Hellow everyone. I'm back! Had a GREAT vacation!!! Only regret is I could
not fit the meet into it also.
Flew to ST. Paul, MN on Thur. for a wedding on Friday. We rented a mini van
for running around. Sat. we went to downtown Minneapolis and took their
trolly around the area for a history lesson. That was very interesting.
What really supprised me, was they have kept so much of their old building
etc. My area (Tidewater) has been around for about 200 more years, and
we don't have any of the old building. They have all been leveled except
Williamsburg and James Town.
On Sunday, left ST. Paul - headed for Rapid City, SD.
Got a very late start so we only made it to Souix Falls. Spent the night
there and enjoyed the Falls and their nightly light show. Monday morning
went to Mitchel, SD and toured the Corn Palace. Then headed South through
Yankton and Tyndall. My wifes family is from there so we had to try and find
her Grandparents house in town. We did, and meet the owner and her brother
and sister. Turns out the lady that owns the house lived in the Tidewater
area for about 35 years before going back to SD. Left Tyndal and went down
to Marty and Fort Randall. Crossed the Damn at Ft Randall, and went about
1 mi. into Nebraska, just to say we were there. Back up to SD to I90. It
was getting late so we only made it to Murdo, SD that night. Tues. we
continued heading West. Of course the obligitory stop a Wall Drug for
lunch, then back on the road. Through the "Bad Lands" and saw some prarie
dog collonies. We got to Rapid City about 3PM. After we got a motel room,
we went out to Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse. Wed. it was off to the Wolly
Mamoth dig down in Hot Springs. That was something to see!!! Then Back
to Rapid City to Reptial Gardens. Also something to see if you're into
reptials - which ScottE (#2 son is). The last stop for the day was Cosmos
- basically a fun house - water runs up hill and you can't stand up streight.
Thur. we checked out of our motel room and headed to Devils Tower, WY - of
Close Encounters of the Third Kind fame. Then we started heading back east.
Stopped in Dead Wood on the 125th anniversary of Wild Bill Hickock's
assination (Aug 2, 1876) and watched the reinactment at the #10 Saloon.
I was a little disappointed in Dead Wood. Last time I was there was in 1979.
In the late 80s they made gambeling legal to support the restoration of Dead
Wood. So now as you walk up and down Main St. all you see is one arm bandets.
There are a couple of interesting museams there we went through though.
Last stop in Dead Wood was Boot Hill. We saw Hickocky, Clamity Jane, and
Potato Creek Johnny's graves. Again it was getting late, so we started East,
and made it to Murdo again. Spent the night there. Fri. the race was on to
get back to St. Paul to turn in the rental car. Arrived there about 6:30pm.
Got a motel room and did our final packing for the flight home Sat. morning.
I can't believe that we all got up a 5:30am to get to the airport for an 8am
flight, but somehow we did.
We put over 2200 mi. on the rental car in about 9 days and really had a
Blast!!!! Here in the "city" it's hard to remember how big and deversified
this country really is.
After we got home last night, we had to watch Close Encounters again! :)
John
John T. Blair WA4OHZ email: jblair@exis.net
Va. Beach, Va Phone: (757) 495-8229
48 TR1800 48 #4 Midget 65 Morgan 4/4 Series V
75 Bricklin SV1 77 Spitfire 71 Saab Sonett III
65 Rambler Classic
Morgan: www.team.net/www/morgan
Bricklin: www.bricklin.org
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