September 14, 2017 - Missouri Star Quilt - Hannibal

Part of the day we spent in Hamilton, Missouri at the Missouri Star Quilt Company.  If you are looking for fabric, they have fabric. Driving down Main Street, there are stores on the left, stores on the right, and plenty of fabric to choose from.
 The shops are organized to making shopping convenient.  If you are looking for a particular kind of fabric, they might be located in one particular shop.

There is plenty to catch your eye...and your credit card.

 If you visit the website, there are online tutorials to help.

This section of the street is all Missouri Star Quilt..

There is even a rest stop for the chauffeurs.  

We left Hamilton and continued on to Hannibal where we took a Dinner Cruise.

 The American Queen took passengers down river for overnight tours.

The Mark Twain does 1 hour tours, and also 2 hour dinner cruises.
On the way back up the river, we couldn't help looking at the islands in the river and the town of Hannibal, and think about Sam Clemens growing up in here.

The Mark Twain had a wonderful meal, some music, and a happy Grammie.

September 12, 2017 - Cheyenne

After several days in Cheyenne, visiting the Robin, Doug, and Henley, it was time to head towards home.  Although there will be several stops until we make it back, we are looking forward to being home.

 Henley swing in the Swingomatic that Uncle Dana used to swing in.

Grampie finally getting a turn with Henley. Today was a good day, got her up, found the surprise in the diaper, and fed her a bottle.

"Who is going to feed me...doesn't anyone like me anymore?"

Daddy's home.

Grammie spending time with Henley.

Tonight we are in Gothenburg, NE for a stopover and a round of golf.  In 2 days time, we will be in Hamilton, Missouri....Grammie said something about quilts or whatever.  Van ran great today and the air conditioner ran well with temps in the 90's.
Thanks for keeping an eye out for Grammie.

September 11, 2017 - Cheyenne

Hi everyone.
We have been busy tending to more important matters the last couple of days, but did get some time to take a pic or 2.

See Grammie, see Henley, see how happy Grammie is.

Henley in a restored Radio Flyer-18.  The same one her dad and her aunts used.

Henley sharing her Radio Flyer with Mom and Dad.

Thanks for keep up on Grammie's whereabouts.

September 7 and 8, 2017 Jackson, WY

Hi everyone.

We made it back to Jackson Wyoming where we have been before.  It is a great area as Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks are nearby.

The town is busy in the summer months because of the National Parks...

 and busy during the Winter because of the great skiing.

This time we hiked into Phelps Pond.  The van got us up to 6600 feet to the parking area, but the van went further after passing the sign "Four Wheeled Vehicles Recommended".
We got up to 7200 feet over the 1 mile trail, met several people including a young couple from Singapore.

Phelps Pond

Back into town, the crowd increases as it caters to tourists.  In this particular shop, the avid hunter can purchase a trophy for hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

...and in this case  $8,000

Jackson also has many art shops that cater to the affluent.  This one was not for sale but was on display just outside a store that sold on the high end.

Grampy got in for a picture today.

We got this pic just before we went into the Haagen Daas Ice Cream Store in the background.

Thanks for keeping an eye out for Grammie.

September 6, 2017 Driggs, ID

Hi everyone.  Since we left Portland Oregon, we have covered 800 miles on the road.  With more seat time than anything else, we didn't stop to see much along the way...not that there isn't anything out there, there is plenty.  However, when traveling through Washington and Idaho, there are onions to grow, alfalfa to grow, Maine potato rivals to grow and harvest, as well as seed potatoes, and hay to bale.  Farm country.  Out here, the large bales are more popular, and as you go by farms, it looks like they are having a hay bale contest.  I'm not sure how many smaller bales make up a larger one, but for those really interested...  Hay Bales

The day was still hazy and the mountains were hard to see.  Yes the mountains were there.

There were markers like this one along the way to identify areas of historical significance.

Really needing an opportunity to get out and walk around, we chose to visit the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.  Craters of the Moon
The ground in this 84 square mile area is the result of volcanic activity where molten lava rose to the earth's surface and  leaked out rather than violently erupted.

 

Some of the formations rose somewhat higher.

There are flowers and plants that grown around the area, but much of is is still bare rock.

Dwarf Buckwheat grows and its root system is so large that it is not clumped together.  It likes to spread out.

When the lava broke the surface, it contained air as it cooled.

Grammie decided that she didn't want to venture to far down.

We did go into Indian Cave.  This particular tunnel was about 800 feet but there were several places where the roof had collapsed.

We didn't go in far enough to see any bats but there were 2 pigeons in there.

We did pass through the town of Arco, ID.  The town of Arco became the first city in the world to be lit by atomic power on July 17, 1955 from a reactor built nearby.  The town also the site of a Nuclear accident fatality.  Click on link  Arco fatality

Thanks for keeping track of Grammie. 

September 3 and 4, 2017 - Portland Oregon

Hi everyone.  We are at the western end of our journey, staying in Portland Oregon.  We have been with one of Tom's high school classmates, Mike, and wife Cathie.  The last 2 days we have spent on a houseboat, or a river home if you choose.  They are not on land, but the house structures are on logs, intermingled with styrofoam blocks.

The houses make up a community of houseboats, connected by walkways, and held in place using the tall poles you see in this pic.  

There is a long wharf running parallel to the shore, and then walkways running out into the Columbia River.

 Because the houses are subject to the tides, the house must be able to move up and down twice a day.  The rollers allow that to happen.

Many of the houses are multi-colored, and adorned with flowers.

They have all the usual connections to services a land based house would have.

Some even have some of the owners favorite signs displayed.

Because the banks are high and allowances need to be made for tides, walkway construction allows for the movement.

Many of the owners are fishermen who have the need for catching 20, 30 or even 40 pound salmon.  Tom got a day license and got no bites.

Some flower lovers tend to go over the top.

On the underside, the logs run length ways with styrofoam in between logs.

Some of the houses are quite large.

...and some have places for boat storage when away.

With the house sitting on the water, Grampy didn't have to rock Grammie to sleep.

This picture is looking down the river giving you a better look at the houses.

Over the last couple of days, there has been a growing fire up river to the  East.  When we left this morning, I-84 was closed in both ways on the route that we were going to travel.
For more info, click the link.  Multnomah Falls fire.

Leaving, we headed for Caldwell, Idaho for an overnight stay.  It was a long ride for over seven and a half hours.  We did stop to look a shoe tree. They are not as uncommon as one would think.

Shoe Trees in America

As always, thanks for keeping an eye out for Grammie.  She is now headed back East,  and a special thanks to Cathie and Mike for their hospitality.