Awesome vistas in Zion National Park

 Zion is a must see national park.  The few pictures included do not do justice to the views that we saw.  The rock formations are huge and only give you a taste of the beauty of the landscape found in Utah. We drove around the east side of the park and drove though the Zion-Mount CarmelTunnel that was 1.1 miles long and was built in 1920's.  Entering the tunnel was like entering a cave because it was not lit inside.

Tomorrow we plan to return to Zion and go into the interior of the park. 

We were fortunate that we were treated to the color of the Aspens which had changed to their fall colors.  What a glorious experience.

Ghouls and Goblins

 We arrived at our campground after a six hour drive though Idaho and ending in Utah.  As we entered the campground we were greeted by ghouls and goblins.  The management had already decorated for Halloween.

Heading for Cedar City Utah near the canyons. We plan to visit Bryce and Zion National Parks.

The wildside of Bozeman

 Have enjoyed spending time with Patrick and Lena, and their dogs Ranger and Scout. The dogs were well behaved and loved being with us inside or out.

 
They live beside a creek and below the foothills.  It is a scenic area.  They have seen moose along the stream and in their yard.

We have spent time retelling stories of the past and laughing about the things that we did as a family which did not always go as planned.  Having not been in the area for some time we went back to our favorite restaurants and marvelled at how the town has changed from a quaint town into a growing city with congestion and traffic.

In the evening we played several games of "aggrevation" which was Bettie's dad's favorite game. 

This evening we are preparing to be on the road again and heading to Bryce and Zion National Parks.

Arrived in Bozeman

 Arrived at Bear Canyon Campground in Bozeman.  The day began with rain and wind, but it cleared up by noon and the scenery was beautiful.  Took this picture from our campsite. 

Spending time with Patrick and Lena the next few days.

When you see the teepees you are in South Dakota

 Arrived in South Dakota today and  stopped at two rest areas.  The picture shows the teepee that welcomed us to South Dakota.  The  second rest area is Bettie's favorite. If you pass Chamberlain, SD you will see a beautiful stainless steel sculpture that celebrates the Native American culture.


 This rest area also has an excellent small museum that has artifacts and displays explaining the trials of the Lewis and Clark expeditions that explored land which President Jefferson wanted to open to expansion westward.  They met with native americans, documented plants, and animals which they encountered and mapped rivers in the area that could be navigated.  Information shared with Jefferson was valuable to the early pioneers who traveled west.

Amana Colonies

We arrived Amana Colonies and stayed at an RV park that is huge, level, and quiet.  The next day we visited the shops and restaurants in this quaint village. We always visit the furniture shop which has furniture handcrafted from beautiful hardwoods.  This year it was interesting to see that they are now
showcasing more contemporary furniture designs.

We also visited a toy store which had a wide variety of toys from the past.  No computer games, or electronics.  It did have wooden blocks, stuffed animals, and "Dick and Jane" readers.  What a pleasant change.  

Had a coffee and lunch at Ronneburgs which had delicious German food.  After lunch we saw houses that were covered with vines.  We found out they grow grapes on their houses which they later harvest for wine.

Great First Day - Arrived at Galesburg, IL KOA

Had a great day to travel.  No rain and moderate traffic. We arrived at the Galesburg, IL KOA and setup on a nice shady site. One of the attractions in the area is a railroad museum which maintains a variety of older train equipment including a steam engine.  Unfortunately, the museum was closed, but some of the railcars and an engine were located outside. 

Albuquerque Balloon Festival 2025

 

On September 16th, 2025 we will be traveling west, visiting kids, hiking in some of our National Parks, attending the Albuquerque Balloon Festival, and traveling to Baton Rouge, LA to see our great grandson.  

Visit our site to enjoy our adventures out west.