Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Day 2 - July 25
I am going to start writing a day by day recollection while I remember. This was supposed to be a daily exercise on the trip, but I ended up driving all the time instead.
Day 2 started well and ended like shit. We woke up in Indiana Dunes, had breakfast of pop-tarts and boiled eggs for snack. The campsite was nice, but a bit dirty (not with trash, the ground just had loose dirt on it).
Packing proved that packing would be fun throughout the trip, but we managed to get everyone and everything in.
We hit the road later than planned. This was the only day we had a time to be anywhere, but we e-mailed ahead and there was no problem being later. We hit Chicago around 11am and traffic was hell. I now pause while you all collectively say, "duh". I am not saying I wasn’t expecting the traffic - only that it sucked.
We went to the church in Rockford where Laurie and I met (http://www.uurockford.org/). The secretary’s were kind of enough to let us meander freely through the church for a bit and I reminisced and took a few pictures and we were on our way. We stopped at the McDonald’s where Laurie and I had walked when we first met.
Now that we were past Chicago, traffic still sucked. To spread the fun throughout the state, Illinois had 90 under construction (adding a lane) from Rockford North. Once we got into Wisconsin, traffic eased and we started making good time. Every exit through Wisconsin had some sort of cheese shop. We came over all peckish, so we curtailed our travels momentarily, sallied forth and infiltrated a place of purveyance to negotiate the vending of some cheesy comestibles.
By this point, Jeffrey had burnt to a crisp. He had slept most of the way to the church and just baked in the back seat. I had reminded him to sunscreen before we got going, but did not follow-up.
So we were cruising along, past Madison. We wondered if the city acted like an early teen, slightly spoiled, rich girl. Then the car made a horrible screeching noise and started driving like it was in sand. I got out and saw some fluid on the back, right tire and thought that the caliper had frozen shut. We limped to the next exit (exit 92 - route 12, Wisconsin Dells, Baraboo). It was just after 5pm so I crawled through town looking for anywhere that might be able to fix a car. Nothing.
I stopped in the parking lot of the Crystal Grand Music Theatre and called State Farm for Roadside Assistance. I found out that it wasn’t Roadside Assistance, so much as Roadside Reimbursement, cursed a little and moved on to find somewhere to spend the night. The first place I looked, an Econolodge next to the theatre had just filled, so I headed up the road. I found a little place called the Olympia Motel and got a price of just over $100 for a night at an outside entrance, tiny room. The guy behind the desk also gave me the name & number of a repair place with Saturday hours. After balking at the price, I noticed a billboard for a Jellystone park only a mile away. I called, they had a spot I could put a tent, they charged m Rack rate for an RV spot, but I still took it, thinking $20 saved is $20.
We squeaked our way up there and found a horrible spot for a tent. Additionally the mosquitoes were horrible. After 5 minutes, I called and asked for a refund. No dice, I was told. After pushing I got the second of the 2-night mandatory stay refunded, but I was still stuck there for the night. 132 Cindy’s Circle.
We walked 1.5 miles to an Uno’s had some dinner and walked back and slept.
Map of the Day:
View Larger Map
Day 2 started well and ended like shit. We woke up in Indiana Dunes, had breakfast of pop-tarts and boiled eggs for snack. The campsite was nice, but a bit dirty (not with trash, the ground just had loose dirt on it).
Packing proved that packing would be fun throughout the trip, but we managed to get everyone and everything in.
We hit the road later than planned. This was the only day we had a time to be anywhere, but we e-mailed ahead and there was no problem being later. We hit Chicago around 11am and traffic was hell. I now pause while you all collectively say, "duh". I am not saying I wasn’t expecting the traffic - only that it sucked.
We went to the church in Rockford where Laurie and I met (http://www.uurockford.org/). The secretary’s were kind of enough to let us meander freely through the church for a bit and I reminisced and took a few pictures and we were on our way. We stopped at the McDonald’s where Laurie and I had walked when we first met.
Now that we were past Chicago, traffic still sucked. To spread the fun throughout the state, Illinois had 90 under construction (adding a lane) from Rockford North. Once we got into Wisconsin, traffic eased and we started making good time. Every exit through Wisconsin had some sort of cheese shop. We came over all peckish, so we curtailed our travels momentarily, sallied forth and infiltrated a place of purveyance to negotiate the vending of some cheesy comestibles.
By this point, Jeffrey had burnt to a crisp. He had slept most of the way to the church and just baked in the back seat. I had reminded him to sunscreen before we got going, but did not follow-up.
So we were cruising along, past Madison. We wondered if the city acted like an early teen, slightly spoiled, rich girl. Then the car made a horrible screeching noise and started driving like it was in sand. I got out and saw some fluid on the back, right tire and thought that the caliper had frozen shut. We limped to the next exit (exit 92 - route 12, Wisconsin Dells, Baraboo). It was just after 5pm so I crawled through town looking for anywhere that might be able to fix a car. Nothing.
I stopped in the parking lot of the Crystal Grand Music Theatre and called State Farm for Roadside Assistance. I found out that it wasn’t Roadside Assistance, so much as Roadside Reimbursement, cursed a little and moved on to find somewhere to spend the night. The first place I looked, an Econolodge next to the theatre had just filled, so I headed up the road. I found a little place called the Olympia Motel and got a price of just over $100 for a night at an outside entrance, tiny room. The guy behind the desk also gave me the name & number of a repair place with Saturday hours. After balking at the price, I noticed a billboard for a Jellystone park only a mile away. I called, they had a spot I could put a tent, they charged m Rack rate for an RV spot, but I still took it, thinking $20 saved is $20.
We squeaked our way up there and found a horrible spot for a tent. Additionally the mosquitoes were horrible. After 5 minutes, I called and asked for a refund. No dice, I was told. After pushing I got the second of the 2-night mandatory stay refunded, but I was still stuck there for the night. 132 Cindy’s Circle.
We walked 1.5 miles to an Uno’s had some dinner and walked back and slept.
Map of the Day:
View Larger Map
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Home
We pushed through the night after getting the car. Killed few hours at a few rest stops and got home a couple hours ago.
I will try to get some more pictures up today to Flickr and will post if I get that done.
I will try to get some more pictures up today to Flickr and will post if I get that done.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Travel Log
Day 1: Home to Indiana Dunes
Day 2: Indiana Dunes To Wisconsin Dells, where the car broke. (Jellystone Park)
Day 3: Rented Honda, Wisconsin Dells to Badlands
Day 4: Badlands/Wall (Wounded Knee Museum)/Badlands
Day 5: Badlands/Rushmore/Crazy Horse/Custer SP/Devil's Tower
Day 6: Devil's Tower/Billings, MT
Day 7: Billings to Yellowstone (East Entrance) Camp at Indian Creek Campground, See Mammoth
Day 8: Yellowstone, Norris Geyser Basin
Day 9: Yellowstone, Canyon/Old Faithful
Day 10: Yellowstone: Petrified Tree, Lake onto Teton
Day 11: Grand Teton NP, Lake Jackson, Jackson, WY, Head toward Big Hole, Hunt down Jacob's book in Idaho Camp in Random NRA
Day 12: Big Hole National Battlefield, Glacier, Camp at Lake Bowman.
Day 13: Glacier: Avalanche Lake, Camp at Quartz Lake campground
Day 14: Glacier:Going-to-the-sun Highway, walk to Hidden Lake overlook, Bear Paw Battlefield ( Route 2 across Montana) Camp on the way
Day 15: Theodore Roosevelt National Park,head east
Day 16 ND to Wisconsin Dells, get car
Day 2: Indiana Dunes To Wisconsin Dells, where the car broke. (Jellystone Park)
Day 3: Rented Honda, Wisconsin Dells to Badlands
Day 4: Badlands/Wall (Wounded Knee Museum)/Badlands
Day 5: Badlands/Rushmore/Crazy Horse/Custer SP/Devil's Tower
Day 6: Devil's Tower/Billings, MT
Day 7: Billings to Yellowstone (East Entrance) Camp at Indian Creek Campground, See Mammoth
Day 8: Yellowstone, Norris Geyser Basin
Day 9: Yellowstone, Canyon/Old Faithful
Day 10: Yellowstone: Petrified Tree, Lake onto Teton
Day 11: Grand Teton NP, Lake Jackson, Jackson, WY, Head toward Big Hole, Hunt down Jacob's book in Idaho Camp in Random NRA
Day 12: Big Hole National Battlefield, Glacier, Camp at Lake Bowman.
Day 13: Glacier: Avalanche Lake, Camp at Quartz Lake campground
Day 14: Glacier:Going-to-the-sun Highway, walk to Hidden Lake overlook, Bear Paw Battlefield ( Route 2 across Montana) Camp on the way
Day 15: Theodore Roosevelt National Park,head east
Day 16 ND to Wisconsin Dells, get car
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Bear Paw Battlefield
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
Car Grill
I won't bother you with a picture of the front of the car, but the assortment of bugs makes it looks like some sort of horrible Christmas decoration.
If this were not a rental, I would consider coating it all in some clear plastic and selling it as modern art entitled "What Bugs Me About Christmas".
If this were not a rental, I would consider coating it all in some clear plastic and selling it as modern art entitled "What Bugs Me About Christmas".
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Chilling
We are killing this afternoon sitting on the shore of, and swimming in Lake Jackson.
The water here is impossibly clear and decidedly cool. Not as cold as Yellowstone Lake and in its calmer moments I can feel a top, sun -warmed layer that feels darn near refeshing..
There are schools of one-inch-long trout swimming around. Just up the beach Kayakers are fighting the waves to get out on the lake. And across the lake the snow-covered Tetons tower overhead.
This is a good day.
The water here is impossibly clear and decidedly cool. Not as cold as Yellowstone Lake and in its calmer moments I can feel a top, sun -warmed layer that feels darn near refeshing..
There are schools of one-inch-long trout swimming around. Just up the beach Kayakers are fighting the waves to get out on the lake. And across the lake the snow-covered Tetons tower overhead.
This is a good day.
A note on Cell Coverage
"More bars in more places" my ass. Jacob's Sprint coverage has kicked my AT&T coverage's backside.
Adventures in Camp food
The boys have gently asked me to avoid cooking them steak. They appreciated the steak I did cook, but, really, they prefer hamburger. Jacob's answer is far more complicated, I think it amounted to, "When I say Medium Well, I don't mean medium, dammit." But it was said much more politely.
The culinary masterpiece that everyone gets behind is breakfast. Given the time to make it, we have had a potato, vidalia onion, and egg scramble that is good normally, but the scenary adds something extra.
Mostly we've gotten by on staples; burgers, brats, lunch meat, cereal, and pop-tarts. I promised the kids we'd eat badly on this trip.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
A Bracing Dip
Jacob thought we were idiots.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Geysers!
Here is a quick snap of Grotto Geyser.
Tomorrow, we leave YNP for Grand Tetons National Park.
Latest News
Everything, we saw everything yesterday. Hot Springs, Geysers, Mud Pots. We swam in an area where icy river meets 130 degree hot spring. We walked down (and up) a path of 300-400 stairs to the base of a waterfall. We got stuck in a herd of bison that were so close we could have reached out of the car and touched them (we didn't). We saw: 2 elk with huge racks, a Grizzly bear, too many bison to count, and a bald eagle.
Pictures will come, but we must restart our adventure.
Happy Birthday to my wife and my friend ML's wife.
Pictures will come, but we must restart our adventure.
Happy Birthday to my wife and my friend ML's wife.
Fire on the Mountain
Mammoth Hot Springs
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