Saturday, July 23, 2011

Leaving South Dakota- Heading to Utah

 

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After a fantastic 2 weeks it South Dakota it was time to say goodbye to our new friends and move on. Its always hard to leave new friends behind but I know we will see Bob & Snookie again in Texas when the winter arrives. It was Snookie that told us about a  great work camp experience that happens every winter down in Texas. I wanted to go back to Tucson for the coming winter. This was just to good to let go.  The job is in a place called Mission, right down on the Gulf Of Mexico.  Its basically a RV resort but on a HUGE scale. Below is a picture of its location.

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Windows Live Bloghttp://missionbellnewsletter.com/New_Staff.php

Link will open in new window, Dann and I are way down the bottom. Here you can read exactly what will be going on while the rest of the country freezes. Smile 

I cant wait !!!

Anyway..Back to packing up and leaving Rapid City. We left around 9am on the 7th Of July 2011. The clouds were building again as it did every day while we were there, but this morning I was excited about the rain because I just find it so relaxing when travelling and its raining. BUT I didn't think it was going to be as heavy as it got. That's another story. We were on the road about a hour if that, and it opened up. Well at least we got the truck and 5th wheel washed again by Mother Nature. That's always a bonus when travelling RV Style. Most place don't allow it. Below is a picture of the rain storm that we went through.

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The poor od wipers were workin overtime

The rain soon cleared up and it was clear sailing from here on. I had my camera beside me and took many pictures as we moved out of South Dakota and across Wyoming. We spent the night in a little town called Rawlings and next morning  we  set sail for Utah.

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We are heading back towards Utah because Dann has a camp job in Panguitch Utah.  HE will be mowing lawns, edging and  some weeding for 10 hours a week for a free site with full hook ups. . Well that's what the add called for anyway, we will see when we finally get there. Me !!!  I suppose I will be farming and running my little Gourmet Ranch on Facebook  and trying to catch up on my blog. Its a hard life I tell you. Smile   It wasn't to long and we were now back in the State of Utah. I was tired of taking pictures and I had been playing around with a new feature that I discovered on my little camera. MOVIES !!!  I was now on a movie frenzy. In some of them the loud scratchy noises that you hear is the wind blowing in to the camera.

 

This note is temp to who ever is reading this, I cant get into my blog account or post videos, I went to create a   youtube account and all my passwords got messed up, Now I cant get into my gmail account or my blog account.Sent email for help, going to be at least 24 hours untill I cant get help.

 

 

 

Monday, July 4, 2011

Our Big Day Out Touring Around The Blackhills Of SD

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It was time for some more sight seeing, this is a town with lot of history. Today we decided to go and visit a little town called “Deadwood”  Just driving to these places is amazing. The scenery is really beautiful and no photo can do any of it any justice at all. You have to see it with your own eyes. I feel very lucky to be able to just do that. For those of you that don't know this is the final resting place for “ James Butler Hickok” and “Martha Jane Burke” More widely known as WILD BILL and CALAMITY JANE. I just had to put myself between these two signs.
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Below a Picture of Wild Bills Grave.
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And next to Bill lies Calamity Jane.No headstone for a Jane but a Plaque on a brick wall.
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I have to admit I was pretty excited to see these graves, they are people in history that you hear about but never think you would ever get up close and personal with like this.
A little history Lesson.

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The discovery of gold in the Black Hills in 1874 set off one of the last great gold rushes in the country. In 1876, miners moved into the northern Black Hills. That’s where they came across a gulch full of dead trees and a creek full of gold…and Deadwood was born.
Practically overnight, the tiny gold camp boomed into a town that played by its own rules that attracted outlaws, gamblers and gunslingers along with the gold seekers.
Wild Bill Hickok was one of those men who came looking for fortune. But just a few short weeks after arriving, he was gunned down while holding a poker hand of aces and eights – forever after known as the Dead Man’s Hand.
Deadwood is like a mini Las Vegas, Casinos on every corner and in-between. We couldn't find any parking any where so we decided to move on and continue our sight seeing trip.
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Deadwood.
 
After such a great time in Deadwood we moved onto a little sleepy town that has about 7,000 residents. In the 1st week of August, during the famous Blackhills Bike Week, known mainly as Sturgis Week the population has swollen to a massive 700,000 . Below is what I cut and pasted from one of the Sturgis Bike week forums.
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A sea of Bikes
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The number of people going to Sturgis Bike Week has been growing. Crowds as large as 700,000 people have gathered in the scenic Black Hills for fellowship, fun and the riding - not to mention the vendors. The population of the town explodes during week leading up to Sturgis Bike Week. It doesn't start getting back to 'normal' until a couple of weeks after the huge event.

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Below are some of the Pictures I took when we went to visit Sturgis.

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While in Sturgis I was able to buy my sister (Julie) back in Australia a 2011 Sturgis flag for her bar. Hand picked by her “SISTA”. Must get that in the post  –One day-Soon. A great day so far, one more stop on the way home. To the film set of Dances With Wolves, where they have a few buildings stored from the film, plus a fair bit of memorabilia.

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Some pictures below of Dann and myself at this fascinating place. I have to admit I do like visiting places that have any thing to do with Movies and famous people.

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Me in front of the building that Kevin Costner got his orders from.

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Dann taken a look around.

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Me playing dead.

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And “No” Mum  Dann is not really dead.

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What a great day we had, I was so looking forward to to the next adventure on our Great Walkabout.

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Saturday, June 18, 2011

Ellsworth AFB–South Dakota

 

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Well we have finally made it to South Dakota. I really liked this place, even more green grass and trees than previous places we had visited. We had to stay one night in another park so we could get a address with both our names on it so we could become South Dakota residences and get a drivers Licence. I think we arrived on the 18th June 2011 or close there about. When we pulled up in front of the office I told Dann to make sure we get a site nearest to the WIFI Transmitter tower. Well we  couldn't have got a better spot.It was next to a COKE machine and what I thought was a Laundry. I made a bee line for the coke machine after we had finished un-hooking and setting up. As I approached the machine with my tongue licking my lips, (been a while since I had downed a coke) I heard this voice saying..Ma'am that machine is out of order !! I thought..WTF !! I looked around and seen this woman standing inside her doorway of her 5th wheel, I remember thinking, Your wrong woman, the machines on I can see the lights on even in day light. Anyway that was my introduction to Snookie who is responsible for  me getting in to blogging and I thank her dearly. By the way, that was the only time I ever heard her call me Ma’am, 2 days later it was another word she called me..we hit it off straight away. I felt really comfortable here. Hadn't felt like that since we left Tucson. Snookie and her cronies  included me in their Mexican Train games just about every third night. I tried to teach them Aussie English but it was a lost cause, Cant teach these dam Americans anything !!
It rained just about everyday we were here..I loved it. ! I was always amazed at the cloud formations here. Below is a picture of what It looked like most afternoons.
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So cool and overcast !!
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This one concerned me a bit.
Below is “Bob” (Snookies other half and Dann)SAM_0506
Bob Showing of his new kebab Holders.
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Bobs wife “Snookie”
Below is Val one of Snookies  Mexican Train Cronies
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It was either Val or Snookie that always won Mexican Train. They were good I have to admit. I just wanted to win ONE Lousy game you 2 Smile 
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Our Day Trip To See Mt Rushmore
We set of early on a day of sight seeing. Our main stop was going to see Mt Rushmore. We had drove past this National Monument the day before. I have to say it was awesome to see it from  a distance in the comfy of the truck. Dann really wanted to see this up close. He told me he felt a over whelming sense of pride of  being a American.  Our first port of call was to a little tourist town called Keystone I think. here they had a Wax Museum of all the American Presidents.
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JFK and Little John John
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The Swearing in Of President Johnson. Jackie still has John’s blood over her.
I am not going to post all the pictures i took, every President is in there, some I thought didn't look like the actual person for example this one below.
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Bill Clinton.
So done visiting the  Wax Museum we decided to get a bite to eat. I spied this really old style 50’s style Burger Joint. So in we went.
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Dann.
With Full belly's we set of on the next part of our sight seeing trip. The main street of Keystone was a busy place. I noticed this full size  stage Couch poked up in what looked like a veranda.
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Next stop Mt Rushmore.
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Dann in front of Mt Rushmore
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Another picture I played around with.
Well we came..we saw and left. I was in awe of what I had seen. A great day out sigh seeing.
 
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Our one night stay in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

 

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Warren  AFB Fam Camp is not easy to find, its tucked away in a special place. When we arrived it was raining quite heavy, had to sit in the truck and wait for it to clear. After we un-hooked and set up for the night we decided to eat out again over at the BX. The BX is a Shopping Centre that is for military personal and their family's.  Like a mini Wal-Mart or Big W back home in Australia, You don't pay any tax’s on your purchases, which is a great saving. This Fam Camp was beautiful and tranquil. So Green and lots of trees all over the camp. I am still fascinated by  greenery after spending the winter in Tucson where I don't think I seen a blade of green grass anywhere or a green tree for that matter. There was a Family of Rabbits that lived here as well. I noticed people walking past them and they didn't even look up. They weren't threated by humans here..at all !!

There was roaming antelope that lived here as well. It was incredible to see them up close and caring for their young.
        Below is the only picture that turned out here.
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Me waving to Dann.
After a good nights rest we awoke next morning ,hooked up and headed out on to the road again…Next stop
RAPID CITY SOUTH DAKOTA.
 
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Friday, June 17, 2011

Leaving Tucson And Heading…Where ?

 

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On the 1st of May we left Tucson and headed of towards New Mexico. Firstly I have to tell you, I love  Kokopelli. In Tucson and New Mexico there was more than my eyes and wallet could handle. I bought a few pieces for our out door table and had a Sticker made for the truck.
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This set I bought  when we went over the boarder to Mexico.
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The manager of the Agave Gulch Fam Camp outlined this for me from a picture on his office wall and gave me permission to go and make a sticker out of it. I LOVE IT !! On the top is the A and the bottom is the G, with the Saguaro Cactus taking centre stage. Arizona’s state flower is the Saguaro Blossom. Correct me if I am wrong.
 
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Our 1st stop after leaving Tucson was Poncho Villa State Park in New Mexico. We stayed a few days and had a look around.We were 14 miles from the Mexican Boarder There was a great museum there but I didn't take any pictures. I don't know why, what was I thinking. It was here that I finally found out I don't mind Mexican Food. It was a one horse town with this really old run down Restaurant  run by the sweetest Mexican lady. But could she cook. We ate there for the 3 nights we were there.Breakfast and Dinner. I was in heaven..NO cooking again. On the 6th we pulled out of Poncho Villa State Park and headed for Holloman Air Force Base 6 miles out of Alamogordo.This was going to be our home for the next month. It was cheaper to stay a month.Not a bad idea as our funds were running low again. After 1 week I was ready to leave. DUSTY DUSTY DUSTY !!! The white dust from the White Sands Missile Range had moved into our 5th wheel. I really didn't like our stay at Holloman, but the free WIFI and FREE Cable TV made it bearable. We basically locked the doors and spent most of the time watching cable TV. The  times we did venture out side was to do some washing and Dann had a few repairs on the 5th Wheel to do. It was here that my back decided to go out. I couldn't help dann pack up for our departure, I was stuck on the lounge and that's where I was staying. I Couldn't do anything  much for 6 weeks.
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This is Holloman Air Force Base Fam Camp, that's us with our nose poking out of the left.
 
 
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Finally it was time to leave this hell hole. We went to Carlsbad to see the HUGE Bate Caves. The day we went my back was at its worst. I told Dann there is no way I can do it. So we missed seeing them. Next time maybe. From Carlsbad we went to Roswell. I just had to go see me a Alien. I wasn't disappointed, there was Aliens every where, on the top of buildings, on the side walks in front of shops, you name it, there was one there to. Below are a few Pictures I managed to take from the truck.
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The most famous Alien of them all
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While we were in Roswell we stayed at Bottomless Lake, its about 15 – 20 miles out of Roswell. Beautiful Spot. The temperature in the 5th wheel was creeping up to about 90 degrees, 35 Celsius  with the Air  Con going flat out. It was over 100 out side. A bit under 40 Celsius.  Lucky for us we had a beautiful swimming hole right there.The coldest water to.
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The view of the swimming hole from our front step.
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Close up of our Private Swimming Hole
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We finally dragged our selves away from our little Swimming Hole  in Paradise and headed of towards The Rancheros Santa Fe Campground, still in New Mexico. We stayed one night here  and moved on next day. Our destination is Rapid City in South Dakota. This is where we are going to get our Drivers Licences and register our RV and Truck and to get a permanent  mailing address. The fun part was getting there. I actually like getting back in the truck after being in one place, the landscapes change from State to State. This part of our Walkabout Adventure was taking us to Colorado Springs in Colorado. OMG !!  This is John Denver country. The mountains there are absolutely beautiful. On the way to Colorado I noticed as I was gazing out the window enjoying the scenery as it passed me by the shortness of the telephone poles. It looked like they had been built by midgets They went on for miles. I grabbed my camera and managed to snap a picture of them.
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I am learning now to have my Camera always by my side when we are on the move. It’s only taken me 4-5 months.As we approached Colorado Springs I was in Awe of the Mountains. One especially..”Cheyenne Mountain”.
 
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Taken from the internet of Cheyenne Mountain, this mountain is HUGE !!
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The entrance to Cheyenne Mountain
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  And this is what is under that Mountain.
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A lot to see here but so little time to see it all. We narrowed it down to eating out and visiting a beautiful place called      “ Garden Of The Gods”    We got going early to beat the rush of all them tourist that we knew would be there as well. We made it up there in good time, like 8am in the morning. It wasn't open because of a bike race that was in progress. we decided to kill a bit of time in the gift shop. I like to collect Iron on Patches of all the states we visit and Fridge magnets that I send home to my Mum in Australia. One day I “Will” iron them onto a vest or jacket of some sort. Dann realized in our hurry to leave the 5th Wheel, he had left his wallet behind. So back we went. Got to the gate and the security wouldn't let us back in. Rang the Air Force police, they couldn't help us. Finally after 2 hours a lady that Dann had spoken to on the phone (who we didn't know from a bar of soap)  sent her daughter out to escort us in. Its about 10.30 going on 11 by this time. Back to Garden Of The gods we went. By this time the tourist were every where. No vantage points to park so we could get out and get some  great pictures. My back is still out at this time so walking was not a option. So we basically drove around and snapped a few Pictures of what I could and left. Beautiful place.
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Dann
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In pain and it shows.
After a busy busy week of sigh seeing and finally being able to wash away the dust and dirt that had accumulated on the Truck and 5th wheel it was time to leave and hit the road again..Next stop on our trek to South Dakota was Fort Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming .
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On the base here they had some B52’s. These are the planes that Dann loaded with Bombs while he was in the Air Force. He just had to go see for old time sakes.
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Dann reunited with his baby.
 
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And finally one more view of this massive plane.
 
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This baby's wingspan is 185 feet (56.4 meters)
Its wingspan is actually longer than its length 159 feet, 4 inches (48.5 meters)