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 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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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...

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...

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...