Mom, July 15

Day 9:  Ontario OR to Home.  For our route - we took Hwy 20 west out of Ontario, then at Riley we took Hwy 395 south until it intersected County road 5-14 and headed west through Christmas Valley.  We had to jog around a little on County road 5-10 until we hit Hwy 31 N, which met up with Hwy 97 S.  After that, the Crescent cut-off to Hwy 58 and home. 

 

Yes, we are home - finally.  And in quite a few ways, I'm going to miss being on the road.    It was lovely to sleep in my own bed last night though - I won't miss hotel beds!  I will miss the ice cream every day, but I think I need to be getting more exercise before I start that again - I gained 10 pounds over this vacation.   :)    Over all, a great trip, and it has given us lots of places to want to visit for longer.

  

So, the stats:

Van, fully loaded....5500 pounds

Miles driven....7,141

Tanks of gas...23

Average mileage....19.3 mpg

Evan, July 15

Last night we got to a Sleep Inn very tired, but we ate dinner at the Winger’s next door.  And then we swam in a pool inside the Sleep Inn.  And we swam for like 45 minutes.  When we got back, Mom tried to take a picture of us while we were changing, and we hid by the door - if someone tried to open the door we would be not very happy.  

Today the most interesting thing is that we’re almost home.  It's like, I think, 34 miles by now to home.  And we crossed the desert today - very hilly.  We went through a different part of it before but this part looks a lot like the same.  We saw a whole lot of mountains, and a whole bunch of really big rocks - about as long as the mountains. 

The whole trip was really really really really really fun.  I want to do it again next year.  I’m done.

Emily, July 15

Last night we stayed in Oregon.  And swam in the pool.  And when we came back Mom tried to take a picture of us naked, but all she got was a picture of Dad.  And we were all trying to hide by the door.  It was funny.  

Today we got up and I was the last one to get up and then we we drove for a really long time and then I played on the Gameboy and I had to pass it back to Allison so she could play on  the Gameboy and then I got another turn on the Gameboy.  And then we stopped and we had a bathroom break.  I saw a Dairy Queen, actually I saw two.  And I saw the snow mountains, and cows and horses and a whole bunch of trees.  And a rock jumped up on our window.  I thought it was a balloon popping.  It made a giant mark.  And we’re almost home, and I’m excited - I don’t know why, I just am.  And that’s all.

Mom, July 14

Day 8:  Kalispell MT to Ontario OR.  OREGON!  Whee!  No more pumping gas, sales tax, and at least I'm used to the ways people drive like idiots here.  :)  So this morning, we left Kalispell and it's lovely little historic hotel and drove south on Hwy 93 around Flathead Lake (which is beautiful) and then along the Mission Mountains (which are amazing too).  At Missoula, we took off on Hwy 12 over the Lolo pass.  I used to work at the Selway Ranger Station, about three miles off the highway, and it brought back quite a few memories.  We didn't head up to the Ranger Station, but kept going and turned at Kooskia onto Hwy 95 all the way to Ontario.  Tomorrow (hopefully) = Home.

Evan July 14

The most interesting thing today was that it was 102 degrees in Idaho when we were there.  It was so hot!  Especially with a black shirt on.  Today we went over Lolo Pass and it was a very twisty road and Mom used to work near there.  We would saw very big rocks in a rapids on a river near the highway.  I really wanna go rafting when we go home.  I don’t want to think about it...then I’ll want to do it more!  Tomorrow there is a 99% chance we’ll get home.  Unless we get 4 flats and we only got one spare.  We were in three states today...Montana, Idaho and Oregon.  That’s enough for today.

Emily, July 14

Today we woke up and got packed up and ate breakfast at the hotel.  I got blueberry yogurt but I didn’t like it.  It just didn’t taste right.  We drove for a really long time.  I played the game-boy once.  I tried to do crow’s feet but it didn’t work.  We went over Lolo Pass and it was fun because we got to stop at rivers.  We threw sticks in the river.  It was a twisty ride but I didn’t get carsick. We are in Oregon and it’s great because we are almost home!  

Mom, July 13

Day 7:  Havre MT to Kalispell MT.  Not so much distance, and we stopped early since the next town's dog-friendly hotel was booked up.  Glacier was beautiful, but a fire had run through since the last time I was here, and there were a lot more people.  Yellowstone seemed much less crowded.  It made me a little sad, since I wanted Randy to like it, and he didn't enjoy the crowds either.  And the moose was gone by the time Randy could get there.  :(    (BTW - that photo with Evan's entry is zoomed in 125% or something.)  At any rate, we've got a lovely little hotel room and I'm going to catch up on some Zs.  With any luck, tomorrow = OREGON!

Evan July 13

Yesterday, the most interesting thing was the wind.  It was really strong and it blew me back, and when my back was to the wind since I’ve been sitting in the car I ran really slow but the wind made me go really fast and I almost fell over.  We saw lots of rolling
hills in North Dakota and the grass was like a green ocean because of the wind.  Because it was swaying and the waves were all moving around.  The day was long and slow because it looked like the car was going really slow because the hills were all the same.  And it was long because we drove 650 miles.  

The eagle was at our hotel. She was going to some eagle thing and was staying the night with her people.  Cool!  The people were nice - we talked to them at the pool later.  

This morning I woke up, and had a waffle - it was good.  The most interesting thing today was the weeping wall in Glacier National Park.  Because it was a long like wall that was made out of rocks, and it was not man-made.  And it had a whole bunch of little waterfalls that sprayed our car (and me.)  And today we saw a moose, well mom saw a moose.   Because there was a whole bunch of cars parked so that we couldn’t go through and so dad told mom to go and see what it was.    

Emily, July 13

Today we had breakfast and I had cereal.  And then we drove for a really long time and then we got into Glacier.  We saw snow, burnt trees, and the Rocky Mountains.  Someone made a little snowman in the snow.  We saw flowers and really pretty views like the picture.  But I liked Yellowstone better.  Then we drove for a long time and we kept on calling hotels because we couldn't find one.  And then we finally found one.  And then we went into our room and put everything in there and then we went to dinner and then we went to a park.  And there was a bunch of mosquitos.  And then we went back to our room, and then I had to do my blog.  And.  

That's.  All.

Mom, July 12

Day 6:  Crookson, MN to Havre, MT.  A long day, somewhere around 650 miles on Hwy 2.  This morning there was an incredible headwind that probably killed our mileage.  I mean really incredible - we got out of the car to get gas and felt like we would be blown away (think Crown Point strong).  And not gusty, but pretty consistent.  The kids have been doing great, but are obviously tired.  We put on the DVD player today.  I saw a coyote in a field today too.  Evan will explain the eagle tomorrow, I think.  I am tired too, and have laundry to fold.  More interesting tomorrow, I hope - we're going to Glacier NP. 

Evan, July 12

I’m not blogging tonight because I’m really tired.  And I’ll do it tomorrow morning.  

Emily, July 12

Today I smelled one skunk and it was really disgusting.  It was only the second skunk I smelled on the whole trip.  And I watched Meet the Robinsons and Toy Story 2.  They were funny.  And I got a bubble gum ice cream and it had real bubble gum in it.  And we stopped at two hotels to see if they weren’t full, but they were all booked up.  And we went to a gas station and it was really windy.  And me and Allison wanted to stay in the car.  And we didn’t get to stay in the car because we had to go to the bathroom, and Evan had to go really bad and someone was already in the bathroom.  We saw like a million trains today.  And one was an Amtrak train.  And that’s all.

Mom, July 11

Day 5:  Munising, MI to Crookston, MN.  The hotel last night had, of all things, a waterslide.  We ate at a Australian-themed restaurant (with local food - Randy had a pasty) and then the kids closed the pool down.  A highlight for them.  I have decided that we could just eat out and stay in a hotel with a pool in Eugene, and the kids would have just as much, if not more, fun.  It's more than a little annoying when we have to remind them about say, Niagara Falls at the end of the day that we saw them.  Anyhoo, we stayed on Hwy 2 today and although we missed most of the major thunderstorm we still got to see a lot of lightning, tons of rain and wind, and were warned on the radio of a tornado.  Exciting stuff!  We did a lot of driving today, and not much scenic stopping.  We did meet a traveling bald eagle at the hotel this evening though.  

Evan, July 11

Last night the pool was fun - the first thing I did (Allison dared me to) was go on the slide.  And I did.  I sat up at first but then it got boring and so then I went laying down and then that got boring, and then I went backwards on my tummy.  And that wasn’t boring.  I kept on getting jerked around.  And then we had to leave because it closed.  This morning we woke up, and when I woke up the TV was on the weather.  And it said we might have a T-storm.  Dad turned the TV off and we went to breakfast.  I had waffles - they were good.  Especially the syrup, and the donughts and the poppyseed muffin and the orange juice.  

And then we left for uh, I don’t know where.  We went for awhile until we came to Lake Superior and then I put my feet in - it was super cold!  When we stopped for lunch we jumped around and chased butterflies.  I caught two at the same time, and I kept on catching them again, until we had to jump in the car.  Then we went to the gas station.  Then we got some gas and I washed five windows.  When we were doing that mom asked for where the nearest PetCo is.  Then we went to another place and we asked them where the PetCo was and they gave us better directions and so went there and got Willy some puppy food and then we looked at all the animals in the PetCo.  It was fun.  And then we left.  We drove to an ice cream shop in the middle of nowhere and got ice cream.  It was fun.  Then we left the ice cream place.  For some reason Emily ate all her ice cream first.  Then we saw a whole bunch of lightning and the news reporter kept on announcing about a thunderstorm that we weren’t even going to go through that was very severe with hail the size of a quarter.  But we didn’t even see that. 

Emily, July 11

We drove for a really long time and it was boring.  And then I don’t know what the heck we did ‘cause I kinda forgot.  Oh!  We put our foot in Lake Superior.  And we went to PetCo to get Willy some dog food.  And we got a rawhide and he ate the whole thing.  And then we went to the ice cream shop.  And Me and Evan got cookie dough, and Allison got licorice, and Mom and Dad - I don’t know what they got.  And then we went to a gas station - I don’t know why.  And that’s all.  And we drove for a really long time.  

Mom, July 10

So, as the kids have noted, we're back on the road.  Once again, I'll try to summarize so that maybe the kids' posts will make sense.  So, the return trip:

Day 1:  We left Monday from Massachusetts at around 9 am or so.   Took I-93 north to Bow (just short of Concord, NH) and visited our friends there.  (Thanks for lunch!)  Then on some smaller roads west through NewHampshire and Vermont.  We stopped for the night in Middlebury VT, which seemed like a lovely little town, although the insects were ferocious.  And for the record, we all said goodbye, just the night before we left.  I was even up at 5:30 or something and said goodbye to Grandpa Ernie in the morning, although I'm sure I was a little bleary, and I went back to sleep right afterwards.  The movie Emily mentioned was Goonies.

Day 2:  Middlebury, VT to Niagara Falls, Ontario.  From Middlebury we went to Fort Ticonderoga, NY, taking a small ferry across the skinny bottom part of Lake Champlain.  The fort was pretty interesting, with lots of history about the English vs. the French, but not a lot about it's role in the Revolutionary War.  From there we took Hwys 8 and 104 across the state to the border.  Crossing was easier than we were led to believe.  We found a hotel and walked down to see the falls all lit up.  I must say that I never expected so much glitz at the falls.  It was a late night, and so the kids didn't blog.  And I must say that the Skylon Tower advertisements were really annoying.  (Worse than me reading all the Wall Drug signs!)

Day 3:  Niagara Falls, ONT to Tobermory, ONT.  We walked down in the morning to see Niagara Falls again, and decided to try the "Maid of the Mist" boat ride.  Randy stayed behind with Willy - NO DOGS ALLOWED.  He would have hated it anyway - we got absolutely soaked, and I think the poor dog's greatest fear is sprinklers.  The boat ride was really, really fun - the only thing that might have made it better was a temperature greater than 70 degrees.  We did dry pretty quickly though.   Willy's highlight was being part of a group photo with some German tourists.  I was waiting for Randy and the kids to get back from the bathroom and watching this group of four taking pictures of each other (three at a time).  I offered to take one of all of them, and they wanted to hold Willy's leash to keep him out of trouble.  So he got to be in their picture.  I'm sure it will make for an interesting story for them.  "Wer ist der hund?"  

Anyways, we left Niagara Falls at around 11:30 or so and headed north to St. Catharine where we were going to get our oil changed (every 4ooo miles!)  We met lots of very friendly and helpful folks there, first just trying to find the VW dealer, and then, after they were too busy to do the work, going to a different repair shop and getting it done there, not to mention the kid in the park that I thought we might end up just taking with us.  So the VW repair manager recommended a ferry that ran across Lake Huron - even printed up a schedule and fees sheet off the internet.  So, we changed our plans and headed northwest to Tobermory, where we stayed the night. 

Day 4:  Tobermory, ONT to Munising, MI.  Got up very early in the morning to catch the first ferry out of town.  This one was a lot bigger than the last!  The ride was very nice, even though we had to stay on deck with Willy.  It was a little chilly, but we had chairs in the sun and were comfortable.  Allison's fleece jacket is lost somewhere - you folks in MA, keep an eye out for it!  After we got off the ferry, we pretty much just drove through Ontario on Hwy 17.  Very beautiful.  Still no moose sightings.  Crossed the border at Sault Ste. Marie (thanks, Susan for helping me pronounce that right!) and were randomly selected for a search.  They only spent about 10 minutes at it.  Randy said they looked under the hood.  ?!  There's barely room for an engine in there!  Emily was worried that they might have seen her undies.  I made up the rest.  :)  The weather turned nasty somewhere in Ontario, and is drying out now.  We didn't see much of the UP through it.  Maybe more sun tomorrow? 

To explain kids stuff:  The chsssh sound was the doors on the ferry to the automobile section - You pushed a button and then they un-airlocked or something.  Evan was very chatty today, and Emily was grumpy - I don't know why.  She slept on the floor because they've decided that three in a bed is too many.  Tonight Allison is on the floor.  

Evan, July 10

Today we woke up at like 6:30 in the morning to get on a boat that carries cars to a little Island.  We started at Tobermory and went to South Baymouth across Lake Huron (or so mom and dad think they remember).  The boat had this capsule thing that went chsssh every time it opened.  It was really cool.  The boat was really big and I went to the gift shop that had some nail clippers that I really wanted but Mom didn’t have any money and I didn’t know that Dad had some money so I didn’t buy it.  And I have two bug bites on my thumbs that really itch.  Then we got off the boat and I felt really wobbly - I thought I would fall over.  And we got off and Dad took a picture of Mom driving off the boat.  And then we went to this place where they just turned on the games and we played them free.  Then Mom, Allison, Emily and Dad played a Rocky and Bullwinkle one and it was pinball.  And then we went to a gift shop but didn’t buy anything but a bunch of postcards and I think we filled out all of them.  And then we just kept on driving until Dad found a coffee shop and he got some coffee and me alllison and emily ran into the bathroom and I shut the door and it was really crowded in there, and then we walked along the dock and saw a whole bunch of cool boats - one of them was a police boat.  And then we walked back to the car and then we got in and started driving again.  And then we drove until lunch, at a Dixie Lee’s, I think.  We got chicken subs and I think a Ruffles.  And they were really cheesy and thick cut.  And we got Lays and they were dill pickle flavored.  And me and Allison got small cans of Sprite and Mom and Emily shared a 7-Up.  And then we drove until we came to a Dairy Queen.  And we all got butterscotch dipped.  It was really yummy.  And then we got back into our car and drove across a giant bridge that went really far.  And it was mostly yellow.   And then we crossed the border of Canada and went back into the United States.  We were random so these police officers had to check our car.  They poked every single underwear we had in our car too.  And then here we are, driving still.  And I really hope that we get to our hotel soon.  And I hope it has a pool - indoor.  Because I don’t want to get wet outdoors from the rain.  That’s all for today.

Emily, July 10

It was really boring today.  Dad woke me up and I was cold and freezing ‘cause I didn’t have any blankets only a sleeping bag and that’s all.  The boat ride was boring too.  Even I tried to go to sleep on the boat, but I didn’t sleep not even an eensy bit.  But I got to go to the front and that was boring too.  Then we went out of the boat and then we went to the coffee shop so we could go to the bathroom and me and Allison and Evan all ran into the bathroom at the same time.  And then we all went pee.  And then we went out of the coffee shop and drove a long time and then we all got out at Dairy Queen and it was still raining.  And then we stopped and people had to investigate our car and Mommy said that they poked every single pair of our underwear.  And then we went to a gas station.  And then we’re driving again until we get to a motel and I don’t know which one.  And now it’s Evan’s turn to bloggy blog blog.  And that’s all.  

Evan, July 9

Yesterday we woke up and got on a ferry.  The ferry moved by a cable so the ferry wouldn’t float away down the river - I mean lake.  It was Lake Champlain.  When we got off teh ferry we went to Fort Ticonderoga.  My favorite part was the cannons.  Three of them could fit a person in it.  It would be interesting to be shot from a cannon - maybe.  The rest of New York was kind of boring because we were just driving and driving and stuff.   We got to the border of Canada and we could see the mist of Niagara Falls.  When we got over the border we saw this funky casino and a bunch of weird buildings and the Skylon Tower which had a bunch of annoying advertisements.  We went to the Apollo Diner and then we went to bed.

Today:

We were in Canada.  I couldn’t sleep because Emily kept putting her feet all over me and so was Allison so it was like ropes all over me.  And then I woke up in the middle of tthe night and Allison said, “But I only have five dollars” and Emily snored.  We got up and packed the car full and then we left it and went to see the falls.  And we went on a boat that was called Maid of the Mist VII.  We got super wet and we persuaded Dad to come on but he wouldn’t go because he was scared.  And then we went to the gift shop and I got a carabiner with a flashlight and a whistle.   And then we went back to the car and we drove off to some Dairy Queen in the middle of nowhere and we got ice cream.  And then we left there and here we are driving.  And we’re planning on going on a ferry tonight or tomorrow morning.  That’s all for today. 

Emily, July 9

Yesterday, we went on the ferry across the river.  I liked the ride.  We took a picture of me, Evan and Allison.  And then we went to New York and Fort Ticonderoga.  I liked watching the flags go up, ‘cause all the flags were different.  And then we went to Canada.  And saw the waterfalls.  And they were lit up with lights.  And Allison weared Evan’s coat.  

Today we went to the car and had pop tarts for breakfast.  And then we went to see the waterfall and we took a boat ride in between them and Daddy didn’t go because he had to stay with the dog because the dog was not allowed.  The boat ride was really fun.  Then we went to the gift shop and I got a package of mints.  And Allison and Evan got one mint ‘cause I gave one to them.   And Mommy and Daddy didn’t want one and Allison gave hers to Evan after she had a taste of it and so Evan got two.  And that’s all. 

Evan, July 7

Yesterday we said goodbye, and Emily and Mom didn’t get to say goodbye because they were still asleep.  Grandpa Ernie left at five o’clock and Nana had to go to work too.  And then we had to pack up and drive away.  It was sad, I didn’t want to leave.  I didn’t get to say goodbye to Grandpa Ernie because I didn’t get up at five o’clock.  

We drove to New Hampshire and went to our Dad’s friend Mitch’s house for lunch.  It was fun - I got two Pokemon games.  P.S. they have a trampoline.  Then we went to Vermont and stayed the night there.   And the town’s name was Middlebury.

Emily, July 7

Yesterday we left Nana and Grandpa’s house.  When we were there we watched a movie and I forgot what the movie was called but it had a bunch of kids and there were trying to find pirate gold.  I read books behind the chair when we were watching the movie because the movie was really scary.  Also we went over to Uncle Roger and Uncle Kenny’s houses.  I ate cake at Uncle Roger’s house.  And I cooked marshmallows at Uncle Roger’s house.  And Sam kept on burning marshmallows and giving them to other people.  And almost everybody didn’t want one but I took one.  And when I went to Uncle Kenny’s house he didn’t have the trampoline.  And that’s all.

The drive yesterday was really long, and I got to play on Evan’s Gameboy.  I got to play Gumby.   And we went to a boat dock.  And then we had to go to our hotel.  And Evan slept on the couch.