Sunday, June 17: Our route for this day was Valentine, NE to the Walmart in Pierre, SD. We expected rain during our trip, but we were not expecting the very dense fog we encountered about 20 minutes into our journey north on US 83. Luckily, there wasn't a lot of traffic, but Hank had very uncomfortable driving conditions for about 45 minutes.
We prefer to get fuel at Flying J Truck stops because they usually have easily accessible RV Lanes. There was a Pilot truck stop (owned by the same company)in Murdo, SD that listed having RV lanes and the satellite view verified the fact. When we arrived, this station was very busy, the RV lanes were right next to the building, and there was a Pilot fuel truck filling the underground tanks that didn't allow us to pull straight beside the pumps. Hank got Little House close enough to refuel, but with the motorhome and the car at angles, we realized we couldn't pull through without hitting the building or the pumps. We had to unhook the car so Hank could back out and get a little straighter, then pull through to the rear of the station to hook up the car once again. Selene had to stop entry traffic twice for him to have enough room to manuever. The fuel stop that should have taken no more than 20 minutes, ended up being almost an hour.
The rest of our trip into central South Dakota was uneventful through flat prairie and rolling hills. We crossed the Missouri River into Pierre and found a nice spot to overnight at Walmart. After stocking up on supplies, we enjoyed a peaceful evening with other RVs and semis.
Monday, June 18: This was a short drive day - ony 48 miles farther into the South Dakota ranch lands to Bob's Resort 15 miles west of Gettysburg, SD, on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River. Bob's resort includes a gas station with convenience store, campground, trailer park, cabins, boat storage and Bob's Steakhouse (a popular restaurant in this remote area). We decided to stay at Bob's for the next month.
Our life on the highways and byways of America.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Friday, June 22, 2018
JUNE 15 & 16: Valentine, Nebraska
Friday, June 15: The 2 hour drive from O'Neill to Valentine took us deeper into the Nebraska Sand Hills. Valentine (pop. 2700) started as a railroad town named after a Nebraska representative. The Valentine post office participates in an annual February re-mailing program so items can be re-mailed with the Valentine postmark and a special verse. Our destination was the Wacky West Travel Park for 2 nights with full hookups to empty tanks, catch up on laundry and stay longer if the park internet was satisfactory
. The Wacky West campground, on southeast edge of town, is a rustic sort of place owned by very friendly hosts....nothing fancy here, the sites are close together, and the park needs some sprucing up.
It had everything we needed except dependable internet, and with our throttled back Verizon signals, it was a short two-night stay.
Saturday, June 16: We drove a few miles east of Valentine to the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife
Refuge which includes over 19,000 acres. We started at the Visitor Center to get information on the 3.5 mile self-guided auto tour and to learn more about this area, the home of the Fort Niobrara Military Reservation in the late 1800's until the early 1900's.
There are 350 bison plus calves and 90 elk roaming the huge refuge, along with many prairie dogs, deer and other wildlife. Our wildlife sightings included a young deer or elk (not sure which), many birds and a bison herd on a distant hillside.
The large prairie dog 'towns' provided many minutes of entertainment as the animals popped in and out of their holes, many right on the side of the road.
After a stop for lunch, we went to the Rosebud Casino, 9 miles north of Valentine and just inside the South Dakota line. This small casino is owned by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.
Power for the casino is furnished in part by one of the nation's first tribally owned electricity-generating wind turbines. We enjoyed winning a few dollars between the two of us.
Saturday evening and overnight, several rainstorms moved through. Cooler weather finally caught up with us on Sunday as we prepared to move north.
. The Wacky West campground, on southeast edge of town, is a rustic sort of place owned by very friendly hosts....nothing fancy here, the sites are close together, and the park needs some sprucing up.
It had everything we needed except dependable internet, and with our throttled back Verizon signals, it was a short two-night stay.
Refuge which includes over 19,000 acres. We started at the Visitor Center to get information on the 3.5 mile self-guided auto tour and to learn more about this area, the home of the Fort Niobrara Military Reservation in the late 1800's until the early 1900's.
There are 350 bison plus calves and 90 elk roaming the huge refuge, along with many prairie dogs, deer and other wildlife. Our wildlife sightings included a young deer or elk (not sure which), many birds and a bison herd on a distant hillside.
The large prairie dog 'towns' provided many minutes of entertainment as the animals popped in and out of their holes, many right on the side of the road.
After a stop for lunch, we went to the Rosebud Casino, 9 miles north of Valentine and just inside the South Dakota line. This small casino is owned by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.
Power for the casino is furnished in part by one of the nation's first tribally owned electricity-generating wind turbines. We enjoyed winning a few dollars between the two of us.
Saturday evening and overnight, several rainstorms moved through. Cooler weather finally caught up with us on Sunday as we prepared to move north.
Friday, June 15, 2018
JUNE 9 - June 15: Carney Park, O'Neill, NEBRASKA
Saturday, June 9: The 2 hour drive from Pender to O'Neill took us
through northeastern Nebraska farmland and small towns. O'Neill
(population 3700) is the Irish Capital of Nebraska, although now a
greater percentage of its residents are of German heritage. Carney
Park is one of 3 parks in O'Neill, and incudes a western arena,
softball complex, and a small campground (first come first serve)
with tent areas, bathhouse, and 18 campsites with water and concrete
pads. Half of them have electricity. We got a site with water and electric since there were only 4 other RVs and two tents on the grounds.
Sunday, June 10: There was a youth rodeo on the grounds, and a staging area for families and horses was on the large grassy area in front of our site. We didn't attend the rodeo, but enjoyed watching the families unload their horses and prepare for the day-long event and then pack up and reload for departure. It was amazing to see how the smallest children (some pre-school age) handled the large horses with ease.
Monday we toured the town, which didn't take long, and picked up a few grocery items.
The rest of the week was quiet with campers coming and going. There is no charge for the first 3 days of camping) (donation requested). After 3 days, you must go to the city office and get a permit for the rest of your stay ($10 per night). We took care of that on Tuesday and paid for 3 more nights.
Wind turbines are very popular in the midwest and we've seen many semi's on the highways transporting the huge blades and generators. You get a better idea of just how large these items are when you see them up close. Last night, a group of escort vehicles spent the night here.
During our stay in O'Neill, the weather was cool for a couple of days and then the heat returned with highs in the mid-nineties (above normal for this time of year), but with little rain. Carney Park was a nice quiet spot to relax and at the same time, stay busy with our computers. There is no Sprint coverage in this area, and one of our Verizon air cards is over the "unlimited" use for the month, with the other one coming close to the signal being throttled back. But we're managing and learning to be patient with our slower download speed. The Verizon cell phone signal was good annd we could pick up several OTA tv stations. As we move into more remote areas, these are situations that we'll continue to deal with.
Today, Friday, we're driving further west to Valentine, Nebraska.
Sunday, June 10: There was a youth rodeo on the grounds, and a staging area for families and horses was on the large grassy area in front of our site. We didn't attend the rodeo, but enjoyed watching the families unload their horses and prepare for the day-long event and then pack up and reload for departure. It was amazing to see how the smallest children (some pre-school age) handled the large horses with ease.
Monday we toured the town, which didn't take long, and picked up a few grocery items.
The rest of the week was quiet with campers coming and going. There is no charge for the first 3 days of camping) (donation requested). After 3 days, you must go to the city office and get a permit for the rest of your stay ($10 per night). We took care of that on Tuesday and paid for 3 more nights.
Wind turbines are very popular in the midwest and we've seen many semi's on the highways transporting the huge blades and generators. You get a better idea of just how large these items are when you see them up close. Last night, a group of escort vehicles spent the night here.
During our stay in O'Neill, the weather was cool for a couple of days and then the heat returned with highs in the mid-nineties (above normal for this time of year), but with little rain. Carney Park was a nice quiet spot to relax and at the same time, stay busy with our computers. There is no Sprint coverage in this area, and one of our Verizon air cards is over the "unlimited" use for the month, with the other one coming close to the signal being throttled back. But we're managing and learning to be patient with our slower download speed. The Verizon cell phone signal was good annd we could pick up several OTA tv stations. As we move into more remote areas, these are situations that we'll continue to deal with.
Today, Friday, we're driving further west to Valentine, Nebraska.
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
JUNE 2-8: Quiet Time in Pender, NE
It's always good to find a location now and again where life slows down and we can settle in for awhile. The Blue Ox Campground in Pender, NE fits the bill nicely. The campground is adjacent to the Blue Ox facility that makes a variety of towing equipment. They offer service at your campsite and free tours.
Our location was at the western edge of Pender, which is a small village of around 1000 people in far eastern Nebraska. When we arrived here, there were about 9 Tiffin motorhomes here for a rally, but they left on Sunday, leaving us, and one trailer next to us with a family of 6.
June 3,Sunday: Bob (a ham radio friend we had never met) who lives about 35 miles away, visited with us for a few hours. We shared a pizza in Pender and then he headed home. It was great getting to know him and learning of his life in rural Nebraska while working an hour away in Omaha.
Monday was a quiet day other than a trip in to Pender for gas and a mail drop.
Tuesday (yesterday) was grocery day. We drove 45 miles west to Norfolk, NE to go to our bank, CVS and Walmart. We didn't find a town any closer where there were those three companies in one town. It was a nice outing, but the weather was sunny and in the mid-90's so we didn't want to spend much time outside. Norfolk, NE was the boyhood home of Johnny Carson.
Wednesday, we received maintenance service on our Blue Ox Towing System. Kevin, our tech, disassembled and lubricated all parts at our campsite.
Friday afternoon, we were joined by Howard & Linda Payne, who we had met up with a few weeks earlier in Iowa. They're now headed back west and they were here to get their towing system checked out. It never gets old meeting up with friends on the road!
A few more RVs came and went during the week. During our stay, two strong thunderstorms with very high winds, but the most severe parts went south or west of us both times.
Our location was at the western edge of Pender, which is a small village of around 1000 people in far eastern Nebraska. When we arrived here, there were about 9 Tiffin motorhomes here for a rally, but they left on Sunday, leaving us, and one trailer next to us with a family of 6.
June 3,Sunday: Bob (a ham radio friend we had never met) who lives about 35 miles away, visited with us for a few hours. We shared a pizza in Pender and then he headed home. It was great getting to know him and learning of his life in rural Nebraska while working an hour away in Omaha.
Monday was a quiet day other than a trip in to Pender for gas and a mail drop.
Tuesday (yesterday) was grocery day. We drove 45 miles west to Norfolk, NE to go to our bank, CVS and Walmart. We didn't find a town any closer where there were those three companies in one town. It was a nice outing, but the weather was sunny and in the mid-90's so we didn't want to spend much time outside. Norfolk, NE was the boyhood home of Johnny Carson.
Wednesday, we received maintenance service on our Blue Ox Towing System. Kevin, our tech, disassembled and lubricated all parts at our campsite.
Friday afternoon, we were joined by Howard & Linda Payne, who we had met up with a few weeks earlier in Iowa. They're now headed back west and they were here to get their towing system checked out. It never gets old meeting up with friends on the road!
A few more RVs came and went during the week. During our stay, two strong thunderstorms with very high winds, but the most severe parts went south or west of us both times.
Sunday, June 3, 2018
MAY 30 - JUNE 3: Westward Travels and Repairs
Wednesday, May 30: We left the Cedar River Campground near Tipton, IA about 11:30 A.M. for the two hour drive on I-80 to just north of Des Moines, IA. We were lucky to get a prime campsite in the popular Bob Shetler Recreation Area Campground for two nights. With our America the Beautiful Senior Pass, the cost was only $11 per night. Our site had a 50 amp electric hookup, a concrete pad and water nearby if needed and it was right beside the Des Moines River just below the spillway from Saylorville Lake.
This scenic area draws lots of fishermen hoping for a catch in the rapidly moving water.
On the way to Des Moines, we stopped at a rest area for lunch. With temperatures in the 90's, Hank tried to start our generator so we could use our coach A/C, but the generator wouldn't start. Wednesday evening, Hank phoned a Cummins repair faciity in Des Moines about 20 minutes from the campground and was told to come in on Thursday for work.
Thursday, we drove to the Cummins shop. The first diagnosis was a bad starter, and one was ordered to arrive on Friday. They offered to let us stay overnight with a 50 amp electric hookup just outside of the service bays. We decided to do that we wouldn't have to drive back to the campground in a hot coach, and to be on the premises when the part arrived. It also gave us a front row seat to watch as they worked on semi's, school buses, etc.
Friday, the new starter was installed, but unfortunately that didn't fix the problem. A new inverter, a much more expensive replacement, fixed the problem. We also had them do some routine maintenance work. By the time all was finished, it was 4 P.M. and again the temperature was in the mid-90's. Hank found an available site with electric at the Acorn Valley Recreation area just a few miles north of Bob Shetler's, again for $11 a night with our Senior Pass. We drove to Acorn Valley with the dash air on, and with the generator and coach A/C on to test the repairs, and arrived with a somewhat cooled-down coach for a relaxing night in the woods. Luckily, the predicted severe weather overnight modified before it reached us.
Saturday morning dawned bright and cool. We left Acorn Valley about 10:30 a.m for the 4 hour drive
via I-80, I--680, I-29 and various state roads to Pender, NE and the Blue Ox Factory.
Blue Ox is the brand of towing equipment and auxillary braking system we have. They have a nice campground with full hookups, they offer service at your site, and give factory tours. With service, you can stay at the campground at no charge. Pender is a small village of about 1000 people in far east Nebraska, surrounded by large corn-raising farms, and a nearby Indian reservation. We've been told the closest grocery store is at least 20 miles away. There is good Verizon coverage and reception from several TV stations in Souix City, Iowa. We expect to be here for the next week.
This scenic area draws lots of fishermen hoping for a catch in the rapidly moving water.
On the way to Des Moines, we stopped at a rest area for lunch. With temperatures in the 90's, Hank tried to start our generator so we could use our coach A/C, but the generator wouldn't start. Wednesday evening, Hank phoned a Cummins repair faciity in Des Moines about 20 minutes from the campground and was told to come in on Thursday for work.
Thursday, we drove to the Cummins shop. The first diagnosis was a bad starter, and one was ordered to arrive on Friday. They offered to let us stay overnight with a 50 amp electric hookup just outside of the service bays. We decided to do that we wouldn't have to drive back to the campground in a hot coach, and to be on the premises when the part arrived. It also gave us a front row seat to watch as they worked on semi's, school buses, etc.
Friday, the new starter was installed, but unfortunately that didn't fix the problem. A new inverter, a much more expensive replacement, fixed the problem. We also had them do some routine maintenance work. By the time all was finished, it was 4 P.M. and again the temperature was in the mid-90's. Hank found an available site with electric at the Acorn Valley Recreation area just a few miles north of Bob Shetler's, again for $11 a night with our Senior Pass. We drove to Acorn Valley with the dash air on, and with the generator and coach A/C on to test the repairs, and arrived with a somewhat cooled-down coach for a relaxing night in the woods. Luckily, the predicted severe weather overnight modified before it reached us.
Saturday morning dawned bright and cool. We left Acorn Valley about 10:30 a.m for the 4 hour drive
via I-80, I--680, I-29 and various state roads to Pender, NE and the Blue Ox Factory.
Blue Ox is the brand of towing equipment and auxillary braking system we have. They have a nice campground with full hookups, they offer service at your site, and give factory tours. With service, you can stay at the campground at no charge. Pender is a small village of about 1000 people in far east Nebraska, surrounded by large corn-raising farms, and a nearby Indian reservation. We've been told the closest grocery store is at least 20 miles away. There is good Verizon coverage and reception from several TV stations in Souix City, Iowa. We expect to be here for the next week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)