tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86079288398071309492024-03-13T19:11:55.531-07:00Bullwinkle's TravelsA moose of a motorhome, a squirrely Jeep and two 50-something kids on the road in search of fun and adventure. Travel safe. Be happy.Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.comBlogger315125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-39845461955727052492012-12-06T18:00:00.000-08:002013-07-07T13:13:20.572-07:00Rocky, Too!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Our month in Kansas City was action-packed. Early on in our stay we made a big change in our household. We bid a tearful goodbye to our trust squirrel...<br />
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...and introduced him to his replacement.</div>
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Paul was beaming when our wonderful salesman Sylvester handed over the keys to our 2013 Jeep Wrangler Sahara. The name for this new squirrel came easily. Cue the movie music. This bigger, better, four-door squirrel is named Rocky 2!</div>
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While we were in "replacement mode", I finally parted with my beloved, and extremely well-worn Keens. It'll take awhile before the new pair feels as cozy as the old ones. But, they certainly look a lot more attractive. </div>
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November in Kansas City means preparing for the holidays. One of the wonderful traditions we continued this year was a day of baking dozens of homemade rolls for Thanksgiving with two of our nieces. We enjoyed celebrating the holiday with both of our families. </div>
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Besides Thanksgiving, somebody at our house had a birthday in November. The birthday celebration included a dinner at Jasper's, one of our long-time Kansas City favorites. </div>
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And, the celebrating wasn't limited to a holiday and birthday. Our friend Kathy invited me to her annual Lobster Party. This girls-only event was lots of fun!</div>
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Between all that partying, I did manage to find some time to work on a project or two. I finished this baby quilt for our great-niece, who is expected to arrive this winter.</div>
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We're big fans of KU basketball. So, when friends Jennifer and Lance invited us to watch our beloved Jayhawks live in Kansas City, we were delighted. This was our first time inside Kansas City's Sprint Center, which is a fantastic venue. The Jayhawk victory capped off a wonderful evening. (Thanks, guys!)</div>
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Before heading out of town, we made a stop at Cummins Coach Care for the moose's annual maintenance. With his check up complete, Bullwinkle is ready to roll. </div>
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We won't be in Kansas City for Christmas, but we were enjoyed attending our niece's performance of The Nutcracker. What a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season!</div>
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One of Paul's big projects during our Kansas City was to have the new Jeep outfitted for towing. With a shiny new baseplate attached to his frame, and our fancy braking system transplanted from the old squirrel, we left Kansas City and headed south yesterday. Rocky 2 towed behind the moose like a dream. He's definitely longer than the original, which requires extra attention pulling in and out of fuel stops. </div>
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The first stop on our southerly trek is a quick visit with family in Monett, Missouri. We affectionately refer to this frequent stop of ours as The Crossroads to Everywhere. After a very busy stay in our old hometown, we're enjoying the peace and quiet of this small town. Tomorrow, we'll head further south in search of sunny skies and warmer weather. </div>
Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-5207060882766596062012-10-27T22:00:00.000-07:002013-01-24T09:36:20.288-08:00Hot Springs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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The last stop on our Arkansas tour has been the unique town of Hot Springs. Our home for the last 12 days has been Catherine's Landing, a new and quite comfortable park on the southeastern edge of town.</div>
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Catherine's Landing is the second RVC Outdoor Destination park we've stayed in. (The other is Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, which was recently purchased by RVC.) Everything about this park was top notch. We'll definitely be back!</div>
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Our site backed up to Lake Catherine, which looks more like a creek right here. Our spot was beautiful, quiet and peaceful. </div>
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The autumn colors are just arriving at Lake Catherine. They look particularly stunning at sunset.</div>
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One of the highlights of our stay was meeting up with friends Cathy, Steve and Dottie. We had a great time with these three, as always. We look forward to seeing them again in Kansas City.</div>
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The primary reason we chose to visit Hot Springs was to check another National Park off our list. Unlike most National Parks, where you drive miles and miles to cover everything the park has to offer, Hot Springs National Park is located in the center of town.</div>
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For years, the thing that brought visitors to these parts were the namesake springs. They are hot, indeed! The thermal water coming from this spigot averages a temperature of 143 degrees. It was definitely hot to touch. (Yes, of course we did!) We saw folks filling jugs from this spigot and others like it around the park. </div>
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Our tour of the park was actually a stroll. The Grand Promenade is a beautiful tree-lined walking path that sits above and behind Bathhouse Row. Once upon a time, the hot springs were accessible from this path. But, they have since been sealed.</div>
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Walking along Bathhouse Row, we felt a bit like we'd stepped back into the 1920s. These eclectic buildings are in various states of renovation and repair. But, they reflect a bygone eara when the rich and famous came here to enjoy "America's Spa."</div>
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Buckstaff Bathhouse is the only facility that still offers the traditional Hot Springs bathing experience. The park Visitors Center features a video that explains how the process works. We decided we didn't need a personal assistant to scrub us down, so we opted for a less traditional way to take in the "healing" waters.</div>
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We decided to enjoy the Quapaw Baths. The Quapaw Bathhouse closed in 1984. A renovation in 2007 included the creation of four "public" thermal pools, several private bathing rooms and a full service spa.</div>
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We donned our swimsuits and headed for the thermal pools, which ranged from 93 degrees to 104 degrees. Upon the attendant's advice, we started with the hottest pool and worked our way down to the "cool pool". (It's amazing how cool 93 degrees can feel!) The pools featured jets and waterfalls. The stained glass dome cast a soothing light as soft instrumental music played in the background. A row of teak lounging chairs provided a perfect spot to cool off with a glass of icy water (It's important to stay hydrated!) between soaks. <i>Ahhhhhhhh!</i></div>
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This is what a couple of hours at Quapaw will do to you! While Steve was with us enjoying to pools, Cathy had a full body massage. Don't they look relaxed? We all did! The Quapaw portico offered us the perfect spot to transition from the spa to the real world. </div>
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At the north end of Bathhouse Row sits the stately Arlington Hotel, a Hot Springs landmark. In the 1930s, this was reportedly a favorite hangout of Al Capone. Today, it has a standout lobby bar, a highly acclaimed spa and lovely Sunday brunch buffet.<br />
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Steve and Cathy also joined us for a tour of Garvin Woodland Gardens, a 210-acre botanical garden that is part of the University of Arkansas. We had been told this was a "don't miss" when visiting Hot Springs. And, we would have to agree. This time of year, the thriving clumps of mums are one of the few things blooming. But, there still is so much to see.<br />
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This is a place where you must have good walking shoes. Our five-miles-plus hike took us through each of the themed gardens amongst the heavily treed forest on the shoreline of beautiful Lake Hamilton. It was a great walk!<br />
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We did see a few azaleas in bloom!<br />
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We saw hundreds of interesting "blooms" like these! Garvan staffers were busy hanging lights everywhere for the Holiday Lights spectacular. Beginning November 17th, more than two million lights will twinkle throughout the gardens. We'll have to plan a return trip during the holiday season!<br />
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In addition to the stunning flora and fauna, the gardens feature creatures, too. These residents of the koi pond in the Japanese garden were very welcoming. (They thought we had food!)<br />
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This Blue India Peafowl is one of the residents at the aviary in the nature preserve. Reportedly, the local Audubon Society has spotted more than 120 species of birds in this area, which features a 1.9-mile aptly named Birdsong Trail. We didn't see or hear many birds on our hike. But, the views were lovely.<br />
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Beautiful pieces of sculpture and architecture can be found throughout the gardens. We went looking for the crown jewel and nearly missed it. It's there, hiding in the trees.<br />
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The Anthony Chapel brings the outside in as it soars to a height of six stories. The 160-seat chapel is reportedly the most popular wedding destination in Arkansas. More than 175 weddings are performed here each year. (We were lucky to find the place empty during our visit!)</div>
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Paul and I made a trek to Lake Quachita State Park northwest of town. (After much mispronouncing, we learned it's WASH-ah-taw.) We checked out the campgrounds and enjoyed a hike along part of the Caddo Bend Trail. (Actually, we opted to walk the service road most of the way out on the peninsula.)<br />
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As we neared the tip of the peninsula, we hopped on the trail, picked up a geocache and made our way to the observation deck.<br />
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What a view! Lake Quachita covers approximately 40,000 acres and has approximately 200 islands. No homes are allowed along its shoreline, which helps maintain its pristine beauty. It is Arkansas' largest and as one of the cleanest lakes in America.<br />
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The Three Sisters Springs historical site is located in the park. According to local history, this site was homesteaded in 1875 by John McFadden, who named the springs in honor of his three daughters. In 1907 the area was developed into a resort and bottling company. For ten cents a bottle, customers bought water from the three springs, which claimed to cure different ailments. Spring No. 2, in the center, reportedly cured "chronic constipation, chronic indigestion, catarrh of stomach, excessive acid, gastritis, ulcerated stomach, poor assimilation and elimination, low blood pressure, gall stones, mucus colitis." That's powerful water!<br />
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We caught up with our friend David who recently moved to Hot Springs. (He has a very official job in town.) During our very enjoyable lunch, he recommended that we visit Blakely Dam. He said the view was not to be missed. On our way back from Lake Quachita, we stopped by the dam. While the dam was impressive, the view was not.<br />
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According to Google maps, we had reached the end of the road. But, in search of the not-to-be-missed view, we kept driving. It looked like Rocky was in the water. But, we were high and dry.</div>
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This is the view Dave was talking about! The top of the dam offered a panorama that we are certainly glad we did not miss.</div>
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With all of this sightseeing, it was important to stay nourished. Our primary travel guide, "100 Places in the US and Canada to See Before You Die", listed McClards Bar-B-Q as one such place. So, one afternoon, we stopped by with Steve and Cathy.<br />
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I don't take many photos of food. But, I just had to get a shot of our McClards aftermath. As four former Kansas Citians, we take barbeque pretty seriously. This was good stuff.<br />
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We're always on the lookout for tasty local breakfast spots. And, we found one in Hot Springs. The English Muffin, located on the shore of Lake Hamilton, is one of our favorites.<br />
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Colton's Steakhouse is popular in these parts. We just had to check out the place that bears Steve and Cathy's name. With buckets of peanuts, plenty of ice cold beers and tasty sandwiches, Colton's was a fun outing. (And Steve had to get a t-shirt!)<br />
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After Cathy and Steve headed north, we were treated to a visit from friends Carrie and Bill. It was great to see them again. We're embarrassed that while they got this photo of us, we didn't get any pictures of them. (Although <a href="http://bullwinklestravels.blogspot.com/2012/08/return-to-gunnison-again.html">here's</a> how they looked when we met them in Gunnison a few months ago.) We enjoyed a wonderful dinner in their Tour that featured good food, good wine, great conversation and wonderful company, including Carrie and Bill's kitty Tractor.<br />
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The most exciting part of our visit with Carrie and Bill was meeting the newest addition to their family, Mizzou, who they adopted on their travels in Missouri this Fall. We fell in love with this cute little puppy, of course. But, as a couple of devoted Jayhawks, we have our own pet name for her. We call her Miss Zou.<br />
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We said so long to Carrie and Bill and their cute menagerie last night. We were up bright and early to make the long trek to Kansas City. The 435 miles across three states made for a lengthy travel day. It was nearly 4 pm before we reached our destination exit. We've never been so glad to see that familiar sign! Tonight we're all tucked in at our "home" park, ready to enjoy a month with family and friends in our old hometown.</div>
Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-34880467346671760782012-10-14T22:00:00.000-07:002012-10-23T11:35:45.424-07:00Mt. Magazine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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There's something about Arkansas in October that inspires us to sit around a campfire. Our woodsy, spacious, quiet site here at Mt. Magazine State Park has been just the place to enjoy some quality time in the great outdoors.<br />
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From our fireside seats, we enjoyed this view. Isn't it something? The colors have started to come alive here on the mountain this week.<br />
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We are in Site #2 of the park's 34-site campground. Here we have the best of both worlds: a beautiful, rustic setting with full hookups. Parking a 40-foot moose in a state park can be a dicey proposition. But, there are several sites here where Bullwinkle fits quite easily. (If you decide to park your big rig here, we strongly suggest driving south on Highway 309 from Paris. It's hilly and curvy in spots, but it's nothing compared to the drive north to the park from Havana. Trust us.)<br />
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With a dozen trails in the park, we've enjoyed hiking through the changing colors of this mountain forest.<br />
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The Signal Hill trailhead is just steps from the moose. So, we've made more than one trek to the top of the hill. At its peak, Mount Magazine tops out at an elevation of 2,753, making it the highest point in the state. </div>
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From its highest point, you can see a lot of Arkansas! As we looked to the north on this not-exactly-clear day, we could see all the way to Paris. (Paris, Arkansas, of course!)<br />
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Paul walked to the edge of the mountain to check out this view of the sprawling Ozark National Forest below. (No, I didn't get quite that close!)<br />
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Though we're miles away from a town, a taste of civilization is just a mile away by trail, or a few minutes by Jeep. The Lodge at Mt. Magazine is the crown jewel of the mountain. The lodge features 60 guest rooms, an indoor pool and a full-service restaurant, where we enjoyed several tasty meals.<br />
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The public spaces in and around the lodge welcome visitors to sit, relax and enjoy the view. With limited cell and data service at our site, the lobby provided a comfortable, sunny spot for us to catch up on our communications. Not a bad "office" at all!<br />
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From its dramatic bluff setting, the lodge offers breathtaking views of the Petit Jean River Valley and Blue Mountain Lake. There are 13 guest cabins adjacent to the lodge that also enjoy this sweeping vista. (We were tempted to check in!) Whether you have an RV or not, Mt. Magazine is a wonderful place to enjoy an Arkansas mountain getaway.<br />
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We day tripped to "civilization" in Russellville, which is some 50 miles from the park. Along the way, we spotted a plume along Lake Dardanelle. Arkansas Nuclear One is the only nuclear power plant in the state. This isn't something you see every day!<br />
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Before reaching Russellville, we stopped by Mt. Nebo State Park. The 34 campsites in this beautiful park are limited to tents and small trailers. No trailers longer than 24 feet are allowed on the road to the park. Bullwinkle will never see the many hairpin turns up (and down) the mountain. But, Rocky loved it.<br />
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Rising 1,350 feet, Mt. Nebo is smaller than its neighbor, but its views are still quite spectacular. Sunset Point offers a sweeping view to the west, and the Ouachita (pronounced sort of like <i>Wichita</i>) Mountains. When French explorers came to the area in the 1600s, they named the range the Magasins, which is French for "storehouse", which these mountains resemble. Mt. Nebo was originally named Mt. Magazine. But, that name was transferred to the highest point in the range. According to local folklore, after the Civil War a resident named the mountain after the biblical Mt. Nebo, from which Moses saw the Promised Land.<br />
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When we came off the mountain, we weren't in search of the Promised Land. Rather, we were definitely ready for lunch. Before stocking up on provisions in Russellville, we stopped by <a href="http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Overview/59/feltners-whattaburger">Feltner's Whatta-Burger</a>, which is a local institution. Not to be confused with Whataburger, a Texas-based institution we're quite fond of, this one-of-a-kind joint serves up fast food with a side of friendly Arkansas service. We took advantage of the lunch special, which features a cheeseburger, crispy fries and a thick shake for just five bucks. What a deal! Don't know that we'd make a 100-mile roundtrip just for lunch. But, it was a tasty highlight of our sightseeing day. If you find yourself on I-40 between Little Rock and Ft. Smith, it's definitely worth a stop. (There's plenty of parking, but it's not RV friendly.)<br />
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Back at our spot at this "island in the sky", we've watched the weekenders reluctantly pack up and make their way home. We're enjoying one last night at Mt. Magazine. Tomorrow, our Arkansas exploration continues as we head south to Hot Springs.Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-88603409951570008762012-10-06T22:00:00.000-07:002012-10-22T16:20:57.322-07:00Northwest Arkansas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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We've enjoyed our week in Northwest Arkansas. Our home in the trees at Hickory Creek COE Campground in Lowell has been the perfect place to kick back and relax.<br />
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With a view like this from our "porch", what's not to like? We're on the shore of Beaver Lake. But, this year, the shore is much farther away than normal. The severe drought has resulted in extremely low lake levels. But, it's out there. Really!<br />
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See! There is some water in the lake!<br />
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We've enjoyed hiking around this beautiful campground and seeing the sights. The fall colors are just starting to show. But, these cheerful flowers at the marina are in their full glory!<br />
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Wednesday we made a day trip to the opposite side of Beaver Lake to visit Eureka Springs. Neither of us had ever been, so we just had to check out this quaint Victorian town just south of the Missouri border. Carved out of the Ozark Mountains, the town streets and walking paths are steep and winding. The challenging terrain has earned Eureka Springs the moniker "The Stairstep Town."<br />
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As its name implies, Eureka Springs "sprung up" around natural springs, which were believed to have magical powers. In the mid-to-late 1800s, the town grew from a rural village to the state's second largest city. Visitors flocked to town to bathe in the healing waters. Many gathered in Basin Spring Park, which was the source of the "Balm of Life."<br />
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Today, Basin Spring Park is "protected" by this mosaic princess, which looks down from the bluff.<br />
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Modern day visitors come to Eureka Springs more for the shopping than bathing. There are plenty of places in which to poke around. This blessings bowl was a lovely touch in one shop.<br />
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One reason for our visit to town was to complete the second of three stops in our Great Arkansas BBQ Tour. We stopped in Bubba's for a delicious pulled pork sandwich.<br />
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From Eureka Springs, we headed north to check out Holiday Island, a very laid back community on Table Rock Lake. As we continued our loop back to Hickory Creek, we crossed this very interesting (and narrow and low) bridge. Rocky made this crossing with no problem. But, this is a route Bullwinkle will never know.<br />
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There's a bit of Kansas in Arkansas. (Think about it.) So, we were pleased to see our beloved Jayhawk enjoying some out-of-state shelf space at Macadoodle's, our favorite wine and spirits purveyor in the state.<br />
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There's a chill in the air here in Northwest Arkansas, and we love it. For the first time in a long time, we spent an evening by a campfire. What a treat! Tomorrow, we're heading south - and up - to the highest point in the Natural State. But, we look forward to a return visit to this lovely little corner of Arkansas.</div>
Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-23322781436125072422012-10-01T18:00:00.000-07:002012-10-07T19:21:53.120-07:00Bentonville<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Of the several towns that dot northwest Arkansas, Bentonville was first on our list to explore. We started today’s visit with a quick lunch at Whole Hog Cafe, which offers a selection of six barbecue sauces to top their tasty smoked meats. After sampling each with our pulled pork sandwiches, we elected #6 our favorite.<br />
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After lunch we made our way “downtown” to the quite charming town square. In its center, a statue of Confederate Soldier, US Senator and Arkansas Governor James H. Berry pays homage to the Civil War. The Benton County Courthouse dominates one side of the square.<br />
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Opposite the courthouse sits the humble beginnings of the world’s largest retailer. Sam Walton purchased this original Five and Dime in May 1950. By the time of his death in 1992, Walton’s retailing empire had expanded to nearly 2,000 Wal-Marts, Sam’s Clubs and Supercenters employing 380,000 people generating annual sales of nearly $50 billion. And, it’s kept growing since. Today, the original store houses the Walmart Visitors Center.<br />
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We thought this would be a quick stop, but our visit was surprisingly captivating. We watched a short film about “Mr. Sam” and the story of Walmart. Then, we perused several displays about the man and his stores. This display depicts Walton’s office on the day he died. The office was photographed, cataloged, moved and carefully recreated here at the center. The exhibit notes that the most realistic thing about this display is that Walton isn’t in it, because he was rarely in his office.<br />
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Despite being one of the world’s wealthiest men, Walton drove this 1979 Ford F150 truck until the day he died. We enjoyed learning a bit more about this interesting leader, successful capitalist and proud American. <br />
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From the square, we made our way to the Art Trail and took a very peaceful half-mile hike past Compton Gardens toward a place we’d never heard about until last week, when Paul’s cousin and his wife told us not to miss it. We weren’t really sure what we were in for, but we were enjoying the walk!<br />
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A simple sign directed the way to the place we were here to see. We were getting close to Crystal Bridges, the not-quite-one-year-old American Art Museum founded by Sam Walton’s daughter Alice. <br />
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Taking a long walk is a wonderful way to approach a museum. Several pieces of sculpture lined the path. The back doors to the museum were just beyond Bentonville’s own version of Robert Indiana’s iconic <i>LOVE</i> sculpture. You can find versions of this pop artist’s most famous work in New York, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Tokyo and now Bentonville. We knew we were in for something special. <br />
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We checked in at the desk inside the door. Admission is free, thanks to a $20 million gift from Walmart. (Thanks, Walmart!) As we walked a long corridor toward the permanent collection, we caught a glimpse of this gorgeous place. It’s name comes from the impressive bridge-like pavillions that span Bentonville’s Crystal Creek.<br />
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When it comes to art, we are no aficianados. We’ve passed by more art museums than we’ve passed through. But, there is something about this place. <br />
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The space itself is a stunning work of art, from the outside in. Even the title of the museum’s permanent collection, <i>Celebrating the American Spirit</i>, is inviting.<br />
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The more than 400 works in the collection are arranged in roughly chronological order, which makes your visit literally a walk through American art history since the Colonial Era.<br />
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Name an American artist and chances are you’ll find at least one example of his or her work here. We found four pieces from one of our favorites, and Bentonville’s namesake, Thomas Hart Benton.<br />
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Much of the collection is illustrated with interesting stories, which bring the pieces to life. This porcelain teapot was used in William Henry Harrison’s presidential campaign to appeal to women. (Of course, in 1840, women were not yet allowed to vote!)<br />
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Norman Rockwell brought <i>Rosie the Riveter</i> home to Americans with this painting, which made the cover of the popular <i>Saturday Evening Post</i> in May 1943. Seeing the larger than life image up close we could almost feel the sense of indomitable strength Rockwell captured. Alice Walton acquired this famous painting in 2009 for $4.9 million. What a treat to see it...for free.<br />
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Our artistic tastes tend to lean toward the more modern. So, we especially enjoyed the Contemporary collection, which included works by Lichtenstein, Calder and Warhol.<br />
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Ultra-realist Max Ferguson’s oil painting titled <i>Time</i> tells a compelling story about the passage of its namesake.<br />
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One of the most fascinating pieces (for us, anyway) was Devorah Sperber’s recreation of a famous work of art using hanging spools of thread and a viewing sphere. (We won’t spoil the surprise!)<br />
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Several pieces of sculpture are included in the collection, but this one is definitely the most realistic. The title of Canadian sculptor Evan Penny’s slightly larger than life bust says it all: <i>Old Self: Portrait of the Artist as he Will (Not) Be</i>. Yep. It’s all that, and a little creepy.<br />
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Have we told you lately how much we love this space? In spaces like this that house priceless works of art, light is the enemy. But, here it’s welcome. Corridors washed in natural light surround the exhibit spaces.<br />
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These walls of windows bring the outside in and allow visitors, like Paul, to appreciate the beauty beyond its walls.<br />
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The architecture of Moshe Safdie in his design of Crystal Bridges made quite an impression on us. We love it! Some have called his designs “artitectural”. After seeing his work here (and at the stunning new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City), we certainly agree. <br />
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We look forward to our next visit!Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-53307134181178845432012-09-25T21:00:00.000-07:002012-10-07T11:49:46.911-07:00Dogwood Canyon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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With all the activity of Sedalia behind us, we headed south Saturday to quiet, peaceful Monett. We have a long-standing joke with family in this small southwest Missouri town that Monett is the “Crossroads to Everywhere.” This week marks our fifth stop here since beginning our rolling travels, so it’s definitely a crossroads for us!<br />
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Yesterday, cousin John and Melissa treated us to a scenic drive to a lovely bicycle path along the Missouri-Arkansas border.<br />
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Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, in Lampe, is a 10,000-acre slice of the scenic Ozarks. A beautiful trout stream winds through this private preserve, which is operated by the owners of Bass Pro Shops. <br />
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A 6.4-mile round-trip hike and bike path runs along, and sometimes over, the stream. We walked our bikes across this wooden bridge constructed by members of a Missouri Amish community with wood salvaged from a century-old warehouse in Chicago.<br />
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The bike path is lined with high stone bluffs, Indian burial sites and a bear cave. But, our most frequent sightings were waterfalls. With a drop of 60 feet, Thunder Falls is one of the most impressive.<br />
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This waterfall spilling over a striking bluff into a well-stocked trout pool is aptly named the Great Spirit Rock Shelter. The story is that the oldest human remains ever found in Missouri were discovered here. Found 8,000 years ago, the great spirit is old!<br />
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The Butterfly Garden was doing its job during our visit, attracting many butterflies. I managed to capture not only one...<br />
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..but two!<br />
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Glory Hole combines a waterfall, cave and beautiful pool in one picturesque spot. <br />
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Wish Bowl Falls marked the turnaround point on the trail. This was one of those out-and-back trails that was so scenic it was a treat to see everything twice.<br />
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Thanks to John and Melissa for a wonderful day and your warm hospitality during our stay. <br />
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We’ve especially enjoyed our visits with Aunt Martha here in Monett. We caught up with her and cousin Nancy over dinner Sunday. Knowing how much of a cat lover Martha is, we took a special guest along with us on our visit today. Our boy kitty was a big hit! Martha and several of her neighbors enjoyed visiting with him. He was so good, he brought out the cat lover in everybody. We are so proud! He’s already “asked” to return. So, we’ll certainly do that again before we leave Saturday.Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-314635963566300122012-09-21T18:00:00.000-07:002012-10-05T20:49:07.054-07:00Sedalia: Our First Escapade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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After our short (for us, anyway) visit in Kansas City, we pointed the moose east Saturday morning for the quick 90-minute drive to Sedalia. Our mission was to attend an Escapade, a rally hosted by the Escapees RV Club. Although this would be the Escapees' 52nd Escapade, it was our first! As Escapade "newbies", we looked forward to an exciting week.<br />
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We weren't alone when we arrived at the Missouri State Fairgrounds. The awesome Escapade parking team was making quick work of taking care of new arrivals.<br />
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When we checked in, we immediately saw a familiar face! Fellow fulltimer John escorted us to our spot between buddies Mark and Dortha and Keith and Donna. Thanks for the outstanding directions, John!<br />
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John's lovely wife Bridget arrived moments after we arrived. It's been too long since we've seen these two. It was great to see them again. With almost 600 rigs to park in just a few days, John and Bridget and their team were on the run.<br />
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With more than 1,000 attendees at this year's rally, we were looking forward to seeing lots of friends, old and new. Cathy and Steve arrived Sunday. Although it was a busy week for us all, we made time to get together with these special folks. It was great to be with them again. We're looking forward to spending some quality time with them this Fall in Arkansas and Kansas City.<br />
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The Escapade provided a wonderful opportunity for us to meet several "virtual" friends for the first time. Sam and Donna hosted a happy hour, which provided a great chance for several fellow bloggers to meet the faces behind their words and pictures. It was great to meet them...<br />
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...and their dog Riggins, too! Like many blogger dogs, "Riggs" is a celebrity of sorts in the RVing blogging world. (And, he's a nudist, too!)<br />
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We've been wanting to meet fellow fulltimers Angela and Kenny for a long while. It was such a pleasure to finally meet them. These two are based in Kansas City for now. So, we look forward to getting together again when we're in our old hometown.<br />
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We enjoyed meeting fellow fulltimers Len and Phyllis, who were lucky winners this week. They turned a free oil change into a major investment in new tires. The Sedalia Chamber of Commerce thanks you!<br />
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We also had the great pleasure of meeting Facebook friends and fellow fulltimers Sylvia and Glenn. Glenn missed the pooch parade. But, if you look carefully, you'll find him in another photo.<br />
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It's been nearly two years since we met Ken, Cindy and their pups in Tennessee. It was great to catch up with them, too!<br />
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The Escapade also provided us a chance to meet virtual friends Ginger and Jesse. I didn't get a picture of the two of them, but I tried my best to get a shot of their "boys". Nice to meet y'all!<br />
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Besides being attendees at our first Escapade, we had a couple of jobs to do. My big job on the Escapade staff was a photographer. During the week, I snapped nearly 1,000 pictures of Escapees....<br />
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Opening...<br />
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...Saluting...<br />
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...Parading...<br />
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...Cooking (And, believe me there was LOTS of eating!)...<br />
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...Crafting...<br />
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...Cheering...<br />
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...Changing (Thanks so much!)...<br />
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...Dog Walking...</div>
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...and Riding...<br />
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...Hula-ing (Hey Marcia and Donna!!)...<br />
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....Pickin'...<br />
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...and Grinning...<br />
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...Weighing...<br />
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...and Winning!<br />
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And, of course, there was lots of that thing Escapees do best: Hugging!<br />
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But, sometimes those happy Escapees were going every which way! (Look! Just behind the man bending over in the lower right corner. There's Glenn! And, Sylvia, too!)<br />
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Amongst all that fun, there were many seminars where teachers were teaching...<br />
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...and attendees were learning.<br />
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At a very interesting session on Geocaching the leader passed around this itty bitty cache container. (It's sitting on my knee.) Isn't it cute? We may need to hide a few of these!<br />
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The other job we had this week was leading our session on "<i>The Myths of Fulltime RVing</i>". (Thanks Sam and Donna for sharing this pic.) We had fun with a great group of attendees that were so engaged and asked great questions. We especially loved the laughter. Thanks!<br />
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As an Escapade photographer, of course I had to take photos of our wonderful audience. This is just a few of the smiling faces we had in our session. They were the best!<br />
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After all that learning, every good Escapee needs to be entertained. As an official photographer I had the privilege of going back stage before the Sunday night performance of Yakov Smirnoff. Here's the star with his son, wife, Escapade Assistant Directors Wallace and Wanda Lewis, and our friends Escapade Directors Molly and Bob Pinner.<br />
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Yakov brought a bit of his Branson show to Sedalia. He had everyone laughing.<br />
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Monday night's entertainer was straight from Branson, as well. Talented tenor George Dyer entertained and involved the audience during his spirited performance.<br />
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These folks look like they're playing, but don't let that fool you. The Escapade staff of Norm and Mary Scherer, Bob and Molly, Wallace and Wanda, and Mark and Dortha Hall worked hard to make sure the week went off without a hitch. </div>
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Who is this cute little devil? It's Escapees Co-Founder Kay Peterson raising money for CARE, the Escapees Adult Day Care Center in Livingston, during the first annual(?) Chili Cookoff.<br />
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A week of sharing, caring, fun and food all came to an end last night with the Escapade's Closing Ceremonies. After an awesome week, we have just one thing to say: "That's a wrap!"Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-57668745247107750472012-09-14T22:00:00.000-07:002012-10-07T19:24:11.345-07:00Home Again in Kansas City<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Our 10 days in our old hometown have flown by, as expected. The biggest reason for our visit was to celebrate my Mom's big birthday. Much of our immediate family was in town for the celebration. Those who weren't here were definitely missed. We all had a great time.<br />
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Most importantly, of course, is that Mom had fun. She received lots of birthday wishes and lovely gifts. My sister Susan and her family gifted this quilt they purchased in Amish country near their home in Pennsylvania. It's absolutely beautiful!<br />
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The weather in Kansas City is much more enjoyable than it was when we arrived. We've enjoyed many walks on our favorite nearby walking path along Turkey Creek.<br />
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No, I didn't do it! Another big "to-do" during our visit was a bit of skin cancer surgery for Paul. All went well, thankfully, and he's recovering nicely. He already looks much better! All we can say is, wear your sunscreen!<br />
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Look! Bullwinkle's twin followed us home from Colorado. New friends Carrie and Bill stopped and parked next door for a few days. This was their first visit to Kansas City, so we squeezed in some time to happily show them around.<br />
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They toured the Truman Library and Museum, a Kansas City "must do", on their own. After a tasty lunch at our favorite barbeque spot, Fiorella's Jack Stack near Union Station, we took them on a driving tour around some of old favorite sights around Kansas City.<br />
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And, we made time to see a few new favorites, too. We hadn't really taken a good look at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. It's gorgeous! Well done, Kansas City!<br />
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We'll hit the road again tomorrow. But, we'll be back very soon. And, next time, we promise to stay longer.Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-58726447821256561362012-09-05T17:00:00.000-07:002012-10-07T19:30:23.270-07:00North Central Kansas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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If you're going to cross Kansas in late August, you need air conditioning. And, we're so pleased to report that, at long last, our moose is cooling like a champ! The team at DM Mobile RV Repair in Loveland replaced the mess Winnebago made of our heat pump and made us very happy! Many thanks to them and the good people at RVP Products (our heat pump manufacturer) in Wichita. Y'all did good! (Winnebago Factory Service is another story!) It was warm when we waved so long to Don and Mary Ann and pulled out of Loveland last Thursday morning. Having spent more time on I-25 this Summer than we had ever intended, we opted for a "blue highways" route east out of Loveland through Greeley and Fort Morgan. We clipped the southwestern corner of Nebraska for about 10 minutes before we headed south through the western edge of Kansas. When we arrived in Goodland in the early afternoon, this was the outside temperature! Fortunately, life inside our moose was cool and comfortable. (Finally!)<br />
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Our favorite Kansas overnight campground (in Ellis) was another 130 miles down the road. But, with the temperatures rising, we wisely called it a day early and chilled at the Goodland KOA, just off I-70. The park is perfect for an overnight. The lovely couple who own the place go out of their way to make sure their guests are comfortable. We felt a bit like we were staying at a bed and breakfast!<br />
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The temperatures had cooled off to the mid-90s (gasp!) by the time we arrived in the familiar Salina KOA on Friday. Life with a fully functioning air conditioner is awesome!!<br />
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Our Salina stop was timed to enjoy the Labor Day weekend with Paul's sister and her family. We had a great time catching up with them all.<br />
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A highlight of our holiday weekend was a fun and informative driving tour of North Central Kansas. (Hey! Don't knock it until you try it.) We loaded up with Susan, Doug and Kate and headed north to Minneapolis, Kansas. This charming town of about 2,000 calls itself "A Great Place To Call Home". By the looks of things, it probably is. We took particular interest in this block building at the end of Mill Street. Susan and Paul remember this building as the home of Aunt Winifred and Uncle David. Today, it's a charming four-suite inn that has been lovingly transformed by owners Pat and Brian. While we were gawking outside, they invited us in and showed us around. It's beautiful!<br />
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The owners were as interested in hearing about Paul and Susan's memories of the house and the family as they were sharing what they knew. This is a photo of the building circa 1911, when it served as home to Aunt Winifred's family and her father's veterinary practice.<br />
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When Aunt Winifred graduated from medical school in 1912, she set up her office in the front of the building. She married Uncle David, who was the high school shop teacher, and the building was their home until she passed away in 1967. In 1962, Minneapolis celebrated Dr. Winifred's 50 years of practicing medicine. Pat and Brian shared this scrapbook page that commemorated the occasion. We had a wonderful visit. We so appreciated these friendly owners making time to share their lovely inn with us.<br />
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From Minneapolis, we headed west into Russell County to visit the Grassroots Arts Capital of Kansas, the tiny town of Lucas. Along the way, Kate was buzzing about the newest addition in Lucas. She had heard all about, but had yet to lay eyes on, the town's new public restroom. Her enthusiasm was contagious. We couldn't wait.<br />
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While you ponder the question of why five intelligent adults would drive to a town of 400 people to see a new public bathroom, let us fill you in on "Grassroots Arts". According to grassrootsart.net, the term describes "art made made by people with no formal artistic training (usually of retirement age) using ordinary materials in an extraordinary way." Remember, Lucas is the capital of this phenomenon in Kansas. And, apparently Kansas comes in third among states, behind Wisconsin and California.<br />
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We knew we'd arrived at Bowl Plaza when we saw a giant roll of "toilet paper" sitting next to the giant grassroots toilet. (Look back at the first photo. Can you see it?) Bowl Plaza just opened in June as the Grassroots Capital of Kansas' response to an unmet need for its estimated 10,000 visitors every year. The "first flush" at the new privy was auctioned to the highest bidder.<br />
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The entire structure is covered (inside and out) in unbelievable mosaics created by Mri Pilar of broken bits and found objects. This is the mirror in the women's restroom. A quick peek in the men's restroom revealed boy-themed mosaics made out of things like Hot Wheels cars. This is the most fascinating public bathroom we've ever seen! Without a doubt.<br />
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A quote from a visiting Archeology student is embedded into a wall in the lobby of the plaza. We couldn't agree more!<br />
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Another thing that will make Lucas an "interesting dig" is the Garden of Eden. This is one of the reasons so many I-70 travelers stop in Lucas (and why the town needed a new public restroom). The former home of S.P. Dinsmoor is one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This large scale example of Kansas folk art was a 20-year labor of love for Mr. Dinsmoor, who started the project in 1907 (at the age of 62) with the construction of the limestone log cabin. His worked moved on to the garden, where he used 113 tons of cement to construct 40-foot tall trees to display his sculpture.<br />
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In addition to these towering sculptures, Dinsmoor constructed his own mausoleum on the property. So visitors can stop by and say "hello" to this famous grassroots artist.<br />
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According to local lore, Mr. Dinsmoor's wife complained that she didn't see him enough. So, he crafted this self portrait just outside the kitchen window so she could always see him waving at her. Mr. Dinsmoor continued his work until he went blind in 1929.<br />
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The Garden of Eden is one of those things that has to be seen to be believed. It's too hard to explain. But, it's definitely worth a stop.<br />
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To celebrate Labor Day, the family piled in the car and headed southeast to the tiny town of Florence. As the temperature soared into the 90s, we grabbed our seats on the shady side of the street to watch this town of almost 500 celebrate the day with a parade.<br />
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The main attraction (for us anyway) was the appearance of the middle school and high school bands from nearby Marion, Kansas. Kate's friend Barlow is the music director at both schools. On parade day, he started things off by conducting a wonderful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.<br />
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The Florence Labor Day Parade was small but mighty. There were lots of flags and roaring motorcycles.<br />
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And, you can always could on the Shriners to be at a parade, even if it's only three blocks long.<br />
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We didn't have to wait long to see the biggest "act" in the parade.<br />
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They looked and sounded fantastic! Way to go kids! That's a mighty fine band director you have there.<br />
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The biggest surprise of the weekend was a visit by California Winnie club friends Bob and Linda. They were passing through Kansas and decided to stop and stay for a couple of nights. They enjoyed touring the Eisenhower Library in nearby Abilene and we really enjoyed catching up with them. We wish them safe travels as they make their way back to the Bay Area.<br />
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Another of the Wonders of Kansas we'd yet to check out is Cozy Inn, in downtown Salina. With lots of instructions from family, (Be prepared to smell like onions for days. And, whatever you do, don't even think about putting your sack of burgers in your car!) we finally made time for a stop.<br />
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It was hot and humid when we dropped in, so we sat at the small counter inside and ordered a sack of burgers. Beef. Onions. Bun. That's it. No cheese. Ever. We're not sure we'd call these sliders a "wonder", but the place has a fun history and serves up a tasty little burger. Definitely worth a stop. And, yes, the onion smell does linger.<br />
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We left Salina this morning and headed east on I-70. Before long we were in our old stomping grounds and set up here in our "home park" in suburban Kansas City before noon. We have a busy 10 days ahead of us. So, we're sure to be on the run. </div>
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The good news is the heat is supposed to break. Halleluiah!</div>
Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-5024290392088732282012-08-28T20:00:00.000-07:002012-10-07T19:36:06.050-07:00Return to Gunnison Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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When our heat pump put a big dent in our Summer travel plans, we decided to head back to Gunnison. When we arrived in our favorite mountain valley town, we spotted a Winnebago Tour in our park that looked a lot like ours. (Except it had a working heat pump!)<br />
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Shortly after our arrival for our second stay in our adopted hometown this summer, the owners of Bullwinkle's twin stopped by to introduce themselves. Bill and Carrie are extended travelers who, as it turns out, we tried to meet up in Texas Hill Country a couple of years ago. We had been following each other's blogs for awhile and thought we were in close proximity. But, as often happens, our blogs were behind our travels and we missed each other. What a delightful surprise to find these fun folks here in Gunnison! We so enjoyed getting to know each other.<br />
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Actually, it's no surprise we hit it off with Bill and Carrie. Turns out we have more than our Tours in common. Our new friends travel with two kitties (and two dogs), too. This cutie is Tractor.<br />
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Our unexpected return to Gunnison also gave us more time for fun with friends Karen and Arvin.<br />
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We finally got our Jeeps together for an little off-roading above Blue Mesa Reservoir. We trekked through rain and hail on that fun journey. But, the views were worth it.<br />
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Grandsons Sam and Grady came along for the ride. Looks like Sam got a little Jeepin' practice in on the trail. He did great!<br />
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During our return to Gunnison, we also enjoyed catching up with Doug and Nona, who we got to know the night before we left last time. Doug, Nona, Carrie, Paul and I had a great hike on the Dillon Pinnacles trail.<br />
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Even in the least flattering light of the warm midday sun, the Pinnacles were impressive.<br />
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The trail offered sweeping views of Blue Mesa Reservoir, which is noticeably low this year. Last Summer, the full lake was an immense impressive sight. After last year's mild winter, we've heard reports that the lake is down as much as 35 feet, and it definitely shows.<br />
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We had so much fun on the Pinnacles hike that we did it again when fellow fulltiming friends Fred and Sharon arrived in town. We met these two fun folks near Zion National Park last Summer. They made a detour from their toasty travels to meet up with us and cool off in Gunnison. We really enjoyed sharing our favorite little town and its scenic surroundings with them. Thanks so much for coming our way!<br />
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Fred and Sharon's visit was well-timed. They arrived just in time to see the USA Pro Cycling Challenge come through town. We enjoyed the inaugural event so much last year. Once again, Gunnison stood tall and put on a party as the cyclists came to town.<br />
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On the second day of this rigorous week-long race across Colorado, 95 professional riders started in Montrose and "whooshed" through Gunnison as they made the turn to the finish in Crested Butte.<br />
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The next day, Gunnison hosted the start of Stage 3 of the race, also known as the Queen's Stage. The crowds gathered early to watch the riders sign in and walk along "autograph row" before the race.<br />
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Gunnison gave the riders an enthusiastic sendoff as they began their 130-mile ride to Aspen. The day's route covered two 12,000-foot mountain passes for a total climb of 9,623 feet. Incredible!<br />
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After the professionals left town, the kids hit the streets. Bicycle races were held for three age brackets. Sam and Grady were ready to roll.<br />
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Grady had a look of fierce determination during his heat. And, Sam was so fast he raced out of my camera shot. Way to go, boys!<br />
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After the race festivities, we took a drive with Sharon and Fred toward Crested Butte to scenic Gothic Road.<br />
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The cloud cover gave us a cool day and some very interesting reflections. We love this drive. It's different every time we visit!<br />
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The late wildflowers gave the valley floor a fading yellow glow.<br />
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Bits of autumn color are just starting to show. In just a few weeks this stand of Aspens will be ablaze in yellow. (We're thinking we might just have to be here for that next year!)<br />
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Our "surprise" month in Gunnison gave us many more moments that remind us how much we love this town. These ponies near the Palisades greeted us along several walks.<br />
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This crystal clear stream meandered along another path. Gunnison is a great town for walking.<br />
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It's a good thing we did a lot of walking, because we managed to visit our favorite eateries around town. We even squeezed in a couple of new places (for us, anyway). The pulled pork sandwiches at The Filling Station were "real good".<br />
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This month's visit did present a surprise or two, too. Early one morning we watched this hot air balloon pass just over the moose and make an emergency landing just two sites down. The pilot said he was running low on fuel and had to get down. Thankfully, he was able to do so safely. The whole ordeal provided a morning of free entertainment in the park.<br />
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As we were preparing to leave yesterday, a buzz worked its way through the park. "Mitt Romney is coming to town," our neighbors told each other. A quick check of the Romney web site revealed the candidate was somewhere far from here preparing for the upcoming convention. What was coming to town was Romney's bus, with folks on board stumping for local and state Republicans, and campaigning for Romney, too, of course. It's not every day you get to see a presidential candidate's bus, so we took a break from our pre-departure routine and checked it out. Regardless of your party affiliation, it was all pretty cool.<br />
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Bill and Carrie, who left for a couple of weeks then decided to return to Gunnison (And we're so glad they did!), participated in all the fun. After all the festivities, we readied ourselves to leave our mountain hideaway. We enjoyed a wonderful birthday dinner celebrating Paul's 55th at Twisted Fork, our favorite restaurant in town. I must confess I got a little teary on the way home. We really love Gunnison. We're going to miss it. But, we'll be back!<br />
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We made our way over Monarch Pass (for the FOURTH time this Summer) this morning and arrived in Loveland late this afternoon. With just a few miles to go on I-25, we spotted Air Force One landing in Loveland/Fort Collins for the President's appearance at CSU. (But, we didn't get a picture.) Wow! Two presidential candidate vehicle sightings in as many days. Such is life in a swing state!<br />
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We're back at DM, enjoying Don and Mary Ann's gracious hospitality for another night. Everything is set for tomorrow. If all goes as expected, the work will be completed tomorrow and we'll spend one more night here. Then, we'll head west with our freshly repaired basement air blazing. Good thing, too. It's hot in Kansas. We're gonna need it.<br />
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One of our fulltiming "to-dos" has been to spend an entire Summer in Colorado. Little did we know this would be the year. It wasn't where we expected to be, but Colorado has been a great place for us to be this summer, especially with our crippled AC. On this, our (fingers crossed) second to the last night in the Centennial State this year, we are grateful for the good times we've had this Summer. It's been fun.<br />
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To spend two months in Gunnison was a very pleasant surprise. And, we loved it. It made dealing with our heat pump maladies just a bit more tolerable. Thank You, Gunnison, for a wonderful time.<br />
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We will definitely be back!Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-4150826509943742772012-07-27T20:00:00.000-07:002012-10-07T19:36:50.265-07:00Loveland - Part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Our Summer travels have not exactly gone as planned! Instead of meeting friends in Montana, we spent this week trying to get our moose repaired. (Ugh!) We arrived in Loveland, just a few miles south of Fort Collins (Weren't we just here?) Sunday afternoon. After a quick overnight at Loveland RV Resort, we checked into nearby DM Mobile RV Repair. Owners Don and Mary Ann are great folks who made us feel comfortable that our moose was in good hands.</div>
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Our repair required removal of our heat pump for at least a day or two. With daytime temps forecasted near 100 degrees, staying in an air conditioner-less moose was not an option. We packed up the cats and a couple of bags and checked into the very accommodating and pet-friendly AmericInn in nearby Windsor. Our girl kitty felt most at home on top of our bags during our stay.<br />
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Our boy kitty enjoyed climbing to new heights in our two-room suite. From here he literally tried to climb the wall. (As our stay grew from a "night or two" to four, so did we!)<br />
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We made use of the time by doing some sightseeing in the area. These growing storm clouds looked quite dramatic over Lake Loveland.<br />
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Our friends Steve and Cathy encouraged us to tour the Benson Sculpture Garden during our stay. And, we're glad they did! Since 1985, this park has served as a beautiful and unique outdoor setting for showcasing sculpture. Each year the Loveland High Plains Arts Council hosts "Sculpture In The Park", one of the largest juried outdoor sculpture shows in the United States. This year's show, which starts in just two weeks, will showcase more than 2,000 pieces by 170 sculptors from around the world. Each year, the city acquires a few of the pieces from the annual show. The garden's permanent collection now includes more than 135 pieces on display amongst the walking paths, trees, plants and a winding stream.<br />
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When it comes to art, Loveland lives up to its name. The City of Loveland was the first in Colorado to pass an Art in Public Places Ordinance, which designates one percent of the city's capital projects for the purchase and maintenance of art.<br />
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Today, the city's collection includes more than 300 pieces placed in 29 public locations. The value of the growing collection is estimated to be approximately $7.6 million. That's something to crow about!<br />
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Living in a hotel for a few days meant lots of eating out during our stay. Henry's, located in historic downtown Loveland, was one of our favorites.<br />
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Maybe because we were living in a hotel, we stopped by open houses at a couple of new residential developments around Loveland. We didn't find anything we couldn't live without, but we did like this kitchen.<br />
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One of the most welcome distractions during our stay was an evening outing with our niece Kate, who was in town to visit her friends Abby and Max. The five of us topped off some shopping with a trip to Menchie's for frozen yogurt. No photos of Kate, Abby or Max, but I did get a snap of Kate's very healthy cone! It was great to spend time with y'all!</div>
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While we were out finding things to do, the cats were safe and sound crated in our air-conditioned suite. The housekeeping staff took a thoughtful extra step to make their stay comfortable.<br />
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This morning we got the call from Don and Mary Ann that after extensive conversations with our heat pump manufacturer, a diagnosis had been made on our heat pump. And, the news wasn't good. (Yes, dear readers, we did just wrap up two trips to the Winnebago factory for this problem, which was deemed "fixed" by them eight short weeks ago. Seems the work in Forest City caused more problems than it solved.) The repair plan requires parts that need to be shipped from the manufacturer. Instead of waiting around toasty Loveland, we've decided to pack our bags, check out of our temporary home and head for someplace cooler. We were all eager to get rolling again.<br />
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When we arrived back at DM late this afternoon, Don was wrapping up placing our crippled heat pump back in the moose. After all, half an air conditioner is better than nothing! We so appreciate Don's expertise and patience with this extra pesky problem.<br />
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After spending four days in the heat, Bullwinkle was roasty toasty inside! The late afternoon clouds brought welcome shade as our one compressor did its best to cool things down. Temperatures outside and in dropped with the setting sun. By the time we moved everybody back into the moose it was actually quite comfortable. Don and Mary Ann encouraged us to stay in their lot overnight, and we accepted their generous offer. We're settled in for the evening, enjoying the Opening Ceremonies of the Summer Olympics.<br />
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Our work here is not done. We have a date next month for Part 2 of our Loveland visit, when Don will make quick and proper work of completing our repair. Meanwhile, we've managed to snag a last-minute reservation at our favorite place to stay cool.<br />
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More soon from the mountains.Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-19992537749183903192012-07-21T22:00:00.000-07:002012-09-27T08:35:28.768-07:00Return to Colorado Springs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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While sitting in Larkspur with our still-crippled air conditioner, we went in search of a cool, shady spot to kick back and relax while we waited for our next service appointment. It didn't take long for us to decide to return to Colorado Springs. We spent a few days here at Garden of the Gods Campground last year. Since that visit the park has been purchased by a company with a reputation for creating lovely places. We were eager to see how the place had changed. (It was in need of some serious sprucing, in our opinion.)<br />
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We checked into one of the "Executive Sites" and enjoyed the spacious, level spot that had plenty of shade, cable and...<br />
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...a view of the family pool. Despite the scorching temperatures during our stay, we never made time to take a splash.<br />
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Our "fancy" site wasn't available for our entire stay. So, a few days ago, we checked into this "Deluxe" site. With precious little space, no view or cable, we're hard pressed to find anything deluxe about this spot. Actually, it all felt quilt familiar. This is exactly the same site we had last Summer.<br />
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The park is just minutes from many attractions. But, it's located in an area of Colorado Springs that's seen better days. This store across from the entrance was one of many medical marijuana dispensaries in the neighborhood. (That stuff is pricey!) And, although this is a quite high-tech town, the park is located in an AT&T dead zone. (Ugh!)</div>
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Speaking of attractions, we made time to see a few things we missed here during our last visit. Colorado Springs is home to the United Stated Olympic Committee and one of its three training centers. In 1978, a former Air Force base was transformed into this state-of-the-art training center for Olympic and Paralympic athletes in track and field, triathlon, pentathlon, wrestling, weightlifting, fencing, gymnastics, shooting, swimming, cycling and judo.<br />
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Our free tour started with a brief film that got us fired up for next week's Winter Games. On the 45-minute walking tour of the facility, our guide informed us that the athletes competing in this year's games who trained here have already left for London. We enjoyed seeing future Olympians at work in the pool and weightlifting gym.<br />
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The tour ended in the gift shop, where visitors were snapping up all kinds of Team USA apparel. A closer inspection revealed that the garments were designed by an American, but manufactured in <i>China</i>!<br />
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After this visit, we are definitely in the spirit. We look forward to cheering Team USA later this month.<br />
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Another Colorado Springs landmark we'd yet to visit was Garden of the Gods. But, we took care of that earlier this week. From a distance, this very special garden reminded us of our stay in southern Utah. Gorgeous!<br />
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This public park was named a Great American Public Place last year. The honor is well deserved. In accordance with the wishes of the original owner of this spectacular piece of land, admission is free.<br />
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The 3,300 acre park is a destination for hikers, bikers and rock climbers. It's also known to attract quite a few folks who like to gawk at and photograph the towering formations. We gawked a lot more than we hiked!<br />
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The brilliant red rock makes a lovely backdrop for engagement portraits, too. (Don't they look young?)<br />
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Garden of the Gods was threatened by the recent Waldo Canyon fire, which destroyed more than 18,000 acres of national forest and adjacent neighborhoods. Thanks to the hard work of brave firefighters, Garden of the Gods and many homes in the area were spared. Signs of gratitude are everywhere.<br />
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The Mountain Shadows neighborhood of Colorado Springs was among the hardest hit areas. We had seen television news reports while we were in Gunnison. But, seeing the devastation in person made it much more real. Blocks of homes were burned to the ground in some areas. In others, like this, one home was destroyed while its neighboring homes were unscathed. Our hearts go out to the many families who were affected by this disaster.<br />
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The good news around Colorado Springs is that the much needed afternoon rains have finally returned. As a result, the fire danger has been reduced. These rainbows are most welcome! </div>
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Tomorrow, we head north to Loveland for our Monday morning service appointment. Our fingers are crossed that our air conditioner mess up will be fixed up fast.</div>
Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-10275858082777973372012-07-20T21:00:00.000-07:002012-09-26T10:57:17.275-07:00Pike's Peak<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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We've been hanging in Colorado Springs for the last week or so. A highlight of our time here was today's visit to the largest "can't miss" attraction around here: Pike's Peak. Our trusty Jeep, Rocky, was definitely up for the big climb. But, we decided to give him a break and opted to leave the driving to the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. The depot is a short hop from our park, which made making the 8:00 a.m. train a breeze.<br />
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Taking the first train of the day had many advantages. There was plenty of parking available. We avoided crowds at the station and at the top. We avoided afternoon thunderstorms, too, which make a regular appearance this time of year. And, we were back in Manitou Springs just in time for lunch!<br />
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If there was one thing we would do differently, we would request seats on the "ABC" side of the train. Our seats D and E provided a view "into" the mountain, which was interesting, but not so scenic.<br />
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Folks in seats A, B and C definitely had a better view.<br />
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We did have an up close look at the old station at Windy Point.<br />
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We enjoyed the trip with our "seatmates", a lovely couple from upstate New York. We were so busy swapping stories and sharing laughs that we didn't even get their names! (Ooops!)<br />
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As we neared the peak, the train wrapped around the mountain and treated us to some spectacular views.<br />
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About 90 minutes after we left the station, we arrived at the peak and the end of the line, quite literally.<br />
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At 14,110 feet, Pikes Peak is the easternmost of Colorado's 53 "fourteeners". We've been "at altitude" for several weeks, so the thin air didn't really bother us. But, we did find ourselves catching our breath a few times.<br />
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Of course, the views from the top were breathtaking! The smoldering Waldo Canyon fire (and others) obscured the view of Colorado Springs and the plains of eastern Colorado.<br />
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We spent a half-hour or so exploring the summit. While other visitors gasped at the views, Paul went looking for (and found) this high-altitude geocache.<br />
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In 1893, Katharine Lee Bates took a carriage ride (Can you imagine?) to the peak. She was so inspired by the views, that she incorporated the purple mountain majesties into a poem, which later became <i>America the Beautiful</i>. A century after Bates' visit, a monument commemorating her famous work was placed on the peak's observation platform. The inspiring monument is also a virtual geocache, which requires a photo to prove your visit. Here's a shot of Paul for the geocaching books.<br />
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We waved to Gunnison to the west. Though, we doubt that any of our friends there could see us.<br />
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Everywhere we looked, the views were stunning. We couldn't have asked for better weather to make this special trip. (One of these days I'll figure out the "panorama" setting on my camera!)<br />
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Of course, we didn't miss a chance to get a photo to prove we were both at this landmark summit.<br />
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Before long, three blasts of the train whistle signaled the time for our descent. Our return trip was a slow and smooth as the ascent, which helped banish any worries of sitting aboard a runaway train! Many thanks to Mr. Zalmon Simmons (of Simmons Beautyrest Mattress fame) for hatching the idea of the railway to take in the panoramic views of Pike's Peak in a "civilized and comfortable manner." The Cog Railway is the only way to go!</div>
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It sure beats a carriage ride.</div>
Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-89042701186501916962012-07-11T18:00:00.000-07:002012-09-25T17:03:23.596-07:00Larkspur<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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We reluctantly left Gunnison Monday morning and headed east over Monarch Pass, through Colorado Springs and north just a bit to the town of Monument for a short and not-so-sweet appointment with an RV technician. We needed some time to figure out our next step, so we checked into a park we'd been curious about: Jellystone Park in Larkspur. With family in nearby Castle Rock, we've wondered if this very kid-friendly place could be a regular stop for us.</div>
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Well, we wonder no more! This site has been our home for the last two nights. It's spartan, unlevel and dirty. The voltage gets so low it's scary. And, forget about anything that resembles the advertised free wifi. We can see (and hear) busy I-25, which is a stone's throw away. The only thing that buffers the hum of the interstate traffic is the freight train that rolls between the park and the freeway. <br />
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All this is ours for 60 bucks a night!<br />
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Our geocaching efforts led us to this nearby piece of Douglas County history along the busy I-25 corridor. The Crull/Hammond Cabin is believed to have been built circa 1874, and is the last surviving structure of a town that was once known as Huntsville. A developer purchased the surrounding property in the 1980s, and donated the one-half acre upon which the cabin sits to the county. In the 21st century, the Larkspur Historical Society restored the the structure to its late 19th century glory.<br />
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After finding the geocache, we peered inside the windows for a look back in history. Now, this is roughing it! </div>
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With 11 days until our next service appointment north of here, we're leaving Yogi, Boo Boo and our less-than-favorite park in the morning for somewhere more scenic and fun. </div>
Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-26538415738040463052012-07-08T14:54:00.000-07:002012-07-08T20:32:23.537-07:00Back To Gunnison<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Our unplanned return to our absolutely favorite place has been a special treat. It's hard to believe we're leaving already. The time has passed so quickly. The lovely Gunnison Valley has been a welcome respite from the fires across Colorado. We've been tracking the progress of the fires near Fort Collins and Colorado Springs, and are so pleased to report both fires are fully contained. Three cheers for the brave firefighters!<br />
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We've explored Gunnison from all angles during the past few weeks. This view from high atop Hartman Rocks shows how lush and green the valley is. Isn't it beautiful? Can you see why we like it here?<br />
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The smoke from distant fires provided a few dramatic sunsets during our stay. We were so thankful the fires were hundreds of miles away.<br />
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Besides the natural beauty of the place, one of the things we love about Gunnison is its nice assortment of local eateries. For a small town, Gunnison has some mighty nice places to grab a bite. We hit all of our regulars, but tried a few new spots, too. Tic Toc Diner has become one of our favorite breakfast spots.<br />
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They say Gunnison is a great place to raise kids. We wouldn't argue. We caught up with our little friends Sam and Grady and attended one of Sam's baseball games and one of Grady's t-ball practices. This is the first year Grady and his teammates are playing t-ball, so practice was especially entertaining. The coaches were great. We giggled during this lineup. The coach was saying, "Eyes on me!" Notice where all of his charges are looking?<br />
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Gunnison is a town that knows how to have a good time, especially in Summer. We're sad that we'll miss the annual Cattleman's Days festivities and the USA Pro Cycling Challenge later this month. But, we were fortunate to catch the July 4th fun, which started bright and early with a hot air balloon rally.<br />
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The colors were presented by balloon, of course. While the national anthem played, the balloon lifted off and unfurled the American flag. It was a special way to start the day.<br />
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We've been to balloon rallies before, but never have we been able to get up close and personal with the balloons and their pilots. It was worth getting up really early for!<br />
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Dozens of balloonists participated in the rally. These "twin" balloons were especially fun to watch.<br />
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With calm winds, blue skies and cool temperatures, it was a perfect morning to fly.<br />
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We chased the balloons across town to the other side of the Gunnison-Crested Butte airport. The balloons did touch and goes across the airfield as they shared the sky with a plane or two.<br />
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We've done quite a bit of geocaching during our stay. This particular cache was quite pesky. We looked much longer than we should have but finally found this well-hidden treasure.<br />
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We made a return trip to Crested Butte in hopes of seeing wildflowers. Last year, this landscape was covered in a multi-colored carpet of brilliant flowers. We're a few weeks earlier this year, so the wildflowers were a bit tougher to spot. Still, the views along Gothic Road are stunning.<br />
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Even though we had to look a bit harder to find them, the early wildflowers were beautiful.<br />
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When the wildflowers reach their peak in a few weeks, this is not expected to be a banner year. The lack of moisture that has contributed to the wildfires across the state is evident here, as well. These side-by-side shots were taken along Gothic Road near Emerald Lake. On the left, is the view from July 2011. The shot on the right was taken in late June this year. It's definitely been a mild winter. For our friends that are familiar with this area, we walked across the nearly non-existent snow plug easily and hiked on to Emerald Lake. During two trips we made to the area last Summer, the trail was impassible.<br />
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July 1st marks the start of the monsoon season in Colorado. And, the afternoon rains were especially welcome this year. I made good use of the time inside and began to assemble the thirty gazillion granny squares I've crocheted into a patchwork afghan. (Most newbie crocheters take on an easy project. But, not me!) <br />
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The afternoon rains also brought welcome cooler weather to Gunnison. During most of our stay, the daytime temperatures were well into the 80s, which is warm by Gunnison standards. This is more like it, and definitely better than the temperatures that are scorching much of the nation. If you're looking for a place to cool off in the Summer, at 7,700 feet, Gunnison fills the bill!<br />
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We've spent much of today packing up and getting the moose and squirrel ready to leave our comfy spot here in Gunnison. Tomorrow, as we head back over Monarch Pass, we'll be counting the days until we can return to our favorite little town.</div>Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-25509218798066352522012-06-13T22:00:00.000-07:002012-06-22T14:28:53.667-07:00Hanging Around Denver<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GTOSApxsAYM/T-TawjIp4PI/AAAAAAAAFuw/7IMGLoI8T1s/s1600/Denver%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GTOSApxsAYM/T-TawjIp4PI/AAAAAAAAFuw/7IMGLoI8T1s/s320/Denver%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
With an eye on the news reports regarding the High Park Fire, we kicked back for a couple of relaxing days at Cherry Creek State Park on the east side of the Denver metroplex. The Cherry Creek Reservoir was busy with boaters and swimmers.<br />
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Yesterday we waited until after morning rush hour to hop on the freeway for a 30-mile travel day to the southwest side of town.<br />
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We've driven by Chatfield State Park many times. But, until yesterday we had never stopped. We had reservations for here last Summer, but we had to cancel when our travels were rerouted due to air conditioning issues. As soon as we landed in our pull-through site with a mountain view, we declared Chatfield our new favorite Colorado state park.<br />
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Our new locale put us within a short 15-minute drive of the home of my brother and his family. Last night, we drove down to Castle Rock to meet them for dinner. Afterwards, they followed us back to Chatfield for their first-ever tour of the moose. Along the way, we could see smoke from the High Park Fire obscuring the sunset. The fire had grown to nearly 45,000 acres and was only 10 percent contained. The Larimer County Sheriff estimated that full containment would come sometime in July. Air quality in and around Fort Collins was poor. With that, we decided not to return to the town we had looked so forward to exploring, but instead only got to taste. We made other plans.<br />
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This morning we pointed Bullwinkle toward the mountains and a bit south. We climbed Monarch Pass with ease. By early afternoon we had arrived at our very favorite place.<br />
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Greetings from Gunnison! We spent six wonderful weeks here last summer. So, when we started looking for an alternative to Fort Collins, the answer came quickly. We're planning to be here until after July 4th. We're so grateful to have landed in a beautiful place with clear skies. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those affected by the devastating High Park Fire.Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-16532684934743392742012-06-10T22:00:00.000-07:002012-06-30T17:22:56.900-07:00A Taste of Fort Collins<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PxaXvQQCGOA/T-TIde06z7I/AAAAAAAAFsQ/fyoBr-hc4y0/s1600/Fort%2BCollins%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PxaXvQQCGOA/T-TIde06z7I/AAAAAAAAFsQ/fyoBr-hc4y0/s320/Fort%2BCollins%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Hours after we landed in Fort Collins on Wednesday, we got down to the business of tasting Fort Collins. Fellow traveling friends Deb and Rod arranged a tour at New Belgium, Fort Collins' most famous craft brewery. After the time we'd had getting across Nebraska, I was ready for a cold brew or two. Deb and I stepped right up and checked in for our tour.<br />
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A distinctive attribute of New Belgium brand is "Fun". Just as customers have fun when they drink New Belgium beers, it's obvious that employees have fun working here. The "sculptures" hanging above these vats are made of bicycle rims and disco balls. How fun!<br />
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The bottling and canning lines were not running during our visit. But, I thought this can chandelier above the canning room was fun.<br />
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They were brewing beer today, though. This slurry of future beer was stirring around one of those big stainless steel vats.<br />
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Sure, it's interesting to see how the beer is made. But, it's lots more fun to see how it tastes. Here's Rod enjoying one of the many samples offered on the tour. We topped off the afternoon with a tasty meal in Fort Collins' historic Old Town area. It was a great way to kick off our month-long stay.<br />
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We settled in at the Lakeside KOA, on the northwest edge of Fort Collins, and enjoyed a couple of days of well-deserved down time. We had the good fortune to meet up with friends Craig and Anne, who were passing through Fort Collins on their way to Michigan. We enjoyed an evening of wine, dessert and wonderful conversation. We wished them safe travels and look forward to seeing them down the road again.<br />
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Yesterday, we met Deb and Rod at Taste of Fort Collins, an annual event that highlights the wide variety of tasty food and drink the town has to offer. With bright sun and rapidly rising temperatures, we made a quick pass by all of the tents and enjoyed a sample or two.<br />
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From Taste of Fort Collins, began to notice a plume of smoke from a new wildfire in the foothills to the northwest. We checked online and learned the 20-acre fire was 10 or 15 miles away and firefighters were on the scene. After an hour or so of meeting Deb and Rod's kin and sampling the best Fort Collins could dish out, we decided it was time to go home to cool off and keep an eye on the fire.<br />
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By the time we arrived back to our campsite, the blaze had grown to 200 acres. Though it was 10 miles and a couple of ridges away from us, we were not concerned about our safety. But, from our vantage point we could definitely keep an eye on it all. The combination of high temperatures, bone dry humidity and gusty winds provided a recipe for this thing to grow.<br />
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By sunset, the fire covered 8000 acres and had no containment. Winds were expected to kick up through the night. The good news was the temperatures would be cooler. The bad news was it was going to be windy.<br />
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By sunrise, if you can call it that, our campground was covered in a thick cloud of dark, choking smoke. Ash was falling from the sky. The gusty winds that had kicked up around 3 AM continued to fan the flames. The fire had exploded to 12,000 acres overnight. There was still zero containment. The eastern edge of the evacuation zone was just three miles to the west of us. The afternoon forecast called for gusty winds from the direction of the fire. At the very least, we were in for more smoke. The uncontained fire was getting too close for comfort.<br />
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Our house has wheels, so we decided to get them rolling. We decided to get out of the smoke for a bit while firefighters get some containment on this thing. As we made the turn out of the campground, we could see how much closer the flames were. If you look closely you can see smoke from spot fires that were just a couple of miles away.<br />
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We took advantage of easy Sunday afternoon traffic and headed south to Denver. We pulled into Cherry Creek State Park, which is one of our favorites. We grabbed a walk-up site for a couple of nights. Then, we'll decide where to go from here.<br />
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Meanwhile, our thoughts and prayers are with the evacuees of the High Park Fire, and the brave firefighters who are working so hard in the heat and rough mountain terrain to protect homes and manage this blaze.Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-70448585584925292032012-06-06T22:00:00.000-07:002012-06-22T10:48:33.912-07:00Nebraska<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-82SJ1QZ1RsI/T-SHpRmhUgI/AAAAAAAAFqU/NwTNcR90Og4/s1600/Nebraska%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-82SJ1QZ1RsI/T-SHpRmhUgI/AAAAAAAAFqU/NwTNcR90Og4/s320/Nebraska%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
As we've traveled around the United States, we've gained a real appreciation for our country. The places and people across this country are awesome. While we appreciate it all, we can now say we've found our least favorite part of this great nation. And that is Nebraska. As native Kansans, we're quite familiar with the Cornhusker State. We've visited several times. But, this week was a first for Bullwinkle, Rocky and the cats. Yep. It's taken us nearly three years of fulltime travel to get here. (And, there's a reason for that!)<br />
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To be fair, Omaha and Lincoln are fine cities. We enjoyed our two-night stay in the capital. The capitol building is most impressive. We would recommend the free tour to any visitor. We walked away with a new appreciation for this skyscraper on the the plains.<br />
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The stately Governor's mansion sits adjacent to the capitol, which makes for a mighty short commute!<br />
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You can't pass through Lincoln without getting a big dose of Cornhusker red. As we passed by Memorial Stadium, we were reminded of an old Big 12 joke.<br />
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<i>Q: You know what the big red N on the Nebraska football helmets stands for? </i><br />
<i>A: Knowledge! </i><br />
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Our home in Lincoln was Camp-A-Way RV Park, which is conveniently located just off the interstate and minutes away from the University of Nebraska campus. A highlight of our stay was a quick visit with friends Steve and Cathy who pulled in Sunday night after a long drive from Colorado. We enjoyed catching up over tasty pizza and a couple of well-deserved cold beers. We had so much fun we forgot to take any pictures!<br />
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We were up and on the road out of Lincoln early Monday. We headed west on I-80 into the nothingness that is western Nebraska. We've heard plenty of people criticize western Kansas for its lack of interesting scenery. But, having made that drive dozens of times and this one once, we'll take western Kansas anytime! With nothing to look at out our Imax window, we kept an eye on the map and the day's destination: Sidney, Nebraska. (You might want to make note of the next town to the west on that map. Notice how short the distance is between the two? We'll get back to that.)<br />
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We pulled into our level, east-facing pull-through and settled in for our overnight stay. But, first, we had to do a little shopping.<br />
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You see, our campground was on the campus of the world headquarters of Cabela's. (In the middle-of-nowhere Nebraska! Who knew?) The corporate offices sit behind an 85,000 square-foot store and a 3-acre pond. We neither hunt nor fish, but we managed to keep ourselves entertained as we browsed through the very well-appointed store.<br />
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In front of the store sits a memorial to the Pony Express. As the sun set in the west, the eight flags represented the states that had stations along the route were flying in a stiff wind. The next afternoon's forecast called for a 30 to 40 mph winds across the Nebraska panhandle, so we made plans to be back on the road early and be out of the state before the winds kicked up.<br />
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The winds were calm as we pointed the moose west early yesterday morning. Our plan was to make the easy 150-mile drive and arrive in Fort Collins around noon. But, within minutes, our plans changed. About 10 miles west of our starting point, the breeze started to kick up. Our moose handles quite well in the wind. And, it did just that for the next 20 miles or so. Then, the breezes became gusts. The gusts became hefty sustained winds. Soon the hefty winds were accompanied by moose-battering gusts. All of this was hitting us broadside. Blowing dust blocked out the blazing sun. In a dim brown haze, visibility became sketchy. The moose rocked and rolled. The wind pounded on his streetside slide until it literally roared. Paul checked his mirror and spotted our slide topper flapping in the gale force wind. We found the next exit and traveled back east to the nearest town, which was Kimball, Nebraska.<br />
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We pulled off at the Kimball exit and spotted two other motorhomes waiting out the gale force wind. The two men in their group had unhitched a toad and scouted out the campground in town. We became the tail end of a motorhome parade that passed through downtown Kimball. It must have been quite a sight. Of course, it was too darn windy for anyone to be out! We made our way to a former KOA on the east side of town. There was plenty of room at this place where the park owner says he usually only gets one RV in a day. Yesterday, he hit blowing paydirt! By mid-afternoon, there were six or eight rigs in the place. The wind howled all afternoon. We weren't where we had planned to be. But, we were safe. We are so grateful for the help of our fellow motorhomers for helping us find our way in the windstorm.<br />
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This morning, the winds were calm. So, we got out early. We made our way west and cheered as we crossed the state line into Wyoming. An hour or so later we tucked into our spot in Fort Collins. Happy to be out of Nebraska, we're looking forward to a month exploring Fort Collins and the Front Range of the Rockies.<br />
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It'll be a long time before we travel across the Cornhusker state!Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-88527445165731070842012-06-02T22:00:00.000-07:002012-06-22T07:31:03.907-07:00Breda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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When planning today's drive from Forest City to Lincoln, we decided not to take the most direct route. Instead, we embarked on a day of zigging and zagging through Iowa's very rural midsection, with a midday stop at Point B on this map: Breda, Iowa.<br />
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If you travel five miles west of two-lane US 71 on even narrower Carroll County Road E16, this is what you'll see. There, in the distance, between the wind turbines, sits Breda.<br />
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When we pulled into the proud town of 500 early this beautiful Saturday afternoon, Bullwinkle had a mighty presence along Main Street.<br />
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It had been more than 40 years since Paul had visited this quiet corner of the world. Today, Mary was a Breda newbie. We got acquainted with the place by enjoying a walking tour around town.<br />
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Our first stop was this charming house on the west edge of town. Although it had been a few decades since he'd seen it, Paul recognized the home right away. This is where Paul's father grew up. <br />
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We continued our walking tour by following the path that Paul's dad took to each school day, arriving at St. Bernard's. When Breda was founded in 1877, the first families were mostly German Catholics. One of the first efforts of the new community was to construct this magnificent church, which was completed in 1880. It is definitely Breda's centerpiece.<br />
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Stepping inside, it became obvious how hard this small community has worked to preserve the beautiful house of worship over the last 125 years. It's exquisite.<br />
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Around the corner, we took note of the charming old City Hall. Paul remembers seeing emergency vehicles parked in the garage on the brick building's north side.<br />
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We didn't burn many calories on our walking tour, but by the time we were back on Main Street we were ready to enjoy some lunch. We walked on over to Kay's Korner, which is housed in the old bank building. There we enjoyed a couple of very tasty sandwiches and some mighty fine company.<br />
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We were delighted to meet Kay herself. Paul's dad has been a life-long subscriber to <i>The Breda News</i>. Over the years, we've perused several editions of the weekly hometown paper. One of our favorite columns is Kay's Korner, which is written by the <i>News'</i> editor and publisher, Kay. It was a pleasure to meet the lovely woman behind the masthead. She was eager to hear about Paul's father and shared a few stories about life in Breda. She's a tireless promoter of the town, which she refers to as her little Utopia. After spending a couple of hours here, we can certainly understand why she feels that way.<br />
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Tonight we're resting comfortably in Lincoln, Nebraska, which is a new state for Bullwinkle. With that former blank spot filled in on his travel map, we're looking forward to spending a couple of days in the state capital and then making our way west.Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-55838382516081099102012-06-01T22:00:00.000-07:002012-06-21T16:33:12.924-07:00Clear Lake<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c2AtIMZXR10/T-Ohu4JuDGI/AAAAAAAAFow/vlxPMhU4pQw/s1600/Clear%2BLake%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c2AtIMZXR10/T-Ohu4JuDGI/AAAAAAAAFow/vlxPMhU4pQw/s320/Clear%2BLake%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Our return trip to Forest City involved very little time in Winnie Town. We arrived Tuesday afternoon and parked overnight outside the Winnebago Visitors Center. Early Wednesday morning, Bullwinkle was back in the hospital. While we were away we got the call we were dreading. Our moose was going to spend at least the rest of the week in service. So, we packed up and headed south about 30 miles to Clear Lake.<br />
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Once again, we checked into our familiar, pet-friendly motel. We're getting so comfortable here we know the staff by name, and vice versa!<br />
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This is our third stay in Clear Lake. But, somehow we've never made it to Clear Lake's most famous sights. With a couple of days and absolutely nothing to do but watch the walls close in, we set out to see what we have missed. Our first stop was the Surf Ballroom.<br />
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Since 1934, the Surf Ballroom has been "the" musical venue in Clear Lake. The original ballroom was destroyed by fire in 1947. The new, and current, Surf was built across the street from the original and opened in 1948. Named a historical landmark in 2011, the ballroom has been lovingly preserved and still reflects a "surf" motif and the ambience of a south sea island. In the 1950s, the Surf was one of the first ballrooms in the state to feature rock-and-roll. Some of the most popular performers of the decade played at the Surf. Artists like The Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, Ricky Nelson, Little Richard, Jan and Dean and Conway Twitty all took the stage here as the Surf became a "must-play" venue. The tradition continues today, as the Surf is a popular spot for current performers. Today's marquee promoted tonight's performance by David Allen Coe, and Kevin Kostner's appearance later this month.<br />
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On a cold, snowy February night in 1959, the Surf was a tour stop for the Winter Dance Party, which featured Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper Richardson, Dion and Waylon Jennings. According to accounts displayed in the Surf Ballroom's Museum, the show was a huge success. With a gig scheduled for the next evening in Moorhead, Minnesota, Buddy Holly decided to charter a plane instead of traveling on the tour bus, which was poorly equipped for the extreme weather. Waylon Jennings gave up his seat to the Big Bopper, who had the flu. Tommy Alsop lost his seat in a coin flip with Ritchie Valens. Dion decided not to fork over the $36 for the flight.<br />
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Soon after takeoff in the early hours of February 3, 1959, the chartered plane lost radio contact and crashed into a cornfield northwest of the Clear Lake airport. There were no survivors. Years later, Don McLean dubbed the tragedy "The Day The Music Died." Compelled by our new understanding of this fateful day, we trekked out to the crash site, which is still an Iowa cornfield. The "trailhead" is marked with a simple tribute to Buddy Holly.<br />
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A half-mile or so into the field, a small memorial marks the place where the plane came to rest. More than 50 years later, the memorial is adorned with flowers, trinkets and notes of visitors to the site.<br />
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Since 1979, the Surf Ballroom has hosted a Winter Dance Party the first weekend each February to celebrate the life and times of these beloved musicians who played their last gig at the Surf. If you find yourself in Clear Lake that time of year, we understand it's an event not to be missed.<br />
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This morning we got the call from Forest City that the moose would be ready to roll early this afternoon. Shortly after we arrived at the service center, Bullwinkle was delivered to us by our favorite Winnie technicians Jerry and Paul. We inspected their work and everything looks terrific. For the first time in nearly a year, our moose is perfect! We couldn't be happier. Tonight, we're back in the comfort of the Visitors Center parking lot. Tomorrow, we'll head out early for a new state for Bullwinkle, with a special stop along the way.<br />
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But, for now, everybody - especially our girl kitty - is happy to be home.Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-77366553694529609382012-05-28T22:00:00.000-07:002012-06-21T14:44:46.548-07:00May in Kansas City<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S2LZHbzqYg8/T-ORW6r1LMI/AAAAAAAAFnM/faP_wB0gRt0/s1600/Merriam%2BMay%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S2LZHbzqYg8/T-ORW6r1LMI/AAAAAAAAFnM/faP_wB0gRt0/s320/Merriam%2BMay%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Our merry month of May in Kansas City has passed so quickly. It's hard to believe that we're hitting the road tomorrow, already. We've seen a number of travelers pass through our local RV park. This little Scamp was one of our favorite neighbors. Bullwinkle looked especially huge sitting next to this little "marshmallow".<br />
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Much of our time this month has been spent with family. From action-packed Saturday soccer games,<br />
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to Mother's Day flower planting for Mom, we're so glad to be able to have an extended visit in our old hometown. Overall, the weather has been great. We had just one evening of severe storms. That makes this May in Kansas City a really good month!<br />
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We also enjoyed time with a few friends. There just never seems to be enough time to see everyone. We had a great time catching up with long-ago roommate Gretchen and meeting her not-so-little pups. It had been a couple of decades since we'd seen each other, but it seemed like just yesterday.<br />
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On an outing with friends Cathy and Dale and their family we discovered a local burger hut that we had yet to visit. Grandstand Burgers is dangerously close to our "home" park. We liked it so much we enjoyed it twice during our stay.<br />
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As always, we took care of a zillion different errands this month. It seems almost everything is easier for us to do in Kansas City. Unfortunately, our efforts to buy a new Jeep fell short. Several dealers encouraged us to look. (We couldn't quite see this "gecko" Wrangler following behind our moose.) But, it seemed nobody was terribly interested in actually selling us one. Lucky for Rocky, his travels with us will continue!<br />
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A highlight of our month was a day we spent in nearby Lawrence. Our niece Emily has expressed an interest in attending the University of Kansas School of Journalism in a couple of years. So, we jumped at the chance to show her around our alma mater. We met with the J-school recruiter, who impressed all three of us. Paul and I were ready to pursue our journalism degrees one more time! We toured our favorite college campus from many vantage points. This view down Jayhawk Boulevard from atop the new Oread Hotel is our favorite. Doesn't that prospective Jayhawk look happy?<br />
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Things are definitely warming up here in Kansas City. The neighborhood pool is open and the humidity is on the rise. So, it's time for us to head to cooler climates. But, first, we need to make our return trip to northern Iowa. We'll make our way there tomorrow. We look forward to returning to Kansas City when things cool off in the fall.<br />
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Meanwhile, we wish our hometown family and friends a happy and safe Summer.Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-46150620780311031862012-04-29T22:00:00.000-07:002012-06-21T13:08:22.031-07:00Osceola<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZO98X-BZbI/T-N64lcogCI/AAAAAAAAFmY/FOrodnBEGfE/s1600/Osceola%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0ZO98X-BZbI/T-N64lcogCI/AAAAAAAAFmY/FOrodnBEGfE/s320/Osceola%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
After enjoying a leisurely morning with our friends on their farm, we headed south out of Forest City. Given our late start and some stormy weather forecasted across Kansas and Missouri, we decided to split the one-day trip to Kansas City into two.<br />
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Gary and Francile recommended an overnight spot halfway between their place and Kansas City. So, we decided to check it out. Lakeside Hotel and Casino sits just off I-35 in Osceola, Iowa. We made our way to the handy pull-through site that was just a short walk to the casino. Our friends were right. This is a perfect place to call home for a night.<br />
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We're not gamblers, really. But, we did take time to check out the casino. These folks look like they're enjoying themselves. We decided to spend our dough in the casino restaurant, where we enjoyed a perfectly acceptable dinner. With no dishes to do, we enjoyed a relaxing and restful evening in our comfortable site.<br />
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Today's forecast called for rain along our route. But, thankfully, it was nothing severe. We received this wet welcome as we crossed into Missouri. By early afternoon, we were tucked into our "home park" in Kansas City, where we are looking forward to spending time with family and friends for the next month.Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-44211648956724952922012-04-27T22:00:00.000-07:002012-06-21T12:44:58.355-07:00Return to Forest City<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9t1aCybkCHU/T-NsBZ7-RcI/AAAAAAAAFk0/4fah6AOhY3I/s1600/Forest%2BCity%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9t1aCybkCHU/T-NsBZ7-RcI/AAAAAAAAFk0/4fah6AOhY3I/s320/Forest%2BCity%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
The third and final (or so we thought) stop on our Spring Moose Maintenance Tour was Forest City, Iowa, the home of Winnebago Industries.<br />
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We arrived in this tiny Northern Iowa town Sunday afternoon and squeezed into the last available spot in the Customer Service parking area. At 7:00 Monday morning, we met with our service tech, who went through our list of three service items and whisked the moose off to a service bay.<br />
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A couple of our service items were rather extensive, so we were prepared to spend a few nights out of the moose. Monday morning we checked in to our favorite pet-friendly motel in nearby Clear Lake.<br />
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And, we waited. Clear Lake is a lovely town. But, while we waited for our moose it was as if time stood still. As it turned out, we only needed to spend one night at the hotel...this time.<br />
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We returned to Forest City on Tuesday afternoon to pick up the moose. There was good news and there was bad news. The bad news was our service wasn't complete. We had parts to wait for. One would be in in a couple of days. The other would take two weeks. We decided to wait just two days for now, and scheduled a return trip in May. Instead of parking in the Service Center circus, we spent two lovely days in Pammel Park. We enjoyed this spacious site with stream and golf course views and practically had the park to ourselves. All this peace and quiet cost us just $15 a night. What a deal!<br />
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We kept ourselves entertained while we waited in Forest City. We did some geocaching and exploring around this very familiar town. We stopped by the Winnebago Visitor's Center and visited the exhibits on its second floor, which we had missed on a prior visit. This life-sized cut out of Winnebago's Founder, John K. Hanson, made us smile.<br />
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Thursday morning we received news that our part had arrived. So, we made our way back to the Service Center. This particular trip to Winnebago has been our most frustrating. We won't go into detail here, but suffice it to say we spent most of yesterday waiting on our Winnie while it sat outside the service bay. Doesn't our moose look lonely? We weren't particularly happy.<br />
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Our less than satisfying trip to Winnebago was salvaged by our wonderful friends Francile and Gary. They graciously offered us a spot to park for a couple of nights at their farm in nearby Thompson. We enjoyed wonderful conversation, good food and a couple of movies during our stay. To top things off, they broke in their new margarita machine. There's nothing like an ice-cold homemade margarita to wash away our Winnie worries. Thanks so much, friends!<br />
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Tomorrow, we're heading south for a month-long visit in our native home town. But, in the words of our former California governor: "We'll be back."Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-30290689710536403042012-04-21T22:00:00.000-07:002012-06-21T11:21:41.141-07:00Amana Colonies<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SU_FifllY3E/T-I9ctKtNHI/AAAAAAAAFh4/gyzITVACXoQ/s1600/Amana%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SU_FifllY3E/T-I9ctKtNHI/AAAAAAAAFh4/gyzITVACXoQ/s320/Amana%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
One of the tools we use to determine places to explore is the book "<i>1,000 Places to See in the U.S. and Canada Before You Die.</i>" Actually, I am notorious for checking the book just after we've left a part of the country where several places are listed in the book. With a few days between service appointments in Iowa, we consulted the book, which pointed us to the Amana Colonies, just west of Iowa City.<br />
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The Amana Colonies, a National Historic Landmark, is a group of seven villages covering some 26,000 acres along the Iowa River. The villages, which are all no farther apart than an hour's drive by oxcart, were founded in the mid-19th Century by the Community of True Inspiration, a German religious society that came to America to escape persecution. They named their community Amana, which in the Song Of Soloman means "to remain true." For nearly 80 years, the communal villages thrived in a self-sufficient manor. Each of the villages had a main street for shops. In the village of High Amana, today the original general store is run by the Amana Society, the corporate heir to the land and economic assets of communal Amana.<br />
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We started our 17-mile loop tour of the colonies in High Amana, where a lovely woman behind the counter in the village store gave us a most informative introduction to the history of this unique community. We were so grateful for her introduction, because most of the museums around the colonies are not yet open for the season. We're here before things really get "cooking" in Amana.<br />
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Our friendly "guide" pointed across the street from the store to this house and explained its significance to the colonies. In the 1930s, this was the place where a couple of locals put their heads together to build a beverage cooler for the store.<br />
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That modest effort was the start of Amana Refrigeration. It was here, in 1947, that the first upright home freezer was manufactured. The first side-by-side refrigerator freezer came a couple of years later. Since then, this factory has churned out air conditioners and microwaves, and has served as a major employer in the area. Today, Amana is a division of Whirlpool.<br />
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The village of West Amana is home to the Schanz Broom and Basket Shop, which showcases the work of local craft artisans. Next door is the Giant Rocker, which is billed as Iowa's Largest Solid Wood Rocker. At over 11 feet tall and weighing in at 650 pounds, we won't dispute that claim! The chair was constructed by Schanz Family woodworkers at their furniture workshop in South Amana.<br />
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We enjoyed lunch at Ronneburg Restaurant in Amana, the largest of the seven villages. The building originally served as one of the Amana Colonies' communal kitchens. Every home in the colonies was assigned to a kitchen where they would receive their daily meals. The neighborhood women worked under the direction of the kitchen boss to cook, garden, serve and clean. Men ate at one table, and women and children ate at another. Fifteen minutes were allowed for each meal period. No conversation was allowed and music was strictly forbidden. Modern day diners can take their time enjoying tasty German food over welcome conversation and pleasant background music.<br />
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We got another taste of early Amana dining this morning at the Colony Inn Restaurant. Originally known as the Amana Hotel, this building has welcomed visitors since 1860. The simple interior and tasty family-style breakfast made it easy to imagine life in early Amana.<br />
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The architecture throughout the colonies is simple. Many original homes and buildings are constructed of native limestone.<br />
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Others structures are made of brick, many of which are adorned with trellises. In several weeks, the front of this home will be covered in ivy. If you're looking for a church in Amana, they are easy to miss. Located in the center of each village, the simple structures are made of stone or brick, have no steeple or stained glass windows. (I thought I took a picture of one, but now I'm not sure!)<br />
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Several businesses that originated to serve the self-sufficient, communal colonies continue today as commercial concerns. At the Amana Woolen Mill, visitors can watch looms in action. The pieces produced here are known for their high quality.<br />
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In addition to lovely blankets and other woolen goods, these colorful spindle-ends of yarn are available for sale.<br />
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Residents have also established several "modern-day" businesses. Of course, I had to check out Heritage Designs Quilting and Needlework. This lovely family-owned shop has been in business since 1976, and has been recognized as one of the top 10 quilt shops in the country. A quilter could get lost in here! And, if you can find your way out of this shop, there's another quilt shop in South Amana!<br />
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We included a bit of geocaching in our visit to the colonies. As always, our treasure hunting brought us to some interesting sites a bit off the beaten path, like the Amana train depot. The depot is the trailhead for the Kolonieweg, a 3.1-mile trail connecting the villages of Amana and Middle Amana.<br />
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Today the Amana Colonies offer everything a 21st century visitor could want, including a large RV park, which is owned and operated by the Amana Society. The park is large, level, grassy, treeless and very spacious this time of year.<br />
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No, our moose didn't make this mess. These are two of the back tires of a motorhome that plowed its way into a spot late the other night in the middle of a rainstorm. We heard spinning wheels and a diesel engine whining. It didn't sound good, and it wasn't. The next morning, this rig had to be pulled out of some mighty muddy ruts.<br />
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This afternoon we enjoyed a very pleasant geocaching walk around Lily Lake. As we were nearing the completion of the loop, we noticed this cheerful message painted on the trail in front of Amana Elementary School. It seemed a fitting way to wrap up our visit in this lovely community.<br />
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Tomorrow, we're off to Forest City. It's not listed in the <i>1,000 Places</i> book. But, if you want to get a Winnebago fixed, it's the place to go. Here's hoping it's a happy trail, indeed!Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8607928839807130949.post-3897817868956048512012-04-19T13:07:00.000-07:002012-06-20T13:35:06.232-07:00Moscow<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NDYt6cSxHcM/T-IuqSUjj7I/AAAAAAAAFhQ/BDJyYQgjtoU/s1600/Moscow%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NDYt6cSxHcM/T-IuqSUjj7I/AAAAAAAAFhQ/BDJyYQgjtoU/s320/Moscow%2B1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Добро пожаловать в Москву! Actually, in these parts, folks are much more likely to say "howdy" and give you a wave.<br />
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Welcome to Moscow, Iowa, the second stop on our Spring Moose Maintenance Tour. Moscow is the home of HWH, the manufacturers of Bullwinkle's leveling jacks and room slideouts. We arrived here yesterday afternoon and parked for the night in preparation of our early morning checkup.<br />
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Our moose was pulled into a service bay by 7:00 a.m. The friendly woman at the service counter recommended breakfast at a very tasty family restaurant in nearby Tipton. We traveled eight miles north of HWH and found this quaint little town. From our booth, we listened to a group of locals solve the problems of the world while we enjoyed a hearty breakfast.<br />
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By the time we returned to Moscow, Bullwinkle was ready to roll. The good people of HWH provided this diagnostic check at no charge. They corrected a small problem for a small price and we hit the road with peace of mind about these essential systems. While we were hitching the squirrel to the moose, we watched this storm pass to the east. This garden-variety thunderstorm looked far more dramatic than it was. The wide open spaces of southeast Iowa gave us a panoramic view.<br />
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From Moscow we headed west toward Iowa City, dodging a few raindrops on the way. Tonight, we're listening to raindrops on the roof from our site in Amana, Iowa. The forecast for the next few days calls for cool temperatures and gray skies. That'll be just fine as we explore the Amana Colonies.Paul and Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07236102580496167796noreply@blogger.com1