Sunrise in South Dakota
We’ve spent the last week flying across the Midwest in our quest to get to Yellowstone National Park where we’ll stop for three days and really get to enjoy some camping. We’ve made pitstops in Niagara Falls and South Bend, Indiana (home of Notre Dame) and spent one night in a roadside rest stop in South Dakota after a long day and night of driving.
In Niagara Falls, we took the kids on the Maid of the Mist (they were terrified we’d be drowned under the falls but were exhilerated when we all survived – wet and bedraggled but still alive). We also managed to spend a few hours in the carnival atmosphere of Clifton Hill without getting fleeced by all the tourist traps like the Guiness World Records Museum and Ripley’s Believe it or Not. It was entertainment enough to watch the kids faces as they gaped at the flashing neon lights and cheezy attractions. The best was seeing Simon’s face as we passed in front of Frankenstein’s Fright House and Frank started talking to him! We then hiked all the way back to Table Rock to see the spectacle of the Falls lit up at night. For the kids, however, the highlight of our stay in Niagara Falls was the ride on the pedal cars at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Resort. Go figure!
Next it was on to South Bend. After a late start, we decide to forego Cleveland and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in order to make good time. We stopped at a campground in South Bend and visited the campus of Notre Dame the next morning before hitting the road again. What an amazing place, steeped in tradition and history – it was awe-inspiring! We peaked into the huge stadium and took pictures in front of “Touchdown Jesus.” Then it was on to the Badlands. We decided to make this a serious driving day and go as far as we could before stopping.
The kids have been amazing travellers and don’t seem to mind the long hours spent on the road. They’ve invented endless games with their “Snuffies” and other stuffed animals and entertain each other for hours on end. They’ve also been prolific songwriters, inventing their own lyrics to many popular songs (i.e. Margaritaville, Beach Boys, Elvis, etc). We’ve been treated to countless renditions of “The Ants go Marching In” and many original works like “We are the Bunnies.” Surprisingly, they haven’t even mentioned TV and don’t seem any the worse for wear without it. It’s been fun spending a lot more time with them, playing games, reading and talking. The other morning, Alexa said, “Simon, tell Mommy about your dream.” He replied,”Well, let me consplain, I dreamt that I was at school and there was a group of 10 girls. When I walked by they all said “Ooh la la!” So then I went (pumps his eyebrows up and down suggestively and bats his eyelashes coquettishly) and they went (mimes blowing a kiss) and I went (blows a kiss back). Then they all started chasing me! What a nightmare!” Shades of things to come, I’m sure…
So anyway, after we passed Chicago (worst roads thus far – I almost lost a filling!) we decided to keep going until neither one of us was capable of driving anymore. The beauty of travelling in an RV is that you can stop and cook a meal anytime you want and sleep in a real bed when your tired. The kids like it because they can sit in the back (don’t worry, there are seatbelts) and play games, draw and play on the computer. Much nicer than driving a car. After stopping at a rest stop for a BBQ, we pushed on through Wisconsin and Minnesota into South Dakota. Finally, around 2am, we were both too exhausted to drive anymore so we pulled into a large rest stop overlooking the Missouri River to sleep. Nervous about the 3 hour time limit, I woke up aroung 6:30am and peeked out the window to see if any state troopers were there to evict us. The sky was turning a pale shade of pink and purple as the sun was preparing to rise. I nudged Alexa awake and asked her if she wanted to watch the sunrise with me. We climbed the ladder to the roof of the RV and snuggled together against the chilly morning air. While we waited for the sun to make an appearance, we counted the colours in the sky and marvelled as they changed from purple to pink to orange and the world woke up around us. I can’t remember when I’ve spent such a special moment with my daughter – just one of many I hope to enjoy on this adventure.
Tags: Travel
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Interesting post. I came across this blog by accident, but it was a good accident. I have now bookmarked your blog for future use. Best wishes. Sofia Vergara.