One Cool Moose!

Buffalo, Sheridan & Sibley Lake

For those of you that know me, you know that I collect moose! In fact, before we sold the house and most of our belongings I had well over 1,000 different moose “things”! One thing though is that even though I collected moose, I had never seen a real one in person! Even during a trip to Canada a few years ago I never saw one! Well, now I can say that has been changed!
Don and I headed out of Gillette, WY with friends, Glenda & Ray Roe and also, Jerri & Lloyd Wood. We stopped in Buffalo, WY at the visitor center, left the coaches and headed for the Crazy Woman Canyon. We had only gotten about 5-6 miles when it began to rain, and rain and then the rain turned to hail…lots of it! It’s hard to see the beauty of the canyon as a passenger in the back seat so we had all driven our own vehicles. We had FRS radios to communicate between the three of us…let me tell you, hail on your car can be REALLY loud! Several times we pulled off the side of the road hoping to let the rain/hail slow down. Once we got into the canyon, it was truly beautiful and a site to see! I especially loved the creek running through it!
After Buffalo, we stopped in Sheridan, WY to spend the night in the Wal-Mart parking lot before heading up to the Big Horns. It was amazing to see the number of campers, trailers and motorhomes in the parking lot! I have never seen so many in one spot! There was even a tent trailer…guess there’s a first time for everything! While in Sheridan, we went to the Chop House, a very busy, well-known restaurant in Sheridan. There was quite a wait so we had a drink while we waited. Jerri and I had ONE margarita and later found out that they had a limit of 2…and we know why! They were pretty potent! Once we got to our table, we all ordered our meals. Salads and soup were delivered along with the appetizer we had ordered. Ray, Glenda and I received our ribs…they were DELICIOUS! We had just about finished our meals when the waitress came out with the rest of our food…only she didn’t serve it! She helped another waitress deliver another tables food! At that point, the rest of our table was pretty unhappy. They told the waitress that they wanted to cancel their order since the three of us were already done. The manager came, said she understood they wanted to cancel their order, didn’t apologize, didn’t offer any discounts, etc. Needless to say…we paid our bills and left. Stopped on the way home for Subway’s for those that hadn’t eaten!
Glenda & I headed to Wal-Mart (a SuperCenter) to purchase some of our non-perishable grocery items. Jerri didn’t make it…one margarita did her in! The next morning we were all up pretty early…it was getting warm already! The gals headed back to Wal-Mart, the post office, etc. so we could stock up before heading to our campground! We all had lunch at Taco John’s and then we were off.
When we arrived at Sibley Lake we made quite a stir! We unhooked our cars at the bottom of the road and all drove up separately! It was quite a sound and site to see the three diesel engine motorhomes driving up the road! Several people in the campground got up and watched as we arrived! We got parked, set-up and settled in.
After dinner we all headed out for a “wildlife” drive! We had almost given up and had turned around when Glenda spotted the first moose! It was getting dark, so the lighting wasn’t very good and the moose were pretty far off…but it was my very first real live moose! I took pictures, but none with my digital!

Sites from Wyoming...

Devil's Tower - America's First National Monument

Vore Buffalo Jump

"Why" Wyoming!

Don and I took a trip to Devil's Tower, which is America's First National Monument, with the Wood's (Lloyd & Jerri). We hiked around the tower which is a little over a mile...up and down; of course they couldn't make it flat, could they? The temperatures were higher than those we've encountered so far this summer but a little lower than those that Southern California is experiencing right now! We took a picnic lunch and enjoyed it before we started our hike! We didn't see any wildlife (well, Don said he saw a chipmunk, but the rest of didn't see anything) but we did get to see several "different" things! June is a sacred time for Indians in the Devil's Tower area and there were many prayer bags and prayer cloths hanging in the trees. Some fairly close to the path and others higher up in trees! Another interesting site was the climbers! They asked you not to climb the Tower out of respect for the Indians but it was strictly voluntary. As we got around to the back side of the Tower we saw a few climbers. Actually, we think they might have been instructors as it seemed like they were teaching someone how to repel off or from a ledge that is there. The reason we think they might be instructors was because you could hear them talking from the ledge down to the person on the side of the Tower!

After we finished our hike we headed back in the direction of the campground and stopped at the Vore Buffalo Jump. Vore is actually a sinkhole that was used in the 1500 - 1800's as a natural hole to lure the buffalo into. It was incredible to see all the bones that were left in the sinkhole after the Indians were through butchering the buffalo! It was also neat to see how they used parts of the buffalo for their everyday needs! I am eternally grateful that I was not alive in that era! I do like the comforts we now have! :-)

On Wednesday, we packed up and headed the 75 or so miles to Gillette. Found the campground with no problems and one of the first persons we ran into was Robb Steinheider, a long-time friend of ours from Kountry Kampers in So. California. Robb is on the parking committee for FMCA. Before we could get the car un-hooked, Ray & Glenda Roe arrived. There are about 11 of our Monaco friends who are supposed to be parked with or near us. We got into our sites and set-up when Sue Steinheider came by to say “hi”. Sue just had her second knee replacement surgery (for the same knee) and had trouble getting up the steps. I told her I’d come down to visit with her so she didn’t have to struggle getting into our motorhome. I was able to visit with Sue and catch up with some of the Kountry Kamper news but couldn’t stay long! A trip to the grocery store was a MUST! Jerri, Glenda and I headed for the grocery store where we stocked up for a few days! When we got back, Bob & Maribel Clerc and Andy & Linda Clarkson had arrived. We invited them to join us for dinner and we ended up with plenty of food! Enjoyed catching up with everyone and had a nice evening.

Today we relaxed and took our time getting around. Jerri, Glenda and I took a trip to Wal-Mart (not a Super-Center and under construction) and then stopped at the “Trading Post” which is a Wyoming Gift Shop that is almost across the street from the Cam-Plex. I ended up finding a couple of unique Wyoming moose items! It was a fun shopping experience. I even found something there that Don could buy for me! Again enjoyed another great meal with all of us, and enjoyed socializing for the evening.

Tomorrow we are going to take a tour of a local coal mining operation. It should be fun and different!

A Trip On the Black Hills Scenic Byway

We headed west from Rapid City, SD today. We only traveled about 90 miles to Beulah, WY. Our purpose was to be centrally located to Devil’s Tower, WY and Spearfish, SD. It didn’t take long for us to reach our new destination so we loaded up in the car (Jerri & Lloyd Wood and Don & I). Took a drive on the Black Hills Scenic Byway (14A). Stopped for a quick glance of Bridal Veil Falls and then onto Roughlock Falls. We got out at the Lodge and took the trail…it’s about 1 mile. Got to the top of the falls and lo and behold, there’s a parking lot up there! Guess we could have driven to the falls, but the walk was probably MUCH better for us! Jerri & Lloyd had said that they had heard of some place good to eat at the top of the Canyon. Well, we didn’t know if we were at the top or not, so we continued on! Once we got so far…it was clear that where we had gotten out for Roughlock was probably where we were supposed to eat, so we shifted gears and went into Deadwood. Don and I had been there several times already (last year) so there wasn’t too much new to see. It was fun to show Jerri around since she had never been there before. We found one of Don’s favorite places to eat – a buffet and headed for it! After we finished stuffing ourselves, we finished walking along the famous Main Street of Deadwood. Something amazing that we saw…what was once a hole (last year) was quickly becoming a new-old building! It was still daylight and they were working on it as we walked by! It was a fun day! Tomorrow we will head to Devil’s Tower before heading to Gillette, WY for the FMCA Into Rally.

A few fun facts...

We've been "full-timing" for 357 days!
We've traveled 16,419 miles
We've spent an average of $17.00/day on campsites for a total cost of $6084.63!
We've stayed in 18 different states (at least over night)!
We've put in 3,106.736 gallons of diesel at an average price of $3.12 per gallon! Total cost of fuel has been $8,259.64! Our average miles per gallon has been a whooping 5.2849678891286546394672736917459 (I just LOVE this number)

**These numbers don't include miles driven in the car, gas put into the car or the cost of gas for the car!

Grandma & Grandpa Babysit...

Don and I had the opportunity to babysit Justisse & Shae just before we left Rapid City. It also gave me the opportunity to take some more pictures! It's hard to make up for two years in just a matter of days but I did take LOTS of pictures! Don't want to sound too prejudiced, but Justisse is one smart little girl! She talks so well and clearly it's hard to remember that she just turned two! She's usually pretty serious, but she was really laughing when Grandma started acting silly! It made for some interesting pictures like the one of my hair or the one of the ceiling, but hey...I was also able to get some great ones of Justisse as well!

Shae was playing with a friend from down the street so I didn't have as many opportunities for photo ops with him, but I did manage to get a couple as we were working on "summer homework"! Shae is such a sweet, loving little guy! He told me "Grandma, I wish you lived closer to me so I could see you more". I thought that was just too sweet!

Babysitting your grandchildren has so many rewards! The hugs, kisses and memories are priceless!

A Day with Grandkids...

Today we spent the day at Storybook Island in Rapid City, SD. This is a free park that is huge! I've never seen a park (especially a free one) that has so many things to do and play on for kids!

What made it even more special is that we were able to spend the day with our granddaughter, Justisse. Justisse just turned two and before we got to Rapid City Don had never even met her. I last saw her when I was in Okinawa, Japan for her birth. When I came back to the states, she was 6 weeks old! It's been a long time!

Let me tell you...that little girl is solid! You would think that she would be light and thin because she is constantly on the go! It tired me out to keep up with her! She was off like a light! I guess she also reminded me of the Energizer Bunny because she just kept going and going and going!

After the park, we met up with our friends, Jerri & Lloyd Wood and Dottie & Lew Anderson. We all went to the Alpine Inn in Hill City for dinner. We had a long wait since everyone had to wait on us to return from SI. Justisse once again kept me on my toes! She wasn't too thrilled with sitting inside waiting so we went outside and raced up and down the sidewalk! I would lose all the weight I need to if I was around her all the time! Once we were able to be seated and our food came, both Shae and Justisse chowed down! It was a great dinner, great company and we all had fun! Everyone enjoyed meeting Stacy, our daughter, as well.

On the drive home, we made it almost 1/2 the way home before the kids conked out! If I wasn't driving, I might have joined them!

A Tribute To A Friend (The Wanderer)

In the early 80’s I decided to “do” something different. I left So. California, my family and friends, packed up my children and moved to St. Louis, MO. I was recently divorced and starting a new life. A key factor was the company I worked for had an office in St. Louis and I had a job there! I settled first in a very small apartment in Washington, MO. I traveled about 50 miles each way to work. Compared to traffic in So. California it was a piece of cake! It was a lot of empty highway so I had a CB in my car. To pass the time each day I chatted with others driving the highway. It wasn’t long before I met Pat O’Connor…the Wanderer. I think he was “intrigued” by me. I was “California Girl”. One thing I’ve found out over the years is that most people who’ve never met a “true” Californian or been to California have a stereotype of the “typical” California girl. They think we go surfing every single day, are tanned, blue-eyed blondes like so many TV. shows portray and have lots of money. Well, for those that know me…about the only thing I can claim is the blue-eyes! Many of those that I talked to thought I was pretty courageous and “gutsy” for moving long-distance with two young children!

I can’t remember when I actually met Pat face-to-face, but I think we might have stopped along the highway one day just to say that we’d met! Now one of the things that you should know about Pat is he was a happily married man with 4 children at home! His oldest son was a little older than my daughter, Kim but his daughter was pretty close to her age. His youngest son was just a little younger than my son, Nathan. His wife, Barb is a jewel! She welcomed me to their home and to their family and never questioned our relationship! Pat at times became my “Guardian Angel” and there were a few times I really needed one! I had a boyfriend at the time, but he turned out to be a louse many times over! Pat just listened! At one point I ended up in the hospital for 28 days in traction, my kids were at their babysitters until my Dad came to pick them up. Let me tell you 28 days in the hospital are NOT fun! Quite a few mornings Pat brought me an egg biscuit from McDonald’s on his way to work! That really hit the spot! Then there was the time that Pat came with me to “give” my boyfriend all his things when I found out he had been cheating! Talk about a friend and going above and beyond friendship!! He also helped me move a few times…from the apartment in Washington, to a house in Gray Summit and then to my last apartment in Pacific. Finally, a few years later when I returned to So. California, Pat was right there again…pitching in and helping!

Now I didn’t always make him work! He invited me to his home several times. He loved to show off his latest Ford project! Pat LOVED Ford trucks or anything FORD…the older the better! He was always so proud to show me what he had done to his latest one! Barb fed us all and we had some fun times! I also invited Pat and his son to a game in St. Louis courtesy of tickets from my work! I also had him and Barb over for dinner to repay their hospitality. I can’t really explain our relationship. I guess you could say that it was almost like a brother-sister thing. One thing I can say is that I always envied Pat and his relationship with his wife and their children!

I think it was 10 or 15 years ago when I made a trip back to St. Louis to visit a girlfriend there and help her and her family with a move to a new house. Pat and I met at Wendy’s for a hamburger and then spent a few hours at the Arboretum in Pacific. It was like no time had passed! We had kept in touch, but nothing on a regular basis! The last few years have been better with the internet! We’ve sent jokes back and forth and kept each other updated on what’s been going on in our lives. For the past six months or so, Pat has been struggling with health issues, but kept on fighting to get better. He thought he was on the road to recovery, or at least it sounded like it in the last e-mail that I received from him. It’s ironic that the last e-mail I sent to Pat was “Flowers for You” about giving someone flowers while they are on earth, instead of waiting to put flowers on their grave. I received an e-mail yesterday from Pat’s wife, Barb, letting me know that Pat had passed away. I was truly shocked and saddened. Heaven has surely welcomed a deserving angel into their midst.

Pat…rest in peace. You will be missed by so many!

Patrick O’Connor
Aug, 21, 1944 – June 14, 2006
A wonderful husband, loving father and a great friend!

A Trip Up The Cog Railway

One of our stops in Colorado Springs was the Cog Railway which takes you to the top of Pikes Peak. Below (where you catch the “cog”) temps were in the mid-80’s. At the top it was freezing! I’m not sure what the temp actually was but it was COLD! Luckily I had thought to grab two lightweight jackets, but we sure could have had warmer ones!

Of course the main attraction at the top of Pikes Peak is a gift shop! Go figure! Did I mention that the elevation is 14,110’? The high altitude does affect you! Especially on the way down! You are allowed 30 to 40 minutes on the top of Pikes Peak. The reason for this is that most people begin to feel the effects of high altitude (slight nausea, headache) after about this amount of time. Most of the passengers on the way down also slept…another affect of the altitude!

Shae enjoyed his ride up (we rode up backwards) and down (facing forward but fighting gravity)! He had to wear Grandpa’s jacket at the top because it was so cold! We all had on shorts and we froze! Didn’t stay outside too long! If the temps weren’t enough…it’s mid-June and there was *s*n*o*w* on the ground! It was scattered, but there none the less!

It was pretty interesting seeing the scenery change as you rode up and down. Although we didn’t see any big horn sheep, we did see a few marmots!

Before we took our trip on the Railway, Don and Shae had gotten up early and went over to see the parachutists and gliders training on base! They both really enjoyed that! It was a fun day seeing the sites and spending the time with Shae!