Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Rafting pictures

I got a couple pictures sent to me from my rafting trip in Idaho.


Next stage itinerary

I'll be spending a few days seeing my parents in Minnesota and they will be traveling with me for some or all of my sight seeing in Minnesota and Iowa. It should be fun having company and someone to help navigate!

Day 1
Slope to Billings Mt.
Day 2 (Thursday)
Billings to Jewel Cave, Custer SD 335 miles 5 hours.
Jewel Cave to Crazy Horse Monument. 19 miles  .5 hours
Day 3
C H M to Deadwood, SD 53 miles  1.25 hours
Deadwood to Sturgis, SD 14 miles .5 hours
Sturgis to Minuteman Missile Silo Tour 101 miles 1.5 hours
Day 4
Arrive in Claremont, MN to visit parents 480 miles 6.75 hours

Kasota, MN: Drive a tank!!! 61 miles 1 hour
Pillager, MN  186 miles 3.25 hours

Chisholm, MN: Iron ore mine tour, Museum of Mining,  and Soudan underground mine tour.  135 miles 2.75 hours
Bemidji, MN  110 miles 2 hours

Fargo, ND 129 miles 2.5 hours
Iowa:
John Wayne birthplace: Winterset, IA 514 miles 7.5 hours

Boone and Scenic Railroad and Museum, Boone IA 58 miles 1.25 hours
Jewell, IA 30miles, .75 hours

Claremont, MN 143 miles 2 hours

Billings Boot Hill and "Yellowstone" Kelly's grave

While in Billings I walked around their Boot Hill and hiked up to "Yellowstone" Kellys grave site.






Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Pictograph State Park

Just about 8 miles out of Billings and for $5 entry it was worth seeing and a nice walk too.
I'm off to work in the morning.  I'll post my schedule for my next two weeks of sight seeing in a couple days.  I'll be back on the road August 8th and will be posting again then.  





Pictures of guns. The information says there are lots of pictures, but they are really faded and hard to see.








Monday, July 22, 2013

In Billings

Got into Billings last night and parked at the worlds first KOA camp ground. I pulled the camper off the truck to do some running around town. Did some shopping, got my hair cut, washed the truck, saw a movie (Red 2), went swimming and sat in the sun. It was a nice easy/relaxed day.  It was nice to drive without the camper for a bit!  I found there are some nearby caves with old cave drawings in them that I plan on seeing tomorrow. Then it is off to work early Wednesday morning. That's it for now.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Devils Tower and Little Big Horn

Fun day driving and seeing the sights.  Devils Tower was neat to see, but not a lot to see there.  Little Big Horn was interesting to walk around and see where the battle was and see where the soldiers fell.  The Natives removed their fallen after the battle, so there is no record of exactly where they died.







Little Big Horn Memorial.  The remains of the soldiers, that weren't relocated to other cemeteries, are buried under the memorial.
 National Cemetery



 Guns of the Cavalry and soldiers
 The markers in the field show where the bodies were found and initially buried.  Later the bodies were moved to the memorial sight




 The memorial is on top of "Last Stand Hill" where Custer's body was found.




 View of the Hill and Memorial from the direction the Indians came on their final attack.
 Indian memorial.



Saturday, July 20, 2013

Buffalo Bill Dam, Buffalo Bill Museum, and the drive from Yellowstone to Sheridan, WY

Yellowstone after, Old Faithful











 Buffalo Bill Dam







 Not very wide, but pretty high

 Lots of rocks on the roof of the power house


 Buffalo Bill Museum.  I was mostly interested in the firearms exhibit. The rest of the museum was ok too.



 Jeremiah Johnson's weapons (the real guy, not the movie one)









 Lathe for making rifle barrels

 Bill himself, said HI


 Drive between Cody and Sheridan Wy.






 More firearm museum (not sure why it put them put of order) Each drawer (vertical and horizontal) slides out to show more firearms.