In Search of Extra Milers / After the National Senior Games/Olympics: August 2022

Monday, August 1, 2022

Starting a New RV Adventure - The New England States

In Search of Extra Milers / After the Senior Games/Olympics Please go to this link, where we made our blog posts relating to this trip: https://carolrvnewenglandstates.blogspot.com/

WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT...

This trip has three primary objectives:

1) Play in the Senior Olympic Games in the San Francisco Bay area of California
2) Find Extra Milers beyond the borders of Southern Indiana
3) Visit and tell you about some of the spectacular sites we discover in our own backyard...this awesome USA (can you see the flags waving?)

Carol Baker Dawson is a nationally award winning columnist for two Southern Indiana newspapers, The Evening News and New Albany Tribune (National Society of Newspaper Columnists Will Rogers Humanitarian Award-2008). She writes about those people who make it part of their duty in life to perform acts of kindness and generosity for no other reason than to assist those less fortunate.

Carol is traveling across country with her husband, Ken Crutchfield, in an RV for two months - headed to the Senior Olympics to play mixed doubles in badminton. This blog will tell the story of their travels and the Extra Milers (walking angels) they meet along their journey.

Please join us and learn about the Extra Milers across the U.S.

Monday, August 1, 2022

Starting a New RV Adventure - The New England States

Thanks for going along with us on our journey through America's Backyard!

Jeff and the pups joined us for our final days in the RV

Ken said this driving was a piece of cake compared to the RV

Jeff jumping into the lake...we all took a dip before the day was over (even the dogs)

On the way out to Lake Patoka, we saw these two deer...calmly looking at us. They were in a pen.

The Indiana Dunes - Beverly Shore Beach

Devil's Slide, Beverly Shores, Indiana - The Dunes

Walking up the sand trail after spending time on the beach

This doe jumped from the street and then tried to hide from us.

Hiking up the sandy trail - Baldy Mountain

Baldy Mountain (Sand Dune) in Northern Indiana

Looking over the hiking side of Baldy Mountain, Indiana

At the top of Baldy Mountain (one of the highest dunes in the area)

Looking out the second floor of the Colonnade at Beverly Shores, Indiana

The beautiful and peaceful shoreline in Beverly Shores, Indiana

The Colonnade on the Beverly Shores Beach in Indiana

Is that Sam Elliott in the lifeguard chair...nah, but close. :-)

Lake Superior - on the way to where we would stay before our trip to Mackinac Island

As soon as we stepped into the Mackinac Island Butterfly House, a beautiful butterfly landed...

Very colorful butterflies all around (and landing on) us.

This butterfly landed on the back of my pant's - GOOD LUCK for me!

My friend...up close.

The butterfly climbed on my finger...I transferred it easily to Ken's finger...

During our carriage ride around Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island - beauty everywhere.

The Mackinac Island - Fort Mackinac

The lawn and grounds are full of beautiful flowers at The Grand Hotel

Ken, in our Napoleon room - trying to get reception on his phone.

The Grand Hotel - Horse drawn carriage for guests.

The Grand Hotel front porch - at night.

The Grand Hotel lobby - all new.

Walking down to the front lawn - early in the morning.

On the grounds of The Grand Hotel - beautiful flowers and a fountain.

The Grand Hotel - taken from the grounds

The Esther Williams Pool

The Grand Hotel Porch

Lake Huron is a beautiful color of blue and turquoise

Ken biking around the island

A beautiful island, indeed

Leaving the island and The Grand Hotel

Leaving the beautiful Mackinac Island

Mt. Rushmore ... in corn.

Corn Palace, Mitchell, South Dakota

Ken, in front of the Corn Palace at night

This buffalo and I became close friends

Does Ken look like he is having fun? Well, he wasn't.

In front of Wall Drug Store, Wall, SD

Working on the blog...emails...work...photos, etc.

Wild Bill Hickok visited our tour bus...our driver warned him about getting shot in a few minutes

Wild Bill Hickok's grave in the Boot Hill Cemetary

A buffalo burger at Bumpin Buffalo in Hill City, SD

Crazy Horse Monument - using no federal funds for completion

Crazy Horse Monument - in the works for 47 years

The Crazy Horse Monument drawing (previously on the rock)

Mt. Rushmore - including the entrance state flags

Mt. Rushmore - amazing...

The Night Show at Mt. Rushmore, SD

Ending the Mt. Rushmore show, all military veterans were invited on stage

The "hiding" doe on the grounds of Devil's Tower

We think this little guy was just lost - no warning chirping - just a long stare

One of the barking prairie dogs - too cute and relatively fearless

The climbers - at least two of them...on the way down....safely.

Can you find the climbers on the Devil's Tower

Ken's turn to play on the rocks of Devil's Tower

Playing on the rocks was too resisting...even for the adults

The Devil's Tower National Park

The Sheridan Inn, Sheridan, Wyoming

Ken bellied up to the Sheridan Inn bar.

Letting driver and the RV brakes rest after several miles pushing them through the floor (nearly)

The Shoshone National Park - very pretty

Wild Turkey crossing the road

Close driving quarters - not easy for a large RV

The Shoshone National Park - after exiting Yellowstone

Ken had to stop to take this shot of me doing what I do every time we travel

Ken driving - little did he know what would lie ahead...

Leaving Yellowstone

Hiking down Mt. Moran, Grand Tetons

Toward the top of Mt. Moran - after hiking for over an hour nearly straight up...