Sept. 21
Arrived to a suburb of Chicago and found a campground. We made plans to meet our nephew, David and his bride, Makeba on the boat where David is the captain. It is docked in a boat basin by Soldier Field which is on the edge of downtown Chicago. The view of the city from the boat was amazing. We had a tour of the boat which has three levels and a crew of 5. We sat around and visited and drank some wine. We ended up ordering food to be brought to the boat. We had Italian Beef sandwiches which is a Chicago favorite. The night view from the boat was even more beautiful with the many tall buildings of Chicago all lit up.
Sept. 22
Our second day in Chicago was really great also. We went into the city in the afternoon and met David at the boat. He took us in our Jeep and dropped us off downtown to do a little exploring. We went up in the John Hancock Building to the Observatory on the 91st floor. What a view from up there! They gave us headphones to hear about what we were looking at and points of interest. I got some great pictures. We walked about a mile to Navy Pier which is along Lake Michigan next. There is an amusement park and shops along the pier. When we were ready to go back to the boat, we called David to pick us up. David and Makeba took us to a great little pizza restaurant and we had
Pot Pie Pizza and Mediterranean Bread. We will always remember the great time we spent with David and Makeba in the beautiful city of Chicago.
Sept 23
Next stop is Indiana. Dick is really tired of the strong winds we have been in. It seems to blow every day and always hits the motor home from the side no matter what direction we are going. I guess that is what you get in this flat country. It's warm and humid to us. The locals probably don't notice it.
Sept 24
On Friday morning we went to the RV/MH Museum in Elkhart IN. This year is the 100th anniversary of the manufacturing of RVs. They had campers from the early 1900's to present. We try to find hat pins from places we go, but they were out of pins at the RV museum. We were lucky enough for buy one off of a man who worked there.
We went across the top of Indiana and got into Amish country. We were on a two lane secondary road and saw about 5 Amish buggies going down the side of the road. They are small and I only saw one person in each. The last one was driven by a woman.
On the way to Michigan we were in Ohio for a few miles. We try to go into any state we are near because we are trying to get into as many states as possible. Tonight we are staying outside of Detroit Michigan. The campground we are staying in is having a Woods of Horror each weekend until Halloween. It's on a trail that go in back of the campground. It was dark and lots of scary creatures came out of the bushes. Dick and I screamed a lot along the trail but it was fun. Tonight was also laundry night. Oh how I miss my washer and dryer.
Sept 25
We are still in the same campground for one more night. Today we went into Detroit to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. We spent several hours in the Museum and Village and ate lunch at the Eagle Tavern. They serve seasonal meals inspired by authentic 1850s recipes. We had a good and hardy meal there. The museum houses an enormous collection of everything from furniture, trains, planes, farm equipment and of course cars. There was even a prototype aluminum house that was never put into production because the inventor could not raise the funds to produce it. In Greenfield Village you are taken back in time. There are some original houses such as the Wright Brothers family home and some reproductions. Model T cars and other old pieces of transportation are giving people rides around the town. There are eight workshops with artisans practicing authentic period carfts. We both thoroughly enjoyed the day. Definitely Happy Travels, Barb
Our next stop is going to be for 3 days in Niagara Falls Canada so maybe I can find time to get some pictures posted.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa & Wisconson
Sept. 13 and 14
Spent 2 nights in Medora N.D. in a nice wooded campground. Our reason for being here is Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Looks a lot like the Badlands in South Dakota but there are lots of wild animals in the park. We saw a few buffalo and deer but I wanted to see the wild horses people told us about. We took the loop road around the park and took any roads that took off from the main road. We finally found the horses. They didn't look too wild as they just stood and let everyone that came by take their picture. Tried a new recipe on Dick tonight. I call it Laundry Room Chicken. It really has nothing to do with laundry but I got the recipe from a lady also doing her laundry. Dick really liked it.
Sept. 15
Drove all the way across North Dakota today and spent the night in Fargo on the Eastern edge of N.D.
Again saw acres of feed corn and sunflowers waiting to be harvested.
Sept. 16
Dropped into Minnesota today and went down the Western edge to Pipestone National Monument. That was an interesting place. Pipestone was and still is quarried by Indians. Even today they are the only ones allowed to quarry the pipestone. They used the stone to carve pipe stems. Today they carve many things out of the soft stone.
Sept. 17
Our next stop is Iowa. We wanted to go into Iowa to see where our friend Pat was raised. She always said how beautiful the country is close to the Mississippi River. Everything was surprisingly green for being September. The corn again was waiting to be harvested. The hardwood trees that covered the hills were beautiful. The tops are starting to turn and sometimes a whole tree is turned color. They said in a couple of weeks the fall colors will be there. We found another National Monument, Effigy Mounds. The mounds are found in the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys. Many mounds were destroyed by settlers who turned the land into farmland. The mounds origin and meaning remain a mystery. We finally saw the Mississippi River after leaving the mounds area and traveled towards Lansing Iowa. There are tree covered islands in the river so it doesn't look very wide. We went up a hill to an overlook and could see the river valley and really see the river. Before we left on Saturday morning an Amish woman had baked goods for sale in the campground. I bought cinnamon rolls, rye bread and pickled beets. We saw several Amish farmers markets along the way this morning.
Sept. 18 and 19
We are in Wisconsin and staying for 2 nights. The campground is called Sky High and is on Cascade Mountain. We had to laugh at that because it's more like a hill. They ski on this hill and there are even ski lifts. This campground is very large and caters to families. They have planned activities every weekend. This weekend was Halloween. The kids in costumes came around to trick or treat.
We drove to the town of Elkhorn, 80 miles south, to eat dinner at Casa Maria. For the followers from Colfax it is run by a former Colfax man, Able, who's parents own the Mexican restaurant in Colfax. I also know Able from school.
Sept. 20
Today we spent the day in a diesel repair shop in Madison Wisconsin. Trouble with the compression break and they had trouble finding the part. We need to take it back in the morning so we are camped in a KOA nearby. I hope this is the last time we need to camp in a KOA because they are way overpriced. This is the most expensive place we have stayed and it is just a grassy field with a few trees. We hope to get on the road by mid morning to Chicago area. We are going to stay outside of Chicago and use the Jeep to see the city. We also have plans to meet up with my nephew and his bride.
Looking forward to seeing David and Makeba.
I will be able to add pictures to my blog as soon as I have time to figure out how to use the memory card reader I just bought.
Definitely Happy Travels, Barb
Spent 2 nights in Medora N.D. in a nice wooded campground. Our reason for being here is Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Looks a lot like the Badlands in South Dakota but there are lots of wild animals in the park. We saw a few buffalo and deer but I wanted to see the wild horses people told us about. We took the loop road around the park and took any roads that took off from the main road. We finally found the horses. They didn't look too wild as they just stood and let everyone that came by take their picture. Tried a new recipe on Dick tonight. I call it Laundry Room Chicken. It really has nothing to do with laundry but I got the recipe from a lady also doing her laundry. Dick really liked it.
Sept. 15
Drove all the way across North Dakota today and spent the night in Fargo on the Eastern edge of N.D.
Again saw acres of feed corn and sunflowers waiting to be harvested.
Sept. 16
Dropped into Minnesota today and went down the Western edge to Pipestone National Monument. That was an interesting place. Pipestone was and still is quarried by Indians. Even today they are the only ones allowed to quarry the pipestone. They used the stone to carve pipe stems. Today they carve many things out of the soft stone.
Sept. 17
Our next stop is Iowa. We wanted to go into Iowa to see where our friend Pat was raised. She always said how beautiful the country is close to the Mississippi River. Everything was surprisingly green for being September. The corn again was waiting to be harvested. The hardwood trees that covered the hills were beautiful. The tops are starting to turn and sometimes a whole tree is turned color. They said in a couple of weeks the fall colors will be there. We found another National Monument, Effigy Mounds. The mounds are found in the Mississippi and Ohio river valleys. Many mounds were destroyed by settlers who turned the land into farmland. The mounds origin and meaning remain a mystery. We finally saw the Mississippi River after leaving the mounds area and traveled towards Lansing Iowa. There are tree covered islands in the river so it doesn't look very wide. We went up a hill to an overlook and could see the river valley and really see the river. Before we left on Saturday morning an Amish woman had baked goods for sale in the campground. I bought cinnamon rolls, rye bread and pickled beets. We saw several Amish farmers markets along the way this morning.
Sept. 18 and 19
We are in Wisconsin and staying for 2 nights. The campground is called Sky High and is on Cascade Mountain. We had to laugh at that because it's more like a hill. They ski on this hill and there are even ski lifts. This campground is very large and caters to families. They have planned activities every weekend. This weekend was Halloween. The kids in costumes came around to trick or treat.
We drove to the town of Elkhorn, 80 miles south, to eat dinner at Casa Maria. For the followers from Colfax it is run by a former Colfax man, Able, who's parents own the Mexican restaurant in Colfax. I also know Able from school.
Sept. 20
Today we spent the day in a diesel repair shop in Madison Wisconsin. Trouble with the compression break and they had trouble finding the part. We need to take it back in the morning so we are camped in a KOA nearby. I hope this is the last time we need to camp in a KOA because they are way overpriced. This is the most expensive place we have stayed and it is just a grassy field with a few trees. We hope to get on the road by mid morning to Chicago area. We are going to stay outside of Chicago and use the Jeep to see the city. We also have plans to meet up with my nephew and his bride.
Looking forward to seeing David and Makeba.
I will be able to add pictures to my blog as soon as I have time to figure out how to use the memory card reader I just bought.
Definitely Happy Travels, Barb
Monday, September 13, 2010
Devils Tower and Custer St. Pk. South Dakota
Sept. 9
Arrived at Devils Tower and staying in Forest Service Campground inside the park. We have a view of Devils Tower from our motor home. Lots of red rock around also. Great place and you cannot imagine its size by just looking at a picture.
Sept. 10
Traveled to Custer State Park to spend the next three days. We need a break from traveling everyday and there is so much to see here. Staying in the park with pine trees all around. We do have electricity but that is all. Visited Jewel Cave Nat. Mont. We went on a tour down in the cave. This is the second longest cave in the world. We also had to go to Crazy Horse Memorial again. We have been there two time before and it really amazes me the progress on the mountain. The last time we were there was 2000.
Sept. 11
Today we went to Wind Cave Nat. Park. We took a tour of this cave also. Took a trip to Badlands Nat. Park also today. We did alot of driving in the Jeep today. Badlands is 70 miles East of Rapid City. Today there was a buffalo in the campground. Everyone kept their distance and just let him roam.
Sept. 12
Today we drove the Needles Highway. It's a beautiful, curvy highway through the Black Hills. There are narrow and low height tunnels along this road so glad to have a Jeep. We stopped in Hill City and Keystone to look at the shops. That night we went back to Crazy Horse for a lase-light show on the mountain. They only have the light show Memorial Day through Native American Day. I don't know when NAD is. We have had such good weather so far on this trip. It has been windy through Wyoming but Dick survived the drive across Wyoming.
Sept. 13
Tonight we are in Medora North Dakota and staying two nights. We are here to see Theodore Roosevelt Nat. Park. We have heard there are lots of wildlife in the park. I will let you know what we see. The land around here looks a lot like the Badlands which is quite a surprise after coming by farm land growing sunflowers, corn and hay. There are also lots of cattle. More about the park later. Definitely Happy Travels, Barb
Arrived at Devils Tower and staying in Forest Service Campground inside the park. We have a view of Devils Tower from our motor home. Lots of red rock around also. Great place and you cannot imagine its size by just looking at a picture.
Sept. 10
Traveled to Custer State Park to spend the next three days. We need a break from traveling everyday and there is so much to see here. Staying in the park with pine trees all around. We do have electricity but that is all. Visited Jewel Cave Nat. Mont. We went on a tour down in the cave. This is the second longest cave in the world. We also had to go to Crazy Horse Memorial again. We have been there two time before and it really amazes me the progress on the mountain. The last time we were there was 2000.
Sept. 11
Today we went to Wind Cave Nat. Park. We took a tour of this cave also. Took a trip to Badlands Nat. Park also today. We did alot of driving in the Jeep today. Badlands is 70 miles East of Rapid City. Today there was a buffalo in the campground. Everyone kept their distance and just let him roam.
Sept. 12
Today we drove the Needles Highway. It's a beautiful, curvy highway through the Black Hills. There are narrow and low height tunnels along this road so glad to have a Jeep. We stopped in Hill City and Keystone to look at the shops. That night we went back to Crazy Horse for a lase-light show on the mountain. They only have the light show Memorial Day through Native American Day. I don't know when NAD is. We have had such good weather so far on this trip. It has been windy through Wyoming but Dick survived the drive across Wyoming.
Sept. 13
Tonight we are in Medora North Dakota and staying two nights. We are here to see Theodore Roosevelt Nat. Park. We have heard there are lots of wildlife in the park. I will let you know what we see. The land around here looks a lot like the Badlands which is quite a surprise after coming by farm land growing sunflowers, corn and hay. There are also lots of cattle. More about the park later. Definitely Happy Travels, Barb
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The start of our adventure.
We started our trip on Thursday, Sept 2, 2010 from our home in Colfax WA. Our first destination over Labor Day weekend was my sister's house outside of Parma ID. Her and her husband have a winery so we had great accommodations in their driveway. We left there Tuesday morning and spent the next night in Pocatello ID. Today we stopped at Fossil Butte Nat. Mon. We are now in Lander WY and will leave in the morning for Devils Tower. We will then head to Custer SD and spend a few days exploring around there. I will keep up with my blog as I have WiFi service. Definitely Happy Travels, Barb
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