Day 6: Homeward Bound

Oppps! Sorry! I missed posting this... better late than never...

It's always a bit sad when a tour comes to an end. The drive home from Jackson, Tennessee today will be filled with stories from the past week, some laughter and even a bit of snoozing. We're still looking for some of the brilliant fall foliage colors that sadly were not as electric as we had hoped. We did see some color so I guess Mother Nature got the better of us on that one. We did have some wonderful weather every day. Crisp mornings and comfortable afternoon sun made the activities we did all the more memorable, especially those outside ones.Marsha and I have been doing this for over ten years and each and every tour has its own uniquely memorable moments. We love seeing the smiles and hearing the laughter of all of our guests as we travel this great country of ours on our luxury motor coaches. The stories we could tell..... well, maybe we'll leave that for a book someday.

We have two more tours left for the year: a Girls Day Out tour to Branson, Missouri in November and a Branson Christmas Variety tour in December. brochures for each of these tours are on our website, www.travelmasters.org. We still have space available for both tours so don't wait! Give us a call and book you reservation.

Well, we're almost home and wouldn't you know it, the best fall foliage color was right here, alongI-540 in Arkansas.

Thanks for reading and following along with us on the Travel Masters' Autumn Journey - The Tennessee Two-Step.

Day 5: A Visit to Mr. Jack's Place

A tour through Tennessee wouldn't be complete without a distillery tour. Lynchburg is the home to the Jack Daniel's distillery so that's our stop this morning. Actually the tour isn't until this afternoon, but lunch in Lynchburg is on the schedule beforehand. Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House on Main Steet is serving up some fine southern cooking family style and I'm here to tell you it is pretty darn good. Fried chicken, pork tenderloin, potatoes, beans, apples made with a touch (generously) of Old Nr. 7 and much more. Our large group was broken up into three smaller groups to accommodate the small dining rooms in the boarding house. There was nothing small about the amount of food being served, though. We heard stories of the boarding house came to be and the number of people who lived there over the years. With a tasty dessert under our belts it was time to explore the square on Lynchburg and the shopping opportunities available. Did I mention that the Invitational BBQ Championship was being held this weekend in Lynchburg? Well, it is, Thousands of people with BBQ on their minds will descend on this small town and maybe increase the population three fold. I love BBQ but good thing we're heading out this afternoon after a visit to the Distillery.

It's a great day for touring the Jack Daniel's Distillery! A leisurely guided tour of the whiskey making process complete with an assault on our senses of smell (a good one, that is) from one of vats filtering the nearly finished product. We saw the office where Mr. Jack worked every day, the ate that ultimately led to his untimely death, to the cave spring where the water used to make Jack Daniel's whiskey comes from.  It's a great walking tour filled with history to the current process of making Tennessee's finest. Our tour guides did a remarkable job and we thank them very much.

After a quick stop at one of Travel Master's staple restaurants, Cracker Barrel in Dickson, Tennessee, it's onward now to our final night's hotel, back to the Doubletree in Jackson. (To quote the song of Johnny & June Carter Cash. I'm goin' to Jackson, Jackson, Tennessee).

Day 4: Who's Michelle Murray?

A brisk morning greets us as we step out of our hotel, Drury Plaza in Franklin, Tennessee and onto our motor coach. The drive to Chattanooga takes us down I-24 so we should make pretty good time. Has anyone heard of Michelle Murray? Celebrity sighting! Coming up behind us is her tour bus with her photo and tour information splashed along the side of her bus. Looked her up on Google and see that she is a recording artist and actress. I guess this is a pretty common sight in and around Nashville. Sadly, though we didn't see her but we'll accept her tour bus as a sighting. Sad, aren't we?


On The River Again . . .
Yesterday we took a rive cruise on a riverboat. Today it's the River Gorge Explorer on the Tennessee River in Chattanooga. Near the aquarium close to downtown Chattanooga, the River Gorge Explorer travels along at upwards of 50 miles per hour making sudden stops to view the colors of fall and the wildlife above the water and on the water. We saw a young bald eagle, turkeys, great blue herons and turtles by the score. Our naturalist aboard the Explorer gave us a full history of the Tennessee River as well as pointing out the abundant wildlife. She used a number of visual aids to give us the big picture of life on the river. This was truly a thrilling ride flying along the river and coming to a near sudden stop with water crashing up and over the boat. Of course we were all inside and dry so watching the water come over the windows was really kinda neat. The tour ended with the Captain doing donuts on the water giving us a 360 degree view of the surrounding area. (see the video on our facebook page... www.facebook.com/travelmasters.org)

After a wonderful rib and pulled pork dinner at Sticky Fingers downtown  we made our way to The Chattanoogan for the night. In the lobby tonight Marsha gave an impromptu iPad lesson to a few members of the group, one of which just purchased hers today. Oh yeah, anther game of Farkel is on the books for tonight. (Congratulations to Karen & Judy tonights grand champions). I however, will be watching the World Series, thank you very much!

Day 3: More Music City Fun

So, today we are going to the church of where Country Music lives. The Ryman Auditorium or the outside looks like preaching should be going on inside, which it was. Once we stepped through the doors and saw the nearly acoustically perfect interior where country music stars made their start and continue to perform regularly, we knew this was musically hallowed ground. a you can almost hear the banjos, guitars, steel guitars, mandolins and the voices of the greats echoing off the walls and into our ears. Now I won't profess to know anything really about country and western music but after listening to the old clips of stars from days gone by, I do remember hearing some of these tunes from my childhood. I love history and this kind of history lives on forever and am I glad of it. Walking through the halls of the Ryman and seeing the stage where the greats performed, I'm glad we made this a part of the tour. As a matter of fact Marsha and I even had a photo made on the stage holding guitars and pretending to be one of the greats, even if only for the time it took to snap the photo. Several others in the group did the means it was fun afterward to see the smiles and joy on their faces as they took the stage at the Ryman Auditorium.

The General Jackson
The Geneal Jackson Showboat at Opryland is one of those old style riverboats complete with a great buffet meal and fantastic entertainment. We booked this even over a year ago which may account for the up close and personal seating we got. Four tables from stage left to right gave us a ringside seat for the Steve Hall and Shotgun Red show.  Not only was the meal delicious but once the show started we were treated to some of the best picking', fiddlin', singin' and comedy around. Steve Hall brand on comedy along with his singing got us all ready to step up and join right in. His fiddle player who goes by the name of Tigar played as if the strings would catch on fire. We have often heard at many other shows with fiddle players, their interpretation of the Orange Blossim Special. Until we heard Tigar. He had us all looking on in amazement as he tore through the OrangeBlossom Special as we've never heard it before. His play on the fiddle and mandolin was about as good and high energy as has ever been played on a stage. The coolest part was the video shown of Tigar as an eight year old appearing with Merle Haggard and watching and listening to his play along with his childhood self on stage.
 I wish I had taken the time to write down the names of his band members but I didn't so I'll have to acknowledge them this way. His drummer has a a history of big band music behind humans his take on Sing,Sing, Sing had that Gene Krupa quality to it that. Ames you San to beg for more. His steel player bass player and guitar player ALL are top notch musicians that made the one hour show fly by. Oh and I forgot to mention the Wendy or thirty other artists that took the stage under the guise of his rhythm guitar player, Ray. Blind since birth he sounded incredibly like every singer or newscaster he chose to be. lose your eyes and listen and you'll swear you're hearing Jim Reeves or Stevie Wonder or even Paul Harvey at their finest. Michael McDonald, Willie Nelson, Charlie Prided, Fresdie Fender, Walter Cronkite and the list goes on and on. Truly an amazing entertainer. And let's not forget Shotgun Red, the alter ego of  Steve Hall. His brand of comedy had us in stitches.

Country Music Hall of Fame
As halls of fame go this one is right up there with all the others. The displays, the music and the memorabilia make for an interesting and informative walk through the history of country music, from it's beginnings to the stars of today. We only had an hour there but we could have spent all day. Definitely have to make a return visit. As an added bonus, on the streets outside the CMHOF the television show, Nashville was filming. Star sighting! Connie Britton was seen filming a scene for an coming episode across the street from me. Too bad we had to move on to Studio B, but the itinerary takes precedence.

RCA Studio B
I know Studio B recorded more than just Elvis Presley but I didn't know was just how many hits he recorded at Studio B. His recording of  "Are You Lonesome Tonight" done in complete darkness was purely magical. It is not necessarily one of my favorites but after hearing the story of the recording session and listening to the cut it has surely moved up the list. Many of the stars recorded at Studio B we some of the all time greats of country and even the fledgling rock and roll. We listened to outtakes, saw some of the old equipment and even had a seat the piano once used by The King himself.
Today was a very productive and entertaining day on every aspect of the word. Tomorrow we move southeast to Chattanooga. Stay with us!

Day 2: A Pearl of a Day!

It's a beautiful fall morning today. The colors haven't been as brilliant as we had expected but there's still more to see this week. The Tennessee River Fresh Water Pearl Museum in Camden is our first stop today.  According to Bob at the museum there was a possibility of TDOT (Tennessee Department of Transportation) doing some road construction on an exit on I-40 that coincidentally was the exit we needed to take to get to the museum. Thankfully that road construction was not taking place when we arrived so it was clear sailing off of the interstate to the Pearl Museum. Bob, Judy and their staff greeted us warmly when we arrived and couldn't have been nicer during our visit. Fresh coffee, water and a nice gift shop were available for us to enjoy, shopping for gifts and souvenirs which is the order of the day (every day).Bob thrilled us with a most interesting presentation followed by a video on the history and development of the pearl, the fresh water pearl industry and the part the Tennessee River plays in the supply of pearls nationwide. They have been featured in National Geographic magazine among others as well as a piece on CBS Sunday Morning. Our time at the museum was limited to two hours but we could and will on another trip, stay much longer and get the full effect of their knowledge and hospitality. A short drive down to the marina gave us a real life view of the "farm", very quiet on the surface but teeming with life underneath we're sure. Our time passed quickly and after receiving our sack lunch along with a wealth of information we were on our way to Nashville. Thanks again to Bob and his staff for a very interesting visit and insight into the world of pearls. Check them out at www.tennesseeriverpearls.com. We will be back!

Music CityJust about an hour's drive up I-40 east and we are in Music City, Nashville, Tennessee. City tours with a local step-on guide are one of he best ways to get the flavor and local perspective of a city. A good guide can provide a great introduction to the history and culture of their city and our guide today was no exception. Linda, from Art Henry's Tour & Receptive led us on a three-hour, very interesting tour of Nashville, filled with history, architecture and stories from the city's history and culture interspersed with frank commentary that really held our interest. From downtown to Music Row's recording studios; from the Ryman Auditorium to the Parthenon and Centenial Park, Linda regaled us with information, stories and and facts that brought the history and people of Nashville to focus we simply couldn't get enough. Good guides will do that. They can make or break an introduction to a city and Linda's three hours with us simply flew by. Great job!

It's time for the OprySometimes a curve all gets grown at you and how you handle it defines who and what you are be it from a personal nature or business. We arrived at The Grand Ole Opry in time for our 4:00 pm backstage tour only to find out there had been a mix-up and our tour had been scheduled for 9:00 am, earlier today. We had just left our hotel in Jackson so no doubt this was a mixup. Trying to adjust an event for a group of 39 with limited available time and to keep us on schedule is not always the easiest of tasks. However, with some pleasant conversation (really) and help from a member of the Opry staff (thanks, Andrea) we got our pre-show backstage tour changes to a post-show backstage tour which we came to find out is actually the preferred tour to take.  So, booked and now off to dinner at the Backstage Grill. Fried check and brisket were on the menu as we sat down to a delicious meal. We were also treated to an impromptu music performance by a member of the Grill's staff after dinner. What a great lead-in to our 7:00 pm show at the Opry.Speaking of the Opry, tonight was "Opry Goes Pink" in support of breast cancer awareness. The entertainers we some of Country music's finest and a sold out house of over 4,400 was treated to a first class Tuesday night Opry performance. Headlining the show was LeAnn Rimes singing a few of her hits along with the "Grits and Glamour" of Lorrie Morgan and Pam Tillis. Jeannie Seely, Natalie Grant, Mandisa and Amy Grant rounded out the two-hour performance of country and gospel tunes that had the crowd singing and tapping their toes in time. What a fantastic show!

Let's go BackstageBackstage tours are a wonderful insight into what goes on prior to and during each and every show. Our guide, Mary took us on a 45-minute walking tour of the Opry filled with stories of entertainers past and present and how the show comes together. A special treat for us was the appearance of Amy Grant heading out of the building carrying her guitar on her back and making her way through the group. No one really expected to see one of the stars of tonight's show but Marsha recognized her and managed to get a quick photo without interrupting her departure. We saw all of the dressing rooms, each one named for either a country music legend or a unique use for the entertainers performing that night. For instance, one of the dressing rooms is named "Into the Circle" which is used by the performer making their Opry debut.  Photos adorn the walls along with a mural done by Archie Campbell which hangs in the Ready or "Green Room" which isn't really green, only in name. OK, there is a green chair in there so I guess that qualifies. A long day and night is over as we made our way to the Drury Plaza in Franklin to rest our heads for the night.More fun in store tomorrow.

Day 1: The Two-Step Start...

...And Away We Go

What a beautiful sunrise this morning. It's a great day to travel, isn't it? Every day is a great day to travel. We arrived at the departure point at 7:15 this morning to find our motor coach and a few of our travelers already there. There is a bit of anticipation and excitement on the first day of any trip and today is no exception. The checked bags all fit nicely in the compartment under the coach and soon we were on our way. The first order of business was to bless the bus followed by the introduction of everyone on the tour. Normally we will play a little word game associated with each person's name as a way to get to know everyone. Today, however it was "what kind of sandwich are you"?. Tomorrow after we visit the Tennessee Fresh Water Pearl Museum our lunch will be a choice of sandwich. So, having gathered the sandwich choices we notified the lunch caterer and we were all set to go. Eastward to Tennessee. 

The nice thing about travel days (of which this is one) is it gives all of us an opportunity to get acquainted, swap stories or just catch up with old friends. I know I've said this before and it's not really a shameless plug but I think traveling by motor coach is the best way to see this great country. Where else can you drive all day, take in the sights, have a great meal (or two) and spend the night relaxing in a comfortable hotel, all in the company of friends old and new? 

Construction on I-40 could have caused us to be late for our next attraction, but it didn't. Traffic moved smoothly even as we traveled one lane east and one lane west. Smoothly so that we were a few minutes early arriving in Memphis.

Lucille!

If you've ever heard a guitar being played or played one yourself, a stop and tour of the Gibson Guitar Factory in Memphis is a must. The tour lasts about 40 minutes and is informative as well as exceptionally interesting in how a block of wood is transformed into a fine musical instrument enjoyed by the likes of B.B. King and of course, the great Les Paul. Factory tours are incredibly interesting and we try and locate one whenever we put a tour together. No photography allowed during the tour so we only have shots of the displays in the lobby. It's OK, though. The tour was fascinating. The craftsmanship that goes into the making of a Gibson guitar, it's no wonder they are the preferred axe of great guitar players worldwide. We will most definitely make Gibson a return visit when Memphis is on the itinerary.

Put on the feedbag! We ave arrived in Jackson, Tennessee and at Brook Shaw's Old Country Store for a southern cooking buffet fit for any palette. Fully stuffed (fried chicken and cobbler and...) we ambled out to the coach and made the 1 mile drive to the Doubletree Hotel to rest our heads. 

Follow us again for the rest of the trip right here. Good night!

I Love the Fall (Autumn, that is)

Don't you love it when the leaves turn color? The reds, oranges and yellows of the fall leaves just paint a wonderful kaleidoscope of color throughout the countryside. I'm sure it's much the same everywhere in the US but I guess I'm especially partial to the fall palette in the Ozark mountains and valleys since I live here. This time of year is particularly good for travel opportunities for those of us who hunger to experience the scenery, tastes and smells of Autumn in this part of the country. We recently returned from The Great American Scenic Safari and would you believe it? Snow in Yellowstone, the Teton and Glacier National Parks in the last week or so. Looks like we picked the right time for the Safari! Ok, we'll pat ourselves on the back a bit for this. We did a tremendous amount of research and phone calls during the planning phase of the Safari to try and determine the best possible time to make the tour happen. Now we can't promise anything and it took a great deal of cooperation from Mother Nature (we'll give her a shout out, too) but the weather couldn't have been better. Ok, I've digressed a bit.

The Travel Masters tour for this fall is our "Autumn Journey - Tennessee Two-Step", taking us across Arkansas and into Tennessee. Music in Nashville, boating in Chattanooga and even a chance to experience a bit o' Tennessee's finest courtesy of Mr. Jack's place in Lynchburg all add up to a beautiful autumn experience. I left out some of the other events and attractions we'll be experiencing on this tour, but that's so you can read all about them right here as we post daily musings and a few photos for you to enjoy. We start Two-Stepping on October 21st and will be back before you know it.

Yeah, I love this time of year!

What's Next?

Less than a week removed from our Great American Scenic Safari, were already looking forward to our "Tennessee Two Step" fall foliage tour to Nashville and Chattanooga. This tour will be packed with fun and the autumn colors around us brilliant.  What a great way to signal the end of summer and the beginning of the fall season. We'll be having a full day-to-day report right here on the fun of Tennessee in the fall.

"Girls Day Out - The Price is Right" is our November 15 day trip to Branson has already sold out one motor coach and we're looking to fill the second one. Lunch, shopping, wine tasting and The Price is Right - Live! It promises to be a great day out with the girls so come join us.

Three great shows, a fabulous hotel and the spirit of Christmas filling the air. That's our "Branson Christmas Variety" tour December 4-5. Shoji, Daniel O'Donnell and Clay Cooper headline our show lineup plus an overnight at the fabulous Branson Hilton Hotel and Convention Center will make this a thrilling and joyful Christmas tour.

So what's next in 2014? Well, we have a lot of ideas that we are kicking around. We think it could be a very exciting 2014 travel year and we are ready to get goin'!

If you want any information on our three remaining 2013 tours give us a call at 479-238-6656 and we'll fill you in. Or you can simply go to www.travelmasters.org and see the brochures for yourself. Either way, be sure and check us out. 

Homeward Bound

It's day thirteen and we're on the trail back to Northwest Arkansas. It was Sunday morning so we spent a little time this morning giving the mic to everyone on the coach and letting them tell in their own words what they were thankful for and what they liked during the past two weeks. We heard about the majestic beauty of our nation's National Parks to the comradarie of traveling in this motor coach for thirteen days, to the spiritual aspect of all of the things we saw that God created. We even heard about the occasional meal they got on the trip (26 in all!). For me it was the opportunity to see a part of this great country that I had yet to see and to be able to enjoy it with such a wonderful group of people. 

Marsha and I love what we do and we think it shows in the quality of our tours as well as the personal touches we try and impart on every tour. Day trips all the way to 2-week motor coach tours; cruises to international tours, we try and make each one an extension of ourselves in the fun, enjoyment and even the educational part that brings lasting memories to each and every person that makes them say, "I want to go".

Before we draw the curtain on The Great American Scenic Safari we still have a lunch stop. Homestyle fried chicken and all the fixin's from Strouds in Kansas City. We've been here a few times before and love the food and especially the hospitality. So, if you'll excuse me for a minute, "Move over Colonel",  we have some fried chicken to devour!
(cue the music, "Happy Trails to you....").

I hope this little blog gives you an idea of what a Travel Masters tour is about. We didn't tell you everything we did but wanted to give you a feeling of being in the coach with us and to share in our journey. We've made some new friends, renewed acquaintances with others and had a wonderful time doing so.

If you want to know more about Travel Masters you can always check out our website, www.travelmasters.org or our Facebook page, click on the TM logo on the live feed in the center of our website.

Remember, Happiness is a Way of Travel, Not Just a Destination!

Corn & Water

It's early morning after a light rain and we're on our way to the World Famous Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. Outside it's a study in the artistic talents of making murals out of corn. Each year there is a different theme to the outside and over the course of a few months in the summer the transformation is complete. We were met on our arrival by Cornelia, the Corn Palace mascot. Of course we took photos of each of the couples on the group with Cornelia. Our guide explained how the Palace came to look as it does each year. This year, depictions of wrestling, ice hockey, cheering and so forth are constructed using nothing but corn cobs, rye, oat heads and sour dock and the imagination of the designers. The Corn Palace was built in 1892 when the city of Mitchell was just 12 years old. The tradition of decorating the Corn Palace has continued for over 100 years.  Each fall over 275 thousand ears of corn are sawed in half and nailed to the outside of the building in a paint-by-numbers fashion. Funding for the Corn Palace is supported through donations and revenue generated from the Chamber of Commerce gift shop across the street.  Needless to say the Travel Masters helped out in their own generous way with an abundance of items purchased in the gift shop.

The Falls Overlook Cafe in Sioux Falls, South Dakota was our lunch stop today. We called ahead on day one of the tour with our lunch orders so they we fully prepared for our arrival. Sandwich, chips, an apple and a scoop of ice cream completed the lunch. Can you say Moose Tracks?  Even though it was overcast and occasionally a few droplets of rain were falling, it didn't discourage many of the group from wandering around the area of the falls. Some made the walk to Falls Tower which gave them a great elevated view of the falls and the surrounding area. We departed a bit early because of the rain so that will give us a head start of the drive to Omaha and the River City Star dinner cruise.

We took a short rest break at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Sioux City, Iowa. Quite a bit of stuff was added since our last visit some 5 years ago. Even another building was constructed with several displays on the explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and their expedition across America with primary attention paid to their journey in these parts. We watched a short film detailing their contributions and then it was off to Omaha and dinner.

We've done the river cruise on the River City Star in Omaha a few times before and it has always been a fun and relaxing cruise. A light-ish dinner of "make-your-own" sandwiches and salad while cruising on the Missouri River made for a relaxing early evening and end to the day. The cruise was just an hour long but plenty of time to enjoy the scenery and just visit on our last evening before heading home tomorrow.

Several of us gathered in the lounge area of our hotel for the night, the Regency Lodge in Omaha to visit, share stories of the tour and to enjoy a game of cards or the Dice game of Farkel. If you don't know what Farkel is, go look it up. It took us almost 10 minutes to understand the explanation and actually get into the game. Once we got to playing the laughter could be heard all over the lobby. Were we too raucous while playing this little dice game? Probably, but no one seems to mind.

Tomorrow (today, because I'm writing this on Sunday morning) is our last day on the Great American Scenic Safari. I hope you've enjoyed following us on this wonderful tour of some of our country's scenic National Parks as we have, seeing it first hand.  Our drive home will be filled with memories, lots of photos and yes, many, many souvenirs. Can't wait for the next tour!

"My lands are where my dead lie buried"

Crazy Horse
The Crazy Horse Memorial is one of those places that is continuously evolving over time. The sculpture on the mountain shows change, albeit slowly, each time we've come here. There is a museum and an orientation film shown in the theater that traces the early history of this ongoing project, a memorial to the Lakota Leader, Crazy Horse.

The first blast off the mountain took place on June 3, 1948. Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski began the project and his family has continued his work after his death in 1982.

There is a museum dedicated to Ziolkowski and his work as well a Native American Cultural Awareness Center that you could spend hours visiting.

Free coffee and donuts for Veterans - Wall Drug
Driving east along Interstate 90 in South Dakota Wall Drug in Wall, SD has a number of signs, big and small along the highway telling us why we should stop. Well, we are stopping....for lunch and some shopping. Home Decor, Western Wear, 33 miles to go, Wall Drug or Bust are but just a few of the signs we've seen. They appear to start at about 50 miles out and continue at varying intervals and locations off the highway, guaranteed to make the passengers (and maybe the driver) take notice and stop.

A delicious lunch for everyone at Wall Drug. Filling for sure and the 5-cent cup of coffee tops it off. In the backyard area is a play area for kids plus a photo gallery with lots of historical remembrances of Wall Drug past and of course the area in general. There is one thing that's of an historic nature and that is the Tyrannosaurus Rex display that comes to life every 12 minutes or so to feed. Great for scaring little kids and an opportunity for fun for the big kids. (Check back and we will post our video). I'm sure we all got our shopping fix for the day, plus the free coffee and donut for veterans.

Badlands National Park
Approximately eight miles south of Wall is Badlands National Park, the last national park stop on this, The Great American Scenic Safari. A kaleidoscope of colors with mounds and valleys, pinnacles and spires. Each so very distinctive from every angle and every set of eyes that see it. We stopped at several of the viewpoints along the way to take in the panoramic wonder that is the Badlands. I've been here a few times before and each time I'm here I see something I hadn't seen before. An extra bonus today was the sighting of several bighorn sheep grazing very near the roadside on hillsides much too treacherous for the likes of me to walk on. Further on a colony of prairie dogs gave everyone a chuckle as they darted in and out of the little mounds they call home. The drive around Badlands Loop Road once you enter the park at Pinnacles entrance is about 24 miles taking you to the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. Including the occasional stops at the viewpoints and the walking and photographing it can take upwards of 2 hours or so to complete. In that time the panoramas of the formations, the colors within the hills and crevices, paint a wonderful picture of another of Mother Nature's masterpieces, one not to missed on a trip to South Dakota.

The Restaurant at Cedar Shores
Once in a while we'll find places to have our meals that are simply amazing. The restaurant at Cedar Shores Resort in Oacoma, South Dakota was one of those places. Today had been a busy day with considerable road time, plus a time change. Cedar Shores was ready for us when we walked in with a most delicious buffet. Add to that a most efficient and friendly staff taking superb care of us throughout dinner. Not only were we done and out the door in 45 minutes but it never felt like we were rushing. A leisurely, delicious dinner and friendly staff. What more could you ask for? I know this, though. We will be back. Cedar Shores will be on our list so whenever we're traveling this way in South Dakota, we' ll be sure and stop in.

Little Big Horn & Mt. Rushmore

I got my workout this morning. Not in the planned way but a good workout anyway. Haven't bussed tables in a while but thankfully nothing dropped and we made it through. The restaurant was short handed on staff this morning. Big props to the Travel Masters who pitched in and helped. Great display in teamwork. OK, enough about that. Heading to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Crow Agency, Montana.

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
We arrived at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument with a few minutes to spare before our tour. Time to visit the Visitor Center, take in a short film and do a bit of shopping. At our appointed time for our tour, the step-on guide was a no-show. We spoke with a Park Ranger who was about to present a talk on the battle and he assured us he would "blow our socks off". We filed outside and took our seats facing the battlefield and memorial to the fallen soldiers and waited. Ranger Steve Adelson stepped to the microphone and began a thrilling 40-minute presentation on the history, tactics and assessment of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. It was one of the most informative talks I have ever heard. It made us feel as if we were there. From the tactics of Lieutenant Colonel George Custer, Commander of the 7th Cavalry, Sitting Bull, Leader of the Lakota to the bullets and arrows flying to the close in combat between the soldiers of the 7th Cavalry and the Cheyenne and Lakota warriors, Steve gave a thrilling account of the battle.

We were informed early on that the talk was being filmed for broadcast on CSPAN for the first weekend in October.

Following the Ranger's presentation several of us walked up to Last Cavalry Stand Hill where a memorial to the fallen soldiers stands along with small, white tombstones were placed where members of he 7th Cavalry fell during the battle. About 100 yards away stood a memorial to the fallen members of the Native Americans who were killed during the battle. Numerous markers, white for the Cavalry and red for the Indians could be found scattered across the battlefield.
It is now a place of peace, reflection and healing over what took place here on June 25, 1876.
We arrived at Mt. Rushmore National Monument ready to view the sculpture in the light of day and witness the evening lighting ceremony after dark. The place was packed! There was a reunion of sailors from an aircraft carrier visiting, as well as several bus groups making the area teeming with people. The line to get into the cafeteria was incredibly long so eating in there was a non starter. Several Travel Masters grabbed a place in line for the burger and dog snack shack on the concourse while a few of us ventured on the half-mile Presidential walk to the base of the monument. It gave us a view of the four presidents unlike any we've seen before. As is the case with every National Park, the area is left as nature intended, after the sculpting of the mountain of course. Beautiful scenery, serene and calm throughout the walk, a must-do on any visit to Mt. Rushmore. After the walk, bison burgers and hot dogs awaited.

The evening lighting ceremony will send chills up and down your spine. This is my third time here and to be a part of it and I get the same feeling each and every time. The Park Ranger's presentation on Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln as well as the singing of the National Anthem stirs the patriotism in all of us. Once the faces are illuminated with the stars overhead and the moon in the background you can't help but feel an enormous sense of pride in this great country. Concluding the ceremony was the invitation of all active duty, retired and prior service members to the stage and bottom of the amphitheater to be recognized for our service. Thanks go out to service members worldwide for the contributions that make this country what it is. (Thanks to the Travel Masters that joined me on stage!)

Ridin' the Rails

Early morning wake-up call. We departed Grouse Mountain Lodge after a two-night stay. Our boxed breakfast was waiting for us in the lobby as our carry-on luggage was brought out to be loaded on the motor coach. 6:30 am and we were on our way to Whitefish Amtrak station for the 7:40 am departure.

The train arrived a bit late and we departed a little after 8:00 am. I guess that's OK, actually. As long as we reach Cut Bank Station close to the scheduled arrival time we'll be fine.
We left our checked bags at the hotel and once Brian dropped us off safely at the train station he returned to the Lodge and picked them up. As we are enjoying the rail transport across the southern tip of Glacier National Park, Brian will be driving to meet us at Cut Bank. His drive will be shorter than ours so he'll be there to meet us as we pull in. Fresh coffee in the lounge car gave those that needed it their morning fix (me included).

This was one of the more relaxing rides we'll have on this trip. We never got up to any real speed, just a leisurely pace which may be due to altitude changes through Glacier National Park. There were stops at West Glacier, Glacier Park and East Glacier before our final destination of Cut Bank. When we were about an hour out of Cut Bank we saw our motor coach passing by us on the highway adjacent to the railway. At least we knew Brian was well on his way to meet us.

After a smooth and relaxing railway experience we boarded the motor coach at Cut Bank Station. Once again, driving through the Montana countryside we can see for miles and miles and miles. Big Sky Country indeed!

Eddie's Corner in Moore, Montana is a little oasis in the vast farmland of wheat fields as far as the eye can see. This was our rest break between lunch and dinner. I probably should have mentioned earlier that this is primarily a travel day for us. Travel by train and then our luxury motor coach from Whitefish to Cut Bank and on to Billings. There's a lot and not much to see all at the same time. Plains forever with mountains in the distance.

Whoa!! Prong Horn sighting! Our first wildlife sighting today, discounting cattle, the occasional sheep and of all things, bees. Just ask "King of the Road" Bob. He took one for the team at Eddie's. Stung between his ring and little fingers. A cup of ice mercifully supplied by the waitress at the counter helped soothe the pain. He will survive.

Turning right on the Zimmerman Trail takes us down an 8% grade but a fantastic overlook of the city of Billings. Houses on the edge of the cliffs look like they could slide down the hill during a heavy rainstorm. Our dinner locale for this evening is Montana's Rib and Chop House. This travel day has given us all an appetite (like we haven't had anything to eat on this trip). Winding our way around the neighborhood going thru at least 6-7 round-a-bouts we finally arrived, 5 minutes after our reservation. Not bad at all since we had been 30 minutes behind schedule from the train's late departure from Whitefish.

Montana's Rib and Chop House in Billings provided an outstanding meal and service to our group tonight. The steaks were delicious, the ribs finger-lickin' good and the pasta, pork chops and salmon were wonderful. For dessert we were treated to most amazing apple cobbler which was not to remain on the plate very long.  Well done!

On to our hotel, the Dude Rancher Lodge, to rest for the night and prepare for more sightseeing and our visit to Mt. Rushmore.

Going to the Sun Road

Going to the Sun Road
Grouse Mountain Lodge breakfast was open at 7:00 am and we ALL were there. We were scheduled to depart the Lodge for Glacier National Park at 7:30 am but we moved it back to 7:45 am. At precisely 7:45 am we were crawling through Whitefish and on our way to Glacier and our Red Bus Tour. We hit a couple of snags along the way in the form of road construction but still managed to arrive at Lake McDonald Lodge at 9:00 am.  Everyone was decked out in the T-shirts of the color groups they were assigned to. Red, Orange, Blue and Yellow were the colors of choice to coincide with the red bus they would be on. The busses hold 17 passengers and are normally filled to capacity for the tours. Since we chartered these busses, they took 12 passengers each. More legroom and comfort with which to see the sights. Little did we know what spectacular sights we would be seeing.

We met each of the drivers, Benny, Decker, Matt and Jimmy when we walked up to the busses. We all boarded our respective busses and were soon off on the Going o the Sun Road an extended tour of Glacier National Park. I could use up every adjective I could think of to describe the awesome beauty that we witnessed this morning. The first part of the drive was a bit chilly so the blankets laying the benches were greatly appreciated and used. Fog was covering nearly everything so there wasn't much to see early on.

As we climbed up the mountain roads and rose above the fog the incredible beauty of the mountains with the fog covering the valleys below took our breath away. We proceeded to the Logan Pass visitor center for a rest break, NPS passport book stamp and photo ops. Our drivers filled us with information on the area, the glaciers and the wildlife. A number of glaciers have all but disappeared over the past 14 years and more are expected to do so in the next 15 years. We hope not but Mother Nature has the final say on this I'm afraid.

Continuing along the Going to the Sun Road, upwards to nearly 9,000 feet in elevation, we noticed the sun was burning off the morning fog and the temperature was warming up. We passed or stopped briefly by several waterfalls which in some cases was right next to the road. Wonderful opportunities for some very scenic photographs. We stopped at an overlook on Lake St. Mary for a vista of Wild Goose Island and the surrounding mountain peaks. In the distance was a peak bearing a striking resemblance to a mountain top that many of us have seen before. Decker, our driver could not confirm nor deny that this was the peak (or a very close resemblance to) the Paramount Pictures peak logo seen before and after every movie made by that studio. Sure comes close to it, though. 

We made the return drive along he same road we took this morning only this time no fog. An incredible array of beauty before us not seen earlier today. It was interesting to try and make the comparison from this morning's drive and the fog-covered valleys. Another photo op at Lunch Falls and the onward back to Lake McDonald Lodge and the end of our tour. We've been to the Tetons and Yellowstone on a few occasions but this was our first time to Glacier and I must say that this was the most impressive of the three. Each has it's own unique beauty in its own way, but I thinks the oohs and ahhs from the group were more vocal during today's tour than we've ever heard before. Glacier Nation Park truly has to be seen over and over to appreciate its majesty. We will be back!

Scatter dinner this evening in Whitefish. About a third of the group opted to return to the Lodge for dinner while the rest choose a variety of restaurants in Whitefish. About a dozen went Jersey Boys Pizza, 10 went to Craggy's Range and several went around the Farmers Market. The verdict, each had delicious meals at their respective restaurant of choice.All in all an awesome day Red Bussing through Glacier National Park.

Big Sky Country

All of the hotels we choose for our tours have reputations for comfort. Hampton, Drury, Comfort Suites to name a few. This morning I heard more comments about the great night's sleep they had last night. So, kudos to the Hampton Inn Bozeman, Montana for the comfort and hospitality.
We have been on the road for about an hour an I can see why this is "Big Sky Country". View so spectacular you can see forever. The sun is out and shining on the mountains. Cloud formations are casting shadows giving so many different looks at the mountainsides that you don't see the same view of the same mountain twice.

Ordinarily we try and avoid fast food restaurants at lunchtime primarily because of the crowds and we can always get fast food at home. We will however stop at places like McDonalds for rest breaks because they handle groups so well and we can be in and out with a large group in 30 minutes. Today, though was an exception. When this tour was put together over a year ago we had planned for lunch to be at a local pizzeria. During the course of conversation with a bus driver at a college basketball game we were given the idea of visiting the Smokejumpers School in Missoula. So we decided to make an adjustment to the itinerary. Enter McDonalds in Deer Lodge. We called ahead to let them know a bus group of 49 was descending on them at lunchtime. We had about 45 minutes ideally to have lunch. What helped was that we had purchased 48 $10 Arch cards for everyone which we hoped would speed things up. It did. Not only that but the staff took the orders one after another writing each person's name on the receipt to help move things along swiftly. Suffice it to say everyone was fed, able to use the facilities and back on the coach to depart in 45 minutes. Thanks go to the staff at McDonalds in Deer Lodge, Montana for making us say, "We're Lovin' It"!

The Smokejumper Center in Missoula was our stop after lunch. We had to break up into three smaller groups to accommodate the small size of the rooms we would be visiting as well as to enable the guides to be heard. One of the guides, Tyler Kuhn is a rookie smokejumper and he gave us a very detailed overview of the training requirements and regimen that they go through to become certified smokejumpers. We saw the "Ready" room where they put on the gear prior to leaving on a call. The suits and equipment could weight about 100 pounds or so meaning these guys (and girls) have to be quite physically fit. The "Loadmaster" area gave us an insight on what makes up the packs that they carry on a jump. We saw where the parachutes are inspected after each jump, repaired if need and packed for he next jump. Finally we were taken to the aircraft used by the smokejumpers, a Douglas DC-3, or "Doug" as it is commonly referred to. Stepping inside we gained an appreciation on the procedures each jumper needs to follow when jumping and how they are prepared and cleared to jump. The inside is cramped with just the 15 of us in it. Imagine how close it must get with 8-10 jumpers loaded down with equipment plus crew all with a very distinctive job to do and little or no room for error. The pilot seemed to have the most room to maneuver inside the cockpit and believe me, there was not very much room at all. These men and women of the Missoula Smokejumpers deserve a great deal of credit and appreciation for putting themselves in danger every time they go out to fight the smaller fires in remote areas before they become much larger, more destructive wildfires. Thank-you for your service!

The drive from Missoula to Lakeside was filled with magnificent views of the mountains, the plains and even a few prong horn and deer. Once we entered the area of Flathead Lake all eyes (except Brian's) were focused eastward. The sapphire color of blue was simply brilliant. The waters a bit choppy but the just added to the shimmering color of the lake.
Cherries is what this area is known for and there was no shortage of cherry trees in sight here as we made our way around the lake. As a matter of fact, Loyd G. informed the group that as a teenager he picked cherries in this very area and managed to swim in flathead Lake a time or two, even as cold as it was (generally under 60 degrees F).

Simply Elegant catering was our host for dinner at the Lakeside Community Center. Former Siloam Springs resident and Gentry High School graduate Janet provided a most amazing dinner for us. From salad selections Chilled Arugula Salad with Tomatoes and Caprece Salad to delicious entrees like Rigatoni Pasta with Fresh Mushrooms, Bowtie Pasta with Pesto, Meatballs with a Pearl of Mozzarella in the middle and Herb encrusted Pork Tenderloin, Janet and her catering partner, Lisa gave us a meal to remember. To top it off dessert included Italian Cream Cake and Flathead Cherry Pie made with cherries they picked themselves. We were treated to gifts of locally produced candies as well as hand made bags, aprons and towel with a local flavor. We left Janet with our thanks for a truly amazing dinner event. 

Lisa & Janet sitting down and relaxing as we drove off.

We arrived t our home for he next two night's, Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish tired, full and ready to call it a night. Red bus touring in Glacier National Park is tomorrow. Wear your colors!

Old Faithful & Mammoth Hot Springs

We said our good-byes this morning to Ana and to Togwotee Mountain Lodge as we loaded up and made our way back to Yellowstone. One last look at the Tetons as we make a brief stop at Ox Bow Bend. Still beautiful and the reflection of Mt. Moran on the lake is like a mirror. Our destination this morning, first off, is Old Faithful.

On this morning's drive through the lodge pole pine corridor heading toward Grant Village we had another bear sighting. Unfortunately we had no where to turn off and by the time it was spotted we were past it. So, only few folks in the rear of the coach got the view. Great for them!
Through a bit of fortuitous timing we arrived at the Old Faithful Inn in time for the 10:57 am eruption of the Old Faithful geyser. Only the eruption occurred at 11:10am. Kinda like watching a pot of water on the stove. The more you watch it the longer it takes to boil. No worries, though. The large crowd gathered around the viewing area were treated to about a three minute eruption of hot water and steam shooting some 135 feet into the air. After the eruption we headed for a bit of lunch in the cafeteria. Then we returned the viewing stands were witness to another Old Faithful eruption. Several folks took to the boardwalk trail around the many steam vents and smaller geysers in the area of Old Faithful.  A 1:00 pm departure was met and we were on our way north.

Smiling faces since we got to see Old Faithful spout two times!

Gibbon Falls between Madison and Norris information centers was a nice stop for us.  A walking path took us to a viewing area above the falls with great vistas of the river and canyon below.

If I'm overusing words like "magnificent" or "incredible" or "amazing", please forgive me. I'm going to have to dig out my Thesaurus to find more words to describe the scenic beauty (there's two more words) that we've seem so far on this tour. I'm sure there will be many views and vistas even more amazing as we make our way into Glacier National Park in a couple days, so I'd better improve my vocabulary.

Just passed Roaring Mountain and we can see in the distance dark, thick clouds signifying the beginning signs of our afternoon showers. Let's hope that we can get to and make the Terrace Walk at Mammoth Hot Springs before the storms begin.

Marsha may have spotted a moose! Off in the distance in some prime marsh land area she spotted what may have been our first moose sighting. Sadly, though there was no place to stop and take a better look. The road traveling north from Norris to Mammoth is quite narrow and does not offer many opportunities to pull over and gawk.

Sadly the rain has foiled our plans to walk the terraces at Mammoth. A quick stop at the Visitor Center followed by an ice cream fix for those in need of one (me) and the rain decided to let up. A few of us danced between the rain drops and walked the few hundred yards of the lower terrace. The hydrogen sulfide odor was a bit on the strong side but not enough to keep the brave ones from making the walk. The colors of the boiling hot springs along with the unique formations from the mineral deposits made the walk worthwhile.

Several elk were spotted on the drive from Yellowstone, along with deer and geese and even a few fishermen. Marsha's sighting notwithstanding, we're still looking for the elusive close-in sighting of a moose. Maybe not until we reach Glacier National Park. I can wait.

Our home for tonight is the Hampton Inn, Bozeman, Montana.  At dinner time the group split, half at Famous Dave's and Half at Applebees and returned to the hotel at about 8:00 pm.

Our group gets some much needed rest, with a 9:15 am departure . . . Then onward to Glacier National Park with some fun along the way.

Yellowstone National Park

Wow! What a beautiful morning! 49 degrees, a light drizzle and the view of the Teton mountain range partially in the sun with a layer of fog stretching the lower length of the range. It gave the appearance of the mountain peaks breaking through the fog and illuminated by the early morning sun. Truly, this is one of God's gifts. Words can't describe it and pictures don't do it justice. You just have to see it for yourself.

Winding our way thought Grand Teton National Park on the way to Yellowstone the sun broke through the clouds. Blue sky and sunshine, what a great combination.

Passing by Jackson Lake it is indeed sad to see how low the lake is. Providing irrigation water to neighboring state, Idaho may be good for them but it has to have a negative impact on the wildlife and balance of nature in Yellowstone. We saw many, many animal tracks leading from the shore through the mud for hundreds of feet to get a drink of water. It wasn't that long ago on our last visit to Yellowstone that we saw this lake full and providing a beautiful setting for the wildlife and tourists alike. OK, I'll get off my soapbox for now.

First wildlife moment of the day. When we saw a number of cars stopped on the side of the road we figured it's got to be some sort of animal. It was a grizzly bear no more than 30 yards from the side of the road. What a fantastic sight! The bear was digging for food, paying no attention at all to all of the onlookers. Ana told us it was a rather small grizzly but it sure looked big from where I was setting. Dark brown, almost black in color and possibly 400-500 pounds (I'm guessing). It sure helps being as high off the ground as we were sitting on the motor coach, giving us a spectacular view of this magnificent animal. Cameras are a-clicking away. Brian opened the door so Marsha could get some great shots.

Beauty appreciation moment (as Ana calls it). We pulled to the side of the road for a vista of the Lewis Canyon, named after the explorer Meriweather Lewis of Lewis and Clark fame. Not only were we able to take in the splendor of the canyon and the Snake River, we saw the results of the 1988 fire that destroyed almost 30% of the park. Many small trees have been naturally reseeded after the fire and are growing quite well. Some are 15-20 feet tall and climbing.

I guess I could talk (write) forever on each stop we make and sight we see, but I think I'll keep this to the highlights and leave a little something to your imagination.  Maybe you'll want to go with us on one our next tours.

Another spectacular photo op. Artist Point at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone provided incredible views of the Lower Falls and the brilliant coloring of the cliffs on either side. The Yellowstone River flows north from the Yellowstone Lake and into the canyon. The canyon is over 4,000 feet across and 800 -1,200 feet deep. A viewing point of the Upper Falls is next.
Just a short walk took us out to a viewing platform of the Upper Falls. Great photo op and worth the walk.

We drove through Hayden Valley looking for bison. We could see them but they quite far off in the distance so a close up view of bison was not possible today (or so we thought). There's always tomorrow, however. Maybe we'll get lucky then. We did see a couple of small herds from across the Yellowstone River. Not the close up view we were hoping for but the camera can always bring them in pretty close. We'll take it. On the drive through the valley we could see many trees where the bark was rubbed raw by bison rubbing up against them trying to shed their winter coat. Patience pays off. We came up on a small herd near the road so we got our close up look at bison. We were within 50 yards of one rather large bison who obviously was aware of our presence. He was rolling around in the dirt, stood up and looked around and rolled in the dirt gain. Quite a show.

Dinner tonight was once again delicious followed by a game of 8-ball by a few of the group. Another successful day of touring and looking forward to tomorrow.

Be sure to check back to our blog regularly. When we have a strong Internet connection we will add photos!