Long Strange Trip

Winnipeg Folk Fest

The Winnipeg Folk Fest was a great event. We took our time traveling to Birds Hill Park, just outside Winnipeg proper. Stopped at Lake Itasca SP and then at Lake Bronson SP just south of the Canadian border.

Nice, quiet spot!

We did make it across the Canadian border--though the guys in front of us had their entire van searched!

Thursday night we saw the Weakerthans a great band from Winnipeg. Their song "I hate Winnipeg" was the highlight of the evening.

Later, after midnight, a major thunderstorm came up. Ann and I agreed that this was one of the biggest storms we have experienced in the Rialta.

Friday: Ann and I got up early to do the "tarp run". This is a unique aspect to the Winnipeg experience. You have to get up early (6 AM or so) and line up. Then around 8 AM they distribute numbered tickets. At 10 AM (if its dry) the tarp runners are allowed into corrals according to their numbers. They are supposed to WALK NOT RUN to stake out a place to sit for the evening show.

Tarp run line up.

To get a number 1, it helps to sleep in line!

Saturday: Major wind and rainstorm. All day the wind and rain pummeled us. We stayed in camp in the Rialta.

Then Ron and Kathy were kind enough to give us a ride to the concert. Because the direction of the wind, the main stage show was canceled and the show was moved to a smaller stage. We sat in the driving wind and rain--but were rewarded with  great sets by Nanci Griffith and Calexico.

Sunday: A beautiful cool, sunny day. We get up early and are rewarded with a #1 for the tarp run--which is delayed until 5:30 PM to allow the field to dry.

We got front row seats for a workshop featuring Nanci Griffith, Kathleen Edwards and Justin Townes Earle . This was an excellent show--it is so much fun to watch the muscians interact and to do some improvising.

Nanci Griffith

Kathleen Edwards

Justin Townes Earle

Sunday night--a spectacular show! We had good seats--shared with friends--Ron and Kathy from Minnesota and the Pete, Kathy, Norm, Georgina--and others.

Ann looks like she is having a good time!

Joan Armatrading gave an awesome performance--a wonderful writer, singer and guitar player!

Well, that's a taste of the festival--so much good music. And so many neat people to meet--thanks, everyone for making the festival a great time!

Mystery Cave

This weekend I went camping at Mystery Cave State Park with my friends Lee, Peter and William.  It started out raining. So we had to stop and eat pizza. Then we set up camp and took a tour of Mystery Cave.

The highlight was dinner. Lee, Peter and William prepared hobo packets. Basically meat, potatoes and salt.

The meat had to be cut up.

Sometimes only an ax will do!

Or just a knife!

Then carefully cook in the fire!

And you get a great dinner!

Hey, guys. I had a great time!

Something fishy

Hi!

You've probably given up on me. But I am back (as is the blog).

I recently took a famous friend of mine to visit the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in Hayward, WI.

Its a great place!

The world's biggest muskie.

A slightly smaller (but still impressive!) fish.

Words to live by.

Happy New Year!

A beautiful snow covered landscape welcomed us this morning. It finally snowed and the white crisp day was the perfect way to start 2007.

Como Lake in St. Paul--thin ice, with a little bit of snow.

Back home!

We are now safely home in St. Paul. The final leg of our trip was not without drama. On Monday morning we got our brakes repaired in Shelby, MT. We wasted no time leaving. Headed straight across Montana on Highway 2. Just outside of Williston, North Dakota our brakes started making the same terrible metal to metal sound that was fixed by replacing them.

We spent a long night in Williston--imagining that we would be stuck for a long time there. Fortunately, I met a helpful guy who runs an RV repair shop. His name is Camper Dan. Camper Dan told me to go down to Westland Auto Repair first thing in the morning and tell them that Camper Dan had sent me.

I did and the mechanic took a look at the Rialta. He found out that a brake pad had been installed backwards! This was the cause of the noise. Fortunately there was no other damage. With great relief we headed out and arrived in Bemidji that evening.

Paul and Babe in Bemidji.

Even though we are home--check in on the site--as I will be adding more. Including the best of awards, worst of awards, and other fun stuff!

critters

This never got posted for some strange reason. We enjoyed seeing the wildlife. Hope you do too!

Here we are in St. John, BC., 40 miles from the end of the Alaska Highway. We have been lucky enough to get some good views of local wildlife. So far our list includes brown and grizzly bear, beaver, bison, caribou, deer, eagles, marmots, moose, owls, hawks, seagulls, squirrels--I've probably left some out!

Here are two Grizzilies having breakfast.

Bison sitting beside road.

Caribou on road.

Moose with two calves.

Mastadon.

Danger: bison vs. RV. Bison wins.

Animals crossing the roads are something to watch out for. Yesterday a brown bear cub ran towards me while I was going 60 MPH. Fortunately, it stopped and turned around before reaching the road. I started breathing again!

We are now going to head up to Jasper and a weekend in the Canadian Rockies. After that its back on the Plains and heading homeward in a serious fashion.

Love, Ann and Jeff

What are we doing in Shelby?

We have been asking ourselves the very same question. It has been quite surreal to be here. Eight weeks of travel, 100 degree temperatures and not being able to leave makes me feel funny.

But its a good place to be stuck. And our hotel hosts did give us another, even better room. So we packed up our stuff, moved about 25 feet across the courtyard and unloaded. Of course, if we stay beyond tonight we have to move again, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

Ok, now to the fun stuff! Shelby is on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe mainline. It has a neat station.

Amtrak's the Empire Builder comes through twice a day. We have been tempted to get on and ride back home to St. Paul.

BNSF vs. Rialta

The rodeo was interesting. I need to buy a cowboy hat. My shorts and tennis shoes were a bit out of place. But everyone in town knows--those are the people whose RV broke down.

Bucking bronco.

Rodeo clown's car on fire.

 

That's all for now.

Stuck in Shelby

We are still stuck in Shelby, MT. Our parts were supposed to arrive on Friday--they did not. We had to rent a car and go to Great Falls and after a lot of hassle FEDEX did give us our package. Now hopefully our mechanic will work on the Rialta either today or Monday.

Its hot here and we would really like to leave. Will have to be patient.

Our hotel is kicking us out so they can put new people into our room. So we will look around for a place to stay or maybe just park the Rialta in the gas station and stay there.

Send your good wishes and stay tuned for more updates.

Oh Canada!

Well, we are now in Lethbridge, AB. The rear brakes of the Rialta are making terrible noise--may be worn out. The VW dealer is going to look at it this morning--

We have had a great time in the Canadian Rockies. Three nights in Jasper and then two more in Banff National Park. Great weather and the scenery is terrific.

Early morning fog.

The Athabasca Glacier. Note vehicles in parking lot at the foot of the glacier.

The view from our campsite!

Waterfowl Lake in Banff NP. Two nights beside it!

Ok, its time to go and see about the Rialta. More updates on the way.

still having fun!

Hi Everyone!

We are in Watson Lake, Yukon. We had a great weekend in Atlin, BC--we saw a sign for an Arts and Music Festival, so even though it was a 60 mile drive in (including 40 on gravel) we went for it. It was great. Atlin is a beautiful place, huge lake surrounded by mountains.

The Art and Music Fest was great. Nice setting, good sounds, nice people. Camping on site.

Lots of things to do in town. We went and ate fresh clams at the Rec Center. Steamed clams, beer and texas toast--$10.00. Great people too!

Seaplanes landing and taking off.

What else to report? Every day has been filled with things to see and do.

This is the world's largest weather vane. It is a DC3 mounted on ball bearings at the Whitehore, Yukon Territory Airport. It moves in just a small breeze.

Ok, time for dinner--more later!