It has been a long time since we last traveled and so, a long time since our last post – almost two years.  It has been a challenging time: the pandemic, four elections (soon to be five?) in Israel, and one in the States, an eleven-day clash across our southern border…. However, we made it through, no one near and dear to us has gotten seriously ill, and we feel for those who have suffered.  This trip was twice cancelled, and plans were changed many times.  But, It Looks Like We’ve Made It.

The Thursday before our trip we drove to Ben-Gurian airport to take a Covid 19 PCR test which must be done within 72 hours of the flight.  The same day we received the results. 

Motzaei Shabbat we made havdalah, did a few last-minute things, filled out a health declaration form on line, made it to our waiting car and driver in 30 minutes, and off we went to the airport.  We showed our Covid test results even before we got through the doors of the airport, and again at the ticket counter.  With good planning and luck, we made it to the plane with an hour to spare.

Once on the plane (1:00 am) we settled in for a 15-hour flight to Los Angeles.  Our travel agent highly recommended we upgrade to Premium Coach and it was good advice.  Lots more leg room, smaller cabin, and continuously cleaned bathrooms.

We landed in LA early but had to wait half an hour on the plane before we could disembark.  (You’re not allowed to arrive early, it seems.)  We waited some more for the one-hour flight to Las Vegas.  On both planes everyone wore masks the entire time as did everyone in LAX (Los Angeles airport) where there was an often-repeated announcement that it is federal law: you must wear masks.  Upon arrival at Las Vegas we took a cab from the airport to North Las Vegas, where we finally got to our RV, parked right where it should be.

Why do we write all this?  So we can remember the experience.

Reaching the RV at 1:00 pm Sunday afternoon, after traveling for about 25 hours, we went to our favorite hangout, Walmart, and stocked up on supplies.  Then we started cleaning and organizing.  Even though the RV was cleaned after our last trip, it has been sitting in storage for almost two years.  Thankfully, all systems are working, with the exception of the “house” air conditioner, but we knew about that.  After all was done, we ate, showered, and fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillows.

Monday, May 24, 2021

After taking care of some business with NIRVC, the storage facility, we went back to Walmart to buy a full cart load of items we forgot to buy the day before.  We started on our travels at 1:00 in the afternoon.

We drove north on Highway 15 through Nevada, a part of Arizona, and into Utah.  We travelled through the city of Provo Utah, home of Brigham Young University and one of the prettiest, well-kept, and manicured cities we have seen. 

When it was time to stop, we found a campsite at Deer Creek State Park, Utah. 

Chokecherry Loop was where we camped, named after the chokecherry shrub which is prevalent there.  For many Native Americans, the chokecherry is an important fruit in their diets – the bark to make a concoction to ward off and treat colds, fevers, and stomach illnesses; the inner bark for ceremonial smoking; and the fruit which can be eaten when fully ripe but otherwise toxic (and very bitter). 

The surrounding scenery was breathtaking, and it is a spot we would like to return to for its hiking and beauty.  And why not?  It’s only half a day’s drive from the storage facility.  We had a very peaceful night’s sleep.

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

We drove, and drove, and drove – 9.5 hours.  We have an appointment at Lichtsinn RV for an upgrade to our air conditioner for Tuesday June 1^st, and decided to spend several days near Forest City, Iowa (home of Lichtsinn) beforehand. 

We drove from Utah straight through Wyoming on Interstate 80: no people, no cell phone or internet reception, lots of scrub grass, pretty in its own way. Though there is nothing magical about state lines, it often seems that the uniqueness of each state eventually presents itself.  

We then continued into Nebraska (farmland, greener), where we stayed the night at a KOA campground in Ogallala – a Sioux name and once a stop for the Pony Express and later the transcontinental railroad.  (Nothing more needs to be said about the campground; although it was very clean, it was right off the highway and noisy traffic all through the night.)

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

We got an early start and drove, and drove, and drove (sound familiar?), continuing on Interstate 80 into Iowa (very green, lots of farms, rolling hills).  Basically, we covered over 1,500 miles in 2-½ days.  Arriving at Pilot Knob State Park, Iowa (5 minutes from Lichtsinn) on Wednesday evening, we registered for five nights.  This being Memorial Day weekend, most reservable campsites were booked well in advance and we wanted to get to the campground early enough to secure a first-come first-served site (also called a walk-up).

Pilot Knob: lots of green and lots of short trails in a forest setting.  The biggest problem is that there is no AT&T reception anywhere in the drivable area; we have gone back in time to a quieter, more peaceful existence.  Only the beauty and sweet sounds of nature to enjoy in our environment.  We were able to get in a short hike before we ate and turned in.  And to all a goodnight.

Thursday, May 27, 2021

A good night’s sleep.  The weather report was for a 100% chance of rain, and they were right.  It rained all night and through the morning.  Not a time for taking a hike in the mud, so we did some errands.  First to Lichtsinn where we were happy to be able to connect to their guest Wi-Fi to message the family.  Then, a little more shopping, for what else do you do on a rainy day, and we returned to our campsite where we relaxed, ate, listened to music, and read books. 

Friday, May 28, 2021

Back to Lichtsinn for WhatsApp phone calls to Israel and relatives in Chicago.  Returned to the campground and had a lovely walk on the paved forestry roads; the trails were still too muddy from the rains the night before.  In the afternoon we cooked and prepared for Shabbat which came in at 8:27 pm.  We made early Shabbat.

Saturday, May 29, 2021

A goodnight’s sleep, davened, kiddush, walked around the campground area in much better weather, lunch, slept, read and seudat shlisheet.  In the early evening we had an opportunity to hear a ranger talk about how Pilot Knob is using goats to control invasive plant species that travelled from local gardens (from homes just outside the park) into the park.  The procedure they utilize is to put the goats into a 1000-square yard fenced-in area for a couple of weeks; the goats seem to like the unwanted plants.  Once they have cleared an area, the goats are moved to another section, and so the process continues.  No pesticides. 

With such a long day we slept a lot, probably still getting over jet lag and 2 ½ days of driving.  Havdalah was at 9:38 pm.

An observation about the campground.  Mostly this is a very family-oriented location.  Lots of children but very few teenagers.  Though the kids are noisy and fearless about cars driving around the campground, this is much preferable to teens and young adults who often party, play loud music, and drink a great deal (we’ve experienced this too).  It seems there are a number of groups, families or friends, who get together on this Memorial Day weekend to sit around a campfire, talk, and barbecue.  Quiet hours are strictly observed.  Sizable trailers are the vast majority of RVs here through there are a number of tents, some also quite sizeable, one with its own wood-burning stove.  We are the only Class B RV van.

Another observation about masks.  In the states we’ve been in, they are mostly not mandatory.  At the Walmart in North Las Vegas, most people wore masks.  As we drove through Utah, Nebraska, and Iowa, it seemed that it is up to the individual.  We decided to wear our masks in stores (including gas station stores) and laundromats.  In the campgrounds we are distanced from other campers and if we speak to anybody, it is outdoors.

Sunday, May 30, 2021

We thought we would be able to get in some good trail hiking (yesterday we saw the trail heads but could not do them on Shabbat).  However, it started raining again, so we emptied tanks, filled up with fresh water, and settled down to a quiet day in the RV.

But then…the rain stopped at 2:00 pm and we took advantage of the break in weather to take a walk – still too muddy to use the trails, but the blacktop road through the state park was beautiful. 

Actually, our walk started out as a short stroll to the fishing lake but we kept going and, in the end, walked for over two hours – out of the campground section, re-entering the park through the main gate.  We walked past Dead Man’s Lake and ended up at the observation tower built in 1934 by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps), which we visited on our first trip to the area after buying the RV four years ago.  It hasn’t changed, but to our surprise Sima’s phone started chirping with received WhatsApps; she had cell reception at the top of the observation tower hill.

Monday, May 31, 2021

We left Pilot Knob State Park and headed for HyVee supermarket (when last here it was called Bill’s).  Picked up supplies and headed for Lichtsinn’s camping area for a spot for the night.  Here we attended a wedding of a cousin, virtual of course.  We still find it amazing that we can view a wedding in Lakewood, New Jersey from Forest City, Iowa.  During the wedding we had a wedding seudah lunch in our van in honor of the chassan and kallah.

Then, a four-mile walk through Pammel Park in Forest City, on the Winnebago River.  It was a memory, as we did this walk four years ago when we first bought the RV.  The weather was great, the park as pretty as we remembered it.

 

Now on to finish this post.