Hiking in Custer State Park

Actually got to hike today. Did the Stockton Lake Hike, up a hill to this view of the lake and then back down again. This State Park has everything from camping sites to hotels and cabins. The lakes are beautiful.

Tour today

Today we toured Wind Cave National Park (home of the "Begging Burros"). We also went to the Mammoth Exhibit where they are excavating hundreds of Mammoths Very interesting. We also saw herds of Bison and had to wait while they crossed the road..

Mt Rushmore and Crazy Horse

I'm feeling like a tour guide. We didn't go into the monument yet. This is taken from the road.

We also visited Crazy Horse and the picture is of what the completed monument will look like and in the background what it looks like now.

Devil's Tower

Road trip today. Left the RV in Rapid City and went to Wyoming to see the Devil's Tower. On the way back we went through Sturgis( no motorcycles there yet) and Deadwood. The weather today cool, cloudy and sprinkles. It is 72 right now!

Saw another couple we met in Badlands, but they were leaving as we were entering the National Monument.

Our first Buffalo sighting

This is Henrietta, the man at the campground has owned her since

she was 6 months old. She comes when called and you get great pictures.

On the Notch Trail

A great 1.5 mile strenuous hike where you get to go up and down these stairs. I wonder why my hamstrings hurt today. The steps were so far apart, I had to use my knees to reach the next one. These people hikesd with us so I posted their pics.

Escape

We are finally near mountains. Rapid City, SD not far from Mt Rushmore. Going to be in this area for 10 days. Will plan on being up at Mt Rushmore for the celebration of the 4th of July, fireworks and music. Also will go to see Crazy Horse, and Custer State Park.

Badlands

TOOK OUR FIRST OFF ROAD TOUR TODAY. Had a great time. The Ford did well. Pic is of a back road part of the Badlands Southern part

Badlands

We made it to Interior, SD. We are camped with the Badlands out our window. Plan to stay and hike for a couple of days. Scant cell service here. We are without TV. Just XM to keep us company

Father's Day

Here we are at Sioux Falls, SD. We attempted to stay at Big Sioux State Park, however the rain had left the sites looking like Lakes! Soooo we moved on and the choices were a KOA or Jellystone neither are our favorites. But after the transient park last night this is beautiful. Rain has finally stopped. We will move on towards the badlands.

We have no had the chance to hike yet. Hopefully the next few days will change and we will get a chance to hike.

Who's on the road again?

Well the time has come for us to move on without the boys. We left Springfield this morning and went to St Joseph, Mo for the night. Not so long a distance, but it was raining all day. Jim went to the Pony Express Museum and I finished cleaning up the RV.

While in Springfield, we got to go backstage at the Zoo and the boys got to feed the Owls...mice YUK. They loved it.Here is a Picture of the Bard Owl

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Jim and the boys try the tube

We got Jim out there with the boys to give his arm a good workout

More Lake fun

Hunter age 7 learned to wakeboard on his own and is now working on using a longer rope

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Lake fun

Out of WI-Fi range for a while at the Lake.

Boys brought a wakeboard and had a ball. Harrison learns to Jump the wake here

UPdate 6/11/09

No picture tonight, but for those of you who want to know..... WE MADE IT to Springfield, Missouri.
The new transmission has now been towed over 900 miles and is just fine. However today when we unhooked it, the battery was dead. Maybe I left something on??? More investigating to be done. The boys endured two 400+ mile days in the RV and we are here.

Hopefully you do not here anything else about the Escape except how much we love it.
Ford has some learning to do on their new transmission.
NUF SAID

YUP it happened again

5:30pm and the Escape has blown transmission #2. Here we are at Jennings, Fl. The car is being taken to Valdosta Lincoln Mercury dealer.

6/4/09 11:00am. We are at the dealer. We find out that there is another transmission and parts are ordered and will be here Monday or Tuesday. It will take them one working day to repair and with lots of luck and many prayers, we may be leaving the 9th or 10th. we are at the Valdosta KOA. Come on up it is raining! Ford is getting us a rental car so we cango to store andat least get the boys out for some adventure. They are only worried that their days at Missouri are going to be cut short. We will have to put Mammouth Caves on a to be visited later list!
Keep watching for the next UPDATE. "LEMON LAW" three failures. So since each transmission has made it 1400 miles before blowing----we are watching for a Ford dealer in 1400 miles! Wouldn't you????

June 3,2009 9:30am

Here we are loading the last thing on the RV.....US. Off from Boca Ciega Point to parts North and west.