Fort Robinson, Iowa

Wind River Canyon

Leaving the great metropolis of Thermopolis, we rather abruptly came to Wind River Canyon.What a magnificent sight!  Deep gorge, rushing river, high mountain walls - breathtaking scenery.
With all of this in our rear view mirror, we came upon the plains of Nebraska.
For our stopping point we stumbled upon Fort Robinson State Park.  Get ready for your history lesson...
Fort Robinson was established in 1873 as an outpost to fight against the Lakota Sioux tribe.
Crazy Horse was a Sioux warrior who led battles against the U.S. Calvary.  He participated in Custer’s battle at Little Big Horn - June 1876.  In May of 1877 Crazy Horse surrendered at Fort Robinson.  On September 5th he was fatally wounded by a bayonet in a scuffle at then guardhouse - the location of his killing remains with a reconstructed building.

Entrance to Fort Robinson

Moses “California Joe” Milner was the best friend of Wild Bill Hickok, who said “I have two friends; my six shooter and California Joe.”  Although the was not present at Little Big Horn, he was Custer’s favorite scout. In October of 1876, Milner was at Fort Robinson and got into a verbal argument with the post’s butcher.  Both men pulled their guns, but Joe said “Let’s put down our guns and have a drink.”  A few hours later the butcher shot California Joe in the back killing him.

Calvary Stables

The “Buffalo Soldiers”were an all African-American cavalry unit stationed at Fort Robinson after the Civil War.  They were nicknamed “Buffalo Soldiers” by the Indians because of the soldiers’ dark skin and curly black hair.
During World War 2, 3500 German POWs we’re detained at Fort Robinson.
What a great, historical spot!
History Class is over.  Quiz tomorrow.  Papers due Monday.

Glacier! Oh My!

Glacier National Park is simply stunning.  There’s little else to say.

The mountains are enormous and majestic, the streams are clear and rushing, the trees are tall and extravagant.

 

It is a spiritual experience, and as with all spiritual experiences- you just need to be there and soak it in.   You travel on the 48 mile cross-Park road called “Going to the Sun Road.” At every turn you are beckoned to get out of the car and hike awhile - I believe  that is where the true adventure lies.  We did some hiking, but not nearly enough.  This is a Bucket List location.

Going North!

So continuing on .... we sojourn through beautiful rocky, sagebrush mountains in Wyoming, pine studded National Forrest’s in Idaho, and finally into our northernmost destination of Montana...again, all in one day.
 It was an overcast day...on and off rain...with no signs of letting up.  We made the decision in about 5 minutes, to get a  hotel for the night!  There is a point in which forced togetherness in a very small RV for an extended period of time ....gets a bit testy,😝🤪🤣
We find a (not so) Quality Inn in Butte, MT.   We had our own food and were all psyched for our BLTs until our old toaster set off the in-room fire alarm!  So who needs toast anyway!  We had fun watching a movie , “Mowgli” in our spacious king size bed!

Lest I get too wordy, (at  the suggestion of my traveling companion) suffice it to say... we arrived at my son Jeremy’s lovely Lake house on beautiful Lake Ashley at dusk, and warmed ourselves by the fireplace as we watched the moon rise over the lake.

Tomorrow, Glacier... an hour north of us.🤗

Heading North on US 89

Sept 17, 2019....  catching up

Thought we would see if any loyal followers are still out there, as it has been 8 days since last blog!  ( we gave us AND YOU... a break!😉)
We’ve been heading north  on US Rt 89, National Geographic’s “Most Scenic US Highway,” and indeed it is!
Sept.9th, continued traveling through Utah, beautiful peach orchards, many, many Mormon churches, and well kept towns. ( but only after miles of desolate land that we gave the Native Americans to live on.  Sad to see. )
Then, crossing into Idaho, briefly, we saw signs that stated: “WARNING! Open Range Stock”??
There were no fences along the 2-lane highways, and we saw no cows, no horses... but all of a sudden we saw hundreds of sheep, grazing on a hill Quite  close to the road!  They looked very nonchalant about us as we sped by!  Now we got it!
Stopped for night at Wapiti RV Park, in Alpine , WY. ( 3 states in one day!).   It backed up to a National Forrest  and mountains, which inspired by a beautiful sunset , led us to singing harmony with Paul’s guitar.

As the sun set,  and our fire burned low, we came to the realization that we certainly weren’t ready for prime time!   But we had fun anyway.

The next morning we ate breakfast at the Patriotic Cafe...everything was red white and blue...ceiling to floor...and the waitresses wore t-shirts that said, “concealed weapons welcome here,” 😉

Sunday Worship in God’s Sanctuary

Sunday worship in God”s Sanctuary

After Saturday Night’s “cook your own steak” dinner at the Outlaw Saloon in Hatch, Utah, ( only place in town to get a beer!)  Check out the handsome hombre below...

We went to sleep exhausted, with full tummies, millions of beautiful stars twinkling through Goldie’ sky lights and cool breezes blowing in our windows.

Sunday Morning we woke up FREEZING! (low 40’s !). After a warm shower and breakfast at a local establishment (whose owner obviously shared my love of chickens)... 

we “went to church “ traveling North on the scenic hwy. 89.
We had never worshipped in a “church” so large, architecturally majestic, and awe-inspiring!

Of course not... only God could create such a Sanctuary!
Beautiful hymns (from Paul’s iPad) filled little Goldie, and a lovely shared peace filled our hearts as we wound and climbed our way past gently flowing waters of cool mountain streams, and breathtaking plains and mountains...a “feast” spread out before us. 

It reminded me the last verse a favorite hymn....” ‘Tis good Lord to be here. Yet we may not remain; But since Thou bidst us leave the mount, come with us to the plain.”

We’d highly recommend this Sacred Sanctuary of granite, sage brush, cedar trees, wind and water,mountains of colorful shades of ancient rock, and ...quietness.

The “church service” seems to go and on. But we are not looking at our watches or worried about what we have to do today... or tomorrow.
We don’t get to worship in such intimate surroundings like this very often.
What a Mountain Top Experience🙏. (it is hwy. 89 through AZ and UT.)
We hope to see you back on the “ Plain” in about 2 weeks!

Utaaahhh

We finally reached US Highway 89 - National Geographic’s “Most Scenic Highway n the US.”  RN 89 lived up to it’s billing!  Unbelievable sights.  Majestic mountains.  Rocks of every color from red to blue to white.  Around every turn there was another “Oh my goodness” scene.
After 3 hours of two lane highway and stunning scenery we asked each  other: “Is it possible to get too much Spectacular?”  All we could say was “Utaaaahhhh!”
Pictures below, but they don’t capture the spectacular we felt.

Oh, yeah... The dog.  His name is North. He was at the RV repair place we needed to visit for about 2 hours and $300.  Luckily the RV repair place was connected to a RT 66 themed bar - what a nice coincidence.

Day 11 A Parable

Day 11  We wake up in Lubbock, Texas.  A town whose name sounds like a frog with a bug caught in its throat.  Lubbock, Lubbock.

We went from 3200 ft altitude to 7500 feet along what I thought were flat roads.  We saw the west change from flat, hot prairie to wooded pine forests in the mountains.  We saw oil wells, cattle feeding lots, windmills and fields of soy beans.  

Now we’re in Rociada, NM, not far from Santa Fe. Very nice park in the high country.  Wooded. Cool. Spacious sites.  We had a great dinner of pork and sauerkraut that Jen had cooking all day in a crockpot.

Now, Today’s Parable.

It’s been a 6 hour day of driving along Texas two-lane roads and I’m ready sit outside with a cold beer.

I’m sitting at the picnic table, peanuts and beer, just chill-laxin.  Along comes a bee.  “Shoo bee,  nothing here for you.”  He goes away and comes back with 20 buddies.  “Shoo bees, I got nothing for you. Buzz off!”

Jen comes out to join me for an extended happy hour... and the bees stick around, as if they were invited.  They expect wine to be served to them as well and are immediately attracted to Jen’s wine glass.  These are cultured bees, I suppose.  

As Jen reaches for her glass, Whap! She gets stung on the hand.  Oh my that hurts.  She retreats inside and I get the fly swatter and prepare to do battle.  You hurt my wife, I’m coming after you.

The bees are very quick and don’t stay in one place very long.  It’s hard to swat them out of the air.  They are too quick. I need to set a trap.  Aha!  They like wine... I drop some of Jen’s wine on the table and the lay in wait.  Sure enough the bees fall for my clever trap.  They love wine. Whap! One down.  Whap, Whap, Whap, Whap!!  Take that you bees!  Ha, ha - Paul wins!!

Now, back to my beer.

Little did I know that the bees (after many thousands of years of evolution) are very smart.  They learn quickly.  

“Ha!”  They say.  “We like wine, he likes beer.  He will fall for our clever trap.” 

It was a glorious evening and I was just content to sit in peace.  A cold beer, Paul you deserve it.

I took a good long sip of the cold beer and - Whap!  I got stung on the lip!  Those devil bees!  Laying in wait on the inside of the beer can.  Where did they get that idea? Oh, yeah, copy cats, clever traps, evolution.

Oh my, does that hurt... a bee sting on the inside of my lip.  Now, I’m writing this from INSIDE our RV, with ice on my lip.  

The bees won, I suppose.  

Turn about is fair play, I suppose.

“BEE”ware the trap you set - you might BEE the one who gets caught.

Which got me to thinking about the birds and the bees and the cycle of life.   We’re not here to -Whap - subdue nature but to be part of nature and help the whole thing work in harmony.   

Which makes me think of CO2 and fossil fuels and bee hive collapse.  

And I will be more gentle with the world tomorrow.