Imagination

Korra (to me): oh, that's my phone. I've gotta take this. Gimme just a minute. 

Korra (on her pretend phone): hello?  That is NOT what I was expecting. 

Korra (to me): Tigey's mom is really weak. I need to go.

Korra (at the playground): Mom, we need to run!  There is a monster over there. It's a pink and purple fly that used to be my friend but now he's bad. I give him orange juice every day and he puts his poison pee in it. 

Zoo Splash Pad

This morning we went to the zoo and Korra enjoyed playing in the new splash pad.  Tonight Korra has a playdate and so Nate and I can go on a movie date.

My bed

It was so nice to sleep in my own bed last night. It was also really nice to wear something other than the same 7 outfits I've been wearing for the last month. 

Day 28- Home

We drove through Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia today bringing our total states visited to 21 for our trip. Total number of miles: 7,100. It feels so good to be home. 

Day 27- Hot Springs

We toured downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas today. We went into shops, ate cupcakes, saw some the hot springs, toured an old bathhouse, ate lunch at a brewery, and played at a playground. 

Day 26- long drive

Today has been a very long day of driving (9 hours) bringing our total miles to nearly 6,500.. We are now in Arkansas (which makes 19 states) officially back in the Southeast. Spending tonight and tomorrow with our friends in Little Rock. 

Kansas Diner

Lunch at Harry's Cafe in Pittsburgh, KS before crossing into Missouri. 

Refund

Called to complain about the sprinkler camping situation from Tuesday and got a full refund!

Kansas Zip-Line?

I just saw a sign for zip lining... in Kansas. I don't understand. 

Country Stampede

As we drove up to the park where we had reservations to camp, we noticed a lot of traffic. Then we noticed tons of vehicles parked in a field. Then we noticed the giant stage... As we drove in we learned this campground is the site of a huge country music festival. http://www.countrystampede.com/

We panicked. Trucks and rednecks and Bud Light as far as the eye could see. I went to the office to request a refund or see if we could be moved somewhere else (there was nothing on the website about this when I booked!) and was told that we were on the wrong campground. The one we had reservations at has a very similar name and is located 3 miles away on other side of the lake. 

The only downside to this campsite: dreaded vault toilets (I've done my best to avoid them!) and $4 per shower. Guess we're going to be stinky when we arrive at our friend's house in Little Rock tomorrow. 

Boredom Eating

Kansas's landscape is so boring I want to snack the whole drive. 

Day 25- Kansas

Kansas is a very boring state to drive through. We stopped to see a giant replica of a Van Gogh painting (Nate and Korra didn't even get out of the car). 

We're now in the central time zone. We've driven nearly 6,000 miles and visited 17 states. Camping outside Manhattan, KS tonight- our last night of camping. 

Colorado Springs

My aunt, uncle, and cousins took us to Garden of the Gods today. We had a nice time hiking even though it rained on us a bit. Korra loved playing with my cousins (teenage boys)- really she lives any attention that is not from me and Nate lately. 

After, we looked up nearby breweries and ended up at Manitou Brewery in Manitou Springs (right at the base of Pike's Peak). The good was great and Nate loved there beer. We walked around the adorable little town and found a huge arcade with both old and new game cabinets. The whole town was an unexpected and fun surprise. 

Day 23- Driving to Denver

It took about 6.5 hours to drive from Dinosaur National Monument to Denver- a full hour longer than it should have due to construction traffic. While going 5mph, we realized that we had about 30 miles of gas left and it was about 30 miles to the nearest gas station. It made a very stressful hour. Fortunately, the last bit was downhill. Unfortunately, the gas station was charging a 75 cents more per gallon than the station just 6 miles further. 

We had a nice dinner with some friends in Denver and have finally settled down for the night at my uncle's house in Colorado Springs. 

Dinosaur National Monument

Right before we crossed the border into Colorado (state #16 on our trip), we visited Dinosaur National Monument. The huge excavation wall that is full of real dinosaur bones that you can actually touch was so cool. 

Oil Change

This morning I'm getting our oil changed in Jensen, UT because we've driven 5,000 miles on this trip. 

DinoLand Hotel

When we arrived at Starvation Park, we found that the area where we were supposed to pitch our tent was soaking wet. The sprinklers were on. No one was available to turn them off. Then the wind picked up, strong enough to make it hard to stand. Given that today hasn't gone as planned, we decided to just get back in the car, drive toward Dinosaur National Monument and look for a hotel. 

Day 22- Utah

We stopped in Salt Lake City to walk around a bit afternoon. It was super hot and several things didn't work out like we'd hoped so it was stressful and not fun (we really need an oil change).  Their public library is beautiful and so after the mountains to the south east. On our way to Starvation State Park for our second to last night of camping. 

Sand Dunes

We had lunch yesterday at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. Much of our drive was on I-84, which was built on top of parts of the trail. 

We camped at Bruneau Dunes in southern Idaho. I had thought we would climb the dunes but it was 96 degrees when we arrived and the sand was scorching hot. 

We had a rough night. First it was the mosquitoes throwing themselves against the side of the tent. It sounded like rain. Then it actually started to rain and it sounded like being inside a popcorn popper (also, rain in the desert?!). After the rain, the wind kicked up and proceeded to partially collapse the tent repeatedly over an hour and a half. I got to see some really spectacular stars while I was up trying to fix the tent. And the wind did keep the mosquitoes away. We finally got to sleep about 4am. 

On our way to Utah this morning. 

Moving Day

The friends we have been starting with in Hood River are moving to a new house this morning (only about 20 miles away) and we are on our way east. Fitting that our last picture is in front of their loaded van (as was our last picture with them in LaGrange last summer). It has been indescribably wonderful to spend time with these wonderful friends who we shared so much of our lives with in Hillside. 

Day 21- Fruit Loop

Today we are our way around the "Fruit Loop" in the Hood River valley. First at the Gorge White House (amazing cider), then at Packer (cookies and ice cream), petting llamas at the alpaca farm, and smelling the flowers at a lavender farm. The weather today is perfect. 

Day 19- Mt Hood

We drove to the Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood today where the kids got to play in the snow. 

We went to an end of school year party where there was a cherry tree and a sail boat to play in 

 and then spent some time at the Riverside Park in Hood River. Korra climbed you the top of the rock wall and we celebrated this accomplishment with ice cream. 

Day 18 Hood River

Our friends from LaGrange who now live here in Hood River have their last day of school today so we are taking it slow today. We went shopping around town, went out to eat, played at the river- side park, and even took a nap. Feeling well rested and ready for the weekend!

Day 17- Portland

A quick stop in Portland (lunch at Grassa and an hour wandering through Powell's Bookstore) on our way to Hood River, Oregon. 

14 states. 4,000 miles. After 17 days or driving west and north, we have begun to drive west and south. 

Day 16

After a leisurely morning of eating breakfast and repacking the car, we drove to the Fremont neighborhood to see the troll under the bridge. 

Then we are lunch at Eve which was delicious but was really too expensive for us. 

We made a stop at Fremont Brewery so Nate could try a flight while Korra and I colored with chalk. 

Then we went to Richmond Beach in Shoreline. Korra said this was her favorite part of the trip. It was too cold to get in the water and the shore was all rocks and seaweed but she enjoyed playing with the rocks. 

Now we're killing some time in a coffee shop before heading a friend's house for dinner (actually a married couple who were both in my friend group in high school and the husband, Mark, is now good friends with Nate thanks to Dragon Con- small world, right?)

Day 15 Seattle

We ate at Piroshky Piroshky and Beecher's Cheese (plus coffee from Starbucks and fresh pressed cold cider), wandered all around Pike Place Market, and went to the Museum of Pop Culture where they had an indie video game exhibit and an exhibit on Jim Henson. Korra was a champ through it all (including 4+ miles of walking over the course of 6 hours) before we took the bus back to our friend's place so sure could nap before dinner. 

Sushi Maru

After learning sushi is Korra's favorite, Nicole and Ryan took us to their favorite sushi restaurant. It was delicious and we all (but especially Korra) enjoyed the novelty of there conveyer belt off sushi. 

Day 14

We're halfway through our adventure and have reached the West coast!  We've been to 13 states (today we've reached Washington). 

We had planned to have a picnic lunch at the Ginko Petrified Forest but it was much too windy to eat outside. Beautiful though and we enjoyed seeing all the windmills. 

We had lunch at a bakery and then we stopped at Snoqualmie Falls which according to Nate has something to do with Twin Peaks. 

Spending the next 3 nights with some friends in Seattle where we plan to begin our sightseeing (read: eat our way through the city) tonight. 

More of Day 13

Yesterday Korra enjoyed riding the Missoula Carousel

and I enjoyed our lunch with my friend Ruth Anne. 

We camped at Heyburn State Park in Idaho where it was chilly but nice. Korra learned how to use a compass and then left it in the picnic table and didn't realize it until we were in Washington. 

She also made friends with a chipmonk she

named Chippy. 

3,000 miles

We've traveled 3,000 miles so far. By the end of the day we'll have gone through 12 states and 4 time zones. 

Cold and a little smelly

Last night it repeatedly rained on and off and was super windy the entire time we were setting up the tent and eating dinner, so we decided to bundle up and go to bed early. Once we were all snuggled into our sleeping bags, the wind died down and the sun came out... and didn't set until 10pm. It was very cold last night and packing up the tent morning was not fun because it was so cold. Also, the bathrooms at the campground had coin operated showers ($3 for 6 minutes) which is dumb. We're on the road now for our last stop in Montana- lunch with a former mentor/coworker in Missoula. 

Day 12- Montana

Our first stop of the day was the Museum of the Rockies. Amazing museum. We especially loved the dinosaur exhibits. Korra loved the Yellowstone children's area.

Second stop was a hike to Palisades Falls. 

We made a quick stop to see another Sacajawea statue (it was raining). 

And then made our way to the Lewis and Clark caverns. We did the 2 hour, 2 mile hiking tour of the caverns (with Nate wearing Korra in a front carrier through most of the cavern while ducking and squeezing through the passages). The hike to the caverns was even more beautiful than the caverns themselves. 

Sleeping In

Even in a hotel room with the curtains drawn, I can't sleep late. I'm barely adjusting as we move our way along time zones. This morning I "slept in" until 6:10 mountain time. Korra and Nate do not have this problem. 

Hotel in Bozeman

The hotel deal I found after 3 hours of unsuccessfully searching AirBnB (partly due to the frequency with which the cell service went out), is not nearly as impressive as the cabin I scored for us 2 nights ago. Feeling a little like a wimp for running to a hotel at the prospect of rain but I don't think I'll feel that way in our tent tomorrow night when the low is supposed to be 40 degrees... 

Another cancelled reservation

After seeing thunder storms predicted for tonight in the state park where we had tent camping reservations, we decided to cancel and look for something else. It took me 25 min on the phone and we only got half our reservation fee back but at least we know we'll be dry tonight. Currently stopped at a wonderful playground and park for a picnic lunch in Sheridan WY. We should make it into Montana in the next few hours. 

Devil's Tower

After Mount Rushmore, we drove to the town to Deadwood. Visiting the cemetery where Wild Bill and Calamity Jane are buried was cool but the rest of the town was disappointing. Thankfully we arrived early at Devil's Tower because it is our favorite stop so far. Korra loved climbing in the boulders and the tower itself is awe inspiring. 

Our campsite is right next to it!

Self-Talk at Mt Rushmore

I love hearing Korra's positive self-talk. While climbing the stairs at Mount Rushmore, I heard her say to herself, "Come on. You can do it. Keep going. You've got it!"

Let's Make a Deal

Last night as we drove further into the wood on smaller and more winding roads towards our campsite, the sky got darker and darker. It had clearly rained here earlier and looked like it would again soon. As we stopped to check in, we heard a lot of thunder and decided not to stay. Tent camping in a storm and then packing up a wet tent in the morning is not fun. No refunds on our reserved site. We started to drive back towards Keystone to look for a hotel when we drove past a cabin rental place.  We had just listened to an episode of the podcast "Good Job, Brain" that had a segment about making deals and I knew that a place like this was more likely to cut us a deal than a big chain hotel. It was about 5pm when I walked into the office. I explained in my friendly way where we were from and our situation. I told her we didn't have much to spend but I thought I'd ask. When the woman asked how much we had to spend I told her $45. (I guessed if she had an empty room or cabin that it was likely to stay empty if she didn't rent it to us and figured I could go up a little in price if I needed to). She agreed right away and drew me a map to "The Guest House."  It was perfect for us. Queen and single beds downstairs (plus the same in the loft that we didn't use), a bathroom with hot water, a little kitchen, a gas grill outside and even a neighbor renting the house next to us with a 5 year old boy for Korra to play with. It didn't end up raining at all during the night but I'm still pretty happy with it choice (and with the deal I made). We were able to get a much earlier start to our next destination: Mount Rushmore!

Day 9- South Dakota

Our first stop today was the World's Only Corn Palace. The outside and inside of this building are covered in murals mage entirely of corn and are redone every year. It was/is basically a high school gym with murals and a big gift shop. Cool and weird and thankfully free. 

In the early afternoon we stopped at a rest stop with a giant statue of Sacajawea and a beautiful overlook- pretty much the most interesting geographic feature of South Dakota we saw for most of the day (it's a lot of rolling hills that probably hide military and doomsday bunkers). 

After seeing signs for the famous Wall Drugs for nearly 400 miles, we finally arrived about an hour after we entered Mountain Time. Lots of cheesy photo ops and souvenirs. 

The landscape in western South Dakota is much more interesting and beautiful. About another hour to go before we arrive at Pactola Resevior for the night.