We spent Independence Day weekend at St. Croix State Park near Hinckley, MN.  While this is a gorgeous park with many things to do such as biking and canoeing, it still tops my list of the most mosquito infested state parks I've ever visited.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2010 - St. Croix State Park The front gate to St. Croix State Park.	2010 - St. Croix State Park Paddling down the St. Croix River.	2010 - St. Croix State Park The Hiking Club password.
2010 - St. Croix State Park The fire tower at St. Croix.	2010 - St. Croix State Park Molly and Ryan atop the fire tower.	2010 - St. Croix State Park Looking over the trees atop the fire tower.

During our visit to the Black Hills this June, we managed to have only one day without rain.  On that one beautiful sunny day we visited Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

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2010 - Mount Rushmore National Memorial Mount Rushmore.	2010 - Mount Rushmore National Memorial Mount Rushmore.	2010 - Mount Rushmore National Memorial Anna at Mount Rushmore.
2010 - Mount Rushmore National Memorial Laura at Mount Rushmore.	2010 - Mount Rushmore National Memorial Molly, Anna and Laura at Mount Rushmore	2010 - Mount Rushmore National Memorial The Flentje family at Mount Rushmore

Today while Jeannine and the girls were riding the steam train in Hill City, I rode along with Ryan and the Bowers family to Devil's Tower National Monument.  The rain had stopped just long enough for us to hike and explore around the monument.  I've been to the monument several times in my life but this was the first time I've climbed around the boulder field.  Both Ryan and I managed to hike across the entire boulder field and back without injury.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2010 - Devil's Tower National Monument Approaching Devil's Tower from the south.	2010 - Devil's Tower National Monument A hike through the boulder field.	2010 - Devil's Tower National Monument Approaching the tower from the boulder field.
2010 - Devil's Tower National Monument The trails around Devil's Tower.	2010 - Devil's Tower National Monument Bart at Devil's Tower National Monument.	2010 - Devil's Tower National Monument The boulder field around Devil's Tower.

While touring through Corpus Cristi, TX, we made a short visit to the Padre Island National Seashore at Malaquite Beach.  The water temperature today was only 55°F so we didn't do much other than wade into the water up to our knees.  It didn't take long before your toes went numb.  The park ranger mentioned the fact that in the summer the water can be as warm as 85°F.  The extreme temperature fluctuation prevents much of a coral reef from forming offshore, which explains why we weren't doing very well hunting for shells.  Padre Island is also known for bird watching and turtle migrations.  Unfortunately, the only critters we observed during our visit were bird-sized mosquitoes.

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2009 Padre Island National Seashore Laura digging in the sand.	2009 Padre Island National Seashore Anna flinging shells.	2009 Padre Island National Seashore Nene shell collecting.
2009 Padre Island National Seashore Molly tiptoeing into the cold water.	2009 Padre Island National Seashore We've come this far, we have to go into the water.	2009 Padre Island National Seashore The Condon family walking the beach for shells.

While in Texas visiting my sister Jane and her beautiful family, we visited the Topsey Exotic Animal Ranch.  It is located in Topsey, TX, approximately 8 miles northwest of Copperas Cove, TX.   We've been here before a few years back and had such a good time, we just had to return.  If you visit the ranch, be prepared for a good time with lots of laughter.  You'll be chased by the animals (like in Jurassic Park) begging to be fed.  The emus and ostrichs might mistake your fingers for food.  The zebras will climb right into your car.  And the sloppy camels will eat everything in sight.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2009 Topsey Exotic Animal Ranch A camel taking a bite out of the seat in our automobile.

2009 Topsey Exotic Animal Ranch A begging goat.

2009 Topsey Exotic Animal Ranch When this creature comes near your vehicle, watch the paint job.

While visiting Texas back in the summer of 2007, I had a desire to pass through Crawford, TX to find the geocache that was located near the chapel just west of President George W. Bush's Prairie Chapel Ranch.  I did manage to find that geocache, but what was more exciting was discovering the gem in Crawford's city park, Tonkawa Falls.  A very fun swimming hole in the summer, our winter trip this time proved too chilly to go for a dip.  All politics aside, if you ever get the chance to visit Crawford, TX, I highly recommend it.  I suppose even if you're a partisan, Republicans can enjoy all things George W. Bush and the Democrats can get their fix at Cindy Sheehan's Peace House or the historic Crawford City Jail.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2009 Crawford, TX Crawford city limits.	2009 Crawford, TX A Texas Longhorn.	2009 Crawford, TX A family photograph near Tonkawa Falls.
2009 Crawford, TX Nene & Laura locked up at the historic Crawford City Jail.	2009 Crawford, TX Bart at The Peace House.

During my Great River Road adventure, it is safe to say that the highlight of the trip was the adventure that took us to the South Pass Lighthouse.  Located some 35 miles south of Venice, LA, the southern most point in Louisiana, it is only accessible by boat on the Mississippi River.  It is a mere half mile from the Gulf of Mexico. 

While researching the area prior to our trip, I noticed a 5 star difficulty and 5 star terrain rated geocache sitting out there in the river delta not yet having been found called The Guiding Light  (GC1V92T).  I thought about that geocache for days half heartedly thinking to myself, it would be a blast to find this cache and possibly be the first to find it as well.  In order to get to the lighthouse, chartering a boat would be necessary.  After researching charter services available in the area, I initially concluded that it would not be economically feasible to pull off this adventure.  But after many hours of contemplative thought and discussion, we would chalked this up as being a "once in a lifetime event" and booked the charter with Captain Dan of MLC Charters. 

During the 36 mile boat ride down river, Captain Dan provided a great history of the area.  He pointed out several historical locations and was explaining the geology and hydrological behavior of the river.  When we approached the lighthouse, it was clear the storms over the years had removed nearly all evidence of a previous civilization I had seen in pictures.  Including the dock and piers for we couldn't land the boat on shore.  I had to wade through the last 15' of gator infested waters.  I managed to make it to the lighthouse without being eaten alive and after a short search, I had found my 3000th geocache, and was first to find to boot.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2009 South Pass Lighthouse The end of the Great River Road.	2009 South Pass Lighthouse Approaching the lighthouse.	2009 South Pass Lighthouse Pulling into the lighthouse.
2009 South Pass Lighthouse Wading up to the lighthouse.	2009 South Pass Lighthouse The stairs leading up to the lighthouse.	2009 South Pass Lighthouse Bart making a FTF on his 3000th geocache find.
2009 South Pass Lighthouse Standing on the upper deck.	2009 South Pass Lighthouse Looking down from the upper deck.	2009 South Pass Lighthouse Looking up from the upper deck.
2009 South Pass Lighthouse Wading back to the boat.	2009 South Pass Lighthouse Grandma Norvina, Molly and Bart.	2009 South Pass Lighthouse Group photo with our boat captain.

As I progressed south on my Great River Road tour out of St. Louis, MO towards Arkansas, the itinerary took us briefly into Kentucky.  It was well over 50 miles out of the way but it was required for the Great River Road Challenge I was working on.

Out of Cairo, IL on route to Kentucky, we visited Fort Defiance State Park, which is located literally at the southern most point of Illinois, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.  Apparently this area was known at Camp Defiance during the American Civil War but is more well known as the point where Meriwether Lewis and William Clark spent five days studying celestial navigation.  Using navigational tools of their time (no GPS), they successfully obtained the first latitude and longitude data that they used during their expedition.

We crossed the rivers and entered Wickliffe, KY.  Just out of Wickliffe, we stumbled upon Fort Jefferson quite literally by accident.  Our goal was to find the closest geocache located just inside Kentucky, which brought us to this historical overlook.  Fort Jefferson was built during the American Revolutionary War to protect the inner United States against the British.  It was abandoned after one year after having been taken by force by the Chickasaw.  Eighty years later, it later served as a Union Army post during the American Civil War.  Very little evidence of the fort remains today but in 2000, the Fort Jefferson Memorial Cross was completed to memorialize "lost loved ones."

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2009 Fort Defiance The entrance to Fort Defiance.	2009 Fort Defiance Molly walking on the river bank of the Mississippi and Ohio river confluence.	2009 Fort Defiance Bart sinking into the riverbank.
2009 Fort Defiance Bart and Grandma Norvina standing where Lewis & Clark obtained first latitude and longitude.	2009 Fort Defiance The Fort Jefferson Memorial Cross near Wickliffe, KY.	2009 Fort Defiance River traffic as seen from Fort Jefferson in Wickliffe, KY.

While passing through Missouri on the Great River Road adventure, one of the planned destinations was the Gateway Arch on the St. Louis riverfront.  I've travelled the greater state of Missouri many times in the past but I had never been to the St. Louis area.  And my naïveté is embarrassingly evident by the fact that I thought the Gateway Arch spanned across the Mississippi River.  Now having seen it in person I see that it would have been one heck of an engineering marvel to get the arch to cross the river at nearly a mile wide.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2009 Gateway Arch The Gateway Arch.	2009 Gateway Arch Another perspective of the Gateway Arch.	2009 Gateway Arch The sun hiding behind the Gateway Arch.
2009 Gateway Arch Bart, Molly & Grandma Norvina at the Gateway Arch.	2009 Gateway Arch Molly & Grandma Norvina at the Gateway Arch riverfront.	2009 Gateway Arch Graffitied flood wall beneath the MacArthur Bridge.

We completed our second day of the Great River Road tour in Memphis, TN.  There's no better way to wind up an evening in Memphis than to find some grub and beverages down on Beale Street.  We headed to the downtown area knowing nothing significant about the area other than its musical history.  We left Memphis disappointed though as we all wanted to visit Graceland, but the timing didn't work.

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2009 Beale Street The store front to A. Schwab's dry goods store.

2009 Beale Street The entrance to King's Palace Cafe.

2009 Beale Street Molly & Grandma Norvina in front of the New Daisy Theatre.