St. Louis, Mo

We stayed in East St. Louis, Ill., Just across the Mississippi River at the Casino Queen Campground.



The Gateway Arch was very visible from the campground. It was very easy to cross the river into St. Louis. All we had to do was call security from the campground phone and a shuttle van picked us up and took us to the light rail station.



Since there was a ballgame today, we were able to purchase tickets that were good up to two hours after the end of the game, good deal!



We could see our motorhome from the top of the arch through the haze.

Yes, the trams are that small!


Because the South side tram cars were out of service, we had to wait almost 2 hours before we could go to the top of the arch.



We stayed in St. Louis and had dinner before heading back across the river to the motorhome.

Kearney, Nebraska

We stopped in Kearney, Nebraska at the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument.



It is dedicated to showing the road west and has an interesting presentation using headphones as you move from area to area. They also allow you to boondock on the parking lot. We spend the night and were joined by several other units and a truck. It was hot and muggy and we should have run our generator and air conditioners like one of the other motorhomes did.

Hiking Day

Today was a hiking day. We planned to hike two trails, the Beaver Creek trail to Taggart Lake and the trail to Hidden Falls and Insperation Point on the West side of Jenny Lake.

We had hiked about a mile and a half when Leah spotted a Mule Deer watching us. Just a bit further down the trail was a herd of Mule Deer bedded down for the day. The herd watched us as we stopped to look at them and take a few pictures. The herd didn't seem to concerned about our presents as we did not appear to be a threat to them.

The Beaver Creek Trail is the long way to Taggart lake and because of that we only passed two other hikers on the trail. Every one else was taking a shorter trail to Taggart Lake.



The Tetons reflecting in the lake made for a great photo.






















After completing the Taggart Lake hike of 4 miles, we drove to Jenny Lake. At Jenny Lake we took a boat to the Western shore to get to the trail heads. The trail was loaded with people as this is the only trail to Hidden Falls and Insperation Point. This was very hard terrain to hike and many persons were not wearing the proper footware and carry any water. We had both and found the trail rough going.

Teton Mts.

We left Dubois, Wy heading for Jackson, Wy. We stopped at Elk Ranch Flats and took our first real look at the Tetons.




After we got our motorhome setup at the Campground, we went down to Jackson Square to take a picture of the Elk Antler Arches. At 6:oo pm two streets were blocked off and a big song and dance infomercial took place. They were pushing to see a show at a local theater. We did not return any more during our stay as it was no big deal. The town of Jackson is located in the area known as Jackson Hole as it surrounded on all sides by mountains. It has become a year around tourist area. In the Winter time there is the skiing and the rest of the year there is hiking, biking and river rafting.

The prices in the stores reflect a tourist area, but we felt the restaurant prices were very good as was the food we ate.

Dubois Wyoming

Today I am trying something new with the blog. I am using the slide show from Picasa to show the pictures I took in and around Dubois. To see the slide titles, you need to click on the picture and then on the little box in the lower left corner.


We have spent the last two days at the Longhorn RV & Motel 3 miles East of Dubois, Wy. New owners have taken over this old park and have put a lot of money and work into it. Along with all of the upgrades are price increases, about 40 dollars a night. Good Luck to them, but the rates are a bit steep.

As we were walking in the campground this morning, Doris Roberson came out of their motorhome to greet us. We were at a Newmar FMCA pre-rally in North Carolina last which they also attended. We also saw them at the Newmar rally in Gillette. They have been here for a week and will be here for another two weeks.

They told us about the Sawmill Lodge and Restaurant and what a nice drive it was. After spenting sometime looking in the stores in Dubois, we made the drive to the lodge and found it to be as the Robersons advised.

Thermopolis, Wy

Nestled among the foothills of the Owl Creek Mountains and resting beside the Big Horn River lies Thermopolis, Wyoming. It is one of those small picturesque Western towns where the altitude is higher than the population (altitude 4500, population 3200), and is renowned for its World’s Largest Mineral Hot Spring and beautiful surroundings. The Big Horn Springs are located throughout Hot Springs County.

In Thermopolis (Greek for “Hot City”) the scalding water comes from the Big Spring, which is located in Hot Springs State Park. From this turquoise and green spring, the water flows into cooling ponds at a temperature of 127 degrees. A boardwalk leads you over terraces from the over flow of water. These terraces are made chiefly of lime and gypsum which separate from the cooling waters. The colors you see are due mainly to primitive plants (algae), which grow in the warm water. The cooler water then runs over rainbow-hued mineral terraces into swimming pools and Jacuzzis, and into the Big Horn River



When early explorers went through the Big Horn Basin they saw that all the water drained into what they would call the Big Horn River. Explorers from the South came through the Wind River Mountains and named the river found there the Wind River. One did not know the other had named the same river. The river changes names at the Wedding of the Waters just a few miles south of Thermopolis. Here the river leaves the Wind River behind and becomes the Big Horn River. The river flows lazily through Thermopolis with many public floating, fishing and bird hunting accesses.


The Wind River flows through the beautiful Wind River Canyon on U.S. Highway 20 just south of Thermopolis. The canyon walls reach 2500 feet into the sky at many points throughout this beautiful drive. As you travel you will see sphinx-like shapes of rocks a thousand feet above the bed of the river. There are castle formations and waterfalls that tumble out of the rock formed canyon sides. Look in the crevices for formations of perpetual ice and snow, which endure the summers heat.

We decided to spend the 4Th of July in this area before moving onto Jackson, Wy. It seems like a very nice little town with the Hot Springs and the river the big draw.

Leah and I went to the hot springs one morning for a soak at the State Bath house. The mineral water was warm and felt very good and relaxing. Because of the water temps, it is recommended that you only soak for 20 minutes at a time.

We are staying at the Eagle RV Park on the western edge of town. It boasts having a hundred shade trees and although I didn't count them, I believe there is. Everyday they are watering the trees and the grass.

This is a very active RV park. A lot of RVs leave in the morning an by mid-afternoon the park fills up again.

Inner tubes can be rented and the park will take you up stream so you can float back down the river. This trip takes about 2 1/2 hours.

Buffalo, Wy to Thermopolis, Wy

To get from Buffalo to Thermopolis, we had to go over the Powder River Pass. As you can see from the sign, it is 9,666 feet high. We had to climb in 1st gear part of the way but we made it without a problem either going up or down.






Shortly after we stopped at the parking lot, a van pulled in with 7 boys in it who crossed the road and climbed to the top of the pass. Leah, Travis and I climbed the bunny hill :-)...





Nestled among the foothills of the Owl Creek Mountains and resting beside the Big Horn River lies Thermopolis, Wyoming. It is renowned for its World’s Largest Mineral Hot Spring and beautiful surroundings. The Big Horn Springs are located throughout Hot Springs County.

Buffalo, Wy

After the rally in Gillette, we made a short drive to Buffalo, Wyoming - located in Johnson County ... tucked away between the rolling plains of the old west and the towering peaks of the Big Horn Mountains and the vast Bighorn National Forest. It's a land rich in both western history and scenery. A place of sheep herders and cattle barons, renegades and rustlers. Where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid holed up after their outlaw exploits. Where miners consumed with gold rush fever passed through on the Bozeman Trail. Where some of the most famous Indian battles in American history occurred. And where the Johnson County Cattle War, a rangeland dispute which historians often deem one of the most notorious events in our history, left its mark here in the late 1880s ... and that Owen Wister wrote about in his epic American novel, The Virginian.




After getting setteled in at Indian Campground we drove to Crazy Woman Canyon and made the drive throught the canyon. The road was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp. back in the 1930's. This drive is a loop drive and took us into some real back country.




On our return to Buffalo, we saw a group of people standing along the highway. We stopped to see what they were looking at and saw a big Bull Moose feeding. Boy what a sight!

Newmar Rally - Gillette, Wy

We are in Gillette, Wy for a week to attend the annual Newmar Rally. There are approximately 750 RV's at the rally. Like most rallies, we will have seminars, vendors, entainment and food.


While in Gillette I went golfing at Bell Knob golf Course. It had some of the meanest rough that I have ever seen. Most of us shot 10 storkes or more above what we normally shoot.



I also attended a local Geocaching event that was held close by on one of our free nights.

Toterman

This evening quite a site pulled into the campground. It was Dave and Uta from Delaware. They have a Volvo truck, a Newmar Mt. Aire 5th wheel and a Mercedes-Benz SMART car. They are also on their way to the Newmar Rally in Gillette, Wy.

Deadwood, SD

Today we drove to Deadwood, SD, the town of western lore in the Black Hills. Many of the businesses in Deadwood are casinos which takes away from the history, but I guess it pays the bills. At any rate we walked around town following a walking tour map we got at the information center.

We drove up to Mount Mariah Cemetery where Wild Bill and Clamity Jane are buired. We didn't go inside because they are charging admission.

Crazy Horse Monument

We parked our motorhome in Black Hawk, SD and drove to the Crazy Horse Monument. Just after we arrived, a big rain storm moved in. Because of the storm, we were unable to get any closer than the visitor's center. They show a very nice video about the history of the Crazy House Monument. We walked around the display and gift shop areas.

We drove back towards Rapid City and past Mount Rushmore. It was raining, so we did not stop. We could see rushmore from the road and we had been there 7 years ago.

Wall Drug - Wall, SD

Like most westward travlers on I-90 we stopped at Wall Drug to get our "free" ice water. One has to look very hard for the drug section of the store. It is one of those places where you have to stop at least once.

Corn Palace - Mitchell, SD

We stopped in Mitchell, SD to see the Corn Palace and grab a bite of lunch. This year's theme is a salute to rodeo. It is something what they are able to do we corn and corn related products.

Minn. and the Mississippi River.

We left Rockford this morning and continued our trip on I-90. We crossed the Mississippi River and entered Minn. We stopped at the Welcome center, had lunch, took a few pictures and continued on our way West.

We are stopped for the night outside of Austin, Minn. Austin is the home of Hormel which makes SPAM. There is a SPAM museum, but it closes too early and opens too late for us to visit. Oh well, a future must visit before we die item on the list. :-)

Tomorrow we will be stopping in Mitchell, SD and visiting the Corn Palace.

Exhaust Gasket Blowout

This was day two of our trip. Our plan was to go from Fayette, Ohio to Rockford, Il.

We made a fuel stop in Indiana and as we were coming up to highway speed, the exhaust started to make a very loud noise. Well, we heard this noise several year ago when the exhaust gasket blew on the right side of the engine.

When we arrived at our stop for the night in Rockford, Il. I checked things out and it appears that the exhaust gasket on the left side blew. We will have to wait until we return to Taneytown, Md to have it repaired.

Several years ago we had a Gibson Exhaust System installed and from what the installer said, they used a very poor gasket. I have to say I agree with him. I called Gibson after the first Gasket blew and got the line that they never had a problem with the gaskets that they supply with the exhaust kit. If you are thinking about using a Gibson Exhaust System, DON'T.

Our travels will continue, but with a bit more noise during the trip.

On Our Way to Gillette, Wy

Well, today is Father's Day and we are on our way to Gillette, Wy. and the Newmar Int'l Rally.

What a week it was prior to our departing. For one thing we worked everyday at the Taneytown Firemen's Carnival and if that wasn't enough, the Perry Brothers were replacing the siding on the front of our house and the sunroom.

Our first day's travel took us to Harrison Lake State Park outside of Fayette, Ohio. We arrived at about 7:30 and after setting up camp, we went to Tom's sister's house for a visit with her family and Tom's mother.

Traveling Americans at Lickdale, Pa.

This weekend the Traveling Americans gathered at the Lickdale Campground in South Central Pa. This was a deli weekend for Saturday evening dinner. Everyone signed up to bring various deli meats and/or cheeses. It worked out very well as nobody had alot of prep work and cooking to do. We will have to remember this for future outings or you can try this with your own group.

Brent's Graduation Dinner

What a busy weekend! After spending three days at the Good Sam Rally in Frederick, Md, we came home and attended a graduation dinner for our great nephew, Brent Stover.

He will be attending Eastern Carolina University this fall.

The picture on the right is of Brent, his Great-Grandmother, Virginia Little and his sister, Bree Stover.

Horse Farm

Today a group from the Maryland Good Sams Club visited a race horse farm. The horses were magnificent animals. The farm manager gave us a lot of information about the farm, the nature of horses, and the racing industry.

It was a very informative afternoon.

The theme of the weekend is a weekend of races and a trip to a race horse farm fit very well into the theme.

Weekend near Rehobeth Beach Delaware

This weekend we went camping with our local Good Sam chapter, The Traveling Americans. The weather was great on Saturday and we drove over to Rehobeth Beach and walked the boradwalk. A number of people were on the beach enjoying the warm Spring day as well.