We traveled along the original California Nevada trail and Pony Express route, currently interstate 80 and the Veterans Highway, Interstate 90 through South Dakota to reach our first milestone, the Mississippi River and the town of Wabasha. Like the pioneers who traveled from St. Louis Missouri to California our halfway point was also Independence Rock, which looked more like a giant spaceship. We averaged 250-300 miles a day, on the road 6 hours a day with a short lunch stop eating a preprepared lunch in the camper. We were glamping in style as the RV parks had water, power, sewer, public restrooms and showers averaging $50.00 a night, and the weather pleasant. All of our sites and pleasant scenery and WI FI!

Day one ended in Reno NV on the Truckee River at River West Resort. In the AM we took a walk into town following a trail along the river through a beautiful park before leaving for Elko NV where we stayed at Iron Horse RV resort. 

 On the Forth of July we stopped at Independence Rock, our halfway point to the Mississippi River, on our way to Evanston Wy and stayed at Philips RV resort near Casper Wy. We took a beautiful walk along the Bear River before preparing dinner. 

Meals have been simple, mainly plant based with chicken and fish and lots of Salad. Our next stop was Rapid City RV Resort. I especially appreciated the visitors’ centers on I 90 which all have a 70 foot tall stone TP easily visible from the freeway, which were staffed with friendly employees, eager to assist us in planning our visits in South Dakota. We stopped in Chamberlain at a cultural center and the St Joseph School where I learned about the early settlers and native American lifestyle and across the freeway a 60-foot-tall Stainless-steel statue of a Native American woman with a giant blanket, a beautiful piece of Art called Dignity. 

The hills were green with lots of trees unlike what I remember when we left Duluth in 1980. Shortly after arriving at Betts campground in Mitchell SD, we met another couple from Canada also traveling cross county, Gloria and Vance who I now follow on Face Book.

On July 7 we arrived in Wabasha and stayed at the Big River RV resort. Big 

Home page of blog Elko Iron horse RV resort. Evanston Wyoming Philips RVP, Evansville was rivers edge near casper on July 4, Rapid city RV on 5th, RCB, Mitchell-Betts campground well shaded, Wabasha Big River Resort wabasha

WEATHERING EXPEDITION: Reflections on our journey and observations of weathering along the way 

While in Wabasha our day trips included  Reeds landing, Lake City, Nelson, Alma, Kellogg and the former Greenfield township. These locations were where in the 1860’s my pioneering ancestors from the east settled. My French, and Native American ancestors traveled mainly along the water ways  from Canada Sioux St Marie Area and Quebeck to the Mississippi and its tributaries. Joseph Rocque erected a shanty while serving as a trader and interpreter in present day Reeds Landing, and lived in Prairie Du Chien WI and St. Louis MO. We drove across the bridge to Nelson, WI down to Alma and into Kellogg,MN and what was once called Greenfield township where Prosper St. Jacque Senior bought property in the 1860.