So that was Spring, Eh?

After Sandy flew back to Palm Springs following her epic ride across the USA, we had to wait just over a week for her bike to arrive. As we waited, we had lots of season ending events to attend.  Our lemon tree was still loaded with fruit so everywhere we went, we brought along 2-3 dozen lemons to share. And since our lemons get to be over half a pound in size, that made for a whole lot of lemon to deal with!

One of our super lemons

In the meantime, spring arrived in our La Quinta back yard in a big way. We have lots of bougainvillea, roses, hibiscus, rosemary, and a few cacti that we wait all winter to bloom.  When our yard is in bloom, however, we can’t enjoy it too long as that is the signal it is time for us to start the drive home to Edmonton.  

Back yard blossoms in the morning light

One of our hibiscus plants

A gorgeous yellow rose

We usually take a few days to get the yard and house all packed up for summer. That seems to get the dogs clued into the fact that we are going to be on the go. The day before we left, we start loading up the vehicle, under the watchful eyes of our four legged supervisors.

Rockie and Benny making sure the packing is properly done and they don’t get left behind 

We have many good friends in our La Quinta neighbourhood, including our super neighbours, Ron and Joanne from across the street. It is always good to get back south to catch up with them, and sad to leave everyone when we head home. 

Ron and Joanne sending us off with
their wish list for our return

As we left, we made our way up through the high desert area. There were still many flowers in bloom, part of the super bloom that we had after all the winter rain. 

Roadside flowers

Up in the high desert, the winter was very cold, with a lot of snow. One side effect of the cold winter up there is that the Joshua trees, which need to experience quite low temperatures in order to bloom, were loaded with blossoms.

Joshua trees in bloom

Our journey home took us along part of the iconic Route 66. Naturally, we had to stop to take a couple of classic photos.

As usual, on Day One we stopped in Las Vegas to go shopping at REI, the American equivalent of Mountain Equipment Co-op in Canada.  After our little shopping spree, we had lunch nearby at Panera Bread. Once we sat down, right across from our table we noticed a very appropriate art poster.

Day Two saw us make our way through Utah, Idaho, and into Montana. We passed this turnoff in Utah.

If there are no services, why stop to browse??

Once again, the dogs had an uneventful journey home. That is if we discount the fact that for the third year in a row Benny got car sick on exactly the same stretch of road! I have made a mental note to hold back his breakfast that day on next year’s trip. Otherwise, they were very content and enjoyed three days of long car rides.

Benny showing off that he can curl his tongue!
Note Rockie’s “Oh, spare me!” look.

We had a nice lunch in Idaho Falls before spending night two in Great Falls, Montana. Although it had been nice up until this point, we awoke to misty rain and heavy fog to start the last day of our drive home.  

Day Two, sunny and pleasant

Leaving Great Falls on Day Three,
not so sunny nor pleasant

Day Three of our drive saw us cross the border at Coutts, Alberta.

Entering Canada

And no matter what the weather, or how the journey has been, it is always great to be back on home turf!

We stopped for lunch at the A&W in Lethbridge and enjoyed a classic Canadian dish that is pretty darn difficult to find in the USA. Poutine! Yup, poutine at A&W and it was pretty darn good, too!!

Poutine!!

We arrived home, safe and sound, during the Easter long weekend. All the snow had melted and I was pleasantly surprised to see that our tulips were up in front of the house and some pansies had volunteered in the back yard.

A couple of days later, we were able to get out for our first bike ride after getting home.  

Happy to be out for a ride west of Edmonton

Rockie loves spending the day in our yard, and wasted no time putting her newly acquired barn hunting skills to work looking for vermin under the deck.

Rockie Hunting 

The joy of getting out on our bikes soon turned into disappointment, as less than a week after we got home, we had more snow!  

Spring snow

With the snow, which was followed by rain and very cool temperatures, we resigned ourselves to getting on our bikes in the basement!

Riding indoors.  Even Rockie was annoyed with the weather!

Springtime on the Canadian Prairies was brutal this year. Snow, rain, cool temperatures, wind. Is it no wonder we hardly got on our bikes and didn’t get out on any adventures? Hopefully, we will have something interesting to report, soon. In the mean time, here’s a thought to hold you over until our next installment, courtesy of Rockie and Benny.