tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-329227632024-03-06T23:57:13.908-05:00R.A.M...Random Access Me-nessMaking Memories and HomeschoolingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger699125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-90366047730871608742019-10-10T21:27:00.001-05:002019-10-10T21:27:05.719-05:00NE Day 5....New RecordTuesday, Oct 6 2019<br />
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New record for us, we made it till day five on a road trip without stopping at Walmart for anything. Sweetling tried to argue this one with me to say that we did need to buy her a raincoat yesterday, to which my reply was, yes, but that wasn't at Wal-Mart. So. <br />
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Today was the day that we left Acadia. And really, the turning point of the trip. Yes, we still have a lot planned, but Acadia was the furthest point from home on the trip. We had more blueberry baked goods for breakfast. <br />
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We quickly picked up US 1 south. Driving down the coast along US 1 was something the Jedi wanted to do, and it was a happy coincidence that much of our driving today was along US 1. In the past couple of days alone, the autumn foliage has intensified in color and many bed and breakfasts and small inns had no vacancy signs up. <br />
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Our first stop of the day was the Lighthouse Museum in Rockland, Maine. Sweetling loves lighthouses and took many photos. I took photos too, because as I was reading about the lighthouses and looking at the models, I decided it would be neat to do a single session Outschool Minecraft class on lighthouses for the 6-9 age group. <br />
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We probably spent longer than we should have in the two room museum because we didn't hit our lunch stop until 2 pm. Lunch was at the Great Lost Bear in Portland Maine. Bruno the Bear had come with Sweetling from Cincinnati to get his picture taken in front of the sign. The photo op was cool and the fried haddock sandwiches the Jedi and I got were all right. (Though after the blackened grouper in Florida, other local seafood just falls short of that high bar). The fries were super bland, but Young Chef liked the philly cheese steak he got with mushrooms and onions. The server had set the table with two kids menus/coloring mats and boxes of crayons, and both kids did indeed color instead of getting out their phones. That made my heart happy.<br />
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The Portland Head Light was another wonderful, picturesque, quintessential New England vista. (Yes, it was all those adjectives. Don't scoff; I have the pictures to prove my points). Young Chef promptly disappeared to scale up a rocky cliff. I took a gamillion photos of the waves trying to catch the perfect shot. The lighthouse, still in operation, was just beautiful and the sound of its horn echoing across the bay ....well, I would say it hit just the right note, but that pun would be a little too sappy, even for me. <br />
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The second lighthouse for the day was....well bother, I don't remember the name of the light. We had to go to New Castle New Hampshire to view it. After Portland, it wasn't that impressive and the shore was a bit blah. Young Chef caught Pokémon and Sweetling ran a little bit. <br />
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We needed quarters for laundry, and there was a bank in the same shopping strip as a Walmart so....we got quarters and I went into Walmart for more Lactaide and Gas-X, because I have been so naughty I have nearly depleted my supply. I also picked up a new sketchbook for Sweetling.<br />
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Our hotel outside of Boston was a Roadhouse Inn, chosen for its proximity to a commuter train station. It was pretty dumpy, at least by the standards we have become accustomed too, and the room was small. Still, the beds were clean (I always check), I got laundry done, and got to bed around 1. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-40700872079176023832019-10-10T20:51:00.002-05:002019-10-10T20:51:51.921-05:00NE Day 4.....A Changed RabbitIt rained all through the night. We didn't bother to try to get up before the sun to make the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain. It just seemed like it was going to be a lot of effort for an event hidden by the rainclouds. Instead we slept in and then headed out to get wild Maine blueberry pancakes.<br />
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(A quick side note about our hotel...the rooms are individual, motel style doors, but the buildings are located on a landscaped hill. We park at the bottom of the hill and then walk up the path to our rooms).<br />
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We arrived at Jordon's for breakfast at just the right time. After we got there, a line started forming for a table. Everybody got blueberry pancakes and Sweetling and the Jedi got blueberry syrup for their pancakes. Young Chef has become quite the maple syrup connesseur, deciding that he prefers the Vermont maple syrup to the Maine maple syrup. I'm going to get him a bottle of Vermont maple syrup for Christmas. He can drink it from the bottle like a soda. The blueberry syrup was a hit with Sweetling and the Jedi, and a bottle of it came home with us. (Along with 6 large blueberry muffins, but who's counting?)<br />
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After breakfast, we went shopping for a raincoat for Sweetling, because somehow hers didn't get packed in the bin with the other rain gear and , tut tut, it looked like rain. Right next door to Jordan's was a local grocery store. I thought we should check in there first to try to avoid tourist prices I was certain we'd encounter in the stores in the center of the Bar Harbor shops. They didn't have one but I chatted with an employee about where we might find some affordable options. While we were chatting the whale watching tour came up. She said she'd be shocked if they ran that today because of the winds. The Jedi thought it'd be a good idea to call them and ask...and sure enough, it was cancelled for the day. There was a small craft advisory issued, so no whale watching tour.<br />
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We still needed a raincoat for Sweelting, so we set off to check out the shops. This turned into quite a shopping excursion. We hit a store that was having an end of season sale, with jackets for $15 and gloves and scarves and hats for $10 or $5. We walked out with a raincoat for Sweetling which she loves, a jacket for Young Chef that he found and *asked* for (this is the boy that I used to have to threaten and plead with about coats. The compromise we finally reached was that he didn't have to wear his coat in the dead of winter, he just had to carry it so that people knew I had provided him with one. ) <br />
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We decided to drive up Cadillac Mountain. The Jedi previewed the route in advance using google street view to make sure the van could handle it. The drive up was beautiful. We hooked up the dash cam to record it and hit a couple of pull offs for photos, but quickly, because we were trying to beat the rain. While the scenery at the top was lovely, what made the experience truly memorable was the wind. It was a struggle to stand up right, it was nearly impossible to hold a phone still enough for a clear photo. The top was one large piece of weather sculpted rock with delicate alpine plants clinging on here and there and rain pools rippling in the wind. I tried Skyping mama, but the reception was so spotty. I still hiking up the trail, trying to make a video for her when Young Chef ran back down the trail to me and told me I better hurry, it was starting to rain. I told him I'd be fine and he said, "that's your choice; but the wind makes the raindrops feel like bullets and I don't think you're going to like it when they start hitting your face!"<br />
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Back at the visitor center by the parking lot, I took a photo of little alpine plants clinging to the tiled roof. Sweetling came out of the bathroom and told me, "I left that trail a changed rabbit...."<br />
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Since we had extra time, we decided to hit Sand Beach, which we had skipped yesterday, and revisit ThunderHole. Both turned out to be rewarding stops. The waves on the rocks were just beautiful, and thunder hole was indeed thundering. It also drenched a few people at the rail, and Sweetling and I were just outside of the splash range when it happened. By this time, people were hungry, so we headed back to Bar Harbor for lunch at China Joy.<br />
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Another round of shopping and exploring the stores after lunch. Another trip to a fudge and ice cream shop. No one in our group tried the lobster ice cream, but we did get a souvenir for one of Sweetling's friends. Young Chef found a stone to add to his collection at a rock shop, we got more popcorn than the Jedi thought was prudent, and then Sweetling and I got a stack of fat quarters and a piecing/applique kit from a local quilting store. <br />
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By this time, it had just started really raining, instead of the off and on sprinkles, and we were tired, so we headed back to the hotel room to rest before dinner.<br />
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Dinner was at a Rt 66 themed restaurant. The Jedi thought it was fitting that since Rt 66 played such a big role in our first cross country road trip to California, some element of it should be included in this trip, which will wrap up the lower 48 for us. It was a great restaurant. It was set back from the street and the sidewalk to the door was painted like a road. The rear half of a car was mounted above the door and inside the walls to the vaulted second story ceiling were just packed with vintage memorabilia, as was every other nook and cranny. Whoever put all that together did an amazing job, because it didn't look chaotic or cluttered. There was still enough groupings and ordering by themes that it wasn't visually overwhelming.<br />
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The food was great. We had all decided before we left the hotel room that we were not hungry and we would just get appetizers. That didn't happen. The Jedi was the only one who stuck with the plan. When we asked him how his appetizers were he replied, "Delicious, and responsible." The rest of us were irresponsible and ordered dinners, which we pretty much devoured. I ordered halibut tacos, which came with coleslaw and creamy bam sauce. Although I had taken my lactaide, as I was pouring the bam sauce on the first taco, Young Chef asked, "Are you eating _more_ dairy today?" and "oh look, she's putting poison on the other one too!"<br />
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At the end of the meal, Young Chef said to me, "You're in trouble now, eating all that dairy."<br /><br />The Jedi stated, "We are _all_ in trouble now. We are _all_ going to be suffering from the consequences of this poor choice." I took a double dose of Gas-X on the way back to the hotel.<br />
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At the hotel, we watched Jumangi (the one with the Rock and Amy Pond.) It was a funny, easy to watch movie, good for laughing and relaxing after an eventful day. (And the Gas-X worked its magic, mostly.) Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-24770565175070375482019-10-09T18:06:00.002-05:002019-10-09T18:06:33.639-05:00NE: Day 3....Water and StoneI took a beautiful morning photo. The mist and the autumn colors and the empty country road are just begging to be made into a water color painting.<br />
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Breakfast was another amazing meal...overnight apple french toast, scrambled eggs, and locally made sausage sourced from pigs bred down the road. Sweetling and the Jedi very much want me to try to make the apple french toast (which by the way, was made with hemp milk and coconut oil so as not to trigger my lactose intolerance.)<br />
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After breakfast, we all packed up and bundled up, because it was a damp 35 degree morning, and headed to The Basin in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. This was a favorite hiking spot of our Vermont friends and it was easy to see why. Moving water had shaped the granite hills into beautiful curves and flowing shapes. In the fall, there wasn't much water in the stream or river beds, so a lot of sculpted rock was exposed. Young Chef asked if he could explore up ahead on his own, and I said yes. He had his cell phone on him and we had a strong signal....at least, we had a strong signal where we were standing at the time. I had no way of knowing a short way up the trail the signal would be gone. A tour bus disgorged its passengers, and our Vermont friends suggested we take the other fork in the path so as to be on our own, and not in the midst of a couple score of people. No problem. I'll just text Young Chef. No response. Fine, I'll call him. Goes to a voice mail box that isn't set up. I sent him a message on Discord, nothing. The Jedi and the Vermont dad both head up the trail on a search and recover mission. Meanwhile, I climbed on rocks with the Vermont boys and chatted with Vermont mom. Sweetling took pictures of mushrooms.<br />
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Young Chef got to an elevation where he had signal again, and his phone LIT up with messages and missed calls. He booked his butt back down the train where the Jedi found him. We called Vermont dad to tell him the target had been acquired, and once everyone was reunited, continued on. We quickly reached the exposed rock face of a nearly dry river bed. More climbing and exploring commenced. I took some great photos, the Young Chef explored, but not too far away. Vermont boys had a great time. Sweetling said the area reminded her a lot of the Grand Tetons.<br />
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All too soon we had to depart. Vermont friends tried to convince us to come back and stay a week next time. That is not a hard sell! (Also, I managed to limit myself to picking up just one fall leaf. Since I used to have phone books filled with leaves every fall, I think this showed great restraint.)<br />
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After the experience with the brakes yesterday, we had already decided to skip Mt Washington. I know the Jedi was disappointed; Mt Washington was an anticipated highlight of the trip for him. For time sake, we also cut out the scenic detour. That was my call. We had had two days of mishaps and wrecked schedules, and I did *not* want to risk missing the 4:30 deadline for purchasing a park pass at the Acadia Visitor Center. Plus, it was still overcast and foggy, and I didn't want to take the detour, risk Acadia, and not have decent visibility.<br />
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The drive was still pretty and pleasant. We made good time and at a little roadside BBQ shake with a drum smoker for lunch. The brisket looked like a a decent Texas style rub with a dark bark and sliver of fat, but it was a bit dry. The ribs were absolutely plain, with no rub on them at all. The beans and the chili and the cornbread were great, but the meat was a little lackluster.<br />
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We only had one other stop for gas and bathroom break, and the country road gas station sported a decent little gift shop. Sweetling and I picked out candy bars, but Eswin picked out a tiny $2 bottle of maple syrup, which he drank straight from the bottle. He did a happy syrup dance after his first sip.<br />
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We arrived at the Acadia Visitor Center at 4:10! We bought our park pass, a fridge magnet, and a sticker for the luggage carrier. <br /><br />Acadia did not disappoint! We drove out on the Park Loop Road towards the eastern coastline. Our first stop was ThunderHole. The sea was calm and the tide was low, so no action at ThunderHole, but we did plenty of exploration along the rock coast. For years, Eswin's big complaint about national parks is that he hasn't been free to just go off and explore. But here, Eswin was aloud to climb and explore and chart his own path up and over and around the rock coast. <br />
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At Otter Point (I think) Eswin just looked at me. I simply said, "Be free" and off he went. He found a painted rock. I was super excited about that, and had him climb back down the small cliff to retrieve it. I thought it surely would belong to a rock paint-and-hide club. But it was just a selfpromotion for follow me on instagram. Not at all in the spirit of rock painting. <br />
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We stayed and played on the coast until sunset, and then drove to find dinner for the night. Dinner turned out to be carry-out from Rosalie's in Bar Harbor. We took our calzones and pizzas back to the rooms to get showers for the evening. (And do a tick check. Yay.)<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-34323617039206144262019-10-08T22:04:00.002-05:002019-10-08T22:04:46.616-05:00NE Day 2: Breaks for the BrakesSaturday, Oct 5th<br />
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Left the hotel at 8:10, just 10 minutes behind schedule. There were two tour buses in the hotel who were all trying to get breakfast and check out at the same time as us. We got our breakfast and ate it in the room and got out close to on time. <br />
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Outside of the city, the horizon was rimmed with low clouds and we drove into the rolling hills driving in and out of banks of fog and mist as we drove through the low lying clouds.<br />
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The air was chilly, just 38 degrees. On the first cold day of the year, the van always reads a low tire pressure. We stopped so that the Jedi could check the tires and put air in as needed. A fifteen minute delay, but nothing that should derail the days plans.<br />
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We drove over the Erie canal at least three times. Each time there was mist swirling off the surface of the water and all three times I just missed getting a picture of it.<br />
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I've discovered the easiest way to communicate with Sweetling during road trips is to text her. She sits in the very back of the van with headphones on and her attention is on whatever she is working on. The Young Chef sits in the middle, often asleep. Trying to get Sweetling's attention either verbally or visually is not often successful, so I text her. The Jedi comments, "Do you remember when you laughed at me when I told you we email each other in the office?" <br />
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We drove over the Hudson River and found ourselves off the main highway on all these county roads and state routes. The Jedi said, "This is feeling less like a cross country road trip and more like a drive to a BBQ contest." I, of course, went back to my past time of trying to snap photographs out the window of a moving vehicle. Sweetling spotted Ribbon Candy Lane, which she said was pretty much the antithesis of the long standing winner of weird street names, Bucket of Blood Road, spotted on our drive through the American Southwest.<br />
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Our first big landmark of the trip was Mt Equinox in the Green Mountains of Vermont. It was a private toll road to access it. We paid the $35 dollar toll and drove up. The weather was beautiful, clear and sunny. The trees have begun to display their brilliant fall colors and the air was so clear we could see mountain ranges in the distance from both New York and New Hampshire. Young Chef took photos and explored. I delighted in all the grasshoppers. I started a Skype call to Mama, but then Sweetling asked if she could show Grandma around and took the phone and disappeared. I went and found the Jedi and just appreciated the view with him.<br />
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On the way back down, Eswin asked, "What's that smell?" at about the same time the Jedi made a worried comment. It turns out that the burning smell was our brakes. The road up and down the mountain was narrow and steep with numerous hairpin turns and traffic going both up and down the mountain. The Jedi was trying to use the transmission as much as possible to slow our decent, but the road was so steep the engine was reving too high and the turns were so tight he had to use the brakes a lot to bring our speed down to go around those blind corners without hitting on coming traffic on one side or trees on the other side.<br />
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There was no place to stop or pull over for the first half mile down the mountain. By the time we got to a parking area for a scenic lookout, the brakes were *smoking* and very "spongy" when in use. We sat there for a while to let them cool down completely. The Jedi tested them, and they seemed to have recovered at least enough to try the next bit down the mountain. We limped our way down the next three and a half miles of road, pulling off at every opportunity to rest and let the brakes cool. The Jedi teased the transmission between gears, trying to use the engine to keep us in check as much as he dared. I prayed silently, reciting what lines of Psalm 121 I knew. It was a scary, scary drive down<br />
We had concerned friends waiting for us in Vermont and the Jedi talked to them about the brakes. He also called a friend from Tae Kwon Do, saying, "I know who I'm going to ask...Mr. I-Have-A-Hydrolic-Lift-In-My-Garage." It was determined that as long as the brakes were fully functional now, we should be ok....but we might want to take it easy on them and when we get back to Cincy, perhaps have the brake line flushed (or something to that effect).<br />
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We skipped the second mountain we had been considering for the day, and on the advice of concerned Vermont friends, went to the Vermont Country Store. That was a great place. We spent a small chunk of money, and I slightly regret not spending a bit more. There were a couple types of Vermont cheddar cheese that did not come home with us and a bottle of maple syrup that I wish we would have picked up. Still, we picked up several nice souvenirs and ate maple ice cream. yum.<br />
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We didn't get to our friends house till close to 6:30 instead of our hoped for 4:30. Both the extended journey down the mountain, the phone calls about the brakes, and the shopping excursion really added up. and yes, I know I just said "both" about three things, but I'm typing on my tablet, and its not nearly as user friendly as one would think. Going back and changing things is a pain.<br />
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At our friends house, we enjoyed a delicious salmon dinner. It was the only time I've ever had salmon where the skin was almost the best part of the meal! We visited, and chatted until past old people bedtimes. And then we snuggled down under wool batted blankets. Bliss. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-12437721542661407842019-10-07T16:16:00.002-05:002019-10-07T16:16:31.403-05:00NE Day 1--Murpheys LawLeft the house and were sitting in the van at 8:33 this morning, half hour past our hoped for departure time. I started the new page of the log book and the Jedi turned the key in the ignition....and nothing. So, the Jedi got out and took the opportunity to teach the Young Chef how to hook up jumper cables. I did not photograph this process. I like my men folk, and I want them to continue to like me.<br />
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We were actually on the road by 8:53, and then had to turn around to get our phone chargers. (Sweetling's sunglasses and blanket and my scrapbooking pen had already been forgotten and retrieved during the van jumping process.)<br />
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The Young Chef was asleep before we even hit the highway. The Jedi and I played the license plate game by ourselves for a while and I read aloud the logs of all the past trips.<br />
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Young Chef woke up around 12:33 and dug into one of his bags of flaming hot Cheetos. The Jedi and I have a secret pool going on how long his 4 bags of Cheetos will last during this trip. I got him 6 small bags of Cheetos for the trip on Monday, and those were gone before Thursdays. Because, he said, "They were so small...." <br />
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We had plans for the evening in Syracuse, so we decided to get our lunch from Briquettes Smokehouse in Ashtubula to go. I know I just misspelled that, but I'm not arguing with my tablet to try to open a new tab to look it up. My tablet and I are not on the best of terms. It is not my favorite piece of electronics. Lunch was good. The kids each got a perch sandwich, which were good, but the Young Chef felt that the breading to fish ratio was too skewed towards the breading. The Jedi and I split some ribs and briskets. The ribs had a nice dry rub on them. The brisket was all right, but not super exciting. In the parking lot, right next to the river and the harbor, we saw this giant thing. I asked friends on facebook about it, who guessed that it was a conveyor belt to move gravel from one side of the river to the other (where it was mounded up in large hills.) Still unclear as to the *why* of said process.<br />
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We stopped by an ice cream/ diner in Erie PA to recreate a photo of the kids from our trip to Buffalo in 2009. We knew in advance the ice cream stand had closed for the season, we missed eating there by just a few days. But we discovered when we got there that they had either put away, or no longer had, all the large kitchy "Americana" style statues that we so fondly remembered. We took a photo of the kids on one of the outdoor patio table that hadn't yet been packed up. The railroad crossing sign was one of the few details that we could find to recreate an earlier photo.<br />
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We were still well behind schedule, so we skipped the planned ice cream stop. Even so it was after 8 before we got to Syracuse. (The Jedi pointed out the irony of how on the first trip Buffalo was this distant location that we spend two days driving to get to, and on this trip, we were just blowing by it on our first day of our trip.) The morning delay wasn't enough to account for the late arrival, and we hadn't hit any traffic, so there seemed to be no explanation to what happened. We had just driven all day long, and none of our stops had gone as planned :( <br /><br />Dinner was at Eva's Polish Restaurant, and that was very good. The sauerkraut smell was a little off putting, but the decor was nice and the food was filling. We ordered desserts to go and went to the hotel, skipping the family fun night we had been planning. At the hotel, everyone was tired. Instead of desserts and movie, it turned out to be desserts and bed.<br />
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Things we saw on the drive: <br />--gravel conveyor bridge over river in Ashtubula (I swear every time I type that city's name the spelling gets worse.)<br />
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--6 or so deer grazing at the side of the highway, not all in one herd, but one or two here and there along the drive<br />
--a white heron over a pond<br />
--4 or 5 buffalo statues on exit ramp berm<br />
--"text" stops on the turnpike<br />
--didn't see it, but the prepaid ezpass let us use the express lanes when going through the turnpike toll booths<br />
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Hoping that tomorrow is a better day. Today was just not the awesome start to the trip we were hoping for. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-44475959557574834202018-11-03T13:56:00.005-05:002018-11-03T13:56:50.129-05:00Day Three: Seaside Trick or Treat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the many, many things I love about our road trips is that we rarely have days of "just driving". Today was a case study in how a "driving" day typically goes for us.<br />
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First of all, I can't drive anywhere without hanging out the van window snapping photos. The Chef says he is worried for the safety of my phone.<br />
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But really, when we pass BATTLESHIPS....what else am I supposed to do?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We spent I don't know how long in the Florida Visitor Center. Too long. Even though we left the *room* on time this morning, after we had checked out, secured things in the van, stopped for gas, etc, etc. This extra unscheduled stop put us at least an hour, likely more, behind schedule.<br />
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But we were finally IN FLORIDA! and there were palm trees EVERYWHERE and free orange juice!<br />
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And astronauts!<br />
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And I took off my gym shoes and put on sandals!<br />
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We made a small detour for Sweetling to meet an online friend (no pics to preserve the other's privacy) and then we headed to Ft Walton beach to eat lunch with the Jedi's long time friend (who had given us a tour of the Pentagon when we were in DC a few years ago). Pics above text. do not ask me why. I surely am not in control of what the computer does.<br />
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<br />Our next stop was Seaside, where The Truman Show was filmed. This is one of Sweetling's favorite movies, so she was super excited we were driving past it.<br />
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A little research revealed that Seaside hosts a Trick or Treating night on Halloween.<br />
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Now, if I had seen this on a tv show, cute little town were whole families are dressed up walking around together trick or treating, including teenagers in costumes being civilized and social and stores giving out things like full sized candybars and individually decorated cupcakes, I would never have believed it. That sort of stuff doesn't happen in real life anywhere, right? WRONG. It happens in Seaside!!!<br />
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So, when we find a winning lottery ticket just laying on the ground somewhere waiting for us. This is where I'm moving. Look how quaint the streets are.<br />
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But, I'm so excited about Seaside Trick or Treating and Seaside in general, that I've jumped ahead of myself. Before we participated in the awesomeness that was Seaside, we had to go down to the beach and touch the ocean.<br />
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And after Trick or Treating, we grabbed the best grilled sandwiches ever from a local food truck and went to a beach pavilion to watch the sunset. (Also, I love the panorama camera feature on my new phone, but not sure how well those photos will translate here.)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After some delicious gelato (can you say NUTELLA GELATO? I can, and did, and ordered it, and ate it!) We drove to St George Island where we will be staying at the beach front Buccaneer Inn in this amazingly large room with a beach front view. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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And that, friends, is how a "driving day" is DONE.<br /><br />Also, all the snuggle friends that came for the trip got special Halloween ribbons to wear. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-13974581833380258742018-11-03T11:30:00.000-05:002018-11-03T11:30:17.788-05:00Day Two: BBQ, Bugs, and Ghosts, Oh My!We crossed into Mississippi, our second new state of the trip, around 11 this morning. I really like how each of the welcome centers have reflected the character of the state. Mississippi's carausel horses weren't as awe inspiring as Alabama's full scale Saturn 1B rocket, but they were sweet and full of southern charm.<br />
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Lunch was at Leath's BBQ in Hattiesville MS. <br />
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Oh my goodness. Long family style dining tables, secret recipe slaw, sweet potato fries, sauce warmed in a crockery pitcher, big ol washcloths for napkins, and some good Q!</div>
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Y'all notice how suddenly all my text is centered? Yeah, I'm noticing it too. Typing in a moving van, trying to get my little tablet to cooperate, can barely see the screen for the sun glare, so we're all just going to ignore the sudden shift in text formatting.<br />
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Moving on. </div>
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Sweetling's pic of things to do in New Orleans was the Audubon Insectarium. </div>
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We got there about an hour before they closed, but could have easily spent three hours in the place.</div>
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It was really well done and interesting. The main hall had many displays of living creatures along with the standard what is an insect, what is an arthropod, what is a bug, what is a spider sort of information presented in really bright, engaging formats.</div>
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The side rooms each had a theme. One was "Underground" (no pics because it was dark). It allowed you to walk under the leaf litter through the soil on a scale as if you were insect sized. Then a room on termites and the damage a new breed is causing in New Orleans. A room on insects and fishing, on insects of the swamp lands, on bees, etc. etc. </div>
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My favorite room was the Hall of Fame gallery. I have never seen insects displayed in such a stunningly beautiful manner. The photos I was able to eek out of my phone camera do not do these works of art justice.</div>
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And finally (look, the text justification fixed itself), finally, the capstone of the Insectarium was the Japanese Butterfly Garden. Since it was the last room, we were able to slow down and fully enjoy it. <br />
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Dinner was at Pierre Maspero's in the French Quarter. Ed and I split a blackened chicken jambalaya and Sweetling had blackened redfish. It was all very good. </div>
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Following dinner, we walked over to the Mississippi River and then walked around the French Quarter for a while. </div>
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We were also irresponsible in The Fudgery. We bought 4 and a half pounds of fudge, plus extras.<br />
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We went to Cafe du Monde because, you know, its Cafe du Monde, but none of us were all that impressed with their beignets. Maybe its something that has to be enjoyed with a cup of coffee to be appreciated. I did find the streamlining of their kitchen line to be pretty interesting.<br />
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By far the highlight of the French Quarter was the Ghost Tour by Voodoo Bones Lady. Our tour guide was amazing. He was so animated and he told such good stories. He began the tour by saying that he had grown up in New Orleans, and he was going to share with us the stories that he grew up hearing told. His love for his city and his passion for its stories really came through.<br />
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It was great. It made all our lists of favorite things from the day. Two hour walking tour and we had an amazing time the WHOLE time!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-28510472783805993872018-10-30T11:53:00.002-05:002018-10-30T11:53:59.944-05:00Southeast Trip: Day One<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Day One: Monday, October 29</div>
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As we got in the van this morning and the Jedi was
inputting the address of our first stop, he commented, “Leg one is a mere 226
miles.” I have to confess, it does feel like picking up the “little” corner of
the southeast on our map feels like a much smaller excursion than some of our
previous road trips. You’d think that would mean we’d get out the door
smoothly, but our 9:30 departure was very different than our 6:15 departure for
our first big road trip to California seven years ago.</div>
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Lunch wasn’t going to happen till close to 2 our time, so
after a bank stop for quarters, we stopped at Chick-Fil-A for second
breakfasts. Saw a meme, “Treat everyone the way Chick-Fil-A treats you.” Amen,
friends. I also found myself counting my family was we walked out the restaurant door. They are not Navigators that need to be counted before, during, and after each transition.<br />
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According to tradition, as soon as we were on the highway and outside the city,
I read aloud the van travel log. I only have 10 pages left in our log book for a 12 day trip, so I'm going to have to write front and back and not tape in all the brochures and ticket stubs and menus I usually do. I'll just collect the paper memorabalia from this trip and keep it in a bag in the back of the book. </div>
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The Jedi and I got new phones for this trip, just to upgrade our cameras. I tested my phone camera's ability to take pictures from the window of a vehicle flying down the highway. It's not a road trip unless I'm snapping photos from the van. Also really hopeful that there is still plenty of fall colors when we drive back up through the mountains on the return. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2j4JwOx1KSGSAgJ02CshK0uNCUCoxzGlbd3iccGxMjJTD4BP4Qan9U2OFmk0SqdUIqEl0HQux-uFVAJq6yPrxA1Rk85gNBHapH37DlUIMqj02oFnS19TXyq25vFoewFvuFjYfA/s1600/P_20181029_122017_vHDR_Auto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK2j4JwOx1KSGSAgJ02CshK0uNCUCoxzGlbd3iccGxMjJTD4BP4Qan9U2OFmk0SqdUIqEl0HQux-uFVAJq6yPrxA1Rk85gNBHapH37DlUIMqj02oFnS19TXyq25vFoewFvuFjYfA/s320/P_20181029_122017_vHDR_Auto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Our first stop was Blaze Fired Pizza in Bowling Green, Kentcuky. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-tvl8-J7GL1aB-qRNV8s24sihDccxsYeMemGpF31RDWnVMak65PsovUMxjnUf7xcb9kOFnlAMeVmuEg9ZyJISwLbi-B9M8rvcDZSJ6RNyP1okD7cC55x_k017UgicHZYOGjr8w/s1600/P_20181029_134555_vHDR_Auto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-tvl8-J7GL1aB-qRNV8s24sihDccxsYeMemGpF31RDWnVMak65PsovUMxjnUf7xcb9kOFnlAMeVmuEg9ZyJISwLbi-B9M8rvcDZSJ6RNyP1okD7cC55x_k017UgicHZYOGjr8w/s320/P_20181029_134555_vHDR_Auto.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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When you walk in, you head up to the counter and pick put the toppings you want on your pizza.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKysFWUSAGPzj1K1qmsJN7L3vIMxrXaCAzFGVxVDGA9hviE3hzgkV8yvRsxmi5fy0xbtPyAG0CyeJQA4PNheMMD7fH7TzBjnhaFzgd5l_tWeJZKf2ZR5ndnzOG_6IarbM04jBEfQ/s1600/P_20181029_135137_vHDR_Auto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKysFWUSAGPzj1K1qmsJN7L3vIMxrXaCAzFGVxVDGA9hviE3hzgkV8yvRsxmi5fy0xbtPyAG0CyeJQA4PNheMMD7fH7TzBjnhaFzgd5l_tWeJZKf2ZR5ndnzOG_6IarbM04jBEfQ/s320/P_20181029_135137_vHDR_Auto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8mZ7x_l-0QN0FPqpzh_JAjZg9_hpXYLyKyOGd0_M5tWyUGQ44sQyKQAnHJR8-yNjbZibkYVQNz0-BL3DJuKmQWgqR3iJ0YhTH4Rs_bZP-FN2tRNJKY6YSVJZtBVwJ137_dWF0Q/s1600/P_20181029_135751_vHDR_Auto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8mZ7x_l-0QN0FPqpzh_JAjZg9_hpXYLyKyOGd0_M5tWyUGQ44sQyKQAnHJR8-yNjbZibkYVQNz0-BL3DJuKmQWgqR3iJ0YhTH4Rs_bZP-FN2tRNJKY6YSVJZtBVwJ137_dWF0Q/s320/P_20181029_135751_vHDR_Auto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then the pizza goes in a super hot oven and cooks in three minutes. And because I'm a homeschooling mom, I had to ask what the temperature of the oven was. Five hundred near the front. Six to seven hundred near the back, and up to a thousand up in the dome. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXvNxjPZHWLwZo-EYNME-bdMqqLnsysY9P7kq8ojPMKM_F-lN6RpBZQWgN49gg_-NybVHF7j-2EXmlB3HEgKFWE741pm4jRN3_dX46WE7JkWhh8qAQDN0i-TYtMlZcqNgH-LNig/s1600/P_20181029_135818_vHDR_Auto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXvNxjPZHWLwZo-EYNME-bdMqqLnsysY9P7kq8ojPMKM_F-lN6RpBZQWgN49gg_-NybVHF7j-2EXmlB3HEgKFWE741pm4jRN3_dX46WE7JkWhh8qAQDN0i-TYtMlZcqNgH-LNig/s320/P_20181029_135818_vHDR_Auto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Jedi and Sweetling split a pizza, with bacon and sausage on the Jedi's half. Sweetling stepped outside of her plain cheese pizza comfort zone to add mushrooms on her half. Toa of Boy and I went all out on ours.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzvd361GfUs6Id1uTPKt0SBl6k2y25SxJ_P2JAdZJrDEAmkVk3j8IHGpWj9mjk3PBprPtiEb2sYaC5nD5KPBKwh1VGItJpbqVJ7pj6sNVd6atIBDY5r0kmKHjRHdk0vITCoF7Kg/s1600/P_20181029_140248_vHDR_Auto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzvd361GfUs6Id1uTPKt0SBl6k2y25SxJ_P2JAdZJrDEAmkVk3j8IHGpWj9mjk3PBprPtiEb2sYaC5nD5KPBKwh1VGItJpbqVJ7pj6sNVd6atIBDY5r0kmKHjRHdk0vITCoF7Kg/s320/P_20181029_140248_vHDR_Auto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Toa of Boa has really outgrown his handle of Toa of Boy. Perhaps I shall call him the Teen Chef. or the Young Chef. Hmmmmm. Regardless, the Chef at my crusts, because I didn't like the slight charring on the edges of the pizza. The Chef asked what I was talking about and said that the charring was a perfect compliment to the sweet sauce. </div>
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In other news, all it took was one friendly server bringing me napkins and saying, "I got you, hon," for me to slip back into a southern accent. Whatever. My family is just gonna have to deal, cause its just inescapable on this trip. </div>
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Our first new state of the trip was Alabama, which welcomes visitors the proper way.....with giant rockets!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwpZEecTu5-ix2jjCVGONb_rOW2GetWvV8zsRc0q60WWY9y2Y1JOp-O5mUnlo6nSXH8OtlLMAk1_3a4AtGMoQGtRoP2GwunVkZxeHQ-ovo4j7uyyfInDZ2fEnn3g1JE40Yhb1Iw/s1600/P_20181029_155611_vHDR_Auto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUwpZEecTu5-ix2jjCVGONb_rOW2GetWvV8zsRc0q60WWY9y2Y1JOp-O5mUnlo6nSXH8OtlLMAk1_3a4AtGMoQGtRoP2GwunVkZxeHQ-ovo4j7uyyfInDZ2fEnn3g1JE40Yhb1Iw/s320/P_20181029_155611_vHDR_Auto.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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Alabama was where the Saturn rockets for the moon trips were built. Sweetling had found a cool US Space and Rocket Center during our trip planning process, but for time constraints, we had decided to skip that, since it would have added a day and we were going to Kennedy in Florida. A future visit maybe. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PpMVRQ17zGKq7DfgqxUepHeLpLD2ZkBqWOeHWPOvu62LfOvHQR1X3lxk-ABML0hLDfOqTd4iEBRKkonlFgm2YSrfEZCNuoZrtcfbzSBajmTMgeZNQxWp92csX8HjUrOOYx_quQ/s1600/P_20181029_160115_vHDR_Auto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6PpMVRQ17zGKq7DfgqxUepHeLpLD2ZkBqWOeHWPOvu62LfOvHQR1X3lxk-ABML0hLDfOqTd4iEBRKkonlFgm2YSrfEZCNuoZrtcfbzSBajmTMgeZNQxWp92csX8HjUrOOYx_quQ/s320/P_20181029_160115_vHDR_Auto.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
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We were also welcomed by this cool little guy.</div>
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Our first stop in Alabama was to the Autobahn Speedway.</div>
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That was super fun. We only did one race, but it was physically demanding to control the cars on the turns and handle the vibrations of the cars. Cars on the track could reach speeds of 55mph, so this was no joke. I started off last in line, and spent the first few laps just learning to control my vehicle. When I got a little more confident, I poured on a little more speed, and nearly slammed into the side of Sweetling on a hairpin turn. I screamed, yanked my wheel, and floored the acceleration....and passed her! The terror of the near miss evaporated with the thrill of the race, so I chased down the Chef and passed him as well. Delusions of grandeur filled my mind. I could see myself joining their racing league, if we lived in the area. But then, reality hit. I couldnt find a safe place to pass the Jedi, and I was a little reluctant to display any reckless driving for him to witness. I turned my head to check on the Chef, certain he was on my tail...and suddenly Sweetling was beside me and passing! Crap! Before I could over take her again, she had passed the Jedi and was in a clear lead. A lap or two later, and the checkered flag and the end of our race. </div>
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We four had had the track completely to ourselves for our race. The race after us had 10 men on the track. Sweetling said, "This is going to be like Baby Speedway." (Mario kart race track on the Nintendo switch.) I would have liked to stay and see their race, but it was 7pm, and closed at 8, Saw's BBQ closed at 8, so off we went.</div>
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Because of time restraints, we didn't drive to the restaurant's main location, but to a closer branch. The atmosphere was fun, with client graphetti on the walls, and the pulled pork was good. We had picked this restaurant in order to try some Alabama white sauce, which I bought a bottle of. It wasn't bad, but we weren't huge fans.</div>
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Next door to the restaurant, or in the same cute strip of shops, was Edgewood Creamery. That was some delicious, rich ice cream. </div>
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They had an entire case of chocolate options. I think this photo of our ice cream selections sums up the differences between myself and the Jedi. </div>
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And finally, because we can't do a road trip without multiple Wal-mart visits, we stopped for batteries for a reading lamp for the Chef and new headphones for Sweetling. And there was a big inflated elephant at the entrance wearing an Alabama shirt. Because.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-44207182683879096902015-09-15T00:01:00.000-05:002015-09-15T00:02:06.233-05:00NW Day 16, Friday: Lovely Last Day<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We got up
and out of the room by 8:30. We stopped at the general store for sandwiches for
lunch, and then drove on to Old Faithful. The road between Grant Village and
the Upper Geyser Basin wound back and forth over the Continental Divide. I
think we “crossed” the Continental Divide three times. No joke.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We pulled in
to the parking lot at Old Faithful just in time to see the plumes of the geyser
over the roofs of the buildings. Too late for the geyser.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Not too late
for the bison. This, folks, is not a statue.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5Nikuxoxtzn4EOniLvxOJLGpgahxDw9m7-Rs9YAsH6zGK6cq2YrePeo3AXhXLV_U1wo0D1qMCsW4eintHifrY_BqPlseAIp8Dp0YxIW-VpnuyWAr9O219gLY9Y3KN2SSL-csFw/s1600/DSCN2868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5Nikuxoxtzn4EOniLvxOJLGpgahxDw9m7-Rs9YAsH6zGK6cq2YrePeo3AXhXLV_U1wo0D1qMCsW4eintHifrY_BqPlseAIp8Dp0YxIW-VpnuyWAr9O219gLY9Y3KN2SSL-csFw/s400/DSCN2868.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At first I
was pretty bummed that we had just missed Old Faithful, especially since the
next eruption wasn’t expected till 11:26. But we went up and asked the ranger
what he’d recommend. We were right next to a nice loop around the upper geyser
basin, but if there were no geysers erupting, I was afraid that walk would just
be a boring boardwalk in the hot sun with some holes in the ground that were
steaming a bit. That would not be a win in the eyes of the family. The ranger
said that Grand Geyser is one of the tallest in the world of predictable
geysers. It was predicted to erupt at 8:30 that morning, but it hadn’t erupted
yet. He said that meant it could go at any time, and since it was a little
late, it would probably be a good eruption when it went. He said the walk up to
Grand Geyser was just a 12 to 15 walk past up a paved bicycle path and then
turn onto the boardwalk at Castle Geyser…</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5V0C1GIhWCKUrTIWIuo0Wl3HuokyL5qsZsObu_fk0jbOPg_OUSdsWpohAmtxqImaBxOWkTaxgsk61HUBc12PJsXuOFVAHuQ0dylmsqSI8cIFZf_E4PHtkrpU5ImnsL-Xd5Sx7w/s1600/Castle+geyser1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib5V0C1GIhWCKUrTIWIuo0Wl3HuokyL5qsZsObu_fk0jbOPg_OUSdsWpohAmtxqImaBxOWkTaxgsk61HUBc12PJsXuOFVAHuQ0dylmsqSI8cIFZf_E4PHtkrpU5ImnsL-Xd5Sx7w/s640/Castle+geyser1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And take the
bridge over, the Firewater Stream? River? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhldfpdUnkhW3hLrmG9W0Vc_05Z1JIyqeZM3I2RLMZ6a12Pg9H-EoAemnuLuaOehP1KN8stB-TguPV9zphmMfP3ifNXgd6SDTya8wwaFkYXEoD5t7OEWBnBIZm5lPZ3RDxnyMpsLw/s1600/upper+geyser+basin3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhldfpdUnkhW3hLrmG9W0Vc_05Z1JIyqeZM3I2RLMZ6a12Pg9H-EoAemnuLuaOehP1KN8stB-TguPV9zphmMfP3ifNXgd6SDTya8wwaFkYXEoD5t7OEWBnBIZm5lPZ3RDxnyMpsLw/s640/upper+geyser+basin3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And up to
Grand Geyser, which started erupting JUST as we got to it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcElMWFXWQlAQDo4sI-WbgFcSSU4fgRvZoRSsxEk5XDot_V05nQJyM9K2Q54wYh4-LWxDh7eUmV3A_rfOHEW_LOerKoGTTmK209f0bhgq_YtlSv9DKBhkx6kX0o9yRNuH5e7gRrA/s1600/Grand+geyser1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcElMWFXWQlAQDo4sI-WbgFcSSU4fgRvZoRSsxEk5XDot_V05nQJyM9K2Q54wYh4-LWxDh7eUmV3A_rfOHEW_LOerKoGTTmK209f0bhgq_YtlSv9DKBhkx6kX0o9yRNuH5e7gRrA/s640/Grand+geyser1.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We stayed
and watched the spectacular ten minute display. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then we
walked along the boardwalk along the Upper Geyser Basin. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We dallied a
little taking pictures. And then realized that maybe we had dallied a little
too much and might be risking missing the next eruption of Old Faithful. So we
sprinted the last few hundred yards of the path. (At 7000 feet in altitude, but
it was mostly downhill.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We found a
nice spot to watch Old Faithful on the far side of the crowds. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRFHzUi0PoqWcAZ4sTddQbAaR60AtGr8F0Pkd_2oN3-1isXZE3Z0xRlVOlp33dB_IaRkAn4xKR-x1mbmmP5kSMKi7zDCPvksMGCDj81-H-cS1MtlKjCGEauh0ou8MC0CozmPrZQ/s1600/Old+Faithful5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRFHzUi0PoqWcAZ4sTddQbAaR60AtGr8F0Pkd_2oN3-1isXZE3Z0xRlVOlp33dB_IaRkAn4xKR-x1mbmmP5kSMKi7zDCPvksMGCDj81-H-cS1MtlKjCGEauh0ou8MC0CozmPrZQ/s640/Old+Faithful5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It erupted
at 11:25. Pretty much right on schedule.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6sXR-3Nq_loAtHmDRCKm40Q-AFKzaj9POIVTDWxpFYBjQHYZB3-L1erWI-2ypUXJi6OCEIMKbJqdsh26yJySrT1A0G57kSQOzq1-wYFHRRL_jcQy94cerQwk77P452PmxjjOJgg/s1600/Old+Faithful8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6sXR-3Nq_loAtHmDRCKm40Q-AFKzaj9POIVTDWxpFYBjQHYZB3-L1erWI-2ypUXJi6OCEIMKbJqdsh26yJySrT1A0G57kSQOzq1-wYFHRRL_jcQy94cerQwk77P452PmxjjOJgg/s640/Old+Faithful8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, by just
missing its earlier eruption, we got to see two AMAZING geysers erupt. (And the general consensus among the four of us was that the Grand Geyser was even more impressive than Old Faithful.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our next
stop was the Midway Geyser Basin, which also empties into the Firewater River.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9g0NsO_gbxc3ei5A4S4YhKRGtnZd8Fu01cv6qydBNtkqTG09Xyyf19q4E4Dmqqu4ZDFWRvRk_4HMBmidhh86ALUeqJvaf4bhw9C4EueHiKWGrCgPKSqyFvfd_uW38F9pB7yiBrw/s1600/Midway+geyser+basin1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9g0NsO_gbxc3ei5A4S4YhKRGtnZd8Fu01cv6qydBNtkqTG09Xyyf19q4E4Dmqqu4ZDFWRvRk_4HMBmidhh86ALUeqJvaf4bhw9C4EueHiKWGrCgPKSqyFvfd_uW38F9pB7yiBrw/s640/Midway+geyser+basin1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Excelsior Geyser pours 4000 gallons of water a minute into the Firewater.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkoPHj53uEswWsueJfSs8DH_-2BQQjKXYIJJ9ZqNtQcEu7Z9eL9dregAAfSLzJ4PDnekTYS7g7Fa65Mei_CpIQ-dyBooOAFGIkwzlCEqfl1uyuo9yIc5bPgXJU13QdQPU3irekg/s1600/Excelsior+geyser2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQkoPHj53uEswWsueJfSs8DH_-2BQQjKXYIJJ9ZqNtQcEu7Z9eL9dregAAfSLzJ4PDnekTYS7g7Fa65Mei_CpIQ-dyBooOAFGIkwzlCEqfl1uyuo9yIc5bPgXJU13QdQPU3irekg/s640/Excelsior+geyser2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Impressive as this is, the main
reason we stopped here was to see The Grand Prismatic Spring. Ground photos don’t
do it justice.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjo_1SlIlxwoppi_SOllriLJP-dZgmPnbGPfJc6tli57HVcaarkwGjoroN7RUIuAxXJ0nUZfmSFCygJKcihrU6dBwVMF7s86D3Z2B1Qq9EyLAqVSeB2-w7s0hAF86CiQ_FmoaiA/s1600/Grand+prismatic+spring4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjo_1SlIlxwoppi_SOllriLJP-dZgmPnbGPfJc6tli57HVcaarkwGjoroN7RUIuAxXJ0nUZfmSFCygJKcihrU6dBwVMF7s86D3Z2B1Qq9EyLAqVSeB2-w7s0hAF86CiQ_FmoaiA/s640/Grand+prismatic+spring4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5xclKre05aqsIM2HWZGxQ0VaIN2VC8vELu4CEQ_4xwmO21tZeTgrSocFdDW_Nr6pYhJPiOltGuhchmiOXD7LNESgS3PRAfVOGy-wb9iNp37DGBMMrOFJobKY3qQKq6A9L0mtnQ/s1600/Grand+prismatic+spring3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5xclKre05aqsIM2HWZGxQ0VaIN2VC8vELu4CEQ_4xwmO21tZeTgrSocFdDW_Nr6pYhJPiOltGuhchmiOXD7LNESgS3PRAfVOGy-wb9iNp37DGBMMrOFJobKY3qQKq6A9L0mtnQ/s640/Grand+prismatic+spring3.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We saw
people on a path going to a hillside overlook on the far side of the spring,
but it seemed a not-insignificant hike to get around over there. Next time,
maybe.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There was
LOTS of stuff to get out and walk around and see in the geyser area of Yellowstone.
But, we wanted to make it all the way up to Mammoth Springs, have time to walk
around that area, eat dinner up there AND drive back south to Grant Village
before dark. So, we drove straight through to Mammoth. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Or, we tried
to drive straight through to Mammoth. There was a bison on the road clogging up
traffic. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1e0-fcsc8eb_s6cLJy_o2Y7Cru_gShVdBd-DxtYfZwACP-gvla77Y_2fzN-tX6BjUuvybXnMwpvUCRTg3eTsOhn2hsn6a7g1MbtwZe__gfTKirUHquOrjuY3b-sVR8WCfypPKw/s1600/DSCN2930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD1e0-fcsc8eb_s6cLJy_o2Y7Cru_gShVdBd-DxtYfZwACP-gvla77Y_2fzN-tX6BjUuvybXnMwpvUCRTg3eTsOhn2hsn6a7g1MbtwZe__gfTKirUHquOrjuY3b-sVR8WCfypPKw/s640/DSCN2930.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When we got
closer, we saw that he was lame. We wanted to report that, in case the rangers
kept track of those things, but we didn’t have any cell signal at that point.
We saw a ranger at the next turn off, and we pulled in to tell him about the
bison. (He said they did know, and thanked us. He also told us that bison can’t
see directly in front of them. Their eyes are so far to the sides of their
heads to watch for wolves and other predators on their flanks that it creates a
blind spot directly in front of them. He said if you watch a bison walk, they
also swing their heads from side to side as they move. He said they do that
because they need each eye to be able to get a view of what’s coming up
directly in front of them. He also said that their heads are super heavy
compared to their bodies.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And while we
were there we took some pictures from Gibbon Falls.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqy5MBC8OzZP73TAeqMm0T6ed7hRYiQMIN73G1aE3vo3tILOFIdMsZQXXqA1JhCG_v34r2l7W5TmIvxeyfej6pQRTWB_q-x6DstqSsbAMORstEb6YZh2tIuW8oVURkiZYBFKzgUg/s1600/Gibbon+falls6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqy5MBC8OzZP73TAeqMm0T6ed7hRYiQMIN73G1aE3vo3tILOFIdMsZQXXqA1JhCG_v34r2l7W5TmIvxeyfej6pQRTWB_q-x6DstqSsbAMORstEb6YZh2tIuW8oVURkiZYBFKzgUg/s640/Gibbon+falls6.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I loved the
hot springs of Mammoth. I loved the colors. I loved the flowing shapes. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgww2r1fzza1I6KerIqTGn9PuSMqmOtR_XBB_oT6u5YoyKN-R1-sYlLch5B8PkrvLmynXCsrfku2iDr9iD6Yr2H-ZUAx5sqOo2uc05XlL668eBhaoN36Q6XMcDMKom0LtZ-aTRCIw/s1600/Mammoth+hot+springs14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgww2r1fzza1I6KerIqTGn9PuSMqmOtR_XBB_oT6u5YoyKN-R1-sYlLch5B8PkrvLmynXCsrfku2iDr9iD6Yr2H-ZUAx5sqOo2uc05XlL668eBhaoN36Q6XMcDMKom0LtZ-aTRCIw/s640/Mammoth+hot+springs14.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Here's a backlit photo just for a sense of scale--</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjciCiIcMVZSXELpzmHbmV2k6bVghxy3h85y_krnL4JUWMckrn1iiJOf6s4Q8C-xDWBhu6phPwR-4ZBXIkEi9BF0gxNiZ6c6vxd46JMVi4tJOfBh3GVabNFtgo3L0feDoI3gOxeMw/s1600/Mammoth+hot+springs3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjciCiIcMVZSXELpzmHbmV2k6bVghxy3h85y_krnL4JUWMckrn1iiJOf6s4Q8C-xDWBhu6phPwR-4ZBXIkEi9BF0gxNiZ6c6vxd46JMVi4tJOfBh3GVabNFtgo3L0feDoI3gOxeMw/s640/Mammoth+hot+springs3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> It was like walking around a series of giant sculpted fountains.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sweetling thought it was like walking above a giant ice cream sundae with caramel sauce flowing down it.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17-gfTkeTu0QX-_-p9lT6m8bMnxVqi9JJztIUnYxg0cf8D_Z3rfiNw5lsI8BrCHpRYYJ9h2cXuCX3i1NRwpr_0Chu31Vs1JpPZs5nx5l7ypa-qYT5m7FJLMmTBWWghY0yng0i5w/s1600/Mammoth+hot+springs9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17-gfTkeTu0QX-_-p9lT6m8bMnxVqi9JJztIUnYxg0cf8D_Z3rfiNw5lsI8BrCHpRYYJ9h2cXuCX3i1NRwpr_0Chu31Vs1JpPZs5nx5l7ypa-qYT5m7FJLMmTBWWghY0yng0i5w/s640/Mammoth+hot+springs9.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> The elk love
it too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsSWMrHW1NzwyYuPX4a3w4FaVYkWH-hKwnBHqK_dvYRkdb-tiaIUQaZI0DLD7YtvTX-RwZnbeurDECRiYI6-3ITqcATH9gffmn8mTGQT1Pq2runMNf4vxAna0n--850tftm7-3w/s1600/Mammoth+hot+springs17.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCsSWMrHW1NzwyYuPX4a3w4FaVYkWH-hKwnBHqK_dvYRkdb-tiaIUQaZI0DLD7YtvTX-RwZnbeurDECRiYI6-3ITqcATH9gffmn8mTGQT1Pq2runMNf4vxAna0n--850tftm7-3w/s640/Mammoth+hot+springs17.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t even
remember what we ate at the little café for dinner. But I do remember that if
we took our café receipt over to the nearby lodge gift shop, we could purchase
a Yellowstone blanket for $14. Guess who’s coming home with a Yellowstone
blanket?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We had
encountered a LONG construction delay on the road between Norris and Mammoth,
and rather than drive back through that we decided to take the northern most
edge of the Grand Loop, and then drive back to Grant along the east side of the
park.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That was
nice in that we got to see a stretch of the park we wouldn’t have otherwise. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And, the color of the evening sun on the hills was just so lovely.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XAZU5Wp95_Hp-VuzYuIwZISKPjzgBTuvNBn_eHMEgI3eURN-bIe44NnF-G-E0yyVXqCxITfWSyRMmpidcx14wpBw8NQ2kJViCjclbNKUo2ti0DymNZ8_ypXgzjWymYGfn0AtrQ/s1600/DSCN2980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XAZU5Wp95_Hp-VuzYuIwZISKPjzgBTuvNBn_eHMEgI3eURN-bIe44NnF-G-E0yyVXqCxITfWSyRMmpidcx14wpBw8NQ2kJViCjclbNKUo2ti0DymNZ8_ypXgzjWymYGfn0AtrQ/s640/DSCN2980.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A lovely end
to our last full day in the park.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnD-OA5S-qxo-eDUWFOeKHsKG1w8vFO8xfOhFkN5YFAMcrpx7BGgMg3yn-rUFWGot3Okr7yItcV5lFrMMDCoeB0IvuKtR_hEHs3KM5p7s3MBn1O-niA6vOn2trWo-TGto7gGGE8Q/s1600/DSCN3004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnD-OA5S-qxo-eDUWFOeKHsKG1w8vFO8xfOhFkN5YFAMcrpx7BGgMg3yn-rUFWGot3Okr7yItcV5lFrMMDCoeB0IvuKtR_hEHs3KM5p7s3MBn1O-niA6vOn2trWo-TGto7gGGE8Q/s640/DSCN3004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-40771931422774192502015-09-14T01:19:00.000-05:002015-09-14T01:19:02.308-05:00NW Day Fifteen, Thursday: "All This Cool Stuff"<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We made an
8:30 run to the Grant Village General Store<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>for food for breakfast, since the last day the Lake House offered a
breakfast buffet was Labor Day. A quart of milk, a bottle of apple juice, two
small containers of yogurt, and locally made cinnamon rolls were secured.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We made it
out of the hotel by 9:30, because everyone was tired so we took it slow and
easy. We only made it as far as the gift shop though. Nearly an hour was spent
there, but we secured several small items (including *titanium*) and breakfast
for the next day, so not bad. (Also, Boybot is clearly feeling back to his
usual silly self. He picked out a great postcard to send home to his sweet
Grandma. I’m sorry, Mama, all I can say is that at least they didn’t have any
shark postcards.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our first
real stop was West Thumb Geyser Basin.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-e0r49kLu7hD-uom-_S4Qn823rKOaSaNpyTLZFnGV3380UCCtJw6kuiZOD-8FXwiFuAkKsi5NKOVy2fw1ZNROZ_e8W6hEdIZ8_gTGpgEj0wSegwAF-EybP1wSIaXkh2eLHRcng/s1600/West+Thumb+Feature+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-e0r49kLu7hD-uom-_S4Qn823rKOaSaNpyTLZFnGV3380UCCtJw6kuiZOD-8FXwiFuAkKsi5NKOVy2fw1ZNROZ_e8W6hEdIZ8_gTGpgEj0wSegwAF-EybP1wSIaXkh2eLHRcng/s640/West+Thumb+Feature+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Originally, we had planned to do Old
Faithful and the west side of the Grand Loop on our first day in the park, but
that was going to be a pretty active day, so we swapped itineraries to give
Boybot extra time to recover.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
conversations we had were about the top ways people die in Yellowstone. The
number one cause of death is hypothermia/drowning in Lake Yellowstone where the
temperature never gets about 40 degrees or so. People fall in (or jump in) and
their muscles cramp so that they can’t swim. The number two cause of death is
from scalding. People fall in hot springs, climb in hot springs thinking they
are like hot tubs, or walk on the fragile crust near hot springs, which breaks
and plunges them into scalding water.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">West Thumb
was especially exciting because it presented the possibilities of freezing or
boiling right next to each other. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimLdPRTQGtTZZT2jCn5biiWQMgq_EhUl8ZU4a1Pv5GxF14jp_bqo1ZM1Klrrlg6GjCw9jVLab2eyTQWx6rfGW4hB8Fj2x7WfhBltnosNyV9p-pwrrlS0g8yEdQaHhV2JI3cBCRA/s1600/West+Thumb+Geyser+Basin+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimLdPRTQGtTZZT2jCn5biiWQMgq_EhUl8ZU4a1Pv5GxF14jp_bqo1ZM1Klrrlg6GjCw9jVLab2eyTQWx6rfGW4hB8Fj2x7WfhBltnosNyV9p-pwrrlS0g8yEdQaHhV2JI3cBCRA/s640/West+Thumb+Geyser+Basin+4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We stood
next to Abyss Pool(?) Spring(?) and Boybot speculated about whether or not
anyone would be able to recover the body of someone who fell in there or if
maybe the bottom of the pool was full of skeletons or if maybe even the bones
dissolved. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4unCRXXV-aPU0BpBEMFyfq-GWk0oDT0mJxJbfIqpNtSqzTei5ouc27pL3Rzn1dZgn1ks9oE9upxUrDPEPaoIO5k-92COkvjpm_1qqMu60lrvYQnY-nNGq98q1B7Edzkvgc9x7g/s1600/West+Thumb+Abyss+Pool+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp4unCRXXV-aPU0BpBEMFyfq-GWk0oDT0mJxJbfIqpNtSqzTei5ouc27pL3Rzn1dZgn1ks9oE9upxUrDPEPaoIO5k-92COkvjpm_1qqMu60lrvYQnY-nNGq98q1B7Edzkvgc9x7g/s640/West+Thumb+Abyss+Pool+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sweetling
and I really loved the amazing colors that were present.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdcnDccHmtzeMXTdKdOhk8tVlxJb7a3i1-faz22RKEFrzq8YEiqoO9HqdzKYf13Xh8IvELMB6e9qfBqOV48gRgebjniyxqcsrx7nFmoipQ4jdF0I2dPczWBug2TtQxjPDO1HApQ/s1600/West+Thumb+Geyser+Basin+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEdcnDccHmtzeMXTdKdOhk8tVlxJb7a3i1-faz22RKEFrzq8YEiqoO9HqdzKYf13Xh8IvELMB6e9qfBqOV48gRgebjniyxqcsrx7nFmoipQ4jdF0I2dPczWBug2TtQxjPDO1HApQ/s640/West+Thumb+Geyser+Basin+6.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All in all,
it was a great start to our Yellowstone visit. A cool, and short, boardwalk
path around some neat features.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGlHQbqNGnbqcQXQCP4xL5rejh3SCWJIY2jcxWEcg1Hp_e0hGftlQcDhrVxz5E9YK_jazgCT2rIx_vKlFDSM4rIV6Zo8BuJYF4esoY6avj3GoYtq2yuKWTRBHbX23hT0EmLj92Q/s1600/West+Thumb+Boardwalk+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGlHQbqNGnbqcQXQCP4xL5rejh3SCWJIY2jcxWEcg1Hp_e0hGftlQcDhrVxz5E9YK_jazgCT2rIx_vKlFDSM4rIV6Zo8BuJYF4esoY6avj3GoYtq2yuKWTRBHbX23hT0EmLj92Q/s640/West+Thumb+Boardwalk+3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOeK2ZeSdwe_Bova1E91CR8hHxgxEys_hfnHMVHhH-sDfQ6GGgUwpVeQopFmIfjy60-5rjoRU3yg3AEagJSzoWsDB7lZz5FEIxxuszAf4Ou-5A-WHBaYxzHsApK74R1SNiFAYFQ/s1600/West+Thumb+Boardwalk+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIOeK2ZeSdwe_Bova1E91CR8hHxgxEys_hfnHMVHhH-sDfQ6GGgUwpVeQopFmIfjy60-5rjoRU3yg3AEagJSzoWsDB7lZz5FEIxxuszAf4Ou-5A-WHBaYxzHsApK74R1SNiFAYFQ/s640/West+Thumb+Boardwalk+4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After
discussing how cold Yellowstone Lake always stayed, even in the middle of
summer, the next thing that had to be done was to experience this for
ourselves. Without the hypothermia, of course.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLP67WfzPRSkXIqfoJSEwm9RFdxadP7VjCU3iDAX81o_TE9VgbiDlOvZGMuYSzFkEGrTRIxExt3a-2wbYWDp4qrrpBwbrBeIwmiDRSTtRyz70D3QSv-FS84qj1pHwt79lT4-Bmw/s1600/Yellowstone+Lake+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBLP67WfzPRSkXIqfoJSEwm9RFdxadP7VjCU3iDAX81o_TE9VgbiDlOvZGMuYSzFkEGrTRIxExt3a-2wbYWDp4qrrpBwbrBeIwmiDRSTtRyz70D3QSv-FS84qj1pHwt79lT4-Bmw/s640/Yellowstone+Lake+3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8oY0Q909JMDnfSx-8t302lpQ2Fg9OCVDHXhztaHDkHZNpOrGeYrq42jTSUB-_Krogo6g3Hswy4-6_hfgISqs89iJeDb2l2mQHvKm0_gbkcFF-MU7boi9kbmk0D2MjzXuRmgNQw/s1600/Yellowstone+Lake+4+.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8oY0Q909JMDnfSx-8t302lpQ2Fg9OCVDHXhztaHDkHZNpOrGeYrq42jTSUB-_Krogo6g3Hswy4-6_hfgISqs89iJeDb2l2mQHvKm0_gbkcFF-MU7boi9kbmk0D2MjzXuRmgNQw/s640/Yellowstone+Lake+4+.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We then drove
north along the east side of the Grand Loop.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8tejVV8SG4pHYe1NKLiecLqJyAmBvQGprYk2nadby4c5isgRc6ZKmoeYRmiUouCLPOwBa1FjPvcSgcw1TnzChV5dpJUH3K_t0NotqaviVEbYGCZA7ICq7vvHOYYEl9NGtzwkjA/s1600/DSCN2711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU8tejVV8SG4pHYe1NKLiecLqJyAmBvQGprYk2nadby4c5isgRc6ZKmoeYRmiUouCLPOwBa1FjPvcSgcw1TnzChV5dpJUH3K_t0NotqaviVEbYGCZA7ICq7vvHOYYEl9NGtzwkjA/s400/DSCN2711.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
We saw an elk in the forest, and three more on a sandbar on the lake.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsukpOAh_e5zuxFrWXRVXbLw1qW7xStccl9QUY1d0mmiWZKnd_Kdi3BiXXaOFSFvlzLyw_3hePpWtBQRh3i5wdE1j3XSK8Bw6CivH4PoGWix5EYncC7I4xLm3ez1oLmOAFMEHTg/s1600/Elk+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsukpOAh_e5zuxFrWXRVXbLw1qW7xStccl9QUY1d0mmiWZKnd_Kdi3BiXXaOFSFvlzLyw_3hePpWtBQRh3i5wdE1j3XSK8Bw6CivH4PoGWix5EYncC7I4xLm3ez1oLmOAFMEHTg/s640/Elk+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihudeTHfyA1AjVvc4tJjehheVbxT4UGBzVtcQir786xSU7BQTt52_Z7H5KzagEURofkkPaocgvJKGK3vyK1us2rZKaw5ctclJJCLYRr1H6kcK0ptK6oNQdPkbRMktefRwojqbOtQ/s1600/Elk+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihudeTHfyA1AjVvc4tJjehheVbxT4UGBzVtcQir786xSU7BQTt52_Z7H5KzagEURofkkPaocgvJKGK3vyK1us2rZKaw5ctclJJCLYRr1H6kcK0ptK6oNQdPkbRMktefRwojqbOtQ/s640/Elk+3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We made an
unscheduled stop at LeHardy Rapids, since we were driving past it. Boybot and I
enjoyed throwing pinecones and leaves into the rapids to watch what happened to
them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdAhPehc1taxQcxB6EZpxijBL2qGeAYro0dHR6kVtJT8lWgy0jg6PMgmYc-1BoXVBwaUxfrpT1_cu8doFkJv9IJ2n-W33gb1s8aGb2LUqfFlAyTMWgm_13RzdtLwZayyNrF3Utg/s1600/Le+Hardys+Rapids+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMdAhPehc1taxQcxB6EZpxijBL2qGeAYro0dHR6kVtJT8lWgy0jg6PMgmYc-1BoXVBwaUxfrpT1_cu8doFkJv9IJ2n-W33gb1s8aGb2LUqfFlAyTMWgm_13RzdtLwZayyNrF3Utg/s640/Le+Hardys+Rapids+3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then we
drove through Hayden Valley.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrXWsXEGbdn6yj6pD0nfoKYZWAOsHreP3MzeDF5bedz_pQDI3jQhoRYGVul4Xo7ERA0dYa5k6OPXBiLC0mD7iNulqO8a43M_YgaIifolaRizb3ItzaHTLQPITgaHWvdak2vvvJg/s1600/Hayden+Valley+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXrXWsXEGbdn6yj6pD0nfoKYZWAOsHreP3MzeDF5bedz_pQDI3jQhoRYGVul4Xo7ERA0dYa5k6OPXBiLC0mD7iNulqO8a43M_YgaIifolaRizb3ItzaHTLQPITgaHWvdak2vvvJg/s640/Hayden+Valley+4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Where we saw
more bison and some
really beautiful trumpeter swans.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQn4phgcoEr7-krMRptmFTXA_xv-QZL_XnIC8taPQt3T3vdQn3IhJqhR6442c8wa2H6F-TZGAEMWyAaGb2I91nG983D_P-eETZYH8t5sXtnMCBIaNjYTp8vNlgOluRFvmuBkKzVA/s1600/Swans+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQn4phgcoEr7-krMRptmFTXA_xv-QZL_XnIC8taPQt3T3vdQn3IhJqhR6442c8wa2H6F-TZGAEMWyAaGb2I91nG983D_P-eETZYH8t5sXtnMCBIaNjYTp8vNlgOluRFvmuBkKzVA/s640/Swans+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We also saw
a coyote hunting in the field across the river, but he was too far away for the
camera zoom lens. (But not too far away for binoculars. Boybot ran back to the
van to get his binoculars. Later in the day, he told me he thought Yellowstone
would be boring…just me and the Jedi taking pictures of scenery. He said he
didn’t know it would have all this cool stuff in it.) </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Also seen,
but not photographed was a bald eagle hunting over a distant lake. I know for
sure that he was a bald eagle, because the ranger who was standing next to us
also watching wildlife identified it with her binoculars. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">From Hayden
Valley, we drove into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone for a view of the
falls.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66jVthcwaNHixSF2GUeknVzMmFgrGNTX-3ApgY_TuHd39gFelpFahmTE2VCiqpMqz-GzQiLpjX1kltLISbs-_x8xhYsklMsVIcMJii5s1f3jSmZwIuDdnm-Lp1XQ3_HgqFIPUig/s1600/Canyon+Falls+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66jVthcwaNHixSF2GUeknVzMmFgrGNTX-3ApgY_TuHd39gFelpFahmTE2VCiqpMqz-GzQiLpjX1kltLISbs-_x8xhYsklMsVIcMJii5s1f3jSmZwIuDdnm-Lp1XQ3_HgqFIPUig/s640/Canyon+Falls+4.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sweetling
also made friends with a baby pine tree.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis68eV1QwbhDzu6iPYheyUzVRuhnTuqyvs101sJOEq354rWTV-BURG24MAkPYsIyNpdzZqqZI7uY6WBUCay609dmCFxoND9e7PBiTUGWRieCyNmIKHhyrzh2QUAsck1X6VMr3k_Q/s1600/DSCN2802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis68eV1QwbhDzu6iPYheyUzVRuhnTuqyvs101sJOEq354rWTV-BURG24MAkPYsIyNpdzZqqZI7uY6WBUCay609dmCFxoND9e7PBiTUGWRieCyNmIKHhyrzh2QUAsck1X6VMr3k_Q/s400/DSCN2802.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Late lunch
(or “Linner” as Boybot said, was at the Canyon Cafeteria. The Jedi had a bison
sloppy joe. I chickened out, but tried some of the Jedi’s sandwich and
regretted my cowardliness.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Driving out
of the Canyon area, we encountered a “bear jam”…which is a traffic jam caused
by too many cars pulled over, slowing down, or simply stopped on the road to
take a photo of a bear.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWNR4RHwP4v6wZUhV0E1qYmp2U2SE0dpPaTmRaJPMV6COtfXKsH2iPY0QGlckTOCtZGZJGgRvg82s-n5Sju3P_kR_kgsU1tIEvCJTdFmVz8ObAETJvcUIeJDWdNhMU69jS96veQ/s1600/Bear+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWNR4RHwP4v6wZUhV0E1qYmp2U2SE0dpPaTmRaJPMV6COtfXKsH2iPY0QGlckTOCtZGZJGgRvg82s-n5Sju3P_kR_kgsU1tIEvCJTdFmVz8ObAETJvcUIeJDWdNhMU69jS96veQ/s640/Bear+3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We drove
back south through Hayden Valley again…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCo87Y_y9Emb6_HsJNkNmum0JUWPOESs_pORy5gBwb1vsZjsA38DehJgNdqJuN0F2q8g7VLDxIZdrwLHcsQX-Y8tOJTDcYJMQktlQsW7aKevELqFg22U-x0STqM-06j8KOfApytg/s1600/DSCN2819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCo87Y_y9Emb6_HsJNkNmum0JUWPOESs_pORy5gBwb1vsZjsA38DehJgNdqJuN0F2q8g7VLDxIZdrwLHcsQX-Y8tOJTDcYJMQktlQsW7aKevELqFg22U-x0STqM-06j8KOfApytg/s400/DSCN2819.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And then
drove across the Yellowstone River at Fishing Bridge to Steamboat Point, where
we had a beautiful view of the sunset over Yellowstone Lake.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1znkOb20ZCybxXtYfvXdO2tfseLhSdIr9dEu6ZvFGDe9Rx_q9wnP-jjIhjcYHBcid9hhEDpgCOJQUsr7zSnsh-vW8Fve7oA_5kQNU4XND--tZ07MIV2McvpFM7e4xXbm8LeFpg/s1600/DSCN2848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1znkOb20ZCybxXtYfvXdO2tfseLhSdIr9dEu6ZvFGDe9Rx_q9wnP-jjIhjcYHBcid9hhEDpgCOJQUsr7zSnsh-vW8Fve7oA_5kQNU4XND--tZ07MIV2McvpFM7e4xXbm8LeFpg/s640/DSCN2848.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">While we
were waiting for the sun to set, we were joined by two ravens who were very
interested in our van. And also by
a bison, who was just walking up the road next to our van. (I have a video of
this, but no photographs to share at this time.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After
sunset..</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NUN-sQjJVFNY2nQMRLD9YiSqroEjetDqb9KOcO5mvVOAi-KLQuPZgZUIYUlsfyiROBHagTOXX13E1Yhyh2A7aXaWxnDMtDVyeI1hCvpfWGJb2G4Oo61uCHFDNTvVdBRy3cfzOA/s1600/DSCN2860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NUN-sQjJVFNY2nQMRLD9YiSqroEjetDqb9KOcO5mvVOAi-KLQuPZgZUIYUlsfyiROBHagTOXX13E1Yhyh2A7aXaWxnDMtDVyeI1hCvpfWGJb2G4Oo61uCHFDNTvVdBRy3cfzOA/s640/DSCN2860.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We had
dinner in the Lake House Lodge.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then we
drove back to our room in Grant Village in the dark. And by dark, I mean PITCH
dark. We could see a little of the road in front of the van, and a few trees
along side that road. But if you looked out the side windows or the rear window
of the van, it was like staring into the abyss.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We rounded
one corner of the winding forest road and there were two HUGE elk just strolling
down the center of the road. Fortunately, the Jedi was taking the ink black
roads slowly, and was able to stop in time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Before we
turned in for the night, we stopped off a parking lot in the Grant Village area
to look at the stars. You could see the Milky Way stretching from one side of
the sky to the other. A beautiful ending to a beautiful day.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-35357137224992074482015-09-13T23:53:00.001-05:002015-09-13T23:53:21.582-05:00NW Day Fourteen, Wednesday: "This Place is Great"<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Poor Boybot
was sick overnight, but neither the Jedi nor I heard him up. The Boybot didn’t
want to wake us, so he just took care of himself and brought a trashcan over to
his air mattress in case he needed it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He waited
till he heard me get up and then came over and told me that he wasn’t feeling
well and was there any way he could get some gingerale? I could only find
sprite in the hotel vending machines. The Jedi got up and went on to a grocery
store in town, but still no gingerale. Boybot made do with a few sips of sprite
and a ginger root capsule. I brought him some apple juice from the breakfast
room, which he also sipped from.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Because
we’re on some kind of hotel plan, the Jedi was able to make arrangements with
the front desk so that we could have a 1 pm check out instead of an 11 a.m.
checkout.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Jedi and
Sweetling walked the couple blocks to the downtown/historic section of Jackson
Hole and explored there and took a few pictures. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqsgeWfP8fTKBG4j66ouZDSd-uziPGpoR7uWaJY6YVDgleQTCe0QW3gNh3uybavGFA10nO65Pw5w2UQBVMrhbsOgIWjdbvllBje6WeT1EbipfndABTua-2SzGw_Px8o_31fmVkQ/s1600/20150909_102827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqsgeWfP8fTKBG4j66ouZDSd-uziPGpoR7uWaJY6YVDgleQTCe0QW3gNh3uybavGFA10nO65Pw5w2UQBVMrhbsOgIWjdbvllBje6WeT1EbipfndABTua-2SzGw_Px8o_31fmVkQ/s640/20150909_102827.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMw7kIho9vYE6KfogUC915dV2hstRBKOVpY3i9QpGy2qUhHL7UO-weXVJk4eyWmE5aA6Y0ZvcBr8njmtsUHuxYHmnvqn9Ncvx9teLW7IVubgpDz0Ml9stzFav4CXhiVofBkTyF0A/s1600/20150909_103359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMw7kIho9vYE6KfogUC915dV2hstRBKOVpY3i9QpGy2qUhHL7UO-weXVJk4eyWmE5aA6Y0ZvcBr8njmtsUHuxYHmnvqn9Ncvx9teLW7IVubgpDz0Ml9stzFav4CXhiVofBkTyF0A/s640/20150909_103359.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2lU6dogddbdtmnnAyhZZHxkVGR7WMiZQQtIieAGqrWz65-Fq3oJ8eHNAcNACMkBOtunjuta5cLB5wh2Uzvs9pGijzt1bFdTyElNFFKHnJ2clGNJI51ypKYVsyviGfbjiIR8bgg/s1600/20150909_103804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2lU6dogddbdtmnnAyhZZHxkVGR7WMiZQQtIieAGqrWz65-Fq3oJ8eHNAcNACMkBOtunjuta5cLB5wh2Uzvs9pGijzt1bFdTyElNFFKHnJ2clGNJI51ypKYVsyviGfbjiIR8bgg/s400/20150909_103804.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When they
got back, three of us heated up assorted dinner leftovers for lunch. (Have I
mentioned that several years ago the Jedi found a small refrigerated cooler
that sits between the front seats of the van and plugs into the dashboard? We
use it on road trips to be able to take leftovers with us.) And then three of
us took all the clothing bins back out to the van and got the van all loaded
up. And then (high school English teachers everywhere are cringing at my
writing style), and then, just before one, Boybot went out to the van and lied
down in the back seat of the van. (Is it lied down? Lay down? Laid down? Don’t
make me look up grammar on vacation.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The original
plan for the day was to spend the entire day in Grand Teton. We had to check out in Jackson at 1 pm and we couldn’t check
in at Yellowstone till 4:30, and we had to drive through Grand Teton to get to Yellowstone, so the revised plan was to determine what one
thing was most important for each person to experience in Grand Teton, and to
do just those things, provided that one adult could stay behind in the car with
the sleeping Boybot. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So that’s
what we did.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We drove
into Grand Teton, taking the obligatory picture by the sign. (Boybot’s favorite
thing for the day might be that he didn’t have to pose for a single photo.)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwJcCwmYbbccqDLgvG9BYygtsAa1eR97BVQVpsGnVorLKiEvX3gyQq3OZXRgZN6GRapv6uM77khIBs9KxZA-qeGnpmhuccZl3DRJXo5EixNO-gTQbc9oAMIuerWuTHhvuysKbyw/s1600/DSCN2669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwJcCwmYbbccqDLgvG9BYygtsAa1eR97BVQVpsGnVorLKiEvX3gyQq3OZXRgZN6GRapv6uM77khIBs9KxZA-qeGnpmhuccZl3DRJXo5EixNO-gTQbc9oAMIuerWuTHhvuysKbyw/s640/DSCN2669.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then we
drove up to the Jenny Lake area, where Sweetling and the Jedi went down to the
lakeshore so Sweetling could go wading. (Her pick for the park).</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WfdC_h3dYOb4LviYAcsJubH3TCW9a1rHkwHnZc4JI49VpnT0PT5Q15c6YjQZAiwNHopZHWc9GWVUDU_M1LzHDdNt17tmmfBeZmNwjG80D8h8QPglXbiEobBVNTDIJMy5XEBLbw/s1600/DSCN2684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-WfdC_h3dYOb4LviYAcsJubH3TCW9a1rHkwHnZc4JI49VpnT0PT5Q15c6YjQZAiwNHopZHWc9GWVUDU_M1LzHDdNt17tmmfBeZmNwjG80D8h8QPglXbiEobBVNTDIJMy5XEBLbw/s640/DSCN2684.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div>
</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0_Ol0BxVVI_C38Np9cw9ozfcV5sONUDZtYaW8bkVITke1w9kam7yLbwRc3VIh20ySzEA98641w7AodfoBqMih9PaOeSfipz7XcyOCkWjx5Wrc76MlLntP2PD28_J07ZdOu7Rlw/s1600/DSCN2686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0_Ol0BxVVI_C38Np9cw9ozfcV5sONUDZtYaW8bkVITke1w9kam7yLbwRc3VIh20ySzEA98641w7AodfoBqMih9PaOeSfipz7XcyOCkWjx5Wrc76MlLntP2PD28_J07ZdOu7Rlw/s640/DSCN2686.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglgIXTYIsxyGMtU5HalvO_PqDHxBJPzXEAMc11GOHW_zRxVgdTRBhy-DuXQiq2hntfdgNIgONsTJFtu7ulEcXkQWKg8eL_KjJbSPFRICR1tX9Wj1idFQohW29nWoD0ELCqVrBIw/s1600/DSCN2689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglgIXTYIsxyGMtU5HalvO_PqDHxBJPzXEAMc11GOHW_zRxVgdTRBhy-DuXQiq2hntfdgNIgONsTJFtu7ulEcXkQWKg8eL_KjJbSPFRICR1tX9Wj1idFQohW29nWoD0ELCqVrBIw/s640/DSCN2689.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And we
stopped at a few pulloffs and took some photos of the scenery (my pick for the
park). Although, Sweetling also really enjoyed this scenery. I believe her
exact words were, “This place is great!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDE6jkfukxBm_LbVJnWzAek_I7wHSVqiACYSBv0g0e5iNEAUCDIQ0UzDwWIwc5x733J3bUHvWkQiGCt_EGY7uWOql8BrE7GE-92FjR5pqslAfKD6IKl3MtFEL8Au5E4TKmubokA/s1600/DSCN2735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCDE6jkfukxBm_LbVJnWzAek_I7wHSVqiACYSBv0g0e5iNEAUCDIQ0UzDwWIwc5x733J3bUHvWkQiGCt_EGY7uWOql8BrE7GE-92FjR5pqslAfKD6IKl3MtFEL8Au5E4TKmubokA/s640/DSCN2735.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And we drove
over to the Snake River overlook (the Jedi’s pick for the park, because a photo
of this scene was what motivated him to save for and plan and drive this ENTIRE
trip.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmQgIoY_QkC2wI5qhb_3QJNAnAREKQ2OdGUINzyVxA4I3n2_yD_6PrbfgOZDkwbsipKdlpvDUWRXIRe_v3eM292O2sSIRInfi_uWjrFve6_fUcrjl3UujY_uqrY_KY6w39CECIQ/s1600/DSCN2725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmQgIoY_QkC2wI5qhb_3QJNAnAREKQ2OdGUINzyVxA4I3n2_yD_6PrbfgOZDkwbsipKdlpvDUWRXIRe_v3eM292O2sSIRInfi_uWjrFve6_fUcrjl3UujY_uqrY_KY6w39CECIQ/s640/DSCN2725.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And I found
a small piece of quartz for Boybot, because I knew collecting rocks would have
been his pick for the park.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And we also
drove past a herd of bison, which wasn’t anyone’s pick…but there they were!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPtboJqBm7YmqKaV90VVQbZ0N0elbGOhtU6Zwu3QRYaj6g2AFeR9Htbcf9LWDNtlOg9iXTpAmw6HwFmV8OqNaVSKn4xJbjYhvuHAYrLTjZbh8QSe1dIvG7pRtM6Wg4gC9RZWI7MA/s1600/DSCN2716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPtboJqBm7YmqKaV90VVQbZ0N0elbGOhtU6Zwu3QRYaj6g2AFeR9Htbcf9LWDNtlOg9iXTpAmw6HwFmV8OqNaVSKn4xJbjYhvuHAYrLTjZbh8QSe1dIvG7pRtM6Wg4gC9RZWI7MA/s640/DSCN2716.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With horses in the field across the road...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vj82D8f029z9A8anyV63OMgk8jBYgydSvOZS4A57VX8gpIu08YnhH6B_fPBlmn1P9euE_I_Di4GkoErQURqqV6kd1Z4jiP_S3mTPe-2ZxGe3gK8MiLB_RDYf0-hpbJK6bBCAFw/s1600/DSCN2714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7vj82D8f029z9A8anyV63OMgk8jBYgydSvOZS4A57VX8gpIu08YnhH6B_fPBlmn1P9euE_I_Di4GkoErQURqqV6kd1Z4jiP_S3mTPe-2ZxGe3gK8MiLB_RDYf0-hpbJK6bBCAFw/s640/DSCN2714.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We drove the
hour to Yellowstone…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrA4T3aC7mfeRji0_UC3i3gfKvk3bOKBaqP9rNRYNQAJB9whFzf-Rc3sSrzpQCb6z3JXIpJSePdNsNF3iYKBtPuDJk3LEUkiZrW2tKscQCp6-qS4DUE1UjAWxzJdVtA__Zw6PXQ/s1600/DSCN2749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrA4T3aC7mfeRji0_UC3i3gfKvk3bOKBaqP9rNRYNQAJB9whFzf-Rc3sSrzpQCb6z3JXIpJSePdNsNF3iYKBtPuDJk3LEUkiZrW2tKscQCp6-qS4DUE1UjAWxzJdVtA__Zw6PXQ/s640/DSCN2749.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We passed over the Continental Divide for the
second time this trip. This time there was a sign. (The Jedi wasn’t in favor of
me getting out of the van to take this photo, because we were right up against
the forest on not a very high traffic road with bear warning signs every 500
feet. I yelled really loudly before I got out of the van, and you could see
through the forest somewhat, so….)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2ncFAJaGIXXOPNBWNRSH5HHpM_EPtAhjukzLiJi-Qa7DufqBE8Ly3zlAoCeaosTillvzntfEn1jKCoG0wozu5ef7mOV1upb90XkEWI0HVYX5CE9x7u5W-GmrABYDSkKie9qRGQ/s1600/DSCN2750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2ncFAJaGIXXOPNBWNRSH5HHpM_EPtAhjukzLiJi-Qa7DufqBE8Ly3zlAoCeaosTillvzntfEn1jKCoG0wozu5ef7mOV1upb90XkEWI0HVYX5CE9x7u5W-GmrABYDSkKie9qRGQ/s400/DSCN2750.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">AND we
actually reached our destination (Grant Village, altitude 7770 ft), well before
dark. Three of us got unloaded what was need from the van (and checked the
beds) and then, when the room was ready, Boybot came in and collapsed in a bed. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He was
feeling a little better, and was interested in something to eat. Sweetling and
I were also hungry, so the Jedi and I hiked down to Grant Lake House to pick up
a carry out dinner. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We got there
right before sunset, and got some pretty pictures of the sky. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70ZvVFSiGETwTclV2y49mTQpome0VfumItsW4T5EnJx5qnz1OPjOQ7sBBXC4402GJn_BHDy-ziZy9M33UyfAnKBXmIEEMZlnQioilg5YSKRMXICA6lU_4J6viLiB5kXAwB23RCA/s1600/20150909_195138.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70ZvVFSiGETwTclV2y49mTQpome0VfumItsW4T5EnJx5qnz1OPjOQ7sBBXC4402GJn_BHDy-ziZy9M33UyfAnKBXmIEEMZlnQioilg5YSKRMXICA6lU_4J6viLiB5kXAwB23RCA/s640/20150909_195138.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then we
hoofed it back through the forest at twilight, carrying a box of delicious smelling
food. (A small bowl of udon noodles and chicken broth for Boybot, a small bowl
of udon noodles, broth and roasted chicken for Sweetling, a small bowl of udon noodles
with spicy peanut sauce and sautéed vegetables for me, and a large bowl of
spaghetti noodles and marinara sauce for the Jedi.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Jedi
made a run to the Grant Village mini-store for more apple juice for Boybot,
and we’ve all chilled in the room. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-60563575654457323212015-09-13T07:48:00.001-05:002015-09-13T07:48:06.105-05:00NW Day Thirteen: On the Moon<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In keeping
with the theme for the day, we started out our morning with a photo shoot of
Marvin the Martian.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsADv2_qeWoCDXDLxHMfTZbzYjOg6DJmNHAA5F_It0gFhV3S5N1MZaJiYS9W292iOOl1fou4r7w0-uNmCkOeb28LGu4LVImHA_HVxDsikTcp-uVM0gXQTP0XAyIR6qqmtz1IyrQ/s1600/DSCN2571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsADv2_qeWoCDXDLxHMfTZbzYjOg6DJmNHAA5F_It0gFhV3S5N1MZaJiYS9W292iOOl1fou4r7w0-uNmCkOeb28LGu4LVImHA_HVxDsikTcp-uVM0gXQTP0XAyIR6qqmtz1IyrQ/s320/DSCN2571.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then we
headed out on our drive to Craters of the Moon National Monument. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It turns out
that most of our off-the-interstate driving today followed the Goodale Cutoff
of the Oregon Trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We stopped
at several historical markers. At one of them I had company.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzs7xXTpyvti18y41eQfwuGzaJ8oe5dLcFY8M-VuZ9d0oyMV83eu8nTHSqzhFLNt8tC-DYL9R12cf8ulbNI58SRuKMB5a0h8Sxa8IsSHXiC7aRimUtxnQftxFAgtmHbQEuLUU3jA/s1600/DSCN2587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzs7xXTpyvti18y41eQfwuGzaJ8oe5dLcFY8M-VuZ9d0oyMV83eu8nTHSqzhFLNt8tC-DYL9R12cf8ulbNI58SRuKMB5a0h8Sxa8IsSHXiC7aRimUtxnQftxFAgtmHbQEuLUU3jA/s400/DSCN2587.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We came
around one of the many bends in the upwardly winding route, and suddenly found
ourselves nearly surrounded by this…</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0zeZaF0l8urwqtSTmQ-8StafPeYKJKmkVU6cX01Qc6UjAv2qps14ytFGnkH0cIrHR940AaByDpSs6Y3W8642YlDRwB0X5L2jmKO47iR3k2eVRoe_psm5vI_34cYuXQhgCIxgGA/s1600/DSCN2592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0zeZaF0l8urwqtSTmQ-8StafPeYKJKmkVU6cX01Qc6UjAv2qps14ytFGnkH0cIrHR940AaByDpSs6Y3W8642YlDRwB0X5L2jmKO47iR3k2eVRoe_psm5vI_34cYuXQhgCIxgGA/s400/DSCN2592.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was
surreal in how other worldly and abrupt it was.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYHWD92cZQMA255oKP3lypEdEyT8PGlsmbr6wJyGG1Up3eaZzbEO09sHh6hr6MVNrtJXrUw5jqG-ix7HDSZP66TBiHBysDVmtptw5NP3Ryqlv3vcpYjmb5r5duEtjrET1Y5nQtA/s1600/DSCN2593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtYHWD92cZQMA255oKP3lypEdEyT8PGlsmbr6wJyGG1Up3eaZzbEO09sHh6hr6MVNrtJXrUw5jqG-ix7HDSZP66TBiHBysDVmtptw5NP3Ryqlv3vcpYjmb5r5duEtjrET1Y5nQtA/s400/DSCN2593.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqpX_kC2pLWgiaDBQpgzSbhB4_GON7DJ3Py2Ik1XNZIIDCGWI1DLEGYKjLgmgIM1O7pS_mClq46J_LJYxhxSSTZbRmIllgF1FYjkL0_ZSpuKWNPbnEQlZbcNNSpFaMQDaqGTGNQ/s1600/DSCN2598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEqpX_kC2pLWgiaDBQpgzSbhB4_GON7DJ3Py2Ik1XNZIIDCGWI1DLEGYKjLgmgIM1O7pS_mClq46J_LJYxhxSSTZbRmIllgF1FYjkL0_ZSpuKWNPbnEQlZbcNNSpFaMQDaqGTGNQ/s640/DSCN2598.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We continued
driving and went into the park entrance. The very friendly ranger in the gift
shop of the visitor center told me, when I asked, that we were at an altitude
of 5,885 ft. She also, when I described the birds I’d been seeing in like three
different states, let me know that my mystery birds were probably magpies. And
she asked if the kids were homeschooled and complimented us on how polite they
were. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Craters of
the Moon was *really* cool. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXufwCyyB6OskY6T4ZVYhEaRtdZWMeyS3qa6236hCD_lwFSXhnHZq_kBv9RhGsUdJr0UIAsitfkcynI9TXq9DnvOMUy4QL4FUCsqFD5l936-dwvNIiU9lvTaKnKbknTq9q0zx2tg/s1600/DSCN2600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXufwCyyB6OskY6T4ZVYhEaRtdZWMeyS3qa6236hCD_lwFSXhnHZq_kBv9RhGsUdJr0UIAsitfkcynI9TXq9DnvOMUy4QL4FUCsqFD5l936-dwvNIiU9lvTaKnKbknTq9q0zx2tg/s640/DSCN2600.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When will we
ever get to walk on lava flows again? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9KWZPyUD-FW6TIT51sa0xAijL6Pv58kKt6ZG3V6P9FaxAhj3Y4U2DDSTKhrI_HYs81fUgB6uBu8BIphrnqQY2nIz5vPvTWziaIbLFgWVHxDw6jwXb8VTQa9MVOIpIwP4s2jNWA/s1600/DSCN2607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9KWZPyUD-FW6TIT51sa0xAijL6Pv58kKt6ZG3V6P9FaxAhj3Y4U2DDSTKhrI_HYs81fUgB6uBu8BIphrnqQY2nIz5vPvTWziaIbLFgWVHxDw6jwXb8VTQa9MVOIpIwP4s2jNWA/s640/DSCN2607.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1oknfwLhhnRZWmu0JXkrZpX3SSxn2P7h-YyF5BvwAsz_owGctVLziVXrBYGjcffw1HfGNiYCPGwKVMn5tJURB_RFxOvOw7gRZoCC3WC7Vh_wFQ5X3kYxbPjkjHhEdpNwGj6zeSg/s1600/DSCN2609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1oknfwLhhnRZWmu0JXkrZpX3SSxn2P7h-YyF5BvwAsz_owGctVLziVXrBYGjcffw1HfGNiYCPGwKVMn5tJURB_RFxOvOw7gRZoCC3WC7Vh_wFQ5X3kYxbPjkjHhEdpNwGj6zeSg/s640/DSCN2609.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The “other
worldliness” of it practically begged for trope space captain poses.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPJbztTmEoAxD6KdIBlWYSIDwFg9Bo9z704vdntY1Gv_978qjqdRnO6yeGeaq3JIM15Eo0INgmvJQ-uUzXv1SWyfg-NXx06aGK8fZxv4cz8Peae6ht02fUP8q6Bd7FMiyxD_bNg/s1600/DSCN2613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWPJbztTmEoAxD6KdIBlWYSIDwFg9Bo9z704vdntY1Gv_978qjqdRnO6yeGeaq3JIM15Eo0INgmvJQ-uUzXv1SWyfg-NXx06aGK8fZxv4cz8Peae6ht02fUP8q6Bd7FMiyxD_bNg/s640/DSCN2613.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I also really liked the exposed wood forms. This one is from a tree called "limper pine". They grow bent and twisted because of the wind.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRyO86axveG4DQP553NXMU3ab11yWMwlIPzl6UNhHsc_rHmMmOODDRYOlomjOlIYLjrSchaDvJ7XPx-Fy6XHB9ZhlK7Su6KzJ47EJNnccwDhP-o9AbIhSr_Wq1wz2xYuFuQacOA/s1600/20150908_131420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRyO86axveG4DQP553NXMU3ab11yWMwlIPzl6UNhHsc_rHmMmOODDRYOlomjOlIYLjrSchaDvJ7XPx-Fy6XHB9ZhlK7Su6KzJ47EJNnccwDhP-o9AbIhSr_Wq1wz2xYuFuQacOA/s640/20150908_131420.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Boybot would ask, "Why are you taking a picture of that tree? It's *dead*."</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8SrDCDCWMCgfXMe9ZZkfdHW8ZGnMIunR4tLwTzUp0NFe4xmEM1ti74EtFPbTTovdtEhc7JJEG8yqsh1FZz-1p7keTxuf0xnNy5PLIjnWY0D3kBCCf0Mxz7JXwWH-k30uMl35rA/s1600/DSCN2599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8SrDCDCWMCgfXMe9ZZkfdHW8ZGnMIunR4tLwTzUp0NFe4xmEM1ti74EtFPbTTovdtEhc7JJEG8yqsh1FZz-1p7keTxuf0xnNy5PLIjnWY0D3kBCCf0Mxz7JXwWH-k30uMl35rA/s640/DSCN2599.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And the Jedi would answer, "Yes, but it died *expressively*."</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbIvCIBU5X7x4RmlNq6YJ7Pe3OcaP3t4QfY8pW6N64rVjQCnTl7sXpJE3esR2DbVBvJ0aGdxhapfMG8iazGNCPF-cCc6zrVHvpxnxKbcOHWdih2J6cKiRNjTEOpMXYmc6pjglMQ/s1600/DSCN2618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbIvCIBU5X7x4RmlNq6YJ7Pe3OcaP3t4QfY8pW6N64rVjQCnTl7sXpJE3esR2DbVBvJ0aGdxhapfMG8iazGNCPF-cCc6zrVHvpxnxKbcOHWdih2J6cKiRNjTEOpMXYmc6pjglMQ/s400/DSCN2618.JPG" width="225" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But I was the one with the camera, so.... (Actually, I'm usually the one with the camera because the Jedi gets tired of hearing, "Ooo...take a picture of that tree. Look at the contrast between it's bleached wood and the dark igneous rock. No, wait, don't get it from that angle, you need this other rock to help the composition....")</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We hiked up,
and I do mean up, to the top of Inferno Cone. (This photo, by the way, does not show the top of the trail. That's just to the first little crest in the trail. It was a tease.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYQAyvdlt3Ncc1gEWJf1HDKr5DQUeYA51Hv6WjTogBsjNIU4ACK_VAP4-NEcd81GADCcWGzpCHi6ntTKV3IcPH2gL95Q5fw491lEnxCnAxpsoDRP-pZ3AAhioTdWMcyD6rlQbcQ/s1600/DSCN2622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYQAyvdlt3Ncc1gEWJf1HDKr5DQUeYA51Hv6WjTogBsjNIU4ACK_VAP4-NEcd81GADCcWGzpCHi6ntTKV3IcPH2gL95Q5fw491lEnxCnAxpsoDRP-pZ3AAhioTdWMcyD6rlQbcQ/s640/DSCN2622.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And this photo was not taken from the top of the trail. It was just a little more than halfway up the trail. It was totally taken for some perspective, and not because I was starting to suck air climbing uphill at 5885 ft and needed a short pause.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdioaV-K3uKlR78NpcHmD0LwGbDs8u9kblghTVKuH0PX6kuN6BmDQzFVUCTS92wQneIopSW3nzE38Qyz74Rlktl_OtDDjJsZGWbxtcwUUmc9lKjhN-z8IXHy8QjLX3_KCkBbY_Iw/s1600/DSCN2625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdioaV-K3uKlR78NpcHmD0LwGbDs8u9kblghTVKuH0PX6kuN6BmDQzFVUCTS92wQneIopSW3nzE38Qyz74Rlktl_OtDDjJsZGWbxtcwUUmc9lKjhN-z8IXHy8QjLX3_KCkBbY_Iw/s640/DSCN2625.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But being on top of the cone was really cool.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkNZndJSZbamZAdb-761oyxq2sR7rLsrlGK68kQ-Kb4hqJzPfG1On_ED8G99YYcMNbkEbLBVOC7UiXp83WRiRI03hHnSyOTpJUQyKr3Q5d--lgJIA5LuJxYzEkSLh7acw3NlK8g/s1600/DSCN2626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkNZndJSZbamZAdb-761oyxq2sR7rLsrlGK68kQ-Kb4hqJzPfG1On_ED8G99YYcMNbkEbLBVOC7UiXp83WRiRI03hHnSyOTpJUQyKr3Q5d--lgJIA5LuJxYzEkSLh7acw3NlK8g/s640/DSCN2626.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzOANXjwBCz953_6PEUponhdtZ62BZMaHjME0zs50oXyzZ7dZI6FEPjpmTjDdnfSbOX_OP8VvWh9a3E4_XH3d_NqxOrFSCEX3e404DXrTniG2gcWUVMqF0uFAk7al2GpJJNesQg/s1600/DSCN2633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzOANXjwBCz953_6PEUponhdtZ62BZMaHjME0zs50oXyzZ7dZI6FEPjpmTjDdnfSbOX_OP8VvWh9a3E4_XH3d_NqxOrFSCEX3e404DXrTniG2gcWUVMqF0uFAk7al2GpJJNesQg/s640/DSCN2633.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The view was nearly infinite.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmB-Wk6Mf_KGTeyB2q4ugNQmut6-P30XPxYrFEMn38lpzOrj-gq3MDLjfJFaZxZ3uhiqeOlOII4xn2fmdEKCJQRsdJsYnimX089_ZWvDmKNJJr-fG6oySH24fA4syM6uOxlx2Qmw/s1600/DSCN2638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmB-Wk6Mf_KGTeyB2q4ugNQmut6-P30XPxYrFEMn38lpzOrj-gq3MDLjfJFaZxZ3uhiqeOlOII4xn2fmdEKCJQRsdJsYnimX089_ZWvDmKNJJr-fG6oySH24fA4syM6uOxlx2Qmw/s640/DSCN2638.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And we got
to walk up inside a splatter cone. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmdurXPinCR9nzTTlbAQeyVDaFZx-elUzwpwnWDyQmnqJ93tXey90yOFdZ1Ft3_ig7YXH1tD592XlFIAmFymEOrgY7SC5_v6RoiALDOKEHZY75qxMaDkSHkP1rEpBurIJqzALUg/s1600/DSCN2651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRmdurXPinCR9nzTTlbAQeyVDaFZx-elUzwpwnWDyQmnqJ93tXey90yOFdZ1Ft3_ig7YXH1tD592XlFIAmFymEOrgY7SC5_v6RoiALDOKEHZY75qxMaDkSHkP1rEpBurIJqzALUg/s640/DSCN2651.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEV-bV7jTRZzStmrrAA5COxOHBi98lWgW6ydEZ4Aoj_2yxfFqxfpONe-e7aWXpi0W-XRIp7stZ5HQ7V4Qp_z_l8Xyevwg8VqaLEG3wWUw4Bk96Y9gFEZ4od9-cRXa7u1VvZWVrw/s1600/DSCN2646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEV-bV7jTRZzStmrrAA5COxOHBi98lWgW6ydEZ4Aoj_2yxfFqxfpONe-e7aWXpi0W-XRIp7stZ5HQ7V4Qp_z_l8Xyevwg8VqaLEG3wWUw4Bk96Y9gFEZ4od9-cRXa7u1VvZWVrw/s640/DSCN2646.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDXH4naJnppihhqxjdI_A7ez9TC4lCi3-4dO_6RN1dl3QnFBXQNyEUVqbllWkCeof6Mf-VzHqLbbCIqx3URkAXIa-bNHRQCc82PCZNXHOuTBIZMual6OoY6FRjYtwvOdgdXN6iA/s1600/DSCN2649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBDXH4naJnppihhqxjdI_A7ez9TC4lCi3-4dO_6RN1dl3QnFBXQNyEUVqbllWkCeof6Mf-VzHqLbbCIqx3URkAXIa-bNHRQCc82PCZNXHOuTBIZMual6OoY6FRjYtwvOdgdXN6iA/s640/DSCN2649.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Here’s Boybot,
sticking his head where heads probably shouldn’t go.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7qwfu5w8P3_w_9TY_RPlkY5WHywEBNjLxnEPx0MhEMnA0ksloyMMJfBjMGBQpbqw98_Rh0o4KAUOxCGKBM3qiZO1Z63oSjbt47d_klnN0rNBoxbqw_PEmFTVOZA6zpV-LiXwYg/s1600/DSCN2647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7qwfu5w8P3_w_9TY_RPlkY5WHywEBNjLxnEPx0MhEMnA0ksloyMMJfBjMGBQpbqw98_Rh0o4KAUOxCGKBM3qiZO1Z63oSjbt47d_klnN0rNBoxbqw_PEmFTVOZA6zpV-LiXwYg/s400/DSCN2647.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was a
really great park to explore for a few hours. If we had all day, and you know,
more space in the van, it would have been cool to have brought lantern hard
hats to explore some of the caves there. But we skipped that part for both time
and lack of proper headgear. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To my
surprise, there were lots of really cute little chipmunks darting across the
rocks of the lava flow. I really wanted to hold one. It would have fit
perfectly in my hand. Boybot said no, I would just get bitten and then get
rabies. Sweelting found me a cute little chipmunk finger puppet in the gift
shop. Boybot named him Charlie. He’s going to be Chester’s little brother. He
even has his own little spot in the van. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hhAgCw3sFOzJRJiTUFZbcTUGoDIeePG9o5Bw8dEIrBd8m7xqaYWHYpb6YtpdXK9nHECJz5xJbL1gS8SUp5oKtU-xalBMWE_ZQdFxvRjOKhyl5bahzQrDh_S4-jdqnJDAfFBe1w/s1600/DSCN2653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hhAgCw3sFOzJRJiTUFZbcTUGoDIeePG9o5Bw8dEIrBd8m7xqaYWHYpb6YtpdXK9nHECJz5xJbL1gS8SUp5oKtU-xalBMWE_ZQdFxvRjOKhyl5bahzQrDh_S4-jdqnJDAfFBe1w/s320/DSCN2653.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Speaking of
travel companions, check out the friend that often hangs out by my right
shoulder during long drive stretches.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">From Craters
of the Moon, we drove through Arco, Idaho.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70Et7VvrP68YoK-3USFHkE3DbSsQTns5KOp-0FGCgONh7SRjR9MhhawuRVyRtsWVe6ooDzkZ_dcmioEUG9Jde4a8VV6feR3Lki1OfH1wUq9n99R9kbjco3SgDDvSZDrPY5KNmXg/s1600/DSCN2659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg70Et7VvrP68YoK-3USFHkE3DbSsQTns5KOp-0FGCgONh7SRjR9MhhawuRVyRtsWVe6ooDzkZ_dcmioEUG9Jde4a8VV6feR3Lki1OfH1wUq9n99R9kbjco3SgDDvSZDrPY5KNmXg/s400/DSCN2659.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of the
cool surprises in this town was the mountainside above the town where members
of each senior class had carved their graduation year.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYthx36rvqUdq8l3Y6GMyhpk0NxWxqm9a_xvJq04WWr3jh_YD5PWXWQtUwfQRGceFtpD_JBeBCLEO8cHYB_0nipjdsHvJxASzLyZuk_BIEjxCSIZJ1cpIF6comR73mx0SliwAnUA/s1600/DSCN2658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYthx36rvqUdq8l3Y6GMyhpk0NxWxqm9a_xvJq04WWr3jh_YD5PWXWQtUwfQRGceFtpD_JBeBCLEO8cHYB_0nipjdsHvJxASzLyZuk_BIEjxCSIZJ1cpIF6comR73mx0SliwAnUA/s640/DSCN2658.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The world’s
first nuclear power plant is located not far outside Arco, but sadly we were
driving through the day after their last day of being open for public tours for
the summer. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So we drove
straight through to dinner in Idaho Falls, where we stopped at Tandori Oven for
some yummy food of way too generous proportions. We should have split two or
maybe at the most three dinner plates among the four of us and eaten family
style. Especially with the large basket of naan bread and the lassis that we
ordered with our dinner.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sadly, the
Jedi was left with driving the last bit of the trip in the dark, through the
mountains, again. This time it wasn’t raining BUT it was some really steep,
really narrow two lane roads around bends on the side of the mountain. We were
in the outside lane, and we kept getting blinded by the headlights of the
oncoming traffic. The last stretch of the road down into Jackson, Wyoming had a
10% grade.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The good
news, in my opinion, was that we got to see a bear! He ran across the road in
front of the van and then ran in a little circle in the other lane before
lumbering off into the woods. The Jedi was not as excited or has happy about
this sighting as I was.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In Jackson,
we parked near the square, each corner of which was festooned with an enormous
antler arch, and we walked to Maggie Moo’s Gormet Ice Cream. The ice cream was
super creamy, but the individual flavors didn’t come through as much. Still it
was good, and a nice little treat.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At the
hotel, it was laundry night. The good part about that was that it is the last
time I have to do laundry on our trip. All our bins should be packed up for the
rest of the trip. The bad news is that the Jedi, Sweetling, and I were up till
2 a.m. because the hotel coin operated dryer just did NOT dry clothes very
well. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-73762270093226762472015-09-09T12:20:00.001-05:002015-09-09T12:20:34.570-05:00NW Day Twelve: Long Way from Home<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today marked
a turning point on our trip….from here on out, we are heading (roughly)
eastward. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But, before
we could start out, we needed to get the tire of the van repaired. The Jedi had
noted that it seemed to have a slow leak. He had air put in it when we first
reached Seattle, and then he put air in it our first morning in Portland,
before we launched into our Portland activities. As we left dinner at our
friends’ house, it was *really* low (15 PSI). The Jedi, always prepared, had a
small air pump that plugged into the van dash and could reinflate the wheel
enough to get back to the hotel. But we knew it needed a real fix before we
drove across plains of southern Idaho.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was labor
day, so we were concerned there might not be anything open. The Jedi pulled
into the first tire place he saw, which happened to be Firestone. It also just
so happened that we had just purchased Firestone tires for the van. The Jedi,
being as wise as he is, always purchases road hazard insurance when he buys
tires. It turns out that the tire had a screw in it in a place where it
couldn’t be patched. But because it was a Firestone tire and he happened to
pull into Firestone and the people who sold us the tire had filled out the
online road hazard warranty, and the tire was brand new, Firestone put a new
tire on the van at no charge. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, we got a
late start to our day, but all the details worked out as perfectly as they
could possibly be, so we were happy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our first
stop took us a little out of our way. I tried to argue against it (well, I made
a half-hearted effort to argue against it) because I knew we were already way
behind due to the tire. But the Jedi insisted. He said we weren’t going to be
20 minutes from the terminus of the Oregon Trail and not drive over so that I
could get a photograph next to the sign.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEK4UjZrhmA2gIdzGmtHFKmWHUWbuX3awo07rtHyu7HKwS5jGT4Gwct95GT_sdPCXIjFqy6Pfup7TVmk2oigH2vzdMeuCZ5IHAYMhwk85HpY6ONBzkQwSrKwgtqE3W0rJTxeGiA/s1600/DSCN2546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEK4UjZrhmA2gIdzGmtHFKmWHUWbuX3awo07rtHyu7HKwS5jGT4Gwct95GT_sdPCXIjFqy6Pfup7TVmk2oigH2vzdMeuCZ5IHAYMhwk85HpY6ONBzkQwSrKwgtqE3W0rJTxeGiA/s640/DSCN2546.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He loves me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We didn’t go
in (I really only wanted a picture. I’ve now been in Independence, Missouri and
saw the swales in a field made by many wagons as they started out on the trail AND
I’ve been in Oregon City, Oregon.) But the museum had a really cool
architectural lay out. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVAQXCcc8mx6W3izwmsUFLeH0jcJ0IXO51H_shIh7GjLrzV1KRjT3Lrt0RPgq9MHAslg3XouIIWh6DP2UBlYlwKg0DGkfTO9TMvgdumQb8tzY2gjTbZdETw8s7QjoNpCRIijLFtQ/s1600/DSCN2551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVAQXCcc8mx6W3izwmsUFLeH0jcJ0IXO51H_shIh7GjLrzV1KRjT3Lrt0RPgq9MHAslg3XouIIWh6DP2UBlYlwKg0DGkfTO9TMvgdumQb8tzY2gjTbZdETw8s7QjoNpCRIijLFtQ/s640/DSCN2551.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And a cool
map of the trail. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjTYqDCqvrwykT5HZTkkGUz56Fs_k8vjIrHBTYF2qy-Z4byQ2d2mfnNPRUoiznWIKlk1MBf_CL0VnijaZGB0QbcZozXdDbOr_1AFm2e12nwOZMw8KEV6j1YFGYoQxf2BsQPhPZw/s1600/DSCN2550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtjTYqDCqvrwykT5HZTkkGUz56Fs_k8vjIrHBTYF2qy-Z4byQ2d2mfnNPRUoiznWIKlk1MBf_CL0VnijaZGB0QbcZozXdDbOr_1AFm2e12nwOZMw8KEV6j1YFGYoQxf2BsQPhPZw/s400/DSCN2550.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We then
stopped at Annie’s Donuts, which the Jedi had read about on a food blog listing
top donut shops. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">They were SO
good. They weren’t heavy, or greasy, or too sweet. They were light and fluffy
and tasty and just the right amount of sweet. They were perhaps the most
perfect donut I have ever eaten.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our next
stop was supposed to be Multnamah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge. But as we
approached, there were traffic advisory signs warning that the exit was closed
because the lot was full. The Jedi offered to get off at the next exit and
circle back on the back roads, but I didn’t really want to do that. The Falls
would have been packed with people, and wouldn’t really have been that
enjoyable.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Instead, we
got off at Cascade Locks and had lunch on the outdoor, riverside patio at the
Waterfront Locks Grill.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpCLDTaHbkJmCIbISDyEKtDZdDPjPS0Fqgb6A2Uvy8ZbEgs_rKaJy3QLR9QMs4xoaZEoag15gYvrz-g7F-JFKll6o2ZLuoEmqtpIlmWl3epkt1tObq6jaggTZjKBjv2rpuI3Exg/s1600/DSCN2556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPpCLDTaHbkJmCIbISDyEKtDZdDPjPS0Fqgb6A2Uvy8ZbEgs_rKaJy3QLR9QMs4xoaZEoag15gYvrz-g7F-JFKll6o2ZLuoEmqtpIlmWl3epkt1tObq6jaggTZjKBjv2rpuI3Exg/s640/DSCN2556.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Where
Sweetling got her picture taken next to the Bigfoot Statue.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbcDTIkM2bgorGk5q94byD0RD3wNt8yPIpxyeTUUmjjypimhMOwY4tgWUYqseFhb2yjENmCt610HOOJqNobzzeildIAKmCpIc0vUE1jX4Kd-ijVPO9NjZHR3P8xGfDgkuuY-oiA/s1600/DSCN2561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSbcDTIkM2bgorGk5q94byD0RD3wNt8yPIpxyeTUUmjjypimhMOwY4tgWUYqseFhb2yjENmCt610HOOJqNobzzeildIAKmCpIc0vUE1jX4Kd-ijVPO9NjZHR3P8xGfDgkuuY-oiA/s640/DSCN2561.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And where we
got to watch a sternwheeler dock. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdovGreWAVdSCJSpAri37iHzuhdQzQNsnIiuay9R1xAE3-QTipRtycyqncgqt1ZogEm4_sZtigzlFC9MSxYaXP0lm-4_ApB2-C4BMlBMsQtZ53lU8Yi0sQFkS-NmrVcfprHtuVzg/s1600/DSCN2559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdovGreWAVdSCJSpAri37iHzuhdQzQNsnIiuay9R1xAE3-QTipRtycyqncgqt1ZogEm4_sZtigzlFC9MSxYaXP0lm-4_ApB2-C4BMlBMsQtZ53lU8Yi0sQFkS-NmrVcfprHtuVzg/s400/DSCN2559.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We got back
on the highway, and Tom Tom told us to take the highway for the next 350 miles
or so. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We got off
at La Grande for gas, and found this awesome little family owned fresh burger
restaurant. It was a long time still before Boise, so clearly we needed to
order homemade ice cream to hold us over.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktVUs-aG21IPgt7mV5zMN6Bs6FUVBJoURsGH4njZv7qNqzRJvQhhlT6J0i3XVISqfn0sqmpCcBrTeTZ4JzZnnLDz9VVj1pK9nTys7HKjoC-uZgIJAXN7uLjUhQJedGFhGQ07QHA/s1600/20150907_181155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktVUs-aG21IPgt7mV5zMN6Bs6FUVBJoURsGH4njZv7qNqzRJvQhhlT6J0i3XVISqfn0sqmpCcBrTeTZ4JzZnnLDz9VVj1pK9nTys7HKjoC-uZgIJAXN7uLjUhQJedGFhGQ07QHA/s400/20150907_181155.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxrxFoOQkDwTemd7HStuTax14JZ1BLSsOSycZI2HiQhf1sGzArfYQfwZ0Vo93R8Sx9323g5pTCcUfzgxPNQfMOBrgHR3R8nXcjq7HGiR4ec8KtHJzbFwCut-eofGBcdaUuqa9xAw/s1600/20150907_181134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxrxFoOQkDwTemd7HStuTax14JZ1BLSsOSycZI2HiQhf1sGzArfYQfwZ0Vo93R8Sx9323g5pTCcUfzgxPNQfMOBrgHR3R8nXcjq7HGiR4ec8KtHJzbFwCut-eofGBcdaUuqa9xAw/s400/20150907_181134.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We weren’t
going to make Boise before 9pm, when Boise Fry Company closed. We wound up
getting dinner at Panda Express in Ontario, Oregon. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We did get
to pull off at some random, unlit exit where we stopped on the side of some
state route and hung out the windows to look at the stars. (I didn’t want
anyone out of the van, because we were on the shoulder of the road in the dark.
On the one side of the van was death by a passing car, not that there were any
other cars, but still. On the other side of the van was death by rattlesnake
hiding in the sage brush. So we stayed in the van.) It was the first time
either of the kids had ever seen the Milky Way.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the end,
what with crossing from Pacific into Mountain Time, we would up getting in to
the hotel after 11 pm.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-79654209182816622262015-09-09T11:57:00.000-05:002015-09-09T11:57:22.371-05:00NW Day Eleven: Trees, Friends, and Elephant Hugs<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
alternate title for today was “Tree Huggers and Elephant Hugs”, but that just
wasn’t quite flowing like I wanted it to, and I didn’t want my Portland friends
to think I was calling them tree-huggers….so….</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My
noticeable lack of titling skills aside, here’s how our day went:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We had
adjusted out travel schedule, so that we drove out of Seattle the night before,
and spent the night in Portland. This allowed us to SLEEP IN, and leave the
hotel around 10:45 instead of trying to leave Seattle by seven in the
morning…which would have been INSANE.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So we all
got to sleep in AND we didn’t have to pack up the room or pack up the van when
we left the hotel, cause we were coming back to sleep there a second night.
C’est tres nice. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our first
stop, yet again, was K-mart. I swear we’ve spent half of our days stopping at
k-mart or Walmart or target for some little thing we needed because we forgot
it, we broke it, we didn’t know we would need it, etc. This time it was for gloves
for Boybot and myself. I had work/garden gloves on the packing list, I’m sure I
did. And yet, packed they were not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Two pair of
well-fitting work gloves in hand, we left K-mart and dropped the Jedi and Susan
off at Washington Park in Portland. They had a day lined up that included
elephants….</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNTlqZN3upB-LMtBAWeYdFrugkd88f8qx57pHrDhUVfmWz7he8n2untEIu3Wh3GuZed1G0zeCzMEeICiriHpBdXR39Nq1aghjPulBNcIHaL8b8NLee-STShewGSuFPCPGdcFbqA/s1600/DSCN2505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNTlqZN3upB-LMtBAWeYdFrugkd88f8qx57pHrDhUVfmWz7he8n2untEIu3Wh3GuZed1G0zeCzMEeICiriHpBdXR39Nq1aghjPulBNcIHaL8b8NLee-STShewGSuFPCPGdcFbqA/s640/DSCN2505.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And what is
thought to be the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYURdQdMDrn1GYZirZBIJ94oft-NQnUxSg_-Eo1FrtMESrjkKiLMpNDHCWsOLqfXvNeTZJL5xBrGRwPX0JU-pJyimfg8eyi-5W8DR6yiKGGsNGQwVVm_cIsNYkwleHTs1hIghvQ/s1600/DSCN2530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYURdQdMDrn1GYZirZBIJ94oft-NQnUxSg_-Eo1FrtMESrjkKiLMpNDHCWsOLqfXvNeTZJL5xBrGRwPX0JU-pJyimfg8eyi-5W8DR6yiKGGsNGQwVVm_cIsNYkwleHTs1hIghvQ/s640/DSCN2530.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And they
also took some penguin pictures just for me. Sweetling laid her jacket down
near the glass, and one of the penguins came over and tried to get it with his
beak.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Meanwhile,
Boybot and I drove 50 minutes west of Portland to Tree to Tree Ariel Adventure
Park. This attraction is seven or nine rope, platforms, zip lines and other
obstacles up in the trees.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPWveB5A1Ebolgnjo0YANqlYhO3TX0XyAiDjWPiktsGwccrjgN-uC5ir4RkUcxc6sIv1B3c2qw9w1wTIQgINhzZhMooKCFWqMRaqquDiv8DNUX3kjs3RRpLsqjQ0qeKmgcysQDA/s1600/20150906_160553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCPWveB5A1Ebolgnjo0YANqlYhO3TX0XyAiDjWPiktsGwccrjgN-uC5ir4RkUcxc6sIv1B3c2qw9w1wTIQgINhzZhMooKCFWqMRaqquDiv8DNUX3kjs3RRpLsqjQ0qeKmgcysQDA/s640/20150906_160553.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We got there
just in time to get suited up for our reservations with the 1pm Adventure
Group. (No pictures of us in our climbing gear, because I wasn’t about to try
to carry my phone through the trees with me.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After going
through our short training class and learning how to clip ourselves on and off
the safety wires (double lock system with two “lobster claws” so that one claw
was ALWAYS clipped to a safey wire); we climbed up to our first course. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I absolutely
loved it. Boybot liked the first course we did (which was a tween course with a
fear factor of one). But, when we climbed up on the adult course (fear factor
two), we soon discovered that although Boybot met the height requirement for
the adult course, his over head reach and his leg span was a little shorter
than was comfortable for the course. So, instead of fun, the adult course
became a LOT of really hard work for him, 20 feet or more off the ground, on tightwires
and swinging logs. But I was really proud of how he conquered his disadvantage
and pushed through to finish the course.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It also led
to some pretty choice quotes…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I question
all of my life choices.” (spoken as he was starting an element)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I’m a tree
hugger now. Is that ok?” (spoken as he pulled himself up on a narrow platform
and had his arms wrapped around the large pine trunk)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“After we
got through all of that, *this* is what they give us?” (spoken as he came
around the other side of a tree to see the new element stretching between the
next two trees)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I went up on
another level 2 course, and was considering the level 4 black course “for
expert climbers only”, but it was by that time 4 pm, and time to leave to go
pick up Sweetling and the Jedi. Boybot had gone over and spectated at the black
course and told me, in no uncertain terms, that I would have gotten stuck and stranded
up there. He said he saw grown men struggling with that course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We
rendezvoused with Sweetling and the Jedi, and then headed to friends’ house for
dinner. They very kindly received us, in our wet, bedraggled, sap-covered state
and served us a delicious home cooked meal with marionberry pie for<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>dessert. Boybot and their son played video
games, and Sweetling and their daughter put on a historical fashion show with
her dolls and then made snowcones. It was such a nice, relaxing way to end the
day.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-12809840992144857732015-09-06T10:33:00.002-05:002015-09-06T10:33:51.675-05:00NW Day TEN: Seattle in an Afternoon<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Jedi and
I woke up around seven, showered, packed the room, and loaded the van. We
checked out of the hotel and headed over to the light rail station. The Jedi
made it as far as the light rail station, and then realized he was still
feeling rather poorly. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We sat down
and did a quick google map search for a public library nearby where the Jedi
could go sit, read, work on characters for a game, take a nap in the van if he
needed to….etc. Finding one a few blocks away that was open till 5, the Jedi
reluctantly agreed that he needed another day of rest.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I hopped on
the light rail by myself and found my way to Tia’s apartment without any
trouble. Go me. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjrdkwlmOS3AX5cK9SBBEElqrns9Ph4JRu7I8KxW3w3tmWPeGTlhWHPzOK2ty8YZkScDzoqGmO4hUJjyg46FY1eBGrW96QMYBBUQjMazDzU7Gomlrrgpa7ejJm7yRLsBE_TaSBQ/s1600/20150905_130627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjrdkwlmOS3AX5cK9SBBEElqrns9Ph4JRu7I8KxW3w3tmWPeGTlhWHPzOK2ty8YZkScDzoqGmO4hUJjyg46FY1eBGrW96QMYBBUQjMazDzU7Gomlrrgpa7ejJm7yRLsBE_TaSBQ/s640/20150905_130627.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We hung out
for a bit there, she showed me some “So You Think You Can Dance” videos, and
Sweetling finished packing up her stuff. By that time, it was nearly lunch, so
we headed downstairs to Vahn’s (sp?), which Tia said was practically her second
living room, since she and the Programmer ate there so often. I had a huge
salmon salad, Sweetling had two large slices of a huge sourdough pizza, and
while Boybot was curious about just what the Monster Burger Challenge was, in
the end, he ordered a classic bacon hamburger.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After taking
Sweetling’s leftovers back up to the apartment, we walked the mile and a half
to one of Tia’s favorite parks….a sculpture park on the waterfront.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSaYrSvXLw9Me1ZRattt20QbpGU7qxy1AKZeyJ62YEDIi4aAZxJifvDI8GpdtjSa7XapW9hVqo3dvX8vXfkoEe-oN3zYKwbqRWYT8fzHjpO5WpkJbUSNkh5E-9u38F_CK5LmI9g/s1600/20150905_134451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSaYrSvXLw9Me1ZRattt20QbpGU7qxy1AKZeyJ62YEDIi4aAZxJifvDI8GpdtjSa7XapW9hVqo3dvX8vXfkoEe-oN3zYKwbqRWYT8fzHjpO5WpkJbUSNkh5E-9u38F_CK5LmI9g/s640/20150905_134451.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaa1bLoH1N7GwgFxOmrmyHFzcZqkWEZ2EP9-snnli-Ok6UbIbJNh_Kq7KISjvPrWoGZFsYMXsL40eFlh8a992Vs4IpEOIDByV4w4pc1nbisxfDcpaFju4hy5w-PVNcf7whPpX6rg/s1600/20150905_134940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaa1bLoH1N7GwgFxOmrmyHFzcZqkWEZ2EP9-snnli-Ok6UbIbJNh_Kq7KISjvPrWoGZFsYMXsL40eFlh8a992Vs4IpEOIDByV4w4pc1nbisxfDcpaFju4hy5w-PVNcf7whPpX6rg/s400/20150905_134940.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And then we
walked a little further to a second park, where I was hoping to be able to see
some seals on the rocky shore line. There were no seals, but there was an
opportunity to collect rocks and shells.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTDCXANZZ20iJdMrPqC4bfU-EvPXTtOHZRa64ShCf8xlysMyQUwSfOYG_IeMkeeRcWMuIQfRSmj-oxA_P71aXK8syNRTQY3HAW3V-KZj29XjR6Rsz9uqCifXT1jDSb1PwPi0EVw/s1600/20150905_135948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTDCXANZZ20iJdMrPqC4bfU-EvPXTtOHZRa64ShCf8xlysMyQUwSfOYG_IeMkeeRcWMuIQfRSmj-oxA_P71aXK8syNRTQY3HAW3V-KZj29XjR6Rsz9uqCifXT1jDSb1PwPi0EVw/s640/20150905_135948.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAh_M-IjojCFOdwKhL-tPEJT13nDff3LYZChfn3orh1q258xRKo5NtcTCntgyzLkTfVEVkYyVn4hE3UfrF26Z-o772JW5wg2_62R4DIVo8azQNESFTCY5MxsEv7cRPSHfjIZc9RA/s1600/20150905_141713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAh_M-IjojCFOdwKhL-tPEJT13nDff3LYZChfn3orh1q258xRKo5NtcTCntgyzLkTfVEVkYyVn4hE3UfrF26Z-o772JW5wg2_62R4DIVo8azQNESFTCY5MxsEv7cRPSHfjIZc9RA/s640/20150905_141713.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Another
short walk back to a city street, where Tia called for a ride in an Uber car to
our next destination, the tallest building in Seattle, the Columbia Tower. We
headed up to the observation deck for a bird’s eye view of the city.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_I2712JueeFgVwgfjJWt116G-rmpD-RVW1DSKN_oiWBgxUB9MarR4JP2qywQMhunXxgg-gj7nQfZpi_hva7_K9kjtcnyceUwnOWSzfx_aO9csVuiIlXXd768-Wt_irtlaNwY6g/s1600/20150905_144855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_I2712JueeFgVwgfjJWt116G-rmpD-RVW1DSKN_oiWBgxUB9MarR4JP2qywQMhunXxgg-gj7nQfZpi_hva7_K9kjtcnyceUwnOWSzfx_aO9csVuiIlXXd768-Wt_irtlaNwY6g/s640/20150905_144855.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was just
a bit too cloudy to see the mountains clearly, but it was still a nice view.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVm0TLrM8l6EJzkI23LRRNXZ8LDEgRQsUlk6b4_qQI45aQsg2AME_duE9NJ8P_1ZXSXS2y6A_zLXCu8ejpxLKJnZ0_4l-fKxUFU_OjwZBxsij0TiZWKYYMNjwD8Cy3nW3mOtTtHA/s1600/20150905_151818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVm0TLrM8l6EJzkI23LRRNXZ8LDEgRQsUlk6b4_qQI45aQsg2AME_duE9NJ8P_1ZXSXS2y6A_zLXCu8ejpxLKJnZ0_4l-fKxUFU_OjwZBxsij0TiZWKYYMNjwD8Cy3nW3mOtTtHA/s400/20150905_151818.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Back on the
ground, we walked the few blocks back to Tia’s, where we had big and yummy
cookies and a tasty meat and cheese plate that Tia “threw together” for us. I
have to put that in quotes, because even what she “throws together” has such a
great balance of flavors and textures. My thrown together plates are a couple
packets of Aldi’s lunch meats and pre-sliced cheeses with a box of triscuit
crackers and a sleeve of Ritz crackers. Two cracker types make it fancy. If I’m
going really high brow, I’ll slice a cucumber, put a bag of carrot sticks and a
bottle of ranch on the table too. A bag of Aldi’s grapes just puts the whole
thing over the top. Tia’s plate was three different type of gourmet cheeses, high
end salami, broushetta, another meat that I love that I never heard of, slices
of fresh peaches, and two little bowls of farm jams….strawberry&red pepper
and whatever the local Washington berry is called.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, all served on a proper round wooden
cheese platter. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">While we
three girls sat at the table and munched and chatted, Boybot and the Programmer
raced in a computer game and then crushed some poor unsuspecting opponent in
HearthStone.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The rest of
our afternoon passed all too swiftly, and soon it was time to gather up, give a
few last hugs, and begin walking through the Seattle mist to the train station.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On the ride
back to SeaTac, we were blessed by a beautiful rainbow. Since I was feeling
pretty teary eyed, this was a very welcome pick-me-up.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We rejoined
the Jedi, and was on the road to Portland in pretty short order. Dinner was
Subway, eaten in the van on the road. The original goal was to hit Portland by
nine or nine-thirty, but an accident in Tacoma had two lanes of I-5 south shut
down, so I don’t know what our new ETA is. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-54838505572878361402015-09-04T18:33:00.000-05:002015-09-04T18:33:06.527-05:00NW Day Nine: Sick Day<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sadly, on
the light rail on the way back to the hotel last night, the Jedi started
feeling poorly. We had to get off the train twice to let his stomach settle
before we could get back on another train. I offered to go ride the train
alone, go get the van, and come back for him, but the Jedi would have none of
that. Still, it was a long, miserable ride for him.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’ll spare
you the biological details of how the night went for him, but it was not pretty
on a GI scale</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, our just-the-two-of-us
adventure to Olympic National Park has turned into a day of resting, sleeping,
and blogging for us. But, while there is never a good time for a GI bug, this
is the best possible day for it to have hit. Far better now, when we don’t have
to drive anywhere and can just hole up in a hotel room for a day, than say in
the middle of the endless road of Montana.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thankfully,
the kids are with Tia. She says they were both asleep by 10, that’s how tired
they were. And they both slept till after eight. Sweetling was still feeling
exhausted, so Tia made some oatmeal for her, and then took Boybot out to
breakfast. Sweelting had more downtime through the morning, while Tia took
Boybot to the pool.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Since then,
I’ve gotten some texts from Tia. Sweetling is apparently recovered and they
went on an excursion to a fun hat store. I got some great photos texted to me,
but you know I don’t know how to save them properly to be able to share them
here.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Jedi has
pretty much slept all day. I’ve offered to try to track down soda crackers or
jello cups for him, but he isn’t interested in that. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I spent the
day blogging and sifting through photos. When the Jedi wakes up, I’ll spend the
evening repacking all the clothing bins for the next leg of our trip.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-67777298686792646242015-09-04T18:16:00.000-05:002015-09-04T18:16:04.319-05:00 NW Day Eight: Seattle at Last!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nearly every
day, usually multiple times a day, Boybot asks me how many more days until we
reach Seattle, where his Tia lives. And finally, finally, finally we are here.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My day
started at 6 a.m., with laundry. The kids slept in, but the Jedi is a light
sleeper, and though I tried to be quiet, he was up before 7. Around 8, the Jedi
left to get the oil in the van changed, and I got the kids up to get dressed
and help fold all the clean laundry. They also packed their overnight bags, for
not one, but TWO nights of sleeping over at Tia’s house.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t know
what time it was when we finally climbed on the light rail to head to downtown
Seattle. We did have one frightening moment where we were nearly Meep-less in
Seattle, but we quickly headed back and recovered Meep.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
conversation about that, as we were walking to the light rail station, went
like this…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sweetling, “Meep!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Me
(answering), “Meep.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sweetling
(more emphatically), “MEEP!!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Me
(singing), “Meep meep meep meep meep---“</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sweetling, “NO!!!
I don’t have Meep!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But in the
end, Meep was secured, and we were all on the train.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWe0CBdb9YjYFApt0DQd9bGrU4wzTs1iyTSbXfZMTJHhjN0qEdvQGlXiKosdnlQRFBzgknhR5iYn8T1SZgT9oO1K_oyPsYdS6prlRHU7iD49O2sqP-EEgha1xKmQnGNzuec1xuVw/s1600/20150903_101631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWe0CBdb9YjYFApt0DQd9bGrU4wzTs1iyTSbXfZMTJHhjN0qEdvQGlXiKosdnlQRFBzgknhR5iYn8T1SZgT9oO1K_oyPsYdS6prlRHU7iD49O2sqP-EEgha1xKmQnGNzuec1xuVw/s400/20150903_101631.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tia, wisely,
met as at the station. She called down to us from some overhead walkway, and
both children yelled and took off running towards the escalator. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The first
stop was her apartment to drop off overnight bags, and to take a picture to
show Mama that we were in Seattle at Tia’s apartment. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8e9zhtFiKFugimltKSV9bXKwgreiLUBkrP4kZLy3-XLMxbXU-xta_vYCm-gi0VZwyuAXZ1XcTExHjmX5_EoTLPZqkNI8f22eV22HwJZlRgpnPwFPYSJgcagPEbarJAH69dOQCrA/s1600/20150903_110617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8e9zhtFiKFugimltKSV9bXKwgreiLUBkrP4kZLy3-XLMxbXU-xta_vYCm-gi0VZwyuAXZ1XcTExHjmX5_EoTLPZqkNI8f22eV22HwJZlRgpnPwFPYSJgcagPEbarJAH69dOQCrA/s640/20150903_110617.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We walked
into Pike’s Place Market to grab donuts and lunch (hom bow), in that order. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-7_S0AKpAhPX86wHFevL2pz4vUTKf_DybEVrbUXoGLvxK2eZWjQoaawJIxt6xfI0AjHH2hpr07S32GqJW3D1kYRu_1aVIZ2KWte64aeElKbKtcRZg7SUuY86Kr7xy4IMJKdc4A/s1600/20150903_115721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5-7_S0AKpAhPX86wHFevL2pz4vUTKf_DybEVrbUXoGLvxK2eZWjQoaawJIxt6xfI0AjHH2hpr07S32GqJW3D1kYRu_1aVIZ2KWte64aeElKbKtcRZg7SUuY86Kr7xy4IMJKdc4A/s320/20150903_115721.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hhB52oqJis9DbeFztQkG3qhWUt0rn_EQEYRuCIAckG4ywiKAjUA1GkdRpa2SO-ERyYyUWoZYs7KaZKx-xoTEzz1TCdrZ7Zv2LU3AZKdKqArNyS5xOWG0QUh3gknbZoJte7pKrA/s1600/20150903_115727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hhB52oqJis9DbeFztQkG3qhWUt0rn_EQEYRuCIAckG4ywiKAjUA1GkdRpa2SO-ERyYyUWoZYs7KaZKx-xoTEzz1TCdrZ7Zv2LU3AZKdKqArNyS5xOWG0QUh3gknbZoJte7pKrA/s640/20150903_115727.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">From there
we hopped on the monorail and headed to Seattle center. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDi8dO3sour1z9UFi7HdyRXxE0kSxHkKW7PtUE6PVQPv5FZAXzwUDzuOE1FgxQlOFJRQJZcxV3zChMV0moXrIhByBHA6OZ40wejMzAzAx32L5juB5ukqP37qZR2ZEHfAi6zLxR5g/s1600/20150903_123942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDi8dO3sour1z9UFi7HdyRXxE0kSxHkKW7PtUE6PVQPv5FZAXzwUDzuOE1FgxQlOFJRQJZcxV3zChMV0moXrIhByBHA6OZ40wejMzAzAx32L5juB5ukqP37qZR2ZEHfAi6zLxR5g/s640/20150903_123942.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We were
hoping at the afternoon sun would burn away the clouds on the horizon and reveal
the mountains before we headed up in the Space Needle, so we went to the EMP
museum first.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We spent
THREE hours there, and only managed to see four exhibit halls, it was THAT
COOL.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">From sci fi
movie props like Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber and the
hoverboards from back to the future</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0FrUuZBVItGv_Km5pVzS4w7g4yhhZChjAQVNmn0OYfPfT--2GAwW2-Kv1COZb7MkKCWieb2HPTQbYCwOaLrx4bG093t03W6_sKmrs3gql3nBTjAotHs9UDPvAd63SEvOMirBBWg/s1600/20150903_125305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0FrUuZBVItGv_Km5pVzS4w7g4yhhZChjAQVNmn0OYfPfT--2GAwW2-Kv1COZb7MkKCWieb2HPTQbYCwOaLrx4bG093t03W6_sKmrs3gql3nBTjAotHs9UDPvAd63SEvOMirBBWg/s320/20150903_125305.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">to the fun
fantasy room with its original props and costumes</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQ6B0P8oNX_gHXGd7l-1XbBcS1w3ZZ5HYGHo9Vxf6Ui9O4OZmcSdsmmVjvPSVOEb16QtVlooNyg8tLuAwaFbcVOW0IKwF7ZRMG3wOPogg6y_v3XQxzW0iyCnExrsbTnW1vPrWGQ/s1600/20150903_135444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQ6B0P8oNX_gHXGd7l-1XbBcS1w3ZZ5HYGHo9Vxf6Ui9O4OZmcSdsmmVjvPSVOEb16QtVlooNyg8tLuAwaFbcVOW0IKwF7ZRMG3wOPogg6y_v3XQxzW0iyCnExrsbTnW1vPrWGQ/s640/20150903_135444.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">and the
super amazing display of ORIGINAL Star Wars costumes</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PxmK5u9Sxwyar6svVJD6aqMlW0cYwgTRe7QV-0rSfc1z1oDhALEc2gUYFxspYswxL84HVq6L-7L4IgBNUuehiePTMD97sPSC7c0Ru-gLA2BGj2rmQu91yb1RfCxY6bzqfXpG3w/s1600/20150903_130907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PxmK5u9Sxwyar6svVJD6aqMlW0cYwgTRe7QV-0rSfc1z1oDhALEc2gUYFxspYswxL84HVq6L-7L4IgBNUuehiePTMD97sPSC7c0Ru-gLA2BGj2rmQu91yb1RfCxY6bzqfXpG3w/s640/20150903_130907.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZE7z4HG9PLZd-v1PQQ5CRJJsyoo3hWiyUFZsLO7jmsbMefhAWRkqT9C66xvmAMgcvj3O2uaGrO_HTq64lI9I7pwsXWtUE_5wMv1HW1XcGa3dyomT4RLrWims4eCAyo7wNXSV2QA/s1600/20150903_132737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZE7z4HG9PLZd-v1PQQ5CRJJsyoo3hWiyUFZsLO7jmsbMefhAWRkqT9C66xvmAMgcvj3O2uaGrO_HTq64lI9I7pwsXWtUE_5wMv1HW1XcGa3dyomT4RLrWims4eCAyo7wNXSV2QA/s640/20150903_132737.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKT6ITQhDRKq5xnjC6UM5njbqoUAxfg7nuwG1Qrafx_s_1tYxwswzO22Dibqb1hFSmtKODaODhBrfvPFsJ8lU_fdC3rxqyN_hMEGAHhMHJ5wegFmy9HXvwBgX22rhPBav_jffA8w/s1600/20150903_133114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKT6ITQhDRKq5xnjC6UM5njbqoUAxfg7nuwG1Qrafx_s_1tYxwswzO22Dibqb1hFSmtKODaODhBrfvPFsJ8lU_fdC3rxqyN_hMEGAHhMHJ5wegFmy9HXvwBgX22rhPBav_jffA8w/s640/20150903_133114.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Darth Vader got his own room.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOEvHalbgvFFPMZ--BpSt-yoUwHih0QSpgXcHVRRbbjsHvPJStO1CCeDQBAOW7Y1UPvKbTFrcMJG-k6gNCu3VyZR2aq4b6gHpNW3fVEyGSqQv9P3f5gjKadnolQ_gX5g-KKJKLA/s1600/20150903_133311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOEvHalbgvFFPMZ--BpSt-yoUwHih0QSpgXcHVRRbbjsHvPJStO1CCeDQBAOW7Y1UPvKbTFrcMJG-k6gNCu3VyZR2aq4b6gHpNW3fVEyGSqQv9P3f5gjKadnolQ_gX5g-KKJKLA/s640/20150903_133311.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">AND an
entire room of Indie video games (Indie for Independent) Torture is being made to stand still for a photo in a room FULL of video games just waiting to be played.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SnVGEcZJF8r1SCWWr0myhW7ccrHvIFlFZTjjVQD9KcoGLB8BR7j5LaD1fzUNnrqiYOy2zEHSa6yMkBWS4DalCwwxZEU7q_AZQvFmHlcJrocQzXKlfdDlt4833TtAWCSBG4FFFA/s1600/20150903_142145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SnVGEcZJF8r1SCWWr0myhW7ccrHvIFlFZTjjVQD9KcoGLB8BR7j5LaD1fzUNnrqiYOy2zEHSa6yMkBWS4DalCwwxZEU7q_AZQvFmHlcJrocQzXKlfdDlt4833TtAWCSBG4FFFA/s400/20150903_142145.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was a
geek family paradise.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRNNt0uQ-PjstuP8cQYms0HboMlO2lu4Md1U-Kp_o_A6_NGKbVDycpxojH46Lu_xaGpf5sVk-cYvFulvHLlDX78TRZlBsSbGncmid6oQc8PnROJzKb3ohsEj7I6jHk4uRVK4uT_A/s1600/20150903_143845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRNNt0uQ-PjstuP8cQYms0HboMlO2lu4Md1U-Kp_o_A6_NGKbVDycpxojH46Lu_xaGpf5sVk-cYvFulvHLlDX78TRZlBsSbGncmid6oQc8PnROJzKb3ohsEj7I6jHk4uRVK4uT_A/s640/20150903_143845.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1EO7RQKw8eM5NlP6vBvHweNXY6A3LLxUuSjztIhRXgAkGXYoXc1WrKnxtyQ5l7b1BWq8kiGPCQlSJTQL7ZhrN7moaMcC4s9Z4udPNRFN_5ndxTeUfmiv3ux5LTSx0ox_bJ98aIQ/s1600/20150903_142145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There were
still a lot of clouds surrounding the city, so for now, we settled for a
picture of Meep with the Space Needle. (Meep, by the way, was hand made specifically for this moment.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjV3tL-xyCgFQN8fu6dEDcci2sU9uMBwT-zTwX-3w_4-kcJXdtQoiqcH9VUGdS4fbx4QDrS-eAweHqCOB1ZgtviAIC00Cx6bQscAc6kD-LhdISZMDjVzVTMECfEV5Idu6Du5n92A/s1600/20150903_150924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjV3tL-xyCgFQN8fu6dEDcci2sU9uMBwT-zTwX-3w_4-kcJXdtQoiqcH9VUGdS4fbx4QDrS-eAweHqCOB1ZgtviAIC00Cx6bQscAc6kD-LhdISZMDjVzVTMECfEV5Idu6Du5n92A/s320/20150903_150924.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Jedi
took me to Chihuly Garden and Glass, which was just room after room of beauty….</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyS1x0oxwI9KQMe_8LLTiGt01qR1-fOb3xvawINM9BtT7_3HNnO1H15YozQyGBljmx3iSgTc0uPly8iAY3rkOao3zeYkF1wxITVzLHRfgCoccwRS4Dz8VhIISTGCJv-hem7EjVg/s1600/20150903_154314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyS1x0oxwI9KQMe_8LLTiGt01qR1-fOb3xvawINM9BtT7_3HNnO1H15YozQyGBljmx3iSgTc0uPly8iAY3rkOao3zeYkF1wxITVzLHRfgCoccwRS4Dz8VhIISTGCJv-hem7EjVg/s640/20150903_154314.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOByT9n3Uu3QCFzI26DSB9DwnoimQT9lAOa8Z5L_t2zV4Vi4DRFu8cptExQ4saeplI4rPxKKzRp6AaTZp8QSW6G2l5wi0blXQecVc8wNo8DJkTqF-7jTFTJZzhEAM3Thjg2HEzyA/s1600/20150903_154640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOByT9n3Uu3QCFzI26DSB9DwnoimQT9lAOa8Z5L_t2zV4Vi4DRFu8cptExQ4saeplI4rPxKKzRp6AaTZp8QSW6G2l5wi0blXQecVc8wNo8DJkTqF-7jTFTJZzhEAM3Thjg2HEzyA/s400/20150903_154640.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ66dgrpZPgDFgopzsw7uRKHvzUk4Ww15X-8xiEZC4xUiPoiif_5f6Q4HP3OZPe23IX_nvHarM_6d_yOiQZmlzd_7pVg1Ym3FQ2PPfvSywRCykVkZdhAWF4XLwo4xhU--A_eA6QA/s1600/20150903_155702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ66dgrpZPgDFgopzsw7uRKHvzUk4Ww15X-8xiEZC4xUiPoiif_5f6Q4HP3OZPe23IX_nvHarM_6d_yOiQZmlzd_7pVg1Ym3FQ2PPfvSywRCykVkZdhAWF4XLwo4xhU--A_eA6QA/s640/20150903_155702.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">While Tia
took the kids to get smoothies, caramel corn, and to hang out at the fountain.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2i7pqOOcb86qe5MstbbYcSBYXZZXqQU4WkenWwE1frPVuzbSJBqxLqUyMBqkC9gdtrpy9-PHlsqQKT_s290erUu05KayNPy604Iyn69SlR1Jjj14bvGSVNEwpr_Tw9BE0HSLMg/s1600/20150903_162115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2i7pqOOcb86qe5MstbbYcSBYXZZXqQU4WkenWwE1frPVuzbSJBqxLqUyMBqkC9gdtrpy9-PHlsqQKT_s290erUu05KayNPy604Iyn69SlR1Jjj14bvGSVNEwpr_Tw9BE0HSLMg/s640/20150903_162115.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Apparently,
also, many photos of Meep in Seattle were taken.)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_L0CspNUWMuqDnJWYMM8NzmwwGMAQIXBLeH9RGDWEfT1vL1LKSpTtTYIYfYNoVZD4J5UajQdCRBOn0lf9pq0TBiVAu0MxRiL2VZjsyrfk7OdA_lljLexCFlP3qP2oF-_vMyerw/s1600/20150903_162935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_L0CspNUWMuqDnJWYMM8NzmwwGMAQIXBLeH9RGDWEfT1vL1LKSpTtTYIYfYNoVZD4J5UajQdCRBOn0lf9pq0TBiVAu0MxRiL2VZjsyrfk7OdA_lljLexCFlP3qP2oF-_vMyerw/s320/20150903_162935.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We, true to
form, picked up our dessert before dinner (cupcakes and ice cream from Cupcake
Royale)….though this time we at least took dessert back to the apartment for
consumption after dinner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And Tia and
her programmer husband treated us to dinner at Chan’s, which was a Korean restaurant
with family style dining. Again, I don’t remember the names of the dishes, but
they were delicious.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUHQrh2J-WwGg_3VmposIaMMNQSXMNvI5MZl1MiXGonJDebsyMKsBK3RC-kSuLRLH25ZLcmLGY8AD78_5JMlMbxnbjfBmqgICiCrZTyjJKEmgBkllJKqRoNS0-qw1ZiK8bjui1w/s1600/20150903_175706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbUHQrh2J-WwGg_3VmposIaMMNQSXMNvI5MZl1MiXGonJDebsyMKsBK3RC-kSuLRLH25ZLcmLGY8AD78_5JMlMbxnbjfBmqgICiCrZTyjJKEmgBkllJKqRoNS0-qw1ZiK8bjui1w/s320/20150903_175706.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Back at the
apartment, some of us took dessert down to the sunset deck to eat and hang out.
(Some of us were stuffed from dinner, and just came along for the company and
the photo ops.)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0gf0FNL4NHzeYM9of5yOZrpNKQyCcx-OChh3vUcPGWkw6D4KuDgv6Kki1TS5ALPoOwNj7_FeSocBB9yX1TEKnYiHrOb4mRSTrMPs_CMNw54jUpOxSScqsUHvgxCWzhc01KieZA/s1600/20150903_185621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0gf0FNL4NHzeYM9of5yOZrpNKQyCcx-OChh3vUcPGWkw6D4KuDgv6Kki1TS5ALPoOwNj7_FeSocBB9yX1TEKnYiHrOb4mRSTrMPs_CMNw54jUpOxSScqsUHvgxCWzhc01KieZA/s400/20150903_185621.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then hugs
and kisses were given, and the Jedi and I took the light rail back to our
hotel.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-3689835296307377452015-09-04T17:06:00.000-05:002015-09-04T17:06:00.549-05:00NW Day Seven: Rocks for the Win<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Once again,
we were nearly an hour late getting on the road this morning. This is a
distressing trend. There’s a snowball effect from getting in late the night
before. We get in late, so we are tired and don’t do some of the things that
need to be done, like downloading photos from the camera and the phones. So
that gets pushed off till the morning. Then morning comes and everyone is still
tired, so we lag a little in getting ready….and then we’re running late ant the
schedule is skewed. And then travel time between destinations is longer than
google maps told us, so we’re even later, and then we get in late and we’re
tired, and the cycle just repeats.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All whining
aside, we finally left the state of Montana and drove into Idaho.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Our first
stop of the day was lunch, which was a competition bbq team with a roadside
food truck and picnic tables. The owner came out and chatted with us (after the
Jedi had complemented the staff and told them we were KCBS judges.)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDFK2yG1f0joDJZRMFZTtUQpp1vlbZOkHrK-R0kD09jXO4iPt1ouDoqcCgg4E9EeWZ954jUEykryvg_6k-tdUNJ18j5q3mZm-LHPLkBGVFZzR33k59xrpR6JU2w1ZtURGjdeX3g/s1600/20150902_131722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDFK2yG1f0joDJZRMFZTtUQpp1vlbZOkHrK-R0kD09jXO4iPt1ouDoqcCgg4E9EeWZ954jUEykryvg_6k-tdUNJ18j5q3mZm-LHPLkBGVFZzR33k59xrpR6JU2w1ZtURGjdeX3g/s320/20150902_131722.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After that,
we drove over to a local park in Couer D’Alene…</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimo4Z_GsFS_TEge6ZdwWpK0A5bUuq5HUkjM1vTYSKeyK78MHtnfPrr7V1GUdtREy8bQ4RGHhlJ9Ok89YhhUs1P2xYn7LJocrGJ0xE1HJZG_f07S3ZzrRPVzY_XnS8JP4vS-LOs4w/s1600/20150902_142158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimo4Z_GsFS_TEge6ZdwWpK0A5bUuq5HUkjM1vTYSKeyK78MHtnfPrr7V1GUdtREy8bQ4RGHhlJ9Ok89YhhUs1P2xYn7LJocrGJ0xE1HJZG_f07S3ZzrRPVzY_XnS8JP4vS-LOs4w/s400/20150902_142158.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">with trail
access to Tubb’s Hill. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This was a
stop that Boybot was really looking forward to. One of his requests for the
trip was a place where we didn’t have to stay on the trail and he could just go
climb on some rocks.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Also, it
seems that any location he can walk away from with a pocket full of rocks is a
winner in his book.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszM7Cd5sROV8r0earVMkhqPKO03WBF2E8bzuRBaUp1RBKFgCeveXkBP2W7SLNMHjelrAiaR_y3V0IiO2X9HZu_2YS8m8bqg7fH6yKcg56PyHIaAr6uBFOir8fnh5xQMGXvkGNPA/s1600/20150902_142859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszM7Cd5sROV8r0earVMkhqPKO03WBF2E8bzuRBaUp1RBKFgCeveXkBP2W7SLNMHjelrAiaR_y3V0IiO2X9HZu_2YS8m8bqg7fH6yKcg56PyHIaAr6uBFOir8fnh5xQMGXvkGNPA/s640/20150902_142859.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Once we had
climbed, taking the not-even-a-trail less traveled, to the top of the hill, </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgr2UNk51jX8iK0h8AX_LvaPYaFW8d__o6U43_vO2lP4LnV19P5sXFUV-4PSmMOq4ZwiQE84CouTEcJDzwrhMYNrAwX0dUUv5_U4vlkl8-sZ76acz-fmD9SA_5zzK5b9lSLjrrg/s1600/DSCN2450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtgr2UNk51jX8iK0h8AX_LvaPYaFW8d__o6U43_vO2lP4LnV19P5sXFUV-4PSmMOq4ZwiQE84CouTEcJDzwrhMYNrAwX0dUUv5_U4vlkl8-sZ76acz-fmD9SA_5zzK5b9lSLjrrg/s640/DSCN2450.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">we
took some pictures....</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtm8TeF8AI76KKkAzhf895YfgxqLAkvtGIVO5vSKEeb3wFcvrYGrs7JG-Njilq_6vxNGkh1lIdVqICT0_bOtHuiXWpxTabcjYDE4BLMxS0kQYShKhYKel0cTaXpp8-V9EyveuucA/s1600/DSCN2453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtm8TeF8AI76KKkAzhf895YfgxqLAkvtGIVO5vSKEeb3wFcvrYGrs7JG-Njilq_6vxNGkh1lIdVqICT0_bOtHuiXWpxTabcjYDE4BLMxS0kQYShKhYKel0cTaXpp8-V9EyveuucA/s640/DSCN2453.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7ILy7c-k34Iz3Xh0Za6w9Z2jEHHNdrEn_9nsA5h9mRDjc9rycYLo2NhDtGPPldafC0buGacL3ZJLX5sHQX5CgsfmYB4JOe5SWqhzJEAwd8a6EyCeW_Iaia5YU8TRylBfjXZPAg/s1600/20150902_143540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">headed down and hit the road again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXxfotP6n7Sn-15r50D0o9JGFUSEUJdRkvFW87lWSvzBhw6BTXPMt6HYLvxCYrzpXaX0m4G8o5MUUklR1DcXdMiYnr6eTs2-WVYKQemwy1A__X_cxdwe9rRUTjULPanwQB3rkjA/s1600/DSCN2475.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXxfotP6n7Sn-15r50D0o9JGFUSEUJdRkvFW87lWSvzBhw6BTXPMt6HYLvxCYrzpXaX0m4G8o5MUUklR1DcXdMiYnr6eTs2-WVYKQemwy1A__X_cxdwe9rRUTjULPanwQB3rkjA/s640/DSCN2475.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qCUDuA69axLtcwDUin_BUgXga0OVMK3CqIX1sDe-G9AKT1NFaEl3GhhzZqy5RpKbmrjGA6gOXzjXcZg9EK4MkbYiyxiXB84puuN0-XCCREeC05phGEkhWIm3W0dErMElCz8vNg/s1600/DSCN2481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qCUDuA69axLtcwDUin_BUgXga0OVMK3CqIX1sDe-G9AKT1NFaEl3GhhzZqy5RpKbmrjGA6gOXzjXcZg9EK4MkbYiyxiXB84puuN0-XCCREeC05phGEkhWIm3W0dErMElCz8vNg/s640/DSCN2481.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today was a
long drive day, eight and a half hours, plus the stops.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our dinner
stop was scheduled in Roslyn WA, where the TV show Northern Exposure was
filmed. We did stop there for some fun photos.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jzBShwApoF3Q0-1LG0z_bYR_yE6SoFHtHVrhCMUSBvXKHv3NDmmO4OQahG5guhFcTDhbrLPmYwkErqJRpiBNsAGp-4ldTm-cq0O3-RRSeGKov44vncxJeQjRmfBffvyJenPVtw/s1600/DSCN2485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jzBShwApoF3Q0-1LG0z_bYR_yE6SoFHtHVrhCMUSBvXKHv3NDmmO4OQahG5guhFcTDhbrLPmYwkErqJRpiBNsAGp-4ldTm-cq0O3-RRSeGKov44vncxJeQjRmfBffvyJenPVtw/s640/DSCN2485.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-iS3FA3lD6qIo1L1Hzk1Bcd_9z8T1tG4MVzrefJEFUJZRfp4Lxbz77Q_-ZTu4B3Pm0-KTLYm5pNsUBACsjY97SHHdmWSAWgEx31_dz_cLT_5XsPkgww-qGodLmU_nWJYmhCjEA/s1600/DSCN2487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-iS3FA3lD6qIo1L1Hzk1Bcd_9z8T1tG4MVzrefJEFUJZRfp4Lxbz77Q_-ZTu4B3Pm0-KTLYm5pNsUBACsjY97SHHdmWSAWgEx31_dz_cLT_5XsPkgww-qGodLmU_nWJYmhCjEA/s640/DSCN2487.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But the
Brick, where we had thought to eat, was a 21+ establishment. (A piece of info
that would have been more helpful if they had put it on their website.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That was ok,
because we were really debating eating dinner here, or waiting till we had
crossed the Cascades. It was just before dark, and we wanted to get as much
mountain time driving done before dark as possible.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It turned
out, we drove into a major downpour, so dark descended immediately. For two
hours or more, the Jedi drove in winding mountainous roads in the dark, in
pouring rain, through more road construction.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We stopped
at a little truck stop in NorthBend(?) for dinner. Boybot had requested
breakfast for dinner, and that’s what this 24/7 dinner could deliver. The Jedi
said, that was the most filling meal for eight dollars he had ever eaten. On
the way out, I noticed a sign that said that the local wild elk herd numbered
between three and six hundred. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Really late
getting into Seattle, but everything we owned was dirty, so the kids and I
sorted all the laundry, and I pushed one load through the machines. The laundry
room closed at midnight, and I just got my load transferred into the drier
before that deadline. I also learned that even though I didn’t have enough
socks and underwear to make a whole load, or enough jeans to make another whole
load, that it wasn’t really a good idea to combine those two loads, especially
when two of the Jedi’s jeans shorts had never been laundered before.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Yeah.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-22662921622758269542015-09-04T16:05:00.001-05:002015-09-04T16:13:00.954-05:00NW Day Six: The Crown of the Continent<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We’ve had a series of late nights and early days, so decided
to set our alarm for 8 this morning instead of our usual seven. By 8:50, the
Jedi was taking stuff outside to load the van…where he was greeted by the sight
of two cows, casually crossing the street. No pictures of this, unfortunately,
but here was our view from the lodge window and parking lot.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAoNDkB20IzKdXeTJBaDjNW0Jdc4feFeBWeiydN_GO9ZVw674U7g0I623sK8qPtdVFXDGF3j_1lFOw6zP8MQi0T5JtYsCosjzZkMwgmdIc6DtH2El-ZIVKVEUPE3oqfqvPeoxffA/s1600/DSCN2135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAoNDkB20IzKdXeTJBaDjNW0Jdc4feFeBWeiydN_GO9ZVw674U7g0I623sK8qPtdVFXDGF3j_1lFOw6zP8MQi0T5JtYsCosjzZkMwgmdIc6DtH2El-ZIVKVEUPE3oqfqvPeoxffA/s320/DSCN2135.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We still had a lot of baked goods in the van from our very
first stop at Fair Oaks Farm in Indiana. After spending some time, and money,
in the lodge gift shop...</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGiHAvVfL7DAfc66RcO9lbB7tlr_b5JjIyF6ZkfzBRN42lvYni32t0TUtflzqcurSsZkVfxeDmn1Qke2Z5P6m4oB7uF0mxjK7iJQlLiOTuo38aVsD6YcTZgh6VIDaYlKwopOSbA/s1600/20150901_090832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGiHAvVfL7DAfc66RcO9lbB7tlr_b5JjIyF6ZkfzBRN42lvYni32t0TUtflzqcurSsZkVfxeDmn1Qke2Z5P6m4oB7uF0mxjK7iJQlLiOTuo38aVsD6YcTZgh6VIDaYlKwopOSbA/s400/20150901_090832.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZt-ATiNW306MckqNRxn7lsXsob24nL81SlckNx6l6oAQNMjCEUIQ1PDTYvWPzAPlVf7jOPuJkztNFKTkOPf2Ez6VNdaMsrW9ZrSNL_-7AIe2TujpGWwNgrX-sjD2WcIF--l2ALg/s1600/DSCN2143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZt-ATiNW306MckqNRxn7lsXsob24nL81SlckNx6l6oAQNMjCEUIQ1PDTYvWPzAPlVf7jOPuJkztNFKTkOPf2Ez6VNdaMsrW9ZrSNL_-7AIe2TujpGWwNgrX-sjD2WcIF--l2ALg/s400/DSCN2143.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">we parked the van with a view of the mountains and ate
apple turnovers, blueberry loaf, and cold cheese pizza for breakfast. At least,
that’s what the rest of the family had. I got a coconut almond chocolate chip
muffin and an almond milk hot chocolate from the lodge café. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We drove into the park, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWq2yORaIuU89zOAQ1gs7DXu3sdD5bLQK2scyP4szmfEmW_kENLwdzXMrU7J3whnbNhuHc4KrPgD8VcDbu-OJ2iBWzjLtgf_-OfrsrjBEAxbbih3QdNcv5bWIrp3RKpD8y_QnReA/s1600/DSCN2144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWq2yORaIuU89zOAQ1gs7DXu3sdD5bLQK2scyP4szmfEmW_kENLwdzXMrU7J3whnbNhuHc4KrPgD8VcDbu-OJ2iBWzjLtgf_-OfrsrjBEAxbbih3QdNcv5bWIrp3RKpD8y_QnReA/s400/DSCN2144.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">read aloud the bear safety pamphlet we were given</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixeIbC_4Fr9c-r-NBVyHlpFAFQ3Vn-WK3QjfWbOGC-RTwSbFjqHVQZIrAF2eH-ssZZwcXa-QQn_qs1zr2zRSDg910Zjfmd8mSucB0P2DwrJc9T2MeuS_lFYlikztDPN04fWUW5ow/s1600/DSCN2151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixeIbC_4Fr9c-r-NBVyHlpFAFQ3Vn-WK3QjfWbOGC-RTwSbFjqHVQZIrAF2eH-ssZZwcXa-QQn_qs1zr2zRSDg910Zjfmd8mSucB0P2DwrJc9T2MeuS_lFYlikztDPN04fWUW5ow/s320/DSCN2151.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">and stopped at the St. Mary Visitor
Center</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjgSyaK6QTsNZqzPyrnQG6MLgKmLhd6SRW4sM9MPjGVmD2UyUDll8jJ0eT0UqxXgpuFn40tVTGh-MUGQge8rcNEJy8rPVEm5GhQ_uqTej4pFwq7M4FSTLDuo_pyioy8yKD9cVPQ/s1600/DSCN2158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjgSyaK6QTsNZqzPyrnQG6MLgKmLhd6SRW4sM9MPjGVmD2UyUDll8jJ0eT0UqxXgpuFn40tVTGh-MUGQge8rcNEJy8rPVEm5GhQ_uqTej4pFwq7M4FSTLDuo_pyioy8yKD9cVPQ/s320/DSCN2158.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0R-QSXctaZUkWe0kvxSq4aDN0HXG3BA9R83f7VaQ3aStUUp_G9ZTyJjKuw_laaGmyojBJ45EgfW1QV-OweUw3gjyqWz-GRCNiYun0zbyGc3SGPCQPKN85N6bvwp5x_r_1uYjyoQ/s1600/DSCN2149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0R-QSXctaZUkWe0kvxSq4aDN0HXG3BA9R83f7VaQ3aStUUp_G9ZTyJjKuw_laaGmyojBJ45EgfW1QV-OweUw3gjyqWz-GRCNiYun0zbyGc3SGPCQPKN85N6bvwp5x_r_1uYjyoQ/s640/DSCN2149.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> which had a small learning center with cool displays. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVIMNyr1o51aWARF2iNv1i8fiLFn6oXI0QDj8gYF8V-hi2gGB5w1w96stjIV7WBaRWkxrKPOLcXE2HfdI5weIMR4MiYSG5OoHujaN2JQEJUF8YsZkUacGnSQ6evZlXrBxoJyke8A/s1600/DSCN2160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVIMNyr1o51aWARF2iNv1i8fiLFn6oXI0QDj8gYF8V-hi2gGB5w1w96stjIV7WBaRWkxrKPOLcXE2HfdI5weIMR4MiYSG5OoHujaN2JQEJUF8YsZkUacGnSQ6evZlXrBxoJyke8A/s320/DSCN2160.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteuuqBbuwngTOKNFirLhqrotdMA4X36AJJAfRIQjwe9vXH341ZYvewU8Q8Y1YmujhvusMRlqRLvVmjuBI8tebH2fibFDW1MN7BnLYAfTdV1wO-uDuOPqEJtR9mZAMSG5qz-r9Qg/s1600/DSCN2161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteuuqBbuwngTOKNFirLhqrotdMA4X36AJJAfRIQjwe9vXH341ZYvewU8Q8Y1YmujhvusMRlqRLvVmjuBI8tebH2fibFDW1MN7BnLYAfTdV1wO-uDuOPqEJtR9mZAMSG5qz-r9Qg/s320/DSCN2161.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I don’t even know what time it was when we finally started on
Going to the Sun Road. But we spent a LOT of time on just a few miles of road,
because the scenery looked like this…..</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWxqOwnaHLh4YKYQwNao3kDunhRBOXYFzcQJfSuSpBGoP17Ldhci0oKGZTqY6AXpQlP1AnvYHRmAON8fm9SyIvRJdaFMIlgHUMZ8QufRHqdDk4vxdbMtFDZtUVzpc60CKK8tQ3Kw/s1600/DSCN2165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWxqOwnaHLh4YKYQwNao3kDunhRBOXYFzcQJfSuSpBGoP17Ldhci0oKGZTqY6AXpQlP1AnvYHRmAON8fm9SyIvRJdaFMIlgHUMZ8QufRHqdDk4vxdbMtFDZtUVzpc60CKK8tQ3Kw/s640/DSCN2165.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNy7-DdojHpdX226vAEQhQ-sIe5Dz1Bj5TGkusd1Tr6UCDn8L9c8lnZ9VCCpT0fdjlBRAAysoZ7mo60A3lwjbtQRoL4xJMnP_KmakhlU3p1Pp2umZySbCpN6JHeUqwHPcD90E2Eg/s1600/DSCN2177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNy7-DdojHpdX226vAEQhQ-sIe5Dz1Bj5TGkusd1Tr6UCDn8L9c8lnZ9VCCpT0fdjlBRAAysoZ7mo60A3lwjbtQRoL4xJMnP_KmakhlU3p1Pp2umZySbCpN6JHeUqwHPcD90E2Eg/s640/DSCN2177.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfJ_b1CjuA3zxG7gRZju-jJIqhCfcgZN0xln6M7C6hfTVRt8rv_bLt4oK1tdC5FOcpuAaB_VaSKE1o58B7eK8SAwzlH8YC9oZszJNjLVFMp5oF7j7pFi5ktHvMbZkHmoNTQzt0w/s1600/DSCN2201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfJ_b1CjuA3zxG7gRZju-jJIqhCfcgZN0xln6M7C6hfTVRt8rv_bLt4oK1tdC5FOcpuAaB_VaSKE1o58B7eK8SAwzlH8YC9oZszJNjLVFMp5oF7j7pFi5ktHvMbZkHmoNTQzt0w/s640/DSCN2201.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hEm67_9ge2Dr2K_Q7_oVNoi5RRafgmr4P8bZ2pI102REn2OFzeCnKWTXt6HYShpTfrqksNQR37YeukqcS9XCXG8m8r7YgkY3PD0X_YCUR2XqqhncFOcWX-H6TUGx6Keja-Qeng/s1600/DSCN2194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hEm67_9ge2Dr2K_Q7_oVNoi5RRafgmr4P8bZ2pI102REn2OFzeCnKWTXt6HYShpTfrqksNQR37YeukqcS9XCXG8m8r7YgkY3PD0X_YCUR2XqqhncFOcWX-H6TUGx6Keja-Qeng/s400/DSCN2194.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We also stopped and headed for a few short hikes off the road
at a couple little creek junctions. Because again, this..</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTsAJra5PZFxFzn3KFTvI_vhaUO9glFeIENso2r29Rk5-6oJn-llH5SD4jbyMnr-hMwnBoHncF6JA8KUQD_ABjsxW3JcZvqcq4-sw7TYVsVMnVEMrNNcSjhn-3BABLjzGAGiRLw/s1600/20150901_132218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTsAJra5PZFxFzn3KFTvI_vhaUO9glFeIENso2r29Rk5-6oJn-llH5SD4jbyMnr-hMwnBoHncF6JA8KUQD_ABjsxW3JcZvqcq4-sw7TYVsVMnVEMrNNcSjhn-3BABLjzGAGiRLw/s640/20150901_132218.jpg" width="480" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> And then more overlooks like this...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vCdu_RKapdyHaOWjY_Z_Q-FMc4yHZS8XdfXK10tWVnAIkE6tNzzXleMj0an6lubFz14nXIhlaH5t7SOaY7luyY092Xi7j8EB79pXv5Cdf31mqrOTijINVLF1DRspn1FqgNQZMA/s1600/DSCN2296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vCdu_RKapdyHaOWjY_Z_Q-FMc4yHZS8XdfXK10tWVnAIkE6tNzzXleMj0an6lubFz14nXIhlaH5t7SOaY7luyY092Xi7j8EB79pXv5Cdf31mqrOTijINVLF1DRspn1FqgNQZMA/s640/DSCN2296.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcWcQX-nU4bNiA2_bhQvmOivr1xARrnRz9C1gmvShPn9r4PuDjVOPQQfJ7f9k5B_kar45tVo-pV6GrQy_ri4cRU3vux29Qx4aEIO2NTguoU5FGujFNTqVHD17_8nUIoH_7n4x3A/s1600/DSCN2300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcWcQX-nU4bNiA2_bhQvmOivr1xARrnRz9C1gmvShPn9r4PuDjVOPQQfJ7f9k5B_kar45tVo-pV6GrQy_ri4cRU3vux29Qx4aEIO2NTguoU5FGujFNTqVHD17_8nUIoH_7n4x3A/s640/DSCN2300.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We didn’t reach Logan Pass, altitude 6646 feet, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>until 2:20. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkyjtZvrrwTBsDhhDgD8oxxFmczQ4HzLlndhja06CkpV7PBI0GwL2-Hd6dfcB68uJMfPN4BRNToilulCNEJB6zBYv6ZS0ljri_JDkEwFZuJgcYQmJ7JGD1oTvUCpzZJ3YlyZNEg/s1600/DSCN2324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVkyjtZvrrwTBsDhhDgD8oxxFmczQ4HzLlndhja06CkpV7PBI0GwL2-Hd6dfcB68uJMfPN4BRNToilulCNEJB6zBYv6ZS0ljri_JDkEwFZuJgcYQmJ7JGD1oTvUCpzZJ3YlyZNEg/s640/DSCN2324.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We hit the restrooms there, and
then, had our packed lunches the lodge had bagged up for us. Again, we ate in
the car because the wind was so intense it would have made picnicking outside a
real hassle. (At the St. Mary’s Visitor Center, the Jedi had asked the rangers
if it was always this windy. The rangers told him that they usually measured
how windy a season was, by how many flags they had to replace. This year, they
said, they’ve only had to replace one American flag and one Blackfoot Nation
flag. There are some years where they have to replace all the flags up to three
times.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Our lunches were awesome homemade treats. Sandwiches on whole
wheat bread, loaded with the lunch meats we had ordered the night before, with
lettuce and tomato. (I got everyone’s tomato slices. We had specified no tomato
for Boybot, but I didn’t bother trying to special order anyone else’s
sandwich.) There were apples and a bag of carrots in each lunch, a bag of chips
(which we had already eaten as a snack to hold us over when we weren’t going to
make the pass by lunchtime), a water bottle, and homemade cookies wrapped in
cellophane. I don’t know what they put in the cookies, but they were wholesome
and filling, none of this empty sugar stuff. These cookies were clearly baked
for HIKERS.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">After lunch, we put on our own hiking boots, and headed up
the Hidden Lake Trail at Logan Pass. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBfzqV0THa_9oRNwk9Xis3cVrrnE1bskNGvxW_jZtG-9LaOBM7rkKr79lsPsRU0fFYcKDg4UEfywcURpkOQvwOJoUZQtG3pMqQxHyS86UDhQSkEuMlul0drtmhNd2UAr1hBrAJw/s1600/DSCN2326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBfzqV0THa_9oRNwk9Xis3cVrrnE1bskNGvxW_jZtG-9LaOBM7rkKr79lsPsRU0fFYcKDg4UEfywcURpkOQvwOJoUZQtG3pMqQxHyS86UDhQSkEuMlul0drtmhNd2UAr1hBrAJw/s640/DSCN2326.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The trail was 1.5 miles to the overlook. But I REALLY wanted
to do some hiking in the mountains, and the rest of the family sucked it up and
humored me. The first quarter of the trail was a set of boardwalk steps that
went up the slope of an alpine valley. Though it started off looking all innocent and easy....</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwAoNgMq5hNZClQ4WAaD_6LIMV4_9GdEv1nJp1dy-utrV_t-sGcw1YjxUGO78LbHq15XqHT4mnIsaCSGtcNaE4yth60fBoDsLfzHbK2ulyWTufBSh4nUM3hRDKBlFhrHP1TdX8w/s1600/DSCN2327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwAoNgMq5hNZClQ4WAaD_6LIMV4_9GdEv1nJp1dy-utrV_t-sGcw1YjxUGO78LbHq15XqHT4mnIsaCSGtcNaE4yth60fBoDsLfzHbK2ulyWTufBSh4nUM3hRDKBlFhrHP1TdX8w/s640/DSCN2327.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The stairs were the most difficult portion of the hike. But even from
just this part, the views were wonderful.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsUNgo15AzOajqMWxpuLVFbL9S_5K7w6yzjczdWapJ2n6ilOXxzgvtljAlKVP5V4E3V196RdJF2c4RECpQ8tgEsNA3Z32i2IIXjapSD_p6ZDm1EePyR16xm3MATMoC6utkrR2tw/s1600/DSCN2328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEsUNgo15AzOajqMWxpuLVFbL9S_5K7w6yzjczdWapJ2n6ilOXxzgvtljAlKVP5V4E3V196RdJF2c4RECpQ8tgEsNA3Z32i2IIXjapSD_p6ZDm1EePyR16xm3MATMoC6utkrR2tw/s640/DSCN2328.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gMlBSarbMfPj_eeZz04VCtZt8qHHTzRKaRtQeeeWcU_gJlgG6uxWhHsLi_VpWUiU9wK9dAkvhG-vqzOJQa1LJFZ8r4D4q3Id45fZf_hg_Tfja5fpyPvLihE8IEVSNCc9KHnqeQ/s1600/DSCN2329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2gMlBSarbMfPj_eeZz04VCtZt8qHHTzRKaRtQeeeWcU_gJlgG6uxWhHsLi_VpWUiU9wK9dAkvhG-vqzOJQa1LJFZ8r4D4q3Id45fZf_hg_Tfja5fpyPvLihE8IEVSNCc9KHnqeQ/s640/DSCN2329.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">When we reached the top of the stairs, the trail flattened
out, somewhat, and turned into a gravel trail that hugged the edge of the
mountain peak, complete with streams and waterfalls.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CStwKfHZgvuipdi77m0nGn6gMm1Gm65_LJKChuARzKwZGMn76aVJPX3dHy8veh511k0MTlrQ_ezsEquAdiodeUHgZh9YImSWYLCUo-yAQl4cSBSuPanSH6YuZRO8ZjB5J28vaA/s1600/DSCN2331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3CStwKfHZgvuipdi77m0nGn6gMm1Gm65_LJKChuARzKwZGMn76aVJPX3dHy8veh511k0MTlrQ_ezsEquAdiodeUHgZh9YImSWYLCUo-yAQl4cSBSuPanSH6YuZRO8ZjB5J28vaA/s640/DSCN2331.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmDRYjPzpFeEyiabTuEcBOzE4ld7Bvkc-T4fQAnlWwAm9h17AbtR_XeeZxXaGABIura8QL-IYffRplBGkM15UMm-TzlQA-xKVq55G5d83tuLGzvA-0C1L40t7MsNo2lQP3fTZhg/s1600/DSCN2336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrmDRYjPzpFeEyiabTuEcBOzE4ld7Bvkc-T4fQAnlWwAm9h17AbtR_XeeZxXaGABIura8QL-IYffRplBGkM15UMm-TzlQA-xKVq55G5d83tuLGzvA-0C1L40t7MsNo2lQP3fTZhg/s400/DSCN2336.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I have to confess, after we had passed much of this, </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Q3J4bNjdHd01L0uNzHVzg2EmBbgs0WVNcUySb7bpCNKByt3bbMhmKv4-hgipnQ3iN3moPckZpmnkYJr_qRImhTPLdy73qdI-oJa9zCOtqFT5-VEPE5lOJpgLJ_Y5NLsLPOnSLw/s1600/DSCN2342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Q3J4bNjdHd01L0uNzHVzg2EmBbgs0WVNcUySb7bpCNKByt3bbMhmKv4-hgipnQ3iN3moPckZpmnkYJr_qRImhTPLdy73qdI-oJa9zCOtqFT5-VEPE5lOJpgLJ_Y5NLsLPOnSLw/s640/DSCN2342.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">that I
put forth the idea of turning back. I knew it was much later in the day than we
had planned, the hike had been long and strenuous, we had taken some great
photos and had the experience of hiking in the mountains that I had wanted. But
the Jedi said, no, we had come this far, we might as well go all the way to the
overlook.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I am so glad he did. This was by far the most spectacular
view I think I have ever seen. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzH8WrO525QOR9X8qipp7HCX-l15xT_XTsCOeckp_8b5aX8-CYIqrRuihApGLJ5Z59RAHX5qFOi_kXBnKMw-bUGsBs3iMF8AogGIdWVR8X0H0P8wr1j92m6MXxoorezI1jHtDyg/s1600/DSCN2349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzH8WrO525QOR9X8qipp7HCX-l15xT_XTsCOeckp_8b5aX8-CYIqrRuihApGLJ5Z59RAHX5qFOi_kXBnKMw-bUGsBs3iMF8AogGIdWVR8X0H0P8wr1j92m6MXxoorezI1jHtDyg/s640/DSCN2349.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFPlHTg-bcTFTwSEhqSoOHx2KlkHappdNSpPqfx5WlBQux4BhR2Kg3cynUIDknGCnVdHQ-iu_LkUUrmOMEw_NfPf16J1GVJ00lKZk2ZSPlyXqB4vBqeoa0dpPBB6HqUAEKOZEdA/s1600/DSCN2343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">While the Grand Canyon was mind-boggling in its
size and scope, I think the mountains have it beat for breath-taking beauty. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEv9nUqp5zwVq2NZrh1wejY5Qvm8QJyL2nHjXQusFKP3bQq45XijZdlYSAiD_ygPJ_HhWitsdE54OmaQhoovYm3znRyfG72M55sh52biB5i0d590NnrJRjbksOuR4nz28KBsQHA/s1600/DSCN2351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEv9nUqp5zwVq2NZrh1wejY5Qvm8QJyL2nHjXQusFKP3bQq45XijZdlYSAiD_ygPJ_HhWitsdE54OmaQhoovYm3znRyfG72M55sh52biB5i0d590NnrJRjbksOuR4nz28KBsQHA/s640/DSCN2351.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Eventually, after a few more family photos, we had to tear
ourselves away and head back. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWYdprUm7jPRa2d2ejxdUGN-H079wbywCYwxFMU8oK77UwldukafWRW84p4proLi__LmaXvHqY2jMf-B5HL2z4ElWPFBL6ypHsMFDX_pvKMjiYDtQHUsAGgPCZGHjp8Z6dGcG1w/s1600/DSCN2363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWYdprUm7jPRa2d2ejxdUGN-H079wbywCYwxFMU8oK77UwldukafWRW84p4proLi__LmaXvHqY2jMf-B5HL2z4ElWPFBL6ypHsMFDX_pvKMjiYDtQHUsAGgPCZGHjp8Z6dGcG1w/s640/DSCN2363.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">For the record, we hiked three miles round trip. We hiked up
to 7140 feet in elevation, so a total gain of 494 feet. There were spots on the
trail where the four of us were the only humans in sight. The scent of the pine, the near total stillness and silence....I can't </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> even describe how awe inspiring this hike was.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZ-9sY3VH0mG8s82JGy7m9tgpn9nsGV80i36-nOrKUlmrFr9xYA1n67x7FxJ34N31UyILo5cyO1sMfTzJkojH_fKhTyVy2ypwnX2XF_4wW3g7z1rUsaN-BeLNXqEFQQsl63U4kw/s1600/DSCN2369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZ-9sY3VH0mG8s82JGy7m9tgpn9nsGV80i36-nOrKUlmrFr9xYA1n67x7FxJ34N31UyILo5cyO1sMfTzJkojH_fKhTyVy2ypwnX2XF_4wW3g7z1rUsaN-BeLNXqEFQQsl63U4kw/s640/DSCN2369.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXbQVoaRxSeERyRnePbFxr3OpwvuHH2wTCo2z-vco1uh5arvo4BjfxR7MLUNuYuPluMatlfHd7wulRjXxalFgDZX_wo7djPdFKua3pE5kHfe1I32mAgk0l1kht8wVZ93kqbhOog/s1600/DSCN2365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVXbQVoaRxSeERyRnePbFxr3OpwvuHH2wTCo2z-vco1uh5arvo4BjfxR7MLUNuYuPluMatlfHd7wulRjXxalFgDZX_wo7djPdFKua3pE5kHfe1I32mAgk0l1kht8wVZ93kqbhOog/s640/DSCN2365.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> But we did have to share the mountains with others…</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And finally we reached the stairs back down.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtYGFU8v2HAxcBoF00e5ag9UCDFBVPSzzE5F8mV05cSQYB8rXllItBYTgaX6qSM-g5lQOPlA72NIc0Qe79uI4iC0BuSdxU0em1U2YIc9ZRa_vnXipxmd6YeCFWcOLxzhd71XiHQ/s1600/DSCN2373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtYGFU8v2HAxcBoF00e5ag9UCDFBVPSzzE5F8mV05cSQYB8rXllItBYTgaX6qSM-g5lQOPlA72NIc0Qe79uI4iC0BuSdxU0em1U2YIc9ZRa_vnXipxmd6YeCFWcOLxzhd71XiHQ/s640/DSCN2373.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We drove over the continental divide, and then headed down
the west side of the Rocky Mountains. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> We also hiked the Trail of the Cedars, but after Hidden Lake,
even a pretty little water fall in an ancient forest couldn’t compete.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We ended our day in Glacier wading in Lake MacDonald. (Well,
two of us waded. I wasn’t about to put my feet in those icy waters!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">We left the park a little after 8, and then realized we had
close to an hour drive to Kalispell, and that Bullman’s Food Fired Pizza closed
at 9. I phoned an order in for pick up (one medium rocky mountain pizza and one
medium pioneer pizza). We got there at about ten till nine. Our intention was
to take the pizza back to our room….but there was a ColdStone right next door,
so we ate in the van for the third time that day, and then headed into
ColdStone for dessert.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-89255091666605687252015-09-04T13:54:00.001-05:002015-09-04T21:59:05.254-05:00NW Day Five: Montana, the Endless State<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You will all
be pleased to note that I looked up some of the things I couldn’t remember. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We ate
dinner a couple of days ago at Kroll’s Diner in Bismark, North Dakota. Boybot
and I ordered one of their specialties, Fleischkuechle, which is <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>seasoned hamburger wrapped in pastry and deep
fried. Boybot and Sweetling split a big bowl of Knoephla soup, which was a
creamy yellow cream of chicken soup with potatoes and dumplings.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There. I
feel better about myself. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We also got
of the hotel ON TIME this morning. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">View from
the hotel and the gas station next to the hotel. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_ZLbhM216KBktFJWC9DmeCrf9doYYuQkxDkxUeoMU0Od2wmhlIncjkixVQ3kPy9q7H-d679HI0LZ9MWzu-kCIe8_xZogTvS6v_TDJHGZbEWgXS_uwKvvYqlDKG5PUjeBDGZm8g/s1600/DSCN2057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_ZLbhM216KBktFJWC9DmeCrf9doYYuQkxDkxUeoMU0Od2wmhlIncjkixVQ3kPy9q7H-d679HI0LZ9MWzu-kCIe8_xZogTvS6v_TDJHGZbEWgXS_uwKvvYqlDKG5PUjeBDGZm8g/s640/DSCN2057.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And this
ominous sign at the edge of the gas station parking lot. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxBc_J6awa3-lFaEaX8KXb7ums52xfqe9BjHL_AATfBwa4kAVN2cXDgfAkIur69sk0Ol28mqIxiawscv6gjT2EgEvcOVVudIu6oDyYffCYgnFOiVrKaICByWrTOdb4Ua5232rXA/s1600/DSCN2059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxxBc_J6awa3-lFaEaX8KXb7ums52xfqe9BjHL_AATfBwa4kAVN2cXDgfAkIur69sk0Ol28mqIxiawscv6gjT2EgEvcOVVudIu6oDyYffCYgnFOiVrKaICByWrTOdb4Ua5232rXA/s400/DSCN2059.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We’re
spending most of the day driving north on Route 287. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve snapped a few pictures from the window of
the moving van.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSpSigk_vfVHkVpY8cVnGwAee59PSJ7AaroFi__KfTnAaDXqfIvgpbcvNIZgFSHuNP7x5B_6F4nCtjvOD9XvXowUBJQndGZYlky4FjaDyNcY8XK2Xiq7B93W8vgr7icYG3bHy9Q/s1600/20150831_111754.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSpSigk_vfVHkVpY8cVnGwAee59PSJ7AaroFi__KfTnAaDXqfIvgpbcvNIZgFSHuNP7x5B_6F4nCtjvOD9XvXowUBJQndGZYlky4FjaDyNcY8XK2Xiq7B93W8vgr7icYG3bHy9Q/s640/20150831_111754.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5ddX9jk31fvh2Sfd-R-nw7a3zW7S8saDGficeyiRlFSOOzn1DKjx-JYXy3SAAHTJkPow2VKgsPY8EguZfeZQTPvEdC77fQOblfetOv_a-lOVvtxziXRpjHzmaEOMKti9eS9JQA/s1600/DSCN2062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5ddX9jk31fvh2Sfd-R-nw7a3zW7S8saDGficeyiRlFSOOzn1DKjx-JYXy3SAAHTJkPow2VKgsPY8EguZfeZQTPvEdC77fQOblfetOv_a-lOVvtxziXRpjHzmaEOMKti9eS9JQA/s640/DSCN2062.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhk9JgURF4g4nIjOa2kGPgOjRRDS7J8-8boWyWi4oui0rPsKMyOi_39oQda2qSYE2OxsyCWyjYhhKqS7vwv-LI_BBx109C463xSbN_rgXi45HGh33IJ_NfHoir1nsCj1ejoyo5tQ/s1600/DSCN2103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhk9JgURF4g4nIjOa2kGPgOjRRDS7J8-8boWyWi4oui0rPsKMyOi_39oQda2qSYE2OxsyCWyjYhhKqS7vwv-LI_BBx109C463xSbN_rgXi45HGh33IJ_NfHoir1nsCj1ejoyo5tQ/s640/DSCN2103.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8auCAOYlTKkZsXjOinYek_d3P3yNcj5401p8o4uDRw_aLEbatdTw39_ypLy8oqdrKRP0DX8xVa2Cw-MzAsJwfAAY5B9O5JucDAYYIDyCKmKWRtly7WnFfxC6UVZCfPEB-p51yw/s1600/DSCN2125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8auCAOYlTKkZsXjOinYek_d3P3yNcj5401p8o4uDRw_aLEbatdTw39_ypLy8oqdrKRP0DX8xVa2Cw-MzAsJwfAAY5B9O5JucDAYYIDyCKmKWRtly7WnFfxC6UVZCfPEB-p51yw/s640/DSCN2125.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But this,
this warranted pulling over and taking some real photos. The Jedi even turned
the van AROUND so we could come back and take pictures of this. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxs12ogWypYnz-BD0sw-_oEn3I5XmhLd3YDRrhKSNko1msonHjGv4vYMZXD4ZMdF0CFfIAuP7YugAx-6AHbdp5IAk9nqsbDiZ0xiUuoXIANUbqvTqqxxFGAXGu4YL-Gez-numRcQ/s1600/DSCN2065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxs12ogWypYnz-BD0sw-_oEn3I5XmhLd3YDRrhKSNko1msonHjGv4vYMZXD4ZMdF0CFfIAuP7YugAx-6AHbdp5IAk9nqsbDiZ0xiUuoXIANUbqvTqqxxFGAXGu4YL-Gez-numRcQ/s640/DSCN2065.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our
speculation is that they animate at night and roam the ranges as an undead
horse herd. The sunlight renders them immobile. What you cant see in the photo
is that they would sway ever so slightly, bend and twist up there on the
hillside. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpwRyIUjX21rkxPpvGWOlDNz8rr3RRlq1tNAqWMTgZ0AixxEi4PKourzQrypDDnqYJqtsDZmejejzyZhs3YxWPziHWL08XC1pQnuyO-Q8JsNxVHWGeRDktoCompWMVp8N52mkVA/s1600/DSCN2066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpwRyIUjX21rkxPpvGWOlDNz8rr3RRlq1tNAqWMTgZ0AixxEi4PKourzQrypDDnqYJqtsDZmejejzyZhs3YxWPziHWL08XC1pQnuyO-Q8JsNxVHWGeRDktoCompWMVp8N52mkVA/s640/DSCN2066.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our original
itinerary included getting into<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Helena
for lunch around 11:30/12:00. But I’m finding google map drive time estimates
to be significantly less than what it actually takes us to drive between point
a and point b. Some of that is that ther’s been a lot of construction where
traffic is down to one lance and the speed limit is 45 mph for long stretches,
instead of the 75 that google maps based its estimate on.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Another factor is that we’ve made unscheduled stops, like a Walmart stop today for one thing
(microfiber eyeglasses clothes to make an emergency repair to Eswin’s
headphones because the foam fabric around the ear pieces was disintegrating.)
this stop turned into FOUR separate trips into Walmart. One for “guys” (plastic
ninja figures in plastic bubbles from vending machines) and the eyeglass
clothes, one to use the restrooms, one because we realized they might have a
redbox, and the last one to get rubber bands to hold the cloth in place. In the
parking lot, there was another family in a van with Ohio license plates, and
they brought their dog with them! No one tell Jupiter.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">(Also in the parking lot of the Walmart was a single seagull. The Jedi looked at him and said, "You're lost, buddy.")</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We wound up
not hitting lunch till 1:20, nearly two hours behind schedule, despite our on
time start to the day. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lunch was at
Steve’s Café, which was delicious. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOM0haC1tSolwp4Y5dti-od6g0Y-LKbY92uDbo1vNZu9kI4YnpGg_Ezntf9EQYID8_jN8x-Obmc-V2CdAjWrl4t018XcJdF6YubzxMov7tOU7xuig6q3v8DKFOf45S_liE6J2c_Q/s1600/DSCN2070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOM0haC1tSolwp4Y5dti-od6g0Y-LKbY92uDbo1vNZu9kI4YnpGg_Ezntf9EQYID8_jN8x-Obmc-V2CdAjWrl4t018XcJdF6YubzxMov7tOU7xuig6q3v8DKFOf45S_liE6J2c_Q/s320/DSCN2070.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The servings
were HUMOUNGOUS. Here’s Sweetling with her order of strawberry pancakes off the
special menu “for smaller appetites”.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrzJaEMw23KgS8Gk1VRSEgqllyTjX8zPEUtF-7rxt6aSFW0gY8eU6XtPNYRtm2fIiEFy8rOOo0BBK4n5BZJoiWNeBcFeZEFqtqwa5X3JvVnGwF60GVmrQP766uvlQiA-EDBGb6A/s1600/20150831_134441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrzJaEMw23KgS8Gk1VRSEgqllyTjX8zPEUtF-7rxt6aSFW0gY8eU6XtPNYRtm2fIiEFy8rOOo0BBK4n5BZJoiWNeBcFeZEFqtqwa5X3JvVnGwF60GVmrQP766uvlQiA-EDBGb6A/s640/20150831_134441.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Boybot and I
tried their huckleberry items. Boybot got a single huckleberry pancake that was
the size of a medium pizza. I got their huckleberry stuffed French toast.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdkxYGVB_jwpAgsO_TaEakW6mYqM4HDUs80cxNHynGu2UHC9Es_AqzeHsaLoth2dic5tGIXOrBU4oJTKSph3Yq2iwF5VxhVTK4wYZy-A6e2-5XwMq1eIhguefteXMyrbcQRsB-g/s1600/20150831_134434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdkxYGVB_jwpAgsO_TaEakW6mYqM4HDUs80cxNHynGu2UHC9Es_AqzeHsaLoth2dic5tGIXOrBU4oJTKSph3Yq2iwF5VxhVTK4wYZy-A6e2-5XwMq1eIhguefteXMyrbcQRsB-g/s400/20150831_134434.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We left the café
at 2:30ish and realized that there was no way we were making it to the Museum
of the Plains Indian in Browning before it closed at 4:30.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But that was
ok, because it gave us extra time to stop and check out this awesome rock shop
we found in the middle of nowhere. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGk-Trk3VxGO039920HwMBB_Z0et09GghkAlt_vnxI7VSgEJ9oOLajd7OuTxwVeMu3qmnAlhV3KCzf5WrcViKrlVcxg8ind0qWs95DphLgEfTomqJnBtE-wWKsKNO5ZCJNSIYxw/s1600/20150831_171116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGk-Trk3VxGO039920HwMBB_Z0et09GghkAlt_vnxI7VSgEJ9oOLajd7OuTxwVeMu3qmnAlhV3KCzf5WrcViKrlVcxg8ind0qWs95DphLgEfTomqJnBtE-wWKsKNO5ZCJNSIYxw/s400/20150831_171116.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Much time was spent there, and everyone
came away with a few really cool treasures. Boybot is especially proud that he walked away with a collection corresponding to the characters in Steven Universe...garnet, amethyst, rose quartz, peridot, jasper, and even a piece of lapus that the shopkeep threw in for free. She didn't have any small pieces on her shelves for sale, so she went into the back to look for more. She could only find a small chip that had broken off of something else, so she gave that to Boybot at no charge. (Interesting fact, the shop was founded by the woman who made a dinosaur next discovery at Egg Mountain. Finding these nests changed how scientists understood dinosaur behaviors to be.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our original
itinerary also had included a hike to the waterfalls on St. Mary’s Lake in
Glacier, but we knew in advanced that this area was closed due to forest fire
damage. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, that also gave us more time
to pull over and take pictures of roadside attractions, like this…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And this (remember what I said about the rock shop founder?)</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And it gave
us more time for stops in latrine style rest stations like this…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxnFr9ki8ANtusu2J_t24SbImWfoj85wa5mXH9MqU-1ykCfQNTw3noOeS5SKE2WvMc8Z780x8hiMDemcHbWbIkG61dLF2Sm8iKnL1hBpsBpnJhX3ecWmK23x_c3bPJ5s30u_oZg/s1600/DSCN2119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxnFr9ki8ANtusu2J_t24SbImWfoj85wa5mXH9MqU-1ykCfQNTw3noOeS5SKE2WvMc8Z780x8hiMDemcHbWbIkG61dLF2Sm8iKnL1hBpsBpnJhX3ecWmK23x_c3bPJ5s30u_oZg/s400/DSCN2119.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Where the
Jedi cautioned, “Now before you go in there, you want to look around and make
sure….”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And I
interrupted, “Critter check before you drop your pants.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And
Sweetling said, “I can’t believe that just had to be said.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It also included a stretch of construction where we encountered this sign....</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6ABpmak-6-a3yE7BOlc6CkIqPrMrJL97SaN8QjCqaDg-ctCNhMuXh7InK64RmD6ESgbqlLTki-GEb-efCprLSSw_BzKxi6WOfWgV8IVXB7aSemjr-baYSCTishbUhAMcC2T-pQ/s1600/DSCN2115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6ABpmak-6-a3yE7BOlc6CkIqPrMrJL97SaN8QjCqaDg-ctCNhMuXh7InK64RmD6ESgbqlLTki-GEb-efCprLSSw_BzKxi6WOfWgV8IVXB7aSemjr-baYSCTishbUhAMcC2T-pQ/s640/DSCN2115.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And then had to wait to be escorted through the stretch of PAVED highway by this truck... </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMe8JZUGP_wFkPAYDkeBG4q7t_p-2RXeqic4C3A34kFjeeZFKQP_nxlOALO5oboKKbM2hLHMBgqtSA_jSKDPotl8n7WOfriVDrRAmSF8qsbiHwIh04lKgqQG21teQYI953KCyjuA/s1600/DSCN2116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMe8JZUGP_wFkPAYDkeBG4q7t_p-2RXeqic4C3A34kFjeeZFKQP_nxlOALO5oboKKbM2hLHMBgqtSA_jSKDPotl8n7WOfriVDrRAmSF8qsbiHwIh04lKgqQG21teQYI953KCyjuA/s400/DSCN2116.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The last stretch of this long trip was through the lands of the Blackfoot Nation.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t know
what time it was when we pulled into Browning. Half past six, maybe? We headed
over to Nation’s Burgers. (Passing TWO expresso huts on opposing street
corners. One in a little log cabin styled hut and one in a tepee styled
structure.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nation’s
Burgers was delicious. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIxUdDU0FN4AAdkiNPf1W8WIOP4KdGthVKxBHf48X-BnS-pDIN7lUU9pImAyhMwDYi8ONS_NxrKbuMWVHRUTxNZiPvOT0Drc1CCKgXAc6J5GDOSATyh8LlQ7rQD-Op0NBXRh8lHg/s1600/20150831_185219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIxUdDU0FN4AAdkiNPf1W8WIOP4KdGthVKxBHf48X-BnS-pDIN7lUU9pImAyhMwDYi8ONS_NxrKbuMWVHRUTxNZiPvOT0Drc1CCKgXAc6J5GDOSATyh8LlQ7rQD-Op0NBXRh8lHg/s400/20150831_185219.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">No sit down seating, drive through and walk up carry out
only. They did have a nice grass covered area with picnic tables, but it was
really windy, so we got our burgers and ate them in the van. I was adventurous
and tried the Southwestern Berry Burger. It was really good, put pretty spicy
and very messy.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6aAqOxkPrZetGdDISOeXbbbzPjXbxYu2mbGlnd8IQ3Q0UrAKtnmA3UHIYhLhP0Kxt8geq7vWtGtmUkxIl2HcIm9Y0QfIZW_WAfCIsChRNzsxzyApSVlx5LZxe7mxeAnbouWRnw/s1600/20150831_183504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6aAqOxkPrZetGdDISOeXbbbzPjXbxYu2mbGlnd8IQ3Q0UrAKtnmA3UHIYhLhP0Kxt8geq7vWtGtmUkxIl2HcIm9Y0QfIZW_WAfCIsChRNzsxzyApSVlx5LZxe7mxeAnbouWRnw/s400/20150831_183504.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We headed
back in for soft serve ice cream and a hot chocolate for me. Then we found a
parking lot to sit and watch the sunset over the rockies. Sadly, the clouds
killed the sunset, but there was still a really pretty sky.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-cdT9Jct_KGMHlW1oal9cDI6BXL72_7CHJs2OjJAyCOSD89L6QtyhIfni6T5GHFRHHS-GXyNB6uv8LVr-wPsELQkFWA-LQlpgc48AWlBz0nU3x7yAcwSPI4p3H556t_SJw4t9Q/s1600/DSCN2130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-cdT9Jct_KGMHlW1oal9cDI6BXL72_7CHJs2OjJAyCOSD89L6QtyhIfni6T5GHFRHHS-GXyNB6uv8LVr-wPsELQkFWA-LQlpgc48AWlBz0nU3x7yAcwSPI4p3H556t_SJw4t9Q/s640/DSCN2130.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The highway
out of town was, again, under construction. Under construction to the extent
that there was no blacktop and no concrete, they had stripped the road down to
just the gravel and packed earth. Mind you there was no warning about this. One
moment we were driving on blacktop, the next moment we had been dropped
(literally), on bare ground. The lack of road extended as far as we could see
in the fading light. We turned the van around and found an alternate route up
to St. Mary. School Star Road turned out to be smoothly paved the whole way and
had the added bonus of taking us past a little neighborhood where there was a
horse, all by itself, walking down the road like he was a stray dog.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our room in
the St. Mary lodge was rustic. So rustic there was no wifi and no cell phone
bars either.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRnELlivO8HA4-JdqJnoG0I9W63v2XwJa2iupiQi6k5NKeAK-M-z7y2cYSzrBeDTvT2an_Vhje7-QgzMnsKp9JPZAzc3r9T2yDG63GlWWuIJokEa4UC2VwEGjuv_SiSIzX8STuw/s1600/DSCN2131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnRnELlivO8HA4-JdqJnoG0I9W63v2XwJa2iupiQi6k5NKeAK-M-z7y2cYSzrBeDTvT2an_Vhje7-QgzMnsKp9JPZAzc3r9T2yDG63GlWWuIJokEa4UC2VwEGjuv_SiSIzX8STuw/s400/DSCN2131.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-28650839506675055922015-09-03T10:25:00.001-05:002015-09-04T21:57:22.021-05:00NW Day Four: Big Sky<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">NW Day Four:
Big Sky</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLflJ7rC4BPn7FiPAX6ncRPxM4thIPNvtk5VJwaAZKd0fDrd48cWP09iNLm5Gfu6gXf90L-xCrWpiElxJCtax6NkCtYLbM-DEs9zP8hGaNwlNWNyc31Vrz2Z5EOKUFuxVdOSN3RA/s1600/DSCN1974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLflJ7rC4BPn7FiPAX6ncRPxM4thIPNvtk5VJwaAZKd0fDrd48cWP09iNLm5Gfu6gXf90L-xCrWpiElxJCtax6NkCtYLbM-DEs9zP8hGaNwlNWNyc31Vrz2Z5EOKUFuxVdOSN3RA/s640/DSCN1974.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPIufR2sJ5mJAODp-v5Q4Xl1pF4YitjzmjGRH7CSElBg4Wdoa9hjzcoVRhy-OX4kiwCH8tkRbXkxHhNk5HJAMXlruTb-u1o78ktVhH6JN9SqvujbatnT9xiyXuM7si52sffGdrg/s1600/20150830_115304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPIufR2sJ5mJAODp-v5Q4Xl1pF4YitjzmjGRH7CSElBg4Wdoa9hjzcoVRhy-OX4kiwCH8tkRbXkxHhNk5HJAMXlruTb-u1o78ktVhH6JN9SqvujbatnT9xiyXuM7si52sffGdrg/s640/20150830_115304.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This
morning, we managed to get out of the hotel only 50 minutes behind schedule. I
don’t understand what’s happening in the morning. We didn’t have this problem
on any of our other road trips. But it is a definite issue now.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On the bright
side, we did have caramel rolls from Krolls Café for breakfast. (Ok, I still
haven’t figured out the name of that German American diner. ) Also, the Jedi’s
patience with us is remarkable.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our first
stop was just thirty minutes down the highway at the Painted Canyon in Theodore
Roosevelt National Park. There was a trail down into the canyon, which I had
presented to the family as an option when we were trip planning. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">--A word
about how our trip planning process went this time. We wrote to all the states,
technically, we filled out a ‘pleae send me stuff’ form on the states’ travel
websites. When we got tourism brochures, we spread them out on the coffee table
and looked through them to make a wish list for each state. We also solicited
for suggestions on Facebook and through friends. We checked out suggestions on
RoadsideAmerica.com. And from all that, we made a wish list.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At this
point, the Jedi sat down and plotted out a route based on the key places we
wanted to visit (Glacier, Seattle, Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore.) Then he tried to
break the drive time into manageable chunks each day, while still leaving us
with time to make stops for food and activities each day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He selected cities and towns to be our
destinations for each night based on the route and the drive time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then the
Jedi and I went back over the wish list to rule out locations that were too far
off of our route. And then, the work of actually forming a possible itinerary
started. Beginning with our first day, we went over the route, looked at the
stops we wanted to make, searched trip advisor and road food for places to eat.
Used google maps to come up with how long it would take to drive between each
location, and came up with a potential working itinerary. (On the itinerary
document, we include the name of each location, its GPS co-ordinates if needed,
information about hours and ticket prices, and a link to its website.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When we had
about a weeks worth of stuff planned out, I printed a copy of the itinerary for
each child, had them get a pencil and a clip board, and then the itinerary got
graded. We sat in the living room and used the media center to pull up a map
for that day as well as a link to information/website/pictures about each
potential stop for food, recreation, or whatever. The kids then wrote on their
clipboard and gave each idea a grade A—F. I told them that I would take their
grades into consideration, but that some things we were doing because the Jedi
or myself really wanted to do them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">--Back to us
in the Painted Canyon. There was a hiking trail, but the hiking trail had
received D’s from both kids, so we declined taking it. Instead we just took
pictures at the overlook. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ExH_pLOZhP1x6BrcLfLFV4rrFzcdqV30MyMfxEsdMEIUtLvQxxWcOOw4pxZNghdSuZ-V2Z410GJAE3OjW7TSZb_nyhfqIbj0U-6mGzUsqcpdKNcwkBFiUVik1p0dtAMqmmDLvg/s1600/DSCN1975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ExH_pLOZhP1x6BrcLfLFV4rrFzcdqV30MyMfxEsdMEIUtLvQxxWcOOw4pxZNghdSuZ-V2Z410GJAE3OjW7TSZb_nyhfqIbj0U-6mGzUsqcpdKNcwkBFiUVik1p0dtAMqmmDLvg/s640/DSCN1975.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I forced Boybot to take a selfie with me and
Sweetling.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2FiqKoCoMUYf81fKWwOln4WQhiVMVIWB9kOjmcxpvNlr7pjh7bAKn4KGf-LHLVxKByxZ1_D0DxTL6i_zz4N0qB6Ncr9BleZWG4DXqvyFHELsIUxs6wGKY6dEDNJcttgDXs-SCQ/s1600/20150830_102209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2FiqKoCoMUYf81fKWwOln4WQhiVMVIWB9kOjmcxpvNlr7pjh7bAKn4KGf-LHLVxKByxZ1_D0DxTL6i_zz4N0qB6Ncr9BleZWG4DXqvyFHELsIUxs6wGKY6dEDNJcttgDXs-SCQ/s400/20150830_102209.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We spent a
little longer than I had planned enjoying the view and the beautiful day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Painted
Canyon was right off the highway. I mean right off. It was marked as a rest
stop. As we had pulled into the visitor’s parking lot, we drove over a cattle
grate. We paused on the cattle grate as we drove out, because the kids didn’t
know what it was. The Jedi was explaining that the cattle don’t like to walk
over them, because they sense that their hooves would get stuck in the grating. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Although,”
said the Jedi, “this grate is probably to keep the bison in the park, rather
than keep the cows out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that the
flimsy little fence they have would stop a bison.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We all
agreed, the five foot tall not even chain link fence, would not stop a bison. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We’ve seen a bison charge before; that stuff is no joke.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And yet, as
we pulled out of the park the Jedi said, “Oh look, there they are now. Down by
the fence.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And indeed
they were. Down by the fence, happily grazing. That’s twice we’ve seen bison on
this trip. Both times they were acting like peaceful, calm animals. (I don't have a photo, just a movie taken from the passenger window as we passed. Those never load on the blog well. Sorry!)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Painted
Canyon was right off the highway, and I *thought* our next stop was also right
off the highway. It certainly was right *next to* the highway on google maps.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It turns out
right next to is not the same as right off the highway, so we had a bit of a
drive to get to it. But this turned out to be a wonderful thing because our
drive took us past….</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iQyVtUY3bqk3IP6YxbtiZZLbJhhLVDHCk8WYvE3RdgimsOFH_FW9bHl7twr7rcTM5vJsGO0NjdsiY8FXcrVFsSkMg3ju0XAq364pE-tlSp68yh-c7stjIr7OuHa2FA-X7oABMQ/s1600/DSCN2022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iQyVtUY3bqk3IP6YxbtiZZLbJhhLVDHCk8WYvE3RdgimsOFH_FW9bHl7twr7rcTM5vJsGO0NjdsiY8FXcrVFsSkMg3ju0XAq364pE-tlSp68yh-c7stjIr7OuHa2FA-X7oABMQ/s640/DSCN2022.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">….PRAIRIE
DOGS!!!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHYF9hJmHvHP5a9olZr5GoMBf7BSvrCn4NTzpc-CHU1YNVJ2eB9v_XWFts-EhLBc9PbjLK0o7NpNaF3bYKgptf2znrJ-hYvSbe5IJkFQuKTZ72yQ7OxOiOmH9At7LsLJhbxSbEQ/s1600/DSCN2023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHYF9hJmHvHP5a9olZr5GoMBf7BSvrCn4NTzpc-CHU1YNVJ2eB9v_XWFts-EhLBc9PbjLK0o7NpNaF3bYKgptf2znrJ-hYvSbe5IJkFQuKTZ72yQ7OxOiOmH9At7LsLJhbxSbEQ/s640/DSCN2023.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Their
burrows filled a field along both sides of a park road. We sat in the van and
watched them and listened to them squeak. One of us, I won’t say who, tried to
hatch an elaborate, yet fool proof plot to lure one or two of them into the van
to take home. Sadly, this plan got vetoed by the rest of the family.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sweetling
said, “That’s ok, Mommy, maybe we can find you a stuffed animal prairie dog to take
home.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Jedi
said, “At least that option wouldn’t have the plague.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, I was
unjustly forced to leave my prairie dogs behind, and we continued on down the
road, out of North Dakota and into Montana. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Oh, though the prairie dogs were clearly my favorite, the view from Vista Trail was also cool.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wiyZE36RnGPzJEdwFUWDr-ZQ6-XJAbSL8v258ecw31JCWGvnmpGH1je9ohp9tsRFq-dEZivfXa-yb8JOPDnx5V6IQv4_a4WXree_qp8wJTMOUJF8UM8qe0tHta3cmSkGeCcfBA/s1600/DSCN2016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wiyZE36RnGPzJEdwFUWDr-ZQ6-XJAbSL8v258ecw31JCWGvnmpGH1je9ohp9tsRFq-dEZivfXa-yb8JOPDnx5V6IQv4_a4WXree_qp8wJTMOUJF8UM8qe0tHta3cmSkGeCcfBA/s640/DSCN2016.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> As was the not-really-too-long drive up and back.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHw-ZenD2O5jsfMdjdqQYDVnuj9RdHNB9hpj3K91M1cYCYSSzE2wFNqZg18YcRGq3wM3Mj6bYflUYfTlCszVVG1-j3EO2RFTZL0B57CaUrqu6kId30ZE-BX5GOOxhH8eTJK4Kcxw/s1600/DSCN2006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHw-ZenD2O5jsfMdjdqQYDVnuj9RdHNB9hpj3K91M1cYCYSSzE2wFNqZg18YcRGq3wM3Mj6bYflUYfTlCszVVG1-j3EO2RFTZL0B57CaUrqu6kId30ZE-BX5GOOxhH8eTJK4Kcxw/s640/DSCN2006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RwZvLpS7fozekncPEVUo8DqVpJnet-GRDhvfj63pp77G-rWvFgDkRLpdq48ZITYIrLJdm03ZgCOqoOALelQJ_22ckOb6GpusoqmJNOUPzaujTKMUMyZET4soP3kdWR6mE4U7Xw/s1600/DSCN2007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RwZvLpS7fozekncPEVUo8DqVpJnet-GRDhvfj63pp77G-rWvFgDkRLpdq48ZITYIrLJdm03ZgCOqoOALelQJ_22ckOb6GpusoqmJNOUPzaujTKMUMyZET4soP3kdWR6mE4U7Xw/s640/DSCN2007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We stopped
in Glendive and ate lunch at Li’s Chinese Restaurant. It was a small family run
place and shared half a building with the Wagon Wheel Saloon. Li’s was clearly
the place to eat lunch on a Sunday, because the little dining room was packed.
We got the last empty table. The buffet was, like the restaurant itself, small
but good. We all filled and cleared at least two plates. The Jedi and the kids
ordered smoothies from the surprisingly long list of options. They ordered
strawberry-banana, strawberry-kiwi, and mango-banana. We got them to go, and headed
out to find a park with river access.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoNfEU29CLz0zWJWjSiwvC7Ax762N_J1IlnPzt3T4IVsYKtIRaappStuTOMHDy1nuq0GqI3aHTUpTCcWunX9fq6K9qeGtl41qa21WjBZS-EQbP0LrLGozSn_Z3NSccZSl3vGhlg/s1600/20150830_133014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoNfEU29CLz0zWJWjSiwvC7Ax762N_J1IlnPzt3T4IVsYKtIRaappStuTOMHDy1nuq0GqI3aHTUpTCcWunX9fq6K9qeGtl41qa21WjBZS-EQbP0LrLGozSn_Z3NSccZSl3vGhlg/s320/20150830_133014.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For a small
town, Glendive had a LOT<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of city parks
which included everything from a splash park to a skateboard park. But in the
end, we found a boat access ramp with some parking. We parked, walked down the
ramp, and headed out along the rocky shores of the Yellowstone River to hunt
for agates. Within a minute or less, Boybot was holding a huge stone with some
(we think) agate deposits. Our rock hunted adventure was SO plentiful, that we spread all
of our finds out to pick just the best specimens to keep. It was a huge success
and rated on the kids lists of favorites for the trip.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JcWVTWiYGngsj6It1hb8SvttC_-wpR1AgcsHTkI3SVsB_7OUFldG56uED3LYdCmHaK5cMv0r-r895Ef1TTPTjWk-cxz5XGUuyo3ZywwNWKVGQuu4mhoq4ujs6El5JMZiflDDkw/s1600/20150830_141120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JcWVTWiYGngsj6It1hb8SvttC_-wpR1AgcsHTkI3SVsB_7OUFldG56uED3LYdCmHaK5cMv0r-r895Ef1TTPTjWk-cxz5XGUuyo3ZywwNWKVGQuu4mhoq4ujs6El5JMZiflDDkw/s640/20150830_141120.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPODSF0pnMzPO552UnmKk7p2hRvE3GNDHsuK8VcD4UHiojUZVR4zw2VD4tH6mUbJogFB1E-WWzhNd4MGLFfjZ6Ap-yZwNCM6RVz2Skm_Qhz9XiUikLKzcaQs-IFetxYiEAqu6hg/s1600/20150830_141137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPODSF0pnMzPO552UnmKk7p2hRvE3GNDHsuK8VcD4UHiojUZVR4zw2VD4tH6mUbJogFB1E-WWzhNd4MGLFfjZ6Ap-yZwNCM6RVz2Skm_Qhz9XiUikLKzcaQs-IFetxYiEAqu6hg/s640/20150830_141137.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fun fact: Did you know the distance across Montana, from east to west, is about the same as the distance between New York and Chicago? This made for a long drive day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aEiA9OQyGNfPfY9zVMSD-yhg2jFVL259qZWMhlxc1v867jxjozEJc9W9b9RLdIXZzVNYKKoGdVitpEYnP0s85af8HfLeK3gCajeg7x5yN_IptNyrnvL1JWI_5sGUlqGYLVIKdA/s1600/DSCN1962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aEiA9OQyGNfPfY9zVMSD-yhg2jFVL259qZWMhlxc1v867jxjozEJc9W9b9RLdIXZzVNYKKoGdVitpEYnP0s85af8HfLeK3gCajeg7x5yN_IptNyrnvL1JWI_5sGUlqGYLVIKdA/s640/DSCN1962.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
With rest stops with signs like this...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbafEujdcp5QJ1fuRKBz6ArmqOeGaTnx1wwKdeZw3L9l74rbPlEv7-W91SDyDXcBQKp_wa4J4gLOefThM9ZeZ2TaoXisocLy_mbZDidulBrsvgUrDRXDrdUvEPtHiFO0nVwyg9gw/s1600/DSCN2037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbafEujdcp5QJ1fuRKBz6ArmqOeGaTnx1wwKdeZw3L9l74rbPlEv7-W91SDyDXcBQKp_wa4J4gLOefThM9ZeZ2TaoXisocLy_mbZDidulBrsvgUrDRXDrdUvEPtHiFO0nVwyg9gw/s400/DSCN2037.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Between the late start and the extra time at Theodore
Roosevelt National Park, we wound up rolling into Pompey’s Pillar just 15
minutes before the gate closed. The ranger at the gate gave us 30 minutes to
drive up, hike the steps up the rock, take our pictures, and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>get the van back out. OR, he said, we could
park the van outside of the gate and walk the half mile or sso to the rock and
take all the time we wanted. We did the drive and the power walk up the stairs
to take pictures of Clark’s engraving on the rock.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCWm1MnCC0Dmpe7n4dVpx5eJvTVQmkLvs9I4UqADsiB695p1QV-BoW9oasAJnM4MsQmUrK8rZ3ptE7Wkg8wusN9z9C_K_r3O5fCUgRQ07Sba7AnKtvx_n1J7SsN9Aghri0aN97A/s1600/DSCN2046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirCWm1MnCC0Dmpe7n4dVpx5eJvTVQmkLvs9I4UqADsiB695p1QV-BoW9oasAJnM4MsQmUrK8rZ3ptE7Wkg8wusN9z9C_K_r3O5fCUgRQ07Sba7AnKtvx_n1J7SsN9Aghri0aN97A/s640/DSCN2046.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With 3 minutes to spare, Boybot and I ran (Yo Adrien!) up to
the very top of Pompey’s Pillar to take photos from the top. Totally worth it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAKKhmC__cUSMcmvDC2J61GNNvCRAjkxJ5RRp1xVYfQe-vAMQx5WSsZhTaK54p-v4ZB_H3pVpI0yes3-EdglHVrExwquAaK9aKUFWcIbNt1xE_VJ7XlXcWOHDo4M_Rq3YIg9wqw/s1600/DSCN2049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAKKhmC__cUSMcmvDC2J61GNNvCRAjkxJ5RRp1xVYfQe-vAMQx5WSsZhTaK54p-v4ZB_H3pVpI0yes3-EdglHVrExwquAaK9aKUFWcIbNt1xE_VJ7XlXcWOHDo4M_Rq3YIg9wqw/s640/DSCN2049.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgS4NkANqCz1s9L9cifqWJVLyKzNGe_Td90IPbiscUQTOYD74iba13dVdrHDNLA9HjsKTnz8ykMc7XA5qgxmX1-D5NqLkv6BklsV4B4DrDQRxPpLhDxmZ36DWfIznk3MHsfFRGw/s1600/DSCN2052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSgS4NkANqCz1s9L9cifqWJVLyKzNGe_Td90IPbiscUQTOYD74iba13dVdrHDNLA9HjsKTnz8ykMc7XA5qgxmX1-D5NqLkv6BklsV4B4DrDQRxPpLhDxmZ36DWfIznk3MHsfFRGw/s640/DSCN2052.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We jogged back to the van, and was out of the gate in the
allotted time. From outside, I took some distance photos of the Pillar.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhyyYVsojlGvNY1rcljSLmAWw-ioxGCJ330ym53hOwjVDdAIE8AYiaWLGJBRnvL6kghHwOtiKePv4bmrmOU1d52H2kuiAqVj-BNbDUU9RdqDJ1m06S_9NRCeSo2hX8YB_Bhoq5Q/s1600/DSCN2054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhyyYVsojlGvNY1rcljSLmAWw-ioxGCJ330ym53hOwjVDdAIE8AYiaWLGJBRnvL6kghHwOtiKePv4bmrmOU1d52H2kuiAqVj-BNbDUU9RdqDJ1m06S_9NRCeSo2hX8YB_Bhoq5Q/s640/DSCN2054.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And of the field of sunflowers between us and the pillar.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDt46pS6bgAafvlbiycvDsq3MjF1DUYpzCsC0ZXY0yQ_jHTU4mVX_tFDYVNSdPGYLJtSbddMNwQCEMCiNjv8I5jCGj_KOq4uDh1BtjnUsEwtgy8eNQ2iAK8HwVuk61YFyOIagj6Q/s1600/DSCN2055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDt46pS6bgAafvlbiycvDsq3MjF1DUYpzCsC0ZXY0yQ_jHTU4mVX_tFDYVNSdPGYLJtSbddMNwQCEMCiNjv8I5jCGj_KOq4uDh1BtjnUsEwtgy8eNQ2iAK8HwVuk61YFyOIagj6Q/s640/DSCN2055.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This, of course, had us hitting Billings Montana around 8:30
for dinner. We had originally planned on eating at The Rex, but it turned out
to be a bit more high-brow than we wanted. We were all in the mood for cowboy
steak, not fine-dining steak. So instead, we did a quick trip adviser search
and headed to Montana Rib and Chop House. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcuDleh0w4gwGdwcQU9Y6upbdTeAg3mTyDb_coYSHVt0bomEFT7sLjokZq7eS_mi1PiAs-xw1X0cS2S6gJMnJdAgEGvBGDmCbSNrBw-WwUGX5bku3QvI4g7wvaWLZVHcgNQ9rgQ/s1600/20150830_195611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcuDleh0w4gwGdwcQU9Y6upbdTeAg3mTyDb_coYSHVt0bomEFT7sLjokZq7eS_mi1PiAs-xw1X0cS2S6gJMnJdAgEGvBGDmCbSNrBw-WwUGX5bku3QvI4g7wvaWLZVHcgNQ9rgQ/s320/20150830_195611.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We walked in, and there were patrons sitting at tables with
cowboy hats on. One of the staff complemented Sweetling on her Strongbad shirt.
There were posters on the walls for Monday night football specials. We knew we
had found our people. The steak was *amazing*. I was too hungry to remember to
take a picture of mine, which is a shame because it was incredible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Jedi, on the other hand, remembered to take a photo of his steak and the loaded potato Sweetling and I had to split because it was bigger than either our our HEADS.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoJ73LEnZemHWpqcOybB9se9oByfKNhZgZ_y9jaNI8gfjvRe8KkH91h5oVDNi1GGW3C536gsvlweGDISW_sa_BxMIcjRDRzxYyugfg4PxmPXIGqAP1s-hYlmKSgzYct6SvE_o-A/s1600/20150830_204002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuoJ73LEnZemHWpqcOybB9se9oByfKNhZgZ_y9jaNI8gfjvRe8KkH91h5oVDNi1GGW3C536gsvlweGDISW_sa_BxMIcjRDRzxYyugfg4PxmPXIGqAP1s-hYlmKSgzYct6SvE_o-A/s400/20150830_204002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Oh, and our server wrote her name upside down and backwards on our table in a single second in cursive with two crayons. (It was right side up for us who were sitting at the table.) We were pretty impressed by that trick.</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We were too stuffed for dessert, which is saying a lot for
us. We wound up rolling in to the hotel around 11:30. Fortunately, we have a
late start morning the next day and don’t need to wake up till 8.</span>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-20708576148370073272015-08-30T01:12:00.001-05:002015-09-04T21:55:55.078-05:00NW Day Three: Vikings and Bison<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Despite a
late start to our day, we’ve managed to stop and see everything we wanted
too….and are still close to on schedule. (Lesson learned, I’m lying to myself
if I think uploading a blog post and adding some pictures will only take 10 to
15 minutes or so. I need to not do anything but get ready and get the room
packed up in the morning.)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sweetling, however, was completely ready to conquer Minnesota. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoS25ODTIGsEK5Q9EPosgScK0MOF6HwZzJTkRVgQjIIYOrBO2eY-xmxYPXGeWpXWHl_sTCQYYyFuLhwoQGMbRJM7qTsI5q32fELRJHJKch5Lv1gK1B5QSsLdQ6FvxURyaQqxD_sQ/s1600/20150829_100103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoS25ODTIGsEK5Q9EPosgScK0MOF6HwZzJTkRVgQjIIYOrBO2eY-xmxYPXGeWpXWHl_sTCQYYyFuLhwoQGMbRJM7qTsI5q32fELRJHJKch5Lv1gK1B5QSsLdQ6FvxURyaQqxD_sQ/s640/20150829_100103.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our first
stop was a giant otter statue in Otter Tail County MN. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopq9fM20QbpYvGAWZoxUNs74K-iwdCoRYshWsmx1oYhq_s63ycep-4NC2X8acU1aTkIB21dArzlRil1uv4ZE9hm2r6cCsYBaKHEXznVVwH9X7XH4NUFX532GxSwmgcMCfIHLLng/s1600/DSCN1913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhopq9fM20QbpYvGAWZoxUNs74K-iwdCoRYshWsmx1oYhq_s63ycep-4NC2X8acU1aTkIB21dArzlRil1uv4ZE9hm2r6cCsYBaKHEXznVVwH9X7XH4NUFX532GxSwmgcMCfIHLLng/s640/DSCN1913.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUJEJSs5LwiP6WZFqRNWQrBh5UkLRCX1W_lp3AZLCi4jsafrIxhw15WmjPPS3SX0qlyAQMsAxBmYJpq4PngW3B3y4l06OiIsghcSFiq0U76zI5DhmQPOml41lOla8phwtmfq3OA/s1600/DSCN1908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUJEJSs5LwiP6WZFqRNWQrBh5UkLRCX1W_lp3AZLCi4jsafrIxhw15WmjPPS3SX0qlyAQMsAxBmYJpq4PngW3B3y4l06OiIsghcSFiq0U76zI5DhmQPOml41lOla8phwtmfq3OA/s640/DSCN1908.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There was a
picnic table pushed up against the back of the statue, which people had
obviously used to climb up onto the statue. I was sorely tempted to do the
same, but even Boybot thought this sounded like a bad idea. So we settled for
photos in front.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I drove my
family crazy trying to get the perfect picture of a pretty little lake in the
country side. But they just flew by too quickly. I had to just settle for
trying to take a snapshot of any lake. There were MANY to choice from. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lunch was
Crave’s Burgers in Moorehead MN. They were good burgers with some fun topping
options. Boybot has decided we need to make their avocado burger when we get
home. Boybot is making quite the list for me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My favorite
quote of the day also happened right after lunch. It’s a little less horrible
if you at least know that we were in a restaurant, seated at a table, when this
was said. I’ll let you figure out who the speaker was. “What is this? Should I
eat it? I’m going to eat it. It’s crunchy. I still don’t know what it was.”</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Also in
Moorehead, we visited the Hje….. Cultural Center to see the Viking ship and the
stave church. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Before we
went in, the Jedi had to be on a short conference call, so the kids and I went
on an explore. We found our way down to a river bank, to look for a rock from
Minnesota. (In retrospect, I think it’s the river that forms the state line
between Minnesota and South Dakota.) Under a street overpass, we found a canoe
launch/dock. We explored a little, dug in the mud for two rocks and headed back
up to meet the Jedi.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Viking
ship was really cool. You should look up its history and read about the people
who built it and the crew of 13 who sailed it from Minnesota to Norway.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZRmUYZvTZP5CMEH6R__ZkuvW5eqin0IAgIMsd7hEXBclME4gS9d8xNFyU8qD6UOilLZEmE8dSuUB-Dmx4PuOqm1vZHCRGgAHss1MoPDnhbX4bVmA1wLG8q0D_o_F8-Zj3rKEXQ/s1600/DSCN1914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZRmUYZvTZP5CMEH6R__ZkuvW5eqin0IAgIMsd7hEXBclME4gS9d8xNFyU8qD6UOilLZEmE8dSuUB-Dmx4PuOqm1vZHCRGgAHss1MoPDnhbX4bVmA1wLG8q0D_o_F8-Zj3rKEXQ/s640/DSCN1914.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Outside, a
beautiful stave church had been built and hand carved to be a near exact
replica of the ----- church in Norway. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd76TQH5EkPGVzPcd4FnNYrSJg1GJP8n1Mt4BsgPb91xDsKr8hINAg-P9EHbDm-bIGBlmelKsS8Vx2hqd4CiXf48UlLrlmyGNb8pXIEtDsaGS48uB8QlFPlSi5qmOrP4nKvpB9dA/s1600/20150829_142248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd76TQH5EkPGVzPcd4FnNYrSJg1GJP8n1Mt4BsgPb91xDsKr8hINAg-P9EHbDm-bIGBlmelKsS8Vx2hqd4CiXf48UlLrlmyGNb8pXIEtDsaGS48uB8QlFPlSi5qmOrP4nKvpB9dA/s640/20150829_142248.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I think one
of the things that impressed me most with each of these were that they were the
result of some hard work, dedication, and initiative of local residents who
decided they wanted to really explore and celebrate their Norwegian ancestry.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif47pnQK0pdNO1gTa0frejWdCunBB_l-CWbqY5JsateP09fDGTDqJYYRiTp48ODe_5bsbPd5biaTdz-fG08_DCmBD3mDUVVFcRoap7W2FxKvitrVgKD9ILyLcJZDIBqOe-2adHSg/s1600/DSCN1923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif47pnQK0pdNO1gTa0frejWdCunBB_l-CWbqY5JsateP09fDGTDqJYYRiTp48ODe_5bsbPd5biaTdz-fG08_DCmBD3mDUVVFcRoap7W2FxKvitrVgKD9ILyLcJZDIBqOe-2adHSg/s640/DSCN1923.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We drove
across the little river to visit Fargo North Dakota. (That’s when I realized
the river the kids and I were exploring was a state line.) We stopped to add
another sticker to our van. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDxQEmIzNAejbM6UPmzSTOJD8xrKPNHkDa4oj9ZHldjpaMcBGhl2UQsu_gxQ-FDLRTAUCmZ0cRqO9bORsDLdLuOJ4x1nlBATi8r3HjBghVT2WnIXQgP4XGYY4JhQWnFmaIPNpJg/s1600/20150829_153757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDxQEmIzNAejbM6UPmzSTOJD8xrKPNHkDa4oj9ZHldjpaMcBGhl2UQsu_gxQ-FDLRTAUCmZ0cRqO9bORsDLdLuOJ4x1nlBATi8r3HjBghVT2WnIXQgP4XGYY4JhQWnFmaIPNpJg/s400/20150829_153757.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We had planned on visiting the Fargo Air Museum,
but when we got there, it was super tiny…especially for the $8 admission price
per person.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Instead, we
decided to drive on and visit the Pioneer Village in Jamestown.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6M4JVnGb4qgvqyWEqgx4s-pDJ13PnO3tOFbSADFcCW3py_TbF9gd2gj2KsgQXjrTUt7ziJcWKFhjBo662BDaOc4rUU43JuBm3-23qQo4R1S0jy1mQkRNQPJ5Rr-61AJ8lZ2Xcw/s1600/DSCN1945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6M4JVnGb4qgvqyWEqgx4s-pDJ13PnO3tOFbSADFcCW3py_TbF9gd2gj2KsgQXjrTUt7ziJcWKFhjBo662BDaOc4rUU43JuBm3-23qQo4R1S0jy1mQkRNQPJ5Rr-61AJ8lZ2Xcw/s640/DSCN1945.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You know how
much I like all things pioneer.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftZrBECnBewytV5wtKxr6V8e-sWf6B6XiHG4m-FZICZ_xam5hhghKn3w4j_to-RbUcIDkKxshVUofoQUoVAe89RDg1AL__6SicHh7DjM_8TMxLKjiZ4kuso1XOdRwMDjCSGT3vg/s1600/DSCN1941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftZrBECnBewytV5wtKxr6V8e-sWf6B6XiHG4m-FZICZ_xam5hhghKn3w4j_to-RbUcIDkKxshVUofoQUoVAe89RDg1AL__6SicHh7DjM_8TMxLKjiZ4kuso1XOdRwMDjCSGT3vg/s320/DSCN1941.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yp2rcQGEbVFQWEkat6M5THLxhZTPmys-HSuGrDuEqgGfGrKQjXHf4xTmVQLXjFP3XWpLjjKjz9gWFMvlyL65UfEkfABFprcTP09kF0W7i5Dt_ASCjA0Oqo_55iFfjOc8hl2ecA/s1600/DSCN1943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yp2rcQGEbVFQWEkat6M5THLxhZTPmys-HSuGrDuEqgGfGrKQjXHf4xTmVQLXjFP3XWpLjjKjz9gWFMvlyL65UfEkfABFprcTP09kF0W7i5Dt_ASCjA0Oqo_55iFfjOc8hl2ecA/s640/DSCN1943.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This village
was right next door to a Buffalo Museum, which had a small herd of bison
grazing the hills nearby.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYeWj54bene2a-hrH6XdQEjPDHp7vLLaXUquxfWsBHyxRyRTTINB4BCj1vkFhmHjiT5r5aXuLHth7gfBM8fMYwUg27zZg_hm8xWVjGdGPhw0duROcvVQ--bleNSyYT6K9e95gBvA/s1600/DSCN1951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYeWj54bene2a-hrH6XdQEjPDHp7vLLaXUquxfWsBHyxRyRTTINB4BCj1vkFhmHjiT5r5aXuLHth7gfBM8fMYwUg27zZg_hm8xWVjGdGPhw0duROcvVQ--bleNSyYT6K9e95gBvA/s640/DSCN1951.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And, of
course, the world’s largest buffalo monument.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxtpXC7bnryAs0aHsxHdfoaqKXnRKELe6eU3f9Z-t1HxZMDZP7cLP2fMrONk0bHMJArb9ociAN9fQcWPeGcP4jzQ_c-syuvijEqfwy7dPGO8fDBQvYWsbb3fJvQBx2kuJ88BDNw/s1600/DSCN1955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibxtpXC7bnryAs0aHsxHdfoaqKXnRKELe6eU3f9Z-t1HxZMDZP7cLP2fMrONk0bHMJArb9ociAN9fQcWPeGcP4jzQ_c-syuvijEqfwy7dPGO8fDBQvYWsbb3fJvQBx2kuJ88BDNw/s640/DSCN1955.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Though we
had slated a dinner stop at the Frontier Grill in Jamestown, no one was hungry
yet. As I type this we are driving on to Bismark for dinner at Happy Joe’s
Pizza.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHN0T2VnZLGuQNpAhSx3yiy-kmRz9pWFge_1Oufie6WVZHuP0J6XtFqpFH2KOF6GZWno1-LpLTsqGYfua8F0ZJa-SCa_lj7ETHsZSAHMvGyX3BHV-fN2sBnbLCk3Ld-KMQtQQN9A/s1600/DSCN1959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHN0T2VnZLGuQNpAhSx3yiy-kmRz9pWFge_1Oufie6WVZHuP0J6XtFqpFH2KOF6GZWno1-LpLTsqGYfua8F0ZJa-SCa_lj7ETHsZSAHMvGyX3BHV-fN2sBnbLCk3Ld-KMQtQQN9A/s640/DSCN1959.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Addendum to add--</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sadly, Happy Joe's Pizza wasn't quite what we were expecting. We decided not to go in and instead found this nice little German-American Diner. I hope the name shows up in a photo, because I surely don't remember it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We had some yummy yellow soup. If it weren't past midnight local time, I'd try to find these names. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eouEFfjsjDiMBM0zp4VzwVVFPtnwX4R089NPejXQB7Rf54H2-kJuPprlX7DfX7Q-f2XkMEHUKz2audvqC0eg2KwaqRoTKd9ht-FLIyDM-gRgp2IL-ytidxOpBcPfhBkjcKtmqA/s1600/20150829_205303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eouEFfjsjDiMBM0zp4VzwVVFPtnwX4R089NPejXQB7Rf54H2-kJuPprlX7DfX7Q-f2XkMEHUKz2audvqC0eg2KwaqRoTKd9ht-FLIyDM-gRgp2IL-ytidxOpBcPfhBkjcKtmqA/s400/20150829_205303.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And we had some ground beef patties wrapped in a flaky pastry and deep fried. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">AND we stopped at k-mart for batteries for the camera. And visible through the big glass store front were those coin-eating machines that dispenses cheap toys in little plastic bubbles. Both kids want to go in and look for "guys". So I took a roll of laundry quarters and went in with the kids while the Jedi hunted down batteries. No guys were found, but some little animals were.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-26668421663184183442015-08-29T09:03:00.004-05:002015-09-04T21:54:37.093-05:00NW Day Two: Ride from Outer SpaceWe decided that even though the waterpark opened at 9 a.m., we were going to sleep in since we were up so late last night.
I woke up around 6. I tried to go back to sleep, but gave up at 6:30, when I got up and started quietly blogging. The Jedi was up not long after, and both kids were up and awake before eight.<br />
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We still took our time De getting ready for the day. We used the microwave to heat up the $8 casserole bake I found at Fair Oaks the day before. It was yummy, and beat the $15 per person breakfast buffet the resort was offering.<br />
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We had the van reloaded, had checked out, and were back in the waterpark by 10:20 or so. It was 64 degrees and raining, but the outdoor park was open. I offered to go out and do the outside slides with Boybot. But Boybot looked at me like I was crazy and pointed out that there were lots of great slides *inside*. (Boybot has also repeatedly mentioned that Wisconsin Dells isn’t TOO far away from Cincinnati.)<br />
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I made a second trip down the toilet bowl. It was just as pleasant as it sounds. This was a deal struck with Boybot in exchange for him standing in line for Master Blaster with me. That was a two person raft ride, no single riders. Boybot at least taught me how to ensure I went feet first through the drop hole.<br />
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I considered trying the FlowWave or Flow Rider, whichever it was. The Jedi went out the van to get a camera to film this memorable experience. But the line was pretty long, it was past lunch time, and I didn’t want to delay us overly long.
We had showered, changed, bought a postcard, smashed pennies, eaten some ice cream, and were ready to head out by 2:40.<br />
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We drove 10 minutes to “downtown” Wisconsin Dells. The town has set itself up as a family vacation mecca. In addition to the numerous waterparks, there are mini-golf courses, small theme parks, river excursions, arcades, family entertainment shows, and a stretch of shops, cafes, and such along the main street that really gave it a ‘boardwalk’ feel.<br />
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We ate lunch at Mac’s (Mac and Cheese.) It was universally decided that I needed to learn how to make mac and cheese this good. Then we could have a mac and cheese buffet style dinner. I could set out a bunch of toppings, and everyone could load a dish of mac and cheese up with what they wanted. Then we’d pop the dishes in the oven for a final bake. Given that my recent attempts to make homemade mac and cheese has included something that the kids said tasted “horrifyingly” like “birthday cake”, I think this is a pretty lofty goal.<br />
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If it weren’t still chilly and rainy, we would have spent another 15 to 20 minutes wandering the main street. But instead, we got back in the van, the kids snuggled under blankets, and we started a movie. The Jedi has resolutely driven through nasty constant rain for three hours now, and we are still an hour and forty-three minutes from dinner.<br />
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Ta-da! Dinner at Space Aliens Bar and Grill! Because that’s where all the coolest aliens go to eat.<br />
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To be honest, the Jedi and I were expecting a catchy theme, some video games, and mediocre food. But the food was OUTSTANDING! The Jedi ordered ribs. I didn’t because I didn’t want half-@ss bbq. The Jedi’s ribs were COMPETITION QUALITY. I was jealous. The Jedi had a chance to talk to the chef and complement him.<br />
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Desserts came with 20 tokens each, which the kids had a great time spending.<br />
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Our projected hotel arrival time of 9pm turned out to be 11pm. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-68907294470449068142015-08-28T07:25:00.000-05:002015-09-04T21:53:53.252-05:00NW Day One: Spilsh Splash!General Facts about the first day of our road trip--<br />
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Time I thought we we supposed to leave the house: 8 a.m.<br />
Time the Jedi actually wanted to leave the house: 7 a.m.<br />
Time we actually pulled out of the driveway: 8:15 a.m.<br />
Amount of frustration the Jedi showed about this: None. <br />
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Number of times I failed as a navigator: 3<br />
Number of times the Jedi got upset about missing our turns in the middle of construction when we were already behind: 0<br />
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Money we had budgeted for souvenirs: $1 for a postcard<br />
Money we spent on an unscheduled stop where we found The Best Chocolate Milk in the World (and lactose free!): $38 plus ice cream and no postcard<br />
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Hours of sleep I got before we left: 6<br />
Hours of sleep I got last night: 6 1/2<br />
Why I am up right now writing: too excited to sleep <br />
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Number of awesome water slides we went down: ALL THE SLIDES (except the stand up and have the floor drop out from under you while you get shot into a watery death drop. Screw that noise.)<br />
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Amount of fun we are having SO MUCH FREAKING FUN. <br />
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After we had rolled out of Cincy an hour and fifteen past when the Jedi wanted to leave, we discovered as we were driving into Indianapolis that the entire freeway was shut down some place north of Indianapolis (at the intersection of I-90 and Rt 52 if you are really curious.) We got detoured off the interstate into corn fields. It was scenic. Boybot asked, "What do these people do when they need to go to the grocery store?"<br />
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And we did drive through this massive wind farm. That *was* really cool.<br />
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But best of all, somewhere in the middle of I-don't-where-we-are-Indiana, we made a stop for gas, and just happened to find ourselves next to Fair Oaks Farm. Our first clue that the farm next door might be awesome was the cow in front of the BP...<br />
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And then the cow display on top of the refrigerators inside the BP...<br />
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And while they sold Fair Oaks cheese and ice cream in the BP, it was a bit pricey, so I thought we should just head next door and see if it was cheaper and fresher from the source. So we drove over for ice cream at the COWfee<br />
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But before we went in, I just wanted to snap a few photos...<br />
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And since we were already walking around, we might as well go in the bakery shop, since it was RIGHT THERE. Inside the bakery, we discovered cookies as big as my face, the Best Chocolate Milk in the World, raspberry cream fudge, and other delicious baked goods...including a blueberry loaf and a breakfast casserole. (Later we would discover that breakfast at our hotel was $15 a person, so my $8 casserole purchase to feed the whole family was a real win.)<br />
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Then we headed in for ice cream (and white chocolates and pork rub from yet another gift store area)<br />
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We didn't hit lunch in Chicago until what would have been 3:30 EDT, so the stop for ice cream and snacks was well worth it.<br />
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Lunch was Chicago deep dish pizza. The Jedi had emailed the restaurant several days before our trip to make sure they had a smooth sauce option for Boybot. The pizza was good, but I have to confess, it wasn’t as good as the wood fired pizza we make in the smoker at home.<br />
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Because of the late start, the road construction detour, and the stop at Fair Oaks Farm, we didn’t get to Wisconsin Dells till late evening….just as they were closing the outdoor waterpark. Still, the indoor water park was enormous, and we had a great time there.
(Of course, we knew it would be great as soon as we pulled up and were greeted by elephants. How can you go wrong with elephants? There were elephants everywhere, including on the wall of our room. Sweetling was beside herself with joy.)<br />
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We stayed inside the water park all evening, skipping dinner. We rode nearly all the slides, many of them more than once. It being a Thursday, there weren’t that many visitors and so there were hardly any lines at all. The park also had a small wave pool and the Jedi joined us in that.<br />
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We all liked all the slides….save one. They had one body slide that was a pretty straight shoot into a “toilet bowl”. For some reason, I decided that I might want to try this slide. The four of us stood at the bottom of the slide and discussed this notion. (Though in fairness, it was mostly Toa and I discussing this notion. Sweetling and the Jedi wanted nothing to do with this insanity. Boybot wanted to know just how bad the slide was, and was willing to let his mother go be the Guinea pig.)<br />
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So, I found myself eagerly heading up the stairs. Partway up the stairs, it occurred to me that essentially flushing oneself down a giant toile might not be the best of times. This could be like a full body swirly. This could be like a spider's last few terrifying seconds of life. But I intentionally failed my sill save and continued up the stairs.<br />
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The good thing about the slide was that the whole experience was over in a few horrifying moments. Yet those moments still gave plenty of time for reflection on one’s current circumstances. Here, approximately, is my train of thoughts. “Not so bad. Not so bumpy for a water slide. Completely dark though. Why do they do that. Ouch. Not a comfortable ejection into the toilet bowl. Hey, sliding around the bowl is pretty fun. I like this part. I wonder when I’ll hit the….” And then I was falling, head and shoulder first, out of the hole in the center of the toilet bowl. This was not the most comfortable angle to hit the water four feet below.<br />
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At that point, my thoughts switched to a panic stricken “Can’t-tell-which-was-is-up-nose-is-full-of-water-lungs-are-empty-drowning!” Sheer thoughtless panic took over. Somehow my flailing limbs thrashed me to the surface, though that was difficult to discern at first because of the gallons of water still falling on my head from the toilet bowl above. More instinct got me moving towards the edge of the pool.
Out from under the deluge, I treaded water and wiped my eyes clear, gasped for breath, and tried to get my bearings. I become aware that my family was standing at the edge of the pool. I think they might have been laughing at me, but I’m pretty sure that was my imagination. They surely wouldn’t have been laughing at me.<br />
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As I worked my way over to the ladder and was climbing out of the pool, I realized there were words coming out of my mouth. They went something along the lines of “horrible, this was horrible idea, whose idea was this, this was horrible.”
The Jedi came over and helped me out of the pool and put his hand comfortingly on my shoulder. Boybot looked at me and asked, “So, how was it, Mom?” I then launched into a play by play tirade about my experience. Boybot listened intently and then decided he needed to TRY THIS FOR HIMSELF. (Boybot loved this slide. He spent a good part of the rest of the night on this slide.)<br />
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We stayed until close to waterpark closing at ten. Then headed back up to our room, got changed, and headed back down to find dinner. Everyone was dangerously hungry at this point, but most of the little restaurants and food places had closed for the night. One walk-up grill was open, selling off the last of the chicken fingers and mini corndogs sitting in paper trays in their warming racks. Yum. But beggars can’t be choosers, so we cued up for what I was sure would be overpriced and disgusting food. Sweelting got a slice of cheese pizza and Boybot and I had a couple of burritos assembled from the options still sitting in their steam table. We took these with some bottles of juice from their fridge back up to our room and found them to be surprisingly good.
We wound up getting to be around midnight local time…which was 1 in the morning for us.
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32922763.post-58904908138545814142015-08-26T20:44:00.000-05:002015-08-26T21:22:12.262-05:00The Face of Betrayal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This, ladies and gentlemen, is the face of a dog who can sense in his heart he is about to be BETRAYED. All evening, and through most of the afternoon packing process, Jupiter just laid at the top of the stairs watching me carry things up and down the stairs to assemble them in the living room.<br />
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I have a picture of the stuff that was assembled, but my phone is choosing not to share that with my blog for some reason. I strongly suspect the reason is that computers love to mock me. <br />
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Emailed it to myself, saved it on my computer, uploaded it. And then after all that, it shows up on my blog like it wasn't AWOL before.<br />
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ANYWAY, this is what 22 days on the road looks like....plus some backpacks, laptop bags, snack boxes, and a stack of games. Yoda and Mokina will not be joining us on the trip. They are just there photobombing. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0