Oldies On The Road

Savannah, Georgia one of the Jewels of the South

2010-07-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

Columbia City Square in front of Davenport House

Savannah, Georgia is one of the jewels of the South with a historic district that is rich with historic homes and parks. Savannah has a similar ambiance as that found in Charleston, South Carolina with its horse drawn carriage tours, cobblestone streets, historic buildings and homes with a history rich with southern pride and eccentric characters. Savannah is also the setting for the famous non-fiction book titled, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil". The novel alludes the Savannah you see as a tourist only skims the surface of the Savannah that the people who live and work there know and love. Savannah also gives its residents daily reminders to take time to smell the roses with its 22 small city square parks that are scattered through out the city. These city squares provide an oasis that is easy to walk to where one can take a break from the stresses of the day. As with so many things in life, it is the little things that amount to something more when put together as a whole. Savannah definitely is full of the little things that when put together make it a city worth visiting and perhaps live in for a period of time in order to see the depth of it's beauty that exists between the tourist carraiges and shops.

Statue of John Wesley founder of Methodismfound in one of the city squares

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Example of some iron work that is found throughout the city.This is in front of the Savannah Cotton Exchange Building. ~
Savannah River walk that is full of shops, pubs and restaurants

Dome of the Savannah's City Hall Building

Historic Davenport House

Horse drawn carriages caught in a rain storm at the City Market where there are shops, art galleries, restaurants and a hub of tourist activies.

Washington, DC

2010-07-12T18:57:00.001-07:00

Our visit to Washington, DC was short but we managed to see a lot of sights. There are far too many great photos to post here so at the end of this write up, there is a link to all the photos that were taken while we were in Washington, DC. I would recommend everyone come and visit Washington, DC. The museums and most of the sights are free which make family visits very affordable as well as educational. Our tour tickets for the Capital Building were obtained by contacting our congresswomen via email and we received free tickets for our tour as well as tickets to sit in on sessions being held in the House of Representatives and the Senate. We will definitely come back again for there were so many sights we didn't get a chance to see!

Union Station

National Museum of Natural History

Famous painting in the National Musuem of Art

Undergournd moving sidewalk that links 2 art museums

Sculpture in National Museum of Art

Lincoln Memorial

Washington Monument

Supreme Court Building

Library of Congress

Front of the Capital Building

Back of the Captial Building

Chandelier in the Capital Building

Fresco painted in the dome of the Captial Building

Sculpture of Ronald Reagan in the Captial Building.

There are many sculptures inside the Capital Biulding.

Flower in the Botanical Garden across the street from the Capital Building.

Capital Building before a rain storm. The House of Representatives and the Senate House are on either side of the Captial Building. Lady Freedom is at the top of the dome.

For more photos of DC go here: http://montychandler.smugmug.com/Americas/US-East-Coast/Washington-DC/12795438_eV7WM#922431971_3jzry

Hunting Island, South Carolina

2010-07-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

Small islands off the coast of South Carolina are linked by simple causeways over marshlands populated by a variety of bird, aquatic and terrain life. Our 6 day stay at the Hunting Island State Park was ideal with shaded campsites provided by lush palmetto palm trees and a walk on the beach just 2 minutes from our door. The terrain along the shores of the beach is drastically different from that found on the Outerbanks of North Carolina. Forests of pine and palmetto trees along with expansive marshlands make Hunting Island a haven for wildlife. White tail deer were seen daily due to campers feeding them, there were rumers of alligators which we thankfully did not see, flocks of pelicans flying in a single line along the shore, Bluejays and Cardinals, Ospreys and cranes were just some of the wildlife we got to see daily. Hunting for seashells and shark teeth while walking the dogs on the beach was a enjoyable activity which yielded 4 sharks teeth, a couple of sand dollars and other shells we liked. Shore fishing provided us with a number of small sand sharks and a 3-foot black tipped reef shark (caught by me!) and the shallow 80 degree temperature waters were wonderful. All sea life caught were returned to the sea. Hunting Island shores are also a loggerhead turtle nesting ground as well as a migratory stop for a variety of birds. There are small bug like crabs in large quantities in the marshes which I named roach crabs because they scramble to their holes like roaches! EWWWW! Be sure to see the picture below! Hunting Island's abundant wildlife will hopefully endure the over a million visitors per year that come here. We will definitely return to Hunting Island in the future and get lost in its timeless surroundings.

Hunting Island lighthouse painted uniquely as were the Outerbanks lighthouses

Jungle like forests provided shade

Tides came up to the tree line along the shores of Hunting Island

White Tail Doe

3-Foot Grouper caught by a shoreline fisherman

Marsh crabs that I named Roach Crabs ! EWWWWWWW!

Time stands still on Hunting Island shores

The Wright Brothers Museum

2010-06-24T13:59:00.001-07:00

Another site to see and visit is the Wright Brother's Musuem. It is located in Kill Devil Hills, NC. Here are some pictures of what we saw there.

The keeper of the Currituck lighthouse is a Big Rooster!

2010-06-24T06:38:00.000-07:00

Remember you saw it here first! We were suprised to find a rooster guarding the Curritcuk lighthouse. The Currituck lighhouse is not as tall as the Cape Hatteras lighthouse and it is the only lighthouse that is unpainted which reveals the warm colors of it's bricks.

The Bodie Island lighthouse is under renovation and was not open for visiters. This lighthouse is painted with a stripe pattern. The 5th lighthouse which is Cape Lookout lighthouse in Beaufort, NC, we passed already and will not get to take a picture of it. It's painted with a diamond pattern. We will definitely get a picture of it on our next trip out to the Atlantic Beach area in the future.

Tallest Light House in the USA

2010-06-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Cape Hatteras lighthouse is the tallest light house in the USA. For a fee of $7 you can climb to the top and experience a wonderful view of the Outer Banks. Equavalent to 12 stories tall with 257 steps on a spiraling staircase, the climb to the top was well worth it. There are small landings where one can rest and catch one's breath throughout the climb which make it possible for people as young as children and the elderly to climb to the top. There are 5 lighthouses that reside on the outer banks. Each lighthouse has it's unique outside paint pattern as well as their own unique light pattern. Therefore, sailers night and day, as far as 20 miles off shore can immediately know where they are in regards to this large sand bar known as the Outer Banks.

The Ocracoke lighthouse is near the ferry landing in Ocracoke. The smallest and oldest lighthouse is still a working lighthouse and is a welcoming sight as you enter the ferry landing.

Home Away From Home

2010-06-22T19:02:00.000-07:00

We love our trailer with its air conditioner given the 90+ degree temperatures that are going to be with us this whole week. We admit we are spoiled now and can't ever see going back to tent camping. A trailer frees us from extreme weather conditions. We used to plan our camping around whether it was going to be too hot or if there was rain in the forecast. A trailer gives us all the comforts of home with the freedom to set up camp anywhere you can travel to by car. We can also take our two dogs with us which eliminates expensive boarding costs and allows us to lengthen our time away. We are living our dream of traveling around the U.S. and experiencing the diverse beauty and lifestyles that exists in this country at a pace that allows us to discover and savor what makes each place unique and special.

Peaceful Relaxation at the Outer Banks, NC

2010-06-22T18:39:00.000-07:00

If you ever dreamed about walking a peaceful beach in the early morning with your spouse and dogs, the Outer Banks is the perfect place to do so. The allure that the beaches of the Outer Banks has is its natural beauty free from tourist venders cluttering up the beach and skies with money making products and services. What you have instead is unending beaches where you can step off the fast track and enjoy the simplicity of watching your kids dig a hole in the sand, letting your dog enjoy the waves of the ocean, flying a kite, fishing from your portable chair on the beach, and letting time pass by as slowly as an afternoon nap.

2010 Summer Road Trip

2010-06-15T04:02:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe another year has passed by but we are so happy summer is here. Summer break affords us time to enjoy what we like to do best 24/7. No schedules to maintain other than what we choose to schedule, long days, late nights, sleeping in during the week, NAPS!

Two changes mark this trip. One is we traded in our tear drop trailer and got a 28 foot trailer. We can no longer call what we do as camping. We are now RV'ing and are spoiled rotten! The other change is we will be taking our two dogs: Sydney our yellow lab and our new puggle puppy Sasha. Sadly, Tori passed away this past spring. Tori, aka bear bait really enjoyed our last road trip out west where she didn't have her allergies in the drier climate. Tori was a great companion and great dog. I miss my Tor Tor every day still.

Last summer we explored the west with it's expansive scenary and majestic mountains. This summer we will explore the shores of Atlantic Beach, NC , the Outer Banks of NC, tour the city of Washington, DC, and lastly enjoy the shores at Hunting Island, SC and Savannah, GA. This summer's trip will not cover as many states nor will it require us to travel long distances. What this 2010 summer road trip will do is give us time to relax at the shore with an ocean view and enjoy the activities we grew up doing on the ocean. Living inland is nice but our heart and souls are always at a shoreline with the smells and sounds of the ocean.

9,009.2 Miles Round Trip

2009-07-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

Our Trip is done and we are home with lots of unpacking to do! We had a fantastic time and have great memories of this grand american road trip we got to take! We learned a few things for future camping road trips and we realize just how diverse our country is in it's people, geography and pace of life. Our advice: Take time to smell the roses and see the country you live in; you won't regret it!

Moon rising over Carlyle Lake

Budweiser & Arch: Great Combo in St. Louis

2009-07-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

Our day visit to St. Louis was a lot of fun. We went and saw the famous Arch and rode up to the top in a metal pea pod tram contraption that fit 5 people per car! Interesting ride with strangers and wonderful views up top of St. Louis and the near by court building which was very stately looking. Just a short drive from the Arch was the Budweiser Brewery; one of many across the nation. The tour was FREE ~! and yes, you do get two free glasses of beer at the end of the tour! The brewery had some interesting architecture which was a surprise and of course, seeing the clydsdale horses was a treat! Here are some photos that were taken with a link to the full gallery at the end!

Vintage Budweiser

Bottling floor

Some Advertising: They are entitled- Tour was free!

One of many Budweiser's Clydsdale

Arch

Top Viewing windows of the Arch

Arch is a state park

Link: St. Louis Photo Gallery

Carlyle Lake, Illinois

2009-07-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

We are camping at Carlyle Lake in Illinois which is 50 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri. It is a beautiful man-made lake and very well maintained campgrounds. Our campsite is lakeside so there are high hopes of good fishing. We plan on driving into St. Louis tomorrow to see the Gateway Arch and other touristy things the city has to offer. We are here 3 nights so we hope to have some nice down time as well. Added perks that we did not know would be here are: showers, laundry facilities, and yes.... WiFi from the near by marina!

Picture of a Deer taken on our hike at Seven Falls

2009-07-05T20:31:00.000-07:00

Seven Falls and Garden of the Gods: Colorado Springs

2009-07-05T19:32:00.000-07:00

Our three day stay in Colorado Springs was fabulous! We enjoyed spending a couple of evenings with friends Sonny and Brian and Lori and Bob. Wonderful company with great food equals the best of times! We also got to visit Pikes Peak, Seven Falls and Garden of the Gods. Our stay in Colorado has given us great memories and has left a lasting impression on us. Here are a few pictures with a link to the rest of Monty's beautiful pictures of our stay in Colorado.

Do not mess with us. We take our tourism seriously!

View of Highland Lake from Pike's Peak

View of two other lakes from Pike's Peak

A portion of Seven Falls

Garden of the Gods

Link for Colorado Picture Gallery

Mule Deer Fawn trapped in Buena Vista

2009-07-02T07:50:00.000-07:00

Monty shot this quiet animal drama while I was shopping in a wonderful yarn shop in Buena Vista, Colorado named Serendipity. A mother Mule deer and her weeks old fawn were grazing between homes when the fawn got trapped behind a fence. Mom heeding the calls of her fawn kept going around the fenced area trying to reach her fawn. Eventually, the frawn figured out how to crawl under the fence which was probably how it got in there to begin with, rejoined Mom, got a snack and was happy once again!

Taylor River Canyon, Colorado

2009-07-01T08:03:00.001-07:00

View of the Rocky Mountains from a lookout on the Cottonwood Pass that runs between

the Taylor River Canyon and the town of Buena Vista.

The Taylor River in Taylor River Canyon

This is Me rock climbing: NOT!!

My fly fisherman caught a trout in the Taylor River! It is catch and release but he has a cell phone picture to prove his catch! Yeah for cell phone cameras!

Our days spent in the Taylor River Canyon with the gorgeous Taylor River that runs through it was fantastic. Fly fishermen sprinkled along the river with hopes of catching the rainbow trouts they can see in the river! The One Mile campgrounds was quiet with plenty of forest and we could easily have stayed there a week! The near by town of Gunnison, the Taylor River Reseviour, rock climbing, white water rafting, fly fishing balanced the quiet with plenty to do if you chose to! On our way to Colorado Springs we took the Cottonwood Pass which is closed during the winter time but open at this time. We got great views of the Rocky Mountains as well as cut a lot of travel time to Colorado Springs!

Prairie Dog (aka Bear Bait) Stands in 4 States at One Time

2009-06-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

Prairie Dog standing in 4 States
Four Corners is a tourist attraction that is in the Navajo Nation which claims to be where the corners of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona meet. There is a floor plaque where you can stand in all four states at one time. Beware: There is a $3 per person fee to enter this very undeveloped fenced in area (kids under 12 are free) where there is the 4 Corners floor plaque and a bunch of primative wooden structures where some Native Americans sell trinkets for tourists along with some food and drink. I am glad we went though because the picture we took is priceless!!

Monument Valley and Taylor River Canyon, Colorado

2009-06-28T13:24:00.001-07:00

We left the Grand Canyon and did the scenic drive through Monument Valley where numerous western movies have filmed on location there. Monument Valley resides in the Navajo Nation in Arizona and the winding road through this valley was spectacular to see. We are presently camping in Taylor River Canyon for three nights near Gunnison, Colorado. There is fly fishing in the Taylor River which is a short walk from our campsite and a nice coffee shop named The Bean which has free Wifi! Can you guess where we decided to have lunch today? This is a very nice and relaxing spot here in Colorado where there is lots of outdoor things to do or absolutely nothing to do but enjoy the scenary.

Navajo Twins, Monument Valley

Monument Valley Vista

Link to the Monument Valley Gallery Photos

Grand Canyon: North and South Rim

2009-06-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

View of Grand Canyon from the North Rim

We explored the North Rim of the Grand Canyon which has a higher elevation than the South Rim before driving 4-5 hours around the Grand Canyon to reach the South Rim. We are presently camping in the Grand Canyon Village camping grounds which makes exploring the Grand Canyon's vistas easy to get to. We will spend 4 nights here. Today we drove south to Flagstaff, Arizona to get supplies from Wally World and we are enjoying a Starbucks coffee and using their Wifi. We got video and pictures of the sunset yesterday at the South Rim. The Grand Canyon is so big the pictures do not do it justice. The magnitude is so large, it sometimes doesn't look real when you are standing there looking at it! Click here for the : Grand Canyon Photo Gallery

Zion National Park - Utah

2009-06-20T21:47:00.000-07:00

Here we are at the entrance of Zion National Park. It was a clear and sunny day that day. Monty got some great photos!

Southern Utah - Canyon Mecca!!

2009-06-20T16:15:00.001-07:00

We have made our way down to Zion National Park and this will finish our tour of southern Utah; home of a variety of national parks, forests and canyons famous for their diversity of geological rock formations and scenic vistas. We started with the Arches National Park and headed southwest winding down through Glen Canyon, the Canyonlands National Park, Capital Reef National Park, Dixie National Forest and then through the Red Canyon into Bryce National Park and Zion National Park. We have spent a wonderful week here in Utah. Tomorrow we head down to Arizona towards the north rim of the Grand Canyon! Below are some photos with a link to see all the photos posted as of now. We have Wifi at this campsite so Monty will be uploading more pictures through this evening!

Rainbow Point in Bryce Canyon

Herd of Prong Horn Deer in Dixie National Forest

Prong Horn Deer with twins!

Humming Bird at Campsite

Kodachrome Basin

Rainbow Point in Bryce Canyon

Link to the Photo Gallories: All Photo Gallories

Our Off Road Campsite, Red Canyon and Bryce Canyon

2009-06-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

Our last camping experience was off road camping. Here is a picture of where we set up our camp in Lockhart Basin! It is literally in the middle of nowhere! Click on the link to see the rest of the pictures for Lockhart Basin. (Lockhart Basin Pictures)

Off Road Campsite in Lockhart Basin

On our way to Bryce Canyon National Park we went through Red Canyon... it was beautiful!

Red Canyon Stone Tunnel

Formations in Red Canyon

Changes in scenary in Bryce Canyon

Glen Canyon and Capital Reef Park

2009-06-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the wonderful scenaries we saw on our way to Bryce Canyon via Glen Canyon and the the Captial Reef Park. We are presently camped just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park and we have WIFI but surprisingly no phone service! We are off to a very slow start today but we have two more days to explore the park!

Indian Creek - Off Road Camping

2009-06-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

We camped two nights off road near Indian Creek in the canyonlands of Utah. It was great to explore and see the fantastic views out in the middle of no where. The trucks 4 wheel drive came in very handy. The Tear Drop trailer was equally fine on the rough roads. This morning we traveled via a scenic byway through Glen Canyon which was breath taking! We hope the pictures do it justice. We are presently in the Bryce Canyon area and our cell phones have service and we have Internet access now. Monty is uploading his pictures and we will post them soon! Tomorrow we are off to explore Bryce National Park.

Arches National Park

2009-06-11T08:12:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the great pictures Monty got yesterday at Arches National Park!

The Organ

Delicate Arch

Elephant Butt!

Balanced Rock

To see the rest of the awsome photos from Arches, click on this link! (Arches Photos)

Today we will finish the Arches National Park by doing the last hike called the Devils Garden!

3 Morning Rules to Live by on a 7 week Road Trip

2009-06-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

Rule 1:

If you are cranky in the morning, wait till the mood passess before talking.

Rule 2:

If you are cheery in the morning, wait till the mood passess before talking.

Rule 3:

No talking until you have drank at least one cup of coffee and have used the restroom.

Loma, Colorado - Interesting Street Names

2009-06-09T08:22:00.001-07:00

We are presently in the canyon lands of Utah home of the Arches National Park and the Canyonlands National Park. On our way south from Wyoming we crossed into Colorado and drove through a small town named Loma. It had the most strange street names! M 1/4 Road, L 7/10 Road. Imagine the fun a math teacher could have with those street names! I surfed the net to try to find out the reasons behind such unique street names but was not able to find any explainations. Click on this link to Google Maps and see the street names for yourself! Loma, Colorado Map

Flaming Gorge Scenic Drive

2009-06-07T21:10:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, we will be driving the Flaming Gorge Scenic drive on our way to the Arches National Park in Utah. We are still in Wyoming this evening and surprisingly got an Internet connection here at the campsite. The terrain has changed from rugged mountain views to high desert plains as we travel southward. For the moment, there is no rain! It has been replaced with winds of 40 mph and temperatures are still 40F in the evening. It is still an improvement over the last week's weather!

Tear Drop Set Up Kept Us Dry - Bear Bait's New Coat

2009-06-06T20:41:00.000-07:00

Canopy's kept us dry, Tear Drop kept us very warm, propane stove enables us to have bisquits with breakfast and coffee in the mornings. Electric hook up powers our laptops/gadgets and charges our batteries. Home away from home!

Tori (aka Bear Bait) was shivering with her sweater on so we bought her a fleece coat with faux fur leg and neck cuffs! She doesn't look happy in the picture but she is warm!

Oldies On The Road and Bear Bait (aka Tori)

2009-06-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

Yellowstone National Park Pictures

2009-06-05T18:46:00.001-07:00

Yellowstone Geysers

Old Faithful Geyser

Yellowstone Bison

Yellowstone Big Horn Sheep

Yellowstone Elk

Monty is still uploading his pictures through tonight. Click on the link to see the photos that are already uploaded: Yellowstone Pictures

Grand Teton Mountains - Jackson Hole, Wyoming - Day 12

2009-06-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

Yellowstone Park was fantastic! The variety of wildlife you get to observe living in the park can not be easily matched by another location. The vistas were also just as breathtaking and the exploration of the park requires a few days minimum. However, shorter visits enable visitors to see the highlights of the park with some planning. Monty got some fantastic shots and we hope to get them up in this blog and smugmug over the next 2 days while we have access to the Internet. Some of the wildlife that Monty and I got to see were: coyote, big horn sheep, bison, elk, white tail deer, bald eagle, prong horn deer, mother moose with her calve, and ospry! Add to that the natural wonders like the Old Faithful geyser and numerous other geysers, rapid moving rivers and Yellowstone Lake. It truly is a park that everyone should visit at least once!

We left Yellowston this morning and traveled a short way to the Grand Teton Mountains. We are presently staying in another KOA campsite south of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Jackson Hole is quite a developed tourist town which has visiters year round for skiing, white water rafting, camping, and visiting Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.

The only unfortunate event is it is still RAINING! We get periods of sunshine but thunderstorms always follow and this afternoon, we actually got hail!

Rain, Rain Go Away - Wet and cold in Montana - Day 9

2009-06-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

Rain and then more rain. We looked ahead to see what the weather will be like in Yellowstone Park and yes, rain! Click on the link for a webcam that shows what we are experiencing here in Montana and Yellowstone for the next few days! Weather WEB CAM

Monty is uploading his pictures! Click on the link: Monty's Pictures

We leave today and head down to Yellowstone Park which is only about an hour south of Red Lodge Montana!

PIctures of the BIG things, Wildlife and Scenary in South Dakota

2009-06-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

"Needles" on Needles Highway

Custard State Park , South Dakota

Bison in Custard State Park

South Dakota

Crazy Horse Memorial in progress of being sculpted.

http://www.crazyhorsememorial.org/ has a picture of what the

completed sculpture will look like. South Dakota

Mount Rushmore South Dakota

Wild Mustang Colt

http://www.wildmustangs.com/ South Dakota

http://www.cornpalace.org/ South Dakota

http://www.walldrug.com/ South Dakota

Albert the Bull Picture - More to come soon!

2009-06-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

Albert the Bull is the first "BIG" thing we will see on this trip. Other BIG things we have seen already are more well known like Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, Wall Drug Store, The Corn Palace. I will try to get photos of these up today while we have the Internet!

Red Lodge, Montana -- Day 8

2009-06-01T08:16:00.000-07:00

We arrived at our campsite at Red Lodge KOA late in the evening. We decided to take some scenic routes on our way to see Mount Rushmore which were worth the added time to our travels that day. We got to drive through stone tunnels carved out from the mountains and see herds of bison, wild burros and mules, and white tail deer on the Needles Highway and the wild life loop in Custer State Park. We hope the pictures and video come out!

Mount Rushmore was as it is depicted on all the tourist brochures. We didn't spend that much time there. Monty took a few camera shots and I some short video and we were on our way.

The drive across part of Montana was long, but the wide open fields with not much on them but cows and deer was very isolated. The temperatures in Red Lodge took a dive last night and we have changed from wearing shorts to our long pants and sweatshirts. We hope that the wind dies down by the afternoon. We will use the next two days to relax, get laundry done, charge up the batteries and enjoy the free WiFi! I am acquiring a new respect for these simple KOA camping facilities that have all the basic needs covered. We will try to get more pictures up!

Sioux Falls, SD Evening of the 4th Day

2009-05-28T16:53:00.001-07:00

This is our first time camping at a KOA campsite. It has laundry facilities, a pool, bathrooms and putt-putt golf. It is nice but it has no privacy in that campsites are situated like parking spots with very little trees between them if any. However, it has free WiFi which was a nice perk we weren't expecting! Tomorrow, we will head towards Mount Rushmore and will get the opportunity to camp for more than one night per stop. We will see some more BIG things from the road trip book I have. A couple will be: 1. The Wall Drug Store in Wall, S.D. 2. The Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D.. Weird tourist attractions yes, but fun to see cause they are Free! Gas is about 2.35 / per gallon here with out ethenol; a little cheaper with 10% ethenol. Our little 12.99 TV is working and we get CBS so... looks like we can watch CSI tonight!

Souix Falls, South Dakota - Day Four

2009-05-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

What a nice service Iowa has at it's reststops: Free WiFi! We stopped here just south of Souix City on our way to Souix Falls. Monty got to be a good samariton and helped an elderly couple who needed a jump for their little car. They were in a huge RV and their little car was in the wrong gear with a dead battery. They were soon on their way after Monty gave them a jump.
Lunch followed and we will leisurely head up to our next camp site. We will find a Walmart in Souix City for minor supplies and make sure our ice supplies are good.

We managed to see our first BIG thing: Albert the Bull in Audubon, Iowa. I have a book of BIG things that are across the US and this is the first one we have seen. In South Dakota we will see Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse memorial. I hope to post some pictures the next time I get access to the Internet.

Illinois via Indiana - Day Two

2009-05-26T13:53:00.000-07:00

We found a Starbucks with WiFi in Illinois so we are enjoying a cup of hot coffee while checking our emails and updating our blog! It has rained briefly on us each day but luckily not when we are setting up or taking down our campsite. Our first night was very comfortable and the Taylorsville State Park was great! Bathrooms were clean, campsite was quiet, and we had water and electricity. You can't ask for much more!

Tomorrow will be our last day drive to reach South Dakota where we will get to camp for a few days. We will see Mount Rushmore and the wild mustangs! I hope Monty gets some good photographs and I get some usable video! I will try to upload some pictures the next time we get Internet access.

Kentucky Here We Come

2009-05-24T21:46:00.000-07:00

It is 12:45 and we are all packed and ready to go. We will get up by 6 am and will be on the road by 7. Kentucky will be our first stop on our way towards South Dakota where we will see the wild mustangs (www.wildmustangs.com) and Mount Rushmore! Bear Bait is cut short so she won't need a hair cut until we get back. I will be trying out the Twitter via my phone and will send updates of where we are and what the local gas prices are. It will be interesting to see how the gas prices will fluctuate through out this trip. My brother Ron lent me his video camera so we will have lots of digital pictures and video to sort through after our trip is done! It is hard to believe we will leave in a few hours! Interesting thought: This will be the longest time we will spend together with just our own company since 1985! Hmmmmm.....

10 Days to Get Ready, Set, and Go!

2009-05-15T14:20:00.000-07:00

We are slowly but wisely packing for our road trip. The itinerary has already been mapped out and reservations have been made for campsites. We are planning on taking only ten days of clothing for our 7 week trip so decisions, decisions on what to bring and not bring. I will be planning our meal menu for the first couple of weeks and have been stocking up on staple items that have gone on sale over the last month. Mac-n-Cheese, canned Tuna, Green Beans, Baked Beans, Rice... hot and cooked food always tastes better when you are camping! We will see what we THINK we need to bring with us and then cut out what we do not have room to take!