Our first night in the USA was spent at Lewis & Clark campground in Shelby, MT. From there we traveled on Saturday to Three Forks, MT where we stayed until Monday. It’s named Three Forks because three rivers come together to form the headwaters of the Missouri River. Enjoyed their museum and their pizza - as good as Jake’s in Mankato, MN! On Monday we left and headed to Hardin, MT for one night and in the morning took highway 212 to Spearfish, SD. Highway 212 is a good reminder of what the old west looked like. Small towns quite far apart and wide open spaces in between! Better watch your fuel gauge going that route!
On Wednesday, August 28, we drove to the Vore Buffalo Jump about 20 miles into Wyoming. It is a natural sink hole that was used by various plains Indian tribes as a bison trap from about 1550-1800. The layers of well preserved bones and artifacts found in the buffalo jump give archaeologists a unique view into a time of rapid changes in Indian culture. So far they have gone down only 4 levels and have found 400 buffalo skeletons, a bear, dogs/wolves. They estimate that when they have finished the dig they will have found 1000 bison skeletons! The Buffalo Jump is only open during the summer, and I’d highly suggest you take the guided tour!
We camped one night in West Des Moines, and one night in Mitchell, SD before arriving in Amana for the Labor Day Weekend. More Amana pancakes and Amana Bakery pastries! There was a dog show going on at the campground all weekend, and so lots of dogs, and some of the preps were fascinating. Those dogs were brushed, combed, and pampered before their turns in the rings.
Sunday, September 8, 2019
Oh Canada!
August 5 we crossed into Canada from North Dakota and spent the night in Regina, Saskatchewan. Had some difficulty with the phone (no, Verizon, we couldn’t just carry on as usual!). It took about half an hour on the campground land line to get our phone Canada ready. The second night we stayed outside Saskatoon and on the 7th arrived at our destination - Camrose, Alberta. We spent 14 days with Jack’s cousins and enjoyed the Tim Horton’s. In fact, they even got to know us and asked us about the US!
Some differences between the US and Canada: They are on the metric system so fuel is in liters and temps are in Celsius. It’s good to have a conversion app on your phone. Diesel fuel cost us roughly $4.40/gallon.
Canadians do not use pennies - their smallest coin is a nickel. To handle this, they round up or down, depending on your bill. They also do not have paper money under $5.00. They have a $1 coin called a “loonie” and a $2 coin called a “toonie”.
When we get fuel, we say we’re going to the “gas station” or filling station. They go to a “gas bar”.
Do not plan to cross the border until you’ve checked what you can bring into Canada or into the USA. Depending on the mood of the crossing guard you may have to donate any fruits, veggies, meat, etc. They aren’t too keen on your guns or drugs, either.
We camped in Calgary on August 22, and crossed into the USA on the 23rd at Sweet Grass, MT.
Some differences between the US and Canada: They are on the metric system so fuel is in liters and temps are in Celsius. It’s good to have a conversion app on your phone. Diesel fuel cost us roughly $4.40/gallon.
Canadians do not use pennies - their smallest coin is a nickel. To handle this, they round up or down, depending on your bill. They also do not have paper money under $5.00. They have a $1 coin called a “loonie” and a $2 coin called a “toonie”.
When we get fuel, we say we’re going to the “gas station” or filling station. They go to a “gas bar”.
Do not plan to cross the border until you’ve checked what you can bring into Canada or into the USA. Depending on the mood of the crossing guard you may have to donate any fruits, veggies, meat, etc. They aren’t too keen on your guns or drugs, either.
We camped in Calgary on August 22, and crossed into the USA on the 23rd at Sweet Grass, MT.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
July, 2019
My apologies to friends who follow my blog. From Sioux City to the 4th of August we were in Minnesota and South Dakota visiting friends and relatives. Unfortunately the wifi situation during that time was spotty - some campgrounds didn't have it, on others it appeared that people were busy streaming, and I could not get on.
Special thanks to our nephew Steve Klaseus and his wife Corine for having us over; Art and Char Schuch, Helen Kehoe, Frank Siegler, Ralph and Carol Schultz, Jan Raddatz, classmate Mary Jo Nordstrand, and nephew Michael Burkard and his wife Connie in Sioux Falls, SD
and niece Barb and husband Rollie Walter for allowing us to take over their backyard in Iroquois, SD.
July 17 we drove to Northfield, MN to see the Union Pacific Big Boy engine (4014) making a trip on Union Pacific rails in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Promitory Summit where the rails from east and west were joined.
July is fair time in rural MN, so on our way home from Northfield we came across the Rice County Fair in Faribault, MN and later in the month we went to the Blue Earth County Fair in Garden City, MN.
July 21 My sister, Sr. Dominic, celebrated her 70th Jubilee as a School Sister of Notre Dame at the Mankato Motherhouse. Joining her was my high school English teacher, Sr. Beth Haltiner, who was celebrating her 75th Jubilee. It was a big day for both of these great ladies!
Left Mankato July 29 for Sioux Falls, SD to visit Mike and Connie Burkard and on July 31 - Aug 3
visited with Barb and Rollie Walter in Iroquois, SD.
Special thanks to our nephew Steve Klaseus and his wife Corine for having us over; Art and Char Schuch, Helen Kehoe, Frank Siegler, Ralph and Carol Schultz, Jan Raddatz, classmate Mary Jo Nordstrand, and nephew Michael Burkard and his wife Connie in Sioux Falls, SD
and niece Barb and husband Rollie Walter for allowing us to take over their backyard in Iroquois, SD.
July 17 we drove to Northfield, MN to see the Union Pacific Big Boy engine (4014) making a trip on Union Pacific rails in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Promitory Summit where the rails from east and west were joined.
July is fair time in rural MN, so on our way home from Northfield we came across the Rice County Fair in Faribault, MN and later in the month we went to the Blue Earth County Fair in Garden City, MN.
July 21 My sister, Sr. Dominic, celebrated her 70th Jubilee as a School Sister of Notre Dame at the Mankato Motherhouse. Joining her was my high school English teacher, Sr. Beth Haltiner, who was celebrating her 75th Jubilee. It was a big day for both of these great ladies!
Left Mankato July 29 for Sioux Falls, SD to visit Mike and Connie Burkard and on July 31 - Aug 3
visited with Barb and Rollie Walter in Iroquois, SD.
Sunday, June 30, 2019
One more picture/ then Trinity Heights, Sioux City, IA
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| At entrance to Pamplin Military Museum |
The Last Supper was carved by a man from LeMars, IA who worked full time at the post office and carved nights and weekends. It took him 7 years to complete the carving. It's one of only 4 life-size carvings of the Last Supper.
The site also has a Divine Mercy Chapel with a first class relic of St. Faustina and across the parking lot a very nice Catholic Book Store. Definitely worth stopping to see!
Pictures - Pamplin Military Soldier Museum/Tredegar Iron Works
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| Civil War Earthworks |
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| Tredegar Iron Works |
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| Pamplin Civil War Enactors |
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| Reconstructed Earthworks - Pamplin |
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| Tredegar Museum Entrance |
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| Tudor Hall Mansion - Pamplin |
Sunday, June 23, 2019
Hinton Railroad Museum Pictures
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| Hand carved RR workers |
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| Place setting of Chessie china |
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| Museum chaos |
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| Close up of hand carvings |
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| At Hinton Railroad Museum |
Sioux City, Iowa
Arrived here Friday afternoon after a five hour drive from Amana. We have been here before and had concentrated on seeing all things Lewis and Clark. This time we are looking for other things to see.
Our only stop on Saturday was a trip to the Sioux City Railroad Museum. It's a 30-acre museum site which reminded us of the Spenser Shops in NC. It was built in 1917 and was once a large industrial complex that serviced and repaired locomotives and railcars for 65 years. Many buildings (repair shop, round house, sand house) are open for touring. We were met and given a ride on the rails to the first building, the sand house which shows a movie about the area. In it's busiest time the shop repaired 30 locomotives a day and employed 500 people working 3 shifts. The volunteers working on various projects within the area were friendly and willing to talk about the history of the area and the projects they were working on.
Sunday we visited the Sgt. Floyd River Museum and Welcome Center and enjoyed the exhibits on Missouri River history. It serves as a historical museum and a Visitor's Center and are housed aboard the dry-docked motor vessel, the M.V. Sergeant Floyd. After lunch we visited the Sioux City Public Museum. The museum has large, colorful exhibits, interactive displays and several informative films.
We spent 3 hours there happily learning about industries, farming, disasters, and history of the area.
Our only stop on Saturday was a trip to the Sioux City Railroad Museum. It's a 30-acre museum site which reminded us of the Spenser Shops in NC. It was built in 1917 and was once a large industrial complex that serviced and repaired locomotives and railcars for 65 years. Many buildings (repair shop, round house, sand house) are open for touring. We were met and given a ride on the rails to the first building, the sand house which shows a movie about the area. In it's busiest time the shop repaired 30 locomotives a day and employed 500 people working 3 shifts. The volunteers working on various projects within the area were friendly and willing to talk about the history of the area and the projects they were working on.
Sunday we visited the Sgt. Floyd River Museum and Welcome Center and enjoyed the exhibits on Missouri River history. It serves as a historical museum and a Visitor's Center and are housed aboard the dry-docked motor vessel, the M.V. Sergeant Floyd. After lunch we visited the Sioux City Public Museum. The museum has large, colorful exhibits, interactive displays and several informative films.
We spent 3 hours there happily learning about industries, farming, disasters, and history of the area.
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