Day 159

November 14, 2017                                                                                               Day 159

Again, I awoke around midnight wide awake just to be disappointed to find out it was not yet morning. This darkness that clings late in the morning and approaches so early in the evening is messing with my sleeping habits.  Before I would go to bed when it got dark out and rose with the sun but now that it is dark out by 15:00 my body says it is time for bed but I have to force myself to stay awake: which is difficult for once the sun disappears I am usually in my camper.  Then when I wake it is dark out so getting going in the morning is proving to also be a new chore.  Anyways, I was now awake and had to go to the restroom. As I walked over to the building I glanced up and the stars were brilliantly shining in the night sky.   There is just something about the night sky that sparks something inside me that I just cannot explain.  Thankfully, I was able to go back to sleep until around 04:00, then again at 06:00 when I finally crawled out since the sun was beginning to seep back into my world.

I started my day with bowl of Greek yogurt, muesli, blueberries, a banana and honey accompanied by a cup of coffee.  I was not exactly sure what I was going to do today and that not knowing would stick with me the entire day.  One thing that I did know was that I was now lying to my mother and family on where I was located and what I was doing so that I could surprise them for Christmas. With breakfast out of the way I read some of my new book, The River of Doubt, while snuggled in my sleeping bag.  Soon I was ready to work out and since today was the video of push ups from hell I grabbed my yoga mat and went to the bathroom/shower area to workout.  I have to say I am quite pleased with how my workout went for I stuck thru it all and felt so much stronger.  Afterwards, I snapped some pictures to create a before and after picture though there is not as much change as I would like to see.  Yet, as though I am not currently seeing the change I know that it is there for I went down a pant size and most importantly my energy level is up and I feel amazing.

Back at my camper, I cleaned up from yesterday’s cooking and then took a shower before eating a salad.  At the picnic table, I worked on planning out my “fake” itinerary to give my parents from here until I surprise them with an early arrival home for the holiday.  The itinerary was more for my sake than anything else for I know I am horrible at lying and since I speak with my mother every day I would need some help and a guide to go by.  Again, part of me says I should be doing something today like a hike; however, a bigger part of me just was not in the mood and wanted to be lazy.  Instead I took to reading my book and updating my Excel spreadsheets while going in and out of my vehicle to warm up.

Dinner was surprisingly delicious and possibly the best one I have had yet on my trip.  It consisted of asparagus, broccoli and chicken and as the last piece of chicken entered my mouth I looked at the time and saw that it was only 16:30!  Soon it was dark and I was once again in my camper but this time I had a lilac candle burning so it was rather soothing.  It was there snuggled up in my sleeping bag, with the candle burning that I read some more of my book using the light of my headlamp for I did not want all the light that came from my overhead lights. 

As I was nestled in my little cocoon I discovered some amazing news!  I won the fitness and health challenge group that I have been participating in! What does this mean?  It means that I won a brand new pair of Nike sneakers and I have to say I am super excited for I literally can not remember the last time that I have won anything!  The challenge group was based off of a point system on whether you posted photos, videos, and how often one posted; however, the real enjoyment of it all came from the wonderful people who were in the challenge group with me.  For it was due to them that I was able to keep at it all and not fall out of my routine.  They kept me accountable and though they were not physically with me I felt as though they were counting on me.  In my head if they can work out and eat healthy then there is no excuse for me to not be able to do the same thing!  Seeing their posts and hearing that they also struggled just as I did made me feel more connected with them and I absolutely loved it and cannot wait until the next challenge! 

Day 158

November 13, 2017                                                                                                     Day 158

I didn't fall asleep until about 01:00 am mainly because I wasn't tired; however, when I did sleep it was good and thankfully there were no nightmares.  I woke up around 05:30 and put on my black jeans that I wore yesterday and climbed on out of my camper.  It was a chilly morning but I knew that it could be colder so I was not about to complain.  As my vehicle heated up I mixed together Greek yogurt, honey, muesli and blueberries together for breakfast.  As the sun rose in the sky I left the Flying J's parking lot and drove south towards Custer State Park where I hoped their shower facilities would be open.

As I entered the park there were signs about paying $20.00 just to be in the park and since I was planning on camping there was no way I was also paying an additional $20.00 so we shall see if I get in trouble.  The Game Lodge Campground was completely empty but thankfully one of the bathroom/shower facilities was still open so I decided I would stay there.  The visitor center was not yet open (it was 08:15) so I decided to reserve my site online.  There was some confusion with the pricing and I tried to call to get it straightened out but in the end I paid about $35.00 for one night which in my opinion is too much.

Once I backed into my site I called my mom to tell her where I was and then I proceeded to the bathroom area.  The building was quite large and had lots of room to work out so I did a Core de force workout in the comfort of a heated building.  Afterwards, I took a shower which felt nice to get clean though the water was not really warm; however, beggars can not be choosers.  Once I was all clean I made my shake, unhooked my camper and set off for the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

When I pulled into the memorial area I had to pay $10.00 to park and then was granted permission to proceed.  The park was pretty void of people (maybe 15) and honestly there was not too much to see.  I went to the viewing area and saw the presidents carved out of the granite mountain which in itself is an amazing feat but I have to say for some reason I thought it would be...I don't know..bigger?  I think that like most other things people have talked it up so much that I was expecting something "more" but do not get me wrong I think it was still amazing and I greatly appreciate the work that went into it.  It is such a remarkable feat for someone to be able to carve that out of a granite mountain.  Descending the stairs, I went into the museum and read a majority of the information and watched a short clip.  There was a plaque that explained the meaning of Mount Rushmore and it read:

          "The four American Presidents carved into the granite of Mount Rushmore were chosen by the sculptor to commemorate the founding, growth, preservation, and development of the United States.  They symbolize the principles of liberty and freedom on which the nation was founded.  George Washington signifies the struggle for independence and the birth of the Republic; Thomas Jefferson the territorial expansion of the country; Abraham Lincoln the permanent union of the states, and equality for all citizens, and Theodore Roosevelt, the 20th century role of the United States in world affairs and the rights of the common man."

When I left it was only about 13:00 so I drove the forty minutes back to my camper to begin my food prep.  I cooked first the asparagus and when that finished I steamed broccoli for I found that using both burners at the same time slows down the process.   From there I cooked the chicken in the oil from the asparagus and then cooked some oatmeal.  I did all of this while listening to the Nathaniel Rateliff station and drinking the last of my tequila.  Soon I was racing with the light to get all the dishes done and laid on the picnic table to dry.  I had to finish the rest in the dark with my head lamp and then changed in my vehicle for it was freezing cold at this point and I couldn't feel my toes.  After changing, I picked up some more and then took all my water bottles to the restroom to fill them up. Before going to sleep I wrote in my journal while talking with a good friend of mine as a lilac candle burned in the background.  I do not know what I will do tomorrow but I will figure it out.

 

Day 157

November 12, 2017                                                                                               Day 157

I woke up around 01:00 am wide awake once again but after using the restroom I was able to go back to sleep until 05:45 upon which I decided to just stay awake.  It was cold and I got dressed inside my sleeping bag with the clothes that I had slept with.  Then I began organizing my vehicle and decided to boil some water to make coffee but first I had to wash the pot out.  As I worked, a deep fog clung to the landscape and I couldn't even see the fence that was about ten feet from me.  My fingers froze as I tried to wash the pot so I quickly rinsed it and put gloves back on.  In my vehicle, I jammed out to the Regina Spektor pandora station while boiling water for my coffee and re-braiding my hair.  By 06:30 ish I was setting out for Rapid City, South Dakota.

The drive was easy going and I was in great spirits sipping on my coffee and singing along with the radio.  It was dark when I left but soon the fog dissipated and the sun began to rise and cast a beautiful sunrise that had me stopping multiple times to take pictures.  The landscape of South Dakota was vast but was more "hilly" then North  Dakota and contained a few more trees.  It was also accentuated with large rock groups that seemed to pop out of the Earth. Wildlife abounds in this desolate landscape for in just an hour I saw herds of pronghorn, mule deer, a fox, hawks, turkeys and an eagle.  The fog also came back and between the sections of fog and the bright sun seeing was quite the chore; however, the roads barely contained any vehicles and at times I felt like I was the only one in this world.

When I reached Rapid City I went to the visitor center where I was the only one there and the older woman there was super friendly and helpful with answering all of my million questions.  I left there with a lot of information and excited about my day.  What put me in an even better mood then normal was that the temperature was in the high 40's to low 50's so I didn't need a jacket and was able to wear just a sweatshirt!  Leaving the visitor center I headed to the Reptile Gardens that was located south of the city.

The Reptile Gardens was absolutely fantastic!  There were so many snakes that I have never seen nor heard of before and explains why it is known as having more species and subspecies of reptiles than any other zoo or wild animal park in the world!  The snakes were breathtaking and I literally read all the interesting fact plaques on each animal.  The snake with the most deadliest venom is the inland Taipan; just one bite could kill about 300 people!!  Reading all the interesting tidbits and seeing the snakes made my whole week.  They also had birds and three Galapagos tortoises.  The only thing I didn't like was the small facilities the alligators and crocodiles were in; hopefully, that is just where they go for the winter.  I loved being there and after watching the snake show and buying a few things I went out to my vehicle.

After calling around I found out all the RV parks shut off or close their restroom and shower areas for the winter which completely sucks.  Since it is Sunday and I couldn't call the state parks to make sure their showers were still operating I decided to go downtown and stay at a truck stop for the night.  So as I sat in my vehicle I cleaned my face with a cleansing wipe and then applied some makeup, used dry shampoo for my hair, changed my shirt and hoped that I looked somewhat normal: for I have not had a shower in a few days.

Downtown was very anti-climatic but I found parking for my camper that was also free and walked the streets looking at the statues of the presidents that were located on the corners.  I went into the Firehouse Brewing Co. where I ordered a flight of beers, a buffalo burger with bleu cheese and onions along with an order of fries.  I ate and drank everything and then ordered dessert which was a chocolate and cream cheese brownie with ice cream and chocolate.  The burger was nowhere near the best but the dessert was delicious.  From there I walked back to my vehicle and drove to Walmart to do some shopping for groceries.

While I was at the Walmart I took out a scale and weighed myself while filming it for my challenge group.  Though I was not happy about the numbers the wonderful women within my challenge group quickly put me at ease saying that numbers do not matter and it is mostly about how I feel and the fact that I have also went down a pant size!  I love those girls they are so sweet and motivational!  While still in the scale aisle Keri's brother called me up and I stood there talking with him for quite some time and enjoyed being able to meet yet another relative. 

When I finally made it back to my vehicle I transferred all my vegetables to my one cooler bag in the hopes that they wouldn't freeze.  I then drove to the Flying J in Rapid City where I would spend the night.  Before crawling in, I talked to my mom while cleaning my face and she pretty much threatened me that I better be home for more than a week come Christmas.  So I asked her when she would like to see me be at home and she replied that the first week of December would do! HaHa I love you mom. 

**I have some amazing photos from my camera but something is wrong with my server and therefore it wont download the pictures.  Once I figure it out I will have to update all my posts. 

Day 156

November 11, 2017                                                                                                         Day 156

I want to start off by saying that North Dakota and Montana are the states of trucks.  I have only seen trucks and maybe a few cars the entire time that I have been driving around.  Last night, I woke up wide awake at midnight to use the restroom but as I stepped out I was blown away by the beauty that befell my eyes.  The moon was extremely bright and was sitting perched on top of the hills in front of me in all its glory.  Then as my gazed moved further up I was amazed by the night sky that I saw for it has to be one of the clearest and brightest skies I have yet to witness in my life. One could see every single star and the sky was pitch black above the snow speckled hills of the badlands.  It wasn't too cold out and no vehicles were on the interstate so I crawled back into my sleeping bag and with the door still open I laid down and looked up at the night sky until I was about to fall asleep and then I closed my door.

I awoke again around 06:30 and as I stepped out it was colder then it had been around midnight.  A layer of frost had covered both my vehicle and the inside of my camper.  The sun was rising in the sky so after starting my vehicle I took some pictures and then climbed in where I changed into my hiking clothes.  With a protein shake in hand I drove into the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  As I followed the drive I immediately came across three big bison whom let me so graciously take their pictures.  From there I continued on to see a huge mule deer buck and some does, a bald eagle, some wild horses off in the distance and some more bison. 

I finally found one of the trail heads and pulled in to park.  The hike I was thinking of doing would only be 1.8 miles so I grabbed my small camel-pack and both lenses to my camera. I took a quick glance at the trial sign before heading out and it showed that there was an 11.4 mile loop called the West Loop that would bring me back to my camper and so a seed was planted in my mind.  As I started out it was cold but with the sun still coming up I knew it would warm up.  Immediately, I came across a group of mule deer with a huge buck.  As the females jumped away they looked like rabbits jumping up and down and with the thick brush one could only see their ears and head popping up!  It was so hilarious to see that I started laughing out loud.  A little while later I would come across another large buck.

The trail itself was moderately flat, dipping down only when it crossed the very deep and dried up creeks.  It was a small narrow trail used by the local bison and wildlife due to the abundance of tracks and scat that I saw.  Thankfully the land was flat and expansive so I could walk where ever I chose.  Snow covered the ground in some areas but was never above my boot.  The view I had was constantly changing from a petrified swamp, to hills, valleys and a very rugged landscape.  My eyes were constantly scanning the horizon and my feet kept going until what was going to be a small 1.8 mile walk turned into a 11.4 mile hike throughout the park.

I never tired and many a time I regretted not taking a picture of the trail map for I was not quite sure if I was indeed on the right trail and was basically winging it.  I knew it was a loop and that at the intersections I should just need to keep going right and it would bring me back around. Thankfully I was right though a few times I worried that I was going further away.  During the entire hike I saw so much wildlife such as: three wild horses that I noticed when I reached the top of a hill and scanned the landscape to see them off on a plateau with one looking right at me, lots of mule deer, bison, a rabbit, eagles, hawks, prairie dog colonies (they were loud and it felt odd to be walking thru there town as they yelled at me and scurried into their burrows), a lone coyote and a snowy owl.   As I took all of them in and as I walked I would stop and take in the peaceful silence for it was a true silence where one hears nothing but their own breathing.  This park has truly surprised me!

Before I left the park I called my mom up to let her know where I was and that I really had no plan.  From the park, I drove East to the Enchanted Highway that has the largest scrap metal sculptures in the world.  The drive was boring until I got to that highway for there was nothing to look at and one could see all the way to the horizon.  I thought Oklahoma was vast but North Dakota is even more vast.  As I drove, my best friend Stacie called me and we spoke for over an hour during which my phone dropped the call at least eight times.  By 15:00 it was black out and felt like midnight.  My first camping spot I missed due to talking to Stacie, the second, I couldn't see in the dark and finally the third was a rest area out of my way that wound up not being a rest area but basically a pull out on the side of the road near Buffalo, South Dakota.  I pulled in and before heading to bed for the night I spoke to my mom and also a really good friend of mine.

Day 155

November 10, 2017                                                                                                    Day 155

If felt so good to be able to sleep peacefully and when I woke up it was still dark out so I went back to sleep.  The next time I woke up, the entire inside of my camper was covered in frost and I was cold.  Within my sleeping bag I changed into two pairs of pants, a clean sports bra and some long-sleeved shirts for working out.  I then went inside the rest area to the family restroom that had its own separate area.  I locked myself in there and did a Core de Force power sculpt workout which was difficult for I am a clean freak and working out in a bathroom was disgusting to me but it was warm and I was not about to workout in the parking lot where it was freezing.  I had on so many layers so the only part that contacted the floor were my hands which I washed thoroughly afterwards.

At my camper, I made oatmeal and then got back on the road towards Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  The drive was about five to six hours but went well for I was listening to Indie music and taking in the scenery.  I like to observe how the landscape changes; for in Bozeman, I was surrounded by mountains and snow and as I drove East the mountains were replaced by hills which in turn were replaced with flat prairies that contained barely any snow.  The landscape opened up and one could see for miles with an endless, clear, blue sky giving Montana the nickname of Big Sky country. When I reached the park at 16:00 I got my map, sticker and postcards.  Then I drove around looking for somewhere to camp for free and ended up going back to a scenic turnout on Interstate 90E near Sentinel Butte, North Dakota. 

Day 154

November 9, 2017                                                                                                       Day 154

BEFORE BEGINNING I CANNOT UPLOAD ANY PICTURES FROM MY CAMERA FOR SOME STUPID REASON AND AFTER SPENDING OVER TWO HOURS TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT I GAVE UP!  SO IF I EVER FIX IT I WILL GO BACK AND UPDATE THESE POSTS.

Today is the last day in the hotel and I have to be checked out by 11:00.  I went down for breakfast a little before 07:00 and afterwards went and laid down for thirty minutes until 08:00.  When my alarm sounded again I was planning to do a Core de Force workout but didn't want to go down to the gym so I just worked out in my room.  I was sweating profusely and I just lacked the energy that I normally have and I have to say I think it is due to the pizza that I had.

I took my time in the shower for who knows when I will be able to have a hot shower again.  After drying my hair, I turned on the TV to watch Four Weddings while I packed up everything.  At 10:00, I started taking my things down to my vehicle to unload and organize it all.  On one of my trips down I ran into a woman who asked me if I liked my camper and I replied that I kind of have to since I built it.  Since I ended up having some time to kill before check out I just sat on the bed and continued watching Four Weddings until check out time. I have found that just the little task of being able to sit down for a few minutes and watch TV I savor a lot more then I used to.

As I checked out, I informed the receptionist that she has a wonderful personality and that I hope she has an amazing holiday for she was so cheerful and I thoroughly enjoyed talking with her whenever I was at the front desk.  In my vehicle, I headed off in the direction of the Palisade Falls that were about forty-five minutes South of Bozeman.  I had nothing to do and had time to kill until dinner at 17:00 so I figured I would go for a drive and a very short hike since I was wearing jeans. Boy, am I glad I decided to go for a drive for it was absolutely beautiful.  The road was plowed but covered in snow and a river, partially covered  in snow and ice, ran next to the road and the sun was out making the snow sparkle in its light.  I listened to music and was just enjoying the drive; especially, when the pavement ended and I had a view of the surrounding mountains standing grandly over a lake.

The last few miles to the trail head were rough and not plowed and I prayed that I would not get stuck and would make it. Thankfully, I made it and though the hike was only 1.4 miles the weather was a warm 30 degrees and the view of the snow covered falls was pretty.  Luckily, I drove out without incident also and before going too far I stopped for I remembered I wanted to find a way in order to make it so my new gas can would not bump against its' holder on my camper and therefore cause it to puncture.  So I took some bungee straps and wrapped them around the holder and it worked out perfectly.  By now it was already going on 14:00 so I headed back out with the windows down and soaking in the beautiful mountain view.

Leaving the woods and mountains behind I drove to Livingston, Montana stopping at a rest area right outside of town to kill time until it was 16:00.  Then I went into town, fueled up and then headed over to their business where I was meeting up with all of them.  From there Keri drove me to their home to show me the work they are doing for they are building their home.  Where they live is so picturesque for it is a valley that is completely surrounded by mountains and the home they are building will have views only one can dream about having.  I just could not get over how beautiful the area is!  This is what I came to Montana to see and would give anything to be able to wake up every day to this view.  After we drove around some we went back to the office where all three of us stood around talking about places that I should see and looking at a large map that they have.  Then we headed out to meet up with her daughter, son-in-law and their three little girls for dinner.

Dinner went very well and I simply enjoyed being in the company of a family that reminded me so much of my own family back in Wisconsin.  The pizza that was brought out to us was literally served on a huge tray and was very good.  I honestly cannot thank them enough for their hospitality for not only did they welcome me they also paid for my dinner both nights!  Sadly, the time I dread the most has come and we must all say goodbye.  I hope that one day I will be able to come back to Montana and visit them for they are such wonderfully sweet people whom I am proud to call family.

The time was only 20:00 and it was freezing cold as I headed for the Interstate to cover some distance.  I was only able to get about an hour or so driving in before I started to become too tired to drive anymore and so found a rest area to spend the night.  I quickly found out that the 12 volt heater that I bought does absolutely nothing but push out air; however, tonight would mark the first night in awhile that I slept completely thru without any nightmares.

Day 153

November 8, 2017                                                                                                       Day 153

I slept a little better last night and by 07:30 I was up and going downstairs for breakfast where I pretty much just stuffed my face.  So it goes with out saying that a visit to the gym was in order.  With my workout complete and a shower out of the way I called up Keri to see what her plans were for the day and to see if she wanted to get lunch or dinner.  She said that she would think of something and give me a call back so while I waited I paid for another night at the hotel so that I could get caught up on my blog. 

The day started off not going according to plan for it was impossible to connect to the internet so after spending an hour dealing with that I was finally able to connect.  Then finding a post office that accepted general delivery seemed to be a bigger chore than normal for the few that I did find told me that I had to come in in person and fill out a form and then have the package sent to them which just doesn't work for me.  Finally, after many phone calls I found one and then I had to call Beach Body and give them the information they needed to have my shakes sent to the right place.  Once all that was done I was finally able to start working on my blog; however, as soon as I was getting started on that Keri called me back.  They were able to do dinner either tonight or tomorrow night around 17:30 and after some contemplation I did not think it made too much sense to drive the 30 miles for dinner and then drive back just to drive that way again in the morning.  So we planned to do dinner tomorrow.

Eventually, I caught up with my blog but my mood had yet to brighten up so I did what any person would do and decided to start drinking the tequila I had.  I sat in the sauna for a little bit and when I got back up to my room I ordered a pizza.  Only one slice into the pizza and I regretted my choice to purchase the pizza for though it tastes the same and I love pizza I just felt gross after eating it and all I wanted was a salad.  All this eating healthy and working out has changed my body so that it now recognizes what are the right foods it needs to fuel my body and I don't like the feeling I got from eating the greasy pizza. 

Day 152

November 7, 2017                                                                                                      Day 152

Though I was warm and comfy last night I still had dreams all night that were anything but pleasant.  Then around 02:30 in the morning I received a message from a friend and someone I was very close to back in South Carolina that made my heart fill up with joy and affection.  I wrote down what he had told me in my journal, for it was one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me, but to give you all the short version he basically told me how proud he was of me for doing this trip and going after what I wanted and that I am a beautiful person inside and out and he hopes our paths cross again.  If he is reading this he knows who he is and I just want to say that that was literally one of the sweetest and kindest things anyone has told me and that I too hope that one day our paths cross: until then I wish nothing but absolute happiness for you.

I woke up for good around 07:30 upon which I went downstairs for breakfast and then to work off all those calories I hit the gym.  In the gym, I was the only person which was nice and I did two Core de Force workouts which had me feeling amazing.  Afterwards I showered and I headed to the Museum of the Rockies which was so interesting that I was there for at least 2.5 hours.  I feel bad for the poor soul who decides to ever go to a museum with me for I move very slowly and tend to read every single bit of information; which, was exactly what I did for the dinosaur section of the museum.  I never really comprehended how huge the triceratops were until now!!  This museum had a wonderful progression of their growth from the young all the way up to an adult.  That section of the museum seemed to have received the most attention from the curators for the other sections were less adequate and I quickly flowed thru them.

Leaving the museum,  I drove to a rest area to meet up with Keri and Doug who I found out happened to be family!  A day or so ago my mother had contacted me informing me that my step-dad and his mother both had told her that I had family members who lived in Montana.  She then asked if I would like her to get in contact with them and see if they were interested in meeting up to which I replied that I would love to.  So that day Keri had contacted me and we made a plan to meet up and have dinner and get to know each other.  That leads us to today and me driving to the rest area to ride with them to a Mexican restaurant in town.  It was Keri, Doug and their son and they all were instantly very welcoming and I thoroughly enjoyed talking with them.  Sitting there having dinner with them made me feel like I was back home and though we just met I have to say it was great to be in the company of family.   After dinner they were kind enough to show me around the town and point out another museum I could hit up if I wanted to.

When they dropped me back off at my camper I drove back to the hotel where I proceeded to do a load of laundry and sit in the sauna!  Yes, ladies and gentlemen you heard that right I have a sauna in my hotel and it has been so long since I was last in one.  While I sat in there I called up my dad in Florida whom I have not spoken to in some time and we caught up.  During the conversation I went from sitting in the sauna to the heated pool and back into the sauna.  When I got back to my room with my laundry I showered and watched The Kingsman that was on TV.  During commercials, I updated my journal and contemplated deeply on whether I should pay to stay another night here in the hotel or not.  I would like to but I also don't want to waste another $59.00 on a room.  At 23:00, I was still not tired and still had not made a decision but I forced myself to go to sleep and deal with it in the morning. 

Sooo...this was in the bathroom at the museum which only had one stall and when you open the door this is what one is presented with.  I was slightly confused on why anyone would go into a stall with a stranger, shut the door and take a shit next to a stranger.  HAHA. I couldn't get over it!

Day 151

November 6, 2017                                                                                                         Day 151

There is no point in continuing what we already know about how my nights go. Last night was spent in the Walmart parking lot and over the night it had snowed about an inch or so.  Winter has truly hit Montana and my vehicle was covered in about an inch or so of snow which prompted me to drive closer to the Walmart entrance and purchase an ice scraper; mine is in Wisconsin.  Back at my camper,  I drove towards the Kim Williams Nature Trail with the temperatures in the low to mid-twenties but the day was sunny and Missoula is quite a beautiful city.

When I parked I called my mom up to let her know where I was, since she had asked me to do so, and we began talking about the work being done back home on the house and up at the shack.  We talked as I walked on the snow and ice covered path next to the river that ran thru the city.  Once we hung up I went underneath a bridge where there was no snow or ice and did a Core de Force MMA Shred workout.  I have to say I kind of felt like Rocky Balboa working out on the city streets throwing punches; though, with only ten minutes left of the workout I had to call it quits for I was not feeling well.

At my vehicle, I tried to not think about how I felt and drank some cranberry juice and yes I did take a shot of tequila while I changed my clothes.  I then got back on the road, staying on the interstate where there was less snow, driving towards Bozeman.  As I drove, I started to feel better and I drank lots of water so I was stopping at every rest area.  At one stop, I got out and a guy commented on how dirty my camper was due to the snow and dirt from the road and I laughed and said yep and continued inside.  When I came back out he was still there and started a conversation with me while I stood there in the cold.  He was heavier set man with no hair but a few strands on the back of his head.  The conversation was okay but then he became the first true creepy guy I have met on my trip and he wasn't even that bad he just made comments about Victoria Secret lingerie and how I must be breaking a lot of hearts on the road.  Eventually he left and I could fill up my water bottles, make salad dressing in my vehicle and eat a salad.

Before leaving the rest area my phone acquired some cell service and I received a text message of a voicemail from a company my mom had told me about that is located in Victor, Montana and builds tear drops.  I called the man, George, back and found he has traveled for 18 years in a tear drop and now builds them.  He got right down to business addressing my heating issues and tole me the only two things he has found to ever work.  One was to buy a 12 volt auto defroster/heater and run it for a few minutes before bed and waking up.  The other was an electric blanket but I already have a kick ass sleeping bag.  Then he told me that when I get home to give him a call and he will tell me exactly what I need to buy to redo the exterior of my camper so that it will last.  He spoke clearly and made it so I could understand. To top it all off he told me that if I broke down before I got home that now matter where I am to call him and he will come and pick both my camper and I up!  The pure generosity and kindness of people I meet constantly blows my mind!

After our conversation, I got back on the road and drove to Bozeman.  The snow there is at least a couple inches deep if not a foot and I headed (per Georges suggestion) to Harbor Freight where I acquired the 12 volt heater and a red Jerry gas can that I found they had.  Then I decided after driving to a rest area and being completely froze just walking to the bathroom that I would break down and spend the money to get a hotel for two night so I could shower and not freeze to death. I made a reservation at a Days Inn for $59.00 per night.

I pulled into the ice covered lot and packed up my backpack and two bags of food and dirty dishes.  Opening up the door to my room I was amazed for it was better than I was anticipating.  I had a TV, microwave, refrigerator and a desk.  Immediately I turned the heater up to 80 degrees and took an amazing hot shower!  I then spend the night laying in bed watching TV, drinking tequila and eating some food. Oh to be warm and clean is Heaven.

Day 150

November 5, 2017                                                                                                         Day 150

To say last night was interesting would be an under statement.  First, I woke up wide awake, refreshed, needing to pee and ready to face the day only to find out it was midnight.   So I bared the freezing cold temperatures to pee and promptly jumped back into my sleeping bag.  The second time I woke up it was only around 04:00 and I had to go the bathroom yet again!  So I went the bathroom and went back to bed but the last time I would wake would be from me literally screaming and waking myself up.  I can't remember exactly what happened but something or someone was trying to or actually was attacking me all I remember is trying to scream and not being able to until I did and woke myself up from doing so.  This time I would not be going back to sleep.

I really hate that it is so dark out still at 08:00 for I miss the light and mostly I miss the heat but this is what I signed up for and I am not one to back down.  When I pulled on my pants and walked to go use the bathroom I realized it was not really all that cold out.  I turned on my vehicle to defrost it and while it ran I made my oatmeal which in turn led to me making a whole new batch of oatmeal.  Then since I was somewhere that I could cook and I had a great view I also made some rice.  Trying to do the dishes completely sucked for my hands started locking up from the cold and I used the last of my water that was not in my five gallon jug. Once my cooking and cleaning were completely done I climbed into my heated vehicle where I changed into every day clothes.  I turned my camper around easily and drove back to the Interstate.

Since I did not have service yesterday I had two voice mails from my mom and so once I acquired service again I called her back. In Missoula, I stopped at Cabelas to look for a heater and since Kohl's was right next door and my pants no longer fit me (currently, I am wearing a pair of pants under my jeans and still need a belt) I went over there to buy a new pair.  So it is with great pleasure that I announce that for the first time ever I am down to a size 5 and even have room in those pants that I still need a belt!  The parking lot was huge so I just stayed there and walked to the City Brew Coffee Roasters where I would spend the day, until about 15:00, planning the next leg of my journey, updating my excel sheets and emailing some places.  I pretty much planned my trip all the way home with Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska in detail.  Since I still have time I am thinking of also hitting Kansas, Iowa and Minnesota.

Leaving the coffee shop, I made a protein shake and ate a hard-boiled egg while I drove to Target and then Walmart looking for some supplies.  During all this walking throughout the stores I was talking to my mom on the phone about an apple butter she was making and giving her a hard time about coming home for Christmas.  She had me laughing so hard and was saying that out of all her children I make up about 80% of her anxiety. :) Love you mom.  Eventually, we said goodnight after I misplaced my keys and then my water bottle cap...I swear I am losing my brain. 

Day 149

November 4, 2017                                                                                                     Day 149

Falling asleep is still a problem.  I was up past midnight and then awoke at 04:00 and decided to eat breakfast in my vehicle with the heat on; thankfully, I was able to fall asleep until I received a text message from a friend around 07:00.  As I opened my door there was a light dusting of snow on the ground.  Putting on my shoes I walked to the bathroom to workout which didn't go well for the app deleted my videos once again; instead, I did a few workouts on my own and took a shower.

Dressed in my yoga pants, winter pants, sports bra, tank-top, under-armor long sleeve, flannel, jacket and hiking boots I dried my hair partially under the hand dryer and went back to my camper.   There I made a protein shake and began the process of picking up and prepping for the road while I danced around to some music.  Yes, I was actually dancing around Ha I really do not seem to care anymore if people think I am some crazy loon.  I had no plan for the day and no true destination but is that not what this trip is really about?  All I knew was that I was in the mood to just drive, cover some ground and just keep driving until I decided it was time to stop.

As I left the Riverside State Park I listened to some country music as the snow whirled around me.  Spokane and the other small towns of Washington that I drove thru were quaint and all the trees still had their fall leaves but everything was covered in a dusting of snow which made it feel like Christmas to me.  I drove Eastwards into Idaho changing my music selection to Blues and not wanting to stop driving.  I somewhat wanted to do a hike but I also didn't and since I had no hikes on my itinerary I let it be.   As I entered the cute town of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho I stopped at one of their lakeside parks and it was absolutely perfect!  I have NEVER seen so many fall leaves in one place and the whole town seemed to consist mostly of them!  I got out and walked around the park as the snow fell and my feet were covered in fall color.  When I got to the lake I called up my grandma in Wisconsin and we spoke for a few minutes.  Afterwards, I went back to my vehicle and ate a salad and then continued on my way.  As I left I knew that I wanted to come back to this town one day to truly explore the area.

The drive to Montana was snow covered and mountains surrounded me on either side as I drove thru old historic towns. My GPS was set for Missoula but I had nothing planned there and I was hoping to find somewhere to camp before I got there.  All the national forest campgrounds were closed; however, about an hour out of the town I found free camping at Big Pine FAS on Fish Creek Road in Alberton, Montana.  The road started off paved and then turned into a dirt road that was laden with potholes.  Fish creek ran next to the road and after about ten minutes I was at my destination and what the view I had from my camper door!  I was right on the creek with a snow covered "mountain" rising up behind that all while the snow fell in thick flakes around me.  I heated up a meal and with my camping chair sat on the bank.  After eating I crawled into my sleeping bag for warmth, kept the door open so that I could hear the creek and look out, and finished reading the fitness magazine.

The magazine got me wanting to workout and set some real goals like maybe even participating in a race?  I had a lot of pent of energy so I decided that although it was cold out that I would do a 20 minute workout where I ran for five minutes, did lunges for five minutes and repeat.  In the end, I was sweating and now wet which when I think about it is not good; especially, when I think that I may be catching a cold.  I changed into some dry clothes and with nothing else to do and no cell phone service decided I should at least try to catch up on some sleep.

 

My Baby!

My view from my camper

Day 148

November 3, 2017                                                                                                      Day 148

Waking up I felt like I had a decent nights sleep and it wasn't too cold out.  The first thing I did upon waking up was go do a workout in the same bathroom shower stall as yesterday; apparently though, getting a new phone erased all the videos I had downloaded from the Beach Body On Demand app.  Since I had no service I couldn't watch any of the videos so instead I got dressed to head back into town to go to the Verizon store and see what I needed to do.  There they said I needed to clear my phone and start the download of everything again.  I have so many pictures on my phone that it was literally taking hours so I asked to make sure that if I left and went somewhere else with wifi that it would continue downloading.

Leaving the Verizon store, I drove to a cute coffee shop called Indaba and I have to say it is nice to drive around without my camper.  At the coffee shop I ordered a delicious butterscotch latte and then proceeded, for the next couple hours, to update my blog and my Excel sheets.  At one point, a gentleman next to me asked, "what paper I was working on?" and I replied that I wasn't working on a paper but updating my blog.  We ended up talking for about 15 minutes upon which I found out he is either studying for or is an electrical engineer so I asked him about my solar panel.  Eventually, around 16:00, I decided to call it quits and walked out into the snowy street to my vehicle and drove back to my camper.  There I heated up a chicken meal that tasted pretty bad for water had gotten into the container.  I spoke to mom for a few minutes and tried to do a workout but the video just wouldn't play now!  To deal with my frustration I drank the last of my wine and with a lilac candle lit in my camper read a fitness magazine in the freezing cold.

Day 147

November 2, 2017                                                                                                     Day 147

I slept well last night but that was mostly attributed to the aid of Uni-some for when I went to bed I was not tired and I just knew that once again I would not be able to sleep.  I woke up around 06:00 to a dream about having to go to the bathroom and hence had to go the bathroom.  My issue though was that it was cold outside and I did not want to leave the warmth of my sleeping bag but eventually my bladder won and I went to the bathroom.  Once inside the heated bathroom I then did not want to leave so I ran back to the warmth of my sleeping bag.  I wish I knew why I have been having such difficulty sleeping and having such horrible dreams: when I was in Seattle I slept perfectly every night.

When I woke up for good I was cold but made myself heat up my oatmeal and add milk, peanut butter, almonds, dried cranberries, chia seeds and a banana to it.  I ate it inside my vehicle with the heat on and I just love this oatmeal combo! After breakfast, I went to the bathroom where I set up in the shower stall and did a Core de Force Dynamic Strength workout somewhere that was warm.  To be honest, I was not feeling the workout at all today but I persevered and afterwards even walked around outside for awhile.  Then I went back inside and took a shower.

Once I was clean and had blow dried my hair some underneath the hand dryer I made a protein shake, coffee and then unhitched my camper so I could take my vehicle into town for an oil change.  At the oil change place they informed me that my air filter was in desperate need of replacement and that my battery failed their test but I was not going to have them fix either of those for the oil change itself was the most expensive oil change I have EVER paid: it was $85.00!!  Leaving that place I went to the Verizon store to acquire a new cell phone which right there encompassed almost an entire day.  I absolutely loath going to that store and after having to be in there for hours dealing with that I was done with the day.  I was in a horrible mood and I knew the only thing that would help would be a lovely pint of ice cream.  Back at my camper I ate the said ice cream while sipping on wine and reading The Alchemist.

Day 146

November 1, 2017                                                                                                Day 146

Waking up in the rest area I was groggy and freezing cold as soon as I left the warmth of my sleeping bag.  Though it was around the time I normally wake up it was dark out and it reminded me that winter was on its way.  The nights are getting longer and the days are shorter and shorter.  I made myself a slice of bread with a banana on it and ate that for breakfast while sitting in my vehicle trying to warm up.  My phone had died last night so I was trying to get it to charge and turn back on so that I could use it to navigate to Spokane.

As the sun began its climb for the day I drove to Spokane where I planned to spend the night at the Riverside State Park -- Bowl and Pitcher campground if any sites were available.  The drive wasn't bad, though it was gloomy and had begun to rain. As I pulled into the campground the office was closed and it was self-serve.  There was only one other camper, who seemed to be a resident and yelled at her two dogs constantly.  I parked in site #20 for a fee of $20.00 per night and went about setting up my camper and airing it out for now the sun had come out and it was getting warmer out.  To show how out of it I am I read that the water gets turned off for the winter the third weekend in October and was like, "perfect I have time"...it's November 1st.  It took me trying the water faucets to realize it was November and not October. So to fill up my five gallon jug I took to making trips, in between cooking, with my bladder and water bottles to the bathroom to fill them up in the sink and then pour them into the jug.  Like I said, during this process I was also meal prepping.  Which consisted of cooking chicken, oatmeal, brown rice, hard-boiled eggs and steaming broccoli.  It doesn't sound like much but with only a two burner propane stove it takes some time.

As I cooked a man approached me with a beautiful dog to see me camper for he also has a teardrop camper.  We started talking and I found out he is a super attendant at a high school and had his students build a tear drop camper as one of their projects.  He invited to come by later but I would not get around to it for I busy until it was dark out and just did not feel like talking to be honest.  When my food was cooked and the dishes were done I changed and did a Core de Force MMA Speed workout near my camper.  I then bought two dollars worth of tokens for the shower and as I went to start the shower I realized I did not even need the tokens for it turned on without any of them!  I was happy I didn't have to pay but irritated for I did pay Ha I guess it is only $2.00 dollars.  The bathroom was heated so well that I contemplated just staying in there Ha.

After my shower, I went about starting a fire to use the wood I had and it is quite sad but it would mark my first fire while on my trip; however, everywhere I have been has either been in a fire danger area or it has just been too hot to have one.  I had a fire going within seconds and went and opened a bottle of wine that Sal had left for me.  I had that sweet delicious taste of heaven while eating my chicken dinner near the fire.  Once I was done eating I realized it was only 17:00!  I am not a fan of it getting dark out so early for it makes me think it is a lot later than it is.  To pass the time, I took to updating my journal near the fire until it died and then I climbed into my camper.  There I read The Alchemist while curled up in my sleeping bag until bed.

I love my jelly belly wine glass!

 

Food prep

Day 145

October 31, 2017                                                                                                       Day 145

Today is Halloween, apparently, but being on the road it doesn't feel like it and to be honest I forgot about it multiple times today.  I woke up freezing cold, though I was warm in my bag, and concerned I may be getting sick.  Thankfully it went away but boy was I in a terrible mood!  I am just thankful no one is around to deal with me in this mood.  After defrosting my vehicle I continued the drive towards the falls but after finding out it would cost $10.00 just to get in and see it I decided it wasn't worth it.  There are more important waterfalls to chase out there.

Eventually, I stopped at a coffee shop in the town of Yakima after driving around forever to find a parking spot for my camper.  Oh, first I did stop at a Walmart to look into getting a heater for my camper but I do not know anything about solar panels, inverters and heaters so I walked out with nothing.  I then made a salad and then I went to the coffee shop where my mood only got worse for I did not accomplish anything.  No blog was updated, no journal caught up, no updated excel sheets and no planning happened.  I tried but nothing interested me in the next couple states and a part of me just wanted to get home and another big part of me wanted to head South.

Finally I gave up and drove to an A&W to eat some horrible food and get back on the road towards Spokane, Washington.  The drive did help some but there is no way to really describe what I feel inside for I don't even know what I feel.  I called it a night at a rest area on Interstate 90 Eastbound where I drank some tequila, read out of the Alchemist and couldn't fall asleep...again.

Day 144

October 30, 2017                                                                                                                Day 144

Today was a tough day for I am happy to be with Sal but sad that today he has to leave.  I wish he could stay longer but I know he has commitments and must go.  These last couple days have been more than I expected and it was nice being able to have company on this journey of mine. When we woke up we made sure that we wouldn't miss breakfast again and headed downstairs to eat.  For once I was not sure what to say for I didn't want to bring up anything that would deal with him leaving and we were both somewhat quite.  When breakfast was done we went upstairs and sat on the couch watching TV until he had decided enough time had passed that we could go down and workout.

Down at the gym we both ran on the treadmill and I was very surprised with myself for I ran four miles in an hour and I have NEVER ran four miles in my life.  It was nice though having someone next to me on the treadmill that I could somewhat stay with so I think that helped out a lot.  After our workout we went upstairs to shower and get packed up.  His flight was not until 17:00 so we walked around downtown Bellevue which was beautiful for the sun was out and fall leaves scattered the ground where we walked.  We both were quite and mentioned that we were sad that it was our last day of hanging out; I just hope that we are able to hang out again soon for I truly enjoy his company. 

We walked to a Thai place, Tangerine Thai Cuisine, where we were practically the only people in the place and the food was hands down one of the best Thai meals I have had.  He also introduced me to Thai ice tea that was practically the milk of the gods it was so good.  The walk back to the hotel ended all too soon and we just spent the last hour or so hanging out as I tried to not think about him leaving.  Unfortunately, the time I had been dreading came and we headed downstairs to check out.  We sat on a bench near my vehicle as we waited for his Uber to arrive and when it did we hugged good bye and I watched him get in the car and drive away. 

Back at my own vehicle, I was in no mood to go anywhere or do anything but I had to get going and figure out where I was going to spend the night.  After such an amazing weekend and the best time I have ever had being in a city it was hard to get my head wrapped around being on the road again.  First, I stopped at a Trader Joe's to get some food and then I tried to find a place to get an oil change but they were all so expensive.  With no destination at all really I headed in the general direction of a state park I was thinking about going to.  As I drove, Stacie called me and we talked which helped put me in a somewhat better mood.  Eventually, I pulled over at a rest area on Interstate 90 Eastbound near Cle Elum and quickly remembered how much it sucks to be freezing cold.