The Trip Here

I left home in Philadelphia on May 22^nd, first destination was Fayetteville Arkansas to spend Memorial Day weekend with Jenn, our daughter, and her boyfriend, Dan. Jenn and I did our annual fishing trip together at Bull Shoals on the White River. This was our fourth trip, and it was the best one yet. We had non-stop action all day from the river’s huge population of rainbow trout. Mixed in with dozens of rainbows, we also caught a half dozen of the larger, wilier brown trout. The Ozarks are beautiful this time of year, the air sweet, the stifling days of summer still in the future.

Jenn's catch on the White River, Bull Shoals Arkansas

From northwest Arkansas, I drove I-29 north through Missouri to South Dakota, turning west on I-90. The landscapes and towns along the way ooze history of the American West.

Two days of driving took me to the Black Hills where I enjoyed seeing Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park (summertime home for two Presidents, Coolidge and Eisenhower).

Driving on, I passed through historic Deadwood (now burdened with casinos, unfortunately)

Western art, Deadwood South Dakota

and stopped at a terrific museum of national fish hatchery history in Spearfish. Next destination was Billings, Montana to spend a few days with Ann Norwood, our Yellowstone friend. Ann has a wonderful home up a box canyon just outside the city.

We took day trips to local points of interest, up to the little town of Roundup and to Pompy’s Pillar (the only physical evidence proving the Lewis & Clark Expedition, where William Lewis etched his name and the date in a huge bluff along the Yellowstone River).

After a week on the road and with three weeks of Yellowstone camping ahead of me, I took advantage of Billings shopping to replenish supplies. Heidi and I will be back to Ann’s after our trip to Glacier National Park next month.

Palisades along the Yellowstone River, Billings Montana

I arrived in Yellowstone National Park on June 3^rd, 3,000 miles after I began. The long days of driving are challenging, but I thoroughly enjoy seeing the immense expanse and diversity of our nation. June is a great month for the iconic All-American Road Trip. Light traffic, fair weather, and lots of daylight to ease the driving.