Shanksville, PA

The last leg of this journey brought me to Shanksville, Pennsylvania. I had wanted to see this place since 9/11... it's the location of where flight 93 was forced down on September 11, 2001. http://www.nps.gov/flni/index.htm

It is less than five hours from where I lived in NJ... so not looking forward to this portion... this chapter... this decision... Naturally, it began raining. Fitting end... to an end.

Chicago.. Wisconsin...

Stops along the way... Rapid City, souvenir hunt & Sioux Falls, South Dakota... sent stuff... was a blast putting it all together. : ) Wisconsin was a neat stop because it was the 1st place along the way that had the same wildflowers as what I was used to in upstate NY. Queen Anne's Lace... Milkweed... and mosquitos! haha! Two verrrry tuckered out little doggies! Who, btw, earned their keep when we were forced to stop at a less than nice hotel for the night... not a great room... sometime around 3am someone tried to get into the room... but the girls did their job & barked like mad. (yay girls!!!) I naturally remained awake the rest of the night. The one and only time anything like this happened in 2 and a half months of being on the road.

Mt Rushmore

So didn't want to leave Wyoming... thoroughly enjoyed catching up with my family there.

The weather matched the mood... but... I did get to go through Sturgis (the motorcycle gathering that happens each year in South Dakota. That's a lotta leather, motors, peeps and loud pipes!!! : ))) Stopped by a few places that sold jewelry on a quest for a friend... found this grandfather and grandson team.. go the coolest wolf & eagle rings.

Next stop: Mount Rushmore!

misc shots

The picture of the wagon wheel was done by my dad. The mountain behind it is Laramie Peak. The shot of the two old farmers is of my grandpa and his lil bro... caption: "We've been farmin' too long!"... a spin off of the shot of the two lil boys that was around.

Estes Park, CO... the Shining set

My aunt picked to go see the house they used to in the mini-series of "The Shining". Located in Estes Park, Colorado... what a beautiful setting!!!

Centennial & ride to it

Smalltown Centennial... images of cowboys and indians & hardy folk... bullwhips, horses, tall stories & great grub... yup, that's what ya find at these kinds of celebrations. I especially enjoyed listening to Calamity Jane's great niece (the lady above with the horse) tell the story of her aunt & her aunt's beau, Wild Bill Hickok livin in Deadwood. Wow, those whips are L O U D!!!!

Had the most interesting lesson from a lady who is really into the American Plains Indians.. that's her bona fide tee pee... she runs a demonstration on how the Plains women carried out their domestic duties... from food prep to clothing. Spent nearly the entire afternoon just listening and asking questions.

On the ride over we spotted a herd of buffalo... they were just hangin out... then like a spring goin off, they started prancing and running into each other... funny! We stopped for gas.. funky, old timey still functioning gas pumps!!!

cheyenne frontier days& air show

Went to Cheyenne Frontier Days & the Air Show... with family & met one of my oldest friends from high school! He's very active in the Kiwanis Club and manages to come up from Colorado to do the Cowboy Breakfast every year. Was great to see him again!!! : )