Recap Memories

Just after returning home, we sat down and recapped our trip and our "favorites" along the way.  A month later, I am finding the time to type and get it recorded!  The unpacking of the car, returning to life at home and then the start of school and sports has been crazy.

Here are the favs . . .

• Best Restaurant
• Isabelle:  Wilson's in Ephraim, WI
• Brooke:  Wilson's and Marv's in Greencastle, IN
• Bryce:  Yak-Zies in Chicago
• Braden:  Joe Buck's in STL and Marv's
• Becky:  Hot Tomato in Fruita, CO
• Chris:  The Depot in Mitchell, SD

• Best Lake Memory
• Isabelle:  Going tubing with Bryce in crazy water and fishing
• Brooke:  Crazy tubing in the big tube with Hannah and Bryce
• Bryce:  Watersports and the Min-Aqua bats
• Braden:  Wakeboarding, skiing and fishing
• Becky:  Reading, deep water swims and playing Bean Boozled
• Chris:  Thirsty Whale Board Meeting

• Favorite Hotel 
• Isabelle:  America's Best Inn Covered Wagon Motel in Lusk, WY
• Everyone else:  The Golden Nugget, Las Vegas or The Embassy Suites at the Lakefront in Chicago

• Favorite Stop
• Isabelle:  Custer State Part and Parakeet House at Jim Peck's in Minocqua
• Brooke:  Both the Wildlife Center and Jim Peck's in Minocqua
• Bryce:  Vegas and Bryce Canyon
• Braden:  Vegas, St. Louis, Mt. Rushmore
• Becky:  Arches National Park and Denver
• Chris:  St. Louis

• Favorite Thing to Do in Car
• Isabelle:  Color
• Brooke:  Drawing, playing on the Nook and watching movies
• Bryce:  iTouch, chatting with Braden and looking out the window
• Braden:  Electronics and views
• Becky:  Look for restaurants on Yelp and enjoying the Utah views
• Chris:  Driving

• Something you Learned
• Isabelle:  How to put a worm on a hook
• Brooke:  How to ignore my annoying brothers ("GA taught me")
• Bryce:  How to waterski
• Braden:  How to go out of the wake on a wakeboard

• Favorite People that You Met
• Isabelle:  The Wiltgen kids, the Shepherd kids and Grandpa Freddy (The shuttle driver in Council Bluffs, IA)
• Brooke:  The Wiltgens, Uncle Brian and Hannah
• Bryce:  Rory Shepherd and Uncle Brian
• Braden:  The woman at Council Bluffs pool, Hannah and Jackson

• Most Thankful For
• Isabelle:  Being with my family
• Brooke:  Spending time with my family and seeing animals
• Bryce:  Allowed to do fun stuff and learned to waterski so quickly
• Braden:  No one got seriously hurt and was able to see cool things
• Becky:  Reconnecting with friends whom we have not seen in a long time.  Loved having our kids grow relationships!
• Chris:  Returned home safely

• Future Trip Ideas
• Isabelle:  Paris
• Brooke:  Africa
• Bryce:  Australia
• Braden:  San Diego
• Becky:  The Northeast with its rich history
• Chris:  Southeastern US (Carolinas and Virgina)

Vegas Baby!

Guest author- son #1-

In Las Vegas we had a blast. Once we entered into Vegas, us kids went crazy due to us not seeing this amazing place ever before. One of the first things my parents said was to "stay near them and don't pay attention to the freaks of Vegas". Once we got off the freeway we went shopping at the outlets for nice clothes at Polo, Gap, Marciano, and Vans. We stayed there for about 1 hour and a half. Then we went to our hotel called the Golden Nugget. When we pulled up my sister shut her finger on the car door which looked like it really hurt. We went in but our room wasn't ready so we waited for about a hour then we were transferred to a different room which was really nice. 

                      Room layout

          World's largest Gold Nugget

We headed up to our room and were shocked by how nice it was up in the penthouse. We then got our swim suits on and headed down to the pool. We found a chair and headed to the water slide. The line was about 10 minutes long but it was worth it. The slide was an enclosed tube that shot you through a tank full of fish and sharks. The best part was going through the shark tank part and seeing all the sharks and fish swimming around you. The types of sharks were sand tiger, brown, zebra and black-tip reef sharks. Most of the fish were a large silver fish but there were also some other types of fish. 

We then went up to get ready to go to the Strip. We had to take two cabs due to the state law only allowing 5 people in a cab. We decided that one cab would be for boys and the other for girls. Both of the cab drivers were pretty bad, but the boys' cab driver was the worst due to almost hitting somone and talking a route that took an extra 15 minutes. After the ride my dad stated, "This is the worst taxi drive I have ever had in my entire life." We then went to the Bellagio but the fountains weren't working so we went out for dinner. We went to Carmine's in the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace which was really good. They have very big plates so we got a Ceasar salad, chicken parm, and spaghetti with meatballs and sausage. Everyone was really tired after a long day at the pool in the 104 degree heat.

We then went and walked around Caeser's Palace and saw some cool statues of the Greek gods. 

We then went down the street and saw the Mirage volcano but missed the eruption because it was too late.  We saw the pirate ships at Treasure Island but missed the reenactment. 

We then caught a car to go back to our hotel. My brother and sister were so tired so they went to be with my mom but my dad, sister and I went and watched the light show at Fremont Street. The theme was Bon Jovi and a band called the Expendables played. We then went back to the hotel and went to bed. 

Overall Vegas was a great experience for us kids and looked like the parents had fun too. It was a great way to end the road trip. As I would say "Save the best for last" or "last but not least" is VEGAS! 

Bryce Canyon

Guest author-- son #2

When we went to Bryce Canyon I felt like I was on top of the world! We looked at the views of different places. One was called "Bryce Point". My Dad and my brother are scared of heights.  My brother went on Bryce point for a little bit. He had jelly legs. Dad didn't go to Bryce Point at all. I don't blame them-at one part there was no fence to protect you from the 8,300 feet fall. 

The other cool view point was called Natural Bridge. It was an arch in sandstone. 

There was things called hoodoos. The hoodoos were formed by erosion. They are tall spires of stone. The Indian legends said hoodoos were people turned into stone by a trickster coyote. 

Then pioneers came. The reason the canyon was called Bryce Canyon is because a Mormon settler Ebenezer Bryce settled in the area. He said "It is a hell of a place to lose a cow".

Bryce Canyon is a great place for photography thanks to the hoodoos.

I was bummed that we didn't have enough time to hike, but we had a lot of fun. 

And the Beauty Award goes to . . .

Utah!

The landscapes in Utah are amazing!  The colors, ridge lines, random rock features, deep canyons all paint a beautiful picture.  We gaze in amazement and wonder what created the sharp lines and varying colors.

The range of landscapes that we have seen in one day in unbelievable.  Add in the Utah vistas from our trip east (including the salt flats) and Utah has given us some glorious and varying sights!

Arches National Park

Guest author-- Son #1

Arches National Park was full of excitement and amazing views. The park has over 2500 formed or forming arches that are caused for two reasons. One reason is due to snow melting and taking some sediments away with the water. The water is then spilled into the Colorado River then dumped into Baja California. The second reason is due to chemical rain. When rain is forming the rain particles condense to carbon dioxide which cause the rain drops to become heavy so the fall to the ground. When this rain stays on the rocks the water expands in the rock which makes the rock fall off. Also the chemicals in the rain "eat away" the Rock causing the sediment to fall of the rock. This is how the arches are formed, but sadly this is also how they are destroyed. 

When you first arrive I would recommend going to the visitor center and reading about all on how it was formed, what it was like million years ago, looking at what animals live here, and more. Also I would recommend seeing the 15 minute show about the arches- how it looks now and what it is going to look like. Once leaving, fill up on water because you will need a lot of water due to how hot it is. Then, there are many routes that you can take depending on how much time you have and how challenging of a hike you want to take. There are some that take 30 minutes while others take hours. We did 2 hikes one was a viewpoint of Delicate Arch then we went to see the Windows and the Turret Arch. 

To go to Delicate Arch viewpoint, shown above, you have to drive about 15-20 minutes then hike a trail the is mostly uphill for about 20-30 nminutes. From the view point, you can see forever which is very beautiful and you have great views of the arch and all around you. Then you hike down and you can drive to another arch. 

The next one we went to was the North and South Windows. The North Window you can climb into and is really cool while the South Window we went by but didn't go into. Then directly across for the windows is the Turret Arch. The Turret Arch is also allowed to be climbed on and if you climb through it you can see the Double Arch, Balancing Rock and lots of rock formations. I would recommend going to these three arches and the view point of Delicate Arch. 

                         Two windows

                        Turret Arch

One of our favorite rock formations is Balancing Rock. This formation is able to be touched and walked around. This formation is amazing due to how this huge rock is connected by a base that is smaller than the rock by is still very stable. 

Overall this place has amazing things to see and something that looks somewhat like Mars and not at all like what we are used to seeing. 

Red Rocks Ampitheatre

Hubby loves music and attending concerts- so he was thrilled when his brother and family were moving close to Morrison, CO and Red Rocks Ampitheatre.  Red Rocks is the iconic venue where many greats have performed, recorded music and enjoyed the natural acoustics.  (Unfortunately the artists performing during our stay (Idina Menzel and Diana Krall) were not of interest-- but we WILL return!!)

Our sister-in-law just moved to the Denver area three weeks ago, yet has had a revolving door of visitors.  She has quickly learned the local tourist attractions, kid friendly entertainment and also the basic needs that their family needs as they settle in.  We were the third group she had taken to Red Rocks, so she has perfected which is the best route to take with young kids.

We started our hike reading the instructions regarding rattlesnake and mountain lion encounters.  Once we all had mastered the "raise your arms, make noise and don't turn your back" routine, we set out on our path.  Not 10 minutes into the hike, the kids were excitedly screaming as a 4 foot bull snake slithered across the path.  Thankfully it was not a rattler!

The hike challenged our bodies as we had not adjusted to exercising in the altitude.  We enjoyed majestic views as the large red rocks jutted to the sky.

Shade beckoned us to take a break.  The kids took shaded shelter as they climbed into little caves along the side of one of the enormous rocks.

Our hike ended at the gift shop.  Tucked into a side room, there was a tribute to "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" John Denver.  Childhood memories are filled with listening to my mom's fav John Denver records- singing and dancing around the house.  The display honoring him was nostalgic and interesting.  We all loved the bedazzled denim outfit!

From there we went to the Ampitheatre.  Diana Krall's roadies were setting up the stage behind a large net curtain.  Exercise buffs ran up and down the rows of seats and did push-ups.  Tourists mingled and admired the stage and views.

We proceeded to the cool air-conditioned museum.  The walls were lined with the lists of who had performed over the years.  It's amazing how the number of performances per year has grown since 1941 when it opened. The variety of musical genres is expansive- the Greatful Dead to the Denver Symphony to Metallica to Blues Traveler to the latest DJ mixing dance music.  Easter Sunrise services sound amazing!  Each year they also have movie nights- the evening starts with a local band and is followed by the showing of a movie.  So cool!

Unfortunately I cannot justify returning the beginning of September to see my favorite- Tim McGraw- perform.  However, we will be all over the 2016 schedule and will plan at least one visit to see the family and a concert at Red Rocks!

Joke

What did the fish say when he ran into a wall?

Dam!!!

This is the kind of humor that keeps our back seats rolling in laughter.  Trying to keep it at silly humor and not potty talk.

What did Sushi A say to Sushi B?

Whass ahh B!

We are almost 7700 miles into the trip and the kids have become slap happy.  The countdown to returning home and school starting is on!!

Great Platte River Road Archway Monument

In Kearney, Nebraska, the Great Platte River Road Archway Museum straddles I-80.  

As you enter the museum, a friendly gentleman dressed as a settler greets you and gives you the lay of the land. He stays in character and engages the kids. The kids looked at him like "are you for real?"- and he continued to play along.

After purchasing our tickets, we donned audio tour headphones and proceeded up the escalator into the museum that crosses up and over the interstate.

The audio tour walks you through different displays that educate about pioneering life and the many trails that passed through Kearney, the Gold Rush, and continues with the westward expansion of the highway system starting with the Lincoln Highway (1912) and continuing with the Interstates (1956).  Many of the murals were painted by the same artists that designed Disney World.

The museum is well laid out, extremely clean and engaged everyone in our family.  As we head back towards home, I especially appreciated the Lincoln Highway section of the museum that discussed encouraging Americans to see their country by driving and exploring.  It was the growth of the Highway that helped develop towns, motels and fostered camaraderie amongst tourists.  This has been our life for the past 7 weeks!!!

On our Summer to Remember 2015 adventure, we have met so many kind and interesting people along the way.  If we had simply flown to Chicago to spend the summer with extended family, we would not have seen our Nation in the complete sense- the varying landscapes, beautiful sights, historic landmarks, and meeting people from different backgrounds. 

As a side note- Kearney is also the site of the great sand hill crane migration.  An estimated 500,000 cranes descend upon Kearney in March.  It is supposedly an amazing sight to see.

Iowa 80

The World's Largest Truck Stop is in Walcott, Iowa- at exit 284 on Highway 80.  Outside, there is 900 parking spots for big rig trucks.  Inside, it is one stop shopping for toys, jewelry, clothing, DVD's, books, a Super Truck Showroom for truck supplies (new lights, grill guards, and many accessories to accent one's truck), a few restaurants, convenience store and a full array of Minnetonka moccasins.

The kids especially liked climbing into the cab of a truck that was on a rotating section of floor.  So many switches to touch!  A comfy bed and fridge in the back!  In the Showroom, there were 2 cabs and a full sized truck and trailer.

The truck stop also houses a chiropractor, movie theater, dentist, barber shop, pet wash and game room. 

A must stop to stretch your legs and check it out as you drive on I-80 through Iowa!

Go Cubs Go!

America's Favorite Pasttime.  A significant piece of our family's history.   Baseball- specifically Cubs baseball.  It only seemed fitting that our family favorite (the Cubs) would be playing our new hometown team (the Giants) during our visit to Chicago!  ⚾️

Twenty-one years ago, hubby and I met at a bar-restaurant in Wrigleyville as we watched a Bulls playoff game with mutual friends.  Choosing a place for a pre-game meal was easy-- Yak-Zies!  Tasty wings, a thin parsley crust pizza and a cold beer= perfect start to the game.

After lunch, it was time to scoot across the street to the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field.  We wanted to arrive early as it was the coveted "floppy hat" giveaway day.  

Our seats were amazing!  We were 8 rows up from the Giants' dugout along the first base line.  We arrived in time for batting practice and warmups.  The kids were excited to see the players close up. Five of the six of us were sporting Cubs attire-- child #2 was proud to wear his Giants orange.

The day was a hot, sunny Chicago day and our seats were directly in the sun.  We laughed that we were sweating out all of the toxins from the 7 weeks of travel so far . . .

Taking kids to a game is similar to taking them to a candy store.  As the vendors walk the aisles tempting them with tasty treats they want a bit of everything- pretzels, lemonade ice, red rope licorice, water, peanuts and this was after a belly-filling lunch.

We were pleased to witness a Cubs' win (and eventual 4 game homestand sweep).  

During our weekend stay- we also exposed our kids to a street fair (where son #2 sang "Pour Some Sugar On Me" into the microphone with the band "Hairbangers Ball" and child #4 pound her fists in the air in tempo to "Shout At The Devil"- the kids' uncle was proud!), drove them past our former homes in Chicago, walked Michigan Ave, ate comfort food at Twin Anchors and Rosebud, spent time with their 3 year old twin cousins and hopefully gave them a true taste of what Chicago city life is like. At least one of them has said that they would like to live there as a young adult.  We will see . . .

Shedd Aquarium

A favorite place for son #1 and I from our days living in Chicago was the Shedd Aquarium.  We had a family membership back in 2003 and would often visit to check out our aquatic "friends".  He and I were excited to return and to share with the siblings that had never visited.

We all had our favorites at the Shedd.  The overall fav was the beluga whales and the aquatic show featuring them. The message of the show is heartwarming and important- take care of our Earth and of each other.  The kids laughed at me as the tears fell down my cheeks.  Thanks kids for laughing at my sentimental side . . .

 

Child #4 loved the penguins and the "Polar Play Zone" where she dressed up like a penguin and slid down a slide on her belly.

Son #1 (who last year completed Sex Ed in Middle School) couldn't contain himself as his siblings asked "What are those 2 tortoises doing?"

Other favorites included seeing:

Largest fish in Amazon-- arapaima.  It can grow up to 14.75 feet and 440lb!

A blue lobster

Seahorses

Midas Cichlid

The Shedd was as we remembered and we hope to visit again on future trips to Chicago!