MP: Let's see south dakota

Some of the kids went to downtown Deadwood with the dads to see the evening shootout,  but other than that we didn't get much time there. We left early Wed morning and headed east.

Scenes from the Badlands:

Cattle, grass, prairie dogs, cattle, hills, grass, green everywhere,  then - Wheat! Corn! Now we all can nap. ;)

No, of course not! We stopped at the corn palace in Mitchell.  They are doing a major renovation,  so a lot of the building was blocked off, but we still got to see the walls and shop a little. Very neat history!

We planned a steakhouse stop somewhere but it didn't work out in CO or WY. So in the very east corner of SD we stopped at the Tea Steak House in Tea. Will let the captain and others give thoughts on this dining experience.  We stayed in Worthington,  MN which is pretty much all we have to say about MN. (Dad: they've gotten lots of rain and the corn there and in sd is pretty short;  LOTS of rain).

MP: mountain musings

* when captain and I first met, we asked each other if you could pick anywhere to live where would it be; without reading each other's answer, we both said in a cabin on the side of a mountain near Golden CO. No joke.

* Although we both knew a bit about the effects of high altitude,  it was still surprising to us and the kids living at 8400+ feet for several days. Thirsty and constant mild headaches.

* Good beds, great view, good weather,  no wifi as promised because router was taken out by lightening,  and the trip up and down the mountain was about more than we could take after weeks of driving.  It was 14 miles from golden, but took at least half an hour to get to it. 

* we loved Co and still do; we've decided our dream home should further down the mountain though. :)

MP: rock and roll

We decided not to do hiking in arches national park (100 degrees might have influenced us), but are so glad we drove through part of the park. Amazing formations like we had never seen.

Onward through utah to Colorado. We stopped for lunch at Randys diner in Palisade,  a long wait but worth it. As encouraged by MP's parents, we stopped to check out the valley because of advertised "perfect growing weather". We did find the beautiful orchards and produce farms and stopped for a chat.

MP: A little bike ride

 Waiting on our bikes

Not your normal bike path

Don't get too close!

Well worth every bike rental penny

*note on the day: "desperado" is the perfect song to play while passing by the ranch lands of the southwest

Quote of the day: 

Slim Jim: (while stuck in our FIRST - and small - traffic jam) "I really don't want to be stuck behind this truck with all the pipes on the back"

Captain: "But if we need to build something we're set"

And the pictures: day 5

Time for the ears to pop

 Flip flop and me at about 6000 ft elevation

Our volcano

I've been to CA before. I've been to CO. And Texas.  But the part of the country we drove into today was a first for me and did not disappoint.  West Texas and SW New Mexico are fascinating and so unique. Granted, we experienced unusually nice weather in both places (although I really did want to feel the 108 degree to say I did), but we had a great day.

We had talked about Carlsbad caverns for so long that it had become just a spot on the trip map. When we actually saw the mountains and then the cave we realized it was well worth the spot. We chose to walk in the natural entrance even though that was an hour hike going down very steeply.  Very glad we did.

Quote of the day: "Be careful not to cross into the houses!" - Evan, as we were leaving his driveway.