GARDEN OF THE GODS

TODAY WAS A VISITING DAY. WE HEARD ABOUT THE GARDEN OF THE GODS, SO, OFF WE WENT.

THE FIRST THING WE SAW WAS A HUGE HAWK, JUST OUTSIDE THE CAMPGROUND. AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF PRAIRIE DOGS. COINCIDENCE??? BREAKFAST???

STOPPED AT CAMPING WORLD AND SPENT OUR ALLOWANCE. LOOKED AT SOME RIGS.....JUST LOOKING !!!

WE ARRIVED AT THE GARDEN OF THE GODS AND WERE ASTOUNDED AT THE BEAUTY AND MAJESTY OF THE PARK. IT IS HUGE, MILES SQUARE AND FREE. TAKE THAT, CAP ST. JACQUES WITH YOUR $5 FEE !!!

BALANCED ROCKS, WALLS OF ROCKS, CAVES IN THE ROCKS. COWBOYS RIDING AROUND, HIKERS HIKING. IT WAS AWE INSPIRING.

WENT TO THE TRADING POST AND GAWKED AT THE INFINITE CHOICE OF STUFF AND CRAP. BUT THE PARK IS FREE, SO THEY HAVE TO FUND IT SOMEHOW.

WE HAD COFFEE AND SNACKS AT THE OBSERVATION CENTER. ALL THE WHILE, A HUGE MULE DEER ( 6 POINTS ) WAS MUNCHING ON THE LEAVES OF SOME BUSHES, LESS THAN 100 FEET AWAY.

THEN WE VISITED MANITOU SPRINGS, GATEWAY TO PIKE'S PEAK. AN ARTIST COLONY THRIVES THERE AND WE SAW SOME AMAZING CRAFTS. BOUGHT A MUSIC BOX. LUNCH IN A REAL HOMEY BAR. BUFFALO BURGER WAS SUPERB. ENDED THE DAY BY GOING FOR A WALK AND GOT A PICTURE OF A BUNNY.

TOMORROW, THE AIR ACADEMY.

HOW YOU DOIN'

4 DAY UPDATE - LOTS HAS HAPPENED !!!

WELL, FROM CORN PALACE TO PIKE'S PEAK. WHAT A COUNTRY, U.S.A.!

WE LEFT MITCHELL, AND HEADED WEST TO RAPID CITY. YES, THE FAMOUS RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA. THE WINDS WERE UNBELIEVABLE. WE SAW A HOUSE THAT HAD BEEN BLOWN OVER ON IT'S SIDE. WELL, IT WAS ONLY HALF OF A MANUFACTURED HOME, BUT IT HAD BEEN FLIPPED OFF THE TRUCK AND LAY ON IT'S SIDE.

WE CROSSED THE MISSOURI, AND IT WAS C.C.C.COLD. 34 DEGREES. DROVE THRU THE BADLANDS AND ENDED UP AT WALL DRUGS, IN WALL, SD.

THE BIGGEST TOURIST TRAP EVER BUILT. MAKES PEDRO LOOK LIKE A DEPANNEUR. PEOPLE ACTUALLY COME HERE AS A DESTINATION AND LOOK AT THE INCREDIBLE MASS AND ACCUMULATION OF USELESS JUNK EVER COLLECTED IN ONE PLACE. BOUGHT SOME FUDGE ( IS'S BECAUSE OF THE FUDGE...). LOOKED AT ORIGINAL WYETH PAINTINGS. AMAZING.

RAPID CITY IS FANTASTIC. ART ON EVERY STREET CORNER. WE THOUGHT THE CAMPGROUND WAS NEAR TOWN. IT WAS 29 MILES AWAY, AND THE GPS SENT US ON A WILD GOOSE CHASE, AGAIN.

CAMPGROUND WAS GREAT. IT USED TO BE A RANCH. GENERAL CUSTER STAYED THERE. I WENT IN A BUILDING THAT WAS USED BY CUSTER. WOW !!

THE STONE PRESIDENTS ARE AWE INSPIRING. MET A GUY WHO WORKED ON THE PROJECT. HE WAS SELLING A BOOK AND WAS UNBELIEVABLY SURLY. I ASKED HIM WHY THEY HAD SCULPED THE PRESIDENTS. " TO GET PEOPLE TO COME TO SOUTH DAKOTA. AND IT WORKED." WENT TO SEE CRAZY HORSE, AND BECAUSE OF EXHORBITANT PRICE ($27 ) WE DID NOT GO IN BUT LOOKED FROM THE ROAD.

A STORM WAS COMING. THE GUY ON TV SAID THAT IF YOU COULD GET OUT OF TOWN, GO !!!!!! COLD AND SNOW ( 8 INCHES ) AND WINDS TO 65 MILES PER HOUR. SO, WE WENT.

THE GUYS AT THE CG GAVE US A GREAT SHORTCUT AND WE HEADED SOUTH, 406 MILES, 25 MILES SOUTH OF DENVER, COLORADO.

DROVE THRU THE NATIONAL GRASSLANDS AND THE BLACK HILLS. WE SAW HUNDREDS OF DEER AND ANTELLOPES, AND DID NOT HEAR A SINGLE DISCOURAGING WORD. SAW SOME BUFFALO AND FOXES. STOPPED IN CHUGWATER FOR LUNCH. YES, CHUGWATER...

WYOMING AND THE PEOPLE ARE TOUGH AND INDEPENDENT.

MADE IT TO CASTLE ROCK. CG WAS DESIGNED MOSTLY FOR PEOPLE ON HORSEBACK, WHO LIKE TO TENT, OR CURL UP IN A YURT. IT IS WITHIN 50 FEET FROM THE TRAIN TRACK. BIG, LOUD TRAINS CAME THROUGH THE NIGHT. THEY HAD BBQ GRILLS AMDE OUT OF OLD CAR WHEELS.

TODAY, WE CAME TO KOA IN FOUNTAIN, CO. WE WILL STAY HERE FOR 3 NIGHTS.

HOW YOU DOIN'?

UPDATE - NORTH TO SOUTH ???

LOTS HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. WE WENT TO MOLINE AND LOOKED AT SOME ROCK ISLAND LINE ROLLING STOCK, CROSSED THE MISSISSIPPI 4 TIMES AND VISITED THE JOHN DEERE MUSEUM.

ROCK ISLAND LINE IS A MIGHT FINE LINE, AS THE SONG GOES. WE SAW A REFURBISHED CABOOSE AND SOME INTERESTING STUFF THERE. WE ALSO VISITED A "AVENUE OF HEROES" MEMORIAL.

THE JOHN DEERE MUSEUM IS AWESOME. WE SAW SOME REALLY BIG LAWN MOWERS. $1,000,000 GETS YOU A COMBINE THAT CAN CUT AND MULCH ENOUGH CORN IN 1 MINUTE TO FILL A DUMP TRUCK. JOHN DEERE IS AN EXACT TWIN TO JOHN WAYNE.....MMM? COINCIDENCE?

WENT TO A NATIONAL CEMETERY, BUT WE COULD NOT GET IN. IT IS ON A MILITARY BASE, AND AS WE ARE NOT U.S. CITIZEN, WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH A SECURITY CHECK BY THE FBI. IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN OVER AN HOUR - INTERVIEW, PICS AND FINGERPRINTS. POST 9-11 SECURITY.

WENT TO A CASINO AND MADE ENOUGH MONEY FOR A TANK OF GAS. WHOO-WHOO!!

SAW A "STEP-BAND" AND SOME DRUMLINE KIDS PUTTING ON A GREAT SHOW AT A HUBCAP DEALER. IT WAS FANTASTIC. BOOM-BOOM POW !!

DAWN SUNDAY, DEPARTURE FOR OMAHA, NEBRASKA. SAW THE BIGGEST TRUCK STOP IN THE WORLD. 1200 PARKED TRUCKS!
THERE IS NO SMOKING OUTSIDE AT THE REST AREAS IN IOWA. OUTSIDE......IMAGINE THAT, FOLKS.

WE HAD UNBELIEVABLE CROSSWINDS, 30 TO 40 MPH GUSTS. IT WAS LIKE DRIVING A BILLBOARD. THE CAMPGROUND WAS A GENERIC KOA. BUT, FOR A PIT STOP, IT WAS OK. LEFT OMAHA EARLY AND HEADED NORTH TO SOUTH DAKOTA. HENCE THE HEADLINE.

STILL WINDY, JUST AS WINDY AS YESTERDAY. AND COLD. WINDCHILL IN THE 30'S.

WE MADE IT TO MITCHELL, SD. AND VISITED THE ----- CORN PALACE. A HUGE ARENA/THEATER COMPLEX, COVERED WITH EARS OF CORN. I REPEAT --- A HUGE ARENA/THEATER COMPLEX, COVERED WITH EARS OF CORN.

HERE ARE SOME PICS, MORE TO COME. I NEED A FREE AND FAST CONNECTION, SO, MAYBE TOMORROW.

HOW YOU DOIN'??