Trip Update

Mitchel is driving, and there are too many bugs on the windshield to see out, so I'll catch up on our trip. Today is Thursday and we are just West ofSioux Falls SD. Two days ago we had a wonderful stay with the Carnines at their ranch in Nebraska. Dan, the third generation Carnine to run the ranch, generously took the afternoon off to show Mitchel and me around to his enormous sheds to see the amazing rolling stock of cultivator-fertilizer-planter machine, harvesters , stackers, semi trucks, etc,and even a Piper Cub plane to check on his cattle. Between the cattle, alfalfa, corn, and beans they are farming 6,000 acres. Forrest, Dan's Dad grew up doing all the work on horseback, now Dan and all his kids who are old enough drive ATVs. Forrest's dad homesteded in the early 1900's in a sod house. It is wonderful to see a family holding and successfully farming the land to their fathers'. We left the Carnine Ranch on Wednesday, drove up to see Mt. Rushmore, and camped in a lovely campground last night in the town of Wall, SD, famous for its featured Wall Drug Store. This morning we toured the Badlands, and we are headed to a small town of Jackson, SD for tonight. Tomorrow we are looking forward to visiting with Jim and Carmen Loveland in Mason City IA. Jim was a Law nforcement Professional (LEP) who stayed in my guesthouse a couple of years ago, and we became good friends. Time to stop for fuel and clean he bugs off the windshield! Love, Liz

The low end of campsites

My good campsite Karma REALLY didn't work for us last night (Monday ). We had planned a long driving day - 450 miles crossing the Rocky Mountains, driving through Denver, and camping in Fort Morgan, CO. In the gathering darkness we followed the directions to the Only RV park mentioned in the Woodall's Camping Guide. The place turned out to be a road worker's camp - dusty, dirty, a small "office" locked up tight, and old, beat-up restrooms, also locked. Driving along that afternoon we had learned of severe storm warnings for the Fort Morgan region, and the growing black sky was confirming the news. What to do? We stopped at a Comfort Inn and they had one room available (for $135 + taxes) but the young girl at the reception desk told us about a campground in the next town of Brush. We decided to keep camping. Off we drove into the darkening storm to Brush's Municipal Park and Campground, which turned out to be only a small step up from the last dive! We hurried to set up the van, and hunker down to stay dry as the storm hit. Boy did it hit! Remember the leaking window over the bed from last year? Yep! It still leaks! Morning found us drying out towels, blankets, and sheets, but better off than the homeless family who spent the night in their pick-up truck backed under a picnic shelter roof nearby. Much to be thankful for!

Above the River, under the stars, deep in a canyon

My usual campground Karma wasn't holding. Following two days with Ada in Page, we planned to get as far as Moab, Utah by nightfall on Sunday night. What we didn't account for was that Moab is the stepping-off place for six National Parks and Monuments (Canyonlands, Monument Valley, etc.); the staging area for countless rafting trips on the Colorado River; Dude Ranches offering trail rides; and the Off Road vehicle capital of the region. Thus, the campgrounds were packed, and arriving at 5:30 PM didn't help the odds. Travel on, we must, and no other towns were near. As luck would have it, there is a winding scenic road up a deep canyon, following the Colorado River going East, the direction we are heading. The BLM owns the narrowest part of the canyon , and has little campgrounds along a twenty mile stretch. The further we went from Moab, the more campsites were available. We ended up in an isolated little camp that featured the brightest stars above, and the sound of the River flowing by. It was rustic- no water or electricity, but we are self-contained and easily settled in for the night.