Home again, home again, jiggety-jog

Leon didn't know he needed to make a stop at Wall Drug, but I did. They proclaim to have as many as 20,000 visitors a day and from what we saw I believe it.



We like the story we read while having a donut for lunch and a 5 cent cup of coffee. A pharmacist bought the little drug store in Wall in 1931 and didn't have too much success until his wife put up signs along the highway for free ice water. It was a hot trip across the plains and people began to stop for water. The business now covers an entire block and has tourist items, restaurants, places for kids to play, an art collection and old photos, and free ice water.



The Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD is just one of those corny things you don't to miss. After watching the video I now know it was built in 1892 strictly to attract tourists and does it ever! The current one was built in 1921. It amazes me that they replace the outside murals every year with corn that it takes 100 acres to grow. It is actually a multipurpose arena that seats 3,000.



Dusk found us watching the lights come on at the Sioux Falls in where else but Sioux Falls, SD. The rushing waters, or laughing waters as the Indians called them, were a peaceful ending to a long but rewarding day. Walmart welcomed us for the evening.



A morning trip to Minnesota finally allowed me to check off one more state for geocaching. It wasn't easy finding micros with the phone when the coordinates are off and the signals weak but we persevered. Next stop was Iowa and then a quick detour into Kansas and I now have done a cache in 48 states. Leon is pleased to have been in 49 states after we swooped into Nebraska just for the occasion. It has been a glorious two months on the road. Nothing like catching a cold to want to be home so we zipped right along.

Spearfish to North Dakota and back

We finally ran into some rain in Spearfish but not before we set up camp and had a nice dinner at the busy city park campground. We were parked on the grass in the shade alongside Spearfish Creek with perhaps 100 motorcyclists and their tents. It seemed they had a rally at the park and all left quickly on Sunday morning. The town in the northern Black Hills gets its name from when the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians speared fish in the creek.



It would have saved a lot of time and gas had I picked up a geocache when I was in North Dakota in 2003. I had no idea a goal would be to geocache in every state at that time, but I only lack three states now. At least the ride up from Spearfish is on a dotted road.



It is also Leon's first time to step foot in the state. We would stay and play but it just isn't on the agenda this week. He has three states to have seen all but Alaska.



In Buffalo there is a lovely Centennial Park which was erected to commemorate 100 years.



The famous rodeo horse Tipperary came from Buffalo and a bronze statue pays tribute to him.




The Crow Buttes, further south, intrigued us with the story of how the Sioux and Crow fought there in 1822. The Sioux had raided a Crow camp and raped the women so the Crow took them to a safe place and went to the hills to have a better vantage point with the Sioux in pursuit. The problem was that they did not have enough water for the dry period so the Sioux just encircled the buttes and waited for the Crow to die of thirst and starvation. Then the Sioux themselves died from diseases they caught from the Sioux.




We went to Deadwood for a couple of hours although it was a misty day and returned to Spearfish.The next morning was beautiful with clear skies and south we went from the Spearfish Walmart down the Spearfish Canyon Road for a pleasant two mile (rt) hike to Roughlock Falls. We were not disappointed. The drive down Spearfish Canyon itself is peaceful and lovely. Much of the movie Dances with Wolves was filmed in the canyon.



White and pinks to purples seemed to be the flower colors for the day while we hiked the trail among the aspens, birch, and Ponderosa pine alongside the creek in the canyon.



We continued on around the loop to Lead and Deadwood.

Butte, Mt

Welcome to Butte, the richest hill on earth, and I don't doubt it once was a beaut! Copper mining is the claim to fame and the man who made it happen lived here. It is now a bed and breakfast.


His neighbors were doing alright also I would say.


The town is full of old red brick buildings and Victorian homes on the side of the hill right next to the mines.


Lots of smaller Victorian homes seemed to be needing paint and be lived in by ne'er do wells. So many fixer uppers. I wonder when it might happen. The bank seemed to prosper well also.


I wonder if it were coincidence that the building blended with the mining area behind it.


This looks like a trailer park in the middle of town but nope, just the overnight gang at the local Walmart.


I seized the opportunity to look for my first Montana geocache thinking there might be one in the cemetery across the street. Sure enough there was which led me to an interesting spot.


I never really wondered where Evel Knieval was buried but now I know. He was born in Butte.

Idaho

We dashed out of Spokane to get ahead of the approaching storm but eventually the rain did catch us. In Kellogg, Idaho, after a nice breakfast I started looking for my Idaho geocache. The phone was giving me fits as there was no 3G but one had the word jackass in the title so I explored this cute structure in town... In the rain ... with no luck. Turns out later this was the wrong jackass.


But I liked viewing the sculptures.


No cache in hand we moved on towards Mullan. I thought they might have 3G. The drive was beautiful.


Well the signals were no better there but I would not leave Idaho without a cache. I observed the buildings, much to my liking.


And the vehicles


The town is an old silver mining town and a small one that lies in the valley between the mountains.


The Lucky Silver Mine is still in operation but all was quiet in the town on an early, rainy Saturday morning.


I thought the steps up the hill under the white covering were unique.


I persevered and we were close to a cache when I finally remembered how to cache with my phone when it couldn't find nearby caches .. Or did I ever know .. but success at last. We went eastward to the Lucky Pass through the mountains.


Here we observed the beauty of the mountains and the little snow village before we crossed into Montana.

Around Bend

I do believe Crater Lake is what drew me to Oregon and how magnicent the moment was when I first laid eyes on that bright blue body of water, formed when Mt. Mazama erupted 7700 years ago.


We approached from the south side and could only tour the west side of the rim as the east side is still closed due to snow. This national park gets 533 inches of snow yearly and much has still not melted.


This is the deepest lake in the US and is unmatched in clarity. It is 6.02 miles across and 1943 feet deep at the deepest point in the caldera or belly of the erupted volcano in the Cascade Mountain Range. The lake filled with snow and rain over the years as no water source runs into it. After it had begun to fill Wizard Island erupted.


Long straight flat roads led us to Bend, the Truman Show in action. We went where we thought the visitor center was and found ourselves at my favorite shopping area ever, Old Mill. The city began as a lumber town with sawmills along the Deschutes River and the area has been transformed into a beautiful park-like setting with hiking and biking paths along the river and foot bridges that give access to both sides.




On the weekend people were floating the river in rafts, canoes, kayaks or on paddle boards. Others were staying on land to walk, jog, ride a bicycle or even a four wheeled bike. On a warm summer day it just felt like paradise. We chose to ride bikes and walk along with a little geocaching. I should have started at the top rather than climbing from the bottom on this one.


One of the highlights of the area is the Cascade Lakes drive that ascends into the Cascade Mountains, the tallest of which is Mt. Bachelor at 9,065 feet. It is a popular skiing destination. There are sno parks along the road and pullouts to view the many pristine lakes.


We drove down one washboard road for what seemed like forever but was probably only three miles looking for a campground but turned back and located Rock Creek, just off the road. It was a serene and picturesque spot for the night at a cost of $7. I am a little confused as to how the national forest service can provide and maintain these remote little camping spots in the forest, which are usually among my favorites, but they can't share with you how far off the main road you need to travel.



And the view from the campfire. A lovely evening in the Deschutes Forest.

Salinas, Ca.

On the way north I couldn't resist stopping at the James Dean memorial not far from where he died. The reason this time was to do the geocache there which we quickly accomplished.


We arrived in Salinas, the breadbasket of America. The breadth of the food production in this area always amazes me. Food is shipped all over the US from this California town.


But on this trip I decided it was time to visit the Steinbeck museum and what a treat it was. Different vignettes highlighted the many novels he wrote as well as other aspects of his life.


He grew up not far from the center that pays tribute to his life.


Even though he spent much of his working life among the workers about whom he wrote he did attend college for six years but never graduated. I was excited to see the camper he used in his book Travels with Charley, which I read about him and his poodle traversing the United States in a truck with a camper while on one of my trips.





Mission accomplished and on we went to a town which had such an impact on his writings - Monterey.

Camping on the Colorado

After we made the loop over the river and across the bridge twice we finally spotted the little sign for our campground. It turned out to be a quiet, out-of-the-way place that suited us fine.




It is a city run park and I called Ashley when we couldn't spot the place even after following the blue trailer park signs. Aren't cell phones wonderful! She told me to look for the train sculpture. Glad to know that is what this is! Didn't look much like a train zipping down the highway. It would be nice if they had a sign on the road rather than after you turn into the campground.  Is it just us? Maybe! At least we did not go under the 10'3" bridge and scrape as many folks do!

Fifteen dollars a day for seniors or $75 a week with wifi is a sweet deal in this neighborhood with water and electric at each site and a nearby dump station.  The restrooms could be spiffed up a little but we don't have to use them.

At the rear of the park we found site 4 to be the perfect space. There were only two other campers in the small park with about 19 campsites.



We are not parked alongside the Colorado River but it is a short walk away and makes for a nice evening stroll. We chased away an armadillo on the way and then heard coyotes in the night.





Saturday morning we loaded the bikes in the truck and headed into Smithville for a ride. As we were leaving the park there were 716 bikers lined up ready to head off for rides from 17 - 60 miles (with hills). No thanks! We got out of their way.



When we returned a couple of hours later we unloaded the bikes and road up to see what the Pedal thru the Pines ride was all about. We were greeted with cheers and people waving pom poms as they thought we were the first returning bikers. What excitement! We did decline the free food they offered.
Next weekend the park is filled for the annual motorcycle rally: Thunder on the Colorado. Now that should be excitement but we will opt out of that one, but we might catch the parade in town.