Sept 4th –LLoydminister Ab to Leask Sask

Sept 4th –LLoydminister Ab to Leask Sask                                             Weather – Overcast, Windy, 11 C

Total Kilometers this trip – 1946.0                                                             Kilometers today –  0

Today was a relaxing day.  I tried starting the coach today and the engine turned over easily, so I did not mess with anything – IF IT AIN’T BROKE DON’T FIX IT.

We went for a nice walk this am and saw my cousin, Brenda whom I have only met for the second time. She is the administrator in the Leask Municipal Office.  After that we headed out to see two other cousins whom I had not met before, actually I did, but I was 7 years old and they were newborns.

Aunt Christine took us over dirt roads, down highways and finally we were at Diane’s place.  We met her husband Phil. They have a very nice place and her hobby/business is quilting.  After having tea and a nice conversation, as well as a walkabout of her studio/workplace/business etc. we headed off to see another cousin, daughter of Aunt Christine.

 Diane in her Quilt shop

Quilt Shop

More dirt roads, and a through a washed out road, the beavers have been very busy so the water was going across the road, then finally at Lorna’s home.  She is into farming, has pigs, horses, cows, sheep, chickens, dogs, cats, u know the farm.  She has some acreage (210acres, small by Sask standards) for hay and grazing.  

Bill, Lorna, Aunt Christine and Dell

After having tea and nice conversation we walked around and checked out the animals.  Having mentioned the animals, the puppies and piglets were the hilites.

 Then heading back to Leask, over dirt roads and highway again.

Today’s special person is my third daughter Fiona, her husband Fred, children Rachele and William.

Sept 3rd –LLoydminister Ab to Leask Sask

Sept 3^rd   –LLoydminister Ab to Leask Sask                                      Weather – Scatt Clouds, Windy, 13 C

Total Kilometers this trip – 1946.0                                                             Kilometers today – 268.8

Well, sitting crosswind to the wind, it howled overtop of the coach all night.  Bruce, our cocker spaniel, is terrified of all the different noises and kept us up most of the night.  At 4 am, I took him out for a walk, at least it wasn’t raining – it was warm though.

When I went to start the coach in the am, it started right away.  We stopped it a few times after that on our trip to Leask Sask. and it started each time.

Again, as it has in the past, the engine purred along, and the trip was uneventful and joyful.

 Bridge over Sask River near Battlefords Sask

 Saskatchewan River

 one of numerous buildings crumbling

We arrived at Leask, parked on a side road, shut the engine down and went to look for my Aunt Christine’s house.  I found it about 300 feet away, went back to the coach – it did not want to start.

We took the dogs for a walk, had lunch and visited my aunt, then just before supper I tried and nothing, so Vadie’s common saying, “It is a switch, it is always a switch”, so I followed her advice and turned on and off a number of switches but mainly the A/T switch.  Sure enough it started.

So tomorrow I will be looking at the solenoid for the A/T switch.

Today’s special person is my second daughter Dannielle, Rob, her husband,  children, Tracey (her husband Riley and son, Matthew), David, Christopher,Frank, Jake and Emily.

Sept 2nd – Carvel Ab to LLoydminister Ab

Sept 2^nd    – Carvel Ab to LLoydminister Ab                                             Weather – Raining 11 C

Total Kilometers this trip – 1677.2                                                             Kilometers today – 301.7

All night long the rain came down, and the wind howled 30 to 50Kph – but the bus kept us dry.

As John would not be home till 9pm or so, we decided to leave for Leask Sask.  We were getting things ready, then performed the light check on the toad – dang it would not work.  After almost two hours of troubleshooting, I got the wiring straightened out, the ground and the running lights at the same time.

Off to Stony Plain to dump grey and black water, then decided to fill up with fuel at Co-op since it was so easy access.

We finally left around 4:30pm and the going was pretty good.  The coach purred like a kitten holding steady at 93Kph (57mph).  We drove through some awful sidewinds and had good tail winds too, but then the rain hit.  Decision to stop at LLoydminister Ab. due to the weather and it was getting late.

 Elk Island Campground

 Green roof, aren't they supposed to be red

 The long road ahead

We parked in the “No Overnight Parking” then went over to look at the Walmart parking which one is allow to overnight.  When we got back to the coach to move it, I turned on the key and nothing, went to the back and I could hear the solenoid click but the coach did not start. 

So here we sit, I went to one of the stores and they said it was okay to park.  Later in the evening I tried to start it, and it started, hmmm will have to go have a look in the morning if I can see anything.

In the blog, I would like to mention someone special each day.  So today, the someone’s special is oldest daughter Cyndi,  Steve, her husband, children – Jordan, Andrew and Jessica

August 29th to Sept 1st – Carvel Ab

August 29^th to Sept 1st    – Carvel Ab                                     Weather – Generally nice – 13-16C in am to 20-23C at hottest

Total Kilometers this trip – 1375.5                                                             Kilometers today – 0

We remain at John and Debbie’s place in Carvel Alberta.  They both work now and then, John is a railway engineer so he works two days on and two days off kinda shift, Debbie works both at the office and from home, so we are parked here, and I can do all sorts of little things, and John is a big help in discussing and helping fix Wanderlodge things with.

Since I do not know Edmonton very much, and John does, this sure makes getting parts easy.  One of the favourite places to shop is Pick-A-Part.  We picked up a few parts so I can easily bleed the air tanks, we tried with a lanyard, but it is still very difficult.  I will try using an electric trunk opener to pull the bleed valve. I will use a cluster of four window openers as momentary switches.

Some of the items which has been done in the last couple of days:

• -          installed the breakaway switch, and switch for ignition when towing the Chevrolet HHR.

• -          Installed the new backup camera on the license plate

• -          Reconnected the top backup camera that was on the coach (a new multimedia player was installed)

• -          I repaired the step AGAIN, and hopefully this time it will keep working properly.  The mercury switch was a little loose and kept moving ever so slightly.

• -          Ground wire to the bottom alternator was almost broken, so it was replaced.

• -          Reconnected the air system to the step cover

• -          Ran the cable from inverter to the power source, but still not connected

We also met Dwayne and Shelley who own a 1994 BB, they did not bring the BB though.

Vadie and Debbie went off to do different things as well, they like the antique stores, Dollar Stores etc.

Something which I won’t forget, even though I keep busy with all the little projects on the coach, Vadie is doing things which have a big bearing on our lives, like meals, washing clothes, looking after dogs etc.  Without all these chores being taken care of, many of the bus projects would not be taking place.  Thanks Vad.

Another visit to Shelley on Saturday, she is still very much under the weather, but the short visit cheered her up.  Get yourself better there girl.

I will also post some pics of past days travel and things seen

Cloud wearing a hat

Entering the Rocky Mountains

Cool green glacier water

Something not often seen – Bell helicopter

John’s Mancave

Almost completed bathroom – very nice job done

Bill having way too much fun – riding a John Deere

I finally got hold of my Aunt Christine who lives in Leask Sask, and tomorrow we will be on our way.  We will wait for John to get home from work before we pull out.