Shopping

I mentioned earlier that I have developed lots of camping skills such as helping to set up tents. Another one I’ve been working on is food shopping. Dad and I usually go every 3-4 days to stock up while we’re on the road. I know how to push a cart and haul groceries and water. My favorite though is to help select apples for lunch (thanks to the Apple Goddess).

In the picture I’m ready to roll at the Community Food Co-op in Bozeman, Montana.

Top Of The Hills

The Black Hills is (are?) such a special place. I’ve been here several times and I keep learning more about plants and animals and the local environment. We attended a ranger program that was about the role of destructive forces (like fire and pine beetles) and how important those things are for the health of the ecosystem. For example, without regular fires the ponderosa pine trees would swallow up the prairie. Because of that mix you have a balance between the two.

There are extensive cave systems underground here- Wind Cave and Jewel Cave. I’ve heard about them but haven’t seen them (yet). Perhaps on another trip.

Panorama Point

Hear ye, hear ye…

I “bagged” another state high point. It’s Nebraska’s Panorama Point (5,429 ft.) and it has a nice view of the surrounding prairie. Even though it’s located on private land, the public can legally drive there. Emphasis on the “drive” part because it’s part of a working bison ranch. The owners want to avoid any unwanted encounters between their stock and anyone on foot or a cyclist. Dad was thinking about eating a bison burger on this trip but so far he hasn’t. We met two guys at the point who were spending their summer trying to hit all 50 state high points as fast as possible. That sounds like a lot of work.

I now have six state high points under my belt: Tennessee, South Dakota, North Dakota, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and now Nebraska.

Summer Breeze

We had a nice adventure out on the prairies of northeastern Colorado. It’s out in the middle of nowhere, but there’s a place called the Pawnee Buttes which is really cool. Actually, it’s very hot, so it was a good idea to start our hike early. We got back to the car at 9:00 AM. In this kind of environment Dad makes me walk very close to him. He’s concerned about rattlesnakes, and he’s probably right that I wouldn’t know how to react if we encountered one. We saw some wildlife, but nothing too dangerous.

Later, as we traveled north through the backroads and into Nebraska, we saw tons of wind turbines capturing the power of the breeze. They’re very big when you see them up close. Dad says that our current president doesn’t like windmills, even though folks out here who likely voted for him are putting them up on their land. I’m not really sure why he feels that way, but I think they’re awesome. They have an elegant design, plus they provide energy for our lives.

Everyday Is A Winding Road

When you take the highway over the Continental Divide in Rocky Mountain National Park, be prepared for some sharp curves as well as spectacular scenery. I lost count of the number of squiggly road signs telling drivers to slow down to 15 MPH. The best part was stopping for a break and walking to the top of a hill at 12,000 ft. above sea level. You could see the whole park from there and then some.

My stepmom is not a fan of curvy roads and she’s probably glad to have skipped this one.

That Guy

You never know what kind of weather you’ll encounter when you visit Rocky Mountain National Park. We had sunshine, we had rain- sometimes at the same time.

On our first hike there, we waited for a break in the weather before setting out (a prudent move). However, when it looked like more rain was coming, Dad reached into his backpack and pulled out a “poncho” to protect his gear. The thing turned out to be a formless blob of plastic that was such a bright color of yellow that it probably could be seen from outer space. Dad thinks he purchased it in the 1970s (whenever that was) even though it clearly had never been used.

So, using a little ingenuity, as well as clips and carabiners, Dad rigged it up so that it wouldn’t blow away in the wind. It was kind of embarrassing to see, so I made a point of walking ahead so that if I met anyone on the trail I could look back and say: “Him? I don’t know that guy.”

Dad got rid of thing when we got back to camp.

A Few Good Books

What you see in the picture is my camping library.

On my travels, I’ve been collecting a series of books about nature and the environment written in the style of Dr. Seuss. They’re really fun to read and the illustrations are great. My favorite title is Why, Oh Why, Are Deserts Dry?

When we’re chillin’ out in camp, Dad reads his intellectual type books and magazines. Meanwhile, I am in seventh heaven with my own books.