Hi, Ho, Hi, Ho - Off to Work We Go!

We arrived in Custer, SD on Saturday, May 2, and spent a few days getting reacquainted with the beautiful Black Hills.

 

 

 

The George S. Mickelson Trail is a 100-mile biking and hiking rails-to-trails project that follows the historic Deadwood to Edgemont Burlington Northern Rail Line.  And it runs right by the campground and the entrance to Crazy Horse Memorial, so we can walk to work if we want to.

 

 

 

We went into the center of Custer, stopping at the Chamber of Commerce for our Mickelson Trail passes (well worth the $15/person annually) and taking some photos of the bison statues.  We checked out the local food markets, the ACE Hardware, and of course, the local eateries!

PoPo with Bronze Bison Outside Custer Chamber of Commerce

 Rapid City is about 30 miles away, so we went to do a major supply run at Wal-Mart, Petsmart, and every other "mart" in existence before starting work—don’t want to waste too many of our days off doing food shopping when we can hop on the motorcycles and tour these great lands!

 

We reported for Job Orientation today at Crazy Horse Memorial, and it was terrific!  We watched the film “Dynamite and Dreams”, an inspiring documentary about the sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski and his dream, the devotion of his wife and children to continuing the project, and the magnitude of the work involved to create this entire complex.  It truly captured my heart and touched my soul.



Crazy Horse Memorial - Notice the Paint Outline for the Stallion!

Best of all, work campers got a tour to the TOP of the mountain, something usually reserved for major donors ($125 per person) and special occasions (the Volksmarch, held in June, allows folks to hike to the top).   

 

To give you an idea of size of this project:  ALL of Mt. Rushmore would fit inside just the head of the Crazy Horse Memorial!

 

Traveling to the top, this road runs up the back of the mountain.  Notice that this is a 3-dimensional, in-the-round carving.

 
 

Looking over the complex from the top of the mountain.

The Memorial has progressed considerably since my parents visited in 1999.  They had just completed the face at that time.  Now work is focused on the horse’s head and finishing Crazy Horse’s outstretched arm.  Still a tremendous amount of work to do—we won’t see it in our lifetimes.  But a great masterpiece is in the making, and you can’t rush perfection!  After all, it took about 120 years to complete St Peter’s Basilica and 182 years for Notre Dame to be completed!

 

We are looking forward to seeing the laser light show that projects on the mountain carving, illustrating cultural diversity and promoting harmony among all races.  This is something they did not have in 1999.

 

Most folks don’t realize that the mountain carving is just one piece of this humanitarian project.   Devoted to paying homage and respect to all North American Indian tribes with a focus on education, they have a huge collection of Native American artifacts in their Museum.  In 1979, they established the Crazy Horse Memorial Indian Scholarship Program, and in 2010 they opened the Indian University of North America!

 

One of the things we admire most about the Crazy Horse Memorial and its Foundation is that it does not accept government assistance.  It is a nonprofit organization that relies on entrance fees and individual donations to sustain its operation.  Rambling RV Rat thinks this is a wise business decision.  After all, Mt. Rushmore's Presidents were to have bodies carved, too.  Unfortunately, the Feds cut off funding, so all we have are their heads!

 

I think Korczak is smiling down on the Crazy Horse Memorial from heaven, pleased with the dedication to the continuance of his dream and his life’s work.  And I am so thrilled that as 2015 seasonal staff, we are a part of the dream, too!

Badlands National Park/Buffalo Gap National Grassland

Mom and Dad visited the Badlands previously in 1999, before their RVing days.  They flew to Rapid City and rented a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.  They wouldn't spring for an airline ticket for me nor could we ride 3-up on the motorcycle (Mom didn't have her license yet), so I was left home for my Grandma to rodent sit.  That’s why I am especially excited to be here this time around!

View from the Campground

This place is surreal! It is very early in the tourist season.  I hear not a whisper, see little sign of humans, just me and acres and miles of rock formations dating back millions of years!  Some of the rock tables and plateaus look like how I envision the surface of the moon!  Then I see high peaks, with the rock formations so fragile, crumbly, and dry like paint peeling.   I am in awe they are still standing!  The sun, casting shadows, gives the illusion that the rocks change colors right before my eyes!

 

Though the area lacks in human life, the wildlife has been prolific!  We encountered dozens of long-horn sheep and prong-horn deer.  Not to mention all my rodent buddies, the prairie dogs (I couldn’t fraternize with them because they are suffering from plague!)  Most importantly to Daddy, we saw a rattle snake!  Unfortunately, none of us were quick enough to snap a picture of it!

 

 

Long-horn sheep at Norbeck Pass--look like a set of bookends!

 

Prong-horn deer

Prairie Dogs

We rode the motorcycles down Sage Creek Rim Road--a moist, rocky, unpaved/ungraded road that prohibited us traveling any faster than 15 miles an hour.  Virtually no one else was on the road, but we hit the jackpot in our animal expeditions—dozens and dozens of bison, right near the road!  These huge, majestic beasts stopped grazing and cast their dark eyes upon us, watching our every move.  I squealed with fright!  Since they can run at speeds up to 30 miles an hour, they could surely overtake us!  Needless to say, we refrained from getting too close and personal for photo taking.



The Beastly Bison on Sage Creek Rim Road

Long-horn sheep along Castle Trail

We enjoyed seeing the back-country and grasslands by completing a 4 mile hike roundtrip from Fossil Trail to Castle Trail.  And while Daddy and I climbed the ladder up the ridge on Notch Trail, Mommy chickened out, worrying she may fall on her attempt to descend (she freaks out with heights sometimes).

PoPo reaches the top of the ladder on Notch Trail

Mom actually did sustain an injury.  She would have liked to say it happened while doing something adventurous like climbing the ¼ mile strenuous ascent of Saddle Pass Trail (We only went up 1/8 mile before she panicked and retreated).  But instead, Mommy just tripped while walking 20 feet on a pressed pebble path to the trash bin at Cedar Pass Campground minutes before our departure.  She’s banged up badly, with a deep gash, bruising, and swelling of her knee, causing her to walk with a limp. We just call her “Gimpy” now. 

The visit to Badland National Park and Buffalo Gap National Grassland has been extraordinary, with the wonders of nature never ceasing to amaze and delight.  It is a “must see” place, and merits a Rambling RV Rat 5-cheese rating.

Mother Nature is amazing - flowers growing in the crevices of ancient rock formations

Badlands/Buffalo Gap earns PoPo's distinguished 5-cheese award

Northward Ho!

We are heading to Custer, South Dakota for our work-camping gig at Crazy Horse Memorial.  Thankfully, we missed the tornado that landed on the other side of town in Livingston, Texas just a day after our departure from Escapees Rainbow Park, where campers sustained heavy rain, hail, and loss of power.

 

We stayed at Council Road RV Park in Oklahoma City on Sunday night to facilitate having some recall/warranty work completed on our Montana Fifth Wheel on Monday.  Older park, smaller sites very close together, but terrific Wi-Fi and cable!  We arrived bright and early Monday at Oklahoma RV Center in Moore, Oklahoma (where they had those terrible tornadoes in 2013).   Great service and fine folks!  Work was completed much sooner than we expected, so we decided to alter our travel plans, making reservations at Cedar Pass Campground in Badlands National Park in South Dakota before leaving the RC Center and rambling down Interstate 35.  Within a short 5 minutes on the road, we hear someone beeping at us frantically—apparently smoke is coming from our rear tires!  Daddy goes to pull over and learns he has no brakes!  Turns out the emergency brake disconnect came out of the plug!  Since we became aware of the problem quickly (thanks to the unknown Good Samaritan who alerted us), we did not sustain any permanent damage.  Truly scary stuff, though—good thing Mommy wasn’t the one at the wheel!

 

Other than that, our travels have been quiet and serene, stopping at Wally-Worlds and seeing some beautiful pastoral countryside of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska, not to mention some breathtaking sunrises/sunsets.

 

Sunrise in Kansas

View of Downtown Oklahoma City from I-35

Cattle Grazing in Nebraska

 Talk to you soon!

Garden Parties

Flowers are abloom everywhere, and the sweet scent of honeysuckle is making my nose tickle!   But that didn’t stop us from visiting the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden in Nagadoches, TX, home to Stephen F. Austin State University—Go Lumberjacks!

The 8-acre garden contains 7,000+ azaleas among more than 500 varieties, earning the distinction of “largest Azalea garden in Texas”.  Who knew there were so many colors and varieties of azaleas!  There are also azalea trails within Nagadoches for hiking, strolling, or just sitting on a bench to admire nature at work.  We thoroughly enjoyed the visit!



This butterfly enjoyed the gardens as much as we did!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve had some very wet weather here—over 8 inches of rain in the last week or so.    But Mr. Sunshine finally came out yesterday, so off we went for a motorcycle ride.

Now that we have completed our residency business in Livingston, we have extra “free” time.  So we’ve been doing some volunteer work here at Rainbow Park.  We assisted with grounds keeping by pulling weeds, cultivated gardens, and raking leaves.  We saw all kinds of cool insects and reptiles, too!  Web worms (they look like caterpillars), a soon-to-be- Mommy spider (see the eggs on her back!), even chameleons and assorted lizards.   Dad and I enjoyed watching them—Mom not so much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking of cool critters, check out this live video stream from the Pennsylvania Game Commission of two bald eagle fledglings in Hanover, PA. 

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=1592549&mode=2

We've been watching these babies for the last month.  They were so funny looking and awkward when they first hatched—and they still are!  

We also volunteered for several days at the C.A.R.E. (Continuing Assistance for Retired Escapees) Center’s semi-annual “Garage Sale”.  The event was quite successful, raising more than $5,000 to go towards the purchase of a transport van!  I’m glad I was a part of it.  Although I won’t tell you how many times someone tried to buy me--I know, I’m hard to resist!

I know I'm cute, but I'm not for sale!

 

Earthshattering news here in Livingston—our local Wal-Mart is one of the five nationwide that closed down due to plumbing problems.  Local folks are in a panic and uproar, with all sorts of stories and theories circulating through the rumor mill.  As Gloria Gaynor said, “I will survive”, with or without Wal-Mart.

 

Oh well, got to run—going to the Livingston Community Band Concert at the Activity Center.  Talk to you soon!

 

Sam Houston - a Hero Larger Than Life

Road Trip today to Huntsville, TX, home to everything Sam Houston!  Soldier and statesman, he was a true man of honor.  Houston led the fight for Texas’ independence from Mexico, served as President of the Republic of Texas, U.S. Senator representing Texas, and Governor of Texas.

 

Sam Houston Memorial Museum

 

We visited the campus of Sam Houston State University (Go Bearkats!), which includes The Sam Houston Memorial Museum, a comprehensive collection of artifacts that chronicles the life and times of Sam Houston.   Departing the museum through the “Wilderness Trail”, you are transported to another place and time, a tree-covered grove containing The Woodland House, the residence Sam Houston built in 1848 where 4 of his 8 children were born; his law office, where he spent many a day discussing Texas politics; The Steamboat House, the place where Sam Houston died in 1863, and various other structures.  The nearby pond and gardens contain period flora and fauna. 

 

The Woodland House, Circa 1848

 

The Steamboat House, Where Sam Houston Died in 1863



The Pond Area

 

The Pond Area

 

We strolled leisurely through Oakwood Cemetery, where Sam Houston is buried.  Originally laid to rest with a modest tombstone, the current memorial depicting him on horseback riding to battle victory was erected in 1911.

 

Sam Houston Tombstone - Front

The inscription on the back of the tombstone had the word "governor" misspelled as "govrnor"--guess they didn't have spell check back then!  To save face, they chiseled down the "r" and made it an apostrophe, forming "Gov'nor" of Tennessee (he was only man to ever serve as governor of two states, Tennessee and Texas).



Sam Houston Tombstone - Back



 

We finished our Sam Houston tour with a visit to Sam Houston’s statue.  All I can say is, WOW!  I know he was a big man of stature at 6 ½ feet tall, but this statue is Herculean, standing 67 feet in height!  Made of 60 tons of concrete and steel, it can be seen from miles away on I-45!

Sam Houston-A Hero Larger Than Life

 We satisfied our hunger with a Herculean late lunch/early dinner, then headed to Huntsville State Park, where we completed a 6.8 mile hike around the lake and through the woodlands.  A busy, but enjoyable day that ended with perfection:  A gorgeous sunset over Lake Livingston taken in Onalaska, TX.

 

Sunset on Lake Livingston, Onalaska, TX

Time to hit the sack!  Sweet dreams!

 

  

Special Occasions

If you are a Christian, today is a glorious day, one that gives us hope for eternal life.  Happy Easter!

Even though it is just Mom, Dad, me and the pets, we have our holiday traditions.  Mom cooks a four-course dinner and bakes us tasty treats for dessert.  We watch the movies, “King of Kings” and “The Ten Commandments”, and Dad never disappoints us with his annual reenactment of Yul Brynner’s role of Ramses.  With his bald head shining and his hands on his hips, Dad sucks in his gut uttering, “So Let It Be Written, So Let It Be Done.”  We color eggs, and I decorate ones for my Grandma and Grandpa in heaven and for all of us.

I even decorated one this year for my Aunt Laurie.  Looks just like her!

Egg Decorated Especially for Aunt Laurie

Today is a special day for another reason:  It’s my birthday!  Well, truthfully, we don’t know when my actual birthday is.  But we celebrate it on April 5, the day my Dad rescued me from that lonely toy store shelf, purchasing me as a gift for his then girlfriend Mom.  Yes, most people think I’m just a scruffy stuffed rat, but I am really a love story.  But that’s a tale for another day…

Hoping My Birthday Wish Comes True

 

Exploring Lake Livingston

The sun was shining brightly and a gentle wind was whispering in the trees, so what better time to hop on the motorcycles to explore Lake Livingston and the Lake Livingston State Park area.  The scenery was very bucolic—lots of fields with cattle, horses, and sheep.

 

Lake Livingston is one ginormous lake!  Constructed solely for water supply purposes, it has over 450 miles of shoreline across four counties (San Jacinto, Polk, Walker, and Trinity). 

 

The park offers a variety of amenities:  swimming, fishing piers, nature trails, picnic areas, campsites, even horseback riding.

We Cross Paths With the Horse Back Riders

We completed the 3-mile Livingston Trail, which runs through all of the campground areas.  Many of the campsites have water and electric hookups, and all of them are in wooded areas for that authentic camping experience.  We also did the 1-mile Pineywoods Nature Walk through wetland habitat.  This turned out to be a very bad idea—it was a mosquito haven!  I must be a very tasty stuffed rat based on the number of bites I have!

When we stopped for fuel, Mom noticed this poignant 9/11 mural on the local American Legion building.  Originally from New Jersey, my parents remember this tragic day vividly: the fiery destruction, the desperate feeling of helplessness, the deepening sadness of learning of the losses of childhood friends’ family members, yet the patriotic sense of unity that our country had not experienced in decades.  We will never forget—and we thank the American Legion Post 629, Cold Springs, TX, some 1500 miles away from New York City, Washington D.C., and Shanksville, PA, for remembering all these years later.
 

American Legion Post 629, Cold Springs, TX