Well, it’s Tuesday and we have been back for a few days. I know I haven’t update daily. True be told, it’s because we were tired. After travelling over 2,500 miles driving, 4 hotels, like 9 states and whatnot, it could be well deserved. Or I could just be lazy. Either way.

We finished off Omaha. We spent the morning going to the Strategic Air Command & Air Force Museum. It has several jets and airplanes and whatnot. It was quite interesting. However, if you have been to the Air & Space Museum, you could probably skip it. More of the same. Still nice to visit though.

Afterwards, we went to lunch at a BBQ place, stopped at a chocolate shop and did a drive-by of Lincoln, Nebraska.

On our way back to our hotel, we stopped by a new national cemetery and paid our respects.

That evening, we had a dinner. Upon the conclusion of dinner, it was then that Ralph realized that he had lost his credit card. After some quick sleuthing, I was able to locate it back at the BBQ place. 20 MILES AWAY. Before I left, I explained who I was, what they had, and that I would not be bringing Ralph as he was a Senior Citizen. The manager said “Sure, no problem.” I arrive, and surely enough, they want to see a photo ID saying that I am Ralph. UGH. It finally got sorted and I was on my way.

The next morning, we turned in our rental car and flew to Chicago. O’Hare is a huge airport. We all had to do lots of walking, but they made it. We took a cab to our hotel and settled in for the day. That afternoon, I ordered Deep Dish Pizza for the 3 of us. I learned a few things that afternoon. 1. It takes an hour or so to cook. 2. It’s not pizza. As John Stewart would say, It’s a Casserole. 3. It is actually better cold.

The next afternoon was the Cubs game at Wrigley Field. The Lyft dropped us off at the back side of the stadium, so we had to walk around to the front. It was then I discovered there was an issue with the tickets. I had to go to Will Call and get it sorted. But the wait and the walking were worth it. It was about 80 degrees, a beautiful summers day, a light breeze, we were in the shade, behind home plate, and the Cubs won. Joel Murray, Bill Murray’s brother, threw out the first pitch and led us all in Take Me Out to the Ball Game. Attendance was sold out. Just being at a stadium and seeing so many happy people lifted the spirits and reminded us all how baseball is “America’s Pastime”

Next morning, we packed and got ready for our journey home. We arrived back safely, and everyone was dropped off. It was a good trip.

When I arrived home, I had gifts for everyone, including some chocolate covered ginger from the chocolate shop in Omaha. MacKenzie tried it. I asked her about it, and she said it was good. Then she took one more bite, which actually had ginger in it, and promptly spit it out.

Over the trip some things I have learned.

1. Old People are hilarious
2. I couldn’t put about 75% of the stuff they said in this blog
3. Friends can be friends for life
4. Some things in life you only really need to see once. (Looking at you, Mount Rushmore)
5. Sometimes driving is the way to go to enjoy all the scenery.
6. We make marvelous things, but nothing beat nature.
7. Steaks in Omaha are just about the same as you would find anywhere else.
8. Deep Dish isn’t pizza
9. Wrigley Field is amazing.
10. Spend time with your family. It’s important.

I would have never taken this trip on my own. I always have the issue of how long I have to look at something for it to be meaningful. None the less, I am grateful for the opportunity to learn something, see something, and spend time with some great people.

Until the next trip.

 

Today was went to the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum. It has a lot of planes and jets inside. It reminded me of the Air and Space Museum.

We made it to Lincoln, home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, today. Epp gave us a windshield tour of Nebraska’s capital and we go to see all the sporting locations. It made me think of the 90’s when Penn State was #1 in football and undefeated. The next week they were #2 and undefeated. Ugh. Nebraska. Maybe that is why I dislike this state.

We had lunch at a smoke house and also visited a National Cemetery. Returning to the room around 4, we were able to rest before dinner at Fire Birds.

Fire Birds is a steakhouse that is known for its beef. When in Omaha, you try the beef. We get ready to end our evening and pay our bill. However, somehow or another, Ralph’s credit card is missing. I was able to call the smokehouse and they have it. I explain to them how I am and that I won’t be bringing him due to the distance and that he is a Senior Citizen. No problem. Until I get there. I explain to a different manager that in the drawer they have a card. I explain what it looks like and who it belongs to and when we left it. He would like to see a photo ID. Ugh. So I got thru the whole song and dance again. Finally they are able to locate the original manager and it was resolved. Just frustrating. Oh, and it was 20+ miles away. The things we do.

 

Tomorrow, we fly to Chicago for Day 11 and Phase 3 of our trip. We will be home on Saturday. But first the Cubs.

We finally made it to the Omaha. Didn’t see the Oracle. There also is no spoon.

Today is officially our shortest day. We only had to travel 200 miles today. Yep. 200.

We made it and were greeted at the hotel by Epp. He is an old high school friend of Ralph and Vaughn’s. He took the on a car tour of the city, while I remained behind to do some light reading.

Epp invited us all to dinner at his place for a BBQ. We had hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, deviled eggs, chips and watermelon. It was a nice affair. Epp has an amazing backyard. He has several old water hand pumps that he has repurposed into fountains. They did a really nice job.

Today was a rest day for all of us. We are just getting ready for the next big push. Chicago. That comes on Thursday.

Tonight is a short post. I gave them their space so they could be a bunch of old friends spending time together. I thought about how I would feel if my friends and I were spending all this time together and Alex was with me. Good at first. Terrible at last. The stories we would tell sometimes you don’t need a son knowing.

Tomorrow is a new day.

Today’s blog will be a short one.

We left North Sioux City, SD and ended in Kansas City, MO. Not to be confused with Kansas City, KS. Apparently, not telling them apart is a big thing here.

We came to Kansas City to pay tribute to those who have fallen and gave, as Abraham Lincoln would say, “The last full measure of devotion.” We visited the World War I Museum and Memorial.

Under the glass bridge as you enter the exhibit are 9,000 silk poppies. Each of these poppies represent 1,000 service members who died from around the world fighting in The Great War. 9 million people. It is a humbling experience to visit this location. At the peak of it is an observation tower. We took the elevator to the top. It was at this time that we found out that there is also 45 steps to the top. Ralph and Vaughn made it like champs. I was very proud of them. The views are amazing.

We then are settling in for the evening. Tonight, is a night of rest and reset. Tomorrow, Omaha, Nebraska.

I was trying to make it to Iowa. Almost made it. Three miles short. Damn.

We started the morning leaving Keystone and saying good bye to Mount Rushmore. Headed East our first stop was Wall, SD and THE FAMOUS WALL DRUG. Wall Drug is the South Of The Border of South Dakota. People tell me that it is a pretty big deal. The signs start hundreds of miles away and let you know that have free ice water and 5 cent coffee. Of course, we had to check it out. It was a big tourist trap and had all sorts of things for sale. Ralph was looking for trash bags and I was looking for an Auxiliary Cable. Neither of us found what we were looking for so we sat our front. I wondered back around looking for Vaughn. We couldn’t find him. I text him. He comes out a few moments later with a Root Beer Float and a grin from ear to ear. One thing I have learned about Vaughn is that he loves Root Beer. He tries it wherever we go. I asked him about the float and if he felt it was better than the carnivals. Decorum will not allow me to let you know his answer.

We leave Wall and head to the Bad Lands National Park. It is a short 8 mile trip down the road. The Bad Lands are amazing. We drove around for awhile and stopped several times for pictures. I don’t know if the pictures will ever do it justice. What was also amazing is that on one side of the road is Grass Lands and then WHAM, Bad Lands. Magical.

We said good bye and headed towards the Minuteman Missiile National Site. We stopped and it was quite informative. We saw a short film and looked at the displays. I really reminded me of the beginning of War Games. I was expecting Leo from West Wing to shoot a guy for failing to turn the key. No Leo. No shooting. Shame. The actual silo was 15 miles back the way we came, so we decided to forgo it.

Our next stop was Al’s Oasis which is along the Missouri River. It was like the Wall but smaller. We had dinner and moved along. Stopping at the scenic overlook on the other side of the river, we saw the vast expanse of the land and river before us. We also saw the statue “Diversity” Quite the site and probably beautiful when lit at night. We will still got miles to go people, so we left.

Next on our list was the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD. Just thinking on it, I never got a picture with the sign. Oh, well. However, after a few detours we found the palace in all it’s corn glory. It was decorated outside for the U.S. Military. Quite nice considering it is corn. As we are leaving town, we stop for gas, drinks and a rest room break. Ralph doesn’t have to go. So we fill up and leave. 10 miles down the road, who has to stop? Ralph. I immediately thought of my son, Jack. Anyways, I found a new gas station. Deeper and deeper we go.

We decide to stop for the night in North Sioux City, SD. Almost made it.

Tomorrow, Kansas City and the World War I Museum. Maybe some gambling. Ralph may own KC soon.

SIDENOTE: A story I said I would post because some people don’t read but merely like the post.

There is a young lady named Lillian who dreams of being a Mermaid. It is her lot in life. Internally, she hums tunes to the Little Mermaid all day and into the night. She wears bright colors and lets her hair flow in the pool so she can recreate scenes from the film. I was recently told that while she sleeps and actually dreams of being a Mermaid, that if is awaken too soon or too hard, she kicks with both legs as she swims. A girl can dream, can’t she?

You ever have a nice drawn out plan and then rip it to shreds? That was us this morning and then again this evening.

We started this morning at breakfast. Originally, we were supposed to stay here in Keystone until Monday. We decided this morning to leave tomorrow and head East to cut down our trip to Omaha on Monday. Good idea. So we got the run around from Booking.com, Booking DOT YEAH. But finally they cancelled the room for tomorrow night.

Then we headed out to Crazy Horse. Ralph and Vaughn wanted to see how far along they have come since their last visit 50 years ago. They finished the head and there is a hole in the middle of the mountain. So basically, not a lot. Ralph thinks it will be done in 200 years. We visited the center, looked around the museum, and saw the observation deck. Then we were off to Custer State Park.

“Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam and the deer and the antelope play.” We went to Custer State Park. It has an 18 mile Wildlife Loop. We drove along at a leisurely pace. We go to see the “Begging Burrows”. These are burrows that literally come to your car window and beg for food. We gave them a few pretzels. They finally left. We also saw one antelope, and one deer. We thought all hope was lost about seeing buffalo. We got to the last mile of the loop and there they were. As big and majestic as you would want to believe. They were magical. We got some pictures and proceeded on.

We took Iron Mountain Road to Deadwood. This road has 314 turns, 3 tunnels…blah blah blah. It is a popular run for the bikers. It is one of the reasons that the Sturgis Bike Week is here. Slow goings.

Ten miles from Deadwood, it started to hail and rain. Lots of bikers on the road, just leaning into their bikes, hating life on the highway. We finally made it to Deadwood. We had lunch and then Ralph and Vaughn went gambling. Let’s just say that Ralph may or may not own Deadwood now.

We were back in the garage, and Vaughn suggests we head to Sturgis. I quote a line from Steve McQueen that my friend Brian uses often. “What the hell else are we going to do today?” Sturgis is a small little town with a motorcycle rally next month. It is started to set up. It is ridiculous. You can feel the excitement in the air. We stopped at a shop to picked up some swag. It was right next to the town hall. Town Hall was pumping out music from the roof. While were there it was AC/DC and Maroon 5. They asked if we had the moves like Jagger.

We bought our shirts and headed back to Keystone. After taking a short break, we went to dinner.

Dinner is where we destroyed our plans again. So tomorrow, here is the new plan. Badlands, Wall Drug, Missile Silo, Chamberlain Observation deck on the Missouri and as far as we can drive. Monday, we are off to Kansas City for the World War I museum and Truman library.

Big days ahead, and we have 7 more to go. Stay tuned.

EDIT: So I just found out Lillian “likes” these blogs, but she doesn’t read these blogs. Seems deceptive. I wonder what else she says that she likes but really doesn’t care about? Pineapple? Cookies? Cucumbers? Hmmm….only time will tell.

“If we must die today, let us die like men!”

This was a quote from a Soldier at Little Big Horn.

Today, we left Lavina, MT and made our way to Keystone, SD. Keystone is the home of Mount Rushmore.

Today has also been a day of disappointment for me.

After we left Lavina, we made our way to Little Big Horn Battlefield. We arrived just in time for a Ranger talk. This hour long talk gave us the background of the battle and the outcome. It is still studied at West Point today and is the closest the Army has as a Kobishi Maru. A no-win scenario. Apparently, when you have 200 men and you are against 2000 you will ALWAYS lose. Who knew, right?

After Little Big Horn, we drove to Devil’s Tower. It. Is. Amazing. You can not grasp that size of this geological phenomenon unless you see it in person. I walked the trail for a bit and got see it from a variety of angles. I did some investigation. I heard no music, and I didn’t see Paul. I think Close Encounters and Seth Rogan are lying. I’m not sure, but I have a strong feeling.

We were on the move. We drove several more miles to Keystone. We got checked in to our hotel, and we had dinner. The restaurant had root beer on tap. So good. We then made it to Mount Rushmore for the evening program and lighting ceremony. Every night at 9 p.m. or so, Mount Rushmore has an evening program. A ranger talks for a few minutes and then they sing the National Anthem and light the monument. The whole thing takes 15 minutes. Ralph, Vaughn, and I thought this would be a great event. Spoiler: Nope. Also, we did not find Nick Cage or any Book of Secrets stuff. I think the government was looking because they has areas “under construction” A likely excuse. But seriously, if you want to see Mount Rushmore, look at a picture. There you go, you have seen it.

More touristy stuff tomorrow.

Well, I can knock Wyoming off the list of states I have visited. We had a meal, it counts.

Years ago, Betsey and I made a rule. You must eat a meal in a location for it to count as a visit. If you drive thru it or have a lay-over, it doesn’t count. So I missed out on Utah on Monday. Damn it. Maybe some time when I don’t have two septuagenarians with me. But I got Wyoming. It counts.

Today, we travelled to Cody, WY. This is the town that is home of the famous Buffalo Bill. I think it was Buffalo Bill. Maybe it was Wild Bill. Nope, definitely Buffalo Bill.

It is also the home of the Cody Night Rodeo. It is a Rodeo, at night, in Cody. Go figure, right? The hold it every night during the summer. It’s a thing, I guess. We didn’t stay for it.

First, we dined at The Irma. It is a hotel that Buffalo Bill created and named it after his daughter. Touching. They have a lunch buffet. The salad bar is an extra $3.99. I am only mentioning the price because the server asked me, (my turn to pay) if anyone was getting the salad bar. I said yes because E-Z was over there and getting something. No big deal. But here is the amusing part. He got 2 tablespoons of coleslaw. Yep, 2 tablespoons. Just made me laugh when we got back to the table. $2.00 a tablespoon.

One other story about our lunch. They had roast beef on the carving station. In front of the station was a brown broth, shredded horseradish and creamy horseradish. Ralph put the broth and the creamy on this beef and sat down. I had finished my lunch first, so I went back up to get some Bread Pudding and Whisky Sauce. I go the bread pudding. “Hey, is the sauce in with the bread?” “Nope, it is right in that container. Be careful though, we don’t burn out the alcohol on our sauce.” Look down, it’s the same container that held the broth. Ralph had added whisky to his roast beef. When I got back to the table, I had to let him know. His response was something to the effect, of “Sometimes, you have to try new things.”

At The Irma is another cool item. The back bar is a Cherry Bar that was a gift from Queen Victoria. They still use it. People still sit at it. Pretty cool piece of history.

After we left there, E-Z wanted to show us the Cody Dam. We drove up and saw the reservoir. It looks like a good place to fish. However, they didn’t have any Dam Bait. We didn’t visit the Visitor’s Center, so we couldn’t ask any Dam questions to our Dam guide. Oh, well. Next time.

The reason we came up today was to go to the museum. The Buffalo Bill Center of the West. It has natural history, Plains Indian exhibit, western art, Buffalo Bill and a gun exhibition. I thought the gun exhibit was lacking. They claim that is has 10,400 different pieces. I felt it was a little light on weaponry.

We spent our time there and were back in the truck. We headed back to Billings and stopped at Canyon Creek Brewing. They have 14 microbrew beers on tap. They are all $4. During happy hour, they are $3. Not a bad deal. We sampled some and went to dinner at Montana’s Rib and Chop House. Dinner was nice.

So we are home now. Getting ready to go to sleep, and preparing for tomorrow.

As the dusk became night, we planned our journey.

Tomorrow, Little Big Horn National Park, Devil’s Town, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore again to see the night presentation. Full day tomorrow.

 

Stay tuned.

 

You ever feel like you are going to die? I mean like really die. That was me yesterday. I am prone to motion sickness. I have a fear of heights. I really don’t appreciate my impending doom. ALL 3 OF THESE HAPPENED on yesterday’s adventure.

We started out from the Ranch and headed towards Red Lodge, MT. It was about an hour and 45 minutes away. We hit Red Lodge and stopped for fuel and snacks. I learned about Dot’s Pretzels from North Dakota. I don’t know what they are coated with, but they are amazing.

Next, we started up Bear Tooth Trail to Cooke City, MT. This is a mountain pass that is only open about 5 months out of the year due to snow. It is a series of switch back that take you over this damn mountain. E-Z aka Richard Petty takes this trail with ease. However, the rest of us East Coast kids are having a hell of time. She drifts around corners and continues to climb and climb. We started at Red Lodge around 5000 feet, we ended up over 10,000 feet. 63 miles of this stuff. You look to one side and are told “Rock slides happen all the time, so we need to be careful.” And if you look to the other side, you can see your death thousands of feet below.

Fortunately, we made it. The view are incredible and I can say I have seen them. When my grandchildren ask me if I want to go, I can kindly decline and say I have been there.

After lunch, we drove to the sign at Yellowstone National Park, so we can say that we have been there.

On our way back, E-Z asked us if we wanted to go back the way we came or go down Chief Joseph Highway. Ralph and I had but one question. “Which way is smoother?” We took Chief Joseph.

We came back and enjoyed a nice dinner. As the moon came up, I could finally see that vast stars. However, the camera can not capture their full glory.

Until the next post.

 

 

 

Day 2 was a busy day. I learned new things, saw new things, and had a wonderful time with E-Z’s friends and family.

Before I begin, I just want to write that when I compose these posts they are a free flow of information. I try to make it a point not to edit them. To me, it defeats the purpose of just explaining the story in the moment. There may be mistakes, misspellings, some wrong information. It is all good. Besides, this is my blog of our vacation. I’m sorry if my blog isn’t as good as your blog about my vacation. No complaints, just stating that up front so you aren’t like “What the hell is he talking about?”

Day 2 started at sunrise with coffee. Always coffee. The sunrises in Montana are magical. You will see from pictures that post on Facebook a lot of them. They are truly beautiful.

After breakfast and everyone getting ready for the day, E-Z, Jim, Ralph, Vaughn and I went out for the day’s adventure.

We took the northern route from Lavina to Pompeys Pillar National Monument. It took about an hour and 30 minutes. We were able to see beautiful scenery along the way. As we approached Billings, we saw Sacrifice Cliff. I was informed it is one of the things that Billings is known.

The legend goes as such. Two young Native Americans came back from a hunting party. They find that the entire settlement has been wiped out due to Small Pox. (Yay, Western Expansion America) The two of them go to the top of the cliff, blind fold their horses and ride off the cliff. Thus, Sacrifice Cliff.

About 45 minutes later, we arrived at Pompeys Pillar. The Pillar is a huge rock formation. It’s claim to fame and importance is that Clark of Lewis and Clark carved his name into the top of the Pillar. The area was previously marked by Native Americans to religious occasions. To me, nothing says America like graffiti. Anyway, it is there behind bullet proof glass at the top. 91 steps, I believe.

E-Z, Jim, Vaughn and I made the journey to the top. It was pretty fantastic. A point of note: as I was walking up to the top, I started to get winded. I was really concerned. I walk and hike constantly and this was taking a toll. What is going on? Then I realize that we are between 2900 and 3000 feet ASL. This doesn’t seem like a lot. However, when I have spent the past 3 years at 300 feet, it is significant. So just like in ZombieLand. Rule #1: Cardio.

From the top, we had a volunteer guide that gave us a lot of information and showed us the directions from the Clark diary and the actual geographic locations. It was extremely informative. As we were walking down, E-Z was ahead of us, when he reached Ralph as the bottom, he told him that the guide wanted to talk with him and was wanting to show him a few things. Ralph got all excited, “Oh!” Ralph turned around to go meet the guide. The guide walked right on by him. The guide didn’t know anything about it. It was just a small funny moment of the day.

After the Pillar, we drove the Southern route back. We stopped at CowBoys for lunch in Huntley. It was a nice little place. It was a restaurant, bar and casino. When Ralph ordered a 7&7, they didn’t know what he was talking about. I had to explain it to them. Not much of a bar. I walked to the back to wash my hands and saw that they had a few slots and video poker type games. Not much of a casino. But the food was good, and the company was always entertaining. So, one out of three isn’t bad.

We made our way back to Billings to stop for some provisions before heading home. E-Z wanted to stop at the local cigar shop. He provided the directions and away we went. We pulled up to a Smoker Friendly.

This may not seem like much to most. When I was in Iraq in 2007, I lived next door to a Lieutenant who was from Montana. His family owns Smoker Friendly. They would send us cigars and a few us would gather around on Saturday nights, watch old epic films and smoke cigars. The containerized housing would be so full of smoke, it would take forever to clear it out. We would have to shower before going to sleep, because it has saturated our skin. I owe a lot to Tom, James and Smoker Friendly for my cigar education over 10 years ago.

Anyway, we get back home an relax before dinner. Dinner was a magnificent feast. E-Z had put brisket in the oven at 6 a.m. at 200 degrees before we left. Deborah had smoked ribs on the smoker. She has also made up all the sides. It was truly wonderful.

However, it paled in comparison to their friends and family who also visited with all of us. As we sat collectively around the porch and inside, stories were shared and lies were told about E-Z in his early days. I was able to meet his sons and daughter. His friends from around here. They were all gracious and kind. I am truly happy to have met them.

As day turned into night, the storms started to roll in. As the people faded away to return to their homes, we were treated to a prolific lightning storm. There are no storms like flat land storms. You can see them for what seems 50 miles away. Good sleeping weather.

Tomorrow is Beartooth Highway to Cooke City. Google elevation in 7608 feet. Higher and higher we go.