The Bad Lands is a pristine wilderness with a rich heritage from prehistoric hunters, the Great Sioux Nation and later to homesteaders and ranchers. We didn't have time to explore much of the 65 million years of erosion resulting in unreal formations and colors. But always enjoy the jack in the box type-gophers and were surprised by mule deer crashing down a hill in front of our truck.
Travel Tidbits:
1. Elroy is the best traveling dog in the world-sleeps 90% of the time.
2. Gas in Missouri was less than $3.00/gallon-$2.92 to be exact.
3. South bound I-29 in Iowa was still closed in September due to flood damage from the Missouri River.
4. Some states have follow me-cars in construction zones, I guess they think the public isn't smart enough to obey signals. Well waiting for one in Kansas, we meet Little Thunder holding a stop sign. We found out about his wife (Navajo from New Mexico) and all the assorted details to pass the time. I'm so proud of myself by not responding to the urge to ask who Big Thunder was. Notice I can resist the temptation to be a smart ass sometimes.
5. You know you're heading South when the crops change from corn and soybeans to cotton.
6. I like small unincorporated towns with signs for tent revivals.
7. What's the relationship to the number of churches in the South to the number of adult book stores often with arcades, videos and open 24 hours?
8. Why did we cross the Mississippi river 3 times going East?
9. Ron was right a couple times.
10. You learn things like Casey Jones was a real person with a home and museum in West Tennessee-thought he was just in a song.
11. Trouble at a gas station. When you've had 3 different addresses in 3 different states in the last 2 years, which zip code do you use as credit card ID check? Overloaded the gas pump computer and it took 2 BP guys help to buy gas.
After all of this, we finally end up close to our daughter in Fort Campbell military campground in TN. This is a nice place just outside the gates but has changed since the last time we were here. The ongoing military aggression has obviously heated up. I felt like we were in a war zone. Between 2 shooting ranges we heard
big booms, machines guns, and assorted rife fire all day long. Not to mention the helicopters and plans overhead giving us interference on our cells and TV. Oh lord, what I would of done for ear plugs.
The surprise. Our 16 year old grandson, Kieron, has a new car-a 2006 red mustage GT that sounds like a souped up muscle car. Now get this. He doest have a drivers license or even a permit yet. But his dad, remembering his youth I guess, has purchased it for him. Kinda like buying a train set at Christmas for a 6 month old. What do you think?
One of the best things when you travel is accidently coming upon something special. In an Alabama campground we experienced a combination Blue Grass Festival and revival.
Music all night long with the good ol'boys. Notice they sit in a circle and take turns picking a new song-just like the good old days. Just bring your own lawn chair and sit down and enjoy the music and company. But exhausted, we left early before we the revival started. Maybe we can be saved next time.
