tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39777666340713327352024-02-19T16:17:27.288-08:00MV "Help Me Rhonda"Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.comBlogger175125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-68247006387237901672017-10-01T17:49:00.001-07:002017-12-28T11:20:30.538-08:00Heading Home<div style="text-align: center;">
Well, I'm sitting here in Odessa, Missouri (30 miles east of Kansas City) at the same campground we stopped at on July 4th, 3 months ago, the second stop on our trip. By the way, Welcome To Kansas City!</div>
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I think we can draw a few conclusions from this.</div>
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1. We are clearly on our way home and our trip is almost over!</div>
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2. "We done good" for a couple of rookie RVers. We had a very general plan to be out about 3 months and a general idea of a route that we thought would work, but we did not make a single reservation in advance of more than a few days and "winged" the whole trip. There were a couple of times we were almost desperate for a place to stay close to where we wanted to be but it always worked out. </div>
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3. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good! The 3 month thing - we have 2 more days of travel and should be home on Tuesday which will be October 3rd, EXACTLY 3 months since we left on July 3rd. I think that might be a little bit of luck though because we darn sure didn't plan for that to be 3 months to the day!</div>
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Anyhow, a little closure on our last stop in Colorado. If you recall, cold temps, wind, and rain (mostly rain) were hampering our CO adventures and that did not stop at Colorado Springs. After not getting to ride the #1 motorcycle ride (San Juan Skyway out of Durango), I was determined to ride the #2 ride which is west and northwest of Denver which would have been another 2-day overnight trip. Well that didn't work out either. We stayed in Colorado Springs for 5 days and ended up with 2 days of sort of decent weather. On one of those days, I had about 6 hours of good weather forecast so I developed my own 183-mile ride to try and keep me in the valleys because of cold temps and a very low overcast at the higher elevations. I included a stop on the Arkansas River since we lived aboard "Help Me Rhonda" on the river at Three Forks Harbor in Muskogee, OK for 2 and 1/2 years. I knew the river originated in Colorado and I found a good spot about 100 miles downstream of the origin to take a look. Looking north and south below. For those not familiar, it's a good bit bigger than this down at the lower end where it dumps into the Mississippi River! It's a major waterway with lots of barge traffic as far inland as Catoosa, OK (almost to Tulsa).</div>
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Those are the only pictures I took - just wanted to enjoy the ride with the short amount of time I had. Somehow in my planning for the ride though, I had missed one thing. As I was about 2/3 through the ride, I began to notice aspens turning yellow, the temps getting colder, and the wet overcast getting closer to my head??? All three of those made sense when I saw the sign for "Wilkerson Pass - 9507 feet." It was wet and very cold for about an hour but at least I got a ride in before leaving Colorado.</div>
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On the other "sort of decent weather day" we decided to tour what you could see of the Air Force Academy. You think I'm kidding about the weather? Here's probably the most photographed structure there, the chapel.</div>
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That's not a bad picture. It's just cold wet fog all the way to the ground. But the inside was pretty. Coincidentally, the couple in the photo are from Alabama and live about 20 miles from us!</div>
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Pipe organ at the back.</div>
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The cross was simple but beautiful and had an aerodynamic winged look to it, and I don't say that in any way to minimize the significance of the cross. Just thought it was an interesting coincidence, probably even planned that way. Get it? Aerodynamic, WINGed - Air Force Academy?</div>
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A visitor to the Air Force Academy does not have access to much of the campus (mainly the visitor center and the chapel), so we checked out the info there including an informative video about a cadet's time at the academy, took what few pictures we could and headed to "The Garden Of The Gods" - a drive-thru city park that is probably pretty impressive if you could see it. Again the weather was a problem.</div>
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It was kind of like "Valley Of Fire" (in Las Vegas) with trees (and fog).</div>
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So, we missed Pikes Peak (nothing to see at that altitude but clouds and lots of snow) and a few other possibilities, but like I said previously, we have really been blessed on this trip with safety and great weather except for Colorado. Driving across Kansas was sort of dull and boring so I think I'll close it down here. </div>
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We have had a wonderful time, thankful for the opportunity, the safe travels, and the memories. We bought magnets when they were available to help with that memory thing!</div>
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We are also glad that many of YOU, our family and friends, joined us - thanks for your interest and comments. I will probably put some stats and lessons learned together later, but for now we are a bit tired, ready to be home. Hey we only covered 19 states, 3 time zones, 11,624 truck miles (towing and sightseeing), and 3572 motorcycle miles!!!!!</div>
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So long for now.</div>
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Love y'all! Life is good. Thank you, Lord.</div>
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Wayne and Rhonda</div>
Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-14054374011186788252017-09-25T17:59:00.000-07:002017-09-25T17:59:18.821-07:00Hello Colorado - San Juan Skyway and Great Sand Dunes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We are glad to get a welcome from any state, but does anyone else see the problem with this sign? It says "COLORFUL" Colorado, but there's not a bit of color in the sign or the landscape around it!</div>
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Colorado has not been particularly helpful with our travels so far. To start with, the campground we selected close to Durango/Vallecito did not turn out to be what it advertised, so we left and relocated to another spot in Ignacio (good move by the way and very thankful something else was available on such short notice). And, ever since we arrived in Colorado, it has been cold and windy and we have had more rain in Colorado than all of the rest of our travels over the past 2 1/2 months combined. <b>We have had near perfect weather since we left home in early July and we are thankful for that, also for safe travels. So, we are not complaining </b>but a lot that we had planned for Colorado, so far has not been possible.</div>
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One of the reasons we initially chose Durango as a good location was because it is located on the #1 motorcycle ride for the state. I had a one-day weather window to get that 220-mile ride in, but the wind was 20 to 30 mph, gusting to 40, so Rhonda and I rode it together in the truck. Since that one-day window, it has been raining and snowing with very cold temps, so much so they even opened their ski slopes at Silverton earlier than usual, and the forecast for the next week was for much of the same.</div>
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So let's start with that truck ride on the San Juan Skyway. Mid-September to mid-October is the best time of the season for the aspens and other fall colors. Oh baby - it was stunningly beautiful. We took 192 pictures, and I have never had so much trouble deciding which ones to post. Here's what I came up with. Enjoy.</div>
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We thought aspens were always yellow in the fall, but they can also be orange and sometimes even red. (Did not see any reds).</div>
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Even the stream put on its fall colors.<br />
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One stretch of the roadway is referred to as "The Million Dollar Mile Highway," referring (supposedly) to the cost per mile. Unfortunately though, for each million of highway costs, it did not come with guardrails. As you can see below, what were they thinking?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkiaHN89dEBT-XJblOXxSgvNIe9_RAi4DGHmVE0KVT32WUmY0XpiMwY6MV06iZAj-tjH8FJbnTAiCEP8oKsiQy3OJwOUBfuswXI3JBnyI4t5yTR0Lz1xeCvfs9ZNYI68OBynA4KSnJ2Y/s1600/San+Juan+Skyway+105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1600" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUkiaHN89dEBT-XJblOXxSgvNIe9_RAi4DGHmVE0KVT32WUmY0XpiMwY6MV06iZAj-tjH8FJbnTAiCEP8oKsiQy3OJwOUBfuswXI3JBnyI4t5yTR0Lz1xeCvfs9ZNYI68OBynA4KSnJ2Y/s640/San+Juan+Skyway+105.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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But they added a little treat - a steel platform that hangs in the air above a waterfall. The platform is grated steel, so you can look straight down through the platform. Rhonda's checking it out and appears to be making progress with her fear of heights after this trip! (From Rhonda: My fear is not from heights, but from heights without guardrails!)</div>
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The waterfall below, "Bear Creek Falls," and note the clear water in the pool at the bottom.<br />
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There are two towns on the route we covered - Silverton and Ouray (pronounced Youray).<br />
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Ouray is known for it's quaint and pretty homes.<br />
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Ski slopes, Telluride and Purgatory, are also on the route. We only passed by Purgatory.<br />
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With the weather forecast to get worse for the next week, we saw no reason to hang around and moved on to Alamosa to tour the Great Sand Dunes National Park. It's a little hard to see in the picture, but we had a beautiful view of the mountains from our RV park in Alamosa.<br />
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It was rainy, windy, and cold there also, but we were treated to a special double rainbow after a day of rain, probably the most brilliant rainbow colors we have ever seen.<br />
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The double rainbow below.<br />
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We only had about half of one day with weather good enough to tour Great Sands, but even then it was still windy and cold, and we had to bundle up a bit. Now if it's windy and cold, you may be wondering why Rhonda is barefoot. With blue skies and sunshine, the medium-dark sand soaks up the sunshine and the top layer of the sand was pretty warm (so she says).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3RhE4wH-C2HP6Upys2v_VgVt2XH9It6KcG73dfHf8Lk3PHlUpmIcc0DAOYdVBUALAhnNGLIImswmeSVLv9FtefmddKm_ANDndpgyFATRP-lNacXREBfgjADTEPip-Ka6JNpHVnyoT4Y/s1600/Graet+Sand+Dunes+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="969" data-original-width="1600" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3RhE4wH-C2HP6Upys2v_VgVt2XH9It6KcG73dfHf8Lk3PHlUpmIcc0DAOYdVBUALAhnNGLIImswmeSVLv9FtefmddKm_ANDndpgyFATRP-lNacXREBfgjADTEPip-Ka6JNpHVnyoT4Y/s640/Graet+Sand+Dunes+044.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The down side to that was having to cross Medano Creek to get to the dunes. Here she goes. </div>
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By the way, the depth of Medano Creek is a seasonal thing - about one foot deep during the spring snow melt, eventually going dry in June. So, while the rainy weather has impacted our plans, without it we would not have been able to see Medano Creek. Those of us who kept our shoes on were able to selectively plan our crossing and stay dry. An entire "shoed" family was debating the crossing when I got to the bank and they asked, "Can you cross without getting your feet wet?" I thought the appropriate answer was "Depends on where you step!" </div>
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So, here's the short version on The Great Sand Dunes. The predominately SW wind blows across the huge and very sandy San Luis Valley, picks up the sand and deposits the majority of it in a relatively small 41,000-acre area in a mountain basin. (The total dune area is 149,000 acres.) The 41,000-acre area is 750 feet tall and sits on a large aquifer formed by the snow melt. The runoff is absorbed by the sand until saturated and the overflow forms the creeks that surround the dunes and run into the valley. The creeks pick up lots of the sand and carry it back into the valley, only to be picked up again by the SW winds........ you get the idea. Below - the valley, the dunes, and the snow-capped mountains.</div>
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In the close-up below, you can see Medano Creek on the east side of the dunes. There's another creek on the west side. And of course, the beautiful aspens below the snow line.</div>
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You get a feel below for how far the valley extends in the distance.<br />
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Rhonda on the way up the hill with only about a mile and 700 vertical feet to go. I talked her out of it, and we headed back to the truck where there was heat and no wind.<br />
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And we got a nice shot of another snow-capped mountain on the way back to the RV.<br />
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That's about it for Colorado so far, hoping for better weather in Colorado Springs. We'll give it 5 days and then we need to head back home. Later.</div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-67776778628820834862017-09-22T18:04:00.000-07:002017-09-22T18:29:06.550-07:00Back to Utah - the Southern Half, Arches, and a 610-mile Bike Ride<div style="text-align: justify;">
We left Williams, AZ and headed back into Utah. We visited northern Utah about a month ago at Salt Lake City, then crossed into Nevada after the Bonneville Salt Flats. Most of the beautiful scenery though is in the southern half of the state with numerous national and state parks - Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonland, Glen Canyon, Escalante/Grand Staircase, Capitol Reef, and Arches. I guess it's certainly possible to visit all of these, but we just don't have the time on this trip. So, we'll show you some scenery from Williams, AZ to Blanding, UT, a trip to Arches, and my 610-mile, 2-day motorcycle ride from Blanding to Panguitch which crosses Glen Canyon, Escalante, and Bryce Canyon. </div>
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The variety of terrain still amazes us. There is literally a new and different photo shot every mile and around every new corner and curve. </div>
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Three stone space aliens.<br />
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Remember our first "Devils Tower" in Wyoming? Utah has towers that are even taller in some places. </div>
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This spot is known as "Mexican Hat." Note also the beautiful backdrop.</div>
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And this is quite an iconic shot in "Monument Valley." Lots of movies and shows have included this area as a symbol of the American west - Back To The Future III, National Lampoon's Vacation, How The West Was Won, and The Lone Ranger to name a few. One of the most notable is "Forest Gump" - the location where Forest stopped running. "I'm pretty tired, I think I'll go home now."</div>
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And you see some interesting "other" things along the way. We have never seen a building on top of several silos before this trip.</div>
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This jeep looks to be in a slightly precarious position. Look closely on top of the rock toward the left side! Not sure if that is a promo for "Hole In The Rock" or an adventurous driver.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAvDHgVXqBEfvTr9A5TkV_e7I7sJwDu3mGhTMJy3IBn2QU_DWio7mkuji1Cb_CT3uchRiy1Urrc7M2hdLOwwL4E109px1eRjnGIShmajm34uKJK0S6P8V2vbrmA9JxRNZUd-fkZ9M2go/s1600/Arches+National+Park+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="1600" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAvDHgVXqBEfvTr9A5TkV_e7I7sJwDu3mGhTMJy3IBn2QU_DWio7mkuji1Cb_CT3uchRiy1Urrc7M2hdLOwwL4E109px1eRjnGIShmajm34uKJK0S6P8V2vbrmA9JxRNZUd-fkZ9M2go/s640/Arches+National+Park+015.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And I want to point out a wonderful thing about an RV. When you are literally in the middle of nowhere, you can pull over and enjoy the conveniences of home. Well, if you can find a place to pull over of course.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOWR-41y40MPbqEj-FwYX_FTSAOM9s98W-2pNvJMhu-Nw4MMW44y3j-XX2JovkOChJnC3pM2m9Um3ZuzMAMqCNvGuCXFstfwlICKSMb8jBeTb2plYP4C42r3cW2EzLYeuXEdunitl81Lw/s1600/Williams+To+Blanding+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOWR-41y40MPbqEj-FwYX_FTSAOM9s98W-2pNvJMhu-Nw4MMW44y3j-XX2JovkOChJnC3pM2m9Um3ZuzMAMqCNvGuCXFstfwlICKSMb8jBeTb2plYP4C42r3cW2EzLYeuXEdunitl81Lw/s640/Williams+To+Blanding+036.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The main focus at "Arches" is uh, the "Arches." We checked out 4 of them. This first one is a "double arch."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8mCwL3BWiPSptwAKTsoDiKEsLWs7WEAvlY_l6wX2pxT3iXwo3E6KZfZmaSzRp-ZcyYY2FU0zpjR5OSyFJyP4Zj839nMUjpBfw82PiY6nb3p-wGX1bzo_qevURPT5oi0ekEhDNVhSyiM/s1600/Arches+National+Park+093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8mCwL3BWiPSptwAKTsoDiKEsLWs7WEAvlY_l6wX2pxT3iXwo3E6KZfZmaSzRp-ZcyYY2FU0zpjR5OSyFJyP4Zj839nMUjpBfw82PiY6nb3p-wGX1bzo_qevURPT5oi0ekEhDNVhSyiM/s640/Arches+National+Park+093.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Others.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5PWFlH9g-WX8DBNhyphenhyphenqK5Gz7ArACP6N9BmVQXO3hULztXg6hnj1wHAEETbZNCf-WKDF4DC8Fq4MZ27Q50trOyebDY0qki0e6I4rQQf8PcxwOGLxmGFwZgkqWixn74TacSzwyRjB3Vso4/s1600/Arches+National+Park+095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5PWFlH9g-WX8DBNhyphenhyphenqK5Gz7ArACP6N9BmVQXO3hULztXg6hnj1wHAEETbZNCf-WKDF4DC8Fq4MZ27Q50trOyebDY0qki0e6I4rQQf8PcxwOGLxmGFwZgkqWixn74TacSzwyRjB3Vso4/s640/Arches+National+Park+095.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32UwFCgR1Vhr-P5uENYndNVQK1IQmDZ9tmb9-qFU_DO41tJOq9TjvPLeSFSy1n8L6vpdepmms0ELCrRSvOhoAAlTBJvGLWaJXTM3NsqoyLbh370ch8SlhwLUi8uNoqPQCNOu-Kok_3W0/s1600/Arches+National+Park+108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32UwFCgR1Vhr-P5uENYndNVQK1IQmDZ9tmb9-qFU_DO41tJOq9TjvPLeSFSy1n8L6vpdepmms0ELCrRSvOhoAAlTBJvGLWaJXTM3NsqoyLbh370ch8SlhwLUi8uNoqPQCNOu-Kok_3W0/s640/Arches+National+Park+108.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorSNTGNJwbH50GHOuvRmYA-U2NW0q1iig2kXH_yo_XmNfpQUu1HU6p7m2f17YGYc7jv5pzfTRgjMrvVgUA6Si1q1REBrCSEr9TBpGq9SdF0js_88918TG-4itMasw3Ln3iiR-2PSaWfs/s1600/Arches+National+Park+115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorSNTGNJwbH50GHOuvRmYA-U2NW0q1iig2kXH_yo_XmNfpQUu1HU6p7m2f17YGYc7jv5pzfTRgjMrvVgUA6Si1q1REBrCSEr9TBpGq9SdF0js_88918TG-4itMasw3Ln3iiR-2PSaWfs/s640/Arches+National+Park+115.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And I had one of my best motorcycle rides of the trip - 610 miles. It is rated as the #1 ride in Utah and is 300 miles long one way. That's about my limit for one day and calls for an overnight stop to rest. I rode it pretty much non-stop the first time through, except for fuel and food, just to enjoy the ride. The route started at Blanding and includes Glen Canyon, Escalante/Grand Staircase, and skirts the edge of Bryce Canyon. My overnight was at the KOA in Panguitch. I don't need much after a long day and when you rent one of their cabins you don't get much - a bed, folding metal chair, a light, and a space heater. I really appreciated the space heater - it was 37 degrees that night and I had frost on my bike the next morning. You also have to provide your own pillow, linens, and towels. No water or bathroom, but they had recently installed new and private bathrooms and showers only about 50 steps from my place. </div>
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In 300 miles, the scenery changes a lot as we have frequently noted. Leaving Panquitch, you cross an area called Red Canyon with a couple of arches over the roadway. You can see the second one just down the road looking through the first one.</div>
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Then you go through Bryce Canyon City and catch a little of Bryce Canyon from the highway.</div>
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It's a little more spectacular inside the park, but I did not have time for that plus it involes a lot of hiking to see the best in Bryce. (Picture from Yahoo images)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilG_0LDgGyN91NxX1_htlT1cIlaYJ2i-DBYt_i5ghfp2Rwno2eWhF8RSqJHnotRhZRlooH7ZpUIkBlp-KOG-Bobg95e66NKsDQIZ1wThenYdowyrJ-iW7u4wjeVX-38ifsjCZteBLyLFQ/s1600/Bryce+Canyon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilG_0LDgGyN91NxX1_htlT1cIlaYJ2i-DBYt_i5ghfp2Rwno2eWhF8RSqJHnotRhZRlooH7ZpUIkBlp-KOG-Bobg95e66NKsDQIZ1wThenYdowyrJ-iW7u4wjeVX-38ifsjCZteBLyLFQ/s640/Bryce+Canyon.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Then you get into the hills and curves of Escalante.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WrSJxdzpfiLGNISjlwXKJROy9y5n_l57FwjfBjkzQUNCayszyv7nreqkB_uf0uXn9uGTR2iEucluIDHz-Sxce5Z9-zC3rFKRyBV3sLJ_6PPZdmYAUsFEtuF0Utt0YD8R0oUnC6tiSy4/s1600/Panguitch+Ride+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WrSJxdzpfiLGNISjlwXKJROy9y5n_l57FwjfBjkzQUNCayszyv7nreqkB_uf0uXn9uGTR2iEucluIDHz-Sxce5Z9-zC3rFKRyBV3sLJ_6PPZdmYAUsFEtuF0Utt0YD8R0oUnC6tiSy4/s640/Panguitch+Ride+010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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You better be paying attention running the crest of the hills between 2 canyons. The road is narrow with steep drops on both sides AND NO GUARD RAILS! </div>
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Then you begin the descent into a huge area of "not what you expect to see in southern Utah" - green hills. You can see them in the distance.</div>
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With a few aspens to boot, the elevation at the summit in this area is 9,600 feet.</div>
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You make the turn at halfway in the town of Torrey and immediately enter just the opposite - rock and more rock.</div>
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Glen Canyon is next with miles and miles of red rock and lots of curves, heading for the Colorado River gorge and the headwaters of Lake Powell.</div>
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Lake Powell at Hite, UT. If you look closely, you can see the concrete Hite boat ramp a long way from the water which is really low right now.<br />
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Just upstream from the above shot is the bridge over the Colorado River.<br />
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Upstream.<br />
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Downstream.<br />
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Leaving Glen Canyon, you enter about 75 miles of beautiful ridge and plateau on one side of the road and canyon on the other.<br />
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Approaching Blanding on the east end of the ride, there is a huge pass in the hills where they cut the road through. (V on the right side of picture.)<br />
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Nice view from inside the cut.<br />
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It was a fun ride and one of the most scenic of this trip. Still behind on the blog. We left Durango, CO this morning and are currently in Alamosa, CO. The Colorado weather is starting to close in on us. 25 to 30 mph winds gusting to 40, rain, snow forecast in the higher elevations we just left around Durango, and nighttime temps in the 30s, headed to the 20s. Hope we make it out in time!</div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-69499611296295878902017-09-19T21:23:00.000-07:002017-09-19T21:23:08.235-07:00Grand Canyon and Williams, AZ on Route 66<div style="text-align: justify;">
We left Vegas for Williams, AZ, "Gateway To The Grand Canyon." The Las Vegas area is without a doubt the hottest place we have ever been (as in temperatures). It was 105+ most days and it never cools down much at night. I guess all of the rock there absorbs and retains the heat so you never get a break from it. The forecast for Williams was mid 70's during the day and 50-ish at night and we were really looking forward to cooling down some. We were also glad to see "green" again. We have already posted the "Welcome To Arizona" sign but I'll mention one more thing before we make our way to the Grand Canyon. Rhonda and I took a vote and unanimously agreed that Arizona has the worst roads in the country, or at least that's the case for the ones we rode on.</div>
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Williams runs a train service to the Grand Canyon but we opted to drive ourselves.</div>
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Another tribute to Williams.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbtiFZuep0o_sj7crSN4zUG8VbX5b87ztz8jyucTjQZdKIl2F5eTci_w5DMy1KYtUJSHjC-l0rxLIEmVAWx2_w7zcbEmsR3Nfulcm-ik5uEOoaF74u5m4JC4P4rYU4FNAgQQiBx89paA/s1600/Grand+Canyon+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsbtiFZuep0o_sj7crSN4zUG8VbX5b87ztz8jyucTjQZdKIl2F5eTci_w5DMy1KYtUJSHjC-l0rxLIEmVAWx2_w7zcbEmsR3Nfulcm-ik5uEOoaF74u5m4JC4P4rYU4FNAgQQiBx89paA/s640/Grand+Canyon+004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And there is plenty of Route 66 memorabilia there. In fact, the town has retained most of its original feel.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlES72ZEhMUYtNQ4phrFAalXXo1wgBSfSIa099Nyh8JgScg48NLS5CO320NCkGHud3QP7Ych5ePu3MFuXhrUuuyu0hZ9rbVakAUvHdoGA6EJgPdgA9J3pf8jnxblCI2WMDgNxzLTSq1qE/s1600/Grand+Canyon+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1600" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlES72ZEhMUYtNQ4phrFAalXXo1wgBSfSIa099Nyh8JgScg48NLS5CO320NCkGHud3QP7Ych5ePu3MFuXhrUuuyu0hZ9rbVakAUvHdoGA6EJgPdgA9J3pf8jnxblCI2WMDgNxzLTSq1qE/s640/Grand+Canyon+002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGB2WM_a10dVqgRx-_dgtnVc3xTOpygr51EbNgj2TdHLIJB6vyqnRNnlv6P4kpDoIVErqESOTrOrJVHufCfaJPQXG5e6pGTR8Bvn7Sa5SLkC9Slsg3Aol_3ZSnukXIRH3Li1UrSy3nHA/s1600/Grand+Canyon+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGB2WM_a10dVqgRx-_dgtnVc3xTOpygr51EbNgj2TdHLIJB6vyqnRNnlv6P4kpDoIVErqESOTrOrJVHufCfaJPQXG5e6pGTR8Bvn7Sa5SLkC9Slsg3Aol_3ZSnukXIRH3Li1UrSy3nHA/s640/Grand+Canyon+013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The main memorabilia store in town is "Addicted to Route 66."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrZTJGqS6e6-FYgsN4SJMuy49Y4a2MWqM9iF3fqsB1n7Ev5TbzUsnp41_hTj08pWqRjxjA4ED9pGEaXKpN-Bbw209LFqHdL1YvukDyXZ5hZHpTEQjOrkyYDddXOU2-fsGn3RioUGRBkw/s1600/Grand+Canyon+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1140" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPrZTJGqS6e6-FYgsN4SJMuy49Y4a2MWqM9iF3fqsB1n7Ev5TbzUsnp41_hTj08pWqRjxjA4ED9pGEaXKpN-Bbw209LFqHdL1YvukDyXZ5hZHpTEQjOrkyYDddXOU2-fsGn3RioUGRBkw/s640/Grand+Canyon+003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMphIUgaW3ll4SNEvfiAoSb0Y4Oe3ZZ50dGtdzWzWhRFtYO6f_BC_J37wvv1P4h70a7qzvh8N75NoqAGIYHG6LkaVrigEmAGlpw137qFCROzDRWaBrq5JE4mamk0dgbGvWLIyjNkM76Ls/s1600/Grand+Canyon+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1507" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMphIUgaW3ll4SNEvfiAoSb0Y4Oe3ZZ50dGtdzWzWhRFtYO6f_BC_J37wvv1P4h70a7qzvh8N75NoqAGIYHG6LkaVrigEmAGlpw137qFCROzDRWaBrq5JE4mamk0dgbGvWLIyjNkM76Ls/s640/Grand+Canyon+006.JPG" width="602" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-hDW5pTwMjs6mMHpBUgd2fdQ7PGSUrPL224Hytz5ejnRKKANPsRZp17PKvJnTE_TRD7u_DFwZxGBT45BMBur9mG5Gxg6YLJtqiNypwi7KYI4QtHvtF7PHvcwv6j0d7SzWhokVgs38Zo/s1600/Grand+Canyon+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1600" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-hDW5pTwMjs6mMHpBUgd2fdQ7PGSUrPL224Hytz5ejnRKKANPsRZp17PKvJnTE_TRD7u_DFwZxGBT45BMBur9mG5Gxg6YLJtqiNypwi7KYI4QtHvtF7PHvcwv6j0d7SzWhokVgs38Zo/s640/Grand+Canyon+007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJ0VvZU5J_4YWbgYNJqHmxORnYIAlwoSLbmVT5xS-R6n11O5O08XPnpQ3zN44ToxoW8tjSl-0ANwFVSf7ZxkjwZBJBSGahpuPhqlkIr9VETzfdohyphenhyphenab-Tp2xrRMVdTivRyxVGpONcI-4/s1600/Grand+Canyon+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="1600" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmJ0VvZU5J_4YWbgYNJqHmxORnYIAlwoSLbmVT5xS-R6n11O5O08XPnpQ3zN44ToxoW8tjSl-0ANwFVSf7ZxkjwZBJBSGahpuPhqlkIr9VETzfdohyphenhyphenab-Tp2xrRMVdTivRyxVGpONcI-4/s640/Grand+Canyon+007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Moving on to the Grand Canyon!</div>
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Rhonda and I watched a couple of Steve Harvey game shows this afternoon and one of the opening questions was "As you look back on your life, what is <b>THE ONE THING</b> you can look back on and be glad you did?" A few possibilties come to mind instantly - got married, had children, rewarding career, .......... But this guy, without hesitation, said, "Visited the Grand Canyon." Steve had a little fun with that and you have to wonder - was that really the highlight for this guy????</div>
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Well, it is an awesome thing to see, obviously a powerful experience, ranked as one of the Seven Wonders Of The World, but <b>THE ONE THING</b>??? Regardless, welcome to the southern rim of Grand Canyon National Park.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9sVC6HBV2MNoYbafor4WlUC4TmdbsHCH6x7zKOMINNpN4PDgKeAVGVqASYZgQC-8E9eFkYVWxD-A-4LJOmY6rfqIYkN_RNdAdP4xplvdWi-zpzTe_JYIuD9Ddl65jPzAm62y265vzCEw/s1600/Grand+Canyon+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9sVC6HBV2MNoYbafor4WlUC4TmdbsHCH6x7zKOMINNpN4PDgKeAVGVqASYZgQC-8E9eFkYVWxD-A-4LJOmY6rfqIYkN_RNdAdP4xplvdWi-zpzTe_JYIuD9Ddl65jPzAm62y265vzCEw/s400/Grand+Canyon+002.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We walked out to Mathers Point and our first view was this. Surely this is worth more than forty years of marriage, kids, grandkids, great job, etc!! But it is quite a sight to see.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTDFr-YAXMy9DcdZGhZH5W7YxcTrFXug8mm5Mimgz9PLZEtmrE7cjCvVlRNmWucN_5DnyDj3DK0iuSm_bWgJ5rhY6S9aZ5kbUGij2v8faSwJBkl-JTCVMwmVQ14NCHRVfyHkEq1c91LU/s1600/Grand+Canyon+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjTDFr-YAXMy9DcdZGhZH5W7YxcTrFXug8mm5Mimgz9PLZEtmrE7cjCvVlRNmWucN_5DnyDj3DK0iuSm_bWgJ5rhY6S9aZ5kbUGij2v8faSwJBkl-JTCVMwmVQ14NCHRVfyHkEq1c91LU/s640/Grand+Canyon+011.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We asked some nice folks to take a picture of us. This is not us.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyZ7V-moJMFOJe3-8mFiV6m6bzEJoeh6jzceEWaMqrjZPJhkAJuDP4K7F2A-1zOo1-33ioKPqM_JMlf0OMqgx9_Ypyh3Yn2WMlFue4THNeTg1PkzBa_jaJzAwoBBPgDBaRWtRItOYrP8/s1600/Grand+Canyon+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyZ7V-moJMFOJe3-8mFiV6m6bzEJoeh6jzceEWaMqrjZPJhkAJuDP4K7F2A-1zOo1-33ioKPqM_JMlf0OMqgx9_Ypyh3Yn2WMlFue4THNeTg1PkzBa_jaJzAwoBBPgDBaRWtRItOYrP8/s640/Grand+Canyon+016.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is not us either.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_ARA56YyGWBqAzzRSSVmThr0SLrzFBYa38So40-YHlf4erVKUfuZH3DjrOOqy6tuc8-ZN4I9Zp1p1dGdVYVMql94gHxOMOm1jmEWS2JAx0cPgLpvewh0befM-YMukuNWygbwc8QeM54/s1600/Grand+Canyon+095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="1600" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-_ARA56YyGWBqAzzRSSVmThr0SLrzFBYa38So40-YHlf4erVKUfuZH3DjrOOqy6tuc8-ZN4I9Zp1p1dGdVYVMql94gHxOMOm1jmEWS2JAx0cPgLpvewh0befM-YMukuNWygbwc8QeM54/s640/Grand+Canyon+095.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is about as close to the edge as we were willing to go - and no guardrail either. Living on the edge again (literally this time)!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcIRTieF2tUG2_OqQh1shC5IxwEgJmGcApA6IGWqPesJ5lIt8rz5J80JiMyk6mBeCkNSrzRZmeSPVupTpxSwgyJpqWlsIIrtcDKBLHjdLBFIGF4hUMZhpf37rrxehJADFAiPIXYAC7-M/s1600/GC+W%2526R.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1285" data-original-width="1600" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrcIRTieF2tUG2_OqQh1shC5IxwEgJmGcApA6IGWqPesJ5lIt8rz5J80JiMyk6mBeCkNSrzRZmeSPVupTpxSwgyJpqWlsIIrtcDKBLHjdLBFIGF4hUMZhpf37rrxehJADFAiPIXYAC7-M/s640/GC+W%2526R.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A female elk was right next to the walking trail and didn't seem to mind being photographed either.</div>
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We visited several sections of the canyon and came home with 134 pictures. Here are a few to give you a sense of the views there.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkr9DeRHuCA9-kbWpDzyRdOP6o0BBc4I8hYtmH-55Nmp_b0a8qdlI05uG666l6GSaRxyZdlcR9XPC4SWZi2yO7xxQcxDmd5W1zTy-4Nz_RmjFQdtJ3g3Fmfi1fqmG2fvNi1y2nhEeZ8s/s1600/Grand+Canyon+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkr9DeRHuCA9-kbWpDzyRdOP6o0BBc4I8hYtmH-55Nmp_b0a8qdlI05uG666l6GSaRxyZdlcR9XPC4SWZi2yO7xxQcxDmd5W1zTy-4Nz_RmjFQdtJ3g3Fmfi1fqmG2fvNi1y2nhEeZ8s/s640/Grand+Canyon+021.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPINjzztodzC7T_a-JFphxPCuyxM_4uER7rab0un3M_Aeo4pbFOpO5bXsPHppKNQzv7Q-wYw0p8p2GK5IQj2QIxpIm1XTtjUmkJJDrD01L4hN9DrqAwTsDTZP9Cn4Lop5dcTzWu-59gI/s1600/Grand+Canyon+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPINjzztodzC7T_a-JFphxPCuyxM_4uER7rab0un3M_Aeo4pbFOpO5bXsPHppKNQzv7Q-wYw0p8p2GK5IQj2QIxpIm1XTtjUmkJJDrD01L4hN9DrqAwTsDTZP9Cn4Lop5dcTzWu-59gI/s640/Grand+Canyon+028.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiU8BOtdfq1VEIU13tQy7AAicXF5aYXALiWPW87j4fxGJg5wbF9_daWCZTNX0fk7paNkb5u19Kg-FmYVA-_FrDDplDRo7C8U3_yuGBI_9B_LhYMe1TLhQ9jC5vQClWWe3ihl9tDBFHRnY/s1600/Grand+Canyon+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiU8BOtdfq1VEIU13tQy7AAicXF5aYXALiWPW87j4fxGJg5wbF9_daWCZTNX0fk7paNkb5u19Kg-FmYVA-_FrDDplDRo7C8U3_yuGBI_9B_LhYMe1TLhQ9jC5vQClWWe3ihl9tDBFHRnY/s640/Grand+Canyon+031.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nqS2L6Th-f58QwL_OKtj5AAMhMowlJ-jP6Ym9SX2KieiQPyWnodXs_yDf0JjJJdhuQYMzanJ_wW7F7yqss0BOA0HGhIjUzIvlFk-7ITkmt9b2oOe5Tali3-dBnLnP8ySm0KbdD-Qidw/s1600/Grand+Canyon+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nqS2L6Th-f58QwL_OKtj5AAMhMowlJ-jP6Ym9SX2KieiQPyWnodXs_yDf0JjJJdhuQYMzanJ_wW7F7yqss0BOA0HGhIjUzIvlFk-7ITkmt9b2oOe5Tali3-dBnLnP8ySm0KbdD-Qidw/s640/Grand+Canyon+033.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC2MBhLXxmL3mXmQHtS7M8toyfQ7dUmViRsy6edRfMlSD0_8L6rtxHXxPdY5Uo-KGEioPuieGNgodUNsG_fhJUIRvnAgDeAQfHlyiek3bNO-bcQnqwKjOnMhLE3SKDsVOaqOl5-79Ibbk/s1600/Grand+Canyon+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC2MBhLXxmL3mXmQHtS7M8toyfQ7dUmViRsy6edRfMlSD0_8L6rtxHXxPdY5Uo-KGEioPuieGNgodUNsG_fhJUIRvnAgDeAQfHlyiek3bNO-bcQnqwKjOnMhLE3SKDsVOaqOl5-79Ibbk/s640/Grand+Canyon+038.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYB8Sq7b_1JjXNd2LtxjQHf4JaklXCsZbQdPfwgGv-I8wMCdfqMVMMHfAh7lBktYoIPhkXInAcGb7mYlGVvd_R3_Zo0FzrkSLwWK-blC-SgZB2ZTr0Z0deEtR1OmJ2nZCFcNRNnWeMLI/s1600/Grand+Canyon+076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcYB8Sq7b_1JjXNd2LtxjQHf4JaklXCsZbQdPfwgGv-I8wMCdfqMVMMHfAh7lBktYoIPhkXInAcGb7mYlGVvd_R3_Zo0FzrkSLwWK-blC-SgZB2ZTr0Z0deEtR1OmJ2nZCFcNRNnWeMLI/s640/Grand+Canyon+076.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgQG8bR4aJs9PRfTNYhzjVAF_v1CXLVSVwZJHxUUFRun7Ty4EACbO2taM8q7-Ctd5Gy-DklEnBQ4xiHMzHvz_hiS12hqQD2yBeI33t445jU1x8wS7tz7DrrvaKG-0DeiviEBgviPKwRY/s1600/Grand+Canyon+084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgQG8bR4aJs9PRfTNYhzjVAF_v1CXLVSVwZJHxUUFRun7Ty4EACbO2taM8q7-Ctd5Gy-DklEnBQ4xiHMzHvz_hiS12hqQD2yBeI33t445jU1x8wS7tz7DrrvaKG-0DeiviEBgviPKwRY/s640/Grand+Canyon+084.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheSb410QmRbCY8EJIdXzDxLNcPiruQx_l_v4JIeRokRcWlVSeEQUMgj52hfL78Tb3hkVBynZ5NiWh-iEa24zlzBhceWrxiuxMRr7xlpvwRmCcVZ462gp2UPU3kFdCsnuvFODZ-LHuR8g/s1600/Grand+Canyon+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheSb410QmRbCY8EJIdXzDxLNcPiruQx_l_v4JIeRokRcWlVSeEQUMgj52hfL78Tb3hkVBynZ5NiWh-iEa24zlzBhceWrxiuxMRr7xlpvwRmCcVZ462gp2UPU3kFdCsnuvFODZ-LHuR8g/s640/Grand+Canyon+077.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeO2YV2WpaECBy1lyxc2U-njenuRYoBZC4sW3qz0iqPfZs8SeLHiShBkRW8C_48unB5f0tMbkuIjzNx2IAj8QY8QWCgfxBxtR_0Btf6mC7KGcQjpPlekMvuVBg0wLHHsktCkWCxHQ2pEY/s1600/Grand+Canyon+121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeO2YV2WpaECBy1lyxc2U-njenuRYoBZC4sW3qz0iqPfZs8SeLHiShBkRW8C_48unB5f0tMbkuIjzNx2IAj8QY8QWCgfxBxtR_0Btf6mC7KGcQjpPlekMvuVBg0wLHHsktCkWCxHQ2pEY/s640/Grand+Canyon+121.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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These next ones will focus on the Colorado River views. Keep in mind that on some of the zoom shots you are looking 10 miles away and one mile deep in the canyon.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2q1FDVHbmUMckmN3P9L28lRJK62q9yMDXppxTXUxlaUWFA46aZT75sJXF8Uc7-yANnb1QUhNYeiTHgNC6hpsmNJ2CgBKJ_UqxTqvh83YZauIxzQbxXPjsFqeGWppv45oE2_sYF3mICg/s1600/GC8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2q1FDVHbmUMckmN3P9L28lRJK62q9yMDXppxTXUxlaUWFA46aZT75sJXF8Uc7-yANnb1QUhNYeiTHgNC6hpsmNJ2CgBKJ_UqxTqvh83YZauIxzQbxXPjsFqeGWppv45oE2_sYF3mICg/s640/GC8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6sfgcRtgzgPGkvQE7E5PMgu14fFLLa0g6c0oz5RA9dWDKdFMA24XVgfaIcr3OvuUmdbkwwLNUyaJQVheC-QnLc9VaxUfYn6DZTH_8GyVYMZgRxpIBwqJU_16IaervFdkOU5izLEpkGo/s1600/Grand+Canyon+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP6sfgcRtgzgPGkvQE7E5PMgu14fFLLa0g6c0oz5RA9dWDKdFMA24XVgfaIcr3OvuUmdbkwwLNUyaJQVheC-QnLc9VaxUfYn6DZTH_8GyVYMZgRxpIBwqJU_16IaervFdkOU5izLEpkGo/s640/Grand+Canyon+040.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEanX-fchnnI1_AbjrYWiWz9raOCvjU-d5kXXq1i7Op5WpnWQJnoqvU8RViZ_MNm-Pcax0JTwPYCWPSdWbUFDJr3miPqtKimyzy4qKvPGbeK0GTUVCAD7mslk7bqeBdLrZjoF3FIiVu8/s1600/Grand+Canyon+106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEanX-fchnnI1_AbjrYWiWz9raOCvjU-d5kXXq1i7Op5WpnWQJnoqvU8RViZ_MNm-Pcax0JTwPYCWPSdWbUFDJr3miPqtKimyzy4qKvPGbeK0GTUVCAD7mslk7bqeBdLrZjoF3FIiVu8/s640/Grand+Canyon+106.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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There's a bridge over the river for hikers and mule trains. It's 440 feet across and 70 feet above the water.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0-tGftVgeAlplGgVTP1_UxVuQkpVg36DRwlH6vkE6sxI584iGy4KHQhbIhyphenhyphenvpTomNFfHqzMnJJBFkjemoUe7UImXQAUM7-RQrgMbzQ5lCbFwvdOo3HnijuOnN_FCP7UY5pRosaWIWnw/s1600/Grand+Canyon+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1087" data-original-width="1600" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0-tGftVgeAlplGgVTP1_UxVuQkpVg36DRwlH6vkE6sxI584iGy4KHQhbIhyphenhyphenvpTomNFfHqzMnJJBFkjemoUe7UImXQAUM7-RQrgMbzQ5lCbFwvdOo3HnijuOnN_FCP7UY5pRosaWIWnw/s640/Grand+Canyon+036.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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There was some serious rain in the distance and we got a little of it ourselves.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyaU5fWxAM1R1f9NPM1P6cG_5QjplV2cu3q5OwK5_ukCqMiQo8UHI_lK5Z92_FFOXNIbTwjMTWKmKM-MydKWWsIa8ygJtjTFV6AdgQKjSLczWtp_f5h0Ro_cJjLvREQ7jZRYW1HxG29I/s1600/Grand+Canyon+061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyaU5fWxAM1R1f9NPM1P6cG_5QjplV2cu3q5OwK5_ukCqMiQo8UHI_lK5Z92_FFOXNIbTwjMTWKmKM-MydKWWsIa8ygJtjTFV6AdgQKjSLczWtp_f5h0Ro_cJjLvREQ7jZRYW1HxG29I/s640/Grand+Canyon+061.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6R7CS05Kq-CmSV26K6Sk3uPQiglk-lWu9SpxX5TIumoSILS5jVMmlCz6FrS0WrnhoDLdTk-rdJ9EYkos9kTjMdtsb9sdHX4_PxFUGy-6OU12oxCzPtNC60PNir1udA_6-l6jYxB2OL3g/s1600/Grand+Canyon+071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6R7CS05Kq-CmSV26K6Sk3uPQiglk-lWu9SpxX5TIumoSILS5jVMmlCz6FrS0WrnhoDLdTk-rdJ9EYkos9kTjMdtsb9sdHX4_PxFUGy-6OU12oxCzPtNC60PNir1udA_6-l6jYxB2OL3g/s640/Grand+Canyon+071.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Toward the eastern end of the canyon is the Desert View Watchtower, built in 1932 by architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter in collaboration with the Hopi artisans of the day. You begin to see some of the Painted Desert to the east.</div>
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There were several artists throughout the park, putting the views we saw to canvas.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56SdB0mWsEeY9H_WjudeHyRFLi1y2lGWgQ5DCw_hLUze8f-BmLMDuWKGh_XlN9r7F2tbuF3LxhMLROB2nSHO-K2FtYgPVErKBfxJ8FIgcasQy_drtlWsOZe5QtMlS8b8y4ImIJ_tblHw/s1600/Grand+Canyon+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1118" data-original-width="1600" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi56SdB0mWsEeY9H_WjudeHyRFLi1y2lGWgQ5DCw_hLUze8f-BmLMDuWKGh_XlN9r7F2tbuF3LxhMLROB2nSHO-K2FtYgPVErKBfxJ8FIgcasQy_drtlWsOZe5QtMlS8b8y4ImIJ_tblHw/s640/Grand+Canyon+048.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And there were also simple, others unusual, but all beautiful sights to see besides "just" the canyon. A couple of butterflies hidden in the beauty of a bright yellow bush.</div>
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This lone flower out on a ledge reminded us of a cobra being charmed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02yCO7_IHJxgUUULuKKmqjGs_H86sgVA0PUE8sK3apNWE1yL47d6fdRwYB3YeM2OiYUEu3AfPbXyU8MFfbGbyhLSiaXhoxyhVqw0nlT_E_UxQjMxZqFm0WWsvD-LsQeoAKDaROlFlD5s/s1600/Grand+Canyon+080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg02yCO7_IHJxgUUULuKKmqjGs_H86sgVA0PUE8sK3apNWE1yL47d6fdRwYB3YeM2OiYUEu3AfPbXyU8MFfbGbyhLSiaXhoxyhVqw0nlT_E_UxQjMxZqFm0WWsvD-LsQeoAKDaROlFlD5s/s640/Grand+Canyon+080.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And a fitting conclusion to our tour of The Grand Canyon. Psalm 66: 4.</div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-32407173864595155072017-09-15T21:04:00.000-07:002017-09-15T21:08:02.407-07:00Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, and Valley of Fire <div style="text-align: center;">
Welcome to Nevada (again). We crossed the northern part of the state enroute from Salt Lake City to Reno a few weeks ago, so this is a return trip to the state for the southern part as we head back east. The south has the prettier welcome sign.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFD4332N3SjJw6QDCZdOqPZOkdzxP3FIJC3rSU4zDmAAOU8wnF2m9cldA5pVdOFL1_PlRMuza20PbmnNDrNyzxJDFIyL4yUS71w5HR9ORnEGxpntM607RFiW2mhuAfV2fLQFD6f3-7Ts/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFD4332N3SjJw6QDCZdOqPZOkdzxP3FIJC3rSU4zDmAAOU8wnF2m9cldA5pVdOFL1_PlRMuza20PbmnNDrNyzxJDFIyL4yUS71w5HR9ORnEGxpntM607RFiW2mhuAfV2fLQFD6f3-7Ts/s400/Hoover+Dam+1+076.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's the view from our campsite at Lake Mead RV Village. The red on top of the mountain looks like lava. Hoover Dam is around the corner of the left end of the darker hills just right of center in the picture. We were looking forward to seeing this very historic landmark and engineering marvel.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-YrMiUY-uzNWcGCfpzQffuBMXXtqQcTqtKAbJz5cIF9oYYRolKLDkKoZqFWzXjNrOD6tRtCukQnYjadIFsTOKcaoMh-EO82SSlAdcby02W6cGWJBxopdYVPNoaRcKILavXIZy2xhV5o/s1600/Valley+of+Fire+140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-YrMiUY-uzNWcGCfpzQffuBMXXtqQcTqtKAbJz5cIF9oYYRolKLDkKoZqFWzXjNrOD6tRtCukQnYjadIFsTOKcaoMh-EO82SSlAdcby02W6cGWJBxopdYVPNoaRcKILavXIZy2xhV5o/s640/Valley+of+Fire+140.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Our first stop was to walk across the Mike O'Callaghan and Pat Tillman Highway 93 bridge which has a pedestrian "lane" for viewing the dam from the bridge. So, welcome to the Hoover Dam from us, standing midway across the bridge which is also the state line between Nevada and Arizona.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxoUJYIaA3kwZHC6H3q5XwfZymXSaS1XIuwpXHX4sUJf4879hZZTUU0OIObpKLhfOEfJNqHQ0dKo75nI05Vk_KzYL4XQYQ8a5LSqW7KHeYflO7k2c21YcCJbiY2ppcBLsV2qpp23BLU9k/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxoUJYIaA3kwZHC6H3q5XwfZymXSaS1XIuwpXHX4sUJf4879hZZTUU0OIObpKLhfOEfJNqHQ0dKo75nI05Vk_KzYL4XQYQ8a5LSqW7KHeYflO7k2c21YcCJbiY2ppcBLsV2qpp23BLU9k/s640/Hoover+Dam+1+013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTiHnMObuDdftu53LsoulQpIBVUDB6a0ohIMCFlao05fOXe2n3vLOR018frG4OC_FIX7gJMGwgIreK9d5XYA9L6agSxmy4dFGlFPsOC4jzRO_hIDVxOJkPl1bJAeVMnWSC-yjI3vmt_dw/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1344" data-original-width="1600" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTiHnMObuDdftu53LsoulQpIBVUDB6a0ohIMCFlao05fOXe2n3vLOR018frG4OC_FIX7gJMGwgIreK9d5XYA9L6agSxmy4dFGlFPsOC4jzRO_hIDVxOJkPl1bJAeVMnWSC-yjI3vmt_dw/s640/Hoover+Dam+1+022.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Arizona welcomed us also.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYdqeLMALgO2Z1NjMsWUhjFlIM94iI7_UvsE9DoB4E1cZj1Bp6KIwWx_SSGNlyQn1K3Z2R0VwSmO72kcCUgCbR5mF1-zH91ZgDCgUF9sKFwN4t6vCbd2lY0sbNEoNlcH8UtJOha8oLFE/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYdqeLMALgO2Z1NjMsWUhjFlIM94iI7_UvsE9DoB4E1cZj1Bp6KIwWx_SSGNlyQn1K3Z2R0VwSmO72kcCUgCbR5mF1-zH91ZgDCgUF9sKFwN4t6vCbd2lY0sbNEoNlcH8UtJOha8oLFE/s400/Hoover+Dam+1+017.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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So, here she is, quite a sight to see.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkr8xv6MnKPVNfs236_pVQ3XBAhAvrggJ3MJC_Tjm5SKd8QPMAlWyWMJD5nIMlUA8rvZ3jVOV2H0XvqcHhwcbAdkLMYbJaYaUcUELir4QvG69wV8wJyaJoAXHQ9uz2DR_gsjK6VQFcolg/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkr8xv6MnKPVNfs236_pVQ3XBAhAvrggJ3MJC_Tjm5SKd8QPMAlWyWMJD5nIMlUA8rvZ3jVOV2H0XvqcHhwcbAdkLMYbJaYaUcUELir4QvG69wV8wJyaJoAXHQ9uz2DR_gsjK6VQFcolg/s640/Hoover+Dam+1+011.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The upstream side below is the Lake Mead side. Note the low water (the white section should be under water), down 179 feet, lowest level since it was filled, reflecting overuse by Las Vegas, Nevada, Arizona, and especially southern California, plus droughts. It will require a decade of good snowfall to get it back to previous normal levels and officials are seriously considering placing usage limits as necessary.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lzE4QlsnamP4JI_3oHBayZTMXcEd28Eeq51POQXofn05_6ati0gSWAzjw1l7r9CCAdPjD9leUROBWv0fhJ-5OGwylChsAcErnh_l608TVfLYAQDgAZZ5UXx-njlTk91D3gr96gJQWTU/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lzE4QlsnamP4JI_3oHBayZTMXcEd28Eeq51POQXofn05_6ati0gSWAzjw1l7r9CCAdPjD9leUROBWv0fhJ-5OGwylChsAcErnh_l608TVfLYAQDgAZZ5UXx-njlTk91D3gr96gJQWTU/s640/Hoover+Dam+1+032.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Upstream view of the dam (which you can also drive across) with the 4 intakes, also the Highway 93 bridge in the distance.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENShpZW87TIPZ2NV2zBQNJ8iC4LyL-NxrE68znCkd_5r4xxowuH6npWup5Dhnc21T923Fx1MFBp5BQpsifFFxRafJkTvm12fIahRhd2c1TjtXP8wxq0l43z2PSmWBUrYCiQbUTLuByxw/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENShpZW87TIPZ2NV2zBQNJ8iC4LyL-NxrE68znCkd_5r4xxowuH6npWup5Dhnc21T923Fx1MFBp5BQpsifFFxRafJkTvm12fIahRhd2c1TjtXP8wxq0l43z2PSmWBUrYCiQbUTLuByxw/s640/Hoover+Dam+1+033.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Arizona (Mountain Time) and Nevada (Pacific Time) have their respective local times displayed on their respective intake sides of the dam (and apparently it takes about 4 minutes to walk from one side to the other). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil347UriZOCEkgDnXgDYzWc4xHSqZRraaX2MWLif7VtDtSQkL4j0M3xFSzLZ-nNry1NUuyi08ARgve7LUJ4nGpRTWhzM_Xjn661-LsGg2AyOCIIQm9DoBooQ3fZz4HjEpTKDmkhxdKljo/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1118" data-original-width="1600" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil347UriZOCEkgDnXgDYzWc4xHSqZRraaX2MWLif7VtDtSQkL4j0M3xFSzLZ-nNry1NUuyi08ARgve7LUJ4nGpRTWhzM_Xjn661-LsGg2AyOCIIQm9DoBooQ3fZz4HjEpTKDmkhxdKljo/s640/Hoover+Dam+1+054.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJT84Up12IN7LpGJCTi84clV6rSu9HoTplnVHs4ayctQmvcYNb7lNRnMYFArkGCApUP5luZTeAJS4zkyGvbz5tyXWMx37DxkSFGegRY08j3hR5UycOnr4sv3qFzYpMxDooG3F-f-D4Mxo/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="1600" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJT84Up12IN7LpGJCTi84clV6rSu9HoTplnVHs4ayctQmvcYNb7lNRnMYFArkGCApUP5luZTeAJS4zkyGvbz5tyXWMx37DxkSFGegRY08j3hR5UycOnr4sv3qFzYpMxDooG3F-f-D4Mxo/s640/Hoover+Dam+1+046.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now be honest - did you notice that they are both reflecting the 11 o'clock hour even though they are in different time zones? It's because Arizona does not recognize Daylight Saving Time (sometimes erroneously referred to as Daylight Saving{s} Time). It makes my brain hurt every time I try to figure DST. And then undoing it in the case of Arizona is really confusing!!! Is it just me? Now be honest again - did it confuse you figuring the 4 minute difference because I posted the later time first?</div>
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A view of the dam from the side and then looking straight down.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcu0PFA50iMfFR-E6xnFsFofD68Bkt7qWF1m1qgAOBBYRD_bXIzGPYtKtkQojf-WRJ8xRrN3fWxm66q0Xvh9V1O_FkfZKDKR9k4jucYX6quWaQUbN-56iEKd_fvQeRc7aJX-mhp8ZQgk/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcu0PFA50iMfFR-E6xnFsFofD68Bkt7qWF1m1qgAOBBYRD_bXIzGPYtKtkQojf-WRJ8xRrN3fWxm66q0Xvh9V1O_FkfZKDKR9k4jucYX6quWaQUbN-56iEKd_fvQeRc7aJX-mhp8ZQgk/s640/Hoover+Dam+1+043.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDT82ut_NeZLaDxdMS9Yp5D2BMIhTcZEK98Lpa-kzA0kMaaCc-YpQS9oTbr9NllHScfhwWTXMKRW0NmMTNO4mXS7GYpX9h_PHwkHZGmJCpbiScjrVKaJFyMIHKja3wIUly5a7lgTwGV7c/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDT82ut_NeZLaDxdMS9Yp5D2BMIhTcZEK98Lpa-kzA0kMaaCc-YpQS9oTbr9NllHScfhwWTXMKRW0NmMTNO4mXS7GYpX9h_PHwkHZGmJCpbiScjrVKaJFyMIHKja3wIUly5a7lgTwGV7c/s640/Hoover+Dam+1+050.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Feeling a little dizzy from that last one? You know you are. </div>
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There are all kinds of statistics on this thing but here's one worth pondering. The dam is 45 feet thick at the top, 660 feet at the base and has an equivalent amount of concrete to pour a 3-inch deep, 4-foot wide sidewalk around the earth at the equator! I can help you wrap your brain around that - it's a lot of concrete. Below, looking up from the dam to the bridge.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREXnSJK5LN1J6Q91s5pieE8LsGQbygqN6a4oR1A5DVOeWXLRGQIzwALY1sYShw6MqwuQ15jWGuDc0JwVa6P7vATy8tJFWDbcbAu8BOVzIpVQsGTgAU9-5SNEStnnNkiYKLrjuitRIShU/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREXnSJK5LN1J6Q91s5pieE8LsGQbygqN6a4oR1A5DVOeWXLRGQIzwALY1sYShw6MqwuQ15jWGuDc0JwVa6P7vATy8tJFWDbcbAu8BOVzIpVQsGTgAU9-5SNEStnnNkiYKLrjuitRIShU/s640/Hoover+Dam+1+049.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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The dam was constructed from 1931 to 1936 and was dedicated in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was originally named "Boulder Dam" and renamed after Herbert Hoover in 1947. Here's a tribute to all the workers on the dam, especially the 96 individuals that lost their lives during construction. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihn9PDLltKbzqkU9h32fyFjUGpdd5KRsHWXiTOji05FMn3CmNggHWLWxCXKKzIEFxRoc1BMMj5UrY1m2NhCH28zHOzh5ZspoHJMsspMSG8nrZ2CXvcC6SteWCGljkFnkFzoAcJYXfLiN8/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1493" data-original-width="1600" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihn9PDLltKbzqkU9h32fyFjUGpdd5KRsHWXiTOji05FMn3CmNggHWLWxCXKKzIEFxRoc1BMMj5UrY1m2NhCH28zHOzh5ZspoHJMsspMSG8nrZ2CXvcC6SteWCGljkFnkFzoAcJYXfLiN8/s640/Hoover+Dam+1+071.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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At the flagpole on site are two winged figures that are supposed to represent the building genius of America, community efforts around a common idea or need, intellectual resolution, the enormous power of trained human strength, triumph of scientific resolution, etc., etc.. Well, that's all well and good but then it gets a little weird - something about where they are pointing celestially from that exact location, aliens from space can look down at that spot and know exactly when the dam was built???? And in case we have become extinct at that point in time, hopefully they will look upon this endeavor and know and realize a lot about our civilization and the ideals noted above. Wow, that is a stretch and a little heavy for us - we just wanted to walk around and see the dam.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTtiStbK5bsSLalxe6cH277_q7gMnOEU2TxrQgRQk0-PNTP4uvXnf_Se6Hy2_qOPjA5oZXiTF53lo8Wf4AJThx5tPYLIXWOUbjirauNPjbJA1C3WwEts_46cXcj8Tp872NUVi2XMvF0Xg/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1043" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTtiStbK5bsSLalxe6cH277_q7gMnOEU2TxrQgRQk0-PNTP4uvXnf_Se6Hy2_qOPjA5oZXiTF53lo8Wf4AJThx5tPYLIXWOUbjirauNPjbJA1C3WwEts_46cXcj8Tp872NUVi2XMvF0Xg/s640/Hoover+Dam+1+044.JPG" width="416" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCWOSgEldaMd2tRAnLiU0XlrAZ3KV1SbUbNf_OdzCgjrAzTltf5kLmY9woHu36H4LpMA8uWOZWQ9iLHUoEK_KdqasTxeU4U7rFvW2nELhzufIy9B7oUYjKPG7CJ_loVm2gHJhrEVqK34/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1574" data-original-width="1600" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCWOSgEldaMd2tRAnLiU0XlrAZ3KV1SbUbNf_OdzCgjrAzTltf5kLmY9woHu36H4LpMA8uWOZWQ9iLHUoEK_KdqasTxeU4U7rFvW2nELhzufIy9B7oUYjKPG7CJ_loVm2gHJhrEVqK34/s400/Hoover+Dam+1+029.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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But probably the best summary of the project is one we found in the gift shop on a postcard.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8K5iy6vYK7XjrF1F8LJgc0xrfmPTNWlDGWsFc3G4fmNPfQTnPyjtogXX5Co48NgkLo9-1xlxUZBx6h4d4RqiJCj375VX5oVWHDEQr4_0TNHz_UqH8g6w2jc7NNVTZOxF-HF-EOVuA2jw/s1600/Hoover+Dam+1+072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1093" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8K5iy6vYK7XjrF1F8LJgc0xrfmPTNWlDGWsFc3G4fmNPfQTnPyjtogXX5Co48NgkLo9-1xlxUZBx6h4d4RqiJCj375VX5oVWHDEQr4_0TNHz_UqH8g6w2jc7NNVTZOxF-HF-EOVuA2jw/s400/Hoover+Dam+1+072.JPG" width="272" /></a></div>
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The "Valley Of Fire" State Park was our next stop, the #1 motorcycle ride in Nevada. The road through the state park is only about 26 miles but "www.motorcycleroads.com" (my source for rating the top rides in each state) added some other roads on each side of the park to make it about 140 miles long. Rhonda and I rode it together in the truck, and then I rode it a different day by myself on the bike. I have ridden 2,777 miles on my bike during this trip and these 140 miles are without a doubt some of the prettiest. Gonna keep this section simple, mostly pictures with just a few comments. Watch for the road as it curves and meanders through the countryside. Enjoy the ride! (The colors are even more vivid and hard to believe than what you see here.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Qaoy7JK_IzmxjJK1Ng1IAx-jHJgslPuTfg9aJIyJkUL-usuhwIOK8XNUaiU7jIXAYJLszjkJY4hpTW5qsIkPCHTqTCrS5YE2HGE2GVTMOmSk-LRYYo4Od86DiJYD8jSXZyULt_kXlE0/s1600/Valley+of+Fire+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Qaoy7JK_IzmxjJK1Ng1IAx-jHJgslPuTfg9aJIyJkUL-usuhwIOK8XNUaiU7jIXAYJLszjkJY4hpTW5qsIkPCHTqTCrS5YE2HGE2GVTMOmSk-LRYYo4Od86DiJYD8jSXZyULt_kXlE0/s640/Valley+of+Fire+007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOWb1Y9S0de3wlxqE6JD4AaCs6DgmWUlnywgfYHXaw3vZuibbdb6LzKaRnxYrYISo2FbU7TbFOKmcHOICcs0RbZhRw8kG1MhtFDyJlOI9EjqWMC61JjVfd1f51lGy0LTntXaRb9RdSYg/s1600/Valley+of+Fire+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1600" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOWb1Y9S0de3wlxqE6JD4AaCs6DgmWUlnywgfYHXaw3vZuibbdb6LzKaRnxYrYISo2FbU7TbFOKmcHOICcs0RbZhRw8kG1MhtFDyJlOI9EjqWMC61JjVfd1f51lGy0LTntXaRb9RdSYg/s640/Valley+of+Fire+009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhP0EocAlGQBXdrKLvA190gU-AHjxl8mc6MCIFJD7jtNOA5ssbsCOwpvnSuD8PYk5DXHNCZeTd6LZvDhpjWrlRbDOvCHdcSoNwZDjuQzN4qcUpWSpoY6OzKsDmDkra3QlGi9CM_a0WRis/s1600/Valley+of+Fire+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhP0EocAlGQBXdrKLvA190gU-AHjxl8mc6MCIFJD7jtNOA5ssbsCOwpvnSuD8PYk5DXHNCZeTd6LZvDhpjWrlRbDOvCHdcSoNwZDjuQzN4qcUpWSpoY6OzKsDmDkra3QlGi9CM_a0WRis/s640/Valley+of+Fire+028.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Rainstorm along the way.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9r76mCkWKtnWT-3RR2zUtsZuv7jSjB-wESdwoOUVtb3OcnwcJN-hGlypAlUBu98cSaY7JzoUinFERzlgsEnQSHm2fcMelqG-uuVAywLlENtt538lTg8KDSEKFKr55xJXZWsgHJH0bUA/s1600/Valley+of+Fire+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1600" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9r76mCkWKtnWT-3RR2zUtsZuv7jSjB-wESdwoOUVtb3OcnwcJN-hGlypAlUBu98cSaY7JzoUinFERzlgsEnQSHm2fcMelqG-uuVAywLlENtt538lTg8KDSEKFKr55xJXZWsgHJH0bUA/s640/Valley+of+Fire+035.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Note the white mountains in the distance.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-vB4bYFtB2YK0i9-mvjCxJQw8rqZRg2jIGGLzQkKaPGTDij8_zZbaw-urZBRYHQwUcCKv_bQ53xe4ppAdTbbizw5_3HUNGaU1s4h56NZCnev08iGYX-b4IZVTtYzBNqaWRI8gou3m4M/s1600/Valley+of+Fire+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-vB4bYFtB2YK0i9-mvjCxJQw8rqZRg2jIGGLzQkKaPGTDij8_zZbaw-urZBRYHQwUcCKv_bQ53xe4ppAdTbbizw5_3HUNGaU1s4h56NZCnev08iGYX-b4IZVTtYzBNqaWRI8gou3m4M/s640/Valley+of+Fire+044.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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They had almost a "heavenly" appearance closer up with the rain, clouds, and other colors.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq12k2wIMNuhYZWDAiGZ72dALaCYdUvgjlhmGdCg9BsU2fOpAjY8m2n24lSH-v0DNNZ92qVn-8hXPCmZ0080FpcbT2iCDu2Vyi_g6NI0r1b92YVSvcO2jevyWraEatv7c88HjdEC7x7Rc/s1600/Valley+of+Fire+048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq12k2wIMNuhYZWDAiGZ72dALaCYdUvgjlhmGdCg9BsU2fOpAjY8m2n24lSH-v0DNNZ92qVn-8hXPCmZ0080FpcbT2iCDu2Vyi_g6NI0r1b92YVSvcO2jevyWraEatv7c88HjdEC7x7Rc/s640/Valley+of+Fire+048.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A little more serious thunderstorm in the distance.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2TZiexZN7la7Sv_jWexrwJ6Zo7RAwEru8SKH88hclVgCgRKckH4WfTUkVHfi4PPqFC7T3Cq4eAG2-tGHQmd5wHPhMwFq-Hnm-cWDvBsx-i3340I41a33a5TF2ZenNSmJZbDo9JHxPwA/s1600/Valley+of+Fire+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1600" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2TZiexZN7la7Sv_jWexrwJ6Zo7RAwEru8SKH88hclVgCgRKckH4WfTUkVHfi4PPqFC7T3Cq4eAG2-tGHQmd5wHPhMwFq-Hnm-cWDvBsx-i3340I41a33a5TF2ZenNSmJZbDo9JHxPwA/s640/Valley+of+Fire+050.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The actual "Valley Of Fire" is a reference to the reddish terrain.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU59HfHVRsIviMsKHN4en6aQ0F04-9ZnXuBmvKn-h5HvgqPY2YqN8oIGHdEJqig2GDtlAPxzmAKZTeFH8N8zcOmqeMRwSCvDASrkbiRv-aEjYdgpOdaPwHGN3MwWlX10ZC6cnxQiKBiUs/s1600/Valley+Of+Fire+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1259" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU59HfHVRsIviMsKHN4en6aQ0F04-9ZnXuBmvKn-h5HvgqPY2YqN8oIGHdEJqig2GDtlAPxzmAKZTeFH8N8zcOmqeMRwSCvDASrkbiRv-aEjYdgpOdaPwHGN3MwWlX10ZC6cnxQiKBiUs/s640/Valley+Of+Fire+1.jpg" width="502" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FgTGa9b_vKeMvRhTZxB1QnbzrZUiII69B83r_eorkmludweY_sJCNOkY1ENy2i584I4wnNtiQxEgtNrvHYZAsp7ygof1r8wG0cY08jXMX6SdS8O9EfxWjAEPC7fuUXn9GeQQBFqoLes/s1600/Valley+Of+Fire+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1437" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FgTGa9b_vKeMvRhTZxB1QnbzrZUiII69B83r_eorkmludweY_sJCNOkY1ENy2i584I4wnNtiQxEgtNrvHYZAsp7ygof1r8wG0cY08jXMX6SdS8O9EfxWjAEPC7fuUXn9GeQQBFqoLes/s640/Valley+Of+Fire+2.jpg" width="574" /></a></div>
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This one below is referred to as "The Beehives."<br />
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And more of the mixed terrain.<br />
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That's just one road below - pretty good curve in that dip.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUaQdCHMSGxY6lnVfGEDZ4wVc5pGWzGI9YY-8_NZmSkkpLVdW0iS1qySnHw5F3rshQJYwoBrqsG-nT7TwxhVzY8nsYB9AJd22esPeAHWe3S-Jip-4U3hhC8HxsWmo_oXcynAKq2v2yLU/s1600/Valley+of+Fire+113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="858" data-original-width="1600" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUaQdCHMSGxY6lnVfGEDZ4wVc5pGWzGI9YY-8_NZmSkkpLVdW0iS1qySnHw5F3rshQJYwoBrqsG-nT7TwxhVzY8nsYB9AJd22esPeAHWe3S-Jip-4U3hhC8HxsWmo_oXcynAKq2v2yLU/s640/Valley+of+Fire+113.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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And a beautiful sunset to end the day.<br />
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And we'll close this post with a trip to Vegas. We passed on a picture at the iconic welcome sign. As you can see, the line was long.<br />
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Instead, we substituted Harley Davidson's sign across the street with no waiting line.<br />
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The Vegas "Strip" is about 5 miles long, impossible to cover it all in a short period of time, so we parked close to MGM and focused on the 1.3 mile section from "New York-New York" down to "The Flamingo." As with Valley Of Fire, this will mostly be pictures since you have probably seen all of this at one time or another.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36oA6RkVNUCwHqLC1HzOXt7Q72IjhyphenhyphenX216HHS9686oVMawu3yINxyFa47FLMsKbdDsUkksk2YqIKupVjmIMnc004e_kFmfnREG6wA3IGbxdOl2B1DCq6vG8yku0QXeJcsz7fs1nrQWzA/s1600/Vegas+downtown+064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj36oA6RkVNUCwHqLC1HzOXt7Q72IjhyphenhyphenX216HHS9686oVMawu3yINxyFa47FLMsKbdDsUkksk2YqIKupVjmIMnc004e_kFmfnREG6wA3IGbxdOl2B1DCq6vG8yku0QXeJcsz7fs1nrQWzA/s640/Vegas+downtown+064.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Need a chocolate hit? This is the place. Four stories of everything chocolate at M&M.<br />
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Hershey's also, including a chocolate Lady Liberty..<br />
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Hershey's take on the Vegas welcome sign.<br />
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And you cross the Brooklyn Bridge leaving New York-New York.<br />
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The chandelier inside The Cosmopolitan Casino and Hotel.<br />
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Next stop, Bellagio and the pool and fountains.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTX9tsnX-bcyqv-ruy2Odcq-FF5mJAgzF-M77DFuRqx0aDmEnU6Zfc6EwgdhtABcCA78rtRnTZCW_3HZ55Kl11sAuYatdtrsYD2z1bhYGCmnKUoHasILpbzCV778_jDiEGq-hJEJ3gx-M/s1600/Vegas+downtown+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1600" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTX9tsnX-bcyqv-ruy2Odcq-FF5mJAgzF-M77DFuRqx0aDmEnU6Zfc6EwgdhtABcCA78rtRnTZCW_3HZ55Kl11sAuYatdtrsYD2z1bhYGCmnKUoHasILpbzCV778_jDiEGq-hJEJ3gx-M/s640/Vegas+downtown+015.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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Before the fountain show.<br />
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During the show below. This was an awesome presentation, synced with The Star Spangled Banner and other music. Definitely the most impressive part of Vegas for us.<br />
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We were really looking forward to the interior flowers at Bellagio, but they were between their summer and fall displays, as in no flowers. But they did have a few around in the entrance area.<br />
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We thought the entrance ceiling was a bit gaudy, but they did not ask our opinion before it was designed.<br />
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Caesars Palace.<br />
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Caesar.<br />
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Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill inside. Instead of fine cuisine at Bobby's, I opted for a chocolate shake at Smashburger.<br />
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And for Rhonda's Dad, Giada across the street next door to The Flamingo. (It's not so much about the food for him, he just thinks she is good-looking.) Based on the photo, I would tend to agree! I bet she is a good cook, I mean chef, also.<br />
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Looks like it's in the gene pool. His great grandson (our grandson, Shaun) has an eye for the ladies also - checking out Giada at about 7 months old.<br />
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And just to confirm it, there are live flamingos at The Flamingo.<br />
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It was very funny to us - at the newer hotels and casinos, there was lots of glitter and hype, upbeat and LOUD music (you know, the oompah oompah stuff that just tires you out rather instantly), lots of flashing lights, lots of cigarette and marijuana smoke, and the patrons were mostly the YOUNGER generation. So, you have the crowds and noise, not to mention the gambling, smoking, about 20 different languages going at the same time, and think about all the dirt and grime and germs circulating through these places, yuck. It all gave Rhonda a headache with the crowds and noise, and the smoking and germ thing gave her the creeps. Don't be offended if you enjoy all of that, but she said it was like a Chuck E Cheese on steroids for adults! </div>
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So, we got to the older and long-time established Flamingo so that she could see the flamingos. It was very quiet with 60s music playing quietly in the background. And here's the "crowd" - a bunch of older people going quietly about their gambling interests. Neither of us have ever had an interest in gambling, but Rhonda pictured this as us playing dominos at a retirement facility in years to come. Stark difference between the old and the new.</div>
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And on our way back to parking, we passed through the Paris area with the Eiffel Tower, Paris Balloon, and Arc De Triomphe.</div>
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So, we enjoyed our visit to Las Vegas, glad we got to see it in person. It's quite spectacular in size, design, and presentation, but probably not on our bucket list to return. Definitely not on Rhonda's.</div>
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Next stop, The Grand Canyon. (Actually, we have already completed the Grand Canyon, just behind on the blog but we'll catch up. Currently in Blanding, Utah for about 5 to 7 days to sightsee southern Utah). Should be home in 3 to 4 weeks.</div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-73365882472923678322017-09-09T15:12:00.000-07:002017-09-09T15:12:59.862-07:00Stops, Side Trips, and Unexpected Things from San Francisco to Las Vegas<div style="text-align: center;">
In addition to the large metropolitan areas and their known highlights and attractions, there are lots of unexpected and unplanned things to see around and between those large cities. Here are a few from San Francisco to Las Vegas (current stop).</div>
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We spent a day with Kit and Pam Kersch and had a nice trip out to Bodega Bay. Recognize this church? Think Alfred Hitchcock movies.</div>
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It's the historic 150-year old St. Teresa's Church from the thriller "The Birds" movie of 1963, located along the coast at Bodega Bay. Hitchcock was looking for a remote coastal area free from trees and mountains so he would have clear views of the sky to show all of those birds. Bodega Bay fit the bill. The original schoolhouse where Tippi Hedren and the kids took refuge from the gulls and ravens is still standing and is now a private home. Rhonda had recorded movies from a Hitchcock marathon before we left on this trip, but did not get to watch "The Birds" before we left, so I know what we will be watching when we get home.</div>
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Bodega Bay is a beautiful coastal town with the rugged coastline so familiar to CA. So rugged is this coastline that some of the homes have already fallen off of the cliffs with more on the verge (look closely in the center of the picture below). These residents cannot get insurance and at some point the authorities condemn the property as unsafe to live in and the owners have no choice but to evacuate.</div>
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Kit and Pam treated us to a very nice lunch at the Tides Wharf restaurant overlooking the Pacific coast. Thanks Kit and Pam, so good to see y'all again!<br />
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Our KOA campground while in the SF area was in the town of Petaluma.<br />
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Petaluma is a very pretty town with lots to offer. It actually has some dockable waterfront with shorepower on a small river that runs right to the middle of town.<br />
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Rhonda was interested in the Seed Bank store which has over 1,800 varieties of heirloom seeds. She says she is going to take up gardening when we get home. Not sure how that will work on our condo balcony.<br />
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As we first drove through town, Rhonda took a picture of this little piggie on the sidewalk with a green "something" beside it. Since so many small towns have interesting statues scattered around as a symbol of their town (like guitars for music in Memphis and Muskogee), she was wondering what Petaluma might be known for with the cute little pigs. Sadly, as we started walking that area, she saw that the green thing is a butcher's apron and the little piggie is advertising the "whole animal" butchery at 160 Petaluma Boulevard!</div>
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I was more interested in the ice cream shop down the street and found my happy place - hard to beat a nice cold chocolate milkshake on a hot CA day.</div>
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We left Petaluma for the town of Greenfield (south of Soledad) and the closest thing to a luxury campground resort we have stayed at - "Yanks." It's an interesting story. The owner is an aviation buff and owns an aviation museum in Chino, CA. He is bringing 200 rare and legendary aircraft to Greenfield soon and opening a one million dollar museum next door to the campground. Restaurants, a 4000-foot runway, and an expansion to the RV park are also planned. The campground really is first class but the price was still very reasonable. Paved roads and concrete pads (as opposed to gravel in most campgrounds), wifi that works, cable TV, nice pool/laundry/clubhouse, 70-foot long sites, (they had some 100-footers available also), etc. make for a very nice experience. </div>
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I mentioned previously that I found NAPA Valley and the huge food production operation there very interesting. And up in the Santa Rosa area, you are in the heart of wine country with vineyards all over the place. Well, when you enter Salinas Valley (south of San Jose) you are in territory referred to as "The Salad Bowl Capitol of the World." Wow, nothing but farms and crops everywhere growing lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, onions - you know, salad stuff. Onions were the predominant crop next door to Yanks.</div>
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This was unusual also - huge lifelike signs were common for advertising in the area. We thought these cabbages could have been better strategically placed elsewhere but hey, maybe it was intentional. After all, this area produces around 80% of the nation's salad!<br />
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We attended First Baptist Church of Monterey on Sunday morning. This church had a much higher attendance than most in the west we have visited on this trip but interestingly enough, it was almost 100% young and middle-age families. That's usually a good sign but the complete absence of older members was unusual?<br />
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It was crazy in Monterey during Labor Day weekend so we headed to Pebble Beach after church to take the 17-mile scenic drive that is offered there. They charge $10.25 to drive through the up-scale beachside and golf community, but it is a beautiful ride and gives you access to all of the beaches, country clubs, and food. We ate at Spyglass CC, and if you have a food tab of $35.00 or more, they deduct the $10.25 scenic ride fee. We had heard that food prices were outrageous, but our huge, excellent, club sandwich did not come close to getting our ride fee reimbursed.</div>
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There are lots of harbor seals and sea lions on some of the rocky shoreline stops.<br />
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And par for the course in CA, there's always something unusual that crops up. No idea what they were thinking on this roof. Not sure how it made it through the HOA regulations for this expensive area either.<br />
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After lunch we made our way to Pebble Beach Golf Course. We could not believe you can just get out and walk along the course.<br />
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There was a college tournament finishing up at the 18th green. Here's the leaderboard if you want to check and see if your team is competing in the sport of golf these days. Note the new course record of 61! Maybe Hurly Long is an up and coming star to watch for. I expected to see my alma mater here but not the case. Wake Forest has a long history of great golfers - Arnold Palmer, Lanny Wadkins, Curtis Strange, Jay Haas to name a few.</div>
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And the famous Pebble Beach 18th fairway and green.<br />
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Here's the "Lone Cypress" which has been standing in this spot for 250 years and is the symbol of the Pebble Beach Company,.<br />
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We rode some more of PCH 1 but it was closed 29 miles south of there because of landslides. Carmel was nuts with traffic and crowds also, so we headed back to Yanks for our last west CA sunset.</div>
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Los Angeles and San Diego were our next possibilities in California but we still have lots to see in southern Nevada, southern Utah, Arizona, and Colorado before heading back to Alabama. You just can't see it all in one trip, so we headed to Mojave for one night and then to Boulder City, NV and the Las Vegas area for several days. We passed by Death Valley with temperatures still 110 to 120 degrees every day and a heat advisory up to possibly 134. We decided to heed their advisory - "If you get off the road and break down you can die. Don't go anywhere in Death Valley without at least 5 gallons of water!" OK, we get it. Moving on.</div>
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The route to Mojave was interesting as it took us right back into the world of grapes, pistachios, almond trees, and finally CA orange trees. These areas went on and on and on and on forever - mind-boggling to me. We really believe there is a plan for wineries to take over the world, but now we hear cannabis might actually be the one to do it. Along the "Salad Bowl" area, we had seen lots of greenhouses in the fields with all of the salad greens and checked them out. Originally, the "Salad Bowl" had been the "Flower Bowl" producing most of the nation's cut flowers in those greenhouses. Now that marijuana is legal in CA, the trend is to produce a new flower. Farmers are trading petunia and lettuce production for pot production and old-timers can sell their land for millions to new "farmers." I guess the price for a salad will be going up.</div>
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It takes an awful lot of water for all of this crop production, so here's your thought-provoking question for the day.</div>
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Surprisingly enough, there are quite a few oil wells in some areas and they are jam packed in those spots.</div>
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Joshua Trees are very common crossing the desert areas.<br />
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Wind turbines were everywhere as we approached Mojave.</div>
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The landscape in Mojave is beautiful and has some areas in the mountains that are an aqua color.<br />
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Mojave is the home of the Mojave Air And Space Port - there is some serious aviation research, development, test pilot training, and other activities here. They have a free driving tour to 9 points of interest.<br />
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There is a boneyard here of airplanes that have served their useful existence.<br />
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The "Stargazer," the only remaining L-1011 that still flies is based here, hauling Pegasus rockets which are used to propel satellites into space.<br />
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Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic has a facility here, developing the first commercial spaceline which will be capable of sending the general public into sub-orbital flight. Tickets are already being purchased by space tourists. I guess that's our next venture, and we'll be starting a "go-fund-us" account soon for that purpose.</div>
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And for those of you aviation buffs out there familiar with Burt Rutan, he also has a significant presence here. The Voyager was built, launched, and returned here for landing of the solar-powered around-the-world non-stop flight in December of 1986. This is hard to see inside the glass-building but it's a scale model of the Voyager.<br />
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There was not much detail on this but the Stratolaunch company is building the largest aircraft ever in this hangar, designed to take manned and unmanned vehicles to space. There are signs on all of the fences here that say we could not take photos so I'm not sure how we got these????? (Security did come after us at one point, but instead of confiscating our camera, she told us we could get better pictures near the restaurant!)</div>
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And they have some vintage aircraft on display such as as one of only 65 Convair 880s that were built. Elvis owned one of these. The F4 in the photo is a modified target drone for military radar and missile testing. <br />
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So, you get the idea. Fun stop for anyone interested in aviation. The trip from Mojave to Boulder City was more desert landscape and some more desert landscape. One interesting thing though - they are serious about solar power just before Las Vegas, and the entire solar panel field here is not in the picture!</div>
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We had a surprise visit from friends of ours when a Bulkley Trucking Company truck passed us on I-15. Clint and Linda Bulkley are dear friends of ours from our marina days at Muskogee, OK and later Galveston, TX. They have traveled extensively with us on their boat, "Opus One," and own Bulkley Trucking Company. What were the odds of meeting up with one of their vehicles on I-15 in the middle of nowhere? Rhonda texted Linda to let her know we just thought about them. Linda wanted to know if the driver made a good pass (boating phrase)!</div>
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And here we are all settled in at Lake Mead RV Park in Boulder City, checking out Hoover Dam and Las Vegas. We'll report on all of that later. See you then.<br />
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-20574622388421418842017-09-04T16:42:00.001-07:002017-09-04T18:18:11.364-07:00The Streets of San Francisco<div style="text-align: center;">
"The Streets of San Francisco" - good name for this post and it would be a good name for a TV series.</div>
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Did you know California is a really big state? We knew it too but you don't really comprehend just how big until you start planning to see as much as you can with the time available. Riding the top motorcycle rides is driving some of our decisions, roads accessible by big-rig RVs is another factor, Rhonda's main interest was the redwoods (been there, done that now), and we wanted to see one of the many large cities. San Francisco (SF) is our choice for that with an extra treat of seeing some Looper friends of ours from Santa Rosa, about 50 miles north of SF. Meet Kit and Pam Kersch who completed the Great Loop Cruise in October of 2016. We met them when they came through our area on the Tennessee River and docked at Joe Wheeler State Park where "Help Me Rhonda" was docked at the time. They invited us to park our RV on their property but it was gonna be a bit tight fitting through the beautiful entrance to their home, so we opted to stay at a KOA in Petaluma, between SF and the Kersch residence. Kit and Pam are wonderful folks and it was good to see them again. When they finished the Loop the first time, they decided to keep going for a second trip around! Their boat, "India Jane" is a beautiful 43-foot Mainship trawler, currently docked in Ft. Myers, FL. They are taking a break from the Loop to care for Kit's Mom during an unexpected illness and just happened to be home while we are in the area. We spent a day with them in Bodega Bay which I'll cover in another post.</div>
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And speaking of the Great Loop Cruise, Rhonda has been complaining that I do not include "Wilson" in our RV travels. If you have not met Wilson, he joined us when we were stuck in Lock #11 for 2 weeks on the Erie Canal in 2013. There was serious flooding and damage to the dams, necessitating the canal authority putting "Help Me Rhonda" and 3 other boats inside the lock for our safety. Here's our "castaway" story if interested - http://wrmcmanus.blogspot.com/2013/06/castaways.html</div>
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So, Wilson is still around and is a reminder of problems you can incur while traveling, and hope for better times. Hey, it can happen to anyone, just ask Galen and Becky Dunmire, Ken and Trudy Price, and Tom Hanks! We try to keep Wilson busy and he still doesn't say much. His most recent assignment is taking care of the baby redwood tree traveling with us now.</div>
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Getting down to Petaluma and settling in at the KOA was an all day affair, so we headed out early the next morning to SF looking forward to the Golden Gate Bridge (GGB), "the most photographed bridge in the world." We couldn't see much of it but the fog is par for the course this time of year. Awesome picture though, huh? I wish we had a video of the fog rolling up the hills from the west and down the hills close to the bridge - pretty cool to watch.</div>
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Not much better on the bridge itself.</div>
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We knew nothing about SF other than some general areas from our research, so I plugged in the address for Lombard Street, "The Crookedest Street In The World," as our first destination. Here's an aerial shot, and I was determined to drive through it with our truck which is MUCH larger than the cars in the photo below!</div>
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Rhonda was on the phone with her sister when we were ascending the hill up to Lombard and had no idea what was happening. And many of the streets in SF are so steep you cannot see over the front of the truck at the top. On the way up below.</div>
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So it was a bit of a surprise for Rhonda when we topped the hill and started down! "It's too late to turn back now." There was not much room to spare, we may have touched the curb in a couple of turns, and I'm confident we didn't take out any shrubs or flowers. The view from the top.</div>
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And the view from the bottom.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzh0NmXDYQz4DWfnYB6YW39KT4hFzg-O8DAX9ZwgdFqpc7kmOF7B1sNIxKm7aYVUmqlEYXs6w9mX3-iGC_Fj7pFHyqiWStS8jngzIHmecBmBP_voSQk0gO59Ms3lJde4RBLQAxrJwzfU/s1600/Petaluma+with+Kit+and+Pam+067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzh0NmXDYQz4DWfnYB6YW39KT4hFzg-O8DAX9ZwgdFqpc7kmOF7B1sNIxKm7aYVUmqlEYXs6w9mX3-iGC_Fj7pFHyqiWStS8jngzIHmecBmBP_voSQk0gO59Ms3lJde4RBLQAxrJwzfU/s640/Petaluma+with+Kit+and+Pam+067.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We had researched the top 10 steepest streets in SF, so we had to check them out also. (From Rhonda: Wayne decided the signs did not apply to Southerners who drive dually trucks.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ndeMdBPIUzdhB7wtTGNm9aWzmIB6SGLKhP20auYh19K0lFwOn39t3Q7rRHaxfWX2tUO0BLDK7SMFRVvRiLarsXd0XUKHQKfLu1GNdfXhxqA9DlBFHtWUm69hTn3MWgUAGgiYALes2q0/s1600/Petaluma+with+Kit+and+Pam+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1572" data-original-width="1600" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ndeMdBPIUzdhB7wtTGNm9aWzmIB6SGLKhP20auYh19K0lFwOn39t3Q7rRHaxfWX2tUO0BLDK7SMFRVvRiLarsXd0XUKHQKfLu1GNdfXhxqA9DlBFHtWUm69hTn3MWgUAGgiYALes2q0/s400/Petaluma+with+Kit+and+Pam+077.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Approaching one of the crests before heading downhill. (Rhonda says going uphill, imagine driving while leaning back in the dentist chair.)<br />
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The pictures do not do them justice but here's #1 at 31.5 degrees - Filbert Street between Leavenworth and Hyde. Try and visualize 13.5 degrees shy of 45 degrees. I think we rode it 3 times! We DID NOT go airborne at any time. After two days, we also did not see another dually in SF - might be a reason for that. The streets are really tight, very narrow lanes and tight turns. It's also very difficult to find a dually parking spot. And when you do, they charge you $3.00/hour and in some spots $3.00/15 minutes, not kidding. We finally found one spot in front of Pier 33 but there was one problem - "No vehicles over 6 feet tall." Living up to the "Southerner" reference Rhonda noted, I got out my tape measure and checked it - 6'6" - took our chances, paid the $9 for three hours and it was not towed.</div>
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We were disappointed that we could not get tickets to visit Alcatraz. They were booking tickets 9 days out when we inquired at Pier 33. But here's the island, a very interesting story and quite the historic landmark.<br />
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Pier 39 is the main shops-and-food (and ice cream) pier.<br />
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But the main attraction on Pier 39 is the sea lions. They took up residence there in 1989 and average about 300 on site most of the time. Peak residency has been recorded at 1701 in 2009. Do you think they are absolutely positive it wasn't 1700 or 1702??? The males are about 7 feet and 850 pounds, the females 6 feet and 220 pounds.<br />
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Pier 45 is a tribute to WWII military vessels but we did not visit this one.<br />
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Coit Tower was a must-see for Rhonda. We watched a movie once where the family decided they would meet at Coit Tower if by chance they got separated during a disaster. It's definitely easy to see from about anywhere in SF. Of course it fell over in the movie, so Rhonda decided in the event of an earthquake, she would get on a boat so she would have a bathroom, water, and a bed. Not sure how I'm supposed to know which boat out of all the ones in SF?</div>
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Fisherman's Wharf is the heart of the waterfront district on the north and east sides of town.<br />
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We had an outstanding lunch at "Boudin" - the original SF sourdough bakery, restaurant, and gift shop in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf. It started in 1849 and is the oldest continuously operating business in SF and makes outstanding sandwiches, brownies, lemon bars, and chocolate raisin bread - we tried them all.<br />
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Electric lines overhead for some of the public transportation is pretty common. The bus in the photo is "connected."<br />
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We did not ride one, but cable cars are a transportation staple in SF and are actually pulled through the street by an underground cable. I read a website about ten things "Not To Do" in SF. One of them was to "never call a cable car a trolley." <br />
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I believe this one qualifies as a trolley.<br />
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"Haight-Ashbury" was the "Peace and Love" destination for lots of hippies in 1967. Most of the streets in that area still look the part.<br />
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I assume this is a tribute to Jimi Hendricks.</div>
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"Painted Ladies" houses - another popular attraction.<br />
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We tried several ways to get on the main drag in Chinatown but one-way streets and construction were a problem. But there is no doubt when you are there - the population, shops, restaurants, and signage are all Chinese.<br />
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A view of the financial district from I-80 on the east side of town.<br />
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The "pier" side of SF from I-80 with the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance on the north side.<br />
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In addition to riding Lombard and the steep streets of SF, we did risk our lives once with a ride through UC Berkeley, only 2 days after the Antifa rioting the previous weekend. We were a little concerned that our Alabama license plate might attract some attention. Our truck was pretty dirty and we thought about writing "We Love Bernie" in the dirt and grime but took our chances and did just fine. </div>
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SF from across the bay in Sausalito.</div>
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And we finally caught the GGB without fog!</div>
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Looking west toward the Pacific.</div>
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There was a lot we missed, but San Francisco was a great town and a great time.</div>
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Saying goodbye to San Francisco!</div>
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We are way behind on the blog, still need to cover several small towns and sights, and we are actually just finishing up 4 days down in the Monterey, Pebble Beach, and Carmel area, heading toward Las Vegas tomorrow. We'll catch up eventually, just been busy! Later.</div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-60585786597208834132017-08-26T20:59:00.001-07:002017-08-26T22:44:55.152-07:00California Coast, Redwoods, and Motorcycle Rides<div style="text-align: center;">
We previously, but only briefly, spent time in California around Lake Tahoe, so this is the "official" entry into the state on Interstate 80, heading west toward Sacramento, then northwest into a portion of Napa Valley, and west again over to the Pacific Coast. </div>
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It was good to see "green" again after crossing Nevada and so much "high desert" around Reno and Carson City.</div>
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These are the Sierra Nevada Mountains, quite a challenge for the original settlers heading west. The first covered wagons hit these areas around 1845. It was tough - at Donner's Gap, the Donner and Reed families were stranded due to an early snowstorm, and we all know the sad story that ensued. At Emigrant (yes, that's the correct spelling) Gap, they actually lowered their wagons down some of the passages by ropes. It doesn't look it, but it is a long way down. Can't imagine watching all you own sliding on ropes down the mountain. Not sure how the cows and horses were lowered.</div>
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Rhonda does not like the directional "arrow" signage out here!</div>
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I-80 connects with I-5 at Sacramento but we never got close enough to the capital city for any pictures. We headed northwest on I-5 through some of Napa Valley. I have always wanted to see this. We saw fields/groves/orchards of all types - sunflowers, almonds, pistachios, grapes, pears, apples, peaches, strawberries, corn, hay, and we don't know what else. All are hard to photograph at 60 mph but Rhonda got some decent shots.</div>
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And this one highlights the "valley" with the mountains to the west.</div>
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And leaving the valley on Highway 20, there was an abrupt landscape change we had not seen previously. Sort of a mix of high desert and green trees.</div>
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We spent the night at Nice, CA on the northern shore of Clear Lake, largest lake in the state. They had free kayaks you could use, but there was some algae in the water so we took a stroll instead.</div>
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Then we headed north on CA Highway 101 toward our home for the next week at Redwoods River Resort (RRR) at Leggett, CA. (I'm gonna quit saying CA all the time. For the rest of this post and probably several more to follow, you can assume we are still in CA. It's a big state!)</div>
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RRR is a first class campground with all sorts of amenities EXCEPT there is very little WIFI or cell coverage and NO TV. We're actually paying them $5 per GB to get this blog posted. We are the first to use their recently completed site #46 and it is huge, kind of like the state that I am not saying the name of.</div>
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You are welcomed by lots of blue birds called Stellar Jays and the obvious attraction, redwood trees. More on them later.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpubrBBKsXA4xMQ2vUN5BLeY22buxkpi11W03su85L-VwAVDl60rAmd0r2McbwwVTh81opxJtv20BLIzj44HoqYrwHpXcrUh4YrXEzvcmO-hPltByp7vdNT47tEqGnIAFOf628SVJRl-w/s1600/CA+%25234+ride+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpubrBBKsXA4xMQ2vUN5BLeY22buxkpi11W03su85L-VwAVDl60rAmd0r2McbwwVTh81opxJtv20BLIzj44HoqYrwHpXcrUh4YrXEzvcmO-hPltByp7vdNT47tEqGnIAFOf628SVJRl-w/s640/CA+%25234+ride+012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAVklWHlCuwdTRbXCkahAWje3RnhtkkDpJynjkna1e7qzBhu3eqcYgX9lrQFBTogOKwtJh38_ZxmWFt7PXJAscQnLOADcH5A-h03cybZFpUKZrVR6XX1PGLz28caTV3-Ru1gnX6sl0sQ/s1600/CA+%25234+ride+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAVklWHlCuwdTRbXCkahAWje3RnhtkkDpJynjkna1e7qzBhu3eqcYgX9lrQFBTogOKwtJh38_ZxmWFt7PXJAscQnLOADcH5A-h03cybZFpUKZrVR6XX1PGLz28caTV3-Ru1gnX6sl0sQ/s640/CA+%25234+ride+010.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Another reason for choosing RRR is its proximity to three of the top motorcycle rides in the state - numbers 1, 4, and 17. I rode #4 first which takes you back south on Hwy 101, west on Hwy 20 to the coast, and then back north on Pacific Coast Highway 1 to Leggett. All of this is curvy roads with the Hwy 1 stretch of 22 miles compared in lots of reviews to "The Dragon" at Deals Gap in NC and TN. I concur and was exhausted after a total of 150 miles of curves and more curves. I don't take many pictures of the rides any more as it detracts from the fun of the ride. But I did stop for a couple of the coastline - here's my favorite.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSNEBd2Yp1g3-yM4uXxNQMnfisU55ZQ_pBbGg75QIsqPH-2hhwMZisfNlnFPGvSfAsRsnDTA3UEfnv2SLI7DCr1Kawkdx3GYldFMGS9ggnu9vbQRxuUkDYZ_QnlHUvHBNU0kQUerH3yM/s1600/CA+%25234+ride+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlSNEBd2Yp1g3-yM4uXxNQMnfisU55ZQ_pBbGg75QIsqPH-2hhwMZisfNlnFPGvSfAsRsnDTA3UEfnv2SLI7DCr1Kawkdx3GYldFMGS9ggnu9vbQRxuUkDYZ_QnlHUvHBNU0kQUerH3yM/s640/CA+%25234+ride+005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And I had to stop for 2 elk grazing along the highway!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_Ituw9Fsr41dVtsZMZln4i5P9hW7DFLdXtngudULrxCE54Gdozx-i34j37YnzQaQ7rJn8XDMuqXIyi2JWhomSI8-V53Ey7p3pLOnXKi8sEd_o3LtxB9ZLbbtb7_bfrU0HrMXKyUOLLA/s1600/CA+%25234+ride+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8_Ituw9Fsr41dVtsZMZln4i5P9hW7DFLdXtngudULrxCE54Gdozx-i34j37YnzQaQ7rJn8XDMuqXIyi2JWhomSI8-V53Ey7p3pLOnXKi8sEd_o3LtxB9ZLbbtb7_bfrU0HrMXKyUOLLA/s640/CA+%25234+ride+010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As I was almost home, I passed "Peg's" (known for their hamburgers) and the smell was in the air, I was exhausted (Rhonda had no sympathy - "You said you wanted to ride curvy roads!"), I was starving, you get the picture. So, Rhonda and I headed there for dinner and I'll use Peg's as an example of some of the many unusual things you will see here (besides lots of the people, but I won't go there). You eat outside at Peg's and the tables are in the midst of their vegetable garden from which you can purchase cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, and others. Nothing wrong with this, it was just different.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EvBXHMQn95hjIrhaK0_6C3y245oq_9eLuywuuNCJ2rid_clXQIhqZ0ljjxv9zOj0elAlneKcd0ONQCWxDaANP02Ep0NsfxYldP9JPjf3hc1tUwEVSSfh5Mo3IO6druh2CoBFStEQtck/s1600/Redwoods+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EvBXHMQn95hjIrhaK0_6C3y245oq_9eLuywuuNCJ2rid_clXQIhqZ0ljjxv9zOj0elAlneKcd0ONQCWxDaANP02Ep0NsfxYldP9JPjf3hc1tUwEVSSfh5Mo3IO6druh2CoBFStEQtck/s640/Redwoods+008.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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In order to get the #1 and #17 rides in, I covered 500 miles and overnighted in Douglas City. Here's the summary of the #1 ride, Hwy 36, Fortuna to Red Bluff. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDVmbu0ZMPuFZ44xkn59Bq31YpS2aCFqGhUUaVY2pc12faHofIxq-Y8ph8q6yRjxWF0kHhv0ufx2-DyjUfPy2qeNlpX05h5qNgVRCOtrVoxZW73UWDgnVW7jGxS0y3U98A3dwlCMm1Fk/s1600/Curves+next+140+miles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="217" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbDVmbu0ZMPuFZ44xkn59Bq31YpS2aCFqGhUUaVY2pc12faHofIxq-Y8ph8q6yRjxWF0kHhv0ufx2-DyjUfPy2qeNlpX05h5qNgVRCOtrVoxZW73UWDgnVW7jGxS0y3U98A3dwlCMm1Fk/s400/Curves+next+140+miles.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>
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I have no idea what the scenery was like - it's a good idea not to take your eyes off the road! Also, Rhonda and I have both learned the reality of rockslides and mudslides here on this trip. We honestly do not see how they keep their roads open. The slides are everywhere. On the #1 ride, one entire section of the road is closed daily, almost all day, and has been for months. You have to time your trip to be at the closure at lunch time. It's open from 12 to 1. Here's one of the 7 or 8 closures on Hwy 299 (Redding to Arcata). Yes, that's the mudslide in the distance. Most manage the traffic with one-way lanes once the road is passable, but it's quite inconvenient and obviously creates delays.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6oe8eyIT6LdrUGjdL-oDboSj9H6-4_ZmjgOhdHbUWx1aMicfJz7_FCvLA3lDUd74V7ireJw4Jf766Llc9TyRCHTksklm1nDnKHV1AyNIZuDbPkYR35bb5QKRiI5yQSo_tInu-i9-A1Q/s1600/Fort+Bragg+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6oe8eyIT6LdrUGjdL-oDboSj9H6-4_ZmjgOhdHbUWx1aMicfJz7_FCvLA3lDUd74V7ireJw4Jf766Llc9TyRCHTksklm1nDnKHV1AyNIZuDbPkYR35bb5QKRiI5yQSo_tInu-i9-A1Q/s640/Fort+Bragg+002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I actually enjoyed the #17 ride the most, even with all of the delays. It was also nonstop curves, but the long sweeping 40 to 50 mph type. </div>
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Rhonda and I spent a day at the beach in the Fort Bragg area. Rhonda was born at Fort Bragg, not this one but the NC version at Fayetteville. She got to see the curves on Hwy 1 by truck and I promised her the elk would still be there. True to my word, one of them was there......</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDtcw9eqO2QJM_1cWsitEa0uNSg2KZWg4vyWXfDdFiCm5v-Jox_O7O-cVVTJMGDnm4xfel-DTS58U_JkH0YdF9l_veiMf81FVDIbifJTpe7pqcK4ziqZLd8yelTmsPc5Bvxf5ZfTCLv8/s1600/Fort+Bragg+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1326" data-original-width="1600" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDtcw9eqO2QJM_1cWsitEa0uNSg2KZWg4vyWXfDdFiCm5v-Jox_O7O-cVVTJMGDnm4xfel-DTS58U_JkH0YdF9l_veiMf81FVDIbifJTpe7pqcK4ziqZLd8yelTmsPc5Bvxf5ZfTCLv8/s640/Fort+Bragg+010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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....as was the beautiful coast line.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1X_rU3qUmw8sUIG8DTIclNm60i1r3khePszW8dVOTH7lQYL4JQVMjljDFf41vEFKZU6TJOZF4ImiCgEzBpVenWdbsX0k2YYHNj2zddrb0ipZ9Lr9hqCdahHm3GOIDnoayaHsi73bf8lw/s1600/Fort+Bragg+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1X_rU3qUmw8sUIG8DTIclNm60i1r3khePszW8dVOTH7lQYL4JQVMjljDFf41vEFKZU6TJOZF4ImiCgEzBpVenWdbsX0k2YYHNj2zddrb0ipZ9Lr9hqCdahHm3GOIDnoayaHsi73bf8lw/s640/Fort+Bragg+013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We had lunch at Noyo Harbor with a nice view and a few fur seals/sea lions/sea otters playing around in the harbor.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkaT9ivE0AS_XcF9kJH2k_6fRN1u4hAVxqMa82koXOciwxgaRKwmowvKx0TiO9oOLEVB-BNlx3hg1lvllHrtwINpqO4a6rVj2yzfu16yRRJj44lzdwpkaJBG5qIRxHBM7CfJKBkfHc3cA/s1600/Fort+Bragg+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkaT9ivE0AS_XcF9kJH2k_6fRN1u4hAVxqMa82koXOciwxgaRKwmowvKx0TiO9oOLEVB-BNlx3hg1lvllHrtwINpqO4a6rVj2yzfu16yRRJj44lzdwpkaJBG5qIRxHBM7CfJKBkfHc3cA/s640/Fort+Bragg+033.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuUZ_laT-cLQGikWgokUWkfxVNOVQhtwN5ag32htOisxgXhtPTaEmVHE_V9pHAwfQ3J8B2b4I64DOlud844l2iVUVvGV4jsByStp8Z8mazdOkWSOelxE0fdGH_wgHWGgzpmCGu57s5Wo/s1600/Fort+Bragg+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1600" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVuUZ_laT-cLQGikWgokUWkfxVNOVQhtwN5ag32htOisxgXhtPTaEmVHE_V9pHAwfQ3J8B2b4I64DOlud844l2iVUVvGV4jsByStp8Z8mazdOkWSOelxE0fdGH_wgHWGgzpmCGu57s5Wo/s640/Fort+Bragg+031.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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It was a very foggy day and in most cases you could only see the rocky shoreline for short distances.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OFq4-Lm9Wc20mtZyEBxaZ9IrNKGwnBymSEL0imkYk9OcHAAr0UQGykeAXsfmleBowwUzXhMxXNjG6P-30A4FotU6OdBvH-hPSgy46qI3185ZWE4-9oUMviK8eG0L5Wf4lqNv5kIyLYg/s1600/Fort+Bragg+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="1600" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3OFq4-Lm9Wc20mtZyEBxaZ9IrNKGwnBymSEL0imkYk9OcHAAr0UQGykeAXsfmleBowwUzXhMxXNjG6P-30A4FotU6OdBvH-hPSgy46qI3185ZWE4-9oUMviK8eG0L5Wf4lqNv5kIyLYg/s640/Fort+Bragg+034.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPT4eEC2A9l-Wo1KGwxILoSsLSkWrAm58h-CFSvSO30pKXslkbKfINtNvr_WG0UwIzP9SasjeSCvrnP0bk7zdPZEWACxkIIaNkOcaVfyekDaPB5QhwT-Fz2EX2DEvLYmOgyn1IEmg5Cw/s1600/Fort+Bragg+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="918" data-original-width="1600" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPT4eEC2A9l-Wo1KGwxILoSsLSkWrAm58h-CFSvSO30pKXslkbKfINtNvr_WG0UwIzP9SasjeSCvrnP0bk7zdPZEWACxkIIaNkOcaVfyekDaPB5QhwT-Fz2EX2DEvLYmOgyn1IEmg5Cw/s640/Fort+Bragg+023.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's Rhonda at "Glass Beach" where the residents used to dump their trash until 1967. The garbage is now gone but the gimmicky thing is the smooth glass remnants of all the bottles trashed here after years of pounding by the surf.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3AbSPvwbZjKIGFHt8LiPc-JVOaZ8XjgECkE0vMLDJbC_iH96MG15MmwQFkMSz7r8p3SfZ0TGmwE6gGW7fuvTJzEHoOv7Y1Sl9G7isDOabt_MTaWjld9bWuGgleuC56G_xsUrhYMKslIc/s1600/Fort+Bragg+049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3AbSPvwbZjKIGFHt8LiPc-JVOaZ8XjgECkE0vMLDJbC_iH96MG15MmwQFkMSz7r8p3SfZ0TGmwE6gGW7fuvTJzEHoOv7Y1Sl9G7isDOabt_MTaWjld9bWuGgleuC56G_xsUrhYMKslIc/s640/Fort+Bragg+049.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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But around 4 PM, the fog lifted a bit and we were able to see some beach. I could not get used to the black sand or the large amounts of kelp washed up on the shore.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL0U_W1hfRSws7jT4f3iwHD7Z-8jHXl8X_cao58ok4MG2sr0lOG1dapW_Xd0L1j2tzOCiaOrP7zcV3nlzkSADFv2bHsHqFJqlmILEWrN5G0cbHCU67DU9BdLIsgaeaffEaTPz024jowo/s1600/Fort+Bragg+062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIL0U_W1hfRSws7jT4f3iwHD7Z-8jHXl8X_cao58ok4MG2sr0lOG1dapW_Xd0L1j2tzOCiaOrP7zcV3nlzkSADFv2bHsHqFJqlmILEWrN5G0cbHCU67DU9BdLIsgaeaffEaTPz024jowo/s640/Fort+Bragg+062.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Regardless, the coastline here is rugged, very different than what we easterners are used to, and without a doubt, beautiful.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivd69t1Xd_vzqrl7VXopIE_2h0RTWBCXqF7JTb60PEXut7-HMTnjjBs-Cj3IsCrRxW4P1B2SGJRyo3z80vVv4MDt4jLONWOPsq_evTOuQJKwl-fZJnb25OxVZIYXb5NV1zITZYV83y62w/s1600/Fort+Bragg+081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivd69t1Xd_vzqrl7VXopIE_2h0RTWBCXqF7JTb60PEXut7-HMTnjjBs-Cj3IsCrRxW4P1B2SGJRyo3z80vVv4MDt4jLONWOPsq_evTOuQJKwl-fZJnb25OxVZIYXb5NV1zITZYV83y62w/s640/Fort+Bragg+081.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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When you leave Fort Bragg heading north, you pass through 3 nice "tree tunnels" and then disappear into more fog banks along the coastline.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMkiM5FfsaEc9Qnm8et-IWiIphJVY6-KVspAisS274gGqjVdpdjS5RyXUalOCMHskpsVKRZNwtnejOVE_QljoX1ArKtsh4s54wOAKjhDuzbccNm38nDmrZ9NzBIxgQvN4Km90p3U3Kmc/s1600/Fort+Bragg+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMkiM5FfsaEc9Qnm8et-IWiIphJVY6-KVspAisS274gGqjVdpdjS5RyXUalOCMHskpsVKRZNwtnejOVE_QljoX1ArKtsh4s54wOAKjhDuzbccNm38nDmrZ9NzBIxgQvN4Km90p3U3Kmc/s640/Fort+Bragg+018.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHGedYmAWW1J27_GYjtISmzxCwZwky5KwIYS7CBWQvlDGh3IFEKtL2iNc_AURyOEkHAeQU4Sox-YGtf9_0B1OOModmf1fZXE7E0dOmsilU-Xy9DZ9S5FZp65MlsSDmKCEjMnBuDdl6sg/s1600/Fort+Bragg+083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHGedYmAWW1J27_GYjtISmzxCwZwky5KwIYS7CBWQvlDGh3IFEKtL2iNc_AURyOEkHAeQU4Sox-YGtf9_0B1OOModmf1fZXE7E0dOmsilU-Xy9DZ9S5FZp65MlsSDmKCEjMnBuDdl6sg/s640/Fort+Bragg+083.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Moving on to the big attraction here - redwood trees. Redwoods are primarily known for their size (some over 300 feet tall and as wide as 20+ feet at the base) and their age (in some cases over 3000 years old). Also, they resist fire, are hard to ignite, slow burning, and easy to extinquish. They resist rot with a natural preservative, are light in weight, easily worked, and won't warp, shrink, or crack if processed correctly into lumber. They do not have a primary tap root, rather, several large roots that are about 6 feet deep, with filaments that branch out from them as far as 100 feet. They grow almost perfectly straight because of their innate ability to add weight by growing extra branches to the non-leaning side! Now that is cool. We have hundreds of pictures but here are just a few from Humboldt Redwood Forest and "The Avenue Of The Giants," 31 miles of the longest stretch of remaining virgin redwoods in the world.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63S9AW3PzvdpNLEusCq2qBeEC5e_6sVCDwEsPpTq-Y4chhIuyYezd01GnGd5iPgberB3frQIv74o1VE48A_w55GNNTAn7b-V4syjemjvxQcdm7ZJlaFGzWxTUy1qbxD1Ykd2sVVAPkEU/s1600/Redwoods+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63S9AW3PzvdpNLEusCq2qBeEC5e_6sVCDwEsPpTq-Y4chhIuyYezd01GnGd5iPgberB3frQIv74o1VE48A_w55GNNTAn7b-V4syjemjvxQcdm7ZJlaFGzWxTUy1qbxD1Ykd2sVVAPkEU/s640/Redwoods+008.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Rhonda is standing at the base of these to give you a perspective of their size.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkHZ_EzDtj3QWlpOhAmgI030ByZEv2tURuzGIDj2XfBXF7yN8Cx2u_qCJKxuTLoqdB1IHWMZWhiTaZyCJOvAT86dvrna1_SCrakd2GaHXrq0rp7bt73jFLPfXpnBz2vw5EsdwvxGbnJk/s1600/Redwoods+066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1211" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkHZ_EzDtj3QWlpOhAmgI030ByZEv2tURuzGIDj2XfBXF7yN8Cx2u_qCJKxuTLoqdB1IHWMZWhiTaZyCJOvAT86dvrna1_SCrakd2GaHXrq0rp7bt73jFLPfXpnBz2vw5EsdwvxGbnJk/s640/Redwoods+066.JPG" width="484" /></a></div>
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And standing inside of this one.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYViH-76Joo1cXqFEFzeDgoyO-8X6-6UbYg0CHOxQ8exVcQg29UBiEm7wsQTTi5LrvP2Rji3a5WeP5NHIvKzWRWqti5TQ1qHDbWLvxeZcdTuQhF-Oz0KXfCh8fgD_U2ZGuSD4chmbeco/s1600/Redwoods+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiYViH-76Joo1cXqFEFzeDgoyO-8X6-6UbYg0CHOxQ8exVcQg29UBiEm7wsQTTi5LrvP2Rji3a5WeP5NHIvKzWRWqti5TQ1qHDbWLvxeZcdTuQhF-Oz0KXfCh8fgD_U2ZGuSD4chmbeco/s640/Redwoods+075.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Speaking of "inside the tree" - cars can drive through them but duallys cannot, so we had to pass - the limit was 7 x 7 feet and we are 8 feet wide! This particular tree is 3000 years old, 21 feet across, and 275 feet tall.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-nIk_O3ir-sFARGKGmufIIVGDoVBGJQuSN5aYEWMgdXUDjgcUI-3r9aQA9cM-ZNoA0iXFkbdLG6GIyqsTjV7Px52yg5tRrSV_cU7hFzOM0_oCNKTAYXWBl07XCbwqmLml5KsDeg67ZA/s1600/Redwoods+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1447" data-original-width="1600" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-nIk_O3ir-sFARGKGmufIIVGDoVBGJQuSN5aYEWMgdXUDjgcUI-3r9aQA9cM-ZNoA0iXFkbdLG6GIyqsTjV7Px52yg5tRrSV_cU7hFzOM0_oCNKTAYXWBl07XCbwqmLml5KsDeg67ZA/s640/Redwoods+017.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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But I was able to climb inside one of two treehouses carved out of redwoods. Warning - do not attempt this if you are claustrophobic or over my size. It was close going upstairs and back down - probably meant just for kids. Duh, but you know, it's the challenge.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWrS6kdZUTupsuELVObA4-koFzNm9wPdAURH4DqEx-aCk0qI-_2nO3y1664N-igy9TgiAKJ_ZJHhUWhCGh1di9F2FKwukAkOhmyAw0aY_zOX5-MDiwMT959gD6YrwIDAva9ZFkwCO0lA/s1600/Redwoods+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWrS6kdZUTupsuELVObA4-koFzNm9wPdAURH4DqEx-aCk0qI-_2nO3y1664N-igy9TgiAKJ_ZJHhUWhCGh1di9F2FKwukAkOhmyAw0aY_zOX5-MDiwMT959gD6YrwIDAva9ZFkwCO0lA/s640/Redwoods+034.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBO7oBUYyn4bXoJSqUi4az9bTwyvDoBqbZaogU_PtQHd7fb4GYP0EAy7aQPqkunKRLRFC34avSOknPmDwRt6qiTQbibnKSAs1OHX42-HuZoV0L4kX7ka59yXib4_7FeAW66o-JEMSKug/s1600/Redwoods+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBO7oBUYyn4bXoJSqUi4az9bTwyvDoBqbZaogU_PtQHd7fb4GYP0EAy7aQPqkunKRLRFC34avSOknPmDwRt6qiTQbibnKSAs1OHX42-HuZoV0L4kX7ka59yXib4_7FeAW66o-JEMSKug/s640/Redwoods+036.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Tree rings take a while to count on these babies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGp_uTBsMYgpEMeM7WzUs1zbKbaBwfIXIC7gjIa-qHLw0ECN3f029_Oqq4tMIYqJ8074PjD0hRyNSy_6T-zW_rXdXkwo5tO4zRDJG7IHUxiWaTKqti2cgJ6YzY03xw-3UMFJ22uKk0W4/s1600/Redwoods+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGp_uTBsMYgpEMeM7WzUs1zbKbaBwfIXIC7gjIa-qHLw0ECN3f029_Oqq4tMIYqJ8074PjD0hRyNSy_6T-zW_rXdXkwo5tO4zRDJG7IHUxiWaTKqti2cgJ6YzY03xw-3UMFJ22uKk0W4/s400/Redwoods+037.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And speaking of root systems, The "Dyersville Giant" was believed to be the world's tallest living thing at 362 feet until a 1991 monster storm brought it down. At 1 million pounds, it registered a seismograph reading over 10 miles away and folks thought it was an earthquake or a major train wreck.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBA3srz4awLY-FcgCEw3xwzVHIh8JGlwFAPFboe8phmWUoM3y0NTr7rx8Ep3an_g6y6ipdUJiLoaj80ZiqYQFJVYOXYnTDPq-018ycWw15JCZDp2SPcjPwMTvujdUR0WU5pqcwpeofZlg/s1600/Redwoods+090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBA3srz4awLY-FcgCEw3xwzVHIh8JGlwFAPFboe8phmWUoM3y0NTr7rx8Ep3an_g6y6ipdUJiLoaj80ZiqYQFJVYOXYnTDPq-018ycWw15JCZDp2SPcjPwMTvujdUR0WU5pqcwpeofZlg/s640/Redwoods+090.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Pm1jQBRBrFSXs9zcx9uP1Dg_0lP38GsU4ORpOH4vKGxP-lQtHY0JnxRpAWmXg0F-RNOILmGqUr4lRD_ESsUyYQpGNfAbm4eyg4rWOaDpbVSThwgLJjLon1MtV9azr9uLjP-o3WIxKws/s1600/Redwoods+086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="927" data-original-width="1600" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Pm1jQBRBrFSXs9zcx9uP1Dg_0lP38GsU4ORpOH4vKGxP-lQtHY0JnxRpAWmXg0F-RNOILmGqUr4lRD_ESsUyYQpGNfAbm4eyg4rWOaDpbVSThwgLJjLon1MtV9azr9uLjP-o3WIxKws/s640/Redwoods+086.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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All sorts of odd shapes are possible. This was probably the "knottiest" that we saw - looks like a turtle sitting up on its rear. Rhonda thinks it looks like a bear.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PQCE1PcS9HJ8EvugblD-dFs1BnmTAEhSGWC-ftjeVwJA2Fi9nRX4zoxtoDQsMkDXD0qdyuNtmmFEQdfQnondZD2_YKcjGIXH-lZJW8ynyCdwbX12v7qG-t-gZEkpYOEMWAM8kvoRPlg/s1600/Redwoods+084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PQCE1PcS9HJ8EvugblD-dFs1BnmTAEhSGWC-ftjeVwJA2Fi9nRX4zoxtoDQsMkDXD0qdyuNtmmFEQdfQnondZD2_YKcjGIXH-lZJW8ynyCdwbX12v7qG-t-gZEkpYOEMWAM8kvoRPlg/s640/Redwoods+084.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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She also is suspicious that "Bigfoot" may actually exist in these hills somewhere. There are Bigfoot references and statues everywhere.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gqlxZcNOwlnCK-ajoyEC4zYY44B18XUag8Wu_7Ma4fNHGlMHAKcOARZ4dUpa1mWvJvkDpTuMfCD6qUfj49QUqdj6t5yyZZffB6mAQ53J52Pga8MtULnr5TuQHK5YSHJD8HjOxmj6Cjs/s1600/Redwoods+103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gqlxZcNOwlnCK-ajoyEC4zYY44B18XUag8Wu_7Ma4fNHGlMHAKcOARZ4dUpa1mWvJvkDpTuMfCD6qUfj49QUqdj6t5yyZZffB6mAQ53J52Pga8MtULnr5TuQHK5YSHJD8HjOxmj6Cjs/s400/Redwoods+103.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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It was gold that brought the settlers west, but many soon realized the money to be made in redwoods. Thanks to a group formed in 1917 called SRR - "Save The Redwoods" - the lumber companies were prevented from wiping out the forests. SRR brought John D. Rockefeller to the forests in 1926, and he was so impressed that he contributed a million dollars, matched by the state that I am not naming each time, to purchase much of this land on which the "old" redwoods still stand today.</div>
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Today the old redwoods continue to sprout the new growth around them and that's a common growth pattern. The parent tree sprouts lots of smaller ones around its base and eventually the parent tree dies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8U-455WWkuff4TIm2joUf-9v8sLDa02CnCthHe3UN1n34mj88z6kZmgaXxPhuRYC8ltZP6BnI1RXh8_SN9QWPooxu-KOabTRb-o7QvPTGJ458jX2y69JxEPLhyl6aeiwzAlmrSv6KXQ8/s1600/Redwoods+082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8U-455WWkuff4TIm2joUf-9v8sLDa02CnCthHe3UN1n34mj88z6kZmgaXxPhuRYC8ltZP6BnI1RXh8_SN9QWPooxu-KOabTRb-o7QvPTGJ458jX2y69JxEPLhyl6aeiwzAlmrSv6KXQ8/s640/Redwoods+082.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A "fairy ring" of redwoods.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrz1tXppL8fyxOHeEDocTS4TKI5EgmlxVen8XUdTwaD5bmx95Vl__v7iBYxJ2JKXgCPg2vBrU59PVZOXYoCwxr_EuwurTGcHo8UVeF-3fvLq4rGx9k3Y0usyhLgh8xuwSIiXbEmfjuqII/s1600/Redwoods+057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrz1tXppL8fyxOHeEDocTS4TKI5EgmlxVen8XUdTwaD5bmx95Vl__v7iBYxJ2JKXgCPg2vBrU59PVZOXYoCwxr_EuwurTGcHo8UVeF-3fvLq4rGx9k3Y0usyhLgh8xuwSIiXbEmfjuqII/s640/Redwoods+057.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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So, lots of history here and lots of fun has been had over the years with the redwoods.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUVtGfhTriAaka19S6cTeaDFsRTV_Mzftbcgw6nDHuQUFhkrVT2PEY41sfemln-413jklaFBWAhCdEuUU5O7EAADk92IhQs5_GaTgVsLLYtuYUWgXzsmYtA8NIfhPuMty55-uRn5WLOI/s1600/Redwoods+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUVtGfhTriAaka19S6cTeaDFsRTV_Mzftbcgw6nDHuQUFhkrVT2PEY41sfemln-413jklaFBWAhCdEuUU5O7EAADk92IhQs5_GaTgVsLLYtuYUWgXzsmYtA8NIfhPuMty55-uRn5WLOI/s640/Redwoods+046.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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An Ent.</div>
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An Entwife (Rhonda said some of you will understand this - I don't.)</div>
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The tallest totem pole carved from a standing tree. Others you see are carved from a fallen tree and then put back up.</div>
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It's fascinating that these monster trees grow from the seeds of their cone, about the size of a dime.</div>
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We're taking our own little redwood tree home and future generations will be in awe of a giant redwood standing tall in the middle of north Alabama!</div>
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Headed to San Francisco from here. </div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-21697153671275320692017-08-19T22:07:00.000-07:002018-04-03T16:06:33.347-07:00Welcome To Nevada and California<div style="text-align: justify;">
Just a few miles west after the Bonneville Salt Flats is Nevada. We exited I-80 to go into the town of West Wendover for a bit and Rhonda missed getting a picture of the "Welcome To Nevada" sign which was at that exact intersection and it was a dead end off the ramp into a concrete wall with the exit sign on top of the wall?? Never seen anything quite like that. When we finished up in town, we tried backtracking to a previous exit so we could get the sign the second time through, but that got confusing and a little difficult - remember we have an extra 20,000 pounds and 43 feet following us around. Wherever we go, it has to go! We finally gave up and went to the next available entrance ramp back on to I-80. So, I had to borrow from the internet again. Nevada has two welcome signs, a very colorful one and a dull and boring one. The one we missed was the dull and boring version. I even found one that was about the same angle as the real thing as we looked up at it on top of that concrete wall!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDw32E4ryhJWcFK9VOBQbu0dN-ieNpGWlOths6LWdMNi37tS2yYA2n46xn-Xe6rS1ptvDTMe3tAK_apelnWGyQxh8He2l3K9u68zuhitv4TT-Dv8IBXc_06MrHg_EwWaedmvbuAxxjau8/s1600/welcome+to+nevada.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDw32E4ryhJWcFK9VOBQbu0dN-ieNpGWlOths6LWdMNi37tS2yYA2n46xn-Xe6rS1ptvDTMe3tAK_apelnWGyQxh8He2l3K9u68zuhitv4TT-Dv8IBXc_06MrHg_EwWaedmvbuAxxjau8/s400/welcome+to+nevada.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I can show you about 2 or 3 pictures and you have then seen most of northern Nevada along I-80. Long highways that sometimes disappear into the horizon or mountains.........</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIb5f4YROKYhc_EebRis6BkNOeCI8Nn6blF7R6ivxhnuWU5OX-44F1g3tjiS79mFm6240-yKIta45Cu25Qv4VAce5IGS1ZimssA3HFY5LV0hi2EiXUaLhXKGP15KRuSAFHbqAkfLsLgA/s1600/SLC+to+Wells+070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1600" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqIb5f4YROKYhc_EebRis6BkNOeCI8Nn6blF7R6ivxhnuWU5OX-44F1g3tjiS79mFm6240-yKIta45Cu25Qv4VAce5IGS1ZimssA3HFY5LV0hi2EiXUaLhXKGP15KRuSAFHbqAkfLsLgA/s640/SLC+to+Wells+070.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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.........dry grassland with sagebrush scattered throughout and occasional mountain peaks and ranges to the side. This one is specifically named Pilot's Peak.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXCupct1TqI458Icl5ydmGCm98d5b_8hM24wWKDPwHnvX2qWd-4rMbL2ToWgF-_woAjmvTta_DJRW4_60UP1APNLCimuMwf0rFAmAgugHwJeEEpKNukuhG-S1X1QW-0NF5y_SwMlRcE5k/s1600/SLC+to+Wells+069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="973" data-original-width="1600" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXCupct1TqI458Icl5ydmGCm98d5b_8hM24wWKDPwHnvX2qWd-4rMbL2ToWgF-_woAjmvTta_DJRW4_60UP1APNLCimuMwf0rFAmAgugHwJeEEpKNukuhG-S1X1QW-0NF5y_SwMlRcE5k/s640/SLC+to+Wells+069.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Duplicate the above for about 400 miles and there you have it - Northern Nevada. Hey, I'm glad we didn't cross on Highway 50 in mid-Arizona. It is basically the old Pony Express route and is nicknamed "The Loneliest Road in America." But there are a few variables now and then on Interstate 80. We believe this to be a wildlife overpass crossing like we saw in Montana.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0F4K-InAyR6cRoy-IJj4FwZbPTkywnQIy4fOih8R48a_hfuVZp_nooy6YbY9BcwYuGbtjnD2vcifIJl_c4lFgNYN9QsSM14nvzYluUDLYThg3QxETEe88ZSbpReGw1djUu5BWGfYf-I/s1600/SLC+to+Wells+074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1600" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0F4K-InAyR6cRoy-IJj4FwZbPTkywnQIy4fOih8R48a_hfuVZp_nooy6YbY9BcwYuGbtjnD2vcifIJl_c4lFgNYN9QsSM14nvzYluUDLYThg3QxETEe88ZSbpReGw1djUu5BWGfYf-I/s640/SLC+to+Wells+074.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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There were three or four others under construction. I'm telling you, this is about as exciting as it gets!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3BiAmSKwCz2EerV_QVk3KHVrJxLIioxHgImqyTCLGWNajARgBQwU1R8vEQuvDdlxA2b87viJ8YTSnSPjmYgQwUJXn1s0KjOkJsguKayBrrYraq18swFHdy4i-FqqXdckbPxKSggbB9c/s1600/SLC+to+Wells+080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3BiAmSKwCz2EerV_QVk3KHVrJxLIioxHgImqyTCLGWNajARgBQwU1R8vEQuvDdlxA2b87viJ8YTSnSPjmYgQwUJXn1s0KjOkJsguKayBrrYraq18swFHdy4i-FqqXdckbPxKSggbB9c/s640/SLC+to+Wells+080.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Then we arrived at our first overnight stop in Nevada, the town of Wells, and things picked up quite a bit. We saw our first brothels - "Donna's Ranch" and "Bella's." I'm only showing you "Donna's Ranch" since the advertising on "Bella's" was a little risque' for this blog. And I'm only showing you the back of "Donna's Ranch" for the same reason but I can tell you that "it has been open 24 hours a day since 1869." (I guess I've heard Trump say "I can tell you" so many times that I'm saying it now).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRb4JCsl1agM07X1vVlGj9K7FIOBHlmq9iC_3VSwWzFxmEzXBzYhynSb8pneNdVWi7_j2oJGPrWx5cJG8uNpqn6Rdbzf7ELor8p249Qm6556yfobczBibwDK2kOk5CS3c4VgBtttXU9T8/s1600/SLC+to+Wells+088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="1600" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRb4JCsl1agM07X1vVlGj9K7FIOBHlmq9iC_3VSwWzFxmEzXBzYhynSb8pneNdVWi7_j2oJGPrWx5cJG8uNpqn6Rdbzf7ELor8p249Qm6556yfobczBibwDK2kOk5CS3c4VgBtttXU9T8/s640/SLC+to+Wells+088.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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They don't make it easy to get to these brothels and in the process of navigating several dirt roads to find them, we encountered a field full of jack rabbits! They are a little skittish but we managed to zoom in on a couple and get a good picture. Now that's a set of ears.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqIYmf4C2L6tLSS8bpvUoWse-t8L31b9RjWS32TSBrHk-CO5fweLFaweHYsGBUC67nWPXh5QviiCWqgzoZTV1Ox-V-TjkQMA-VWBHsTUM2frOrfrgWU9BTtcK9kLn8ocgGOvGXEFvaBY/s1600/SLC+to+Wells+092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqIYmf4C2L6tLSS8bpvUoWse-t8L31b9RjWS32TSBrHk-CO5fweLFaweHYsGBUC67nWPXh5QviiCWqgzoZTV1Ox-V-TjkQMA-VWBHsTUM2frOrfrgWU9BTtcK9kLn8ocgGOvGXEFvaBY/s640/SLC+to+Wells+092.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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On the other end of the spectrum from brothels, we found an actual Southern Baptist Church, and attended the Wells Baptist Church service the next morning. We have noted previously that most of the churches we have been able to find on this trip have been mission efforts with very small congregations. This one averages about 20 people each week, not counting their Spanish outreach program on Saturdays. </div>
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More of the same type of scenery enroute to our next stop at Winnemucca.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIAuOXGxOM9d4R5Jt0qLLnM0mBICqBKzYhyphenhyphenfdxkCQaPms1IJKxiCCGUWKWbY-Q9ZoVvWezf2C_RsO6IsTFyWvO4VE-bb-vx3Bb7h-q1h5EV3KW0KJNzH5aLO1XBDgqHcrNX8o6NU5uoA/s1600/VA+City+and+Incline+Village+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="956" data-original-width="1600" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIAuOXGxOM9d4R5Jt0qLLnM0mBICqBKzYhyphenhyphenfdxkCQaPms1IJKxiCCGUWKWbY-Q9ZoVvWezf2C_RsO6IsTFyWvO4VE-bb-vx3Bb7h-q1h5EV3KW0KJNzH5aLO1XBDgqHcrNX8o6NU5uoA/s640/VA+City+and+Incline+Village+001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lcn_paoUgric59lO3QvZjyvN3K017fwp70eoW7XyHT3JXlygn1GPfkjUbTOVGF2vqZWbsC1mchccbMhuLXOqvFRHc7mAr4UElOsW18eumDwg7TG2Xj-Zgw1nKS9CXDbZ8QKcvWzWG1Y/s1600/VA+City+and+Incline+Village+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1600" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lcn_paoUgric59lO3QvZjyvN3K017fwp70eoW7XyHT3JXlygn1GPfkjUbTOVGF2vqZWbsC1mchccbMhuLXOqvFRHc7mAr4UElOsW18eumDwg7TG2Xj-Zgw1nKS9CXDbZ8QKcvWzWG1Y/s640/VA+City+and+Incline+Village+007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Yes, the name is Winnemucca. We wondered about the name too. Turns out Sarah Winnemucca was the first Native American author. Her family pursued friendly relationships with arriving settlers. Later, war between her tribe and the settlers broke out. Sarah and some of her family traveled to San Francisco to escape the fighting. Sadly, her mother was killed by the U.S. cavalry. After that, Winnemucca became an advocate for Native Americans and traveled across the country to tell of the plight of her people. We're jumping ahead a little here but there is a statue of Sarah in the State Capitol building in Carson City recognizing her efforts and influence on the state. </div>
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The excitement in Winnemucca was tires. It's not uncommon for veteran RVers (the men at least) to walk up to your RV just as you are getting settled at a new RV Park and check out out your tires. They all use the same line - "What kind of tires you got on that thing?" Being still relatively new at this, I appreciate any good information fellow RVers want to share. Here's the short version and I have heard it over and over again - most manufacturers put the minimum legal set of tires on RVs to carry the factory weight, usually 10-ply tires, and most RVs are operating on the highway overloaded or at least close to maxing out. Ours is the same way and I have just not been happy with the tires on our RV. We have already had one to shred way back in Mitchell, SD, doing some damage to the RV, but fortunately we were able to make repairs and continue the trip. We changed out another one with the spare and two others were not wearing correctly. And the problem is that when they need changing, you are at the mercy of whatever dealer you can find and what they carry in stock, in most cases, inferior 10-ply Chinese brands. All the experts keep telling me nothing will fix the problem except Goodyear 614 tires, a 14-ply tire with other structural stuff that I don't understand. I'm not a tire guy.</div>
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I decided it was time in Winnemucca, found a great Goodyear dealer in town, and started making up the "We Will Work For RV Tires" signs to be able to afford them! I also decided to call our manufacturer, Grand Design, and chewed on them a bit for putting minimum rubber on an RV that they advertise to be a high quality product. The guy actually immediately agreed with me and said they stock all of their products now with 14 ply tires (but still a Chinese brand, Westlakes) realizing that the 10-ply tires just don't cut it. He offered to pay half of whatever we wanted to put on the RV so we decided the temporary job would not be necessary and bought the Goodyear 614s. The dealer said these babies are the same tires used on vehicles like busses and car haulers. I definitely feel better about our tires now and am really looking forward to one of those veteran RVers walking up and asking me, "What kind of tires you got on that thing?"</div>
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We left Winnemucca with our Goodyear 614s and headed for Reno and Carson City. We decided to stop for lunch at Lovelock, NV - they have capitalized on their name and built a city park where lovers can place a lock in the park symbolizing their love for each other. We've seen similar deals like this in a couple of cities (Nashville comes to mind) but most of the locks are attached to chain link fences on pedestrian bridges over rivers. Here's Lovelock's version and they have several of them. (We did not have a lock so we did not get to "lock our love in Lovelock." But after 40 plus years we are on pretty solid footing without a gimmicky lock on a chain in Nevada!)</div>
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Did I mention that every little town in Nevada has one thing in common going for them (besides brothels of course) - CASINOS! It's really beyond our imagination at how many we see because it takes lots of people pouring lots of money into them to keep them in business. We just don't get it. Some areas also have winter ski resorts but casinos are everywhere in this state (and we haven't even gotten to Vegas yet)!</div>
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We chose Carson City as our next stop for its proximity to good motorcycle rides, Lake Tahoe, Bonanza stuff like Virginia City, and it's the state capitol.</div>
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Reno and Carson City highways and bridges have lots and lots of cool graphics and statues. Note the eagle in the picture above and its size in reference to the cars passing by on the highway. Here's a closeup below. This thing was yuge (Trump again).</div>
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The next morning, I finally got my bike out again for the first time in a while and headed for the #2 motorcyle ride in Nevada - Lake Tahoe, into the ski slope hills from there above Incline Village, up Geiger Grade Road over to Virginia City, and back to Carson. Below, Lake Tahoe from the south and overlooking Incline Village.</div>
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Some of our church friends back home were here last weekend and said the water is 99.9% clean. I'd say that's pretty accurate.</div>
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This is Emerald Bay on the California side.</div>
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Oh, I forgot the "Welcome To California" sign.</div>
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More Emerald Bay.</div>
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And one more of Tahoe from the west side looking east.</div>
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I left on my bike ride pretty early to take advantage of the cool temperatures (57 degrees at 7 AM), so Rhonda and I still had time to head out after lunch to check out Virginia City and Tahoe together. Here's a brief history and update on this area as regards the popular TV series, Bonanza. Most of the series was actually filmed in Incline Village and up until 2004 you could tour some of the actual set. As best I can determine, much of that is still standing today, but is no longer accessible to the public after purchase by a developer who claims "the real estate values had gotten too high to keep Bonanza memorabilia the priority." (Obviously he did not grow up watching Hoss and Little Joe.)</div>
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Virginia City is about 25 miles away and still retains a real old west feel about it. The city was populated around a huge silver find called the Comstock Lode (named after a prospector who originally owned the land but sold it before the silver find and missed out on all the wealth. He sold it to an ancester of the Hearst family, publishing mogul who obviously did capitalize on the wealth). It sprung up almost immediately around the time of the Civil War as a very prosperous mining town, the value of which in today's market was estimated to be around a billion dollars. One of Nevada's sayings is "Battle Born" and is in reference to the major support the Union received from the monies from the mines that went toward the war effort. To this day, there is confusion about the state motto between "Battle Born," "The Silver State," and "All For Country" (the actual motto). I stopped in at Carson City Harley Davidson and every one of their t-shirts had "Battle Born" on them. Here's the phrase on an emblem at the state capitol building in Carson City.</div>
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Downtown Virginia City.</div>
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Here's a view of the town from the cemetery (No - Hoss, Adam, Little Joe, Paw, or Hop Sing are not buried here). Note the yellow colored mounds are all remnants from the mining process. The Comstock Lode was about 90% silver and 10% gold but most of the value from the mines was from the gold because of its much greater value. </div>
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There are three towns that make up "Gold Canyon" - Virginia City, Silver City, and Gold Hill. Some of the original mining equipment is still in place such as the "head frame" (mid right below).<br />
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A close -up of another one on the east side of Virginia City.<br />
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There were some scenes from Bonanza filmed at Virginia City. You probably remember "The Silver Dollar Saloon."<br />
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Rhonda and I headed west out of Virginia City down Geiger Grade Road for some pictures - more of the "high desert" landscape that is common here and much of the western states.<br />
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Look closely and you can see Reno in the distance.<br />
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And I'll close with a little more on the capital of Nevada, Carson City. This is the original capitol building and the "feel" of Carson City is not what you'd expect. It has a small town feel about it. You can just walk in the front door of the capitol building, some guards ask if you are visiting or on business, and you can wander around the first 2 floors on your own, no body scanners, no anything. </div>
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We walked right up to the offices of folks like The Secretary Of State, and even the Governor (nameplate above the door)..</div>
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And here's the Governor's mansion a few blocks away in the middle of a lot of old historic homes.</div>
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So, Nevada was fun and we'll be returning to the state later when we head back east through Las Vegas. In the meantime we have lots of territory to cover in California. We covered 275 miles today westbound from Reno, across the Sierra Nevada Mountains, through Sacramento, north through some of Napa Valley, and at this writing we are at an RV Park in Nice, CA on the north side of Clear Lake, largest lake in CA. Tomorrow we'll be in the redwoods of CA at one location for a week, about 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The owners of the RV park say there is no TV, very little WIFI or phone coverage, and the closest grocery store is 50 miles away, so we'll see how that goes. But the scenery is beautiful, the Pacific Coast Highway and the #1 and #4 motorcycle rides for CA are close by, and we need a little time to rest up anyway. Later! </div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-59045578730211408972017-08-13T16:15:00.000-07:002017-08-13T16:33:45.552-07:00Potatoes, Cleanliness, Mormons, and Salt (Lots of Salt)<div style="text-align: center;">
We departed Swan Valley and headed for Blackfoot, ID, Potato Capital Of The World. We rode back through the farmland we posted about previously, still beautiful, so I'm posting another hayfield.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufowzbiZABZe-cEi749dDpjXDpoLNnAD7K93JEM7uhAG13F_e3z-9e3sPB3HllhYLPGytSYF_K2Y23hJNuUyd9EO49VNssNvs7UnwnEtxRPIrkUzpW6IISdQb5jPKWCm9t9DtIKCVXT0/s1600/Swan+Valley+to+Pocatello+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="857" data-original-width="1600" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufowzbiZABZe-cEi749dDpjXDpoLNnAD7K93JEM7uhAG13F_e3z-9e3sPB3HllhYLPGytSYF_K2Y23hJNuUyd9EO49VNssNvs7UnwnEtxRPIrkUzpW6IISdQb5jPKWCm9t9DtIKCVXT0/s640/Swan+Valley+to+Pocatello+005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Enroute to Blackfoot, we began to see lots of lava flows along the roadway. Turns out this is one of the things that makes Southern Idaho so suitable for growing potatoes. I guess the minerals in the lava?</div>
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The other ingredients are plenty of water (24 inches per growing season) and the right temps. While Idaho does not have significant rainfall, they do have lots of snow melt, large rivers like the Snake River, and some very productive aquifers.</div>
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So, here's a potato field. Sounds like most of the farms are family operations, they enjoy that life, and most have been doing it for many generations. One farmer commented that they just love potatoes - "If everybody ate as many potatoes as we do, we couldn't grow enough for the rest of the world!"</div>
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So, Blackfoot, ID has a potato museum with lots of history, artifacts, and data about the business, (you know, like museums have). But, I'll save you from all of that (except that McDonalds french fries are sliced by a machine that fires the potatoes down a tube at 60 MPH), and just show you a large baked potato with butter, kinda like the huge pistachio we found down in Alamagordo, New Mexico.</div>
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Well, one more interesting fact - most of the Idaho potatoes are the Russet Burbank variety, discovered and developed by Luther Burbank from a single seed (eye) he found in a New England garden in 1872 to combat the potato famine that killed over a million people in Ireland.</div>
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From Blackfoot, we headed to Pocatello, Idaho. I attended an FAA managers class many years ago and met a guy from Pocatello. He made it sound like a really cool town and I've always thought I'd like to go there. Come to find out, it's also the home of Idaho State University, home of The Bengals. College towns are usually pretty nice.</div>
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We rode through the campus and should note that their "Holt Arena" is the first enclosed college football stadium. Hey, we all need to know a little trivia, don't you think? So, if you had the opportunity to go back in time, go back to college, and relive your life to now (<b>not</b> knowing what you know now), would you? Keep in mind, that would require going to class, taking tests, doing stupid stuff, but a lot of fun also. I probably would not. Pretty happy with things as they are.</div>
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But the main attraction for stopping in Pocatello was "The Museum Of Clean." We thought that would be pretty interesting and definitely applicable to Rhonda, her sister, Kelly, and her Mom, "G." They are all OCD about germs, dirt, and cleanliness. Now, that's not a bad thing, especially compared to the other extreme. But if there was a "Hall Of Fame" at the museum for cleanliness, they would all be listed there! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWGBQ3odl2bI9tumnsiq7VMbEH9os_aeaKiWFCcwISmzF-loGhPKlWX4HM_Obb3Sj_Hi1h6ug6EdfwhgIMGWJ6rJvR26hx5BnUdxwmk8GHkGOOxne1uqKsp9v2kIDODiNBC8QXtpGbJ0/s1600/Swan+Valley+to+Pocatello+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1457" data-original-width="1600" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWGBQ3odl2bI9tumnsiq7VMbEH9os_aeaKiWFCcwISmzF-loGhPKlWX4HM_Obb3Sj_Hi1h6ug6EdfwhgIMGWJ6rJvR26hx5BnUdxwmk8GHkGOOxne1uqKsp9v2kIDODiNBC8QXtpGbJ0/s640/Swan+Valley+to+Pocatello+032.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The museum was built by a Pocatello native, Don Aslett, who also graduated from Idaho State. Don apparently came from the same gene pool as Rhonda's family and had a serious affinity toward cleanliness. While attending ISU, he started a cleaning business, hired some of his classmates to work for him, and by the time he graduated he had "Varsity Contractors" cleaning businesses in 4 states. He made a career of it and was obviously very successful. Don has written several books on cleaning and has done seminars and TV shows on the topic. He decided a museum of clean would be appropriate, bought an entire city block, and restored a 3-story 75,000 square foot building into a tribute to all things clean!<br />
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You start out the tour by viewing a typical cluttered and pretty messy garage/storage building. If you can identify 5 things in their storage area that you also have in your own garage/storage, you get to pick a free book from his writings. And, of course Don conducts seminars on how to unclutter your home and storage areas! Even though we live in a condo without a garage, we have a storage building and were able to get a free book! Our five items were an old vacuum cleaner, fan, can of paint, sprayer, and propane tank. </div>
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Turns out Don has a really corny and gimmicky sense of humor. So, while the museum provides lots of history and artifacts about the topic (you know, like museums do) a lot of the displays are a little silly and corny, like Don. Artifacts include things like a 1600-year-old bronze Roman toothpick (for CLEANING teeth) and a Roman terra cotta juglet from the Jericho area, circa 50 BC to 50 AD, used in the WASHING/CLEANING of feet!<br />
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There are some odd topics covered like chimney sweeps (for CLEANING soot from chimneys) with the Mary Poppins video playing of course! But most of the topics covered are everyday things like vacuum cleaners, brooms, detergents, tubs, toilets, toilet paper, etc. Here are some examples. Note that this display of vacuum cleaners is only specific to "hand pump" vacuums. The museum has more vacuum cleaners than anything else, numbering around a thousand.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbRJJm24FUkcxALenfsYOiEVZfZbso31C0rpeEqavf1GF58XPSyC63JU9_qTMJJlG331QVMiFrqduUeuy31-_QVY0e8tgaU8KBGgYIfrDkvF2Lv3Sk8dH6_yVfRghcohdCoxl79GQ2kk/s1600/Swan+Valley+to+Pocatello+053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbRJJm24FUkcxALenfsYOiEVZfZbso31C0rpeEqavf1GF58XPSyC63JU9_qTMJJlG331QVMiFrqduUeuy31-_QVY0e8tgaU8KBGgYIfrDkvF2Lv3Sk8dH6_yVfRghcohdCoxl79GQ2kk/s640/Swan+Valley+to+Pocatello+053.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Toilets.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArVkvrEPYYt45myhpaF9pauR5Hnw6ZowsVdg9fS8ueLsnxEn-25B51XRlTbLTVGZLGnPIrr7E7hJlU39Hhlw7CG5SrGqjScU4YP-mEfqZNAV0kk_4gcGzIZCH4AKs4b70ER3do5X71C4/s1600/Swan+Valley+to+Pocatello+061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArVkvrEPYYt45myhpaF9pauR5Hnw6ZowsVdg9fS8ueLsnxEn-25B51XRlTbLTVGZLGnPIrr7E7hJlU39Hhlw7CG5SrGqjScU4YP-mEfqZNAV0kk_4gcGzIZCH4AKs4b70ER3do5X71C4/s640/Swan+Valley+to+Pocatello+061.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Toilet tissue and fixtures. </div>
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And we could go on forever with the different topics he covers. In the washtub section, here's an example of his sense of humor. That's a dust mop on top.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrVp9nMKcVLRYf-CNiDKC4LjuGZ6hWv5DPBvjPPmpmuIdmkghfK1PlGAhLMVMG1rNJiFlhw7FJDxLY4wEr48wKBkWkJhSR1mR7aZriHZ__5SBWn6viyVZ_GbMNLcXDIo9iF9ThZjgEEZA/s1600/Swan+Valley+to+Pocatello+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1547" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrVp9nMKcVLRYf-CNiDKC4LjuGZ6hWv5DPBvjPPmpmuIdmkghfK1PlGAhLMVMG1rNJiFlhw7FJDxLY4wEr48wKBkWkJhSR1mR7aZriHZ__5SBWn6viyVZ_GbMNLcXDIo9iF9ThZjgEEZA/s640/Swan+Valley+to+Pocatello+033.JPG" width="618" /></a></div>
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And in the bathtub section, he notes the oddities of a cowboy tub - no need to take off your hat or boots.</div>
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And we thought this was pretty funny - the "Clean Politics" section, no such thing. So, you get the idea. You see the history of cleaning materials and have a few laughs as well.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-EHLm0enm1yu2gyOqDxOpsOyHdeNPtvUHUmo1f_INYBOn-PlCv2oRmeSXhKaps63yd3G_IDjWCuDkz4Rtvae845uiiNn24x3MIsK6kVkj7FZ2W84K1NnODR-189wYRJ7jTRCILG71kI/s1600/Swan+Valley+to+Pocatello+075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1160" data-original-width="1600" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk-EHLm0enm1yu2gyOqDxOpsOyHdeNPtvUHUmo1f_INYBOn-PlCv2oRmeSXhKaps63yd3G_IDjWCuDkz4Rtvae845uiiNn24x3MIsK6kVkj7FZ2W84K1NnODR-189wYRJ7jTRCILG71kI/s640/Swan+Valley+to+Pocatello+075.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We departed Pocatello for Salt Lake City but the closest campsite we could get was in Ogden. This was the first time we were given "state laws" concerning swimming pools. The laws, often with detailed pictures were posted all around the RV park. Along with the no running, etc. type of rules were many unique ones: If you have been sick with (list of assorted illnesses) in the last 2 weeks, you can't use a public pool. You must take a CLEANSING shower to enter the pool enclosure. If you go to the bathroom, you must take another CLEANSING shower. Baby diapers must be changed in the restroom and then the baby must be given a CLEANSING shower. And with pictures - you would not swim in your toilet, so don't do this in the pool. Obviously, Don has given his pool hygiene talk to the Utah State Assembly.</div>
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Welcome to Utah!</div>
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We had planned just a short touch-n-go in SLC but as soon as we hit the Temple Square of The Church Of Latter Day Saints, we were very intrigued - not with their doctrine and some really strange ideas, but with the beauty, organization, and the vastness of their location in Salt Lake City. I don't know that we have ever seen so many flowers in one place. They go on and on forever and the grounds (and the city itself) are immaculate - no trash, no gum on the sidewalks, manicured lawns/trees/shrubs/flowers, lots of infinity and reflection pools, etc., etc. The Temple Square complex occupies 35 acres in downtown Salt Lake City.</div>
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They have some seriously strange practices and ideas about weddings and they have lots of them - we were there about 3 PM and they had already performed 40 weddings that day, almost like an assembly line operation. One of the 40 couples for the day below. (Sorry about the workers in the background).</div>
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Another couple with the fountain up and running in one of the infinity pools.</div>
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But let's get to some of the buildings and architecture. The Temple and reflecting pool.</div>
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The original Tabernacle (outside).</div>
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Original Tabernacle (inside).</div>
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Temple and Tabernacle side-by-side.</div>
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The church and choir have outgrown the old tabernacle which could only seat about two thousand. So, most of that is now done in their conference center which can seat twenty-two thousand. Here's the interior of that building.</div>
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We were able to go up to the 26th floor of their main administrative building for an aerial view of the campus and the city of Salt Lake. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAk05YHFbDgew0Zgdmt-RrePD2qGeBdTVTyNlYvLZl4bebxI6KITloU9L_SRxyIt7uEAF9vdmnNzV2C37t2gReMnWfp0s2pPi6WM2gw_tXgr_ajUo495wcokBrk6GqKI_ziLGdfvoSxLQ/s1600/Salt+Lake+City+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAk05YHFbDgew0Zgdmt-RrePD2qGeBdTVTyNlYvLZl4bebxI6KITloU9L_SRxyIt7uEAF9vdmnNzV2C37t2gReMnWfp0s2pPi6WM2gw_tXgr_ajUo495wcokBrk6GqKI_ziLGdfvoSxLQ/s640/Salt+Lake+City+050.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The east side of SLC which includes some of the 2002 Olympics venues in the distance.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKclEtXf9rMH5efkeFx5Iy_S6oKXuvxioBfDXM5k3L94iJUuIHVhfabtm5RhRDj_nztKxjGUdj_8hNeM6OWLaIi3eMb3nm2vubYwlqsagJ60wfG0nuD-EHf2470-T3gsJKrcLrMRthCyo/s1600/Salt+Lake+City+058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKclEtXf9rMH5efkeFx5Iy_S6oKXuvxioBfDXM5k3L94iJUuIHVhfabtm5RhRDj_nztKxjGUdj_8hNeM6OWLaIi3eMb3nm2vubYwlqsagJ60wfG0nuD-EHf2470-T3gsJKrcLrMRthCyo/s640/Salt+Lake+City+058.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The State Capitol on the north side.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqNPxeiIQFe_KwqNnTtSvOpmjyMK59YsEeQFxS9_rtLuwDuQldD2LDelduh1whGW7ewK3DKwyD2JJthAcF3ite35_32mBxs3OA0Y7ZhaQL1P_7eUqNxD3cHeoQhHQUI9y1fuCvT-R4NQ/s1600/Salt+Lake+City+056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqNPxeiIQFe_KwqNnTtSvOpmjyMK59YsEeQFxS9_rtLuwDuQldD2LDelduh1whGW7ewK3DKwyD2JJthAcF3ite35_32mBxs3OA0Y7ZhaQL1P_7eUqNxD3cHeoQhHQUI9y1fuCvT-R4NQ/s640/Salt+Lake+City+056.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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One other interesting note - they have a free genealogy service to track your family history. One caveat - there has to be a Mormon somewhere in that history. Pretty sure that disqualified us from the search so we moved on to the other main attraction in SLC - Salt Lake itself. We chose Antelope Island State Park for that. Looks like a statue of an antelope would be more appropriate here although there are bison on the island.</div>
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A little info on Salt Lake. It is actually a small remnant of the much larger Lake Bonneville that covered most of the area in the past. Salt Lake is fairly shallow, is slowly receding, and the salinity varies from 10-27% (the oceans average 3.5%). The lady that took us up to see the aerial view of Salt Lake City told Rhonda one reason it is receding is because the city tries to capture all of the snow melt for the city's use, so the lake is not being replenished.</div>
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It was quite a hike out to the water after an already long day. The sand was not packed sand by any means and not conducive to an easy walk - it was more like a workout, but we made it out and barely made it back! A young boy we passed on the way out told Rhonda, "It's a LOT harder coming back!" We are definitely getting too old for all this foolishness. Yes, that's the shoreline way out there. Glad we visited before it recedes any farther!</div>
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Rhonda had sandals on so she ventured out into the water like many others. The water is too salty for any marine life except for brine shrimp, and the air definitely has a shrimpy smell, so we opted out on floating in the lake.</div>
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Reflections on a smaller portion of the lake.</div>
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And associated with the "salt" theme, we headed west for Nevada the next day and passed the Bonneville Salt Flats. I mentioned the original Lake Bonneville previously and as you leave Salt Lake City you see salt for almost 100 miles. Morton Salt has some of its industry there (since 1918) and we thought that was cool after viewing the Morton Salt history in Nebraska City, NE a few weeks ago. Their name and logo with the little girl on the box is on this plant but Rhonda missed it with the camera. The whiteness of the salt piles is almost blinding.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISIMaIETeyWgQ-4syn6l-Bs15rubVMfXuBorMfaoN4VE0Eb74QMjovgHJ8z5Gb7JFQsnxR-StcZ5OG9okwyxTW64xGJGDTjYeznJZkl4TPN2RBeZ6dPryBkDa_wSWCbNtr0wIO2YUg98/s1600/SLC+to+Wells+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="815" data-original-width="1600" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgISIMaIETeyWgQ-4syn6l-Bs15rubVMfXuBorMfaoN4VE0Eb74QMjovgHJ8z5Gb7JFQsnxR-StcZ5OG9okwyxTW64xGJGDTjYeznJZkl4TPN2RBeZ6dPryBkDa_wSWCbNtr0wIO2YUg98/s640/SLC+to+Wells+015.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-aAzSZkbkjQ6U0-fs0N6kFn4DIv3x5dRcwgCdZifBkpo0gGpuhJPZZYc1CFczFzM41q0TxHeGLvpSw3CAtTq8HskI4r1KFjimb8aGVMqt78nXA4IuiPZkedzi9OFpWM5DxsctPIAVsaY/s1600/SLC+to+Wells+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="1600" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-aAzSZkbkjQ6U0-fs0N6kFn4DIv3x5dRcwgCdZifBkpo0gGpuhJPZZYc1CFczFzM41q0TxHeGLvpSw3CAtTq8HskI4r1KFjimb8aGVMqt78nXA4IuiPZkedzi9OFpWM5DxsctPIAVsaY/s640/SLC+to+Wells+022.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Another view of Salt Lake heading west on I-80 from SLC.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm97wqCFrk3Pz8WwSG19iLfEAcAw9osx7kurwdjCB8zRxGgKh8583rKIAuNQPDabaqZnQaJQ36dpgmWBt4RXUzoyEVtXQoWna0Z0nCMOA6uAcvx1oT-CV7OK8VD0G2GsrMeFwcevNmf1c/s1600/SLC+to+Wells+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="1600" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm97wqCFrk3Pz8WwSG19iLfEAcAw9osx7kurwdjCB8zRxGgKh8583rKIAuNQPDabaqZnQaJQ36dpgmWBt4RXUzoyEVtXQoWna0Z0nCMOA6uAcvx1oT-CV7OK8VD0G2GsrMeFwcevNmf1c/s640/SLC+to+Wells+009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This reminded us of the Atchafalaya Basin section of I-10 west of Baton Rouge, but with salt on both sides and in the center. Salt everywhere.</div>
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This is a typical site along the highway - more "hold my beer and watch this" moments. A vintage Dodge Charger had made it out a good bit farther than this truck and a large trailer had just unloaded a large track vehicle of some sort that was on the way out across the flats to retrieve it. The owner was standing by his Charger looking a little bit helpless and shall we say, stupid (which you know cannot be fixed!). Rhonda missed that camera shot too but they do happen quickly at 60 MPH.</div>
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100 miles of salt gets a little boring after a while, so people that aren't stupid but still want to contribute to the landscape, do so in other ways. Lots of these along the roadside with an assortment of messages. Most are done with rocks but some use upside down colored bottles.</div>
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One very creative one that Rhonda missed with the camera was two very large black shark fins protruding above the salt. But this one topped them all and is known as the "Tree Of Utah." No idea???? </div>
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This was a Bonneville Salt Flats speed runs weekend but we just did not have the time to check it out. However, there is a visitors center just a few miles east of the race track that provides great access to the salt flats.</div>
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Just like you have to touch the water at the Great Salt Lake, you have to walk out on the salt flats for yourself - this was extremely cool. Below, I'm already out there a pretty good distance and Rhonda is headed that way. The flats at this location are not completely dry. There is a layer of moisture and a few pools of water throughout and the ground kinda crunches as you walk across. The visitors center in the distance even has covered parking and picnic tables. Couldn't quite get the RV in the shade. And of course, the "all things clean" rule applies here so everybody is sure to wash their feet before getting into their cars. As Don says, "80% of all dirt in your house comes in on your feet." That was for you, Scott! (Our younger son has some of the cleanliness obsessions also and is a bit phobic about people wearing shoes into their house. He makes a good argument though with "think about standing there at men's bathroom urinals!")</div>
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And the salt of course.</div>
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In the pictures below, you can see some of the standing water at the edge.</div>
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So, that about it it. We are enjoying our travels, though admittedly a bit tiring for a couple of older folks, but we are learning so much about this portion of the country that we were not familiar with. We miss our friends and family but glad we are making the trip. We'll be home in about 6 weeks we think, and you'll hear from us next in Nevada.</div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-33973643586891491522017-08-09T21:47:00.001-07:002017-08-09T21:47:49.823-07:00Grand Tetons and Swan Valley, ID<div style="text-align: justify;">
I just want you to know that you are witnessing history with this blog post - the first time on this trip that we are leaving a stop with the blog posted before we pull out of the parking lot! That may not happen again. </div>
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We departed Glacier National Park (GNP) 4 days ago and backtracked a bit. We had planned to continue westward from GNP 230 miles to Coeur d'Alene, ID (the "jewel" of Idaho on the Washington state border) but there was nowhere we wanted to go from there (we've been to Washington and Oregon years ago), and some of the roads south of Coeur d'Alene continuing through Idaho cannot accomodate big rigs through all of the mountains down toward Boise.</div>
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We decided previously when we were at Yellowstone not to make the long trip down to the Tetons, but to try and catch them later from the west side. So, that's where we are in "the plan" which really isn't much of one. After GNP, we spent one night in Deer Lodge, MT, then picked up I-15 southbound toward Idaho Falls, ID, and found a campground in Swan Valley, ID only 40 miles from the Tetons. And from Swan Valley and the Tetons, we will be making stops in Pocatello, ID, Ogden, UT (through Salt Lake City), and across northern Nevada into Reno and the Lake Tahoe area, then into California. Dang, I'm tired just thinking about all that. </div>
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Oh yeah, welcome to Idaho (I ventured into ID for the first time on the Lolo Pass bike ride, but this is Rhonda's first time).</div>
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The ride down to Idaho Falls was pretty much what we have already experienced, but the farmland between there and Swan Valley was a little different. As best we can determine, hay is still the big crop supplemented by wheat and barley. Rhonda asked the locals what the crops are and they all said, "We don't know...maybe barley for beer, or wheat, or something else." The pictures here and in the Tetons are all hazy because of a huge fire around Idaho Falls, but these fields are the prettiest farmland we have seen anywhere.</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">We believe the dark section on the bottom is wheat and the lighter section is barley.</span></div>
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And here's our campground for 3 days - "Rendezvous at the South Fork" - (South Fork refers to a section of the Snake River).</div>
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It's a small and very quaint RV park and we made even more history here - NO TV FOR 3 DAYS! Usually if there is no cable we can get some over-the-air channels via our antenna. Not this time and we missed "The Bachelorette" because of it. Yes, it's true, we watch that show, sorry to disappoint some of our friends and family. By the way, of the three at the end, we kind of liked Eric the best.</div>
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They also have a few log cabins, tent campers, and lots of evergreens here. </div>
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The leaves are starting to turn yellow here already.<br />
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We have crossed the Snake River numerous times since arriving here and these "drift" boats are common for the shallow waters of the river.</div>
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So, let's head to the Tetons through Teton Gap. Nothing that we haven't already seen as far as scenery, but in addition to the runaway truck uphill sand exits for the steep downhill grades (10% grades on this one and the steepest we have seen), they have catchnet cable systems. The runaway vehicle heads between the barricades and is slowed down by a series of cables and nets - pretty cool. </div>
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There were a couple of these antler arches in the town of Jackson, WY.</div>
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The Tetons are beautiful in their own way, but you are always looking at them from a distance - you do not ride through the Teton Mountains. That was a bit disappointing, and with the haze, they were not as captivating as we had heard. Also, what you see is more of the same single range of mountains, not much variety. But here goes, enjoy.</div>
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And a couple of shots with Jenny Lake in the foreground.</div>
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Just to be fair to the Tetons, I borrowed a picture from the internet to show what they could look like on a clear day.<br />
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We had a little fun with a "sound study" in progress inside the park. IMHO, this is another worthless government project, of no value to anyone. The equipment is positioned right next to the road so you can see how your vehicle rates in terms of "sound pollution." You will find yourself in green, yellow, or red categories. From these indicators, we know who the good, borderline, and evil drivers are. We actually pulled over and monitored cars passing through for awhile and there was no rhyme or reason to the indications - small cars registered just as high as others and the big boys registered low as often as anyone else. Then just to test it, we pulled our 6.7 liter Dodge Ram Cummins diesel right up to the system, put it in neutral, and revved it up. (For those evil noise polluters out there, you know the Cummins diesels are loud.) The best we could get out of it was about 65 dBs, but that's in the yellow range, so we will go trade in our truck, motorcycle, and RV tomorrow for a Prius and a tent I guess. Of course, the small car in the picture below registered higher than our truck and often the reading was in the yellow when there was absolutely NO traffic. (You can tell we sat here for quite a while.) A couple of Harleys had some fun with it also and revved their bikes up as they passed by. (We googled the study and motorcycles are one of the main targets to make them aware of their impact. That's really going to change some things. Heck, one of the main attractions to Harleys is their sound!) And that's the absurdity of the whole thing. The readings appeared to be erroneous as often as not, but even if they were accurate and reliable, it's not going to change a thing. More tax dollars wasted, nothing accomplished. Well, I guess they could close the park and let the animals listen to the breeze blow through the trees.</div>
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We finally got a little bored with that and decided to check out a bakery in Jackson that Rhonda was interested in. It was rated as the best bakery in town, but there was not a single cinnamon roll, doughnut, or pastry - just a few loaves of bread. She said it was a little pathetic as far as bakeries go and was leaving when she saw a jar of cookies. They were pretty good, but she really wanted raisin bread or cinnamon rolls for breakfast.</div>
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We headed to Alpine where we were told we could find a meat and vegetables meal at Yankee Doodle Diner. The website said "Southern cooking" and listed meatloaf, fried chicken, vegetables, and all that good "homecooking" type of food. Rhonda went in to get a table and was told, "Sorry, we don't serve dinner anymore. We can't get anyone to work the evening shift, so we had to stop serving those dinners! We just serve hamburgers and sandwiches now for lunch." Maybe the old evening employees are all working on sound pollution studies somewhere now instead. Folks, we are in a mess. And remember we have been trying to find real meals for a long time, so I am kind of grumpy. Rhonda called one of 2 restaurants in Swan Valley and the first said, "Yes we have vegetables. Our meals all come with a salad." So, feeling even more food deprived, we headed home along Palisades Lake which is a dammed up portion of the Snake River. Beautiful.</div>
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In closing and just so you know, not all workers have decided to quit the evening shifts and vegetables do exist out West. We were able to get a nice meal at Snake River Roadhouse back close to our campsite - salmon, sauteed squash, and spinach. And did I mention the temperatures today remained in the mid-70s? Low tonight 48. Not so grumpy now. Off to Pocatello tomorrow.</div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-10568674310306565532017-08-08T16:56:00.000-07:002017-08-08T17:16:38.490-07:00Glacier National Park Pictorial<div style="text-align: justify;">
We almost did not go to Glacier National Park as it is a good bit north of most of our other plans, but we are glad we did. With the cool temperatures, green mountains (as opposed to the rocks and dust of many of the other mountains we have seen), evergreen trees, lots of water everywhere, beautiful flowers, and the "Going-to-the-Sun Road" across the mountains, it was a good decision. Also, much of the architecture looks Swiss and you almost feel like you are in the final scenes from "The Sound of Music." You know - "the hills are alive......" Here's the story (the very short version).</div>
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Around 1885, a fellow by the name of George Grinnel became very interested in the area he called the "Crown Of The Continent." He spent the next 20 years promoting the idea to his buddies in Washington of making it a national park. In 1891, The Great Northern Railway crossed the Continental Divide along the southern boundary of the area and also began promoting the grandeur and splendors of the region. The "Boone and Crockett Club" (Grinnel was a member) was the first social club in the area. All three entities began to petition congress for a national park designation which was finally signed into law by President Taft in 1910. Louis Hill, owner of Great Northern Railway and railroad baron, saw this as the opportunity to attract wealthy American passengers to his railway with the slogan "See America First." Hill knew the tourists needed places to stay and was ready to make a profit there also. The railway built Swiss-style chalets in the area and the tourists came to see "America's Switzerland." In 1916, there were about 12,839 tourists per year while today close to 3 million vist the park. It's true - if you build it, they will come.</div>
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Before we begin the tour of the park, this was a clever sign approaching the area.</div>
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We entered the park from the west entrance at West Glacier.</div>
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The first 10 miles or so of "Going-to-the-Sun Road" are along Lake McDonald. Our picture does not do the water itself justice - it was aqua blue.</div>
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Lots of streams and rocky falls along the way.</div>
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McDonald Lodge is one of the Swiss style lodges mentioned earlier, located at the north end of Lake McDonald.</div>
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Another view of the lake from the back of the lodge. The sun sets each day between the mountains on the right side. </div>
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Then you begin the ascent up the mountains.</div>
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The original "Going-to-the-Sun Road" designed by an engineer in 1918 had about 15 switchbacks planned, but much of the beautiful scenery would have been missed. According to legend, Park Director Stephen Mather rejected the plan and redrew the road himself on its current alignment along the steep alpine area known as the Garden Wall. The final version had only one switchback and a maximum 6% grade which is about as much as a vehicle could make back in 1921. The road completed in 1932 is so remarkable it was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Snowdrifts on the road are around 80 feet high most winters and it takes about 10 weeks for plow crews to clear the 50 miles of road each spring.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoBkUYW2PnOIB4fPAoLjB8hRYIeWkHk0Yr5ABwtDLYk7ONSJVbo0spd63tb02mBDY3IH-fFzJySIiAQFzD2IGQ2vUfrvKIZLMrnz2NlWJ-i0fmf7iX5SAI-86psiyfrg4aCAD_Kw9rqQ/s1600/Snow+clearing+Logan+Pass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="900" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoBkUYW2PnOIB4fPAoLjB8hRYIeWkHk0Yr5ABwtDLYk7ONSJVbo0spd63tb02mBDY3IH-fFzJySIiAQFzD2IGQ2vUfrvKIZLMrnz2NlWJ-i0fmf7iX5SAI-86psiyfrg4aCAD_Kw9rqQ/s640/Snow+clearing+Logan+Pass.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The road get a little tight near the top of the pass. At one curve, we met one of the free shuttle buses which are about as wide as our dually. I looked at the driver and he looked at me, both not sure if we could make it through the curve. We crept along, could have shaken hands as we passed, and ended up with no more than 2 inches between our mirrors - tight!</div>
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On our second trip through, Rhonda and I decided this next setting is definitely one of the prettiest we have ever seen. Everyone wanted to know what the flowers are and the answer from everyone was always, "I don't know, but I have never seen anything this beautiful." Back at the RV park, Rhonda was told the flowers are called fireweed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyYgRlz36FFLuFdLGI5yBHTfM2BehngWRn8ELFB8BMt0IeBqm6HK-una0WUw2V2K3P9w7pFAeJBJ0pdkNJbnceLvlpAU9z6lmztgpovfrUkPtbDVVrZQHhv97E5CJ7bKOm3CaWnCeJxQ/s1600/Glacier+Park+day+2+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyYgRlz36FFLuFdLGI5yBHTfM2BehngWRn8ELFB8BMt0IeBqm6HK-una0WUw2V2K3P9w7pFAeJBJ0pdkNJbnceLvlpAU9z6lmztgpovfrUkPtbDVVrZQHhv97E5CJ7bKOm3CaWnCeJxQ/s640/Glacier+Park+day+2+032.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And it is imperative that you like this next picture - I hiked half way up the mountain to get the shot looking down into the valley below!</div>
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Logan Pass is a popular stop, also right on the Continnental Divide. I wanted to be standing right on the line and not block the sign, so......</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLMiWd-0sVl1CuUdMd0XByWCpQdW_Cd3XaY9NyKXQL9zEv2vS8_lzHruKhaEjXS4wnWf2tde68241yZT5YkxrTQMwgBe5Wl-4ZMe82PXCQ29_5HF4bUikZWiNUTvD9xGvFAKRfx4xU-g/s1600/Glacier+Park+day+2+041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeLMiWd-0sVl1CuUdMd0XByWCpQdW_Cd3XaY9NyKXQL9zEv2vS8_lzHruKhaEjXS4wnWf2tde68241yZT5YkxrTQMwgBe5Wl-4ZMe82PXCQ29_5HF4bUikZWiNUTvD9xGvFAKRfx4xU-g/s640/Glacier+Park+day+2+041.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Lots of ground squirrels here.</div>
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The day I rode my bike across I saw 5 mountain goats at Logan Pass and 1 moose down at McDonald Lake - not there for Rhonda to see. But the sign says they are there.</div>
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And warnings for bears.</div>
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Lunch Creek is an area recommended to have lunch and enjoy the waterfalls. Not a bad idea but we had no lunch with us.</div>
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So we substituted... you guessed it - "Going-to-the-Sun" ice cream at the end of the road. It's basically heavy duty chocolate with almonds and marshmallows.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBD5IpTjfTup8WA6EIzpktfDkQptPUa6asMYTyUAH87qT_ud5DCRT5uvVTaIHdjH_L4dpCtf7b0p2yhwZTL9k1R1TtW-BQgtMzxQam3dBEZD6kOhyjR6odI-iKEisTlznDd6jKVR_HwM/s1600/Glacier+Park+day+1+091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1385" data-original-width="1600" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMBD5IpTjfTup8WA6EIzpktfDkQptPUa6asMYTyUAH87qT_ud5DCRT5uvVTaIHdjH_L4dpCtf7b0p2yhwZTL9k1R1TtW-BQgtMzxQam3dBEZD6kOhyjR6odI-iKEisTlznDd6jKVR_HwM/s640/Glacier+Park+day+1+091.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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St. Mary Lake is just prior to reaching the ice cream. It was formed by a glacier and there is one little small island that they say cannot be explained. Glaciers do not normally leave small islands standing in their path. This lake was also aqua blue but the clouds and overcast didn't help much with the picture. The island is slightly visible mid-left.</div>
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A close-up of Wild Goose Island.</div>
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On the way home, our last stop was at Avalanche Creek. In addition to the beautiful creek, this is an area of huge red cedars, western hemlocks, and giant cottonwoods. Some of these trees are over 500 years old. They have a boardwalk through the area of dense ferns and trees.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XPiVmMings72h2XgOLHb2vfJpcdG_TcmVLEAfubTpj2wWOkxylICBWMsSqL_XV-XWBsUmK365KMEF_XMWlThsuIt7T2JfmuFRNi8d7WXd7G_RBfSXymJdQv3H-n50R30VpmrHlm7pJM/s1600/Glacier+Park+day+2+066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XPiVmMings72h2XgOLHb2vfJpcdG_TcmVLEAfubTpj2wWOkxylICBWMsSqL_XV-XWBsUmK365KMEF_XMWlThsuIt7T2JfmuFRNi8d7WXd7G_RBfSXymJdQv3H-n50R30VpmrHlm7pJM/s640/Glacier+Park+day+2+066.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Root system of a fallen red cedar. These trees reach heights of 230 feet, 13 feet in diameter, and can live to be 1000 years old.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkAMBREMVu-4FW6htZ9rvA9mKJodYbtLpMY6Uef3diiAUyXmHtx8Izw16HB6UGVK_boUiMk_vYs4LPtk8F2qS8Ec-CJOIcdAxQkMd1gkd1qRwuYleSIU-LCYnO6ddxElZ_cdXVEpQzhY/s1600/Glacier+Park+day+2+063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkAMBREMVu-4FW6htZ9rvA9mKJodYbtLpMY6Uef3diiAUyXmHtx8Izw16HB6UGVK_boUiMk_vYs4LPtk8F2qS8Ec-CJOIcdAxQkMd1gkd1qRwuYleSIU-LCYnO6ddxElZ_cdXVEpQzhY/s640/Glacier+Park+day+2+063.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Waterfall at Avalanche Creek.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDEuFXMiaCUET6bH1gM0-FQoybZsm6Qh6GMd_seIYo8bJ6wCQqHPnmFXogeFi1a7E4yYZAZlmeVs0etCIeQk221SwzxowFYsO_CF1lsSOWIw7kgmKaN4x8dcNrnSHJPGdYmAkl6DebhY/s1600/Glacier+Park+day+2+076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDEuFXMiaCUET6bH1gM0-FQoybZsm6Qh6GMd_seIYo8bJ6wCQqHPnmFXogeFi1a7E4yYZAZlmeVs0etCIeQk221SwzxowFYsO_CF1lsSOWIw7kgmKaN4x8dcNrnSHJPGdYmAkl6DebhY/s640/Glacier+Park+day+2+076.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And we'll close with more flowers from up around Logan Pass. Rhonda loves the flowers.</div>
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Next stop - the Grand Tetons. Oh, did I mention the high today at Swan Valley, ID is 72? Lows tonight in the mid forties.</div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-14778938657583676582017-08-06T17:23:00.000-07:002017-08-06T17:23:46.730-07:00Yellowstone to Glacier National Park - Bike Rides and Other "Stuff" <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
There are lots of things that you see and experience while traveling. Big stops like Yellowstone and Glacier National Park are great but the "small stuff" is fun too! Here we go.</div>
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We left Yellowstone, made an overnight stop at Three Forks, MT, never even unhooked, ate at "Wheat Montana" which we had heard of but we had never been to one - not overly impressed, but OK. And for you Trump supporters out there - "<b>Bake</b> America great again."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfE0eJfxVRaNAAS2zZL4puEtnkwCLKYuqsEdA63uw2__rhE4ZnUbnRSikZNvfDDCAwg2DDqAiKR2AN-TO4ulEbDWGnvS0VegQy7TQ-lb772vBuOiGGrkvRYc9q95gnLLiHJQDFyaexcLI/s1600/Three+Forks+to+Missoula+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1347" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfE0eJfxVRaNAAS2zZL4puEtnkwCLKYuqsEdA63uw2__rhE4ZnUbnRSikZNvfDDCAwg2DDqAiKR2AN-TO4ulEbDWGnvS0VegQy7TQ-lb772vBuOiGGrkvRYc9q95gnLLiHJQDFyaexcLI/s320/Three+Forks+to+Missoula+001.JPG" width="269" /></a></div>
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Next day to Missoula, MT. Stayed at our first Yogi Bear "Jellystone" Campground (variant of Yellowstone from the cartoon series). Lots of these campgrounds out there - "Smarter than the av-er-age bear." First class campground and beautiful sunsets.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4FZYc7SSlv2GvymOlra396SdtmkEIyvgeTm2n0X9mvL-UAdm4HzEsK758zteQL2H1sAsgw5XsJGtlhHkOYyHjMvD6Cxlkt4wrbgHqh3wvz1P1QZrwIudOuLhzpnLxaE7wQSe128Zarw/s1600/Three+Forks+to+Missoula+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="1600" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf4FZYc7SSlv2GvymOlra396SdtmkEIyvgeTm2n0X9mvL-UAdm4HzEsK758zteQL2H1sAsgw5XsJGtlhHkOYyHjMvD6Cxlkt4wrbgHqh3wvz1P1QZrwIudOuLhzpnLxaE7wQSe128Zarw/s640/Three+Forks+to+Missoula+013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Full RV mode here and FOX news to boot.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYjiFuPw83PXcP15_qgKy_S20l3JUXAaKycnKDxdiocKVhtfcI13I6JEpne4PRYH4FVo7mniSuYXD2BXfazR7HBPV8IOebcxd9jAnOG8mMqg8aeW5Npb7mpEurmBe9zF3YWadymjM750/s1600/Missoula+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJYjiFuPw83PXcP15_qgKy_S20l3JUXAaKycnKDxdiocKVhtfcI13I6JEpne4PRYH4FVo7mniSuYXD2BXfazR7HBPV8IOebcxd9jAnOG8mMqg8aeW5Npb7mpEurmBe9zF3YWadymjM750/s640/Missoula+001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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An even better sunset. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmqbf52XBAwpVmA-yhrQ1Kd27zVb3U3QZQVG_82De5pxBeSmii79hjC_Zs3wTxgGPqoKi0lPps1RusicogRJypbYto3hmOvHArsHX9fRsL62StRSkkiRXwayezMSvV-Ho_rfs7KQIA3Y/s1600/Missoula+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmqbf52XBAwpVmA-yhrQ1Kd27zVb3U3QZQVG_82De5pxBeSmii79hjC_Zs3wTxgGPqoKi0lPps1RusicogRJypbYto3hmOvHArsHX9fRsL62StRSkkiRXwayezMSvV-Ho_rfs7KQIA3Y/s640/Missoula+002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Our campground was only 18 miles from the beginning of Lolo Pass, the number 1 motorcycle ride in Idaho, so I took advantage of that and got a bike ride in. Yogi was a bit down - 5 wildfires in the area with one only 3 miles south of my route. Oh, wait a minute, that's Smokey the Bear, different bear. Anyhow, about 20 miles into the ride, I was clear of all the smoke and some firefighters at my fuel stop before the ride assured me I would be OK on my route.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXn-4fNDYmekQj4W1M1gW1DHxNAQy4Tk2UqItq09DylQ_Y7QKw2KJZcerrEkjbl6y4wgrDGR4LoOgtr7urcria46WxkN3iTp1yPcbddSdi41nipu4Z2qTJPDnTBRPvDBhaq0rihfN5G8s/s1600/Lolo+Pass+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXn-4fNDYmekQj4W1M1gW1DHxNAQy4Tk2UqItq09DylQ_Y7QKw2KJZcerrEkjbl6y4wgrDGR4LoOgtr7urcria46WxkN3iTp1yPcbddSdi41nipu4Z2qTJPDnTBRPvDBhaq0rihfN5G8s/s400/Lolo+Pass+001.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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This kind of sign is always a "good sign" for a motorcycle ride!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiQvfZm5spN4qQIlzEjl9oAq-NXqIqF5uiC9WYQEnn37BwT52Dk3aviEDI7boIEFDPYccdd1il1FcEC9-qmzwh3uuuVQg_Abf_cMw8VmSq-3uCBOdy4ADt84OpPCfRf5xb3ODEQNzWQo/s1600/Lolo+Pass+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBiQvfZm5spN4qQIlzEjl9oAq-NXqIqF5uiC9WYQEnn37BwT52Dk3aviEDI7boIEFDPYccdd1il1FcEC9-qmzwh3uuuVQg_Abf_cMw8VmSq-3uCBOdy4ADt84OpPCfRf5xb3ODEQNzWQo/s400/Lolo+Pass+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Lolo Pass is basically Highway 12 from Lolo, MT to Lewiston, ID, crossing the Bitterroot Mountains, about 175 miles along the Lewis and Clark route. It was a very unique kind of ride - it never changed! If I recall correctly, the sharpest curve was 35 MPH and most were 45 MPH and up. You kind of get in a groove and it never varies. According to the reviews I read, the entire length of the ride follows the river and it's in view 90% of the time, so the scenery never changes either! Imagine this shot below about a thousand different ways and that's Lolo Pass. For the eastern portion that I rode there are no towns, no overpasses, very little traffic, and it actually got a little monotonous. Fuel is an issue also - you reach a point where you have to either turn around to make it back to Lolo or keep going to reach the next fuel stop for the return trip. That would have added 120 miles to the ride for me and the road began to get rough at that decision point, so I turned around and headed home. Beautiful, but IMHO, not worthy of a #1 ride classification.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgX9hFOYnaS_9F7KsNcniI2f6hilFm8VMs_L3CKw8QCaqAUJGOozqxMU07rLzBnTYYW0rssWNoOjfud6tTv8gRsDgRTjLyxKfDCl0_Q7wSLzWwAP5cDITy2nBwfLmz8ecCmqku_jcAOg/s1600/Lolo+Pass+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsgX9hFOYnaS_9F7KsNcniI2f6hilFm8VMs_L3CKw8QCaqAUJGOozqxMU07rLzBnTYYW0rssWNoOjfud6tTv8gRsDgRTjLyxKfDCl0_Q7wSLzWwAP5cDITy2nBwfLmz8ecCmqku_jcAOg/s640/Lolo+Pass+007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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You meet some "interesting" folks out on the road. When I refueled at Lolo, I tried to strike up a conversation with this rider from Washington state. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ulVPxpruupEFK6fqSFrI-DlkuvZN0RvZCyxtJnFF-Rd_jLn_2dTU2ctlvByhptXDm10IRoJy860hQdLQ9yfhYrKUG4Jg7l7qfRKW_Txz6abispvGW-rTBUL5Nxjt252occfusc6ZmAo/s1600/Lolo+Pass+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ulVPxpruupEFK6fqSFrI-DlkuvZN0RvZCyxtJnFF-Rd_jLn_2dTU2ctlvByhptXDm10IRoJy860hQdLQ9yfhYrKUG4Jg7l7qfRKW_Txz6abispvGW-rTBUL5Nxjt252occfusc6ZmAo/s640/Lolo+Pass+010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The conversation was a bit one-sided and went something like this (as he never looked my way).....</div>
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<b>Me:</b> How you doing?</div>
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<b>Him:</b> Alright.</div>
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<b>Me:</b> Where you from?</div>
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<b>Him:</b> Seattle.</div>
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<b>Me:</b> That's an interesting setup you have there.</div>
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<b>Him:</b> (nothing)</div>
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<b>Me: </b>Mind if I take a picture?</div>
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<b>Him:</b> No (as he walked away to go inside).</div>
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Maybe he gets those questions a lot??? Certainly, his business is none of my business, but I kind of feel sorry for the two dogs.</div>
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We had no idea we would be entering cherry orchard territory for about 20 miles along Flathead Lake south of Kalispell, MT. It starts abruptly, you see almost nothing but cherry trees for that 20 miles, and it ends abruptly. Stunningly beautiful territory and lots of fruit stands. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZUPsWsZTE4n0dX-gtfUzcgb0jcMRnuCOjobrBvPxbTjeVXXJVjoPoiDtD26qj1Xv3ZPM9uzCAxb1X3Atr6DWJSfKhyphenhyphenE5ngVS_JtV0UiUwtqYcgo1X_sf6mZ3QtEknupmYPlg3bHGuPw/s1600/Glacier+Park+day+1+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZUPsWsZTE4n0dX-gtfUzcgb0jcMRnuCOjobrBvPxbTjeVXXJVjoPoiDtD26qj1Xv3ZPM9uzCAxb1X3Atr6DWJSfKhyphenhyphenE5ngVS_JtV0UiUwtqYcgo1X_sf6mZ3QtEknupmYPlg3bHGuPw/s640/Glacier+Park+day+1+004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Most of the orchards were mature and very dense, but here's a young orchard that shows the beautiful setting with Flathead Lake in the background.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMkLF5EKAZ7MDrlzgMWdoTuq9MqLK5rNtPHK_OH4MZ3AehD5VlBMXcpDa71Um_2aZyp-gnckyFEkZIipvrbetZXajZNt3dvR7TpijZB0KQLr-UvTG1zIMV63zEPlci2rNgftjInil3GwU/s1600/Glacier+to+Deer+Lodge+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="1600" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMkLF5EKAZ7MDrlzgMWdoTuq9MqLK5rNtPHK_OH4MZ3AehD5VlBMXcpDa71Um_2aZyp-gnckyFEkZIipvrbetZXajZNt3dvR7TpijZB0KQLr-UvTG1zIMV63zEPlci2rNgftjInil3GwU/s640/Glacier+to+Deer+Lodge+006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">And cherries on the trees!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNwSGiK5n1cGwSDwxMeouOH5NRJ6XpoJiQapmOH5EK82iucKhs9GxPHO9EwRpj8Jie8woZYWRFRl9RU6fIP4C6CMKVICJpT4y4IXTDzyymdC2Acn6hwF_XxxifbNwTL2JMwKlxHGlO-E/s1600/Glacier+to+Deer+Lodge+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1393" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNwSGiK5n1cGwSDwxMeouOH5NRJ6XpoJiQapmOH5EK82iucKhs9GxPHO9EwRpj8Jie8woZYWRFRl9RU6fIP4C6CMKVICJpT4y4IXTDzyymdC2Acn6hwF_XxxifbNwTL2JMwKlxHGlO-E/s640/Glacier+to+Deer+Lodge+004.JPG" width="556" /></a></div>
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After touring Yellowstone for several days, we had seen a PBS special on international efforts to extend and create a continuous protected territory for an assortment of animals from Yellowstone northwest way up into Canada. One of the big problems with that is crossing major highways along the route. So, they designed animal crossings for that purpose. They have cameras at each one to monitor the numbers and species that use these. Lo and behold, the next day we went under one. Cool, and apparently the project looks to be producing desired results - movement and growth of those wildlife populations. Other countries, including Australia and India, are adopting similar programs for their wildlife. I don't know how they teach bears, elk, moose, etc. to sometimes use a bridge to go over the road and at other places to use a tunnel to go under the road. Maybe the animals are all "smarter than the av-er-age bear."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7kZrJrkUEIfLItfp6uQEOPPQ-8D3pwqvSMotqzekFMVD7MD8XW3fAFTxa3iEuYmcrByHMx1Ah-wF5GT198JMBTPUKFTzMyh8ykBlXu5Sc51rackZKzhXBU7iCiBuekDSLjo9vnK-x68/s1600/Glacier+to+Deer+Lodge+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7kZrJrkUEIfLItfp6uQEOPPQ-8D3pwqvSMotqzekFMVD7MD8XW3fAFTxa3iEuYmcrByHMx1Ah-wF5GT198JMBTPUKFTzMyh8ykBlXu5Sc51rackZKzhXBU7iCiBuekDSLjo9vnK-x68/s640/Glacier+to+Deer+Lodge+007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Our RV Park at Glacier National Park was "North American RV Park <b>and Yurt Village</b>."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2O36MNgMBdH3nLAlvScXr7HNENJoPkrGb0Wr16c2u8MPyYgJlU3HgyTw_KPwjnX2mZgITaXDwQx6ZtzicUEVFxEybZf1EYf9n0KgugGGGn1YRNBNH4J3o4nm5Xpm2eOze2QRtGyLCesA/s1600/Glacier+Park+day+2+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="1600" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2O36MNgMBdH3nLAlvScXr7HNENJoPkrGb0Wr16c2u8MPyYgJlU3HgyTw_KPwjnX2mZgITaXDwQx6ZtzicUEVFxEybZf1EYf9n0KgugGGGn1YRNBNH4J3o4nm5Xpm2eOze2QRtGyLCesA/s640/Glacier+Park+day+2+010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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In case you are wondering (I was ), these are yurts - round, portable, tentlike homes traditionally used by nomadic people of Central Asia.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLMz_1IbjAv3O63NNTYg_hLVlJc8GemU_5bzTQTs5pba6-rjIcK9RwaoKHGZkkTRzMbqUGSIw8-lr_xpuHydrjlb5ii-5grqbsK_g1eiB-YTU8sGGKHYbolEGeOcrIsY_q6BZA-zTM3U/s1600/Glacier+Park+day+2+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLMz_1IbjAv3O63NNTYg_hLVlJc8GemU_5bzTQTs5pba6-rjIcK9RwaoKHGZkkTRzMbqUGSIw8-lr_xpuHydrjlb5ii-5grqbsK_g1eiB-YTU8sGGKHYbolEGeOcrIsY_q6BZA-zTM3U/s640/Glacier+Park+day+2+012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Our campsite at North American RV Park<b> and Yurt Village</b> was right across from the restrooms, like maybe 50 feet away, so we had a first-hand observation point to watch and observe traffic to and from the restrooms for 3 days. I reached the following semi-scientific conclusions (emphasis on semi).</div>
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<b>1.</b> Women go to the bathroom at least twice as often as men.</div>
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<b>2</b>. Women appear to usually be in a rush with a sense of urgency to get there. (Why do they not just </div>
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leave sooner?)</div>
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<b>3.</b> Women stay in there longer.</div>
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<b>4.</b> Men are very casual and in no hurry to get there (frequently appear indifferent about the trip).</div>
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<b>5. </b> Men often are still getting their clothes back in order when they exit the door to the outside. In </div>
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many cases, it's just a "check" to be sure they have not forgotten to close anything. It's actually </div>
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very entertaining.</div>
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<b>6.</b> Kids are the funniest, especially since there is a cipher lock involved.</div>
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<b>7.</b> Girls always seem to know the code and have no problems, so the boys are actually the funny </div>
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ones.</div>
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<b>8.</b> Most of the boys struggle with the code and the cipher lock. So, either the parents did not give </div>
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them the code, they were not paying attention, or they forgot it. Then they stand there, look </div>
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around to see if anyone else is coming that might know the code, and if there's not, try to decide </div>
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what to do next. There are usually 3 responses. Try a few codes, go back and get the right code, or </div>
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just go back to the playground and forget about the bathroom trip, not necessary.</div>
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<b>9. </b> There are no pictures to substantiate my findings. </div>
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On a more serious note, we were impressed with the Montana highway system - they memorialize all highway deaths with a small white cross at each accident location. In many cases, they are also maintained and decorated by friends and family. At some of the obviously more dangerous locations, there would frequently be lots of crosses. While the intent is to memorialize those who died at these sites, they also serve as reminders to take more precautions while driving.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bQjHkSEW8Kdw1iQtpityRd4tgBctX0ExYOsW9bSdQa2jNctG29_oWO82ohH55k4nYFQduUrkdQlJ9v-tM7LqtzVJu43r1i_Kf9b5QTLW-veG-e68kCKbIXzmMSRJmjmnfspbat3uj0M/s1600/Whitefish+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1217" data-original-width="1600" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bQjHkSEW8Kdw1iQtpityRd4tgBctX0ExYOsW9bSdQa2jNctG29_oWO82ohH55k4nYFQduUrkdQlJ9v-tM7LqtzVJu43r1i_Kf9b5QTLW-veG-e68kCKbIXzmMSRJmjmnfspbat3uj0M/s400/Whitefish+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I also rode the number 2 motorcycle ride in Montana - "Going To The Sun Road" across Glacier National Park (GNP). I am saving the pictures of GNP for a separate post but here's a hint.......</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xSSl1CdRprFxc1rP150PEfRZAszxKCh6CswRXbOZwOgVyiiEVjm_iiC3pvUUAW-NZ_oFN6ozk3Gq2iNzACM19aOSZzT6-njVk8WGYQXyiM90AS1SRI97465kH5GCqClA1k_JXLwL5lU/s1600/Glacier+Park+day+1+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xSSl1CdRprFxc1rP150PEfRZAszxKCh6CswRXbOZwOgVyiiEVjm_iiC3pvUUAW-NZ_oFN6ozk3Gq2iNzACM19aOSZzT6-njVk8WGYQXyiM90AS1SRI97465kH5GCqClA1k_JXLwL5lU/s640/Glacier+Park+day+1+009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5N5sCWw4GP0dkmeUL9T0GdnRUQt8zcz_pDs65PWK0OvjjhOQxwt5u1fLoaYjVNb4bVJRtL_L4NRPavfGPxaNuyXF3KJMQCwNkfqO5G2OoeDNJU3ZNz0t48wOfEFgzXsFRdVs6JjkSnFw/s1600/Glacier+Park+day+1+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5N5sCWw4GP0dkmeUL9T0GdnRUQt8zcz_pDs65PWK0OvjjhOQxwt5u1fLoaYjVNb4bVJRtL_L4NRPavfGPxaNuyXF3KJMQCwNkfqO5G2OoeDNJU3ZNz0t48wOfEFgzXsFRdVs6JjkSnFw/s640/Glacier+Park+day+1+012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The ride across GNP is only about 60 miles but it takes a minimum of 2 and 1/2 hours one way with all the traffic and DRIVERS THAT WILL NOT PULL OVER AT THE PULLOUTS AS THE SIGNS DIRECT THROUGHOUT THE ROUTE TO ALLOW THE FASTER TRAFFIC TO GO BY! There are pullouts all along the way but some folks are oblivious to the 12 cars they have backed up behind them while they creep along at 15 MPH. But after about 60 miles in second and third gear, I finished the crossing and decided to head to Canada, only about 20 miles away from the east entrance/exit to/from GNP. My conversations with Customs were similar to the one with my friend from Seattle except they involve trick questions. The only experience we have had with customs was while traveling in Canada by boat in 2013. No problems arriving and departing Canada, but we had a random boarding in Gore Bay, Toronto and we were not happy with that. Here's the story and we had a little fun with it anyway - www.wrmcmanus.blogspot.com/2013/08/customs-boarding-in-canada.html - But the guy at Carway, Alberta was very nice and had some suggestions for my short bike ride into Canada.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Fr4OyhHz12CIPhCqMgnlmViDSO61Q-DSdFkRhJCSZU4NoCn-QlLnndnaT7u1UQj_s9xDhK0ZafJMZUxgLwt-8g4yog67yemLrgsGF7nLX363Dwtbytr3HknSQZOB8kQ4MbtnWQxiHF0/s1600/Glacier+Park+day+2+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Fr4OyhHz12CIPhCqMgnlmViDSO61Q-DSdFkRhJCSZU4NoCn-QlLnndnaT7u1UQj_s9xDhK0ZafJMZUxgLwt-8g4yog67yemLrgsGF7nLX363Dwtbytr3HknSQZOB8kQ4MbtnWQxiHF0/s640/Glacier+Park+day+2+001.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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I haven't parlaised any Francais since high school and college and thought I might have gotten the signage and kilometers a little confused in Canada - looked up and thought I was back at Devils Tower in Wyoming!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3VhAFNDxfJFpJTjOECVqdKtLlcoN1OBAPhKM-CJ7JPA3CzuxMGqJ-DidB6E6Ma0-_ZvaEtGHycrm4ipBXvYIB1tGnObvPBM9Y4pCstyX9wDAVdzAP89oapoXffzIO0lmWn6IPTPn2uE/s1600/Glacier+Park+day+2+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3VhAFNDxfJFpJTjOECVqdKtLlcoN1OBAPhKM-CJ7JPA3CzuxMGqJ-DidB6E6Ma0-_ZvaEtGHycrm4ipBXvYIB1tGnObvPBM9Y4pCstyX9wDAVdzAP89oapoXffzIO0lmWn6IPTPn2uE/s640/Glacier+Park+day+2+004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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But I managed to make it back to the border and was ready for US Customs and their trick questions!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVqdDpvQZPXc4WpNlCXxXbIGbMA0gPJFlv2VH1KgwL9XHQIgdOPYfsceDhY5eL-eP-C6qWdoEkkPhDL7bKegVgzJ_4_HsZyEkaSK03bNy-RaeSsTcSCpTznkPqIfX6q8UMMkKWp7jeIs/s1600/Glacier+Park+day+2+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVqdDpvQZPXc4WpNlCXxXbIGbMA0gPJFlv2VH1KgwL9XHQIgdOPYfsceDhY5eL-eP-C6qWdoEkkPhDL7bKegVgzJ_4_HsZyEkaSK03bNy-RaeSsTcSCpTznkPqIfX6q8UMMkKWp7jeIs/s400/Glacier+Park+day+2+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's the coversation after I handed the agent my passport and license.</div>
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<b>Him:</b> Where you coming from? (Think about it - that could mean a lot of things).</div>
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<b>Me:</b> Alabama</div>
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<b>Him:</b> Yes, I see that on your passport and license plate. But where are you coming from?</div>
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<b>Me: </b> Oh, you mean now?</div>
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<b>Him:</b> Yes.</div>
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<b>Me: </b> North American RV Park <b>and Yurt Village</b> in West Glacier.</div>
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<b>Him:</b> No you're not, you just pulled up to this booth from Canada. Where are you coming from?</div>
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<b>Me:</b> Oh, you mean now, as in right now?</div>
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<b>Him: </b> Yes.</div>
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<b>Me: </b> About 30 miles up the road.</div>
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<b>Him: </b> What? But where did you come from in Canada?</div>
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<b>Me: </b> I just crossed into Canada about an hour ago for a short ride just because I was close and could. I'm not up this way very often. I rode about 30 miles and turned around, back to here.</div>
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<b>Him: </b> Did you buy anything?</div>
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<b>Me:</b> No.</div>
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<b>Him: </b> Did you pick up anything?</div>
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<b>Me: </b> No.</div>
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<b>Him: </b> Well, did you stop anywhere?</div>
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<b>Me:</b> No.</div>
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<b>Him: </b> Welcome home. </div>
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<b>Me: </b> Thank you.</div>
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(From Rhonda: Not sure I should continue to let Wayne go off by himself.)</div>
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We spent one afternoon touring the towns of Whitefish and Kalispell, MT. They are very modern and "clean" towns. Most (like 99%) of the population appeared to be younger than us, seriously, as in maybe 40 and below. Whitefish is a ski resort and Rhonda says a lot of the winter Olympics folks train here. The ski slopes with no snow....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0r-cBsiupOwLrtgQp8bbd0B7FJNmHcbzhyphenhyphenn8C53tChblObjTuwV4YZK3DYFzou9CGBPwnM-jq9PRhYOYPv0Vxbh-HXSuZLQQ2Gd4L6RG53_ztN_2i3V5bJoEQz3melLBumdgFGB1gGG8/s1600/Whitefish+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0r-cBsiupOwLrtgQp8bbd0B7FJNmHcbzhyphenhyphenn8C53tChblObjTuwV4YZK3DYFzou9CGBPwnM-jq9PRhYOYPv0Vxbh-HXSuZLQQ2Gd4L6RG53_ztN_2i3V5bJoEQz3melLBumdgFGB1gGG8/s640/Whitefish+002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And the town has an impressive train station with lots of traffic through there, including AMTRAK.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYiZ7M-Kf7VC8rPukxruAOezxkLfQt0ZJsIuAUXwj7eHyPfHqNrqzk67upS1LuP5WnWal_yroyIxBAN_M7dWlUa0x_eQt6WHgudNpY1sSYU8cuPLqBJJvH70cWsoYo0o1J22q4fvy50g8/s1600/Whitefish+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYiZ7M-Kf7VC8rPukxruAOezxkLfQt0ZJsIuAUXwj7eHyPfHqNrqzk67upS1LuP5WnWal_yroyIxBAN_M7dWlUa0x_eQt6WHgudNpY1sSYU8cuPLqBJJvH70cWsoYo0o1J22q4fvy50g8/s640/Whitefish+009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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In closing, we also toured the town of Missoula, MT, home of the University of Montana Grizzlies. We never did find THE Grizzly mascot statue so this is the best we can do.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQnsRUsKhY3vCWZwspLqgPo4asXwTFyNalDXE62-NQXowDZmeT-ilvy1ePIp_JXYXt5lMXrayF3dBXF5NHdKStq4nXLPrR9-Qbz6wryJAF0vlzNkUS1VmTfoWf2tqR4H6Ya5sIVop2hE/s1600/Missoula+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdQnsRUsKhY3vCWZwspLqgPo4asXwTFyNalDXE62-NQXowDZmeT-ilvy1ePIp_JXYXt5lMXrayF3dBXF5NHdKStq4nXLPrR9-Qbz6wryJAF0vlzNkUS1VmTfoWf2tqR4H6Ya5sIVop2hE/s640/Missoula+009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The campus was a bit "underwhelming" and their stadium is really small for a state university. But the city of Missoula is nice, fronting on a beautiful river as does most everything else in Montana. We made one special stop at their downtown park and rode their carousel.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2beaZQOox2zOEkJG2H7r59NZB6Y81EDvYOHGAjA1W-PcX3oovHcbiNP-uDy5GPBbM57cRzpfI30w3WjiKZqe-LlhysNIMwn27-VdEe3yU9hRWSKfqGEzp643ZAXuvuKKR9kikj69IKXY/s1600/Missoula+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2beaZQOox2zOEkJG2H7r59NZB6Y81EDvYOHGAjA1W-PcX3oovHcbiNP-uDy5GPBbM57cRzpfI30w3WjiKZqe-LlhysNIMwn27-VdEe3yU9hRWSKfqGEzp643ZAXuvuKKR9kikj69IKXY/s640/Missoula+002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Missoula Carousel was a volunteer effort by the community. People learned how to carve wood, adopted and designed each animal, and spent 500-800 hours carving each one of the 38 animals. Volunteer mechanics spent four years to assemble and machine more than 16,066 pieces (not including the nuts and bolts) to make the Carousel work. This baby is also a bit unique in that it runs at 11 mph, twice the speed of most carousels. It also has a dragon at one point which has colored rings coming from a tube out of its mouth. The challenge is to grab a ring as you go by, hoping for the brass ring which will get you a free ride!</div>
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Well, all that is fun stuff, but the carousel reminded me of my dear friend, Bob Hopson, who succumbed to cancer one year ago tomorrow. So, I want to remember Bob as we close this post. I miss him a lot. We met Bob and Barbara Hopson at a new members class at Lindsay Lane Baptist Church in 2006 after we moved to Athens, AL. We have traveled extensively with them by boat and car over the years, and I would be afraid to guess how many games of dominos we have played together. Bob and I had a lot in common - airplanes, boats, motorcycles, SARCASM, and our Christian faith. Here's the link to the carousel reminding me of Bob - a photo at the Chattanooga, TN riverfront carousel on a boat trip many years ago. Bob and Barbara were avid RVers also and have given us lots of pointers. Barbara, we love you and are thinking of you on this one-year anniversary of Bob's departure from this earth to eternity with his Lord and Saviour. While it is a difficult time, we hope this is also a pleasant reminder for you of all the great times we have shared together! Hang in there and we'll see you in a couple of months.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XUhYXXoaXzQF_kbFy5fAPxCmAcvOixzgBSLsVej3pTyFzTmWISeTqvh_L63hfhkQ7PATuchqWm91Zl4Bzvhf_mG6MFy77HNPOz42wqdy5-drUqe7fWYfcspn-00LGjfF-uDR4YNmp2A/s1600/100_1012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XUhYXXoaXzQF_kbFy5fAPxCmAcvOixzgBSLsVej3pTyFzTmWISeTqvh_L63hfhkQ7PATuchqWm91Zl4Bzvhf_mG6MFy77HNPOz42wqdy5-drUqe7fWYfcspn-00LGjfF-uDR4YNmp2A/s640/100_1012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'll be posting Glacier National Park real soon. We are currently backtracking a bit from Glacier to the west side of Yellowstone, enroute to Swan Valley, ID (east of Idaho Falls) to spend 3 days at the Grand Tetons. Did I mention that the high today is 75 degrees? Later.</div>
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<br />Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-18863111800144946052017-08-01T13:18:00.000-07:002017-08-01T13:18:57.689-07:00Yellowstone National Park<div style="text-align: justify;">
We left Red Lodge for Yellowstone (or as close as we could get to it at Wapiti, WY) and the road between the two is pretty dry and barren. But even that scenery can be beautiful in its own way. The mountains do not even look real sometimes.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQxAyr3ROhkBwNIDLClHUtEZ9-29oXeFnXh4uHBE2vRql92o5-qfGeMAsEtOaYLYTh10RjLcX65firsZnzZbwlfMxTKwhKmy0pmfDCn2v0sESprUYJxOwcgWM38eM1YUnwvXYohC2hnI/s1600/Beartooth+Pass+to+Yellowstone+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQxAyr3ROhkBwNIDLClHUtEZ9-29oXeFnXh4uHBE2vRql92o5-qfGeMAsEtOaYLYTh10RjLcX65firsZnzZbwlfMxTKwhKmy0pmfDCn2v0sESprUYJxOwcgWM38eM1YUnwvXYohC2hnI/s640/Beartooth+Pass+to+Yellowstone+005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Wapiti is 25 miles west of Cody, WY and 25 miles east of the east entrance to Yellowstone. Yellowstone has 5 entrances - N, S, E, W, and NE. No matter which entrance you use, or even if you are at a campsite inside the park, you have to do a lot of driving. Yellowstone is 3500 square miles and there are two primary circular routes, north and south. It is vast and beautiful but I say again - there is a lot of traffic and a lot of driving between the sights. Rhonda saw a news report this evening that said they are actually now considering regulating the amount of traffic since it has gotten so bad. </div>
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Yellowstone was the first designated national park with President Grant doing the honors in 1872. It was a US Army post previous to that. It is centered over the Yellowstone Caldera, a super volcano, the reason so many geothermal features are the primary attraction there. Wildlife is a big deal also and Yellowstone is part of major national and international programs dedicated to the preservation of many species.</div>
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I am glad we ended up on the east side of Yellowstone. The drive into the park was truly some of the best scenery possible, inside and outside of the park. Our campsite at Wapiti was in a canyon surrounded by mountains.</div>
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Rhonda says this is wild sage in the picture below, definitely a prevalent smell in the air.<br />
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Twice a day, morning and evening, we got to see ranchers move about 100 horses to and from a grazing pasture about a quarter of a mile down the highway. They literally have two people on the highway stop traffic while the horses make the trip down the road. The pathway was right in front of the door of the RV. </div>
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This has been a dry season for the area and teams of firefighters had set up a base operation between us and Yellowstone - quite a big deal, including helicopters carrying water to the fire areas. Once we arrived it rained every evening for 5 days and the firefighters were closing the camp as we left. One interesting note - the raindrops here are huge. No idea why, just an observation. </div>
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Yellowstone has seen its share of forest fires and it is evident throughout the park. In a 1988 fire, 1/3 of the forests were destroyed.</div>
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Yellowstone Lake is a huge attraction, part of our daily ride into the park.</div>
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Throughout the park, you will see steam rising from the ground, including along the lake. You don't have to get close to pick up the sulphur smell of some of them.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVDiA4MdhA_uYr9gaN6SiEQWD-TRtXeEyV6T7_bapeE8EiIKyuvXJU8JwFV5PAE40s-RlXTYb6PXSbZVHdJ6uyYE8n9PTVdo21LjT02YSE9AxikCWwnTLznrJXztk_7NU3G3bXywYU7c/s1600/Yellowstone+Day+1+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1046" data-original-width="1600" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVDiA4MdhA_uYr9gaN6SiEQWD-TRtXeEyV6T7_bapeE8EiIKyuvXJU8JwFV5PAE40s-RlXTYb6PXSbZVHdJ6uyYE8n9PTVdo21LjT02YSE9AxikCWwnTLznrJXztk_7NU3G3bXywYU7c/s640/Yellowstone+Day+1+013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We never saw large herds of buffalo as we did in South Dakota, but there was this one that always seemed to be hanging out around one of the visitor centers! In the morning, he would be near the sidewalk for all of the tourists to photograph as they began their day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBjMX_2lhBEr93X6iV8eDwBuUkkITXKOkYDLxyB59sEvcwTH0gc058eay9gFRa0-ugEW3PBnox6fFgDaVw4MIUL-AhMi-c95f3DtGYbtQ8-NOibn74ZHOv9EBVG8tiNHvVSG_mv3N33c/s1600/Yellowstone+Day+1+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwBjMX_2lhBEr93X6iV8eDwBuUkkITXKOkYDLxyB59sEvcwTH0gc058eay9gFRa0-ugEW3PBnox6fFgDaVw4MIUL-AhMi-c95f3DtGYbtQ8-NOibn74ZHOv9EBVG8tiNHvVSG_mv3N33c/s640/Yellowstone+Day+1+015.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here he is plodding back to his position at the visitor center at the end of the day to welcome all of the tired tourists returning to camp.</div>
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Again, the geothermal thing is a big deal here. Boiling springs are common.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZ_dq9ySQaczo-uItrkO2nFdKuuYpzKSa-Lf1ObC72PjTzxUNQ4VETJnUt7otBOO2i_1h5CuRJk-KDmY0dmuwBqi90DUP1jQBMSgCpn7aSBIPUN8_mwHCGrZAtqdLP4XcneR9D71rJDQ/s1600/Yellowstone+Day+1+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZ_dq9ySQaczo-uItrkO2nFdKuuYpzKSa-Lf1ObC72PjTzxUNQ4VETJnUt7otBOO2i_1h5CuRJk-KDmY0dmuwBqi90DUP1jQBMSgCpn7aSBIPUN8_mwHCGrZAtqdLP4XcneR9D71rJDQ/s640/Yellowstone+Day+1+040.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The runoff from the pools can be quite colorful.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1UfSahPtq7nK8wKNKOi5CKaDB0Dym7e5iYVuGRlhjHA2hZz5DubthzfQkW4W4xzoNp3ZrX8eYPnIRKmc9eAADFiuaTIvVMvBYYjEXPq1RX92dUDjqN24V2h8t8TLYguBOyFKQRlyXIc8/s1600/Yellowstone+Day+1+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1UfSahPtq7nK8wKNKOi5CKaDB0Dym7e5iYVuGRlhjHA2hZz5DubthzfQkW4W4xzoNp3ZrX8eYPnIRKmc9eAADFiuaTIvVMvBYYjEXPq1RX92dUDjqN24V2h8t8TLYguBOyFKQRlyXIc8/s640/Yellowstone+Day+1+035.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And of course, Old Faithful is the main attraction. Here she is between eruptions calmly steaming away with crowds of onlookers awaiting the next event, generally timed about 90 minutes apart (just enough time to tour the lodge and eat Moose Track ice cream). We had a front row seat.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWYZ8MFgHdmPlwB7BLalXwFKGdMHXKo5fdKvclsPTJB6Z3dnIV9FIL2K3o7-cc7Dq1Fww734SUn4uFF1HPKRKvpMZugiYfgGJSYTOBgots0CcsXbwWK41H4FYTwaSvyEFALPesKOATUY/s1600/Yellowstone+Day+1+056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWYZ8MFgHdmPlwB7BLalXwFKGdMHXKo5fdKvclsPTJB6Z3dnIV9FIL2K3o7-cc7Dq1Fww734SUn4uFF1HPKRKvpMZugiYfgGJSYTOBgots0CcsXbwWK41H4FYTwaSvyEFALPesKOATUY/s640/Yellowstone+Day+1+056.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCALoRE9Cnkz1rike56hX9byJhrvhyTEjMEODUmDKfeyS0mZvaSctr1woyJqSqBNrvmlhxtnj1KV3zFa_0pe6Vmseqs9i_L0GhwKhWvw9qf2ej2Iu1XJeUG8YquZocpdvLqXb4gMfA1k0/s1600/Yellowstone+Day+1+055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="1600" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCALoRE9Cnkz1rike56hX9byJhrvhyTEjMEODUmDKfeyS0mZvaSctr1woyJqSqBNrvmlhxtnj1KV3zFa_0pe6Vmseqs9i_L0GhwKhWvw9qf2ej2Iu1XJeUG8YquZocpdvLqXb4gMfA1k0/s640/Yellowstone+Day+1+055.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And here she goes, blows, or whatever the right term is!</div>
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And there are hot springs close by, with "Prismatic" being the featured one. Here's an advertised aerial shot with no steam.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNHDqbZjGV_KYaSPFMnhSMkByQnuSoGtjM7-v2xORcgOEFtWBUYQjP1sEuzFb6cVyVtSqAmDURfzWVmS9btptmNPsIRapkex5HWQ_4DY1n8bPC6n50Vtj6Nk-hjjJIrQQs56i7Ol5SWM/s1600/prismatic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNHDqbZjGV_KYaSPFMnhSMkByQnuSoGtjM7-v2xORcgOEFtWBUYQjP1sEuzFb6cVyVtSqAmDURfzWVmS9btptmNPsIRapkex5HWQ_4DY1n8bPC6n50Vtj6Nk-hjjJIrQQs56i7Ol5SWM/s640/prismatic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Those colors are real, but you don't get the full effect from the boardwalk. We later found out you can hike way, way up a mountain and look down for the above view. We are kind of glad we did not know about the climb.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvNdKZiHWGH688LicW9g3AfLFIHHxM6neG74xIodu-xYWYRFEI535cV8rcDqZi9MrEgtt158hBzN6jnGIw7xsaA80g-nkYGsi22_H1wLsbGeeuy7gwH5FxVGd8wYVW_OB_opYSXNlAwk/s1600/Prismatic+Rhonda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvNdKZiHWGH688LicW9g3AfLFIHHxM6neG74xIodu-xYWYRFEI535cV8rcDqZi9MrEgtt158hBzN6jnGIw7xsaA80g-nkYGsi22_H1wLsbGeeuy7gwH5FxVGd8wYVW_OB_opYSXNlAwk/s640/Prismatic+Rhonda.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Some of the other hot springs and runoff.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOePXbTtmMyJf0ZxZs_P8choDRhvbDWRK14Ba3JWrmsXWKL4A-x-1Sbcm-pF9QX9QXCwIAbh2pthyphenhyphensT_iNVHWqfXEUzUXVMtlUJ_zz5Q4l6jBqOYLBxF08cbsKdSUY9rhtIjXVA3-e7-s/s1600/Yellowstone+Day+1+067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOePXbTtmMyJf0ZxZs_P8choDRhvbDWRK14Ba3JWrmsXWKL4A-x-1Sbcm-pF9QX9QXCwIAbh2pthyphenhyphensT_iNVHWqfXEUzUXVMtlUJ_zz5Q4l6jBqOYLBxF08cbsKdSUY9rhtIjXVA3-e7-s/s640/Yellowstone+Day+1+067.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This one makes me think of my heart after eating Moose Track ice cream - these "arteries" look like they could use a couple of stents too!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqau4-8UgIdaPxFqi3CPSVy1Rly-rqqaQ7rz661qyF1UzTfH5_Zq8kweBrtW-XQqKHl7igojz8mJsQx1xtQyoJE1C85fYAhAIdu3KsQ4NBqkbb1FNFxQc6d0Tk57IC1mVlMejlPmkiFo/s1600/Yellowstone+Day+1+094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqau4-8UgIdaPxFqi3CPSVy1Rly-rqqaQ7rz661qyF1UzTfH5_Zq8kweBrtW-XQqKHl7igojz8mJsQx1xtQyoJE1C85fYAhAIdu3KsQ4NBqkbb1FNFxQc6d0Tk57IC1mVlMejlPmkiFo/s640/Yellowstone+Day+1+094.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Time for a diversion - Rhonda is driving the truck more and more and getting pretty good at it. This is her first attempt parking at one of the visitor centers, no second try necessary! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHSVOkIXuYV87vwHpIzsHzosGBydunYuQ5kfRwzoW0FHq90rVLn0ThUGwGwFgdxQVD7xBGpZaX8XnYw5vDFGt_FApEIu7bG92ZmqdQ-sLdNSpIvqq13JBq6Sr5tCGf5DSsdH3TA1J75k/s1600/Yellowstone+Day+1+102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHSVOkIXuYV87vwHpIzsHzosGBydunYuQ5kfRwzoW0FHq90rVLn0ThUGwGwFgdxQVD7xBGpZaX8XnYw5vDFGt_FApEIu7bG92ZmqdQ-sLdNSpIvqq13JBq6Sr5tCGf5DSsdH3TA1J75k/s640/Yellowstone+Day+1+102.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Probably the best wildlife shot we got was of an elk - our first. Wish he had been standing but this will have to do. Personally, I would think antlers (which can weigh up to 40 pounds) would be annoying to have, but I guess I'll never know.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0FuLaBiUCbBSlccrWb_MlyqqXt5JZdMBiL1Fj2eoDSvrMNqLxezgSCd5-rKEaiJLRz7yOPrTimglcjjNeGo1wFc6tCe0VQjmM9n12kfG5LT2rf8VNYsNA5VL4iVDIz4X0_KdV3hwUFkI/s1600/Yellowstone+last+day+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0FuLaBiUCbBSlccrWb_MlyqqXt5JZdMBiL1Fj2eoDSvrMNqLxezgSCd5-rKEaiJLRz7yOPrTimglcjjNeGo1wFc6tCe0VQjmM9n12kfG5LT2rf8VNYsNA5VL4iVDIz4X0_KdV3hwUFkI/s640/Yellowstone+last+day+008.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Another big attraction for us was the "Grand Canyon of Yellowstone." We have not been to THE Grand Canyon yet but it is planned for later on this trip. So, we can't make a judgment on this one other than pretty impressive. Yes, these are our pictures - almost do not look real either.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnsLDiPXgaU-C-W_wggr-Qnz_3G7RsYQS4cTjLXmb7Vih8DuMF0mxH8ozauNKduLrLclrec-YhqjG_60kl5FC3OJGAhcOa8eTLa-xW7Jp0bBoc2M01QmRigXZgIRLEfOWbQDPUXeZoVQ/s1600/Yellowstone+last+day+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnsLDiPXgaU-C-W_wggr-Qnz_3G7RsYQS4cTjLXmb7Vih8DuMF0mxH8ozauNKduLrLclrec-YhqjG_60kl5FC3OJGAhcOa8eTLa-xW7Jp0bBoc2M01QmRigXZgIRLEfOWbQDPUXeZoVQ/s640/Yellowstone+last+day+021.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Here are some closeups of the headwaters at the waterfall in the picture above.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAU5_tFQ56s0hpT8HR2y2xNnx8umILm1P13WjpNkKLL262LkkoyxdH9Y1GOljljdV43JbA7bEB0s_XCtfY1K-Hr30tsq34WRIiVnAESJHeEPSLTTDTpXE9BJBrjUjkzQAOT-lSu-weGI/s1600/Yellowstone+last+day+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBAU5_tFQ56s0hpT8HR2y2xNnx8umILm1P13WjpNkKLL262LkkoyxdH9Y1GOljljdV43JbA7bEB0s_XCtfY1K-Hr30tsq34WRIiVnAESJHeEPSLTTDTpXE9BJBrjUjkzQAOT-lSu-weGI/s640/Yellowstone+last+day+030.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwtTrjgXnB9HLMlQODyIPx8D2jzXcZSETmNM6B2PiFSh59CR-yB7ROQtpXuOEf8wj8Abm0OuWtVrUYih3TD6OfOY4cduo8vvpylR40RWuWRQY2Eo_rbgSLtXjbOdT7IPkyPuT90c4I7Y/s1600/Yellowstone+last+day+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwtTrjgXnB9HLMlQODyIPx8D2jzXcZSETmNM6B2PiFSh59CR-yB7ROQtpXuOEf8wj8Abm0OuWtVrUYih3TD6OfOY4cduo8vvpylR40RWuWRQY2Eo_rbgSLtXjbOdT7IPkyPuT90c4I7Y/s640/Yellowstone+last+day+031.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWjqwVHbaFuBw3cihyphenhyphenOih57ARXQ2dthUGVhd68wFUWTSEL7YMuPxDx2pP3lxyFPPCUuNFFU-6TG0ysan3n6VbW6sUe-m08TphxkzJCc4Mk7O9yZ8g_wGdnfIkPne-IMMQ71VlSSidBnc/s1600/Waterfall+GC+YS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWjqwVHbaFuBw3cihyphenhyphenOih57ARXQ2dthUGVhd68wFUWTSEL7YMuPxDx2pP3lxyFPPCUuNFFU-6TG0ysan3n6VbW6sUe-m08TphxkzJCc4Mk7O9yZ8g_wGdnfIkPne-IMMQ71VlSSidBnc/s640/Waterfall+GC+YS.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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More of the canyon. The colors are hard to believe! The canyon and waterfall are actually the most photographed areas of Yellowstone, even more than Old Faithful.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctfqqSCLc92kbMkCoKPvyL7eYAzX1omBLJY-c7xzJR_k1aocOHDCNJHGGXblPABhzf93FxubOIay5ZLup59n2OFJPUKIWRt49gXxqxzo5fJSQSXaPR3O_uVCVsvk7eMagzvCGtA9SwWM/s1600/Yellowstone+last+day+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctfqqSCLc92kbMkCoKPvyL7eYAzX1omBLJY-c7xzJR_k1aocOHDCNJHGGXblPABhzf93FxubOIay5ZLup59n2OFJPUKIWRt49gXxqxzo5fJSQSXaPR3O_uVCVsvk7eMagzvCGtA9SwWM/s640/Yellowstone+last+day+022.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXdvS-TojwyNoDSXlMSHuRCiZ2Lnv6gZhThe3BpEWQypwllwUjaXC_fixaBsVB1U8fW_HOS73Ba_eWU5DHXq_qocmHJjcs9f_j__OHE3QyMyYrrWExtCu81p_Ar1Nu2TuEIbFfyIuG6c/s1600/Yellowstone+last+day+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiXdvS-TojwyNoDSXlMSHuRCiZ2Lnv6gZhThe3BpEWQypwllwUjaXC_fixaBsVB1U8fW_HOS73Ba_eWU5DHXq_qocmHJjcs9f_j__OHE3QyMyYrrWExtCu81p_Ar1Nu2TuEIbFfyIuG6c/s640/Yellowstone+last+day+024.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYDUKLAd9Cod3rZ4r4DdTBUF2ZJSdhcWD_AxRFL0y9lW5glKjrZHUuwv2vT3FIKT14K2NpKF-eWiSkQ7LKuBPJNlnGrfQnt6jMLLEfSxUlTSITNDmM1ZQEHYTMNQHP8GS7pG9hsJ6D4Q/s1600/Yellowstone+last+day+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikYDUKLAd9Cod3rZ4r4DdTBUF2ZJSdhcWD_AxRFL0y9lW5glKjrZHUuwv2vT3FIKT14K2NpKF-eWiSkQ7LKuBPJNlnGrfQnt6jMLLEfSxUlTSITNDmM1ZQEHYTMNQHP8GS7pG9hsJ6D4Q/s640/Yellowstone+last+day+032.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYvNrzDDaTE7nWpa_1kA7CdsSOfZhiDHtHZyq9EJhcAISGQBo5LxU7-HdMyOd7q3XbZgWwe2s1zniE4sQ8AcY4hzf8tEC7yb392h6350AgpAEWK09yUM56p7lfPoOOJhuR-QhZhg4SNg/s1600/Yellowstone+last+day+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYvNrzDDaTE7nWpa_1kA7CdsSOfZhiDHtHZyq9EJhcAISGQBo5LxU7-HdMyOd7q3XbZgWwe2s1zniE4sQ8AcY4hzf8tEC7yb392h6350AgpAEWK09yUM56p7lfPoOOJhuR-QhZhg4SNg/s640/Yellowstone+last+day+036.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And those are the highlights of Yellowstone for us (well, there was the ice cream too). There are some attractions we missed but all in all definitely worth seeing. One lesson we have finally learned - never buy a hamburger at a national park or museum eatery of any kind (we have tried several now). They even advertised their Yellowstone burgers as something really special. Speaking of some of the canyon pictures not looking real - the gray meat in their burgers cannot possibly be real. Never again!</div>
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Some more sights along the ride home each day, including rainbows and wildflowers.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagnKEKcLOPAbjxjq-8rnq8UVXjbe-9ImRWA1HQP5wgVxJTsXXfGq9IUSe4GDOXkTJZq9KD9aLstTVEmrvBjOAHuyXR7UDZwVb0eKJYtHxChesqSEE7GxLf1FFvVGKW8EnuJRMPRb-l98/s1600/Yellowstone+Day+1+111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagnKEKcLOPAbjxjq-8rnq8UVXjbe-9ImRWA1HQP5wgVxJTsXXfGq9IUSe4GDOXkTJZq9KD9aLstTVEmrvBjOAHuyXR7UDZwVb0eKJYtHxChesqSEE7GxLf1FFvVGKW8EnuJRMPRb-l98/s640/Yellowstone+Day+1+111.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIt0Mvgt-RcVVAWKZ0Cb2PpvbVooVs2suQvP2SSL_H20dBjYx_bireeg5lsAyCjfopzqXUSs1H_97d2fFE5GpBUIatjcHMbAdBB5DyZJq0jbSnvAVndw5XceXuKn9SnDufc7lYQx2turc/s1600/Yellowstone+last+day+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIt0Mvgt-RcVVAWKZ0Cb2PpvbVooVs2suQvP2SSL_H20dBjYx_bireeg5lsAyCjfopzqXUSs1H_97d2fFE5GpBUIatjcHMbAdBB5DyZJq0jbSnvAVndw5XceXuKn9SnDufc7lYQx2turc/s640/Yellowstone+last+day+004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And one of Rhonda's favorites - Chimney Rock. We always saw the "Watch For Falling Rocks" sign and thought of this one. It would definitely take out our truck.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZzfMoJBAdZ7oy3CIPazTKaZrsk9ID6Em1MoDRWZiY2zyrJLALMneWe-_Z3qb2aJZSl-wf8ObJ7SoWpkmk-XYZx0pRfSJUccoXeMAT8wFpsQ4Q3x4Bq844Tkj7EcNXwQlQS6NnNpJzOl4/s1600/Yellowstone+Day+1+114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1108" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZzfMoJBAdZ7oy3CIPazTKaZrsk9ID6Em1MoDRWZiY2zyrJLALMneWe-_Z3qb2aJZSl-wf8ObJ7SoWpkmk-XYZx0pRfSJUccoXeMAT8wFpsQ4Q3x4Bq844Tkj7EcNXwQlQS6NnNpJzOl4/s640/Yellowstone+Day+1+114.JPG" width="442" /></a></div>
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Now, don't think all of Wapiti and Cody is just Yellowstone. Cody had the highest concrete arch-gravity dam in the US at 350 feet when it was completed in 1910. By comparison, the Hoover Dam (also planned for this trip) is 720 feet tall.</div>
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The debris field on the upstream side is pretty impressive also. Reminded us of some of the messes we plowed through on Help Me Rhonda at some of the locks on the Erie Canal.</div>
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Cody gets its name from Buffalo Bill Cody of course, very influential in the area. The town hosts 90 consecutive days of rodeos each summer, from 8 to 10 PM. We chose a night with rain threatening but we knew the bleachers were covered and took our chances. Well, it rained and it poured for at least an hour of the rodeo and the participants deserve a lot of credit for not allowing it to slow them down. We never got wet but there were serious winds that did dampen the evening a little for us. The animals definitely won as 30 MPH winds made it tough for the cowboys and cowgirls to lasso anything! By the way, the kids are the most fun to watch. We got just a couple of shots and this is about the best we have to offer. The more "active" events are a bit of a blur!</div>
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It was like all rodeos with bull riding, barrel races, rodeo clowns, calf roping, etc., but fun to watch. Speaking of kids, a western thing we had never seen before involved putting all of the spectator kids under the age of 12 in the arena and then turning loose 2 calves with ribbons tied to their tails (Not sure what these parents were thinking - 70 pound kids versus 200 pound calves with the winner getting a free Dairy Queen Blizzard.) Watching 75 kids trying to get the ribbons was something I never would have thought of doing to my kids but now I have a new game for the grandkids if I can only find some calves agreeable to wearing ribbons on their tails for kids to chase. Oh, and we may have trouble finding a suitable venue for the event.</div>
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So, that's about it for us at Wapiti, Cody, and Yellowstone. We have moved on to Missoula, MT for 3 days and are headed to Glacier National Park for 4 days later this week. Oh yeh, you may wonder why we did not venture south for the Tetons which are just south of Yellowstone - it was about an 8 to 9-hour roundtrip from our campsite so we are going to try and catch them later from the west or south.</div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-70152010887602063622017-07-26T20:57:00.000-07:002017-07-26T20:57:12.056-07:00Welcome To Montana, Red Lodge, and The #1 Motorcycle Ride in MT and WY <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Welcome to Montana, enroute to the town of Red Lodge and Beartooth Mountain Pass Highway! Beartooth is in every listing of the "Top Ten Motorcycle Rides In The USA," and in most it is number one.</div>
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First impressions of Montana - mostly grazing land and hay farms.</div>
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A rattlesnake warning is included in the welcome to Montana. Not quite sure how they teach the rattlesnakes to stay off of the sidewalks.</div>
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But they also had a clever rest stop area for pets, complete with fire hydrant.</div>
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Red Lodge is a neat little mountain town on Highway 212 at the beginning of Beartooth Pass (if you're heading westbound). The Scenic Byway Pass is 67 miles long to Cooke City and the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park. </div>
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We planned to take the historic walking tour in Red Lodge, but the weather did not cooperate, so we did a driving tour instead. We tried to follow the downloadable map, but are not including pictures here because the map did not tell if the places we were seeing were original or even the exact place. First we saw pretentious houses (brothels) called “Castles” that were
labeled "female boarding houses" on official maps back in the day. The "ladies" entertained miners at picnics across the street in an area
of aspens, a knoll, and a stream. We did not want to post a picture of some nice family's home as a former place of ill repute. Then there was the bank that the Sundance Kid tried to rob and the hotel where he stayed that might not have been built yet when he was in town. Finally, we learned that a house on S. Broadway was owned by “Punch
Cowboy,” a notorious bootlegger. In the 1920’s the entire town
entered the bootlegging scene by becoming producers,
consumers, and distributors. So, Red Lodge had all the typical attributes of "wild west towns" back in the day. Today it is a nice little tourist town with everything you need but a place to eat a meal with vegetables. We asked at church where to go for veggies and were told Subway! </div>
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For the third time now, we have arrived at our RV Park only to find that what we expected was not what we expected, all in the last few stops. We had a 50 amp power problem at Sturgis but they quickly repaired it, so I won't count that one. At Southern Hills in Hermosa, the power kept shutting off for our section of the campground so after 3 days we finally asked for our money back and left 2 days earlier than planned. (The new owner was super nice and was correcting the problem, but we were getting tired of the outages and having to run our generator.) At Perry's RV in Red Lodge, we got all set up at the site, then went to plug in the 50 amp power, only to find just 30 amp available. I went back to Perry and he said, "The people in the site I had reserved for you decided to stay longer and all I have now is a 30 amp site." Wouldn't that be a problem for the people that decided to stay longer and shouldn't he mention that before we headed to the site? Then he explained that they had left for a couple of days and he had no way to reach them?????? Anyhow, he offered another 50 amp site down by the crick but would not be responsible for me getting stuck with the RV trying to negotiate tight turns and trees. People were shaking their heads as we headed that way, one lady that lives there full-time even said to Rhonda, "That ain't gonna work." I admit a chainsaw would have been helpful and then we had to go in opposite the normal flow of traffic, but we made it and the crick was beautiful!</div>
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I'll jump ahead of the blog here and mention that at our next stop in Wapiti, WY, their 50 amp was not reliable either (after we had already gotten set up) and we had to move again there! But the folks there were very apologetic and as accommodating as they could be, and also offered to give us one day free of charge for our trouble! Hey, stuff happens.</div>
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Bear story and then we'll ride. Some of the campers at Perry's were reporting that a Mama bear and her cub were hanging out in the trees "but don't worry, they won't bother you." Uh, I'm pretty sure that's the bear combination you are supposed to be concerned about!</div>
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But we stopped at Red Lodge for Beartooth Pass, so let's get on with that. It's all about beauty, curves, steep dropoffs, altitude, and the ride! Most of this will be pictures - enjoy. Headed to the pass below.</div>
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The steep climbs begin quickly.</div>
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You should be getting a sense of the steep climbs and dropoffs by now, but one thing you have not expected is that Rhonda is driving the truck through all of this! I took a picture just to have proof. She normally is a little terrified (she says very terrified) of the curves when I am driving and she has now realized it is less scary for her when she is focused on the dividing line on the road rather than the edges and dropoffs.</div>
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As you approach the higher altitudes, there are grassy fields with lots of wildflowers.</div>
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I rode Beartooth the next day on the bike. Picture is at the summit - 10,947 feet.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGe3v6jXheBcF8UL4dvxKltw5sLZwnd2AXMe2LJVtRYxHlckuKAG1X0fSaA3hr2HuRdoj6KZbQje45x2P922paDlQMxhYB3_dfPE-4jf-TSuhSEu46k1Bt0NOWTSJqpa_n66JBy6vow4/s1600/MC+at+Beartooth+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="1600" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGe3v6jXheBcF8UL4dvxKltw5sLZwnd2AXMe2LJVtRYxHlckuKAG1X0fSaA3hr2HuRdoj6KZbQje45x2P922paDlQMxhYB3_dfPE-4jf-TSuhSEu46k1Bt0NOWTSJqpa_n66JBy6vow4/s640/MC+at+Beartooth+003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Starting down again to the lower altitudes, but plenty of beauty and curves remaining.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg354CdWOcKGlRezoa1SUJaWhpuUlz26Kw5MRyNph56RcBt2v5CpHNhnxPZwINxYVIxGzWjZaKLD5xlUZ-0sFxhQOiWiPYOv0fKlI_8TLhXiYF1uEUyd8MnIaBP7JCeASB0XV26ubIf1d4/s1600/Beartooth+Hwy+069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="894" data-original-width="1600" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg354CdWOcKGlRezoa1SUJaWhpuUlz26Kw5MRyNph56RcBt2v5CpHNhnxPZwINxYVIxGzWjZaKLD5xlUZ-0sFxhQOiWiPYOv0fKlI_8TLhXiYF1uEUyd8MnIaBP7JCeASB0XV26ubIf1d4/s640/Beartooth+Hwy+069.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Rhonda had to check out the snow.</div>
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Grizzly bear country but we did not see any.</div>
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But like buffalo and sheep, cows can free graze and block traffic also. </div>
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These bikers had to wait for this one.</div>
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Beartooth Pass Highway begins in Montana, drops down into Wyoming, back to Montana, and back again to Wyoming, so it is rated as the number 1 motorcycle ride in both states! I also rode about 70 miles of the number 2 ride in Wyoming - the 200-mile Chief Joseph Scenic Highway, but took no pictures and just enjoyed the ride. I may be able to finish that route due to its proximity to our next stop, Wapiti, WY to visit Yellowstone National Park. If you recall, I had already ridden all 260 miles of the number 3 ride in Wyoming, so this has been a fun motorcycle state for me!</div>
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We attended church at Beartooth Mountain Baptist Church on Sunday morning before heading to Wapiti. In lots of towns we have visited, it is difficult to find a church to attend, and for our friends back in Alabama - Baptist is not the predominant denomination! Some of them are mission efforts from churches back in the southeast and frequently attendance is slim.</div>
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See you in Wapiti!</div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-68310985596600406672017-07-23T14:20:00.000-07:002017-07-25T17:19:33.005-07:00Buffalo, WY<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am having trouble keeping up the blog! We stay so busy, there is not much time for such things. For example, we have been in Red Lodge, Montana for 3 days and I still need to post Buffalo, WY. Tomorrow we'll be in Wapiti, WY for a week at Yellowstone and I haven't even gone through all the pictures of Red Lodge. Oh well, here goes on Buffalo.</div>
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We stayed at one of the nicest RV parks so far - Deer Creek. First class professional operation - clean, spacious sites, nice facilities, SHADE TREES galore, swimming pool, ice cream get-togethers each evening, and they even water down the roads each day to keep down the dust! We had a nice corner spot.</div>
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Almost forgot - Welcome To Wyoming! (I did sort of a touch-and-go there a week or so ago on a bike ride from Sturgis to Devils Tower, but this is the official one).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-fpRajedyaC3a1ZjvUzYeAu14xX3gMBJZfszyKlv7O4tmDaSlHBaeBtD-nJqCtBgIz61U-1M_-epQsrQszvMPuZgxjVRm3sZ3W0OabHLuMTBI6TOX0xPuuab7Wl9arwJnbwqrosYi9Y/s1600/Sturgis+to+Buffalo%252C+WY+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="1600" height="403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-fpRajedyaC3a1ZjvUzYeAu14xX3gMBJZfszyKlv7O4tmDaSlHBaeBtD-nJqCtBgIz61U-1M_-epQsrQszvMPuZgxjVRm3sZ3W0OabHLuMTBI6TOX0xPuuab7Wl9arwJnbwqrosYi9Y/s640/Sturgis+to+Buffalo%252C+WY+002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The area is all about the Bighorn Mountains and there are 2 east/west passes across those mountains - Highways 14 at Sheridan, WY and 16 at Buffalo. Lots of travelers cross here to Yellowstone from Interstate 90. Rhonda and I rode the 16 pass together and I did a 260-mile bike ride loop of both of them. It's about 70 miles across on HWY16 and 90 miles across on HWY 14. Here we go. One more thing - a biker friend of mine who has ridden lots of this and is following the blog commented recently to me that the pictures just don't show the true beauty and majesty of the land. So true - we just use an automatic camera and sometimes the phones. So, try and imagine about 10 times what you see here and you'll be close. Here we go, again.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK795lYLTpqwNDXo6ofg_fnc803Tqyq1u7dvJKMp4vg0P49HiLh_MqJpLXgjs687YfxQeu60qeTqh2Yo0ntEbo-yXkEUPChMpMCrafv7xuYMPRoz4CsSIKxS-7IpgKAfATr4Q2C1eTJQE/s1600/Buffalo+to+Red+Lodge+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="783" data-original-width="1600" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK795lYLTpqwNDXo6ofg_fnc803Tqyq1u7dvJKMp4vg0P49HiLh_MqJpLXgjs687YfxQeu60qeTqh2Yo0ntEbo-yXkEUPChMpMCrafv7xuYMPRoz4CsSIKxS-7IpgKAfATr4Q2C1eTJQE/s640/Buffalo+to+Red+Lodge+008.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Obviously, the snow is interesting in the middle of July. You see lots of snow fences in this part of the country, used to prevent snow drifts on the highways. Farmers also use them to force snow drifts into particular areas to have a water source as the snow melts in the spring.</div>
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Rhonda loves the wildflowers along the highways and throughout the terrain. Mostly blues, but some yellows and reds also.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJsWgmxRXrwECJJnjYl-LE57Mhf7_jsZMlblaak4YjwP45j6vWyNF4-90h_bxfn3FMPGNsN-YAxtEDTXMCX1JmxZpI3t0L5E38VDR82LbD2P-S8uk_5nca47N0V9MYt6CA1wF_Oz8iqdw/s1600/Hwy+14+Bighorn+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="1600" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJsWgmxRXrwECJJnjYl-LE57Mhf7_jsZMlblaak4YjwP45j6vWyNF4-90h_bxfn3FMPGNsN-YAxtEDTXMCX1JmxZpI3t0L5E38VDR82LbD2P-S8uk_5nca47N0V9MYt6CA1wF_Oz8iqdw/s640/Hwy+14+Bighorn+001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Beautiful lakes mixed in along the way.</div>
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In some areas, not much out there. It isn't quite as noticeable in this picture below as it is going down the highway, but lots of the roads in this part of the country are made from rose quartz which gives the roads a pink color.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63_q0rb2AcAmnS_3sPPOAsB3Xo9QRYQdea3-jzZTtw6Gy06ESqE4uwkavbSvVOlcbjOm23skATRGLfvvBNY17ooNhMamsn7JU7GN_5fjasPMZQ7viFmOW1C3Yhn71lIRLS1mjpD9pz5U/s1600/Sturgis+to+Buffalo%252C+WY+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63_q0rb2AcAmnS_3sPPOAsB3Xo9QRYQdea3-jzZTtw6Gy06ESqE4uwkavbSvVOlcbjOm23skATRGLfvvBNY17ooNhMamsn7JU7GN_5fjasPMZQ7viFmOW1C3Yhn71lIRLS1mjpD9pz5U/s640/Sturgis+to+Buffalo%252C+WY+013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And then come the mountains.</div>
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And back to rolling hills.<br />
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In between HWY 16 and HWY 14 on the west side of the Bighorns, there was vast nothingness, literally rock and dust, didn't even bother to take a picture. Then there's a stretch like the Rio Grande where the only green is along the river. Then back into the mountains eastbound on HWY 14.<br />
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Love the road below. The curves just about never stop when riding through the mountains.<br />
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Handmade signs started showing up on the side of the road saying "slow herds." Sure enough, not long afterwards, hundreds, probably thousands, of sheep grazing.<br />
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And like the buffalo, they stake their claim on the highways and don't mind holding up traffic if it suits them at the time!<br />
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Followed shortly thereafter by free roaming horses. I could only get a shot of 2 together. You can also see more sheep in the background.<br />
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And you'll just have to take my word on the next stretch which was a deep green, heavily forested, kind of wet and boggy landscape along a creek bed (pronounced "crick" by all in this area). There was a moose grazing along the crick and by the time I got turned around and pulled over to take the picture, it disappeared over a bluff. Lots of establishments along the way were named "Elk this or that" but I'm sure what I saw was a moose - you know, the goofy looking one of the two! </div>
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And you exit the east side of the mountains along a beautiful valley, then overlook the flatlands back toward Interstate 90. It takes a while to get back down the mountains and the ride was beautiful, but no free hands to take pictures.</div>
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Speaking of sheep, there are 4 things we found interesting about the town of Buffalo. Sheep were introduced to the area by the Basque people, sheepherders from the Pyrenees mountains, attracted here originally like so many others by the California gold rush, only to realize that their fortune would not materialize. So, they returned to what they knew - sheep. Here's a monument in town to their presence in the area. </div>
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Several "sheep wagons" are also displayed throughout the town.</div>
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We've all heard or read about the cattle wars between the homesteaders who owned and were trying to develop their property and the free range cattle herders who claimed grazing rights on that same land as they moved their herds of cattle through the area. The "Cattle Wars of 1892" are an example of this for this area. It got so bad that the president had to order the cavalry in to intervene in the disputes. It was a real mess and there are statues to represent both sides of the dispute. The free range guys...........</div>
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..........and the homesteaders.</div>
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The Occidental Hotel is an historic location in downtown Buffalo from 1880, still in use today as a hotel. Lots of well-known folks like Butch Cassidy, Buffalo Bill Cody, Calamity Jane, and several presidents stayed there. It still maintains its old western look for today's travelers and there are even original bullet holes in the saloon section next door. (It is kind of amazing how many places Butch, Jane, and the others stayed in!)</div>
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We loved this old version of a tricycle!</div>
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Buffalo's other claim to fame is Craig Johnson, author of the "Longmire" books and movie series. And I should note the friendliness of the people here. One elderly gentleman struck up a conversation with us and shared lots of details of his life here and interesting facts about the town. He closed with a joke - "Did you hear about the lady that went on an alcohol diet? She lost 4 days the first week!" (There are definitely lots of bars and saloons out here.)</div>
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And even though we had already experienced the landscape of the area, several people recommended seeing "Crazy Woman Canyon." This was a chance to get into the heart of the Bighorn Mountains up close and personal rather than just riding the highways. Legend is that a woman settler's husband was killed, she was left there alone and went crazy, OR an Indian woman was left there to live alone (no reason why) and went crazy. The only thing for sure that we know is that this gravel road is not recommended for large vehicles and 4-wheel drive helps in a couple of spots!</div>
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See you in Red Lodge, MT to ride the 67-mile Beartooth Mountain Pass, recommended by many as the number one motorcycle ride in the country. I'll give you a sneak peak - I have now ridden seven of the top 10 in the country and they may be right!<br />
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-41913717777306471312017-07-19T21:57:00.001-07:002017-07-19T21:57:10.656-07:00Mt. Rushmore, Wildlife, and The #1 Motorcycle Ride in South Dakota<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well, the main attraction in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota is Mt. Rushmore, but there's much more. The closest we could get to all the activity was Hermosa, SD and Southern Hills Camground. This is their take on Mt. Rushmore at the entrance - Kennedy, Reagan, and Bush. The plan is to move the statues to a hill in back of the park and have a walking trail up to view "Mt. Hermosa." I guess you can say the owners lean a little right. (Kennedy, in comparison to today's Democrats and many Republicans, was actually pretty conservative.) I did a double-take one evening when Rhonda said she was going to "the heads" to take a picture. We have 40 years of boating in our history and bathrooms are known as "heads" on a boat, so that's the first thing that came to my mind. And if you have been following our blog on this trip, you recall my photo session at a rest stop bathroom to document the triple action combo soap-wash-dry machine! I thought, well maybe she thinks it's OK!</div>
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Another unique thing about the RV Park is <b>two</b> still-in-use drive-ins next door. They seem to have a fair amount of business. Here's one of them.</div>
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Lots of thunderstorms and weather rolled through while we were here. One evening, Rhonda caught a rainbow and thunderstorm back to back.</div>
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After a couple of humdinger storms, in additon to parking the bike under the nose of the RV, we started covering the bike and strapping her to the truck for a little extra help! Our neighbor behind us had his bike blown over the day before, scratched up the left saddlebag pretty bad.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWt0I2GDJjej-mfRQNePfYxaSf6YXxfBlcA3rdah-7Kmy66ygeJQBUXHvun_ApMUerk3070zP2ovagOuAX9Nl0Ynv5s9xy7_p_3a3fVzj9PS9C4C1PYEaqdxGIVzLiCxrwYMdHIL4G3Rs/s1600/Iron+Mountain+and+Needles+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWt0I2GDJjej-mfRQNePfYxaSf6YXxfBlcA3rdah-7Kmy66ygeJQBUXHvun_ApMUerk3070zP2ovagOuAX9Nl0Ynv5s9xy7_p_3a3fVzj9PS9C4C1PYEaqdxGIVzLiCxrwYMdHIL4G3Rs/s400/Iron+Mountain+and+Needles+020.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Back to Mt. Rushmore. Our first view from a distance. Wow, just wow! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcmrZx8-zo90MoNHtETKVcAQP6tsjxpm0TTE8JF_xpRI-4VHnw_qh7g0G9LgydwkFpxcJhY62i2Waa6qOJOVdVNYh0OmIhTlk4t4yYxAywPUAYg60eM4lKWf8SRbb_RaYFdX_l-JAclm0/s1600/Day1+at+Hermosa+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcmrZx8-zo90MoNHtETKVcAQP6tsjxpm0TTE8JF_xpRI-4VHnw_qh7g0G9LgydwkFpxcJhY62i2Waa6qOJOVdVNYh0OmIhTlk4t4yYxAywPUAYg60eM4lKWf8SRbb_RaYFdX_l-JAclm0/s640/Day1+at+Hermosa+009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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It took 14 years to construct, designed and spearheaded by Gutzon Borglum, well-known and accomplished sculptor, with the help of 400 workers. All were local and no-one died of accidental injuries during construction! Borglum died of natural causes right before completion and his son completed the project. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_E04ia_qLgxyVeOcBHKiAMtIuac9E22SZMiFHYoapE8mNU4-Uo-lT15CX7pum4Vz-CJOCfDTIp5IOihcTLCy8A7QsZhhSZXD_nwi-_oDahZqOSj9w4F5Tbd5aw4Y2difaq5R50L6kDNQ/s1600/Final+Mt.+Rushmore+and+new+Sturgis+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_E04ia_qLgxyVeOcBHKiAMtIuac9E22SZMiFHYoapE8mNU4-Uo-lT15CX7pum4Vz-CJOCfDTIp5IOihcTLCy8A7QsZhhSZXD_nwi-_oDahZqOSj9w4F5Tbd5aw4Y2difaq5R50L6kDNQ/s400/Final+Mt.+Rushmore+and+new+Sturgis+008.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The original notion to build a monument was to honor legendery people from the area but the final decision was to go patriotic - something the country and our citizens could be proud of for many years to come. Here's the story on why Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln were chosen.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84OKD-a1Q9b6ooZilCifVJ-1WOjmLPielKfVFOC6aHNy82KVbB9W_uawRa40I5NbJZeyjCb5fXnpwoOR2l1-SfYoJG13HPSEQzdC6oZaN77IqHccDjsV7SqkaaA1RGMS3TkvpArH-d58/s1600/Final+Mt.+Rushmore+and+new+Sturgis+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84OKD-a1Q9b6ooZilCifVJ-1WOjmLPielKfVFOC6aHNy82KVbB9W_uawRa40I5NbJZeyjCb5fXnpwoOR2l1-SfYoJG13HPSEQzdC6oZaN77IqHccDjsV7SqkaaA1RGMS3TkvpArH-d58/s640/Final+Mt.+Rushmore+and+new+Sturgis+009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As you approach the monument from the parking lot, you walk through a presentation of states, flying the flag of each one and noting the date each joined the union.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50A0jaaXjPI5k26w5oxKhN6opcSDsIv0QhYlW_QeTSm0ee54PXKhiprzm5x1ScpJAfYa8D5neREM8CNuziMPC_nQL-Qiy2s5zbyLuRw0hL-Puq-0-GSL5LDMnr1rBDOYqvnLKQJ97X2M/s1600/Day1+at+Hermosa+103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50A0jaaXjPI5k26w5oxKhN6opcSDsIv0QhYlW_QeTSm0ee54PXKhiprzm5x1ScpJAfYa8D5neREM8CNuziMPC_nQL-Qiy2s5zbyLuRw0hL-Puq-0-GSL5LDMnr1rBDOYqvnLKQJ97X2M/s640/Day1+at+Hermosa+103.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now, stop what you are doing, stand up, and salute the great state of Alabama!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIdtXLwuQxcSv3TY_YBXPIcY9Rxz9y8qA3-EQojM6xK1tIj92Nvn_gdr7k2LPA6wEqu9Ly4qR56la6NaOirsVdQGaFX_LtBn8xjBJfUJeBmZWsouKYhWHir7OMowByBhsc2aOH3Ndo_8/s1600/Final+Mt.+Rushmore+and+new+Sturgis+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIdtXLwuQxcSv3TY_YBXPIcY9Rxz9y8qA3-EQojM6xK1tIj92Nvn_gdr7k2LPA6wEqu9Ly4qR56la6NaOirsVdQGaFX_LtBn8xjBJfUJeBmZWsouKYhWHir7OMowByBhsc2aOH3Ndo_8/s640/Final+Mt.+Rushmore+and+new+Sturgis+003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As the sun begins to set, the crowd heads for an e<span style="text-align: justify;">vening presentation in a huge amphitheatre at the base of the monument. There's also about 20 minutes of patriotic music.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuow_MocCYya-ibBEaNfEJZibDDwwYg0I3m6fCGxUVJV28kS0K9JsLS_3IRd9TPuenxyEZ0at36PeIYuD4lVVMarB_cP5VPoCw09L8O9EMdZ-PJw0az39SSurDTtboSmPbaRbEFwvidc/s1600/Day1+at+Hermosa+115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1147" data-original-width="1600" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVuow_MocCYya-ibBEaNfEJZibDDwwYg0I3m6fCGxUVJV28kS0K9JsLS_3IRd9TPuenxyEZ0at36PeIYuD4lVVMarB_cP5VPoCw09L8O9EMdZ-PJw0az39SSurDTtboSmPbaRbEFwvidc/s640/Day1+at+Hermosa+115.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cUn5e0LtLsRY7QsLIBD1tkx22Dsb1eB9ZnOgfOafO7fg9jgVDgYXAiroPAaXZ_n9bn25yqYS6luN7ux3hXZ5u_DV2e3NkzgPRmbUt8Adl9JXK74nQ6WIPEwX9A6CQg4lYWm22-uZT4k/s1600/Day1+at+Hermosa+106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6cUn5e0LtLsRY7QsLIBD1tkx22Dsb1eB9ZnOgfOafO7fg9jgVDgYXAiroPAaXZ_n9bn25yqYS6luN7ux3hXZ5u_DV2e3NkzgPRmbUt8Adl9JXK74nQ6WIPEwX9A6CQg4lYWm22-uZT4k/s640/Day1+at+Hermosa+106.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The program begins with an impressive speech by one of the Park Rangers. In short, he notes the strengths of all of these men, especially Washington, who had the opportunity to become "king" of America, but would not consider it. He believed in the democracy that we still know today, and all of his efforts were directed toward that goal. There was a video on the details and construction of the monument and toward the end of the ceremony, the monument is lit up - very impressive.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Hd1k2YGvOkW9b0JzsZ2fHRVGNCDMth3D_YoXYOdqJ658fqyTDkylIJPU0kHrEJv-WgT6PwOq4ImoAjcyXqX16cOVBU97LJydTBlPiF0JXSAHFKO1wHh71vhwUT0ciKNMyaAt-P3WPWI/s1600/Day1+at+Hermosa+118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="1600" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Hd1k2YGvOkW9b0JzsZ2fHRVGNCDMth3D_YoXYOdqJ658fqyTDkylIJPU0kHrEJv-WgT6PwOq4ImoAjcyXqX16cOVBU97LJydTBlPiF0JXSAHFKO1wHh71vhwUT0ciKNMyaAt-P3WPWI/s640/Day1+at+Hermosa+118.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Then they asked all veterans to go to the stage. As you can imagine, there was a standing ovation and much respect for those who serve to defend and protect our democracy.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTei5sat7mjfegMr2etsTE3ncw2TJfDkdUo_0FopIDj6zOgEwgXTtFiqMBR06_lVipGfkbqro1Jn2GL1Ol8C_6CF7rGnTo5Vw12L4sl8NbXYFi9lMMBgpR67UkpOq5t_-ZbH8cjKeNiU/s1600/Day1+at+Hermosa+120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZTei5sat7mjfegMr2etsTE3ncw2TJfDkdUo_0FopIDj6zOgEwgXTtFiqMBR06_lVipGfkbqro1Jn2GL1Ol8C_6CF7rGnTo5Vw12L4sl8NbXYFi9lMMBgpR67UkpOq5t_-ZbH8cjKeNiU/s640/Day1+at+Hermosa+120.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The evening closed with all singing the national anthem together. It was quite an afternoon and evening for us, and while we certainly arrived as proud Americans, we left feeling even more so. We are so blessed to live in this great country.</div>
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<b> God Bless America!</b></div>
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The Crazy Horse monument is under construction about 20 miles away but we just viewed it from a distance.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxQP4gjoDSHeIJvFdMEdj-CXgNhbPyG9g6kYapX3wnWpZ6CKHpl8tWzrY5i1XOpTGsNkubg4H0UyM9AGPJopT_OUyZKRiCNOERjEM8uKUOzsOZNwVgIWE_JLs94_j8iL3oMAJSpbHlIA/s1600/Day1+at+Hermosa+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="881" data-original-width="1600" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxQP4gjoDSHeIJvFdMEdj-CXgNhbPyG9g6kYapX3wnWpZ6CKHpl8tWzrY5i1XOpTGsNkubg4H0UyM9AGPJopT_OUyZKRiCNOERjEM8uKUOzsOZNwVgIWE_JLs94_j8iL3oMAJSpbHlIA/s640/Day1+at+Hermosa+013.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's where they are headed with that one - gonna be impressive.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyulJ2gHvjnThfhzAMSyV7rzG6o3E9ODrydCLKTNaOfOzq23NGW5DVeB9nS7igrLKsMEb_pQeNlMUJhMboccCF312F8ZgLeN4ksBK4GnL3s3I2y3xf5k_KWifta9jj08gDHPuOr_qq-Q/s1600/Crazy+Horse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="600" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbyulJ2gHvjnThfhzAMSyV7rzG6o3E9ODrydCLKTNaOfOzq23NGW5DVeB9nS7igrLKsMEb_pQeNlMUJhMboccCF312F8ZgLeN4ksBK4GnL3s3I2y3xf5k_KWifta9jj08gDHPuOr_qq-Q/s400/Crazy+Horse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Speaking of impressive, we headed to the heart of the Black Hills to check out the #1 motorcycle ride in South Dakota. It's referred to generally as "The Central Hills Loop" and consists of Hwy 244, Hwy 87, Needles Highway, Highway 16A, and Iron Mountain Road.</div>
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Rhonda and I first tackled Needles Highway, which is named for the stone spires that look like needles and 3 narrow tunnels that you have to "thread." The first one was no big deal at 10'6" wide. Plenty of room, but we did pull the mirrors in just in case. Don't forget, we are driving a Dodge Ram 3500 dually.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVI9_eWisi3XxGBqirPyCHTrifOS8eGXGxB533EQD57Jq5_qE4WuhEezX-tbnLf2J7VZwIpsxbzkPYpvznt77sL9ZZbY5B1h3khVYpqn4RQH90BpD2Jua7kYHd0bJnmgGA-Qglynt-O0/s1600/Day1+at+Hermosa+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVI9_eWisi3XxGBqirPyCHTrifOS8eGXGxB533EQD57Jq5_qE4WuhEezX-tbnLf2J7VZwIpsxbzkPYpvznt77sL9ZZbY5B1h3khVYpqn4RQH90BpD2Jua7kYHd0bJnmgGA-Qglynt-O0/s640/Day1+at+Hermosa+035.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We got to the next one and there was a huge crowd out of their vehicles and off of their bikes checking this thing out - pretty narrow, 8'4'' wide to be exact. I did not know the exact width of our truck at that point but figured we could make it. One biker said, "I had planned to come through here tomorrow in my dually but I'm not sure I can make it. I'm gonna video you going through!" Here's the challenge.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66u-avft__50Dkqderila_m1VOgRQG-j7LCMyP51_2fjfq1LTMX9SCzrudJx7thJpbH5gOrYzMHMaasVIiTX_NMZlCU4-nyTmzlPZVumGTl2CgAEo7bGzCjYQhp-MlYxnQv6yoT4Iu7M/s1600/Day1+at+Hermosa+050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66u-avft__50Dkqderila_m1VOgRQG-j7LCMyP51_2fjfq1LTMX9SCzrudJx7thJpbH5gOrYzMHMaasVIiTX_NMZlCU4-nyTmzlPZVumGTl2CgAEo7bGzCjYQhp-MlYxnQv6yoT4Iu7M/s640/Day1+at+Hermosa+050.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Well, there was nothing else to pull in after the mirrors, so off we went. About halfway through I'm thinking "this was probably not a good idea." But all you can do is concentrate on the one side you can see and stay as close to that wall as possible. We made it through and then measured the truck - probably got those in the wrong order, huh? The truck is 8 feet wide, so we had 4 inches to spare and this tunnel is not square by any means, lots of uneven walls throughout - living on the edge again! I tried to find the guy who said he was gonna take a video of us going through so he could send me a copy but never found him again (probably rushed home to get his dually so he could do it today instead of tomorrow). "Here, hold my beer and watch this!" We continued on and t<span style="text-align: center;">he third tunnel was back up to 9 feet - "Hey, let's put the mirrors back out!"</span></div>
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Here's some of the scenery and the spires (needles).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuzH3kR2RzZtHa2QQmgt7EbipmlEp-cCrMYIVKfOdVJABc1g09QGbR_83K4uGG9gxx6WXDjk7hPmNltycA2OOtACdC4gJzPowC9LiJjD4RsZjewdpRw_KN8hseV-TjH3PyUyc50YVPKnY/s1600/Day1+at+Hermosa+064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="1600" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuzH3kR2RzZtHa2QQmgt7EbipmlEp-cCrMYIVKfOdVJABc1g09QGbR_83K4uGG9gxx6WXDjk7hPmNltycA2OOtACdC4gJzPowC9LiJjD4RsZjewdpRw_KN8hseV-TjH3PyUyc50YVPKnY/s640/Day1+at+Hermosa+064.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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This guy's got the right idea, at least going downhill.</div>
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Iron Mountain Road was a hoot - 17 miles, 314 curves, 14 switchbacks, 3 pigtails, 3 tunnels, 2 splits, and 4 presidents.</div>
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The four presidents reference is to one of the 3 tunnels - you come out of the tunnel with a view straight ahead of Mt. Rushmore.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorBMg4lJlCZIvXCJDrqsZAixpEDFkVxoQ0COeMUE8-aPHV7V9dDq0Hv-Rf9AwdWevO6E3NwxtrwT7_hyphenhyphenBWcui7L9tSACz9iD_mgfIF0SsVeRN-L8Oy_EAVvypiPMMCEnfSM4EttW907I/s1600/Iron+Mountain+and+Needles+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorBMg4lJlCZIvXCJDrqsZAixpEDFkVxoQ0COeMUE8-aPHV7V9dDq0Hv-Rf9AwdWevO6E3NwxtrwT7_hyphenhyphenBWcui7L9tSACz9iD_mgfIF0SsVeRN-L8Oy_EAVvypiPMMCEnfSM4EttW907I/s640/Iron+Mountain+and+Needles+004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And to close out this post, take a quick trip with us on the Wildlife Loop, an 18-mile road through a section of Custer State Park.</div>
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Pronghorns.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUzrShwW6o7FckVG92ZzqRX_ImIr6YqE9utJUzXcJfwLyzCG-YMl4t_v0T7SLU04Zormdu_P82WPIigT5AzrF_fydJDmAVp0i0mezVbpRrc-Ss9xZZBF4eAgEgmtzm7E87QV-Z0Qpr64/s1600/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUzrShwW6o7FckVG92ZzqRX_ImIr6YqE9utJUzXcJfwLyzCG-YMl4t_v0T7SLU04Zormdu_P82WPIigT5AzrF_fydJDmAVp0i0mezVbpRrc-Ss9xZZBF4eAgEgmtzm7E87QV-Z0Qpr64/s640/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Deer with a nice rack.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOGrWYxCNlWoTaBXAMJ_4m1v_B5dIjKo2lD4sB14AYSyheMooOXz6T-8KPegsvljvwmJxPh0IcuKxRvzSe2nos6IcWBAqylkxMN5zWDZdCmnmsHww4eD1UqMPBXAY87tsYJH0Gs9jL44/s1600/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidOGrWYxCNlWoTaBXAMJ_4m1v_B5dIjKo2lD4sB14AYSyheMooOXz6T-8KPegsvljvwmJxPh0IcuKxRvzSe2nos6IcWBAqylkxMN5zWDZdCmnmsHww4eD1UqMPBXAY87tsYJH0Gs9jL44/s640/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+014.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Burros.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7dF6CKv66MGSfoD1_B5Uuk0vOkQCIo7p4qMhv297IVWQtBUJPAYpmyc4rAvwJoATEF07kESDFSc-K4qxbCzggo43Ek3oJ41U74QbC3FpqCzdvNHMdNCFj5R1P17rpObMnWtDvSEuwfY/s1600/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="1600" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7dF6CKv66MGSfoD1_B5Uuk0vOkQCIo7p4qMhv297IVWQtBUJPAYpmyc4rAvwJoATEF07kESDFSc-K4qxbCzggo43Ek3oJ41U74QbC3FpqCzdvNHMdNCFj5R1P17rpObMnWtDvSEuwfY/s640/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+021.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicatfP8uReyDApUdXh8IuFQOfYlj2m0d-UK00cVtRMNil3YkMUbXnnQiPOuOmcEsf-7cbLS52QGE0lyowA0XflQFNFC7c_UVLBysY9ThBSZNiqkAwGXeaNKRZZFNtfLQR7tw1V9U0bn68/s1600/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1299" data-original-width="1600" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicatfP8uReyDApUdXh8IuFQOfYlj2m0d-UK00cVtRMNil3YkMUbXnnQiPOuOmcEsf-7cbLS52QGE0lyowA0XflQFNFC7c_UVLBysY9ThBSZNiqkAwGXeaNKRZZFNtfLQR7tw1V9U0bn68/s640/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+024.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Several came up to Rhonda's window but left quickly after realizing there was no food.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRt-Nr_eY6VRHU5J3c2ARoon6HQgnoVVwHCCWVpFuWdsT9edWigUtGBmimm8fS-CmHcZPELgMc2UkAQiHZCMNNckSEKlK793I1evidfiRxL3C_IskNWuRMt-oFDGQGA56Tk0Nuk_STjA/s1600/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRt-Nr_eY6VRHU5J3c2ARoon6HQgnoVVwHCCWVpFuWdsT9edWigUtGBmimm8fS-CmHcZPELgMc2UkAQiHZCMNNckSEKlK793I1evidfiRxL3C_IskNWuRMt-oFDGQGA56Tk0Nuk_STjA/s640/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+026.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And Buffalo. They are huge (adults at about 1400 pounds), they sound mean and snort a lot, they have 2 small but sharp horns up front, and they don't mind holding up traffic.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sz5m6oi-ZaQM4-krBS9aLX18EXATj5FkgxHl_dG2r94EewcN4xumxmI10-SPMXuZz1zP37AQdXK8GB1dmVKLNal7uy5WPphxyU_4hKWOfkaB478vhAwxW9__uAQWWk0JsmQCF-ZGTYM/s1600/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sz5m6oi-ZaQM4-krBS9aLX18EXATj5FkgxHl_dG2r94EewcN4xumxmI10-SPMXuZz1zP37AQdXK8GB1dmVKLNal7uy5WPphxyU_4hKWOfkaB478vhAwxW9__uAQWWk0JsmQCF-ZGTYM/s640/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+018.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9Ua_zfsJFWIP6aro4Gyo42mEh9X5agSyNU-7MoHpWu3XU0TE5xfm02RdUiIzhTLD1tqGV2eDjNXy85hxc8Rqll8MPT5tokrR5K76V-PvU7gGt39BUFK3d9xuiIk0ouBtGrQywI55kik/s1600/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB9Ua_zfsJFWIP6aro4Gyo42mEh9X5agSyNU-7MoHpWu3XU0TE5xfm02RdUiIzhTLD1tqGV2eDjNXy85hxc8Rqll8MPT5tokrR5K76V-PvU7gGt39BUFK3d9xuiIk0ouBtGrQywI55kik/s640/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+031.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Speaking of holding up traffic - on a separate bike ride a couple of days after these pics were taken from the truck, I ran into 3 differents herds on my way to Hot Springs, WY and finally had to turn around and backtrack my original route to that point to get back to the RV!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NexkKbxxov0aR0KKUt0p0C43U9jUifodkgEPyuS08-vMHfv2MZ7CTAkfsCec3hmlmGL-KQNjHT6-gf59mrPcAMexXhfvsrcG37OSOlSGyaNMtA1unan4KvUdVCVow3MSArHDHDEUp2c/s1600/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="1600" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5NexkKbxxov0aR0KKUt0p0C43U9jUifodkgEPyuS08-vMHfv2MZ7CTAkfsCec3hmlmGL-KQNjHT6-gf59mrPcAMexXhfvsrcG37OSOlSGyaNMtA1unan4KvUdVCVow3MSArHDHDEUp2c/s640/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+034.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I have a feeling they do not mind using the horns if they feel the need!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO484-t0kjlu3BEcxBkWIHBhejrRrfNf-al6fpC4ECPAo41IVlXklcV2_cPZxEmiVUC2PMlR1IX55opFj8AwyfeJlwldvlTP4D1orJ-f7RSCYJLYBBqJw1wlDbYjp2WK5eOHF28V2PLaE/s1600/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1179" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO484-t0kjlu3BEcxBkWIHBhejrRrfNf-al6fpC4ECPAo41IVlXklcV2_cPZxEmiVUC2PMlR1IX55opFj8AwyfeJlwldvlTP4D1orJ-f7RSCYJLYBBqJw1wlDbYjp2WK5eOHF28V2PLaE/s640/Wildlife+Loop+Black+Hills+033.JPG" width="470" /></a></div>
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And speaking of Buffalo, that's our next stop for 4 days to check out the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming.</div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-43973396968928823992017-07-17T20:17:00.000-07:002017-07-17T20:17:18.524-07:00Sturgis, SD = MotorcyclesI started riding motorcycles again about 2 years ago after a 40-year hiatus and have ridden about 27,000 miles since then. I ride mostly with members of our FAITH Riders Motorcycle Ministry at Lindsay Lane Baptist Church in Athens, AL. These are wonderful folks and we have a good time together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzZkXl21Pu9J99G4T8t8fbQMJrAIv_BaG5jhDinXLWDK6v2zIGHEQPa4Dm3egABYJX1qvlXRZAAECKh_qSlNZYbYYOmWXrxbL80_ugrtb7UmeYLMy0RR-O_GlUahnzStyAwtcG869OKM/s1600/Faith+Riders+2017+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1600" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzZkXl21Pu9J99G4T8t8fbQMJrAIv_BaG5jhDinXLWDK6v2zIGHEQPa4Dm3egABYJX1qvlXRZAAECKh_qSlNZYbYYOmWXrxbL80_ugrtb7UmeYLMy0RR-O_GlUahnzStyAwtcG869OKM/s640/Faith+Riders+2017+005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sturgis, SD is recognized around the world as the home of the largest motorcycle rally event of its kind and I have wanted to go there for a while. We are about three weeks early for their annual 10-day rally, but the town always has the feel of a motorcycle town. It's exciting to be here!<br />
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A couple of months ago, we had an "All Roads Lead To Memphis" post in the blog but according to this, all roads lead to Sturgis! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdoCFGreHd58TnX7jfiZX56Yrb2hohtQNaax6CJRP8trRjspa4kCcMdkPMoY3rG4mMYkCjOKxjW4S89BG4oQCWcC6JUiUuI_glt6zxFhPGoMWZ1z-QxvFl40DxOMs-T-7EgxASDH-dXTg/s1600/Day1+at+Hermosa+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="814" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdoCFGreHd58TnX7jfiZX56Yrb2hohtQNaax6CJRP8trRjspa4kCcMdkPMoY3rG4mMYkCjOKxjW4S89BG4oQCWcC6JUiUuI_glt6zxFhPGoMWZ1z-QxvFl40DxOMs-T-7EgxASDH-dXTg/s400/Day1+at+Hermosa+014.JPG" width="202" /></a></div>
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"All roads" would certainly include those from Athens, AL, so we added a pin on the map to document that at one of the restaurants. (There have certainly been others from Athens before me, including some from our FAITH Riders group, but there was no pin!)</div>
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The Sturgis Rally began in 1938 with a small group of riders on Indian motorcycles and has since grown to an attendance of around 1 million, yes, that's 1 million. The rally generates 95% of Sturgis's annual income at $800 million dollars for a city of about 7000 residents. (My brain's thinking now - If I could make 95% of my business income in 10 days, I probably would just take the other 355 days of the year off! Don't you think?)</div>
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Imagine 1 million people on motorcycles in a small town for ten days. Rhonda and I were on Galveston Island, TX a few years ago during their rally which hosts 400,000 bikers - it seemed like the entire island rumbled, and Galveston is lots bigger than Sturgis!</div>
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This will give you a little bit of an idea.</div>
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Rumor has it that the rally can get a little rough (actually, that's probably not a rumor). There's a larger-than-life 44 Magnum on display at a gun dealer location right behind the city's "Welcome To Sturgis" sign, and a "Bikes, Booze, and Bullets" thought came to our minds as we entered the town - not a good combination.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1q0G1XDSVjJ3eUwZ792maSbxi4R6U5tedZcKFlRDo-1D_V_n3rrzaStEo7LpO5blEC33s_IDckkNbKBHgXWwm-Fz6xxfdLsc4TywVl8mkAC_290-yiR_bxBUAD4B1n31a7Cw5JP6ppk/s1600/Final+Mt.+Rushmore+and+new+Sturgis+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1q0G1XDSVjJ3eUwZ792maSbxi4R6U5tedZcKFlRDo-1D_V_n3rrzaStEo7LpO5blEC33s_IDckkNbKBHgXWwm-Fz6xxfdLsc4TywVl8mkAC_290-yiR_bxBUAD4B1n31a7Cw5JP6ppk/s400/Final+Mt.+Rushmore+and+new+Sturgis+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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When we checked in at the RV Park just a block away from downtown, "Kentucky Girl" at the desk went through the park rules with us - you know, pets on a leash, trash disposal, etc.. She closed with "and if you decide to get naked outside, please do that after midnight. Before midnight is only allowed during the rally!" She seemed serious??? We also read somewhere how much beer is trucked in for the rally - a lot! Well, we don't drink and the naked rule in public was not an issue for us! Things were nice and quiet at the McManus RV. Truth is, we were expecting sort of a Bourbon Street, New Orleans atmosphere. As it turns out, Sturgis is a very nicely kept and clean city, everyone was friendly, no trouble stirring of any kind while we were there. Of course, put a million folks on motorcycles and a lot of booze together in a small area and I guess most anything can happen!</div>
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If in fact the rumors of the rally are true, one odd thing that we saw might come in handy. Sturgis has very large trash cans along the side of the road to handle all of the beer bottles and cans! (You notice these things when in a new area.)</div>
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The other thing to do while in Sturgis is, you guessed it - ride motorcycles. Rhonda does not ride, so we have come up with a great way to take pictures of the bike routes - we ride the route together and take photos from the truck. It's much easier that way, Rhonda enjoys the routes and scenery also, and the bike ride itself for me is not interrupted with lots of stops for pictures!</div>
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The favorite route is through the town of Deadwood and Spearfish Canyon. Deadwood is a typical tourist town and there is not much there except saloons, gift shops, and small gambling/casino stops.</div>
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Their "claim to fame" is.....</div>
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..........and killed. Wild Bill Hickok (yes, there is no "c" before the second "k") had quite a reputation as a drover, wagon master, soldier, spy, scout, lawman, gunfighter, gambler, showman, and actor. The card hand he was holding when he was shot (2 black 8s, 2 black aces, and an unknown fifth card) is still known as the "deadman's hand." Hickok was only 39 when he was killed and is buried in Mt. Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood. The city wanted $6 each for us to see that so we passed. You always hear of "Calamity Jane" paired with Wild Bill, but according to historical records (you know, Wikipedia) Wild Bill actually did not care much for her. However, she requested to be, and is buried beside Wild Bill, allowed by two of Wild Bill's friends as a posthumous joke.</div>
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The ride after Deadwood and through Spearfish Canyon is beautiful.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_ZJSyRcriunZ-MZeA_Wi5A9nMA4RvjRgLnT2Pnep-vo5afXTghBDz2ZYdQMFfQ-BuLOdadLpmwUFY8uU9zvP2gNLSHkhtNjV2H3SsxohgrazQJb88tRw7_QPDFHS8TrjPDkl7Pddz34/s1600/Spearfish+Canyon+and+Devils+Tower+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_ZJSyRcriunZ-MZeA_Wi5A9nMA4RvjRgLnT2Pnep-vo5afXTghBDz2ZYdQMFfQ-BuLOdadLpmwUFY8uU9zvP2gNLSHkhtNjV2H3SsxohgrazQJb88tRw7_QPDFHS8TrjPDkl7Pddz34/s640/Spearfish+Canyon+and+Devils+Tower+029.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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There are three waterfalls on the route. Only one does not require a hike to see it, so that's the one we have pictures of! (It was almost 100 degrees that day, so the air conditioned truck won over the hike.) <span style="text-align: center;">Bridal Veil Falls below, right alongside the road.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghU-6S3XE94_r-MCmzLlC1cCaNz8XUM7YnCdTg9n2R1ljIXKIN7bmLF8Cbdbk43gZ-cBLndCmj0hXFlFEyZUdfPzqgqfxfXhzuWIGqEJCvFH8gxAIUCcxpuZketiaN1MQ7ZmNXCtF33Zo/s1600/Spearfish+Canyon+and+Devils+Tower+056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghU-6S3XE94_r-MCmzLlC1cCaNz8XUM7YnCdTg9n2R1ljIXKIN7bmLF8Cbdbk43gZ-cBLndCmj0hXFlFEyZUdfPzqgqfxfXhzuWIGqEJCvFH8gxAIUCcxpuZketiaN1MQ7ZmNXCtF33Zo/s640/Spearfish+Canyon+and+Devils+Tower+056.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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The second favorite ride out of Sturgis takes you into Wyoming to see "Devils Tower."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCUB2LxIODLGcf4u5Od4IKBu1WwWjyKOEeJsIvewwR1q53pvVYFfgFKO3PwYw6mZr9z74eW_I5jXHQYwcpCYdA9wQ5v2X7Jv2qiIJojYZeEdrT2NyHBhuy9eJIGE02DbGgM9D35eUs-o/s1600/Spearfish+Canyon+and+Devils+Tower+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCUB2LxIODLGcf4u5Od4IKBu1WwWjyKOEeJsIvewwR1q53pvVYFfgFKO3PwYw6mZr9z74eW_I5jXHQYwcpCYdA9wQ5v2X7Jv2qiIJojYZeEdrT2NyHBhuy9eJIGE02DbGgM9D35eUs-o/s640/Spearfish+Canyon+and+Devils+Tower+002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Devils Tower is a magma outflow which cooled underground and was later exposed by erosion. The tower is 867 feet tall. The diameter at the base is 1000 feet. At first site below about 15 miles away. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1MKGbzOrMblrknn5wh4snDu57f6NZoqy_udVQUZ29tzwKju8eismtoTF5XfKI7vXW-h7i2sAWYCaz5SFWZ8a5ggUZ9tU7o2hPi55kQRqOAkbNi1Xq5qiaVsofolaG81CEhvPKHUQVZQ/s1600/Spearfish+Canyon+and+Devils+Tower+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1600" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1MKGbzOrMblrknn5wh4snDu57f6NZoqy_udVQUZ29tzwKju8eismtoTF5XfKI7vXW-h7i2sAWYCaz5SFWZ8a5ggUZ9tU7o2hPi55kQRqOAkbNi1Xq5qiaVsofolaG81CEhvPKHUQVZQ/s640/Spearfish+Canyon+and+Devils+Tower+004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Five miles away.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMReG2bzYNFth35XEOuNsU06ghYXxWNIcl4TCqBsERiHq0wFNfmhTLqGWJaBqxbwxWsrXNDfpOceO6U4IJPtOG_7XbQl12QP9JqjQfNZ3lL2fmgGbZpI8Dlh4acllDDLQOzJb2qasHAk/s1600/Spearfish+Canyon+and+Devils+Tower+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMReG2bzYNFth35XEOuNsU06ghYXxWNIcl4TCqBsERiHq0wFNfmhTLqGWJaBqxbwxWsrXNDfpOceO6U4IJPtOG_7XbQl12QP9JqjQfNZ3lL2fmgGbZpI8Dlh4acllDDLQOzJb2qasHAk/s640/Spearfish+Canyon+and+Devils+Tower+005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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From the entrance.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjANyTLLOYb7_11zdPxEyO8hTuagQ2z1OAls0sHBqIm8kScrUwNs0R8sunPSBBQLs4w5SK3eAgzThVwuZ2J0ojtULC8jKQZwyU7iZIi3mS5_LpabUprcZoytgWKE0mDbnY1ZexDzrPwuwQ/s1600/Spearfish+Canyon+and+Devils+Tower+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjANyTLLOYb7_11zdPxEyO8hTuagQ2z1OAls0sHBqIm8kScrUwNs0R8sunPSBBQLs4w5SK3eAgzThVwuZ2J0ojtULC8jKQZwyU7iZIi3mS5_LpabUprcZoytgWKE0mDbnY1ZexDzrPwuwQ/s640/Spearfish+Canyon+and+Devils+Tower+006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Up close at the base. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjy7F1XYksaAH7cOCtAo-d-GtKZMsGH19OyFndX0-wU9f9hH1YcY21d2DC8LMgbYZ8-dBYaA2IHgiPXmaMtURChKVMlFkqEt-QdSd1Em-04mONBia_SGjtJFGlNjmxoNQLyaG1rPBBo0/s1600/Spearfish+Canyon+and+Devils+Tower+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1447" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjy7F1XYksaAH7cOCtAo-d-GtKZMsGH19OyFndX0-wU9f9hH1YcY21d2DC8LMgbYZ8-dBYaA2IHgiPXmaMtURChKVMlFkqEt-QdSd1Em-04mONBia_SGjtJFGlNjmxoNQLyaG1rPBBo0/s640/Spearfish+Canyon+and+Devils+Tower+008.JPG" width="578" /></a></div>
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Devils Tower and Bear Butte near Sturgis are considered sacred to the Lakota tribes. According to one legend, two Sioux boys wandered away from their village. A large bear thought they would make a good breakfast. The boys prayed to the Creator who caused a large rock to rise up carrying them out of the bear's reach. The bear clawed the sides of the rock trying to reach them, forming the tower's grooves. The bear then went over to Sturgis to take a rest and became Bear Butte. (Today the large hexagonal columns of the Devils Tower make it one of the finest traditional crack climbing areas in North America. No, I did not go climbing!) Here's Bear Butte a few miles outside of Sturgis.</div>
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So, we enjoyed our stay in Sturgis, attended church at First Baptist Church (ironically the pastor is from Alabama) on Sunday morning......</div>
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...........and headed for our next stop - the southern Black Hills around Hermosa, SD, Mt. Rushmore, buffalo, and the top motorcycle rides in SD - The Needle and Iron Mountain Road.<br />
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-22318939739386090542017-07-15T15:59:00.005-07:002017-07-15T15:59:54.847-07:00South Dakota - The Badlands and Prairie Dogs<div style="text-align: justify;">
Before you reach the Badlands of South Dakota, you can learn some serious history at the visitor's center on Interstate 90 above the Missouri River. Lewis and Clark camped in the area both coming and going on their expedition. The visitor's center does a very nice job of detailing that information, the lives of those explorers and the hardships they endured.</div>
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After miles and miles of almost monotonous grasslands, you suddenly find the Badlands of South Dakota. They are very unique and I was struggling with an original description of my own, so I borrowed one from a 2017 South Dakota vacation guide we received from the state. (I really wish I could take credit for this.) "244,000 acres of dramatic desert-like landscapes and an endless panoroma of vividly colored buttes, pinnacles, spires, and canyons make up the Badlands. The signature stripes through the rock formations are a result of erosion revealing multicolored layers of various rock types: shale (purple and yellow), sand and gravel (tan and gray), iron oxides (red and orange), and volcanic ash (white). It also preserves the world's greatest fossil beds of animals from the Age of Mammals during much wetter conditions. Fossils include saber-tooth cats, miniature camels and horses, and gigantic rhinoceros-like beasts." I will let the pictures speak for themselves. Here's sort of how the landscape transition takes place.</div>
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And back to grassland with the Black Hills in the distance.</div>
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But before we close, Rhonda has been so looking forward to seeing prairie dogs and there were some of those in the Badlands also. The mounds and their inhabitants:</div>
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See you in Sturgis!</div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-47952238771172795002017-07-13T13:35:00.000-07:002017-07-14T04:20:52.490-07:00"Non-Corn" Stuff from Athens, AL to Sturgis, SD<div style="text-align: justify;">
As noted previously, we did not dilly-dally enroute to Sturgis, SD, but there are some things to note besides corn. First off, for our RVing friends, we can recommend 4 good RV parks - Marion Campground and RV Park in Marion, IL, Country Gardens in Odessa, MO (just east of Kansas City), Victorian Acres in Nebraska City, NE, and R&R Campground in Mitchell, SD.</div>
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We crossed lots of rivers, most of which we have navigated by boat including the Cumberland, Ohio, Tennessee, and Mississippi. We were looking forward to seeing the Arch in St. Louis again, remembering the view from the Mississippi River in 2013.</div>
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This time the best we got was this.........</div>
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And in this one, it appears that Rhonda is confused about which arch(es) to photograph!</div>
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Traveling by boat at roughly 8 MPH with the waterway pretty much to yourself, you have plenty of time to plan and execute photo shots. But going 60 MPH with lots of others on the highway, things just happen too fast sometimes to get the shot you want. And it's not like you can do a 360-degree turn on the highway and come back around for another shot at it! </div>
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OK, our opinion on this next one. We hear Illinois is on the verge of going bankrupt. So, we have a suggestion. Try saving some money when you can instead of wasting it on ridiculous projects like putting a mile marker sign every 2 tenths of a mile on all of your interstate highways. They say timing is everything - try photographing one of these babies at 65 MPH just a few feet away. Just picture Rhonda doing this - she knows another hundred or so of these are coming, she can see each one of them coming, she knows she has to try and plan the camera delay, well you get the picture. Hey, when there is mostly just corn out there, you need some entertainment every now and then! But back to the point. I did not major in math but I'm pretty sure there are 5 of these for every mile. There are 1,989 miles of interstate highway in Illinois times 5 = 9,945 of these! (Does it annoy you when people pronounce the "s" on the end of Illinois?)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZqz1vsJkuEiiDulqFchGVolYz8kSQD7zmNoFF_-DciwKNmcD_wjwaEtGX0YHps5FxLAKWO_hFvZRoRZH9aSlsUalu9zuZoRbd9dmOhEVTcYX9cvpOuQv9rzzrhACK5kLZrUQMyN38r8/s1600/AL+to+NE+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1265" data-original-width="1600" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZqz1vsJkuEiiDulqFchGVolYz8kSQD7zmNoFF_-DciwKNmcD_wjwaEtGX0YHps5FxLAKWO_hFvZRoRZH9aSlsUalu9zuZoRbd9dmOhEVTcYX9cvpOuQv9rzzrhACK5kLZrUQMyN38r8/s320/AL+to+NE+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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And you see some some strange things out there - a goose control service? But then again, I remember when we ran the marina in Muskogee, OK and we had a serious goose problem. The state brought in some guy to catch them and move them to Florida, I think. He put a pen up at the boat ramp, then we shooed (is that a word?) all the geese to the water and used small boats and jet skis to slowly move them to the boat ramp. All but a few calmly walked into the pen and once they get in a small area, they don't have enough room to maneuver and fly away. He left with 65 of our geese, so maybe there is a demand for a goose control service!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87CvMymH4y-2ksKUBETM9eMJhiVRzQq3a5jKNwWCORnDzYNZNLoy96fwEeETG7HzW_AghTd81HpW-p0rdEjOIrVzPjSpVyoL-707pK6EZ4IaqXgF_DivgdnnOQaGzITeYvSTIwSDnOek/s1600/AL+to+NE+020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1600" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87CvMymH4y-2ksKUBETM9eMJhiVRzQq3a5jKNwWCORnDzYNZNLoy96fwEeETG7HzW_AghTd81HpW-p0rdEjOIrVzPjSpVyoL-707pK6EZ4IaqXgF_DivgdnnOQaGzITeYvSTIwSDnOek/s640/AL+to+NE+020.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Another odd thing - we have never seen roads named with the alphabet?? </div>
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Now this was really strange - a three-phase hand washing station at a rest stop. <span style="text-align: center;">D</span>on't remember the state. (Must not be "Illinoise" because I don't see a mile marker in the picture. Rhonda thinks it was Iowa.) You put your hands in the opening, you get soap, then you get water to wash and rinse, then you get air to dry, all timed for a pretty good sequence of events at one convenient stop. I even went back to the truck to get our camera to take a picture. And yes, I had to time that photo session so I would not be a suspected pervert taking pictures in the restroom of a state rest stop!!!! I assure you, there were no witnesses. (From Rhonda: At a previous rest area stop, Wayne was walking around the building and as he approached the sign for the WOMEN's restrooms, a woman rudely told him he was in the wrong area and needed to go to the opposite side of the building. Wayne was not confused, just walking and stretching his legs)! Lighten up, people.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD38MQjHgaCf0O72Majivb9wIsbNz2dAPs8HIjRkb2io_ZPwRQSLcpEDZWPHVVigIcPjMsR9XYL9eYlawsrpg3V9GV9qIBgQ5yKNqk-4BvNFbn9Iq4Y74PsvN7QVyNLnaXvD3hlFnClrU/s1600/AL+to+NE+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD38MQjHgaCf0O72Majivb9wIsbNz2dAPs8HIjRkb2io_ZPwRQSLcpEDZWPHVVigIcPjMsR9XYL9eYlawsrpg3V9GV9qIBgQ5yKNqk-4BvNFbn9Iq4Y74PsvN7QVyNLnaXvD3hlFnClrU/s400/AL+to+NE+026.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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We had planned to go to downtown Kansas City for the 4th of July festivities - lots of music and of course, fireworks. But we would have had to drive about 75 miles round trip from the campground, park away from the venue, take a school bus to one spot and then a shuttle to the venue. And we had to do the last 3 of those with an estimated 75,000 other people. I'm sure it would have been fun, but when the owner of the campground said there was always a pretty decent fireworks display right across the interstate sponsored by the city of Odessa, we took the easy route and walked a few hundred feet and enjoyed what felt like our own private show, a pretty good one at that, lasting about a half hour.</div>
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Just prior to the fireworks, Rhonda got simultaneous shots of a rainbow to the east and a nice sunset to the west.</div>
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While we were in Nebraska City, we took time to visit a legitimate tourist stop, Arbor Lodge, home of J. Sterling Morton and his family. That's as opposed to so many tourist "traps" out there, and there are many that are a total waste of time, gimmicky at best. Morton was Secretary of Agriculture during President Grover Cleveland's term and his most remembered achievement is the declaration of Arbor Day. He was a tree lover and had lots of unique species of trees from all over the world planted on the estate. When he settled into the vast expanse of the Missouri River basin which he described as a wasteland, he recognized that in order to promote growth and settlement of the area, they had to have some trees! So, after establishing Arbor Day as a holiday event to promote the planting of trees, they literally planted one million trees in Nebraska in one day. Now that to me seems much more sensible than planting thousands of road signs! In recognition of this historical event, Nebraska City has lots of artsy "trees" in their town.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbQrV7mUiISCiH4XPuskmfX0zJBuLs6BCUD3nxvWUPSGm86gtQwLqJV7Ms35CrG4rs3QKe9uG8Pyn3Um0zgi0XAQ0DeGqxVMCLaEa9VVwsRnF4yJHPr4EjaFN9P2_zeVEJGr6ghgXuXg/s1600/Nebraska+City+to+Mitchell%252C+SD+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="1600" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbQrV7mUiISCiH4XPuskmfX0zJBuLs6BCUD3nxvWUPSGm86gtQwLqJV7Ms35CrG4rs3QKe9uG8Pyn3Um0zgi0XAQ0DeGqxVMCLaEa9VVwsRnF4yJHPr4EjaFN9P2_zeVEJGr6ghgXuXg/s400/Nebraska+City+to+Mitchell%252C+SD+016.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's Arbor Lodge, which began as a simple 4-room cabin when the Mortons moved there. After several expansions and facelifts, it became a 52-room mansion with a bowling alley, stables for horses and carriages, Tiffany glass ceilings, a pretty fancy deal. Much of that was accomplished by one of Morton's three sons who made his fortune with Morton's Salt.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7badnC9cFRpazkDpjkB6QeHY6MqIcAXsHYYGUFPIdT_sI4v_vuL3RbmtmnsFyCRfQsI_9zdEQK44sMo3HRP2UycAHcGB5Hlt36UH7VtbI9LoYcj4cvUMt8mxK6Qo8JYMsDwU_ZkscJ3U/s1600/Nebraska+City+to+Mitchell%252C+SD+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7badnC9cFRpazkDpjkB6QeHY6MqIcAXsHYYGUFPIdT_sI4v_vuL3RbmtmnsFyCRfQsI_9zdEQK44sMo3HRP2UycAHcGB5Hlt36UH7VtbI9LoYcj4cvUMt8mxK6Qo8JYMsDwU_ZkscJ3U/s400/Nebraska+City+to+Mitchell%252C+SD+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Check out the ceiling in the stables.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMsn1uiUC41r3R2TpzuCmOK89Qd3n_eubnqtnf4Byt2NXKEcvpdJvMLM_bKStaYI51xQPYhQqHlm4oyuizpOUmLLKILKo9hSgDgfLWtAM-NFoLq5yNsmF3IZBxCzMWkcFWkZMYLLWTqA/s1600/Nebraska+City+to+Mitchell%252C+SD+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMsn1uiUC41r3R2TpzuCmOK89Qd3n_eubnqtnf4Byt2NXKEcvpdJvMLM_bKStaYI51xQPYhQqHlm4oyuizpOUmLLKILKo9hSgDgfLWtAM-NFoLq5yNsmF3IZBxCzMWkcFWkZMYLLWTqA/s400/Nebraska+City+to+Mitchell%252C+SD+014.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I guess they could say "Thank you, Morton's Salt!"</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip43DNkRWhWWcrdtA9Jf6VedVx9eV5MELaXiabPUMz5zvMcDowOIf3-0ajPcgBCtpQO3QwZm2ME_98NRPQ7m1klFEV7_mN5s_QMXl18qVfaQZxLjemFY2n-p3hAjYWsqEBgfTGEdi4U4w/s1600/Nebraska+City+to+Mitchell%252C+SD+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1522" data-original-width="1600" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip43DNkRWhWWcrdtA9Jf6VedVx9eV5MELaXiabPUMz5zvMcDowOIf3-0ajPcgBCtpQO3QwZm2ME_98NRPQ7m1klFEV7_mN5s_QMXl18qVfaQZxLjemFY2n-p3hAjYWsqEBgfTGEdi4U4w/s320/Nebraska+City+to+Mitchell%252C+SD+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Back to odd things you see while traveling. How about solar-powered stop lights for street construction projects? New to us but makes sense.</div>
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And this has to be the largest milkshake straw ever. I even had to pace myself with too much cold moving too fast!</div>
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And we had one problem just east of Mitchell, SD. One of our tires on the RV shredded all of its tread and did some damage to two fenders above and behind the tire and ruptured a hydraulic line for the self-leveling system. That took about a day and a half to get resolved but it worked out. The hydraulic line and tire have been taken care of and we were able to continue our travels which is the main thing. We'll deal with the fender repairs when we get home. Thanks to "Paul's Towing Service" for reasonably priced, fast, and efficient service!</div>
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If you have ever traveled Interstate 90 in South Dakota, you probably remember the "Wall Drug" signs about every couple of miles. Rhonda has nicknamed South Dakota "The Billboard State." Between the Corn Palace and Wall Drug there is not much landscape left! So, we stopped at Wall Drug and left about 15 minutes later, no idea what is so special about the place, not even worthy of a picture!</div>
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And I'll close with this. We were really surprised to see a statue of Elizabeth "Pocahontas" Warren at the welcome center on Interstate 90 at the Missouri River. We thought she was from Massachusetts! I guess she is just trying to substantiate her claim to Native American heritage any way she can. We read recently that her upcoming political opponent in the 2018 election sent her a DNA kit - pretty funny. (From Rhonda: There's a bit of "fake news" there, and to be respectful to actual Native Americans, this statue, "Dignity," is a 50-foot sculpture of a Native American woman holding a star quilt. It was designed by sculptor Dale Lamphere to honor the cultures of the Lakota and Dakota people.)</div>
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Coming up next post - The Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota, Sturgis, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and MOTORCYCLE STUFF!<span style="text-align: justify;"> </span></div>
<br />Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-36001512746253946402017-07-10T21:20:00.000-07:002017-07-10T21:20:50.314-07:00There's Lots of Corn Between Athens, AL and Sturgis, SD<div style="text-align: center;">
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We had a busy three week break at home from our summer travels. The big event was our grandson, Shaun, turning one year old. Scott and Rachel had a big birthday party for him with lots of decorations, friends and family, and food. Here he is after his nap - time to get up and party! Got his #1 shirt on with a butterfly on his left shoulder to also remember his twin brother, Jackson.</div>
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The celebration of each month and special events of the past year with the baseball theme continued, and there were also severall balls and trophies on display from Scott's days of playing.</div>
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Shaun's first taste of chocolate with a chocolate birthday cupcake - he wasn't real sure about it at first but it didn't take long!</div>
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He got passed around for hours and seemed to really enjoy all of the attention and activity.</div>
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But he finally crashed and it was all over, looking forward to another year ahead!</div>
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Our granddaughter, Alexis, has the same birthday and we got to spend several days with her when we visited Adam's family in Austin, TX a few weeks ago. Happy Birthday, Alexis!</div>
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With all things going well at home, it was time to hit the road again. Our general plan was to head to South Dakota and west from there for the summer months. We drove for 4 days, crossing lots of states between Alabama and South Dakota.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQsUdTVJTk7_yEbzcsaN4EfIhMiRlaViUrFfHQLHsEWO4rGLN1fdQ617rrM5IrsxxuqCGYQkkCVzCQ_o9OBtm0hyphenhyphenEMAicWrObjjDlvVlPvmThqsQ2DKnSunqiVn8k3w-9Ay-k6Jmmkmc/s1600/Nebraska+City+to+Mitchell%252C+SD+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQsUdTVJTk7_yEbzcsaN4EfIhMiRlaViUrFfHQLHsEWO4rGLN1fdQ617rrM5IrsxxuqCGYQkkCVzCQ_o9OBtm0hyphenhyphenEMAicWrObjjDlvVlPvmThqsQ2DKnSunqiVn8k3w-9Ay-k6Jmmkmc/s320/Nebraska+City+to+Mitchell%252C+SD+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Finally, South Dakota!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHvG0SeEU40CUu46KTSD128m2QJlK0IWY9PQSktRi2JSi2Lk6aCyxoFzFnvVzNsZzUT8djgmUJc-6d9IBBCUvPdn_sB3TW-LzAIGB2qs0zzc8GEjCIxlmz5k-dcoJ-Q2fHrua9CMJH9k/s1600/Nebraska+City+to+Mitchell%252C+SD+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1090" data-original-width="1600" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHvG0SeEU40CUu46KTSD128m2QJlK0IWY9PQSktRi2JSi2Lk6aCyxoFzFnvVzNsZzUT8djgmUJc-6d9IBBCUvPdn_sB3TW-LzAIGB2qs0zzc8GEjCIxlmz5k-dcoJ-Q2fHrua9CMJH9k/s400/Nebraska+City+to+Mitchell%252C+SD+034.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Note: With "fake news" being the new talking point these days, I need to confess two things per the above photos so you can be confident that what we report on this blog is all truth and facts, unless of course I'm being sarcastic or joking, and you should be able to sense those. But then there is always the possibility that I get confused. Anyhow, (1) the picture of the Kansas welcome sign is borrowed from the internet and is the exact sign that we passed and tried to photograph, but the camera went on the blink at that exact moment. And, we spent only about 15 minutes in Kansas, right back into Missouri. (2) We did a similar deal for Minnesota and just caught the southwest corner of the state, spending about an hour there. </div>
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And if there is one common theme from Alabama to South Dakota, it is corn, fields of corn as far as you can see sometimes. </div>
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There's so much corn, there is a "Corn Palace" in Mitchell, SD!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykNliZJ8fWgUkA387iw755plLOxLymJbmytWWzpn8VFLkMszLNIjA9PmZV5cAVsUNW2c2jKHYPysTV0HNTFKL2SXvCRhRRao88be9yY-llN_XVlfxwsF0n42ckQXATy9-rup3mnOTMa0/s1600/Mitchell%252C+SD+to+Sturgis+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhykNliZJ8fWgUkA387iw755plLOxLymJbmytWWzpn8VFLkMszLNIjA9PmZV5cAVsUNW2c2jKHYPysTV0HNTFKL2SXvCRhRRao88be9yY-llN_XVlfxwsF0n42ckQXATy9-rup3mnOTMa0/s640/Mitchell%252C+SD+to+Sturgis+003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's the story. Back in the days of settling the west, towns had to get creative to continue to draw new settlers to their towns and businesses. Pierre and Mitchell both wanted to become the capital of South Dakota. Pierre had a very successful venture with a grain palace, so Mitchell countered with a corn palace. Despite all of the corn fields, grain won and Pierre became the capital. However the Corn Palace was a very successful idea, has been enlarged and renovated 4 times over the years, and remains a very useful and profitable facility today. It is basically an auditorium for concerts, sporting events, etc. and offers corn anything and everything for local patrons and traveling sightseers.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlZmNu_yHtbW2qPO2NB1T8fQEoxvvDVj7D2vIWzADoFxADv-RxiM-OtzoVEhGnCZPWICGCf9OWtmpezCz2_70RNacaquB4Xe8OoKnf50o49KSsFDlwsEA8UTaVvcRe7KIbXVuhMD_ebk/s1600/Mitchell%252C+SD+to+Sturgis+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1600" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlZmNu_yHtbW2qPO2NB1T8fQEoxvvDVj7D2vIWzADoFxADv-RxiM-OtzoVEhGnCZPWICGCf9OWtmpezCz2_70RNacaquB4Xe8OoKnf50o49KSsFDlwsEA8UTaVvcRe7KIbXVuhMD_ebk/s640/Mitchell%252C+SD+to+Sturgis+010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The interior and exterior are covered with huge murals, made with 19 colors of corn harvested from the area. The interior murals are changed every 15 years and the exterior every year. An example from the interior......<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1h_ejx6ujyPJEM-H5TAuh5ynkv-C-e_kuVOwouwvUgxA8D2HqeDjhEsgVTGBK1FlY3iXyJ7Rv4QBOiIE-sgX4xsIIWYusEAkbM2tG3gcf9-M5b4NT1FJqZrl9-9wH6o_mdPZ8W7y2bQ/s1600/Mitchell%252C+SD+to+Sturgis+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS1h_ejx6ujyPJEM-H5TAuh5ynkv-C-e_kuVOwouwvUgxA8D2HqeDjhEsgVTGBK1FlY3iXyJ7Rv4QBOiIE-sgX4xsIIWYusEAkbM2tG3gcf9-M5b4NT1FJqZrl9-9wH6o_mdPZ8W7y2bQ/s400/Mitchell%252C+SD+to+Sturgis+008.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And Willie is one of the displays on the exterior.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-skU4HTyTzXE7QbJC14W-aYHyw1cHf8Rdv8XVoq_Q75SqH112nlrYmJM14AWNqakg8mm66etCCWL-MCxLUrm7lhxBisX9lt1kPFUID6ybTFjfz1ujoGYysrwc3OYbvT7RVkIozzsJts/s1600/Mitchell%252C+SD+to+Sturgis+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-skU4HTyTzXE7QbJC14W-aYHyw1cHf8Rdv8XVoq_Q75SqH112nlrYmJM14AWNqakg8mm66etCCWL-MCxLUrm7lhxBisX9lt1kPFUID6ybTFjfz1ujoGYysrwc3OYbvT7RVkIozzsJts/s400/Mitchell%252C+SD+to+Sturgis+005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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You can buy anything imaginable that relates to corn in their gift shop and they have lots of informative displays, interactive corn-themed activities for kids, and well, you get the idea - ALL THINGS CORN. To further demonstrate the amount of corn we are talking about in the states we crossed, take Iowa for example. 90% of the state is farmland and most of that is corn.</div>
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So, I am way behind on the blog but wanted to at least get us on the road again. Obviously there is more in all of those states than corn and we did make a few sightseeing stops, but not many. I'll try to organize all of that and get another post out soon.</div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-42049986170790933132017-06-06T20:46:00.000-07:002017-06-06T20:46:40.148-07:00All Roads Lead To Memphis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcAE_9AoKNquOvMHq2-jEZM-CXc0CC_3a0hvG2VnLciA7nsmKFuUgSYqLwBMTX660GU2Eyrnh7ucpQuI7-TjHm51LUE63a1IG1hUZ83_qxYeERrS8glw1bpE7-m75JXP9_PddITwzj74/s1600/Memphis+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRcAE_9AoKNquOvMHq2-jEZM-CXc0CC_3a0hvG2VnLciA7nsmKFuUgSYqLwBMTX660GU2Eyrnh7ucpQuI7-TjHm51LUE63a1IG1hUZ83_qxYeERrS8glw1bpE7-m75JXP9_PddITwzj74/s400/Memphis+012.JPG" width="255" /></a></div>
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Apparently so - we are here for the last 3 days of this trip! As noted at the Smithsonian - "In the quest to identify the roots of Rock 'n' Roll, all roads lead to Memphis."</div>
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Our previous stop was Ozark, AR and we were still about 440 miles from home. We try and limit an RV moving day to around 300 miles, so we decided to make an easy travel day with a return trip to Memphis. We spent 18 days here back in 2008 when we were traveling 1134 miles by boat to Muskogee, OK via the Tennessee, Ohio, Mississippi, and Arkansas Rivers. The Mississippi River was in flood stage which was okay since we were traveling downstream, but we needed to go upstream on the Arkansas River for 400 miles to Muskogee and the Arkansas was in flood stage also. When the river is running 5 mph and your trawler is only doing 9 mph - well, you do the math. Plus, the Arkansas River is a little dangerous in those conditions. Memphis is the last marina stop southbound on the Mississippi before the Arkansas, so we delayed there. </div>
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We spent that time at Mud Island Marina, below. We stopped in at the marina office to inquire about some of the nice folks we met there and of those we named, all had moved away. By the way, that's Bass Pro Shop's pyramid location in the distance, more on that later. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvzC366zscwGTe0Q7XpAwnkk037twkuflhil5nDKZ5qt-1K5QUAq6FiPjaE4_rIxGdKAUSY5vY-KNuw-5Bb-SLoIIB4JyNYIfWqmNBQJjVHChIoTmn7urLb6vmjPyA2YbA26JG26Wpg8/s1600/Memphis+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvzC366zscwGTe0Q7XpAwnkk037twkuflhil5nDKZ5qt-1K5QUAq6FiPjaE4_rIxGdKAUSY5vY-KNuw-5Bb-SLoIIB4JyNYIfWqmNBQJjVHChIoTmn7urLb6vmjPyA2YbA26JG26Wpg8/s640/Memphis+029.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The big attraction at Mud Island is the riverwalk. It's a nicely done, 1/2 mile walk, depicting the watershed area and detailed topography of the lower Mississippi River. Water actually flows from the watershed areas displayed through the topographical depictions of the river with larger towns depicted along the way also. Here's a view of a small section of the general design from 5 stories up.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIu1TeF_JpM3mANrMJb5Q5tOMAFtuJStVmOnj_0f-byxJWzIZKqTI6bBf3h9fuDoDWRkCPN1wZaasTtI7tdtJcTc3gO_kOHf3jBRaSH__1IiRAd1LckB7Moyd5ouZPTbfBS4SskMiQYo/s1600/Memphis+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIu1TeF_JpM3mANrMJb5Q5tOMAFtuJStVmOnj_0f-byxJWzIZKqTI6bBf3h9fuDoDWRkCPN1wZaasTtI7tdtJcTc3gO_kOHf3jBRaSH__1IiRAd1LckB7Moyd5ouZPTbfBS4SskMiQYo/s640/Memphis+026.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And a closeup of the detail. The town depicted here is Memphis with the interstates, railroad bridges, and Mud Island. We have traveled the Mississippi River by boat from St. Louis to New Orleans (except for a short distance from Baton Rouge to New Orleans when we detoured over to the Atchafalaya River) and we enjoyed remembering our stops at numerous cities along the way, most all of which are depicted in the Mud Island display.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0J_2_BJg-8lAVFJykXH3JFlpgSrbkIaaMUEs1tn-H-ZwLMsfSmjCsTsMoyJBt3jWQOtwm86KMg68pMS5dfDFJBqpZmee8vbNP4jlbkOiPDqDIeUt1tsUVVuCyEOCx34exxZyO7F4ihg8/s1600/Memphis+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0J_2_BJg-8lAVFJykXH3JFlpgSrbkIaaMUEs1tn-H-ZwLMsfSmjCsTsMoyJBt3jWQOtwm86KMg68pMS5dfDFJBqpZmee8vbNP4jlbkOiPDqDIeUt1tsUVVuCyEOCx34exxZyO7F4ihg8/s640/Memphis+015.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A view of Memphis from the New Orleans portion of the Mississippi River display at Mud Island.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Sl7YqNjO398mq6145b0wbGKoQlG6mZqcYo-mHxA9mMSOLUn5J7UXF1VwwDquFlKmVnDnktHUWvjF8727yJHSfoSgvfaXmYW-mbE2mIyWoUeJXtodQpqxZ5Pgk8jui4UuJNX-fu3khxM/s1600/Memphis+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1600" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Sl7YqNjO398mq6145b0wbGKoQlG6mZqcYo-mHxA9mMSOLUn5J7UXF1VwwDquFlKmVnDnktHUWvjF8727yJHSfoSgvfaXmYW-mbE2mIyWoUeJXtodQpqxZ5Pgk8jui4UuJNX-fu3khxM/s640/Memphis+022.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Rhonda also likes the view of the I-40 bridge from Mud Island.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolZxu6O45d7IRbtBwX2RZUqU25RYHzo1GmbP-OuPYvu2VsBb_BXVBTqpK9RZmeQvcfnvWUaDz3nR51EHfz0sf8jj86NNZRVKpHahgFXG33RWhHAEM8Re0X5DK61DhHru3KQv4HwHhBcQ/s1600/Memphis+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1600" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolZxu6O45d7IRbtBwX2RZUqU25RYHzo1GmbP-OuPYvu2VsBb_BXVBTqpK9RZmeQvcfnvWUaDz3nR51EHfz0sf8jj86NNZRVKpHahgFXG33RWhHAEM8Re0X5DK61DhHru3KQv4HwHhBcQ/s640/Memphis+027.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We also spent an afternoon on Beale Street.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-CqvS8PLYaoNU8qh_JZtA36L-8GuQg81sn5UUWM5Z41b9kNVQjdtw-oKF5MO69NpIg4f8s1xlwNeQy8dr_A2lHqxEFqW-nb4913HqIv_S8Og93aAvXFEzwA0IO5cjQ6XWYTzEM_ymZY/s1600/Memphis+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-CqvS8PLYaoNU8qh_JZtA36L-8GuQg81sn5UUWM5Z41b9kNVQjdtw-oKF5MO69NpIg4f8s1xlwNeQy8dr_A2lHqxEFqW-nb4913HqIv_S8Og93aAvXFEzwA0IO5cjQ6XWYTzEM_ymZY/s320/Memphis+024.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhlY97ziODC_iQjJcS5ASL4UTyszMShv6NE31FXRq4e8qJQNlsR0doQ0NwJQYq-IC2R-1VTQ8DDUHOKSqNAPX3VoNji4owtgf7ECclghnm7gASK39uXw2FVzl0_9CRVjXvMQWYgjufek/s1600/Memphis+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmhlY97ziODC_iQjJcS5ASL4UTyszMShv6NE31FXRq4e8qJQNlsR0doQ0NwJQYq-IC2R-1VTQ8DDUHOKSqNAPX3VoNji4owtgf7ECclghnm7gASK39uXw2FVzl0_9CRVjXvMQWYgjufek/s640/Memphis+006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I expect most of you have been there, but it is about a 6-block area of shops, bars, restaurants, music, and lots of people, with some restrictions in the cordoned off areas. You'll notice the top two are violated in the picture.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wKZa6zWJesx-5aYI-UMvymUX-dU6dOZHFIQrbVLmzQB6PTUEH3N7y_ryVXam4RyyiHzJPqfH51Kaowu-8K6mh0jg0I-DQ2-9mDuL-sDXkvZhrrBLX_0INj2cIKpetOut7Tv8cAc9cz4/s1600/Memphis+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1041" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wKZa6zWJesx-5aYI-UMvymUX-dU6dOZHFIQrbVLmzQB6PTUEH3N7y_ryVXam4RyyiHzJPqfH51Kaowu-8K6mh0jg0I-DQ2-9mDuL-sDXkvZhrrBLX_0INj2cIKpetOut7Tv8cAc9cz4/s400/Memphis+019.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We caught two excellent bands that afternoon playing in public outdoor venues. "Three Pieces of Chicken, a Fluffy Biscuit, and a Cup of Sweet Tea" (long name for a band) was our favorite with some serious local talent. They were playing in the W.C. Handy Park, working for tips and sales of CDs. They did a check of where the audience was from - AL, ME, OH, FL, TN, KY, and Australia to name a few.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHwOUQasgaecFy2pmtmCpuyHqm8GRrYMBE_eTGme78M90St6CgcnFD4xzkwe-5RlYvTi8L4t7WkFOf4Osf8S2gmp_mmHcsAh6beESgSLiBE7c0tLyX_Pui7H0PpUG_e9KNiw8AIn5dVo/s1600/Memphis+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHwOUQasgaecFy2pmtmCpuyHqm8GRrYMBE_eTGme78M90St6CgcnFD4xzkwe-5RlYvTi8L4t7WkFOf4Osf8S2gmp_mmHcsAh6beESgSLiBE7c0tLyX_Pui7H0PpUG_e9KNiw8AIn5dVo/s640/Memphis+009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Many blues and rock 'n' roll musicians are memorialized in the sidewalks of Beale Street. Here's one you probably recognize.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSBWQxwMQtMeAZ3CFePK0GGquPqxLP1iY-2S9WYkgcxyy8vwxurHlRsXQo0meuvGMSgTVzuVab3JBlVHzfrOkhluFidZ4De8jgZG7_R8B5BdMnqmCCS5FPZ8raN6pGLCLGhJGzOX-TGU/s1600/Memphis+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="1600" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSBWQxwMQtMeAZ3CFePK0GGquPqxLP1iY-2S9WYkgcxyy8vwxurHlRsXQo0meuvGMSgTVzuVab3JBlVHzfrOkhluFidZ4De8jgZG7_R8B5BdMnqmCCS5FPZ8raN6pGLCLGhJGzOX-TGU/s400/Memphis+017.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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There are many interesting and unique (translated "odd") things to see as well. Goats on circular stairways being fed by customers, and specialty toilet seats to name a couple.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9q2gnYytQQZpkXGF4Ox0v6brSiHIa-2wysLdDbc0Fg2RFbfmnGNarutFYGiET14i2vql3wqOUQUUsf-mB6UQSR-J9zdcbbspjbIXJ0r7j0W6_1uidyJpqcK11_LJ8CTBAf940WG3mAY/s1600/Memphis+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9q2gnYytQQZpkXGF4Ox0v6brSiHIa-2wysLdDbc0Fg2RFbfmnGNarutFYGiET14i2vql3wqOUQUUsf-mB6UQSR-J9zdcbbspjbIXJ0r7j0W6_1uidyJpqcK11_LJ8CTBAf940WG3mAY/s640/Memphis+029.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBUJWqiq0UnHHM5RM6fBeufjuRKOV0ZSnL_cV3_MW3CAQSlKozXeuelph3azJBi2fmL1rtfHdeKfUZCj_m1nzVGRCjVPDSRsi8OUL0JOfX7BbmAx-HUgkyRcL_anU2OJKGR7LWlBYUZk/s1600/Memphis+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBUJWqiq0UnHHM5RM6fBeufjuRKOV0ZSnL_cV3_MW3CAQSlKozXeuelph3azJBi2fmL1rtfHdeKfUZCj_m1nzVGRCjVPDSRsi8OUL0JOfX7BbmAx-HUgkyRcL_anU2OJKGR7LWlBYUZk/s400/Memphis+025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We enjoyed the music, the crowds, the atmosphere, and had an outstanding meal at Central BBQ, recommended by my good friend, Ross Tilbury. Ross and his wife, Polly, were friends of ours in Shreveport, LA right after we got married. After we left Shreveport for Savannah, GA we lost touch over the years. They moved away also and had their own BBQ restaurant in Boise, ID for many years. Ross is a big fan of blues and rock 'n' roll music also and tied that into their logo for their restaurant, "Roadhouse BBQ."</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBih7o3YApbqYCKOVQzCdefj0qGcr87-mP5hla_aKsXkp6dHsxPNlrHNATmZMwcqxdgLR0ECBKOBBe0xEjP06aJzDOZTipIDj0OfBLIpBQjzeYzlYfy4FQy9j5EbMHwL6QIYbsiUaiAI8/s1600/Roadhouse+BBQ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBih7o3YApbqYCKOVQzCdefj0qGcr87-mP5hla_aKsXkp6dHsxPNlrHNATmZMwcqxdgLR0ECBKOBBe0xEjP06aJzDOZTipIDj0OfBLIpBQjzeYzlYfy4FQy9j5EbMHwL6QIYbsiUaiAI8/s320/Roadhouse+BBQ.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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They have retired and moved back to Shreveport. We have reunited with Ross and Polly a couple of times recently and Ross is now a certified, documented, approved (or whatever you call them) judge for BBQ competitions. Good recommendation at Central BBQ!</div>
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Back to the Bass Pro Shops pyramid. It was originally conceived as a symbol for the city of Memphis on the bluffs of the Mississippi River. An assortment of possibilities for its use were considered. The groundbreaking was in 1989 and the building opened in 1991. It eventually became a sports arena for the University of Memphis men's basketball program, the NBA Memphis Grizzlies, and the Memphis Pharoahs of the AFL, as well as a venue for an assortment of special events. It later became insufficient as a sports arena, and as teams moved to the newly constructed FedEx Forum in 2004, other possibilities had to be considered. Bass Pro Shops opened there in 2015 as a specialty retail complex.</div>
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This thing is pretty amazing and is one of the most dynamic and intriguing retail facilities we have ever visited. It has 3 levels inside housing a hotel, duck heritage center, restaurant, 28-story elevator right in the center to a top-of-the-pyramid viewing area, a bowling alley, archery center, fish ponds and aquariums, and of course the normal retail displays. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCXmPvtVFetqkVhhhBJKRx2dvEhGhVeIpzfmCkX5NagF8sIhyphenhyphendCO9bb1H38_ORkutxfMXNWsejaKRaOR19QNQS1z4jTqn7rIjiOpyFhmb61K6w_px4lOBMqan5e8Ce8QfXSh1qfq9Nso/s1600/Memphis+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="1600" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNCXmPvtVFetqkVhhhBJKRx2dvEhGhVeIpzfmCkX5NagF8sIhyphenhyphendCO9bb1H38_ORkutxfMXNWsejaKRaOR19QNQS1z4jTqn7rIjiOpyFhmb61K6w_px4lOBMqan5e8Ce8QfXSh1qfq9Nso/s400/Memphis+030.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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You should google it to get the full picture. Ours do not do it justice but for what it's worth..... </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7gTdKbo_P0gM-wsY2Jax0pxwgNs2dId8LahdGx-0WwTVZdzj7pD5i1f2ijikYPYa41rrQOY_530bsCOdt_-82gnAvew6122OZz9fCFBzVaZN4x0jROPCiJ86_oTsKmu8ri8E0CZTNWw/s1600/Memphis+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-7gTdKbo_P0gM-wsY2Jax0pxwgNs2dId8LahdGx-0WwTVZdzj7pD5i1f2ijikYPYa41rrQOY_530bsCOdt_-82gnAvew6122OZz9fCFBzVaZN4x0jROPCiJ86_oTsKmu8ri8E0CZTNWw/s400/Memphis+036.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCeIt-RN0jzebDS0i1QnuclebI61PPChO4w59Y1nk5WFaddH9f-XKDy5-Km8f6zqsgDRDImVeSjAz52QEbDIjja7e8VAgD6xpyYFaSK1Ij2DYf1GXgGVG8ZJVvPGGCta370rJpMZ-KXs/s1600/Memphis+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCeIt-RN0jzebDS0i1QnuclebI61PPChO4w59Y1nk5WFaddH9f-XKDy5-Km8f6zqsgDRDImVeSjAz52QEbDIjja7e8VAgD6xpyYFaSK1Ij2DYf1GXgGVG8ZJVvPGGCta370rJpMZ-KXs/s400/Memphis+037.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6jrgpOLZuL66J1UtgmA4L47xo6iQbamsi1MIx0-BB200WPdXgknF7KiYIxI4d7WI7NMgFnjiNaYAwn43xK4kQWIhIH7CmzxXKwQ30PJCOANRkDij-Remk4dN8GlLRTvtSxlRnrHChpY/s1600/Memphis+040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6jrgpOLZuL66J1UtgmA4L47xo6iQbamsi1MIx0-BB200WPdXgknF7KiYIxI4d7WI7NMgFnjiNaYAwn43xK4kQWIhIH7CmzxXKwQ30PJCOANRkDij-Remk4dN8GlLRTvtSxlRnrHChpY/s400/Memphis+040.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHyWc4sYh7CzceGlRfqkR5UX5r0UBAYdAR3oH0mIfQjgDxzpdtT7RDSRbROr-gGdNksvE9aJXmQrYP2uvn2vF-GpzvLr7s-JEZOKniH7i0H3iCNlIFafXA2TWO1xvvdQ0d2yLursKK-c/s1600/Memphis+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHyWc4sYh7CzceGlRfqkR5UX5r0UBAYdAR3oH0mIfQjgDxzpdtT7RDSRbROr-gGdNksvE9aJXmQrYP2uvn2vF-GpzvLr7s-JEZOKniH7i0H3iCNlIFafXA2TWO1xvvdQ0d2yLursKK-c/s400/Memphis+039.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUar_Jsh3O6O-E2BSAaGzaCvRztQDxCsyncz9pHSz8qZEYqPMGvXapkMOFCfq91X23bBLzBOnIhVuLCJ1MY8c3AO-IyXBU4bx3AbBP2aSGOVOFpdbYJ_2dp4jztbxIJogM6KiU0HIVlZM/s1600/Memphis+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUar_Jsh3O6O-E2BSAaGzaCvRztQDxCsyncz9pHSz8qZEYqPMGvXapkMOFCfq91X23bBLzBOnIhVuLCJ1MY8c3AO-IyXBU4bx3AbBP2aSGOVOFpdbYJ_2dp4jztbxIJogM6KiU0HIVlZM/s400/Memphis+044.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our RV Park at Memphis is an interesting story as well. You have to wonder about the logic (or lack thereof) in locating an RV Park inside the levees of the Mississippi River basin, not very high above normal pool stage for the river! Obviously, you run the risk of flooding. The Tom Sawyer RV Park had been under water for about 2 months and had just reopened in the last couple of days when we called for a reservation. Here's the crest recorded from a flood in 2011.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsh9e75ZJ3syaOc5QN4vHnCWeR5FLHrPIZvKxDQ919KTRXURuKtVcGs8sCgAwVVaLFk7QXN4hnqh-KldiAqd-3Oe_ql7RFM5TbOoUwqZRRRmSJ65dZE2ObBaJq5roPNm3kmkdLZ4XxhQ/s1600/Memphis+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsh9e75ZJ3syaOc5QN4vHnCWeR5FLHrPIZvKxDQ919KTRXURuKtVcGs8sCgAwVVaLFk7QXN4hnqh-KldiAqd-3Oe_ql7RFM5TbOoUwqZRRRmSJ65dZE2ObBaJq5roPNm3kmkdLZ4XxhQ/s640/Memphis+001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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But when it's not under water and covered in river mud, it's a beautiful setting right on the river with constant barge activity. Here's one of the larger tows - 7 barges long and 4 wide. The largest we ever saw while boating the Mississippi was 7 long and 6 wide. In short, you need to stay out of their way! It's imperative that you communicate by radio with the towboat captains so they can let you know where they need you to position your boat to accomplish that goal.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YSaziuYJJt6fbA43n-draN5x9TtBheIYBvENUaGlti5X8Xsq_wgfDlu8uk8lOPBQ1fK_TC0KTbMQ9MN2coLYsoxMXnm9WHmEO6i-U2wd6Re7-fcv7L_gdd5eIIdyuJxCHcvC1qcqwBQ/s1600/Memphis+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YSaziuYJJt6fbA43n-draN5x9TtBheIYBvENUaGlti5X8Xsq_wgfDlu8uk8lOPBQ1fK_TC0KTbMQ9MN2coLYsoxMXnm9WHmEO6i-U2wd6Re7-fcv7L_gdd5eIIdyuJxCHcvC1qcqwBQ/s640/Memphis+002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's "Tom Sawyer" stuff for the park theme.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPpkXR45MHtz0jqNKZjBDamPacLwxlg67Fx05UKMZM5MS9gKtdXSr6ZtqGuNACrOZpsXsjrVCO8leN5AC762l_3WRb4J7hOATBL_wzAAkgigTWYRoVGHIpCUMOPQyT7FMdN4CKbOUemw/s1600/Memphis+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPpkXR45MHtz0jqNKZjBDamPacLwxlg67Fx05UKMZM5MS9gKtdXSr6ZtqGuNACrOZpsXsjrVCO8leN5AC762l_3WRb4J7hOATBL_wzAAkgigTWYRoVGHIpCUMOPQyT7FMdN4CKbOUemw/s400/Memphis+003.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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So, we had fun with our return visit to Memphis.</div>
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We also thought it appropriate to visit Miss Cordelia's grocery store and deli down the street from Mud Island. When we began our boat trip to Muskogee, we wanted a way to keep our friends, family, other boaters, and anyone else interested, aware of our travels. Remember, that was 2008 and I could barely spell "computer" much less knew what to do with one. So, our older son, Adam, said "you need a blog" and set one up for us. Again, in 2008, WIFI was hard to find and we certainly did not have our own Hot Spot, not sure if they even existed. Anyhow, we found good food, groceries, and WIFI at Miss Cordelia's and spent hours there at this table getting the blog up and running with Adam's supervision. <br />
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We checked and the public WIFI is still up and running.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeI-TY-tI2ykKHAcenF1dSuonDHQkOo7ah5MuEM_Q3AO3XvQfM0exhKWeLc1t6qs-eYkFfSrnFSPHauPiRIAoEtCfvod_3qIqUK8mhEJJyGQtoDlKuUlQSjVQhxMBIOzW2nC9scmGSnYQ/s1600/Memphis+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeI-TY-tI2ykKHAcenF1dSuonDHQkOo7ah5MuEM_Q3AO3XvQfM0exhKWeLc1t6qs-eYkFfSrnFSPHauPiRIAoEtCfvod_3qIqUK8mhEJJyGQtoDlKuUlQSjVQhxMBIOzW2nC9scmGSnYQ/s320/Memphis+035.JPG" width="272" /></a></div>
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<b>And, as of this posting, there have been 110,752 page views in 10 countries since we began the blog at Miss Cordelia's in 2008! We appreciate all who have traveled along with us and we hope we have provided some interesting and helpful information. We hope to be back on the road again after a couple of weeks, heading north and then west for the summer. See you then.</b></div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-43933935663751931052017-06-02T19:21:00.000-07:002017-06-02T19:21:19.596-07:00Muskogee, OK and Ozark, AR<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GUaY3bLYRIg162QfIU-4X7I_pDXtpeqFkDQ5Dj8NgwV-T3f1ZfYNXKnyAElO21nmhyphenhyphenerO0Ek8loLQQmlfWncKmUb70K2d4hdRkeO93pueg0Lrv6Xorg_Uy657k9V-FqUGBde0wlwJCM/s1600/Muskogee+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1600" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-GUaY3bLYRIg162QfIU-4X7I_pDXtpeqFkDQ5Dj8NgwV-T3f1ZfYNXKnyAElO21nmhyphenhyphenerO0Ek8loLQQmlfWncKmUb70K2d4hdRkeO93pueg0Lrv6Xorg_Uy657k9V-FqUGBde0wlwJCM/s400/Muskogee+005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">We enjoyed our time in New Mexico. It didn't take long to get to lower elevations, flatter land, and 60 miles worth of wind turbines on Interstate 40, 30 miles each side of Amarillo, TX. There were up to seven turbines deep in some places.</span></div>
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There are references all along our I-40 route to the old historic Route 66.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGU3qJd7ptJMzkc9U7-269Wjm-FttaBx7FBO_E9fPPMKcKZcj1b_rV6GyLtXzzwDNrE6R38ZViWKYy0oHeJUSFgn8TUMA3rxh-Fudzd4A8_v6huk5EYdiHoRYFGfe0ZTAtiwdE9-wmS6s/s1600/Muskogee+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="1600" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGU3qJd7ptJMzkc9U7-269Wjm-FttaBx7FBO_E9fPPMKcKZcj1b_rV6GyLtXzzwDNrE6R38ZViWKYy0oHeJUSFgn8TUMA3rxh-Fudzd4A8_v6huk5EYdiHoRYFGfe0ZTAtiwdE9-wmS6s/s400/Muskogee+023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This was our RV park in Alanreed, Texas.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDk0mIcZi9IirDeQBF5p9HW0abT_1STolD1l40pDYmOZBJY9v29aKWeYydJX8_ZSwRUmQ9gy925DGW0HD45pWKrJwZbkktFy9HoA8sEyRBvTH5Zons-SqGT2HiTAVYKG6UIUR00Mf0CRU/s1600/Muskogee+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="1600" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDk0mIcZi9IirDeQBF5p9HW0abT_1STolD1l40pDYmOZBJY9v29aKWeYydJX8_ZSwRUmQ9gy925DGW0HD45pWKrJwZbkktFy9HoA8sEyRBvTH5Zons-SqGT2HiTAVYKG6UIUR00Mf0CRU/s640/Muskogee+024.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A little country western humor.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHGF1WLV2dia0OIwiu-J2g2RfM4R9VH9Sjd2s8hTBUVc7VGaOHXmh3qUjcVwzAU2yGEtll-t_J0YlQhakgyX93_AO1mKP1Ac5IWZUYQHO0h6v_Cg7zYg0LJMnVikSbWAd16JF19RfmzM/s1600/Muskogee+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHGF1WLV2dia0OIwiu-J2g2RfM4R9VH9Sjd2s8hTBUVc7VGaOHXmh3qUjcVwzAU2yGEtll-t_J0YlQhakgyX93_AO1mKP1Ac5IWZUYQHO0h6v_Cg7zYg0LJMnVikSbWAd16JF19RfmzM/s400/Muskogee+030.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">The view looking west from Longhorn RV - pasture land as far as you can see, grazing horses, and if you look closely (very closely), you can barely see the windmills in the distance. Trust me, they are there.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_N4hzi2K-oVw3-uC9Y06_NzhazBrIi6AJZJ3sjABPrXA_fwCpjJSNDmJ0v6l7xzNMhaVu2Htb9IAM4KbmKUchqb2Pi9RluIkAI-3IriXQ_cJGKlomcnrDT21Ft_U5Io4LfZwaoQyOxak/s1600/Muskogee+055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="1600" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_N4hzi2K-oVw3-uC9Y06_NzhazBrIi6AJZJ3sjABPrXA_fwCpjJSNDmJ0v6l7xzNMhaVu2Htb9IAM4KbmKUchqb2Pi9RluIkAI-3IriXQ_cJGKlomcnrDT21Ft_U5Io4LfZwaoQyOxak/s640/Muskogee+055.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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A closeup of the horse with the strange markings.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZ7s4eGhrp63Ryr2N_iAwfaVNpYj92tNxH9i2DNHVmaD0xSwY8uqRAgYdH5nctOG7f_j6HF30zli59qcwOoEF4l0kOh3KSciKyUYJOfU3KgYMZAiY4e_xAatbZ7e7vLigGJNtP2rzFMY/s1600/Muskogee+057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1147" data-original-width="1600" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZ7s4eGhrp63Ryr2N_iAwfaVNpYj92tNxH9i2DNHVmaD0xSwY8uqRAgYdH5nctOG7f_j6HF30zli59qcwOoEF4l0kOh3KSciKyUYJOfU3KgYMZAiY4e_xAatbZ7e7vLigGJNtP2rzFMY/s400/Muskogee+057.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The choice of sunset pictures was difficult, all beautiful.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjVqYBGre_27LPVf8ehKlu_ER7jt8tdOPfovpSC-Npod50oENiDOCCUvmUqOkGC9rSKcsBetvyr53NhHLO_tHasgpvFa2d5Sr8aFF2UIVu_vpswZoyq-GvoZfQqW-SYBcI99yD6GQwc0/s1600/Muskogee+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjVqYBGre_27LPVf8ehKlu_ER7jt8tdOPfovpSC-Npod50oENiDOCCUvmUqOkGC9rSKcsBetvyr53NhHLO_tHasgpvFa2d5Sr8aFF2UIVu_vpswZoyq-GvoZfQqW-SYBcI99yD6GQwc0/s640/Muskogee+046.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Oklahoma is in "tornado alley" and we wondered if this was planned or the result of an EF whatever.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8EZDEBernlvjP4Lrg_yXDkbAzskkWHk2GBLC5UquE7DhagxCOcu263zKOYb2qcDMVQbP1x2tZehjyCEWTuul_dQxqQpxYrLL0xIIXHtWSAJSNHjNEEth9T7gJZcIlzxbPPAPaj5xFrEE/s1600/Muskogee+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1317" data-original-width="1600" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8EZDEBernlvjP4Lrg_yXDkbAzskkWHk2GBLC5UquE7DhagxCOcu263zKOYb2qcDMVQbP1x2tZehjyCEWTuul_dQxqQpxYrLL0xIIXHtWSAJSNHjNEEth9T7gJZcIlzxbPPAPaj5xFrEE/s400/Muskogee+018.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We had a great weekend with our "Okie From Muskogee" friends - Mike and Shirley Wise and Dan and Jeannette Scott. We had hoped to also see Tony and Barbara Armstrong, but they left for KY and MI the day before we arrived, hate we missed them. We have a history of playing dominoes with these folks and having great desserts between rounds 6 and 7 of Mexican Train. That's Mike and Shirley in the background, Dan and Jeannette at the table with Rhonda, and an assortment of cookies on the centerpiece. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSl4KwoejO-JxYu0sHOzmeMaSVzI1zmyk7GAm59X7cKkvgEMwsVrWPQ4b_oPe0O722QJmqDFF-8ql9pFDR7U_5aOTBn1KxUTCUj2q55ogkTs54JjvDSTkHRFmEsvIajGqHkYi89egawpE/s1600/Dominoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="1027" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSl4KwoejO-JxYu0sHOzmeMaSVzI1zmyk7GAm59X7cKkvgEMwsVrWPQ4b_oPe0O722QJmqDFF-8ql9pFDR7U_5aOTBn1KxUTCUj2q55ogkTs54JjvDSTkHRFmEsvIajGqHkYi89egawpE/s400/Dominoes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">We visited Dan and Jeannette's new home in Coweta and Three Forks Harbor (the marina Rhonda and I managed on the Arkansas River), attended our former church at First Baptist Muskogee, played a second game of dominoes, and had several good meals together. Shirley wanted a shot on the motorcycle but not to worry - we had her "contained" in the garage of the RV.</span></div>
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Muskogee is a neat town. Their "thing" is to place guitars all over the city. Here are a couple.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGHNqDGQRhhDXPIUvaExErArUBRfHk-_bE2Uf4rybzM03UE3kPHAjRg2NCoZ0IrQHrBViLO4vk4ne9M8tWSWIo-4Envj8e-CZCYcNSkJyKol1vTUQYG4ql7xgutftfTu-aBKLeKs21Dk/s1600/Muskogee+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGHNqDGQRhhDXPIUvaExErArUBRfHk-_bE2Uf4rybzM03UE3kPHAjRg2NCoZ0IrQHrBViLO4vk4ne9M8tWSWIo-4Envj8e-CZCYcNSkJyKol1vTUQYG4ql7xgutftfTu-aBKLeKs21Dk/s400/Muskogee+002.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-QKliVBeeBaJW1NfQ21NI68gZxJdWcLoDRqUpTTLUrp4rShm4ZbgXJNbHlf9Wc3jW3r0DrQEjwPehEl_0Sy2KrSqDcCFnxXxuxEhBI8P1aToYwgX4hgID4_uJfiQ0O5o0zdS6YPlHF4/s1600/Muskogee+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1015" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-QKliVBeeBaJW1NfQ21NI68gZxJdWcLoDRqUpTTLUrp4rShm4ZbgXJNbHlf9Wc3jW3r0DrQEjwPehEl_0Sy2KrSqDcCFnxXxuxEhBI8P1aToYwgX4hgID4_uJfiQ0O5o0zdS6YPlHF4/s400/Muskogee+003.JPG" width="253" /></a></div>
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We moved on to Arkansas and made another effort to spend some time close to Branson, MO but the weather forced us farther south and we decided on Ozark, AR.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGbHLFnkQ2sdYZLPxOrhfGVT5Pz8-k1zaES2uvIf3hyphenhyphenzWj3D8gnbNRv2TzqldOfcHhNH9aD89pl1Md2p0Hj1GQQQqqffloMNBc3wD_KTHFpoYVf7ItvVrN44MRTG3GbYMAiqpMnjnJpFI/s1600/Mt.+Magazine+ride+and+Muskogee+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="1600" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGbHLFnkQ2sdYZLPxOrhfGVT5Pz8-k1zaES2uvIf3hyphenhyphenzWj3D8gnbNRv2TzqldOfcHhNH9aD89pl1Md2p0Hj1GQQQqqffloMNBc3wD_KTHFpoYVf7ItvVrN44MRTG3GbYMAiqpMnjnJpFI/s320/Mt.+Magazine+ride+and+Muskogee+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We have driven through Arkansas many times over the years but never spent any time in the Ozark or Ouachita Mountains. We found a great deal at Aux Arc (Ozark, clever, right?) National Park.</div>
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Well, here's the history lesson and explanation:<span style="font-family: inherit;"> The origin of the word <b><u>Ozark</u></b> is French and comes to us from the early French explorers who first navigated and mapped the mighty Arkansas River in the late 1600's and early 1700's. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">They named the </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">northern most bend</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> in the Arkansas River as the </span><i style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Aux Arcs</b></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> which translates as 'to the top arc' - the northern-most bend in the great river. The phrase </span><i style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Aux Arcs</b></i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> was spoken by non-French peoples (translation - Southerners) in a manner that eventually sounded as 'Ozark.'</span></div>
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The RV sites are huge, lots of tree cover, sits right on the Arkansas River adjacent to the Ozark Lock and Dam, and only $10/day for seniors with the National Park Pass (it's important that we remind ourselves of the advantages of being old). Here's our setup.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmRahobEmgGt6bsJ7G45Bi8PifqM2jDHfbUsroK076k7pysC00vU6uyeWvvHEJL7PohFbghOGNKJLkn70Av0EU3vVn8MMp2ZP1IcEi0gNR9ivbpBhh7iskJxkEWAnqFlWrW2S_Qm64Js/s1600/Mt.+Magazine+ride+and+Muskogee+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="968" data-original-width="1600" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmRahobEmgGt6bsJ7G45Bi8PifqM2jDHfbUsroK076k7pysC00vU6uyeWvvHEJL7PohFbghOGNKJLkn70Av0EU3vVn8MMp2ZP1IcEi0gNR9ivbpBhh7iskJxkEWAnqFlWrW2S_Qm64Js/s640/Mt.+Magazine+ride+and+Muskogee+009.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I know I'm a bit old-fashioned, but it was nice to see most of the kids and teenagers out and about - walking, playing games, riding bikes, reading, etc. No cellphones sighted (and yes, there was coverage). Lots of family activities with all participating.</div>
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Lots of activity also on the Arkansas River. We traveled this same river on "Help Me Rhonda III" enroute to and from Muskogee in 2008 and 2010. Turtles and geese displaying family activities as well!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIwTANv0lNPaHvb3aIvaXabtTurfzDxkpKVJBnDS2b7mq54pv96MqetwKIABQdyeXuJnT7BSQLcbfE9y-o4VcLPFap4QVC378xO3odebxG-N0HwY4nX05Hcdwh4CXpJPOF1Ovc3-TSqw/s1600/Mt.+Magazine+ride+and+Muskogee+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1600" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIwTANv0lNPaHvb3aIvaXabtTurfzDxkpKVJBnDS2b7mq54pv96MqetwKIABQdyeXuJnT7BSQLcbfE9y-o4VcLPFap4QVC378xO3odebxG-N0HwY4nX05Hcdwh4CXpJPOF1Ovc3-TSqw/s640/Mt.+Magazine+ride+and+Muskogee+005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFaxyf2RAtR3nOsy0CvJZbiVvBK-U9InFVp49YqrZS4G0W_7TN6fne_QFFM_npV2P6ngtWB7LzioOMghyErT-S2oSbcqnrhuTk8ysqA1U5z6lR_2W74FBDwfLfCZpbgfR6ugMfuAnd2Ms/s1600/3rd+arkansas+ride+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1600" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFaxyf2RAtR3nOsy0CvJZbiVvBK-U9InFVp49YqrZS4G0W_7TN6fne_QFFM_npV2P6ngtWB7LzioOMghyErT-S2oSbcqnrhuTk8ysqA1U5z6lR_2W74FBDwfLfCZpbgfR6ugMfuAnd2Ms/s400/3rd+arkansas+ride+004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The view of the river from inside the RV.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCLOVbPDPYMHLrlzoyLkFtlCFqcbDkCvSnS3PfaHxxiw1n5Jpf2g24Xpk7ntQHqnhEugoW8E4GmZZAQhQiYXp8kYZc19Nbi5OhlrRz-zHfKTKNOnpbMUgFw45PZpjENDmvayK4vV5Gk0c/s1600/Mt.+Magazine+ride+and+Muskogee+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCLOVbPDPYMHLrlzoyLkFtlCFqcbDkCvSnS3PfaHxxiw1n5Jpf2g24Xpk7ntQHqnhEugoW8E4GmZZAQhQiYXp8kYZc19Nbi5OhlrRz-zHfKTKNOnpbMUgFw45PZpjENDmvayK4vV5Gk0c/s640/Mt.+Magazine+ride+and+Muskogee+003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Rhonda did not feel so well on this leg of our travels, so I got three good rides in for a total of 470 miles. The #1 rated bike ride for Arkansas and also rated in the top ten in the country is the "Arkansas Pig Trail" - basically Highway 23 from Ozark to Eureka Springs, about 81 miles. The "Pig Trail" gets it name from 2 proposed sources - a shortcut through the country to University of Arkansas ball games OR the twisted/corkscrew tail of pigs (razorbacks). The toughest part of the route is the first 19 miles. After seeing all of the magnificent landscape out west the past couple of weeks, everything seemed awfully well, uh, "green." (And Rhonda was so glad to see "green" and water and not have dirt always blowing everywhere!) After Eureka Springs, I headed west through Rogers, AR for an RV part we needed from Camping World, and then back home. Total for this ride - 217 miles.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_lFJJ3Tmj1Lj6hKZJ6Q6gCkzvF8fzVyv6UiM6fFaByJLAcKQOwf1e5XVxauXpWHUGwYTL3NzChALfR2tlh3mEpFqDuy6_r8UQvaEfEGa8v1PLBg-SmSg6UR5CA03DU3bF9MNWWWh4B0/s1600/AR+Pig+Trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="770" data-original-width="1027" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_lFJJ3Tmj1Lj6hKZJ6Q6gCkzvF8fzVyv6UiM6fFaByJLAcKQOwf1e5XVxauXpWHUGwYTL3NzChALfR2tlh3mEpFqDuy6_r8UQvaEfEGa8v1PLBg-SmSg6UR5CA03DU3bF9MNWWWh4B0/s640/AR+Pig+Trail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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There was lots of traffic on the roads for Memorial Day, but it was a fun ride with beautiful streams and lots of foliage covering the roads.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJosw0EKPr0cqAsoAJnTjK7t3POVG_v6icadEyuyPB8K6lSDry1nwjD_ObHi4BDoqYdKN467IKrC0AYqceeNxM66n_Mwi50FNnhoFFJcPuMOJ2LVl6jfgjdY01nMGror1p3UP6GEjLLU/s1600/3rd+arkansas+ride+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJosw0EKPr0cqAsoAJnTjK7t3POVG_v6icadEyuyPB8K6lSDry1nwjD_ObHi4BDoqYdKN467IKrC0AYqceeNxM66n_Mwi50FNnhoFFJcPuMOJ2LVl6jfgjdY01nMGror1p3UP6GEjLLU/s640/3rd+arkansas+ride+005.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jNVYi6osmY65if0nDOvLHsHQiLhJ5BMb6f6Sn_JxKSwKneli3tCJUovR03FQMiAnb0bOjWWOYm3kzlOXChwudwFK50O4mHpA1rdZ-gv5OQie7DrBHqb5R6OdkAnU5zWk7Zsic3sV-vE/s1600/3rd+arkansas+ride+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jNVYi6osmY65if0nDOvLHsHQiLhJ5BMb6f6Sn_JxKSwKneli3tCJUovR03FQMiAnb0bOjWWOYm3kzlOXChwudwFK50O4mHpA1rdZ-gv5OQie7DrBHqb5R6OdkAnU5zWk7Zsic3sV-vE/s640/3rd+arkansas+ride+008.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_Ld96Ddg1F3oMupxYhXRQtfugd_3bBC8rd9nvcB-XT2XwHLHPlxZiZQrdTJYhMYRy9vgP6Y4N-QqfJKrbSIi7g3C7xL7nl674NE4iNmy4vPTAp0MfFzeQHyrRYsvCVsjFPrVeJVfbfE/s1600/3rd+arkansas+ride+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="605" height="371" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_Ld96Ddg1F3oMupxYhXRQtfugd_3bBC8rd9nvcB-XT2XwHLHPlxZiZQrdTJYhMYRy9vgP6Y4N-QqfJKrbSIi7g3C7xL7nl674NE4iNmy4vPTAp0MfFzeQHyrRYsvCVsjFPrVeJVfbfE/s400/3rd+arkansas+ride+007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I rode the first 19 miles again another day but then hung a right on the #5 ride on Arkansas Highway 16, and then picked up the #6 ride, Highway 21, named "Ozark Scenic Highlands Byway." I dodged heavy rain all afternoon, not good picture-taking weather. Had another experience with "the law" on this ride - followed this white car forever on Highway 16 and the driver finally pulled over and let me pass. Then he followed me forever until it poured rain on both of us. I slowed down a good bit and waved him by me. He tooted his horn as he passed, the rain stopped later and I caught up with him again and followed him some more. He finally pulled over at a small post office, got out of the car with full police uniform on and waved. Not sure if he was off duty in a personal vehicle or on duty in an unmarked car. Either way, let's just say that he was kind to me. Total ride - 123 miles.</div>
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My third ride was into the Ouachita Mountains on the #22 bike ride in Arkansas - "Mount Magazine." The view was nice but just not much of it, the roads were very rough, and everything still very "green." Total miles - 130.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uDIr9dLXTgJTpIP9h6LZq21pcve4P98gvflc4HQhsereZYe-T30RAeILnNaqlO7SLpphwd2NlWLlfwQzArvHOYEjhssBYbAimD1-0Y6_K2bWo7tBJCSANyBAQy3Cdi1Raefy7tKikIc/s1600/Mt.+Magazine+ride+and+Muskogee+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="1600" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4uDIr9dLXTgJTpIP9h6LZq21pcve4P98gvflc4HQhsereZYe-T30RAeILnNaqlO7SLpphwd2NlWLlfwQzArvHOYEjhssBYbAimD1-0Y6_K2bWo7tBJCSANyBAQy3Cdi1Raefy7tKikIc/s640/Mt.+Magazine+ride+and+Muskogee+006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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So, we are in the final stretch toward home now, currently in Memphis, TN for four days. Next post - Beale Street, Blues, and BBQ! </div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-7288473454502852352017-05-25T20:43:00.000-07:002017-05-26T06:30:56.680-07:00Santa Fe, New Mexico<div style="text-align: justify;">
We had a good four days in Santa Fe and are now making the run across the panhandle of Texas via I-40, enroute to Muskogee, OK to see dear friends from when we managed Three Forks Harbor on the Arkansas River there from 2008 to the end of 2010. It's a long, long run with nothing but prairie grass, a few mesas, wind turbines (about 60 miles worth), and one large town, Amarillo, TX. We found a Mom-and-Pop RV park and diesel fuel at the same spot in Alanreed, TX, population 28, literally. According to the owners of the park - "more dogs than people here." We have driven all day, it's 99 degrees outside, the wind is blowing 21 mph, we just got hooked up, and the power just went out everywhere, not just here at the RV park. It's too late to find anywhere else to go, and we are thankful to have a generator so we can stay cool, cook dinner and heat water with propane, and know that the power company is working on the problem down the road from here. And, back to the last 4 days.</div>
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We are seeing more windmills than ever, I assume running pumps to supply water to cattle.</div>
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Enroute to Santa Fe, there was a huge volcanic eruption in the past and the lava flows are very clear.</div>
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Another letter on the mountains. Can't remember the name of the town, so we decided it is probably for "McManus."</div>
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The green along the Rio Grande and any other water is very distinct compared to everything else, rocks and dirt. This area is approaching Albuquerque.</div>
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Santa Fe has preserved it's original charm in the historic district, most everything is adobe architecture, they have a plaza (another car show/music the day we were there), local vendors sell their goods throughout the town, narrow streets, and the Santa Fe River runs through town ("river" is a stretch for sure). Art galleries are everywhere.</div>
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Rhonda and I are not into "art" as in paintings and drawings, especially the contemporary stuff, so that eliminated much of the Santa Fe downtown for us. The main attraction is the "Loretto Chapel Miraculous Stairway," built in 1873. Here's the story:</div>
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The architect of the chapel died suddenly<span style="font-size: 13.3333px; white-space: nowrap;"> </span>and it was only after much of the chapel was constructed that the builders realized it was lacking any type of stairway to the choir loft. Due to the chapel's small size, a standard staircase would have been too large. Historians have also noted that earlier churches of the period had ladders rather than stairs to the choir loft, but the Sisters did not feel comfortable with that prospect because of the long habits that they wore.</div>
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The Sisters of Loretto relate the story as follows: Needing a way to get up to the choir loft, the nuns prayed for St. Joseph's intercession for nine straight days. On the day after their novena ended a shabby-looking stranger appeared at their door. He told the nuns he would build them a staircase but that he needed total privacy and locked himself in the chapel for three months. He used a small number of primitive tools including a square, a saw and some warm water and constructed a spiral staircase entirely of non-native wood. The identity of the carpenter is not known for as soon as the staircase was finally finished he was gone. Many witnesses, upon seeing the staircase, feel it was constructed by St. Joseph himself, as a miraculous occurrence.</div>
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The resulting staircase is an impressive work of carpentry. It ascends twenty feet, making two complete revolutions up to the choir loft without the use of nails or apparent center support. It has been surmised that the central spiral of the staircase is narrow enough to serve as a central beam. Nonetheless there was no attachment unto any wall or pole in the original stairway, although in 1887—10 years after it was built—a railing was added and the outer spiral was fastened to an adjacent pillar.<span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"> </span>Instead of metal nails, the staircase was constructed using dowels or wooden pegs. There is one picture in the church showing the entire stairway full of people, so it was clearly very sturdy.</div>
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Motorcycle stuff. The #4 motorcycle ride in the area is a 365-mile circuitous route around Santa Fe and Albuquerque. I rode about 260 miles of that, 50 to 60 degrees outside.</div>
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Another volcanic eruption in this area, except this one collapsed afterwards and resulted in a very fertile valley. This is only half of the valley.</div>
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Part of the route is through Los Alamos and there are strict procedures in place for travelers through the national laboratory area there. Rhonda had sent me a text earlier not to get stopped by the police, since I had left without my driver's license and seem to be developing a history with the law in TX and NM. Of course, ID checks were in progress and the texted picture she had sent of my license did not cut it! No ID, no drive through the laboratory area. The guard provided me with alternate instructions and got me back on my way to scenic Highway 4, through the Jemez Springs area. I pronounced it Jehmehz and was quickly corrected - "Yamis." At least I again avoided a ticket. <span style="text-align: center;">My favorite stop along the "Yamis" trail below. </span></div>
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At "Yamis" Springs there is a natural hot sulphur spring along the highway. These 2 young ladies let me take their picture. One was walking with a cane and I think was there for any possible medicinal effects of the springs. </div>
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They told me I could walk about a mile and there were large pools of the same springs. I took the picture, got back on my bike and moved on to the highlight of the ride in Madrid - "Maggie's Main Street Diner" from the movie, "Wild Hogs." It was only about 14 miles from our RV park so I called Rhonda to meet me there for dinner. "Maggie's" was built for the movie, was never really a diner, and is now a gift shop with lots of movie memorabilia available.</div>
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Note the parking lot was almost empty when we first got there but just as we were leaving, about 20 bikers riding from California to Chicago pulled up for souvenirs and photos. It was a gaggle but it worked out. Rhonda told them she was leaving in the big truck so they would have plenty of room.</div>
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We had dinner at "The Hollar" which was outstanding or I was starving, probably both. And that brings up a very common thing in the Santa Fe area - everyone has a dog, in many cases multiple dogs. Apparently they are very special. They sit at the table if they want......</div>
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..........have their own menu......</div>
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.........and use the bathroom about anywhere they please. No picture, you're welcome.</div>
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So, the "Wild Hogs" thing was cool - that's a favorite motorcycle movie for many bikers. Back at the RV, Rhonda discovered a rabbit hanging around the RV. Seems to be a lot of those in the area.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYe6GeZogfkeWHDcNqfkkxBrEZgOYTK5zTgvkYxeZ-m6TFaONrUxzbKDvD-nHucoxghhsktJItMbaxT6OOioJR-nkdaGHxsIWBkmCA0OPYw_AcxKyX7jGvf-ShdC_9kqsVj0HfNgvmjkI/s1600/Jemez+ride+and+RV+park+085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYe6GeZogfkeWHDcNqfkkxBrEZgOYTK5zTgvkYxeZ-m6TFaONrUxzbKDvD-nHucoxghhsktJItMbaxT6OOioJR-nkdaGHxsIWBkmCA0OPYw_AcxKyX7jGvf-ShdC_9kqsVj0HfNgvmjkI/s400/Jemez+ride+and+RV+park+085.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Not to be outdone by dogs and rabbits, we had noticed some disturbing signs in the RV the last couple of days. A miniature animal of some sort was leaving very small droppings on the floor in the kitchen area of our RV. We suspicioned a mouse, so we put out two of the tented traps that use a sticky surface to catch mice. Within minutes a little grey mouse was jumping on the tents and moving them around having a great time while Rhonda watched. (I had gone to bed.) Finally, Rhonda untented the traps and put them in a corner and went to bed. About 1:30 she heard movement, got up, and saw our little guy stuck to the trap. She made me get up, and we tried to decide how to dispose of this live mouse. I finally scooped it up, trap and all, with the dustpan and tossed it outside. This morning the trap was there but no mouse. I sure hope it decided to visit someone else and not come back to us. No picture, you're welcome again!</div>
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And not to be outdone by all of the art in the Santa Fe area, our RV park has its own contemporary "artist." There are probably about about 20 or 30 of these "creative designs" throughout the park and IMHO "art" is a stretch for these. You decide, here are three examples</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXndVFOpGlmTSFVU8AIS6EHst9X5YATrpRowfEh0xCWpBflyGFvip5JpGcfVLLUZvama4FVy3Dc-3d_XRSRwHe1E9WbCoJpyG2t0NnfaT8_Rg_LFjDOFbIRO6PoG2114J8IX5g_rPyboc/s1600/Jemez+ride+and+RV+park+068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXndVFOpGlmTSFVU8AIS6EHst9X5YATrpRowfEh0xCWpBflyGFvip5JpGcfVLLUZvama4FVy3Dc-3d_XRSRwHe1E9WbCoJpyG2t0NnfaT8_Rg_LFjDOFbIRO6PoG2114J8IX5g_rPyboc/s400/Jemez+ride+and+RV+park+068.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9b03KWj2UIo3uJX-7eaWB2D96E2PZStoC1hsVwBTUWTlnddCbS38L3iAzIYEBjY2IpQbN1mtYu_LFSLVDe6SogDZIIqHe4yS9MyokYpcG-756qJf7PbWFvCCfJ2y9zxvvIBpTlMP4y9Y/s1600/Jemez+ride+and+RV+park+073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9b03KWj2UIo3uJX-7eaWB2D96E2PZStoC1hsVwBTUWTlnddCbS38L3iAzIYEBjY2IpQbN1mtYu_LFSLVDe6SogDZIIqHe4yS9MyokYpcG-756qJf7PbWFvCCfJ2y9zxvvIBpTlMP4y9Y/s400/Jemez+ride+and+RV+park+073.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHf39DDf9W6-L92XqG6aeW0pyM855EzxemImxkTIwcVwyn8K-_BEAeH3YbJv3INzkixIbGZsn79f2LwTUBEXOWbPxUM7YxTCAthFoKU44stHgcT-NTFxhKnQ230wqKqTd2mGDriTaZWQ8/s1600/Jemez+ride+and+RV+park+056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHf39DDf9W6-L92XqG6aeW0pyM855EzxemImxkTIwcVwyn8K-_BEAeH3YbJv3INzkixIbGZsn79f2LwTUBEXOWbPxUM7YxTCAthFoKU44stHgcT-NTFxhKnQ230wqKqTd2mGDriTaZWQ8/s400/Jemez+ride+and+RV+park+056.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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A very popular area north of Santa Fe is the town of Taos (pronounced like house with a T), kind of a yuppie snow skiing area of New Mexico. We overheard one young lady telling another that, "Taos is a great place to live if you can figure out a way to make a living here." We toured the town, got a milkshake, and headed for the landscape scenery. We have crossed the Rio Grande several times on this trip and previously posted the picture of an almost-dried-up river along the border. Taos is almost in Colorado and the river is running wide open up there. The Rio Grande Gorge west of Taos is a popular scenic spot.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3KS8Ou5c1NQ2iEL-e4xw1Q0fQ0EG-fVFL1h0hif85vtbICOL7g_A8kB0uoUzzW5IHPkdt3qBYCyJH8fX4ysQszIqqbfylsd8rOUWH-cmRZBrKycXxoCL9CmOv5M-63eGF4BmQZLA9Ak/s1600/Taos+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3KS8Ou5c1NQ2iEL-e4xw1Q0fQ0EG-fVFL1h0hif85vtbICOL7g_A8kB0uoUzzW5IHPkdt3qBYCyJH8fX4ysQszIqqbfylsd8rOUWH-cmRZBrKycXxoCL9CmOv5M-63eGF4BmQZLA9Ak/s640/Taos+034.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span id="goog_1729402128"></span><span id="goog_1729402129"></span>We found a dirt road that takes you right down through the gorge above so you can get up close and personal, The river is running pretty fast.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBhZ0hGIqd7U8mFdFB0Y_J7FBr7k6S2TcMf8C3rfL19Mq4f8kc_FXdOETnRs9kO-ejO8KOL73Avk0XPeOI_Dbl2j9XThMRVgyZa93jhlsXV0dmDI3GNPxoKYNKJeEyjFBOJskl7CBu-A/s1600/Taos+065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBhZ0hGIqd7U8mFdFB0Y_J7FBr7k6S2TcMf8C3rfL19Mq4f8kc_FXdOETnRs9kO-ejO8KOL73Avk0XPeOI_Dbl2j9XThMRVgyZa93jhlsXV0dmDI3GNPxoKYNKJeEyjFBOJskl7CBu-A/s640/Taos+065.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQjb-WYKlEn_IyEoZeLUmcRSX9i2V6LBwfT2HqmFG1wUPi0nPcl9rpLSg2MX721GXOvIhyphenhyphenGrIOtkpnMX5-99jw1XL-apqNLYPGke_0XvPs6StRBZjnJlUGByNvpGnzctfVgYK_yPn40w/s1600/Taos+067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQjb-WYKlEn_IyEoZeLUmcRSX9i2V6LBwfT2HqmFG1wUPi0nPcl9rpLSg2MX721GXOvIhyphenhyphenGrIOtkpnMX5-99jw1XL-apqNLYPGke_0XvPs6StRBZjnJlUGByNvpGnzctfVgYK_yPn40w/s640/Taos+067.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Also out on the west side of town are "Earthship Houses" billed as energy efficient, water efficient, everything efficient. You only get to go in the "office house" unless you book a tour weeks in advance. They are very "different" and Rhonda said the inside of the office smelled like the reptile house at a zoo, probably from the used water being recycled to grow the food in the hallway along the windows. You decide for yourself but there is an entire development with these houses.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cRzKTQDlJcfUzGRDib3ggS42aG5WGO_n9apkNeBf_g69rK_YdutEjBKGe-yjZuoev60IvL_RG5R696p_723C-NcrHgzbFnf8AugKky0FxmkoNWelKTvg0H58wjjIf-PCcFiS0laCRYo/s1600/Taos+051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1600" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cRzKTQDlJcfUzGRDib3ggS42aG5WGO_n9apkNeBf_g69rK_YdutEjBKGe-yjZuoev60IvL_RG5R696p_723C-NcrHgzbFnf8AugKky0FxmkoNWelKTvg0H58wjjIf-PCcFiS0laCRYo/s640/Taos+051.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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But the real beauty of Taos is the scenery, especially the snow-capped mountains.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wdYHinok9zxM9tOdIa9vV0QyFd38o1U9Ba_RoDxV3GUBOxfW4xXkoT2p8L5UbWDaptfG8Vo-mO0_2yZnt1pNxUOGwXwDN3ycvvUCx0DBRoxzhFaiHPgNMNTH6ScCG8ZGQmxBcSlw8n0/s1600/Taos+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wdYHinok9zxM9tOdIa9vV0QyFd38o1U9Ba_RoDxV3GUBOxfW4xXkoT2p8L5UbWDaptfG8Vo-mO0_2yZnt1pNxUOGwXwDN3ycvvUCx0DBRoxzhFaiHPgNMNTH6ScCG8ZGQmxBcSlw8n0/s640/Taos+008.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuNqYg8jpGJ6lLv3w8584REWewAYitIBbHXoTL9erESFQuJytFDWO8XHm31szToWIEdwdkXtU2fhNgDjLiQiIfTX7TAN0-Vax9pkmL1Vywu81TsQ7KYB1Tj2GXA6skt-9ySKqY96qko4/s1600/Taos+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1015" data-original-width="1600" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQuNqYg8jpGJ6lLv3w8584REWewAYitIBbHXoTL9erESFQuJytFDWO8XHm31szToWIEdwdkXtU2fhNgDjLiQiIfTX7TAN0-Vax9pkmL1Vywu81TsQ7KYB1Tj2GXA6skt-9ySKqY96qko4/s640/Taos+010.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYxUOZzPrVTEaudeImDphMix1meR5bjYtrGJaBCqqnVdyo0XcblhteG1bYLkZdvT9QqvIL0A9_ABhz3LbreC3u-GnDj1SyJK-9hD0w3UH1pWydhT1uKEEymf_hyphenhyphenItriTKL5_J0Of5Jt8/s1600/Taos+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="958" data-original-width="1600" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYxUOZzPrVTEaudeImDphMix1meR5bjYtrGJaBCqqnVdyo0XcblhteG1bYLkZdvT9QqvIL0A9_ABhz3LbreC3u-GnDj1SyJK-9hD0w3UH1pWydhT1uKEEymf_hyphenhyphenItriTKL5_J0Of5Jt8/s640/Taos+012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And speaking of snow and all things cool - the power is back on and all is well again. Shower time, sleep, friends in Muskogee tomorrow and for the Memorial Day weekend. We hope you enjoy yours as well and especially appreciate and honor those who gave their lives while serving this great country.</div>
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Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977766634071332735.post-53381534607323646252017-05-22T22:04:00.000-07:002017-05-23T07:28:45.806-07:00Alamagordo, New Mexico - Great Stop!<div style="text-align: justify;">
We left Big Bend for the central and eastern sections of New Mexico - a new state for us! We have seen some surprising creatures on the trip, a couple of which we could not get the camera out soon enough to photograph. There was a wild boar that crossed the road in front of us in Big Bend, but the neatest one so far was a big horn sheep (with the fully-developed horns) with two lambs as we left Alpine, both very similar to the picture below. They were right beside us on the edge of the road. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpWBTPgvNb489T4md4BdnvL0poQWzFDza4aXbvkJ7WjyaM64LieQMEdEYrY_Lqn_sw2GUHtUodiMBfGFc1LWjGawsnmwQ5mm-DdorDSJ-nkJwsXpI1QBeymsFuIZYpSd4v2yuCS3INc4/s1600/big-horn-sheep-greg-norrell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpWBTPgvNb489T4md4BdnvL0poQWzFDza4aXbvkJ7WjyaM64LieQMEdEYrY_Lqn_sw2GUHtUodiMBfGFc1LWjGawsnmwQ5mm-DdorDSJ-nkJwsXpI1QBeymsFuIZYpSd4v2yuCS3INc4/s400/big-horn-sheep-greg-norrell.jpg" width="358" /></a></div>
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On the way to Alamogordo, we spotted a Tethered Aerostat Radar System (TARS) "kite balloon," also a bit unusual I would think. It is a Customs and Border Protection effort to monitor the illegal immigrant and drug traffic from as high as 15,000 feet. This one was about 3,000 feet high in the area between Big Bend and El Paso, with our camera zoomed in a lot.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxAOohH2T3cl5at2la9JvJNmm_3TcUsAHLVVodE3_QXSndrWOIa2xJ1Xc-1tWJCGmbrhJfQxbb0aNca6myRYgaIUQ-hRNazFQxbL8bG7FE0piXkSJKLa6G9Ld7RAPX6IhZPbZ7yjdR7s/s1600/Boot+Hill+and+White+Sands+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxAOohH2T3cl5at2la9JvJNmm_3TcUsAHLVVodE3_QXSndrWOIa2xJ1Xc-1tWJCGmbrhJfQxbb0aNca6myRYgaIUQ-hRNazFQxbL8bG7FE0piXkSJKLa6G9Ld7RAPX6IhZPbZ7yjdR7s/s400/Boot+Hill+and+White+Sands+007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Most of the small towns along the route are along the Rio Grande and several have the first letter of the town marked in the hills behind the town. There is lots to remember when you see so much but we think this one was for the town of Valentine, TX. There is usually about 1/2 mile of "green" along the river. Everthing else is rock and dirt.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIKZUzcugD9RC4p4MkmVcuD9YpsoIIhQP3z0PRsBNtA5UJ2DurqQKklyXu9RO-WN6eyjJ5M1tvBL2TtFQdGrRsKxzwY9vGQDSuZBBi-le0cKMmplFNrEEf-KATgwIeRhFXSTPQpJEeu0/s1600/Boot+Hill+and+White+Sands+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIKZUzcugD9RC4p4MkmVcuD9YpsoIIhQP3z0PRsBNtA5UJ2DurqQKklyXu9RO-WN6eyjJ5M1tvBL2TtFQdGrRsKxzwY9vGQDSuZBBi-le0cKMmplFNrEEf-KATgwIeRhFXSTPQpJEeu0/s400/Boot+Hill+and+White+Sands+012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We chose Boot Hill RV Resort as our home for 3 days. Everything there is "boot" oriented.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcWm7ssoZ0RPijsJHq-yHStz3cRA2LJ67wvy5LQLbUGXzh922Pnb-8BSaGyFQ1zblVD3ZWvQ7zGCLO3Se6EQQT2F4GyemftA6FxRklGwMSr6bLWd-4SmbsjybmosBdqAgySN7qnqTjSg/s1600/Boot+Hill+and+White+Sands+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcWm7ssoZ0RPijsJHq-yHStz3cRA2LJ67wvy5LQLbUGXzh922Pnb-8BSaGyFQ1zblVD3ZWvQ7zGCLO3Se6EQQT2F4GyemftA6FxRklGwMSr6bLWd-4SmbsjybmosBdqAgySN7qnqTjSg/s400/Boot+Hill+and+White+Sands+023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Pretty flowers "to Boot."</div>
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The White Sands National Monument is the BIG DEAL here. Here's the short version as I remember it. About 325 square miles of gypsum "sand" (the basic ingredient for sheetrock and plaster of Paris), none like it anywhere else in the world. The area is surrounded by 2 mountain ranges and everything that comes down from the hills stays there. The hills are full of gypsum, when it rains the gypsum washes down into the basin, when the rainwater evaporates the gypsum forms crystals, the wind breaks down the crystals, and the smaller pieces continue to beat each other up into very fine "sand," much like the process of sea shells turning into sand at the beach. This is also where the first nuclear weapon, Trinity, was tested by the United States in the White Sands Missile Range in 1945.</div>
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Things are a little quieter there now. The National Monument area has a visitors center and paved roads out into the sands which feed into sand roads for the public to experience the sands up close and personal. One favorite thing to do is to slide down the dunes.</div>
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Large areas are carved out of the dunes that can accommodate busloads of visitors at a time. Restrooms and dune-shaped picnic shelters are provided throughout the park. We never did find the ocean that we normally expect to go with all of this sand!</div>
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The sand is not hot at all on the surface, it gets very cool only an inch or so down, and it doesn't stick to you, white sand as far as you can see. Note the blue skies as well. We have had perfect weather this entire trip except for two days of rain in Mobile. Daytime temperatures have mostly been 60 to 80 and the nights 45 to 60.</div>
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And the dunes are fun even without the sleds.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jli9r5WFHUT9Nit2NONAaz2oEIS1EInUA3kIn7BV12xcApdI77zNC-56uCoRAuFBQAdhRu_0UdibTyLqpUgttTkqXFYdZcSvVsSqBAkLS9TOBCU92KLXrJ5ncxyp_sWptFtfUGHp99k/s1600/Boot+Hill+and+White+Sands+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8jli9r5WFHUT9Nit2NONAaz2oEIS1EInUA3kIn7BV12xcApdI77zNC-56uCoRAuFBQAdhRu_0UdibTyLqpUgttTkqXFYdZcSvVsSqBAkLS9TOBCU92KLXrJ5ncxyp_sWptFtfUGHp99k/s400/Boot+Hill+and+White+Sands+023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Another reason we chose Alamogordo is because the #1 rated motorcycle ride in New Mexico is close by in the Lincoln National Forest. So, I took about a 145-mile ride while Rhonda ventured off on her own to the Three Rivers Petroglyphs Site. There are twenty thousand petroglyphs found in this area. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3mHDJtXzFgft9PChVJWAGl1chtBzm623jFIx5FbTpUaGs2MGQkar7p1dmHKZkfz8uoSgZIHyWJDZhvWyhYOgKi0c_BT3VL3RuotnmY4gn2U2cnZc02Weyfn-r3xCHoE2bn3TwJ4zQvo/s1600/Three+Rivers+Petroglyph+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3mHDJtXzFgft9PChVJWAGl1chtBzm623jFIx5FbTpUaGs2MGQkar7p1dmHKZkfz8uoSgZIHyWJDZhvWyhYOgKi0c_BT3VL3RuotnmY4gn2U2cnZc02Weyfn-r3xCHoE2bn3TwJ4zQvo/s400/Three+Rivers+Petroglyph+011.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Rhonda had to hike about a mile to see them. It was advertised as an easy hike, but the info forgot to mention it was uphill through lots of rocks. The Park Ranger instructed her to be careful and watch for snakes. Instead of snakes, she found rabbits.</div>
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And a few samples of the petroglyphs. Some are obvious - a lizard.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8cpEguuU70SLAJVr_0K2V2sGzLwju7ivVIEO7SnrKGAWB3l-TFoVgp7AilFo9m3HxtMHSD8ySVSWe7uKzN-d25sfoLKHRjn96DT0GJfrYWKGd1UHc82gNxvlQt84e4IsOL8n5MRPpnc/s1600/Three+Rivers+Petroglyph+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8cpEguuU70SLAJVr_0K2V2sGzLwju7ivVIEO7SnrKGAWB3l-TFoVgp7AilFo9m3HxtMHSD8ySVSWe7uKzN-d25sfoLKHRjn96DT0GJfrYWKGd1UHc82gNxvlQt84e4IsOL8n5MRPpnc/s400/Three+Rivers+Petroglyph+024.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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The written guide to the petroglyphs said this one is a counting of corn or population. I don't get it.</div>
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Not so obvious?????? Well, maybe the snake.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBbgycqvzhxQYRn_zI-q2HOrdLQkcTrv9AqqGezfpAH4fJtGTCZe1HjAXsQZXDTpJQadyrQXe_8UtuI4zHz-Bl8szfY_7-AZaLk-WiYQaJT-hQ4kSwJriFpFHSPRlFG3cAxb8G2FBBu0/s1600/Three+Rivers+Petroglyph+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBbgycqvzhxQYRn_zI-q2HOrdLQkcTrv9AqqGezfpAH4fJtGTCZe1HjAXsQZXDTpJQadyrQXe_8UtuI4zHz-Bl8szfY_7-AZaLk-WiYQaJT-hQ4kSwJriFpFHSPRlFG3cAxb8G2FBBu0/s400/Three+Rivers+Petroglyph+023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have found www.motorcycleroads.com to be a pretty reliable judge of the best rides in each state. They have chosen "The Road To Timberon" as #1 for New Mexico. It's not very long, about 60 miles and not very difficult, but the scenery is beautiful. This general area here is what everyone calls "high desert" around 4500 feet elevation, mostly rock and dirt, but the ride is in Lincoln National Forest, around 8650 feet, and is mostly a forest of pine and fir trees. Timberon was planned to be an oasis in the mountains and lots of money was invested toward that end. The last half of the highway road in particular may be the smoothest I have ever ridden - literally like riding on air it was so smooth. But the oasis never took off and at Timberon you run into a dead end dirt road and have to turn around and ride it again. Jerry, Jim, and Mike - have we ever done that before??? Ha! This is one of the few straightaways on the road. Not so many steep turns/switchbacks, but you hardly ever are not in a curve.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZg2UWVjO_gVH3Y3CP5Qb4_304l0XC9eLlbBqKK1puXo_2SL70PJ8TYCQDI6Nd4Eg_jGNuSglGUh6mDqo5r7TVc3UjbsTS1p9zKzWTJ-MmWzrImASLz7IP0EpYlTuwqbF4fMOhQYsC8jA/s1600/Lincoln+National+Park+Ride+and+Pistachios+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZg2UWVjO_gVH3Y3CP5Qb4_304l0XC9eLlbBqKK1puXo_2SL70PJ8TYCQDI6Nd4Eg_jGNuSglGUh6mDqo5r7TVc3UjbsTS1p9zKzWTJ-MmWzrImASLz7IP0EpYlTuwqbF4fMOhQYsC8jA/s400/Lincoln+National+Park+Ride+and+Pistachios+004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNZbjdc_lZgky1oAmCiaV4IpD4IM1tS3ketEGgM2HdXqK3tHvsVlAMtRAanj7NWhehWpU8EXDXktvuTULChyphenhyphen0HU6gno5K54te4yP8KornyrbIQqoipWRPS-svsrxQ20G4XwwtM6i_bO8/s1600/Lincoln+National+Park+Ride+and+Pistachios+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNZbjdc_lZgky1oAmCiaV4IpD4IM1tS3ketEGgM2HdXqK3tHvsVlAMtRAanj7NWhehWpU8EXDXktvuTULChyphenhyphen0HU6gno5K54te4yP8KornyrbIQqoipWRPS-svsrxQ20G4XwwtM6i_bO8/s400/Lincoln+National+Park+Ride+and+Pistachios+003.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The view from 8650 feet. That's White Sands in the distance.</div>
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There's a really neat town in the middle of the route called Cloudcroft. The ride back down to Alamogordo is a non-stop 8-degree descent of about 4500 feet. Another White Sands view below about half-way down. Note the landscape returns to high desert.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsNTTth0zugWPumcLpuXMw_jhiIBaxPf3WNrxU6KHEeSRwPmVw6EbARHoCYAO6J5rz1nLO0qkiW8pj1esX3RPxzY8wxadOZ-gHcENFcHeNk5HnY1qXu78yQhCfQXpFgAPRm18zyMMLWJQ/s1600/Lincoln+National+Park+Ride+and+Pistachios+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsNTTth0zugWPumcLpuXMw_jhiIBaxPf3WNrxU6KHEeSRwPmVw6EbARHoCYAO6J5rz1nLO0qkiW8pj1esX3RPxzY8wxadOZ-gHcENFcHeNk5HnY1qXu78yQhCfQXpFgAPRm18zyMMLWJQ/s640/Lincoln+National+Park+Ride+and+Pistachios+022.JPG" width="563" /></a></div>
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And our final tourist attraction was a pistachio farm - really interesting. A few facts - about half of the world's pistachios are grown in Iran. About 90% of the pistachios in the USA are grown in California. 80% of the shells crack open on their own since the fruit grows faster than the shell. There are male and female trees. We are standing under a male tree below. They individually produce enough pollen for eighteen females and are spaced accordingly throughout the farm</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3yn18pPJPy26M4ROWZ1zCK104Xoy9zm59tij71HA_2goEWJWUGu851wfJAIZhKLpMSXegPwmGwZaXSW0R02xmUyKYR21DzUOk9-koV5kdwlUSdvQbpf0cAtRtM-0MBGvPxphL7Virz-Q/s1600/Lincoln+National+Park+Ride+and+Pistachios+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3yn18pPJPy26M4ROWZ1zCK104Xoy9zm59tij71HA_2goEWJWUGu851wfJAIZhKLpMSXegPwmGwZaXSW0R02xmUyKYR21DzUOk9-koV5kdwlUSdvQbpf0cAtRtM-0MBGvPxphL7Virz-Q/s640/Lincoln+National+Park+Ride+and+Pistachios+035.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And the female, a smaller tree, but bearing the seed (nut).</div>
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They had combinations of pistachio-anything you could imagine. Instead of just roasted and salted, there were chocolate covered, red chile, green chile, atomic, and on and on. We had lots of samples! They make their own pistachio cookies but their pistachio ice cream was courtesy of Blue Bell. We also had our own personal tour of the farm on the pistachio mobile. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnr-rbnWoDBz4lBjydpP1m3i6bwXfa-OrbdgTCO76cmKY9vTgUUYdhzj85abOds_Ecf01CmAmOmr9b_tC4x3PHWn-8TBtgdEI4celFibqiPR9xiy5tvCgaYB59s1ce9AoNQncIFQB5f-I/s1600/Lincoln+National+Park+Ride+and+Pistachios+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnr-rbnWoDBz4lBjydpP1m3i6bwXfa-OrbdgTCO76cmKY9vTgUUYdhzj85abOds_Ecf01CmAmOmr9b_tC4x3PHWn-8TBtgdEI4celFibqiPR9xiy5tvCgaYB59s1ce9AoNQncIFQB5f-I/s400/Lincoln+National+Park+Ride+and+Pistachios+039.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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And the largest pistachio statue ever.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWUdrq6XhczTVisSczBLe0aSmBwsu9zcVG5Uux-jXEEKMcb_VsO_6u5KGn0zNlONFEnv9bHliRdvb32OhwVbLJ9CMWuUKPM2LsUlUEQdHUJn3lmp-qA68SFfqODd4nBWyDJ-giZvefoU/s1600/Lincoln+National+Park+Ride+and+Pistachios+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWUdrq6XhczTVisSczBLe0aSmBwsu9zcVG5Uux-jXEEKMcb_VsO_6u5KGn0zNlONFEnv9bHliRdvb32OhwVbLJ9CMWuUKPM2LsUlUEQdHUJn3lmp-qA68SFfqODd4nBWyDJ-giZvefoU/s400/Lincoln+National+Park+Ride+and+Pistachios+037.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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I'll close with that. We are enjoying New Mexico, currently spending four days in Santa Fe. More on Santa Fe later, thanks for joining us. </div>
Wayne and Rhondahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14409137278544626997noreply@blogger.com0