What a long Strange trip it's been...

Well the long post 8th grade graduation trip that turned into post 9th grade starting mni vacation has reached it's end.

Monday we got up and headed to the airport around 4:30 AM. Landed in Denver around 8:15 AM. Got the car, went to the hotel and checked in.

From there we added some education to the trip by going to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Nice museum, we saw every exhibit and ended up spending the day there.

Listening to the weather forcast for the evening we realized we were not going to be warm enough. We headed to an REI store for some hats and extra layers. Apparently we stepped into the REI flagship store. Huge, 3 floors, very cool.

It was a good call as it dipped below 40 at concert time. Got to remember this is outside and in the mountains.

Us in our seats, and the stage view from our seats. 28th row. Although I have to say there is not a bad seat in this place. It is a really cool venue; large wide isles, no blocked views, lots of good vendors (Beer,food). To get an idea of how wide the seating is spread out, they had beer vendors walking through them during the show.

The show rocked and the whole experience was great. Memories Joel and I will have for ever. It's very important to hold onto and cherish those good times with loved ones.

Trip Part II

Today is Saturday September 6th, We are going back to Denver on Monday to see this concert that we were denied this summer. I must be crazy, stupid....interject whatever you will.

It will be fun, that's all that matters. Except our flight leaves at 6:15 AM.

More to follow.

Crazy

Ok I am certifiable. I bought airline tickets for Joel and I to see this concert where it was supposed to be seen. Once and for all. So this blog will live on.

Go see more pictures at Turksville.net

Home

We got home on Thursday at around 5:40 PM. Not too bad considering our later than normal start. I had to let Joel sleep a little bit. It's good to be home. Some interesting facts:

591 pictures taken
14,100 Highest elevation reached.
28 miles biked
8500 highest elevation reached by bike.
2853 Total miles total driven
95 gallons of gas at an average price of $4.04
0 concerts attended (yea, I'm still bitter)
7 different states drove through
41 Different state licences seen
523 Different songs played off the iPod

I will be picking through the pictures and attaching tracks to them in the next few days for hopefully some interesting looks into our trip.

Final Day

We got into Sioux Falls and the hotel around 11:50 PM Wednesday night. Made for a long day. Tomorrow is more of the same

Storm

You know I have not said too much about the weather on this trip. For the most part it is beautiful. Sunny every day high temps are a bit high (95 on Wednesday) but really great overall. Until we began our final leg of the trip. Leaving the Badlands and getting to Sioux Falls for the night. We drove into some of the darkest clouds I have seen. When we did catch up to it, the rain was intense, the hail sounded like it was going to come through the glass and the winds were buffeting the car. Many people pulled over on I-90 to wait it out. Bahhh. This picture is as we drive into it....

Badlands ohh and Wall Drug

After our lengthy bike ride in Custer state park, we kept trekking east for home. Not without a drive through the Badlands National Park. I almost forgot our quick stop in Wall Drug (Drug store in Wall, SD made famous for free ice water to travelers all the way back to the 30's)



Its now nothing more than a cafe and small western mall for tourists. Never the less it required a stop. The 2 billboards per mile on the way to Wall, announcing it's greatness would have you to believe it is the end all.








The Badlands on the other hand is quite spectacular. Hard to describe this formation that seems to materialize out of know where. Gorgeous and eerie at the same time.

Biking Adventures

Let me tell you, Custer State Park is a big park. We chose this 15 mile loop. All the other trails were out an back.

The Good: The weather was nice, not tooo hot sometimes overcast.

The Bad: Many elevation changes

The Ugly: The awful trail markings. (15 mile trip went longer and not even on the trail as mapped)

Some spectacular scenery, lots of climbs (and descents) and the trail markings for this loop were horrendous. You know you're in trouble when three people who work at the park, tell you "hmm, I think you go this way and this is the first time we were asked this" Well do you think you should look at your own maps that indicate these trails exist?

Anyway, based on the GPS track we did not follow the trail as it was marked, er drawn on a map. Lord knows we tried, got 2 miles into the 'right trail' only to have it dead end into a large pile of cut trees. We back track and continue. Nearing the end of our ride, which is getting very long, I took me helmet off to cool off. Joel goes on without me and I have to waste more time to find the helmet clip that just fell off. (never found it). I look up an Joel is coming back up towards me.

"We have to go another way".

I asked "Buffalo?"
"yep", he replies.

"How many?"

"One, large one"

"In our way or off the side?"

"Basically on the trail"

"Oh."

Not giving up so late in the game,we picked up our bikes hiked them up and around the Bison, through some woods. All good.

Action Packed

Today is full of activities.

We picked the 15+ mile loop to ride in Custer State Park.
We then go to the Badlands National Park.
Finally a 300 mile drive to Sioux City.

Mt Rushmore

Did the 400+ miles in about 6 hours. Very cool change of scenery, WY has lots of mesas and SD has the Black Hills.

Off to Mt Rushmore. Last time I was here was 1990. 18 years later I can say that they have improved the facilities quite a bit. The mountain hasn't changed :P

We then went to Crazy Horse. Last time there was also 1990. They are celebrating the 60th year anniversary of the place this year. The face is done. Still a looong way to go.

A nice ride through the Black Hills on the way home.

A ton more pictures to upload and go through when we get back.

Tomorrow is a full day, Custer State park for some more biking, then the Badlands park and then Wall Drug. Yea, Wall drug, can't wait.