June 30, 2013 Day 23

Sunny    91    Hannah's Campground at Paul & Glenda's - Corvallis, Montana

After a yummy breakfast, we went to Phillipsburg and walked around the town and shops.  They had a huge old-fashion candy store that I think everyone in town was there.  We saw a meadow full of bear grass - also many other wild flowers and stopped at a gushing, snow melt waterfall (very cold) - the beauty took your breath away.  We also had a picnic lunch in the park.

Bear Grass

 

 

Waterfall in Montana

June 29, 2013 Day 22

Cloudy to Sunshine    83    Hannah's Campground at Paul & Glenda's - Corvallis, Montana

After a nice breakfast,  we were going touring but the weather looked very threatening.  Instead we played a game of croquet.  Boy, you should see how high Glenda can jump when she misses a shot.  Fun - relaxing day that went very quickly.  We went to see the "ditch" which is where Paul and Glenda get snow melting water to irrigate their land for feed for the neighbors cows.  Paul and Glenda have been very gracious hosts and we appreciate their hospitality and enjoy their company tremendously.

Paul & Glenda's Ditch

 

 

Beautiful rays of sun on the mountains

June 28, 2013 Day 21

Sunny    90    Hannah's Campground at Paul and Glenda's - Corvallis, Montana

Nice day for Rest and Relaxation.  Went to lunch with Paul at the Filling Station Grill (lots of old time memorabilia).  Then on to the laundry  mat and back to the Filling Station for our ice cream dessert.  We spent a wonderful evening  with Paul and Glenda;  as we ate a delicious supper in the yard under the shade tree as you look at the snow caps on Bitter Root Mountain.  It gets dark around 10:30 P.M.  The evening concluded with the neighbor's fireworks and Paul and Glenda send up a Chinese Lantern for us to wish upon.

Dinner in the backyard at Paul & Glend'a

Firework Celebration

June 27, 2013 Day 20

Sunny    86     Hannah's Campground at Paul & Glenda's - Corvallis, Montana


Today, we are on our way to Paul and Glenda's house in  Corvallis, MT.  Along the way we stopped at Gate of the Mountains on a boat ride on the Missouri River.  We ate lunch under the awning  of the trailer, while we watched  the lake at the marina alongside the stone mountains.  It was a beautiful and very informative boat ride. The history of the forest fires was very interesting.   Our Captain was a junior-high teacher and you can tell he loves telling stories.  On our way we went over McDonald's Pass 6410'.   Montana surely is "The Big Sky Country".

Gate of the Mountain, Montana

 

 

Family picture at Paul & Glenda's

June 26, 2013 Day 19

Cloudy - Sunny    78    Dick's RV Campground - Great Falls, Montana

Started the day out shopping for trailer supplies -  the largest Ace store I ever saw.  They had everything we needed. Went to Rainbow Dam,  Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center,  Eagle Dam and falls and on to Ryan Dam and Great Falls of the Missouri.  Donna even walked across the swinging bridge.  In the distance is the purple mountain majesty, wheat fields, alpha fields and blue skies as far as you can see.  Pennsy had delays in Harrisburg,  Newark, &  Denver due to thunderstorms and is to arrive around 1 a.m.

Fred and Prince on a bike ride around the campground

Ryan Dam, Montana

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June 25, 2013 Day 18

Sunny    56- 75     Dick's RV Campground - Great Falls, Montana

Left Yellowstone National Park and headed north to Great  Falls, Montana.  Stopped on the way in Livingston, MT and walked through a train museum and ate  at a small sidewalk cafe.  We drove through Lewis and Clark National Forest.  As we drove,  Belt Creek was along side the car - a large, quick flowing body of water (very beautiful). We are in Great Falls awaiting Pennsy arrival.

North Entrance to Yellowstone National Park 

 

Livingston, Montana

June 24, 2013 Day 17

Sunny    74    Mammoth Hot Springs RV Park - Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming

Moved camper from Fishing Bridge to Mammoth Hot Springs Campground ( the upper part of Yellowstone) - where the terrain is different, much  bigger sites for a lot less money.  Bison walking towards us in the middle of the road - Dale could touch him out of his window.  We hiked to the lower falls. "Fantastic".  We were standing on top of gushing falls.  Gorgeous and worth the 600' straight  up to the car.  The scenery is just breath- taking.  Saw a bear and more buffalo.  Dale was disappointed with Mammoth Hot Springs as only one small  stream covered the terrace.  Today we drove the upper loop.

. Here comes the Buffalo!!!

 

 

Lower falls at Yellowstone National Park

June 23, 2013 Day 16

Sunny    55 - 64    Fishing Bridge RV Park- Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Happy Birthday Ryan!!  Happy Anniversary to Fred and Pat!
So many pines are brown along the way ( at places it is the whole mountainside).  They said it is the pine beetle and blue fungus and it takes two years for the tree to turn brown and by then the beetle has jumped to other pines.  Donna's favorite words are "OH,  WOW".  Pat lost count of the pine trees at 349,876 and had to start over.  Yellowstone is awesome.  It is on top of a super volcano, the size of Delaware - 2 million acres of steaming geysers, crystalline lakes, thundering cascading waterfalls, and panoramic vistas.  We stopped at West Thumb Geyser Basin and saw boiling pools of water with steam rising up as you felt the heat.  Then we passed 2 Elk along side the road and more buffalo.  Old Faithful performed well for us.  This was the lower loop of Yellowstone.

Yellowstone Lake in the Park

 

 

We were standing near the boiling water.

June 22, 2013 Day 15

Cloudy    48 - 66    Fishing Bridge RV Park - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

As you look over the vast land, you see sunshine to the left and rain on the mountains to the right and black skies behind us.  Yellowstone National Park here we come. The next two nights we are going to stay at Fishing Bridge RV Park inside Yellowstone National Park.  As we past Yellowstone Lake (huge), it had more waves then I've seen at the beach sometimes.  Unusual, beautiful cloud formations today and the countryside scenery changes so quickly.

Road to Yellowstone

 

 

Waterfall along side the road.

June 21, 2013 Day 14

Rain in A.M.     Sunshine in afternoon    77- 52    Ten Broek - Ten Sleep, Wyoming


Left Deadwood Gulch on our way to Ten Sleep, WY.   At the information center of WY,  Pat and Fred climbed on a horse - WHAT a comedy act!  We stopped at Devil's Tower, WY - it was like nothing I've seen before. (About 50 million years ago molten magma was forced into sedimentary rocks above it and cooled underground. As it cooled it contracted and fractured into columns.)  Later we crossed over the Rockies.  Big Red did a fine job at climbing 9,743 feet.  Thanks for your comments, we did receive them.
                                                                                                                                                                                    

                             

                               



                                                    Beautiful redstone, Wyoming


                                

Devil's Tower

June 20, 2013 Day 13

Sunshine    82    Fish-N- Fry Campground - Deadwood Gulch, South Dakota

Travel day.  Wash Day and a little R & R.  We traveled to Deadwood Gulch S.D. today and ate at Saloon 10, where we saw a play that Wild Bill Hickok got shot.  Then the traveling medicine man with his dancehall girl  put a show on in the street.  Also there was a shootout in the middle of town.  Fun day.

Saloon 10 - Wild Bill Hickok

 

 

 

Deadwood Gulch, South Dakota

June 19, 2013 Day 12 2nd post

 

 

Can you tell which one is Donna, Dale, Pat or Fred ???????

June 19, 2013 Day 12

Sunshine    84     Big Pine Campground - Custer, South Dakota

The smiles were big today as we rode the 1880 steam train from Hill, S.D. to Keystone, S.D. and back through the Black Hills.  In the afternoon we did Custer State Park wildlife loop.  How exciting to see the first buffalo , elk, antelope,  prairie dogs, and lots of deer with their fawns.  (We have seen deer run through our campground.)  Then you see a herd of hundreds of buffalo and another herd and  another herd, etc.  Our last stop was the Wind Cave National Park.  The cave was different from other caves in that you see popcorn and frostwork along the trail - no stalagmites. Our ranger sang " Happy Birthday" to Fred.  WOW - what a beautiful voice.  Everyone loves we are from Hershey and our Hershey Kisses.

1880 Steam train - Hill, South Dakota

 

Herd of buffalo in Custer, South Dakota

June 18, 2013 Day 11

Sunshine    84     Big Pine Campground - Custer, South Dakota

The scenery was beautiful through Custer State Park via of Needles highway - many pine trees among huge rock formations.  We went through one lane tunnels that are very narrow.  Our next drive was the Black Hills Forest on our way to Mt. Rushmore. It is amazing how they blast through the rock to carve the statues.  Our last stop was Crazy Horse which will be the largest statue in the world after it is done - in maybe another hundred years.  Tonight we are going to return to Crazy Horse to see a laser light show.

Mount Rushmore

 

 

 

Crazy Horse

June 17, 2013 Day 10

Sunny to rain    81- 47    Big Pine Campground - Custer, South Dakota

This morning we took the minuteman missile tour.  Very interesting, but glad that we never needed to use it.  It was a cold war deterrent that had nuclear missiles aimed at Russia that could destroy them in 30 minutes if  they launched a missile towards us.  The missile silos were buried in the ground and you don't  know they are there.  Scary stuff and it would have destroyed everyone.  Now we are on our way to Custer, South Dakota - prairies to pine trees.  We just missed half-dollar size hail, but we saw the ice along side and on the road.  Some area campers had damage to their trailers.  We are staying at Big Pine Campground - thanks to Sharon and Vaughn.

Wall Drug, South Dakota

 

 

Road to Big Pine Campground in Custer, South Dakota

 

June 16, 2013 Day 9

Hail to sunshine    80    Arrow Campground - Wall, South Dakota

Awaken by golf-size hail balls with rivers on the road.  We are at the Arrow Campground which is adjacent to Wall Drug parking lot.  We had breakfast at Wall Drug and met people from Lancaster.  Then it was off to the badlands.  We entered the badlands from the SW entrance.  It resembles the Grand  Canyon at first but has combinations of rock, sand formations with basins and panoramic points and green pastures - lots of colors.  It is vast and you can see for miles.  The Wounded Knee Museum which is the story of 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre had a fire last year and is currently relocating so we did not get to see it.  We stopped at the Prairie Homestead and it looks like Laura Ingle from Little House on the Prairie should be standing there.  Happy Father's Day to all.

Hail at Wall, South Dakota

Badlands, South Dakota

June 15, 2013 Day 8

Morning rain to bright sunshine    80    Arrow Campground - Wall, South Dakota

Happy Anniversary Tam and Kevin - 17 years WOW.  Started out after rain in Sioux Falls but turned to sunshine within 10 miles and beautiful - taking Route 44 - smaller 2 lane highway with gorgeous countryside.  Visited the corn palace where they have the outside and inside of the building decorated with corn cobs and grain - a work of art.  They change it every year with a festival in August.  They put a picture on tar paper and nail each corn cob individually - like a giant paint by number picture.. So far we have traveled 2050 miles.

P.S. Amy- We just finished the pineapple angel food  cake - Could you send us another one?

Inside at the Corn Palace

 

 

Corn Palace - Mitchell, South Dakota

June 14, 2013 Day 7

Sunny to sprinkles    75    Red Barn Campground - Sioux Falls, South Dakota

We left Minnesota and headed to South Dakota.  We did not have any rain in Minnesota, but they have had so much rain that thousands of crops will not be planted this year.  On our way we stopped in Austin, MN and visited the spam museum - Fred's favorite place.  It was entertaining and the guys had spam burgers for lunch. (Dale's was jalapeno)  Our arrival destination was Sioux Falls, SD.  After supper we went to Fall Park to see the cascading falls. It was gorgeous.

Spam Museum 

 

 

 

 

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

June 13, 2013 Day 6

Sunny    78    Lebanon Hills RV Park - Minnesota,  Minneapolis

Mall of America here we come.  You name it and they had the store.  All of our malls in Harrisburg and Hershey Park don't equal Mall of  America (very slight stretch).  The amusement park was great.  Donna, Dale and Fred rode the "rolly"coaster and no way would we ride all the spinning rides.  Had a hugh lego store.  We also rode the Metro for 75 cents to downtown Minneapolis passing the Viking's and Twins stadiums.  We had lupper at Famous Dave's.  Dale's phone had quit charging when we needed GPS traffic report around Chicago - we were not happy campers.  Finally found a corporate Verizon store and they replaced his phone with a pleasant experience.  It was a beautiful, sunny day.

Roller-coaster in Mall of America

 

 

 

Ferris Wheel inside the mall

 

 

 

 

June 12, 2013 Day 5

Cloudy    74    Lebanon Hills RV Park - Minnesota, Minneapolis

Left Wisconsin Dells heading towards Mall of America across the Mississippi River. Had a great visit with family.  THANK YOU to George, Karla and Devon for being such gracious hosts for feeding us and letting us shower, but most of all for the love you gave to us.  Miss you already.  Found a campground only 7 miles from Mall of America in Apple Valley.

  

George, Karla, Devon & Amy

 

 

Mississippi River 

June 11, 2013 Day 4

Cloud    81    George & Karla's - Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

We headed to The House on the Rock today.  We did it in 3 1/2 hours but you should really take 3 days to see it.  The carousel near the end was phenomenal - it had 20,000 lights, all different kinds of animals (no horses) and weighed 36 tons.  Devon's favorite part was walking through the house and how they used the rocks for tables: also the cars were cool.  Dale was amazed at the animation of the instruments.  Pat liked the music boxes and orchestras.  Fred said the rest rooms were clean.  Fun but very tiring day.

Infinity Room at House on the Rocks

 

 

Model of Steamboat 

June 10, 2013 Day 3

Sunny    80    George & Karla's- Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

Today we spent the day at the Wisconsin Dells.  Devon was our tour guide.  We rode the boat at the upper Dells - a 2 hour ride with 2 stops - at stand rock a dog jumped from one rock to another which was 5 1/2 feet across and 66' high.  Then we rode the ducks.  We were in the backseat.  Devon and Donna got wet from the wave over the back seat when the duck hit the lake.  Having a great time visiting with George, Karla, Amy and Devon.  Thanks alot guys.  They have made us delicious meals.  Amy and Fred get along great!!  We have seen deer, wild turkeys, and turtles.

Dog jump at the Wisconsin Dells 

 

 

 

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We rode the Ducks at the Wisconsin Dells

June 9, 2013 Day 2

Sunny    84    George & Karla's - Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin


Long day of traveling and Dale's hair is a little more gray due to the roads around Chicago. Stopped at a rest stop and ate lunch on a picnic table at Hardee's.  We played Good Samaritan and helped a truck driver that needed water in his truck. Arrived at Donna's brothers in the Wisconsin's Dells around 6:30 p.m. Supper was waiting on us and then we went to bed.  Great to see everyone

Farm in Ohio

  

                              

 

 

 

Hot Dog Stand at Sunny's Campground

June 8, 2013 Day 1

Sunny    80    Sunny's Campground - Wauseon, Ohio


Starting our Trip 6/8/13.  I am somewhat uneasy about the use of the 16 year old Truck
but big Red is still running strong,  Consider it an adventure!!!!

 

Almost ready, Load another 5000lbs should do it. Most of the other 5000lbs is loaded. Time to get show on the road.
Here we are in Wauseon, Ohio after traveling 485 uneventful miles through the beautiful mountains of  PA on route 80.  Next were the flat lands with many farms in Ohio.  We left around 10 a.m. and arrived at Sunny's Campground around 7:30 p.m. Had an easy supper with Pennsy's green pepper soup and Sandy's coconut cake for dessert.  The campground is great with four large lakes, 700 sites, a beach, hot dog stand, loads of golf carts and I am listening to a concert as I am entering this note.

We are ready for our Crosscountry Trip!