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Stampede Tour - On the Road posted by Dakota Livesay

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Today we’re headed over to Mount Rushmore.  We’ve been told it’s a bit of a walk to get close.  After being ill the last few days, hope we have the energy to make it.

One of the great things about this RV park is that it’s close to a small river that runs into a lake.  Each morning and evening we take a walk along the river with Jake.  The lake has a lot of resident ducks and geese.  It’s interesting that Jake doesn’t seem to be interested in them…He’s definitely not a bird dog.

First, let me apologize for the last few days of silence.  We’re still in Rapid Springs, SD.  The last few days have been rather hectic.

We’re attending the NOLA Annual Rendezvous, and I’m a member of the Board of Directors.  One of the chores presented to the board was NOLA’s merging with another organization.  So, in addition to the regular Rendezvous sessions, the board was meeting to hammer out the merger details.

Then, I was one of the speakers at the Rendezvous.  I’ve done a lot of speaking, but not before a group of Old West experts.  So, I was spending any free time honing the talk.

In the middle of all this, Sunny and I got some kind of a bug.  For almost three days we spent more time in the bathroom than outside it…and we have only one bathroom.  We’ve both recovered, although we’re still a little weak.

Over the next few days we’re going to have time to visit the area, and will have a lot to report.

We’re still in Rapid City, SD.  Rapid City is a very nice place.  It has everything a person could want, including a Wal-Mart and McDonalds.

I get intrigued with the amount of space we have at various RV parks.  And, the amount of space has no relationship to the cost.  The first picture is the one where we’re presently staying.  The cost is $40.00 per night…the most we’ve ever paid.  The second picture is the one where we stayed while in Wyoming.  The cost was $10.00.

We’re in Rapid City, South Dakota.  And, we will be here for over a week.  We’re getting a weekly show, a month’s worth of the daily shows and the August Chronicle of the Old West finished.

In addition, we’ll be attending the NOLA Rendezvous the later part of next week.  And, of course, we have all the Old West venues to visit.

Yesterday we visited a neat place called “Chapel In the Hills.”  It’s a Norwegian Church.  The pictures are of the chapel.

Something that I failed to mention earlier…I hate blowing my own horn…is that at the WOLA Shootout our "Gunfights" and "Women of the Old West" CDs received the award as the “Outstanding Contribution to Outlaw-Lawman History.”  The picture is of the plaque.

Although we’ve been involved in the Old West since 2000, with Chronicle of the Old West newspaper, later the radio shows and even later the CDs, this is the first award that we’ve received.

Incidentally, our two CDs have been well received.  They’ve sold about 6,000 copies.

Quite often I feel as if I have three trash cans and two lids. And, it seems that I’m constantly moving those lids around trying to keep the contents of the trash cans covered.

And, were it not for my Web Master, Lynn Nyen, nothing would change on the web site. But, fortunately she keeps after me to update the Stampede Tour and other parts of the web.

We had a great time at the WOLA (Western Outlaw-Lawman History Association) Shootout at Cheyenne. Cheyenne is a very nice town with a mixture of the past and the present.

Got to renew a number of acquaintances, and meet some new people.

Although Bill O’Neal and I talk often for segments of our weekly radio show, this is the first time we’ve been together for some time. The picture is of Bill delivering a talk about the history of Cheyenne.

Well, Hoss is no longer a virgin.  He got T-boned.  Fortunately everyone was traveling at a slow speed and no one was hurt.

As you can see by the picture, the other car went under Hoss.  But still, the damage is estimated to be $1,000.

It was interesting that before the police arrived, the other person was making a big deal about it being our fault.  But, she settled down after the police gave her a ticket for unsafe driving.

Our last couple of days in the Denver-Colorado Springs area were fun ones.  At the invitation of Rob Bandhauer we got a tour of Western Horseman’s headquarters, and they gave us a neat reception.  The first picture is of the refreshments before they were torn into.

Then we went to Western Jubilee Records and attended a reception for the participants in the upcoming Ranch Rodeo.  Western Jubilee is the label of the Sons of the San Joaquin, Waddie Mitchell, Don Edwards and a dozen other cowboy singers and poets.  The second picture is of their theatre that’s also used as a recording studio.

And, then the next evening we went to the Ranch Rodeo.  The third picture is of the cowboys prepared for their turn at competing.

This was my first Ranch Rodeo, and let me say that it was a total joy.  About fifteen ranches from five states competed.  Don’t know if I will ever enjoy a regular rodeo again.

We ran into Denver and up to the top of Look Out Mountain and the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum and Burial Site.  This is a nice little museum, and the view is well worth the trip.

Dakota recorded a conversation with the director, Steve Freezen.  Anyone who is able to get the weekly show will be able to hear the conversation in a future segment.

The pictures are of the museum and Buffalo Bill’s grave.

We’re in Castle Rock, Colorado about half way between Denver and Colorado Springs.  The RV park is situated on the side of a hill.  There are trees and the sites are a bit isolated.  As you can see by the pictures, the views are great.

Unfortunately, we’re back to the planes, trains and automobiles.  Interstate #25 is just down the hill.  On either side of the interstate are railroad tracks…one for trains going north and the other for southern bound trains.  Then, every once in a while a small plane passes overhead.