Giant City HERE WE COME!

Tanya and I had fabulous plans to visit her family in Fenton, Missouri on Easter. We were then going to visit Forest Park in St. Louis after the family celebration. However, our plans seemed to change quite rapidly after all the rain! Since there was too much flooding in the St. Louis area, Tanya and I decided that it would be safe to stay close to home. We decided that we would spend Easter Sunday at Giant City State Park. To start the day, I went with Tanya to the Vine Community Church. It was nice and all, but I don't think dogs enjoy it as much as humans : ) I think it was because Tanya forgot some doggie treats.
After church, we drove 10.42 miles to Giant City State Park. Tanya really wanted to take me for a walk on one or two of the hiking trails, but it started to snow and sleet...eek that could have been dirty! Instead, we went to the lodge and climbed the water tower. Man-O-Man, what a view! We could see for miles and miles! I do have to admit, I was a little scared, we were really high up in the air! But Tanya held me close and made sure I was safe! Even though we didn't get to go to St. Louis and see all the cool places in Forest Park, our adventure here in Southern Illinois could not have been better!

Adventure to Lansing Michigan

Annie and I left on March 6th and took a road trip with my friend Leslie up to Lansing Michigan. We got in at about 4 am. We went through a time zone and a time change on our trip which really messed up our sleeping schedule. We helped Leslie plan her wedding. On our last day up in Michigan which was March 12 we went to Michigan State University. We got our picture with the Magic Johnson Statue in front of the Jack Breslin Student Events Center. We had a great trip that was very busy. I did also see the capital building in Lansing. The trip was 505 miles one way.

Cowdog Annie Oakley goes to Marion, IL

Amanda and I had a twister of a trip! For my next trip we traveled 18 miles to see the Monument of the May 29, 1982 Tornado, located on the Marion Town Square. This memorial displays the results of the "killer tornado" that touched down in western Williamson County, causing a total of 100 million dollars damage. This was one of the most memorable and larger tornadoes in Illinois history, with an F-4 (max. wind speeds of 207-260 mph.) killing 10 people and injuring at least 180 others in total. The damage path was approximately 17 miles (27km) long. More than one funnel cloud was reported in the early and final stages of the tornado.
In Marion alone, 47 businesses were damaged or destroyed. Three shopping centers were hit and two schools were severely damaged. There were 136 injuries, leaving 10 Marion citizens dead. The horrific tornado left 161 homes and 175 apartments destroyed. This left 1,000 heartbroken Marion citizens homeless. Amanda and I traveled on Rt. 13 from Carbondale to Marion, taking notice of the path the tornado had taken on May 1982. Amanda showed me the Marion-Ford dealership and the shopping centers that sustained heavy damage.

I was sad to hear of the damage and losses of this "killer tornado", but it is good to see a community working together to rebuild and help their fellow neighbor in the town of Marion, Illinois.

If you want more information about the May 29, 1982 Tornado in Williamson County, just visit:
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pah/1982/report.php/

Well guys and gals, after a total round trip of 36 miles, this little cowdog needs a power nap.
I can't wait for my next great adventure!

Springfield, IL

Rachel and I had a great time visiting the Old State Capitol Building in historic downtown Springfield, IL! The car ride was long and boring, but by the time we got there my tail was wagging again. We couldn't decide what to do first! We explored some of the shops downtown before reaching the Capitol Building, and I even got to go inside them and look around. Normally places like that don't allow dogs, but they didn't know I was tucked away in Rachel's purse.
After a few more shops, we walked past the Capitol Building, and to our surprise the front gate was open! It didn't cost anything to enter or to take the tour. The hardwood floors were awfully slippery and there were lots of very strange smells, but it was very exciting! We took the tour, and I learned about how the government officials, including Mr. Abraham Lincoln, usually stayed in the Capitol Building at night after the day's business was complete. In the game/leisure room, I saw beds, bookshelves loaded with old books, an old chess game, and playing cards. There were even spittoons on the floor! We were told that almost every man back in the 1800s chewed tobacco, so they needed places to spit. The tour guide told us that Mr. Lincoln was a part of these late night games and discussions, and since they didn't have a good way of communicating nationally back then this was his way of 'networking.'
We also found out that the Old State Capitol is a reconstruction of Illinois’ fifth statehouse, the first to be located in Springfield and that the building served as the seat of state government and a center of Illinois political life from 1839 to 1876. During the years leading to the Civil War, the building had an important role in the political struggle between Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861) and Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865). Lincoln visited the building frequently as both a lawyer and a politician, serving in the building during his last term in the Illinois House of Representatives and delivering the famous 1858 “House Divided” speech in Representatives Hall, and using the governor’s rooms as a headquarters during the 1860 presidential campaign.
In all, we traveled 380 miles, so I am glad to be back home. This way I can be rested and ready for my next adventure. Until next time, this is 'Little Sure Shot' signing out.

Wow! These little doggies are getting nearer to Dodge City

So far, 1300.73 miles have been logged on this ole cattle drive. So c'mon little cow pokes, join the fun traveling with us. Wonder where we will be going next?

Historic Lebanon, IL --latitude 38 degrees, longitude -89 degrees

Annie and I had a very exciting evening. We traveled 112.94 miles all the way up to Lebanon, Il. The town of Lebanon is one of the most historical towns in Illinois and a large number of the buildings in the town have been named historical landmarks. We decided to visit a bed and breakfast that is toward the center of the town and was used by many different people during their different travels.

The bed and breakfast is named the Landmark on Madison and has been around since 1906, just under many other names. It is a ten room mansion built in the Greek Revival style and was built by Edward S. Pfiffer and his two brother. The family owned a large mining company in the area and built several large estates in the area. The mansion that the family built on Madison was unique first off in its location. The house sat on the grounds of the first hotel in Lebanon. The hotel was "The Veranda Hotel," and was built in 1820. It was very common during for people to use this hotel during the time of the Vincennes Trail. The Vincennes Trail was a route taken by many via stagecoach between St. Louis and Vincennes, Indiana. It was one of the first stops on the trail. Besides being a stop on a trail and a hotel, the landmark land was also a post office, resturant, and even a meeting house within the town of Lebanon. The hotel was lastly known as the Bishop House and was then destroyed in 1904. Around this time, 1906, is when the Pfiffer family bought the land and built the mansion that sits there today. One of the most interesting facts about the present day mansion is that the four pillars that in front of the building are actually from the 1904 Worlds Fair in St. Louis. The land sure does contain alot of history and being there puts you in a class with many others from throughout history.

Well, Annie and I are both very tired from our long journey, but she keeps telling me how excited she is for her next trip. I am sure she will report back to the next person as well about all we did on the way to her next destination.