G&G Rally (Geezers & Gysers Rally)

When I started posting the pictures they were all together & organized, but not now!

Well, it's been a week since my last post & we have been busy. Saturday we moved to Lionshead CG 7 miles down the road for the G&G Rally. We are now in West Yellowstone, MT. Sunday we sat around the office and enjoyed the sunshine and watching all the HitchHikers pull in. Judy set up the book exchange. There are 42 rigs here from around the US & Canada....and one from England. Don't ask me how they towed over here. Sunday night was the welcoming burger cookout and I was 50% of the flipping & cooking team. Monday we went to the dutch oven demo and in the evening we attended the BFF (best forum forever) pot luck. I must have ate too much as Tuesday morning I wasn't feeling too well so missed the breakfast in a bag and darn it....the bloody mary taste off! I had the HOTTEST bloody mary, even Jeff (Mr hot pepper) couldn't drink it. We put a few items in the rummage sale....and brought them back. Tuesday afternoon we had the first Haulin' HitchHiker membership meeting (I'm the secretary/treasurer) and had the honor of NuWa's owner & CEO attend. In the evening we attended the big pizza party. Wednesday we chartered a bus & 9 couples spent the day exploring, we went to Virgina & Nevada City (tourist traps) and took a train ride from one city to the other. The best part was traveling the back gravel roads. We returned in time for another pot luck dinner & birthday party.....everyone brings a present (some serious & some not) for an exchange and you can either take a new present OR take one someone has already opened. That was fun. Thursday Judy & I did the lower Yellowstone loop after the morning cowboy breakfast. In the evening we all went to the rodeo, that was fun too! Then some of us went out for a late dinner. Today we had a pot luck Hors d'oeuvres then a really good prime time variety show by several of the attendees. We have also been doing a lot of visiting with old friends and meeting many new ones from the NuWa Owners Forum. Need time to rest!!

Earthquake Lake & a CLEAN truck & trailer

Yesterday we rode to Earthquake Lake. In 1959 an earthquake caused the large landslide in the first picture. Many campers were killed that night and there are still 19 people buried in the slide. It damed the Madison River forming the new lake which extends 2 or 3 miles beyond what you can see in the bottom picture. We then rode into West Yellowstone and had lunch at Arbys, did some grocery shopping, fueled the truck and stopped at Lionshead CG where the HitchHiker rally is . I took a few pictures & posted them on the NuWa Owners Forum so the others can get an idea of the rally site.

This was the second time we fueled the truck since the check engine light came on....and now it has gone off again. Still somethings not quite right. Mark....there's a NAPA auto store in West Yellowstone so the next time we are in town I'll see if they can read any error code(s). Today we spent 6 hours washing the truck and trailer. It's been 2 months due to all the rain and traveling we have been doing since leaving Alabama. I sure hope the rain holds off tomorrow until we make the 5 mile trip to Lionshead. It is sprinkling now!!

Reed Point, MT & Island Park, ID

Tuesday was a travel day with an early start at 8:10am, we covered 340 miles in six hours to Reed Point, MT. A fair amount of the time the expressway followed the Yellowstone River. We have only driven further one time in the last two years. The weather was cooperating with a fair amount of sun and running through 3 or 4 rains storms. Only one stretch of strong headwinds for about 10 miles. We stayed at the same RV Park last year, a small mom & pop place beside the expressway. The population of 96 claims to be the sheep herding capitol of the US.

Today, Wednesday, we traveled about 100 miles on the back roads through the Rockies. The road followed the Madison River into Idaho and we had only one climb when the truck slowed to 30mph in second gear cresting the peak. She did her work today. Jody.....the check engine light came on again yesterday

but didn't go off when i got diesel like the first time. There's no Ford dealer around here so we'll stop in Bozeman, MT after the G&G rally next week to have it checked out.

We are staying here for 3 nights before traveling 5 or 6 miles over the Targhee Pass Saturday to Lionshead CG & the G&G rally with about 50 HitchHikers. We went for a walk around the park and there are 4 other HitchHikers here but none going to the G&G rally so we invited them. We were told they had 4" of snow here Saturday. It's 62, lots of big white clouds so limited sunshine and a good wind blowing, feels like 52 out there.

Casper, WY Pioneer Museum

Sunday we made the 245 mile trip up to Casper, WY. All went well and we arrived in time for me to watch the last 75 laps of the race at MIS. Monday Judy went to Curves & we had the truck's oil changed then went to the Pioneer's Museum. It's a national park documenting the various trails & hardships the pioneers used to travel from MO to OR & CA. I like my RV travel better than theirs. I have to say that we have had 2 days of sunshine & blue sky in a row. It's nice! Tomorrow we head north & west to Laurel or Reed Point Montana.

Loveland, CO & Rocky Mountain National park

Thursday we drove to Loveland, CO about 1 1/2 hours north of Denver. We are at the edge of the Rockies in a nice old CG that will be full this weekend. Friday we went to the Rocky Mountain National Park for the day. As soon as we went through the gate we were greeted by an elk having a late breakfast. Judy got to make a small snowman and check out some of the remaining snow drifts. I drove up and she drove down. We did see several more elk in the distance, some nifty birds & marmots (a high altitude ground hog). I wasn't looking forward to the park as a snowy mountain is a snowy mountain and we've seen several. But, it was fun and I did enjoy it! Exploring is fun. Oh yes.....it's always nice in the morning and always rains & storms (or in today's case...snows) in the afternoon. There have been some bad thunderstorms and winds and even tornadoes this week but fortunately not quite were we have been. It has done this since we arrived in Colorado.

Denver & RV repairs

Sunday & Monday were our last days in Manitou Springs. The toilet part arrived Monday morning & that afternoon the RV tech had it installed. Tuesday we went all the way to Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Golden, just outside Denver. We chose this location because it was only 15 miles from Jim's Service in Denver where we had an appointment Wednesday to have our homes axles fixed & it was only $20 a night. One has to be out of alignment because one tire is wearing excessively. Tuesday afternoon we watched a little horse activity, of which there was a lot.

The trailer was in the shop all day Wednesday, Jims removed both axles and placed them on a jig to straighten them. I sure hope they put them together good!!! While in the shop Judy & I explored Colorado's capitol building for a couple hours. We took a tour but did NOT climb the stairs to the top. Judy is sitting on the front steps, one of which is 5280 feet above sea level making Denver the mile high city. We spent Wednesday night back at the fairgrounds because it was close.

Civic Auditorium, Peterson AFB Museum, Didgeridoo

Thursday we went to the Civic Auditorium in downtown Colorado Springs. We joined the cane, walker & wheelchair gang for lunch. There was a 1 hour performance on a very big and very old organ. The lady that first played was rather small and almost crawled into the big U shaped organ. After she played a gentleman took over and supplied the music for an old silent cartoon. It was about a mouse who built a space ship & went to the moon made of green cheese. How they knew it was green I don't know as the cartoon was black & white. That afternoon we went to see the Magpie Players at the Garden of the Gods, several actors portrayed individuals who played a significant part in the local area's development.

Friday we went to the small Peterson AFB Air & Space Museum. The small black model airplanes hanging from the ceiling are wood and made by middle school children during WWII to be used by the military to identify airplane silhouette. The museum is located in the original Colorado Springs passenger air terminal built in the 1930s. Part of the museum was centered around the cold war and defence. Judy found a late 80s/early 90s Digital VAX 6250 tucked in a corner. I haven't seen any DEC equipment in a few years.

Today was a very nice day, all sun & high 70s. We stayed around home but walked to Memorial Park where there was a wine festival. At $30 each we passed but we did sit nearby & listened to the music & watched the winos. The economy can't be too bad out here because it was very crowded. After that we walked downtown to see the didgeridoo players, Judy got to accompany them with a rattle. We then stopped at the The Keg for a couple beers and a sub. We are pooped out now.