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   Loveland, CO, was a great base for cycling and hiking and we took advantage of as much of as time permitted.  We moved on to Golden as a station for Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods neighborhoods.  

     

     We drove to Colorado Springs to visit the USAF Academy and its beautiful campus.

Our view from the top of Pikes Peak where the oxygen is a commodity

Our round trip ride to Pikes Peak.

Curiosity took us to Central City, CO, which is older than old with abandoned mines, ancient buildings and lots of casinos which seemed to be the only reason for its being.

      The little black horse was born just a few hours prior and he’s is taking his first tenuous steps. 

Nothing special–just one of the things I love which is wood grain.

      

     Zip lining has been on my bucket list for a very long time and I don’t mean one for little children but one that would provide an over-the-top adrenaline surge.  I found the perfect one and as their ad states, we “embraced the wedgie”. 

The Mile High City

Beautiful gold leaf atop CO’s capitol in Denver

Bill has a knack for always finding old cars, trains, planes, tractors…anything that was once mechanical      After watching the vivid azure skies punctuated by the whitest,  fluffiest, marshmallow clouds of the wild west diminish in our rear view mirrors, we spent three very long days crossing KS and MO to land in St. Louis, MO, for the Labor Day weekend. The MS River divides MO and IL and the bridge connecting both cities was bicycle friendly. Right in the center of down town is a strange place for an RV Park but that’s where we were and the location was perfect for scooting around playing, very well, the roles of tourists.

The St. Louis Old City Hall framed by the Gateway Arch to the West

Beautiful landscaping along the main drag downtown St. Louis

Thousands of tiny gears mounted on the walls with marbles placed in their centers

Remember Shoney’s Big Boy from 50 years ago?

The dream of every Clydesdale is to have the correct coloring and to be chosen to be a Budweiser Clydesdale.  Check out their indoor climate controlled stalls with their names hanging above their “slots” carved and in gold leaf–complete with stained glass windows.

The Anheuser Bush Clock Tower

Validation by a satisfied consumer      So much to see and do and so little time to do it. Bill and Laura heading east…then south. St. Louis, MO

     WOW!! We sat in on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra rehearsal on Thursday night. What a long dreamed-of treat. We were in the Conference Center Auditorium which occupies 10 acres. It is ENORMOUS, seating 21,000 people!! The sounds made me tingle down to my toes.  🎶

     Salt Lake City has an Apple Store, REI, Blick Art Supply, an independent mechanic who put on new brake pads and other “mendables” that he found on our Toad/Towed plus all the other stores you’d expect in a big city.

A frozen waterfall near the porcupine encounter at Lake Louise

   

Windmill Farms abound

 

     Calgary was a difficult place to leave but it was in our rearview mirror as we saw Coeur d’ Alene in our cross hairs and arrived to celebrate our independence after just recently enjoying celebrating with the Canadians.  That was a delightful little city—beautiful, a college town, water water everywhere,  very bicycle friendly.  In that area it wasn’t uncommon to have streets dedicated JUST to bicycles and if cars had to share with us, the bike lane was plenty wide enough so that lessened our fears of becoming a statistic. 

A big shoe to fill Spokane, WA

          Took a little side trip on a simply perfect day to investigate the OR coast north of Coos Bay.  Several years ago we covered Coos and south.
   

The Oregon coastline invited us to stop and frolic.

     Tillamook Cheese Factory also summoned us where we tanked up on many cheese samples THEN did not resist their ice cream made with very rich whole milk and many other ingredients that made me wonder why my shorts are too tight.  Sure was good!

Sweetest guy in the world dwarfed by Biggest truck in the world

     When we were in Coeur d’ Alene, I swam in the Spokane River, clear as a bell. Not another soul out there but 2 white ducks. This was the best thing (workout) since St. Petersburg’s pool months ago. Beautiful 4th of July celebration morning. Swimming, my passion, is a very rare treat!!!

     We ordered and received our Bike Friday’s 8 years ago and have been eager to go to their headquarters in Eugene, OR, to see where our bikes were conceived and birthed. We had our bikes turned up, enjoyed a great tour of the facility, and even met the owner/designer of the line of Bike Fridays.

     Bend, Oregon’s, 36.3 mile Twin Bridges Scenic Bikeway with an elevation range of 3010 feet to 3800 feet beckoned us.  As “flatlanders”, it definitely wasn’t the easiest ride we’ve ever done. Breathtakingly beautiful but we felt we’d earned our locally crafted beers and pizza on our way home. I never want to leave Bend…but the Deschutes isn’t trawler navigable. Hiking! Cycling! Wineries! Microbreweries! Lovin’ it!

About 10 minutes into our ride, this rose up to say, “now aren’t you glad you got out and started your day with nature and solitude?”

     It’s not everyday that we find a giraffe peering over the fence at us nor do we often see a broken dam and surfers making good use of it. We cycled the marvelous Boise Greenbelt today and these were just a few of the things we saw. The state capitol has yellow ribbons on the columns for our military troops.

     
     This was a blast!!! I’ve been dying to do this forever. Even though we live on a boat, Bill is NOT a water person so he never exuded an ounce of enthusiasm when I’d mention a white water rafting trip. There was only one way to solve that problem so I made reservations, paid for our trip, and said, “Guess what we’re going to do Thursday.” I dragged him kicking and screaming—he even left heel marks in the parking lot. Guess who LOVED it and has agreed to do it again! I couldn’t resist “falling in” and that water was probably only 33 degrees (not really) but didn’t take long to acclimate. What a great day. Didn’t want the trip to end.  My next project is to get him on a zip-line over rivers and gorges. 

Bill’s port side near back in khaki cap.  I’m front, starboard, pink cap.

     After 2 nights in Arco, ID, home of Craters of the Moon National Park, we were Yellowstone-bound for 5 days. There are miles of lava fields that look like coarsely tilled very fertile soil. A historical marker at a scenic pull-off boasts that “Since 1949, more nuclear reactors — over 50 of them — have been built on this plain than anywhere else in the world.” The town of Arco became the first city in the world to be lit by atomic power from a reactor built in 1955. The Arco reactor later suffered a partial meltdown — another World’s First but there isn’t a highway sign bragging about that. This is a sad little town reminding us of something out of an old western movie with tumbleweeds blowing around and sage brush everywhere. Kinda expect to see Gun Smoke’s Chester come hobbling out of one of the dilapidated buildings.

These exquisite views are new to us each day.

      Our visit to Jackson Hole, WY, offered hang-gliding which is another thing on my bucket list but could arouse no interest from my husband.  The next one we come across, I’m going even if I have to do it alone.

     2 of our 5 Yellowstone days, we spent a full 12 hours of hiking, entering the park at 5:30 AM.  The other 3 days weren’t as long or as strenuous.  Had no idea I should’ve trained for this trip–like maybe using the Ironman program.  Every day we were on the move and still didn’t see it all.  Think it’d take at least 2 weeks of 10-12 hour days to not miss a thing.  There’s no way to describe the beauty—each just needs to see this for themselves.  We continued to marvel at our Father’s world—the canyons, sculpted and carved from intricacy to boldness; the meadows and forests, colored and textured with His brush and palette; and the clarity and intoxicating force of the cascading waterfalls. When He flung this world into space, He did it was all for our pleasure. After 12 hours and many miles on our hiking shoes, we were running for the barn with full hearts.


     Yellowstone can be one of the most freeing and unique places in the world if you know where to go.  Probably the majority of the park visitors never leave the boardwalks or the Grand Loop Road.

Sapphire Pool

Artist’s Paint Pot

Yellowstone is famous for its many geysers but the hot springs seem to come as a surprise to tourists.  We saw hot water flowing over patches of brilliant yellow, orange, red, and green.  Hot pools were lined with color and even the steam appeared to be tinted.

Geyers in Yellowstone are everywhere.

These colorful deposits are microbial even though it seems amazing that organisms could live, much less thrive, in water too hot to touch. They are called thermophiles, can’t live anywhere else.

     
     The Grand Prismatic Hot Spring is the largest thermal hot spring in our country and 3rd largest in the world.  If your travel plans include Yellowstone, park your car in the Fountain Freight Road trail lot and after about a mile or two hike you will receive your reward of a spectacular view of this spring in its entirety.  It has 3 distinct colors–white on one side, pale red or an orangey color in center and on the other side, a light sky blue.  The orange color is due to pigmented bacteria, the blue color is due to refracted skylight and the green is chlorophyll. Each color coordinates to a specific microbe that thrives at very different temperatures. 


     Seems that Old Faithful is as much of a national landmark as Mount Rushmore whereas the thermophiles are as under appreciated as the water spouts are over-marketed.  It is the heat-loving microbes that literally put the yellow into Yellowstone.  

We were captivated by an Old Faithful performance lasting over 4 minutes!!!

Rodents have never been my favorite critter but these little prairie dogs are cute as can be and real hams.

     

Buffalo/Bison were plentiful; elk not so much; but we never saw not one single bear!!!

Old Faithful Inn where we had a view of geysers and a sumptuous brunch.

Currently, we’re in the Tetons for 5 days and continue to exclaim at every turn we take.

Bill and Laura Bender

8 August 2015

                                     Calgary, Alberta, Canada

     We’re almost 4 months into our 6 months of “land cruising” and are excited about how much our learning curve is flattening.  Several months ago we were very excited but VERY apprehensive about what lay ahead. Now, our baseless fears are gone, each day becomes easier and more fun and we’re “in the groove”. There is one thing that we are having difficulty with from 7 years of moving slower than a snail’s pace is that we’ve traveled so far but it hasn’t been an ordeal at all. Weather doesn’t dictate and we have a car!!! 


     As I was close to retirement, several of my patients said they would expect me to return to work after a bit because retirement is so boring.  I have never looked back.  On the other hand, Bill was afraid he would be bored because he was never a day without a job for 44 years.  He has never regretted his retirement.

     This is a more sedentary lifestyle than water cruising which helps explain the many over-weight people that we see. I think I’m headed in that direction because we’re eating like we’re on vacation—but this is our LIFE!!!. We have to make a very special effort to get out and break a sweat and get our heart rate up. No idea why that’s so difficult unless it’s because the coach is so much more comfy and more ergonomically friendly than the boat. Temp is always perfect; starting genset is only the flip of a switch; the shower is wonderful; and we sleep like dead people. We’re great sleepers on the boat but this is even a more sound sleep—didn’t believe that could be possible. Life is good and everyday we are thankful for our health and the opportunity to revel in this nomadic lifestyle.

   

Beautiful Banff, Alberta!

   Lake Louise is beautiful, clear, and colder than a well digger’s shovel! Loved it. Don’t know temp but in summer it ‘sometimes’ gets up to 50 degrees!

     On a hike up the mountain that you see in the background, toward the glacier, a porcupine cornered Bill.  He dared not step over and there was no way to go around this critter so it was a Mexican Standoff.  The guide said that the glaciers are becoming less and less each year.

     We’re loving the low humidity and cool breezes of Calgary, Alberta, and surrounding areas but we’re involuntarily experiencing and “internet fast” which is driving me crazy and that’s a short trip for me. No phone service. Only connection to the rest of the world is via texting—sans pictures. Whatever did we do before the internet? How’d we know where to go; how to get there; where to find…; other than snail mail, how to stay in touch with family and friends…? Think we’ll hang around for the Calgary Stampede—we’ve got the costumes! Hee-haw!!!!!

When Canada Day rolled around, we rolled down there on our bikes to celebrate along with them. Great cycling opportunities there.

Loving the low humidity, cool breezes and temps in the 60’s in Calgary but sadly we’re experiencing an “internet fast” here.Whatever did we do before Google?  How’d we know where to go; how to get there; what to do when we  got there; how to communicate with friends short of snail mail…? The deficit is driving me crazy and for me, that’s a short trip.  We celebrated Canada Day right along with the Canadians in Calgary and when we left, it was 66 degrees. Site of 1988 Winter Olympics

      My sweet Bill had his 69th birthday so to celebrate, he rode 69 miles on his little Bike Friday then said, “what the heck—let’s make it 70!” So he did and what a poster child for excellent health and great conditioning for such an old man!

    

            Bill’s birthday breakfast to fuel his 70 miles bike ride.


We’re on the move.  Hope you can stay with us.


Bill and Laura Bender

Tame yet wild. They wandered to our car sticking their heads in the window looking for a handout.

     
     Our first stop was Mount Rushmore, rising from the plains as a prelude to the Rockies. This is a must-see for any tourists in the South Dakota Black Hills and is one of our nation’s most significant and enduring patriotic symbols.  Gutzon Borglum, also creator of Stone Mountain’s carvings, sculpted the colossal faces of U.S. presidents, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, representing the first 150 years of America’s democracy.

     We beat the crowds and soaked in the beauty of this monument that was washed in the early morning light as we reflected on the symbolism of the four presidents and the magnificent engineering feat required to carve from a granite mountain.  If your patriotism needs a revitalization, this vista will fill the bill.

     To fully appreciate and understand the significance of Mount Rushmore, we visited the Rushmore-Borglum Story.  In Borglum’s opinion, women carry most of life’s burdens so he sculpted a female Atlas holding the earth’s global responsibilities on her shoulders. 

     About his presidential carvings, Borglum said, “…let us place there, carved high, as close to heaven as we can, the words of our leaders, their faces, to show posterity what manner of men they were.  Then breathe a prayer that these records will endure until the wind and rain alone shall wear them away.” No words can describe the beauty of Mount Rushmore.

    Have you ever wondered how and why those 4 particular presidents were chosen?  I have and here’s the “how come”.  The birth of our nation is symbolized by George Washington.  Thomas Jefferson represents our country’s expansion with the Louisiana Purchase.  Theodore Roosevelt was a leader in our development signified by the Panama Canal, Trust Buster and Conservation.  Abe Lincoln worked to preserve our nation in saving the union during the Civil War.  So that’s “how come”.

Obviously, this is BEFORE Wild Bill’s demise Is it true that you’re known by the company you keep? Birds of a feather….?

      In Deadwood, there are more than 80 gambling halls in Deadwood and at least that many watering holes. Thanks to TripAdvisor, we went to a newcomer to the Deadwood scene, Pump House at Mind Blown Studio.  It’s a one-of-a-kind establishment that’s a deli, coffee house, and glass blowing studio all in one, homed inside a retro Texaco gas station.

     While there, we witnessed the re-enacted murder of Wild Bill Hickok and the capture and trial of the cowardly killer, Jack McCall. On Main Street, known for its bars, brothels and gambling houses, Wild Bill was playing poker in Saloon No. 10 when McCall walked in and shot Will Bill in the back of the head.  Bill was holding two pairs, Aces and Eights, which became known as the Dead Man’s Hand. Jack was first tried by a miner’s court in Deadwood and found not guilty.  He was later tried, executed and buried with the noose still around his neck.

     Lead, SD, a century-old community founded by miners and merchants, has some of the most spectacular scenery in North America. Thousands of miners and muleskinners made and lost their fortunes there and sometimes all in one day. One of the first enterprises there was  the Gold Rush of 1876 and the Homestake Gold Mine which produced 40 millions ounces of gold during its lifetime, valued over a billion dollars. The mine closed in 2002, and was American’s longest continuously operating, largest, deepest mine in the western hemisphere and stretching over 8,000 feet below the town of Lead.

One of the hand carved tunnels

      There is so much wildlife in the Custer State Park Park—pronghorn, prairie dogs, whitetail and mule deer, elk and bighorn sheep that roam the precipices and prairies during the day and at night you can hear the mournful howl of coyotes.



     Custer State Park in the Black Hills covers 71,000 acres and every inch is playground. There are 3 dedicated drives; Iron Mountain Road, Needles Highway, and the Wildlife Loop Road.  We experienced all 4. Nearly 1300 massive bison roam the prairie.  They’re gargantuan with males weighing up to a ton.  They look like they’d move at trawler speed but they can run 30 mph.

     Iron Mountain Road is part of the Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway leading from Custer State Park to Mount Rushmore. There are 3 granite tunnels that perfectly frame the memorial in the distance.  “They” said that building the highway was a crazy idea and could never be built.  Mr. Norbeck didn’t listen. He mapped out a route on foot and on horseback that captured the grandeur of these ancient mountains and the rest is history.  His 70 mile long byway is one of the the most outstanding byways in America.

    

     Needles Highway is a must-do drive when visiting the park. 

It features soaring granite pinnacles, man-made tunnels and hairpin curves all leading to beautiful Sylvan Lake, the crown jewel of Custer State Park.  Granite outcroppings resist erosion, consequently clusters of towering, slender peaks have formed spires reminiscent of a Gothic cathedral. The Needles Eye is a granite formation that looks like the eye of a needle.

The Needle’s Eye Custer State Park, SD

    

     On the Wildlife Loop, altitude 5000 feet, we stopped at Blue Bell Lodge which is as comfy as a pair of old jeans and offers a Western experience that was a pure delight.  We had dinner of buffalo meatloaf and buffalo tips with fresh sautéed mushrooms which was superb.  Loved the bar’s stools which are saddles.

     Ending our stay here we drove to Hill City, SD, and took a trip back to the days of yesteryear when steam engines chugged across the country.  Our round trip excursion in1880 authentic vintage cars was pulled by a steam driven iron horse. Bill wanted to sit in an open car as close to the engine as possible so he could smell and hear everything the engine “emitted”—-so we did.  We traveled through meadows and canyons of the Black Hills to Keystone, SD, returning to Hill City.  Both the weather and temp were beautifully perfect and Bill was like a little kid.

Our 1880 Steam Engine Train Ride

     We depart the Black Hills area tomorrow heading in a north westerly direction.  Experiencing the terrain/topography/landscape and history of South Dakota’s Black Hills, has been an experience that is indelibly imprinted in our minds.

  

     Madison, WI, was a great treat for cyclists and was terrific for us but difficult to leave.  Time to press on to Minneapolis which is the number one among the top 50 most bike friendly cities in our country.  Bill had to celebrate that fact by doing a 60 mile ride on his little 20” wheel Bike Friday.  He loved “setting a record” for himself.  Now he wants to go 70.  If he had a real bicycle, he could probably keep up with the young hot dogs!  On the day he chose to do that, he came upon a GM old car show so that gave him even more delight.  We took a ‘day-apart’ day and I stayed home and did things I wanted to do and never stepped out the door while he was out laying out the miles and seeing old stuff.  

     Loved that city because it IS a city and because it has so many little funky eclectic areas reminding me of Atlanta’s Little Five but with different flavors.  Look forward to going back there again.

    The Corn Palace, is a place Bill visited as a child and he was eager to take me there. It’s uniquely American on the rolling prairies of Mitchell, South Dakota.  The building is famous for the huge colorful murals on its outside walls. They are redesigned every year but this year it’s also going through major face lift.

     In June, the rye and sour dock from last year are removed from the building and new bundles are stapled there and completed by the end of July.  Artists transfer their sketches to roofing paper which is attached to the mural panels.  13 shades of colored corn are planted locally each April in carefully separated plots to ensure plants don’t cross-pollinate and dilute the purity of the colors. Then they are hand-picked, along with other prairie plants especially for the murals.

  

     Artisans combine bundles of rye grass and sour dock, a hearty prairie plat, and staple the bundles to the frames..  The end result is the colored ears of corn being carefully sawed in half, trimmed, and nailed to the wall to create the variegated images for which the Corn Palace if famous. They work all summer to complete the mosaics so that it’ll be completed by fall for their festival to celebrate agriculture and the productivity of the South Dakotas.  

     The theme is different every year—-it’s sort of a corn-by-number mosaic as they use 3,000 bushels of rye, oat heads and sour dock to complete their designs. They were only about ¼ of the way completed when we visited.

     Next, we visited the small town of Wall, SD, whose Main Street is definitely western and is home to the world-famous Wall Drug Store, circa 1931.  I always like to know “how come” so here’s the story.  In 1931, a couple bought the only drugstore in Wall and after a 5 year trial, they hadn’t grown too much but they were still seeing many cars passing by without stopping.  On an a sizzling July day, they had an idea.  The folks traveling through the hot dusty prairie must be very thirsty so they put up signs on the highway announcing “free ice water” and the rest, as they say, is history.  FREE ICE WATER!  This uncomplicated and creative idea rocketed them to success. As a child, Bill was also wowed by this icon but 60+ years later it’s experienced exponential growth to 76,000 square feet and probably just about that many opportunities to make purchases. As the saying goes, “if they don’t have it, you don’t need it.”  

     I found the Trip Advisor reviews to be very negative but when we arrived, it was mind-boggling to see the varieties of “stuff”—both  quality items and tourist-trap junk. Wall Drug is a must-see——if for nothing else but just to say you’ve been there.  

     The Badlands Country beckoned us next and is a short drive from Wall.  For almost 2 centuries, the area in and around Badlands National Park has been an important center for paleontological research.  Some of the most spectacular fossil and rock accumulations in North America were found in this area.  and give scientists clues about how early animal species lived. It’s a wonderland of water chiseled spires, ragged ridges, rugged canyons and prairie.  The lower prairie lies along the floodplain of the White River, is grass-covered and scattered with isolated steep-sided hills with flat tops somewhat like a mesa but more narrow.   As you approach the upper prairie, the grassy flat lands begin to undulate—-and then there it is! 

“The Wall”, standing between the two as a barrier to north and south travel.  “The Wall”, is a rugged ribbon 0.5 to 3 miles wide displaying a succession of pigmented steeples and ridges with snaking ravines.   So that’s “how come” the town of Wall got its name. 

     In this land of the Sioux Indians is revealed some of the most rapid landscape changes anywhere on earth.  Hundred of centuries and erosion has hewed blade-like margins and abysses, chimneys, turrets and turtle back humps.  The siltstone, mud stone and volcanic ash area are easily worn away by nature’s forces resulting in a sculpted fairy land. I was fascinated by the strata while learning about the origin of each with explanations of the variations in coloration.  

     The Visitor Center has interesting displays of the geology and paleontology.  Two paleontologists were at work in a display room and were more than eager to answer my multitude of questions.  It was hard to pull myself away from watching them carefully and gently remove tiny particles of mudstone to reveal a hidden treasure.  One, who was working with a minuscule jack hammer, said that his project, about 37,000 years old, has already revealed to him that his treasure contains remains of a carnivore identified by feces that has a pink cast to it.

     The Badlands National Park’s 250,000 acres continue to be rich in prehistoric animal fossils and a variety of wildlife.  Prairie dogs are plentiful and the herds of majestic Big Horn sheep and bison continue to roam and graze.  We didn’t see any eagles but those little prairie dogs would be easy pickings for them.


We’re loving it and please stay tuned.


Bill and Laura
Monaco Dynasty Motor Coach

30 May 2015 Update

     Recently, my worlds of water and land cruising collided!  When it happened, I laughed hysterically and Bill just kinda cut his eyes over at me probably once again, questioning my good sense.  Hopefully this tale will at least elicit a grin from you—-more than I got from my hubby.  Aboard Kindred Spirit, we use our auto pilot while underway making cruising a hands-free venture.  Bill was driving our coach—both hands on the wheel and I asked why he wasn’t using cruise control.  He answered, “I am.”  So then I asked (and as soon as it was out of my mouth, I realized what I’d said and burst out laughing) “So why are your hands on the steering wheel?”  Sometimes I just crack myself up!!

     I’ve satisfied some of my curiosity regarding the interesting habits of the Mennonites and Amish which aren’t the same but similar.  Both are an outgrowth of the Anabaptist movement in Europe from the 16th century.  Anabaptist was the name given to the religious group who don’t believe in infant baptism and believe a person should wait until they could declare their own personal beliefs. They also reject mandatory military service.  Centuries ago, they crossed the Alleghenies by covered wagon and settled in this area of the midwest.  Today their descendants constitute the largest community of Amish in the world.

     There are close to a dozen variations and sects among the Amish and Mennonites ranging in degrees of conservatism.  The most conservative is the Swartzentruber sect who live as did people in the 19th century Europe. They are forbidden to use power tools or hire a driver to go to a job site.  We saw a team of 4 horses pulling a plow with a man walking behind it.  They won’t pose for photos nor are they ‘allowed’ to own a camera. No place for rebels among that group!  They’d have booted me out from the get-go. They won’t ride in vehicles that have rubber tires (can’t count on them to contribute to our Michelin pension!) so they either work at home or near enough to travel by horse.  The largest group, the “Old Order”, travel by buggy and, as a whole, do without modern conveniences and technologies.  The “New Order” don’t drive cars but can have electricity and phones.

     The Amish don’t believe in the value of education beyond the 8th grade and this group is exempt  from the state’s compulsory attendance laws beyond the 8th grade.  Guess you don’t need to know too much to live as in days of yore.

     The set of rules governing all aspects of Amish life is the “Ordnung”. In general, they avoid new technologies that they believe will erode the family structure or create inequalities or divisions in their community.

     Amish clothing is plain and simple, free from adornment; a peasant-type garb reflecting humility and commitment to their Anabaptist heritage.  The men grow beards but without a mustache.  They believe that women should always have their heads covered signifying their acceptance of God’s order of authority in the home.  This is a thin organdy cap with strings either tied or untied.  We never saw any that were tied.  The hard black bonnet worn in public by girls and women is worn over their little organdy cap.  Some women have bare legs and wear flip flops while others wear thick black hose and clunky black shoes.  I’ve not uncovered an answer for that but imagine it has to do with their sect.

     I’m making what seems to be a futile attempt to write this while we travel…have I mentioned how absolutely horrible Ohio and Indiana roads are——even their interstates?  Hopeful this isn’t indicative of their public schools.  On the news the other night, a reporter did a piece on the sad state of roads and highways and are planning to convert them all to gravel because they can’t afford to maintain them.  What a despairing state of affairs!

     Ya’ know, when I married a man, 6 years my junior, I thought I could grow him up like I wanted him but that didn’t work out too well for me.  Instead, I’ve had to keep up with his physical stamina.  However, our exploration of Chicago full speed ahead with all the stops out, might’ve resulted in a bit of fatigue for him.  I’ve never heard him complain about anything EVER but the next day he was a bit lacking in his usual liveliness.  Hate it for him but a good thing for me.  Now I can quit fueling with Red Bull intravenously! 

     Chicago was on my bucket list and even though Bill has been there several times, his last time was about 10 years ago and he was amazed at how many changes have been made and how much cleaner the city is than he remembered.  I love that city and would be content to stay there for weeks to see and do everything that peaks my interest—-and those things are legion.

     Indiana Dunes National Seashore was a respite for us for a few days.  It has great bike paths, board walks; is great for bird watching, fishing, kayaking—any outside activity that you had a craving for is available there.  The park has over 15,000 acres of dunes, oak savannas, bogs, swamps, marshes, prairies, rivers, and forests.  There’s also 15 miles of Lake Michigan’s shoreline for water or beach use.  I was psyched to swim in the fresh water but couldn’t even get ankle deep.  The water’s a 58 frigid degrees and swim buddy’s in England, Australia and other parts of our planet not blessed with warm tropi-waters find 58 to be quite refreshing.  I guess I’m just a warm water wennie!

     As we topped the hill on our bikes headed now to the beach, Lake Michigan and the dunes just seemed to explode out of nowhere into our line of sight.  I’d never seen this lake before and it was just a breath-taking sight. The undulations of the landscape are the result of the last great continental glacier some 14,000 years ago. The sand dunes rise to almost 200 feet in a series of ridges, blowouts, and valleys. Conservationists are careful in their efforts to preserve this remnant of a once distinctive and unique environment.

Lovin’ life and RV-ing!
Bill and Laura