Teddy's Birthday!

Yesterday was Ted's birthday.  We ran some errands, had a birthday lunch and then met our friends for a birthday dinner last night!  We went to a local Italian restaurant in Downtown Salina, Kansas.  We had a great table with a window to downtown, the food was scrumptious and it was really fun catching up with our friends!  We had not seen them for two years but felt like we saw them last week!

It is so exciting that the Chilean miners are finally getting out of the mine!  It is amazing that it is going so well and we pray they continue to safely get out!

Bringing the miners to safety..."Ain't Life Grand!"

We are in Kansas Toto!

Before we left Rapid City, South Dakota on Saturday, we were driving over to pick up our mail and were behind a car with something odd in the trunk!  It was drizzling so this was the best I could do on the picture!

 That is the leg of a deer!  Not sure if there is a whole deer in there or not!

So we made it to Mitchell, South Dakota (southeast side) and after getting set up at the campground went into town to fuel up the truck.  We drove through the historic part of town and came upon the Mitchell Corn Palace!  We didn't take the tour but just took some pictures.  You can't tell but the murals on the building are made out of corn materials, cobs, kernels and husks!  They change the theme and mural every year!

We spent the next night in Waco, Nebraska and arrived in Salina, Kansas this afternoon along with the rain!  We will be here for five days visiting some friends.

Driving along the cornfields of Americana!..."Ain't Life Grand!"

Bear Country USA!

Today Ted and I went to Bear Country.  A dentist decided to open Bear Country since Rapid City did not have a zoo and black bears are plentiful!  So he did!  You drive a three mile route sectioned off for the different wild animals.  You are not allowed to get out of the vehicle (not sure who would be so dumb to do that but you never know)!  Here are a lot of collages to show the animals we saw, it was really fun!

The baby bears were so playfull and fun to watch!

After Bear Country we went into downtown Rapid City and had lunch at the Firehouse Brewing Co. The restaurant was definitely an old fire house! Good food too!

Being among the wildlife..."Ain't Life Grand!"

It's Official!

Yesterday was a busy day!  First we went to DMV to get our South Dakota driver's licenses!  They are obviously use to RV'ers coming in to become residents.  To qualify for a license you have to spend one night in South Dakota so right away they asked for our campground information for proof that we spent the night!

From there we went to breakfast at Flying J.  I was ready for my "sweet cream pancakes"!  Much to my dismay, they didn't have them :( and I found out that a lot (if not all) the "Country Market Restaurants" that are in some of the Flying J's, are being bought out by someone else.  I think this means I may not be able to get the pancakes again (unless I make them myself)!   Sad news indeed!

On a happier note, Mount Rushmore is still there standing tall and wonderful!  There is nothing like it!

We ventured in to the gift shop, oh my, we love the black hills gold jewelry!  Teddy lost his head and got me a pretty black hills gold ring that matches my earrings and neclace, and a South Dakota quarter neclace!  They are so beautiful!

Next we went to the Crazy Horse Memorial.  It is a work in progress.  Korczak Ziolkowski started the worlds largest artistic undertaking carved in the round (when completed). Chief Standing Bear had the dream and he and other Lakota (Sioux) chiefs saw Mount Rushmore developing and invited Korczak, a famed New England Sculptor to carve a mountain in their sacred Black Hills to show that "the red man has great heroes also."  Crazy Horse is one of their heroes.  Korczak passed away in 1982 but his wife and seven of his ten children have taken up the cause.  They have taken no government money. 

They have a huge museum and gift shop which is used to help raise funds for the endeavor.  They have cleared several million tons of granite from the mountain but as you can see, they have a long way to go.  There were a few people working yesterday.  They show a movie which shows the progress from the beginning.  I imagine it's pretty exciting on the days they dynamite!  When is the expected completion date????  No one seems to know, but I don't think it will be in my lifetime!

On the way back to the campground we drove through Custer State Park.  We were disappointed to not see any bison, antelope or elk in the park.  We did see some mountain goats, deer, beautiful pines,  followed the creek, a couple of lakes and from a distance, Mount Rushmore!

Visiting Mount Rushmore, "Our Shrine of Democracy"..."Ain't Life Grand!"

Rapid City South Dakota October 2010

Yesterday we left Scotts Bluff, Nebraska and headed due North to Rapid City, South Dakota.  On the drive here we saw some Antelope and wild Turkeys!  Our campground is around 4,000' among some beautiful pine trees and the weather was in the mid 70's yesterday and mid 80's today!

Today we visited our "residence" aka our mail place! We are becoming residents of South Dakota for tax purposes and are trying to get drivers licenses and vehicle registration while we are here!  We hope to do some sightseeing as well!

Today Ted put his window down and it wouldn't come back up, so off to the Ford dealer.  Of course they don't have the part so after 1 1/2 hours, we get to go back on Wednesday!  It needs a new motor! 

Main Street in Rapid City is interesting.  There are businesses and shops and these most "important people" hanging out on the corners.  I only have gotten a few pictures so far!

Saving taxes so we can pay our Ford repair bills..."Ain't Life Grand!"

Scotts Bluff Nebraska!

Today we drove a few miles down the road to Scotts Bluff National Monument.  It is an interesting area, full of history, with unusual landforms and prairie habitat.  There are Five Rocks left in the Monument.  Originally the rock tops were the high plains and after millions of years, have eroded and only the Five Rocks are left.   The landscape is made of sandstone and siltstone and has disappeared, and continues to disappear, due to wind, water and occasional volcanic eruptions.   In the 1800's wagon trains started in Missouri and came this way headed for Oregon. The Oregon Trail went through Scotts Bluff at Mitchell Pass.

After the park we went in the town of Gering and then in Scott's Bluff and had lunch.  We got some groceries and headed home.  When I took Max out for his walk we came upon a neighboring camper and his pet South American Raccoon!  I couldn't find the actual name and couldn't remember what the man told me it was called.  He looks similar to our raccoons except a longer nose and tail.  He's had "Wooly Bully" since he was 7 days old and he's now 11 years old!  He was on a leash looking for grubs in the ground.  He has no claws and so he and Max kind of went nose to nose.  Max's tail wiggled the whole time even when Wooly Bully smacked at him.  He just needed to show Max who was boss!  The people were very nice and let me take a picture.  When Dad asked for a kiss, Wooly Bully happily complied!  This was probably the oddest pet I've seen in a campground!

Seeing something new every day..."Ain't Life Grand!"

The Road to Gering Nebraska

Yesterday we left the mountain area around Denver, started east and north, drove through a farming plains area to Nebraska.  Driving further north we started seeing some hills again.  I took a picture along the drive as we got into the hilly area.

This morning after I walked Max, I took a couple of pictures.  It was cloudy but the sun was starting to come through.  This is the view from the campground of Scottsbluff National Monument.  We are going over there today to look around.

Ted said the bluff looked like it had been radiated!  It was really pretty.

First time in Nebraska..."Ain't Life Grand!"