Category: Uncategorized

(July 17)

We did get through today’s very long day.  It was very interesting.  There were fields of rich croplands–lots of canola.  In dryer areas, there is ranching: cattle and horses.  We climbed into the foothills of the Rockies.  There are wonderful conifers and logging.  Many of the deciduous trees are dead, though.  

We are at the Encore Suites in Grande Prairie.  We stayed here last time.  This time, our room had a wonderful opening for the shower, but no seat.  So for tonight, we are sharing with another room 

Tomorrow we lick our wounds and get organized.

(July 18)

Dear Folks,

In hiking parlance, this is what’s called a “Zero Day.”

It’s a chance to get organized for the next leg of the journey.  

On our way up to Grande Prairie yesterday, we went through Calgary.  It never rained harder.  We kept getting alerts from Google saying that “poor visibility reported ahead “. We were in it.  It certainly did make Miracle’s windshield clean.  When the rain stopped, so did the clean windshield.  Driving through fields and forests–lots of insects gave up their lives on our windshield.  

Grande Prairie is quite urban.  And it isn’t designed with walking in mind.  It’s hard to find sidewalks.  This morning on our walk, a hotel guest had his dog chained on a stake by his truck.  The dog was barking and lunging at us.  They were gone by the time we got back.

We organized Miracle a little so that we have a good sense of where our camping materials are.  

We got gas so that we could try to scrape some bugs off the windshield.

And we did some laundry and learned about Canadian coins.  The $1 coins are called “loonies,” because a loon is depicted on them.  The $2 coins are nicknamed “toonies,” combining “two” with “loonie.”  That’s Mari in the laundry room 

Then we went to the market for a few items.  That’s a photo of the Girls in front of a natural foods case.  

A recurring theme in our travels is how kind many people are.  The market was no exception.  A man who worked there asked if we were finding everything all right.  By that point, we were still looking for non-dairy yogurt and cheese.  Although that is not his department, the man took us over to dairy.  We did not find anything, so he asked.  We were told that those items were in aisle 12–organics.  The man pulled out things and made sure that we got the best dates–even though the market would like you to take the older things first.

We also got some Triscuits.  In the US, the packaging says “Proudly grown and baked in the USA.”  We wondered how that would play in Canada.   The packaging is different here.  It is in both English and French.  It does not say where it is grown or baked,  it does say that it is imported by a company in Toronto.

Many businesses in Canada say: “Proudly Canadian owned and operated.”

Tomorrow is a shorter leg over to Ft. Nelson, BC.  Then a long haul to Whitehorse.

Hugs and wags.

The Lowman Family

The Lowmans Leave the U.S. Behind for Five Weeks

(July 15)

Dear Folks,

Greetings from very rainy Billings, MT.  It has rained hard all day.

We are at the Best Western Kelly Inn.  It is supposed to look like a lodge.  It is the cutest place we have stayed.  The room is semi-wheelchair accessible.  There is a bear theme here.

We took some photos from a rest area where we stopped.  

Also, there has been interest in the camping part of our trip–where we will be, when.  It wasn’t in what we shared before because it is in a handwritten document.   So we photographed that and have attached it. For your information.

Also, we reached a huge milestone today.  Some of you know that we wanted to learn some French before this trip.  Our niece, Megan, has a Duo Lingo family plan.  So she very generously added us to it.  We started on Jan. 1, 2024.  Today, after 559 consecutive days, we finished all the French material!  🎉. What a relief.  And just before we enter Canada tomorrow.

This will be our last night in the US for more than five weeks.

(July 16)

Dear Folks,

Greetings from Lethbridge, Alberta!

On our way up today, we stopped at a few monuments in MT.  

Our big focus for the day was crossing the border.  When we came in 2022, we crossed at Sweetgrass.  It was so neat: it is a major crossing, so you go through something like a toll booth: you showed your documents and were quickly on your way.  But that was then.  We wondered how things would have changed with the current situation.  

We stopped before the border to  put the Girls’ gear on.  We had all their documents at the ready.  I had my passport card.

When we got to the border, there were two lanes open.  We figured that we might need to go to the building for the Girls to get a pat down.  The left open lane had a few cars waiting.  The right open lane was wide open.  So we pulled up: and saw the agent up in an area like a two-story building.  I put down my window.  He opened his window.  I said, “You’re really up high.”  That’s when I realized that I was in the truck lane.  I said, “I’m in the wrong lane, aren’t I.”  He agreed.  I apologized and asked if I could back up and go to the correct one.  He said yes.  But by then, there was a truck in back of me.  He said that we would make it work.  

He asked where we were going.  We told him.  He said, for a vacation?  I told him about BEYOND LIMITS.  He asked how long we would be in Canada.  We could tell him exactly.  He asked if we had tobacco or liquor, weapons or firearms.  Then he asked if we had more than $10,000 in cash.  I said, “I wish!”

He asked for my passport.  I said I have a passport card, and tried to hand it up to him.  We couldn’t connect.  He said, no problem, he would come down to get it.  He did and ran it.  Then he came back.  

By then we had quite a line behind us, so he wished us safe travels.  The Girls were a little put out that they got all dressed for that.  The guy probably was thinking that the US wasn’t sending particularly choice specimens to Canada.  😇

ALWAYS an Adventure.  

Tomorrow is our longest day yet in terms of distance to cover.  So we will try for an early night.

Wags and Hugs

The Lowman Family

The Lowmans Visit their Final Preexisting Friend of the Trip

(July 13)

Dear Folks,

We are in Bismarck now.

Before we left Eau Claire, we took a photo of the sculpture near our hotel there.  It is a giant crustacean.  When we went walking the first night, we didn’t know what it was.

Today was our longest drive so far: 530 miles.  North Dakota does have some cities.  It also has LOTS of farmland with little villages with no services.  The last rest area in MN said that the next rest area would be 90 miles away in ND.  OK.  And it seemed too soon to get gas in Fargo.  But then we drove and drove and saw no signs of gas stations.  There was an indication that Buffalo, ND, had gas.  It is a small village, yet we managed to turn the wrong way.  We found ourselves on dirt roads in corn fields.  So we asked Google about gas.  She took us back out to route 94.  In 22 miles, we came to Valley City and a Love’s travel plaza.  We went to the bathroom there, as well, which was good.  The rest area we had intended to use had been torn down, but they never removed the signs.

The Home2 Suites in Bismarck is quite nice.  The odd thing is that the  bathroom door has been bolted open because someone had been locked inside.  😇

(July 14)

Today was our last day visiting friends as we drive west across the northern US.  Jill came over from MN and spent the day with us.  It was so wonderful to have a chance to visit and catch up.  

Our hotel in Bismarck, the Home2 Suites by Hilton, is really nice.  It has a sitting room, a kitchen, a separate bedroom.  So we did some visiting in our sitting room.  Then we went to the Shogun Japanese restaurant for lunch.  That was delightful.  We were the only ones in the room, so had some more great visiting.  Jill is our “writing coach,” and so we talked about how to tackle our book.  We had a nice chat with the waitress.  We are continually impressed by the acts of kindness by so many of the people we meet.

Then we got gasoline.  ND gas must have more ethanol or something.  Our mileage always goes down when we are here.  So we gave Miracle a treat: Premium grade!

We went back to the hotel and Jill got a tour of how decked out Miracle is.  And we parted.

We always hate to see our friends go.  But that’s probably a good thing.  It would be way worse if that made us happy.

We feel so loved and supported by all of you.  That makes us know that we can go BEYOND LIMITS!  🧑‍🎓

Tomorrow, it is on to MT.

Hugs and wags.

The Lowman Family

Reliving the 2022 Journey at the National Kubb Championship

(July 11)

Dear Folks,

We made it to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, today.  Fortunately, we forgot that to get here, we needed to drive through Chicago.  It was an experience.

We were very glad to make it to Wisconsin.  We stopped at a very nice rest area.  We got confused about where to park, so wound up in truck parking.  There was an accessible parking spot for a trucker.  That was very visionary.  Miracle liked hanging out with the big boys.

Our room here is very nice.  You can see the Girls checking it out.  

Onward to more adventures tomorrow!

(July 12)

Dear Folks,

What a great day we had today!

We started with Paula and her Dean, Lisa Jepsen , coming to the hotel so we could take the Girls for a run.  

Then we parted from Lisa, piled into Miracle, and went to a huge farmer’s market.  

After that, we went to the National Kubb Championship.

Following that, we went into downtown Eau Claire to see the annual outdoor sculpture exhibit.

We wrapped up with dinner at Cowboy Jack’s.  Who knew there were cowboys in Wisconsin?

It was wonderful to see Paula and we all had a great time.

Wags and hugs.

The Lowman Family

The Kindness of Strangers is On Full Display

(July 9)

Dear Folks, 

Here we are at the Microtel in Elkhart, IN.  It is a modest place, but very wheelchair friendly.  

Today we were in NY, OH, and IN.  

We stopped at a Service plaza in IN for a break.  We walked around outside, then went in to use the restroom.  We heard a  woman behind us calling, “Sir. Sir!”  She came around to the front of us.  We realized that she was taking to us.  From the back, she thought I was a guy.  She saw the dogs and probably thought I was blind and had gone in the wrong spot.  We asked if they had a family restroom.  She led us to it, but it was being cleaned.  That lady left her cleaning and let us use the bathroom.  She waited and helped us out, before resuming her cleaning 

We have stopped at three service areas so far.  At every one, someone has helped us.

(July 10)

What a lovely day we had today   Lucinda drove down to Elkhart from 

Michigan.  We had a wonderful visit.  She repaired  one of the straps on our bag, among other things.  We got takeout from the Olive Garden.  She got to sit on the dog couch with the Girls.  

The Microtel is in a great location for dogs.  There is a sidewalk running by it with lots of grass on either side.  As we noted, the room is a little tight and the outlets at baseboard level do not work well with wheelchairs.  But after our previous stop, it seems paradisial 

Hugs and wags.

The Lowman Family

A Rest Day in Worcester, Then Buffalo

(July 7) Today we had a great day visiting our good friend, Kristin Hartness, and her family. They live right outside Worcester.  

The Girls started out with some wrestling at the hotel.  Then we went to Kristin’s.  They have a fenced area and other dogs.  Everyone had a splendid time.  

Kristin’s father also wrapped some repair tape around our seatbelt anchor: the plastic coating had broken.

We plan to stop by Kristin’s again in the morning before heading to Buffalo.  It will be the last time the Girls can run off leash until we get home.

(July 8)

Dear Folks 

The good news is that we made it safely to Buffalo.  

We started the day out at Kristin’s.  The dogs played while we visited as Kristin was watering her plants.  It was such a nice visit and we left later than planned.

It is surprisingly hard to find hotels with

Wheelchair accessible rooms in the Buffalo area.  We thought that we had found one with the Candlewood Suites.  That was incorrect.  Their advertised room does not work for a wheelchair user.  You can’t get next to the toilet, use the shower, adjust the thermostat, the soap is in a dispenser that you cannot reach from a chair, etc.  

We had a bad omen when we came in to check in and the young lady desk clerk was up on a chair.  This probably sounds like a joke, but it is true.  She was up on the chair because there was a rat running around.  

We are glad that we are here for only one night 

Hugs and wags.

The Lowmans

The Lowmans officially leave Maine for seven weeks

Crousville, ME – Worcester, MA (422 Miles)

Dear Folks 

These photos don’t look very exciting, but they are to us.  They indicate that we made it to the Homewood Suites in Worcester safely.  The Girls had definitely worked up an appetite.

Leaving Maine on the last day of a holiday weekend was probably not the smartest thing we have ever done.  The traffic was heavy, so the trip took several hours more than usual.  At one point, we saw a sign that said: Massachusetts–15 miles, 58 minutes.  We were very grateful to get here safely and get into a cool place.  It is HOT here.

As we’ve discussed in the past, we think that most people don’t realize that spaces marked “Van Accessible” have wider striping to accommodate ramps.  Two non-vans were parked in those spaces.  So we backed in–not our strong suit, but we did it.  

So–already adventures and only Day 1!

Thank you for your thoughts and good Karma.

The Lowman Family

Hello, Everyone! Saint and Dusty here. Every day is a blessing for us and even though we have gone on a lot of adventures in our time, it’s the average ones that stick with us the most. Every day begins and ends in Mummy’s bed. On days we stay right at home, usually we hop on
the treadmill for a little walk (or jog) to keep our hearts healthy and our legs strong to stay in shape. Usually Mummy just works at her desk the whole time while we do this. If we have to go to campus, we then ride the lift downstairs and help Mummy get ready and then we load up in
Miracle and ride to UMPI.

Once we get to campus, most times we will stop by Mummy’s office and help her take off her coat and gloves when it’s cold. Then we make our way down the hall to the classroom and lie down on our bed at the front of the class. Sometimes we sense students looking and smiling at us, sometimes not. Sometimes we fight with each other over who gets the most space
on the bed, sometimes we don’t. A lot of classes involve a lot of Mummy speaking but also a lot of conversations between students and Mummy and students with one another. Each class seems very talkative. Although there are those few times a year when a movie is played and the room
gets very dark. Those are always the best days for sleeping.

After the classes are over for the day, we go back down the hall to Mummy’s office while she stays for a while working on her computer. Our bed in her office is right under her desk so we can be close to her. Sometimes guests will stop in and make things a little more interesting. Some nights Mummy is there very late working, reading her students’ work and giving them
feedback.

Once we get home, we do everything in reverse, going back up the lift and back into bed. Days turn into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years. We will finish this blog by saying something we’ve heard Mummy say in her classes before. You can have good days and bad days, but most of the time you just have days.

Hello everyone! Saint and Dusty here.

Today, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on something that happened this semester. While Mummy was with her students and her focus was on their work, we experienced abuse from a student we had thought was a friend. We are very good dogs and would never do anything to make a scene such as barking for Mummy’s attention while in a meeting. In fact, service dogs like us are trained not to bark and we take that training very seriously.

So, when a student came up to us and tied one of our gentle-lead-nosepieces to one of our vests, we became stuck together in an awkward position until the end of the meeting. We might have been stuck for a longer time if a couple of Mummy’s other students had not stayed behind and realized we needed help. Mummy was very upset that we had been treated that way because she knew we did not do anything to the person who tied us together.

We decided that we should share what happened to bring some awareness to the issue. As services dogs, we will not defend ourselves, so unfortunately this means people could get away with abusing us. It hurts knowing that people might abuse us because we love everyone so much. If it can happen to us, then it can happen to any service dog. Even though there is an ADA law that protects us, abuse can still happen. We feel grateful that Mummy was there and that the abuse did not escalate any further. Other service dogs may not be as lucky. So, Mummies and Daddies, please be aware of the company who is around your service dog or fur baby because we cannot tell you if they harm us.

Here is a picture of the newly broken plastic hook on our vest that the gentle lead was tied to.

Until next time. Take care. Be well. Hugs and wags.

Saint and Dusty