Different ways to travel!!!



Perhaps our favorite--after ours!!

We are  in Woodstock IL for a wedding.  We spent Thursday night with Aaron, Amy, Leo and Ruby.  Then we traveled to Woodstock yesterday and took in the groom's dinner last night.  Funny thing,Terry's sister's brother in law is good friends with John and Judi Mouw!  Bob and Ann are from Detroit Lakes MN and when I heard he flew helicopters in ND I knew he had to know John as they are in the same age range.  When I said John Mouw is my brother in law he said, "You are kidding!".  A small world.
Most of the relatives on Terry's side will be at her sisters today and then the wedding is at 5:30 near downtown Chicago.  Tomorrow it will be on the road early as we lose an hour and we plan to be in South Bend by noon. 
Our camp site is very nice.  The restroom--well not fancy but OK.  The camp grounds are in the middle of a farm and the sites are mostly grass.  The family has had the camp grounds since 1980 but will sell the farm this year and October 20 will be the end of the camp grounds.  Terry and I will have to enjoy a cup of coffee and sit by the pond  near our site this morning as it will not be again.
Monday PM through Wednesday was a whirl wind.  There was car things to do, clothes to wash, appt to go to, people to visit and the list goes on.  We pretty much got things done and were on the road by 8:50 Thursday.  We spend a little more than an hour in Hudson WI on our way as we visited some friends who have a very nice place there but spend most of their time in FL.  It was a very fun time.  When we travel we always try to allow some extra time to arrive but Thursday we said we would pick Leo up from school at 3:30 and we arrived in Madison at 3:25--just in time.
The temp this morning is in the high 40s so the FP gets cool way too fast.  SO time to sip the last sip and sign off.
By Tuesday we will be exploring the shores of Lake Michigan and then perhaps by Friday will be in Canada--from there will go  into northern MN and home by October 1.  Like I say from time to time, "This retirement is difficult as there is never a day off!"

pictures and pictures



Arches NP in AZ had wonderful formations




There is nothing like an early morning sunrise when you are camping




Standing in a Kiva which was lived in 900 +years ago!

Not much to say today.  I should have a method to posting pictures but I do not so I pick them randomly from the 100s on the computer.
As I came downstairs this morning I thought we must be camping yet as I saw it was raining outside. 
We now have a campsite for Friday and Saturday night during the wedding celebration.  It is very close to Terry's sister so that will be nice. 
We head out tomorrow for another 12 day trip and are hoping that not too many campsites are closed for the season.  That does start to happen this time of year.  I got the car checked yesterday and the bill was much less than I had expected.  There was nothing wrong but with the miles we have put on and pulling the camper I thought I had better get things looked at. 
Terry's son Brian is coming over this morning for a short visit.  He has moved back to MN after spending the last many years in TX.
I think we have things kind of in control with getting ready to leave tomorrow.  We will be in Madison tomorrow night, then the wedding events Friday and Saturday and then in South Bend Sunday and Monday so we need not put too much in the cooler for now. 
I had almost forgotten how comfortable it is in the morning to come downstairs, make my FP and then sit at the computer.  While we were camping it was -get out the computer-see if we have internet-and if we did find a place to sit where you could see the computer screen.  I guess the comforts of life are often taken without the thought of "what if" they did not exist.
Enough for this morning.

13--45--14--99--10183--502--24--4--20.3--11



I am in to Las Vegas--spent $3!!




The wagons that people used to transport 20 mule team Borax 165 miles to the train!

We arrived home yesterday about noon so thankful for a safe trip.
The numbers, here is what they mean:

• 13--we had that many straight days of rain, often heavy.  One night in CO we had 6 inches which one man said was a year of rain in one night.
• 45--the number of days we were on the road, we slept in the camper 42 nights
• 14--the number of states we spent time in
• 99--Sunday night was the 99th night in our camper in the last 17 months
• 10,183--the miles we drove on our trip
• 502--the number of gallons of gas we purchased
• 24--the number of national parks we visited
• 4--the number of MN state parks we visited--that makes 45 in the last two years
• 20.3--the mpg we got pulling our camper which I thought was remarkable
• 11--the number of micro-brewers we visited and purchased a growler

We have today and tomorrow and then we will be off again for a short trip, maybe 1500 miles or so. 
It would be difficult to say what THE highlight of our trip was as there were so many.  The national parks are so beautiful and it would be fun to visit them all again.  Not to put a downer on any of the trip but I would say the International Peace Gardens in ND were one of the downers.  There were few flowers, many of the gardens were weedy and the guards coming out of the park were rude.  Perhaps the place we have NO desire to return to is Las Vegas.  We drove the strip, walked around for about 90 minutes and that is all I need in a life time. 
We enjoyed the Saunders wedding in Fargo, our visit with Dave and Marlys in Jamestown, our visit with my long time friend Larry F in Havre MT and our visit with cousin Ruth Gergerson in CA.  We spent 2 nights with Larry and before we arrived I thought we may not have anything to talk about as it had been 41 years BUT the time was so fun and we could have visited much more.  My cousin, well we just dropped in as we did not have her phone.  That is something I am terrible at doing but she was so delighted and our two hours there was so much fun.
We continue to really like our camper.  It held up like a trouper as we drove so many miles and experienced so much rain.  Many nights we went without electric and that was no problem if we did not need the AC.  As we drove each day the car charged the camper battery and by the time we would camp for the night the battery would be fully charged.  Our 54 quart cooler, the electric one, keep things good at 34 degrees so no fuss, no muss with ice!  The car and camper---well they were so so dirty inside and out much of the time.  Yesterday we cleaned the inside of both but the outsides need a good wash now.
We have much to do these next couple of days so will sign off, enjoy the last of my FP and get going with the day.

So much to see



A hunter's dream!




It is bear picking time!!




In the years 1100-1200--we lived here

 We have seen so much, traveled so far and met so many people it is impossible to talk about it all. 
We are camping outside of Colorado Springs tonight and will drive to Estes in Rocky Mountain NP tomorrow.  We will spend some time in Fort Collins tomorrow after the park and then head north towards SD and the 2 NP south of Rapid City.  Our journey has been longer than we expected in terms of miles but oh my it has created so many memories. 
Some memories we may not want to recall are related to RAIN.  We encountered rain Labor Day and have had it follow us for the last TEN days.  I almost put the wipers on by habit now.  We are hoping that the rain will hold off tonight as our side tent and rugs have not been dry in several days.  Last night we stayed dry but as we slept and as our side tent broke from the strong winds SIX inches of rain fell.  One gal said that is a year of rain in one night. 
This is the first night we have had internet for some time.  We find that we do not need electrical hook ups much as our cooler keeps a full charge as we drive.  We have not needed our heater so that is good.
So much to share, so much to talk about, so much to relate and so little time.  We still plan to arrive in St. Paul Monday, Sept 16 but then will leave again on Thursday the 19 for a short trip of about 10 days. 
It is dark now, it is 8:14 so best get in the camper and curl up with a book for some time. 
RAIN, STAY AWAY TONIGHT!

Day 35 and still headed west!

No luck today.  For some reason there are times when I can not get pictures to load and today is one of those days--so just a few words. 
We are about 80 miles form Hoover Dam as we sit in our camp site.  We will see the dam, travel the short distance into Las Vegas and see the strip-then head north towards Great Basin NP  which is on the Nevada/Utah border.  We should arrive at the NP tomorrow. 
We visited the south rim of the Grand Canyon yesterday.  It was, of course, spectacular but I have found that I enjoy places the most when there are not hoards and hoards of people. 
As we head west towards the dam this morning our trip meter will turn 7000 miles--I think we had better head east again some time!!
I am getting to the point where I enjoyed the almost straight and level freeway yesterday the last 100 miles of our trip.  Our Honda and our Tiny Camper have been flawless this trip and we have enjoyed them so much.  Gas has been somewhat of a surprise as it has usually been in the $3.70 range and the last I looked our mpg for the entire trip was 20.0.  Now at 7000+ miles it still is not cheap but I thought it would be worse.  It is fun to talk to people as they come to view the camper.  So many look at it and marvel at the looks and the quality of it.  Women often use the word "cute" and men often use the word "quality".  We had a delightful conversation last night with a couple from TX who have a motor home and pull a car. 
I must admit that both Terry and I are not tired of our trip in any way but it does seem that both of us are ready to stop a bit earlier in the afternoon each day!  Not saddle sore but maybe a bit saddle weary.  We have things figured out so we should visit 8 more NP before we turn towards St. Paul.  Then we may visit a couple of MN state parks on the southern border that we missed in 2012.
I am going to try one more time to add pictures but my guess is it will be without success.

Day 33 and it is not 100+ any more!!

We stopped at Costco yesterday and when we exited the car it was 106.  This morning we are camping in an AZ state park north of Tuscon and it is in the upper 70s, a very nice change.  This park would compete with any MN park for being very very nice.  Today we plan to arrive at the Petrified Forest NP and after that head a bit more north to the south rim of the Grand Canyon.  Last year we visited the north rim but did not have time to drive around to the south.  Saugaro NP was full of cactus of all kinds.  When we arrived we were told that the park was closed because there had been a lot of rain and the roads could not be driven on.  We were asked if we would like to see a 15 min movie of what we could see IF the road was open.  After a YES and 15 minutes the ranger said that things had cleared up a bit and if we wanted to chance it we could drive through.  We did the drive and there was very very little debris on the road and for sure the drive was worth doing. 
Yesterday we made this trip officially the longest of our camping experiences as the trip meter went well past the 6,262 miles that we drove last year.   Terry figured the number of days we have camped and by the time we arrive back from the wedding/South Bend/Madison/Michigan/Canada trip during the end of September we will have spent 19% of our nights since getting the camper IN THE CAMPER!!!!  Maybe we should have believed Liam when after he was in the camper he commented, "I can't see why anyone with a camper like this would need a house!"
Yesterday we stopped at Wendys for lunch and left $13.00+ poorer.  For dinner we had soup that cost $1.50 and enjoyed that a whole lot more.  We may have to change our ways.  Really we have eaten most of the time from the camper.  Well I have collected 7 or 8 growlers and of course those have to be enjoyed within 24 hours or so.  I have an unopened one in the cooler and not sure how I should do it as it is a special beer and I am not sure I can drink it in a day--but of course will have to try.
Time to eat and get on the road.  One last sip of FP to get me going.

On to Joshua Tree NP on day 31



what do you expect, it is a NP




what do you expect, we are in a NP

 We are on to Joshua Tree NP today and then out of CA tomorrow.  Yesterday in Death Valley NP the landscape and colors were breath taking.  It was a fun day.
Happy Labor Day.  For 30 years of my life I would be going over lesson plans today but not any more--thank you Lord.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOAN, THE ELDER STATES PERSON IN OUR FAMILY!!!!


Grandma and Grandpa Sampson





114 degrees--what do you expect we are in Death Valley NP



Day 30--two days into week 5!

Crater Lake



BIG rock

We are camping about 90 miles outside of Death Valley National Park in CA.  We looked at the weather forecast and it is supposed to be 110 there today.  Maybe we will go on a 5 mile hike!
We had a wonderful time yesterday.  After driving about 40 miles on the most difficult road I have ever been on we were out of Sequoia NP and headed towards Vasalia CA.  After stopping at Costco for gas and then wandering down their many isles for samples--it was lunch time--we headed to W 3300 Cherry St where cousin Ruth lives.  I could not find her phone #, we found out it is in her son in law's name, we decided to just stop and see if she was home.  She was and we had a delightful 2 hours with her and then her daughter and her husband.  Ruth's dad, Ansel, was second oldest in my mom's family and mom was the youngest by several years so Ruth was only 8 years younger than Aunt Ruby. She was so so excited to see us.  She said more than once that Ruby was her hero in so many ways.  She was in mom and dad's wedding and she remembered just what she wore.  At 94 she is very very with it in all ways, full of energy and conversation.  As we talked we had a glass of wine and cake.  She said, with a grin that oh yes she was not like some Sampson, she enjoys a glass of wine!
Death Valley today will be our 11th NP so far this trip.  We found one in CA that we did not know about but will not see it this trip as it is a series of islands off the southern coast.
Happy September 1st to all.
We did get a nice camp site for last night and tonight even though we just called yesterday afternoon.  We got their last pull through.  Another note, as we were leaving Sequoia NP yesterday we were pretty much alone in the west bound lane and at the park entrance there were at least 100 cars in line to get in---good decision to go west!!!!