We arrived home last night at around 7:30. Safe and sound. Rich went to open the house and found that John had put the deadbolt on both the front and the back doors. We have never used the deadbolt and don't carry a key. We tried to call John but he was at a beanbag tournament and didn't answer his cell. We finally drove over to Tony's to get some tools and Rich took the molding off the garage door and was able to trip the lock. Thankfully John did not lock the door to the garage.
John called today and informed us that he used the one key for both the regular and the deadbolt lock and lo and behold when Rich tried it it worked. He felt like an idiot. When we had new doors put on Tony made sure both the locks used the same key.
So we got in the house about 8:30. By this time we were ready to be home, not breaking into our own garage. By the time we got everything into the house both of us just collapsed. We did have Dairy Queen for dinner. A final vacation treat. It is now back to the fruit and yogurt.
I know that a lot of people think that a driving vacation is really boring and believe me, parts of it are. But there are so many beautiful, incredible and amazing things to see it is worth a little boredom. We saw all the lush greens and wildflowers in the areas that get ample amounts of rain, the browns and yellows in the areas that do not, and the orange and black of the construction that is across the land.
We saw everything from sculptures on the side of the road, to a forest fire, to a camper convention of Airstreams in Gillette Wyoming, to herds of cows, horses, sheep, goats, llamas and buffalos. We saw many, many interesting looking people. We saw towns that were alive and thriving and ones that were dead or dying. We talked to many nice people and even found a couple from Braidwood. The woman used to work in Romeoville. It is truly a small world. It is encouraging to see all the families that are going to see the many landmarks of this country.
The only really sad thing is to see all the homeless people there are looking for help. Men, women and even a family that was trying to raise money to keep from being evicted. They are on every street corner and even in the rest ares. We saw one young man looking for a ride walking with his dog with all his belongings. Just about broke my heart.
We will probably not do another long trip like this. We have decided to cut them down to a couple of weeks. Rich did all the driving and we drove over 7000 miles. I have just turned into a nervous, namby-pamby driver. The high speeds, the mountains and all the semi's just scare me. I like driving around my own little neck of the woods.
We have had a wonderful time and I would recommend this kind of a trip to anyone that can do it.
I will finish with a sign that we saw outside a bar and grill that said "the liver is evil, it must be punished". There is a lot of humor out there also.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Waterloo Iowa
Last night before we left Mitchell South Dakota we went to see the Corn Palace. They were still open so we got to go inside. We have ever only seen the building from the outside.
How do I describe the Corn Palace? It is a large building that has Russian type domes on the outside. It was built in 1935. It has been updated and it is now used for concerts, sporting events, and even proms. They put up a temporary gift shop on the basketball court. They stock it on Memorial Day and dismantle it in August before the corn festival. To say that corn is important to this community is a real understatement. The outside of the building is covered in corn murals all made with natural materials that are related to corn. It has also been called the world's largest birdfeeder. As we were looking at it a very large pigeon was hanging off the building getting his fill of corn. Every year the design changes and all the old stuff is taken down. I hope when I post the pictures that you can get an idea of what I am talking about.
This morning when we woke up I had the weather channel on and out ot the corner of my ear, I hear them say that Waterloo is under water. Now, considering this was our stop for today we were concerned. The rain had stopped but we didn't know if our Motel would be under water. They were really flooded. Turns out our motel is on high ground so we were okay, but many people were't that lucky. The motel's parking lot is filled with water restoration trucks. They must have called them in. There must be ten trucks in or parking lot alone.
Just this morning I was mentioning to Rich that in the 6500 miles that we have driven we have not seen an accident. Well, that string was broken this morning and it looked like a bad one. There was a semi in the left ditch on it's back with the cab completely crushed and there was a semi in the right ditch on his side with his load strewn everywhere. He was out and talking, but the other driver was pinned in his truck, They were sifhoning gas out of tanks so it didn't blow up. I sure hope that driver is okay. It was a bad looking accident.
We also stopped at Sioux City Falls. What a nice city. The falls were very good. They had good volume. I imagine all the rain that has fallen has contributed to their size. I took some videos,I hope they tuen out alright. I think that if we ever head out west this way again we will stop at Sioux City for a few days. There seems to be a lot going on and a lot to see.
We only have one more night until we head home. I am disappointed that it is over and glad that it is over at the same time. It will be nice to get back to our mundane routines. There is something to be said for familiar.
How do I describe the Corn Palace? It is a large building that has Russian type domes on the outside. It was built in 1935. It has been updated and it is now used for concerts, sporting events, and even proms. They put up a temporary gift shop on the basketball court. They stock it on Memorial Day and dismantle it in August before the corn festival. To say that corn is important to this community is a real understatement. The outside of the building is covered in corn murals all made with natural materials that are related to corn. It has also been called the world's largest birdfeeder. As we were looking at it a very large pigeon was hanging off the building getting his fill of corn. Every year the design changes and all the old stuff is taken down. I hope when I post the pictures that you can get an idea of what I am talking about.
This morning when we woke up I had the weather channel on and out ot the corner of my ear, I hear them say that Waterloo is under water. Now, considering this was our stop for today we were concerned. The rain had stopped but we didn't know if our Motel would be under water. They were really flooded. Turns out our motel is on high ground so we were okay, but many people were't that lucky. The motel's parking lot is filled with water restoration trucks. They must have called them in. There must be ten trucks in or parking lot alone.
Just this morning I was mentioning to Rich that in the 6500 miles that we have driven we have not seen an accident. Well, that string was broken this morning and it looked like a bad one. There was a semi in the left ditch on it's back with the cab completely crushed and there was a semi in the right ditch on his side with his load strewn everywhere. He was out and talking, but the other driver was pinned in his truck, They were sifhoning gas out of tanks so it didn't blow up. I sure hope that driver is okay. It was a bad looking accident.
We also stopped at Sioux City Falls. What a nice city. The falls were very good. They had good volume. I imagine all the rain that has fallen has contributed to their size. I took some videos,I hope they tuen out alright. I think that if we ever head out west this way again we will stop at Sioux City for a few days. There seems to be a lot going on and a lot to see.
We only have one more night until we head home. I am disappointed that it is over and glad that it is over at the same time. It will be nice to get back to our mundane routines. There is something to be said for familiar.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Mitchell South Dakota
It rained again today, but it didn't last long and it is warm for a change.
We stopped at Wall Drug on our way today. Anyone who is ever traveling west on I90 has to stop at Wall Drug. It started as a small store in 1935 giving free ice water to travelers. They still give out free ice water but the place has grown to 26 retilers and a couple of restaurants and ice cream places. It is really hokey but it is also fun. We first stopped here in 1976 when we came out to Mt Rushmore with the 3 kids. We stopped again when we came out to Mt Rushmore with Matt. We stopped last year and it changes every time we stop. About 3000 other people think it is fun also.
We stopped for dinner at Al's Oasis. It is a diner that was on the Guy Fieri food network show Diners, Driveins and Dives. It is another different place. We are at an Econo Lodge and this is 100% better than the one we were at last night.
We are on our way out to go see the Corn Palace. Another different stop.
We stopped at Wall Drug on our way today. Anyone who is ever traveling west on I90 has to stop at Wall Drug. It started as a small store in 1935 giving free ice water to travelers. They still give out free ice water but the place has grown to 26 retilers and a couple of restaurants and ice cream places. It is really hokey but it is also fun. We first stopped here in 1976 when we came out to Mt Rushmore with the 3 kids. We stopped again when we came out to Mt Rushmore with Matt. We stopped last year and it changes every time we stop. About 3000 other people think it is fun also.
We stopped for dinner at Al's Oasis. It is a diner that was on the Guy Fieri food network show Diners, Driveins and Dives. It is another different place. We are at an Econo Lodge and this is 100% better than the one we were at last night.
We are on our way out to go see the Corn Palace. Another different stop.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Spearfish South Dakota Day 2
I know this will shock everyone, but it rained today and it was cold. Same old story.
It never even hit 60 today. At one point in the mountains it was 46. But it was a good day anyway.
We went to Custer State Park today and did the Wildlife Loop Drive. Unfortunately the wildlife were in seclusion. The only animals we saw were donkeys. Very tame. The people were out of their cars petting them. They just stood and posed for pictures.
After we got back we headed to Deadwood. What a fun town. It is touristy but the buildings are from the 1900's and they are really interesting. It is a combination of retail, dining and gambling. We had a really good time. We ate at a very nice buffet and I had prime rib that was very good.
This Travelodge leaves a lot to be desired. It just shows that what you see on the internet is not always what it seems.
It never even hit 60 today. At one point in the mountains it was 46. But it was a good day anyway.
We went to Custer State Park today and did the Wildlife Loop Drive. Unfortunately the wildlife were in seclusion. The only animals we saw were donkeys. Very tame. The people were out of their cars petting them. They just stood and posed for pictures.
After we got back we headed to Deadwood. What a fun town. It is touristy but the buildings are from the 1900's and they are really interesting. It is a combination of retail, dining and gambling. We had a really good time. We ate at a very nice buffet and I had prime rib that was very good.
This Travelodge leaves a lot to be desired. It just shows that what you see on the internet is not always what it seems.
Spearfish South Dakota
Today was a much shorter drive. We planned it so that we could have most of the day to do things. There are a lot of things to do in this area but like everywhere else they are miles apart. We took the scenic drive through Spearfish Canyon. It was like driving through a cathedral of fir trees. I liked that we were in the canyon and the sheer rock faces were on the side. I'm not crazy about when we are driving on the rim.
The weather has turned cold again and rainy. I guess we are going to end the vacation just the way we started. You would think that now it is July it would be warmer. We watch the weather channel and see how hot it is everywhere else. They should have us come to the reagion and we could be the "coolers".
We drove to Mount Rushmore to see the night lighting ceremony. They cancelled the fireworks display because the chance of fire was high, but they had the the rest of it. This is the third time we have been there and I can't believe how much it has changed. The only thing that is the same are the faces.It is still one of the most impressive things an American could ever see. They had a ceremony at the end where they asked all that had served in the military to come up to the stage and I can't tell you how many there were but it had to be a hundred. We sang the Star Spangled Banner and it was quite a moment. Mt Rushmore and the Grand Canyon. You would have to go a long way to beat either one of them. We also went to see the Crazy Horse Memorial. The sculptor was asked by the Lakota Indians to carve a giant likeness of Crazy Horse in the mountain. The Indians revere Crazy Horse because of his courage fighting Custer and his refuasl to live on a reservation. I don't think that the sculpture will ever be finished. He married and had ten kids. 7 of the kids and his wife continue the job, but the scope is of such a magnitude I don't think it is possible to ever finish all the have set out to accomplish.
Tomorrow another day in South Dakota.
The weather has turned cold again and rainy. I guess we are going to end the vacation just the way we started. You would think that now it is July it would be warmer. We watch the weather channel and see how hot it is everywhere else. They should have us come to the reagion and we could be the "coolers".
We drove to Mount Rushmore to see the night lighting ceremony. They cancelled the fireworks display because the chance of fire was high, but they had the the rest of it. This is the third time we have been there and I can't believe how much it has changed. The only thing that is the same are the faces.It is still one of the most impressive things an American could ever see. They had a ceremony at the end where they asked all that had served in the military to come up to the stage and I can't tell you how many there were but it had to be a hundred. We sang the Star Spangled Banner and it was quite a moment. Mt Rushmore and the Grand Canyon. You would have to go a long way to beat either one of them. We also went to see the Crazy Horse Memorial. The sculptor was asked by the Lakota Indians to carve a giant likeness of Crazy Horse in the mountain. The Indians revere Crazy Horse because of his courage fighting Custer and his refuasl to live on a reservation. I don't think that the sculpture will ever be finished. He married and had ten kids. 7 of the kids and his wife continue the job, but the scope is of such a magnitude I don't think it is possible to ever finish all the have set out to accomplish.
Tomorrow another day in South Dakota.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Sheridan Wyoming
We drove 558 miles today. It was even longer than we thought. We had originally intended to cut through Yellowstone but decided to take the interstates instead. We have gotten stuck on some 2 lane roads and tons of road construction, so opted for the interstates even though it was more miles. There was no traffic and we made really good time. The speed limit out here is 75, so you can do 80. We are staying at another Candlewood Suites. I recommend it for anyone traveling by car. Rose said they were good and she was right. They are having a fireworks display here also but we are not going. It doesn't get dark here until 10 and we are tired. We stayed up last night and watched the display in Idaho Falls. Tomorrow is a short drive because we want to get to Spearfish early. We have a few things we want to do there. We only have a few days left and it is a mixed blessing. I love traveling but I want to get home and see the family. I sure am glad we don't live a million miles from our grandchildren. It is going to be hard enough living 6 hours from Matt and Amanda.
Tonight is going to be a little tv and early to bed.
Tonight is going to be a little tv and early to bed.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Idaho Falls Idaho
This morning was a trip to the Northeastern Nevada Museum. See, we can do things other than casinos. But we had to stop at Jackpot Nevada and check out a casino there. It is the last town before you enter Idaho. I'm glad we stopped, we needed to break up the drive. This was another really boring stretch of real estate. There are houses and trailers scattered here and there and a cow or two but why anyone would live here is way beyond me. The more we travel the more attractive good old Illinois becomes. Even with the winters. The temperature today only got to 69. Every time I got out of the car I expected to get hit with heat and it jusst didn't happen.
We got here later than we intended because of our casino stop and it was too late to go out for a nice dinner. This is the day we always celebrate our anniversary and we were going to go out for something good. Instead we had peanut butter and jelly in our room. They are having some big fireworks display tonight and every hotel in town was sold out. We are going to go out and see if we can see anything. I'm really glad I booked early. We are staying at a Candlewood Suites. It is our first time with that brand and I will look for another one on our next trip. We both like it. The only problem is that there are not a lot of them.
We will have to start out early tomorrow because we have a long way to drive. It is about 450 miles to Sheridan Wyoming. It should be a little more interesting though.
We got here later than we intended because of our casino stop and it was too late to go out for a nice dinner. This is the day we always celebrate our anniversary and we were going to go out for something good. Instead we had peanut butter and jelly in our room. They are having some big fireworks display tonight and every hotel in town was sold out. We are going to go out and see if we can see anything. I'm really glad I booked early. We are staying at a Candlewood Suites. It is our first time with that brand and I will look for another one on our next trip. We both like it. The only problem is that there are not a lot of them.
We will have to start out early tomorrow because we have a long way to drive. It is about 450 miles to Sheridan Wyoming. It should be a little more interesting though.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Elko Nevada
Today we had to say goodbye to John and Sue. That is always a sad time because we know it will be at least another year until we see them again.
We got there on Friday night and Sue made us a very nice dinner. We just sat and talked and caught up on things. Saturday we went to Jackson, which is the local casino that they always go to. It is a nice casino. Now, when they tell us they went to Jackson we have a picture of what they are talking about.
Saturday night we went to see Jenny's house and she had a barbecue for 12 of us. We met Debbie's new boyfriend and she swears that this is the one. They are talking about a wedding in about 2 years. She is still having difficulty finding a job. She was a temporary at the school but got laid off at the end of the school year. She has two degrees and graduated with great grades and can't find a job. California is really in bad shape.
Sunday we left for Reno. We had a really good time. Lot's of eating and gambling and talking and laughing. We stayed at Harrah's and had such a good deal. It only cost us $45.00 for five nights. The hotel was really nice. They have all been upgraded. John and Sue stayed at the Atlantis and they had free rooms there.
I am not getting on the scale until August. Thankfully all my clothes still fit but I feel like I have gained a million pounds.
The drive today was BORING! Very brown and desolate. A small sprinkling of towns here and there. We did stop at the Winnemucca Walmart. We had to get bread and Kleenex. I like to go to stores in different states to compare the prices. They were very busy because of the Holiday and they are the only town of any size for miles.
The prices there were the same as here. Many of the stores we find the prices are sky high compared to what we pay. Makes me grateful for the stores that we have.
Tomorrow, Idaho Falls.
We got there on Friday night and Sue made us a very nice dinner. We just sat and talked and caught up on things. Saturday we went to Jackson, which is the local casino that they always go to. It is a nice casino. Now, when they tell us they went to Jackson we have a picture of what they are talking about.
Saturday night we went to see Jenny's house and she had a barbecue for 12 of us. We met Debbie's new boyfriend and she swears that this is the one. They are talking about a wedding in about 2 years. She is still having difficulty finding a job. She was a temporary at the school but got laid off at the end of the school year. She has two degrees and graduated with great grades and can't find a job. California is really in bad shape.
Sunday we left for Reno. We had a really good time. Lot's of eating and gambling and talking and laughing. We stayed at Harrah's and had such a good deal. It only cost us $45.00 for five nights. The hotel was really nice. They have all been upgraded. John and Sue stayed at the Atlantis and they had free rooms there.
I am not getting on the scale until August. Thankfully all my clothes still fit but I feel like I have gained a million pounds.
The drive today was BORING! Very brown and desolate. A small sprinkling of towns here and there. We did stop at the Winnemucca Walmart. We had to get bread and Kleenex. I like to go to stores in different states to compare the prices. They were very busy because of the Holiday and they are the only town of any size for miles.
The prices there were the same as here. Many of the stores we find the prices are sky high compared to what we pay. Makes me grateful for the stores that we have.
Tomorrow, Idaho Falls.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Crescent City California Day 2
I think I shall never see anything as beautiful as a tree.....Kilmer or something to that effect. We went to see the redwoods today and they are truly magnificent. Pictures will do no justice to the majesty of these trees. We took a lot of pictures and I hope some of them can give the scope as how huge these trees really are. We got to see the Pacific Ocean but didn't get any pictures because everything was covered by fog. We did get to see the breakers a couple of times and the waves were breaking on the shore. There were some people who were out there surfing. I just can't imagine how cold that water must be. The air temperature was only 52. I had on the long sleeve shirt that I bought, a hooded sweatshirt and a denim jacket over that. So, I was warm enough. Tomorrow we are off to Elk Grove to meet up with John and Sue and the temperature is supposed to be 85. I am looking forward to the heat.
P.S. I forgot to mention that the state of California confiscated out Rainier cherries. You are not allowed to bring any fruit into California. They are worried about fruit flies. So, we lost our cherries. We were going to take them to John and Sue's and share them with them. I was not happy. Good thing we ate our expensive nectarines and pears before we got to the border.
P.S. I forgot to mention that the state of California confiscated out Rainier cherries. You are not allowed to bring any fruit into California. They are worried about fruit flies. So, we lost our cherries. We were going to take them to John and Sue's and share them with them. I was not happy. Good thing we ate our expensive nectarines and pears before we got to the border.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Crescent City California
We had a pretty good drive today. About 400 miles and 100 miles of it was nothing but sharp twists and turns through the mountains. It felt like 500 miles by the time we got here. We are staying at an Econo Lodge and I was leery of how it was going to be, but we were very pleasantly surprised. It is a very nice room.
We will be here one more day because we want to go see the redwoods tomorrow. The twisty road went through some of the smaller trees and they were huge. So, we can't wait to see the really big ones. Most of our ride today the temp was 90, but we got here it was 55. Quite the shock.
We didn't see anything in Oregon that was interesting enough to make us ever want to visit again.
We did find a casino today and we stopped to break up the drive. Leave it to us to find one. It was an Indian casino and very nice. We only stayed a little while. Just enough to walk around and stretch a bit.
We saw and heard about the storms today that went through the Chicagoland area. I can't believe how bad the weather has been there. We called Ann to make sure that everyone was okay. I don't care how old they get, we still worry about them.
And yes the official name is OFSINPP!
We will be here one more day because we want to go see the redwoods tomorrow. The twisty road went through some of the smaller trees and they were huge. So, we can't wait to see the really big ones. Most of our ride today the temp was 90, but we got here it was 55. Quite the shock.
We didn't see anything in Oregon that was interesting enough to make us ever want to visit again.
We did find a casino today and we stopped to break up the drive. Leave it to us to find one. It was an Indian casino and very nice. We only stayed a little while. Just enough to walk around and stretch a bit.
We saw and heard about the storms today that went through the Chicagoland area. I can't believe how bad the weather has been there. We called Ann to make sure that everyone was okay. I don't care how old they get, we still worry about them.
And yes the official name is OFSINPP!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Vancouver Washington
It was a beatiful day today. It was in the mid 70's and no rain.It was clear enough that we got to see the top o Mt Rainier. I guess it is unusual for the clouds to part. It was definitely an attention getter. We drove up to the interpretive center to see Mt St Helen's. We went up 4000 feet and got really close to the crater of the volcano.The last 1000 feet we hiked straight up a ramp that was very steep.I gave my knees a real workout,but I made it. I will feel it tomorrow but I'll worry about it then. Then of course we had the walk down and that is harder than hiking up. I am tired and it is 10:00 and I am ready to go to bed.
We bought an old farts senior Interagency National Park Pass. It is good until the day we die. The admissions in the national parks is a minimal fee of $8.00 per person. So it really saves the money.
Dinner was Applebee's. It was nice to have some real food.
The pears we had for breakfast were the best pears we have ever had.I am not a big fresh pear fan, but this was just heaven. Tomorrow we will have our nectarines. We will look for fruit stands on the way to California. I would like to bring some to John and Sue.
The weather tomorrow is only supposed to be a high of 57. Will have to layer about 30 layers of clothes.
We bought an old farts senior Interagency National Park Pass. It is good until the day we die. The admissions in the national parks is a minimal fee of $8.00 per person. So it really saves the money.
Dinner was Applebee's. It was nice to have some real food.
The pears we had for breakfast were the best pears we have ever had.I am not a big fresh pear fan, but this was just heaven. Tomorrow we will have our nectarines. We will look for fruit stands on the way to California. I would like to bring some to John and Sue.
The weather tomorrow is only supposed to be a high of 57. Will have to layer about 30 layers of clothes.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Seattle Washington Day 2
It didn't rain today but it was cloudy and cool. We went to Pike's Fish Market today and I don't know how to describe it. It was a combination of a huge flea market and a farmers market. There were so many people there that you couldn't even get through the aisles. I do wish we had something like this at home. We bought some Rainier cherries. What else. We also bought a couple of nectarines and pears. It was the most expensive fruit I have ever bought. $3.35 for 2 nectarines and $3.65 for 2 pears. But I figure we are on vacation and it is something we will only do once. They had such beautiful flowers. I wish I could have bought some. They have the fish market that was featured on the Food Channel and the guys that Spike O'Dell used to talk to on the radio. They really put on a show for the people. They have an orhcestrated routine that they do and there is fish flying through the air. We spent a few hours there and that was where I wanted to eat but I wasn't hungry so we left and went to the Museum of Flight. Since Seattle is the home of Boeing, they sponsored this museum. Rich really enjoyed it. Driving in Seattle is an absolute nightmare. I am so glad that we have our GPS. I can't believe what it would be like without it. We had dinner at the restaurant in the Best Western. It was really good and I had the beer battered salmon with homemade tartar sauce. It was excellent.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Seattle Washington
Guess what it did today? If you guessed rain you would be correct. It was only supposed to be cloudy. Well, they were wrong again. It rained all the way. We drove through the Cascade Mountains and I imagine that they were really pretty but they were covered in fog. We wanted to see Mt. Rainier but that didn't happen. The traffic all the way from Spokane to Seattle was really heavy. I thought it would be lighter because it was Father's Day. They must all have celebrated driving through the mountains. We still made good time and we had enough time to go to the Space Needle. It is 520 feet high and we went to the top and looked around. We sat inside and waited for the fog to shift here and there so that we could see something. We did see a cruise ship and a tanker. Puget Sound is a very busy place. Even in the rain and cold there were samll pleasure boats coming and going. The tanker was like the Flying Dutchman. One minute it was there and the next minute it was swallowed up in fog. We didn't even take pictures because you couldn't see anything. We stayed there for awhile, toured the gift shop and had dinner at McDonald's. We took the monorail to the downtown shopping area but everything was closed. So, we took the monorail back. Many, many homeless people here. We walked from the hotel to the Space Needle and it is not someplace I would want to walk at night.
Tomorrow we are going to go to the Pure Food Fish Market. I will have my seafood dinner there. I am looking forward to it.
It was a long day but it was fun and it finally stopped raining. It is about 2 degrees but it is dry. At least for now.
Tomorrow we are going to go to the Pure Food Fish Market. I will have my seafood dinner there. I am looking forward to it.
It was a long day but it was fun and it finally stopped raining. It is about 2 degrees but it is dry. At least for now.
Spokane Washington
Today was a beautiful day at last. The sun was shining and it hit 78. We went to Spokane's Riverfront Park. We saw the Spokane Falls. That was about it for the day. Most of it was spent driving. We drove over 400 miles today. We saw the Columbia River gorge. That was quite impressive. We ate in the room again because it was late. I did take pictures of the "shopping" from the trunk.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Great Falls Day 2
We got up this morning and the rain had stopped sometime during the night.The clouds were still dark and ominous and looked like rain at any time. The temperature was 57 and the wind was blowing at 40 miles per hour. I slapped together two ham sandwiches in the car, We had our two small bags of chips. We ate it in the car out of the wind and it was just fine.
We went to another intertretive center about Lewis and Clark. This one was really excellent. I little different slant than the last one. We went to see the five falls that they encountered. It's a wonder that they didn't turn around and go home.But they managed to portage around them.
One of the interpreters was from Chicago. He went to Riverview and Lane Tech High Scool. I went to Alvernia and shared the bus with all the Lane Tech boys. I think he was a little before my time. Reminisced with him for a few minutes and then explored the center. It was better then the one in Bismarck.
We decided to go to the local show. We saw Robin Hood and it was very good. I was prepared not to like the movie and I turned out liking it very much.Cate Blanchet put in a very good performance.Tomorrow we will have to get up and get out. They don't have a complimentary breakfast here. This is the first one that didn't feed us breakfast. We were "forced" to go to McDonalds. We will have to do that again tomorrow. We had no dinner tonight except show popcorn and some trail mix. It was plenty.
Tomorrow it is on to Spokane.
We went to another intertretive center about Lewis and Clark. This one was really excellent. I little different slant than the last one. We went to see the five falls that they encountered. It's a wonder that they didn't turn around and go home.But they managed to portage around them.
One of the interpreters was from Chicago. He went to Riverview and Lane Tech High Scool. I went to Alvernia and shared the bus with all the Lane Tech boys. I think he was a little before my time. Reminisced with him for a few minutes and then explored the center. It was better then the one in Bismarck.
We decided to go to the local show. We saw Robin Hood and it was very good. I was prepared not to like the movie and I turned out liking it very much.Cate Blanchet put in a very good performance.Tomorrow we will have to get up and get out. They don't have a complimentary breakfast here. This is the first one that didn't feed us breakfast. We were "forced" to go to McDonalds. We will have to do that again tomorrow. We had no dinner tonight except show popcorn and some trail mix. It was plenty.
Tomorrow it is on to Spokane.
Great Falls Montana
Yesterday I didn't even blog. The day was a total washout. It rained every minute of the day and night. We didn't even bother driving around and checking out the town. We did go to Walmart because I needed another pair of longer capris. I can't buy big girl long pants because I have to even have the petite shortened. So, longer capris will have to do. We found a Golden Corral to have dinner. That was fun. We didn't have lunch because they are all aimed to be lunches that can't happen in the pouring rain.We shoppeed for capris, went and stuffed our face and headed back to the ranch.It was boring,boring,boring.Laid around like slugs.A treat was going to go get ice.It was even on a different floor.Exciting.
That was all we did. What a long boring day.I was crabby and wouldn't do anything.
That was all we did. What a long boring day.I was crabby and wouldn't do anything.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Bozeman Montana
It was a short drive from Billings and we had time to go to the Museum of the Rockies.
Bozeman is a big college town. I think that is all they have here. The Museum also had a planetarium and we went and saw the show about the Spring sky. I personally think that a show about the winter sky would have been more appropriate. We watched the clouds build all day and right before we pulled up to the Motel the sky opened. The rain wouldn't be soooo bad but the temperature is only 53. It is cold and damp. The low for tonight is supposed to be 37 and it is going to snow in West Yellowstone. We are directly north of that so I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't see a few flakes tomorrow. I am giving up on vacations in June. No matter how I pack it is not right. We don't have enough warm clothes. I figured on being able to wear sandals and capris for a few days. I don't think that is going to happen. We ate dinner in the room again because it is just raining so hard. They also are predicting storms all night with possible baseball sized hail.
It is a good thing that I made reservations in advance. All of the Motels are booked with oil workers. I guess they are going to North Dakota to work. There are 2 new sources of oil that were found. If it stops raining we are going to go out and look around Bozeman although I don't think there is a lot to see except the college buildings.
Bozeman is a big college town. I think that is all they have here. The Museum also had a planetarium and we went and saw the show about the Spring sky. I personally think that a show about the winter sky would have been more appropriate. We watched the clouds build all day and right before we pulled up to the Motel the sky opened. The rain wouldn't be soooo bad but the temperature is only 53. It is cold and damp. The low for tonight is supposed to be 37 and it is going to snow in West Yellowstone. We are directly north of that so I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't see a few flakes tomorrow. I am giving up on vacations in June. No matter how I pack it is not right. We don't have enough warm clothes. I figured on being able to wear sandals and capris for a few days. I don't think that is going to happen. We ate dinner in the room again because it is just raining so hard. They also are predicting storms all night with possible baseball sized hail.
It is a good thing that I made reservations in advance. All of the Motels are booked with oil workers. I guess they are going to North Dakota to work. There are 2 new sources of oil that were found. If it stops raining we are going to go out and look around Bozeman although I don't think there is a lot to see except the college buildings.
Billings Montana
Today we went to the Little Bighorn Battlefield. We listened to a narrative of the battle and the ranger was one of the best narrator I have ever heard. He really bought the battle alive. It turned out to be a really nice day. The sun was out and the sky was blue.
We have seen movies and stories about Custer and his last stand and they all differ greatly from the facts of what really happened. The facts that they have amassed at the battlefield come from first hand testimony from the Indians and the archaeologist's back up that testimony. We were always under the impression that Custer died in the valley surrounded by the Indians. That is not factual. His last stand was up on a ridge and there were 3 companies of soldiers. They have markers that show where the soldiers and where the Indians were felled. It was a piece of history.
When we left the dark thunderstorm clouds were building and by the time we got to our Motel it was raining. We went to a restaurant called Old Chicago for my birthday dinner and it was good. They have pictures of Chicago all over the walls. And the brothers who founded the restaurants were not from Chicago they were from Denver. They visited Chicago one time and were so impressed they opened restaurants with the Chicago name. I guess they have 100 of them across the country. We ate at one in Colorado Springs Co.
We have seen movies and stories about Custer and his last stand and they all differ greatly from the facts of what really happened. The facts that they have amassed at the battlefield come from first hand testimony from the Indians and the archaeologist's back up that testimony. We were always under the impression that Custer died in the valley surrounded by the Indians. That is not factual. His last stand was up on a ridge and there were 3 companies of soldiers. They have markers that show where the soldiers and where the Indians were felled. It was a piece of history.
When we left the dark thunderstorm clouds were building and by the time we got to our Motel it was raining. We went to a restaurant called Old Chicago for my birthday dinner and it was good. They have pictures of Chicago all over the walls. And the brothers who founded the restaurants were not from Chicago they were from Denver. They visited Chicago one time and were so impressed they opened restaurants with the Chicago name. I guess they have 100 of them across the country. We ate at one in Colorado Springs Co.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Dickinson ND Part 2
I hit the wrong button and it posted the blog before I was finished.
We then took off for Dickinson. We passed "New Salem Sue" which is the largest holstein cow sculpture anywhere. It was set off on top of a hill. It sure got your attention. Then we saw this "enchanted" highway. It ia 35 miles of huge sculptures made entirely of metal scraps from all the local farmers. We didn't have time to go the entire 35 miles so we only got to see two sculptures. I have pictures and will add later. The time changed at Salem Sue so we picked up an hour. We got to Dickinson about 3 and after we got settled into our Motel we took off for Medora and Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
We took the 36 mile scenic loop and did we get our moneys worth. First of all it is absolutely breathtaking. The bonus were the prairie dog towns. As you know, the prairie dog is one of my favortie animals. I saw tons of them, adults and lots of babies also. I could have sat there all day and watched them scamper everywhere.
We went down this one road and checked out the trail and there were two wild horses.
Never saw wild horses before. They stood there and posed for us. We were able to get fairly close to take their picture.
Then driving down the road we saw that there were cars pulled over so we stopped also. On top of this ridge was a huge bull buffalo. He was just atanding there like the back of the nickel. It was the most imposing thing I ever saw. I just can't describe it. I know that I have seen many buffalos before, but nothing like this.
We saw 2 other bulls and finally found the females lounging by the side of the road. There were lots of little ones and we able to get pictures of them also. 2 more prairie dog towns and I was in heaven. We also saw a herd of wild horses on a ridge. It was one of the most rewarding days I have ever had. The animals combined with the beauty of the park was unforgettable. Today is our unofficial 45th anniversary and I couldn't have asked for a better gift.
We didn't get back to our motel room until late so we "shopped" from the trunk and ate dinner in our room.
It was a really good day.
We then took off for Dickinson. We passed "New Salem Sue" which is the largest holstein cow sculpture anywhere. It was set off on top of a hill. It sure got your attention. Then we saw this "enchanted" highway. It ia 35 miles of huge sculptures made entirely of metal scraps from all the local farmers. We didn't have time to go the entire 35 miles so we only got to see two sculptures. I have pictures and will add later. The time changed at Salem Sue so we picked up an hour. We got to Dickinson about 3 and after we got settled into our Motel we took off for Medora and Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
We took the 36 mile scenic loop and did we get our moneys worth. First of all it is absolutely breathtaking. The bonus were the prairie dog towns. As you know, the prairie dog is one of my favortie animals. I saw tons of them, adults and lots of babies also. I could have sat there all day and watched them scamper everywhere.
We went down this one road and checked out the trail and there were two wild horses.
Never saw wild horses before. They stood there and posed for us. We were able to get fairly close to take their picture.
Then driving down the road we saw that there were cars pulled over so we stopped also. On top of this ridge was a huge bull buffalo. He was just atanding there like the back of the nickel. It was the most imposing thing I ever saw. I just can't describe it. I know that I have seen many buffalos before, but nothing like this.
We saw 2 other bulls and finally found the females lounging by the side of the road. There were lots of little ones and we able to get pictures of them also. 2 more prairie dog towns and I was in heaven. We also saw a herd of wild horses on a ridge. It was one of the most rewarding days I have ever had. The animals combined with the beauty of the park was unforgettable. Today is our unofficial 45th anniversary and I couldn't have asked for a better gift.
We didn't get back to our motel room until late so we "shopped" from the trunk and ate dinner in our room.
It was a really good day.
Dickinson ND
Today was a full day. We started off this morning by going to the Lewis and Clark Intrepertive Center and Fort Mandan. We also went and saw the replica of the keelboat that Lewis Clark used. It took a lot of guts to set off into unknown territory in something that small. We have been interested in the Lewis and Clark expedition and it is interesting to see some of the route they traveled.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Bismarck North Dakota
We have never been to North Dakota and really didn't know what to expect, but it is beautiful. They have had so much rain here that everything is really green and quite lush. There are lakes everywhere and they are filled to the brim. Of course it rained again today. It's starting out just like last year.
We stopped in Fargo for their local rib fest. They had some of the same vendors that have been to Naperville and won trophies for their ribs. We had an early dinner and listened to one of their local bands and they were really good. Unfortunately for me it was only 57 degrees and the wind was blowing to beat the band. Even Rich went back to the car and got his hooded sweatshirt. The kid next to us was complaining about how cold he was and his mother told him to shut up because it could be snowing!
Maybe we will see snow before we are done. We didn't stay real long because it was so cold. Fargo looks like a really nice town.
We did get to see an American Eagle up close and personal. He flew right in front of the car very low. That was cool. The only other wildlife we have seen is a dead deer and a dead coyote. Not exactly what I was looking for.
North Dakota is very big on buffalo. We have seen two herds of buffalo and read in the local paper that there is a shortage of buffalo meat because it has gotten so popular. Fermi buffalo better lay low.
We stopped in Fargo for their local rib fest. They had some of the same vendors that have been to Naperville and won trophies for their ribs. We had an early dinner and listened to one of their local bands and they were really good. Unfortunately for me it was only 57 degrees and the wind was blowing to beat the band. Even Rich went back to the car and got his hooded sweatshirt. The kid next to us was complaining about how cold he was and his mother told him to shut up because it could be snowing!
Maybe we will see snow before we are done. We didn't stay real long because it was so cold. Fargo looks like a really nice town.
We did get to see an American Eagle up close and personal. He flew right in front of the car very low. That was cool. The only other wildlife we have seen is a dead deer and a dead coyote. Not exactly what I was looking for.
North Dakota is very big on buffalo. We have seen two herds of buffalo and read in the local paper that there is a shortage of buffalo meat because it has gotten so popular. Fermi buffalo better lay low.
Savage Minnesota
We made it to Savage Minnesota! We made good time and of course found time to visit a local casino. Mystic Lake. We had dinner there, played a while and went back to the motel.
Of course it rained and was cloudy all day long. I was grateful for the humidity because it was the only heat to be found. It just wouldn't be a trip without rain the whole first day.
There was a semi two cars in front of us that had a blow out and it sounded like a crash. It hit the car next to him and that car had to pull over. Out of all the driving we have done and all the tire carcasses we see on the road, it was a first time we experienced a blowout first hand. It was rather scary.
Other than that it was an uneventful trip.
Of course it rained and was cloudy all day long. I was grateful for the humidity because it was the only heat to be found. It just wouldn't be a trip without rain the whole first day.
There was a semi two cars in front of us that had a blow out and it sounded like a crash. It hit the car next to him and that car had to pull over. Out of all the driving we have done and all the tire carcasses we see on the road, it was a first time we experienced a blowout first hand. It was rather scary.
Other than that it was an uneventful trip.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Final Countdown
It is Thursday and we leave Saturday morning. We want to try and get up and get out because the first couple of days will be our longest drives.
All I have left to do is a final load of laundry and to pack the clothes. Everything else is done. I learned a lot from our last long trip. I again packed 3 suitcases. 1 for the way out, 1 for California and Reno and 1 for our trip home. I learned that if all you are going to do in a day is drive you can get two days wear out of a pair of pants. You don't need a pair for everyday. Also, this way we only bring in 1 suitcase and one toiletry bag everynight. I bring an empty tote bag and we "shop" from the trunk for whatever snacks and pop we want to bring into the room. It saves so much hauling and dragging. It is pretty efficient. I found some really heavy, large Ziploc bags that will keep the ice from leaking out and getting into the food bags. I pack lunches for us for most of the trip because I am cheap and because I am not a big fan of eating fast food everyday.
Rich keeps reminding me that there are stores along the way and we can stop and pick up whatever we don't have. That goes against all my planning genes. I have a list and I try and cover all the bases. It is a matter of principal.
We will activate our air card tomorrow so I don't have to rely on the Motels for the internet. It also gives us the peace of mind that the network will be secure. And some of the places still charge for internet access.
I guess that is all until we are actually on the road. Will post again then.
All I have left to do is a final load of laundry and to pack the clothes. Everything else is done. I learned a lot from our last long trip. I again packed 3 suitcases. 1 for the way out, 1 for California and Reno and 1 for our trip home. I learned that if all you are going to do in a day is drive you can get two days wear out of a pair of pants. You don't need a pair for everyday. Also, this way we only bring in 1 suitcase and one toiletry bag everynight. I bring an empty tote bag and we "shop" from the trunk for whatever snacks and pop we want to bring into the room. It saves so much hauling and dragging. It is pretty efficient. I found some really heavy, large Ziploc bags that will keep the ice from leaking out and getting into the food bags. I pack lunches for us for most of the trip because I am cheap and because I am not a big fan of eating fast food everyday.
Rich keeps reminding me that there are stores along the way and we can stop and pick up whatever we don't have. That goes against all my planning genes. I have a list and I try and cover all the bases. It is a matter of principal.
We will activate our air card tomorrow so I don't have to rely on the Motels for the internet. It also gives us the peace of mind that the network will be secure. And some of the places still charge for internet access.
I guess that is all until we are actually on the road. Will post again then.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Travelin Retirees Trip 2
Hi,
We are preparing to go on another long vacation out west. This will probably be our last vacation of this length. We will be gone 30 days and travel through 14 states.
We are going to North Dakota, Washington and Oregon among others. We have never been to those states. We have lots of sites that we want to see and weather permitting we will get to do them. Hopefully, there will be no repeat of last year. Rain,rain and more rain.
I have already started picking out some clothes and shoes and I have made a list of the food we are going to take. I have all our reservations made and I am ready and rarin' to go. Of couse we are not leaving for another 7 weeks but it will fly by. We leave June 12th on a Sunday and come home July 10th. We are hoping that our nephew will be able to stay again like he did last year. Such peace of mind knowing someone is watching the store.
We are going to get an air card so we don't have to worry about having an unsecured network so I should be able to post everyday.
Will be back on June 12th from Savage Minnesota.
We are preparing to go on another long vacation out west. This will probably be our last vacation of this length. We will be gone 30 days and travel through 14 states.
We are going to North Dakota, Washington and Oregon among others. We have never been to those states. We have lots of sites that we want to see and weather permitting we will get to do them. Hopefully, there will be no repeat of last year. Rain,rain and more rain.
I have already started picking out some clothes and shoes and I have made a list of the food we are going to take. I have all our reservations made and I am ready and rarin' to go. Of couse we are not leaving for another 7 weeks but it will fly by. We leave June 12th on a Sunday and come home July 10th. We are hoping that our nephew will be able to stay again like he did last year. Such peace of mind knowing someone is watching the store.
We are going to get an air card so we don't have to worry about having an unsecured network so I should be able to post everyday.
Will be back on June 12th from Savage Minnesota.
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