Cruising through Iowa to Illinois

Oliver keeping you posted...

The folks have been on a bit of an R and R here in Peoria, Illinois. After leaving South Dakota we cruised into Iowa and headed to Forest City to the Winnebago factory... Iowa is just green, green, green and really makes you see what small farms are all about.  Just farm after farm after farm.  Robin looked at all the darling little farm houses and wanted them all.  

We finally made it to Forest City Iowa and the Winnebago factory... Camping in their visitor center parking lot where they provide electrical hookups.  The morning of the tour it poured rain but the group was good sized and they boarded the bus and toured the oldest and largest RV manufacturer.  

Alan looked at all the beautiful Winnebago Motorhomes and wanted them all... not really because he loves his Oliver and doesn't want to make me jealous.  

They continued on through Iowa and the little towns and farms... great little towns with cute old houses and main streets.  

Finally we arrived in Peoria Illinois to visit Dail and Sue.  They went to Eureka College with their granddaughter (Dail and Sue's), where she will be attending in the fall.  

This is where RonaldReagan attended college and they have a big  museum there and a huge RR presence on campus.  Alan was with his tribe at last. 

We are all taking a rest and staying in the RV park with full hookups enjoying long hot showers and life is good. 

Badlands National Park and the Corn Palace inMidland SouthDakota

Oliver checking in...

Our next big spot was The Badlands National Park.  This place was amazing.  Twenty five mile drive through some really interesting country of 244000 acres of badlands created millions of years ago from volcanos, etc.  Great color and formations and wildlife.  Big horned sheep and lots of prairie dogs!, big birds and more...

Then we stopped at the world famous Wall Drug Store... Really huge drug store with everything a tourist trap can have and more. 

The next day was all day chores inChamberlain.  Laundry (with the bearded lady, really chatty lady who kept us entertained) cleaning me and just general maintenance.  

We went to Sioux Fall and decided to chill with a movie (Age of Adaline). Great chick flick... But I think Alan secretly enjoyed.  

Heading to Forest City Iowa to Winnebago Industries.  Those of you who know Robin will Understand and Alan is anxious for the tour.  

Loving traveling with these two... we are such a trio😊.  They mellow with each day and the road suites us all. 

Oops, forgot the corn palace in Mitchell, South Dakota.  They were having a fun street fair and the Corn Palace is a trip!!

My Rushmore and Jewel Cave National Monuments

Oliver here in South Dakota ...

Believe it or not this trip all began with Robin suggesting to Alan that she would love to see Mt Rushmore.  He was in the process of planning a trip east anyway and so their visit to Mt Rushmore was sort of a sweet culmination of wishes.  

It was certainly worth the trip and the story of the process is quite interesting.  They made home base in Rapid City South Dakota and they fell in love with a Chinese restaurant called the Imperial...

in fact they ate there twice and ate leftovers for lunch each day!  I think they have taken care of Robin's Asian food jones.  

In the afternoon we visited Jewel Cave, this is, I believe, the second largest cave in the U.S. And the 90 minute tour in the deep was pretty cool, so they said!

On the way back to Rapid City they drove through Custer State Park... full of wildlife and Robin was happy to see the animals.  The surrounding countryside is really striking and we are all struck with the beauty.  Tomorrow we're off to the Badlands... Can't wait.  

Devils Tower. Deadwood & Sturgis

Good Morning Oliver followers...

Do you remember the movie Close Encounters Of the Third Kind?  Well we went to the spot where it was filmed.  A very interesting and powerful place ... Alan and Robin hiked around the mountain and enjoyed the beautiful sites.  

Then on to Sturgis, South Dakota just to say we had been.  Glad we were there when all the motor cycles were not!!!   Stopped at the Indian dealer for Robin's son Scott who rides one...

Then we drove to Deadwood and enjoyed touring the old western town where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried.  Lots of history here and much to see.  

All for now.  All is good and we are having so much fun!   

Cody Wyoming and southern Montana

Oliver reporting...

We finally left Yellowstone and exited the east entrance descending beautiful Sylvan Pass into the quaint town of Cody Wyoming.  What gorgeous country... Not even able to describe.  Mountains, lakes, rivers... Overwhelming!   

The big attraction in Cody is the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.  It is truly a world class museum with spectacular art and western history.  Many Remington bronzes and Paintings.  

Today we drove to Montana and toured the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.  Such a touching spot and beautiful country.  Easy to see why the Native Americans wanted to keep their land.  

(Ha.  Thought you needed another picture of me!)

Yellowstone

Oliver here and freezing!   We've been in glorious Yellowstone and the final day we were snowed in!!  

We all had a wonderful time however.  They did desert me one night to stay in the Old Faithful Inn and I don't blame them.  It is one heck of a log cabin as our friend Deborah says.  

Robin saw all the animals she wanted to see including a baby bison and a black bear with two tiny Cubs.  She is very happy.  

Magical mystical Yellowstone

Pictures from 😳Grand Teton National Park

Oliver riding herd on the travelers here...

We have been a busy group since last heard from.  Also way out of wifi land so really hard to post anything on this blog!

Let me see if I can catch you up.  After leaving Wendover we headed east through Salt Lake City and north through Utah.  We spent the night on the lovely Logan River and then proceeded into Idaho.  The weather was very iffy and I got into my first snow... very chilling for a desert rat like me and Alan was not pleased!!  We made it to Montpelier, Idaho and then then to Pocatello through a snow storm!  The sun finally came out and we headed to Idaho Falls and then east to Wyoming.  Stopped in Jackson and toured the very quaint town and then headed north in the most beautiful scenic country into The Grand Teton National Park.   Oh My...


Robin is having trouble posting pictures with this blog from her iPad and haven't been able to keep laptop charged, so until she figures this out there may be some delay in pictures!  Humans and their technology.  I'm sure she'll get this solved.

Needless to say the pictures of the Tetons and Yellowstone are spectacular.  Bye for now and will post pictures soon!

 

Driving through Nevada

Oliver checking in!



City boy and country girl go camping...

Left Reno on Tuesday and made it all the way to Winnemucca, Nevada!  Alan enjoyed the smoke filled casino and all the sites of a small Nevada town.  We stayed in the parking lot of the Winners Hotel and Casino after taking care of some business.  On our first day out we got 14 mpg on the big one ton Ford that carries me along so efficiently.  They did well for their first day of travel... that city boy and country girl.

Wednesday we made it all the way to Wendover, a town on the border of Nevada and Utah.  This time we stayed in the parking lot of the Rainbow Hotel Casino and again Alan donated to the Nevada economy while Robin wondered if we would ever get out of Nevada.  On the way they passed through Elko, one of Nevada's greatest cowboy towns and they stopped at the museum and had lunch in a long established Basque restaurant.  After lunch Alan got stopped by the Nevada Hwy Patrol for sliding through a stop sign. (Personally I don't think he did...in fact we all thought he had made a complete stop).  The young patrolman took pity on him and sent us on our way with just a warning... Thank goodness!   On the way to Wendover we encountered an hour and fifteen minute stop with miles of other cars and trucks...only to find a rather bad accident at the end with a big rig and a couple of cars.

Thursday we all woke up to rain, wind and cold and Alan made the decision to stay over another night rather than fight the elements.  The country girl had by then been in enough casinos and talked Alan into a lonely highway south of town for the afternoon and she made a lovely stir fry... they are learning to compromise!

Fun in Reno

Oliver here...

Alan made it to Reno and seems like they forgot all about me.  Robin has been showing him around and I hope they haven't forgotten about our trip!

This is the money shot...

Downtown along the Truckee River

They even went to an Aces baseball game... too many fun things to do and see in Northern Nevada.  But at last they are loaded and ready to leave and I believe we are now on the road...

Heading east...

Heading to Reno

Hello Oliver Followers!

Well,  Alan finally made it out of the desert after waiting for the wind to slow down... something I was happy about as I didn't want to have a wild ride on my first trip.   He headed north on his way to Reno to pick up Robin.

First he stopped to see his sister Suzie in Atwater and brother David in Merced.  They were of course very impressed with me!

Here we are leaving the desert!  Alan looks relaxed but trust me he has been working hard to get me all loaded up and ready to roll.

Here is David and Suzie looking me over... boy do I love that barn.

and David and Alan having bagels with his dog Wilbur....  wish Wilbur was coming with us.

More soon... we are now in Reno and loading up for the big trip.