August 27, 2008 - Kanab, UT

Don't forget to check out our itinerary at:

Bounder Across America Itinerary

We arrived in Kanab, UT on Tuesday, August 27, after a beautiful drive from Central Utah down to Southern Utah. This area is sometimes called 'The Golden Circle' because it lies, more or less, midway between Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, and The Grand Canyon. We intend to explore all of these sites over the next couple of days. However, we are using today as another 'catch-up' day. Lots of things to do when you are on the road. But today's 'big' task is to update our blog on the Colorado segment of our journey!

The first thing we noticed upon entering Colorado was the huge transition form Wyoming. It was almost as if there is an unwritten rule about how many people should inhabit each of these states. Wyoming is sparsely settled, with little traffic, and few signs of civilization along long highways traveling through mountains and valleys. But as soon as the border into Colorado is crossed, there is a nearly immediate change. Signs of life dramatically appear everywhere. Traffic increases at least ten fold from the other side of the state line; and the hills and valleys are dotted with signs of life - including homes, seemingly wherever it's possible to build.

Colorado was meant to be a place for visiting family and friends - and of course, we did this. But we also were able to work in some sightseeing for places we've not previously had the opportunity to visit. It turned out to be a great (and busy) week and a half that we want to share with all of you.

But before getting into the details, there's just a note again about 'RV life'.

In some of the photos in Donna's Picasa album (linked later in this blog) you may notice Glen's left foot looks a bit odd. He's wearing a knit slipper instead of a shoe. Now this may indicate a 'ski mishap' in some of the places we visited in Colorado. (And Glen's not beyond saying just that - and although not as romantic as a ski accident, we have no doubt it was just as painful.) But in this case, the injury represents one of the hazards in an RV. RVs are built to be light, so that they are readily transportable. However, sometimes 'light' could be better translated as 'cheesy' - because 'light' is often an excuse to build components that are not exactly 'household' quality. One example of this is the refrigerators included in many RVs. Ours is primarily plastic. For the most part this isn't a problem. However, light plastic doors connected to hinges with sheet metal screws, is a recipe for disaster. Although the door is light weight - the items stuffed into the door may not be. In our case, the right-hand door of our double door fridge carries bottles of juice, salad dressing, wine, water... and sundry other items. The result is that a two pound door actually weighs in at closer to twenty pounds - which is probably more than the manufacture bargained for. In any event, the day after we arrived in Colorado, Glen was opening the right-side door when it completely broke where the hinges screw into the door, and came crashing down, pointed corner first, smack dab onto Glen's foot - directly behind the toes and in front of the ankle. Black and blue hardly describes the color of Glen's foot following this mishap (and 'blue' isn't an adequate description of Glen's language immediately after the door landed on his foot). Everything still moved the way it should (toes, ankles, etc.), but the foot was so swollen that attempting to put a shoe on it resulted in screams of pain (well... actually, mostly just more 'blue' language) from Glen. Suffice it to say that yesterday was the first day that a brief walk was attempted with a shoe. The swelling is greatly reduced, but the foot still looks painfully red - and a bit like a large sausage. Lesson learned? Even if the refrigerator door has adequate shelves - don't be fooled. They are decorative rather than functional. Place too many heavy items in them, and twenty pounds of cheesy plastic refrigerator door, fastened to metal hinges with sheet metal screws, is likely, sooner or later, to end up on the floor - and you too can have a 'sausage' foot!!!

Now - back to the blog at hand!!

We arrived at Chatfield State Park in Littleton, CO early in the afternoon of August 14; anxious to see Glen's sister (who we haven't seen for two years) and impressed with the park's layout. Most state parks we've visited are nice - but often they are 'rustic', with lots of gravel and not a lot of pavement. Chatfield is quite different. All roads are new and even asphalt, and the pads for the RV itself are actually level concrete. The hookups are easy and tidy. The only thing the park lacks is are a lot of trees. And after months of high heat and drought, the Denver area was about as brown as we've ever seen it. Even the weeds couldn't keep up with the dry climate, so most grassy areas looked a bit like a field that's just been clipped and ready to be baled.

(We apparently brought a change of luck for the region with us. The next two days were 'record setters' for Denver - with the greatest quantity of rain in history for a two day period. Fortunately, the weather did nothing to dampen our spirits - or change any plans.)

Glen's sister Karen had arrived at the park before us, and had made a clever welcome sign at the entrance to our site; and she and her dogs greeted us warmly!! Then, after we hooked up and showered, we went to Karen's house for a great dinner, and were joined by niece Liz for hours of 'catch-up' conversation.

Friday morning we had an early breakfast with Karen, and proceeded to downtown Denver to see Karen's other daughter, Jen; and to meet, for the first time, Jen's son Micah and partner Michael. (We liked Micah and Michael immediately!) The couple had brought Micah to their workplace so that we could then take him along and he could spend the day with Grandma and Great Aunt and Uncle! But first we were treated to a guided tour of Jen's and Michael's workplace. Both of them work in an extremely artistic fabricating shop, where they do beautiful neon glass blowing. Michael is one of only a few journeymen artisans in this country doing extremely specialized work; and Jen, who is a gifted artistic welder, is now learning the glass trade at Michael's side. We were able to see some of their work, and were extremely impressed with what they - and the fabricating plant - are capable of producing. The rest of the day was spent enjoying the company of Karen and Micah and with all of the animals that share Karen's house (dogs Chumbly and George, and cats Maude, Gray Kitty and Sylvester). Of course, Karen and Glen couldn't resist continuing the ongoing Rothe family cribbage rivalry; and Glen was thoroughly trounced by Karen, as he was by his brother Dale in Milwaukee. (Grandpa Rothe would roll over in his grave to see how seriously Glen's cribbage prowess has declined over the years. Of course, it isn't possible that Dale and Karen have actually improved!!) In the evening we made our way to White Fence Farm, a restaurant name we were familiar with from our years in Chicago. The Chicago area and Denver area are the only locations for these restaurants - both of which specialize in fried-chicken; Glen's favorite. YUM!!

Saturday we had no big plans, but the rain gave us the opportunity to have a relaxing day. We met Jen & Michael for lunch at a great Mexican restaurant (Karen had to return the little charmer Micah back to his folks), and then along with Karen we headed to a movie. We both enjoy seeing films in theatres, but we just haven't had much time these past couple of months to indulge ourselves. This time we enjoyed Kevin Costner's new film, Match Point, and then headed off to our favorite post-movie activity - Barnes & Noble for scanning the stacks and some Starbucks Coffee. After a few hours of reading, coffee and good conversation, we decided to make an early night of it, and returned to Chatfield State Park for a good nights sleep.

Sunday dawned clear and bright, and so after a good breakfast at Karen's, we all headed off for a driving tour of the mountains. For years Donna & Glen and our kids made an annual pilgrimage to Colorado at Thanksgiving time when Karen and family lived in Evergreen, CO... so we were anxious to see how the area had changed since our last visit - twenty years ago. Although the town has changed, we were pleased to see that it hasn't lost its charm. We then continued down the mountain a bit and stopped in at Red Rocks, a well known venue for greater and lesser rock stars. We weren't really looking for a show, but rather just wanted to walk around and enjoy the ambiance around this natural amphitheatre. Good think we didn't have our hopes up for entertainment. A line of 'teeny-boppers' were waiting to get in for Jack Johnson - a name foreign to us. We were just as happy to skip the show, but were impressed by the three Prevost motorhomes that Johnson et. al. arrived in. ($1,000,.000+ for a Prevost??) Apparently Jack Johnson is doing alright for himself!! Dinner and conversation filled the rest of the day and evening.

Monday was a day for housekeeping and other chores - while Karen attended her college classes. In the evening she showed up at The Bounder with an armload of Chinese food; and we feasted, chatted, and caught up on a bit of TV.

Tuesday we had the chance to meet up with our brother-in-law Dan (Karen's ex) in Georgetown, CO where Karen, Jen and Micah joined us for breakfast at The Happy Cooker - a restaurant quite a bit more sophisticated than the name! Then we all headed over to Georgetown's train station for a ride to Silver Plume on the Georgetown Loop Railroad. (Georgetown is a quaint little mountain town in an idyllic setting nestled in a canyon/valley, high in the Rockies. The railroad was built, prior to the turn of the century, to carry ore out of the mountains and back to civilization. 'Loop Railroad' refers to the way in which this narrow gauge railway tackles the mountains. Hills too steep to climb required that the tracks loop around at a reasonable grade in order to make their way to higher altitudes. This innovation in Georgetown led the way to numerous 'loop' railroads around the world.) The day was beautiful, and the ride was a lot of fun. We later made our way back to Chatfield, where Liz and Michael joined us for a barbecue at The Bounder.

On Wednesday Donna caught up on some chores while Glen met his old friend John for lunch. John, from Denver, spent nearly a year in Chicago back in the early eighties for a special project when they both worked at United Airlines. As these things happen, they later fell out of touch. But John recently contacted Glen via e-mail, and the timing was perfect for the two of them to meet and catch up on old times when the Bounder Across America tour passed through Denver. In the evening Karen dropped over, and we finished the leftover Chinese dishes from Monday. And then it was time to say good-bye. The week went by so fast that we could hardly believe it was over.

Thursday morning, bright and early, we pointed the Bounder west again, and made our way to Glenwood Springs, CO, where we were looking forward to meeting up with Donna's cousin Carol and husband Don. Since becoming adults, Donna and Carol have had few opportunities to see each other. We have fond memories, however, of the trip to England in 1973 when we were able to spend some time with Don and Carol while they were doing a job stint abroad. (Glen was probably influenced to the point that when the opportunity came for a couple of year consulting engagement in London - we jumped at the opportunity!) Thursday evening Don and Carol came to see The Bounder, and then we retired to their mountain retreat for a wonderful evening of food, drink and conversation.

Friday we were again picked up by Carol, and enjoyed a breakfast at their home before setting out on a tour of the area. Glenwood Springs is known world-wide for the hot springs, and has the largest mineral spring pool west of the Mississippi. Across from the pool is the famous Colorado Hotel (an institution that enjoys basking in the fame for being the location where the ubiquitous 'Teddy Bear' got it's start from a longtime association with President Teddy Roosevelt). Then it was off to Aspen and Snowmass and Buttermilk... and other haunts of the rich and famous. We enjoyed a great (if a little pricey) lunch at Little Annies well-known cafe in Vail. Then on to one of the most scenic landscapes either of us have ever seen. The Three Maroon Bells are a set of mountains, framed by a 'saddle' ridged valley with a lake in the forefront. The photo op was magnificent. (Don't miss the 'panorama' picture in Donna's Picasa album - linked later in this post.) Quite frankly, Disney and all of the CGI in the world couldn't have produced a more magnificent view!! Finally, tired but enervated by all we'd seen, we returned to the mountain retreat for a light dinner, whipped up by Don & Carol.

Saturday we meandered through hills and valleys surrounding Glenwood Springs; finally making a stop for snacks at the scenic village of Redstone, high in the hills. Coming down, we had a fine dinner at a 'Modern' BBQ restaurant (none of us could really figure out what made this BBQ modern - but it was great anyway) and then returned to Carol & Dons for a nightcap and 'good-byes'. It was great to spend this time with them, and they certainly were fine tour guides for this area we'd not seen before.

Then on Sunday it was time to head west again - to Utah and the wonderful national parks! But that's the topic of our next blog posting... so don't miss it!! In the meantime, why not visit Donna's Picasa album of our Colorado adventures at:

ColoradoAugust, 2008

Sure hope you've enjoyed this installment of our Bounder Across America journey. Drop us a comment to let us know you've been here. Take care, and come back soon... Y'all hear!!

Donna & Glen

August 25, 2008 - Richfield, UT

Don't forget to check out our itinerary at:

Bounder Across America Itinerary

We are comfortably settled amongst the mountains of central Utah, enjoying a couple days of R&R in order to catch up on some badly neglected tasks. Foremost is bringing our blog up to date. For nearly three weeks now we have been without good and consistent internet access.

Before proceeding, we need to say a few words about internet access on the road. We offer this as an 'excuse' to our readers, and as a word of caution for our fellow RVers.

As 'full-timers', the internet is an important part of RV living. Unfortunately, many RV parks have not yet quite gained an understanding of just how important this amenity is. We consistently make an attempt, before booking, to insure that, when possible, the places we stay have wi-fi internet access. This allows us to access the internet from the comfort of our motorhome. We have learned that although many parks advertise that they are 'internet friendly', with wi-fi available at each site - this is not, in fact, universally true. We have stayed at a number of RV parks during this trip that advertise wi-fi; but what they really mean is that the office may have a router with a wi-fi signal - this signal is only available if you are within a few feet of the office. For the average RVs, spaced out around the park, this signal is non-esistant. Even when dragging the laptop closer to the office, access is sometimes not available. (In our case, with Glen's computer being non-portable, this is not really possible; and even if it were possible - not desirable.)

Our most recent stays, have provided little or no ability to access the internet. (Fishing Bridge RV Park in Yellowstone National Park - where no wi'fi was advertised or offered; Chatfield State Park in Denver - where wi-fi is available, but where we were located at the furthest reaches from the park's internet router; and Ami's Acres in Glenwood Springs, CO - where the wi-fi signal was practically non-existent, and when we could get the signal, the connection was so slow that it must apparently have been a single dial-up line connected to a weak internet router). So this situation has left us quite far behind in our blogging. (A situation we hope to begin to remedy right now!!!)

Most recently we’ve been enjoying a very pleasant visit with Glen’s sister and her family in the Denver Colorado area, and a stop in Glenwood Springs, CO to visit with Donna's cousin and her husband. However, we’ll save the blog update about this leg of our trip until later. For now it’s time to cover the time we spent in Wyoming… from August 4 through August 14.

On Wednesday, August 4, it was time for us to head out from Rapid City, and to continue our journey West.

With Yellowstone National Park as the ultimate goal for this leg of our journey, we decided that a few days of rest would put us in a position to better enjoy all of the wonders of Yellowstone -and Sheridan, WY was the place we chose as an interim stop along the way. However, before proceeding on to Sheridan, there was a place that Glen was particularly anxious to see. Devils Tower was featured in the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and practically on our way to Sheridan. After visiting this national monument, it’s clear why the director (Steven Spielberg) wanted this location to form a cornerstone for the film. From a long way off, after cresting one of the many mountain passes when heading west, the tower becomes a prominent point of interest on the horizon. It has an intriguing appearance that seems unique in all of nature. (See Donna’s photo album if you are unfamiliar with how Devils Tower looks.) Having spiritual significance to the Native Americans, the monolith appears to have been carved in place eons in the past. Although many may think that Devils Tower is an extinct volcano, in actuality it never quite made it to that status. Instead, it is an offshoot of a volcano, a collection of lava tubes, that never made it to the surface to spew lava. Cooling too rapidly, the lava tubes abruptly ‘froze’ beneath the earth, and didn’t surface until many years later, when wind and water erosion cleared the soil from around this geological anomaly – making it appear as a tower above the surrounding landscape. Today the tower stands more than 1000 feet above the surrounding area. With it’s flat top and ribbed sides, Devils Tower can compare to nothing else we have ever seen. Sitting at it’s base and looking up, it’s easy to understand why Native Americans believed this to be a holy place. There is something quite mystical and arresting about the solitary promontory, sitting in the middle of the Wyoming eastern plains. As we approached for a first-hand look, the park ranger informed us that we would need to disconnect the motorhome from our car, and then drive only the car to the monument (because the park was expecting a crush of visitors from the Sturgis Rally and didn’t want the road to be blocked with large vehicles). Glen, believing that American citizens driving motor homes have as much right as bikers to have equal access to national parks, questioned this advice. We decided to drive the motorhome to the base of the monument anyway - and we’re glad we made this decision. We were able to make it to the upper parking lot with no problems, and volunteers from the Sturgis motorcycle contingent who were directing traffic, quite courteously showed us to a place where we could comfortably park the Bounder with no inconvenience to the many motorcyclists. Then, after enjoying viewing the monument from various angles, we were able to park out motorhome just a bit down the hill and enjoy a pleasant lunch in the shadow of Devils Tower. Anyone in this area of Wyoming shouldn't miss seeing this unique geological formation.

From Devils Tower it was onward to Sheridan, where we stayed for three peaceful days at a pleasant RV park - with internet access. In retrospect, we would probably have enjoyed Cody, WY more. Although Sheridan is a pleasant enough town, it suffers a bit from hype rather than reality. The truth is, Cody is more 'Wild West', particularly with a gigantic museum dedicated to Buffalo Bill Cody. And we would certainly have enjoyed a night at the rodeo - an event this town offers nightly during the summer.

(Just a brief note about the Bighorn KOA RV Park in Sheridan, and their internet access. This was the first time we encountered 'metered' wi-fi. We were quite easily able to connect, but we were accessing the internet through a 'filter' that counted the amount of internet traffic we were generating. If we used this access too much, we were told we would be 'transferred to a slower link - and ultimately that we would be cut off if we attempted to do too much. Although we didn't come close to exceeding the limit, we were a bit intimidated by the possibility, and found this type of metering to be just a bit too intrusive.)

True to our plan, we didn't attempt to do much in Sheridan other than rest and catch up on neglected chores. We did, however enjoy a couple of beautiful drives into the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains (where we even drove into Montana for a short way). This part of the world is marvelously underpopulated, and when you drive into the mountains, it's possible to turn off the car's engine and hear absolutely nothing of civilization. The wind in the pines and the chirping of birds is all that one hears, and it helps one to realize just how peaceful nature can be without the intrusions of modern life. A bit of wildfire in the hills contributed to some spectacular sunsets, and the abundance of small deer in the fields made the drives particularly relaxing and enjoyable.

On August 7 we navigated the first twisty mountain roads of our journey. The way to Yellowstone takes one up into some fairly steep mountain passes, and although the roads were all quite good, Glen's shoulders were quite stiff at the end of the drive from gripping the wheel more tightly than normal. We entered the national park at the Eastern gateway, and got our first indication of just how vast Yellowstone really is. The ranger at the entrance told us that we were quite close, and that the Fishing Bridge RV Park was the first real development that we would encounter in Yellowstone heading west. He was right; but this still took us twenty-six miles into the park - and we had barely made a dent in the hundreds of miles of good paved roads that abound in Yellowstone.

At this point in our blog it's difficult to know where to proceed. Yellowstone is surely one of the modern marvels of the world. The park covers more than 2 million square acres - and within that acreage there are a seemingly impossible number of spectacular sights to see. As stated earlier, hundreds of miles of good improved roads circle the park, and these roads are laid out in circular routes that allow the visitor to see all of the sights by following several northern and southern routes, which in addition to circling all of the major attractions, take one to a half dozen 'villages' that provide food and lodging and shopping services. From the first moment we entered the park we encountered not only unprecedented natural beauty, but also an abundance of wildlife not previously encountered. Ten miles before reaching the RV park, we noticed a few cars stopped along the road. (We subsequently learned that when cars were unaccountably stopped in this fashion, it invariably meant that some form of wildlife was visible.) There, on the side of the road, we saw our first ever grizzly bear in the wild. Not ten feet away from us, the rather small and immature bear was feasting on the carcass of a dear - no doubt the casualty of a run-in with a car. We then proceeded to within a couple miles of the park, where a buffalo was slowly sauntering along the side of the road, blissfully ignoring the passing cars. Later, after setting up, we learned that we had no cell phone coverage. After inquiring, we found out that by stopping along the shore of Yellowstone Lake, it might be possible to pick up a signal. Sure enough, in the dark, we parked and called the family to let them know we would be out of reach for nearly a week. Then, when we turned the car's headlights on to proceed back to the park, we learned that a coyote was crossing the road about five feet ahead of us! This constant parade of wildlife never stopped for the entire time we were in the park!!!

Rather than bore you with descriptions of all that we saw, it's probably best to let Donna's Picasa album 'speak' for us. (The link follows later in the blog posting - and as we all know, one picture is worth a thousand words; and you'd probably be happy to be spared a thousand words for each of these photos!) Instead, we'll just pass on some observations from our experiences.

- First and foremost, if you intend to explore Yellowstone, allow enough time. We planned six days, but thought we perhaps had allowed to much time. We did not!! Six days allowed us three full days of following the various loop routes, with days in between for recovery and 'housekeeping' tasks.

- Remember altitude takes some adjustment. Fishing Bridge RV Camp is at about 8000 feet of elevation. For 'flatlanders' like us, this meant that we were subject to a certain degree of 'altitude sickness' - diarrhea, headache, shortness of breath and a day or two of lethargy. (On the plus side, this certainly conditioned us for our stay in 'mile high' Denver.)

- The iconic image of Yellowstone that we were all exposed to as schoolchildren (Old Faithful Geyser), although wonderful in its way, is not the greatest spectacle the park has to offer. Innumerable rivers that cascade and often drop in breathtaking falls; canyons that although may not rival The Grand Canyon in scope, are nevertheless strikingly beautiful; more than half of the world's known thermal geological sights - including other geysers, pools, 'mud pots' and a variety of steaming vents; one of the most gorgeous mountain lakes possible; and the previously mentioned wildlife make for a seemingly never-ending display of the best that nature has to offer. Just when you think that you've seen the best, you round the next corner and are again awed by something new, fascinating and exciting.

- Don't be afraid to eat out in the park. Xanterra corporation has the current concession contract for Yellowstone, and does a surprisingly good job of providing good food at a reasonable price. We had a few good meals that we had difficulty believing came from such an institutional environment as a national park.

- Allow time for the buffalo. There are several large herds of buffalo in the park, and these animals (rightly so) believe that they own the place - including the roads. On more than one occasion we found ourselves in a long line of traffic as one of these magnificent beasts decided to take a stroll down the middle of one of the parks roads. They appear oblivious to humans and their machines, and are perfectly at home on the road as well as in the many pastures and meadows that would seem to be more natural habitat.

- Take in Grand Teton National Park as well. Just south of the South Entrance to Yellowstone National Park, you enter Grand Teton National Park. The Tetons are perhaps the most striking mountains in America. They have individual peaks that rival the Alps, and bordering several lakes within the park, there are more than enough 'photo ops' to satisfy even the most demanding shutterbug. Snow-capped, these steep mountains, although not as high as some of the Rocky Mountain peaks, nevertheless appear to reach higher because they are more individually located, rather than a part of a massive range.

- The park is wonderfully accessible. Although not everything that is worth seeing is on the main 'loop roads' that make up the bulk of paved road in the park, there are good roads that take you a bit further back into the more pristine countryside. Sometimes it's worth wandering off the beaten path to see something that although listed on the park's maps, is not visible from the main road. No matter where you go, the roads are universally drivable; and the National Park Service has been extremely good about not providing access to areas that might be just a bit more dangerous and precarious than we are used to. Be careful - but enjoy all that the park has to offer. It's quite a treat to see that the NPS gives us credit for having enough sense not to take our life in our hands - and gives us the opportunity to see some things that only a little bit of venturesome nature will allow one to see.

- Don't play with fire... but also don't be afraid of it. Fire is a part of nature in Yellowstone. We drove through wildfire areas that were still smoldering while entering and driving through the park. There are numerous signs of past fires, including the 1988 conflagration that ravaged more than 500,000 acres (nearly a quarter of the park). There are constant reminders of past fires, but also the Park Service goes out of their way to keep everything safe for tourists, and to remind us that the fires are necessary to keep the natural beauty of Yellowstone. Fire leaves nutrient that allows the flora to flourish and propagate.

There's probably a lot more to say about Yellowstone National Park, but just let us finish by saying that if you ever have the chance to go - take that opportunity. There is more of the beauty and wonderment of nature packed into a small area than anyone might think possible.

Following Yellowstone it was time for us to backtrack a bit and on August 14 we headed toward Denver, Co, where we would spend a bit of time with Glen's sister and her family. More of this in our next blog. For now, we hope you will enjoy some of the beautiful photos Donna took and included in her latest Picasa album. Follow the link at:

WyomingAugust, 2008.

Now, we hope you are all well; and that you have found this installment of our blog to have been worth waiting for. Take care, and come back soon for our 'Colorado Installment' of Bounder Across America. And of course, don't forget to drop off a comment and let us know you've been here!!

Donna & Glen

August 16, 2008 - Littleton, CO

Don't forget to check out our itinerary at: 

 

 Bounder Across America Itinerary 

 

We enjoyed a great ten days in Wyoming, and we're anxious to post an update here about this part of our Bounder Across America tour. Unfortunately, for nearly a week in Yellowstone National Park we were without internet (and for that matter - cell phone) connection to the world. Now we are enjoying family time with Glen's sister and her family in the Denver area. Unfortunately, our internet service at Chatfield State Park is extremely 'hit and miss'. However, as soon as we again have reliable internet, we will provide a blog update with lots of pictures.

So until then, we wish you all the best... and check back here from time to time for updates.

Donna & Glen

August 5, 2008 - Sheridan, WY

Don't forget to check out our itinerary at:

Bounder Across America Itinerary

We are now at a KOA campground in Sheridan, WY, following a marvelous few days of sightseeing in the area surrounding Rapid City, SD. In this ‘issue’ of our blog, we will attempt to bring you along on our journey west.

On Wednesday, July 30, when we departed Wisconsin, we began a new phase of our Bounder Across America tour. Up until this time we have been deeply involved in visits with friends and family. For the next couple of weeks however, as we are trekking west, we are primarily sightseeing.

In the middle ‘Sixties’, Glen had the opportunity (following his freshman year of college) to take a year off and explore much of America – West of the Mississippi. Donna, however, has seen most of this part of the country only from the window of a jet – from thirty-five thousand feet. So in many ways this is a chance for Glen to share his sixties nostalgia with Donna, whose fresh outlook on the trip makes everything new for Glen.

Heading west from Wisconsin, through most of the state, and through all of Minnesota and a good part of South Dakota, the terrain is beautiful and rolling farmland, but with little to distinguish one state from the other. That is not, of course, to say that each does not have its own special charm.

Minnesota's wind farms are particularly notable. These sprawling ranges of up to 50 huge but delicate looking wind turbines are amazing. Perhaps not everyone will agree, but we both find these 'farms' to be somehow serene - even if they also appear somewhat surreal. (When we had our B&B in Wisconsin, we would occasionally pack a picnic lunch and drive out Hwy 18 toward Prairie du Chien, WI just to park beneath one of these marvels and sit and enjoy the hushed 'whoosh' of the large propellers.) Perhaps what is most exciting about these present day windmills is the knowledge that they use a totally renewable energy source. As long as life continues to exist on this planet there will always be wind; and as long as there is wind, energy can be generated by these mammoth turbines. No resource from the earth is depleted and no pollution is produced. We expect that with modern political tensions in the world and current attempts to reduce dependence on foreign energy sources, we'll be seeing more of these graceful giants on the landscape.

Our first night was spent at a Wal-Mart in Fairmont, MN. Nothing much to say but ‘Thank You’ Wal-Mart. These large sprawling parking lots, well lit and security patrolled throughout the night, have proven to be a thrifty way to stay on the move when there is no better way to describe a destination than as a place to pass through. In four years of traveling, we have yet to stop at a Wal-Mart and ask permission to stay the night, where our reception has been other than cordial.

Perhaps it is 'corny', but we enjoyed our visit to the Corn Palace. (Yes... pun intended.) This large and multi-use building in the heart of Mitchell, SD boasts a most unique design feature. Nearly the entire exterior of the building is decorated annually with fruits of the South Dakota harvest - particularly multi-colored cobs of corn. Decorative adornments and large murals cover the face of the building. Inside, more large murals cover the walls of the combination basketball arena/auditorium. Glen remembered this spot from his wanderings in the sixties. And although Donna at first thought he must have been 'smoking something' in those days, she couldn't help but be impressed. Then, still heading west, there's Wall Drugs. Like the Corn Palace, Wall Drugs is nearly impossible to describe clearly to someone who's never seen it. But this venerable travelers' stop along the highway to Rapid City and points west has been going strong since the great depression. Each year it grows larger as more than half a million tourists annually swell the population (800) of little Wall, SD. Today's complex is about the size of a square city block. Clever highway signs dot the roadways in all directions for hundreds of miles before arriving in Wall - enticing tourists to stop. And the gimmick that first put Wall Drugs on the map, free ice water for thirsty Summer travelers, still a mainstay. Now of course, this free ice water can be complimented with full course meals, jewelry, trinkets, clothing... and just about everything a tourist might desire. And yes... the drug store is still in operation - prescriptions can be filled!

Continuing on, a subtle but striking change begins to occur. About the time that the westward bound traveler reaches the starkly beautiful Badlands of South Dakota, it is as though an invisible line has been crossed – and the Midwest gives way to the West. The landscape becomes more forbidding; agriculture turns to ranching; baseball caps and shoes are replaced by cowboy hats and boots; and ‘Howdy Pardner’ loses its strange ring.

Also, perhaps now is as good a time as any to talk about Sturgis. (For the uninitiated. Sturgis is a small town in the foothills of the South Dakota Black Hills that for one week each Summer becomes the Mecca for motorcyclists. In a good year, this little town of just over five thousand souls swells to over half a million, as motorcycle enthusiasts from across the country and around the world converge on this scenic area for the largest motorcycle rally in the world.) Shortly after departing Fairmont, MN on Thursday morning, we were struck by the change in the nature of our fellow travelers. Accustomed to the relatively quiet company of ’Eighteen Wheelers’, RVs and a variety of automobiles, it was now apparent that nearly half the traffic was on two wheels. The raucous sound of only half-muffled engines was everywhere. We were amidst the annual pilgrimage to Sturgis!

When we began planning the Bounder Across America tour earlier this year, it was evident that something unexpected was going on during the time we were passing through South Dakota. It was nearly impossible to get a reservation for a few nights at any RV park or campground in the western part of the state. (Sturgis is within shouting distance of Rapid City – if you’ve got a really loud voice, that is!!) When it finally occurred to us that we were attempting to overlap our visit with the Sturgis Rally, we changed our plans slightly so that we would be in Rapid City for the weekend before the official opening of the event on Monday, August 4 – the date when we would leave South Dakota. What we hadn’t bargained for was that because a beautiful weekend preceded the Monday opening, many, if not all, the cyclists would be arriving early.

So, on our drive through half of Minnesota and nearly all of South Dakota, we were accompanied by a constant escort of big bikes. Let us be the first to say that at no time did we ever witness a single act of driving discourtesy on the highway; and furthermore, after arriving at our destination and traveling throughout the area, never did we meet and speak with any biker who was anything but polite and courteous. That’s not to say this can always be discerned from outward appearances.

(The irony hasn’t escaped us that here, in the West, the cowboy has all but disappeared. But for Sturgis Week in South Dakota, it’s almost as if the cowboy has re-emerged in the form of the Harley Davidson rider. De rigueur dress - denim jeans with chaps, colorful bandannas, and lots of leather - is not so different from one to the other. Couple this with hair long enough to braid and no shortage of facial hair, and the cowboy/Harley rider comparison continues quite nicely. The major difference? The trusty steed is now made of metal, and it makes one heck of a lot more noise than the average horse.)

In any event, by the time we arrived in Rapid City it was apparent that the population of the state had nearly doubled from that of a normal South Dakota weekend; and that we were in a noticeable minority – driving a 25,000 pound motorhome. The KOA campground where we were staying was reminiscent of a cattle drive; with tents and campfires abounding. (The truth of the matter is, we were thrilled and excited to be in the midst of such interesting company.)

Saturday morning we awoke to the sound of hoarse engines revving, and we started our day by driving into The Black Hills in order to visit Deadwood (South Dakota’s answer to Las Vegas) and to drive through Sturgis in order to see just what the ‘rally’ action was all about. Deadwood is a pleasant, restored ‘gold rush’ city that is now populated with more than eighty small casinos; each with just a handful of gaming machines. (It should be noted that the total count of slot machines in the entire city of Deadwood is probably less than that at a decent sized Indian casino.) Driving to Deadwood we were again amongst mostly two wheeled traffic; and when we arrived in the city we could see that much of the curb area had been given over to the parking of motorcycles. The town, after years of participating in the motorcycle rally event, had clearly learned how to cater to the clientele. And it was notable that everything was well-organized and orderly – with motorcycles being given priority, but with consideration for four-wheeled vehicles also apparent. In addition to sampling the obvious entertainment of a gambling city, it was just fun to walk the streets and admire the number and variety of big bikes on display. We had not previously understood just how many variations of the Harley Davidson are available. There seemed to be no end of sizes, colors, styles and customized variations of the basic machine. (Although Harley’s are not the only motorcycles represented at the Sturgis Rally, they are by far the predominant bike. A good guess would be somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 to 1.) Going along with the variety of their bikes, there was also no end to the variety of riders. They too come in all sizes shapes and colors. Although it should be noted that there are women riders, it should also be noted that they are also hugely in the minority. This event is high testosterone; and based on the advertising displays that dominate the scene, women are mostly ‘objectified’. By all appearances, the women participating in the event are willing to go along with this characterization; happy to sit on the back of the bike, clad in shorts and halters.

Our next stop, Sturgis, was much the same – but more so! The main street was closed to all but motorcycle traffic and parking, and the entire town seemed as though it had been transformed into something approximating a slightly raucous ‘state fair’. It was still early in the event, and there’s no telling what could happen by the end of a week of partying, but we were happy to see that the crowds were orderly, and that there was no public display of drunkenness or nudity – both of which we had been warned about.

Sunday dawned another beautiful day, and we had planned to head south – to Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, and Custer State Park. Motorcycles were again everywhere on the road. But let us reiterate – they were always courteous to automobile drivers, and never engaged in driving that could be construed as dangerous or careless. Although we have both previously been to see the Mt. Rushmore mountain sculptures, the visit was nevertheless again impressive. It’s difficult to imagine the artistic skill required to create such a sculpture – mostly with dynamite. It can only be imagined what heartbreak would follow had a slight mistake been made; and George Washington’s nose had ended up on the rubble heap at the base of the mountain!

Following Mt. Rushmore we headed to the Crazy Horse monument, which is not too far away. Approaching on the highway, it’s difficult not to be impressed by the scale of the work. It’s also difficult to miss that a very small portion of the sculpture is complete. It’s easy to believe that Crazy Horse’s head will still be all that has been sculpted in our lifetimes.

From here it was only another short drive to Custer State Park, which boasts one of America’s largest herds of wild buffalo. (Or bison, if you prefer. They are actually the same animal – buffalo being the common term, and bison being the scientific.) We were anxious to view these animals in the wild, but had been warned by many others that a sighting of the herd was unlikely. Never daunted, however, Donna explained to the ranger at the park’s entrance that our grandson, Evan, had especially asked for us to send photos of the animals. The ranger, sensing our earnestness, told us that if we were willing to stray off the beaten path, and wanted to travel inland across more than ten miles of gravel road, we could arrive at a place where the herd had been sighted earlier in the day. Needless to say, we high-tailed it along the route that the ranger had set out for us. We were rewarded for our efforts when we crested a hill and witnessed a herd of more than two hundred buffalo meandering through a meadow. With little apparent fear of humans and our cars, they seemed either not to notice us; or more likely, not to care that we were there. We drove as close as we dared, and they passed us on all sides; walking across the road in front and in back of us. It’s hard to describe the joy of being in this pristine environment, away from most of the many tourists in the park, and witnessing a display of nature that few in this day and age will ever see. It was truly inspiring, and reminded us of the wonder and reverence that Native American peoples had for this majestic animal. When we’d had our fill of buffalo, we continued our drive through the back roads of the park, viewing mountain goats, white tail deer, and of course – numerous rabbits, all in their natural habitat. All in all, and although we enjoyed all that we’d seen, it would be hard to pick the man-made wonders we’d witnessed that day over the natural beauty of Custer State Park

We returned home to Rapid City in early evening; tired – but satisfied that we’d seen the best on offer in the area. It was now time to get the car back on the dolly – ready for towing; and make the Bounder ready for our departure, deeper into The West, the next morning.

Donna has again prepared a Picasa photo album of our time traveling to and in the State of South Dakota, and we hope you will enjoy it. The album can be seen at:

Onward to South DakotaAugust, 2008

Also, don’t forget to leave a comment.

Until next time, when we chronicle our drive to Sheridan and our time spent here – we hope you are all well and enjoying life as much as we are.

Donna & Glen

August 2, 2008 - Rapid City, SD

Don't forget to check out our itinerary at:

Bounder Across America Itinerary

We are happily nestled here in Rapid City, comfortable in our motorhome, while the outside temperatures have been hitting close to 100 degrees. We've often heard joking reference made to 'dry' heat; but the truth is, that's what we're experiencing. It's hot, but with little humidity - and it truthfully doesn't seem too bad. Then again, maybe we're just getting used to it. Good thing, because from what we can discern, we're in for a few weeks of hot weather as we trek further west.

It's been awhile, and so it's time to bring everyone up to date on the past couple of weeks. Although it might seem logical to create this blog in smaller installments, that method just doesn't seem to work for us. With a busy schedule, and unreliable access to the internet, the only practical way for us to update the blog is when all moons align and we have the time and the means to bring everything current. With that in mind, and for readers who have a short attention span (or relatively short boredom threshold) we will place a marker or two in the text along the way - at logical break points - so that you can take a breather, and then return to continue at your leisure. Look for

X-X-X-X-Xas your sign that it's OK to go away for awhile. Take a nap, enjoy a glass or cup of your favorite beverage, go for a short drive, or just catch your breath.

This edition of our blog will cover our stay in Wisconsin, both Milwaukee and Madison. The time period covered is July 17 - July 30. In our next posting we'll cover the drive to South Dakota and our stay in Rapid City. (By the time you finish this posting, you should be winded, and happy to take a rest with us until our next posting!)

We left Minnesota on Thursday morning July 17, with plans to stop for the night at the HoChunk Casino in Wisconsin Dells, WI. But after several 'casino' stops in Minnesota the previous week, we decided that a quiet night would suit us better - and so we opted for the Wal-Mart in Baraboo, WI. After moving the motorhome several times in the parking lot, to get away from large refrigerated trucks that seemed to park right next to us (refrigerators creating a din that could rival that of a jet engine) we finally found the quiet spot we were looking for.

Friday morning we revved up the Bounder and headed for West Bend, WI, our base for a week of Milwaukee and Racine visits with friends and family. The RV park in West Bend was located on a small private lake, and the setting was really quite nice. The only damper on our stay there were the 'rules'. Upon registering we were handed a two page list of rules for the park, and we were required to sign these before completing the check-in process. There was a second set of rules (also requiring signature) that covered 'appropriate' internet usage for the park's wi-fi system. This was the first time in four years as full timers in our motorhome (and staying at numerous RV parks) that we've ever encountered such rigorous stipulations. Although the rules were by-and-large common sense, and not too onerous, the overall impression that we were left with was that we had entered a police state.

Truthfully, the only rules we ended up having a problem with were those relating to visitors. Let's just say that as reasonable adults, we found it objectionable that the owners insisted (and I mean insisted!!!) that all guests must depart the park no later than 7:30pm. (We were just pleased that there were no 'lights out' rules, or bed checks for us!!)

Anyway, after signing all of the necessary papers, we were finally registered at Lake Lenwood Campground. We hooked up the Bounder, tidied everything up (including ourselves), and headed to Pewaukee Lake, WI for an overnight visit with Glen's brother Dale (and Cheryl). Glen's Sister Kathy (and Al) were already at Dale & Cheryl’s lovely condo, as were friends Jan & Dan. After a couple of 'spiked' lemonades, we headed to Okauchee Lake and an 'old-fashioned' Wisconsin fish-fry. (Well, it wasn't actually as old fashioned as we both remember these regular Friday night rituals in Wisconsin -the restaurant was 'fine dining'... and the fish was Walleye instead of perch.) But the net result was a great evening of good food and great conversation, followed by a night's sleep in Dale & Cheryl's comfortable guest accommodations.

Saturday started out with a great home-cooked breakfast, and then a drive back to West Bend to catch up on a few chores. (Laundry and house cleaning primarily. It seems that the Bounder is able to pick up quite a bit of dirt and grime while on the road; and for that matter, so do we.) Later in the day we navigated our way to Mequon, WI where Kathy's daughter Sue (and Bob) and family have a beautiful home. About thirty people, mostly family, were on hand to help us celebrate our 'homecoming' with a sumptuous barbecue (and a few beers).

(I don't think we've mentioned it yet in these blog postings, but since starting our adventure in May, we have yet to require a change of plans because of weather. For the most part, other than a bit hot at times, we've enjoyed nearly perfect weather. So if we don't mention that the weather was beautiful on a particular day, you'll just have to take it for granted.)

And Sunday was no exception. We had a busy day planned, and another sunny day was at hand. First we wanted to visit parents and grandparents. We don't get to Milwaukee often, but when we do, we always try to make a stop at the cemeteries where our parents are buried - and while we are there, we pay a visit to as many other relatives as we can find. (Donna's family and Glen's family plots are located quite close to each other in Milwaukee.) These visits always bring back a lot of memories, and we are happy for the opportunity to stop in and say 'hello' and remember our loved ones.

We then drove down to Milwaukee's beautiful lakefront. For many years, when we had our cruising sailboat, the 'Donna Lee', McKinley Marina was one of our favorite stops. Now, as landlubbers, we still enjoy visiting the Lake Michigan shoreline in Milwaukee. This Sunday was perfect for sailing, and so we were happy to see lots of sailboat activity in the harbor area. Donna had packed a lunch for us, and so we spent several enjoyable hours watching the boat traffic along with the many other visitors to the park. In the early evening we headed out to the northwest corner of the city to have dinner at Kathy and Al's son Steve (and Dolly)'s home. Homemade pizza and a wonderful salad (and a couple of cold beers) - as well as family conversation that included Steve & Dolly's son Sean and fiancé Isabel, helped to create a perfect end to a perfect day.

Monday was an 'open' day, with no planned activities - and so we headed to Hubertus, WI, just a short drive from West Bend, for a visit to Holy Hill. This well-known Wisconsin landmark, holds lots of fond memories from childhood visits. Rather than attempting to describe Holy Hill, we'll just provide a link to the web site where all questions can be answered: http://www.holyhill.com/. We arrived back at the bounder before sunset, and decided to make an early night of it.
It's been more than two years since we've seen our friend Harvey in Chicago, and so we'd made plans to meet him halfway between Milwaukee and Chicago (at Racine, WI) on Tuesday. We'd had several recommendations of where to eat, and as it turned out we made a good choice with The Chancery, right on Racine's newly rebuilt harbor.

(Actually, the harbor has been under improvement for years, but we still remember the day that we first sailed from there in a Catalina sailboat. A friend of Glen's who worked with him at United Airlines in Chicago had a Catalina '22 harbored at Racine, and invited Glen & Donna to come for a sail to help them finalize their choice for their own boat. The day of the planned excursion saw 30 knot winds 'ruffling' the lake to between 10 and 12 foot waves. At that time there were few slips in Racine’s harbor, and so Glen & Donna boarded a tiny dinghy for the row out to the moored sailboat. After a fair amount of jostling, we were all able to climb aboard and set sail. We can't say that the voyage was perfectly comfortable; but no one ‘lost their lunch’, and at no time did if feel like the boat was foundering. So within a few weeks Glen flew out to Woodland Hills, CA where the Catalina Yachts are manufactured, met with the boat's designer - who was also company president - and the deal was made for our own 'Donna Lee'. So you can see why Racine Harbor will always hold a fond place in our hearts.)

It was good to spend a few hours with Harvey at The Chancery, and by the end of lunch we'd caught up to present day. Hopefully we'll not have to wait another two years to get together again. Following lunch we met Debbie, Dave's girlfriend's mom (who also lives in Racine – and who we’d contacted earlier). She picked us up at the harbor in order to show us the sights of Racine. Debbie is an artist who specializes in metal sculpture, and we were quite impressed by her gallery, and by several pieces of her work that are placed in public buildings in Racine. Later she took us to a delightful lighthouse at Windy Point, north of the city. The lighthouse has been in operation since 1880, and is in a great location amidst garden and beach. Then we picked up our own car and followed Debbie to where she and husband Marc live. Debbie had promised a light snack and libations, but to our surprise, a complete dinner was awaiting us. We enjoyed a pleasant evening of food, drink and conversation with the family, Marc, Jenni's sister Karissa, and Grampy Richard - Marc's father. We'd planned on arriving back at West Bend early in the evening, but when we rolled in after 10pm, we both agreed that the extra hours spent in Racine had been a wonderful addition to our Bounder Across America tour!

Wednesday we were in for more special treats. Glen's sister Kathy (& Al)'s son Chris (& Kim) had invited us over for dinner. Kathy and Al were invited as well, and so we first stopped at their place so we could all ride together. Before going to Chris & Kim’s beautiful home on Milwaukee’s suburban south side, we stopped to check out the remodeled Pottawatomie Casino in downtown Milwaukee - where we again met Debbie, who was in Milwaukee for the day. Afterwards we enjoyed a great Italian dinner with Chris & Kim and their children Laura & Charlie. What a treat!

(Just a note on family. As the family has grown, we seldom have the opportunity for one-on-one conversations and visits. Most time we get together only for special events, and that usually means a cast of 'thousands'. During this trip however we've had the opportunity to spend ‘quieter’ time with nieces and nephews and their children, and that has allowed us to get to know everyone better. We are thankful for this opportunity.)
After dinner, back to Mequon, where niece Sue was away for a few days with son Brickie. We had earlier been offered the use of the grand 'master suite' for the night. After visiting with Bob, and the girls - Margie and Katherine - we retired to the suite. Poor Bob had to bunk in Brickie's room. (Without going into too much detail, let me just say that a king size bed, two person jacuzzi, and a giant screen plasma TV make the Bounder’s comfortable amentities shrink - so to speak - by comparison.

After a great breakfast with Kathy & Al, we made our way back to West Bend early in the afternoon, where Glen's brother Dale stopped by so that he and Glen could continue their life-long cribbage competition. (Actually, 'competition' seems a bit too grandiose a word to describe Glen's dismal performance. After three losses, Glen has decided he'll have to bone up a bit before the next phase of competition, in Denver, with sister Karen.) In the evening Cheryl met up with the rest of the group for dinner at a nice 'brew-pub' in West Bend, followed by ice cream desserts at a great old 'custard stand' in town.

X-X-X-X-XAfter making preparations Friday morning for the next leg of our trip, we packed up and pointed the Bounder toward Madison, WI - for five days of 'catching up' with old friends from our days as innkeepers at our B&B in Albany (just a half hour south of the state capital). The drive was uneventful, and we arrived at the Madison KOA in suburban DeForest early in the afternoon. This early arrival gave us the opportunity to again attend to housecleaning and laundry chores before meeting up with old friends Carolyn & Gil (who were fellow innkeepers during our innkeeping days). We'd planned on a dinner out, but Carolyn surprised us with a gourmet home-prepared meal. Good food. Good conversation. Great friends!!

During our days as innkeepers, we had the wonderful opportunity to meet many people who entered our B&B as strangers - and left as friends. Two of the best friends we’ve made are Marcia & Terry from Davenport, IA. When they learned we were going to be back in the Madison area for a few days, they decided to drive up for an overnight stay and to spend the day with us on Saturday. Like we’ve come to expect during our Bounder Across America tour, the day was nearly perfect, and so Glen & Donna decided on a short driving ‘tour’ to show Terry and Marcia some favorite spots in southern Wisconsin. Our first stop was Crystal Lake - where we’d had a 'cabin' (located at the edge of a farmer’s pasture) in the seventies and eighties. Now we hardly recognized the place. A number of years back, dormant springs in the lake re-opened, and raised the water level more than four feet - changing the shoreline radically, in the process. Now the lake is clear, and a game fisherman's paradise - whereas it seems that all we caught, back in earlier days of lily pads and seaweed, were bullheads. Summer places now abound along the shore. After Crystal Lake we made our way to the dam at Prairie du Sac, WI to see how the fish were biting in the Wisconsin River. (They were practically jumping into the fishermen's creels!) From here we drove to Devil's Lake State Park, but were disappointed to learn that we couldn't progress along the road that nearly circles the lake. Spring flooding in Wisconsin (many of you have probably heard about the catastrophe at Lake Delton, WI, just a few miles away) had raised the level of the lake so that the road was impassable. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the drive. We then headed to one of our favorite spots in the Lake Wisconsin area of the Wisconsin River - Merrimac, WI. (For many years, Wisconsin Highway 113 has been without a bridge across the Wisconsin river. For as long as we can remember, the WI Department of Transportation has provided a free car ferry to make the Highway 113 crossing.) Donna and Glen have probably made this short ferry trip hundreds of times - and still never tire of it. This perfect Saturday boat ride brought back many wonderful memories from the days when our children excitedly boarded the ferry with us. Marcia and Terry also seemed pleased by the opportunity for this unique 'cruise' at Lake Wisconsin. After crossing, we enjoyed a lakeside lunch at Okee, WI, and then slowly meandered back to Madison to complete the day with ice cream at the DeForest Culver's. We'll long have fond memories of this special day with Terry & Marcia.

(Just a brief note about Culver's. Many of you have probably seen the familiar blue 'Culver's' signs - and many have also probably enjoyed a 'ButterBurger' or a 'flavor-of-the-day custard cone. But most do not know an important bit of Culver's history. When we first began going to the cabin at Crystal Lake, one of our favorite stops along the way was the A&W Root Beer stand in Sauk City. It was this location, re-opened by Craig Culver as the first 'Culver's', that began the fast food empire that now includes nearly 400 locations in 17 states. Back then, one of our favorite places for fine dining in the area was The Fire House in Sauk City - which now serves as Culver's corporate headquarters.)

This brings us up to Sunday (July 27) when we caught up with Nancy & Gary, who still operate a charming Bed & Breakfast in Brodhead, WI. We enjoyed a fine lunch together at the newly-renovated dining room at Decatur Lake Country Club. Nancy & Gary's B&B in Brodhead is only a few miles from where we owned and operated Oak Hill Manor in Albany, and so it was good to reconnect - and to learn about all that's new and different in the area. After a pleasant lunch, Donna and Glen headed to Albany to check out firsthand what was happening in our 'hometown' of nearly nine years. (Fortunately, Albany, nestled along the Sugar River, was spared the serious flooding that had plagued much of southern Wisconsin this past Spring.) The town is looking great - especially along the river where a new library has been built. (The Albany library is much larger and grander than anyone would expect from a town of only 1100 persons; but thanks to a large endowment, the town enjoys the benefit of a library that a town much larger would embrace with pride.)

Monday was Donna's day for re-connecting - and she met with childhood friends Sherry and Susan for lunch in Sun Prairie, WI. Friends from more than fifty years ago, the friendship had lain dormant for years until Donna (ever the organizer) got the girls together about ten years ago for a reunion. Along with Donna's sister Noreen, the group is now back in contact and get together whenever we are back in the area.

On Tuesday we met Mike & Mary (neighbors when we first moved to Albany) for lunch in Madison. Since last seeing Mike & Mary, they have both retired - and from all appearances, retirement agrees with them. (There will always be a soft spot in Glen's heart for these two friends. Back a number of years ago when Glen's first short story was published, they made the long drive to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to join us for a book-signing party at The Island House Hotel on Mackinac Island. Also, we both have to smile when we remember one fun episode during the time we were neighbors. We had acquired a garden arbor for Donna's English country garden – which at that time still in the building process. We placed the arbor, for planning purposes, at an as yet unfinished part of the garden. One day, when we returned home, we found the arbor ensconced on your garage roof. It took little thought to figure out who was responsible for this prank. It seemed a logical follow-on to continue the prank, and so a day or two later when Mike & Mary returned home they found the arbor on their front porch. Over the next couple of weeks the arbor turn up in a variety of locations - until finally it was anchored in its permanent location (where it still stands) in Donna's garden.)

Finally, on Wednesday it was time to again point the Bounder west and continue our journey. We'll cover that section of our travels in the next blog posting. Until then, don't forget to check out Donna's Picasa photo album at:

WisconsinAugust, 2008

And also don't forget to drop us a comment here at our blog so that we'll know you haven't yet tired of our rambling!

Until next time, take care; stay healthy; and keep smiling.

Donna & Glen

July 29, 2008 - DeForest, WI

Don't forget to check out our itinerary at: 

 

 Bounder Across America Itinerary 

 

Hello all. OK... we know we're a little bit behind on our blog. The truth is, we've been quite busy enjoying time with friends in the Madison, WI area. But during the next few days we will again be on the road; and for the first time since starting our Bounder Across America Tour, we are traveling into areas where we are actually just doing sightseeing - no friends or relations to visit. So we hope to have some time to update the blog about our Milwaukee, WI and Madison, WI segments of the trip. Stop by again in a few days and check us out. We promise to have more blog - and of course, more of Donna's photos. 'Til then - take care.

Donna & Glen

July 21, 2008 - West Bend, WI

Don't forget to check out our itinerary at:

Bounder Across America Itinerary

We're back in Wisconsin, our home state; and we're near Milwaukee, where we were both born and raised. We're here to visit Glen's brother Dale and his partner, Cheryl and Glen's sister Kathleen and her husband Alan. And of course, we'll also be seeing the extended family of nieces and nephews and their children.

But before we get carried away reminiscing about the Milwaukee area... and family - let's cover the previous week.

We arrived in Apple Valley, MN on Thursday, July 10th, after driving down from Hinckley where we'd had a couple of pleasant days for rest and recuperation. Hinckley boasts a beautiful casino and resort, and the stay there was just what the doctor ordered. We even had a bit of luck at the casino, and left Hinckley with a few more dollars than we arrived with.

The Twin Cites area was home for us during the early nineties when Glen worked for Northwest Airlines; and our son David stayed there when we moved back to Wisconsin to open our bed & breakfast. So we were excited to visit Dave and his girlfriend Jenni, as well as some good friends in the Twin Cities.

No sooner had we arrived at Lebanon Hills campground (a nice park operated by Dakota county) when we received our first visitor. Our friend Donna, who worked with Glen at Northwest, stopped by on her way home from work to welcome us back. After a short visit she headed out, and a few minutes later David and Jenni arrived for some hamburgers on our grill. We made it a short night because we were tired after the drive, and because we needed to rest up for the week ahead, that Dave and Jenni had planned for us.

Around noon on Friday we arrived at Dave and Jenni's new townhouse. David was working, but Jenni drove us into Minneapolis for an afternoon of music at Orchestra Hall. Multiple outdoor venues were operating, with a variety of music styles to choose from. All was free of charge, and after sampling various musical options, Donna and Glen both agreed that the mandolin quartet was our favorite. At the end of a pleasant afternoon we packed up and headed back to the townhouse, where David had already arrived home from work and Jenni's sister Karissa had stopped over for a visit. Dave & Jenni prepared a nice dinner for us, and later in the evening Jenni's parents, Marc and Debbie, arrived from Racine, WI. This was our first opportunity to meet Jenni's family, and within a few minutes, they all felt just like family.

Saturday morning we returned to the townhouse for a light breakfast... and a surprise that Dave & Jenni had told us they'd planned. We drove to Stillwater, MN and boarded an old-time paddle-wheel steamboat for a leisurely brunch along the St. Croix River. The day couldn't have been more beautiful, and both families enjoyed the opportunity to get to know each other in such a pleasant environment. After the boat trip we all walked the streets of Stillwater - looking for bargains before returning to the townhouse to freshen up and head out to Eagan, MN where our friend Donna (who coincidentally is also Jenni's second cousin) had invited everyone over for dinner. It was a great time and a great meal. It was also great to see Donna's husband Dan and daughter Anna, who we haven't seen for a few years.

Sunday was another full day. We started out by moving the motorhome from Lebanon Hills in Apple Valley to Dakotah Meadows in Prior Lake, MN. We had wanted to stay the whole week at Dakotah Meadows, but when we tried to make reservations months ago, the park was already filled for our first weekend in Minnesota. After getting everything set up, we then headed to Como Park Zoo in St. Paul, with the intention of meeting up with the rest of the family. A lesson learned: If you want to go to Como Zoo on a beautiful day in the middle of Summer - it's best to arrive early. After driving around for nearly an hour, looking for a place to park, we gave up and decided to meet everyone later in the day. We were all invited for a barbecue with Jenni's brother Jason's house to meet him and his wife Chastity and their two children, Liam and Bedelia. We had a great time - and enjoyed meeting the rest of the family. The children are beautiful, and Jason and Chastity were warm and gracious host and hostess. On the drive home we decided we just had to stop (it's right on the way - HONEST!!) at Little Six Casino. This was the first Indian casino we ever visited (back in 1991 when we first moved to Minnesota). Like all Indian casinos, Little Six has prospered. Our first experience was in a set of double-wide mobile homes. Today the casino looks like it was transplanted from Las Vegas.

Monday we again drove to the northern edge of the Twin Cities to meet friends Brian and Kip - who have been our neighbors during our Gulf Shores, AL winters the past couple of years. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch, and then stopped at Trader Joe's with Brian & Kip to stock up on their fine coffee and 'all-natural' peanut butter. After returning to Brian & Kip's house for coffee and dessert, we pointed the car south - just in time to beat the afternoon rush. Jenni & Dave, and Jenni's mom Debbie then joined us for dinner at Mystic Lake's Minnehaha Cafe. (Mystic Lake is a huge recreation complex that includes several hotels, restaurants and casinos, as well as a world class golf course and the Dakotah Meadows RV resort where we were staying with the motorhome.)

Tuesday morning we took a drive out to the far southern suburbs of the Twin Cities, where we lived for four years in the early 90s. We needed new tires for the tow dolly that is pulled behind the Bounder with our Escape on board; and Fleet Farm in Lakeville seemed the perfect place to buy the replacements. While we were waiting for the tires to be mounted, we drove to see how our old house was faring. Wanting to see more than was visible from the road, we entered the drive, and were soon greeted by the new owner Krista and her son Stevie. After introducing ourselves, we were warmly greeted and received a tour of the yard. It was great to see that the 'English Country Garden' that Donna cultivated - and which Glen, along with our son David, spent a couple of years fencing - was still intact.

That evening we were scheduled for a St. Paul Saints minor league baseball game, and we used the opportunity to arrive in St. Paul a little early (along with David and Jenni... and Jenni's mom Debbie and sister Karissa) and finally got to see a bit of the Como Zoo - as well as the beautiful conservatory and butterfly house. Later, it was only a few minutes drive to Midway Stadium, the home of The Saints. What can we say about The Saints Baseball game? It's probably the most fun we ever had at a baseball game where the home team didn't even score a run. In fact, The Saints had more errors than hits - but no one in the stands seemed to be bothered by that. There is so much going on in the stadium that it feels just a bit more like a circus than baseball. (Perhaps the fact that Bill Murray of Saturday Night fame, and Mike Veeck, son of Bill Veeck, are part owners has something to do with this.) Whatever the reasons, we did a lot of laughing, and everyone agreed that the St. Paul Saints provide great entertainment and bring baseball back to the level of fun and excitement that it had in it's earlier years - before business and money took the game over. Even though this is 'minor league', more than 6300 loyal fans showed up for the game. (That's more than attended some of the regular season games we enjoyed with the White Sox in Chicago when we lived there.)

Wednesday we started the day with a visit to the Minneapolis Farmers Market. After having the opportunity to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables, we then headed to Minnehaha Falls park for a picnic - again along with Jenni, Dave, Karissa and Debbie; and this time we also enjoyed having Jason and Chastity's two little ones, Liam and Bedelia, along with us. David and Jenni packed a great lunch for us, and we enjoyed the companionship as well as the opportunity to view the beautiful falls - a unique attraction in the middle of a major city. Later in the day we met our friend (and Jenni's cousin) Donna, along with her son Nate, and all headed back to the Minnehaha Cafe at Mystic Lake. While we were there we just had to give the machines another go, and happy to say - at least Glen left with more money than he arrived with. We then returned to our motorhome for a round of sad but satisfied good-byes with family, old friends, and new friends.

Thursday we packed up the Bounder and left Dakotah Meadows, on our way to a one-night stopover at Wisconsin Dells, WI - before making our way to West Bend, WI for a week of visiting with yet another branch of the family.

But more of that later. In the mean time, we hope you will enjoy the photos Donna has put together of our time in Minnesota. You can check these out by going to the Picasa link:

MinnesotaJuly, 2009

Until the next time, when we chronicle our time in the Milwaukee area, we hope you've enjoyed coming along on our journey with us, and that you'll leave a comment and let us know you've visited the Bounder Across America blog.

Donna & Glen