2025 April 7-11: The Ark Encounter and Creation Museum Trip with the Club-Diamonds in the Rough (Five Day Trip) & Diamond Tours

 Day 1: Monday, April 7:

Hubby and I stopped at Jack's for breakfast. I ordered gravy and biscuits with Diet Coke. 

When we arrived at the club around 7:30, everyone went inside to sign in, pick up their name tags, and use the restroom.

Everyone was on the bus by 8:00 A.M., and we were on the road by 8:30 A.M.

We traveled north on Savannah Highway to Natchez Trace, getting off in Lawrenceburg. We traveled north on Highway 43 through Columbia, TN, to I-65, then to I-264, and finally to I-74, I-275, and US 27, before arriving at the Comfort Inn, room 226, located at 1610 Flossie Drive, Lawrenceburg, TN. 

We stopped at Love's in Bear Creek. The building was being repaired, so they had installed a bathroom outside. We had to stand in line outside in the cold, waiting to use the restroom stalls. (3) Loves was located just off I-65 on Highway 312. 

Grilled Cheeseburger and Tater Tots 

We stopped for lunch at Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers in Bowling Green, Ky. $14.92

Hubby and I split a grilled cheeseburger with tater tots and ordered a Diet Coke. 

We stopped at Thornton's gas station in Buckner for a restroom break. 

We crossed the Ohio River into Cincinnati. Dinner at Logan Roadhouse, 3720 Stone Creek Blvd. Cincinnati, Ohio.

Hubby and I ordered Grilled pork chops, a salad, creamed potatoes, rolls, and a cookie. 

We arrived at our hotel around 8:00 P.M., took a hot bath, and went to bed. 

Comfort Inns & Suites 1610 Flossie Dr. Lawrenceburg, Indiana 

Photos

7198-19 @ 12:30 P.M. Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers Bowling Green, Ky

7202-7221 @4:05 04:13 P.M. Traveling Louisville, Ky

7224-25 @4:42 Thorntons Gas Station

7227-28 @ 6:28 P.M. Ohio River Tannery Island Lawrenceburg, IN 

Day 2: Tuesday, April 8:

Breakfast at the hotel consisted of gravy and biscuits, accompanied by sausage links and eggs, and served with cranberry juice. 

We depart for the Ark Encounter around 8:30 A.M. and arrive at 10:09 A.M. 

The Ark Encounter 

Our step-on guide greeted us and instructed us on where to line up for the shuttle and when to meet at the end of the day.

We got off the shuttle at the Answer Center and were on our own for the rest of the day. 

Our first stop was to ride the carousel, where I rode the camel. 

Our next stop was the Virtual Reality Experience, where we traveled back in time to meet Noah. $30.74

We witnessed the construction of the Ark and experienced the flood alongside Noah.

We walked into the ark, which was terrific. It was filled with animals, Noah and his family, and the history of its construction. Several Diamond buses were present, making it difficult to see everything. 

We skipped a lot of the ark because we were getting hungry. 

We had a buffet meal at  Emzara's Kitchen, where I got chicken fingers, salad, slaw, creamed potatoes, and pineapple cake. $36.02

We visited the Ararat Ridge Zoo area, where we watched children ride camels. It was cold outside, so Hubby bought a cup of hot chocolate. $5.29 

Our last stop was the Answer Center, where we were entertained by Stage Song, a Christian group that sang gospel songs. 

We made a group picture in front of the Ark.

We stayed at the Ark until 3:35 P.M.

When we were leaving, someone said, "I don't have my phone," so we turned around and returned to the Ark. Our leader informed the park about the lost phone. It had been left in the men's restroom. Someone at the park retrieved the phone, which was brought to our bus. Dinner at Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, 3633 Springdale Road, Cincinnati, OH, at 5:00 P.M. 

I ordered chicken fingers, French fries, coleslaw, and ice cream. It was a huge plate, and I didn't even eat half of it. 

We head back to the hotel around 6:30 P.M. 

I took a hot bath, wrote in this journal, and went to bed. 

Photos:

7229 Breakfast at Jack @ 7:13 A:

7230-31 @ 7:45 A.M. Smoking Factory 

7232 @ 10:09 A.M. The Ark Entrance

7233-34 @ 10:36 A.M. Riding the carousel 

7235-42 11:04 The Ark 

7243 @ noon Lunch at Emzara's Kitchen

7244-46 @1:03 P.M. Zoo

7247-49 @2:25 P.M. True Song Entertainment 

7251-53 Group Picture

7254-55 Receipts

Day 3, Wednesday, April 9:

For breakfast at the hotel, I ate apple strudel and cranberry juice. 

Depart for the Creation Museum, 2800 Bullittsburg Church Road, Petersburg, KY, around 9:00 A.M. 

Dinosarus

We watched two 4-D Movies, and True Song entertained us. 

We visited the New Exhibit, "Borderland: Israel in the Time of Jesus," and the Allosaurus fossil exhibit.

We saw dinosaurs & Dragons, and the Garden of Eden. 

We walked through the creation Zoo, where Hubby petted the goats. We saw Kangaroos, Alpacas, goats, and other animals. We visited the Conservatory and walked through the gardens. 

We ate lunch at Noah's Cafe. Hubby and I split a hamburger and fries. We had to eat outside because the cafe was full. $25.70

We returned to the hotel to freshen up around 2:30 P.M. 

We had dinner at The Radisson Hotel, located at 668 W 5th Street, Covington, KY, around 6:00 P.M. Seven other diamond buses were also present at the Radisson. 

We were served a buffet-style meal. 

I got baked chicken with gravy, roast beef, creamed potatoes, steamed green beans, and various rolls. Each table had a large plate of chocolate chip cookies. 

All the group leaders were called to the front to showcase their work.

There was music, entertainment, and some dancing. All the Veterans were honored. 

Everyone was singing, and we sang back to the hotel. 

Return to the hotel around 8 P.M.

Photos

7256-57 @7:30 A.M. Breakfast at the hotel

7258-64 @9 A.M. Creation Museum 

7265-75 @10:22 The Dinosaur Area 

7276 @11:47 Lunch 

7277 video 

7279-80 @12:33 P.M. outside

7282-84 @2:29 P.M. Traveling 

7285-86 @6:Dinner. Dinner 

Day 4: Thursday, April 10:

Breakfast at the hotel

Leave for Cincinnati History and Natural History Museums around 8:15 A.M. 

Arrive around 9 A.M. 

We watched National Parks at the Omnimax Theater.

At the History Museum, we saw Public Landing, Cincinnati in Motion, Shaping Our City, You Are Here, and Made in Cincinnati.

You are here 

At the Museum of Natural History and Science, we saw Dinosaur Hall, the Science Interactive Gallery, The Cave, the Neil Armstrong Space Exploration Gallery, the Ice Age Gallery, the John A. and Judy Ruthven Get into Nature Gallery, Ancient Worlds Hiding in Plain Sight, Advancing Health, and the stem lab. 

My favorites were the Cave, the Ice Age, the model train, and the town buildings. There is so much to see and little time to see it all. 

Depart for the Levee around noon.

Several in our group ate lunch at  Hofbrauhaus, a German Restaurant. Hubby and I split a Munchi Sampler. $31.80

A sampling of Jagerschnitzel grilled bratwurst, and bratwurst, served with German potato salad and imported sauerkraut.

The People's Purple Bridge spans the Ohio River, dividing Ohio from Kentucky. 

The Purple People's Bridge

After lunch, we walked across the People's Purple Bridge. 

Everyone loaded back onto the bus and rode back to the hotel. Five of us rode to the nearby Walmart.

$50.91 for candy and $74.24 for iPhone connections. 

We depart for dinner at The Farm, 239 Anderson Ferry Rd. Cincinnati, OH 

Arrived around 5:15 P.M., there were several other Diamond buses there. 

We were served a buffet-style meal. I got BBQ baby back Ribs, green beans, Mac and cheese, salad, and creamed potatoes. For dessert, I had strawberry pie and Cheesecake. 

After eating, the owner's son and daughter sang several gospel songs, and we sang with them.

The owner then shared the history of the barn, Cincinnati, and the notable people who had become famous in Cincinnati. 

Returned to the hotel around 6:45 P.M. 

We've packed, and we're leaving for home tomorrow.

Photos:

7287-7387 @8:56-11:46 P.M. Cincinnati History and Natural History Museum 

7388-7409 12:04-12:16 P.M. traveling Cincinnati 

7410—7428 @12:17-12:33 P.M. Newport, KY 

7429-7436 @12:28-1:39 P.M. Hofbrauhaus German Restaurant 

7437-38 @2:35 P.M. Newport, KY

7439-7481 @2:36-2:40 P.M. Cincinnati 

7482-86 @ 2:41 P.M., Covington, Ky 

7487-97 @3:07-4:21 P.M. Lawrenceburg, IN

7499-7505 @ 5:41-6:02 P.M. Delhi Hills 

7506-7529 @7:36-7:50 P.M. Traveling Cincinnati, Addystor, North Bend, Cleves Sunset

Day 5, Friday, April 11:

We set our overnight luggage outside our room and went to breakfast.

I got gravy, biscuits, and cranberry juice.

We loaded the bus at 8:30 A.M. and began our journey home. 

We stopped at a Rest Area in Shepherdsville, Kentucky.

We stopped at Buc-EEs in Smith Grove, Ky. 

We ate lunch at Panda Express in Nashville. Hubby and I shared a large plate of walnut shrimp, broccoli, beef, and orange chicken. 

Arrive home around four P.M. 

Photos

7530 Receipts

7532-33 @10:07 A.M. Louisville, KY

7536-49 @10:2910:39 A.M. Rest Stop Shepherdsville, Ky 

7550-53 @11:04-11:11 A.M. Buc sees Smith Grove, Ky

7555 -81 @1:09- -1:24 P.M. Traveling through Nashville, TN

7582-83 @1:32-1:38 P.M. Panada Express Nashville, TN

2024 Aug 17- 22 Trip to Mount Rushmore and the Badlands (6 days) with The Club Diamonds in the Rough & Diamond Travel

Full Moon

 Day 1: Aug 17, Saturday, Travel Day 

We parked our car, left our luggage in the parking lot, and went inside for a meet-and-greet and a light breakfast. 

The bus will depart around 8:00 A.M.

The snacks, water, and luggage must be loaded onto the bus before everyone boards. 

We skipped breakfast and were hungry by lunch. 

We stopped at Love's and Hardee's in Jackson, TN, just off I-40, for a restroom break. The gas station was being repaired, so we had to enter the building adjacent to Hardee's. 

We stopped at Pilot and Subway. Hubby ordered a chicken and Pepperoni wrap, a salad, and two Cokes. I ate half of my sandwich, which was not good. 

Around 6:35 P.M., we stopped at the I-270 Cracker Barrel in Fenton, MO, for dinner.

I ordered a kids' meal of pinto beans with apples, a slice of onion, a small container of chow, and water with lemon to drink. Spent 57.7. 

I also bought a woman's top and a man's shirt. We spent $57.51.

We arrived at the Best Western Hotel, located at 12220 Dorsett Road on I-270. Maryland Heights, MO., for an overnight stay in room 321.

I felt dirty after the long ride, so I took a quick shower.

Then I went downstairs to play some games, but everyone was too tired.

I ended up walking around the building three times with Mrs Haygood. 

We could see the QuikTrip market from our room, and a full moon in the sky. 

I watched a little TV and fell asleep.

We spent the entire day traveling approximately 390 miles. 

It was a beautiful day, but still very hot.

Day 2: Aug 18, Sunday Travel Day

I saw the sunrise from the hotel and decided to walk 

Around the hotel (Best Western) at approximately 6 A.M.

I met our bus driver along the way, and he said he had walked around the block several times. 

I took a few pictures, one of 1-270, one of a berry bush, and a couple of the front of the hotel. 

I went back upstairs to get Hubby, and we went downstairs for breakfast at 7:30 A.M.

I put gravy, egg, and biscuits on my plate and drank cranberry juice. 

There was a mural of downtown St Louis in the lobby, where I took some pictures. 

We were on the road by 8:30 A.M. 

Our first stop was around 10:30 A.M. at I-70 in Boonville, MO. Rest Area. 

We saw a Blue Star Memorial Highway Marker there. 

We have to stop every 2 to 3 hours for restroom breaks. 

We stopped around 12:30 P.M. for lunch at the Panda Express on I-70 in Blue Springs, MO.

Hubby and I shared a large plate of honey walnut shrimp, orange chicken, beef, noodles, and broccoli.

We also ordered Three Rangoons and spent $14.70.

We stopped at the I-29 Rest Area in Dearborn, MO, around 2:30 P.M. 

Hubby and I had our picture taken together on a big red rock. 

We arrived at I-29 Pizza Ranch, located at 3505 Metro Drive, Council Bluffs, Iowa, around 5:00 P.M. for a prepaid buffet. 

I ate a slice of buffalo pineapple pizza and 2 slices of sweet apple. My husband ate fried chicken, corn, creamed potatoes, and a slice of pizza. On their restroom doors were Cowgirls and Cowboys. 

We arrived at our Hotel (Wingate by Wyndham, 4716 Southern Hills Drive, Sioux City, Iowa) around 8:15 P.M.

Another long day of traveling, around 507 miles.

Mural in the Hotel 

Rest Area Boonville, MO

Rest Area Dearborn, MO 

Pizza Ranch Council Bluffs, Iowa

Day 3: Monday, Aug 19

I ate a waffle with sausage and drank cranberry juice.

We left the hotel around 8:30 A.M. 

We stopped at a rest area in Salem, South Dakota, around 10:30 A.M. 

We arrived at 11:25 A.M. at the World's Only Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. 

The palace is decorated annually with seven murals made from 12 different colors of corn, framed with native grass, straw, milo, and sour dock. The corn is all grown by local farmers. 

Our guide gave a speech about the Corn Palace, and we were then led into a gymnasium to learn more about it. 

We went outside and across the road to view the palace from outside and to hear more about the corn murals surrounding it. 

One of the murals displayed was Bob Barker from The Price is Right. 

My husband and I split a Club Croissant and two glasses of frozen lemonade. 

We ate lunch, a club croissant with lemonade, at Uncle Zeke's.

We stopped around 2:30 P.M. at the Lewis & Clark Welcome Keelboat and Interpretive Center, which overlooks the Mississippi River Exit 264 in Chamberlain, South Dakota. 

Outside, we saw The Purple Heart Memorial Highway Marker, the Sojourn at Camp Pleasant Marker, the TP memorial to South Dakota, the Lewis and Clark Memorial Bridge at Chamberlain, South Dakota Tribal Headquarters, South Dakota Tribes, Regional Tribes, The Making & meaning of Dignity, Dignity of Earth and Sky (& 50-foot Statue), Lewis and Clark Bicentennial 1804-2004, National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, A place of History, Lewis and Clark waving the Flag, Behold the Missouri River. 

We saw displays of a Keelboat, wolves, rabbits, Elk, Goats, birds, and information about the Missouri River Region. 

Our next stop was around 4 P.M. at Wall Drugs in Wall, South Dakota. We stopped for pictures with the Jackalope, Buckin' Bronc, Mini Mount Rushmore, a Buffalo, a large gorilla playing the piano, and a six-foot rabbit in Wall's backyard. Inside are many more photo stops, including the roaring T Rex. Inside is  the Western Art Gallery Cafe, cafeteria, a Travelers Chapel, Eye Candy, and the RockHound Shop

In Cowboy Alley, we saw statues of a prospector with his mule, Gumbo Lil of the 1909 Badlands, Major General Custer 1865,  Wyatt Earp, a Saloon Dancer, Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill Cody, and many more. 

We arrived at the Colonial House, located at 2501 Mt. Rushmore Road, Rapid City, South Dakota, around 6:30 P.M. 

My husband ate roast beef with gravy, a salad, and a baked potato (which was undercooked).

I ate 3 pieces of fried cod fish with an undercooked baked potato, which I did not eat. 

We both were served a brownie topped with vanilla ice cream. 

We arrived at our hotel, the Country Suites and Inn in Rapid City, South Dakota, Room 317, around 7:15 P.M.

I worked on this journal and went to bed after a shower.

Rest Area Salem, South Dakota

Wall Drugs, Wall, South Dakota

Corn Palace, Mitchell, South Dakota 

Dignity  at  Chamberlain, SD  Visitor Center

Day 4, Aug 20, Tuesdays 

Breakfast gravy and biscuits with cranberry juice at the hotel. (Country Inn & Suites).

Departed at 8:30 A.M. for The High Plains Western Heritage Center Museum, Spearfish, SD. 

We learned about the American Frontier, how cowboys lived, the impact of American Indians on our lives, and the hard work of life on the frontier. 

We saw the Cowboy Hall, Fashion Display, Rodeo Room, Native American Display, transportation Room, Fur Traders Display, Custer Hall, Early Pioneer Room, Founders Hall, Prairie Kitchen, Shepherds Hall, the Balcony, and Frontier Street. 

Our next stop was the town of Deadwood, where Custer was shot in the back of the head while playing cards. 

We ate lunch in Saloon 10 (where Custer was shot) at the Deadwood Social Club in Deadwood, South Dakota. Upstairs was the restaurant. Former years were a house of ill repute. 

Hubby and I split a Bus Hamburger, and he ate a salad. 

We split an order of onion rings and drank water with lemon.

We spent $18.19.  

We walked up and down Main Street.

We visited the Deadwood Model Train Museum at 614 Main Street.

The display is located in a 70-foot-long hallway for free, and if you want to see the train in action, it will cost you $1. It was a fantastic sight; the train ran through the miniature town of Deadwood. 

We visited the Black Hills Mining Museum, 323 W. Main St., Lead, SD.

Our guide gave a speech about the history of gold mining and its eventual decline. 

Today, mining costs more, so the mine was shut down. It is now used as an underground research center: SURF Sanford Underground Research Facility.

We rode back through the towns of Lead and Deadwood. 

We ate dinner at Perkins Restaurant and Bakery, located at 250 Mt. Rushmore Road, Rapid City, South Dakota. 

We were served Turkey & dressing, creamed potatoes with gravy, and corn. 

We were served a bowl of Ice cream for dessert.

Back at the hotel by 7 P.M. 

It had been a long day, so I went to bed early.

Character Custer at Saloon #10, Deadwood, SD 

High Plains Western Heritage Center, Spearfish, SD

Riding  Bucklin' Cow

SURF town of Lead, SD

Day 5, Aug 21, Wednesday 

We ate breakfast at the hotel (Country Inn and Suites) 

I ate an egg, sausage, and waffle with cranberry juice to drink. 

We left the hotel at 8:30 A.M. and headed to Fort Hays to pick up our tour guide. 

We arrive at the Borglum History Center around 9:15 A.M. in Keystone, SD.

I bought a couple of postcards for $2.15 and had my picture taken with Abraham Lincoln, an Eagle, and the American Keystone Wooden Chair, which features three steps to sit on. It features the presidents' heads on the back.

It is trimmed with the US Flag's red, white, and blue stripes and stars. 

Depart for Mount Rushmore at 11:15 A.M. 

We had a group picture made at the base of Mount Rushmore. 

We toured the museum, where I saw the head statue of Gutzon Borglum, who created the carving of the presidents of Mount Rushmore. I also saw the plaque of Luigi Del Bianco, the chief carver of Mount Rushmore, and the list of workers who contributed to its creation. 

We saw the markers of Comparison, featuring George Washington (1732-1799), Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), and Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919). 

At the Mount Rushmore Gift Shop, I purchased The Christmas Coat, Buffalo Bird Girl, and a recycled bag, totaling $426.31.

Hubby and I split a ham and cheese sub sandwich with Cheetos for lunch at the Mount Rushmore cafe and spent $18.00.

Hubby and I split a kid's waffle cone and spent $7.50.

I fed the chipmunks and French fries that were scurrying about.

At 2:00 P.M., we headed for Custer State Park and the Wildlife Loop. 

We stopped to feed the Mules and saw several Prairie dogs there. 

The group watcher warned the other dogs to return to their dens when they saw we were invading their territory. 

We saw goats, elk, horses, and buffalo.

We stopped at the Visitor Center, which had several displays about the prairie and the bison. 

I spent $27.04 on nail clippers, Band-Aids, and a V-neck top. I scratched my leg, and it would not stop bleeding. 

We saw smoke rising in the park and a helicopter moving back and forth near it. 

At 6:30, we arrived at Fort Hays for the Chuckwagon Dinner and show.

There were several other buses and four very long tables of people, around 400. 

Everyone was seated and then given instructions on how to enter the chow line. 

The main thing we were told was to keep moving. 

Our food was placed on a tin plate: baked potato, baked beans, fried apples, and roast beef. A large piece of parchment paper was placed on top of our food.

 On top of the paper were placed the biscuits, slide cake, and all our condiments. 

We had tea, lemonade, and water to drink. 

Once we were finished, we passed our plates and silverware to the end of the table, where our servers picked them up. 

Visitor Center Winter St Keystone, SD

Mount Rushmore, Keystone, SD 

Custer State Park 

Then the show began. 

Five entertainers could play and sing.  

They portrayed entertainers such as Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, and Elton John. 

The young woman could play that fiddle.

We returned to the hotel by 9 P.M.

Day 6: Thursday, Aug 22, 

I ate gravy, eggs, biscuits, and cranberry Juice for Breakfast.

We rode to the Crazy Horse Memorial and Museum, where we watched a movie about the history and design of the Crazy Horse monument. 

We visited the Indian Museum of North America (Artifacts that reflect the diverse history and culture of the American Indians),

 The Native American Educational and Cultural Center, the Mountain Carving Gallery (the story of the Mountain), the Sculptor Home and Studio (the Sculpture Studio), and the Collections (Art and artifacts reflecting the cultures of the American Indians).

 The Cultural program opportunities include Artist in Residence, Gifts from Mother Earth art show and sale, Talking Circle speaker series, and daily cultural performances. 

Hubby and I ate lunch at the snack shop. We shared a bratwurst, chips, and Diet Coke. 

We stopped in Hill City around 3 and stayed for about one hour. We bought a scoop of ice cream and spent $5.00.

We saw a Tyrannosaurus Rex outside the Museum of the Black Hills. We also walked up and down the main street and inside several stores. 

Our next stop was the Journey Museum, located at 222 New York St., Rapid City, around 4 P.M. Outside, we saw the Historic Pap Madison Cabin and markers, as well as gardens of wildflowers. 

Inside, we saw a movie, a quilt display, and the Stratosphere bowl. The forest has changed over the ages.

Pioneer life and American Indian life. A tipi by Martin E. Red Bear. American Indian painted robes, Lakota games, and beaded work. We saw extinct animal fossils. "Alli the Allosaurus, "Tinker" the Tyrannosaurus. The Central Black Hills, Mt Rushmore, Black Elk Peak, Lead, Creek, and Nemo. A story about the Battle of Little Bighorn, also known as the Battle of Greasy Grass. Custer's Black Hills Expedition of 1874. Lots of animals and birds. (badger, black-footed ferret, ruffed grouse, muskrat, and Bennie the Bison. 

We rode the NAJA Shriners in Rapid City for dinner.

It was a buffet-style meal of roast beef, turkey, gravy, rolls, green beans, salad, and cheesecake. 

There was music and dancing.

We returned to the hotel around 9 P.M.

We packed our bags, sat outside the door for the man to pick up the next day, and got on the bus.

We will carry our overnight bag down in the morning.

Day 7: Friday, Aug 23,  Travel Day 

Breakfast at the hotel, where I ate eggs, sausage, and waffles. With cranberry juice to drink. 

On the road by 8:30 A.M. 

We passed several sunflower fields on our way into the Badlands, taking the I-90 exit 110, Route 240.

We took Route 240 South to the Pinnacles Entrance and stayed left to enjoy the Badlands Loop Road.

We rode through Badland National Park, over 244,00 acres of protected land. 

We made several stops: at the Panorama Point Overlook, the Yellow Mounts Overlook, and the Homestead Overlook. 

Some of the markers we saw were The Big Badlands, Badlands National Park, 244,00, birds and Junipers, Born of Volcanoes, Jungle on a Seabed, Homesteads, and Ranches, and Air Pollution (a Threat to Badlands National Park).

We stopped at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center in Badlands National Park around 11:47 A.M., where we saw.

Megacerops coloradensis, the Hyaenodon, Archaeotherium, Extinct tortoise, and 3-D print of a Subhyracodon skull, a Saber-toothed Cat-like Nimravid, fossil turtle, and fossil ammonite.

We saw the life of a homesteader in the Badlands in the early 1930s. Most families had left the area due to drought conditions that destroyed the farmers' livelihoods. The government acquired the land, which is now part of the park. 

We traveled through Murdo, Reliance, and Mitchell, SD. 

We ate a chicken wrap for lunch at Subway in Koadoka, SD.  

We stopped at the rest area at White Lake, SD, where we saw a small white church with a welcome sign (Corsica Christian Reformed Church Grace Reformed).

We saw a triangle about South Dakota Wildlife, Laura Ingalls Wilder (the prairie town of De Smet), and Palisades State Park. 

We saw a purple heart memorial Highway marker. We saw several barn swallows next. 

We traveled through Humboldt, Sioux Falls, and Oacoma, SD.

We ate dinner at the Best Western Plus, located at 3200 W. Maple St., Sioux Falls, SD, at approximately 6:45 P.M.

We ate pasta with meatballs, salad, rolls, veggies, green beans, carrots, squash, and cauliflower.

For dessert, chocolate chip cookies and iced tea. 

We arrived at Wingate by Windham 4716 Southern Hills Dr., Sioux City, Iowa, around 9:45 P.M. and were in room 221 in Sioux Falls, Iowa. 

Day 8:Saturday, Aug 24, Travel Day 

Breakfast at Wingate by Windham, where I ate eggs, potatoes, waffles, and cranberry juice.

We took our overnight bags to the bus and were scheduled to leave around 8:30 A.M.

We are headed to the WWI Museum in Kansas City, MO 

We stopped at Kim's Go at 9:16 A.M. in Sloan, Iowa.

We stopped at the Rest Area in Council Bluffs, Iowa, at 10:39 A.M.

We stopped in Joseph, MO, at Texas Roadhouse for lunch around 12:43 and left around 2 P.M. We spent $32.09. 

Hubby and I split a steak and grilled Shrimp for lunch. 

We shared an onion Blossom, sweet potato, rolls, and salad.

We stopped at the World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, around 2:30 P.M. and continued to Maryland Heights.

We rode through St Louis to see the Arch. 

We stopped in Columbia, MO., at McDonald's for dinner and spent $10.75 and $3.23.

Ordered nuggets, fries, and ice cream. Hubby ordered a hamburger.

We arrived at the Best Western Plus, located at 12220 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights, MO, room 224, around 9:15 P.M. for the night. 

After another long day, we went straight to bed. 

Day 9:Sunday, Aug 25, Travel Day

We took our overnight bag downstairs, ate breakfast, and were on the bus by 8:30 A.M.

Breakfast consisted of waffles, eggs, and sausage, accompanied by cranberry juice. 

Rest stop at 10:48 A.M. 

At 12:47 P.M., we stopped at Arby's in Dyersburg, TN, for lunch. I ordered two sliders and a Coke. 

My Hubby ordered a big Cheesy bacon Burger with curly fries and spent S$19.09.

Home by 5 P.M.