Day 40. July 16

 Another excellent adventure wrapped up today. Drove through torrential rain to get to Kentucky. Stopped at Patty’s 1880’s Restaurant for a catfish late lunch then set up camp again at Energy Lake Campground, Land Between the Lakes. We got the same site that we stayed at last year when we ended our Banff sojourn. Tomorrow we return summer home to Greenback and start the process of scrubbing, cleaning and unpacking our faithful camper and truck. But today I wanted to remember our favorite parts of our “Trip to Oregon”. 

Favorite campgrounds - John Wayne, Lewis & Clark Caverns

Favorite parks - Oregon Coast & Olympic NP 

Favorite mountains - North Cascades

Favorite river - Columbia

Favorite Harvest Hosts - Alpaca Farm & Koffee Knection

Favorite boondock - Camp Clark (wedding)

Favorite meal - Dungeness crab 

Favorite hike - Olympic NP Sol Duc Rainforest & Waterfall

Favorite attraction - Air Museum

Favorite town - Winthrop, WA

Most interesting place - Whidbey Island w/Deception Pass (& ferry ride to get there)

Most unusual - Corn Palace

States transverse - Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington

We traveled 6,980 miles over 41 days, observed so many wondrous sights, met many interesting people, attended Sam & Anna’s splendid wedding, ate tons of tasty foods, hiked scenic & challenging trails, shared incredible memories. This country never ceases to amaze. Until next time…..

Day 39. July 15

 Happily left the AOK Campground that sat about a 100 yards from interstate traffic and pointed the truck to the other side of Missouri. Not a lot to say about the Show Me state. It is known for ragtime, jazz, barbecue and the birthplace of Anheuser-Busch beer. It was blazing hot in the 24th state today so couldn’t enjoy their state food, ice cream, because it would have melted before you could bring it to your lips. The only interesting thing that happened today was when we stopped for lunch at Taco Bell and there was nowhere to park our camper; we discovered you cannot take a truck towing a trailer through the drive-thru. The turns are a little too tight. John adeptly got us out of that jam by jumping a few curbs and all ended well after a few anxious moments. The heat at our campground, which is perfectly manicured but devoid of trees or any shade, persisted till after nightfall so we didn’t get to see much of the lake, trails or park amenities. Tomorrow we head to our last campsite of this trip, Energy Lake, Kentucky. 

Day 38. July 14

 It was a long drive today from South Dakota through pieces of Iowa and Nebraska and finally stopping in Missouri. It was a boring drive for the most part until we hit the border of Iowa around Omaha, Nebraska. The recent flooding that plagued the area around I29 has receded but the damage left behind was significant. We started seeing road signs and silos sitting in water then acres and acres of corn fields turning brown and rotting. Since we haven’t kept up with current events since we’ve been camping, we had no idea this area had been devastated by floods and severe weather. Between the tornadoes in April, record rain in June (600% above normal) and the Missouri River rising to unprecedented heights, these states we just drove through have sustained over $130 million in infrastructure damage. So sad. The long drive we had today would have been longer two weeks ago since I29 was closed and underwater. Spending the night in St. Joseph, MO then moving on to a campground near St. Louis tomorrow. 

Day 37. July 13

 The overnight rain cooled the temperature a little. Got another early start so we could have time to explore the famous Corn Palace near our next campsite at Dakota Campground in Mitchell, SD. Passed by one of my favorite areas, the Badlands, but for the most part, the landscape was pretty flat and sprouted lots of corn and vegetation especially the closer we got to Mitchell. It was a long drive but so worth it to see the unusual Corn Palace. The iconic building was a sight to behold where each wall is covered with intricate designs made up of natural grasses and 13 different colors of corn. Amazingly enough, there is no entrance fee or charge for parking. The original palace was built in 1891 to promote South Dakota’s farming industry and attract settlers. It was a very successful attraction and the town soon figured out they needed a bigger palace so the version we visited was built in 1921. The external murals are replaced and redesigned every year. The ones inside surrounding the gym floor and stage are permanent. We took the tour, watched the informative movie, and, of course, bought a t-shirt. This is one of those pieces of Americana you have to see to believe. Walked around the vintage downtown a bit then returned to our shaded campsite. Tomorrow we arrive in Missouri. 

Day 36. July 12

We were in 3 states today; Montana, Wyoming and ended up in South Dakota. The terrain was varied and beautiful. Our goal was to see Devils Tower National Monument before camping in Spearfish for the night. The monument rises 1,267’ above the Belle Fourche Riverbed and sits in the Bear Lodge Mountains, part of the Black Hills. It was the first U.S. national monument established in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt. John and I hiked the 2 mile base perimeter. At one point we looked up and saw 3 climbers scaling the columns. Apparently, thousands climb the Tower every year; the youngest being a 6 year old boy and a 7 year old girl and the oldest, a 91 year old doctor from Florida. Normally our hike wouldn’t be that big of a feat except that the truck thermometer registered 107 degrees when we got back in. It was a short drive to Spearfish, SD afterwards while we gulped water. Spearfish was established in 1876 during the gold rush era as a supplier to the mining community. We walked the old downtown after dinner while the Friday night street festival was going on. Headed back to the City Campground when the skies started darkening. It was a pretty little park next to the “Historic Hatchery” but they pack too many campers into the back of the park where we were camped. You couldn’t tell where one site ended and another one started. Mitchell, SD and the iconic Corn Palace are the goals tomorrow. 

Day 35. July 11

 The drive through Montana never disappoints even though it was quite hazy today with all the wildfires in the northwest making the distant mountains look like a painted backdrop. Passed by the infamous Old Anaconda Copper Company Smelter Stack that was built in 1919. It is one of the tallest free-standing brick structures in the world at 585 feet; compared to the Washington Monument at 555’. Even through the smoke, you could see the structure rising against the mountains. Again the drive to our next destination was hot and uneventful. Made it to the little burg of Hardin, MT for lunch and our campsite for the night. Hardin is just north of the Crow Indian Reservation and was incorporated in 1911. Thomas Campbell, the “World’s Wheat King”, operated the nation’s largest wheat farm just outside of town. He also pioneered the use of industrial machinery in farming here. Devil’s Tower is our stop for tomorrow. 

Day 34. July 10

 We said goodbye to Idaho and the “goose” on the roof of the Maintenance Building and hello to Montana again. The drive around the 3,437 acres of Chatcolet Lake was a serene and beautiful way to start a pretty long, uneventful day of driving as we are making our way back to Tennessee. Montana is still one of our favorite states with spectacular mountains, ambling rivers, and quaint cowboy towns but the excessive heat today prohibited any hiking so we planned out the rest of our trip home and just laid low today after arriving in our campground. We continue our trip across Montana tomorrow. 

Day 33. July 9

 Mr. Sun was still pouring it on in Heyburn State Park, Idaho so we decided to do a hike early then head to the little nearby town of Plummer for a couple supplies. By the time we found the trailhead, it was already getting hot. Shoeffler Butte was suppose to be a “difficult” 2.5 miles to a “beautiful overlook”. Difficult or strenuous doesn’t begin to describe this hike which was over a 600’ elevation change at a 3000’ plus altitude. The straight up, overgrown trail was not even a foot wide and, obviously, was not one of the popular hikes. We finally made it to the top of the mountain in temperatures that were approaching 100° and the first words out of our mouths were “That’s it?!!” Most of the “beautiful view” touted by the Visitor’s Center ranger was obscured by trees and bushes. Proud we endured this physically challenging adventure but was glad to be going down and heading to the air conditioned truck. After getting supplies, we rested until the temps started dropping as evening approached. Decided to do one more hike over the lake on an old defunct railroad bridge that was part of the 72 mile Coeur d’Alene Trail. Now THAT was a beautiful view.

Back to Montana tomorrow. 

Day 32. July 8

 No internet and sketchy cell so couldn’t post for 2 days. 

The drive from Pearrygin State Park to Heyburn State Park was not as impressive as the day before with the exception of the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington. At almost a mile long and 550’ high, the structure, built between 1933 - 1942, is an impressive concrete gravity dam on the Columbia River built to produce hydroelectric power and provide irrigation water. We stopped at the overlook to view one of the largest concrete structures in the world. Unfortunately, the dam did not allow fish passage which had severe negative consequences for the local Native American tribes, hindering the passage of salmon and other fish that the tribes depended on. It also involved relocating 3000 people, including many Native Americans. But on the plus side, the water from the dam irrigates over 671,000 acres of land and delivers electricity to numerous cities. It is the largest power station in the United States. The irrigation benefits the extensive orchards of apples that we passed. 

The landscape from Washington crossing into Idaho was varied. It went from flat or rolling hills desert to mountains to lush forests to fields of vegetation. Stopped at a very authentic Mexican restaurant right before our campground destination. Just relaxed in our campsite till evening once we made it to Heyburn Park since we are here for 2 days; we’ll explore tomorrow.