HAPPY THANKSGIVING! and an Invitation!!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! We hope you have a safe and enjoyable holiday.

You are invited to join our tradition: the ceremonial playing of Arlo Gutherie's classic story/song, "Alice's Restaurant."

Enjoy!

New Feature Enabled!

Greetings and Salutations Dear Readers,

As you might expect, we have a lot for which to be thankful. Among many other blessings, we are very thankful to have the opportunity to travel and spend time in a warm climates. At the top of "thankful list" are our children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and neighbors. We thank you for being there for us and wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving! 

On another note, check out the new feature I enabled on this blog. Look at the right hand column of blog options. Just below the "About Us" tab is a new tab labeled, "Follow by Email." If I understand it correctly, if you enter your e-mail address in the space provided, you will received an automated Email to notify you when a new blog entry has been posted. 

If you're so inclined, give it a try! And if you do give it a try, let me know how it works.

Once again, have a great Thanksgiving!

Bill and Anna Marie

HOME!

After yesterday's excitement, we were hoping for an uneventful trip home. That's exactly what we got. We dined at the Elmer Diner for lunch and made it home by 1530.

We unpacked the necessities and will take several days to off load everything from thr 5er. Next week, we,ll work on winterizing the unit and make arrange entrance for a repair and some other maintenance projects

Yikes!

At 0730 hours we departed from Santee State Park. Kiptopeke SP on the eastern shore was our destination. All was going smoothly as we traveled on I-95. Around noon, we stopped for fuel and lunch. As usual, we exited I-95 at Emporia and followed Highway 58 toward Norfolk. As we were braking for a red light in Southampton, the brakes failed. Luckily, there were no cars in front of us and traffic entering the highway hadn't yet started to enter the road. We drifted through the red light, finally stopping about 100 yards past the intersection.

A quick inspection lead to the conclusion that the right front brake line had ruptured. Before I could put the hood down, the sheriff pulled up behind us. He offered to call the repair shop and escort us about two miles to Doug's Auto Repair. We accepted his gracious offer and within two hours a quick repair was completed. We have to get all of the brake lines replaced when we get home.

We made it through the beginning of the Norfolk rush hour loosing about 1/2 hour to the slow going of the heavy volume of traffic. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel was transited in the dark of night, and we finished the days travel a few miles north when we set up in Kiptopeke State Park, about six hours from home.

Inching Closer to Home!

Left NSB at approximately 0630. Drove a little over 400 mile to Santee State Park in SC. At this rate, we'll be home on Wednesday!

The Home Stretch!

Sat 12 - installed both new windows on boat. Also re-wired the solar panel. Sun 13 - Homeward Bound! Stop in New Smyrna Beach to visit the Fritz's.

Catching Up (2)!

Tue 01 - Day 51 Another Day on the Road
Marianna, Florida Caverns State Park

Here's to another day on the road! This time we did another 300+ miles which puts us about 650-675 miles from Houston. This time, we made camp in Florida Caverns State Park, the only state park that has caverns. They give tours, but not on Tuesday or Wednesday.
We took a walk and found the swimming area. It's a small Blue Hole. A sign informs bathers that the maximum occupancy of swimmers is 30! It is really a small swimming hole.
This park offers full hook-ups at a cost of $22.30/night.
After setting up camp, I connected to city water, only to find a leak. About a week ago I replaced the check valve. Some quick work with a wrench and Teflon tape and the leak was stopped. Yesterday I hooked up the electric rod that sits in the water heater. Now we can heat the water with either propane or electric.





Wed 02 - Day 52 Camping with the Henkels
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

Even though we are still in the Central Time Zone, we set the clocks to Eastern time last night. We'll cross into the new zone early today. So when we broke camp at 0600, all the other campers had it at 0500. We made sure to be extra quiet!
Our campsite at Paynes Prairie State Preserve was set up shortly after our 1145 arrival.
We did lunch and set off on a 4 mile hike. This park boasts about it's wildlife, including Scrib Cattle, Spanish Horses, and Bison. That's right, Florida was home to American Buffalo before the population was eradicated. In 1985 they reintroduced 10 Bison (imported from Oklahoma). The current herd is estimated to be 70 animals.
Long time friends the Henkels greeted us as we arrived back at the campground. We had a lot of catching up to do. It took most of the evening!



Thu 03 - Day 53 Florida Bison
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

They said our chances of actually seeing the Bison were remote. "the prairie is very dry and the bison are probably trying to find water in some remote area of the 6,000 acre preserve." undaunted, Pat, George, Anna Marie and I set out for a hike on the Cone's Dike trail which leads out into the prairie. Along the way, we saw signs of wild boar, horses and bison. At the 2 1/2 mile mark, we spotted 5 of the wild Spanish horses that live on the preserve.
Figuring the park folks were probably correct about the bison, we turned back. As we were nearing the end (beginning?) of the trail, we saw two shapes off in the distance. Even with the field glasses, we were to far away to say for sure what we were seeing. As we got closer, it was evident that the two animals were bison. As we got even closer, we observed five more bison. If the ranger was correct about the estimated population, we were seeing 10% of the herd!
We climbed the observation tower to get a better look.
Besides the bison, we also saw two Sand Hill Cranes. It was another great wildlife viewing day!
In the evening, we sat around the campfire swapping stories and catching up with Pat and George.



Fri 04 - Day 54 Visiting Friends in Bradenton
Bradenton

Goodbye Pat & George! Greetings Pat and Ray!
Departure from Payne's Prairie Preserve State Park was scheduled for 1000 hours, but everything was secured and ready for travel by 0945. We bid a fond farewell to our long time friends Pat and George and headed out. The days drive was a relatively easy 160 miles.
Pat and Ray are friends we met on our second trip on the ICW. Readers might better know then from the M/V Reflection and stories about the flock. It was Pat who gave that moniker to the group.
They have gone back to being landlubbers after a stint on the RV circuit. They have a lovely home in Bradenton and offered to put us up for a night or two.
After a tour of the house and sharing stories they gave us an auto tour of their environs. One of the highlights was the Twin Dolphins Marina where they spent a few months aboard Reflection.
Even though it was very windy and a tad chilly, we enjoyed seeing the posts and beaches on Anna Maria Island.
The meal (ribs all around) at Mr. Bones was great. We capped off the evening with a game of dominoes before hitting the sack.




Sat 05 - Day 55 Big Cypress National Preserve
Big Cypress National Preserve

What a great time visiting Patty and Ray. Thanks so much for your hospitality! We hope to see you in the Spring.
By 1000 hours, we were on the road, thinking our destination might be a campground in the Everglades. As it got near 1500 hours, we decided to stop at Midland Campground in Big Cypress National Wilderness Preserve. Big Cypress is adjacent to the Everglades. The campground has paved sites with electric for the princely sum of $10.00.
pat and Ray suggested that we stop at Clyde Butcher's Gallery. Luckily, it is about 1 mile west of the campground on the Tamiami Trail (highway 41). We selected our site, set up, unhitched, and promptly headed off to see the Gallery. It is fantastic! Thanks for the tip Patty and Ray. We even had the opportunity to walk the swamp trail. Unfortunately the photo tip swamp walk is only offered on Saturdays during this time of year.



Sun 06 - Day 56 Long Key State Park
Long Key State Park

On the road at 0800 after "falling back" 1 hour at 0200. After a quick stop for odds and ends at the Homestead Walmart, which has finally rid itself the several derelict RVs and which has posted "No Overnight Parking" signs, we made it to Long Key State Park on Rattlesnake Key. We were pleasantly surprised to find a campsite as this is a very popular campground. We tried to reserve a site through CampAmerica Reservations but there were no sites available. We later read that the park is closed for renovations. Apparently some sites are available unless they are being repaired.
After unhitching, we drove into Marathon to have a look around and to inspect the boat.
Tomorrow, we'll begin what we anticipate will be several days of bait cleaning and prep work.

Mon 07 - Day 57 Transmission Leak
Long Key State Park!

Truck transmission is dripping fluid. 

On the boat, two portlights in the galley leaked. The sealant has failed and there are cracks at most of the screw holes. We'll remove them and get All Keys Glass the cut and drill new ones.

Tue 08 - Day 58 9 Quarts!

Checked transmission fluid. Added 9 quarts. By the end of the day, the drip became a steady stream. Made appointment to take it to a tranny specialist in Big Pine Key.

Made arrangements for bottom painting, waxing and gelcoat cockpit repairs for boat.

Removed portlights and took them to All Keys Glass.


Wed 09 - Day 59 Converter Gasket!
Mechanic thinks the converter seal is blown. Must remove tranny. Converter seal not in stock. Will take everything apart so it's ready for new gasket tomorrow.

Work on boat continues. Installed tramps, cleaning.


Thru 10 - Day 60 Truck Repaired!

At the bus stop by 7:10. Bus passes us by at 7:15, at least 20 minutes early!

Park Manager lends us her car for the day.

Rebuilt marine head and did more boat work.

Picked up truck at 1630 hours. New converter seal and two new universal joints. No leaks and truck running and shifting well. Repair seems a success. Ron, the mechanic broke the mirror off the passenger door.


Fri 11 -Day 61 Pick Up Generator

Truck and tranny working well!

Earlier in the week we asked Eric (Shoreline) to replace the pull chord in the generator. We picked it up today. After inquiring about getting the mirror from the truck repaired, Eric went right to work on it. It didn't go as quickly as expected, so we told him we'd be back in the morning.

Back at the boat, we prepped for reinstallation of windows, which we picked up late in the day. We install both tomorrow.

Lunch at Burdines, dinner at Sparky's!

Laundry done. Talked to Fritz's. Joe is healing and they're on the road as we speak!

Invited us to stop by on the way home.

Catching Up (1)!

Fri 21 - Day 40 8 Miles on Foot
Bennett Spring State Park

Well it's been a week since our last really good hike. We decided to do the 7.7 mile Natural Tunnel Trail. The moderately strenuous rating amused us. The Crater Lake trail at Maroon Bells was also rated as moderately strenuous. That trail starts out at something over 10,000 feet and goes higher. The Tunnel trail starts out at about 300 feet and ends up at about the same elevation. There are a few steep hills between the beginning and end.
We got a workout to be sure. Sections of the trail are covered with loose rock making footing treacherous. In these sections, we moved slowly and made sure or footing was solid.
We finished the walk in just under 4 1/2 hours.
Back at the campsite, we grilled a couple of chops over the open fire after which we sat around the campfire and toasted marshmallows.
The rest of the evening was spent chilling.



Sat 22 - Day 41 Hot Air!
Ozark, Branson

Greetings Jeff, Maureen, Macy and Teagan! That's right, we're visiting family here in MO for a few days.
Our first objective was to meet the kids, but they were taking a nap. No problem, we'll get to know the family pets, two cats (Seraphina and ) and Kyle. After sizing us up, Kyle ran into the garage to get a ball. Apparently he wanted to play catch. Anna Maria obliged him by throwing the ball here, there and everywhere. They played for what seemed like 1/2 hour when Anna Marie speculated that Kyle would soon tire. Jeff and Maureen assured her that he'd continue playing even if the pads on his feet started to bleed. "He never quits," they offered. After another ten minutes, we thought it time to end the game. Maureen took the ball and hid it in the garage. After a few minutes, Kyle went to the garage and brought out another ball. He wanted to continue playing. Maureen confiscated this ball and hid it. All the while, Kyle kept an eye on Maureen to see where she was putting the ball.
By then, the kids were up and we got to talk with them as they became comfortable with their new guests, they got more chatty. We found them to be charming and delightful.
Jeff fired up the Big Green Egg and expertly BBQ'd a tri-tip. A great meal to be sure.
Following our repast, we piled into the car and headed out to Branson Creek for the evening portion of the Balloons over Branson Creek Day. As evening approached, hot air balloons were inflated. By the time it was dark, 14 gallons were ready to participate in the "fire off." the PA announcer lead the crowd in a countdown. At zero, each balloon pilot fired up and the gallons literally glowed. After another countdown, the pilot randomly fired and the balloons "flickered." What a sight! It was great a great evening.
Once home, the kids went to bed and the adults played Mexican Train.
After that, it was bedtime for everyone.



Sun 23 - Day 42 Fish Hatchery & Mini Golf
Ozark, Branson

Today, we accompanied Jeff and his family to the fish hatchery at Table Rock Lake. Tens of thousands of rainbow trout are raised for release into local waters.
Trout fishing is huge in MO., wich supports five such hatcheries throughout the state.
Amazingly, trout are not indigenous to MO waters so they must be raised and released. Fly tackle is most commonly used to catch them.
After our hatchery tour, we made our way to a mini golf facility in Branson. The kids had a great time and Jeff won a free game. Teagan, 3 years old, is very independent and wouldn't accept any help. She played all 18 holes herself!
Jeff made another sumptuous meal, pork chops, on the Big Green Egg.



Mon 24 - Day 43 Bass Pro Shop
Springfield, Ozark

We were up in time to go with Jeff and Maureen as they took Teagan to school. We left shortly after Macey's ride to school arrived.
After dropping off Teagan, we went to the Springfield Bass Pro Store. This is corporate HQ and the largest Bass Pro in the world. It is huge! We walked around looking at the displays and aquariums.
Jeff then took us on a tour of his Plasma Center. It is quite an operation. We haven't seen anything like it.



Tue 25 - Day 44 Leaving Ozark
Ozark, Wright Patman Lake

Sadly, it is time to push on and leave Ozark, MO. We had a wonderful visit with nephew Jeffrey, Maureen, and their kids, Macy and Teagan. Just getting to know the girls was a blast. We wished we could have stayed longer.

By the time we reprovisioned at WalMart, it was 0900, a late start when you have to cover almost 400 miles. We chose to drive Scenic 7 in Arkansas. Surely all the twists and turns added an hour or more to the drive. we stopped for lunch at the Cliffside Inn and had a great view of the "Arkansas Grand Canyon." Suffice it to say that it's not so grand. Pennsylvania's is much better, and that's only a shadow of the real thing!
Our goal was to get more than half way to Houston. We camped at the Wright Patman Lake, a Corps of Engineers facility for $8.00/night with water and electric.
Wright Patman Lake is located in the beautiful piney woods of northeast Texas. The lake includes about 30,000 surface acres of water and 50,000 acres of land. Numerous recreational opportunities are available including camping, boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, hunting, and wildlife viewing including wintering bald eagles, pelicans, and various migratory ducks. Local attractions include numerous festivals. Nearby Texarkana has numerous museums and points of interest including historic buildings and memorials, but we didn't take the time to see them. We're going to play with the Texas kids this week!



Wed 26 - Day 45 On the Road Again


5 1/2 hours on the road to Houston. There are some crazy turns on Highway 59, but the road was mostly four lanes with a 70 mph speed limit.
When we arrived, the twins were there and ready to play games. That we did!
Later in the day, all the kids showed up. The noise made us feel right at home.



Thu 27 - Day 46 Atascocita Eagles Marching Band
Humble

Visiting sister, nieces and nephew continues. Ran some errands, replaced some light bulbs and repaired a striker plate for Marje.
In the evening we went to a high school football game. Our purpose was to see the band march at half time. One of the kids is in the band.
It's an award winning military marching band and they were spectacular. It rained during their performance, but that didn't seem to bother anyone.
It was a most enjoyable evening.



Fri 28 - Day 47 Playing with the Kids
Humble

Another day of playing with the kid!
Yesterday, we found a fuel leak while getting an oil change for the truck. Our mission today was to find a repair shop that could stop it, after my attempts failed.
As luck would have it, we found a great mechanic who was able to diagnose the problem and get the part delivered in about ten minutes.
The part was pricey, but the labor was very reasonable. What's best is that the service was great and the people were pleasant and very helpful. It's hard to imagine, but we had a great experience at the repair shop!
We had dinner out with most of the kids, two nieces and sister and dessert at one Renie's home. What a great time.
The guitar was delivered while we were out, so I put it through it's paces before hitting the sack.
First impressions:
Nice bottom end. I like deep, booming bass tones and this guitar seem to have them.
Decent treble as well.
The action is very good. It's easy to finger and hold, although fingering seems a bit sluggish. The good news is that there are no buzzes on any of the strings or frets.
Fit and finish are very good too. It looks like a much more expensive instrument.
Others have knocked the precision of the tuning pegs. So far, I don't see a problem. They turn smoothly and hold their position.
This guitar has also been criticized for not having precision in the fret placement. My first impression is that the harmonics are right on. The frets could be smoother or perhaps lower. I would expect them to "polish" with use.
Fingering seems sluggish. I'm not sure if it's related to the frets or the type of strings or both. Time will tell. If it doesn't start to feel faster in a few weeks, I'll change the strings.




Sat 29 - Day 48 Dinner at Jen's
Humble

Took a trip to the local music store and Guitar Center. Scoped out the least expensive diesel fuel stations for tomorrow's fill up.
Walked to Jenny's house, 2.6 miles round trip. Had a great dinner and fun with the kids (again)! Thanks, Jen!



Sun 30 - Day 49 Dinner and a Football Game
Humble

Our only two errands were to do a little provisioning for the next leg of our journey and to fill the truck with fuel. We accomplished both jobs at the local WalMart.
We had some time to play with the kids but by mid-afternoon it was time to bid farewell to both nieces and their kids. We had a wonderful visit with all of them.
We were invited to Chuck's for dinner and the Eagles football game. The dinner was spectacular and the Eagles trounced the team from Dallas. Thanks, Chuck!




Mon 31 - Day 50 Fairview Riverside State Park
Fairview Riverside State Park

Goodbye Marje! What a blast we had in Houston. Lots of fun and food. Too much food, in fact. It was hard to say goodbye, but we pulled ourselves away and headed east along I-10. We made it as far as Madisonville, LA, where we camped at Fairview Riverside State Park (water & electric for $22.00).
This is a beautiful park; well maintained, clean, large sites and on the Tchefuncte River.
We had enough time to take a walk in the park (watch for Alligators) and cook on their grill before dark. As the sun set, the mosquitoes came out in force. We walked around the campground. As long as we stayed on the blacktop, we were safe.
In the evening hours, we planned tomorrow's route and destination before hitting the sack.
NOTE: We had an accident with the trailer today. As we were pulling out of Marje's driveway, the trailer detached from the hitch and landed on the truck. It appears that there was little damage. Some of the aluminum siding got dented and gouged when it hit the trick. We'll have to look at getting it repaired sometime.

Day 39 Welcome to MO!

During our two day tour of Kansas from the I70 corridor, we found two nice state parks where we camped. Sadly, it was too cold and windy to do much exploring.

A stop at Camping World was disappointing. First, it appears they have no facilities to accommodate overnight guests. Years ago, Camping World stores had several camp sites to accommodate travelers who needed work performed on their rigs.

Prior to the camping world stop, we sample some good Missouri BBQ for lunch. Both the pulled pork and burnt end brisket were excellent!

We set up camp in Bennett Spring State Park. Tomorrow we intend to hike a 7+ mile trail that features a long natural tunnel. There is a 2 1/2 mile trail that has our interest too.

Here's what the park's website has to say, "The Bennett Spring area was founded by pioneers who used the cool, rushing waters of the spring-fed stream for gristmills. Now, it’s one of America’s premier trout destinations where people come to wrestle with rainbow trout and fish a stream that’s stocked every night. Bennett Spring State Park has fishing, hiking that runs from simple to strenuous, and a lodge with hearty stick-to-your ribs food. The park's proximity to Interstate 44 makes it an easy trip from all parts of Missouri."

Note: There is a hatchery on the premises.

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Day 38 Perry Lake, KS

Perry Lake, Kansas. It's about 50 degrees today. Much too cold for us; too cold to hike the trails. Instead, we repaired the city water connection. Earlier today we purchased a new check valve. After setting up camp, we removed the old internal check valve and installed the new, external one. The test showed no leaks , so we caulked the housing to complete the installation.
There are two or three other campers here. For the most part the place looks closed. Electric is available and we have the electric heater purring away. The campground water is shut off. Fortunately we have about 20 gallons of water in the tank.
Perry Lake is large. There are several campgrounds and marinas. The CG we are in is run by the Army Corps of Engineers. They have three or four other CGs. Besides the Corps, there is also a State Park that offers camping and other recreational opportunities. We are staying at a Corps facility because they accept the NPS Senior Pass. The fee for a campsite with electric is $5.00!
On another note, We made arrangements to meet friends at Payne's Prairie State Park in Florida on November 2nd & 3rd.

Day 37 Kansas!

Our last view of the Rocky Mountains came just after pulling out of the campground. Areas of freshly fallen snow were clearly visible, even from this distance.

After a couple of hours, we crossed the border into Kansas. The praise is flat with houses few and far between. Occasionally we'll pass a town just off the highway, but for the most part, we seem to be driving through cornfields. We drove through Colby, Kansas, referenced in John Denver's song"Matthew."

One of the small towns along the way advertised "Free Land" on a billboard on the highway. The sign offered that "water and electric are provided... All we need is you." Don't know how much free land they're offering. There are no trees, just lots and lots of prairie. This part of Kansas reputedly has a lot of wind. We saw warnings for high winds yesterday. Today the wind might be blowing 30+ mph, right on our beam. If we were a boat and this were water, we wouldn't be burning fuel today.

We made camp at Cedar Bluff State Park & Reservoir, about 13 miles off the interstate. The wind diminished as nighttime approached. This state park offers sites with hookups. We chose to plug in to electric but the water is turned off for the season. This site doesn't offer a sewer connection, although there are sites that have all three hook-ups. The sites are huge and there are lots of them; over 1100 according to one piece of literature we read.

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Day 36 Flat Ground!

Day 36 - Day 36 Flat Ground!

Independence Pass, Denver, Strasburg

Monday, October 17, 2011

We made it to flat ground today. It's a mile high, but it's flat! Relatively speaking, that is. It wasn't easy to get here. Here's the story:

We departed Basalt at 1000 hours, headed east on Highway 82. Shortly after passing through Aspen, we started up the Sawatch Mountain Range. (FYI, a winter storm warning is in effect for Aspen. Four to seven inches of snow is predicted by this evening.) as we gained elevation, it started to snow. The higher we climbed, the harder it snowed. We started to get concerned about going through Independence Pass ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Pass_(Colorado) ) in the snow.

We really got concerned when the two lane road narrowed to one and one-half lane. There were no shoulders; just rock to the left and a thousand foot drop-off to the right. In a few places there wasn't even room for an on-coming vehicle to pass us. Luckily, when one did appear, we were just happened to be at a turn out.

We were now over 10,000 feet in almost blinding snow. An on-coming car flagged us down to tell us his wheels started spinning at the pass. He turned around rather than take a chance on having a problem. That was all we had to hear. We were ready to turn around, but we have to find a turn out to do it. There's no way to turn our rig around on a morrow mountain road.

Eventually we found a marginal spot to try to get the rig turned around. With some jockeying around, we were able to complete the 180 degree turn and head back down the mountain. Defeated but not deterred, we made our way back through Aspen. We passed our starting point about 2 1/4 hours after our departure. That was wasted time and mileage. By the way, it was sunny in the valley!

Given that snow in the higher elevations, we decided to stay on the interstate highways. The first alternative route had us going down state road 24. It has three passes all over 10,000 feet. What was supposed to be a trip of a little over 150 miles became a trip of almost 400 miles. We decided to scratch the Great Sand Dune National Park, our original destination for today, and go through Denver on our way to Kansas and, ultimately, our nephew Jeff's home in Ozark, MO.

Even though we are on I 70, we weren't through with the mountain Passes. We ran into snow again at Vail Pass and there were Ivey road warnings around Eisenhower Tunnel. We mistakenly thought it would be easier going through a mountain tunnel. We didn't count on the ice!

Outside of Denver, things flattened out and the driving was much easier. Just when we thought we'd have smooth sailing, we began to see signs reporting high crosswinds on the way to Kansas. High profile vehicles should proceed with caution.

Fortunately, the high winds must have subsided before we arrived as the wind we did have wasn't a problem. We made it to a KOA Campground in Strasburg, CO. and settled in for the night. Freeze warnings are predicted for tonight. We fired up the electric heater and had. Pizza delivered to the trailer.

Tomorrow we'll be in Kansas!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Pass_(Colorado)

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Day 35 Windstar & John Adams Tribute to John Denver

John Denver's Windstar Foundation held its annual open house today. It was a day filled with music, speeches and food. Sadly, it seems that Windstar's glory days are in the past.

The foundation had nearly 1,000 acres in Old Snowmass. Half of that total was granted to the Windstar Land Conservancy, a spin off of the Foundation and the Aspen Institute. We walked the John Denver Meadows, where a wetlands restoration project is underway. It seems the wetlands were drained in the early part of the 20th century.

We wish the Foundation well. It has done great and interesting work in the past, perhaps it can again.

In the evening we attended another tribute concert for John Denver. John Adams and the band were very good. We thoroughly enjoyed the day.

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Day 34 John Denver Tribute

The day started out with brunch at the Eco Goddess in Carbondale, CO. We enjoyed a great meal, but Lisa, the owner, was not in this morning. We left her a note saying how much we enjoyed her establishment and wished her much success.

We then headed to Glennwood Springs. Rumor has it that there's a WalMart there. Sure enough, we found said store and made a few purchases.

We returned to the CG where I tried to fix the second breakdown we've had to date. A couple of days age, the check valve on the city water connection failed. I couldn't find a replacement part so I plugged it temporarily. It'll be fixed properly when I find the part.

Today, I went to put the driver's side power window down, and nothing happened. That's funny it worked yesterday. What could have happened overnight? Don't know! I checked all the fuses and found no problems. I don't have a volt meter on board, so I'll have to take it somewhere to find out the problem.

We arrived in Aspen a bit early, promptly found a parking spot and walked around town. At 1830 hours, we entered the Wheeler Opera House, tonight's venue for the John Denver tribute.

The Wheeler is a fine old theatre that seems well maintained. Judging from the posters of future shows, they seem to have quite a few productions. The Dave Matthews Band will be there as will Judy Collins, to name two up-coming shows.

At exactly 1930 hours, the lights dimmed and the show began. From the beginning, it blew me away. About an hour and fifteen minutes in, there was an intermission. There were numerous items in the silent auction. I bid on a Bedell BMB-24G guitar. I would have been nice to win it, but I was out bid at the wire.

The second act was equally as entertaining and moving as the first. All the musicians had some connection with John. Most were in his band at one time or another.

After an encore, the show finished with a recording, by John Denver, of "This Old Guitar." A single spot light up a guitar and floral arrangement that had been placed centervstage. The musicians, silhouetted in various poses, stood silent and still in tribute. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

The evening highlighted what a strong body of work was left behind by JD's premature departure from Mother Earth.

It was a moving tribute and a lovely evening. It provided Anna Marie and me with memories we will cherish for the rest of our lives.

	This Old Guitar [Map]

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Day 33 A Day Off!

Wow! Our first day off!! We didn't plan any special activities today. We took a short ride to check out Snowmass. It's a big, as in huge, ski resort but everything is closed. Apparently they don't make snow. There are other ski areas that do make snow. We read of at least two that have opened for the season. One was only closed for 100 days.

Following Snowmass, we drove to Historic Basalt where we roamed the streets, did a little window shopping, and enjoyed lunch on the banks of the Roaring Forks River.

In the evening, we went to see Money Ball at the local cinema.

That's about it for today!

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Day 32 Maroon Bells

First on the agenda today was a Meet n' Greet at the John Denver Sanctuary. We arrived to find a work party already involved in trimming shrubs, scrubbing rocks and raking leaves. Volunteers apparently reported at 0900 hours to begin their seasonal clean up detail.

About 50 people participated in the Meet n' Greet. Following some announcements an distribution of the schedule of the week's tribute activities, five guitar players/singers lead the assembled crowd in a sing-a-long. The featured songs included, "Welcome to My Morning," "Back Home Again," and "Rocky Mountain High."

At the conclusion we set off for another walk around Aspen, stopping for lunch at the Bakery.

Following lunch, we continued our walk and then drove to Maroon Bells, two peaks that are over 14,000 feet. We hiked the trail leading to Crater Lake and got a great picture from high above Maroon Lake.

The following description was excerpted from beentheredonethat.com and the GORP link on the webpage:

"The Maroon Bells, at 14,156 and 14,014 feet above sea level, are two of the most spectacular of Colorado's 53 mountains above 14,000 feet. Located very near Aspen, Colorado, this view has become symbolic of the beauty of the Rocky Mountains."

"Not enough words are available to describe the beauty of this area. Panoramic high passes, beautiful alpine lakes, quaking aspen groves, meadows sprinkled with wildflowers and jagged peaks greet visitors to this area. This is not the wilderness to visit if you are seeking solitude. Large numbers of visitors are drawn to the beauty of this area. Many come to traverse some of Colorado's best-loved mountain passes, among them Avalanche Pass, Buckskin Pass, and Electric Pass. By far the most popular area in the wilderness, however, is Maroon Lake. Visitors to the Lake are treated to views of the twin peaks of the Maroon Bells reflected in the waters of Maroon Lake. Maroon Lake is set in a beautiful U-shaped alpine valley which is sprinkled with wildflowers. This is probably one of the most photographed spots in all of Colorado!"

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Day 31 The John Denver Sanctuary

Peaceful and serene, that's the Sanctuary. A quiet place to contemplate friends, nature, songs of the rainbow, one's lifetime, the love for one's children, thinking on their sweet smiles, what happens when the river meets the sea, the autograph of one's life, the seminal moments that define one's life, the meaning of love, the many ways of sunshine, being in a place that's almost heaven, and the beauty and joy of being home again. These are all themes in John Denver's music and with it, he not only entertains, but challenges us to reflect on issues that are important to the human spirit.

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Day 30 The San Juan Skyway and the Eco Goddess!

Shortly after waving good-bye to the Ancient Puebloans of Mesa Verde, the old Ford and the Sunnybrook 5er made tracks for the San Juan Skyway. Billed as an All-American Road (what does that mean?) and America's most scenic road, we knew there be jaw dropping vistas of the Colorado Rockies. I've been waiting to see them for a long time. Of concern, major concern, are the several mountain passes we'd have to negotiate. Not sure the old Ford is up to the task, We thought going back into Utah, through Moab and around the mountains. ultimately, we decided to chance the passes.

The scenery is spectacular! The Skyway did not disappoint. It lived up to all our expectations. The snow covered Rockies are impressive, the grandeur magnificent. Perhaps even more impressive than the Grand Canyon!

Here we are, riding up, down, over and around the Rockies Mountains listening to and singing along with John Denver. It is nirvana!

After almost six hours of impressive mountain scenery, the likes of which we have not experienced, we found ourselves in Carbondale, home of the Eco Goddess, an eating establishment owned and operated by Lisa Ruoff. The Ruoff family and I go back to the 60's when I was best friends with Lisa's Uncle Bob. His sister Janet married Rob Ruoff. I got to know Lisa's Mom, Dad, and siblings very well. Lisa, the baby of the clan, came along at about the time I was starting my career. That limited my time with her and her family.

Anyway, here she is, in Carbondale, CO, running her own business. We planned to arrive in Carbondale at around lunch time, find her establishment, say hello and enjoy a healthy lunch. We had a lovely visit and an outstanding lunch.

Eco Goddess is all about healthy, organic food. There are not meat dishes on the menu, but that's OK when you can do such amazing things with vegetables! if you're ever in Carbondale, do yourself a favor, skip the Fat Burger and enjoy a healthy meal (try the Veggie Lasagna) in a warm, friendly establishment run by an owner who cares about you, healthy consumption, and her business. You won't be disappointed!

When our meal was over, we drove another ten miles or so to the Aspen-Basalt Campground where we set up camp. We'll be here for the next week to check out Carbondale, Basalt, and Aspen

NOTE: There is a RR Museum on Ridgeway, CO. In it's collection is the "Galloping Goose." we took a photo, but there are better ones on the museum's web page. Click here for info and pic of the "Galloping Goose."

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Day 29 Mesa Verde

The alarm sounded at 0600. The early start is necessary to insure we get tickets for a guided Ranger Tour of the Cliff Palace.

We were successful and had the best Ranger Tour of the trip. Ranger Jeff Brown is passionate about his job, the subject matter and clearly enjoys involving people in his interactive presentation.

The history of the Ancient Puebloans is incredible and follow up reading is high on our list.

Following the tour, we took a self guided tour of the Mesa Top. It was great.

We enjoyed excellent lite fare at the Spruce Tree Cafe. Before making our way down the mountain we watched the orientation movie and walked through the museum. The collection of artifacts is most impressive. Included on the site is a research library.

Crews are currently building a new Visitor Center and Research Center.

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Day 28 Four Corners

Five days in the Grand Canyon are in the book (blog?)!

We're off to Mesa Verde NP but first, a stop at Four Corners, the only place in the USA where the boundary lines of four states meet.

The Four Corners Monument is operated by the Navajo and Ute Nations.

Surrounding the medallion marking the intersection of the borders is a viewing patio. Around the patio are booths from which Native Americans sell their wares. Some of the pottery and Arts and Crafts are very well executed.

After driving almost three hundred miles, we chose to set up camp in a private campground outside the Mesa Verde NP.. The campground offers free Internet access (it works but it's SLOW).

Tomorrow, we'll get an early start in order to score tickets for a guided Ranger tour of the Ancient Puebloan cliff dwellings.

Just to our north, we can see a mountain range. The peaks are covered in snow. The weather forecast for Aspen (we'll be there in two days) is for highs in the 60s with lows in the 40s. That's acceptable to us. Let's hope it's accurate!

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Day 27 "... every American should see the Grand Canyon." (TR)

Our day started with a special breakfast of Apple Fritters prepared by Master Chef Eddie A. He must be a Master Chef because the fritters that didn't meet his strict quality control standards were thrown into the garbage. From my count, just about one of every two fritters were tossed. That's some high standards!

After breakfast, Marje and Ed pulled up stakes and headed for Sedona. In addition to a weekend Arts Fair, they hope to find thicker air and warmer temperatures. Morning temps have been in the low 20s and the daily highs hover near 50. We have been waking up to temps in the low 40s inside the RV. It's tough to get out from under the covers when it's that cold!

After bidding goodbye to our traveling companions, we set out for a walk on the Bright Angel Trail. The trail, one of the most popular in the world, descends rapidly from the trail head near the Bright Angel Lodge. We went down far enough to feel enveloped by the walls of the Canyon on one side while on the other side, sometimes only two or three feet away, the drop off was deep and scary.

Surprisingly, the walk back to the top wasn't nearly as rigorous as the walk up the Navajo Trail in Bryce Canyon.

We had lunch in the Arizona Room at the Bright Angel Lodge before heading out on the Red Bus to Hermit's Rest. Mary Coulter was the architect for the building which blends perfectly into the surroundings. If your in the neighborhood, the views from Hermit Road shouldn't be missed.

On the way back to the campground, we bought souvenirs of our visit to the Grand Canyon for the grandkids.

There's a famous quote by President Teddy Roosevelt in which he stipulates his opinion that every American should see the Grand Canyon. Certainly this is an amazing place. The size and scope of the Canyon defies belief. Every time I get a glimpse of it from the rim, I'm awestruck by its enormity, beauty and unforgiving ruggedness. It may well be something every American should experience at least once in his/her lifetime. During our five days split between the north and south rims, we didn't get the feeling that many Americans were here. Yet there were no vacancies on the North Rim and there are crowds of people here at the South Rim. Most of the people it seems are from other countries. We have heard conversations in German, French, Spanish, Swedish (and perhaps other Scandnavian Countries), Australian, Japanese and perhaps Chinese. Indeed, foreigners seem to outnumber the Americans by a significant number.

There is a significant Native American presence although not in the tourist areas. The Park is surrounded by Indian Reservations. To the west is the Havausupai Reservation. This tribe operates the Sky Walk, a five hour ride from the South Rim (only 1 1/2 hours by car from Las Vegas). To the east is the Navajo Reservation. Six other tribes, the Havalapai, Yavapai, Southern Paiute, Zuni and Apache claim portions of the Grand Canyon area as their native lands.

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Day 26 Odiforous!

The smell of the Grand Canyon, both North and South Rims, is worthy of mention. It's like being in a Yankee Candle store with 1,000 pine candles burning at the same time.

In Mathers Campground, there are several species of pine that contribute to the Christmas Tree order. Combine that with the odor of bacon cooking over an open fire on a frosty morning, and you get the idea of what our morning walk smelled like!

After breakfast, Ed and Marje went off in search of propane. Anna Marie and I set out the walk some trails. It took almost one mile to clear the campground. Our sites are way in the back.

We made our way to the rim trail and began our walk heading east toward the Yavapai Geological Museum. The rim trail is very popular and accessible. There were quite a few people just strolling along. We, on the other hand, had a pretty good pace going. By the time we finished checking the museum, it was time to head back to the campground where we were supposed to meet Marje and Ed. We decided to board the Orange Bus which promptly too us to the visitors center where we boarded the Blue (Village) Bus to get back to the campground.

Marje and Ed weren't there, having decided to do some exploring by car (motorhome). After lunch, Anna Marie and I took the bus to the visitor center where we watched the introductory movie. It was very well done. The photography was outstanding as was the writing for the narration.

We hooked up with Marje and Ed, joined them in the motorhome and set out for the Village to see the historic district.

We went in the Hopi House, Verkamp's (now a visitors center, and El Tovar before heading back to the campground.

We grilled steaks on the wood fire along with a can of beets. In the camper, Anna Marie made Apple Crisp, a delicious treat.

Marje and Ed may be leaving for Sodona tomorrow, so this may be our last meal together for this trip.

If so, we'll miss them.

As for us, we still have a couple of trails to explore, we want to do at least a few miles on both the Bright Angel and the Kaibab Trails.

We'll leave the Grand Canyon on either Sunday or Monday, visit Mesa Verde for a couple days and then make our way to Aspen for the 14th Annual John Denver Tribute.

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Day 25 SNOW!

Yowza! The North Rim and neighboring Kaibab National Forest received six inches of wet snow over night! Before we could think about leaving, we had to clear the snow and ice from the slide. The dinette is about eight feet long by about three and one half feet wide and, at the touch of a button, it "slides" out leaving a much larger living area.

We wouldn't "slide it in" until all of the snow and ice is removed. The "Host" loaned me a ladder so I could remove the snow and ice from the roof of the dinette and Anna Marie used a trusty ice scrapper to remove the ice from the two sides that would be on the inside once the dinette slid back in place.

We accomplished the task in about 1/2 hour and, after stowing the usual gear, we were ready to leave.

The Host told us that the main roads would be in good shape but the roads in the campground would not be plowed. We'd have to get out on our own.

To get to the main road, we'd have to negotiate a steep hill and sharp curve. Nothing to it! I put the truck in low 4x4 and proceeded up the hill, through six inches of snow, dragging the trailer behind.

We made it to the main road which was cleared and proceeded to make the 200+ mile trip to the South Rim.

Along the way, we stopped at Navajo Bridge which crosses the Colorado River and the beginning of the Navajo Reservation.

We made it to our campsite in the Mather Campground, in the Grand Canyon National Park. After trying a few sites out, we selected one and set up shop. Marje and Ed were a few sites away.

We had dinner at the Marketplace Cafe and attended a Cello concert at the Shrine of the Ages. It was part of the park's "Artist in Residence" series. We all found it to be entertaining, inspirational and thought provoking.

Upon returning to the RV, we fired up the heater. It's supposed to go down to 26 degrees tonight.

Oh, and you might be wondering if it snowed on the South Rim. We were told the South Rim in 1000 feet lower in elevation than the North Rim, so there's a chance there wouldn't'd be any snow. Correct... To a point. There is no snow on the ground, but we experienced several hours of snow showers. So far... No accumulation!

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Day 24 Cold and Wet!

Well friends, cold temp (40 degrees F) and rain foiled our planned hikes. The weather did allow a motor tour of the North Rim. During breaks in the rain we were able to take short walks of 1/2 to perhaps 1 mile. At the end of each were breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon. At Cape Royal, the trail led to an overlook perched over Angels Window. The views were incredible from all directions.

Besides Cape Royal, we walked to incredible views from the Roosevelt Trail and Point Imperial, the highest point in Grand Canyon National Park.

We also saw ruins of the Ancient Puebloans who farmed the North Rim (summers) and in the canyon (winters) 900 years ago.

We broke for lunch at the Lodge before calling it a day due to the cold, rainy weather.

Back at camp, we fired up the genney, turned on the heat and read.

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Day 23 The North Rim

Anna Marie and I broke camp early so we could take care of some business in ST. George. As wexwere passing through Hurricane, we spotted a WalMart. We'll stop there to provision on the way to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, today's destination. Anna Marie placed a quick call to Marje and Ed. They are in need of provisions as well.

After taking care of business and restocking our food supply, we set off for the North Rim.

We are becoming very familiar with the landscape of southern Utah. It's mostly desert. The ground it dotted with sage brush, the roads are generally in the valleys until there are mountains to cross. Switchbacks, a steies of very tight turns connected by steep inclines are used for the higher peaks. More gentle curves and inclines can get you over the smaller mountains.

At one point, seemingly in the middle of no where, we came across a fancy sign welcoming us to the "Town of Apple Valley." there was nothing around. There were no houses, barns, or structures of any kind, as far as the eye could see.

Over the next ridge, perhaps seven to ten miles away, we saw a single house. Could it be that Apple Valley has only one family? Probable not, because there was a little village on the other side of the next mountain. It might have been fifteen or twenty miles from the sign. Perhaps the people of Apple Valley see a time when their village extends outward to the sign. It's gonna be a while. Property is for sale, but no development is taking place.

Eventually we entered Kaibab National Forest where we reconnected with Marge and Ed. They had already scored campsites for us. After setting up camp, we were off to check out the North Rim.

The forest of mixed pines and firs are punctuated with Quaking Aspen. The bright green leaves of the Aspen are changing to brilliant shades of yellow and orange. With the sun shining on them, it looks like each tree is plugged into electric and covered with lights. The actually glow! What a beautiful scene.

We pulled in to the first overlook to get our first glimpse of the Grand Canyon. It was spectacular. We stood in awe for minutes, allowing our minds to absorb the sights. Once we got the the North Rim Lodge, we learned that that first canyon wasn't actually the Grand Canyon.

As we walked the path to get our first glimpse of the real Grand Canyon, we marveled at the conglomeration of rustic log cabins that are art of the lodge. This is truly an amazing place.

Then we came to the overlook to get our first view of the GC. Wow! It is huge, immense, deep, magnificent. Most of all indescribable! Our photos can't do it justice.

We retired to camp after a quick exploration of the lodge, which is magnificent.

Tomorrow, weather permitting we hike some trails on the rim and we hope to hike down into the GC to immerse ourselves in it's vastness.

Speaking of weather, it is cold with intermittent showers. It's time for winter coats! One more thing, there's snow in the forecast for Thursday.

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Day 22 Hiking Zion' Trails

Today is trail day. After a hearty breakfast, we followed the Pa'rus trail for 3/4 mile to the Human History Museum where we caught the shuttle to the Emerald Pool trailhead, located a short distance from Zion Lodge.

The trail was steep but provided a relatively easy walk to the Emerald Pool. Water falls from the side of the mountain into the pool. Sunlight and clouds on the falling water provide ever-changing perspectives of the water as it falls into the pool.

Our return trip to the brought us to the trailhead by around 1145 hours, just in time for a quick lunch at the Lodge.

We enjoyed a relaxing lunch filled with Brother-in-law Ed's witticism.

After lunch we boarded another shuttle bound for the Weeping Rock Trail. This trail is very steep. At the top, we were treated to a view of the mountain where water appears to "weep" out of the rock. We were happy to have made the climb to see it.

Upon returning to the trailhead, we boarded yet another shuttle. This Time our destination was the Temple of Sinawava. This trail leads follows the Virgin River from the bus stop to the Narrows. Once one gets to the Narrows, the trail is no longer maintained. The rest of the trail is in the river. We didn't have appropriate footwear to walk in the river, so we reluctantly turned back.

After another shuttle ride, we disembarked at Canyon Junction. Our goal was to walk the entire length of the Pa'rus Trail. Prior to this venture, we walked a3/4 mile stretch of the trail on a couple of occasions.

We made it back to the campground having walked four of the parks numerous trails.

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Day 21 "Treasure of the Gods"

It's up early time again today. We have to arrive early at the South Campground in Zion NP. As was true with Bryce Canyon NP, we suspect that the sites at Zion will fill up quickly. Our goal is to arrive before the 1100 checkout hour.

The drive to Zion on Highways 12 and 89 was scenic, especially through the Red Canyon area. Like Wyoming, southern Utah has lots of wide open spaces.

For the third consecutive driving day, we drove through a part of Dixie National Forest. That's one huge forest!

We entered Zion from the east on the Zion-Mt. Carmel road. The ranger at the pay station told us we would need an escort through the second tunnel. The round trip fee is $15.00. After taking the obligatory photo at the Welcome to Zion sign, we drove on, amazed by Checkerboard Mountain. The first tunnel was easy as pie and we continued on to the second tunnel where we were stopped by the ranger. She informed us that an oversized vehicle was coming through and that it'd be about five minutes until it was our turn. She offered that the tunnel was built 81 years ago and that it is over a mile long. She also suggested that we ride in the center. Oncoming traffic was stopped until we and the vehicles behind exited the tunnel.

In due time we were on our way, only to find the step downgrades and sharp turns of several switchbacks that took us down the mountain from an elevation of 7900' to 3900.' the increase in pressure at the lower altitude caused the empty water bottles to crackle as the air inside expanded. It took a second for me to realize where the source of that unusual noise.

Upon our arrival at South Campground, we found a two adjacent vacant sites and set up camp.

In almost no time, we were off to the free shuttle bus for a ride into town. After some grocery shopping we returned to camp, stowed the provisions and headed out for the free park shuttle and a tour of the park.

The bus ride gave us a good glimpse of the park. We'll use the information to plan tomorrow's activities. We got off the bus to check out the lodge where we were the timing was right for us the attend a ranger presentation on nice but hallucinogenic flowers.

After the talk, we boarded a standing room only bus. We disembarked to visit the Human History Museum. The 'Welcome to Zion' movie was very educational. Among other things, we learned that the ancient Puebloans called this area the "Treasure of the Gods." they believed this was the center of the earth.

We decided to walk back to the campground after our visit to the museum. The walk was an easy 3/4 mile. Along the way, we found (and photographed) one of the flowers (Angel Trumpet) the ranger mentioned in her presentation.

Tonight's dinner is steak roasted over an open fire with salad, carrots and peas. Delicious!!

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Day 20 The World's Greatest Three Mile Hike!

Look at the title of this journal entry. We took the plunge, but that's not where today's story begins.

For the second time on this trip, the alarm clock failed to go off. Still, we were up at 0700 and shortly thereafter Anna Marie and I were on the Rim Trail headed toward Inspiration Point. We achieved our destination.

I got some nice shots as the sun rose to shine it's warming light on the Hoodoos. Following this photographic event, we hoofed back to the campground where we feasted on Eddie's culinary speciality, pancakes. By the time we were finished, it was time to go hiking.

We chose to do the Queen's Garden/Navajo Loop. A three mile combination trail with steep gradients. The walk down was easy but not without its trials. The loose rocks made for difficult footing. In fact, one of our party took a tumble. No harm was done and after getting vertical and brushing off some trail dust, we continued our hike.

Walking among the Hoodoos is a totally different experience then viewing from the rim. We were amazed to see chipmunks, birds and event ants. It was warmer at the bottom of the trail. That felt good for a short while before we shed some clothing before the hike back up to the rim.

The trip back to the top was very steep for the final 0.6 mile. There were so many switchbacks that I didn't count them all. Each seemed steeper than the previous. In just about two hours and ten minutes, we were back on the rim. We toasted our success with bottles of spring water.

Ed met us on the rim at Sunset Point and we proceeded to the lodge for a well deserved lunch.

Following lunch, Anna Marie and I walked back to the campground while Marje and Ed stayed at the Lodge to avail themselves of free Internet access.

After a short rest, we walked all three loops of the Sunset Campground, before meeting up with Marje and Ed. We off to a ranger talk on Astronomy. Lead by Ranger Don and held in the Lodge Auditorium, the talk led us through the Milky Way and the rest of our local group to the Virgo.

Following the presentation, we went outside to where there were three really nice scopes set up. We were able to see a double star, M11, the Flying Duck constellation and M13. That was great fun.

Back at the campsite, we had our evening meeting, agreeing to head for Zion NP at 0730 hours.

That's the story for today.

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Day 19 Hoodoos!

Wow! Today's drive is only 125 miles. We should make it to Bryce Canyon NP in a little over two hours!

After an early start, we drove to the little town of Torry, just outside Capitol Reef NP. What do you know? Someone opened a coffee shop and we're in need!

After a quick stop, we made a left turn onto Utah' Scenic Byway, Route 12. Billed as Utah's only "All-American Road." The road was paved in 1985. Along the way we saw two magnificent elk. Each sported a huge rack. One had a small harem of perhaps three or four females (at least that's all we could see) and the other had at least 20 females in his harem. He kept them tightly packed together.

Highway 12 has many scenic overlooks and transits Dixie National Forest and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Both allow free range cattle to graze. We liked Dixie NF because it was great to see trees and animals again. You see, we've been in the desert for several days.

At one point, Route 12 followed a ridge that was only as wide as the two lane (no shoulder) road. There were deep drop offs on either side of the road, with no guard rails at all! At times there were one or two mile stretches of 14% grade usually with a hairpin turn or two thrown in for good measure.

Our first objective upon reaching Bryce Canyon NP was to secure a campsite. Once accomplished we set off for lunch at the Lodge. This particular lodge is the last remaining lodge of four that were built in 1920. of the other three, one deteriorated. Two, Grand Canyon North Rim and Zion, were consumed by fire. Both were rebuilt. In fact, the Bryce Canyon Lodge caught fire two years ago. The damage was repaired in the winter and the lodge continues to serve visitors.

Throwing ourselves right into the activities, we first attended a Ranger led walk. Ranger Don explained a little about the Geology of the park and how the Hoodoos were formed, he talked a bit about the environment and ecology and how it has been altered since the first settlers, Ebeneezer and Mary Bryce, arrived.

Following that walk/talk, we went back to the lodge where sat around the fireplace while waiting for the next program.

The talk on "Wilderness" was disappointing. This ranger just read the words that were on each slide shown.

Following the program, we made our way back to our respective campsites, attending to some chores before hitting the sack.

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Day 18 Apples!

The drive from Archview Campground, outside Arches NP by about 6 miles, to Capitol Reef National Park is a distance of about 150 miles or about 3 hours. The drive was mostly through desert. Along the way, we passed a house that had no neighbors for 25 miles in any direction. The funny thing is that the homeowner had a trash can on the curb for pick-up! We don't have trash pick-up in Woodland Township, NJ and the houses aren't that remote form each other.

Capitol Reef NP has some intriguing geological features, but that's not what stuck out in my mind when we entered it. Most impressive to me was the fact that it appears to be an Oasis in the desert. It has a stream, grass, and trees, including orchards of peaches, pears and four or five varieties of apples. Visitors are encouraged to pick the fruit which you can eat on the spot. Picking tools and fruit tree ladders are available for visitors to use. Should one desire to take fruit out of the orchard, an honor system stand is set up complete with a supply of plastic bags and a scale. You pay $1.00 for each pound you take out.

The afternoon Ranger Talk was a special treat. Ranger Rick certainly knows his geology and was fluent in describing the current scientific thinking about the geological forces that shaped the area as well as those forces at work now.

We also attended a Ranger Talk on petroglyphs in the park. It was really interesting to see drawings made by "the ancients."

The Fruita Campground in Capitol Reef NP was a real treat. Luckily we arrived when there were a few openings. It didn't take long for it to fill up. Later in the afternoon and throughout the early evening many RVs and tenters were turned away.

Sites were big, paved with areas of lush grass. At this time of the year, they have sprinklers running 24 hours a day.

Adjacent to the campground is an historic house that now serves as a museum and store that sells jellies, a variety of fruit butters, jams and othe country specialities including fresh baked pies. We sample the Blackberry Pie while Marje and Ed tried the Cherry and Apple Pies. The grounds include old fame wagons and farming implements. Three horses were penned in a pasture adjacent to the house.

Deer roamed the campground and seemed pretty tame. There weren't skittish of people or their dogs for the most part.

We met one camper who welcomed us to this "unknown jewell in the national park system." we liked it just fine!

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Arches and Canyonlands

Underway early to explore Arches NP before it gets hot out. We saw all of the "must see" sights in about 4.5 hours. This included two hikes, one around the Turret and North and South Windows. We also walked up to the overlook for Delicate Arch. By the time we made it to the Devil's Garden, the crowds had arrived. All the parking spots were taken at most of the pull outs.

We returned to the campground for lunch before heading out to see the Canyonlands NP. After a stop at the visitor center, we drove off to see the sights. We took photos at several scenic overlooks and did a 3/10 mile hike up to the lookout for the Upheaval Dome.

Once again, words and photographs are inadequate in describing to spectacular formations, canyons, and vastness of this area.

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Day 16 Hot, Hot, Hot!

Day 16 - Day 16 Hot, Hot, Hot!

Arches National Park

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

On the road again. Destination: Arches National Park.

It was an uneventful 200 mile drive to Arches. As we pulled into the park we saw the "Campground Full" sign! We immediately found a private campground a short distance away and called for reservations. Once secured, we talked about the weather . It's HOT in the desert! The Agostini's motorhome thermometer read 101 degrees.

After setting we camp in Archview Campground, we joined them in the RoadTrek for a auto tour of the Arches. We only went about four miles into the park, but marveled at every new formation that was revealed as we negotiated the twists and turns in the road.

After snapping a few dozen shots, we turned around and headed back to the campground for dinner. We'll be back to see the rest of the Arches tomorrow morning.

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Day 15 Goodbye Wyoming, Hello Utah!

Deer Creek State Park

After attending to some business, we hitched the trailer to the truck and set off for the Arches National Park. To get there in one day would be an awfully long drive so we decided to stop a little more than half way. Our chosen destination was Deer Creek State Park in Utah.

Our drive through southwest Wyoming was lonely. We passed few cars as we drove south on highway 189. The vast open spaces and open ranges are mind boggling. We drove through several towns, the largest had a population of 720. It has two restaurants. One wonders how they are able to stay in business. The distance between towns is more than 50 miles. It's hard to imagine just hopping in your car to go to the next town. At best, the round trip might take an hour.

The lyrics to the song "A Song of Wyoming" ring true:

Song Of Wyoming

Well Im weary and tired, 
I've done my days riding,
Nighttime is rolling my way.
The skys all on fire,
And the lights slowly fading,
Peaceful and still ends the day.
Out on the trail night birds are calling
Singing their wild melody.
Down in the canyon, cottonwood whispers,
A song of Wyoming for me.

Well I wandered a round the town and the city
Tried to figure the how and the why.
Well I stopped all my scheming, I'm just drifting and dreaming,
Watching the river roll by.
Here comes that big ole prarie moon rising 
Shining down bright as can be.
Up on the hill there's a coyote singing,
A song of Wyoming for me.

Now it's whiskey and tobacco and bitter black coffee,
A lonesome old dogie am I.
But wakin upon the range, Lord I feel like an angel,
Free like I almost could fly.
Drift like a cloud out over the badlands,
Sing like a bird in the tree.
The wind in the sage sounds like heaven singing,
A song of Wyoming for me.
A song of Wyoming for me.

The terrain and architecture abruptly change in Utah. In Wyoming everything is brown or shades of brown and log houses are most common. In Utah, there are trees! Colorful trees (leaves are changing) and rolling hills. There are mountains off in the distance. Since we crossed the border, we haven't seen any log homes.

Along the way, we saw lots of Pronghorns, a couple of Prairie Dogs, lots of Magpies, horses and cattle. We even saw a cowboy and his dog herding cattle. Until that sighting, we hadn't seen a cowboy in the Cowboy State!

Once we set up camp, we had a meeting with Marje and Ed to plan our destinations for the next week or so. Marje treated us the Brown Rice and Beans for dinner.

The temp when we arrived at this park was warm. So warm in fact, we put the A/C on. By evening it cooled and we enjoyed a pleasant night.

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Day 14 There's a Moose on the Loose!

Day 14 - Day 14 There's a Moose on the Loose!

Grand Teton

Sunday, September 25, 2011

It's 0800 and I hear a light tapping sound. It's too early for Ed to be knocking. What could it be?

A quick look out the bedroom window and what to my wondering eyes appears? Two Moose in the vacant campsite right next door! The female jogged throughout, but the bull stopped the bang his antlers on the picnic table. He dance around and pushed at the table with his antlers for several minutes before heading off to find the female.

We joined Marje and Ed in their motorhome for a ride to the Grand Teton National Park Visitor Center where we picked up information on the local hiking trails. We chose the 4.2 mile hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. The hike was rated as moderate due to the 400 foot gain in altitude. It was a magnificent hike and the views were well worth the effort. We even got a boat ride on Jenny Lake at the end of the trail.

We met Ed at the boat dock and took the Jenny Lake scenic loop drive. We were too late for lunch at Jenny Lake Lodge but got a tip to try the Chuck Wagon at Dornan's. We arrived four minutes after it closed so we had lunch at the Pizza Place in the same complex.

We then took a ride to the Teton Village. While on the way, we happened upon a Black Bear. We squeezed by the tourists who were out of their cars to take pictures. The bear was about 100 feet away, but if he charged from up on the hillside, those folks wouldn't have been able to get back to their cars in time.

We arrived at the village at 1700 hours, just as the tram was closing up for the day. We had intended to ride to the top of the mountain had we been earlier.

We returned to the campground, had our nightly planning session and hit the sack.

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Yellowstone Reflection and Moving On!

Yellowstone is a great place and certainly worthy of being the nation's first national park. It is with some sadness that we leave but the Grand Tetons beckon. 
We try to convey the rugged natural beauty, culture and history of Yellowstone in Pictures and words. Adequate words fail me and the pictures are pretty but they don't adequately convey the "Yellowstone" we have experienced either. Sadly, they will have to do.
We experienced Yellowstone from the road, probably the easiest way to whet your appetite; from the visitor centers and the varied exhibits they display, from listening to and talking with the interpretive rangers, from sampling some of the local delicacies offered at a couple of the restaurants, and by getting out on foot into the backcountry, if only for a few miles.
We saw at least one of most of the large mammals that live in Yellowstone. They included several herds of Bison, Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorns, Coyote, and three Grizzly Bears. We didn't see any Moose, Black Bear or Big Horn Sheep. 
Our final Yellowstone thought is one of regret in that we never took our kids to see this remarkable place. 
Creating the National Parks is indeed America's Greatest Idea.
We left Yellowstone via the south entrance and travelled along the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Scenic Memorial Parkway. In a matter of minutes, we were afforded glimpses of the Grand Tetons on the starboard side of the vehicle. As we got closer, the mountains got bigger and bigger. We stopped at several overlook areas to gaze in awe of the stark beauty. One spot afforded an extra special view as the mountain was framed by the golden leaves of an Aspen forest. 
Getting to the Gros Ventre Campground in the Grand Teton National Park took longer than necessary due to an error in navigation. It took about an hour to realize our mistake. Along the way, we travelled through parts of the Grand Teton National Park, the Grand Teton National Forest, the Bridger-Teton National Forest, the Togwotee Pass and the National Elk Refuge.  We eventually found our way to the Campground and after setting up camp we joined Marje and Ed for a trip to explore downtown Jackson. It's a cowboy town with lots of high end shops. One had stuffed animals, whole or just heads, for sale. It was the largest collection I had ever seen. As an example, a huge mounted Moose Head had a $5,000 price tag.
Back at the campground, we had our nightly planning meeting around the campfire before calling it a day.

More Hiking!

Marje and Ed were gone by the time we got up. After a leisurely breakfast, we drove to the Upper Geyser Basin, home of Old Faithful. Our purpose was to photograph Morning Glory pool. As it happens, that feature is at the far end of the basin. The hike turned out to be 4.2 miles round trip. Along the way we saw other fantastic geysers. Among them were the Grand And Grotto geysers. The Grand is the world's largest predictable geyser. Morning Glory pool has been victimized by vandals. Objects thrown into the pool have caused a restriction which has caused the water temp to cool enough to allow the yellow bacteria to grow. So Morning Glory, which had varied shades of blue and purple, now has yellow in it.

Following our hike, we enjoyed lunch in the Old Faithful Inn. The building is a great example of "parkitecture." it's a great place to take a meal.

After lunch, our mission was to see and photograph Fairy Falls. This involved a round trip hike of 5.6 miles. This was another back country hike and the Ranger recommended that we carry bear spray. We each had a canister for this hike. The falls were worth the trip and we didn't get to see the illusive grizzly bear.

Our final activity was a romantic dinner at the Grant Village Lakehouse Restaurant. The Pacific Cod and Chips were delicious and the setting, on the shore of Yellowstone Lake was magnificent.

after dinner we returned to the campground were we readied our equipment and gear for an early morning departure. Tomorrow's destination is Gross Venture Campground in the Grand Teton National Park.

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Day 11 Hiking the Riddle Lake Trail

Day 11 - Day 11 Hiking the Riddle Lake Trail

Riddle Lake

Thursday, September 22, 2011

OMG... the Agostini's problems have multiplied. They already have an appointment to get their propane system repaired tomorrow. Without propane, they can't cook, make hot water or run the propane heater. They have a generator that runs the microwave and the heat pump, but generator hours are only from 0800 to 2000. This morning was so cold, the heat pump wouldn't work. It was 30 degrees inside!

We invited them in for coffee and pancakes and, most importantly, heat. In our rig, the generator runs the on board heater. After hours, we use a small portable propane heater. It gets shut down before bedtime. In the morning, we fire up the main heater. Between 0800 and 0900 we fire up the generator to charge the RV battery. So far we seem to be doing OK. Most of our dinner time meals are cooked over the open fire. That's working out well too.

After breakfast we went to the visitors center to ask the ranger about hiking the Riddle Lake Trail. She said that one hiker reported seeing a bear on the trail but that was a couple is days ago. It is a well travelled trail and no one else reported any sightings.

We purchased our bear spray and headed for the trail. The trail is 5 miles round trip. We succeeded in walking the entire trail, passing a half dozen people along the way. The only wildlife we saw was squirrels, chipmunks, and a few birds. We were hoping for Moose, Elk or maybe even a bear. That was disappointing, but the view when we arrived at the lake was spectacular.

We had lunch back at the camper after our 3.5 hour walk!

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Day 10 The Grand Loop

Hey, it's a nice day, let's do 150 miles! But wait, I'm ahead of myself. It was dark and cold (43.5 degrees inside, 23 degrees F outside) at 0500 hours. It's time to get up, we have a lot planned.

After breakfast, we joined Marje and Ed in their motorhome for a ride around the Grand Loop, 157 miles round trip and all within Park boundaries.

By the time we reached Hayden Valley, the temperature dipped to 17 degrees. Here's what we did and saw:

1. Sunrise. We stopped at several rest areas to photograph the sun raising over the mountains. With the lake in the foreground, the Absaroka Mountains in the background and fog in the middle, we got some excellent shots to capture the scene.

2. Bison! Lots and lots of them. Now we have lots and lots of Bison photos. The first heard was in Hayden Valley. It was so cold the Bison had ice on their heads and backs.

3. Photographed the upper and lower falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

4. Investigated and photographed Artists Point. A spot overlooking a portion of the canyon.

5. Enjoyed brunch in the dinning room of the Canyon Lands Inn.

6. Photographed several herd of Bison in the Lamar Valley region.

7. Visited the Mammouth Hot Springs visitor center.

8. Photographed Elk and a Magpie on the grounds of the village.

9. Viewed the terraces.

10. Photographed a coyote.

11. Visited the museum of the National Park Ranger.

12. Drove past several more geyser areas, cascades and waterfalls.

13. Noted that fly fishermen seemed to congregate on the streams on the western side

14. Returned back to camp at 1700 hours. The Grand Loop took 11 hours from start to finish.

15. Cooked dinner over the open fire again

16. Finished the day off with a hot chocolate and cookies while we planned

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Day 9 Old Faithful

Day 9 - Day 9 Old Faithful

Old Faithful

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Boy oh boy, was it ever cold last night. When we awoke at 0700 in was 40 degrees F. There most certainly was frost on the pumpkin!

We joined Marje and Ed for a trip to the Upper Geyser Basin. Once there we:

1. Toured the visitor's center;

2. Participated in a ranger led walk/talk about the geothermal activity in the area;

3. Watch and photographed several geysers including Old Faithful. Marje and Anna Marie got splashed by the Lion Geyser when it erupted unexpectedly;

4. Checked old the Old Faithful Inn, an amazing example of classic rustic architecture;

5. Dine on Antelope sausage, bison chili, Rocky Mountain trout and elk burger (all farm raised) in the Inn.

6. Viewed and photographed Keplers Cascades;

7. Attended a ranger talk about the successful reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone;

8. Talked, planned future stops around the fire ring and then cooked dinner and toasted marshmallows over the wood fire.

9. Gathered in the trailer for dessert and hot chocolate.

After bidding our guests good night, we relaxed a bit before hitting the sack. We have another full day planned for tomorrow.

NB. During the guided trail walk in th Upper Geyser Area, Ranger Lori talk a bit the "Geyser Gazers" and the great wealth of information they give to the interpretive rangers.

I suggested that it would be a great group to join. Of course, we'd only join if we could get a senior rate for the dues. These senior members would be called the "Geyser Gazer Geezer."

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Day 8 Dars Bars in Dem Hills

Oh no, the propane system on my sister's Motorhome isn't working. They can't use the stove, water heater or refrigeration. They have to find a place to get it fixed. After spending the day in West Yellowstone, MT, they returned. The repair guy couldn't't do the job.

While they were gone, we

1. walked to Yellowstone Lake;

2. hiked up to the visitors center (1.2 miles round trip). One must traverse a suspension bridge that crosses over a deep ravine;

3. Joined a ranger hike on Lake Overlook Trail. It's rated as a moderate trail. One short section has a steep 700' vertical rise. At the top, one can see spectacular views of the lake, the Absaroka Mountains, Mt. Sheridan and, beyond the the the Grand Tetons. Much of the trail goes through areas that were severely burned in the fire of 1988;

4. walked through the West Thumb Geyser Basin;

5. enjoyed a lunch of trout and buffalo meatloaf (both were farm raised) at the Grant Village Lake House Restaurant;

6. participated in a Ranger Program on Bears;

7. heard Bull Elk bugling;

8. Saw a momma grizzly bear and two cubs moving through the campground;

9. heard stories that a wolf pack in Hayden Valley chased a Elk. Several accounts reported that this event took place at 1830 hours. That's the location were we photographed the Bison herd yesterday. We left just after 1800 hours so we could get back in time for the Ranger talk;

10. We also heard a report that a wolf pack tried to attack a Bison. It was reported that the Bison put his head down and held his ground. The wolf pack (5 animals in all) backed off and left the area.

11. Grilled chicken and baked potatoes over the wood fire (delicious!);

12. sat around the campfire with Marjorie and Ed, and planned tomorrow's activities.

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Day 7 - Yellowstone National Park, WY

Yellowstone or bust! Hey, it's only 150 miles away! Piece of cake!

We left Greybull a little after 0800 hours. We took Highway 16 all the way to Cody and then to Yellowstone. Along the way we:

1. saw a pronghorn on the side of the road, the apparent victim of an auto or truck accident. The speed limit is 65 mph on this two lane road;

2. drove thru Emblem, WY(pop. 10). Amazingly, the town, if you can call it that, has it's own Post Office;

3. saw a marker noting the Bridger Pass;

4. saw wild mustangs frolicking in the grassland;

5. drove thru Shoshone National Forest;

6. stopped at the visitors center to learn about the Buffalo Bill Dam. It made for an interesting stop along the Buffalo Bill Scenic Byway;

7. saw snow in the mountains in Yellowstone. The Absaroka Range is partially in Yellowstone;

8. stopped at the Fishing Bridge Visitor Center and General Store;

9. set up camp in site 78 in the Grant Campground. We'll be here for six days;

10. took a ride with Marjorie and Ed to see the Black Sand Basin. It has a boardwalk where one can see geysers, mud pots, hot springs, and fumaroles, not to mention Sunset Lake and Emerald Pool;

11. straddled the Continental Divide;

12. saw and photographed Elk and Bison;

13. attended a Ranger Talk about Wapiti (Elk).

We made it back to camp by 2100 hours. We had a light dinner and a walk around the campground before turning in.

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Day 6 - Custer SP, Black Hills NF, Mt. Rushmore, Bighorn NF

Sightseeing starts today! And we're traveling with Marje (twin sister) & Ed.
Here's what we did and what we saw:
1. Toured portions of Custer State Park;
2.  Toured portions of the Black Mountains National Forest;
3. Saw the Needles, a spectacular mountain top geological formation that had been considered for the Rushmore project;
4. Took a Ranger led tour of Mt. Rushmore (Was it right to deface the mountain?);
5. Prior to visiting Mt. Rushmore, we saw the monument to Chief Crazy Horse. His likeness is being sculpted on a nearby mountain. Started in 1948, it continues to be a work in progress. Donations and entrance fees provide the funding;
6. Entered Wyoming; stopped at the visitor center; learned about the Vore Buffalo Jump (see vorebuffalojump.org); passed on the 40 mile drive to Devil's Tower;
7. Departed I90 for Route 16, the scenic route to Yellowstone. There were several stretches with a 6% grade, the longest being 14 miles. There were two hairpin turns that included a 6% grade. The truck was up to the challenge;
8.  Drove the scenic drive through Bighorn National Forest;
9. We didn't see any Big Horn, but saw lots of mule deer and several Pronghorn (antelope).
10. We arrived at the Greybull KOA, at 2000 hours.

Day 5 - The Badlands and Custer State Park

We slept so well that we decided to sleep in today. We didn't leave our campsite until 0700! Today's destination is less than 400 miles away. There is little in the way of development between Sioux Falls and Rapid City. From I90, one sees undulating hills of grassland. The view seems to go on forever. This country seems desolate. Today is a good weather day but it's not hard to imagine how harsh it can be in the heat of summer and the cold of winter. Now imagine it with unbearable wind! Our first stop was at a visitors center that featured exhibits about the Lewis and Clark expedition. The center is located on a ridge overlooking the Missouri River. We were able to capture some of the great views. We got off the highway to take the 60 mile loop through the badlands. What an amazing place!  We made the obligatory tourist stop at Wall Drugs where I enjoyed a nickel cup of coffee. We finally saw trees again when we approached Custer State Park, our home for the evening. On the way to the park, we saw bison dung on the side of the street. We haven't seen any of the big beasts yet. Maybe tomorrow? We established our camp in the Game Lodge CG of Custer State Park. Marjorie and Ed came over for a visit. We be caravanning and camping with them for the next month. Interestingly, the lodge right next door served as the little White House for President Calvin Coolidge and his family for three months during the summer of 1927. 

Days 3 & 4

Day 3 - Bloomsburg, PA to Chicago, IL
Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Starting out a week later than we had planned means we'll have to make time in order to get to Yellowstone before the cold weather arrives. Oops, it might be to late to avoid all the cold weather. Yellowstone's average daytime high temps for September is in the low 60's. The lows are in the low 30s. Light snow is in the forecast for later in the week.

Today's drive started early. I didn't get much sleep overnight. After fueling, we were on the road just before 0600 hours. I set the rest area in Portage, IN as our destination. At 610 miles, it's a bit further than the original destination in Elkhart.

We plugged away only stopping for fuel, lunch and a quick nap and two coffee breaks. We averaged 57 mph not counting about two hours of down time. We arrived at our destination in 12 1/2 hours covering a total of 610 miles. We had to contend with a steady rain for the final 100 miles. Driving became more tedious and slower.

Today's drive was all on I80. Shortly after starting out, we encounters a sign welcoming us the the Pennsylvania Wild. This is a mountainous region of state an national forest with a very sparse population. It's easy to imagine the dilation an remoteness of the area before construction of the interstate.

The hills of Pennsylvania eventually give way to the rolling terrain of the Ohio farmland. Sign posts suggest that Cleveland and then Toledo aren't far off, but neither is visible from the highway. In Indiana, development and commerce are very evident near South Bend and Elkhart but the rest is similar to the rolling farmland of Ohio, at viewed from the highway anyway.

We stopped about ten miles short of Gary, IN, and only about 40 miles from the Windy City. Clearly the sights will be different tomorrow.

Chicago, Chicago, that toddling town... We made it through the Windy City without a hitch at 10:30 PM! Why oh why would we do that? We had already settled in for the night at the Portage, IN rest area. This rest area is the last on the Indiana Turnpike and, more importantly, the last rest area before Chicago. We were parked between an RV and an 18 wheeler that was shut down for the night. Just as I was getting ready for a good night's sleep, the RV up and leaves only to be replaced by a tractor trailer, left idiling by the driver who promptly fires up a generator. The noises coming from this behemoth were enough to wake the dead two counties away! At about 2100 hours, we decided to move to a different location. Since we had the truck running we decided to fuel up as well. That would save precious time in the morning. Low and behold, the rest area was overflowing with trucks. We couldn't squeeze into any place in the entire place.

We ended up driving through Chicago while putting another 50+ miles on the odometer. We got a great night's sleep in a rest area clear on the other side of town.
Day 4 - Chicago, IL to Sioux Falls, SD
Thursday, September 15, 2011

The good news about our 0500 departure from this rest area is that we've already driven through Chicago. We didn't see much of Chicago, but now it's clear sailing to Yellowstone!

Sights along the way included the typical metropolitan area urban sprawl around Chicago. Rockford, IL and Madison, WI showed signs of hustle and bustle along the highway. I was surprised at the volume of traffic around Madison.

In the early afternoon, we crossed the mighty Mississippi River into Minnosota, home of 10,000 lakes, Luthern bachelor farmers, and prairies. The fields are so huge they must be measured in square miles rather than acres. Most are planted with seed corn and soy beans, as far as we could tell. In addition to their crops, several of the farms produce electrical energy from wind turbines, planted, so to speak, in the corn fields. We saw hundreds as we drove along I90.

The terrain isn't as flat as I expected. The prairie is very rural. One can drive for a couple of hours without seeing any homes. Barns and silos are more common than houses!

We finally decided to call it a day as we approached Sioux Falls. That's right campers, we've made it to South Dakota!

Day 2 Underway... After a Visit To The Dermatologist!

Day 2 - Day 2 Underway... After a Visit To The Dermatologist!

West Creek, Bloomsburg, Portage

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Our experience with Accredited Dermatology was not pleasant. Suffice to say the Doc was late, very late. Once started, the procedure went well. He only needed 17 stitches to close up the incision. The nurse gave Anna Marie a pair of suture scissors since I won't be returning for the Doc to remove them, she'll do the deed. I hope she doesn't faint!

Once back at Belleplain, we broke camp and were underway by 1530 hours. We were in stop and go traffic on the Schukyl Expressway for about 40 minutes but things cleared and we arrived in Bloomsburg by 2030 hours. We dry camped in a mall parking lot for the night.

	17 Stitches! [Map]		Perspective! [Map]

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