Adventures and discoveries

We spent the last couple of days with grandchildren.

They thought it was neat that we volunteer workamping.  They rode with us in the carts, checking sites, cleaning and picking up sticks for a nighttime campfire.  After the work was done they made clay creatures using model clay and played in the park, walked along the beach, watched Shrek 3, played Crazy Eights, cooked over a campfire, and popped popcorn. 

The kids picked cattails that were starting to seed and as they banged it against a rock, they found out that there are millions of seeds and that is why there are so many cattails around the swampy area of the park. 

 
As we watched a beautiful sunset, Theodore insisted it looked like lava flowing over the mountains.  He was right, it did!

Paul tended to our gardening (our traveling six potted plants) while I attended to dusting, vacuuming and general cleaning. We'll get our laundry done, wash the rig and truck then map our route to the next destination. We plan to stay another week and look forward to meeting up with family and friends in Arizona. Tonight we are having an early Thanksgiving Dinner with family.  We have much to bethankful for and are blessed with many blessings.


Thanks for stopping by.
Jo


He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. - Epictetus

Baby it's cold outside!

The weather today has been VERY blustery and rainy!  Winds averaging 15 to 25 and gusts up to 40.  I keep waiting to take off flying.  Our RV slides would make perfect wings!  The temperatures are supposed to drop to the low 30's tonight and tomorrow night with a high of 50 tomorrow.  The forecast is calling for warmer temperatures by Thursday and Friday having highs in the 70's! We are expecting more campers to take advantage of the Indian Summer weather and anticipating that Monday will probably be a very busy day.  Watching the news we are happy not to be up in the mountains this time of year, they have blizzard conditions, 18 inches of snow and chains are recommended for all vehicles going on the highways above 8000 feet.  I know the ski resorts must be happy as this should give them a good base for the upcoming season! 

This is the guy you call to fix your camping problems!

These interesting whirly-gigs mark our Camp Host cart.

We had only a couple of sites to clean today, most of the campers that are left in the park have decided to add an extra day to their stay.  My guess is they didn't want to drive in this wind and I don't blame them.  Wind can be very dangerous to anyone pulling a trailer, including the semi drivers.

There is a  family camping out in a tent in a site not too far from us.  The parents, three young girls, and a small dog.  Talked with them for awhile when did our evening rounds.  They live in an apartment not too far from this State Park and since the girls are out of school for Fall Break, they decided to have some time out in Nature. The girls seem to be having a great time being out running around ... in bare feet!  We watched them as they had a campfire and it seemed to delight the girls.  It brought back wonderful memories of tent camping with my children when they were younger.  We used to heat rocks in the campfire, place them in a cast iron skillet, put that on an inverted soup pot and use it to heat the tent.  I wonder if anyone thinks up things like that in this day and age of propane and battery operated heaters?

An almost empty campground.

Tomorrow morning we are going out to breakfast with the other Camp Hosts. They will both be leaving for warmer climates this week.  Pat and Russ will be leaving on Wednesday for Mexico, they have a home there, and Sandy and Mike will be leaving Thursday for Arizona, they have a winter Workamp position they go to every year.  We will hang out here for another week, give the Park Rangers a hand, spend some time with family, maybe get in a couple of geo-caches then be on our way.

Thanks for stopping by,
Jo

Whether the weather be fine, 
Whether the weather be not, 
Whether the weather be cold, 
Whether the weather be hot, 
We’ll weather the weather, 
Whatever the whether, 
Whether we like it or not
~Unknown Author

What a difference a week makes.

Having fun feeding the ducks

A week ago we left South Dakota and headed South to Colorado.  Our anticipation was to only spend a couple of days and then be on our way further South to New Mexico beating any chance of getting caught in the snowy cold wintry days of a Colorado Fall.  As my oldest sister has said many times, "If you want to hear God laugh, just say you've made plans!" We arrived in Aurora, Colorado and set up at Cherry Creek State Park which is only a 20 minute drive to my son's home.  Perfect for visiting with the grandchildren.

We arrived late and paid our camping fee through the self-service kiosk.  The next day while paying at the office for another 2 days, I asked if there was any work available in the campground.  Hey, no harm in asking, right?  I left my phone number at the desk and was told that something might be available for the next couple of weeks as they were a bit short staffed and the next work campers were not due to arrive until November 1st.   Lo and behold, we get a call and they are looking for someone to Camp Host.  Camp Hosting is when someone with an RV/Trailer offers labor in exchange for a free camping site, sometimes a small wage may be included.  Camp Host's responsibilities include: greeting guests, collecting camp fees, office work, cleaning camp sites, picking up litter and just about anything else that has to do with camping or a campground.  We were offered a Camp Host position for two weeks with a request to stay all Winter!  Don't think we want to Winter here, besides we have places to be and people to see!  We moved our "home" into the Camp Host site and are loving it!  It gives us time to meet other campers, learn about the area and spend more time with the grandchildren!  The biggest plus of all, we don't have to pay a thing for being here!

We have had the grandchildren overnight and they had a blast building a camp fire, roasting marshmallows, feeding the ducks, playing near the small reservoir lake and exploring trails!  On the beach they spotted some wayward pelicans, fish bones, a tree that had damage from a lightning strike and a flock of seagulls.  We've made home-made pizza, carved pumpkins; a jack-o-lantern and a wolf, and cooked dinner; hot dogs, chicken, hamburgers, corn-on-the-cob, for their mom and dad over the camp fire.  They've played "King of the Hill" on top of a huge sand-pile, jumped roped, mastered finding the right sticks to serve as kindling, finding "Art work" in nature and took delight in spotting the deer that come within a hundred feet of our site.  Since we knew that Sunday and Monday would be busy days for us, we sent them home with a promise that they could come back and spend another night or maybe two!  We are looking forward to having more time with them and experiencing the world through their eyes.

The weather has been mild and pleasant considering it's the end of October in Colorado.  The sunsets have been great and we have been enjoying all the wildlife!  The squirrels manage to find any food left out and a garbage bag left by the steps waiting to go to the trash can be gnawed within minutes.  We have been warned by fellow Camp Hosts that field mice are notorious for finding their way into an RV, so Paul was advised to buy and set a few traps near any place that can serve as an opening for them to enter.

Wayward pelicans.  Took a wrong turn at Albuquerque?

We think they followed the pelicans here!

Happy Halloween!

Looking forward to see what this week will bring our way!

Jo


Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth. - Martin H. Fischer

Cherry Creek State Park

While Paul was out trying to solve our "sewer hose" dilemma, I decided to take a walk and explore the area.  Here are a few pictures of my discoveries in the Cherry Creek State Park.

Yes, that is snow on the mountains.

Peeking around the corner to say "What's up?"

Milkweed ready to seed for next Spring.

Picked a few of these.  They were delicious!

The following was taken from a posted signage in Cherry Creek State Park:

One of the first and largest companies to offer stagecoach service was the Butterfield Overland Despatch.  The B.O.D. carried its first passengers to Denver on September 23, 1865, using the Smoky Hill South Trail.   It was a trip where pleasures were few and troubles plentiful.  The long, rough ride and cramped conditions prompted one passenger to write the Ten Commandments of Butterfield Stage Route:

1. The best seat ifs the forward one, next to the driver.  If you have tendencies toward stage sickness when riding backwards, you'll get over it quicker in this seat and receive less jolts and jostlings.

2. If the stage teams run away or are pursued by Indians, stay in the coach and take your chances.  Don't jump out, for you will be injured or scalped.

3.In cold weather abstain from liquor for you are subject to freezing quicker if under its influence than as though you were cold sober.

4. But if you are drinking from a bottle, pass it around.  It is the only polite thing to do.

5. Don't smoke a strong cigar or pipe on the stage, especially when women or children are present.  If chewing tobacco, spit to the leeward side.

6. Don't swear or smoke or lop over on neighbors when sleeping.  Let others share the buffalo robes provided in cold weather.

7. Don't shoot firearms for pleasure while enroute as it scares the horses.


8. Don't discuss politics or religion.  Don't point out sites where Indian attacks took place.

9. While at stations, don't lag at wash basins or privies.  Don't grease hair with bear grease or buffalo tallow as travel is very dusty.

10. Don't imagine you are going on a picnic, for stage travel is inconvenient.  Expect annoyances, discomforts, and hardships.  Bear then with fortitude.  Be friendly and helpful to other passengers and you will be a more pleasant one.


Good travel advice, even today!

Jo

Onward to Colorado

Leaving behind South Dakota, with it's wide open spaces and beautiful sunsets, we traveled through Nebraska down to Colorado.

We opted to take a US Highway instead of the interstate and really enjoyed going through the smaller towns and seeing a few things we would have missed on the Interstate. A group of bikers, no, not on motorcycles, but on bikes with shirts and a lead vehicle (a MediVac one) with a banner that read "Calgary to Austin Peloton"   After researching, we found out this is a 9 day supported relay ride from Calgary, Alberta to Austin, Texas. 5 pelotons of 6-8 riders left Calgary on Wednesday October 13, 2010 and arrive in Austin on October 21. "Working together in support of those living with and surviving beyond cancer."  We spotted a field of potatoes being harvested by this huge tractor and thingamajig attached to it.  That's not the way I remember harvesting potatoes on my Grandpa's farm.  Then, we used a pitchfork and got down on our hands and knees to dig them out!  But I guess that isn't the efficient way to do a whole field! Oh, and we picked up a Nebraska cache at one of the historical gold-rush markers. We needed it to add Nebraska to our Geo-caching states. Finally, we spotted Burlington Northern Santa Fe trains loaded with coal going south.  Not just one or two trains, each consisting of at least 100 cars, but at least a dozen!  That sure is a lot of coal!
 

We reached our destination as the sun was setting.  Since it was at a State Park, we just hauled into the nearest available pull-through and set up electricity only. We did not want to level and hook up everything because we had an inkling that we might have to move to another spot in the morning. Had a quiet supper of mussels, clam chowder and hot crusty french bread before turning in for the night.

Our new back yard!

Yup ... in the morning we went to the office and found that the spot we'd pulled into was reserved. So, we found out which one would be available to us for at least a week and, found one back in a quiet, treed, and open area that was suitable. Only problem is that it was a back-in not a pull-through. It was the first time that Paul had done that it and he did it expertly the first time! However, we had a problem was the sewer hookup. Our hose was too short for this particular site so, Paul had to find a Camping World and bought an extension (and a grill!). Next problem was that the extension did not fit the RV systems properly. Oh well, back to Camping World to exchange it.

Morning also brought plans of visiting with the grandchildren.  Their excitement and energy always gives me a happiness that is hard to put into words, they bring a special joy to my soul.  After learning all about "Bionicles" from my grandson and seeing the things he's built out of Legos, I asked him "What's the most exciting part about school?"  Without missing a beat he replied "Recess!"  How is that for honesty?  We had a wonderful  dinner of homemade Chicken Curry with rice.  Afterward my granddaughter presented me with a card that she made especially for me.  It is beautiful and will hang over my computer with the heart she also drew for me.  I braided her hair, watched her jump rope and shared in her collection of stuffed animals.  The night grew late and it was soon time to get ready for bed.  As their mom was getting clothes out for the next school day, I asked "Do they wear uniforms?"  My precious granddaughter said "Yep, white, blue and tacky".  I knew she meant Khaki, but think the true meaning came through with her comment!  Hoping the weather will be a bit warmer this weekend so we can enjoy a campfire, roasted marshmallows and smore's!

My "Joy" bringers.

Jo


The soul is healed by being with children. - Fyodor Dostoevsky

Wyoming

The plan for the day was to head out to Hulett, Wyoming to see our nation's first national monument, Devils Tower.  On the way we went through a small town named Aladdin, Wyoming.  This caught our attention for two reasons, first, the size of the town, population 15 and second, there is a geo-cache located in the area.  For those of you who don't know us, we have been geo-caching for a couple of years and always enjoy doing a geo-cache that is out of the ordinary.  This one took us to the Aladdin Tipple Coal Mine Operation.  The Aladdin mine began operation in the late 1800’s and coal was mined until it was abandoned in 1942. The coal was used as a local fuel source and to fire the gold smelters in Lead and Deadwood, South Dakota.

While doing the geo-cache we discovered a tipple.  What is a tipple you ask?  It is a chute that sorts coal of different sizes into train cars below. 

We climbed to the top of the area and not only discovered the geo-cache but also some very interesting information regarding the mine. This mine produced 160 tons a day of coal.  It was one of the first underground mines in northeastern Wyoming and was a privately owned operation.

 Devil's Tower from Highway 24

After our stop at the city of Aladdin, we continued on to Devil's Tower.  As soon as we spotted it from the highway we had to stop and take a picture.  To say we were awed by the sight of the tower before us would be an understatement.  To see it from so far away, rises up and towering over everything within miles is very overwhelming. 

 This was on of the most majestic sights I have ever seen. Devil's Tower rises 1267 feet above the Bell Fourche river.  The 1347 acre park is covered with pine forest, woodlands and grasslands.  Deer, prairie dogs, a vast array of birds and chipmunks can been seen.  We walked the 1.3 mile loop at the base and stopped often to marvel at this towering giant.  From each angle the tower took on a new appearance and showed itself to have many faces.  Pieces of columns missing, broken off hundreds of years ago, slight greenish coloration  near the top, and a more rocky appearance near the base, all depending on which side you were looking. We spotted several daredevil rock climbers as we circled around and also many colorful pieces of fabric and ribbon tied to the trees.  Devil's Tower is considered to be a sacred mountain to many American Indians. The mountain is seen as a place where the creator has chosen to communicate with them through visions and prayer. The colorful pieces of cloth and small bundles or pouches hanging from the trees are prayer cloths and represent the prayers offered by individuals during their worship.

After leaving Devil's Tower, we decided to take the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway to the city of  Deadwood, South Dakota and back home.  This byway takes you through the northern Black Hills, the view is always close and always upward. The narrow canyon walls rise sharply skyward showing a forest of spruce, pine, aspen, birch, and oak covering much of the hillsides and canyon limestone walls.  We even stopped along the road to take pictures of the Bridal Veil Waterfalls.

Arriving in Deadwood, South Dakota we only had a short time to take in the sights as it was getting late and we were tired.  Deadwood's story begin when pioneer Frank Bryant was out hunting and discovered gold.  The sparkling metal brought miners and merchants to the beautiful Northern Black Hills.  The town is rich in western history including the murder of Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane being buried in the local cemetery.  Deadwood was the first small community in the U.S. to seek legal gambling revenues as a way of maintaining local historic qualities and with over 80 gambling establishments within it's small city, it seems every store, bar and restaurant has at least a hand full of slot machines for your pleasure.  We enjoyed looking at some of the older buildings, but as evening approached we were soon on our way home.

Until next time,

Jo

Native American Prayer

Oh, Great Spirit
Whose voice I hear in the winds, and whose breath gives life to all the world,
hear me, I am small and weak, I need your strength and wisdom.
Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.

I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy - myself.
Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.
So when life fades, as the fading sunset, my Spirit may come to you without shame.

(translated by Lakota Sioux Chief Yellow Lark in 1887)

Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Needles

Started out the day with a trip to Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse monuments.  My mom had made the trip here a few years ago with my oldest sister and once told me this was one of the places I had to see.  My son-in-law was up here for Sturgis this year and recommended that we do the Needle Highway.  After having a quick breakfast, a few snacks packed in the cooler with extra water and a couple of cups of coffee, we were out the door with map in hand and routes planned out.

Mount Rushmore, there were two fascinating things we discovered.  One was seeing Gutzon Borglum's original model for the sculpture, which included Washington’s full buttoned jacket and Lincoln holding his lapel.  The other was that there is a room behind the monument that holds records of  the history of the monument and also the history of our nation.  Paul insisted we do the audio tour ... it was well worth every penny.  The narrative explanations and information given at the 28 visual locations was not only informative but interesting.  As we arrived here, I spotted a momma mountain goat with her baby.  This just added to my enjoyment of the trip! As Paul will say "That was Jo's FAVORITE part! She just "wheeeed"!

After Mount Rushmore we decided to take the scenic route to Crazy Horse via Iron Mountain Road and on the edge of Custer State Park then up Needle Highway.  This was awesome with hair-pin turns, "pigtail" bridges and mile high overlooks.  The tunnels along this route are one lane, eight to nine foot wide with heights of ten to twelve feet!   Paul actually had to put in the mirrors on the truck in one tunnel, just to be safe!  

 

GPS route

The “needles” were fascinating.  Natures sculptures far surpass anything man-made in my opinion!   The spires raising in the air were breathtaking and seeing the balance of rocks that stand the test of time is unimaginable. 

  

 

We did not spot any buffalo, but at one stop I did manage to get a small ground squirrel to take a piece of bread from my hand.  Paul noted in my typing, that it's strange that buffalo is the plural of a single buffalo.  We spotted a picnic area called “The Hole in the Wall” and that’s exactly what it is!  I’m so glad that Kevin suggested we take this route, it was so much more interesting and eye pleasing then the shorter more direct one.

It's a "Hole in the wall!"

Arriving at the Crazy Horse monument I wasn’t sure what to expect.  Having seen the pictures that my mom took a couple of years ago on her trip here, I wasn’t sure how much more progress had been made.  To my surprise, this monument will not be finished in my lifetime.  It is not federally funded nor does it have any taxpayer monies being used to fund its creation.  Even though the progress is slow, it is still something worth seeing.   It will also be a three dimensional sculpture, unlike Mount Rushmore that is only one sided, and will be about ten times the size of Mount Rushmore.  The Crazy Horse area will also include a Medical School, a University and many educational buildings.

We arrived home tired and filled with awe of the sights we have seen today.

Stay tuned for more sightseeing updates as the week progresses!

Jo

Ordinary people believe only in the possible. Extraordinary people visualize not what is possible or probable, but rather what is impossible. And by visualizing the impossible, they begin to see it as possible. - Cherie Carter-Scott