Bill & Rosemarie 2009 Motor Home Trip Page 6

June 19, 2009 - Just a traveling day! Ended up at Grandville Camp & RV in Hardin MT. They were very nice and so was the Park. We had an ice cream social at 7:30, 2 scoops for $1.50. They had a good verity to choose from. We had some present conversation with 2 couples from California.

June 20 - 24, 2009 - We arriver at Peter D's RV park in Sheridan WY, on the 20th , $29.00 at night. We decided to stay here for 4 days. There is nothing particularly amazing about this city. They celebrate Buffalo Bill's Days next weekend. They have lot of sculptures here. Almost one sculpture on every corner! The sculptures are for sale. The artist name and contact information is engraved on the podium that each status sits on. Good idea! Both of us felt nostalgia as we walked down Main Street. This city represents America as it was when we were young. The down town area is like home town USA as it was so long ago. The down town area is thriving. They even have an Old JC Penny Store. We meandered through some of the stores, walked hand in hand and talked about our youth. Rosemarie bought a really nice bracelet on sale. As I said we were really in a nostalgic mood for a while and then we noticed all the young people were on their call pones and then this young man drove by with his music blasting. Oh well the mood was great while it lasted.

Peter the owned was really great. He suggested we play golf at Kendrick Golf Course and we did. The day we played it was so windy, but we had fun. They had great greens for putting. Golfing in different places can sometimes be amazing. The views at Kendrick just blew us away. Half way through the game the winds died down, which made it more fun. Then winds came up again that night after we had fallen asleep. Super rain, thunder and lightning for over an hour. The mid west wins and storms are too sacry. We will take our threat of earthquakes any day. Rosemarie always gets scared! We were both relieved when the winds died down and we went back it sleep. We took some pictures of the art there. One really nice statue from Gone "With The Wind". There was a train museum and The Sheridan Hotel, and we loved the wells Fargo Bank building. We enjoyed our stay ere. We walked, shopped and reflected on our trip. We talked about selling the motor home. We have really enjoyed it but we both agree we are ready for something new.

June 24, 2009 - We are heading for Gillette WY today, less than 100 miles. We are attending a Fleetwood rally there. We are looking forward to it and this is our last stop and we are heading home. CLICK THOSE RED SHOES TOGETHER NOW; THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME!

The pictures below were taken Sheridan WY

**Sheridan WY - Buffalo Bill's Celebration at the Sheridan Inn**

**Gone With the Wind Tribute**

**Awesome Sculptures - It's a Secrete**

**The Two Wiled Bills**

**A Super Cool Wells Fargo Bank**

**A Different View**

WHILE WE WERE AT PETER D'S WE VISITED CUSTER'S LAST STAND BATTLE FIELD

**Ranger at the Battlefield with Artifacts From That Time Period Period**

PICTURES FROM THE MUSEUM

**Pictures of the Battle**

**Crazy Horse**

**THERE ARE MARKERS WHERE THE SOLDIERS FELL**

**GUIDE UNIFORM**

July 1, 2009 - Well we have been hold up at Cam-Plex in Gillette Wyoming since the 24 of June. When we first drove up we were so surprised! We had no idea RV Parks could be so big. We think they could put 4000 RV's in this place. It was not a resort, oh no. It was a field with full hookups. Some of the volunteer crew had already arrived and put up signs so we did find our little piece of the field. There were about 30 coaches that got there before us. We were directed to the volunteer area and got set up. We were not happy with this place at first but we did not mind after we got used to it. The bathhouse was not in walking distance so we had to use our car. All the activities were held in a huge building. Kind of like a convention center. They had 17 big RV's on display and 30 vender's booths and several classrooms, including an area where there were 100 large tables where all of the meals were served. That was the part of the building we were using. Good Sam was also holding a rally at the same place at the same time and we never saw any of them. We attended a volunteer meeting in the afternoon. That night we hung out with some of the other volunteers. The weather was hot in the 90's. The next day Rosemarie had signed up to help decorate the one hundred tables. This was a big job, tiring but fun. It took the 7 or 8 women about 4 hours to get the job done. The tables all needed white table cloths. The decorations consisted of red, white and blue all American stars and stripes. The center of the tables had a colorful small cloth, then a 16 inch round stared plate centered by a reflective colorful bomb bursting, 8 inch tall 4th of July decoration, toped with 3 colors of tinsel. We were all quite pleased with the results and so were the attendees. Rosemarie used any leftover stuff to decorate the front of the stage with a couple of others. The women acted like a well oiled machine. After the work was done we had some nice interaction and when they found out what Rosemarie did as a job they asked for a demo. She sang Carmen and did the butterfly bit in mime. They asked her if she would teach a class. OH YES and plans were made! Bill went to play golf at the Gillette Golf Club. He only played 9 holes. The temperature was in the 60's. Unbelievable temperature change! He ended up playing with a man and his wife. The man was the backer and designer of the course in the 70's. Bill really liked them and he had fun but he thought it was expensive. We were both tired that night and after we did some needed shopping we spent the night alone and hit the hay early.

**A SHOT OF A FEW OF THE 400 RV'S**

**A DIFFERENT VIEW**

The next day we went to a free mini bus tour of the Powder River Basin Coal Mine. The tour was sponsored by the mine; it started at 9:00am and lasted 2 hours. We were both so impressed. This type of open pit mining is quite amazing. They consider it a moving hole and that is exactly what it is. The pit is approximately 400 acres. As they excavate the dirt they put the dirt in an area that has already been mined. When it old area is filled they do a major beautification of the land and it ends up better than before the started. The EPA is all over them to make sure everything is done correctly. They have been mining here for 35 years and figure they have another 25 year supply left. They supply 1/3 of all the coal in the US. We saw them dig, transport (about 2 miles) and load the coal on the trains for distribution. What a deal! The city of Gillette considerers itself the energy capital of the US.

**THE BUCKET THAT PICKS UP THE COAL & US**

**COAL TRANSPORTER THE COAL IS CRUSHED 50 FEET UNDERGROUND TO CUT DOWN POLLUTION**

**LOADING THE TRAIN**

**OVERVIEW OF THE LANDSCAPE OF THE COAL FIELD**

**THE COAL FIELD**

**COAL STORAGE TOWERS**

**TRUCKS TAKING OUT THE COAL**

**DUMPING THE COAL INTO THE UNDERGROUND CRUSHERS**

**BIG TRUCKS - LOOK AT THE KID BY THE TIRE TO GET AN IDEA OF SIZE**

**ANOTHER VIEW - NOTE WOMAN IN THE FRONT**

**THE TIRE AND ROSEMARIE**

**ANOTHER VIEW**

At 2:00pm the Fleetwood service guys came by our coach. They were wonderful. They fixed the surround sound on our TV, the bedroom slide, gave us a few pointers on several things and how they work and gave us some hard to find light bulbs. We were so happy with them and we feel great about the Fleetwood Company.

In the afternoon Rosemarie went to a volunteer meeting and Bill rested. In the evening we were on our own. The next day, Saturday was the first official day of the rally. We had signed up for the golf tournament but it ended up being just playing golf. We were disappointed! We were looking forward to the tournament at Bell Nob. We played with Kristy & Howard from Washington State. They were nice. The weather was horrid. The winds were blowing constantly. It was laughable. We made the best of it but would have preferred a few breaks in the wind. 4 � hours was too much and exhausting. Bill got 87 Ro 111 Ouch! After play we had a box (in a bag) lunch with some of the other golfers. In the evening we had a happy hour and meeting with around 850 attendees and a get acquainted opportunity. We got to meet a lot of people from all over the country as we enjoyed snacks and conversation. We got a rundown of the activities and met the board members. At the end of the evening Rosemarie was informed that all of the table cloths had to be changed. Two good things happened. She was excused from that duty because she was clowning the next day. Best of all the kitchen staff decided to do the changing. They carefully lifted the centerpieces and replaced the tablecloths, then put the decorations back. They did this after every meal. This staff was great. All of the food was first rate and the buffet style meals were kept well stocked. At the end of the rally the staffs was asked to come to the front of the gathering and were given a standing ovation for their efforts.

On Sunday we enjoyed a breakfast buffet. All the activities and classes started at 9:00am. We separated and each attended different classes. We were back at our coach by 11:00.Wower the clown came to life and headed for the Center arriving at 1:00pm. Wower had a ball! She visited with all the vendors booths first. There was an ice cream social at 2:00pm where she played with all who were interested and entertained the children. After a while she set her self up at a table and did balloon art. There were lots of great things said about the crazy clown. She was a bit outrageous to the delight of the folks there. One lady said Wower was the best balloon artist she had ever seen. I don't think she saw too many balloon artists. Wower met Dennis a vendor there from Florida who does remodels and we may visit him in the future if we keep the RV. We had good report and he asked if Rosemarie would like to make a few dollars delivering flyers. After clowning Bill & Rosemarie delivered flyers to 200 RV's. We got done at 8:00pm after that we rested.

**A FUN EVENING WITH NEW FRIENDS**

**WOWER WITH NEIGHBOR - SHE LOVED HER POODLE**

**WOWER WANTS TO BE IN PICTURES**

On Sunday we enjoyed a breakfast buffet. All the activities and classes started at 9:00am. We separated and each attended different classes. We were back at our coach by 11:00.Wower the clown came to life and headed for the Center arriving at 1:00pm. Wower had a ball! She visited with all the vendors booths first. There was an ice cream social at 2:00pm where she played with all who were interested and entertained the children. After a while she set her self up at a table and did balloon art. There were lots of great things said about the crazy clown. She was a bit outrageous to the delight of the folks there. One lady said Wower was the best balloon artist she had ever seen. I don't think she saw too many balloon artists. Wower met Dennis a vendor there from Florida who does remodels and we may visit him in the future if we keep the RV. We had good report and he asked if Rosemarie would like to make a few dollars delivering flyers. After clowning Bill & Rosemarie delivered flyers to 200 RV's. We got done at 8:00pm after that we rested.

**WOWER IN ACTION**

**WOWER WITH THE NICEST WONEM AT THE RALLY**

**GO WOWER**

**JASON FIRST AND OUR BEST SUBWAY ON THIS TRIP**

Monday morning Rosemarie delivered the other 100 flyers met up with Bill and they were treated to another great meal at the Center. After breakfast Rosemarie was happy to set up behind the center and face painted the kids. She had a wonderful spot under a tree. There was a cool breeze a blowing and a lot of happy children enjoying bouncers and slides. In the afternoon we toured the new RV's. We decided we liked our but may have Dennis do some work for us. Kristy came to visit Rosemarie when she was face painting. She really wanted her face done. It would be the first time ever. She did not want to interrupt the kids so they left. All of the paints were stored in the Center until Kristy was located and painted. She was so excited and thankful that her request and dream were fulfilled. That evening we had a BBQ at the center. I looked hard and found Kristy on the other side of the hall still wearing on her cheek the rainbow flag painted earlier that day, and she was still enjoying it. YA! They had some entertainment that evening. They were OK. Two Guys who played instruments and did impressions. They were not great musicians, but good entertainers. Tuesday was our last day here. Rosemarie woke up very excited and anxious to teach her class. We had come up with the name. "Exercise and fun class using Mime Techniques". Rosemarie got the room set up and the class was full to capacity. The best thing for Rosemarie was that Bill participated for the first time ever and he enjoyed it. Fun was had by all. The one memorable thing was that after each exercise the students were taught to shake hands, double high five, and bump hips. Everyone got a good work out and laughed a lot. Rosemarie is so thankful and grateful for the many years experience that gave her the ability to come up with a non clown/mime group class on such short notice. In the evening Prime Rib Yum! They had a country band. A lot of people left after dinned. We stayed until 8:00pm. Rosemarie had fun dancing with the kids and doing the electric slide, but most enjoyed the one jitterbug with Bill.

**KRISTY**

**RAINBOW FLAG ON KRISTY**

That is a recap of the week. We are on our way home, but will make a few stops along the way.

July 2, 2009 - We are leaving Cheyenne WY on our way to Grand Junction CO. We got to Cheyenne early enough to play golf. We played at the same course as last year, The Airport Golf Club. This time was very interesting. We were surrounded by thunder & lightning. It we a bit unnerving! At one point we heard this loud horn sound and we were instructed to head back to the club house, which we did. Within a matter of seconds we were dumped on by rain. As soon as it was clear the massive herd of golfers headed back out, so did we. By this time Rosemarie's nerves were shot. We were only out for a few moments when we experienced raisin size hale. THIS WAS A FIRST! We took cover after getting hit in the back as we ran for shelter. The hale only lasted a few seconds, thank God. After all that excitement we finally finished our game. Bill 83 - Ro - 92

July 6 2009 - We were heading for Grand Junction on July 2nd our way to Zion and after we were about 50 miles outside of Denver something bad happened to our motor home. Bill had to pull over on a hill with a 6% grade. He thought the transmission went out. We called for help and about 3 hours later a tow truck showed up. The young man looked like our nephew Bill Hilton and he was very careful and we felt OK as he elevated the coach. As we were following him after about 30 miles we saw some sparks coming from under the coach. Within minutes we saw smoke and we all pulled over. We were following him in the car. There was a fire on the rear-end! We had to get a different tow truck with a flat bed. All of this was very stressful. By the time all this took place and we found a motel to stay in, it was around 10:30pm. We signed in the motel for a week. We figured it would take at least that long. We got to the dealer early the next day but the RV did not get there until 11:00am. The dealer was closing early because of the holiday so we had to wait until Monday to start the process of approval and repair. Over the weekend we contacted a Work Horse Chaise ambassador. He told us he would help us, but thought Burt Chevrolet was not on the approved warrantee list. Ouch. It cost $785.00 for the tow and we might have to move it again. We decided to make the best of it and enjoy our selves in Denver

**MOTOR HOME IN TOW**

**OUR TOW DRIVER**

OUR HOTEL - HOME AWAY FROM HOME - AWAY FROM HOME

**AMERICAN MOTEL**

**THIS IS THE PLACE**

July 22, 2009 - We have been in the Denver area for 2 days short of 3 weeks and today I am glad to say we are on our way home. We have already passed the spot where we broke down. We picked up the RV last night and got up early to pack so we could get on the road. We did a lot while we were in the Denver area. A few highlights: Coors Brewery in Golden CO - We had a lot of fun at the brewery. We reminisced about our visit in 1979 with the kids and were impressed with the changes. We were picked up by bus from the parking lot and brought in for an audio guided tour. What we saw was similar to 1979 but the method was different we could take all the time we wanted. The tour ended with 3 big glasses of Beer. We both chose Coors Regular, Coors Light and a Red Lager (dark Beer). The mood in the sample room was happy, very happy. Three beers makes everyone happy. After the audio tour and sample room the bus took us on a tour of Golden. It didn't take long, it is a small city. We walked around the city and had lunch at the Capitol Grill Caf�. This building housed the original Colorado Capitol. We had a great lunch. Our server Joshua had the greatest laugh. He also had an interesting Tattoo. He had the pirate's code tattooed on his neck. I took a picture. ___SEE PICTURE_______

We returned to Golden for a street fair a few days later and were disappointed because we were expecting to see old cars but they only had MOPAR cars and not many of them. We had ice cream walked around and went home.

On Saturday we went down town to the Farmers Market at the Cherry Hill Mall. We were looking for the Cherry Hill Arts Festival and after the market we found the Arts show one street over. This is the biggest art festival in the US. We walked for hours looking at some wonderful art. We found a Wolf Sculpture that we both loved and will add it to our objects that will remind us of our trip. We listened to some music and then motel time. On Sunday we went to the Mile High Flee Market. We walked for hours and ate lunch. They had bratwurst and Rosemarie loved it. Bill had Pizza. We were honored to sit and listen to the Pony Express. This was 2 brothers, 19 & 15 and the lead singer a 17 year old amazing western singer. She was the Colorado 2006 (age 14) yodeling champion. Boy could she sing! In the afternoon Bill watched ATT Open, hosted by Tiger, and Rosemarie met with her friend and fellow clown Skiddles. We ate at Rosemary's Restaurant and had fun together. We were not planning on stopping in Denver but as long as we are here we will have a good time.

**VIEW FROM OUR ROOM**

**Enjoying the Music of Pony Express**

**Pony Express on Stage**

WE PLAYED GOLF

Today we header for the dealer and we did get approval for the repairs. We got some things we needed from the RV and went to play golf. We ended up at City Park Municipal. A nice course! We played 9 holes with Harry a local guy and finished 18. Bill 85 - Ro 108. We rested at our Motel home and felt a little better about the repairs to the RV.

We were fortunate to be able to play golf 5 times while in Denver. We played 2 times at City Park; our first game Bill - 85 - Ro 108. The second time we played Bill - 81 - Ro - 102 We also played at Willis Case twice; First time Bill - 83 - Ro -102 Second time - Bill - 83 - Ro - 99 . I think our favorite place was at Evergreen Golf Club Bill - 77 - Ro - 89. (WOW for Ro) Evergreen was about 30 minutes away from our Motel. It was up in the mountains. There was this one 109 yard par 3. It only had one tee box position. You had to shoot the ball up and over this 80 foot high hill. There was an arrow pointing the direction the ball must go. I am proud to say we both got pars. Bill's first shot went right over. Rosemarie did not make it over the rock on the first try, but on her second shot she was able to hit the green and sink a putt YA!. We love playing golf in Denver. I think if we had to move away from San Diego we would move to Denver. It is a great city.

**PICTURES FROM CITY PARK GOLF**

**A GREAT VIEW OF DENVER**

PICTURES AT COORS ARE BELOW

**IN FRONT OF THE BREWERY**

**COORS**

**LOTS OF VATS OF BEER**

**COPPER TOPS**

**THE BEGINING OF THE TOUR**

**HEADING FOR THE COORS TOUR**

**FILM AT 11**

**BOTTOLING THE BREW**

**BILL WITH STATUE OF ADLOF COORS IN GOLDEN**

**DOWN TOWN GOLDEN**

**CAPITOL GRILL IN GOLDEN**

**THE LARGRST STONE MASINDRY BUILDING IN THE USA**

**JOSHUA OUR SERVER WITH THE PIRATES CODE**

**MURO OF MR.&MRS ADOLF COORS IN GOLDEN**

**THE OLDEST HOTEL WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI**

We went to Buffalo Bills Municipal Park & Grave. We were so glad we did. We discovered the major influence he had on the history of the Circus, Rodeos, Railroad, Buffalo and the American Indians. We really enjoyed our visit. This was the spot, Lookout Mt. he wanted to be buried at. From Lookout Mt. you can see 4 states Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming and a great view of Denver. Bill's grave had been visited by many for years since around the early 1900's. In the old days people used to take the Flume to the top. The skeleton of the Flume is still there. Today there are bikers peddling to the top! It is a huge climb! We prefer a car thank you! See this if you can?

**PHOTO OPP. AT BUFFALO BILL COTTY'S MUSEUM BILL**

**ROSEMARIE**

**RIDE-UM COW-GIRL**

**THE TWO WILD BILLS**

**COW-BOY BILL BALLARD**

BUFFALO BILL TOOK AMERICAN INDIANS TO BRUSSELS BELGIUM

PICTURE BY THE MANNIKIN PISS

**AN INDIAN TENT USED IN THE WILD WEST SHOW**

**THE MOST FAMOUS PAINTING OF BUFFALO BILL COTTY & ROSEMARIE**

**ROSEMARIE AT THE TOP OF LOOKOUT MOUNT IAN**

We took a tour of the Phoenix Gold Mine. The mine is not a working mine at the present time. The EPA put an end to smelting in the US and it is too expensive to get useable gold any other way. We heard that 80% of the world's gold is still to be mined and waiting for a new method of separating the gold from all the other minerals it hangs with. We could see the gold "In them there hills" We took pictures. The place is loaded with gold. An interesting fact: In the mine there is an old bucket. It is called the lucky bucket. Some folks have touched this bucket and wonderful things have happened to them. One story We liked was about the man who invented the Land Rover, the vehicle that was on the moon. The guy had just taken a tour of the mine and he rubbed the lucky bucket and right after that he was awarded the contract for the Land Rover and because of that he named the Land Rover the Phoenix. We both rubbed the heck out of the bucket. We have faith so now we will wait for the BIG LUCK. We can feel it!

**ENTERING TO THE MINE**

**THE GOLD MINERS**

**HARD HATS NEVER LOOKED THIS GOOD**

**HALLOW MOUNTAIN**

**THE MINE AND WINE CALLER**

**MINE**

**SET OFF THE EXPLOSION**

**THE MOUNTAIN HAS BEEN MIMED AND THIS PART IS HALLOW**

**THE LUCKY BUCKET**

**BILL PANNING FOR GOLD**

**ROSEMARIE PANNING FOR GOLD - WE DID FIND GOLD DUST**

**THAT IS GOLD YOU SEE**

**THE BLUE IS COPER - THE GOLD IS GOLD**

A SPECIAL VISIT WITH SKIDDLES AND THE COLORADO CLOWNS

We were also invited by the Colorado Clowns to attend their annual picnic. We had attended it last year on our way home from Maine. This year it was held at the Etzkorns home. Fran AKA Kolo is a member of the club. We met at WRCA. Nice lady! It was a wonderful hour ride in the country. We drove by all the casinos in Blackhawk. These are legal Colorado Gambling establishments. We were impressed by Fran's Country Castle. Their home was right out of Home & Gardens Magazine!

There was a different crowd this year. People ate and talked and enjoyed the day. We were blown away by the organization. After the picnic was over within moments everything was cleaned up Spick n' Span. If you go to Denver make your way to Blackhawk. We made this greeting to the San Diego All Star Clown Club ______________________________

One of the best things about being a clown is having extended family all over the world. Most clowns have a spirit of love and acceptance. Every where we go and hook up with fellow thespians we find fun. Rosemarie has made many friends at Clown Conventions. Skiddles, Molly K. from Denver has become a special relationship. We met at The Great Clown Adventure in Las Vegas. Skiddles became an instant friend. I think Skiddles is everyone friend because she is just that way. She is hard wired to be friends with you. I already mentioned our lunch and the picnic; well that was not the end. She and Debbie, her sidekick, were working on the Clown Newsletter and were very tied up. They finished on Friday and Molly and Rick invited us to a back yard BBQ. Rick made ribs and we all ate too much. The best part was playing Crochet in the eatable back yard (fruit trees, berries, & Sunflowers). The yard made for a challenging experience. There was a hill and long grass to vex us. Five of us including Debbie played before dinner. Debbie departed and the 4 of us played until dark. Rick had the advantage because of his past experience and he won hands down. He enjoyed knocking the opponent's ball as far away from the playing field as possible. A real Dennis the Menace! Crazy Fun! I think we will get a crochet set.

**SKIDDLES AND ROSEMARIE - WHAT A CAR**

**FRIENDS ALWAYS**

AT THE PICNICK

GREETING TOTHE SAN DIEGO ALL STARS FROM THE COLORADO CLOWNS

**THE COLORADO CLOWNS AT THE PICNICK**

OUR VISITS TO THE GYM

Every few days we went to the 24 Hour Fitness in Town. Having a membership was great on this unexpected delay in our home coming. They have a wonderful club and we needed the exercise. The Endorphins helped to keep our spirits up. After our workout we headed for Burt Chevrolet to check on our RV. We always got the same information; the part is not here yet. There always seemed to be something else we needed and it was in the RV. Jim our service guy let us pick stuff up. One day was very difficult for both of us. We felt stuck and stranded. We had already decided to make the best of the situation but Rosemarie's eyes kept leaking even while playing golf. It was one of those times when all the positive thinking was not working. Darn! We decided to call the American Motel our home away from home, away from home. It is what is.

The representative Jim was really great. He let us visit our RV and get the items we needed. The RV was ready to be put together when the part came in. It was housed inside of a big garage safe from the elements. The part came in late on Friday go figure. We talked to Jim on Monday morning and he said he would have the work done that day or the next. We figured it would be Wednesday. We were delighted (that word does not really explain, how about ecstatic) Tuesday at 2:30 when we got the call to come and get out home away from home.

We rented a car to drive to the top of Mt. Evens. It has an elevation of 14000 feet with paved road. Nothing like this any place else in the US! When we had driven about 18 miles toward the top we realized the car rental place had made a mistake about the amount of fuel we started out with. We had to travel back to Idaho Springs CO to buy gas. We were upset because we did not notice the gas gauge when we picked up the car. The gas gauge was back wards from a normal gauge. OK so we get gas and head up the mountain again but this time when we get there we find out the road is close for repair until 5:30 pm the next day. We were so angry! Bill called the car company and to appease us they let us have the car an extra day for free.

The next morning we played golf then headed for the Royal Gorge. We did not realize how far it was or how long it would take. It was late afternoon when we arrived, but it was worth it. We did not know it was a park and we had to pay $42.00 entrance fee. We had fun riding the Incline to the bottom of the gorge and back again. This Incline was built in 1930 something. We were crammed into a cage like crabs. Weird? After that we took the trolley across the suspension bridge then walked back. This thing was swaying and we could feel it and see it. We passed the sign where the guy bungee jumped for the TV Show That's Amazing. We also rode the Merry-go-round. Silly Kids! We looked at everything and then headed for DQ. The commercials for the Girl Scout Blitzer finally got Rosemarie and after 36 or so times on TV we just had to have DQ. We had to return the car before we went home. We did not get back to our Motel until after 10:00pm. It was worth the trip.

**Merry-Go-Round - You go BIll**

**Rosemarie HOLDING THE CABLE THE HOLDS THE BRIDGE UP**

THE INCLINE AT ROYAL GORGE

**TO THE RIGHT - CRAMMED LIKE CRABS IN A CAGE - FOUR PEOPLE IN EACH CAGE**

**THE CAGES ON THE LEFT LOOKING TOWARD THE TOP**

**THE CARS ARE AT THE HALF WAY MARK**

**A CLOSE UP SHOT**

LOOKING UP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE GORGE - THAT IS THE SUSPENSION BRIDGE ABOVE

WE ARE ON THE BRIDGE LOOKING DOWN.

**LOOK CAREFULLY AND YOU CAN SEE THE INCLINE DOCK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GORGE**

**BELOW IS THE RIVER AND TRAIN TRACKS. PEOPLE RIDE THE RAPIDS AND TAKE TRAIN RIDES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GORGE**

Part of our time in the last week in Denver we were trying to find Cinnamonbunn Cremora. This is a 99 Cent Store product. It is Rosemarie's favorite. There are no 99 Cent Stores in Denver. We hit every Dollar Tree to see if they had any. Bill saw some in one store but we did not think we needed any. When we went back they had sold out. We did not find any but the hunt was fun. While we were out looking around we found a couple of thrift stores that were fun to go shopping at. The Salvation Army sells a grocery bag full of cloths (your choice) for $10.95. Rosemarie found brand new Calvin Kline shorts and new PJ's, and we got a few things to work out in. We have great stuff at home so this was a good choice for us. We also found the Unique Thrift Store. This was a unique thrift store. We got a brand new, in the box talking fish. I am sure we will enjoy sharing this with our friends. This kind of shopping was fun and it gave us something to do to fill the time.

We did eat some fast food while we were in Denver. We tried to eat in our room but we did treat or selves to a meal at Olive Garden. Bill loves his all you can eat soup and salad. I had chicken scampi that was out of this world. I already mentioned Rosemary's Caf� and the Capitol Grill. The last day we were in town we went to the Sunrise Family Restaurant. This place is owned by a Greek family. Bill ordered a Chef salad and Rosemarie got the best Greek Salad ever. The portions were so big we had to get a to go box. It was while we were there that we got the call to pick up our RV. OH BOY! Talk about happy!

One day we headed for Red Rock Amphitheatre. We were both blown away at this marvelous place. The red rocks are a natural occurrence and in them selves is amazing beauty. Then around nineteen 30's The CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp) turned this location into an amphitheatre. It was all done with sheer man power, no modern equipment. The place holds 10,000 people. On any given day you can find people exercising or running the length of each seat. One woman said it was 5 miles if you ran on each step back and forth from top to bottom. At one time it was considered one of the wonders of the world. We were there on a day when a band was checking their instruments for a concert held that night. The sound was unbelievable. Many stars have preformed here. They have all the people who have ever preformed there from as far back as 1896(before the seats were put in.), listed on plaques. They also have films and the history of the area.

RED ROCK AMPHITHEATRE

**MODEL OF THE AMPHITHEATRE**

**ROSEMARIE AT ONE OF THE OVERLOOKS AT RED ROCH**

HAPPINESS IS BEING TOGETHER AT RED ROCK

DIFFERENT SHOTS OF THE AMPHITHEATRE - WHAT A MARVEL!

THE SOUND HERE IS KNOW TO BE THE BEST IN THE WORLD

**THE STAGE**

**THE STAGE - ROSEMARIE WANTS TO SING THERE**

WE VISITED THE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY RESEARCH LABORATORY

It was an interesting place. Out front they had a water fountain which was operated by a solar panel. If you stepped between the solar panel and the sun it would stop working. While there we learned about different ways man would be making energy in the future. Some of the research using plant materials was quit impressive. We got a feeling man would figure out what we needed to do to keep our planet.

The most exciting thing that happened to us while we were in Denver was the Tornado. That is correct a Tornado. It happened around 10:30pm. We were already in bed almost to sleep in our birthday suits. All of a sudden we heard the roar of the winds. Rosemarie thought it sounded like a freight train. Bill likened it to an 18 wheeler with 18 flat tires. This sound was right outside of our window. All of a sudden the power went out and this loud siren went off. Rosemarie was so scared. We fumbled to find our cloths after we located our flash light. Bill was lagging while Rosemarie was in panic saying "Hurry up please". When we opened the door there was a green, sorts of strobe light, flashing. This added to the feelings of panic. There were a lot of people heading for the door. No one knew what to do. Rosemarie stopped by the desk and the night person said the worst had passed and they did not know when the power would come back on. We returned to our room and the alarm went off shortly after. Thank God for the thought to grab the flash light when we left the RV. It came in handy that night. We finally went to sleep. The power was out until morning, but we had no TV or room phone. We were shocked when we realized how close the winds were to us. As we drove out of the parking lot we noticed it was covered with leaves and when we looked up we saw no leaves on the tops of the trees. The most damage was right across the highway from our Motel. There were 40 electrical pools and hundreds of trees knocked down besides the cars, homes, RV, signs that were destroyed. 90,000 people were without electricity. They had to post patrol cops at many corners because the traffic lights were out. Many businesses could not open. We hope that is as close as we will ever come to something like that. Thanks to God we were safe.

The most exciting thing that happened to us while we were in Denver was the Tornado. That is correct a Tornado. It happened around 10:30pm. We were already in bed almost to sleep in our birthday suits. All of a sudden we heard the roar of the winds. Rosemarie thought it sounded like a freight train. Bill likened it to an 18 wheeler with 18 flat tires. This sound was right outside of our window. All of a sudden the power went out and this loud siren went off. Rosemarie was so scared. We fumbled to find our cloths after we located our flash light. Bill was lagging while Rosemarie was in panic saying "Hurry up please". When we opened the door there was a green, sorts of strobe light, flashing. This added to the feelings of panic. There were a lot of people heading for the door. No one knew what to do. Rosemarie stopped by the desk and the night person said the worst had passed and they did not know when the power would come back on. We returned to our room and the alarm went off shortly after. Thank God for the thought to grab the flash light when we left the RV. It came in handy that night. We finally went to sleep. The power was out until morning, but we had no TV or room phone. We were shocked when we realized how close the winds were to us. As we drove out of the parking lot we noticed it was covered with leaves and when we looked up we saw no leaves on the tops of the trees. The most damage was right across the highway from our Motel. There were 40 electrical pools and hundreds of trees knocked down besides the cars, homes, RV, signs that were destroyed. 90,000 people were without electricity. They had to post patrol cops at many corners because the traffic lights were out. Many businesses could not open. We hope that is as close as we will ever come to something like that. Thanks to God we were safe.

On July 22, 2009 we left Denver. We were up at the crack of dawn. We packed up the RV, hooked up the car and headed out. Bill drove for 12 hours and we spent the night at a Flying J in Richfield Utah about 469 miles all together. We both want to get home.

We finally got to Hurricane Utah on July 23, 2009. We were so excited because we were finally going to hike Angels Landing at Zion. We headed for our climb at 7:30am and got to the beginning of the hike at 9:15 am. We had no idea what we were in for. OH MY GOD! The first part of the hike we gradually walked up on a dirt path then to a switch back called Walters Wiggle. The CCC built the wiggle on the side of the mountain. It was strenuous to say the least. We ascended 2 miles until we came to the scariest last � mile. We hiked up the side of the mountain holding on the heavy chains rocks or any other thing that would provide safety. One slip and that was the end. There was no room for error. I am not exaggerating. Most people do not hike the last � mile. At one point Rosemarie started to cry. She did not think she could make this one big step to the next foot hold. With Bills encouragement she kept going. That step was not any easier on the way back. We ascended to 1488 feet. This was the hardest and scariest thing we have ever done. We will probably never do anything like this again. We are both overjoyed with our accomplishment. The hike is not for the faint of heart. It took us 2 hours and 15 minutes to get to the top. We rested at the top for 15 minutes. We were greeted by 2 of the cutest chipmunks while at the top. Rosemarie did a no, no and gave each of them an almond. NOT SORRY! Coming down was not any easier. Rosemarie did a lot of the steep decline on her but. Bill was like a kid remembering his hiking experience of his youth as he carefully made his way. Our return took the same 2 hours and 15 minutes. The temperature on the way up was cool but, the sun was out in full on the way down. When we got back to Hurricane we rested and drank a lot of water. In the evening we enjoyed the watermelon with other visitors at the RV park. Rosemarie entertained a little. We had discussed having Karaoke at that time but we could not get the small TV to work.

PICTURE FROM ANGELS LANDING. 1488 FETT ABOVE SEA LEVEL.

**WE ARE SITTING ON A ROCK - THIS IS THE HIGHEST POINT AT ANGELS LANDINH**

**ROSEMARIE WOULD NOT SIT ON THE VERY TOP - TOO SCARY!**

**BELOW BILL IS THE HIGHWAY THAT GOES THROUGH ZION**

**MIND BLOWING AND WE DID THIS. WE DO NOT RECOMEND THIS HIKE, HONEST**

Te next day we were both sore. Going up and down stairs was hard. We did not do much. We did go in the pool to exercise our legs. In the evening Rosemarie hosted a night of Karaoke with Jennifer the manager. It was Rosemarie's equipment. We had a good turn out and we got to sing a lot. Fun was had by all.

We made it to Vegas today July 26, 2009. It will not work out to see Shawn and the kids we are leaving for home in the morning. There was a mistake made on the date for Wower to appear on TV with Dr. Pokonose so we have to leave earlier than expected. Rosemarie is disappointed not to have the visit with family but, Dr Pokonose is counting on Wower and she must not let him down.

**WHEN WE WERE LEAVING HURRICANE IT WAS SO HOT - A LITTLE ICE ON BILL HEAD DID THE TRICK - COOL MAN**

WE WILL BE HOME TODAY BUT NOT WITHOUT ONE LAST ISSUE. OUR AUTOMATIC STEP DECIDED NOT TO RETRACT. WE DROVE 300 MILES WITH THE STEP STICKING OUT. WE WERE FINALLY STOPED BY THE C H I P AND TOLD TO GET OFF THE ROAD AND GET IT FIXED. WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? wE FOUND A REPAIR PLACE AND THE GUY TOLD BILL WHAT TO DO TO FIX THE STEP SO IT WOULD GO IN UNTIL WE CAN GET IT FIXED. BILL DID THE JOB AND HE WAS PROUD OF HIMSELF. HE DID NOT THINK HE COULD FIX IT. rOSEMARIE KNEW HE COULD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LOOKING AT OUT TRIP LOG. THIS WAS A WORK OF LOVE. IT TOOK LOT OF TIME AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO ENJOY IT FOR YEARS TO COME. WE THANK OUR ALMIGHTY FATHER WHO PROVIDES FOR US AND KEEPS US SAFE