Heading back to Canada

We're in the midst of our trip back home.  I like being on the road and, in many ways, wish we had more time so we could stop and take side trips.  But I miss my cat, my friends, my wardrobe, and my bed (not necessarily in that order), and I have to start teaching a summer course the day after I return (oh yeah, totally prepping on the road, right), so we're making our way back east.
   Who knew Washington state had this whole desert side to it (rhetorical question)?

(That's the mighty Columbia river.  Gorgeous shade of blue).

(Those are fake horses on a hilltop.  Yeah, really.)
   And then we passed through Idaho and headed into Montana...

    And as you might've seen from my earlier post about the weather, it stayed that way for awhile, and to top it off, the blower for the defrost (and heat) didn't work.  This is where I say "Thanks!" to our friends at Eccles Auto Service in Dundas, Ontario.  We've called them a couple of times about issues with our car and they've been a great help.  Sure, they probably think we're crazy, but that's okay.
    What I didn't have yesterday were these great photos from Liss that showed what Montana and North Dakota looked like after we got out from under the ass weather (totally a meteorological term).
   Montana:

    North Dakota:

   Haven't heard much about food?  Well, it's been a bit of the regular sub-par road food (Denny's was exciting yesterday).  For dinner, I made us go to Bonanza because I used to go there when I was a kid.  Liss was wearing a Carhartt vest and a bright orange knit cap (she'd been cold) that's been kicking around the floor of the car.  I was wearing camo Army pants I got from my dad (a new go-to item in my wardrobe - I'm serious) with a Patagonia hoody.  The manager, making the rounds and checking on everyone's satisfaction, stops by our table and says, "You ladies doing some hunting?"  Yes, that's what's become of my fashion sense on the road.