RV Information

Shur Grip RV Dash Cover

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:26:50 -0400

RV dash covers, custom fit for your RV.

Dash Cover for Class A Motor Homes by ShurGrip
Protect your dashboard from UV sun damage and glare!
NT01-2908

This is an essential item for almost any RV!

Yes, you will enhance the look of your RV with this elegant plush or velour cover, but you will also help keep your dash protected from the sun's UV rays and damage. Your vision will be much clearer while driving because the dash cover blocks out reflective light on shiny surfaces both night and day.

Installation is a snap and won't mark up your dash because of a unique non-slip rubber backing, which means no fasteners, adhesives, or Velcro fasteners to install. Simply set it down and it stays put! 100% polyester fabric, has finished edges that will not fray or unravel and is available with either a thick plush pile or soft and smooth velour surface that is custom-tailored to fit your particular make and model. Not available for Rexhall, Rexair or Roseair.

UV inhibotors help prevent color from fading. 2-year limited warranty.

Price:$217.95

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Thu, 19 Jul 2007 13:09:49 -0400

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Road Trip Dream Series - Week 14

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 21:11:31 -0400

Week 14

Have you EVER seen ALL the handicapped parking spots full? Well, naturally, when I need one at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn -- they're all full -- and they had at least 20 of them!! Unbelievable!! I suppose Labor Day weekend a lot of people were escaping the heat and humidity in this great Museum.

If it has wheels--and even if it didn't-- it is in this tribute to the change that the Automobile made to American Life -- mixed in with some of old Henry's passions -- Thomas Edison, his good friend, has a prominent place here, along with such curiosities as the chair that Abraham Lincoln sat in when he was shot by John Wilkes Booth (complete with blood stains!) and one of the 200 original copies of the Declaration of Independence -- the only ones ever made from the original document.

They do a great job with automobiles through the ages, the evolution of the train, bicycle, wagons, home furnishings, engines, and so much more I can't even remember! We spent most of a day there. One thing that really caught our eye was a 1928 Ford that was driven from Santiago, Chile to the Museum in the 1990's! It took the father and son team over 2 years to make the trip! Looking at the vehicle, you can't imagine how it ever made it! Sure hope the Rolling White House doesn't look that bad when we're done with it!!

Ford was quite an innovator and businessman. He failed twice before making a go of the auto business -- he just kept believing this was going to be big -- eventually, he was right. He was within $200 of being broke the third time, when he got his first sale. One of the interesting stories that is documented in the Minutes of a Board Meeting in the 1920's is that Henry was having a difficult time keeping employee's due to the difficult working conditions and pay $5.00 a day. It was costing Henry a fortune to keep hiring and training employees - many only lasted a few days. The company, by now, was making good money, and Henry figured if he shared some of the riches with his employees, they would not only be more loyal, but they would be able to afford the product they were making -- so, he convinced the board to double their wages to $10.00 a day -- he was right on both counts, and never again did he have trouble keeping employees!

Labor Day was a travel day back towards Sauk City for my Wednesday Dr. appointment. The only noteworthy event was the restaurant we stumbled onto in Joliet, Il. Al's Steak House -- been there forever, Frank Sinatra music, dark booths, real service, and the most wonderful Veal Oscar for $14.75! I'm sure that at one time this was a coats and ties only place -- but today anything goes -- including our shorts and shirts (horrors!), as we didn't know what we were getting into -- another one of our "drive around till we see something interesting" dinner picks!

Oh, I forgot. Phil had a noteworthy experience. We stopped in South Bend, Indiana and Phil got to see the Notre Dame Stadium. We also drove through the Campus - it is really pretty - and they have their own 9 hole golf course right on campus -- can you believe it!

Back is Sauk City. I love Dr. Holub.! He is so straight forward, honest, thorough, and personable. Took a bunch of X-Ray's. Didn't like what he saw at first. The spacing around the ankle wasn't even. So he recasted it and turned the foot in and re X-rayed it. The space around the bones was now in alignment, so more X-rays in a week, but no surgery will be necessary. Just this lovely green cast for 6 more weeks! Can probably start putting weight on it in about 4 weeks. It is going to be a long fall!! But, I'm getting around on my crutches better -- and we have snagged more Handicapped seats for the Buckeye game in Columbus, Ohio in a couple of weeks! Phil likes this, as all the other tickets were sold out!

Called Taliesin -- they will be giving us a personal tour - compliments of them -- do you think maybe they are concerned about liability?? We'll be going down there in the AM.

Meanwhile, we love Sauk City! Going to go get a manicure and pedicure (one leg -- but toe nail cut and new polish on the casted one! - Phil was afraid to try to do it)

I got a pampered afternoon. The girls at the local salon, Allure, were great!! Ended up with a mani/pedi and a haircut!! I feel like a new woman -- and a girl again -- not a tomboy!! My nails have been a mess!! I had given up on them, but Tamara gave them new life -- and "Berry Berry Broadway" on my toes and fingers looks fabulous!! -- even peaking out of the green cast!

Taliesin was fabulous!! I was cursing FLW a bit for his use of the sandstone on all the walkways and floors - it was beautiful, but uneven is NOT good when you are on crutches. We actually got to go through parts of the house not open to the public because it eliminated many of the level changes. This is a very serene place, and the Architectural interest beyond description. His love of nature, and bringing that into his buildings is very much in evidence here. Some feel this is his greatest work -- and it was a life long project that evolved through time and disasters (3 fires over the years). The restoration perspective was fascinating. FLW saw this as a laboratory project, so he tried many different techniques -- many of which have caused nightmares from a maintenance standpoint. For instance,the whole house wraps around a hill, just below the "brow" -- we would call it the crest -- but the drainage problems presented by the location went mostly unaddressed for too many years. The house would like to slide off the hill, but much work has been done to reroute the water, thus saving the house. The materials used are very interesting. FLW was quite poor most of his life, save his vast art collections, which he regularly sold off to accomplish other goals. Many of the pieces, both rare and trivial, are still in the house--his favorite place to come throughout his life. Most of the materials are scavenged, or quite common, and they were reused as much as possible after the fires. Nonetheless, this is truly a place of uncommon beauty and a wonderful legacy to a man of uncommon talent -- not to mention quirkishness!

We are finally leaving Wisconsin behind -- hopefully for good on this trip. We thoroughly enjoyed everything about this state--even though we never had a Pasty -- the turnover that the miner's wives made before the husbands went off to the mines -- it was apparently still warm by lunch time -- and very filling. As we were leaving the state, we did find out how it got its name as the Badger State. It came from the small town of Mineral Point, in the southern mining area. The men would start digging for the ore, and actually sleep in their holes, so no one would "jump" their claim -- hence the "badger" identity! Beautiful homes in this town - very well restored.

We are again deviating from our original plan, and picking up Iowa now -- we are only about an hour from the border. Dubuque, here we come!

Oh, and Happy 50th Birthday to my sis tomorrow -- Sept. 8th. Can't believe it!! Hope you have a great party this weekend -- we'll be thinking of you!

Dubuque, the oldest city in Iowa. We are finally getting some of that famous midwest humidity! It is sultry here today. Mississippi River boats, locks, gambling, and a very old downtown limping along, trying to keep up. Heavy industry along the River still seems to dominate the town. Tried to find something of interest to do, but a good night's sleep, and we're off for the Quad Cities.

Davenport & Bettendorf, IA, plus Rock Island & Moline, IL make up the quad cities. Again, along the Mississippi River, the usual river stuff -- gambling, river boat rides, and locks. Tried to go to the Mississippi River Visitors Center on Arsenal Island, but never could find it. They apparently have a good view of the locks, and an interesting exhibit about River traffic. We did find the Army's Arsenal Base on Rock Island-- huge, and lots of old relics around. Eric, you would have loved this place!

We did find our way to the Buffalo Bill Museum in nearby LeClaire, IA. Not alot there except a very knowledgeable lady tending to the museum. Her grandfathers' were river pilots here, and she showed us lots of interesting things, besides the Buffalo Bill memorabilia. LeClaire was his childhood home. The home is actually gone, so only the stories remain.

We did find Moline's shining star -- the John Deere Pavilion -- yes, we are hard up for entertainment! Actually , it was pretty interesting. After driving though hundreds of miles of Corn and Soy Bean fields, you begin to get curious as to how they plant and harvest all these crops. Tractors, harvesters, specialized equipment -- old and new -- were all displayed in their trademark bright green -- several people commented that my bright green cast, drab green shorts, and mint green shirt really fit in with the displays!

God, these crutches are a drag!! They were having a street fair, but after stumping around the John Deere display, I had no energy for the street fair. It was lunch time, so I found a comfy bench at the pavilion, overlooking the fair, and Phil went foraging for lunch for us!

End of another week of travel, and 2 weeks, 2 days since the crutches came into our life, and we are off to Ohio, via Springfield, Il and Indianapolis, In.

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Road Trip Dream Series - Week 13

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 21:04:58 -0400

Drove along the Lakefront (per Leon's directions's!) and found a delightful room with a balcony overlooking the Lake, the town, and the Mackinac bridge -- a five mile long suspension bridge - the longest in the world, I think I heard...

Week 13

Another tip we've learned -- if you see a sign on the highway that says "Event Parking next exit" or "Next Exit for (Event)" -- and you don't have reservations to stay -- keep driving! Usually for about another 30-50 miles! The only time they put signs on the highway is when it is a really big deal! After visiting our Rite Aid just over the Michigan border, we decided to drive a little further up the coast. Bad decision. We had to drive clear to Holland (felt like we drove to the country of Holland, not the town!) The Tall Ships were in town in South Haven--would have been interesting to see them, but knew it was getting late and we had to find a hotel somewhere -- at one point the Wal-Mart parking lot was becoming an option -- even with my foot! Once again, Phil's gift of gab paid off. We were about to head for Grand Rapids, but decided to stop for gas. The gal in the mini-mart heard Phil's plight and she said "how much do you want to pay for a motel?" Phil told her $50-$70. She picked up the phone, and had us a room! A decent place that we would never have seen just driving around. Bless her -- and it was nice! Not in the AAA book.

Spent Sunday just lolligagging up the coast. The little town of Manistee was really cute - the whole length of their downtown, about 10-12 blocks, was lined with petunias along both curbs -- filled the parking strips -- really pretty. Went through part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore -- never saw a Dune! Did, however, see the prettiest, bluest, lake we have seen since Tahoe -- Crystal Lake. Found out that the real Dunes are up a little further - may try to go there tomorrow. Now in Traverse City, and time to get the car serviced again. Will visit with some people on Tuesday that we met in the Bahamas last January. Was to be golfing outing -- I'll be driving the beer cart! Got to call and make my Dr. appt. tomorrow - then we can plan our return to Wisconsin and what we can fit in between now and then.

Traverse City is another picture perfect Great Lake town. Every time we think we've seen "the most perfect town" -- we find another that also fits the description. Traverse City sits on sparkling Lake Michigan. There is a peninsula that divides Traverse Bay into East and West. Our friends, Leon and Monica live on the peninsula overlooking E Traverse Bay. What a treat to see them again. Leon's schedule was such that we decided to ditch the golf idea -- and got right into barhopping -- and dinner. Monica was a real sweetheart -- and a trooper , the next day. We had a real adventure trying to get our handicapped sticker for the car, and she ran us all around town getting the job done. Thanks to her, we can now park in the handicapped zones -- it really helps!

The real laugh is that we had to have a Michigan Dr. sign a form saying we could have one. We finally went to an Urgent Care Clinic, and got the required signature. I asked the lady at the Sec. of State (our DMV) why it had to be a Michigan Dr. as the stickers are good in any state -- she had no good explanation for that!

After our hard work, we needed a break -- and wanted to see their house. Monica ushered us to their lovely location, and gorgeous home -- and whipped open one of Leon's bottles of Scotch from his 50th birthday last weekend. Another nice evening was shared with the bottle of Scotch and good conversation. We hope to link up with them again in Florida in January -- hopefully I'll be back in fine shape by then!

After a great time, we again were on the road -- off to Mackinac (pronounced Mack-i-naw) Island. Another pretty drive up the edge of the Lake (we have done almost the entire Lake Michigan Circle tour now!). We particularly enjoyed Bar Harbor, Petoskey and Charlevoix. Mackinaw City (they changed the spelling to match the pronunciation!) is quite touristy, but clean and nicely done. Drove along the Lakefront (per Leon's directions's!) and found a delightful room with a balcony overlooking the Lake, the town, and the Mackinac bridge -- a five mile long suspension bridge - the longest in the world, I think I heard.

The next day we were off for Mackinac Island. Another adventure on crutches! Parked right up front at the ferry terminal, and they loaded me onto a cargo cart to get on and off the Ferry (steep ramp)! Did I feel silly--but it worked great! Leon was right, if you like the smell of horse manure mixed with fudge -- you'll love Mackinac Island! Mackinac has no motorized vehicles (except a fire truck, an ambulance, and a utility truck for power, phones, etc). It was very quiet the day we were there. Summer has ended, and Labor Day hadn't arrived. We found it quite pleasant to walk (hobble) around and look at things. We had to take a private carriage to see the island, as the group tours required too many on/off and change of vehicle. We had a nice old gent, who has been working on the Island forever, and knew all the history of the houses/mansions. It was a very enjoyable tour. If we come back, we would like to stay at the Grand Hotel. The grounds are beautiful, and the ambiance from another era. Coats and ties are still required after 6 PM.

We got back from the Island mid afternoon, and had seen an ad for a live performance called "Lost in the Fifties". It was the new show of the year in Branson last year -- so thought it would be a fun way to spend the rest of the afternoon -- and they had a wheelchair for me! The show was great -- 2 hours of high energy, non stop tunes from the fifties. It was interesting, the audience was all the way from pre-teens, to those in their 70's. Everyone had a good time.

Friday brought our second longest travel day of the trip -- 302 miles from Mackinaw City to Ann Arbor. Phil is like a little kid. He is so excited about seeing a U of Michigan game in "The Big House" -- 110,000 people. We have secured a wheelchair and handicapped seating for the game. We make the drive in about 4 1/2 hours, including lunch! We arrived in a muggy hot Ann Arbor. The locals are complaining about how hot it has been!

Game day dawned overcast and muggy. Took city bus service right from the hotel -- the handicapped loading was fast and efficient -- put the ramp out, wheeled me in, strapped me down, and away we went. People were at the stadium to help direct handicapped (they had a lot of seats!). All seats in the end zone, but roomy. WAS IT HOT!! I think half of the 110,000 people were outside the stadium in the shade at any given time! It was a fun time anyway. And Phil got to see a game in the Big House -- to him, THAT was priceless!!

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PHIL-OSOPHIES

"West coast sports fans have a HUGE advantage over their East coast counterparts!" Phil declares. The Sunday papers here don't have the scores and blow by blow from late games on the West Coast, and, if there is a later afternoon/evening game you want to watch from the West Coast -- you'll be up at Midnight still seeing the end of it!! Poor babies.....

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You know you are in Car Country when all the names around you are things like Pontiac, Mi, Cadillac, Mi, Plymouth, Mi, Edsel Bv., Packard Parkway, and on and on.... So we have to see at least a token sample of this heritage. We're off for Dearborn to see the Ford Museum and Henry Ford's Estate - Fair Lane -- what else! We would like to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Detroit, but neither of us is willing to brave the traffic and culture of Detroit to see it. The newspapers here are enough to scare anyone!

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Road Trip Dream Series - Week 12

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:57:20 -0400

Week 12

We have finally torn ourselves out of Door County -- only because the weather cooled and clouded today -- or I'm sure we would still be there!

One thing we have noticed all through the Midwest is how tidy the cities and towns are. Whether the neighborhood is working class, middle class, or upper class -- they are all impeccably maintained. Lawns mowed -- even when they are large, which many are, flower beds charming, and houses obviously well tended. A definite pride that is so often lacking in West Coast towns. Even the farms are out of a storybook -- not just here and there, but consistently a pride of ownership makes them all look like they are waiting for "Country Living" to knock on their door.

We're sure that many of you never thought we would make it this long, but we're here to report that this is more fun than we've had since we were kids! Everyday is a great adventure, and we are learning so much. About history, about people, about culture in our country, about why we see things so differently around the country. Here in Wisconsin, Scandinavian reigns supreme, along with a strong fishing heritage, and the Lutherans, mostly conservative, provide a strong influence in the communities.

How do we find the places to go and things to see? The best sources we have found are the Visitors' Information Centers in every town. Whether it is lodging, campgrounds, restaurants, events, attractions, schedules, etc. these locations have it all. We have been very impressed with the Tourist booklets that every state, and locale, puts together. You've just got to be willing to plan on the fly -- we would have missed so much if we had developed a rigid plan ahead of time. The other great source of information is the people you meet -- locals, tourists, it doesn't matter -- everyone has ideas of what you should see or where you should go. Some of our best tips have come from casual conversation waiting, eating, checking in, grocery shopping, doing the laundry -- everything is an opportunity to learn something!

Heading for Milwaukee, we took the scenic route down the coast of Lake Michigan. Really a nice drive. Stopped in Manitowoc at the largest Maritime Museum on the Great Lakes. Toured a sub, and saw how wooden sailing vessels are constructed. Many of the submarines from WWII were made here, even though that wasn't the type of vessels the shipbuilding facility here was used to building. They turned out to be a great shipbuilding town with the infusion of government cash for building subs!

Got only as far as Sheboygan by evening. Wanted to see a couple of things there, so found the Baymont Inn to hole up for the night. We snugged in there and didn't leave til noon the next day! Saw they're pretty Riverwalk area, and took a scenic drive along the Lake - many beautiful old homes and nice parks along the lakeshore. Of course, we had to drive out to Whistling Straits golf course, which was just announced as the 2004 site of the PGA Championship. We thought we were driving up to Bandon Dunes!! Very much the same feel. Beautiful Clubhouse, two very expensive tracks to choose from ($185 & $135). Picked up the cards and info so we can follow along in 2004. They are already out of their initial order of merchandise -- and it was just announced last weekend! Little 2 lane country roads into the place, about 30 minutes from Sheboygan, and not many places to stay -- looks like they have some work to do in the next few years. The locals have said they have already ruled out the idea of putting in a freeway interchange (a few miles away) as too costly - $600,000 (sounds cheap to me). We'll see what happens....

We were then off to the town of Kohler -- as in plumbing fixtures. There is ample evidence that the Kohler family has great influence in this whole area. Around the turn of the century, Kohler bought a large tract of land 3 miles from Sheboygan and moved his factory there. As workers houses started building up willy-nilly, he decided that the area needed some master planning to keep a nice community feel to the area. He hired a planner from the east, and Kohler became one of the first master planned cities in the country. It still has a wonderful feel, and the Kohler's continue to direct much of the development today. The Midwest's only 5 star resort is in Kohler - the American Inn. Lovely old building that was originally housing for the immigrant's brought over to work in the factory. They lived there, went to school to learn English, and learned their skills there and in the factory. The Kohler's continue a tradition of excellence in both their work and the community. The Kohler design center is really impressive and open to everyone--trade and non-trade. The basement museum has examples of all the products over the years -- it is really fun to see some of the stuff from the 40's and 50's. Did you know that the first dishwasher was actually built into a deep sink compartment and was designed and built by Kohler? Kohler has widened their holdings in recent years, buying Bakker Furniture, Ann Saks Tile, Maguire Furniture, and other related high end product lines.

By the time we finished looking around the center, a fierce storm had moved in -- flood warnings, thunder, lightening, and driving rain. Uh-oh, what do we do now. Could hardly see in front of your face, and the thunder and lightening were really intimidating -- very loud and close all around us --and it was raining sideways. Milwaukee is only an hour away -- but in this mess? Back to the Baymont Inn was an easy decision. By 8:00 it was all over, but I think we made a wise choice.

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PHIL-OSOPHIES

People in the Mid-West are so friendly! Everywhere we go, people are very extending. They are easy to talk to, friendly, have a good sense on humor. We'll see if that holds true when we get to some of the bigger cities like Chicago, Detroit, etc.

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Off to Madison on our way to Spring Green to see the Frank Lloyd Wright house, Taliesin, and further south, The House on the Rock -- another famous house, not designed by Wright.

Madison is built around two good sized lakes and the University snakes its way between the two. There is not much to the town besides the Capitol and the UW. Saw a sign that said "Oregon - 7 miles" so, of course, we had to check that out. It was fun hearing people actually pronounce it correctly! Everyone back here says Or-e-GONE.

Well, you all know by now that the Frank Lloyd Wright House was not meant to be! Phil assures me we WILL get back there. He was such a character, and I love his Architectural style. Hopefully, I'll be getting around well enough by the time we come back to see the Dr. after Labor Day, that we can go back there then. Dr. Holub was wonderful. A young guy, graduated Med. School in '92, is an Orthopedic man, specializing in hands and feet, with a specialty in Sports Medicine. I really have a lot of confidence in him -- he seemed to have the latest techniques and wanted to try letting it heal without surgery -- he said most of this type of break will take care of itself. -- Let's hope. He said Dr.s don't like to move patients around like we need, but he jumped right in when he heard what we were doing -- and said we'd figure out a way to make it work. After coming back to make sure it is healing OK, he is sending all my X-Rays, his notes, and his action plan with us to give to some unknown Dr. down the line -- should be interesting. He was going to check to see if there was anyone he could refer us to -- we gave him our itinerary, and said we could modify as needed. Let's hope it will work!

Right now, we're off to Chicago to explore that city (probably mostly by car!) and to see the Bears play at Soldier Field. Haven't decided whether I'll be able to do that or not -- Phil may have to try to sell the ticket there...

Everyone told us it was 2 1/2 to 3 hours to Chicago -- 6 hours later we reached our hotel!! An accident that stopped us cold for about 30 minutes (but I had a nice conversation with Megan, who called while we were stuck in traffic--good timing!). Then we didn't factor in Friday traffic (by now the rush hour was starting to develop), and finally, because of all the delays, we were now stuck in traffic going to Soldier Field for the game -- and of course, we made reservations at a hotel within walking distance of the field -- seemed logical at the time! When we got to the hotel, the parking was all in a parking garage that accommodated up to 7' high vehicles -- we're 8'6"!! Fortunately at $20 bill slipped to the garage attendant, allowed us to park in the loading zone in front of the hotel -- all night! We weren't sure we'd have a vehicle in the morning -- or if we did, whether it would have wheels! Since we were so much later getting in - Phil really had to hustle to the game -- I got to order dinner from a nearby restaurant that delivered to the hotel -- Chinese and the newspaper made a nice quiet evening!

One of the things we wanted to see in Chicago (we dumped the idea of the Architectural Walking Tour!) was the T. Rex named Sue that was discovered in S. Dakota in the Black Hills in 1990. The Field Museum paid $8.4M at Auction for her from the farmer whose land she was found on. The woman who discovered her -- named Sue Hendrickson - hence the name, got nothing out of the deal - doesn't seem quite fair!) She is the largest, and most complete T. Rex ever found. She is absolutely awesome! 42' long, 12' tall at the hip, and weighed about 7 tons alive -- she fossilized bones weigh more than 3,000 pounds. They couldn't mount the actual skull due to it's weight - it is displayed separately with a cast head mounted with the rest of the actual skeleton. Her teeth range from 8 to 12 inches long -- it was really wonderful to see her. We didn't spend much time looking at the other things in the museum, but a family could spend a full day there, no problem. So much to see and do.

We seem to have a hard time in large cities. The traffic is so fast and confusing that we really don't enjoy them like we could. Add to that my new limited mobility, and you have a recipe that says -- get outta town now! We both agreed we'll come back some time -- fly in, get a downtown hotel, and really see the sites.

Off to Michigan as our week comes to an end. We're anxious to get there as I'm 2 days from being out of my hormone pills -- there hasn't been a Rite Aid since Idaho. We knew it was going to be close making it from Idaho to Michigan, but we really didn't want to move the prescription to another Pharmacy, then try to move it back. Too much chance for a problem. There are Rite Aids most everywhere from here on out. It really is slick, you can get a refill anywhere - their computer systems are actually networked together, so they can see all your prescriptions, no matter which store you go into! Neat, huh?

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Road Trip Dream Series - Week 11

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 20:51:52 -0400

What a great few days in Bayfield, WI! We feel fully rested, have our laundry caught up (thanks Susie and Melissa!), made a few good, home cooked meals, and saw lots of interesting things here in the gateway to the Apostle Islands. Once we got our accommodations nailed down during a very busy time of the year (thanks again Susie!), we were off to explore the sights...

Week 11

Played golf at the Apostle Islands Golf Course, -- what a nice treat! Lovely course in the hills with views that stretched for miles. Scored pretty well for the first time.

The town itself has wonderful shops -- no trash and trinket stuff here -- nice artwork, interesting clothes, antiques, etc. Spent a cloudy afternoon exploring everything we could.

Signed up for a 1/2 sailboat trip through the Islands, and got to the dock at the appointed hour, only to find there had been an overbooking problem. The gentleman who had more people show up than he had booked (not the boat owner--a salesman entertaining clients), was very apologetic and asked if we could possibly go the next day. We, of course, not having anything else to do, said sure. He then offered to pay for our trip ($90) if we would do that. That made it even more enticing!--but we still felt badly that he would pay. The next morning, he was right there with the check for our captain. We told the captain, Paul (Animaashi Sailing), that we felt badly letting him do that. Paul said, don't worry, he can certainly afford it -- he is Hubert Humphries son, Doug!

The sailing trip was breathtaking and the weather better than the previous day when we were supposed to go! Had lots of wind (15-20 MPH), and we were clipping along at 6.5 to 7 knots -- a couple times I thought we were going in, it was heeled over so much! (Eric - it was a 34' Irwin - 1983). The Islands are mostly uninhabited, except for Madeline Island, which isn't really one of the Apostles, anyway -- most people just think it is!

The real unexpected treat, however, was Big Top Chautauqua (sha-TOK-wa). They have entertainment all summer - under the Big Top. Mason Williams was going to be there, but we had seen him in Portland, so we opted for the fiddler, Natalie McMaster. OH MY GOD! She was FABULOUS!! From Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, she has it all. A great fiddling talent (does mostly Irish, Scottish tunes-Kristen, you would have gone crazy!), beautiful, witty, entertaining (you should see her jig while she plays!) -- the BEST concert I have ever seen - bar none. If you ever get a chance to see her -- mark it down -- RUN to get the tickets! I'm not a particular fan of that type of music, but the whole show was magnificent! She played, danced, sang, talked, and gyrated for 2 1/2 hours -- she must have been falling down tired -- then signed CD's for fans afterward.

A great "timeout" in a wonderful town, but it is time to move on. Green Bay, and Lambeau Field beckons. Phil is like a little kid, he is so excited just to see this icon. No home games coming up, so we have to be satisfied with a tour, and a look at the Packers Hall of Fame.

It is everything Phil had hoped for - saw the field, heard the history, sat in the Press box and Skyboxes, toured the well done Hall of Fame, and, of course, visited the "Pro Shop" for a souvenir! Even went to Bart Starr's Steakhouse for dinner - yum!

Some Lambeau Field facts: Seats about 60,000 - not a bad seat in the house, - they are voting to do a 20,000 seat expansion - hotly contested in this town. The City owns the stadium. The team is owned by a large group of investors. The tickets have been sold out (season tickets only are available) since 1963. The waiting list is 50,000+. At the current rate of attrition, it will take 400 YEARS to clear the current list! People put their children on the list the day they are born! Tickets are put into divorce settlements and wills on a regular basis. Talk about fanatics!

Just when you think you've seen the absolute cutest place ever -- you find something even more quaint. Door County is all it's reputation claims. Surrounded by Green Bay on one side and Lake Michigan on the other, this still mostly rural area oozes charm and class. The Lake Michigan side (Hwy 57) is the more laid back side. Less developed, fewer resorts, but lovely sand beaches, makes for a relaxing time to just explore around. The Green Bay side (Hwy 42) is the more upscale cousin. Around every bend is another town that is cuter than the last. Everything from fabulous art galleries to funky shops, from quaint cabins to upscale resorts, from Hamburger joints to the finest cuisine, from Cherry Orchards to Cherry Pie, from bicycles to paddle boats -- these 40+ miles of beachfront locale has something for everyone. When was the last time you saw clothes hanging neatly on the clothesline, or saw a Drive-In movie theater that is still operational, and is well maintained? -- what a refreshing view of life.

If we had to pick our favorites - it would be Bailey's Harbor on the east side, and Fish Creek on the Green Bay side. We have been here 4 days now, and can't seem to leave. We have absolutely "oinked" our way through this area. There is so much to try. Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant with the goats on the grass roof is a must for Swedish Pancakes with Lignonberries served, not with bacon, but Swedish meatballs - a definite YUM! And, of course, you have to have a traditional Door Country Fish Boil -- complete with the cooking ritual, topped off with home made Cherry Pie - a not to be missed experience - we chose the White Gull Inn in Fish Creek - they really do a terrific job. And then there is a traditional Supper Club for the Lake Michigan Whitefish. The Florian Supper Club in Bailey's Harbor was our choice and did not disappoint. Lovely view of the Lake, great food, a fun staff, and entertainment to boot. We danced our legs off, then crawled to our motel right next door. A cute, moderately priced ($89), squeaky clean spot called the Inn at Bailey's Harbor. Right on the Lake, private beach, lawn with lounge chairs just beckoning you to idle away the day -- and we did. Took in one of Door Counties many golf courses - Maxwelton Braes (great name!) just south of Bailey's Harbor. Lovely, old style course in nice shape.

Naturally, we also had to wander through a few of the shops along the way -- you could spend a full week just doing that. Sister Bay, Ephreim, Fish Creek, and Egg Harbor offer the most choices -- each one unique, and each one with tantalizing choices. We could have spent many $$ here, but mostly refrained... so far.

WITH THE SHELL ON OUR BACK

Week 1-2

Even a week later it is difficult to remember all the things that happened - I must do a better job of keeping up!

Of course our first night is emblazoned on our memory - we were so nervous about finding a place, getting set up, and not looking too stupid! Of course, the setting on the Rogue River and the lovely park we chose with all the art work (see pictures), made it even more special. The owner promised to buy the champagne on our return trip a year from now! We may hold him to it!

We discovered we cannot set the alarm at night - Phil got up to go to the poddy, and off it went! Find the glasses, the keys, and figure out how to turn the @#$#%^$ thing off, all the while the alarm is sounding. Won't try that again!

Oregon Caves were interesting. They are the largest Marble Caves in the country. Saw good size stalactites & stalagmites ("g" for ground, they are the ones growing up, "c" for ceiling - I could never remember which was which!) The road up there is not for the faint of heart. Very steep and winding. Our poor rig was really pulling, but it did great. No overheating or any problems.The old Lodge there is worth seeing -- right out of the 40's.

Saw the Blazers lose in the only "sports bar" in Cave Junction - we we're the only ones watching the game - two locals at the bar could have cared less - think they were looking for dates and I didn't qualify.

Headed for the coast - Brookings and Gold Beach - was damp and cool there (what's new!), so decided to go check out Salmon Run Golf Course, where we wanted to play. Drove 3 miles inland, and the weather was beautiful. Not dressed for golf, but ready to seize the moment of good weather, we played in our jeans - have never done that before --can you imagine Phil on the golf course in JEANS???? This golf course is incredible -- every hole is more spectacular than the last. It is a ball eater, but a MUST PLAY, nonetheless. The back nine is recently open -- you can't imagine how they got all the concrete for the cart paths (don't even try it without one) in some of the locations. The wildflowers are beautiful, the wastelands vast, and the wildlife everywhere. Scores not great, but more beautiful, we thought, than Bandon Dunes -- oh heresy!

Have always heard about Tu Tu Tun Lodge in Gold Beach, so decided to go have lunch there. This is a small Lodge of exquisite elegance. Meals are for guests only -- can sometimes have dinner there if not a guest, depending upon availability. We will definitely stay there in the future. A small, intimate version of Salishan or Salish. We spoke with a couple who stayed there, they said the food was out of this world, and the rooms very romantic. On the banks of the Rogue River.

The Redwoods were beautiful. They go on for many miles, in and out of them. This was our only rainy day so far, but most of the way was just driving.

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PHIL'S FLASHBACK

In 1959, I worked for a summer for G-P in Samoa, outside of Eureka, Ca. Pete Houser and I were just punk kids, away from home for the summer, making a few bucks. The "old salts" thought we were amusing, if not crazy. We ate every meal at "the cookhouse" that was privately leased by GP to provide the workers meals. We slept in a bunkhouse with characters that were hiding from every sin known to man.

Pete had told me that the cookhouse still exists, now as "The Samoa Cookhouse". We searched it out, and what a case of deja vu. That entire summer flashed before my eyes. We had lunch where I had sat - although the tables were turned the other way - and the food was still great. You eat what they are serving that day, but all home cooked. $8.45 for lunch that included homemade soup, salad, pork cutlet, 2 vegetables, mashed potatoes & gravy, home baked bread, and strawberry shortcake -- all served family style - all you can eat. We waddled out of there into the rain. I only remember 5 sunny days that whole summer -- the waitress said nothing has changed with the weather.

I really wished my dad were still alive to relive that memory with him...

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Later that same afternoon, we stopped in to The Benbow Inn in Benbow, Ca. Another flashback for Phil, as "the guys" had gone down there to swim and get out of the rain one weekend. This would also be a good choice for a romantic getaway. The grounds are still beautiful and the River close by for swimming. They also have a pool. We stopped in late in the afternoon for a stretch break, and enjoyed a cocktail in their very inviting bar. This is an elegant place. Their bar hors d'eauves that afternoon included roasted vegetables, roasted garlic with baked brie en crote, fresh berries, including the biggest blackberries you have ever seen. Classy.

We have decided that $38 + tax for a motel room is a scary decision. We brought our own pillows and checked the bed for anything live before we got in! Willetts, Ca.

Ahhh, what a beautiful place! Trinadad, Ca. The harbor is quaint, and the scenery all along Patrick Drive is breathtaking. Gas was also $1.91. But we were in need, so bought a little to get us by. Stayed in a great park with a view of the ocean.

No trip to Northern California would be complete without a least 1 day in the Wine Country. Since we had been to Napa in years past, we decided to try the Sonoma Valley. Our plan was to go to the town of Sonoma, but were ready for a break at Healdsburg, and spent the day. Many of our favorite wineries are in this town -- Rodney Strong, Clos bu Bois, and Dry Creek, among others. Lunch from a deli, shopping, and 4 wineries made for a full day on our way to Novato.

Oh, Phil made his first clothing purchase of the trip here, for those of you had bets on how long THAT would take! A pair of Tommy Bahama shorts on sale.

The Novato RV Park had been recommended to us by a couple in Grants Pass (the networking amongst the RV'ers is unbelievable). We weren't impressed at first because of the all gravel and concrete spaces, and the proximity to the freeway. We also had to "level" the Van for the first time. Not as hard as I had thought. BUT, the "amenities" were great. An on site Deli that had every meal covered -- people came from all around the area to get their sandwiches! The best Pot Stickers we have ever had! A windshield washing service, a spotless laundry and shower facilities, a nice pool, good internet access, on site planning for local attractions, and the morning newspaper readily at hand made us agree this was a great value - even at $29.25 a night--Good Sam rate, of course.

Thought we were going to be with several friends in the Bay area over the weekend. Believe it or not, all the plans fell through! So, we looked at each other, and a map, and headed out. Spent a day in "the City" -- very much as we both remembered it. Had a nice respite at the St. Francis during "happy hour" at the Compass Rose Bar. A singer right out of the 40's, complete with suit and hat, singing great tunes. A tip on the cable cars - don't try to go from Fisherman's Wharf to Union Square -- a 1-2 hour wait in prime time -- go from town to the Wharf - you can jump on most anywhere, anytime!!

Since we had already spent some time in the Wine country earlier in the week, thought we'd start out a different direction. Had never been to Bodega Bay - thought we'd check it out. Beautiful headlands with houses slipping into the Ocean -- now I can see why Kitzhaber is so "death" on saving houses on the beach -- you should see the mess on the beaches here -- huge concrete, rock, log, etc. structures trying to hold back the ocean to the total detriment of the beauty of the land -- and, you know, the ocean will probably still prevail.

It was windy, and considerably colder there than the valley, so headed inland again. "let's go a different way" Phil says - so, dutifully, I got the map out and send us North on Hwy 1. Fall into Monte Rio outside of Guerneville. Non touristy, kind of funky, a totally delightful place on the banks of the Russian River. The locals were quick to let us know that there were still a lot of "alternative' folks in the area, especially Gays. The locals were definitely more concerned than we were. Found a small family motel with nice grounds, a nearby golf course, a FABULOUS Restaurant up the road -- we were there for the weekend!!

Unfortunately, we had our first unpleasant experience here (no, it had nothing to do with the "alternative" folks!). We told the motel we were staying a second night, but they forgot to change our key card (a new system for them). They left the motel unattended and without an emergency number (isn't that against the law?) for 4 hours -- and we were locked out of our room. Were we ever mad! It is a good thing we had the van, or I don't know what we would have done. We did manage to fill part of the evening with the local Pig Roast. They called him Elmer Fudd, and he was yummy! A real value for $15 pp and all the Bud Light you could consume--and some folks consumed a lot!

We're off to the U S Open. Look for us on TV!

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Road Trip Dream Series - Week 10

Sun, 03 Jun 2007 20:46:08 -0400

Nothing is here, including reliable cell service, but you can imagine the dog sleds and snowmobiles running down the streets when it is -30F! Just a few miles out of town, life gets better quickly. The Fishing resorts along Rainy Lake at the edge of Voyaguers National Park are wonderful and plentiful. We had a wonderful fish dinner at the Thunderbird Resort. These resorts are mostly quite basic, but the people are friendly and the fishermen/women as plentiful as the delicious fish.

Week 10

Cattails! Can you say Cattails! I've never seen so many in my life! They are everywhere - around every lake, by every road, -- it should be their state flower!

International Falls, MN - somewhere near the edge of the earth, I'm sure. Nothing is here, including reliable cell service, but you can imagine the dog sleds and snowmobiles running down the streets when it is -30F! Just a few miles out of town, life gets better quickly. The Fishing resorts along Rainy Lake at the edge of Voyaguers National Park are wonderful and plentiful. We had a wonderful fish dinner at the Thunderbird Resort. These resorts are mostly quite basic, but the people are friendly and the fishermen/women as plentiful as the delicious fish.

The only way to see Voyaguers is by boat, --no roads, only water, islands and cattails! --and since we didn't tow one with us, we needed to figure a way to see the park. It seems there is only one place to stay in the park, the 12 room Kettle Falls Hotel. We don't have reservations, and the Minneapolis paper did a big spread on them in today's paper -- what do you think our chances are? "Give 'em a call - what can it hurt?" I said to Phil.

As I write this, I'm sitting on a lovely screened porch in the heart of Voyageurs National Park. Kettle Falls Lodge was built in the early 1900's, long before Voyageurs was a park, and it remains true to the era. It was remodeled in the mid 1980's --larger rooms, shared baths (yes, I actually got Phil in a shared bath room - can you imagine!), and the simplicity of another time. People arrive by canoe, houseboat, pontoon boats, or any other water craft to enjoy the simple hospitality and family feel--oh, and of course, fishing. Everyone fishes in Minnesota - and the Walleye are wonderful!

This area is not unlike the San Juans, more islands, closer together, but a similar feel. Now winter, of course, that's a different story. Frozen 3 feet thick in most places, ice fishing is the big deal then (although our boat operator, Rusty, told us of some guys that drove their snowmobile off the ice into open water -- swam to a nearby island, made a fire, were rescued -- and recovered their snowmobile from the lake the next spring!)

Our next destination is Isle Royale NP. The most recommended way to get there is through Canada - over to Thunder Bay. The drive was beautiful, but very isolated - hardly saw a soul, (except the road construction crews!) for 250 miles. Lots of lakes, marshes, forests of aspen and birch and rivers. A beautiful afternoon's drive. Thunder Bay is a Seaport City on Lake Superior and quite industrial. Spent the night, and headed back across the border to the little town of Grand Portage.

This is where the Indians "portaged" their canoes 8 1/2 miles from the Great Lakes into the Northern waterways and eventually as far as the west coast. It became an important "rendezvous" spot between the Voyageurs who traded the Indians for the fur pelts, and the Trading companies (Hudson's Bay, Northwest Trading, etc) who paid the Voyageurs and took the pelts to the east coast and often on to Europe.

The Grand Portage National Monument was great! The "guides" took you on a first person, present tense account of their lives in the Fort. We heard from the French chef, Henri, about how he cooked 8-12 course meals for the "Partners" (owners of the Companies) and also provided a few scraps for the "low life" Voyageurs -"You know, they are uneducated and have no manners", Henri recounted. Another lady, who tended the skins, allowed Phil to dress the part of a Partner and explained the class system, the various types of pelts, and other interesting stories of the time

Grand Marais had been recommended as a great small town escape -- we agree. A lady at the campground bathroom, was lamenting "no Walmart, no K-Mart, and no fast food restaurants -- what's great about this place?" - I told her those exact things were what's great about this place -- don't think she got it!!

The Angry Trout (great name) had been recommended to us as a "must do" -- we walked from the campground to town and thoroughly enjoyed this cute little restaurant right on the Bay. After a really tough "mosquito night" in Grand Portage, we were glad to get through the night without many bites! I discovered a "leak" in the screen by Phil's head -- duct tape to the rescue -- and we were mosquito free tonight -- but I think other things bite here too!! A few serious bites from flies has taught me to be wary of everything that flies!!

The lighthouse and the whole waterfront here, make this a great getaway location. Nice shops, great galleries, and a beach with Adirondack chairs everywhere! We thought we were in New England already!

Duluth was the next destination. Unfortunately, it was their big Blues Festival weekend and there was no place to stay anywhere -- we searched for about an hour and finally headed to Wisconsin. Duluth had been recommended as a town in revival from their Industrial heritage, and we were anxious to take a look. Not this trip, however.

At the Angry Trout, we had talked with a couple who said Bayfield, Wi. was one of their favorite places. Checked the map, only about 2 hours from Duluth -- so headed there. Stopped in a campground a little short of the town. Beautiful views of the Lake, and on an Indian reservation -- they were great at making us welcome and getting us settled, as it was pretty late -- about 7PM. Next morning, absolutely poured on us for a good hour! Not sure why we bothered to shower....

Bayfield, Wi. belongs on everyone's "must visit" list. Unfortunately, they need a new representative at the visitor's center -- he would scare the most hardy away, barking orders about what people can and cannot do -- what is and is not available. Fortunately, we ignored him. Generally, we have found visitors centers to be a great resource to an area - and we know lodging here on a weekend was going to be tight. We had even resigned ourselves to traveling away from here, and coming back during the week. Managed to secure a room for Sun. - Tues. but tonight, Sat., was a problem. We were still regrouping when the lady from our Sun.-Tues. reservation tracked us down (thank goodness for caller ID) and said she had a cabin that was being unexpectedly vacated (accident in the family) and would we like it for tonight! What a sweetheart!!

Secured reservations for a few of the neat things to do around here -- a fabulous Golf course tomorrow, a 1/2 day sail to the Apostle Islands Monday, and a "fiddle" concert on Tuesday. I thought we were going to just chill here -- seems we have a hard time doing that! But Suzi, the owner here at the condo/motel, is going to make sure our laundry gets done tomorrow in their laundry -- can you believe it?!! She wants to make sure we enjoy our time in Bayfield! Great PR!!

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Road Trip Dream Series - Week 9

Thu, 31 May 2007 20:38:39 -0400

Off for Eastern SD -- seems like we have been here for a long time -- I just checked -- we have!! 11 days, and we have 2 more nights here!

Week 9

Off for Eastern SD -- seems like we have been here for a long time -- I just checked -- we have!! 11 days, and we have 2 more nights here!

Sioux Falls - home of John Morrell Meats - go Dick!! Actually we are a bit disappointed. It is Sunday night - thought we'd get a bite to eat since we got in here late -- NOTHING is open!! And grocery stores -- forget it -- I don't think they have anything but mini marts!! Finally found a decent sized store, and had beans and weinnies (John Morrell of course) at the campground!

The next morning was no better -- tried to find a credit union ATM (no fees for other CU members) -- found lots of Credit Unions, but they looked at us funny when we asked about ATM's. What's with this town!!

Dick and Lois - don't think of moving here - we decided you wouldn't like it!

We actually had one really good experience here. Back in the dark ages (1963-64), Phil came here to the NAIA (small college) Track and Field Championships. They were held at Howard Wood Field, which is no longer in a field, but in the middle of a large sports and convention complex. Their team placed 6th in the nation, and my buddy Phil took home medals both years in the high jump. He thinks it was 4th and 6th places. It was very emotional for Phil to go back to that field and see it - he wasn't expected to place, but he was really on that day, and some of the "contenders" weren't. A neat experience for him. We sent his old track coach, Ralph Davis a postcard -- he always remembers Phil and his antics!

From here, we're off on another "Phil" adventure. Back in the really dark ages (1957-58) he had a friend in Lakewood, Bob Ritter, who Phil knew was somewhere in SD. A couple of phone calls got us his current number, and today is the day for the reunion of these two guys. Bob had watched Phil at the Sioux Falls meet (Bob is an old jock too...a PE major), but they hadn't seen each other since then.

What a grand time the two of them had reminiscing about everything imaginable! Bob has a great wife, Marti, and 3 grown children. They live in Brookings, SD, a perfectly charming town. They both still teach and are involved in all the sports activities in town. A really nice visit and stay overnight with them, but Minnesota beckons.

Took the back way into Minneapolis -- what wonderful little towns along the way. Mayberry at every turn. Stopped at the Camelot cafe in Ivanhoe for lunch. We rolled out of there -- real farmers lunches for $4.95. The beef was so tender it just fell apart -- and the cucumber salad was fabulous! We felt we should go buck some bales of hay....

Finally found out what that dark green, short, broad leafed crop was that is everywhere between the corn fields -- soy beans. The waitresses dad grew them, so she knew all about that crop!

The start of our visit in Minneapolis isn't so good. We got bumped during rush hour traffic, as we were looking for a motel or campground down near The Mall of America. Luckily, Phil had his foot on the brake, and we were able to stop before hitting the car ahead of us. Took all day today (Wednesday) to get everything lined up on that. Turned out the other driver had let his insurance lapse. Understand he went and paid it today, but it doesn't look good that the company will consider him "covered" yesterday. Will find out the damages tomorrow. Looks like we'll be in the Twin Cities a bit longer than we planned. Oh, we are both OK, and the RWH is fine -- just a new bumper and wheel cover.

Managed to get over to Mall of America between phone calls. Here's the deal. Take 2 Washington Squares and put them around a small Disneyland, enclose the whole thing, and you have Mall of America. Same old chains of stores, same old rides. Hated it.

Took a nice walk in the evening along the Mississippi Mile - a nice Riverwalk along old muddy. Even driving in Minneapolis in the evening when the cars have gone home is more than we could endure. We had planned to eat downtown, but parking and maneuvering were difficult -- we decided it was too much trouble.

Got the estimate on the Van today -- not too bad, so life will go on! The bummer is the factory is closed for summer vacation for 6 weeks, so we have to figure out where to have the parts shipped when they start up again! We promptly checked into the Radisson in downtown St. Paul! We're taking a city tour tomorrow--driving here is scary--too many freeways--all under construction and people going like bats out of you know where! We found a lot where we could park the Van - most everything is parking structures, and we walked around a bit. Hope to see more of what these cities are about than just freeways.

Spotted St. Paul Cathedral as we came into town. This is truly a Cathedral -- like the kind you see in Europe. It is massive and beautiful. Built between 1911-15, it is awe inspiring. Crisp bright stained glass, Mosaics that were made at The Vatican, an alter reminiscent of St. Peters (it was actually patterned after that cathedral, I found out later) in Rome. The dome alone was 196' high. From ground to the top of the cross on the copper roof was 307' -- an imposing site from all over St. Paul.

Will try to figure out this 6 week delay in getting the bumper with Allstate tomorrow, take our tour, then head for the Lakes district and on to Northern Minnesota -- looking forward to seeing the giant Mosquitoes -- the state bird, you know!!

Good news! Farmer's Insurance has come forward and said they will cover this accident! Apparently the insured went in and paid on his lapsed Insurance -- and they back dated it!! But now we have to start over with them. We are off on a City Tour of Minneapolis-St. Paul today, so will deal with them Monday.

What a great tour - should have done this the first day, then could have gone back to some things that were really interesting. The rivalry between the 2 cities is quite real. The tour guide characterized it as fraternal twins - St. Paul, the steady conservative "if it ain't broke don't fix it" attitude, and the other the floozy sister who wants everything new and shiny all the time. You can see it in everything about the cities -- we liked St. Paul and thought they were really moving forward with some great projects.

St. Paul is the home of Charles Schulz (Peanuts) and they have done a cute thing with Snoopy statues all over town with various themes. Quite cute.

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PHIL-OSOPHIES (like the new name?)

Our tour really gave me an appreciation for the cleanliness of Portland and the development of our waterfront. Most everything looked like it was in need of some maintenance (and water!). Although the flowers on the lamp posts were nice, the parks, sidewalks, etc. were all just a little "worn" looking. They did do an ambitious thing within the city - every waterway - lake, stream, etc. is bounded by public park land--and there is lot of them even within the city. Therefore you don't have houses or commercial buildings right on the waterfront. It does look nice from that aspect -- they just need more maintenance!

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Saw many of the nice housing areas in the cities (including Jesse Ventura's home when he is in town). Seems that the housing is more moderate in price than Portland. They have one whole street - 4 miles - in Minneapolis that is all on the historic register. The homes were beautiful and seldom go on the market. Price about $500K-1 M. But even considering that street, things seems about 25% less expensive.

The whole area was quite "Portland-like" we thought. Lots of people jogging, enjoying their parks, freeways that were crowded, nice downtown areas that people actually use, and lots of outdoor activities everywhere.

Other interesting visits were the State Capitol, the old fort, several parks, and the Sculpture garden - a beautiful outdoor Museum. Greyline really packed alot into a few short hours. Think we will consider doing this in all the large cities -- it was reasonable and you saw a lot.

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PHIL-OSOPHIES

It really is a small world, you know. Having dinner at the Raddison, the chef came out to ask about our dinners (it was a slow night!), and it turns out he lived in Portland for several years -- had a nice reminiscence with him - thought about the Dandelion Pub recently?

The next day, I was chatting with a couple of ladies on the tour bus -- turns out they were from Beaverton - out here for a family wedding.

Maybe I just look for people who look the most friendly -- or is it something about the way they talk.....hmmmm

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Off for the only RV Campground that I've seen rated a 10-10-10 - Park-Restrooms-Scenic. It is out in the middle of nowhere - Hinckley, MN. The first thing we noticed was that Bill Cosby was coming to their Amphitheater (clear out here??). Took another look at the map, and it turns out that Hinckley is 1 hour from Minneapolis-St. Paul, 1 hour from St. Cloud, and 1 hour from Duluth -- over 80% of the state's population! This place was incredible. A 500 site RV park with it's own clubhouse, beautiful pool, grocery, etc. A Casino (Indian) that was as big and nice as anything in Vegas, 2 hotels, a wonderful 18 hole golf course, a 24 hour shuttle service every 15 minutes, and several restaurants. Our only complaint was that the trees haven't grown up in the RV park yet -- and it felt a little "exposed". It was a fun place though.

Our next stop was to settle in a cabin or nice RV park along one of the 10,000 famous lakes for a couple of days. The Brainerd area had been recommended as having a lot of nice places of those types. Also thought about lake Mille Lacs (18X25 miles - Big!). Little did we know there was a 20 state baseball tournament in the area -- we couldn't find anything, anywhere -- not even a cheap motel! Drove on towards Grand Rapids, and finally found an RV site. We were pooped out! Not used to going till 8PM before stopping! Got a recommendation for dinner and what a people watching place this was! The Forty Club in Aitkin, MN - a big formal wedding party kicking up their heels -- and it was jammed with other locals, tourists, etc. Had a great Prime Rib dinner, and just enjoyed being around a crazy bunch of people for awhile!

Sunday morning dawned rainy, so decided the abandon the idea of a few days in the area, and headed towards International Falls, and Voyageur NP. Another week under our belt....

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Road Trip Dream Series - Week 8

Tue, 29 May 2007 20:26:29 -0400

You know Carol, there is one thing I'm really missing on this trip. Everyone we see has at least one little nervous dog with them. Don't you think we need one too? I really miss walking it with the guys at the campground in the morning, cleaning up after it, and having it get hair all over the van. Whadda ya think?

Week 8

PHIL'S PHILOSOPHY

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I think you need counseling....

We're off to Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse today. Everyone was talking about the new entrance and facilities. Some liked it, others didn't. We thought it was awe inspiring. But we hadn't seen it before. As you walk up from the parking lot, you go through a granite entry with flags of every state, with the 4 guys right ahead of you. People said you used to be able to get closer, and it was less commercialized. We took a tour with a ranger (these guys and gals are good!). Saw the studio where Borglum and his men worked, and heard the story of the Monument, complete with demonstrations of the tools, etc. It is amazing no one was killed, and that it was ever finished as far as it was. Borglum's original concept was never completed as the rock below the busts was not granite, and could not be carved. The whole Monument took 14 years to complete, at a total cost of under a million dollars! Crazy Horse Memorial -- under private development since 1949 -- refuse to take any government help -- but visitors are "contributing" $8 pp at the gate. The visitors center and Indian Museum are very well done. The 11 minute video is definitely worth it - and the Indians working on their crafts is very interesting.

"Phil, Phil -- what are you doing with your bare feet on that piece of paper?" "Oh, glad you caught up with me. This is Tony White Thunder of the Lakotah Tribe, and he is going to make me a pair of those cool beaded moccasins." "Really!! -- why, pray tell?" "I am really into this Indian stuff and I think it will be a great trip memento -- and we can pass them on to the kids" "Uh huh, and how much has Phil White Wampum promised Tony White Thunder for this?"

You don't want to know... What's next, a headdress with cool feathers??

We are due in Brookings SD a week from today to visit a childhood friend of Phil's, so we have some time to kill in this area. We haven't golfed since June 23 in the Sierra's. Phil's shoulder is feeling better, so we thought we would try one of the local courses. Hart Ranch kept being recommended, so we gave it a try. A nice course with some pretty holes. We were both pretty rusty, but a nice afternoon, nonetheless.

Oh, I have my camera back! Seems to be working. I'll get some new pics up soon!

Today was interesting. The needles highway, the pigtails, Custer State Park, and the Black Hills Playhouse in the evening. All just driving and looking on very narrow roads, but the scenery was really neat. The pigtails are bridges that are built round and round like a pigs tail to lift you up in a small space. Quite ingenious. One tunnel on the needles highway was only 8'7" wide. Our rig is 8'2". It was actually kind of fun squeezing through there. Had lunch and went on a walk around Sylvan Lake. Huge granite rocks lifting right out of the water and along part of the shore. Lots of activity there. Swimming, paddle boats, canoes, etc.Tried to stay at the Sylvan Lake Lodge, but they were full. They got us into another nice lodge though, The State Game Lodge. Turned out better, as the Game Lodge is closer to the Playhouse, and you don't have to go over that Needles highway at night! Dinner was great - Trout and Walleye Pike!

The Black Hills Playhouse was fun. I had heard that their productions were first rate. They were doing Cabaret. It was entertaining, but I didn't think the quality lived up to its reputation. Lake Oswego Community Theater does a better job.

Custer State Park is huge and beautiful. Phil was herding Buffalo with the car, as those guys were everywhere. This is rutting reason, and we did see some action. The baby buffalo are so cute too. Custer is an interesting park in that it is totally self sustaining. They actually sell 400-500 head of Buffalo each year. They have one of the largest, most productive (over 90% of the females calve each year), and best herds in the country, and sell them for slaughter as well as to other individuals to start or supplant their herds. This provides about 1/3 of the cost of the park. The rest is paid for through entrance fees, part of the take from concessions, including the 4 beautiful Lodges in the park and camping fees. They say they run it like a business, even though they report to the State Parks Commission -- what a novel idea!

Boy was it hot in Hot Springs! We found a KOA and headed for the pool. We usually don't camp when it is this hot, but the motel selection was poor. Pretty little town with all the buildings made from a local red sandstone formed brick block. Made the buildings really pretty against the barren hills. Checked out the Hot Springs -- but soaking in a hot tub of water when it is 95+ outside was not too appealing!

Visited The Mammoth Site where there is an active archeological dig going on for many years. They have built a building over the entire site now. There was an ancient sinkhole that many of these Mammoths (large elephants) fell into and couldn't get out due to the steep sides. They drowned and then over thousands of years the site dried up and filled in. The dig is being done "in situ" -- the bones are being left in place -- quite interesting.

Played golf at Southern Hills - the #1 9-hole course in the country for 3 years (97-99) according to Golf Digest. A beautiful little course, up and down the hills. Definitely one of those courses you need to play once in order to know where to shoot. The greens are hard and fast.

Off to the Badlands. It will be interesting to see if the 35mm camera was able to capture the beauty of these hills. The digital pictures don't do it justice. This is another one of those places that you just have to say "why this, why here?". The "Wall" has been formed by erosion from an ancient sea, and fossils abound in this area also. The coloring of the hills varies from beige, rose, steel blue, sea foam green, brilliant gold-yellow, and rusty brown. Incredible against the bright blue sky. We went through late in the afternoon, and the shadowing really made them pop out. Another WOW experience.

On into Wall for the night so we could see the famous Wall Drug the next day (there are signs literally all over the world saying how many miles to Wall Drug -- hundreds of them in Mt. Wy. and SD). What a piece of Americana this place is! All that is really in Wall, SD is Wall Drug which takes up several blocks. This started as a little drug store that advertised free ice water for travelers. 100 years later it has evolved into most everything a traveler could want -- and alot you don't want! A fun place for kids of all ages with everything from an old fashioned soda fountain to a giant animated dinosaur that "breathes" fire every 12 minutes. Disney-like dioramas of Cowboys and Indians, Fiddlers, etc to horses and bears you can climb on for a picture. If there is a trinket you can think of -- they have 2 -- each a little more garish than the last!

We're starting to get into the Great Prairie now. Fields everywhere - wheat, sunflowers (for the oil and seeds), and corn mostly. Farm implements lumbering down the highways to the next field to be harvested. Much of the work is now done by "contract harvesters" who bring their own equipment, people, etc. School teachers make up many of the crews.

The state capital of SD, Pierre (PEER - we learned quickly the correct pronunciation!) and the wide Missouri River appeared out of the middle of the fields. A lovely town of about 20,000 on the banks of the river, which has been beautifully made into a park (no sea walls like Portland). Drove up to the Oahe Dam and recreation area. One of the largest earthen dams in the world. Fishing is what everyone does here -- there are boats everywhere. All the motels advertise boat parking.

We found our best "value" of the trip in the Capitol Inn Motel (too hot to camp with no tress!). Right downtown by the Capitol and the Park. Nice outdoor swimming pool in the courtyard with grass all around, guest laundry (becoming a very important feature to us!), nice well maintained rooms, electrical hookups for the van, continental breakfast, great AC, ---AND they let us wash The RWH -- no charge! Most campgrounds and motels won't let you do that, and, of course, it won't go through a conventional car wash. The poor thing has not been washed in over 6,000 miles! It was really dirty! We got our swim suits on and suds her up, even as the heat again climbed into the 90's. We then promptly jumped into the pool to cool off! The Rolling White House is white again!

Oh, and the price for this bit of heaven -- $35 a night + tax! Mark it down -- Best Value!

This morning we did a walking tour of the Capitol Grounds and surrounding park (another park besides the River park). The Capitol Building is gorgeous -- all inlaid Italian crafted Terrazzo floors. Beautiful woods, and murals that are splendid. The place is totally unattended (it's Saturday) and they let you wander everywhere. Phil even sat in the Speaker of the House's Chair - wish I had the camera!

The roof is copper that has turned black instead of green -- they say it is because the air is so clean, it didn't oxidize the normal green color -- not sure I buy that. Striking, nonetheless. Outside by the lake that runs through the grounds, there is an artesian fountain. There is so much natural gas that bubbles up with the water that it actually is lit on fire. Very strange to see this bubbling fountain -- with fire coming out the top. Maybe I'll try to get a night shot of it tonight....

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Road Trip Dream Series - Week 7

Fri, 25 May 2007 20:20:21 -0400

Week 7

This is such an incredible experience for both of us. One of the things we have learned is that you really have to limit your choices -- yes, even with a year to see the USA, you absolutely cannot see it all. There are so many things we are interested in, and, yet, we find ourselves everyday, choosing how to spend our time. We are on the go from mid morning (after breakfast, showers, email, repacking/disconnecting the van) to early evening. We try to stop by 4 or 5 PM, but still cannot do everything we would like to.

Everyday we meet people of every walk of life from all over the US. Everyone is so nice. They want to share their experiences and any information they have about your next stop. Today we learned that the main road to Mt. Rushmore is closed! But a family in the KOA had just gone through there, and had the route scoped out on how to go! They even gave us their map -- highlighted with the changes! At Devil's Tower, Phil struck up a conversation with a man from Arkansas. Learned a lot about LA (Lower Arkansas). He is a John Deere dealer in a small town, and was talking about everything from Clinton to how the oil shortage has effected the price of the pipe they use for irrigation in their area. There is no shortage of things to learn on the road!

Devil's Tower is awesome! The scenery is, again, breathtaking. Red Rock Trail (3.2 miles) around the Monument takes you through meadows, rocks, and beautiful red rock areas. You could swear you are in Sedona. We really did the tourist thing last night, and watched "Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind" with Richard Dreyfus, directed by Stephen Speilberg. You may remember that Devil's Tower played a prominent role in that movie. The KOA showed it outdoors at dusk -- it was kind of errie looking up at the Rock as the movie played. Plus, it was a full moon, so this giant rock was really lit up. Wanted to stay up til the moon was behind the rockand get some pics, but sleep overtook good intentions.

We backtracked today to Gillette to take in the Good Sam Great North American RV Rally. Over 6,000 Motorhomes, plus an equal number of 5th wheels, trailers, etc. We are going to get day tickets Tuesday, and check out the scene. They estimate there are about 15,000 people in town for this -- more than the total population of the town! They are holding it at a big Convention location east of town, -- everywhere you look out there all you see is "rigs" of every type. Their are no hookups, so everyone is "dry camping" -- just using their own on board resources. We are in a motel, as there were no spaces available anywhere--dry, or otherwise!

Can you imagine Phil at an RV Rally?? We actually had a good time talking to the folks, and picking up a few supplies. We lost our pressure reducing valve, and a hose connection piece had developed a leak. Plus we found this neat fold up table that is just right for those locations that don't have picnic tables--or for extra cocktail room! We spent most of the day there looking at the booths (hopefully helped the Pleasureways guy sell a unit to a couple from Colorado!), eating, and listening to the music. It was very well organized -- just like a big computer convention, only mostly outdoors. We made it out of there without Phil buying a larger unit...

We've been in Spearfish, SD for a couple of days now. Really a neat little town. Took time to get some laundry & dry cleaning done, pictures developed, grocery shopping, etc. Took a beautiful drive yesterday afternoon up Spearfish Canyon -- another WOW place. Their most famous waterfall was disappointing, but found a neat resort tucked into the hills - Spearfish Canyon Resort - had a delicious lunch there, although there are many nice places to picnic. The road continues to Lead (oldest continuous operation gold mine in the western hemisphere), Deadwood, and on to Sturgis. Three more neat little towns. Deadwood is the most idyllic, but it has been ruined by too many tourists, and too many gambling halls. Great setting, neat old buildings, cowboys shooting it up in the streets, and a general fun atmosphere. Saw the location where Wild Bill Hickox met his demise while playing cards (holding a pair of Aces, a pair of 8's, and a lone 9 -- now called the dead man's hand!), and also paid our respects at his grave site, next to Calamity Jane (her dying wish was to be buried alongside Wild Bill). We wanted to take a look at Sturgis before the Harleys ride into town on the 7th of August. Expecting up to a half a million bikers that week -- we wanted to be no where near here by then!

I finally got my bouquet of wild flowers! Spearfish canyon had lots of great choices, and I am now enjoying a nice variety of purples and yellows.

Did you know that Theodore Roosevelt NP is the only National Park named for a person? It was established in 1947 in honor of Roosevelt's love of nature, his establishment of many National Parks, and his establishment of the National Forest Service. In addition, he owned 2 ranches in N. Dakota, where he spent a lot of his time, prior to becoming President. The Badlands of N. Dakota are ruggedly beautiful. This NP is mostly undeveloped, letting the natural beauty of the land speak for itself.

The town of Medora at the entrance to the Park is quite basic, but provides a real old west feeling to the area. Most of the town is owned by The Medora Foundation, and is well maintained. We heard people talking about "The Medora Musical" and inquired about it. Now in it's 35th year, this professionally done production is staged in a beautiful outdoor amphitheater, facing the hills. They have a variety of entertaining acts, but what impressed us the most was their reenactment of The Rough Riders, led by Roosevelt, charging the hill in the 1898 battle of San Juan (Spanish-American War). The set actually rolled back and the hills beyond revealed a fort. The boys on horseback and on foot "charged the hill", canons exploded in the night hills, guns fired, soldiers dropped. It was spectacularly moving. After the battle was over, the soldier on a white horse brought back the flag from the fort (followed all the way by a spotlight in the night). Definitely an even well spent -- yet another thing we just stumbled into!

I have to comment on their use of the word "River" around here. We would not even consider most of them a decent "Creek"! They meander everywhere, and barely contain water at this time of year. But, maybe they make up for it with their rain. The rain is very well behaved here -- it does it's thing quickly and moves on! And usually it happens in the evening or at night -- also convenient, doesn't ruin the days! At 6PM the night of the Medora Musical, it was raining like crazy -- we thought the production would surely be canceled, but by 7PM, it was done and the sun was back out. By 8PM, most everything was dry -- but the ushers hand us a wipe anyway, just in case the seat is still wet.

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PHIL'S PHILOSOPHY

Who ever heard of a place where they don't get USA Today!? I mean, nowhere. After checking and checking--we went to 3 different towns--and becoming more and more frustrated, someone actually had the guts to tell me that USA Today is not delivered ANYWHERE in Northern N. Dakota. Are these people un-American, or what??

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On the way back to civilization, we had front row seats to a huge weather cell moving through. Beautiful blue sky and puffy white clouds edged with pink on both sides of this ominous black cloud that towered high into the sky. For awhile we thought we were headed right for it, but the road turned, the storm moved, and we mostly missed each other. We got about 5 minutes of the edge of it, but even that was scary -- high winds blew us around, huge raindrops, and some pretty good sized hail. The lightening was quite a ways away, but still provided a spectacular show.

We found our way into Rapid City. A nice town of about 100,000. The rain moved in shortly after we were comfortably ensconced in a downtown motel. It was late, we were tired -- two long driving days in a row, and Phil had been without his USA Today for two days, and was also out of "NIPS" (his new nighttime candy fix) -- not a good combination. But we managed to smile our way through it....

Saturday came, and we decided we needed a breather. I had seen a cute looking lake lodge on the edge of town in the AAA book and guided us there. We both loved it -- and they had one cabin left-- even with a full kitchen, living room, and 2 bedrooms. We plopped ourselves down there for the day. Paddle boated on the Lake, swam in the pool, and made a nice BBQ dinner with steaks and fresh corn and beans. Got late check out the next morning to watch the end of the British Open. AHHHHHH.....

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