We and Our RV (Old Log)

President Harry Truman's Library has ample parking for Motor Homes and is a great afternoon tour.  This location is also easy access from the interstate highway which is always a plus in a Motor Home.

 

A sun rise in a park.  Every day brings a new look and a new experience ahead of us.

 

I think I will start posting more photos with sunrise and sunsets in future postings.  They always seem to be nice to look at and tend to calm one down. In many of the stock agencies they say they have enough of these type photos.  I feel there is always room for one more:).

Canals & Locks (Old Log)

Our first lock seen together was by Lockport on the Erie Canal.  This canal is still in use for recreational use and limited commercial use.  The canal is to narrow and shallow for most commercial uses.  These are the best locks to see to learn how they work and talk to the locals.

While at the Welland Canals we saw some small ships and because we had to move on (we were on vacation).  We could not stay for a Canadian Destroyer that was coming into the Great Lakes in another hour for a PR visit.  However we will come back it was a nice spot to visit.  I am amazed how many ships from around the world come into the U.S. and Canada Great Lakes.

 

 

We stopped again in Minnesota at another river lock and enjoyed the self tour with all the nice plaques.  I saw recreational boats here but understand there is some commercial use here as well.

 

 



Larger canals and locks are always unique and interesting to see.  If you have not stopped in on some please do most have ample room in their parking areas for RV's.



Out Our Front Door DO Cooking

 

 

Dutch Oven (DO) cooking saves propane.  With a DO you can bake, boil and fry.  If you are going to start cooking with a DO make sure you cook at least once with an experienced outdoor DO cook if possible.  At a minimum buy a good DO cook book with lots of photos for your first book they do help.  Also YouTube has tons of short DO cooking videos.  Once you learn the process it is a fun way to cook and saves propane.

The old western trails brought families as well as "The Old Black Pots, the Dutch Ovens (DO's)" to the west.  One DO was an oven for diner and it's lid a grill for breakfast.  I have been using them since the early eighties and keep learning more each day about them.

What Lives There

Unique trees in the red desert are very common. 

I wonder what lives in these rocks?  It is always an interesting walk when ever we pull over to explore.  Lizards, birds and some rabbits may be in the area as well as some insects and an occasional snake.

 

Food sources are everywhere.  Here, if you scrape off the thorns you can eat the flesh and it also has high water content to help keep you hydrated.  Please note it will not be like drinking water and many types of cacti are not eatable.



Locating real water sources is a lot harder out west but not impossible.  Some times you will find it next to hard rocks like granite if you find moist sand by them dig down a foot or two and give it a couple of minutes.  If the sand becomes moist in the bottom wait another minute or too to pool then drink it.  If the sand is dry in the hole or no water pools move to another location and try again later till you find water.

Out Our Front Door

Harvest time is here! 

As my travel we are starting to see the tumble weed catchers (barb wire fences) doing their jobs.  Soon three types of fence cleaning will start.  The number one method is burning them off the fence a fall/spring project.  The second most often used method is putting a shredder on the front of a tractor and going along the fence line and shredding the tumble weeds.  The final method is individuals collecting the nice ones and selling them. I checked online and yes you can buy them:)

 

Speaking of harvesting.  I always like watching shrimp boats going up and down the coast harvesting this great food source.  Every few years I will get a fishing license and use a net to catch some from a dock, pier, or shore.  I also like going out on a fishing pier with a crab net and getting dinner as well. 

 

Of course make sure what you are after is in season and you know any other rules because each state can have different rules.