We arrived in Pigeon Forge this afternoon after a 4-hour drive. It was a beautiful day with sun and temps in the high 70s. We relaxed and had lunch outside and cooked out for dinner then went for a walk around the park. Hard to believe for the third of November. We missed the fall foliage but this area is still beautiful any time of the year. We have been traveling to Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains since the early 70s.

Karen and I left Ohio this morning for the first time as "full timers" We are currently in Wytheville VA and will be in Pigeon Forge tomorrow for a week then on to Savannah for a few days and our winter home in Ocala FL for this year We are excited to begin this new chapter in our lives and looking forward to the future.

We visited the Pipestone National Monument in Sothern Minnesota where we watched a very good video on the history and culture of the Indians who quarry the pipestone which is up to 100 feet below the hard quartzite to the soft pipestone (catlinite). Ask Karen t show you her pipestone earrings and necklace.

Quartzite along the trail

Face of Oracle

Winnewissa Falls

Smooth sumac, one of the plants smoked in the pipes

The sky turned ominous so we walked faster!

Sorry for the lack of posts the last few days but the internet connections were slow and not available. I did finish another stained glass window for one of our club members. Karen and I did not go into the park. We pushed to get to Yellowstone and were tired from all the stuff going on with a stent installed about 10 days before we left, the house and are still waiting for a final closing date. I am posting some of the photos taken by our friends. We did enjoy ourselves and glad we made the trip. We are on our way back to Ohio and taking our time, walking every day and relaxing. Our first stop was Billings, MT then Sundance, WY. We stopped in Wall Drug for lunch and another 5 cent cup of coffee as well as their wonderful fresh baked donuts then arrived in Oacoma, SD this afternoon. Tomorrow off to Pipestone National Monument in MN.

Grizzly in the snow

Our camping family

WOW, the weather man was correct. We got up and the temps were in the high 30s and got to a high of 42 and after lunch it started to snow! We had a pancake and egg breakfast in the unheated shelter; it was enclosed but not heated. I continued to work on the stained glass window which was a challenge because even though I could cut and assemble inside the trailer I had to go outside to grind. Karen read and colored.  We had our potluck dinner and I was going to make my Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler but did not want to be outside in the snow and cold so we decided to do it later in the week. We just got a notice from the park to disconnect our water hose tonight due to freeze warnings tonight! 

BURRRRR!

 

Yesterday we kind of relaxed at least from traveling. Karen is rearranging the 5^th wheel as we go to find the best solution for living in the RV full time. I spent the day working on another stained glass window for friends we will see at the Yellowstone rally.

Today we left Hardin, MT early, had a good travel day and arrived at west Yellowstone about 1:30. We were greeted by our friends and socialized and talked about the week. Temps will be in the 30s tonight and 40s tomorrow but getting warmer as the week goes.

Here are some photos on the way to Yellowstone

When we got up this morning in Wall Drug, SD the temp had dropped from the 80s to the 50s so we had the fireplace going to break the chill. I received an e-mail from our realtor that the house appraisal was good and now we wait for a closing date, YEA!  As we prepared to leave, it started to rain a bit. Once we were on the highway this rainbow greeted us like a sign from God. The rain soon stopped and had sunshine the rest of the day.

We are now in Hardin, MT for two days for a bit of R&R then off to Yellowstone Sunday Morning.