GOODBYE CANADA, HELLO U.S.A

After having a great visit with Justins family, it was time to hit the road.  We drove out of the snow back up into the snow and then down, down, down into the Fraser Valley and then there was no white stuff just green grass.  It was another white knuckle drive, we found ourselves laughing in fear with a 2690kg bobsled on a runaway - we made it down only using the brakes three times. Yikes!!

one of the many runaway lanes we had our eyes on

 

honey how can you see through that

Yet again the scenery was amazing, its so picturesque!

Today was border crossing numero uno.  It went way better then expected, they didn't say, "Pull over to your right Sir." which was fine by us!  Entering the states was another milestone.

We both love Washingtons twisty, turny, slow roads.

washingtons scenic back roads

when the carrier just won't do

damn back seat drivers

We ended our drive today taking a ferry to avoid the dreaded interstate 5,  its all slow roads now until Los Angeles.  All and all a very good day!!

our first view of the ocean

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY OF HELL

fighting the unrelenting barrage of wind

Our last two days have been spent battling high winds, crazy amounts of snow and best of all the al-mighty semi.  We are definitely the slowest on the road, semis were passing us going up hill.  Tally for semis in the ditch and over cliffs on this stretch of the highway - seven.

We know its just the Trans-Canada highway but with drum brakes, an eighty six horsepower engine and eight forward gears it keeps you on your toes!  We barely spoke the entire leg, Justins hands went numb from gripping the steering wheel and I for the first time in my life was biting my nails.

saying hello at a rest stop

On another note we're all settling into our travel groove.  Anna seems to be adapting really well - it seems she has a little of the explorer in her too.  We think she may get whiplash watching the trucks fly by us.

It's not as bad as we are making it sound - the scenery is beautiful and at the speed we're going we're seeing a lot more than usual.

the secondary driver

We made our first milestone - Enderby B.C.  We're going to stick around a few days to visit family.  Justins happy to be back in his old stomping grounds.

we have arrived

A NERVE-RACKING DAY

moments before leaving

Not long after we left we thought we might be seeing Edmonton sooner than expected.  The truck appeared to be overheating so we limped our way to Ponoka to have a new thermostat installed. (I guess Justins need of having 2 or 3 extras of EVERYTHING has already come in handy)  As it turns out we think the temperature gauge is just out of wack.  All in all the truck preformed pretty good - although it did take us nine and a half hours to get to Cochrane! - this is going to be a really slow drive to Panama, we may be grey by the time we get home.

our first repair shop 

We could of never prepared for what we experienced today - it is such a strange feeling to drive away from your life!!  We have daydreamed about this for so long and today it became a scary yet exciting reality!

hey corey b - this is where anna is

see ya edmonton

Day number one was not really what we expected we thought we would be a lot further down the road - but its okay we have a year to do this!!!!

anna and her new baby - thanks mom

FINALLY ON OUR WAY!!!

frantically working in the deep freeze to finish the roof rack

Everything is done, check lists have been completed - after two years of preparing we are actually going to leave!!  This all feels very strange - we have spent the last two years doing nothing but planning and starting tomorrow we have no idea what's going to happen.  It is so very EXCITING!!!!!!!

working in the dark to finish packing  the truck

the staging area - this is just a portion of it!

DELAYED!!

this - we didn't plan for

Our tentative departure day was Thursday, November 18/10 but due to missing mail and temperatures too cold for a kitty cat we are back on the couch watching the weather channel - waiting.

ready