The Adventure South in Dora the Explorer

Day 10, the longest day yet!

Sunglasses, at last!

Up at 5:00 AM because of course that’s the time the motel crowd starts heading out. That means I had about five hours sleep, give or take the times the dogs get me up to switch beds – I knew we should have slept in Dora. The walls are paper-thin so we hear everything. I work on my blog, pack the van, walk the dogs, feed the dogs, do a load of laundry and am out of there by 9:30. It’s been snowing but the roads are clear. The temperature is frigid with the wind chill. I cannot wait to feel the sun on my body. I manage to dump three of my sandbags here in Lloydmister - my trash is someone else’s find. The other two will be left in North Dakota for some lucky sucker that has to cope with winter this year. Where I’m going I will not need them.

Dry Road!

I called Woody OgDog at least six times today. No idea why other than the fact he looks so much like him now that he is older. And his leg/shoulder? Well duhhh. I realize he is not been getting much exercise, and I have been treating him like he is feeble and he has responded accordingly. So, it’s time for him to start taking walks off leash just like at home. He has done much better today. He had yogurt and a banana for breakfast and his digestive system is back to normal. No more blowouts in Dora, thank goodness. Anne was sweet to lie on the bed beside him all afternoon.

Co-pilot

Asleep on the job

I drive and I drive, not realizing just how far the border is plus I lost another hour – that makes two in two days. So instead of being 6:30 PM it is actually 8:30 PM, sigh. The night is pitch black and clear, and I am in the country on a two-lane road frantically looking for the US border. Traffic is minimal and there are no signs anywhere. I finally stop at a Husky Station in a small town to make sure I am on the right road – just 20 more miles the attendant said. I am not going to buy another gallon of gas in Canada and I want my US dollar to actually work at the next restaurant.  I am determined to enter North Dakota tonight, no matter how long it takes!

Talkin' to Bunny

Finally I see it, Yippee! We are excited. It is in fact 24 miles and not 20 like he said, but hey who’s counting? Obviously me, on the dark desolate road. Crossing the border turned out to be pretty funny. I sure wish I had a picture but it happened too fast. When we get in line I notice that the two cars in front of me are taking forever, and then they both have to pull over for a search. Great, this is a small border crossing and they are usually easy to get through. Border Patrol must be bored. My turn, I pull up all smiles and tell him how happy I am to be back. No comment. He asked all the normal questions:  how long I’ve been in Canada, where am I going, what do I do for a living, how many dogs are in the car? My answers are:  longer than expected (not even a smile), North Carolina, photographer, and six. He didn’t think any of it was funny.

UpDog

“If I have a look inside are the dogs going to attack me?” was his only question.

“Not at all, they are very super friendly,” I assure him.

He comes around to the passenger side of Dora with my passport in his hand, and opens the side door. As soon as the door opens, he is fair game and just the right height. DoDog flings herself at him, jumping up and landing her paws on his shoulders, proceeding to completely wash his face in no time flat. In the meantime he is reaching, reaching, finally stretching across her trying to hand me my passport all the while saying: “you’re okay to go.” He can’t seem to shut the door quick enough. I roll down my window and yell, “How many miles to a truck stop from here?”

“43, turn left at the four way stop up the road and get on 52 east. You’ll see it.” I think I actually saw a little smile on his lips.

I pull off smiling and as soon as we were out of his sight I burst out laughing. Now isn’t that just like a DoDog? Good girl, Zip! Way to get us through the border. And to think, he didn’t even ask for the health certificates that cost me $268!

What have I eaten today anyhow I wonder? Well there was a pancake and a blueberry muffin at the motel, plus a small bag of Lay’s Dill Pickle Chips, a bag of M&M’s and a diet coke from the gas station. Yuck. Makes me sick just thinking of it. So, for dinner I make up for it with a greasy personal pizza from the truck stop. Pickins’ are slim, and there are no fruits or vegetables to be had. We are 45 miles on the US side of the border and not much else is around. Can’t wait until I start seeing the Flying J or Pilot Travel Plazas where there is a restaurant, gas, showers and a safe place to camp in Dora.

Goose Girl says GoodNight!

Day 10 finally ends in the back of Dora with six dogs and my murder mystery to read before nodding off after a long day on the road. We’re back in the USA and the odometer turned 3K. We only have 1400 more miles to go!  I knew there was light at the end of the snow tunnel I’ve been buried in. But now I’m headed for Hurricane Sandy, Whoopee!