Author: Mary Ann

While near Indiana we also visited the Indiana State Fair. It is the biggest one I have ever been to. We went on ‘Two Dollar Tuesday’ (admission was $2 and the trams were free).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last week we were near Cleveland Ohio. We visited two great locations. The Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

Football Hall of Fame

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

From Indiana Dunes we took a day trip up to Kalamazoo, MI. Aside from the cute name this city also had some interesting attractions.

The Gilmore Car Museum is a short distance from Kalamazoo. This is a beautiful old farm that belonged to Donald and Genevieve Gilmore. It all started when Genevieve gave Donald a Pierce Arrow for his birthday. He restored the Pierce Arrow and after that he started acquiring and restoring many classic cars. Eventually he purchased 90 acres of farmland in Hickory Corners, MI to house his collection. In addition to the cars he also acquired several old barns and had them moved and reconstructed on the site. Today, auto clubs and other museums also have exhibits on the grounds. There are hundreds of cars as well as an old diner and gas station. It was a pleasure to stroll and view this impressive collection.  You must visit here if you are ever in South Western Michigan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kalamazoo also has a great museum, Kalamazoo Valley Museum. Did you know that Gibson Guitars, Tinker Toys, and Checker Cabs all originated in Kalamazoo?

 

 

 

 

 

While we were in Indiana we stayed in Indiana Dunes State Park. A small piece of Lake Michigan coast is in Indiana and it contains Indiana Dunes. There have been struggles over the years between big industry and ecologists regarding the use and preservation of this natural area. Today the beaches in Indiana Dunes state park and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore are, for the most part, undeveloped but as you look in either direction up and down the beach you can see big industrial plants in both directions.

 

Last week we were in North Dakota and visited Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Before he was a Rough Rider and before he became President Teddy Roosevelt was a rancher. In the late 1800s he owned two ranches in North Dakota, Elkhorn Ranch and Maltese Cross Ranch.  He was not a very good rancher and both ranches failed within a few years. We may never have known anything about him had he succeeded. Decades later in 1947  the land around these ranches  was set aside as Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

The park was beautiful and not crowded. Lots to see.

Bison

 

 

 

 

 

Prarie Dogs (cute and noisy)

 

 

 

Interesting Rock Formations

 

 

 

Beautiful Scenery

 

We are now staying in Wall, SD (home of Wall Drug).

 

Mount Rushmore, and the Crazy Horse Memorial are nearby and we visited both Sunday.

 

 

 

Last week we were in Grand Teton National Park. What a beautiful place!! The Teton Mountain Range is like nothing I have ever seen before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We hiked around to the far side of Jenny Lake and took the ferry back. Reminds me a lot of Green Lake in Maine.

 

 

 

 

 

We took a 90 minute cruise on Jackson Lake and spotted some eagles (baby on edge of nest, mom watching from nearby dead tree).

 

 

 

And we saw plenty of other sights as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gardiner, MT

We are staying in Rocky Mountain RV Park in Gardiner, MT. By coincidence it is the same camground where our son, Greg, stayed 10 years ago on his cross country trip. We did not plan it and discovered it only when the campground owner noticed that another person with last name of Burt from Plainville, MA had stayed here before. We compared photos and turns out that our site today is almost in the same spot as Greg’s was.  I just love coincidences like that.

The reason we are in Gardiner is to visit Yellowstone National Park. Our campground in only a mile or two from the North Entrance. We have been in the park each of the four days since we arrived and are not done yet. Yellowstone is amazing and very large. Below are only some of the sights we’ve seen.

Welcome to Yellowstone

Yellowstone is the oldest National Park. The original entry is a beautiful stone arch. Unfortunately we were not able to get near it due to construction. But I got a picture.

Hot Springs and Geysers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spectacular Views

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone / Yellowstone River

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wildflowers

 

 

 

Wildlife!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Faithful Inn

 

Petrified Tree

Yesterday we left Coer D’Alene, Idaho where we stayed for a few days. Coeur D’Alene is the location of an incredible lake (Lake Coeur D’Alene).

We walked the boardwalk at the Coeur D’Alene Resort. The marina is surrounded by worlds longest floating boardwalk. The boats go in and out of the marina under an elevated section of the boardwalk  between two towers.

Of course there was a kayak trip involved in our visit. We passed the first few days due to windy conditions and choppy water. But on the third day (another choppy day) we decided to go anyway.

We are now in Issaquah, WA near Seattle.

On Wednesday we drove into Seattle to see the sights.

Pike Place Market reminded me a lot of Faneuil Hall and Haymarket Square in Boston.

 

 

 

We walked  through the Seattle Sculpture Park.

 

 

 

We, of course, visited the Space Needle.

 

 

 

 

Near the Space Needle is Chihuly Garden and Glass. This is an art exhibit featuring works of blown glass created by Dale Chihuly. It is really quite amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The piece below is outside. There is a robins nest and Mrs. Robin in the sculpture.

 

 

Also near the Space Needle is a great water fountain where many children and a few adults were cooling down.

 

 

We walked by a Cisco Building. I don’t think I know anyone who works in the Seattle office.

 

 

 

The following day we took our bikes to Alki Beach and rode a few miles.