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.

Family & Friends in the Midwest

After the Grand Canyon we stopped in 

Okemah, Oklahoma where Woody Guthrie was born.

They have a few murals and a statue in the city park.

Then on to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma in time to see 

the Memorial Day ceremony. 

Our friend Dale, plays in the Tulsa Community Band.

  It is always a treat to go to Cruise Night, which they

 host weekly, to see over 150 cars. Nelda and I 

shopped at The Old Time Pottery store where 

I found some green ceramic pots. 

They will be perfect for the variegated 

Agave I have in Arizona.

Back on the road to Des Moines, Iowa for just a few days. 

It is fantastic to see our son Joel!
We miss him so much! 

 We are celebrating my birthday.

We were blessed to be able to attend 

Mark & Luke’s ordination ceremony. 

The room was filled with love and admiration

 for what God is doing in these young men’s lives.

When we return to Iowa we see so many friends and family. 

Definitely feel loved! Thanks everyone!

One of the places we have wanted to see is the 

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. 

We spent over seven and a half hours there 

and could have stayed a little longer.

Besides seeing guitars and clothing of The Who

and Beach Boys, there are several American Bandstand
videos and hours of audio clips to listen to and so much more!
If you are in the Cleveland area it is worth the time!

Over the years we have had some amazing and crappy
places to camp, but I think this one is the most unusual yet. 

On the pier next to, not on
 the Steamship William C. Mather Maritime Museum.
 Look to the left, way in the back.

The blue dot is where we stayed and it is
  a short walk to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

  Quiet location and great sunsets.

Before we left Cleveland we went
to the West Side Market.

Hundreds of vendors in two buildings.

We found some goodies at the bakery!

Our next stop was  

 The Christmas Story House.

Of course you can't forget the leg lamp. 

Yes, now Scott owns one too in the form of

a pressed penny!

Hiking Bright Angel Trail

Here we go!

Just a little way down the trail you go through
the first archway.

We would have missed these petroglyphs because 

you are always looking down watching your step. 

 Another couple had stopped and pointed them out to us.

Second archway.

Move over for the donkeys!
They are bigger than I thought.

Yes, they have rest houses in the canyon.

 We found a great spot to have our lunch after
over 1 1/2 miles down into the canyon.

Before we could finish a ranger came over and told us that

we needed to move so a medical helicopter could land. 

A man had a heart attack and was air lifted out. 

Now the hard part - two hours of climbing up!

Look at the top of this photo and you can see the Kolb House.

 Slowly we climbed on the shuttle and went to see

 Hermit's Rest which is an 80 minutes round trip on the shuttle.

Then we took our car and found where we 

stayed when we honeymooned here 35 years ago.

 Surprising it looked the same.

The Hopi House is a now a gift shop

and the famous El Tovar Hotel.