12 May 2007

This first pic [as you can probably guess] is in a town called Beaver Lodge. The beaver is 15' by 20' by 10'.






I had mom take this picture because I knew no one would believe me if I said I petted a pony :-) But he was so cute..

Jas had fun watching and feeding the ponies too.

The little burro on the left is only 6 days old; mama is on the right.

Catching UP

The trip is actually over, but the last few days we either didn't have Internet access or I was too tired to use it. The long hours of daylight are messing with my head, because I feel like driving as long as it is light out, not realizing that places for gas and beds are closing up at 9 and 10 p.m. The sun goes behind the mountains around 10-10:30 and it is still fairly light till about 11:30 p.m. The infosheet with the list of gas and lodging doesn't note who stays open late or that some places aren't open at all till Memorial Day - things a traveler wants to know.
(I don't know why that part came out underlined but I can't fix it.)














These pics are in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, at Mile Zero of the Alaskan Highway. Jas is in the museum in the visitors' center. ( http://www.tourismdawsoncreek.com/ )

Montana pt 2

Since I had a rough time yesterday [nothing traumatic, but tired and achy], I took it easy today. We made it to Helena and will try for Canada tomorrow.

7 May 2007 (Late)

We left South Dakota [we had a great breakfast at the Colonial House!] and made it through Wyoming to Montana.
Beautiful scenery everywhere.
[pics from top to bottom: Ft. Hays, the set of Dances with Wolves, a Hexagonal house {leaving S.D.}, Jas at a Custer Expedition Memorial in Wyoming, and last two are scenery in Montana {the jackrabbit let me get pretty close}]

Check the Pics

I added pics to some of the older posts; scroll down to check 'em out :-)

my lil cowpoke

Jas and 'Buela in Wall Drug with Annie Oakley [well, sorta]

one of the "Painted Ladies"

Sightseeing around Mt. Rushmore

We got to be tourists today. The rain finally stopped when we got to the top of Rushmore park.

Then Jas & I tried to go to Rushmore Caves, but it was closed. So I took him to pan for gold. He found gold and garnets.

then we went to see the carving of Chief Crazy Horse and back to see Rushmore at night [we saw the mountain goat along the way; we saw more mule deer but they didn't want to pose]

[I have editted this several times and can't get the formatting correct; I quit]

Saturday

We arrived in Keystone last night; we're very close to MT Rushmore!
We saw a lot of deer last night driving in.
More later.

4 May 2007 Evening

We made it to South Dakota. We all just collapsed when we got to the hotel.
It was a gray and dreary day for driving, windy and rainy at times. Not expecting much tomorrow since the weather is still supposed to be bad.

('Buela and Jas in front of the Corn Palace)

Iowa

Made it to Cedar Rapids Wednesday night and we stayed to visit with mom's friend today.
She took us around to see round barns, including a newly restored one and one that Dick Schwab is building on his property. We were invited to stay for lunch and Jas had a ball running around all of the fields and barns and learning about laser wood engraving. Going to get on the road in the a.m. to Minnesota and maybe South Dakota. [if I can get my photobucket to work I'll upload the pics]

1 May 2007

We made it to Indiana today. The drive through Ohio was horrible with heavy thunderstorms and HAIL! I was glad to be out of that mess. We got a late start Monday, but we still made it through most of Pennsylvania before I ran out of steam. Gonna try to make it to Iowa to see one of 'Buela's friends - depends on how many stops she makes to round barns along the way :-)

Getting Ready

We (that is, Me [JazzyMama], 'Buela [my mother], and my son Jas) are getting ready for traveling cross-country from Here in little ole Delaware to Fairbanks, Alaska. Buela and Jas will stay and I will return to finish up with work and my apartment and I will fly out later for the summer.

'Buela traded in her Hyundai Elantra in for a Hyundai Tucson for the trip and for her to have in AK. The new car is very nice to drive [important since I will be doing 99% of the driving], though it will be nicer once the cruise is installed. 'Buela will be taking some things of hers and Jas will have some of his things, and other than what I'll be wearing I will be taking the winter clothes since I won't be needing them. I will be sending some things in the mail as soon as we get the official mailing address for 'Buela's apartment [should be getting a call anytime]. We're both trying to eliminate and simplify for ease of moving and just plain starting fresh.

Jas is currently educated at home; this will now be school on the road. We are going to try to hit some historical places along the way, but 'Buela wants to get there and reminds me that I have to at least get there in time for my flight home :-)

We have a lot to do and little time to do it (esp. since we are both still working), but it's exciting!