A Trip Back to Indiana

Each summer we had visitors come and stay with us. This time we had Marge, Sue, Ginny and Jeff. I don't know how they got to our place but we were going to take them all home and visit. I was not between jobs and Mary was teaching. The six of us and two dogs loaded into the VW van and took off for Indiana. It wasn't long before it was evident that there was a problem with the van. I could not get to 5o MPH. It took us an extra three days to get to Indiana and by the time we got there, we were not speaking to each other.

Mary is sitting on a stump by the stream contemplating the upcoming trip back to Indiana.

Mary and PB

Playing on a glacier

Jeff and Mary

Valley of the Dolls

Now we are ready to leave. Most of us are here. This is 736 Adams in Loveland, Colorado. The 6 of us and 2 dogs took off on a trip from here to Indiana. We were going to camp out along the way. Little did we know of the hardships we would encounter. Jeff and Ginny were sneezing and coughing most of the way because of allergies. Sue and Marge were yelling at each other arguing over whose idea it was to come to Colorado anyway. Steve and Mary were wondering what they had gotten themselves into. The van had a valve out and was not able to go over 45 MPH maybe 50 if we had a long stretch of downhill road. Squat and PB had a wonderful time.

Badlands

If you look carefully you can see Jeff riding the crest of an erosion peak.

We were in the Badlands for the sunset and the sunrise.

We made it to Mount Rushmore. We had a long hill to climb to see the site.

Find Mary

Our first glance of the historic mountain. We had to pull off the road to let the line of cars around us. We could only go about 20. It was all uphill.

We tried to put ourselves in their shoes

The real thing

Crazy Horse

Proposed Crazy Horse tribute

Sue thought the sculpter left a booger on this bust and she was trying to remove it while cleaning her own.

Jeff was allergic to everything we came in contact with. He sneezed and coughed all the way back home. He also did not like bugs so he would get in his sleeping bag and zip it over his head. By the time we got back to Indiana we all hated each other.

This is our camp site outside of Mt. Rushmore.

We stopped for a break. To let the dogs and everyone pee and eat and play.

Marge was so hungry we all had to step back and let her go to it.

Ginny is looking for the bathroom. She was not accustomed to the use of an outhouse. The pink one was hers.

We all finally got to dig in.

Inside the van. Can you believe 5 people and 2 dogs made in across the country in here. And we could only go 45 MPH.

Steve and Ginny

Marge flyin high

Mary

Marge

The corn palace in Mitchell, SD. Note the van in the foreground.