New experiences ... and MORE!

It's been a very busy, challenging, learning experience, and a fun-filled week. Our goal is to get to Rapid City, South Dakota, get our business taken care of there, do a little sightseeing, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Needles, Deadwood and whatever else we can see. Then start heading South to warmer weather before they close the South Dakota interstate highways because of ice and snow. It is strange to see those signs along the interstate highway warning of winter closures. After visiting with family and friends in Illinois, we headed North. I know, I know, why would you head North in the Fall? It's cold up there and winter is surely on its way! But there is family to visit, places that need to be seen and a few things that need to be attended too. The weather up north has been balmy and the Fall colors made it worth the trip.

While in Wisconsin, we stopped at my older sister's house in Montello. She and her husband have a home on a small lake with a couple of acres of land. They insisted that we not go to a campground because they had all the land we needed to camp for a couple of days! "Just pull in, turn around in a large open area off the graveled driveway, and camp here!" I don't think she realized how big and heavy a truck and RV can be.

As we pulled into the driveway we had been struck with the knowledge that it was not going to work. The beautiful pines that line her driveway hung too low for us to safely maneuver under without risking the loss of an air conditioner or vent. We knew we had to turn around. The only way to do that was to go off the driveway and into the spacious, grassy front yard. It seemed big enough and we really don't have this "Backing up thing" down pat yet. As Paul pulled onto the grass to turn around, he proceeded to sink! Yep, the sandy earth was soft and wet enough that it didn't hold our weight! Now what? It's late, it's dark and it's chilly. So, off to bed and deal with it in the morning.

Come morning, one of the farming neighbors came with his tractor to pull us out. He put the chains on the front of the truck and pulled. It didn't work, the more he pulled, the deeper it dragged us down into the sandy soil. The exhaust system of the truck was now buried under the sandy soil and the Fifth Wheel landing gear was an inch from the ground. I had a really sick feeling as all I could see was my "New home" being ripped apart. The line from the Jaws movie came to mind. No ... not "We're gonna need a bigger boat", but we're gonna need a BIGGER TRACTOR!

With a phone call from the farmer to another person in town, that’s just what happened. A bigger tractor was brought into the yard, it happened to be owned by the Fire Chief. As he read the worry lines on my face, he said to me "Don't you worry, if we can't get it out with this, we'll bring in the Fire Engine and winch it out" For some reason, the thought of pulling out our truck and RV with a Fire Engine was not making me feel better.

After very careful planning, slow tugs and a lot of shoveling so that nothing went too low, we were out! Now we had to trim a few branches so that the top could be maneuvered around the sharp turn to get back into the driveway. We decided to stay on the very end of the gravel driveway for the rest of the visit. How do you celebrate a victory over the sinking vessel? Dinner and a few drinks!

Onward to visit with more family and then head up north to Minnesota. The Fall colors along the Mississippi River were breathtaking. I've driven this road with my mom a couple of Summers ago to visit with my grandchildren. It brought back a flood of good memories of the travels she and I had done together. While setting up at the Flying Goose Campground in Fairmont, my grandchildren showed up! They seem to grow faster than sprouting beans!

We had a great visit with them ... campfires, playing hide and seek in the dark, making bacon and toast on a stick over the campfire, washing the Fifth Wheel, being invited to the Campground potluck dinner and swimming in the lake! Think about that! Swimming in a lake, in October, in Minnesota.

Jolly Green Giant/Blue Earth, MN

Yes, God has blessed us with wonderful weather during our travels. We had a fantastic visit and made some long-lasting, heart-tugging memories. It was hard for me to see them drive away, never knowing when I'll see them again. But we promised to come back this way one summer and share camping in the northern part of Minnesota. We are looking forward to keeping that promise!

After that, we made it to the eastern part of South Dakota. I never realized that this part of the United States is so flat. I always thought of it as big rolling hills. Well, this part was nothing but flat farmlands for as far as the eye could see. It reminded me of Nebraska!

We stopped at a rest area overlooking the Missouri river for the night as we left Minnesota later than planned. However, we learned that overnight camping is not allowed at any highway rest stops in the state of South Dakota. But, as we pulled into the rest stop, outside of Chamberlain I saw a State Trooper Patrol station and ... in I walk, explain that we had a late start after a long family visit (yes, I like to talk to strangers) and we were too tired to drive anymore. He told us we could spend the night as long as it didn't look like we were camping!

More to come, but for now we are looking forward to a few restful days.


Jo

If you will call your troubles experiences, and remember that every experience develops some latent force within you, you will grow vigorous and happy, however adverse your circumstances may seem to be.
John Heywood