Digging Life

Our friend Nelda recommended stopping at 

Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge 

in northwest Oklahoma.

Besides birding, this 10,000-acre salt flat attracts visitors 

to dig for Selenite Crystals containing hourglass shapes 

that are found nowhere else in the world! 

We only lasted a few hours digging in the sand at 94 degrees.

Success! We found several hourglass crystals!
The hourglass is made of sand and clay particles. 

The iron oxide in the soil gives the crystals
a chocolate brown color.

When was the last time you sat around digging in the sand?

It will be fun to see what our son-in-law Stephen 

will create with these crystals.

Most people know the largest canyon in North America, 

but do you know the second largest?

Palo Duro Canyon which is a State Park in Texas.

Check out the history of this amazing place.
Historical information. 

 Is this a safe campsite? 

 Bullet was flying around the campground 

along with three wild turkeys. 

Bullet is the real name of the volunteer here. 

His dad was a cowboy, that is why he got his name. 

This is Texas ya’ll!

This is a good place to camp because you are down at

the bottom of the canyon looking up at the beautiful walls.

 You can't get cell or television service. 

We hiked the Paseo Del Rio Trail 

and saw the Cowboy Dugout from the 1880’s.

 Next, we hiked to the Big Cave.

 It starts out smooth and then turns to large rocks.

View from inside looking out.

 Our friends joined us on the trails.

Roadrunner

Our last night in the canyon with a full moon. 

Then around midnight the winds picked up so much that 

it rocked the motorhome and rained for hours.

Glad we were not in a tent!

Fun Encounters

Our friend Betsy met us in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 

at Rivers Casino where we had lunch 
and then she gave us a tour. 

We rode the Duquesne Incline up for a 

spectacular view of  the city!

Heinz Field and PNC Park are on the left. 

Heinz Field is the Pittsburgh Steelers stadium and 

PNC Park is where the Pittsburgh Pirates play.

 Point State Park is on the right, and all the bridges.

It was great to see family in the Louisville, Kentucky area!

There has been so much rain that it has put a damper
on some of our plans, but that is life.

One of the crazy encounters was meeting up with a cousin 

who has been traveling on the river! With the use of cell phones, 

we keep in contact and finally met up at 

Fort Massac State Park in southern Illinois.

It has been many years since we have seen each other and 

we had a great time catching up
on each other’s lifestyle and adventures.

 Who knows where we will meet next!

 In Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Illinois we also
visited people we haven’t seen in years!

You never know where life will take you.

Back in Iowa the rain continued and has caused
a lot of headaches for so many people.
 This is the lower campground at Jester Park.
Thankfully our reservations were for the upper campground.

Joel joined us at the campground on July 4^th and 

we grilled Iowa chops and had our first batch of sweet corn!

Most of you know that we have been season ticket holders 

to the Iowa Barnstormers Indoor Football League for

 many, many, years. When we left Iowa July of 2016 we had 

to give them up. Well, it just so happened, while 

back in Des Moines a friend sent a text to let us know 

that they were going to be in the finals. 

Of course, we had to get tickets and go.
 It was an exciting game and amazing that we were in town.

They WON! 

This is the first time they won the championship! 

A close game 42 - 38!

Boomerang is one of the great local classic rock bands 

here is the Des Moines area and we enjoyed their 

three-hour outdoor concert. 

Click on the link to find out where they are playing.

Boomerang

Sorry to say that our time went by so quickly that we didn't 

get to see everyone while in Iowa.