Day 9 - of Our RV Journey to Canada & Alaska 5/21/14 (Destination Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada)

This morning we left the James Kipp Campground  in Montana at 7:00.  We are headed to Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada.

We made a stop approx 70 miles after we started today in Malta, Montana to fill up with diesel.  ($4.159 x 36.006 gal = $150.00 Ch)

We made it through Canada's Border Entry with no problems.  They inquired about alcohol, guns, mace, pepper spray, and wanted to see insurance paper with VIN # for our camper.  He also stepped in the door of our camper to take a quick look.

After talking to some men at the gas station, we decided to go the Hwy 4 route  (vs Hwy 37) to Swift Current.  We had to drive much of it slow due to the conditions of the roads.  We just took these 35 miles SLOW and most of the time we could use both lanes due to very little traffic on that highway.  It was definitely a little bumpy at times, but it wasn't as bad of the stretch of the construction highway 16 that we traveled a few days ago when we left Custer SD.

It was another sort of boring drive (scenery-wise), however, there were more farm houses with a lot of grain bins & farm machinery along the route today....not many, but more than yesterday.  Looks like the land here is grassland and prairie, used for raising cattle, lots of huge fields with what looked to be wheat, barley, and hay.

As pictured below, when the roads got good, they were nice!!!

A few pics I took on our route today....

We arrived at Swift Current  approx 12:15 pm or so and soon found the Pondarosa RV Park where we have reservations for the next 3 nights.  ($36.00 Full Hookup x 3 nights = $108.00)

Around 4:00, we got a phone call from our good "Canadian" friend, Trent, that he was off work and ready for us to come over to their Townhouse.

 We met Trent & Teresa Shipley in 2011 in New Orleans and have been good friends ever since and have crossed each other's paths and stayed in the same parks with them several times since.  They were friends of our friends & the couple we travel with a lot, Ed & Marilyn Dray. Since we saw them last, they sold their Class C RV, and have settled in Swift Current near their son & his family and consider themselves "semi-retired". Their place is just a few miles from the RV Park we are staying at, so it wasn't long after Trent's phone call that we showed up at their door.

It was so good to see Trent as we love his sense of humor... and he has that neat Canadian accent. 

  

 Below, Trent & Bob shooting the bull....they are both good at that!

Teresa was still at her job of  hostess at the "best & nicest" restaurant in Swift Current so we visited with Trent until she got off work. He gave us the grand tour of their nice home.

When Teresa got home, we all gave her big hugs.  It was so good to be with our Canadian friends, and it seemed even more exciting because we were on their turf... CANADA!!!  (Who would have ever known, this country girl from a little bitty country village called Indian Creek, MO (USA) would be on a journey like Canada & Alaska that we are presently own.  I am in awe of myself at times....and have to pinch myself just to see if I'm just dreaming!!!  This is definitely the LIFE...the GOOD LIFE!!!)

Teresa & Bob 

 Ginger & Jesse

Trent with a small gift we gave him....(notice this Ed & Marilyn...haha!!!)

Quite fitting....aye??!!!

Teresa with a gift of a necklace we got for her while in South Dakota.

They gave us a bag of  some of their favorite "Canadian foods"  & cold drinks that aren't available in the United States...how thoughtful and what a unique gift idea!!  Thank you so much Trent & Teresa.  We had lots to catch up on, a lot of laughs, and it was just so nice to be with these "good people" that we are so happy we crossed paths with and got to know. They are two of the nicest, most genuine people around.

They wined and dined us with shrimp and hot crab cheesy bread dip, very delicious greek salad, yummy twice baked potatoes, baked seasoned chicken breast, and delish coconut cream pie.  Teresa is such a good cook...we told her maybe her niche should be the chef at the restaurant she works at, instead of the hostess. We know she has to be the "best hostess in Canada".

After stuffing ourselves with all this very tasty food, we watched the finale of Survivor since we are all die hard fans of Survivor.

We all enjoyed our time this evening with Trent and Teresa....it was so good to see and visit with them again!!

After Survivor, we said our goodbyes (for the night) & thank you's and went back to our "home on wheels". They invited us over tomorrow to get some more visit time in before we leave Swift Current.

Thank You Trent & Teresa .... it was sooooo good to see you guys again!!!!


*To see more pictures, etc,. feel free to go to Jesse & Gingers blog:
  kram-a-lotinn.blogspot

Total Miles Traveled Today:  220 miles (354 kilometers)

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