Thursday, July 31, 2008

Creation Museum

IMG_0612 This morning we left IL and headed for Indiana.  I missed the welcome to Indiana sign so I got this one at the Welcome Center.IMG_0619 Indiana is not all that wide so by lunch we were in Ohio even though we lost an hour.IMG_0620 Well we were only in Ohio for about thirteen miles and we were back in Indiana.  How strange is that?IMG_0622 In another 3 miles we had crossed the Ohio River...IMG_0624 and were in the state of Kentucky.   IMG_0627We stopped just inside the border in Petersburg, KY at the Creation Museum. IMG_0628 It was fantastic.  It was all about the beginning chapters of the book of Genesis and that it is true and why it is true and disproves evolution and the Gap Theory.  It covers the creation and the flood and has a movie about Jesus.  I highly recommend this museum to anyone who gets up this way.  Here is their web site.

http://www.creationmuseum.org/IMG_0629 We also heard a very interesting lecture by Terry Mortenson - "Is Genesis Relevant in Today's World?"  Of course the answer is yes.  IMG_0634 Billy in the Garden of Eden.IMG_0636 Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden.IMG_0642 Billy with a dinosaur.  And yes they did exist at the same time as man.IMG_0649 Outside they had a great swinging bridge...IMG_0656 that I really enjoyed.IMG_0650 There was a petting zoo.  Here I am with the friendly camel.IMG_0652 Billy in the beautiful botanical garden.IMG_0653 Tonight we are staying in Georgetown, KY at where else but WallyWorld.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Amana Colonies

This was the first time staying at WallyWorld that there have not been any other campers there.IMG_0597 This morning when we woke up I looked out the back window of the camper and saw that we were right beside a river and a nice paved walking/biking trail.  I went out and walked a little way and ended up talking to five people.  I found out that it was the Racoon River and the trail was an old RR track and about 60 miles long.IMG_0599 Our plan for today was to visit the Amana Colonies.  These people came to America from Germany to find religious freedom.

http://www.amanacolonies.com/history.htm

Our first stop was in South Amana at Fern Hill-Gifts & Quilts.  I expected them to have quilts for sale but when I went upstairs...IMG_0600 I found a quilt shop.  This is just the entrance.  It was a large shop with a resident designer with her own line of fabrics.IMG_0601 Then we went to Amana and had lunch at Ronneburg Restaurant, with German food.  This picture is a private home I thought had a pretty entrance.IMG_0602We walked around town and went in the shops but did not buy anything.IMG_0603 We drove for awhile and crossed the Mississippi River...IMG_0604 and then we were in Illinois.IMG_0608 Look what we found in Le Roy, IL. Best price we've found on diesel.

We are spending the night in Champion, IL at WallyWorld.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Corn, Corn & More Corn

IMG_0585 Our first stop this morning was right in Mitchell, SD where we spent the night.  We walked across the parking lot & went in Cabela's.  Then we went uptown to the Mitchell Corn Palace.  The whole building is covered in corn.IMG_0583 This is one of the corn murals inside the building.IMG_0586 They change the outside every year. Here are some guys working on the new design.IMG_0588 Further down the road we stopped at Sioux Falls Park...IMG_0590 and went on a free trolley ride through historic downtown Sioux Falls.IMG_0592  We crossed the state line into Iowa where...IMG_0594 I finally got to eat at Taco John's which is not as good as Taco Bell but I did like the Pico de Gallo on the salsa bar.IMG_0596 And we got to see more corn, fields and fields of it.

We are spending the night at WallyWorld in Windsor Heights which is a suburb of Des Moines.

South Dakota

IMG_0542 We made it to South Dakota this morning.IMG_0555.2 We visited Mount Rushmore.IMG_0560 After seeing so many signs advertising Wall Drug Store we just had to stop.  It is South Dakota's version of South of the Border, a real tourist trap.  But it did have an interesting start.

The Lure of Ice Water

The late Ted Hustead.
The late Ted Hustead.

Ted was a Nebraska native who moved to Wall and opened a tiny drug store in 1931. Five years later, it was still a tiny drug store. Dorothy, Ted's wife, thought that the travelers driving past their store must be thirsty, and suggested that Ted put up a sign outside of town advertising free ice water at Wall Drug.

Ted thought it was a silly idea, but he was desperate and put up the sign. By the time he got back, thirsty tourists were already lining up for their free ice water. They've been stopping ever since.

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2216

IMG_0562 We had our pictures taken ...IMG_0563 with some new friends.IMG_0565 They have a chapel there...IMG_0569 some pretty flowers...IMG_0570 and a large Jackalope.IMG_0573 My motel is across the street.IMG_0574We had a beautiful South Dakota sky heading east and after dark we had a summer storm light show in the distance but never got in it.IMG_0578 We are spending the night in the Cabela's RV parking lot in Mitchell, SD.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Goodbyes are Hard

It's funny how people can form attachments is such a short time.  We certainly formed a bunch of them on this trip.  In each group that we worked with there always seemed to be that special person that I hated to see leave.

And then it's time for us to leave and Sharon was very sad.  She is one of those people with a dry sense of humor. I told her that we would be together again and she said "yeah, when we die".  I told her it would be before that.IMG_0514 Sunday worship today was right across the street from the church so we went over for our final visit before it started.IMG_0516 I handed Billy the camera.IMG_0522 First Baptist of Kernersville, NC was in charge today.  Here we join with them in prayer before services began.IMG_0525 We all sat in the shade.grid overlayTaking part in the services were Alice Miller-Introduction & Invocation, Kay Justice-message "Faith that Works", Amy Linville-song leader and soloist, Rick Murray-message "Nehemiah: A Praying Leader"IMG_0532 Then we had another great lunch...IMG_0535  enjoyed by all.grid overlay2I did not get a picture of Julie, the homeowner, but I did get some of her beautiful flowers.

After lunch we got on the road again. We are stopping tonight in Gillette, WY.