June 18th - June 24th 2012 ~~Heading Home~~

June 18th    Monday

1st full day at Beaver Lake Campground, Custer,SD... Up early, it is still MST, and it is a killer.. The Doggett's were coming over at 10 am and we were going to go driving through the park and site seeing. We drove the Needles Highway and it was so narrow going through the 1st tunnel.. we made it though..  Just beautiful scenery.

We did see some buffalo's and a donkey and of course a few antelope and deer.  We drove up to Keystone and had lunch at a Pizza Deli...Came back to Custer and sat outside and then later we grilled steaks and had salad and baked potato and homemade rhubarb torte for dessert.  After they left, I quick did the dishes and Dan took Herbie out for his evening walk, and I got ready for bed.  It was a long day.....

June 18th    Tuesday

Up early again, and had breakfast.  Dan had to go up to our friend Tom and Gerry Weber and repair a propane line that he had ruined when he had a flat tire on his 5th wheel on the way from Gillette to Custer on Sunday.. It took him about 3 hours and he was back and showered and we were on our way.  Went through the park again and then went to see Crazy Horse Memorial.  Not much was done since the last time we were there 2 years ago.. 

On the way back we went on the wildlife loop and we seen so many animals.  We were really fortunate to see all these animals.. Herds and herds of buffalo, Rams, antelope, prongs, wild turkey's, and donkey's.  What a riot we had with the donkey's. When we left in the morning I took a 3# bag of carrots.  Oh they seen we had carrots and they all came running.  We had our windows open and we all had carrots and they had their heads in the windows begging for more..  Alot of the animals had alot of babies with them and they were just so precious. 

We got back to the trailer and had a happy hour and then we went out to dinner at the Cowboy Cafe...I had liver and onions and the rest had country fried steak.  They had a nice gift shop also.  After dinner Dan and I got back to the trailer and started putting things away so we could leave early in the morning. Then the rains started and it rained and thundered all through the night.

June 19th    Wednesday

Awake at 5:30 and up at 6 PM.. I made a cup of Ginger Peach Tea and watched the sun rise.  It was cold out 49 degrees.. Dan made the coffee and took Herbie out and I got cleaned up and dressed.  We had made plans last night to meet The Doggett's at The Cowboy Cafe for breakfast at 8AM.. We thought that it would be easier to hook up and just leave from Custer restaurant.  We had a nice breakfast and then said our Thank You's and Good byes, and see ya in Texas..  They were behind us when we pulled out and we took Hwy 16a to hwy 36 to hwy 79 to I-90.  Pat called us and said that we had to pull over that something was dragging under our 5th wheel, so Dan found a place to pull over and went and looked and seen that our caliper bracket bolts and a weld broke and the caliper spun around a broke a brake line off.  We stopped at a rest area before Wall, SD and he took the wheel off and removed the broken parts and we drove to Chamberlain with no trailer brakes.  Once we got unhooked we went to Chamberlain NAPA store and he got some parts that he needed to temporally repair it until we get home.. Now we have 3 trailer brakes working at least.  It is a blessing that Daniel knows so much about mechanics and can do his own repairs.

After repairs were done we went across the street and had dinner and came home and relaxed...

June 20th    Thursday

We left Oasis Campground, Chamberlain SD around 8:30 AM.. Weather was a tad chilly and we had our jackets on for a shot while. We decided that we would stay at Albert Lea or Austin Minnesota, well I punch in LaCrosse Wisc, just to see what time we would get there..  Well then we decided that we would go into Wisconsin. We arrive in LaCrosse at 4:15 PM..  There were lots of State troopers in So. Dak and all across, Minnesota..  The corn crops were well over knee hi and the fields were oh so green. Weather was beautiful, not hot and a slight wind.  Not much traffic either, but in Minnesota I-90, the roads were really Ruff.  We chose Pettibone Rv Resort on the Mississippi River.  We have never been here and what a mistake.  It is going on our list of "Not Going Back".. It is a nice looking and kept up park, no sewer sites, Cable is available, but not guaranteed to work and does not work, 30 AMP electric and it is in a flood zone and luckily it is dry.  With our Good Sam discount our bill was 35.00 plus change.  Made leftover's for dinner and made reservations for tomorrow night at Riverside County Park in Menominee, MI.. That is one of our favorite parks and we are about 2 1/2 hours from home.. We need to get home and wash the truck and trailer. In the Black Hills we drove in rain for about 50+ miles.. It is so so dirty..

June  21st   Friday

Up at 5:15 am and sun is shining in the bedroom window.  There is "The Bass Master's Classic" fishing tournament and the boats, all 98 of them are running the river to get their fishing spot.
Stopped in Green Bay at Farm Fleet and picked up a few things. Then headed north to Michigan.

 River Park County Campground, Menominne Michigan

Marinette Marine, on Menominne River

Had a nice ride to Menominne, MI, where we are spending the night at RiverPark, a city park..  We arrived around 3 PM  and then went into Marinette and did some shopping and then went for Chinese food and now, we are chilling out..

June 22nd   Saturday

Arrived home around 12 noon.. "HOME SWEET HOME"  As we pulled in the yard we seen that they grass needed cutting.  We got the camper parked and Herbie hopped out and went a sniffing, Looking to see who was  in his yard.  I was surprised to see my flowers that are blooming. My peonies had bloomed and died already... I missed them..  I went and checked on Mrs. Robin who built her nest on the electrical box.. Well, it looked like she had an empty nest. I then walked on the side of the house and there was a baby that got out of the nest and was hopping around.  I didn't know what to do, so I went in the house and looked out the window and seen MOM by her and she was feeding it and she gave it a nudge here and there..

 I went and watered a few places and then I helped Dan bring in stuff from the trailer.  Lots of Laundry...Dan changed his clothes and went out mowing.  It took him about 3 hours... Yes, we have alot that we cut.  It sure looks pretty when it is done.  I started laundry, and did a few things.  We just have to re-pack the trailer as we are going to go to Camping with our friends, Jim and Lou from Tomah and Ralph and Barb from Valparaiso, IN at Munising Tourist Park on Lake Superior.  Munising has the best 4th of July celebration and fireworks that I have ever seen....  Everyone come home to Munising for the 4th of July. We had a very simple supper and then We hit our chairs to relax and unwind....

June 23rd   Sunday

Good Morning, Happy to be home, I made breakfast for Ron and Eileen and Dan and I this morning..We made Jim DeVoes homemade healthy waffles and sausage.. Yummy, We bought a new waffle iron on our trip and it works great.. Herbie and Molly were so excited to see each other.. After they left, Dan went out and had to cut a tree down.  He hates to cut trees, but this one was getting pretty bad and it was by a garden.  Then we went out and moved some rocks to re- do a garden..    Weather is sunny and warm, it had rained last night and that was good for the flowers. 

It is going to be a busy week for us, getting things ready for our friends to come.

June 11th - June 17th 2012 -Gillette, WY Camp-Plex

June 11th    Monday

Gillette, is windy and cold this morning..Got up early 5 AM and that is that they sun is shining in my eyes so brightly.  Turned on the fireplace, made a cup of tea and settled in my chair and turned on the news and the computer...  We went out for breakfast with some Heartlanders. 

Then afterwards Dan dropped me off at a nail place to get a pedicure..

June 12th  Tuesday

More Heartlanders were arriving today.. The park is filling up.

 We got a little more settled and then we went to the rally hall set up tables and goods that we will be selling for the Heartland Market.  We had 3 tables full of items..We went back I had to borrow some tomato sauce from my friend Stella as I thought I had some with me and it was to late to go to the store.  We invited our neighbors from Indiana to join us for dinner and they were new to the rally life.  We had a great time and lots of laughs.  Before we knew it, it was 10 PM and we said our good nights.   Our lights went out soon after.

June  13th   Wednesday

Good morning, it is windy this morning and cooler.. as the afternoon arrived is getting hot and of course sunny...Dan and I had our 1st day as vendors, and it was so nice to meet old friends and new friends.. Jim and Bette McGee were in the vendor area, and I had seen them and I was over at another table.  I was walking over to see them and I tripped over a orange rubber  mat over electrical wires and down i went for the count.  My rubber on my shoes and the rubber on the mat connected. I was very fortunate that I did not land on my replaced knee and that i did not break a arm or wrist that I landed on.

Pat and Jim Doggett arrived.  They came to the rally but are staying in a motel as they left their 5th wheel in Texas. 

Wisconsin Chapter had a meet and greet at 3 PM.  Everyone was suppose to bring finger food.  Oh my there was alot of food there.  Nice to see everyone again.  Later the Doggetts, Housers, and Maisack's and Dan and I we all went to dinner at a Mexican Restaurant.. We had a great time.

Went back to the Camplex and I took Herbie for a ride on Maiscak's golf cart and I stopped to talk to someone and they had their dog out for a walk. 

Herbie jumped off the cart and went to meet the dog and was sniffing around and went and pee'd on Rex's leg. OH MY GOSH!  I was shocked and tongue tied for a few seconds and I apologized profusely, and scolded Mr. Herbie.  I did not stay long, being so embarrassed..   Time to relax and unwind...  Good Night!

June 14th   Thursday

Sunny again at  5AM,  sun was shining in my window and woke me up.  We had breakfast and got ready to go up to the vendor hall to sell Heartland Items again.

Had another long day, but we did so well again for day two.  Met some more new people and visited some more... This is the actual first day of the rally and we had a heartland Pot Luck.. Chicken was being furnish and everyone was to bring a dish to pass..  Lots and Lots of good food and desserts. 

133 rigs had arrived... Dan and I brought Lasagna and at our table was the Doggetts, Housers, Maisacks,and Dan and I..The Heartland version of the Newly wed game was played and fun and laughs were in order.  We were really tired and headed home early.

June 15th   Friday

We were up early again, oh my, I don't know if I will ever recover from the time change.  Had our breakfast and then down to the Rally Hall to open up our table for the final day... Still lots of shoppers.. Jim had ordered lunch for some and we had a break and then back to work.

I had a flower pin making class, I was not sure how many would attend, but I had lots of supplies. Mary Hromek was my assistant, helping out some of the ladies get started. I think I had 14 ladies and they had a great time.. so many different color of pins.. 

while I was doing my class Dave Hromek (COOKIE) was helping Dan and Jim inventory the surplus and box them up and get them ready to be shipped back to Indiana..  Dan and I went back to trailer and rested for awhile before we had to back to the rally hall for dinner. Tonight everyone was suppose to wear their Heartland shirt.

The entertainment was Kenny Miller and he was an impersonator for many music artists. 

 He did a great job...We did not stay for the whole show as we had all we could do to keep our eyes open.  Does that mean we are getting old????

June 16th   Saturday

Nice and sunny morning. We were up early and had our breakfast.  We are scheduled to go on a Coal Mine Tour.. The mine is a strip mine and it is just amazing to see the black strips of coal.. The machinery is the biggest I've ever seen.  One tire on a end loader costs 70,000.00. 

 After the tour was done we came home and had lunch and visited. Before we knew it, it was time to get up to the rally hall for dinner, prizes and entertainment. We had chicken picattica, sliced round of beef and salad, scalloped potato's and veggies.. Very nice prizes were given out, 3 TV's and a handmade lamp from deer horns, and gift cards for fuel..  We won a gift card for 50.00 and our friend Les and Janice Houser from Nebraska won a 19 in flat screen TV... 

The entrainment was a blind lady 28 years old who plays piano and sings. Sara Getto is her name and she entertains around the country during the winter.  She has played in the Refurgio Country Music Show in Texas.

Another full day is done with.

June 17th    Sunday

Last morning of the rally. We got up and went to the rally hall for breakfast and say our good byes.  The continental breakfast was really good. Hot Oatmeal with fixn's bagels, fresh fruits, dry cereals, delicious sweet rolls and coffee and tea.  We sat with a couple from Nebraska and a couple from Missouri.  The couple from Missouri, we found out were on the same cruise we were on in February.  They will be coming to Port Aransas this coming winter and I told them that they have to join The Heartland Winter Texan Group.

We went to Wal-mart and got a few items that we needed before we left for Custer. Came back to our trailer and got hooked up. Alot of people were gone already.  Headed out for Custer. 

Took Hwy 16 and it was a nice scenic ride. 

Arrived at Beaver Lake Campground, got settled in our site and Pat and Jim Doggett came for a visit and we made plans to go out to dinner. Went to the Bavarian Inn for German food. They left and I went and took a long nap.  I sure was tired. There was a few more Heartlander's in the park.  The temps got to 97 and it was hot. After dinner we took a ride thru a part of the park. 

                          It was great week ....