Friday 6/25/10 Little Big Horn-MT

Friday morning , traveled with Wil & Karen some 200 miles up to MT to visit "Little Big Horn National Monument " . Getting off I-90 exit, we were surprise to see all the teepee's and many Indians - of course we were in their Country ! Luck was with us and we hadn't planned for it, but this day was the 134th anniversary of the battle of Little Big Horn , and there was a pow pow as well as a combined memorial ceremony for the soldiers and Indian warriors - all tribes were represented . The park was open free to all, as was the lunch that they served to over 1000 persons. Indians on horse back ( both bare back & saddles ) raced across the plains to the hill top as part of the reenactment .During the laying of the wreath, the chief did a blessing with his staff of eagle feathers - that was extended to all, including viewers . We felt fortunate to have been at the right spot at the right time ! See pictures

Needles Highway Video

Custer SD

Monday 6-21

Rode our bikes into town and mailed our postcards,then stopped at local bakery for coffee and apple fritters. The town has beautiful fiberglass buffalo's,which different sponsors have painted. While in town found the rails to trail bike way,and gave that a try,then back to campground . After lunch we drove the truck to Needles Highway and through the 2 tunnels again that we had previously described,but this time in sunshine. Later in the afternoon we climbed Little Devil's Tower elevation 6600- I thought I was climbing in the Rockies. That evening we were treated to a steak-chicken bbq supper with all the fixings,and were joined by Gen.Custer and before he could finish his spiel the heavens opened up with another thunder storm. At least we were not in the woods this time.

Tuesday 6-22

Travel day to Devil's Tower Wy--and visited the tower before severe weather of tornadoes set in.

Wednesday 6-23 Travel day to Gillette Wy total of 14 in caravan. Great Trip!! On the evening of the 23th we had farewell banquet at local restaurant. Our caravan members have been split up to different parking areas and we are no longer all together

Custer's Gulch Custer SD 6-19-21

Saturday was a travel day from Interior SD to Custer SD-- Badlands going into the B lack Hills.
Very hilly tor rain and beautiful views. That night we had more damaging rains,heavy winds.Sunday 6-20 awoke to beautiful sunny, and cool temps ,perfect for hiking. We climbed Harney Peak South 7.6 miles round trip to an elevation of 7400..At the top is a fire tower build in the 1930's and no longer in use. From this advantage point we could look into 4 states,coming back down we had to pick up the paste as there were threatening thunder storms and flashes of lighting. Made it back to truck before lighting started.

More Iowa 80

June 18 Friday Evening Badland Ranch & Resort

This Ranch/Resort was another reason we signed up to do this caravan,they offered horseback riding!! After setting up the trailer we signed up for the Sunset Ride and were told to meet at the stables around 6:45. 12 persons awaited (9 airstream) excitedly with cameras ready to flash pictures,as it was a perfect evening for the 1 1/2 hour ride.By 7:30 we were still standing around waiting for the retired rodeo cowboy to saddle up 8 more horses(his helper never showed so it took a lot longer) The ride originally would be from 7-8:30 taking in the sunset from canyon plateau-we didn't get underway until 8:35 and the sun had already set,dark by 9:15pm. Down into the canyon on a narrow trail with horses going nose to tail -we traveled in the dark,didn't see much,very scary and dangerous . Back by 10pm,glad to be off the horses.All the pictures taken were before we left. So much for horseback riding experience!!

Video of Iowa 80 truck stop

Pictures worth showing of the worlds largest truck stop- parts dept

Badlands National Park SD 6/18

Pictures worth mention of wildflowers in a Baron land,and Minuteman Missile sign

Badlands National Park SD 6/18

Beautiful sunny day with light winds,temp 65 @ 8:00 am. We headed out to the visitors center for trail map,and stayed to watch 20 min.video explaining the history of the Badlands. Our first trail was described as"strenuous" and Memere got halfway up and turned around. The next trail was moderate,relatively level,beautiful flowers but the sun was brutal forcing us to turn back after only 1 hour of hiking.By this time the temp was reaching 80,getting hot!
We had lunch at Wall's Drug Store a landmark in this area since 1931.
The Badlands have vibrant colors caused by mineral deposits,some are visible in picture.
Before going back to campground we stopped at the Minuteman Missile within the National Park,were given a brief description of the site and watched a video explaining about the Cold War.Unfortunately we missed the last tour going to the Delta-09 launch facility for the Minuteman II missile. I'm sure that would have been very interesting.

Badlands Ranch & Resort Interior SD

Thursday June 17--Drove 215 SR44 with winds of 35mph and gusting all day long. Difficult and tedious driving,being buffed by head winds. Rolling hills,ranches,horses--and include rolling sage brush. We crossed over the White River, the coloring looking like milk-thus its name. This is the perfect terrain for wind farms,and we saw several.

Thursday 6/17

On Ur Wa RV Park-Onawa IA--Cabela's Mitchell SD

Drove 324 miles ,the most we’ve done on this trip. That evening we all went out to the local restaurant for supper, had a drivers meeting and called it a day.

Wednesday June 16 we traveled 192 miles to Mitchell SD--Cabela’s parking lot. This was a dry camping,(no hookups or water)all self contained. Not bad ,except it was the hottest, most humid day/evening, with temps in high 80’s and winds gusting to 35 mph. Some folks made purchases at the store, we just walked in looked around, then took a walk around the outside. They have stalls for horses and kennels for dogs while people shop or park Rvs.

Davenport IA--6/14-2010

On I-80 there is the world’s largest truck stop(room for 850 trucks + cars and Rvs) -Iowa 80. We stopped to look for antenna there,(not what Carl wanted) made other purchases and took pictures of truck parts(2 tractors and one whole rig) were inside the huge building. When we returned to camp one of the men mentioned they had located the correct size antennas and went with them . They all made purchases and spent rest of afternoon installing them.

Campers Haven -John Deere Moline IL 6/14

Still having periods of rain as we caravan to the John Deere Pavilion . We had free time to do as we wanted after touring the showroom and gift shop. Lots of green/yellow paint in this building. We saw the largest of their farm and construction equipment-you can only tour the factory if your spending over $100,000-thus no lawn mower for Carl. The picture of the yellow bucket loader (844K-with Memere in bucket) cost $552,000--.
The oldest tractor in the show room with the oldest admirers

Interstate RV Park and Campground-Davenport IA

Again we traveled in rain, sometimes torrential downpours forcing us to take refuge in a truck stop along with several other travelers. That evening we had reservations at The Machine Shed restaurant,celebrating our halfway there milestone. Everybody was given $25.00 towards their dinner, and most of us exceeded that amount. Fun place to visit, along with excellent food. This is tractor country, and the inside of this place has farming /tractor theme.Sunday 6/13 The cash registers were hidden behind the hood/grill of a tractor

Abraham Lincoln Museum Saturday 6-12-2010

We left Double J Campground at 8:30 caravaned to Museum for a 9:00 am
appointment at the Museum when the doors opened . The museum follows Abe’s life from youth to end of his presidency , good & bad - we thought all well done . There were 2 theaters with presentations done in Walt Disney style ; one “the ghost of the past “ and the other “Union Theater” which had lazier , sound effects , and smoke rings when the cannons were fired . Under the seats were vibrators to keep the seniors awake !! Rachel and I were able to get pictures taken with Abe’s Family .

This was our morning, and back to the camp site for lunch - 90+ F . In the afternoon the skies start to darken , then thunderstorms , lighting, followed by tornado warnings/watch , and these were stopped at 1900 this evening - with sun shine to follow - temp now at 78 F.

6/13 Sunday is a travel day - 185 miles to Davenport , IA - mostly Interstate

Indianapolis Raceway Tour Thursday June 10

This was the tour most of us had been waiting for,and we were not disappointed. A beautiful sunny day we all boarded the raceway bus for the famous lap around the track. We had expected to find tire marks along the side walls and mostly skid marks on the track itself.To our amazement after each race the walls get repaired and painted,house keeping was immaculate.We had a group picture taken at the brick start/finish line,and other



pictures were taken in the buildings at the press table with the “winners “ and upon the “winner circle / podium “. Visited the pits and “gasoline alley “ , and then onto the museum - seeing the winning cars and related trophies . Look out grandchildren , Memere and Grampa visited the gift shop !!

Friday 6/11 was a travel day of some 215 miles to Chatham, IL . Upon arrival we went food and gasoline shopping. While Rachel did the laundry, there was a driver / tour meeting , getting ready for tomorrow’s Abraham Lincoln Museum tour.

Wednesday --Indiana State Museum

This is a great city and not having been here we certainly had lots to see . Our first stop was the State Museum and take in the Hubble -CB-S at the Imax in 3D. This was an hour show ,showing the initial launch, the setup and other repair trips and the pictures that the Hubble is bringing back to earth. If this show comes to a Imax theater it’s well worth going to see. It certainly was impressive to travel through the milky way and beyond! We then toured the rest of the museum including the Lincoln exhibit.Took a picture of the steam driven grandfather clock as we left the building to walk along the canal. We had lunch at the north end looking down the canal before heading back south. Probably 5 miles total.
It was amusing to us to see the platforms made especially for the ducks so they could sun themselves on the sidewalks of the canal

Indiana State Fairgrounds June n9 2010

We arrived here late afternoon on Tuesday with temps of 85 and high humidity. We enjoyed a pot luck supper, brief meeting in one of the fairground buildings because of rain. It’s utterly amazing to me how these women put together oven cooked delicacies using the small facilities in their trailers. I plan to learn from the best of the best. Wednesday was a tour on your own day.

Cross Creek Resort--Deleware Ohio-6/7/2010

This day was designated as a tour the area on your own, with a list of things to do and see in the area. We were interested in the Whistle Factory and Perkins Observatory. First thing we did was calling the Whistle Factory for info and was told we could blend in with a previous scheduled tour at 10 am. We quickly passed the word around Airstreamers and 10 of us left for the factory. The tour we were included with was a bus load of pre-schoolers/kindergarden children and their teachers. We knew early on that we had indeed hit the bull’s eye when we heard the great questions these little ones were asking. Everyone received a whistle upon leaving, and yes the teachers held on to the whistles,probably till the end of day. How do they get the cork ball inside that copper whistle?? We have whistles also, proudly made in U.S.A.!

In the afternoon, on our way to gas up for next days travel we drove to the Perkins Observatory, located on the Ohio Wesleyan University campus. The telescope which was originally 61” of mirror and because of light pollution had to be moved to Arizona. It was replaced by a 32” which we were able to view. On the outside lawn was a concrete pad with the months between June 21 and December 21 . If you stood on the proper month with your hand above your head,( sun behind you,) you could tell what time it was. Your reflection pointed to numbers from VI-XII on left side of pad to 1-VI on right side. See picture of Carl. The observatory was closed for the day but the caretaker and hobbyist saw our genuine interest brought us inside and gave us a tour. Back at camp another ice cream social and drivers meeting.

Sunday 6/6/2010

Leaving Penn Wood at 8am ,raining with tornado warnings and tornado watch. The parking committee of 3 units headed out into the area of the tornado warnings with fingers crossed . We met up with torrential rains and strong crossed winds and considered ourselves very lucky to have reached Ohio as this is where heavy damaged and loss of life had occurred. The rest of the trip went well and we arrived at Cross Creek at 2:30 on a sunny afternoon. The home made miniature Airstream trailer is used in Pennsylvania parades

Camper's Haven to Penn Wood Airstream Park

Day #2 ( 6/2 ) was a travel day, mostly on I-84, NY #17 which is to become I-86 one of these days ! Lots of construction, but then it’s the season ! Ended the day at Camper’s Haven Campground in Bath NY .

Day #3 ( 6/3 ) pre-arranged tour of the Corning Museum of Glass , and factory. Rachel , of the whole group of18 , was the only one to do glass blowing - the item is being sent to the house where it will be safer than bouncing around in the camper . Thus she has another item checked off on her “bucket list “. Spent the morning there with group, and in the afternoon Rachel & I took off for Naples NY to find the Wilmer Wine Co. Only upon arrival to find that the winery was in a close out stage - retail store and gift shop had been closed last Oct ‘09, and the whole works would be transferred elsewhere by this fall . Our wagon master had been raving about their 30 year sherry ! We did have a good pizza at “Luggi’s “ .

Day #4 (6/4 - so far the days have been equal to the dates ! ) was a travel day - head from NY down into PA , Limestone ; where an Airstream Club, has their own campground “ Penn Wood Airstream Park “ 60 acres . Some Interstate ( I-86 & 80 ) but mostly US-219 heading south - concrete slabs in NY and asphalt in PA , but again lots of construction and slow travels. Highlight for the day was a stop at the Zippo factory and gift shop . The flashlights that go into the standard Zippo casing , have not been mfg. for the last 6 years ! That killed that stop for us, but did get a picture of the “Zippo mobile” .

Day #5 (6/5 ) laid low today at this wonderful campground , reading in sunshine until thunder storms moved into the area. Did the laundry and this evening Rachel is off to church with the neighbors . We are to have a “driver’s meeting to night as we’re on the road again tomorrow for Delaware OH. Rachel & I are on the “parking committee “ so we have to be 1st out , getting to the new campgrounds to supervise the parking of rigs as they come in. Earlier this week we were the “caboose “ . last into the camp to make sure there were no breakdowns . That’s it for this evening , God Bless .

Leaving Town

The Silver Dollah rolled out of town Monday 5/31/2010,waving farewell to our good friends (house sitters) Bob and Erma. We always plan to have a meal at our favorite restaurant ,Shady Glenns in Manchester Ct and this trip is no different. Cheeseburger and frappe, yummy..

We headed south to Danbury Ct.Rest Area ,stayed for the night and come morning we were joined by 7 other units making our first rendezvous complete. That evening we had a drivers meeting explaining what a caravan was all about. They handed out booklets which included maps and assignment sheets for the entire road trip to Gillette Wyoming.