Day 10 - A day spent in Galcier
Our first wake up and not have to pack up the campsite say! It was refreshing to sleep in a little, especially for the kids. The strangest part about the night before was the time of sunset. We tried to get to bed early, but at 10 pm the sky was still crazy light. The kids were bouncing off the tent walls, which wasn't helping the go to bed process, but we didn't mind since we knew they were sleeping later.
A little about our campsite: The name of the site is "Rising Sun Campgrounds" and it's on the East Side of Glacier National Park. We didn't shop around for campgrounds much because a) we were tired and b) we didn't know any better. The pre-arrival research really didn't say much about the differences between the East side of the Park and the West side. So, we took the closest, available campground. This site was like no other campground that I've stayed in before. You drive into the campgrounds and then drive around to find available sites. Then you set up camp and drive back down to the entrance where you fill out an envelope that states how long you are staying, slide in the appropriate amount of money and bam, you're registered; no waiting in line, no slow, outdated computers needed to enter your personal information so they can send you future junk mail. You simply get to pick your own site; how cool is that?!?! So, we drove around until we found a nice site that had a fabulous view of the Rocky Mountains. We were so close you felt like you could reach out and touch them. The only thing separating us from the mountain was a small glacier fed lake called St. Mary's lake.
The night before I really didnt' appreciate the beauty of the site because we were so tired. Today is a different story. Once we rolled the kids out of bed we ate some PB&J on bagels for breakfast and then set out for our day in the park. Little did we know how immense this park truly is in comparison to other parks we have visited on this trip. We started with the scenic ride on 'Going to the Sun Road'. This road takes you from East Glacier to West Glacier via a very, very narrow road that takes you up over the Rocky Mountains. The views are simply breathtaking! It was very difficult to drive and soak in all the beauty and grandeur the ride had to offer. So, we stopped often and sometimes took pictures and other times just absorbed the view. The scenery was a mixture of glacial lakes, steep mountain sides, cascading waterfalls and overlapping peaks that run off up into the clouds. There are 16 glaciers in total at the park, but we didn't get to see them all. If we were staying for 5+ days we probably could have covered more of the park, but we were on our whistle stop tour. Partway through the drive we stopped to do a short hike into the Cedar woods. The highlight of the hike for the kids was playing along the river bank of the Apache Gorge. The water was frigid, but it didn't stop the kids from taking off their shoes and socks and playing in the water. Skipping stones, throwing sticks and climbing the over dead trees were the activities that kept us busy on the river bank for 45 minutes. We finished the hike with some wet feet, but nobody seemed to care.
Back in the car to finish the scenic ride. As we neared McDonald lake the scenery became even more beautiful, if that is even possible. We found a restaurant at the West Glacier Lodge and decided to have an early dinner since we kind of skipped lunch. It's a good thing our kids are flexible ;-) The meal was unimpressive, but the views of McDonald lake made up for it. It too was a glacier fed lake, but it's location and views were far more impressive than that of St. Mary's. After spending a little time at McDonald's lake we continued on and shortly found our way to West Glacier. What a great little town! It was lively and eclectic! There was live entertainment going on with all sorts of outdoor activities geared towards families. It was much more lively than the other side of the mountains. Wish we knew that ahead of time, but the reality is getting to West Glacier would have tacked on 1.5 hours of driving to our already very long ride. The total ride time across the mountains took us almost 2.5 hours. Now we had to head back. We decided to take the non-scenic route which took almost as long. It was a much less stressful ride back. Some of the moments on the 'Going to the Sun Road' were a little unnerving. You had to hope the people coming the other way weren't busy texting or taking pictures because sometimes it was barely wide enough for two cars to pass. The rock outcroppings looked as though they were going to poke through the windows into the car in some places. We were happy to take a slightly less eventful ride back to the campgrounds.
Once back we enjoyed the sun setting on the mountain and some play time before getting the group settled down for bed. Once again, this 10:30 sunset thing is killer for the kids. Our next day will be a much shorter drive to southern Montana where will will connect with Pat Slater & Beth Gibson, friends of mine from Stapleton, who are kind enough to offer accommodations to some very weary travelers. It will be nice to sleep inside for a night before we get to Yellowstone!
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Friday, June 29, 2012
Day 9 - Sheridan, Wyoming to Glacier National Park
Day 9 - Sheridan, Wyoming to Glacier National Park
Not a whole lot to talk about from this part of the trip. It was a long, long travel day. We left at 8 am expecting to do an 8hr 15min ride (according to the GPS). But, road construction along the way was throwing us off schedule. Not that we really had a schedule. Our goal for the day was simply to get there, setup camp, eat dinner and get to bed early.
Aside from the construction, the ride was uneventful. It was pretty bland from Sheridan to Billings. But after Billings it started to get pretty again. One of the most notable things I noticed during our travels is how much the landscape changes from State to State. The lanscape colors, the actual vegetation and the types of livestock on the farms, which is probably the only thing that keeps you interested at points. Some of the parts of these drives were tough. Long, straight, flat highways with open fields on both sides is mind numbing.
But, as we got past Billings the landscape started to change a lot. We could see mountains to both sides of the car. We were heading through Lewis and Clark country so it was very mountainous in the background and rolling hills in the foreground. There was this thick haze that was hanging in the air throughout the ride in the southern part of Montana. We later found out this was smoke from the wildfires raging in the East of the state and the far west near Helena. So, we called our live GPS (Mark) and asked him to do some research before we commit to heading all the way up. Really didn't want to get stuck at Glacier because we can't pass through the fires. It looked like things were under control and we were unlikely to be affected by the fires, but the smoke in the air had an ominous feeling to it.
On we went, through all these tiny, tiny towns in Montana. Then came the Rocky Mountains. We got far enough North/West to be beyond the fires and the sky's cleared. The Rocky Mountains came into view with their snow topped peaks and their imposing size. It felt like we weren't getting any closer to them even though we were driving right at them. They seemed to be frozen in place for a long time. But as we got closer the views become more and more breathtaking. We all just sat in the car and stared, talking about all the various things you can see on the mountains.
Well, just over 9 hours later we arrived in the park with an even more amazing view. The campgrounds are very different here in Northern Wyoming. You drive into the campgrounds, pick a site that you like and then walk back to the board and put your money in an envelope to pay for your stay. There are care takers on sight who come around later to check in with you, but for the most part it is on an honor system here. We picked a site that has a beautiful view of the mountain range right in front of us. So, after pitching the tent, we went off in search for food. The resort restaurant was a little out of our price range ($38 was the least expensive meal). I think you were paying for the view of the mountains more than the food. So, we went down to a little sandwich shop and not only had a great sandwich, but we were highly entertained by Peter from Slovakia. After dinner we headed back to the sight to enjoy our quiet time and the beautiful view around us.
When we got back, there was a nature show in process, put on by a local man at the outdoor amphitheater which was right in our sites' backyard. So, we not only had a great view, but we also had some entertainment. They we saw the head ranger drive up because one of the sites broke the "Big" rule; do not leave any food out on the tables unattended. We now find out that this campground is a very "active" bear site and the rangers are trying to not introduce the bears to people food. So, the rules are strict and if you break them you are escorted out of the grounds. Apparently, one of the campers left food out and went to help someone else start their campfire. His big mistake was ignoring the call from the Ranger. Anyway, the rangers also told us that there is a bear sighting daily at this campsite. The kids were excited to see a bear, but I was a little more cautious...I got my bear spray ready!!!!
Ok, off to bed we go. This will be our first morning where we can sleep in and enjoy a slow start. After driving 3298 miles in 9 days I think we deserve it!
Not a whole lot to talk about from this part of the trip. It was a long, long travel day. We left at 8 am expecting to do an 8hr 15min ride (according to the GPS). But, road construction along the way was throwing us off schedule. Not that we really had a schedule. Our goal for the day was simply to get there, setup camp, eat dinner and get to bed early.
Aside from the construction, the ride was uneventful. It was pretty bland from Sheridan to Billings. But after Billings it started to get pretty again. One of the most notable things I noticed during our travels is how much the landscape changes from State to State. The lanscape colors, the actual vegetation and the types of livestock on the farms, which is probably the only thing that keeps you interested at points. Some of the parts of these drives were tough. Long, straight, flat highways with open fields on both sides is mind numbing.
But, as we got past Billings the landscape started to change a lot. We could see mountains to both sides of the car. We were heading through Lewis and Clark country so it was very mountainous in the background and rolling hills in the foreground. There was this thick haze that was hanging in the air throughout the ride in the southern part of Montana. We later found out this was smoke from the wildfires raging in the East of the state and the far west near Helena. So, we called our live GPS (Mark) and asked him to do some research before we commit to heading all the way up. Really didn't want to get stuck at Glacier because we can't pass through the fires. It looked like things were under control and we were unlikely to be affected by the fires, but the smoke in the air had an ominous feeling to it.
On we went, through all these tiny, tiny towns in Montana. Then came the Rocky Mountains. We got far enough North/West to be beyond the fires and the sky's cleared. The Rocky Mountains came into view with their snow topped peaks and their imposing size. It felt like we weren't getting any closer to them even though we were driving right at them. They seemed to be frozen in place for a long time. But as we got closer the views become more and more breathtaking. We all just sat in the car and stared, talking about all the various things you can see on the mountains.
Well, just over 9 hours later we arrived in the park with an even more amazing view. The campgrounds are very different here in Northern Wyoming. You drive into the campgrounds, pick a site that you like and then walk back to the board and put your money in an envelope to pay for your stay. There are care takers on sight who come around later to check in with you, but for the most part it is on an honor system here. We picked a site that has a beautiful view of the mountain range right in front of us. So, after pitching the tent, we went off in search for food. The resort restaurant was a little out of our price range ($38 was the least expensive meal). I think you were paying for the view of the mountains more than the food. So, we went down to a little sandwich shop and not only had a great sandwich, but we were highly entertained by Peter from Slovakia. After dinner we headed back to the sight to enjoy our quiet time and the beautiful view around us.
When we got back, there was a nature show in process, put on by a local man at the outdoor amphitheater which was right in our sites' backyard. So, we not only had a great view, but we also had some entertainment. They we saw the head ranger drive up because one of the sites broke the "Big" rule; do not leave any food out on the tables unattended. We now find out that this campground is a very "active" bear site and the rangers are trying to not introduce the bears to people food. So, the rules are strict and if you break them you are escorted out of the grounds. Apparently, one of the campers left food out and went to help someone else start their campfire. His big mistake was ignoring the call from the Ranger. Anyway, the rangers also told us that there is a bear sighting daily at this campsite. The kids were excited to see a bear, but I was a little more cautious...I got my bear spray ready!!!!
Ok, off to bed we go. This will be our first morning where we can sleep in and enjoy a slow start. After driving 3298 miles in 9 days I think we deserve it!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Day 8 - Custer, South Dakota to Sheridan, Wyoming
Day 8 - Black Hills, SD to Sheridan, Wyoming
Like all the days before, I woke before 5:30. It wasn't a restful sleep last night, but not because of the temperature. Actually, the sleeping temperature was very comfortable. But, the winds picked up and I found myself worried about another wind storm. We got lucky in the Badlands and now I'm a little more cautious. Although the state parks are a tremendous cost savings, the feeling of safety and security of staying at a KOA is definitely a little more satisfying.
As we were packing up the campsite, we heard the rythmic beating of hooves. This KOA has a set of stables and evidently at 6:00am each morning they run the horses down from their barn, past the campgrounds and into the stables for the day. There must have been 200+ horses that passed by our site in a gallop with no less than 10 Cowgirls herding them along the path. Brooke and Robin were both awake to enjoy the sunrise event with me this morning.
After packing up the campsite we went down to the main grounds and enjoyed an all you can eat pancake breakfast. The kids were more interested in catching the flying flapjacks than actually eating them. The draw for the kids was asking for more pancakes. Apparently, in order to get additional cakes you need to catch them. The cook flips them high and you need to get your plate underneath to catch them in the air. Otherwise, they become ant food ;-) Took a few chances because she had 30 people watching her. After breakfast we took off for the caves.
Once again, the GPS was a little non-direct and took us on a circuitous route through Custer National Park. Well, what we thought was an unfortunate misdirection ended up being an incredible drive. The Black Hills were endless and if felt like we zig zagged our way through the entire moutain range. But the beauty of the scenery was mesmerizing. We were also blessed with the experience of having Bison pass right in front of the car on the road we traveled. Hundreds of Bison just roaming along like we weren't even there. Fascinating.
When we got to the Wind Caves at 9:35 we were disappointed to find out the 10am tour was full and the next tour was an 1 1/2 tour starting at 10:30. We didn't factor this into our very aggressive schedule, but decided that we are there and this is a very unique experience for the kids. So, off we went, deep into the bowels of the Black Hills. These caves were nothing like the caves I've been in before. This set of caves are considered "dry caves" which means they were created by water flowing through at one time, but do not have water continually flowing through them. Because of this simple, but important fact, there are no living organisms in this cave. Very unusual. The tour was fascinating and the kids enjoyed the experience; glad we decided to stay. So, with our peanut butter, plastic knives and sandwich wraps in hand we headed out to Mamouth Site. Sharon made the sandwiches while I drove.
The Mammouth site was great for Ethan and Matt because they both have always been interested in the Mammouths. The site was an actual archeological dig site preserved in it's unfinished state. The site was purchased from a developer by a private benefactor who realized the importance of maintaining this piece of history. So, a building was actually built around the dig site and students and scientists still study it's contents to this day. The boys were delighted and the girls learned a bit of Mammouth history while we were there.
OK, don't know about you, but I'm certainly tired at this point. But, the day isn't over yet. Now, we need to head out to Wyoming to see Devil's Tower. Another long pull in the hot 96 degree sun. I am so thankful for air conditioning. Driving through South Dakota you really get a feeling for the long, open roads and farmlands that make up the center part of our country. The highways really do seem to go on forever and I find myself celebrating the few mile markers I see along the way. The other thing missing out here are speed limit signs. You see them occasionally, but not with the same regularity as we do out East.
Although Devils' Tower seemed to be out of our way, it was really worth the trip. It's an unbelievable site where pictures just don't provide enough detail. When Ally first saw it she remembered that she had learned a legend in school about the tower. She proceeded to recite to us the legend and when we arrived her rendition was confirmed by the brochure handed to us after paying the park entry fee. I guess she is actually remembering the things she learns in school!!! The tower looks so out of place and almost man made in some ways. The striations running down the side are so straight and almost symmetrical. It is imposing to stand at the base and look up the 860+ feet. There were birds circling at the top like they were waiting for their prey to remain still so they can begin their meal. It made me wonder what is actually at the top, but I wasn't curious enough to strap on the climbing harness to find out. Evidently, you can climb it if you are interested in scaling something that big with an almost completely smooth surface. Nope, not on my bucket list!
Well, that's it for sights today. It's been a great day and we are going to finish up in Sheridan Wyoming for the night. The kids are getting a little sick of the car now, but Yellowstone is only a few days away. Still hanging in there....
Like all the days before, I woke before 5:30. It wasn't a restful sleep last night, but not because of the temperature. Actually, the sleeping temperature was very comfortable. But, the winds picked up and I found myself worried about another wind storm. We got lucky in the Badlands and now I'm a little more cautious. Although the state parks are a tremendous cost savings, the feeling of safety and security of staying at a KOA is definitely a little more satisfying.
As we were packing up the campsite, we heard the rythmic beating of hooves. This KOA has a set of stables and evidently at 6:00am each morning they run the horses down from their barn, past the campgrounds and into the stables for the day. There must have been 200+ horses that passed by our site in a gallop with no less than 10 Cowgirls herding them along the path. Brooke and Robin were both awake to enjoy the sunrise event with me this morning.
After packing up the campsite we went down to the main grounds and enjoyed an all you can eat pancake breakfast. The kids were more interested in catching the flying flapjacks than actually eating them. The draw for the kids was asking for more pancakes. Apparently, in order to get additional cakes you need to catch them. The cook flips them high and you need to get your plate underneath to catch them in the air. Otherwise, they become ant food ;-) Took a few chances because she had 30 people watching her. After breakfast we took off for the caves.
Once again, the GPS was a little non-direct and took us on a circuitous route through Custer National Park. Well, what we thought was an unfortunate misdirection ended up being an incredible drive. The Black Hills were endless and if felt like we zig zagged our way through the entire moutain range. But the beauty of the scenery was mesmerizing. We were also blessed with the experience of having Bison pass right in front of the car on the road we traveled. Hundreds of Bison just roaming along like we weren't even there. Fascinating.
When we got to the Wind Caves at 9:35 we were disappointed to find out the 10am tour was full and the next tour was an 1 1/2 tour starting at 10:30. We didn't factor this into our very aggressive schedule, but decided that we are there and this is a very unique experience for the kids. So, off we went, deep into the bowels of the Black Hills. These caves were nothing like the caves I've been in before. This set of caves are considered "dry caves" which means they were created by water flowing through at one time, but do not have water continually flowing through them. Because of this simple, but important fact, there are no living organisms in this cave. Very unusual. The tour was fascinating and the kids enjoyed the experience; glad we decided to stay. So, with our peanut butter, plastic knives and sandwich wraps in hand we headed out to Mamouth Site. Sharon made the sandwiches while I drove.
The Mammouth site was great for Ethan and Matt because they both have always been interested in the Mammouths. The site was an actual archeological dig site preserved in it's unfinished state. The site was purchased from a developer by a private benefactor who realized the importance of maintaining this piece of history. So, a building was actually built around the dig site and students and scientists still study it's contents to this day. The boys were delighted and the girls learned a bit of Mammouth history while we were there.
OK, don't know about you, but I'm certainly tired at this point. But, the day isn't over yet. Now, we need to head out to Wyoming to see Devil's Tower. Another long pull in the hot 96 degree sun. I am so thankful for air conditioning. Driving through South Dakota you really get a feeling for the long, open roads and farmlands that make up the center part of our country. The highways really do seem to go on forever and I find myself celebrating the few mile markers I see along the way. The other thing missing out here are speed limit signs. You see them occasionally, but not with the same regularity as we do out East.
Although Devils' Tower seemed to be out of our way, it was really worth the trip. It's an unbelievable site where pictures just don't provide enough detail. When Ally first saw it she remembered that she had learned a legend in school about the tower. She proceeded to recite to us the legend and when we arrived her rendition was confirmed by the brochure handed to us after paying the park entry fee. I guess she is actually remembering the things she learns in school!!! The tower looks so out of place and almost man made in some ways. The striations running down the side are so straight and almost symmetrical. It is imposing to stand at the base and look up the 860+ feet. There were birds circling at the top like they were waiting for their prey to remain still so they can begin their meal. It made me wonder what is actually at the top, but I wasn't curious enough to strap on the climbing harness to find out. Evidently, you can climb it if you are interested in scaling something that big with an almost completely smooth surface. Nope, not on my bucket list!
Well, that's it for sights today. It's been a great day and we are going to finish up in Sheridan Wyoming for the night. The kids are getting a little sick of the car now, but Yellowstone is only a few days away. Still hanging in there....
Day 7 - Badlands to Rapid City
Day 7 - From the Badlands to Rapid City, SD
Before I talk about the details of this day, let's review yesterday; big wind storm in the Badlands = no tent to sleep in at this point! Also, we are now in the Mountain time zone and I am not adjusting at all to the time change. I don't know if this is because my mind is in overdrive or if it's because I'm just not at all adjusting. Either way, my day started at 5 am, same as every day during this trip.
When I first woke up I decided to go back to the campsite and take another look at the tent. I was hoping that maybe the damage looked worse last night because we were so deeply disappointed. Maybe there is a small chance that with a little duct tape (which I brought) and some luck I can fix it up just right. So, while everyone slept, I headed back to the Cedar Pass Campgrounds. The tent was right where I left it in a big, messy heap. I spread it out, climbed back in and looked around for more stuff just in case I left anything behind in our haste the night before. Then I took stock of the damage and it was just as I had remembered. Poles were bent beyond repair and lines were snapped in half. I didn't have enough duct tape to fix this. So, I loaded the mess into the car and went back to the motel to pick up the crew. I was thinking that maybe Coleman would replace the tent since I was within the 30 day window. Wishful thinking!
Well, we weren't about to let this little mishap mess up our vacation. Sharon and I were determined to forge on and try to stick to the schedule as much as possible. Little did we know at the time that the day was destined to be challenging!
We did take a wonderful, geological, ranger led tour through the Badlands at 8:30. It was impressive standing amongst the beautiful rock formations that make up the most picturesque sections of the badlands. The most fascinating piece of the tour was the fact that the Badlands were not ever a dinosaur fossil site. Dinosaurs never walked through the Badlands because at the time of the Dinosaurs the Badlands actually connected the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf Stream. Cool tidbit of knowledge. Anyway, the only thing I found disappointing about the tour was the fact that we didn't see one single rattle snake!!!!
After our tour and some independent time in the park, we decided we should probably move on because, like all our other days, we had a jam packed schedule planned. Now, this is a great place to remind ourselves that I have very lofty goals sometimes and forget to account for incidental occurrences that may negatively affect the schedule a little. Examples of unplanned occurrences: Needing to find a new tent, temperatures breaking records at over 110 degrees, getting lost on our way to the caves...
From the Badlands we headed off to Mt Rushmore to see "the boys". Originally, the plans included seeing Mt Rushmore, visiting the Wind Caves and finishing the day with a visit to Mammouth Site. Based on this list one would think that these sites are within a short distance of each other. Nope, there was a little drive time between all these sites and Rapid City itself, which by the way, is where we will find the nearest Walmart and hopefully a replacement for the tent
We arrived at Mt Rushmore along with the crowds. It was insanely crowded. Coupled with the high temps and lack of sleep we were finding ourselves a little groggy and dragging. The tour here was fantastic; well worth the trip. It is a beautifully designed and maintained National Monument whose grandeur is beyond words. You can feel the strength and determination of the workers as you move closer to the monument itself. The kids were fascinated, not bored, by the history of this monument. They even had the last surviving worker there signing his book for a small fee. Fee or no fee, it was pretty cool to listen to the man who hung up there, way above the rocky ground below, helping to build one of the most recognizable monuments in our country.
After visiting "the boys" we are off to find a tent and complete our day. But, for whatever reason that just wasn't going to work out the way we planned. Keep in mind, we haven't even reserved a campsite yet so we're kind of playing with fire now. Anyway, we decide to head to the caves first. The thought here was it's cool down in the caves and it will be a nice relief from the heat. But, our GPS was not liking this remote section of the country. It sent us on a whacky, round about trip where we never found the caves. At this point we decided that maybe this is fate trying to slow us down. So, we back tracked into Rapid City to the Walmart to buy the tent.
Usually, I am not a fan of any Walmart because of an issue I had many years ago and I still hold a grudge. But, in a pinch, I will cross the threshold of a Walmart if necessary. As it turns out, this Walmart was awarded the "Best Store" in the country. And, surprisingly, it lived up to it's recognition. Anything you needed was there including a full grocery store, massage services, nail salon and hair salon. So, we decided why not get Matt's haircut in South Dakota. I didn't have time before we left so why not?!?!?! Done in 10 minutes and cost $11. What a bargain!!!! Oh yeah, and we did find a tent to replace our mangled mess. So, there in the Rapid City, South Dakota Walmart parking lot we left our old tent (next to a garbage can) and drove off to find a place to stay; hopefully one with a pool! It was so hot and the kids were real troopers up to this point.
We left Rapid City and headed out towards Custer State Park. The thought was we would crash at a Holiday Inn Express, Best Western or something similar. Staying in a tent in 100+ degree weather was not appealing. Well, our gray cloud continued to follow us down route 385. All the adequate hotels were fully booked and the cabins at various campsites were all booked as well. Guess we're pitching the tent after all. So, we pulled into the most amazing KOA campgrounds I've ever seen in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The kids were delighted to have a pool and could care less about dinner. So, they swam and we did some laundry and regrouped to plan the days ahead.
Before I talk about the details of this day, let's review yesterday; big wind storm in the Badlands = no tent to sleep in at this point! Also, we are now in the Mountain time zone and I am not adjusting at all to the time change. I don't know if this is because my mind is in overdrive or if it's because I'm just not at all adjusting. Either way, my day started at 5 am, same as every day during this trip.
When I first woke up I decided to go back to the campsite and take another look at the tent. I was hoping that maybe the damage looked worse last night because we were so deeply disappointed. Maybe there is a small chance that with a little duct tape (which I brought) and some luck I can fix it up just right. So, while everyone slept, I headed back to the Cedar Pass Campgrounds. The tent was right where I left it in a big, messy heap. I spread it out, climbed back in and looked around for more stuff just in case I left anything behind in our haste the night before. Then I took stock of the damage and it was just as I had remembered. Poles were bent beyond repair and lines were snapped in half. I didn't have enough duct tape to fix this. So, I loaded the mess into the car and went back to the motel to pick up the crew. I was thinking that maybe Coleman would replace the tent since I was within the 30 day window. Wishful thinking!
Well, we weren't about to let this little mishap mess up our vacation. Sharon and I were determined to forge on and try to stick to the schedule as much as possible. Little did we know at the time that the day was destined to be challenging!
We did take a wonderful, geological, ranger led tour through the Badlands at 8:30. It was impressive standing amongst the beautiful rock formations that make up the most picturesque sections of the badlands. The most fascinating piece of the tour was the fact that the Badlands were not ever a dinosaur fossil site. Dinosaurs never walked through the Badlands because at the time of the Dinosaurs the Badlands actually connected the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf Stream. Cool tidbit of knowledge. Anyway, the only thing I found disappointing about the tour was the fact that we didn't see one single rattle snake!!!!
After our tour and some independent time in the park, we decided we should probably move on because, like all our other days, we had a jam packed schedule planned. Now, this is a great place to remind ourselves that I have very lofty goals sometimes and forget to account for incidental occurrences that may negatively affect the schedule a little. Examples of unplanned occurrences: Needing to find a new tent, temperatures breaking records at over 110 degrees, getting lost on our way to the caves...
From the Badlands we headed off to Mt Rushmore to see "the boys". Originally, the plans included seeing Mt Rushmore, visiting the Wind Caves and finishing the day with a visit to Mammouth Site. Based on this list one would think that these sites are within a short distance of each other. Nope, there was a little drive time between all these sites and Rapid City itself, which by the way, is where we will find the nearest Walmart and hopefully a replacement for the tent
We arrived at Mt Rushmore along with the crowds. It was insanely crowded. Coupled with the high temps and lack of sleep we were finding ourselves a little groggy and dragging. The tour here was fantastic; well worth the trip. It is a beautifully designed and maintained National Monument whose grandeur is beyond words. You can feel the strength and determination of the workers as you move closer to the monument itself. The kids were fascinated, not bored, by the history of this monument. They even had the last surviving worker there signing his book for a small fee. Fee or no fee, it was pretty cool to listen to the man who hung up there, way above the rocky ground below, helping to build one of the most recognizable monuments in our country.
After visiting "the boys" we are off to find a tent and complete our day. But, for whatever reason that just wasn't going to work out the way we planned. Keep in mind, we haven't even reserved a campsite yet so we're kind of playing with fire now. Anyway, we decide to head to the caves first. The thought here was it's cool down in the caves and it will be a nice relief from the heat. But, our GPS was not liking this remote section of the country. It sent us on a whacky, round about trip where we never found the caves. At this point we decided that maybe this is fate trying to slow us down. So, we back tracked into Rapid City to the Walmart to buy the tent.
Usually, I am not a fan of any Walmart because of an issue I had many years ago and I still hold a grudge. But, in a pinch, I will cross the threshold of a Walmart if necessary. As it turns out, this Walmart was awarded the "Best Store" in the country. And, surprisingly, it lived up to it's recognition. Anything you needed was there including a full grocery store, massage services, nail salon and hair salon. So, we decided why not get Matt's haircut in South Dakota. I didn't have time before we left so why not?!?!?! Done in 10 minutes and cost $11. What a bargain!!!! Oh yeah, and we did find a tent to replace our mangled mess. So, there in the Rapid City, South Dakota Walmart parking lot we left our old tent (next to a garbage can) and drove off to find a place to stay; hopefully one with a pool! It was so hot and the kids were real troopers up to this point.
We left Rapid City and headed out towards Custer State Park. The thought was we would crash at a Holiday Inn Express, Best Western or something similar. Staying in a tent in 100+ degree weather was not appealing. Well, our gray cloud continued to follow us down route 385. All the adequate hotels were fully booked and the cabins at various campsites were all booked as well. Guess we're pitching the tent after all. So, we pulled into the most amazing KOA campgrounds I've ever seen in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The kids were delighted to have a pool and could care less about dinner. So, they swam and we did some laundry and regrouped to plan the days ahead.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Day 6 - Desmet, SD to the Badlands, SD
Day 6 - Desmet to the Badlands of South Dakota
Well, we didn't get our wish from last night....Robin was up by 5:30! We talked her into letting the others sleep until 6 though. But, once they started waking up they were moving. The thrill of spending time with the kittens is driving them. The only challenge now for us is finding a place to shower. No showers here.
So, we spent a few hours poking around the homestead some more. Breakfast was not important for the kids. They wanted to do farm chores. So, Matthew was tasked with cleaning the water bowls and refilling them for the chickens, calf, kittens and chicks. Robin and Brooke were busy doing their chores at the house. They helped to get things setup for visitors that day. Ally and Matthew then got to feed the kittens, mama cat and the calf. Feeding the calf was interesting. The calf was being bottle fed because it was rejected by its mother. So, the bottle used to feed this 2 month old calf was bigger than a 1 gallon jug of milk. That calf was hungry because the milk was gone in 2 minutes flat!
Meanwhile, Sharon and I were sitting on the front porch of the bunkhouse just watching the prairie wake up slowly. Little by little the critters of the prairie emerged to soak up the morning sun. It was a beautiful morning. A light breeze blowing in from the East bringing with it the smells of wheat and corn. There were long shadows cast from the little school house and the chapel.
Once the kids were done with their chores we took a walk down to the chapel. The chapel is hardly big enough to hold 40 people. It is simple in design. The fascinating thing is it had 4 organs all from different periods of time and all in working condition. The noise the kids made playing those organs was deafening. Ally and Brooke took turns reading a passage from the bible to the small congregation of 7 (us!). Meanwhile, Sharon and I read about the history of the chapel and looked through the visitor's log. The log had people from all over the world. Two people in particular stood out: 1) a woman who was baptized in the chapel in 1961 and her mother who taught at the little school in the 1950's and 2) a family from Sweden who came over to learn a little about their relatives who settled in Desmet. There is so much history here and it is such a warm, welcoming place. It really was a "find" and we are very thankful we stopped here. But, it was time to move on.
Finally, after stopping at Subway for a Brunch like meal we headed out for the Badlands of South Dakota. We had a good ride ahead of us on very long stretches of South Dakota highway. Boy, it's amazing how straight and flat these roads can be when you've been driving for a while. As we started to near the Badlands the landscape started to change a little into rolling hills. Everywhere you look there are cows standing out int he fields as far as the eyes can see. It looks a little like someone sprinkled pepper all over the hills.
We didn't need billboards or road signs to know we were getting close to the Badlands. The landscape changed from rolling farms to mind boggling rock formations. We pulled in at the Cedar Pass Campgrounds just after 3pm. It's a first for us to arrive at a campsite before 7pm! We checked in and went to the campsite to set up before heading out to go explore the Badlands. The tent was pitched and filled with our sleeping bags and clothes in no time at all. The kids were motivated to go exploring so they helped us setup. Note: it was a little windy so we staked down the tent (8 stakes) and then staked down all the guide lines (6 more) unzipped all the windows to allow for air flow. This is all very important to know....
We headed off to explore the badlands and run over to Wall, SD to experience Wall Drug and do some grocery shopping. While there we ate at the Cactus Cafe (not recommended) and shopped a little over at Wall Drug. I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to go to Wall again, but it is all part of the experience. When we were finishing up at the grocery store we looked South towards the Badlands and saw this really, really dark cloud formation. It was dark and menacing, one of those storm clouds that rolls in on a hot summer day and pours down rain so hard that the water stands in 6" pools on the roads and parking lots. Oh, oh there is the thunder and lightening to go with the dark cloud. Yikes, our stuff!!! So, we tore out of Wall down the highway at speeds I won't mention because Mark will complain about me wasting the gas. We wanted to salvage our stuff before the rains hit.
One thing we noticed on the wild ride back were the strong winds. Especially when we got into the Badlands. They really started to pick up. As we approached the campsite the rain started to fall. We were trying to hurry to the site without killing someone. As we approached the campgrounds things looked strange. The tents around the campgrounds were flat; people had pulled their poles out!?!? It was unclear what was going on at the time, but we started to panic a little when we approached our campsite and there was no tent!!! It was surreal!!! Who would take our tent???? Then we parked in our site and looked around and everyone else was sitting in their cars and RV's; just sitting. The people around us were looking at us and finally the guy next to our site came out to talk to me. Apparently, there were winds topping out at almost 60miles and hour and our tent was picked up and blown almost two football field lengths into the fields. yes, those fields comprised of the tall grass where all the snakes live! The winds were still swirling, but not blowing as hard. The lightening storm was beautiful and mesmerizing. Flashes of white lines streaking through the purple gray skies in the East and the beautiful orange sunset behind us in the West.
Meanwhile, Sharon, Nice Neighbor Man and I went walking through the tall grass to retrieve our tent. While we were jogging through the field he was explaining to us exactly what it looked like when the tent got swept away by the gusting winds. In short, picture Dorothy's house getting swept up by the twister and you get a good idea. He was shocked that we had as much stuff in there as we did. He said it didn't even look like there was anything in there when the tent flew. We dragged the tent back through the fields (no snakes) and plunked it down in the campsite. Now, the storm is still going on around us and there we stand trying to empty out the contents of the tent while the kids watch from inside the car. Sharon and I just kept chucking all our stuff into the car on top of the kids until the tent was empty. I then took a quick look at the condition of the tent and realized that it was beyond repair. Two poles snapped in half and 3 guide lines had snapped off. UGH. Now what.
We folded up the tent and left it at the campsite and struck out looking for a cabin or motel for the night. Everything in the immediate area was booked so we had to travel a little. We finally found a little run down motel up the road a bit that had exactly 1 room left...sold!!! It wasn't much, it wasn't clean, it wasn't friendly, but it was safe and dry. There we unpacked and took stock of the day. It could have been much worse and in the end we are all fine. Maybe our trip to Wall was for a reason? Whether it was or wasn't, we all know that unplanned things happen and we need to be calm, flexible and open minded so we can figure out the alternatives. Finding a tent for the rest of the trip is going to be the priority for the next day.
Well, we didn't get our wish from last night....Robin was up by 5:30! We talked her into letting the others sleep until 6 though. But, once they started waking up they were moving. The thrill of spending time with the kittens is driving them. The only challenge now for us is finding a place to shower. No showers here.
So, we spent a few hours poking around the homestead some more. Breakfast was not important for the kids. They wanted to do farm chores. So, Matthew was tasked with cleaning the water bowls and refilling them for the chickens, calf, kittens and chicks. Robin and Brooke were busy doing their chores at the house. They helped to get things setup for visitors that day. Ally and Matthew then got to feed the kittens, mama cat and the calf. Feeding the calf was interesting. The calf was being bottle fed because it was rejected by its mother. So, the bottle used to feed this 2 month old calf was bigger than a 1 gallon jug of milk. That calf was hungry because the milk was gone in 2 minutes flat!
Meanwhile, Sharon and I were sitting on the front porch of the bunkhouse just watching the prairie wake up slowly. Little by little the critters of the prairie emerged to soak up the morning sun. It was a beautiful morning. A light breeze blowing in from the East bringing with it the smells of wheat and corn. There were long shadows cast from the little school house and the chapel.
Once the kids were done with their chores we took a walk down to the chapel. The chapel is hardly big enough to hold 40 people. It is simple in design. The fascinating thing is it had 4 organs all from different periods of time and all in working condition. The noise the kids made playing those organs was deafening. Ally and Brooke took turns reading a passage from the bible to the small congregation of 7 (us!). Meanwhile, Sharon and I read about the history of the chapel and looked through the visitor's log. The log had people from all over the world. Two people in particular stood out: 1) a woman who was baptized in the chapel in 1961 and her mother who taught at the little school in the 1950's and 2) a family from Sweden who came over to learn a little about their relatives who settled in Desmet. There is so much history here and it is such a warm, welcoming place. It really was a "find" and we are very thankful we stopped here. But, it was time to move on.
Finally, after stopping at Subway for a Brunch like meal we headed out for the Badlands of South Dakota. We had a good ride ahead of us on very long stretches of South Dakota highway. Boy, it's amazing how straight and flat these roads can be when you've been driving for a while. As we started to near the Badlands the landscape started to change a little into rolling hills. Everywhere you look there are cows standing out int he fields as far as the eyes can see. It looks a little like someone sprinkled pepper all over the hills.
We didn't need billboards or road signs to know we were getting close to the Badlands. The landscape changed from rolling farms to mind boggling rock formations. We pulled in at the Cedar Pass Campgrounds just after 3pm. It's a first for us to arrive at a campsite before 7pm! We checked in and went to the campsite to set up before heading out to go explore the Badlands. The tent was pitched and filled with our sleeping bags and clothes in no time at all. The kids were motivated to go exploring so they helped us setup. Note: it was a little windy so we staked down the tent (8 stakes) and then staked down all the guide lines (6 more) unzipped all the windows to allow for air flow. This is all very important to know....
We headed off to explore the badlands and run over to Wall, SD to experience Wall Drug and do some grocery shopping. While there we ate at the Cactus Cafe (not recommended) and shopped a little over at Wall Drug. I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to go to Wall again, but it is all part of the experience. When we were finishing up at the grocery store we looked South towards the Badlands and saw this really, really dark cloud formation. It was dark and menacing, one of those storm clouds that rolls in on a hot summer day and pours down rain so hard that the water stands in 6" pools on the roads and parking lots. Oh, oh there is the thunder and lightening to go with the dark cloud. Yikes, our stuff!!! So, we tore out of Wall down the highway at speeds I won't mention because Mark will complain about me wasting the gas. We wanted to salvage our stuff before the rains hit.
One thing we noticed on the wild ride back were the strong winds. Especially when we got into the Badlands. They really started to pick up. As we approached the campsite the rain started to fall. We were trying to hurry to the site without killing someone. As we approached the campgrounds things looked strange. The tents around the campgrounds were flat; people had pulled their poles out!?!? It was unclear what was going on at the time, but we started to panic a little when we approached our campsite and there was no tent!!! It was surreal!!! Who would take our tent???? Then we parked in our site and looked around and everyone else was sitting in their cars and RV's; just sitting. The people around us were looking at us and finally the guy next to our site came out to talk to me. Apparently, there were winds topping out at almost 60miles and hour and our tent was picked up and blown almost two football field lengths into the fields. yes, those fields comprised of the tall grass where all the snakes live! The winds were still swirling, but not blowing as hard. The lightening storm was beautiful and mesmerizing. Flashes of white lines streaking through the purple gray skies in the East and the beautiful orange sunset behind us in the West.
Meanwhile, Sharon, Nice Neighbor Man and I went walking through the tall grass to retrieve our tent. While we were jogging through the field he was explaining to us exactly what it looked like when the tent got swept away by the gusting winds. In short, picture Dorothy's house getting swept up by the twister and you get a good idea. He was shocked that we had as much stuff in there as we did. He said it didn't even look like there was anything in there when the tent flew. We dragged the tent back through the fields (no snakes) and plunked it down in the campsite. Now, the storm is still going on around us and there we stand trying to empty out the contents of the tent while the kids watch from inside the car. Sharon and I just kept chucking all our stuff into the car on top of the kids until the tent was empty. I then took a quick look at the condition of the tent and realized that it was beyond repair. Two poles snapped in half and 3 guide lines had snapped off. UGH. Now what.
We folded up the tent and left it at the campsite and struck out looking for a cabin or motel for the night. Everything in the immediate area was booked so we had to travel a little. We finally found a little run down motel up the road a bit that had exactly 1 room left...sold!!! It wasn't much, it wasn't clean, it wasn't friendly, but it was safe and dry. There we unpacked and took stock of the day. It could have been much worse and in the end we are all fine. Maybe our trip to Wall was for a reason? Whether it was or wasn't, we all know that unplanned things happen and we need to be calm, flexible and open minded so we can figure out the alternatives. Finding a tent for the rest of the trip is going to be the priority for the next day.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Day 5 - Wisconsin Dells, WI to Desmet, SD
Day 5 - Wisconsin Dells to Desmet, SD (Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead)
We woke up early, 5:30 to be exact, listening to the birds of the woods. There is something so serene about waking up in the woods an listening to the woods waking up with you. We knew this day was going to be another long car ride so we started packing right away. The kids were tired after our day of play so it was going to be an easy day in the car for everyone. Our goal was to head out by 7 am. But, like any other best laid plans, that wasn't going to happen.
It turned out that we really needed to do laundry so we headed down into Desmet to find a place to do our laundry and eat some breakfast. This all set us back a bit so we didn't end up leaving until just after 9 am. We knew we had some long roads ahead so everyone hunkered down and we listened to our book together.
By noon we were all a little restless so we stopped at an Amish Bakery/Restaurant in Minnesota. Bought some bread to make our PB&J sandwiches and treats for the kids. It wasn't what everyone pictured as Amish though. We did see some Amish families traveling in their horse and buggies down dirt paths, but this restaurant didn't look very Amish. However, the kids did get to jump up into an Amish buggy for a picture.
So, we set off again. It's amazing how different the states can be in some ways when you are driving down the highway. Wisconsin was hilly and green. Had rolling hills and lots of cattle farms. Minnesota was surprising. They also had lots of cattle and corn farms, but they also had tons of wind farms. Most of the ride through Minnesota we saw those huge wind farms. The best part of this leg was crossing over the Mississippi River near LaCrosse Wisconsin. The kids were very excited to see LaCrosse on the signs...my how the little things entertain!
It was still a decent drive before we hit South Dakota, but we knew we were there without even a sign to tell us. It is so flat and full of corn and wheat. Crops as far as the eye can see. Long roads that appear to run off into the horizon ahead. It's mesmerizing when you're driving. The roads were so hot that they looked like they were moving up ahead. Maybe I was just getting tired, but the kids noticed it too so I'm not losing my mind. It was very fascinating to look out over the crop fields and see what looked like islands of trees. Tucked deep within those trees were huge farm houses. So, these vast fields would have dots of green islands throughout. Of course, it's obvious why they have the trees around the houses, but it really adds a very unique look to the landscape.
Finally, we arrive in Desmet at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead. It's just after 5pm and we are weary. The people here are so nice and accommadating that they start walking us through the tour. We took a covered wagon ride out to the schoolhouse where a woman, somewhere in her 90's, patiently and enthusiastically took us through a typical day in school for kids of Laura's error as well as some fascinating history about Laura herself. The kids all got to dress the part as the children of the error and they learned a little about their roles in school. We hopped back on the wagon for our ride back to the farm. On the way we learned about farming and planting crops; the kids each got a turn driving the team of horses.
Once back, we explored the "Shanty" which is wear Laura and her family lived during their time in Desmet. The most fascinating part of our visit here has been the fact that they encourage people to touch everything. There is nothing off limits. The kids washed clothes using the old wash board and ringer method. They went down to the well to get water. They also got to play on the old organ where you have to pump the pedals! The most exciting part for the kids though, not surprisingly, was the fact that there are three brand, new baby kittens in the barn. They are so happy just sitting and watching the kittens interact with each other and their mom. Matthew got to take one of the ponies for a walk through the meadow for some grass. Brooke and Robin climbed up on the barn roof to help one of the kittens get out of an awkward situation.
By the time we were done looking around, it was after 8pm and we were hungry. Ooops, Desmet on a Sunday night is rolled up and gone. Thank goodness even the more remote locations in this country have Subways'!!! By the time we got back to the Homestead and settled it was after 10pm local time. So much for getting the kids, or moms for that matter, to bed early. The kids set a pact that whoever wakes up first wakes everyone else so they can go hang out with the ponies and kittens. Sharon and I were hoping that this wasn't going to be too early.....
We woke up early, 5:30 to be exact, listening to the birds of the woods. There is something so serene about waking up in the woods an listening to the woods waking up with you. We knew this day was going to be another long car ride so we started packing right away. The kids were tired after our day of play so it was going to be an easy day in the car for everyone. Our goal was to head out by 7 am. But, like any other best laid plans, that wasn't going to happen.
It turned out that we really needed to do laundry so we headed down into Desmet to find a place to do our laundry and eat some breakfast. This all set us back a bit so we didn't end up leaving until just after 9 am. We knew we had some long roads ahead so everyone hunkered down and we listened to our book together.
By noon we were all a little restless so we stopped at an Amish Bakery/Restaurant in Minnesota. Bought some bread to make our PB&J sandwiches and treats for the kids. It wasn't what everyone pictured as Amish though. We did see some Amish families traveling in their horse and buggies down dirt paths, but this restaurant didn't look very Amish. However, the kids did get to jump up into an Amish buggy for a picture.
So, we set off again. It's amazing how different the states can be in some ways when you are driving down the highway. Wisconsin was hilly and green. Had rolling hills and lots of cattle farms. Minnesota was surprising. They also had lots of cattle and corn farms, but they also had tons of wind farms. Most of the ride through Minnesota we saw those huge wind farms. The best part of this leg was crossing over the Mississippi River near LaCrosse Wisconsin. The kids were very excited to see LaCrosse on the signs...my how the little things entertain!
It was still a decent drive before we hit South Dakota, but we knew we were there without even a sign to tell us. It is so flat and full of corn and wheat. Crops as far as the eye can see. Long roads that appear to run off into the horizon ahead. It's mesmerizing when you're driving. The roads were so hot that they looked like they were moving up ahead. Maybe I was just getting tired, but the kids noticed it too so I'm not losing my mind. It was very fascinating to look out over the crop fields and see what looked like islands of trees. Tucked deep within those trees were huge farm houses. So, these vast fields would have dots of green islands throughout. Of course, it's obvious why they have the trees around the houses, but it really adds a very unique look to the landscape.
Finally, we arrive in Desmet at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Homestead. It's just after 5pm and we are weary. The people here are so nice and accommadating that they start walking us through the tour. We took a covered wagon ride out to the schoolhouse where a woman, somewhere in her 90's, patiently and enthusiastically took us through a typical day in school for kids of Laura's error as well as some fascinating history about Laura herself. The kids all got to dress the part as the children of the error and they learned a little about their roles in school. We hopped back on the wagon for our ride back to the farm. On the way we learned about farming and planting crops; the kids each got a turn driving the team of horses.
Once back, we explored the "Shanty" which is wear Laura and her family lived during their time in Desmet. The most fascinating part of our visit here has been the fact that they encourage people to touch everything. There is nothing off limits. The kids washed clothes using the old wash board and ringer method. They went down to the well to get water. They also got to play on the old organ where you have to pump the pedals! The most exciting part for the kids though, not surprisingly, was the fact that there are three brand, new baby kittens in the barn. They are so happy just sitting and watching the kittens interact with each other and their mom. Matthew got to take one of the ponies for a walk through the meadow for some grass. Brooke and Robin climbed up on the barn roof to help one of the kittens get out of an awkward situation.
By the time we were done looking around, it was after 8pm and we were hungry. Ooops, Desmet on a Sunday night is rolled up and gone. Thank goodness even the more remote locations in this country have Subways'!!! By the time we got back to the Homestead and settled it was after 10pm local time. So much for getting the kids, or moms for that matter, to bed early. The kids set a pact that whoever wakes up first wakes everyone else so they can go hang out with the ponies and kittens. Sharon and I were hoping that this wasn't going to be too early.....
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Day 4 - Fun in the Dells!
This day was scheduled as a "fun day". Sharon and I figured that sprinkling some kid time into our many, many miles of travel would help them enjoy the trip more. What we didn't know was that this stop was going to be way more fun than we originally imagined!
Before I talk about the day I have to mention the discussion we had in the car about what is a "Dell". For those that don't know, a Dell is basically a valley. So, Wisconsin Dells is a small town nestled in a valley basically in the middle of the state, population 2,678 (I think). This little area is packed with enough attractions, events and activities to keep a family busy for three straight days.
Originally, we had intended to just spend the day at a water park figuring that would be ample for the kids. The park was a blast. Supposedly the biggest water park in the country. The kids all made the height limit for every attraction which not only made the day extra fun for them, but also a great relief for me. The weather was mid-seventies and overcast so the crowds were down and the lines reasonable. We were cold, but decided to tough it out for the sake of fun. OK, maybe I made them tough it out, but either way it was worth it. The day at the water park was a huge success! We finished up at around 4:30 and probably could have called it a day and just gone for an early dinner. But, we couldn't resist adding some more fun to our adventure.
The kids were begging us to go drive the go karts. Now, for the Chalmers kids, this is always a challenge. Usually none of the kids are tall enough to drive on their own, so Mark and I take turns driving each child so they each get a turn. Anybody who has driven with me on go karts or golf carts (Dorothy & Linda) know exactly what to expect. All for the fun of it ;-) Anyway, this time Ally and Brooke were both tall enough to take their own cars. I can't begin to tell you how excited they were to finally do this on their own. Especially for Ally. Anyway, Matthew was a bit disappointed at first, but that soon changed when I let him take the wheel and I controlled the gas. This course was a blast. It had lots of hills and 'S' turns to keep it fun. Matt steered well and I controlled the skids. But the race was on and we were out there with some pretty sketchy drivers. There was a lot of bumping and cut-offs happening out there. Ally was little aggressive terror...hmmm, maybe we'll hold off on her license. Brooke was driving like an old person on Sunday after church. But, it was her first time driving something so we didn't pick on her too much. Matthew was so happy to steer that he didn't realize we fell behind a little.
Robin and Ally were the first two cars called in to the pit stop at the end of the run. At the top of each pit stop row is an orange come to signify to the first car where to stop. Well, Ally was coming in hot so the guy working there was giving her the 'slow down' signal. Instead of hitting the brake she hit the gas and ran over the cone which got stuck under the car. The guy was laughing so hard as he pulled the cone out to safety and waved Ally around for her final lap. Once again, maybe we'll hold off on a license for her. The kids begged for a second run so off they went. Much less eventful the second time around.
OK, now most people would have stopped there, but not the Chalmers/Kerrs'. It was just before 5pm and the kids saw a sign for zip lining. Sharon and I got the low down on the activity and talked it over. We decided "why not", we're here we might as well enjoy it! So, I took my kids and Robin on a 2 hour zip lining tour through the woods and over some rivers and ponds. It was such an amazing experience for us. We not only learned how to zip line, but we learned how to do tricks on the line while flying through the air. Mine and Ally's favorite, of course, was hanging upside down. Brooke & Matt loved jumping off the platform. Robin liked the trust fall. The first zip line was scary because we had never done anything like it before. I will say, I was more scared about the safety of the kids rather than the activity itself. Once we got through the first zip and I realized how safe this really is and we had a great time from there. The last zip was a dual zip where two people can race. Robin beat Ally, Brooke beat Matt and I got my butt kicked by a 6-foot+ man who was a trained air force ranger. Gotta work on my game!
The tour was done by 8pm and we still hadn't eaten. Off to find some dinner and get these kids to bed. They were absolutely exhausted, but happy little critters. I think they all were asleep within 5 minutes of laying down last night. The tent was dead quiet shortly after we got back. I only read about 2 pages in my book and I was out too. It was a great day!!!
Sharon and I were talking about it this morning and we both agreed that we are extremely lucky that all five of the kids are very flexible and do a great job just going with the flow. So far the trip has been amazing.
Before I talk about the day I have to mention the discussion we had in the car about what is a "Dell". For those that don't know, a Dell is basically a valley. So, Wisconsin Dells is a small town nestled in a valley basically in the middle of the state, population 2,678 (I think). This little area is packed with enough attractions, events and activities to keep a family busy for three straight days.
Originally, we had intended to just spend the day at a water park figuring that would be ample for the kids. The park was a blast. Supposedly the biggest water park in the country. The kids all made the height limit for every attraction which not only made the day extra fun for them, but also a great relief for me. The weather was mid-seventies and overcast so the crowds were down and the lines reasonable. We were cold, but decided to tough it out for the sake of fun. OK, maybe I made them tough it out, but either way it was worth it. The day at the water park was a huge success! We finished up at around 4:30 and probably could have called it a day and just gone for an early dinner. But, we couldn't resist adding some more fun to our adventure.
The kids were begging us to go drive the go karts. Now, for the Chalmers kids, this is always a challenge. Usually none of the kids are tall enough to drive on their own, so Mark and I take turns driving each child so they each get a turn. Anybody who has driven with me on go karts or golf carts (Dorothy & Linda) know exactly what to expect. All for the fun of it ;-) Anyway, this time Ally and Brooke were both tall enough to take their own cars. I can't begin to tell you how excited they were to finally do this on their own. Especially for Ally. Anyway, Matthew was a bit disappointed at first, but that soon changed when I let him take the wheel and I controlled the gas. This course was a blast. It had lots of hills and 'S' turns to keep it fun. Matt steered well and I controlled the skids. But the race was on and we were out there with some pretty sketchy drivers. There was a lot of bumping and cut-offs happening out there. Ally was little aggressive terror...hmmm, maybe we'll hold off on her license. Brooke was driving like an old person on Sunday after church. But, it was her first time driving something so we didn't pick on her too much. Matthew was so happy to steer that he didn't realize we fell behind a little.
Robin and Ally were the first two cars called in to the pit stop at the end of the run. At the top of each pit stop row is an orange come to signify to the first car where to stop. Well, Ally was coming in hot so the guy working there was giving her the 'slow down' signal. Instead of hitting the brake she hit the gas and ran over the cone which got stuck under the car. The guy was laughing so hard as he pulled the cone out to safety and waved Ally around for her final lap. Once again, maybe we'll hold off on a license for her. The kids begged for a second run so off they went. Much less eventful the second time around.
OK, now most people would have stopped there, but not the Chalmers/Kerrs'. It was just before 5pm and the kids saw a sign for zip lining. Sharon and I got the low down on the activity and talked it over. We decided "why not", we're here we might as well enjoy it! So, I took my kids and Robin on a 2 hour zip lining tour through the woods and over some rivers and ponds. It was such an amazing experience for us. We not only learned how to zip line, but we learned how to do tricks on the line while flying through the air. Mine and Ally's favorite, of course, was hanging upside down. Brooke & Matt loved jumping off the platform. Robin liked the trust fall. The first zip line was scary because we had never done anything like it before. I will say, I was more scared about the safety of the kids rather than the activity itself. Once we got through the first zip and I realized how safe this really is and we had a great time from there. The last zip was a dual zip where two people can race. Robin beat Ally, Brooke beat Matt and I got my butt kicked by a 6-foot+ man who was a trained air force ranger. Gotta work on my game!
The tour was done by 8pm and we still hadn't eaten. Off to find some dinner and get these kids to bed. They were absolutely exhausted, but happy little critters. I think they all were asleep within 5 minutes of laying down last night. The tent was dead quiet shortly after we got back. I only read about 2 pages in my book and I was out too. It was a great day!!!
Sharon and I were talking about it this morning and we both agreed that we are extremely lucky that all five of the kids are very flexible and do a great job just going with the flow. So far the trip has been amazing.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Day 3 - Amherst to Wisconsin Dells
This is not going to be one of the more exciting days on the trip. We told the kids it was a "travel day" so everyone settled in to their seats and we hit the road just after 8am. According to the GPS, which we decided to use regularly now, we had an 8hr and 12min ride. So, everyone got out their books and off we went.
The ride was event free until Chicago. Oh my, what traffic. It was like Boston x 10! We arrived in the Chicago city limits before 3pm and it wasn't until almost 4:30 before we made it back up to highway speeds. From there it was still about 1.5 hours to Wisconsin Dells. I have to say, listening to recorded books along that leg of the trip was a life saver! We will have to find a place where they have some free wifi so I can download more books.
Sharon and I learned a lesson today...camp sites in state parks are REALLY hard to come by in some locations. In Wisconsin, you can't call ahead (on the same day) to reserve a site so we had to take a chance and drive up to one. Thankfully the one we chose had ONE tent site left, whew! The site is rustic. It sits at the top of a hill, all woods and generously sized sites. No water near the sites and the bathroom is a true outhouse style...pit toilets! It's the only way to go!!!
Tomorrow we're off to have some fun in the "Dells"!
The ride was event free until Chicago. Oh my, what traffic. It was like Boston x 10! We arrived in the Chicago city limits before 3pm and it wasn't until almost 4:30 before we made it back up to highway speeds. From there it was still about 1.5 hours to Wisconsin Dells. I have to say, listening to recorded books along that leg of the trip was a life saver! We will have to find a place where they have some free wifi so I can download more books.
Sharon and I learned a lesson today...camp sites in state parks are REALLY hard to come by in some locations. In Wisconsin, you can't call ahead (on the same day) to reserve a site so we had to take a chance and drive up to one. Thankfully the one we chose had ONE tent site left, whew! The site is rustic. It sits at the top of a hill, all woods and generously sized sites. No water near the sites and the bathroom is a true outhouse style...pit toilets! It's the only way to go!!!
Tomorrow we're off to have some fun in the "Dells"!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Day 2 - Niagra to Amherst, Ohio
Today had half the amount of travel and twice the amount of fun. We got up before 7 and started to pack up camp. The instant tent doesn't break down quite as fast as it sets up, but it's still impressively easy to do. We packed up the campsite and had a quick breakfast of yogurt and cheerios. OK, it wasn't the eggs we usually have, but it was quick and easy.
Off we went to start the day with a quick boat ride on the Maid of the Mist. As it turned out, the Brennans had the same idea so we met at the ticket booth and took the boat ride together. It's hard to explain the feeling you have when you are standing there on the deck of the boat listening to the thundering sound of thousands of gallons of water crashing down right in front of your boat. It is so loud that you can't even hear the person standing next to you. It was mesmerizing and beautiful.
After the boat ride we went up to the observation deck overlooking the falls and then took a walk down to the edge to feel the spray and listen to the water rushing over the edge. It's amazing how long you can stand there and watch water rushing by. Fortunately, we knew there was a long ride ahead so it helped to motivate us to move along. But, before we left we decided it would be "education" to watch a film about what we thought was going to be the history behind Niagra Falls. Instead it was a film about a collection of people who went over the falls either by choice or by accident. It was a little disturbing watching this film and Sharon and I both realized we may have just earned the mother-of-the-year award. Perhaps next time we should pay more attention to the title of the film "Legends of the Falls"!
Well, after some ice cream for lunch we took off to Ohio. Fairly uneventful ride; no questionable intersections to try and confuse us. We did learn our lesson after yesterday ;-) Just so you guys know, we did choose to skip the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, against my better judgement. We arrived in Amherst and decided we couldn't go to the Witherow house without something to offer. We had to stop at Walgreen's to get a journal for one of the kids and some other odds and ends. When we were there we realized that the Walgreen's in Ohio not only sell the typical stuff, but they also sell alchohol; who knew?!?!?! So, we bought a bottle of wine and some dessert and headed off to the Witherow's for the night.
When we pulled in I thought this was it for the night. Maybe some dinner, get the kids to bed early, update the blog. Just a typical quiet night was in order, right?!? Nope, instead we decided to go over to lake Erie for an after dinner visit. It started out as just some fun on the beach and turned into a sunset swim for the kids. They were delighted and had a wonderful time. The water was surprisingly warm and the waves were awesome!
Well, so much for early to bed. It's 10pm and we still haven't gotten them to bed. Tomorrow is a long ride so I guess they can try to catch up on sleep then.
More tomorrow....
Off we went to start the day with a quick boat ride on the Maid of the Mist. As it turned out, the Brennans had the same idea so we met at the ticket booth and took the boat ride together. It's hard to explain the feeling you have when you are standing there on the deck of the boat listening to the thundering sound of thousands of gallons of water crashing down right in front of your boat. It is so loud that you can't even hear the person standing next to you. It was mesmerizing and beautiful.
 |
| view from the boat |
After the boat ride we went up to the observation deck overlooking the falls and then took a walk down to the edge to feel the spray and listen to the water rushing over the edge. It's amazing how long you can stand there and watch water rushing by. Fortunately, we knew there was a long ride ahead so it helped to motivate us to move along. But, before we left we decided it would be "education" to watch a film about what we thought was going to be the history behind Niagra Falls. Instead it was a film about a collection of people who went over the falls either by choice or by accident. It was a little disturbing watching this film and Sharon and I both realized we may have just earned the mother-of-the-year award. Perhaps next time we should pay more attention to the title of the film "Legends of the Falls"!
Well, after some ice cream for lunch we took off to Ohio. Fairly uneventful ride; no questionable intersections to try and confuse us. We did learn our lesson after yesterday ;-) Just so you guys know, we did choose to skip the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, against my better judgement. We arrived in Amherst and decided we couldn't go to the Witherow house without something to offer. We had to stop at Walgreen's to get a journal for one of the kids and some other odds and ends. When we were there we realized that the Walgreen's in Ohio not only sell the typical stuff, but they also sell alchohol; who knew?!?!?! So, we bought a bottle of wine and some dessert and headed off to the Witherow's for the night.
When we pulled in I thought this was it for the night. Maybe some dinner, get the kids to bed early, update the blog. Just a typical quiet night was in order, right?!? Nope, instead we decided to go over to lake Erie for an after dinner visit. It started out as just some fun on the beach and turned into a sunset swim for the kids. They were delighted and had a wonderful time. The water was surprisingly warm and the waves were awesome!
Well, so much for early to bed. It's 10pm and we still haven't gotten them to bed. Tomorrow is a long ride so I guess they can try to catch up on sleep then.
More tomorrow....
Day 1 - Framingham to Niagra Falls
 |
| Start of trip |
One bright spot in the morning was Carl stopped by with a Starbucks bag filled with goodies for the trip. Thanks Carl!!! With the Kerr & Chalmers' families finally packed in the car we pulled out of the driveway at 8:07am! The starting mileage was 112,954 and the temp outside was 72 degrees. I turned on the radio and the song playing was "Highway to Hell"; Sharon and I had a good laugh. You can interpret that in so many ways!
Everyone was so excited, but quiet. I think the kids were still a little groggy and the thought of leaving their dads was hard. But, the boys will join us soon enough! Off to Niagra falls. We figured, how hard could this be, you just need to head west right?!!?! So, we decided we didn't need to set the GPS because it was so obvious, until we hit the huge fork in the highway where 87 went to Buffalo and 90 went to Syracuse...oops. First call to Mark (my live GPS) for help. Thanks Mark!
We arrived in Niagra Falls just before 4pm. Plenty of time to visit the Cave of the Winds. What an awesome sound and feeling standing at the bottom of that part of the falls and listening to the crashing water come down right in front of us. It was the perfect day for this and the kids stood on the Hurricane Deck getting soaked but loving every minute of it. Hard to take pictures from that point because there is just no good way to protect the camera. The walk through the caves was just amazing.
 |
| The ponchos are supposed to keep us dry!!! |
 |
| Result of the Hurricane Deck Visit |
After that, we decided that we had to kill some time before setting up camp so we headed over to the Hard Rock Cafe for some dinner and then off to the KOA Niagra to set up. The tent was up in less than a minute...thank you Coleman for creating the instant tent! Sharon and I unpacked and organized ourselves in the tent while the kids played and explored. We thought about going back to the falls at night to see them lit up, but everyone was pretty tired by 9:30. So, off to bed we went....It was an amazing first day!!
We are looking forward to our adventures from here!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Pre Trip Preparation
How do you plan for a trip where the temperature outside will range from possibly over 100 degrees down to the 30's and the temperature inside the car can quickly change from laughter to tears? How do you plan your itinerary when you're not sure how long you want to spend at each location? How do you plan how much food to bring on a trip where you really don't have a sense of where the next grocery store may be? All these questions (and many more) have woken me up early these past few days.
Let me back up a little though for the sake of those who haven't had to listen to me ramble over these past few months about all the things I "want" to do and the places we "will" visit on this trip. Well, Mark did a great job sitting back and letting me ramble because he knew that sooner or later I would definitely figure out that I had some lofty goals and although I tend to drive fast we were not going to be able to see all the places I had in mind. In fact, we really aren't going to see half the places I originally had on my list. But, whatever we end up doing do and whatever we do get to see will all be amazing and memorable for us all!
So, the trip idea was hatched a year ago sitting around the campsites in NH with the Piersons, Leemings, Kerrs, Brennans and Obars. We all knew the Piersons were moving west so we thought it was a great idea to relocate our yearly camping trip to Yellowstone National Park instead of White Lake State Park in New Hampshire. This way, we can continue our tradition with ALL the families together.
Originally, the discussion was centered around the five East Coast families driving out in a caravan style. But, as each of the families started discussing their ideas and goals independently it became apparent that the trips were going to become more of an individual endeavor. Some people wanted to drive the entire route (this is what the Chalmers, Brennans and Obars chose), others wanted to rent RV's and fly home (Kerrs) and others decided that purchasing their own RV was the way to go (you go Leemings!). The best part about this past year was the realization that everyone was dead serious about making this trip and nobody was going to back out!
As time went by the trip was taking on a number of different dimensions for all of us. The most noticeable thing for me was that we really stopped thinking about the details once we decided to drive. It kind of gave me a feeling of freedom to not have to plan airline tickets, RV reservations and hotels. We really didn't think much about the trip until March and then we got pretty bogged down with spring sports.
Then, about a month ago, the emails started flying back and forth between the families." Has anyone planned their trip yet?", "Have we thought about what to pack?", "How are we going to handle feeding the masses (yes, we have 29 people going)?" These were just a few of the questions that we were all trying to answer while getting through the end of the school year, end of the spring sports and planning a massive vacation.
Two weeks ago, Sharon(Kerr) and I sat down to finally start mapping out our trip West. We had some very helpful suggestions from the Bowmans who, incidentally, completed a similar trip last year. Once again, our biggest challenge was actually narrowing down all our ideas. At this point, both families had some time to look through the AAA guide books and pick out some interesting sites and fun locations. We combined our thoughts and came up with a very lofty, but doable, itinerary. There is some potential that Glacier National Park will be visited!
The next big step was packing. We had to fit all the clothes, camping equipment for two families and seven people in my trusty minivan. This was going to require some serious planning. Obviously, the camping equipment was crucial. BTW, we are planning to camp our way out to Yellowstone, weather permitting. The clothes, while not optional, certainly got down graded to a minimal requirement (four shirts, four shorts, four pairs of socks each) With our lists in hand and or departure date nearing we started our preparations.
School ended on Friday, packing began on Saturday. With Mark's help I was able to collect and organize all the camping equipment, warm weather clothes, cool weather clothes and incidentals by the end of the day on Sunday. The family room looked like a college dorm room at the end of Senior Week. On Sunday night we packed the car with all the camping equipment, tent, sleeping bags and blankets and then drove to the Kerr's house to fill the car with the same from their house. The car was looking pretty good.
On Monday we proceeded to pack all the clothes in duffle bags and back packs. I'm amazed at how efficiently we can pack when I put my mind to it. All the clothes, towels, bathing suits, fleeces, shoes fit nicely into 3 duffle bags and two back packs...amazing.
On Tuesday I finished packing the car with all the Chalmers clothes and did the last minute shopping for all the little things. At Target I ran into the Brennans and Kerrs who surprisingly were doing the same thing! The rest of the day Tuesday was spent just getting all the small things settled so I felt comfortable leaving and not worrying about the stuff that I can't do anything about anyway. Sharon was busy putting the final touches on her stuff which we'll finish packing when we pick them up in the morning. Our plans are to leave the house by 7am. My tasks are complete.....off to play some Hockey (gotta make time for some fun ;-)....
Let me back up a little though for the sake of those who haven't had to listen to me ramble over these past few months about all the things I "want" to do and the places we "will" visit on this trip. Well, Mark did a great job sitting back and letting me ramble because he knew that sooner or later I would definitely figure out that I had some lofty goals and although I tend to drive fast we were not going to be able to see all the places I had in mind. In fact, we really aren't going to see half the places I originally had on my list. But, whatever we end up doing do and whatever we do get to see will all be amazing and memorable for us all!
So, the trip idea was hatched a year ago sitting around the campsites in NH with the Piersons, Leemings, Kerrs, Brennans and Obars. We all knew the Piersons were moving west so we thought it was a great idea to relocate our yearly camping trip to Yellowstone National Park instead of White Lake State Park in New Hampshire. This way, we can continue our tradition with ALL the families together.
Originally, the discussion was centered around the five East Coast families driving out in a caravan style. But, as each of the families started discussing their ideas and goals independently it became apparent that the trips were going to become more of an individual endeavor. Some people wanted to drive the entire route (this is what the Chalmers, Brennans and Obars chose), others wanted to rent RV's and fly home (Kerrs) and others decided that purchasing their own RV was the way to go (you go Leemings!). The best part about this past year was the realization that everyone was dead serious about making this trip and nobody was going to back out!
As time went by the trip was taking on a number of different dimensions for all of us. The most noticeable thing for me was that we really stopped thinking about the details once we decided to drive. It kind of gave me a feeling of freedom to not have to plan airline tickets, RV reservations and hotels. We really didn't think much about the trip until March and then we got pretty bogged down with spring sports.
Then, about a month ago, the emails started flying back and forth between the families." Has anyone planned their trip yet?", "Have we thought about what to pack?", "How are we going to handle feeding the masses (yes, we have 29 people going)?" These were just a few of the questions that we were all trying to answer while getting through the end of the school year, end of the spring sports and planning a massive vacation.
Two weeks ago, Sharon(Kerr) and I sat down to finally start mapping out our trip West. We had some very helpful suggestions from the Bowmans who, incidentally, completed a similar trip last year. Once again, our biggest challenge was actually narrowing down all our ideas. At this point, both families had some time to look through the AAA guide books and pick out some interesting sites and fun locations. We combined our thoughts and came up with a very lofty, but doable, itinerary. There is some potential that Glacier National Park will be visited!
The next big step was packing. We had to fit all the clothes, camping equipment for two families and seven people in my trusty minivan. This was going to require some serious planning. Obviously, the camping equipment was crucial. BTW, we are planning to camp our way out to Yellowstone, weather permitting. The clothes, while not optional, certainly got down graded to a minimal requirement (four shirts, four shorts, four pairs of socks each) With our lists in hand and or departure date nearing we started our preparations.
School ended on Friday, packing began on Saturday. With Mark's help I was able to collect and organize all the camping equipment, warm weather clothes, cool weather clothes and incidentals by the end of the day on Sunday. The family room looked like a college dorm room at the end of Senior Week. On Sunday night we packed the car with all the camping equipment, tent, sleeping bags and blankets and then drove to the Kerr's house to fill the car with the same from their house. The car was looking pretty good.
On Monday we proceeded to pack all the clothes in duffle bags and back packs. I'm amazed at how efficiently we can pack when I put my mind to it. All the clothes, towels, bathing suits, fleeces, shoes fit nicely into 3 duffle bags and two back packs...amazing.
On Tuesday I finished packing the car with all the Chalmers clothes and did the last minute shopping for all the little things. At Target I ran into the Brennans and Kerrs who surprisingly were doing the same thing! The rest of the day Tuesday was spent just getting all the small things settled so I felt comfortable leaving and not worrying about the stuff that I can't do anything about anyway. Sharon was busy putting the final touches on her stuff which we'll finish packing when we pick them up in the morning. Our plans are to leave the house by 7am. My tasks are complete.....off to play some Hockey (gotta make time for some fun ;-)....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)