We're home. After a four month journey through Canada, down into Middle America, and then home via the Southwest and the Pacific Coast, we've made it. It was a summer of mixed emotions.
The stats:
8,837 miles
175 hours of driving
914 gallons of diesel fuel (do the math....no, don't)
9.2 average miles per gallon (sounds pretty weak, but it's great for a 40k+ pound motorhome!)
48 mph average speed (a Maserati it ain't. Not even close)
More than the statistics, the journey has been about people and places. We spent a great few days with our friends of some 50 years, Jo and Larry, while in Northern California. A few miles further north, we had a gracious dinner with former neighbors, Gabi and Bob.
Once in Canada, near the beautiful city of Vancouver, British Columbia, we met Nancy and Gordy. Lovely people whom we hope to see again. We spent hours sipping beverages and talking well into the wee hours of the morning! Come on down to NorCal, people! The Vancouver area is among the most beautiful we've seen in our travels, and Gordy and Nancy made our stay even more wonderful.
We enjoyed Canada Day in the hamlet of Boston Bar, BC. The owners of the RV park were so gracious that we hated to leave, but our next stop was the town of Barriere, where we met our Florida friends Deb and Larry, and Sasha's boyfriend Max! A couple of days playing golf and talking about old time went by way to quickly! They were on their way to Alaska but took time out to visit with us. Thank you!
From Barriere, the road took us into the beautiful Canadian Rockies near Jasper Provincial Park. The smoke began to drift into the park as we left, a week later, heading south toward Banff. The Glacier Highway between Jasper and Banff was extraordinary, in spite of the smoke coming from the wild fires in British Columbia. We spent a week in Banff before heading a bit farther south to visit an rv'ing acquaintance, Karen. Originally from the US, Karen has made a life, with her late husband, Bob, in an agricultural area of southern Alberta. From there, the road took us east into the prairies of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and the northern wilds and 10,000 lakes of Minnesota.
A great week's visit with Donna's brother and sister-in-law prepped us for a trip to central Nebraska to view the Great Eclipse of 2017. We met friends Mary and Roger in Nebraska and enjoyed more time with Donna's family, who drove down to guide us through the eclipse viewing. We eventually spent a month traveling with M'n R before heading west into Kansas and then south into Texas and New Mexico. A week long visit with my Mom and Sister in Southern California completed our circle tour for the summer!
We made a whole bunch of friends this year: the couple with two Boston Terriers who recently moved to Arizona from Alaska. Smart people! We spent a great evening with them before our paths diverged, and made plans to meet again in Arizona in the Spring. Then there was the couple from British Columbia that we met in Winnipeg. They were returning from a journey to Nova Scotia in their (new to them) motorhome. Nice people all and good times.
Our summer trip this year was a bit too short for our taste, but we got a late start, so that explains it. Problems with various things on the motorhome put a damper on the last part of the trip. But you know what? We wouldn't trade it for the world! Like thay say, "You'll never be bored if you own a motorhome!"
We're home until after the Holidays, as usual, probably just enough time for the family and our friends to get thoroughly tired of us! It will be good to the max to see everyone again and spend quality time. After the first of the year, who knows where we'll go?
Thanks you all for following along with us, and please check in again about February!
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