Sunday, June 10, 2012 Bad Lands and Free Water
This morning we got up intending to head deeper into South Dakota, to Badlands National Park. http://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm We decided to head to the far East entrance so we could drive through the park, and come out near the Wall Drug Store, a famous attraction here in South Dakota. http://www.walldrug.com/
Shortly after breakfast, there was a knock at the door. Karen and Dan, the Heartland owners we met the day before, stopped by to say HI! We visited for a bit, and they told us they were leaving to head on to Gillette. Apparently they were having too much fun without them! As we drove east, we saw many Heartland products headed west. We figured they were headed to the Rally!
We drove towards the park entrance, we kept saying, gee, this doesn’t look “BAD”, but after entering the park, the landscape changed dramatically! The first turnout off the road was an amazing vista of rugged, weathered crevices and canyons.
Badlands National Park entrance
Tony taking pictures
We continued on the
road, stopping at the turnouts to take pictures and marvel at the formations.
We stopped at the information center, and watched the short educational film
about the Badlands, and purchase our souvenirs (including a pressed penny,
which I collect.) We had brought our lunch, so we ate it in the truck, enjoying
the great scenery.
Here are more
pictures, but of course they don’t do it justice.
At a certain point in the park, you can exit or continue on a dirt road through even more of the badlands. We chose to exit, so we could visit Wall Drug, a famous establishment put on the map because they offered free ice water to weary travelers through the region. The building now takes up a city block or more, and has all sorts of souvenirs, tourist trap attractions, food, etc. It’s definitely a sight to see. After our free ice water, we purchased a few items and headed back to Hill City.
Wall Drug
When we got into town, we decided to stop and eat at the Alpine Inn. We had heard on the Heartland Forum they had great steaks. Well, we were tired and hungry, so it took a while for us to park and walk onto the porch and try the handle before we realized they were closed on Sundays!! I was so disappointed!
We were so hungry,
we opted to walk down the street and go in the first place we came to, the Hill
City Café. The buffet left much to be desired, but we were fed, and quickly
with no fuss.
After dinner, we drove over a block to check out the train station of the 1880 Train. I had read about it online, but we were a little unsure whether we’d want to make time to ride, sight-unseen. Well, they had a little engine problems, so the depot was still open, and the nice gal working there was very friendly and helpful and answered all our questions. We decided to go ahead and make our reservations for the next morning. We got back to the rig and relaxed for the evening, and I worked for a bit.
Monday, June 11,
2012 Trains and Presidents
We got up and got
ready so we could head to town for our ride on the 1880 Train at 10am. We opted
for the out and back to Keystone, with no extended time there, as we had other
plans for the day as well.
Find out more about the train here: http://www.1880train.com/history.html
The train was a
little late, but no one seemed to mind once we were boarded! It was cool enough
for jackets, and with the windows of the coach open, they were welcome! Right
off the bat, the train had to climb a steep grade. Supposedly this is the
steepest non-cog railway grade in the US. The views were great throughout the
trip… many of the time through wooded lands, but also along areas of homes and
ranches. We got to Keystone, and there was quite a crowd waiting to board as
well! We had 15 minutes to go to the restroom and sightsee, before boarding of
the additional passengers took place. We enjoyed the trip back, as well.
engine 110, the only one of its kind operating today
Great view from the back of the train
unique rock formations, just a few feet from the tracks
The station in Hill City
The water tower at the Hill City station
The view from inside the rail car
scenes along the way, remnants of a mining claim
After the train ride, we decided to eat lunch. This time, we were more judicious in our choice. We picked Desperados Cowboy Restaurant -- western style décor in a well preserved historic building, built in 1885. We had the Buffalo burgers, and they were terrific! Tony struck up a conversation with the owner. He seemed very nice. We highly recommend this place if you are in the area.
After lunch, we headed to see Mount
Rushmore National Memorial. The drive was beautiful, with many unusual rock
formations and curvy mountain roads. Once we arrived at the Memorial, we paid
our parking fee and entered the nice new parking garages. They have recently added/renovated
the Mall in front of the memorial (1998) and it is very nice. There is a large
theater-style seating area, and a great walking path that takes you up closer
to the carvings. Tony took the entire loop, while I stayed back and only did
part of the path, due to the many stairs at the end of it. ;)
The park entrance
Unique rock formations
Mount Rushmore
Us and the presidents
A closer look
We got many great pictures. It truly is amazing to see these heads carved in sheer granite, at the size and scale that they are! After visiting the Memorial, we went back to the RV where I worked. Tony then took a drive over to the Crazy Horse Memorial, under construction and visible from the road, to take some more pictures. Since we just didn’t have time, we’ll save that visit for another time. After Tony returned, he cooked hot dogs on the grill. They were great!! After dinner we started getting our stuff ready to pack up and head to Gillette tomorrow.
Grillin!
Eileen at Rafter J Bar Ranch, Hill City SD
Tuesday June 12,
2012 Through Deadwood to Gillette
Today we got up and
got the rig ready to go. We knew we didn’t have too far to go, so we didn’t
rush. We pulled out about 10AM, headed for Gillette. The roads were pretty and
scenic, and we enjoyed the drive. We passed a pretty lake up in the mountains,
Pactola Reservoir. This made me think of Dale, my former coworker, that insists
on finding remote property near water and mountains someday.
Passing by Pactola Reservoir
About lunchtime, we
were approaching the town of Deadwood. We saw a small RV park, and as we zipped
by, I counted 6 or 7 Heartlands! I think this turned out to be the group
caravanning from Oklahoma.
Into Deadwood, we
decided to stop –- quite suddenly -- as I saw a Pizza Hut right across the
street from a large parking lot!
We pulled in and had a good lunch, and were soon back on the road again.
Surprisingly, we didn’t see any other good RV friendly parking through this
historic town, nestled into the canyon… in fact; most of the parking in the
main downtown area was metered parking. The road rose sharply out of town, and in
no time we were back out onto the plains. We crossed over back into Wyoming. We
could see storm clouds off in the distance, but they never rained on us. We got
to Gillette about 3:00 PM.
First things first,
we fueled up so our rig would be the heaviest it would be for our weigh-in, and
then headed to the Cam-Plex for check-in and then rig weighing. Once Mammoth
and the Truck (hitched) were weighed, we were lead to our site at the
fairgrounds. The fairgrounds at the Cam-Plex consist of a large field, but with
hundreds of “sites” all with full hookups. The arrangement was such we could
pull straight through to our specific site, and the rigs were staggered -- every
other one, so we all had plenty of room.
Tony and I began to
unhook, when we discovered an issue. We couldn’t get the tailgate down on the
truck! Also about that time, the Heartland Repair Team appeared to look at our
two issues we’d requested. They immediately went into HELP MODE, and were able
to help us get our tailgate latch unstuck, and diagnosed the problem. (A small
plastic retainer had broken on one side of the handle.) They also looked at our
front cap flex, and tried to add longer screws. Unfortunately this didn’t solve
it, so it looks like a trip to Heartland factory will be in our future. We also
discovered that one of our aluminum wheels had a crack in it, through the
spoke, in two places. I guess we’re lucky we discovered it here, where we have
time and resources to find a solution!
After we got the
rig set up, we drove the truck back over for it’s separate weighing. Once that
was done, it was too late to join the 50 other Heartlanders headed out to
dinner, so we opted for a quick meal in our rig. After that, we did some
walking around and meeting our neighbors, and visiting with old friends. Turns out,
it doesn’t get dark until after 9PM here!
Wednesday June 13,
2012 Towering Amazement
Today was still
considered a “pre-rally” day, so there was not much going on at the CAM-PLEX
just yet. Vendors were starting to arrive and set up booths, and the display
units from Stalkups RV were arriving, as well. We were invited to a potluck
breakfast at Jay and Stella’s rig the Leaders of the South Texas Chapter. We
met some nice folks and visited with others we knew, and then we decided to hit
the road to Devil’s Tower National Monument, located about an hour away from
Gillette. Devil’s Tower is a unique rock formation believed to be caused by
Magma uplift through existing sedimentary rock layers, millions of years ago.
Over time, the softer surrounding material has eroded away to reveal the tower.
It is truly awe-inspiring, as a monolith on the landscape, totally foreign to
anything around it.
More information on Devil's Tower: http://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm
waiting to enter the park
entrance sign
us with the Tower
closeup with new camera
very close up of the upper rim
Once inside the
park, the road winds around the base and up to a visitor center, with a small
parking area. Good thing we were not pulling the Mammoth, there isn’t a lot of
room to maneuver! They do have a lot for larger RVs to park, but unless you had
a towed car or could drop your trailer, there really isn’t good parking for RVs
close to the base. We explored the small shop and visitor center, and then
walked up the hiking path around the base. It was pretty steep, and with the
altitude, I got winded quickly! I stopped and found a bench and enjoyed
watching people, while Tony explored a little more and took pictures.
We also stopped to take pictures of the groundhogs. They really didn't cooperate, however.
Devil's Tower with a Sundance 5ver in the foreground
shy groundhog
groundhog with new camera
exiting the park, this red layer of siltstone is what surrounded the tower when it was formed.
The day was turning
warm, so we decided to head back to Gillette. We were hungry, and food was
unavailable at the park, so we stopped just outside the park at the KOA
campground’s store and restaurant. The restaurant service was extremely slow so
we decided to cross the street and check out another shop that also served
food. We got a burger there and much quicker, so we were happy. We picked up
some souvenirs and headed back to the Cam-Plex.
At the Cam-Plex, we
stopped in to see what vendors were set up, and went through a few of the
Heartland coaches that were on display, before heading home. A few more folks
were “in” now, and the park was filling up! Our next-door neighbors arrived as
well, Brett and Sandie, from Anna, TX. They have a 21FBS (like our first
trailer), and have traveled extensively with it. We’ve visited with them on the
Forum quite a bit, and even though we are not too far from each other in Texas,
we’ve never met them in person, until now. Nice folks!!
Mammoth between our former trailer model, a 21FBS, and her larger sister, a Landmark
After a while we
decided we were hungry. Since we missed the big Heartland get together at the
Chop House Restaurant the night before, we decided to go there tonight,
instead. Probably better, since some folks waited an hour for their food!
We had a great meal
there, both having the Prime Rib, and (thanks to the Rally) a free dessert,
too. We also struck up a conversation with a couple next to us; they were here
for the Rally, as well, the only Heartland MPG to attend. (The MPG is the
smallest, most compact trailer in the fleet. Think egg shaped!)
The Chophouse in Gillette, WY
Prime Rib
After we got back,
I had some work to do, so Tony went visiting, and caught up with couple that
wants to buy our portable icemaker we had brought to sell at the swap table
during the Rally. They came over, and brought their cat! He was on a leash, and
enjoyed exploring all inside our rig, while we discussed the icemaker and other
things. They liked what they saw, so they bought it! And I got some kitty lovin',
too! All in all, a busy, fun-filled day.
Thursday, June 14th Let’s Get Ready to RALLY!
This morning we
decided we needed to go to the Chevy Dealer and get the little plastic piece
for the truck bed handle. Who knew such a small piece of plastic, (about 1” by
½”) could be so expensive! Nearly $10!
We also ran some other
errands and then went to some of the seminars put on at the Rally. We also visited the vendor booths, and
explored the display coaches. One became increasingly interesting to us, a 2012
Big Horn 3585RL. It had a great floor plan, but more importantly, all the
extras we wanted for our next coach: dual pane windows, Yeti package, Level Up
auto leveling system, half-body paint, electric cord reel, larger fridge, and
more. We can also tow it with our current truck, based on the numbers we got
from our rig-weigh earlier this week. Just for grins, we decided to talk to the
roaming salesperson, to see what they were willing to sell it for. After an
hour of waiting, we were not impressed by the offer, so we decided to move on.
It just wasn’t the right time. But it did open up a possibility to consider a
Big Horn in the future.
The Cam-Plex campgrounds are full of Heartlands! Just a couple of shots, I just can't get them all in a single pic.
Thursday evening
was the Potluck dinner, with 260+ folks in attendance! The Chop House provided bar-be-que, and
there were TONS of sides. We had a great time, hanging out with others from the
Texas area, including our friends Jay and Stella from Spring and Dan and Ruth
Ann from Austin.
After dinner I did
some work, and there was a small shower that passed over just after we got back
in the rig, so not much visiting happened that evening.
Friday, June 15th The Rally Continues!
We continued to
attend many of the presentations and seminars held at the Rally hall, and I
worked occasionally as well. We purchased some LED lighting for the bedroom
reading lights, because they get awfully hot and I got tired of almost burning
my fingers trying to position the light or turn them off. The LED lights are
actually brighter! They are the same warm “color” as the ones they replaced,
and I was very pleased how “cool” they are.
For dinner, the
meal was catered by the Chop House with giant chicken halves! We were asked to
wear our Rally t-shirts, so the view was a sea of YELLOW.
Enjoying dinner and door prizes
Yellow, everybody!
This night, we ate
with the crowd from the Oklahoma Chapter, many of which we met at the Canton,
TX and Spring, TX Rallies. They were a lot of fun! Turns out, one of the
couples had purchased one of the display coaches, earlier that day, so they
were very excited about the transition that was about to take place. This
night, Heartland also gave away door prizes! Every couple got at least one
item, and some got two! Prizes ranged from Kindle Fire tablets, gift cards for
fuel, portable video cameras, various camping products, and more. It took about
an hour to give away all the prizes. After that, we were entertained for the
evening by Kenny Miller, a tribute singer that did Elvis, Merle Haggard, Roy
Orbison, and others. He was really good, even though he was getting over a
cold!!
After dinner we
enjoyed visiting with folks around us. We tried to go for a “walk” but you never
get very far without a conversation taking place and standing around because of
it. That’s OK, we really enjoyed visiting with everyone!!
Clouds at sunset
Saturday, June 16th Coal Mining Up Close
This morning, two
groups were scheduled to go on a tour of the Eagle Butte Coal Mine, not far
from Gillette. We were in the second group, scheduled to leave at 10AM. We were
all ready, but the bus was a little late returning with the 8AM group. Oh well,
more time to visit!
We rode the bus
over to a lookout area, where the Mine Representative told us many facts and
figures about how much coal is removed every day. They also had a display tire
off of one of the loaders, and a bucket from one of the shovels used in the
mining operation. Off in the distance, we could see the tiny trucks and
shovels, moving dirt and coal.
Mine overlook
A bucket used in the process. They use bigger ones now!
one of the tires off a loader
Then we boarded the
bus again, to go over to the area where coal is dumped from trucks into a
crusher. From there, it’s sent via
conveyer to a silo, where they then load it onto trains. We got to see a train
being loaded with coal. The train never stops, it just rolls through at a slow
pace and the exact amount of coal is poured into the car. They said they fill
up to 6 trains a day, each 1 to 1.5 miles long. They supply 55% of the coal
used in the Nation today. WOW! We also got to see the machinery they use to
haul dirt and coal. Up close, it was not TINY at ALL! The tires on this thing
cost $55K a piece! It was really amazing to see.
793 CAT, bringing approx. 240 tons of coal to the crusher (tires are 12 feet tall on these!)
loading train cars (120 tons of coal, each)
see the blue barrel, for scale
for scale, this is our view out the bus window.
$55,000 for one tire
There were more
great seminars today, and vendor purchases. I had to work, so Tony went to a
few without me. I decided I needed better lighting at the desk where I work, so
we talked to the same vendor we got the bedroom lights from. They let us take
the display bulbs back to our rig, and try them out! We ended up with two that
produce more light, but the same warm “color” of light, so they do not stand
out from the other lights in the rig.
Dinner tonight was
Italian, catered by the Chop House.
We sat with another couple we hadn’t met yet, and enjoyed the BIG door
prize giveaways, even though we didn’t win. Prizes included things like a $250
gift card, a remote controlled RV door lock, a handmade Elk antler lamp, a
Fantastic Fan, and more. After the giveaways and thank yous, we had
entertainment. Sarah Getto, a young woman who was born blind, but has taught
herself to sing and play the piano, as well as other instruments. She sings to
tracks, however, she herself plays all the music and sings the backup vocals on
her tracks. She was really good!
After dinner, we
did some more visiting, and then decided to start getting the rig ready to go
in the morning. All of us have to vacate the fairgrounds tomorrow, as another
RV Rally is supposed to be coming in. We have to replace that cracked wheel,
too, before we can go! Overall the Rally has been a lot of fun.
Eileen at the Cam-Plex Box Elder Campground, Gillette, Wyoming
Sunday, June 17th Goodbye Gillette, hello Cody!
Today we packed up
and got ready to go. We decided to eat in the rig rather than go to the Rally
breakfast, just because we wanted to make sure we could get our wheel changed
and still leave on time. We made quick work of getting the rig ready, hooked up
and then Tony and I used our two 12 ton bottle jacks to lift the frame. The
whole process went vey smoothly, and we got the wheel switched out to the spare
pretty quickly. We decided to put our tire monitor system on the spare, just to
keep an eye on it.
Since we finished
getting the rig ready to go, we decided we had time to make the worship service
that the Rally was having at 10AM. We got ready and rode over with our friends
Jay and Stella, since our truck was already hooked up. The service was small,
but we had a good service with a great message. One of the memorable comments
made by Rev. Buddy Riddle stuck with me. He said he doesn’t use the word
“Awesome” to describe things. Awesome should be reserved for the things GOD
does. He is an awesome God… So I have been mindful of using “awesome” now!
After Service, we
said our goodbyes to many folks we’d met during the Rally, and headed back to
get ready to leave. A few of us had decided to caravan to Cody, WY, and planned
to follow the route recommended by Dave, the Wyoming Chapter Leader. We headed
out about 11am with 5 rigs… Three Landmarks and two Elk Ridges!
Our caravan in the side view mirror
After a little
while we stopped at a rest stop, to catch up and make sure everyone was still
on the same page. We also coordinated walkie-talkies so we could communicate
easily between rigs.
Our caravan at a rest stop
Heading for the mountians
Up and up
and up and up
great views, even in the side mirror
The views were amazing! At one point, our caravan was broken into two groups, so we pulled over to wait for them to catch up.
We crossed over the Powder River Pass at 9,677ft, and there was still snow on the ground!
cresting the pass, above the tree line
snow!
At one point, we encountered road construction, where the road transitioned into DIRT! The walkie-talkies lit up with comments, as we were all glad we hadn’t paid for a rig wash at the rally! We drove through some areas that were a little muddy, too, so the rig came to Cody with a little mountain-dirt attached.
a little off-road action
hope the brakes work!
Old Hwy 16
Down and down and down
Just as we finished
descending from the steep grades into Ten Sleep Canyon, our tire monitor went
off, alerting us to a low tire. We notified the caravan, and we all pulled
over. Sure enough, the valve stem appeared to be leaking. We nursed the trailer
down the road till we could find a safe place to pull over and see what to do.
The caravan leader spotted a small church, with a parking lot big enough for at
least 4 of the rigs, so we pulled in there. Thanks to others in the group, we
were able to switch out the valve core, and air the tire back to 70lbs (would
have liked 80). Others in the group went ahead and drove to the next town of
Ten Sleep to look for a repair shop.
Someone must have
been watching out for us, because on a Sunday afternoon, in a town of 304, they
found a small repair shop with a lone worker still there! We took it easy and
drove the few miles into town, and stopped at Ten Sleep Repair, where a nice
young man removed the tire and replaced the valve stem. While we were waiting
on the repair, we sent most of the caravan on without us. Our friends, Jay and
Stella stayed behind. Next door to the repair shop was Dirty Sally’s Soda
Fountain and Western Gifts. The rustic building was originally built in 1918 as
a bank. I bought a few souvenirs to remember our time here, and Jay was nice
enough to buy us ice cream while we waited for the tire work.
Ten Sleep, Wyoming
Once the tire was
fixed, we headed on. One more bit of adventure… part of the plastic molding on
the bulkhead started to come off as we were driving. We alerted our friends,
and they slowed for us. I was able to jump out and remove the molding quickly,
and we resumed. This molding was removed for the repair work the Heartland
techs did, I guess they didn’t get it back in place entirely. Oh well, we can
pick up some at any RV parts place.
We eventually made
it to Cody, WY and the Ponderosa Campground about 6PM. Whew! Our four-hour
drive ended up taking seven, but we made it. As soon as we walked in to the
office and said we were with the Heartland group, they started apologizing.
Apparently there was a mix-up and our site with the other Heartland Owners was
not available. They gave us various options, but we ended up in a site that
seemed more like an afterthought, a “pull over” from the road through the park.
Oh well, we were there. It would be fine, we said. We were sited next to “Two
Toes”, a brand new owner, from California. He had bought his rig in Mesquite,
TX, and we had been talking back and forth on the Owner’s Forum to help him
out. Our rigs were back-end-to-back-end, less than 6 feet apart. This normally
would not have been ideal, but, hey! It was Tony Two Toes! And a nice new
Cyclone! So we were OK with it. We got settled in and ate dinner, then went and
visited with some of the others. But we retired pretty quickly… it had been a
long day.
Welcome to Cody, Wyoming!
Our site at the Ponderosa Campground, Cody, WY
Monday, June 18th Rest and Deal with the Wheel
Today we decided to
take a day off and rest. First order of business was to see about getting our
replacement wheel from Tredit, the Tire and Wheel supplier for Heartland
products. I called them, and they quickly sent me information to fill out for
the warranty claim. I did so, and then agreed to pay for expedited shipping, to
get the wheel by Thursday, so that we could get it replaced before the weekend.
It took about an hour to finalize the paperwork, but hey, it’s a free
replacement wheel! We explored Cody a bit, even tried the local Mexican Food at
Zapatas. (Um, nice try… but it ain’t REAL Mexican food.) We discovered a nice
sweet shop next door, with samples, which lead to purchases!
We also decided to
seek out the RV repair place, to get the molding for the bulkhead replaced. In the small store, they had many stuffed/mounted animals. Here was the closest I've been to an Elk. It was mounted very low to the ground, so you could see "eye-to-eye" with it!
After that, we headed home, and I did some work. Tony visited with other Heartland owners, and we had a nice relaxing day!
Tuesday, June 19th A Date with
the Tetons
We decided to get
up extra early and visit the Grand Teton National Park. This park is located
south of Yellowstone, near Jackson, Wyoming, and would be about a 3-hour drive
to get there. We packed a lunch and headed out about 7:30AM.
We first had to
head West to Yellowstone, then through the park south to the Tetons. The
canyons and mountain passes, valleys, rock formations and forests that surround
this area are magnificent. It is hard to see man’s impact here in this part of Wyoming,
and that is what makes it unique… Wyoming is still very wild! We passed a large
herd of Elk, and saw buffalo as well as we entered Yellowstone National Park.
The road through the park is wondrous with changing terrain, and areas of
forest fires have impacted the landscape. But it is still fascinating to see
the process of this renewal underway.
Interesting rock formations along the Shoshone River
Imposing canyon walls
Entering Yellowstone National Park, East Entrance
Over Sylvan Pass
Forest fire remains
scorched sentinals
Yellowstone Lake
Heading towards the Tetons
We entered the Grand Tetons national park about 10:30ish. We couldn’t help but stop and take lots of pictures! It was gorgeous. The road took us along the shore of Jackson Lake, with dramatic views of the Tetons. These mountains are very jagged, rugged, with very little vegetation, and rise sharply straight out of the lake, it seems.
Grand Teton National Park entrance
Jackson Lake
Wild flowers at Jackson Lake
They are GRAND
We then drove further into the park, and to Jenny Lake. The views were even more breathtaking! There is a ferry that can take you to the other side of Jenny Lake, but we did not have time to do that this trip. We enjoyed our lunch, and explored the visitor center and gift shops. The weather was wonderful! Cool enough for long sleeves and jeans! (High in the 60s!)
Tony taking pictures
Tony walked down to the edge of Jenny Lake. Notice how clear the water is!
We then took the scenic route up Signal Mountain Road… A single lane road that switchbacks up to an overlook over the valley and the Snake River, as well as a higher view of the Tetons and Jenny Lake. It was fine going up, but coming down, we had to be careful of blind corners and oncoming traffic. It was worth it though!
View of the snake river, from Signal Mountain overlook
Us and Jenny Lake, with Tetons, from Signal Mountain.
A couple from Grapevine, TX took our picture!
About 3pm we headed back to Cody. It was a
long drive back, but the scenery made it seem to go by fast. One of the neat
landmarks as drew near Cody is the Buffalo Bill State Park, highlighted by the
reservoir created by the Buffalo Bill Dam. The North and South Forks of the
Shoshone River flow from the Absaroka Mountains and Shoshone National Forest. The
two branches of the river meet at Buffalo Bill Reservoir, the impoundment
created by the Buffalo Bill Dam, the tallest in existence at its completion,
325 feet, in 1910.
As soon as we got back to civilization, a
flood of email arrived, including some from my main customer. There was a
concern to get a large project as completed as possible, so that they could
print it for a conference this weekend. I understood my obligation, and we
adjusted our plans for the next few days so that I could work.
We ate dinner and took it easy for the rest
of the evening. We had a long day!
Wednesday June 20th More Rigs
come in for the Rally
Today I worked pretty much all day, making
changes requested. More Heartland rigs arrived today, and it is becoming
obvious a Rally is fixin’ to happen! Tony went to Wal-Mart for groceries, and
also took our laundry to a Laundromat to be done, since the RV park’s machines
always seemed to be full. In the evening, we joined a group of other
Heartlanders, by going to The Silver Dollar Bar for hamburgers. They were
great! We took up 3 tables with 6 at each. We were having a good time, I
suppose, because when we all left, the place was noticeably quieter, and people
watched us leave! LOL! Our friends Bret and Sandie from Anna came in today,
too.
The Silver Dollar Bar
Thursday June 21st The Rally Starts!
Today I worked all day getting final files
ready for my customer. The wheel came in for the trailer tire, so Tony decided
to take it and get the tire switched and the wheel balanced, so it would be
ready to be installed before we left.
Just a few of the rigs here for the Rally
Just before dinnertime, I felt the files
were ready to go, I just had to upload them, so we headed over for the Rally’s
official kickoff! Dave cooked burgers and hotdogs, and may folks brought side
dishes as well. We had a great time with 50+ folks in attendance. After dinner,
I uploaded the files and we went to bed. We planned to head back and visit
Yellowstone National Park tomorrow!
Friday, June 22nd Geysers and Fumaroles
and Waterfalls, Oh my!
Today we headed back to Yellowstone National Park, leaving early again, knowing we didn’t have much time to see all we wanted. We headed first to see Old Faithful. We had to wait about 40 minutes for the next approximate eruption of the geyser. While we were waiting, we did the walking tour of part of the geyser basin around Old Faithful. We didn’t see it all, because we hurried back to sit and watch Old Faithful. Oh well, more for the next trip! Here are a few pics of what we did see.
Tony and the Geyser Basin
WOW, it was worth it. This geyser is pretty impressive. Probably 40-50 feet into the air, at the height of the eruption.
Old Faithful
Us and Old Faithful
After exploring the visitor center and
souvenir shops, we headed to the other main attraction we wanted to see, the
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the Waterfall. It was quite a drive to the
other end of the park, but the scenery was amazing. We saw elk and bison along
the way, and many other areas we could have pulled over to explore, but with
our limited time, we just couldn’t see it all.
Elk
Another Elk, taken with the new camera
Bison
We got to the Upper Falls overlook and WOW, how radical the scenery changes again! God’s work here is Awe-inspiring.
The Falls
The canyon
wow
About 3:30, we had to head back to Cody, to be sure we were ready for the potluck dinner tonight! More great pics along the way.
Snow-capped mountains across Yellowstone Lake
More fire ravaged pines
Sylvan Pass (on the left, about mid picture, is a cannon and a small building. We assume for avalanche control).
Along the Shoshone River
We got home and got ready
or dinner. We had a great meal, with lots of great food, fun and fellowship.
Dave and Amy have hosted a great rally! Tonight they gave away door prizes. We
won a cast iron sandwich griller, which can be used over a campfire. We had a
great time meeting new folks, visiting with old friends. Dave made us walk over
to the Park’s tee-pees for a picture after dinner, but we forgave him… The pic
turned out great, and we even saw a few deer in the nearby canyon.
50+ Heartlanders gathering for potluck at the Wyoming Chapter Rally
Wyoming Chapter Rally attendees
Saturday, June 23rd Waffles, Pizza and more!
Today we got up and headed over to Dave and
Amy’s trailer, for Waffles! Dave was making them over his gas grill, with a
cast iron waffle maker that typically works over a flame. They seemed to take a
long time to make (compared to Eggo waffles) but man, they were delicious!
After breakfast we decided to spend time in Cody, and do a little shopping. We
headed into town and visited many of the touristy shops and buildings down the
center of town. The Irma Hotel, built in 1902 by Buffalo Bill, is a noted
attraction in Cody.
We decided to eat lunch at a recommended
Italian place, Adriano’s. We had Pizza, and wow, it was great! The service was
terrific and we really enjoyed the atmosphere.
After we finished shopping, we headed home
and enjoyed relaxing in the rig. Too bad we have to head home tomorrow! At dinnertime,
we met up with the rest of the Rally-goers for a short walk over to the Sunset
House Restaurant for a nice buffet dinner. We had a great time visiting with
Dave and Amy and Lou and Bette, (a couple with a Road Warrior toy hauler). They
like to take motorcycle excursions. Dave told us a lot about the area and the
way of life in Cody. Sounds like a good place to live. After dinner we hung out
with rally folks until it got dark. Overall, a great time.
Watching the sun set and the moon come out
Today I decided to call my folks to check on
my grandmother. Her health had been declining in recent months, and my folks
had been out to visit her. They told me that she had suffered a slight stroke
and could not communicate or move, so we decided to prepare for a possibility
the stop through Amarillo might need to be longer. She is 94 years old, and has
had a full life. I look forward to seeing her again in a few days.
We hit the road back to Texas tomorrow.
Eileen at Ponderosa Campground, Cody, WY
Sunday, June 24th Heading Back
South – Cheyenne KOA
This morning we got up early to get the rig ready to go and change the tire to the new wheel, before we left to head to Cheyenne, WY. We got the tire changed OK, but Tony realized his pump was not functioning properly. He borrowed one from another Heartlander, and we were soon ready to roll.
We pulled the rig forward and then backed it up again, to get to our sewer hose we had to run under the trailer. Upon doing so, we rubbed up against the pine tree, at the corner of the site. Just as we were about to head over to Dave and Amy’s one more time for donuts and goodbyes, I noticed a small baby bird on the ground, about 10 feet from the tree. Apparently, Mammoth likes to play "Angry Birds"! The only thing we could figure was the brushing against the tree limbs catapulted the baby out of the tree onto the ground. I got a paper towel and gathered the bird, and put it onto the side of the tree, hoping mom (who was frantically flying around) could coax baby back where it needed to be. Sorry birds! Don't be too angry!
After donuts and well-wishes, we pulled out of the park about 9:15am. We headed Southeast on 120, toward Thermopolis. The scenery again changed as we left Cody, into rolling hills of grassland, and then into more rocky landscape, and suddenly, a deep canyon! Wind River Canyon was an amazing gem of landscape that we really weren’t expecting. It was very steep sided and narrow, with the river and train tracks running beside the winding road. The canyon terminated with another dam and reservoir, Boysen Dam and reservoir. This is a fairly large body of water, too, not far from the town of Thermopolis. I again thought of my friend Dale!!
approaching Wind River Canyon
Tunnel!
Boysen Reservoir
changing landscape
more changing landscape
interesting rock formations
We continued on and made it to Casper, Wy
desperately needing fuel. We didn’t realize there were no real towns between
Thermopolis and Casper!
We then continued on to the Cheyenne KOA,
east of the town of Cheyenne. The park is all gravel, but well maintained and
spacious. We got settled in and enjoyed a walk around the park, and stopped to
talk to a couple sitting outside their Big Horn. They were WorKamping there at
the KOA, and full-timing in their rig, originally from Florida. Nice folks! We
told them we had been to the National Heartland Rally and encouraged them to
join the forum. We headed back home after a quick stop at the park’s store, and
settled in.
Lightning could be seen in the distance, so
I started watching the radar. Storms were approaching. I stayed up till after
11pm, watching the weather, but luckily we never had more than light rain.
storms approaching
Eileen at Cheyenne, WY KOA
Monday, June 25th Crossing
Colorado, ON FIRE!
We loaded up and left Cheyenne, on the road
by 9ish. We could smell the wood smoke from the wildfires burning in Colorado
already! When we had passed through Colorado in early June, we could see the
smoke near Longmont, Colorado, a fire called the High Park fire. It was still
burning, some two weeks later. And there was the Waldo Canyon fire, which was
threatening parts of Colorado Springs. All in all, there were at least 10
separate wildfires burning in the state that day. We saw planes and helicopters
working the fire near Colorado Springs, as we passed by.
Colorado looked hazy!
Those aren't clouds, but smoke from the High Park fire
Smoke as seen from I-25, just beyond Colorado Springs
More smoke near Colorado Springs
The temperatures
were also very high for what you’d expect in Colorado, topping 102 as drove
through the Colorado Springs area. Our truck was none-too-happy either with the
climbing and hot temps, and showed a few gauges were creeping up. We tried to
take it easy, and made it over Raton pass with no overheating.
going over Raton Pass
Watch for Bears?
We got to the Raton
KOA about 4PM and got set up. We don’t do too much setup, as we are only
staying overnight. We decided not to even unhook the 5ver. This is a much older
park, and at first, I was not sure about the site they had put us in. There
were electrical lines strung from pole to pole at each site for the hookups,
and these lines seemed to be within 6-8 inches of the AC unit. With the wind
blowing, they seemed to get even closer! I asked if we could move sites, and
they obliged. The new site still had power lines above it, but they seemed
further up. We also got a little more shade in this site.
After dinner, we
went for a walk around the park, and took a few pictures, and I did some work.
Due to the slow internet connection, I didn’t do very much!
Tony and the entrance at Raton KOA
Eileen at Raton, NM KOA
Our site at Raton KOA
Tuesday, June 26th Amarillo and the Oasis
We packed up and
headed out about 10:30am. A little slower today, but we didn’t have too far to
go, we were only 215 miles from Amarillo. We had a fairly uneventful trip… And
were about an hour outside of Amarillo, when I called my aunt to tell her where
we were. Mom and Dad were also on their way to Amarillo, so we decided to stay
at an RV Park nearby, rather than impose too much on my aunt and uncle with
more houseguests. We got to Amarillo about 4:30 and checked in at the Oasis RV
Resort on I-40, just West of Amarillo, very near the famous buried cadillacs at Cadillac Ranch. We've been there before, so we didn't stop. Read more about them here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Ranch
Cadillac Ranch
Cadillac Ranch (zoomed in)
The Oasis is a large park, with large cement pad sites, but not much greenery. The pull-throughs are nice and long and each site has a pad for a picnic table, but there are none, which seems unusual for a “Resort”. The bathrooms and laundry were just one row over from our site.
The entrance
Remind you of anything?
Our site at The Oasis Resort, Amarillo, TX
We got settled in, and
then headed over to my grandmother’s care facility. I’m glad we got to visit
her! After a short while, my folks arrived as well. We spent some more time
there, then decided to go and eat dinner. After dinner and visiting, we headed
back to the RV park for the evening. On the way in, we noticed another
Heartland 5th wheel, nearby. After a closer look, we realized it was Terry and Carol, the new North Texas Chapter Leaders! We made a point to stop by and say hi in the next few days.
Wednesday, June 27th A Sad Day
Today, I had to
work on various projects, so Tony washed clothes at the RV Park laundry, and
ran a few errands. About 4:15, I called to check on my grandmother, and we got
the sad news she had passed away.
Saturday June 30 The 2nd Largest Canyon
Today we decided to
spend the afternoon visiting the second largest Canyon in the U.S., Palo Duro
Canyon State Park. We’ve been near it many times, but haven’t stayed in Amarillo
long enough to make the trip down into it. We decided since we were here this
long, we need to go and see it, as well as scope out the campgrounds at the
bottom for future stays.
Palo Duro Canyon is roughly 120 miles long and has an average width of 6.2 miles, but reaches a width of 20 miles in places. Its depth is around 820 ft. but in some locations it can increase up to 997 ft. Palo Duro Canyon has been named "The Grand Canyon of Texas" both for its size and for its dramatic geological features, including the multicolored layers of rock and steep mesa walls similar to those in the Grand Canyon.
We left mid morning
to drive to the canyon. It was quite unusual to see signs pointing us to a
large canyon, yet the landscape was flat and barren. Where was this canyon? It
was hidden, until we were right on top of it! Then the ground fell away, and
deeply! The canyon was carved deep into the ground, deep below the visible
horizon. We went ahead and renewed our Texas Parks Pass, and headed down. The
layers of rock and sediment varied widely from top to bottom of this scarred
landscape. It really was intriguing to get to travel “though time” down through
the layers, to the bottom of the canyon! We stopped at a few turnouts to take
pictures, and explored the campsites. All areas have back-in sites, but the
access seems do-able even for us and the Mammoth. Many hiking trails and paths
are accessible, and we’d like to explore this area further. (Not today, it’s
107!)
We drove the 1.5-mile loop and enjoyed the scenery. So vastly different than the typical West Texas plains! One thing of note, there are 7 low-water crossings throughout the canyon floor. If they do get lots of rain, I can see how one could easily be trapped or delayed by these crossings. A few had water standing in them, but at the time, none were flowing, and many were dry.
We stopped at the visitor center and store, for our usual souvenirs and a break from driving. After we’d seen all we could, we headed back to Amarillo. This park will definitely be on our list to visit and stay sometime!
Entrance to Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Kiosk
View that matches the Kiosk
Us and Palo Duro Canyon
Winding road down into the canyon
Tony driving into the canyon
An RV campsite
Another view from the rim overlook
Another view, next to the Visitor Center located on the Canyon Rim. This rustic native stone building was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934.
Another view from the rim overlook
Another view from the rim overlook, next to the Visitor Center
In the evening, we
met back up with more relatives, in town for my grandmother’s funeral, and
celebrating my Dad’s birthday. We went to eat at Leal’s Mexican Restaurant, and
I had the best avocado enchiladas! After dinner we headed back to the RV park,
as we were wiped out from the day’s travels.
Eileen at the Oasis RV Resort, Amarillo, TX
Tuesday, June 3rd Headed Home
Yesterday was the funeral for my grandmother. Today, we packed up to finally head home. We left about 9:15, and had a normal, uneventful trip. We did notice that some of the filling stations we had notated for diesel had changed brands. Looks like Exxon is no longer the fuel brand with the Allsups or Taylor Convenience store chains along Hwy 287.
We decided to stop in Denton at the Camping World, as we needed a few things for some minor repairs and replenish exhausted rv supplies. After grabbing a quick bite at DQ, we headed on down I-35 to the George Bush Turnpike, which, although a tollway, is much quicker and less stressful than going into Dallas and taking the I-635 loop around. We got home about 7PM, unloaded perishables and such, and collapsed.
It has been a great RV trip -- 25 nights -- a true test to whether we can stand to “live” in our coach, and tolerate the small space and unexpected issues that arise when living in a rolling home. ;) We LOVED IT! And can’t wait to go again.
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