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View of the day-Time to unpack for the last time this year...and a bit of a mess to work through.
What a night. We had not run the furnace while we were driving, so it was going to take some time to get the camper warmed up once we got parked at the Walmart. We got the generator started and it ran for about 30 minutes, then quit...out Al went to check the propane. One tank almost empty and one pretty much full. So that wasn't the problem.
We knew the furnace would run on 12 volt, but didn't want to drain the batteries on the truck, so we tried the generator again...same thing...about 40 minutes this time. It was almost 2am, so we got bundled up and tried to get some sleep.
During the night, Al would get up and run the generator, which would allow us to use the fireplace and charge the batteries so the furnace could take the chill off...it was down in the low 20's and there was snow on the ground, after all. By 6:30am, we decided there would be no more quality sleep, so we closed up the camper, grabbed a quick breakfast at Burger King and started for home.
The roads were not as bad as we had anticipated...to start with, at least...and we made it to Minot just after 11am. Marilyn needed to pick up a few last minute items at Walmart, but in North Dakota, they don't open until noon on Sundays, so we waited. This gave Al a chance to go into the camper and grab a nap while Marilyn stayed in the pickup to upload yesterday's blog.
After shopping was looked after, we headed out, stopping in Carpio to pick up some parcels that had been stored for us. This was a bit of a task, since there was only a short alleyway right off the highway with no exit. We made a couple of rounds looking for the best place to pull in so we could get out easily...a task to do with the camper on behind. We finally just pulled in, got our packages, then Marilyn guided Al back out into the highway so we could get turned around.
We did some rearranging of packages at Kenmare, got our receipts in order, then took off to see what the border held in store for us. Roger and Ken were about 2 hours ahead of us and they reported no problem with their crossing...but we would be hitting the shift change. We didn't have to stop on the USA side and were glad to see it was one of the regulars on the Canadian side, so he looked at our papers and sent us on our way. We also handed in our work visas...now it is official...our harvest season is done.
We stopped in Carlyle for fuel...the fog was really thick and it was trying to snow and mist, which we knew would make the highways "interesting". And it did. It was slow going until we were about 30 miles from Yorkton, then the highway seemed to dry off a bit...but there was more snow on the side of the road than what we had seen further south.
We cruised right through town and started down our 3.5 miles of gravel road, which had about 4 inches of snow on it. We wondered how our yard was going to be to pull the camper in so it could get unloaded...it was heavy, but we managed to pull up by the front door and get it opened up. We got it plugged in and started the furnace...we need to winterize it, but were not going to do it in the dark. Fortunately, it has heating pads under the tanks and the underbelly is all insulated and heated, so at least nothing will bust from freezing and we can get it winterized and parked tomorrow. Marilyn got the camper cleaned out in a record 20 minutes.
Oh, if the fall unpacking could go so fast...
View of the day-The guys say farewell outside the TOMY store at Dyersville.
Al had another early morning as he got ready for Roger and Ken to pick him up to go to the big auction. Marilyn stayed back at the camper, her job was to get it ready and hooked up for the trip home.
We had decided we had seen enough of the toy show and should start back for Canada. Marilyn got the camper all flanged in and was on the road to Dyersville by 11:30am. Even though the water had froze during the night, the sun had it thawed out so Marilyn could get the fresh water tank filled up...because we would surely need iton the road.
The plan was to park the right up at the Shopko lot by the school, but the traffic was insane and although it was a right turn on to the street where the Shopko was, that would mean makings left turn on to the main street...with no lights at the intersection. A long wait, indeed.
Marilyn opted to make a left off the highway and parked in the TOMY lot, then called Al to him know where she was. The auction was still in full swing,so they weren't leaving to pick her up,but as luck would have it, there was a shuttle bus and Marilyn took advantage of it by catching it for a ride to the school.
At the school, she went in through the side door...what a lineup and crowd...she could hardly get into the gym, never mind trying to get through the masses to the auditorium where the auction was being held. Since she was near the rooms where the dioramas were, she stopped to take some pictures of some of them.
She couldn't stop thinking about the one she had seen yesterday with some culvert work being done..the attention to detail...stunning. The barn with the farrowing crates, the tiling being done in the field...there was even one that had a black cover over it and there was a tractor working the field with its lights on, and the combine was dumping into a cart with its lights flashing. Unfortunately, taking a picture would not have done it justice...as with so many of these works of art.
After the picture taking was done,she fought the crowd again to try and find the guys...fortunately they were just down the next hallway. They were pretty much done with the auction...a little too rich for their blood. That, and they had pretty much spent their allowance for the show. Marilyn hadn't, so she was able to pick up a set of Big Roy 1/32 tractors...the price was right, and they are an amazing set.
We got a ride with the guys back over to the TOMY lot and the camper, but we couldn't leave without taking Roger and Ken through the TOMY store. We all came out empty handed, but they had a nice wrapping table if we would have found something we wanted.
Time to head for home. Neither of us had any idea of how far we would be going today...it was time to "shut up and drive"...something we do a lot of.
Al drove the first shift until we turned north on to I35, then Marilyn took over so Al could have a nap. Once we got into Minnesota, Al took the wheel again and we dropped the hammer hoping to make Jamestown, ND.
Which we did...and parked in the Walmart parking lot for the night...in the snow...
View of the day-Some of the amazing things we saw today at the toy show. The details on these machines is not done any justice by the picture alone...this man loves his work.
Al was up early and out the door with Roger and Ken as they stopped by on their way to Dyersville from Dubuque. Marilyn had the morning off, since the main thing on her agenda was to browse through the displays in the toy museum and the high school...but this would not happen until after 2pm.
Al took the guys around the yard sales and to the Scale Models factory, where they got to see the tail end of the process to ship out the current model of pedal tractor that on the assembly line. They checked out a few of the other sales that were open early and by this time the outdoor market in the parking lot of the sale barn was set up and they were able to go through there.
Marilyn had gotten in to Dyersville, parked at the high school lot, then walked across the way to the museum, where she picked up the floor pass buttons for her and Al. These $25 buttons gave us the right to "preview" the vendors from 2-6pm and would get us in for the three days of the show. After the tickets were purchased, she called Al and found out they were at the sale barn about 4 blocks from the museum, so rather than move the truck and lose a premium parking spot, she walked up the hill to meet the guys.
After a pass around all the vendors there, it was time to go downtown for lunch at Nora's again...we were becoming regulars. After lunch, we killed some time walking through the tents that were set up on the lots around the plaza and museum. Then it was time...2pm...time to get down to business.
We went through the museum vendors...everything was pretty high priced and these guys were not budging at all in their prices. According to them "the prices are already too low"...that mixed with tired from walking already meant they weren't seeing any of our cash in their tills.
We walked over to the school to see if there was anything better over there...and there was. They gym had its share of those guys with attitude, but as we worked our way through the hall displays and the dioramas in the classrooms, we actually had a couple of things to carry out to the truck.
Marilyn didn't get a lot of pictures today of the dioramas, but did manage to take a few of a Massey display. The detail in these displays will have you looking for hours...just when you think you've seen it all, some little thing catches your eye and it starts all over again.
We met up with Roger and Ken out in the Shopko parking lot next to the school...they hadn't been through the school yet. We were going out for supper, but they wanted to shop around a bit more, so Al stayed in the truck and read his magazines and Marilyn checked out the Shopko.
Once we were all done with buying for the day, it was time to go to the Ritz for their "all you can eat" jumbo shrimp Friday special. Wow. The place was packed and with good reason...the shrimp was fabulous...and there was lots of it. Too much, in fact...we could hardly move when we were finished. Of course, it could have been the 10 miles we walked today...but more likely it was the fact that we were stuffed.
By now, we were pretty much shot for the day. They guys want to get up early to be at the school for the big auction that starts at 10am, so they will pick Al up at the camper again. Marilyn will get the camper cleaned up, closed up and hooked up for the start of the trip home.
Originally, Al wanted to stay until Sunday to get in on some of the last minute deals that one gets when the vendors just don't want to be bothered repacking and hauling the stuff...they just want to get rid of it and that is when you get the best deals. That plan changed to leaving by 6pm on Saturday and getting halfway home...then it changed to 3pm...then after the day we had today, it changed to 12 noon.
But that could all change again...
View of the day-This was how we spent the better part of the day...rooting around in people's garages for treasures...and Al actually found a few.
We had clouds during the night, so we didn't have frozen water this morning...a pleasant change. It was supposed to be a bit warmer out, but at this time of year, as long as it isn't wet, it is a nice day. We still had wind, but thanks to the tents and buildings, it was cut off and it wasn't so bad...as a matter of fact, Al was in short sleeves all day. Marilyn, on the other hand had two tshirts, one hoodie and a jacket.
We got to Dyersville and the first thing we had to do was meet a "guy" out by the storage lockers on the north end of town. We got there to find two other guys rooting around in the locker and they told us the "guy" would be there shortly. Al felt like he was doing a drug deal, sneaking around like that. The "guy" showed up, right on time and found Al the two toys that he had ordered. We don't know how...this place was jammed full to the front door...and it wasn't his only locker!
Once we got the tractors, we checked out the garage sales around town. Al found a few items that he picked up, but wasn't committing to anything really big...just in case. Just in case...the price came down or he saw one cheaper...that sort of thing.
While we were looking around, we ran into Tom Waterhouse and his wife Audrey, from Davidson, SK. They are at all the shows we are at...and then some...so we stopped to have a chat and look at one of the custom built threshing machines that he had bought here. Wow...the detail was absolutely amazing! Pictures just don't do it justice...but will have to do.
We continued on our way, checking out the various tents on the grounds that were getting set up...some let us in, some told us to come back later and some wouldn't let us even close. Since it didn't officially start until tomorrow, we didn't take offence.
We went downtown for an early supper, where Al spotted this Halloween decoration...complete with head turning horse, then came back to the camper. Roger and Ken had made it to Dubuque and were checking in at the hotel before coming over to Dyersville. Apparently they didn't get away from Bossen's at Lamont, without thinning out their wallets before heading to the hotel.
Al had them stop at the camper on the way to Dyersville to pick him up for the auction sale...Marilyn didn't see anything she couldn't live without, so didn't want to go sit through all that "rhroofelling"(Al's German slang for the sound made by the auctioneer-you really need to roll those r's). She will be resting up for the big walk yet to come.
Another early morning tomorrow, but this time we get to check out all the displays...
