Crazy Woman, animals and recollections

This will be my last post of this wonderful trip.  We are heading home and there are a few things I want to chronicle.  

Although the weather is warm the trees are changing color amidst the forests of pines, firs and the fragrant balsams.  We can't deny we are headed for winter.  We overhear a park ranger discussing the possibility of snow in a few days.  WOW!  They are correct, Yellowstone has snow on Sunday!  We are thankful we have moved on and are not able to experience it.

The wildlife was abundant and beautiful.  Guy is disappointed we haven't seen a bear or wolf, while I am relieved.  These are the animals we did see, hopefully I haven't forgotten any. We saw antelope, bison, camel (no kidding), cattle, chipmunk (morning visitor in Yellowstone) deer, whitetail and mule, ducks, an eagle, elk, fox, geese, horses, long horn sheep, magpies, osprey (nesting in the cliffs), prairie dogs, ravens (bigger than most of the lap dogs in camp), red tail hawk, sheep, squirrels, swans (on a lake in Yellowstone) and turkeys. Many of these are a regular sighting for us, but this trip made us hyper vigilant to our surroundings and we appreciate them so much as they added great flavor to our days.

As we were getting closer to the Big Horn mountains there were two things that were becoming repetitious, one was the dinosaur digs going on in the park the other was the Crazy Woman. 

Ever so often there would be a sign on the road telling us how old these beautiful mountains were, Cambrian, precambrian, Mississippian, etc. it is astounding and I hope to come back here someday to learn more.  

We begin to see Crazy Woman everywhere. Crazy woman realty, crazy woman boutiques, crazy woman saloons, crazy woman creek, crazy woman mountain, crazy woman campground and crazy woman roads.  We giggle at the repetition and of course the usual jokes, about how most of my sisters and friends would be at home in any of these venues!  The legend however is sad, so we stifle our humor.  

Legend of Crazy Woman; in the midst of the Indian Wars a Native American Woman witnesses her husband and children being scalped.  She refuses to leave her tepee and as her tribe moves on, she stays and soon the isolation and trauma cause her to go insane.  Understandable!

These are a few photos that I want to include:

The approach to Devil's Tower

Redundant messaging! 

The approach to the Tetons

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The transport of a casket!

Outside our lodge in Palmer Gulch 

Strange

        An isolated geyser pool in Yellowstone

The lobby at Palmer Gulch

This trip was fabulous for many reasons, but of course it will be great to be home!

Retirement Adventure Devils' Tower

Day 10 The weather is still holding and it is another gorgeous day!  We have no real plan after we visit Devil's Tower, so we head to our destination with no idea of where we will be at the end of this day.  The ride is beautiful and we notice there is coal mining and oil drilling in this part of Wyoming, exactly like the terrain outside of Casper.  Such a diverse state.  We see Devil's Tower from afar and can understand why the Native Americans considered this such a sacred place.  It is spectacular!

Literally in the middle of nowhere, there is a KOA Campground with all the amenities, and some camping inside the park, but if you wander to far you are in wilderness.  We watch the climbers, from the telescopes at the foothills they look like dolls on this mammoth rock.  I am so glad my children don't have this hobby, I am having anxiety and I don't even know these people!

We hit the gift shop and score a few items and head out with no real destination..we know it is time to head home.  We check out our options and decide to return the way we came, boring but the fastest!  We head to Box Elder South Dakota for the night.  We stop for Mexican Food, first time on this trip and find the hotel.  

Day 11 Our first morning with no agenda, we gas up the truck, get a cup of coffee and hit the road.  It becomes apparent we have to make a decision about our next stop and we need to be settled well before the PACKER GAME!!  We decide to stop in Sioux Falls.  

There is a sports bar/pizzeria across the street from the hotel, and we are glad to check out the locals. We are befriended by another traveler from Flagstaff AZ, in town for business.  He shares his WIFI password and we have some civil conversation.  We watch the first quarter and then had back to the hotel for the remainder of the game.  THE PACKERS WIN!!, I am already asleep.

Retirement Adventure Yellowstone

Day 8 We awake to a 29 degree morning but nothing can deter our enthusiasm, we are heading for Yellowstone this morning.  Just a 10 minute ride from our Teton campsite and we are in the park.  

Our first stop is Grand Junction and we are soon aware that this campground is closed, although we had no intention of staying there, it dampens our mood to learn that the 7 campgrounds in the park that are first come first serve only 3 are still open.  We go to the visitor center, and talk to one of the park attendants.  She is great and calls up to our campground and manages to get us an extra night.  One huge problem solved.  We take a deep breath and head to OLD FAITHFUL, a must see here.  

Another huge crowd, but inside people wear masks with no hesitation and outside the waiting crowd is reminiscent of a carnival.  There is a lot of light banter amongst the throng and I feel happy.  Old Faithful blows right on time and we are suitably impressed!

We travel along to the prismatic geyser, it is a good hike and I am wishing I had grabbed water and possibly oxygen.  We climb higher and higher and it is worth the effort.

We head to our campground, check in and make sandwiches for supper, make a campfire and call it a day.  

Day 9 There is so much beauty here, we can't really get our heads around it, every turn is a new surprise, mountains, animals, geysers, waterfalls, canyons, here are the pics:

The Cascades

 Mammoth Springs

The Elk at Mammoth Springs

Yellowstone Lake

Our last night in the park, we walk down to the river near our campsite.  Suddenly we hear the bugling of the Elk.  We walk toward the sound and there is a huge bull elk.  He is calling his harem.  They come out of the forest with yet another Bull.  We are joined by fellow campers and for an hour we watch the Elk, it is mesmerizing.  Will the Bulls fight?  The Does seem oblivious to the tension and there is a young doe bouncing around the terrain.  We final say adios and head to a campfire and dinner.

Elk near the river

(too far for a good pic)

 

We say goodby to Yellowstone and head to the Big Horn Mountains. I don't know much about them, but people tell us they are called the Twins of the Rockies, we are headed to Sheridan Wyoming for the night.  We are astounded by the beauty of these mountains, maybe the prettiest we have seen on this sojourn.

 

This ride is one corkscrew after another, and we are going up and over these mountains. The view is beautiful and we are exhausted when we finally arrive in Sheridan.  We check into our hotel, order Chinese food for dinner, take much needed showers and turn on TV!! 

 

   

 

 

Retirement Adventure the TETONS

Day 6 We see mountains in the distance and I am getting so excited.  It has been over 37 years since I have seen this part of the country and I remember it being some of the most beautiful vistas I have ever seen.  Guy is a little surprised by the majesty of the mountains.  We come around a corner and see the Oxbow.

We can't get off the road quickly enough and take a much needed deep breath and are awestruck by the view.  

We keep moving and soon we are in Grand Teton National Park.  We are road worn and have another couple of hours drive to our campground.  It is late in the season but this park is still busy.  We head north to Flagg Ranch Campground.

We stop along the road at Colter Bay Village, they have a marina and it is like a small town, with a really fabulous grocery, gift shop and restaurant.  I just want to see the lake! There is no water in the lake.  It is just mud.  I am floored.  What is happening?  The drought is desperate in Idaho and so they open the dam on Jackson Lake to help the farmers. Another sure sign of global warming. The only water in the lake is headed for the dam on the south side.  

Jackson Lake

We continue to our campsite and are happy to stop for the day.  We setup camp, make dinner and giggle when people start to  arrive so we have something to watch.  Really desperate for entertainment!

Day 7  We are astonished by the great weather.  Sunshine everyday and in the 80's during the day, only about 27 degrees in the morning, brrrr.  We sit in the truck and turn on the heat, drink coffee and listen to the news until it starts to get warmer.  We head to Jackson Hole and some much needed grocery shopping.  It is a beautiful drive, but I am amazed by Jackson, it is nothing like the town I so cherished those many years ago.  It is the Wisconsin Dells of the Tetons.  SO DISAPPOINTING.  We head to Jenny Lake, this is the real jewel of the Tetons.  

There are so many cars we can't park, our hopes for a picnic at the lake are dashed.  We keep trying and finally find a place to pull over and take a few pictures.  

For the very first time, we are startled by the large crowds we feel very uncomfortable and find a picnic table along the road, have a picnic and head back to our campsite. 

Retirement Adventure Day 6

Day 6 Another beautiful day!  We haven't had any cloudy or rainy days, unbelievable!  We head to Casper Wyoming today.  We have no agenda just an overnight stop before we head for the Tetons and Yellowstone.  The drive is fairly uneventful.  We are no longer in the mountains.  The towns are few and the population is sparse.  We notice strip mining along the way and trains filled with coal, just sitting on the tracks, miles and miles of them.

We are happily surprised by the size and scope of Casper.  Nice size city with an active street art and all the bells and whistles we need before we head out.  

We arrive at the Courtyard Suites and Claire checks us in, gives us an upgrade to a suite and suggests we go to Rotary Park and hike to the waterfall.  We are glad for the suggestion and get busy.  

We drive out to the mountains and soon we are in the park.  The hike is fairly easy it is totally worth the effort.

So pretty and the sound was ethereal!  

I have been craving PASTA so we find an Italian restaurant and have a great meal.  Really sweet restaurant that is proud of their commitment to sourcing.  Check out Racca's if you are ever in Casper, the waitress also tells us there are a few in Denver!!

Retirement Adventure

Day 5 We are up and happy to be in a lodge with a breakfast and HOT COFFEE!  I work on the blog and then when I go to publish, I lose it in its' entirety!  BLAST!  We load up and head to Custer to take the Needles Highway.  We start the loop and pretty soon we are at a one car tunnel.

We are glad to get through without a problem, there will be quite a few of these.  The corkscrews are impressive and more than an hour later we come around the corner of the mountain and see Mount Rushmore in the distance.  We are going to get there later tonight to see the "lighting of the monument."

We stop in Keystone to find a bar with the Packer Game on. We are disappointed but after a few phone calls we find there is a bar about 13 miles away, we are off and finally find our people.

The game is awful but the repartee is fabulous!  So much "Packer Energy", most folks live in the area but there are quite a few tourists like us. If you are anywhere near Hill City South Dakota stop at Three Forks Bar and Grill, the cocktails are good and the wings are great!!

We head to Mount Rushmore. This is my third visit, but Guy's first.  It is such an imposing setting.  High in the mountain you walk along a beautiful bridge with flags from every state and territory, it is a beautiful evening and we drink in the solemnity.  Head into the gift shop and theaters to catch some history.  As the sun sets, the crowd starts finding their seats.  It starts to get cooler and suddenly it is dark and the program begins.  The entire experience is very emotional and at the end all currently serving, retired servicemen and people who have lost someone in the service are requested to get on stage and help with the retiring of the Flag.  Definitely shed a few tears and prayer that somehow this country will find it's way through this current house divided. 

Gallitzvanting Retirement Adventure

Hello Everyone!

It has been quite a while since we have revived this blog, but here goes.  Guy and I are heading to Mount Rushmore, the Tetons and Yellowstone.  After the first week we will see where we go next.  We have some new equipment and after some discussion set everything up and are content with our new found knowledge. THANK GOODNESS!

This is our new "truck tent", Penelope and Gracie are always a big help when Papa has a project!

Day 1 We are excited to get on the road and say our farewells to Taylor and Pips and head to Rochester MN, home of the Mayo Clinic to get our first night under our belts.  We decide to jump off the interstate in Madison and head to the Mississippi River.  Thinking this will be a scenic drive to Rochester.  After some confusion in Madison (always a detour) we arrive in Prairie du Chien, such a quaint city and the river is beautiful.  We plug our destination into the GPS and we end up in rural Iowa, pretty drive but not what we imagined.  Five hours later we arrive at the Town Place Suites in Rochester.  Nice hotel with a FABULOUS Pool.  We head out for dinner and settle in for the night.

Day 2 We head down to breakfast and after some friendly banter with guests and employees I hit the pool for a quick workout and then it is back on the road.  Highway 90 is our main artery for the day. We stop for lunch in Sioux Falls and are determined to find the Falls.  They are in Falls Park, right downtown, beautiful cascading water.  They have reimagined the pump house and hydroelectric plant into a cafe and park, really beautiful.

We would have loved to dillydally but head back to the truck and on to the Badlands National Park.  

We finally see the Badlands and have to drive through the park to our KOA on the White River.  It is a great ride and we get a small taste of what our day will be like tomorrow.  It is close to 100 degrees when we pull into the KOA and our glad to find shade and the pool is still open!! We visit with the ladies at the registration desk and find out many of the amenities are no longer available, this will be an ongoing revelation.  After Labor Day it seems many of these places lose their help.  We set up camp and have a cocktail.  Some friendly campers stop by to talk about our "truck tent" and we are the "cool kids" with our fancy equipment.  Our fellow campers are from WISCONSIN!  The gentleman even went to Wauwatosa High School.  Small world.

Day 3  We are up early and excited to get the the park.  We head to the Ben Reifel Visitor Center to get our bearings and make sure we see all the highlights the park has to offer. I first head over to the White River.  It is only muck, the drought is severe here.  The visitor center isn't open yet, but it gives us time to get organized and we are soon joined by many other explorers.  Soon we are inside and getting a great overview of the park and its' history along with pointers from the rangers on "must see" spots.  

We jump in the truck and head to the Badlands Loop!  Guy is disappointed we haven't seen buffalo yet.  We have seen long horn sheep and prairie dogs.  I assure him we will see buffalo but for now we are soaking up the scenery.  It is a foreign landscape and we are amazed by it's intensity.

A few hours later we are heading out of the park and at last Tetonka!

The buffalo are right next to the road and I am having some anxiety but Guy is not deterred and we get a lot of pics.  Gratefully the buffalo are not interested in us and we head to Wall South Dakota.

We don't go to Wall Drug but we do find a saloon across the street and we meet Dion, our bartender, super sweet kid and he makes a killer Bloody Mary or Maria, we split a French dip sandwich, of course, and decide to head to Deadwood for the night.

We don't find a camping spot in Deadwood so we head to Spearfish for the night!  Another nice KOA with a pool, it's only 90 today.  They have a note on the door asking for people to wear masks and we are glad to comply.  To our great delight they have a new baby girl, her name is Genevieve and she is one month old and beautiful!  They compliment me on my RBG mask and I wish I had an extra to give them.  So nice to meet "like minded" people!  We decide to hit the pool and get the heat and dust off and set up later.  Great decision.  The water is cold and we are GLAD!!  We set up camp, make a fire, a cocktail and dinner is served. Another great day!

Day 4  We are up early and another friendly camper stops to talk to Guy about our "truck tent", we really are the "COOL KIDS", only took 64 years.  We stop for gas and the attendant tells of to get breakfast at the Millstone diner.  He insists it is the best!  We are glad for the suggestion and head into town.  This is the Saturday morning meeting place for everyone in town, from  Seniors to High School students, we sit at the counter and absorb the local flavor. The food is great and the ambience is sweet.

We finish breakfast and head to Spearfish Canyon.  We are joined by a multitude of ATV vehicles as there is a rally in the Blackhills.  The scenery is beautiful and we stop at Bridal Veil Falls.  Gorgeous!

I am excited to get to Palmer Gulch, our home for the next couple of days. This is our jumping off point to  explore the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore, so we bid adieu to Spearfish and head to Sturgis! We walk the main streets until we get thirsty and we stop at the Oasis, where we are Michel's only customers.  She is delightful and her husband is at the bar. He wants to move to Sheboygan because he wants to live in Sheboinga, we laugh and visit with them for an hour.  If you are ever in the area be sure to stop.  Michel makes a great bloody Maria!

We continue to Palmer Gulch and I am so excited. I stayed at this KOA campground with my kids 25 years ago.  I have butterflies thinking about how magical this place was then and hoping it will be close to the same experience. 

We check into the lodge and find out it is POLKA PALOOZA weekend.  There is a band and German food.  Brats and sauerkraut. GOD HELP ME!  No matter how far you travel from home you can't really get away.  First day the couple from Wisconsin at the KOA, we met a couple from Eau Claire while we were looking at memorial bricks on the sidewalk in Sturgis. Then we check in to the lodge and the women who greets us is also from EAU CLAIRE!  I am not making this up!  

We check out the bar and campground and are too tired for POLKA PALOOZA!