Mexican food, great scenery and the Northern Cascades: I love it!

 And its back into the USA again, into beautiful Washington.  Mountains and super tall trees pretty much took my breath away.  A friendly border guard asked where Id come from, and well you know me - the long version.  He said “sorry for your loss.  Thats a long goodbye”.  I reckon about 5,000 km in total, or 3,100 miles.  4 weeks on the road and to be honest, I could do it again!  

So I made it to Winthrop where I’d been dreaming of Mexican food.  Alas the labour shortage had hit and he was closed, no wait staff.  That is so common nearly everywhere I went! Rolling westward along the Skagit river the weather was glorious, and I had breakfast near the Diablo dam.  Pancakes and bacon, really decent coffee and a chat with two outdoorsy guys who it turned out had been camping for over a month.  They were engineers, and said because of the unusually warm summer and increased snowmelt the waterfalls in Yosemite were outstanding!  Apparently there are a lot of mountain goats in the area, but I didn’t see them,  however I did snag a great tshirt at the visitor info centre “Got Goats.”  Ok that is a bit of an inside joke between me, Mac and my mom.  He’d say “your mother promised me a dowry of 100 goats, don’t speak to me of goats…” in his best Russian accent.  

My destination was Port Townsend, and to get there I took two really really high bridges onto Whidby Island.  The bridges are at the tip of Deception Pass, super scenic and as I stood there looking out, I made the mistake of looking down.  OMG so that is vertigo!  I had to slowly and very deliberately back to grab my car…it was spooky!  Then two F15s flying in close formation came over the bridge - very exciting, Whidby Island is a Naval Air Station.  

It’s also home to I’m assuming a lot of Mexican Americans, since the radio station I tuned into had excellent tunes and the restaurant El Cazadore I enjoyed Carne Asada - a generous helping for sure! 

Port Townsend is where Macs cousin Lynn lives. Seeing her was a blast, and we had a huge dinner, complete with blueberry pie and ice cream which pretty much finished me off for the night.  Bonus: I got to meet her corgi Dax. Then off to my motel to sleep and prep for a 5 a.m. up and attem to go to the Port Angeles ferry terminal.  I made it into the standbye lane, as all three morning sailings were fully booked, and phew I made it onto the Black Ball Ferry to Victoria.  A really friendly bunch of Nebraskans were also waiting, and we chatted about bbq, brisket, guns, and “current affairs “.  We aren’t that different when it comes down to it.  

Of course the google map voice was of no use to me, so I lived up to my nickname “wrong way” but eventually found the TransCanada, and slowly chugged out of the city and once past Goldstream Park, where all sense of acceleration seems to be lacking,  I headed north!  Grabbed a sandwich at Timmies and an iced coffee, and there was no stopping me!  Ok one gas stop where the price was a shocker once more.  Lol and onward!

By 5 p.m. I was home. The end of a long drive indeed! The cat was very excited to see me, and I was happy to sleep in my own bed for the nite!  It was weird coming home to an empty house.  The joy of seeing so many friends and family, and hearing the love for Mac makes it easier to live with.

A solo trip for 4 weels was a test of my strength, and a way to honour my favorite guy.  So many places brought back wonderful joyous memories.  He’d have loved it.  And now its time to soldier on, deal with the bank (arghhh) and continue to make my new life. And definitely plan the next road trip adventures!  

Until the next voyage 🤓

Stumbling towards the States…

 Pincher Creek is a lovely albeit small town.  Nestled against the Rockies, its neighbor to Waterton Park.  And that is where my story starts. 

Spending time with my friend was wonderful.  We played tourist at Waterton.  What a gorgeous inspiring place to be!  Great folds of rock make up the sheer towering beauty of the surroundings.  Lots of eateries, ice cream shops, gift shops galore.  Interesting to chat with the shop owners who cant find help!  The restaurant we had brunch at was closed the day before because the cook had a kidney stone and there was no one to fill the staff gap.  The ice cream candy store lady was running between two shops, since she had no one to take care of customers except her!  

It made for a long discussion between my buddy and I wondering How did it get to this state?  Was it Covid?  Was it a generational thing?  Most people I know that are of my cohort worked from an early age or got no money for “stuff”.  We also all moved out of our parents homes, striking out on our own into the wide wide world.  Now I truly sound like an old fart. 😂

This morning I headed west again.  First I had to fix the room reservations in Grand Forks, which I made on the wrong day.  That taken care of I hit Timmys, spilled coffee all over my car — whats with the new lids on their take out coffee?  All cleaned up, I was off.

Ok maybe Off is too optimistic, since the #3 highway or the Crowsnest has some construction.  Ok, by “some” I mean west from Pincher Creek to the BC border.  So a speedy trip it was not.  As I headed west, I noted a lot of cars looked dirty.  Like they’d been drifting through a field of summer fallow.  Interesting.  I stopped in the town of Sparwood , and noticed the ridge at the edge of town had 8 fires on it…filling the valley with smoke,  too steep for ground crews or water bombers, the Info Centre staff said it was concerning.   I’d call it scary.  

In Creston I jumped at the chance to try some peaches, which looked to be just picked!  OMG  😳 they were so sweet, juicy, delicious.  wow!  Just what I had imagined them to be.  Seems so many people eat one right there and then, they have a sink and paper towels to wash the inevitable mess off your hands.  And wrists.  And elbows….I told you they were juicy. 😛

As I was marvelling at all this peachy abundance I asked the lady standing next to me about the dirty cars. Most only had cleaned the yellow brownish dust from their windscreens.  Very odd looking.  She cleared up the mystery: a music festival, celebrating electronic music, was being held in nearby Fernie.  And it was apparently huge!  Then she told me to be prepared to get stopped, as the police were checking cars for drunks, drugs, etc and there may be a wait.  And a wait there was.

There were concert goers, along with work trucks, tourists, trailers, people coming and going, logging trucks, semis, chip trucks…a lot of traffic.  A lot of slow or not moving over 6 km per hr traffic.  And it was 33C and windy.  Not a calming scenario.  The line up was incredibly long, as dirty cars were pulled over, and the rest of us slowly went by.  I had rolled down my window and said to the officer “hate hippies” since a 90 minute wait was testing my patience.  His response “so do I, but I like you 😉” Oh my!  Teehee

Finally on to Grand Forks, happily ripping along at a min of 110kpm…happy traffic!  A nice friendly motel, gassed up the car ($174.9 a litre - 40 cents more than Medicine Hat AB) A fantastic steak sandwich later, I am feet up and relaxed. 

Now I have time to think.  I ask myself am I now feeling lonely rather than alone?  This trip has given me reassurance of friendships, but I still feel a gap.  I miss the companionship of my Mac.  A hug.  A smooch.  A shared laugh.  It still is weird to me at times. Like I’m on this long drive, seeing friends and family, but still no one to sit next to or wake up with.  I got used to that over the last 23 yrs. And I miss it.

In the morning I continue my adventure heading south across the border.  Heading west on the North Cascade Highway towards the coast, but first Mexican food in Winthrop Washington. Another spot we loved on previous visits. To me another place where I feel less alone or lonely. 

There is a difference.  Being alone is a physical state of being by yourself.  Being lonely is an emotional state feeling alone or disconnected.  I think thats it.  As a strong independent woman, I need that connection.  🤓 This journey has only strengthened my feeling of connection. 

J RR Tolkien said it well  “How do you move on? You move on when your heart finally understands that there is no turning back.”

, 

Hella hoppers and Skeeters

 Tis bug season!  In this drought it seems the grasshoppers are bigger, more plentiful and uglier than ever.  And skeeters?  How much DEET can a person wear without falling over and kicking the bucket?  Good grief!  

The Alberta weather continues to be Hot and wild!  A mega wind storm created dust, rocked vehicles on the highway and moved a cabin trailer at my friends development 5 inches over on the cement pad!  The drought has backed crops in some areas.  They are beyond rain, theres no saving them now.  Its sad.  I feel for the farmers.  Irrigation reservoirs are getting lower and lower as farms need to irrigate.  Its a struggle.

I had the good fortune to be invited to a bbq with my former neighbours, at a development on the reservoir near my old town of Milo.  It was really good to chat, to hear the latest and greatest and reconnect.  Apparently I miss them more than I realized.   Then onto my buddies Liza and Dave, where they cooked tuna steaks - a first for me! It was grand.  Words of wisdom I came away with: first marriage is for lust, the second for love, the third for money.  Lol.  Not in a hurry for that, and someone That Rich would likely be eyeing a “newer model” lol.

Now at Crazy Tracy’s farm, a very pretty place with 4 doggos.  Last night after a busy day I heard coyotes, an owl and two german shepherds trying to out howl the coyotes!! Lol 

The take away from all this Alberta experience is a full court press for me to relocate back here.  Offers of 5th wheels to live in until I find a suitable rental, help with moving, gas at 60 cents a litre cheaper than I pay on the north island… and a bunch of friends .  But the thing is, i am not sure if thats what I want to do.  I need time to ponder this.  I love the sun here, but also love the beauty of where I live now.  Shopping here is a temptation but I have an affordable place to live in Port McNowhere.  So I will keep weighing the pros and cons as I continue my adventure. 

Tomorrow it’s breakfast at my favourite Hutterite Colony with my favorite Hutterite couple George and Martha.  Salt of the earth, kind, generous and really good folks!  We watched their kids grow into amazing adults, now getting married! They loved my Mac so it will be another smiles and tears experience.  These are the pair that came on vacation when we drove to Port McNowhere on vacation.  George wanted to hunt bear, lol   The bears were safe on that trip. 

Then I'm off to see one more gal pal in Pincher Creek.  I anticipate a couple of late nights and good craic! I'll bring wine 🤪 then on to the state of Washington in search of the best Mexican food ever, and westward to the Pacific Ocean and hopefully cousin Lynn!  

Go west Marlean, go west!

Back to me old stomping grounds.

 Oh.  Canada.  

Ok so I must admit the trip has been amazing.  I forgot how beautiful the prairies can be.  Big skies…I mean mind bogglingly massive.  Sweeping clouds.  Feathered and adorable.  And sun!  Lots of sun.  Then the blue grey of sage bush, pronghorn antelope, mule deer with striped fawns.  Glorious.  I had to stop and just stand and take in the vistas.  I hope I captured these scenes so I can paint them someday. 

This year marks 50 years since I graduated from High School.  5 decades.  I lived in the best of times!  The best music, the coolest cars.  It was awesome! So now I was going to a cabin in the Cypress Hills to hang out with two of my besties from the 70’s. What a great reunion.   It was like we had never been apart, even though we had not seen each other for about a dozen years.  That cabin is modern, gorgeous, and had a very comfy bed.  Stories of crazy days made us laugh till we were breathless.  My favorite moment was one of my friends yelling “You made me pee my pants”!  Lol Mission accomplished. 🤣

I stopped in for a quick visit to a former hairdresser and buddy who now has 8 grandkids!  Again tears, hugs and laughter.  It was weird going through the town I’d left 23 yrs ago when I left to live with Mac.  Partially looking for some familiar haunts, partially hoping I wouldn’t drag up old ghosts.   Time has healed over a few wounds, changed the way things appeared, and spurred old memories.  Weird.  Not nostalgic, just weird feeling. 

Then north to meet up with my family: and a stay in the Bessborough Hotel, a grand old castle.   Thanks sis!  An evening with my family is frenetic, to say the least.  It was wonderful seeing them, hugs, lots of love, and a lot of noise.  Seems we all have to talk at the same time, louder and louder…lol I wasn’t use to that anymore. But overall it was wonderful.  

Seems Saskatchewan has a lot of old friends, so tonight I am watching the sky at my pal Georgettes acreage.  Its been a few years since I saw her and Tom.  Mac and I hung out with them a lot when we lived near High River. How great was it to chill out with them now in their new place in the country.  Then lunch in the Borden Hotel.  I am blessed with so many good friends. 

I feel lonely for my beloved.  At the same time touched by the concern and love I received on this trip.  I do need to stop the bad language that seems to slip out!  Why does that happen?  Chalk it up to stress I guess.

These experiences all show me that yes, I can survive alone.  I don’t like that word Alone.  It sounds cold and sad.  Each morning I wake up to widowhood.  Never in my plans.  I still can laugh, but my silliness level is low.  The pain of heartache is a new companion I need to come to terms with.  

It will be okay.  Tonight as I sit quietly with my friends, I contemplate the trip home.  The dread of returning to my empty flat sits like a rock in my gut.  Reality says I must go back, fantasy says Just keep on driving.  But my travels will be filled with more reunions with my buddies.  And some laughs and reminiscing and so it goes.  

I’ll choose my route, see more sights old and new, and reunite with my cat!  But not for at least another week.  

It will be okay.  In the words of Scarlett O’Hara “fiddley dee, tomorrows another day”.

Feeling the love in Montana

 Made it!  My friend Sandy F’n Campbell is a Widows Son brother to my John.  We go waay back, and what a great guy to have a brew and a visit with! After an excellent night in Dunmore at Marion and Sandy’s…I packed up, filled up and headed south.  

The trip so far has had tears, laughs, and long conversations: and thats just me in the car alone!  Now I was heading south, thru Cypress Hills, across the border, and onwards to Laurel MT.  And indeed, I hit construction.  All the way through Billings.  Luckily I think Mac was helping me stay on target, no swerving left or right ,and soon, with a few phone calls for clarity I was in Laurel.  Ok I did end up in a truck stop parking lot surrounded by big rigs and weaseling my way through them.  But soon I was at my friends Wally and Nevas house.  They are the best!  For three days they chauffeured me around, took me to The Man Cave and Lodge where everything was happening.  This years N/S run was outstanding!  Riders from Fort Mac, 11 from Saskatchewan, Sons from North Dakota, Alberta, Wyoming and of course Montana… and many had their spouses. One soul from Alberta had just returned from a ride to Tuktoyaktuk, talk about endurance!  Then made it to the event.  What a guy!  I love them all, with the exception of three (who were drunk the whole time, but are a-holes when sober) but they were are all Macs Brothers.

We had beers, Tacos by Dan,  many many heartfelt words of missing Mac and offers of help to me.  And big Man Hugs!  At the Lodge a Masonic tribute was on display, sort of the Widows  Sons version of goodbye, like a riderless horse with boots on backwards.  I was asked to say a few words, and I admit I did break down a couple of times.  But the crowd had many tearful faces.  Male and female, it was so touching.  He would have approved!  

The brotherhood shown me that day was healing.  I felt it was a big step to moving forward for me, to have strong people who sincerely care. I can only strive to thank them and will never forget them - they are my family now. We shared two bottles of MacArthur scotch and toasted absent brothers, the way Mac would have wanted.  And on Sunday, I started north. After 35 bikers sang Happy Birthday to me after breakfast!

Montana is gorgeous.  I stayed at one of our favourite spots in White Sulphur Springs, sat in the hot springs and reminisced about our times soaking in the pools. A friend who is a Widows Son and the local Sheriff took me for dinner…chicken fried steak, as big as a hubcap which although delicious was toooo much!  In the a.m. I packed up, and left for Havre.  Ok note to self: don’t leave without coffee…so after a quick return to get my phone charge cords, I was off! Yeah, I headed the wrong way.  Lol so a Uturn and I was on my way north.

The speed limit here is 70 mph…about 120 kpm, and that sure works for me! Breathtaking mountains, forest, rivers, it is amazing here! Stopping at the State Park and being overwhelmed by a chorus of birds, watching deer, one antelope once I hit the open prairie, it is hard to put in words the emotions it brings out,  and the joy and peace I’m filled with.  

I feel I’m healing.  His death is still raw, still fresh but now I am secure knowing I’ll be alright.  The love and support that has surrounded me from his friends on this trip leaves me with a deep sense of peace and hope for my future.  As my good friend Karen said “It’s okay”. 

Tonight I’m in Havre for my last night in the US on this trip.   Tomorrow another adventure commences into the Cypress Hills, this being my 50 year anniversary of my high school grad. Can’t  wait to see my girlfriends, share some Vino (did I mention my fav wine was $20 a bottle cheaper in Montana!) have some laughs and catch up on life.  Then I’ll venture to Saskatoon to see family.  But that will undoubtedly be another tale to tell.

In the words of Tolkien  “there was Frodo, pale and worn and yet himself again; and in his eyes there was peace now, neither strain of will, nor madness, nor any fear.  His burden was taken away.”

Sunshine and coffee…Happy 4th of July!

 I’m overwhelmed, comforted, flooded with memories of 4th of July.  22 of the, to be exact.  Thats how many Mac and I celebrated together.  Occasionally in the States, on our bikes, in the town voted Best Small Town to Celebrate the Fourth, Choteau Montana.  Yup a real live small town parade, where people celebrated whether Republican or Democrat…both parties had their float a s entourage with them…cheers, flag waving, very red white and blue! Friendly folk, making room in the shade for the two smiling Canucks.  

I was looking at older photos on my phone, and the red white and blue jello shooters I concocted, and consumed in our garage made me smile.  The crazy things we did, sometimes just ripping south from our place in Alberta for a cross border biscuit and gravy breakfast.  Yummo!

Or ordering almost everything on the menu for a Chinese takeout feast in Port Townsend with cousin Lynn.  A very good day indeed!  Fireworks all down the coast really topped it off.

Today I’m sitting in the sun with a cool and persistent breeze glad to be with friends in Albeeria.  The drive from Creston seemed long.  The traffic at the end of our July 1 long weekend was nuts!  July 1.  Once called Dominion Day, then changed by Prime Minister Pearson to Canada Day and now PM Truedope questioning if there is a Canadian identity at all?  What woke new hell path is this fool leading us down now?  I refuse to play that game, and won’t  sing his new politically correct version of our national anthem or ever call y’all ‘peoplekind’!   Lol but enough of my political rant (for now)

On my travels I saw some cool stuff:  hundreds of motorcycles and about 3 dozen HA’s (when did all the riders get white hair?) a wild turkey and her brood of 5 turklettes, beautiful rugged mountains and curvey highways.  Then arrived at my friends farm with her collection of cats, dogs and horses (and hubby Dave)  

In retrospect a very quiet 4th but we did enjoy a lovely breakfast at the golf course.  And of course ice cream followed 🤪 Now it may be time for a lazy afternoon nap.  Then who knows?? 

The adventure continues!

 

TransCanada Parking Lot: Marlean hits the mainland.

 Did I ever enjoy living in Vancouver?  I recall yes I did, and yes I drove in the city but that my friends was a LONG time ago!  

Allow me to build that back story:   On June 29 i caught the early ferry from Duke Point in Nanaimo to Tsawassen just out of Vancouver.  I had the good fortune to strike up a conversation with a mother and daughter standing in the food line, who were on their way to Williams Lake.  Two very nice women!  

For some reason I was convinced we’d docked on Hwy #1.  Apparently not and the “talking bossy google map lady” kept trying to divertme to routes and streets I was NOT familiar with. I became more and more annoyed and skeptical when I drove for an hour, under the Alex Fraser bridge, then under the Port Mann bridge, then the Patelo bridge…dang it this crazy route took me past Mission, New Westminster, into Surrey….what had I done?  All the while I could imagine Mac in my head tsking and “Jeez Marilyn you’ve done it now” but I was determined!  My long distance adventure was going to work out!

My goal…drive through BC stopping to see friends , 

then into Alberta seeing more buddies…carry on to Montana to crash the Widows Son’s north south rally, then up to Saskatoon etc to see family before heading home.  

When I finally reached Abbotsford, all lanes, both directions were barely moving.  And nose to tail solid traffic.  This O was not expecting!  Its got to get better…but noooo 2 hours to Chilliwack from Vancouver, 2 hours to get thru to Abbotsford….ridiculous!  

Ok first stop the historic Coalmont Hotel.  Its over 100 yrs old in a tiny hamlet, founded on coal and was why the Kettle Valley Railroad (KVR) was built.  Lots of history. 

The landscape is wild and rugged..steep roads up and down the mountains, lots of ATV and Side by Side trails…i had an in depth and potentially scary tour with my friend who’d grown up driving on those roads.  Likely much faster than we travelled that day.

Then hit the road to Creston via Osoyoos. Totally forgetting it was Canada Day aka big local parade day…and the shut down of Hwy #3 east.  

Great.  I drove around for over an hour before a kind soul tried to give me directions to leave town.  Alas I ended up crossing into the United States, very briefly.  Explained I was recently widowed trying to get to Saskatchewan to see my family…gadzooks!  So turn back into Canada where the border guy gave me the stink eye and let me in…by then thankfully the Osoyoos parade was over and I carried on to my destination for the night, the Pair a Dice RV park and campground.  An older place, meticulously maintained and its a good thing I reserved for a couple of nights.  Free hot showers, good wi-fi, and pretty quiet until a train came thru.  And I thought fog horns were loud!

And here I am, impressed by a beautiful full moon, in my comfy camper car, on the road to adventure.  Its odd driving a road I’ve ridden on many times, past Salmo - the ghosts of a past adventure with my darling Mac, the riding partner I adored.  Yup a couple of tears, a lot of smiles and a long conversation as I drove recalling times past. 

Tomorrow its day 5 on my grand adventure.  I will hunt down a grocery store and a fruit stand.  I’ve got a hankering for corn bread and fresh peaches!  And a big pot of coffee.