May 2002
1 May - Woke up to 4" of snow, never stopped all day
2 May - hot sun, absolutely beautiful snow on trees, melting fast. Owners took us to lunch special in next town. Wild turkey dinner and cake $5
On 3rd we visited Mount Rushmore, paid to park, could have seen nearly as much from road without paying. Drove back to camping next door to Crazy Horse Monument. Great view, no need to pay to enter park, as sculpture is nowhere near complete. Weather was unsettled, snow and sleet showers, cold at night. Into Rapid City for shopping then on to Wall. Had heard of Wall Store, so had to visit. Was started as Soda Fountain by young couple, to attract passing customers offered free iced water, still on offer. Shop is like a mini theme park. Worth the visit.
On 5 May drove through the Badlands, different to what we had expected. Large volcanic rock region, with some beauty lookout points. Indians named it because it was a vast wasteland to them. We stayed on mainly on Route 90 as weather was cool and unsettled. Nothing spectacular, by passed Sioux Falls and crossed into Wisconsin. Beautiful region around the Mississippi, if weather had been better. lovely campsite with Bird Sanctuary, Petting Zoo by Lake, but pouring with rain. Had night entertainment watching four people determined to have barbeque, umbrella and all.
Sunday 12 May into De Pere and met up with the Kussows, Ken and Carol we had met three times in Alaska.
Had great week with them. They live in a dairy farm, have five daughters, very nice family. They took us on day trip into Door County peninsula. To us it was like a week's holiday, sleeping in a house and been showed around.
Left 20th May, north, weather still not good, shame because we had beautiful views travelling along Lake Michegan. Not many people about, road was quiet, camp sites empty, due to poor weather.
23rd May - we crossed into Canada at Ste Marie, no problems, 6 months stay allowed.
We went onto a beach camping on Lake Huron, again empty. The weekend before had been a holiday, and it was a washout, rain, wind and snow. Weather was cold but sunny so we booked in two nights on Chutes State Park. Expensive, as we had to pay entry to park them camping. $25.50 per night. It was named Chutes after logging days chutes were built over the rapids on River Sables to keep logs flow. It was a lovely area, 5 rapids and waterfalls around campsite. Logging had been the main industry.
We left 10:30 am on Sunday 26 May, drove to Espanola grocery shopping, a man noticed one of our tires was wobbling. Tire place was closed, returned to Chutes another night.
Monday 27 new tired, a necessity.
The trip around Lake Huron was beautiful, but weather was unsettled. We travelled slowly, stopping coffee and lunch, and night.
Tues 28th we stopped on a lakeside camping, and saw our first racoon close up. He was asleep in a tree, stretched out along a branch, legs dangling.
30th May - we went into St Jacobs, a tourist town founded by Menennites {Mennonites}, very picturesque. Great seeing horse and carts as transport for the faithful. We stayed with Jennifer and Keith we had met in New Zealand 3 years before and kept in touch. Again, it was a mini holiday, sleeping in a house, but we didn't feel as settled, they both led different lives to us, and we did not want to intrude. I did help out at my first "yard sale". I sold some of my knitted slippers.