Manitou Springs, CO

Wed (9-16-09): This a.m. we stopped in Limon, CO to fill up at the new Flying J. Very nice facility! We had an early lunch there and our watress, Sandi, was really sweet. As we got closer to Colorado Springs, it started to rain and the Halsteads started to have trouble with their coach! As we got to the downtown area, it was POURING and was running down the streets. Couldn't believe just how deep it was in the right lane (about a foot). We stayed in the other lane! Not ideal for driving thru a city. Wished I'd have taken some pics!

We didn't make it up to Pikes Peak today because there was no parking at their facility for us and that was probably a good thing as the view wouldn't have been very good for a train ride. It did stop raining late afternoon so we did go to the Garden of the Gods (which Chuck and I had visited two years ago, but the rest hadn't) and drove thru looking at the rock formations and went to the Visitor Center and the Trading Post. We had tried getting a pic of a Pinion Jay the last time we were here and one didn't cooperate as they don't usually sit still. Well, Chuck got lucky this time and one posed for him! Chuck also took several pics of the snow covered Pikes Peak in the clouds. It was dinner at The Nile Cafe in Manitou where we learned what a Hookah is and they even had them for sale for about $250.00 1/2 price. Then we drove back up the mountain to the campground for bed!

Pikes Peak in the Clouds

Garden of the Gods

Pinion Jay (He Posed for Us)

Trading Post at Garden of the Gods

Hookahs For Sale

We're here at the Rocky Top Motel & Campground Site MH35 in Green Mt Falls, CO for the night. It's warm jammies and electric heater time.

Early Morning View out the Coach Window

Check out our friends, Halstead's, blog for more info and another perspective of our trip.

Topeka & Goodland, KS

Mon (9-14-09): Kansas is a WIDE state and it seems like forever to travel across it. Last night we stayed in a Wal-Mart [785-357-4827; 2600 NW Rochester Rd; 39.094600, -95.672500] in Topeka and tonight, would you believe, we are camped in yet another Wal-Mart Supercenter [785-899-2111; Exit 17; 2160 Commerce Rd; 39.334155, -101.726440] in Goodland. This one has been the best parking so far. We were "camped" on the side of the store just behind the garden center. The area was just big enough for our 3 coaches. Mem had heated up some home made vegetable soup that she had brought and made some toasted cheese sandwiches. It was still warm enough for us to sit out side to eat when we got there before the sun went down. After supper, we walked over to the DQ and Jim treated us all to ice cream.

Tue (9-15-09): Some of the things we passed today were a windmill farm, a small herd of buffalo, an Oz Museum, Calvary Museum, and Fort Riley "Home of the Big Red One". {RalphP, maybe you know what the "Big Red One" refers to?} All places we might visit on another trip west. The western part of KS is called the "High Plains"--rolling hills and you can see for miles. But there is not much to see but mostly scrub land!

Kansas Windmill Farm

Goodland Kansas Wal-Mart "Camping"

DQ Desert {Chuck, Donna, Lois, Jim, Larry & Mem)

Kansas Sunflower (Isn't it Beautiful!)

Hazelwood, MO

Sun (9-13-09): Today our Discovery caravan (Campbells, Halsteads and us) met up in Hazelwood, MO for an overnight stay at Cabela's [314-225-0100; 5555 St. Louis Mills Blvd; 38.791960, -90.412944]. Actually we parked in a lot behind the Mall in a dirt truck parking area. We were not allowed to park on the pavement around the Mall. See pics below. We went into the Food Court for lunch and then walked the whole mall. Cabela's had some really neat stuffed animal displays of many animals including Africa. We got up close and personal with a couple of grizzlies and a polar bear! This mall has alot of activities for young people like ice skating, Nascar racing, skateboard ramps and a Merry-go-Round. Walking this big mall was good exercise!

Camping at the Mills Mall

Happy Hour--Shirley, Mem, Larry & Dallas

This evening 10 of us had Prime Rib at one of our favorite restaurants -- Beefeaters, in St. Charles, MO www.banquetcenterofthelittlehills.com/beefeaters.html. Unfortunately, our friends Bob and Nance Roth weren't able to meet us for dinner this time as they were in Branson and the Hellrungs were busy getting ready for a trip to Memphis. But Mem and Larry's friends were there and we enjoyed getting to know Dallas and Shirley better.

Alton, IL - A Day on the Mississippi River

Sat (9-12-09): Well, back to the pigeon. Larry put a notice on Craig's list last night about finding a banded pigeon and long story short--the owner was found. Seems he lives about 20 miles away and had let some of his pigeon off in OK and elsewhere here in IL. He wasn't sure where this bird had flown from and wouldn't know until he saw it's number. He has a website at http://www.goldstarlofts.com/ .

Today was a wonderful day spent on Larry and Patty's beautiful 54-ft cabin cruiser out on the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. (See pics below) Wonderful weather and good friends--what more could you ask for. Grafton (where the marina is located) was having a craft fair in the park and we wandered thru there after we came off the water. Nice fused glass jewelry and other things for sale. It was pork BBQ sandwiches for dinner after at the Hog Pit there in Grafton and then back to the coach to watch the Richmond NASCAR race. Lights went out for me before the race ended!

Hellrung's 54-ft Bayliner "Liberty"--What a Beauty!

Larry Doing What He Loves to Do!

Enjoying the Ride!

Bow Master Bedroom

Jim and Patty in Galley Making Margaritas--what else!

Dave Roth's New Development in Grafton, IL

Can-Am parked outside of the Hog Pit--

Chuck has been thinking about getting one of these! [And we did in May 2010!]

Hellrungs, Alton, IL

Fri (9-11-09): What a nice sunny warm day we have to travel! Even this last section of I70 in IN has smoothed out! We arrived at Larry and Patty Hellrungs early afternoon. As we drove into their driveway, we met Patty heading for her mailbox with a sign saying that they had found a banded pigeon. It just flew in and walked into their garage and acted like it was "home". So they were trying to find it's owner.

Hellrung's Visiting Homing Pigeon

Note: If you go to "Archives: 2007, 09/02 - 09/09, and then Tues, Aug 28th - Alton" in this blog, you will see pics of the Hellrungs house and our parking arrangement that we took on our visit here back in 07.

The guys parked the coaches and then we all sat and visited on their front porch watching the pigeon's coming and goings all the while. That evening we had dinner at Roper's Regal Beagle Sports Bar and Grille in Godfrey, IL.

Terre Haute, IN

Thu (9-10-09): We left Gallopilis, OH about 8:30 a.m. this morning and traveled with the Halsteads till they turned off in Indy to go to their daughter's house. Mem had given me several Charles Martin books to read and I took advantage of a lot of sitting time to get well into the first book, "The Dead Don't Dance". I would highly recommend this author!

I70 south and west of Indy was VERY bumpy. Chuck even found a screw on the floor and now wonders what it came out of! Wonder what else has loosened up! We met up with Jim and Lois Campbells at the Wal-Mart Supercenter [812-299-4677; 5555 S. US Hwy #41; 39.398650, -87.404300]. We all went inside to pay our camping fee and came out with a chicken for dinner and wiper blades for the Campbell's coach. This store even sold some liquor at the checkout counter where they also sell cigarettes.

Jim made Lois and I martinis for happy hour and we did get happy! We had dinner in their coach--chicken and salad--and enjoyed spending some time together catching up. We really enjoy getting to travel with this couple!

Tonight we'll sleep next to a corn field and hear a train in the distance. Tomorrow we'll have just a couple of hours of travel time before we get to our friends, Larry and Patty Hellrungs, where we'll camp in their driveway for a couple of days. Life is good!

Gallipolis, OH - Heading West

Wed (9-9-09): We are here at a Wal-Mart Supercenter [240-441-0406; 2145 Eastern Ave; 38.822960, -82.172650]. We ran into pouring rain in the afternoon just before we got into Ohio. So much for a clean car and coach! I worked on a yr old size little boys pullover for a friend who is getting her first grandchild in Oct! Love this new yarn--Red Heart Soft Baby Steps! Mem and Larry came over for a pork BBQ and salad supper and then we all went into Wally World to pay our camping fee! Tomorrow it's off to IN.