What perfect weather we had for this gorgeous corner of America! Once again, we feel we're traveling through Camelot as so often we have pouring rain and thunderstorms during the night only to awaken to bright sunshine. Our entire time in New England gave us bright, sunny days. Aren't we lucky?
We both learned so much at the JFK Library near Boston. Kennedy had such a command of the English language and history. I now want to read "Profiles in Courage" to complete my understanding. Cape Cod is, indeed, gorgeous...but it's the most confusing area in which I've ever been. One wouldn't think so as the land is so narrow! We continuously got lost--even with the help of Maggie (our GPS). It was a real thrill to watch the men working the bog harvesting cranberries.
One of my favorite spots is Newport, Rhode Island! There is so much to see and do there. My friend, Sue, is lucky to have lived there. It's very special. In fact so special that perhaps we'll return there some day. We could have spent more time in Rhode Island and Connecticut...very picturesque. Earlier in the blog, I referred to the opulence of the Bar Harbor mansions. Well...I reevaluate that assessment! Newport's got them ALL beat!! The one mansion we toured is the "Breakers" built by Cornelius Vanderbilt of railroad wealth. It truly was called their "cottage" as it is dwarfed by their New York penthouse. Driving Ocean Avenue through Newport allowed us to see many more mansions hugging the coastline. Beyond beautiful. But, truth to tell, I still like the little shingled houses with white trim, huh Cindee?
Most of the photos in this segment of the blog are self-explanatory, with the exception of the photos we took at the Mystic Aquarium. The aquarium had a pumpkin carving event, then placed the pumpkins in many of the fish tanks. Weird to see the fish eating the jack-o-lanterns, huh?! When I saw the sea lion pup through the glass of his aquarium, I felt a special affinity for him. He was obviously people-friendly, but his eyes were luminous with intelligence. When I heard his back ground story, I understood why I felt that way. "Hut" was found near the Harbor Hut Restaurant in Morro Bay two years ago as a starving pup. The Marine Mammal Rescue Center nursed him back to health and tried to release him into the wild. He wanted no part of the big, cruel ocean and kept coming back to them. So, now they call him "Boomerang" and he's part of the show at the aquarium in Mystic. One of the Indian communities near Mystic has the largest museum on Indian culture to be found anywhere. Unfortunately, we weren't able to see it as they were closed the two days we spent in Mystic. We've seen many Indian museums on the Western tribes, but none on the Eastern tribes. Another reason to return.
We wanted to return to New York to see the southern portion of the Hudson River Valley to see West Point and Hyde Park. Well worth it. Prior to 9-11-01, one could wander the West Point campus, but no longer. I'm rather glad, though, as we had an excellent tour guide who helped us to understand the rigors through which the cadets are tested for entry to the university, as well as their time there. He tells us that times are sad at West Point these days as 65 graduates have been killed in the Middle East...young men and women from 23-25 years old. But the stained glass at the chapel says it all..."Duty, Honor, Country." The cadets make a commitment and keep it.
And what an amazing man FDR was! Not to mention that fabulous Eleanor! His presidential library is the first to have been created and he did so himself, then actually worked there until his death. The Roosevelt home is still furnished as it had been when the family lived there. Again, we had a fabulous tour guide who was full of information.
And as far as Clint is concerned, the amazing men are those on "Orange County Choppers!" All these years, I'd heard of the TV show, but I thought the guys were in California. But, no, they're right down the road from us in Newburgh, New York. We found their showroom and Clint drooled over some of the custom made Harleys. They've customized some Harleys for FDNY, NY Yankees, Santa and Rudolph, Lance Armstrong, POW-MIA, Make a Wish Foundation...and many more. The guys really are creative!
Believe it or not, snow is predicted for tonight! So, needless to say, we're heading south to Pennsylvania tomorrow morning!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
From Sea to Shining Sea
We've arrived at the beautiful coast of Maine and have fallen in love with yet another area of this big country of ours. As I write this, I'm in the best library we've found so far. No fees and no time limit. All the other libraries required one or the other, so the previous blogs were done in an hour. Today, I have all the time in the world and Clint's taking a nap with the kitties in the camper, so here goes!
We spent some time at Saratoga Springs, New York, birth of America's horse racing. We toured the museum and learned how to place a bet at the track, why some horses become the winners they are, and saw some unique racing-inspired art. Mary Ann, it seems like this would be the perfect place for you to retire! I also thought of my Grandpa McCarthy who went to Tijuana to bet on the ponies during the Depression. We stayed in an Elks Lodge camping area in Saratoga Springs and were treated to drinks and lively conversation by its members. What a lovely group of people.
From there, we continued north to the Adirondacks where we spent an afternoon at Lake Placid, home of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic games. Fortunately for us, the Swiss ski jump team members were there practicing at the Lake Placid venues. We rode an elevator to the top of the 150 meter ski jump and took movies and photos of them jumping from the 90 meter jump next to us. The ski jump has a hard plastic surface that is kept wet through a hose system. Then the skiers land on astroturf on their uphill landing. These young men and women are fearless! We also got a kick out of the freestyle ski jumpers as they did loops and twirls in the air, then landed in a swimming pool. Nothing like trying to swim with skis on!
Many years ago, like 32 years ago, when I was previously in New England, I climbed up and down the walls of Ausable Chasm and remember so clearly its shiny, granite surfaces and the rushing water below me. It was a real highlight of my trip. This time, I wasn't up to climbing in and out of the chasm, so Clint and I had to be content with a photo from above. But the chasm is very near Lake Champlain across which we rode a ferry to get to Burlington, Vermont. It was in Burlington that we felt we might want to get service done on the truck. So, we headed for the Ford dealership and were out of there in 45 minutes. Then, it was on to Sears to get new batteries for the camper. That afternoon, we discovered Shelburne Museum just south of Burlington. I think this museum will go down as a highlight of this trip. It was founded in the 1940s by a wealthy woman (Electra Havermeyer Webb) who wanted to preserve Americana and she did so--building by building. The 45-acre grounds include a round, red barn in which one can find restored carousel creatures--horses and the more exotic tigers, bears, deer, etc. She also saved the "Ticonderoga" side-wheel luxury steamer that had plied the waters of Lake Champlain and had it brought from the lake to its final resting place on the museum grounds. According to the video, this was no small engineering feat! On the grounds one can also find a horseshoe-shaped barn in which are hundreds of carriages and sleighs. There's a general store completely stocked with everything from a rainbow of silk thread to cough syrups filled with codeine to ice skates. There's a building originally built by Shakers and now filled with antique tools and housewares. And, filled with memories from our youth, a 1950s home, complete with plastic shower curtain and window curtain with large swans...you know what I mean?! And a stone home where we learned how linen is made from flax, and a typical New England clapboard house filled with ceramics, glassware, and quilts. And the piece de resistance, a collection of Mary Cassatt drawings and paintings. Electra's mother was a close, personal friend of Mary Cassatt, so we were able to see that special exhibit. Needless to say, we saw only a portion of the museum one day and returned to spend a good portion of the next. But those who sell tickets to the museum understand the breadth and depth of their collection and two days' admission is included in one fee.
So, it was on to lighter fare: Ben & Jerry's factory tour! Well...not lighter on the waistline! From there, we headed north to Stowe, Vermont, where the Von Trapp Family of Sound of Music fame landed upon their arrival in America. The views from their lodge are amazing...especially at this time of year. And thanks to our friend, Lori from Coronado, who hopes to retire part-time to New Hampshire, we stopped at LaBrioche in Montpelier for a breakfast treat made by the students/apprentices at the New England Culinary Institute. Boy, was that a great stop! Lori also encouraged us to go to the Cabot Cheese factory since we were so close. Now we're in love with Cabot cheese and Tillamook just won't do anymore! It was in Cabot that we discovered that there was an Apple Pie Festival going on in that little bitty town. Well...we could hardly go down the road without stopping. The young men were turning the crank on the cider press and the juice just poured from it. That cider was so yummy! So, we asked the men standing around what would become of the apple pith leftover from the squeezing. Nothing goes to waste among farmers as his chickens would be fed well (sans seeds), then the garden would get some more of the pith. We checked out the crafts, had a piece of apple pie, then were on our way to the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
We stayed in Conway where our water hoses connecting to the campground's water system froze during the night! We were warm and toasty inside our camper, though. So, we figured it might be time to head to the coast where it wouldn't be quite so cold. All through New England, I'd gotten the same feeling in my neck that I had in Yellowstone...caused, I think, by the constant swivel of my head while squinting into the forest looking for wildlife. For all the squinting, I saw only one moose--and a female at that. I was really hoping for a Bullwinkle-- especially since Maine probably has more lakes than Minnesota, but they call them "ponds." Maybe yet to come. Throughout our autumn travels, we've been treated to "scarecrow" people in some towns, "ghost" people in others, but the "pumpkin" people in Jackson, New Hampshire, were the best yet. John, Paul, George, and Ringo never looked so good! HA The autumn colors on this trip have been phenomenal. Clint was even moved to use the phrase, "color palette" when referring to the range of color on the hillsides. Theresa, aren't you proud of him?! And that crow on top of the granite is for you, too! Speaking of cemeteries...we've seen a lot of them since we're traveling on two-lane back roads. Granite is a big industry in Vermont and New Hampshire so the memorials there are amazing!
Acadia National Park allows vistas to forever across all the islands dotting the coast of Maine. Bar Harbor is a beautiful town, but too exclusive for "campers" as we were continually directed by signage to only park where RVs were allowed, but there was no signage directing us where we could park. So, we gave up. On this trip, we have seen mansions along any waterfront where we've gone--lake, river, ocean. And the mansions through Bar Harbor were the most ostentatious yet. But we fell in love with Belfast, Maine, a red brick, sea farer's town with a flat-iron building for sale right downtown. Wouldn't that make a nice coffee shop/bookstore for Clint and me to run? Well...maybe for me to run! I don't think I could talk that Chism into working again! HA
So, know we're having a great time and are able to pick up our e-mail once a week. Let us know that you're doing well.
We spent some time at Saratoga Springs, New York, birth of America's horse racing. We toured the museum and learned how to place a bet at the track, why some horses become the winners they are, and saw some unique racing-inspired art. Mary Ann, it seems like this would be the perfect place for you to retire! I also thought of my Grandpa McCarthy who went to Tijuana to bet on the ponies during the Depression. We stayed in an Elks Lodge camping area in Saratoga Springs and were treated to drinks and lively conversation by its members. What a lovely group of people.
From there, we continued north to the Adirondacks where we spent an afternoon at Lake Placid, home of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic games. Fortunately for us, the Swiss ski jump team members were there practicing at the Lake Placid venues. We rode an elevator to the top of the 150 meter ski jump and took movies and photos of them jumping from the 90 meter jump next to us. The ski jump has a hard plastic surface that is kept wet through a hose system. Then the skiers land on astroturf on their uphill landing. These young men and women are fearless! We also got a kick out of the freestyle ski jumpers as they did loops and twirls in the air, then landed in a swimming pool. Nothing like trying to swim with skis on!
Many years ago, like 32 years ago, when I was previously in New England, I climbed up and down the walls of Ausable Chasm and remember so clearly its shiny, granite surfaces and the rushing water below me. It was a real highlight of my trip. This time, I wasn't up to climbing in and out of the chasm, so Clint and I had to be content with a photo from above. But the chasm is very near Lake Champlain across which we rode a ferry to get to Burlington, Vermont. It was in Burlington that we felt we might want to get service done on the truck. So, we headed for the Ford dealership and were out of there in 45 minutes. Then, it was on to Sears to get new batteries for the camper. That afternoon, we discovered Shelburne Museum just south of Burlington. I think this museum will go down as a highlight of this trip. It was founded in the 1940s by a wealthy woman (Electra Havermeyer Webb) who wanted to preserve Americana and she did so--building by building. The 45-acre grounds include a round, red barn in which one can find restored carousel creatures--horses and the more exotic tigers, bears, deer, etc. She also saved the "Ticonderoga" side-wheel luxury steamer that had plied the waters of Lake Champlain and had it brought from the lake to its final resting place on the museum grounds. According to the video, this was no small engineering feat! On the grounds one can also find a horseshoe-shaped barn in which are hundreds of carriages and sleighs. There's a general store completely stocked with everything from a rainbow of silk thread to cough syrups filled with codeine to ice skates. There's a building originally built by Shakers and now filled with antique tools and housewares. And, filled with memories from our youth, a 1950s home, complete with plastic shower curtain and window curtain with large swans...you know what I mean?! And a stone home where we learned how linen is made from flax, and a typical New England clapboard house filled with ceramics, glassware, and quilts. And the piece de resistance, a collection of Mary Cassatt drawings and paintings. Electra's mother was a close, personal friend of Mary Cassatt, so we were able to see that special exhibit. Needless to say, we saw only a portion of the museum one day and returned to spend a good portion of the next. But those who sell tickets to the museum understand the breadth and depth of their collection and two days' admission is included in one fee.
So, it was on to lighter fare: Ben & Jerry's factory tour! Well...not lighter on the waistline! From there, we headed north to Stowe, Vermont, where the Von Trapp Family of Sound of Music fame landed upon their arrival in America. The views from their lodge are amazing...especially at this time of year. And thanks to our friend, Lori from Coronado, who hopes to retire part-time to New Hampshire, we stopped at LaBrioche in Montpelier for a breakfast treat made by the students/apprentices at the New England Culinary Institute. Boy, was that a great stop! Lori also encouraged us to go to the Cabot Cheese factory since we were so close. Now we're in love with Cabot cheese and Tillamook just won't do anymore! It was in Cabot that we discovered that there was an Apple Pie Festival going on in that little bitty town. Well...we could hardly go down the road without stopping. The young men were turning the crank on the cider press and the juice just poured from it. That cider was so yummy! So, we asked the men standing around what would become of the apple pith leftover from the squeezing. Nothing goes to waste among farmers as his chickens would be fed well (sans seeds), then the garden would get some more of the pith. We checked out the crafts, had a piece of apple pie, then were on our way to the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
We stayed in Conway where our water hoses connecting to the campground's water system froze during the night! We were warm and toasty inside our camper, though. So, we figured it might be time to head to the coast where it wouldn't be quite so cold. All through New England, I'd gotten the same feeling in my neck that I had in Yellowstone...caused, I think, by the constant swivel of my head while squinting into the forest looking for wildlife. For all the squinting, I saw only one moose--and a female at that. I was really hoping for a Bullwinkle-- especially since Maine probably has more lakes than Minnesota, but they call them "ponds." Maybe yet to come. Throughout our autumn travels, we've been treated to "scarecrow" people in some towns, "ghost" people in others, but the "pumpkin" people in Jackson, New Hampshire, were the best yet. John, Paul, George, and Ringo never looked so good! HA The autumn colors on this trip have been phenomenal. Clint was even moved to use the phrase, "color palette" when referring to the range of color on the hillsides. Theresa, aren't you proud of him?! And that crow on top of the granite is for you, too! Speaking of cemeteries...we've seen a lot of them since we're traveling on two-lane back roads. Granite is a big industry in Vermont and New Hampshire so the memorials there are amazing!
Acadia National Park allows vistas to forever across all the islands dotting the coast of Maine. Bar Harbor is a beautiful town, but too exclusive for "campers" as we were continually directed by signage to only park where RVs were allowed, but there was no signage directing us where we could park. So, we gave up. On this trip, we have seen mansions along any waterfront where we've gone--lake, river, ocean. And the mansions through Bar Harbor were the most ostentatious yet. But we fell in love with Belfast, Maine, a red brick, sea farer's town with a flat-iron building for sale right downtown. Wouldn't that make a nice coffee shop/bookstore for Clint and me to run? Well...maybe for me to run! I don't think I could talk that Chism into working again! HA
So, know we're having a great time and are able to pick up our e-mail once a week. Let us know that you're doing well.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Autumn has Arrived!
Update on the Guess the Photo Contest: My nephew guessed it correctly--it's a shamrock dripped into the foam of a Guinness beer on tap from the Irish pub on Mackinac Island. Not sure what gift card we'll get for Brett--maybe a few Guinness six-packs!
We started seeing gorgeous reds and yellows in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and have been surrounded by color ever since!
Holland, Michigan, is full of architecture you would expect to find in The Netherlands. The founding fathers carried out their plan for a "new" Holland in a most authentic way. The DeZwaan windmill is also an authentic one. Brought to Michigan in pieces, then completely reassembled...rather like London Bridge in Havasu! I took a photo of the statues of children raising an American flag as I thought it was sweet. From Holland, we headed up to Grand Rapids to tour the Gerald Ford Museum. He sure loved Grand Rapids...and Vail! He couldn't imagine having been raised in a better place than Grand Rapids. Nice, huh? He will, of course, always be remembered for his pardoning of Nixon and allowing the nation to move forward after Watergate. Also at the museum was an exhibit of the fifty greatest players in baseball, complete with artifacts from Cooperstown. I found it to be very interesting since I had worked in baseball magazine publishing all those years ago. Not to mention attending countless Padre games in my youth.
From there, we headed south into the Amish country of Indiana. Well...really, we were headed to the RV Museum, but ended up in Amish country...much to our tummies' pleasure! The Amish continue to grow in numbers and lead their "plain" lives. The largest group of Amish is in Ohio and the second largest is in Indiana. Pictured here is my favorite vehicle from the RV Museum in Elkhart, Indiana. It's called the "Tennessee Traveler" and was made in the early 1920s. The woodwork and design inside are impeccable and the outside is funky, too!
The next morning as we were leaving Indiana, we happened upon an Amish horse and buggy trotting down the road in the pouring rain. But the driver had it pretty good. His buggy completely enclosed him with only room for his horse's reins to sneak through the glass. So, we went from learning about the Amish lifestyle to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland! But, the night before, Zorro, who likes to swat things off of surfaces to watch them fall, must have swatted our camera off the table. Clint heard a thunk during the night and when the camera didn't work well in Cleveland, he put two and two together. That's why the photo of the Rock and Roll Museum is somewhat bright. And after that, the camera wouldn't work at all. So, it was time to stop somewhere to buy a new camera. The Rock and Roll Museum was really interesting to both Clint and me. We were able to listen to 1920s blues that led to rock and roll. We watched a 63-minute compilation of all the members of the Hall of Fame. And, most important of all, they had, in their special exhibit of performers from Ohio, one of Dean Martin's tuxedos. Sigh....In case you hadn't guessed it, Dean was my favorite singer of all time.
One of our big thrills of this trip has been seeing Niagara Falls! We even donned the darling yellow outfits, complete with donatable-to-the-poor sandals, to hike right under Bridalveil Falls. Thank goodness, it was another warm, sunny day or we would have been frozen! We camped just outside Niagara Falls and visited Old Fort Niagara the next morning. It had originally been built by the French in the early 1700s, then the British battled them for it, then the Americans. The large building shown in the photo was truly the "fort," but the French commander felt if they built a fort to resemble a chateau or house, the Iroquois natives wouldn't be as intimidated and would allow the French to remain there. Apparently, the Iroquois were as friendly to the Europeans as the Mohawks were not.
I knew my sister, Maureen, had been born near Geneva, New York, when dad was stationed at Sampson Naval Base on Seneca Lake in 1945 (oops! Sorry, Maureen, I just gave away your age!). Well, little did I know, Geneva is a thriving resort community built on the northern shore of Seneca Lake - one of the Finger Lakes. And that entire region is known for its wines. A more beautiful setting couldn't be found than the rows of grapevines marching to the lake with the autumn leaves framing them. We also discovered that Sampson Naval Base is now a New York State Park, but they have a museum dedicated to the years it served as military bases--first the navy, then the air force. So, we toured through it and took a photo of a group of men--one of whom could be dad. I'll have Maureen double-check it when we get to San Diego. Then, the one disappointment of this trip, is our timing to see Watkins Glen, New York. We arrived there on a hot, sunny Sunday of a three-day weekend (Columbus Day), so visitors were out in droves. So, we passed it by and are heading to Woodstock...just to see what remains there and maybe find the new museum.
'Til next time. Stay well. jan & clint
We started seeing gorgeous reds and yellows in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and have been surrounded by color ever since!
Holland, Michigan, is full of architecture you would expect to find in The Netherlands. The founding fathers carried out their plan for a "new" Holland in a most authentic way. The DeZwaan windmill is also an authentic one. Brought to Michigan in pieces, then completely reassembled...rather like London Bridge in Havasu! I took a photo of the statues of children raising an American flag as I thought it was sweet. From Holland, we headed up to Grand Rapids to tour the Gerald Ford Museum. He sure loved Grand Rapids...and Vail! He couldn't imagine having been raised in a better place than Grand Rapids. Nice, huh? He will, of course, always be remembered for his pardoning of Nixon and allowing the nation to move forward after Watergate. Also at the museum was an exhibit of the fifty greatest players in baseball, complete with artifacts from Cooperstown. I found it to be very interesting since I had worked in baseball magazine publishing all those years ago. Not to mention attending countless Padre games in my youth.
From there, we headed south into the Amish country of Indiana. Well...really, we were headed to the RV Museum, but ended up in Amish country...much to our tummies' pleasure! The Amish continue to grow in numbers and lead their "plain" lives. The largest group of Amish is in Ohio and the second largest is in Indiana. Pictured here is my favorite vehicle from the RV Museum in Elkhart, Indiana. It's called the "Tennessee Traveler" and was made in the early 1920s. The woodwork and design inside are impeccable and the outside is funky, too!
The next morning as we were leaving Indiana, we happened upon an Amish horse and buggy trotting down the road in the pouring rain. But the driver had it pretty good. His buggy completely enclosed him with only room for his horse's reins to sneak through the glass. So, we went from learning about the Amish lifestyle to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland! But, the night before, Zorro, who likes to swat things off of surfaces to watch them fall, must have swatted our camera off the table. Clint heard a thunk during the night and when the camera didn't work well in Cleveland, he put two and two together. That's why the photo of the Rock and Roll Museum is somewhat bright. And after that, the camera wouldn't work at all. So, it was time to stop somewhere to buy a new camera. The Rock and Roll Museum was really interesting to both Clint and me. We were able to listen to 1920s blues that led to rock and roll. We watched a 63-minute compilation of all the members of the Hall of Fame. And, most important of all, they had, in their special exhibit of performers from Ohio, one of Dean Martin's tuxedos. Sigh....In case you hadn't guessed it, Dean was my favorite singer of all time.
One of our big thrills of this trip has been seeing Niagara Falls! We even donned the darling yellow outfits, complete with donatable-to-the-poor sandals, to hike right under Bridalveil Falls. Thank goodness, it was another warm, sunny day or we would have been frozen! We camped just outside Niagara Falls and visited Old Fort Niagara the next morning. It had originally been built by the French in the early 1700s, then the British battled them for it, then the Americans. The large building shown in the photo was truly the "fort," but the French commander felt if they built a fort to resemble a chateau or house, the Iroquois natives wouldn't be as intimidated and would allow the French to remain there. Apparently, the Iroquois were as friendly to the Europeans as the Mohawks were not.
I knew my sister, Maureen, had been born near Geneva, New York, when dad was stationed at Sampson Naval Base on Seneca Lake in 1945 (oops! Sorry, Maureen, I just gave away your age!). Well, little did I know, Geneva is a thriving resort community built on the northern shore of Seneca Lake - one of the Finger Lakes. And that entire region is known for its wines. A more beautiful setting couldn't be found than the rows of grapevines marching to the lake with the autumn leaves framing them. We also discovered that Sampson Naval Base is now a New York State Park, but they have a museum dedicated to the years it served as military bases--first the navy, then the air force. So, we toured through it and took a photo of a group of men--one of whom could be dad. I'll have Maureen double-check it when we get to San Diego. Then, the one disappointment of this trip, is our timing to see Watkins Glen, New York. We arrived there on a hot, sunny Sunday of a three-day weekend (Columbus Day), so visitors were out in droves. So, we passed it by and are heading to Woodstock...just to see what remains there and maybe find the new museum.
'Til next time. Stay well. jan & clint
Monday, October 6, 2008
Lake Michigan Circle Tour
Clint doesn't crack jokes too often, but when he does he makes me laugh! As we drove past the sign for Des Plaines, Wisconsin, he pointed and hollered, "Des Plaines! Des Plaines!" We weren't quite on Fantasy Island, but we were coming close--Mackinac Island is a fantasy come true for me, as well as my dear friend, Julie. If anyone remembers the movie, "Somewhere in Time," starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, they might recall some of the scenes taking place in a beautiful hotel. The movie was filmed on Mackinac Island in all its old-fashioned splendor. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Milwaukee held about 3,000 fantasies for Clint! That's right, we toured the brand new Harley-Davidson Museum. It really was fun to see those perfectly maintained motorcycles and to read about the history of the company. So Clint's appetite for another Harley is thoroughly whetted now! Between the museum and all the Harley riders on the road, hair flying in the breeze, he's raring to get another one upon our return home. Clint had more fantasies satisfied in Milwaukee (get your minds out of the gutter!) when we toured the Miller Brewing Company. The tour was interesting--especially the tasting part. They gave each of us three steins full of beer to try. I was SO sluggish the rest of the afternoon! Nevermore... We stayed in a campground right on the shores of Lake Michigan that night and then it was my turn to be thrilled. They had a heated (82 degrees) indoor swimming pool. I can't tell you how good it felt to exercise my bum leg!
Door County, Wisconsin, is simply gorgeous. Rolling hills of farmland that stretch right to the shores of Lake Michigan. Corn growing, sandhill cranes eating in the fields, and Canada Geese covering the beaches...except when we scare them and they take flight. We saw some cute signs as we travelled through: Birdbath and Beyond; Honest Injun's Tourist Trap. And before we knew it, we'd crossed from Wisconsin to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
And, of course, the farther north we got, the more beautiful the leaves became. But we're still hoping to catch the New England leaves at their peak. Now, it's time for me to talk about Mackinac Island. We caught the ferry that left at 9:30 the next morning and there were 6 of us hardy souls who sat on the upper deck in the cold--the others were Wisconsinites! The Great Lakes area is full of lighthouses, but the Round Island Lighthouse that we passed on the ferry trip seemed particularly beautiful. Mackinac is full of Victorian houses, flowering gardens (even this late in the season!), and horses--600 of them! And they take the majority of the horses off the island for the winter--to the Upper Peninsula where it's even colder! But we discovered they just don't want to have to ship in all that hay and feed. It has nothing to do with the weather. We did take a carriage tour of the island and had lunch at the Grand Hotel. And the island is known for its fudge, so we got some at JoAnn's Fudge (just like you did, Cousin JoAnn!). There's a secret photo in this blog. Whoever can guess what it is will get a gift card to...oh, I don't know, a restaurant or See's or something. We had a magical day on Mackinac Island, then it was on to my favorite town, so far: Petoskey, Michigan.
We stayed at the nicest, award-winning KOA campground that night where they offered all kinds of free food: homemade doughtnuts (Maureen, they were just like Mom used to make!); apples; and ice cream sundaes. (By the by, earlier that week we went through the Wisconsin town where Ice Cream Sundaes claim to be invented.) Then we discovered Petoskey the next morning. I've never seen such beautiful Victorian architecture in my life! The entire town is simply pristine with a gorgeous boat harbor. We wandered through town and bought a cherry pie from Jespersen's Restaurant, purported to have the best cherry pies in the world--according to many magazines including The New Yorker. And it was good. And since it is Clint's favorite pie, it was gone before morning! From Petoskey, we headed south along Lake Michigan to Charlevoix where we happened upon an Oktoberfest celebration. So, of course, we had to have a brat and a beer and listen to the oom pah music. We wanted to see the Dachshund race, but it was going to be much later in the afternoon. So, we continued on to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore where we camped for the night.
The Lakeshore is full of sand dunes that go right down to Lake Michigan. The area is full of chipmunks and beautiful trails. We spent many hours there, then continued on down the coast to Holland, Michigan, where we spent last night. Today, after spending some time at this gorgeous library, we'll go see an authentic Dutch Mill here in Holland, Gerald Ford's Museum and Meijer Gardens both in Grand Rapids. So much to see...we're so grateful for this fabulous experience.
Oh...I tried to take a good photo of the interior of our camper for those of you who think we just have a bed. I took the photo while on the bed trying to show the dinette, kitchen, fridge, and hanging closet. The bathroom, complete with shower, is behind the dinette. So, we're really very comfortable!
Milwaukee held about 3,000 fantasies for Clint! That's right, we toured the brand new Harley-Davidson Museum. It really was fun to see those perfectly maintained motorcycles and to read about the history of the company. So Clint's appetite for another Harley is thoroughly whetted now! Between the museum and all the Harley riders on the road, hair flying in the breeze, he's raring to get another one upon our return home. Clint had more fantasies satisfied in Milwaukee (get your minds out of the gutter!) when we toured the Miller Brewing Company. The tour was interesting--especially the tasting part. They gave each of us three steins full of beer to try. I was SO sluggish the rest of the afternoon! Nevermore... We stayed in a campground right on the shores of Lake Michigan that night and then it was my turn to be thrilled. They had a heated (82 degrees) indoor swimming pool. I can't tell you how good it felt to exercise my bum leg!
Door County, Wisconsin, is simply gorgeous. Rolling hills of farmland that stretch right to the shores of Lake Michigan. Corn growing, sandhill cranes eating in the fields, and Canada Geese covering the beaches...except when we scare them and they take flight. We saw some cute signs as we travelled through: Birdbath and Beyond; Honest Injun's Tourist Trap. And before we knew it, we'd crossed from Wisconsin to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
And, of course, the farther north we got, the more beautiful the leaves became. But we're still hoping to catch the New England leaves at their peak. Now, it's time for me to talk about Mackinac Island. We caught the ferry that left at 9:30 the next morning and there were 6 of us hardy souls who sat on the upper deck in the cold--the others were Wisconsinites! The Great Lakes area is full of lighthouses, but the Round Island Lighthouse that we passed on the ferry trip seemed particularly beautiful. Mackinac is full of Victorian houses, flowering gardens (even this late in the season!), and horses--600 of them! And they take the majority of the horses off the island for the winter--to the Upper Peninsula where it's even colder! But we discovered they just don't want to have to ship in all that hay and feed. It has nothing to do with the weather. We did take a carriage tour of the island and had lunch at the Grand Hotel. And the island is known for its fudge, so we got some at JoAnn's Fudge (just like you did, Cousin JoAnn!). There's a secret photo in this blog. Whoever can guess what it is will get a gift card to...oh, I don't know, a restaurant or See's or something. We had a magical day on Mackinac Island, then it was on to my favorite town, so far: Petoskey, Michigan.
We stayed at the nicest, award-winning KOA campground that night where they offered all kinds of free food: homemade doughtnuts (Maureen, they were just like Mom used to make!); apples; and ice cream sundaes. (By the by, earlier that week we went through the Wisconsin town where Ice Cream Sundaes claim to be invented.) Then we discovered Petoskey the next morning. I've never seen such beautiful Victorian architecture in my life! The entire town is simply pristine with a gorgeous boat harbor. We wandered through town and bought a cherry pie from Jespersen's Restaurant, purported to have the best cherry pies in the world--according to many magazines including The New Yorker. And it was good. And since it is Clint's favorite pie, it was gone before morning! From Petoskey, we headed south along Lake Michigan to Charlevoix where we happened upon an Oktoberfest celebration. So, of course, we had to have a brat and a beer and listen to the oom pah music. We wanted to see the Dachshund race, but it was going to be much later in the afternoon. So, we continued on to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore where we camped for the night.
The Lakeshore is full of sand dunes that go right down to Lake Michigan. The area is full of chipmunks and beautiful trails. We spent many hours there, then continued on down the coast to Holland, Michigan, where we spent last night. Today, after spending some time at this gorgeous library, we'll go see an authentic Dutch Mill here in Holland, Gerald Ford's Museum and Meijer Gardens both in Grand Rapids. So much to see...we're so grateful for this fabulous experience.
Oh...I tried to take a good photo of the interior of our camper for those of you who think we just have a bed. I took the photo while on the bed trying to show the dinette, kitchen, fridge, and hanging closet. The bathroom, complete with shower, is behind the dinette. So, we're really very comfortable!
Monday, September 29, 2008
The Heartland
This portion of our trip should be entitled, "The Heartland" for a couple of reasons. First, it truly is the heartland of America...down to earth, continuing to welcome peoples of all nations, and rich with farming traditions. Second, it is the home of my mother's birth; therefore, a "heart"land for me.
We left the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota and continued East through the Badlands to Wall Drug of Wall, South Dakota. For miles prior to arriving in Wall, the billboards boast that Wall has everything one could possibly desire: 5 cent coffee--free for honeymooners; Western wear; Sheriff on duty; Silver dollar display; Homemade pie; and a Shooting Gallery, among others. As you can see, Wall Drug also had a life-sized Jackalope which allowed Jan to realize her lifelong dream of riding one! HA The Badlands are just that. Not many redeeming qualities there. And, of course, once we got close to the middle of South Dakota, we had to visit the Corn Palace. The outside is decorated with various types of corn and husks to create historical displays...yes, all in corn. And much to our dismay, the polka dancers were on their lunch break when we were there. Truly, I would have loved to have seen them all dance with their flippy skirts and shiny shoes! On to more sophisticated musical pursuits...we toured the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota. You could have blown us over with a feather when we saw the historical collection before us. A couple of Stradavarius violins, many beautifully painted harpsichords, Martin and Gibson guitars, and a variety of international instruments could be seen...and heard. The museum provided audio players so we could hear each instrument's sound as we toured. All in South Dakota! Dexters: You really must go there some day. We'd had a long day, but thanks to the Saligers, we went to Chili's that night for dinner in Sioux City, Iowa. But we didn't know where we were going to lay our heads that night. Well, as luck would have it, we saw a bunch of RVs across the river from Chili's. To our complete bewilderment, the campground was in Nebraska...across the wide Missouri! So, we're able to add Nebraska to our list of states, after all! Nothing like camping right on the river with a riverboat/casino flashing its neon all night. The reflection was beautiful and the campground pristine.
The next day, we headed for Popejoy, Iowa, the home of my mother's family. Aunt Carol has lived in the same house for 85 years. One might think she's led a sheltered life, but, no, she's traveled extensively and is very sophisticated. We parked the camper right in the front yard and hooked into her electricity. It was wonderful smelling the rich soils of Iowa again. There's something about that particular moisture that allows my brain to reach into its deepest recesses for good memories. For those of you who truly know me, my memories are mostly of food! HA And we made good food memories again while we were there! Aunt Carol arranged for Cousins Bob & JoAnn and Second Cousin, Barbie & her husband, Frank, to meet us at a great restaurant one night for dinner. I hadn't seen Barbie since she was 16 and I 18. She looks the same and, after all these years, we've discovered we have some things in common...older husbands (!) and cats (she has 30!). For my birthday, we also went for great Chinese food, then JoAnn had us back to her home for birthday cake. Thank you all for making me feel so special. Another unexpected historical note in Iowa are the Civil War Memorials. Neither Clint nor I really thought about the Civil War veterans from states like Iowa...We spent four days in Popejoy and enjoyed every minute of it...even the unexpected thunder, lightning, and pouring rain.
Then it was on to Minnesota and the SPAM Museum in Austin. But not before a final stop in Iowa to take some photos of beautiful Clear Lake for our friend, Bobbie S. The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake will forever be known as the town where Buddy Holly, Richie Vallens, and the Big Bopper gave their final concert prior to their airplane crash. But I'll remember it as my mom's dance hang-out in the '30s where she listened to the likes of Frank Sinatra when they toured through Iowa. Well...what can I say about SPAM? It's certainly a food I ate a lot in my childhood. Mother would slice it thinly, dip it in egg and cracker crumb, then fry it. I'd slather it in mustard and it was so yummy. I haven't had it in years, though. The museum is very nicely done with lots of historical information regarding SPAM's use during the war years, both in the U.S. and in England. And did you know that Hawaiians eat more SPAM than any other state or country? From there, we continued East through Minnesota to Winona. Winona is on the Mississippi River and now is a very successful college town. But, there is evidence that Winona has always been successful. Its architecture is amazing...spires so high I couldn't photograph them, mansions so large they wouldn't fit in the camera frame. Winona also offered more thunder, lightning, and rain through the night.
But the next morning, Saturday, September 27, dawned bright and sunny as we crossed the Mississippi River into Wisconsin. My friend, Jean, is from a gorgeous area of Wisconsin called The Dells. Her actual town is Reedsburg. Jean: Do you recognize anything in one of the photos? We walked through the village of Wisconsin Dells and found it harkened back to the '50s kitschy beach towns and touristy areas. We've never seen so many miniature golf courses and water slides! Truly a fun place for families. We had fun there, too. The International Crane Foundation is based in Baraboo and we happened to arrive on the one day a year that they offer guided tours to learn about the cranes. We learned so much and found the whooping cranes to be beautiful. We were lucky to get one of the last camping spots in the county that night at Mirror Lake. Luckier, still, because our camping neighbors invited us to share their campfire and conversation...not to mention their booze...that night. We learned that if a Wisconsin campsite doesn't offer a full bar, the campers must be from out of state! What a great group of Wisconsinites we met that night. Bright, hard-working, fun-loving young people. They tell us that if a Wisconsinite leaves to live elsewhere in the U.S., a huge percentage of them return. I can certainly understand why. Wisconsin is beautiful and well-tended. (As I write this, I'm in a gorgeous public library in Kenosha.)
One of the young people we met, Darren, suggested we take a jet boat trip up the Wisconsin River through The Dells the next day. So we did. And we were ever glad! What a hoot! Our captain, Dylan, opened up that baby to 45 mph, then put it into a 360 degree spin! Whoooeeee!!! We were the only guests on his boat and he gave us a thrilling ride! He'd go slowly so we could catch some photos of the pretty scenery, then step on the gas until we were flying. All of a sudden, he'd put on the brake and we'd get whoooooshed with water! I haven't giggled that hard in a long time! Then it was time to head through the artistic areas of Wisconsin to see Taliesin (Frank Lloyd Wright's home) and The House on the Rock (it's just that).
Today, we went to the Jelly Belly Factory where that Chism bought $13.00 worth of Jelly Bellys--that silly! And now that I'm about to close, we're heading north into Milwaukee to go to Etzel's Polka where we'll find...well, we're not sure what we'll find...it just sounds interesting. 'Til next time...
We left the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota and continued East through the Badlands to Wall Drug of Wall, South Dakota. For miles prior to arriving in Wall, the billboards boast that Wall has everything one could possibly desire: 5 cent coffee--free for honeymooners; Western wear; Sheriff on duty; Silver dollar display; Homemade pie; and a Shooting Gallery, among others. As you can see, Wall Drug also had a life-sized Jackalope which allowed Jan to realize her lifelong dream of riding one! HA The Badlands are just that. Not many redeeming qualities there. And, of course, once we got close to the middle of South Dakota, we had to visit the Corn Palace. The outside is decorated with various types of corn and husks to create historical displays...yes, all in corn. And much to our dismay, the polka dancers were on their lunch break when we were there. Truly, I would have loved to have seen them all dance with their flippy skirts and shiny shoes! On to more sophisticated musical pursuits...we toured the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota. You could have blown us over with a feather when we saw the historical collection before us. A couple of Stradavarius violins, many beautifully painted harpsichords, Martin and Gibson guitars, and a variety of international instruments could be seen...and heard. The museum provided audio players so we could hear each instrument's sound as we toured. All in South Dakota! Dexters: You really must go there some day. We'd had a long day, but thanks to the Saligers, we went to Chili's that night for dinner in Sioux City, Iowa. But we didn't know where we were going to lay our heads that night. Well, as luck would have it, we saw a bunch of RVs across the river from Chili's. To our complete bewilderment, the campground was in Nebraska...across the wide Missouri! So, we're able to add Nebraska to our list of states, after all! Nothing like camping right on the river with a riverboat/casino flashing its neon all night. The reflection was beautiful and the campground pristine.
The next day, we headed for Popejoy, Iowa, the home of my mother's family. Aunt Carol has lived in the same house for 85 years. One might think she's led a sheltered life, but, no, she's traveled extensively and is very sophisticated. We parked the camper right in the front yard and hooked into her electricity. It was wonderful smelling the rich soils of Iowa again. There's something about that particular moisture that allows my brain to reach into its deepest recesses for good memories. For those of you who truly know me, my memories are mostly of food! HA And we made good food memories again while we were there! Aunt Carol arranged for Cousins Bob & JoAnn and Second Cousin, Barbie & her husband, Frank, to meet us at a great restaurant one night for dinner. I hadn't seen Barbie since she was 16 and I 18. She looks the same and, after all these years, we've discovered we have some things in common...older husbands (!) and cats (she has 30!). For my birthday, we also went for great Chinese food, then JoAnn had us back to her home for birthday cake. Thank you all for making me feel so special. Another unexpected historical note in Iowa are the Civil War Memorials. Neither Clint nor I really thought about the Civil War veterans from states like Iowa...We spent four days in Popejoy and enjoyed every minute of it...even the unexpected thunder, lightning, and pouring rain.
Then it was on to Minnesota and the SPAM Museum in Austin. But not before a final stop in Iowa to take some photos of beautiful Clear Lake for our friend, Bobbie S. The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake will forever be known as the town where Buddy Holly, Richie Vallens, and the Big Bopper gave their final concert prior to their airplane crash. But I'll remember it as my mom's dance hang-out in the '30s where she listened to the likes of Frank Sinatra when they toured through Iowa. Well...what can I say about SPAM? It's certainly a food I ate a lot in my childhood. Mother would slice it thinly, dip it in egg and cracker crumb, then fry it. I'd slather it in mustard and it was so yummy. I haven't had it in years, though. The museum is very nicely done with lots of historical information regarding SPAM's use during the war years, both in the U.S. and in England. And did you know that Hawaiians eat more SPAM than any other state or country? From there, we continued East through Minnesota to Winona. Winona is on the Mississippi River and now is a very successful college town. But, there is evidence that Winona has always been successful. Its architecture is amazing...spires so high I couldn't photograph them, mansions so large they wouldn't fit in the camera frame. Winona also offered more thunder, lightning, and rain through the night.
But the next morning, Saturday, September 27, dawned bright and sunny as we crossed the Mississippi River into Wisconsin. My friend, Jean, is from a gorgeous area of Wisconsin called The Dells. Her actual town is Reedsburg. Jean: Do you recognize anything in one of the photos? We walked through the village of Wisconsin Dells and found it harkened back to the '50s kitschy beach towns and touristy areas. We've never seen so many miniature golf courses and water slides! Truly a fun place for families. We had fun there, too. The International Crane Foundation is based in Baraboo and we happened to arrive on the one day a year that they offer guided tours to learn about the cranes. We learned so much and found the whooping cranes to be beautiful. We were lucky to get one of the last camping spots in the county that night at Mirror Lake. Luckier, still, because our camping neighbors invited us to share their campfire and conversation...not to mention their booze...that night. We learned that if a Wisconsin campsite doesn't offer a full bar, the campers must be from out of state! What a great group of Wisconsinites we met that night. Bright, hard-working, fun-loving young people. They tell us that if a Wisconsinite leaves to live elsewhere in the U.S., a huge percentage of them return. I can certainly understand why. Wisconsin is beautiful and well-tended. (As I write this, I'm in a gorgeous public library in Kenosha.)
One of the young people we met, Darren, suggested we take a jet boat trip up the Wisconsin River through The Dells the next day. So we did. And we were ever glad! What a hoot! Our captain, Dylan, opened up that baby to 45 mph, then put it into a 360 degree spin! Whoooeeee!!! We were the only guests on his boat and he gave us a thrilling ride! He'd go slowly so we could catch some photos of the pretty scenery, then step on the gas until we were flying. All of a sudden, he'd put on the brake and we'd get whoooooshed with water! I haven't giggled that hard in a long time! Then it was time to head through the artistic areas of Wisconsin to see Taliesin (Frank Lloyd Wright's home) and The House on the Rock (it's just that).
Today, we went to the Jelly Belly Factory where that Chism bought $13.00 worth of Jelly Bellys--that silly! And now that I'm about to close, we're heading north into Milwaukee to go to Etzel's Polka where we'll find...well, we're not sure what we'll find...it just sounds interesting. 'Til next time...
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Wyoming to South Dakota
Oh, it was hard to leave the Grand Tetons behind, but I'm sure we'll return there some day. Our next stop was Cody, Wyoming, for a visit to the Buffalo Bill Museum. Within the walls are five separate museums: Guns, Natural History, Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, Western Fine Art, and Plains Indians. We spent four hours there and should have returned the next day for another four hours! And in the gardens are sculptures reminiscent of the era. I found Squaw with Papoose enchanting. We also find the Wyoming landscape enchanting. Last summer, when we drove from south to north through Wyoming, we both loved the wide open spaces and lack of traffic. This summer, we felt a sense of deja vu as we traveled through Wyoming from west to east. What we don't love are the wooden structures (snow fences) meant to hold the blowing snow from the interstate! I guess that's a clue to us!
Devil's Tower continues to be a sacred setting for the Plains Indians. The trees surrounding the base of Devil's Tower are strung with prayer cloths and prayer sacks placed there by Natives. Clint played his flute there for a bit. Very haunting. Upon entering the National Monument, we were greeted by our first Prairie Dog Town. We learned that the black-footed ferret had nearly gone extinct from the plains and were recently reintroduced. The ferrets not only take over the prairie dog towns, but make meals of the prairie dogs, too. The ferrets are active at night, so we didn't get to see any.
The Black Hills are such a beautiful group of mountains. They are full of granite outcroppings and the trees are just sparse enough to allow visitors to peek among them to see the undergrowth...rather unlike the forests of the Pacific Northwest. The Black Hills are a destination unto themselves--especially for families. There are countless small mining towns that cater to families by offering miniature golf, water slides, and bike trails. One of the towns that caters to adult entertainment is Sturgis where 300,000 descend upon this town of 8,000 for two weeks each year during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Clint and some buddies rode their Harleys from San Luis Obispo to Sturgis in 1991 and it was a real zoo then! Imagine it now!
I'm sure you've all heard the poker term, "Dead Man's Hand." Well, we saw the saloon in Deadwood where Wild Bill Hickock was killed with aces and eights in his poker hand. So much for Old Bill. Deadwood is architecturally beautiful. The gaming (I won some buckaroos on a slot machine!) proceeds have gone to restore this town to its prior splendor.
From Deadwood, we drove to see how the Crazy Horse statue is coming along. When I was in the Black Hills 24 years ago on the way to my Granny's 100th birthday celebration in Iowa, Crazy Horse had just been started. There is now a huge visitor's center and some progress. Good to see. We camped that night on Legion Lake in beautiful Custer State Park.
The next morning, we drove through Wind Cave National Park on the way to Hot Springs to see the Mammoth Site. A tour of Wind Cave included 763 steps, so we opted out of that cool offering. Hot Springs is an amazing town built nearly completely of sandstone blocks. As a consequence, the buildings are a soft coral color. About 25 years ago, a developer was preparing a site on which to build houses and the bulldozer found some really interesting, big bones. Turns out, the site was a sink hole into which fell hundreds of mammoths, woolly and otherwise, ancient camels, wolves, and short-faced bears. The bones are in-situ and the archaeologists continue to unearth the bones with the help of EarthWatch and Elderhostel volunteers.
Driving from Hot Springs to Mount Rushmore, we were fortunate enough to get a wonderful close-up photo of a pronghorn antelope. He stood perfectly still for us. We had seen hundreds of pronghorn in our travels through Wyoming, but none so close. The pronghorns are second only to the caribou in the number of miles traveled during their migratory season: 1,300. Pretty amazing, huh? We had read that burros had been used to cart people and their belongings up a steep mountain in the Black Hills, but had been released and become a wild hurd. Well...let me tell you. They're not wild at all! This little fella came ambling out of the shrubbery as soon as another woman and I got out of our cars to photograph him. And he was looking for some lunch. I was sorely tempted to share one of my special honey crisp apples with him, but remembered the warning not to feed the "wild" animals!
That night, we stayed at the KOA close to Mount Rushmore as they offer a shuttle service to see the monument during the evening performance and lighting. I had done that 24 years ago and found it so impressive. I was not disappointed this time, either. The Ranger asked some trivia questions about the four presidents sculpted on the mountain, then he performed some pertinent quotes. We saw a wonderful, patriotic movie, then we all sang the national anthem. He then asked for current and former military to come up on stage while the American flag was retired for the evening. Clint went up on stage to be included in the honors for having served our country. He was among a couple of hundred people on that stage. Very moving.
Devil's Tower continues to be a sacred setting for the Plains Indians. The trees surrounding the base of Devil's Tower are strung with prayer cloths and prayer sacks placed there by Natives. Clint played his flute there for a bit. Very haunting. Upon entering the National Monument, we were greeted by our first Prairie Dog Town. We learned that the black-footed ferret had nearly gone extinct from the plains and were recently reintroduced. The ferrets not only take over the prairie dog towns, but make meals of the prairie dogs, too. The ferrets are active at night, so we didn't get to see any.
The Black Hills are such a beautiful group of mountains. They are full of granite outcroppings and the trees are just sparse enough to allow visitors to peek among them to see the undergrowth...rather unlike the forests of the Pacific Northwest. The Black Hills are a destination unto themselves--especially for families. There are countless small mining towns that cater to families by offering miniature golf, water slides, and bike trails. One of the towns that caters to adult entertainment is Sturgis where 300,000 descend upon this town of 8,000 for two weeks each year during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Clint and some buddies rode their Harleys from San Luis Obispo to Sturgis in 1991 and it was a real zoo then! Imagine it now!
I'm sure you've all heard the poker term, "Dead Man's Hand." Well, we saw the saloon in Deadwood where Wild Bill Hickock was killed with aces and eights in his poker hand. So much for Old Bill. Deadwood is architecturally beautiful. The gaming (I won some buckaroos on a slot machine!) proceeds have gone to restore this town to its prior splendor.
From Deadwood, we drove to see how the Crazy Horse statue is coming along. When I was in the Black Hills 24 years ago on the way to my Granny's 100th birthday celebration in Iowa, Crazy Horse had just been started. There is now a huge visitor's center and some progress. Good to see. We camped that night on Legion Lake in beautiful Custer State Park.
The next morning, we drove through Wind Cave National Park on the way to Hot Springs to see the Mammoth Site. A tour of Wind Cave included 763 steps, so we opted out of that cool offering. Hot Springs is an amazing town built nearly completely of sandstone blocks. As a consequence, the buildings are a soft coral color. About 25 years ago, a developer was preparing a site on which to build houses and the bulldozer found some really interesting, big bones. Turns out, the site was a sink hole into which fell hundreds of mammoths, woolly and otherwise, ancient camels, wolves, and short-faced bears. The bones are in-situ and the archaeologists continue to unearth the bones with the help of EarthWatch and Elderhostel volunteers.
Driving from Hot Springs to Mount Rushmore, we were fortunate enough to get a wonderful close-up photo of a pronghorn antelope. He stood perfectly still for us. We had seen hundreds of pronghorn in our travels through Wyoming, but none so close. The pronghorns are second only to the caribou in the number of miles traveled during their migratory season: 1,300. Pretty amazing, huh? We had read that burros had been used to cart people and their belongings up a steep mountain in the Black Hills, but had been released and become a wild hurd. Well...let me tell you. They're not wild at all! This little fella came ambling out of the shrubbery as soon as another woman and I got out of our cars to photograph him. And he was looking for some lunch. I was sorely tempted to share one of my special honey crisp apples with him, but remembered the warning not to feed the "wild" animals!
That night, we stayed at the KOA close to Mount Rushmore as they offer a shuttle service to see the monument during the evening performance and lighting. I had done that 24 years ago and found it so impressive. I was not disappointed this time, either. The Ranger asked some trivia questions about the four presidents sculpted on the mountain, then he performed some pertinent quotes. We saw a wonderful, patriotic movie, then we all sang the national anthem. He then asked for current and former military to come up on stage while the American flag was retired for the evening. Clint went up on stage to be included in the honors for having served our country. He was among a couple of hundred people on that stage. Very moving.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Northern Rockies
We finally left Washington State behind and crossed Idaho on Sunday, September 7, and saw just enough to fall in love with the Pend Oreille area. We'd planned to camp on the river there, but the campground was closed for the season. With great disappointment, we continued into Montana where we found a fabulous campground in Libby. We listened to the sounds of the creek as we fell asleep. It was there that we did laundry and our first blog update. Since it seems we were headed for Glacier National Park, we called Tom & Jody, who live in Columbia Falls, to see if we could pop in for a visit.
They graciously welcomed us and gave us a tour of their gorgeous, uniquely-built home. They had been gathering antiques and historical architectural elements for MANY years and built this home around those possessions. They should be very proud of themselves as everything went together beautifully. It is a one-of-a-kind home and so warm and welcoming. We'll be back to see you, Tom & Jody, and we hope you'll come to see us in Gig Harbor!
We got one of the last campsites in Glacier that night, then headed to Lake McDonald Lodge for a ranger talk on artists who have specialized in capturing Glacier National Park. Many mediums were represented: watercolor, oil, photography. The ranger had really done her research. We certainly learned a lot. Lake McDonald Lodge is one of those historic, log hotels where "Easterners" would come for a summer visit. That cute Chaplin face greeted us from the camper window as we returned to the truck.
The next day, we got up early (7:00!!) for a Red Bus Tour in one of the historic vehicles that tour the park. Debbie take note: Our driver, Robbie Lucke, has lived in the area his entire life and knew every nook and crannie of the park. He schooled us on the various animals, trees, and geological formations to be found in the park. He really made it fun and the historic vehicle is a charmer. See that gorgeous shade of green in the lake? There's nothing like the glacial run-off water. That night, it was pretty chilly and poured rain. Nothing like listening to the rain on the roof of a camper...But the peaks in Glacier received a dusting of snow that night.
Jody had mentioned that we might see wildlife in Two Medicine on the East side of Glacier National Park. Since we hadn't seen anything wilder than a two-year-old by that time, we decided to take her advice and try to see mountain goats at the natural mineral lick...no luck. And hiked around Two Medicine Lake scanning the hills for signs of grizzly...no luck. Guess we were just too late in the season. Two Medicine is a gorgeous spot and well worth the trip. We still made it to Great Falls, Montana, that day in order to refresh prior to heading to Yellowstone.
Great Falls was a specific destination for me as I wanted to see the Charles M. Russell Museum in that town. His studio was intentionally built as a log cabin in 1903, despite the fact that his house next door was very modern for its day...it had two indoor bathrooms! Russell's works of art fill the museum--everything from watercolor to sculpture. Such a talent. One of our favorite tunes is "The Gift" by The Sons of the San Joaquin. The lyrics go something like this:
God made Montana for the wildman. For the pagan and the Sioux and Crow. But his greatest gift was Charlie. Said to put her all down before she goes.
And that's what Charlie did...
Well, we just about froze our ya-yas off in Yellowstone. After Clint BBQ'd a yummy steak dinner, we sat around a campfire listening to a ranger talk about bear safety and the elks bugling. The elk bugled all night. Boy, was that ever cool! I don't think we slept much...plus, it was 17 degrees! Yikes! It was definitely a two-cat night!
The next day, we planned to see Old Faithful, but we hadn't planned on getting wet from it! Oh well...the camera still works! We then hiked around the geysers and found those gem colors amazing. That day, we also hiked to a powerful waterfall and saw Big Horn Sheep along the way. What a treat! We did, of course, see elk and bison in Yellowstone, as well. But figured you knew what those look like! HA
Our first glimpse of the Grand Tetons was so exciting! It has, for many years, been my favorite National Park. We'll see if it will still have that standing by the end of this journey. Jackson Lake beckoned to us, so we took a boat tour. If Jan's leg had been in better shape, we would have kayaked...next time. We learned a lot from the captain of the boat, too. Like the fact that last May, he took a couple of snowboarders across the lake to the base of the tallest peak. They hiked to the top slid on down to the lake, where the tour guide picked them up. What Class A thrill junkies! We're no thrill junkies as our idea of excitement was to flute and drum up a storm. No worries...we were the only people in the campground!
On the way to the town of Jackson the next day, we saw a mama moose and her baby grabbing some breakfast along the roadside. We know how dangerous they are, but they look so sweet. We were also the recipients of falling pinecones compliments of a very industrious squirrel. That little guy was working so hard. Jackson was FULL of people as they were conducting their annual arts benefit with a wine and food tasting. Many beautiful works of art were available and the shops were full of nice things. But, you know, there's not a thing we needed. Except a beer since we were hot. So, we strolled on into the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar where we sat on saddle barstools and quaffed a cold one. Clint had many good memories from his last trip to Jackson. He was riding his Harley with buddies on their way back from the Sturgis, South Dakota, happening. Apparently, he spent many fine hours in that bar. He probably didn't have as much fun with me around! Then, it was back to the Grand Tetons for the night (the RV Park in town wanted 6 times as much for a night's stay as the National Park did! Yikes!). Clint fluted while Jan watercolored on the edge of the lake. A mother mule deer with two fawns ambled alongside us. So special.
They graciously welcomed us and gave us a tour of their gorgeous, uniquely-built home. They had been gathering antiques and historical architectural elements for MANY years and built this home around those possessions. They should be very proud of themselves as everything went together beautifully. It is a one-of-a-kind home and so warm and welcoming. We'll be back to see you, Tom & Jody, and we hope you'll come to see us in Gig Harbor!
We got one of the last campsites in Glacier that night, then headed to Lake McDonald Lodge for a ranger talk on artists who have specialized in capturing Glacier National Park. Many mediums were represented: watercolor, oil, photography. The ranger had really done her research. We certainly learned a lot. Lake McDonald Lodge is one of those historic, log hotels where "Easterners" would come for a summer visit. That cute Chaplin face greeted us from the camper window as we returned to the truck.
The next day, we got up early (7:00!!) for a Red Bus Tour in one of the historic vehicles that tour the park. Debbie take note: Our driver, Robbie Lucke, has lived in the area his entire life and knew every nook and crannie of the park. He schooled us on the various animals, trees, and geological formations to be found in the park. He really made it fun and the historic vehicle is a charmer. See that gorgeous shade of green in the lake? There's nothing like the glacial run-off water. That night, it was pretty chilly and poured rain. Nothing like listening to the rain on the roof of a camper...But the peaks in Glacier received a dusting of snow that night.
Jody had mentioned that we might see wildlife in Two Medicine on the East side of Glacier National Park. Since we hadn't seen anything wilder than a two-year-old by that time, we decided to take her advice and try to see mountain goats at the natural mineral lick...no luck. And hiked around Two Medicine Lake scanning the hills for signs of grizzly...no luck. Guess we were just too late in the season. Two Medicine is a gorgeous spot and well worth the trip. We still made it to Great Falls, Montana, that day in order to refresh prior to heading to Yellowstone.
Great Falls was a specific destination for me as I wanted to see the Charles M. Russell Museum in that town. His studio was intentionally built as a log cabin in 1903, despite the fact that his house next door was very modern for its day...it had two indoor bathrooms! Russell's works of art fill the museum--everything from watercolor to sculpture. Such a talent. One of our favorite tunes is "The Gift" by The Sons of the San Joaquin. The lyrics go something like this:
God made Montana for the wildman. For the pagan and the Sioux and Crow. But his greatest gift was Charlie. Said to put her all down before she goes.
And that's what Charlie did...
Well, we just about froze our ya-yas off in Yellowstone. After Clint BBQ'd a yummy steak dinner, we sat around a campfire listening to a ranger talk about bear safety and the elks bugling. The elk bugled all night. Boy, was that ever cool! I don't think we slept much...plus, it was 17 degrees! Yikes! It was definitely a two-cat night!
The next day, we planned to see Old Faithful, but we hadn't planned on getting wet from it! Oh well...the camera still works! We then hiked around the geysers and found those gem colors amazing. That day, we also hiked to a powerful waterfall and saw Big Horn Sheep along the way. What a treat! We did, of course, see elk and bison in Yellowstone, as well. But figured you knew what those look like! HA
Our first glimpse of the Grand Tetons was so exciting! It has, for many years, been my favorite National Park. We'll see if it will still have that standing by the end of this journey. Jackson Lake beckoned to us, so we took a boat tour. If Jan's leg had been in better shape, we would have kayaked...next time. We learned a lot from the captain of the boat, too. Like the fact that last May, he took a couple of snowboarders across the lake to the base of the tallest peak. They hiked to the top slid on down to the lake, where the tour guide picked them up. What Class A thrill junkies! We're no thrill junkies as our idea of excitement was to flute and drum up a storm. No worries...we were the only people in the campground!
On the way to the town of Jackson the next day, we saw a mama moose and her baby grabbing some breakfast along the roadside. We know how dangerous they are, but they look so sweet. We were also the recipients of falling pinecones compliments of a very industrious squirrel. That little guy was working so hard. Jackson was FULL of people as they were conducting their annual arts benefit with a wine and food tasting. Many beautiful works of art were available and the shops were full of nice things. But, you know, there's not a thing we needed. Except a beer since we were hot. So, we strolled on into the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar where we sat on saddle barstools and quaffed a cold one. Clint had many good memories from his last trip to Jackson. He was riding his Harley with buddies on their way back from the Sturgis, South Dakota, happening. Apparently, he spent many fine hours in that bar. He probably didn't have as much fun with me around! Then, it was back to the Grand Tetons for the night (the RV Park in town wanted 6 times as much for a night's stay as the National Park did! Yikes!). Clint fluted while Jan watercolored on the edge of the lake. A mother mule deer with two fawns ambled alongside us. So special.
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