These are the Days of our lives...

We spent two nights at Terry Frazier RV Sales in Eldridge, Iowa and got some maintenance on the Coach.  We had planned on staying in Moline for a couple of months, but on July 3rd, Mike's Mother called and said that his Dad took a turn for the worse and Hospice was coming in to take care of him.  We packed up and left for Texas on July 4th.  We were not in Moline long enough to take pictures.  We stopped by my Mother's in Rushville, Illinois and spent the night.  After breakfast we hit the road again.  We arrived in Garland, Texas on July 7th.

We traveled on to the Iowa State Fair Grounds where we love to park.  We park up on a hill and have a great view.  It is close to two of my brothers, Tony and Scott and my sister, Laura.  It was my nephew, Jay's, birthday so we got to see them and their families.  Traveling is great, but nothing is better than visiting family.

Hi, after leaving the Corn Palace we traveled on to Moline.  We stayed one night in Welcome, Minnesota so that we could put Minnesota on our travel map.  Imagine my excitement when we saw a sign, "Blue Earth, Exit Here for the Home of the Green Giant."  They do not give you an advance notice as it is just over the county line and the previous county does not allow advertising signs.  Mike whipped off the interstate and we found a parking space in front of a 60 foot Giant.  There was a small gift shop and the lady behind the counter said they were canning peas.  When the pea crop is depleted, they will change over to canning corn.  I almost bought a green shirt that said, "Ho, Ho, Ho.

This has to be one of my favorite place on our journey.  I have been waiting years to see it.  When I was in grade school our neighbors had gone there and brought pictures.  Every year they change the mural.  We drove past there a few years ago and was going to stop on the way back.  But went home a different route.  I know this is "corny", but I loved it. They were in the process of putting a new mosaic on the outside of the building. It looked like there was a group of high school and college kids working on the mosaic.  Some were on the ground cutting grass for the border and others were on lifts stapling it to the building. The detail is astonishing.  They have a pattern drawn on roofing paper and coded with the color of corn to use in each section. Speaking of "corny," Mike told me I could buy the sweatshirt, but was reluctant about the hat.

Traveling across South Dakota we stopped at Wall Drug and drove loop 240 through the Badlands.  We had been at Wall Drug many years ago and it has not changed much.  Pretty much a tourist trap.  The Badlands were refreshing and pure natures.  We were suprised at their beauty and colors.  We were told that the rain has made the colors more vivid.  More construction, but we were not in a hurry.  Well worth the extra miles! When we got out of the motor home at an overlook, Mike wanted me to cut across the grass.  Not!

On the way home from Mount Rushmore, we stopped by to see the movie set from Dancing with the Wolves.  The movie was not filmed there, the buildings were moved  to the Fort Hays property. We decided to stay for the dinner show.  It was a great show and OK food.

This is the model that they used to carve Mt. Rushmore.  They ran out of money before they  finished.  Notice that Abe  is holding his labels. and George and Thomas have coats.  The sculptor, Gutzon Borglum went to Chicago to raise money, but unfortunately died.  Notice Abraham Lincoln's hand in the picture below, it is only his knuckles. Every where we go, I offer to take pictures of people so that all the family can be in the picture.  A young couple insisted in taking a picture of us.  The used dynamite to blast within 3 inches of the face, then gradually smaller tools to finish the detailing.  I was impressed with the drill marks on the rocks at the foot of the mounument.

We made it out of Wyoming but barely. The spring, first day of summer brought tornadoes to southern Wyoming and western South Dakota.................... welcome to my life. It has rained every night but the days have been pretty good. We drove into Sturgis to see what the excitment was and found a lot of motorcycle shops and t-shirt shops. Neat little town of about 11,000. We also rode our iron horse into Deadwood. I don't know if ya'll know but Wild Bill Hickock was shot while playing poker.  Some coward named Jack McCall shot Bill in the back. Remember, you heard it here first. Sorry to bring you bad news this way but somebody has to spread the news. The downtown is really neat to walk around. It has a lot of stores but every one has a few slot machines or poker tables that you can try your luck at. But welcome to my world...................... guess what happened while we were there................... HAIL but it turned out to be a good day and tomorrow we...

Our first view of Devil's Tower.  A big storm was coming on the horizon. As we got closer, we could not believe how big it was! You could see where rocks had fallen off the side of the tower and I wondered where the rocks were.  After you walked closer, you found a field of rocks at the base. When you look at it up close, it looks like cement columns.  This would be the west side of the tower.  Notice that the ribs look square. The ribs on the east side looked rounded.  If you click on the pictures, you can enlarge them. I wonder if the weather out of the north west has something to do with the shapes. As you can see, the tower is a sacred place for many American Indians.  The Park requests that people do not climb the tower during the month of June as the Indians hold their ceremonies in June.  They hang prayer bundles from the trees. The Indians are trying to get the name of Devil's Tower changed to Bear Lodge.  When the white man ...

Saturday, over 1,000 people filled the little town of Kaycee, Wyoming for the dedication of a park in Chris LeDoux's honor.  Chris died in 2005. Chris LeDoux was a genuine singing cowboy and rodeo champion.  Mike has loved his music long before Garth Brooks sang about him in a song.  We stayed in Kaycee for 11 days.  It was a great honor to meet the family and talk to the relatives.  Across the street from the park is Chris LeDoux's father-in-laws store, "The Rusty Spur."  He is a wonderful man that reminded me of my Grandpa.  He sits on his stool by the counter and there are two rocking chairs beside him just inviting people to sit and stay for awhile.  We loved going in there.  The horse, "Stormy Weather" is standing on a Guild Guitar which is engraved on the side, "beneath these western skies." Lyrics from one of Chris's songs.  The picture below was taken the day they set the bronze and before the flowers were plant...