On the Road Again

Another summer, another 2300 mile journey for the Sampsons!
[Apologies in advance for any wonkiness, this was typed on my ipad.]

 

Once the (very thorough) moving crew had loaded up our belongings into a Mayflower truck, we loaded up our car as well,  said goodbye to Pullman and Moscow and headed across Idaho and into Montana.

Butte-ful!

We made it into Butte just after dark, not before the front of our RAV4 was mauled by bugs.  Butte was a beaut, but a short stay,as we loaded up for a long days drive across Montana.  

Bugz all up in mah grill

It was from Butte to an unremarkable stop in Billings. Despite a nearly 600 mile day, the long drive was punctuated with stretches of beautiful landscape while listening to Willie, Dylan, the Dead, and a little MMJ.  Later, I scanned the radio dial somewhere around the edges of Wyoming and South Dakota to be treated to back-to-back gems by Faith No More and Mötley Crüe, a definite Evansville flashback.

Late afternoon brought on a crackling thunderstorm.  While Joe caught a break and the kids a nap, I gripped the steering wheel  and watched the big Montana sky light up like an Ansel Adams print I once had.  Of course the fun of onelane construction and hydroplaning through downpours was thrown into the mix, but we made it to Rapid City, SD in time for dinner.

Thank you, Gutzon Borglum

The next morning, we got up early and snuck in a side trip to Mount Rushmore, leaving the cat at the hotel.  Keystone , SD is very cute and kitschy in a Gatlinburg sort of way, fake saloons and old tyme photos,  

The kids earned their  junior rangers badge, their 12th to date!

Mount Rushmore and the visitors center was more inspiring and educational than I expected it to be, and so continues my love affair with the National Park Service and how well they educate, protect and inform. (Am I too old to want to be a ranger when I grow up?)

I'd never really thought about how Mount Rushmore is such a gutsy marvel of art, engineering, nature, leadership, and persistence, but to see film footage of FDR dedicating the monument 14 years after it began, and  how the vision from many years before that became a reality, was all very stunning.

Into the Badlands

By 11 we were headed back  on the road east through the Badlands,  past Wall Drug, and the Corn Palace, past lots and lots of cows. Probably not many places in America where you  have 100 miles worth of gas in the car and still nervously wonder if you'll make it to next open/working gas station.  Dakota!

Lunch became a similar challenge, so it was convenience store foods combined with snacks we'd already packed. The Sampson favorites are:  Funyuns, cornnuts,  and fig newtons washed down with Gatorade and Dr. pepper - things we exclusivey buy on the road. I'm sure we'll feel great later!
 (ed note: i did counterbalance that with a roasted veggie salad once we got to Madison.)


Back to the lands of Cheese and Chili

Now we've arrived in Wisconsin for a day to rest up and spend time with family, and celebrate my nephew's 2nd Bday. We plan to gorge ourselves on cheese curds and frozen custard in the next few hours.

In the meantime, Joe and the kids have begun the countdown to a meal at Skyline (36 hours or so?) Cincinnati, here we come!