About us
Wonder lost
Have a passion for travel? We will be traveling to some of the most amazing national parks, state parks, and fascinating cities. Depending on the location and mode of travel, the trips will be between 1 to 5 days. Parks with high attendance will be planned several months in advance to ensure we all have rooms during our stay.
Visits to some of our fascinating cities such as San Antonio, Solvang, Seattle, or Nashville, to name a few.
The stressful parts, such as transportation, accommodations, tour tickets, additional information, including cost, are provided for each event. With the information provide you will be able to make your own reservation. On occasions, we use a tour company to have the best possible experience offered and insights to highlight the authentic side of where we are touring.
Keep in mind that we are a physically active group; most events require you to walk for a period of time or navigate stairs.
This is not a religious or political group. There are groups for that. This isn't one of them. Please treat others as you would like to be treated, or as I would say, "PLAY NICE!"
Please post a clear and recent photo of yourself. Photos with a person in the distance, partially covered, backside or blurry are not acceptable.
Any member who has two no-shows will be removed. No-show means the member fails to change RSVP to “not attending”. If you sign up for an event and you cancel at the last minute, you are a "no-show". Members who have not been active with the group for 3+ months will be removed.
DUES ARE $15 A YEAR. Payable through Zelle or cash.
INHERENT RISK: Organizers carefully plan events and check public sources for weather and safety. Conditions may change or reports may contain errors. Inherent natural hazards are associated with travel. Organizers do not accept any liability for accidents/injuries in connection with the activities published.
Humbly ask our members to refrain from wearing perfumes, colognes, scented lotions, or using hand sanitizer inside the vehicle for the sake of those who have strong chemical sensitivities (COPD, asthma, i.e.) and may become ill from even these types of scents.
Thank you for joining!
Upcoming events
7
Mount Rushmore and Black Hill Tour $$$$$
Location not specified yetEnjoy a stress-free Black Hills vacation where every detail is handled for you. You’ll stay at the newly renovated DoubleTree by Hilton in Rapid City, travel by comfortable motor coach, and enjoy nine included meals — including a Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper & Show and a Western-style Fort Hays breakfast.
Each day brings iconic sights like Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, and Deadwood, with all attractions, transportation, and admissions included. The tour is relaxed, well-paced, and designed for comfort, so you can simply enjoy the scenery, the food, and the memories.What's included
- 4 Nights Stay @ The Double Tree by Hilton Rapid City
- All Transportation
- All Admissions
- 9 Meals &
- Mount Rushmore
- Custer State Park
- Crazy Horse Memorial
- Sylvan Lake
- Scenic Drives & Photo Stops
- Lunch at Custer State Park Game Lodge
- Badlands Scenic drive & Tour
- The Iconic Wall Drug
- Historic Downtown Deadwood
- Homesteak Gold Mine
- Mount Rushmore Lighting Ceremony
What's not included
- 1 Lunch on Own
- 1 Dinner on Own
- Gratuity for Driver & Tour Guide
- Round Trip Ticket
Itinerary
Day 1 – Welcome to the Black Hills
Arrive in Rapid City and check in to the DoubleTree by Hilton – Rapid City Convention Center. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a hosted Welcome Reception with drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Meet your professional tour director, get to know your group, and kick off your Black Hills adventure in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.Day 2 – Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park & Fort Hays
Begin your day with a hearty Western-style breakfast at Fort Hays Chuckwagon, featuring pancakes, biscuits and gravy, sausage, cowboy bacon, coffee, juice, and milk.
From there, travel to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, enjoying the monument at its most beautiful time of day — bathed in the morning sun. After time for photos and exploration, continue through Custer State Park, including the spectacular Iron Mountain Road and the scenic Needles Highway, with stops at iconic locations like Sylvan Lake and the Needles Eye Tunnel. Next, visit the remarkable Crazy Horse Memorial, a powerful tribute to Native American history and culture.This evening returns you to Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper & Show for a classic chuckwagon dinner followed by a high-energy, Branson-style live music performance by the Rockin’ Wranglers — one of the most beloved shows in the Black Hills.
Day 3 – Badlands National Park & Wall Drug
After breakfast at the hotel, travel to the dramatic landscapes of Badlands National Park. Along the way, stop at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site Visitor Center to learn about South Dakota’s role in Cold War history. In the Badlands, enjoy multiple scenic overlooks and photo stops, including highlights such as Panoramic Point, Yellow Mounds, and the Ben Reifel Visitor Center.Mid-afternoon brings a stop at the world-famous Wall Drug for lunch and time to explore this iconic roadside attraction. Later, return to Rapid City for a relaxing evening at leisure.
Day 4 – Deadwood, Lead & Mount Rushmore at Night
After breakfast, travel to the historic towns of Deadwood and Lead, with a guided tour that includes the Homestake Gold Mine Visitor Center and stories of the Black Hills’ legendary past. Enjoy the afternoon at your own pace in Downtown Deadwood, with time for lunch, shopping, museums, or gaming in the historic casinos.This evening, journey to Mount Rushmore for dinner at the monument followed by the unforgettable Mount Rushmore Lighting Ceremony — a moving, patriotic program that brings America’s most iconic monument to life after sunset.
Day 5 – Departure
Enjoy a final breakfast at the hotel before your individual departures. Take time to share photos, exchange goodbyes, and reflect on an unforgettable Black Hills adventure.Cost with tax $2228.42
I did an itemized list of the tour if we were to go on our own. The estimated cost including hotel, entry fees, meals, and rental car (gas included) is about $1800.
Here is the website for information, August 1st is showing as the last date of the year.
https://mountrushmoretours.com/mount-rushmore-sightseeing-bus-tours/guided-black-hills-sightseeing-tour/1 attendee
Chiricahua National Monument and Annie Apple Farm
Location not specified yetChiricahua National Monument
Chiricahua National Monument is recognized by its whimsical rock gardens with pinnacles that reach hundreds of feet skyward. This is the homeland of the Chiricahua Apache, who relied on the natural resources in the area as far back as the 1400s. The stories of chiefs Mangas Coloradas and Cochise as well as medicine-man-turned-warrior Geronimo reverberate throughout the canyons here. Deer, bears, and mountain lions inhabit the area, and the annual sandhill crane migration is so impressive that it has its own festival in nearby Wilcox, AZ. See how a mountain range rising between two deserts creates a home for diverse wildlife. Imagine history here. Prehistoric peoples, Apaches, Buffalo Soldiers, Civilian Conservation Corps, ranchers, and homesteaders inhabited Chiricahua.
We will travel to the top of the mountain for a wonderful view of the valley. Please bring your lunch; there is no food service inside the park.
We will stay at Holiday Express in Wilcox. Rooms are about $150 depending on the type of room you reserved.
.https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/willcox/wilaz/hoteldetail
In the morning, we will head to Annie Apple’s to pick our fresh fruit and veggies. Please bring a container to hold all your goodies.
Annie Apple Fruit Orchard and Vegetable Garden
Upon arrival at the orchard or the produce farm, please check in with one of our staff members at the sales area. Our staff will give you a map with directions to where we are picking that day, a list of what is ripe and ready to pick, and make you aware of the pricing of fruit/vegetables. Please pick in rows that are marked with the name of that crop in the row. If there is no sign, it is not ready to harvest yet.
Please feel welcome to sample the fruit right off the trees! That is part of the fun of pick-your-own, and there is nothing on them but a little dust! We do ask that you are not wasteful and share a large piece of fruit with others in your group. Nothing bothers Annie more than finding huge peaches lying on the ground with a single bite taken out of them!
Also, the orchard is the home to our country gift shop, Apple Annie’s Attic. We also bake and sell our own homemade pies, apple bread, and fudge.
Suggest we travel in a large van so there is room for all our fresh fruit and veggies.
4 attendees
Past events
12
