Monticello, MN to Shelby, MT

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It was a good idea to wait the extra day in Minnesota. When we left on Saturday the roads were clear and most of the snow was gone.  So we had an easy trip to our next destination which was Jamestown, ND between Fargo and Bismark. When I called ahead about a campsite the lady said there was plenty of room but she neglected to tell me that they had 12 inches of snow. When we arrived the parking area was clear but they had not plowed the campsites. So we had no choice but to pull in through the snow. Fortunately Dan was able to get us on the spot.  After we got the jacks down and slides out he decided to shovel the snow so we could get out the next morning.



He didn't have a shovel so he used a hoe and it worked. The next morning our prayers were answered and we pulled right out and headed on our way across North Dakota. We called 511 to get the road and weather report and the roads were good and just snow flurries ahead. When we started out the road was dry. As we headed west the flurries came and the road was wet. As we proceeded we entered into a snow squall and had about 40 miles of treacherous driving. Fortunately all Dan's years of driving in the snow kept him calm and in control. He did a wonderful job of safely getting us through the mess.

 

When we entered Montana the ground went from white to brown. All the snow was gone. Brown became my new favorite color! The drive through Montana was pleasantly uneventful. We stopped overnight at Glendive, MT and on Monday drove to Shelby, MT about 30 miles south of  the Canadian border. Today it is sunny and beautiful. We're taking the day to do laundry, clean up the vehicles, sort through mail that finally caught up with us. The USPS really screwed up our forwarding but that's another story.

So far we've travelled 2995 miles from Spring Hill so we're more that half way to our destination. Tomorrow we will enter Canada and expect to travel through Alberta, British Columbia, and the Yukon Territory on our way to Alaska. This will take at least a week and probably more depending on the weather and roads.  We have become accustomed to the cold and wearing jeans and winter coats. We don't know how much internet connection we will be able to receive in Canada so I don't expect to write again until we are in Alaska.