No Reservations Part 5

If you know where we live you would realize that the shortest way home would be to leave Denver on I-76 heading northeast to I-80. Who wants to do that? East we headed but on I-70 towards Kansas. It's all downhill and our trip computer in the car registered 27.8 mpg while leaving Colorado. Once you leave Denver it gets pretty desolate. Not the same as crossing the Gulf but still not much civilization on either side of the road. Entering Kansas doesn't change things too much. One thing did change though. After being in the 90's while we were in Denver the temperature changed. It was now 105! We rolled into Hays, Ks. for an overnight stay.

The next morning we drove down to the south side of Hays so Pam could take a look at the buffalo that were supposed to be there. The picture shows the token herd that we found.

We took one of the back roads out of town passing this grain elevator along the way. Throughout our travels we passed several elevators, many being much larger than this one. We also passed many oil wells while travelling through the mid section of the country.

We even passed many wind farms on our journey, this one in Kansas which went on for miles.

One of Pam's favorite stops became the Pilot truck stops. Not because she likes 18 wheelers with chrome all over, but because the coffee is good and they have real half and half. Not that chai latte crap but good old coffee that will hold a spoon up. This one near Salina became our lunch stop as well.

From Salina it was on to Abilene. Originally started as a shipping point for cattle which had been driven up from Texas, Abilene is most famous as the hometown of our 34th president, Dwight Eisenhower.
The Eisenhower complex includes his boyhood home still in its' original location. Library, museum, visitor center, and chapel which houses the remains of Ike & Mamie. We spent most of our time in the museum with Pam checking out the exhibits related to Mamie and family, and me those of Ike's military and presidential careers. (http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/)

Boyhood home.

Chapel and final resting place.

Statue and grounds.
From Abilene we continued east through Topeka and on towards Kansas City. Outcroppings of civilization becoming more evident every mile. As we approached KC we realized it was going to be rush hour when we got there. A quick glance at the map showed a way around town which turned out to be the right choice since I-70 was under construction heading into downtown.

As we crossed the Missouri River into Missouri all hell broke loose in the way of high winds and torrential rain. The picture is the most visibility we had for the next 15 minutes. At times I couldn't see the road. It was right then that I wished I was back in a bus again!

The next day we crossed into Iowa and were greeted by this family of cows at the welcome center. Following our stop we only had a couple hundred miles until we arrived back home ready for our next adventure.

No Reservations Part 4

About 6:30 am Pam wakes me with the question...."Do you hear water running?" Not a great start to the day. Investigation found that the sink had overflowed. Faucets are off so it's coming in from the drain. A call to the office. Stammering desk clerks. Towels on the floor. And one of us very concerned about where she was going to be able to prep for the day. Hmmmm. I walked to the office for more towels and to get my princess a cup of coffee. While there I was informed that they had contacted the manager and would call with a course of action. I asked about another room to prep for the day in but was told that they were sold out. No sooner had I gotten back to the room than the phone rang. We have another room for you to use if you'd like to come back to the office for the keys. OK. Back I go. Upon arrival she tells me that the room is a meeting room which has a full bath. Only problem is it's in the other wing of the motel which would require us to walk from our wing, through the lobby to get to the new room. Now call me stupid girls, but isn't the idea to be ready before going out in public? Fortunately the maintenance man showed up and remedied the problem before we had to parade through the lobby. Trauma averted!

Finally spruced up and ready to go we hit the road. Shortly after departing Douglas we spotted this antelope beside the road. Several of his buddies were just out of the camera shot on the other side of the fence. We saw quite a few of these along the way but at 75 mph it's hard to get a picture.

We travelled south on I-25 through Cheyenne and into Colorado. As has become our custom, we stopped into the state welcome center to pick up a map and snoop through the free literature. While talking to one the employees it was suggested that we take a side trip to Estes Park before going into Denver. Since I was last there in the mid 70's and Pam had never been there we decided to give it a go.

The drive into and out of Estes Park was fantastic. Winding roads through the foothills of the Rockies. Unfortunately the drive was the best part of the side trip. What was once a quiet little town back in the 70's has become a trendy, modern day tourist trap. Too many people in a confined area for me! After finally finding a parking place we had lunch and then got out of there. Next stop, Denver to see my son Ryan and his two dogs.

On the way through Denver we went past Invesco Field. Home of the Denver Broncos pro football team. Fortunately we got into town before the traffic started backing up on the freeway.
Once there Pam always goes into cooking mode making what my family calls "chicken sh-t", and biscuits and gravy for Ryan. Of course we do go out and sample the local fare also. This time we sampled the LoHi Steakhouse along with Ryan's girlfriend Amanda. We all had great meals topped off with a killer cheesecake desert.

One of our favorites has become Pete's Kitchen behind the capitol on Colfax. The best way to describe Pete's is that it is a dive. If you go there try the chili cheese burrito. It's the size of a football! However, be prepared to wait for a seat. Pete's doesn't take reservations.

As you can imagine our car has accumulated quite a bit of road grime since we left home. In our travels around town I found the perfect car wash but Pam wouldn't let me take our car there. Shotgun Willie's (a local strip club) had an outdoor car wash going on in their parking lot. Don't you just love the American entrepreneurial spirit?
Denver is a great place to live if you like the outdoors. The Rockies to the west provide endless sporting opportunities all year long. The city has countless miles of bike trails and has even started a bike rental system throughout the city with 400 bikes around town that you can rent for an hour or all day and drop off at any location. At 5280 feet of elevation Pam and I didn't take advantage of this offering! Driving around you notice that everyone has a Thule or Yakima roof rack on their vehicle to hold skis, bikes, and kayaks in place. One other observation is that everyone has a dog and most have two. Watch where you step!

All too soon it was time to leave. Before we shoved off I took this picture of Ryan and his two dogs.

The kids looking out the window as we walk to the car.

No Reservations...Part 3

In need of gas and a clean windshield we pulled out of the Rodeway Inn and jumped across the street to satisfy the needs of the car. Not having had breakfast yet, we decided that McDonald's was the place to go (nothing too good for my princess!). It was a quick reminder of why we avoid those places although the coffee wasn't too bad.

Down the road we went. First stop, Little Big Horn Battlefield. We pulled into the interpretive center and listened to one of the rangers give the descriptive talk of how the battle took place. You could almost see the combatants fighting as he told the story. His interpretation of the battles events differed from any that I had heard before. For one thing the odds weren't as stacked in the Indians favor as I had imagined. The other more glaring reason for Custer's defeat was that the ammunition the soldiers had didn't fire consistently and each soldier only carried half of his allotted amount while the remainder was on the pack horses. The Indians knowing this would kill the soldiers holding the horses which in turn would run away in the commotion.

 Markers litter the surrounding plains where soldiers had fallen in battle. Those that could be identified were buried in the cemetery next to the visitor center.

Those that couldn't be identified were buried in a mass grave atop the hill where many of the troops had retreated. Custer and most of the other fallen officers bodies were later claimed by their families and buried at other locations. In Custer's case he now lays in rest at West Point. As is the case with any battlefield, Little Big Horn is a very solemn place. It's hard to imagine the brutality of battle as you stand there looking out over the wind blown grasses of the prairie where so many lost their lives.

Now travelling east on I-90 we entered Wyoming.

Along the route we spotted miles of these snow fences erected beside the interstate. A reminder of how brutal conditions can get out here during the winter.

On a lark we decided to take the business route through the town of Buffalo, Wyoming and look for a lunch stop. Once downtown we spotted the Occidental Hotel complete with bar & restaurant. A neat old place which has been restored to it's former glory. The food was great followed up with a tour of the hotel. Turns out there was a bordello in the rear during it's heyday. (I knew I liked this place!)

Upon leaving Buffalo we started travelling south on I-25. We cruised through Casper and on into Douglas for our overnight stay. While in Douglas we checked out this old locomotive which was made in Burlington, Iowa.

We also found the elusive Wyoming Jackalope here in Douglas.

No Reservations Part 2

After a restful night in Bemidji (the hometown of Jane Russell) we headed west for the destination that we've been aiming for since we left home, Rugby, North Dakota. Turns out I discovered Rugby one day while looking at an atlas and found that it is the geographic center of North America. Who could resist not going there to check it out? What we found was a small monument with a plaque designating this important spot.

What we also found is that Rugby is the home of the world renowned breakfast topping...Toe Jam! Unfortunately the store was closed. Guess we'll have to make our own!

Somewhat disappointed we sped out of town. Destination, Bismarck, ND the state capitol on the banks of the Missouri River. It was a fun drive across the plains with not much traffic thus enabling yours' truly to snap this picture. Notice the concentration of the driver.

The other morning in Duluth we got a tip from some people about a place called Medora, ND. Seems that back in 1883 a French aristocrat the Marquis de Mores came to the Dakotas to find his fortune in the cattle industry. He built a packing plant and slaughtered range cattle to ship back east. The town sprung up and flourished for three years before the market for range cattle diminished because it was too tough. Left in his wake was the town named for his wife and a house overlooking the empire which was called the Chateau de Mores by the locals. Today the town has been restored and is North Dakotas #1 tourist attraction.

Nearby is the south entrance to Theodore Roosevelt National Park which contains the Badlands of North Dakota. Rugged terrain for the early settlers to cross but beautiful to look at before getting back in your car.

We entered Montana enjoying the wide open spaces on either side of I-94 before turning south towards the community of Hardin. Agriculture abounds in the valley surrounding Hardin with much of it being irrigated by large sprinklers like the one pictured.

Since we started this trip we have either gotten the last room at the inn or no room at all by employing our "no reservations" policy so we decided to call ahead and book a room in advance. Our pick was the America Inn. On our first attempt at calling we found that the name had changed to a Rodeway Inn and then we ran out of cell service. 40 miles later we tried again and completed the booking, or so we thought. Upon check in the desk clerk informed me that the computer had not recorded our reservation and that they were sold out of the rooms at the price I was quoted. They did however have the "Honeymoon Suite" available and could give it to us for the same price. Done deal! When describing the room the clerk used the word cheesy a couple of times. She was right although it didn't have shag carpeting on the walls. It did however have a heart shaped jacuzzi tub! Sorry. No pictures of the tub in use!

No Reservations

Part of the concern when we left Tourist in Florida was whether or not I'd go crazy with no boat for the summer. Fortunately our friends have been very gracious in having us on board from time to time. As an additional pacifier to keep me from seeking professional help we decided to take a road trip.
We left last Friday and headed north into the hinterlands of Wisconsin. Our goal for the first day....Moose Jaw Lodge near Fifield, Wisconsin. Why you ask? Because Pam's parents once owned Moose Jaw and Pam herself spent quite a bit of time living and working there.

Before our arrival at Moose Jaw we had to make a stop for popcorn at the Rural Route 1 popcorn outlet in Montfort, Wis. for guess who?

Moose Jaw was somewhat the same and but still a bit different than Pam remembered. Of course we checked out the bar and looked around the grounds. Our visit brought back many fond memories for Pam but it's safe to say we won't be buying a resort anytime soon even though MJ is for sale.

Since we were so far north we decided to continue on to Ashland, Wis. on the shores of Lake Superior where we stayed in an overpriced motel complete with spiders in the room. Fortunately Pam didn't spot them until morning when we were leaving. The good part of our stay was the view of the lake.

From Ashland we made the short drive to Bayfield, Wis. to take a boat tour through the Apostle Islands. The 3 hour tour took us around several of the 22 islands. We passed a couple of light houses and one island named Bear Island because someone long ago and obviously under the influence thought it looked like a bear. Neither Pam or myself saw the resemblance but then neither of us were drinking at the time.
After we docked we had lunch at a waterfront restaurant before moving on to Duluth, Mn. What a pleasant surprise Duluth was. They have done a great job with their waterfront as well as the entire downtown area. What a place this must be in the winter. The hills rival those in San Francisco for steepness and length. The only negative we had is that everyone else has already discovered Duluth. We went to six or seven motels before we found one with a vacancy!

Sunday morning we toured the William A. Irvin. A retired lake freighter berthed in Duluth. Just over 600 feet in length but compared to today's freighters way too small.

Following our tour we blew out of town headed for Lake Itasca and the Mississippi headwaters. After paying our $5.00 at the park check point we made our way to the source. Of course being here at the source of the river that has been such a big part of my life meant only one thing... I had to go in! It's hard to imagine the powerful river that it becomes as it flows south from here. We snooped around the visitor center and drove around the park on our way out.

We did make one stop to take a mile round trip walk to climb a fire lookout tower. And no. Pam wasn't wearing heals today! The view was pretty cool if you like tree tops.

Upon leaving the park we strolled into Bemidji, Mn. for the evening and to see the statue of Paul Bunyan which was made in 1937 and of course Babe the Blue Ox. Definitely worth the trip!

Holidaze

The past week has been a little more play than work. Just the way I like it! Playtime started with a trip to Madison, Wi. to visit our friends Frank & Peg. Along the way we had to stop in Black Earth, Wi. at the Shoe Box. You all know this wasn't a stop for me!

Fortunately we came out with only one pair of shoes. Whew! While in Madison we attended the Concert in the Square. A free concert series put on by the Madison Symphony Orchestra throughout the summer that is held on the lawn surrounding the state capitol building. Bring your blanket, something to eat, the libation of your choice, and sit back and enjoy the music. Even if you're not into Mozart or Bach it's a great experience just watching people.

Before we got out of town we made a few more stops. You guessed it. Three more pairs of shoes for my Princess! I must confess however, that I picked up a pair of biker shorts and a jock for myself. What a treat!

On Friday I was back at the helm of a boat. Yahoo! The M/V Perseverance. A 44' Cruisers Inc. which belongs to a friend of ours. It was a simple run of about 10 miles round trip for fuel but it sure felt good. Our return trip was delayed when we were stopped by the water patrol and told we would have to wait while an F-18 aircraft practiced for the July 3rd air show. Just my luck!

July 3rd arrived and found Pam & myself as guests on board the M/V Vagabond for the air show and fireworks which are held over the river just below Lock 11. Both displays were awesome since we were as close as the authority's would allow.

B-1 Bomber

F-18 Hornet

Chinook Helicopter

A-10 Warthog

P-51 Mustang & B-17 Bomber

There were several other planes including a Japanese Zero. A biplane and a couple of stunt planes as well as the Golden Knights parachute team from the U.S.Army. All in all it was a great show for our area considering the only other air show we get is the seasonal migration of the geese.

The 4th of July found us in Cedar Rapids, Ia. to celebrate my youngest son Addam's birthday. As the date would indicate, Addam is a real firecracker. Of course it doesn't help when my Dad starts telling stories of things he did in his younger days. And I wonder where Addam gets it!?!  Happy birthday Addam!