Hiking LOVERS LEAP with Friends.

This is Pat and I on top of "one" of our favorite Hikes in Custer State Park. LOVERS LEAP This is one of the first Hikes we take our friends on. Its a 3 mile hike, the first half is quite a climb and the last half is down hill. The TOP is quite a nice view!! Worth the trip!!

This is Chuck and Rhoda Roper our GOOD friends and former neighbors from Tallahassee, Fl. They were the first visitors we took on this hike in June this summer. Enjoyed having them visit us. They didn't want to leave!! Unfortunately they still have to WORK!

This is our friends and fellow Tetoners Jim and Donnalyn Vickers. We met them at the TETON factory in Casper, Wy in June. They were also from south Florida. Jim was a STATE FARM agent and Donnalyn managed the agency. They have a NEW 2008 TETON on order and were waiting while it was being built. We took them on LOVERS LEAP trail just last week. Here we are just before taking off up the mountain. As you can see JIM is one tall dude! I believe he is 6'4 or 6'5. They had a High Line Mororhome and sold it, bought a new Freightliner Mercedes Truck and a TETON 5th wheel. They have been full timing for 2-3 years and loving it!! What GREAT friends we meet out here!!!! We have a LOT in common with these fellow Insurance Agents.......

Here Jim is NOT QUITE so tall!!!! :-) We had a GREAT hike!!!! We will probably do LOVERS LEAP at least one more time before we leave..............

It was a GREAT DAY !!!!!

Mike

(click on pictures to enlarge them, you can really see the scenery then!)

My travel Journal:http://woodalls.mytripjournal.com/mikepatstravels

Recognize this Mountian?

This is a shot of CRAZY HORSE MOUNTAIN from the Stockade Lake hiking trail that we do a couple times a week. This is about 7 miles North. Interesting how he is always watching us. There are several Hikes in Custer State Park that Chief Crazy Horse has his eyes on you,,,,,,just watching!!!!! Click on the picture and enlarge it, you will see him even better.. I don't think I'd want him after me!!

It was a GREAT DAY !!!!

Mike

SNOW in AUGUST,,,,,,,really???

NO.............Not Really. But we did get 4 inches of RAIN last night............This is a picture of FOAM as the water runs over the Stockade DAM in CSP. It sure looks like snow!! Click on the picture to enlarge it..



This is water coming over the dam. There hasn't been any water running over it ALL summer.

This is the back side of the Dam as water runs on down under the Bridge and into French Creek.......Its good to see it running like that, the Lake gets VERY stale unless it gets some water running through it.....

It doesn't "fix" our drought, but is sure helps. There was some flooding around and over in Hermosa they say there were HOUSES floating!!!!! It came FAST & FURIOUS !!!

Its a GREAT DAY!!!!!

Mike

DRI WASH ULTRA ION

This ULTRA ION totally amazes me!!!

When I first got this HONDA about a year ago, I put a couple GOOD coats of ULTRA ION on it.

In June it was quite dirty, I took a wet rag and a dry rag and wiped it down. This is the way it looked after doing that........Unbelievable!!!! Took me about 20 minutes.

I have not washed this car with a hose and soap since I got it. Just Dri Wash, ULTRA ION.....

Click on the picture to enlarge it and see what it really looks like!!!!

It is a GREAT DAY !!!!!

Mike

BALLOON LANDING

Early one morning this BALLOON landed right out in front of our place. This is a local Balloon that gives rides and we see it quite often passing over us, this is the first time they landed so CLOSE. This was taken from our front door. It was neat.......One day I'm gona take a ride in one......What a VIEW from up there! I've rode in a lot of little and big planes and a chopper, but never a Balloon. It's not to late. Lets do it !!!

It is a GREAT DAY !!!

Mike

My new FLAG POLE

Everybody needs a flag!!!

We haven't had a FLAG for a long time. I have been looking for the type of pole that was easy up and easy down. I didn't want to drill any holes, but it had to be a good secure mount. Our friends Mark and Dale Bruss have a FLAG POLE BUDDY. I liked it and decided to install this NEAT flag pole on the Ladder of our TETON.
To see more pictures of the complete kit and INSTALLATION,

click here:

FLAG POLE BUDDY

Its a GREAT DAY !!!!!!

Mike

THANK YOU !!!!! and THANK GOD !!!

Remember a while back when I told you all to send us SOME rain?.........VERY HIGH Fire Danger to a MODERATE fire Danger.......Much better!!! Especially for this BIKE week. MOTORCYCLES everywhere................

In the last 10 days we have got around 2 inches of RAIN........WONDERFUL !!!

No HAIL either,,,,,,,close but NO damage. South of rapid and Hart Ranch RV Resort had GRAPEFRUIT size a few days ago, with all kinds of damage....

So again, THANK YOU ALL and THANK GOD !

Every bit helps!!!!






Its a GREAT DAY !!!!!!!

Mike

LED Tail Lights on TETON.

I love LED lights !!!! Especially tail light's..........I had LED's put on the Taillight's of the Volvo truck when I built the bed. I've been after TETON to put them on the TETON's for years...

They would never do it, said they weren't available...........:-( When we were at the Teton factory this spring, I noticed that they now used LED's!!!!!

So I started looking. I could buy them from Teton, at quite a high price or I could try to locate them for less. I found them at : http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/ Ordered them and below is the installation process..

Click on pictures to enlarge them.













They came in a package like this.











First you remove the original tail light lens covers. On the wraparound light on the corner, you have to cut out the light bulb.






The directions are fairly simple and its not much of a job.........


Even a Cave Man could do it !!!







Remove the old bulb and plug the NEW LED light into the socket and that's it!!!


This is what the back side of the LED looks like. It is a sealed unit....



This is the Front side and all you do now is use the old screws and fasten the new LED back in where the old lens came off...


















There it is ALL REPLACED......





The inside lens with the clear center is a back up light. I didn't do anything with it.





However I'm thinking about replacing it with one of the new LED's also. I need taillight's and turn signals MUCH more than I need Back up lights. We never drive much at night anyhow, let alone back up !!








LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE !!!!!!!!





The one on the left is all done.....See how much brighter it is than the right????


Now,,,to get the other one done....





Cost : approx $160.00 for 6 LED lights including shipping...

WELL WORTH IT !!!!!

THE MORE TAIL LIGHT'S & TURN SIGNALS THE BETTER !!!!!!!!!!!!! IMO !

IT IS A GREAT DAY !!!!!!!
Mike

You can see more pictures of the lights including part numbers at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/wb4pdo/LEDLightsOnTheTETON

Neat RV !!!!

We saw this NEAT truck and trailer parked in the grocery store parking lot. We kept waiting for the owner to show up. But he never did. I would of loved to ask him a bunch of questions!!! It is an old CHEV pickup, but I'm not sure what year. It has been completely restored and much better that it was originally. I'm sure it has a much bigger motor and probably an automatic transmission.







The trailer is Fiberglass and like a Casita, but it had a name I never heard of...
It is probably quite light weight.
Matching stripe and all !!!











I would think it would be in the 40's vintage......Anybody know for sure.
It had British Columbia license plates on it.
No doubt it gets a LOT of attention where ever it is!!!








The floor in the bed was so clean you could EAT off of it !!!


Neat Trunk huh ?


Click on pictures to enlarge them.....


IT WAS A GREAT DAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Mike

Custer GOLD DISCOVERY DAYs PARADE July 2007

Pat and I decided to go to the CUSTER GOLD DISCOVERY DAYS parade. We hadn't been to a parade for about 15 years...LETS GO !!!

SMOKEY was there!! Smokey has a very important job as it is so DRY that everyone is so afraid of more fires...

Did you know SMOKEY just had a birthday? He was 63 years old on July 28th. He wasn't even around when I was born.

All parades have FIRE TRUCKS,,,,,there were about a dozen, but this ONE took my eye.
Oldie but Goodie! I'd guess its a 1949 to a 52 year. I know its a FORD !!













Here is the local Dr. Sweetwater and the Medicine Show











Burros Played a great part in hauling supplies.
Did you know that they and mules are much more "sure" footed than horses? Its true!

















This was ONE of my favorites!!! What a TREAT to see a JOHN DEERE trike!!!!!
REALLY NEAT !!!!!
I've never seen such, but I would trade my VOLVO for it !!!

(Pat says no!):-)














This WAS my favorite !!!! What a NEAT little truck.











Is it a Pete or a KW......??? Not sure but I sure liked it....
I LOVE trucks!!!!!(and little baby ducks!











Here is a 4 horse team and wagon. My Dad had one of these on our ranch, but we worked our horses side by side, 4 wide.

We also had a team and wagon like this. We used to take it out fixing fence......

Old memories!!!!

Dad would love it......but hes watching ! :-)

I took dozens of other pictures, but don't want to bore you with ALL of them.... WE thoroughly enjoyed our Custer's Little Parade...........The weather was Superb and people are down to earth and friendly.......As Crazy Horse would say "they are MY PEOPLE,,,,,,,

It WAS A GREAT DAY !!!!!!!!

Mike

IT'S DRY HERE !!!!!

FIRE DANGER "VERY HIGH" !!!

Boy O Boy,,,,is it ever dry here !!!! This as a 7 year drought so far. Ranchers have no hay for their cattle. They are having to sell off part of their stock. Hay is too high priced for them to purchase, so they just sell the cattle.

We are having fires right and left every day. Several fires have been BAD !!! South of Hot Springs which is 30 miles South of us, they had a big fire that took days and days and all the resources they could come up to put out. It burned a lot of Houses and Building and 1 life was lost. We have a BURN ban on all around.

We had a 1/2 " rain day before yesterday and 1/4 " yesterday, for a total of 3/4 " and that's been " it" for a long time. Every little bit helps, but that didn't even make a slight dent in our problem........WE NEED MORE !!!!!

Send us SOME !!!



IT'S A GREAT DAY !!!!!!!

Mike

OLD GAS PUMP and TANKER WAGON

This OLD Gas Pump and Delivery Wagon are in the front yard of our neighbors, Dennis and Carolyn McDonald. They were in the GAS business before they retired. It is a neat yard ornament and brings back a lot of memories for me.


How many of you have seen a GAS PUMP like this? Not many I bet, except in a antique display. Well when I was a kid, these pumps were in operation at many of the Gas Stations!

They had a big handle on the side of the pump and you would pump it back and forth until the Top (below) was filled with gas. Then you would take the hose down and fill your car, truck, etc. Although in those days the Service Station Attendant did it all for you. No such thing as self service in those days....They even washed the windshield and aired the tires.....







See the numbers in the glass, that's how you could tell how many gallon you used. Hard to believe gas was about .15 cents per gallon. Soon it went up to .19 cents, when the state tax increased.

By the time I became a teenager there were still a lot of these pumps in use, but the electric model was becoming the standard.

Its neat to see a little reminder of the OLD DAYS every day. It brings back those childhood Memories........

Those were the GREAT DAYs !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike

Hiking LITTLE DEVIL'S TOWER trail CSP 07/12/07

Nice beautiful cool morning at about 7:45am we are ready to hike......

But, Which way do we go ?????

One way is Harney Peak and the other is LITTLE DEVIL'S TOWER.....

Shucks,,,I don't know.......???

Ah, ,,,Pat says "lets go to:LITTLE DEVIL'S TOWER, we haven't done it for a while."

Ya, that sounds GREAT, Lets GO!!!!!

About 1/2 way up we can see where we will end up,,,,,,,,,,WAY up there on top of that ROCK!!

Up, Up and Up some more!!!!

Pat leads the way and pauses to look back and see if I'm still back there. Are you coming, she says.....

Yep, I'm right behind you. Just using my NEW camera.........

HEY,,,,were getting up there, won't be long now. These are just a few of the GREAT views......

See why we love this place.......Its like you have it ALL to yourself!!!

Just Pat, Me and GOD !!!

We are on TOP !!!

This is a telephoto shot of Harney Peak from the top of LITTLE DEVIL'S TOWER.

This is back aways.....

That is Harney WAY back there behind me...

NOW Pat is on TOP !!!!! What a VIEW!!!!!!!!

You can see our place from there, about 10 miles to the South.

I took a picture of our property, but since I'm so new to this, I LOST it !!!!

Please go to my web albums to see all the photo's.

Well that was our HIKE up to the top of LITTLE DEVIL'S TOWER........It only took us about 35 minutes to make it.......Its only a mile and a half.......But, its rated Strenuous. Not really that bad. I took quite a few more pictures on the way up. If you wish to look at them all, you can go to my Web Album at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/wb4pdo

click on Little Devils Tower

Wish you were here HIKING with us...............Get on over here !!!!

What a GREAT DAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Walleye Fishing trip 7/10/07 Angostura Lake

A day of Fishing at ANGOSTURA LAKE, South Dakota

This is our GREAT friend and X boss at CSP. Duane Webster was a Game Warden for the South Dakota Dept of Game, Fish and Parks for nearly 40 years. For about 7 of our 9 years at Custer State Park, Duane was our Boss and Friend. He was a great guy to work for and with.

He is also a SUPER fisherman. He knows where they are and what they are hungry for. We love to go fishing with him........The boat he has is extremely comfortable to spend a day on the lake.

We met him at the lake at 7am. Here we are heading out for a day of fishing. This is Ken, Duane's neighbor, he went out with us.

It was COOL and a little breezy, but we were all anxious to get at 'em!!!

As we headed out on the Lake, we noticed that the big fire just West of the lake was putting off some smoke. It got heavier as the day went on and the wind changed directions...

Here we are at the first of Duane's chosen spots for the day. This is him and Ken fishing off the front of the boat. Duane runs and controls the trolling motor from where he is sitting keeping us on course...

Wasn't long till we had our first catch.

This is Pat doing what she LOVES to do. We were fishing off the back of the boat....

Angostura Reservoir is 5 miles south of Hot Springs. It is the first place we worked for the SD Game Fish and Parks when we came in 1995.

It is our favorite lake and we know it well as we've fished it a zillion times.....

It is extremely LOW for about the 3-4th year in a row. Its terribly dry in this area.

We fished and caught fish from 7:15 am until 4pm. But finally it was time to quit, load up, clean fish and head home....

here is after we had the boat all loaded up and were at the fish cleaning shack.

Here is Duane cleaning one of the NICE Walleyes we caught......

Nice Fish huh ? I can taste him already...mmm.

Look at the size of that fillet !!! That one half will make a meal.....

Pat and I were so tired we could hardly make it the 40 miles back home. But we were sure happy. Its always such a pleasure to go fishing with Duane. We TRULY respect his fishing ability and enjoy his friendship. We have NEVER had a poor day fishing with him.....

Now for a FISH FRY !!!!!!!! Come on over !!

IT WAS A GREAT DAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike