This old wagon has a very appropriate and humorous sign attached. This is at the La Hacienda RV Resort near Lake Travis in the Hill Country out side of Austin. We wintered there prior to the pandemic.
retirement activity
World’s largest…everything?
Casey , Illinois has the world’s largest golf tee, windchimes, mailbox and other things. It is worth the side trip off of I-70 at Exit 129, about 35 miles west of the Indiana/Illinois line. These “large” items are a hoot to see.
World’s largest wind chime
March 2015
September 2018
Yes, we’ve been there twice now. Had to see if that rocking chair had shown up yet.
Pirates on the Gulf
We spent the winter of 2019 in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. Our RV Resort was located in Harlingen. One of the many day trips we took was to the quaint town of Port Isabel. This was two years ago. All of the election brew haha was yet to come, and of course nobody was imagining the tragedy of the pandemic that was still over the horizon.
Sher with a Port Isabel pirate
I had to get into the act as well
Down on the Port Isabel waterfront we came upon some, ah, mean looking pirates. Not ones to miss out, we could not pass up the photo ops. With a hearty “Arrr, matey” and a “shiver me timbers” the images above became part of our photo record of the day.
Sacred Devils Tower
Remember this from the 1977 “Close Encounters” movie?
Close up shot of the columnar structure. Each “column” is about 8 feet across!
The Devils Tower is a sacred site to Native Americans and is an NPS National
Monument. Located in the Black Hills of northeastern Wyoming, this remarkable geologic butte stands nearly 900 feet tall from it base to the top. The rock is igneous and was formed when the molten lava intruded into layers of sedimentary rocks. Those rocks weathered away, leaving the Devils Tower that we see today.
There is interesting history of both the geology of the tower, as well as the history of human involvement of the site. This was the first National Monument, so designated ten years before the National Park Service was founded. Study the Devils Tower website for details about the park, its history and current covid restrictions.
We visited Devils Tower back in 2015.
South Dakota flashback
We were traveling in South Dakota in October of 2018. Here is a look back…
Traveling on I-90 through South Dakota provides some remarkable scenery. In addition to the natural wonders of the state, one man-made marvel really stands out. Near Chamberlain at Exit 294 you’ll see the signs for a rest area with a Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. As you exit the interstate and drive up a decent slope you see a very large stainless steel sculpture with a geometric pattern. Then you soon realize that it is a star quilt being held by a beautiful Native American woman.
The star pattern
Note the person on the left for scale
This is the statue titled “Dignity of Earth and Sky”. The creation of South Dakota Artist Laureate Dale Claude Lamphere is a magnificent example of very large scale public art. The statue represents the courage and wisdom of the Lakota and Dakota people who come from the area. The star quilt pattern is traditionally used to honor people or peoples.
A whale of a sight
This life size statue of an Orca killer whale is in the entrance way to the Tulalip Casino off of I-5 north of Seattle. We have been patrons of the casino several times when we traveled to the Seattle area to visit family. When we were last there you could park your motorhome for 3 days in the designated RV lot. No services, but a patrolled and safe place to stay.
It seems that there is a brand new, additional casino on the same property. There was a Grand Opening February 3rd. It is listed as being twice as large as the first casino. We will definitely check it out the next time we travel to the Pacific Northwest.
White Dove of the Desert
Following are excerpts from an article we posted in January 2016. Hope you enjoy it!
About 10 miles south of Tucson, Arizona you will find the “White Dove of the Desert” also known as the Mission San Xavier del Bac. This magnificent Spanish mission was completed in 1797. The first Spanish missionary, Father Eusebio Kino, arrived at the site in 1692. Throughout the years the location has been part of New Spain, Mexico, and finally a part of the U.S. after the Gadsen Purchase of 1854.
When you enter the church you cannot help but be amazed by the incredible amount of 18th century statuary and murals. The impact varies for everyone who walks the interior of this powerfully spiritual place. Candles are always lit and displayed. A shrine to St Francis is a prominent feature and one of solemn devotion. The edifice is still a functioning Catholic Church that primarily serves the Tohono O’odham tribe, formerly known as the Papago.
The San Xavier website is packed with information for your visit planning assistance.
An up close and personal meeting
At an RV Park in central Florida we met the local resident Sandhill crane.
This crane obviously owned the park, as we saw him walking down the center of roads and blatantly ignoring the accepted RV park protocol of not walking through another camper’s site. I was only about 3 feet from him for the close up head shot.
Revisiting a great restaurant
After we get our vaccines we are so looking forward to getting back on the road and actually sitting down for a meal inside a restaurant! Here’s a revisit to a place we visited back in 2018.
Hamburger Inn Diner an integral part of Delaware, Ohio
The Hamburger Inn Diner is on the main drag in the central Ohio city of Delaware. Our family enjoyed lunch there last weekend. (Read our post here) I was fortunate to meet and have a conversation with Bill Michailidas, the owner.
Bill shared how the Hamburger Inn Diner is really a focal point in the community. The generous serving of Thanksgiving dinner to nearly a thousand folks is a shining example of the good this Diner shares. Besides, it has been serving the people of Delaware great food since 1932.
Since 1947 the diner has become the place for local citizens to gather and share coffee and conversations. Oh, the wisdom that has been shared in the gatherings for the past seven decades.
The diner is open 24 hours on the weekend. As you can imagine, the diner is full of law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel . Workers from all shifts can find a time to eat, and local college students can enjoy great food and a safe place to study after hours.
Delaware, Ohio is fortunate to have the Hamburger Inn Diner. Be sure to stop in when you are in Delaware.
Jester King Brewery in the Hill Country of Texas
This time last year we were staying at an RV Resort near Lake Travis west of Austin. The first rumblings were beginning to be heard about some kind of new virus that was killing people in China, and it had already shown up in the Seattle area in the US. We were still enjoying our winter in Texas, appreciating the tag “Winter Texans” instead of “snow birds”.
Brew tasting at Jester King Brewery
One activity that we enjoyed while in Texas last winter was visiting wineries, breweries and distilleries. One brewery we liked was the Jester King Brewery. This is a brewery, restaurant, farm and event center. Even though it has an Austin address, the establishment is closer to Dripping Springs, in the Hill Country. We sampled some brews and bought a couple of take out growlers. This is a nice facility, worth a stop if you’re in the area. This is the Jester King website.
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