Pipestone National Monument

Today we visited Pipestone National Monument in MN. Pipestone is a red rock similar in makeup to that of soapstone. As such the Native Americans would quarry for it to make pipes.

During our visit we watched a 20 minute documentary about the pipestone (or Catlinite as others call it) and how and why it was/is quarried.  We then were able to watch two interpreters work with the stone as well as see wonderful examples of different pieces of stone; pipes, jewelry, buffalo effigies, bowls, etc.

After spending some time in the air conditioned information building, we headed out for a short walk through some of the quarries and prairie land in the area. The grounds were delightful, although very hot and parched because of the severe drought the region has been experiencing.  There were some interesting overlooks and views along the paths. 

One of the things I found most interesting was the size of the quarries.  I was expecting large holes in the ground where trucks and bucketloaders might have once worked.  The pipestone quarries rather small.  They are all dug by hand.  Only members of nationally recognized tribes can apply for permits to dig and there are only a limited number of quarries.  The interpreter we spoke with said his quarry was about 15' long and currently 17' deep.  Because the vein of pipestone continues to the East, his quarry hole can go as far east as he wishes to dig. However, the vein is on a downward slope of 5 to 10 degrees, so he'll have to dig out even more quartzite before he gets to pipestone.

We took lots of photographs which we are sharing with you here.

Pipestone pipe - man in wolf costume

Horsehead - pipestone

Travis, shaping pipestone - the dark red piece on the table in front of his leg is the man in wolf costume

Pipestone pipe - man on horse pursuing buffalo

Blue Vervain

Pipestone Creek

Old Face

A couple of tourist

Winnewissa Falls

Oracle through looking hole

Pipestone

Guest Blogger: Chuck's Truck Entry

In March of 2012, in Leesburg, FL, we traded in our 2011 Toyota Highlander V6 All Wheel Drive and our 2008 Ford F250 Supercab XLT 4X4 Short Bed 6.4L Diesel for a 2012 Chevrolet 3500HD LTZ Crew Cab 4X4 Long Bed 6.6L Diesel.

Now with 11,500 miles on the new Chevy, had the first oil change at 7,000 miles, and filled the DEF for first time then. We are towing a 2011 Carriage Cameo 35SB3 5th wheel that has a GVWR of 15,000lbs.

Most of our miles have been towing miles as we are full time rvers, for 16 months now.

The truck has been great, lots of room for Jodie, MoneyPenny, Rugby and I.

We fold up the back seat and the pups get the floorspace of the whole backseat.

We have been from Florida to Canada, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton Island, New Brunswick, now crossing the US.

The truck pulls our 5th wheel with ease, in Canada, lots of rain and I was a bit worried when leaving Cape Breton Island, thought we might get stuck, BUT no problems, I didn’t even have to use 4 wheel drive.

It keeps good speed up and down grades, the exhaust brake is great, really makes slowing even on hills.

The "wonders" of modern technology

The past month we’ve endured a few challenges in trying to stay connected to friends and family.  We both have “smart” cellphones which are supposed to allow us to use the phones for calls as well as Internet functions.  That’s all well and good as long as we’re in range of receiving a cellphone signal.  You’d think by now all cellphone providers would have coverage everywhere in North America.  

Various cellphone companies tout their coverage areas, but if the population is not there, neither are they.  Even in the geographical center of the State of New Hampshire, our cellphone provider has no signal that we can get calls on. (Can you hear me now?)  But once we travel back in to their coverage area, the messages we didn’t know we missed come through

If it weren’t for campgrounds offering WiFi, we’d be traveling blind - no phone, no Internet, nothing. Remind me now, how did we function before these inventions? Made me feel like the pioneers who crossed this country in covered wagons.

Fireworks - Mother Nature Style

Mother Nature just handed us a wallop at the campground in Ashland NH.  Around 5pm I started hearing thunder waaaayyyyyyy off in the distance. The clouds were getting thicker and darker also.  By 5:30 we knew the storm wasn’t too far away and picked up all our outside things (folding chairs, bbq grill, decorations). A camping neighbor mentioned that a weather alert had been issued and we were due for a storm within the half hour.

Around 6pm the rains started and came down fast and furious.  There was a lot of thunder and lightening in this storm and we were doing our best to keep the dogs calm.  As the temperature dropped from the high 70’s into the 60’s, we opened a few windows to allow the breeze to blow thru and cool us.  As Chuck was opening one window, a major crack of thunder and flash of lightening struck, shaking the entire RV and scaring humans and dogs.  

A moment later I thought I heard a tree branch crack and fall - the tree branch didn’t sound too close, but our trailer is close to the woods, so I figured I’d search the woods later to find the branch.

By 6:15 the storm was almost over; the temperature had dropped 15 degrees in 15 minutes.  The roads in front and behind our RV were rivers - meeting up at their merge just below our campsite.  I grabbed my camera to take photos of the water on the roadway and noticed the tree branch behind the RV in a driveway down towards some tent sites, only 60 to 70 feet from our trailer. Took a quick photo of it through the camper window before heading outside.

The lightening we experienced had traveled up a large pine tree and the top half of it splintered and fell over, taking a few smaller branches of other trees with it.  Looking down the roadway it was amazing to see that the tree top and branches had fallen clear of the 2 camper units and their vehicles. The folks in the 2 campsites were fine and their pets were unharmed also.

The lightening split the trunk of the tree from the roots up to where the break occurred.  On closer inspection we could even find the hole where the lightening started up the tree

This storm has got me thinking about how we need to have an emergency plan laid out should we experience a more serious situation in the future.