And fun was had by everyone

The day of the family reunion dawned cloudy and windy. They had about 50 plus relatives show up. Dad came from a family of nine. He's only got on living sibling left. that's Aunt Ida in the middle with the sunglasses on. She's 91 years old, Dad is 90. It was pretty great to see all of the first cousins and first cousins once removed and second removed and so on.


Here's Lee and Dad with a couple of his first cousins once removed. We had a good time getting re-acquainted with his relatives.

Madson Farm Visit

Here's a little video about the milking operations. They milk twice a day and rotate 2 shifts of cows through. This is the first shift. It was noisy, stinky and you really have to careful not to stand too close to the back end of the ladies!



They don't hand milk them any more. It is a vacuum type system. The milk travels up through a pipe into the "well" house where it is cooled and stored in a refrigerated tank.

A tanker comes once a day to haul the milk to processing plant.

MOOOOOve out of the way!

Several of Lee's cousins live, own and run a farm. A couple of them run a dairy operation. The recession has affected them too, but they're hanging in there.


This lady is one of the milking cows as you can see from her udders. She is actually getting ready to give birth.

We visited Lee's cousin Natalie Madson who Mom always "Lives out in the country". To be exact she lives on a farm in Oconto, Wisconsin. Actually, her son now lives on and runs the family farm and she and her husband Russ built a nice new house away from the barns, flies and animals.

They have a lot of calves. The brown ones are jerseys and the black and white ones are holsteins.

Jersey are a more energy efficient cow according to Russ. The a smaller, eat less feed and produce just as much milk.

They also have an assortment of other farm critters. These are pygmy goats. Aren't they cute?



I seem to recall my oldest wanting one of these things when we first moved up to Montana.

We visited the milking barn. There are a lot of cows to be milked. They say a cow can produce 10 gallons of milk a day.

That's a lot of feed, hay, poop and maniure!

As we were discussing all of this, one of the cows baptized me!

Technology you must have

Josh bought a refurbished Garmi Nuvi 360. Before he got it we discussed that he would lend it to us on our trip. It also plays audible books which I think a great added benefit.


The unit did a great job getting us through Wisconsin, but directed us through ALL of the TOLL highways. It cost us around $15 to get around Chicago and Indiana. Although we have it set for fastest time I think it took us a long time to get around the Chicago area going that route. I don’t think this unit has the capability to figure out the best alternate fast route.


After the fact I saw that there’s an option to avoid Toll roads, duh!

Another thing we did was add broadband connection onto our Verizon plan. It’s $60/month but it’s a month to month option and we can discontinue after our trip.


The best thing about using cell phone as a modem is you can be surfing the internet as you go down the road. I wouldn’t advise driving and surfing simultaneously.

On the road again

We’re on our way to Wisconsin today for the Henning Family reunion this weekend which will be held in Peshtigo, Wisconsin this Sunday.

I think that Grandma and Grandpa are enjoying their travels.


Us, not so much but it’s a lot better than traveling in a car.


Lee's back has been hurting him for the last couple of days but today it was really pretty bad. Good thing we're at the midway point!

Bay City Recreational Area

Before we left I got online to search for a site to 'camp' at. Surprising, Michigan and Wisconsin doesn't have a lot campgrounds - at least not in the area that we were heading to.

This campground is state run and got high marks on www.rvparkreviews.com.
I have to say, the reviewers were correct. This is really a nice campground. You're not on top of the other campers, it's clean and very pretty. It's also by the bay and there is a beach here. We haven't even been over there yet but maybe tomorrow....

Maxwell Relatives

I think there is are two broad categories of vacations that people take. The first kind is for personal pleasure and relaxation. The second is to visit relatives. That's not to say it can't be relaxing and pleasurable but the focus of the second type of vacation is to connect with your relations and build a sense of family community.

The only family we have in the Tri City area is Mom's family - Aunt Nettie-Merle. That said it doesn't mean we only see her. She had 10 children, many who still live in the area. We asked her how many grandchildren and great grandchildren she had. She couldn't remember but Cindy who keeps count told us that Aunt Nettie-Merle around 38 now and counting.

Here's Cindy with one of Aunt Nettie-Merle's great-grandchild Wyatt. Wyatt is 2 months old and weighs 14 lbs. He one big boy - but very mellow.

We showed them the bus yesterday. Lee was in his lecture mode.

One of Lee's cousin, Kathleen graduated with a biology degree and has worked at an animal hospital here in Saginaw for thirty years. She gives another meaning to bringing your work home. This little kitty is 1 week old, it doesn't even have its eyes open yet. She has to feed it every 2 hours. So you thought you had it hard, eh Becky?

This little cutie is 4 weeks old. Anyone in the market for a cat?

Watch out TBH could be a weapon

Yes, that's me behind the controls of a 40 foot several thousand tons of shiny metal, diesel thrumming driving machine! No, I'm not mad, although it looks like it. That's how my face looks when I'm concentrating hard on not hitting any innocent and unsuspecting fellow motorist. (And notice - only one hand!) Let me further explain that the picture is shaky not because the photographer was scared but because TBH does sway a little because . . . well, it's a bus.
If you ask my family, they'll tell you I'm not the best driver (although I don't thing I as bad as they make me out to be!) Ok, I DID hit a big white wall, I was in a hurry when when I backed into the garage door, and I admit I can't back up with a trailer in tow, but here I am driving FORWARD!



The Grandparent's are totally oblivious of their peril as they watch the scenery go by!

The Saga of TBH part 1

The saga of the TBH (the bus from hell).

I said to Lee last January, “Lee, when was the last time your folks went back to Michigan?”

“Well I think it’s been about four years now,” he said.
I cogitated for a few minutes, “How old are they going to be this year?”
Lee gave me a, duh, can’t you do the math look and said, “They’re going to be 90.”
“I betcha they’d like to go back for a visit.” Little did I know what kind of Pandora’s box I was opening.
“That sounds like a good idea.” Lee agreed. He ran in to ask Mom and Dad if they’d like to go to Michigan this summer and found out that Dad’s family holds a family reunion every August in Wisconsin and yes it would be nice to go back and see those relatives and Mom’s in Michigan

“Hey maybe we could rent an RV and take the cats along.” I suggested.
“I don’t know, I think RVs are going to be too expensive, and I don’t think we should take the cats.”
“But look, we could put them on a leash and train them to a litter box!” I pointed out this website which I'd found when I Googled "How to walk your cat on a leash".

(This isn't really our Sylvester)
You could train your cat to use the toilet too, but that was even too weird for me.

We got collars for the cats, but Snickers got out of her 3 times the first night we put it on her and then she lost it. Sylvester of course was a complete gentleman and kept his collar on. Both of the cats learned what a litter box was and Snicker likes it so much that she comes in from outside to use it!

The Saga of TBH part 2

Several weeks later, we found out that renting the RV isn’t that bad, they just kill you on the mileage.

So we checked into plane tickets. It was $600 round trip per person in about January of this year. Not too shabby, but Mom and Dad didn’t feel they wanted to reserve tickets so far in advance.

By April the prices had doubled. Now it was $1,800/per person round trip. Lee being the frugal, cost conscious, (cheap) man that he was swore it was highway robbery and suggested that maybe we could take them in his tiny (but well maintained) Skymaster. We could fly them out there ourselves!

OK- that wasn’t going to happen no matter how expensive the plane tickets were!

Then Lee got the bit in his mouth. He began researching purchasing an RV. After all you can buy an inexpensive 5th wheel for around $20-$30K. Then we could have something afterwards we could use. Of course his truck is only a ½ ton pickup and can’t haul anything that heavy AND 5th wheels have many steps in them, which Mom and Dad at their age have trouble dealing with.

“You know GM is going under and needs to get rid of their trucks, maybe we could trade my truck and get a 3/4 to haul it with...” Lee hypothesized. We found out that GM isn’t in such bad straits, it would cost us an additional $20K to upgrade to 3/4 ton pickup.

“What!” I screeched. “That’s ridculous!” Scrap that idea.

By now Lee was looking at bus conversions. “Did you know that regular Class A RVs aren’t put together worth a sh..darn (I’m editing, this is a G rated blog)? I mean they just collapse if they’re in an accident. These bus conversions are REALLY REALLY safe.”

The Saga of TBH part 3

Three weeks later, “Sandi, come here, look at this bus! This is a totally redone Eagle conversion in California. The guy selling it only wants $40K for it but it does have a lot miles on it.”

A couple of days later, “Sandi, I think I’ve got I narrowed down. I found this newer 1998 MCI bus conversion in Florida. It’s only 35 feet long.”
“Yeah, how much?”
“Only $80K.”

“What!” I screeched. “That’s ridculous! Why do you want to buy an RV? You HATE driving! That’s why you told me you wanted to buy an airplane!”

“Well. I’ve always wanted to travel around in one. Ok, look. Here’s this one in Virginia. The guy is asking $70K for it and it looks in pretty good condition. This one’s a Prevost. They’re like the top of the line bus manufacturers. The engines on these things go for 200,000 miles. This one was never a bus but originally built to be an RV. It doesn’t have a lot of miles on it either. Oh, and it was owned by Jerry Falwell.”

“I don’t know. That’s a lot of money. Who’s Jerry Falwell?”

“You know, moral majority, Liberty University. Oh, never mind. I’ll offer this guy $50K for it ok?” Lee’s always looking for a good deal.
“Ok,” That’s $20K off his asking price. He’ll never go for it I thought.

“Sandi, I talked with the guys wife. She said he’s never going to go for it but she’ll ask him.”

“Sandi, come here!” Lee shouted to me. “Guess what? His wife called back and she said she’s really surprised, but he’ll sell for $50K, but, (there’s always a but) I have to come pick it up on Monday and he’s not going to fix a darn thing on the bus!” (That should have been a huge tip off.)

“Lee, it’s Friday. How can you go to Virginia and buy that bus on Monday?”
“WE’RE going to Virginia.” He corrected.
“No, I can’t....” I began as I marshaled all of my arguments. After several minutes Lee said, “Ok, maybe Ron will go with me. Then he can me my mechanic and do the pre-buy on the bus.”
(Ron had be aiding and abetting Lee’s bus search for the last month. Ron owns a company that does bus conversions here in Kalispell and is now trying to be semi-retired.)
I answered the phone. “Hi Honey, I’m so tired, but we’re her in Virginia. We’re going to look at the bus tomorrow and if Ron says it good, we’ll buy it.”
It was Sunday night and Ron and Lee had a whirlwind couple of days getting the travel arrangements around.

The Saga of TBH part 4

Ten o’clock Monday morning. “Hi Honey, Ron says that the engines in really great shape and we should be worried about the bus. It’s a great buy!
We’ve signed the papers and we’re heading home in a couple of hours. Ron has an appointment Wednesday at home so I’ll see you in a couple of days!”

Monday afternoon the phone rang. It’s Lee, “Hi Sandi, the bus odometer/speedometer isn’t working. Can you look up some RV shops along our route and see if they don’t have a replacement. Then ask them if they’ll over night it to some shop along our route. We will be driving through Springfield, Missouri tomorrow and if the shop would have an open bay, Ron says he could install it...”

Tuesday morning. It’s Lee, “We’re stuck, I left the bus in gear and you can’t leave it in gear, it drains the battery...we’re not going to worry about replacing the speedometer. Ron says that we could get into the engine and then spend several hours trying to fix it. The better way to go is replace it when we get home.”

Wednesday morning. “Hi honey, Ron’s not going to make his Wednesday appointment but it’s ok. He’s got it rescheduled for Thursday. The bus is not developing any power going over the hills and it’s slow going. We’re for sure going to be home on Thursday.”

Our bus woes have just begun ...

We're OFF!

It was a hard struggle with many set backs and frustrations BUT we are finally heading down the road.
We finally finished loading and took off around 7:00 pm Wednesday for Missoula.

First stop:

After a truly yucky and not so quick dinner. we really were on our way.

We left town at 8:00 pm and arrived to our first overnight destination in Missoula. the Walmart SuperCenter. Hey don't you guys turn up your noses at that! It's a great place to boondock.
If you forget something, you can just walk right over and buy it - at a great savings to your pocket book I might add.
But seriously, we couldn't believe how many big rigs were parked there.
We stayed most of the next day there and headed over to Dr. Rosen's for the deposition a little after noon.
Our next destination: Bozeman to drop off Debbie & Andrew's wedding present from Grandpa. He'd only been working on refinishing the table for the last year and a half but it done. Not to Grandpa's satisfaction. In fact he said to me, "Maybe we should take it to Michigan with us, I can finish it up and we could drop it off on the way back."
Our final destination last night was Billings, but we didn't make it. We stopped just outside of Billings and parked the bus in a truck stop over night.

North Dakota, here we come!