Rechecked passports; over the south bridge; out 11th Street; see a road being built; was in the spring; still going on. Migration is happening as we hit the farmland.
Bob and I just found out my last uncle died; we are catching up on neighbours and friend’s goings on; the kids; that I now have 100 subscribers on the Ellen Sagh you tube channel; the song “Wow it’s cold when the Sun Goes Down”; has most views; from when he had his heart attack.
Golden prairie, sun streaming into car windows; exactly what I’m wanting; to do little after day of organizing; saying good-byes; transitioning in my head to where we’ll be renting and have not seen the place; who I will be staying in touch with; what clothes we took; when it’s three seasons there; people surprised they have frost delays in Phoenix; was ice on the fountain one February.
There is ice on the sloughs here – Minus two now at 9 am; looks like harvest is complete; bales in the field.
Wonder what will happen next week? Trump or Harris for next US president?
NDP came on strong in SK but Sask. Party has 5th Majority – still an urban/rural split. We listened to the Mayoral Debate; heard closing remarks in ABC order from Atchison, Block, Tarrasoff & Wyant.
Lots of grain storage around Rosetown; heading south to Swift Current. “Expensive land,” says Bob, “compared to Saskatoon.” Then we see oil wells.
Dodgers won Series 6-5. Controversy discussion on tv yesterday – trophy presented to owners compared to in NHL; when goes to Captain and players.
See a couple dead rabbits as roadkill; concerning that they are more white than brown. Sask. Landing Golf Course all put to bed for winter. Climbing out of the valley of brown hillsides, a few white rocks, coppery lichen; blonde grasses.
Antelope just before Swift Current. Alkali sloughs as we travel the #1.
Wonder if the Bison Transport semi’s we see have ties to the Indigenous community; or the stories behind three Staples trucks with Quebec license plates heading west.
Grazing land for miles and miles; broken by SaskTel towers dotting landscape and saw 2 deer. Not bored; could look at the landscape all day.
Saw first Halloweener in Medicine Hat; where I nearly made a mistake saying stay on # 1; when we had to change highway; thank goodness Bob knew we had to make a sharp left and did; I broke out into a total sweat; cemeteries all over; thinking of my dead brother only making it to sixty-one cause of Pancreatic cancer; no treatment worked and too late for surgery.
Amazing amount of wind turbines; wonder are they lit up at night for farmers seeding or harvesting? How about the birds?
Saw a semi load of sugar beets; acres and acres of Taber corn cut down; see Nutrien: a familiar word; a Viterra Bean Plant; they are twinning the #3 highway; long train we saw with boxcars from China; see out first mountain as getting close to border. Staying at the Double Tree Motel for $130.00 Canadian at Coutts; where the border crossing is; and leaving in the morning as Nov 1/24 is when our insurance is in place.
Thinking of border crossing; feels like night before I’m going to fly somewhere. We go to bed at 8 pm.
NOV 1/24 – Bob awake at midnight; me 1 am; neither sleeping so get up at 2 am; cross border in the starlight blackness of night at 2:30 am; only car in line. 4 or 5 questions; where are we going? Any fruit and veg? tobacco or alcohol? How long going to be gone? Taking anything for anyone else? How much cash are you carrying? And he said “Safe Travels”
Our first stop was Shelby gas; probably why Bob didn’t sleep as we needed gas as soon as crossed and no station open for ½ hour. All was well. Then; Stopped at a Maverick gas bar at 6 am; at least 100 people in line; all 8-10 gas bar had cars sitting with no one in them as had line ups for the Montana Millionaires Lottery; which someone told us sells out in one hour. We also stopped at Helena Hilton as needed a bathroom break.
This was not ideal driving conditions as minus 4 to minus 14; in the dark; thank goodness; beautiful reflector light along the highway; as we were in mountains; wouldn’t know it as it was dark; and we were going over passes where temp dropped; Bob was groggy from not enough sleep; hypnotic as we went back and forth on the mountains; we could not read the signs as they were frost covered. When the light appears; see there is snow in the ditches; and we stopped and had a coffee.
TEXT from cousins about the prayers and funeral next week and they are combining this for my Uncle and Aunt who died last year. They are trying to have live stream.
We see two deer in the morning light. Sun just rose over the mountains. Just before we leave Montana, a green lake instead of blue. Alkali we think. Mountain tops are snow.
Saw horses running half way between me and a mountain about a mile away on the field. See they are colts; about a dozen of them; so beautiful and all different colors.
Just like that have a one lane highway at 9 am at minus two; pure ice left lane; and coming to the Madida Pass. I need a bathroom break; not good planning; but we do a desperation stop at an old campground site six miles this side of Spencer, Idaho; and the sign says it is the opal capital of North America. We get back on the road ( I am much relieved) and see six people walking down that road where we stopped; and they were just out of view. Next time won’t drink my coffee and half of Bob’s.
From 9 – 11 am; had the following songs in my head; wrote down the titles for something to do; as they usually send a message to me of what I am thinking and feeling: IF YOU LOVE ME LET ME KNOW; The Rose’; Where are you going my little one?; Stay By Me Now; River of Babylon; Sunshine On My Shoulders; Wise Men Say; Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory; Let Me Rest In Life; I’ve Got Peace Like A River; Humbly and With Gratitude; Blue Skirt Waltz; When Irish Eyes Are Smiling; My Wild Irish Rose, I Want to Love, Rest In My Arms: I’m Getting Nothing For Christmas; Dream, Dream, Dream; I Am At Home; Morning; Gypsy Free; Love Isn’t Love Until You Give It Away; I say Yes; I Life Mine Eyes; Mine Eyes to the Mountains; Dream On As I Need
So had a singing good time in my head
Our side of highway okay; but logs all across the median and on other side as a trailer behind a semi lost its whole load. He must have zigzagged on ice.
My sister and Bob’s brother checked in to see if we are doing okay. Heard from a cousin who might rent in January from friends who can’t come down; hearing from another who had a surgery; hopes can come for part of winter. Driving through clouds on our way into Salt Lake City, Utah. I drove through Idaho Falls to Pocatello; through construction all the way but they still go a tremendous speed. Roadkill of a beaver and a kitty while Bob had a snoring good time for a short time. Solar fields and a Canada Geese flyover.
We can drive 80 which is 130 km/hr on this I15 route through Montana, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and to Arizona. Bob drives about 122. Saw a bird murmuration and beginning to see more and more campers and motorhomes. A ¾ ton or 1 ton truck started losing left front wheel just in front of us. We went left; he pulled off. We moved into Hover Lane; see refineries for miles and miles on right; Tabernacles on left; and then through downtown Salt Lake City; now have six lanes for a short time. Provo; which used to be a miles away town from SLC; now has four lanes and when we’re through that; Sunflower fields on our right. Went from four degrees to fourteen. We follow a semi of bales and a horse trailer for awhile; then see a bad accident; single vehicle rollover for sure; six emergency vehicles there; none of us had to stop. WE stopped for night at 4:30 pm at Beaver, Utah; where we got 2 breakfasts; a complimentary cheesecake desert with out hotel room for $141.25 U.S.
Beaver in the Morning – Saturday November 2, 2024; temperature is 5 degrees. If I figured correctly; we drove about 1170 miles yesterday; which is like going from Saskatoon to Winnipeg and back. Not doing that again. Enjoying the sunrise on the mountain and these are the first mountains of red rock. So beautiful.
Had been awake at 12:30 am with dreams about the priest who abuse me. I lay there trying to think of him as a young man in unfamiliar surroundings; he was someone’s son; and who knows what he lived through; trying for some compassion here. Heard Trump’s vitriol statement on TV about Liz Chaney – violent suggestion of a rifle shot to her face and I attempt to understand our world. We relooked at the femicide statistic this week and where Saskatchewan stands.
One thing noticeable in all interactions with staff at hotels, gas stations food places; all serving us are Caucasian; most women and many my age; most over sixty.
Bob flipping through TV channels last night; heard the familiar Gunsmoke TV show from when I was young. Later in night, I was explaining to someone in a dream that I saw Ms Kitty.
Moving through mountain mesas; the red rock and lawyers of rock; with holes like caves in them; enjoying the wonders of our world. Seeing the houses, hotels and inns on top of cliffs of St. George, Utah where it’s ten degrees going to twenty today. Now we start seeing many more developments re housing and business since we were here five years ago.
Magnificence of the mountain ranges, great roads, cacti appearing. I used to know all their names and don’t any more. See where a mountain has been chiselled in half; chiseled their way through to make a road. SIGN: “Strong Crosswinds Possible” and “Watch for Rocks”. Mesquite is next town and a bit of rain. No issues. Beautifully decorated overpass; orange and brown colored rocks; art depicting landscape.
VEGAS –See the power lines coming from Lake Mead. Palm trees what I notice, Infrastructure has grown and changed. A sight to behold. High in the sky circular over passes bridge the city in all directions. Left the I 15 highway and found the 93. Road is changing to the future #11. Scenic overlooks for Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, Memorial Bridge and we are on our way to Kingman. Biggest wind farm yet and a solar one as well. WROTE A SONG NAMED NONSENSE Told Bob was going to have a sleep and just like that, wrote this whole song in a few minutes. A tennis friend asked me to write a nonsense song.
NONSENSE
If I had sense and not talking ‘bout brains
If I had cents (money); would I be writing this song
If I had scents (smell); like some kind of perfume
I’m a non sense kind of person; have been all along
CH Sense, Cents, Scents; Nonsense was the word
Along with instruction to write a song
Sense, Cents, Scents; Have none of these
Yet living my life; free as a breeze
Brains aren’t everything; neither is money
Body senses another matter
Sights and sounds, touch and taste
Yes, Non-Sense makes life flatter
CH
Nonsense allowed me to write a song
For my friend who’s smart as a whip
Whatever I saw she could have a quip
And if it’s nonsense, might get some lip.
CH November 2, 2024
Back to the TRIP: worst roads we’ve been on. Vegas to Kingman – Rough and potholy
Making a grocery list. Sister text. Invited us for supper. Accepted. She told me the woman taking care of our rental unit will turn the water on this afternoon. Glad.
Major roadwork at Kingman; drivers are kind enough to let us in. Took my coat off. It’s seventeen degrees. Sign says, “166 miles to the Grand Canyon.” Now, mostly brand-new double lane highway #93 (11) to Wickenburg. Seeing our first saguaros where it says 40 miles to Wickenburg and 96 to Phoenix. Last gas up and spent $52. Canadian on gas and $230.00 US. Saw first Trump flags on a bridge; then a parade of vehicles bearing Trump flags, US flag and and AZ flag. Saw no Harris signs.
Now on Highway 60 into Phoenix; take the 303 south; then the #10 highway east into and through Phoenix; fast on the Hover Lane; till the 202 EAST to EAST University Drive. Here we are turning back into Viewpoint just like we did five years ago. The guy at the security gate waved us through as we still have the same sticker on our car. We turn into the driveway of the park model we are renting; step out of the car; and a hummingbird whirrs off into orange tree in front. We’re here.
ellensagh 