The Badlands

The actual jail in Interior, South Dakota just outside the Badlands. Population: 71

Plains that stretch out forever.

Brothers at the Badlands.

The beautiful Badlands as far as the eye can see.

Eli waking up in the tent at the Badlands. He was very sweaty. The tent got hot in the morning.

I'm backing up a bit now since I had very little internet for the last week or so. We were in the Badlands around July 27th, which at this point, feels like about a thousand years ago. We have covered a lot of territory since then, but for now I will just say that I didn't remember the Badlands being as stunning and beautiful twenty years ago as I did on this trip. I loved the absolute abundance of these stony mountainous shapes stretching out in every direction with colorful plains in certain parts dotted with prairie dogs popping out from nowhere.

We all loved our campsite at the Badlands. We had wind, rain, and hot sun in the short time we were there. We devised a makeshift shield for our rainy windy picnic table using a plastic tarp and bungie cord. I held the tent in place will all my strength to keep it from blowing away while the rest of the family was climbing mini mountains. And we all woke up sweating in the morning from still having sweat shirts on after a cool night.

If you ever go to the Badlands, make sure you take the scenic drive all the way through them. Twenty years ago we neglected to do that, and so, did not get the full awesome experience of having our minds blown in the way we got to this time. As we drove through all we could say was "Whoa!" and "Wow!" No other words would really do.

West Yellowstone, Montana

We're in a parking lot of the Best Western in West Yellowstone, Montana, after the most amazing few days in Wyoming.

So much to say, so little internet.

More posts to come as soon as we have internet access beyond sporadic level.

Mitchell, South Dakota, Home of the Corn Palace

The gorgeous view outside the car window for miles and miles. It was like this on all sides. Can you see how big the sky is? That iPhone takes great pictures!

Gas station in Mitchell, South Dakota

Windmill on Route 90 in South Dakota

When Joshua and I took our cross country trip twenty years ago, we stopped in the place where we are right now, which is Mitchell, South Dakota, home of the Corn Palace (http://www.cornpalace.com/index.php). When we passed through two decades ago, we got a Corn Palace pen that I loved and used for years and years until it finally ran out of ink. It had a little liquid chamber where a corn cob would move up and down if you tilted the pen. I am happy to report that I was able to pick up another one, although I was a bit dismayed at the $4.99 price tag for one crappy pen! I hope this one lasts as long as the other one did. Instead of corn it has a moving bird.

Today we drove four hours from Makato to Mitchell. It was a beautiful drive full of miles and miles of corn fields, lots of windmills, slightly pink highway roads and the biggest sky you can imagine. As we drove, Joshua put on great music to accompany the ride (Bob Dylan, Greg Brown, Johnny Cash, and Neil Young). The music made me feel like something profound was happening, even though I wasn't sure what it was. I was amazed to be driving through a place that is still America and yet so incredibly different from Vermont, or Ohio, or Maryland, for example. I tried very hard to imagine what it might be like to live in South Dakota, and honestly, just couldn't do it.

Mitchell itself is kind of a sad and depressing town. Besides the Corn Palace, which isn't all that exciting, there really isn't much going on here, especially on a Sunday. We are at a hotel and were able to enjoy some time at the pool after a day of scorching sun. The rest of the week will be spent heading towards Bellingham, Washington and we will be camping the whole time. We are enjoying a last taste of showers and flushing toilets and tv movies before embarking on lots of nature. Next stop is the Badlands.....

Thank you all for your nice comments. Glad to have you on the journey with us. xo

Mankato

Fiona and Eli asleep in Mankato, Minnesota.

Visiting with Andrew and Catherine at a wonderful breakfast place in Madison.

Last night stayed in St. Paul with some very new, very generous friends who let us stay in their apartment after only knowing us for a few hours and they even let us stay there after they had to leave the state for their daughter's wedding the next morning. We were nourished by their hospitality and thrilled by having such a colorful and comfortable place to stay. Although traveling is so much fun and on this particular journey, quite the adventure, it is tiring! So many constant new experiences for all. Being taken care of by other kind souls is so nourishing.

Several of us got a bit too hungry this morning, so we made some toast to tide us over. We went to visit some friends from Japan that we hadn't seen since our last cross country trip twenty years ago. We chatted with them for a long time while Eli ran around the yard alternating with Isaac and Fiona as playmates.

I am noticing that I am inclined to write a lot about food. I guess it is because feeding everyone is such an accomplishment on the road--especially the almost seven year old! The eating in and of itself is such an adventure. For dinner tonight we went to a noodle restaurant. They served all styles of noodle: Asian, Italian and American. It was a simple solution. Too bad the seven year old isn't fond of pasta. I thought all kids liked pasta. Hm.

After stocking up at the last Whole Foods we will see for several large states, we drove to Mankato, Minnesota, where we are now, in a Days Inn getting ready to head into South Dakota tomorrow.

Here is a little request. If you are reading this blog, leave a little note or hello if you would. It is so nice to feel you all with us on this journey, and we love hearing from all of you!

Madison to Minnesota

Cora and Bird in Madison, Wisconsin

Joshua and Eli at Lake Michigan.

Isaac checking out our new tent.

Joshua in front of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music

After several excellent days in Oberlin we drove to Sturgis, Michigan for our first night of camping. On the way we made a stop in Ann Arbor, Michigan where we visited with an old friend of Joshua's from Oberlin that he hadn't seen in over 20 years. Susan and Rob and their two boys greeted us with a wonderful lunch outdoor lunch of homemade pizza and blueberry cobbler. We all had a delightful visit. Once Eli settled in to feeling comfortable, he even played some football with the boys.

After that we drove to the Warren Dunes State Park on recommendation of the Ritchey family. We learned that it is important to arrive at the campgrounds with plenty of time to set up camp, make food, clean up food, and do so all before the mosquitoes arrive. Unfortunately, we learned this the hard way, by arriving late and hooking up with the mosquitoes just as we were sitting down to eat.

It was a bit of a rough first night of camping, but when we woke up and put away the tent and all of our things, we drove over to the dunes, which were just beautiful and right next to Lake Michigan. It made the rough night worth it. We wished we could have stayed at the Lake all day, but we had a lot of driving to do and stayed only a little while.

After that we had a long driving day from Sturgis to Madison, Wisconsin. We arrived in time for dinner at the home of our friends, Bird and Tom. We had known these lovely people from Japan and hadn't seen them in sixteen years, when our oldest children were newborn babies. It was great to reconnect and also meet their other two children, whom we had only seen pictures of before. We loved staying with this great family in their beautiful home right on one of the two lakes of Madison. They were all so warm and generous.

While in Madison I got to visit with my childhood friend, Kira, whom I hadn't seen since high school. Kira made us a delicious feast for lunch. It is amazing to visit with people who you know from early on in your life and then see them so many years later. What a thrill to meet her beautiful family and hear about her life for all those years that I missed.

Isaac and Joshua took a tour of the University with Emmett and Tom. Apparently it was quite different from the Oberlin tour. No surprise there, given that the University of Wisconsin is ten times bigger than Oberlin, among other huge differences. I am so glad that Isaac is getting this chance to check out different schools and see what the college thing is all about. It will be fun to show him schools when they are in session in September.

This morning we had breakfast in Madison with our friend Andrew (that we know from Oberlin) and his wife and twin boys. We ate a great breakfast place called Lazy Jane's Cafe. Again it was so great to connect with old friends. Catherine took us to her house and around the neighborhood. Madison is so sweet! What a lovely place. We are looking forward to going back there.

The rest of the day involved driving to St. Paul, Minnesota where we are currently. More to say about that next time. Time to get to bed. I am exhausted.

Being in Oberlin

The Honda Odyssey pulling away to start the odyssey.

Here we are in the driveway in Wendell about to set off on our journey.

We've had a lovely several days staying with our wonderful friend, Rebecca, in Oberlin. It has been just great showing the kids where we met, where we were married and where we started to find out so much about ourselves and our place in the world.

There have been many improvements made to this great school in twenty years. Hard to get my brain around the fact that I graduated twenty years ago. That is just weird. We took a tour with a student intern from the admissions office. Going around campus with her and walking into many of the buildings brought back so many memories. I remembered how much fun I had going here and what a deeply rich experience it was. Sending me here for college was one of the greatest gifts my parents gave me. I'm feeling really appreciative of that. I'm glad we'll get to pass through here again in September.

We're still figuring out how we do this whole traveling thing--which bags to bring in which situations, the food, the sleeping arrangements. I love our little family and the way we all look out for each other. We're working it all out one little piece at a time.

Awesome Eli

Eli in Wendell, before we left for our trip. He's just so cool, I had to post this picture.