Tall Ships in Duluth, MN

We stayed in Le Sueur, MN for just a few days and then we traveled to Duluth, MN to see the Tall Ship Festival.  It started today and we saw the parade of tall ships.  We think there was 150,000 people there today.

 

Just a sample of some of the ships.

 

I thought this was interesting on the side of a building.

 

And now for a picture of my "kids".  This is them taking it easy on a warm day.

 

We are off to a place called Fifty Lakes, MN tomorrow.  We hope to stay in MN for a month and just fish.

Mitchell, SD

Here in Mitchell, we got some more stuff situated with our mailing address.  We went into Madison and got everything else we needed straightened out.  We stopped by a place called Prairie Village.

  For my friends in Bakersfield, CA it is a lot like Pioneer Village.  The biggest difference is that the buildings were all from the late 1800's.

It is humid here on the eastern side of the state.  Course, everywhere we go we get thunder and lightening.  We saw the Corn Palace here in Mitchell yesterday.  All the pictures that are seen there are made up entirely of ears of corn.

 

We also went to the old public library here in Mitchell.  It has been turned into a museum of sorts.  Also, you can do genealogy research there.  It is called the Carnegie Resource Center now.  This building is made of quartzsite.  We got a private little tour from one of the former mayors of the town.  I don't remember her name, but sounds like she was quite a mayor.  She sold the building to the research group for $1.  The rest of the council was mad at her.  They had other plans for the building. 

 

This dome was painted by Oscar Howe, a Yanktonai Sioux artist.  He painted it in 1940 for $75.  It is "Sun and Rain Clouds over Hills".

 

So we are off to Le Sueur, MN.



Wind Cave National Park

Friday we went to Wind Cave State Park.  Very interesting cave.  Instead of stalactites, etc. it has boxwork formations which are very rare.  This cave is also very long and they have not found the end of the cave yet.

 

 

 

We did get to see bison on this trip.  Here's a close-up.  Please note:  This bison was close to the road and I stayed in my car.  I also used my telephoto lens.  I don't want anyone to think I was stupid enough to get out of my car and approach one of these huge unpredictable animals.

 

I also managed to get a picture of one of the prairie dogs and some of the donkeys hanging out in Custer State Park.  Custer State Park and Wind Cave National Park are right next to each other.  We had to go through one to get to the other.



Mt. Rushmore & Custer State Park

We went to Rapid City to get our new driver's licenses first thing Tuesday morning.  We did not have the proper paperwork from our campground, so had to go back again Wednesday.  We did get our new driver's licenses on Wednesday.  We are now officially residents of South Dakota.

Our next stop Tuesday was Mt. Rushmore.  And, of course, I am posting pictures.

 

After we left Mt. Rushmore, we traveled to Custer State Park.  We were hoping to see some bison, but alas, all I saw was one butt as it hightailed it up the hill through some trees.  We did see several antelope, some prairie dogs, deer, and one mule deer.  I wasn't able to get a picture of the mule deer - he was running too fast.  Unfortunately, the picture of the prairie dogs did not turn out.

 

Here's Jeff and me.

And here is Starr and me.

 

 



 

Here is one of the bridges that we crossed and the stream underneath.

 

Here's an example of the bridges that we were going through.  This one is actually large because a bus is going through.  There is a sign outside the entrance telling you to blow your horn before entering the tunnel.  When we were on Needlepoint Hwy, the tunnels would only fit one lane of traffic.  The smallest tunnel was 8'4" wide. 

Along the way of Needlepoint Hwy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deadwood, SD

It has been raining here with lightning and thunder.  Not much rain, but enough to get everything wet.  Nice and sunny today - Tuesday. 

We went to Deadwood yesterday.  A statue of Wild Bill Hickok is there as you enter the town.












We went up to the cemetery and saw his gravesite along with Calamity Jane.  They are buried next to each other.  I did get some pictures of the town before the rain came.  We just made it back down the small hill and to shelter before the skies opened up and the rain really came pouring down.  And then the rain stopped almost as fast as it started.

 

 

Onto more adventures today.  Hope to get our South Dakota driver's licenses today and do more sightseeing.

No Name City RV Park in Sturgis, SD

We are in Sturgis, SD.  Hope to see Mt. Rushmore, Hill City, and Deadwood.  Just to name a few places.  Left Gillette yesterday and drove here.  Took about 2 hours.  Now that is a drive that I can handle.  We had our RV weighed yesterday.  That was part of our Escapee rally.  Wow!  Are we overweight.  800 lbs. over on the truck.  Jeff doesn't seem as concerned about it.  We talked last night about things we can do to correct that. 

Fourth of July - The Escapade had a 35th birthday party celebration.  We had a catered dinner and a champagne toast. Those who know me, realize that I did not have champagne (sigh). Then we had the Rivoli's come sing for us again and lot's of people got up and danced.  We all did the chicken dance.  After that the city of Gillette had fireworks right there at the cam-plex.  We actually had lots of fireworks - the ones that the city put on and the ones that mother nature put on.  There was a lot of lightning and thunder going on too.  The whole sky lit up with the lightning.  Overall, we had a great time at the Escapee's Escapade.

Until my next post,

Connie

Gillette, WY

We are in Gillette, WY this week.  Traveling through Wyoming has been great.  I think I have finally gotten the hang of pulling a boat up and down hills.  I was so ready to get here.  Finally get to stop for more than a night. 

So, Escapee Rally.  We are in a huge complex called Cam-plex.  So far, it is fun.  Just got here yesterday (Sunday, June 30th).  We are boondocking (that's dry camping or no hookups of any kind for those who don't know).  We are set up in the parking lot.  There is a field right across the street for me to take Starr to.  She loves it.

Every day they have drawings and give away gifts.  Last night the entertainment was The Rivoli Revue.  They had funny songs that were all about driving on the road.  One song about awnings.  It was hilarious.  They told some jokes and sang more songs about the American way.  Really good entertainment.  They have a video on Utube about learning English.  You may have seen it.

Today I plan on going to some seminars.  I hope to learn more about the GPS that we have and blogging.  I also hope to attend a history seminar about traveling off the interstate.