Sunday, September 30, 2007
More from Branson & on to Hot Springs Natl Park in Arkansas
Sep 30 Sun ... We took a drive today up the scenic mountain road where the view of the Hot Springs valley was nothing short of spectacular. Later, we take a hike one of the many trails in the park.
Sep 29 Sat ... As most people know, the town is named Hot Springs because of the natural hot thermal springs in the area. An average of 700,000 gallons of water is collected each day at an average temperature of 143 degrees Fahrenheit. The heyday of spa bathing in the several bath houses was from 1880 to 1950 when over a million visitors a year immersed themselves in the park’s hot waters. By 1985 only one bath house remained open. The Fordyce bathhouse is now the National Park visitors’ center and museum. We took a self-guided tour and watched a video of what it was like back then. It’s interesting that all the equipment of the time was still there to view (a full spa experience). Of course we had to fill a couple of gallon jugs with ‘the water’. There are water jug fountains in a few locations for just that purpose.
Sep 28 Fri ... We got on the road early this morning for our drive to Hot Springs. All went well and we stopped in Conway, AR for lunch. The rv park is in the National Park system yet has no hook-ups. Our site is near the Gulpha Gorge Creek and we can hear the sound of the rushing water over a small water fall. Unfortunately, we’re unable to receive our satellite signal due to the fact there’re too many trees in the area. I guess we’ll have to do a lot of reading while in this park.
Sep 27 Thu ... Went to the gym this morning and use the high speed internet in the activities center. We were to move to another park tomorrow in Branson but we decided to move on down the road. We plan to drive about 225 miles to Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas.
Sep 26 Wed ... Dixie’s Mom and Dad left this morning for their long trek back to Great Falls, MT, a drive of about 1,150 miles. We later went to one of the outlet malls and then to Walmart. Sep 25 Tue ... Another day of a Branson show. Today it’s the Tony Roi Elvis Experience. This will be our last and only show for today. The show today was awesome for sure. Tony Roi and his Elvis Experience show is one of the best we’ve ever seen, anywhere. He has a striking resemblance to Elvis and his voice is also very much Elvis. His show was voted Branson’s best show of the year for 2006; Branson’s best singer of the year for 2006 and best performer of the year in 2006. This is a “don’t miss” show if/when you travel to Branson, MO.
Sep 24 Mon ... Today is our “big day” here in Branson because we have tickets to two great shows. In the afternoon we went to the Pierce Arrow show. It was an excellent show that consisted of country, gospel and patriotic singing and dancing. The comedian was great as well. All in all it was a very good show. In the evening we went to the Mickey Gilley theatre and show that was excellent as well. He sang several of his many number one hits and his comedian, Joey Riley, was the funniest yet. We laughed like we haven’t laughed in a long time.
Sep 29 Sat ... As most people know, the town is named Hot Springs because of the natural hot thermal springs in the area. An average of 700,000 gallons of water is collected each day at an average temperature of 143 degrees Fahrenheit. The heyday of spa bathing in the several bath houses was from 1880 to 1950 when over a million visitors a year immersed themselves in the park’s hot waters. By 1985 only one bath house remained open. The Fordyce bathhouse is now the National Park visitors’ center and museum. We took a self-guided tour and watched a video of what it was like back then. It’s interesting that all the equipment of the time was still there to view (a full spa experience). Of course we had to fill a couple of gallon jugs with ‘the water’. There are water jug fountains in a few locations for just that purpose.
Sep 28 Fri ... We got on the road early this morning for our drive to Hot Springs. All went well and we stopped in Conway, AR for lunch. The rv park is in the National Park system yet has no hook-ups. Our site is near the Gulpha Gorge Creek and we can hear the sound of the rushing water over a small water fall. Unfortunately, we’re unable to receive our satellite signal due to the fact there’re too many trees in the area. I guess we’ll have to do a lot of reading while in this park.
Sep 27 Thu ... Went to the gym this morning and use the high speed internet in the activities center. We were to move to another park tomorrow in Branson but we decided to move on down the road. We plan to drive about 225 miles to Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas.
Sep 26 Wed ... Dixie’s Mom and Dad left this morning for their long trek back to Great Falls, MT, a drive of about 1,150 miles. We later went to one of the outlet malls and then to Walmart. Sep 25 Tue ... Another day of a Branson show. Today it’s the Tony Roi Elvis Experience. This will be our last and only show for today. The show today was awesome for sure. Tony Roi and his Elvis Experience show is one of the best we’ve ever seen, anywhere. He has a striking resemblance to Elvis and his voice is also very much Elvis. His show was voted Branson’s best show of the year for 2006; Branson’s best singer of the year for 2006 and best performer of the year in 2006. This is a “don’t miss” show if/when you travel to Branson, MO.
Sep 24 Mon ... Today is our “big day” here in Branson because we have tickets to two great shows. In the afternoon we went to the Pierce Arrow show. It was an excellent show that consisted of country, gospel and patriotic singing and dancing. The comedian was great as well. All in all it was a very good show. In the evening we went to the Mickey Gilley theatre and show that was excellent as well. He sang several of his many number one hits and his comedian, Joey Riley, was the funniest yet. We laughed like we haven’t laughed in a long time.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Missouri -- The last state in our tour of the lower 48!
Sep 23 Sun ... This morning we went to the Timeshare presentation that was held at the Wyndham resort that is next door to where we are camped. After we said ‘no’ to that offer we were able to pick up our tickets for the Mickey Gilley show for tomorrow. From there we went to IHOP for breakfast and then a drive to Table Rock Lake and the surrounding Branson area. After a short stop at the Outlet Mall we went back to the mh to rest. We will go to an 8pm show this evening called “Clay Cooper Country Express”.
Sep 22 Sat ... We headed to the Concierge’s desk the morning to purchase our show tickets for the next several days. Then we went to the gym for a quick workout and Mom & Dad went back to the motorhome. We went to the “Moe Bandy” show at 2pm. In addition to Moe there was a very funny comedian and a female singer that was very good. They put on a great 2 hour show and we had great seats –- even shook hands with Moe! Next stop was the grocery store where Mom & Dad got talked into going to a Timeshare presentation so we could get discounted tickets to another show. (the price of the shows have increased a lot and there are so many to see). After dinner we took in a free show at our resort. The Thunderbird band played 2 hours of 50’s music which we enjoyed. It is however, strange to see ‘grandparents’ on stage playing and singing--- they’ve obviously been playing since the 50’s!!!!!
Sep 21 Fri ... Before leaving Independence we decided to tour a beautiful and unusually structured church that was near the rv park. It was a spiral shaped church (see the picture) that was built in 1993. We had a very interesting tour of the beautiful facility. We headed out of town around 10am. We made a lunch stop along the way and arrived in Branson around 330p. We found that this city has grown tremendously since we were here last. The rv park is in the Fall Creek condo resort. The RV park is nothing special but we have the use of all the condo facilities and the location is good. We decided to go out to dinner tonight at the Red Lobster.
Sep 20 Thurs ... We decided to take a drive north of Kansas City about 20 miles to the Harley Davidson plant. We went on a quick guided tour of the plant that was quite impressive. After lunch, we drove back into Kansas City and went to a Royals baseball game. Their opponent was the Chicago White Sox who they defeated 3 to 0 in a game that was over in less than two hours. Tomorrow it’s on to Branson, MO, a distance of about 225 miles.
Sep 19 Wed ... Today we all went to the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum located not far from our RV park here in Independence, MO. This was the first presidential library and was dedicated in 1957, five years after he left office. It was very informative and educational to say the least. After lunch, we drove into Kansas City and visited one of Dixie’s cousins.
Sep 18 Tue ... A move day even though it’s raining. We got away around 9:00 a.m. driving south about 180 miles for Kansas City, MO. It was raining for much of the trip but all went well until our fuel stop at the Flying J in Kansas City. It was very crowded and it had no RV pumps as most do. It took about :45 minutes to get in, gas up and get out. It was very frustrating to say the least.
Sep 17 Mon ... We drove into Omaha and walked along the river and a section of downtown called “old town”. We also visited the birthplace of former president Gerald Ford. Back at the park, Dixie’s mom and dad arrived later this afternoon. They’ll be with us during our trips to Kansas City and Branson, MO.
Sep 22 Sat ... We headed to the Concierge’s desk the morning to purchase our show tickets for the next several days. Then we went to the gym for a quick workout and Mom & Dad went back to the motorhome. We went to the “Moe Bandy” show at 2pm. In addition to Moe there was a very funny comedian and a female singer that was very good. They put on a great 2 hour show and we had great seats –- even shook hands with Moe! Next stop was the grocery store where Mom & Dad got talked into going to a Timeshare presentation so we could get discounted tickets to another show. (the price of the shows have increased a lot and there are so many to see). After dinner we took in a free show at our resort. The Thunderbird band played 2 hours of 50’s music which we enjoyed. It is however, strange to see ‘grandparents’ on stage playing and singing--- they’ve obviously been playing since the 50’s!!!!!
Sep 21 Fri ... Before leaving Independence we decided to tour a beautiful and unusually structured church that was near the rv park. It was a spiral shaped church (see the picture) that was built in 1993. We had a very interesting tour of the beautiful facility. We headed out of town around 10am. We made a lunch stop along the way and arrived in Branson around 330p. We found that this city has grown tremendously since we were here last. The rv park is in the Fall Creek condo resort. The RV park is nothing special but we have the use of all the condo facilities and the location is good. We decided to go out to dinner tonight at the Red Lobster.
Sep 20 Thurs ... We decided to take a drive north of Kansas City about 20 miles to the Harley Davidson plant. We went on a quick guided tour of the plant that was quite impressive. After lunch, we drove back into Kansas City and went to a Royals baseball game. Their opponent was the Chicago White Sox who they defeated 3 to 0 in a game that was over in less than two hours. Tomorrow it’s on to Branson, MO, a distance of about 225 miles.
Sep 19 Wed ... Today we all went to the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum located not far from our RV park here in Independence, MO. This was the first presidential library and was dedicated in 1957, five years after he left office. It was very informative and educational to say the least. After lunch, we drove into Kansas City and visited one of Dixie’s cousins.
Sep 18 Tue ... A move day even though it’s raining. We got away around 9:00 a.m. driving south about 180 miles for Kansas City, MO. It was raining for much of the trip but all went well until our fuel stop at the Flying J in Kansas City. It was very crowded and it had no RV pumps as most do. It took about :45 minutes to get in, gas up and get out. It was very frustrating to say the least.
Sep 17 Mon ... We drove into Omaha and walked along the river and a section of downtown called “old town”. We also visited the birthplace of former president Gerald Ford. Back at the park, Dixie’s mom and dad arrived later this afternoon. They’ll be with us during our trips to Kansas City and Branson, MO.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Central Iowa & the 'Rally'
Sep 16 Sun ... We hit the road at 830am this morning for our 310 mile journey to Omaha, NE. As I post this we are about 50 miles out of Des Moines where we will stop at the Flying J for fuel and a lunch stop.
Sep 15 Sat ... We woke up to a cold 31 degrees this morning with lots of frost on the pumpkin. After another FMCA breakfast we went to our one and only class this morning entitled Fire and Life Safety in your RV. Needless to say, we had our eyes opened to several things we should be doing to make our travel in our motorhome safer. For instance, we carry one fire extinguisher where the presenter recommends five which includes one in the toad. After that class, we drove about 80 miles to West Branch to visit the very interesting and informative Herbert Hoover Library and Museum. The evening entertainment tonight consisted of the very funny comedian, Paul Lennon and one of the top five sing/jazz clarinetist in America, Larry Linkin.
Sep 14 Fri ... The weather is cold and windy today but after another fine breakfast provided by the FMCA staff, it’s off to another day of seminars. Our first one was on RV’ing to Mexico presented by a representative of Adventure Caravans. It was very informative. About the only Mexico trip we’re considering in our RV is one down the Baja Peninsula, better known as the Mexican Riviera. In the afternoon we attend Health and Wellness where we learned about the benefits of ‘Flaxseed’. The next class was Frustration Free RV’ing. The entertainment this evening was The McFarris Family – a mother, father and 4 sons (19-24 yrs old) that played outstanding Bluegrass music. We aren’t real bluegrass fans but they were great. The father used to be Reba McIntire’s fiddle player. Talk about talent!
Sep 13 Thurs ... Today is seminar day so after the rally provided breakfast, we went to class. In the morning, Mike attended classes on Allison transmission and Dixie went one on Travel to Alaska. In the afternoon, Mike went to a Caterpillar maintenance class while Dixie went to a “Looking good and feeling great” class. Later, we both attended a seminar on RV tour travel North and South of the Border. There’s about 30 new RV’s on site to view and of course, we took advantage of it ogling over large motorhomes that we can’t afford. Tonight’s entertainment was 2 comedy acts. Between the two of them they pretty much covered all types of comedy from acrobat to juggling and magic. It was very entertaining!
Sep 12 Wed ... There is nothing happening with the rally today until the entertainment at 7:00 p.m. tonight so after we picked up our “goodie bag” from the registration office, we drove into town. We went to grocery store and, of course, Walmart. Later we got to watch a farmer harvest a field of corn, using a large modern combine, across from where we were parked. He completed the small field in less than an hour’s time. Corn is everywhere in this state, especially since Ethanol fuel is growing in popularity. Surprisingly, ethanol gas is .10 cents a gallon cheaper than regular gas, and it comes with a higher octane rating. The entertainment this evening was a Dixieland band.
Sep 11 Tue ... Today we packed up and drove to Manchester, IA, a drive of only about 40 miles. Our first stop, however, was at an RV supply store to fill our LP tank. We’re going to the rally where it will be “dry” camping and the weather forecast is for colder temps. When we got to the fairgrounds in Manchester we were parked in a “holding” area since the rally doesn’t begin until Wednesday. After we got the mh set up, we decided to drive the car to the town of Dyersville, IA where the Academy Award nominee “Best Picture of the Year” movie Field of Dreams was filmed in 1989. From there we drove back into Dyersville and visited the magnificent St. Francis Xavier Basilica. All you Catholic folks out there will know that this is one of only 52 Basilicas in the Unites States and the only one in a rural area!
Sep 10 Mon ... It rained all morning so Dixie worked on her scrapbook project and did laundry. Mike took apart the bathroom vent fan and cleaned it.
Sep 15 Sat ... We woke up to a cold 31 degrees this morning with lots of frost on the pumpkin. After another FMCA breakfast we went to our one and only class this morning entitled Fire and Life Safety in your RV. Needless to say, we had our eyes opened to several things we should be doing to make our travel in our motorhome safer. For instance, we carry one fire extinguisher where the presenter recommends five which includes one in the toad. After that class, we drove about 80 miles to West Branch to visit the very interesting and informative Herbert Hoover Library and Museum. The evening entertainment tonight consisted of the very funny comedian, Paul Lennon and one of the top five sing/jazz clarinetist in America, Larry Linkin.
Sep 14 Fri ... The weather is cold and windy today but after another fine breakfast provided by the FMCA staff, it’s off to another day of seminars. Our first one was on RV’ing to Mexico presented by a representative of Adventure Caravans. It was very informative. About the only Mexico trip we’re considering in our RV is one down the Baja Peninsula, better known as the Mexican Riviera. In the afternoon we attend Health and Wellness where we learned about the benefits of ‘Flaxseed’. The next class was Frustration Free RV’ing. The entertainment this evening was The McFarris Family – a mother, father and 4 sons (19-24 yrs old) that played outstanding Bluegrass music. We aren’t real bluegrass fans but they were great. The father used to be Reba McIntire’s fiddle player. Talk about talent!
Sep 13 Thurs ... Today is seminar day so after the rally provided breakfast, we went to class. In the morning, Mike attended classes on Allison transmission and Dixie went one on Travel to Alaska. In the afternoon, Mike went to a Caterpillar maintenance class while Dixie went to a “Looking good and feeling great” class. Later, we both attended a seminar on RV tour travel North and South of the Border. There’s about 30 new RV’s on site to view and of course, we took advantage of it ogling over large motorhomes that we can’t afford. Tonight’s entertainment was 2 comedy acts. Between the two of them they pretty much covered all types of comedy from acrobat to juggling and magic. It was very entertaining!
Sep 12 Wed ... There is nothing happening with the rally today until the entertainment at 7:00 p.m. tonight so after we picked up our “goodie bag” from the registration office, we drove into town. We went to grocery store and, of course, Walmart. Later we got to watch a farmer harvest a field of corn, using a large modern combine, across from where we were parked. He completed the small field in less than an hour’s time. Corn is everywhere in this state, especially since Ethanol fuel is growing in popularity. Surprisingly, ethanol gas is .10 cents a gallon cheaper than regular gas, and it comes with a higher octane rating. The entertainment this evening was a Dixieland band.
Sep 11 Tue ... Today we packed up and drove to Manchester, IA, a drive of only about 40 miles. Our first stop, however, was at an RV supply store to fill our LP tank. We’re going to the rally where it will be “dry” camping and the weather forecast is for colder temps. When we got to the fairgrounds in Manchester we were parked in a “holding” area since the rally doesn’t begin until Wednesday. After we got the mh set up, we decided to drive the car to the town of Dyersville, IA where the Academy Award nominee “Best Picture of the Year” movie Field of Dreams was filmed in 1989. From there we drove back into Dyersville and visited the magnificent St. Francis Xavier Basilica. All you Catholic folks out there will know that this is one of only 52 Basilicas in the Unites States and the only one in a rural area!
Sep 10 Mon ... It rained all morning so Dixie worked on her scrapbook project and did laundry. Mike took apart the bathroom vent fan and cleaned it.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Hello from Iowa!
Sep 9 Sun ... Cooler today and windy. Hung around the motorhome doing ‘stuff’. We had hoped to golf today at the course next door to the park but the weather didn’t cooperate.
Sep 8 Sat...We drove around the Amish countryside and stopped at one of their country stores that sold bulk foods and then to a bakery where we bought some fresh bread that was still warm from the oven. The weather was beautiful!
Sep 7 Fri ... We visited the Library today so we could use the computer.
Sep 6 Thurs ... We drove about 12 miles to the town of Independence and went to Wally-world once again in yet another state.
Sep 5 Wed ... About the only thing exciting today was hitting some golf balls this morning before it got too hot (there is a 9-hole course next door). Went into town to do laundry.
Sep 4 Tue ... Today is another move day. This time, we’ll be driving into Iowa about 80 miles near the small town of Oelwein, Iowa where we’ll be for a week. After that it’s on to the FMCA rally in Manchester, IA on the 11th.
Sep 3 Mon ... Labor Day ...
Sep 8 Sat...We drove around the Amish countryside and stopped at one of their country stores that sold bulk foods and then to a bakery where we bought some fresh bread that was still warm from the oven. The weather was beautiful!
Sep 7 Fri ... We visited the Library today so we could use the computer.
Sep 6 Thurs ... We drove about 12 miles to the town of Independence and went to Wally-world once again in yet another state.
Sep 5 Wed ... About the only thing exciting today was hitting some golf balls this morning before it got too hot (there is a 9-hole course next door). Went into town to do laundry.
Sep 4 Tue ... Today is another move day. This time, we’ll be driving into Iowa about 80 miles near the small town of Oelwein, Iowa where we’ll be for a week. After that it’s on to the FMCA rally in Manchester, IA on the 11th.
Sep 3 Mon ... Labor Day ...
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Our last week in MN
Sep 2 Sun ... After TV church we decided to try out the hiking trails again. The water had receded and we were able to hike a loop of 2-3 miles. It took us to a overlook where the view was beautiful. We could see the rv park below, farms in distance and the creek at the bottom. After lunch we headed for the pool to cool off, however the water was too cold and there were too many kids!
Sep 1 Sat ... The weathers great so we drove 40 miles into La Crosse, WI today. La Crosse is a beautiful city on the banks of the Mississippi river. We first went to a city park along the banks of the river, then to a farmers market in town. Later, we drove to the town of Onalaska which was only about 5 miles north of La Crosse. While there, we had an excellent lunch at an Italian restaurant named Ciatti’s. We then did a bit of shopping at several local stores in the area.
Aug 31 Fri ... Today, we stayed close to home.
Aug 30 Thurs ... This morning, Dixie did some travel research on the computer for her parents. They are going to us in Branson, MO in October.
This afternoon, we drove to the small town of Harmony, MN to take a tour of the many Amish farms in this part of the country. Our tour guide was 84 years old and had been doing these tours for 18 years. While cruising the beautiful farm country, we learned about the history and beliefs of the Amish community and how their lifestyle differs from our modern ways, while giving us all a glimpse of how our own ancestors lived and farmed in bygone days. Harmony’s Amish community is strictly “Old Order”, meaning that the people are very private and have strong Christian convictions that bind their community together, enabling them to resist the ways of modern society. We stopped at some of the farms and were given the opportunity to purchase baskets, crafts, furniture and baked goods. We also were taken to an Angora goat farm and an old Methodist Church that was built in 1856 and is still in operation today. The experience was very interesting and informative to say the least.
Aug 29 Wed ...The weather is cool and sunny so we took a long walk this morning. We walked outside the park, however there’s not much to see other than lots of trees and a few cows. Did I mention that this park is very remote? The nearest civilization is six miles away. Later, Dixie worked on scrapbook items while I re-setup the campsite after putting things away last night due to the possibility of severe weather. Fortunately, it did not happen.
Aug 28 Tue ... The weather today began sunny but warm so knowing that it could turn stormy later in the day, we decided to take a drive and explore some more of southern Minnesota. We drove through some of the Amish countryside and at one point saw a house with what must have been 40 to maybe 50 or more of the Amish horse carriages. We decided it was a place where they are made or possibly repaired. We continued to the small town of Lanesboro where we had lunch at the German restaurant and deli, Das Wurst Haus. We had a ruben with soup that was excellent. After lunch we visited a small winery in town and tasted a couple of local wines. One was a raspberry wine that was quite good.
Back at the motorhome, since rain was on the way, we decided to put things away and be prepared to move to higher ground if the stream near us overflows again as it did Monday morning. The ground is saturated and the National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for our county. If we have to leave, we’ll drive to the town of Spring Grove which is about 6 miles away. Although it’s raining now (9:40 p.m.) and has been for two hours, it has been a light rain. Our fingers are crossed ... stay tuned.
Aug 27 Mon ... We were awakened at 3:30 a.m. by the sound of thunder and lighting. It started raining heavily around 4:30 and continued until about 8:00. The stream behind us overflowed and for awhile we entertained the thought of having to quickly move the motorhome to higher ground. At one point, the fast moving water was only about 30 feet from our campsite. Luckily, after the rain quit, it started slowly receding back within its banks. Dixie is feeling better this morning after a scare with a wasp sting last evening. We were outside having a cool one and when she took a swig, she swallowed a yellow jacket that had obviously crawled inside her bottle while she was reading. It stung her in the throat on its way down but, fortunately, she has no history of being allergic to a bee sting but it was very painful nonetheless. After a quick phone call to her EMT brother and sister-in-law Doug and Fran, she was reassured all would be ok.
Sep 1 Sat ... The weathers great so we drove 40 miles into La Crosse, WI today. La Crosse is a beautiful city on the banks of the Mississippi river. We first went to a city park along the banks of the river, then to a farmers market in town. Later, we drove to the town of Onalaska which was only about 5 miles north of La Crosse. While there, we had an excellent lunch at an Italian restaurant named Ciatti’s. We then did a bit of shopping at several local stores in the area.
Aug 31 Fri ... Today, we stayed close to home.
Aug 30 Thurs ... This morning, Dixie did some travel research on the computer for her parents. They are going to us in Branson, MO in October.
This afternoon, we drove to the small town of Harmony, MN to take a tour of the many Amish farms in this part of the country. Our tour guide was 84 years old and had been doing these tours for 18 years. While cruising the beautiful farm country, we learned about the history and beliefs of the Amish community and how their lifestyle differs from our modern ways, while giving us all a glimpse of how our own ancestors lived and farmed in bygone days. Harmony’s Amish community is strictly “Old Order”, meaning that the people are very private and have strong Christian convictions that bind their community together, enabling them to resist the ways of modern society. We stopped at some of the farms and were given the opportunity to purchase baskets, crafts, furniture and baked goods. We also were taken to an Angora goat farm and an old Methodist Church that was built in 1856 and is still in operation today. The experience was very interesting and informative to say the least.
Aug 29 Wed ...The weather is cool and sunny so we took a long walk this morning. We walked outside the park, however there’s not much to see other than lots of trees and a few cows. Did I mention that this park is very remote? The nearest civilization is six miles away. Later, Dixie worked on scrapbook items while I re-setup the campsite after putting things away last night due to the possibility of severe weather. Fortunately, it did not happen.
Aug 28 Tue ... The weather today began sunny but warm so knowing that it could turn stormy later in the day, we decided to take a drive and explore some more of southern Minnesota. We drove through some of the Amish countryside and at one point saw a house with what must have been 40 to maybe 50 or more of the Amish horse carriages. We decided it was a place where they are made or possibly repaired. We continued to the small town of Lanesboro where we had lunch at the German restaurant and deli, Das Wurst Haus. We had a ruben with soup that was excellent. After lunch we visited a small winery in town and tasted a couple of local wines. One was a raspberry wine that was quite good.
Back at the motorhome, since rain was on the way, we decided to put things away and be prepared to move to higher ground if the stream near us overflows again as it did Monday morning. The ground is saturated and the National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for our county. If we have to leave, we’ll drive to the town of Spring Grove which is about 6 miles away. Although it’s raining now (9:40 p.m.) and has been for two hours, it has been a light rain. Our fingers are crossed ... stay tuned.
Aug 27 Mon ... We were awakened at 3:30 a.m. by the sound of thunder and lighting. It started raining heavily around 4:30 and continued until about 8:00. The stream behind us overflowed and for awhile we entertained the thought of having to quickly move the motorhome to higher ground. At one point, the fast moving water was only about 30 feet from our campsite. Luckily, after the rain quit, it started slowly receding back within its banks. Dixie is feeling better this morning after a scare with a wasp sting last evening. We were outside having a cool one and when she took a swig, she swallowed a yellow jacket that had obviously crawled inside her bottle while she was reading. It stung her in the throat on its way down but, fortunately, she has no history of being allergic to a bee sting but it was very painful nonetheless. After a quick phone call to her EMT brother and sister-in-law Doug and Fran, she was reassured all would be ok.
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