Days 18-19: Trip notes…and a letter to my little rangers.

7 hours until we are home. We all awoke in Rolla, MO with excitement. Final day. I’m ready to be back home. You know that feeling…you’ve had an amazing vacation, and the moment you are set to drive home, you wish you could time-travel. That’s where I am. I start obsessing on the small stuff: my overdue library book, the 3-week hold on our mail, the need for a hair cut, an oil change and my Sonicare, the hundreds of emails I’ve neglected since leaving way back in June.

This trip has been such a blessing. In fact, my head swims when I look back and recount the dozens of places we’ve visited and amazing memories we’ve made. I will close this travel journal with a short letter to the boys. Someday when my memories start to fail me, I think I’m going to enjoy reading these daily accounts and fondly remember our nearly three-week Wild West adventure. xoxoxo

A Letter to My Little Rangers

Dear Drew and Trent,

I am full of emotion as this trip comes to an end. It was the trip of a lifetime, and I am so grateful to God for showering grace and so many blessings upon us. When you look back on this trip, I hope you first remember it was Him who gave us this rare and amazing opportunity to see our great land. I will forever treasure the memories we made and the uninterrupted time we were able to spend together. To enjoy the world He created in some of the most natural and raw states was eye-opening and certainly made me appreciate His majesty as well as the opportunity we have to enjoy it and the responsibility we have to take care of it. I know you’ve learned more about how to do that, Junior Rangers. I’m so proud of you both. I wish I could bottle these moments and freeze time. But our job as parents is to teach you and help you become the very best adults you can be: responsible, loving, respectful, hard-working, wise, humble and compassionate. I hope you are able to take your children on a similar trip someday. Hold their hands and watch their eyes as their world expands at the new sights, sounds and information. It’s been a blessing for me to watch yours.

We have grown as a family, and I look forward to talking about The Trip for years and years to come. I love and appreciate you and your daddy to the moon and back.

Drew-You are wise beyond measure and such a good helper. By the end of the trip, you could almost pitch the tent by yourself! I’m proud of the way you always look for ways to help others people.

Trent-Your light-hearted spirit, talkativeness and playfulness kept the mood light and lots of laughter flowing! Never forget your compassion for and interaction with people, animals (even stuffed ones like Lumberjack) and nature.

Hugs and kisses,
Mommy

Day 17: Post-Sedona, Petrified Forest, Badge #13, a correct turn at Albuquerque, 4,500 miles down. Are we there yet?

With the radar looking ominous last night, we left the Grand Canyon and took the short but very winding road to Sedona, AZ. Staying a couple of days in Sedona was a part of our initial travel plan. Now road weariness was setting in.

If you say “Sedona,” 1 out of every 4 people gasp. So we had to se what it was all about. Correction. I had to see what it was all about. Derek was ready to jettison.

We compromised. (Meaning: I won.)

We arrived in this quaint, upscale and artsy town nestled in tall and beautiful sculpted red rock in time for a late dinner. The campground (Cave Springs) the trip director had originally scouted was full (shocking), along with four others. We elected to drive one hour up the road to Flagstaff and get a room for the night. Big driving day ahead tomorrow! Note: Derek so enjoyed Sedona and his savory dinner, he spontaneously informed the boys, “When mommy has an idea, it’s a good idea to listen.” #unsolicitedkuddos

Monday, 7/15-Day 17: We left Flagstaff, AZ early this morning and drove two hours to our next landmark: Petrified Forest National Park.

The Petrified Forest National Park is one of the world’s largest and most colorful areas of petrified wood (fossilized wood; all the organic materials have been replaced with minerals-mostly quartz-but retain the original lines/circles/bark of the trees). The park showcases fossils over 225 million years old and is recognized for protecting the best representation of the Late Triassic Period in the world. According to the park data, paleontologists discover about two new animal species in the park each year. The park is in the Painted Desert. Pics below. I found the Petroglyphs to be most amazing! Junior ranger badge #13 was bestowed on both boys.

The trip. It’s all fun and games. Until you head east and ask Siri for driving directions home. I believe she said something like, “Would you like me to purchase airline tickets for you?” Yes.

We drove some of the historic Route 66 and passed the Continental Divide again. (First time was Yellowstone.)

Now 4,500 miles into the trip, we’ve got over 1,300 to go before we get home. Drew is participating in a kids triathlon in Louisville this weekend, so the trip director has an aggressive drive schedule set for the next few days. Maybe some more parks? We’ll see!

Arizona. New Mexico. Texas. Oklahoma. Arkansas. Tennessee. Kentucky. Warp speed!

GRAND CANYON VIDEO:

Grand Canyon Rim Walk

Grand Canyon in 10 seconds

Grand Canyon 8 seconds

Grand Canyon 9 seconds

Day 16: The Grand Canyon

Driving into Arizona last night, we worried we might be canyoned out from Utah. Until we reached the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Sunday, July 14: We checked in at the enormous visitor center before noon, picked up our junior ranger programs and set out on the park’s blue line bus. After a transfer to the red line (no personal automobiles allowed on this path), we continued west on our route, getting off the bus at every scenic spot on the line. The NPS does an amazing job shuttling visitors from sight to sight–perfect for a family with young children. A few pictures below. In addition to seeing spectacular sites, one of our goals was a stop at Hopi Point to see a California Condor nest and attend the ranger-led program, where we viewed a baby condor in a cave through a high-powered telescope. I also found the fact that 4,000 park rangers currently live in compounds in the Grand Canyon fascinating. There is even a school for their children.

With lots more of the Grand Canyon to see, the boys had done enough to earn Junior Ranger badge #12. Their badges now occupy the last vacant loops on their ranger hats.

TRIP NOTES FOR TODAY:

Some landmarks have been like a drive-thru restaurant. Others have been like a slow dance. Regardless, it has been amazing to sample so many national parks and monuments and know which ones we want to go back and see again and again via bicycle, canoe, backcountry trek, horseback ride, Jeep tour, helicopter flyover….

It’s surreal to me how the campgrounds, particularly in the national parks, sell out months in advance. We arrived at the Grand Canyon at 8 pm last night, and all the NPS campgrounds were full. Three hotels were sold out, and we got the next to last room at the Best Western at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon! It’s high travel season, and the parks are the place to be! Future travel note: make reservations weeks/months early!

With just three more clean outfits remaining, I’m missing my washing machine. It’s odd being nomadic for over two weeks.

The boys often match on purpose; they WANT to match. (I know this will end soon. And in two years, Trent will say “This shirt? Again?” #handmedowns) Derek and I are NOT matching on purpose. With limited clean clothes and getting dressed in the dark, it happened today.

We are not going to make it to Antelope Canyon, a location my sister introduced to us. We since learned its like winning the lottery to get in, hike the Navajo reservation and be one of the lucky ones to see the canyon at exactly noon when the light streams in the slot canyon beautifully. Maybe I’ll tag along one day when Tara goes.

Bryce and Vegas short videos finally uploaded:

Drew and Trent going nuts during the Blue Man Group finale

15 second sweeping view of beautiful Bryce Canyon hoodoos-Utah

30 seconds Bellagio fountain show during the day

Days 13-15: Vegas, WSOP and Hoover Dam…Grand Canyon-bound!

Day 13-Thursday, July 11: Last night, we watched two of the night showings of the Bellagio fountains and returned to the Monte Carlo. We awoke refreshed and ready to sightsee–particularly the World Series of Poker Main Event at the Rio! Every year Derek and I watch the tournament on ESPN and have followed the likes of Daniel Negreanu, Joe Hachem, Annie Duke, Phil Hellmuth, Phil Ivey and Doyle Brunson. So we were pretty star-struck walking around the Amazon room of the Rio as the field narrowed. We saw the Poker Brat, Phil Ivey and Texas Dolly but didn’t hang around long. We were off to see some of the hotels and attractions before nightfall and the Vegas Strip became not-so-family-friendly.

This evening, we had a special treat in store for the boys. The Blue Man Group performs at the Monte Carlo each night (an added bonus to staying at the MC). Derek and Drew saw them in Louisville a couple of years ago and had such a good time. This time, all four of us were set to go. With great 4th row seats, the boys were over-the-moon watching the performance and spent the rest of the weekend reenacting the show.

Day 14-Friday, July 12: With yesterday being overcast and cooler, we spent time out and about. However, today was warm and sunny–the perfect day to hang out all day at the wave pool and lazy river at the Monte Carlo. Relaxing, fun, family day.

Day 15-Saturday, July 13: We checked out of the Monte Carlo and drove 30 miles to our next destination–Hoover Dam–en route to the Grand Canyon. Not a national park or monument, Hoover Dam didn’t have Junior Ranger badges for the boys to earn. We bought tickets for the guided power plant tour. (Children under 8 aren’t allowed on the guided dam tour.)

The dam generates over 4.5 billion kilowatt-hours of low-cost hydroelectric power to 1.3 million people in three states each year. The dire need for the dam, the five-year building project during the Great Depression, the hundreds that died building it and the benefits of the dam are all part of Hoover Dam’s amazing story. Now 3:30 pm pacific time, we are headed to the other side of Lake Mead and to the Grand Canyon South Rim Visitor Center, about four hours away! Next blog: Grand Canyon and Sedona!

Days 11-13: Finishing Utah (Bryce and Zion) and some Vegas Fun (family style)!

Day 11-July 9: Bryce Canyon National Park, UT was not on our initial itinerary (and I use that word loosely). Zion National Park was teetering on the edge of getting knocked off the agenda. But due to the high marks my friend Lauren gave Bryce, it was added at the last minute. I’m so glad it was.

Because it was a late and last-minute addition, we didn’t carve out enough time to fully soak in the park. Plus, most excursions into the canyon require children to be at least six. Next time, we would love to stand in the middle of the “hoodoos.” But for the time-being, peering out over the forest of stone would have to do. The images we saw and captured on camera were amazing. The pop of trees and some greenery was a departure from the desert terrain we observed in Arches and Canyonlands. We watched the sunset from Inspiration Point, attended a 9 pm ranger program (had to get the Bryce badge) and hit the road at the way-too-late ten o’clock hour. Destination: Zion National Park.

We do not have a solid plan most days/nights. (This is very against the grain for two type-A planners.) We have a notion about where we want to be at the end of the day along with about 12 campground, hotel, map, radar, gas and national park apps on my phone. These do not help when we do not have GPS or phone service, which has been our experience the majority of this trip. We left Bryce with no GPS and no idea where we would be sleeping. Zion and Bryce are about 90 minutes and 500 deer apart, which made driving at 11 pm most treacherous, tense and nerve-racking. We were driving blind with no hotel in site, and we don’t pitch a tent in total darkness.

Finally spotting a Best Western in the distance, we checked in at 11:45 pm and fell into our beds. The boys did GREAT. Their parents? Not so much. We were beat.

Day 12-July 10: After eight hours of much-needed sleep and showers, we headed to the Visitor Center at Zion National Park to get our Junior Ranger workbooks and find out what tasks we had to accomplish to secure badges.

Guess what the temperature was? 109 degrees. New rule. No one can say to me, “But it’s a dry heat…” Doesn’t matter. It was hot as Hades. So what did we do? Hike.

On this particular hike, we were nestled between sky-high and completely vertical Navajo sandstone cliffs. We made it to the end of the hike, soaked our sizzling legs in the Virgin River and crawled back to the visitor center three hours later. This place has some magnificent trails and views. It’s for adventurous hikers, and with two little ones and broiling temperatures, we were done. Besides, Vegas was next on our list!!

47 miles from Vegas and with the phones working again, we booked a hotel on the strip based on the pool. (Can you tell we are hot?) None of us have been to Las Vegas, and we are curious and excited! We’re changing time zones again and hoping we all adjust quickly. A few welcome to Vegas pics below! With this heat, you may see pics of me in the fountains at the Bellagio. Followed by my mug shot.

Trip notes:

I’ve served as co-pilot most of this trip as Derek has taken on the yeomen task of driving. I haven’t fallen asleep this entire trip. And I’m narcoleptic. I fall asleep on the way to the mall. So this is truly amazing.

You know what else is amazing? The effect two white chocolate Kit Kats from a Texaco pitstop can do for Derek and Drew. Ditto for Trent and me when it comes to sour gummy worms.

We were witness to Trent’s very first sugar-high from the aforementioned gummy worms. We forgot he had the entire bag in his carseat until it was too late; they were half gone. The crazy bucking-bronco gyrations, the gummy bear jokes he was inventing and the one-act comedy show he performed had us all laughing. And a little scared.

I am so glad we got the air conditioner fixed back in South Dakota.

Days 10-11 Utah Rocks: Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce and Zion

Day 10-Monday, July 8: I’m blogging 1) on the fly, 2) on an iPhone, and 3) often tired. These are my flimsy excuses for the spelling and grammatical errors you must endure. Carry on!

We arrived Arches National Park just outside of Moab, Utah mid-afternoon. Composed of balancing rocks, spires, cliffs, dunes, deep canyons and over 2,000 arches, Arches National Park is a geological marvel! Sculpted over thousands of years, the area sits atop salt beds and the structures are “erosion in action,” according to the ranger. The dry and arid area receives about 9″ of rain per year.

When we arrived at the National Park, we were told the 50 campground spots sold out months ago. Hours later, as we were sightseeing, we asked a ranger if there happened to be any cancellations. He had two! We were fortunate enough to camp under the most magnificent starry sky surrounded by the most magnificent God-made structures! We saw our third rainbow of the week while at the campground (thank goodness no rain). There truly are no words for how amazing the experience was. Pictures below. I highly encourage camping in a park like Arches. Indescribable. Campground notes: We did have running water. Yeah! No showers. Sigh. The heat (88 at bedtime) is a dry heat–much more tolerable than Kentucky’s humidity. We slept wonderfully until the inferno rose again at 6 am. Also, almost all the families camping in the park were from Europe; it was interesting hearing all the accents and languages.

Day 11-Tuesday, July 9: With Junior Ranger Badge #8 under our belts, oatmeal and coffee for breakfast, we moved on to Canyonlands National Park a little over an hour southwest of Arches. More vast and deep, Canyonlands is also a story of creation by erosion. The Green and Colorado Rivers run like a Y through the 337,598 acres of desert. It would take weeks to explore, and much of it has to be done by foot, Jeep or 4-wheeler. Crazy, stunning pictures below.

Badge #9. Check.

Now 3:30 pm mountain time, all is quiet on the western front. The boys are napping; the trip director has set course for Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks. Until tomorrow!

Days 9-10: Goodbye snow-capped mountains and bears. Hello desert, canyons and snakes. Arches National Park here we come!

Day 9-Sunday, July 7: We drove back to Grand Teton National Park yesterday morning after abandoning camp and headed to a hotel because of rain, lightning, cold temperatures and a chance of hail. During the day, it’s a beautiful 70 degrees, but the last couple of nights have been rainy and cold in the Tetons. We’ve camped in the rain twice this past week, but hail and lightning are show-stoppers.

Once back in the park, we took in a ranger program on bear safety then rode a boat across Jenny Lake in order to hike to Inspiration Point 7,200′ high, passing over an astounding and powerful waterfall cascading from the mountain. The opportunity to actually hike up one of the mountains we’ve admired from afar was something we didn’t want to miss. We all wanted to continue past Inspiration Point to Cascade Canyon where moose are known to congregate, but the sprinkles of rain and sound of thunder caused us to hike the 1.5 mile descending rocky trail back to the boat dock. The boys did amazing on this fairly strenuous and rugged hike. Very proud of them.

After obtaining Junior Ranger Badge #7 (Derek got one too this time), we left the beautiful Tetons and lakes in the late afternoon. Our next destination was Arches National Park, nearly 11 hours south of the Tetons! We elected to drive six hours, stop in Salt Lake City at 10 pm and continue on to the desert the next morning. I’m not kidding when I say that after Jackson, WY, we passed (and stopped at) only one gas station in the six hours of back roads we travelled. However, the drive with the sun setting behind us was truly beautiful.

(Footnote: Derek and I are a bit relieved to leave bear country. Now on to venomous animal country.)

Day 10-Monday, July 9: Wow. We all needed those 10 hours of sleep. We hit the road refreshed with a five hour drive to Moab, UT and Arches National Park ahead of us. The boys watched the Jungle Book and bellowed the songs at the top of their lungs, only to be outdone by Derek bellowing Red & Black while listening to Les Mis. Ahhh…traveling bliss.

We are unsure about camping in the National Park tonight. The jury is out. There is no water in most of the campgrounds. And because of the extreme heat, the NPS has put out an alert that hikers carry one gallon of water each. We will assess upon arrival; Derek is leaning towards, “Let’s do it!” I’ll let you know tomorrow! Pics below.

Days 6-8: Yellowstone bear spotting, Old Faithful in action and Grand Teton Grandeur

Guess what I just got for my birthday. An hour of hard-to-find wi-fi for my iPhone. Hello civilization!

Here’s what’s happened since I last journaled. (More of a photo blog. A picture says a thousand words, right?)

Thursday 7/4: We checked in at the Old Faithful Inn, situated right next to Old Faithful and Castle Geyser at 4:30 pm and explored this historical and most renown national park lodge. Log beams and a 77′ vaulted ceiling greeted us in the lobby. No televisions or air conditioning. We entered room 3012 and watched the famous geyser erupt from our hotel room window, albeit obstructed by a pine tree. Still pretty surreal. Our dinner reservations weren’t until 9:15 pm, so we went downstairs for a snack before taking in another “showing.” Old Faithful erupts about every 90 minutes and shoots scalding hot water 100′ into the air. Video here. The crowd (and there was always a crowd) cheers loudly as she starts to bubble and spit water into the air before erupting. Pretty awesome sight. Our very late dinner in the Inn included bison and pheasant. More gourmet than my campsite cooking. Slept in a queen bed, made tea in the room’s Keurig and took two showers.

Friday, 7/5: Breakfast buffet, gift shop, (Trent imprinted on a stuffed bison. We have a new family member pictured below. Meet “Lumberjack.” Video of Trent talking about Lumberjack and Old Faithful.) geyser trail and one last showing of Old Faithful before checking out and heading to Grant Village campgrounds in the southern part of Yellowstone. On our way to Grant Village, we stopped at the Continental Divide, and WE SAW BEARS! Just off the main road was a mother grizzly and her two cubs along with dozens of onlookers. Ten rangers with bear spray also provided crowd control. Grizzly bears can be aggressive; especially a mom with her cubs. I can relate. Check out the pic below.

After setting up camp, doing laundry and making spaghetti for dinner, we headed out to explore. This yielded our first elk spotting! A group of about six female elk walked underneath the overpass on which we were standing. We’ve started a points system for any family member who spots an animal. Elk are worth seven points. Trent finished the day strong with 22 total points. (Whining can result in a deduction of points.)

Saturday, 7/6: Starting off my birthday back at the camp laundromat and shower facilities, which I have to say is pretty cool. You can buy a souvenir t-shirt, a cup of coffee or ice cream. You can also rent a towel for $1.06. Eclectic. Then I enjoyed a birthday breakfast consisting of Diet Mtn. Dew, honey buns, pop tarts and bananas. At breakfast, I received two very sweet cards (video here) and gifts. I’m impressed at the trip director’s master packing plan and his ability to hide birthday gifts in the vehicle!

Packed up camp and headed a short drive south to Grand Teton National Park. (There’s only 7.5 miles between the Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks.) We stopped at the park’s visitor center on our way out of the park to receive our Yellowstone Jr. Ranger badges and saw a male elk of about 11 years of age! Pics below. Video here. The approach to the Grand Tetons is amazing, with the snow-capped mountains reaching the clouds, the tallest of which is Grand Teton at 13,770′. From mountain hiking to whitewater rafting the Snake River, this place is an outdoorsman’s paradise! There are even more bear warnings than there were in Yellowstone; we have a bear box at our campsite in Colter Bay Village.

We enjoyed a picnic lunch on Jackson Lake nestled in front of the mountains and played in the water before the rain started. Jackson Lake video here. Because it rained much of the afternoon, we drove around some of the Grand Teton National Park’s 310,000 acres. We are now enjoying dinner and wi-fi. No campsite cooking for this birthday girl tonight. Video of boys singing happy birthday to me here-blessed. Mountain, elk, bear, lake and camp pics below!

Day 5-6: Bison, bears and other big animals. Our first night camping in Yellowstone and sightseeing today.

Limited wi-fi is cramping my style. Who knew I’d have no service in the middle of the wilderness? Thanks to everyone who texted and messaged to make sure a bear hadn’t gotten us. Yet. (Also, pics below were in chronological order. Spotty wi-fi at the Inn has them jumbled. Oh well. Small stuff.)

Early Wednesday morning, we checked out of our spartan campsite in Sheridon, WY, loaded up with groceries in order to have campsite jerk chicken for dinner and set out for the 4-hour drive to Yellowstone.

The passageway through the Bighorn National Forest and its mountains was steep and impressive. We stopped once and got some amazing waterfall pictures and saw our first glimpse of snow-topped Rocky Mountains.

This was the drive that had Derek and I truly gasping, as the mountains got taller and taller and sudden bursts of rapid and wide waterways appeared. It reminded me of the movie “A River Runs Through It.” Early Brad Pitt.

My sweet trip director has been most enthusiastic about this part of the trip. THE Yellowstone National Park. I am so happy for him to experience this, and when I hear him gasp at the wonder, I’m even more enamored with him. OK. Enough sappiness.

Immediately after entering the park, A BISON WALKED ALONGSIDE OUR CAR. Now if I see a grizzly bear (but not too close), I will be a happy camper. Check out the sign at the entrance of our campground.

We set up camp and walked over to the outdoor amphitheater to take in a Moose vs. Elk ranger program. Gotta help the boys get junior ranger badge #6. Campfire dinner, s’mores, puzzles and games were the order of the evening. Lots of food storage rules here because of the bears. There was one spotted in the campground two days ago.

Woke up FREEZING. I neglected to zip up my 20 degree sleeping bag. Now in the shape of a pretzel, it was failing to keep me warm. When we went to bed the temperature was in the 70’s. But we awoke to high 40’s. I’ve got to go shopping. The one, (brand new) long sleeve shirt I packed still has the store’s electronic sensor device attached. I could wear it, but it’s awkward. Not to mention I look like a thief.

We plan to spend two more days in Yellowstone park. Initial pics below. Breathtaking–especially the Lower Falls. The geysers are crazy. And lots of bison. Old Faithful late this afternoon! Derek has a birthday treat for me–we’re staying in the Old Faithful Inn, where we can see the geyser (it erupts every 90 minutes) right outside the inn!! I will share more tomorrow. If I can find service.

Happy July 4th everyone! No fireworks allowed in the park, so shoot some big ones for us!

Day 4: Helloooo Wyoming! Enjoying cattleman’s country.

A dose of presidential history was in order last night as we left our campsite and drove nine miles to Mt. Rushmore to view the evening lighting ceremony. As we walked through the hallway of state flags, we took advantage of newfangled technology to FaceTime Grandma and Nana. It was pretty cool to virtually share this moment with family. We wish they could join us, but thanks to Apple (this is not a sponsored post), we had a moment.

There really aren’t words to describe the reverence one feels at the site, and the National Park Service does a tremendous job conducting the evening lighting ceremony with a 10 minute speaker, 20 minute movie, the lighting, and asking the hundreds in the amphitheater to stand and sing “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful.” They close with an amazing military service tribute and flag-folding ceremony. We had a patriotic, “feel-good” ending to a great day. The boys earned their fourth junior park ranger badge. Trent wishes the presidents on the mountain could blink. Pics below.

Packed up camp this morning and enjoyed some fancy camping amenities at the Rafter J Bar campground: all-you-can-eat pancakes in the mess hall! What?? I think future campground queries should start with this requirement.

The trip director had made 10:30am reservations at our next adventure: the Toyota dealership. A/C is fixed! Which is good with the 110 degree temperatures we are going to encounter. Devil’s Tower, Wyoming up next!

I hope the pictures do Devil’s Tower National Monument justice. It’s a sacred, religious place to the Native Americans, an 867′ protrusion made of molten rock and anointed the first national monument in the U.S. in 1906 by Teddy Roosevelt. The symmetry and prominence of this landmark is pretty amazing as it suddenly juts out of the rolling hills and prairies of eastern Wyoming. We saw dozens of prairie dogs and got out to get a closer look and listen (they sound like small dog squeak toys as they chirp at each other.) I’m holding out for bison. After all, it Wyoming’s state animal.

Video:10 seconds of Devil’s Tower

Closing with a few notes:

We are nearing the north central border of Wyoming and are leaving relatively flat land and the Interstate we’ve spent 1,750 miles on and about to cross the Bighorn mountains. Our back road journey towards Yellowstone begins. I don’t think we’re going to make it to Cody, WY tonight. I hope the trip director isn’t too disappointed.

However, the speed limit in construction zones in Wyoming is 65! I think it’s 110 in non-construction. Let’s go racing, boys!

The boys got their fifth junior ranger badge at Devil’s Tower. We had to buy hats to help us get going in the mornings. Otherwise, Trent insists on wearing all 5 in the middle of his shirt. Doing the junior ranger program is a MUST if you visit any national park or monument. It’s fun and educational for the kids, and Derek and I have learned a lot in helping them complete their workbooks at each stop. Now badge-earning has the boys geeked. They have their dad’s and aunt Tara’s competitive spirit.

Day 3: Bye, Bye Badlands! Next stop…

Captain’s log, stardate 07012013. Our destination is Jewel Cave and then Mt. Rushmore for the evening lighting ceremony.

So last night’s 9pm bird talk and 10 pm star gazing show put on by the National Park Service at our campground were pretty cool! The kiddos and I enjoyed the native bird show best. Derek got to see Saturn through a NASA-sized telescope, so he was ecstatic. It is still light outside at 10 pm and bright and sunny all over again at 5 am!! It was amazing to set up our campsite and sleep under the stars in the middle of the National Park. #appreciatingGodsmajesty
Video: The boys recount their night

We called an audible and decided to camp in the Badlands just one night and head on to our next campground. So this morning I woke up to the sounds of the native yellow warbler we learned about last night, shuffled about 50 yards to the bath house with my shower caddy and flip flops and experimented to see how many quarters it would take for me to shower, wash hair and shave. 5 quarters. Nice.

We packed up camp (a task we’ve GOT to get faster at) and bid farewell to the Badlands. We headed west, exiting at Rapids City, SD and drove towards the Black Hills. We saw lots of signs for big horn sheep crossings. The topography changes in South Dakota are dramatic and stunning, from vast prairie lands to Badlands to magnificent evergreens to mountains. Breathtaking.

After checking in at the Rafter J Bar campground, we drove about 20 miles to take a tour inside Jewel Cave National Monument as the rain set in. I had no idea what to expect at Jewel Cave, but the trip director assured us it would be awesome. And it was! Pics below!

Quick reflections on last night and today:

Don’t put up a mega tent in 30 mph winds. Lets just say tensions ran high as Derek, Drew and I wrestled a tent the size of a semi truck. While hungry. Grrrrr…

Guess what? The air conditioner quit. That’s right. As if we weren’t roughing it enough, the Toyota decided to pitch in. Is this a test?

I’m starting to have RV envy. Never even looked twice at one. Now I gawk, stare and drool. I peered on my tippy toes into one late last night, stared at the huge flat screen mounted high and watched some golf. Is that wrong?

Day 2: On the road again… Adventures in South Dakota

(Note: We left our home at 8 A.M. yesterday and arrived Omaha just before midnight. But we made our trip director’s goal!! Here’s what has happened today, now 1,206 miles and nearly 20 hours of drive-time into our adventure.)

We hit the road again early this morning, saying goodbye to Omaha and spending nearly eight hours traversing the plains to Badlands National Park, South Dakota. I must say, the kiddos are showing all indications they have bladders of steel. They get it from me.

After passing the self-declared world’s largest bull head, a sign for the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder and 50 billboards for the very touristy Wall Drugs (Pic below. 5¢ coffee and over 2 million annual visitors) and the very gaudy and Moorish Corn Palace, we arrived Badlands National Park’s Cedar Pass Campground. BREATHTAKING channels, gorges, cliffs, spires and unique rock formations containing the fossilized remains of miniature camels, wooly mammoths and other extinct animals. We saw prairie dogs and warnings for rattlesnakes. Giddy up!

Now in the Mountain time zone (that adjustment is starting to bite us), our campsite is set up for a couple of days with fun adventures ahead. And I’m ready for some s’mores. But first we are headed to a night sky program. The trip director who owns a massive telescope is GEEKED about that! Will keep you posted! Pics and videos below!
Badlands Pinnacle – 10 second sweep –
Lessons learned to date:

Iowa smells. Truly. The whole state.

There are not a lot of gas stations “out West.” When you hit 1/2 tank, panic sets in. Where is the next exit??

Casinos are BIG around here. More casinos than gas stations in my estimation.

Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers on DVD for 5- and 7- year old boys is the equivalent of a two-month old’s pacifier. A fine discovery…

Fireworks are big in the Plains. Where do you think fireworks are most popular in the US? Derek and I spent about 40 minutes on the topic at 11 P.M. last night as the delirium set in. He contends Massachusetts, asserting Massachusettians feel the whole “revolutionary spirit” there. I disagree. I contend Iowa. I should have asked Siri.

Gas in Louisville is way too high. But we already knew that.

I only saw one Target between Louisville and South Dakota. I know. Sad.

Blogging on iPhone? Not the same as on a computer. At all.

Day 1: Are we there yet?

After taking one last and very long early morning hot shower, I loaded my allocation of luggage. “Two bags,” per the trip director. (Are you kidding me?) I downed two cups of coffee and bid farewell to my diffuser, curl lotion, anti-frizz spray, pomade and other necessities requisite for us curly-haired girls. Sigh.

Twenty miles out from St. Louis and a mere 4 hours into our trip, we stopped at a rest stop, devoured a picnic lunch and chased squirrels until Derek blew the whistle. We had 2pm St. Louis Gateway Arch tram tickets and a schedule to keep! A trip to the Arch has, for some reason, been on Drew’s to-do list for at least two years. Needless to say, he was over-the-moon at the chance to take the “tram” (more like a 4-seater space pod) up and through the Arch! It was a 10 from the outside, a 10 in concept and engineering and an 8 on the inside. (Crowded, slow to get through and matchbox-sized windows at the top of the 630′ arch all contribute to the slightly diminished ratings.)

After passing through the Gateway to the West, which took longer than expected, we are back on the road. Nebraska, here we come! Pics below!

States on today’s tour: Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska

The day before: Preparation, planning and procrastination…

“We are leaving June 23rd.” Baseball tournament. OK. “We’ll leave as soon as the Braves lose.” (They lose the first night.) “Whoa. That was fast. So we’ll leave after we take the dog to mom and get the car top carrier from Ted.” Final. “Wait. I am now scheduled for a pharmaceutical talk.” OK. “We’ll leave Friday. 3 p.m.” That’s not panning out. “We’ll leave at 7 am tomorrow.” Done and done.

It’s 11:15 p.m. on the eve of “the trip.” The last load of laundry is churning. The boys are nestled in their beds without a care in the world. After all, they just have to get up, throw on some clothes, choke down a donut, and watch movies in the car for 11 hours. No biggie.

But for Derek and me, this is an adventure of a lifetime. Six weeks of reading, planning, making lists, charting maps and piling the dining room to the ceiling with things such as a propane heater, propane stove, Luggable Loo (Google it if you dare), screened canopy, mega-tent, iron skillet and anything else we should pack according to the Camping for Dummies book.

So tomorrow the adventure out west begins. Many of you asked me to blog. I would reply, “No. I don’t have enough time.” Or “That seems too self-important. Who cares about our traveling circus?” But for those of you who insisted, here ya go. I am going to blog about our 6,000 mile tent-camping adventure starting now. Maybe someday the kiddos will appreciate a “journal” of our misadventures. Thanks for joining me on this ride. xoxoxo