Living & Working in Great Places
National Park Cross Western Tour...Help Me!
I am starting out at Rio Blanco Ranch on June 1 +/- 2 days. So my girl friend and I, or rather me really decided that it was necessary to take a little bit of time to reach our destination. In an attempt to please me, distract me or simply just not have to do it herself she leaves me with the sole responsibility of planning the trip. Really? Does she have any idea what she is getting herself into? Quickly I pull out my National Park Passport book. There are a lot of stamps I need between here and there!
At this point I have a general mapping of some places I would like to go of which I figure I will have to figure out the path as we add or subtract locations. I am supremely excited as I have never undertaken such a loose trip before, which being the organized person I am; may drive me particularly crazy at first but for certain it will drive my girl up the wall. Which excites me more. However, I could use some help/suggestions about some possible stops. Especially when it comes to food! I am a huge proponent of local diners and dives, if they look like they haven't been throughly cleaned in a decade and I am getting my food served to me by some one toothed waitress names Flo, just call me Peter because I am in heaven. Once again the g/f not so much. I feel this becoming a torture trip for her not taking part in the planning process.
So below is a list of my scheduled stops and the states if you have anything to add feel free!
South Dakota:
Minuteman Missile Silo
Badlands NP
Mount Rushmore
Wind Cave
Wyoming:
Devils Tower
Signal Mtn Lodge- Have to see my boy Garland!
Utah:
Arches/ Canyonland NP
Moab
Colorado:
Mesa Verde NP
Westcliffe- To see my Uncle
Then off to Meeker!
lots of land in there to cover lots of places to stop any info is appreciated!
At this point I have a general mapping of some places I would like to go of which I figure I will have to figure out the path as we add or subtract locations. I am supremely excited as I have never undertaken such a loose trip before, which being the organized person I am; may drive me particularly crazy at first but for certain it will drive my girl up the wall. Which excites me more. However, I could use some help/suggestions about some possible stops. Especially when it comes to food! I am a huge proponent of local diners and dives, if they look like they haven't been throughly cleaned in a decade and I am getting my food served to me by some one toothed waitress names Flo, just call me Peter because I am in heaven. Once again the g/f not so much. I feel this becoming a torture trip for her not taking part in the planning process.
So below is a list of my scheduled stops and the states if you have anything to add feel free!
South Dakota:
Minuteman Missile Silo
Badlands NP
Mount Rushmore
Wind Cave
Wyoming:
Devils Tower
Signal Mtn Lodge- Have to see my boy Garland!
Utah:
Arches/ Canyonland NP
Moab
Colorado:
Mesa Verde NP
Westcliffe- To see my Uncle
Then off to Meeker!
lots of land in there to cover lots of places to stop any info is appreciated!
Add a Comment
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Comment by Kevin Mellott on May 7, 2009 at 10:21am - Thanks Bill! I am stopping through Pipestone actually it is right on the way and it is a stamp that needs stamping!
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Comment by Kari Quaas on May 7, 2009 at 10:19am - Grand Old Ranch House Restaurant - Thank God for Google!
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Comment by Bill Berg on May 7, 2009 at 10:16am
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Road Trip! I love it. How much time do you have??? Some great stops, some cheesy stops:
Minnesota:
- The Biggest Ball of Twine - dude, my brother lives just a few miles from here. We watched this thing grow when we were kids. Send me a picture.
- Pipestone National Monument - don't get tempted to leap onto that rock no matter what your girlfriend says. Seriously.
South Dakota:
- If you're buzzing by anyway ou've GOT to get off the freeway and check out the Corn Palace
- Wall Drug - over the top, FREE ICEWATER!, nice folks, why not stop if you're buzzing by.
- Custer State Park - definitely worth at least a drive-through
- Crazy Horse Memorial - talk about a long term project
Wyoming
- The Medicine Wheel in the Bighorn Mountains
- Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area - good camping before it gets busy (look for the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses)
- Heart Mountain Internment Camp near Cody
- Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody
and on and on....
Safe Journey!
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Comment by Kevin Mellott on May 7, 2009 at 10:15am
- Lol Do you remember the name of it Kari?
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Comment by Kari Quaas on May 7, 2009 at 9:57am
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This is definitely a post worth not navigating away from. ; ) What a cool trip! The only places I've been to on our your list are Arches NP and Moab. Loved them both. We visited them in early October 1999 for our first anniversary. We camped out the first night near the bike trails in Moab, froze our a**es off and then stayed in a motel the next night in Moab. Not in line with your unclean diner motif, we did have a really nice dinner at a ranch just north of the town of Moab, relatively fancy, and may be pleasing to your girlfriend as a peace offering between your other dining adventures.
Have a great trip!
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