Summer 2022, Day 52: First Flight in Illinois, Lincoln Home NHS

Dawn at FlyPPG in Fowler, Illinois:

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Flight 143, first in Illinois:

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The motor went lost power for a few seconds mid-flight.  I thought I was going to land out, but power came back, so I came back and landed.

Admiring the crops:

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I packed up and continued east to Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois:

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The Lincolns purchased this home in 1844, two years after their marriage and sixteen years before Lincoln was elected president.  It is the only home the Lincolns ever owned:

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Touring the house:

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I had arranged to fly with a group of pilots at Wilbur Wright’s birth home in Indiana, but winds were too strong, so I continued East to overnight at the Cracker Barrel of Sunbury, Ohio.  See the trip map for today’s drive.

Summer 2022, Day 14: Devils Tower NM

Another Wyoming morning:

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I went for a bike ride with my RV neighbor and his son:

I then did some more biking on my own:

I continued west, taking a short detour to see Devils Tower National Monument, which I last visited in 2010:

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I continued southwest to this dispersed camping location overlooking the Keyhole Reservoir, north of Moorcroft, Wyoming:

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See the trip map for today’s drive.

Summer 2022, Day 9: Buffalo Gap NG, Day 1

Sunrise over Buffalo Gap National Grassland:

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I decided to visit Badlands National Park today, and I decided to see if I could get in the back way:

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The really back way:

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Ultimately, that route didn’t work out, so I drove in the usual way and toured the western side of the park:

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Unfortunately, I ran something over and punctured my rear tire, so I learned how to change a motorcycle tube on the side of the road:

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Continuing on:

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I did a short hike:

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On the way back to the RV:

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It’s a bit warm here today, I need to work out how to power the A/C with solar:

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I played with my new drone a bit:

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Summer 2022, Day 8: Badlands NP

Nice morning dispersed camping on the west bank of the Missouri River:

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Continuing west, I began to see signs for the world-famous Wall Drug:

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I drove by the eastern entrance to Badlands National Park:

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For the next few days, I’ll be dispersed camping along the rim of the badlands formation in the Buffalo Gap National Grassland:

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Nice views from the RV:

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I motorcycled around the neighborhood, and ran in to this little herd:

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Sunset views:

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See the trip map for today’s drive.

Summer 2021, Day 64: First Ladies NHS, Steamtown NHS, Upper Delaware SRR

Looks like I won’t be flying this morning:

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First stop of the day was First Ladies National Historic Site.  The site preserves the home of Ida Saxton, wife of President McKinley:

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The visitor center is next door:

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The site serves to preserve artifacts and research materials relating to American first ladies:

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I continued east into Pennsylvania to visit Steamtown National Historic Site:

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The site preserves America’s railroad history:

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I continued east into New Jersey to visit the Corwin Farm unit of Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River:

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It happens that adjacent to the National Park site is Camp Tel Yehudah, where I spent a week in the late 80s for a Young Judea National Convention:

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Before returning home, I stopped at Walmart for DEF:

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That’s it for the Summer 2021 trip.  See you next summer!