Day 7 Mitchell, SD

Sunny day, 82*. Went to the "World Famous" Corn Palace.

Corn Palace History

Eight years before the turn of the 20th century -1892- when Mitchell, South Dakota was a small, 12-year-old city of 3,000 inhabitants - the WORLD’S ONLY CORN PALACE was established on the city’s Main Street. During its over 100 years of existence, it has become known worldwide and now attracts more than a half a million visitors annually. The palace was conceived as a gathering place where city residents and their rural neighbors could enjoy a fall festival with extraordinary stage entertainment – a celebration to climax a crop-growing season and harvest. This tradition continues today with the annual Corn Palace Festival, August 26th – August 30th, 2009.

By 1905 the success of the Corn Palace had been assured and a new Palace was to be built, but this building soon became too small. In 1919, the decision to build a third Corn Palace was made. This one was to be permanent and more purposeful than its predecessors. The present building was completed in 1921, just in time for the Corn Palace Festivities. That winter Mitchell hosted its first boys state basketball tournament. The building was considered to have the finest basketball arena in the upper Midwest area.
Today, the Corn Palace is more than the home of the festival or a point of interest of tourists. It is a practical structure adaptable to many purposes. Included among its many uses are industrial exhibits, dances, stage shows, meetings, banquets, proms, graduations arena for Mitchell High School and Dakota Wesleyan University as well as district, regional and state basketball tournaments. USA Today named the Corn Palace one of the top 10 places in America for high school basketball.
The Palace is redecorated each year with naturally colored corn and other grains and native grasses We currently use 13 different colors or shades of corn to decorate the Corn Palace: red, brown, black, blue, white, orange, calico, yellow and now we have green corn! A different theme is chosen each year, and murals are designed to reflect that theme. Ear by ear the corn is nailed to the Corn Palace to create a scene. The decorating process usually starts in late May with the removal of the rye and dock. The corn murals are stripped at the end of August and the new ones are completed by the first of October.
Cherie Ramsdell is the current panel designer. Our current theme is entitled "America's Destinations". The Corn Palace is known around the world as a folk-art wonder on the prairie of South Dakota.

                                                                   Click on picture to enlarge

The Corn Palace has one more title - the World's Largest Bird Feeder. After Corn Palace Week ends and winter sets it, local pigeons and squirrels make a feast of the tasty murals.

                                                Hiedi and Gail the tourists.

                                           Then we went to Mitchell Lake and Hiedi went fishing.

Then we stopped at the very unique spillway.

Mitchell is also home to the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village. The Prehistoric Indian Village is an archaeological site where scientists are excavating a Native American village, believed to be ancestors of the present Mandan residing in North Dakota, that is buried near Lake Mitchell. The excavation site is unique in that it is enclosed by an Archeodome, a climate controlled building built over the excavation, that allows scientists to continue their excavation year round. There is also a small museum of Native American art and history nearby.

                                         Don,t think this boat would work well on Lake Texoma.

                                                        Sign across the  street from the cemetery.       

                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                        

Day 6 Mitchell, SD

I talked to almost every RV dealer on I-90 this morning, looking for an AC shroud. I found one in the right direction (west) that had 2 of them. BUT they were spoken for, they were special ordered. Why didn't she just say "We don't have any."? That way I wouldn't hate her. BUT I didn't hate her very long. I found one in Sioux Falls and Pam and Lon are coming through there tomorrow.

While we were sitting here, Gail made Indian Tacos.

So I gotta go eat now.

Heidi says Hi.

Day 5 Waco, KS to Mitchell, SD

Dense fog this morning. Left the Double Nickel Campground 9:30. Drove through a corn field for 255mi.  Nebraska is boring! But not as boring as Kansas. We crossed the Missouri River at the South Dakota state line.

It was full and then some.

We landed in Mitchell, SD, where we will wait for Pam & Lon. Expecting them on

Wednesday. That will give us time to go to WalMart, find an AC cover and install it, and rest up.

 

 

 

                                                        His buddies came by with a cooler.

 

Day 4 day off

Still at the Double Nickel. Rainy morning, all the way to South Dakota. So we didn't participate. Gail wanted to watch the Casey Anthony trial's closing arguments. Found out that the rear air conditioner leaks without it's cover. Checked out the RV park. We are about 50 yds from the 1st tee.

They have a high occupancy storm shelter.

                                              After the trial, Heidi took Gail for a walk

 

                                       Tomorrow we go to Mitchell, South Dakota.     Maybe.

Day 3 Wellington, KS to Waco, NE

                            266 Miles across Kansas and Nebraska the senery only changed once

That's It.

 It is a popular belief that Kansas is the flattest state in the nation, reinforced by a well-known 2003 study stating that Kansas was indeed "flatter than a pancake".  

We stoped at a rest area,

Gail and Heidi went to the top of the hill, could be the state's highest point.

From there you could see the rear AC cover was missing!

I'm just happy the air conditioner is still there.

We stoped at Double Nickel Campground, Waco, NE.  

Heidi got her Saterday night  b. a. t. h.

Shake it off

Mitchell, SD tomorrow, maybe.

Day 2 Shawnee to Wellington, KS

9 am appointment at McClain's. Up before 6:00, On the road before 7:30, 40 mi. across Oklahoma City, at the locked gate at 8:30.

Sign in and tell them the problem at 9:15.  They get someone out to look at it at 10:40. He goes for help at 11:00. The 2 of them check the system untill 11:45, at that time they looked at the part that had been replaced. 12:00 we were out of there. The air lines on the new control valve were reversed.

We made it to Kansas

But not much farther. Wellington KOA. 102 degrees!

DAY 1 Lake Texoma to Shawnee, OK

We spent the last 2 nights in the bus. Had to go back to the house a few times for things we were missing.

  Heidi had to go fishing one last time.

Out far enough to check internet and TV.

Stopped for lunch at Bision Overlook in Chickasaw 

                                          National Recreation Area. This little guy was having
                                           lunch too.

       
                   
                           Parked at Expo Center with all our friends.


When we got to the RV park, the leveling system ( the one that I just paid $2,200 to fix) won't work at all.   
When I do it manually the buttons all work backward. To the shop at 9:00AM tomorrow!

Birthday Week-end continued

Everyone was gone by noon Sunday.  A long nap, early dinner, and early to bed. Then the storm came. The wind had been blowing 20-30mph since Wednesday. About 11:00 it picked up to 50-70mph for 3 hrs. First time ever we went to the save- room. We got a call , about 1:30, our boathouse had broken loose and was on shore.                                         
                                                           Click on pictures to enlarge

about 40 feet closer to shore

our new rub rail is saging

Strong dock lines--solid cleat

could have been worse

A LOT WORSE !
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

 THE  BAD NEWS.....the props, rudders ,and shafts are bent
THE GOOD NEWS.......we picked up the bus Monday and only 10 days till departure!

Birthday Week-end

I took our coach to the shop on June 2 to get it prepped for the Alaska trip.

Friday June 3  "Needs new AC, rear brakes and seals (leaking), new valves on front leveling system(leaking), oil and filters, lub. Start Monday be done Friday"   OK

Friday June 10  " Didn't get the rear brakes and seals done. Pick it up Monday afternoon."

Monday June 13  "Brakes and seals are done, BUT  'they' ran into it with a forklift on Saturday and it is  in   the body shop. Be ready Friday morning."

Friday June 17  " Running a little behind. Will have it back and all washed up mid afternoon"

I arrived at the shop at 4:30 (2hr drive). "It has left the body shop and should be here any time"
5:30  " It's here ! The body work looks good. BUT the rear seals are both leaking."  " Be fixed by Monday"

By the time I got back home Barb and Don were here. Kate and Lindy showed up shortly and we forgot about the bus.

Saturday more showed up.                             Click on picture to enlarge

                                           What kind of cake is it?     "Birthday Cake"

Thats Lindy, Kate, Lana, Barb, Gail, Don, Charlie, Rhonda, Phil, and part of Kara.

The Stafford contingence.

                                                  Live entertainment!
Paula, Travis, Mike, Johnny, Kay and Gene, Leah and Neal also showed up but the camra was out of focus by then.
Thanks everyone for helping me celebrate another milestone!








                                  

Florida Winter 2011

               Winter 2011 in Florida

                                                    Arla  {This is all mine?}

                                                Lana  {I can grow these trees in Oklahoma}

                                           Kara & Charlie  (not soYoung Love)

                                            Kathryn  {Guys! it's 5AM!  WTF!)

                                          Paula & Jo-Jo at the bar  (imangine that !!)

                                         Kathy & Sue waiting for the cocktail waitress

                                         Kate & Lindy  {where's the masseuse?}

                                              Lon & Pam   "OK we're in"

                                      Sleezy & Breezy  "hay you sleez dog let go my wife!"

                                       Kenny "If HomeDepot don't have,,you don't need it"

                                        Randy, Sleeze & Rod  (Larry, Curly & Mo)