Manitoba Bound #3

7:04 CT-- Left the Holiday Express in Rockford, IL heading to Fargo, North Dakota. It'a gorgeous day and beautiful countryside.

7:20 -- Entering Wisconsin, known for their cheese. Wonder if we'll have any before we leave the state.

10:30 -- Eau Claire, WI. Thought we'd stop at DQ, but it's not open until 11:00. Our stomachs tell us it's 12:30 (which it is in NB). Got fuel and snacks, including Wisconsin cheese -- Monterey jack & pepper.

The landscape of Wisconsin reminds us of New Brunswick -- rolling hills and fields of green. Total kms driven today thus far -- 400. It seems we're climbing higher and higher as we approach St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota.

11:30 -- entering Minnesota. Just passed "Afton Alps Ski Area" sign. Yesterday, I saw "Ivy Road." Perhaps today we'll see Jack and Aiden signs.

1:50 -- our Montana van just rolled over to 100,000 clicks. We are in Alexandria, Minnesota. Brings back memories of another time when we were on vacation with Jon and Nat, and our Nissan car did the same thing. Only at that time, we stopped and had a ceremony to celebrate it. No such ceremony today -- just a picture of the odometer. Must keep on trucking. Haven't stopped since 10:30. Doug wants to eat supper in Fargo just so he can say he ate in Fargo. Then he started composing his own Fargo-related country song. Listen for it on the country station.

3:30 -- entering Fargo, North Dakota. Big place -- miles and miles of commercialism on the prairie.

5:00 -- almost to Grand Forks, ND. Three hours to Winnipeg! Should arrive there after eight. It's feels good to be near our home and native land again. I've missed it, even though the ten states we've driven through have been beautiful. There's no place like home.

Speed limit is 75 mph, the highest we've seen in the last three days (approx 120 km). And the highway is as straight as a die; it would make a good landing strip for an airplane.

6:15 -- at the Canadian border -- YES! We made it back to Canada, after 3700 km on the road. Now to make it to Winnipeg before sunset. Nat, we're on our way….

7:30 -- WE ARE IN WINNIPEG! PRAISE THE LORD! Now to find a place to stay -- Mary and Joseph we are…just like five years ago when we came out west and didn't know where to lay our heads.

9:13 -- OK, after trying to find Doug's cousin so we could stay with her (via Natalie's help on the phone), and a wild goose chase with the GPS leading us to an abandoned campground, and then to a NEW subdivision built where the OLD campground used to be, we pulled off and had a talk with the GPS. It seems we are NOT supposed to be camping in a campground on the trip. Maybe on the way home, we will actually use paper information instead of technology that is using information from 20 years ago! I made several phone calls trying to find a room at an inn, anywhere, but they were way beyond my means. A friendly Manitoban pulled up in his car and led us to Super 8, where we are now, and where we have a full kitchen in our room. I just enjoyed some tasty toast for the first time in three days and Doug is looking in the phone book to find the Superstore, because I need to go there before we leave the city in the morning (to buy my special bread). Winnipeg is huge, so this too may be a challenge.

 
 

Well, must go have a shower and go to bed. Very tired, having driven yet another long day. Almost there, Nat. See you soon.

Change of plans: Doug and I decided to take yet another trip with Mrs. GPS to try and find Extra Foods, a form of Superstore. But yet again, she led us on a wild goose chase. We're going to fire her. She's not a very good secretary. Now I'm really tired. Good night.