Relaxin' in Wisconsin

I am on the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan (last year did the Michigan side) and am enjoying the time in Bailey's Harbor. Before getting here, we spent a few days near Minocqua and in that campground I ran into a Roadtrek couple who I had already met before! I will see them again at the rally in Elkhorn in a couple of weeks.

Patricia Lake (Minocqua, WI)

Lake Michigan (Bailey's Harbor)

site in Bailey's Harbor (Beantown Campground)

view of the Lake
                                      And the flowers are gorgeous!

  

Minnesota stuff

Although I had some rain in Pipestone, I still got to the National Monument across the street and had some 'hot' sunshine, in the pool days too.
     From there I did a night in Thief River Falls (a small, very northern town).

bottom of a quarry--red is pipestone

many were flooded from so much rain

Monument entrance sign

Pipestone fort (replica)

sculpture in town

From Thief River Falls, I went to "Pete's Retreat" near Aitkin, MN and spent four days there with much of it in the pool to keep cool.
So today I am in the Buffalo Valley Campground, but it is raining and only 55 degrees outside. I am not complaining after all the over 90 temps we have had but it is strange to need my heat rather than a/c to keep comfortable. Will head to Wisconsin tomorrow (Sunday) and Lake Superior.

In the rain in Pipestone, MN

  Today in Pipestone, it is raining and really poured (thunder and lightening during the night) but having a 'rest' today won't hurt.
  

I left Cheyenne and headed to South Dakota (slept overnight in Nebraska) and to my ‘fun’ campground in Custer. I drove through the Custer State park and the scenery and wildlife are wonderful. When I got to the campground I was remembered (stayed there last year) and I wound up staying three nights instead of the two I had planned. They tried to get me to stay longer (were going to lower the rent) but I needed to move on and headed towards Sturgis. I stayed in a lovely, quiet campground for a couple of nights (I did drive through Sturgis and some of the mountain canyons), and then headed to Badlands National park where I drove through (and back) but didn’t stay there as originally intended. I drove on to a small town for the night and then came all the way to Pipestone, Minnesota. I had lunch in Sioux Falls before leaving South Dakota and will stay here for a few days. Hope to walk across to the Pipestone National Monument and into town (if the rains slows or stops!).

buffalo..real...Custer SP

herd in Custer SP

mule in Custer SP (thru window)

cathedral spires..Custer SP

on the Needles Loop..Custer SP

Badlands

Badlands 'old' dunes

horse at Rush No More

Rush No More Camp

buffalo sculpture in Custer

clouds over Custer

Wyoming

montana mts

in campground

Scoria rock

Occidental Hotel (Buffalo) lobby

even the creek is 'raging'

Boot sculpture

me and a Boot

old in Cheyenne

   I have done campgrounds in Livingston (Montana), Buffalo and Cheyenne, Wyoming and now it will be time to head north again.
    Some of the driving is quite 'blah' but some is really very pretty. It is obvious that all the rivers, creeks, lakes and streams are overflowing with water from the snow melt run-off that is happening (and causing floods in many areas).

Idaho



   Driving in Idaho was really a lovely surprise for me. I didn't realize how pretty much of it really is and the rolling hills and pretty canyons and valleys made driving enjoyable even with the very curvy roads.

Ponderosa State Park

We stayed in this lovely State Park in McCall after leaving Bear Lake (stopped just outside of Boise first) and getting there on ID 55 was a beautiful drive.

  I put my 'girl' pinwheel out by my site and it always get me conversation from other campers.



My 'girl' pinwheel



site in Ponderosa


We drove on from there to Lewiston to visit with Gwen which was fun. The temperature had gone down enough to not need a/c, so I was parked in her driveway needing electric only for a few things and since I didn't have to cook, I did not need my propane either.
She took me to see the town which lies in a lovely valley in the rolling hills as well as driving around to see the areas in the town itself which is a 'kin' to Clarkston, WA (right across a bridge) and taught me that these towns were named after Lewis and Clark since they are really on the Lewis and Clark 'trail'.

view of the valley

It is a nice 'perk' to be able to visit other Roadtrek 'solos' along this trip and adds to the enjoyment more than can be imagined.

Experiences

Well, I must admit, mom takes me lots of places and some are really quite an experience! We wound up in Las Vegas after a few not very interesting places for overnights. The purpose of going there, she said, was to visit with some friends and get to see the new bridge by Hoover Dam. We didn't expect to have temperatures of 102-107 while we were there!
   Mom tried to take me to dinner with her friend Judy since it was so hot in the RT, but the restaurant wouldn't let me stay so we came back and got through the evening OK (the temperature had gone down enough for the a/c to be of 'good' help). The night was fine with the air conditioner and the outside temperatures tolerable.
  The next day, her friend Barb came and took us to Hoover Dam. I was not really thrilled about being in the carrier and Barb said I could be out in her little car.

the new bridge

Hoover Dam

sculpture of a builder


When we got back from Hoover Dam, mom left me in the RT and she went to lunch with Barb. She got back and we 'suffered' through the afternoon heat together. She put wet towels on me to cool me down and when the sun started setting, the outside temperature cooled and we got through another night with the a/c running. We left very early the next day and headed north to a cooler situation and both mom and I were quite happy about it.
After a night in Utah, we continued north and now we are in Idaho. We came through the Logan Canyon and at the top there was a visitor center and a great view of Bear Lake which is where we headed.

Bear lake

on the road N. Utah to Idaho
It is really nice to only need to open the windows to be comfortable and we might even need the heater during the night!

from McKenzie Bridge to Eagle Lake

After leaving the Oregon coast, we headed inland to McKenzie Bridge to visit with Jane. It was a lovely couple of days with good company and great scenery.

raging falls

These are only a smattering of the fantastic scenes and I will remember all the water and mountains and trees and flowers forever. And on the way after this we found

Mt Washington

    When we left Jane, we headed towards Crater Lake but didn't go there since the road still has lots of snow on it. We did stay overnight just south of there but then headed south again to Eagle Lake, California. This is a lovely campground (where deer roam around and the chipmunks are numerous) right on the lake which I can see from my site.

      
       The chipmunks do make Petey get his exercise as he runs from front to back wndows trying to chase them.

     All in all this past week has been terrific and tomorrow we will head into Nevada.