South Dakota & Wyoming

I drove on I-90 west until Sioux Falls, South Dakota.    I have an app on my phone calls 'AllStays' which I use to find campgrounds.    It has served me well in the past, so I found a city park in Armour, South Dakota, about 30 miles south of I-90, which allows free camping, with electric hookups and showers!  So off I went.  

It was a lovely park, with kids playground, a very large lake, bird feeders, walking paths and very few people.    I was the only one camping there.    It felt very safe.   During the night there was a great lightening show, with thunder.   The sky is so big there, that even though I think the storm was not close, the entire sky was lit up.   

Sunrise the next morning was beautiful, and I hit the road early again.

I decided to stay off I-90, so headed west on Hwy 18, which crosses South Dakota and crosses through the Rosebud Indian Reservation.   Way back in the early 1970's, when I was attending Portland State University, Leonard Peltier came and spoke about AIM and what was happening on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.   I remember it had a big impact on me, so traveling through this area was important thing to me.

I took a side trip into Nebraska, because I was so close, to get a Geocache.   Those of you who know, statistics are a big thing in the geocaching world, and I didn't have cache from Nebraska, thus the side trip.    I came back into South Dakota at the town of Pine Ridge.    Just east and a bit north is a memorial to the Wounded Knee Massacre.    I wanted to visit this site, so off I went.    There is a large sign describing what happened at that site, and at the top of the hill is a graveyard.   It was quite moving.

 

From there I headed north, into the Black Hills area.      I tried to get into a park campsite, but the entire area was overrun with people and the campground had sign that said the only way to find out if there were vacancies was to visit Rec.Gov (not my favorite website) and I had no phone reception, so decided to get out of there.     I headed west on Hwy 16 and found a lovely little Forest Service Campground on the Shoshone National Forest.     I settled in for the night. 

This pulled in, not too long after me.   Waddles big sister, a T@B trailer.

That night there was a TREMENDOUS storm.   The thunder was so strong it made the ground tremble, the wind was so strong I thought it was going to rip the windows and hatch cover off Waddles and it poured rain for a long time.    I battened down Waddles hatch and we shook our way thought the storm unscathed.   I felt pretty sorry for the campers in tents, and anyone who left anything outside!    Got up early and hit the road again.

Pretty soon I could see MOUNTAINS!!!   I had been missing them a great deal.

I got back on I-90 in Wyoming and continued until just past Sheridan, where I turned off onto Hwy 14 heading for Cody.   I don't remember ever traveling on this road before and it was SPECTACULAR.   It climbs and winds and has amazing views of amazing geologic formations.

Yup Waddles and I climbed to over 9000'!

From Cody I headed north and on to Hwy 296 which connects with the Beartooth Hwy.   That night I found another little Forest Service Campground, unfortunately called 'Dead Indian Campground".    It was on a little creek.  There were some mosquitoes, but it wasn't too bad.

I know you can't tell, but that is a lovely male Western Tanager up in that tree.

Didn't see any bears.

I will post the rest of the trip in another post, so this doesn't get too long!   Stay tuned for more amazing scenery.

Wisconsin & Illinois

Wisconsin is such a beautiful state.    I got up early and drove to my nieces house.  It was wonderful to see her place and her lovely family.    She has become a skilled chicken farmer, breeder, eggs and meat producer.     

I decided to leave Waddles in Wisconsin and drive to Illinois without her.     I booked a hotel for the next 4 nights and left Wisconsin to visit my sister, my other niece and her family, and my brother-in-law.    My sister has been having health issues, and this entire trip was centered around spending time with her.

I didn't take many photos while I was there, but did spend every day with my sister and lots of time with my brother-in-law.    I attended some little league softball games which were a delight.    Got to briefly  meet my nieces' new T@G trailer (we are a 2-T@G family now!).

I visited an amazing Yarn Store (because that is what I do!).    It was so big they had shopping carts!  For those of you who don't visit yarn stores, that is not normal!

After 5 days I said my good-byes, and headed back up to Wisconsin to pick up Waddles and decide how I was going to drive home.    If you recall, I drove straight east on I-90.   On the way home I wanted to take the roads less traveled.    Driving on the freeway has the advantage of allowing me to drive a comfortable speed without feeling like I am holding up traffic.   I am much less apt to stop and take in the local sites however, and I prefer more scenic and interesting roads.

It was a wet drive back to Wisconsin.   I spent the night there, said my goodbyes, and hit to road early.    I will create a new post for the trip home.

Midwest or bust

 Traveling has been pretty easy.     I hit the smoke about Bozeman, Montana and it has stayed with me.   Today, in Minnesota, it is clearing off some.

Wyoming was pretty... no more mountains, and lots of straight rolling hills.   I was planning to stay at a State Park, but didn't have reservations.    I drove 6 miles off the highway to the park.  At the entrance I was told there were probably sites available but I would have to call the reservation system to find out, and reserve a site.   My phone just said Call Failed every time I tried to call, even when I was somewhere that showed I had 3 bars.    I finally gave up, drove back to the highway and decided to find a motel for the night.    I stopped in Moorcraft, WY to get fuel, and Trip Advisor said the Cozy Motel was rated pretty well (newest review was a year ago), so I drove to the Motel.   It looked REALLY sad, and there was no place to park Waddles, AND the No Vacancy sign was out.   So I continued on to Sundance, WY.  and found a motel for the night.    Those of you following my SPOT tracker may also have noticed that it was not working well in Wyoming.    After rebooting my phone a couple times it started working again.   The motel I stayed in had internet, but it was a wide-open connection so I opted not to use it to update the blog.   I decided I was in a vortex while in Wyoming!

I started early yesterday, heading into South Dakota.   Another smokey, pretty sunrise.

If you have been to South Dakota you may have stopped at the infamous WALL DRUG.   It is hard to miss.   There were at least 20 billboards (large and small) for every mile along I-90, advertising everything from cowboy boots, free coffee and donuts for newlyweds to gold mining.  Pretty much anything you could possibly want.    I didn't stop there.

There must be a Corvette Rally going on somewhere.   At least 50 of them passed me on the highway during the day.     The speed limit in Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota is 70-80 mph.  Waddles and I waddled along at a lazy 60mph.    The advantage of driving on the freeway, rather than 2-lane back roads, is that I don't feel like I am hold anyone up.      The other interesting thing in South Dakota was there are LONG sections of freeway that are narrowed to 1 lane for construction, but nowhere did I see any work actually being done.    They are clearly rebuilding and improving the roads, but no one was there!   Seems odd.

And gas is much cheaper in the midwest than the west coast!

We made it across South Dakota and stayed at Blue Mounds State Park, Minnesota.   It was a very nice little park.   Lots of sites available (though I had to make reservations over the phone, the entrance booth was closed by the time I got there.

Another  red sunrise.   I wandered a little bit and saw buffalo roaming in the park, and heard lots of birds that I don't normally encounter in the west.    It was nice.

I know you can't see them in the photo below, but there are buffalo out on that ridge.

Today I will make it to my Nieces place in Wisconsin.    

Montana!

 It is a long way across Montana, and BEAUTIFUL.  Yesterday was lovely driving, for a short while across Northern Idaho, and then into Montana.    It was recommended that I stop in St Regis for a Huckleberry Milkshake, so I did.     The milkshake was pretty good (not as good as Troutlake, Washington Huckleberry Milkshakes, but worth the stop.  

 I also ran across this... The owner of Raven was pulling out as I came back to Waddles, so I flagged her down and we had a lovely visit.    Another single woman pulling a tiny trailer (although she was accompanied by 4 dogs)!.

My car turned over 140,000 mile today.... and purring like a kitten.

I spent the night at Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park between Butte and Bozeman.   It was a lovely little campground.   The Cavern tours were all filled up for the day, but I did drive to the top and took in some pretty views.

Got an early start this morning, and the air quality is pretty bad.  Looks like smoke coming in from somewhere to the north.    Made for a great sunrise. 

I am shooting for the North Dakota border today.  This is a quick stop where I have some internet connection to check mail and update the blog.

Stay tuned!

And we are off!

 Day 1 is under our belt.  It was a mostly easy day to Northeastern Washington.    Waddles and I got a pretty early start.

Everything on Waddles is working perfectly, all my food fit nicely into the fridge.  Early on I had 14 motorcycles pass me on the highway and I had the thought that they might be heading for Sturgus, South Dakota, which I will be passing through.  I had to look up the dates to see if that gathering would be going on when I was there, and fortunately it is not.   That would be a madhouse I would rather miss!

The drive was nice and in familiar territory so I don't yet really feel like I am on a big road trip.   Tomorrow will change that feeling I am sure.

Tonight I am mooch docking in front of a friend"s house.  Went out for a lovely dinner with friends and had a good visit.   It will be early to bed, and early to rise for this girl!  Tomorrow I head into uncharted territory.  

It appears that comments are being posted as Anonymous, including my responses, so I ask that you include at least your first name in your comments.  THANKS   I will do the same.

Planning

 After a lot of years of just making short trips, of 3-5 days, I am planning another long road trip to visit my sister and her family in the midwest.    I am thinking about how different this planning is, than it was the first long trip I took.  That trip, in 2016, was RIGHT after I purchased Waddles.   It was all new to me, and I had only taken her out for a short 2-night outing close to home.    What I remember about that planning experience is I wanted to make sure I had EVERYTHING I might need.   I had a big camp table, a Coleman stove, lots and lots of food and other do-dads I might need.     What I learned from that experience, and from all the Waddles trips I have gone on since, is that I don't need a lot of stuff.     I feel pretty comfortable with the bare minimum.   Kitchen stuff, some food, a small screen tent for shade, and bug abatement, chair, shower stuff, and clothing.    For this longer trip, I am taking laundry stuff, and extra set of sheets.  No extra stove, big table (only a small folding table), minimum of clothing and 'might need' things. 

I have had my car checked and serviced, I have new tires (because the old ones were very worn), I have had my resident mechanic work on the Waddles wiring because my lights have been acting funny.   Turns out the ground wire on the trailer was brittle and had broken.  It has now been fixed and is working just fine.    Have I mentioned that having resident mechanic is very handy?

I have gone through my entire car, and Waddles, emptied out EVERYTHING and got rid of duplicates and other things I do not need to have.    I am debating about taking some sort of heat source.  I have a small electric heater and a small Heater Buddy propane heater, both of which I have used successfully on past trips.    Because this trip is in July, I don't think I will need heat, but I haven't decided yet.    I did check the Air Conditioner (which I have never really used) and it seems to be working fine.     I have extra fuses, a good spare tire (for both the car and Waddles) and i have AAA on my speed dial, just in case.  I have the trailer registration in hand, my passport (because who knows, I might decide to come home the long way).

I also have a SPOT tracker, for emergencies, and so my family can keep track of where I am.

I have reservations at a KOA Campground near my sister, but plan to just wing it for the rest of the trip.    The small concerns I do have are 1) it is peak vacation season, so campgrounds may be full, and 2) it's gonna be HOT and HUMID in the midwest.    AND I will deal with both of these things.

I have piles; what goes in the car, what goes in the kitchen, what goes in Waddles.  I have books to read, knitting to knit, sketchbooks to draw and paint in, camera to shoot with, binoculars for birding.   

Essentials 

Sorting the kitchen

In the kitchen and the car

Things to do

 

In the car

I have about a week before the trip, and I think I will be ready.  I am excited to be hitting the road with Waddles.   Stay tuned to this blog for trip updates as I go.

What are you doing with your summer?