Pictures from a Moving Car

	Cross Country 2007: From a Moving Car email me This is the beginning, see below for some notes. This is Part 1. Go to Part 2 Or Part 3 Or Part 4, or Part 5

Cross Country 2007: From a Moving Car
email me

This is the beginning, see below for some notes.
This is Part 1. Go to Part 2 Or Part 3 Or Part 4, or Part 5

Stops on the way...
August 19, 2007	Rain rain rain. All the way to Hinckley, MN. Thought we would drive through St. Cloud since stopping anyway seemed like less of a good idea than driving on a rainy day. Stayed at the Grand Casino run by the Millie Lacs band of the Ojibwe native americans. Never seemed to make it to the casino, but we did get the oil changed in the truck. I swam in the pool which was a fantastic pool. All to myself as most seemed to be fearful of the lightning storm. Ha! A very clean trailer park though and easy to use as all the sites are asphalt and level. There was green grass though and a shuttle every 20 minutes to the casino.
August 18, 2007	Pipestone, MN: Once again we were able to make a quick get away due to leaving the trailer hooked to the truck. It still took 2 hours though. After seeing the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD, we drove to the "nicest little campground in the nicest little town in Minnesota." It was very nice although all the thunder and lightning caught up to us and we had alot of rain. After dinner I took my camera to the recreation center at the park and took pictures of a square dance event. The next morning we found the National Monument that is Pipestone and found out it is a quarry of red rock that the Native Americans used to create peace pipes. A facinating story and beautiful place. Unfortunately we were unable to tour the site as the clouds opened up and rain came pouring out. The ranger told Jack about a good place for breakfast; Lange's cafe. It was crowded but some local folks said we could share their table. What nice people there are in the world.
August 17, 2007	Interior, South Dakota: Off we went to find the Badlands, Wall drugstore and the Corn Palace. and Jack's Minute Man Missile National Monument. Well the missile site was very interesting as the ranger worked on the site in the 80s. Jack filled him in on what it was like in the 60s. I took some pictures. Then on to the "largest drugstore" in the world. Well, more like the largest souvenir shop in the world! It was big though. We ate lunch there and then headed for the Badlands. Those Badlands are so so beautiful. Colorful and huge and like another planet. Driving through them in the comfort of an air conditioned truck was the only way to go. 450 pictures later... We then went back to the trailer park and the next morning we were off again. More Badlands to take pictures of on the way out.
August 15, 2007	Two days in Rapid City, South Dakota: Why? Well this is close to Mt. Rushmore. We stayed at the Happy Holiday trailer park and I was able to swim some laps in the pool. More laundry and a trip the the National Monument with 4 presidents heads carved in rock. We ate lunch at the same cafeteria where Eva Marie Saint fake shot Cary Grant in North by Northwest. When I looked up at the faces all I could think of was the two of them crawling up George Washington's nose. Pictures TK
August 14, 2007	off to Devils Tower (aka Bear's Lodge) National Monument. This is in Wyoming. So another state. We stayed at a KOA which was at the foot of the tower. Seems geologically the tower is made of tougher material that the surrounding rock which eroded away leaving the tower to amaze us all. Or a huge bear chased some children who stood on a flat rock which grew and kept the bear from catching them. Claw marks are still on the tower. I sure like the name Bear's Lodge better than Devils Tower which seems to be a miscommunication between cultures. We also saw a prairie dog town, Trixie was quite interested. Pictures TK
August 13, 2007	Left Yellowstone and headed for Garryowen, MT. We found the Ranch 7 trailer park. It was great. Very hot though. We didn't unhook the trailer. I did some laundry and we watched a beautiful sunset. Much lightning and thunder that night, no real rain but a beautiful rainbow in the morning. This is near the Battle of Little Big Horn Memorial Site run by the Park Service. We went to the visitor center and heard a presentation that decribed the battle. Quite a sad day back then. Pictures TK
August 9, 2007	We arrive in West Yellowstone. What a difference! Quiet and secluded. Plus the trailer is right next to the dog run. No bears, but we did hear wolves every early morning. First thing next morning we toured part of the Yellowstone loop taking pictures of fumaroles, geysers and mud pots. Very beautiful and smelly. Old Faithful spouted just when it was scheduled. More mud pots and colorful hot springs. On our way out of the park we were stopped by a small herd of bison who decided to amble across the road, stopping mid road. We were out of our car taking pictures of the bison when Trixie decided enough was enough and leaped out of the open window and started towards the bison to herd them in line. Must be her cattle dog genes! We rescued her and put her back in the car and decided not to leave the windows open when she is left in the car. Some motorcycle riders with Harley-Davidsons slowly wedged the bison back off the road and the cars could continue. Guess the bison thought the Harleys were other bison or big bears. The next day was devoted to the upper loop. We saw the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and the Right Thumb of Yellowstone Lake. Man, that lake is H U G E !
August 7, 2007	We arrive in the next state: Idaho. We stay at another trailer park; Village of Trees, again very close to the freeway (84). We stayed two nights to rest from the driving and swam in the Snake River, which reminded me of the Sacramento River! Slow moving and kind of murky. We toured the local museum in Rigby which was fascinating. The next day we went to the City of Rocks. Pictures TK
August 6, 2007	Left Tahoe for the start in earnest of our cross country sojourn. Arrived in Elko, Nevada the same day; August 6, 2007. Stayed one night at the Double Dice Trailer Park. It was right next to Interstate 80 and a bit noisy. We left the next day without even unhooking the trailer!
	Arrived at Lake Tahoe for a family reunion. Swimming, boating, eating, playing with grand nieces, nephews, dogs and hermit crabs. That and trying to avoid the bears.
July 28, 2007	Left home in Pacifica

Stops on the way...

August 19, 2007

Rain rain rain. All the way to Hinckley, MN. Thought we would drive through St. Cloud since stopping anyway seemed like less of a good idea than driving on a rainy day. Stayed at the Grand Casino run by the Millie Lacs band of the Ojibwe native americans. Never seemed to make it to the casino, but we did get the oil changed in the truck. I swam in the pool which was a fantastic pool. All to myself as most seemed to be fearful of the lightning storm. Ha! A very clean trailer park though and easy to use as all the sites are asphalt and level. There was green grass though and a shuttle every 20 minutes to the casino.

August 18, 2007

Pipestone, MN: Once again we were able to make a quick get away due to leaving the trailer hooked to the truck. It still took 2 hours though. After seeing the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD, we drove to the "nicest little campground in the nicest little town in Minnesota." It was very nice although all the thunder and lightning caught up to us and we had alot of rain. After dinner I took my camera to the recreation center at the park and took pictures of a square dance event.

square dancers
The next morning we found the National Monument that is Pipestone and found out it is a quarry of red rock that
the Native Americans used to create peace pipes. A facinating story and beautiful place.

roo in the rain
Unfortunately we were unable to tour the site as the clouds opened up and rain came pouring out. The ranger told Jack about a good place for breakfast; Lange's cafe. It was crowded but some local folks said we could share their table. What nice people there are in the world.

August 17, 2007

Interior, South Dakota: Off we went to find the Badlands, Wall drugstore

and the Corn Palace.

missle site
and Jack's Minute Man Missile National Monument. Well the missile site was very interesting as the ranger worked on the site in the 80s. Jack filled him in on what it was like in the 60s. I took some pictures.

Then on to the "largest drugstore" in the world. Well, more like the largest souvenir shop in the world! It was big though. We ate lunch there and then headed for the Badlands. Those Badlands are so so beautiful. Colorful and huge and like another planet. Driving through them in the comfort of an air conditioned truck was the only way to go. 450 pictures later... We then went back to the trailer park and the next morning we were off again. More Badlands to take pictures of on the way out.

August 15, 2007

Two days in Rapid City, South Dakota: Why? Well this is close to Mt. Rushmore. We stayed at the Happy Holiday trailer park and I was able to swim some laps in the pool. More laundry and a trip the the National Monument with 4 presidents heads carved in rock. We ate lunch at the same cafeteria where Eva Marie Saint fake shot Cary Grant in North by Northwest. When I looked up at the faces all I could think of was the two of them crawling up George Washington's nose. Pictures TK

August 14, 2007

off to Devils Tower (aka Bear's Lodge) National Monument. This is in Wyoming. So another state. We stayed at a KOA which was at the foot of the tower. Seems geologically the tower is made of tougher material that the surrounding rock which eroded away leaving the tower to amaze us all. Or a huge bear chased some children who stood on a flat rock which grew and kept the bear from catching them. Claw marks are still on the tower. I sure like the name Bear's Lodge better than Devils Tower which seems to be a miscommunication between cultures.
We also saw a prairie dog town, Trixie was quite interested. Pictures TK

August 13, 2007

Left Yellowstone and headed for Garryowen, MT. We found the Ranch 7 trailer park. It was great. Very hot though. We didn't unhook the trailer. I did some laundry and we watched a beautiful sunset. Much lightning and thunder that night, no real rain but a beautiful rainbow in the morning. This is near the Battle of Little Big Horn Memorial Site run by the Park Service. We went to the visitor center and heard a presentation that decribed the battle. Quite a sad day back then. Pictures TK

August 9, 2007

We arrive in West Yellowstone. What a difference! Quiet and secluded. Plus the trailer is right next to the dog run. No bears, but we did hear wolves every early morning. First thing next morning we toured part of the Yellowstone loop taking pictures of fumaroles, geysers and mud pots. Very beautiful and smelly. Old Faithful spouted just when it was scheduled. More mud pots and colorful hot springs. On our way out of the park we were stopped by a small herd of bison who decided to amble across the road, stopping mid road. We were out of our car taking pictures of the bison when Trixie decided enough was enough and leaped out of the open window and started towards the bison to herd them in line. Must be her cattle dog genes! We rescued her and put her back in the car and decided not to leave the windows open when she is left in the car. Some motorcycle riders with Harley-Davidsons slowly wedged the bison back off the road and the cars could continue. Guess the bison thought the Harleys were other bison or big bears.
The next day was devoted to the upper loop. We saw the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and the Right Thumb of Yellowstone Lake. Man, that lake is
H U G E !

August 7, 2007

We arrive in the next state: Idaho. We stay at another trailer park; Village of Trees, again very close to the freeway (84). We stayed two nights to rest from the driving and swam in the Snake River, which reminded me of the Sacramento River! Slow moving and kind of murky. We toured the local museum in Rigby which was fascinating. The next day we went to the City of Rocks. Pictures TK

August 6, 2007

Left Tahoe for the start in earnest of our cross country sojourn. Arrived in Elko, Nevada the same day; August 6, 2007. Stayed one night at the Double Dice Trailer Park. It was right next to Interstate 80 and a bit noisy. We left the next day without even unhooking the trailer!

Arrived at Lake Tahoe for a family reunion. Swimming, boating, eating, playing with grand nieces, nephews, dogs and hermit crabs. That and trying to avoid the bears.

July 28, 2007

Left home in Pacifica