The Bad Bad Badlands

Well, the Badlands really lived up to their name on the first night of our stay in Badlands National Park. Enjoying a beautiful sunset while the full moon rose in the east, it was a glorious evening. But the Badlands had an alternate agenda for that night. About midnight a monster storm hit that carried on and off until daybreak. Poor Lewis was deluged with heavy rain and pummeled with marble size pellets of hail. Inside Lewis it sounded like we were under attack from gun shots while the booms of the wind sounded like cannon fire. The growling thunder and the flashes of lightning added to the melee! Not much sleep that night. After sleeping in the next day, we toured the park and were amazed by its beauty and its geological history. Badlands Landscape

Colorful Geologic Formations

Definitely Cowboy Country

Buffalo Buddies

Niobrara, Scenic River of Nebraska

Pronouncing the name of this river correctly is tougher than kayaking it. It was an easy and fun paddle for John and I as we kayaked 15 miles from The Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge down to Smith Falls State Park. We had the river to ourselves as we floated beneath piney wood bluffs and along the base of steep cliffs comprised of ash and sand.

The width of the river with its swift current gives lie to the fact that it is only 18- 24 inches deep... knee deep or less pretty much anywhere in the river.

River God of the Niobrara

The 100th Meridian

Although the 100th Meridian may be an imaginary line on a map, it represents the crossover from the moist and humid woodsy East to the semi-arid West. To the east of the 100th Meridian, the atmosphere receives moisture from the Gulf of Mexico while to the West drier shortgrass prairies with a scarcity of trees predominate. Also, generally speaking, most of the land to the west of the line is above 2,000 feet, and most of the land to the east is below 2,000 feet. Shortgrass prairie of the Niobrara Wildlife Refuge

This interface of eastern and western landscapes at the 100th Meridian has created a unique biological corridor along the Niobrara River in north central Nebraska. Western and eastern species of plants, animals and birds are on the far edges of their ranges and intermingle with prairie species from the south and boreal floral and fauna from the north. A lively mix from all directions! This has been a delight for us birders. We have enjoyed seeing the horned lark, upland sandpiper, and burrowing owls. The melodious song of the meadow lark has thrilled our ears. Meanwhile the antics of the prairie dogs busy in their prairie dog towns have entertained us.

The Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge supports a herd of 30 buffalo...a tiny remnant of the massive herds the used to range from Northwest Canada all the way south to Mexico and east to the western edge of the Appalachian Mountains.

The "I" States

John and I have traveled west through Indiana, Illinois, and now Iowa. The "I" states are aligned east to west in Mid America. The characteristics they share are flatness, greenness, corniness and friendly folks. We enjoyed our stay in Springfield,Illinois visiting the Abraham Lincoln sights. We particularly enjoyed the Presidential Library and Museum with its state-of-the art theaters. The "special effects" of the theater program had us jumping out of our seats a couple of times! We even saw Lincoln's ghost. Touring the home of Abraham and Mary Lincoln in Springfield was another highlight, really taking us back to the reality of everyday life at that time. You can't help but marvel at the hardships and struggles the early Americans endured. So grateful that we live in this age of convenience, ease and health care.

The tragic story of the Lincoln Family is heart breaking.

The Lincoln Family home in Springfield is in Illinois's only National Park.

Home is where you hang your hat

Westward Bound

Indianapolis, Indiana is home to the joint campus of Indiana University and Purdue University in Indianapolis. That is now the abode of my wonderful nephew and his amazing wife and their precious little daughter. What a delight is was for John and I to visit them there! Indianapolis is also significant to us because we have finally made the turn to the West! Lewis is now heading out of Indiana, into Illinois and across South Dakota. John and I can only marvel at the variety and beauty of landscapes we have traversed thus far. Although the contents of the strip malls remain fairly constant...McDonalds, Arbys, Dollar General.... the views of the countryside from the cockpit of Lewis are ever changing. Middle America is flush with neon green this April. The tiny fresh corn sprouts have turned the corn fields into a soft lush carpet. Spring is all around us...a bounty of birds, plants, trees, animals soaking up the warmth and enjoying the renewal of life.

Boma and her 5 month old grand niece

Nashville Cats

The Nashville country music scene has got John and I stomping our feet and yee-hawing with the fans after attending three concert in three days. Highlights include attending the Grand Ole Opry Country Classics concert at Ryman Hall in downtown Nashville. That was our first experience with live radio theater. Then couldn't miss the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. And the grand finale was last night's concert at the Grand Ole Opry with Josh Turner, Trace Adkins, and Keith Urban. We are star-struck and hung over this morning from too much country!

The Hall of Fame Rotunda showing member's plaques.


Elvis Presley's Gold Piano


Struck Star evening...Trace Adkins, Keith Urban and Josh Turner

Spring in the Smokies

John and I had an eventful day touring Great Smoky Mountain National Park in Tennessee. Spring wildflowers abound and the bears have come out of hibernation hungry. We were up close (about 12 feet) to a big black bear that was tearing apart a rotting log to enjoy a snack of yellow jacket larvae. Black bears in this park also eat a lot of squaw root which is a parasite on oak roots. They also frequently climb trees to eat the blossoms and then nap. The former favorite food and staple of these bears, the chestnut, is no longer available as virtually all American chestnut trees were killed by an Asiatic fungus that swept through the Appalachians in the 1930's. Kinda like us humanoids loosing all our coffee or chocolate. Likely to make ya very cranky!!

It is such a thrill to see the first signs of spring. The tender green of new leaves on the forest trees is like cool water across the eyes. The blooms of the wild dogwood against the leafy greenness with the occasional giant magnolia blossom popping out are proof of Spring's progress. And wildflowers! Yes!
Giant Magnolia Blossom


Cades Cove


Mountain Music Banjo Player