Step back in time at old gas station and cafe

Crossett's Red Horse Drive-In is a half mile and 70 years off I-90 in Ellensburg, Washington. The best part of the place is the restored 1930’s era gas station, which is as spit-shined polished as an army officer’s dress boots.

It’s equal part business and labor of love for owner Bruce Crossett. From I-90, a motorist can easily find the place by exiting the interstate at exit 106. Two minutes later they’re there. Trouble is, not a whole lot of people know about it except locals, and even they don’t know a lot about it. “The Ellensburg newspaper has never even done a story,” said Crossett, who earns his main paycheck from the used car lot next door and plows back profits into his gas station/cafe.

The cafe offers yummy burgers and other roadside fare. I opted for a Rumble Seat -- the $4.95 basic burger. I’d give it four stars out of five -- excellent but not the ultimate. If I were hungrier I may have gone for the “Dead Man’s Curve” for two dollars more. Milk shakes are $3, a bargain these days.

If you want to learn more about the Red Horse Drive-In, call Bruce at 509-925-1764. Or stop by: Ellensburg is on the eastern edge of the Cascade mountains about 100 miles east of Seattle.

2nd International Teardrop Gathering

This weekend in Pioneer Village in Minden, Nebraska is the 2nd International Teardrop Gathering. Actually registration begins today (June 14, 2007) and runs thought Sunday.

We stopped in Russell, KS overnight and were parked next to the cutest teardrop trailer. At first we thought it was homemade, then when they opened up the back, it looked so nice, we thought not. Later, George started talking to Jim Coyner and his son, Jesse. They had made it from the frame up.

Built in "woody" style, this meticulous trailer will be shown off with more than 100 other teardrop trailers at this gathering. Jesse told me they built it in 2003-04. They started by welding the frame, then attached the sides, and worked from there. At the conventions, they get new ideas. Jim thought of adding a sunroof after seeing one at the last convention, but it required a flat roof. That would detract from the teardrop shape.

To find out what exactly a teardrop trailer is and get more information about these cute little trailers, see their Web site.

Some other sites for teardrops are:

• Tiny tears -more information about these trailers


• Teardrop destinations - calendar of rallies and gatherings


• Teardrops link page - Look up other teardrop sites and discussion groups

I certainly wouldn't recommend them for full-time RVing or even an extended trip, bit they would be perfect for going out into the back country. You could take them down most any road and they'd fit in about any spot.

They sure look fun and get lots of attention! A small crowd gathered last night to have a peak inside and exam Jim and Jesse's work of art and see what was inside. Most teardrops are homemade since so few that were built survive to this day. If you are anywhere near Minden, Nebraska this weekend, stop in and enjoy the sights!

Hello Dolly, You’re Looking Swell Dolly…

Did you know doll collecting is one of the most popular hobbies in the United States? Did you also know that the Enchanted World Doll Museum is one of the top doll museums in the world and is located in Mitchell, South Dakota directly across the street from the Corn Palace? The museum houses over 4,100 dolls in 400 setting ranging from a gala royal wedding to humble Amish dolls in front of a log cabin. They have antique dolls from the early 1800’s and yes, they even have a display of Cabbage Patch Kids. Valerie LaBreche (she's a real doll) greeted me at the entrance and will answer any questions you have concerning the museum. RV Parking is FREE and plentiful near the Corn Palace and Doll Museum. A fee is charged: $5 adults, $4 seniors, $2.50 students 6-18, and kids 6 and under are free. The museum is a non-profit organization and the profits are reinvested in the museum for its upkeep and growth. If you like dolls you’ll love this place. Jim Twamley

Cliff Palace- largest cliff dwelling in North America

Our stop at Mesa Verde National Park was short. We only had an afternoon. Both of us had been to Balcony House and Wetherill Mesa's Long House wasn't open yet. So, we took the ranger-led tour of Cliff Palace.

Looking at Cliff Palace from above does not prepare you for how large it is. The alcove itself is 89 feet deep and 59 feet high. The complex is 288 feet long with 150 rooms and 23 kivas. One tower has four stories.

Cliff Palace was used for only about 75 years—from around A.D. 1190 to 1280. Because so few of the rooms show evidence of family life and there are so many kivas, it is believed that it had ceremonial use. The walls aren't talking though, so scientists have to piece together information to make educated guesses.

Having recently read House of Rain, by Craig Childs, where he explores the Anasazi (now referred to as Ancestral Puebloans or Hisatsinom) ruins and the latest scholarly research about this group of people, I was curious to return to some of these places where they once lived. As a result of a debilitating drought in the 13th century, people in the Mesa Verde area and others moved into defensible positions and to the last places of water.

When I worked at Lake Powell we found many small graneries, a few small iving quarters and kivas as we explored on weekends off. Those do not prepare you for the elaborate ruins at Mesa Verde. And walking amonst the ruins, imagining what it would be like to live here, to grind corn and tend to daily tasks, to use hand and toe holds in the cliffs to ascend the mesa to care for crops, is mind boggling. From Childs book and others, I can better imagine the contents—basketery and pottery, weapons, looms, turkeys, and trade goods. The ruins the public sees are bare of all contents, long taken by pot hunters or stored away in museum collections.

Prior to building Cliff Palace the Ancestral Puebloans lived on top of the mesa for most of six centuries. Cliff Palace, and other alcove dwellings, were among the last sites to be occupied in Mesa Verde. By A.D. 1300 nearly everyone was gone from this area. Where did they go? What really happened? If only walls could talk! Being here, though, gives you a sense of the mystery.