Today was slightly busy.
We started out a little later than usual, around 8:00 a.m. We traveled to Vancouver, arriving about 9:45. After checking in (one room was not yet ready) we worked on figuring what to do with the extra time we had - I had not planned on arriving so early.
We walked to the Gastown section. Here we watched a steam clock ring in 11:00 a.m. We then walked up the hill to a section named Chinatown.
Then, back to the 'Waterfront' area. We walked over to the Olympic torch / cauldron. It is being worked on to be reused on July 01 this year, Canada's Independence Day.
From here we took a city bus over to an area named Granville Island - an 'artist' and craft type community. The bus ride was somewhat adventurous in that we had to figure out how to purchase the bus tickets with US currency - you cannot. For the ride over we used a credit card. For the ride back I went into a Starbucks Coffee shop and exchanged US currency for Canadian coin - the bus would not accept paper money. We had lunch at 'Bridges Bistro' on Granville Island - it was on the waterfront. However, we ate our lunch inside because of the wind.
That is about it for today.
Signed:
The Wayward Travelers
Monday, June 7, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
06/06/2010 - Sunday
Today was another somewhat long travel day.
We started out in Missoula, MT, which is on the western side of the state. The temperature was 46.
Heading west we had to go up and over the mountains. The road was curvy, and we did see some mountain peaks with snow.
Later we stopped at the Grand Coulee Dam / Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake. The shortly after we stopped at the Chief Joseph Dam. This dam is the second largest produce of hydro-electric power.
Next we drove up and over the Cascades mountains, driving through the Northern Cascades National Park. Near the top of Washington Pass (elevation 5477') we drove past snow drifts about 10' in height, based upon cars parked next to the drifts.
We had light rain most of the day.
We stopped for the night in Burlington, WA, which is between Seattle and Vancouver, covering around 500 miles today.
Signed:
The Wayward Travelers
We started out in Missoula, MT, which is on the western side of the state. The temperature was 46.
Heading west we had to go up and over the mountains. The road was curvy, and we did see some mountain peaks with snow.
Later we stopped at the Grand Coulee Dam / Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake. The shortly after we stopped at the Chief Joseph Dam. This dam is the second largest produce of hydro-electric power.
Next we drove up and over the Cascades mountains, driving through the Northern Cascades National Park. Near the top of Washington Pass (elevation 5477') we drove past snow drifts about 10' in height, based upon cars parked next to the drifts.
We had light rain most of the day.
We stopped for the night in Burlington, WA, which is between Seattle and Vancouver, covering around 500 miles today.
Signed:
The Wayward Travelers
Saturday, June 5, 2010
06/05/2010 - Saturday
Today was another day of mainly road travel. We went west from Belle Fourche, SD, across the northeast corner of Wyoming, and then across most of Montana. Today's travels were 12 hours long and slightly over 600 miles.
We stopped at the Little Bighorn Battlefield Memorial, near the town of Crow Agency, a little southeast of Billings.
We continued west and stopped at the Grant-Kohrs Ranch at Deer Lodge. This was at one time the largest working range in the US.
Our last stop was in Missoula where we are staying for the night.
Signed:
The Wayward Travelers
We stopped at the Little Bighorn Battlefield Memorial, near the town of Crow Agency, a little southeast of Billings.
We continued west and stopped at the Grant-Kohrs Ranch at Deer Lodge. This was at one time the largest working range in the US.
Our last stop was in Missoula where we are staying for the night.
Signed:
The Wayward Travelers
Friday, June 4, 2010
06/04/2010 - Friday
Today was an abbreviated travel day.
This morning we stopped at Mount Rushmore. We viewed the carvings and then took the Presidential Trail, a path around the base of the mountain and to the Sculpture Studio.
We then drove through Custer State Park. The park is well know for it's buffalo herds. In one area we parked along side the road while a small herd of around 100 buffalo crossed the road around us. We then drove a little farther and watched another small herd of a similar amount graze in the field alongside the road.
We then drove onto Belle Fourche, SD, the geographic center of the US. Here we spent the balance of the day visiting our son and his family.
Signed:
The Wayward Travelers.
This morning we stopped at Mount Rushmore. We viewed the carvings and then took the Presidential Trail, a path around the base of the mountain and to the Sculpture Studio.
We then drove through Custer State Park. The park is well know for it's buffalo herds. In one area we parked along side the road while a small herd of around 100 buffalo crossed the road around us. We then drove a little farther and watched another small herd of a similar amount graze in the field alongside the road.
We then drove onto Belle Fourche, SD, the geographic center of the US. Here we spent the balance of the day visiting our son and his family.
Signed:
The Wayward Travelers.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
06/03 - Thursday
Today was an interesting day.
Our first stop was Sioux Falls park - the Sioux Falls city park at the falls on the Big Sioux River. the falls are located where prisoners cut rocks (a red quartz) from the river banks for building. We also took a trolley ride through town to see the historical buildings.
Our second stop was the world known CORN PALACE. It is a small town auditorium that is decorated with many different pieces of corn, from the maize, tassels, stocks, corn ears, etc. The designs are changed and replaced every year.
We then stopped at the Missouri River overlook at Chamberlain on I-90. It contains a mini-museum of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
We drove through the Bandlands National Park. Here besides the many colorful and various rock formations created by erosion, we saw close up Pronghorn, Bison, Mountain Goats and Mule Deer. The Mountain Goats had several young with them. They appeared to be only walking a few days.
Finally we stopped for the night in Wall, SD. We walked around Wall Drugs and ended the evening with ice cream.
Signed:
The Wayward Travelers
Our first stop was Sioux Falls park - the Sioux Falls city park at the falls on the Big Sioux River. the falls are located where prisoners cut rocks (a red quartz) from the river banks for building. We also took a trolley ride through town to see the historical buildings.
Our second stop was the world known CORN PALACE. It is a small town auditorium that is decorated with many different pieces of corn, from the maize, tassels, stocks, corn ears, etc. The designs are changed and replaced every year.
We then stopped at the Missouri River overlook at Chamberlain on I-90. It contains a mini-museum of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
We drove through the Bandlands National Park. Here besides the many colorful and various rock formations created by erosion, we saw close up Pronghorn, Bison, Mountain Goats and Mule Deer. The Mountain Goats had several young with them. They appeared to be only walking a few days.
Finally we stopped for the night in Wall, SD. We walked around Wall Drugs and ended the evening with ice cream.
Signed:
The Wayward Travelers
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
On Our Way - June 02
We finally got started this morning after nearly three years of planning. So far all went well.
The second photo is the Iowa visitor center. The items at the tops of the columns are items that associated with Iowa, such as Acorns, corn, pigs, etc.
Along the way we stopped for about an hour at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch, Iowa. We stopped for the night in Missouri Valley, Iowa, about 100 miles west of Des Moines and 75 miles south of Sioux City. We drove about 750 miles today.
I noticed that adding photos to the blog takes a lot of time so I may not be adding too many, just enough to give you an idea.
Signed:
The Wayward Travelers
Friday, May 21, 2010
Almost Ready
It is now late May and I am almost finished with making all the reservations that I have responsibility for. The reservations not yet made are for larger metropolitan areas that have many hotels so we should not need a reservation in that area.
We are also completing our tasks to have our daughter take care of household items like water the plants, and our grandsons who will be mowing the grass. We are really ready to pack and leave.
Watch for our first travel post in the near future.
Signed:
The Wayward Traveler
We are also completing our tasks to have our daughter take care of household items like water the plants, and our grandsons who will be mowing the grass. We are really ready to pack and leave.
Watch for our first travel post in the near future.
Signed:
The Wayward Traveler
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