PART 1: Getting There & Getting Ready -- preceded this post if you are interested in hearing about the few weeks leading up to our Lewis & Clark RV caravan.
----------------------------------------------------------
5/31 - 6/2/21: Saint Charles, MO
Our morning was our own to putter about and then the official Fantasy RV caravan kicked off this afternoon with an orientation meeting and formal intros by each traveler. Three main rules were also established -- no discussing religion, Covid, or politics. Hmmm, this could be a refreshing break!
Fantasy then provided a lovely catered dinner and dessert, followed by a living history performance by a local historian. She did a nice job taking us back to what life was like 216 years ago in this area when the inhabitants were primarily french.
Our first full caravan day included a bus-trip visit to Daniel Boone's family home (yes, he was a real person) and a winery for lunch. One was very interesting and the other was delicious 😉.
After getting back to the campground we attended a "what to expect" review meeting of the trip logistics for days where we will be driving our RVs to new locations. Fantasy tries to make the process as safe and simple as possible. The goal is that everyone transitions successfully and there are no issues. Well, pigs can fly too 🤣. All 46 of us know the best laid plans don't always come to fruition, but at least we can try our best!
So an hour after I finished writing the last paragraph, we helped someone in the group get their new satellite dish working, helped another try to diagnose a different Dish issue, and offered a used water pump to a third. The pump issue is serious as it prevents you from having any running water when you aren't connected to an external water source (so no flushing toilets, etc). We'd had a pump replaced under warranty over a year ago and had kept the old one because the issue with it was very small. Against my pleas, Jeffrey insisted on carrying around the old one just in case someone needed one. In fact, we have ANOTHER extra pump still sealed in a box that was sent to us by the manufacturer when we called to ask questions about the old issue! Our new friends are missing the next day"s activities because they have an appointment with a mobile RV technician who they hope will help them -- but he has no replacement water pumps to offer! Crossing our fingers that our old one is a model that works for them.
Our last day in Saint Charles was a whirlwind of activities seen by bus -- visiting the St. Louis "Arch", the Bellefontaine Cemetery where William Clark is buried, and the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site. The arch is now officially named the "Gateway Arch" because it represents the gateway to the west. The historical site is located just over the Illinois border and interprets Camp River Dubois (the encampment where Lewis & Clark provisioned and trained the men chosen for the "Corp of Discovery").
Upon returning to the campground, we attended a review meeting of the tomorrow's transition to the next campground as well as optional activities enroute and in the town of Arrowhead. Sadly, we found out that the water pump we loaned was not needed after all.
6/3/21: Arrow Rock, MO
Our first driving day of the caravan was only 146 miles to Arrow Rock. It is close to the Missouri river and, though Lewis & Clark didn't come ashore here, they noted that it would be a "handsome spot for a town". It is also on the Santa Fe Trail.
We stayed at a lovely state park and had the afternoon to explore the nearby town. There are numerous preserved and restored residential and commercial buildings to explore as well as a nice Visitor's Center containing a museum and film. Fantasy had arranged a historic tour for those of us interested. They could only take 8 of us at a time in their cute electric tram.
Our cute mini-tram
The local historic pioneer gunshop
After supper we met for a s'mores "social" and logistics meeting for the next drive and stop in Lawrence, Kansas, near Kansas City.
Half of our party lining the campground loop. We are first on the left.
6/4 - 6/6/21: Lawrence, KS
For the caravan itinerary, 6/4 was just relocating to a new campground. For us personally it is the anniversary of us moving into "Max" full-time in 2012. No big celebration as tomorrow is a full day!
Spent the entire next day touring in Kansas City -- Lewis & Clark Historic Monument, the WWI Museum, and the Steamboat Arabia Museum. The statue at the monument was interesting, especially the side lit by the sun that showed Lewis's slave and dog, York and Seaman. Both successfully traveled to the Pacific and back with the expedition. The statue side with the captains and Sacagawea was in shadow and hard to see.
York and Seaman
While we had seen the WWI Museum on our own 6 years ago, it was still fun to repeat. So much content and detail that it is hard to absorb all in one visit. Fantasy had arranged a nice boxed lunch at the museum cafe so that you could take a break for lunch whenever you were ready, simply tell the cafe staff your assigned rig number and they had your choice ready. Easy and delicious 😋
Front of the WWI Museum
Panoramic view from atop the WWI Museum
Our final stop at the Steamboat Arabia Museum was a unique experience. Essentially, a local family and friends had stumbled on some lore from another local about the large number of steamboats that had sunk in the Missouri in the 1800s. One in particular, the Arabia, had sunk not long after leaving Kansas City and, in addition to passengers and their belongings, carried a full load of goods bound for sale and trading upstream. In only 15 feet of water it impailed itself on a partially submerged tree (snag) and sank, sinking into the Missouri's quicksand-like mud bottom quickly and completely disappearing. All the passengers survived except a poor mule that was tied up on the deck.
In 1988, 130 years later, the Missouri had long changed its winding course and the Arabia was buried 45 feet deep under a nearby cornfield. With lots of archeological and historical study followed by ground testing, the group of family/friend treasure hunters found it and excavated its immense bounty of goods. Rather than sell it off, they decided to keep it intact and create a museum to share it with the world. Lucky us! If you are ever in Kansas City, this place is a sight to see! The mud helped preserve much of the haul and great pains continue to save those that were fragile. They already have another sunken steamboat located (the Malta) now and hope to start excavation this winter, plus livestream the project so everyone can watch!
Only a small sample of the kitchen wares recovered
Even more of the Arabia bounty
We had an incredible final day in Kansas, going to the Topeka Zoo with new RV friends, Brendan and Dee. Conveniently, no caravan events were planned and the weather was perfect, so the zoo visit was a great option and the animals were out and active. It was a special treat to see giraffes Abi, Hope, Elizabeth, and bull Sgt. Peppers in person, having followed them on webcams numerous times over the last few years. "Sarge", who is not in the same yard as the ladies right now, spent most of his day playing with a giant soccer-like ball -- kicking it around or picking it up in his teeth and tossing it. Hope, however, is the true celebrity. She overcame serious fetlock birth defects and is now a healthy adult female giraffe and a first time mother of 3-year old Elizabeth. Hope's story: https://youtu.be/IjoiFCGRNks
Beautiful Hope
Sarge kicking his ball
The orangutan patriarch
Malaysian Sun Bear
Me and my new lorikeet friend
We finished this fine day by enjoying the company of long time former neighbor, Chrissy and her husband Scott and sweet daughter Emmy. They drove over from Kansas City to visit, see Max and go out with us to dinner. So so nice to reconnect!
A wonderful reunion!
6/7 - 6/8/21: Near Omaha, NE
On the way to our new campground near Omaha we pulled our 24 RVs into the parking lot of the Missouri River Basin Lewis & Clark Interpretive Trails and Visitors Center. We pretty much covered 70% of the lot, including a bunch of the long entry road 🙄. Our guide, Butch, was a published expert in the construction of boats from 200+ years ago and he has created many models and full sized replicas of the presumed boats used by the expedition based on the written journals. Below are several artist renditions of the keel boat used on the way westbound.
The two of us left the Center a little early so we would have time to visit the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum, a "wanna go" list item for Jeffrey. Since I had gotten a visit to Topeka Zoo from on my own list, his wish was granted. It had a great collection of restored planes plus extensive exhibits. Another full day!
This morning we boarded our tour bus headed to Omaha to see the Lewis & Clark Monument at Council Bluffs. Butch met us there and regaled us with stories if what the expidition experienced as they manhandled their boats upriver against the current of the Missouri river. Watching the river from the bluffs, it is hard to imagine how they managed this as the river moves quite quickly, is shallow on some areas and deep in others, has many twists and turns, plus the debris of floating trees. Our view in present day includes the city of Omaha and we can see 10 miles or more to the horizon.
Our view from the bluffs
Us with Omaha in the distance on the right
One of several carvings depicting the expedition
While at the bluffs our Wagonmasters gave all of us a gift to commemorate this caravan. The husband, Steven, made us custom Sacagawea coin necklaces. I'm choosing to wear mine around my neck and Jeffrey has to attached his to his hat. Such a thoughtful idea!
Lunch was a picnic of Subway subs (two 6 footers) at a nearby shaded pavilion right next to the river. Butch encouraged us to fill our empty water bottles with Missouri River water and watch it settle overnight. Though a little less muddy in present day, Lewis described the river as "too thick to drink, too thin to plow".
Our next stop was originally a Father Flanagan's Boys Town tour but was changed to the Dodge House pre-caravan as Covid is still affecting some of the itinerary. We are all aware of this and are flexible. Turned out the crew at the Dodge House messed up our appointment and, rather than wait in the bus for an hour, we ditched it and went to see -- wait for it -- the Strategic Air Command Museum! We didn't mind as we were rushed yesterday and hadn't had a chance to see everything before they closed for the day.
Our bus compared to the rockets on display
After a quick supper at home, we were treated to a "melodrama" at nearby Eugene Mahoney State Park. Having never experienced one before it was quite a treat! It was a little western play complete with a hero, heroine, preacher, bar owner and villain. The audience participates as characters come and go onstage, with the villian getting the worst of it in boos, hissing, and popcorn tossed at him. The audience also tosses folded up dollar bills to express pleasure at the performance and the actors don't break character as they hysterically jockey to grab the money. It has been a long time since I laughed so hard and so long! We were sitting too far back for our tosses to reach the stage, so I became the dollar tosser for friends in our row and trotted up the side aisle several times to lob our money up. What was even more amazing was that 2 medium popcorns, 2 sodas, and a box of Peanut M&Ms totally only $11! Would have probably been triple that price at a movie theater.
6/9/21: North Sioux City, SD
Along the drive to Sioux City we stopped at Ft. Atkinson, the first army post west of the Missouri and one of the largest at the time. 200 years ago this River was next to this post but has now moved several miles away. Apparently the Missouri really changed its course quite a bit over the last few centuries. In the map below, the bright green line is the river when Lewis & Clark were on it. The dark green line is less than 30 years later and the blue line is present day.
The fort has been reconstructed as best as they know and there is even a small memorial area where one of the troops is buried. They only know it is him because he had part of a leg amputated before he died. We were lucky to have a really nice guide who walked us through the big outside area and pointed out the highlights. A lot of what is known about this fort was accidentally lost when records were thrown away instead of archived.
As a side note, it is interesting to cram 24 RVs into these tourist parking areas that are really only built for a handful of cars. We are starting to become experts at this and everyone is cooperating quite well although you hope you don't have to leave early for any reason because you are quite boxed in until everybody moves on out in the right order. Those of us with generators are giving them get quite a workout. The temperatures have been rising into the 90s and it is nice to just turn on the generator and let it run so the air conditioners in the RV can keep everything cool while we are out exploring.
After arriving at our campground, we unhooked the car and drove back a few miles to see the Lewis and Clark Welcome Center, Interpretive Center and Sergeant Charlie Floyd's grave site and monument. Floyd was the only member on the expedition who died and he only made it 3 months before he passed of sickness. Examination of his remains indicate that he died of a burst appendix. Even if they'd had a skilled doctor with them, there was nothing they could have done to save him back then. He was only 21 years old but he was buried with military honors in the Sioux City area in a bluff above the Missouri river.
Floyd's grave and the monument over it
The interpretive Center, though not large, was really impressive. It had several animatronic figures (Sergeant Floyd and Thomas Jefferson) who talked about the expedition. They also had a short film that was presented by an actor dressed as William clark. They even had a full size replica of a Newfoundland dog who represented Seaman (Lewis's dog) and you could push a button to hear how loud his bark was. We opted not to push that one. 😏
Sculpture of Lewis & Clark with Seaman
Animatronic Thomas Jefferson
Model of the keelboat used to go upriver (built by Butch!)
We ended the afternoon with a meeting outside to talk about the next day's travels and sights to see along the way. Afterwards we were invited to join some new RV friends for dinner in their RV. This was a "thank you" for helping them get their satellite dish working at the beginning of the caravan.
6/10/21: Oacoma, SD
Today we opted to stick to the highway for the 217 mile drive instead of taking the scenic drive planned by Fantasy. There were a few optional items to see along the way but the one that interested us was near the end so we took the faster easier route. Yeah, guess we felt a little lazy 🥱
This stop was the Chamberlain SD Rest Area facility. It is the home of the beautiful Dignity Statue as well as a small Lewis & Clark museum containing a full sized model keelboat. It turned out to be the correct length (55 feet), but not the right width -- should be only 8.5 feet, not double that number. Anyhow, the rest area has a really lovely view of the Missouri river and Jeffrey walked the "beware of poisonous snakes" path closer to get a good panorama photo.
Dignity of Earth and Sky is a soaring sculpture of a native woman. It was created to honor the Native Nations of the Great Plains. The Star quilt she is wearing marks an important life event. For the Lakota (Sioux) people, the star quilt also represents honor and generosity.
Jeffrey at the Dignity sculpture
The lovely Star quilt pattern
After we settled at the campground, our group met at the Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center. We enjoyed guided tours that covered the story of the Lakota tribes. Interestingly, many of the "Dances with Wolves" props and traditional clothes were donated to the museum and are incorporated into the exhibits. Others were donated by Indian families and are quite impressive.
One of the elaborate native outfits
We also saw an area dedicated to sharing the story about St. Joseph's Indian School. Established in 1927, its mission is to be a boarding school that educates over 200 indian children grades 1 though 8 annually, both in their own culture and traditional American topics. It is free for them and the kids are then encouraged to attend the local public high school at completion of grade 8.
6/11/21: Oacoma, SD
Today is our 33rd wedding anniversary! We celebrated by having just a short drive to Pierre (less than 90 miles), though high winds made that challenging for Jeffrey. The good news is that a big storm overnight brought cooler weather with it, so we are thrilled to be out of the 90s for a day or two.
After a quick lunch at home, we boarded buses to get a tour of the lovely South Dakota State Capitol and State Historical Society museum. Both were very interesting and our guides really had a passion for the histories of these sites and how they represented this state.
South Dakota Capitol building
The multilevels of the Capitol dome
Looking up to the top of the capitol dome
A winning giraffe painting by 14-year old Bria Shay Neff as part of the innagural Governor's student art competition.
Our final stop was Fischer's Lilly Park. This park is on the banks of the Missouri river and touted to be where L&C met with the Teton Sioux on their way west. The Sioux expected payment from travelers who passed through, typically a few french or spanish fur traders. It was not the best encounter due to a minor boating incident when the chiefs were being transported for a "council", but luckily L&C survived and the expedition continued.
We finished the day with a group dinner at the Cattleman's Club Steakhouse. It was a good time and everyone helped us celebrate our anniversary.♥️
---------------------------------
This wraps up our first 12 days of 45 total, so 33 days to go. Out of 24 RVs, just over a third of them have had challenges, either with their rigs, their cars, our themselves. A few have had their schedule disrupted and had to catch up to the caravan but one is a serious engine problem and we aren't sure when we'll see them again. So far we haven't had any problems -- yet! (Having said this, I'm frantically looking around to knock on a piece of wood).
Whoever thinks that the RV lifestyle would be an easy one is delusional. That said, it is incredible the rest of the time!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This concludes Part 2 of our Lewis & Clark caravan, May 31 through June 11, 2021. To continue reading the story, go to Part 3!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you aren't notified by email when we post new blog updates but would like to be in the future, click this link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Nfel34nwmpCGfpXeJxCqZoy6_uJOCru7KTk01pDMicI/viewform
If you are already on the list and want to be removed, we don't mind! Just email marenenelson@gmail.com :-)
If you are already on the list and want to be removed, we don't mind! Just email marenenelson@gmail.com :-)
