Travels Summer 2013

June 4, 2013 arrived and we were on our way with the final destination Gillette, WY on June 14. We got stopped in Columbia, MO at Cummins for a generator repair.  But…we were on our way.  We made it!... for a week of Family Motor Coach International convention and a week of Frustrated Maestro playing.  Here’s how we got there.

 A ride across Kansas almost dictates a stop in Abilene at the Greyhound Hall of Fame and the Eisenhower Complex.  This is our third stop since 2002 when we were greyhound-less!  Having met a Canadian grey at Amana RV Park, IA we were smitten.  By our return trip in 2007 we had Trixie and Libby.  This trip we made pictures of Heidi and Daisy.  Heidi was very curious about the statue of a grey and Eisenhower.

 

We drove around Abilene seeing lots of old bldgs. These revealed a time of more productivity and bustle.  RRs were built to attract folks to the cows that were driven from TX.  Abilene became a saloon shooting city…lots of crime.  This is a recreation of the Old Abilene village.

Our next stop was at Johnson Lake State Park, Lexington, NE on June 9 and 10.  Knowing we were stopping at a body of water we anticipated unloading the kayak from the Honda.  As we drove in the huge lake was white capping!  The furious water slowed a bit but the wind kept it churned late into the evening and into the mornings.  Boat stayed high and dry.  We did discover a nice, concrete and long trail across the highway.  Roads in the small campground were a crushed gravel which meant every foot step had to be dug out.   

June 11, 2013 arrived in Sidney, NE at the original Cabela’s Outfitter Store.  Complete with a full service campground and showers and laundry we indulged ourselves in shopping in Cabela’s.  Got Charles a much needed replacement life vest.  Supper was elk and bison burgers in our own dining room.  A long talk with son Kevin from our home in Franklin made the evening complete.  The beautifully landscaped walking trail around a pond were well used in the evening and next morning by us.

June 12 and 13, 2013 we met Nat and Cynthia Colter as their guests at Hart Ranch in Rapid City, SD.  We enjoyed being with these folks and caravanning into Gillette, WY on June 14 for our destination of the FMCA’s International event.  Barbara Covard and Jack Nelson joined our caravan from Rapid City, SD.  

June 14-22, 2013 we were at the Cam-plex, Gillette, WY for the International Family Motor Coach Association event.  Charles played his trombone and was a part of the jazz group. He did direct 3 numbers for soloist  Bruce Miller, Sally Friedlander and Cynthia Colter.

Many Maestros from the west coast were present and it was fun to meet in person many of these folks.  Gary and Corrine Robinson from the Maestro Original Chapter in California were there and on a trip east afterwards.  They will visit us in September.  This was the 50ieth Anniversary of the founding FMCA.  Please visit All Things Frustrated Maestro   .   Our bikes were our needed transportation in this huge facility.  About 2500 coaches arrived.      

We must mention a strong hail storm while at Gillette!  This event made us quickly bring in our rooms and left the fins on the AC units closed.  Chas has since tediously opened them.  Following this event we enjoyed eating out at Applebees with several Maestro couples: Bruce and Barbara Miller, Nat and Cynthia Colter, Dick and Marge Reid, and Barbara Covard and Jack Nelson.   

From June 22 thru 27, 2013 we “settled down” in four campgrounds. June 22 we revisited Sundance, WY and tried to recreate a memory of six years.  Naturally the campground had grown and changed.  We were just 3 miles out of Sundance and via car went in to the historic town of the Sundance Kid and his rouge adventures to walk.  Again we visited Devil’s Tower.

June 25 and 26, 2013 we were plugged up on the banks of the Missouri River at Chamberlain, SD.  This formerly city park, now privately run, provided us with wonderful places to walk.  However, once again the frantic Missouri River kept our kayak high and dry on the Honda.

    

June 27, 2013 we arrived in Mitchell, SD for one night so that we could visit our second Cabella’s on this trip.  We were at R and R campground, a repeat of the past.  Roxie located a store that sold Bison and we stuffed our freezer with over 6 lbs…which we will hoard!  A trip to Mitchell, SD must include a walk in front of the Corn Palace.  Once again…a third repeat.

Jun 28 and 29, 2013 were we at Cenla RV Park in Spirit Lake, IA…also a repeat stop.  The park was very crowded and gave us much people watching. The lake was impossible to get into.  Guess it is understood where the kayak remained.  However, being in the town we had excellent walking.



June 30 through July 7, 2013 were spent at the Seven Amana Colonies in Amana, IA. Again a many times repeated stop, this historic group of seven colonies gives us moments to reflect, enjoy the peaceful and fertile  landscape and the distant bawling of cows.  Please enjoy their web site.   Seven Amana Colonies         We biked to the Middle Amana, 2 miles.  There was time for us to bike around Lily Lake and also bike into main Amana.  Our stops always include the Woolen Mill and the Furniture Store.

German Immigrants founded The Amanas in the late 1850s after escaping religious persecution.  This communal way of life ended just before the Great Depression.  Families could own their homes and work outside of the towns.  Many families have stayed.  Amana Refrigeration was founded and just a few years ago was purchased by Whirlpool.  Please continue past the next long white space!  Who knows!!                                                                                                                                

June 8 – 15 we camped at Sugar Bottom, COE (Corp of Engineer) campground near North Liberty, IA.  We are not far from Iowa City and this is a repeat visit.  The well-used lake did let us in!!  Our first trip was in the evening and the frantic boats endowed us with generous waves.  So…we outfoxed these boats and got up at 6AM and hit the lake for about an hour before 8:30 one morning.  The 300 site park filled to capacity over the weekend and our pleasant walking and biking were greatly impeded by “amateurs” who left to return to pay into Social Security! We will join several Frustrated Maestro friends June 16-22, 2013 at another COE park, Thomson Causeway in Savanna, IL looking out at the mighty Mississippi River. For a few days we will be “just jammin” prior to the Midwest FMCA Rally in Manchester, IA.  Charles will direct the Midwest Rally.