13 Essential RV Tips For Seniors

Above, yours truly at Mustang Sally's in Deadwood,
 South Dakota last summer. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

Now that I am at the ripe old age of 72, I guess that puts me into the senior (some say geezer) category. While that's the case for me, I still enjoy hitting the road in my motorhome. 

Last summer, a friend and I took a long trip to Cody, Wyoming, Little Bighorn Battlefield, Devil's Tower and the Black Hills of South Dakota. I surprised myself that I was able to do all the driving with no problems. 

RV Travel has posted an article and video with 13 essential tips for seniors to make the journeys more comfortable and enjoyable.

They begin it with:

In the video below, Mike and Jennifer Wendland from RV Lifestyle share their most important RV tips for seniors. Spoiler alert: Many of these tips apply to everyone, not just seniors.

Our hosts, seniors themselves, firmly believe that with proper preparation and expectations, seniors can live their best lives ever in an RV!

To read more and see the video, go here. 

RVers In Their 70s Are Changing How They Travel

Above, yours truly in Deadwood, South Dakota last summer. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

Now that I am a septuagenarian (a person who is between the ages of 70 and 79 years old), the following article caught my attention.

It is on RVers who are in their 70s are still traveling (not slowing down), but changing how they travel. I have changed how I travel in my RV in recent years. 

RV Travel posted the article on this subject yesterday and it begins with:

Spend time in RV parks, snowbird destinations, or popular retirement travel areas and you’ll find plenty of RVers in their 70s who are still traveling extensively. For many, the biggest change isn’t whether they travel, but how they travel.

That’s not exactly news. RV travel has long been popular with retirees.

What’s more interesting is how many RVers in their 70s are continuing to travel—and how many are changing the way they do it.

For some, that means fewer 400-mile driving days. For others, it means staying a week or a month instead of moving every few days. Many are choosing comfort over mileage and experiences over trying to check destinations off a list.

They’re still traveling. They’re just doing it differently.

To read the full article, go here. 

"Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West"

It hardly seems possible that already two months have passed since my trip to Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota (along with Colorado and Utah on the way).

One place visited on the trip was Deadwood, South Dakota for a few nights.

Above, the location where Wild Bill Hickok met his demise. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As things strangely happen, a book on Deadwood has been published. It is titled, "Deadwood: Gold, Guns, and Greed in the American West" and is by Peter Cozzens.

According to the posting at Amazon:

Sifting through layers and layers of myth and legend—from nineteenth-century dime novels like Deadwood Dick, to HBO prestige dramas to the casino billboards outside of present-day Deadwood—Peter Cozzens unveils the true face of Deadwood, South Dakota, the storied mining town that sprang up in early 1876 and came raining down in ashes only three years later, destined to become food for the imagination and a nostalgic landmark that now brings in more than two and a half million visitors each year.

This seems to be an interesting book for history buffs.

To read more, go here. 

Silver Over $38/toz.

The spot price for silver at COMEX is around $38.00/toz. The spot price for gold is currently at $3,449.70.

For the average person, investing in silver vs. gold is a lot more affordable even at today's silver spot price.

Recently, I took a vacation trip to South Dakota and explored around the Black Hills. I had been there before, in 1990. With that in mind, I was looking forward to seeing if there were any bargains on Black Hills gold. Well, as it happened, in the shops in Deadwood, I only found one that was selling Black Hills gold jewelry. I didn't see any bargains there, needless to say.

Above, Deadwood, South Dakota. I only found one shop selling Black Hills gold there. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 1990, quite a number of shops in Deadwood were selling Black Hills gold jewelry. They could afford to do so since gold in 1990 was around $386.20/toz. (Source: OnlyGold.com). At today's prices, gold is too expensive for the average mom & pop shop owner to afford. 

Where both gold and silver goes from here is anyone's guess.

Wild Bill's and Calamity Jane's Graves

When we visited Deadwood, South Dakota a week ago, we didn't go to Mount Moriah Cemetery where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried.

For one thing, RVs aren't permitted on the access road to the cemetery. Also, I didn't see any tram service that goes to the cemetery. We're just too old to try to "hoof" it up there.

I did visit the cemetery in 1990. 

A photo by Dave Williams in Facebook states that this is how Wild Bill's and Calamity Jane's graves look today:

 

Above, Wild Bill's grave is on the left and Calamity Jane's is on the right. Photo by Dave Williams.

Here's how the graves looked in 1990:

Above, Wild Bill's and Calamity Jane's graves in 1990. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The graves look a lot better now.

Cigar Stores On The Trip

Above, in the cigar lounge at Smoker Friendly in Cody, Wyoming.

While on the trip to Wyoming and South Dakota, we managed to find a couple of good cigar shops.

In Cody, Wyoming, we came across Smoker Friendly. It appears to be a chain retailer of cigarettes, cigars & pipe tobacco, plus electronic smoking supplies & accessories.

After making our purchases, we relaxed a bit in their cigar smoking lounge.

Above, Deadwood Tobacco Company. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In Deadwood, South Dakota, we found the Deadwood Tobacco Company. It is a tobacco bar offering premium cigars and pipe tobaccos, as well as live music and a bar. It is housed in the Masonic Lodge building on the first floor. As a Mason, this pleased Mitch Geriminsky. It is a relatively new business on Main Street in Deadwood. 

The Deadwood Trolley

Above, the trolley at the Deadwood KOA Kampground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one visits Deadwood, South Dakota in a recreational vehicle but don't either have a separate vehicle or just don't want to unhook a motorhome, you're in luck. 

The city has a trolley service (they charge $2 per ride) that will take visitors to several points around the city.

One stop for the trolley is the Deadwood KOA Kampground. We made use of the trolley to go downtown and go to dinner at a hotel in town. The trolley stops there every half hour generally.

RV parking in town is sparse, so the trolley is a Godsend!

Travel Photos

Above, at Mustang Sally's in Deadwood, South Dakota. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

 A little while ago, I uploaded the photos from the Wyoming-South Dakota trip from my Canon camera.

There's about 158 of them. I'll be post some over the next few days.

In the meantime, here's some from the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and Mount Rushmore:

Travel To History

Above, Last Stand Hill, also known as Custer Hill, is a significant
location at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana.

Last night, at about 1:00, we had a big thunderstorm pass over Deadwood, South Dakota.

It woke us up, but we were able to get back to sleep once it ended. It did pour for a while. 

We'll be heading back to New Mexico today. We will likely reach it tomorrow. 

It has been a fun trip with visits to historical places. Places like the Little Bighorn Battlefield I've seen many times in photographs, but it is even more interesting to see it in person.

Above, the site of Saloon No. 10. Saloon No. 10 in Deadwood, South Dakota,
 is famous for being the site where Wild Bill Hickok was fatally shot during
 a poker game in 1876. The original saloon was located on a placer claim
numbered "10". It was destroyed by fire in 1879, and the current establishment
 is a reconstruction of the original, designed to reflect the saloon's historical significance.

It was also interesting to see the saloon location where Wild Bill Hickok was murdered while playing poker in Deadwood. The site, now called Wild Bill Bar, is a reconstruction of the original that was destroyed by fire.

A Couple of Bills

The trip to Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota began with Cody, Wyoming. The town was named after Buffalo Bill Cody with many Buffalo Bill-centric attractions.

It is ending in Deadwood, South Dakota where Wild Bill Hickok met his demise. 

Interestingly, I stumbled upon a photo of both gentlemen last evening. Apparently, Wild Bill was a mentor to Buffalo Bill.

Here's the photo:

The above photo shows Wild Bill at left and Buffalo Bill at right with John B. “Texas Jack” Omohundro at center.

A Day In Deadwood

Today was spent in downtown historic Deadwood, South Dakota.

It seemed more rustic 34 years ago when I was last there. Now it seems more yuppie. Still, it was fun.

Upon arrival, we had lunch at Mustang Sally's, a sports bar, casino and restaurant that served up great burgers.

Above, Wild Bill Hickok in 1873.

After lunch, we wandered around the shops along Main Street. We visited the Historic Wild Bill Bar, which was originally Nuttall and Mann's Saloon No. 10 when Wild Bill Hickok was murdered there on August 2, 1876 while playing poker. Hickok is buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery in Deadwood.

Some photos:

Above, inside Mustang Sally's in Deadwood. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Mitch Geriminsky at Mustang Sally's. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, yours truly at Mustang Sally's. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

Above, historic Main Street in Deadwood. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Wild Bill Bar, the former Saloon No. 10 where
 Wild Bill Hickok was murdered. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Minor RV Repair

Above, the strip under the open house door before repairs. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At the Devils Tower KOA, we noticed that a strip of molding below the house door of the RV was damaged. 

It may have caught on something, I don't know what. I needed to find either some duct tape or self-tapping screws to fix it, even temporarily.

Above, a better view of the damaged molding. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When we got into Deadwood, I found an Ace hardware store and got a roll of duct tape and some self-tapping screws.

We parked at the Deadwood Visitor Center and I got out my drill (I keep it in the RV) and fixed the problem. Whereas Winnebago used one screw, I used two, so it is now secure. 

Now In South Dakota

Above, at Devils Tower KOA. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After watching Close Encounters of the Third Kind the night before, we made it into South Dakota yesterday. The Devils Tower KOA screens the movie nightly, with Devils Tower in the background. Before hitting the road, we toured Devils Tower National Monument. 

Above, viewing Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As our campsite wouldn't be ready until 3:00, we decided to go see the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mount Rushmore.

I had been to both before (back in 1990), but the Crazy Horse Memorial now looks nothing like it did back then. At least now, the face and arm of Crazy Horse are now visible. 

Above, Crazy Horse Memorial yesterday. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was pretty crowded at Mount Rushmore and we were there long enough to take some photos from the main walkway. 

We then headed back to Deadwood. We had dinner there and stopped off at a cigar shop before heading to the campground to check in.

Above, Mount Rushmore. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After checking in, we heard rain on the roof of the RV. Good thing we got in when we did.

One nice thing, Deadwood has a trolley service and the campground is one of its stops. We'll be touring around historic Deadwood and take a drive over to Sturgis. 

Above, Devils Tower during our tour of the park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Tomorrow, we'll be heading back to New Mexico.  

A little factoid: The KOA sits on the site of the set where the keyboard and lights were when the mother ship landed and the aliens released the abuctees.

Vacation Planning #2

No sooner than I posted about getting vacation planning materials from the state of Wyoming, I received an official visitor guide from the historical town of Deadwood, South Dakota.

I had been to Deadwood once before, around 1990. I don't remember too much about it except for Mount Moriah Cemetery, where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried.

Here's the guide's cover:

Mount Rushmore, An RVer Draw

Above, Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 1990, the family took a vacation trip that included Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, Devil's Tower, Deadwood, South Dakota and Mount Rushmore. That was a memorable trip. We stayed at a KOA Kampground near Mount Rushmore in a pop-up camping trailer.

Travel Resorts of America reviews why Mount Rushmore is such a draw for RVers, according to an article by OCNJ Daily.

They begin with:

Travel Resorts of America is a private camping resort with locations scattered throughout the United States. In the following article, Travel Resorts of America reviews why Mount Rushmore has become a popular destination for summer vacations.

Mount Rushmore, the South-Dakota-based cliff face carving depicting George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln, is a true sight to behold. Photographs simply do not do it justice. The area oozes American history from every vertex, with the destination being extremely popular for kids and adults alike.

From stunning views to patriotic feelings to great facilities for campervans, Mount Rushmore is on many RV drivers’ bucket lists.

To read more, go here.

RV Life: 8 Best Springtime RVing Places

Above, the graves of Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane in Deadwood, South Dakota. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Spring is just around the corner and that means we can get our RVs out of "mothballs" and hit the road.

RV Life posted an article on eight best places to go RVing this spring. 

Of the eight, I have been to one of them: Deadwood, South Dakota. It is where Wild Bill Hickock met his demise and where he and Calamity Jane are buried at Mt. Moriah Cemetery.

They begin the list with:

After several years of full-time RVing, there are many places I would go back to again, mainly because I don’t feel like I got to do all the things I wanted to do in the first place.  But also, I would go back to see all the places I did visit the first time too. 

When we travel, we normally pick a location that is central to all the activities we want to do in the area.  So, in the cities listed below, there may not be a lot of activities right there; however, I picked these places to go RVing specifically because there are lots of things to do in the spring within a ½-hour to one-hour radius.

To read more, go here. 

Summer Vacation Idea

Above, Devil's Tower in 1990. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Believe it or not, vacation season is fast approaching. It is only roughly 4 months away.

I have been thinking about going up to Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana to explore different places.

The last time I was at Mount Rushmore National Memorial was in 1990. Unbeknownst to me, that trip had us in South Dakota right in the middle of the Sturgis, South Dakota motorcycle gathering. I hope to avoid that this time (this year it will be held August 06-15). Also during that trip, we stopped briefly at Devil's Tower in Wyoming. This time, I would like to stay overnight to do a little more exploring.

Also, because of the Sturgis crowds, I didn't get to see much of Deadwood, South Dakota except for Mt. Moriah Cemetery where Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane are buried. I hope to be able to see the town this time.

During that 1990 trip, the plan was to see the Little Bighorn Battlefield in southern Montana, but a mishap with the tent trailer near Sheridan, Wyoming at the time forced us to skip it and head directly to West Yellowstone, Montana. This time, I would like to see the battlefield and visit Cody, Wyoming along the way. 

The pace will be leisurely so that I can just wander around and do things on a whim.

Heading north from New Mexico to the Devil's Tower and Mount Rushmore areas is pretty direct on Interstate 25 from Albuquerque. 

I requested some travel planning guides from Montana's and Wyoming's travel bureaus. 

Now that I have new tires on The Beast, a trip into those areas is workable. 

Mount Rushmore National Memorial To Celebrate 75 Years

Above, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is kind of funny that I should find a story about Mount Rushmore in South Dakota in a Japanese news website, but here it is.

The Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota will be celebrating its 75th anniversary next month. It opened on October 31, 1941.

According to Japan Today:

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. —It was a historian’s idea: carve gigantic sculptures into the granite pinnacles of the Black Hills of South Dakota, significant Western figures like Lewis and Clark, Buffalo Bill Cody, Fremont, Red Cloud and Sacagawea. 

“In the vicinity of Harney Peak ... are opportunities for heroic sculpture of unusual character,” South Dakota Department of History Superintendent Doane Robinson wrote to a sculptor in Georgia in 1924. 

The sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, redefined the project entirely. Using jackhammers and dynamite, he began in 1927, first sculpting President George Washington, then Thomas Jefferson, followed by Abraham Lincoln and finally Theodore Roosevelt. 

Next month, Mount Rushmore National Memorial marks 75 years of public pervasiveness, ending up in movies and comics and on quarter-dollar coins.

Back in 1990, when my daughter Amber was three, our family took a camping vacation to Mount Rushmore (we stayed at the Mount Rushmore KOA nearby where we were bused to the sculpture for its nightly lighting show). It is well worth a visit.

There are a lot of other attractions in the vicinity such as the Crazy Horse sculpture (now in progress), Deadwood (where Wild Bill Hickok was shot at the Saloon #10 and where he and Calamity Jane are buried), the 1880 Train and other places.

To read more, go here.