Saying Goodbye and hitting the road

 We finally did it! All packed up and on the road!  This morning was bitter sweet because we were excited to get on the road but loathe to say Goodbye.  It was emotional to say Goodbye to Mama Shotgun and little Tilly dog. It was even harder for Shotgun.  However, we are on the road and headed North to Alaska!

The view from the back deck where I drank my coffee every morning while here in MN.  I wish you could hear how amazing the sound of the birds and the frogs in the swamp behind the house were.  I'm also a little sad that we missed the lilacs blooming!

Tilly just hanging out with me, hoping for a crust of toast.

I like to think she loves me more than just for my toast.

Saying Goodbye.

Actually leaving was the hardest part.

Finally on the road! Alaska here we come!

At the first gas station on the way out I tried one of their lottery tickets.  I paid a dollar and won two!  Whoohoo! I'm rich!  I also bought some power ball tickets earlier in the week but I didn't win.  Sorry kids!

Sunset over North Dakota.  

Our day ended in Minot, ND.  Not much in Minot, but a nice hotel with a really nice pool and hot tub!

Tomorrow....CANADA!

Meet Shotgun

 

Meet Shotgun:

Shotgun moved to Minnesota from Alaska just short of four years ago with three goals; to spend time with family, obtain a Bachelor's Degree, and find a man. The first two goals were met with great success! The last, not so much. With the degree completed Shotgun has decided to move back to Alaska, so our adventure begins. Betty and Shotgun have been looking for an excuse to travel together for many years, so Shotgun was excited when Betty jumped on the chance to be her partner in crime on the way back home...

(this blog post was written by Shotgun; Shotgun generally takes no responsibility for blog posting.)

Memorial Day Weekend and Packing

The last few days on our adventure have been fairly quiet.  We have been spending time with family and packing up the truck and trailer!

We took time to remember those we’ve loved and lost this weekend and spent some time with Shotgun’s family.  She has a wonderful family and they have all been so kind and welcoming to me. 

On the way to visit Grandma Shotgun we passed through Deerwood and it wasn't big but it had personality!

The flags the American Legion put out at the cemetery were so beautiful.  

I got to meet Grandma Shotgun and talk to her for a while. What a neat lady!

Shotgun drove me by this old church in the middle of nowhere that her family has attended for  almost 100 years now.  

and behind the church....cows.  Love it!

I also had the honor of meeting Great-Grandma Shotgun.  What a beautiful lady!

After spending some wonderful time with the Shotgun clan, we had to get to ready to leave. 

While running errands I found Paul Bunyan's footprints.  Apparently he used to stand in this parking lot and talk to the kids that would come by the park!

Going away dinner.  Build Your Own Bruschetta at Prairie Bay! Loved it!

A very tired Shotgun trying to finish up a bit of work in the trailer.  

Almost packed! We hit the road tomorrow!

Adventure Day 4: Lake Itasca and the headwaters of the Missisppi

It was expected to be beautiful day on Friday so we planned a trip to Lake Itasca.  It was a bit of a drive so we had to stop a few times on the way.  We stopped at the old township of Sebeka, very cute!

Where we at lunch in Park Rapids.  We had the most inexpensive and tastiest burger, fries and iced tea that i've had in a long while!

I loved the old country interior of this little place.  The train ran around over our heads and it wasn't as creepy as it sounds!  I still don't know what's in that weird little cage though...

However...the little clowns hanging from the ceiling were beyond creepy.  

Mama Shotgun told us not to pose and to start talking to her....I think she told us to say Ted Nugent? 

Shotgun and Mama Shotgun clowning it up for me.

Shotgun taking her chance to cross the Mississippi!

My turn to walk across the Mississippi! 

Signs of spring! Finally!

The sun finally made an appearance!

Panoramic view of Itasca

Adventure Day 3: Playing Tourist

This morning Shotgun and I got an early start to get the truck to the spa before our big road trip.  While we were waiting we played tourist in the local area.  We had breakfast at super yummy local diner (we forgot to take a pic!)  and then we headed up north a bit to the lakes area and hit up the tourist shops in Nisswa.  If you've never been there it's an adorable resort town with the cutest little shops.  

When you are in Minnesota you just HAVE to get a pair of Minnetonka Moccasins!  I think it's a law somewhere.

I couldn't resist going into a shop called the Chocolate Ox.  

The chocolate smelled so good in the store it was simply worth walking in! Yum!  

Shotgun posing with Paul Bunyan and Babe the big blue Ox!

Total tourist shot.

I've seen these Oxen all over as we drive by! This was the first one I could get close to.  Apparently local artists painted each one and they are all very cool.  I even saw one painted as Elvis. 

Winter not only hung out late in Alaska but in Minnesota too.  It was finally so pretty today we took time to drive out to Gull Lake and had lunch out on the deck at a little place called Zorbaz.  I've never been there before and it was definitely interesting!  It was so lovely sitting in the sun we sat there just a little too long, however the sunburn was totally worth it to get my first taste of summer!

After lunch we picked up the truck and got a pedicure (forgot to take pics again!) and then headed back home to take it easy and enjoy the afternoon!  

Later in the evening after the sun set the tree silhouettes were so beautiful I just had to get out and take some pictures.  

Not only were the trees beautiful in the twilight but the moon looked amazing!  Shortly after these pictures were taken the stars came out.  So beautiful!

I even liked the way the power lines looked!

One of the best parts of being out back taking these photos was the noises.  There is a small swamp behind the house here and the frogs were singing and it sounded so pretty! I opened my window before I went to bed just so I could go to sleep listening to the frogs, which is another thing we don't have in AK often.