Day 14

Today's main event was white water rafting. Even though it seemed shorter than an hour and a half, man was it fun!! I got soaked, but that was the fun part. The big group of rapids was called the 'Big Eddie', which was where most of the soaking took place. After the rafting, we drove home, and then walked to this restaurant for lunch. It was hot outside today, 90's or somewhere in that region, and of course, there was nowhere to cool off. The house was and still is hot (with no air conditioning), and there is no lake or pool to swim in nearby. Most of us then went to the strip mall, after which we went to eat ice cream at Goody's in downtown Bend. When we arrived, the other part of the group, my parents, cousin, and Uncle "Frank", were there as well. If it hadn't been for me insisting that we didn't eat at Coldstone Creamery (which I don't particularly like, and is overpriced), this coincidence wouldn't have happened! I got a delicious Oreo milkshake that doubled as dinner. Yum! Tomorrow we head on out.
Corvettes: 3

Day 13

Basically, everyone is going to sleep, so I'll make the day's events brief. This morning was not hectic at all, even with only one bathroom. In fact, we had an extra hour before the van picked us up to take us to the cave. So, my dad and I took a walk around town. When we got to the cave, the entrance is this square yard fenced in staircase. This cave was much more climbing through passageways and over rocks than Jewel Cave. It was fun. After eating lunch at Flatbread Community Oven (which was awesome!), Uncle Joe, Aunt Linda, Uncle "Frank", my mom, sister, 2 cousins, and I walked around downtown. I was pretty exhausted by the time I got back to the house, and took a nap. Later we decided to go to this observatory near by, but we didn't have any directions! When we finally got there, it was pretty awesome. There was a bunch of telescopes trained on different cosmic objects. To point out constellations, they had this very powerful laser pointer, and it was really cool. Now I am going to get some rest for tomorrow's white water raft trip.

Corvettes: 0

1st Day in Bend

Yesterday was a long day. We drove from Teton Village, Wyoming, all the way across Idaho, and half way across Oregon to Bend. That drive was somewhere between 12 to 14 hours long. On the way there, we stopped at Craters of the Moon National Monument. It's this place in the Snake River Basin, Idaho were there's a bunch of old lava flows. There was this cinder cone hill there that Uncle "Frank", my parents, and I climbed. Luckily, it was only 79 F, so we weren't totally hot and tired at the top. I was so tired by the time I got to the Bend house we are renting, that I didn't feel like blogging. There, we met up with Uncle Joe, Aunt Linda, dog, and 4 out of their 5 children (the 5th child is at a summer camp at Harvard). That makes 12 people in a house with only 1 shower. At 8:45 AM, Pacific Time, we're going to be picked up by a van that will take us to a 2 hour lava tube tour. Tomorrow is our white water rafting trip down the Deschutes River. After the lava tube tour, it will be a day of relaxation.

Corvettes: 3

Day 11

Today wasn't very interesting. My mom and Uncle "Frank" went to church this morning. After they came back, we went into Jackson, Wyoming. My dad and brother went to this Ripley's (of Ripley's Believe it or not) Museum in town. The rest of us went around town to a few different stores. Lunch was a picnic in Grand Teton National Park. While waiting at the Visitor's Center, I finished Cold Sassy Tree, the 3rd out of 4 books I have to read for English. I enjoyed it, but the ending was horrible!! But, I won't spoil it. After that, we went back to the lodge, and the adults went to get a massage. We swam while they were gone, and had pizza and ice cream for dinner. Tomorrow, we leave for Bend, Oregon.

The Sites of Yellowstone

Day 10

Hello from Teton Village, again! Today we spent the whole day in Yellowstone National Park. We had to get up early; around 5:30 AM. To get to the south entrance of Yellowstone, we drove through Grand Tetons National Park. Picturesque. We drove through there relatively quickly, even though there was supposed to be construction.We saw all the main spots in Yellowstone, West Thumb Geyser Basin, Fishing Bridge (where we couldn't see any fish), Lower Falls, Norris Geyser Basin, Old Faithful, etc. We ate lunch at a picnic site, and while there, the TV in the conversion van fell off. I guess my dad's going to have to fix something on vacation! It was an exhausting day, but I loved being there.
My favorite was the Lower Falls. We could see it from the Artist's Point, which is where an artist on one of the first explorations painted it from. We also saw it from a point almost right over the edge of the waterfall. I got wonderful pictures from both places. Old Faithful was also pretty cool. Earlier in the day I found a penny. I guess my penny luck worked. When we got there, it was supposed to have erupted 2 minutes ago, but was 4 minutes late, which was just enough to get there. The water streamed up way farther than I expected.
When driving back, we got stuck in what seemed a traffic jam caused by construction. In actuality, 5 bison were crossing the road, and were holding up traffic!! They were just taking their grand ole time. When we finally got back to the Teton Mountain Lodge, it was 9 PM! My parents, Uncle "Frank", and I ate dinner at the restaurant in the lodge, which was good. For dessert, I got this chocolate cake thingy, that had chocolate ganache (I don't know if that is spelled right) in the center, and ice cream on the side. Boy was it good!!
PS Aunt "Penelope", I don't have any stuffed animals, so you're out of luck with the pictures.
Corvettes: 7

Some Pics

The Badlands, Crazy Horse, and Mount Rushmore.

3 Days Together

This post is going to be a triple post. For the last 2 nights we were staying at Adventurer's B&B, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where there wasn't WIFI. We drove to Cheyenne on Wednesday, and for lunch we ate at a park in Hot Springs, SD to picnic. We also had ice cream from the Blue Bison cafe. As always, it was good.

The days we stayed there were the Cheyenne Frontier Days. So, yesterday, we watched the parade in the morning. It was pretty interesting; even the governor was there! We had tickets for the rodeo, at 12:45. We had extra time, so we went to the Wyoming State Capitol. The rodeo was really cool. There was steer wrestling, bull riding, bareback riding, etc. Very exciting. Then, at 8 PM, we all went to the Taylor Swift concert in the rodeo arena. Kelly Pickler was the starting act, and she was awesome. Then after a 30 minute wait, Taylor Swift came on. The music was a loud, and it was a little overdone, but I enjoyed it a lot.

Today we drove all the way from Cheyenne, to Teton Village. Teton Village is this resort village on the edge of Grand Teton National Park. We're staying at the Teton Mountain Lodge. It's so nice. There's a bunch of pools, and a hot tub on the roof. Also, our suite is like an apartment. We ate at this fancy Italian restaurant. Before reaching Teton Village, we detoured into Jackson Hole. It's a nice town, but kind of touristy. My mom nearly bought out The Bunnery, a bakery there, with all the food she got. Anyway, we have to get up early tomorrow, since we are going to Yellowstone National Park.

Corvettes: 9

Raouls: I don't really feel like counting anymore

Extras from Day 6

There's some details from yesterday that I forgot to add. First, we had reservations at the lodge we are staying at, Bluebell Lodge, for yesterday, and ate there on Monday. Both days there were no ribs!! I mean, we are in South Dakota! So, instead we canceled the reservation and ate at another lodge in Custer State Park. It turned out to be really good. Also, after I blogged, we stayed up to 10:05, Mountain time, when the International Space Station flew over. It came at the expected time. Through the tree, we saw it; it was so bright and sparkling. In about 2 minutes it was gone. Today we drive to Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Day 6

We had a busy day today. After breakfast, we drove to see Mount Rushmore on the Iron Mountain Scenic Drive. On the way, we saw some wild donkeys and a herd of buffalo. Some stupid city slickers got out to feed the wild donkeys. One part of the drive, you go through this tunnel, and you see Mount Rushmore. Pretty Cool. Today was much more sunny than yesterday, and we all got great pictures as we walked the pathway near it. It is really spectacular. Next was Crazy Horse Monument, which was huge. Did you know that all 4 heads of Mount Rushmore can fit in the head of Crazy Horse? It's been a work in progress for 50+ years, and will probably be for many more years. Jewel Cave is the next place we went to see. For those who don't know, Jewel Cave is this ginormous cave in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the 2nd largest in the country. We took an hour and 20 minute tour down in it. To get into, you went down these elevators that go down 24 stories in 30 seconds. By the time we were finished, my feet hurt!! Right now, all we are doing is roasting marshmallows and relaxing. Even though this day was busy, I enjoyed it a lot.

Day 5

Today Uncle "Frank" went to the Minuteman Missile site. There were only so many allowed on the tour, so only he could go down underground. We had to wait in a locked parking lot while he got a tour. It wasn't that bad, because I got to read my book. After the tour, all of us drove to Rapid City. We ate lunch at the the old firehouse, then went to the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Mineral Museum. After about 30 minutes, I kind of got bored of looking at old rocks. The next destination was Mount Rushmore, where, of course, my camera battery died. It was small, but still awe inspiring. To get to Blue Bell Lodge, in Custer State Park, we had to drive all these hairpin turns up the mountain, and low, thin tunnels for about an hour or so. But, when we finally got here, it was very nice. My sister and I got our own room in the cabin we are staying in. It kind of reminds me of Kewanaw Mountain Lodge, a lodge in Copper Harbor, MI.
Corvettes: 5
Raouls:6

Yesterday's Adventures

There was no Internet connection yesterday at the place we stayed last night, the Badlands National Park. So, here goes all that happened yesterday. We left Mitchell, SD at about 11:00 AM, Central Time. We then drove all the way to Wall, SD, where Wall Drug is located. There was about a thousand signs proclaiming its location, on the way there. Wall Drug was horribly touristic (if that's not a word, it is now). Then, after eating an only okay lunch, where I got mayonnaise on my sandwich (!!), we drove into the Badlands. It's spectacular; there's no word to describe the towering peaks. At almost every scenic stop, we took pictures, but it was so hot- 101 F at max. Luckily, it was dry. At 9 PM, we went to what would be looking at the stars, if it had not been the one of the only cloudy days.
(There was a corvette rally, in a SD town, so we saw a lot)
Corvettes:189
Raouls: 5 or 6

More of Day 3

The 2009 Corn Palce, in Mitchell, South Dakota

Day 3

Hello from Mitchell. South Dakota! Here are some pics from Sparta, Wisconsin:

We had a change of plans today. We were going to stay at Flavia's Bed and Breakfast, and we knew that she wasn't going to be there. She told us that someone else will let us in, but no one was there. So, now were at the Comfort Inn. It turned out pretty good, because my dad, brother, and I went swimming at this mini-water park they have instead of a pool. Also, the people at the front desk gave us a dinner recommendations to this restaurant called The Depot, which was good. Before this fiasco, my family went to the Mitchell Corn Palace, which is an auditorium covered with corn. Pretty cool, but kind of touristy. Next stop, the Badlands.

Corvettes: 7

Raouls: 4 or 5 (can't remeber)

Day 2

Today was a relaxing day. We ate breakfast at around 8:30, and then went to Barnes and Noble in the mall in La Crosse, WI. The only other things I did were read, play with the 4 dogs, and take a walk in the woods around the resort. But, my Uncle "Frank", Aunt "Rose", dad, and brother went disc golfing, which is available to people staying here. When they got back, my uncle was complaining up a storm. He kept on saying that they were walking up mountains and through the woods to get to the different holes. Later we plan to eat pizza at a local restaurant and roast marshmallows, even though it's still overcast and a little chilly. Tomorrow we leave for Mitchell, SD. Happy Birthday to my friend, Maureen!

Today's Daily Count was dismal, but tomorrow there will be more.
Daily Count:
Corvettes: 1
Raouls: 1

Day 1

I got up at 5:10 AM eastern time, this morning. To leave by 6:00 AM, that's the time I had to get up. But, of course, we didn't leave until 7:03. It's like there's a formula; you add an hour to the projected leaving time. The first corvette was spotted at 7:07, and we ate breakfast at Panera Bread. On the drive to Sparta, there were so many tolls. We must have spent a 10 dollars or so just on that. Right after we passed the Wisconsin state line, we ate lunch at a rest stop. At exactly the time the GPS said we would arrive, 4:11 PM central time, we arrived at Justin Trails Resort. We're staying at the Paul Bunyan Cabin, which has 2 floors, and 4 beds. It's really nice.
We then went into town and had ice cream at Culver's, and then to the movies to see the 6th Harry Potter Movie. It was entertaining, but cut some key parts of the book out. It was 2 1/2 hours long, and we got out around 9:00 PM, after which we met Uncle "Frank", and my other aunt and uncle, who had just arrived. So far, so good.
The count is a daily count, not a grand total, and here it is:
Corvettes: 30
Raouls: 4

The Count

During the vacation, I'm going to count 2 things. The first is corvettes, and the second is Raoul, the perfect guy. My aunt and uncle count things each year, such as hawks, and this year's count is corvettes. They have already met their 600 minimum, but still continue to count. Since they will be watching our dog for us, we decided that what we count, they can use. My relatives just left today, as well. They kept extending their stay, so they could help work on our house, but they needed to get back. No worries, though, because we'll see them on Thursday, in Sparta, where they will pick up our dog, and drop off my other uncle. We can't get rid of them! Just kidding. 3 more days until we start our trip, and see my uncles and aunt!

Catching up

Sorry I haven't written the last 2 days, I just didn't feel like it. Anyway, the packing commenced on Friday. We still have a lot to do, though. Yesterday, we bought 3 pies. A chocolate cream, a peanut butter cream, and a blackberry. I had a slice of each. They were good. Just finished my 2nd of 4 books I have to read for English, Mythology, and wrote up the packet for it. Just 2 more to read! Can't you just feel the enthusiasm! Luckily these ones, Cold Sassy Tree and Night, look interesting. 4 more days!!!

7 More Days

The highlights of my day were 1. getting my hair cut, and 2. seeing a Ferrari on the street, parked at my neighbor's house. For the former, I cut about an inch off and layered it. Exciting, isn't it! Nothing else really interesting happened, but tommorow the packing will probably commence. That's because there's only 7 days until we start our trip. Yeah!

Double Dessert

For lunch, my family met my dad at DQ's, and then had a picnic in the park next to it. My aunt got me a peanut butter cupcake, which was good. Afterward, we went to DQ. I got a dipped vanilla cone, but I didn't eat the cone. I never do. In my opinion, it tastes like paper. I also started a general packing list on Excel today. Soon we'll be using it, for there's only 8 days until the trip!

Change of Plans

Yesterday, we had a change of plans. When my mom, aunt, and uncle went to pick up the Uhaul trailer, it wasn't there. Apparently, the man who had rented it for later in the day had came by and picked it up earlier. So, we got it today. My uncle and brother threw the logs down our hill, then my aunt and I picked them up and put them in the trailer. Luckily, it was only about 70 F outside, but still sunny. My white (of course) shirt that I was wearing got all dirty. Later I decided to make banana cupcakes with some older bananas. We didn't have any butter (well, actually margarine), so we went out to 2 stores, but they didn't have the right kind. Instead of of using butter sticks, I just measured the right amount out of the tub of margarine. I tried to follow a vanilla frosting recipe, only to find out it didn't have vanilla in it. So, I kind of just made up my own recipe and added cinnamon. I haven't eaten them, but they look really good. 9 days left until our trip!

More Work

Yesterday, my family continued to clean out our garage. Even after working for most of the day, and past few days, there is still work to do. We rented the Uhaul trailer today again, to clear out the rest of the logs we forgot last time. Since we have a limited time with the trailer, I had to wake up early. 7:30! Okay, it's not that early, but considering I usually wake up at 9:00, it was for me. There's nothing new on the trip, but we'll probably start packing in a few (5?) days. Just 10 more days!

Celebrating with Fireworks

Happy Fourth of July! My brother set off some 40$ fireworks and we ate hotdogs to celebrate. The fireworks were nice, but nowhere near the usual fanfare of my uncle's yearly show. The vacation out west is preventing us from going on some usual vacations. Instead of our normal 4th of July vacation to my uncle's, my family stayed home with my aunt and uncle to fix up our house. Our neighbors had a huge party; the roads were lined with cars (of course, we weren't invited). We also celebrated my aunt's 50th birthday with my mom's famous white chocolate chiffon cake. It was good. 12 more days!

Donuts and a Proposal

My mom and aunt went out and got donuts today! I haven't had them since October 2008. We also went to see The Proposal in the movie theater. It was laugh out loud funny. They say that 1 minute of real-laugh-out-loud-laughter equals 10 minutes of aerobic exercise. I think I must have "done" at least 30 minutes of exercise, probably more. Just 14 more days!

3 Trees, a Uhaul Trailer, and Lots of Hard Work

CORRECTION: the last blog I posted, I said 12 more days; I really meant 16. Smart. Anyway, we cut down 3 dead trees in our yard today. When I say we, I mean my dad. Then all of us loaded the logs into a Uhaul trailer (I actually mean all of us, this time, even though I helped only briefly). They were then driven off to a farm that compost yard waste. That process was repeated two more times. Sounds fun, doesn't it! Nothing new about the 'Master Trip', as my dad calls it. Just a day of hard work and reading, the former of which, I wasn't much help. For real this time; 15 more days!