We had a blast and now we're home buuuuuuuuutttttttttttt we'd like to go again! [View Full Entry]

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We drove through mostly farmland again from Kansas City, MO to Lexington, KY. We crossed the mighty Mississippi River in St. Louis, MO where the evidence of the swollen river was all around. This is where we were to pick up I-64 from I-70 but we were surprised to find signs telling us it was closed. Karen called the Road Conditions number given her by AAA to get redirected. After a few minutes delay we were back on track toward the familiar I-64 - the road HOME! At 7:00 pm we arrived in Lexington but had to make one more stop [View Full Entry]

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The drive from Rapid City to Sioux Falls, SD was very interesting but long. We were amazed to see how much of the country is volcanic. The Yellowstone super-volcano comprises nearly all the park but its last eruption spewed ash, rocks and lava over many neighboring states. This was no surprise but to see how volcanic forces have been at worked underneath so much of the west was astounding. From the time we left Portland (where the Cascades are all volcanoes) to near Sioux Falls we were crossing terrain clearly disrupted by volcanic forces. Making it to Sioux Falls just after [View Full Entry]

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The morning did improve. Breakfast and showers for everyone were first on the agenda, then a thorough cleaning for mini-Molly inside and out. She has seen some rough terrain and has been inhabited non-stop for 10 days. She needed it! We packed up and headed out. Next to the campground was a funny little animal farm. That's where we saw the goats clibing the goat bridge. On to Mount Rushmore. Can you remember the order of the presidents on the monument? (Answer at the end). The campground was an easy five miles from the monument so it was a quick drive. [View Full Entry]

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After a quiet night’s sleep in the WalMart parking lot we were on the road at 7:15 am - STILL - headed north to Rapid City South Dakota. Our target there is Mount Rushmore. The rolling green hills of Wyoming were picturesque and covered with wild antelope and deer grazing just beside the highway. It changed very little as we crossed the South Dakota line just before dark. The black hills started looming closer with their black pine trees growing right out of the rocks! At 9:30 pm we finally pulled into the Outback steakhouse in Rapid City, SD. Patty had [View Full Entry]

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Heading east to Albuquerque NM, we’ll hang a left toward Denver. On the road for another very long day of driving. We were very late leaving Williams and made a stop in Flagstaff so our travel time began about three hours behind schedule. Crossing another time zone back into mountain time, we took a vote and decided to stop short of our goal. We spent the night in the parking lot at, where else, WalMart in Trinidad CO, just over the border. Just one more thing, my husband has a history of consistently bringing rain with him on trips. He visited [View Full Entry]

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After a yummy French toast breakfast we headed to the train depot for our ride to the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Railway Resort is FABULOUS and I highly recommend it to anyone planning to visit. It has a hotel, pet kennel, the best RV park I’ve ever seen and five star service. At the train depot we were treated to a shootout by the Coldwater Creek gang. During the show the audience was asked if anyone had birthday’s, anniversaries etc. Despite threats of death, Patty told them about our recent anniversary whereupon one of the gang presented Karen with a [View Full Entry]

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After a SWELTERING night on Lake Mead, we hit the road again. It was over 100 degrees all night and we took a vote - a dry heat is STILL heat. The treat was waking up the next morning to the view of the lake. The orange-brown mountains plunging straight down into the blue-green lake with a band of white dividing the two was a beautiful sight. The lake is 55 feet below its normal level due to a nine year drought which is what created the white band of calcium and aluminum deposits on the canyon walls. It was a [View Full Entry]

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Happy Independence Day! We're on the road again…continuing south on I-15 toward Las Vegas. We will overnight on Lake Mead (appropriately named), the body of water created by Hoover Dam and which supplies Las Vegas and much of the southwest with electricity. At 10:15 pm we pulled into Lake Mead RV Resort after a visit through the heart of Las Vegas. Our route took us around the downtown area but one member of our party insisted she needed to see the famed Las Vegas strip. Parting ways with the maps, it was not difficult to identify our target. It was approaching [View Full Entry]

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Starting out at 7:00 am we made tracks for Utah. The Bridger Teton National Forrest gave way to rolling hills and beautiful countryside as we made our way to Salt Lake. This seemingly endless drive through ranch land sporting llama and deer farms was interesting, yet timeless. These small-town communities sprouting out of the plains are a testament to the hardiness of Americans. Arriving in Salt Lake City was a shock to the body. It was 44 degrees in Jackson Hole when we left and 104 degrees in Salt Lake when we arrived around 1:30 pm. The helpful KOA staff assisted [View Full Entry]

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