9/24/21 Well after several long days of driving we made it home without any mishaps. Wonderful trip and always interesting to drive across this amazing country. Good to be home!

Trip Stats:

• Miles driven 13,150
• Diesel fuel used 1,038 gallons
• Highest diesel price paid $4.10 - Washington State
• Avg. gas mileage 12.7
• Number of States traveled through 19; camped in 14 states
• Highest elevation crossed with the camping rig - 8,130 feet
• Our Blog had a total of 2,276 views.... wow!

A total of 40 National Parks - National Monuments - Historical Parks visited:

1. Fort Stanwix National Monument
2. Harriet Tubman National Historic Park
3. Women’s Rights National Historic Park
4. Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Historic Site
5. First Ladies National Park
6. Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
7. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
8. Pipestone National Monument
9. Missouri National Recreational River
10. Niobrara National Scenic River
11. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
12. Scott’s Bluff National Monument
13. Fort Laramie National Historic Site
14. Devil’s Tower National Monument
15. Theodore Roosevelt National Park
16. Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site
17. Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Lewis and Clark National Historic Site
18. Knife River Indian Villages National Park
19. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
20. Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
21. Yellowstone National Park
22. Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site
23. Glacier National Park
24. Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area
25. Lake Chelan National Recreation Area
26. Ross Lake National Recreation Area
27. North Cascades National Park
28. San Juan Island National Historic Park
29. Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve
30. Olympic National Park
31. Mount Rainier National Park
32. Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
33. Crater Lake National Park
34. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
35. Lewis and Clark National Historic Park
36. Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
37. Minidoka National Historic Site
38. City of Rocks National Reserve
39. Golden Spike National Historic Site
40. Fossil Butte National Monument

 9/22/21 Well since I last Blogged we have traveled through the rest of Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, and just crossed into Illinois tonight. Whew! Just 838 miles to go until we arrive at home.

The Great Platte River Road Archway Monument is a monument on Interstate 80 located in Nebraska. Opened in July 2000, it houses a historical experience that tells the story of Nebraska and the Platte River Valley part in the development of America. It is interesting that a private group of owners/investors were able to convince the State of Nebraska to build this structure over the Interstate. Not surprising it was a failure ultimating filling a bankruptcy. With the $20 million debt load reduced through the chapter filing it recently reported a small profit.

Wendy had a side trip planned as we crossed the Mississippi into Illinois to find the grave site of her Great Great Grandmother. We were able to find the cemetery with the expert surveyor assistance of our friend Cliff Feldheim over the cell phone to 1st find the coordinates and then instructing us on how to enter coordinates into our GPS. Well after driving down a long gravel road in the middle of corn fields, we found the cemetery and the grave site. Beautiful area with cattle grazing as a backdrop. We think a church was once on the site which operated for 133 years until 1998. Likely burned down, but don't know for sure.

First campfire in 2 1/2 months! The West is so dry from a multiple years of droughts conditions outdoor fires are not allowed. Nice to back in an area that is green ........Smores night.

 9/20/21 - On the move heading east today traveling about 360 mils to Rawlins Wy. Along the way we did stop at a pretty cool NP and National Monument. 

First up was the Golden Spike NP where on May 9, 1869 the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific eastward and westward railroad tracks met. The NP actually has two working replica steam engines that are operated daily. Pretty cool to watch.

 Next up was Fossil Butte National Monument. This particular Monument is especially well represented and worth a visit; just off Rte 84 in Wy. This area was an lake bed 400 million years ago and fossils are in sheets of mud essentially sawed out of the prehistoric lake bed.

Crocodilian about 6 feet long

On the way to Fossil Butte we crested a mountain range to a spectacular view of the Bear Lake Valley, Utah. aqua colored lake water. Water color varies throughout the year based on the level of calcium in the mountain runoff as well as the skies are clear, cloudy or windy weather.

 9/19/21 - We said goodby to our great friends Mark & Janet Gardner today dropping them off at the Boise Airport. It was a great 5 weeks with them traveling over 5,000 miles through Montana, Washington State, Oregon and Idaho. Many National Parks and miles and miles of hiking including hiking up to a glacier at 7,000 feet.

Wendy and are heading home but did make a couple of side trips along the way. Minidoka Relocation Camp was first up where in 1942 10,000 Japanese Americans were imprisoned during WWII. The area is still a pretty remote area of Idaho outside of the Boise area. Unbelievable to think today that this happen. The Japanese Americans were given 6 days to sell their homes and business and assemble at fairgrounds to be processed. At first they were housed in stables previously used for horses. Once the concentration camp was ready they were shipped via rail and buses from the Pacific coast. A few buildings still remain.

Many volunteered to fight in the war even though the US had treated them so badly. The plaque below honors those who did volunteer and joined the Army.

Guard Tower

Barracks which housed as many as 50 people (6 to 7 families of 4 to 6)

We headed over to Idaho Falls to visit with our daughter-n-law - Jess's parents. Just around the corner from their house is the Snake River - Shoshone Falls. It is taller then Niagara Falls and reportedly quite impressive in the Spring. Today just a trickle due to the drought and the power plant diverting water for power generation.

Snake River

The trip across into Utah is the high desert at 5,200 feet. Interesting clouds, I thought and seemingly so low to the ground. In Maryland we just don't have sights like this.

One state closer to home!

 9/18/21 - We made it to Boise this afternoon over the mountain pass and through a large valley in Oregon. 

Once through the mountain pass we came across a huge replica of a conestoga wagon on the Oregon Trail

The Oregon valley claims to be the onion capital of the world shipping 27,000 truck loads totaling over one Billion lbs annually. 

Driving through the valley we experienced a wind storm with winds in the 25 to 40 mile p/hour range. Looked like the dust bowl of the 1930's Sage brush was blowing across the road and getting stuck on the truck and camper

Arrived in Boise late afternoon and decided to visit the Birds of Prey exhibit just outside of Boise. We last visited this 20 years ago when Brian and Jess were married. Much improved since then.

Harpy Eagle which lives in South America in tropical rainforests. This particular bird was repeatedly feed by tourist groups and could no longer could live in the wild. Of particular note its back talon is as long as a Grizzly Bear front claws.

California Condor - bigger then an American Eagle

After dinner Mark and I headed over to the Meridian Speedway just a 1/4 mile from the campground. Lots of fun watching the short track cars race. All the locals were in attendance routing on Billy Bob!

Capped the night off at the Jessica recommended Goody's soda Fountain and Candy Shore in her hometown. Great venue and Ice Cream!

One of the last road trip stickers goes on the camper tonight - Idaho! Just 4 contiguous states left to camp in to complete the tour of the United States. Lots of wonderful sights, and interesting people we have met over the years.