Sunday, April 07, 2013

ST. LOUIS MISSOURI TO COLDWATER MICHIGAN…MONDAY WE DO THE BORDER!!

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With a partially cloud shrouded crescent Moon low on the eastern horizon we made our way through yet another sleeping city.  St. Louis Missouri’s Gateway Arch stood tall on our left as we crossed an unseen Mississippi River.  We’ve tangled with St. Louie a few times before so we wisely knew enough to do it this time in the wee quiet hours of a Sunday morning.

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Rolled out of Cracker Barrel shortly after 5 a.m. & yaaaay, no wind.  Well, not yet.  Nice morning & smooth sailing all the way to Indianapolis.  Indianapolis has always had a habit of beating us up & spitting us out.  Today was no exception.  Interchanges had changed out around the airport since last there & we missed a new 465 route change.  I-70 dragged us right down through Indianapolis itself & unceremoniously tossed us out the other side.  We’ve been tossed out there before so knew how to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, & grapple our way back northward to pick up our route again on I-69 north.

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Winds had picked up & it wasn’t long before I saw a truck & fifth wheel on the other side of I-69 pulled off on a southbound shoulder.  Noticed a man about 300 feet behind the rig approaching a tangled mess in the ditch.  It was his awning…….metal arms & all.  The buffeting east bound cross winds had hit him on his awning side.  We had a similar thing happen back in 07.  BIG KANSAS WINDS

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Had been hoping to make it up to Lansing Michigan but Kelly spotted a Walmart going through a place called Coldwater Michigan & that was it.  We needed a new vacuum cleaner anyway & this was likely going to be our last U.S. Walmart stop before hitting the early morning U.S./Canada border.  So it is a new vacuum cleaner we now have.  The old one is in Congress & we are in a Home Depot parking lot for the night.  Walmart’s parking lot did not look too appealing. 

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Monday morning we will do the border thing.  Offices for importing vehicles etc do not open until 8 a.m. so I imagine we’ll be at their door by 8 or shortly after.  We have all our proper papers in order & everything is above board but it’s a border thing so it all depends on what mood the person on the other side of the counter is in.  Remember, it’s Monday morning:((

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SOME TRAVEL DAYS GET A TAD MORE CLUTTERED THAN OTHERS

GROANER’S CORNER:((  My kids love going to the Web, and they keep track of their passwords by writing them on Post-it notes.
I noticed their Disney password was "MickeyMinnieGoofyPluto," and so I asked why it was so long.  "Because," my son explained, "they say it has to have at least four characters."

23 comments:

  1. Wow, surprised when I checked to see you had posted for the day! Happy that you made it this far and crossover tomorrow morning.
    That's great! Take care!

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  2. Hope all goes well for you in crossing the border.

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  3. You passed us by, making good time, we still enjoying warm Ohio weather.
    Good luck at the border in the morning, hope all goes well.

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  4. Good luck on the border crossing tomorrow.
    Stay Safe

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  5. Glad to see you are beating the latest Winter/Spring storm that is on your heels. Good to be one step ahead. Take care and hope you have smooth sailing at the border.

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  6. Since it'll be awhile before I make Canada, glad am riding along with you now. Hope my riding along won't give you any border crossing problems. Safe and smooth corssing.

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  7. I hope you have a relatively easy border crossing. I was surprised to hear you didn't just swoop around Indianapolis. I have always found it very easy to get past and was thinking I might try it on my way east this fall, but maybe I should re-think it.

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  8. good luck at the border tomorrow! I am sure it will be just fine, just think positive!!

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  9. Haven't heard a thing about hard boiled egg sandwiches this trip. What's up with that? ;)

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  10. I had to chuckle at your description of Indianapolis. I was born and lived in Indy until 1996 when I moved to New Mexico.

    May your border crossing be quick and uneventful!

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  11. Wow~seems you made good time~ I still don't have a granddaughter yet...maybe she will come as you guys are crossing the border~ HA~
    Cheryl Ann

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  12. Hope you bought the super size Vaseline so you are ready for the boarder guys. It will be fine, do not worry.

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  13. You sure seemed to have made good time this trip. Good luck at the border,I am sure it will be fine.
    Tomorrow night you will be writing from your sunroom.

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  14. Will be thinking about y'all tomorrow morning; hoping that you drive right through the crossing with no problems. Safe journey!

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  15. Fingers crossed for an easy border crossing in the morning

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  16. your on the down hill run now!!! good Luck on the Border..... You'll be home soon!!

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  17. Being from the Indianapolis area, we much prefer to go right through town on 70. The semi traffic on 465 around the city is terrible (just our opinion) Tell Kelly to smile at those crossing guards and they will be putty in her hands.

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  18. Almost home !!!! What a terrific feeling ...... Hope the border crossing is smooth as silk ...... With all Kelly's paper
    work and some Monday morning good luck it should be a
    sweeeet roll on down the road ...... Hoping for the best....

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  19. Just have a positive attitude in your voices and on your cheery faces and all will go well! You'll probably be back in Canada before I even pull myself out of bed!

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  20. Well dang, you're almost home. Just keep smiling at those border folks, might confuse the into sliding your through.

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  21. Smile pretty at the border...You know you are on camera!

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  22. No Al go back you forget to pay the Mexican Coyote to show you to the short cut to cross the Border for free water bottle and nap sack is all you need. O by the way he can drive your Sonseeker back to Ar, free as well ,such -a-deal

    Now would you tell us your thinking as to why your awning blow up and out but not the awning frame that seem to stay intact I have seen lots that have happen to on the side of the road but never could see as to why my thinking is the little flip lever on the awning gear
    I'm trying to save me that on the side of the road side fun

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