15JUN08 - Billings, MT

During today’s drive, 15JUN, we decided to do some sightseeing enroute to Billings, MT. First stop was the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. Having read about Custer’s last stand in numerous books and having seen it portrayed in many movies (often inaccurately), it is still a somber experience to visit the actual site. We were fortunate to catch one of the excellent lectures/presentations given by the Rangers about what led to the battle, then a step by step recounting of the battle, and then the aftermath.

In the 90s the Congress directed the Park Service to present a more balanced depiction of what was really a clash between two cultures (Native Americans vs European Emigrants). As a result there is now a monument dedicated to the various Tribes, there are markers noting where Native Americans fell, and the Ranger’s presentations gives equal weight to the Native American point of view. For example a marker noting where A’Kavehe Onahe fell during the battle states “A Cheyenne Warrior fell here on June 25, 1876 while defending the Cheyenne way of life.” There is even a marker noting the mass burial site of the 7th Cavalry horses that were buried several weeks after the battle.

http://www.nps.gov/libi/

The next stop was Pompeys Pillar National Monument (originally named Pompy’s Tower). This is massive sandstone outcrop that rises 150 feet besides a natural ford of the Yellowstone River. Hundreds of markings, petroglyphs, and inscriptions left by visitors have transformed this geologic phenomenon into a living journal of the American West. The monument’s most notable inscription was left by Captain William Clark on 25 July 1806. His inscription is believed to be the only remaining on-site physical evidence of Lewis & Clark’s epic journey.

In honor of the two hundred year anniversary of Lewis & Clark’s three year journey, there is excellent interactive visitor center. The center covers much of their travels through Montana, and gives a great deal of info on many other members of the expedition other than Lewis, Clark or Sacagawea. One of the interactive displays allows you to don a full set of buckskin cloths. Dan did this and realized that not only were they extremely heavy; but when they got wet, they would be three times as heavy and stink.

http://www.blm.gov/mt/st/en/fo/billings_field_office/Pompeys_Pillar.html

After setting up camp at Wally Mart, we headed to downtown Billings. Even though Billings is supposedly Montana’s largest city, it was almost a ghost town on this Sunday afternoon. Luckily the Montana Brew Pub was open and we sat out in the sun and enjoyed a light snack.

Trivia: Three members of the Custer Family died during the battle, who were the other two? How do you know the difference between officer’s graves and enlisted graves? How come Lewis didn’t carve his initials into the rock like Clark did? Who was Pompy and how did the name of the rock change from Pompy’s Tower to Pompeys Pillar?

14JUN08 - Sheridan, WY

After our long, hard drive to Casper, we decided to take a short, easy drive to Sheridan, WY. Enroute we stopped in the small town of Story, WY, to have an early lunch at the Piney Creek General Store & Restrunt (that’s how they spell it), where they have a deli called the Waldorf A’ Story. For only the second time since we have owned this Tiffin RV, the driver got themselves into a situation where we had to stop and disconnect car so we could safely turn-around. Once we found Waldorf A’ Story inside the Piney Creek General Store, we skipped the oversized sandwiches and had Buck Bandana Chile (the champagne of chili). It was very good but not as good as Dan’s (and Dan questions any chili that is made from ground beef and has beans in it!).

http://www.pineycreekgeneralstore.com/

Since our drive was much shorter than usual, we arrived in Sheridan with plenty of time for exploring. To save money for fuel we decided to dry camp in the Wally Mart parking lot. We must admit the view of the mountains from the parking lot was pretty good.

Sheridan looks to be doing pretty good economically, but it appears to us that cowboy flavor of the town is slowly changing to boutiques and tourist type stores. All along the main street is various pieces of art (some for sale, some permanent) ranging from cowboy art to modern art. Also on the main street is the Mint Bar, supposedly very famous among cowboys as a shot and a beer establishment. Dan noted however that they now serve various flavored martinis, energy drinks, and that favorite of the young crowd – jagermiester shots. It was interesting to see a list behind the bar of patrons 86’d for life. Anyway, Dan and a few other husbands found it great place to wait for their wives to finish shopping at the boutiques.

We then visited Don King’s Saddlery & Rope. Here you can actually watch the hand crafting of saddles worth thousands of dollars and truly are works of art. You can also watch the machines creating hundreds of ropes of various materials, lengths and colors. In addition, outback and across the alley is Don King’s Western Museum. This is a collection of hundreds and hundreds of saddles (western, European, Mexican, Native Americans, etc, etc), ropes, firearms, barbed wire, wagons, and so much “stuff” it is hard to take it all in. It is definitely not “organized”, and reminds us more of an overflowing junk store, rather than a museum.

http://www.kingropes.com/

http://www.sheridanwyoming.org/info/hi-king.php

Last stop of the day was the Sheridan Inn. The Inn was built over a hundred years ago and is listed in Ripley’s Believe It or Not as having the most gables. It was also home to Buffalo Bill whenever he was in town. Supposedly Bill would sit on the veranda and audition acts for his Wild West show. The Inn is currently being restored so all we were able to see was the lobby and some of the meeting rooms.

http://www.sheridaninn.com/

12/13JUN08 - Casper, WY

After leaving the Cummins facility in Denver we decided to drive a lengthy distance at highway speed to “test” the repairs. And then to stop for two days to catch our breath after the repairs and to catch up on essentials (ie laundry). After an uneventful drive we arrived at a campground outside of Casper, WY, run by the Izaak Walton League. Turns out the League was one of the first purely environmental and conservation focused groups in the USA, and have been responsible for many pioneering environmental pieces of legislation.

http://www.iwla.org/

The next day we learned that Casper is home to the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center. This Center details the history of the emigrants that used the Mormon Trail, California Trail, Oregon Trail & Pony Express. Turns out all these Trails followed the Platte River North and West, until the river could be crossed in the vicinity of Casper. The Center is a unique partnership between the BLM that runs it, the city that donated the land and building, and private citizens that donated many exhibit items.

Many of the exhibits are multi media and/or interactive. Two that we enjoyed were:

---you get inside a replica of a “Prairie Schooner” and cross the Platte. The front of the wagon is movie projection w/surround sound of what is going on in front as others fight their way across the river. Meanwhile the whole wagon is moving up in down over rocks, etc. We expected the water to come up over the floor boards at any minute.

---there is replica of a Mormon hand cart used by many Mormons. Surprisingly even though you would think the carts would have been harder than the journey by wagon pulled by ox or cattle; turns out the Mormons had fewer deaths than the wagon trains. Anyway, you get on a treadmill with your 150 pound cart and pull as the treadmill bucks up and down simulating rocky terrain. There is a meter that tells you that you are going to slow (falling behind); too fast (burning yourself out); or just right. Dan lasted three minutes!

Spread throughout the museum on the walls and floors are quotes taken from emigrant diaries and newspaper of the days, such as:

---Saw one man returning; says he can’t go all the way. Has money enough; loves his wife more than gold.

---I have just washed the dust out of my eyes so that I can see to get supper.

---We might as well attempt to march an army to the moon, as to march one, over-land, to Oregon.

---This wagon train is divided into two parties. One lot fiddles and dances at night and the other party holds prayer services. Mother believes that the fiddle is the invention of the devil, to lure people to hell.

Supposedly the number of emigrants that used the trails was the largest voluntary migration in the history of the world? One in seventeen died on the trip (about 20,000 total); but one in five women were pregnant at the start, got pregnant or delivered on the trip. Gives new meaning to term “human spirit”? We highly recommend checking out if you are ever near Casper!

http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/NHTIC.html

From the Trail Center we headed to Casper to check out downtown. Downtown was pretty quiet even for a business day, so after a brief walk-about it was back to the RV. After lunch Dan decided to check out the Fort Caspar Museum. The Fort is a recreation built by the WPA based on original sketches and the excavated remains. The Museum contained more info on the trails, local prehistoric peoples, Plains Indians, ranching, the energy industry, and the City of Casper as well as the frontier army.

http://www.fortcasparwyoming.com/

Trivia: What is the difference between Fort CaspAr and the town of CaspEr? Who was Izaak Walton?

03-11JUN08 - Denver (in the shop once more)

Tuesday morning we got an early start so as to be driving during the cool morning. We had one minor overheat on the way, but pulled safely into Rocky Mountain Cummins outside Denver. In fact, we were very near the old chemical storage depot, Rocky Mountain Arsenal, now called Rocky Mountain Wildlife Refuge (talk about a PR spin?). Anyway we checked in at the service desk and confirmed that someone would be with us first thing tomorrow morning at 0715.

First thing Wednesday morning Smitty showed up to check out our problems. It was very refreshing to not only speak directly to the mechanic but find out he had taken time to read our written account of the problems. Within one hour Smitty found the problems, without the aid of a computer. Turns out that our rear radiators, there are two sandwiched together, were caked with dirt, oil and debris (ie cement), and a broken thermostat. The bad news is that due to rear engine construction of RVs, we were talking many hours to dissemble, clean and reassemble (at $122 per hour).

The Cummins facility understands the issues involved with full timing RV’ers, and we could stay in the RV during the repair. But that means that every morning the RV would be pushed back into the service bay, and every afternoon back to the RV spot; while we sat for hours in the TV lounge. So we decided to find a motel or other accommodation to stay in while the RV was repaired. This would mean the RV could stay in the service bay and the repairs thereby speeded up.

Because of Gumbo, the one eyed Jack, we could only find a cabin at Castle Rock Campground. The cabin was 12 by 12, with bunk beds and a futon. It was about half the size of our RV, with none of the creature comforts. For two days we spent time between running back to Denver to check repair status, exploring Castle Rock during record cold weather, and trying not to get cabin fever.

Saturday the weather turned nice and we decided to head up I-70 west to enjoy the scenery and visit some “old” mining towns named Central City & Blackhawk:

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/CP-CentralCity.html

Turns out Wyoming several years ago voted to allow gambling, but only in three mining towns that were almost ghost towns – Cripple Creek (she sends me), Central City and Blackhawk. And all revenues were to go to restoring buildings and heritage sites throughout the state. Central City & Blackhawk are right next door to each other, we’re talking 1/8th mile apart. Since Central City is hemmed in by rock cliffs, the casinos have restored several adjacent buildings so that on the outside they look like different buildings but are just one gaming establishment inside.

Next door in Blackhawk they had a little open land, so they were able to build new casinos in addition to restoring the remaining original buildings. So in Blackhawk you have some of the big casino corporations like Ameristar and Isle of Capri. And even the new casino’s make an effort to use “native” materials and architecture that blends with the natural beauty of the Rockies, but they still stick out.

The brief and rowdy years of these two mining towns can be summed up by two pieces of information from the local paper:

---in 1861 it was recorded that there were 217 fights, 97 gun fights, 11 knife fights and one dog fight, amazingly no one was killed.

---in 1885 it was noted – “The froth, scum and driftwood of civilization incidental to mining camps, have long since floated away to new diggings, leaving a substantial class of citizens...”

Sunday, 08MAR, Dan departed for four days of work for LSU, leaving Corrie and Gumbo to fend for themselves in the cabin, while he enjoyed the pleasures of Columbus, OH. Corrie found out the RV was ready on Monday and immediately vacated the cabin for the comforts of her own home in the Cummins parking lot. The Ryan family was reunited Wednesday, at which time Dan decided to replace the two starting batteries for the engine since they had been acting up. Cummins had the batteries but told Dan he could get them cheaper if he ran across town and got them from the wholesaler. So tomorrow, 12MAR, we finally hit the road with new batteries, completely cleaned cooling system, replaced left front seal, new front brakes, and new generator exhaust pipe!!!

02JUN08 - Raton, NM (almost stranded)

This morning we got any early start, one - to beat the record heat being experienced in the area, and two - to stop and explore the Capulin Volcanic National Monument. This dormant volcano is the only one in the USA where you can drive to the top, hike completely around the top, and hike into the caldera. Unfortunately, this was not to be!

Even though we have already driven through the hill country and panhandle of Texas during record heat with no engine problems, this was not the case in New Mexico. Dan noted the coolant system was running above the 1/2 way point on the gauge. This is about twice as hot as it should be. After holding steady for awhile, it started to rise even higher. Soon we were driving with dash heat on and geared down to keep engine RPMs up and coolant temp low.

We decided to skip the site seeing and head straight to our campsite in Raton, NM, rather than get stranded. The next two hours we drove with one eye on the road, and one eye on the gauge. Sometimes everything was normal, and at others it was back to running the heat and gearing down. In fact, we were flying up the pass at Raton, NM, doing 55mph, in 5th gear, and no problems. But within one mile of the summit, the temp gauge shot up rapidly, and different alarm lights started flashing. Since we were literally at the RV park, we pulled in, put the RV in neutral, and let RV idle while temp gauge dropped.

After the RV cooled and we had backed into our campsite, Dan called a “Coach Care” Cummins facility in Denver. What is Coach Care? - seems Cummins has realized there a lot of self drive RVs running around that have Cummins engines and Onan generators and has established Coach Care facilities at some of their truck service facilities. As we have noted before in this BLOG RV most dealerships are not equipped or staffed to work on the chassis, engines or transmissions of RVs (even ones they sell); and most truck facilities do not want to deal with RVs. Knowing this Cummins has established Coach Care facilities that are a part of truck service facilities they already have, but with separate service bays for RVs, separate RV technicians, separate lounge, and they will allow you to stay in the RV while repair is being made.

In fact, Cummins is training their techs to repair the refrigerators, awnings, leveling system, etc, etc, to attract RV’ers to bring their RVs to Cummins facilities for everything rather than RV dealerships. Anyway knowing of these new facilities, Dan went online to find the nearest, which turned out to be Denver. He called and got an appointment for 0700, Wednesday. He told them we would be there tomorrow, Tuesday; this would not be a problem because they have free water and electric hookups out front. Just like our last roadside emergency in AUG07, our plans have been delayed and changed, and we are probably looking at big bucks!

31MAY/01JUN08 - Amarillo, TX

First thing Saturday morning we got an early start to the RV park in Amarillo, TX. As we exited I-40 for the RV park Dan noticed a large fiberglass figure dressed up as a cowboy “dude”. He immediately recognized the figure as a Muffler Man! Muffler men are more plentiful than uniroyal gals, but still rare. We had stumbled across a uniroyal gal and a muffler man in less than two days, maybe one day we will see the rarest of them all - Texaco Man? For more muffler man info:

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/muffler/

After setting up camp we headed to the Texas state Tourist Center on I-40. Most states have tourist centers on key Interstates as you cross the state border, where they provide free info. But in our opinion Texas has the best tourist centers we have seen in our RV travels. They have even started placing them on the interior of the state at popular tourist destinations. Right next door was the Big Texan Steak Ranch restaurant. If you have ever traveled across TX in the last 40 years, you may have seen billboards offering a free 72 ounce steak dinner if you can eat it in one hour. Well the Big Texan is the place that started this challenge. Not only to they advertise across the state via billboards, but they place brochures in every hotel, motel and RV park near Amarillo that point out that they have free limos to bring you to and back from the restaurant. The limos are older 90s Cadillacs with big longhorn horns on the front.

http://www.bigtexan.com/

Next we visited the remaining original section of Route 66 in Amarillo. There we discovered the Golden Light Café (more a tavern than cafe). The Golden Light is supposedly the oldest eatery in Amarillo & maybe longest continual food place on the original Route 66. Their menu consists mainly of burgers, hand cut fries, and Dan’s choice the Flagstaff Pie (aka frito pie).

http://www.goldenlightcafe.com/

As we returned to the RV park we stopped by one of the nationally known road side attractions of America - Cadillac Ranch. It was created in 1974 by Chip Lord, Hudson Marquez and Doug Michels, and it consists of junk Cadillacs, representing a number of evolutions of the car line (most notably the birth and death of the defining feature of early Cadillacs; the tail fin) half-buried nose-first in the ground, at an angle corresponding to that of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. The “ranch” site belongs to local millionaire Stanley Marsh 3, the patron of the project. Mr Marsh allows you to walk on to his property and even spray paint graffiti on the cars.
Inspired by Cadillac Ranch, Dan took off the next morning to check out Slug Bug Ranch & and Tractor Ranch (aka Combine City). That’s right, other inspired by Cadillac Ranch have created their own versions. The VW version was in pretty poor condition, and the owner of the tractor version would not allow you on his property. Dan then met up with Corrie for Lunch at KN Root Beer. Tourist info on KN notes that the establishment has limited hours. Turns out they are only open eight hours a day and closed on Sunday. Oh well, maybe next time?

Then it was off to the Amarillo Museum of Art. After trying four different doors we finally figured out how to gain entrance to the museum. We were only ones there and by checking visitor log, our guess is that we were likely to be the only people to visit. Which is too bad because it has a nice collection of Native American art, “cowboy” art, and had exhibitions of depression era photos, Asian art and works by Grace Hartigan and George Rouault’s Miserere et Guerre.

http://www.amarilloart.org/

As we explored the neighborhood around the museum we noted many weird street signs. These signs were the traditional diamond shaped road warning signs sometimes painted normal yellow, but often different colors. These signs may have strange figures on them, but more often strange sayings like: "Strong drink" "What is a village without village idiots?". There are dinosaur and ostrich "x-ings"; and signs that read "Road Does Not End". There was a sketch of Mona Lisa with the words: "Men have loved her". Turns out that Stanley Marsh 3, the man responsible for Cadillac Ranch, has sponsored about 200 of these signs in the San Jacinto area of Amarillo.

Our last tourist stop was at the Helium Time Capsule created in 1968. This is a giant four “legged” structure, with each leg filled with helium gas. Each leg is to be opened in order at 25 yrs, 50 yrs, 100 yrs, and 1000.

That evening we decided to try the beef at the Big Texan Steak Ranch. Dan figured the limos were free but the driver would still expect a tip, and we might be trapped waiting for a ride back. So we drove our Toad, rather than taking the free limo. Bottom line – the meal was ok, but for the price there are probably a hundred steak houses in Amarillo as good for less. As we were waiting for our table Dan noticed a celebrity walk by. He immediately told Corrie that she had just missed one of her least favorite TV personalities - Anthony Bourdain of the Travel Channel’s show “No Reservations”. Turns out Anthony was filming for a new show dealing with road food in American. Dan had to hold Corrie back from telling Anthony what she thought of him. We’ll have to watch for the episode in four to six months.

http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Anthony_Bourdain