On The Road Again

 After a long pause in our adventures due to Covid, parental responsibilities and other demands on our time, we have finally hit the road again for some more Adventures in our Adventurer.  Working on our bucket list again.  This installment is about the first leg of our trip to Canada.

We have signed up with Fantasy RV for a tour with other RVers of the Calgary Stampede and Glacier National Park that starts on July 3rd and ends on July 16th.  We decided to go a week early and snoop around Canada for awhile before joining the planned activities.

We planned our route so we could go through Abilene to stop by to see the new house one of our friends recently bought and moved into during April.  Our total miles to Canada is 1,900 miles.  We scheduled a nightly stop in Abilene, TX, Dumas, TX, 2 nights near Colorado Springs, CO, Cheyenne, WY, Ranchester, WY and Great Falls, MT before entering Canada at Coutts, AB, Canada border crossing location.

Here's the trip - It's a LONG way to go!

We normally do not travel this fast and long driving days.  That is why we scheduled a 2 day stop in the middle for a little R&R.  Plus it has the added advantage of being at Pikes Peak which we had not visited in the past.  Manitou Springs is right at the foot of Pikes Peak and is also where the Garden of the Gods park is located.  Our RV park we chose is right between these two sights to see.

It just so happens that our stay was during the week leading up to the annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.  A race that is 12.42 miles long with 156 turns up the mountain to the peak at 14,115 feet elevation at the Finish Line.  The drivers practice every morning weather permitting and then the park opens to visitors at 9 AM after the practice runs are completed.  

Challenge accepted!  We decided to do our thing and try our hand at the hill climb.  We completed the climb in world record time for the 3 cylinder Buick Encore GX Quinnmobile.  It only took us two hours, fourteen minutes and five seconds to make the climb.  Coming down was even better after the brakes went out.  We made it back down in eight minutes and twenty-two seconds before plowing into the hay bales to stop us from going over the edge of the mountain.  All is good, no airbag deployment just a few permanent hand imprints on steering wheel and dash where we were holding on for all we were worth and squeezing so hard.

Yes, that is snow and a long way up to the Summit,

Hay Bales are handy in this situation.

Seriously though we had a great time.  We did have a hard time breathing in the thin air at the top (14,115 feet above sea level) so we spent a small amount of time in the gift shop then sauntered over to the snack area for some of the donuts that are made fresh each morning for visitors.  We took a few pictures then proceeded to find our way back down the mountain.  We found a few mountain goats on the road down after the first couple of turns.  Amazing is their ability to climb sheer cliffs.  There was a momma and baby that proved that ability right in front of us by climbing an almost 90 degree slope of rocks.  The park officials do have a mandatory stop on the way down to check the heat on your brakes.  If too hot, you are required to pull over and let them cool down before continuing down the mountatin.  Too steep for some folks!!!  We were good and made it down just fine.

Beverly says 'Mmmmm Good!

Cog train, yes we are above the clouds too!

Highest elevation we've ever been.

They seem a friendly sort.

Mama and baby

There they go

Oh yes, I almost forgot.  The folks looking for Sasquatch (aka Bigfoot) have been looking in all the wrong places.  Evidently the favorite hangout is Pikes Peak area.  There's even a Sasquatch crossing just like the wildlife crossings you see.  Some folks must have gotten a pretty good look at this creature because there's a life-size depiction of it in several places.  You can see by its size it is not easy to hide, so keep on the lookout when at Pikes Peak.  That is all.

Hmmmmm?

After returning to the RV Park, we jumped on the bicycles and headed to the Garden of the Gods park where we ate a quick bite at the Trading Post.  Then off we went to bicycle on some of the trails through the park.  Unfortunately, my sense of direction and how to return to the RV Park failed me when it was time to head back.  We decided to forge onward in the direction we were going instead of backtracking.  Our return trip took us on an ever-widening loop of roads that probably doubled the distance we had previously traveled.  We made it fine and were glad to see the finish line before dark overtook us.  Thankfully there were no spills or cramping muscles as a result of our unplanned extended route of 22 miles.

After leaving Manitou Springs we continued our trek Northward towards cooler temps for the summer.  We have already experienced cooling in Colorado.  Our high temp in Dumas was 94 and the very next day in Manitou it was 64.  Then on top of Pikes Peak it was 47.  Nice is all we can say and we are looking forward to a cool summer.

The rest of the trip was without event except for the angst created by thinking about the Canada border crossing.  There are a number of things to consider when crossing the border.  For instance no guns are allowed unless previously declared and allowed in advance.  You better not try to hide any guns or ammunition because if caught that means possible jail time, fines and confiscation of whatever is found.

There are other things such as food that becomes a concern  Chicken is a big deal if you are from certain states in the US and Texas is one of the places.  All of these things began weighing on Beverly in a big way the closer we got.  She was working herself up into a lather to try and come up with a way to get her chicken in the freezer across the border.  She even envisioned us being separated and questioned about any foodstuffs in the RV so she even had me practice and repeat the explanation/excuse about the frozen chicken not in a commercial package that might be found in a search of the RV.

Who Me? --- What did I do?

She also had cooked some chicken spaghetti and leftovers were another concern for crossing the border.  We had to eat this up before we got to Canada.  So we had chicken spaghetti for every meal, dinner, lunch and yes, even breakfast so we didn't waste it or have it still in the frig at the border.  Oh my, I finally convinced her that $4 worth of chicken is not anything to fret over.  Just throw it away and we will replace all the chicken at a later date.  Poor thing, she could not relax until the chicken had been disposed of and her fear of being turned back at the border was removed.

We obviously had watched too many YouTube videos about Canada border crossing incidents and heard too many horror stories about being turned back.  My bad!  I wanted to research and prepare.  Never thought this would lead us down so many rabbit trails.  Speaking of trails -- the sights and scenery we have seen and experienced thus far are so amazing.  God's creation continues to astound and inspire.  Just this part of the journey makes the entire trip worthwhile.  In the next installment I will share our border crossing excitement.  Until then, we will see you down the road.

Beautiful Aspens,  Love to see them in the fall.