On Our Way Home

I am writing this last entry from New Hampshire having just watched Charlotte play soccer. We are parked in Stratham at Don's brother's house and are glad to be almost home. We spent the last week wending our way through Illinois and Pennsylvania in our own little American History tour. The Lincoln Library in Springfield Illinois is probably one of the nicest museums we have ever been in. The displays and interactive exhibits are phenomenal. We also visited Lincoln's tomb at the cemetery in Springfield, a massive granite structure that contains the bodies of Lincoln, his wife Mary, and the sons they lost. The only surviving member of the family was his son Robert, and when he died he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. We also walked to Lincoln's home in Springfield pictured here.
From there we went to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to see the new Visitor's Center and Museum. Our campground was called Artillary Ridge, and there were riding stables right on the grounds. The second day there we took a tour of the battlefield on horseback, a really unique experience that gives you a completely new perspective of the battle. We wore head sets that described everything we were seeing. Don and I had never done anything like that before and it was a lot of fun. On our way home we stopped in South Hadley, Mass and visited with my Aunt Gloria and Uncle Chick whom I hadn't seen in years. We had a very nice visit and caught up on family news. All in all we had a grand adventure this summer, and are so glad we did it, but are also so glad to be home.
Final observations:
My ipad was my best friend on the trip.
Don and I travel well with only small skirmishes now and then.
100 degrees is pretty hot.
Kansas City has a lot of Yankee fans.
Horseback riding can be painful.
We have a very beautiful and vast country.
We learned a lot about American History.
We learned a lot about ourselves.
Live life...do not put things off that you dream to do.

Medora and Kansas City

Heading east, will be home by next week. Our stop in Medora, North Dakota for a couple of days was wonderful. We went to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and saw buffalo, prairie dogs, and wild mustangs. Medora was named by the Marquis de Mores, a french nobleman who had married a beautiful young American named Medora. They settled here and he tried to start up a cattle business but it failed. Teddy Roosevelt also spent a little time here after the death of his mother and wife. He says it is what created the environmentalist spirit in him, and it led him to the presidency. Every night all summer they perform a musical in an amphitheater built on the side of a canyon. Elk are brought out to feed on the hillside before the show. The show was wonderful. There were horses, music, dancing, comedy, and even a magician fresh off the show "America's Got Talent." It was one of the most unique shows we have ever seen. Then off we went across North Dakota. We stayed that night a bit west of Fargo, and tornadoes were threatening. My biggest fear would be to be in this RV with a tornado heading our way. Luckily, it did not.

We headed south to St Joseph, Missouri and stayed there for one night. Went to see the Yankees play in Kansas City. That was a real adventure. Finding our way there in 100 degree heat during rush hour traffic...not fun, but once there we had great seats and they were under cover. Yankees 4...Royals....3, a good night for Don. He also got to see CC Sabathia pitch for the first time. Today we will head to Springfield, Illinois to see Lincoln's grave and Presidential Museum. We will watch the weather as we wend our way home, and hope the heat breaks.

Heading East

Well, after more than three weeks in Alaska, we are heading east. We split from Rose and Al last Sunday. They will go a different route. We really pushed ourselves the last three days and drove more miles than we normally do as we wanted to get below the Alcan Highway. The highway was such an experience and so glad we did it. Its historical significance is so powerful as it was built originally as an army road in 1942 the result of great cooperation between the United States and Canada. It was necessary for our defense during World War II. Many people lost their lives building it and the remnants of the equipment used are still strewn along the highway. The monument shown here was created for the soldiers who died in the Charlie Lake tragedy. Their makeshift boat was overturned during high waves and a storm. We stopped also at the Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park. We had never experienced mineral hot springs before and it was wonderful. Very few people there. Men building the highway found it and it was a soothing respite in their harsh environment. We saw much wildlife on the trip down, including buffalo, elk, stone sheep, and a black bear. We also stopped in Watson Lake and placed our sign among the thousands that are there. I spent a short time creating it from supplies purchased at Walmart. Also, you might notice that I had a photo op with Sarah...that one is for Andrew. Last Sunday we were in Fairbanks and we flew on a small plane to Anaktuvuk Pass north of the Arctic Circle. We saw the Alaskan Pipeline wind its way north. The little community there consists of about 300 people, many of native descent. We are at the present moment in Whitecourt, Alberta and hope to be back in the states by Monday.