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| On the Road Again! |
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| Ditto! |
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| Left side of bedroom |
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| Right side of bedroom |
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| The Galley - sink, stove, and microwave/convection oven |
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| Looking from galley to bedroom |
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| The sofa opens to an additional bed |
Monday, November 18, 2013
Our Airstream Classic
Our friend Jim F. suggested that we show you how we travel, so we've included some pictures of the exterior and interior of our trailer. Hope you enjoy!
And now you've seen our home for 5 months a year! Wonder where we'll go next year!
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Pictures - Kentucky and North Carolina
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| Confederate Monument Perryville Battlefield |
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| Main street - Pleasant Hill Shaker Village |
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| At Pleasant Hill |
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| Mountain Lake - Blue Ridge Parkway |
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| Mt, Mitchell State Park |
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| On the Parkway |
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| On the Parkway |
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| Almost to the Summit! |
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| Thomas Wolfe Memorial - Asheville, NC |
MN, Iowa, Illinois Pictures
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| Czech/Slav Museum- Cedar Rapids, IA |
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| Native Costumes - Czech/Slaav Museum |
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| Dubuque River Museum - Riverboat paddle wheel |
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| Why I go to Amana, iA - Amana Pancakes! |
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| Breakfast at Desoto House, Galena, IL |
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| Cobblestone Street in Galena, IL |
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| The Trolley Tour - Galena |
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| Pres. Grant's home in Galena, IL |
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| Second Oldest Contiunous Use Post Office in the US |
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Asheville, NC and HOME
We arrived in Swannanoa, NC KOA about 3:30 Tuesday afternoon. It was a beautiful sunny day and we planned our day for Wednesday.
On Wednesday morning we headed into Asheville to have breakfast and then to the Thomas Wolfe Memorial in downtown Asheville. The visitor's center had a 20 minute film on the author and also an exhibit area with information about his early life and the boarding house his mother ran. At 11 we joined several others for a guided tour of the boarding house. Our guide was excellent! She kept up a lively narrative about the family and the area and the hour flew. Best tour I've taken in awhile.
Since the day was so beautiful, we decided to drive awhile on the Blue Ridge Parkway. While visitor's centers and restaurants on the parkway were closed because of the government shutdown, the road itself is open. The leaves were turning at the higher elevations, and we were able to see for miles, the air was so clear. God's paint brush has given us a beautiful treasure!
Thursday was also a beautiful sunny day.........until about Statesville when it clouded up. By Winston Salem we were in rain and drove through have downpours off and on until we arrived home.......then it was a constant heavy rain until early evening! We pulled into our driveway about 3:00 p.m. Glad to be home!
On Wednesday morning we headed into Asheville to have breakfast and then to the Thomas Wolfe Memorial in downtown Asheville. The visitor's center had a 20 minute film on the author and also an exhibit area with information about his early life and the boarding house his mother ran. At 11 we joined several others for a guided tour of the boarding house. Our guide was excellent! She kept up a lively narrative about the family and the area and the hour flew. Best tour I've taken in awhile.
Since the day was so beautiful, we decided to drive awhile on the Blue Ridge Parkway. While visitor's centers and restaurants on the parkway were closed because of the government shutdown, the road itself is open. The leaves were turning at the higher elevations, and we were able to see for miles, the air was so clear. God's paint brush has given us a beautiful treasure!
Thursday was also a beautiful sunny day.........until about Statesville when it clouded up. By Winston Salem we were in rain and drove through have downpours off and on until we arrived home.......then it was a constant heavy rain until early evening! We pulled into our driveway about 3:00 p.m. Glad to be home!
Harrodsburg, KY October 5 - 7, 2013
We left Galena, IL on October 4 and spent the day driving to Crawfordsville, IL where we stayed overnight before continuing on to Harrodsburg, KY on Saturday, the 5th. Our campground was 7.5 miles outside of Harrodsburg on beautiful Herrington lake. Most of the units in the Cedar Creek Campground are permanent, but they have a few sites for travelers.
Found a Catholic Church in Harrodsburg, St. Andrews and went to their 5:00 p.m. Mass and then to supper at a DQ in town.
Sunday morning we had breakfast at McD's, and while we were there the sky opened up and we had torrential rains. We had planned to visit Pleasant Hill Shaker Village, but since the rain was coming so hard and fast, we opted to drive 40 miles north to Frankfort, KY, the capital, as the website indicated many museums we could visit. Unfortunately due to the Sequester of earlier this year, hours at these facilities were drastically cut, and most would not be open until Tuesday or Wednesday through Saturday. Back to Harrodsburg! When we got there, the pavement was dry, and while still overcast, not raining so off we went to the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill.
The village was inhabited by the Shakers until 1910. The Shakers played an important role in American Religious history, developing the longest lasting communal society (there are still 3 active Shakers in a village in Main). This was a revisit, as we had been to Pleasant Hill about three years ago. We revisited many of the old buildings, and were walking toward the barn when without any warning the sky opened up and dumped more rain. Thankfully we had umbrellas and waterproof shoes, but by the time I reached the barn my jeans were wet to my knees. We took refuge in the barn, and for company had some goats and chickens, and two ladies who were prepared to give a talk about the farm livestock. Whether we wanted to hear it or not was immaterial -- we heard all about the chickens, the goats, the horses, and the cows! When the rain let up we started back toward the gift shop and entry.
Monday the sun came out bright and clear, and we went into Harrodsburg to see what we could tour. At the top of our list was Fort Harrod, which according to the website was open daily. WRONG! The fort was locked up tight, with a note indicating closed on Sunday and Monday. We drove to Perryville, 15 miles away, to visit the Perryville Battlefield and Museum since the weather was so nice, and the Sunday paper indicated it was open daily. Well, the battlefield was open, but not the museum....opens on Tuesday thru Saturday. WE spent several hours at the battlefield using a map to find the various areas of interest.
We decided to leave on Tuesday and head for Swannanoa, NC KOA where we'll stay for a few days before heading to Raleigh.
Found a Catholic Church in Harrodsburg, St. Andrews and went to their 5:00 p.m. Mass and then to supper at a DQ in town.
Sunday morning we had breakfast at McD's, and while we were there the sky opened up and we had torrential rains. We had planned to visit Pleasant Hill Shaker Village, but since the rain was coming so hard and fast, we opted to drive 40 miles north to Frankfort, KY, the capital, as the website indicated many museums we could visit. Unfortunately due to the Sequester of earlier this year, hours at these facilities were drastically cut, and most would not be open until Tuesday or Wednesday through Saturday. Back to Harrodsburg! When we got there, the pavement was dry, and while still overcast, not raining so off we went to the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill.
The village was inhabited by the Shakers until 1910. The Shakers played an important role in American Religious history, developing the longest lasting communal society (there are still 3 active Shakers in a village in Main). This was a revisit, as we had been to Pleasant Hill about three years ago. We revisited many of the old buildings, and were walking toward the barn when without any warning the sky opened up and dumped more rain. Thankfully we had umbrellas and waterproof shoes, but by the time I reached the barn my jeans were wet to my knees. We took refuge in the barn, and for company had some goats and chickens, and two ladies who were prepared to give a talk about the farm livestock. Whether we wanted to hear it or not was immaterial -- we heard all about the chickens, the goats, the horses, and the cows! When the rain let up we started back toward the gift shop and entry.
Monday the sun came out bright and clear, and we went into Harrodsburg to see what we could tour. At the top of our list was Fort Harrod, which according to the website was open daily. WRONG! The fort was locked up tight, with a note indicating closed on Sunday and Monday. We drove to Perryville, 15 miles away, to visit the Perryville Battlefield and Museum since the weather was so nice, and the Sunday paper indicated it was open daily. Well, the battlefield was open, but not the museum....opens on Tuesday thru Saturday. WE spent several hours at the battlefield using a map to find the various areas of interest.
We decided to leave on Tuesday and head for Swannanoa, NC KOA where we'll stay for a few days before heading to Raleigh.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Galena, IL and Dubuque, IA Sept. 30 - October 4, 2013
My nephew, Steve Klaseus and his wife Corine told us about Galena, IL when we visited them Sept. 10. We thought it sounded interesting, so instead of heading east or south, we drove NORTH! We camped at the Palace Campground in Galena and our first stop was the Visitor's Center in downtown Galena. The Visitor's Center had many displays of items that either belonged to U.S. Grant or celebrated his presidency and his time in the Civil War. Very interesting and FREE! We also walked through the historic downtown which was very busy with tourists.
On Monday we visited the Galena History Museum and were welcomed by Gen. Grant and his wife! The town celebrated 9 generals from Galena who served in the Civil War, and had an extensive Civil War display. Galena was a boom town in the 1800's, as it had a deposit of lead that was mined using the pocket mine to extract the lead. In the 1850's the mines petered out and the miners headed west to the gold mines. The town was a bustling shipping hub, and at it's zenith had 12,000 residents. Grant's two brothers were running a leather store in Galena, and U. S. Grant was asked to move to Galena to help with the business. When the Civil War started Grant re-enlisted in the army. When the war was over the grateful people of Galena presented Grant with a two-story brick home. He lived there until he was elected president and the family went to Washington. They left their furniture in Galena, so the home boasts of having over 90% of Grant's furnishings. He returned to Galena occasionally until ill health no longer made it possible to come.
Tuesday we took the trolley tour of Galena and received a good overview of the city and various points of interest were explained. After lunch we drove 12 miles west to Dubuque, Ia. We intended to stop at their Visitor's Center but took a wrong turn and ended up at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium where we spent the afternoon viewing the salt water aquarium and history of the area. The J. M. Block, a river dredger, was docked at the Museum and a self-guided tour was available, so we walked over to see it. We still had one more building to tour, so returned on Wednesday to visit the second building and enjoyed seeing the otters and beavers and many aquariums and terrariums on the first floor, and then went to the second floor to view the turtle exhibit.
October 4 we hitched the trailer and headed to Crawfordsville, IN, on our way to Harrodsburg, KY.
On Monday we visited the Galena History Museum and were welcomed by Gen. Grant and his wife! The town celebrated 9 generals from Galena who served in the Civil War, and had an extensive Civil War display. Galena was a boom town in the 1800's, as it had a deposit of lead that was mined using the pocket mine to extract the lead. In the 1850's the mines petered out and the miners headed west to the gold mines. The town was a bustling shipping hub, and at it's zenith had 12,000 residents. Grant's two brothers were running a leather store in Galena, and U. S. Grant was asked to move to Galena to help with the business. When the Civil War started Grant re-enlisted in the army. When the war was over the grateful people of Galena presented Grant with a two-story brick home. He lived there until he was elected president and the family went to Washington. They left their furniture in Galena, so the home boasts of having over 90% of Grant's furnishings. He returned to Galena occasionally until ill health no longer made it possible to come.
Tuesday we took the trolley tour of Galena and received a good overview of the city and various points of interest were explained. After lunch we drove 12 miles west to Dubuque, Ia. We intended to stop at their Visitor's Center but took a wrong turn and ended up at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium where we spent the afternoon viewing the salt water aquarium and history of the area. The J. M. Block, a river dredger, was docked at the Museum and a self-guided tour was available, so we walked over to see it. We still had one more building to tour, so returned on Wednesday to visit the second building and enjoyed seeing the otters and beavers and many aquariums and terrariums on the first floor, and then went to the second floor to view the turtle exhibit.
October 4 we hitched the trailer and headed to Crawfordsville, IN, on our way to Harrodsburg, KY.
Box Car Days and Clay County Fair
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| Classic tractors - Box Car Days, Tracy, MN |
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| I had one of these when I was little! |
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| That's one BIG Combine - Clay Co. Fair |
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| Pink tractors at Clay Co. Fair! |
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| Bales of corn stocks to make a tractor - Clay Co. Fair |
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Amana and Cedar Rapids, IA; Rock Island, IL
On Monday, September 23 we left Sioux Falls and headed east and south to the Amana Colonies. It
was a long day on the road and we were glad to arrive at the Amana RV Campground at 4:45 that afternoon. Tuesday we enjoyed the famous Amana pancakes at the Ronnenburg restaurant before setting out on a shopping spree! We stopped at the Lehm book store, the Amana Woolen Mill, the meat shop, the furniture store and an antique store.....oh yes and the leather store and wine store :-) We were dragging by the time we headed back to the RV park.
Tuesday was granddaughter Tracie's birthday so hope she got our card! We ate breakfast at the Amana bakery (I had a slice of apple streudle) and we were treated to a slice of sauerkraut bread. It was really good, and I could see it on a Reuben sandwich. After breakfast we drove to Cedar Rapids and toured the Czech/Slovak Museum. We'd seen signs about it along the highway for years, but had never stopped. What an impressive museum! It was totally destroyed in a flood in Cedar Rapids in2008 but was not only restored, but an annex was added increasing it's size AND raised 12 feet in the air and moved onto a new parking deck underneath it. It just reopened this spring. The theater had a short movie on the repair and move and a 25 minute movie showing the Russian invasion in 1968.
Thursday we had a short drive to Rock Island, IL. After set up and lunch we drove into Moline to pick up information on Galena, IL and then over to the John Deere Pavilion and Plaza. It was a beautiful day, so enjoyed sitting outside for a few hours.
Friday we crossed the river and drove into Davenport, iA to visit the German American Heritage Center. The building was erected in 1861 as a hotel for immigrants. Now it's a museum outlining the history of Germany, the reasons Germans immigrated to the Quad Cities area, and their treatment during the First World War. It also highlighted the contributions the Germans have made to the area.
Sunday we left Rock Island and drove to Galena, IL.
was a long day on the road and we were glad to arrive at the Amana RV Campground at 4:45 that afternoon. Tuesday we enjoyed the famous Amana pancakes at the Ronnenburg restaurant before setting out on a shopping spree! We stopped at the Lehm book store, the Amana Woolen Mill, the meat shop, the furniture store and an antique store.....oh yes and the leather store and wine store :-) We were dragging by the time we headed back to the RV park.
Tuesday was granddaughter Tracie's birthday so hope she got our card! We ate breakfast at the Amana bakery (I had a slice of apple streudle) and we were treated to a slice of sauerkraut bread. It was really good, and I could see it on a Reuben sandwich. After breakfast we drove to Cedar Rapids and toured the Czech/Slovak Museum. We'd seen signs about it along the highway for years, but had never stopped. What an impressive museum! It was totally destroyed in a flood in Cedar Rapids in2008 but was not only restored, but an annex was added increasing it's size AND raised 12 feet in the air and moved onto a new parking deck underneath it. It just reopened this spring. The theater had a short movie on the repair and move and a 25 minute movie showing the Russian invasion in 1968.
Thursday we had a short drive to Rock Island, IL. After set up and lunch we drove into Moline to pick up information on Galena, IL and then over to the John Deere Pavilion and Plaza. It was a beautiful day, so enjoyed sitting outside for a few hours.
Friday we crossed the river and drove into Davenport, iA to visit the German American Heritage Center. The building was erected in 1861 as a hotel for immigrants. Now it's a museum outlining the history of Germany, the reasons Germans immigrated to the Quad Cities area, and their treatment during the First World War. It also highlighted the contributions the Germans have made to the area.
Sunday we left Rock Island and drove to Galena, IL.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Sioux Falls, SD, Sept. 18-22, 2013
We left Mankato on the 18th and arrived that afternoon at the Sioux Falls KOA. It was a beautiful, sunny day and spent a lot of time sitting outside enjoying the beautiful day. We visited the Pettigrew home museum on Friday morning.
Mr. Pettigrew was instrumental in the settlement of Sioux Falls. He was a realtor, a financier, and was a good friend of James J. Hill. He was able to pursuade Mr. Hill to extend his railroad through Sioux Falls. He also built a flour mill on the river so that farmers would not have to take their crops so far, and with the railroad nearby could move their flour and other materials to other parts of the state quickly.
After lunch we drove to St. Joseph Cathedral to take a tour of their newly refurbished church. The MOST impressive thing to me was that the parish had raised the total amount needed to do the work before it was ever begun! The work is totally paid for! The stained glass windows have been releaded and the statues have all been repainted. It's truly a beautiful cathedral.
Saturday we pent the morning at Falls Park which is a beautiful park along the falls. We went up into the observation tower and had a great view of the city and also the falls. We were surprised at the volume of water going over the falls, considering it has been an extremely dry summer in Sioux Falls.
Sunday we enjoyed a family reunion at Mike and Connie's house in Sioux Falls. We were also celebrating their 37th wedding anniversary and our 49th anniversary. It was a wonderful day!
Mr. Pettigrew was instrumental in the settlement of Sioux Falls. He was a realtor, a financier, and was a good friend of James J. Hill. He was able to pursuade Mr. Hill to extend his railroad through Sioux Falls. He also built a flour mill on the river so that farmers would not have to take their crops so far, and with the railroad nearby could move their flour and other materials to other parts of the state quickly.
After lunch we drove to St. Joseph Cathedral to take a tour of their newly refurbished church. The MOST impressive thing to me was that the parish had raised the total amount needed to do the work before it was ever begun! The work is totally paid for! The stained glass windows have been releaded and the statues have all been repainted. It's truly a beautiful cathedral.
Saturday we pent the morning at Falls Park which is a beautiful park along the falls. We went up into the observation tower and had a great view of the city and also the falls. We were surprised at the volume of water going over the falls, considering it has been an extremely dry summer in Sioux Falls.
Sunday we enjoyed a family reunion at Mike and Connie's house in Sioux Falls. We were also celebrating their 37th wedding anniversary and our 49th anniversary. It was a wonderful day!
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| Pettigrew House Museum |
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| St. Joseph Cathedral |
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| View of Falls Park from Observation Tower |
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| The Falls |
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| Enjoying the sunshine at Falls Park |
Pictures from Canada and Minot, ND
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| Royal Canadian Mounted Police Heritage Center |
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| A new member of the RCMP |
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| More Heritage Displays |
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| Troop Review at RCMP Center |
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| This group means business! |
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| Scandinavian Center in Minot, ND |
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| Gol Stave Church |
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| DALA Horse, National Symbol of Sweden |
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| Norwegion Stabbur (Storehouse) |
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| Our new friend |
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Inside the Gol Stave Church |
Friday, September 20, 2013
Visiting the relatives August 22 - Sept. 17, 2013
August 22 -25 we were in Iroquois, SD visiting our niece Barb Walter and her hubby Rollie. We always enjoy camping in their backyard. Barb has a great garden, so we were treated to fresh picked corn on the cob, green beans, and yummy tomatoes! Jack enjoys going to the store for breakfast with Rollie, so I slept in! One day we drove to Brookings to see Jack's sister, Leila. We also did some shopping in Mitchell with Barb and Rollie.
August 26-29 we were in Wadena, MN visiting with Jack's cousins on his mother's side. We camped in the city park and had a bit of excitement the first night. There was a tornado warning, and the police and some firemen stopped at the campground to warn us to take cover and to explain where the public shelter was located. We opted to join the campground hostess and three other campers in the cinder block bathroom (along with a cat, 2 puppies, and 2 birds). We had heavy rain, but no wind, thankfully.
* August 27 we visited with Virginia Malone, Shirley Tabery ? and Jerome and Mary Jane Schmitz.
* August 29 we visited with George and Judy Tabery
August 30 - September 4 we were camped at Olson Park in Worthington and visited with Jack's brother Melvin and wife Betty, Connie and Mike Burkard from Sioux Falls, Rod and JoAnn Burkard of Reading, and Duane and Kathy Burkard from Wilmont. On Sunday we drove to Tracy, MN to Boxcar Days and toured their museum and checked out the antique tractors. We invited Melvin and Betty, Rod and JoAnn, and Kathy and Duane to a picnic at our campsite on Tuesday night. We had a campfire (our first of the year) and enjoyed visiting until 10!
September 5 - 8 we camped in Fairmont, MN and visited with our friend, Helen Kehoe. While we were there we drove to Spencer, IA to the Clay County Fair. It was HOT, DUSTY, but fun.
Helen got me hooked on the game Words with Friends - an app for the IPAD.
September 9 - 17 we were at Good Counsel in Mankato visiting with my sister, Sister Dominic. Enjoyed our visit, especially the good food at her community, Jakes Stadium Pizza and the Amboy Cottage Cafe. Dom and I drove to Red Wing to visit our cousin, Joan Brown. We also enjoyed visiting with Art and Charlene Schuch over breakfast and Lisa's Cottage Cafe and were treated to dinner at their house one evening.
Minot, ND August 17-20
We camped at the Rough Riders campground right outside Minot. Before we were even done setting up a young man came over and peppered Jack with questions regarding the Airstream and so Jack spent a good deal of time discussing the trailer. When he was all finished discussing the trailer, he said he had one on order!
After Mass Saturday evening we went to a Mexican restaurant for supper and then settled in to plan our time in Minot. On Sunday we visited the local museum and on Monday we found the Scandanavian Heritage Park we had heard about from the Canadian Burkards. We spent several hours learning about the various buildings being shown in the park. It was definitely worth the time spent.
We went to the Mall on Tuesday so I could get the latest book in The Walk series. The mall was much larger than it appeared, and we spent some time walking and window shopping there.
We left on Wednesday, heading toward Jamestown and spent lunch and 3 hours in Steele, visiting with Mary Buchholz, a Mankato friend.
After Mass Saturday evening we went to a Mexican restaurant for supper and then settled in to plan our time in Minot. On Sunday we visited the local museum and on Monday we found the Scandanavian Heritage Park we had heard about from the Canadian Burkards. We spent several hours learning about the various buildings being shown in the park. It was definitely worth the time spent.
We went to the Mall on Tuesday so I could get the latest book in The Walk series. The mall was much larger than it appeared, and we spent some time walking and window shopping there.
We left on Wednesday, heading toward Jamestown and spent lunch and 3 hours in Steele, visiting with Mary Buchholz, a Mankato friend.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Oh Canada! August 3-17, 2013
We left the States on Saturday August 3, and headed to our first campground, a KOA west of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The campground was quite full, and we were happy to be off the road and settling in for the night. While Jack was setting up, I went up to the office to use the wifi and find a church -- with Mass preferably on Saturday night. YIKES! Mass was starting in 15 minutes at St. Patrick's in Winnipeg. We dropped everything, and dashed to church -- arriving during the sermon.
Sunday was cool and sunny in Winnipeg, but the farther west we went, the cloudier it got, finally ending in some heavy rain. Our destination was a campground in Regina. Luckily it had quit raining by the time we got there, so Jack didn't get wet setting up. Monday night found us west of Saskatoon and we arrived Monday at our destination, Camrose Alberta.
Our visit to Jack's cousins in Canada was really great. We so enjoyed our stay! I likely gained 5 lbs with all the food we consumed! We visited Eldon and Sharon, Barry and Carol, Joe and Ro, Doug and Anne, and Lloyd and Darlene. Maybe they'll come visit us one day so we can repay their kindness! Burkard men don't take long vacations, however. Perhaps when they retire from farming and are bored with winter they'll come south!!
On August 14 we left Camrose after a farewell breakfast at Tim Horton's with Eldon and Sharon and Barry and Carol. We reversed our tracks and spent that night in Saskatoon, and the next two nights in Regina where we did some sightseeing.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have a training depot in Regina, as well as a Heritage Center. While we were at the Heritage Center we enjoyed a 25 minute movie on the training depot and enjoyed their museum. We were treated to a tour of the training depot and our guide introduced us to her father, a drill sargeant who came out of the Drill Hall to answer questions, and allowed us in to watch a first year troop practicing their marching. The next day we stopped over at 12:30 to watch the whole depot (290 cadets) participate in the Sargeant's Drill, which dates back to the early years when it was used to count the cadets before lunch. It was very impressive!
We also toured the historic Lieutenant Governor's House which was refurbished to the 1890 time period. Very well done! After 1945, the house was used as a rehabilitation center for returning soldiers. In the 1990's after many different affiliations it was refurbished and reopened to the public--FREE OF CHARGE!
Saturday we left Regina and headed for the border and Minot, ND. Note to future border crossings:
DO NOT take oranges or other fruits and some veggies into the US. Ours were confiscated at the border!!!!
Ah, welcome back to the USA!!!!
Sunday was cool and sunny in Winnipeg, but the farther west we went, the cloudier it got, finally ending in some heavy rain. Our destination was a campground in Regina. Luckily it had quit raining by the time we got there, so Jack didn't get wet setting up. Monday night found us west of Saskatoon and we arrived Monday at our destination, Camrose Alberta.
Our visit to Jack's cousins in Canada was really great. We so enjoyed our stay! I likely gained 5 lbs with all the food we consumed! We visited Eldon and Sharon, Barry and Carol, Joe and Ro, Doug and Anne, and Lloyd and Darlene. Maybe they'll come visit us one day so we can repay their kindness! Burkard men don't take long vacations, however. Perhaps when they retire from farming and are bored with winter they'll come south!!
On August 14 we left Camrose after a farewell breakfast at Tim Horton's with Eldon and Sharon and Barry and Carol. We reversed our tracks and spent that night in Saskatoon, and the next two nights in Regina where we did some sightseeing.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have a training depot in Regina, as well as a Heritage Center. While we were at the Heritage Center we enjoyed a 25 minute movie on the training depot and enjoyed their museum. We were treated to a tour of the training depot and our guide introduced us to her father, a drill sargeant who came out of the Drill Hall to answer questions, and allowed us in to watch a first year troop practicing their marching. The next day we stopped over at 12:30 to watch the whole depot (290 cadets) participate in the Sargeant's Drill, which dates back to the early years when it was used to count the cadets before lunch. It was very impressive!
We also toured the historic Lieutenant Governor's House which was refurbished to the 1890 time period. Very well done! After 1945, the house was used as a rehabilitation center for returning soldiers. In the 1990's after many different affiliations it was refurbished and reopened to the public--FREE OF CHARGE!
Saturday we left Regina and headed for the border and Minot, ND. Note to future border crossings:
DO NOT take oranges or other fruits and some veggies into the US. Ours were confiscated at the border!!!!
Ah, welcome back to the USA!!!!
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Michigan and MN Pictures
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| Fred Meijer Park - Michigan |
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| At the farm - Fred Meijer Garden |
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| Jack and Friend |
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| Grand Portage National Historic Site - Minnesota |
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| Grand Portage as seen from Lake Superior |
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| Lake Superior from Grand Portage Visitor's Center |
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| Giant Lawn Chairs - on way to Grand Portage |
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| Learning about native plants - Voyageur's National Park, Minnesota |
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| An inquisitive friend at Voyageur's NP |
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| At entrance to Voyageur's National Park - Minnesota |
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| In the Visitor's Center - Voyageur National Park |
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