Venturing Towards the Great Unknown...Home

White Pass, WA

      Each year it happens; we must decide when and from where to finally set our sails towards our home port in NW Michigan and get underway.  This is usually decided by weather reports, as well as road and mountain pass reports if necessary.  If we are coming from the south we usually stage somewhere around St. Louis and watch the forecast north.  If we are coming the from Far West, as we are this year, we need to watch forecasts and mountain passes.  We have 4 of them between Western Washington and Great Falls, MT alone.  We can stay over in between passes if needed depending on the coming forecast.  We don't carry chains or snow tires or studded tires so we are hamstrung by what the law allows.  We have to watch carefully and pick our spots.  In the end we can't get home unless the snow has melted enough to get up our driveway.  All of this takes place sometime around the middle to the end of April.  It is the beginning of springtime, but Mother Nature can be a funny bird.
      This year was especially tricky with the onslaught of Coronavirus and all the havoc it caused throughout the nation let alone the world.  We were moved around quite a bit prior to departure from the beach last month.  We also tried to stay in one place for 2 weeks in case we became symptomatic.  We ended up in our self imposed quarantine in East Olympia for 17 days; a success.  We did not know what lay ahead for us, how far and where we would be allowed to travel.  We planned to be as completely 'self contained' as possible.  We figured we'd have to be.  We finally made our break on April 11th.  We boondocked the first 3 days enroute to Great Falls, MT.  This would allow us to camp very cheaply, usually FREE, and still be 'socially distanced' without RV parks and other folks.  I guess you could say we were traveling 'under the radar'..in this climate, a valuable commodity.   Power via solar panels, propane, and the generator if needed.  We did not travel far each day; just far enough to make progress and still get off the grid when available.  We have stayed at all of these places before.

Walmart Yakima, WA  T+183 miles. Short I-5 south then US Hwy 12 east over White Pass.  Makes for a short first day to work out the travel kinks, gets us in early to chillax.  We usually like to boondock overnight at Roza CG up the Yakima River Canyon, but it was closed this trip due to the
virus.  Still a nice overnight for FREE.

Lookout Pass Idaho/Montana

Lincoln's 50,000 Silver Dollar Bar, Haugan, MT.  Mileage T+430 miles.  All I-90 interstate travel.  FREE camping in the back with electricity and a central water station. Good food and a few slot machines inside, but due to the virus only the truck stop and RV park were open.  This is a big truck stop with diesel and all the needs. There were only 2 other rigs in camp.  They have done some power renovation since our last time through here.  They now have 8 new 10/30/50A GCFI boxes for hookups.  Depending on power requirements they can handle up to 24 units for overnight or a couple of days.  They no longer allow 'long term camping'.  We celebrated Easter here with a 2 day stay and some mountain air.
www.campendium.com/50000-silver-dollar-casino

Lincoln's 50,000 Silver Dollar Bar RV Camping

New 10/30/50A boxes

Easter Dinner
Garlic Parmesan Rockfish w/Garlic Sour Cream Yukon Gold Taters & Corn

Dick's RV Park Great Falls, MT.  T+695 miles.  I-90 from Haugan to Missoula, then 2 lane MT Hwy 200 for the last 3 hours into Great Falls.  We usually stay on Malmstrom AFB at the Fam Camp, but due to the virus it is closed.  Our only big break in the trip, we stayed here several days to address any required maintenance and visit with a friend.  137 sites, full hookups and all the amenities. We left Haugan early as they were predicting another spring snow storm in Great Falls that evening.  Fortunately that did not materialize, except for some flurries.  $43/day.  NOTE:  We were self contained here with full hookups; due to Coronavirus their community bathrooms and laundry were closed.

Black Eagle Dam, Missouri River

Great Falls Skyline from the airport

Pilot Flying J Truck Stop Beach, ND  T+1083 miles.  This is all two lane driving across the prairie on MT Hwy 200.  A gas stop in Lewistown is almost essential.  Pilot Flying J is a nice big truck stop just across the MT/ND border on I 94 Exit 1 in the middle of nowhere.  They do have fuel discounts, FREE RV overnight parking spots, and free water/dump access. FREE boondock.  Interestingly enough travel across Montana usually involves seeing lots of wildlife, but in the past 10 years or so that has not been the case.  There was a devastating winter several years ago that decimated the Pronghorn Antelope population.  However, today between Great Falls and the North Dakota border we counted 532 antelope 185 mule deer, and 4 pheasant.  This is all just driving down the road,   making a 344 mile drive a bit more interesting.  Even the Yellowstone River was down and looked like there was plenty of beach and islands to peruse for agates.

Yellowstone River @ Glendive, MT

E-zry RV Park, Moorehead, MN  T+1435 miles.  All I-94 driving.  WHAT A SHOCK!  Located in the country several miles from town it is a homestead in disarray with junk, old, RVs, and cars everywhere.  There are some sites, but the owner doesn't know how many of them still work.  He is waiting on his hearing next week to see if he can get his license restored.  That should have been my alarm signal.  We parked next to his house and another RV with power, but shared water via Y connector with the other RV.  WHAT A SHITHOLE.  $30 per night is what he asks, but that became negotiable quickly.  DO NOT STOP HERE.

Walmart Ironwood, MI T+1780 miles.  All US highways and two lane roads with a bit of I-35 for awhile outside of Duluth, MN.  Strictly an overnight boondock.  FREE

Chocolay River RV Park  T+1935 miles.  Marquette, MI  A great group of folks that let us stay overnight even though not open yet.  They set us up in the winter caretakers lot.  They even reduced the rate:  $25 per night.  We stayed here an extra night for the peace and quiet.

Chocolay River RV Park Marquette, MI

      We don't eat out much when on the road, easy this trip with the health restrictions and all. So my cooking dictates the cuisine.  We dined on Fried Clam Strips n FF,  Garlic Parmesan Rockfish, Herb Crusted Horseradish Venison Chuck Steak, Ham Steaks, Lasagna, Tillamook Moondog Grilled Cheese, and Venison Carnitas to name a few.  We did make sure to order out one night in Great Falls for some Howard's Pizza, an old favorite.  We also began making a habit of keeping both our RV freezers full.  We've heard stories of meat shortages ahead and so when we make room we restock with whatever meat we need or want.

Fried Razor Clam Strips

Venison Carnitas

Herb Crusted Venison Chuck Steaks w/Horseradish Crème Sauce

Ham Steak

       Finally we arrived home.  We averaged 13.5 mpg towing nearly 2400 miles with the cheapest price for diesel at $1.98 in Fargo, ND.  It has been a long 2 years with another trip to Alaska and 2 long trips around the country as well.  We haven't been home more than 1 month in the past 24.  It will be good to spend the summer here.

NOTE:  WE ARE GOING TO SELF QUARANTINE FOR AT LEAST THE FIRST 3 WEEKS AT OUR PLACE SO PLEASE DON'T ATTEMPT TO VISIT.  

"Wherever you go, go with all your heart"  

Confucius 

WiFi courtesy of Verizon MiFi

Howard's Pizza Great Falls, MT

      Everyone has a favorite eatery, a place with memories abounding.  We always thought the food was THE BEST and wouldn't trade it for the world.  Due to my Air Force career I have several, but this is one my early favorites.  While stationed in Great Falls for 4 years in the early 70s I ate Howard's Pizza many, many times either by delivery, take out, or next door at the Stein Haus, the local watering hole.
www.howardspizzamontana.com

 

Heaven on Earth, right next door to each other

     Howard's Pizza was first established in 1959 in Great Falls, MT.  They offer a signature, handmade crispy thin crust pizza made fresh daily from scratch.  Their famous sauce and ranch dressing are prepared fresh to ensure the best taste and flavor.  Howard's Pizza uses only whole milk mozzarella cheese for all pizzas along with the finest toppings.  Howard's Pizza now offers 4 locations throughout the Great Falls area.
      I introduced Barb to it several years ago and she has come to love the simplicity, taste, and quality of their pizza.  We had Howard's pizza delivered to our RV while in Great Falls this trip as well.  We always get the same thing...…LARGE Lean Ground Beef.
      Of course with age comes the differentiation of tastes, but not with this pizza.  Wonderful, tasty, lean ground beef with cheese on a thin crust square cut pizza that will create memories.

Always good topped with these......yeah, Barb already got to it before I did

      Make no mistake, this is not Artisan Pizza, not an eclectic or organic experience, just good food at a reasonable price.  Our large totaled $16 delivered.  Yet another delicious meal for the soul.  Hard to leave here with such memories, but easy to travel on a full, satisfied stomach.  Thank you, Great Falls.  You'll always have a special place in my heart.

  

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song among hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world"  

JRR Tolkien 

WiFi courtesty of Verizon MiFi

 

Tillamook Moondog Grilled Cheese

Tillamook Grilled Cheese Grill Food Truck    Portland, OR

      Another in the line of GREAT Tillamook grilled cheese sandwich recipes.  Simple, delicious and always goes well with a cup of soup, especially tomato.  Although the recipe calls for Sourdough bread it goes equally well with Ciabatta.  This recipe makes one sandwich so multiply it accordingly.  

3 slices Provolone cheese
2 slices hard salami
2 slices Pepperoni
Green Olive Tapenade or sliced green olives
sliced sweet peppers
2 slices Sourdough bread
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

First layer 

      Make the slices of bread a bit on the thick side.  Layer 1 slice of cheese, 1 slice hard salami, 1 slice pepperoni, layer olive tapenade, and sweet peppers, then 1 more slice cheese...…..repeat.  Last layer should end with top being cheese.

Two layer Moondog Assembled

       Place small skillet on med high heat and add oil.  Spray the outside of the sandwich both sides with some PAM if you wish.  Place sandwich in skillet and press down lightly with spatula.  Check for doneness and turn over when golden brown.  When the second side is done remove sandwich and place on plate.  Let cool for a minute or two then slice diagonally to serve.  Goes very well with a cup of tomato soup.  NOTE:  I would try to find sliced sourdough bread next time; the rolls were a bit cumbersome in the skillet.  We really did not care for the Green Olive Tapenade and would probably use sliced green olives next time.

Finis ala plate

"We hunger for significance, for signs that our personal existence is of special meaning to the universe.  To that end we are all too eager to deceive ourselves and others, to discern a sacred image in a grilled cheese sandwich or find divine warning in a comet" 

Neil deGrasse Tyson

WiFi courtesy of Verizon MiFi

Life and the Pandemic; you can still burn the toast.....

      Retirement has provided Barb and with so many new adventures, so why wouldn't the 'end of the world' be part of it.  Okay I jest, but we have learned to take things a day at a time.  Nothing is ever as bad as it seems and if this is "IT" then so be it.  We began this trip at the Pacific Ocean where we were shut out of a Native American Resort and a Washington State Park, but finally ended up in a private park to stay for the remainder of our stay.  Even this place would not allow us to use their community showers, restrooms, and laundry.  But, then WDFW closed the remainder of razor clam season so we just headed back to our good friends Wilma and John in East Olympia, WA.  The walls weren't closing in, but we were tripped enough times to wonder.

      During our stay on the coast we were able to find nearly all the supplies we needed except for the dreaded missing toilet paper, cleaning wipes, and hand sanitizer.  We thank God for 2 freezers full of fish, clams, chicken, pork, crawfish, and venison.  I also tried to do most of the cooking for our friends while there as John is in declining health and spent most of the time in the hospital.  Barb and I picked up as much of the workload, as we could.  A very special SHOUT OUT  to Ruby Garlinghouse Clements who baked two large delicious trays of lasagna for us to take back to Wilma and John.

      This outbreak is very serious and although far too many of Americans are not taking it seriously enough, we did try to 'shelter in place' in our RV in the country.  I have COPD and used my inhaler daily while Barb's allergies and occasional cigarette didn't do her any favors, but we made out fine.  We took turns hitting the grocery store every couple of days and only those other essential places, such as prescriptions we needed.  I tried to cook every couple of nights to lessen the burden on our host.  While here I prepared Boudin Mac n Cheese Goulash, Venison Salisbury Steak, Italian Shrimp, Bacon, and Cabbage, Tillamook BABS n Soup, and Chicken Paprikash to name a few.

Fried Italian Shrimp Cabbage Scallions and Bacon

Venison Salisbury Steak

Boudin Mac n Cheese Goulash

      We also availed ourselves of the numerous restaurants that offered take out or delivery services as well to include Jimmy Johns, Old 99 Bar n Grill, and Papa Murphy's.  Loved those gizzards, burgers, pizza, and salads!

Camp Meek East Olympia, WA

      True it can seem that such isolation is lonely and sometimes brutal, but you can learn to make the most of it, especially when you consider the alternatives.  We are very grateful we had our friends, but movies, fireplace time, etc. help as well.  The daily routine is what you make it.  I'm sure a few more folks learned how to prepare meals they didn't think they were capable of, but they did try.  Fear kills a lot of skills and abilities.  We refused to relent.  I did see far too many folks still on the road when they didn't need to be although I heard it was far worse in other parts of the country.  We took our precautions, washed our hands, used the Clorox Wipes and Lysol Spray along with latex gloves at every opportunity.  We also stocked up on latex gloves and face masks for our upcoming travels.  Keeping our distance while RV traveling is easy.   The absolute worst part for us was not being able to see our children and grandchildren while here.  I understand the reasoning, but it still hurts.  We did drop off some clams at our son's place to his girlfriend before leaving.  We stayed pretty much in quarantine for 25 days.  

      We are leaving Washington in a few days, heading east.  Yet at home in Michigan there are stories of all the tourists and snow birds beginning to make their way north with spring approaching oblivious of what they could be doing.  Michigan's virus rate is rising rapidly and it's no wonder why.  We are grateful beyond belief for the hospitality shown by our friends.  Our thoughts and prayers remain with those left behind and still ahead.    We pray for John to get better day by day and be able to come home once again soon.  

"Do the wise thing and the kind thing too, 

and make the best of us and not the worst" 

Charles Dickens

WiFi courtesy of Verizon MiFi