| Bruce's Latest Adventures! |
| 2010 Book Tour and Western Field Research Trip |
July 13, 14 & 15th
For the last 3 days I have been camping, hiking, mountain climbing and ghosttown hunting in the Marshall Lake Wilderness in Central Idaho. I was kept company on my latest hike by a set of fresh wolf tracks, 2 hours old or less.
I went ghost town hunting in a town called Cizeck. It is in my book, Ghost Towns of Idaho - The Search for ElDorado, pages 46 & 47. The outhouses were incredible. Because of how unlevel the land was, many were built on porches or cliffs. All had steps leading to them.
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I am now in Idaho until August 2nd .
Then heading out to Montana for research
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May 17, 2010
The sun has returned and I have the cobalt western blue sky!
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May 16, 2010
Arrived in Murdo, SD. Most of the old Main business district is closed with numerous buildings in perfect condition from the 1920’s. Saw a restaurant that had tablecloths and silverware still on the tables. The day’s special appeared in fading chalk on the menu board. Past a house with the front door open, still full of furnishings and personal belongings but obviously vacant.
Small town rural America is hurting more than the big cities.
In Valentine, Nebraska, I noticed at least 20 businesses had folded since I was there last, 2 years ago. But they are building a new county jail.
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May 15th
Strolled for a mile along the shores of Merritt Reservoir. Numerous trees flowering blossoming and in bloom. I’m fortunate; I get 2 springs a year.
Merritt Reservoir turns out to be an angler’s dream. Numerous prize fish were breaking the surface at sundown. Making so much noise at first I thought it was a beaver’s tail.
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May 14, 2010 - Today is a camping day.
At the Dismal River in Nebraska, it's a little Oasis.
I'm at a scenic overlook above the Dismal River in the Sand Hills Country of Western Nebraska. The Sand Hills Country is old ocean bottom from a prehistoric inland sea.
The spot I'm at, because it's in a bowl by the river, there's trees around but the hills are covered in cactus, grass and pinion.
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May 13 Leave St. Louis, MO to start the beginning of my
2010 Book Tour and Western Field Research Trip.
May 13 Lunch with Donning Publishing Company President
Camping in S.W. Iowa. The campground is on a bluff
overlooking the Missouri River.
It had been a stopping point for Lewis & Clark in 1804.
May 14 Visit the National Archway Monument, Kearney, NE.
May 15 Camping in Central Nebraska – OH THE STARS!!!
May 16 Murdo, South Dakota
May 17 Rendezvous with Karen & Keith Bloodworth in
the Badlands National Park. Going camping, 2 days in
the Badlands.
May 19 Black Hills: Helicopter Ride, Horseback Riding at Blue
Bell Lodge, climb Harney Peak, camping, ghost town
hunting.
May 23 Karen & Keith return to the Twin Cities.
May 24 Keystone, South Dakota
May 26 Radio Interview, 9:00 a.m., KOTA, Rapid City, SD
May 26 TV Interview KNBN TV Channel 10, shown at 5:30 p.m. &
10:30 p.m., (NBC Channel).
May 27 Book Signing @ Borders, 2130 N. Haines, Rapid City, SD
5 – 8 p.m.
May 28 Coffee with the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce, 9:30 a.m.
May 29 Book Signing Book Trader, 608 Main, Spearfish, SD.
Staying at the Haunted Hotel, The Bullock, Downtown Deadwood
in the allegedly haunted and definitely historic, Roosevelt Suite.
May 30 Book Signing Deadwood Gift Shoppe, 666 Main, Deadwood, SD.
June 2 Staying at the Haunted Alex Johnson Hotel, Rapid City, SD -
spending the night in the infamous Room 812
June 3 Book Signing Black Hills Books & Treasurers, 112 S. Chicago,
Hot Springs, SD, 6 p.m.
June 4 Radio Interview - Gillette Basin AM Radio, 13 minute interview
June 4 Book Signing Texas Trail Museum, 100 E Weston, Moorecroft, WY
4-6 p.m.
June 5 Book Signing Hastings Book Store, 2610 S. Douglas Hwy., Ste. 300
Gillette, WY 3 - 5 p.m.
June 7 & 8 Rented a Mountain in S.E. MT, Custer N.F.,
aka Diamond Butte Lookout - comes with "Bear Warning".
June 11 Radio Interview, 8:15 a.m., K2 Radio, KTWO AM 1020, Casper, WY
June 11 Television Interview, KCWY13, Casper, WY - Noon show
June 12 Book Signing Blue Heron, 201 E. 2nd St., Ste. 6, Casper, WY
1 – 4 p.m.
June 17 Radio Interview - KTUG Radio, 105.1 FM, Riverton, WY
June 18 Radio Interview, The Mountain in Red Lodge, MT - 99.3 FM
June 19 Saturday, stay at Haunted Pollard Hotel
Book Signing Red Lodge Bookstore, 16 Broadway Ave. N.,
Red Lodge, MT – signing @ 3 p.m., talk at 5 p.m.
June 26 Book Signing Hastings, 540 E. 17th, Idaho Falls, ID - 1 to 5 p.m.
June 28 Radio Interview: Voice of the Valley Radio Program, Salmon, ID
9:30 a.m.
July 4 Book Signing Visitor's Center, 100 Main St., Idaho City, ID -
Enter Pie Eating Contest.
July 7 Stay in Boise, ID until July 11th.
July 8 Speaking Engagement & Luncheon, Chateau deBoise, 7250 Poplar,
Boise, ID
July 8 Book Signing Novel Adventure, 906 W. Main Street
Downtown Boise, ID - 6 to 8 p.m.
July 9 Book Signing Hastings, 680 East Boise Ave., Boise,ID - 4 to 8 p.m.
July 10 Book Signing Pat’s What Not Shop, 9627 West Canberbury Dr.
Silver City, Idaho - All Day!
July 12 Book Signing Book Plaza, 220 W. 11th St., Burley, ID 4 to 5:30 p.m.
July 13 - 16 Wilderness Camping, Hiking, Mountain Climbing
and Ghost Town Hunting. Marshall Mountain Wilderness Area.
July 16 Radio Interview with KDZY FM 98.3, McCall, ID 10:00 a.m.
July 17 Book Signing McCall Drug, 1001 N. 2nd, McCall, ID, 12 to 3 p.m.
July 18 - 23 Wilderness of No Return & Gospel Hump Wilderness
Area of Central Idaho.
July 21 Radio Interview - KRLC, Lewiston, ID - 10:30 a.m.
July 24 Book Signing And Books, Too! - 1037 21st St., Lewiston, ID
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
July 27 Radio Interview - KVNI, Coeur D'Alene, ID - 8:00 a.m.
July 27 Newspaper Interview - Coeur D'Alene Press - 1 p.m.
July 31 Book Signing Hastings Book Store, 101 Best Avenue
Coeur d'Alene, ID
August Ghost town hunting, State of Montana.
August 1 Book Signing Placer Village Books, 122 Cyprus, Wallace, ID
August 19 Patricia Cracchiola arrives at Billings, MT Airport
August 21 "Charles Russell Choo-Chew" Railroad Ride, Lewiston, MT
August 28 Billings, MT
August 29 Pat flies out of MT.
September 1 Radio Interview - KOTA Rapid City, SD 9 a.m.
September 2 Book Signing & informal historical speak at the
Adams Museum, 54 Sherman, Deadwood, SD
September 9 Book Signing Prairie Pages Books Seller, 3321 S. Pierre Street
Pierre, SD, 4 – 7 p.m. (State Capital)
September 11 Book Signing Little Professor, 3315 6th Ave., S.E., Aberdeen, SD,
1 – 4 p.m.
Stay at haunted Ward Plaza.
September 12 Book Signing - Bookings, SD - 1 p.m.
September 13 Twin Cities, MN
Late September – Return to Missouri
STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS!
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Karen Bloodworth & Bruce in South Dakota
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| The book signing and research tour begins! 2009 |
Remains of a door to an old wood cooking stove. I turned the artifact over to the Rock Springs, WY Museum.
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The road to 'Chinese Rock'.
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A carved oriental inscription at a place called 'Chinese Rock'.
It is a remote location in the Wyoming desert.
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A World War II B-17G Bomber at the McCall, ID Airport.
The plane is a flying museum owned and operated by the II Confedrate Air Force.
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Remains at the coal mining ghost town of Gunn, WY.
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Gotta have fun! Bruce Raisch with his trophy moments after winning the 2009 Idaho City, ID pie eating contest.
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| Where in the West is Bruce? |
My Western Tour Has Started! From April to September!
Book Signing May 3rd, 2 to 4 p.m. at Walrus & Carpenter Books in Pocatello, ID
251 N. Main Street, 208/233-0821
Memorial Day
Weekend You will find me for the 3rd year in a row! Mt. Rushmore Book Signing.
June 7 Book Signing at the Blue Heron Books & Espresso, 2 to 4 p.m.
201 E. 2nd Street, Suite 6, Casper, WY
306/265-3774
June 27 Book Signing at The Paperhouse, 822 Main Avenue, St. Maries, ID
208/245-2064
I plan to visit, eat and sleep at as many allegedly haunted hotels as I can.
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May 3rd
I had my first book signing of this book tour. It was a success! If you are in Pocatello, you should stop and check out The Walrus & Carpenter Book Store. It's in the old historic section of town. The store has a large and varied selection of books.
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May 2nd
I am in Idaho and it is beautiful! The mountains are snow- capped
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April 29th
Discovered a brand new ghost town. It's name is Red Desert. It was an Amoco Oil Company town. There is a community center, company store and twenty-four homes left but vandals are setting in. They are taking out banisters inside the house and throwing them out of the windows to break the windows. It is terrible. Just a few years ago I was still seeing cars in the driveways. The homes are for sale for the low price of $25. You just have to move that home. At least 6 have already been moved. Photos will be coming soon.
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April 28th
Found another haunted hotel, it is the Elk Mountain Hotel. They claim two ghosts, the wife of the original owner and a small girl. The Hotel was established in 1905 and is an historic registered building. The interior is very ornate and has been refurbished in its old grand style. The hotel sits 3.1 miles off I-80 in the tiny town of Elk Mountain. The whole site rests at the foot of an old volcano. Numerous guests and past and present owners have all claimed to have seen "the ghost of Mary". She has a bad habit of checking on guests who then ask the owners, "who was that lady last night who was checking on me".
Another interesting note about the hotel, it used to be a stop over during the big band era. There are numerous pictures of the likes of Lewis Armstrong, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Tex Williams, Lawrence Welk and many more.
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Thank you all for coming to my book signing party at Ari's. A good time was had by all who attended. Photos will be on my web soon.
I leave April 20th for my next Adventure.
This is my longest road trip
* in miles
* in duration
Most States visited will be a minimum of 12
Missouri Iowa
Nebraska Wyoming
Colorado Utah
Idaho Oregon
Washington Montanan
South Dakota North Dakota
The most book signings three (3) in less than 24 hours!
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Currently I am premiering my third book, Ghost Towns of Idaho - The Search for El Dorado.
My book signing party will be Saturday, April 12th from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
At Ari’s Restaurant
Hampton & Arsenal
Free appetizers (cash bar), free parking
Bring your friends
Any questions contact Bruce at 314/781-5621
Or bar4916@yahoo.com
Hope to see you there!
I am leaving town for six months on April 20th .
My new itinerary will be available soon.
I am now scheduling book signings all over the West.
More News to Follow
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Currently, I am working on my third book, Ghost Towns of Idaho. I am at home base, my research trip has concluded.
I will be selecting photos and completing the lay out of my book.
I am thrilled to share this experience with everyone.
Also, Ghost Towns of Montana research trip will be coming.
Look forward to it........
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The highway out of Cody to Yellowstone was reopened Friday, August 17th. The fire that had closed it had been brought partially under control.
The same highway was closed Saturday (the very next day) due to landslide.
Yellowstone Park and Park County have been experiencing flash flooding due to heavy rains.
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August 17, 2007
The eastern entrance to Yellowstone National Park from Cody has been temporarily closed due to a 17,000 acre forest fire! This road closure forced me to take a detour over scenic Dead Indian Pass.
Rain has finally come to Yellowstone helping to fight the fire situation to a degree.
I am still on schedule for my book signing in the Ghost Town Rally in Meeteetse.
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August 14, 2007
Yellow Pine is being evacuated by order of the governor.
Warren and Secesh have both been cut off and surrounded by fire. Town folk are assisting the forest service in trying to fight the fires and save the towns.
Four structures have been lost at Warren. I tried to volunteer three times, the forest service does not accept volunteers.
This is the second fire for Concord in four years. They lost at least a couple of structures in each fire.
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August 9, 2007
In Idaho, the howl of the wolf frequently drifts through my camp. It is a constant evening companion.
While camping in northern Idaho, while star gazing, I have been able to enjoy the site of the International Space Station streaking overhead!
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Status of August 6, 2007
The weather is finally cooling down. Warren, Big Creek, Yellow Pine, Stibnite and all the towns of the Buffalo Hump are all threatened by forest fires.
Warren, Big Creek and Yellow Pine are being evacuated.
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To get away from the heat, I have been camping in mountain passes between 5,000 and 9,000 feet - much cooler at night
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| All Roads Are Not Created Equal |
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| Does It Really Exist After All? |
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| The Road to El Dorado. Where will the road lead you? Only destiny knows and only time will tell. |
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July 29, 2007 - UPDATE
THE WEST IS ON FIRE!
I am in Atlanta, Idaho right now. Atlanta's not burning but the rest of Idaho is. Concord and Dixie are in DANGER!
The smoke from the fires burns my eyes, fills my nostrils and hides the mountains in a blanket of haze. I check in daily at ranger stations for fire conditions and locations before heading into the back country for my field research. The sky looks like it did in Kuwait when I was there during the oil well fires.
Over 1,400 square miles of Idaho are on fire.
PRAY FOR RAIN
PRAY FOR IDAHO
The fires are changing my planned routes. I am working around the situation as best I can.
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| This is one of two cemeteries belonging to the ghost town of Bonanza, Idaho |
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| I spent 2 nights here. (Photos taken by Bruce A. Raisch) |
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| These are the remains of a deer brought down by a cougar. The big cat had been feeding on it for a couple of days |
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July 19, 2007
GOLD!
While ghost town hunting and checking out the site of Leesburg, Idaho, I found gold in a stream! Before anybody gets excited for me, the area is already under mineral claim and being mined.
I will be on my way to invesitage the site of Yellowjacket - it's deep in the mountains.
Forest fires are being a problem but I'm working my way around them.
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July 18th - I'm ghost town hunting in the mountains of Idaho and I check with the local district forest ranger's office on a daily basis to see where the forest fires are so I don't drive into them.
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| This is not snow but hail covering the camp site. |
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This photo was taken an hour after the storm ended then the sun came out and with it, ground fog.
The hail had dented my truck and stripped much of its paint.
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| photo was taken in late June near Yellowstone Wyoming |
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| These are mountain goats. Photos were taken near Mt. Rushmore |
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| The goats were introduced to the Black Hills by the Great Northern Railway. |
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These photos were taken about 9,000 feet. Usually these animals stay at higher altitudes.
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| Moon Campground and Ghost Town |
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| A road less traveled, it leads to Moon |
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You can find Moon and its history in my book, Ghost Towns and Other Historical Sites of the Black Hills.
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7/5/07
I crossed the Continental Divide today.
Tomorrow I head for Idaho, ghost town hunting and my search for El Dorado.
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HELLO FROM THE ROAD!
The truck and I will spend the Fourth of July climbing the switchbacks of the Beartooth Highway. First stop will be a small tourist spot known as the Top of the World. It sits above 12,000 feet on a mountain plateau. After that, it's onto Yellowstone.
I will spend a day or two there, then it's onto Idaho for 2 months of ghost town hunting. There I'll also spend time on 3 different mountains I've rented. Yes -- you read that right, I rent mountains.
To wet your appetite for my upcoming new book, here is a page from Ghost Towns of Idaho, the Search for El Dorado.
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Because of its great mineral wealth Idaho is known as the “Gem State”.
With the discovery of this wilderness of mineral wealth came hordes of gold crazed
fortune seekers looking for their El Dorado.
The dictionary states that El Dorado is Spanish for “The Gilded One”.
1) A city or country of fabulous riches held by 16th century explorers to exist
anywhere from Colorado to South America.
2) A place of fabulous wealth, abundance or opportunity.
A poet said it better. . . .
EL DORADO
Gaily bedight,
A gallant knight
In sunshine and in shadow,
Had journeyed long,
Singing a song,
In search of El Dorado.
But he grew old -
This knight so bold -
And o'er his heart a shadow
Fell as he found
No spot of ground
That looked like El Dorado.
And, as his strength
Failed him at length
He met a pilgrim shadow -
Shadow, said he,
Where can it be -
This land of El Dorado?
"Over the Mountains
Of the Moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,"
The shade replied,
"If you seek for El Dorado!"
The poem was written by someone who was much better known for
another kind of writing. What even fewer are aware of is that he also tried
his hand at something else, gold panning. He rushed with many other stampeders
in a mad search for gold in French Equatorial Guiana. A place many would end up
calling “the Green Hell”. Few found gold, even fewer found any fortune. What
they did find was jungle, heat, humidity, mosquitoes, dysentery, malaria, typhoid,
yellow fever and death. With these things to recommend it, France would later
turn it into a penal colony named Devil’s Island.
The name of the gold panner and poet . . . Edgar Allen Poe.
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Till later, good hunting
Bruce A. Raisch
Happy Birthday America!!!!!!!!!!
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HELLO FROM THE ROAD!
Saturday, June 30th
Today is day 54 of my road trip. Have my 10th book signing of the trip later today at the Blue Heron Books & Espresso. I have been working 7 days a week for the last month so I just recently took some time off.
What do I do with my time off?
Go camping! Set up camp for 2 days in the Big Horn Mountains at a little over 9,000 feet. My camp was on the edge of a tree line next to a mountain meadow. The meadow was full of purple and gold flowers. It was time well spent.
Further adventures will follow
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| Bruce enjoys a view of the Sawtooth Mountains - Photo by Karen Bloodworth |
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| Yankee Fork Gold Mining Dredge In Idaho - Photo by Karen Bloodworth |
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| This was the view from the launch point at the start of my white water raft ride. |
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| Photo by: Salmon River Photos |
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The Author, Bruce A. Raisch along with fellow adventurer Keith Bloodworth on the River of No Return in Riggins Idaho. This is a thrill of a lifetime.
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| June 11, 2007: Photo Taken by Karen Bloodworth |
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"I enjoyed the Salmon River Experience very much. It is a beautiful river and I hope to float it again. Brian, the Captain, made the 26 mile run look easy. And Bruce is just a big kid that likes to get wet."
Keith Bloodworth
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For western travelers I recommend a stay at the Spearfish Canyon Lodge in South Dakota. It is a beautiful lodge with good service, a variety of rooms and suites and a good restaurant across the street. But these aren't the best reasons to stay there.
The best reasons is the setting. . . . The lodge rests on the floor of a beautiful canyon. The lodge is surrounded by towering canyon walls, mountain streams, water falls, hiking trails and picnic grounds. The area was used as a film setting for the movie, "Dances with Wolves".
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| Western Nebraska during May in the Pine Ridge Country |
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| The Colors of a Nebraska Sunset |
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NEWS FLASH!
I just checked into the Togwotee Mountain Lodge, just east of Jackson Hole, Wyoming where according to legend, Bertha Angles still roams the halls. It's a beautiful mountain lodge in grizzly bear country at 8,600 feet.
When you check in, they give you a brochure warning you of grizzlies and altitude sickness.
Couldn't pass up the opportunity to check into a haunted hotel so I stopped and checked in early. Besides, I'm surrounded by beautiful snow. Big snow storm here at the Lodge last night.
As per hotel requirements, I had to empty my truck of food because of the bear situation here. I bought a package of party squawkers to use in camp and on hiking trails as noise makers to keep wildlife away, i.e. bears, moose, etc. Forgot to bring my whistle, this is a fun substitute.
Next week I rendezvous with friends in Riggins, Idaho for white water raft ride on the River of No Return.
Photos and more stories in the mail to my home base in St. Louis, Missouri.
This will let you know what I have been doing in the meantime.
June 7, 2007
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Day 1 May 9th – I was forced to leave one day late due to heavy flooding north of Kansas City. Interstate 29 had been closed. When I arrived, it had only been open for 3 hours and traffic was backed up for miles. The highway bridge was still stained from river mud.
Day 3 May 11th – Picnicked in the Nebraska National Forest. It is a man made forest in the center of the state. That evening I camped in the Pine Ridge National Forest in N.W. Nebraska. It was 32 degrees that night inside my truck where I slept.
Day 6 May 14th – Photographed mountain goats. You will see the photos later. These goats were near Mt. Rushmore. That’s about 5,000 feet, a low altitude for the goats.
Went solo rock climbing later that day. Also fell solo. Limped back to the truck solo. Used my first aid kit on myself for the first time solo. This is why they tell you not to do camping, hiking, canoeing, etc. solo. I also failed to change into correct footwear. Hopefully even if I fail to learn from my mistakes, others may.
Day 7 May 15th – For all the birders out there, a rare treat. A North American Falcon flew within 20 feet of me.
Arrived and camped next to the small ghost town of Moon. The location is in my Black Hills book. Spent 2 days there.
Hope you are all enjoying this Spring. More adventures later.
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The following pictures are from my recent, annual Veterans Day trip.
I took 5 days to do some canoeing, and to check on the status of Dogpatch, an abandoned amusement park. I had heard a rumor that it had been bought and was being rebuilt. For what use, I do not know.
The river was too low to float, so I spent an extra day in a mountain cabin, at White Rock Mountain, Arkansas. These cabins were built in the 1930's by the CCC. They are rustic and beautiful.
The rumors were true about Dogpatch, it has been bought and somebody was in the process of cleaning up the site. What business it could be, I could not tell, yet.
Here are 8 photos from my latest adventure.
Hope you enjoy,
Bruce A. Raisch, Ghost Town Hunter,
Adventurer, Historian, Photographer
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