Top 5 Places to Retire

This is a scan of a recent article found in USA Weekend, July 24 - 26, 2009. Interesting choices for #1 and #5 -- Montana.

You can click on each photo to have a larger picture appear on your screen to read.

Rainforest Cafe' -- Opry Mills Mall -- Nashville, TN

Recently the family went for dessert to the Rainforest Cafe'. We chose to go there because the kids had remembered several years ago getting a Volcano Cake that had actual lit sparklers on it making the smoke like an erupting volcano.


They were not happy to find for safety reasons or expense that the sparklers had been replaced by a foil decoration, but the treats were enjoyed by all.





Some of our friends came along and we had fun playing tourist and snapping photos while inside.







Ms. Laura (now 2) had fun coloring and looking around at all the jungle decor. The apes did scare her a bit as she did not like their movements.



This is a fun outing for young, old or inbetween.

Leaving Tennessee

On April 6th our family pulled out of Nashville, TN after much packing of the UHaul truck and pull trailor. Last minute vehicle maintenance was also done causing a delay in departure plans.

We are fortunate in getting wonderful renters for our home and pray for their happiness at their new abode.

I learned later that snow flurries came across Nashville -- very unusual for this time of year.

Then I heard of tornadoes touching down in nearby Murfreesboro. (A small one had hit our neighborhood a few streets over on April 2nd).



Our journeys (laid out map travel plans) took us into Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and finally arriving in Montana.

Our sons, Wynston (age 11) and Avery (age 9) were real troopers in this cross country excursion. They maintained a good upbeat attitude every step of the way. Wynston did express his stress upon arrival to our new home by getting sick and popping a blood vessel in his eye but is making a good recovery.

Now comes the mountain load of boxes to be unpacked.



Also, I forgot to include above, Uncle Dave (from Belgrade, MT) was very instrumental in flying down to help with the move. He also sustained a major injury. When unloading the Uhaul truck, he slipped off the step ladder, fell backwards, and hit his head requiring a trip by ambulance to the Great Falls Hospital and 10 staples to the back of his head. -- He and my husband have decided this is their last move together. They will let the young "bucks" handle it in the future while they watch and instruct.

Minnesota Interstate I- 90 -Enroute to Montana

Photo View from highway, looking north west Minnesota Interstate I- 90

Exit 159A Interstate Hy 35 South
This is a major interchange Albert Lea,MN 2 miles south Des Moines, IA 151 miles south 2 miles south is a large Truck Stop open 24 hrs All Visitor Services AAA Rated
(My husband had wanted to make it this far the first day of our trip, but delays did not make it a reality.)


Exit 45 MN State Hy 60 North & South
Worthington, MN 3 miles southwest. Blue Line Travel Center all tourist services. (Don't recommend staying at the Super 8 -- very run down, mom and pop home improvements being done).

Interstate 90 travels -- Enroute to Montana

When you leave Sioux Falls traveling West, the exits start at Exit 60. A sign will tell you that you are 360 miles away from Rapid City.

Most of the way heading West you are going to see a lot of billboard signs for Wall Drug. Be sure you stop there, you will really enjoy yourself.

Exit Number...... Exit Information
56 - RAPID CITY... Haynes Ave
59 - RAPID CITY.. La Crosse St.; (gas, food, lodging) Motel 6; Hampton Inn; Grand Gateway Hotel, Quality Inn; Perkins; Exon Gas Station, Comfort Inn, AmericInn, Adventure Golf Pirates Cove, open daily 9am to 10pm. Holiday Inn Express, Econo Lodge
60 - Entrance to I90; East North Street; School of Mines and Geology

61 - Mt. Rushmore; Crazy Horse Monument; Black Hills Visitor Information Center; Truck Hwy 16; South Hwy 79; Regional Airport; Western Dakota Tech Institute; Highway Patrol; McDonalds Restaurant; Flying J

66 - Box Elder; Old Hwy 14
67 A - South Box Elder; Liberty Boulevard; Ellsworth Air Force Base Main Gate
67 B - South Dakota Air and Space Museum
78 - New Underwood; 161st Avenue
84 - 167th Avenue; Old Glory Fireworks
88 - 171st Avenue; Exit Only, no reentry to Eastbound Interstate 90
90 - 173rd Avenue
98 - WASTA; RVPark, Baseline Road, Redwood Motel
Crossing Cheyenne River
REST AREA; see rest area pic... another rest area picture
101 - Jensen Road; Schnell Ranch
107 - Cedar Butte Road

109 - WALL... Wall Drug and Tourist Attraction; Cactus Cafe, Buffet and Lounge; Anne's Motel and Cabins, Americas Best Value Inn, Best Western
110 - WALL... Badlands National Park Scenic Loop, Motel 6, Super 8 motel; Days Inn; Econo Lodge, National Grassland Visitor Center, Sleepy Hollow Campground, Glenn Street
112 - PHILLIP... PIERRE State Capital exit, Badlands; Quinn exit
116 - 239th Street
121 - Big Foot Pass Road (Badlands 7 miles south)
Jackson County Line
127 - no advertising; CS23A-B
131 - Badlands Loop Scenic Byway; Prairie Homestead; Circle 10 Campground; Cactus Flats
143 - PHILLIP... Hwy 73 north; (hospital turn right at end of exit, go 15 miles); Seven Mile Corner
150 - KADOKA; Lakota Oglala College; Best Western; Budget Motel
152 - South Creek Road; Badlands Petrified Gardens; BP Gas Station
163 - BELVIDERE
REST AREA see picture... another pic
170 - MIDLAND... 1880 Town; Highway 63 north; KOA Camping
172 - Road Construction (rebuilding overpass)

ENTERING CENTRAL STANDARD TIME (or Mountain Standard heading west)

177 - no advertising; Route 6511
183 - OKATON... sign for a ghost town Emailed Comments: Hi...just browsing the net and noticed your site makes it sound like Okaton, exit 183, is a rest area with no facilities. I realize what it actually says, but I would like it very much if you could give Okaton some recognition. Okaton was once a thriving farm town, depleted of residents mainly by the Dirty Thirties and depression. But, you can still buy gas, goodies, rocks and other treasures at the Ghost Town stop. The Milwaukee railroad arrived in 1907 and the grain elevator built at that time still stands. Other old buildings where families once lived, worked, loved and played are crumbling, adding to the ghost town affect. At the moment only 4 houses are lived in. Another family will return when school starts in nearby Murdo. We may be small, but we are still here....more than an exit number. Thanks. Clarice R
REST AREA - no facilities
191 - MURDO... Days Inn; American RV Park, Best Western; Star Family Restaurant, Hometown of US Senator John Thune
192 - MURDO... Super 8 Motel; Pioneer Auto Family Attractions, White River, Rosebud Sioux Tribal Headquarters; Sinte Glesta University
201 - DRAPER; gas station
208 - no advertising
212 - PIERRE exit, North 83; Hwy 53, Fort Pierre, Pierre State Capitol, gas hospital, food
214 - VIVIAN; Cultural Heritage Center; Oahe Dam; World War 2, Korean and Vietnam War Memorials
REST AREA- see picture
220 - no advertising
223 PRESHO, gas food lodging, next 2 exits; New Frontier Station Campground; see the Presho water tower
226 - exit here for town of Winner
228 - KENNEBEC (Interstate begins 2 lanes because of construction for 16 miles) road construction... road construction
235 - KENNEBEC; Hwy 273, gas, KOA camping, Gerry's Budget Host Motel, King's Inn, view of Kennebec
241 - ?
248 - RELIANCE; Highway 47, Golden Buffalo Casino (15 minutes north), Lower Brule and Crow Creek Sioux Tribal Headquarters, Big Bend Recreation Area
251 - exit for Gregory, Winner; view of I90 East
260 - OACOMA; CHAMBERLAIN, Oasis Inn, Al's Oasis Restaurant, Campground, Motel, Pool, Old West Trading Post, Holiday Inn Express, exit 260 lodging, Cedar Shores Public Boat Ramp and Recreation Area, view of Oacoma, Oacoma tower
263 - CHAMBERLAIN; Akta Lakota Museum, South Dakota Hall of Fame, American Ceek Recreation Area; St. Joseph Akta Lakota Museum, McDonald's, exit 263 lodging
Bridge over the Francis Case Lake see picture... lake bridge
REST AREA see picture
265 - lodging, camping, Vet's Whoa and Go
272 - PUKWANA; Hwy 50; Snake Creek and Platte Creek recreation areas
Overpass Construction
284 - KIMBALL; Dakota Winds Motel; gas station; Super 8 Motel; Tractor Museum
289 - PLATTE exit; Hwy 43
entering Aurora County
296 - WHITE LAKE; White Lake Motel, gas, food, lodging, campground see the 296 exit
REST AREA see picture... another view
308 - PLANKINTON; Smart Choice Inn
310 - exit for Fort Randall Dam, Huron; Yankton Sioux Tribal Headquarters, Stickney, Aberdeen, Hwy 281
319 - MT VERNON
325 - Betts Road, Family Fun Campground KOA
330 - MITCHELL; Anthony Motel; Holiday Inn; Hwy 37 north exit, Dakota Wesleyan University, exit 330 lodging
332 - MITCHELL; exit 332 lodging, Hwy 37 south exit; Tech Institute, Super 8 Motel; R and R RV Park; Quality Inn, Kelly Inn, Days Inn, Hampton Inn, Walmart, Cabelas, Menards, Pilot Travel Center, Thunderbird Lodge, Ron Dees Campground, see another pic; exit for Corn Palace and Prehistoric Indian Village; Exit for towns of Ethan, Dimock, Parkston, Delmont, Tripp
334 - ALEXANDRIA; Our Lady of Fatima Shrine
350 - Hwy 25
353 - 431st Avenue
357 - 435th Ave
364 - Highway 81
368 - 445th Avenue
374 - 451st Ave - Lake Vermillion Recreation Area 5 miles south.
379 - HUMBOLDT; 456th Ave
387 - Hwy 151
390 - 466th Ave.
396A - SIOUX FALLS; Interstate 29 south/north