SOUTH DAKOTA, MINNESOTA, IOWA, & MISSOURI

Before we left Longview-WA, Holland had a fancy GPS system put in the truck dash … and it has some serious issues.

It's wrong 98% of the time!

This particular day we wasted 500 miles before we realized we were on the wrong interstate (why were we in Minnesota?) and reset the route we wanted - only to have GPS take over, and defiantly reroute our chosen route (she kept aiming us towards Minneapolis - wrong direction).

It was very frustrating.

We found we were consulting the paper Road Atlas more than we were that fancy GPS that cost a king's ransom to purchase and install.

Watching semi's struggle to keep their trailers upright as they drove side-heavy down the freeway, we also came to the understanding of why everyone who hauls RV's avoid the upper Midwest States; UNRELENTING HIGH WINDS.

We stopped to let Bleu out to do his thing … and the wind caught the open truck door, practically jerking me out of the cab: I was afraid Bleu would blow away!

I definitely want to go back to Missouri - to the Jesse James House & Museum; we were traveling so quick to make West Virginia, that we didn't have time to dink around sight-seeing: but I told Holland I definitely want us to make time to go back and visit this historical thing - makers and shakers of the Old West intrigue me.

GPS seriously lost us precious time …

GPS took us waaay out of the way; we need to redirect using the paper Road Atlas.

We would punch in the route we wanted - and GPS would reroute. We finally shut it off.

I'm glad we are doing this. I'm glad we are traveling States that appreciate life and honor Elohim.

I LIKE!

Blue skies & terraced fields. Terraced crop fields; interesting. I know the Aztecs terraced their land for planting, but I didn't know it was happening in American farmlands.

Windmills were everywhere …

HIGH WINDS; I was afraid to walk the dog, for fear he's be swept away.

This doesn't look very threatening, BUT … the wind gusts nearly ripped the door off the truck when I opened the door.

We'll probably NEVER bring the 5th Wheel this way; TOO WINDY.

Iowa high winds advisory.

Bleu ignored everyone and everything, with a puppy nap. LOL

I am officially in the South - Missouri to be specific - with south leanings.

Jesse James House & Museum - NEED TO VISIT!

Janis came to mind as we drove through here …

Janis Joplin - 'Get It While You Can' song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0FlTjvQLgw)

The Missouri River.

We spent the night in Kingdom City, Missouri.

GILLETTE-WYOMING & SOUTH DAKOTA

Passing through Gillette, Wyoming, I learned more about my husband - and his broadspread blue-collar background.

Holland had lived, and worked, in Gillette during a period of time in his life.

Holland had left home, and supported himself since he was 14 years old with various jobs: these were brawny man jobs (given his height of 6' 4", he was able to pass as an adult); not burger flipping at DQ for 3 months during the summer school recess period.

I am glad to be educated about things I am curious about … by a man who has actually worked at what I am asking questions about. I prefer a hands-on explanation, rather than a text book parroting on these topics ;-)

Sorry about the smeared pics - the bugs are thick, and juicy; and the hot sunshine dries this muck on the windshield as soon as you hear the sharp pop, followed by the splatter. Yuk.

Holland explaining to me the ins-and-outs of oil field work.

Oil transport trucks.

Oil storage bins.

Holland has worked in the oil fields of America, and in Canada.

Holland, 3 of his brothers, and his stepfather were on the cover of an Oil Magazine; CELEBRITIES ;-)

I apparently married 'UP', into a well-known family.

Holland is 'in training'; I WANT PICS!

Mounds of red pumice cover the landscape; used for roads & driveways.

WTHeck. In the middle of nowhere - for no apparent reason.

A sight you won't see in the PNW.

A metal teepee.

A farm equipment graveyard. LOL

I want to come back to Wyoming; & Bleu needs reined in.

New territory for both of us …

Wall Drug Store is a western style Strip Mall; I needed to stop at the Drug Store - and this was the closest on our route.

Dino's in the land - Sinclair Fuel Station mascot.

Metal sculptures; a horse & a pagan god, baal.

Porter Sculpture Park - Montrose, South Dakota:(https://www.rvtravel.com/camping-surreal-porter-sculpture-park-montrose-sd-1074/)

Road work in Humboldt, Wyoming - entire concrete road is being torn out - down to the dirt sub road.

Text from Chuck.

BUTTE-MONTANA to GILLETTE-WYOMING

Windshield is splattered with bug guts - juicy bug guts. YUK!

Coming into Wyoming.

Passing through Lodge Grass: Lodge Grass is a town in Big Horn County, Montana, United States. The population was 441 at the 2020 census. It is at the confluence of Lodge Grass Creek and the Little Bighorn River, on the Crow Indian Reservation.

Big Horn Mountain Range.

Bleu's first introduction to snow.

Holland checking to make sure my Coca Cola supply is sufficient.

These things are everywhere - and always busy.

'Follow, follow, follow, follow; follow the red rock road' …

The entire landscape is made up of piles of the red pumice.

Red pumice chip-seal highway; boldly colorful :-)

MOSES LAKE-WA to BUTTE, MONTANA

Our first night on the road was spent in Moses Lake-WA.

Leaving Longview behind to choke in our dust, Holland drove up the freeway to Highway #12 where we traveled the White Pass Scenic Byway to Naches … and on through towards Spokane-WA. We didn't see any of the beautiful scenery though, because we didn't leave Longview until about 9:30 PM - but, because I have enjoyed this particular stretch of road for most of my life in the PNW, I have it memorized ;-)

We'll travel this way again sometime in the future; in the daytime hours, and I'll get newer pics then of the scenery.

We got all the way to Butte-MT, and had a hard time finding a room for the night, for cash. We did finally manage to get one very late into the evening: we stopped inquiring over the phone, and just drove to the office … over the phone we were told the inn was full; face to face was a different story.

Spent the 1st night 'on the road', at Moses Lake.

Holland says I'm spoiling Bleu. I tell him, "he's a baby - he needs a little spoiling" ;-)

Blue lays at my feet in the truck cab.

Making sure we can legally get our New Home out of West Virginia … YES! Safe :-)

We went thru Ritzville: a region in south eastern Washington characterized by gentle rolling hills. The industry of the Ritzville area is dominated by agricultural dry land production of small cereal grains, primarily wheat and barley; however, other products such as canola, grass seed, livestock and alfalfa hay are also grown.

Carl Jrs. for Supper - a new experience.

Idaho.

Hwy. #2 - from Spokane to Minnesota. My Uncle Don (the baby of my bio-father's family) was a long-hauler - driving from Coast to Coast.

Pretty architecture.

'I could live the rest of my life like this' … AND I AM!

Bleu left a little wee at Big Creek. LOL

Holland does not want to be in snow country - and guess what we passed through: snow ;-)

50,000 Silver Dollars - I remember these from the 1968 trip to Uncle Don's home in Missoula (he had remarried and moved from WA State).

I had told both Bob and Holland about this place, where silver dollars covered every square inch of the building. The building has expanded, and the silver dollars are displayed differently; but this is the same place. Exit 16, I-90, Haugan, MT. The silver dollar collection (more than $50,000) was started by Gerry & Marie Lincoln in 1952. Now in their fourth generation, the Lincoln family continues the silver dollar collection.

Here, I bought 4 necklaces that I can wear with my jeans … no metal on them anywhere.

We finally had time to contact AARP Vehicle Insurance … and ended up canceling AARP because they wouldn't insure our 4x.

We quickly found another Vehicle Insurance provider. Our new Insurance Plan will insure both - the truck, and the 5th Wheel.

Holland likes to move along quickly; he obeys the speed limits but feels constrained by the 55-65-70 limitations … this speed limit made his day: he'd been waiting for it to show up. LOL

My Uncle Don's house was at the base of this 'M' which marks Missoula. This is rattlesnake country.

We did not get to sleep in Missoula-MT; a concert bumped the room rates triple cost.

Cannot get a room in Montana WITH CASH - they insist on using a Credit Card reservation!

I was disappointed to find that Montana is a rhino state :-(

BABY MAKES THREE

April 27th, 2023.

That date (following our Wedding January 7th, 2023) is another important milestone to be noted and celebrated: both of these dates changed our lives forever :-)

Today, April 27th, my old life officially ended … and my new life took off in a big way.

It was a very busy day: clearing the house of everything we intended to take with us; fielding phone calls coming in back to back; trying to cinch a profitable deal; and doing our best to ignore the buyer's pushy agent - who has been a major pain in the ass every step of the way.

Texts from WV Chuck about buying a hitch, with the 5th Wheel purchase.

I researched the Lot for a visual reference.

This plant was gifted to me as a baby plantlet, from a friend in Naselle-WA (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/06/life-in-slow-lane-traveling.html); it's going into our new home if it survives storage 'til we get back.

Holland is doing all the heavy lifting; he's a real trooper.

The buyer's Agent is an ASS. We have our own stuff to get done.

Answering Shay's text: pushy people annoy the hell out of me, and these people have been VERY pushy. 9 PM - 'on the dot' has just been decided.

The buyer's agent actually came to the house around 6 PM and tried to manhandle us out (of all the nerve!) - I dug my heels in, and told him his clients would have to wait "until 9 PM; we still have stuff to do before locking the door." If he hadn't been such an unmitigated jerk, I'd have been willing to lock up sooner … but because he actually thought that by showing up and trying to force us out would work, I made them all wait until the legal time out. I knew I was being a bitch: but I didn't care; he was being an AH., and needed reining in.

And if his clients suffered, too bad; they're the ones that hired the pushy jerk.

I'm the one that shut him down.

9 PM rolled around. The puppy was loaded into the truck; the door was locked for the last time by me … and finally, we three were on our way.

Leaving Longview behind: ((((THANK YOU, YESHUA!))))

We were going the distance to purchase our new Home. We could have bought the same RV closer to home, but driving the distance would save us thousands of dollars: $72,950 in Ellensburg-WA … $57,995 in Mineral Springs, WV. Going the distance made good, logical sense.

Plus, my loving husband said, "You like long drives - I'm about to make your day, Babe." He's the best!

Pulling out of Heron Pointe, for the last time. YIPPIE!

This is the Name for me that Holland entered into his phone … it's nice being his 'Baby'.

An that's that - into the great wide open. This little guy cost us plenty to get him - and to hit the road with him; but what he adds to our life more than males up for it ;-)

Dixie Chicks - 'Wide Open Spaces' song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qgt2ODdwEU)

We are heading into a new life - a new future - a new chapter of US.

Dixie Chicks - 'Cowboy Take Me Away' song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkItOtAurDc)

Best laid Plans …