We are back on Central Standard Time! Left Albert Lea MN in search of the elusive Rhode Island license plate.
Saw a very large windmill farm--at least 100 windmills--the one south of Rockford has 62. Helen wants to know why these aren't more common out west.
Crossed the Mississippi. BIG RIVER!!! into Wisconsin
stopped in Baraboo to see the Circus Museum. When we visited Baraboo to see Carrie perform, Helen got interested in the Ringling family and read about them. The museum was worth the time and then some--why aren't there more people??
Managed to get back to Rockford in time to pick up Diamond (a day early)
Home at last!!
Final Stats: 24765; 4,067 miles; 90 hrs, 41 min driving time. 24.1 mpg overall. average speed 44.9 mph
Saw five National parks. one City park, three national monuments, and a host of touristy things. Took enough pix to fill my 1 gig card twice plus. Went thru 11 states and ended up with 49 state license plates. Most expensive item on the trip was pet care for Diamond and the horses--otherwise we did pretty well.
Signing off!!!!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Day Thirteen
left Econo Lodge--took pic of Wall Drug. Onward on I90. Stopped at aNational Park Service facility to illustrate the Minuteman missiles which were scattered overthe Dakotas, Wyoming, and Montana. All of this area was shut down with the warming of Russian/U.S. relations in early 90s. Interesting video about the process. All the silos were out in the open--the locals all knew where they were--anyone driving by on I90 went by them without knowing.
Saw first corn in ages--stopped at the Corn Palace in Mitchell SD--not a big deal--actually in process with putting up the new murals for this season.
Helen asked what the ? on the map was. I told her it was for vistor centers where people could ask questions. She was concerned because out here in the middle of nowhere, they surely don't get many questions. She decided she should ask one: Do you get many questions?
Drove into MN
Somewhere we went back to our own time zone--that and corn and beans and normal farms
make us think of home.
at a rest stop west of Albert Lea, MN saw a commemorative "spike" this is the last sction of I90 finished--done in 1978!!
Stopped in Albert Lea
Stats: 24418; 3,720 mi.; 24.0 mpg; 84:33 time; aver 44.1 mph.
Now at 49 state license plates--only Rhode Island eludes. Great--only 27 cars licensed in the state and only 5 of those ever cross the state line.
Saw first corn in ages--stopped at the Corn Palace in Mitchell SD--not a big deal--actually in process with putting up the new murals for this season.
Helen asked what the ? on the map was. I told her it was for vistor centers where people could ask questions. She was concerned because out here in the middle of nowhere, they surely don't get many questions. She decided she should ask one: Do you get many questions?
Drove into MN
Somewhere we went back to our own time zone--that and corn and beans and normal farms
make us think of home.
at a rest stop west of Albert Lea, MN saw a commemorative "spike" this is the last sction of I90 finished--done in 1978!!
Stopped in Albert Lea
Stats: 24418; 3,720 mi.; 24.0 mpg; 84:33 time; aver 44.1 mph.
Now at 49 state license plates--only Rhode Island eludes. Great--only 27 cars licensed in the state and only 5 of those ever cross the state line.
Day Twelve
Left Spearfish--on to Mt. Rushmore. First nat park where we have had to pay--$10 for parking. Soil looks red here--Rapid City. Hills are really black. The stone is granite.
Four presidents is impressive--pix can't capture the mountain. Went to film after--still a good idea. Lots of work and several things changed in the middle. Jefferson was supposed to be on left, but had problems--blew Jefferson off the mt. and went to Plan B.
Four presidents is impressive--pix can't capture the mountain. Went to film after--still a good idea. Lots of work and several things changed in the middle. Jefferson was supposed to be on left, but had problems--blew Jefferson off the mt. and went to Plan B.
Went to Crazy Horse Monument--$20. Really impressive--started in 1948 and just keeps going--no taxpayer monies--all donations. Talked to an Indian lady about beads--since the trappers started coming, the beads are from Europe--now most are from Czeckslovakia.
Went thru town of Custer--they have painted buffaloes--like cows in Chicago.
Went to Dakota Badlands--totally different from WY and CO. drove the 30 mile loop--lots of stops for pix. Left park at north end and went to Wall, SD, home of Wall Drugs--unbelievable tourist stop in town of 818 people. Half must work at Wall Drug. copied my second DVD--I have taken over 1,800 MB of pix--filled up the card twice.
Helenbought a little necklace made of Black Hills gold--which isn't really from the Black Hills but is a style of putting different colors of gold together--and all pieces have some sort of a leaf as part of the piece.
Stats: 23951; 3.253 mi.;24.0 mpg; 77:04 time;aver 42.3 mph
Went thru town of Custer--they have painted buffaloes--like cows in Chicago.
Went to Dakota Badlands--totally different from WY and CO. drove the 30 mile loop--lots of stops for pix. Left park at north end and went to Wall, SD, home of Wall Drugs--unbelievable tourist stop in town of 818 people. Half must work at Wall Drug. copied my second DVD--I have taken over 1,800 MB of pix--filled up the card twice.
Helenbought a little necklace made of Black Hills gold--which isn't really from the Black Hills but is a style of putting different colors of gold together--and all pieces have some sort of a leaf as part of the piece.
Stats: 23951; 3.253 mi.;24.0 mpg; 77:04 time;aver 42.3 mph
Day Eleven
TRNP Pix
Custer's Last Stand--yesterday
Left the teeming metropolis of Glendive, MT. on to Theodore Roosevelt NP in North Dakota. Saw a pheasant in middle of interstate. first game bird we've seen.
Entered the park--on our pass again! Visitor Center was good--saw cabin where TR spent 1884 after his wife and mother died close together. Cabin is called Maltese Cross Cabin--cross on end of a log in front.
Yellow cliffs--drove thru park--much gentler than YNP. Stopped to watch wild horses and prarie dogs. Sunlite makes hills glisten--no idea why. Hills are more rounded than further west.
ND Badlands overlook was impressive. Another buffalo just walked across the road in fron of our car--less than 10 ft away. They were snorting like horses do.
back to I94. Painted Canyon overlook spectacular At another overlook we looked out with binoculars and could see a herd of buffalo and people walking toward then--no idea how they got down there--could barely make them out w/o the binocs.
Into South Dakota. driving down to I90. Stopped in Belle Fourche--the town is about 20 miles south of the geographic center of the U.S. That's due to Alaska and Hawaii.
As we drove south toward Spearfish, SD we started seeing the darker trees (Ponderosa pines)--these are the Black Hills.
Ate at Culvers!!
Stats: 23707; 3,009 miles; 24.0 mpg; 70:26 total time; aver 42.8 mph
Entered the park--on our pass again! Visitor Center was good--saw cabin where TR spent 1884 after his wife and mother died close together. Cabin is called Maltese Cross Cabin--cross on end of a log in front.
Yellow cliffs--drove thru park--much gentler than YNP. Stopped to watch wild horses and prarie dogs. Sunlite makes hills glisten--no idea why. Hills are more rounded than further west.
ND Badlands overlook was impressive. Another buffalo just walked across the road in fron of our car--less than 10 ft away. They were snorting like horses do.
back to I94. Painted Canyon overlook spectacular At another overlook we looked out with binoculars and could see a herd of buffalo and people walking toward then--no idea how they got down there--could barely make them out w/o the binocs.
Into South Dakota. driving down to I90. Stopped in Belle Fourche--the town is about 20 miles south of the geographic center of the U.S. That's due to Alaska and Hawaii.
As we drove south toward Spearfish, SD we started seeing the darker trees (Ponderosa pines)--these are the Black Hills.
Ate at Culvers!!
Stats: 23707; 3,009 miles; 24.0 mpg; 70:26 total time; aver 42.8 mph
Day Ten
On the road to see Custer's Last Stand Battleground.
I remember a Disney movie called "Tonka" An Indian boy (Sal Mineo) tamed a wild horse and named him Tonka Wakan. Later the horse was rounded up for the U.S. Cavalry and named Comanche.
Comanche was really one of the surviving horses of the battle. Comanche was ridden by Captain Miles Keogh.
Used our pass again. We took a bus tour which went to the Reno-Benteen battle site and back to the last stand site.
Had a tour guide--Olivia--who is a Crow Indian. The Crow reservation surrounds the battle site.
We walked from the Visitor Center to the top of the hille where the last stand took place. Stood right where Custer was found after the battle.
Listened to the orientation movie after the tour--actually made a lot more sense that way.
Big question--what is the difference between a tepee and a wigwam?
We now go north to get to I94.
Saw some longhorn cattle. Made it to Comfort Inn in Glendive--what a small town!!
Stats: 23398; middle of nowhere;2699 miles;24.1 mpg; 63:32 total time; 42.6 mph.
I remember a Disney movie called "Tonka" An Indian boy (Sal Mineo) tamed a wild horse and named him Tonka Wakan. Later the horse was rounded up for the U.S. Cavalry and named Comanche.
Comanche was really one of the surviving horses of the battle. Comanche was ridden by Captain Miles Keogh.
Used our pass again. We took a bus tour which went to the Reno-Benteen battle site and back to the last stand site.
Had a tour guide--Olivia--who is a Crow Indian. The Crow reservation surrounds the battle site.
We walked from the Visitor Center to the top of the hille where the last stand took place. Stood right where Custer was found after the battle.
Listened to the orientation movie after the tour--actually made a lot more sense that way.
Big question--what is the difference between a tepee and a wigwam?
We now go north to get to I94.
Saw some longhorn cattle. Made it to Comfort Inn in Glendive--what a small town!!
Stats: 23398; middle of nowhere;2699 miles;24.1 mpg; 63:32 total time; 42.6 mph.
Day Nine
Helen in fog:
left Gardiner--back into park.
Saved another entry fee with our "old people pass".
Went back to Mammoth Springs--went to top of springs. This spring looks like a white mountain but isn't. Another spring was Orange Springs Mound.Mialed postcards at Park Post Office--saw baby elk nursing.
Left YNP on Rt. 89 to Livingston.
Spent several hours getting a replacement phone--most of the time was spent getting the sync with Outlook on the server in Aurora.Carrie called--she is going to coach Miss Senior Colorado (if I got it right)
saw a cowboy herding horses--on a 4-wheel ATV.left Livingston--got onto I90--we know how to get home!!
Switched drivers--first time Helen has driven since day Two.Phone took up a lot of the day.stopped at Comfort Inn in Billings.
Stats: 23120; total 2,422; 23.9 mpg; 58:44 total time; 41.4 mph
Saved another entry fee with our "old people pass".
Went back to Mammoth Springs--went to top of springs. This spring looks like a white mountain but isn't. Another spring was Orange Springs Mound.Mialed postcards at Park Post Office--saw baby elk nursing.
Left YNP on Rt. 89 to Livingston.
Spent several hours getting a replacement phone--most of the time was spent getting the sync with Outlook on the server in Aurora.Carrie called--she is going to coach Miss Senior Colorado (if I got it right)
saw a cowboy herding horses--on a 4-wheel ATV.left Livingston--got onto I90--we know how to get home!!
Switched drivers--first time Helen has driven since day Two.Phone took up a lot of the day.stopped at Comfort Inn in Billings.
Stats: 23120; total 2,422; 23.9 mpg; 58:44 total time; 41.4 mph
Friday, July 10, 2009
Day Eight
left W. Yellowstone--back to Park--no $ used our pass again.
Ran into construction in park. Watched a fly fisherman for a short time--he didn't have any luck.
stopped at Artist's Paint Pots--different colors of bubbling "mud" good hike--said it was 1/3 mile--actual was quite a bit more. View were beautiful.
saw Steamboat Geyser erupt--does so sporadically.
Took the Virginia Falls road--little scary for Helen, but worth the trip.
The store at Canyon Village was best yet--lots of $5 items for guest appreciation day. Had lunch at the Grill--u-shaped counters with stools. Judy was our waitress--really hustled--reminded us of Bernice Makulec.
stopped at Upper and Lower Falls--unbelievable--never seen anything like it. There was a rainbow over the water--below us. Helen felt safe--guardrails--not like Yosemite several years ago.
A male elk was grazing right by a rest area--full antlers--got a few good pix.
I think they plant the elk for the tourists!!
road to Tower fun--traffic stopped in an area--someone saw a black bear--he was up the tree by the time we inched up--I snapped pix from the car--don't know if I got anything.
stopped to photograph the white cliffs--family in front of us in the pulloff brought out a telescope--the young man had looked up on the cliff and seen a bighorn sheep. He set up his scope and we got to watch the female sheep scamper across the rocks.
Mammoth Springs and the Park HQ are at the north end of the park. it is rainy, so we went to the little visitors center and decided to wait til tomorrow to tour the Springs.
Stats: 22933; 2,234 miles; 23.7 mpg; 94.1 gal used;41.7 mph aver; 53:44 total driving time
Great day with the Falls, the springs, and the wildlife.
Went out North Entranceand stayed in Gardiner .
Ran into construction in park. Watched a fly fisherman for a short time--he didn't have any luck.
stopped at Artist's Paint Pots--different colors of bubbling "mud" good hike--said it was 1/3 mile--actual was quite a bit more. View were beautiful.
saw Steamboat Geyser erupt--does so sporadically.
Took the Virginia Falls road--little scary for Helen, but worth the trip.
The store at Canyon Village was best yet--lots of $5 items for guest appreciation day. Had lunch at the Grill--u-shaped counters with stools. Judy was our waitress--really hustled--reminded us of Bernice Makulec.
stopped at Upper and Lower Falls--unbelievable--never seen anything like it. There was a rainbow over the water--below us. Helen felt safe--guardrails--not like Yosemite several years ago.
A male elk was grazing right by a rest area--full antlers--got a few good pix.
I think they plant the elk for the tourists!!
road to Tower fun--traffic stopped in an area--someone saw a black bear--he was up the tree by the time we inched up--I snapped pix from the car--don't know if I got anything.
stopped to photograph the white cliffs--family in front of us in the pulloff brought out a telescope--the young man had looked up on the cliff and seen a bighorn sheep. He set up his scope and we got to watch the female sheep scamper across the rocks.
Mammoth Springs and the Park HQ are at the north end of the park. it is rainy, so we went to the little visitors center and decided to wait til tomorrow to tour the Springs.
Stats: 22933; 2,234 miles; 23.7 mpg; 94.1 gal used;41.7 mph aver; 53:44 total driving time
Great day with the Falls, the springs, and the wildlife.
Went out North Entranceand stayed in Gardiner .
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