On August 3rd, we headed out on at 18 day, 10 state road trip. 6 humans in a mini van. And you wonder why I need prozac?
Our first destination was Mt. Rushmore. For 12 years whenever I heard that name, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I'd have a panic attack.
12 years ago we headed out with our 2.8 children to Minneapolis for d.jay's brother's wedding. I had always wanted to go to Rushmore so we decided to stop along the way.
Evan was 4, Bailie 2 and I was 6 months pregnant.
Within 2 hours of leaving home it began.
I felt like I was in the middle of a war zone.....a poop and puke war zone. For 12 hours they both had explosive diahrea and vomiting. We would drive 5 minutes then pull over so Evan could puke or to change Bailie's diaper.
It was a living hell.
By the time we got to Rushmore all we wanted to do was collapse.
Rushmore was under major construction at the time so we couldn't even get very close, Bailie puked all over in the cafeteria and I was just about dead.
Not a great memory. Oh, and they did continue with the poop puke routine the entire 24 hour drive.
It became the trip that shall not be mentioned.
When we decided to head to Minneapolis this summer, I wanted to go back to Mt. Rushmore so we would have some good memories of it. Some people never learn.
We headed out of a monday afternoon planning to stop for the night at my uncles in Montana. This "should" have been a 5 hour drive.....it took 8.
We were stuck in construction for hours!
It was late by the time we got there but it was so nice to be greated by family and a hot meal. One of the things my aunt made was a whole wheat salad. Insert forboding music.
D.Jay, Ethan and I slept in the room connected to my uncles and about 5 minutes after laying down, D.Jay was making sounds like a thunder storm. Then he would laugh hysterically while I told him to be quiet. Repeat 99 times.
We left around 8 a.m. and within 10 minutes Evan started up. Imagine 15 hours in a mini van with a cattle yard.
Thanks to mapquest, we went on the scenic route and a trip that should have taken 10 hours took 15! We were really late getting to the Mt. Rushmore area so decided to stay the night there.
Only 1 problem...it was Sturgis Ralley week. All the hotels were booked within a 2 hour radius. We were surrounded by bikers.. I've never seen so many motor cycles in my life, not to mention tatoos and men who shouldn't be wearing leather pants. Our little family stuck out like a sore thumb.
We finally found a room for $160 for the night and that was the cheapest we found that had any available. On the bright side, it was a great place and about as close to the mountain as you can get.
We made it to Rushmore in the morning and I"m happy to say it was 100x's better than before. There was no puke or poop to be seen.
Everyone got along and I hiked the trail a day after I was told I could walk, but to take it easy. Let's just say my foot hurt a little that day.
Here's a few pictures I took. As you will see, nothing is sacred.
That is great news!!
