Colorado’s State Highway 12, also known as the Highway of Legends, is a road we had traveled once before, several years ago. This scenic byway runs through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains from La Veta to Trinidad, around the Spanish Peaks and through the San Isabel National Forest. We decided to take this road again, and wow, was it spectacular! The turquoise line was our route (vs. the dark line of the interstate to…
We left the beautiful Custer State Park and made our way over the state line into Wyoming to cross another item off our bucket lists: Devil’s Tower. It is also known by other names given to it by the Native Americans, such as Bear’s Tipi, Home of the Bears, Bear’s Lodge, and a few others. The bear-related names arise from one legend that a giant bear clawed grooves into the mountainside…
Truth be told, we had never heard of Custer State Park before researching areas in South Dakota near Mount Rushmore. But we have to say it is now one of our favorite state parks anywhere, even rivaling Valley of Fire in Nevada and Dead Horse Point in Utah. Set in the Black Hills, it features scenic drives among spectacular granite spires, beautiful lakes and open-range wildlife on all…
After picking up our new van in Iowa, we headed to Red Wing, Minnesota, to spend a few days with Todd’s uncle & aunt — Roy & Leslie. Their beautiful home is perched high on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. We enjoyed an evening meal of ribs, sweet corn on the cob and other delights outside on their back deck, amidst their lovely gardens. The weather was perfect and the company even better. We…