LIFE’S A DANCE – CROSSING THE CANADIAN BORDER AT SWEET GRASS, MT/COUTTS, AB - Tuesday, April 25, 2023

We left Stanford, MT at 9 a.m. and headed toward the Canadian border at Sweet Grass, MT/Coutts, AB in Canada. It was already 45 degrees with sunny skies and temperatures would reach 65 degrees by the end of the day. We drove 293 miles today (in almost 10 hours including numerous stops). As we got closer to the Canadian border the winds began to pick up making pulling a camper a little more difficult.

We arrived at the Granview Recreational Park in Granum, AB at 6:50 p.m. after almost 10 hours on the road, with numerous stops. Our first stop was at Great Falls, MT, which is located at the confluence of the Sun and Missouri Rivers and is Montana’s third largest city.

In Great Falls, we had to get several things, such as groceries at the Wal-Mart, as well as picked up Mel’s prescription. We then took a few minutes in the Wal-Mart parking lot to make and eat chicken salad sandwiches with chips while we were putting away the groceries. We also got gasoline at the Wal-Mart gas station; and then made copies at the Ink & Toner Store; and lastly we mailed a certified letter to “My Best Address” at the Great Falls post office.

It was around 1 p.m., when we were finally back on the road and heading toward the border. The road had numerous steep hills and curves and by now the wind was hitting the front driver’s side of the truck pretty hard. Our next stop was to get gas in Shelby, MT, and of course as what has become a habit at the Town Pump station – we had to get four corn dogs and a soft drink to go. We continued through the state of Montana and as we were getting close to the Canadian border at around Sweet Grass, while we were running about 70 mph along I-15 North, we saw a big bull moose with huge antlers standing right beside the interstate in a snow-melt pond. What an amazing sight he was!

We arrived at the border crossing at around 3:43 p.m. – slowly inching the truck and camper up to the border station window. The attendant popped his head out his window and began asking us numerous questions such as: 1) can I see your passports; 2) where are you from; 3) where are you going; 4) what is the license plate of the truck; 5) do you have any alcohol or tobacco; 6) do you have any mace or bear spay; 7) do you have any cannabis, marijuana, or illegal substances; 8) are you currently working; and 8) why are you going to Alaska and how long will you be staying. They never even once asked us if we had any produce or chicken or eggs, as we had read they might ask. When Mel was through answering the questions, the attendant said wait just a moment as he stepped away from the window. When he came back, he handed Mel the passports and a yellow ticket and told us to park the truck and RV and go inside the building.

Mel asked why we were selected for an inspection – and come to find out we were just randomly selected. However, we still think it may have been triggered due to the fact that during the questioning phase, Mel had said we had a bottle of rum and two 25-ounce bottles of beer, or that we had paper tags on the truck since we had just bought it, or because our permanent address was South Dakota and we had bought the truck in Wyoming. This is all speculation as we will probably never know for sure why we were selected. As this random search entailed them taking the truck and camper keys and going out to inspect the vehicles, while we sat patiently inside the building – this process would ultimately delay us for an hour. We were finally back in our truck and leaving the border inspection area at around 4:45 p.m.

From the border, we continued along the Alberta Canada highway at a maximum speed limit of 110 km (which is about 68 mph) going through many small towns until we came to Lethbridge, AB. Lethbridge is Alberta, Canada’s third largest city. The Lethbridge region was home to 3 Indigenous nations: the Sik-sika (Blackfoot), Kainai (Many Leaders, now called Bloods), and Pikani (including the Ammsskaapipiikain in Montana and Apatohsipiikani in Southern Alberta, also called Peigan). Collectively, they formed the Sow-ki’tapi (Prairie People). Because European fur traders along the North Saskatchewan River first came into contact with the Blackfoot, that tribal name came to be applied to the entire confederacy.

While driving by Lethbridge, we caught a glimpse of the High Level Bridge, which is the longest and highest bridge of its kind in the world – around a mile in length and 300 feet elevation.

After passing through Lethbridge, we drove through Fort Macleod, and then took AB Highway 2 North toward Calgary. 

A few minutes later we arrived at Granum, AB and the Granview Recreational Park located at 602 Dufferin Street.

Here we decided to spend the next two nights ($20 CA or $17 US/night for a total of $40 CA or $34 US). We arrived at 6:50 p.m. and got all set-up. It is a beautiful campground, but the water is not turned on yet, so we had to fill the fresh water holding tank before pulling into the back-in site #12. There is a stunning pond right outside the left side of our camper toward the back. This was a very peaceful campground with only one other camper and the campground host, besides us.

We decided to have pork chops and a salad for dinner tonight and ate around 9 p.m. Therefore we ended up staying up past 11 p.m. before retiring. As I put the border crossing fiasco out of my mind, I am once again reminded of the song by John Michael Montgomery – “Life’s a dance, you learn as you go. Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow. Don’t worry ‘bout what you don’t know, life’s a dance, you learn as you go.”

We shall continue to dance all the way to Alaska,

Shirley & Mel

PHASE 2 - ON THE ROAD TO ALASKA (LEAVING KAYCEE, WY & ARRIVING AT STANFORD, MT) - Monday, April 24, 2023

Wow what a wonderful day - starting at 29 degrees and topping out at 70 degrees, with smooth sailing as we entered Phase Two - Back on the Road to Alaska.  We had several errands to run in Casper, WY before we could officially be on the road again. Leaving Kaycee, WY at around 7:15 a.m., we made six stops in Casper (see stats below) before returning to hook up the camper to the truck and get on our way down the road.

As Mel would say, we have now entered "Phase 2" of our Journey to Alaska . . . with the new truck doing the heavy duty towing.

As soon as we entered the state of Montana, the scenery delighted us with views of snow-covered mountains, wind generators, and winding roads with some enormous hills to climb. 

(Entering the state of Montana -- the sign is very hard to read and in poor condition.)

We arrived in Stanford, MT at the Double B RV Park where we will be camping tonight ($36.40) at around 6:50 p.m.

All set up and ready to rest for the night after a long travel day.

Sweet dreams!

Shirley & Mel

 

LEAVING CASPER, WY, A TOWN OF "UNFRIENDLY" GUSTS OF WIND -- STOPPING IN KAYCEE, WY - Thursday, April 20 to Sunday, April 23, 2023

THURSDAY, APRIL 20

This morning we woke up to a 30 degree temperature and patiently waited to hear if our truck was fixed from Robert at Dayton Transmission. At around 11:00 a.m., he called saying the truck was ready and he came over to pick up Mel. Shortly thereafter Mel returned to the campground with our 2004 silver Dodge 1500 pickup truck (repairs cost a total of $3,125.43 for parts & labor) and told me to hop in the truck. He indicated that he wanted to get some miles on the truck before the weekend, just in case there are any issues. So we decided to go eat at Hibachi Grill and then went to Wal-Mart for the groceries we needed. We then went back to the campground to get everything ready to leave. 

While Mel was reloading the backend of the pickup with our supplies, etc., I was inside putting everything in its place so we could get on down the road. We had everything ready to roll around 2:30 p.m., so after a quick stop at the campground office to pay for the last two nights of camping, we were on our way toward Kaycee, WY. Boy, were we glad to leave Casper, WY -- the town of "unfriendly" gusts in our rearview mirror!

As we left Casper, everything seemed to be working well with the truck, so we hit the road and were planning to go as far as we could. Once on Interstate 25 North, the gusts seemed to pick up somewhat and the warning sign over the interstate said to expect gusts up to 40+ mph. The hills going out of Casper were extremely long and steep, so Mel decided to not try the cruise but footed it all the way.  And then the truck began to shift funny again jumping into 2nd gear, but we continued on. When we were at about four miles from the Kaycee, WY exit, the speedometer quit working again. Mel and I both looked at each other and moaned, "Not again!"

We slowly made our way to the Powder River Campground in Kaycee, and picked a spot and set up for the four nights we would be staying there (it is a Passport Park - so it cost us $25/night for a total of $100 cash.) Since it was already 4 p.m., Mel then called Robert at Dayton Transmission to give him the bad news -- the rear axle was once again shot after traveling only 64 miles. Stress levels were high for everyone for sure, and how could we ever be comfortable making the long journey we had ahead of us to Canada and Alaska if we couldn't trust the truck we were using to pull the camper.

After we got all set up, Mel and I had a brief discussion on what were we going to do now -- did we want to pick up and head on our way home or continue our journey -- but we didn't have a truck to do either of those options. The only real solution we had was to find something we could afford with reasonable mileage that could pull the camper.  So unable to de-stress, Mel and I both began googling on our smart phones to try to find a used 3/4 ton two-wheel pickup truck in the Casper, WY area, with low mileage that was affordable. 

And as luck would have it, we did find one online that looked perfect for what we needed and it was located in Casper, WY. The time was now 5:50 p.m. and the used car/truck dealership that had this truck -- Quality Auto of Casper -- would be closing at 6 p.m. Mel immediately placed a call into Gavin (as we had read nothing but good reviews about this place and in particular about the salesperson Gavin) to see what additional information he could provide us about this truck. 

The truck was listed as a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 two-wheel drive work pickup truck with 113,146 miles for $22,913. Mel told Gavin that we were very interested in this truck and that we would be there tomorrow morning to look at it. After Mel got off the phone with Gavin, we both tried to relax a little. Mel continued to read the CARFAX report on the truck and everything looked good. 

We both then went to bed that night -- but didn't get much sleep as our minds were racing trying to figure out a plan that would work for us.

FRIDAY, APRIL 21

Woke up this morning early after a restless night of sleep to a very chilly morning of 20 degrees with cloudy skies. After breakfast at around 8:30 a.m., Mel placed a call to Robert at Dayton Transmission to see if he could come pick us up and bring us back into Casper. He told us that he could leave his shop in about an hour and come pick us up at the campground in Kaycee, WY. Then Mel placed a call to Gavin at Quality Auto of Casper telling him that we would be there between 10:30 a.m. and noon, and asked him to have the truck ready for us to see and take for a test drive. 

Robert arrived at the campground to pick us up around 10:30 a.m. and we were on our way back to Casper, WY.  As we were riding, Robert asked Mel what our plans were for the Dodge pickup truck since he knew we had a lead on a truck to buy. Mel indicated that we would have to leave it in Casper once he got the rear axle replaced and fixed and pick it up at a later date. 

Robert then asked Mel how much would we have to get out of it -- and Mel told him that we would like to recoup the $3,000 we had paid him and the $1,000 for the new tires we had put on the truck. At that moment, Robert said he would be willing to pay $4,000 for it if we wanted to sell it to him.  He said he wanted to do this to ease some of our pain and anxiety. Of course, that solution was just what we needed to hear!

Once in Casper, we went to Robert's house where he got his other truck out of the garage and let us borrow it for the day. That was so nice of him and very much appreciated! 

 

We then drove to Quality Auto of Casper, arriving at 11:50 a.m. We were greeted by another salesman, but we asked to speak to Gavin. Within a few moments, Gavin popped out of an office and began talking to us about the pickup truck and asked us to step into his office where he jotted down a few notes and took a copy of Mel's driver's license. He was about to open up the truck and give us the truck keys for a test drive, when the other salesman came back to where we were standing with a funny look on his face. The other salesman then said that the truck was already sold to some people he was working with that had called him this morning indicating that they already had their credit approved to buy the truck.

Our frustration began to show as Mel and I both looked at Gavin. I uttered, "Well that is what I would call poor customer service," and then Mel hushed me by saying to both of the young salesmen, "I want you to know that there were two reasons that we came here to Quality Auto of Casper: 1) we felt you had the right truck that we were looking for, and 2) the good reviews we had read online about this place and Gavin in particular."

As the conversation was getting a little heated and the two salesmen didn't know how to handle or solve the issue, an older gentleman approached us and said, "Looks like we have a truck bidding war going on."

Mel immediately corrected that statement saying, "Oh no we don't. We have an issue with these two salesmen." The older gentlemen then introduced himself as Mike, the owner of Quality Auto of Casper and ushered us into the nearby office, with the salesmen following behind and he then closed the door.

As Mike, the owner was already familiar with the other salesman's story, he looked at Mel and asked him to tell his story. Mel laid it all out in detail -- that our truck was broke down and that we were on a journey to Alaska; that we had called last night and said we were going to come see it tomorrow; that he had also called this morning and told Gavin what time we were going to be there to test drive the truck; and finally at no point during the conversation with Gavin had we been asked to put down a deposit to hold it or even asked if we wanted to. Mel again reiterated the reason why we had come to this dealership in the first place.

The owner Mike then said that he was going to come up with a solution to this issue -- and continued by saying that no matter what he decided he would be happy and sleep tonight even though one of the customers interested in the truck was going to be upset and the other would be happy. He said since we had a serious need for a truck and that we were here to test drive it, he was leaning in our favor to give us the first shot at the truck. And that is exactly what he did as he shook our hands and let us get on our way to take the truck for a test drive.

By around 1 p.m., we were back at the dealership and were ready to make a deal. Gavin told us that since the truck was already discounted from the retail price that we were not going to be able to deal much, and therefore to cut to the chase he told us that they were willing to take $22,500 for the truck including all fees and paperwork. We agreed to that price and shook Gavin's hand. Gavin then went to have the documents and title papers prepared while we ran over to the Wells Fargo bank to get a cashier's check prepared to pay for the truck. By 3 p.m. we were back to Quality Auto of Casper with a check in hand. And after signing all the paperwork and getting the title for the truck we were out of there by 4 p.m.

Before heading back to Kaycee, WY to the Powder River Campground, we stopped at O'Reilly Auto Parts to pick up a few things and then we went to Taco Bell for the Crunchwrap Supreme special that we like so much. 

And that is the story of how we became the proud owners of a white 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 pickup truck that is sure to make our journey more pleasurable!

SATURDAY, APRIL 22

Today we woke up to 24 degrees with a light dusting of snow overnight that covered the ground. As the day progressed, it reached 41 degrees in the afternoon. In the morning, Mel worked at getting things transferred from the 2004 Dodge truck over to the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 pickup truck. Around noon, we headed to Casper to run several errands including: 1) getting propane at Flying J; 2) getting the truck bed washed out at a Wonder Wash; 3) getting something to eat at Wendy's; 4) picking up truck parts, groceries and miscellaneous items at Menard's; and 5) picking up some truck filters at Wal-Mart. We got back to Kaycee about 3 p.m. and Mel continued his work on getting the truck ready to roll.

SUNDAY, APRIL 23

Today is gorgeously beautiful sunny day -- temperature started out at 28 degrees and is supposed to reach a record of 57 degrees. It is very calm and peaceful, so I decided to take a walk across the bridge over the Middle Fork Powder River into the little town of Kaycee, WY. (From the bridge you see back to the campground where we are staying.)

TIDBIT ON HISTORY ON KAYCEE, WY: Kaycee was incorporated in 1906 after the establishment of a small post office and general store. The town was named after the brand "KC" used by its earliest homesteader, John Nolan. The government required the name to be spelled out resulting in "Kaycee." The town is also where Western Music Star and Rodeo Champion Chris LeDoux resided on a ranch near Kaycee (although he was born in Biloxi, Mississippi.) Kaycee was also home to the infamous Hole-in-the-Wall where Wild West outlaws stayed out of sight and reach of the law. Butch Cassidy's gang made the Hole-in-the-Wall their main hideout.

My first stop on my brief visit to the town of Kaycee was to go see the Chris LeDoux Park with the "Good Ride Cowboy" Monument. 

The 3,500 pound statue, which serves as the centerpiece of the park, was created by Buffalo Artist D. Michael Thomas. The statue depicts Stormy Weather's two front feet planted on a replica of Chris LeDoux's guitar. The words "Beneath These Western Skies" are inscribed along the side of the guitar, which was one of many songs that Chris wrote. In 2005, Chris LeDoux passed away at the age of 56 from liver cancer.

Plaque and bench for a memorial to Chris LeDoux.

The main street in Kaycee, a thriving small town in north central Wyoming located about 60 miles north of Casper and 45 miles south of Buffalo in Johnson County, has a population of 247. It is really not too much of a town, but it has a couple of churches, a bar and restaurant, one store, one museum, a K-12 school and zero stoplights. The "Hoofprints of the Past" museum preserves the cattle ranching heritage of the area.

And as I was finishing up my walk in Kaycee, I came upon this little stone with the saying, "Have Hope. Be Strong. Laugh Loud. Play Hard. Live in the Moment. Smile Often. Dream Big. Remember You Are Love and Never Give Up."

Parts of the above saying truly have meaning to Mel and I as we overcame the truck obstacle the past few days. We will now be "On the Road Again" as the famous song by Willie Nelson proclaims. 

Shirley & Mel