Yellowstone, beauty with some danger
They mean it!
The geysers cover the walkways with steam
Bison in Hayden Valley
Yellowstone National Park is 3500 square miles of Earth’s magnificence, mostly in Wyoming but there are parts in Montana and Idaho. We would recommend a trip to Yellowstone. Keep in mind that during “peak tourist” season there are thousands of people in the park. You’ll still be able to enjoy the park, the geothermal features, the scenery and the wildlife.
Mt. Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota
As you drive past the entrance to Mt. Rushmore and head south, you’ll soon see a striking view of George Washington in profile. There is a decent sized strip lot for parking and viewing. Some stats: George’s face is 60 feet tall, his nose is 20 feet long and his mouth is 18 feet across. Oh, and don’t forget his eyes. They are 11 feet wide each.
We’ve been having some warmer days, and that coupled with the calendar has resulted in some of the bulb sprouts making their appearance in our flower and herb garden.
Won’t be long until the blooms will be out in all their beauty. It’s about time to be over this winter thing and move on to a better year.
This thing was LOUD when in operation!
A couple of years ago Sher and I were visiting our son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter in the Austin area. We found an RV park reasonably close to the family’s home. This campground was at the time in a major expansion project.
The pictured trench digging machine was in use during working hours. The dolomitic rock was not exceptionally hard, so no jack hammering was required, but this trenching machine really was loud and shook the ground if you were within about 40 feet or so. I did enjoy watching this machine operate.
Our site was about a 3 minute walk from the bus stop
Did you know that Orlando’s Disney World has a great RV and tent campground? Called Fort Wilderness, it offers a first class facility for an RV Disney experience. The RV sites are full hookup, paved and most have room for an RV and a tent. Rules allow up to ten people per site, so a great family vacation is possible. The campground is quite large, but shuttle busses run to the bus station that goes to all the Disney Parks, or to Bay Lake where you can catch a boat ride to one of the theme parks.
This boat runs the same times as the buses, and goes from Ft. Wilderness to the Magic Kingdom about every 15 minutes
Keep in mind that the sites at Fort Wilderness are pricey, to say the least. Most are well north of $120 per night. However it is a great way to “do Disney”. Walk to the shuttle, go to the bus station or Bay Lake for a ride to one of the parks. A while ago we had a nice family get together at Disney World. Sher and I stayed at the RV park, and our kids and their families were in the other hotels. Sher and I really enjoyed our vacation there. We loved taking the boat rides and sharing time with family.
This is the time of year when the Sandhill Cranes head back north. Usually you hear them first, then have to search the skies for the typical “V” shaped formations. While the normal flying altitude is around 5,000 feet, they have been known to fly as high as 12,000 feet.
Took this picture this afternoon in our backyard. You have to look closely!
Click below for the sounds of one Sandhill Crane. Imagine how loud it is with all of the cranes squawking as they fly.
Does a kettle of vultures circling in the sky give you pause?
Took this picture a few years back one early morning
Turkey vultures often get a bad rap. Yes, they are pretty ugly. They do perform a vital role in the ecosystem by cleaning up the carrion. It is for some kind of scary seeing a lot of them circling overhead. Here’s some other information:
Want more information? Here is the Wikipedia link for turkey vultures.
We’ve been to San Antonio a couple of times. Once was over New Years and was it cold! However, San Antonio is a wonderful spot to visit. The River Walk gives you a chance to stroll along the river and have a great meal. You can also take a fun boat tour of the river. There’s lots to enjoy along the River Walk.
View of the River Walk from a pedestrian bridge
It was a nice warm day to explore downtown
The Alamo, a special place
The Alamo is just one of the many historic sites to explore and enjoy. Be advised the Alamo is one of the most important and revered places in Texas. No pictures are allowed in the edifice. And men, be sure to remove your hat upon entering.
Sher and I were here back in 2016.
When traveling east on Interstate 40 into Oklahoma from Texas you should take Exit 7 and head south into the town of Erick and Old Route 66. This former boom town was founded in 1901 but fell into trouble after WW II. The main street is filled with several nice old brick buildings that unfortunately are mostly empty.
Of special interest in Erick is the relic adorned “City Meat Market” building. This brick is covered in old signs the likes of which would make any antique picker green with envy. This is the current home to the Sand Hill Curiosity Shop. We did not hit Erick on a day that the shop was open. A local shared that the shop is owned and operated by a pair of characters named Annabelle and Harley, AKA the Mediocre Musicians. They will play and sing for you if you catch them there.
We’re 15 days away from our second dose of the COPVID-19 vaccine. Shortly after that it should kick in and offer us a measure of protection from the virus.
Bourbon Street in New Orleans, known for music, food and revelry. Note the famed balcony iron work in the background
Red beans and rice with smoked sausage
The band at Bamboula’s
We are standing in front of the tomb of Marie Laveau, the famed Voodoo Queen. This is reportedly the most visited tomb in New Orleans.
We are not sure exactly when we’ll decide to travel again. But one place we do want to visit again is New Orleans. Sher and I both so enjoyed our last visit there back in 2018. We loved the food, the music and the atmosphere of this exciting place. There is so much to see and do in NOLA. It will definitely be on an upcoming itinerary of ours.
Roadtirement 