In the Redwoods

We're camping tonight in the Redwood National Park.  Beside the Smith river.  I have never seen such trees in my life.  We're under a giant redwood that is probably larger in circumference than our Forrester!  Even with other campers close, it's so quite and peaceful.  And I've been to the Pacific Ocean again today.  YEEE HAW!

too busy being awed! I've seen so many incredible things

We are now in a town called Madras, in Oregon.  So far we have been to so many places.  The Badlands in South Dakota, Mount Rushmore, Deadwood (complete with gunfight), Devils Tower, Custer Battle Field, Pompey Pillar, Yellowstone (2 nights, pics to come on facebook album), Craters of the moon, Mesa Falls (114 foot drop at the upper falls), John Day Fossil Center, tomorrow we go to Mt. Hood and Salem to Mike and Susie's for three days.  I'll try to whip this missive into shape while we are there.  We got a motel (cheap and local) because we didn't want to be in the rain - but no desk, and it's too hard to type on the bed. 

Bye for now.

We're in Montana now. Went to the Little Big Horn today.

Put up the tent this afternoon in gale force winds - felt like it was - reality was maybe 30 - 35 mph?  We are in a KOA campground - one of three tents.  Every body else was in big honking RV's.  And the campground we were planning to stay at is flooded.  just as well, it's a great KOA.  Battery is getting low, and we don't have electricity.  Will post pictures in a few days - when we take a break from camping and go for the motel showers.

Day 1

Left the holler at 6:22 am.  After returning a library book in Lburg, we took the scenic route to Alta and were off on our Excellent Adventure.  By 9:15 we were in Charleston having breakfast, and more coffee......Entered Ohio at 10:22 - FLAT FLAT FLAT Farm country, and lots of flooded corn fields but some were planted and green.  Having never been west, but have been up and down the east coast - the flat land made me think I should be smelling salt air - the landscape looked a lot like Maryland.  Isolated farm houses, and clumps of trees that were obviously part of long ago fencelines.  We got to Indiana at about 1:30.  More of the same - flat flat farmland.  Illinois was still a continuation of flat.  (Can you tell I wasn't particularly impressed with flat?)  At least there were hummocks and trees, and the landscape was a bit more rolling green hills as we continued into Illinois.  Then we hit a dry stretch....no exits, no road signs posting lodging locations, Tom saw a billboard for a Motel 6, but it had an aura of the Bates Motel - we went on down the road.  Now we are in Urbana, had a great dinner, gained an hour (Central Time), had a hot shower.....More tomorrow.  No pictures today - just trying to get the miles out of the way...550 plus miles..  Night Night!

Countdown continues

Well we hadn't really planned to  buy new tires,   but a flat tire on the way to work popped that balloon, but I guess that's life.  Gathering more plants to be cared for by others, got most of the kitchen stuff together, car gets washed and vacuumed out tomorrow.  I can't believe we're that close to blast off.  And we all know I'm not going to be worth a darn at work this particular week.