Our Plans Are Definitely Written in Jello

After a lovely week on Portage Glacier Road, I returned to Anchorage so I could pick up Tim at the airport on Tuesday night.  He had been in Oklahoma at Chickasaw National Recreation Area to prepare the park’s annual museum reports.  This was a return visit for Tim, who flew to Chickasaw last summer to prepare the same reports.  You might recall that Tim and I visited Chickasaw last December, and you can read about the park in this post. 

Chickasaw had recently experienced heavy rains in a short period of time, causing extensive flooding throughout the park.  The silver lining to all this water was the replenishment of the water table.  When we visited Chickasaw, many of the springs and fountains were dry.  This time Tim was especially happy to see the Bromide Fountain flowing.

Bromide Fountain, August 2015

Bromide Fountain, December 2014

This was a whirlwind trip for Tim, and a hot one.  The temperatures inched into the triple digits while he was in Oklahoma, with a heat index of 116.  He almost had a heat stroke and was happy to return to Alaska where temperatures have been in the mid-70s.

We had decided that after Tim returned to Alaska, it would be time for us to start heading toward Denali National Park and Fairbanks.  We expect Fairbanks to be our northernmost destination before we begin our trek south toward the Lower 48.

In order to give Tim a break after his project, as well as catch up on laundry and other chores before leaving “civilization” behind, we decided to stop for two nights at a commercial campground.  We had not stayed at a campground for nine days, a record for us.  The solar panels are really doing their job and have opened up so many new opportunities.

We picked Big Bear RV Park and Campground in Wasilla, where we had stayed a month ago.  Big Bear is a nice, simple campground that we enjoyed the first time around, and this time was even better.  We arrived to discover that the campground was hosting a salmon bake that evening – the first one of the summer.  That was a stroke of pure luck for us, being at the right place at the right time.

The offerings were plentiful and delicious.  Grilled Copper River salmon, fried salmon fingers and salmon spread were joined by moose ribs and a moose casserole.  Fellow campers provided a selection of side dishes, but the hosts took care of almost everything.  What a treat!  The salmon was delicious, and so was the moose, but my heart melted when I tasted the dessert – a rhubarb, blueberry, cranberry and raspberry crisp with vanilla ice cream.  All of the berries had been handpicked.  Yum!  Everything else was also homemade by many of the relatives of the campground owners.  What lovely people they are.  The good food was matched only by the good conversation.

Frying Up a Batch of Salmon Fingers

Grilling Several Copper River Salmon Filets

Enjoying an Overflowing Plate

While Tim was taking it easy on Thursday, he received a telephone call offering him another museum services contract.  It seems that the folks at Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site in North Dakota liked his work for them last year and want him back.  That was an unexpected call.  We decided to extend our stay at the campground so we could look at our schedule, and some maps, to see if we could work North Dakota into our plans.  Tim and I both enjoyed working at Fort Union, so we hoped a return visit would be possible.

Although we had originally planned to return to the Lower 48 via the Cassiar Highway, and then head towards Oregon, we decided that a trip down the Alaska Highway and on through Alberta and Saskatchewan Provinces would do just fine.  We wouldn’t really have time to do much sightseeing along the way, but we had always planned to return to Canada for a much longer visit sometime in the next few years.  So, we decided we could leave Fairbanks around September 1 and take three weeks before arriving at Fort Union by September 21.  It would then require a quick dash to Colorado for our doctor and dentist appointments the week of October 11.

With our new plans on the calendar, we were ready to leave for Denali.  But, not so fast.  Yesterday, Tim received another telephone call offering him the possibility of one more contract.  What?  What’s going on here?  This one was really enticing – Denali National Park!  But, how on earth could we possibly fit in another two-week contract before leaving Alaska and still make it to Fort Union in time?  Extending our campground stay for another night gave us time to look at the schedule one more time.

It looks like we just might be able to make it happen.  Although the contract is not a sure thing – Tim has to meet with the museum curator at Denali this coming week – we think we’ve figured out a tentative plan.  It would mean that Tim would have to work during much of our planned visit to Denali (I’m not sure how many days he’d want to spend on a bus anyway!), and we would have only two weeks instead of three to drive to Fort Union (not our preferred speed at all!), but this contract is something that Tim would love to do.  I’m always up for an adventure anyway, so let’s make our last month up north one to remember.

Wow!  That's a Long Drive!

I don’t think Tim ever anticipated that he would be offered so many contracts, especially since he hasn’t really been seeking them out.  Most have come his way via word of mouth.  However, he is thoroughly enjoying the work, and so am I, since I get to work with him on most projects. 

As the old RV saying goes, “RV plans are written in Jello, always some wiggle room.”  I’m thrilled that this lifestyle has given us such flexibility to take advantage of opportunities that come our way. 

A Little Bit of Shaking Going On

After an amazing four days in Homer, Tim and I packed up and headed north on July 28.  Because we needed to be in Anchorage in time to complete a few errands before my flight to Portland on July 31, we had to forego some of the stops we had hoped to make.  Oh well, that leaves more for us to see next time.

We did make time for a visit to the town of Kenai, where I wanted to explore the town’s Russian history.  There were several buildings to see. Built in 1895, the Holy Assumption Orthodox Church is the oldest standing Russian Orthodox church in Alaska.  Nearby is the rectory, the oldest building in the Kenai region, and the 1906 Chapel of St. Nicholas.  Kenai was the fifth Russian outpost to be established in Alaska, so it was not much of a surprise to learn that the town’s oldest buildings reflect this heritage.

Holy Assumption Orthodox Church

Church Steeple

Church Interior

Rectory

Chapel of St. Nicholas

When we arrived at the church, we were surprised at the buzz of activity.  People were scraping, painting and repairing the exterior of this simple, but lovely, village church.  We talked to a man and his wife who explained that they were a part of a group of Southern Baptists from West Virginia and had traveled to Alaska to help with the restoration of this historic church.  For them a church was a church.  It didn’t seem to matter what the denomination was.  That was nice to see.

The People and Scaffolding Aren't Great for Photos,
But I Was Happy to See the Restoration in Progress

We weren’t sure how far we would drive after leaving Kenai, but the rain made the decision for us.  We don’t like to drive in the rain, so we started looking for a campground north of  Soldotna.  Because the Kenai River parallels the highway, there are quite a few public campgrounds from which to choose.  

We decided to check out the Izaak Walton Campground in Sterling, and that turned out to be a perfect place for us to stop.  This is a nice state campground located within the Kenai River Special Management Area, but it can accommodate small rigs only.  Located where the Moose River flows into the Kenai River, the campground attracts a lot of fishermen, although it was fairly wide open when we arrived.

While Tim and I were eating dinner, we felt something give the RV a good shake.  With visions of the bears at Katmai fresh in my mind, I immediately assumed that a bear was checking us out.  A bit alarmed, we peered out the windows but could see nothing.  We couldn’t figure out what had happened, but we didn’t give it too much thought.

A Little Bit of Shaking at Our Riverfront Campsite

It wasn’t until the following day that we learned that we had experienced our first earthquake!  And not just a tiny earthquake, but a 6.3 magnitude one!  Wow!  The earthquake hit just south of Mount Iliamna, one of the volcanoes we had seen on our way to Homer.  The quake had struck at a depth of 73 miles, thus reducing the amount of shaking.  I guess that’s why we experienced only a brief jolt.  It was reported that the earthquake was felt across South Central Alaska and as far north as Fairbanks.  Apparently, it was unlike any to hit the Cook Inlet region in decades.  When I was hoping for new experiences in Alaska, an earthquake wasn’t on the list!  Luckily, there was no damage, just lots of stories to tell.

We left in the morning to make our way back to Anchorage.  Since we really didn’t need to arrive until the next day, we thought we would stop at a pullout along the Turnagain Arm and hang out for the day and evening.  We had thought it would be cool to watch the huge tides come in and out.  For some reason, however, we just kept driving and found ourselves in Anchorage before we knew it.  With no plans, we headed to Cabela’s, which permits RVs to park overnight for up to 48 hours.  Very nice.  The double rainbow that we saw shortly after we set up was a nice bonus.

Not a Great Foreground, but the Rainbows Were a Treat

If You Don't Need Hookups, Cabela's May be the Nicest Place to Camp in Anchorage

It was early the next morning when I learned that my friend Jane had passed away.  I was a mess, but I had to pull myself together to get ready to fly to Portland the following day.  Blogs like this one sometimes lead people to believe that full-time RVers lead a carefree and charmed life.  Sometimes that is true.  However, we are not immune from life’s tragedies and have to deal with them just like everyone else.

Tim and I needed to move to a commercial campground so I could do laundry and pack the few things that I would need for the weekend.  Golden Nugget RV Park seems to be the only park recommended by RVers who live in Alaska, so that’s where we headed.  It was ok, not great, but it had lots of washers and dryers and decent showers.  We completed our chores, and I was able to take the time to sit back and remember Jane and the wonderful times we had shared.

Final Days in Ketchikan

It seems that this is the summer for a huge number of RVers to make the journey to Alaska.  One couple is writing about their journey in the blog Coloring the Void, which I have begun to follow.  A recent post really hit home with me.  “The RV Life” perfectly captures what our RV life is also about.  The post describes the three types of days that comprise RV life – traveling, touristing and living.  Finding a balance between driving from one place to another, seeing the sights and performing routine chores and errands can often be challenging.  This is especially true for anyone making the journey to Alaska.

It’s tempting to try and see everything there is to see since we don’t know if, or when, we might be back to Alaska.  However, just like the rest of our full-time life, we have to remember to pace ourselves – this is not a vacation for us, it’s our life.  Although we may do more and go more than we are used to, we don’t want to burn out.  Sensory overload is not good either, and we certainly don’t want all the places to blur together.  We want to be able to appreciate every stop, even if it means we miss some things that are typical “must sees.”

It’s for this reason that Monday for us was a “living” day.  After our whirlwind day of flightseeing and touring on Sunday, we stayed around the RV, gazed out at the water, did a load of laundry, wrote a blog post and simply relaxed.  It was a perfect way to spend the day.  I’m so glad that we have several days between ferry trips to be able to see each town at a slower pace.

We took our time on Tuesday morning while checking out of the campground.  It was foggy and we were in no hurry.  We would be catching the ferry from Ketchikan to Wrangell, but it wouldn’t leave until 3:15 am.  Ugh!  Our plan was to spend the early part of the night camped at the ferry dock.

But before that we had two stops planned – Totem Bight State Park and Saxman Totem Park.  Both feature totem poles and clan houses, and they share a similar history.  In 1938 the Civilian Conservation Corp removed totem poles from abandoned villages and established totem parks, including those in Totem Bight and Saxman.  In most cases Native Alaskans working for the CCC duplicated the original totems using traditional methods.  The original poles were then discarded.  This program helped train a new generation of carvers and fostered an appreciation for Native art.

Totem Bight is a now a state park that recreates a model Native village.  A clan house, or community house, that is representative of the type built during the early nineteenth century is the centerpiece.  Fourteen totem poles surround the clan house, and a self-guided tour brochure describes the story behind each one.

Totem Bight State Park

Clan House

Main Entrance

A Beautiful Setting

Located within the context of a thriving Alaska Native community, Saxman Totem Park contains the largest number of standing totems in one location and includes examples of the best totem pole carvings in southern Southeastern Alaska.  Totem poles are strategically placed on both sides of the road that leads to the park-like setting that contains the clan house.  Most tourists visit Saxman on cruise ship tours, and we arrived just as two buses were about to depart.  We caught the tail end of a presentation by a young Tlingit carver and saw several totem poles that were in different stages of completion.

Approaching Saxman Totem Park

Clan House

That's an Odd Totem

Another Odd Figure

The Tradition of Carving Totem Poles Is Kept Alive at Saxman

It has been interesting to learn about the various types of totem poles, as well as their significance and the stories that they tell.  We especially enjoyed identifying the various symbolic characters that are represented and often repeated on the various totems.  The two totem parks provide a different experience than the one at the Totem Heritage Center, and I’m glad we decided to visit all three.

 

Stories and Symbolism

We spent the early evening in downtown Ketchikan after all the cruise ships had departed, and what a change it was.  Most of the shops were closed, and it seemed as if the town had rolled up the sidewalk.  It was then time to head to the ferry dock and try to catch a nap before it was time to board the ferry.  Easier said than done, but we survived. 

I still can’t believe the beautiful, sunny days we enjoyed in Ketchikan.  May is one of the best times to visit Southeast Alaska if you want to lessen the chance of rain.  It certainly worked for us.

I’d like to offer one last tip to any RVers who may be considering a stop in Ketchikan.  Before we arrived, we had read that campground water in Ketchikan contains tannins and is the color of tea.  Although the water is potable, it’s not what I wanted to run through our water filter or add to our fresh water tank.  So, we filled our tank before boarding the ferry in Prince Rupert and bought bottled water for drinking and coffee.  (We almost never use bottled water, but our tank is small and we would not have lasted without it.)  We will refill our tank when we get to Wrangell, our next stop.

Expanding Our Power Options - Solar and Lithium

Since Eugene, Oregon, is not on the route from Colorado to Alaska, you may be wondering why we chose to stop there.  When we knew we were going to spend the summer in Alaska, we bit the bullet and made an appointment at AM Solar in neighboring Springfield to have solar panels installed on our RV.  Tim and I had hemmed and hawed for more than a year about whether to spend the money for solar, but finally decided that it would enhance our quality of life, especially in Alaska.

On Monday April 27, we left Armitage Park in Eugene and arrived at AM Solar for a consultation.  Questions had to be answered.  What did we hope to accomplish with solar panels?  What was our typical usage, and what items did we hope to power with an inverter?  We had a general idea, but really didn’t know what might be possible.  Because our RV is so small, there is not a lot of room on the roof for solar panels.  The original thought was that two 100 watt panels might fit.  And what about an inverter?  Did we just want to be able to charge electronics, or were we looking to plug in other appliances.

AM Solar is one of the most highly-recommended outfits in the country for solar installation on RVs, and the folks there are extremely knowledgeable.  They patiently answered our questions and tried to find solutions that would meet our needs and wants.  We casually tossed around the possibility of a much larger inverter, as well as lithium batteries, but knew those items would greatly increase the cost, as well as take up more space than we expected.  We left on Monday with a promise that a recommended solution would be ready the next morning.

On Tuesday morning, we were presented with an ideal package to accomplish our goals.  This included three GS 100 watt solar panels (lo and behold, AM Solar found room for one more), a Magnum MS2000 Pure Sine Wave Inverter, a 12.8 V-200Ah lithium battery, as well as assorted remote controls, a charge controller and battery system monitor.  What had begun as a small, several thousand dollar project had morphed into one many times the original estimate.  What to do?  What to do?

Some of the System Components in the Recommended Package

Tim and I accepted the fact our ideal system would be expensive, but we also knew that such a system would open up so many more camping opportunities for us.  We wouldn’t have to worry about having electrical hookups each night.  Instead, we could camp along a beautiful stream, or even beside the road if we were ready to stop for the night.  We would be able to not only charge our electronics, but also run our coffeemaker, our microwave and even our small electric heater if we wanted to (just not all at one time!).

This system represented freedom to us.  We might never recoup our investment by boondocking, or camping without hookups, as much as some RVers do, but we would have the option of not having to worry about campground hookups.  That is what sold us on the whole package.  Besides, we had received a very hefty tax refund that would cover most of the cost, and a 30 percent investment tax credit for solar system installations would be available to us on our 2015 federal tax return. 

Tim and I certainly never expected to be on the forefront of technological innovations in the RV world, but that’s exactly what this system represents.  Solar has been around for a long time, and many RVers have installed solar panels.  

What’s new, however, is the use of lithium batteries in RVs.  Only a tiny percentage of RVers have installed lithium batteries.  They have only been available for RV use for a short while, plus they are extremely expensive.  However, they offer so many advantages over lead-acid or even AGM batteries, especially for small RVs like ours that have no room for a large bank of batteries.  Lithium batteries charge much more quickly, and at nearly 100 percent efficiency, plus they can be discharged down to 20 percent, while other batteries should never go below 50 percent.  They are almost worry-free and can be installed virtually anywhere.  This, coupled with the solar panels, will practically double our power capacity.  For all of these reasons, the decision to go with lithium was almost a no-brainer, at least once we got over the sticker shock.

Installing the Solar Panels

All Three Panels Installed

AM Solar had not originally booked us for such an extensive installation, but they promised to accommodate us and finish the job by the end of the week.  We unloaded the RV to give them room to work and left our home in their capable hands.  We then returned to the hotel where we would be staying for the week.  There was simply no way we could live in the RV with the amount of work that was being done.  Although we returned each day for a short visit to check on progress, we mostly tried to stay out of the way.

While AM Solar was busy at work, we spent our free time finalizing a few chores and errands, as well as getting very short haircuts.  I love mine, and I think Tim is getting used to his, but he remarked that his hair hadn’t been that short since he was a kid.  I think it looks great, and both of our cuts will make RV living even more carefree.

Our New Short Haircuts

Friday afternoon was the big reveal, and we were so excited to see the finished product.  Cody and Mitchell, who had worked their magic on the RV, spent quite a bit of time with us doing a complete walk-through.  The system has so many capabilities, and I’m not sure I comprehend even the basics, but Tim understands these things much better than I.  He also recorded the walk-through, plus we have a packet of manuals for future reference. 

Mitchell and Cody Explain the System to Tim

Ready for Take-Off

I can’t say enough good things about AM Solar.  Dave, Roger, Cody, Mitchell and the rest of the staff were great to deal with, and everyone was extremely careful while working in our home.  I’ve also never seen a shop that is as clean and organized as this one.  It really inspires confidence. 

We said our good-byes and headed off to the nearby Valley River Center mall that permits overnight camping in the parking lot.  It was fun to keep an eye on the new monitors and watch the numbers inch upward as the sun continued to stream into the solar panels.  This is going to be fun.

The only downside to the solar installation is that we had to give up quite a bit of our already-limited storage space.  Oh well, that’s the trade-off.  The new lithium battery now makes its home under the ottoman that used to house our shoes.  The inverter rests under the sofa where two storage boxes once contained extra food supplies.  The monitors are in the closet.  Our immediate challenge, therefore, was to find other storage options, or get rid of even more things.  With a bit of creative arranging, we figured a way.  We won’t be able to carry as many spare food or paper items, so we’ll just look forward to stopping at the store more often.  Somehow, we will make it work.

Luckily, the Monitors Don't Take Up Much Room in the Closet

The Resort Life

After our quick, two-week trip to Arkansas and Oklahoma, we returned to the Buckhorn Lake Resort in Kerrville, Texas, on December 15 for a month-long stay.  This would be our “home” during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.  It really was like returning home when we pulled into the resort and checked into our new site in the Executive area.

One of the things I dislike about most private campgrounds, including much of Buckhorn, is the layout.  In so many RV parks, resorts included, sites are laid out side-by-side in parallel rows.  This means that you are parked right next to your neighbor, resulting in a distinct lack of privacy.  That’s the type of site we had at Buckhorn during our Thanksgiving visit.  Another characteristic is a lack of trees.

When we were walking around Buckhorn at Thanksgiving, we came across the Executive area, tucked away in a hidden corner of the property.  Although a bit more expensive, the area is so much nicer.  This is an adults-only section, which would be a very desirable feature when school is out.  We were drawn to the fact that the area has a much better layout, with only 20 RV sites.  Each site is huge with much more privacy, especially the ones around the perimeter.  Mature trees are a bonus, as is the creek that runs along the edge.  We were immediately drawn to this area and lucked out with snagging the last site that was available for a month.

Our site turned out to be one of the nicest in the entire section.  It was on the end, so there was no other RV on our door side; it was adjacent to the creek and it contained a mature tree (even though it had no leaves at the time).  The site was even larger than most and had many of the features that I look for in a natural campground.  Yet, it had all of the amenities of a resort.  Maybe this was the best of both worlds. 

  

Our Site Was Behind the Tree in the Center of the Photo

This Was a Site I Really Enjoyed

The monthly rate was amazingly affordable, especially compared to the daily rate, and was way under our budget.  I had always read that one way to save money is to stay at a campground for a month, and found this to be very true.

Although Tim and I are not social butterflies, we did make an effort to take part in many of the activities offered in the week leading up to Christmas.  I somewhat reluctantly attended a ladies lunch, where I met a group of very interesting women.  We attended a social hour, as well as a park-wide gift exchange.  Almost everyone we encountered was friendly, particularly our neighbors.

Tim and I became the curiosity of the park since we are full-timing in a Class B RV.  Almost everyone else travels in a very large motorhome or fifth wheel, and no one can believe that we survive in such a tiny space.  We even gave tours to multiple people.  We always admit that we are in the 1% of all full-timers who travel this way, but so far it has worked for us.

The Christmas potluck at the park was a bit more subdued than the one we attended at Thanksgiving, with perhaps half as many people in attendance.  However, the food was great, the company was delightful and the atmosphere was festive.  If we couldn’t spend Christmas with friends or family, this was a great alternative.

A Nice Place to Enjoy Christmas Dinner

The View from Our Site

Lights Added to the Festive Spirit during Christmas

Unfortunately, the weather was not great during most of our time at Buckhorn.  Like most of the country, days were gloomy, chilly and rainy. We did enjoy the occasional sunny, warmer day, but we mostly hung out in the RV.  I’ve found that when we stay somewhere for a longer period of time, we do less touring than when we move more frequently.  Just like when we were living in a house, we seem to adopt the mentality, “Oh, I can always do that tomorrow.”  However, we often don’t do it tomorrow either.  In addition, if the weather is less than ideal, it is easy to postpone outdoor activities.  When we are touring, we generally can’t postpone our activities for too many days, since we may not have the luxury of time.

Staying at Buckhorn introduced us to a totally different type of RV lifestyle than we had been used to.  Many of the folks we met were snowbirds.  For snowbirds, or for full-timers who settle at Buckhorn for much of the winter, life is more akin to living in a house, and we also seemed to fall into that type of routine.  As someone said, “stay-put RVing” is a lot different than “traveling RVing.”  Life seemed to focus on living in the park and the RV park itself, not touring the area.  That’s why parks like Buckhorn offer so many activities. 

Although Buckhorn is a great park, and an even better park to be in during cold, wet and gloomy weather, it’s not where I want to be for more than a month.  I much prefer the traveling RV lifestyle, although not one where we move every few days.  A week usually seems like the right amount of time to be able to tour an area and sit back and relax for a few days.  I can see spending a month in one place, especially over the holidays, and taking that time to recharge and simply catch up on chores.  I was never unhappy during our stay at Buckhorn.  I was just eager to get back on the road.

With the gloomy weather, we turned our attention to planning for our summer adventure – a trip to Alaska.  I always enjoy the planning part of travel, so I loved this.  We typically don’t do a lot of planning, but Alaska requires it. 

New Year’s Eve brought more cold, rain and gloom.  We did venture out and even attended the party at the resort.  Harry and the Hightones provided the entertainment, and we enjoyed the band and the music.  However, we’re not big partiers and didn’t even make it until midnight.  I guess we’re just a bunch of party poopers.  On New Year’s Day, I was able to prepare most of my traditional Southern dinner in the RV.  We may have had to settle for frozen black-eyed peas and collard greens, but we did find real country ham in Texas. 

Ringing in the New Year at Buckhorn

We were ready to say goodbye to 2014, which was a wonderful, but exhausting, year, and greet 2015.  This New Year holds lots of promise and we have much to look forward to.  Despite more of the same weather, we did manage to get out and about before we left Buckhorn.  I’ll tell you more about that in the next post.

Rain Again at Theodore Roosevelt National Park

When we left Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site on Sunday, September 28, we drove directly to the north unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  The north unit of the park is located approximately 70 miles north of the south unit, which we had visited two weeks ago, but we did not stop on our way to Fort Union.  Now we would have time to explore this section of the park.

I think we must be cursed when it comes to rain in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  It was cold, and rain was in the forecast when we arrived at the park, and we checked into Juniper Campground.  The campground has no hookups, not an ideal situation for this type of weather, but we thought we could tough it out.  Besides, the location along the Little Missouri River was great, and we had few neighbors.

The Little Missouri River Directly Behind Our Campsite

One of the main features of the park is a 14-mile scenic drive that ends at the Oxbow Overlook of the Little Missouri River.  Although it was late afternoon when we arrived and the sky was a bit gloomy, I decided to make the drive and check out a few of the pullouts and overlooks.

The north unit of the park showcases the badlands of North Dakota and the unique geological forces at work.  One of my favorites was the cannonball concretions.  Concretions are large spherical boulders that are formed within rocks by the deposition of mineral around a core.  I just thought they were very cool looking.   

Cannonball Concretions

The weather was rapidly deteriorating when I stopped at the River Bend Overlook on my way back to the campground.  I loved this view, perhaps because of the addition of a stone shelter constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

River Bend Overlook

Tim and I made it through the night and ventured out the next morning to try for a few hikes before the rains came.  We checked out the Caprock Coulee Nature Trail, but had to turn back after about twenty minutes when a very unfriendly-looking bison appeared a little too close to the trail.  The close-up view of the rock formations and local geology was the highlight of this hike.  Tim disagrees.  He thinks the highlight was the bison!

Rock Layers in the Badlands

What Are You Doing Here?

We drove to the end of the road, where we were able to take a look at the Oxbow Overlook.  We debated about hiking to Sperati Point, which leads to an even more spectacular view of the oxbow.  Tim said, “Let’s go,” and off we went, grateful for our warm hoods and gloves.  The view at the end was worth it.

Oxbow of the Little Missouri River from Sperati Point

A Chilly, But Rewarding Hike

Because of the weather and lack of electrical hookups, we had planned to spend only one night in the park.  But we were tired and lazy when we returned to the campground and extended our stay for another night.  We turned on our propane furnace, fired up the generator as needed and watched the rain from inside our cozy home.  Being able to change our minds and go with the flow is one of the best perks of the full-time lifestyle.

It was still raining when we left the next morning.  Perhaps we should consider ourselves lucky that we were able to experience some of the 15 inches of precipitation the park averages per year.  On second thought, I must admit that I would have preferred sun.

Bison Have the Right-of-Way