The plan was to go to the Omaha Zoo and then turn south. We wanted to head to the Gulf to some of the places that we really love to return to. Namely the Waveland, Mississippi area and then along the gulf coast to St. George Island and eventually to Cedar Key.
MNDRIFTERS
Sunday, October 26, 2025
The Most Stupendous Epic Adventure 2.0
Tuesday, October 14, 2025
The Most Stupendous Epic Adventure Continues
We left the J Bar B Dude Ranch and started to head east for our epic adventure. It was imperative that we did leave to save our livers, even though Bambi begged and pleaded for us to stay it was time. 9 days was a lot of time spent together and in the background I could see Jethro starting to load his shotgun. Yep, it was time.
Our next destination was going to be Omaha, Nebraska. Did you know that Omaha has the country's best zoo? Or as I like to call them, animal prisons. We made a stop in Mitchell, SD because we detest driving farther than 400 miles in a day. It was going to be about 350 miles which gives us a nice break. Once we got set up at the Mitchell city park campground, it gave us time to reflect on the past week and to also kill the many stink bugs that have infiltrated our camper. They are not really stink bugs. They are the Western Conifer Seed Bug.
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Final Days at the J Bar B Ranch
Friday 26 September 2025
Jethro has been saving the biggest and best events for the finale of the first annual "J Bar B Ranch get together and hootinanny. (Jethro, you might have to work on that name. Just saying.) Although our group of the original ten is shrinking a little bit now. Debbie flew out on Thursday and Dave and Leslie are leaving Friday. So that leaves 7 hearty souls to continue on.
The first big event was touted as being enormous. It was going to be the 60th Annual Buffalo Round-up at Custer State Park. Jethro said that we had to leave the ranch at 6:30 in the morning. The plan was to take Jethros pickup camper and then meet up with some of his friends and then convoy into the park with them since this was everyone's first rodeo to speak.
We drove to the town of Custer to meet his friends and then it was a long 2 hour drive into the park to the viewing area. Normally it would not be such a long drive but can you imagine 20 thousand people all wanting to go to the same area all at once. Instant gridlock traffic. Stop and go for hours. What made it worse was having my morning coffee filling up my bladder. Not a fun drive at all.
We eventually made it to the parking lot and thank the maker there was a porta potty pretty close. A sigh of relief could be heard all across the park. Jethro's friends set up tables and chairs for having some breakfast and drinks. (Go figure.) Mimosas, Bloody Mary's and Screwdrivers. We relaxed a little until it was time to take a shuttle bus to the viewing areas. Once there we walked through a sea of humanity to find the perfect spot to see the buffalo come in. The group quickly threaded themselves through the crowd leaving the two cripples behind as usual. So Harry and myself were left standing on a different hillside. We stood there for an hour waiting.
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Part 3 of the J Bar B Ranch
Wednesday 24 September 2025
As I awake after 4 days of drinking, confusion fills my head. Where am I? Who am I? Why do I smell pork rinds? As I roll over Jethro's face greets me with a huge smile and a faint odor of bourbon. "WHAT THE......!" I start to yell but he cuts me off in mid sentence. "Gladys was in the house so I came out to see you and tell you about all of today's activities. Bambi was right, you do sleep naked." he said. After the shock wore off he filled me in with the day's activities.
He said that we were going to take a beautiful drive through the Black Hills and then end up at Mt. Rushmore. After that he found a place that smokes the best ribs you will ever find. Then ending up back at the ranch for, you guessed it, bourbon tasting and games. I told him that it sounds great but why did he have to crawl into bed with me to tell me? He said he likes to cuddle.
After that awkward encounter we all got ready and headed to the bus stop. The route to Mt. Rushmore was going to be on the Iron Mountain Road. A 17 mile scenic route famous for its 314 curves, 14 switchbacks and three pigtail bridges that loop over themselves along with three granite tunnels that frame views of Mt. Rushmore. Once inside the busses we were off.
The drive was spectacular. No one got car sick. Here are some images taken from the interweb.
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
The Infamous J Bar B Ranch
Monday September 22, 2025
Nestled deep inside the Black Hills of South Dakota is one of the hidden gems of the AARP crowd. It's new and I can see that this will be bigger than 25 cent ice cream cones at McDonalds for seniors and even bigger than the cheap drugs and dental in Algadones Mexico. The place I am talking about is the J Bar B Dude Ranch for Seniors. We were privileged enough to be invited by our hosts to sample all that they offered with a handful of other guests. Being the influencers that we are, we could not miss out on an opportunity like this. I started my review a few days ago so please review that before you go on.
Monday.
Hikes were on the agenda for today. Two to be exact. Hells Canyon for the crazy adventurers and a very easy hike around the picturesque Sylvan Lake. I don't have to tell you which hike I did. Three went off to do the Hells Canyon hike and we never heard from them again. Oh, well. The rest of us went to Sylvan lake. If I haven't said it before, I am a cripple. Which is a bad thing in this group. So the group left me at a picnic table and went their merry way. Who cares that I might get eaten by a bear or something.
Jethro assured us that it was easy. At this point Gladys realized that she left her phone in the pooper and needed to go back and find it. Everyone said that they would wait. Soon Bambi said that she would go look for Gladys so she left. Realizing that this could be my way out I said that I would go look for them also and that they should start the hike. So I left and dang it, the girls were coming down the trail. So the hike resumed.
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Why are We Here?
This is quite the topic to tackle, from a point of philosophical awareness. People have written countless books about existentialism but I will delve into it as it relates to us. (Sorry Jethro, more big words.)
The term "here" refers to a spot in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Particularly the "J bar B" ranch close to the town of Custer, SD. A year ago we got a message from Jethro and Bambi. He said he was inviting a small group of people out to the ranch in September of 2025. He wanted to give everybody plenty of notice to clear their calendars. Fast forward to now and here we are.
Monday, September 22, 2025
The Most Stupendous Epic Adventure to Date.
Day 1, 19 September 2025
Our brave explorers Gladys Butterpump and Tango Allejandro decided not to hibernate after soup season. Instead our brave explorers decide to pack up their camper and head to parts unknown.They packed for days and days in preparation for this fantastic voyage. Everything that was once in the house was now in their camper. The neighbors could hear Tango yelling at Gladys many times.
"Gladys! Gladys! (She's hard of hearing.) "Why don't you just follow me in a U-Haul truck with everything you are bringing!" he said exasperated. (That's a big word Jethro. You may have to look it up.) Finally it was time to throw the cats in and go. They decided to take a minute and take a photo as tradition dictates for posterity. (More big words.)
















































