Since everyone at Bubba’s Garage drinks Turkey Hill Iced Tea and occasionally eats Turkey Hill Ice Cream, when we saw the large sign advertising the Turkey Hill Experience just off of Route 30 in Columbia, PA, Peg and I had to stop. The Experience is housed in the old Ashley & Bailey Silk Mill that sat empty for more than 25 years before Turkey Hill transformed the building into a neat interactive educational exhibit. You can learn about (and sample) various teas and drinks, design your own ice cream, star in a commercial, freeze in the freezer, and enjoy several other areas. Don’t forget to climb aboard the Divco and toot its horn. Oh, and you can also milk a fake cow. We enjoyed our stay but the experience is pretty pricey for what it is; $11.50 for adults and $9.50 for kids. If you go in hungry and chow down on some samples I guess the price wouldn’t be too bad. You can always just skip the exhibits and head straight for the creamery on the first floor.
Rockin’ out at the Gem Miner’s Jubilee
If you like rocks as much as Peg does, you should put the Gem Miner’s Jubilee on your calendar every year. Last weekend we made the trip up to the Lebanon Expo & Fairgrounds in Lebanon, PA to add to Peg’s ever growing collection of rocks. The Mid-Atlantic Gem and Mineral Association does a great job of organizing these events. You can find anything from Jewelry quality cut gems to raw slabs ready for finishing at the show.
MN PEZCon 2011
Our final destination for our summer vacation was the Minnesota PEZ convention known as PEZCon. Every year this convention for PEZheads is held just outside the Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This weekend of fun allows Peg to expand her ever growing collection of PEZ. After checking in at the welcome center, it was off to do room hopping in hopes of that great score.
I found the perfect place to put one of the great temporary PEZ tattoos that were part of the welcome package.
The main event of this convention is the social gathering for PEZ Bingo. Some great prizes were available in the winnings. Everyone seemed to have fun and went home with some special memories.
Road Trip Day 5–Sertoma Butterfly House
Our last day in South Dakota was a magical one. I say that because we visited the Sertoma Butterfly House in Sioux Falls. Butterfly Houses are wonderful places to visit and Sertoma, with its more than 800 butterflies, is one of the best ones we have ever visited. It is a totally unreal feeling to have all these beautiful insects with their bright colors fluttering around you. If you ever have a chance to visit one of these places you won’t be disappointed.
There is also a nice pond and nature area nearby to explore. For some reason though I tend to attract mosquitoes for a 3 mile range. Peg wasn’t bitten even once while I was eaten alive.
As an added bonus once we left South Dakota we were entertained by some ground squirrels at the rest stop just over the border in Minnesota.
Welcome to Minnesota!
Road Trip Day 4–Pioneer Auto & Prairie Town
I like junk. For some reason old rusty junk just fascinates me. So when we saw what was in the 39 buildings that make up the Pioneer Auto and Prairie Town in Murdo, South Dakota I was very happy. There are close to 300 unrestored old cars, motorcycles, and trucks everywhere here and many are ones I have never seen before. It is sort of like a huge barn find. All the vehicles are housed in little more than sheds that add to the charm of this place.
There are also displays of toys and of course rocks plus several of the buildings depict old town stores and businesses. It is like walking back I time. I decided to shoot some of these in black and white because it just felt right.
If you like old unrestored stuff you will definitely enjoy yourself here. I would suggest you stay away from the restaurant though. But, do take time to have some fun!
Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building.
Road Trip Day 4–Badlands Petrified Gardens
Have you ever gone to one of those places that looks like it hasn’t changed since the early 70’s? And is wasn’t that great back then either? Well, Badlands Petrified Gardens in Kadoka, South Dakota is one of those places. From the handwritten signs to the uninspiring organization of items throughout the yard, this place just didn’t do it for us. Yes there is stuff to be learned here but it is such a snooze-fest that even our rock-hound, Peg, was bored. When the best part about the place is your glowing sneakers in the fluorescent mineral display you know you have issues. I would say skip this place.
Road Trip Day 4–Cactus Flat, South Dakota
You can’t miss the Ranch Store in Cactus Flat, South Dakota. It has this giant concrete prairie dog sitting out front. For fifty cents you can by a small bag of peanuts to feed the prairie dogs that live here. Stock up on provisions in the store for your journey.
Road Trip Day 4–Badlands, South Dakota
Continuing our trip east, we drove the Badland Loop Road through Badlands National Park. It is really hard to describe the experience of the Badlands. I have seen photos of the park but being there is like being in another world. There are so many colors! The urge to stop at every scenic over look can make this a long drive.
The wind was very fierce on the day that we drove the park which made it difficult to photograph. We were able to make a couple of HDRs, like the one below, by taking my beanbag mount and wrapping it around a fence rail. I think if I had a tripod it would have blown over.
