We left Nick & Debbie's Friday morning about 8:30 am as they were trying to finish packing and get going themselves in the cool morning hours..We sad our goodbyes and headed out of Loon Lake south to Spokane hoping to visit the Harley shop before leaving Washington.. However, the shop was closed with a sign on the door saying they would re open under new ownership..Dang
However,
We did manage to visit 17 Harley shops on our trips..we've been to Cranbrook, Bc,
Grande Prairie, Alberta; whitehorse, YT; Fairbanks, AK; Denali, AK; Anchorage,AK,(we missed having coffee with Sarah Palin and visiting the Wasilla HD Shop as she was otherwise engaged that day ~!)
Smithers,BC; Prince George, BC; Kamloops, BC; Kelowna, BC; Missoula, Mt; Butte, MT; Belgrade,MT; Billings,MT; Gillette WY; Columbus, NE; and Fremont,Ne
Funny thing: In all the Harley Shops we visited after I broke my foot, I would enter on my crutches (couldn't be on them long w/o my hip hurting me) ask the sales girl if she had an office chair with wheels and then I would shop around by scooting from place to place! Where there's a will, there's a wheel I mean a way!!
Further Observations:
There are tons of car washes and RV washes. Many campgrounds advertise RV washes as there is always construction going on repairing the many frost heaves which means lots of mud and dust and dirt and gravel.
I saw more moose on signs warning of them being on the rodeway than we ever actually saw.... and I shouldn't complain as the one huge moose we saw crossed the rodeway right in front of us during a rainstorm.
There are more cabover pickup campers up here than we've seen in years. Must be a popular way to travel and camp.
Flowers:
There are flowers all over the place.. You wouldn't think that Alaska and the Yukon Territory would have so many flowers.. I read that a park employee logged 112 different species in one day. The purple and red fireweed is everywhere and really brightens everything up. Also,practically all the motels, gas stations, food marts , etc have flowers everywhere.. all the motels had huge hanging baskets of color (blues, purples, reds and whites) both perennial and annual. I would imagine that after a long, cold, snowy winter, everyone was so happy to see spring that they go crazy at the garden centers...soooo
If you want a job up North,, own a car wash or a garden center!!!!!
Gene & I took it a little slower on the way home(we had rushed out when we left and drove long hours)and enjoyed the trip home going through Custer and up to Hill City, Keystone and Mt Rushmore seeing buffalo and prairie dogs on our way out through Custer Park.
We made a stop at the Little BigHorn Battlefied. There was a 5 mile paved road leading through it with markers of where several of the US Cavalry had fallen and where the various Indian encampments were. Sad to say, the battlefied was beautiful with views of the Little Bighorn River down below. One wonders how the men and Indians on horses could traverse the steep ravines and valleys and hills. I would have loved to have visited the museum but with crutches, not a good idea. That will have to be another trip along with seeing the Wounded Knee sight.
Gene & I arrived home late Monday afternoon to a house that had been vacumned and the air turned on. The refrigerator had food in it~~ Milk, eggs, bacon, bread, smoked turkey and homemade goulash. Why, who could these little helper angels be????? Well, none other than my sweet wonderful daughter-in-law and son, Shari and Brian. My cat, Jessie and my house had been cared for by our neighbor and friend, Kaine Eggers..
I called my wonderful son-in-law, John and he arranged for me to come into Lutheran Hospital the next morning. We were there shortly after 7:00am on Tuesday and he had my foot and ankle re-exrayed.. I have 4 breaks, one in each of the # 2,3,&4 long bones and a fracture in my ankle as well. He called his friend, Dr Eric Barp, a foot and ankle surgeon and emailed my exrays to him..Gene and I were there at 2:00pm where we reviewed my exray with Dr Barp.. He explained we could do surgery on one of the foot breaks but because my foot was still so swollen, he was afraid my skin would tear and theres a good change my foot will heal alright w/o surgery. As he can go in again later and pin the one break, we collectively decided against surgery at this time..I was sent home with a wrap and a boot and told to keep it above my heart and iced down. (oh, and direct Gene to be at my beck and call:) but then he already is :)
My last thoughts:
Gene and I agreed that in spite of my fall, we had a wonderful vacation and finished doing what we'd planned which was to ride to Alaska. We have now ridden in all of the continental US states as well as 7 of the Canadian provinces.
Our trip was cut short by a week and we spent about twice what we had planned to due to my fall.. the extra cost of the Uhaul, gas to put in it and cost of Motels rather than tenting and that doesn't even count co-pay fees. But hey, you only live once.. we live to ride and we were enjoying ourselves and this beautiful country of ours.
I also realized that I have a very loving, supportive husband who can and will take care of me if need be. Of course I knew that two years ago after my bout w/ Guillain Baree,but this was really a tough one for him too. He never hollered at me when I fell (twice more while on the crutches) nor when his Ultra fell over into my King in the Uhaul.. Somehow he just takes it in stride.. cool, calm Gene..:) My beloved husband of almost 40 years.. Now as I've said before.. 'you know, it just don't get no better than this!)
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