Got home at 1 p.m. this afternoon Eastern Time. I had such a good time on the trip that as it was winding down I wondered if I would be disappointed to be home. But home looked real good to me and I slipped into my home routine seamlessly, grocery shopping, audio books back to the library, picked up the mail, emptied the car, made lunch and even got in my walk before supper.
My last research task was in Iowa City, to find the obituary and the gravesite of Douglas Cramer. I spent so much time thinking and imagining what life was like for Douglas Cramer when I was writing my book, that when I actually found his obituary (which referred to him as an "old soldier" at 63) and then went to the cemetery and found his gravestone with just no trouble at all, it seemed a fitting end to my long odyssey and brought tears to my eyes. The stone was set on a concrete block and was red in color which probably denotes it is more recent than 1899 when he died. The G.A.R. may have had something to do with its setting as it had his Civil War unit inscribed on it although I do not know what happened to his son.
It was a great trip. My car gave me not one bit of trouble, the whole 9000 miles - can you believe it? I had only a couple days of feeling under the weather, nothing serious. I had wonderful visits with friends and relatives, saw beautiful scenery and the sunset last night was gorgeous, all pink and mauve and purple, the most beautiful one I had seen in all the towns and cities and parks where I had stopped along the way, as if it was especially for me. During the night the moon was nearly full as it had been when I started out two months ago. The End.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Day 61 Council Bluffs, Iowa
I am sitting in a nice modern library in Council Bluffs. It is a beautiful cool fall day out with wispy clouds in the sky. Went for a walk around the park and enjoyed the huge fountain they have there while waiting for the library to open. One of the nice perks of school being in session is that the libraries are now open on Sunday afternoons.
Night before last I tried to find the Pawnee Lake Recreation area but when the GPS said I was there, I saw nothing of that nature. So I pulled into an access to a cornfield off a dirt road and stayed there that night. I have discovered if I bundle my feet up good so they stay warm, I will sleep comfortably, so I applied several layers to my feet and zipped up my sleeping bag and was soon drowzy. I did not expect the temperature to go too low as the sky was overcast. The wind was still gusting so strongly that it rocked the car sometimes though. During the night the wind finally died out.
Yesterday I spent in Omaha and for an hour of that time I tramped around the Forest Lawn cemetery looking for the graves of Wilfred, Josephine and Robert Douglass. In spite of having a map from the internet I did not find them. I don't know how the cemetery staff draws their maps, but once in the car and searching, nothing looks like what they have drawn. I was disappointed, but it was Saturday so the office was not open.
This morning, I woke in the residential area of Council Bluffs to the chattering of birds overhead. I had unknowingly parked directly under a tree whose branches were loaded with a berry that the birds were rapidly devouring. They even landed on the roof of my car (and I am sure left various deposits there). I was so warm and cozy in my cocoon, with no reason or inclination to get out, that I drifted off to sleep again and woke at 9:45!! Since it was Sunday I treated myself to a waffle combo at the Village Inn and then read in my car for an hour and a half while the sun warmed it up nicely. (I could find no UU church in the area)
Tomorrow I will visit a few small towns in SW Iowa, then on to Des Moines and Iowa City. Those will be my last research stops of my trip.
Night before last I tried to find the Pawnee Lake Recreation area but when the GPS said I was there, I saw nothing of that nature. So I pulled into an access to a cornfield off a dirt road and stayed there that night. I have discovered if I bundle my feet up good so they stay warm, I will sleep comfortably, so I applied several layers to my feet and zipped up my sleeping bag and was soon drowzy. I did not expect the temperature to go too low as the sky was overcast. The wind was still gusting so strongly that it rocked the car sometimes though. During the night the wind finally died out.
Yesterday I spent in Omaha and for an hour of that time I tramped around the Forest Lawn cemetery looking for the graves of Wilfred, Josephine and Robert Douglass. In spite of having a map from the internet I did not find them. I don't know how the cemetery staff draws their maps, but once in the car and searching, nothing looks like what they have drawn. I was disappointed, but it was Saturday so the office was not open.
This morning, I woke in the residential area of Council Bluffs to the chattering of birds overhead. I had unknowingly parked directly under a tree whose branches were loaded with a berry that the birds were rapidly devouring. They even landed on the roof of my car (and I am sure left various deposits there). I was so warm and cozy in my cocoon, with no reason or inclination to get out, that I drifted off to sleep again and woke at 9:45!! Since it was Sunday I treated myself to a waffle combo at the Village Inn and then read in my car for an hour and a half while the sun warmed it up nicely. (I could find no UU church in the area)
Tomorrow I will visit a few small towns in SW Iowa, then on to Des Moines and Iowa City. Those will be my last research stops of my trip.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Day 59 Lincoln, Nebraska
Well, I did better than I expected yesterday. I waited until 10:30 to leave Craig, giving the snow time to melt and I had dry roads. As I went north towards I-80, I began to see small patches of blue sky amidst the clouds and by the time I connected with I-80 I had sunshine. Once on I-80 the view was beautiful, the snow on the hills changing their shapes and images. There was a lot of wind but I got along nicely to Laramie by 1:30 and stopped and called the weather line. They said that I-80 was clear all the way to Cheyenne, which was what I was concerned about as there was another pass to go over. But worried for nothing, dry roads all the way.
I drove until 4:00 and then called ahead to make a reservation at a motel because they were predicting freezing temperature overnight and in Craig I got the last motel room at the place I stopped. It was a good move because after I had checked in at Sidney, Nebraska, Comfort Inn last night,I heard them turning people away - they were full up. The dark clouds that had been behind me all day had caught up, but by this morning they had all blown past.
Today was just plain boring driving. Nebraska looks flat after the mountains, but of course, it isn't. It was extremely windy with hard gusts at times requiring reduced speed and sometimes the muscles in my hands were tired from gripping the wheel. I stopped once for a catnap and that was a big help. I got into Lincoln, NE, at about 4(Central Time) and luckily the library is open to 6, so I got my info here and will head towards Omaha for my next stop.
I drove until 4:00 and then called ahead to make a reservation at a motel because they were predicting freezing temperature overnight and in Craig I got the last motel room at the place I stopped. It was a good move because after I had checked in at Sidney, Nebraska, Comfort Inn last night,I heard them turning people away - they were full up. The dark clouds that had been behind me all day had caught up, but by this morning they had all blown past.
Today was just plain boring driving. Nebraska looks flat after the mountains, but of course, it isn't. It was extremely windy with hard gusts at times requiring reduced speed and sometimes the muscles in my hands were tired from gripping the wheel. I stopped once for a catnap and that was a big help. I got into Lincoln, NE, at about 4(Central Time) and luckily the library is open to 6, so I got my info here and will head towards Omaha for my next stop.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Day 58 Craig, Colorado
Well, I won't be making much mileage today with all the storm warnings. I will wait until later in the morning to let the temperature rise more. It has stopped snowing here, with about an inch on the ground, the streets wet.
If I had not stopped at the Dinosaur National Monument I might have made it over the Rockies before the snow shut off the passes but the Dinosaur Monument was a treat I gave myself. I woke at the campground in Salt Lake City yesterday at 3:30 a.m. when it began to rain lightly. By 7:30 it was raining steadily and water stood in the road and pooled on the lawn. I got underway about 9:30 and once out of the city began to climb. The mountains were beautiful even in the rain, like some giant paisley shawl spread across them, green, yellow, red, orange, purple, just lovely.
Then as I climbed I saw snow flurries. I was already driving in the slow lane to avoid hydroplaning and I kept inching my way along. Then the ground and roofs were white and I passed a snow-plastered sign that said Parley's Summit. I had been watching the outside temp gauge drop to 32 degrees and I hoped to get over the summit without any problem and I did. Still raining, I stopped at Heber, consulted he map and saw another mountain pass ahead of me. I drove through snow for about 10 miles but that was on the flats and got over the pass okay. The sky was heavy with very dark clouds and I hoped to stay ahead of them. I did for a while but then I turned southeast for Dinosaur and ran out of the storm into sunshine though the winds were strong and gusty. I could still see the dark angry-looking clouds to the north and after my stop at Dinosaur, when my GPS intended to send me due north again to catch I-80, I looked at my map, saw a mountain with a 9500 elevation along the route and said, oh, no, twice in one day is too much white knuckle driving. I turned back about 15 miles and took I-40 due east to Craig.
For 100 miles I drove in sunshine, with the black clouds on my left, and swirling dirt from the strong winds on my right. Just before getting to Craig, the sunshine ended and the dark clouds were overhead. Got into Craig just before dark, planning on a motel since the temperature was to go to the 20s. I stopped one place that looked like a motel, went into the office and asked if they had a room. The clerk stared at me for a minute and said, "This is a correctional facility; you don't want to stay here unless you have done something very bad" with a grin. I grinned back and got directions to a motel. Had a nice warm room and have been watching TV and studying the maps and figure I can probably get as far as Laramie today and will have to wait there for the storm to pass. Here in Colorado the chain rules are in effect through Vail and Loveland. I'm going north through the Basin to connect with I-80 west of Laramie. It doesn't look like any big peaks along the way north.
If I had not stopped at the Dinosaur National Monument I might have made it over the Rockies before the snow shut off the passes but the Dinosaur Monument was a treat I gave myself. I woke at the campground in Salt Lake City yesterday at 3:30 a.m. when it began to rain lightly. By 7:30 it was raining steadily and water stood in the road and pooled on the lawn. I got underway about 9:30 and once out of the city began to climb. The mountains were beautiful even in the rain, like some giant paisley shawl spread across them, green, yellow, red, orange, purple, just lovely.
Then as I climbed I saw snow flurries. I was already driving in the slow lane to avoid hydroplaning and I kept inching my way along. Then the ground and roofs were white and I passed a snow-plastered sign that said Parley's Summit. I had been watching the outside temp gauge drop to 32 degrees and I hoped to get over the summit without any problem and I did. Still raining, I stopped at Heber, consulted he map and saw another mountain pass ahead of me. I drove through snow for about 10 miles but that was on the flats and got over the pass okay. The sky was heavy with very dark clouds and I hoped to stay ahead of them. I did for a while but then I turned southeast for Dinosaur and ran out of the storm into sunshine though the winds were strong and gusty. I could still see the dark angry-looking clouds to the north and after my stop at Dinosaur, when my GPS intended to send me due north again to catch I-80, I looked at my map, saw a mountain with a 9500 elevation along the route and said, oh, no, twice in one day is too much white knuckle driving. I turned back about 15 miles and took I-40 due east to Craig.
For 100 miles I drove in sunshine, with the black clouds on my left, and swirling dirt from the strong winds on my right. Just before getting to Craig, the sunshine ended and the dark clouds were overhead. Got into Craig just before dark, planning on a motel since the temperature was to go to the 20s. I stopped one place that looked like a motel, went into the office and asked if they had a room. The clerk stared at me for a minute and said, "This is a correctional facility; you don't want to stay here unless you have done something very bad" with a grin. I grinned back and got directions to a motel. Had a nice warm room and have been watching TV and studying the maps and figure I can probably get as far as Laramie today and will have to wait there for the storm to pass. Here in Colorado the chain rules are in effect through Vail and Loveland. I'm going north through the Basin to connect with I-80 west of Laramie. It doesn't look like any big peaks along the way north.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Day 55 Salt Lake City, Utah
I left Martha and Bob's about noon their time today as I knew I would be losing an hour entering Mountain Time. I got to the KOA campground in SLC about 5:30 MT and have a nice campsite, far enough away from the interstate not to hear all that traffic noise, and only a short ways on the same street to get to the Mormon History Center and not much further to the U. of Utah. So I think I will stay here another night. That will give me all day tomorrow to visit both the university and the history center and I can start out fresh from here on Wednesday morning. Besides the campground has free Wi-fi. It took me a while to get connected to it but I finally got on.
Most interesting sight in the long drive today was the Salt Flats at the upper end of Great Salt Lake. They are so flat and so reflective in the sunlight that it was not hard at all to see mirages of water where there were none. But in a few places near the interstate there were shallow pools of water and the fence posts were rimed with salt where the water level once was higher.
Yesterday Martha and I drove up Lamoille Canyon as far as the road went and then hiked in a little further to a place where in the spring there is a waterfall. There was only a very small stream at this season of the year but the golden aspens and the reds of other foliage and the mountain cliffs so high above us made for a impressive sight. It was definitely one of the highlights of my trip. Then this morning we went to Elizabeth's house (she's the lady whose free credits I used at the casino) to thank her and stayed an hour to help her, her husband and another friend pick plums off their plum tree. It was just loaded with plums similar to Italian plums but about half the size. She sent me off with a jar of plum jam and one of choke cherry jelly that she had put up. I will be enjoying those this winter I know.
Most interesting sight in the long drive today was the Salt Flats at the upper end of Great Salt Lake. They are so flat and so reflective in the sunlight that it was not hard at all to see mirages of water where there were none. But in a few places near the interstate there were shallow pools of water and the fence posts were rimed with salt where the water level once was higher.
Yesterday Martha and I drove up Lamoille Canyon as far as the road went and then hiked in a little further to a place where in the spring there is a waterfall. There was only a very small stream at this season of the year but the golden aspens and the reds of other foliage and the mountain cliffs so high above us made for a impressive sight. It was definitely one of the highlights of my trip. Then this morning we went to Elizabeth's house (she's the lady whose free credits I used at the casino) to thank her and stayed an hour to help her, her husband and another friend pick plums off their plum tree. It was just loaded with plums similar to Italian plums but about half the size. She sent me off with a jar of plum jam and one of choke cherry jelly that she had put up. I will be enjoying those this winter I know.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Day 54 Lamoille, Nevada
Arrived at Martha and Bob's about 4 on Friday afternoon. Have been watching Martha work. I tell her she looks like a farmer as she goes about the 4 hours it takes to water all of their plantings they have started around the house and yard. She breaks it up into 2 hours in the a.m. and 2 hours in the p.m. but hopes to get irrigation lines to take over the job this next year.
They spent all thhis past year getting their solar system in place, (lots of red tape and waiting for bureauocracy) and still waiting for the utility to come and change the meter before they are "hooked up" and can generate power. Pretty impressive array though, 5K in size.
Martha and I went to town yesterday, ran a bunch of errands, went to the Casino in Elko - what's a trip to Nevada without a visit to a casino? - and she let me use the free credits on a friend's card to play the penny slots and we came away winners. $12 for her and $10 for me. I had visited a casino in Coos Bay, Oregon, for their famous clam chowder but was totally mystified by the machines which have changed so much since the days you shoved your quarters in them.
The view here is great, about 150 degrees from their front yard. You can see for miles down in the valley. They have mule deer that visit daily. Later today we are going up Lamoille Canyon to see the aspens that are changing color rapidly now. Some of the other trees are starting to turn too. It's time to be heading home.
They spent all thhis past year getting their solar system in place, (lots of red tape and waiting for bureauocracy) and still waiting for the utility to come and change the meter before they are "hooked up" and can generate power. Pretty impressive array though, 5K in size.
Martha and I went to town yesterday, ran a bunch of errands, went to the Casino in Elko - what's a trip to Nevada without a visit to a casino? - and she let me use the free credits on a friend's card to play the penny slots and we came away winners. $12 for her and $10 for me. I had visited a casino in Coos Bay, Oregon, for their famous clam chowder but was totally mystified by the machines which have changed so much since the days you shoved your quarters in them.
The view here is great, about 150 degrees from their front yard. You can see for miles down in the valley. They have mule deer that visit daily. Later today we are going up Lamoille Canyon to see the aspens that are changing color rapidly now. Some of the other trees are starting to turn too. It's time to be heading home.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Day 51 Reno, Nevada
I loved Oregon. The coast was shrouded in mist and fog all morning yesterday so that was not so great, but the great waves coming in and breaking on the rocks were magnificent. My business in Coos Bay finished much sooner than I expected and so I turned east away from the coast and by 2 p.m. the sun was shining brightly and temperature climbed into the high 80s. Got a good campsite and today I drove across the mountains to Susanville and south to Reno. Finally, at long last, I am going EAST for a change. What a huge country we live in!
Forgot to tell you about an unusual sight a few days ago. As I was coming into Portland, on a downgrade, I saw police car lights ahead and expected they had pulled someone over. But as I drew abreast, I saw a car with its front end completely engulfed in fire. Flames were shooting out of the engine, both above and around the wheel wells, up to six feet high and included the dashboard area. They were so hot they had started a grass fire on the bank next to where it was parked. The police cruiser was parked a good 150 ft. behind it and there was no fire engine on the scene yet. By the time they got there the car would have been nothing but a burned out hulk and they would have a good grass fire on their hands. I had never seen anything like it except in the movies. To make it more spectacular, it was nearly dark, so it really stood out.
Today I saw some wildlife coming over the mountains. Coyote, a small deer, signs that said "elk", but I didn't see any of them. Highest elevation of the peaks I came over today was 5000 ft, at least two of those. These mountains look very different from the ones I've crossed before. They look like they are sculpted by wind with smooth ridges and short grass and then trees up high. When I was up high, there were terrific fir trees 100 ft. high along the road for miles. I was in Lassen National Forest (California).
So it's on to Lamoille to visit sister, Martha, and Bob tomorrow. I may be too late to go rafting in Colorado. We'll see.
Forgot to tell you about an unusual sight a few days ago. As I was coming into Portland, on a downgrade, I saw police car lights ahead and expected they had pulled someone over. But as I drew abreast, I saw a car with its front end completely engulfed in fire. Flames were shooting out of the engine, both above and around the wheel wells, up to six feet high and included the dashboard area. They were so hot they had started a grass fire on the bank next to where it was parked. The police cruiser was parked a good 150 ft. behind it and there was no fire engine on the scene yet. By the time they got there the car would have been nothing but a burned out hulk and they would have a good grass fire on their hands. I had never seen anything like it except in the movies. To make it more spectacular, it was nearly dark, so it really stood out.
Today I saw some wildlife coming over the mountains. Coyote, a small deer, signs that said "elk", but I didn't see any of them. Highest elevation of the peaks I came over today was 5000 ft, at least two of those. These mountains look very different from the ones I've crossed before. They look like they are sculpted by wind with smooth ridges and short grass and then trees up high. When I was up high, there were terrific fir trees 100 ft. high along the road for miles. I was in Lassen National Forest (California).
So it's on to Lamoille to visit sister, Martha, and Bob tomorrow. I may be too late to go rafting in Colorado. We'll see.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Day 49 Albany, Oregon
Left Jon and Beth's yesterday morning for my next stop - only a half hour away Beth said. But my GPS led me into one of those traffic snarls that I get into in big cities, like Minneapolis and Vancouver. I just keep going in circles because of congestion and lots of traffic, a few one-way streets, and then throw in a detour and some road construction - you get the picture. At one point I nearly got in a queue for trucks to unload their container cargo. Had a fleeting image of my van being hoisted into the hold of some ship, but with quick thinking I backed into a bare spot before the next semi hemmed me in (I did get honked at this time). So after I have gone around and around a few times, I found a place to stop and tried to re-program the GPS around the trouble spot. It just didn't seem to have a clue. So I turned it off or ignored it and watched the traffic and took the first road that looked like it would be an exit. As I was going up the ramp I noticed I was going north when I meant to go south but I did not care as long as I got out of the maze. After a few miles I turned the GPS on again and we got re-routed and on our way. The upshot: it took me an hour to go 17 miles.
After my research was done in Tacoma, I headed for Forest Grove, west of Portland. I really did not want to drive in Portland in rush hour traffic but there seemed to be no good alternate route but to go to Portland and then west. I stopped in Longview, WA, for supper and it was dark by the time I got to Portland. I made the turn off the Portland loop and onto the west heading okay and then all I wanted was to stop driving. My intention had been to go to the Forest Reserve in Forest Grove, but I knew I would never find it in the dark, so I turned down a side road and just started looking for a place to park. I saw a sign for Verhoort and remembered seeing it on the map and turned in. Small little town. I parked across from the Catholic Church, well off the street. Flood lights in yards at either end of the block but no street lights shining on me. And lovely church bells to waken me - and the whole village - promptly at 7.
I was only 12 miles from Hillsboro Aviation, where I had a 9:30 appointment this morning with Amanda for a helicopter ride. I expected traffic to be bad at that hour but it wasn't and Hillsboro is well out on the west fringe of Portland, so I was early. Amanda is a helicopter instructor, with 900 hours flying time under her belt and looking for 1000 when she can then look for a job flying helicopters. She is a excellent instructor, talks all the while she is doing pre-flight checks, explains everything. We lifted off so easily it hardly seemed like any effort at all, went up about 600 feet and cleared the housing project so we could fly over farm land. She let me feel the controls a little, said all the quick turning, jerky helicopter movie stuff just was not possible. I can see why her students like her. Great gal! Great ride!
I'm about ready to make for the Oregon coast and spend a day or two traveling down the coast. Have some research in Coos Bay and will be heading for sister Martha's in Lemoille, NV by the weekend or before. My stop in California got cancelled which shortens my trip a couple hundred miles, which is probably a good thing.
After my research was done in Tacoma, I headed for Forest Grove, west of Portland. I really did not want to drive in Portland in rush hour traffic but there seemed to be no good alternate route but to go to Portland and then west. I stopped in Longview, WA, for supper and it was dark by the time I got to Portland. I made the turn off the Portland loop and onto the west heading okay and then all I wanted was to stop driving. My intention had been to go to the Forest Reserve in Forest Grove, but I knew I would never find it in the dark, so I turned down a side road and just started looking for a place to park. I saw a sign for Verhoort and remembered seeing it on the map and turned in. Small little town. I parked across from the Catholic Church, well off the street. Flood lights in yards at either end of the block but no street lights shining on me. And lovely church bells to waken me - and the whole village - promptly at 7.
I was only 12 miles from Hillsboro Aviation, where I had a 9:30 appointment this morning with Amanda for a helicopter ride. I expected traffic to be bad at that hour but it wasn't and Hillsboro is well out on the west fringe of Portland, so I was early. Amanda is a helicopter instructor, with 900 hours flying time under her belt and looking for 1000 when she can then look for a job flying helicopters. She is a excellent instructor, talks all the while she is doing pre-flight checks, explains everything. We lifted off so easily it hardly seemed like any effort at all, went up about 600 feet and cleared the housing project so we could fly over farm land. She let me feel the controls a little, said all the quick turning, jerky helicopter movie stuff just was not possible. I can see why her students like her. Great gal! Great ride!
I'm about ready to make for the Oregon coast and spend a day or two traveling down the coast. Have some research in Coos Bay and will be heading for sister Martha's in Lemoille, NV by the weekend or before. My stop in California got cancelled which shortens my trip a couple hundred miles, which is probably a good thing.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Day 46 Seattle, WA
Hi, Everyone. Sorry for the long lapse in communication.
I arrived at Jon and Beth's last Monday, kind of surprised myself that I actually had arrived here. My anxiety over driving again in Seattle traffic was assuaged entirely by the GPS, which performed beautifully.
On Tuesday, I spent the morning cleaning out the car (!), sunbathing on their patio and walking to the Post Office and Bank with Beth (good for your calves walking on all these hills).
Wednesday I drove a few miles east to Bellevue to an Archive there. This is one of those archives where you have to use white gloves to handle the old books. I managed to find one marriage record I wanted and to narrow down the years that a family lived in Tacoma by using the Polk Directories.
Thursday I drove to Vancouver, Canada, to use their public library where I had stopped briefly three years ago when Barry, Amy and I visited there. Since Beth warned that the wait at the Border could go more than an hour I called to make a reservation for overnight at a hostel not far from the library. The wait at the Border was only 35 minutes and all went well until I left the library about 6 to find the hostel. My GPS and I went around and around in a circle. Finally I saw a parking place and pulled in, got out and walked until I found the hostel, and checked in. (I was assigned a top bunk in the female dorm. The clerk kind of timidly asked if that was all right. I said just as long as there's a ladder. He grinned and assured me there was.)
Then the REAL problem arose. I could not find a place to park for the night. The hostel staff made several suggestions of places one could park for overnite for $6, but when I went there that option was no longer available, maximum time allowed was 3 hours. All street parking in the area was by Permit Only. The traffic, both car and foot, was so congested in the area of the hostel, that after driving around for an hour (by this time it was dark) I went back to the hostel to tell them and ask if I bought the 3-hours-max allowed, what were the chances the car would get towed. They said it likely would be. So at that point I gave up and set my GPS to get away from the downtown area, which was just brimming with people and traffic and music and lights and found a place to park in a residential area and slept in my car again.
I got back to Jon and Beth's about 5:45 Friday. I would have made it before the rush hour except there was an accident and that backed up the freeway for more than a half hour. Beth was having some friends who had gone on last year's Bhutan trip here for the weekend, so we all had a good time chatting, sipping wine and eating Beth's signature MacBeth recipe.
Today we roamed around Ballard, a neighborhood in Seattle, where we had breakfast and then visited REI, that terrific outdoor and sports outfitter. Goodness! They have absolutely anything and everything you can imagine for traveling or outdoor activities. I bought some poison ivy soap. I saw a neat little twisted cord clothesline for campers that does not require clothespins, lots of backpacks, laptop sleeves, hats, warm skiing duds, tents, on and on and on.
I'll be here through Sunday, then heading south. I am hoping to hook up with Amanda Schottelkorb and get a helicopter ride next week sometime.
I arrived at Jon and Beth's last Monday, kind of surprised myself that I actually had arrived here. My anxiety over driving again in Seattle traffic was assuaged entirely by the GPS, which performed beautifully.
On Tuesday, I spent the morning cleaning out the car (!), sunbathing on their patio and walking to the Post Office and Bank with Beth (good for your calves walking on all these hills).
Wednesday I drove a few miles east to Bellevue to an Archive there. This is one of those archives where you have to use white gloves to handle the old books. I managed to find one marriage record I wanted and to narrow down the years that a family lived in Tacoma by using the Polk Directories.
Thursday I drove to Vancouver, Canada, to use their public library where I had stopped briefly three years ago when Barry, Amy and I visited there. Since Beth warned that the wait at the Border could go more than an hour I called to make a reservation for overnight at a hostel not far from the library. The wait at the Border was only 35 minutes and all went well until I left the library about 6 to find the hostel. My GPS and I went around and around in a circle. Finally I saw a parking place and pulled in, got out and walked until I found the hostel, and checked in. (I was assigned a top bunk in the female dorm. The clerk kind of timidly asked if that was all right. I said just as long as there's a ladder. He grinned and assured me there was.)
Then the REAL problem arose. I could not find a place to park for the night. The hostel staff made several suggestions of places one could park for overnite for $6, but when I went there that option was no longer available, maximum time allowed was 3 hours. All street parking in the area was by Permit Only. The traffic, both car and foot, was so congested in the area of the hostel, that after driving around for an hour (by this time it was dark) I went back to the hostel to tell them and ask if I bought the 3-hours-max allowed, what were the chances the car would get towed. They said it likely would be. So at that point I gave up and set my GPS to get away from the downtown area, which was just brimming with people and traffic and music and lights and found a place to park in a residential area and slept in my car again.
I got back to Jon and Beth's about 5:45 Friday. I would have made it before the rush hour except there was an accident and that backed up the freeway for more than a half hour. Beth was having some friends who had gone on last year's Bhutan trip here for the weekend, so we all had a good time chatting, sipping wine and eating Beth's signature MacBeth recipe.
Today we roamed around Ballard, a neighborhood in Seattle, where we had breakfast and then visited REI, that terrific outdoor and sports outfitter. Goodness! They have absolutely anything and everything you can imagine for traveling or outdoor activities. I bought some poison ivy soap. I saw a neat little twisted cord clothesline for campers that does not require clothespins, lots of backpacks, laptop sleeves, hats, warm skiing duds, tents, on and on and on.
I'll be here through Sunday, then heading south. I am hoping to hook up with Amanda Schottelkorb and get a helicopter ride next week sometime.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Day 40 Yakima, WA
Almost all the little libraries I have visited in the last six weeks have had Wi-fi (even if I could not always get connected). So I called from Ellenburg last night to be sure the Yakima Library would be open this afternoon and it never occurred to me to ask if they had Wi-fi, since Yakima is a fair sized city - and they don't. They have computers, a few, and they have a waiting list of people to use them. The nearest Wi-fi is a block down the street at a little bakery they tell me, so I will see if I can find it.
I'm thinking I'll take in a movie this evening. I forgot to tell you that all the little towns in Iowa and some in South Dakota had movie houses, usually with one film showing on Friday and Saturday nights only. Here there is a slightly better selection. The Art Museum is also open to 5:30 so I'll give that a try, too.
I tried out The Stone Church this morning at 11. There was no UU church in town and the info on this church did not give clue one to what denomination, but I thought I'd go. The first 20 minutes were all music, with video screens giving you the words so you could clap and sing along. There was a good sized band, two guitars, a keyboard, drum set, coronet and four singers. The congregation, 250+, stood during all of this and raised their arms and generally expressed a feel-good sentiment. The theology was God-centered, upbeat, and expressing the need to do more in "this city". After the music stopped, though, it became definitely a Jesus-died-so-we-could-be-saved evangelistic message. I left about half-way through, too much evangelistic fervor for me.
It is hard to believe that I am within one day of Seattle, after all this time. Mostly I have just concentrated on the next place on my itinerary and the next task or visit and tried not to think too much about how much further I have to go. I have once or twice thought I've had about enough of this, but not more often. My usual goal-oriented self just says, okay, what's next? And I keep going. Like the Energizer Bunny.
This is actually being sent on Day 41, on my way back through Ellenburg from Yakima, where it was worth the bother of going there again. More on that later. Today I see Jon and Beth! Wow.
I'm thinking I'll take in a movie this evening. I forgot to tell you that all the little towns in Iowa and some in South Dakota had movie houses, usually with one film showing on Friday and Saturday nights only. Here there is a slightly better selection. The Art Museum is also open to 5:30 so I'll give that a try, too.
I tried out The Stone Church this morning at 11. There was no UU church in town and the info on this church did not give clue one to what denomination, but I thought I'd go. The first 20 minutes were all music, with video screens giving you the words so you could clap and sing along. There was a good sized band, two guitars, a keyboard, drum set, coronet and four singers. The congregation, 250+, stood during all of this and raised their arms and generally expressed a feel-good sentiment. The theology was God-centered, upbeat, and expressing the need to do more in "this city". After the music stopped, though, it became definitely a Jesus-died-so-we-could-be-saved evangelistic message. I left about half-way through, too much evangelistic fervor for me.
It is hard to believe that I am within one day of Seattle, after all this time. Mostly I have just concentrated on the next place on my itinerary and the next task or visit and tried not to think too much about how much further I have to go. I have once or twice thought I've had about enough of this, but not more often. My usual goal-oriented self just says, okay, what's next? And I keep going. Like the Energizer Bunny.
This is actually being sent on Day 41, on my way back through Ellenburg from Yakima, where it was worth the bother of going there again. More on that later. Today I see Jon and Beth! Wow.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Day 38 Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
I'm sitting in a beautiful new Library in Coeur d'Alene. I had moved into Pacific Time late afternoon, and that gave me an extra hour to find a campsite last night. That was after I had tracked down the elusive Michael Douglass, whom I had tried to contact by letter and by mail through the Kootenai County Sheriff's department where he works. Anyway, back in the boonies, on a dirt road, a friendly neighbor finally led me in her car to his driveway yesterday. He was sleeping, not feeling too good, his wife said, but I verified I had found the right place and left my card and said I would be back in the morning. I asked what time would be good; she said he gets up at 4. I had intended to get there at 9 this morning but had forgotten to change my watch, so actually arrived on his doorstep at 10 to eight. But he was up and we both had our coffee in hand, and stood outside in the bright sunlight and visited for an hour. The rest of the family was still asleep.
Last Wednesday from Butte, I called Shirley Schottelkorb (Grandpa's first cousin)and told her I had some research in Butte but expected to get to her place that afternoon. She was delighted. Actually I found such good information in Butte, I did not get to Missoula until 4:45 but we had a great visit! She was so pleased to talk with me as she said I had so much Lee information that many family visitors do not have. They insisted that I sleep in their spare bedroom, so that was the second time this trip I have slept in a bed. In Cody I slept in the car as Darry had visitors. Other places that I have stopped the folks have not been in a position to offer me a bed. But the car is all set up with everything I need. When I take stuff into a house, there is always the danger of forgetting it. I was fortunate when I left Schottelkorbs that just as I got on the Interstate, I suddenly suspected I had left some things, so pulled off and verified that and went back, probably about 4 miles, to collect the backpack and pillow. Thank goodness I remembered before I had gone a hundred miles or so towards Coeur d'Alene. There would have been a lot of stuff to replace.
The scenery here is spectacular. There is a large blue lake and the main highways are above it so one gets a terrific view. Contrary to Missoula which gets little snow, Mike says they get lots here. I suspect this is considerably higher in altitude but have not checked that out. It was 38 degrees this morning at 6:15 PT and the sun not yet over the tree tops. So it was make a fast trip to the wash house (heated, thank goodness), pack up the car and go find some coffee!! Three hours later the temperature was 64 degrees and they say it is going to 80 today.
This morning I am going to the next county to do some research at Sandpoint. When finished there, next stop is Spokane. Then I'll be in Washington State! Should be getting to Seattle in a few days. Yeah!!
Last Wednesday from Butte, I called Shirley Schottelkorb (Grandpa's first cousin)and told her I had some research in Butte but expected to get to her place that afternoon. She was delighted. Actually I found such good information in Butte, I did not get to Missoula until 4:45 but we had a great visit! She was so pleased to talk with me as she said I had so much Lee information that many family visitors do not have. They insisted that I sleep in their spare bedroom, so that was the second time this trip I have slept in a bed. In Cody I slept in the car as Darry had visitors. Other places that I have stopped the folks have not been in a position to offer me a bed. But the car is all set up with everything I need. When I take stuff into a house, there is always the danger of forgetting it. I was fortunate when I left Schottelkorbs that just as I got on the Interstate, I suddenly suspected I had left some things, so pulled off and verified that and went back, probably about 4 miles, to collect the backpack and pillow. Thank goodness I remembered before I had gone a hundred miles or so towards Coeur d'Alene. There would have been a lot of stuff to replace.
The scenery here is spectacular. There is a large blue lake and the main highways are above it so one gets a terrific view. Contrary to Missoula which gets little snow, Mike says they get lots here. I suspect this is considerably higher in altitude but have not checked that out. It was 38 degrees this morning at 6:15 PT and the sun not yet over the tree tops. So it was make a fast trip to the wash house (heated, thank goodness), pack up the car and go find some coffee!! Three hours later the temperature was 64 degrees and they say it is going to 80 today.
This morning I am going to the next county to do some research at Sandpoint. When finished there, next stop is Spokane. Then I'll be in Washington State! Should be getting to Seattle in a few days. Yeah!!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Day 35 Butte, Montana
Hi. I'm in the Library at Butte. I have tried to get on the internet from two libraries before this and could not, so I am happy to be on again. Have not been able to get or send email either, as computers were not available, due to school being in session and students needing them.
After a very long hot drive in South Dakota, I arrived at Wall and took a motel because it said there was internet access but I could not get connected. I thought for a while that it was my adapter that was on the fritz but the next morning I tried again and the adapter was working fine. So I've just been chugging along. It's been a whole week, I think, since I wrote last and I can't possibly fill you in on the whole week so here are some snapshots:
South Dakota: left the corn and soybeans and entered cow country; rumbled across my first cattle guard; many towns are small and dusty and do not have libraries, as opposed to Iowa where every little town has one; (Pierre, on the other hand had a new and modern state archive building); hundreds of acres of hay bales, the 3x3x8 ones, not the huge ones of NYS; large trucks hauling 20-30 of those bales somewhere; DeSmet, Laura Ingalls Wilder town, touristy but nicely done; fields of cultivated sunflowers; Wall Drug Store is still there, more junky souvenirs than I remember along with its boots, hats and belts.
Wyoming: more rugged; the conifers that self seeded on the land gave it a park like appearance; not as many deep gulches as in SD; climbing in altitude after Buffalo into Sheridan; Widener's Double W Ranch setting with all those beautiful angus on green (irrigated) pasture a pretty picture; after Ranchester, the Big Horn Mountains loom up like a wall -it must have caused a few hearts to falter when faced by that scene 150 years ago. I could not avoid a sense of awe. Over the mountain to Cody was a hard drive; no wonder I remember a slightly panicky feeling when we did it in '71; add to that we did all those curves and switchbacks in the dark. But once over the mountain which was really a beautiful drive, the rest of the way into Cody was a breeze.
I knew that I could likely be faced with a dead Labor Day weekend. Libraries and offices would be closed. I'm glad I took time in Gillette to get the oil changed on the car because nothing I wanted to see was open when I arrived in Sheridan about 4:30. But they had a lovely city park with a series of water jets that came on every 20 minutes in a random pattern of on/off and height of spray which made a great place for the youngsters to play so I walked around and sat in the park and read for a while and watched. It really did not get cold that evening in spite of the altitude. I did not want to stay the whole weekend there, seemed like no big doings -they had their last rodeo the weekend before - Drat! - so next morning I kept pushing on. I called Darry in Cody and she was so happy I was coming. They were having a birthday cook-out for her the next day and all her family was there. I was elated.
So the weekend was not a bust. I had a good time with Darry and her family, stayed overnight there, and went on to Yellowstone park on Labor Day, yesterday. That was very hard driving going over the Divide in the park and my leg began to bother, so I stopped when I could to give it a rest. Came on a bull buffalo walking along the side of the road and pulled around him and parked. He came sauntering by my car window so close I could have reached out and touched him, but I didn't. Got a great picture though. Also saw several elk; did not see bear, but the driving required attention all the time, not much chance for looking around. Then after driving all day through the Park I got a campsite just before the West exit last night. It got COLD! When I woke this a.m. there was frost on my windshield and it was 32 degrees out, and that was after the sun was up. It never did warm up above 70 today. I visited Bonnie Schilling (descendant of Frank Lee of Ellisburg) in Whitehall this afternoon and that brings me up to date. Tomorrow I am here in Butte; the next day I hope to see Shirley Schottelkorb. Hoping for better connections from here on out.
After a very long hot drive in South Dakota, I arrived at Wall and took a motel because it said there was internet access but I could not get connected. I thought for a while that it was my adapter that was on the fritz but the next morning I tried again and the adapter was working fine. So I've just been chugging along. It's been a whole week, I think, since I wrote last and I can't possibly fill you in on the whole week so here are some snapshots:
South Dakota: left the corn and soybeans and entered cow country; rumbled across my first cattle guard; many towns are small and dusty and do not have libraries, as opposed to Iowa where every little town has one; (Pierre, on the other hand had a new and modern state archive building); hundreds of acres of hay bales, the 3x3x8 ones, not the huge ones of NYS; large trucks hauling 20-30 of those bales somewhere; DeSmet, Laura Ingalls Wilder town, touristy but nicely done; fields of cultivated sunflowers; Wall Drug Store is still there, more junky souvenirs than I remember along with its boots, hats and belts.
Wyoming: more rugged; the conifers that self seeded on the land gave it a park like appearance; not as many deep gulches as in SD; climbing in altitude after Buffalo into Sheridan; Widener's Double W Ranch setting with all those beautiful angus on green (irrigated) pasture a pretty picture; after Ranchester, the Big Horn Mountains loom up like a wall -it must have caused a few hearts to falter when faced by that scene 150 years ago. I could not avoid a sense of awe. Over the mountain to Cody was a hard drive; no wonder I remember a slightly panicky feeling when we did it in '71; add to that we did all those curves and switchbacks in the dark. But once over the mountain which was really a beautiful drive, the rest of the way into Cody was a breeze.
I knew that I could likely be faced with a dead Labor Day weekend. Libraries and offices would be closed. I'm glad I took time in Gillette to get the oil changed on the car because nothing I wanted to see was open when I arrived in Sheridan about 4:30. But they had a lovely city park with a series of water jets that came on every 20 minutes in a random pattern of on/off and height of spray which made a great place for the youngsters to play so I walked around and sat in the park and read for a while and watched. It really did not get cold that evening in spite of the altitude. I did not want to stay the whole weekend there, seemed like no big doings -they had their last rodeo the weekend before - Drat! - so next morning I kept pushing on. I called Darry in Cody and she was so happy I was coming. They were having a birthday cook-out for her the next day and all her family was there. I was elated.
So the weekend was not a bust. I had a good time with Darry and her family, stayed overnight there, and went on to Yellowstone park on Labor Day, yesterday. That was very hard driving going over the Divide in the park and my leg began to bother, so I stopped when I could to give it a rest. Came on a bull buffalo walking along the side of the road and pulled around him and parked. He came sauntering by my car window so close I could have reached out and touched him, but I didn't. Got a great picture though. Also saw several elk; did not see bear, but the driving required attention all the time, not much chance for looking around. Then after driving all day through the Park I got a campsite just before the West exit last night. It got COLD! When I woke this a.m. there was frost on my windshield and it was 32 degrees out, and that was after the sun was up. It never did warm up above 70 today. I visited Bonnie Schilling (descendant of Frank Lee of Ellisburg) in Whitehall this afternoon and that brings me up to date. Tomorrow I am here in Butte; the next day I hope to see Shirley Schottelkorb. Hoping for better connections from here on out.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Day 29 Onawa, Iowa
Woke up this morning feeling great! I love sleeping in the van at a campsite and being able to look up through my back window at the stars. Last night was not as cold as it had been the past two nights, 10 degrees warmer when I woke this morning and I slept all night without waking. For the first time I had a camp wash house with enough light so I could actually put on my make-up there after I washed up.
Then quirky things began to happen. I spilled some of my coffee in the car and had to mop that up. (Amazing that I have not had more spills along the way.) I went in to McDonald's to use the restroom and was sitting there when I heard a father and son talking. He was frustrated with his son.."you went a whole hour before you had to pee"... etc. and he kept asking the boy if he was done yet. I could not believe I could hear them so clearly but there was a vent right over my head. And then the boy finished and went to the sink to wash up and I realized they were right outside my door!! I kept my head down til they left. I was almost afraid to leave in case I had walked into the wrong restroom!! But I squared my shoulders and sallied forth, very happy to see that the door across the hall said MEN.
Spent the morning in the Courthouse, most of it standing up, and my tummy began to feel uneasy. By the time I left, I realized I could not keep going at my usual pace and would just have to take time to rest. So I laid down in the car for an hour and read. After that I felt some better and decided to spend the afternoon in the library where I could have peace and quiet and use internet access. It turned out to be a good decision. Got information here that I did not get at the courthouse. My stomach is still kind of unsettled and I am beginning to feel hungry because I did not eat any lunch. This is the first time on my trip that I have not felt well. Considering all the different water I've drunk and the places I've eaten, that is pretty good. I am sure I will be all better in the morning. Meanwhile, I will stay here instead of going back to Sioux City as I had planned. I need all my wits about me to drive in a strange city.
Got my car washed and found out where there is a laundromat. And I'm hoping for a nice restaurant tonight.
Then quirky things began to happen. I spilled some of my coffee in the car and had to mop that up. (Amazing that I have not had more spills along the way.) I went in to McDonald's to use the restroom and was sitting there when I heard a father and son talking. He was frustrated with his son.."you went a whole hour before you had to pee"... etc. and he kept asking the boy if he was done yet. I could not believe I could hear them so clearly but there was a vent right over my head. And then the boy finished and went to the sink to wash up and I realized they were right outside my door!! I kept my head down til they left. I was almost afraid to leave in case I had walked into the wrong restroom!! But I squared my shoulders and sallied forth, very happy to see that the door across the hall said MEN.
Spent the morning in the Courthouse, most of it standing up, and my tummy began to feel uneasy. By the time I left, I realized I could not keep going at my usual pace and would just have to take time to rest. So I laid down in the car for an hour and read. After that I felt some better and decided to spend the afternoon in the library where I could have peace and quiet and use internet access. It turned out to be a good decision. Got information here that I did not get at the courthouse. My stomach is still kind of unsettled and I am beginning to feel hungry because I did not eat any lunch. This is the first time on my trip that I have not felt well. Considering all the different water I've drunk and the places I've eaten, that is pretty good. I am sure I will be all better in the morning. Meanwhile, I will stay here instead of going back to Sioux City as I had planned. I need all my wits about me to drive in a strange city.
Got my car washed and found out where there is a laundromat. And I'm hoping for a nice restaurant tonight.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Day 27 Sibley, Iowa
Since I had such a nice campsite last night (Minneopa State Park), I did not even mind that it was Cold! when I woke up. I just stayed snuggled in my sleeping bag until the sun came up over the tree tops. Then I had a great hot shower, packed up and drove to Worthington.
My time in Worthington was very productive and accomplished very quickly, so I moved on to Sibley, Iowa. As I was leaving the nice city of Worthington, I thought I bet I'll be sorry I'm not staying the night here. Sibley is a little town. Well, it was worse than I thought. I could not find a place to eat in Sibley. All of the restaurants that the GPS pulled up were closed, out of business. So I went back to the edge of town where I had bought gas and there was a Subway adjacent and I ate there. Not bad but I had little to eat all day and would have preferred something else.
However, they have a nice modern library with Wi-fi and I was so happy because I remembered that I had audio-books due today that I had to renew. Then I could not renew one of them because someone had a hold on it. Not sure what to do about that; guess I will just email them and tell them I'm on the road, back in a month!
Had a very long and dusty detour half way between Mankato and Worthington. Drove on a lot of dirt/gravel roads. Car is dirty again, but there is an automated car wash here that I plan to run it through. But no laundromat, that I have found yet. Clean car but no clean clothes. But my business in Sibley will not take long and in the morning I will be headed to a larger place.
Today, for the first time I put super unleaded gas in the car. In the state of Iowa if you use super unleaded which has 10% ethanol, it is 10 cents cheaper per gallon, dong their bit to "keep Iowa clean". It took me a while to catch on and the pumps are all labeled differently, but this time I remembered. I hope the car continues on this gas okay because it has been running like a charm, no problem at all. Almost due for an oil change though. I think my trip odometer says I have been nearly 2600 miles already.
My time in Worthington was very productive and accomplished very quickly, so I moved on to Sibley, Iowa. As I was leaving the nice city of Worthington, I thought I bet I'll be sorry I'm not staying the night here. Sibley is a little town. Well, it was worse than I thought. I could not find a place to eat in Sibley. All of the restaurants that the GPS pulled up were closed, out of business. So I went back to the edge of town where I had bought gas and there was a Subway adjacent and I ate there. Not bad but I had little to eat all day and would have preferred something else.
However, they have a nice modern library with Wi-fi and I was so happy because I remembered that I had audio-books due today that I had to renew. Then I could not renew one of them because someone had a hold on it. Not sure what to do about that; guess I will just email them and tell them I'm on the road, back in a month!
Had a very long and dusty detour half way between Mankato and Worthington. Drove on a lot of dirt/gravel roads. Car is dirty again, but there is an automated car wash here that I plan to run it through. But no laundromat, that I have found yet. Clean car but no clean clothes. But my business in Sibley will not take long and in the morning I will be headed to a larger place.
Today, for the first time I put super unleaded gas in the car. In the state of Iowa if you use super unleaded which has 10% ethanol, it is 10 cents cheaper per gallon, dong their bit to "keep Iowa clean". It took me a while to catch on and the pumps are all labeled differently, but this time I remembered. I hope the car continues on this gas okay because it has been running like a charm, no problem at all. Almost due for an oil change though. I think my trip odometer says I have been nearly 2600 miles already.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Day 26 Still in Minnesota
Just a quick note as my laptop is low on battery and I can not find an outlet in this place.
I visited Fort Snelling cemetery this morning. That is an impressive place. Found a grave I was looking for, related to the Wesley Douglass family of South Dakota.
Came back to the Minnesota History Center but forgot the library is not open on Sunday, but the museum is so I am taking advantage of their Wi-fi.
Spent all day yesterday with Carol McGrath, my friend who has MS, at her Care Center in Robbinsdale, MN. We talked and talked and since reading is difficult for her, I read her a couple chapters from my book. She tires easily so she took a nap after lunch, which I had with her there. Then I relaxed and read in my car and came back after her nap. Nowhere as nice as the place where Bruce is; this is strictly nursing home care and the smells to go with it!
From here I am going to an art center not far away and then to Mankato.
I visited Fort Snelling cemetery this morning. That is an impressive place. Found a grave I was looking for, related to the Wesley Douglass family of South Dakota.
Came back to the Minnesota History Center but forgot the library is not open on Sunday, but the museum is so I am taking advantage of their Wi-fi.
Spent all day yesterday with Carol McGrath, my friend who has MS, at her Care Center in Robbinsdale, MN. We talked and talked and since reading is difficult for her, I read her a couple chapters from my book. She tires easily so she took a nap after lunch, which I had with her there. Then I relaxed and read in my car and came back after her nap. Nowhere as nice as the place where Bruce is; this is strictly nursing home care and the smells to go with it!
From here I am going to an art center not far away and then to Mankato.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Day 24 Minnesota History Center, St. Paul
I am sitting in the cafe of the MN History Center to write this. This is a big place! No wonder they charge $15 for a copy of a death certificate. They have to pay for this somehow. It is huge and new and modern. Lots of information online, a big room full of microfilm readers, and they are new readers, maintained and work well - not always the case in older libraries.
My car got the once-over from the local policeman last night in Long Lake. Luckily I had waked up just before he decided to look me over, so I just laid still, as opposed to being startled awake. I was prepared to talk to him if he knocked on a window, but I am not even sure he knew I was there. First the cop car search light, then he got out and used a flashlight. Just before he left he hit the car or made it rock a little. It took me a while to figure out what he did. Then I knew. The sliding door had not closed entirely tight, but it was locked. He evidently shoved at it to see if he could make it close which of course he couldn't, and then he drove off. And I dozed off again.
Minneapolis-St. Paul is a huge city and I hated having to tackle it but I needed to go to the History center and there are two cemeteries here, one of them Fort Snelling where a couple people are buried. But except for a frustrating time trying to get out of the city last night, to the place where I parked (probably not the best spot but I was so tired of driving I did not care)I have managed okay.
I had a wonderful chat with Bruce and Charlotte Douglass yesterday at Charter House, a senior citizen house connected to the Mayo Clinic by a skywalk. Bruce took me to lunch right there in the Supportive Care Unit, where he currently is. Great lunch, sliced pork, mashed potatoes and gravy, an WHOLE ear of corn on the cob (not just one of those 3 inch segments), a dish of fresh pineapple. And when I thought that was it, they brought out pumpkin chiffon pie with a cookie crumb crust. I feasted, did not even need more than a snack for supper. Charlotte is a fan, says she reads every copy of the Douglass Digest I send out.
Tomorrow I will visit Carol McGrath.
My car got the once-over from the local policeman last night in Long Lake. Luckily I had waked up just before he decided to look me over, so I just laid still, as opposed to being startled awake. I was prepared to talk to him if he knocked on a window, but I am not even sure he knew I was there. First the cop car search light, then he got out and used a flashlight. Just before he left he hit the car or made it rock a little. It took me a while to figure out what he did. Then I knew. The sliding door had not closed entirely tight, but it was locked. He evidently shoved at it to see if he could make it close which of course he couldn't, and then he drove off. And I dozed off again.
Minneapolis-St. Paul is a huge city and I hated having to tackle it but I needed to go to the History center and there are two cemeteries here, one of them Fort Snelling where a couple people are buried. But except for a frustrating time trying to get out of the city last night, to the place where I parked (probably not the best spot but I was so tired of driving I did not care)I have managed okay.
I had a wonderful chat with Bruce and Charlotte Douglass yesterday at Charter House, a senior citizen house connected to the Mayo Clinic by a skywalk. Bruce took me to lunch right there in the Supportive Care Unit, where he currently is. Great lunch, sliced pork, mashed potatoes and gravy, an WHOLE ear of corn on the cob (not just one of those 3 inch segments), a dish of fresh pineapple. And when I thought that was it, they brought out pumpkin chiffon pie with a cookie crumb crust. I feasted, did not even need more than a snack for supper. Charlotte is a fan, says she reads every copy of the Douglass Digest I send out.
Tomorrow I will visit Carol McGrath.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Day 22 Owatonna, MN
Had a really nice (and expensive) campsite last night that I found on the edge of Owatonna. I knew it was going to cost me but the thought of a hot shower in a nice facility made me throw caution to the winds. It was worth it. Once in a while.
Every office in every community is different. I never know what kind of reception I will get. Some clerks say come on in, here's what we've got, help yourself. In other places, they kind of begrudge your interruption. I try to be as sensitive as I can to their work needs, stay out of the way, wait for them to be free, etc. and usually that wins them over. In Illinois I had to fill out and sign a sheet in every office I entered and show ID. It varies. Some have special areas set up just for genealogists. In other places you have to find some small space to work often standing up.
Here in Owatonna, there does not seem to be a Genealogical Society. I tried the Historical Society, but mostly they have a museum and give tours. So after I got all I could from the courthouse, now I am at the library where again there is a wide difference in helpfulness. But I have most of the information I wanted and I am headed out to the Medford cemetery now. (This is where Fernando Douglass lived and where Earl Douglass, the man who discovered the dinosaur fossils was born)
Every office in every community is different. I never know what kind of reception I will get. Some clerks say come on in, here's what we've got, help yourself. In other places, they kind of begrudge your interruption. I try to be as sensitive as I can to their work needs, stay out of the way, wait for them to be free, etc. and usually that wins them over. In Illinois I had to fill out and sign a sheet in every office I entered and show ID. It varies. Some have special areas set up just for genealogists. In other places you have to find some small space to work often standing up.
Here in Owatonna, there does not seem to be a Genealogical Society. I tried the Historical Society, but mostly they have a museum and give tours. So after I got all I could from the courthouse, now I am at the library where again there is a wide difference in helpfulness. But I have most of the information I wanted and I am headed out to the Medford cemetery now. (This is where Fernando Douglass lived and where Earl Douglass, the man who discovered the dinosaur fossils was born)
Monday, August 24, 2009
Day 20 Emmetsburg, IA
It's 7 p.m. and the Emmetsburg library is open until 8 so I will take this opportunity to send a few lines.
The land in Jones County was rolling, but the land in Rockwell City, Iowa, was flat and it is pretty much flat here. I stopped in the shade of some trees in Boxholm to eat lunch. These are very nice trees. They do not grow over 40 ft. tall but they branch every which way about 8 ft. off the ground so that makes for a very dense circle atop a slender trunk. Wonderful shade in this land of vast spaces where the sun beats down.
Around Roslyn there was a sign on the road "Be alert for cross winds". I had been aware of them ever since I left Boone, but 'twas true that right there near Roslyn the NW winds were very gusty. I wondered where the windmills were and figured the farmers thought their land more productive for crops, but about 50 miles further on, there was a line of windmills. Paradoxically, in nearly the same place was a whole line of the old telephone poles, the ones with a crossbar on the top with an insulator on each end and one on the top of the pole. I don't know how many years it's been since I've seen those old poles.
The State Park campsite last night near Boone, IA, was one of the best so far. They had sown wildflowers in the park and across from the park was a 30 acre field they had sown to native prairie grasses, very attractive. And on the access road to the park some wildflower had seeded itself in great patches, about 2 feet tall with lovely white feathery flowers that waved with the wind. They had carefully cut around them when they mowed the roadsides. Very pretty.
Today I spent hours in two different county courthouses, plus one library, and several hours driving. Will sleep well tonight. I usually have no trouble falling to sleep about 10 and waking between 6 and 6:30 This is my last stop in east/central Iowa. Will be going on to Minnesota next, but will visit Iowa again later.
The land in Jones County was rolling, but the land in Rockwell City, Iowa, was flat and it is pretty much flat here. I stopped in the shade of some trees in Boxholm to eat lunch. These are very nice trees. They do not grow over 40 ft. tall but they branch every which way about 8 ft. off the ground so that makes for a very dense circle atop a slender trunk. Wonderful shade in this land of vast spaces where the sun beats down.
Around Roslyn there was a sign on the road "Be alert for cross winds". I had been aware of them ever since I left Boone, but 'twas true that right there near Roslyn the NW winds were very gusty. I wondered where the windmills were and figured the farmers thought their land more productive for crops, but about 50 miles further on, there was a line of windmills. Paradoxically, in nearly the same place was a whole line of the old telephone poles, the ones with a crossbar on the top with an insulator on each end and one on the top of the pole. I don't know how many years it's been since I've seen those old poles.
The State Park campsite last night near Boone, IA, was one of the best so far. They had sown wildflowers in the park and across from the park was a 30 acre field they had sown to native prairie grasses, very attractive. And on the access road to the park some wildflower had seeded itself in great patches, about 2 feet tall with lovely white feathery flowers that waved with the wind. They had carefully cut around them when they mowed the roadsides. Very pretty.
Today I spent hours in two different county courthouses, plus one library, and several hours driving. Will sleep well tonight. I usually have no trouble falling to sleep about 10 and waking between 6 and 6:30 This is my last stop in east/central Iowa. Will be going on to Minnesota next, but will visit Iowa again later.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Day 18 Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Got into Cedar Rapids yesterday about 3 pm after spending a rainy morning tramping through cemeteries on back roads in Jones County. Finally found the Clay township cemetery. I knew from the map which Section it was in but no more definitive details. When I thought I must be close I pulled into a farmhouse, knocked on the door, was motioned to come in (I had seen a ramp so suspected the owner was disabled). I opened the door and sitting at the kitchen table were two men who sported full beards and overalls. Not until later did I realize they may have been Mormon, though nothing else except the tidiness of the farmstead would have denoted that. Anyway, they gave me good directions and I set out. Twenty minutes later after traversing this one piece of road a couple times I stopped another place for directions and discovered that when the bearded gentleman had given me directions, starting out with "go to the corner and turn right..." he meant the corner where his not-so-long driveway met the road!
Anyway, my car needs a wash badly and I will see to that this evening. When I got into Cedar Rapids yesterday I went directly to the Genealogy Library and there was no Wi-fi there, so now I am at the public library. It is located in a partially empty Mall. The policeman who gave me final directions added, "they've set up there since the flood." They have Wi-fi here and I have a very nice comfortable chair to sit in.
When I attempted to post a new blog today, I got this error message that something needed to be done to enable Java scripting. The blog had very helpful suggestions, and I was irritated again, because Windows had just done an automatic update and when they do that it always messes with programs. But I followed directions and was able to access the blog site - thank goodness.
In a little bit I will go to visit Ellie Cass. She said if I ever got to Cedar Rapids I had to stop by, but I could find no phone listing for her. I had sent her an email, but I don't think she uses her email much; I never got a reply. Earlier this afternoon I looked up the address. No one was home, but I went next door to be sure I had the right place and I did.
Anyway, my car needs a wash badly and I will see to that this evening. When I got into Cedar Rapids yesterday I went directly to the Genealogy Library and there was no Wi-fi there, so now I am at the public library. It is located in a partially empty Mall. The policeman who gave me final directions added, "they've set up there since the flood." They have Wi-fi here and I have a very nice comfortable chair to sit in.
When I attempted to post a new blog today, I got this error message that something needed to be done to enable Java scripting. The blog had very helpful suggestions, and I was irritated again, because Windows had just done an automatic update and when they do that it always messes with programs. But I followed directions and was able to access the blog site - thank goodness.
In a little bit I will go to visit Ellie Cass. She said if I ever got to Cedar Rapids I had to stop by, but I could find no phone listing for her. I had sent her an email, but I don't think she uses her email much; I never got a reply. Earlier this afternoon I looked up the address. No one was home, but I went next door to be sure I had the right place and I did.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Day 15 Around Anamosa
A few little things I keep forgetting to tell you. When I was at the college in Platteville, just leaving the alumni office with Susan, who was ushering me out, the fire alarm went off. Oops, she said, we have to go out, so we did, into a drizzly rain. I had an umbrella with me so put it up and offered to shield her too. Her car stood at the curb but she did not have her keys; she had several umbrellas in the car -- no good to anyone. I couldn't offer my car as it was too full and too far away. We must have stood there close together for at least 10 minutes before the "all clear" sounded, getting our backsides damp because the umbrella was too small to cover all of both of us. A little awkward but she was pleasant and we chatted some. We weren't the only umbrella "grouping" getting damp.
Last night, after supper at the Bamboo Garden, right in Anamosa, I went for a walk in the large and well-cared-for cemetery that is only a short distance from the Park. It has a rather large hill in the center and as I crested the top of the hill, I came face to face, not 20 feet away, with a fawn. I stopped still. It looked at me; then I noticed another fawn and a doe about 12 feet to the side. They all just looked. I saw a tail flip once and was sure they would leave but they didn't. The fawn closer to me moved over towards its mother a little and the other two went back to grazing. But the little one I had surprised just turned and looked at me. I thought it was curious, but then it stamped its forefoot and gave a snuffling snort. At that the other two startled but they still did not run. The fawn repeated it's stamping and snorting three more times and I decided I was being told to "bug off", so I started walking away from them towards my car and I heard one more parting snort as I left. After I had gone 300 yards or so I looked back and they were still there in the same place. Evidently they considered that their turf!
The first night I arrived in Anamosa, I could not find anything. Usually when I get into town, the courthouse and the library are in the center of town. This town did not seem to have a center. I saw a sign for the penetentiary, which amused me because it kind of expressed where the emphasis was. The next morning when I went into town, though, I saw the courthouse up on a rise, nearly hidden by the trees at street level. And it is directly in front of the penetentiary. But the reason for the sign, I figured out, is the pententiary's unusual architecture. It looks for all the world like an old castle or keep, complete with a turret! It's probably considered a tourist attraction. They even give tours. Not for me.
The other "first night" experience was trying to find a decent place to eat. My GPS wasn't coming up with anything interesting locally and for the promise of a good meal I was not adverse to driving a little ways towards Cedar Rapids, but when I got to the promised eatery, it was closed. So I stopped at a fast food place. Ugh! The next day I passed the Bamboo Garden and it looked like a nice place and had lots of cars so I ate there last night. Good Choice! By far the best Chinese buffet I have ever had. I shall plan to eat there every night as long as I am here. They had lots of vegetables and had them fixed in four different ways, all good. And they had a wonderful egg-drop soup which I love. And fruit, and pot scrapers. Yum! A great meal for under $10. Can't beat that.
Last night, after supper at the Bamboo Garden, right in Anamosa, I went for a walk in the large and well-cared-for cemetery that is only a short distance from the Park. It has a rather large hill in the center and as I crested the top of the hill, I came face to face, not 20 feet away, with a fawn. I stopped still. It looked at me; then I noticed another fawn and a doe about 12 feet to the side. They all just looked. I saw a tail flip once and was sure they would leave but they didn't. The fawn closer to me moved over towards its mother a little and the other two went back to grazing. But the little one I had surprised just turned and looked at me. I thought it was curious, but then it stamped its forefoot and gave a snuffling snort. At that the other two startled but they still did not run. The fawn repeated it's stamping and snorting three more times and I decided I was being told to "bug off", so I started walking away from them towards my car and I heard one more parting snort as I left. After I had gone 300 yards or so I looked back and they were still there in the same place. Evidently they considered that their turf!
The first night I arrived in Anamosa, I could not find anything. Usually when I get into town, the courthouse and the library are in the center of town. This town did not seem to have a center. I saw a sign for the penetentiary, which amused me because it kind of expressed where the emphasis was. The next morning when I went into town, though, I saw the courthouse up on a rise, nearly hidden by the trees at street level. And it is directly in front of the penetentiary. But the reason for the sign, I figured out, is the pententiary's unusual architecture. It looks for all the world like an old castle or keep, complete with a turret! It's probably considered a tourist attraction. They even give tours. Not for me.
The other "first night" experience was trying to find a decent place to eat. My GPS wasn't coming up with anything interesting locally and for the promise of a good meal I was not adverse to driving a little ways towards Cedar Rapids, but when I got to the promised eatery, it was closed. So I stopped at a fast food place. Ugh! The next day I passed the Bamboo Garden and it looked like a nice place and had lots of cars so I ate there last night. Good Choice! By far the best Chinese buffet I have ever had. I shall plan to eat there every night as long as I am here. They had lots of vegetables and had them fixed in four different ways, all good. And they had a wonderful egg-drop soup which I love. And fruit, and pot scrapers. Yum! A great meal for under $10. Can't beat that.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Day 14 Anamosa, Iowa
Boy! Am I happy to get on Wi-Fi at the Anamosa library. I was afraid I had goofed up my internet access somehow. But here the signal is good and strong and I had minimal trouble getting connected.
Right after I wrote my last blog in Sparta, I exited the library and saw this little old museum across the street and I took a look. Well, they had a history room and lo-and-behold they had the information on microfilm that I had wanted from the county office. So having completed my need to be in Sparta, I decided to go on to Platteville. I cancelled my campsite reservation, called Bruce back and told him I'd see him in a week or two, and drove to Platteville. I'm not sure I made a change for the better. Very small town in spite of U. of Wisconsin having a college there. The library was NOT open on Sunday and the college looked dead with no one around. BUT I had a neat parking place right behind the UCC manse. Perfect! Off the street so it was not right under a streetlight, one block from the police station. I parked there both nights. No campsites in the area.
On Sunday I read a lot, walked all around the campus, sat in the park and learned the main routes around town. It served me well because yesterday morning, I got up and went directly to the college welcome center, where they were more than happy to help me look up information about Agnes Jean Douglass who taught there, from 1926 to 1947, it turns out. When I finished there, I drove directly to Anamosa, Iowa, an even smaller town, but it has a State Park and I got myself registered there. Saw two deer browsing just across the road from my campsite this morning.
Today has been one of the prettiest days lately and, of course, I spent the whole day in the courthouse looking at old records. I found the original marriage license of my great grandfather Chester L. Lee to Addie Johnston in 1886, along with lots of other info.
Illinois had corn 8 feet tall, Wisconsin had shorter corn and lots of corncribs and elevators and lakes, Iowa has acres and acres of corn, as far as you can see in some places. Leaving Wisconsin yesterday I saw lots of strip-cropped hillsides, just beautiful. Hard to take a picture when you're on the highway.
Right after I wrote my last blog in Sparta, I exited the library and saw this little old museum across the street and I took a look. Well, they had a history room and lo-and-behold they had the information on microfilm that I had wanted from the county office. So having completed my need to be in Sparta, I decided to go on to Platteville. I cancelled my campsite reservation, called Bruce back and told him I'd see him in a week or two, and drove to Platteville. I'm not sure I made a change for the better. Very small town in spite of U. of Wisconsin having a college there. The library was NOT open on Sunday and the college looked dead with no one around. BUT I had a neat parking place right behind the UCC manse. Perfect! Off the street so it was not right under a streetlight, one block from the police station. I parked there both nights. No campsites in the area.
On Sunday I read a lot, walked all around the campus, sat in the park and learned the main routes around town. It served me well because yesterday morning, I got up and went directly to the college welcome center, where they were more than happy to help me look up information about Agnes Jean Douglass who taught there, from 1926 to 1947, it turns out. When I finished there, I drove directly to Anamosa, Iowa, an even smaller town, but it has a State Park and I got myself registered there. Saw two deer browsing just across the road from my campsite this morning.
Today has been one of the prettiest days lately and, of course, I spent the whole day in the courthouse looking at old records. I found the original marriage license of my great grandfather Chester L. Lee to Addie Johnston in 1886, along with lots of other info.
Illinois had corn 8 feet tall, Wisconsin had shorter corn and lots of corncribs and elevators and lakes, Iowa has acres and acres of corn, as far as you can see in some places. Leaving Wisconsin yesterday I saw lots of strip-cropped hillsides, just beautiful. Hard to take a picture when you're on the highway.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Day 11 Sparta, WI
Well, you can't win them all. I was looking at a weekend when the county offices would be closed but I figured the library would be open so I reserved campsites for the weekend in Sparta, figuring to get into the county offices on Monday morning. (I learned from experience I need to reserve sites ahead on the weekends) But even though the Sparta library has Wi-fi, I can not connect to it. I've had no problem other places, but I tried all the tricks I know and nothing worked. My Wi-fi adaptor was active, but no wireless connection showing. No one here can help; others get on okay and they have no security code.
So what to do with the weekend? Well, this morning I spent time housekeeping, or rather "car-keeping", organizing my suitcase, and the other stuff in the car. I need to buy ice for the cooler today, usually do that every other day. I've been thinking about all the things I am using that you kids gave me: the stuff bag for my sleeping bag, whisk broom, Pond's cleansing pads, nice bright yellow flashlight, car cup, handy little jacknife, camera case, skin cream - there's probably more - thank you.
I am writing this on a library computer, have not been to the campsite yet. Perhaps the campsite will have some distractions. Yesterday at Castle Rock campsite in Black River Falls, I took one of the hiking trails. The terrain reminded me of the Adirondacks, but not nearly as high.
Tomorrow I am driving into Rochester, MN - about 100 miles to visit Bruce Douglass, an old genealogy friend of mine. Then after Monday I will be headed for Iowa. It's going to be another hot day, 78 at 10 a.m.
So what to do with the weekend? Well, this morning I spent time housekeeping, or rather "car-keeping", organizing my suitcase, and the other stuff in the car. I need to buy ice for the cooler today, usually do that every other day. I've been thinking about all the things I am using that you kids gave me: the stuff bag for my sleeping bag, whisk broom, Pond's cleansing pads, nice bright yellow flashlight, car cup, handy little jacknife, camera case, skin cream - there's probably more - thank you.
I am writing this on a library computer, have not been to the campsite yet. Perhaps the campsite will have some distractions. Yesterday at Castle Rock campsite in Black River Falls, I took one of the hiking trails. The terrain reminded me of the Adirondacks, but not nearly as high.
Tomorrow I am driving into Rochester, MN - about 100 miles to visit Bruce Douglass, an old genealogy friend of mine. Then after Monday I will be headed for Iowa. It's going to be another hot day, 78 at 10 a.m.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Day 10 Wisconsin Rapids, WI
My cell phone was not dead. Radio Shack checked it out; battery was completely uncharged. I had not been able to get the charger working at the campsite, but it worked fine at Radio Shack, so we decided it was just a fluke, or the charger did not like the electrical outlet at the campground.
I spent the last two nights at the Mirror Lake campgrounds, north of Baraboo. Most of yesterday morning I was in the Courthouse. I left there at 11:45, and walking back to my car, saw a used car dealer, with a sign that said repair shop. Since it was across the street from the library, I stopped in to inquire and within a half hour, they said yes, they could get parts locally, and so I walked up the street and did my laundry while they installed a new muffler, and then I spent the rest of the afternoon at the library. I considered myself lucky that the courthouse, the library, the repair shop and the laundry were all within 2 blocks of each other!
Leaving Baraboo early this morning, I drove through Wisconsin Dell. What a place - looks like a mini-Las Vegas! Obviously a great tourist area. Couldn't believe some of the stuff I saw. There was a huge hotel complex that had an outer facade (huge) over the whole thing that looked like a palatial building that had been destroyed by an earthquake. Judging by some of the other buildings I saw, I guessed the area has been trying to emulate historical Rome. Was happy to leave it behind.
I spent the last two nights at the Mirror Lake campgrounds, north of Baraboo. Most of yesterday morning I was in the Courthouse. I left there at 11:45, and walking back to my car, saw a used car dealer, with a sign that said repair shop. Since it was across the street from the library, I stopped in to inquire and within a half hour, they said yes, they could get parts locally, and so I walked up the street and did my laundry while they installed a new muffler, and then I spent the rest of the afternoon at the library. I considered myself lucky that the courthouse, the library, the repair shop and the laundry were all within 2 blocks of each other!
Leaving Baraboo early this morning, I drove through Wisconsin Dell. What a place - looks like a mini-Las Vegas! Obviously a great tourist area. Couldn't believe some of the stuff I saw. There was a huge hotel complex that had an outer facade (huge) over the whole thing that looked like a palatial building that had been destroyed by an earthquake. Judging by some of the other buildings I saw, I guessed the area has been trying to emulate historical Rome. Was happy to leave it behind.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Day 8 West Bend, WI
The weather was cool this morning when I got up, but warmed up quickly. At 11 a.m. it was sunny and hot. Now two hours later, there are huge puffy clouds in the sky and it keeps getting darker. That seems to be the pattern. Two days ago in Janesville, we had such an afternoon storm that the library warned patrons to stay away from the windows. As hard as the wind blew and the rain poured, they did not lose any trees so they must have tougher trees than we do in Covington or the wind wasn't as strong as it looked. Yesterday that pattern did not create any rain for a change, thank goodness.
Because yesterday I stayed at Lake Lenwood Campground and had a lovely time. It was 3:15 when I got there and I could have gone into West Bend, about 4 miles, but the water looked so inviting I changed into my swimsuit. The camp owner said the water was clean as no gas motor boats were allowed and it was spring-fed. So I expected it would be really cold, but it wasn't. You know me, used to Lake Ontario, I waded in slowly but quickly was all in and swimming out to the raft. Had a good swim and then later a hot shower, both real relaxing. So I did not one lick of research yesterday, did not even open my laptop until nighttime when I put an audio-book CD in it and fell asleep before it finished.
My cell phone has died, so next order of business is to find a Radio Shack. I hope it's only the battery.
Because yesterday I stayed at Lake Lenwood Campground and had a lovely time. It was 3:15 when I got there and I could have gone into West Bend, about 4 miles, but the water looked so inviting I changed into my swimsuit. The camp owner said the water was clean as no gas motor boats were allowed and it was spring-fed. So I expected it would be really cold, but it wasn't. You know me, used to Lake Ontario, I waded in slowly but quickly was all in and swimming out to the raft. Had a good swim and then later a hot shower, both real relaxing. So I did not one lick of research yesterday, did not even open my laptop until nighttime when I put an audio-book CD in it and fell asleep before it finished.
My cell phone has died, so next order of business is to find a Radio Shack. I hope it's only the battery.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Day 5 Janesville, WI
Well, as so often happens, when I am about to give up, I finally find what I want. The Historical society in Geneva did not have anything but they called Aurora for me and they did, so drove 8 miles to Aurora and checked out their goodies, then headed north.
Got as far as Kirkland, pulled onto a side road and found a wide, level spot near a copse of trees, so I could be completely off the country road. It had rained nearly all day from 10 a.m., with downpours from 2:30 to 5:30, so I was just happy to find a place and happy the rain had stopped. Very little traffic on this road, big farms in the distance in all directions. The fire-flies were Huge! Congratulating myself on having found a good place to spend the night, I climbed out of the car in the morning to find a "NO Parking" six feet behind my car! LOL. Evidently others have found this neat place to park in the past.
Now I'm in Janesville and it is a lovely town and has a nice big library on the banks of the Rock River (which is channeled between walls here)and I can park free in the lot behind the library and enjoy the breeze and the ducks on the water and the shade of the trees.
Town also has a nice city park with lots of trails, rest rooms, picnic areas, etc. and believe it or not, it is open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.! I spent most of my morning there reading, relaxing, writing. Tomorrow I should finish up my business in Janesville and head north to Milton.
Got as far as Kirkland, pulled onto a side road and found a wide, level spot near a copse of trees, so I could be completely off the country road. It had rained nearly all day from 10 a.m., with downpours from 2:30 to 5:30, so I was just happy to find a place and happy the rain had stopped. Very little traffic on this road, big farms in the distance in all directions. The fire-flies were Huge! Congratulating myself on having found a good place to spend the night, I climbed out of the car in the morning to find a "NO Parking" six feet behind my car! LOL. Evidently others have found this neat place to park in the past.
Now I'm in Janesville and it is a lovely town and has a nice big library on the banks of the Rock River (which is channeled between walls here)and I can park free in the lot behind the library and enjoy the breeze and the ducks on the water and the shade of the trees.
Town also has a nice city park with lots of trails, rest rooms, picnic areas, etc. and believe it or not, it is open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.! I spent most of my morning there reading, relaxing, writing. Tomorrow I should finish up my business in Janesville and head north to Milton.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Day 3 Geneva, IL
When I saw the door to Geneva Public Library and there was this neat little sign - Free Wi-Fi, it warmed my heart. First chance I've had in the last two days to use Wi-Fi, mostly because I've been in the boonies.
Yesterday I left Dixon, IL and headed for Geneva, IL but knew I was not going to get there in time to locate a good camping site, so stopped in Big Rock, population 750. In a town that size everyone knows what everyone else drives and all their neighbors. But I had a nice walk around the 4 square blocks of residential area, and ate supper in a shady spot. Then drove a circle around town, found an old barn sitting back from the road completely screened from the road by acres and acres of 8 ft. tall corn. Pulled in and looked around. Startled two beautiful owls out of the barn. Their wingspread as they flew 12 ft. above me was just beautiful. I had not planned on a "cold camp" last night, but had absolutely no problems - except for the possibility that, try as hard as I could to limit what I brought, I still have too much "stuff". I have a feeling some of it is going to be jettisoned if I can't figure out a better storage system. I have a new appreciation for people who have to live out of their cars.
Downtown Geneva, as advertised, is a lovely historic area of little boutiques and shops. First thing I saw when I turned the corner on Main St. was Starbucks Coffee. I wished I had waited to get my morning coffee here - the coffee I got in Big Rock was like dishwater! To use Barry's comment, "a little thicker, please."
As lovely as downtown is, the county government buildings are scattered all over to east, south and west. I spent the whole morning with no results. Even the library, my usual savior, does not have what I need. I am going to try the Historical Society and if that does not have anything, will head for Milton, Wisconsin. I can camp there without problem over the weekend and the weather report says it will be in the 90s.
Yesterday I left Dixon, IL and headed for Geneva, IL but knew I was not going to get there in time to locate a good camping site, so stopped in Big Rock, population 750. In a town that size everyone knows what everyone else drives and all their neighbors. But I had a nice walk around the 4 square blocks of residential area, and ate supper in a shady spot. Then drove a circle around town, found an old barn sitting back from the road completely screened from the road by acres and acres of 8 ft. tall corn. Pulled in and looked around. Startled two beautiful owls out of the barn. Their wingspread as they flew 12 ft. above me was just beautiful. I had not planned on a "cold camp" last night, but had absolutely no problems - except for the possibility that, try as hard as I could to limit what I brought, I still have too much "stuff". I have a feeling some of it is going to be jettisoned if I can't figure out a better storage system. I have a new appreciation for people who have to live out of their cars.
Downtown Geneva, as advertised, is a lovely historic area of little boutiques and shops. First thing I saw when I turned the corner on Main St. was Starbucks Coffee. I wished I had waited to get my morning coffee here - the coffee I got in Big Rock was like dishwater! To use Barry's comment, "a little thicker, please."
As lovely as downtown is, the county government buildings are scattered all over to east, south and west. I spent the whole morning with no results. Even the library, my usual savior, does not have what I need. I am going to try the Historical Society and if that does not have anything, will head for Milton, Wisconsin. I can camp there without problem over the weekend and the weather report says it will be in the 90s.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Day 2 - August 6
Just a quick note. Had a lot of driving yesterday, my first day out. Left home at 7 a.m. Got to Fred and Linda Bellinger's in Indianapolis about 9:30, visited and had lunch with them, then on to Aunt Dora's in Princeton, IL. Had a little problem with my GPS, it dumped me off route about 15 miles from her and insisted "you have reached your destination" while I was looking out over lush green fields of alfalfa and not a single apt. house in sight. A couple phone calls to Aunt Dora (Joy was there at the time) and I arrived without further trouble, a little late, but just in time for supper (I had forgotten about the time change - gave me a whole hours' leeway). Had a good visit with Dora; she is doing remarkably well considering all she has been through.
Left her place this morning when her therapist came for her 9 a.m. appt. and traveled to Dixon, IL where I am now. All my preparations were for naught. The Historical Society had a sign on the door saying they were open T and Th 9-3, but it was locked up tight and no one responded to my phone message. The Genealogical Society was closed on Thursdays! So, drop back and punt. I went to the county clerk's office where I was informed if I wanted a copy of a death certificate it would cost me $30! No way. So found the library and after an hour or so, located just what I was looking for and am blogging as I am about to leave here and go to the Amboy cemetery. Next stop Geneva. IL
Beautiful sunny day. Lovely lush green countryside and I am having fun. Love
Left her place this morning when her therapist came for her 9 a.m. appt. and traveled to Dixon, IL where I am now. All my preparations were for naught. The Historical Society had a sign on the door saying they were open T and Th 9-3, but it was locked up tight and no one responded to my phone message. The Genealogical Society was closed on Thursdays! So, drop back and punt. I went to the county clerk's office where I was informed if I wanted a copy of a death certificate it would cost me $30! No way. So found the library and after an hour or so, located just what I was looking for and am blogging as I am about to leave here and go to the Amboy cemetery. Next stop Geneva. IL
Beautiful sunny day. Lovely lush green countryside and I am having fun. Love
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Checklist
Okay. Now I have a checklist - and I'm trying real hard not to add any more things to it. Today I'm concentrating on the "chore list."
One of the rivets had fallen out of a leg on my suitcase. Brother Phil put a rivet in it for me back in May and it held for one more trip but the rivet came out again. So I found a small metal bolt in my tool box, but it had no nut with it, so go to Walmart and find similar size - took a little looking - and come home and push bolt through, apply nut and voila - felt pretty proud of myself for that one. Throw package of bolts in car tool box in case more rivets give out.
I also bought a DC-AC converter for my car so I can charge my laptop battery while I'm on the road. For someone who is "technologically challenged", my checklist includes a large assortment of electronics. In addition to the laptop and cell phone and GPS, I now have a digital voice recorder. So it figures, if I'm driving I'd better be charging something as I go along. Oh yes, and there are the accompanying instruction manuals. And I haven't even bought a camera yet. I found what I wanted and the clerk said, "Sorry, we're out!" Wouldn't you know.
One of the rivets had fallen out of a leg on my suitcase. Brother Phil put a rivet in it for me back in May and it held for one more trip but the rivet came out again. So I found a small metal bolt in my tool box, but it had no nut with it, so go to Walmart and find similar size - took a little looking - and come home and push bolt through, apply nut and voila - felt pretty proud of myself for that one. Throw package of bolts in car tool box in case more rivets give out.
I also bought a DC-AC converter for my car so I can charge my laptop battery while I'm on the road. For someone who is "technologically challenged", my checklist includes a large assortment of electronics. In addition to the laptop and cell phone and GPS, I now have a digital voice recorder. So it figures, if I'm driving I'd better be charging something as I go along. Oh yes, and there are the accompanying instruction manuals. And I haven't even bought a camera yet. I found what I wanted and the clerk said, "Sorry, we're out!" Wouldn't you know.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
For My 75th Year
Yesterday was my birthday. Every year I try to do something I have not done before. Looking back, I can't think of anything I did that was new last year. My memory isn't what it used to be but it seems like I simply re-play or revise my previous activities. Not that I didn't take on challenges. Learning to use a new internet server, along with Wi-Fi, coordinating forums for church. But nothing I did this past year was as challenging as learning Greek!
I set this blog up so you could keep track of my travels. I don't know just when I hatched this plan to travel to the north/northwest. Whenever I think of something I would enjoy doing, genealogy research always comes to mind, along with visiting with friends and relatives. So, making best use of the time and health that I have, it seemed like a now-better-than-later idea.
My itinerary for the trip is very long and has many stops; it has no dates attached, only a possible sequencing of places to visit. That's the main reason for this blog, so you can keep track of where I am. I may decide after several weeks of traveling that I have had enough and return home without finishing the itinerary.
I guess I figured if the trip was to come off, things would fall into placeo or else the obstacles would be great enough so that it was not worth the effort. So far things seem to be going along okay. I've got someone to care for the lawn and the flowers, someone to pick up my mail, passed off necessary info to church friends, put the newspaper and Netflix on hold and spent hours pulling maps and phone numbers off the internet. The car is serviced and ready; it is time to start the checklist.
Usually when I go on a research trip I have a limited number of days so I spend most of my time in libraries or courthouses. This time I shall try to take time to "smell the roses" along the way. I'm taking good books, my journal and this admonition stuck to my dash "Remember to take a day off."
I set this blog up so you could keep track of my travels. I don't know just when I hatched this plan to travel to the north/northwest. Whenever I think of something I would enjoy doing, genealogy research always comes to mind, along with visiting with friends and relatives. So, making best use of the time and health that I have, it seemed like a now-better-than-later idea.
My itinerary for the trip is very long and has many stops; it has no dates attached, only a possible sequencing of places to visit. That's the main reason for this blog, so you can keep track of where I am. I may decide after several weeks of traveling that I have had enough and return home without finishing the itinerary.
I guess I figured if the trip was to come off, things would fall into placeo or else the obstacles would be great enough so that it was not worth the effort. So far things seem to be going along okay. I've got someone to care for the lawn and the flowers, someone to pick up my mail, passed off necessary info to church friends, put the newspaper and Netflix on hold and spent hours pulling maps and phone numbers off the internet. The car is serviced and ready; it is time to start the checklist.
Usually when I go on a research trip I have a limited number of days so I spend most of my time in libraries or courthouses. This time I shall try to take time to "smell the roses" along the way. I'm taking good books, my journal and this admonition stuck to my dash "Remember to take a day off."
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