Camp Jellystone

Wow another great nights sleep. The temperature dropped down to 59 and we all slept really well. We woke up to cloudy skies with a prediction of off and on showers through out the day. Might have to skip the pool but still a great day to relax and get a few things done.  After breakfast we walked the dogs and then planned our day. We decided to make a Wal-Mart / Costco run and maybe grab lunch out since it was raining at the time. We were in a hurry to get back to the campground because they were showing Yogi Bear cartoons in the Yogi theatre at 3:30 and I wanted Lyn to see them. When we left Costco I managed to back out and hit another car with new handy dandy cargo rack. This is something that I had been worried about because it sticks out three feet behind my car and it is easy to forget that it was back there. (Or at least easy for me.) I got out and noticed that it was a pretty newish Cadillac. Oh dang this could be trouble! The owner got out and was very nice. We both looked at it and could find no damage. We think the cargo rack must have hit her tire and not touched her actual car. Thank God for that. We finally made it back to camp and was able to catch the last cartoon! I will have to admit they were much funnier when I was a kid but oh well it least we could check it off the list. Lyn and Joanne went to wash clothes and I decided to go to a local grocery store to get ice and charcoal. When I got back I noticed that my dad’s car was moved and there was water everywhere. It was kind of like it had rained really hard but just in one 40 by 40 foot area. Well come to find out my Dad had run into the camp water faucet and knocked it completely off which caused the water to shoot out about 30 feet in the air. In other words he created a man made “Old Faithful” right there at Camp Yogi! He went down to tell the office and they came down and fixed it right away. They said it had happened before but no one ever admitted that they did it. After that we had a camp neighbor come over and admire the 1964 Tradewinds camper. The guy said that his wife saw my Dad getting out of it and said that guy and that camper are old enough to have been at Woodstock so he came over to find out the deal was and really seemed to like the camper even if it never made it to Woodstock. After that we cooked out over an open fire. We went to bed around 10.  I think for a “rest day” we had done enough! Tomorrow we are headed to the Badlands National Park. Exciting times for sure!!

Relaxing!

Lyn and Jasper!

Lyn and her favorite blanket!

Yogi Bear cartoons!

Joanne trying to get over her "down day"!

Headed to Sioux Falls, SD

What a difference a good nights sleep makes! We all woke up feeling great and somewhat ready for another long day on the road. Today we are going to Sioux Falls SD. It is about 6.5 hours away. We got started around 9 and once making it through the crazy morning traffic in Kansas City we had a nice open road. About half way there we stopped at Council Bluffs. The house that Joanne’s Mom grew up in was there and we were going to try to find it.  Luckily it was right off the highway. We were able to stop by and take a picture. The neighborhood had a lot of houses that were being renovated and Joanne’s Mom’s house was one of them. Pretty cool for Joanne to be able to see her Mom’s house.  Once we got back on the road we had about 3 more hours to go. We arrived at Jellystone Campground at around 4 and noticed one thing right away. The “Hot Lady” was no longer hot!! The temperature was only 79 with a prediction of a 61 degrees for a night time low. Built in air conditioning!!! Sweet!!! After a great dinner cooked by Lyn and a visit from Yogi Bear himself we went to bed around 10 PM. Pretty uneventful day with not too much to report however it just might have been exactly what we needed to leave the struggle bus behind. Tomorrow will be a relaxing day in camp Jellystone!!!

The house where Joanne's Mom grew up.

Lunch on the road!

The Taj Ma Tent!

Camp!

Dinner Time!!! Mmmmm Mmmm Good!!!

The man!!!!

Good night from Camp Jellystone!!!

St. Louis

Last night the temperature dropped down to about 72 and we all had a good nights sleep. We left the campground around 9AM and headed to Walmart. We finally hit the road around 10AM. The next stop was to have lunch at the St. Louis arch and meet a past coworker of mine Kelly there. We were running behind but luckily there was a time change so we would be given an hour back. Yea!!! On the way there it rained off and on and generally looked like bad weather was going to be happening when we got to St. Louis. Luckily when we got there it remained overcast but no rain. We met Kelly and had a picnic lunch and just got caught up in general. Kelly left Southern about 3 years ago so it was great to see her. Dad and Joanne tried to go to the arch but the line was too long so we decided to get back to the road. We still had over three more hours to go so we got back on the road.

Kelly and Lyn

We were all pretty tired when we finally got to the KOA Kansas City  East campground. Lyn started fixing a late dinner and the rest of us set up camp. Btw it was hot not just hot but hot and humid. If needed a reminder of how hot it was just ask Joanne she was ready to tell you this fact at any moment. We started referring to her as the hot lady!!! Ha Ha We were all kind of on the struggle bus! Organization and getting into a routine has been the hardest thing to get nailed down. We are a traveling caravan with thousands of pieces t keep up with and are not doing a very good job at the moment. About every 5 minutes we would here my Dad ask Joanne where an item was only to be told that he just had it in is hand earlier. This was always followed by my Dad saying "I know that! I am asking where it is now." Finally my Dad told me he was going to take a shower and try to come back with a better attitude!! Ha Ha! Well I am not sure if it worked but he did come back clean and much cooler then when he left Luckily the temperature dropped and we all slept great and felt much better this morning. Today it is off to South Dakota and Jellystone Campground!!!! 

"The Hot Lady!"

Rest stop lunch!

Chilling out!

49.8 MPG! Loving the Prius!

Off and running!!!!!

Well the day finally came to leave for our cross country trip. We met my Dad and Joanne at their house at 7 AM with the plan to drive to Louisville Kentucky for he first stop of our cross country adventure. We had about an 8 hour drive ahead of us so we were anxious to get started. There are 6 of us this year and this will require two cars a tent and a camper. This camper was a true "Barn" find as it had been sitting in my Dad's barn for the last 15 years. My Dad bought it in 1964. It was a 64 Tradewinds that had been rented for one summer season so it was really good shape. I actually grew up camping and love the idea of taking it across the country. It weighs less than 500 lbs so it could even be pulled by my Toyota Prius. We recently bought a new canvas and thanks to great friends with great skills brought it back to life for this trip. The trip was pretty uneventful which is the way I like driving days. Mostly overcast with the occasional traffic jam. We had lunch at the same rest area that we stopped at last year. As usual the food was great. Thanks Lyn!!! We arrived at the KOA metro campground about 5:30. Lyn got busy fixing dinner and the rest of us set up camp. I had invited a friend from SGHS to meet us for dinner. Teresa had worked with me at Southern and had recently moved to Louisville KY. She arrived about 6:45 and we had a great dinner and fun conversation. After sitting around and talking for a few hours we had showers and went to bed about 10 PM. It finally cooled off and we slept well. Jasper has fallen right back into the routine of being a camp dog and is already in chill mode. This morning we woke up about 6 and will be heading to the St. Louis Arch and meeting some more friends. Hope the weather holds up but if not it will be on to plan B whatever that is!!!

New cargo rack for the back!

Ready to go!

Dinner time!!

Hanging out!

And so the adventure begins!

Well, it's about that time again. We are leaving Saturday, June 28th for another summer adventure. On the first part of our trip we will follow the same path as last year all the way to Yellowstone National Park. Then we will travel north to Glacier Park Montana and then start heading back east through Fargo, Green Bay, Chicago, and Niagara Falls as we make our way to Quebec City Canada. Then we will work our way back home through Boston, NYC and Virginia beach. Of course we will visit all of the places in between which is usually where the real adventure lies. Oh did I mention that my Dad, Joanne and their dog Noel are going with us. They have caught the bug and will be following us this year. They have fixed up a 1960's pop up camper and will be living in it with maybe the occasional night in a hotel. Lyn, Jasper and I will be roughing it in a tent again. We did get a new bigger tent this year so I guess we will not be roughing it after all. Stay tuned the road is calling and luckily for us it is calling our name!

This is just our best guess on the route.

This camper is the same one that I camped in as a kid.

This is our new luxurious "Taj Ma Tent!!