30 Aug 2015 -

It was not yet 8:00a, but the words of Matt Dillon ('Gunsmoke') were already echoing in our ears - it was time to "get outta Dodge". We set off into the rising sun....well - it was there somewhere above the fog, which stayed with us for a few hours. Came across a massive 'windmill farm', which looked quite spectacular in the ground fog.

We had a nice drive as we continued our journey along the Sante Fe Trail - hwy 56, and stopped to see where some original 'ruts' (wagon wheel tracks) still exist.  These are the remains of the wagon tracks from the settlers over some limited tracts of land that have remained untouched and un-tilled.  Little would a settler have thought that their wagon wheel tracks in the mid-1800s would still be there over a 150 years later (and some today deny thought that we have little impact on our environment). It was very nice taking a smaller highway and travelling through a number of very old and very small towns.  Many of these still have some very old (and unused) buildings dating back over a 100 years.  The 'road less travelled' proved to be most enjoyable. 

We also headed to Kansas City - both in Kansas and Missouri -- something like Lloydminster I suppose, but much larger.  Couldn't help but think of the song......"Going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come.  Going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come. They got a crazy way of loving there and I'm gonna get me some" - well - it's only a song, right?  Oh, and while we didn't find Dorothy in Kansas, we did find the Tin Man in a town called Council Grove; we are pleased to note that he still had his 'heart' - compliments of Oz. 

 Then into Missouri and freeway driving to make some time.  Ended up in Jefferson, the state capital, for the evening and settled on take-out pizza, beer and wine for dinner.  Yes, we're concentrating on eating only in the healthiest of fashion on this trip! Arrived here about 6:30, having covered about 840 kkm. Some pics attached.  Tomorrow we start off alongside the scenic Missouri River.

29 Aug 2015 - Dodge City, Kansas

8:00a (MDT) start with a 5:30p (CDT) finish into Dodge City, KS.  About 760 km today. Left Estes Park heading south on the Peak to Peak highway which was a nice drive with views, then east through Denver (nice to get through there --- way too much traffic) and back to the plains.  Once again, flat and arid like an Alberta eastern drive on Hwy 1. Went through Kit Carson (we must be in the old west), Wild Horse (looked to be a 50's era ghost town given the look of the unkept buildings). Later got onto the Sante Fe Trail at hwy 287 in CO. / 50 in KS.  The Trail was pioneered in 1821 (see attached map) and ran from Franklin, Missouri to Sante Fe, New Mexico-- hard to imagine what a trip on the trail would entail - but it would have been very demanding and likely not without significant incident. While in Kansas we'll keep and eye out for Dorothy, or any of her three sidekicks from that parallel universe of Oz!  Dodge is as in the 'westerns' - Boot Hill, Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson and a number of other figures.

28 Aug 2015 -Estes Park CO

8:00 leaving Craig CO.  Sunny with the dew burning off.  Headed east to Rabbit Ears Pass (don't know about TV reception there, but the view was nice).  9,400 ft at the pass, and some fresh snow on the shoulder of the highway. Stopped in Kremming for coffee at 10:00, and the a nice canyon run along side the most upstream waters of the Colorado River into Hot Sulpher Springs.  Arrived at Rocky Mountains National Park at 11:00, followed by a long and high climb to the Alpine Visitor Centre located at 11,200 ft.  We did a walk to the nearby summit, placing us at 12,000 ft.  The Visitor Centre, in May, was under approx. 30-40 ft of snow!  Then headed westward down the mountain and to the southeast end of the Park to Bear Lake, where we did a walk around the lake.  Into Estes Park by 3:00, in time for an expensive ice cream

(way to many ice cream and candy shops in town).

27 Aug 2015 - Craig, CO

We left Driggs ID at 8:00a and arrived at Craig, CO at 6:40p.  A 838 km travel day.  Nice and sunny when we left, but after the first mountain pass, the eastern slope was full of cloud and fog most of the way into Jackson, WY.  A nice canyon run though, but Jackson had a lot of traffic (tourists).  Then off To Green River WY, where we picked up the Flaming Gorge highway.  The southern end was the most scenic, and we've attached a couple of pics of Red Canyon and the reservoir, along with a canyon desert shot.  Nice to see some green, and Ponderosa Pines, Douglas Fir and Cedars.  Most of the trip today was desert, so greenery was at a premium.  Tomorrow should be shorter day, with about 300km on our schedule, but we will be doing some stops through Rocky Mountains National Park before reaching our destination of Estes Park, CO, with plans to look around the town also that day.

26 Aug 2015 - Driggs, Idaho

Left Lethbridge about 8:15a and arrived in Driggs, our town for the night, about 6:15p.  864 km trip today.  Driggs is a little south of Yellowstone and west of Jackson WY.  Good travel day with no wait at the border.  Once I assured the Boarder Guard that we were not carrying a gigantic wad of cash, we were good to go -- pleasant overall.  We had a few quick stops for coffee and a picnic (south of Helena MT).  For anyone passing this way, we would recommend the cafe in Choteau, MT.  Coffee was a $1 only to fill our travel mugs and the restaurant was very nice; very friendly. So, coffee seemed a bargain; gas (premium) was $3.00 per gal.(U.S.), so even with exchange we're ahead on these two counts.  The Teton mountains were a little obscured with cloud and some rain, but that is just east of here. Covered about 800km today, so we're in good shape for tomorrow's travel.  Montana speed limit is generally 75mph (120kph) regardless of whether 4 lane divided or a regular 2 lane road with minimal shoulder --- make sense doesn't it? On the other hand, Montana is pretty open roads with very little traffic. Idaho seems a bit more sensible --- 65mph regardless!  Staying at a Super 8 that I stayed at before when on a motorbike trip.  Had dinner in town and a nice bar; remembered to turn left at the only stop light in town!.  Good NY steak with all the fixings; and they gladly deal with most substitutions on the menu items - now isn't that nice.

2015 Road Trip East - Aug 25 2015 Canmore to Lethbridge, Alberta

Overnight tonight in Lethbridge visiting with cousin Sheila and Ray.  Smoke from the wildfires in northern Washington state were prominent today, reducing our views but the drive was pleasant.

Enjoyed Hwy 40 and the Highwood Pass route over to Longview for coffee, then south on 22 to hwy 3 and a lunch picnic at Lumbreck Falls; a young women loved the Miata so she had her picture taken with the car!  The we were off and into Lethbridge at 2:00.  Dropped Susan off for manicure-pedicure and I went to the Mazda dealer to look at a beautiful new red 2016 Miata.

Tomorrow will be our really official trip, crossing the Boarder at Carway, hugging the eastern side of Glacier National Park and then down to the West Yellowstone area.  We would like to get a good travel day in, before the next leg into Colorado.

Last night was still smokey from Washington wildfires; attached is a pic of sunset over Ha Ling in Canmore.

2015 Road Trip East (Mountain to Maritimes) - pre-trip

August 25th 2015 begins our road trip east in our 2006 Mazda Miata (MX-5). Our travel plans suggest that we will pass through 29 provinces and states (6 provinces and 23 states), and cover about 11,000km per the attached pics of our routing eastbound and westbound. The planned return date is Canada's Thanksgiving weekend - the Monday, but we will be flexible on the date. This is our first major road trip in quite some time and have not done a trip this extensive.  We did test out our readiness in a trip to the west coast in June, so we are reasonable confident of NOT over- nor under-packing; we'll see. It would be nice if the smoke haze from the Washington wildfires is somewhat less tomorrow, but if not we'll just enjoy some diminished views as the smoke will add another measure of character to the views. Longview is the planned first stop - coffee and lunch, then to Lethbridge to visit with Susan's cousin Sheila and husband Ray - it will be great to see them. The Mazda dealer currently has a 4th generation Miata, so I can look at that while Susan plans to get a little pampering with a mani-pedi. The next day and subsequent we will just travel somewhat freely until we get to Mass., Nova Scotia, PEI, Quebec and Ontario - all places to see and catch up with wonderful friends and family.

The plan is to update this Blog frequently, and will add pics when we can.