Page 3 of 4

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2019 12:32 pm
by Laura Ingalls
Jean wrote:
Thu Aug 15, 2019 11:31 am
So i'm now in Iowa. I was in New Glarus. The swissest thing about it was the tresse at the local bakery. They called it egg braid.
A few places have the barn and the house attached which I have never seen anywhere else in the US.

Pm me if you need any Iowa centric suggestions.

I have lived all over Midwest.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2019 12:58 pm
by 2Birds1Stone
Enjoy your trip, Jean! Too bad you won't be in NY.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2019 6:49 pm
by Jean
I'm coasting on usroute 20 toward Samuel mckelvie national forest. I'm desperatly looking for a family restaurant where i could get a pulled pork sandwich. House and barn being the same building is effectively normal in switzerland. I didn't pay attention. It insulates the house on winter.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2019 10:04 pm
by Laura Ingalls
Tacos in south Sioux City might be a good choice

Don’t speed through Sioux City you will end up with an electronic ticket on your Turo rental. Worst speed trap in ever, ask me how I know:(

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 11:00 am
by Jean
I'm a vert carefull driver :) I'm now in rapid city. McKelvie NF is really pretty, badlands are busy. I met a quite early retired couple at âge creek campground and conversation was great, so I have him the forum address. I'll hike up black elk Peak from the north.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 11:19 am
by jennypenny
If you're in Rapid City, you can get pulled pork downtown at Firehouse Brewing. Sometimes they have music at night and you can sit outdoors.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 11:42 am
by Jean
Thank you! I'll probably go there. Sorry for the typo, my phone has a tendency to turn everything into a french word.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2019 3:32 pm
by Jean
Pulled porked at firehouse was good! The black hills are beautifull, but quite crowded. Camping is expensive too, i expected it to be freeish like in most national forest. I'll try thé North part of it this afternoon.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2019 5:31 pm
by classical_Liberal
Black hills are pretty, but are in large part a tourist trap area. Not sure if you have this resource, https://freecampsites.net/

I use it regularly to minimize camping costs. Make sure to read the reviews of the campsites. Free sometimes means parking lots of local businesses that allow overnight car/camper sleeping and some are difficult to find/get to.

Edit: If Teddy Roosevelt lower unit is next on your list, I have used the free site listed (actually there are a couple, one a bit farther up from description on the same road with better views, ie see the first site and keep going up the hill) just west in the national grassland several times before. No fires allowed in grassland, otherwise a great site with great views of the National park. Stop by the park office and get a map of trails as there are a ton of great 5-20 mile day hike trail through the park of you want to hike.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2019 9:04 pm
by Laura Ingalls
You should be able to camp for free lots of places

https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/blackh ... 3&actid=34

You can camp in Badlands for free

https://www.parkcamper.com/Badlands-National

Also many city parks in SD and ND have camping for cheap or free. Bad idea in Madison, WI perfectly fine idea in Midland, SD.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2019 10:43 am
by Jean
Yeah i ended up not paying for any campsites, also, despite containing many tourist traps, the black hills are big enough. I met less than a dozen people on the north trail to black elk Peak. I met barely no one driving on dirt roads. I'm at devils tower right now. Nice spot to use somme internet (my euro phone doesn't find service outside of Chicago and Iowa.) Also i understand why obesity is a problem here, i wanted to but chocolaté milk, and it only came in gallons, and it was several times sweeter than the already excessively sweat chocolate milk i'm used to.
I'm really enjoying this trip.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2019 12:52 pm
by Gilberto de Piento
I'm glad you are enjoying your trip. The tower is great, have fun!

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Wed Aug 21, 2019 9:00 pm
by Jean
I'm now in Brandon Manitoba. I'll be looking for a place to sleep soon. Théodore Roosevelt national Park was really nice. I visited more than 20 np, and it's one of my favorites. I couldn't do the achenbach loop (too much water), but did a smaller loop. There was no one else and it was vert nice.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2019 8:32 am
by jennypenny
I’m glad you’re having a nice trip. It’s a little crowded but no more than usual (I’m a few days behind you — did Black Hills yesterday and doing Devils Tower tomorrow). I’ll have to make time for Teddy Roosevelt NP next year. It sounds great.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Sat Aug 24, 2019 10:05 am
by Jean
I'm back in the us. I'm driving a lot. I like driving. I was held about 1hour at the border. Don't know if it's my hairs, my emptyish car, or my uncommon Travel destinations for an européen tourist. I don't know what they were suspecting either. My biggest worry would have been the conséquences of not being able to bring back the car to Chicago. Otherwise i would just have looked for a st-john - London, or Halifax - Reykjavik flight. Anyway, i'll go to Houghton on monday and will take the boat to isle royale on tuesday. Aldo, i must admit that i ain't able to Travel Alone in the us very cheaply.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2019 9:17 pm
by Jean
I'm in superior getting a coffee right now. I met classical_liberal Yesterday, which was really nice. I'm a bit nervous about how my smallest sleeping bag will keep me warm on isle royale this week, but i'll see. I'm thinking about only taking olive oil as food on thé island to avoir attracting bears and clean my gale balader. I'll see.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 7:54 am
by Laura Ingalls
No bears in Isle Royale:)

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 8:17 am
by Jean
So, i'll get bacon and honey instead.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2019 4:43 pm
by classical_Liberal
Have fun jean! I was really great to meet you, the GF & I enjoyed your company.

Re: Coming to the midwest in summer 2019

Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2019 3:30 pm
by Jean
Isle royale was a blast! I will now slowly stroll lake Michigan clockwise to Chicago. Any suggestions ?