South Dakota

Posted on October 18, 2013October 18, 2013 by Dusty Roads

To the Lakota Sioux it was the malo shika, “the bad lands”. To the French-Canadian fur trappers it was Les Mauvaises a traverser, ” bad lands to travel across”. In the book 1000 Places To See Before You Die, it’s “Nature’s High Drama”. Whatever you chose to call Badlands National Park in South Dakota it all comes back to spectacular.

Yes, I’ve been to South Dakota and I’m ashamed to say that when my sister suggested a vacation there my first response was “What’s in South Dakota”. Her answer was “Mount Rushmore”.

Although that’s true and Mount Rushmore is certainly awe inspiring, there was so much more to our South Dakota vacation and we only explored the area from Rapid City to Pine Ridge. That’s just the southwestern corner of the state.

This rates as one of the best vacations I’ve taken. We flew into Rapid City in the afternoon. After checking in and getting dinner it was still light out so I wanted to begin exploring right away. Yes we were tired but why waste good light? We turned our rental to interstate 90 and headed east about 80 miles to a turn off for Badlands National Park. What a way to start the vacation! In the golden light of the late afternoon we got our first look at the canyons and rock formations of the Bad Lands. It took my breath away. The amazing vistas are exceeded only by places like the Grand Canyon. And we saw animals!

Rabbits and Mule Deer and a glimpse of some pronghorn.

Over the rest of the week we explored Custer State Park where the buffalo, pronghorn, and prairie dogs are an everyday wonder. (Where the deer and the antelope roam.) The wild “begging” burros of the park had no shame in their quest for handouts!

After a critter jam of buffalo we entered Wind Cave National Park following a ranger to a depth of 200 ft. below the surface.

We drove the winding Iron Mountain Road from Custer State Park to Mount Rushmore, twisting and turning on the horse shoe turns and “pig tails”, not a road for the faint of heart.

We rode the 1880 train round trip from Hill City to Keystone and watched a family of Mountain sheep cross the road as we headed to the station. On the train ride we learned about the history of the black hills and saw “summer cows”…”Some are white, some are brown”….

I’m still following the Wild Horse Sanctuary.

What a day that was! But it didn’t end with wild horses, it ended with Mammoths at a dig in Hot Springs.

We went to the Pine Ridge Reservation but got lost on “the longest dirt road in the world” (our name for it) and never found the PowWow.

And there was more but I’m running out of room. We never got to Deadwood, or Sturgis , and only saw Crazy Horse from the road. The Corn Palace is farther to the east in Mitchell, but we did go to Wall Drug Store where we had dinner and bought some mementos. And South Dakota is where I “met” Scout..my little prairie dog with the flower. Totally unexpected and so sweet looking. Glad I caught this moment in time.

Yes, I can count South Dakota as a YES on the countdown, but I’d like to go back again. The count now stands at 16 / 25

South Carolina

Posted on October 17, 2013October 17, 2013 by Dusty Roads

If someone says South Carolina to you what is the first thing that comes to mind? To me it’s the heart of the south. Maybe Gone With the Wind was set in Georgia but for some reason it’s Charleston SC that makes me think of southern hospitality and Southern Belles, like Scarlett. Sorry Margaret Mitchell, I shouldn’t move the location of such a beloved classic.:)

I have a sister-in-law from Charleston. My brother met her when he was stationed at the Charleston Naval Station. She’s always been a good sport with us “northerners” and she has a really wild sense of humor. I haven’t seen her in awhile but I have these great memories of laughing till my sides hurt! Good times! But most of the visits have been elsewhere, not in her home state of South Carolina, so forgive me, Ellen, if I don’t get it quite right.

Charleston SC is known own for its rich history, well-preserved architecture, distinguished restaurants, and mannerly people, Charleston has received a large number of accolades, including “America’s Most Friendly [City]” by Travel + Leisure and “the most polite and hospitable city in America” by Southern Living magazine. (See, I’m not the only one who thinks of Southern Hospitality.)

About 70 miles south of Charleston is 5,000 acre Hunting Island State Park, home to loggerhead turtles, alligators, herons, and oystercatchers.

Also part of the low country is the Famed Hilton Head Island. This is one of the most popular and developed resort areas on the eastern seaboard.

It includes 25 championship golf courses and 300 tennis courts. My friend “Ace”, a tennis fanatic, has attended tennis camps at Hilton Head.

I also hear a lot about Myrtle Beach. That’s a big tourist area but close to Myrtle beach is something much closer to my heart. Someplace I intend to make sure I visit. Believe it or not I first heard about this place at King Richard’s Faire. Then I saw a show on one of the TV channels…Travel Channel, Animal Planet …one of them. The place I really want to visit is Myrtle Beach Safari. It’s on T.I.G.E.R Ave.

TIGER Stands for The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species. The same people that tour with the tigers and ligers with the medieval fairs run this sanctuary. http://www.myrtlebeachsafari.com/ As I recall, a day at the sanctuary getting to play with the animals is VERY expensive but I wasn’t able to check the cost while I was preparing this post. Their “tour season” seems to have ended so they may not have posted their tours for next season yet. But the video on the website is running and I think if you check that out you will understand why I want to go there so badly.

Although I haven’t had the opportunity to explore SC to my heart’s content I was there for my brother’s wedding. So I think I have to count SC on my “yes” side even though I still want to go back.

My new tally 15/25…10 more states to go in the countdown.

A Message from The Mayor

Posted on September 12, 2013September 12, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Stubbs Mayor Cat

I’m happy to report that I am now back home in Talkeetna, where I continue to mend. I must thank my brother from another mother, Morris The Cat, for helping to cover my medical expenses. All donations I’ve received that exceed my expenses will be donated to the Mat-Su Animal Shelter, to support fellow animals in need.
Unfortunately due to my strict recovery diet, I am unable to drink my usual catnip-laced water from my wine glass, but I do hope to be back in my normal routine in the near future. Thank you all for the cards, packages, donations, and Facebook love you’ve shown me during this difficult time. I do hope you will all consider moving to Talkeetna so that I can repay you with town-wide dance parties and mouse hunts, because let’s be real, there will be a party as soon as I’m back on my feet.
Love, Mayor Stubbs

Cat Tails

Posted on August 31, 2013August 31, 2013 by Dusty Roads

Good evening my friends

I admit I am very late with a post today. I had planned one entry but the more I thought about it the more I just found it too sad. It was about my niece-in-laws dog that just died. But like I said, the subject is too sad. I love having pets but how I hate saying the final goodbye.

So while I tried to find another subject on such short notice, Rocky kept climbing all over me, head butting me and in general making a nuisance of himself. Once he finally plopped (and I mean that literally) down and I began to pet him he went into his really lovable mode.

When he’s like that he wiggles and tries to squeeze as close to me as possible. His little paws open and close like he’s kneading the air and he drools! Yup, since he was a little , tiny kitten he’s drooled whenever he was really happy and content.

At first I was concerned something was wrong with his teeth or mouth and dragged him off to the Vet. After careful examination I was told “He loves you. You should feel honored.”

Over the years he’s gotten bigger but he’s never stopped drooling. Just now it isn’t cute little drops, it’s buckets of drool. He shakes his head and the drool flies. It isn’t all the time, only when he gets really , really relaxed.

So tell me, have any of you had a cat that drools? Now you know you are loved.

A Day at the Zoo

Posted on August 27, 2013August 27, 2013 by Dusty Roads

I think the saying is “a walk in the park” but for me and my friend and her family it was a “day at the zoo”. Nancy has been working 3 jobs all summer so squeezing in our annual summer jaunt was turning into a challenge. We were down to the wire when a Tuesday opened up in all our schedules at the same time! YAY! I picked up Nancy and her two children, Alex and Dawn, and we made a bee line to the Franklin park Zoo.

I love zoos and it had been a couple of years since I’d been to this one. Nancy said the kids hadn’t ever been to this one. Located in the Dorchester section of Boston, Franklin Park Zoo is truly an urban zoo. You can even get to it by subway.