Lens Freedom

My Trip to Siesta Key

2023-01-13T11:22:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year! Let's hope 2023 will be a fantastic year and everyone can try to get back to a normal routine after what the last 3 years have been to disrupt everyones lives.

Before I can move on, I wanted to make a post of where I had the pleasure of going before the Christmas festivities began. I drove a group of young men and women to Sarasota Florida. Yes, I had been there before but it was on a tour and we weren't in the area for 24 hours. This time, I was with the Gardner-Webb University swim team.

Having been around many sports as a photographer for the past 35 years, I was surprised to learn that many collegiate swim teams travel in December to the warmer climates to train in the outdoor facilities. Yes it makes sense but I had never heard of it happening.

It was a hard gig for the week. Waking up early, taking the group to the pool at 6:30am, return to the villas after 2 hours and then back to the pool at 12:30pm. Once they were done each day around 3pm, that was the end of my day. What a life you say, but take a look at where they/we were staying. Right on the beach of Siesta Key, FL!

I grew up on the water and this was a refreshing week even though the sand felt more like flour than the sands of the North Carolina Crystal coast but it held magnificent sunsets!

The evenings I tried to venture out and explore. I am not the type of motorcoach driver that will just go driving in the bus to see what I can see. But I do carry alternative transportation with me most times in the form of a Segway scooter. This was an excellent way to go out and see some of the island and go into the village for dinner. Before you ask, yes, I did take the Segway to the table with me!

All in all, it was a great trip with a wonderful group of college students who were very courteous and engaging. On to the next adventure in the new year!

Christmas at the Biltmore Estate Tour

2022-12-08T14:58:00.000-05:00

Today I was able to drive a 1 day tour to the beautiful Biltmore Estate. I was working along side the fabulous Mrs. Nikki (aka Mrs Christmas). We departed the Christain Tours campus before 8am and headed West towards Asheville NC. It’s a gloomy day, rainy and overcast but the mansion did not disappoint! Hope you enjoy, I sure did!

Who's Ready to Get Out of the House?

2020-05-27T12:53:00.001-04:00

It's been way too long in many ways. Too long since my last post, too long since I last camped and traveled for leisure. It's time!
Last fall we ventured into buying out first pull behind travel trailer. The excitement was overwhelming and I spent most of the winter wanting to get in and go. Then the Coronavirus hit and all things changed. The plan was to go out in mid spring and get a feel of the the camper. Those plans were halted when most all campgrounds and parks closed and we have spent the last 11 weeks at home. Not working, not traveling just like the rest of the world. It has given me time to thoroughly go through every system on the camper and make sure it I understood how it all works. I also installed solar and batteries for off grid camping. If you haven't tried it, you should.

Now, the country and our state is beginning to open up slowly. We have booked several campgrounds and I can't wait to get going. Safety is always on my mind and keeping my family and myself safe is first. I can't think of a safer way in getting away than taking your home with you. Keeping our distance from others and hiking and exploring.

Stay tuned...

Remember - "Hitchhikers may be escaping inmates"

2018-09-06T17:30:00.000-04:00

So many things cross my mind while driving across this wonderful country we call home. I'm fascinated by all the surroundings, the hills, mountains, lakes, streams, rivers, washes. Washes? Yes, I said it, apparently, in New Mexico and other states that I may have missed, what we call a dried up creek or stream are called washes or dry washes. Obviously they are the same but there are signs all over, just about every bridge out in the desert hills. And yes, some were even a little wet.
Another funny thing I noticed was that in about 5 or 6 states, whenever I saw a deer crossing sign, someone had places a big sticker behind the deer's behind that said "Woofoo" or at least that's what I think it said. I saw it enough but the eyes just aren't that fast anymore!

Another thing that caught me kinda funny was that when you enter the Texas panhandle, you won't see a rest area for over 80 miles! And when you do, you'd better stop because it's the only one off of I-40. Then when you get to Oklahoma and parts of Arkansas, you will see "rest areas" with no facilities, just garbage bins and sometimes picnic tables. Do they really think you can stop in the middle of nowhere and not have to go? It beats me on that one! Also, I passed 2 fairly new rest areas with facilities but they were both closed. Have we just completely run out of money to hire a couple people to watch over these places? You know, vending machines alone could help pay the bills!
And finally, after I crossed over into Oklahoma, I was driving through the wind turbine fields, I saw the sign " Hitchhikers may be escaping inmates"! I have never even thought that could be the case but that one phrase has kept me laughing for a couple days now!
I hope you have enjoyed reading my journey across the country. By the time you read this, I should be back home with my family and friends! Shh, if you read this ahead of time, my kids don't know I'm coming yet! ;) It has been fun writing about all the encounters along the way and I look forward in going back to reread some as well. Til the next trip, safe travels to everyone!

Where's the forest, oh it's petrified

2018-09-05T17:00:00.000-04:00

One of the last destinations I had planned to see was the Petrified Forest National Park. I had heard of the park and read about some of the things that were there but I had no idea how vast and extensive the area was. I entered from the lesser known south entrance and proceeded into the park without much knowledge other than the map they gave me at the gate.

Let me stop here and say how much I am a fan of the National Park systems Annual pass! This pass that I paid $80 for has gotten me into every single national park I have entered for free. Yes I know I bought the pass but it has paid for itself and then some. Today's park for example was to have been $25. Grand Canyon was $35 for each side and Yellowstone was $30. I have been to other lesser know parks too so the savings is invaluable. This pass not got me in but if I had my family with me, they would have been included too for the same pass!

Ok, back to the Petrified Forest NP. This place is so barren and full of mounds and hills. The "forest" has long been gone but you can see the remnants of the trees everywhere! Some look like they were cut for cord wood many millions of years ago and left laying on the ground. It was mesmerizing!
There were many places to turn off the main path and go trail hiking for a bit. I could have explored the area all day. Then I came to the painted hills area that was like nothing I have ever seen before. Now throughout this whole trip, I keep seeing things that amaze me and this didn't disappoint. Hope you agree! Next up... Eastbound and down!

Where's the party?

2018-09-04T18:00:00.000-04:00

While I've been touring the country, I have had little to know issues other than the fires on the west coast. I have been able to see most everything I had planned to see until today. For the last 30 years, Labor day to me meant a day off from teaching, spending it with family and getting my mind set for the big push through the next few months in the classroom. This year, I am traveling through Arizona and having a blast seeing what I can see.

Today I had planned to go to Sedona, AZ to the Red Rock State park and see some scenery that I had read about but apparently most of Flagstaff, AZ had been told there was a party at the Sliding Rock State park. It seemed as though every person from a 100 mile area was there. The roads going in and out were like the road from Blowing Rock to Grandfather Mountain. And there was a void of parking so everyone was parking on the sides of the road, up onto the road. Very narrow driving my truck camper that sticks out on the sides. Luckily I didn't have any issues, but I did travel about 11 miles down into the mayhem before I was able to turn around and call it a day.

I did catch a glimpse of the river and the banks were like Myrtle Beach at the Forth of July, elbow to elbow. How much fun they must have been having but not my cup of tea.
The fun part of the day was getting to drive on Route 66 and even camp for the night. The funny part is they are quick to tell you it's the historical Route 66 but it's not really a road anymore and all cut up and given to other roads, mostly I-40. Tomorrows quest, rock solid wood...

Touring the Southern Rim on the Grand Canyon

2018-09-03T18:00:00.000-04:00

Making my way from the eastern entrance area and the Desert View Tower, I got to see what that attendant was talking about this place being "Disney Land". People were everywhere but it wasn't too awful bad. I made my way to my next campground just outside the southern entrance and as I was passing the gate, I saw the long lines of cars trying to enter the park. I hadn't seen that much traffic in days, including the North Rim or the eastern entrance.

After getting the camper all setup, which takes me about 20 minutes now since I've had a lot of practice. I made my way to the main road by foot to wait for the shuttle bus. This is another similarity of being at Disney. I'll say it was pretty cool to let someone else drive for a change. The bus ended up being pretty full and as we drove around all the gate traffic this was already a win. On the way, I finally got to see a herd of elk in the woods close to the road. I had seen one huge elk the day before but he seemed to have a following of people with cameras and a park ranger in tow so I didn't stop to add to the madness.

After I arrived at the visitors center, or the main hub. I watched an 8 minute video explaining how the canyon was formed over the millions of years and how to distinguish what the lines in the earth show. It was pretty cool as it was shown on a huge video sphere.
Heading back out, I figured I wanted to go to furthest part of the park that I could go but you couldn't drive there in the summer months. I boarded the first of 2 buses with ease. The second one not so much, apparently this was the main attraction so I stood in line for a bit. As I was standing there it started raining and we could hear thunder in the distance.

The bus was the way to go, I wanted to go hiking up part of the rims edge along the way but the one time I got off the bus and took a few photos, it started raining again and there was lightning. I quickly boarded another bus and road to the top to try again. At the top, known as Hermits Rest, there were many people sitting around not doing much of nothing. I took a few photos but could feel the weather picking up again. I found my way back to the same bus I had just gotten off of. The driver, her name was Mo was very entertaining and sometimes you wondered if she was just talking to herself.

She would constantly ask what people thought about things but mostly no responses.
After we got back to the interim terminal, I decided to take a walk around the village rim and see what I could see. If you look in one of these photos, you can see the many people filling the various paths and levels around the cliff side.
Being such a nasty day, the lighting wasn't what most photographers enjoyed. I did my best efforts in taking some HDR type photos, multiple shots of the same image at different settings. I am still learning this technique but I think it has promise. Hope everyone is enjoying the blog and the photos. (** By the way, if you didn't know it, you can click on any of the photos to make them larger for viewing) Tomorrows blog, well I'll just say it won't be much and was the biggest bust of this journey so far, stay tuned...

Welcome to the South Rim, aka Disney Land

2018-09-02T18:00:00.000-04:00

As I was getting ready to leave the North Rim area of the Grand Canyon, an attendant asked where I was heading next. I told him I was driving in the direction of the South Rim. He said, "Oh, you're heading to Disney Land"! At first I laughed and said yeah, I guess so but as I was driving, I figured out what he meant. The North Rim is an area without many extras, no ice cream shops, just a couple of places to eat and then you have the campground and lodge. Without all the frills, you also notice the absence of children. Yes, there are some but not many. This is a more natural area and it's surroundings. "Disney Land", or the South Rim, has many frills. Shops, restaurants, ice cream shops, shuttle buses, etc.

Driving the 180 miles to the South rim, yes, I could see it from my hike only 8 miles away from the North rim but the roads don't exist between the 2. You have to travel through the Vermilion Cliffs, or as I figured out, the side walls of the canyon as it spread out in distance from each side. The cliffs were tremendous and everywhere. When I finally reached an elevation of about 3,000 feet, I passed over the Colorado River that runs through the Grand Canyon.

After the river, you are mainly in the Navajo Indian reservation. It's mostly barren with some tattered shops thrown in along the road with the Navajo were selling their crafts. I had driven from over an hour and finally saw a sign for a McDonald's. Now I was looking for a bathroom, the closer I got to the sign, I finally saw that it was advertising for a store another hour down the road. I could only think of all the locals whom lived around there and had to see that sign everyday and not even have one close by. lol
After I stopped to fill up the tank, the prices weren't as bad as other places due to the Navajo not having any taxes on fuel,

Colorado River

I entered the Eastern side of the park to the South Rim. The park ranger at the entrance gate asked where I was headed and I told him I was in search of a camping spot for the night. He politely told me there was one that had about 15 empty spots still not far away. I had actually planned to drive through the park to the other side to find a spot in the National forest but this was a treat, at at $12/night, was a bargain.
I ended up in the campground next to the Desert View Watch Tower. I had never heard of it but glad I made the 3/4 mile hike to find it. It's views were extraordinary.

A woman named Mary Colter designed the tower. She hand picked every stone's placement and each and every mural inside. It was amazing to go inside and climb the tower for it's views. I however enjoyed more the views I made of the tower with the canyon in the background. Next up, Hermits Rest...

Hiking down the North Rim

2018-09-01T19:00:00.000-04:00

Growing up, I had always envisioned the Grand Canyon as a barren place. Not much life or growth around. I had heard of people riding mules down some of the trails and others hiking on various parts. After arriving at the Grand Canyon National Park North Rim, I can say, I had it all wrong.
There was trees, mostly pine and evergreens everywhere.
The wild life was actually more abundant than what I witnessed just few days earlier at Yellowstone. Buffalo and deer were abundant and easy to find, including the 2 deer that I walked up on while heading back to camp.
I had heard from several people that if I was going to visit the Grand Canyon, I must at least see the North Rim.
The North Rim is the sometimes forgotten cousin of the South Rim. The views were anything but forgotten. I ventured out behind the park lodge towards Bright Angel Point. It was a paved path, but sometimes narrow with many places to wander out of the rocks and boulders.

I have to admit I wasn't prepared for the magnificence of what I saw and was mostly overwhelmed. All the colors and shapes could take you in and keep you occupied for hours on end. Some places where I took photos were up on ledges with no railings and it a long ways down.
After I got checked into the park campground, or basically a parking spot with not hookups, I decided that I wanted to take a hike. I asked the rangers about several trails and they all seems great. One trail caught my attention that you could travel down 2,000 feet in elevation to find a tunnel that was created many years ago.

What they didn't tell me was it was also the trail the mules went up and down as well. Let's just say it was an adventure within itself trudging down hill on a path that mules had constantly relieved themselves on. The views however were worth it. Yes, you could see the same things from above but to walk down the side of the north rim and see the sides from different angles was the payoff. The views were one thing but all the people you met going and coming back up was great too. I met people from just about all parts of the US and other parts of the world.

I swear that one man my age and his son had to be from the Netherlands as he and I kept encouraging each other on the way back up as his barefoot son went up like a billy goat. Others I met had actually started out on the South Rim early that morning and had made the 8 miles hike down, across and then up when I met them. Others I would pass would ask if I had everything I needed like water and snacks as it seemed like everyone was helping each other along and wanted everyone to succeed.
I knew that the journey down was going to be easier than heading back up.

I hiked 3 miles down before heading back up. At times, I felt like I was on the beach because the soil was sandy but mostly rocky and very uneven. I am very happy to say that it only took me 20 minutes longer to hike back up than what it took me to go down. The altitude at the top was 8,300 feet and where I found the tunnel was 6,200 feet and the temperature changed about 12 degrees from top to bottom.
I haven't hiked that much or hard in 30 years since college. I surprised even myself in how well I did and it felt like a major accomplishment and and extra big check mark from my bucket list. Next up, lets go find "Disney Land"...

Heading toward the Canyon

2018-08-29T22:29:00.001-04:00

When I left home almost 3 weeks ago, my vision and plan was to make it to the California coastline before heading east. Well, the fires in CA and Oregon made that almost impossible to do with a RV. So, I changed plans and heading south east towards the Grand Canyon. I actually drove a double stint yesterday so that I could take a day off from driving and get my plans together. I found this little RV campground on the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indian reservation.

When I booked this place, it looked nice and was close to the canyon but far enough away to save some cash. What I didn't know was across the street from the campground was the Pipe Spring National Monument. The funny part was that I was here almost 24 hours before I realized the importance of this place. It started out as a fort but was later bought by Brigham Young as a settlement for the Mormons who were traveling through the area as a place to find water and food and possibly be used as an underground to hide men who had more than one wife.

The Paiute Indians in the area were cut off from their water supply because the fort or castle as it was renamed was built right on top of the main spring. This caused their tribe to go from 1200 at the time to about 80. Nowadays, the Indian tribe is trying to rebound but only to the number of just over 300 members, some of whom work for the national park service with Pipe Spring. The stories were numerous as the tour group I was with, all 3 members, were all attentive. Funny thing, our tour guide actually worked at the Hatteras lighthouse last year and then found this location to do tours.

She was very knowledgeable on the subject.
The property was developed as a homestead type location where passersby could stop in and stay mostly for free, unless they were salesmen! lol The local Indians who were having a hard time to survive because of lack of water for their crops and livestock would stop in for some food.

I found it funny to hear that they would sometimes be baptized 2-3 times a year at the Mormon fort. This was due to the fact that each time they were baptized, they would receive a sack of flour and a new white shirt. Another interesting point was that even though the fort was established to control the water, the fort was never in battle and eventually the Paiute Indians and the settlers got along. Next up...The Grand Canyon

Grand Tetons to the Bonneville Salt Flats

2018-08-26T18:22:00.002-04:00

Grand Teton National Park

Setting out on the planning for this trip, I had envisioned traveling from North Carolina to the Oregon coastline and traveling down the pacific coast highway. Well, things have changed due to all the fires on the west coast. The advantage of technology is that I can track all the fires and have been trying to avoid those areas. My new route from Yellowstone NP is south, through the Grand Teton national park.
The park itself was amazingly small but very overwhelming. It's one of those national parks you see lots of photos from but not much else. As I was beginning to drive through the park, I knew today would be an experience that I would have to retain but probably wouldn't get many good photos. The air was so thick from the smoke from 100's of miles away.

I could see the vastness of the mountains but as you can see above, not very clear. I did buy a post card, I cheated, so that I could have something to remember what I was supposed to be seeing. lol
Still heading south, I ventured into Jackson, WY or as they prefer as you are driving through Jackson Hole. There is only two words for this place, tourist trap. Don't get me wrong, its a beautiful area but it's like driving through Blowing Rock on steroids times 10! I did drive around their Elk Reserve that surrounds the town while looking for a camping spot. No elk to be seen as they were still in the parks but still beautiful.

The next day I drove mostly through the back country of Idaho. So beautiful and so many animals. Never did see any potato farms though, kinda disappointed but that's ok. I stayed in a small town after just crossing the border in Utah next to a horse farm and some more mountains in the distance.

Driving today through the backside of Utah, I avoided Salt Lake city even though it was Sunday and probably no traffic but I have been enjoying driving the back roads and today was no exception. Today I drove many miles down Hwy 30 in Utah where I never passed a store or gas station or even many cars. I mean, in over an hour, I saw 2 vehicles! The country side in Utah is what you see in the movies. Visually appealing mountains and hill sides that go on forever. My destination today was to the Bonneville Salt Flats, UT. This area is so beautiful. I camped right next to this hill side with no one around on the BLM. (Bureau of Land Management protected area) I drove down to the Bonneville speedway, about 3 miles away and could see in the distance they were doing motor bike practice before their big event this weekend. All I can say, it's very bright out there. Back to my camp spot, I finally broke out my drone to see what I could see. What do you think...

My 30 hours in Yellowstone

2018-08-24T21:50:00.002-04:00

Growing up in North Carolina, you are aware that our state gives you just about everything from coastal waters, through the plains and then the mountains. The Great Smokey Mountain NP and the Blue Ridge Parkway are our big claims to fame. Ever how much I love where I grew up and still live today, these areas have nothing to compare to Yellowstone National Park. You have miles and miles of shore line around it's numerous lakes.

The mountain regions to many to count, but they are far and wide. You can actually ride for just a few miles and go from a plain where the animals are abundant to the tops of some of the mountain tops and gorges. Water falls are everywhere and then you have all the volcanic areas from mud pots pouring from the earth to hot springs and geysers.
While getting ready for this leg of the trip, I found an advertisement in a Wyoming tourism magazine for an app for your smartphone. It's called Gypsy Yellowstone NP and it's just AMAZING. I am not gonna do a commercial for it or anything but this app doesn't require cell or wifi, it follows your path via GPS in whichever direction you go around the park and gives you commentary on things you must see and advise on all the various animals throughout the park. I just set it to play through the truck speakers and it would play every few minutes when you were approaching points of interest.

I knew that I only would have a day or so in the park. I had made reservations at a campground the week prior but could only get 1 night. I wanted to make the best of it so I entered through the west entrance and soon headed north in a counterclockwise path around the "Loop" of the park.
You hear about all the visitors to the park and their stories of close encounters with wild life, well I had one too. This big guy decided he wanted to take the road less rocky and take a stroll.

Next up, was the northern side of the park where the mineral hot springs are abundant. This was a great time to get out and stake a walk on the various boardwalks the park provided to see what you could see. Then, the part of the day that wasn't planned, traffic and road construction. You know when you see a sign that says expect 30 minute delays and to be sure to turn your engine off, you know it's gonna be awhile. The national park service does an amazing job but to the life of me, I really can't understand digging up the ENTIRE road for 10-15 miles at a time and have everyone drive on gravel.

Oh well, next up, the color fields of the geysers and mineral springs. This place was gorgeous. I could have stayed here all day and I hear that some people do. The vividness of the color and bacteria from the hot springs and geysers were gorgeous.
And finally, onward to Old Faithful geyser. Now, this is the most popular area and it shows. The roads turn into something from a small city with over passes. The parking lots were enormous. After getting turned around, I finally made my way to the viewing area, only to see the end of the show.

Old Faithful Geyser

I arrived right as Old Faithful was finishing up. What do I do? Do I leave and say that I saw the show only to know that I saw the ending or do I wait for another 90 minutes, it ended up being 102 mins, before she put on a fantastic show. Arriving early, I had a prime spot that I occupied all by myself for over 45 mins. lol It was worth the wait and I even saw another geyser in the distance put on a show of its own while I waited.
Arriving at the campground near the southern entrance, I was plum tired. I only drove about 160 miles around the park but the constant of stopping and getting out to view things and back again was a lot for one day. If I get to do it again, hopefully with Melanie next time, I'll know better and we can spend several days plundering the park. All in all, it was a great day. Tomorrow, there's a change in plans...

Finding my way to Yellowstone Park

2018-08-22T21:01:00.000-04:00

Leaving the Devils Tower National monument park, I was anxious to get to my next planned destination. Who knew that this part of my journey would be the most lonely part I have encountered so far. Not only am I traveling by myself but there was hardly any traffic for miles in front of behind me for hours at a time. Now I am not complaining about no traffic but a car every now or then can at least show you that you're not crazy in traveling this path.

I realized that after driving for several hours on end, I was going to need to stop and rest. There were very few options on this leg. I found a very little town that I think it's main purpose was to keep the main line of the railroad going as there was a huge train junction about 3 blocks away from where I held up for the night. Yep, you got it, train whistles all night long. Luckily, I was so tired, I never hardly heard them.
After a good nights rest and planning and a nice hot shower too, I was on my way to my next layover before I entered the park. I wanted to enter the park in the mid morning because I had been told that the sunlight made the show even better.

I found a campground in the Shoshone National Forest that was underneath some amazing mountains and a river at their base. It is still mesmerizing to me that anyone is allowed to camp this close to such scenic views. All the planning I have done the past several years, I have read how you can camp off grid and be amazed. Wifi and cell service is few and far between and you realize how much you depend on it, not for email and social media, but when you want to search for something you've seen and want to know more. Oh well, I hope you have been enjoying the ride and just wait til you see what's in store tomorrow...

My close encounter was breathtaking

2018-08-21T17:30:00.000-04:00

Devils Tower, WY

Growing up, you look back trying to remember when things came out and how you remember them. The movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" came out in 1977. I was 11 and looking back, I remember seeing the movie but not in the theater. My biggest memory of that year was that "Star Wars" came out and thanks to my cousin Danny, we went to see it together and I've been hooked ever since.

But back to Close Encounters, I have seen this movie several times over and over again, even as recent as last night. It's a little dated but it still has merit. The scenes in and around the Devils Tower were fantastic. I wanted to see for myself how majestic this "tower" was. I wasn't disappointed. From 10 miles away as I crested a peek on the highway, I could see the Devils Tower through the morning fog.
I stopped at a viewing area 2 miles away but it still wasn't very clear. Approaching the park entrance, I finally got to see the tower in vivid detail. The next revelation was not expected, the park ranger at the entrance informed me that the first come campground wasn't full and to pick my spot. Who could resist.

My spot, as with many of my camp spots on this trip was over the top, don't you think?
After resting and setting up the camper for the night, it was time to see the tower up close. I took off on a 4 1/2 miles hike up to the base of the tower and around to the backside where the visitors center was located.
The hike was a narrow path, shared with some prairie dogs. They were peaceful creatures and fun to watch. Hiking up and around the tower, every time I looked up, the view of the tower changed and for the better. I met several other hikers around the base, one couple who was traveling from New Jersey on their way to Yellowstone NP. It was a fantastic day and one that I will remember from a long time.
After another night or 2 disperse camping again, lets see what I can find next...

Have you ever seen George Washington cry?

2018-08-19T21:12:00.000-04:00

Mount Rushmore, SD

At first light, I made my way as fast as I could get out of the Badlands. While I enjoyed the experience, I didn't sleep that much during all the weather and winds. I did however realize that when Melanie and I purchased this camper, we made a good find. With all the wind and rain, I was warm and dry inside. Being off the grid for the first time disperse camping was fun too. Knowing that I was camping with only what I had was great. The solar panels gave me all the juice I needed and the batteries had solid all night long.

Making my way west, my next sights were on finding some presidents in the Black Hills, SD. Arriving in Keystone, SD, it was humbling and reminded me of driving recently through Cherokee, NC. Can we just say, Tourist Trap!
It was pouring and by the time I arrived at Mount Rushmore, the camper and truck were bare of Badlands mud. The presidents were as you would expect. Driving up the mountain towards the park, I came around a curve and there they were. It was rainy and overcast and I really got lucky they weren't fogged in. After further review, the presidents looked as though they had tears and sweat. I mustered through the rain to see the monument from as close as I could get. I wanted to go hiking but with it raining so much, I decided against it.
Driving south, I drove through Custer State park but with the weather being so blustery and cold and wet, there were no buffalo to be found. I then found my way towards the Black Hills and stayed the second night without utilities near a lake. Much more peaceful night. Tomorrow could be a close encounter...

The Badlands, South Dakota

2018-08-18T20:56:00.000-04:00

Making my way to the Badlands in South Dakota I really didn't know what to expect. I had heard of them a while back but as I made my way closer, the people I crossed paths with kept telling me they were a must see. I'll have to agree with them.

I have never experienced anything like them. Just out in the middle of really nowhere, these outcroppings are everywhere. Some small, others really big. Most were not even hard stone but condensed clay formations. I couldn't have every imagined this without witnessing them in person.
The greatest part of this experience was actually camping on a ravine above the Badlands in the US Forestry services grasslands. Looking out my camper window, the views were fantastic atleast until the weather came in. I was setup on a ridge high above the nearby highway and next to some large transmission tv towers.

There were several other campers setup for the night. When the weather came in, it came in fast. The winds picked up and next thing I know the camper about 50 yards away from me lost their awning. My camper was rocking and swaying. I finally put down the outrigger legs to stabilize my rig. It helped but to sway that much, I would have rather been on a boat in the ocean. I could only imagine me and the camper being blown over the edge. The rain really came down at several times that night. You may ask why I didn't try to move? The ground in the Badlands is like a soft clay and when it gets wet, it was like something you would use on a pottery wheel.

Very slick stuff, which I witnessed at first light the next morning using my ice driving skills to make haste back to the highway and be on my way. The Badlands were an experience that I will never forget and glad I went but next time, not on a ridge. Let's go see some presidents next...

Who would have ever thought

2018-08-18T19:00:00.000-04:00

When our kids were young, they loved to eat corn. So of the best photos when they were little was them eating it off the cob. When I was young, I remember going in the fields at my grandparents and playing and hiding in the rows.

Who would have ever thought that they could basically form a small town around a Corn Palace. But they did. The craftsmanship in the details is overwhelming and according to the information provided, they change the murals and outside of the palace every year. This little town looks like it strives on this place and it really does bring in the tourist, myself included.
Today was a short day of driving. I spent the rest of it resting and doing laundry. It may be a couple days before I can post again since I will be in the Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota and the cell/wifi services are iffy at best. Hope you have been enjoying traveling with me and stay tuned for a lot more.

Not a complete washout by far

2018-08-17T19:30:00.000-04:00

I stayed overnight in a local fairground in Blue Earth, MN. Upon leaving today, I noticed that the sky was a little darker than I expected. I knew I had a few miles to put behind me and wanted to make way even though riding through a rain storm isn't the best feeling with a camper on your backside. My biggest worry is water some how finding its way inside and having a bigger mess on arrival. I am happy to say, it was dry. The storm however seemed like it was just stuck over the highway probably a mile or so on both sides, the entire trip.

After several hours of driving in the wet, I found my first destination, Falls Park in Sioux Falls, SD. I kinda figured the falls were going to be fantastic but with the days rain fall, they were even better. I mustered up the umbrella to weather the rain to witness these tremendous falls.

The only thing I can compare it too is the Falls park in Greenville, SC. But these had the beautiful red rocks and landscape to mold and shape the river's path. If you ever get a chance to visit this area, this is a must see.
After departing Falls Park, I had another hour of driving to do and the rain finally eased off. I arrived early afternoon to Lake Vermillion State Park in SD.
This park is in the middle of nowhere and it mostly looks man made. There were very few campers in the east campground where I stayed but I did have a spectacular sunset view! Next up, the korny palace...

A couple dreams were fulfilled today

2018-08-17T11:22:00.005-04:00

When Field of Dreams, the movie, was released in April 1989, I was in the middle of getting ready for final exams and graduate from Appalachian State. Luckily, after I moved to Morganton, they were still playing it downtown in the old theater. I remember coming out of the building after watching it and knowing that my world was a peace if only for a few moments. The feeling of no pressure and joy. A few years later, I had the pleasure of watching it over and over again as a research project.

You see, there is a scene in the movie of an old newspaper establishment and you can see the old letter press and movable type. Those of you that don't know it but that was what I learned in school and taught the first 9 years. The scene was important to me because we were going to dedicate a portion of the graphic/printing lab at the School for the Deaf in honor of Albert Mehl. Mr. Mehl was a solid fixture around the campus and was a humble man. He never wanted any credit for the things he did for the students and the school. He was always there for me and my printing program and would often make donations of computers and other equipment.

Most times he would just come in and ask how much 3 more computers would cost and the next thing I knew, he was telling me to order it. That was the person he was and I miss him often still today.
The movie gave me the opportunity to recreate a authentic print shop as it was in the earlier days and I did my best to create the style in a corner of the old graphics lab where we saluted him. The lab and the tiny museum are now gone but there are still photos and memories in the NCSD museum of what was created and dedicated to Mr. Mehl.
The ball field from the movie and the house and corn fields have been preserved all these years. I asked why and they said that the movie still has a following and people from all over the world are drawn, as I was, to this place for many different reasons. This place was in my top five things on my bucket list.

The second dream came true not through planning and research but by pure luck. You see, those silly old brown signs led me to another gem. Driving across Iowa, westward on the same road most of the day, I ran across a sign to Cedar Rock, as house by Frank Lloyd Wright. In college, I took a few design and drafting/architecture classes and Frank Lloyd Wright was a many a topic. I had to see for myself what it was all about. After seeing the house from the outside, you could definitely see many of his design elements such as the cantilevered roof and brickwork but inside, all the furniture, which he designed and created screamed his name.

I took more photos of the furniture and cabinetry than I probably did the house. The simple but meaningful designs were his true touch. The craftsmanship was second to none and it was a delight to hear the stories about how the house came about and created. It wasn't on my bucket list but it should have been. Next up, lots of water...

From Illinois to the back roads of Wisconsin

2018-08-15T21:22:00.001-04:00

Today was supposed to be a uneventful day, or at least it was planned that way. It turned out to be one of the most rewarding days so far on this journey. Having wished Kevin and Nancy a safe trip of their own to Utah, I set out for the day. I didn't get as much quality sleep the night before due to all the train whistles at 5am in Chesterton. Apparently every train in the region comes through their little town.

With trains on my mind, I set out to get past Chicago with little annoyance on my part. Traffic was very heavy but I managed to not make anyone made with the camper in the slow lane. Trucking down the interstate which had not been my preferred means of travel, I was keeping an eye out for those wonderful brown information signs. I was hoping to find something to divert on my way. Low and behold, the Illinois Railroad Museum was only 5 miles off today's path.

What a treat this place was. There were numerous barns with old engines and cars throughout. You could enter most elements on the grounds. They had several cars open and decked out as in their days of glory. The engines were what mostly caught my attention. Lately, I've been hooked on all the railway shows on TV. Some showing the old engines from the past. Now, I was right next to the beasts. The biggest engine was the black snowplow, which is much bigger in person than on all the shows I've seen. The Union Pacific engine was just like the one I used to play with on a track around my living room.
From there, I was off again to my next stop. Following my GPS map is sometimes fun and sometimes uneventful. Today was both! As I was following along in Wisconsin, I noticed that the roads were getting smaller and the road numbers were now letters! Yes, I said letters. My favorite stretch of road was Highway PP. But I I also got the fortune to travel along Highway W for a spell too. As I was traveling along today, came upon a hill and curve, as I rounded the corner, all of a sudden I was in the middle of a wind turbine farm! My excitement was hard to contain and I immediately started looking for a spot to stop and take a few photos. That was the easy part since there was hardly any traffic in the country.

Having taught my engineering classes about these wind farms, I was quite curious of how loud they were, I stopped and rolled down the windows and heard nothing. So much for that theory.
Nearing my destination for the night, I crossed over the Mississippi river and while I was over the river, I could see my camp spot. Yes, that's right, I camped right on the river. If only Tom Sawyer had come by, it would have been perfect. This community park was behind a big casino. I was curious since I had never been in a casino before and made my way up to look around. I am happy to say I brought every penny I took in there back out with me. Tomorrows trek is where dreams are made...

From Amish Country to the Sand of Lake Michigan

2018-08-14T20:49:00.001-04:00

Having spent the night in the land of the Amish seemed surreal. But after you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. The Amish are mostly over looked in society but they have been very beneficial to the america farmers. Once was a time when the american farmer sometimes struggled to get their crops to grow and the harvest to the barn. I never thought about it til I was talking with someone today that they should be credited more often for turning that all around with their skills and techniques to grow successful crops.
Now while driving North, I come to realize that the roads in the upper part of Indiana are as straight as any road I have ever seen. And they go on for many miles before you ever see a curve. Arriving in my destination of Chesterton, IN early, I forgot the time changed up here I decided to go take a peek at Lake Michigan.

As I was driving through Indiana Dunes State park, it never occurred to me that the dunes they were talking about was sand. Having grown up around sand most of my life on the coast of NC, I never thought I would see sand anywhere this vast naturally inland. The other part was that this vast body of water looked like the ocean on a very calm day. I asked a vendor if it ever got rough and he laughed, told me this was the best day so far this summer and it was like glass. Two weeks earlier they had 6 foot waves breaking on the shore. That's funny, hard for me to say shore when its a lake and I used to saying bank. Oh well, live and learn.
Arriving at my home for the night, I was greeted by another welcoming couple. Kevin and Nancy set me up in their driveway with power and even invited me to their back porch to sit and talk awhile. They told me of all the traveling around the country they have done. They have pretty much been to most places at least once and offered me some welcomed advise on where I had planned to go. So much appreciated. I hope we cross paths again one day soon and that Melanie is with me this time, she would have enjoyed sitting and chatting with them. Whelp, on to the next places, wait to you see what I have in store tomorrow...

Ohio is a Proud State

2018-08-13T21:25:00.001-04:00

Traveling through Ohio was telling in itself. The people in Ohio are very proud of their people and the things they have done to help society. I was all set to tour the Neil Armstrong museum but I was reminded by my last host, Woodpecker, that the Air Force National Museum was in Dayton and I must stop to see that. Working from a budget, I decided to stop and see if it was worth it. Driving
up, it definitely was. Four HUGE hangars connected together, and FREE! How could I have missed this gem. After stopping and walking for several hours through out, I realized that this was the main attraction.

Each hangar was filled with planes from the Wright Bros, yes North Carolina was mentioned on everything about them. Yes, I was shocked about it too! However I never did bring up the "First in Flight" thing. lol I was really impressed with the overall layout. They not only had planes from US history but other counties too. I saw a Japanese Zero from world war 2 and a Mig fighter from the USSR. Being a big history buff on war history, these were the biggest finds.

At the back of the museum, in hangar 2 was their newest plane, the actual Memphis Belle, in all her restored glory. In hangar 4, they had several presidential planes including Air Force One from the Nixon time period where you were able to walk through it from front to back.
There was also the NASA space shuttle simulator that the actual astronauts used to train for their missions.
Now, onward North to see the Neil Armstrong museum. Walking up to this place, was supposed to look like the moon was perched on top. And it did. I over heard someone say that on top of the dome, Neil's footprint was embedded, just like his first step on the moon. It took you through the history of space flight and not just about Armstrong. The theater, which was located in the dome, had a 25 min movie playing about his accomplishments and how were were able to get to the moon and back and a tribute to him after his passing in 2012.

Now on to my next camping spot. When I booked this spot, I didn't realize that their name actually meant where I would actually be. The Amishville USA campground was smack dab in the middle of the Amish county in Indiana. I passed no less that 15 horse drawn buggies with families in them returning from church or visiting since it was Sunday. Every farm and farm house looked very similar. Each one had a huge tall windmill. Yes, some even had power lines going to them too. Every buggy I passed, most every time they would wave hello. The campground itself was attached to a working farm and they even sold Amish goods in the campground store.

While there, I met this kind woman in her 70's, and proud of it, whom was traveling around the country with just her dog and a camper smaller than mine. We actually met as I was leaving but I wish we had met the night before. I stopped and we talked for a good 30 minutes or more. Very kind. One to the next stop...

What does a revolutionary war fort and a woodpecker have in common?

2018-08-12T20:57:00.001-04:00

Most people would look at the headline and say, wood or trees of course. In this case no, I met both, so to speak on this leg of my journey. I was driving up route 35 in West Virginia and came across Fort Randolph in Point Pleasant, WV. I decided to give it a shot since I had never heard of it and was ready to walk a bit. This place looked like it was just put into service yesterday. It is actually a recreation of the original fort from 1776.

The original fort was burnt to the ground by the local Indians whom roamed the area after it was abandoned by the Army. Rebuilt again and then once again when it was moved inland several 100 yards to avoid the flood plain. I was fascinated by the craftsmanship that was used. I know this is a replica but I was told by one of the caretakers that they tried to recreate it as closely as possible.

After leaving the fort, I got back on the road and was quickly back to reality when the truck/camper and myself decided to take flight! You know all those signs that say "Dip" and "Bump" you may see along the way? Well, I saw some but not for this particular one, it dropped and came back up that the front of my truck actually came off the ground. And that was after I saw it and was slowing down. Before you start thinking I was speeding, you can go ahead and think again. I've found that driving 5 mph slower than the posted speeds means that I don't run into slow pokes in front of me and it makes it more enjoyable while driving this big camper rig.

Not what you are thinking.
It just catches people off their guard

Now, where do you think a Woodpecker comes into all this? It just happens to be the nickname of the nicest man you will ever meet. He and his wife, HootOwl, live in Chillicothe, OH. I met/found them through this website/program called Boondockers Welcome. Oddly enough, I never did ask them where they got their nicknames but it's still fun to come up with your own. It is fellow RV'ers whom have made it possible to stay in their yards or driveway for the night on your journey in a safe and friendly place. This was my first experience using the service but I couldn't have met a nicer couple and it just happened they are huge Nascar fans to boot. It was a good evening to relax after a day on the road...

West Virginia was Hit and Miss

2018-08-11T21:54:00.000-04:00

East River Mountain Overlook, Bluefield, West Virginia

After all the planning and preparing, I am finally on the road. What started out as a 3-4 hour beginning, ended up being over 7. Everything went as planned until I made it to my first planned camping spot. The spot was an old Army camp near the New River gorge in West Virginia. It was an unkept area that had spots and grills. What it also had was several men whom looked like some scenes from the movie Deliverance! After 1 guy drove up to me in his truck that looked like Fred Sanford's store in the back to ask me a few questions about my camper, I decided this wasn't the place I wanted to be. I'm sure it would have been ok, well, maybe not.

Trestle bridge New River Gorge, WV

As I was driving back to the main road, I ran across the wonderful old trestle bridge. It was just like some of the bridges I taught about in my engineering classes. Civil engineering at it's finest. I have seen several old steel trestle bridges in WV through out, it's like they get the steel locally or something! haha Speaking of which, it was sad to see some of the old mines that were closed along the way. There were memorials outside each one that I could see from the road. Kind of sad.
After leaving the gorge, I tried to make my way further north, but due to construction, I diverted and found myself at the top of the world, as seen above. Very beautiful spot to just happen upon. That's the cool part about this journey, I can stop whenever I want to since I really don't have a set agenda. Most people that know me, know this isn't usually the case. Just ask my wife Melanie, our trips to Disney are epically planned years in advance for just about every minute of the day. This trip is different and I am trying to take myself out of the comfort zone so to speak.

View out my camper back door in Saint Albans, WV

I finally got back on track and drove a couple more hours up the road to find this quaint little free park in Saint Albans, WV. I knew from previous research that they only had 3 spots that were provided to the public right on the river. Since it was Friday evening, I didn't expect to get a spot but was pleasantly surprised. It turned out to be a gem in the rough. The views were fantastic and being free were priceless.
This day being the first of many turned around in the end. Next stop? Stay tuned!

Time with my Gals

2018-07-23T13:35:00.001-04:00

Side trips are the best and spending time with my daughter and wife are the tops. We decided to take a few days to visit a campground to see if my daughter liked to go camping or not. Now to me, camping isn't in a camp-resort where there is a store and pool but we had to start somewhere and it was a selling point to the eleven year old.

Yogi in the Smokies campground is a Jellystone Park that is a chain across the US. Over all, we had a great time. They had many programs going on for the kids. Mountain of bubbles, movies, arts and crafts, "Hey, Hey" rides and much more. This campground was much bigger than anticipated with lots of campers but it wasn't too crowded. The Raven Fork river ran down the side of the campground and many people were tubing down the river. We didn't try it this time but it looked fun.

We took a 4 mile hike to a place called Mingo Falls. Now I have never heard of them before and the walk to them was pretty tame until you started going up the stair trail, straight up! These falls are mostly hidden but are fascinating. The water comes down mostly on one side but the rest of the rock face looks like there are thousands of strings/tassels hanging down but is really small water streams. The photos don't do them any justice but it is worth the hike to see for yourself.

The weather was great, didn't rain until the night before we were leaving and we never had to feel overheated. The most important part is my daughter has already asked when we can go camping again so this side trip was a total success.