Rolling along in Minnesota

Sunset at Badlands National Park in South Dakota

After completing our extensive trip last year to Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, & the northeastern states, it was time for us to take it easy for a while.  So, this year we are just traveling around Texas & then to Wyoming and upper Michigan (with a short visit to Thunder Bay, Ontario), before heading back to Texas again.

We wintered again in the Houston/Galveston area (with annual doctor visits etc.).  Then in February, we make a short trip in eastern Texas & Southeastern Louisiana to visit some more National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs).  In March we went to visit our grandkids in the north Texas area for a few weeks. 

Then we set out on a 5-week round-trip thru west Texas & eastern New Mexico camping in 9 Texas State parks (including Caprock Canyons, Palo Duro Canyon, Seminole Canyon, & Dinosaur Valley).  Our favorite was Palo Duro Canyon (the 2nd largest canyon in the US).  Of course, we had to see and photograph the most prominent rock formation in the park – Lighthouse Rock.  On this trip we also visited the International UFO Museum & Research Center in Roswell, NM (however, we missed seeing any UFO’s), and camped in Guadalupe National Park.  I (Jan) decided to hike to the top of Guadalupe Peak & back (an 8 mile RT hike with 3,000 elevation gain to the top).  I had done this before with Boy Scouts about 30 years ago, but did not remember it being so difficult (I wonder if age has anything to do with it?).

The primary destination on our trip in West Texas was to attend the New Horizon RV Owners Group Rally in Kerrville where we visited with many old friends and made new ones.  This rally (with people that have a New Horizon RV - either a 5th wheel or travel trailer) is held every 18 months (alternating spring & fall) in various places in the US.  We have managed to attend 8 consecutive ones & are planning on being at the one next year in Iowa in the fall.

After this trip we stayed around the Dallas area to attend Brynne’s (our oldest granddaughter’s) high school graduation and also to attend my (Jan’s) 50th college reunion at Austin College in Sherman, Texas.  Since the college mascot is the kangaroos, I am now the proud owner of a ‘Golden Roo’ medallion.  We, of course, will have to be back here in 3 years so that Cathy can get her very own ‘Golden Roo’ medallion.

We decided to make one major change this year & traded in our 2003 blue F450 truck.  It was becoming not very dependable, had 145,000 miles on it, & there have been many major improvements made in new trucks in the last 10 years.  We wanted to get another blue Ford F450, but the blue color they offered didn’t even come close to what we wanted – so we ordered a white one instead (at least it matches our 5th wheel & we may even get some blue stripes put on later).  We are still very happy with our 2002 New Horizons 5th wheel RV and have no plans to replace it.

In early June, we were ready to start our extended summer/fall journey.  We headed to the Kansas City area to spend a couple of days with one of Jan’s brothers & then headed up thru Iowa to South Dakota & camped in the Badlands National Park.  This was our 5th time in the Black Hills area and did not revisit many of the places (such as Mt. Rushmore).  We did, however, revisit Wall Drug (a major tourist attraction near the Badlands) and Custer State Park. 

Then we headed to Gillette, Wyoming for the annual Escapade - this is the big annual rally of members of the Escapees RV Club (the top RV Club for fulltime RVs).  We are members and our permanent mailing address is at the Escapees headquarters in Livingston, Texas.  This was only the 4th Escapade that we have attended (since most of them have been in the summer when we have been in Canada & cannot attend them).   We had a great time in learning new things, visiting with people, and hearing good entertainment.  We also, finally bought and replaced our light bulbs (including the fluorescent ones) with LED lights which are by far more energy efficient & not as hot.  We really like them.

We then headed north to Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota where we camped a few nights & attended the well-known Medora Outdoor Musical (a fun evening).  Then we headed to the Enchanted Highway – a side country road off of I94 where some fascinating very large scrap metal sculptures are built.  Just as we started down the highway we saw smoke coming out of the rear of the RV & immediately pulled over.  To make a long story short, one of the  wheel bearings disintegrated & the tire rubbed against the frame causing the smoke (fortunately, there was no fire).  Sometimes I wonder what we are doing wrong.  We have now had 5 times when we have seen smoke out the back of the RV.  Two times when an independent suspension axle broke, 2 times when wheel bearings disintegrated, and once when the trailer brakes locked up & one of the tires caught fire on Vancouver Island.   Even with all of these troubles, we have not had to make any “plastic surgery” repairs on the trailer and are not discouraged and are determined to keep traveling onward.

When we had this current wheel bearings problem there were no shoulders to pull off onto, so after quickly removing the tire, we drove on 3 trailer wheels to one of the few houses along this road & backed into the driveway (where we spent 6 nights waiting for parts to come in from Ft. Worth).  The owner of the house was more than gracious in letting us stay parked in front of her house.  She even offered for us to use her shower etc. if needed.  North Dakota is known as the friendliest state in the nation & we now definitely agree with this.   

After I installed the new parts, we rolled north & visited many NWRs along the way (North Dakota has more refuges than any other state). Eventually we made it to the International Peace Gardens (on the North Dakota/Manitoba border) for a few days of rest.  The flowers were beautiful, the park was very peaceful to walk thru, and there is a 9-11 Memorial (completed since our last visit in 2005).  There is also a great International Music School in the summer and the faculty & students give concerts on Fridays & Saturdays.  We thoroughly enjoyed listening to great jazz musicians.

It seems like this is the year for us to see bison (buffalos).  We have seen them at Caprock Canyon State Park (TX), Custer State Park (SD), Theodore Roosevelt National Park (ND), Sullys Hill Game Preserve (ND), and many other places along the highway.  Plus, we saw bighorn sheep in Badlands National Park, prairie dog towns, & of course pronghorn antelope on the plains.

We are now in Minnesota heading northeast to Thunder Bay, Ontario to have an air ride system installed on the truck.  Then we head to Grand Portage in the US to catch a ferry out to Isle Royal National Park in Lake Superior.

Hope all of you are doing well.

Roseate Spoonbill in Anahuac National Refuge in Texas

 Cypress swamp area in Trinity National Wildlife Refuge in Texas

 

Resting crocodile in Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana

Lighthouse Rock in Palo Duro Canyon State Park - Texas

Aliens display in International UFO Museum & Research Center - New Mexico

Jan's hiking pal Blackie on top of Guadalupe Peak in Guadalupe National Park - Texas

View of El Capitan from top of Guadalupe Peak - Texas

Petroglyphs in Seminole Canyon State Park - Texas

 

A female cardinal that was unhappy that we parked close to her nest in Lake Brownwood State Park - Texas.  She & her mate pecked at our truck & trailer windows numerous times until we left.

One of many painted bison in downtown Custer, South Dakota.  This one titled "Provider of the Lakota People" by artist Evans Flammond, Sr. depicts 3 horses used in bison hunts and a blue moon symbolizing a great feast

 Our campsite in Comanche National Forest near Custer, South Dakota

"The Tin Family" - a very large scrap metal sculpture by Gary Greff along "The Enchanted Highway" in South Dakota.  Notice Jan standing at the bottom of pitchfork



"Pheasants on the Prairie" - a very large scrap metal sculpture by Gary Greff along "The Enchanted Highway" in South Dakota.  Notice Cathy standing by the front pheasant.

Resting bison (buffalo) in Sullys Hill Game Preserve in North Dakota

Flowers in The International Peace Garden (North Dakota/Manitoba) border

Sunken Garden in The International Peace Garden