Grant-Kohrs Ranch NHS

Another cancellation stamp for our Passport Book!

We visited Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in Deer Lodge. The ranch was started by Canadian Johnny Grant in the mid-1800's, and bought from him by Conrad Kohrs in 1866. Kohrs was known as the "Cattle King of Montana," and was a delegate to Montana's constitutional convention of 1889, helping to draft the constitution that led to statehood.

Fairmont RV Resort Again

On our way to Anaconda, we stopped at the Safeway in Butte to do grocery shopping.

Checked into Fairmont RV Resort for three days. We decided to drive into Anaconda for dinner. Originally, we were going to eat at a steak place, but it wasn't open yet. We vacillated between Pizza Hut and the local Chinese restaurant...we selected the Chinese restaurant, which turned out to be a bad choice. The noodles were good, but the other items were so heavily breaded, that there was barely any meat inside. And it was our considered opinion that the egg rolls were really bad!

Miles driven: 71.6
GPS coordinates: N46 02.546 / W112 48.360

Earl was going to golf today. But this morning, he found that the golf club was in the process of aerating the course, and there were plugs all over the fairways (this little fact would have been nice of them to mention when Earl made a tee time).

Since Earl couldn't golf today, we decided to leave and make it part way to our next several-day stay at Fairmont RV Resort near Anaconda (the park at which we'd stayed previously when we'd met up with Lloyd).

We stopped at the Exxon on the way out of Columbus to top off the tank in the Lazy Daze ($3.059/gallon...four cents cheaper than it was at this same station six days ago).

Tonight we're parked at the city park in Three Forks (Three Forks Pond).

Miles driven: 130.9
GPS coordinates: Not taken

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

After leaving the campground, we stopped at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. We've been here before, but many years ago. Got the Passport book stamped.

Since we've been on the go quite a bit lately, we're now back at Itch-Kep-Pe City Park in Columbus, Montana, where we plan on spending a few days. We'll probably do laundry tomorrow, and on Tuesday, Earl will go golfing.

Miles driven: 172.6
GPS coordinates: N45 37.653 / W109 15.061

Back at Red Shale Campground

Before we left Devils Tower National Monument this morning, we drove up to the Visitor's Center so that I could get my Passport book stamped.

We stopped at B&J's C-Store in Alzada, Montana to dump and take on fresh water ($5). (Note: if you take on fresh water here, be SURE to use a filter...the water is rusty. Our filter gave up it's life making sure the water that entered the tank didn't have any rust in it.) We also stopped at the IGA store in Brodus to pick up a few groceries before heading back to Red Shale Campground where we parked in the very same space we had day before yesterday.

Miles driven: 141.2
GPS coordinates: N45 34.288 / W106 08.790

Devils Tower National Monument

We got up early this morning, packed up and left the campground before 7:00 AM. Had breakfast at a cafe in Brodus, and then continued on to Belle Fourche, South Dakota.

We picked up our mail in Belle Fourche, and while I was in the Post Office, I asked where the DMV was located. Well, it was just down the road, but...they are only open on Thursdays! So we drove down to the police station (where one gets driver's licenses, too), to ask them if they knew where we could get a driver's license renewed today. They did. In Sturgis.

So we hopped on I-90 and headed east to Sturgis and the Sturgis Community Center. We were in and out in about a half hour with my brand new driver's license (who in the heck is that old person in the photo?). Now we'll have to do the same thing all over again next spring to renew Earl's driver's license!

Before we left Sturgis, we stopped to put gas in the Lazy Daze ($3.039/gallon); then we stopped at the Wal-Mart in Spearfish to do some grocery shopping.

We're now parked at Belle Fourche Campground in Devils Tower National Monument.

Miles driven: 245.6
GPS coordinates: Not taken

Red Shale Campground

Got gas for the Lazy Daze in Hardin ($3.099/gallon) and had lunch at the Subway in Garryowen. We then continued east on US-212 to Red Shale Campground in Custer National Forest just east of Ashland, Montana.

This is a nice free campground (no services)...we selected a site farthest from the road, and the highest point in the park. We have a really nice view out the back windows.

Miles driven: 178.8
GPS coordinates: N45 34.288 / W106 08.790

Itch-Kep-Pe City Park

Stopped at the Costco in Bozeman on our way through to do some shopping. Also got gas for the Lazy Daze while we were in Bozeman ($3.099/gallon).

We're spending the night at Itch-Kep-Pe City Park in Columbus, Montana (free, no hookups, but fresh water is available).

Miles driven: 226.2
GPS coordinates: N45 37.653 / W109 15.061

Fairmont RV Resort

We arrived at Fairmont RV Resort (a Passport America park) near Anaconda, Montana around 2:00 PM, having stopped in Missoula for gas ($3.099/gallon).

Our friend, Lloyd Treichel, is staying here (the reason we stopped at this park). We had a really nice visit with him. Earl barbecued a pork roast and I made a salad for dinner...Lloyd provided dessert.

We didn't set up our satellite Internet since Lloyd has his set up, and we were able to use his signal...thanks Lloyd!

Miles driven: 173.0
GPS coordinates: Not taken

Slowey Campground

Tonight is being spent at Slowey Campground, a Lolo National Forest campground just east of St. Regis, Montana ($5 per night with the Golden Age Passport).

This is a really nice campground with some huge spaces. However, it's near the Interstate (which isn't too bad at night) and railroad tracks (which ARE noisy since the trains toot their horns at several places when going by).

Miles driven: 129.9
GPS coordinates: Not taken

We had breakfast with our friends, Mary and George Doran, at the Spokane Club. It was great seeing them again, even if for a brief time.

This was "job" day...did laundry, picked up our mail, and washed the car.

It's been much cooler in Spokane this time than the last two times we've visited. It's gotten warm enough in the afternoon to turn on the air conditioning until the sun goes down, but it's probably been in the high 80's, low 90's compared to the high 90's, low 100's.

Spokane Elks Lodge

We're spending the next several days at the Spokane Elks Lodge ($12 per night with water and electric, and a dump on site). We stopped in Davenport to get gas for the Lazy Daze ($3.179/gallon).

Miles driven: 179.7
GPS coordinates: N47 40.820 / W117 14.576

South Summit Snopark

We're spending the night at South Summit Snopark at Loup Loup Pass on SR-20. Last time we'd come through this area a couple of years ago, we'd stayed the the North Summit Snopark, but that road was closed.

The fire(s) near Winthrop are still burning (they've been burning for a month or so), and the entire area is smoky. For a while this evening, the wind blew some of the smoke away, but later, the wind stopped and the smoke settled in. Fortunately, it was cool enough that we could keep all our windows closed.

Miles driven: 97.5
GPS coordinates: N48 23.064 / W119 53.663

Newhalem Creek Campground

Stopped in Burlington to put gas in the Lazy Daze ($3.179/gallon).

We're spending the night at Newhalem Creek Campground in the North Cascades National Park. Before finding a spot, though, we drove down to the Visitor's Center so that I could buy a Passport Book and get it stamped.

The last time we drove this road (SR-20), it was raining and cloudy, so we didn't get to see much scenery. This time, the weather has been clear, and the scenery is spectacular!

Miles driven: 92.5
GPS coordinates: N48 40.222 / W121 15.717

Before leaving the Tacoma Elks Club, we went across the street to do grocery shopping at Top Foods and pick up dog food at PetsMart.

We're spending the night at the Tulalip Casino just north of Marysville, Washington (free overnight parking in a large lot at the rear of the casino set up just for RVs).

Miles driven: 75.7
GPS coordinates: Not taken

We had a nice weekend visiting with Earl's sons. We spent the morning with Garrett and Angie and their three kids and then, in the afternoon, we visited with Russ and Dani. Russ had been out of touch with Earl for more than 20 years, so it was really nice to have a chance to visit with them, and catch up on their lives, and meet their boy, Cameron.

We treated Russ, Dani, and Cameron to dinner at the Olive Garden.

Tacoma Elk's Lodge

This weekend, we're staying at the Tacoma Elks Lodge (electric hookups with water and a dump available for $15 per night) so that we can visit Earl's sons and their families.

Miles driven: 80.4
GPS coordinates: N47 14.351 / W122 28.853

Sometime during the night, the large lump in Maxx's "armpit" broke open (see entry on 8/8/06). Now he has a gaping hole that really looks ugly and is oozing puss.

So off to the vet we went. The vet clipped hair around the wound, and squeezed more puss out of it...all the time Maxx is screaming (if you've never hear a Basenji scream, it'll raise the hair on the back of your neck!). We were given some antibiotics to give him, and instructed to let Maxx take care of keeping the wound clean. Poor little guy...he hasn't had an easy couple of months!

Paradise Resort - Silver Creek, Washington

On our way to Paradise Resort in Silver Creek, Washington (one of our RPI parks), we stopped at the Costco in Vancouver to do some shopping and get gas for the Lazy Daze ($2.899/gallon).

Paradise Resort is a Leisure Time Resort, a member of the Thousand Trails system. As such, it is called a "Preserve" rather than an RV park, and is heavily treed (as have been all the Thousand Trails and affiliated parks we've been to). In order to be able to get our satellite Internet in, we were relegated to the back of the park in a site that had only water and electric...which actually turned out to be OK, since we didn't have a lot of kids around us as we might have had we been somewhere else.

Miles driven: 80.8
GPS coordinates: N46 33.094 / W122 35.051

LePage Park

We're spending the next couple of days at LePage Park, a Corps of Engineer park near Rufus, Oregon ($8.50 per day with a Golden Age Passport).

Poor Maxx...along with having some teeth pulled, and the torn tendons in one of his hind legs, he got bit/stung by something here (we're thinking a wasp or yellowjacket, but that's just a guess), and he now has a huge lump under one of his front "armpits."

Miles driven: 95.8
GPS coordinates: N45 43.589 / W120 38.981

I called the veterinary in Pendleton to see if we could get Maxx in so the vet could take a look at his leg (the joint has been swollen, and he limps on it). Fortunately, we got an 11:30 AM appointment.

We stopped at the Safeway near the vet's office to fill up with gas ($2.919 per gallon with a $.06 per gallon discount using our Safeway card) and do some grocery shopping.

When it was time for the appointment, we parked across the street in a mall parking lot because the parking lot at the vet's office wasn't big enough for our rig. The vet kept Maxx so that he could take x-rays of his hips and leg. Fortunately, everything looked find in the x-rays, so it appears that Maxx has probably torn a ligament. The vet gave us some pain pills that really help. Hopefully, Maxx's leg will be better soon!

After we dropped Maxx off, we drove to the Elks Lodge to park, stopping first at the Visitor's Center that has a dump and fresh water available.

Miles driven: 46.8
GPS coordinates: Not taken

Hilgard Junction State Park

Before leaving Nyssa, we had breakfast at the Twilight Cafe, stopped at the post office to pick up our mail, and did some grocery shopping. We stopped at D & B Supply in Ontario to buy some new shoes and a belt for Earl.

Tonight we're camped at Hilgard Junction State Park just north of La Grande. It's a bit close to the freeway, but because it sits lower than the freeway, the sound isn't too bad. This park has no hookups, but there is water available as well as toilets...and it's only $8 per night.

Miles driven: 135.0
GPS coordinates: N45 20.475 / W118 13.829

We drove to Meridian, Idaho to have lunch with my mother (Linda's) at Tony Romas. She and Andy just bought a house in Melba (actually, my sister bought it for them), so they will be living close to my brother. It's not clear at this point whether or not they will sell their place in Glendale, Arizona (the story differs, depending with whom you talk).

Although we'd been invited over to my brother's and sister-in-law's place in Kuna, Idaho for dinner, we really didn't feel that we should leave Maxx alone for the number of hours a trip there and back would have entailed, so it was nice to have a chance to visit with Mom.

After breakfast, we drove out to Larry's mother's place for a visit. They took us down to Cow Hollow Park, which currently belongs to the BLM (word is that they're trying to sell it)...they have several electrical hookups in the park with 30- and 50-amps. There is also water available, although there was a sign up about coliform bacteria and arsenic in the water, so it's certainly not potable right now. The sign didn't say how much the fee was to stay there, but did give a telephone number for the Vale District BLM office, so we may call and find out more information about it. It's farther out than Simpson's RV Park, but may be another alternative for a place to stay...particularly if it remains in BLM hands, since we could stay there for half price.

After checking the park out, we all drove into Nyssa for lunch at A&W. Then Earl and I picked up some deli meats and cheese to take over to Ilene's for dinner.

We went back to the rig for awhile to feed Maxx, take him for a walk, and relax for awhile before going over to Ilene's for dinner.

Nyssa, Oregon

After leaving Bully Creek Park, we stopped at the Sinclair gas station in Vale to fill up the Lazy Daze (2.939/gallon).

We decided on taking a new way into Nyssa, so drove southeast on Lytle Blvd which brought us into Nyssa on Enterprise Ave., south of the Simpson RV Park where we are spending the next several days.

After setting up the Hughes Net antenna, Earl called Larry (he and his wife, Sharon, live behind us in Quartzsite during the winter). They have been up here most of the summer helping his mother get her farm ready to sell.

We then went over to my Aunt Ilene's place for a visit and dinner. After we returned to the rig, Larry and Sharon came over for a visit.

Miles driven: 29.8
GPS coordinates: N43 53.727 / W117 00.235