October 31/25 – In the car ready to take off. Garage door closed; I am sitting in the car in the driveway. Bob in house locking door from house to garage. Heat is down; water off; hardly anything left; it is all in the car.
We take a lot. Piano, music. I have so many clothes. Bob fewer. Less than me.
Birds are outside on the bare trees. All the leaves are gone. Was snowing yesterday morning at 8 am on our way to Bob’s dental cleaning. Snow is gone today.
9:03 am. We are on the road; left all phone #’s on table for caretakers. Give a last phone call to main one. Go through our checklist one more time. Passports; money, name of the hotel by the border; Double Tree in Coutts. We are hoping to cross border tomorrow.
Sun and cloud; one degree; heading out 11st to Rosetown, Sask. Had a fun night at great nephew’s fundraiser; then took last food; flowers and hugs to Warren and Howie’s. This morning tears are close when on phone with granddaughters and text with grandson.
See a train. “Bunch of oil coming through town,” Bob says as we move in to in the sunshiny country. Twelve acres for sale sign beside a feedlot and a mine.
Sun feels good coming in the window. $1.33 gas. 145546 is mileage on our 2016 Edge.
Having my tech issues; three of four good-bye texts – Failure to send – saying “no cellular data”. Maybe live in the moment message. Still make some last-minute phone calls; some of them are having texting problems. Maybe not my issue. A friend’s mom died at 105 years. Glad can phone.
More straw laying on golden fields than usual. Some fields not combined.
My friend made this book I am using. I love. Singing in my head, “One Love Connects Us All; With Gratitude Let Us Eat.” A short song I wrote one time; used as grace; now realize goes with everything as all we take in; is similar to eating!
First oil derricks we see between Elrose and Kyle. A big pit being dug on field beside road. See alkali land. Farms not as prosperous looking. Then we see more; newer oil pump jacks; several Hutterite colonies and lots of grain storage.
Swift Current; gas $52.65; find the Double Tree Motel phone #. A big bank of cloud covers sky just before Swift; glad we turn west towards Medicine Hat and it’s clear and sunny. First wildlife ten minutes out. Twelve antelope by Webb. I have a sore left back behind hip area as we drive.
Welcome to Alberta. $1.12 gas at next station. Had to pull out the map at Medicine Hat. Find the Hwy# for next town. We do not use GPS. So glad we had the sun today. Gas in Taber $122.9 for $42.08. Bought some Wanton Soup as motel owner suggested bring food and we are given same motel room we used last year. The World Series. Game Six from Toronto. Jays lose.
This homemade book I am using has little magnets holding what I call love notes with messages I can think about; the first one saying “I am good at……” and I write; “Many things. “Life as Art” and “New Ways of Creating What I Need.” I cannot tell you how beautiful this book is; as that little note and a few at beginning of book are made of Musical score paper and made like a bookmark. This was the third addition to the book. My friend and her sister make books like this from recycled paper they color and stain with things like tea or maybe food; as some pages are beige and some blue.
Fitful sleeps. 4 am both awake. 5:30 at border for 9 minutes; including a truck and an Alberta plated car in front of us and when our turn; 2 minutes of questions – eggs, meat, poultry; fruit; vegetables? NO. Alcohol, Tobacco? No; Do you have shoes on? Yes. Snowbirding? Yes. Where are you going? Mesa. Only two of you in car? Yes. Taking anything down with you for anyone else? Leaving anything down there permanently? No. How much cash, money order; draft? He reviewed Bob’s answer twice and handed our passports back saying, “stay warm.”
Pitch black. We seem to be barreling down the I-15; sign says 80 mph. We at 120 km/ph. Bob said would be going 130 if went with the 80. Glad we’re not.
7:30 am and we’re between Great Falls and Helena, Montana. 14 degrees; sky starting to lighten in the east. Can see the mountainous skyline around us. A weed blows across the highway from the west with the 34 km/hr wind gust. Did not feel bad this morning at 5:15 am. Enjoyed coffee on the road made in the hotel room this morning just as much as the ham sandwiches we had for yesterday’s travel day.
Travelling along the Missouri River. Sign: Mountain Goat; then Rest Stop. They even have bathrooms. We did not stop. I need one. Lovely Saturday morning. No traffic. Saw lighted up windows of cabins on the dark hillsides. See largest golden, square, straw bale pile I have ever seen in a valley between mountains.
Wolf Creek would be a must stop for shoppers. We are not shoppers but needed gas. Pretty, pretty scenery too. Ideas for next year if we come south. Trade in or sell truck; buy newer SUV for first vehicle; drive only to Medicine Hat or Taber first day; so we can see the beautiful Montana scenery if we get going at 5:30 am. See a sign says Snow Falls but no snow in sight.
At Helena, we pay $38.75 US for a four-item traditional breakfast for each of us at a family type country restaurant; décor is the era of the 70’s. Clean. Ten staff we saw. Full for thirteen booths along the walls; ten four person tables; and six bar stools along a tall counter. I counted seven family groups with children under ten. All locals come to Steve’s place; seemed like a family business but host said no one related; Steve would be in later; said a great place to work. Said need three more staff; a host, cashier and busser. We noticed efficient, fast; seemed to be all enjoying their Saturday morning work; appeared all staff Caucasian and maybe half men; half women.
Back on the road; flying up and down the road it seems as go over the Continental Divide; temperature wavers between six degrees and three degrees. Rock Fall areas. Eight feet high snow sticks with light reflectors on sides of highway. Grey rock areas; now red rock mountains with snow on top. High point 5875 I think.
We saw one Alberta license plate at border. Maybe saw one since in four and a half hours. Not one motorhome. We have a Halloween talk about how different it is for children now a days and example of audio and video happening at doors.
Our fortunes from last night’s Wanton Supper: “Be prepared to receive something special.” As well as “You have the ability to nurture and work creatively with others.” Guess whose was whose. Bob’s the former; and me the latter.
I drive from Exit 60 to Exit 0; Dillon, Mt to Spencer, Idaho which is the Opal Capital of America. W are trying to find a gas station as down to quarter tank. Went through the Monida Pass. Bob slept. We stop in Spencer and I am sitting at an antique gas pump. There is snow on the ground next to where I park. Actually, snow is in the shade of the trees. It is ten degrees Celsius here. Bob hits his hip on something; not happy and then I asked if he is going to buy me an opal? He didn’t answer; bought $20. Gas as I watched an older couple on the hillside in front of me digging for opal I assume.
While I sit, I write the above paragraph and fill in a card in the book that says, “Plants that bring you joy.” Prairie Grasses; Crocuses in Spring; Carnations from friends and family; a spider plant made for me and all the flowers Bob has bought for me through the years.
In Idaho, green grasses in towns. Leaves still on trees so fall colors are back. Getting gas, walking around, sunshine and warmed up to seventeen degrees. Lots of construction on the I-15; Speed limit is still 100 km/hr. Great signage.
It’s November 1, 2025 and before we stop for the night in Ogden, Utah; we review the communication in our lives as we travel. People texted; phoned, facetimed or emailed: Family members, friends, birthday wishes; I text the owner of where we are staying saying maybe Monday when we arrive; will give notice and they ask for one hour on the day of arrival. I talk to two people at Sask Tel to make sure Roaming Charges not happening; as we are getting weird things happening; and response does not necessarily make sense; to shut off phone roaming if travelling even though paid for unlimited texting when in US. Info coming in about lives from where we are coming from and where we are going. Lots of wishes and good-byes.
Supper; I have trout; Bob pot roast. Our hotel most expensive yet; $120 US becomes more than the $130. Canadian we paid at Coutt’s, Alberta for a room. We went for a Budweiser search walk; $15.00 for a dozen beer at a 7-11 in Utah. Stayed awake watching the ups and downs; appreciating all we experienced of the World Series and the 11th inning 5-4 Blue Jay loss to Dodgers at 12:01 Toronto time. Wonder if helped unify Canada? We appreciated the athleticism. Fit Bit says I slept 5 hours and 50 min for a 79; Bob not so much for a 45.
We received news from home as it’s happening; one recovering from cataract surgery, and how Hallowe’ening went. We rarely put on radio except to check weather. Both days when we turned on the radio, Artificial Intelligence or A-I is being talked about. Both times was about parental controls to protect children who think Chat Bots are real people. I found it interesting as I completed three computer classes just before we left Saskatoon this fall and each week; A-I was the biggest topic.
We are on our third day; good-byes have been said; it is a quieter day; enjoying the sun coming in and hours of relaxing in the sunshine. I have no body pain and recognize yesterday hardly had any. The day before when I was in pain, like an eight out of ten; on the Friday we left. I recognize; for me; deep inside left sided body pain is FEAR; the kidney area of body. All the fear energy I’ve carried when powerless to change things; was really in evidence the day we were to cross the border. I see how scary it is for me when we’re driving and feel we are too close to another car; or to the edge when it is so mountainous.
I guess it speaks to the general fears in life about whether I’m doing things correctly. Everyone seems to be having a hard time trusting; whether to trust each other or business or government. Organizations are now speaking and teaching about radical transparency; being open; up, down and across. It is how I lived. Now; in life and in my writing; am still learning boundaries; can share my experiences; not others.
I did have fear this year going through the border. I was into the worry over what others said would happen as others talked about fingerprinting or having to pay money. Nothing happened. Could have, I guess. Still have fear I guess. So glad for my qi gong practice every morning as have more awareness of what is happening as it’s happening; staying more in the present all the time. I think of a poster I saw at my sister’s one time saying “Life is the greatest journey you will ever be on.” I take that to heart. While I was waiting Saturday morning to leave for the border, I opened up the bible in the top drawer to Corinthians 14. Unsure about it all. Always knew what Corinthians 15 said; not 14.
The next question in the book I’m writing in asks “Scents that bring you comfort?” and I write: “Prairie Grasses; Spring Air after Rain; Homemade Bread, Buns or Baking.”
Bob and I have time to talk. We both question whether this snow birding is a good fit for us anymore. I guess we will relook at it following this travel and lived experience of being back in the same park that is similar and yet different each year; same as the country; same as life. We will make a new decision as the time comes.
We are in the Hover Lane at 120km/hr at 8:30 am on Nov 2/25 as we move through Salt Lake City. We see four bird murmurations while flying along. I look up the word: “MURMURATIONS: n: a large gathering of birds; ex; starlings; in an intricate pattern of flights. “
Salt Lake City is a big city and notice a large theme park with roller coasters, Ferris wheels; haven’t seen before; and see the Morman looking churches stand out. New freeway of 5- 7 lanes. Very little traffic this Sunday morning. Lots of industrial; lots of row housing. Lots of new housing. 8:30 till 9:25 and we are in the next town of Provo.
We calculate will be about six hours to Vegas; and then we know another five to Pheonix and we decide to just enjoy our day; not rush to get to where we will live this day. Our talks continue. We have quiet times too. Clear and sunny; eight degrees at 10 am; and now three pm just through Vegas. We found the 11 and 93 over 95 sign and it is thirty degrees. On to the 93. One thing I saw new to me in Ogema, Utah was a service station; not of 10-12 gas pumps but 10-12 EV charging stations.
I receive a call from my new to me 3.5 team tennis captain asking if I will be her partner in this week’s Nov 8th tournament and I say sure. Nice!!! We are on the worst potholy road we have been on. Highway #93; Boulder City, NV to Kingman, AZ; where the golf course is green. Best Western Plus Room is nice. Thank goodness we are members. $114.00.
Monday., Nov 3, 25; our day to arrive to our Viewpoint winter home rented in Mesa, Az. One degree in Saskatchewan; thirteen degrees in Arizona at six am. It was thirty last night or late afternoon when we arrived. We both had good sleeps. Great Breakfast. Bob’s first treat in a year he says. Biscuits and gravy. Me a banana and a hydrate capsule to add to water as wondering if foot cramps come from dehydration or fear re starting a new life again.
It’s light out. We can see. Driving east into the sunrise on the I 93 and Hwy 40 combined. Nearly missed it and we would have been on Route 66. Forgot to get gas. We have a quarter tank. This book I am writing in; made for me by my friend has a little pocket with flowers and pearls; inside a note made out of musical paper and the song is about Matilda running Venezuela. Love it.
A little while later, exit 66 says we can get gas. As I walk inside the humungous service station, announcement over the loudspeaker, “Shower 15 is open; 24 water $5.49” One dollar cheaper than in Vegas area. Poster in bathroom stating can text or phone the numbers listed if you want out of the situation you are in.
Back on the road and sign says “174 minutes to Phoenix”. We are on beautiful Highway 40; huge sign to show EXIT to Phoenix 2 miles; Huge Sign: EXIT to Phoenix 1 mile: Huge Sign EXIT ½ mile; Huge sign; Exit 71 to Phoenix. It is huge too. We exit. Potholes are back.
Checked out my Chase debit card at next gas station. Works. Remember my dream from last night. DREAM:” Bob and I together in a room in the dream. Only other person in dream is my dad who is in outer room as we come out to move forward in the day!” My dad looked just like he did in the spring before he died that September of 2007; when he was still golfing. It was nice to see him again.
Highway 93 is being worked on to have more double lane highway. The owners of where we will live told us in a text we can meet at golf course; give keys and pass to take our car through the secured entrance. I don’t think they are aware we lived there previously or rented there last year. Things have changed on the road. The Trading Post at Wikiup is gone. Lots more gas stations and no end of confectionaries.
My urge to write was gone most of the summer but this book must have brought it back as write: “WHY I CAN LEAVE MY FEARS BEHIND as trying to get cramps to leave my feet and legs: My body is in great shape; I eat well; have practices like meditation; qigong every day; lots of love in my life; facetime with grands and unlimited communication with them; friends; unlimited learning opportunities; have tools and gifts to share if want; looking forward to floating in the pool as night turns to day; stars light the sky-to-sky lightening as the dawn breaking. I love life.”
Figured out how much money we spent on this trip from Saskatoon to Mesa. $220.00 more than our spring trip home. We chose to do this over 4 ½ days instead of 3 ½; makes sense; more gas; one more hotel. So close to $850. US dollars but we’ve had a wonderful four and half days together. Still is way more expensive to travel than used to be.
See our first saguaros and we are back on a great road and great scenery. Switchback mountain area. Greener than we’ve seen previous. Mesquite, pear cacti, silver mound, a stringy cactus and so many I can’t remember their names.
Now back to bumpy road; shaking the whole vehicle. Bob is saying, “just terrible.” It’s when we are on the one lane undivided. A lot of stinky machinery is ahead of us; and then we get going faster and come around a corner to a big truck entering the roadway. A semi and Bob hits brakes right where we see a sign that says, “Rough road.” All turns our OK. Now we’ve turned on to the 60 highway and we are 43 miles to Phoenix. We realize they are spending major money on road infrastructure between Phoenix and Vegas. Just not there yet.
For about thirty miles there are all brand new homes; whole new communities of new homes; I would say the US economy is moving and needing all the new infrastructure.
All of a sudden straight ahead is dust. I say “Look at the dust!” it’s a dust storm; like a wall; but by the time we get there and turn onto the 303 at 9:30; it’s dissipated. I phone the owner to say one hour away.
The highway 303 has all new homes and we’ve read signs about Sun City, Peoria; World Wildlife and Zoo and onto the I 10. Sign on there says, “Don’t be Lousy and Drive Drowsy. Stay Alert.” We drive in Hover Lane. Sign says 2 Plus. 6-9 am and 3-7 pm Mon-Fri $400. Fine violation; 80 mph,
We leave the I 10 for the 202 South. First time on it since finished. Having a tour of the south side. Past Chandler, Gilbert, San Tan, Mesa Gateway Airport. Grandson phones as we are going under 5 overpasses. Told him my first ever time in Phoenix (it was 2003; two years before I met Bob); seeing oranges on trees; an airplane on an overpass; was on a birding desert tour; and wow; was so great my grandson phoning us and do tell him how much we enjoy hearing from him.
We go under Hwy 60; and are at E. University Drive and are where we want to be meeting the owner outside the Restaurant 5 minutes less the hour. 10:25 we are HERE! Keys and pass, and follow the cart to our new to us; U.S. digs. I like. A painter lived here before the owners and the valances inside are all paintings of southwest décor. “Very Creative.” Suits me fine. All will be well. It is 30 degrees. Two grapefruit trees. Some shade. First Glitch. No barbeque. (Owner brings us one two days later)
We are off to get groceries!
PS: I write these notes to stay connected to myself and to you. I thank You for reading and hope we stay in touch! I would love an update on you if it fits.
ellensagh 