Aug 29 2017 - to Keystone,SD

First stop - Hot Springs SD.  Nice resort town. Local stone used to make the buildings.  Hot spring still works - the swimming pool is filled straight from it.  But not its more famous for its VA hospital.  A splendid building.

Used to be the hotel - now a convalescent home

The amazing VA hospital. They dont build them like this any more

Next stop - Wind cave    There over a hundred miles of charted caves in here - but obviously the guided tours only show a small part.  Buts its worth it.  We took the 'fairgrounds' tour.  Takes about 1.5 hours and start by going down a few hundred feet by elevator.  There are then some 450 stairs to negotiate  - but it doesn't seem hard when you are down there.  The cave is famous for its "Boxwork" formations...

Next stop Custer State Park

Tonight's stop is Keystone.   Rushed back to Mount Rushmore (see what I did there) to catch the lighting ceremony.  Well call us cynical but we though a lighting ceremony would be more than turning on a light.  Oh well - its still worth seeing.....

Aug 28 2017 - to Crawford,NE

But first a hike down the Bluffs.   You can drive to the top, hike down and the park service will run you back up.  (or vice-versa)  Great service - and great views.  Its only a few miles down so more of a stroll.

Next stop  Agate Fossil beds national monument.. These Daemonelix or Devils's corkscrew fossils were originally though to be some plant root - till one got broken and they realised they were actually the underground burrows of an animal similar to today's prairie dogs.  These are many feet tall.

Fascinating place to waste an hour or 2.

Last stop for the day was Fort Robinson State park   Massive place with many original buildings from it Fort days.  Sioux chief Crazy horse was killed here.

We were considering staying at the hotel in the park - but it was expensive for minimal facilites.  So a short drive up the road we found the tiny town of Crawford.  What's not to like?

Aug 27 2017 - to Scottsbluff,NE

Lake Ogallala State recreation area

Since its not tidal we are nor sure how this happened...

Camping on the beach - in Nebraska!

Chimney Rock   -  on the Oregon trail.

Aug 25 2017 - To Dodge City

And we are off.
Day 1, after a late start, gets us to Sayre,OK.

The local gas station was offering these Goat delicacies, and a very popular hole-in-the-wall Indian restaurant that was packed with Indian truckers.  Who knew?

Day 2 got us to Dodge City for 2 nights
Great cowboy town and still has massive feed lots where cattle are fattened before shipping out.

 

August 2017 - The adventure begins

Well all the ducks are now lined up nicely.
We are finally ready for our Grand Adventure.

We got a few rental properties to keep us in beer until we can draw pensions.
We retired.
We downsized.

We got a new tow vehicle
We will very soon be driving North West to get our new-to-us travel trailer

The neighbor's attack dogs are watching the house.
Let the fun begin!

May 31 2017 - Found our new house

We have been looking in ever increasing circles for our new house.  Remember what we are trying to do here - downsize into a newer, cheaper, no-maintenance house with a no-maintenance yard, and space to store our trailer,  but with  plenty of resale potential.  Well today we found it  -  in Granbury!.  If  you remember a long time ago we came through Granbury on one of our earlier trips and we liked the place... Well today we found this gem for sale by owner.

It meets all the requirements and on the Fort Worth side of Granbury so we can get to DFW in about 1 hour if we need to.

And just in time as we close on our old house tomorrow. We are leasing it back for 1 month to  give us time to close on this one.  It will be strange being tenants in our own home.  We'll look after it though and still cut the grass.  Might stop buying plants for the garden now though.  :)

May 18 2017 - New roof

We arrive back from China (it was great by the way - buy us a beer and we'll tell you more) to find the roofing material stacked neatly on the driveway as promised.  

 Our task was to cut the grass short near the house to make cleanup easier. That was done at first light and then the workers turn up - 18 of them at one point.  They tarp all  of the landscaping and the pool then get on with it.  Its a dodgy day weather-wise, so they do it in stages:  strip - clean - line - shingle.
All  hand nailed (and yes they have all their fingers)

At the end of a long day they tidy all their mess up and even use a long magnet to sweep for nails in the lawn.  Very impressed.   New carpets tomorrow and we are done.  Phew!