Cell Phones

We heard that using our Telus cellphone to call home would cost us about $1.50 a minute, so we followed the advice of fellow Canadians down here in Arizona and purchased a cell phone -- a Net10 with 300 minutes already, what, installed? Every time you look at it, the little window tells you how many days and how many minutes you have left. We have 58 days now. But we're down a few minutes; we have 186 left. And have we been enjoying those reduced Canadian rates? The calls to Canada for 10 cents a minute?

No. Not at all. Why?

Because we can't make international calls yet! We have spent over 100 minutes trying to get the phone to work, and we have used our other cell phone to contact Net10 FOUR times and each time Anita or Jeremy or Jessica or Eric assured us that our phone WAS properly activated, and our international calls could proceed. After much trying (read: 114 minutes worth) and still no completed call to the kids back home, we are wondering what to do next.

Ah the Yanks. They want our money and we give it willingly, but Net10 is getting on the naughty list pretty fast. And that reminds me, the lines are often rampant with static and buzzing and background voices. Not good, not at all.

We'll phone you and tell you about our adventures here. We're having lots of them! Oh wait, no, we can't -- we don't have ILD. International Long Distance.

A Few Interesting Bits of Info

Things I noticed along the way. . .

Road signs say: $2000 Fine for Littering"

I first noticed cactus just south of Alamo Nevada

The only roadkill we saw: rabbits

A billboard just north of Ely announced "Massage & Body Shampoo"

I have an unsightly skin tag slightly below my collarbone. There's lots of time to discover these things when you're riding shotgun across the desert for hours on end.

From Tims to Farmer Brothers

All of life's decisions seem to come with a win some-lose some factor. While there is no snow, not even high in the hills, and the sun beats down relentlessy (some would say cheerfully) rising at 8 and setting at 6 these days, still there has to be a down side, doesn't there? Oh yes of course and for me the biggest so far is the absence of a beloved Canadian icon. I'm not talking Stephen Harper or Jack Layton. Nah, I'm talking TIMS here. No Tim Hortons coffee here!! Sure I brought some along, but I want to stand in line for 20 minutes or idle my motor for 15 while I wait for my cuppa java, and smell that fresh coffee aroma while I fondle the mug in my hands and breathe deeply.

So what do I drink instead? Stuff from a vending machine. It belches out a mixture of hot water and some french vanilla cappa stuff into a styrofoam cup. Farmer Brothers Gourmet since 1912. The french vanilla flavouring does cover the dreadful coffee taste but it's definitely not the same.

So when you look at your -30 temps and the snow and the cold dark days, just think of us poor buggers down here with no good coffee to drink. Don't talk to me of Starbucks; it's bitter, vile. McDonalds? A&W? So pedestrian!!! Enjoy, enjoy your Tims. * Sigh*

And They're Off!

We left the Innisfail acreage at 7 a.m. on Sunday, January 3rd and this is how it looked going down the Number One at sunrise.



After crossing at Coutts and covering much of Montana, this is the sunset we observed off S I-15 approaching Butte, Montana.



There wasn't much evidence of winter. Even tho it said "Watch for Ice on Bridge" we didn't have to, because there was no ice and very little snow. Lots of cattle when the landscape allowed it. They sure do like their Angus, don't they? And we saw one Texas longhorn!
We stopped at Dillon when it became too dark to comfortably travel, grabbing a room at the Super 8 where the wifi was down and so I could not post anything. The next morning, the complimentary breakfast was attended by several couples, all on their way to Phoenix for the winter. Who knew??
We ended this the second day a bit early, when it became apparent we needed two new rear shocks on the truck. And so this night finds us in Wells Nevada along I-93. Internet connection this time.
Other tidbits of info:
The Exxon at Idaho Falls does not have a diesel pump. So if you want to support your former employer by buying fuel at their place, don't go here. In fact, don't ever ever go to an Esso station again!! Will I get into trouble for saying that? Because I don't really mean it, I just mean that when you are placing your hope & trust in someone or something and they fail you, well you feel unkindly disposed towards them.
Oh I forgot. Here in Wells there's a brothel, and ladies come up town every once in awhile in an attempt to extend a friendly invitation to gentlemen who might enjoy their company, according to one fellow at the service station who seemed quite delighted to share this tidbit with us.
Neither of us pursued this blurb of information.
The food is quite dreadful. So much grease and white flour, and fries with everything.