Spearfish, SD & Spearfish Canyon

Getting the blog up to date.  We spent the week of May 16-23 near Spearfish, SD.  We'd gotten out of the Sioux Falls area the morning of the bad winds & weather on May 15th and headed west to just the western edge of the bad weather warnings for the night.  Made it to Spearfish the next day.  We traveled in some stiff 30-40 mph headwinds and got the worst fuel mileage we'd ever gotten (high 5s).

First time for us to spend anytime in Spearfish, and we found we love the area.  Foul weather still found us though, and we lost about three days of sightseeing.  Still made it to Spearfish Canyon, though.

We left Spearfish on May 23rd and headed west to Buffalo, WY (intersect of the north end of I-29 its junction with I-90).

Here's some pics from our walk in Spearfish Canyon.

Roughlock Falls

Roughlock Falls

Spearfish Falls

Mid-May Update

 

We're fine and continuing our way westward.  Since our last post, we've made stops in DeForest, WI; Albert Lea, MN; Sioux Falls, SD; and we're currently near Interior, SD just south of the Badlands NP. 

We were fortunate in that we left Sioux Falls the morning of the bad weather this past week (Thursday).  We made it to the western edge (Presho, SD) of the predicted severe weather for South Dakota that day.  We got high winds and some of the rain, but nothing of the 100+ mph straight line winds that hit southeastern South Dakota.  

Friday we had a leisurely trip over to the Badlands with a stop at the Minuteman NHP where we heard a ranger lead program from one of the former missile silo commanders.  The silo tours are currently closed, but the ranger program was excellent and (we're told) gave us the same information - just with pictures.  

Badlands is...well... badlands.  We first came here in 2002 and have stopped for an overnight at least twice since that time.  This time we stayed for the weekend.  Unlike our experiences of the past years with Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, this park is not busy.  And the campgrounds are not full.  

We move on westward tomorrow to Spearfish, SD for a week, then on to Buffalo, WY for two weeks.  That's the plan, anyway.

Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us. More pics of the Badlands below. Until next time, David

 

May Update

 

OK, a day early but May starts soon.  We had a good trip from Fredericksburg, VA via Dayton, OH to LaGrange, IN for trailer service.  We got a chance to visit friends near Dayton, OH and a hike in John Bryan State Park. Trailer service was in Lagrange, IN this week and completed, yesterday. We're spending Saturday evening outside the shop.  We head west tomorrow.

We plan to travel via I-90 until we reach Buffalo, WY where we'll sit for about two weeks to explore the Big Horn Mountains.  At least that's the current plan.  We'll post more as we move along.

Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us.  David 

Mid April Update

 

We're fine.  After a two-week visit in Fredericksburg, VA we're making our way to Indiana for our spring trailer maintenance and repair.  We've stopped in Bedford, PA for tonight, and Pennsylvania is pretty much under a light blanket of snow this evening with more snow squalls predicted.  We'll continue west tomorrow and plan on spending the weekend near Springfield, OH before moving on to Indiana on Monday.

We started looking at traveling a little farther south last year and visit some friends before heading north to Indiana.  Last year didn't quite work out as planned due to an electrical issue with the hydraulic legs.  So far things seem to be going well this year, but remember:  RV still stands for Ruined Vacation as well as Recreational Vehicle, and there's still time.

An additional advantage of traveling a little farther south is that more campgrounds tend to be open this time of year.  But just like last year, weekends fill up fast so one must plan the trip a little earlier than most people - and me - would think.

Fuel prices are high.  Takes two credit cards to fill the truck with diesel since credit card companies frown on on you using the same credit card twice in a row.   Been traveling since March 1st and still not use to it.

That pretty much gets you caught up and me venting a little.  We're headed to Spearfish, SD once we're done with trailer maintenance. Post more later.  Thanks for dropping in and checking up on us.  David

Back on the road

We're back moving after a family setback.  My Dad died March 12th.  He was 94.  His heart just wore out.  Not unexpected, but you're never prepared when things like this happen.  

My Dad loved trains.  The family requested a military burial with honor guard, and the local unit came through with a very professional job despite terrible weather.  My Dad loved trains, so it was quite moving to hear the train whistles during and after Taps.

   

Nothing is really back to normal, but we're back on the road.  We moved to Stone Mountain State Park, Georgia today.  We're here to visit Donna's brother near Atlanta.  And as it always seems to happens, we're already dreading the weather we're going to have to travel through next week.

So that gets everyone up to date.  Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us.  David

On the Road, Again

 

Welcome to March and pollen.  We're back on the road, again.  We moved to Tallahassee, FL, yesterday, for a couple of nights before moving down to Mt Dora, FL, tomorrow.  We were able to get a short visit in with friends and walk around Piney Z Lake (pic above.)

We're back in friends & family visiting mode this month. Be in Fredericksburg area the first week of April. Hang out there before headed to Indiana for trailer repairs.  Gonna try to make a another visit to friends near Dayton, OH on the way up...if the trailer will cooperate. (It didn't last year.)

Still continuing our plans for the summer.  At the moment we plan to leave Kalispell, MT after July 4th.  Move east to Great Falls, MT.  We're having to work our way around Yellowstone NP, but plan to go south to Twin Falls, ID.  From there we head east through Utah to Flaming Gorge, then over to Lander, WY, and on to Laramie, WY.  Big gap there in planning after that until we arrive at Des Moines, ID for the Folks-On-Spokes rally mid-September.  That's the plan, anyway.

So you're up to date.  Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us.  David

February

 

February has arrived.  While the northeast is getting pounded by snow, we're just experience low temps below freezing.  We're doing well and are doing our winter routine of riding bikes or walking.

No additional plans made since our last post.  We'll do more of that later in the month.  I'm waiting to see what the Folks-on-Spokes, Gulf Shores plans are for their late summer rally.  After we hear those, we can make plans with priority on Labor Day weekend.

That's it for us.  Thanks for dropping in and checking up on us.  More to come as plans are to start moving in March.  David