Antlers, antlers and MORE ANTLERS!

Sally arrived in Yellowstone National Park late Thursday night and stayed the night in the Old Faithful Inn. She was up early the next day and ready for some touring, but the no pets allowed sign spoiled her plans. She settled for a photo in front of the park sign. She skipped down to Grand Teton National Park. Jenny Lake campground was full, so she went with plan “B” at Gros Ventre Campground between Teton and Jackson Hole.

After a quick campsite claim, Sally ventured into Jackson Hole. She passed a huge elk wildlife preserve with no elk in sight (preserving their absence?). There she saw several huge elk antler arches and had to pose for a photo near one in the town square. Maybe that’s where all those elk went! Jackson Hole is a neat city with a mix of outdoors, art and locals. The night ended early because she had to wake up at 5am to travel 13 hours to Lake Tahoe.

Yellowstone National Park, WY


Grand Teton National Park


Antler Arch, Jackson (Hole), WY


Built-in Car Seat

Black Hills and Close Encounters

There were many photo ops for Sally today, and some were risky. She had a great view of the Needles when exiting Custer State Park this morning. She had a “Shot in the Dark” (espresso in dark roast coffee) while escaping a duel with Wild Bill Hickock in Deadwood, and the hogs were scarce in the Sturgis off-season.

Sally had a “Close Encounter” of the Squirrel kind visiting Devil’s Tower. After leaving this first national monument she got to visit some of her prairie dog cousins. Then while traveling through Tensleep, a town where her mom Corey visited while in girlscouts, she came across a tavern boasting an unpleasant use of her name: Dirty Sally’s. To top that off, she drove through the town where her tormenter, Mr. Cody the dog, was named after.

The Needles, Custer State Park, SD


Final resting place of Wild Bill Hickock, Deadwood, SD


Motorcycle mania city, Sturgis, SD


Devil's Tower National Monument, SD


Prairie dogs just outside of Devil's Tower


Dirty Sally's, Tensleep, WY


Cody, WY

Long trip just to visit a drug store

Yesterday, Sally finally found that drug store she kept seeing all those signs for in Wall, SD. Shortly thereafter, she was able to see some of our finest presidents in history, all in one sitting! And after a long day of driving from the Mississippi to Custer State Park, Sally got to hit the sack in a tent on uneven ground.

Wall Drug, Wall, SD


Mt. Rushmore


Camping in Custer State Park, SD

Sally's Dream Home

Sally discovered her dream home today: The Mitchel Corn Palace! It was a mouth watering experience for her, and her comment was, "This place is so awesome I could just eat it up!"

Sally's Dream Home - Mitchel Corn Palace (Mitchel, SD)

Sally's first jump across the creek

Sally made it across the mighty Mississippi but had to sneak her way to the view due to local regulations.


Sally's roadblock to the Mississippi


A "sneak" peek of the river

Sally the Squirrel

Sally is the furry squirrel in the Squirrel Chairs Tour photos. She was a gift years ago from a family member either for Christmas or my birthday in lieu of the Squirrel Chairs I make.

I often contribute proceeds from purchases to organizations and have focused fundraising to Make-A-Wish for the Wish-A-Mile 300mi bike tour event. The IRONIC thing about Sally is her maker, Wishpets!

Squirrel Chairs on Tour!

I'm taking Squirrel Chairs and Sally (furry squirrel seated in the chairs) on tour! Watch the progress from Grass Lake, Michigan, all the way to San Francisco. There will be some interesting photo-op stops along the way.

Starting point: Home


Chicago from the car

Better late than never!

I FINALLY kicked off my bike training today. I met six other bikers at Foggy Bottom Coffee House in Dexter for a familiar bike route: Cavanaugh Lake. It is a 30-miler route leading west of Dexter through Chelsea and rounding Cavanaugh Lake before return.

Being a bit cautious and jokingly warning the others of my 20-month hiatus due to building our log home, it was just as they say, "like riding a bike." Everything went well with a few quad burn spots on hills. Then we rounded the lake and it hit us. WIND! Yes, that 10mph tail wind soon became a 10mph head/cross wind. Feel the burn! I pretty much bonked around 25 miles and my quadriceps were bricks.

It will be rocky for the first couple weeks as I get back into shape. But, heading out on a road trip to San Francisco via the Dakotas and Wyoming will sideline me for two weeks. I will need to supplement with some running.

It helps to remind myself that this is nothing compared to what the kids with terminal illness go through on a daily basis. It eclipses any soreness or fatigue I could ever imagine from a tough ride.