Aug 13--Leave the UP

Driving Route 2, and now we're leaving Michigan's Upper Peninsula, going over the Mackinac bridge. What? We can't use our FastPass?
That's the fast ferry to Mackinac Island. Maybe next trip we'll plan a day on the island.

Aug 12--Wanoka

Found a campground in the national forest, just as we were driving along.The campground was a former CCC camp. There are 20 campsites, all quite large, and there's a small lake. Lots of the people there had brought their 4-wheelers, because there were trails in the woods for them.
About all that's left of the CCC camp are 2 hand pumps, which are the water supply for the campground.

Aug 10--Lake Itasca, MN

Met another truck camper at Teddy Roosevelt, a fellow from Arkansas. He recommended Lake Itasca in Minnesota. So, since we're headed that way, we stopped. Lake Itasca is the headwaters of the Mississippi River.This is the starting point for the great river.
It's just a little creek here, and you can walk across on the stones! Imagine--just wade right in.
Mosquitoes were bad, though. The fellow from Arkansas told us he found out what they feed them up here--visitors!

Aug 8--Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ND

They told us at the entrance to be very careful around the buffalo--it's rutting season, stay out of their way, keep well back, it's their park first--we're just visiting.
This is the campground, which is in a circle. The buffalo cross from the surrounding woods to the center of the campground to graze. If you are outside, and they're coming close, get inside.
This was taken through our screen door as they passed by our chairs and table.
One even left a gift by our table. Good thing his aim was so good. Few inches closer and that table would have gone in the dumpster!
Great granddaddy Bison--everyone paid attention to him.
So, sometimes you have to wait a little to use the dump station.
And you may have to wait for the showers and bathrooms too!
They're magnificent animals, and we're so glad we stopped to see this park. We drove the entire 14 miles of road in the park, almost of half of which is under construction. The views were wonderful, and the buffalo could show up around any corner. You'd just have to either stop and wait for them, or try to go very, very slowly. The ranger told us that a big bull could tip a small car.

Aug 8--Badlands, ND

Home again, home again, back to the USA. Travelling through Montana and North Dakota, on Route 2, which is just as fast as the interstate highway, but much prettier, and offers more sights.Route 85, off Route 2, is the route to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, which has been recommended by friends.
So, we're off to see Teddy's bison.

Aug 6--Glacier

Plan for the day was to take the gondola ride to see the town, the hot springs, the mountains, etc. Weather however didn't cooperate--rain and fog again, so we headed north to the Athabasca Glacier, a 2.5 hour ride from Banff.Above is the view from the parking lot. That's the glacier, descending between the mountains.
Here's one of the vehicles that takes people to see the glacier. The descent down the road is an 18% grade, 33 degrees. Top speed in one of these is 6mph, and going down the hill is at about 2mph.
We're walking around on 1000 feet of ice. Along the edge of the glacier, where it's melting, you can drink the water. It's quite pure, just tastes a little dusty. They say one taste will turn the clock back 9 years. Does that mean if we drink it, we're no longer retired, and have to go back to work?
Oh, and it was about 34F, too.

Aug 5--Banff, AB

On the road to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Foggy, rainy day, but the scenery is still breath-taking.
And no, that's not a tunnel or a bridge. It's a bear crossing. The Canadian government is making these crossings over the highway, so that wildlife can cross the highway without mixing with auto traffic. The sides of the highway are fenced, right up to the crossings. There were a number of these completed, and a number still under construction all along the way on Rt 1, to Banff.
In town Banff, it looks like pictures of a Swiss village. It was loaded with traffic and people. Again, it looks like all of Canada is on vacation. Those Canadians vacation with a vengeance!

Hey, he may be more expensive, but we're bigger!

Aug 4--Okanagan, BC

Got to British Columbia just in time for the Canadian holiday. Every place is busy; every campground is full. Finally found a spot for the night at an "RV park", between an RV dealer and an 18-wheelers' refuelling site. Quiet? Not. Affordable? Not. ($52.50CA) Very nice fence, though, with remote controlled gates to the place.View of the refuelling site behind us. The owner had fencing with grape vines separating each site. There were about 22 to 25 sites, and we got almost the last site for the night. Nice little income that, at those rates.
And a garden besides.

Aug 3--Oroville, WA

On our way to British Columbia; stopped to refuel in the small town of Oroville, WA. They had this neat graphic on the wall of the building next to the fuel stop.And look at what was parked next to it! Neat!

Aug 3--Liar's Cove

Found a nice quiet place for the night on a reservoir in Conconully, WA.It's where all the wishermen go--you know who you are! They can tell tall tales to each other of the ones that got away. Most of the RVs here were from Canada, because, remember, it's that holiday weekend up north. Liar's Cove was a nice place, though; very welcoming.

Aug 2--Grand Coulee Dam

They do everything big out here, or perhaps that's Grand.Really big dam with three generating stations. The Grand Coulee Dam does a laser light show against the walls of the dam nearly every night. We didn't stay to see it, but heard it's quite a show.
And the biggest substation Tincansailor has ever seen!

Aug 1--Roslyn, WA and Cicely, AK

Not that much farther east from Kent, WA, is Alaska. Oops. I mean Roslyn, WA, which was used as the setting for Northern Exposure and Cicely, AK. Remember the picture on the side of the building at the beginning of each episode? It's got Roslyn on it now, but that's about all that's changed.It could still pass for Alaska, even in summer and with horses on Main Street.

July 31--Kent, WA and Torklift

Well, major miscalculation on our part. And we should have figured it out sooner. We live in a seaside resort. It was the Canadian holiday that threw off all our figures. So, seaside resort + summer + tourists + ferries + reservations required all over the place + CANADIAN HOLIDAY = nothing available for campgrounds or ferries in Port Townsend or the San Juan Islands or Victoria. Picked up our marbles, and headed East.Drive through Tacoma, and next is Kent, WA, home of Tork Lift. Knew it was the right place--they've got a picture of a truck and camper on the side of the building. Feeling better. Our kind of place. --til we got to the KOA--most expensive KOA we ever stayed at.

July 30--Port Townsend and Fort Worden State Park

We want to see the Olympic Peninsula, San Juan Islands, and perhaps go up into Canada from here to Victoria Island in British Columbia, so have headed for Port Townsend, and have a campsite at Fort Worden State Park.The park is right on the ocean, and has 2 camping areas, one on the ocean. We're lucky enough to get a site on the ocean camping area. First, we drive through the center of the park. Look familiar?
Think you may have seen it before?
Or stayed here?
Well, the park was used as the setting for the movie "An officer and a gentleman", so of course it looks familiar!
Next step is to try to get reservations some place for the weekend, and try to get ferry reservations to the San Juan Islands and from there to Victoria.

July 28--Bremerton, WA and the Turner Joy

Next, heading west to Bremerton. Why? Because Sailorsmate's paternal grandparents used to live there; grandfather worked in the shipyards during the war, and we wanted to see how much the city has changed.As you enter the city, the first thing you encounter is the Naval Base, where there were 3 aircraft carriers being dismantled. Not far from there is the permanent berth of the Turner Joy, the tincan that fired the first shot in Vietnam and the last shot. We toured the ship, of course, and thanks to our membership in Tincan Sailors, admission was free!

The city has changed quite a bit from Sailorsmate's memories--much bigger and busier, but it's still very much a Navy town.

July 24--Heading north to Mt St Helens

Making our way north, first to Mt St Helens.
We could see the volcanic trail for a long way. Will post just these pictures of the valley.

July 21--Glide

On the way back to the farm, we stopped in Glide. A glide is a place where two rivers meet and there are very turbulent waters in spring.
The water was low, and pretty peaceful when we were there.

July 20--Wizard Island

At the end of our loop from the farm to Hell's Canyon to the coast, we find ourselves at Crater Lake.
The loop around the lake is beautiful, with breath-taking views of the water and Wizard's Island.
Luckily the snow is mostly gone. They can get over 40 ft of snow in some parts of the park. That stick beside the camper is to mark the side of the road for the plows in the spring! Nothing like the little markers we use on our driveway.