C/Ya Zin!

Well, the plan was to leave Cardston around 2pm, drive down to Great Falls (just over 3 hours away) and take Zin out for a farewell dinner. Sometimes my life just doesn't go according to plan - okay, maybe most of the time, but I really thought that getting out of the office by 2pm was doable.

As it turned out, I had clients stopping by all afternoon - and didn't get done until 4:22pm - I fired an email off to Zin letting him know that I was just leaving, and jumped in the car for the trip - of course, by the time I actually got out of Cardston it was almost 5pm.

Turned the radar detector on and headed for the border. Fortunately I managed to pass alot of people on the way down and got to the border without a line to have to wait for. Border guards were friendly and had me on my way quickly.

I don't know exactly how fast I averaged - but it was quick. I pulled into Great Falls at about 7pm. I made a quick call to Zin and zipped over to his place to pick him up to go for dinner.

We chatted for a bit before we actually got out of the door - and then had to hit a couple of places before we found a retaurant that didn't have an hour's line waiting to get in. We ended up at Tony Roma's. What are ya gonna eat at TR? RIBS! Both Zin and I order a full rack of beef ribs... holy cow that's a lot of food! I really should have just ordered the half. (Zin was thinking the same thing.)

Zin spilled a little sauce on himself and our friendly waitress asked if he wanted a bib - no says he - YES! says I! I had the waitress bring us bibs and we got a photo taken of it. Great thing is, you can't tell in the photo that I'm wearing a bib!! (but you sure can tell that Zin is wearing one!! hehhehehehe) I'll post the pic as soon as I get it off my phone. (not a high quality pic, but both zin and I had managed to forget our cameras.)

Dinner was great - good food, but even better company. Zin has become one of my very good friends over the last couple of years, and I really do think of him as "my brother from another mother."

After dinner we chatted for awhile longer, and then it was time for me to hit the road. I drove the speed limit going home, and it took me about 3 hours 15 minutes to get back. I lucked out at the border again and didn't get stuck in a long line - even though I was crossing at Coutts (notoriously long lines.) -- It was 1:30am before I dragged my butt into bed, but well worth the trip.