 |
| The Boat at Seminoe Lake |
 |
| Dave's Big Catch |
 |
| Relaxing |
Friendship
Kanner Tourist Camp; Wind Cave National Park; Custer's Gulch/Badlands/Mt. Rushmore;
Crazy Horse Memorial
July 26, 2019 - July 29, 2019
We left Seminoe Lake early on the 26th and drove almost 500 miles for the day. We stayed at the Kanner Tourist Camp in McCook, NE. It was a free camping spot, right off the highway and it even had electricity for free. After settling in, we took a drive to the Kansas border so Gail could add it to her list of the states she has visited. The next morning we left the Tourist Camp and proceeded to Wind Cave National Park in southwestern South Dakota. This national park is known for the vast, underground Wind Cave, with chambers like the Post Office and the Elks Room. Many of the cave's walls are rich in honeycomb-shaped calcite formations known as box work. The park's prairie and pine forest are one to bison, elk and pronghorn antelopes. Trails include Rankin Ridge, with views of the Black Hills. Wind Cave was designated as America's eighth national park in 1913 by President Theodore Roosevelt. Unfortunately, the Caves were closed due to the elevator being inoperable. The tours were not expected to start again until September, 2019. We attended a presentation by a park ranger and spent some time in the Visitor Center. It was a disappointment, but we watched a film about the Caves and did get a general sense of what they were all about.
 |
| Wind Cave National Park |
 |
| Wind Cave National Park Visitor Center |
 |
Wind Cave Tours Cancelled
No Elevator Service |
After leaving Wind Cave National Park, we headed for Custer's Gulch RV Park in Custer, SD which would be our home for the next three days. The park claimed that General Custer camped in the very same spot as this park while on his expedition to the Black Hills. The park is located near the west entrance to Custer State Park and allowed easy access to Badlands National Park, Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial as well as the Needles Highway. On Sunday, the 28th, we visited the Badlands National Park. The National Geographic National Parks Book captures the description of this awesome Park perfectly.
It states: "For those traveling it on foot, horseback, or in a covered wagon, this rugged terrain was certainly a bad land; for modern visitors, it is nothing short of wondrous. Today's scenery began forming when streams (especially the White River to the south) started cutting down into a plain composed of many rock layers built up over tens of millions of years. This strata include the sediments of an ancient seafloor silt and gravel deposited by rivers, and thick layers of volcanic ash. Exposed now, like a sliced layer cake, they create a colorful vision of buff, yellow, pink and brown. After a rain, the land displays a seemingly infinite spectrum of subtle tones. The park's formations comprise a section of a geologic feature called the Wall. This 100-mile-long natural barrier ridges the landscape, dividing western South Dakota's upper and lower grassland regions. The soft rock erodes easily, at the rate of about an inch a year, which means that in another 500,000 years all this craggy country could be a flat plain. More than half the park is grassland, where bison and pronghorn graze; bighorn sheep clamber about the steep slopes. More than 200 species of birds have been recorded in the park, and when rainfall has been sufficient, the prairie wildflower display is as colorful as it is varied. Badlands is much more than just a drive-through park."
Our drive through the park allowed us to see bison, prairie dogs, wildflowers and much more.
 |
| Visitor Center |
 |
| Badlands Rock Formations |
 |
| Bison Everywhere! |
 |
| Wild Horses |
 |
| Prairie Dog |
 |
| Wildflowers |
On our way back from the Badlands National Park, we followed Needles Highway. The Needles Highway route is considered to be one of the most scenic drives in the Black Hills. It is a 14-mile drive through pine and spruce forests, meadows surrounded by birch and aspen, and rugged granite mountains. The road's name comes from the needlelike granite formations that seem to pierce the horizon along the highway. The most popular formation that travelers drive through is a unique rock formation called the Needle's Eye which is named for the opening created by wind, rain, freezing, and thawing.
 |
| Tight Fit |
In the evening we planned to attend the evening lighting ceremony at Mount Rushmore which is held to honor our veterans. We decided to take the Iron Mountain Road which connects Custer State Park to Rushmore National Memorial. This road is 17 miles long with 314 curves, 14 switchbacks, 3 pigtails, 3 tunnels, 4 presidents and 2 splits. Believing we had left in plenty of time to complete this drive before the ceremony started, we made our way through Custer State Park. Within a few miles we encountered a herd of buffalo that clearly had overtaken the road. We waited patiently to find an opportunity to pass them, but Cherry, our Honda Fit, just wasn't up to the challenge. She was sure if there was a battle, the bison would win. So, even though we watched a pickup truck drive through the herd, we thought it was too dangerous to attempt. We returned to the campground for the night. Mount Rushmore would have to wait until tomorrow.
 |
| Buffalo on Iron Mountain Hwy |
We were up bright and early in the morning and after breakfast, we headed to Crazy Horse Memorial and the Mount Rushmore Monument. I found some interesting information about the Crazy Horse Memorial on the Black Hills and Badlands website.
"A Lakota Sioux warrior, a famed artist, his family and a canvas composed of granite are the elements the comprise the legendary past, present and future of the Crazy Horse Memorial. Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski began the world's largest mountain carving in 1948. Members of his family and their supporters are continuing his artistic intent to create a massive statue that will be 641 feet long and 563 feet high. Workers completed the 87-ft-six-inch tall Crazy Horse face in 1998, and have since focused on thinning the remaining mountain to form the 219-foot-high horse's head. The Indian Museum of North America, and the adjoining Welcome Center and Native American Educational and Cultural Center, feature more than 12,000 contemporary and historic items, from pre-Colombian to contemporary times. The new Mountain Museum wing helps explain the work behind the scenes, augmenting the introductory "Dynamite & Dreams" movie at the Welcome Center."
After visiting the Welcome Center, we continued to Mount Rushmore National Memorial. According to its website, "Mount Rushmore National Memorial is centered on a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills in Keystone, South Dakota. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum created the sculpture's design and oversaw the project's execution from 1927 to 1941 with the help of his son Lincoln Borglum. The sculpture features the 60-foot heads of President George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The four presidents were chosen to represent the nation's birth, growth, development, and preservation, respectively."
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Northwest Angle, MN, Voyageurs National Park
July 30, 2019 - August 4, 2019
We were on the road again by 8:00 am and headed for Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. This is our only National Park that is named for a person. It is comprised of three geographically separated areas of badlands, the north unit, the south unit and Elkhorn Ranch. Located in western North Dakota, where the Great Plains meet the rugged Badlands, it is a habitat for bison, elk, bighorn sheep, feral horses, and prairie dogs. The South Unit, which is the most visited section, is known for its colorful Painted Canyon and the Maltese Cross Cabin, where President Roosevelt once lived. On the 30th, we followed the 36-mile Scenic Loop to the Visitor Center where we viewed a film about the Park and then enjoyed the panoramic views of the area from the various overlooks such as the Boicourt Overlook. After thoroughly enjoying the wildlife and flora that we observed, we continued to the North Unit, where we took a campsite for the night at the Juniper Creek Campground. We were up bright and early on Wednesday and took time to explore the North Unit of the Park. We were not disappointed. We both liked this section of Theodore Roosevelt the best. We saw more wildlife and the landscape was much more interesting.
 |
| Maltese Cross Cabin |
 |
| Little Missouri River |
We spent about four hours in the North Unit of TRNP. When we were finished exploring this area, we began our trip toward Minnesota. We spent the night at a small (3 site) park, Towner City Park Campground, in Towner, ND. This was a free site with electricity. We left the next morning. Our destination was Warroad City Campground in Warroad, MN. We arrived in the late afternoon, chose a campsite and settled in for the night. In the morning, we left for a day in Northwest Angle, MN. The interesting thing about this day-trip was that we needed to have our passports with us. Angle Inlet, as the locals refer to this area, is the northernmost point in the contiguous United States. You must drive through 60 miles of Canada before you reach Angle Inlet. This unique situation was caused by a mapmaking error. It is surrounded on all sides by water and Canada. It has a population of just 119 residents. If you enter the Angle by land, you are required to place a call of declaration from one of three videophones posted in the woods. In summary: taking a car to this endearing outpost, born of error, requires two border crossings each way, only one of which is manned, and none of which are to be trifled with. We definitely enjoyed our visit.
 |
| Entering Canada to get to the US |
 |
| Angle Inlet Restaurant |
We were very glad that we had taken this little detour into Canada, but the next morning it was time to get back on track to finish our National Parks Tour of the lower forty-eight. We left at 8:30 am. Our destination was Voyageurs National Park located near International Falls in Minnesota. We spent two days at Wooden Frog Campground. After a visit to one of the Rainy Lake Visitor Center, we soon realized that the best way to see this Park was by water. The park is forty percent water, comprising four lakes-Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan, and Sand Point-and dozens of smaller ones. Voyageurs is a place of water-centered attractions and activities, with 655 miles of shoreline, more than 500 islands and several historic sites. We purchased tickets for 2.5-hour ranger-led Grand Tour. This boat tour visited Little American Island, the site of a short-lived gold-mining boom in the 1890's. We saw mining equipment as we took a walk around the island. This tour also afforded us the opportunity to view a variety of wildlife, especially the bald eagles.
 |
| Voyageurs NP: Wooden Frog Campground |
 |
| Our Ride! |
 |
| Non-productive Mine Shaft |
 |
| Bald Eagle |
 |
| Loon |
Isle Royale, Grand Marais, MI; Apostle Islands, Bayfield, WI
August 5, 2019 - August 14, 2019
We left our site in Voyageurs on August 5th.....destination Grand Marais, Minnesota. We were very excited since the next park on our list was Isle Royale. This park is an island, located on Lake Superior. After spending a lot of time researching the schedule of the tour boats, we were disappointed to find that tickets were not available until the end of September. We were determined not to miss this Park. With a bit more research, we found a company that shuttles people between Grand Marais Airport and Isle Royale. It was not inexpensive, but it was our only way to get there. Dave was so excited and I was a bit apprehensive as flying is not my thing, especially in a small plane. We made reservations for Wednesday. We arrived at the Grand Marais Municipal Campground in the early afternoon. This is a huge campground and marina set among spectacular Lake Superior scenery, pristine waters, the rugged Sawtooth Mountain range, the Superior National Forest and numerous Minnesota State Parks. The campground itself is adjacent to the harbor and downtown Grand Marais is within walking distance. Once again, this was not the most inexpensive place we have camped, but what the heck......, we decided to splurge and booked a site for four nights. We arrived in the rain on the 5th, settled into our campsite which had a great view of Lake Superior, and got organized for our stay here.
 |
| Medallion |
 |
| View of Harbor |
On Tuesday, we walked into town to experience the World's Best Donuts that everyone was raving about. This donut shop has been around for over 50 years and the line to enter is often flowing out the front door into the street. We waited about 15 minutes to order. The donuts were delicious, but in our opinion, not quite the world's best! After breakfast, we took a ride to the airport to see where our next National Park adventure would begin. Lunch was in town at the Gunflint Tavern.
 |
| Gunflint Tavern |
On Wednesday, we walked into town again. Today, though, we tried the Java Moose, a great little coffee shop with an excellent view of Lake Superior. It soon became our favorite breakfast spot. After breakfast, it was off to the airport for our departure to Isle Royale. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't the best. It was overcast and rain was threatening at any minute. We checked in at the airport and before we knew it, our pilot greeted us and loaded us into a Cessna 206. Even though it was a cloudy day, our pilot was very experienced and gave us an excellent tour as we winged our way to the island. The landing was awesome....so much smoother than on land. We taxied over to the dock, debarked, and made our way up the path to the Rock Harbor Visitor Center.
 |
| The Airport |
 |
| Gail's Flight |
 |
| Tobin Harbor Seaplane Dock: Our Arrival |
 |
| Hiking to the Rock Harbor Visitor Center |
As stated by National Geographic: "Rising from the waters of Lake Superior, Isle Royale National Park is a remote paradise. This island is known more for its immigrant wolves and moose than for its splendors as a park. Most people arrive at this 45-mile-long island aboard a commercial Park Service boat. Seaplane service is also available. As soon as they touch land in this wilderness park, the visitors are on their own. Serious campers and hikers must pack in what they need and carry out their refuse. Human hikers share trails with wolves and moose. You can also often see foxes looking for a handout at campsites. However, feeding the animals is illegal and dangerous to them and to campers."
After arriving at the Visitor Center, we checked in, listened to a presentation by a park ranger, got our passport book stamped and took the required picture in front of the national park sign. The weather appeared to be getting worse, but since we were only on the island for a few hours, we decided to try to get at least a short hike in. We started out on the Scoville Point Loop Trail. Within a half hour, it was obvious that rain was about to begin in earnest. We made our back to the harbor between the raindrops. Rock Harbor is much more civilized than the rest of the island. There is a lodge with private baths, a restaurant and a dockside store. We were soaked, so we went to the restaurant to dry off. We had lunch and when we were finished, we hung out on the covered porch until it was time to walk back to the dock to catch our flight back to Grand Marais. The flight home was also impressive. Dave even got to sit in the co-pilot's seat. Although, it rained and our exploration of the island was limited, we had an awesome time! It will be one of our most memorable national parks as it was so unique.
 |
| Our Flight Back to Grand Marais: Cessna 206 |
On Thursday, we had breakfast at the Java Moose and then returned to the campsite to wash the RV and get ready to move to a state park a few miles outside of town for the next three days. The North House Folk School was located next to our campground in town. We were intrigued by the courses that were offered there. The school's mission statement is "to enrich lives and build community by teaching traditional northern crafts in a student-centered learning environment that inspires the hands, the heart and the mind." Some of the courses offered included kayak building, Scandinavian bowl carving, basketry, fiber art, sailing, and outdoor skills. Dave signed up to take a class on Timber Framing on Friday.
On Friday, Dave attended his class and I did laundry. We then moved to a campsite at Twin Island, a few miles from town. We stayed here for one night, and the next day we moved to Devil's Track, another start park. Steve's bachelor's party (Congratulations, Steve) was being held in the sites near us at Twin Island and we were looking for a little more peace and quiet. We stayed at Devil's Track for two nights, enjoying the water and our quiet surroundings.
 |
| Dave at Devil's Track |
 |
| Departure from Grand Marais at Sunrise |
On Monday, August 12, 2019 we left Grand Marais at sunrise. We arrived at Dalrymple Campground in Bayfield, WI. After choosing our site, which came with an unlimited supply of firewood for our campfires, we headed into town to make reservations for our tour of the Apostle Islands.
According to the SuperiorTrails.com website: "The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is a scenic archipelago of 22 islands surrounding the northern tip of Wisconsin's Bayfield Peninsula. Along the lakeshore one will see stunning rock formations, sea caves and six historic lighthouses. The islands offer visitors kayaking, hiking and island camping opportunities. The islands were long home to native peoples; the Objiwe trace their history back to the 1400s. The islands also occupy an important place in the early European settlement and exploration of the upper midwest by French voyageurs, fur traders, and missionaries. The best way to see the islands is to take a boat tour. Tickets can be purchased at the Apostle Islands Visitor Center which is housed in the old county courthouse in Bayfield."
We made reservations for a tour of the lakeshore on Tuesday. It was a beautiful day. We enjoyed seeing the rock formations, sea caves, guided kayak tours in progress, lighthouses, and bald eagles. After the tour, we enjoyed adult libations on a rooftop bar where we enjoyed a free concert that was taking place in the public park below the restaurant.
 |
| Apostle Islands National Lakeshore Visitor Center |
 |
| Our Tour Boat |
 |
| Enjoying Rock Formations and Sea Caves |
 |
| Kayakers on a Guided Tour |
 |
| Rangers Waving from a Lighthouse |
 |
| One of Six Beautiful Lighthouses |
 |
| Bald Eagle |
 |
| In Flight |
 |
| Free Concert |
 |
| Rooftop Bar: Bayfield, WI |
Marquette, MI; Pictured Rocks, Munsing, MI
August 15, 2019 - August 19, 2019
We stayed in Bayfield for one more day and left on August 15th. After a quick stop at the Apostle Island Campground to dump, we settled for the night at a Walmart in Marquette, MI. It was time to reprovision and restock our prescriptions at CVS. Cherry also needed some new sneakers. We had to order the tires so since we had time to kill on the 16th, I took the opportunity to do laundry. The new tires were put on and aligned in the early afternoon and by 2:00 pm we were on our way. For the next two days we stayed at the Kewidan Casino in Christmas, MI. It was a great deal---FREE---with electricity. On the 18th, we moved down the street to Bay Furnace Campground, a USDA campground and stayed until August 20th. These two campsites served as our base for exploring this area, especially Pictured Rocks, a national lakeshore, in Munising, MI.
 |
| Campsite at the Casino |
As stated on its website, "Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore hugs the south shore of Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It is known for the dramatic multicolored Pictured Rocks cliffs. Unusual sandstone formations like Miners Castle and Chapel Rock define the park's headlands. The cliffs reach up to 200 feet above lake level. Twelve-mile Beach has a trail through a nearby white birch forest. Remnants of shipwrecks dot the shoreline around Au Sable Point's 19th-century lighthouse."
Dave had been intrigued by the kayak tours we had seen during our Apostle Islands tour, so we researched where we could take a guided kayak tour on the Pictured Rocks Lakeshore. We booked a tour for the next day. A boat brought us out onto Lake Superior and then the kayaks were unloaded and launched from the boat. A guide led you as you paddled past the colorful rock formations and through the many sea caves. The tour was about two hours. Although, I went on the boat ride, I did not take the kayak tour because I thought my knees could not handle being stationary for so long. Once again, I'm sorry I did not attempt it, but it was still fun to watch the kayakers as the tour boat shadowed them on their tour.
 |
| Tour Boat |
 |
| Captain Jacob |
 |
| Dave: All Geared Up and Ready to Go |
 |
| Dave with Guide Emma |
 |
| Backside of Arch |
 |
| Arch and Cave |
 |
| Inside the Cave |
 |
| Selfie |
 |
| Wooden Lighthouse |
 |
| Kayakers Return to the Tour Boat |
 |
| First Mate Isaac |
 |
| Tour Guide: Charlie |
 |
| Tour Guide Emma with Dave |
On Sunday, the 18th, we took a drive to the Visitor Center and hiked to Munising Falls, a waterfall located in the westernmost port of the Pictured Rocks Lakeshore. The falls drop about fifty feet over a sandstone cliff. Except during the spring thaw, the amount of water falling is relatively small.
 |
| Munising Falls |
Kewadin Casino, St. Ignace, MI; Fisherman's Island State Park, Charlevoix, MI; Lake Ann State Forest Campground; Sleepy Bear Dunes National Lakeshore; Northport; Suttons Bay, MI
August 20, 2019 - August 25, 2019
After leaving the Pictured Rocks area, we spent two nights at the Kewadin Casino in St. Ignace, MI. We just hung out and relaxed. We began watching the weather forecasts regarding Hurricane Dorian which was starting to look as if it might be a direct hit on Florida. There were several models predicting landfall, but it was still too early to make any decision as to whether or not we should cut our trip short. The casino had a camping area, complete with electricity and a dump station.
On the 23rd, we traveled to Fisherman's Island State Park just outside of Charlevoix, MI. Charlevoix is a popular stop for people doing the Great Loop. We had visited Charlevoix, when we left "At Last" in Boyne City in the fall of 2015 while we on the Loop. Boyne City is on the opposite end of Lake Charlevoix. After settling into our campsite, we took a ride to Charlevoix. After an excellent lunch, we explored the town and walked along the docks. We did meet a gentleman who had completed the Loop. However, now he and his wife we traveling in a 24' Rosborough.
The next day, we moved to Lake Ann State Forest Campground in Interlochen, MI for three days. From there we visited Sleepy Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. "Sleepy Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is in Michigan's Lower Peninisula. It hugs the northeast shore of Lake Michigan and includes South and North Manitou islands. Miles of sand beach, bluffs that tower 450' above Lake Michigan, lush forests, clear inland lakes, unique flora and fauna make up its natural world. High dunes afford spectacular views across the lake. An island lighthouse, coastal villages, and picturesque farmsteads reflect the park's rich maritime agricultural, and recreational history.
 |
| To Climb Down or Not?! |
 |
| Scenic Views |
The day after we visited Sleepy Bear, we spent the day looking at boats in Suttons Bay and Saugatuk, MI. We saw an interested 31' Boston Whaler and an Island Gypsy which had had its bridge removed. The Boston Whaler was more of a fishing boat than a cruising machine and Dave would have had a difficult time fitting in the V-Berth to sleep. The Island Gypsy was interesting. We actually made an appointment with the broker to see it. Cosmetically, I liked the boat a lot. Dave put his surveying skills to the test and soon discovered the boat was very "wet". His moisture meter registered high readings for water intrusion in several areas of the boat. Needless to say, we did not make an offer. And to add insult to injury, when we returned to the parking lot, our beloved Honda Fit, Cherry, had been hit. Of course, we called the local police to file a report. Although, there were cameras in the lot, they were not operating. So, long story short, it cost us $600 in repairs to look at a boat that we weren't interested in buying. Oh well, we'll just keep looking.
Walmart, So. Haven, MI; Dunewood Campground at Indiana Dunes National Park, Beverly Shores, IN; Hop Springs National Park; Centre, Alabama; Pine Log State Forest, Ebro, FL; Panama City, FL;
Okeechobee, FL
August 26, 2019 - September 4, 2019
We left the Lake Ann State Campground on Monday, the 26th. We still had two more National Parks to visit to complete the 49 parks located in the lower 48 states. We were still watching the track of Hurricane Dorian very carefully. One forecast had the storm passing directly over Okeechobee. We spent the night at So. Haven, MI at a Walmart. We arrived at the Dunewood Campground at Indiana Dunes National Park on the 27th. Indiana Dunes National Park had originally been a national seashore, but in February of 2019, it was designated as a National Park. According to its website:
"The Indiana Dunes National Park is comprised of more than 15,000 acres of dunes, oak savannas, swamps, bogs, marshes, prairies, rivers and forests. Large sand dunes, located beyond the entire shoreline, took thousands of years to form, and tower nearly 200 feet above Lake Michigan. Three miles of beaches run along Lake Michigan's southern shore. The park also offers 16.5 miles of trails, several that traverse Mount Tom."
We took a quick ride to the Visitor Center and stamped our passport book. Unfortunately, that was about all we saw of Indiana Dunes. As the weather forecast worsened, we decided we would visit our last park, Hot Springs National Park in Hot Springs, AR and then begin to make our way back to Okeechobee. Our plan was to stage ourselves at our friends Linda and Jesse Williams in Centre, AL, wait for the hurricane to hit Florida, and then head back home to clean up any damage. So on the 28th, we pulled out of Dunewood Campground. It was a very long day. We traveled almost 660 miles and spent the night in a Walmart in Lonoke, AR. We were up bright and early on Friday. Our goal for the day was to visit our final park, Hot Springs National Park and then make our way to Centre, Alabama.
According to National Geographic's National Parks book: "With its intriguing mix of history, geology, and nature, Hot Springs holds a unique place among America's national parks. The smallest of the parks, Hot Springs National Park wraps around a modern urban area set within a valley of the rugged Ouachita Mountains. Water that fell as rain more than 4,000 years ago flows from the Earth here at an average temperature of 143 degrees F, having been heated at a depth of about a mile below ground before rising back to the surface. Most of the natural hot springs have been diverted into pipes flowing to hotels and to a line of spa buildings known as Bathhouse Row. The eight remaining bathhouses on the row were built between 1892 and 1923 and display a rich diversity of architectural styles."
 |
| Hot Springs Visitor Center |
 |
| Mountain Tower |
 |
| View of RV and Cherry from the Tower |
 |
| Dave, trying out the tub! |
After strolling Bathhouse Row and checking out the Mountain Tower, we continued to Alabama. We arrived at the Williams' in Centre at 9:00 pm. It had been another long day! We spent four days in Centre. We had a great Labor Day, celebrating it with Jesse and Linda, their son and his wife, and their great-grandson! We celebrated Dave's 65th birthday with an excellent Italian dinner at Bella Roma and we even fit in a boat ride on the lake!
By September 3rd, we knew it was time to head home. Luckily, Hurricane Dorian had changed track and Okeechobee did not sustain any damage. On our way home we "detoured" to Panama City Beach, FL where we met Dave's brother, Kevin and his girlfriend, Regina. We had a great dinner and caught up on each others lives. By 10:00, it was back to our campsite in Pine Lodge State Forest in Ebro, Fl. We left the campground at 7:30 am and around 3:00 pm, we pulled into 608 SE 8th Ave. After seven months and 16,587.6 miles, we were back in Okeechobee.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
What an adventure! We divided our National Parks Tour into two parts. We visited nine national parks (and much more), mainly on the east coast, from March, 2018 to November, 2018. On February 2, 2019, we began our journey west and did not return home until September 4, 2019. The RV traveled 27,000 miles and our beloved tow car, Cherry, when she was detached from the RV, went another 21, 000 miles. The fifteen months we spent on the road will never be forgotten. We traveled in three countries; the United States, Canada, and Mexico. We saw amazing landscapes, wildlife, including grizzlies and moose, and spectacular sunrises and sunsets. We hiked mountains, sand dunes, and trails through the woods. We took boat tours, whenever possible, and we flew in a seaplane. We visited with friends and family and made new friends as well. The stickers on the back of Traveling At Last, Too represent 47 of the National Parks in the lower 48. There are 49 parks, but when we visited St. Louis and Indiana Dunes, they had just been recently designated as national parks, so there were no stickers for them. But we did get our passport book stamped, verifying our visit.
For us, retirement has been awesome. Since 2014, we have traveled to Italy, France, Canada, Mexico and throughout the United States. We have traveled by air, by land, and by sea. We have made memories that will always be cherished and never forgotten. We don't know exactly what our next adventure will be, but another boat is in our future. We are not ready for the rocking chair on the front porch yet, and we know that once one catches the wanderlust, it is hard to shake. So in the words of Rachel Wolchin:
"If we were meant to stay in one place,
we'd have roots instead of feet."
Comments
Post a Comment