Across the border

Stopped for the nite at the same truck stop we broke down with the air bags last year in Minot, ND. Had dinner and when it was to for be we knew that the only way to keep us and the engine warm was to run the small generator - in the past it has run for 5-8 hours on a full tank - well this time it only ran4 hours - Randy gets up in 0 degree temp and fills it up and back to bed until 1 1/2 more hours and then it stops again. Randy fills it up again and then at 6 am it stops again.............so 3 times and we decide to wait until it's light out to drop the dogs. Up and feed us and the dogs and Randy notices that one of the new-last-year trailer tires is balding and could blow any time - so we go to a tire place and they put a new one on for $134 - we are leaving their lot and Randy notices in his rear view mirror that he tire is flattening!!! we go back in the garage for another hour and finally leave with a new round tire!!

Got across the border at Portal with no problem - that is always a relief cause you never know when you are going to be pulled over for a full inspection or not let over at all!!!

Made it to Moose Jaw and stopped at another truck stop for the nite - ended up using the small generator again, because even though the trailer generator had finally started when it got warmed up in the tire garage, now it wouldn't work again. Once again, up several times in the nite to re-fill the gas and another pretty sleepless nite.

Next day (Sunday) made it all the way to Mark Hartum's (the east side of Edmonton) and had a lovely evening getting to know Mark better and his wife, Brooke and kids Mya, Elle and Noah and their handler, Tallulah! Didn't want to do the up-several-times-to-re-fill the generator ordeal again and the electric cords appeared not to be working, so slept in the truck with the engine running all nite - good nite's sleep in a while!!

Next day after Mark worked the morning and the kids had a half day of school, we trained a 15 mile trail on some groomed cross country ski trails less than 1/2 mile from the Hartum house. Much hillier than our dogs are used to but great to have them be able to train! Only ran 12 of them and the rest will be today. Randy also took my team out with Mark and a 6 dog team and Mya with 3 and Elle with 2 all together!!!! Only a couple of wipe outs on the difficult 90 degree turns and one of them was the 39 years of experience musher!!! He was trying to avoid Mya and did a face plant!!! wish I had the video for you!!!

Brooke prepared an absolutely wonderful total thanksgiving dinner with dressing and cheesecake and all!!!!! Got to share more dog stories and get to know everyone better!

Well I will see if this posts.........we are still needing parts for the trailer generator and now have another short in the trailer electrical system because we couldn't plug in to the house again last nite and slept in the truck again. Randy keeps explaining to me what the problems are and it's getting to the point I can't keep them strait Soooooooooo....... Keep those prayers coming!!!!