Monday, June 29, 2009




Monday (6/29)   We got up and gave tours of the T@B.  We had planned to get out early but that did not happen as we had visitors from the campground who wanted to see the T@B.   That happens to us if we don't get out before people get up and get going.  

After the T@B tours, we headed straight to the Harley Davidson factory .  During the Harley tour we saw that a great deal of the work is being done by robots and yet they still employ 1,000 people. All of the motorcycles are built to order.   They do not have a warehouse.   As soon as a motorcycle is completed it is labeled for shipment.  Harley Davidson has been around since 1903. The nickname "hogs" came from a racing team in the 1920s that raced Harleys. They had as their mascot a hog and when they one a race they took a victory lap with the hog on the motorcycle.  The association with the hog stuck and the motorcycles became known as hogs.

From there we went north to St. Josephs to see the home of the Pony Express.   The Pony Express promised to deliver mail from St. Josephs, MO, to Sacramento, CA, in ten days.   They delivered on their promise but it was very costly.  A half-ounce letter cost $5 to send in 1860 money.  That is the equivalent of $200 in today's money.  Although they did what they contracted with the government to do and they had a million dollar contract with the government, they went broke.  Eighteen months after it was started, the telegraph was connected all they way to California and the Pony Express just became too costly when competing with the telegraph. There were 80 riders, 200 stable keepers and 500 horses - a very expensive operation.

Also in town, is the home where Jessie James was shot by one of his gang and the Patee Hotel.
The home still has the hole in the wall where a shot was fired at his head.   Blood had gotten on the floor where he fell and over the years people have chipped away pieces of the floor as souvenirs leaving a large indentation in the floor. The Patee Hotel was known as the World Hotel because it was the nicest accommodations anywhere in the region.  This is where Mrs. James was taken for questioning after her husband's death.  It is now a museum that is filled with local artifacts.

It was a beautiful evening and we went to a Kansas City Royals game against the Minneapolis Twins.   It is a lovely park which looks new but is really an older park that has been updated. There was a crowd of about 20,000 of which we think half were Twins fans.  We could not believe how many Twins fans were at the Royals stadium.   It was a great game and when we left the Royals were leading 3 - 0.

Sunday, June 28, 2009




Sunday (6/28)  Well, the weather is much better - only in the 80s.  We made our first stop the home of Harry and Bess Truman in Independence, MO.   This is the only home that the Truman's every lived in.  It was built by Bess' grandfather in the 1850s and then he doubled the size of the house in 1885. The Truman's never changed anything except paint and wallpaper. This modest home is comfortable and unpretentious. He truly was a humble man who loved his hometown.

We went to the Crown Center which is a development around the Hallmark Headquarters in Kansas City.  The Center is the vision of the Hallmark Corporation as a means of giving back to the community.   It includes many acres of commercial and public space all designed to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Kansas City.  One of the large public areas has many fountains - most of which were full of kids today.  There is a model of the entire complex which is not yet complete but when it is will be a real "crown" jewel for the city.

We ate lunch in one of the many eateries in the Crown Center.  It was called Fritz's and they served hamburgers - nothing special about that!    Well, it was special because you ordered your food by phone and your food was delivered by train.   They have a train system that runs around the edge of the ceiling and when the train gets to your table, it drops your food box onto a platform that lowers the food to your table.  It was great fun watching how excited the kids in the place got when the train came to their table with the food.

Also at the Crown Center was a traveling exhibit called The Art of the Brick by Nathan Sawaya. It included more than 30 amazing works of art created solely from Lego bricks. Many were of life-like human beings.  An interesting one was of a man pulling his chest open with all the Legos falling out.

The Toy and Miniature Museum started by two women who had collected toys and miniatures was our next stop.  This 33,000 sq. ft. facility has a collection of the highest quality miniatures imaginable.  Many of miniature pieces of wood furniture were about an inch high and had working drawers, handles and locks.  The wood finishes were just beautiful.  The toys included dolls, dollhouses, trains, planes, cars, marbles and much more. The variety and quantity of items was mind boggling.  There were a million marbles!

We then went to see a fountain that we had passed earlier and came upon a VERY upscale shopping district.  All of the buildings in the area were of Spanish influence and there were flowers everywhere.   It was fun to walk around and look at everything.  We also made a stop at the Union Station.   This old train station has been renovated and has restaurants and movie theaters.  The work in the ceiling of the station was just amazing.

We were on our way back to the campground and decided to see where the Harry Truman Library was because we are going there tomorrow.  When we got there a free outdoor music concert celebrating our Country's Independence was going on.   We listened for a while and then headed home.  It has been a very full day.



Saturday (6/27)   We are in the capital of Kansas - Topeka.   We went to the Capitol Building  this morning for a tour.  Yes, Rich has a thing for State Capitols.   The tour on Saturday is not of the whole building but of the dome only.   So we joined the group to climb the 296 steps to the top of the dome and to go out on the dome and get a view of the city.  Well, we almost made it.  The last 75 steps or so were a staircase suspended from the very top of the dome with the last 20 steps or so making up a spiral stair case leading out onto the outside of the dome.  We both stopped just before the last 95 steps.  It was just too steep and too suspended for us.   We kind of regret not doing it but at the time, it just didn't feel right.  We ended up getting a complete tour of the capitol because there was a group of ten women there who had connections.  One worked in the capitol and one other was a former legislator.   These ten women get together once a year and have an outing.   They have been friends since they were all in the same Brownie Troop.   It was us and them and they were very gracious to us.  

We then went to the Kansas Museum of History.   This was a very nice museum outlining Kansas history from prehistoric times to today.   They did have a fairly large exhibit about Abraham Lincoln and Kansas.   The whole exhibit was about "Lincoln and his tie to Kansas" which was based solely on the ONE visit to Kansas he made prior to becoming president.  It was interesting to see how they had to stretch everything just to make the connection and make an exhibit out of it.  It just goes to show - everyone wants their piece of the pie!!!

Again today, it was very hot - in the high 90s.   So we decided some dessert (something involving ice cream) was in order.   We went to Bobo's Drive In for apple pie ala mode.  They have been serving apple pie to the residents of Topeka for over 60 years and they were featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.   It was excellent and the place was adorable.   It had three table and a horse-shoe counter plus drive-up service.  It was just fun to go there.

Friday, June 26, 2009




Friday (6/26)  We started our day in Abilene, KS.   The Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum is there.  The Eisenhower Family moved there shortly after Dwight was born and he lived there until he left for the West Point Academy in New York State.   He had made a pack with his older brother to work while his brother went to college and then his brother would work while Dwight went to college as they could not afford to have two in college at once and they needed to work to help pay for the college cost.   Well, after his brother had completed two years of college, Dwight was nominated for a military education and got it.   So he got to go to college at the same time as his brother.  He was one of seven boys.  One died in infancy and the remaining six all became successful professionals.   This was quite a feat for a poor family at the turn of the century.  The Eisenhower complex also has the home that he lived in for all of teenage years. There were many pictures of him as a teenager competing in sports.   He was very talented even as a young man.

We then went to Wamego, KS.  Now I know that you are wondering WHY?  It is really quite simple - Sue loves the movies - The Wizard of Oz.  Okay, you are still saying WHY?   Well, the Oz Museum is there.   They have over 2,000 OZ artifacts and a very detailed account as to how the book became a movie.   The book was actually written in 1899 and there were three silent movies made of it as well as several play versions in the early 1900s.  It was not until the 1930's that the movie we all know with Judy Garland was made and as they say "the rest is history."  I did not know that there are several books in the OZ Series.  Many of the actors were not the first choice for the various parts and they even thought about Shirley Temple for the part of Dorothy.  It was a very quaint little town and we enjoyed the whole experience very much.

In the evening we drove in to see the Capitol Building.   We know that we will be unable to tour this Capitol but we wanted to see the outside of it anyway.

We are spending tonight in Topeka, KS, which is the Capitol.

Thursday, June 25, 2009



Thursday (6/25)    Hello everyone!   Last night was very interesting as we had a SEVERE thunder storm around 9:30.   The wind blew like crazy and there was small hail.   We happen to be in the camp facility doing laundry when it hit.   Boy, were we glad we were not in the T@B.   I am sure that it was rocking pretty good.   It only lasted about 30 minutes but it sure was scary. No damage to the car or T@B.

We can't believe how quickly this trip is going.   We are busy every day and still cannot get to see all the things we would like to. This morning we went to the Hastings Museum of Natural and Cultural History.  We seem to be doing far more museums than we planned, but when they are so highly recommended, we feel we must see them.  Most of the museum that we are seeing are of local culture so each is different and interesting. This museum was no exception, it has great displays with informative local information.   One of the most interesting was the display on an item invented in Hastings - Kool-Aid.   It included the entire life of the inventor of Kool-Aid and a great display of Kool-Aid related items.   I never knew there was that much to know about Kool-Aid.

We then headed to Kansas stopping in Red Cloud, the childhood home of Pulitzer Prize winning author Willa Cather.  She wrote 12 books after leaving Red Cloud.  Many of the books were based on her experiences growing up in Red Cloud.   She often used the real names of people in the town, but gave them a character that was not at all like them.  In fact, many very nice people were portrayed in her books as bad people.   This did not set well with the people of Red Cloud.  Today, those people are gone and the town celebrates its famous author. 

From there we went to the Geographic Center of the USA - the center of the 48 states as determined by the government geodetic survey of 1898. It is a spot out in the middle of nowhere in Kansas.  When standing there, you can truly say you are in middle-America. It wasn't much but it is one of those things "you just have to do!"

We then headed to Abilene, KS for the evening.   We will be moving again in the morning because the things that we want to do are very spread out in this state.  

Wednesday, June 24, 2009



Wednesday (6/24)  We went to the Harold Warp Pioneer Village in Minden, NE.  I don't know how to describe this museum  that was founded in 1953 except to say  they have a collection of everything - it was amazing.  The museum shows the progress in the Plains since 1830.  There were more than 50,000 items from every field of human endeavor in 28 buildings on 20 acres.   All of these items are placed in chronological order of development.   There were room settings from the 1830s, 1860s, 1890s, 1910s, 1930s, and 1950s showing the progress made in those time periods.  There were collections of everything from cars to pencils.  We could have spent all day there seeing it all.

Then on to the Great Platte River Road Archway and Monument.  This is an archway that is build over Route 80 near Kearney, NE.   Inside they show eight stories that span the distance where trappers, pioneers, the 49ers and the Pony Express once passed through.  It is a unique monument that brings to life the difficulties encountered by the pioneers.

Our last stop of the day was the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island, NE.  This museum also shows the life of the pioneer but through the recreation of an 1899 railroad town containing 24 buildings.  You can see interpreters in 1890's attire and performing daily duties in the 1890s way.  Along with the town there are many other buildings including a Pawnee Earth Lodge, the Taylor Ranch and an 1893 Farmstead.   This is a very nice museum that cover a wide spectrum of learning opportunities. 


Tuesday, June 23, 2009



Tuesday (6/23)  We went to the Strategic Air and Space Museum which has about 50 planes from WWII and forward.  The diamond of the collection is the SR-71 Reconnaissance  plane.   This plane travels so fast and creates so much heat that it is made out of 80% titanium and 20% black high-heat intensity paint. It can reach a speed of Mach III and fly 80,000 feet high.   None of the planes were airworthy and most were on loan from the military. The museum relies very heavily on volunteers and it is very obvious that the volunteers love being around these planes.  

From there we drove to Lincoln, NE, which is the capitol.  We visited The Museum of Nebraska History.  There was a special exhibit "What Did You Do in the War?  Nebraskans in WWII" The exhibit included an extensive collection of personal recollections, letters, military clothing, photos, and everyday items of the period.  Seeing all those personal artifacts that these people had saved all these years and now were sharing with others gave a high level of intimacy to the exhibit. The balance of the museum was dedicated to the history of Nebraska since becoming a state.  

We then walked over to the State Capitol Building.   Built in the from 1922 to 1932 at a cost of nine million dollars.  It is full of mosaic tile artwork and many vaulted ceilings.  There is symbolism throughout the entire building.  There were sections of the art work that were not completed until the 1960s because they stopped the art work in the building in the 1930s due to the depression.   Sometimes a tour is just a tour, but this tour was given by a young man who knew this building inside and out - he really added to the experience.

We have now moved on to Grand Island, NE, which is further west for a couple of days.   There are numerous attractions we want to see in this area.  

    

Monday, June 22, 2009



Monday (6/22)  We went to the Harry Doorly Zoo in Omaha.   This zoo was recommended by 1,000 Places and AAA as a gem.   Well they were right it is a world class zoo.   We were there about four and one-half hours and easily could have spent another 2 hours if it had not been for the 99 degree heat.   They have a Desert Dome and Kingdoms of the Night building that cost $33 millions dollars to build and has three desert climates in it as well as an exhibit of nocturnal animals in its lower level.   This is just one of the exhibit buildings and it was fabulous.   We also spent a fair amount of time in the Scott Aquarium which was very interesting.   The remainder of the zoo was also nice but outdoors - guess what - too hot to spend too much time viewing it.  

This zoo is right next to the Rosenblatt Stadium where the first game of the final series for the Men's College World Series is being held this evening.   So, not only was there a zoo in the zoo, there was a zoo outside of it.  LSU is play a Texas team and we have to say, the LSU fans outnumber the Texas fans about 10 to one.

We went into the city to see the birthplace of President Gerald Ford.   The home is no longer there but  model of it is and there are beautiful gardens that you can walk in.  

We then visited an Apple Store to see if my picture problem could be resolved.  Guess what - it worked perfectly in the store - isn't that enough to make you scream!!!   Hopefully, I will be able to post pictures from now on - keep your fingers crossed!!!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Sunday (6/21)   We got up with all intensions of doing a several of things today but after giving many tours of the T@B, we realized out entire morning was gone.  

We headed out to Big Mama's Kitchen.  This is a restaurant in an old school cafeteria that was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.   The food was great BUT the sweet potato pudding was to die for!!!    They also had sweet potato ice cream that was very good.   It is not an easy place to find and I am sure that it is one of those places that if you live here you just know where it is and you go there for great food.

We then went to the Omaha Botanical Gardens.  They were having Railroad Days and there were many train "villages" set up and running.  The gardens were very busy but we were able to see many beautiful flowers and plants.  We took  a narrated tram ride through the 100 acres of gardens.   

This area is very busy as the College World Series of Baseball is taking place here now.   We tried to get tickets but were not able to.   We will try again tomorrow.

Then we went on a wifi search.  The campground does not have wifi, so we are in a Panera doing this blogging.   They are about to close the doors, so we will sign off for now.   We hope to get to an Apple store tomorrow and see if we can resolve our picture posting problem.  
Saturday (6/20)  We got up and went to the Corn Palace in Mitchell.   This is a building built in the 1890s with the ultimate intension of drawing tourist.   The current building is actually the third Corn Palace.   When it was started it was so successful, they knew right away they needed a bigger building.  Since then, they have built an even larger one.   Each year they decorate the outside of the building with a new theme and use 12 different colors of corn.  It cost $150,000 to completely re-decorate the outside of the building each year.

Also in Mitchell is the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village. This is a dig site where they have found millions of pieces of artifacts relating to the Indians.   They have many illustrative displays and you can actually see the site that they are digging in.

We drove to Omaha that evening and we will be spending a few days there.   
Friday (6/19)  We left Rapid City, SD for Mitchell, SD.  Along our way we just had to stop at one of the most famous tourist traps there is, Wall Drug, Wall, SD.   This "drug store" has been there years and has made itself a tourist destination through creative road-side advertising.  The store takes up an entire city block . We got there and followed the signs for bus and RV parking.   There must have been 50 RVs parked. The store was packed and they have created a "Disneyesque" feeling to the place.  We had a nice lunch and then we looked around at all the typical tourist stuff.  

We then took the scenic drive through Badlands National Park.   Once again, we are seeing beautiful landscape that is so different from what we have already seen.  The Badlands show the various layers of sediment that make up the peaks and valleys.  They look as though someone painted strips on them.  The Badlands are surrounded by flatlands known as the Prairie.  The Prairie has with its vast areas of flat grazing land has such a different look from the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.  

We spend the night in Mitchell, SD.  It was really funny, we stayed at "Camp Wal-Mart."  There were 19 campers and 3 tractor trailers parked for the night in the Wal-Mart parking lot.


Friday, June 19, 2009

Thursday (6/18)  We are still in Rapid City.  We headed south to Hill City to the Wade Gold Mine Mill.   This is a gold mining operation started in 1979 as the retirement project of Les and Idella Wade. It was Mr. Wade's lifelong dream to build a gold mining operation.   Most all of the mining equipment is made from parts of other equipment (e.g. cars, steam engines, etc.)   If a piece of needed equipment that could be purchase but was expensive, Mr. Wade just made it. Mining for gold is extremely labor intensive and a multi-layered process.   It looks like an awful lot of work for a very little reward.  They pulverize one ton of stone to get one quarter to one half ounce of gold.  

From there we headed north to Deadwood, SD, a gold-rush boomtown.  In the late 1800s it was a haven for gunfighters and gamblers like Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday.  Wild Bill Hickok was killed there in 1876.  It looks very much the same as it did in 1879.   They have any re-enactments of various gun fights several times during the day.  Today, it is the home of 80 victorian style gambling halls. We went to Adams Museum which has a vast collections of artifacts from the late 1800's many of which relate to some of its more famous residents.   
Wednesday (6/17)  We are in Rapid City, SD.   We went to see Mt. Rushmore National Park in the morning.  The carvings in the side of the mountain designed by sculptor Gutzon Borglum in 1927.  It took 17 years, 400 men and the influence of several politicians to get it accomplished.  Each face is 60 feet high and each one faces a different direction.  

We then took the Needles Highway Scenic Drive through Custer State Park.   It is called the needles because the rock formations look like spires or needles.  The drive have many scenic spots where you just have to stop and take a picture.

Just south of the park is Wind Cave in the Black Hills.  The cave 28,000 acres and has more than 125 miles of surveyed passageways.  The cave was discovered in the late 1800's and is the fourth longest in the world.   

Further south in Hot Springs is the Mammoth Site.  The indoor excavation site features the fossils of 55 Columbian and woolly mammoths, bears and wolves became trapped 26,000 years ago.  They have been excavating this site for many years and they have a back log of dirt they have removed going all the way back to the 1970s.

We did not want to miss the lighting of Mt. Rushmore so we went back to the park at 9 pm and were there for the lighting ceremonies.  The faces look totally different at night.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Tuesday (6/16)   We started the day in Sheridan, WY.  We spent the night in a Wal-Mart parking lot which looked like a camp ground.  There were 14 campers in the parking lot.

We went to the Bradford Brinton Museum and Memorial which is located in small country community of Big Horn, just outside of Sheridan, in the ranch home Mr. Brinton purchased in 1923.  This ranch home sits in the middle of a wild life preserve and is beautifully landscaped.   Mr. Brinton was an eclectic collector of art and Indian artifacts.  His collection included an Abraham Lincoln letter, a document signed by George Washington, art works of painters such as Frederick Remington, Charles Russell, Picasso, Edward Hopper, George Bellows and many more.  It was definitely worth the drive to see it.

From there we headed east to Devils Tower National Monument.  This was the first national monument in the U.S. It is actually the core of a volcano exposed after millions of years of erosion by water and the weather.   The tower is a rock structure that is 865 ft high and there is a path around the base of it that is 1.3 miles long.   We walked around the base of it which took about 45 minutes.  The tower looks like it has columns all around it.

We had dinner in Sturgis, SD, which is the site of a major motorcycle rally each year.   After we finished our dinner, a couple said to us, "Are you the people with that cute trailer?"  It turns out, that they drove by the restaurant and saw our T@B.   Turned around and ate dinner there just so they could talk to us.   We gave them a tour and some information.   As we left them, the woman said, "I am going to buy one just as soon as I can find one."  It was kind of fun!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Monday (6/15).  We left Cody, WY, for Little Big Horn, Montana. Other than meeting up in the Grand Tetons with Tom and Juliet and their T@B, we have not seen any T@Bs. Today, we saw TWO!!!!!  One along the road and the other when we got to Little Big Horn.  It parked in the only spot available which was right behind us.   It was very funny, we went to leave and there was our silver and orange T@B with a silver and orange T@B right behind it.  Of course, we spoke to them for a while.
 
At Little Big Horn, the site of Custer's Last Stand, it rained.   So, we took a very quick look in the rain at the place where Custer died and then made a mad dash for the visitor center as it was lightening.  The visitor center has a small museum and a film that outlines the battle.   

We then drove to Sheridan, WY.   We will spend the night here and do a little sightseeing before heading to South Dakota. 

Monday, June 15, 2009

Sunday (6/14)  We are still in Cody.   There are so many things to do, it is hard to decide what to do next.   We went to Old Trail Town which recreates a mid-to late 1800s town.  It really is authentic looking and has about 30 period buildings including the cabin used by Butch Cassidy and the Hole in the Wall Gang , the hunting cabin of Curly, a famous indian scout that served with Custer,  and an actual saloon.  There are thousands of artifacts on display in a very natural setting making it feel like you are actually in the late 1800s.

Another interesting exhibit was a miniature display containing 7,000 figures depicting a timeline of the conflicts with the plains indians in the 1800s.  This housed in a gift store (I can't remember the name) and is free to see.  They also have an extensive collection of artifacts on display.  

In the afternoon, we went back to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.   To really view this museum, you would have to spend at least two full days.   We started in the firearms section which displays a timeline of the development of guns.  It is difficult to say that a gun is beautiful, but you  have to appreciate the workmanship and quality materials used to make these guns.  There were several thousand revolvers and rifles on display as well as mounted bears, elk, moose, bobcats, etc.  

The last section to view was the Buffalo Bill Cody (BBC) section.  The fifth section, the Whitney Art section was closed for renovations.  The Buffalo Bill Cody section traced his life from childhood to his death.   The museum has a treasure trove of items belonging to BBC.  All of it was very interesting but most colorful were the posters used to advertise his wild west show.   His show employed up to 600 people and performed all over the world including many special performances for royalty.  

This evening we went to the Cody Cattle Company show.   This show included an indian dancer, a western comedian, dinner and a cowboy music review.   The show has only been open two weeks but was very good.   The food was excellent and was an all you-can-eat affair.  We met a couple from Australia and spent a very pleasant evening visiting with them.  
Saturday (6/13) We got up and headed to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.   This museum center has five unique museums within its walls.  We went to the Plains Indians section first. This area shows the history of the indians way of life during the 1800s.   They have many pristine articles of clothing, moccasins, head dresses, cradle boards, guns, photo graphs of famous indians, etc.   There is a life-size display of what a Plains Indian tepee and the area surrounding it would have looked like.

We then went a special exhibit of painting done in the last ten years that portray sights that were noted in the diaries of Lewis and Clark.  The painter read all the materials available and then went to the actual places noted, and painted them as he felt they would have looked in the early 1800s.  There were 100 of these painting which brought to life the words from the diaries.  
We wanted to see the downtown area of Cody.   We walked the main street, Sheridan Street, and went into many of the western shops.   We actually looked at a custom pair of cowboy boots that were ONLY $7,000.  I never realized how expensive all that western gear was.   A good pair of cowboy boots run anywhere from $700 to $1,500 for an off -the-shelf pair.  

On Sheridan Street, is the Irma Hotel built in 1902.   This was a favorite place of Buffalo Bill. He had performed for the Queen of England and as a thank you gift, she gave him the wooden carved bar that is in the hotel.  Each evening, they re-enact a shoot out in front of the hotel.  It was very fun and drew a large crowd.   We ate dinner at the Irma and then went to the Dan Miller Cowboy Music Review across the street.  

The review is in an old theater that still has its art deco decor.   The show has three performer and one guest performer - Dan's eleven-year-old daughter who plays the fiddle.  There were about 50 people in the audience and Dan came around before the show and spoke to each person.  It was an intimate show and the music was wonderful.
Friday (6/12)  We headed out west to tour the western side of the southern loop.  Along the way we stopped at the many geysers.   I know it seems like a lot of geysers, but they are all so different and unique.  So many different colors, shapes, sounds and smells - each is a new experience.  We wanted to see Old Faithful again because the day we say it the weather was very overcast.  Well, it was overcast again but not as bad.   Old Faithful performed beautifully and we saw how spectacular that geyser really is.  

It is now time for us to leave the park and head to Cody, WY.  We wished that we could stay several more days and do some hiking, but we must move on.  Leaving the park, we descended several thousand feet along some very narrow roads.   We were both happy when we reached the bottom and the T@B was still behind us.  Along the way, we saw Buffalo Bills first hunting cabin. 

We arrived in Cody late in the afternoon and checked into a camp ground.  The folks at the campground were very helpful and recommended that we see the rodeo, among other things. Since this was the second time it had been recommended to us, we went.  It was a very good show but both Rich and I came to the conclusion that those rodeo guys all are certifiable.  We had great seats that afforded us a view of all the rodeo riders getting ready to participate in their events.  Watching them physic themselves for their events was very interesting.  Just how does one get ready to be thrown by a bull or a bronco?????? 
Thursday (6/11)   Well, I am having technical difficulties with pictures.   Unless, I can figure something out, there will be no pictures until I get to an Apple store and get some help.  I am so sorry about that.  I guess the 8,000 pictures (yes, there are 8,000 pictures on my computer) are giving my computer a headache and it won't cooperate with me anymore.

We spent last night in a cabin at Yelllowstone Lake - so nice to have real bed.   We got up and headed west across the middle of the park to the Norris Geyser Basin. There we saw the Steamboat Geyser which erupts every four days to 50 years - we decided not to wait for it to erupt.  

In the park is a Ranger Museum which outlines how the rangers came to be.   In the beginning, the parks were under the control of the military.  About 1916, the parks were turned totally over to the rangers, many of them were formerly caretakers of the park as military men.  It was a male dominated organization for many years.   Females were finally admitted but not as full rangers.   It is only in recent times, that females have equivalent rolls as park rangers.

We then headed north along the western side of the northern loop, stopping along the way to see the major points of interest.  We stopped for lunch at Mammoth Hot Springs.  This area of geysers is very interesting as the geysers have created terraces made of mineral deposits.  The eruptions deposit two tons of limestone a day onto the terraces.  Mammoth Hot Springs is a small "town" and it has many tourist cabins.  In the middle of a group of cabins was a common area of lawn. This common areas was inhabited with about six elk and one bison - right in the middle of town.  There were people all around them and they didn't seem to care at all.  The bison walked right by me as I was taking pictures - I could have reached out and touched him as he stopped to itch his chin on a fire hydrant.  

We then progressed along the top of the loop stopping at the petrified tree.   This tree (stone) is approx. 20 feet tall and is millions of years old.  There used to be three of them but there is only one left as a result of visitors taking home pieces of them as souvenirs.   The remaining tree is enclosed in a 12 foot high fence to protect it.

We stopped at Roosevelt Lodge which was a favorite place of Teddy Roosevelt.  It is a very rustic area that does not seem to have been built up for tourist.   There are cabins that are absolutely bare bones - kind of neat!  The lodge itself has all the rustic charm one could stand.

We continued on down stopping at all the wonderful points of interest.   I could go on and on about how beautiful the scenery is, but I am sure it would get boring.  Just let me say that each turn in the road presents a new and wonderful vision for your eyes to feast on.  

Between Tower Falls and Canyon Village, we had a treat - off in the distance was a grizzly bear. We watched as he came down the hill, crossed a stream, came near a bison and then headed off up the hill again.  There was a single elk which usually means she has a baby in the area.  She watched that bear and paced around and around.   She finally settled down as the bear headed in the opposite direction.  

The highlight of the day (for Sue anyway) was the snowshoe rabbit we saw.   We actually got within a couple of feet of him before he left.  Sorry to say, no pictures as our camera batteries had died.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Wednesday (6/10)  We got up very early to look for bear and moose.   We went to a couple of "hot spots" and didn't see anything.   Last ditch effort was the Jackson Lodge site.   There, right from the patio, we saw a grizzly bear.  It was a sad sighting as the grizzly was there because there were elk babies in the area and the grizzly bear got one.  We know this is nature, but we would rather have not experienced a bear that way.

Packed up and headed for Yellowstone.  Last Sunday, we had cancelled our reservations inat Yellowstone because of predictions of continuing snow and we both felt bad about it.  As it turns out, there was no where near the snow predicted and we were able to rent a cabin at Yellowstone Lake for two nights.  Yes, a real bed and our own bathroom for two whole days - heaven!!!

We left Grand Tetons early and we were able to do the eastern part of the southern loop of Yellowstone.  We stopped at the West Thumb Geyser Basin, Mud Volcano and  Canyon Village. Along the road were numerous bison and some were so close that we could have reached out and touched them from our car (we didn't).  We took numerous picture of the bison and their adorable babies.  The geysers are so unique - the colors, smells, sizes, shapes, noises and activity are endless.  You could stand and watch them for hours.  The smell is the most lasting memory - they smell like rotten eggs!!!

We ate supper in the Canyon Village Restaurant and has bison pot roast with creamed cauliflower.   The meal was excellent and Rich had huckleberry ice cream, a local favorite,  for dessert.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009




Tuesday (6/9)  We spent the day in the Colter Bay area.   Early in the morning we went looking for wildlife.   Our real goal was to see a moose and a bear.   We did not have any luck but we did see some other animals.  There are actually pelicans in the park and you can see them on most of the bodies of water (see picture.) The most abundant large animal is the elk and they are everywhere (see picture.) We were out looking for about two and one-half hours and the only thing we got was a VERY muddy car.  

The rest of the morning was spent with laundry and cleaning the T@B after spending three days in that awful campground over the weekend.  

Today is the first day here that it has been warm (mid 50s) and there has been no real rain.  For the first time, we have been able to see the tops of the Tetons - they really do exist!!!  It is a magnificent sight and we can understand why some people choose to live here and look at them everyday (see picture.) 

In the afternoon, we went to the Indian Museum in the Colter Bay Visitor Center.   The entire collection in the museum belonged to one man and it was purchased by Laurance S. Rockefeller and donated to the Grand Tetons National Park.  Most of the items in the museum were in excellent condition  due to the level of quality that had been collected.

In the evening we went to the ranger talks again.   Each evening they have different talks and they have been very informative.  We are enjoying learning more about the park and the animals that live here.  


Monday (6/8)    Our plan to scrape Yellowstone did not set well with either of us.   We each had come up with a Plan B so that we could still get to Yellowstone despite the weather.  We checked into a campground in Colter Bay in the Grand Tetons in the morning.  

In the afternoon, we drove up to Yellowstone to see Old Faithful.   It was our good luck that it went off ten minutes after we got there and five minutes after that, the hail and snow began.   Given that the weather was getting pretty bad and the temperature was 32 degrees, we turned around and drove back to Colter Bay.   We we got back there, the sun was shinning and it was nice. It seems that this area has its own weather system - nice one minute and hail and snow the next.  

We drove around the campground looking for Juliet and Tom, a couple from Connecticut, and their T@B.  They are new owners and are on a five-week trip.   We met them at the evening ranger talk and visited for some time after the talk.  It was a very pleasant evening.

Monday, June 8, 2009



Sunday (6/7)   Well, today was interesting.  We headed for the Colter Bay Visitor Center in the SNOW.  Yes, it was snowing and there is fresh snow on the mountains (see picture.)  At the center, a ranger was giving a briefing about the weather.   She said that Yellowstone was due to get two to 11 inches of snow and a good share of the park roads were closed.  Rangers at Yellowstone were turning away anyone who did not have snow tires.  Since we were due to stay in Yellowstone for Monday through Wednesday we decided we better look into this weather further.   The long range forecast was for snow showers right through Friday. Since we have no snow tires on either the car or the T@B, we cancelled our reservations.   We are very disappointed but feel it would not be good to get into Yellowstone and then have some major snow without snow tires.  So, our plans have changed and we will be heading to Cody, WY on Monday.  

Once that was settled, we headed out to see some more of the Grand Tetons park.   Driving through the park, we saw the same animals as yesterday - still no bear or moose!!!  We did get a good look at some pronghorn (see picture.)

The Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve is a new "green" preserve at the southern end of the park.  A state of the art facility totally in tune with nature.  It's exhibits are designed to make you relax and get in touch with nature.  We took about a mile hike and did not see animals except a squirrel.  

We spent a little time in the Jackson Lake Lodge.  This is suppose to be a prime spot to see moose and bear.  Well, again no luck.

In the evening we went to the Colter Bay Visitor Center to two more ranger talks.   This ranger was young and in his second season at the park.  He spoke about beavers first. Boy, was he knowledgeable and interesting, especially for the younger kids.  The second talk was on elk, wolves and bears.  He explained how they each were families and how they interacted with one another in the parks ecosystem.  Again, this is a man who loves his job.




Saturday (6/6)  We are in the Grand Tetons and the visibility is very low as it rainy.  Driving through the park we are unable to see the peaks of the teton range but the view with the snow on the mountains and the clouds sitting right on the mountain is spectacular (see picture.)   We were on the look out for animals and saw elk, pronghorns,  buffalo, pelicans and many birds.   The bear and the moose are not ready for us to see them yet -  I guess they are shy but we will keep looking. 

We went down to Jackson in the late afternoon.   We have always heard of Jackson and Jackson Hole but didn't know if they were the same or different.   Well, Jackson is the town and Jackson Hole is the valley- now we know!!  Jackson is definitely for tourist with many expensive shops and a great deal of art work for sale.   You could buy all the expensive cowboy hats and boots you would every want.  

We had dinner at the Silver Dollar Bar and Grill in the historic Wort Hotel.  The bar got its name for the 2032 Morgan silver dollars that are imbedded in the bar top.  The Wort Hotel opened in 1941.  It was a dream of the Wort family to build a luxury hotel in downtown Jackson and they did (see picture.)  Many famous people have stayed there.

In the evening we went to the Colter Bay Visitor Center for two talks by a park ranger.   Both talks were very informative and interesting.   The ranger who gave the talks has worked at this park for over 30 years and it was evident that he just loves it.  


Saturday, June 6, 2009



Friday (6/5)  We left Idaho Falls, ID for the Grand Tetons, WY.   Before we left, we went to the Museum of Idaho to see a traveling exhibit about the Titanic.  The exhibit included many personal items from passengers on the ship.   Salvaged items included a suit of clothing that was completely in tact, a pair of cotton gloves, glass vases, dishes,  many leather items and even paper items.   Most of the paper items were found inside of leather pouches.   The leather in those days was treated with a wax substance and it is believed that is what kept the paper in such good condition. We were given a "Boarding Pass" when we entered the museum.   It contained the personal information about a passenger on the Titanic.  At the end of the exhibit you could look and see if that person survived.  It was a unique way to make the exhibit more personal.

We left Idaho Falls in the afternoon.  The landscape along the way was just breath taking - REALLY.   It included lush green trees, green mountains, lakes, rivers and snow capped mountains (see pictures.)   Pictures cannot do the scenery justice.  

We arrived at the RV park about 6 pm.  It was raining and our site is on the muddy side - Ughhhh!!!!!   Our most expensive RV park yet but not the least bit nice.  If it weren't for the scenery around it, it would have nothing to offer.  Oh well, three days here and then on to Yellowstone.

Thursday, June 4, 2009




Thursday (6/4) First, I am sorry about saying there was a picture in yesterday's post.  I had the most wonderful picture of Rich with an Idaho potato but somehow all my pictures from the museum got lost.  For some reason, once I compose the blog I am unable to edit it.

Today we went two hours west of Idaho Falls to Craters of the Moon National Monument in Arco, ID (population 1026.)  On the way, we went through Butte, ID (population 76.) We are sure when the population changes, they just take a marker and make it 77 or 75 (Ha Ha.)  Along the way we saw many potato storage buildings (see picture.)   These buildings are somewhat in the ground and have sod roofs.  Potatoes can be stored in them for many months without spoiling.

Craters of the Moon was describes in 1923 as "The surface of the moon as seen through a telescope."  It has been called "a weird and scenic landscape, peculiar to itself."  The craters are of volcanic origin beginning 15,000 years ago.  It was just miles and miles of porous black rock with deep splits in the rock where vegetation is slowly growing and surface temperatures can reach 150 degrees.  We went down in to the Indian Tunnel which is a lava tube (see picture.)  In contrast to the surface, it was dark, cold and wet.

In 1969, NASA's Apollo Astronauts learned about volcanic geology at Craters in preparation for their moon mission.   Once on the moon, they found out that the moon's surface was vastly different than the Craters.  

Rich and I climbed up the Inferno Cone which is a cinder cone that is formed when volcanic froth that is gas rich erupts high into the air and then piles into a mound.   Mound is a bit of an understatement.   The Inferno Cone had to be 400 feet high and pretty steep.  Once on top, we could see for miles (see picture.)

It was a great day!!!!  


Wednesday (6/3)   We are in Idaho Falls, ID.   Today has been mostly a down day for us.  We took the TAB to a TAB dealer to have the thermostat on our air conditioning replaced.  We also lost our outside light cover somewhere in our travels, so that is being replaced too.  The Northern Breeze cover was acting up to that was fixed too.   So glad to get those things done at a T@B dealer where they know about T@Bs instead of just any RV dealer.

In the afternoon, we went to the Idaho Potato Museum - yeah! - they have a museum for that.  It was actually a very small museum but very well done and quite informative.  The great big potato (see picture)  outside was just a hoot!!!   They actually give you a box of hash brown potato mix when you leave.  
We went to a casino in Blackfoot, UT.  Did very little gambling and only lost our lunch money for the day.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009



Tuesday (6/2)   We are leaving Salt Lake City today but before we go, we must visit a Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives restaurant. The Blue Plate Diner is know for their biscuits and gravy and corn beef hash.  We tried both and they were outstanding.  A funky place with a great waitress - a fun experience.

Stopped at Antelope Island State Park which is bounded by the waters of the Great Salt Lake. The lake is a remnant of pre-historic Lake Bonnieville which was ocean water. The salt in the bottom of the lake is three to four feet thick.  In 1893 a dozen buffalo were introduced to the island and today there are 600 in the herd.    There is a lone working ranch on the island that has been there since 1848 and is Utah's oldest Anglo-built structure still standing on its existing foundation.  It was very basic and built to feed many ranch hands. There was a chuck wagon there that had as much room as our T@B and just as much character (see picture.)  I tried to talk Rich into getting it but he was having none of that!   There are sand beaches that are at least 500 feet wide and as clean as can be.   A very beautiful place to visit.

Our next stop was Promontory Summit to see the Golden Spike National Historic Site.   This site is called "The End of the Frontier" because it is the place where the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific railroads were joined.   The last spike made of gold was driven on May 10, 1869. This linked the east and the west and turned a six month journey into a six day journey.   The news that the last spike had been driven was sent across the country by telegraph and caused much celebration among the U.S. citizens.  The first train to run on the joined tracks was the Jupiter (see picture.)   A replica of it performs the historic run many times each day.  The driving of the spike is re-enacted each Saturday during the summer.




Monday, June 1, 2009



Monday (6/1)  June 1st!!!!!.   Where did April and May go?    After all our anticipation of this trip, it will be over before we know it.

I guess we have a thing for state capitols.   We visited the Utah State Capitol this morning.   It is a lovely domed building built in the early 1900s at a cost of $4 million (see picture.)   It had been very neglected and in 2006 they completed a $230 million renovation.   It is just beautiful inside, fresh paint, cleaned paintings and it can now withstand an earthquake of 7.5 - pretty impressive.  They said that during an earthquake, the building can actually move 24 inches without sustaining any damage - How do they do that??????

Our next stop was the Bingham Canyon Open Pit Copper Mine near Salt Lake City.   It is the largest man made "hole" in the earth and can be seen from outer space (see picture.)    They have 70 gigantic haulage trucks that can carry 250 to 320 tons of material in a single load.   They are as big as a house, have 12 ft. high wheels and cost $3.5 million EACH.  They mine about 55,000,000 tons of copper ore and 120,000,000 tons of overburden (the excess soil) each year.   It is impressive to see something so large and know that it is man made.

We had some time to kill before going to a baseball game, so we went to the Family History Library (sponsored by the Mormons.)  Rich did get a few dates to add to his family tree in the little time that we had there.   They have several (approx. 50) computers there for the public's use.   It is all free of charge.   The library was very busy - there must be something to this family tree stuff.  I guess that is why Rich spends so much time doing it - it is infectious.  

The Salt Lake Bees were playing again tonight, and one of the KOA Kamp Workers was kind enough to get us free tickets.  It was a great night to be there because this is Air Force Week through the Nation and in Salt Lake City.   There were three Air Force sponsored recreational vehicles outside the park, an Air Force Band, and many Air Force personnel that you could talk to.  Inside they had a four-start general throw out the first pitch, four sky-divers, and a fly by.   It was a great night to be at the game.  



Sunday (5/31)  Started our day by going to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing.   It was just beautiful - three hundred voices and 110 piece orchestra (see picture.)  The tabernacle was built in 1847 and the acoustics are amazing.  Every one at the tabernacle was so polite and friendly. After that, we took a tour of the flower gardens in Temple Square, the seat of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormons.)   It is a very large complex with many nice buildings and wonderful flower gardens.   A very nice experience all around.

We came back to our camp site to change our clothes and saw the greatest tire cover on one of the campers.  We have enclosed a picture of it for fun.   We ate lunch at the Red Iguana, a restaurant that was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.   The mexican food there was excellent.   We tried to eat there last night but there were at least 30 people waiting outside to get in to eat.

After lunch, we toured the home and office of Brigham Young, the man responsible for bring the Mormon to the southwest.  The home was very nice and I am sure it was elaborate for the time.  

We also visited the Tracy Aviary.  It has many different kinds of birds living there.  These are birds that have been injured and cannot survive in the wild.  Particularly fun was a peacock who just posed and posed for pictures.   We think he had the hots for Sue as the more picture she took the more he posed.