End of the Road - Day Sixteen

Home. One of my favorite four letter words (and trust me I know quite a few of  those).  Home is where I can completely relax. It is my refuge. And as much as I LOVE to travel it is so nice to be home. 

WestFest has come to a close. We traveled 5484 miles. We all have earned the Buns of Steel Award. Can't wait to see what that patch will look like. HA!

We have had a blast on this trip and I thank you for following along with us. Big shout out to Cynthia and Curtis for being great travel partners. And another big shout out to our navigator and trip planner John. 

In the coming days I will be doing an AAR (After Action Review - thats a Lessons Learned for my NASA peeps) and sharing a photo album on FB. 

Again, many thanks for reading. Good night folks!  

Wichita to Little Rock with a little Barry White! - Day Fifteen

Sleep, blessed sleep....  Had a late start this morning in Wichita, KS. Picked up Cynthia and Curtis at her parents home and then we all had lunch at Old Chicago   Cynthia's parents, Mike and Margaret, are adorable. Having lunch with them reminded me of restaurant meals with my own parents. Mike, like my Dad, insisted on picking up the tab and I felt a piece of home wash over me. Like I said, lovely people!  

We then left Wichita and headed south into Oklahoma ( Oklahoma! where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain, And the waivin' wheat can sure smell sweet When the wind comes right behind the rain )

Turned left and headed east into Arkansas where we clicked off the 5,000th mile of this journey. Cynthia and I did the wave and a little yell in the back. I'm sure John and Curtis LOVED it.  

We have finally landed for the evening in Little Rock. 

Went downstairs to have some refreshments and as usual ended up talking to a person at the table next to us. He was a little inebriated and it was rather apparent. 

There was a partition between the two tables so he was not able to see the 4th member of our party ( Curtis ) he was only able to hear Curtis.  After a few minutes of listening to Curtis he leans around and says "is that Barry White over there ?"  And Curtis now has a new nickname!   

Tomorrow we will be rolling into Huntsville with dirt layered across scores of dead bugs. 

If you see a white Chevy Tahoe with a swarm of flies following behind and you hear Barry White singing.... well then you know it's us!  

Good night folks!  Thanks for reading. :D

Dodge City - Day Fourteen

Woke up this morning in Cheyenne, WY. At this point in time I am thanking God on an hourly basis that I do not have Alzheimer's...... Otherwise I would have no flippin' clue where in the heck I am. ;D

We drove from Cheyenne into the Sunflower State of Kansas after making a little dip into Colorado and headed for Dodge City. Yes, WestFest is wrapping up....  :-/

We FINALLY arrived at Dodge City around 4:15ish and began our tour of Boot Hill and Front Street.  For such a small museum they have an extensive Native American collection and a really good gun collection!  

One of the amusing things I learned was the jail on display at Boot Hill was "stolen" from Fort Dodge.  The museum approached Fort Dodge about having the jail donated to the museum or the museum purchasing the jail. Apparently there was some regulation that prohibited  either avenue. However, if it was "stolen" charges would not be filed. So a band of gentlemen got together and did a "midnight requisition" !  This occurred in the mid 1950's.  My kind of people. :D

We are currently heading east to Wichita where we will overnight and have a delayed start in the morning. I think we are looking forward to sleeping in. 

As our trip winds down I am again reminded of our country's vast beauty. The beauty of her glacier covered mountains and sweeping plains of golden wheat. The beauty that is seen in our large cities with their industrial feel to the small towns that are scattered across her lands. It is found in your own backyard and in your own hometown or wherever you may be.... You just need to look for it. 

Tomorrow it is on to Little Rock. :D

 

Cheyenne or Bust - Day Thirteen

This morning we woke up to a bit of a medical problem. Cyn had an issue with her eye. Luckily there was a medical clinic on site so she was able to see a physician. 

While Cynthia and Curtis were taking care of that issue, John and I decided to have breakfast. We sat in the Mural Restaurant and had a quiet breakfast with the Grand Tetons as our backdrop. It was a nice way to wrap up our visit. 

Then we were off!  Back in the family truckster and headed to Cheyenne. 

Today was strictly a driving day and we covered a LOT of miles. I think we have added a new song to our playlist - Rawhide. "Rolling, rolling, rolling. Get those dogies rolling. Oh my butt is swollen RAWHIDE"! 

Driving across Wyoming was a unique experience. The scenery quickly changed from the splendor of the Tetons to smaller mountains with patches of snow and lush green meadows. Then the landscape began morphing into reddish brown rock formations that towered above dry gulches. Occasionally one of those gulches would have a nice stream. The scenery slowly changed to rolling hills with clumpy grass pastures dotted with the random pronghorn. And then we made Cheyenne!  

Also -  Wyoming Rib and Chop House. Thumbs up for food and service!  

Tomorrow it is Dodge City and we will be overnighting in Wichita. 

Good night folks. We have a LONG drive tomorrow :D

Grand Tetons - Day Twelve

Started out in West Yellowstone, MT this morning and headed east through Yellowstone. About the midway portion of the park we started heading south. Our goal today - the Grand Tetons!  And gosh they are GRAND! 

We stopped by the Visitor Center as we entered the Grand Tetons National Park. John started chatting with one of the employees and long story short we met a  lovely individual from Freer, TX. His name is John Anderson and he was the football coach at Freer but has since retired. For all of you South Texas people reading this blog you know what a delight it is to run across one of our own!   

We arrived at Lake Jackson Lodge around lunchtime and had a nice lunch at the lodge. 

Cynthia and Curtis decided to go for a hike around the lodge ( there are over 250 miles of hiking trails in this park ) and we decided to take a scenic drive through the park. 

One of the special views was a church. It is the Chapel of the Transfiguration and is a small Episcopal Church. The chapel was built in 1925. Behind the altar there is a clear window that frames a view of the Cathedral Group of the Grand Tetons. The chapel is part of the St. John's Episcopal Church in Jackson and holds Sunday services at 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM on Sundays. It reminded us of our own St. Thomas and the view of Green Mountain. 

We joined back up with Cynthia and Curtis for dinner. From the restaurant we watched the sun set behind the mountain range. The sky was painted shades of orange and blue.  Some of the peaks were highlighted by the sun causing the snow and glaciers to sparkle with an orange-pink hue. Wispy cirrus clouds accentuated the mountains and sky. 

I am awed and humbled by the magnificent scenery we have visited and I am ever more grateful for being allowed to share these moments with my favorite person. 

Tomorrow it is on to Cheyenne!  

Yellowstone Take Two - Day Eleven

This morning we hit the dusty trail at 0530. Our mission, go find wildlife in Lamar Valley of Yellowstone Park. As we entered the park the sky was beginning to show the pale shades of dawn. We had clear skies and the park to ourselves. 

We immediately saw a wapiti and then started seeing several bison all before getting to Lamar Valley. Upon rounding a bend we encountered two adult bison sauntering down the middle of the road. We stopped the family truckster and watched them amble by within inches. And no, I did not try to pet them....

As we entered Lamar Valley we encountered bison, pronghorn, and whitetail deer.  There was herd upon herd of bison with their young calves kicking up their heels and running around   Most of the adult bison were grazing or taking a siesta. 

The two animals we did not encounter were bears and wolves. There are three packs of wolves that live within Yellowstone and of course the park definitely has bears .... Hey Yogi!  ;o)

After driving through the valley we had breakfast at Roosevelt Lodge. And man it was good!

We hopped back in the truckster and headed for the Upper and Lower Falls on the Yellowstone River.  The views were incredible. The sides of the canyon have active thermal vents that are marked by different colors. The colors come from the chemical compounds in the soil while others come from microorganisms known as thermolytes. 

It was a great day in the park. Tomorrow we are driving back through Yellowstone and headed for Moran, WY. 

Thanks for reading and have a good night. :D

Yellowstone! - Day Ten

We made it to West Yellowstone today!  Departed Missoula, MT this morning and drove straight here. The scenery along the way consisted of snow capped mountains, mountain streams and lush valleys. 

Once we arrived here at West Yellowstone we checked into our hotel and found a bite to eat. Then it was on to the park. 

Clear mountain streams gurgling along the side of the road along with steam vents, geysers and bubbling mud pits that showcase the wild beauty of this land. 

We saw a herd of bison sauntering along and grazing beside a stream. We then stopped at lower geyser and walked around pools of bubbling water that had blue centers and orange edges. As the steam surrounded us our senses were inundated with s strong sulphur odor.  After walking through the lower geyser basin we then stopped at the middle geyser basin. Again pools a turquoise blue accented with bright orange made for an amazing visual display. 

We ended our geyser tour at Old Faithful ( side note, apparently not as faithful as it once was.... ). However it was a wonderful experience to sit and watch this iconic geyser blast columns of water 

upward and then turn to steam. Afterwards we strolled around numerous geysers that were in all kinds of shapes.

On our drive out we then saw a herd of elk ( wapiti ) and I was able to listen to their vocalizations as we watched them from the side of the road. 

Continuing on our drive out of the park we watched several moose eating alongside a stream and a deer wading across an icy brook. 

As we headed west the sun was just beginning to settle behind the mountains. Low lying clouds were underlit with oranges and pinks against a blue sky. 

No pictures tonight but I will be putting a digital album together and share it with you in the next week or so.

Have to sign off and get to bed. We are leaving at 0530 to try and view more wildlife. We are hoping to see bear and wolves. 

Good night folks!

Flathead Lake and Fort Missoula - Day Nine

We took it pretty easy today and drove around Flathead Lake this morning. This lake is the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi in the lower 48. Surrounded by mountains with pockets if trees and grasses. 

Lunchtime was a really good burger stand called Burgertown. After a nice lunch break we drove to Missoula, MT. 

We visited Ft. Missoula this afternoon and had a great tour of their museum and outbuildings. It's a really nice museum and friendly staff. 

We are staying in Missoula tonight and tomorrow it is Yellowstone!  

  

Glacier National Park - Day Eight

Today has been beautiful. We started out in Great Falls, Montana this morning and drove into Glacier National Park. We were so fortunate that the Going to the Sun Road was open all the way through. This road is the only road that traverses Glacier National Park and crosses the Continental Divide at Logan's Pass. The road only opened for the season two days ago. Two weeks ago they actually had a significant amount of snow. There is approx 70 to 80 FEET of snow during a single winter. The snow is so deep that the park service must resurvey the road in order to find the road before they can begin snow removal. This park is truly breathtaking in its grandeur. The snow capped mountains rise up grazing the broad expanse of blue sky.  Ribbons of water from the melting snowpack stream down the sides. Some of the waterfalls are thin rivulets of ice cold water while others are broad raging waters cascading over the rocks. You can hear these waterfalls long before you see them.  During part of our drive we drove through the waterfalls as they poured onto our vehicle. 

Towards the end of our drive we were approaching the western portion of Glacier and Lake McDonald. We stopped and had some light refreshments before taking a boat ride around the lake. Stunning scenery was the order of the day. 

Some of our favorite moments included making and throwing snowballs on the 4th of July, watching the eddies of the fast moving river as it sliced through the park, and seeing the afternoon sun filtering through a canopy of coniferous trees dimpling the understory of fallen timber, moss and boulders with a patchwork of light and shadow. 

My words do not do justice to this incredible park. It is a must see. 

Happy Independence Day!!!

 

And this is Sam from North Carolina!  Met this fellow and had a great conversation with him. :D

Good night folks!  

Buffalo, WY to Great Falls, MT - Day Seven

We stayed at a fantastic Hampton Inn last night in Buffalo, WY.  With our full bellies from Winchester Steakhouse we slept like babes. 

We began our touring for the day in Buffalo with a visit to the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum.  The museum focuses primarily on American West artifacts and lifestyles of the Johnson County, WY ranchers and Native  Americans.  It's a really nice museum and gives you a glimpse into the lives of the late 1800's/early 1900's settlers. 

We strolled down the hill to the Occidental Hotel. The hotel is furnished with period furniture of the late 1800's. There is a saloon next door and a restaurant next to the saloon. They are all connected and have an easy going ambience to them and super friendly staff. 

Next up was the drive to The Battle of Little Bighorn.  We decided to take the bus tour through the battlefield and it was quite interesting. Our tour guide was half Crow and half Sioux and she  was a wealth of information.  She described the scene of the battle as it appeared two days later as looking like a buffalo slaughter. The bodies of the soldiers were bloated from the heat and carnage was everywhere. Most of the Indians were removed from the battlefield by their loved ones and buried elsewhere. 

Walking silently through the cemetery you can almost sense the old souls that are buried. 

We are currently trekking across Montana having just passed Billings a few miles back. Our destination tonight is Great Falls, MT. 

Tomorrow is another day of American history, great scenery and wonderful camaraderie. 

Thanks for reading folks!

Sturgis/Deadwood/Devils Tower Oh My! - Day Six

Currently we are zipping along to our evening destination of Buffalo, WY. 

We checked out of our hotel this morning in Rapid City, SD and headed to Sturgis. We visited the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum / full of motorcycles!  Bet you didn't see that coming ;o). It was a great museum and I highly recommend visiting.

I had my directionally challenged moment while in the museum. The museum has an old elevator that is just wide enough for my wheelchair. The outer door swings open, you roll into the elevator and reach around to pull the door shut and slide the accordion door shut. So I managed all that and promptly pressed the number 2 to go to the second floor.  Elevator doesn't budge. Pressed it again. Nada. I hear John's voice and Cynthia's voice. John: Are you stuck?  Me:  the elevator won't move. John:  did you press the button?  Me: rolling my eyes Yes. 

Cynthia:  I'll come get you. 

So Cynthia opens up the door,slides the accordion door open and says you're on the 2nd floor. Me:  looking around. No I'm not I'm on the first floor where I started. Cynthia:  no. You are on the 2nd floor.

 We had our whole whose on first moment and then Cynthia said "Trish you started on the second floor you need to go down to first". 

Me:  good grief. 

After that,  Cynthia personally escorted me down and back up the elevator. I think there may be some doubt about the color of my hair at this point in time!

 While  in the museum we were fortunate enough to meet a lovely couple who had donated their 1952 Vincent. Their names are Leo and Phyllis.  Of course we had to take their picture since they were kind enough to give us the history behind their bike. 

After Sturgis it was on to Deadwood, SD.  Did a walking tour of the Main Street. Visited Saloon Ten where Wild Bill Hickok was murdered in a poker game holding aces and eights. This is where the term deadman's hand comes from when describing the poker hand aces over eights.   

We visited the Adams Museum while in Deadwood and it is full of all kinds of little treasures and history about the colorful characters who made Deadwood famous. This small museum gets two big thumbs up from me. Loved it!  

After the museum we went to the cemetery to look for Wild Bill Hickok's grave and Calamity Jane's grave. After the elevator moment in Sturgis I think I might be related to her. ;). The terrain was fairly steep so I sat that one out and had Cynthia, Curtis and John run recon for me and take pictures. :D

We took the scenic drive from Deadwood, SD to Devils Tower, WY. 

Devils Tower rises up from the surrounding land as if it is trying to reach into the heavens above. The rock appears to be extruded as if from a gigantic press. The columns of rock can be 4, 5, 6 or 8 sided with the most common being 6 sided. 

It is hauntingly beautiful watching the vultures catching the thermals and gliding across the face of Devils Tower. 

And now we are trying to make Buffalo before 9 which is the closing time of the restaurant. Looks like it may be a late night for us. 

As the miles rack up and we drive across our beautiful country I am so very cognizant of the beauty and fierce independence of our great country.  And as our Independence Day approaches a shout out and heartfelt thank you to those who have served and continue to serve our country.  And a special shout out and thank you to my Dad, a Korean War veteran, an American farmer and a really special man. I love you Dad. 

UPDATE: we made it to the restaurant. Winchester Steakhouse in Buffalo, WY. Doesn't look like much from outside but the food is OUTSTANDING!  

Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse - Day Five

This will be a short blog tonight. It is our last night in Rapid City, South Dakota and I still have to pack!  

We started off the morning by heading up to Mount Rushmore. The weather was a cool and breezy 68 degrees. Driving up Highway 16 we rounded a curve and this gigantic sculpture rises from the top. It is very impressive and large, quite large!  A few facts I learned today.... There were no deaths during the creation of the sculpture and originally Jefferson's head was to the left ( looking at the mountain ) of Washington. After two years of work it was discovered there was not enough carvable rock. It took two weeks to blast his head off. He was then carved to the right of Washington. 

 

After leaving Mount Rushmore we headed back down to Keystone for lunch at Teddy's Deli. It was a nice lunch and a good break in the middle of the day. 

Then back up towards Rushmore again and onto Crazy Horse. Crazy Horse is funded only through private donations.  

It will be a massive sculpture when it is completed. 

Tomorrow it is on to Sturgis and Deadwood. 

We think our three theme songs are:

1. Holiday Road

2. On the Road Again

3. The Wheels on the Bus

Good night folks and thanks for reading!

:D 

Badlands! - Day Four

Today we started off with a tour of the Badlands National Park.  We entered the park from the eastern most entrance and immediately were in awe.  The scenery and the landscape tends to tease you with a little peek here and there before it opens up into an expanse of striated rock formations.  The muted red, yellow, and gold hues form a pastel landscape with the azure sky as the backdrop.  We took a boardwalk out into some of the rock formations and members of our party promptly joined the other tourists and went walking around and over the rock.  The landscape at first blush looks like it is just barren land.  But if you sit quietly and pay attention you will begin to see and hear all the lifeforms around you.  The quick, darting movements of the thirteen lined ground squirrel along with the floating seeds of the biggest dandelion I have ever seen quickly capture your attention.  

We stopped at a picnic site and had a gourmet lunch thanks to Cynthia.  She prepared a LOT of food and we have yet to go hungry!  And man was it good. Many thanks Cyn!  

After hopping back into the trusty family truckster we continued on our loop and we were so excited to come across some bighorn sheep.  Very cool stuff!  

Our navigator, John, was prepared and had recommended the Sage Creek Rim Road as the road to take to complete our scenic tour.  And it was amazing!  Of course we saw the ever ubiquitous prairie dog but then..... we saw our first herd of bison.  It was incredible.  These massive animals grazing down in the green valley with a backdrop of the beautiful mountains.  We were and are in awe.

We finished up our day back in Rapid City, South Dakota.  Had dinner at an Irish pub and walked along the street looking at the statues of the presidents.  The city has a statue of every president and they are placed on the sidewalks.  It's a pretty neat little city.  Of course, I had to take a picture of William H. Taft!

Tomorrow it is Mount Rushmore in the morning and Crazy Horse in the afternoon.  

Let the adventure continue!  

Driving Through Iowa - Day Three

Today is a driving day. We are zipping along in our trusty family truckster and the miles are racking up. As I look out my window I see acres of open farmland. There are small agricultural communities dotting the landscape and it appears that a great number of farms have their own silos for storage. Occasionally we come across a farm that has some irrigation capability but for the most part it appears they are getting plenty of moisture. 

This area of farmland is bounded on the east by a ridge of hills which are part of the Loess Hills State Park. 

Driving through here I am reminded of Paul Harvey's "So God made a Farmer". If you have not ever listened to it - well you really should. Mr. Harvey plainly tells about the hard work that goes into farming and ranching. And from great toil and effort comes great satisfaction. 

Enough rambling for now, I think it's time for a game of Scrabble. :D

Our stopping point tonight is Rapid City, South Dakota. Tomorrow, it's the Badlands!  

Family Truckster - Day Two

Day two of the Holiday Road adventure is quickly coming to a close. 

Our first stop this morning was an unexpected find. It was in Chester, MO. Their claim to fame.... The home of Popeye and who doesn't like Popeye!  

Due to technical difficulties (ahem I'm not as computer savvy as I thought I was) I'm not currently able to download photos from my camera.  Hopefully that will be solved today or tomorrow. 

Our next stop was in Kaskaskia, IL to see the Liberty Bell of the West.  The bell was cast in 1741 and was a gift to the Mission of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Kaskaskia from King Louis XV of France. 

If you can't tell by now we love history!  

On to Hermann, MO for a stroll down the Main Street and a stop at the Hermanhoff Winery. When we lived in St. Louis in 1997 we would take day trips on the weekends. One of those trips was to Hermann. It's a beautiful community with a rich German heritage. 

While Cynthia and I were doing our window shopping we found a day care for husbands. We checked them in and strolled off. Finished our window shopping, turned around to go claim our hubbies and apparently they had checked themselves out of day care. Sauntering along with their bags of cheese and sausages. 

As we left Hermann the skies were getting darker and we were headed into some nasty weather. 

Our plan was to stop in Kansas City for some award winning BBQ. We called ahead for reservations and they were booked. And that's when the Activities Coordinator and the Navigator (Cynthia and John) jumped into action to create a Plan B. and man it was a good one!  

We headed to St. Joseph, MO and stopped at Boudreaux's.  We had some tasty Cajun food in the middle of Missouri!  Side note - John and I recommend the crab bisque. :o)

Another interesting note about St. Joseph.... Home of the Pony Express!  

Currently we are on the road and headed to Omaha. As the sun dips below the horizon and the bright orange swiftly turns into soft yellows I am reminded of some of my favorite sunsets. The vast majority of these are in places that are close to my heart. Taft, Rocksprings, College Station and my own backyard. 

So please step outside, look around and see the beauty that surrounds each of us. 

And remember, every day is a new adventure. :D

Holiday Road - Day One of WestFest 2014

Family and friends you are invited to follow along with us on the WestFest 2014. 

It's a 17 day road trip covering over 5,000 miles.  The goal have fun and spend time with our dear friends Cynthia and Curtis. 

We left Huntsville this afternoon and we have made our first stop for the night in Marion, IL. 

Below is a map of our projected routes and we are so excited!!

It has been a dream of mine since I was young to visit the Badlands of the Dakotas, Glacier National Park in Montana, Devil's Tower in Wyoming, and of course Yellowstone. 

I had the luxury of growing up in rural South Texas on a farm. Wide open spaces were my backyard and my imagination was the only limiting factor. 

I read books all the time and was transported from the sorghum and cotton fields of South Texas to these equally majestic faraway places. 

Let me introduce you to my fellow road trippers. 

Cynthia and Curtis

Me and John

So please join me on the adventure of a lifetime. :D