🚍 A Little Fun on the Way

Why travel in an RV if you're not going to stop along the way and enjoy the journey? We had to be in Gillette, Wyoming for the 111th International Family RV Association Convention by July 14th, so we left on the 7th. Makes sense, right? Oh, there were plenty of stops in between, so we could take it all in on our way.

1st stop was to see our friends in Forest City, Iowa at CDI and check in on our new RV from Winnebago. CDI is doing what they do best and have created a custom paint scheme for the unit that we will be unveiling on Thursday, August 14th for the 1st time. Join us LIVE on YouTube or Facebook on Thursday the 14th at 7pm ET to see the reveal video and the "Patriot" for the first time!!

We got to meet her on our stop to Forest City, and boy oh boy, she's a looker!!

While in town finishing up some business with the new RV, we spent the day exploring Clear Lake, Iowa and the Surf Ballroom.

Throughout the 1950s, the Surf Ballroom provided a welcome venue for rock 'n' roll groups touring the region. Early pioneers of rock music, including the Everly Brothers, Dion DiMucci, and Conway Twitty, frequented the Surf Ballroom. Buddy Holly headlined at the Surf Ballroom, alongside Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper.

Hours after the electrifying concert, Holly chartered a plane, but it crashed shortly after takeoff, killing him, Valens, and The Big Bopper - an event dubbed, “The Day the Music Died.”

Next stop for us was along the way through the Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota. If you've never seen this part of the country, you MUST put it on your list! It's as if Mother Nature has picked up the green carpet and shook it out creating waves, and waves of rolling hills.

We made a pitstop along I-90 at a rest stop to make lunch. This is a very special welcome center along the Missouri River in South Dakota where a beautiful Native American princess stands watch. She is Dignity of Earth & Sky. The 50 foot statue was designed to honor the culture of the Lakota and Dakota people. It was a unique stop on our drive thru South Dakota overlooking the Missouri River. Patrice made tuna salad in the RV - we ate first, then went to meet Dignity.

On thru the Black Hills and into Deadwood for our next stop! Patrice loves history, loves historic towns with stories in their bones, and Deadwood did not disappoint. The buildings all had character, and the city has done a great job of preserving them. The only drawback for us were the number of casinos everywhere . . . we get it, we have played, not avid gamblers, but just not what we were expecting to see in every store front. Maybe if it were tables with dealers (like back in the day) and not video game machines it might have felt more authentic. Nonetheless, glad we stopped!

We finally arrived in Gillette, Wyoming and set up for the FRVA convention and had one more day before the show opens, so we set the alarm for 6 a.m. and headed to Devil's Tower. Everything we read online recommended we arrive before 10 a.m. to beat the crowds. They have a very small parking lot at the top where the hikes begin, and once it's full, they don't let anyone up until a car leaves.

We arrived in the fog, couldn't even see the tower's top, but we had a parking spot and began our climb. It's America's 1st National Monument, and it did not disappoint! The hike around the base is steep in parts, but it's a great path and just about anyone can access it. In fact, we had a family in front of us with their 78 year old Grandmother making her way around slow and steady.

There are prayer bundles tied into trees along the path, left there by American Indian Tribes as each knot is tied and prayers release into the wind. It was a beautiful hike, spiritual . . . a perfect way to greet the day and be thankful for our blessings.

This is just a brief recap of another epic road trip for us exploring America. We are home now getting ready to begin filming Season 5 and to kick off the celebration of this country's Semi Quincentennial anniversary! Filming starts in August and we can't wait to stay in touch.

If you're on the road and in the area, we would love our paths to cross! Kevin is making it easier to follow along. Check out our new interactive Trip Maps with locations, stops, routes, notes, photos, tips and more. If you're heading out for your next journey, check out some of the stops we've shared. We'd love to hear from you too . . . like, subscribe, and send us a message.

Happy camping and safe travels!