HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

 We are heading to Boulder City, Nevada as they are having a street festival tonight with live music. Also Canada is playing the USA in the IIHF World Juniors so we will find a pub showing the game. 

Calville Bay campground on Lake Meade

We know our regular stops along the way whether it's for a safe place to stop for a night while travelling or if we need water and an RV dump. Calville Bay campground is 4 miles off highway #167 (Northshore Road) on the north shore of Lake Meade. There is water here, RV dump and garbage. After clearing the antifreeze from our water lines and filling with fresh water, we stretch our legs up to a viewpoint and then head onto Boulder City. 

Stunning Christmas lights in Boulder City.

These lights are all on one house and yard!

We head to Maxx's Pub for pizza and the hockey game. Canada is blown out of the water by the USA :(

After walking the street festival for a bit, we realize how tired we are from the past days of long travel. We opt to head back to our trailer and send our Happy New Years wishes early!  In bed by 10:30 pm...lol   

Through Salt lake City, Utah and out of the snow into palm trees of Mesquite, Nevada

 We let the morning rush hour clear from Salt Lake City and then hit the road. We are hoping that since it is still the Christmas / New Year season, the roads will still quiet. There are 7 lanes of traffic in places going through Salt Lake and it takes about 2.5 hours from north to south of the crazy roads. Thankfully we are right and there is minimal traffic.  Yeah!!

Nice morning in Perry, Utah. Ready to roll 9:10 am

The roads are almost empty...so thankful. 

A big building near heart of Salt Lake City.

Signs for Las Vegas. Down to 6 lanes of traffic..we are making it through. 

Eureka Casino in Mesquite, Nevada

4 pm and we are officially out of the snow belt and into palm trees!!  We have made the mountain passes safely again another year. 

RV's are allowed to stay in the casino parking lot for free for 72 hours. Perfect for an overnight stop.

Rolling through Montana, Idaho and Utah as fast as possible

 We are up at 5:30 am to get moving. Snow is coming into the passes ahead of us this afternoon so we need to get through before any accumulation on the I15. It's a full 13+ hours of driving today. 

Mountain pass east of Helena is already snowing as dawn breaks.

Fueling in Boulder, Montana. Skinny road he we come. 

We get off the I15 shortly after Helena, Montana and take what is known by the locals as 'The Skinny Road". Apparently all the ranchers and people pulling horse trailers south use this road to get to Dillon, Montana and avoid 2 huge passes if you stay on the I15 and go the Butte, Montana route. Today we will avoid snow covered roads too. 

Monida Pass - Montana / Idaho border

We are back on the I15 and getting through the notorious Monida Pass named by the first 3 letters of each state it divides. We are managing to stay ahead of the snow though clearly snow fell yesterday. 

Through Montana and into Idaho. 

We even pass a snow plough clearing the shoulders of I15.

Welcome to Utah at 5pm - flew through Idaho. 

It is now raining rather than snow so we are feeling good about the push to get through today. We land in the Perry, Utah Walmart parking lot for the night. We'll tackle Salt Lake City tomorrow as we are tired and hungry. 

Heading south with Arizona on the radar

 After the last few days spent full-on loading the trailer, at 11;45 am we are loaded and ready to roll. 

Kayaks secured in place, ready to roll.

No snow south of Lethbridge.

Canada/USA border Coutts Port of Entry into Sweetgrass, Montana

On the I15 south through Montana. 

Pulling trailer out of winter storage

 We celebrated our Christmas with our family the past two days. With our sons off at their partners parents for Christmas day, we decide to pick up our trailer from StowAway RV and start getting ready to head south in a few days. 

Chris happy to be picking up the trailer. 

Last camping of the season, Banff.

With a beautiful weekend forecast, and leaves still on the trees, we decided to head out camping for one last weekend at Banff National Park. We had been wanting to hike the Healy Pass trail to see the larch trees in their full golden fall glory. The 8.5km trek up was a steady climb and got progressively muddier as we gained elevation above the snow line. At the top there was 15 cm of fresh snow and the sun peeked out from time to time. We were glad to have brought our micro spikes and hiking poles, gloves and toques. Sadly, the Banff Hot Springs was closed for maintenance which would have made a wonderful après-hike relief for our sore feet. Supper back at camp was a roast that had been simmering all day in the slow-cooker.