Cross Country Part II

(Note: this is posted from an email)

Well, we're into our second half of our trip.  When I left you last, Mom was ill in Denver, CO.  She seems to be weakened but better.  I think she continues to do too much too soon though.  We left Denver on Monday and headed to Cheyenne, WY.  We stopped to see their Old West Museum.  We missed their HUGE event by days.  Frontier Days is 9 days long and has numerous things to do.  It could be great event or it could be a zoo.  There are rodeo events, a Native Village, concerts, etc.  What caught my interest was the first concert performed during this celebration.  There were many country bands scheduled to perform, but the first concert is with Survivor, REO Speedwagon, and Kansas!  We didn't wait for the events to begin.  I'll have to return another time if I want to ride a bull.

We took a slight detour from our original plan and went on local roads to see part of the original Oregon trail.  We saw a section where the wagons had to go single file through deep mud.  So many wagons went through that the trail became hardened and you can see the ruts even today.  We then went a little farther to Register Cliff.  The Oregon Trail went right by this huge rock and settlers signed their names on the rock.  It is interesting to see their names and the dates of when they went by.  In other places on the rock other people have signed their names.  It is interesting to see all the names and generations from the Oregon Trail period to today.  We then went to Fort Laramie which played a vital role in protecting the settlers and miners and then in the Indian Wars.  We drove out of the area and past Guernsey National Guard Post.  All the reservists were out in force.

We almost made it out of Wyoming.  We stopped in a small town called Lusk, WY.  Everyone was wearing jeans and sneakers or boots.  I had to lose my NY strut and put on the chafed by chaps swagger.  

We met some nice people the last couple of days.  There was a nice man named Tony who was in Denver on business.  He actually just wanted to talk.  There were 5 army officers that seemed to follow us from the wagon ruts to Fort Laramie.  They were very helpful and congenial.  Then at a restaurant a waiter gave me free soup.

Today Tuesday, July 17, 2001.  We followed (very slowly) reservists for about 30 miles until they finally pulled into a rest area.  That was the longest military convoy I've ever seen!  Then we were in South Dakota.  Another state conquered!  We went to Hot Springs, SD.  We didn't see any hot springs, but we did go to Mammoth site which probably has the most mammoth remains found in all the world.  This spot had become a water filled sink hole which the mammoths could not get out of once they had entered.  Only male mammoths have been found here.  (Okay ladies, insert your own joke here!)  Then we went down into the earth's crust again for the Wind Caves in the Wind Cave National Park.  They are the 7th longest caves in the world (100 miles), but most of it has been unexplored still.  Mom began to overdue it here.  There weren't any stalactites or stalagmites, instead they had box works.  I hope my pictures come out.  The next venture was to the Crazy Horse Memorial.  It has been a work in progress for 50 years, and might go another couple of decades before it is finished.  It is taking up a whole mountain!

We went to Mount Rushmore today.  (What is today anyway?)  We spent a great part of the day there.  I took a great many photos with my new camera.  I got some incredibly close photos of each of the presidents...that is I would have if my film had advanced.  It wasn't until I was at the Badlands that I realized this.  Well, at least I did take one roll of film at Mount Rushmore.  I hope they were focused!

The Badlands are hard to describe.  Some of these hills of rock were shaped as mounds and some were pointed.  Some were solid colors of red, gray, or yellow while others had stripes.  It was incredible scenery for me to observe, but I can see where it would not be an enjoyable for those on horseback or in wagons a century ago.

We also made a short stop at the gigantic Wall Drug where Wall Drug initially began in Wall, SD.  We stopped just because we can!

We finally stopped in Murdo, SD, just 1 mile into the Central time Zone.  Mom has had a good day.  It must have been the altitude and the heat combination that bothered her so much...that's her hypothesis.

Thursday
The trip has been hot but mostly dry ... up to now.  The crossing over into the Central Time Zone has been like crossing over into a wall of humidity!   It is unbearably hot and humid.  Just nasty.

Our sightseeing days are about over and we're starting on our people seeing days.  We're on our way to Ames, IA, home of the Iowa State University Cyclones and home to my Whobody, Ingrid.  The term Whobody came out of a children's book signifying someone special.  She is a friend I met at Ohio State from Trinidad.  But before we are to see her and her family we need to make one last sightseeing trip.  It is an absolute must to stop in Mitchell, SD and see...THE CORN PALACE.  Apparently, in the early 1900s, Mitchell was one of the cities being considered for the capital city.  Someone thought about nailing corn of different colors To create patterns and pictures on the entire exterior of a building to impress the committee.  It obviously didn't work, ut the tradition has continued.  The corn palace is also used as a concert hall and for basketball games.  There are corn pictures inside the auditorium as well.  Ear we are, and it's truly a-maize-ing.  Sorry, Mom made me write that!  :)

We finally made it to Ames after about 8 hours of driving.  We'll see my Whobody tomorrow at lunch.  I'm going to sleep after doing all that driving!

Friday
It was great to see Ingrid!  I haven't seen her since I went to her wedding about 10 years ago in Trinidad.  It was great to catch up on everything.  It was incredible to meet her two lovely daughters and to see her husband again.  She's getting her Ph.D. in Nutrition Ed.  With the Science she's taking, and raising a family, and working, I think she's very brave!

Now we're on to Wisconsin to see friends of my mom's.  They go to bed early so we'll stay in Dubuque, IA for the night before continuing on.  The humidity continues to be thick.  It was 95 degrees at 8pm!  :P

Saturday
We're on our way to the Holmes' house (friends of my Mom).  Since it's only a couple of hours away, I let Mom drive while I type and navigate.  Not much to type about though...It's Wisconsin.  We left behind the wheat and corn of IA, and now we're into the dairy farms of Wisconsin.  No more 75 mph!  :(  Oh look, corn here too.  Don't want to bore you too much, so I'll quit for now.

Wow!  I guess things got really busy because it has been almost a week since I've written.  Mom got to catch up with her best friend Sylvia in Wisconsin.   On Sunday we went church where Sylvia's son-in-law is the pastor.  Because it was the church's 17th anniversary, the service was slightly longer than usual...3 hours!  There were different groups singing and there was some interpretive dance, which reminded me of a church near Anaheim.  :)  There was a potluck lunch afterwards.  Mom and I scarfed down the food (and dessert) and began our drive towards Ypsilanti, MI.  The traffic around Chicago was horrific, and we got to MI around midnight.  We were there to visit my friend Mark (from MI).  He very kindly gave me some earplugs to block the sounds of mom's snoring.  Why didn't I have those earlier??!!

Mark trains officers, FBI, and civilians how to fire a weapon and how to make difficult shots if needed.  He took Mom and me to the shooting range.   Unfortunately, it was still extremely hot and humid, but it was fun to see how well I can fire a weapon.  It was also interesting to see how well my mother would do.  Mark had shown me once before in CA, but this was mom's first time.  She shot a 9 mm and a 22 mm Glock!  She really improved!  Better watch out dad!!  I got to fire the 22 mm, the 9 mm, the 40, and the 45!  If you want to see my targets, I have them, but you better ask nicely!!  LOL  :)

On Tuesday we went to the Ford Museum in Deerborn.  There were cars from all eras of course, but there were also appliances, technological advances in industrial design and manufacturing, planes, presidential cars (including the car Kennedy was shot in), but Mom was disappointed that they didn't have a Crossly.  She learned to drive on one, but no one's even heard of it.  How long ago was THAT??!!  The highlight was of course the Wienermobile!  Woohoo!

Afterwards we went to the Greenfield Village, a living history museum in the same area as the Ford Museum.  Both of these museums really need a day each to fully see everything.  We didn't get to stay too long since we needed to be on the road for OHIO and my 2 lovely nephews!!  Oh yeah, and Mike and Shari, my brother and his wife.

On Wednesday I got to see my nephew Alex actively involved in his swimming lessons.  Woohoo!  Good job!  Then I spent the day with my friend Pam and her children.  I went to high school with her (how long ago was that?!), and no I won't give out her email address so you can talk to her about me!!  We exchanged birthday gifts.  She's one day older than I am.  It was great to catch up with her.  Then I got to catch up with my dear friend Dale with whom I also went to high school.

On Thursday (after swimming lessons) The whole Barton clan except my brother Mike, who was diligently working, went to the zoo.  We saw lions, and tigers, and bears (oh my) along with alligators and monkeys...not all in the same exhibit though, fortunately for the monkeys!  Alex liked the sun bears.  It was a great day!

That evening I went to see my friend Dale perform (sing) at a local coffee shop.  I hit construction on the way.  It went quite slowly for several miles.  A man in the lane next to mine smiled at me, then he waved, then he puckered up and blew me a kiss.  I laughed!!  Do you think I offended him?!   When we got past the construction he continued to follow and pull along side until I got to my exit where he waved and sped off.  Dale had 1 hour left of his set when I arrived.  His Mom was quite surprised to see me.  It was so good to see her again!  I sat with her and 3 of Dale's friends (2 of whom I hadn't met), and we just talked as if we had all known each other for years.   It was very comfortable and fun and Dale sang superbly (as always).

Today (Friday) was a very relaxed day.  We went to the mall for lunch and then Alex and I went on the carousel.  He really enjoyed that, as did I.  We then went to a ToysRUs where I distracted Alex while his Mom and his Grammy went to get birthday and Christmas gifts.  Fortunately (unfortunately?) today was music day.  There were all kinds of percussion instruments out to play along with the "LaVida Mickey" CD.  Alex switched between maracas and a drum.  I had the maracas, bells, and tambourine at different times.  We played constantly until Mom and Grammy were ready...about 40 minutes!  LOL Then I got to hold Lucas as we were getting ready to leave.  He is a very long 7 month old.  I know that Shari is definitely building up her arms while carrying him!!  I'll try not to piss her off!

Now I'm just getting ready for the long drive back to CT.  I wish I could watch my nephew Alex play soccer while Mike coaches.  How cool is that?!  :)

It has been an incredible trip, and now I'm ready to go home!