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Driving through Shelby, Toole County, Montana USA, the two RV Gypsies met very little traffic, then suddenly they came to a very oversized load which came to a complete stop so that the two RV Gypsies' RV could very slowly squeeze past. Luckily they met where there was just enough shoulder for the RV to fit through, but that white post on the side of the road (which indicated a ditch) made it a tight squeeze. |
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Cut Bank is a small town on US Highway 2, the quickest route between I-15 and Glacier National Park. If the park has glaciers, it stands to reason that this region is colder than most of the rest of the U.S. -- hence Cut Bank's claim to be the "Coldest Spot in the Nation" (ignoring Alaska, of course).
Cut Bank gives substance to its boast with a giant penguin statue, 27 feet tall, 10,000 pounds of concrete over a metal frame. The sculpture, by Ron Gustafson, was built in 1989. And it has a hidden feature -- when working -- it talks! (This is the second time that the two RV Gypsies have passed by this penguin, but have never stopped to hear if it actually talks).
Other towns claim dominion in the subzero battle, including International Falls, Minnesota, the so-called "Icebox of the Nation"- (another place the two RV Gypsies have visited in the past). Weather data shows that the town of Stanley, Idaho, is often the coldest place in the lower 48. But these rivals apparently never warmed up enough to go outside and build a statue.
Also shown below is a very unique tricyle that Karen quickly photographed as Lee drove the RV. |
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Approaching Del Bonita, Montana - Port of Entry into Alberta, Canada |
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Del Bonita, MT - Port of Entry - 4071 Chalk Butte, 41 miles north of the city of Cut Bank on Highway 213. Del Bonita is a Permit Port, which means that importations of cargo must be approved in advance by the Area Port of Great Falls. Contact the Supervisory Entry Officer at (406) 453-7631 Option 1 Extension 301 for more information. Operational Hours: Port hours year round: Winter- September 16th to May 31st hours are 9 am to 6 p.m. Summer - June 1st to September 15th hours are 8 am to 9pm.
As usual, the two RV Gypsies did NOT encounter any problems entering Canada in their RV. |
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Alberta is a western province of Canada and is Canada's fourth-most populous province and the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces. Alberta and its neighbor Saskatchewan were districts of the Northwest Territories until they were established as provinces on September 1, 1905.
Alberta is bounded by the provinces of British Columbia to the west and Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territories to the north, and the U.S. state of Montana to the south. Alberta is one of three Canadian provinces and territories to border only a single U.S. state and one of only two landlocked provinces. It has a predominantly humid continental climate, with stark contrasts over a year but seasonal temperature average swings are smaller than to areas further east, due to winters being warmed by occasional chinook winds bringing sudden warming.
Alberta's capital, Edmonton, is near the geographic centre of the province and is the primary supply and service hub for Canada's crude oil, oil sands (Athabasca oil sands) and other northern resource industries.
About 290 km (180 miles) south of the capital is Calgary, the largest city in Alberta. Calgary and Edmonton centre Alberta's two census metropolitan areas, both of which have populations exceeding one million. Tourist destinations in the province include Banff, Canmore, Drumheller, Jasper and Sylvan Lake.
The two RV Gypsies made stops in Calgary and Edmonton on this trip. (See the link at the bottom of this page). They have been to Banff and Jasper twice in the past; both places that they love. |
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The two RV Gypsies passed through several little towns including Cardston on their way to Calgary, and although did not stop, Karen often takes pictures as they pass through towns. |
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