Where RV Now

What a great time we had in Rapid City, SD. Our first stop was Bear Country, USA, a drive-thru wildlife park. We did this right when they opened at 7:30 in the morning, which I would highly recommend. The animals were active & close to the roadway, plus fewer cars & people at that time. We saw elk, reindeer, buffalo, mountain lions, and lots & lots of bears. After the drive-thru area there is a walkway that has more animals plus baby cubs. They were hilarious! This was one of our most favorite animals parks ever!

Our next stop was Mount Rushmore. What can I say about that? It’s funny how after hearing about it for 50 years, it didn’t seem as big as I was expecting. However, it was a great stop to make.

Next we took a drive thru the Black Hills of SD. We drove the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway. It is rated one of the top five scenic byways in the United States. It consists of Needles Highway, Iron Mountain Road, within the Custer State Park. There are several rock tunnels to drive through, some tunnels are only 9 feet wide. No RV’s or campers on this road. Sylvan Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes we have seem which is on the same route. Definitely worth a stop & walk around the lake area. Great place for a picnic and a swim.

Elk

I don’t do mornings….

“Big Foot”

Buffalo inside Bear Country USA

King of the Tree! Baby cub playing

Baby cubs in Bear Country USA, Rapid City, SD

Napping Arctic Wolves

Mount Rushmore, had to capture the Arkansas Flag in the picture.

Driving through tunnel in Custer State Park, SD

Tunnels in the Southern Black Hills

Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway in the Southern Black Hills, SD

Driving thru tunnel in the Black Hills, SD

Sylvan Lake, SD

Lee & Carol at Sylvan Lake, In the Black Hills, SD

Driving thru tunnel in Custer State Park, South Dakota

Drove to Chamberlain, SD today from Forest City Iowa. Great little spot to stop to camp on the Missouri River at Cedar Shore Resort. We had dinner & drinks outside by the Tiki Hut. Then decided to rent a pontoon for a early evening trip on the river. It was a nice night to be out on the water. We would recommend the resort for camping. There is a pool & hot tub at the lodge that is available to campers, as well as the boat rentals. Off tomorrow to Mt Rushmore!

Tiki Hut, at Cedar Shore Campground & Lodge

Boating on the Missouri River in Chamberlain, SD

Missouri River, Chamberlain, SD

Selfie Time!

Missouri River, Chamberlain, SD

Sun setting on the Missouri River

We went to Forest City, Iowa for the Winnebago Rally. This year’s concert was the Jefferson Starship. Remember them? They sang “Jane”, “Sara” “We Built This City”. It was a great night, great weather, after the concert, great fireworks.
What else is in Forest City? Corn fields, and corn fields, & more corn fields.

Jefferson Starship, Winnebago Rally

Jefferson Starship

Jefferson Starship

Hello Everyone,
I haven’t posted for a while so I thought I better catch up a little. We’ve had a lot going on. We decided to trade RV’s while we were at the RV Show in Goshen, IN. We bought a 2014 Charleston by Forest River, 44′ diesel. Let me recommend Total Value RV, in Elkhart, IN to anyone looking for sales or service. They are wonderful! They’re a small family owned & operated company. They treat you like a person not a number. Please stop by there & see them, let them know we sent you.

After learning all about the new RV, we headed out to Toledo OH for 3 days where we stayed at Maumee Bay State Park. What a great park. Very reasonable rates, especially during the week. All of the sites are larger than any we have ever seen. Very quite and private. In the picture of our RV you can see the distance between other sites. They have miles of bike / walking trails in the park. We happen to be there the weekend of the Lighthouse Festival, with music in the park all weekend.

Last night we stopped at Utica, IL at Hickory Hollow Campground. They are a Passport America park, great rates. The park was very nice. A great stop when traveling through, close and easy off the I-80. We went to Starved Rock Park to walk the trails however they were closed due to flooding.

Today we’re heading to Forest City, IA for the Winnebago Rally.

Maumee Bay State Park, Toledo OH

Our new RV

Bike trail in Maumee Bay State Park

Inside our new RV

Bathroom with washer & Dryer in the new RV

Lee biking

Lake Erie

Starved Rock Park, Utica IL

God is good! Blessings everyone.

We went to the RV Hall of Fame in Elkhart IN today. A must see when you’re in the area. It is amazing the progress RV’s have made over the years, yet still so much the same.

RV Hall of Fame

1947 Westwood Coronado

Poker Annie asking Lee’s advice on her poker hand

It was great catching up with our friends Hal & Jae in Benton Harbor, MI. Enjoyed a great lunch the day before the Goshen, IN RV Rally.

Hal, Jae, Lee & Carol in Benton Harbor, MI

We went to Coopersville Michigan to visit my brother, David and his wife, Karen. We also got to spend time with my nephew Mark and his daughter, Neallie. David & Karen were our tour guides to Ludington to the State Park where we went up to the top of a Lighthouse. So cool. I hadn’t been in Michigan in 37 years, which was for their wedding. I was glad we were able to go visit them. We also got to go to Holland’s Windmill Island. I was so disappointed that we had missed the tulips. We had missed them by a couple of weeks. We took a tour of the working mill, which is very interesting if you ever get the chance to see it.

Nephew Mark & great niece, Neallie in Coopersville MI

My sister-in-law, Karen’s flowers

Beautiful flowers at Holland Windmill Island

Working Windmill, Holland MI

Dave & Karen Dean at Ludington MI

I would never push my brother, Dave off the Lighthouse!!! Or would I?

Looking out a lighthouse window

We had a great time while we were in the Cleveland / Akron area spending time with Sarah and Dave. We stayed at Woodside Lake in Streetsboro. It was a great park with lots of activities, including a hayride in the evenings. We had a bird make a nest in our fire pit, so no fires for us. We got to go to see a Indians game. Great game. Great fireworks afterwards. We went to have dinner where Sarah was our server. It was a great dinner, and the best server we have ever had! Our last day with Sarah we spent in Chagrin Falls, having lunch & time enjoying the falls. What a nice little downtown area they have. We always have fun playing Hand & Foot card game with Sarah & Dave. It’s always a little sad when we have to say goodbye to her.

Cleveland Rocks! with a win to Colorado. Great time with Dave & Sarah

In front of Mitchell’s

Birds Nest in our fire pit

Lee & Sarah at Chagrin Falls OH

Thanks so much to Uncle Al & Aunt Sue for hosting a Memorial Day Cookout.  The hamburgers were great, but Charlie says “the hot dogs were the best he ever had!”  The guys played Corn Hole, then we all joined in a game of Guesstures. I think the guys might have won.  The pool was open for Charlie & Audrey to swim in, a little chilly but they didn’t let that stop them.  It was great seeing everyone.

Audrey….being Audrey

Charlie…being Charlie

Carol…being “Down with that”!

Our Memorial Day Hostess, Sue

The guys after a friendly game of Corn Hole, Lee, Dave, Al, & Mark Jr.

Uncle Butch at the picnic

Eve & Van Thaxton

Lee & I are at Woodside Lake Park in  Streetsboro, Ohio for a few days visiting with his family.  Today we enjoyed a day in the park to celebrate our great nephew, Camden’s first birthday.  He surprised us all when he went face first into his cake.  He must really like his cake!  What a beautiful day it was.  Tomorrow will be a great day with Uncle Al & Aunt Sue, can’t wait!

Camden’s first birthday cake

Unexpectedly, Camden decides to nose dive into his cake.

Camden really likes his cake!

Lee with his great nephew, Camden

Leah & Lynda, her mother-in-law

Randy & Leah Stilwell, our niece & husband. Leah & Randy are expecting their first baby!

Holly Reimer, Kim Thaxton, Eva Thaxton, & Carol

Lee & Carol

Terry & Kim Thaxton

Lee, Holly, & Terry

Opening presents. What fun!

Camden with his Uncle Randy, with grandparents looking on.

Grandpa Terry with Camden