Big Belt Mountains

Heading South on I-15 approaching Ulm, MT.

Bear dog

When the temp gets too low, the dogs do a cold paw dance.

Bear has spent the last 14 years in the Pacific NW and is not used to the cold.  

So we outfitted him with boots.

Windmill Blade

Windmill farms are getting more common place, even here in Montana.

In Judith Gap, MT this single blade is on display in a local park.

Blue Jay

These Blue Jays have started to spend the winters the past couple of years.

Louis cat

I was playing with a new tripod, and Louis got all cute on me.

Hardy MT Rams

Saw a bunch of these guys wandering around in the Prewett Creek Campground in Hardy, MT

Montana Deer

I love this young bucks eyebrows

Bailey dog warms up to Caron

Trip to South Bend, IN

We had the opportunity to go to the South Bend Indiana region and give Suzi the opportunity to visit with some of her relatives.

our journey took us thru Chicago.  We took the turnpike, and we were so freaked out by all the traffic that Suzi distracted herself with trying to get a shot of the airplanes that looked like they were going to land on us.

Along the way there was an exit called an oasis that was only a rest area, gas station, food, and a bank.  

Suzi did not want to get back onto the road, and wanted her relatives to come visit us there.  She figured there was the opportunity for employment, and we had our camper on our back, so no need to go on...  but we did anyway.

Got to go under the Chicago White Sox walkway bridge. 

We did a lot of visiting spending several days in the South Bend region before heading out.  We agreed that we were not looking forward to the Chicago drive so after looking at our options, we decided on going thru the upper peninsula of Michigan, or the U.P.

We stayed at the campground next to the Mackinac Bridge. The campground was a pain to check in to, no rangers, just over the phone with someone who did not know anything about the park, but we asked for a site as close to the water as possible, and got our way.  This was the view on the other side of a couple of trees from our site.

We woke up watched sunrise, then headed out on our journey back to Montana.

Missouri River: Pelicans with Cormorant

water tank OOPS!

UPDATE:

ok, took the time to search for the hole.

Found it, chiseled out plywood.  

I could feel the spot in the plastic where the hole is, but had a hard time seeing it, so Ken drilled it out for me to put the well nut in.  

tested it, no leaks : )

Going to leave the plywood hole, it is only ~ 1in x 1in big. 

This is on the underside of the camper and will be against the bed of the truck.

(The pic below is after tank was full for 24 hrs)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I messed up and put a screw into the bottom of the camper. 

As soon as I screwed it in, I realized it was too long of a screw.I removed the screw, and the camper started to pee my fresh water out the bottom.  : (

I was thinking I needed to take the bottom plywood off the camper to fix it.

Then about 2 years later I had an idea

cut a hole in the plywood with a hole saw, and

fix it with a well nut.  

Not sure if that is the proper term, but is what I have decided to call it.

There is a nut at the end of the rubber piece.  

Had to buy the bolt and washer separate.

Set me back a whole $1.07

Below is what happens when you tighten the bolt.

Ok, I waited too long to come up with this plan. 

 I put water in the tank, so I could find the hole, and it did not pee for me.  : ( 

Instead I just wicked out a crack on the bottom edge of the camper.

I looked all over the bottom of the camper and am at a loss as to where it is at. :  (

There are about a hundred screws in the bottom of the camper.  

Guess I will put it off for another day...  again

new overlook @ Black Eagle Falls

Looking downstream from Black Eagle Falls.

Bear dog

While we were in WA at the wedding,

 Bear took care of things back in Montana.

He does like his pillows. 

Taken on the dam for Eureka Lake, Choteau, MT

They all look soooo happy.

Apryll and Casey Becker

Wedding was awesome!

Was relieved to see the weather was a perfect 80F and sunny for the ceremony.

some pics are @

Wedding pics

Liberty Lake Campground, WA pre wedding

We loved that there was a campground in the same park as the wedding.  

We arrived early giving us the opportunity to crash the rehearsal.  ; )

The Altar.

 The benches and grass is where we all sat for the wedding.

The board walk behind the altar.

The overlook of Liberty Lake behind the Altar.

Just over a small hill there was a nice reception area.

Zoe the dog charmer walked Gator and Bailey all the way from the campground

 to the area where the wedding was to take place.  

Wish I could get the dogs to walk this easily with me.

The view if Liberty Lake from the cabin 

Apryll and Casey rented for the night before the wedding. 

Some of the kids had fun playing in the tree.  

Only 1 fell out, and I think while he hurt for a bit he was fine.

Zoe helped her grandpa fetch the watermelon.

Dominic is getting sooo very big!

Clinton enjoyed the onions Ken fed him.

What happens to a dog after hanging out for the afternoon with Zoe.

Liberty Lake Campground and Park

We arrived at the campground and the skies cleared out.  

Trailer stayed together.

The wedding is also at this park.

Took the puppies for a walk.  

This place is a hidden gem! 

Lots to do.  

On our walk we saw a slug.

I never thought I would see the day that I got so excited to see one of these.

Our property in Monroe, WA was loaded with all kinds colors and shapes of these.

Never thought about photographing them before.

complete with slime trail, yuk

Ever seen a slug from this angle.  

I thought it was cool!

Arrived in Idaho

We got to Idaho 2 days before the wedding.  

It was concerning to see the weather.  

The wedding was outdoors.

Trailer road worthy

Had to hurry up the trailer, we had a wedding to go to that I wanted my trike for.

It turned out pretty good.  The last trailer I did had doors that open to the sides, this time we went with a ramp.  The 4' was really too short, but it worked out good, since the trailer has 2 wheels in front, we can roll it up the ramps, and the single rear wheel rolls up the back door, and we can follow it up into the trailer.  We were glad we went with the ramp door as opposed to the side open doors.

I took Bear dog up to the folks to stay with them while we went to the wedding.

Saw this deer in the river about a mile from their house.

Kick ball with the dogs

Suzi was kicking a tennis ball for the dogs tonight.

actually she does this 1 - 2 times a day.

Below is a video

Those tails were waggin at warp speed. 

Trailer walls

Got the walls up today.

I did not have a flat place to rest the plywood, and the got a bit warped on me.  

This is a temp box.  We have plans for a different layout, so for now I will deal with it. 

 We want to use the trailer this weekend.

There are holes on the floor where I cut out for the bolt heads so the plywood floor would lay flat.

They look like perfect mouse holes.

I am putting some 2x2 pieces down to help straighten the plywood and cover the holes.

Trailer update

Bailey stayed at her post while I worked in the garage.

She growled at all who ventured in the alley.  

Got the post brackets drilled and bolted to the frame.

The bolt heads are so close to the 90 degree bend in the metal that I had to use the open end of the wrench to hold it, which slowed up the installation a bit.

Also these brackets are a bit larger than I expected.

Last time I did this I had to sand the 2x4's a bit to make them slide into the pocket.

Once I tighten the center bolt the metal does flex and I am not going to worry to much about it.

Got slowed down when I realized on the tongue of the trailer

my piece of  the plywood we use as a step to get into the camper no longer fits.

I re-engineered the area where the posts for the 2x4's is 

and cut notches in the plywood to go around the posts.