The Bend in the Road

Heading west through Kansas was not the most interesting travel we have done, but it led us to the northeast corner of Colorado. We quickly passed through Colorado and vowed to come back for a more lengthy visit. Here is why....

The entrance to our campground outside Loveland.

Just a stop along the highway.

We drove through Wyoming, again with a vow to return and overnighted in Fruitland, ID. 

By the way, we did go back to Colorado, Wyoming and even Idaho.

Our destination was Oregon. We had only visited Portland, which we loved, but wanted to visit Bend and then the coast. From Idaho, we drove into Bend that turned out to be a pretty busy tourist town. The town was like many others we have visited, but Bend is only a few miles from Newberry National Volcanic Monument. The topography in this part of the U.S. is amazing.  In November of 1990, Newberry National Volcanic Monument was created within the boundaries of Deschutes National Forest. The monument is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and gives access to lava lands unique to this part of the West. Newberry National Volcanic National Monument includes 54,000+ acres of lakes, lava flows, and amazing geologic features in central Oregon. The highest point within the Monument is the summit Paulina Peak (7,985 ft.) with clear views of the Cascades, Newberry Caldera and across the High Desert. The volcano crater stretches across 17 square miles in the heart of the volcano. The 1,200 square mile volcano (about the size of Rhode Island) remains very active to this day. 

We took a bus to the top of Lava Butte and got some great photos. The black on the ground is volcanic rock where after thousands of years, nothing really grows. Obviously, the aerial photo isn't mine but it will give you an idea of the size of the crater.

We hiked into one part of the forest for a view of a beautiful and isolated series of rapids. Long walk but worth the effort.

Our last stop in the forest was a drive up to the top of the mountain overlooking Twin Lakes. Without question, this was one of the most harrowing drives we have done. It is impossible in an RV but was simply no fun even in the car. Because of the heavy snow, moguls pound the shocks for the first mile or so. Then it is a narrow, 1-1/2 lane road with hair pin turns for the next 7 or 8 miles. Once at the top, the view was beautiful, but I was no happier driving down then I had been driving up. 

Our next stop and next blog is the Oregon coast.

More of the midwest-amazing Presidential Libraries

Presidential Libraries of the Midwest

Sorry about the prior blog with nothing on it. I pressed the publish button too early. It has been a long time since I sent out a blog. 2018 was a tough year for us. Our RV engine failed on April 15, east of Athens, TX.  In case you are wondering, Athens is about 60 miles west of Longview, TX. We waited for almost eight hours to get towed and it had to be towed back to Longview as that was the closest Ford dealer that could work on the RV engine. Eight weeks later, we got the RV back, running but with an engine valve tap. That tap turned out to be disastrous as less than 2,000 miles later, the engine literally exploded in Milford, PA just inside the NY line on Route 80. This time it was towed another sixty miles to Easton, PA to another Ford dealer who worked on it for three weeks. In the interim, we had driven to Florida in the car to help care for my 97 year old mother, so I had to fly to Newark, drive to Easton, pick up the RV and drive to Clearwater to meet and pick up Joanne. During that time, our wonderful 10 year old golden doodle, Jack passed away from cancer. Jo then got a phone call advising that her mom had taken a bad turn so she headed off to Philadelphia. Less than a week later, she was gone. No mother-in-law jokes here, she was a wonderful person. We headed off to Texas to be with our eldest son and his family for Thanksgiving but we then got another call that my mother was not doing well. So, here we are back in Florida.  We are hoping that 2019 will be better.

The best dog ever!

So, back  to our travels. When last we spoke, we were heading through the Midwest on our way to the west coast. We stayed in Independence, MO and had visited the Harry Truman National Historic sites and then spent a great day at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum. If you haven't visited a Presidential Library, you should. They each provide an insight to not only, the President's time in office and accomplishments, but the stories of their lives. They also include their families, their history, and just interesting highlights about them. Each one is unique in its buildings and theme. Some are modern buildings focused on the President's time in office (Clinton), some are modest and focus on life after the Presidency (Carter) and some University buildings with the focus on family (George H.W. Bush). Each one is unique but all are extraordinary.  There are 13 official sites and several privately run sites. We have visited eight of the official sites and one of the privately run sites (Woodrow Wilson). Our first was the Reagan in California but on this trip, we visited two (Truman and Eisenhower).

The Truman was built in 1957 and the architecture is traditional, classical, much like a Washington, DC building. It has an impressive outside staircase entry reminiscent of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Inside was everything there is to know about the real President of the People.  For nearly eight years, he guided the U.S. and the world through very perilous times that included the ending of World War II, the decision to drop the atomic bomb, the beginnings of the United Nations, NATO and the Marshall Plan, the successful operation of the Berlin Airlift and the beginning of the Cold War. To think, he was not expected to win re-election after taking over for FDR. Instead this man who came from humble beginnings became one of the most admired Presidents. He always remained a normal Midwestern. After his Presidency and completion of the library, he had a office where he worked every day for many years. By the way, he never owned a home. 

I love the quote, "All I want from history is the truth."

Next, it was on to Abilene, KS-the end of the Chisholm Trail and home to the Dwight D Eisenhower childhood home, Presidential Library and Museum. On our way down the main street in town, we had to make a stop for this train crossing. 

Needless to say, this iron horse just runs for visitors now, it has long been retired from active service.

The first stop at the Eisenhower was his childhood home. It was hard to imagine all those boys in one house growing up. 

But, grown up they did, bankers, businessmen, a pharmacist and a soldier who would become one of the most important generals in World War II and then became President. 

His election was the first one I remember but all I can remember is his love of golf and Stevenson's hole in his shoe. Half of the Eisenhower museum is based on his early life and his time in the Army.

The other half of the museum is on Ike, the president.

By the way, that isn't Ike, that's Joanne in front of the chapel where Ike and Mamie are interred.

And, here is a photo of Kansas (all of it).

Well, not all, but a lot.

Two Presidential libraries within two days. Pretty impressive. What we have discovered is that no matter what party these Presidents were from, no matter there backgrounds, all of them had good intentions for our country. They all tried in their own ways to improve the lives of America's citizens (all of them). I didn't agree with them all, but I always respected them and respected the office of the President. So different now with our Criminal in Chief who has no idea what America stands for nor does he understand the oath he took to uphold the constitution. We always leave these libraries with tears in our eyes for what has happened to our country (of course, we haven't been to the Nixon yet). I doubt that there will be a Trump library. After all, libraries have books and that cuts him right out.