Hello everyone! Thanks for having a look at my blog.

I happened to see something odd on my truck a few days ago. I looked out the window of my trailer and noticed a crease in the sheet metal on the roof. Being a brand new truck, and a Toyota, I do not think they would have let this go through inspection so it could have very well happened as a result of my Bambi collision.

Since I found this I guess I should contact the adjuster, tell him what I am seeing, and see how he wants to proceed. I cannot see delaying the process any further if it is actually a total loss.

Another issue is a rental car. I did not have rental coverage so it is about $1000 a week for a rental. Ridiculous, yes, but it is a tourist area so they gouge people for it. I am trying to figure out a way around this but something else has happened I need to deal with first.

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Ever since my heart attack and triple bypass in 2021, I have felt great (but I was walking 10 miles a day BEFORE it so you never know). No problems with hiking, no chest pains, good heart rate, etc. Well, two weeks ago I had to wear a heart monitor for a week. I started having some issues with my heart after the dog attack and they have not gone away. My heart rate is now all over the place and I have had some dizzy spells so the cardiologist got me on a heart monitor for a week to keep an eye on things 24/7 over the course of a week, recording notes whenever I had an issue (lightheadedness, dizziness, chest pains, etc). Only thing I have had was dizziness after the attack; two nights ago it was bad enough I almost threw up and was barely to get the BP cuff on to get a reading. The medical people said trauma from the dog attack could have very well triggered what is going on. My concern is will it ever go away.

I honestly feel that I could have easily had a heart attack when it happened; it was pretty violent, painful, and it scared the shit out of me. He hit me like a truck and got hold of my belly. I am still very freaked out by it happening and am having real issues going outside now for fear of getting attacked again (which almost happened again this afternoon). I had been carrying a large stick to beat that bastard if he does it again or went after our dogs again. But, then I remembered I have bear spray so now I carry that with me everywhere outside and I will let him have it if it happens again – and from a distance. It is also less physical for me so easier to not get worked up enough for a heart attack as it would be beating the hell out of it. (Just to be clear, I am not in favor of hurting animals but if it comes down to saving myself or my dogs I’m gonna do what I need to do.).

I am livid about this all happening since it was totally avoidable. It is now really difficult to relax and I am now always on guard – overly cautious every time I go outside, constantly checking my surroundings. My blood pressure is up so the doctor put me on anti-anxiety meds until I can get calmed TF back down (not too excited about taking pills – I am more a cannabis person for what ails me). I probably have PTSD from the attack so I may need some help with getting past it; I had PTSD after my motorcycle wreck and that took quite a long time to get over.

But, I still gotta keep on keepin’ on best that I can. It has been very frustrating since I finally got out of the Midwest; the kidney stone on the way up here and surgeries after I got here, wrecking my new truck, and now the dog attack and the resulting issues – it has not stopped and it is pissing me off. I have not been able to get out with the trailer like I was hoping to with all of this nonsense going on. I was able to get out for some hiking but now with this heart stuff going on I have to wait until I hear back from the cardiologist to see how we will need to proceed. I hope we get the results back by end of the week but it may be early next week. It is hard to be patient waiting when I have watched my heart so closely the last five years and I am so concerned with what is happening that I cannot get out to do the things I want to do.

According to the cardiologist’s nurse, I can still be out walking & being active as tolerated and if comfortable. I have been doing some walking but I gotta say I am still cautious. Am I too cautious? I don’t know, but I DO know that I don’t want to end up worse off. I do have my watch to track my heart while walking and I have my alerts set but have not gotten near those levels. I hope in the next week to get answers and move on.

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It has been pretty busy in the area with tourists. The area is laid out kinda weird; coming from the south on US 93 into Kalispell you start getting into a few restaurants and residential areas with a few stores thrown in. Then you go around the county courthouse in a traffic circle-type of set-up, heading into old downtown for several blocks. You then come up to US 2, where you can go west all the way to Everett, Washington or go east around the southern fringes of Glacier National Park on east to Michigan (or piece it together to Maine). Going north you leave downtown, and go up a hill through a residential/business area where you find all the usual suspects – big box stores and restaurants. This particular area is really seeing massive growth (and traffic) because it is between Kalispell & Whitefish – very smart development. Even current businesses are relocating there.

It is not really one big area of city – it is broken into these different sections. I have been in other cities like this and the way things are laid out you just cannot expand on the downtown area because there is simply nowhere to go. This is what contributes to urban sprawl but they will build where they can. One good thing is the big box area has plenty of room for growth but that is usually limited by infrastructure.

Of course there is also Flathead Lake, Glacier National Park, state parks, National Forests and all the outdoor recreation that comes with those things that attract the masses. There is an international airport for access for those who can afford it.

It is a pretty area and not bad to be in but it is expensive to live here. Housing is crazy expensive…WHEN you can find it; people are just not moving so there is little to buy and rentals are outrageous if available. The price of fuel is more tuned to tourism than locals but we gotta have it too, and along with more expensive groceries there are extra transportation costs that are even higher these days coming to a remote place at the end of the road. Remember, we are not a place to pass through – we are at the end of the road before Canada.

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I will be taking the trailer out in Fall sometime to find some things to see & do and plan stay in some interesting places. This will be kind of new for me to do this so I do not fully know what to expect. Hopefully prices will drop drastically in the meantime so it will be more affordable. I will be looking to do some boondocking as much as possible to save money and be away from crowds. It is different traveling solo and it adds a few twists, but I have the dogs for company even though they don’t say much. It also has challenges if there are health concerns since my doctors are here.

In the meantime I will keep doing what I am doing where I am doing it, albeit hopefully healthier. I guess at some point I will need to start thinking about places to go. I have these issues I need to get straightened out first before making real plans, but I need some ideas to kick around in the meantime.

That’s all for now. See you again n soon.

Shawn