees, more deciduous than evergreen. Some of them are starting to change, so the feeling of fall is in the air, even though it is still in the high 70s and low 80s. Their property is long and narrow, so it goes back more than two or more football fields and is about as wide as one. There is 7 ½ acres and the clearing and house were already there when they bought it. Bruce had the house raised and a full basement dug for a new foundation. They have also completely replaced the exterior and fully insulated the house. New insulated windows had just been put in and were awaiting trim and paint. Bruce and his sons have done most of the work and he likes to keep busy, hoping to finish the house while he still can.
We didn’t make it to the very back of the property as Bruce became tired and needed to go back and get on his oxygen. As I understand it, the fluid wasn’t in his lungs, but chest cavity surrounding the lungs, collapsing them, and making it difficult for him to breathe. The doctors made a hole in the side of his chest, drained the fluid, put in some powder that was to help the lung adhere to the chest wall, and then sent him home. The hole is still healing and that is part the soreness and pain he is dealing with.
While Bruce napped, Rita and I had a chance to talk and get to know each other a lot better. She is a wonderful person and I doubt if she has a mean bone in her body. We have many of the same beliefs and discussed everything from current events to religion, and things inbetween.
After dinner, we watched slides that Bruce had taken while he was in the service, along with some of family and their wedding. Rita had to find a slide projector for the show and called many people and places. They are like antiques now and hard to find. When they are located, usually the bulb is burned out and replacements are almost nonexistent. She found one that usually isn’t given out on loan, but she told them of the circumstances and they let her borrow it. We didn’t have a screen, but a white wall would suffice. As an old teacher, I had working knowledge of slide projectors, so was put in charge of operating it. Before we could get started, the nurse that had been out the day before showed up with a projector and screen, plus the high school returned Rita’s call and had one she could use. We were now projector “poor” and had a screen. These were the carousel type and we now had an extra tray to load so we didn’t have to wait between trays.
It was a good thing we had two projectors because while the nurse had checked to make sure the bulb was good, she didn’t check to see if the projector actually worked, and it didn’t. It wouldn’t feed or turn the carousel, so each slide would have had to be put in and removed one at a time.
We watched the slide show and it brought back a lot of memories for the both of us. He had a couple of slides of us in our class A uniforms that made is feel really old. I really enjoyed seeing the wedding slides as I didn’t know Rita before they were married and the photos of Bruce’s mom and brothers and sisters triggered my memories of being in the house and treated like I was a family member.
After viewing all the slides, it was 10 O’clock and Bruce needed to sleep, so I excused myself and went out to shower and watch a DVD in the motor home, going to bed before midnight.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009
I had decided that it was time for me to head home, having had an excellent visit. I had planned on taking several days and take back roads home, but Bruce being in the hospital didn’t give us the time I had planned, and stayed a bit longer than I thought I would.
We visited more and then had lunch. The nurse mentioned that it would probably be better to have many small meals during the day, rather than the three usual meals. Bruce’s appetite has been off, so he doesn’t eat much at any meal. But today, he was eating more and feeling better. He lost about 40 pounds during this episode.
While he laid down for a nap, I played with Zack and then got the motor home ready for the road. I had to catch Zoey as she was really enjoying the freedom of roaming around outside and chasing squirrels and wild turkeys. She came out of the woods when I called her, but instinctively knew not to come all of the way to me, so went under a trailer and meowed at me. I coaxed her close with a turkey feather and then grabbed her. She didn’t complain as this is a little game she plays when she wants to control the situation. I put her in the motor home and then went to see if Bruce was awake yet.
He was napping in his chair and still asleep, but Rita woke him so we could say our goodbyes. Once he was fully awake, we went outside where Rita took some photos of us together with my new camera. I took a couple of photos of them and then we said goodbye, probably for the last time. It was all I could do to keep the floodgates closed, as I knew it would just make him feel bad.
During many of our visits we had discussed the prognosis and he has accepted the inevitable. He and Rita had thoroughly discussed the options, and other than being constantly sick from more chemo, which would only give him possibly another 10 to 12 months, he opted for being active and having a normal quality of life for the few months he has left. They had second and third opinions, but none of the doctors could promise any more than one to six months.
I admire Bruce’s strength and resolve as he is at peace with the decision and they have made all the necessary plans for the end. He doesn’t complain and gets no pity, which is the way he wants it. It’s harder on those of us that will continue on.
By two O’clock, we were on the road and I had charted a path that would take me to Superior/Duluth and across Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana on US 2. Although there isn’t a lot of side trips or sight seeing, I had never been that far north and wanted to see what the land is like. After filling the tank near Bruce and Rita’s in Arkdale, I drove Hwy 21 to I-94 and went north. The terrain changed to more hills and rolling fields of corn and potatoes, and as an additional bonus, the trees are starting to show their fall colors. I hope to see more before I get into the flat plains of Dakota and eastern Montana.
We made it through Superior and Duluth, stopping along a railroad track to spend the night. I had driven 271 miles and it was now 7:30 PM. We had stopped to play at two different roadside rests and I played with Zack one last time before fixing my dinner and watching a tape. I rummaged through all the DVDs and VCR tapes that I had with me and found one of my mother’s and my trip back east during the summer of 2001. It was a tape made from the C size tapes I used in my Sony camcorder, so the entire trip wasn’t there. It ended with Fourth of July at Devil’s Tower in Wyoming and The Badlands. It brought back a lot of fond memories and I have promised myself to find and convert all of the tapes I have to DVD so I can enjoy and share them.
I went to bed around 10:30 and was only awakened three times by passing trains.

Thursday, September 17, 2009
I didn’t get up until 9:30, so had my coffee and a donut, wrote the above log and then studied the map to see how far I would get today. We didn’t depart until almost 11:30 and I will drive until dusk and then stop of the night.
We drove through Minnesota and the terrain changed from forests lining both sides of the road, to rolling farmland of crops. I caught a glimpse of lakes, but for the most part trees growing so thick that you couldn’t see beyond obscured them. I won’t see a change in the scene until I enter the northwest part of Montana where the mountains reach for the sky.
We drove into North Dakota, stopping in Rugby, ND, which also happens to be the geographical center of the North America, where we found an RV park for the night. We had driven for 8 ½ hours, covering 395 miles. I tried to get the dish to lock onto the satellite, but there were too many trees, so I’ll have to try again tomorrow at a different location. I was able to dump my holding tanks, which were approaching full, and fill my fresh water tank.
I listened to a book on tape while driving, and looked at the passing farms and small towns along the way. We stopped at a couple of roadside rests to play and for me to get a soda and use the bathroom, but otherwise drove the entire time. I am next to a gas station and will fill up in the morning, check out the monument for the center of North America, and then continue west across the plains and into Montana. I am keeping my cruise control set at 60 and 65, depending on traffic and the speed limit, but have hit quite a bit of roadwork that causes me to slow and or even stop for construction work.
I had some dinner, showered and then went to bed earlier than normal for me.

Friday, September 18, 2009
In the morning, I readied the motor home for travel and had some playtime with Zack before driving to the monument depicting the center of North America.
After taking some photos, I had a hearty breakfast at the café on the same corner as the monument, and then played with Zack one more time before driving west.
As we left North Dakota and entered the eastern plains of Montana, the terrain seemed to become more rolling, but still remained crops and farmland for as far as the eye could see. Driving the smaller, less traveled highways is less stressful than the Interstates, but heading due west causes a problem as the setting sun is directly in my eyes. The strain of trying to keep the sun from blinding you and still watching the on coming traffic takes a toll. I finally had to find a place to spend the night.
I found a pull off for a historical information sign that had a ton of space and was empty, so set up for the night. I showered and fix myself some dinner before retiring for the night.

Editors note: neither web site on the center of North America is correct on the monument location. It is currently in the parking lot of the Cornerstone Café, which is on the southeast corner of the intersection of US 2 and SD Hwy 3, and only flies the Canadian and American flag.

Saturday, September 19, 2009
After making my coffee and taking Zack out for potty and a short play period, we got on the road again. We were just east of Havre, MT, so were soon driving through town at a slow pace. Havre is a small town that has history and is known for its underground city. It is supposedly like the underground of Butte, which I wrote about a couple of years ago, but I have yet to tour it. It is also an Amtrak station for the train running east and west in the northern climes of the U.S., which is the closest passenger train station to Helena. I am amazed that Helena has a busy train terminal, but there isn’t a single passenger train servicing it.
We were soon out of Havre, driving south on Hwy 87 to Great Falls. We stopped at a roadside viewing area, read the posts, and took a few pictures before heading on. The country starts to change as we approach Great Falls and as soon as we drove through town and headed south on I-15, we left the rolling plains and were in the mountains. I drove straight to the Lincoln RV Park to store the motor home and unload the contents into the Jeep to take us home.
Zoey was perfectly happy to stay under the couch and continue sleeping, so I had to drag her out and put her in the car. She rode all the way home in my lap while occasional looking out the window to watch the landscape pass by. Zack could tell we were home and was getting anxious to run free.
We arrived at the cabin around 1:00 PM and Michele was there so we visited before I unloaded the Jeep. Joe came at about 6 PM and we all had grilled hamburgers for dinner. I showered and then we visited until about 10:30 before I had to go to bed and get some sleep. Constant driving for three days tends to take a toll on my rest, so I needed some extra sleep.

Sunday, September 20, 2009
Nothing like a good nights sleep in one’s own bed, not that the motor home bed isn’t comfortable, it’s just not the same.
I had managed to load everything into the Jeep and bring it home, except the food items and contents of the refrigerator, so I had inadvertently forgot to bring my coffee cone and filters home. I improvised and used my espresso maker to brew a cup of coffee.
Joe, Michele and I visited, played with Zack and generally took it easy all day long. Joe grilled some chicken breasts and we made sandwiches for our dinner. After watching a couple of television shows, they had to pack and make the trip back to town so they could begin their workweek.
Zack, Zoey and I were home and alone in the peace and quiet of our paradise once again. After watching a couple of television shows that I had prerecorded, I headed for bed and another good nights sleep.

Week of Sept. 7 to Sept. 13

Monday, September 7, 2009
I got up and made my coffee at about 9:30, joining the other guest outside on Kathy and Dave’s patio for rolls and coffee. Many had already left for their trip home, but there was Peter, Torri, and their girls, Kathy’s brother, John and his family, and her other sister, Kristi and her husband. We all helped clean up the area and put things away, and after John’s family and Kristi and her husband, Geno left, Peter and I helped Dave load the speed boat on the trailer and park it. Dave had given everyone rides on the lake and pulled the tube behind for the younger group to enjoy.
Peter and Torri needed to get home, which is only about two hours away in Lawrence, so we all went to a local Mexican restaurant and had a big late lunch. They left for home and we went back and finished the clean up, taking the kegs back and putting all of the tents and gazebos away. When all of it was finished, it was almost 6 PM and it was just Kathy, Dave, and myself. We enjoyed drinks on the deck and visited until about 10 PM before hitting the sack for the night.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009
I rose at 9 AM and took my coffee down to the house to have bacon and biscuits for breakfast. Dave needed to get back to Kansas City to take care of business, so he got ready while I prepared to leave. We all said our goodbyes and Dave left while I finished readying the RV for travel. I hooked up the Jeep, said my last goodbye to Kathy and then headed out Hwy. 65 to connect to US 50 east to St. Louis.
I was just a little more than 200 miles from St. Louis and wanted to take a more scenic route than the Interstate, so drove US 50 all of the way into St. Louis, crossing the Mississippi River and finding my way to a big casino on the Illinois side to spend the night. I plan on using the Jeep to cross back over and take the ride to the top of the St. Louis Arch tomorrow, and then I’ll head north, following the Mississippi River all of the way up to Wisconsin and turn off to my friends town.
I hope to get my laundry done here at the casino RV Park and have dinner in the Casino tonight, then a good nights sleep. I tried to get the dish to lock onto the satellite again, but didn’t have any luck, so may have to wait and send my updates and posts later.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009
I spent the night at the Casino Queen, which is actually in East St. Louis and the most run down, bad part of town, but the casino has 24 hour security that drive the RV Park and parking lots about every 15 minutes.
I can see the arch from my motor home, it being on the bank of the Mississippi directly across from my location. I will stop at the casino hotel and pick up some of the sight seeing brochures that are always available, and plan my day. Because I don’t want to spend another $32.50 to stay an additional night, I readied the motor home for travel, drove my Jeep to the truck/RV parking area for the casino and then parked the RV there. It has been hot enough to have the air conditioner on, so I started the generator and left it going for Zack and Zoey, knowing I would be gone most of the day.
I drove to the hotel and picked up several brochures, one of the things to do at the arch and a map of St. Louis, and then drove to the closest parking to the arch, which is $5.00 a day, and walked the quarter mile to the arch. It is a very impressive structure and standing at the base looking up, all one can do is wonder how in the world did they construct it.
The entire site, Jefferson Expansion Park, also called Gateway Arch Riverfront, is a National Park and there isn’t any admission to enter the underground facilities, so you can visit the Museum of Westward Expansion, Museum Store and Levee Mercantile, which is a replica of an 1880 shop, for free, but if you wish to see the Imax movie about Lewis and Clark’s expedition, the documentary movie of the construction of the arch, or take the tram to the top, you have to pay. With my Golden Age pass, I was given a discount, but still paid $15.00 to do all three.
The movies and tram all have specific times and I opted to see the movies before taking the tram to the top. I watched the excellent Imax movie, which recreates the journey of the expedition, and then the film about the construction of the arch, which fascinated me. In the early 60s, there was a competition for a monument design, and the arch was chosen. They started construction in 1963, putting together triangular sections of stainless steel for both of the legs, filling the space between the outer and inner walls with concrete to help stabilize the structure. When they were too high for scaffolds and ladders, they attached a self-lifting crane that moved up the sections as needed.
Precise measurements had to be taken every step of the way to assure both legs would come together at the top. A mistake of only 1/16 of an inch would have caused serious problems. In 1965 the two legs met and due to the weight and angle of the legs, they had to be hydraulically jacked four feet apart for the last section to fit. Not one person was lost in the two years of construction, even though the insurance actuarial estimated 13 people would die during construction.
The tram that takes visitors to the top is another engineering marvel. There are eight small round capsules that seat five people each and rotate as they ascend to the top. They are gimbaled and as the degree of arch increases, there are trips that adjust the car so it is never at an angle. The ride to the top is 4 ½ minutes, while the descent is only 3 minutes. I was fortunate to only have two others in the car with me, and with the small windows in the door allowing you to see outside of the car, I avoided becoming claustrophobic. The tram is not wheelchair accessible and I wouldn’t advise a true claustrophobic attempting the ride.
After several photos out the very small windows at the top, I took tram back down to the underground facility. Why they couldn’t have put in larger windows, I don’t know, but there are plenty to look out for the 30 or 35 people that were there. Back on solid ground, I spent almost an hour and a half going through the museum, and then having seen and been everyway one can, I left.
The many freeways around and through St. Louis are confusing and difficult to maneuver without a good map. Having a good navigator to read the map and direct me would have been helpful too (Zack hasn’t mastered that yet). On my return to the RV, I discovered a bridge that goes directly from the riverfront to the casino, but no signs letting you know where to get on. Viewing the area from the top of the arch gave me a better view of the area than anything else. I arrived back at the RV by 5 PM, and after playing with Zack and feeding him and Zoey, I studied the map and planned my departure. I wanted to follow as close as possible to the bank of the Mississippi, heading north until I was in Wisconsin. I found the “scenic route” and it appeared I needed to head west, away from the river, out of town where I could catch Highway 79 north. It seemed like I was half way back to Kansas City before I found the turn off and got out of the traffic. Of course I left at the worse possible time, having all the going home traffic to contend with.
I drove the narrow two-lane road finally getting a view of the mighty Mississip and stopped for the night just outside of Louisiana, the town, not the state. Since leaving Kathy and Dave’s, I have driven through several towns named after states, including California. The spot we stayed the night is just a pull-off next to a granary, that had loud blowers going all night, and a railroad crossing, that was also active. Closing all of the vents and windows, I managed to sleep fairly well.

Thursday, September 10, 2009
It is almost impossible to hear my phone ring while driving, as the noise of the road drowns it out. I noticed that I had a voice mail, so I retrieved it and it was Rita letting me know that I didn’t need to rush as Bruce was in the hospital. My heart sank as I waited for bad news, but it turned out that he was hospitalized due to excessive fluid on the lungs and the doctor had to insert a tube to drain it. He was well enough to talk to me and joke around, so I know he is in good spirits. He should be back home this weekend, so I will continue heading that way, but won’t try to get there by Friday evening as I had originally planned.
I continued driving, following as close to the river as I could, but being disappointed that I could only catch a glimpse for short periods of travel and then the highway would veer off into the farm land. The landscape and topography changed little through Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa or across the river in Illinois, and then became rolling hills with shale out cropping further north in Iowa and into Wisconsin. The crops are mostly corn, with some maze and another that I am not sure what it was.
I stayed on Highway 79 until it suddenly disappeared at Hannibal without notice. North of Hannibal, the road changed to 61, a new four lane divided highway. I wanted to stay on 61 as it was the closest to the river, but I found myself on Iowa 218/27 by accident. I managed to find a cross over highway that headed due east and back to Hwy 61, and I stayed on it until dark and Dubuque, crossing the Mississippi River into Wisconsin on US 151 and finding a rest stop to spend the night.

Friday, September 11, 2009
I used the morning to shave, shower, and have a proper breakfast, and then after playing with Zack, we headed north on Hwy 151.
I turned off on Hwy 23 and headed north into the countryside, enjoying no traffic and good roads while viewing America’s farmland. The crops of corn and sorghum (the crop I couldn’t identify before) started giving way to dairies and cows grazing in the pastures with picturesque farmhouses and barns.
For those of you that like to follow along on a map, I continued north on Hwy 33 and then Hwy 12, crossing over I-90/94, driving through The Wisconsin Dells, which is like a Six Flags amusement park on steroids, and then caught Hwy 13 until the turn off for Arkdale, where Bruce and Rita live. My GPS kept wanting me to go further north, away from Arkdale, and for a time, I was ignoring it, trying to find 11th Ave. on my own. I finally gave up and called Rita for directions. She was still in Marshfield at the hospital where Bruce is. It turns out that the GPS was correct and their home if actually 6 miles north of Arkdale, but because their town is unincorporated, their address is Arkdale.
Rita told me that Bruce hasn’t had his procedure, as his lungs aren’t as clear as the doctor want, so he may not be coming home until Sunday or possibly Monday. She told me where to park and hook up electric and water, and I told her not to worry about me, I’d be fine.
I parked and hooked up after leveling the RV and extending the slide outs. Rita called again to make sure I was okay and give me some choices for the next couple of days. I told her I’d just wait here until Bruce came home and that I had everything I needed in my motor home.
Zack and I walked the property and played for a while, and then he decided it would be fun to chase squirrels, so I cleaned inside the motor home while he got his exercise. He finally gave up, came in for dinner, and is now napping on my bed. I will fix myself dinner and watch my DVD until I am sleepy
I am still fighting with my satellite dish, unable to lock onto the satellite for a signal. I am not sure what I am doing wrong, if anything, but will continue to work on it until I have a connection and can send my updates and post my blog.

Saturday, September 12, 2009
I awoke earlier than usual, having gone to bed around 10 PM last night, tired from the days travel. I started working on getting the dish to lock onto the satellite, and after 4+ hours, got it to lock on and give me service.
Today is my daughter, Darcy’s birthday and she can no longer be trusted, as she is over 30, turning 31 today. I tried to call her a couple of times without any answer. I haven’t had a chance to send her a card or gift yet, but wanted her to know I hadn’t forgotten.
Other than play with Zack and let Zoey out to explore, I have spent the entire day working on the computer reading 136 emails and updating my blog. It is now almost 1 AM and I have sent off last weeks update and posted it on my blog site, with photos. I will attempt to send this past weeks log tomorrow, but for now, I need to get some sleep. I am just really happy to have my connection to the world restored, having been in the dark for an entire week.

Sunday, September 13, 2009
I was finally able to contact Darcy at 1:00 AM, my time, and we talked for an hour. I finally went to bed at 2 AM. Even going to bed so late, I was up at 9 AM when my internal clock went off. I got up and made my coffee, enjoying the quiet surroundings.
Rita thought Bruce would be released today and they would come home, but I probably won’t hear from her until after the doctor has seen Bruce and makes a decision. I plan on washing the motor home and doing some additional cleaning inside while waiting for Bruce and Rita to return.
Because I want to get this past weeks update sent, I will add the photos and send it now, writing what takes place this afternoon in a later update.

Week of Aug. 31 to Sept. 6

Monday, August 31, 2009
It is already in the mid 80s by 9:00, and I am up and getting ready to hit the road. I cleaned all the windows on the outside, checked the tire pressure in all tires, hooked up the Jeep to the tow bar, emptied the holding tanks, filled the fresh water tank, loaded the quad back onto the roof of the Jeep, dumped the trash, and was on my way by 11:15 AM.
I had a 60-cents a gallon discount on gas at Safeway, so decided to fill the RV and Jeep before departing Helena. I stopped for my mail before getting to Safeway, and then pulled in so I could fill both the RV and the Jeep at the same time. I guess because I was doing both at the same time, it gave me the 60-cents discount on both pumps. I was really glad because the RV only took 13-gallons and the Jeep the same. The discounted price is only up to 30 gallons, so it worked out well.
Without needing anything else, we hit the road, heading east on Highway 12, to connect with Interstate 90 East. I had studied the maps and there really aren’t many side roads headed in that direction, at least none that I hadn’t already taken on previous trips. I decided to head east on I-90 and then south on I-25 into Wyoming. I stopped in Buffalo, WY to fill the tank with gas, and then drove south about 40 miles until I found an ideal spot on a side road to pull off and spend the night.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009
The drive down to I-90 was easy and unremarkable, and I enjoyed a book on tape as I traveled. Zack and Zoey have become seasoned travelers and Zack sleeps on the couch, while Zoey sleeps behind and under it. She feels safe and that has become her home-away-from-home.
We traveled 412 miles before stopping for the night. I found a side road off I-25 just south of Buffalo, Wyoming, that had a large area allowing me to turn the motor home around and was far enough from the freeway noise to be comfortable. I fixed Zack’s dinner, but he refused to eat. Zoey ate heartily and was even scarfing down the dry food I bought for her. We left there close to 11 O’clock, after playing until Zack was worn out, and continued south.
After fighting a bit of wind coming from my right side, my neck and shoulders were complaining, but we drove 321 miles before stopping. After almost 7 hours of driving, I was ready for a rest and Zack was ready to play again. We had stopped at two different rest stops and played, but he thinks we should stop every 10 miles play.
The side road off the freeway had a wide spot that looked like others had turned around and I thought I’d be able to also, so I pulled as far off the road as I could and put the jacks down to level the motor home. Zack and I played and then I fed him and Zoey. Zack refused to eat once again, so I ended up throwing that out also. Traveling has his system changed enough to throw off his routine, plus he isn’t getting the amount of exercise as if he were at home, so evidently doesn’t have an appetite.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Studying the maps, and seeing my progress, I decided to stay on the interstates and drive directly to Missouri, rather than side roads, which are always more interesting.
I prepared to depart at about 9:30, raising the jacks and making sure all was in order to hit to road. The alarm bell, indicating that the leveling jacks aren’t all up continued to ding long after it should have shut off. I got out to inspect them and found the right rear jack still firmly on the ground. This is the same jack I had completely replaced last December while I was at the dealers in Portland, so thought maybe it wasn’t installed correctly or that the mount was binding, causing the jack to fail.
I got on one knee and kicked the jack, hoping it would free it, but it was not to be. I got out my shovel and tried to pry it loose with the same result. I knew I had the manuals for the jacks, showing how to relieve the pressure by loosening a bolt, so went inside to read the information. I climbed into the driver’s seat to shut the engine off and thought if I tried lowering the jacks again and then release them; it might allow that jack to free itself. I reached down and discovered I had released the front jacks, but not the rear jacks. DUH. I released it, the jack came up, and the warning bell stopped dinging.
I sized up the turn and slowly started but before I was totally committed, could see that I wasn’t going to make it, so quickly straightened out and drove down the road, looking for a spot to turn around. I came to a cross road that appeared to be wide enough for my turn around, so attempted it. I almost made it, the key word being almost. I ended up having to unhook the Jeep, back it away, back up the motor home and then reattach the Jeep before we were on our way.
I continued south to Denver, taking a toll road that allowed me to bypass the downtown area and connected to I-70 East. The toll road was confusing as I kept seeing signs that said it was “cashless” and would read the license plate. As I approached the Denver International Airport, I read a large sign indicated the toll cost for the number of axels and I was prepared to pay the $12.50 for the privilege of bypassing the city, but I didn’t want to get off at the airport and continued on, never seeing a toll booth or passing any type of station that might “read” my license plate. I guess the toll is just for those using the road to get to the airport.
I connected with I-70 and continued on my way. The landscape along my entire route has remained the same, rolling hills and fields of various corn, maze, sunflowers and other crops. Really nothing to see at all, so more books on tapes, and I am glad they were tapes and not CDs because the roads were awful and would have caused the CD to skip. Setting the speed control at my usual 65 mph, I sat back and enjoyed the stories as I rolled along.
Although we had stopped twice to play, Zack was acting like he needed to stop for a potty break and it was almost 7 PM. We had traveled 446 miles, so I looked for a good side road to pull off on. I spotted a boarded up gas station just off the freeway, with a large paved parking area, so I got off and pulled in. I parked next to the deserted building and set up to spend the night.
After letting Zack out to pee, I discovered that he really just wanted to play, so we did and then came in for the night. There was a nice warm breeze and I opened up the windows to enjoy the cool night air. It is humid here and I have been using the air conditioner the entire way to avoid the sticky air.
After dinner and watching some of my DVD episodes of Jericho, I retired for the night.

Thursday, September 3, 2009
We were on the road again by 10 O’clock, and the weather was the same as the previous days. We traveled to Abilene, Kansas, where we stopped to visit President Eisenhower’s library and boyhood home. I found a suitable place to park and left the generator and air conditioner running for Zack and Zoey. Zack and I played so he would nap while I took the time to walk the grounds and see the entire place.
There is a visitor’s center, which shows a 20-minute film about Eisenhower from boyhood to president and after, plus the mandatory gift shop. I watched the film and then walked to the Place of Meditation, where both Dwight and Mimi are entombed. It is a small chapel with the interior being all marble and having pews for about three-dozen people. Next was his boyhood home, which has been maintained in its original state with all the original furniture. The house sits exactly where it has been since it was built in 1887. His father and mother both lived there until their death, and the entire memorial is on the original 2-½ acres that is the homestead. Although Dwight was born in Texas, his father moved the family back to Kansas when he was young. He is one of seven boys (they lost one at 10 months, so often only report 6 boys) that comprised the Eisenhower family, and they all lived in a two story five-room house, with the boys sharing two upstairs rooms. An indoor bathroom and kitchen were added to the rear of the house in later years.
Next stop was the Library, if you can call it that. I thought that Presidential Libraries housed all of the papers, letters, etc. that the President accumulated over the course of their service, but this library, as large as it was, only had a few letters and a speech and only covered the space program and men landing on the moon, which occurred AFTER his two terms as President. Disappointed, I left and was going to take in the Eisenhower Museum, but they wanted $7.50 to go in, so I opted not to see it (yes, I am cheap when it comes to these things).
We left, driving through Topeka to Lawrence, Kansas, where I took State Route 10 southeast, bypassing Kansas City, and connecting to US 71 South. I was now in Missouri, although the landscape hadn’t changed, the amount of traffic did. I drove to Peculiar, which is a city, not a state of my being, found the Good Sam RV Park, and pulled in. I didn’t realize that I had crossed a time zone and instead of 6 PM, it was 7 PM. The office was closed and a sign told me to choose a spot and pay in the morning.
The park advertises, “Every site has a view,” but fail to say that it is a view of the freeway, complete with stereophonic sound of the non-stop traffic. You hear the semi trucks coming from the left, and then going to the right and visa versa, all night long.
I hooked up the water and electricity, and then had a play period with Zack before taking a nice hot shower and relaxing for the remainder of the night.

Friday, September 4, 2009
I awoke to heavy rain falling on the roof and a gloomy overcast sky. Between the rains lull, I walked to the office and paid the $25.00 fee for one night. Due to America’s financial state, they only take cash, so I was lucky I had gotten cash before leaving Helena, as I normally don’t carry any.
Back at the motor home, I had breakfast, updated this log and prepared to leave. The drive to Kathy and Dave’s place outside of Warsaw is about an hour from Peculiar, so I should be there by a little past noon.
After playtime with Zack, we headed south to Warsaw to Kathy and Dave’s place. It rained the entire trip and the four-lane highway soon gave way to a two-lane shoulderless road, but traffic was light, so travel was good. I stopped in Warsaw to fill with gas ($2.29 regular), and then following Dave’s map and written directions, heading to their place. The map was a Google map and hard to read but I had been warned not to trust my GPS as it would take me to a town further south.
After driving out of town and onto the correct highway, I drove a ways before I realized I must have gone too far. I called Dave to get directions and he met me at a bar near the highway. I followed him to the house and was glad I had called as the roads aren’t marked, or are different than the map I had, so I would have been lost for sure.
Dave and Kathy’s house is right on the lake and more of a cottage than a house. They have done a lot of remodeling and it is very nice. They plan to move the business (Legends of America) to this location from the present Kansas City location, and now that Dave is leaving Google they will work together from the lake house to build the business.
Kathy’s relatives began showing up and I met her older sister, a younger brother, sister, and spouses. It seems that land and houses around this area are dirt-cheap and many bank owned, so Kathy’s brother and sister-in-law bought a lake house a block away, and her father bought one just up the hill. Her dad only paid $16,000.00 for a two bedroom, one bath, with attached garage. Kathy had paid $10 k for her house and two adjoining lots, so they are correct that houses and land are cheap here.
We drove up the hill for a BBQ at her dad’s house and I got to meet them and some other relatives. All of the family is easy going and fun people to be with. We stayed until about 8:30 and Kathy almost fell asleep in her chair and badly needed to go to bed. Upon returning, I excused myself and went to the motor home to let Zack out and then watch another episode of my program before going to bed.
I am parked directly across the street from their house on a neighbor’s empty lot. I have electricity and a view of all that is going on. Tomorrow will be a busy day preparing for the party in the afternoon. They have a band and a local restaurant is catering food. They are now expecting about 80 people, so the entire neighborhood is involved and participating.

Saturday, September 5, 2009
It rained off and on most of the night but had stopped when I got up, only to start again. The hope is that it will clear by noon, but if not, the band is going to play inside a neighbor’s large two-car garage and a tarp will be put up over the food area. Dave and his brother-in-law went and bought straw to spread over the muddy ground and help keep it from getting too messy. I certainly hope the weather cooperates as they have done a lot of planning and spent a lot of money for this party.
Relatives and friends started to show up most of the morning and I was introduced to about 30 of them in the course of a couple of hours. Both Dave and Kathy had grown children from previous marriages, plus Kathy’s sisters, brother, and her father and his second wife were there. Trying to remember everyone’s name was a hopeless task, so I was grateful that Kathy’s daughter, Torri, printed names on nametag stickers and applied them to all the people there.
A few were pitching tents next to the lake, while others were staying in neighbor’s spare rooms or the cabin Dave and Kathy had on the property. Some slept in the house, on the couch, in the office on a futon or the floor. One of Kathy’s sisters and her husband had a trailer, but other than that and my motor home, we were the only ones with all the conveniences of home.
I had purchased a tank of helium and a large foil birthday balloon, plus a dozen black 10” balloons, so I filled those and took them to Kathy. I also filled some small balloons and used a permanent marker to write “Kathy’s Party” and then put them at each corner so finding the house would hopefully be easier. I gave Kathy a black ribbon that said, “Over the Hill” and her sister pinned it to her red cowboy hat, which looked great.
By the time it reached 3 PM, most of the relatives and friends had arrived and settled in, so the keg was tapped and the party began. The local restaurant brought and set up a buffet of pulled pork; roast beef, beans, coleslaw, and dinner rolls and everyone helped themselves.
All of Kathy’s friends are party animals and even her dad (76) was getting into the mood. He was the auctioneer and everyone was asked to bring something to be auctioned to help pay for the band, which cost $400.00. It didn’t need to be new, but just something you’d sell at a garage sale. Everyone brought something, including me, and the number of items caused the auction to go past the 7 PM starting time for the band. They brought in just over $900.00 and paid for the band, kegs, and the food. That whole concept is a wonderful idea for reunions and block parties, so keep it in mind for your next event.
Due to the possibility of rain, the band set up in the garage of a neighbor across the street and blockades were put up to keep traffic out. In was truly “dancing in the street” and with the full moon poking through the clouds, it was a great night to party. I took copious pictures with my new camera and watched all the partygoers make the event a great one. The entire neighborhood was invited, so there was about 80 or more people there and they all were having fun and being respectful of the others.
I finally called it quits at 10:30 and went back to the motor home. The band quit at 11 PM, but the dancing and party went on until the early morning hours. I was awoke several times by loud voices and music, but survived the night.

Sunday, September 6, 2009
I awoke at about 8:30 and dragged myself from bed to have a hot cup of coffee. The weather had passed, so it was overcast, but no rain or sprinkles. It had rained off and on yesterday and the straw Dave spread over the muddy areas helped immensely.
One of Kathy’s best friends from high school, Carol, had made a large tray of sausage, cheese, and potatoes for a breakfast, so that, cinnamon rolls and coffee gave everyone breakfast. As the late night partiers got up, the day began full of visiting and catching up on news. I enjoyed all of the new people and closeness of Kathy’s family and friends. I was really glad I had made the trip and now have several new friends and even invited a few to come up and visit me, which they said they would.
Kathy’s daughter, Torri (32) and her husband, Peter (32), along with their daughters aged 5 and 7, promised they would come next summer and Peter wants to pick my brain and help me around the cabin, so I welcomed them. Kathy’s older sister, Deb, and her husband, Jimmy, which live in Texas, also said they’d love to see Montana and when they both retire, hopefully next year, they want to come up and see my place. Kathy’s good friend, Carol and her husband almost made it to Montana this past summer, but had to return to Kansas due to their dog getting hit by a car back home. She spent a lot of time in Cook City, Montana, which isn’t too far from me, and wanted to show her husband the area, so they are invited up also.
We had plenty of leftovers from last night to feed everyone and for dinner, another friend brought steaks directly from a cattle feedlot and we barbequed them for dinner. There was never a shortage of food and beverages for everyone there.
We all sat around an open gas fire pit on the deck and visited until late into the evening. Crazy Kathy never went to bed Saturday night, but had taken a short nap Sunday afternoon, so soon excused herself to hit the pillow. By 10:30, most of us wandered off to bed, some saying goodbye as they planned on leaving early the next morning.

Week of August 17 to August 23, 2009

Monday, August 24, 2009
The sky is clear, but it is cooler this morning than yesterday. NWS is predicting a 20% chance of thundershowers, but I doubt that will happen.
I spent the morning and part of the afternoon updating my log and loading my photos onto the computer. I then hiked to the dozer, which was about a mile up the road, and “walked” it home. I went very slowly because I don’t trust the tracks and didn’t want to hike back to get the truck and tools. I worked two spots along the way, dragging them as smooth as I could and then worked on the creek crossing a little bit before parking it back in the garage, probably for the duration of the winter.
I played with Zack and fed him and Zoey, showered, and then sat down relax and watch television until I am ready for dinner.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Clear skies with temperatures in the 70s before the sun even touches the weather station. A slight breeze is keeping it from feeling too hot and it should be a good day to work outside.
I cleaned my firewood storage area and straighten it out for more firewood, which I hope to cut before leaving on my trip to Lake of the Ozarks. I cleaned the woodstove, inside and out, and readied it for the next fire. I vacuumed the entire cabin and arranged the living room furniture so nothing is too close to the gas stove, and did three loads of wash.
Between playing with Zack and cleaning the day slipped away quickly and I soon stopped to feed him and Zoey, and then showered and fixed my dinner.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009
It is warm and still this morning with the weather station indicating that it is 93.7 in the sunshine. I have an appointment in town and will run some errands and pick up my mail, as I was finally sent a tracking number for the camera and discovered it was delivered a couple of days ago. I forgot to get my mail when I was in town on Friday for my allergist appointment and it was probably already there.
Zack and I went to town, stopping to see if Mary and Guy needed anything, but they weren’t home. We stopped at Cowboy Harry’s to see if he needed anything, but he didn’t, so off we went. I called Greg to see if he wanted to do lunch, but he was in Bozeman with a client, so lunch with him was out.
I stopped at the transfer station and dumped a bag of trash, then picked up my mail and the new camera. I went to the Dollar store to pick up a few items and then to my chiropractor appointment. Afterwards, I went to Safeway to get refills on my prescriptions for the trip and fill up the truck with gas. It was 87 degrees, according to the bank thermometer, and because I wanted to lock the truck due to the camera, I turned on the air conditioner and used the spare ignition key to leave the engine running while I ran in to the store. When I came out, I discovered that I only had the ignition key on my key ring, not the door key. I had forgotten the truck uses a different key for the door than the ignition, so I had to call my road service to have someone open the door for me. It took almost an hour and by the time they got there and opened the door, the engine was overheated, but the air conditioning kept the cab nice and cool for Zack. I need to train him to push the “unlock” button so I don’t have to wait next time.
After a stop at Wal-Mart and Home Depot, we headed home, arriving at 7 PM. I unloaded the truck and played with Zack before feeding him and Zoey. I scrubbed the shower down before taking my shower and then sat down to relax for the remainder of the evening.

Thursday, August 27, 2009
It is clear, warm and still this morning, indicating the possibility of a hot day. When the sun finally hit the weather station, it only registered 83 degrees, which surprised me as it felt hotter than that.
By noon, I am outside and at work using the push power mower to cut the grass closest to the cabin and shed, which I couldn’t get to with the trail mower. Once that was done, I cut the top off a 55-gallon steel drum that I picked up in town yesterday, for a new burn barrel. I positioned it where I had the old barrel and then changed the oil in the small generator, making sure it was in top condition for Joe and Michele’s stay.
I moved the truck into the garage, the Jeep out to the cabin for packing, and then serviced the chain saws in preparation for cutting down some trees. I decided to cut all four of the now dead trees, which form a cluster on the west side of the cabin. Because they are grouped together, they are more of a blight when I look to the west, than most of the other dead trees. Eventually, I will cut all of the dead trees that ring my property thus moving their fire danger a little further from the cabin.
I carried the 18” chain saw out to the trees and sized up which direction to fall the first one. I make my V-cut and then the back cut and the tree slowly started to move in the exact spot I have chosen. When it hits the ground, the trunk flies up a good 8 feet and I am glad I have shut off the chain saw and moved away from it. The large branches cause it to actually bounce and then roll over, landing a good 10 feet further to the west. You can never tell for sure what will happen when falling trees and need to be ever vigilant.
I am exhausted after holding the large chain saw sideways to make the necessary cuts, and put the saw down to take a drink of water. Before I can get the bottle to my lips, I start dry heaving. It isn’t that hot and I am thinking about why I am so spent after just that one activity. I am sweating profusely so I doubt it is heat exhaustion, but that’s what it seems like. I go into the cabin and run cold water over my head, neck and face, and then lay on the floor until I feel that I have regained my strength.
Thinking that I may be suffering from low blood sugar, I have a candy bar and soda to see if it will help and it does. I went back to work and bucked the tree, which means remove all the limbs. I sectioned it into manageable sections to be pulled to the cabin with the Argo, and then repeated the procedure with the next two trees. I take many small breaks so I don’t over do it and seem to be fine, so I cut the next tree down. I take a longer break and drink Gator Aid and a bottle of water, play with Zack, service the small chain saw and then finish bucking the last tree. As I am cutting it into sections, the tree pinches the saw and locks the blade in its vise-like grip. I used the big saw to free it and then decide that it is too late to do much else, so I put both chain saws away and go in.
One last play time for Zack and then I fed him and Zoey, took a well deserved shower, and then sat down to rest before fixing myself dinner and then relaxing the remainder of the night.

Friday, August 28, 2009
I slept through the entire night without moving and didn’t get up until 11:15, which shows me how tired I must have been from yesterday’s work.
It is cool this morning with a light breeze and some thin clouds occasionally hiding the sun. It should allow me to finish getting the trees to the cabin and cut up so Joe and Michele can split and stack the wood for me while I am gone.
I managed to drag all four trees, in sections, to the cabin using the Argo and then began cutting them into 18” sections for Joe and Michele to split and stack. It took me until 9 PM to finish, but I was able to cut all of them and put my equipment away.
Needless to say, I was exhausted, but it felt good to have the work done. I fed Zack and Zoey and was preparing for my shower when Michele arrived. She doesn’t work on Saturday’s, so will be coming up Friday evenings and spending the night while Joe will drive up on Saturday afternoon and then they will both leave on Sunday evening.
After my shower, Michele and I visited and watched a program on television. I was too tired to fix myself dinner, but managed to heat up a small frozen individual pizza and eat it. We both retired at 11 PM and I fell fast asleep without any problem.

Saturday, August 29, 2009
I wanted to clean out the Jeep before packing the items I want to take, and also to finish putting the second door back on the propane shed, so got up at 8:30 to get started.
I had a quick cup of coffee and then started working on the shed door. My circular saw battery went dead and I grabbed the second one, only to find out it too was dead. While both batteries charged, I cleaned out the Jeep and pack it with the items I had gathered for my trip, and by the time I finished, both batteries were charged. I worked on the door but found that I was going to have to make adjustments and additional cuts for the new hinges before it would allow the doors to open and close properly, so just made some cuts so they fit together and will finish it when I return.
I changed out of my work clothes and gathered up Zoey so we could leave, when Joe pulled up. It was now 5:15, so I said my goodbyes and drove to the RV. I readied it for the road and after chasing all the cows away, backed out of the spot and connected the Jeep to the tow bar. The damn cows had rubbed and licked the sides of the motor home, making it look really dirty.
We drove straight to the Lincoln RV Park and found that they were full! I managed to get an electric only spot for tonight, with a full hook up site tomorrow.
I spent the remainder of the night cleaning the refrigerator of the mold it developed, in preparation of loading it with food tomorrow. I drove to the corner convenience store and got some ice and a sandwich for my dinner, returning to eat it before showing at the bathhouse and going to bed.

Sunday, August 30, 2009
It is sunny and warm with the promise of temperatures in the high 80s today. I had a cup of coffee and made a list of items to buy for the trip. I didn’t bring anything in the way of food from the cabin, knowing I could buy the few items I wanted for the trip.
I moved the motor home to the full hook up site, which was right across from the dog play area, so Zack and I played, while Zoey watched from the front window of the motor home, and then Zack and I drove into town to do the shopping.
I stopped at K-Mart to buy a DVD player that they had on sale for $35.00. I didn’t bring the satellite DVR, so without a converter box to change the analog to digital signal, I would have no television. I did bring the set of DVDs for the first and second season of television series Jericho, so I have 21 hours of entertainment if I get bored with reading, books on tape, and computer stuff. I also bought a couple of pairs of new jeans as they too were on sale.
Next stop was the car wash to get the caked on mud off the Jeep. The mud had gotten into the brakes and the grit was making noise, which I am sure is not doing the brakes or disc any good. It came out looking no worse for the wear and shinning like it was happy. We then went to Safeway and did our shopping and then back to the RV to unload and put it all away.
After more playtime for Zack and hooking up some hanging toys for Zoey to play with, I vacuumed the entire motor home and spot cleaned the carpet, which was almost all of the carpeted area. I cleaned the bathroom and kitchen, and was in the process of cleaning the windows on the inside when Joe and Michele drove up. It was 6:30 and then had just come down from the cabin and dropped off one of the vehicles at Michele’s house and were on their way to get dinner when they thought they would see if I was still here.
We visited briefly and they said they had split and stacked a cord of wood, plus moved some of the brush and limbs to a pile that I’ll burn this winter. They left me to finish my cleaning, which I did, and then I showered and ate dinner before watching an episode of Jericho on the newly hooked up DVD player. I had also hooked up my satellite internet, but after an hour of searching the sky, the dish wasn’t able to lock onto the satellite, so I quit trying and will work on it while I travel.

Week of August 17 to August 23, 2009

Monday, August 17, 2009
I slept well last night, that is until Zack joined me at 6 AM this morning, and then I had to fight for my half of the bed. He must have been cold downstairs and was trying to warm himself by combining our body heat. I finally covered him with the comforter and he was happy. It was 29 degrees at 5:30 this morning and things were covered with a layer of frost. It is 64 and sunny at 10:30, which is much warmer than the 40 something of yesterday.
Starting immediately, I have made a decision to only do a weekly update. I have found that I am spending too much time on the computer and not enough doing those things I need to for winter. I am also cutting back on the political things and will focus on most immediate issues.
I will attempt to summarize my week, Monday to Sunday, and send/post it on Sunday or Monday. Aside from allowing me more time to not worry about posting something everyday, it will also relieve those of you that tire from trying to keep up with reading it everyday.
If something special happens that needs attention, I will post a “special update,” but otherwise, look for my weekly updates on Sundays or Mondays.
I spent the day drilling four holes in 5/8” steel plate to put under the truck bed jack. I didn’t have a ½” drill bit sharp enough, so had to drill a smaller hole and then enlarge it so the bolts would fit. After getting the holes drilled, I needed to reinstall the jack and had to lay on the ground to tighten the nuts on the bottom. My neck and shoulders were stiff and aching before I could finish. Once that was done, I backed the truck up to the generator shed door, disconnected the Generac and used three 2 x 4s to form a bridge to the bed of the truck. I screwed them down to prevent them from slipping, which happened when I first installed the unit. I then slid the generator to the 2 x 4s and lifted one corner to get it on top of the boards. I then managed to slowly slide all 335 pounds into the bed of the truck.
I tied it down with cargo straps and parked the truck near the cabin for my departure tomorrow. Stiff and tired, I played one last time with Zack and then fed him and Zoey. I showered and sat down with a drink to rest before fixing my dinner and relaxing for the remainder of the evening.

Tuesday, August 18, 2008
It is overcast and feels like it will rain, but my barometer and NWS don’t reflect that. I have a doctor appointment in town at 12:30, so I’ll have a quick bite and then head into town.
I loaded the truck with trash to drop off at the transfer station in town, and then Zack and I headed in for my appointment. I stopped at Cowboy Harry’s to see if he had any trash I could take for him, but he had dumped all of his over the weekend. By the time I left his place in Marysville, it was noon, so I needed to go straight to the doctor’s office for my appointment.
I made it with 5 minutes to spare, signed in, waiting to be called. The air conditioner in the office was down and it was hotter inside than it was outside, which was in the 80s. Tammy, the nurse that works for my doctor, took me in, did the vitals, and told me that Dr. Brundson would be right in. The examine room was even hotter than the waiting room and the windows don’t open, so I felt like I was in a sauna.
Jennifer, my doctor, finally came in and examined my foot, agreeing that it was worse than before, but she wanted me to try one more thing before she referred me to a dermatologist. It is an antiviral and steroid cream that she hopes will clear it up. She set up an appointment for me to go back and see the gastroenterologist about my involuntary air swallowing and belching.
After that, we drove to the transfer station and dumped the trash, and then collected my mail and stopped at Safeway for a couple of items and fill the prescription for the cream and two gas cans. From there, we drove straight to Great Falls, arriving at the shop at 4:30. The owner, Greg, is a chatty fellow and we visited as he asked about where I live and did I live there year around. We transferred the generator from the back of my truck to the back of his work truck, where he could leave it there until he had a chance to work on it.
I explained my trip and that I wouldn’t be back until around the 18th of September, and he made notes to that effect on my paperwork. I was only a block away from Joe’s store, so we stopped by and I let Zack out to take a break. After a short visit, we drove home, taking the dirt road short cut, arriving home by 7 PM. Zack and I played and then I fed him, unloaded the items from the truck and sat down to relax before a shower and some dinner.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009
It is still overcast, but I can see more sky than clouds compared to yesterday. After my breakfast, I changed clothes and drove back to the dozer to finish getting the track on. The cloud cover helped keep it from getting too hot, but I was soon sweating a river.
It took about 2 hours for me to manipulate the track back onto the drive gear, reattach the tension gear, get the teeth lined up so the track was riding in the groves, having enough slack to reattach and insert the pin. I then had to adjust the tension, drive it forward and then backwards, readjust the tension again and check all of the pins. I found three pins that had lost the keeper bolts, so installed new bolts and nuts to keep the pins in place.
Once I was satisfied everything was adjusted correctly and in place, I began working the road again. In the time the dozer had been sitting there, it had rained and trucks had traveled over the area, causing the softer dirt to form mud ruts again. I worked the road until the sun started to disappear, and then parked the dozer and drove back to the cabin.
After playtime with Zack, I showered and sat down to relax before feeding him and Zoey and thinking about dinner for myself.

Thursday, August 20, 2009
A sunny and clear morning, with the temperature already in the 70s by 10 AM. After my usual morning, I changed into my work clothes and went down to where the Argo and trail mower were in the creek bed. I started both of them up and mowed on the opposite side of the creek and then crossed over and mowed most of the grass and weed growth on the cabin side of the creek. I took the trail mower to the garage and unhooked it, backing it into a spot, and then parked the Argo next to it.
I drove back to where I left the dozer, parked in the shade and then began to work the road. I finally managed to smooth out the ruts and bumps and drag it somewhat level. I moved from the area by the spring to the cattle guard that separates BLM from US Forest Service land. I parked the dozer, satisfied that I was pretty much done working on the road, and drove the truck back to the cabin. I’ll have Michele or Joe drive me to the dozer this weekend and walk it back home.
It was only 4:30, so I tackled the propane shed doors, which had been ripped from their hinges last winter. I had to deconstruct the log siding to gain access to the old hinges. I replaced the left door hinges, but didn’t realize that when I bought the new hinges, it was only one set of three, not two sets of two, as I had thought, so I’ll have to buy another set in town and finish the other door later.
I finished up, put my things away, and then played with Zack before feeding him and Zoey, showering, eating and relaxing for the evening.

Friday, August 21, 2009
It is overcast but very warm for 9 AM in the morning. By 10:30 my weather station, which is in the sun, says it is 94 degrees outside and with no breeze it feels like it.
I have a 2 O’clock follow up appointment with my allergist, so will finish my morning and get dressed for the trip to town.
Zack and I made it into town in time for my appointment and it turns out that they had scheduled me for an hour appointment, knowing Rich and I would visit and talk about ghost towns and old cabins. As things turned out his 3:30 appointment had cancelled so we spent two hours talking before we even got to my allergies. He gave me several more eye drops to help with itching and swelling, and then suggested I find the generic antihistamine that was a part of the allergy medication I have taken for almost 40 years. It is chlorpheniramine without the decongestant, which is what I need to avoid due to my high blood pressure.
Zack was waiting in the truck, which was parked in the shade, and probably thought I had abandoned him, as he smelled me all over like he was meeting me for the first time. We drove to Safeway to get a couple of things and then to fill two 100-pound propane tanks. From there we headed for home. It was hot in town, but driving kept it from feeling too hot.
We stopped at Cowboy Harry’s to see if he was going to be around this weekend and could possibly join us for a search of historic places. After I had told Rich, my allergist, about several cabins near me and showed him photos, he was convinced that he hadn’t seen them before and was anxious to have me show them to him. He had tentative plans to visit an old fort north of Great Falls, but if that fell through, he would email me and plan to come up and see the cabins this weekend.
Cowboy Harry said he was free this weekend and I emailed Joe and Michele of the possible activities as they were coming up this weekend. Michele was coming up this evening after work and Joe will come after closing the store at 3 PM Saturday afternoon.
Later in the evening, Rich emailed that his plans fell through and could I show him the cabins this Sunday. I replied that I could and we planned to meet in Marysville at 10 AM on Sunday morning.
Michele arrived around 9 PM and we visited until two in the morning before crashing for a good nights sleep.

Saturday, August 22, 2009
Michele and I both slept until almost 10 AM and then visited while having some fresh fruit, juice, toast, and coffee. The day was warm, but we had a mild breeze that helped keep it from feeling too hot.
We both enjoyed a quiet morning, with me on the computer and her reading a book. We would visit inbetween quiet times and ended up spending the entire day doing that. Joe, Michele, and I have a lot of interests in common and always manage to have stimulating conversations about one thing or another.
Joe arrived around 6 PM and brought up a couple of Papa Murphy’s pizzas for us to have for dinner. We all sat down with a drink to visit and then popped the pizza’s in the oven and enjoyed them while watching a couple of DVDs. Bedtime came earlier this evening than last night and we all went to bed at the same time.

Sunday, August 23, 2009
Joe is an early riser, so he was up and off on a hike before Michele and I even thought about getting up. I knew that I needed to get up and ready if we were going to meet Rich and Cowboy Harry in Marysville at 10 O’clock, so I got up at 8:30 and Joe had just returned from a hike up the hill to photograph the cabin from up high.
A quick bite to eat and packing fixings for sandwiches, along with water and drinks, into the cooler and we were on our way. We got to Marysville a little after 10 and met with Rich and Harry in front of the Marysville House. We all were introduced and discovered that Rich and Harry had met several years ago, so had been visiting while waiting for us. Harry had a forgotten appointment and couldn’t go with us, but told me that if we found the Indian teepee rings that Rich was sure were up on the Divide, to let him know so he could see them. Harry grew up in Marysville and knows a lot of the history and places that others have forgotten, which is why I hoped he could go with us.
Harry needed to go so we said our good-byes and then Rich followed us in his Jeep up the mountain. We didn’t even get around the corner when I decided to stop and point out the old cabin below the road that is on Guy and Mary’s place. None of us had been in it before, including me. The cabin is almost impossible to see from the road and Guy told me that a deer and her off spring were using the cabin as shelter. Sure enough, there was momma deer laying next to the cabin, but left when we came over the railing and down to the cabin.
The cabin was an old miners cabin and very low to the ground and small inside to make heating it in the winter easier. We almost had to crawl to get in the door and there are some bedsprings, a small table and a few other items, with obvious signs of deer being the inhabitants. The door is unable to be closed and I guess Guy and Mary don’t mind if the deer and small animals use it as shelter.
Our next stop was up mountain to Peggy’s property, where there is an old cabin along with much mining evidence. There are several loading chutes, an old mineshaft that had caved in, and a pond full of water. We investigated all of it and then headed to the Divide, looking for the spot that Rich remembers being shown the teepee rings some 20 years ago. From his description of the area, I narrowed it down to two possible spots and we stopped at both. He believed the second spot was where they are, but the grass is so high this year that it would take a good deal of time to locate the remains of the rings, so we drove on to the big log building and mining remains just below the Divide.
Rich was unaware of this site and we explored the area. I mentioned the old miners cabin just a little further on the same road, so we went there. It is still in fairly good shape and most of the roof is intact. When I explored these areas before, the remains were in much better shape, but the weather and inconsiderate people have caused their further decay into what will eventually be just a memory.
Rich was driving the newer of two jeeps that he has. This was his newest and he became nervous about some of the places we drove. He admitted her still had the “new car” mentality and didn’t want to go anywhere that it would be damaged. He wanted to drive his own vehicle because he had all of his camera equipment in it, and because he planned to part ways with us at Blossburg, heading home in one direction as we headed back to the cabin in another.
We continued on the same road, which ends up at the meadow area near my place, and stopped at the cabin to have lunch, rather than picnic outside somewhere. Rich had packed a lunch, but was driving so slow, careful not to scratch or damage his car, that we were at the cabin and had our sandwiches made by the time he got there. We had our lunch and visited and he presented me with two of his three published books (I already purchased one) of photography, as a thank you for spending the day taking him around the area.
After lunch we left and headed out the Dog Creek side, planning on crossing at the old woodcutters bridge and then heading to Blossburg. Rich was nervous about driving his Jeep in that area as I described the makeshift log bridge and climb up the rocky hill on the other side. I told him that it shouldn’t be a problem, but that it had been over a year since I had gone that way, so didn’t know for sure what to expect.
We slowly made our way to the bridge and I was shocked to see what poor condition it was in. The bridge had shifted down-stream even more and people had just thrown in additional logs to gap the space. Even I wasn’t comfortable trying to cross it, so I knew Rich wouldn’t want to go that way. Our other two choices were to try and ford LaSalle Creek and head out that way, or double back and drive all of the way to the Divide and go the long way around, taking at least an hour longer.
We turned around and drove the 40 or 50 yards back to the creek crossing and Joe walked it to see what condition the it was in. Most of it was gravel and Joe was convinced that crossing it wouldn’t be a problem. This is where we all found out that Rich is NOT an explorer and adventurer like us. He seems to only want nice easy roads to a location that he can hike into. I say that not just because of how protective he was of his car, but his inability to even attempt things that the rest of us take for granted when we are exploring the back areas. For him to bring his new Jeep should have been an obvious sign, but I really just met the man and didn’t know what he expected.
I took the lead and easily drove through the creek and up the other side, it took much convincing, trimming of brush, and us guiding him before he would attempt to cross. He made it without getting so much as a little mud on his mud flaps. As we continued, we came to a very muddy area that looked like vehicles had gotten stuck. I had been over this area during spring, summer and fall, so was familiar with it. I believed that if I stayed to the right, I shouldn’t have any trouble crossing the area. I was wrong. The “puddle” on my left side was about two feet deep and I became quickly stuck. To Joe, Michele, and myself, this is just part of the adventure and we knew we could get out. To Rich it was nightmare, for a second I thought he might just turn around, and bolt for the pavement home.
He carries a full size shovel with him and I had a tow strap, so Joe started digging the back wheel out, sinking to his knee in the soft mud. We connected the tow strap between the Jeeps and after a couple of tries, managed to pull my Jeep out. Rich’s Jeep has “automatic four-wheel drive,” which I am not sure how that works, but he slid sideways on the grassy area as he tried to pull me out, and I know that scared him. We were still willing to go around the mud hole as Joe had walked the area and it was firm enough to drive on, but Rich would have none of it and wanted to backtrack to the Divide and go the long way.
We understood and agreed, although if it were just the three of us, we would have gone for it without a second thought. We turned around and guided him over the creek again, after moving small rocks and little branches, and he made it without a problem.
We drove back to the cabin and then up to the Divide. Going NE on the Divide, we reached the fork in the road, and then drove down into Dog Creek and the Blossburg county road. The county hasn’t maintained the road for years and all the summer rain, mixed with travelers, has caused it to become filled with ruts and slow to drive. We made our way to the county bridge that crosses Dog Creek and then headed towards Blossburg, which is nothing more that a rail crossing with the remains of a few foundations. Rich wanted to show us some clay pits where the clay was processed into bricks and used to line the railroad tunnel through Mullin Pass.
As we traveled, we stopped along the way to share information and when we came to the summer pasture that his father had owned, we stopped and he pointed out the old homestead buildings that are still used by range riders when the cattle are grazing the area in the summer. We continued on until we were close to Blossburg and stopped to look at the first of two clay pits. If you didn’t know what you were looking at, it would go unnoticed. Rich also pointed out the wagon ruts of the original Mullin Pass Road. As you followed them with your eyes, you could clearly see them going down into the valley and off into the distance. If he hadn’t pointed them out to me, I would have just thought it was an old road that had grown over.
Rich shared a lot of information about the area with us, giving us direction to many interesting locations, but he didn’t have the time to show them to us. I was looking forward to having him show us the old train trestles that were still in place but no longer used once the tunnel was completed, along with the tunnel itself, but they are widening and making the original tunnel taller, so the area is closed to the public, with warning signs of explosions and traffic.
At this point, it was about five O’clock and he bid us goodbye and continued on to Highway 12 and home. Because it was Sunday afternoon and we saw no evidence of work or anyone at the construction site, we drove in and around the area, viewing the work on the tunnel from the car. Once finished, we headed back and talked about what to do next. This area is filled with interesting, at least to some, history. Not far from where we were is the first Masonic meeting place in Montana, along with the site where the first man flew over the Divide, landing in the area in 1911.
Neither spot spurred my interest, as I didn’t care where the Masons held their meetings nor the landing site, which is just a stone with a plaque, so we headed back towards the cabin. Joe and I had found and photographed an old car in the woods two years ago, and thought Michele might like to see it, so we headed that way. My memory failed me, and Joe wasn’t sure which road it was off of either, but we finally found the right spot. We got out to explore and take photos, but to our shock someone had actually cut down the ring of trees, that had grown around the car all these years, and took the entire frame and body. It must have value to a car buff that wants to restore it or something, because that was a lot of work for a rusty old car.
After walking the area, we continued on the same road, which follows the northwest side of Greenhorn Mountain and takes us back to the Divide just above the turn off to American Gulch. We arrived back at the cabin around 7 PM, Joe and Michele rested a bit and then loaded the rest of their stuff in their cars, and headed back to the rat race they have to exist in to make a living.
I played with Zack, showered, watched some television, and then fixed some leftovers for dinner around 9 PM. By 10:15 I was having difficulty convincing my eyelids to stay open, so I went to bed.
Post Script: My allergist, the photographer, Dr. Richard Buswell, did not take a single picture the entire day. He never even got his camera out of the case. He shoots with a 35 mm film camera and may not wish to “waste” film, but I would have thought that two or three of the places I took him would have warranted a picture. Oh well.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Saturday, August 15, 2009
It is cold, cold, cold this morning. It was 40 degrees when I got up at 9 AM, and the low was 33 degrees at 12:55 AM, and stayed that cold until sunrise. The cloud cover kept it in the mid forties and I received .04” of rain before noon. NWS is forecasting 40 to 20% chance of thunderstorms over the next several days, and because of how wet it has been this summer, I am predicting an early snow this fall.
Because of the weather, and the fact that I am getting too lazy, I managed to avoid work altogether and stayed indoors working on the computer and then watching a movie on television. I am all too aware that I will regret wasting fairly decent weather to do things that need doing. When winter hits, and I am sure it is going to HIT like never before, I’ll be whining about having to go outside to cut firewood in the subzero weather, but for right now, I am enjoying my time doing what I want instead of what I have to do.
After playing with Zack one last time, I fed him and Zoey and then baked a frozen pizza in the oven. I couldn’t afford having chili beans again tonight as I am already experiencing the end results, pun intended. They are good, but three nights in a row would probably kill Zack and Zoey, and I wouldn’t want that.
A shower and watching more pre-recorded movies on television took me until 12:20 AM, and bedtime.

Friday, August 13, 2009

Friday, August 13, 2009
It rained a few times in the night, but nothing like the short downpour of yesterday afternoon. My weather station is indicating that I have received .06” of rain in the past 24 hours, but it seemed like more than that. My barometer is currently saying rain, and cloud cover is moving across the sky as I write this at 10 AM. NWS is still predicting thunderstorms, with 80% today and 70% tonight, tapering off through the weekend. It appears that the bulldozer may sit where it is at for a couple of more days.
By 9 O’clock last, I was enjoying my homemade chill with beans and loving it. The beans actually were cooked and palatable by about 8 O’clock, so I fried up some hamburger with all my spices and other ingredients, which I normally would have added to the simmering beans, but didn’t want to waste them if the beans weren’t going to be eatable, diced half an onion and half a fresh tomato, adding them and two cans of tomato sauce to the pot. I let it cook a while longer and then over indulged on two large bowls. It was very good and worth the effort and time to make. I just wish I had some cornbread to have with it.
I am enjoying a quiet morning, watching the antics of my chipmunks as they keep me amused with their games of chasing each other around. I put a clear tube out in the woodpile, with peanuts inside, to see if they would be brave enough to climb into it for the treat. It took several days, but as soon as one figured it out, the others began to go for the treats. The learning curve for some is a little slower, and the attached pictures show one desperately trying to dig his way through the tube. He finally managed to dislodge the tube and the peanuts fell out for him to grab and run off with.
I have identified at least four different families that come to gather the nuts and sunflower seeds. One family lives under my front porch, another lives in the covered wood pile next to the cabin, a third lives under the deck, and the forth lives in the area under the willow bushes down by the creek. I watch the different chipmunks as they carry their surplus to their homes and can see all of the peanut shell debris near those locations. If family members are together, gathering nuts and seeds, they share, if another family comes, the dominant ones chase the others away. Sometimes the attacks look violent, but their contact is only for a millisecond and one always runs away.
When I purchased two more bags of raw peanuts the other day, the clerk asked me if they were for the squirrels. I told her about my chipmunks and how they will even come into the cabin looking for peanuts, if I don’t feed them every morning (I know my sister, Sharry, can identify with this as she has to feed her hummingbirds several times a day to keep them happy). The clerk said, “How neat and I’ll bet you have even named them.” I told her that I had indeed, giving her some of the names. I have one with a tail that is about a third shorter than the others, so that’s Shorty. I have one that always takes his peanut to the doormat to eat, so that’s Matt. Another has a small spot on his left hindquarter, so that’s Spot. One chipmunk is always stopping to scratch, so I named him Itchy. And then there is Humper, and you can guess what he is always trying to do.
Between Zack and Zoey, the comedic chipmunks, deer, moose, bears, wolfs, and various other visitors to my wonderland, I am kept amused and I am happy to live where I do. I just finished reading a letter of complaint in my RV magazine, that was from animal haters, or at least it seemed so, as they were complaining about dogs pooping in their space at RV Parks, and how the dogs (and children) making noise kept them from enjoying the camping experience. The responses to their letter were scathing and let them have it with both barrels. I am so glad that I don’t have to deal with such things at my cabin, and when I do travel, I can put up with almost anything, knowing I’ll be coming home to the peace and quiet of having no neighbors to complain.
I plan on working today, if not on the dozer and road, then on removing the big generator and putting it in the back of the truck for its trip to Great Falls on Monday. First, I have to reinforce the bed of the truck for the jack mount so it won’t bend over while helping me load it. I managed to get the generator into the shed and set up without any help, so I am hoping that I’ll be able to do the same to remove it. The repair shop in Great Falls told me that he wouldn’t even be able to get to it for a couple of weeks as he is the only mechanic that works on generators and has several in the shop right now. Seeings how I am leaving in a couple of weeks and will be gone for at least three weeks, it shouldn’t make a difference if I take it in Monday, or wait until I can get help from Joe and take it in after next weekend.
Speaking of Joe, and Michele too, I have asked them to cabin sit, at least on the weekends, while I am gone. I always get a good snowstorm in September, and if I leave the propane stove in the living room set to keep the inside warm, and have someone checking on things, I shouldn’t have to winterize it for the short time I’ll be gone. They have agreed and will be coming up next weekend for me to show them all the things that need to be done, like; starting the little generator to charge the batteries, working the water pump, operating the woodstove (there are a few tricks that help it produce good heat without smoking), and what to do in certain situations or if the temperatures get to freezing and below.
It will be a mini-course on how to survive short term, as I do year around. The price I pay for living off the grid, which is worth it to me, is that there are maintenance issues that need almost constant attention. Living this way certainly makes you better understand how utilities, on a small scale, work and why they seem to cost more and more each year. All in all, I would rather depend on myself to provide electricity, sewer and water, than a large company, city or state operated system. I know that if my electricity goes out, I need to start the generator and I instantly have power. No waiting or phone calls to find out when power will be restored. I know where my wastewater goes and how the system works. As long as I maintain the septic system, it will continue to work, maintenance free, for years to come. I know where my water comes from and its condition. I understand what the process is to make sure it is free of all germs (ultraviolet filter) and to have it be clean, pure water (two additional filters for sediment and taste). I test it regularly, plus have a lab test it once a year, so I know what I am getting. Can you say the same?
Now at 5 PM, and I am still watching the recap of the Presidential Town Hall in Belgrade, MT. I watched it in its entirety and thought it was a waste of time. The sweet flowery rhetoric flowing from Obama’s mouth brought nothing new to the public. At the beginning, he asked that the questions be kept short and his responses would be likewise. He couldn’t answer any of the questions in a short manner and sometimes even expanded to other areas to get his point across. Neither he, nor any of the politician’s answers cover the tough questions. They are, in many cases, rehearsed answers to dance around the plain and simple truth.
The Whitehouse team seems to think that getting Obama out to stump for the health plan is a way to win over those that have educated themselves by reading the bill, and are against it. I’d be willing to bet you that Obama himself hasn’t read the current versions of the House or Senate bills. He relies on staffers to read and report to him with Cliffs Notes of the bill. Even the Talking Heads are missing an important part of the “Death Panels.” They seem to all focus on the end of life counseling referred to in the original Senate version of the bill, when they should be looking at the “Medical Advisory Council” that is charged with making the decisions on whether or not a patient gets specific treatments. This council will be made up with a few doctors and the rest are bureaucrats.
Well, the remainder of the evening was spent lowering my blood pressure and relaxing with another bowl of beans and some television.