West Trip Day Six

Yesterday, at the last minute, I changed our travel route to include Nebraska.  I remember visiting Scotts Bluff as a child and thought Zack might enjoy it and since it only added about 1/2 hour onto the travel time it seemed like a great idea.

Nebraska is another one of those booooorrriing states to drive through.  It's nothing but flat land and fooorrreever between exits.  

Typical view - boring

Then, out of nowhere...these bluffs appear.  

Ollie wondering why he can't get out

According to the website:  Towering 800 feet above the North Platte River, Scotts Bluff served as a landmark for emigrants on the Oregon Trail, California Trail, or Mormon Trail.    

Scotts Bluff

We first toured the museum and watched a 12 minute film about the Oregon Trail

3D shadow boxes at the museum (also below)

Mormon Odometer (read below)

Then we drove to the top of the bluff

It was a nice little 45 minute diversion from driving.  As soon as the bluffs disappeared (which was very quickly) it was back to boring flat lands all through the rest of Nebraska and Wyoming.  





We got to Loveland, Colorado about 5:30, checked into our motel, and then Zack did some school work while I took Ollie for a walk.  We are, once again, by a residential neighborhood which makes the walking nice.  

Beautiful trees blooming

We had dinner at BWW.  We can see the mountains as shadows in the distance but tomorrow we will drive to Estes Park and get a close up look of those snow caps.  

West Trip Day Five

Today was our "lay low" day.  We were planning on sleeping in until the maid woke us up by knocking on our door.  Truthfully, it was the dog who woke us up by barking like the stormtroopers from Star Wars were breaking down our door!  Otherwise, we probably would have slept right through the little knock on our door.

So basically all we did today was stay at the motel, watch TV, play around on our computers, and nap.  I also did all our laundry, took Ollie for two walks, and went out to get lunch (Taco Bell for Zack while I opted for the healthier Subway).  

We ordered pizza for dinner, watched the Badgers play in the National Championship game, and packed up.

Tomorrow we are making our way to Loveland, CO through Nebraska.  This will give Zack yet another state to add to his list and it is only about 1/2 hour longer than the original route.  As a little side activity we are stopping in Scotts Bluff.

No pictures of our lazy day.

West Trip Day Four

Today we made the drive up to Mt. Rushmore twice.  It's about 20 minutes or so away from our motel room so it's a bit of a drive, but I wanted to see it at dark and I knew tomorrow would not be a possibility with the basketball game on and all!  Nothing more important in life than that!

We first headed up there around noon to do the Presidential Trail hike.  I really checked things out on the internet before going and I swear I saw a website that said the trail was pet friendly.  It wasn't until we were finished with the hike that I saw the no dogs sign...wooops.  

Yesterday when we paid for parking the attendant made sure to tell me where dogs were and weren't allowed (she didn't mention the trail though).  Today, I even told the attendant we were there to hike the trail and she said nothing about the dog.  And I know she saw him because he was hanging halfway out the window to greet her. @friendliestdogintheworld.  

Only half of the trail was open but we still got some fantastic views...once we reached the end we just had to turn around and re-walk the same trail back.  It wasn't a long trail but had about 250 steps to climb so we got some good exercise.  And some incredible views...totally worth the walk.

Resting up after those 250 steps - but only for a second

As we were leaving there were a couple mountain goats grazing on the side of the road - of course Ollie went wild!

After that we were going to do the Presidential Wax Museum in Keystone but it was closed for Easter Sunday.  By the way, Keystone has a population of only 327 but my guess is that it is the busiest little town in the world...very "touristy"

We went back to our room instead where I almost fell asleep about a half dozen times - and probably would have if there hadn't been a gang gathering in the parking lot right outside our window complete with drinking, smoking, and music that pretty much all you could hear was the bass!

For dinner we returned to Ruby Tuesday because 1). we had a great meal yesterday (blackened salmon and grilled zucchini - yum) and 2). it was close to our motel.  

Then we made the trip back up to Mt. Rushmore to see it lit.  It was still a little early and not completely dark but good enough for us.

Think I took this by accident but it's the best example of the lighting

I think the antibiotics are working because today all I had was a dull ache as opposed to throbbing pain!

Finally, just a couple pictures from last night of Ollie being needy for attention

So far I'm loving my camera - no more blurry pictures

West Trip Day Three

First on the agenda today was changing rooms.  Last night we were in room 221 and the floor in the room above us creaked terribly.  Not that big of a deal except the person in that room must have been walking a marathon up there.  Seriously, I never knew one could walk around in a hotel room so much...I mean there is NO WHERE to go.  But all night last night up until midnight and then starting again at 7:30 this morning...ugh!

So we moved our stuff down a couple doors to room 215.  Then it was off to Mt. Rushmore.  This place is so much different than I remember it being.  There must be a new viewing area because I don't remember being that close - or having to look up. 

zoom lens - not blurry = love my new camera

After we were done here, we headed over to Crazy Horse. Serious waste of time and money.  I had looked online yesterday (mostly to see about pet policies) and saw that viewing the monument was free and that pets were allowed to roam around with you in the viewing area (on a leash of course).  There was a bus tour to the base of the monument which pets could not take that was $11.00 per person.  

Neither Zack nor I were interested in the bus tour anyway so I thought we would go and just walk around and look so imagine my surprise when we were greeted as we drove in and told it would be $22.00!!!!!!  

The view was terrible!

Zoom lens - you're really not that close at all!

Can you see it in the background there? That rock jutting up that really doesn't look like anything

zoom lens again

After lunch at a Dairy Queen we drove back to the motel taking another view of Mount Rushmore on the way.

Then I had to go here:

Serious tooth pain!  And of course it happens on a Saturday!  Actually it has been giving me problems for a couple days...I just like putting these things off hoping they'll go away.  Anyway, I needed some antibiotics for an infection.  Hopefully that will take care of it.  I do not have dental insurance anymore so I REALLY hope that takes care of it!  He was going to give me Tramadol for the pain - but - no need!  I already have enough of that.  

Zack and I went to Ruby Tuesdays for a late(r) dinner and then back to the motel to lounge around and watch the Kentucky/Wisconsin game.  The best part...Wisconsin won!!!Which means Kentucky lost!!!! 

West Trip Day One and Two

I had to go in yesterday morning for two classes and was finished by 11:30 so I figured we may as well get a head start on the drive. We packed up the car and got a slow start when after about 15 minutes on the road, we had to return home because Zack didn't bring his computer with his school stuff on it.  

Ollie will not be left behind - he makes sure of that

The first part of the drive was all on 2 lane back roads through cities that are so small I don't understand how people can actually stand living there.  I mean, where do these people do their grocery shopping?  

But there were some gorgeous old houses in one of the cities.

We stopped at the Ho Chunk Casino in Tomah to do some gambling.

Kidding...the casino was attached to the gas station we stopped at

We entered into Minnesota sometime around 5:00 and I told Zack to keep an eye out for a place to get some dinner.  I honestly could not believe it but for the next 90 miles we passed only 2 gas stations!!!!!    That was it...no food...no cities...nothing!!! For 90 miles!!!

We finally found a run down A&W in a hick little backwoods town but the food was good so all was well.

We stopped for the night in Austin, Minnesota and our good fortune continued when the TV in our room got all of about 5 channels.  But one of them was HLN so I could watch Forensic Files.  


Today we made an equally boring drive to Rapid City, South Dakota.  I am so glad we are not returning the same way because that was seriously the most boring drive I have ever made.  At least the speed limit in South Dakota was 80mph so you can make good time.  

We made a side stop in Mitchell to see the Corn Palace where our good fortune from yesterday just carried over into today and the entire front of the palace was blocked by construction.  I knew it was under construction but I thought they would piecemeal it and leave some parts accessible while they worked on other parts-but-no!

We were at least able to see the side of the building 

And a quick picture to prove we were there

I went inside to use the bathroom and was surprised to see that it was a gymnasium.  It is also used as a theater and I knew that but there was a gymnasium floor, a scoreboard, and basketball hoops.

This is what the front should like




And inside



Tomorrow is supposed to be a beautiful day so we plan to visit Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, and do the 0.5 mile Presidential Trail hike that takes you directly under the presidents heads...I'm excited.  

One More Day

Tomorrow at around 3:00 Zack and I (and Ollie) will be leaving for our "spontaneous and ever changing" road trip.  

The itinerary, as of today, is this:

Thursday April 2 - drive from Oshkosh to LaCrosse, Wisconsin
Friday April 3 - drive LaCrosse to Rapid City, South Dakota
Saturday April 4 - visit Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse
Sunday April 5 - visit Badlands and Black Hills and have a nice Easter Dinner
Monday April 6 - visit Devils Tower in Wyoming
Tuesday April 7 - drive Rapid City to Loveland, Colorado
Wednesday April 8 - visit Rocky Mountain Nation Park
Thursday April 9 - Drive Loveland to somewhere around Kansas City, Missouri
Friday April 10 - Drive to St. Louis, Missouri
Saturday April 11 - Drive home

I have reservations in Rapid City and in St. Louis. I am really splurging and we are staying at the downtown Hilton in St. Louis.  We also already have tickets to go up to the top of the arch. I am still looking to book a motel for Loveland but all the rest we are going to just wing it.  

I will not be visiting any place I haven't already been but for Zack he will be able to add these states to his list:
Minnesota
 South Dakota
Wyoming
Colorado
Kansas.  
He was in the St. Louis airport when he was 2 months old so technically he's been in that state.  And he's also been in Iowa already. 

I am hoping to update the blog every night during the trip.