NORTH DAKOTA

we have traveled across north Dakota and have seen lots of different sights...somr rolly polly land-large fields planted with corn-soy beans- and also the further west we drove we saw plenty sights of oil rigs and oil activity...in the larger cities lots of construction of what appeared to be motels-apartment buildings-malls...then on down the road we saw lots of oil activity--water trucks-just trucks- and lots of different appearing oil activity..some of it not a pretty sight....taking away from the natural beauty of the areas..someone is making some money here and that's for sure...roads going what looks like no where off into the sunset and we think it must be some oil stuff going on that we can't see... also in north Dakota if you want/need to fill and prescription don't look for Wal-Mart-rite air-walgreens- to fill them..yu can only fill scripts in a private owned pharmacy...so much for having are scripts at Wal-Mart.....so we need to be near a Wal-Mart in 6 days to have one of lar's scripts filled... go figure who would have ever thought... great trip so far as we are now in medora, nd right outside teddy roosvelt national park--planning on being here three nights..and we are now on mountain time so another adjustment in going to be needed..

LAKE SUPERIOR

we met up with tom and Christine in iron river , mi and decided to satay only one night where we were and move on to up the peninsula of lake superior to copper country..there were a couple of museum that tom wanted lar to see...so off we went to linden lake and small town park on the lake..off we then went to look at the museums but first had to have breakfast at the elks club..we travel thru gods country and saw many trees ahahha sure wonder what they do for work and do their shopping not much around...so some really beautiful country thru the fog and rain..lots of rain and fog...

the pictures are as follows..a beautiful falls we came across the road -eat your hearts out tug hill--Christine dancing with a miner--lar a happy camper finally he had a pastie (a miner lunch)--duel purpose gift from Christine can be used as a lap robe or a table cover.---a beautiful piece and Christine's ahndy work...

SIGHTSEEING-UP

yesterday we spent the day touring around iron river-a museum-indian mounds-and points east-west-north and south on the up..tom being the tour guide as we were in boyhood country..then out for pizza at a place that was there when he was younger had pizza mm good.. today we move on to linden lake and near calmut and the copper mine country..back in the good days all the town were booming bgut just like so many other things there was a crash and now some of the towns are almost ghost towns.. we also found the first national park stamps on this trip..toured the museum most interesting and well worth the timeto get here.. it has been rainy and foggy all day..too bad as the scenery would have been spectular..

CROSSING THE BRIDGE

on wed we crossed the dreaded mackinaw bridge anyway for me not my favorite bridge to cross over--but I must say on wed it was a piece of cake it was calm and really was a nice ride across...now that were got over it it was time to start across the UP (upper peninsula) for those who don't know about the UP.. went about half way to indian lake where we spent the night with a nice view of the lake..up and out early to head for iron river to meet up with tom and Christine.. arrived around 3 est or 2 cst....caught up with lots of stuff as we hadn't seen each other in a couple of years...

DUNDEE--PRESQUE ISLE

sunday morning fi

nds us getting on the road at about 8:30 after enjoying breakfast with a bunch of lar's relatives..on our way to Dundee, mi where there is a cabela's and we are to meet up with nephew andy...arrived there about 3pm and andy arrived around 4..off to the store we went and the only one to buy anything was andy...had a great visit with him.. Monday morning on the road by 7:45 only to get in some very slow traffic going to work we think..so it took us about an hrr to go 5 miles..ugh..then the traffic lessen up a tad and we made good time..we are now heading to Presque isle on lake huron to meet up with stu and Jessica for a couple of days..arrived around 3 ..had a good visit with Jessica and she had to leave this morning after breakfast as she starts her new job tomorrow...so the three of us have spent the day sight seeing around lake huron and stu has been a good tour guide...

1ST DAY TRAVEL

sat was the first day we got on the road and we were going to Jamestown to visit bill-netta-judy for an overnight..stopped at the rest area in bath ..lar walked around the rig checking the tires and things he usually does handed me the keys for my turn to drive..we were on the road for maybe 20 minutes about 5 miles or so when a car passes us and I look over to see the young lady waving her hands pointing to the back ..so i say to lar i think I've got to pull over..which i did ..walked around and noticed that we had a flat tire on the passengers side back...so don't you know we tried using our cell phone NO coverage..good thing for on star..they came thru...pushed th red button for emergency service... they were most helpful and concerned about our safety and if we were ok...called AAA and about 45 min later we were back on the road but first we needed to turn around and go back to bath cause we sure did not want to travel with NO spare and lar had called a tire place earlier and they closed at noon but said they would stay open for us to get a new tire...so that taken care of we were really back on the road..so far so good...

FAMILY

some of you know that we have been watching a male pheasant under our bird feeder for a couple of years..last year he brought a couple of young ladies with him every once in awhile..now this year after our return from the south he came again with his two ladies friends...we of course watch him do his courting and going ons... then for the past couple of weeks we have only seen on of the ladies and wondered if the other one was sitting on a nest well low and behold yesterday afternoon I was at the dining room table and looked out at the feeder and what do I see but 3 little puff balls following her around..so now we have a pheasant family coming to our feeder..what fun it is to watch them... have only seen a pair of twin fawns so far but we sure know they are all around as we see tracks and food missing... what a great time of year to see all the animal families increasing in size... god is good