After almost 8,000 miles... Almost Home....

 

Here are a few photos of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library..It is really a museum...and the best I have been to. It is very interactive and I recommend it. It was packed full of us older folks..I don't think I saw anyone under 50 there..

Yesterday I drove from Medora to Billings and stayed at a brewery. It was a fun place and had great food. It even served coffee and muffins in the morning. 

Then on to Ennis and Dillon, Montana. 

The drive was beautiful and brought back many memories of adventures Tom and I had in Montana. I don't know how I am feeling...maybe sad, nostalgic, and grateful. There were the Crazy Mts where we backpacked and I swear a grizzly bear was outside our tent. Then the Madison River where Tom fished and Yellowstone and of course Ennis. 

I visited his grave again and was reminded of all the wonderful folks who came to the burial. I am so grateful for everyone who came. It was beautifully sad and perfect. 

Here are some shout outs..to those who made my trip possible..

•  Harvest Host...I stayed at many wonderful places and met some great folks..
• The lady on my phone who tells me where to go...I am lost without her. (navigation)
• Kathy Addington..my ground support who researched where I was headed and advised me
• Greta and Zach,..opening their home and feeding me and my friends
• Julie and Bonnie..for the lake visit
• Libby App...I downloaded at least 5 books and listened as I drove..
• Mexican instant coffee.that and my hot kettle started my day..oh also half and half
• Amish cookies..bought in Hiram Maine...got me through 2 weeks of treats
• New West..the company in Quebec who converted the van 9 years ago..and fixed it on this trip
• Joanie...Seth...Joe..Nikki...Kara...and Roni...for hosting me
• Quebec..the best van ever..no problems at all except when I broke the back window
• Phone hot spot...provided Internet almost everywhere I went
• Canadians...for not holding me responsible our awful president ..I apologised a lot
• Tom and Patty...neighbors who are keeping eye on house 
• Tracy and Paul....my support staff who mow my lawn and clean house

Biggest Shout Out goes to>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>RUTHIE

She is my best pal and companion..she slept under the bed at night and next to me as I drove.

We walked every day many times and she kept me next to her. She cannot see so well or hear so she gets confused. But what a pal!

Most of all ...thank all of you for following along with me..It was a most wonderful trip. And honestly I am sad it is over...or is it?? More trips to come..

TRNP

  Last night I returned to the 4E Winery in North Dakota..close to Fargo. I stayed here before and they remembered me. I woke up to this view..

This is my little bed inside the van. It is very cozy. 

Another 4 hour drive to Theodore Roosevelt NP. I had time to take a drive through the park and visit a few visitor centers. My favorite thing was the prairie dogs.

Tomorrow the TR Presidential library. Then on to Billings on Friday. 

I am at a campground in Medora. (yea...showers) and I saw a very moving thing. 

There was a couple in a van pulling another trailer. The trailer was set up with wheelchair and other items. There was a woman in a wheelchair and it looked like she was paralyzed from the neck down. I marveled that her partner was taking her on a trip like this. I think I admire caregivers more than anyone. Such love and care. 

Home Sunday! 

Migration

 

Last night as I slept in Brimley State Park (Michigan) 5,000 to 14,000 birds migrated over me..Isn't that a beautiful thought.  I discovered a migration website and now everywhere I am I can track what birds are migrating while I sleep. 

https://birdcast.org

I guess I am like those birds in some way..I too get restless and like to move on. Consider this trip my fall migration. 

Read this in the NY Times:

"The seasonal restlessness that birds experience is called Zugunruhe (“migration anxiety” in German). They flap and flutter, hop and pace: let’s get this show on the road, let’s get out of here already. Who hasn’t known such restlessness, that urge to move, to make a change?"

I had one hell of a day on Friday. Got van fixed (yeaaaaa!!!) then drove to Quebec City to get window fixed and waited and waited for it to get done. Finally at 3:00 it was done. Then a 4 hour drive to my next Harvest Host. I needed to keep on schedule because I have reservations the rest of the trip and it would take so long to change it all. 

Arrived at Barnridge Brewery in the dark. It is a hop farm and has a fun brewery. It was lit up and full of men drinking beer. Ruthie and I made ourselves at home and chatted with the local farmers and had a brew pub meal. Not so great..

Then  the next day I drove and drove and just kept going across the International Bridge at Sault St Marie and found a state park to camp for the night. I was so tired..But joy of all joys they had a shower. 

I was amazed at how beautiful Lake Superior is. There was a very long white sand beach, clear water, and a perfect swimming spot. I could have been at any ocean beach. 

Trees are beautiful...The Upper Peninsula in Michigan is amazing. It is full of beaches, campgrounds and funky little towns. Evidently, bigfoot hangs out here too. Who knew.

Tomorrow I am on to Duluth to stay at an egg farm. Bet it will be eggciting! 

I just couldn't be in Canada and not go to Tim Hortons.  Met some nice folks there..BTW they really really really hate Trump...but like us Americans! 

The Good...The Bad...The Ugly

The Good...

I made it across the border after going to the US crossing by mistake. But the best part of this day was the Haskell Library and Opera House. Half of the library is in Canada and the other half is in USA. You have to leave the same door you entered..so I couldn't get into Canada that way. Here is a fun article about it. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/world/canada/haskell-free-library-opera-house-quebec-vermont-border.html?eafs_enabled=false

Also good it I am getting van fixed..window shades, drawer latches..and they are so nice here at New West. 

The bad:  

The traffic in Quebec City is sooooo unbelievably bad..Bumper to bumper for miles on end.

The Ugly..

Here is my van after I backed into a truck in the New West parking lot. I am searching for a way to make it not my fault..(the back up camera was blacked out) But I think I messed up. The New West folks taped it up and sent me to glass repair place I cannot pronounce. They will put in a new window this afternoon..Then 3 hour drive to next Harvest Host..or maybe not if it is too late..

PS..it was a cold night last night! 

But it looks like more good than bad..But the day isn't

over yet..Waiting now for van repair.

"next crazy venture beneath the skies"

“What is that feeling when you're driving away from people and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing? - it's the too-huge world vaulting us, and it's good-bye. But we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies.”
― Jack Kerouac, On the Road

I am hitting the road today. Took me hours to plan the trip back, but I have a plan. 

My first stop is close to the border in Vermont. Then I will go to Levis in Quebec to get a few van repairs made. It is where we bought our van 9 years ago. 

I'm feeling apprehensive and sad this morning. I am so bad at goodbyes. And, yes I miss Tom so much. But carry on I must. So Ruthie and I will  hop in the van and head North then West. Here is my itinerary. 

I a

BTW..read this just now..it is good..about a favorite place of ours. Redfish Lake. 

https://rachelnpr.substack.com/p/a-lake-in-idaho?utm_source=multiple-personal-recommendations-email&utm_medium=email&triedRedirect=true

Kayak Mornings

 “The kayak is a solitary boat. You paddle alone. Grief is a solitary boat. You paddle alone."

From:Roger Rosenblatt’s poignant memoir Kayak Morning: Reflections on Love, Grief, and Small Boats,

I read the book Kayak Morning many years ago. It is about the grief of the author, Roger Rosenblatt after his daughter died. (he has beautiful essays in NY Times) I always remembered this book and wanted to someday be able to wake up and kayak on a still lake. 

And here I am.

 Only it is a pond, not a lake. In Maine there are lots of ponds and I think it has to do with how deep they are. This pond seems like a lake to me but I read that it is only 18 feet deep. 

All is well in our little "camp" as they call our cabin. It is perfect for us and we are enjoying the pond, the loons, the beauty all around.

We have explored a bit. We went  into Cornish and took in the antique shops and had lunch. We also visited the Amish store not far from Greta's home.  It has no electricity and yet they keep eggs, produce, cheese, and milk (raw) all cold. They use ice that they dig up  in the winter. It also is not unusual to see a horse drawn carriage go down the street with a bearded Amish man driving. 

Last night...Lobsta at Greta and Zach's home. Then we went and look towards  Mt Washington  which will sent two light beams into the night sky to memorialize 9-11. (Update..it was too cloudy to see the lights..will try tonight)

Julie leaves today and Bonnie leaves  on Sunday. Our stay here is over on Sunday too. I will head for home on the 16th via Canada. (more on that later..I need to plan!)

LONG LAKE

 Every morning Tom and I would drink coffee together and read the New York Times (I know not a positive way to start the day) . One thing I loved was that Tom could always define words that I didn't know. He was good at spelling too. It was like being married to a living dictionary.  Even Alzheimer's didn't take that away. I miss that.

Today reading the Times I came upon two words and had to look them up. Made me miss Tommy. The words were solipsistic and idiocracy. I love the definition if idiocracy..it is actually funny if not incredibly true of our government. 

 I am now sipping coffee and reading the Times at Long Lake, a short fifteen minute drive from Greta and Zach's home. I am right on the lake in a little "camp" as they call it in Maine. 

I love it here. It is peaceful and so pretty. I can kayak on the lake and swim. The water is warm.  

So this is my final destination. It is worthy of a 14 day drive. 

Greta and I have had a great time too. We planted a perennial garden, sent postcards we made to the new friends we made at our Sweden retreat and made some really good meals. Greta is a good cook. My mother would be proud..and I am too. 

Today my Mackay friend Julie arrives and Tuesday my Boise friend Bonnie arrives. 

Oh boy..!!

BTW: The meaning of SOLIPSISTIC is of, relating to, or characterized by solipsism or extreme egocentricity.  I bet you can figure out idiocracy.

Don't Think Twice..It's Alright!

Greta and I  listened to Bob Dylan on our way into Portland today...  Don't Think Twice..It's Alright came on and I thought it seemed fitting for today. "It ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe..if'n you don't know by now...And it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe...It'll never do somehow. "

I had dreaded this day for weeks..the day Tom died was so traumatic. He has died over and over in my memory so many times. But today I woke up and didn't feel "griefy".

I was afraid that today would bring up so much pain. But it didn't, only good memories and lots of love from friends and my family. 

 This morning, Greta and I  had  coffee here and headed into town for a nice day. And it was a great day. We had coffee and a pastry and visited a fabric store (for me)   a nice lunch then the nursery. Food, fabric and flowers!! 

 Greta and I talked a lot about Tom, our life, and now. And it all just seemed alright. 

I want to thank all my friends and family who sent us messages today. It means a lot. It helped me see that I am not alone and that
so many loved Tom. 

We had Tom's favorite dinner...bet many of you know what it is. Here are a few pictures  of our Tom dinner.