April 24th ----SUNSHINE AT LAST!

Time for a Spring bath in Kansas

One more goose in the pond

Nebraska wind power

 

Homestead National Monument near Beatrice, Nebraska

 

Home made bricks on 1870 log house (home of 12 people)!!!

Super "Bug" corn picker

Rolling hills of central Iowa

Iowa fields ready for spring planting

"Albert" The Bull in Audubon, Iowa

Shed & trees

Storm rolling in over Iowa farm

A beautiful sunset tonight (The first in two weeks)

Our little park in Rockwell, Iowa

Since last I wrote we have covered quite a few miles, both on the bikes and with the camper.  From the wind swept plains of Kansas to the corn rows of Iowa we have experienced only cold, wet windy weather.  Fortunately we have stayed  just out of the reach of the tornadoes that have traveled along side us for the last few hundred miles.

We left Earl Norman at his home in Bellevue, Nebraska a few days ago  and pointed the nose of the camper north.  Today is the first day in almost two weeks that we have seen the sun shine and it is a wonderful sight!  We were even  able to get out and ride this afternoon! 

We have found several small city parks along our route that  usually have a few spots for RV's.  Most  have water and electric and are quiet and peaceful.  I would guess that come summer these little parks are always full but at this time of the year, we seem to be the only ones using them. 

We have our fingers crossed for more sun & more warm weather as we continue our trek north to the U P.

 

April 15th - "There's no place like home...There's no place like home!"

Yes, we are in Kansas.  Yes, there is a storm with 65mph winds.  There is no doubt now why  the people who made the Wizard of Oz used Kansas as its base. Lions, and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!!! As I write this, the motor home feels like we have taken to the water and are being bounced around on extremely rough seas.  It was 76 degrees the day before yesterday as Earl and I were riding along Hwy 281 heading north from Great Bend, Kansas toward Russell, Kansas were we are at present.  That evening we
 checked the weather and decided to stay put for an extra day as storms were moving into the area.  It wouldn't be good for bike riding nor driving the motor home (or lions, and  tigers or bears either)  Last night the wind "picked up"  from the 35 mph gusts to well over 65 mph blows that we are still experiencing.  The UP with or without snow is starting to look much better and There is no place like home!!  (The UP!!!)

We have covered a lot of ground since last I wrote.  We picked Earl Norman up in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the end of March and he and Richard began their 12th  annual bike ride to raise funds for the Iron County Cancer Unit.  This year the weather has not been quite so forgiving.  Lots of cold-windy days and nights, but we are continuing north little by little.  We had hoped to skirt the rough weather that was forecast for this area, but another front moved in and hit us hard in the night.  We even had a little taste of snow earlier this morning as the temperature continued to drop down to the low 30's and, as I write this,  the wind has not abated; it has only gotten stronger.

So, as we wait out this storm there is one ray of bright light......We have been reassured there is a storm shelter in this RV park!!!  Auntie Em would approve!!!

Storm & Sunset south of Albuquerque, NM

Richard & Earl Norman getting ready for the day's ride

Somewhere in Oklahoma

Liberal, Kansas storm clouds

"After every storm comes the sun"

Dorothy's home in Liberal, Kansas

Yup!  The Yellow Brick Road

The Wizard's brick

Richard "shooting the breeze"

Ok.......they have Catfish, but what is with the Angus??