Custer State Park, SD

funny burro



buffalo jam

visitor center built 1935 by CCC

In the black hills of South Dakota, town called Custer. Close proximity to a lot of things on our 'to see and do' list. Today we went to Jewel Cave and took a nice 1-1/2 hour tour, nice and cool inside - 49 degrees. Then drove the wildlife loop at Custer State park and saw some buffalo! Beautiful area, looking forward to staying here a few days.

picture album HERE

Wild West Road Trip - day 6
miles today 174/total miles 1785
Beaver Lake CG
Custer, SD
temp lo 56/hi 86
elevation 5318

the beauty of erosion

Badlands National Park

244,000 acres of peace and quiet, wind and sun. It is nice to be off the road and back to nature again. Love the colors here, the layers, the flowers.

picture album HERE

Wild West Road Trip - day 5
miles today 80/total miles 1611
Sleepy Hollow CG
Wall, SD
temp lo 65/hi 85
elevation 2813

hot in South Dakota

A travel day - just get from point A to point B - lots of farm land passing by, so I amused myself with taking pictures through the window. We covered a lot of miles so now we are in Wall, South Dakota and ready to head out in the morning to see the Badlands.

South Dakota is a LONG state and HOT - 109 this afternoon, and I thought we left the hot weather in Kansas.


picture album HERE

Wild West Road Trip - day 4
miles today 516/total miles 1531
Sleepy Hollow CG
Wall, SD
temp lo 63/hi 109
elevation 2813

footsteps and critters

From St. Louis we followed in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark on their westward journey - (I really should have finished that book). We ended up in Nebraska City, Nebraska overnight and visited the Lewis & Clark Center at the Missouri River basin. The building was an awesome structure, plus of course all the information inside.






We are anticipating seeing grizzly bears on this trip - well not so much anticipating as a little worried about a close encounter. This week listening to the news we heard of the man killed while photographing a grizzly in Alaska. The last two pictures on his camera were of the bear charging. Be sure to check my camera if I don't make it - maybe there will be some good shots for the news story.

Then while cleaning up mice 'gifts' in the camper I heard about the campers at Yosemite who died from hantavirus from mouse droppings...

and THEN while sitting at the table in the camper downloading pictures this evening, Buddy calmly suggested that I put my feet up onto the seat - of course I had to look and a black snake was making his way toward me - OMG! After a major freak out episode, the trespasser is now gone but not forgotten.



Here is the Missouri River at Nebraska City - can you imagine paddling upstream all the way from St. Louis like Lewis and Clark? And we were bemoaning the long drive, geesh - they just don't make explorers like they used to.


picture album HERE

Wild West Road Trip - day 3
miles today 429/total miles 1015
Victorian Acres CG
Nebraska City, NE
temp lo 64/hi 92
elevation 1165

St. Louis, MO

Day 2 brings us to St. Louis, playing tourist at the Arch. We watched the 'making of' movie, what an amazing feat of engineering and construction!

Planning our trip into the city to the NPS parking deck for the Arch, Buddy remembered to remove his stash of supplies from the back of the truck, as we didn't want to be on the news - propane tank and two gas cans chained together - just traveling and camping stuff - sound suspicious to you?

Here is a good place to comment on our directional device - GPS sucks! We were told by the nice voice to exit the expressway and after 15 minutes of a sphincter-tightening St. Louis slum tour, we finally made it to our destination.



The Anheuser Busch Brewery in St. Louis. We took the brewery tour which covered 7 blocks. We were told this building (above) is the second most photographed thing in St. Louis.



We were on the tiny elevator car going up to the top of the Arch with 3 young ladies who turned out to be Mormon missionaries, they were friendly and asked what else we were going to see while here, but I just couldn't tell them we had just left the brewery. Maybe they could tell, they gave me some reading material...


picture album HERE

Wild West Road Trip - day 2
miles today 65/total miles 586
Red Barn Rendevous CG
Edwardsville, IL
temp lo 71/hi 91
elevation 465

on the road - day 1

We left home in the early Sunday morning, driving through the hazy layers of the Blue Ridge mountains. The sun was just peeking over Fort Mountain as we went through Chatsworth. We crossed over the familiar ridge cut and down into Chattanooga. A sigh of relief as we climbed Monteagle and made it down the other side safely. Then miles and miles of interstate through rural Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, the fast pace only broken by the occasional fuel stop and of course the detours and road construction in Nashville.



Our first overnight stop at Red Barn Rendezvous RV Park in Edwardsville, IL, near St. Louis, a nice little campground surrounded on three sides by corn fields. The wind rattled through the dry corn was a nice sound, a farmer's wind chime.



Picture album will be updated as we travel HERE or click picture on side bar.

Wild West Road Trip - day 1
miles today 521
Red Barn Rendevous CG
Edwardsville, IL
temp lo 63/hi 91
elevation 465

are we there yet?

♫ all my bags are packed, I'm ready to go ♫

the anticipation is over
we are finally read to go
from Georgia to points west on
that long and winding road

backpacks and hiking boots
brought out of hiding
trails mapped to glaciers and geysers
sunshine on my shoulders makes me high

following in the footsteps
of explorers and tree huggers
down country roads
and under wild Montana skies

counting stars
from camping chairs
by the campfire listening to the
sounds of silence

iconic western mountains
with presidents cut in stone
and close encounters of aliens
they need wide open spaces

truck pulls our home on wheels
food and clothes and bed and books
even the kitchen sink
see the USA in a Chevrolet!

snippets of songs
play in my mind on my
road trip mixed tape

♫ on the road again
just can't wait to get on the road again ♫




Our 5 week Wild West Road Trip a.k.a. sabbatical begins now! Travel along with us, check back for updates and pictures often, we'll see y'all later!

awesome

I received this neat message from my former teacher way back in high school with whom I have kept in touch, Kathy Thompson:

Susan,
I have a new section on my website, www.kathythompsonbooks.com.

It's called Showcase and is an opportunity to showcase other writers and you're one of my favorites. May I feature you with the "Where I'm From" poem? I would send readers to your blog for more of your wonderful stories. You are the first writer I have asked (your #1). ~Kathy

My response: Wow, I consider it an honor to be asked! Of course, thanks.

Now Kathy is a real writer, she has done extensive research and written several books on the local area and history, along with stories to magazines and newspapers. Check out her website for some great stories and poems also. I am looking forward to reading her series of articles on black history in the area.

Thanks Kathy for showcasing my blog! Maybe I have been hanging out with the grandkids too much, but the word comes to mind - awesome!

househunting

Carrie is looking for a house - the American dream, owning your own house, with all the 'joys of home ownership' that come with it, fixing it up, painting, fixing things, decorating, fixing stuff, entertaining, fixing...

She has looked at a lot of (Carrie's words) pieces of crap, which makes the rare good property seem wonderful. She found THE ONE a week ago, only to have her inspector dad shoot it down, it was built in 1935 and he could see lots of potential for dad fixes.

She has now found THE ONE again, this one is only 7 years old and is being sold in a 'short sale' so the price is very reasonable. After a few days of stressing over finances, she finally bit the bullet and talked to the bank, and she has been approved for a home loan! All those years of frugality and paying her bills on time gave her an excellent credit score. We are very proud of her!

More paperwork resulted in her making an offer on the house last night. After an hour of going over numbers and terms like escrow and hazard insurance, all the papers were signed for the offer, the last step was the 'earnest money'. So Carrie reluctantly pulled out her checkbook and wrote the check. I wonder if the suits at Bank of America will take her seriously when they see her SpongeBob check...

classmates

College classmates - first day at KSU for freshman Sarah and upperclassman mom Melissa!

keep smiling

Man, these kids are growing up too fast around here! Another one starts college, today is Kyle's first day at Southern Polytechnic State University (Southern Tech to us old folks) - dual enrollment for his last year of high school/first year of college. But thankfully he is commuting, so no moving drama for this one - yet! Good luck Kyle on your first day!

Your mom is well on her way to earning the PK status (post kids) - 2 down and 2 to go. I wonder if she has a countdown AP ticking down to when the last one graduates, then she will be outta here!

Kyle you have been a delight in my life ever since I first saw your face in that delivery room - yes the one that scarred your aunt Carrie for life!

You may grow taller than me and start college, but you will still be that little boy in the mirror with the BIG smile!




Keep smiling, Kyle, and you will be just fine. Oh, and you know you can call granma if you ever need anything, right? I got your back!

moving day

the nest next door is emptying

the family gathered last night to share in the last supper… wonderful home made chicken pot pie, comfort food

Sarah is moving to college - her suppers now will consist of Ramen noodles and microwave popcorn and poptarts.

She has been packing, what to take? Everything? Leave some things behind to make sure it says 'your room' and dad doesn’t make it into his nekkid room?

Will her mom suffer from empty nest syndrome? Online advice for this includes getting a pet, redecorating your house, starting a hobby, traveling... GET REAL folks! After moving the 18-year-old college freshman out today, let's see what to do? How about taking the 15-year-old for her learners license and then taking the two upcoming sophomores to open house at high school, and getting the 17-year-old ready for college/commute starting tomorrow, and then mom starting back to college herself on Friday, and that is just this week!

Kids can't wait to get out of their parents' house, and of course we want them to go, experience life, get an education and a good job and all that, but then we also worry about them and sometimes wish they were little again and at home so we could keep them safe.

Starting college is like starting kindergarten, all the things you learned, like standing in line and taking turns, now learning to be independent and self sufficient and resourceful and confident. Of course, Robert Fulghum pretty much covers both kindergarten and college in his poem:


All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten
by Robert Fulghum

Most of what I really need
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top
Of the graduate school mountain,
But there in the sandpile at Sunday school.

These are the things I learned:

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life -
Learn some and think some
And draw and paint and sing and dance
And play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world,
Watch out for traffic,
Hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.



Sarah's moving day, sad and happy all at once. I think I am getting empty nest syndrome already.

I didn't teach you all the things I should have as a granma, like sewing and knitting and granma stuff - so come back often, maybe we could even do some fun stuff like climbing mountains and hiking long trails!

Bye Sarah! Enjoy your new life. Be sweet and act smart and have fun!

Love, Granma Susan



all moved in! love the quilt!

when you're fifteen

when you're fifteen you still get to blow out candles

when you're fifteen you get your learner's permit

and practice driving mom's mini van

You're fifteen and still the baby of the family, spoiled rotten, but I guess we will keep you around for a while longer. Congrats on getting your learner's permit, I already warned all the neighbors!

Watch out for all those crazy drivers out there. Watch out for all those boys with great lines. Watch out for yourself, you know you don't have to be so fearless all the time!

'cause when you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you, you're gonna believe them,

and when you're fifteen, feeling like there's nothing to figure out…

well count to ten, take it in, this is life before you know who you're gonna be

when your fifteen... ~Taylor Swift

college prep

Scholarships are a wonderful thing.

Three in our family are going to college this fall! Our daughter, Melissa and two of her kids - Sarah and Kyle.

There are a lots of numbers floating around - in addition to tuition and books, things like meal plan, parking permit, a ton of fees, dorm rent, gas, lots to think about and pay for. They say it takes a village to raise a child - but it apparently takes a lot of money to educate one.

When to apply for scholarships? like checking for cancer - do it early and often.

The above super-sized check from Faith, Hope, and Charity is being divided up among local college students, two of which are ours!

Faith, Hope, Charity is a fixture in Ellijay, started many years ago as a mission of the First Methodist Church. It is a recycle (thrift) store, selling only donated items, is operated by volunteers, and they give all money back to the people of the county in various ways, one of which is scholarships.

"Last year we gave out $261,658.12 to agencies and individuals in Gilmer County. Since 2002 we have put $1,400,000 back into our community." - FHC

All this need for money has brought out a need for work, a good thing, and as a grandmother I am guilty of taking advantage of it! Last weekend Kyle cleaned out our little camper from top to bottom and front to back and got rid of any sign of critters! He is a very hard worker. I asked him if he learned about hard work from his boss, he said, "I learned to work hard and do it right the first time and that 'work is work' no matter what the job, even if it is just sweeping the floor."

So if you know an aspiring college student out there - take advantage of this opportunity! Uh, I mean, help them out any way you can, they are our future!

Way to go all of you kids, we are very proud.

anticipation

"It's always exciting when a new Chick-fil-A Restaurant opens. But it's especially rewarding for 100 people who will be chosen to participate in the Grand Opening. Those "First 100" participants who comply with the official rules will receive a Grand Prize of one Chick-fil-A Meal per week for a year!" ~ CFA



This is a first for Buddy, the gathering of the masses, the lines before daylight, the lottery to see who will be the first 100, the tents set up in the parking lot for the final 24 hours before the official store opening. Wow, some dedicated chicken fans!

not long now

"What a fantastic day! Also our flag was put up this morning - and it's a beauty! It may be a little hard to tell the size, but it's an 18 FOOT flag - we love it! :)" ~ CFA West Wichita





"We gave away 6000 free Chick-fil-A Sandwiches today, and 3000 of those were to some amazing people in front of our local New Market Square Walmart!" ~ CFA West Wichita Facebook

A great way to practice cooking chicken, the crew is busy learning the ropes at the newly finished Chick-fil-A in west Wichita, Kansas. How about an order for 6,000 sandwiches? Practice makes perfect. And then give them away to the community - marketing 101.

Buddy's new mantra: Not Long Now!


Not Long Now! Opening day August 9th!