Busy in the Springs

We have had a very busy week, and it isn't nearly over yet!Glad to be out here, and I never get tired of the mountain view!
We are really enjoying the Indian Summer weather and have delayed our departure a few days.
It's great to use the grill and cook out and then sit outside til dark! We haven't been able to do that too much this summer. Between visiting with our son and family and getting our ducks in a row, we haven't had a minutes peace!
It all started in Goodland Kansas when we stopped in at McB's Motors and had the annual service work done to our coach. What would take a couple of hours turned into all day..and kept us there over one extra night. It's okay, as we met another couple that had been stranded there for a few days broke down on vacation and waiting for parts. They were from the St. Louis area, and it really helped pass the time visiting with them. We exchanged info and will keep in touch, hopefully to cross paths again. DH and the gentleman had golf in common so they went to play 9 holes at the golf club and we set off to pick up some parts at the Diesel Place in Colby! We went our seperate ways after having supper at a good restaurant downtown called "Krazy Rs." The next day we ran into rain showers on the way into Colorado Springs and it really dirtied up the coach.
It was time to polish it up anyway, so last weekend we hand polished all of Betsy's 102 feet. She really shines now! So proud of the Mr. getting up on the ladder and re-taping the corners of the slide outs. Today I had the carpets and tile steam cleaned and it look like new in here! Tomorrow a couple from here will come over and look at Betsy because they may be interested in buying her! Isn't that just the way it happens. We were not looking to sell and as soon as we get her all up to speed with new rubber and shocks someone calls! Well, everything is for sale for a price, and if it's meant to be it will be! Then we will be homeless and looking for another coach, but if not, this one is ready to go down the road for another season. My car came out of the shed today, so I will start packing it up tomorrow. We even got our flu shots today because our arms are already sore from polishing so we wouldn't feel any pain! We are waiting for the call from Denver RV Center to go pick up the new windshield drape I had made and for a package in the mail to arrive and we will take Betsy to the shed, bid the kids goodbye til the end of the month when they will trip to Nebraska and then we will head east....

In My Old Backyard

We have spent the weekend here in Central Nebraska visiting with family and friends. We are staying at the Windmill State Recreation Area, right off of I 80 at the Gibbon NE. exit. It is very nice here, the drive in sites are right along the roads, pretty narrow roads, but paved and adequate. We only have Electic hook up and will have to visit the dump before we leave here this morning. Got to watch the first Nationally broadcast Nebraska Football Game yesterday, way to go Huskers! 3-0 now. We had a nice visit this morning with a friend of ours, who works for the same company that DH retired from and is contemplating retirement this next year and getting into the RV lifestyle on some level. I love showing our coach off and sharing what ever information that I can to help by sharing our experiences, both good and bad. Had a call from a couple that has wintered with us in AZ. They were heading to Casper Wy from Gilette in their motorhome, towing a pick up yesterday,and a Chevy Cobalt crossed two lanes of traffic and took out the whole drivers side of the motorhome. They weren't hurt, but the other driver was life flighted to a hospital. Totaled their pick up and coach, so they are now shopping. Every time you enter that highway you take a great risk, and you may be robbed of a safe trip through no fault of your own. I thank god they are o.k.
No plans for this afternoon and the family was busy, so we drove into Kearney and had lunch at Culvers, then went to tour the Nebraska Firefighters Museum and Education Center, which is along the interstate right before the Great Platte River Road Archway that spans Interstate 80 just east of the city of Kearney.
The Fire Museum is new and just opened this past year, and since DH is a fire fighter, having over 30 years in the Oxford Volunteer Fire Dept.so I knew he'd enjoy this. Although this is a small museum, theres a lot of history from many departments. Nebraska is lucky to be the home to Smeals Fire Apparatus Manufacturing plant. We enjoyed seeing the collection of fire fighting equipment and fire safety education displays.
This spring several Native American Tribes from surrounding states met for an annual Pow Wow at the Archway.
It went so well last year they have decided to make it an Annual Event.
This May on some adjacent ground to the Arch, they built an Earth Lodge by hand and some Shade supports, a garden of Sun Flowers and Corn.
The local paper did a big story on this and I read about it, but wanted to visit it in person, so today was the day. It's pretty cool. Nick and Terry Russell also visited the Arch this summer and the story is in this month's Gypsy Journal. All of these things are about an hour from where I used to live. It's always nice to return here and see the changes. We will be heading south into Kansas tomorrow.

Moving On to the West

We did make the opening of the new Wal Mart just west of Omaha at Exit 339. Great location. It was a very nice clean store and suprisingly enough, everything seemed to be going real smoothly.
Everyone was super friendly and bending over backwards to be of assistance for us to find things. The layout of the store was a little different, and they provided us with a store map at the door. They had cake, cookies and punch with the celebration, but the prices were normal and didn't get anything free or real bargains. We picked up everything on the list, and stopped for a Subway Sandwich on our way out. On the way home, we detoured and drove through Mahoney State Park. Looking at the campground. Don't think we can stop there, the sites just not big enough or located where our satellite will pick up a signal.
Took some pics of some mama turkeys and babies. Must have been a late hatch. Before returning to our campsite, we went to the south side of the Interstate and got a look at a motel that lost their whole roof and a convenience store that had a lot of damage from the storm.
On the way back to the RV Park we discovered another building with the whole side caved in and once again I count my blessings in escaping the damage that occured. We witnessed some beautiful sunsets while we were there too.
Yesterday we made our way west and stopped at the east Grand Island KOA...never again. Was really disappointed. Expensive and couldn't use the laundry or the water! Rusty brown, yuk! Rigs so close together that I felt we had to whisper in the bedroom and their bedroom slide where they slept was really close to our rig. Not real easy access and trees on part of sites that they wanted to put us in and then put us right beside an electrical pole and street light that if DH hadn't backed up, we would have hit getting in and out of the rig. Not good. Tonight we are at Windmill State Park Recreation Area at the Hwy 10 exit. A really nice park. Long enough Drive In sites. Not used to being this close to the road, but our slides and electric are on the drivers side next to the curb, so it'll be okay. Will be stopped here until Monday when we will make our way down into Kansas.

A little bit of Normal...

OK..now then. Walked around this place this morning early and got lots more damage pics. Made up a CD and gave it to the owner for her insurance agent.
Our electricity and water are back on and after the survey, we escaped unscathed. I feel very fortunate that we were not on the receiving end of any tree limbs and debris that is laying around.
Metal Fire rings were flying around and big plastic vent covers. We could have really sustained damageThis picnic table used to be flat!
DH walked the fence and found the little trash can, about 1/4 mile down the corn field in the trees. We left this morning and took the trek back into Omaha and went to the RV Store to get some supplies. Stopped and had lunch at Cracker Barrel and drove up to the new Walmart going up off of exit 439 on I 80. The parking lot was full of cars....so I thought I'd ask...the Grand Opening is tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. Guess where I'll be? You betcha....I'll be there!Yea! I'll take pictures :}

Before we got down here, we were stopped at the Tea Party/Freedom Rally in Onawa IA. It was a tribute to those who perished in 9-11, thanks to veterans and several good speakers to educate folks about becoming motivated to learn about their political candidates and no matter who for, we all need to get out and vote!
We learned about this rally from a friend from our home town and attended the Rally with him.
It was a very informative and fun afternoon, a couple of musical groups and vendors selling buttons, constitution materials, books and food booths.
I'm glad we went. We all need to be responsible and vote for the changes and direction that we want our country to go in. Otherwise we shouldn't complain!

No Good Welcome Home to Nebraska

We made the trek from Onawa Iowa through Iowa and stopped here in Greenwood Nebraska. Not having been in Nebraska for 10 months. Got set up in a really nice campground and was going to blog about our visit to Onawa Iowa and attending a Freedom/Tea Party Rally, but instead I will share some photos of our campground following the latest storm. We are o.k. and no damage to our coach that we can see. The awning over the door had rolled part of the way out, but went back in and we lost a small trash can. The water is off tonight, as the well pump is off. Only limited electricity...and maybe more storms on the way. I am watching the radar and we will load up in the Suburban and go somewhere...I won't ride it out.

Short and Sweet

I can't believe I'm in here! Haven't had enough signal to do hardly anything. Due to the fact that campgrounds in Sioux Falls are either full or wayyyy too expensive for the holiday weekend, we chose to hang out here until after the weekend. I got a weekly rate that would have only given us two nights there. Not much to do though, and horrible connections for internet. I'm taking the time to finish up some projects around here and will get all my photos onto CDs from the last couple of states. We will move to Sioux Falls next Wednesday...until then, we're just hanging out..this is a very small nice little park in the town of Welcome, MN just off of I 90 at exit 93. No highway noise to speak of, we have an end site on grass and is very comfortable. Looks like the temps are going to cooperate and it'll be a relief after the 90s. Raining this morning but no storms. Our trip to Arnolds Park was pretty brief. Everything is pretty much closed up there for the season...we stopped in a couple places and they said it pretty much dies when school starts. Bought a new flag to display this weekend, and we had lunch at a small park by the lake before heading back into Minnesota from Iowa and over to Worthington where we witnessed a 5-car pile up at an intersection. Caught I 90 and finished the loop. Lots of corn, and a few Ethenol plants in this area, and......a good Walmart only 8 miles from here so we're set...Hope everybody has a good Labor Day Weekend.