The Ark Encounter

Posted on May 4, 2022 by admin

On our way out of Texas we stayed at Lake Tawakoni (Tuh-WA-kuh-nee) which is 50 miles east of Dallas. The lake is pretty with the trees surrounding it and the campsites are situated near the edge of the lake. We took a walk one evening and watched the sunset.

As we traveled in the month of April, we saw more and more wildflowers. Here is a field of wildflowers outside our park in Lake Tawakoni. I believe they were Indian paintbrush which is a common flower in Texas.

Our next stop was an Army Corps of Engineers Campground located a few miles south of Texarkana, Texas. The eastern side of Texas is called the “piney woods”, and in this campground we camped right in among the pines and had a wonderful view of the lake. It was a really windy day, so there weren’t any boats out on the choppy water.

Piney Point Campground ACOE, Queen City, Texas

I thought the sunset was unusually beautiful when viewed from among the trees. We were only there one night, but we plan to stay several days on our way back during mid-June. It should be a nice cool place to camp when temperatures start to warm up.

We stayed in a campground near Corinth, Kentucky, so we could visit the Ark Encounter. The Ark Encounter is a full-size replica of Noah’s Ark. I’d read a little about it online and it was something I had always wanted to see. Since our path to Ohio was taking us right by it, we planned a visit.

The day we chose to visit it was raining for 40 days and 40 nights. (Just kidding!) I really didn’t know what to expect when we booked tickets to the Ark Encounter–they are rather pricey. I was hoping it would be worth it.

When we first arrived, we had to pay an additional $15 for parking. The huge parking lot is situated with a building in the middle. There we showed our tickets that we bought online and were given wrist bands to wear. After that, we were ushered into a waiting line for the next available bus to take us to the Ark. We didn’t have to wait long. The buses come and go all day long.

The bus dropped us off in front of the Answers Center where we walked through the gift shop to the large auditorium and listened in on the last few minutes of a talk about desert animals. A little armadillo was running back and forth across the stage. So cute!

From there, we went outside and walked through a rainbow archway along a sidewalk that led to the ark. It was probably a quarter mile to the Ark. There was a pond in front of the Ark, and what looked like topiary animals walking on their way to the ark entrance.

We didn’t walk up the huge outside ramp to enter the ark. We entered under the huge keel in the stern of the ark. According to the designers, this huge keel was needed for stabilizing the ark through the turbulent seas.

As we entered the Ark, it was dimly lit. Sounds of boards creaking, animals screeching and trumpeting, along with background music immediately made me feel like we were in the Ark and the storms had begun.

We saw rows and rows of cages stacked to the ceiling on the first level. The lighting was made to look like oil lamps which were hung from the ceilings and along the end of the rows. Notice the containers for food and water hanging outside the cages. There were slanting boards underneath the cages to carry animal waste to the bottom where it could be cleaned out.

Small Animal Cages with water and feed containers hung on the outside.

Along the side walls were numerous shelves with large clay jars for fresh water storage.

Also along the outer walls were bags of grain stored for feed.

The enormity of the Ark can be envisioned somewhat when you look down the hallways. There was a hallway like this on either side. In the middle was a large ramp that led to the next level. There were three levels. Also along the outer walls were exhibits. These displays focused on explaining how the animals were cared for throughout the Ark journey with enough food and water to last for most of a year. In the actual Ark, all this space could be used to house the animals and food.

Peeking inside the cages, we saw artistically crafted representations of animals that may have been on the ark. Some of them were strange-looking to me.

Some people have questioned if Noah could fit dinosaurs on the ark. The exhibits postulated that Noah would likely have taken young dinosaurs or smaller species of animals. But we were reminded that God brought the animals to Noah.

It seems like a lot of thinking went into the displays on the Ark Encounter. One of the displays showed these clay jars with burlap coverings that housed moths for lizard and other small reptiles. The moth eggs would hatch and the moths would make their way into the place where the reptiles were waiting to eat them for food. Water could be poured on the burlap for moisture.

Reptile houses with a food supply of moths.

The Ark had to have a way to get fresh air and light. In this reproduction, the three decks were not entirely sealed off from each other. The artists who designed this Ark replica showed how shutters on the windows above could allow light and air into the lower decks of the Ark.

Air and light from the top could reach the bottom deck.

The second deck primarily showed how Noah’s family might have lived. Here, one of Noah’s sons is playing a musical instrument while his wife paints pottery.

The Ark had to provide enough food not only for the animals, but also for Noah and his wife, his sons and their wives for nearly a year. Since the Bible tells us that the animals and people were all vegetarians until after the flood, you see many vegetables and herbs being stored.

Below you can see how vegetables might have been grown for food using light from the windows above. The vegetables are grown in the wooden bins or from hanging pots.

This scene shows one of the men trying to catch a bird that got loose from a cage.

The second and third decks housed exhibits that explained alternate views to the standard evolutionary viewpoint. The “Warped Rocks” display explained something I’ve often thought about when I see rocks like this. The rocks had to be soft and flexible in order for the layers to bend like this without cracking.

Something I’ve known about for some time is that nearly every civilization has a flood story. The details may vary, but they often have similar details of a flood in their oral histories. The Ark Encounter had several stories from different people groups on display.

Ray was particularly interested in this story. A group of planes were forced to land in Greenland in 1942 due to bad weather and had to be abandoned. Fifty years later, an expedition found the planes and bored through 250 feet of ice and snow to recover them. The hole was bored through 250 feet of ice that was deposited over 50 years. Science has been saying that each line in ice bores is a layer representing one year and 250 feet of ice would have represented millions of years. In reality, each layer is a layer of snow of ice deposited in a single storm, not an entire year.

Other exhibits showed the history of the English Bible and why it is a reliable translation of the originals. Below is the Tyndale Bible. It was the first Bible translation in the English language.

Other exhibits were about missionaries and their work around the world. This chair belonged to Hudson Taylor. He was a missionary to China who founded China Inland Mission. He was responsible for bringing over 800 missionaries to China who founded 125 schools and resulted in thousands of conversions to Christ.

Outside the Ark were other attractions like a zoo, camel rides, petting zoo, a zip line and aerial challenge plus many places to eat. Most of these were closed since the season had just opened. The Answers Center where lectures took place throughout the day also housed a very large gift shop and book store.They also host conferences and seminars in the large auditorium. Everything was well organized and very well maintained.

We spent hours walking through the three decks and exhibits. We also attended a very interesting lecture by Dr. Andrew Snelling, a geologist who studies the evidence of the flood around the world.

He revealed the six main geological evidences for the Flood. Genesis chapters 7 and 8 describe the flood in which the water covered all the high mountains. These floodwaters carried along marine creatures, and all air-breathing and land-dwelling life was killed. He posed the question: “Wouldn’t we expect to find billions of dead plants and animals buried and fossilized in sand, mud, and limestone that were deposited rapidly by water in rock layers all over the earth?” In his lecture, Dr. Snelling demonstrated that is exactly what we find in the fossil record.

The Gospel message was also clearly explained in the lecture and in some of the exhibits. The slogan of the Ark Adventure is, “Get Ready to Believe!” I can’t think of a better phrase to summarize what we saw on our day spent at the Ark Adventure. I think both of us came away with greater understanding and belief in the Biblical record of the Genesis flood.

I highly recommend it!

“If [God] did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others, …then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.” 2 Peter 2:5,9

The Silos

Posted on April 22, 2022 by admin

One of the reasons “Fixer Upper” has been so popular, I think, is that Chip and Joanna Gaines like to preserve the old character and history of the homes and structures they renovate. That’s what attracted me to their shows. Plus, they are both very talented at what they do. They’re funny and playful, and they have good old fashioned values.

I heard their restaurant, Magnolia Table, was a popular and busy tourist attraction, but I had no idea that on a Wednesday in March that we would be fighting for a parking spot. I heard that reservations were recommended, but I decided to take a chance. When we arrived, we were told it would be an hour plus wait for a table. Well, we were too hungry. In the same parking lot was Rudy’s BBQ, so we opted to go there to eat instead. It was delicious!

The Silos complex is a few miles away from Magnolia Table restaurant. We drove around for some time before we found a parking spot a few blocks away from the entrance.

The Silos are a prominent landmark feature of the Magnolia complex. The Gaines’ businesses fill an entire city block.

We approached from corner of the block where the bakery sits. I wanted to see the checkerboard patio area. We didn’t buy anything from the bakery as there was already a line out the door. It was an excuse for me not to to eat something sugary.

Magnolia Market was our first stop. It houses displays of home decor, wall decor, seasonal decorations, clothing and more. Their stated purpose is “a place where you find inspiration and a renewed vision for your home”.

I know how much Joanna Gaines likes old doors, so it wasn’t surprising to find some in her store.

Katy Park is a wiffle ball park that provides some fun for families while they are visiting the Silos. It was nice to see a family out there enjoying it.

In one corner of the block is Magnolia Seed and Supply, a gardening supply center and garden. This was one of my favorite spots. This garden not only supplies fresh ingredients for Magnolia Table (the restaurant), but also for the Salvation Army.

I liked the cozy benches made from branches that were tucked away in corners.

My all time favorite flower is the tulip, so I was delighted to see all the beautiful tulips in bloom.

Magnolia Home is a showcase for fully-designed room scenes to help the shopper visualize possibilities for their own home.

This is a large woven wall hanging in Magnolia Home.

Another building nearby housed Magnolia Press, a coffee shop. We just walked inside to take a look.

In another part of the complex there are six little cottage shops. Each of the shops has a specific style and theme such as bath and body, men’s items, leather bags and jewelry, women’s clothing, and books and paper. A new shop that will house children’s items was not open yet.

The books and paper shop had art supplies.

I really wanted to see the old 1894 church that was moved to the Silos site and renovated. It was beautiful on the inside and outside. There was something missing though. See if you notice.

I love the scallops and other detail of the church entrance.

Large wooden doors to old church at the Silos.

The Silos as seen from inside the old church.

Below is Chip and Joanna Gaines’ statement of belief for their business. It seems really nice. But there seems to be something missing. See if you notice what it might be.

Ray was the one who pointed out to me that their statement of belief never mentions God. There is no mention of why the old church is important other than as a renovation project saving an historic building. There is no cross on top of nor inside of the church. There is no pulpit. It’s just a pretty building.

I know they have received attacks from leftists. It’s possible that they are just trying not to offend anyone. They clearly believe in family, friendship and home, but what is glaringly missing is any mention of Christian values or God. I know I may be bursting someone’s bubble by mentioning this. I could be wrong, but after researching their religious beliefs, I came away wondering. Just what do they believe?

I’m really glad we took the time to visit the Silos. It is a very unique and popular place. If you don’t mind fighting through the crowds of people or standing in line, it’s a fun place to see. Though the products are very pricey and I didn’t notice many people with shopping bags, I imagine most people were just there to look–like me. Smile. And I still admire Chip and Joanna’s sense of business and entrepreneurship–it’s amazing!

Big Bend National Park

Posted on April 15, 2022 by admin

From the tip of southern Texas, we traveled northwest along the Texas/Mexico border to the “bulge” of southern Texas. It is appropriately called “Big Bend” because that is where the Rio Grande River makes a huge bend toward the southeast and then bends back to the northeast. In the crook of this huge bend is Big Bend National Park.

Spring was a perfect time of year to visit before the heat set in. It was still chilly at night, and not many cacti or wildflowers were blooming yet except for a few bluebonnets (the Texas state flower) that were starting to bloom by the roadside.

We stayed in an RV park in the town of Terlingua (Ter-ling-gwa), a little town that got its start in the 1880’s when “quicksilver” (mercury) was found in the area.

The first thing I noticed was how vast this area is that Big Bend encompasses. You can see the purple mountains in the far distance, and somewhere beyond those mountains is the Rio Grande, and beyond them is Mexico. Though it is only #15 on the list of the largest national parks, Big Bend National Park is over 800,000 acres, and is larger than Yosemite National Park.

There are plenty of things to do in Big Bend NP including scenic drives, day hikes, river trips, bird watching, fishing, horseback riding and stargazing. Speaking of stargazing, Big Bend has the darkest night skies of any national park in the lower 48 states and is designated an International Dark Sky Park.

The Big Bend NP website has suggestions for scenic drives. We drove on all the paved roads in the park. The Ross Maxwell Scenic drive took us to Sotol Vista where we had a view over the entire valley. The notch in the distant ridge is where the road would end. That is where the Rio Grande cuts through steep cliffs at Santa Elena Canyon.

Santa Elena Canyon at the end of the road.

This is the “notch” in the faraway ridge you were looking at in the last photo. But first, some sites along the way.

We stopped at the Mule Ears Overlook. You don’t have to have much of an imagination to see the “mule ears”.

Tuff Canyon and Castalon Peak were other stops.

Near the end of the road, there is a massive mountain of rock wall that makes a natural barrier at the border of USA and Mexico.This is where the Rio Grande cuts through the rock and becomes Santa Elena Canyon.

Rock walls on the border make a natural barrier.

The Rio Grande is a favorite place for those who like to kayak and canoe down the river. It’s also a favorite spot to watch the sunset, as it sets between the two walls.

We brought a picnic supper with us so we could wait for the sunset. But instead of staying at Santa Elena Canyon, we started making our way back along the same road, stopping to photograph the “golden hour” effect on various mountains and hills.

The sunset did not disappoint.

The next day we packed a lunch and drove to the high country of Big Bend on the Chisos Basin road. In less than 6 miles, this road climbs over 2,000 feet above the desert floor to an elevation of around 4,500 feet. As the road gained elevation, the desert flora soon gave way to drooping junipers, gray oaks and the tall Douglas firs and Arizona pines. The air was notably cooler.

The road ended at the Chisos Mountains Lodge and the Chisos Basin Visitor Center. The parking lot was full, so we turned around and went back home.

Our third day of exploration took us to Panther Junction where we turned onto the road to Rio Grande Village. This 20 mile drive descends nearly 2,000 feet in elevation on its way to the Rio Grande. Along the way we drove through a tunnel, and stopped for a view of the Rio Grande from above.

Looking out across to the Rio Grande, we could see the mountains on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande. Nearby, we saw a spineless prickly pear cactus and other native plants.

Down by the river is a campground, but the sites had no hookups. Even in early March the weather was quite warm. A generator would be a must.

We drove to the Rio Grande river overlook at Boquillas Canyon. Curiously enough, a sketchy-looking man was there selling trinkets and souvenirs to tourists for a high price. I’m not sure if he was from Mexico or the USA. There were three vehicles parked on the other side of the river and a canoe pulled up on the opposite bank. It’s hard to tell why the vehicles were there, and if they had anything to do with the peddler.

Rio Grande River at Boquillas Canyon Overlook

Another day we visited the nearby “ghost town” of Terlingua. The town is now a tourist trap more than a ghost town. A few old buildings and ruins could be seen. We visited a general store next door to the Holiday Hotel and the Starlight Theatre. We strolled through the old cemetery and then bought supper-to-go at the Rustic Iron BBQ.

On the way home, I took a peek in the Quilt store in the town of Terlingua. Two little ladies were sewing away. The owner said she has 14 quilters working for her. When I asked how she ended up in the middle of nowhere, she said, “The warm weather!” “Yep,” I said, “That’s why we’re here.”

Big Bend National Park was better than I anticipated. I found myself wanting to visit again someday because there’s so much more to see.

South Texas

Posted on April 9, 2022 by admin

During January and February of 2022, we stayed for several weeks in Harlingen, Texas, which is located in the Rio Grande Valley or RGV at the very southern tip of Texas. The Rio Grande Valley is not really a valley, but a river delta. It is a popular place for “winter Texans”, people who want to escape the harsh winters of the northern United States.

Having stayed in this area previously, we already explored many of the museums and sites to see. This time we added another place to our list of places we have been: The Sabal Palm Sanctuary.

The drive to Sabal Palm Sanctuary took us right down along the border. We saw miles and miles of the border wall. To get to the Sanctuary, we had to drive through an opening in the wall. There was a Humvee with National Guardsmen at the gate. They allowed us through both ways without a problem.

The plantation house is like stepping back in time. Ray took this photo, but I changed it to black and white to get a feel of the place in 1892.

The Rabb Plantation House of Sabol Palm Sanctuary

When Frank and Lillian Rabb built the house, it had a commanding view of the Rio Grande River and the steamboats that docked there. Today, the river has since changed course and the view is quite different. We walked some of the trails of the more than 20,000 acres and saw the old river bed.

The veranda of the Rabb Plantation House

Inside, the rooms had been restored to their former beauty. The polished mahogany wood staircase in the entrance and the antique mirror showed the grandeur of previous days.

Two fireplaces with mirrors and detailed engravings were decorated with more antiques. I doubt that they were used much since the winter weather is so mild in south Texas. However, while we were there, the sunny, warm days were few and far between. We had more rain than sunshine.

The antique lamp on the living room table caught my eye. Electricity didn’t come to the RGV until 1929 and oil lamps were beautiful as well as useful.

Although the lamp shown below has a cord, it was much later before electricity arrived and lamps like this were used in the plantation house.

In addition to the antique furnishings were these beautiful stained glass windows and doors.

Other items that interested me were an old telephone and calculator. The first telephone exchange didn’t develop until the early 1900’s and in 1913 the city complained that “the telephone service rendered for several weeks has been totally inadequate and demoralized for several weeks, and no improvement in sight.”

After touring the plantation house, we made our way through the garden. It was winter, so the flowers and many other plants were dormant. I could imagine what it looked like in spring and summer with butterflies fluttering around the fragrant flowers.

Past the garden were the walking paths lined with palms. The Sabal Palm Sanctuary protects one of the rarest ecosystems in the United States. The Sabal Palm Forest once covered 60,000 acres along the banks of the Rio Grande River. When the Spaniards first explored the river, they found miles upon miles of dense palm forest. Today, less than 30 acres of the Sabal forest are left, some of which are protected by the Sanctuary. Today, much of the Rio Grande Valley is mostly agricultural.

Previously, the land in the Rio Grande Valley was used for raising cattle. The soil was too dry for crops until 1910 when irrigation and centrifugal pumps came along. By 1910, there were 50 steam-engine pump houses along the Rio Grande River that watered one million acres of farmland.

We walked on this walkway where Rio Grande River used to flow.

The pathway eventually led us back to the Plantation House.

When I visit historical places like this, I imagine what life would be in those times. One thing that I’m thankful for today is that we have air conditioning. Those summers in the RGV would have been stifling in the humidity and the heat!

South Dakota Air and Space Museum & Badlands National Park

Posted on March 28, 2022 by admin

South Dakota Air and Space Museum

The South Dakota Air and Space Museum sits just outside Ellsworth Air Force Base.

When I was in grade school during the Cuban missile crisis, our school practiced air-raid drills. When we heard the alarm go off, we were to duck under our desks. One day the alarm went off and our teacher told us to duck under our desks, but it was a fire alarm–not an air-raid. It was just a practice drill, but the teacher eventually realized her mistake and led us all outside to “safety”.

As a child, I was aware of the cold war after the Cuban missile crisis. I watched episodes of “The Man from U.N.C.L.E” which was a fictional TV series about two spies who somehow always thwarted the bad guys from taking over the world. I read stories about the Iron Curtain and escapes from East Berlin. What I was not aware of, was what our government was doing to defend us.

During the Cold War, Ellsworth Air Force Base was a crucial part of our country’s readiness and defense force. It was the home of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles like the Titan I and the Minuteman missiles, and and arsenal of bombers such as the B-29.

Today visitors can tour a missile silo that was used to train maintenance personnel, but you must reserve well ahead of your visit since only 6 people are allowed at one time on a tour and it is booked far in advance. For that reason, we didn’t get to go on that tour. The missile sites are now preserved as the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site.

However, we enjoyed an extensive time visiting inside and outside the South Dakota Air and Space Museum which included a Titan I missile.

The Titan I missiles took 15 minutes to fully deploy because they couldn’t be fueled up until right before launch. This was not speedy enough for countering a nuclear attack. So therefore, they were replaced three years later with Titan II and the more reliable Minuteman missiles. Each silo contained three missiles.

Besides intercontinental ballistic missiles, the United States also had bombers (such as the B-29 Superfortress) ready to deploy in case of attack. Later these huge planes were used for aerial tankers and weather reconnaissance until they were retired.

B-52 Stratotanker and B-52 Stratofortress (in background)

Inside the museum are four large galleries of artifacts of military and civilian aerospace history of the last century. My favorite display was about Nellie Zabel Wilhite, South Dakota’s first female pilot. She was also the first deaf person to earn her pilot’s license. The museum houses the wing and tires from her first airplane along with a photo of her in front of her plane in 1934. Despite some harrowing flights and at one time being a barnstormer, she lived to age 98. I’m always inspired by people who make history despite their handicaps.

Wings and tires from Nellie Zabel Wilhite’s plane

The museum is open year round (although the indoor galleries are closed during January and February) and the tours of Ellsworth AFB and the Missile Silo are offered from mid-May through mid-September. Admission to the museum is free, but there is a small charge for the bus tours to the Missile Silo.

Badlands National Park

Not many miles from the Black Hills, the prairie stretches for miles until unexpectedly you come across Badlands National Park. Recently designated a national park in 1978, the nearly 250,000 acres of geologic formations, fossil beds and wildlife made this a place we had to visit. It reminded me somewhat of the Painted Desert in northern Arizona with its colorful rock layers. My favorite view was this scenic overlook where you can see for miles.

Down in the canyons are trees and grasslands.

In the Badlands many fossils of ancient mammals have been found which are probably related to our present-day bison and bighorn sheep.

We started out looking out over the canyons, but soon we were driving in among the rock formations.

In this photo below, you can see a dry river bed. Two forces made these formations, deposition and erosion. Layers of sediment formed the rock layers which were deposited by a number of natural forces which range from shallow inland seas to rivers to wind. Then the Cheyenne and White rivers carved their way through the landscape. If the rocks erode at the rate of one inch per year as estimated, what we see today may be quite different the next time we visit!

It reminds me of Psalm 24: 1-2.

“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness of it,
The world, and those who dwell in it.
For He has founded it upon the seas
And established it upon the streams and the rivers.” Amplified Bible

Our national parks are a treasure of unique and beautiful places. I am thankful for those who had foresight to set aside these places for generations of people to enjoy.

South Dakota Sights

Posted on March 8, 2022 by admin

Whenever I think of South Dakota, I think of a flat wide expanse of endless prairie, a picture I got in my mind from reading the Little House books. But when we arrived in South Dakota we found beautiful forested mountains with pretty green meadows spaced in between the hills. Western South Dakota in the Black Hills region is a region of surprising beauty. Tucked away in these hills is the iconic Mount Rushmore. (See my blog on Mount Rushmore)

In the Black Hills region are other interesting places to explore. One of the places I wanted to see was the Crazy Horse Memorial. This is a privately-owned memorial to Crazy Horse, a leader of the Lakota Sioux Indians. The sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski, who dedicated his life to carving this memorial, is now deceased and his descendants have taken on the project.

I had mixed feelings about Crazy Horse Monument. For one thing, after 71 years, it is far from being completed. In contrast, Mount Rushmore was finished in only 14 years. Some reasons for the delay are said to be the weather, tourists, the size of the project and lack of funds. Critics say it has become a money making project for enriching the sculptor’s family. I can’t say for sure that is true, but I was disappointed. It does seem like the 40,000 square foot Visitor’s Center has taken over the central focus instead of the rock carving.

Below is a prototype carving of what the mountain will look like when finished. It’s sad to think I might never see it completed in my lifetime.

The outline of the horse’s head on the mountain yet to be carved.

We wandered around the huge visitor center for nearly an hour. It seemed like we were rushing through it just to be able to see it all. The buildings also house The Indian Museum of North America which houses a large collection of art and artifacts showing the histories and cultures of over 300 native nations. One impressive exhibit was this Navajo Indian rug.

Other items in the museum showcase the artist’s talent such as this carving of Henry Standing Bear, a cousin of Crazy Horse. He was the one who found the artist Korczak Ziolkowski for the Crazy Horse project.

Many Indian handcrafted items were on display. This beautifully crafted pine quill basket caught my attention.

Having taken a pottery class, I’m always fascinated by handmade pottery. These look like they were from a wood-fired kiln or pit.

Other exhibits were this highly decorated horse outfit and the hand-crafted canoe pictured below.

It was irresistible to get a photo of a buffalo up close like this. It was easy to see why the Indians liked the buffalo hides for keeping them warm in the cold winters.

The artist Korczak Ziolkowski, and his wife had 10 children. They must have been a musical family as there were many musical instruments from their home on display in the museum.

We stopped to eat dinner in the nearby town of Custer where a painted buffalo caught my eye. Since it was late in the year, many places were already closed for the winter. We found a Pizza Hut and I ordered chicken wings. They were really good!

Another day we drove to Wind Cave National Park and took a tour into the cave. The cave is so named because as the air pressure changes on the outside, the air blows in or out of the cave to maintain equal pressure. Two brothers discovered the cave when they heard wind blowing out of a hole in the ground. When one leaned in to get a better look, his hat blew off his head.

Wind Cave is the second longest and most complex cave in the world. Only a small part has been explored. It is home to “boxwork”, a unique formation found only in this cave.

One of the stories our guide told us about was in the early history of the cave tours, there was a guide that led tourists down into the cave with a lantern. If he saw a passage that he wanted to explore, he would leave his guests in the dark and go exploring, sometimes leaving them there in the dark for hours before returning. I can’t imagine being left in pitch dark for hours not knowing for sure if the guide would ever return!

Above ground we saw prairie dogs, bison and park-like prairie grasslands and hillsides with forests. I pondered if this would be a nice place to live someday–but then I thought about the cold winters. Hm. Probably not.

Mount Rushmore

Posted on October 26, 2021 by admin

Rapid City, SD

September, 2021

One of my bucket list items was to see Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. The Mount Rushmore National Park is near Rapid City, South Dakota. There are so many things to see in this area, I wished we had spent two weeks there instead of just one. We did our best to see as many as possible.

The day we chose to go see Mount Rushmore was a beautiful day with clear blue skies.

Entrance to Mount Rushmore is free. However, there is a charge for parking. For seniors, it was $5. We parked in the parking garage and made our way to the entrance and the Avenue of flags which displays the flags from all 50 states. We found our state flag of Texas.

Underneath each flag is a plaque with the date the state entered the union and the rank in order of the states joining the union.

At the amphitheater, I took a few more photos of these huge carvings. It was an amazing feat of architecture, sculpture and engineering that took years to complete. It is an iconic American Monument that needs to be preserved.

It wasn’t just a matter of carving a face in the mountain. The sculptor had to choose the best angle so the images would catch the light and cast shadows to show off the carvings. There were “catch light” rocks that made the eyes look real. The rock had to be the right hardness. It took a lot of skill and knowledge to carve this.

I walked down the path to the artist’s studio where the trees nicely frame the monument.

As we drove away from the park we got one more view of George Washington as we rounded a corner.

We went to the evening program. The Ranger told his story about what happened 20 years prior on September 11, 2001, when our country was under attack. The National Parks were closed and then put under high alert for any suspicious activity.

This Ranger related to us that while he was sitting on top of the head of George Washington at night all alone on September 11, looking for planes or anything that looked suspicious, he wrote a script of what he was going to say in his program the following evening. That was the program we got to hear the night after the 20 year anniversary of 9/11.

He told how each of the four Presidents had faced great adversity in trying circumstances that tested them and made them into the great leaders they became. He shared his own story of adversity. He then related those times to the challenges that faced our nation after the attack. Our leaders and our nation overcame adversity and went on to become the most powerful nation on earth. It was very inspiring to hear.

Rushmore at night before lit up and Avenue of flags of 50 states.

Avenue of flags and Mount Rushmore lit up at night

Veterans lower flag at end of evening program.

White Sulphur Springs, Montana

Posted on October 14, 2021 by admin

September, 2021

The little town of White Sulphur Springs is located in the western half of Montana about midway from north to south. To get there from Choteau, Montana, we went through Great Falls and then south on Highway 87 through the Little Belt Mountains and Lewis and Clark National Forest. It is some of the prettiest scenery, going over Kings Hill Pass of 7400 feet, and past quaint little towns tucked in among the forests.

On the edge of White Sulphur Springs is an RV park with a view of the Big Belt Mountains to the west. The smoke from fires in the west made beautiful sunsets in the evenings.

View from campground at White Sulphur Springs, Montana

We were familiar with this quiet little town, having spent some time here last year. There are plenty of day trip destinations from there. One place I really wanted to see this year was the “Top of the World Drive” on Highway 212 going from Yellowstone National Park to Red Lodge, Montana.

To get to this highway, you must take Highway 89 to Yellowstone National Park, across the border in Wyoming. We ate a picnic lunch just inside the north entrance of Yellowstone NP. Then we followed the road to Mammoth Hot Springs and on to Tower-Roosevelt.

Along the way, I stopped to get a photo of a waterfall and some other scenery. Due to the smoke from the fires in the west, it was very hazy.

As we traveled through Yellowstone NP, at one point we had to stop to let some buffalo cross the road. Seeing them up close made us realize how huge these beasts are in size.

Smoke and haze along creek and mountains in Yellowstone NP

Once you leave Yellowstone NP, the road quickly ascends on its way to Beartooth Pass. This pass climbs to nearly 11,000 feet in elevation giving views of alpine lakes and epic views.

A mountain meadow and lake along Beartooth Highway.

Looking back at switchbacks on road to Beartooth Pass

Views of glacial lakes and steep canyons along Beartooth Highway

We came across some construction work on the road that had us going along a steep cliff on a temporary roadway. It must take constant work to keep this road in good condition.

Road construction along Beartooth Highway.

I remember traveling this route when I was a kid on one of our family vacations to Indiana. My dad stopped along the road at one point so my sister and I could play in the snow and make snowballs. We never got to play in snow where we lived in the Arizona. That was quite a treat for us in August. (However, this year in 2021, we saw very little snow.)

That night our family stayed in Red Lodge, Montana. We ate dinner at a café that served all kinds of wild game dishes. I wasn’t brave enough to try any back then. After dinner, we went back to our cabin where we fell asleep to the sound of a gurgling creek out back of the cabin.

On our day trip there, I found the place where we stayed and got a photo. The place was in bad shape, but it looks like someone may be fixing up some of the units.

The cabins we stayed in many years ago when I was a kid are now in disrepair.

Possibly the location of the cafe where we ate many years ago in Red Lodge, Montana. It is now a pizza place.

The town of Red Lodge is now a tourist trap with lots of shops and eateries. It also has quite a few luxurious houses surrounding it. It is still a cute and quaint little town, however, and a fun place to visit.

Old Coca Cola sign shows evidence of the past in Red Lodge, Montana

We ate BBQ here for lunch in Red Lodge, Montana.

On our way home, I spotted this sight while going through one of the small towns in Montana. I couldn’t resist stopping and getting some photos of the evening sun on this grain elevator. It made a nice ending to our day.

Montana

Posted on September 27, 2021 by admin

August, 2021

From St. Mary on the east side of Glacier National Park, we only had a hundred miles to our next stop. We drove several miles through Blackfeet Indian Reservation with beautiful scenery of mountains, grasslands and rolling hills.

Scenery after leaving St. Mary, Montana.

Leaving the reservation we drove parallel to the beautiful Rocky Mountains before arriving at Choteau, Montana, a little farming town.

We took a day trip to Great Falls, MT. We ate at a Mongolian BBQ restaurant that we’d eaten at a year ago. Last year Ray’s knee was giving him so much trouble that he couldn’t get out and walk much. He missed seeing Giant Springs State Park, so we drove there to re-visit it.

Giant Springs State Park where the water bubbles up in the pond area above.

The water from the spring originates in mountains over 100 miles away and flows underground till it bubbles up here. The water is so clear, that you can see the rocks and plants on the bottom.

Giant Springs State Park where the water from the spring forms the Roe River, the shortest river in the world.

Five waterfalls are within a 10 mile segment of the Missouri River. Having seen three of the five waterfalls in Great Falls last year, Great Falls (which the city was named after) was on our list of sights to see . It is outside the city several miles away. We drove through miles of wheat fields on terrible roads to get there, but it was worth it.

Once there, we walked across a suspension bridge to an island below the dam where there was a grassy park. The river flows around the island.

Warning sign on island below Great Falls Dam

A trail led up a hill that gave us a perfect view of the dam and the powerhouse.

Notice that the dam is spilling water through all the gates. Montana has a lot of water!

From the lookout at the end of the trail, we could see down river from the dam and powerhouse.

The evenings in Choteau, Montana, displayed some beautiful sunsets.

Our next destination awaited, so after a few days, we were off to a new location.

Glacier National Park

Posted on September 17, 2021 by admin

August, 2021

Glacier NP is one of those “can’t miss” places to see. It was one of our main destinations this year. Little did we know that when we started planning our itinerary back in February of 2021, that campgrounds near the park would already be filled up til mid-August. That meant that we needed to kill some time before we could get to Glacier National Park.

We decided to spend June and July and the first part of August seeing parts of Oregon and Washington, and I’m so glad we did. We had fun, cool weather (for the most part) and we got to see some beautiful sights.

Now, you can’t just drive into Glacier NP anymore. You have to have a Park pass (we had a Senior National Parks Pass) PLUS you need a ticket for Going to the Sun Road. That ticket is good for 7 days, but you have to go online ahead of time to reserve your time. This limits the number of people who can enter the park on any given day. Since there is only one road going through the park, it gets a lot of traffic.

The day we finally got to visit Glacier NP was a rainy day. Though the rain kept some people away, it was still hard to find a parking spot at the scenic turn-outs. So we just drove.

Up, up the mountain we drove, on curvy, windy, roads with only a short rock wall separating us from the edge of the cliff and valley below. Ray was driving, and I took photos out the window. It made me nervous to look straight down. Ray was in the driver’s seat so he wasn’t scared. Later, when I was driving up the same road and Ray was in the passenger seat, he said he felt a little scared too.

The Road to the Sun in Glacier NP is not for anyone afraid of heights!

The road is very narrow, and at times it seemed like we would scrape the other cars as they passed by. We finally found a turnout where I could get some photos of the valley.

Going to the Sun Road winds through the valley of Glacier NP along McDonald Creek.

Along the way, we saw some waterfalls with a boulder that looked like it could roll right down.

Waterfall on the Going to the Sun Road, Glacier NP.

I was really disappointed that there were no glaciers to see. We saw what looked like patches of snow. I wouldn’t really classify them as glaciers. The valleys were carved by glaciers years ago so the name is still appropriate.

Some small patches of snow from glaciers are seen here.

As we climbed higher and higher in elevation, the clouds settled down over the top of the mountains and it got foggy and misty. The highest point was Logan Pass where Logan Visitor Center is located. The parking lot was full, so we drove a short ways and stopped at a turnout at Lunch Creek where we ate our picnic lunch.

From there we could see another waterfall and the remains of a glacier.

We got there just in time before the mist enveloped us. We decided to turn around and go back the way we came instead of driving through the entire park that day. It was a good choice. By the time we drove back through the valley, we were able to find parking at some of the viewpoints that had previously been too packed to stop.

Colorful rocks cover the bottom and line the sides of McDonald Creek.

My grandfather’s name was Lake Macdonald, so of course I wanted to see Lake McDonald. (spelled differently). The rocks on the bottom of the lake and on the shore are a beautiful array of colors.

Colorful rocks on the shore of Lake McDonald

We visited the park a total of three different days. The weather never did get sunny. One of those days I hiked to McDonald Falls.

As we drove upstream alongside McDonald Creek, we found another waterfall and interesting views.

Blue-green waters of the melted glaciers at McDonald Creek

On our third day in Glacier NP, we drove completely through the park, barely stopping except to eat our lunch. At Logan Pass, the road winds down to the small town of St. Mary.

We drove from one end of the park to the other, and then drove around the outside of the park on the south side back to where we started. It was also a beautiful drive, but long.

Coming down the other side of Logan Pass

The other side of Logan Pass is much different in that it suffered damage from recent forest fires that changed the look of the landscape. There is a lake on that side too–St. Mary Lake which is about 1500′ higher in elevation than Lake McDonald.

Fire damage and St. Mary Lake in background.

Even with the recent rains, the smoke from fires in the western states came back quickly to make a haze over the mountains. We had planned to stay a few days in St. Mary, but due to the smoke, we decided to leave early. Our pass for Going to the Sun Road had expired, and we were ready to move on.

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