Getting Better

After many errands etc. we left Spokane November 15th. The girls were recovering from H1N1, I was in the middle of it and Denise expected to contract it soon but the weather wasn't getting any better and Denise wasn't feeling like waiting around. I made it as far as Missoula before giving up for the day. The horses spent the night in the trailer at a truck stop.

We pulled the four horses behind the bus.

Denise follow the bus in the four runner.

We rolled into the Gordon compound in Thornton Idaho the next day.

We made a temporary corral with electric fence.

Uncle Ray showed me all around the place.

We weren't sure if Denise would be well enough to travel to Salt Lake City the next day. In the morning Denise definitely wanted to keep rolling so off we went the next day. We spent the next two days enjoying the company of Oliphant and Crane cousins.

We camped at the stables in Salt Lake City

On the 19th we headed south again. By the time we reached exit 100, a farm exit off of I-15 I felt I couldn't go on, so we pulled over for the night. That night my fever climbed up over 105 and Denise had a hard time bringing it down. She started me on Amoxocillan. We ended up spending three nights there while I convalesced. The girls spent their time riding the horses on several dirt roads that took off from the exit.

freeway exit camp.

On the 22nd I was feeling much better so we drove 50 miles down to Ceder City. The bus had been plaguing us with plumbing problems so I stopped into Home Dept to pick up a few parts. Much later I wasn't done but was at least ready to refile the RV's water tank. Our climbing guide book showed a crag on BLM 12 miles from town so we headed out to find a camp site. Unfortunately darkness overtook us just as we were arriving. Private holdings block most of the BLM land and there were no feasible sites obvious enough that we could find them in the dark. After some consideration we decide to inquire at some of the ranch houses for a corral to rent. Kate and Jeff kindly took us in. They are an older couple who used to be into endurance trail racing. I had never heard of endurance trail races. It turns out they can be 50 or a 100 miles single day races or up to 264 miles in a five day period. Jeff has suffered some health setbacks and they have sold all their horses. They have a beautiful ranch set against a rock capped hill with excellent facilities. They kindly allowed us to park on their land and keep our horses in their field for the next several days.

Jeff and Kate's beautiful ranch.

November 24th: I was feeling well enough that I rode with Denise and Lily in the morning and we went rock climbing in the after noon! We have all been affected differently by the bug. For myself this was the first day since before leaving Spokane that I had a scrap of extra energy. Unfortunately Jackie suffered a bit a relapse. Denise started her on Zithromax.

Belaying in the sun.

Lily showing good form.

Denise on top.

Easy terrain but fun.

November 25th after two more trips to town I finally got the bus plumbing back in service. Jackie is feeling much better. Denise Lily and I climbed with Kate's son Chris and and Chris's wife Jenny. We spent the evening at the Kate and Jeff's house eating hor' dourves and showing off our South America trip blog.

Jenny, Kate, Chris Jeff and young Toffer

At Mariann's

We spent a couple of weeks at Mariann's getting everything ready to go.

Summer in Cordova

I spent the summer working on the Cordava Airport on a lighting project. The girls attended public school for a week in the spring. The project was mostly night shift. We did some fun canoeing and hiking until night shift kind of took the wind out of my sails.

Kayaking the Alaginic

Denise drove down to Washington about the first of October. She got some good visiting in with her mom and then went to my sister's in Spokane and bought four horses. She ended up rejecting one of them, we kept the other three and also took one of my sister's for a winter trip to Arizona to ride the Arizona Trail. I joined Denise at Mariann's house the first week of November.