Category: RV Trips

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Off to see the wizard!

Not to say our own Dr. Clark is not a wizard of a vet, but he doesn’t have a CT Scan machine thingy and no one else in the area does either, hence our trip to Great Falls to the Big Sky Animal Medical Center.

Bear was happy to hit the road.

We pulled out of our driveway at exactly 9:30 a.m. My hope and plan was to leave 9 – 10 latest so I was very happy with the 9:30 departure.

We hit a small snag between Columbia Falls and Hungry Horse…

Construction delay.

But we were delayed along the Flathead River with scenic views and cool morning air so we crawled along and watched the river.

Things cleared up at Hungry Horse and we zipped past West Glacier and through Marias Pass. It was hazy-smokey but still beautiful.

Today is the first time I’ve done this route in the motorhome. There are some drop offs along the road. It is vastly different in a motorhome, where you are up high and can really see over the guard rail what a long drop it is to the bottom…

A lot of traffic all the way…rvs, cars, commercial stuff. I go the speed limit but no one likes being behind a motorhome so I pulled over when I could.

The delay, the traffic…it made for a long and tiring day of driving.

The boys were champs!!!

The above scene from our lunch break. Considering his wobblies, Bob did very well negotiating to his food, some under table steps and even his litter box en route.

No problems with Bear and Bob and I am completely confident with them together – YEA!!!

Bob had a ground floor nest in a secure spot near both food and litter box.

We arrived at the clinic about 3:45 p.m.

Good news – wonderful people!

Bad news – the rv parking is just parking and no power and it was 91F so even with the generator running ’round the clock, we would be just barely comfy.

BUT…a KOA RV campground was near and that is where we landed. It is beautiful and I hope to get out with the camera at sunset as the campground sits on a bluff above miles of fields.

It is 7:30 p.m. as I write this…we are all beat, but Bear and I had several walks along the way and one here at the campground. We have all had dinner. I’ve had a cool shower and a glass of wine! All is well for tonight.

We take Bob to the clinic tomorrow morning. They will call when they have read the scan. In between, Bear and I will go to a gorgeous park we passed on the way in – along the Missouri River. The Missouri runs through Great Falls.

Thanks to all who sent emails of encouragement and prayer for our safe travel and a good outcome for Bob.

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Friday News

A good work week with MUCH accomplished.

Time to put my feet up and enjoy Friday evening.

Bear and I took advantage of what I’ve observed is a 5-6 p.m. lull in yellow jacket activity. We had our preprandial walk in the woods and then the temps (86F) and increased buzzing brought us inside to cool off, relax and think about supper.

I had a pasta & salad bowl. It looks like chili-mac but actually the sauce is my vegetable marinara with lentil-ricotta “meat” balls. The romaine is dressed with cucumber-yogurt-olive oil and rice vinegar. Half of a scallion pancake rounds out my dinner bowl.

Bear had kibble and his evening greenie!

Cherries, basil and lemon are waiting to be made into a half-pint jar of cherry preserves.

Actually, the mix plus some sugar is simmering on the stove as I write.

Wild Thing is home from her spa treatment.

She is smooth and shiny and all aglow from the wash and wax.

And ready to convey Bob, Bear and me to Great Falls, MT (220 miles) this coming Friday (8/16…also my birthday!). Mr. Bob has an appointment for a CT Scan.

Big Sky Animal Medical Center has RV parking on site – YEA! The plan is a fairly early departure on Thursday 8/15 so as to get settled and have a relaxing afternoon the day before. The BSAMC person(s) will come out to the motorhome for the pre-exam and then take Bob for the quick 30 minute, sedated CT Scan.

A surgeon, actually Dr. Scherr who did Bear’s first TPLO surgery, is available to immediately do anything the CT Scan turns up.

The hope and prime contender is that as the ear drums healed, they trapped some fluid in the inner or middle ear and that just needs to be drained. And maybe there is a polyp in there causing an issue. Quick fixes I am told.

Yep, there are worse things but no need to go there and the trapped fluid fits with everything.

Meanwhile, Bob is still wobbly but also still eating, drinking, etc. and normally active.

I am so thankful that this facility is available. The alternatives are the veterinary teaching hospitals: Washington State or Colorado State. Although, they are wonderful places, with state of the art equipment, the scenario would be much more stressful for Bob than a pick up from our own motorhome! Big Sky Animal Medical Center will be much more low key and Bob is likely to be sedated and unaware for most of the time he is in the facility, hopefully waking up with Bear and me in the familiar surroundings of Wild Thing. And the cost is about 1/3 of the alternatives which means a bit less stress for me, also :) !

Friday News. Pretty good news. Hope your Friday has good news also.

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Getting ready to roll

I made the motorhome bed today.

It is kind of a big deal for me and for my plans to be in that state of “ready to roll” that I like.

Mid-January, anticipating Bear’s recovery from TPLO 1, I changed my house bed (Platform Bed) and then moved the motorhome mattress to the house, leaving the motorhome bereft of its normal sleeping arrangement.

But, last week, I bought…

… a new mattress. A compressed mattress. An inexpensive, compressed mattress.

It came in a blue bag.

Bear was mystified at the bed that first got lower and then non-existent…

First the blue bag came off.

Then an outer plastic bag came off.

Mattress in position and then an inner plastic bag was broached which caused an intake whoosh of air and the mattress unrolled and inflated until it looked like a REAL mattress.

Huh.

I’ve slept on it for a week and so far, so good.

Getting ready to roll.

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On this auspicious or infamous date…

A beautiful day! A beautiful day to be travelling in Wild Thing!

But…here she is, parked in the home spot :(

Today was to be the day we would roll… Bob, Bear and I – all together…a few days dawdling around Montana and then south to Mama, Bill, Betty…and the 4-leggeds Barely, L.B., Louie and Miss Dixie Lee.

…the show stopper… (propane tank…heat and cooking “fuel”)

That is just the side. The underneath is even worse. And worst of all…I knew the side part last Fall but never thought to look under.

4-6 weeks to get a new tank here.

It is ordered and with the hope that 4-6 weeks is conservative, I have all else ready to go. When the new tank arrives, weather/work/house, etc. will be evaluated. Fall, Winter or early Spring – we will go!

Meantime…September 13. Six years ago today, Bob, Karl and I moved into this little house in the woods. It was good. This post titled 3 years tells the tale.

But today, although we are not rolling…and Wild Thing is parked…it is still a beautiful day. The weather is perfect: blue sky, 72 at the warmest, soft light…

Enjoyment in the woods…

…and on the front porch!

Rats! – I thought I caught them actually touching noses…

They did and do :)

And even better, they relax around each other. It nearly brings me to tears to see this…to turn and work at my desk with my dear boys in the same room with me.

I am disappointed that we are not on the road. But on this beautiful day, 6 years in this place, with Bob and Bear ok together – I am content.

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Home

The Mission Mountains…entrance to the Flathead Valley.

A beautiful day which started and ended with a foggy overcast but sunshine off and on along the way. Freezing fog last night left all of the trees, bushes, branches and fences with a coat of brilliant white frost.

The road was clear and dry.

Bear recognized our road…

Our road home.

***While I am glad to have the push of driving behind me, it is always a bit of a wrench to face the end of a trip. I really LOVE travelling and living in the motorhome. It was wonderful to be with my family – as much as I missed Montana and my own house, it was so hard to leave. The time seemed to go so fast. We had a wonderful rhythm of sharing time…I know we will do it again and soon but still…

Bear learned so much on this trip and also was a wonderful rv companion. He settled into our travel routine with ease. When I let him out he ran here and there and then back in the motorhome to watch from his dashboard vantage point…so I know he is comfortable in the motorhome. Eventually he stayed out and explored the woods while I unpacked about half…the rest will do as the week progresses.

Bob did not seem that happy to see us but he’s softening…and I imagine a night back in bed with me will be the topper. He was banished off and on from the bedroom for hogging the bed and generally being annoying. I’m used to it and I’m guessing he pushed the limits thinking he might get away with it.

The house was cleaner than I left it and smelled wonderful! Thank you Hailley and Jordan for your care of Bob, the house and the property. I felt confident that all was well and did not have a moment of concern :)!

All in all a trip to remember and cherish.