All the years we went to Gatlinburg for winter holidays we never found the time to stop at Oak Ridge.  Mary and Wayne took us over to the American Museum of Science and Energy - there is so much to read there.  We spent six hours on the two floors of exhibits and stations and the display of the "hair-raising" energy.  An Italian dinner at the Gondolier ended a wonderful day.

Sunny day with the wind at our back.  We are moving to Crossville, TN, for a visit with Mary and Wayne.  Looks like we'll have to be checking on the availability of gas in Georgia as we move south.  We've done several presidents this summer and want to visit Warm Springs, GA.  Ah, the joys. 

Double dose of Corvette today:  GM assembly plant tour then National Corvette Museum.  Camping World Headquarters are in Bowling Green also.

The sky is not blue;  not the bright, sharp blue we are have seen until now; it is more a very light grayish powder blue.  We noticed it right away when we got up this morning in Evansville, IN; it started after we left Independence, MO, and headed east.  Scientifically thinking, it may be that there is more moisture (humidity) that holds more dust particles - and the sky is not BLUE.  We are sad to be leaving the midwest with it's central time zone, Culver's restaurants, and countryside.  The leaves are changing and the nights are cooler;  that's why we are heading south...

International Peace Day

Monday, Sept. 22nd, Autumnal Equinox: was your day and night of equal lengths?  Now the days get shorter - less time to tour.  Hee, hee, hee.  Our first movie all summer:  Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull

This morning we headed to the Temple and took outside pictures; just couldn't decide to go inside.  We spent a few hours at the Frontier Trails Museum and the two-story railroad depot; this trip has been full of info on the California, Oregon, Santa Fe, and Mormon Trails as well as Pony Express.  Lunch at Clinton's on the square and a drive around town before heading home to laundry and RV waxing.  We'll be on the road for a few days until we get to Mammoth Cave.

Happy Birthday, Paul!

Jesse James Farm and Museum in Kearney, MO, gravesite in Mt. Olive cemetery, and then the Liberty Bank, robbed by the "James" gang in 1866 and supposedly the first bank robbery ever.  We also saw the Liberty Historic Jail, now esconced within a Church of the Latter Day Saints.  Can you believe Smith and three others were confined for four months in the underground jail cell? 

We drove through Kansas along US 36, the northern route.  This is a good highway with interesting little towns along the way; back to farmland and harvesting machines moving from field to field.  We specifically took this road to go to Smith Center, home of Peterson Industries, manufacturer of Excel fifth wheels.  Dave was quite knowledgeable about every aspect and we had many questions; the two other couples on tour with us both owned Excel products so the two hours went quickly   Since we came into Kansas without a state guidebook I’ve had to depend on Wikipedia for information.  If you haven’t been there, give it a try: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/  and then type in a place

North Platte was the home of Col. William F. (Buffalo Bill) Cody; Scout's Rest Ranch includes the 1886 Victorian house, barn, and outbuildings.  There are even bison at the Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park.  If you're curious find out more at www.ngpc.state.ne.us/cody.html  The Railroad Museum in Cody Park displays a Challenger steam locomotive, a diesel locomotive, railroad depot, and railroad memorabilia.  Cody Park is the site of the first rodeo.  The Lincoln County Historical Museum has a western prairie village with homes, schools, churches, railway depot including Jeffers childhood home, 1899 Sears home, 1863 Fort McPherson building and an exhibit of the World War II Canteen, telling the story of local volunteers who served more than six million servicemen at the railroad stop: http://npcanteen.net/lchm.html  Just opened in June, the Golden Spike Tower gives a panoramic view of Union Pacific Bailey Yard, the world's largest Railroad Classification Yard with 18 receiving and 16 departure tracks:  www.goldenspiketower.com  The brick homes and buildings in town are works of art.  Nice place to visit.

Cabela’s has been fun for two days.  We stayed at the campground and shopped ‘til we dropped here in Sidney, NE.   We tried to go through Fort Sidney, but alas, once again we find buildings closed after Labor Day; we did get outside pictures, though.  Have we mentioned that the weather has changed?  Night lows are in the 40's and days in the 60's - back to layering!

After leaving the Black Hills of South Dakota we enjoyed two days just south of the Nebraska border.  Chadron, The City of No Strangers, boasts a college and a Walmart.  The Dawes County Museum includes a log house and barn, 1890’s school house, caboose, and pioneer church.  The 9000 sq. ft. museum houses more artifacts on all aspects of pioneer life.  Especially exciting is the memorabilia of the 1893, 14-day 1,000 Mile Horse Race from Chadron to Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show in Chicago.

The Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center at Chadron State College has a wonderful exhibit of her life and writings.  Then Paul and I were thinking – not another Fur Trade Museum; but as we viewed the video and walked through the rooms of rifles, textiles, beadwork, and historical objects we were pleased by The Mountain Men special exhibit.  The outdoor exhibits include a reconstruction of the 1837 Bordeaux trading post that collapsed in 1880; these buildings are partially in a hill and have sod and grass-covered roofs.  Our trip to Crawford and Fort Robinson was mostly “drive by” because it’s after Labor Day and most buildings are closed; we did get to walk through the museum located in the 1905 Post HQ; the displays interpret Fort Robinson’s history from 1874 to 1948 beginning with the Red Cloud Agency and Crazy Horse through the remount period, K-9, and WWII prisoner of war camp.  We missed the Bison Kill museum and the Agate Fossil Beds and other points of interest;  we will be back!  We really like this part of the nation.

R.I.P.  Requiescat in pace  Rachel's cat, Tie Dye, died on Sunday; Tie Dye was 20 years old, born in August 1988; Rachel has nurtured Tie Dye since those college days.