Headed West - Finally

August 25, 2016. We are finally on the road. The first three days were simply drive, drive, drive so we could get to ND and visit Carol's relatives. The first night was Deer Ridge Camping Resort in Richmond, IN.

At a rest stop we saw these trucks with REALLY BIG somethings on them. We're guessing they're part of the towers for wind turbines. We had already seen three over-sized load trucks carrying ONE blade each. I was going to go ask what they were carrying but they were stopped because one of the trucks had broken down and no one looked like they were in the mood for questions.

Temperatures were forecast to be cool the second night so we stayed at a WalMart in Tomah, WS. A bit longer day than we had planned but the Walmart in Wisconsin Dells doesn't allow overnight parking. The WalMart national policy is to allow parking. But some localities, usually tourist destinations with lots of commercial campgrounds pass local ordinances prohibiting it. Which is OK, I guess. They do pay local taxes. But I sure hate to pay even $20. to park overnight without hooking up to anything.

Finally, the third night we made it to Grand Forks. East Grand Forks, MN that is. All of our relatives are in ND but the closest campground was the Red River State Recreation Area across the river from Grand Forks, ND. It's a beautiful place in a greenway created after the tragic flood of 1997.

On the way from Fargo north to Grand Forks we hit some of the heaviest rain I have ever seen. 30 mph on the Interstate with our blinkers on. I was afraid to pull off on the shoulder because our aluminum Airstream disappears in fog or heavy rain. I was in the RV park grumbling about the extra hour it took us to get to Grand Forks. On what was already planned to be our longest day on the road. Then another RV pulled into the adjacent spot. They had come the same route from Fargo just an hour behind us and hit golf ball sized hail. Everything on the top of his RV was destroyed, the roof was cracked, the front window was cracked and his brand new truck had lots of dents. And he had stopped along side the road because he was afraid the hail would break his windshield if he kept driving. That sure put our hour delay in perspective. A favorite phrase of Mary Ann's, "Yes we had some bad luck. But we're the luckiest unlucky people we know."

We got there late in the afternoon and Aunt Gail said, "I bet you'd just like to chill. We'll meet you at St. Michael's tomorrow morning."

 

 

This is the Church where Carol's parents and Uncle Bill and Aunt Gail got married.  We enjoyed their hospitality for two days. Got to visit a lot. Saw the Hockey Stadium. I told them Penn State had an NCAA Hockey program now. Gail said it would be a while before we "worked our way up" to the level of UND but they'd be happy to compete with us ....... someday.

 

This picture of us with Aunt Gail and Uncle Bill was taken by their Grandson Carter who started 7th grade while we were there.

This is Grandma and Grandpa Schmisek's house where Carol's Mom and her SIX siblings were raised. Gee, maybe this is why Carol is so happy in a double-wide and our Airstream.

The next stop was Bismarck and Mandan, ND where more of Carol's Aunts and Uncles live. Another State Campground built on a flood plain but this one is also an historic site. Ft. Abraham Lincoln State Park.

At the confluence of the Missouri and Heart rivers, it is a beautiful quiet place. A village of about 1000 Mandan Indians flourished here for almost two hundred years from about 1575 until a small pox epidemic hit in 1781. The Mandans were a sedentary agriculturally based society that lived in earth lodges as large as 40 ft in diameter. The village has been reconstructed on its original site.

It's a really beautiful place.

 Signs of a beaver who tried to bite off a little more than he could chew. He succeeded in killing the tree but I think it will be a while before he drops it.

 One of three reconstructed block towers from the original fort with a view of downtown Bismarck. The large building is the State Capitol and the white spire is the Catholic Cathedral.

 The park was recontructed by the CCC in the late 1930's. Aunt Nancy always said that this statue looked like Grandpa Schmisek.

 For my geologist son, some concretions. They are so numerous that an area and a creek are named "Cannonball." These are medium sized ones. About 2 ft in diameter.

 Uncle Clarence, Carol, me, Aunt Peggy and Uncle Dan.

Carol's brother-in-law Bill passed away last December 22nd. Her sister Bobbie visited ND earlier this summer and brought the last of Bill's favorite Scotch for the family to share.

We wanted to show the world that at least the bottle is still standing. Uncle Dan and Uncle Clarence are still sitting.

Next stop - Wall, SD.

God is good. Every Day.