It has taken me until tonight to sit down and try to summarize our adventure. Getting ready for Jen's wedding has consumed a great deal of our time since arriving home and we are still in the planning mode with 32 days to go.
In spite of a great deal of rain in the Rocky Mountain states we were able to spent much of our time on the road touring and hiking. It was really nice to be able to hike or walk almost every day. If we were on the road we usually walked when we got to the next campsite. Spending the time walking and being outdoors just makes you feel better all around.
Not to many people are reading the blog now so I will just cover some of the statistics of our travels. We drove a total of 7653 miles in the RV and 3311 in our jeep tow car (toad) that is a total of 10,964 miles. It does sound like a lot of miles but it went by like it was overnight.
Our travels took us through 22 states, some of them more than once, and one Canadian Provence (Alberta). We were able to visit twelve National Parks, Two beautiful state parks (Palo Duro Canyon, Tx. and Custer SP in SD). We also saw one National monument, The Little Big Horn Battlefield in Montana, and a very popular National Memorial, Mount Rushmore. Two other popular attractions were the Four Corners Navajo Monument and Crazy Horse private memorial near Mt. Rushmore. Every one of these attractions offered something different to see and although we did get a little weary of the touring it was fabulous. The scenery and diversity of this country, especially the western states is fantastic.
In addition to the monuments we also were able to visit Elvis, learn the beginnings of Country music in Nashville and visit friends and family throughout our trip. We very much enjoyed our visits with cousins Steve and Susan in Memphis, Our new friends in Sow Low, AZ. Nephew Ben in Jackson Wy. and Mike Kant in Salt Lake.
We met a number of interesting people on the road and began a new friendship with Chip and Barbara Massa along the way.
Our nights were spent at 30 different campgrounds in the 22 states and Canada. Most of the campgrounds were very adequate, a few were unfriendly or just plain lousy accommodations. For the most part we did very well. The Good Sam campgrounds are still my preference; however a large percentage of the campgrounds out west are KOA's. Some were very nice but most of the KOA's are very tight for our rig and a few were very difficult to level and hook up.
The cost of our fuel was escalating nationwide as we were traveling and we paid from a low of $3.999 per gallon to a high of $5.00/gal. in Canada. The highest fuel price in the US was in Pennsylvania at $4.70/gal. Our gas mileage is improving, it's now up to 7.2 mph so our cost for the trip was just about $.60/mile. It may sound like alot but I carry my house with me and I never stay in a hotel.
I must comment on the highways. Many of us from NJ or PA tend to complain about I80 and some of the other Interstates. After driving through Arkansas and Oklahoma I will never again complain about PA. I40 was our route west and in these two states we almost had our teeth shaken out. There were other rough spots but these two states were by far the worst.
It is nice to be home but I am already getting the desire to hit the road again. The wedding is our priorty however so this year is pretty much over. It is a beautiful, interesting country and we are trying to see it all.
Life is Great! Enjoy it Every day in Every way you can!!
Bill and Eileen
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Ohio, Whentlings Corners Pa., Nana's, Home
We left the South Bend area on Sunday 6/29 and boogied to Newton Falls Ohio. The campground was soggy and muddy and we were out of there early the next day. Our next stop was in Wentlings Corners Pa., which is about 3 miles from my hunting property. We got there early enough to do the tour.
After lunch at the not so famous BJ's Eatery we set up camp and changed into our hiking gear and went to walk the land. Rain had made it muddy, but it was as beautiful as ever. I seldom get out to the land in the summer and it is much different than the late fall. More bugs and much more vegetation.
After the hike we cleaned up and went into Clarion to shop and tour the town. We went past both my grandparents homes and visited the cemetery. That evening we returned to the RRR Roadhouse for a good dinner.
The next morning we were off to Nana's for a visit with her and all the Heitsenrether's. We had dinner with everyone that night and caught up on every ones lives. We did have a nice trip in case your wondering.
7/2 we crossed into NJ, back to clean up, and our normal lives. Whatever that is. My next post will be in the next couple of days. I want to summarize and comment on our adventure.
Life is Marvelous!! Live it!! Love it!!
After lunch at the not so famous BJ's Eatery we set up camp and changed into our hiking gear and went to walk the land. Rain had made it muddy, but it was as beautiful as ever. I seldom get out to the land in the summer and it is much different than the late fall. More bugs and much more vegetation.
After the hike we cleaned up and went into Clarion to shop and tour the town. We went past both my grandparents homes and visited the cemetery. That evening we returned to the RRR Roadhouse for a good dinner.
The next morning we were off to Nana's for a visit with her and all the Heitsenrether's. We had dinner with everyone that night and caught up on every ones lives. We did have a nice trip in case your wondering.
7/2 we crossed into NJ, back to clean up, and our normal lives. Whatever that is. My next post will be in the next couple of days. I want to summarize and comment on our adventure.
Life is Marvelous!! Live it!! Love it!!
Notre Dame & RV MH Hall of Fame
On Friday 6/27 we left Mukwongo and headed to South Bend, Indiana. Our travels on this day were also a major challenge. We went toward Chicago on I 94 not knowing that they probably have the largest road construction project of the century going on on I94 and I494. We traveled through at least 80 miles of narrow lane, dusty, curvy, construction that didn't end until we got close to I80. If you have to go up that way in the next two years, I would suggest you fly. It is terrible. When we got to I80 we though we were in the clear, only to come to a 20 mile parking lot on eastbound I80. We got fuel and found a way around the backup by going south of the highway on a US route for about 30 miles. We rolled into Newton Falls, Indiana late in the day.
Our main goal here was to visit Notre Dame. My dad and a large percentage of his family graduated from here; and I had always wanted to see the campus up close. When we got to the campground, we also heard that the "RV Motor home Hall of Fame" was nearby in Elkhart, IN. So now we had two things to pack into Saturday.
I don't think Eileen was big on the Hall of Fame until we got there and toured the halls that had the old trailers and motor homes. It was really neat to see what people camped in all the way back to the early 1900's. Many of them were very upscale with fine wood trim, and many of the conveniences of today. This venue is to honor the people who have built the recreational vehicle industry but the real attraction to us was the museum part of the displays. Pic's above.
We went to Notre Dame late morning and found the main quad where my dad's dorms were and what was very likely the main part of the campus in the 1930's. We found both of his dorms and walked around to the lake and the grotto which is right behind the Basilica. We weren't able to enter the Basilica because of a wedding, but our plans were to return for the 5:00pm Saturday Vigil Mass.
After resting at the RV we returned to Campus for the mass. When we got to the security gate the guard told us the the mass was almost over. We were 45 minutes late. What had happened was when we went around the traffic jam the day before we had entered the Eastern Time Zone and didn't even know it. We did come in at the end of mass and had an opportunity to tour the absolutely beautiful interior of the church. We talked to one of the volunteer guides about the church and were informed that everything we see that looks like gold is in fact gold. Believe me, there is a lot of it. If you ever get a chance to visit here it is definitely worth it even if you don't have a personal or family connection like I do.
It is beautiful Gary, you were lucky to go to school there.
Our two days her were very relaxing and I finally got the chance to see were my dad went to school.
The pics are beautiful. Enjoy!
Life is Great! Enjoy it!!
Our main goal here was to visit Notre Dame. My dad and a large percentage of his family graduated from here; and I had always wanted to see the campus up close. When we got to the campground, we also heard that the "RV Motor home Hall of Fame" was nearby in Elkhart, IN. So now we had two things to pack into Saturday.
I don't think Eileen was big on the Hall of Fame until we got there and toured the halls that had the old trailers and motor homes. It was really neat to see what people camped in all the way back to the early 1900's. Many of them were very upscale with fine wood trim, and many of the conveniences of today. This venue is to honor the people who have built the recreational vehicle industry but the real attraction to us was the museum part of the displays. Pic's above.
We went to Notre Dame late morning and found the main quad where my dad's dorms were and what was very likely the main part of the campus in the 1930's. We found both of his dorms and walked around to the lake and the grotto which is right behind the Basilica. We weren't able to enter the Basilica because of a wedding, but our plans were to return for the 5:00pm Saturday Vigil Mass.
After resting at the RV we returned to Campus for the mass. When we got to the security gate the guard told us the the mass was almost over. We were 45 minutes late. What had happened was when we went around the traffic jam the day before we had entered the Eastern Time Zone and didn't even know it. We did come in at the end of mass and had an opportunity to tour the absolutely beautiful interior of the church. We talked to one of the volunteer guides about the church and were informed that everything we see that looks like gold is in fact gold. Believe me, there is a lot of it. If you ever get a chance to visit here it is definitely worth it even if you don't have a personal or family connection like I do.
It is beautiful Gary, you were lucky to go to school there.
Our two days her were very relaxing and I finally got the chance to see were my dad went to school.
The pics are beautiful. Enjoy!
Life is Great! Enjoy it!!
Rochester MN., Mukwonago WI.
It was difficult to leave, but the next morning, 6/25 we left the town of the Corn Palace and headed across the remainder of SD and the better part of Minnesota.
When we were about half way across MN. we had another RV pull up beside us and inform us that we had a flat tire. The tire was the right rear tire of the Jeep and it wasn't flat it was gone. It had apparently blown and then rapped itself around the rear axle. Unfortunately the temperature was already 90 degrees and we were on the edge of Interstate 90 with the trucks roaring by. I managed to put on the spare and find a Goodyear dealer about 50 miles further East that had a tire and a new rim for the one that was destroyed. Fortunately that was our only excitement for the day. When we arrived in Rochester we didn't even unhook the car from the RV.
The next day we headed for Mukwonago, WI. We were going to visit some friends here but unfortunately it didn't work out. We do hope to visit sometime in the future. We did have a nice sunset the night we were here and we met some friendly folks who were camping in their newly acquired travel trailer. The campground was on a hill and the sunset turned out to be very nice. We also had some animal neighbors who trying to wake us early the next morning.
Pic's are the sunset and our animal neighbors.
Life is Good!!
When we were about half way across MN. we had another RV pull up beside us and inform us that we had a flat tire. The tire was the right rear tire of the Jeep and it wasn't flat it was gone. It had apparently blown and then rapped itself around the rear axle. Unfortunately the temperature was already 90 degrees and we were on the edge of Interstate 90 with the trucks roaring by. I managed to put on the spare and find a Goodyear dealer about 50 miles further East that had a tire and a new rim for the one that was destroyed. Fortunately that was our only excitement for the day. When we arrived in Rochester we didn't even unhook the car from the RV.
The next day we headed for Mukwonago, WI. We were going to visit some friends here but unfortunately it didn't work out. We do hope to visit sometime in the future. We did have a nice sunset the night we were here and we met some friendly folks who were camping in their newly acquired travel trailer. The campground was on a hill and the sunset turned out to be very nice. We also had some animal neighbors who trying to wake us early the next morning.
Pic's are the sunset and our animal neighbors.
Life is Good!!
World Famous Corn Palace -- Mitchell, SD
The Tour. The inside also has corn murals that honor the founders and artists of the Corn Palace. You can also see the gift shop in the background. Everything you ever needed that is related to corn. The mural in the middle behind our guide depicts the settlers (The White Men) from the left , and the native americans (Indians) from the right, meeting with a handshake in the middle. If it had only been that easy!!
Mitchell, SD World Famous Corn Palace!
On Tuesday 6/24 we headed across SD to Mitchell. Mitchell's claim to fame is the Corn Palace. Each year the Corn Committee selects a theme and they decorate the building on the outside with real corn cobs and varies other types of grains and shafts. The palace also serves as their local theater, basketball court, and auditorium for town events. This is the time of year that they are taking down the old and putting up the new. The 2008 theme was "Everyday Hero's" (Police, Fireman, Teachers, etc.). I'm not sure what it is for 2009. You will see both dates on our pictures because of the transition. It actually is very unique and very well done.
I'm not sure we would have stopped to see this, but we had already picked this town for the campground so the 15 minute tour and a walk through the gift shop let us stretch our legs after the days trip. This attraction is another that is designed to bring the tourists off the highway.
The next day we were off for Rochester, MN. Enjoy the PICS of the world famous Corn Palace.
Life is Good!!!
I'm not sure we would have stopped to see this, but we had already picked this town for the campground so the 15 minute tour and a walk through the gift shop let us stretch our legs after the days trip. This attraction is another that is designed to bring the tourists off the highway.
The next day we were off for Rochester, MN. Enjoy the PICS of the world famous Corn Palace.
Life is Good!!!
Wall Drug and Badlands NP
Badlands Colors! Don't forget to click on the picture to enlarge it!
Wall Drud Store!!
The Boys!
Wall!
Wall!
Badlands!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
