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Oct 1 thru Oct 17, 2010

We wound up staying at the casino for the remainder of our time in the Albuquerque area. The next day we rode the bike into town and saw most of Old Town Albuquerque (I need to establish an abreviation for Albuquerque!). Many shops with their arts & artisans, some old buildings, an old church; many tourists milling about...we stopped for lunch at a nearby Wendy's then rode over to the Balloon Fiesta Visitor Center. We bought tickets for Saturday morning & Thursday evening (includes shuttle bus ride) and after telling the clerk that Thursday is Sue's birthday, he only charged us for 1 set of tickets! From there it was over to the Walmart near our casino for groceries and cheap imitation Albuq. balloon t-shirts, then back home for the night.
After a 3 o'clock false-alarm-clock snafu we got up at 5:30 a.m. then boarded the shuttle bus over to the Balloon Fiesta. Saw an amazing mass ascension including: Darth Vader, cactus, clown, (3) bumblebees, Smoky the Bear, the Wells Fargo stagecoach, duck, rooster, goofy face, heart, kitty cat (may have been "Felix"), many others. Came back home after buying a cheap ballcap, then went over to the casino for dinner. Had a terrific prime rib dinner then went back home; expect storms tomorrow, gusty winds tonight...
Since we don't take much stock in the crazy weather forcasts in this part of the U.S, the next day we left home on the Honda bound for Tinkertown, a little east of Albuq. After a lunch stop at KFC we set out on the shortest route around the mountain. Alas, the short-cut road became a dirt road, so we turned around & took the long way: NM 165 to Tramway Blvd (yes they have a long cable tramway up to the top of the mountain that overlooks Albuq.) to I-40 east to hwy 14 north to NM 536. Tinkertown is a hobby/collection of old nostalgia--turned into a museum of sorts. Well worth the effort to get there; some of the old toys & artifacts really take you back to childhood and they have amazing miniature displays of circusses. We left there & decided (i'll never know why) to stay on 536 to the (dirt) 165--bad idea! Very bad, nasty, potholed, rough winding road that I would hesitate to drive a Jeep on..10 white-knuckled miles later we survived to get back home & watch t.v, as it began to rain. A little later we walked to the casino for play cards, which should get us discounts at the buffet.
Monday we went over to the casino to have a discount lunch buffet with neighboring r.v couple Fred & Delores from Wisconsin. After a long chat-filled lunch Sue & I broke away and spent 2 and 1/2 hours plus $25 in the casino playing video slots. Later we went to a nearby McDonalds for drinks & wifi, before retiring for the evening. Tuesday we went on the Honda exploring toward the Fiesta grounds; observed some balloons landing off-site in fields near the road. Looked for & found a motorhome for sale--too old. Continued into Old Town Albuq. & went over to the New Mexico Museum of Natural Science. Toured the facility then watched movies in the Planetarium--one on telescopes and one on stars in the universe--very cool giant panoramic screen & videos! Came home & later I rode the bicycle over to McD's for wifi, then home for the night.
On Wednesday we didn't do much other than scratching our heads wondering why the batteries weren't charging. Thinking it might be the alternator, I tried to remove it to have it tested but as fate would have it, you have to take the radiator out to get the long bolt of the alternator out. So, I put it all back together and tried some other ideas, leaning toward the many connections that come with having 4 batteries...The next day, Sue's birthday, we went over to the casino to play around a while. Wasn't much winning going on, so Sue moved over to the Texas Tea game, playing and winning steadily for over 3 hours! When time became a concern we left the casino, went home for lunch then got on the bus to the Balloon Fiesta. Saw the chainsaw log-carving event, walked around some exhibits then sat on the chairs we had brought along, eating corndogs while waiting for the "Glow-deo" to start. During this down time we got to meet "Mar" from RV Basics group, who is travelling south for the winter; it's nice to put a face to the person behind the keyboard. Thanks, Mar, for a nice visit! Much to our dismay the event was cancelled due to high winds, but we stayed anyway for the fireworks show due in an hour or so..the fireworks were surprisingly great and afterwards we bussed home, where we enjoyed Sue's birthday cake. Note* since the Glow-deo was cancelled, our tickets would get us into the Fiesta any other day!
Sue's pills ran out the next day, and since the online meds haven't arrived yet, we had to call her doctor in Houston for a refill. We then went to McD's for wifi, then next door to Wally World to pick up the pills. Later we walked to the casino where Sue once again mastered the same Texas Tea machine & I didn't master any machines...later on we got on the shuttle to the Balloon Fiesta, using yesterday's tickets. Got our pictures taken at the interesting Texas on Tour display, used video-enhanced glasses to drive a kayak on a Texas river and after many killer glowing balloons, fireworks and a good funnel cake we took the bus back home. Saturday morning was colder--in the 40's--but warmed nicely to the 70's. After a trip to Mcd's for breakfast & wifi we went back to Sue's casino (she seems to "own" it now). Once again she played the same machine for a long time before finally crapping out; we then had a late lunch/early dinner buffet before going home for the night.
Sunday morning it was cold, in the 40's again. We unhooked the trailer & drove the motorhome to Conoco, where we dumped the tanks & filled the fresh water. I discovered the alternator IS working, just a bad connection somewhere as I had been suspecting. Later we rode the Honda to McD's for wifi (thank you McDonalds) then over to Skip & Marlene's (my brother Keith & his wife Penny's relatives) house to touch base with them, as we don't have their phone number. Alas they weren't home, so I wrote a note & left it at their door...from there we went home for the night. Monday it was cold again. Another day, another problem with the batteries; i'll get to the bottom of this some day...we went to the Post Office for info, but of course they were closed because of Columbus Day. Later we went to the casino again to kill some time & eat lunch at the buffet (it's a wonder we're not 300 lbs apiece). Skip called us in the afternoon to say the package is at the Post Office but it is too late today, so we stayed home for the evening.
Tuesday we packed up our travelling circus & drove thru town to the Post Office. Since the order came in 2 packages, we only got 40% of what we ordered on this shipment; the rest would come sometime later. With time starting to become a factor to our future plans, we decided to leave Albuq. without the other 60% of the meds. Headed east on the I-40 to Tucumcari, NM where we ran out of fuel. My estute calculations did us no good, as the faulty engineering of the fuel tank and filler tube let us down. Had $300 of mechanic work done basically for nothing (but a lesson learned) plus $135 for a wrecker tow. Stayed the night outside the shop, and had dinner across the street at the Pow Wow restaurant on Route 66. On Wednesday after the work was completed on the motorhome we decided to get the right front tire replaced, as it was bubbled & shaking. From there we continued east on the I-40 into Amarillo, Texas, where we stayed the night in a Home Depot parking lot.
The next morning we went on Loop 335 to hwy 1541 south to hwy 207, then on Park Rd 5 into Palo Duro State Park. We drove thru to see the canyon, stopping a couple of times to get out & look. Didn't see the formations we had hoped for--turns out you have to hike several miles through the canyon to see the "good stuff". Went back to Amarillo & stopped at the Big Texan Steakhouse (because you have to). Cool buildings and decor, but not good food. Got back onto the interstate to US 287 south toward Wichita Falls. Arrived at the Walmart off US 281 south of town and were later picked up my cousins Maggie and Linda. We met Maggie's husband Greg and cousin Vincent at a local steakhouse. We had a good dinner and visited a long time (not long enough) trying to fill in the gaps of 30-some-odd years of no contact...afterwards we were brought back to our r.v, where we said our goodbyes.
Friday we left Wichita Falls heading south on US 281. Arrived in Stephenville, Tx. and contacted Aunt Teeny & Uncle Danny, who picked us up after we found parking refuge at a closed-down Piggly Wiggly. Later we all went for a drive thru town and stopped for ice cream & wifi at Mc Donald's. That evening we watched the Texas Rangers play versus the N.Y. Yankees, then my uncle took us back to the r.v. for the night (they offered for us to stay at their house, but we declined). The next morning we left Stephenville on the US 377 north toward Fort Worth, then I-20 east to Dallas. Got on the familiar I-45 to find the Texas State Fair. Found the grounds and after some circling around found an old church to park at (for $20, the others wanted $45). Entered the fair and saw a dog stunt show, new car exhibits, butterfly garden, Big Tex & rode the Skyway cable car from one end to the other. Also attended a cookbook writer's demo (she gave us samples, which we carried home) and (had to!) eat some fried butter, which was pretty good. Satisfied, we left the park & drove to the Flying J, I-45 at I-20, to park for the night.
ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 17TH, THE LAST DAY OF OUR TRIP we left Dallas heading south on I-45 toward Houston. Stopped in Madisonville at McD's, but no wifi there. After fueling up (for the last time?) we drove down to the rest area near Huntsville, but no good connection (par for the course). Continued into Houston and found parking readily availible in a vacant lot behind Discount Tire, behind Almeda Mall. NOT A WALMART...

Sept 18 thru Sept 30

We took off this morning (Sat) on the Honda headed up the 64 towards Grand Canyon Nat'l Park, South Rim. We parked at the visitor center & took the shuttle bus to most of the stops along the rim, including some on Desert View Drive at the eastern end of the park. Had spaghetti lunch (it was surprisingly good) at the cafeteria between stops..left the park later on, arriving back in Williams at sunset. We have come to realize the $80 annual park pass will easily pay for itself after 4 or 5 parks!
The next morning we attempted to leave Williams but instead stopped at "Bearizona", Arizona's new wildlife park. Although still under construction, they let folks in for half price ($11 ea.). Very nice large drive-thru facility where, after a 15 minute burros-in-the-road delay, we proceded thru to view buffalo, bobcats, bighorn sheep, black bears, grey foxes & wolves. They also have pens with young bears, bobcats & the foxes. Afterwards we took off eastbound to Flagstaff, where we found parking at N. Arizona University. We then took off on the bike a few miles east to Walnut Canyon Nat'l Monument, a beautiful canyon which houses many Sinagua cliff dwellings. After descending about 250 feet using 240 stairs we saw the interesting dwellings built into the cliffs & overhangs, then huffed and puffed our way back up to the visitor center (note* Nat'l monuments are also on the annual parks pass), then walked over to another pueblo on the grounds. After that we headed back to where we were parked for the night.
On Monday morning we left Flagstaff heading north on US 89, stopping at Sunset Crater Nat'l Mon--where a volcano spewed ash & lava 1,000 years ago. Then, on the same loop saw the Watashi Ruins, a three-storey adobe house built high on a sandstone formation and the pueblo village, with it's many rooms, a ballcourt & a "blowhole" which at this time of year blows out cool subterranian air! Next we got back on the 89 to the Navajo Nat'l Monument headquarters, close to Utah border. The Tsegi Canyon houses an historic Ranger Station & the Betatakin Ruins--a large pueblo community built into a huge arch/cave feature on one wall of the canyon. It was a 1-mile walk over to the viewpoint; while we were gone the visitor facility closed on us. So, we left from there & continued on the 89 to Kayenta, Az where we parked near the McDonald's parking lot. Many Indian (native Americans don't mind being called Indians!)bums accosted us at that location asking for food or money..later we had Chinese fast food & called it a night. Fortunately, a guard of some sort ran of the bums.
Next day we got on the US 163, heading north toward Monument Valley. Many large monuments, buttes & spires along the way. Stopped at the Navajo Mon. Valley visitor center (US parks pass not accepted) after turning down $65 each tickets for a pickup truck tour--to features we could clearly see where we were standing! The view was good at the headquarters and there was alot of info and artifacts. After the walk-thru we exited the park, driving through magnificent scenery on the way to Hwy 191, which runs south toward the I-40. We stopped at the Canyon de Chelley Nat'l Monument, with it's many overlooks and views of Anasazi pueblo villages from 700-900 years ago. Nice visitor center. From there we continued south to Ganado, where we stopped alongside a gas station for the night.
Rained all night and all day Wednesday, but we plowed on to the 40 then went east to Gallup, NM. Bought 2 used tires (front end ate up my new tires) then drove to Walmart for supplies. Had dinner at Golden Corral before going back to Walmart to park for the evening. Thursday we got on the Busn 40/Route 66 then headed south on hwy 602 to hwy 53, east to El Morro Nat'l Mon. Did a 1/2 mile hike up the steep steps & walkway to an ancient pueblo ruin, and another 1/2 miler over to the mountainside where over 2,000 people have left there names and/or messages dating back to Don Juan, 1605! Also a run-off pool which provided the only fresh water for miles & miles..had lunch then drove a few miles down the road to the Bandera Volcano (one of over 20 cones in the region) which last erupted about 10,000 years ago. We hiked up the side of the cone & looked into the cool crater. Also on the property are many collapsed lava tubes, one of which formed a large cave which has ice in it all year round! This privately-owned property is part of the El Malpais Nat'l Monument, a scenic volcanic area of the state...From there we hit the I-40 at Grants, NM, staying in a vacant lot (or so we thought) next to train tracks.
After hearing many trains racing back & forth blaring their horns relentlessly through the night we awoke and hit the road running arriving later at the Dancing Eagle Casino/ RV park to take advantage of a cheap rate we had heard of. But, with no one there to take our money, we instead hooked up to electric & water for a few hours, taking a shower, dumping the tanks & getting some a.c. before taking off again. Our intention was to get to Albuquerque & wait for the Ballon Fiesta; since we were early we would find somewhere to go to kill some time. Since we coundn't find a place to park off the 40, we got on the I-25 south & drove to Los Lunas, where we parked for the night at the Walmart.
On Saturday we continued southbound on the I-25 to the US 60 west in Socorro, over to The Very Large Array Radio Telescope. What else can I say? Huge! 27 units, ocassionally all moving in unison as directed by someone in a control center..nice, informative visitor center and a killer video, too. Left that facility headed back to Socorro, got on the US 380 eastbound, passing thru the lava beds of the Valley of Fire Recreation Area. That evening we stopped at a vacant lot in Carrizozo, NM to park. No t.v., (been happinin' alot lately) had to watch dvds...Next day we continued east a few miles to the town of Capitan, where they have a great museum & tribute to Smoky Bear (born near there, buried there). Nostalgic artifacts, video, nice garden, even the gravesite. After doing laundry (right next door) it was off to Lincoln, where they have the Lincoln (town) State Monument--many buildings & an adobe fort from the 1800's. From there we picked up the 70 to Roswell, NM, then south on US 285 to Carlsbad. Stayed the night in a vacant lot on the main drag. Monday morning we headed south on the Honda to hwy 7, to Carlsbad Caverns Nat'l Park. Took a self-guided tour of the Big Room (really huge--the size of 14 football fields). The elevator taking you down seems to go on forever..After having lunch in the cafe we left the park & went back to Carlsbad, packed up & drove north to Roswell, where we stayed the night in a Sear's/Dollar Store parking lot.
The next day we headed north on the 285 to hwy 20--the bumpiest paved road we have encountered on this trip (or any other trip)--to Fort Sumner.Visited the Billy the Kid Museum, memorial & gravesite; very interesting & informative. After lunch we got on US 84 to santa Rosa, along I-40 west, then back on 84 northbound to I-25 north to Las Vegas, NM. Stayed overnight in the parking lot beside Comfort Inn. On Wednesday we headed south on I-25 to Santa Fe. After an exhaustive but sucessful search for fuel we continued into San Felipe Indian Reservation, where we found the San Felipe Casino & it's RV park. You can stay for free with no hook-ups; we lucked into a space with an unlocked electrical panel. Wifi was availible on a limited basis..note* free, pirated wifi is hard to come by in UT, AZ, NM.
Thursday we rode the Honda toward Albuquerque looking for a closer place to park the r.v. while in the Albuquerque area. Discovered the Santa Ana Casino in Bernalillo, which just happens to be a park-n-ride location for the Balloon Fiesta! Came back to San Felipe & packed up, filled up, dumped out, fueled up everything then drove our train down to Santa Ana Casino, where we parked for the ? evening?

Sept 7 thru Sept 17, 2010

After final preparations were executed we took off eastbound on the I-84 toward Boise, ID. The motorhome was running increasingly rough along the way, and when we stopped at a rest area upon inspection I noticed a few of the spark plug wires which I installed had popped off, I guess I didn't mash them on hard enough..We got back on the highway and later when we exited to get fuel, we ran out of gas while waiting for the light to change at the end of the exit ramp (running on 5 of 8 cylinders will burn some extra gas). Luckily we carry many gas cans so I only had to endure the embarrassment of refueling there in traffic! Well we survived that & parked for the night in a vacant lot close to the gas station.
The next morning we drove over to the Peregrine Fund World Birds of Prey facility. There are hawks, falcons, eagles, owls, kestrels, kites & condors live in cages. They have a wealth of information on raptors & falconry. A lady showed us a turkey vulture (buzzard to you uneducated heathens) up close & personal and later a different lady displayed a Peregrine Falcon. I highly recommend a visit to this wonderful facility. Afterward we drove (in the cold & rain) to the Garden of Eden Truck Plaza in Eden, ID. The next day we ate up alot of miles, winding up just south of Salt Lake City. Still cold, windy & raining. There we found a Sam's Club parking lot & stayed for the night. We have enjoyed being able to watch broadcast tv the last couple of days (we are tv junkies).
The next day we took off south down the I-15 to Scipio, then east on US 50 to Hwy 24where we stopped in Richfield, UT for lunch and supplies at Walmart. While parked there I tightened 2 squealing belts without busting my knuckles..From there we got on the 119 all the way to Torrey, at the gateway to Capitol Reef Nat'l Park. Stayed the night in a vacant lot next to a burger joint.
It was very cold & windy last night (same cold front we've been running from for a few days), but clear & calm this morning. We drove into Capitol Reef N. P., toured the visitor center then drove the 10 mile scenic road which ended at the Capitol Gorge (the road became dirt and narrower so we couldn't drive it). We walked about a quarter mile for many photos, then drove the rest of the park on (paved) hwy 24. This beautiful & interesting stretch has many colorful monuments & canyons, as well as the old Fruita schoolhouse, fruit orchards, the Capitol Dome formation and the Fremont Indian Petroglyphs. We left the park and got on hwy 12 toward Bryce Canyon Nat'l Park, passing through the Grand Staircase/Escalante Monument. Highway 12 in this area is a twisting, turning, up & down adventure but has many spectacular scenic overlooks! Stopped for the night alongside a rest area in Escalante, UT.
Warmer this morning. Went down the 12 to the town of Bryce Canyon (est. 2007), near the entrance to the park. Parked the r.v. & got on the shuttle bus to hit all the highlights out to Bryce Point. The Bryce Canyon (not really a canyon after all) is chocked full of hoodoos, spires, monuments & a huge variety of colors and varied landscapes! After going thru the visitor center (including watching a neat video) we went back to the r.v. to drive the long end of the park 18 miles to Rainbow Point. Plenty more of the amazing features which abound in this great park, including Thor's Hammer & a huge natural bridge. After lunch we got on the 12 to US 89 south toward Kanab. This highway took us through more of the Grand Staircase, Kanab Canyon and the coral pink sand area. We arrived in Kanab and stopped to visit the Little Hollywood of the West Museum--which has some buildings & artifacts from western movie sets done in the region. This tourist trap did not live up to the hype which preceded it; it was just o.k...afterward we found a vacant lot in town in which to spend the night.
Monday morning we took off on the Honda heading south on the Alt. 89. The terrain went from flat desert to mountain tops. We stopped at a pullout to view the colorful Vermillion Cliffs. Continued thru mostly burned forest & got onto hwy 67 south to Grand Canyon Nat'l Park, North Rim. Walked out to many viewpoints then had lunch at the deli near the lodge. We left the visitor center & took a road leading to Imperial Point. Best view ever! At the 8,800 ft. elevation you can see everything well, and the air was clear on this day. We easily viewed features on the other side of the canyon--Marble Canyon, Vermillion Cliffs & mountains 135 miles away. We left the park and headed back to Kanab, staying the night in the same vacant lot in town.
After getting fuel, fresh water & dumping the black/grey tanks we set out on US 89, then hwy 9 toward Zion Nat'l Park. This 12 mile stretch (mostly under vigorous construction) runs thru mountains & canyons with many switchbacks; westbound is all downhill and many one-lane stretches. The highway went through an unlit tunnel (one way) over one mile long! An hour later than we thought we would, we arrived at Zion and after a bite to eat boarded the shuttle bus to the first of many stops: the Temple of Sinawava, Weeping Rock, Angels Landing, The Grotto, Zion Lodge. Zion NP features huge sandstone monuments/cliffs, some of which are among the largest in the world. Took 2 hikes of 1 mile each--1st one along the Virgin River, which created the canyon, 2nd to Emerald Pool with it's blowing waterfall. After seeing a video in the museum theater we left the park. Note: Zion was the least scenic park of the "big 5" of Utah, in our opinion. We then headed south on the 9 and stopped for the night at Walmart (not again!) on the far side of Hurricane, UT.
Wednesday we took off south on hwy 9 to I-15, south toward Las Vegas, NV. After stopping at a Walmart in the city, we decided to find an r.v. park. Got on the I-515/93/95 toward Boulder City and quickly found the $16 per night Roadrunner R.V. Park, where we paid for 2 nights. Later we got on the Honda and rode onto The Strip. Took many photos of casinos & The Welcome Sign, then headed "home". Thought we were going to die from the heat..
Next morning we went on the motorcycle down hwy 93 thru Henderson and Boulder City to Hoover Dam. The facilities and the dam are huge! The tours, parking and admission to the visitor center are pricey, though. The dam is truly a magnificent feat of engineering, and Lake Mead is a beautiful blue. We then came back to the r.v. park, and later in the evening we went back to The Strip (Las Vegas Blvd) to see it at night. Saw the volcano at the Mirage and the fountains at the Bellagio (a must-see). We walked many miles, took a thousand photos, then went back to the house, pretty late for us...
Left Las Vegas early this morning, heading south on the 93. Crossed over Hoover Dam into Arizona. Stopped for lunch & wifi at McDonalds in Kingman, AZ, but due to the remodelling taking place, no wifi. Continued east on the I-40 into Williams (gateway to the Grand Canyon & a nostalgic Route 66 town), where we stopped & parked for the night at a roadside park. That evening we walked over to Rod's Steakhouse for a nice dinner. Unfortunately, no tv or wifi at this location...

Aug 27 to Sept 6, 2010

Greetings from Kanab, Utah! (details to follow, stay tuned)
Sue & I headed south on the I-5 toward Portland, but instead of going through town, we decided to go around Portland via the I-205, to pick up the I-84 east of the city. After fueling up we were headed down the 205 when we saw signs for the Columbia Gorge..we quickly exited to hwy 14 and proceded thru the river gorge area; however, we couldn't see much from this side of the river--too many trees. Well this twisting/turning/up/down road seemed to go on forever. Seeing a sign that said jct interstate 82=138 miles, we decided to find a place to cross the river (rather than get lost somewhere in Washington), and soon we lucked upon a $1.00 toll bridge at Hood River (town). We had lunch at Taco Bell (a familiar setting) then got on the I-84 toward La Grande, stopping to look at a huge dam, the dalles near The Dalles as well as good views of the gorge. A welcome bonus was the delicious grilled steak & chicken dinner Dan & Katherine fixed for us that evening.
On Sunday it was nice out, so we got on the Honda for a joyride. First we stopped at the nearby rest stop for maps & Oregon Trail info, then went onto the 203 toward Union, OR. This old town (1862) has an historic hotel, school and many old houses. On the way back we stopped to see Hot Lake with it's 203 degree water & steam coming off it.
The next several days were spent surfing the web (with much difficulty-weak pirated wifi signal), working on an extension to Dan's workshop, playing video games, watching dvds, playing cards & dominoes with the Austins, doing laundry and going out for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant.
On Friday the 3rd of September we went to the town of Elgin, where Dan works as a machinist at the Boise sawmill. Risking life, limb and his job, Dan led us on a grand tour of the facility. The tour took us through the processes whereby a log is turned into a 2X4 board. The second half of the tour took us thru the plywood making facility, the highlight being a killer machine that takes a log and shaves a thin layer around & around the log 'til theres nothing left but a core not much larger than a broomstick! Seeing what all is involved in the lumber making process, it's easy to see why prices are so high for wood..
The next morning we all got up at the butt-crack of dawn & took off down hwy 82 to the first of many stops along the Wallowa River, for a day-long fly-fishing adventure. Sue and I both quickly caught our first trout using a flyreel, then we moved on to another spot up the river..no one warned us about the treacherous walking conditions along the bank--we got a real workout. At one point the rod separated into 2 halves, one half trying to escape downstream! Well I tracked the pole down, as it snagged on some rocks; it was quite a chase for a few minutes! A little later our spot required us (only Dan & I at this point) to wade across a small fast-moving stream to get to the river. Where I went across, there were several large bulls waiting to greet me--one in particular was giving me the "evil eye"...I survived that encounter and with daylight waning and not much luck (except for Dan) we headed back toward La Grande, where we stopped for dinner at a Chinese buffet.
Sunday was spent shooting pool with Dan at Bud Jackson's Bar & Grill, where I experienced my first order of dry nachos (I wouldn't recommend them, even while drinking beer). Monday was a day for last-day visiting with the Austins, washing the RV and other preparations for leaving tomorrow. Looks like we will be heading back to the Boise area on our way to southern Utah...
Our heartfelt thanks go out to Dan & Katherine for their fellowship and supreme hospitality!

Alaskan cruise Aug 20-27, 2010

Hi again,
At 5 am this fine Friday morning we got up, packed our luggage onto Dan's old pickup & headed west on the I-84, then the I-82 to the I-90 westbound, arriving in a Seattle suburb close to 12 pm. Along the way we saw many vineyards, apple & peach orchards, nice canyons, a cheese factory (I'd like to have had the time to tour it) lakes & mountains. Included were Mt. Hood and Mt. Rainier. We parked the truck & took a cab to the Pier 91 terminal. Got some excellent pics along the way, including the famous fish market and the Space Needle. We got onto the ship without a hitch; that evening we saw a welcome aboard show, which included a stand-up comic.
The next day, Saturday was mostly spent wandering around the boat--it was kinda cold outside, especially when the sun was hidden..Saw some informative seminars, toured some shops, ate a lot, watched "Leap Year" (chick flick) that afternoon. During a trip outside we saw whale spray off in the distance. After supper at the buffet we watched the comedian/musician Gary Mule Deer perform in the big theater--good show!
Sunday was cool & rainy, which is typical for the west coast I hear. After breakfast we exited the ship in Juneau, AK & went to the tour waiting area, or so we thought. We almost missed our bus, as we were in the wrong place. The short quick ride thru Juneau left us wanting more--the guide seemed to be in a big hurry. The exploration of Mendenhall Glacier though was really neat; never saw anything like it! After our hour was up we went back into town where Sue & I got off the bus and explored Juneau on our own, mostly looking for souvenirs. One notable building was a visitor info center whose front was composed entirely of 9,000 pieces of driftwood. Later that evening back on the ship, we saw the Piano Man show in the theater, performed by the ship's song/dance group. Good show.
Monday the ship docked in Skagway, AK & after an early breakfast we left the ship to tour the town and White Pass. This tour was nice & informative. We toured the old graveyard, saw magnificent scenery and many waterfalls. After crossing into Canada and stopping at the shortest suspension bridge in North America in the Torment Valley we headed back to Skagway. We got off the bus in downtown, going thru many shops, saloons & tour brokers. The Klondike Gold Rush Museum was interesting and showed a cool video of those gold rush days. While going back to the ship we spotted 2 seals in the harbor (or 1 seal in 2 places)--we weren't quick enough for pics. That evening we filled out a few postcards and after dinner we saw the country/western show at the theater. Today we are farther north latitude than we have ever been. If it weren't cloudy at night we might've seen the Northern Lights..
Overnight we sailed to the Tracy Arm Fjord, a narrow strait leading to the Sawyer Glacier. The weather is great this morning! The Rhapsody of the Seas stopped within a half mile of the glacier, then spun slowly 180 degrees. This was for me the best scenery I've ever seen! Hundreds of waterfalls, snow-capped mountains & icebergs of many shapes & sizes. We sighted some whale fins, spouts & tails. Far in the distance I saw a rather large whale emerge and splash down spectacularly like that one on the insurance commercial! In a few hours the weather turned cooler & foggy and the seas got rougher, so no more whale sightings. That evening we attended the Motown show by a group called Spectrum (Temptations, Platters, etc.). Good show.
Wednesday was spent at sea. The weather was pretty decent--sunny but chilly. We walked around a lot, played some games at the casino and watched some of the Little League World Series (a team from Pearland was still in it). That evening we had our first dinner at the Edelweiss Restaurant. We had crab & scallop appetizers then tried the butterfish--it was just so-so. Tonight's show was the ballroom dancing song & dance; it was pretty good.
We went ashore on Thursday in Victoria, B.C., Canada, where we took a bus tour of the city. During the tour we stopped at Craigdarroch Castle, 105 years young. Going thru the castle involved climbing 5 floor's worth of stairs (no elevator). There was alot of original artifacts, decorations and personal items. The upper floors gave a nice view of Victoria in many directions. Next we wound up the tour, then walked around downtown where we bought a sandwich at a 7-11 store. After that we started making our way back to the ship, seeing Chinatown and much of the harbor, as well as the Empress Hotel (one can have "afternoon tea" for a little over a hundred bucks). Back on the ship after stuffing ourselves yet again (that darned buffet) we watched the evening show, the "Farewell Show", which featured a comedy juggler dude.
Early the next morning they made us get off their ship, so we packed up and went back onto the mainland in Seattle, got back to Dan's old blue pickup, it started and we were off on the I-5 south toward Portland, OR...

Aug 9 to Aug 19, 2010

Good day, mates! (where'd that come from?)
This morning we walked a few blocks to see the Idaho Falls. The falls were nice and extended way up the (Snake) river, but were flanked by an unsightly spillway. Next we set out west on the US 20 toward the Craters of the Moon Nat'l Monument. Basically this region (which actually covers much of southern Idaho) was covered by flowing & spewing lava thousands of years ago..we drove thru, stopping and hiking to see some formations, hills, caves & plantlife. Oh yeah, before arriving at the C of the M N P we stopped to see the EBR-1 nuclear power plant; the first of it's kind! Not only did we go onto the property, they let folks go deep into the entire facility! No, not any residual radiation there, but extremely interesting stuff.
After Craters we stopped for fuel in Carey, when I noticed the trailer hitch was sagging considerably & the framework seperating..after emergency chain-up we continued into Twin Falls, ID on the hwy 93, staying the night at an empty lot in town. The next morning when we tried to leave, the motorhome wouldn't start. Yikes! Many hours later I called for a wrecker to tow us down the road to the mechanic (he wouldn't drive a few blocks to us). He diagnosed the faulty ignition module & replaced,then we rehooked to the trailer and were on our way again. Before leaving the town we decided to go ahead & see the falls. The hard-to-get-to location was well worth the hassle as the Shoshoni Falls are beautiful & picturesque. From there we took off west down the I-84 toward Boise, stopping for the night at a rest area.
This morning we continued west on the I-84, stopping for fuel in Boise, before heading finally into La Grande, Oregon, where we got directions from Dan to the local laundrymat. From there Katherine escorted us to their house. Later that evening we all went to the Flying J resturant, then home to finish hook-ups (on the motorhome you dirty minded people) and to start catching up on the last 20-25 years..
Thursday we went into town for some supplies, fuel & propane. Also to the NAPA auto parts for several maintenance & repair items: Oil, filter, brake & tranny fluid, spark plug wires, coolant. That evening we all went to KFC's buffet (1st time for me) and afterwards they drove us way up a hill/mountain to see Morgan's Lake (looks like a good fishin' hole), then home for the night.
The next few days were spent doing some maintenance & minor repairs such as the broken bathroom vent cover. Also during that time we all went to Bud Jackson's Bar & Grill to shoot pool, and Dan & I did some cutting/welding on our bumper, frame & bulldog jack; then we installed the wheeled jack that I'd been carrying the entire trip...
On Sunday Dan, Sue, Nick (one of the sons) & I set out to Lake Wallowa, OR. Dan was a great tour guide along the way & he stopped at the Wallowa River, where he showed us how to fly fish (he quickly caught 2 trout). Then it was over to a favorite campground higher up in the mountains, alongside a nice cascading stream. Then we drove thru some small towns & slowly thru Joseph (Chief Joseph) a nice little historic town before arriving at the lake. We fished later on with worms, with no luck, no bites at all. No matter the scenery is beautiful there..from there we headed home for the night, where Sue and I managed to catch up on some episodes of Big Brother (bummer-no decent broadcast t.v. in La Grande except for PBS stations) on the computer-via some pirated wifi that mysteriously exists in their neighborhood (or their house).
Monday thru Thursday were spent mostly around the house, playing Tetris and HotShots Golf on the Playstation2, visiting and playing dominoes with Dan & Katherine, working on the gray tank's plumbing (the work on an RV is never-ending), putting the finishing touches on the weld work, going out to dinner a few times, surfing the w.w.w. and best of all packing & preparing everything for our Alaskan cruise coming up tomorrow, Friday the 20th...

August 1 to 8, 2010

Greetings from the Austin residence, La Grande, Oregon!
After having to cut off the stem of our bulldog jack, we left Cheyenne heading south on the I-25. Having a little brake difficulty, we stopped for the night in Walmart's lot in Denver.
The next day (Mon) we headed west on the "feared" stretch of I-70, toward Grand Junction..nice trip through the Rockies--lots of high elevations, beautiful mountain scenery & great view of Dillon Reservoir and mountains, alongside Frisco, CO..many ski towns on this route. We passed thru Glenwood Canyon then stopped at Glenwood Springs, where we bussed up (waayyy up) a mountain to see Glenwood Caverns & the village--decent cavern/tour and a nice view way up there. The village is actually a tourist Mecca with Alpine sled, tramway, arcade, thrill ride & gift shops. We decided not to do the Springs-too many people, not 100% authentic & too much $$$. Side note: our fuel gauge worked today (1st time). Next morning we hit the road headed toward Utah-not much to look at once you clear the mountains & hills. However along the way we did find Rifle Falls State Park, 80 ft waterfalls with many trails and scenic vantage points. From there we drove on into Utah, stopping for the night at the Welcome center.
Wed. morning took us to Moab, UT via the US 191. We rented a RV space for 2 days then took off on the Honda to Arches Nat'l Park. Bought the year pass for $80 then drove thru the magnificent arches, spires, red rock mesas, canyons & valleys of many colors. Despite the nearby threat of rain we hung on to see all of this spectacular natural wonder. The next day despite the threat of rain/thunder we set out toward the Canyonlands Nat'l Park. Was a decent ride to the entrance, however most of the features are "hidden" until you get really close..the canyons, buttes & other formations are nearly as good as the Grand Canyon! There are many viewing points and some trails to take. After leaving the park we refueled, shed our jackets then headed south of Moab to the Needles Overlook and the Anticline Overlook. Was 22 miles up & down a narrow paved road with many cattle bridges. This vantage point of the canyonlands shows the N, S & W sides of the canyons. Saw the Needles, the north & south Pistol Spires, many buttes, mesas, the Green & Colorado Rivers. On the way home we got very close to a thunderstorm which displayed a nice rainbow. Along the way we viewed the Wilson Arch, which is right alongside the highway.
Friday we prepared to leave the Moab Rim RV Park, then set out northward on US 191, then I-70, then US 6 toward Salt Lake City. Stopped in Price, UT & visited the Prehistoric Museum (College of Eastern UT). Thay have alot of dinosaur bones, fossils & skeletons, also fossils of plants, trees and various crustaceans. Also ancient indian artifacts. We left that facility and traveled to the I-15, where we stopped for the night at (not again!) Walmart near Orem. Saturday we got back on the interstate then quickly exited onto Hwy 92 toward the Timpanogos Cave. We found the park, but had trouble finding parking for our 49 ft train..tried to get on the tour for the cave but would've had to wait many hours, so we settled for a virtual tour on their computer (I know, I know!). We then left the park, headed to Kennicot Copper Mine. After some poor directions and a steep climb we arrived at the mine. The mine and all the facilities are HUGE! The open pit--the world's largest--is 2 1/2 miles across & 3/4 mile deep. They use earth-moving vehicles as large as a house. Inside the visitor center we watched an impressive video about the company and the entire operation, then toured the info kiosks. Leaving the mine, we got back on I-15 to Loop 215 to I-80 to Hwy 65, which turned out to be a long route thru the mountains..we were hoping to get to I-84 to find the Devil's Slide but wound up pulling over on the side of the highway for the night, due to overheated brakes.
After testing the brakes we set out to find the Devils Slide--no problem, it's right on the interstate. Cool rock formation; almost looks manmade. Next we got back on the I-15 via the US 89 to try to see the Great Salt Lake & Salt Lake City. No luck on the lake but the Interstates 215/80/15 go right thru downtown. Next we drove north to the Hwy 13 near Brigham City & followed the signs to the Golden Spike Monument near Promontory, UT. Nice exhibits, monument, steam engine locomotive demonstration and narrative. From "the spike" we headed north into Idaho. After stopping for fuel in Pocatello we made it to Idaho Falls, parked at Camp Walmart and walked over to Famous Dave's BBQ for supper--BTW, we did catch some glimpses of the Great Salt Lake from various points along the I-15...

July 15-31, 2010

Hello y'all,
We are winding up our stay in Cheyenne, Wyoming and today (Sat) we have a ton of chores to accomplish as we will be leaving Wyoming tomorrow. As this is a small town for a capitol city we now know this town like the back of our hand..We have had alot of down time anticipating the start of Cheyenne Frontier Days, but the event was worth the wait! I will condense down the timeline of events during CFD, hitting the highlights:
17th= Saw Despicable Me 3D at the Frontier Mall; it was just o.k.
18th= Watched the CFD Cattle Drive (550 head, really neat), then took off on a scenic ride on Wy hwy 34, between Chugwater & Laramie. Stopped at a rest area that contained a large Lincoln memorial statue, then just avoided a wicked rainstorm on the way "home".
20th= Sheila the lady next door cooked us buffalo burgers, then later a guy named Steve helped me replace a rather noisy u-joint on the motorhome.
21st= Went online and purchased a 7-day Alaska cruise on Royal Carribean's Rhapsody of the Seas--from Seattle to Juneau and back. Aug 20-27
23rd= Went to the mall, saw Inception; we liked
24th= Went downtown for the CFD parade; lengthy but interesting; drove close to the Frontier Park & parked in the neighborhood. So-so grand entrance (the horsemen were a little rusty) but nice rodeo: 3 sessions of bull riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, bareback bronc riding, team roping, saddle bronc riding, colt-to-mare race, wild horse race (crazy) girl trick riders & barrel racing. Afterward we got in the placement line for standing-room-only for Brooks & Dunn; despite standing up from about 5pm 'til the show was over (around 11 pm) it was a killer show! BTW this is their last concert tour..
25th= Went to Frontier Park & saw the Aaron Tippen / Neal McCoy concert--Tippen was really good, McCoy was o.k. Late that night spoke to Dan Austin in Oregon, we will be in his town in August.
26th= Went to the CFD rodeo, left the grounds for dinner (cheaper at Wendys) came back for the Professional Bull Riders nightshow. Saw Chris Shivers, Dusty LaBeth, Shane Proctor, Sean Willingham & others. 40 bull riders compete, then the top 10 go in the final. Sue & I being big PBR fans, this had been something we've always wanted to attend--we had a blast!
27th= CFD rodeo event, came home, left again & had dinner at Taco Johns, then on to the PBR day 2 event. Saw Tony Mendes, Cord McCoy, Brandon Clark & Wiley Peterson to name a few..lots of bulls ridden tonight! Good close-up fireworks show afterwards!
28th= Been enjoying good weather lately. Drove over to the Laramie Cnty Commun. College & watched the 30-minute Thunderbirds airshow, then on to downtown for the street gunfight/show. From there to Chilis for lunch, then over to Sierra Trading Post for free t-shirts. Later on it was back to CFD grounds for the Clay Walker concert. Opening act Glen Templeton was o.k. and Clay Walker was great!
30th= Drove downtown for the big pancake breakfast (10K-12K estimated people) & enjoyed the food and entertainment; next around the corner to the Cowgirl Museum, then back to Sierra TP for more free t-shirts (they have coupons on alot of ticket stubs, magazines, brouchures, etc) and next to the CFD rodeo--our last CFD entertainment. Afterward we went to Walmart to load up on groceries-we got carried away buying but managed to get all the stuff onto the Honda somehow (looked like the truck on the Beverly Hillbillies I think).
31st= Just so you know what needs to happen before we head back out on the road:
wash 3 loads of clothes
put up the tv, vcr, helmets, shoes, books, video game unit, vests, jackets,
dishes, remotes, converter box & anything else not bolted down
fill the shower with clothes, boxes
clean the house
drain the black & grey water tanks
unhook the sewer hose & stow it
unhook the power cord & stow it
filter water & fill jugs
fill up the fresh water tank
stow the water hoses
put up the spare propane tank & stove
put the Honda & scooter onto the trailer, strap down
lock up the generator and gas cans
meet with manager to settle electric bill
fuel up the motorhome & gas cans
check fluids and batteries and tire pressures
hook up trailer to the motorhome
make sure nothing is left behind
From Cheyenne we will travel into Colorado, seeing some sights along the I-70 as we go west into Utah, Idaho & Oregon.
Hope everyone is having a safe & enjoyable Summer!

July 14, 2010--Long Post

Greetings from Colorado! So far we haven't been disappointed in this beautiful state. So, after a quazi-lost trip thru downtown Denver (we wanted to see Coors Field & Mile High Stadium) we got on the I-25 south toward Colorado Springs. Upon arrival we drove thru the Garden of the Gods, a red rock geological spectacle which has alot of rocks, boulders & other features which the public can hike, bike, climb, photograph, etc. After lunch we drove on to Manitou Springs, had difficulty finding parking but the attendants hooked us up close to the train depot to Pike's Peak! Bought the 1st tix available so had to wait 'til 4pm for the train..the long, slow ride up the mountains was nothing short of breathtaking (literally-it's difficult breathing up there). Saw some waterfalls, old structures, wildlife (marmots, ravens), killer view of the lakes, forest, plains, mntns & tiny towns below..
At the summit (14,105 ft--ouch) we got off the train & walked around what seemed to be the top of the Earth or a view from near-Earth orbit! The air is really thin up there & we were feeling woozy--not sick but just 'loopy'. On the trip down we passed the time by talking to a nice couple from Texas..
Later that evening after almost hitting a stupid motorcyclist we had dinner at Rudy's BBQ then tried to park for the night at Walmart, but security ran us off (1st time that's happened) so we went next door to park alongside the Office Depot.
Tues we got on the 24 west to Canon City (pronounced canyon) then over to Royal Gorge Park. Thought we'd have to choose which activities to do (or could afford) but turns out they have a day pass for only $25 which includes all but the crazy bungee thing & horseback ride..the Gorge is a magnificent marvel of nature, and the bridge gives a great view at 1000 ft over the Arkansas River! We rode the Incline Railway--1200 ft almost straight down to the river's edge--saw many kayakers and rafters, one of which spilled 2 passengers including the guide (but got back on). On the other side of the Gorge we got on the Aerial Tramway which carries about 20 people over 2000 feet across without supports (other than the cable). We also walked across the bridge, rode the 2-horse-drawn carriage, saw a gunfight in the street of the old west town, saw "wildlife" aboard the trolley (elk, mntn sheep, BURROS, buffalo including 1 white). Before leaving we got on the little train that goes in a short loop that has fake sights of "yellow stone", "boot hill", "box canyon", 'rattle'snake gulch, etc...all & all one of the best places we've ever spent a day at! From the Royal Gorge we got on the 9 (only paved road to Cripple Creek from here-turned out to have some dirt portions) & drove seemingly forever before getting to Cripple Creek. In town we found a dirt bus lot to park in--we were able to 'pirate' some nearby electricity off the engine heater power sockets..
Forgot to mention last night, I was trying to open a can of biscuits; after pounding on it maybe 10 times it finally popped (exploded) ALL OVER the R.V. in about an 8 ft radial pattern--I salvaged most all the biscuits (it's just sprinkles)!
Wednesday morning a coyote walked up close by, Sue got pix..we travelled the 5 1/2 miles over to Victor to go into the gold mine via a giant truck, however couldn't get tix (capacity-14) & didn't want to wait 6 hrs for the next tour, so we toured the mining museum & panned for gold in their little horse trough--alot of iron pyrite (fool's gold) & a few small gemstones, but little or no gold of any significance. Disappointed, we left Victor on the 67, back thru Manitou Springs to Colo. Springs, onto the interstate back to Cheyenne (temporary 'home')...

July 11, 2010

After waiting for mail that never came, we hit the I-25 Saturday afternoon southbound toward Fort Collins. We then got on the 14 but lost it, got directions & successfully headed west toward Steamboat Springs. Hwy 14 goes thru the Poudre River canyon, twisting/turning/winding/knarly road with great views of river rapids, waterfalls, mntns & canyon walls..After fueling up in Walden we decided to continue (it was 7pm) 1 and 1/2 hrs into Steamboat. Upon arriving we parked for the night at public lot set up for the Balloon Rodeo the next day!
Got up at 5:30 am after little or no sleep & boarded bus to the 'rodeo'. Was a really neat event; we saw the whole balloon process from start to finish! There was about 40 hot air balloons doing tasks of dipping the balloon basket into the nearby lake, dropping beanbags onto targets and of course ascending & descending properly.
After the Balloon Rodeo we got on the US40 headed to Denver--nice mntn views. On the way we found the Buffalo Bill Gravesite & Museum- which was an adventure getting to as the facility is on top of a huge hill-a very steep climb. Besides the cool museum there is spectacular view of Denver and seemingly hundreds of miles of landscape from the observation decks.
Upon leaving the B.B. Museum we got back on the interstate & used McD's wifi to find a campground (Walmart LOL) close to Denver where we stayed the night.

July 5, 2010

We haven't been doing much since we got here in Cheyenne, but today we rode the Honda into downtown. Took a 90 minute city tour that included 20+ minutes in the Old West Museum-on the Cheyenne Frontier Days grounds. Had lunch at Sanfords-good food & tons of nostalgic decor and crazy artifacts (old bicycles,hubcaps,championship banners,Elvis statue,etc.) Then took a 30 min horse-drawn carriage ride thru downtown; basically repeating most of the trolley tour..Later we went back to the CFD grounds & bought tix to the PBR performance July 27 and Clay Walker July 28.
One thing about the weather here--it's mostly dry (although it can rain every afternoon) mild days, cool nights--subject to change on a moments notice.
We will be preparing to make a trip into next week into Colorado...

More pix from western WY

July 4, 2010

Happy 4th, everyone!
From Pinedale rest stop we proceded to Rock springs, WY and stayed there overnight. Our coach battery was still giving us problems, so I worked on the connections extensively..I think I got it back to normal, although the battery was damaged & won't hold a charge quite like it did..Then after researching RV parks in and around Cheyenne we found only 2 parks with spaces left--Cheyenne Frontier Days has all the hotels, RV parks & campgrounds all booked up in July. We decided to drive to Cheyenne to rent a spot while we could..T-Joes Restaurant, Bar & RV Park isn't much to look at but had a space for $280 a month + electric..from there we drove a few miles to the WY welcome center I-25 @ I-80 to stay the night--free wifi!
With a few days left in June, we decided to see some sights in east-central WY,so we took off on the I-25 northward to Casper. The next day we left the Chamber of Commerce/ Info center (where we parked overnight in the back of the facility) a few miles up the road to the Fort Caspar Museum, where they had log buildings and an informative walking tour. Then we headed down the 220 about 50 miles to Independence Rock State Hist. site, a huge rock dome which the 1800's pioneers stopped at and used for a point of reference--many of these people signed their names on the rock face. Saw a rattler in a crack on the rock. From there we drove a few miles to see the Devil's Gate, simply a gap in the hills also used as a reference point. After leaving the "gate" we went back to Casper & stayed the night at you guessed it--Walmart.
Next day (Tues) we headed south to Glenrock & visited the Dinosaur Museum, a very cool and informative venue that even offers the excitement of going on a "dig" with the scientists (we didn't go--no dig this day). Next we had lunch & wifi at McDonalds in Douglas, then went east on US26 to the Register Cliffs site, where pioneers (and others) wrote their names during their travels on the Oregon/Mormon/California Trail. Then 1 mile over to the Oregon Trail Ruts, actual tracks carved into the rocky countryside by the thousands of wagons passing through--very impressive. From there we continued on to Fort Laramie, perhaps the most important outpost on the westward trail. The site has many buildings original & restored from the 1830's on, plus items and artifacts used by the workers and soldiers. From there we drove several miles back to a highway rest area, where we stayed the night.
Oh, I left out the Ayers Natural Bridge, between Glenrock and Douglas, an awesome rock bridge formation over the N.Platte River. There is a nice park and camping facilities there at the natural bridge, as well as outstanding red canyon views.
The next day we drove down to Cheyenne and set up camp at T-Joes RV park. There is a fireworks stand in the same (large) parking lot, so we should expect some explosions during the days leading up to the Fourth of July...

June 27, 2010 Pt 2

More pix..

June 27, 2010

OK friends,
While in Cody we went on the scooter to the Tecumseh Trading Post Miniature Village & Museum (free) where there were many stuffed wild animals & horns on exhibit, and the town of Cody from the 1800's in miniature, with working train and audio. Museum has many artifacts and info. Next onto Old Trail Town, where the past is preserved (old buildings, fixtures, artifacts)..then 6 miles down the road thru 2 short tunnels & 1 longer tunnel to the Buffalo Bill Dam, on the Shoshoni River built in 1910 (free). Dam is in a very scenic location on the river! While we were there the weather turned colder & ominous--remember we are on a scooter--we froze going back to base. That evening we had a good chuckwagon dinner buffet & western musical entertainment at the Cody Cattle Company.
The next day after a little maintenance & shopping we took off on the 120 along the Wind River-the canyons along the river are spectacular! Got on the 20 at Thermopolis (hot springs there), saw the scenic features of Boysen St. Park & reservoir, thru Shoshoni to Riverton-a large town with all the facilities-had lunch at Taco Bell & observed many seagulls (what are they doing there?). Then it was on to Dubois, WY, the route taking us thru some very scenic hills, mntns, buttes & canyons. BTW Dubois has a giant Jackalope..we stayed the night in a city park.
Next day (Thurs) we headed to Grand Teton Nat'l Park. Beautiful drive and saw much wildlife. Arrived in Jackson, had lunch near visitor center then drove over to Jackson Hole @ the Teton Village. Nice rustic shops & inns catering to the skiers..got on the tramway 2 and 1/2 miles up to the top of Mt Rendezvous-10,400 ft- view was like no other! Could see the entire Teton range almost at eye level; many lakes, other ranges, many miles of the Snake River. Had hot chocolate at the top cafe (they served waffles there for some reason). The trip up took us over 4000 ft up in elevation-rough climbing stairs! And yes, it was pretty cold up there..After coming back down we figured we had seen the Tetons; no need to go into the park. So we left heading south on the 26/89/189/191 (they have a lotta numbers) thru yet more river rapid areas & canyons. Got a free H2O fillup at an RV park then drove a little more before stopping for the night at a roadside info/pullout area close to Pinedale. Not everyday you get to play in the snow in late JUNE!

June 25, 2010 Pt 2

Some pics..

June 25, 2010

Well we decided to take advantage of good weather & go into Yellowstone N.P. thru the northern entrance at Gardiner, MT. There were many free campgrounds along the way on the US89..about 1/2 of the campgrounds in the park were full, so we picked the 1st one, Indian Springs. We then set out on the moto about 3pm & did the Upper Loop-75 miles-saw beautiful scenery, Norris Geyser Basin w/ it's many steampots, hot springs, Steamboat Geyser & much more..route took us high into the mntns above the snow line (cold up there). Saw Tower Falls & Mammoth Hot Springs and many deer, antelope, buffalo & a black bear from a distance (caused a 1/4 mile backup on the road). We were rained on occasionally but were dressed for it.
The next day we took off at 10am to do the lower loop. Saw the lower & midway geyser basins, then over to Old Faithful. Arrived there at 1pm, expected eruption at 1:34..whattayouknow it happened on time-really cool! Next it was up the mountain, across the continental divide & thru Craig's Pass at 8262 ft. That took us to West Thumb Geyser Basin, then alongside breathtaking Yellowstone Lake. We bypassed Fishing Bridge & Bridge Bay and went on to see Mud Volcano & Sulphur Cauldron. Next it was Canyon Village, with the really cool Upper and Lower Falls on the Yellowstone River; and then what's known as the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone (they aint kiddin' it's amazing)..After fueling up we drove back to camp in the rain, close to nightfall.
Monday am we broke camp, gassed up & headed east on the 212 toward Cody, WY. More spectacular scenery on the way and thru a nice little town called Silver Gate. The next stretch of 296/120 was an up & down, incredibly scenic route that included rapids, huge canyons, waterfalls and a killer ride up to Dead Indian Pass (8000 ft) which was some of the most beautiful high elevation scenery you'll ever see! After some minor engine & brake overheating we got into Cody, did our laundry then parked for the night at Walmart. While there we discovered Cody has city-wide wifi!

June 18, 2010

Greetings from Montana!
Rain has let up for several days now, giving us the chance to see alot of stuff more comfortably. From the Happy Holidays RV park we set out on the moto toward Mt. Rushmore. Along the way we stopped and rode a tram up the side of a mountain & got our 1st good view of the presidents..coming down was a lotta fun on an alpine sled going at speeds up to 40 mph! Next we drove to Mount Rushmore Nat'l Park & took pictures. Then it was off to the Crazy Horse Memorial, a work in progress, but still amazing (it will be the largest memorial in the world, if they ever complete it). The facility had a large museum/cultural exhibit and a movie--really neat stuff. Perhaps we could come back in 20-30 years to see the progress..From there we entered Custer State Park and got on the Wildlife Loop, where we saw many deer, antelope, prairie dogs and buffalo, one of which took up residence on a median at a highway intersection! Upon leaving Custer St Park we took the long way around back to camp, and called it a day.
Next day we left Rapid City (which, by the way has life-size statues of all the Presidents at every corner in one section of downtown) & headed to Sturgis, drove through town & took some pix. Then we headed south to Deadwood, SD. Turned out to be a cool little town & we took a 1 hr tour bus, seeing most all the town including the cemetery containing Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane! Very informative tour..got off the bus & stepped into the #10 Saloon, where they had a re-enactment of the assasination of Wild Bill; then went outside to catch the 4 pm re-enactment of an old west shoot-out (a poker game gone bad). Next we made our way throughout the various old buildings,(all of which had a working casino) including the Adams Museum. We then left Deadwood, got back on the I-90 & drove to Spearfish, SD where we parked on a secluded backstreet very near a Walmart. Storms in the area had us a little nervous that night..
The next day we were awakened early by what sounded like a siren of some sort--still don't know if it was a tornado warning siren or what! We survived that & headed west into Wyoming, got on the 14 then 24 to Devil's Tower National Monument. Wow it's really "killer" up close, and the view getting over to the Tower was spectacular! From there we started heading for any large city we could find, as our toilet was malfunctioning & needed replacing (after I got to working on it). Tried Gillette and Buffalo before hitting pay dirt in Sheridan, WY. Of course we found the Walmart & I quickly installed the new "can" and we had Chinese buffet & called it a night.
On Friday, a nice sunshiny morning (this morning) we headed toward Billings, Montana and stopped at the Little Bighorn Battlefield Nat'l Memorial otside of Harding, Mt. Walked the grounds & attended a narration of the events before and during the battle at which Maj Gen George Custer and all his men lost their lives; this story was told by a Crow Nation native park ranger. This large area of Montana is within the Crow Reservation..saw many gravesites, monuments and artifacts..from there we continued on to Billings, Mt to the McDonalds where I'm writing this update..from here we haven't 100% decided if we will go to Yellostone, or west all the way to Seattle & then coming back to Wyoming. Decisions, decisions...

June 14, 2010

Hello, this time from Happy Holiday RV campground near Rapid City, SD!
From Eau Claire, WS we did alot of driving, headed to St Paul...our "house" wasn't running very well so we had it looked at in Minneapolis; needed a fuel filter and carb adjustment & we went ahead and got the oil/filter done as well..wow over 3,000 miles already!
We found a good place to park very close to the Mall of America (people come from all over the world) & walked over to see what the hype was about. Wow the place is huge-5 floors and a gigantic amusement park smack dab in the middle of it all. We had some really good Thai fast food before calling it a night..must've walked 5 miles! Watched the Blackhawks win the Cup, too..
*Ask Sue about the tick..
Next we took the I-35 south to get on the I-90. Along the way we stopped at the Village of Yesteryear in Otawanna, a collection of buildings from the late 1800's to the early 1900's. Since the only tour was at 1:30 daily & the time was 3:15 we could only look at everything from the outside & peek in through the windows..
The weather has not been kind to us lately--lots of wind, cold & rain. Anyway next we stopped off at Blue Earth, a small town which just happens to have a 55 ft statue of the Jolly Green Giant (and a little gift shop)..while we were taking pix of the JGG a local AM radio personality scooped us up for an interview, to be aired on Monday the 14th-the weekly show showcased travelers who stopped to look at the ststue..that evening we stayed at a highway rest area, which has a memorial to the completion of the I-90. After yet another thunder-stormy night we started our day (our 11th wedding avviversary) travelling west to Sioux Falls, SD. We were surprised to find actual falls-they were impressive & the city park was huge and included informative plaques, historical buildings and an observation tower.
From Sioux Falls we headed west toward Rapid City, stopping in Mitchell. We stayed the night in Cabela's parking lot, and had anniversary dinner at Whiskey Creek restaurant..when we got back to the "house" we noticed a guy out in the lot had a BALD EAGLE on a leash-we got to get about 10 ft from the amazing bird! turns out this guy was with an eagle preservation society so it was legal.
Saturday we headed west-still windy/rainy-stopping off at the rest area near Chamberlain for a few minutes. Ended up staying for an hour to look at an impressive display of the journey of Lewis & Clark. Next we crossed the mighty Missouri River & stopped in Kadoka for the 1880's western town, which had plenty of roadway signs preceding it..thought it would be cheesy, but turned out to be pretty good. Stayed overnight at an overflow truck parking lot, listening to the rain once again..
Not discouraged, we set out the next morning to Badlands National Park-drove the 240loop-was an AMAZING 35 miles of scenery-cliffs, gorges, canyons, spires, buttes & colors. Never knew what a special place the Badlands is! From there we followed the 1000's of signs (they started 300-400 miles back) to the Wall Drugstore in Wall, SD. Again we weren't expecting much, but were pleasantly surprised. And, we weren't the only travellers lured in; there seemed to be a thousand people in the huge complex, which encompassed a full city block on both sides of the street. Drugstore, souvenir shops, novelties, cafe, clothing & other specialty shops..lots of kid-friendly stuff, photos & western decor. After that we continued to Rapid City, did laundry and stayed the night at-you guessed it-Walmart.

June 9, 2010

Greetings fron Hudson, WS right at the western border of WS & Minnesota. Despite some rain we explored Chicago on the Honda, tried to get to US Cellular Field but not situated where we could get to it, but saw Soldier Field. When we arrived at Sears Tower it began to rain hard so given the poor visibility we didn't go up the Tower but took pics from the grounds..then it was over to Wrigley Field (it stopped raining) and the park is charming as well as amazing given it's age. Then it was time to pack up & head toward WS, stopping in Beloit for restocking. Saw alot of those wind farms up close along the way..
Next day it was off to Wisconsin Dells, WS a scenic river and resort town with much to offer the tourist. Wisc Dells IS THE WATERPARK CAPITOL OF THE WORLD! Noah's Ark (the largest) to Mt Olympus they got a park for everyone. We boarded a tour boat & cruised the Upper Dells, a particularly scenic geographical locale..Next day we walked the 1/4 mi Riverwalk and thru downtown to see the markets and attractions, and bought our Wisc cheese. For lunch it was Dave's BBQ (very good) then we went in the cheesy Haunted Ghost Mansion ($5 ea) before boarding the 2nd half of boat tour on the Lower Dells. Not quite as good as Upper, but still a nice stretch of the Wisc River! After taking more pix of downtown we called it a day & went back to camp.
The next day it rained so we broke camp & headed out toward St Paul, MN. As the motorhome started to run poorly we stopped for the day at Walmart in Eau Claire, WS.
Cheers,
Dr Duke

June 4, 2010

It's been a while so i'll hit the highlights..
After a short stay at Vicky's home in Leesburg in which we mostly visited with the family we headed out toward Dayton, to pick up the I-70 thru IN. We only stayed one night, at a free campground (horse trailer camp) with no electric or water. Heading west down the I-74 we were in need of water for our fresh H2O tank but couldn' find any connection compatable to ours & didn't want to pay for one..luckily we went across the road from a Pilot truck stop to a local restaurant, where we noticed a VERY LONG HOSE around the back of the building-hooked up & ready-that's where our current supply of water came from (pirated water)LOL. The next day we traveled a few miles to a little town called Pontiac (named for an Indian warrior) which had an awesome Route 66 museum along with an adjacent War museum-all of which were free! Then we left Pontiac headed toward Chicago, stopping about 30 miles from the city at a Cracker Barrel (where I'm typing this message) which happily is right next to a hotel, which is providing free wifi for our surfing pleasure..Saturday, weather permitting we have some destinations planned in Chicago, before we resume our travels westward...

May 29, 2010

Greetings from Leesburg, Ohio!
Although I have to report, we almost didn't make it here, or anywhere! Yesterday (Fri) we were at Kincade State Park in northern Kentucky. Sue was coming back from an ice cream run on her scooter when a wicked thunderstorm blew up quickly (a microburst) only lasting a minute or two but it knocked over a bunch of trees--including one onto our motorhome & trailer!! We were standing outside in the storm's chaos trying to park & cover up the scooter when the tree fell over onto the top of the RV. Fortunately we weren't hurt at all, but our house on wheels got beat up on top--a gaping hole in the roof & broken ac cover. Also damaged was the right side mirror on the Honda. Thanks to the quick and organized response of the county emergency people the tree was removed from atop our house and others from the road and one other from some tenter's canopy..They removed our tree so fast that we didn't make the video for the news the next morning; they did show the drunk guy's camp, which wasn't even affected by the storm (LOL)..Thanks a million to Vicky's hubby Daniel, who helped me make the repairs today using some items he had around his home (plus my duct tape). Looks like after a few days here we will take off westward toward IN, IL & WS..
Thanks to ALL our friends who want to keep up with our travels! I promise to try to do a better job of blogging & facebooking, it's just difficult getting a free internet connection (McD's , Starbucks, DQ, etc.) We will put up some pics soon.
TT4N,
Dr Duke
Leesburg, OH (e.s.e of Cincy)

May 25, 2010

Hi there!
Sorry for the gap in communication, I have had difficulty getting wifi, and making it work! We are in our 4th day around the Great Smoky Mntns National Forest. Sue and I have been staying in & around Pigeon Forge, TN. This place reminds me of Branson, MO. There is much to do & see, but the coup de grace is definately the Smokies! It's a must-see and a must-ride on a motorcycle..Today we're heading thru Knoxville into Kentucky, where we hope to spend a few days in some remote locations..
Happy Holiday weekend to everyone, I hope to give more regular updates.
Scott, your brother is the one who brought up the idea of going-away-party, but we got REALLY BUSY there at the end before we left, and didn't hear from Tim & Sam again..Y'all be good, we'll see ya hopefully in November.
Your friend,
Rob (Dr Duke)

May 16, 2010

Hello!
This is the day we have been waiting for! After an endless amount of hard work including packing, yard sales, planning, last days at my former job & saying goodbyes to friends & family we are taking off today Sunday May 16th around 2:45 pm. We're leaving so late in the day because we have to clean up the house and meet the landlord to secure our deposit. We have a free hotel night at Isle of Capri Lake Charles so we won't have to rough it just yet...tomorrow we will get to Biloxi, MS to stay a couple of nights...

May 8, 2010

Hello to all!
It's getting serious, I want to tell ya! With only 8 full days to go until we take off, there is still much work to be done. Most of that work involves selling off the rest of our stuff, which is difficult when it seems like I'm always at work...We have packed alot of items into the RV but there are many items still to go...My boss will announce to the rest of the employees on Monday that I'll be leaving...One remaining chore will be to move the Explorer along with the rest of my son's belongings to my step-daughter's house...We will probably move in to the RV on Tuesday, as a test run and loading exercise...Although we planned to go towards Ohio at first, now we are somewhat undecided which way we want to start out; might go northward through Amarillo...

April 27, 2010

Hello all! It's Tuesday April 27 and the days are seemingly racing by...Sue had a mini-yard sale Sunday & sold a few items--only a thousand or so left! I sent out an email to some family & friends with the heads-up and 1st pick of the big-ticket items. Weather permitting on Saturday, Sue will put on a bigger yard sale with signage & such...I went to Dairy Queen, hooked up to wifi and loaded all my websites into favorites...Went to eyedoctor to update my glasses (found out I have the very,very beginning of cataracts)...We packed a TON of stuff into the RV with alot more to go...Sue has 3 more days at Walmart (she's at the end of her rope--can barely muster the energy to go the last days)...Now I'm looking into getting one of those pre-paid phones, probably from Verizon-they have a $100 per year deal...Need to rent a storage soon for my son's things, and find somewhere to park his car for a few weeks...

April 24, 2010

Wow! It's hard to believe, but we're only 21 days from leaving! We are now in full-blown get-ready-to-go-mode..we have alot of work to do, especially selling off our unnecessary stuff. I can tell you it's really tough to work on a project, when you are still working full-time on your "real job"..

April 17, 2010

Well now looks like 28 days to go! Finally all systems are 100% thanks to Rick who helped fix the hot water heater (loose wire). Yesterday I arranged for the gas, water, electric, cable & cell phones to be cut off. We will be getting a pay-as-u-go phone to cut costs..next weekend we will be starting up the yard sales-we got lots of stuff to sell! Although my bosses know I'm leaving, my co-workers still do not. Guess that news is coming soon..my friends Tim & Scott Sizemore are talking about a going-away party(yahoo).

April 17, 2010 10:58 AM