Home On The Range

This trip of 2 and 1/2 Months took Me and Debi Across Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
Utah and Colorado. We drove our Motorhome pulling a trailer with 2 motorsickles and 2 bicycles inside
the whole way. We camped, hiked, bicycle'd and motorcycle'd our way up thru the Pacific Northwest
escaping the heat and humidity of our Southern Illinois home town.

We met and rode with friends along the way--met some neat people.
And near the end of our journey I was given the surprise of my life from many close friends.
I had no idea this would be my "This Is Your Life"

 

Our first day we drove slowly on backroads across Missouri and Northern Kansas.
We stopped in the lovely town of Marysville, KS and camped for the nite.
I thought it would be just a nite of camping----I was wrong as we found many things to do here
and just didn't want to leave when we finally did. As you can see I've done unloaded my bicycle
and had no idea of the cool ride I was going to have on it.

 

 

This town has a lot history............the pony express being a big part of it.

 

 

 

 

The old railroad station in Marysville--------the tracks had long ago been removed
and a bicycle trail was made. These are called "Rails To Trails" and me and Debi
have ridden many around the country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Debi sat this one out----but off I went North on this great trail.
It's called "The Big Blue River" trail and runs along it.
Where would it take me ????

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes---------I rode this trail all the way to the Nebraska border.
There are no roads here at the state line------just the old rail line.

 

 

 

 

Same exact spot--------when I turned back I was presented with this sign.
Now how cool is this------done this many times on my motorcycle but never on a bicycle.

 

 

 

 

 

I slowly made my way back to Marysville, KS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This commenorative statue was back in town near the old train station.

 

 

 

 

Remember me saying this town is known for many things....one thing I never heard of........Black squirrels.
Find the little booger in this picture---------doesn't look real. Kind of spooky looking.
Regular squirrel at the bottom of picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These squirrels were really use to people.......you could get very close.

 

We spent about 4 days here enjoying the little town and we poked all around it on our bicycles.
We walked around town a lot too.
The kicker is this------we were camped in the city park with electric hookups and it was free.
As in "FREE"
Thank you Marysville !!!!!!
Our little dog Didi enjoyed it here too as she got to run around and play a lot.

A short video so far----select HD if you have the speed.

 

 

 

 

After we left Marysvill, KS we poked our way West on lonely 2 lane roads thru very small towns.
Then North on another lonely road we saw this sign beside the road.
There was nobody on this road and I backed up and took another look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One mile West down a gravel road we came to the old homestead.
I had never heard of it----how cool is this.

 

 

History tells us Dr. Brewster live here alone for years---then raised a family here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were truly touched by our accidental find and stayed here for hours.
Debi fixed us all a nice lunch---nobody here but us.
I ended up getting out my guitar---sat on the steps of the cabin and sang
Home On The Range
Mind you I can't sing----------and know it.

A short video of our visit here.
Don't forget.........I can't sing...........and know it. You don't need to remind me.

 

 

 

 

We drug our way from the cabin---would like to have camped there---probably not wanted.
Found this nice state park-----seems they had some flooding problems-------couldn't get near it.

 

 

 

 

Didn't drive that far and camped in a city park in Ansley, Nebraska-----$15

 

 

 

 

Drove on the Flint Hills Highway thru Nebraska and camped that nite in
Bessex Recreation complex in the Nebraska National Forest.
I'd seen this place passing by on previous trips to the Pacific Northwest.
Side by side vehicles and 4 wheelers all over the place-----hundreds of them.
Thought this would be a good place to get my 250 out and have some fun.
But the trails were all tore up very badly and there was nothing but one foot deep poof dust
for a trail---------I don't ride in OHV areas-------this is the way it always is.
Great campsite and I got the bicycle a lot and rode up to the top of one mountain to a look out
tower on a paved road.

 

 

Part of some of the bicycling I did there.

 

 

 

 

 

We headed today towards Scotts Bluff, Nebraska.
Heard about camping in a nearby town at the Fairgrounds. It was here we spent the
next several days doing all kinds of stuff.

We me the guy in the bibs and he was here for a rat--rod convention which started in a few days.

 

 

 

Pay attention to this machine----------it was out of this world as was the owner.
It's an old hearse and it was modified-----------a lot---the engine was a dodge cummins diesel--one
of the first years for that engine that they put in pickups. It ran like a top and was awesome to hear.

 

 

 

 

 

Knowing fair well I knew the thing couldn't have air conditioning like they put in a lot rods.
I was wrong............it had a swamp cooler which got it's 110 volts from the inverter you see.
He drove this thing all the way from California.
He slept in it a nite------it had everything he needed.
Said it would a hell of a sideways power slide.

 

 

 

 

 

This electrolux was a functioning air cleaner for the diesel motor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite part.........see that funnel ???? There was a drain hose attatched to it.
It was his urinal he said........when you peed in it the piss ran onto your foot........I'm not kidding.

 

 

 

We had a hoot camping hear and stayed a few days awaiting a balloon fest that was coming to the area.
A ride in a balloon-------I didn't care what it cost as I was signing up for that. Never done that...one of
the few things I haven't done.
In the meantime -------got the 500 out for a ride.

 

 

 

Me and Debi were going to ride to the top of Scotts Bluff.

 

 

 

It was a few miles to the top and the road went thru 3 tunnels that looked just like this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well that was awesome-----but we heard you cold hike up there.
We went back to the camper for the nite---had a hoot with people camped there and prepared
for the next days hike.
We rode the Honda 500 back to the visitor center and had no idea of what we were getting into.
We brought our shorts--hiking shoes, snacks and water.
We wisely left Didi our dog in the camper.
Debi is a hiker---but it got pretty warm this day which made this pretty hard to complete.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a beautiful hike and we stopped often to look at the view------------and................rest.
It was hot.

 

 

 

This tunnel saved us--------we were about overheated and the cool breeze blowing thru
this tunnel saved us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I never did get my balloon ride. I signed up but the wind never died down enough for them to fly.
I was so disappointed and we eventually moved on down the road.

 

 

 

 

To............Hells Half Acre.
A big hole in the ground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I guess were in Wyoming now ????

 

 

 

 

 

 

We drove to Thermopolis, Wyoming to the largest "mineral" hot spring in the world.
It's a beautiful place. Here's where all the hot water comes out of the ground.
They say this is all tied to Yellowstone underground and when it all blows up someday.......you
won't be able to run fast enough.

 

 

 

Hot !!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All that hot water goes into many pools and eventually over this water fall and into the Bighorn River.
Look at the mineral deposits----a beautiful sight.

 

 

 

 

Debi is extremely well balanced---she's like a balerina........as long as what she's walking on is not
moving under her. She's holding on for her life as the swinging bridge did it's thing..........swung !!!

 

 

 

 

She made it across............then realized she had to come back across !!!!

 

 

This don't look real-------but I'm telling you it is.
Get out and go here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Mile North of Thermopolis, Wyoming is the larges hot spring man made pool.
We camped here one nite.

 

 

 

All the hot water shoots out of what they call "The Volcano"
At night a light show is directed at it and it is spectacular.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are 3 pools of different hotness.
The water out of the volcano goes into the first pool and you should not get in it.
There are signs warning you not to-------I couldn't put a finger in it.
The next pool is a big cooler but still way too hot---I never saw anybody get in it.
The pool you see below is the coolest and is the one everybody gets in.
These pools are huge---they were dry for cleaning the afternoon we got there and they assured us
that at 7 AM in the morning they would be full of hot water----and they were.
Debi is loving this------and I would take us to several more hot springs on this trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Bighorn County Airpot.
There were many old plains on display at a rest area beside the airport.
All these planes you see were for all to see.
There were many more closer to the airport but you couldn't get to them from the rest area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After looking at all the planes---having lunch in our camper and just hanging around we
headed North and camped in Bighorn National recreation area for several days.
There was much to do here. This is just South of the Montana border.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got out my Honda 250 Rally and rode North into Montana by myself on a dirt road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were a couple gates to open and close on the way.

 

 

 

 

 

My ride North was excellent and I didn't go past this gate.
I had laid out a route which was much more than I could ride today.
It was getting late in the day and the roads in here would be impassable if it rained.
I had no communication with my wife out here---I had an Inreach gps tracker she could see where
I was ........................if she had wifi-----but there was none at camp. It was smart for me to turn back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had a reason to come out here. I had a waypoint in my gps that I put there years ago called
"Buffalo Jump". This is where the Indians would kill the buffalo by running them off this cliff.
There's a nice ranch there now.

 

 

 

 

Heading back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a mud rut----left after a rain.
I did not want to be out here if it rained.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back into the Recreation Area

 

 

 

 

 

 

My wife was bent on seeing a bear on this trip.
Much later on she does----but it wasn't in a situation she was comfortable with at all when she
came face to face with a big black bear.
So stay tuned for that.............it is hilarious !!!!!!

 

 

 

 

I found this old cowboy cabin.

A short Video
`

 

 

 

 

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