Sea to Summit: 2022

Legend

RV
Boat
Driving Jeep
Boat - Southbound

Titusville, United States ‐ Dec 19, 2022

14.7 mi

We had a pleasant surprise yesterday morning when a Looper boat named Redemption showed up at the dock. We had last met half the crew at Joe Wheeler at the Fall Rendezvous in 2021. They were planners without a boat. Claudia noticed them hovering off of the dock while she was walking in the park. She called me on the boat and asked if I would go out and help them dock. When I got on the dock I noticed that it was a large boat and was not sure how much room we had between our boat and the cata [...]
maran in front of us. I stepped of a 45 foot gap and held up fingers of four on one hand and five on the other and said you have 45 feet. A man onboard held up a five on one hand a zero on the other and said we are 50 feet. Then asked if we might move the cat in front of us. I went and knocked on the cat and the woman onboard agreed to pull her boat forward. After moving the cat forward I stepped off 60 feet for a gap and motioned for them to come on in. Once we got them in, they invited us to dinner at five. We went down to the corner restaurant and had a wonderful time. The crew was actually two couples who launched their loop on Easter from The St John’s River near Jacksonville. They hope to cross their wake on Christmas. It was fun and refreshing to be around two other Christian couples for the evening. God knew I needed it and he delivered the goods right on time. The reason I needed it was that my sister unexpectedly died in her sleep Friday night / Saturday morning. Spent most of the day Saturday reflecting on our lives as siblings. Then God sent Redemption into my life, and as usual, when you get your eyes off your circumstances and put them back on Jesus, unexplainable joy enters your heart. God is good, all the time! And all the time God is good!

Titusville Voyage Log

To Titusville
Cocoa Yacht Basin ‐ Dec 15, 2022

53 mi

We weighed anchor and headed north towards Cocoa. The weather was nice when we started, but storms began to form to our west. About 7 miles from Cocoa, the rain, thunder, and lightening began. Never good when on a boat. I had previously fired up the radar which helped when visibility dropped to about a half a mile. But our FOG ( Favor Of God ) showed up, the rain lightened up, and we were able to dock safely. When back on the boat, the next round of lightening started again. We will hang out her [...]
e for the weekend and finish this journey on Monday. Oh, there are two rocket launches scheduled for tomorrow around 1630. Hope we get to see them. Update: we missed the rocket launch, but we managed to make a lighted bicycle parade. There were a little more than 300 entries in the ride. Most were dressed in costume and had their bikes all tricked out. They made three loops around the Cocoa Village streets and finished back at the waterfront park. Was fun to watch them peddle by.

Cocoa Voyage Log

+9

To Cocoa
Vero Beach ‐ Dec 14, 2022

37.8 mi

After the rain stopped this morning, we freed ourselves from the dolphins and entered the St Lucie Lock. We then cruised the St Lucie River to the crossroads with the Atlantic ICW. We turned north onto the ICW and passed through Stuart. Then we passed on by Ft Pierce and dropped the anchor near Vero Beach. We may have a deal to get a spot at the Kennedy Point Marina in Titusvillle. We should secure the arrangement at 1630, or be on the search for another spot.

Vero Beach Voyage Log

+5

To Vero Beach
St Lucie Lock ‐ Dec 13, 2022

52.9 mi

Shoved off the dock and headed to the Old Moore Haven Lock that now has a new name. After making it through the lock it was 13 miles to Big Lake Okeechobee. We crossed the lake with relative ease, but storms began to pop up all around us for the last five miles. We then passed through the Port Mayaca Lock and entered the St. Lucie Canal. We called it a day at the St Lucie Lock. The lock was closed for the day when we arrived so we tied up to some dolphins just before the lock.

St Lucie Voyage Log

+5

To St Lucie Lock
Moore Haven ‐ Dec 12, 2022

41 mi

Woke to heavy fog which caused a delay in leaving the dock. We were able to finally shove off a little bit after 0900. Then we had delays at the first lock and at a swing bridge. As the delays mounted we were unable to make the last lockage at Moore Haven by 1630, so we pulled into the Moore Haven City Dock for the night.

Moore Haven Voyage Log

To Moore Haven
Fort Myers Shores ‐ Dec 10, 2022

49.3 mi

We weighed anchor and headed out of Pelican Bay at low tide. After starting to exit, we were hailed over the VHF radio asking how the depth was. Commented back that we were carrying 7-8 foot of water depth. Then the low water alarm sounded and we were down to 5-6 foot of water for a few hundred yards. Called the boat back and let them know of the change. After we successfully cleared over the sand bar guarding the entrance/exit, two other boats pulled anchor and headed out. Guess they wa [...]
nted to see if someone could get out at low tide. After that we had an enjoyable cruise to Ft Myers. As we approached the miserable mile, we encountered 30 boats on plane waking us. In the miserable mile we encountered 49 boats. Reminding us why it is a bad idea to cruise on the weekend in south Florida. We then passed through downtown Ft Myers, and then arrived at Marina Doyle where we enjoyed visiting with our friends Dave and Barbara who we had not seen since 2021. We also talked on the radio with a boat that we had not seen since 2018, when we were docked on the Joliet Wall just south of Chicago.

Ft Myers Shore Voyage Log

To Marina Doyle
Cayo Costa State Park ‐ Dec 9, 2022

32.4 mi

Shoved off from Crow’s Nest Marina and made way to Cape Haze Marina to take on fuel. Cape Haze is selling diesel for $.25 less than all other Marinas. After taking on fuel we headed out to Cayo Costa State Park to anchor in Pelican Bay.

Pelican Bay Voyage Log

+2

To Pelican Bay
Venice ‐ Dec 8, 2022

29.5 mi

We decided to walk down to the Wicked Cantina for breakfast before shoving off this morning. After returning to the boat, we made way towards Venice. We immediately began to see signs of sunken boats after hurricane Ian. Probably saw 5-6 boats sunk today. It will only get worse as we approach Ft Myers. Also forgot how many slow speed manatee zones were in this short stretch. We arrived in Venice about 1400 and went to the Crow’s Nest Restaurant to have a late lunch or early dinner. While eat [...]
ing, a boat arrived captained by a guy we met at the fall rendezvous. He is doing a delivery from Tennessee River to Ft Myers. We concluded the day with a stroll to the beach to watch the Sunset Celebration, Venice style, which is much more laid back than Key West.

Venice Voyage Log

+6

To Venice
Bradenton Beach ‐ Dec 7, 2022

45.9 mi

After lunch and grocery shopping, we were back underway. We crossed Tampa Bay and then headed to Bradenton Beach. We docked for the night at Bradenton Beach Marina. After docking, we walked over to the beach and watched the sun go down.

Bradenton Beach Voyage Log

+6

To Bradenton Beach
Palm Harbor ‐ Dec 6, 2022

80.2 mi

We weighed anchor on Day 2 of our crossing about 0700 and headed back into the Gulf. If yesterday was good, then today was great. The winds were under 5 mph all day and the waves almost nonexistent. We dropped anchor about 1700 and were thankful for two good days of weather to cross the Gulf.

Palm Harbor Voyage Log

+6

To Palm Harbor
Cedar Keys ‐ Dec 5, 2022

The weather forecast for the Gulf Crossing is 6 mph winds and waves less than 1 foot. So we decided to do a two day crossing. First day to Cedar Key and the second day near Clearwater Beach. The weather forecast turned out accurate for day 1, well except for that thick blanket of fog that arrived at sunrise and lasted till 0930. We shoved off from The Moorings at 0400 in the morning and had an uneventful day on the water. We pulled into Cedar Key about an hour after sunset, 1830, and called [...]
it a day.

Cedar Key Voyage Log

To Cedar Key
Carrabelle, The Moorings ‐ Dec 3, 2022

We had a perfect night on the hook. Weighed anchor and headed to Carrabelle. The weather window to cross the Gulf just keeps getting bigger and better. We had contacted The Moorings on Monday to try and reserve a slip, but they were full of Loopers waiting to cross. Some boater’s had been waiting 12 days for a window to open. We were hoping that some of them would be antsy to get across and would leave Saturday after upping their wait to 17 days. Sure enough many boater’s headed out acr [...]
oss the Gulf in less than ideal conditions. When we arrived at Dog Island, 5 miles south of Carrabelle, we called and got a slip for the weekend. The weather looks good for the next 7 days, so we have decided to rest on Sunday and do the three day Rim Route. This will give us stops in Steinhatchee, Crystal River, and Clearwater Beach as we make our way to southwest Florida.

Carrabelle Voyage Log

+3

To Carrabelle
Searcy Creek ‐ Dec 2, 2022

Had a good cruise today in ever improving weather. Just a short jump today to White City. Unfortunately, the new docks that have been installed since we were here in 2018 have not been opened for business. Port St Joe is still under repair from hurricane Michael, back in 2018. So we found a small anchor spot in an ox bow just off the canal. It was very settle weather and the water was mirror smooth all night, reflecting both the moon and stars.

Searcy Creek Voyage Log

+5

To Searcy Creek
Pearl Bayou ‐ Dec 1, 2022

Spent a very breezy night on the hook with winds 15-20 mph. The north wind also brought cooler temperatures with the low at 42 at sunrise. I fired up the generator and got a few heaters running so the first class passenger could drink her hot coffee in comfort. We then weighed anchor and had a good cruise. We did talk with three other Loopers on the radio today. Everyone has their eye on the weekend weather forecast and expecting good crossing winds first of next week. We hope and pray this is [...]
true.

Pearl Bayou Voyage Log

To Pearl Bayou
Chochtawhatchee Bay Bridge ‐ Nov 30, 2022

Severe storms appeared on the radar this morning so we decided to sit still and let the weather pass before we shoved off today. Turned out to be a good decision. Winds were 25-30 mph with heavy rain falling. A sailboat just off the dock drug anchor and drifted a hundred yards. There were two foot waves passing under the dock. After an hour, things calmed back down and we just had rain to contend with. We were on the back side of the storm at 1100 so we shoved off and headed to Chochtawhatchee B [...]
ridge where we dropped the anchor. More good news to report. After completing the oil pan repairs on the generator, the stop solenoid kept shutting down the unit. I finally got the solenoid readjusted and she ran for about two hours last night. That is good news because it is supposed to get down in the low 40’s tonight. My first class passenger does not like waking up to a cold boat. In the morning, the generator will provide some heat so she can get her coffee brewed with out having to dress for winter. Life is good on the boat.

Chochtawhatchee Bay Bridge Voyage Log

To Choctawhatchee Bay Bridge
Ft Walton Beach ‐ Nov 29, 2022

Well the good news is that the Starboard engine ran well all day. Finally determined the noise was coming from a loose alternator belt. Tightened the belt, that was loose as a goose, and got headed to Ft Walton Beach. The skies were overcast but no rain fall. Which allowed us to walk to the Whataburger in Ft Walton Beach after landing on the free dock. Then it was a run to the grocery store for a few provisions. After returning to the boat, I had one final idea to try on the generator to start [...]
and keep it running. I adjusted the stop solenoid arm. Actually, God finally reminded me that I had adjusted the arm to get it out of the way while I was repairing the oil pan. I returned the arm to original adjustment and the generator fired up and has remained running for about an hour now. Life is good aboard Still Waters II. Looking ahead, it appears a good weather window will open Saturday and last through next Wednesday. If that materializes, we should make it across Monday and Tuesday. But we will continue to monitor the ever changing conditions.

Ft Walton Beach Voyage Log

To Ft Walton Beach
Pensacola Beach ‐ Nov 28, 2022

Took on enough fuel to make it to Carrabelle on Saturday. Then headed off to Pensacola Beach. We had a beautiful cruise with blue skies and a few white clouds. Speaking of blue, when we were crossing Pensacola Bay a couple of Blue Angel planes took off for a practice run. They did acrobatic tricks in the air and then did a fly over the boat before returning to the base. About a mile from the dock, the starboard engine began making an unusual noise. After securing the engine, the noise wen [...]
t away. Troubleshooting could not determine the source of the noise. After docking, we started the engine and could not replicate the sound. Guess we will run the engine tomorrow and see what happens. We walked around Pensacola Beach boardwalk and then over to the Gulf. The water was a gorgeous green color. We then stopped in at Crab's to get a bite to eat. Our server was the 2018 employee of the year. Kourtney did a great job attending all the tables, and then hit a home run when she suggested the key lime pie. Will need a nap after that sugar rush. We will head to Fort Walton Beach tomorrow.

Pensacola Beach Voyage Log

+16

To Pensacola Beach
Orange Beach ‐ Nov 26, 2022

Weighed anchor at first light and headed to the Wharf. Unfortunately we are in heavy fog with visibility about 1/2 mile. And I thought the wind and waves would be the issue today, silly me. Got the radar up and working to help look ahead into the fog. Also, we are running just outside the channel so as not to challenge any oncoming tow and barges. We will be honoring the unwritten navigation rule of gross tonnage today, which says, “he who is biggest has the right of way.” Strangely we saw [...]
not one single tow today. Did see three other pleasure craft but no tows. We made it to the Wharf Marina about 2:30. They are doing upgrades to the docks and marina offices. Looks like it will be much improved over what was already a great marina.

Orange Beach Travel Log

+5

To Orange Beach
Round Island ‐ Nov 25, 2022

We rocked and rolled in our berth until around 10 p.m. when the winds finally decided to die down. We had a comfortable sleep, but woke to fog. The fog cleared after 10 a.m. Then it was just a slow and easy cruise east bound on the Mississippi Sound. We dropped anchor on the leeward side of Round Island to get some protection from the east winds.

Round Island Voyage Log

To Round Island
Bay Saint Louis ‐ Nov 24, 2022

Got off to an early start this morning to catch a break at the Industrial Lock. After a tow exited the lock we were able to enter as the lock master turned the lock around for another west bound tow. Many times they make pleasure craft wait till all the tows are passed through the lock before hassling with pleasure craft. Thankful we did not have to wait this Thanksgiving Day. It was about 28 miles to the Mississippi Bay through a long narrow channel. By the time we made the Mississippi Bay [...]
, winds had picked up to 13 mph which made for a lumpy passage. By the time we made the Railroad Bridge the winds had gotten to 15 mph . Unfortunately, a train which could be nominated for longest train ever was on the tracks. We had to wait for the train to cross before the bridge tender opened the bridge. Imagine that! Was not much fun trying to hold position in a 15 mph wind while trying to dodge the little floating crab pots. After passing through the RR Bridge we made way to the marina to find our predesignated spot along a concrete wall. The marina is closed today but the harbor master gladly took payment over the phone and allowed us to spend Thanksgiving here on the docks.

Bay St Louis Voyage Log

To Bay St Louis
New Orleans ‐ Nov 23, 2022

We had another good run today. The weather was almost perfect with calm winds and temps in the high 60’s. We made good time after leaving the Houma Town Dock. We met our second Looper boat headed west to spend the winter in Corpus Christi. We wished them well over the radio. As we approached New Orleans, we learned that the Harvey Lock was closed due to the low water levels in the Mississippi River caused by drought conditions in the Midwest. This meant that we would need to take the alt [...]
ernate through the highly used commercial Algiers Lock. Horror stories abound where people have had to wait 12 hours for lockage. When we arrived there were no tows in sight and the gates swung wide open with a green light to enter. The good news got even better when the lock master told us to just float in the middle of the lock without having to tie to the lock wall. Then the news got even better! As soon as the gates behind us swung closed, the gates in front began to open. The low water levels must also be affecting the Algiers Lock because this Lock normally causes a 9 foot change in water level. After exiting the Algiers Lock we made the turn into the current to be surprised yet again. The current from the mighty Mississippi River was barely 1 mph. We were expecting at least 3 mph, but only got 1 mph. This was great as we now were making 7.5 mph speed over ground and made quick work of the 5 miles to the Industrial Lock. We docked at the Industrial Lock for the night. We will rise early tomorrow and try to make Bay of St Louis Municipal Marina tomorrow. Hopefully we can find a restaurant open and partake of some good Thanksgiving grub.

New Orleans Voyage Log

New Orleans Voyage Log

+12

To New Orleans
Houma ‐ Nov 22, 2022

Had another pleasant cruise today. The big win was getting diesel at Rio Fuel for $3.99 per gallon where most places fuel is selling for over $5 per gallon. After fueling, we headed to Houma, LA. We will head to New Orleans tomorrow morning, but presently do not have a spot to stay overnight. Will begin working on that after finishing today’s update

Houma Voyage Log

To Houma
Morgan City

Hello sunshine! Things are looking much better. We had a good cruise today with no issues. Appears the skipper has gotten back to his A game. We saw many Bald Eagles through this stretch today. We also saw many tows. Such is life on the Gulf ICW . Lastly, after docking the crew realized that the crew of Best Mate was docked just ahead of Still Waters II. The two crews last met on the Ohio River in July of 2021. Best Mate is headed to Corpus Christi to spend the winter. Oh wait, one more las [...]
t thing. After swapping sea stories with Best Mate, the skipper cleaned out the starboard fuel tank vent line. He found a couple of spider eggs and a dirt dauber nest blocking the vent. This caused some issues with back flow when filling the fuel tank in Seabrook last week. Hopefully this cleanup task will prevent future burps of fuel and potential fuel spills while filling the tank.

Shell Morgan to Morgan City Voyage Log

+8

To Morgan City
Shell Morgan, Intracoastal City ‐ Nov 19, 2022

This day started out OK in the rain and then deteriorated all day. The temps would stay in the mid 40’s all day with thick cloud cover. Which meant that the sun was unable to perform any warming in the helm. The crew managed to get some warmth by using a propane heater, well until the propane ran out. Then it really got cold, bone chilling cold, in the helm. The crew did manage to make it to the Mermentau River where they planned to anchor. The crew set the anchor and went below to start th [...]
e generator and get some heaters working. Unfortunately the stop solenoid has failed and will allow the generator to start, but will not hold the position and shuts down the generator. While trying to determine what was wrong, the skipper noticed that the boat did not feel right. He looked out and noticed that the high winds ( 20 mph with gusts to 25) had caused the anchor to drag. When the skipper got to the helm, it was obvious that the boat was aground again. Luckily this time, the grounding was in soft mucky black mud and the skipper was able to free the vessel and get back into deeper water. Oh did I mention that it was now pitch black outside with no stars or moon because of the thick cloud cover that continued to unleash the rain? Trying to figure out their options, the crew made a daring decision to go another five hours in the dark to Intercostal City, rather than risk another anchor problem in the wind and rain. The night travel caused a few issues that will be funny in years to come, but are a little new to be funny now. First, the skipper was struggling initially to get his night vision by getting all the light sources turned off. And yes he ran aground again before he could actually see. Luckily again, it was a soft grounding a low speed with no damage. He managed to wiggle the boat free with the engines and they were back underway. The next challenge was the tows. It is a bit unnerving to meet a tow in the dark. Sometimes they do not have the red and green light working on the actual barges which makes staying clear of the barge almost impossible in the narrow waterway. Claudia was prepared to operate the search light to illuminate the barges if they were not properly marked with their red, green, and flashing amber lights. We met three tows, which were all lit properly and made for an easier pass along the waterway. Still unnerving, but palatable. We did overtake one tow which let us know that we had two tows still to meet. That also helped to calm the nerves of the anxious crew. We had a good idea where we were likely meet, and the calculations were spot on with no surprises. We then approached a bridge that was oddly lit up. The night vision causes some strange connections with the brains depth perception. We finally came to an all stop to try and make since of what we were looking at. Turned out to be lights along the shore about 100 yards after passing under the bridge. The last challenge would be a lock. When we arrived it was still pouring down rain. We were not looking forward to getting out in the cold wet weather. When we arrived, the lock master told us he had both ends of the lock gates open and told us to just idle through the lock. Thank you Jesus. We needed a little positive action after a long miserable day. We arrived at the marina about midnight. The only good news, it finally stopped raining so docking would at least be dry.

Mermentau Island to Shell Morgan Voyage Log

Shell Island to Mermentau Island Voyage Log
Shell Island, Port Arthur ‐ Nov 18, 2022

Well, our anchor spot turned out to be a real zero. The wind was predicted to be out of the North East. We anchored along the north shore of the ICW expecting the wind to blow us away from shore. Sometime in the night, weather did what weather does, the wind shifted out of the east south east and blew us into the north shore. We tried desperately to move the boat into deeper water to no avail. We finally called Boat Us to get a tow. An hour and a half later, the welcome sign of a red Boat US app [...]
eared. The captain tossed a bridal across to Still Waters II where I fastened the lines to two cleats. Then before you know it, the tow boat pulled her into deeper water and she was back afloat. A quick check of the running gear showed no vibration or damage so we tipped the Boat US Captain and set sail for Port Arthur. Our unfortunate delay caused us a bit of an issue at the end of the day. As we ran out of daylight before we arrived at Shell Island to anchor. Claudia operated the spotlight to safely guide the boat to her spot for the night. This experience would only be training for what would happen next.

Port Bolivar to Shell Island Anchorage Voyage Log

Tow Boat US
Port Bolivar ‐ Nov 17, 2022

We managed to prepare Still Waters II for her voyage to NE Florida and set sail about noon after taking on fuel and water. We had hoped to get into Port Bolivar to get off the Intra Costal Waterway (ICW), but the entrance was shoaled which prevented our entry. We ended up anchoring across the channel due to the predicted wind direction.

Seabrook Marina to Port Bolivar Anchorage Voyage Log
Seabrook Marina ‐ Nov 15, 2022

We are off on another adventure. We drove the Jeep down to Seabrook Marina and prepared to move back onboard Still Waters II. We will continue the homeschool adventure, but perform the duties remotely. We will spend Wednesday preparing Still Waters II for her next voyage to Northeast Florida. We plan to depart Seabrook Marina on Thursday.
Aurora RV Park ‐ Aug 19, 2022
Lubbock ‐ Aug 16, 2022

Broke camp and initially headed to Trinidad. We arrived around 1300 after a beautiful drive through the back roads. We stopped at a rode side park for lunch and decided to push on to Clayton where there was $3.29 gas. After fueling up, we decided to push on to Amarillo to find a good Whataburger. About 1 mile from the Whataburger there was suddenly a loud grinding noise at the rear of the RV. We immediately stopped and jumped out to see what happened. The tow attachment bolted to the RV ha [...]
d failed and the tow bar was dragging the pavement. We unhooked the Jeep and pulled the tow bar off the RV. Claudia drove the Jeep to the Whataburger as I drove the RV. By the grace of God There was no damage to the Jeep or RV. Well other than the broken RV tow attachment. Safety chains worked and all is well. After some good comfort food in the form of a double cheeseburger, we decided to push on to Lubbock with Claudia following the RV while driving the Jeep. We arrived just before 2200 for a long 12 hours on the road.
Salida, CO ‐ Aug 15, 2022

65.8 mi

We broke camp and headed towards Salida. But, before leaving Gunnison we stopped in at an interesting store named Traders Rendezvous. They specialize in animal mounts and antlers for sale. They advertise over 2,000 mounts in the store, and after visiting I think they under estimated. After grabbing a few souvenirs we finally headed to Salida. On the way we crossed back over to the east side of the Continental Divide via Monarchs Pass, 11,312 feet. Flatlander pulled her and the Jeep up and [...]
over without incident. That should be our last Divide traverse, though we still have a few more mountain passes to negotiate.

+20

Traders Rendezvous
- Aspen
  
  89.8 mi
  
  We decided to drive up and over Independence Pass and go check out Aspen.
Gunnison, United States ‐ Aug 11, 2022

Broke camp and left Lake City this morning. Lake City seems to be a Texan hide-a-way from the summer blistering heat. Most store owners and operators were from Texas, as well as most license plates. We headed to Gunnison, to the Tall Texan RV Park. This will be our last true extended stop before we head back to Texas and the blast furnace heat.
- Cottonwood Pass, United States ‐ Aug 13, 2022
  
  Today we decided to take another loop drive in the Jeep. The main stops were Cottonwood Pass, St. Elmo Ghost Town, Tincup Pass, and then Tincup. The drive from Gunnison to Taylor Lake was as picturesque as always. At Taylor Lake, we did stop to pick up a few snacks for the drive at the Taylor Lake Outpost. From there we continued up to the top of the Continental Divide at Cottonwood Pass. They have paved the old dirt road all the way to the top which makes for a much nicer drive. At the to [...]
  p of Cottonwood Pass we got out and hiked a bit of the Continental Divide Trail. We met two couples who had been on the Trail since Denver. This was the last stop for one of the couples as they had to return to work. The other couple was going to press on to Durango over the days ahead.
  
  +5
  - St. Elmo Ghost Town, United States ‐ Aug 13, 2022
    
    From Cottonwood Pass we continued on to St. Elmo Ghost Town. One of the more intact ghost towns in Colorado. The town mostly folded up back in 1926 when the train stopped coming to town. The town's population peaked in the late 1800’s at around 2,000. However, the Stark Family stayed and hoped and dreamed of another boom that never came. They kept the General Store open and rented cabins to tourist. By 1930, the population was down to 7. When the Post Office closed in 1952, just two Sta [...]
    rk children remained, Tony and Annabel. But by the end of the decade, they would be gone also.
    
    +14
    
    Tincup, United States ‐ Aug 13, 2022
    
    After exploring the history of St. Elmo, we headed out of town and up towards Tincup Pass. This dirt road might just be the roughest we have been on this summer. It took a little over an hour to reach the top of the Pass. Along the way, we did encounter one vehicle getting towed down hill. Then near the top of the Pass we encountered a family of 4 on two 4 wheelers. One 4 wheeler was broke down. We attempted to give life to the battery by giving them a jump but the battery would not take a [...]
    charge and start the engine. The man thanked us for trying and said he would coast and push the broken machine down hill to St Elmo. That was going to be a long hard 6 miles. After crossing back over the Continental Divide at the Pass, we continue down to the little town of Tincup. We then completed our loop back at the Taylor Lake Outpost. When we started our return trip to Gunnison we encountered a herd of Mountain Goats crossing the road. Great way to complete our tour of the rugged Rockies.
    
    Tincup Pass
Lake City ‐ Aug 8, 2022

We broke camp and headed east today towards Pagosa Springs. Their claim to fame is the deepest mineral hot springs in the world. And they have the Guinness Book of World Records to back the claim. Then we started up our first of two passes today, crossing the Continental Divide both times. As we passed up and over Wolf Creek Pass (10,856 feet) I could hear CW McCall singing Convoy in my head. We turned northwest at South Fork, onto Colorado 149, and began an 8 mile climb back over the Conti [...]
nental Divide at Spring Creek Pass (10,898). The 8 miles down hill to Lake City holds the record for the steepest grade (9%) of any paved road in Colorado. I put the transmission in second gear and held on as we curved left and right down the many switch backs. Flatlander performed well today as she pulled her and her little Jeep dinghy up and down the mountains. We did see several RV's pulled off the road today with hoods up trying to cool off the engine. Thank God we were not one of them.

Whitmore Falls
- Spring Creek ‐ Aug 9, 2022
  
  Decided to take another Jeep Road and go exploring. We drove through the Powderhorn Wilderness Area.
  
  +6
  - Cebolla Creek ‐ Aug 9, 2022
    
    This section of road followed the Cebello Creek back to the Highway. Once again, breathtaking scenery.
Durango ‐ Aug 2, 2022

169.1 mi

We broke camp and headed to Durango. We have tickets to ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad on Wednesday. We then hope to take the Jeep out on the Alpine Loop to take the back roads over Engineer Pass over to Lake City. Then over Cinnamon Pass back over to Silverton. We will then sit a spell and relax a bit before moving on to spend a few days at Lake City.

+7

To Durango
- Durango & Silverton Depot ‐ Aug 3, 2022
  
  7.4 mi
  
  Headed to the Train Depot. We have the 0900 departure ticket from Durango, and expect to make the 45 mile ride through the San Juan Mountains to Silverton in 3.5 hours.
  
  +33
  
  Durango to Silverton
  - Silverton ‐ Aug 3, 2022
    
    We had a 15 minute delay leaving Durango Depot due to one of the rail cars needing to be replaced due to a broken spring. Once the rail car was replaced we were underway to Silverton. The 0900 train is pulled by two steam locomotives. The fireman will be busy shoveling 5 tons of coal into the boiler to make the steam necessary to run the train. The train runs 45 miles on narrow gauge track that was completed in 1872. The narrow gauge track makes it possible for the train to make some of the [...]
    narrow twist and turns along the Animas River as we climb to Silverton.
    
    +50
    
    Silverton to Durango
    
    +12
    
    Animas Forks ‐ Aug 4, 2022
    
    Today we decided to do some off roading and picked the Alpine Loop that runs between Silverton and Lake City. On the north side of the loop we passed over Engineer Pass (12,800 feet). After making Lake City, we took the south side of the loop over Cinnamon Pass (12,620 feet). We returned back to Animas Forks to complete the Alpine Loop. In all, the loop took us about 7 hours. We then took the Million Dollar Highway back down to Durango. On the day, we spotted a dozen mule deer out grazing an [...]
    d numerous rock Marmots.
    
    +13
    
    Alpine Loop
    
    Lake City ‐ Aug 4, 2022
    
    After visiting the Ghost Town we headed over Engineer Pass, then made way over to Lake City.
    
    +12
    
    Engineering Pass
    
    Cinnamon Pass ‐ Aug 4, 2022
    
    After passing through Lake City we turned back west and took the road over Cinnamon Pass and returned to Animas Forks to conclude our Alpine Loop.
    
    +5
Iron Creek Campground ‐ Jul 29, 2022

33.5 mi

We had a short travel day , but could not arrive at campground till after 1300. So we sat in the Walmart parking lot and were entertained by the 5 man crew performing dirt work on the lot just across the road. It was obvious that these guys had worked together before because there was very little conversation but the work progressed as a fine tuned machine. They completed there work just about noon, so we left as the crew began to break up and head out also. We will use the Iron Creek Campgr [...]
ound as a base camp as we explore the north and south rims of Gunnison National Park. The Campground Host swung by a bit ago to warn us that bears have been spotted near the campground and asked us to make sure we keep food and garbage secure. In the conversation, we learned that our host is from Cleburne, Texas. What a small world. Cleburne is where I raised my two kids and they graduated High School. Yes, small world indeed.
- Blue Mesa Dam ‐ Jul 30, 2022
  
  39.4 mi
  
  Took the scenic backroad (HWY 92) to the Blue Mesa Dam. From there, we picked up HWY 50 and headed to the South Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Our first stop was the Visitor Center parking lot where we enjoyed a picnic lunch. We then went inside and took a short hike to Gunnison Point.
  - South Rim Visitor Center ‐ Jul 30, 2022
    
    68.5 mi
    
    After the Visitor Center, we drove the South Rim Road to the Highpoint turn around. It had started raining, so we sat in the Sunset View turnout to wait for the weather to pass. We made stops at the Cedar Point, Painted Wall, and Tomichi Point turnouts to View the Canyon as we headed to the South Rim Campground.
    
    +3
    
    Black Canyon of the Gunnison
    
    High Point ‐ Jul 30, 2022
    
    5.6 mi
    
    End of the South Rim Road. Now headed to the South Rim Campground
    
    +10
    
    South Rim Road
    
    Amphitheater ‐ Jul 30, 2022
    
    2.8 mi
    
    We stopped at the Amphitheater to relive a past horror that all started one night while we camped here back in the 1973. We had come here to listen to a Ranger Talk one night while we were staying in the campground. After the talk, my Dad asked the Ranger if it was possible to hike down to the river. The Ranger pointed to a clearing and said go that way and take plenty of water. The next morning, my Dad, little brother (12) and I (13) hiked back to the Ampitheater, then headed down the 2,000 [...]
    foot elevation drop to the Gunnison River in the general direction that the Ranger pointed. The plan was to go down in the morning, catch a few trout, and then climb back out in the afternoon. The only thing we caught, was my little brother’s ear. When we started back out of the river bottom , I can remember being able to touch the gorge wall with my hand as I stood up on the side of the gorge because it was so steep. We would crawl and climb our way upward for about 5 minutes. Then sit and rest for 10 minutes. It was a miserable afternoon. However, my brother did provide some comic relief. After making it a little over half way up, my brother was done, stick a fork in him done. He had had all he could take. In one of those 10 minute rest stops, he asked my Dad to break his leg. My Dad asked him why he wanted to break his leg. My brother responded with, “at the Ranger Talk last night I remember the Ranger told you that they would only do a rescue if somebody fell and broke a leg. I want you to break my leg. I will stay here, while you and David go get the rescue helicopter.” My Dad said we would have none of that and told him to get his little fanny up the hill. (Or something similar to that if you know what I mean.) We eventually made it back up to the rim and the campground, with a vow to never return. In all my years of camping and exploring Colorado, this is the first time I have been back to the Black Canyon. After looking down those 2,000 foot canyon walls today, it is hard to imagine that my Dad actually did that with two young (12 and 13) boys. What was he thinking?
    
    +3
    
    Iron Creek Campground ‐ Jul 30, 2022
    
    67.5 mi
    
    After riminicsing about the climb up out of the Gunnison River Gorge, we headed back to the RV at Iron Creek Campground. On Monday, we will venture over and drive the North Rim Road.
    
    A Dinosaur
    
    North Rim - Dead Horse Trail ‐ Aug 1, 2022
    
    16.3 mi
    
    We took the scenic North Rim Drive of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison to get the view from that side. We made stops at Chasm View, Narrows View, Balanced Rock View, Big Island View, Island Peaks View, Kneeling Camel View, and made the turnaround at the Dead Horse Trailhead. At the Chasm View stop it is 1,100 feet over to the South Rim and 1,730 feet down to the Gunnison River. Balanced Rock was interesting to see and makes you wondering how many years before that big boulder crashes down to [...]
    the river below. Big Island gave excellent views of rock formations holding their own against the relentless river below. The Kneeling Camel was a neat rock formation to behold. At the Dead Horse turnaround, I could see the South Rim Visitor Center and parts of the Campground. Based on those landmarks, I had a very good view of the route down to the river I took with my brother and Dad. I can remember we went down one side of a large rock formation, then had to wade and rock hop around the rock formation, and then we started back up the other side of the rock formation. As I concluded the other day, what was he thinking?
    
    +34
    
    North Rim Road
    
    Iron Creek Campground ‐ Aug 1, 2022
    
    16.3 mi
    
    Return trip back to the RV. We will be headed to Durango on Tuesday.
Delta ‐ Jul 28, 2022

120 mi

We broke camp from Glenwood Springs and headed to Delta, Colorado. We stopped back in Rifle on our way west to pickup our new AC Compressor. Thanks to the UPS Store for taking the delivery. When leaving Rifle, we spotted what looked like a turkey crossing the road. When we got closer, that turkey turned into a peacock. Interesting! We have reservations for Crawford State Park starting tomorrow, so we will hang here for the night, do some reprovisioning, and go to the campground in the morni [...]
ng.
Glenwood Springs ‐ Jul 25, 2022

26.3 mi

After a nice night in the Rifle Rest Area, we finally made arrangements to order an AC Compressor for the RV. The UPS folks in town agreed to allow us to ship the part to their store, where we will be able to pick the part up Thursday afternoon. We then found a place to hangout a few days while we wait on the arrival of the part. We found Ami's Acres RV Campground closer to Glenwood Springs, so we back tracked a bit and set up camp on the edge of town.

Ami's Acres
- Two Rivers Park ‐ Jul 27, 2022
  
  Glenwood Springs has a summer music concert series on Wednesday nights, so we decided to listen to the music. We were rewarded with two really good bands. The first band, Highway 82, covered country music. They played Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams JR, and similar artist. However, the best song was from Willie Nelson which was played over the sound system just before the band came out to play: I'm My Own Grand Pa Now, many many years ago When I was twenty three I was married to [...]
  a widow Who was pretty as could be This widow had a grown-up daughter Had hair of red My father fell in love with her And soon the two were wed This made my dad my son-in-law And changed my very life My daughter was my mother Because she was my father's wife To complicate the matters Even though it brought me joy I soon became the father Of a bouncing baby boy My little baby then became A brother-in-law to dad And so became my uncle Though it made me very sad For if he was my uncle That also made him the brother Of the widow's grown-up daughter Who, of course, was my step-mother I'm my own grandpa I'm my own grandpa It sounds funny I know But it really is so I'm my own grandpa My father's wife then had a son That kept them on the run And he became my grandchild For he was my daughter's son My wife is now my mother's mother And it makes me blue Because, she is my wife She's my grandmother too I'm my own grandpa I'm my own grandpa It sounds funny I know But it really is so I'm my own grandpa Now, if my wife is my grandmother Then, I am her grandchild And every time I think of it It nearly drives me wild For now I have become The strangest case you ever saw As the husband of my grandmother I am my own grandpa I'm my own grandpa I'm my own grandpa It sounds funny I know But it really is so I'm my own grandpa I'm my own grandpa I'm my own grandpa It sounds funny I know But it really is so I'm my own grandpa The second band was The Long Run, and they played Eagle's music. They played for about an hour and a half before wrapping up their show and walking off of stage. Problem was they failed, refused, or neglected to play one of the best Eagle songs ever, which had the crowd demanding more. The band came back out and apologized and said they forgot one song. Then began a long intro to Hotel California. Once done with that song, they tried to depart the stage, but the largest crowd ever at one of these concerts was not finished, so the band played one more song. All in all a great way to spend our last night in Glenwood Springs.
  
  I'm My Own Grandpa
- Pioneer Cemetery ‐ Jul 26, 2022
  
  Went to the Pioneer Cemetery to view the final resting place of Doc Holiday. The short mile hike up the trail was rather steep and makes one wonder how the pallbearer's get the body up the hill. Not to mention some of the rather large tombstones also.The actual location of the grave site has been lost to history, but a tombstone has been erected for Doc anyway. While in the cemetery, I also learned that Kid Curry was also here. The Kid was famous for running with the Wild Bunch, which includ [...]
  ed Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The gang had completed a robbery and gone there separate ways. Kid Curry learned of a payroll train coming through Parachute, just a little west of Glenwood Springs. He robbed the train but was tracked down by a posse and shot. He decided to not be taken alive so he ended his own life. His body was taken to Glenwood Springs and placed in the Potters Field Cemetery. Later some Pinkerton Agents had the body dug up to verify that it was Kid Curry. They identified the body to be Kid Curry and closed many cases. Some say the identification was wrong. However, Kid Curry is never credited with another robbery or shooting after his incident in Parachute.
  
  +10
  
  I'll be your Huckleberry
- Hanging Lake Trail ‐ Jul 26, 2022
  
  We reserved two hiking permits to have the privilege to walk 1.2 miles up Hanging Lake Trail. The elevation gain was 1,200 feet up from the parking lot next to the Colorado River. We took our time and enjoyed the 7 bridges that crossed Horse Creek. Honestly, we mostly enjoyed the benches that were near the bridges which allowed us to catch our breath. After arriving below the lake, a cascade of water rolling down announced our arrival near the lake. That last .2 miles was pretty steep so the [...]
  park service has added a hand rail to help hikers scramble up and over the rocks. We finally made the turn to a green lush lake setting adorned with waterfalls. While we sat on the benches along the board walk and took a breather, we also enjoyed the scenery along with some snacks we brought. While relaxing on the bench a beaver swam up and saw us eating, so he decided it must be dinner time. He began to eat small twigs from a bush along the bank of the lake. Experts are not sure where the water actually comes from that feeds the lake, but it shoots out from the rocks about two feet above the lake. Most think that there must be an underground spring that feeds Spouting Rock.
  
  +23
Rifle ‐ Jul 24, 2022

152.2 mi

Our original plans to stay a few nights at Sawmill Campground or Denver Creek Campground were literally washed out by rain. In October 2020, the Troublesome Fire raged into Rocky Mountain National Park on the West Side of the Park as well as 18 miles of Arapaho National Forrest. Because of the rains the last few days, the authorities have closed State Highway 125, due to mud slides onto the roadway, which leads to the campgrounds. We recalculated and decided to make the run to Rifle where we h [...]
ope to order an AC Compressor for the RV.
Winding River RV Resort ‐ Jul 21, 2022

139.6 mi

We broke camp and headed to Rocky Mountain National Park. We were surprised to learn the Park is the third busiest park in the system. Because of the number of visitors, they have instituted a timed entry permit system at the Park. The only date and time available for the month of July was today from 1- 3. We reserved a permit and hoped we would make the time. The drive took us up and over the Continental Divide twice today. Rabbit Ears Pass proved to be a formidable challenge at 9,429 [...]
feet. Flatlander pulled her way up and over the pass, most of the time traveling at only 20 mph in 2nd gear. The second pass, Muddy Pass - 8,772, was a bit easier since we caught it on the down hill side. With those challenges behind us, we continued to the campground and arrived just before 1300. After registering at the office, we found our spot, parked, and unhooked the Jeep. We arrived at the entrance to the park at 1320, and used our timed entry permit to gain access to the park. We were immediately rewarded with the sighting of our first of four herd of Elk. In all, we easily saw over 150 Elk in the Park. We drove the Trail Ridge Road over to the east side of the park. To return, we took the old Falls Highway back to the Alpine Visitor Center. Did you know that the Visitor Center is the highest Center in the entire National Park System? After Claudia completed shopping down the store at Alpine, we continued back to the RV Campground. On the way back we saw a Moose out for an evening stroll. After returning to the RV, we set up camp and prepared for a the Smith Family Reunion, a branch of Claudia's family tree. We will stay here through the weekend and continue our travels next week.

+17

Elk Central
Craig ‐ Jul 20, 2022

115 mi

Short jump to Craig to stage for our final run to Rocky Mountain National Park tomorrow.
Dinosaur National Monument

165.8 mi

We broke camp to make way to Craig, Colorado. However, we stopped at the Dinosaur National Monument to visit the Quarry Wall of ancient dinosaurs. But before arriving at the Monument we had a beautiful drive through Flaming Gorge. We saw many deer and antelope along the route today. We even saw two spotted fawns on Y 10 yards from the road. Mom was on the other side of the road already. Looked like she was trying to get some alone time away from the young'ins. After arriving at the Dinos [...]
aur Monument we explored the Visitor Center, caught the film, and then caught the tram up to the Quarry Wall. After spending time observing the bones, we headed to Craig to call it a wrap.

+32

Digg'n Bones
Evanston ‐ Jul 19, 2022

121 mi

We broke camp and headed southwest chasing those cooler temperatures. Hi today in Evanston, Wyoming is predicted to be only 82 degrees, so that is where we are going today. Along the way we drove along a huge body of water named Palisades Reservoir. It is formed by a Dam across the Snake River, impounding 1.2 million acre-feet. We then ran down a Valley with the Grand Tetons to port and the Targhee National Forest To starboard. In Afton, we saw the world's largest Elk horn arch over the roa [...]
dway. We then made a short foray into Utah before landing in Evanston, Wyoming for the night.

Elk Arch
Afton ‐ Jul 20, 2022

108.6 mi
Idaho Falls ‐ Jul 18, 2022

129.2 mi

Today our final destination was Idaho Falls. But before we arrived we made a stop at the Craters of the Moon National Monument. We stopped in at the Visitor Center to learn about the park. We then took the 7 mile loop road inside the park to explore the features. Our first major stop was Inferno Cone where a short hike up the 28% grade was made more difficult with a 41 mph wind. After nearly getting blown away at the cone, 6,181 feet, we managed to safely get back down to the parking lot. O [...]
ur next stop was Spatter Cones. The last part of the eruption cycle ends with these small cones oozing lava building the last of the volcanoes dome. We then stopped at the Caves Area to see a few caves left from lava tubes. This was a unique adventure today with nothing else like it in the lower 48 states.

+28

Craters of the Moon
Timmerman Rest Area ‐ Jul 17, 2022

134.7 mi

With the temps expected at the century mark in the area again today, we decided to reroute our path along the Oregon Trail and take the Goodale Cutoff. This northern route gets out of the Snake River bottom and heads more directly through the Mountains. We pulled up and over one pass that was marked 5,772 feet. This more northern route and elevation gain will provide much cooler weather.

Goodale Cutoff
- Ketchum ‐ Jul 17, 2022
  
  27.1 mi
  
  We took a Sunday afternoon drive up to Ketchum to check out the Sun Valley area. Our first stop was the Ketchum Cemetery to locate Ernest Hemingway's burial spot. Along with his grave we spotted several others that looked interesting. Hemingway may have been a good writer, but I suspect a few of these folks have some good stories to tell themselves. Especially Galen Lee Hanselman, with his bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses besides his grave marker. We then found the Hemingway Memorial [...]
  and then. Finished the trip with a stop at Grumpy's for the best burger in town.
  
  +7
  
  The Old Man and the Sea
  
  Ernest Hemingway Bio
  
  Found this bio of Hemingway at Find A Grave. Nobel Prize in Literature Recipient, Pulitzer Prize Recipient. Ernest Hemingway, an American author, received the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature, according...
Meridian ‐ Jul 16, 2022

212.7 mi

After departing the Columbia River yesterday, we picked up the Oregon Trail. We continued eastbound along the Oregon Trail all day today. We entered both Idaho and the Mountain Time Zone as we wound our way around the high mountain desert. The temps today are at the century mark, so we are hoping to score an electric outlet at the Camping World in town after Claudia completes the laundry. The business closes at 6 p.m. on Saturdays, and they allow you to hook up electrically on a first come fi [...]
rst serve basis after hours in their service lot......... Well, Claudia wrapped the laundry up by 6 p.m. and so we headed over to Camping World just a few miles away. We were the first of three campers who took advantage of the electrical power available at the 12 sites available. We hooked up and got the AC going because the outside temps are 102 here today. Looks like a DQ Blizzard run is in our future.....

Oregon Trail

Oregon Trail Landmarks

Though people usually took the Oregon Trail from Missouri to the Pacific Northwest, we are headed eastbound. Found this interesting article about the landmarks the pioneers used helping with their wes...
Pendleton ‐ Jul 15, 2022

213 mi

After a week long visit with family, we finally put Portland in the rear view mirror and headed further east. We ran the Columbia River for much of the day to enjoy the views through the Gorge again. We eventually broke more southwest and lost sight of the big river. There must have been some kind of kayak gathering, because for over ten miles in one stretch we must have seen several hundred kayakers paddling into the current. We brought the travel day to an end in a town named Pendleton.
Portland ‐ Jul 8, 2022

97.3 mi

Well, we started our eastbound trek today. However, we only made it to Portland, actually on Hayden Island in the Columbia River. We will hang here for about a week visiting with one of Claudia's nieces. Did you know these five facts about Oregon? The Pacific Crest Trail runs 455 miles in Oregon. Total trails in Oregon are just over 1,000 miles. The Klamath National Wildlife Refuge is home to the largest population of Bald Eagles in the lower 48 states during winter. Hell's Canyon is the [...]
deepest river canyon in North America at 7,900 feet deep. The first scenic bicycle byway in the country was here, the Willamate Valley Scenic Byway. Oregon is now home to 16 more of these byways. Oregon has the most National Wild & Scenic River designations. Currently sitting at 68.
- Mount Hood ‐ Jul 11, 2022
  
  Spent the day exploring Mt Hood and the Columbia River Gorge with Belle and her daughter, Nele. Had a wonderful time checking out Timberline Lodge at Mt Hood. Did you know that you can ski and snowboard in July? The river gorge was beautiful to travel along as we stopped and checked out a few waterfalls. Oh, and introduced Nele to geocaching. We made 5 grabs along the Old Highway.
  
  +16
  
  Wy'east?
  
  Lost to History
  
  While researching the Indian name for Mt Hood, I have concluded that the name has probably been lost to history. However, an internet search will turn up several legend stories with many similarities...
- Mt St Helens ‐ Jul 12, 2022
  
  Spent the day exploring Mt St Helens today. We stopped at a State Park Visitor Center that was 30 miles as a crow flys from the mountain. Then drove another 47 miles to a second Visitor Center overlooking the blast zone from the 1980 eruption. On the way back down the mountain, we HAD to stop for a few more geocache hunts. Then we made way back to the RV Park to meet up with some of Nele's friends at the pool. Then it was pizza time. Followed by Nele's first foray into making homemade ice c [...]
  ream with a secret homemade chocolate sauce that she also learned to make. Now that is a good day.
  
  +15
  
  Blow Your Top Off
Alder Creek Village ‐ Jul 5, 2022

167.9 mi

We then continued south on 101 following the Pacific Coast Line. We made one stop along a road side pullout to observe an Island with a lighthouse. The name of the Island is Destruction Island, so you know there has to be a story about that name. (See the blog post 'Destruction Island'). With that as our last stop we set our sights on the Columbia River, where we crossed over into Oregon at Astoria. Then just a few more miles to our campground at Kampers West where we will sit for a few day [...]
s to explore the area where Lewis and Clark turned around and headed back east.

+2

Destruction Island

Destruction Island

Do you know how Destruction Island got its name? Well, it all started back in 1775 when when a Spanish sailor, Bruno Heceta, anchored off the Island. He sent a small boat to the main land but they did...
- Lewis and Clark National Park ‐ Jul 6, 2022
  
  We used the afternoon to go explore the Lewis and Clark National Park. Once again we found two interesting films, one from an American historical record and one from a Native American perspective. They were both well done. The Park features a replica Fort Clatsop, near the location of the original Fort built by the Corps of Discovery. We took a short hike around the Fort to see where they gathered water from nearby springs. Did you know that in the 90 days they spent in the Fort, it rained [...]
  all but 9 days. We also hiked down to the Lewis and Clark River where the Corps kept their 4 canoes. Like Lewis and Clark, this will be our turnaround point as we begin to head back east. Also, did you know that Lewis died a mysterious death? Was it murder, suicide, or political assignation? Inquiring minds want to know. Even his family wants to exhume the body and use modern medical science to try and answer the question.
  
  +9
  
  Corps of Discovery
Forks

87.1 mi

We took the long way around Olympic National Park following highway 101 to make a few stops on the Pacific Ocean. The whole day was filled with vibrant scenery. Crescent Lake was spectacular with its turquoise colored water. The water gets its clear water due to the altitude where no algae grows. The lake is the second deepest in the state of Washington, measuring 596 feet below the surface. Our next major stop was Rialto Beach. After traveling almost 12 miles to arrive at the Beach, there was a [...]
sign that said no RV Parking. We exited the narrow road into the campground and found a spot where we could unhitch the Jeep. We then drove the Jeep the final 1.8 miles to Rialto Beach and were lucky to find a vacant parking space. This was a very popular stop for many. We got out and spent a good hour walking the beach before returning to the Jeep and the mother land yacht.

+13

Rialto Beach
Port Angeles, Washington ‐ Jul 4, 2022

123.2 mi

Broke camp and headed for Olympic National Park. We stopped at the Main Visitor Center to watch an interesting film about the park and gather information. We took a short drive up Hurricane Ridge, but soon found ourselves trapped in the low hovering clouds. At a look out pull out, we turned around and called it a day. We headed back down into the town of Port Angeles and will hangout at Walmart for the night. Just across the water is Victoria, British Columbia. Did you know that eight kind [...]
s of plants and 15 kinds of animals are found on Olympic Peninsula but nowhere else on Earth?

+11

Olympic Park
Lacey ‐ Jul 3, 2022

93.4 mi

We decided to take a short Sunday afternoon drive south of Seattle and stop for the day at Cabela’s. This will set us up for an easy drive to Olympic National Park on the 4th. Experts claim there are only 5 rainy days in Seattle during the month of July. Well, one of them is today. So much for traveling stress free on a Sunday. Rain and many cars on the road, so much for plans. The rain will not dampen the mounts inside Cabela’s though.

+10

Cabela’s
Tulalip Casino, Marysville ‐ Jul 1, 2022

64.5 mi

Broke camp and left the North Cascades in the rear view mirror. Only made a short run to Marysville where we are parked in the Tulalip Casino RV lot. We will hang out here for the holiday weekend before we start towards Olympic National Park. We will do some site seeing tomorrow, driving the western section of the Cascades Loop. Hope to swing by and visit Anacortes as well as a few west coast marinas.
- Deception Pass Bridge ‐ Jul 2, 2022
  
  We unhooked the dinghy, Jeep, from Flatlander and took a day cruise over to Anacortes on Fidalgo Island. We then drove over Deception Pass to Whidbey Island. We drove about halfway down the Island and made the turnaround at a Washington State Park Beach.
  
  +21
Alpine RV Park ‐ Jun 29, 2022

135.1 mi

We broke camp and headed to North Cascades National Park. Along the way, we made stops at Winthrop, Washington Pass, Ross Lake, Diablo Lake, and finally our campground. The scenery was breath taking along the whole route. Flatlander had her work cutout for her today. She had to make three passes along the route. The highest was Washington Pass at 5477 feet. We had to take a break up Washington Pass to allow her to cool her jets. But all in all she did fine getting up and down these twistin [...]
g mountain roads.

+31

Hiking the Cascades

+26

Cool Cascades
Omak ‐ Jun 28, 2022

160.7 mi

Today we broke camp and headed to Omak, Washington. Along the way we passed the 8th Wonder of the World, the Grand Coulee Dam. We stopped at the Visitor Center to look around. The exhibits were very hands on and informative. They also had a 40 minute film that documented the building of the dam. We tried to make the 1530 Dam Tour, but it was already full. We also wanted to stay and see the 2200 Laser Light Show, but based on wind conditions, (32 mph gusts) that nearly blew us off the road [...]
a couple of times already today, we thought it better to continue on in the daylight through the narrow windy road to Omak.

+16

Man Made Marvel

Grand Coulee Dam: A Man-Made Marvel (Full Movie)

One River, Many Voices
Post Falls ‐ Jun 27, 2022

211.2 mi

After visiting the Garnet Ghost Town in the morning, we broke camp and headed west on I 90. Well, that was the plan until we arrived at the entrance ramp. The ramp was blocked by big barricades with the Words ‘Road Closed.' We had to go east 15 miles to the next on ramp area. Exited the east bound lane, went under the bridge, and then were able to get going west on I90. Flatlander did have to climb up and over three passes today. Look Out Pass, at 4725, was the highest point today. U [...]
nfortunately, the other two passes were more directly uphill with few switchbacks. This made for more work for Flatlander, but she managed to crawl up the passes pulling the Jeep behind her. She did well today. The drive to the Coeur d' Alene Lake was absolutely beautiful. We stopped at a Cabela's for the night. As usual, the mounts in the store were as breathtaking as the day's scenery.
Bearmouth RV Park, Montana ‐ Jun 25, 2022

230.4 mi

Well, we have been successful in one of our goals for this adventure. We were heading north to avoid the Texas heat of summer. Last night at West Yellowstone, the temperature dropped to a low of 30 degrees. Today’s high 71. We travelled north through the valley for most of the trip. We saw deer, antelope, and a lone coyote eating off a dead deer carcass. The big challenge today was making it over the Continental Divide. Flatlander was gasping for her last breath when she finally ascended [...]
6,368 feet up and over Elk Park Pass just east of Butte, Montana. We ended the day at Bearmouth RV Park where we will Rest for the weekend.

Montana Back Roads
- Garnet Ghost Town
  
  Before leaving Bearmouth RV Campground this morning, we decided to take a trip up the mountain to the Garnet Ghost Town. The town is advertised as one of Montana's best preserved Ghost Towns. The town was initially established in 1895 by Drs. Armistead Mitchell in response to gold miners striking claims in the area. During the boom years, there were about 1,000 people in town. Like most gold towns, the boom did not last long, just a short 5 years. However, a small group of 150 still called [...]
  Garnet home in 1905. In 1912, the business district was destroyed by fire. In 1934, when FDR raised the price of gold from $16 to $35 an ounce, a new wave of miners occupied the town. In this boom era, the town only swelled to 250 residents. The last permanent resident finally moved out in the late 1960's due to old age, Marion Dahl. A worker in the Visitor Center, which was the Dahl Saloon, told us Marion's daughter finally convinced her mother is was time to leave. It was also time for us to leave and make our way back down the mountain. On the way up we took the original road to town with its 20% grade. On the way down, we decided to take the longer stage coach route back down to our modern coach, Flatlander the RV.
  
  +19
  
  Gold Fever
- The Spot ‐ Jun 26, 2022
  
  In the spring of 2017, my son made me aware of an armchair treasure hunt named The Thrill of the Chase. It took me until November 2019 to complete my solve of the poem that would lead to a treasure chest somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. Supposedly, the chest was found in the summer of 2020. However, the actual location the chest was found nor the solve of the poem has ever been released. We were fairly close to my solve location, so I set out on a little adventure to go to the spot of my s [...]
  olve to look around. Maybe spot a spot on the ground where the chest may have set for ten years, or better yet, find the chest still on location because the 2020 find just might be a hoax. I did not find any treasure chest, but I did find many treasures in God's creation along the way. I saw two elk, 4 deer, many squirrels and chipmunks, a Red Tailed Hawk, a Western Tanager, and beautiful scenery along the route.
  
  +33
  
  True Treasure
West Yellowstone ‐ Jun 24, 2022

131.2 mi

With historic flooding going on in Yellowstone and the northern Loop Road closed, we attempted entry into the park on the 24th with our even numbered License Plate, it ends in a 2. We arrived at 0830 with only a hand full of cars at the east entrance. We gained access to the park and went counter clockwise around the southern Loop Road. Our major stops were Fishing Bridge, Canyon Village, Norris Geyser Basin, and Old Faithful. We then exited the park out the west entrance and camped in a Res [...]
t Area for the night.
- East Entrance ‐ Jun 24, 2022
  
  We broke camp and left Cody about 0730. We had a beautiful drive towards the east entrance. Upon arrival at the gate house, a young lady checked our license plates and verified the plate ended in a positive number. Since the 24th is an even number, only even number plates get access today. I asked the young plate checker what college and degree she earned to be qualified to check plates. She seemed a bit confused until she realized I was just joking with her. After entry into the park, w [...]
  e started up Sylvan Pass. I was not sure how Flatlander would handle the uphill grind pulling the Jeep, but she eventually made it up and over the pass. The effort was quickly rewarded with the sighting of two grizzly bears. After admiring them for a while we headed on to Fishing Bridge.
  
  +21
  
  Park Entry
- Fishing Bridge, Lake Village ‐ Jun 24, 2022
  
  Upon arrival at Lake Village, we walked to the General Store to score a few souvenirs. The park is celebrating 150 years as the Nations first National Park. President Grant signed a law March 1, 1872 establishing Yellowstone National Park. We found a few things we could not live without at the General Store, then walked down to Fishing Bridge for a few photos.
  
  +4
  
  The Oldest and Bestest
- Artist Point; Artist Point Overlook ‐ Jun 24, 2022
  
  On the way to Canyon Village, we made a stop to checkout LeHardys Rapids. The Yellowstone River was running fast. We did see a few Wood Ducks hanging out on the rocks watching the water run by. At Canyon Village, we initially stopped at Artist Point. I was first here in 1972 during the 100th birthday of the park. My Dad took a picture of my sister, myself, and my brother sitting on a bench with the Lower Falls in the background. We were going to recreate the picture, absent my siblings, bu [...]
  t with them in the picture via an iPad. The bench was still there, so I assumed the position with the Falls over my right shoulder, the iPad with the original photo in hand. Claudia was able to get a couple of good shots to complete the 50 year gap between pictures. We then had a picnic lunch and drove the North rim road to check out the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. On the way, we finally spotted a couple of nice Bull Elk. The Upper Falls pullout was the only place we found all day that we could not stop and find a place to park our big rig. So we just kept on moving and headed to Norris Geyser Basin.
  
  +25
- Norris Geyser Basin ‐ Jun 24, 2022
  
  After visiting the Canyon Village Area, we headed west on the Loop Road towards the Norris Geyser Basin. From the parking lot to the Information Station, we found a phone sitting by its lonesome in the walkway. I picked it up and found everything in some foreign language. We saw an Asian young man and asked him if he could read the writing. He was unable to read the characters but knew the writing was Korean. We thanked him for his help and turned the phone over to a Ranger at the Informati [...]
  on Station. Hope and pray the owner finds their phone. Did you know that Norris Geyser Basin is named after the second Superintendent of the Park? He did much to set the course for the modern tourist visitation of the Park. We took the Porcupine Trail while exploring the geysers. A small shower blew over while we were at Norris, which dropped the outside temperatures significantly. This drop in temps really made the geysers interesting to view because there was massive amounts of steam rising from all directions. After Norris, we decided to pass by the West Entrance and make the run down to Old Faithful for our finale at Yellowstone.
  
  +8
- Old Faithful ‐ Jun 24, 2022
  
  As we continued our South Loop journey, we passed Madison, and continued south to Old Faithful. Upon arrival at about 1545, the parking lot was only 40% full. We easily found a place to park. We then hiked over to the Old Faithful Lodge and secured a window viewing seat to wait for the Faithful geyser show. Claudia went in search of finding the next predicted eruption and a little gift shop exploring. She returned with a predicted time of 1616 for the next eruption. We stayed in the warmth [...]
  of the Lodge until 1610, then moseyed out to the viewing benches to secure a front row seat. Old Faithful was a few minutes late, 1625, before she began her eruption, but the show was good none the less. With Old Faithful coming to an end, it was time to shop down one more General Store, and then head for the West Entrance to exit the park. We had a wonderful visit in Yellowstone. The Least crowded I have ever seen the Park. Well, except when we did the winter snowmobile tour in the Park a few years back. We were glad to help her celebrate her 150th birthday party and be counted as a guest in this historic year.
  
  +6
Cody ‐ Jun 23, 2022

176 mi

We broke camp and headed to Cody, Wyoming to stage for an even number day arrival at Yellowstone tomorrow. Once at Cody, we initially parked at the Buffalo Bill Museum. We walked down a few blocks to Irma's, a hotel and restaurant named for Buffalo Bill's youngest daughter. After lunch, we walked back to the museum and spent the afternoon exploring the five major exhibits: Plains Indians, William Cody, Natural History of greater Yellowstone Area, Western Art Gallery, and Gun Collection. We c [...]
losed the museum down at 6 P.M., so we walked back to Irma’s to watch the nightly gun fight. Once the bad guys were served justice, we returned to the RV and moved camp to the Walmart parking lot.

+56

Wild, Wild, West
7th Ranch RV Campground ‐ Jun 21, 2022

284 mi

We made our longest run to date on this summer solstice. We ran along the flooded Yellowstone River as we headed west on I94. The river looks to be a little more than twice as wide as it normally flows. Both the Bighorn and Little Bighorn Rivers are also running out of their normal banks. We travelled two legendary trails along the way today. The Lewis and Clark Trail, and the Custer Trail. We ended the day at 7th Ranch RV Camp. We will take the Jeep to the end of Custer's Trail tomorrow.

+2

On Custer's Trail
- Seventh Cavalry Memorial ‐ Jun 22, 2022
  
  Took a short trip to visit the Little Bighorn Battlefield. The Park Service has made several changes to the Park since I last visited some 25 years ago. Overall, the changes bring a much more balanced interpretation to the battle that took place here. They have added an Indian Memorial that pays honor to each Tribe that fought back in June 1876. They have also added a Crow Tour Service which provides the Indian perspective of the battle. We enjoyed the afternoon soaking up the new information [...]
  being presented.
  
  +21
  
  Clash of Cultures
  
  Triumph & Tragedy Along the Little Bighorn
Theodore Roosevelt Painted Canyon Visitor Center ‐ Jun 19, 2022

68.4 mi

Made a short run into North Dakota to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We stayed at the Painted Canyon Rest Area for two nights because of its proximity to both the North and South Units of the Park. The Rest Area has a small Information Center and Gift Shop. There are also two trails to hike along the Painted Canyon Overlook.

+12

Painted Canyon Trail
- Theodore Roosevelt North Unit ‐ Jun 20, 2022
  
  We unhooked the Jeep from Flatlander (our new nickname for the RV). She is like her owner, built for coasting downhill, not for working uphill. Took the Jeep to the Scenic Loop Road in the North Unit of the Park. We saw deer, bison, prairie dogs, and some interesting land formations. We drove back to the RV at Painted Canyon Overlook to take a lunch break. Then headed to the South Unit of the Park.
  
  +21
- Theodore Roosevelt South Unit ‐ Jun 20, 2022
  
  Our first stop at the South Unit was the Visitor Center to watch a short 17 minute film about Theodore Roosevelt and his connection to the area. Two interesting facts surfaced from the viewing. 1) His first wife, and his mother both died on the same day. His wife from complications of child birth. His mother from typhoid fever. They also both died in his home back east. He came west to mourn their loss. 2) Theodore is credited for killing the last known bison in this area. Strange for a m [...]
  an known for his conservation efforts. He latter commented that, “The extermination of the Buffalo has been a veritable tragedy of the animal world. Bison were brought back into the Park in 1956. Twenty-nine bison were obtained from Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge in Nebraska. By 1962, the herd had grown to 145 strong. With that success, they then moved 10 bulls and 10 cows up to the North Unit. To maintain both a healthy prairie and a healthy bison herd, the Park limits the herd size to 300 Bison in the South Unit, and 150 in the North Unit. Another interesting exhibit at the Visitor Center was Theodore's first hunting cabin in the area. If you read the information board about the cabin's timeline, you will see it has moved at least five times. Did you know that the cabin has actually moved more times than my older sister has moved in her lifetime? Strange but true.
  
  +17
Bowman, North Dakota ‐ Jun 18, 2022

131.5 mi

Fourteen miles after leaving Spearfish, we stopped at the proxy geographical center of the United States for a photo op. Belle Fourche claims the honor of the nearest town to the proxy location and has built a monument in town to celebrate the claim. (The actual true center of the US is actually about 14 miles north of town on old HWY 85.) After the photo op, we continued northbound on Highway 85 and stopped for the night at a Lion's Club Campground in Bowman. With an Ace Hardware across the [...]
street, I purchased a drill bit to mount the new vent cover we bought yesterday at a Camping World to replace the one damaged in the hail storm earlier in the week. Once again proving that the self proclaimed 'easy installation' on the package was pure propaganda. Also proved, once again, no job is as easy as it looks. Did you know that Smith Center, Kansas was the geographical center before Alaska and Hawaii were admitted as states?

+6

Geographical Center

Center of the Nation

You may be like me and wondering how on earth could anybody truly find the geographical center of a land body as diverse as the United States. Short answer, the experts cannot. But they can contrive a...
- Belle Fourche ‐ Jun 18, 2022
  
  In addition to the Geographical Center National Monument, Belle Fourche also has an interesting Tri-State Museum. One of the best small town museums I have ever seen. Next to the museum is the original log cabin ever built in the area. There are also several War Memorials around the museum. All-in-all, a very good stop. Did you know that 'thedreadedwashday' was one word?
  
  +17
  
  Tri-State Museum
  
  Buckskin Johnny's Cabin
  
  Buckskin Johnny built the first home in Butte County, South Dakota back in 1876. However, he never lived in the small cabin with the love of his life. Johnny met this love, Nettie Dobbs, in 1869 in so...
Spearfish, South Dakota ‐ Jun 17, 2022

100.8 mi

While I was reading my Bible and praying this morning, I heard that still small voice of God whisper to my spirit, “Go check the fuses, one more time.” Mind you, I have already done that twice yesterday afternoon, but I will be obedient, and go do it one more time. His mercies are new every morning..... I highlighted the fuses in the owners manual that had to do with power train, fuel pump, and engine control modules. Went and pulled those fuses, one at a time, checked continuity, and r [...]
eplaced fuses. Well until I got to fuse 76, Engine Control Module. There was no fuse in the hole. It was in a row of five slots: Spare 25 amp 20 amp, missing fuse 15 amp Spare I checked the book and drawing several times to make sure my thinking was correct. Then I noticed a 20 amp fuse in the top spare location, hmmmm Pulled the 20 amp spare and put it it the empty 20 amp slot and the Jeep fired right up. I must of stuck that one back in the wrong spot yesterday in my frustration with the battery, Instrument Control Panel, and other nagging issues. Thanks to Dave Miller for helping me troubleshoot the issues from his home in Mississippi. With the Jeep running, we decided to go to the Upper Crust for breakfast, one last time. Upon return to the campground, we broke camp and made our way to Spearfish for the night. We did make a small detour through Rapid City to discover why the town is nicked named 'The City of President's.'

City of President's
- Rapid City ‐ Jun 17, 2022
  
  Rapid City has 43 life size bronze statues of the President's of these United States of America. Number 44 and 45 are in the planning phases and will be put on a corner downtown with the other Presidents when they are complete. The artist create the statues with notable and familiar characteristics that should be recognized by Americans. For example, Truman was holding the newspaper above his head that announced that Dewey had won the election. You can take a virtual tour of the President's, [...]
  along with a Walking Guide that discusses each sculptor, and how the sculptor chose to portray a theme of the President. The Guide can be found at https://presidentsrc.com/ I will highlight our three Texas President's from the Walking Guide: LBJ - This statue depicts Johnson in “the Johnson treatment” pose. A man of tall stature (6’4”), he had a very menacing strong presence and was known for his tendency to get “in one’s face” to make a point He is shown here with a forward thrust of his body that tended to intimidate those around him. The books on the desk are Machiavelli’s The Prince and The Great Society. Engraved on the back of the desk is a map of Vietnam, a reference to the powder keg upon which he sat during his presidency. Sculptor: James Michael Maher Bush SR - Bush is portrayed during his time as president. His administration was extensively involved in an international arena, so it seems fitting that he should be presented standing next to a world globe. Note that President Bush is standing across from Pres. John Adams. They are the only two presidents to have sons who also served as presidents of the United States. Sculptor: Edward E. Hvlaka Bush, George W. - The sculptor’s goal was to bring out the subject’s personality or, at least some aspect of his personality, in his work. With Bush, there were a number of approaches that could have been taken. A lot of them would probably have rubbed one side or the other the wrong way. To the sculptor, bushes natural optimism was always appealing. In studying images for this project, it was soon evident as to the dominant theme. The sculptor chose to portray Bush striding forward, perhaps across the White House lawn, toward his helicopter giving a thumbs up to his countrymen. He is shown with Barney, his canine companion, perhaps best known as the dog who bit a reporter. Sculptor: James Michael Maher
  
  +2
  
  Texas President's
Hot Springs, South Dakota ‐ Jun 10, 2022

56 mi

Short run of 60 miles today, but check-in at the Sunrise Ridge Campground was not till 2 PM. Consequently, we waited to leave Chadron until 1 PM. We did enter our 5th state, South Dakota, on the way to the campground north of Hot Springs. After arrival, it took about an hour to check-in, set up the RV, unhook the Jeep, and stow the tow rig. We do have a nice view of the Black Hills from spot number 23 in the campground. We will spend a week here exploring all that the area has to offer.

Sunrise Ridge Campground
- Jewel Cave National Monument ‐ Jun 11, 2022
  
  66.8 mi
  
  Drove the Jeep from Hot Springs to Custer making several roadside vista stops. In Custer, we had lunch at Bakers Cafe. We then made our way to Jewel Cave where we took the Scenic Tour. On the way back to Hot Springs we made a stop at Wind Cave to scope out the Visitor Center and checkout availability of tours for next week.
  
  +34
  
  It's a Long Long Crawlway
  
  Prospectors Frank and Albert Michaud are credited with the discovery of Jewel Cave while they were out riding horses through Hell Canyon looking for a place to find gold. They heard a noise that sound...
- Upper Crust Bakery & Cafe ‐ Jun 12, 2022
  
  1.2 mi
  
  Decided to go into Hot Springs for breakfast at the Upper Crust Bakery & Cafe. Following the hearty meal, we walked the Freedom Trail along the river that runs through town. While walking, we saw an interesting building above the river, so we drove around to see what it was. Turned out to be a closed down Lutheran Hospital. While walking back to the Jeep, a mule deer stepped out for a morning snack. After sneaking around to get a good shot (a picture that is) we drove around town to find the [...]
  6 painted murals that adorn the sides of buildings.
  
  +32
  
  Freedom Trail River Walk
- Badlands National Park ‐ Jun 14, 2022
  
  79 mi
  
  We spent most of the day driving out to and touring the Badlands. The Lakota Indians initially named this area Land Bad because the buffalo did not roam here. Once we got on the Badlands Loop Road, we began our journey to the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. Unfortunately, the road was under heavy construction and down to only one lane for a short distance. However, that caused major delays, and forced all traffic to follow a pilot car through the work area. This then caused most of the turno [...]
  uts to be jammed with waiting cars trying to get back in line. We waited nearly 45 minutes in one turnout to get back into the flow of traffic. After that ordeal, we decided no more turnouts, just drive to the Visitor Center. The Visitor Center was packed tight with people so we did not stay long. We then left the park and drove to the Minuteman site, then to Wall Drug, and then back to the Badlands on the Sage Creek Rim Road. Along the Rim Route we found no road construction and few people. We made several turnouts in this area as we returned to our camp at Sunrise RV Campground and called it a day. Did you know that Badlands National Park contains the world's richest Oligocene epoch fossil beds.
  
  +23
  
  Scenic Badlands
- Minuteman Missile National Historic Site ‐ Jun 14, 2022
  
  5 mi
  
  As we left the Ben Reifel Visitor Center we decided to stop at the first convince store we saw and get a snack. We came upon a gas station just a few miles out of the park. We noticed that there was hardly anyone in the parking lot. Just two people, taking a break from riding their motorcycle, told Claudia that the store was closed because the power was out. It was then that we noticed a handwritten message on the door with the word CLOSED. So we got back in the Jeep and headed to our next [...]
  stop on the Dance Card. When we arrived at the Minuteman Museum the Gates were Locked closed. One Ranger was nearby walking the grounds, so we inquired about the closure. The Museum was without power also. Seems the storms that blew through last night knocked down 225 utility poles and many in the area (2,101 people) are without power until the electric company replants the fallen poles. In South Dakota, they call these strong winds 'derecho' - a widespread, long lived wind event that is associated with a band of rapidly moving thunderstorms. The storms started around the Black Hills due to 94 degree temperatures that started downdrafts into the valley's below. Winds were clocked at 70-80 mph Sunday night as the storms moved eastward and crossed the wide open prairies all the way to Sioux Falls. Did you know that the Minuteman Missiles were named after the Minutemen of the Revolutionary War because they had to be ready at a moments notice.
  
  Minuteman: Then & Now
- Wall Drug ‐ Jun 14, 2022
  
  20 mi
  
  In the 20 miles from the Minuteman Museum to Wall Drug, we counted 38 Wall Drug billboards on just our west bound side of Interstate 90. Still advertising free ice water which was an idea dreamed up by the owners in 1936. We walked through the maze of stores that make up Wall Drug, bought some fudge, and then found lunch. After we returned to the campground, we had our own version of ice water. A huge storm blew through with ground speeds of 40 mph. The good news is the rain and golf bal [...]
  l size hail did not last very long. But in the midst of the storm it felt like eternity as the ice water pounded the area. After the storm passed, we did an initial storm damage assessment and consider ourselves very fortunate with just minor damage, one plastic roof vent was broken. I made some duct tape repairs until we can purchase a new cover in the future. As we say on the boat, we had a little FOG (favor of God) during the storm.
  
  +7
  
  Free Ice Water
- Custer State Park ‐ Jun 15, 2022
  
  18.4 mi
  
  Today we plan to travel through Custer State Park on our way to Keystone for lunch. Then visit Mount Rushmore and complete the loop back to the campground. Custer State Park turned out to be a hidden gem. The first Visitor Center we stopped at (The Bison Center) was brand new and had excellent exhibits about the bison in the Park. The herd started from just 36 animals and now hovers around 1,500. They do a Buffalo Roundup each September to check the health of the herd and auction 200-500 of [...]
  the animals off.
  
  +13
  
  Buffalo Roundup
- Keystone ‐ Jun 15, 2022
  
  30 mi
  
  This turned out to be a bit of a surprise. The chainsaw artist is a booming business in Keystone. They even have the world record Big Foot on display.
  
  +14
  
  Chain Saw Artist
- Mount Rushmore ‐ Jun 15, 2022
  
  2 mi
  
  We spent three hours exploring all that Mount Rushmore has to offer. Enjoyed the museum that outlined how they built the monument as well as the documentary film that discussed the initial concept to actual completion of the monument. The Presidential Trail gave a variety of views of the mountain as well as information on why each President was selected to be enshrined at Mount Rushmore. Did you know that 90 percent of the sculpting was done with dynamite. Did you know that the men using j [...]
  ackhammers went through about 400 bits a day while shaping the heads.
  
  +22
  
  Sculpted Granite
- Black Elk Peak ‐ Jun 16, 2022
  
  42 mi
  
  Today's activity was all about reaching the summit of Black Elk Peak. We started by driving to the Cathedral Spires Trailhead. Upon arrival, there was a young family practicing their rapelling skills. We watched the last kid summit and then come down a Spiral. The boys who summited ranged in age from 4 to 9. After watching the young rock climbers, we set off for our hike. From the trailhead, we started the 3.2 mile hike to the summit of Black Elk Peak. After arrival at the stone fire to [...]
  wer that adorns the summit, it was time to reverse course and head back down the mountain. When we arrived at the Jeep and drove away, we discovered the Instrument Control Panel was dead. No RPM Indication, no speed indication, no temperature, no fuel gage, no blinkers. We kept on driving but started to noodle on what the heck has happened to all the dash board indications. Time to read the Jeep Smarts Book to discover the indicator problem and a fix.
  
  +37
  
  Summit of Black Elk Peak
  
  Repelling Cathedral Spires
- Dairy Queen ‐ Jun 16, 2022
  
  After 5.5 hours on the trail, it was time to celebrate the summit of Black Elk Peak with a DQ Blizzard. On the drive back, we passed through a few interesting tunnels, did a quick drive by of Crazy Horse, and took photos of the Buffalo statues. Was a bit surprised that Crazy Horse had not progressed much since the last time I went by the work site some 20 years ago. After the DQ Blizzard, we took several photos of the public art Buffalo statues. Some were very interesting. Then as we passed [...]
  through Wind Cave National Park, we saw live Buffalo surrounding a car and doing a little head butting. Did you know that the rut season starts in late June and runs through September? Did you know that a male Buffalo will lose about 200 lbs during the rut as he tries to win the right to breed the female? This loss of weight can threaten his survival in the upcoming winter months.
  
  +26
  
  Painted Buffalo
- Wind Cave
  
  9.5 mi
  
  Today we toured Wind Cave in the morning. We took the Fairgrounds Tour, which lasted about an hour and a half. The tour took us down 200 feet in an elevator to the middle level of the cave. From there, we hiked 2/3 of a mile and took 225 stairs to the upper part of the cave. Which then meant we had to take 225 stairs back down to the middle portion of the cave to exit at the elevator. The cave is dry, but featured boxwork, popcorn, and frostwork formations. After exiting the cave, we went [...]
  in search of the natural entrance of Wind Cave. We were very surprised in how small the hole was in the rock. A Native American Ranger was explaining the Lakota oral tradition of the entrance hole size and meaning. The linked video and written Lakota Emergence Story relate a similar telling of the oral tradition. Did you know that Wind Cave was the seventh National Park? Did you know that Wind Cave is the seventh longest cave in the world at 140 miles? When we returned to the Jeep, she had decided to not start. The battery was dead and the starter only clicked. To see what we did next, go to the Post, “No Trouble Like Jeep Trouble.”
  
  +18
  
  Lakota Emergence Story
  
  No Trouble Like Jeep Trouble
  
  The people parked next to us on the right walked up about the same time of our little discovery issue. I asked them if they had any jumper cables, and they responded in the negative. However, the wome...
  
  Lakota Emergence Story
  
  In Lakota culture, history is passed down to new generations through the spoken word. There are many different versions of the Emergence Story, varying from band to band and family to family. This ver...
Chadron, Nebraska ‐ Jun 9, 2022

175.5 mi

Had an enjoyable run to Chadron for another night in a Walmart parking lot. We saw deer and our first antelope on today's run. We were surprised by the terrain of today's route. Ran some along a river bottom and then into rocky hills, then concluded in some piney woods. We did stop again about half way for a lunch break, before making the 70 miles to Chadron.

+2

Mysterious Dave Mathers

The Mysterious Dave Mather

Another interesting character from Dodge City was Dave Mathers. A small snippet from Wikipedia about his life: Dodge City On June 1, 1883, Mather was hired as an Assistant City Marshal in Dodge City....
Ogallala, Nebraska ‐ Jun 8, 2022

151.9 mi

Had another uneventful day on the road. We did enter into Nebraska and the Mountain Time Zone. We also made an unscheduled stop at Enders Reservoir State Recreation Area for lunch. We parked under the shade of a large Cottonwood Tree and saw an interesting yellow bird flying around. Turns out the bird was a Yellow Warbler. After the lunch break, we completed the journey to Ogallala where we will spend the night.

Yellow Warbler

The Tragic Death of Dora Hands

Back at the Boot Hill Museum, there was a display about a young women named Dora Hands who met an untimely death. After doing a little research, I found a Texas connection to her death. I found the in...
Colby, Kansas ‐ Jun 7, 2022

156.6 mi

Had an uneventful cruise today. To break up the rolling plains, we did see a few deer today. One bunch of 4 bucks came running from the right side of the road, bounded over the fence, ran across the highway, and then bounded over the fence on the left side of highway. Not sure what they were running from, but they kept the pace up till they were out of sight. We stopped at Colby for the night and will continue the track north into Nebraska tomorrow.

+6

Boot Hill Fun Facts
Dodge City, Kansas ‐ Jun 6, 2022

124 mi

We stayed an extra day in Woodward at the Ace Hardware. I was able to fix our water problem after buying pex parts at Ace Hardware. Then turned my attention to the hydraulic pump that controls the slide outs. After troubleshooting, I cleaned the electrical connections and the pump came back to life. A nice event on this Day of Pentecost. We continued our trek north today and stopped in Dodge City. We had a good tour of the Boot Hill Museum to learn about the history of Dodge City.

+56

Boot Hill Museum

Queen of the Cowtowns

Visited the Boot Hill Museum to learn the history of Dodge City and to watch a gunfight. The history started with a discussion of the Plains Indians and their culture of nomad life chasing the buffalo...
Boiling Springs State Park, Oklahoma ‐ Jun 4, 2022

76.1 mi
Black Kettle Recreation Area, Oklahoma ‐ Jun 3, 2022

12.5 mi

After exploring the Washita Battlefield we headed another 10 miles north to spend the night at Black Kettle Campground. Was a nice stop with good views. We saw a flock of geese with their small newborns and a couple of deer just starting to sprout their antlers.
Washita Battlefield National Monument, Oklahoma

171.8 mi

+13

Washita Battleground

Custer and the Washita Battlefield

We spent the afternoon exploring the Washita Battlefield and Visitor Center. The Visitor Center did a good job of laying out the pre battle strategies for both sides and how both sides arrived at thei...
Wichita Falls, Texas ‐ Jun 2, 2022

210.6 mi

We travelled to Glen Rose, TX to eat lunch at one of our favorite BBQ joints, Hammonds. Dave and Martha also drove down from Granbury to join us. Also, turns out that Thursday is the date for the local ROMEO Club (retired old men eating out) to gather for lunch. It was fun to see many ole faces and past co-workers from Comanche Peak. After lunch is was off to Wichita Falls to spend the night in the Walmart parking lot.
Waco Mammoth National Monument, Texas

105.9 mi

Well the first day on the road has been strange, strange indeed. I woke up early in the morning to the sound of running water. Got up and went outside to find the fresh water tank being filled and overflowing. Yes that is strange. When we got underway, the DC batteries were dead. How could that be? They have been on the charger for last 9 months. Then when we stopped the slide outs would not slide out. Well at least the stop at Waco Mammoth National Monument was worth the stop.

+8

Waco Mammoth National Monument

The National Monument status was awarded on July 10, 2015 which enshrined about five acres. The city of Waco still maintains a park of about 100 acres surrounding the National Monument. The whole area...
RV Park ‐ May 30, 2022

116.5 mi

Spent May 31 getting the RV ready for our summer of fun exploring the western states. We will launch our travels on June 1, looking for some cooler weather.
Seabrook

After the ceremony was over, we toured the WWII submarine, USS Cavalla. After the sub tour we returned to Seabrook. After making Still Waters II secure in her slip and preparing her for a long summer alone, we drove back to College Station.

+3

USS Cavalla
Galveston

30.4 mi

Traveled to the Galveston Naval Museum at Seawolf Park to participate in the Memorial Day Remembrance. The normal entrance fees and parking fees were waved between 0900 and 1100. We arrived at 0930, and went to visit a WWII Destroyer, USS Stewart. She made 30 successful crossings of the Atlantic Ocean during the war, managing to miss the German U boats set on Sinking her. The ceremony began at 1100, with the keynote speaker being a Coast Guard Captain, Mr. Smith, who reminded everyone that f [...]
reedom is not free. After his remarks, the sub vets announced the names of all the submarines on eternal patrol. A bell was rung with each name, and women from the audience were invited to lay a red carnation at the sub plaque. After reading all the names, Taps was played. Claudia got to place two red flowers during the ceremony.

+20

Pelican Island
Seabrook ‐ May 29, 2022

34.2 mi

We almost had an uneventful return trip to Seabrock; however, we ran into a tow jam at Pelican’ Cut. The wind was pushing the tows around pretty good, so two of them stopped and moored along the Pelican Cut. That made the narrow channel even skinner so that only one toe could traverse the cut at a time. We waited on the west end for two tows to pass thru heading west. While waiting, the current and wind played games with Still Waters II. The current almost pushed us into one of the parked to [...]
ws, and the wind nearly blew us out of the channel while trying to overcome the current and wind. We found ourselves running out of water quickly, with the low level alarm sounding, and the depth gage stopped displaying. We managed to get back in the channel without going aground with a little fog. On the flip side, both engines ran well after changing out the fuel filters. We were back at Seabrock by 11 and before the weekend warriors got out on the water.

Return to Seabrook

Return to Seabrook

Return to Seabrook
Galveston ‐ May 27, 2022

34.7 mi

We decided to take Still Waters II down to Galveston before we launch our land cruise for the summer. The port engine fuel filter clogged and we limped into Galveston on one engine. Will change the filter tomorrow and be ready for the return trip to Seabrock. For now though, time to explore Moody Gaardens.

+3

Moody Gardens

To Galveston

To Galveston
Seabrook, United States ‐ Jan 1, 2022

We arrived in Seabrock on December 31, 2021. We have secured a slip at Seabrock Marina, where we will come visit Still Waters II on the weekends. Seabrook has a Pelican on Parade public art display. There are supposed to be 42 Pelicans displayed around town. We are on a quest to find them all and show them in the Pelicans on Parade album.

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Pelicans on Parade