Tram Ride

Here are pics of us going up the tram. Had to get home to scan them in

No Place Like Home

So after a week of touring the Black Hills of South Dakota, we have returned home. There is no place like it. It's so good to be able to sleep in your own bed, eat real food, and other such luxuries. Yesterday was spent mostly driving. We did go to Mt. Rushmore one more time. My wife wanted a family picture so we did that before really moving on. I think that we hit a decent time to travel because we are able to fill up on gas most of the time for under $4 a gallon. The cheapest that we got it was $3.75 in Cheyenne, WY. We arrived home and it was still about 50 cents more a gallon than that. Why are we so behind? Also on our way to Ft. Collins, where we spent Monday night, I discussed my conspiracy theory of the Hall of Records behind Mt. Rushmore. I think that it would be cool to be able to go up and see the hall, however, it is off limits to the public. I am wondering why? Why wouldn't it be open for people to see. Supposedly it is unfinished and some things have been placed there, but I think that it really did get finished and there are very important or mysterious things in there and that is truly why the public can't go and see it. I was very tempted to go off the path and hike up and see what is really there. Well, I guess I will never really know. Then today we drove the rest of the way home from Ft. Collins to Castle Dale. This was also quite uneventful, but very nice to be home. My wife made in time to take a 2 hour break before she had her graduate classes for five hours. Awesome.

Slidin' and Drivin'

Today was the last full day that we are going to be in the Black Hills. It has been fun. We went to the President's Alpine Slide. That was pretty fun. We all went up to the top and from there you had a pretty good view of the valley. Then my wife, my oldest son, and I took the alpine slide down and the rest went back down on the gondola. After that we had a quick lunch. Unfortunately, when we got back out, we realized that we had a flat. So I changed a tire and we decided that we should get it fixed so just in case we had a problem driving back, we would still have a spare. So back up to Rapid City to get it fixed. Of course when we get there and the look at the tire, the hole was in the side wall, which means we had to get a new tire. Bummer. So that took a few hours. We drove back and picked up the rest at the hotel and went back to Mt. Rushmore for another quick glance. After that we went on Iron Mountain Road and came back to the hotel. Then we went for a quick dip and that was the evening. Tomorrow we are going to leave and drive back to Ft. Collins. It has been a fun Vacation.

Helicopter Rides

So today's activities started of with 99 cent pancakes for breakfast. What a deal. After breakfast it was decided that we should go for a helicopter ride. My father-in-law really wanted to go, so me, my wife, and him did. It was about a 10 minute flight around keystone. Very awesome.

We got done with that and decided to go for a drive and went and saw the Crazy Horse Monument. It has been in process for 60 years already. It doesn't seem like they have done much when you look at it, but when you watch the little video that they show you, they have actually done quite a bit. My wife asked me when it's going to be done and I told her 200 years, however I don't know anything and they won't say. It just depends on how much money they have and stuff. It was cool and when if ever it gets done, it will be very cool. After that we got lunch and went for a drive through Custer State Park. That took pretty much the rest of the day. It was good. A buffalo came and licked our window and we saw other wildlife. The road leading out of the park back down to Keystone was pretty cool. We never really got any good pictures, but we will because we are going back up tomorrow. Well, that about does it for another day of vacation.

Hill City and Rushmore

So like all good vacations, plans change. Well, some of them. The first thing my son saw, on our first full day in the Black Hills, as we walked out of our hotel were some wild turkeys. Man was he excited. Then after that we took an 1880's train from Keystone to Hill City and then spent some time in Hill City and returned back on the train. Unfortunately, the steam engine that should have been pulling us had some maintenance issues so a regular diesel pulled us pulled ways. That was quite a bit of our day. We were sort of planning to go to Crazy Horse today as well, but that plan got axed. My mother-in-law forgot some medicine for my father-in-law and the nearest pharmacy is in Rapid City. So off to Rapid City her and I went. Once again plans were foiled and to make a long story short, there were complications and we could not get the medicine that was needed. Hopefully everything will go okay. We came back to our hotel and ate a wonderful dinner of bread, salad, and steak and cheese chimichangas. The chimichangas were supposed to be a rotisserie chicken that you can get at SAM's Club, however, they are not available at the one in Rapid City. Oh well, you make do with what ya got. After dinner we dedicided to go up to Mount Rushmore for their evening program. We stayed up there a couple of hours and saw the lighting of the memorial. It was pretty exciting. I'm not sure what we are going to do tomorrow, but if it was half as entertaining as today, we are all instore for a wicked awesome day!

Keystone, South Dakota

So today we made the 2nd leg of our trip from Ft. Collins, up to Keystone, SD, home of Mt. Rushmore. Keystone is a huge city of 311 people. We were planning on seeing Mt. Rushmore tonight, but there were a few obstacles. One, it was raining pretty hard when we first arrived and two, we had few ornery people, our oldest son and my autistic brother-in-law. We'll have plenty of other time to do that though. Before we left Ft. Collins, we went and saw the Clydesdale horses at the Budweiser plant. Man, those things are huge. I would have pics, but you're not supposed to take them. So after a few hours of driving we got here. We got a pretty nice suite at one of the hotels here (Rushmore Express)and ate and got a quick glimpse of Mt. Rushmore, we did drive by it on our way here though. So here are a few pics and then tomorrow it will be a fun filled day of train riding and seeing Crazy Horse.

Road Trip, Baby

About three weeks ago we decided that we were going to go on a road trip. We agreed upon Mt. Rushmore. So today was our first leg and we went to Ft. Collins, CO, where my parents live. Along the way we stopped at Bair Ranch, which is towards the top of Glenwood Canyon on I-70 (this is where the picture was taken). It was pretty interesting. It took a little longer than normal to get to Ft. Collins because we had my wife's parents with us and they needed to stop a little more often. However, it was very nice way to go. I didn't mind it at all. I don't know if I would do that all the time, but it was a good change.

Taking A Ride

Today I decided that I would go for a nice little ride. I do it every once in a while and it's not too far of a ride. It's 20 miles in distance, but it raises 1500 feet, about half of it on this hill. From where I took this picture to the top is about a mile. It's a pretty steep hill. However, when you get to the top, there is quite a nice view. Coming down is really fun. You can get up to 35 miles an hour. Wouldn't be so good if I wiped out, but I didn't so no worries. If you are every in the area you should do it.

Bones and Stones

There is a museum about a half mile from our house called The Museum of the San Rafael. What's great about it is that it is free and there are quite a few cool exhibits. My oldest son loves the black light rock art display and of course the dinosaur bones. Many of the ones that are displayed were found here in Emery County out on the swell. If you are ever in the area, the museum and the swell are two good places to go!

Solid foods and dancing

So, I am a little new at this and thought that I would give it a try. So yesterday we decided to feed or 4 1/2 month old solid foods for the first time. It went better than expected. Our first born did not like to eat it so much, but Zander, seemed to love it! Then Jorgen thought he was getting a little to much attention, so he started doing the dance his mom taught him! You gotta love kids!