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Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Anyone have any blonde jokes??? Or one about the brunette???
better start thinking of them cause they will come in handy! The boys got the idea that they wanted to dye their hair and so they did. After a fun day shopping in Santa Fe, we stopped by Walgreens for some hair color. An hour later we walk out with super blonde color for the Ben's and Jordyn and brown for Wyatt. Talk about opposite! Oh my! Check out the video for pictures.
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Monday, June 28, 2010
12 States and counting...
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Sunday, June 27, 2010
Four Corners under construction
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Off to New Mexico we go
It's 8:45 am and we are headed to New Mexico. It was a nice stay here in Monument Valley. We have a good amount of red dirt that I'm quite sure will probably make it all the way back to Ohio! The rock formations are amazing and the colors vibrant. It is hot here reaching well into the 90's each day. We went thru part of Monument Valley yesterday. I'm not sure the boys appreciated the beauty of the monuments but they went, they saw, we left. Next to the campground are huge rocks to climb, and climb they did - for hours each day! These are the same rocks that Stephanie, Amanda and Brandon climbed years ago. Pretty cool! We stopped at a few of the roadside stands where the Native Americans sell jewelry and pottery. We spoke with a few of the people selling items and asked about how and where they lived. One fella, Bert, told us he lived on the reservation and had all his life except for a tour he did in Iraq with the US Army. He said his Grandfather was one of the "code talkers" with the Marines in WWII. We pulled the boys around so they could hear what he was saying as he spoke about living out here without running water and how they had to haul the water back to their property. They ran generators for electricity and that yes, he did have a dvd player. He said he liked the heat and if you want to know what hot is you should experience Iraq as it is 140 degrees! I think seeing how they live here and the poverty level made an impression on these kids, at least for a few moments. It isn't unusual to see wild horses, cows or dogs from the road. We actually came upon a Female dog and 4 pups crossing the road at one point. Where we stayed was a place called Goulding which is named after a couple, Harry and Mike (Mike being the wife) Goulding. They came out here and traded with the Indians and established a Trading Post. Eventually they had the idea to approach Hollywood to use Monument Valley for a movie set. Director John Ford made many movies here and John Wayne starred in most of them. Behind the trading post they have a museum with some of the items from that time period as well as some movies playing with the monuments in the background. In a lot of the movies Ford would use Native Americans from here to play roles as needed. It's pretty cool to know you are standing where those movies took place! Other movies have been made here such as Back to Future III, The Eiger Connection, Thelma and Louise, Vacation with Chevy Chase and more. It will be nice to watch these movies with a whole new appreciation of where they were filmed.
We are going to Four Corners Monument which is where New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado all come together. Should be a nice photo opportunity to add to our collection. I'll work on the video of Monument Valley while driving this afternoon and hopefully get it posted tonight.
Be sure to leave comments as you read our blog so we know you are out there. I share them with the kids and they enjoy hearing your reactions. : )
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We are going to Four Corners Monument which is where New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado all come together. Should be a nice photo opportunity to add to our collection. I'll work on the video of Monument Valley while driving this afternoon and hopefully get it posted tonight.
Be sure to leave comments as you read our blog so we know you are out there. I share them with the kids and they enjoy hearing your reactions. : )
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Change in plans....
Tomorrow we head out of Utah and instead of heading back to Moab and thru Colorado we are going to head South to Santa Fe, New Mexico and stay for two nights. From Santa Fe we will head to Amarillo, Texas for a night and then on to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where we will stay for two nights. The last leg of our trip will be toward Topeka, Kansas and then our final stay in Effingham, Illinois before heading for home. This deviation will hopefully lead to a little easier drive and while only addding 50 miles to our original plan we gain 3 more states for our quest.
I think the kids are excited about the additional states and change in plans however they do miss their loved ones at home. It has been a great trip and we have seen so many great things. As you talk to them please encourage them to enjoy these last few days as this is a trip they will remember for a lifetime!
I think the kids are excited about the additional states and change in plans however they do miss their loved ones at home. It has been a great trip and we have seen so many great things. As you talk to them please encourage them to enjoy these last few days as this is a trip they will remember for a lifetime!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Grand Canyon here we come!
It's 5:30 am here in Monument Valley, Utah and we are on the road headed to see the Grand Canyon! Last night we prepared our lunches for today and set out our clothes so we could just get in the car and go. All the boys are back to sleep already. Savy, the early bird, is still awake and checking out the scene as the sun comes up.
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Thursday, June 24, 2010
Fun on the rapids
We had a great time on the Colorado River! All the kids said that white water rafting was better than they expected. It was hot! It was 103• when we were done and back to the car. We had the 7 of us and then another family of 5 joined us on the huge raft. They also gave us two duckies, which are like canoes that we could use. Ben Frazier and Steve started out in the duckie and hit the first two rapids pretty good. The rest of us were in the larger raft paddling away. Savy sat up front and took on the rapids like a champ. Jordyn was busy talking with the Guide to figure out how he can tip his dad over in the duckie. : ) He eventually did and Ben Hoof happened to be the 2nd person in the duckie so he got it too! Wyatt was charged with applying his brut strength in order to get the raft where it needed to go. It was everyone's first time white water rafting but it was also Ben Hooff's first time in a canoe/duckie, so pretty cool experience! We started at 9 am and had lunch along the way. There is a food raft that floats along with us and the Guides pull it on to shore and set up a buffet style. It was awesome sandwiches, chips, cookies, and lemonade. Certainly enough to fill us up before we started on the second part of our trip. There were times in between the rapids where you could participate in water fights or swim along side the rafts. I got some pictures with a waterproof camera but not sure how well they will turn out, I will share once we get them developed.
Everyone did pretty well in the sun, Steve's feet got pretty burnt and Wyatt got a bit of a burn on his thighs but nothing a little aloe won't cure! Ben Frazier and Wyatt's colds seem to be going away but now Jordyn is complaining of a sore throat. I was hoping this heat would dry everyone up! Ugh!
We are heading to Goulding today, it is on the Arizona-Utah border. We will stay for 3 nights and go to the Grand Canyon as a day trip and also go to Monument Valley.
The rest of the trip is not set in stone so we will sit down and figure out what we want and where we want to go on the way back.
I posted a video of Moab and The Arches National Park, be sure to look close at the rock formations for little specs in the pictures it might be your son/daughter/niece/nephew/grandkid/or friend. : )
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Everyone did pretty well in the sun, Steve's feet got pretty burnt and Wyatt got a bit of a burn on his thighs but nothing a little aloe won't cure! Ben Frazier and Wyatt's colds seem to be going away but now Jordyn is complaining of a sore throat. I was hoping this heat would dry everyone up! Ugh!
We are heading to Goulding today, it is on the Arizona-Utah border. We will stay for 3 nights and go to the Grand Canyon as a day trip and also go to Monument Valley.
The rest of the trip is not set in stone so we will sit down and figure out what we want and where we want to go on the way back.
I posted a video of Moab and The Arches National Park, be sure to look close at the rock formations for little specs in the pictures it might be your son/daughter/niece/nephew/grandkid/or friend. : )
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Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Yellowstone Video
Check out the post from Tuesday which is now updated with a video of the animals and scenery from Yellowstone. (thanks to the Ramada's internet! ; )
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White water Rafting here we come!
We are on our way to the Colorado River for an exciting white water rafting trip thru Moab and Canyonlands National Park. Wish us luck!
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A hot day in Moab
What a day! It was beautiful here today in Moab, UT with blue skies, 86 degrees and Sunny!!
Yesterday the boys all said they wanted to run with me this morning but when 6 am rolled around, no one got out of bed. I went anyway and did a 2 mile run thru the desert trail behind our campground. It wasn't easy ground to run on but it sure was awesome scenery.
We headed out to Arches National Park and the kids had a great time. They climbed up huge rock formations. They loved it!
We came home for a while and the kids went on a long bike ride thru the "desert".
In the evening we all went to Moab to check out the shops. The kids love to shop! They all four now have matching hats...picture to come. They decided they would be good for the white water rafting trip.
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Yesterday the boys all said they wanted to run with me this morning but when 6 am rolled around, no one got out of bed. I went anyway and did a 2 mile run thru the desert trail behind our campground. It wasn't easy ground to run on but it sure was awesome scenery.
We headed out to Arches National Park and the kids had a great time. They climbed up huge rock formations. They loved it!
We came home for a while and the kids went on a long bike ride thru the "desert".
In the evening we all went to Moab to check out the shops. The kids love to shop! They all four now have matching hats...picture to come. They decided they would be good for the white water rafting trip.
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Tuesday, June 22, 2010
O H I O at an entirely new level!
Oh what a night! Moab night life at its best!
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Monday, June 21, 2010
Change of scenery...entering Moab, where adventures begin.
Wyatt and Ben Frazier are fighting colds. Ben Hooff and Jordyn are dealing with allergies. Savy got over her stomach ache and Steve thinks he has the start of something and will promptly be taking alka setlzer. Dad seems to be over his cold and Mom and I are doing well. I pray that all are feeling better soon, we have some great adventures ahead of us in the next 6 days!
Jordyn got up and ran with me or I should say ahead of me this morning. We did about 4 miles down a country road surrounded by mountains. I am so proud of him for getting up at 5:30, he has such an awesome stride and did great! Steve took a 5.7 mile bike ride this morning while the rest of the boys slept. Hopefully everyone will feel better soon and we'll have some group fitness days. : ) I hope it includes a hike thru Canyonlands although it will need to be early as it is 92 degrees now.
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Sunday, June 20, 2010
Battery operated speed gun mounted on dolly(aka Radar Detector) in Afton, WY
Leaving Yellowstone
It's 9 am and we are leaving Yellowstone. Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there. It's a beautiful Sunny day here in Montana. We started off the day with freshly baked cinnamon rolls, thanks to Pillsbury and Steve got a new coffee cup in just the style he likes. : ) We are driving thru Yellowstone Park one last time and will come out the southern side and into the Grand Tetons. Our next stop is Logan, UT where we stay overnight before heading on to Moab for a 3 night stay and then Gouldings for 3 nights.
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Saturday, June 19, 2010
Saturday Day 8
It's been an eventful couple of days. We are just outside Yellowstone, which is nice to not have to drive far to get into the park. Once inside the park it is a drive to see anything which after as much driving as we've done in the last few days is not exactly what the boys want to do. They were troopers and went yesterday, we saw Old Faithful and a number of animals that were out and about including Buffalo, Elk, a Bear, a Coyote, an Eagle and some prairie dogs. We ate at a pizza place and we were able to watch the highlights of some World Cup games. We were in West Yellowstone so the kids did a little shopping at some of the stores. Ben Frazier an Wyatt bought matching moccasins. (how cute)
By the time we got back, Mom and Dad were at the campgrounds. Thank goodness they were able to get their truck fixed quickly and get back onto the road. Thank you Bozeman Ford Dealer! They had a few stressful days so they relaxed for the evening.
Early this morning Steve, Savy and I went into Yellowstone to try and see some animals. We ended up taking a different path than we started out for and saw the Yellowstone Grand Canyon and the Great Falls. We saw some huge bear tracks in the snow (yes, snow). On the way back we ended up seeing 4 bears total. Two together a cinnamon colored and a black bear and then two more black bears further along the road. As we got back Mom and Dad were just headed out to Yellowstone and I heard they saw a Grizzly and two cubs!
We had breakfast Tennant style this morning...Bacon, Eggs and toast at that campsite. I think we made quite a few of our neighbors very jealous!
The weather is awesome so we sat out in the sun for a little while and the boys all climbed a mountain this afternoon. This is the second time they have climbed it and they loved it! Oh, and Savy climbed it the first time too. Jordyn was the first one down but not sure it was by design from the amount of dirt and scrapes he got on the way down. Whoops.
Tonight we will have dinner sitting outside all together. Tomorrow we leave for Utah.
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Friday, June 18, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Update
We heard that Mom & Dad got towed into Bozeman, MT and will have someone take a look at the truck probably tomorrow. There is a KOA so they will probably stay there. We arrived at the Rocky Mountain RV Park in Gardiner and while it does have a Mountain view on all four sides, not sure the sites quite look like they do on the website. The kids are off to climb a mountain...did I mention they had bears here with their cubs 3 weeks ago?
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On the wrong side of the white line...
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Headed to Gardiner, MT
We entered Montana at 2:30 pm yesterday. Ben and Wyatt slept the entire trip, Ben Hooff and Jordyn watched movie after movie. Steve and I jammed to some good tunes and enjoyed the view. It was apparent as to why they call Montana, Big Sky...the scenery is amazing. I'm taking pictures along the ride but nothing does it justice. We pulled in about 5:50 and the sky looked ominous. We didn't get out immediately as the wind was really whipping around and the sky was scary. Steve did most of the setup on his own and then waved for us to come out. We made chicken tacos for dinner and the boys ate well and then went to play some basketball, tethered, and ride bikes. The campground is very small so not a whole lot to do and it certainly seems to be in the middle of nowhere. I did have a good internet connection so was able to upload the videos for Day 3 and 5 to the blog.
The wind really picked up at night and you could hear it blowing all around the camper which made for a restless night for me. Everyone else seemed to sleep thru it for the most part. It was chilly, rainy and extremely windy this morning.
We left the campground at 11:50 this morning. We had several issues to try an take care of and just in general had a slow start. The boys and Savy went to the Little Big Horn Battlefield this morning at 8:30. Steve enjoyed it and said it is an interesting piece of history. He is very knowlegable about the subject and Jordyn seems to be pretty interested as well.
The wind is really something to contend with as we are driving. Gas mileage is terrible at 4.9 miles to the gallon. The scenery is beautiful once again as the Rocky Mountains are snow capped and pose as the backdrop to our view. We look to arrive in Gardiner, Montana by 4 pm today. We will stay there for 3 days and visit Yellowstone a couple times while we are there.
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The wind really picked up at night and you could hear it blowing all around the camper which made for a restless night for me. Everyone else seemed to sleep thru it for the most part. It was chilly, rainy and extremely windy this morning.
We left the campground at 11:50 this morning. We had several issues to try an take care of and just in general had a slow start. The boys and Savy went to the Little Big Horn Battlefield this morning at 8:30. Steve enjoyed it and said it is an interesting piece of history. He is very knowlegable about the subject and Jordyn seems to be pretty interested as well.
The wind is really something to contend with as we are driving. Gas mileage is terrible at 4.9 miles to the gallon. The scenery is beautiful once again as the Rocky Mountains are snow capped and pose as the backdrop to our view. We look to arrive in Gardiner, Montana by 4 pm today. We will stay there for 3 days and visit Yellowstone a couple times while we are there.
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Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Leaving South Dakota
Up and out by 9 am headed to our next destination of Hardin, Montana. We are going to make a stop at Devils Tower, the First National Monument.
Yesterday we finally had some nice weather. It was 70 and sunny. We went to Custer State Park and saw Buffalo, prong horn, white tail deer, prairie dogs, and donkeys. The countryside was gorgeous, with picturesque views at every turn. We saw a herd of buffalo and also went down a road where we were able to see four buffalo up close. We got to the section where the donkeys were grazing and Dad got out shaking the bag of bread he brought trying to get them to come over. He was a little disappointed they weren't close enough to feed, but it didn't take long for one of them to wander over. Dad was the first to feed him some of Mom's yummy cookies. Soon some other visitors joined Dad to pet the donkey and Ben Hooff and Wyatt fed him some popcorn. Once Dad ran out of food and got back in his truck the donkey put his head thru the window searching for more. We started driving again and came upon some more donkeys, one of which was taking his time walking down the middle of the road towards us and another that approached Mom's side of the truck to stick his head in and ask for food.
We went to the Purple Pie Place with the Purple Pig to get some ice cream. The ice cream was good! We decided we do O H I O for a picture when Custer himself came walking up and we asked him to be part of the picture. He drew his gun and made the "I" for us. Gotta love buckeye fans!!
Next we went to Mount Rushmore. The kids were able to see the profile of Washington's face as we rounded the mountain. It certainly is a site to see. I think all the kids were impressed and it was nice to be able to come back when the kids are sure to remember it. Ben Frazier, Jordyn and Savy don't remember being here before.
We returned to the campground and the kids rode their bikes, climbed the mountain, played tag, and went swimming. Dad and Steve went into town to the 1881 Custer Courthouse which is now a museum. I took the opportunity to nap for a few, clean the trailer and talk to some soccer coaches about Ben & Jordyn.
When Steve got back he started the charcoal and we had burgers and fried potatoes. Afterwards the kids made s'mores. The time change plays tricks on you, it's only 9 o'clock and your body is saying time for bed because it is really 11 pm. So going to bed hasn't been a problem for anyone. The boys usually watch a movie and fall asleep.
I had an interesting run this morning. There was a really nice trail by the entrance to the campground. So Steve made the suggestion last night that I ought to try running the trail. I headed down there at 5am this morning ready to run only to find there was a $3 daily charge for use of the trail. It had a box that you opened up and inside was an envelope that you write your information on, deposit your money, and then keep the carbon copy on you - just in case you are stopped so you can show the slip. Needless to say I was not carrying a purse or any money and it was a 1/4 mile back to the camper so I decided to run for it. ; ). I did 4 miles, and it was BEAUTIFUL! Of course the entire time I'm running I'm thinking I'm gonna get pulled over and given a ticket and then I thought well at least it would be something to blog about. : )
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Yesterday we finally had some nice weather. It was 70 and sunny. We went to Custer State Park and saw Buffalo, prong horn, white tail deer, prairie dogs, and donkeys. The countryside was gorgeous, with picturesque views at every turn. We saw a herd of buffalo and also went down a road where we were able to see four buffalo up close. We got to the section where the donkeys were grazing and Dad got out shaking the bag of bread he brought trying to get them to come over. He was a little disappointed they weren't close enough to feed, but it didn't take long for one of them to wander over. Dad was the first to feed him some of Mom's yummy cookies. Soon some other visitors joined Dad to pet the donkey and Ben Hooff and Wyatt fed him some popcorn. Once Dad ran out of food and got back in his truck the donkey put his head thru the window searching for more. We started driving again and came upon some more donkeys, one of which was taking his time walking down the middle of the road towards us and another that approached Mom's side of the truck to stick his head in and ask for food.
We went to the Purple Pie Place with the Purple Pig to get some ice cream. The ice cream was good! We decided we do O H I O for a picture when Custer himself came walking up and we asked him to be part of the picture. He drew his gun and made the "I" for us. Gotta love buckeye fans!!
Next we went to Mount Rushmore. The kids were able to see the profile of Washington's face as we rounded the mountain. It certainly is a site to see. I think all the kids were impressed and it was nice to be able to come back when the kids are sure to remember it. Ben Frazier, Jordyn and Savy don't remember being here before.
We returned to the campground and the kids rode their bikes, climbed the mountain, played tag, and went swimming. Dad and Steve went into town to the 1881 Custer Courthouse which is now a museum. I took the opportunity to nap for a few, clean the trailer and talk to some soccer coaches about Ben & Jordyn.
When Steve got back he started the charcoal and we had burgers and fried potatoes. Afterwards the kids made s'mores. The time change plays tricks on you, it's only 9 o'clock and your body is saying time for bed because it is really 11 pm. So going to bed hasn't been a problem for anyone. The boys usually watch a movie and fall asleep.
I had an interesting run this morning. There was a really nice trail by the entrance to the campground. So Steve made the suggestion last night that I ought to try running the trail. I headed down there at 5am this morning ready to run only to find there was a $3 daily charge for use of the trail. It had a box that you opened up and inside was an envelope that you write your information on, deposit your money, and then keep the carbon copy on you - just in case you are stopped so you can show the slip. Needless to say I was not carrying a purse or any money and it was a 1/4 mile back to the camper so I decided to run for it. ; ). I did 4 miles, and it was BEAUTIFUL! Of course the entire time I'm running I'm thinking I'm gonna get pulled over and given a ticket and then I thought well at least it would be something to blog about. : )
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Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Crazyhorse
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The Purple Pie Place
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Cheers!
Although the weather has been less than desirable (47 degrees and raining) we have managed to make the best of it. I got up early and ran while Savy rode her bike beside me in the chilly rain. This campground is huge so it wasn't a problem to do 2.5 miles here inside the campground. I will say Sharon Woods has nothing on these hills! The boys all slept in but eventually got up in time to enjoy the last call of all you can eat pancakes at the Shelter House. After breakfast we packed into the car and headed out to see Crazyhorse. It wasn't super exciting for the kids and for the adults it didn't seem like it changed much since we saw it in 2001. Once we watched the short video they had at the museum we all walked away with a deeper appreciation. We even got a rock for Bill!
We came back to the campground for lunch and Steve took a nap. The rest of us went to Hill City to do a little shopping. From the picture of Ben and Wyatt in their "t-shirts", you can see that there was fun to be had on this excursion as well. We returned to the site about 5 o'clock and Savy decided to take the opportunity to swim despite the rain. The boys & I headed to the laundry room. Being at the laundry brought back some memories of when we were here at this campground with the rest of the family in 2001. (For those family members reading this, you would remember this place - it hasn't changed a bit! Feel free to add comments of what you remember about being here. I know you have some.) I'm referring to when we were here in early July 2001 and were hit by a HUGE hail storm! The hail was as big as golf balls and caused quite a bit of damage as well as memories. So even though the weather is rainy and a bit chilly its no hail!
Tomorrow we will go through Custer Park and visit Mt. Rushmore. Ready for another day of laughs!
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Monday, June 14, 2010
The places we have been
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Sunday, June 13, 2010
We have arrived in Hill City, SD
Home of the black hills. It has been a long rainy day!!! Looks like the rest of the night we will have rain. It was an eventful day with the opportunity to see the Badlands and some beautiful terrain. The boys seemed quite impressed with the badlands. Jordyn said they "we're pretty cool" and Ben Hooff described them as "red slippery rocks"
Well off to set up!!! The fun begins!
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Well off to set up!!! The fun begins!
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The Corn Palace
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Away we go (again)
We have packed up and left our 2nd night stay. It's 9am and we are on the road. We are leaving Sioux Falls, SD and headed to Hill City, SD. The boys are glad that the next stop will be one we will stay at for 3 nights. Today will be another long day of driving but we plan to stop at an Old West town for a break in the day. We will also do a loop thru the Badlands to see some scenic views and get an appreciation for this part of the country.
As for last night's stay, there were some errors made in the reservations. Apparently I made one too many phone calls and ended up making a reservation for the KOA instead of Jellystone Campground which is where I thought and told the kids we were staying. The Jellystone had a jumping pillow and I know the kids would of had a great time so I felt really bad! I guess you could say it all turned out ok. We were able to stay hooked up again which made it easier to pull out this morning and made for a quick set up last night. The boys already are getting the hang of the set up and tear down and pitch right in to help out. They even cleaned the truck up before we pulled in last night. The campground had a heated pool so after setting up they all rode their bikes and went to the pool. It was chilly when we got there, around 61 degrees. Sweatshirts were appreciated. The heated pool was nice however it was cold once they got out. I headed to the laundry mat to get our blankets and sheets dry. The mattress dried out by the time we went to bed with the help of a fan.
Once the kids were done swimming they rode their bikes around, played basketball and even met some kids from Columbus...Nebraska that is.
Mom and Dad were a couple rows over from us and were able to stay hooked up as well. We went over and visited for a couple hours inside their luxurious 5th wheeler. It was nice to relax and talk. We decided we would try to leave by 8 this morning which I turned to Dad and joked with him that it would be 9. ; ) Guess we were right on time.
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As for last night's stay, there were some errors made in the reservations. Apparently I made one too many phone calls and ended up making a reservation for the KOA instead of Jellystone Campground which is where I thought and told the kids we were staying. The Jellystone had a jumping pillow and I know the kids would of had a great time so I felt really bad! I guess you could say it all turned out ok. We were able to stay hooked up again which made it easier to pull out this morning and made for a quick set up last night. The boys already are getting the hang of the set up and tear down and pitch right in to help out. They even cleaned the truck up before we pulled in last night. The campground had a heated pool so after setting up they all rode their bikes and went to the pool. It was chilly when we got there, around 61 degrees. Sweatshirts were appreciated. The heated pool was nice however it was cold once they got out. I headed to the laundry mat to get our blankets and sheets dry. The mattress dried out by the time we went to bed with the help of a fan.
Once the kids were done swimming they rode their bikes around, played basketball and even met some kids from Columbus...Nebraska that is.
Mom and Dad were a couple rows over from us and were able to stay hooked up as well. We went over and visited for a couple hours inside their luxurious 5th wheeler. It was nice to relax and talk. We decided we would try to leave by 8 this morning which I turned to Dad and joked with him that it would be 9. ; ) Guess we were right on time.
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Saturday, June 12, 2010
Somebody wet the bed in Des Moines (and it wasn't me!)
I'm just saying....I got into the trailer to grab my camera when we stopped for gas and the bag was all wet. The towels next to it were wet and so I felt the bed and HOLY CRAP it was wet!! Not just a little, the mattress is soaked. We went thru some hard rains leaving Davenport all the way to Des Moines. We had left our front window open a little bit but the water must have spun up off the truck and wet the bed! Guess there will be some interesting sleeping arrangements tonight and I'll be headed to the laundry mat! At least it was Steve's side of the bed!
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Oops gave the wrong link...try this for info on the wind project!
http://www.iowadevelopment.com/news.cfm?article=683
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Wind farm
http://www.iowadevelopment.com/news.cfm?article=683
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Puppy Chow
I had a couple people ask what exactly "Puppy Chow" is, so I thought I would attach a link for the recipe. It's so easy to make and everyone loves it! Enjoy!
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1710,158182-234196,00.html
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Day 2 Begins
I was so tired last night I couldn't hold my eyes open to write in the blog so I will update you now on the evenings events.
We arrived about 4:30 and it was hot! About 75 degrees but the humidity was high. The boys all helped Steve get things set up. He had them learning how to do things like attach the water hose, the electric, put the jacks down, chock the tires, and put the awning up. Living quarters are pretty tight with four teenage boys and Steve so we have to stay organized. We were lucky enough to get sites where we didn't have to unhook so that made set up a little easier. Dad and Mom are right next to us. The campground was pretty small and truly right off the interstate thus the name Interstate RV. A good campground to stay for the night but not very exciting for the kids. Once we had things set up the kids went to the pool. Mom and Dad got set up and relaxed in their beautiful trailer for a few and Steve and I headed to the Farm & Fleet across the street to get a new battery for the trailer. It was hot! Walking across the street and back we were sweating. We were going to have grilled chicken but they didn't have fire rings to grill outside so we opted for an easy meal of hot dogs & mac-n-cheese. No complaints from the kids although I don't think anyone was starving with all the snacks we had in the car.
There wasn't a ton to do here but Hooff and Jordyn found a field to kick the soccer ball in. Turns out it was a sod farm so some beautiful grass! ; ) Savy got some pictures I'll add later. Wyatt and Frazier rode their bikes a bit and munched on some candy. The boys were gonna go back to the pool but it was closed so they decided to all go get showers. The facilities were really clean but it was well water and the boys complained about the smell. Frazier and Wyatt thought about sleeping in the back of the truck but it was way too hot, they ended up coming in the trailer around midnight. I think everyone slept pretty good I know Steve and I were asleep by 10:30.
I got up at 5 am and it was chilly inside the trailer. I covered Frazier and Wyatt up as it looked like they each climbed on a bunk but didn't bring blankets in. I stepped outside thinking it would be a nice cool morning only to be greeted by warm muggy air. I ran 2.5 miles while everyone slept and then woke Steve up and he did a 30 min bike ride. I headed to the shower house to get a quick shower and when I stepped back out it was poring down rain. We had to pack up in the rain but got it done and headed out at 8am.
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Friday, June 11, 2010
WANTED: Ohio Man steals Farm n Fleet cart
Our battery died on the trailer which is what keeps the fridge running while we are traveling. Needless to say we needed to get it replaced. Lucky for us there is a Farm & Fleet accross the street from the campground. The cart made it a whole lot easier to transport the batteries back and forth. : O )
We have arrived!
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Galesburg, IL where apparently the trees are square.
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Lunchtime
We are on I74 headed towards Peoria, I'll. We will stop to prepare sandwiches at a rest area and let the kids stretch their legs while the drivers rest their eyes. It's been pretty smooth sailing and everyone seems pretty content. I know I slept for a few minutes. This state is flat with not much to look at, other than corn and farm silos. The boys have gone thru just about all the puppy chow and quite a few pepperoni rolls. Steve and I munched on some of the trail mix Becky sent along. YUM! (Thanks!) We estimate that we will reach the campground by 5pm.
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Riding in style & comfort!
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