Every year for the past 6 years, my husband and I have gone to the 1865 Victorian Ball in Virginia City, MT.  It is usually on the third Saturday of August.  We make reservations and one of the hotels or a bed and breakfast.  The last few years, we have been staying and the Bennett House Bed and Breakfast.

The rooms and decotated with lots of antiques and are quiet comfortable.  The breakfasts are eliquently set and the food is very good.  The room rates are quiet reasonable also.

Viriginia City looks like an oldtime town with all kinds of shops in the buildings.  Some of the shops are set up so you can look inside and see what it was like back then.  There is even an ice cream shop that makes their own ice cream in a variety of flavors.  There's a old tractor engine that turns two tubs with the ice cream in them.  There is also a candy store with all kinds of candy.  In the front window you can watch them make taffy.

There are tours in a stagecoach or on an old firetruck.  There is also a train that runs between Virginia City and Nevada City (a mile away).

The ball is Saturday evening.  Everyone dresses up in 1865 attire and we dance the dances of 1865.  There is a Grand March down the walkway of VC led by the Grand Marshall.  Once back to the community center the ball begins.  During the evening there is a light meal served consisting of food from the 1865s.

The ladies look elegant , the men are handsome in their tux or uniforms and the youngsters look just as nice.  Everyone has a great time.

On June 19, 2008, we left for Stayton, OR to visit my husbands in-laws.  Th traffic to Richland, WA was light and the weather was warm and sunny. 

We stayed the night in Richland, WA at the Clarion Hotel on George Washington Way.  The dinner was good and the clam chowder was the best we've ever had.

In the morning, we continued the Stayton, OR.  While there, we were taken to the coast.  The four of us at lunch in Linclon City at a place called Mo's.  They are a very busy place, but well worth the wait (short) in line. 

We went to the neices and nephew's for a short visit.  Each time, we went a different route and saw beautiful country side.

We left Stayton on Monday morning.  We did some sightseeing on the way back.  There was a stop at the Bonnieville Dam.  It was amazing to watch the salmon go us the fish ladders and the view is wonderful also.  Then there was the stops on a senci turnout (about 7 miles long) not too far east of the Bonnieville Dam.  There were several falls that were gorgeous and a fish hatchery.  At the hatchery, you got to see sturgeon thru a window.  There were a couple of huge sturgeon there.

We went on the Richland, WA and stayed the night.  The next day, we went on a wine tour.  We rented a Lincoln Town Car from Four Star Limo.  Patrick, the owner, came to the hotel and picked us up.  He gave me a rose and both of us a brochure with our names on the front.  It had a list of the winerys to go to. 

Patrick was very professional and knowledgable about the wines and the region.  He took us to four winerys and one that was not on the list.  Once he knows what you like, he lets the people and the winery know.  The winery people were also great.  As we went along, we bought the wines we liked and ended up with 3 cases.

At the end of the tour, Patrick took us back to the hotel.  All in all we had a wonderful time with Patrick as our guide.

For dinner, we walked to the resturant next to the hotel.  It is called Henry's.  They served very tasty food.

The Clarion Hotel was reasonable and confortable.

Easter Sunday 2008 was a nice day for a  northern state. Most March Easters we have to shovel snow. The road, I-15 to the Canada boarder was clear and dry. There was every little trafic and everything was good until we reach the Canada boarder. In 25 years of traveling to Canada it never took 90 minutes of waiting at the boarder. To make matters worst, once we arrived at the custom window we were cleared thru in 60 seconds. Once we were on our way again the resest of the trip went well. We arrived in time for dinner.

Monday morning it was shop till you drop. The major food stores in Canada have a huge selections of items. If it comes in a jar, bottle, or box you will find it there. Canada has a large diverse culture population and the food selections reflect it. Time was short this trip so we didn't get to the malls. There are always end of seasons sales that are always great.

Currently, the Canada and US dallor are equal in value. You have to know your US prices before you buy. But there are still plenty of unexpected deals to be had.

If you want to learn more about Lethbridge, leave you questions here.