Eight days, and still all smiles!

3669 kms.

To say it was quite a trip is probably an understatement. It was, undoubtedly, the most ambitious trip out West I've ever taken. It was also one of the longest. The only comparable trip was in 2004, when Leia and I moved to Edmonton, with a convoy of family members, as Priscilla was going to Winnipeg and Amos to Abbotsford.

Today was yet another great day. The girls were noticeably silly and excited, but who can blame them?  They made it through the final 500 or so kilometres like champs. Aside from some justifiable whining from Evelyn, who unfortunately has many mosquito bites from our trip, there was very little complaining or arguing despite having been in the car for at least a few hours for eight days straight.

The great view I had for most of the trip!

The trip started to catch up with us all as we got into Alberta. Evelyn and Marley both fell asleep less than 100 kms from Edmonton, and had there not been bison to point out to Jordan at Elk Island National Park, I suspect she too would have slept. Shockingly there was only a total of four naps the entire trip - two of them today. Evelyn also napped briefly yesterday and the day before. I thought the kids would have dozed off more. I started to feel tired past Llyodminster. I should have gotten another coffee! I'm not entirely shocked that I, too, am tired. In fact, it kind of makes sense.

This morning I had the opportunity to use two features of the trailer that I previously had not: the sink and the bbq. It was nice to have running water inside, especially given the bug situation. Just about lost my mind with the Saskatoon-skeets! If I get water again, perhaps I'll use the hot water tank.

Today we had the closest vehicular call of the trip as well. A giant pickup in Saskatchewan nearly clipped my trailer. In fact, I'm relatively certain that had I not noticed his truck swerving towards the trailer and moved to the right, that he would have at least grazed me. The woman in his passenger seat had raised her arms as if to brace herself, and the truck kept speeding past. No tap on the brakes to say sorry, or apologetic wave. Just another dumbass driver of a big truck. This is the big trucks. I suspect that the driver simply was unable to cope with the wind - today was windy, which meant my worst gas mileage yet. It raised my heartbeat some. I laid on the horn for a few minutes, but restrained myself from giving the bad driver salute. Normally, both arms would have been actively expressing my distaste with such poor driving, but an experience earlier in the trip reminded me that little eyes take much in. Just before stopping to fish at Naobi lake, I got passed by a logging truck. For those that have not driven Mother's Way (hwy 11), there are few passing lanes, many little hills, and the road isn't quite as wide as the TransCanada. Passing, at the best of time, requires some caution. This logging truck was being driven by a real winner. As he took to the outside lane to pass, he must have realized that he did not have sufficient time, as there was an approaching vehicle. Rather than return to his lane and try again later, he simply started to lay on his horn, as if to tell me that his inability to pass was somehow my fault. I saluted that driver, and laid on the horn for a while. Most infuriating - and somewhat expected of such terrible driving - the same truck was pulled over about 15-20 minutes later at a restaurant. Glad he risked my family to gain nothing. As I was getting the fishing rods out for the girls at Naobi lake, he passed me, recognized the vehicle, and saluted me back. I would have loved to have flag the moron down, to explain to him the irrational approach to his driving, but to what avail? I would have also liked to have better eyes, so I could be guaranteed of his license plate, so I could have written it down with confidence, only to do nothing with it. Anyhow, I think Jordan noticed my salute.

The good news, no trucks hit me; the bad news, there are plenty of bad drivers out there - many in big trucks in this province - to avoid over the next few weeks.

Where have I seen this pose before? Oh right, only in every picture.

We saw a semi-truck in the ditch on fire just west of Llyodminster. Full-on fire, giant flames, black billowing smoke. Emergency vehicles were just arriving, and firefighters were scrambling to put out the flames. I am confident that Leia and I are doing a good job, as Marley commented as, we passed, that she hoped whoever was driving the truck was safe. I like that my kids think of others. It is why Jordan spit out her gum yesterday when Evelyn "accidentally" swallowed hers. Evelyn has only recently graduated to full pieces of gum, and was doing very well (more on gum tomorrow) until swallowing her piece. Jordan didn't want Evelyn to lose out, and I wasn't prepared to give Evelyn another piece, so Jordan just spat hers out. This is one of many examples I could give. 

Tonight, I'm sitting in a very familiar place. Nelson and Ximena became our family when we lived in Edmonton. The year we didn't have a vehicle, they would pick us up (or one of Nelson's brothers would), so we could hang out on weekends. I spent many hours on this very couch. It is good to be back. I'd probably be sleeping by now, but Leia's had some flight issues, and isn't arriving for another hour. At least she'll be here tonight. 

The girls having dnner with Andres

Tomorrow I finish cleaning the truck. Maybe I'll go for a long overdue run. I might get a coffee from Leva. Perhaps I'll put the habit I've formed of writing daily this past week to use and work on my thesis. One thing I know I will not do is drive anywhere with the kids that is outside the city limits. I look forward to having some time to play with them, and not simply listen to them play.