(St. Louis Adventure) Day 3-5:
7.20.12
Today was my father's 60th birthday. After all of us sleeping in (all but Nathan, who went work early), we wished him (many, many times) Happy Birthday, and gave him cards. For his birthday, we spent the morning at a mall. Natalie was doing some shopping. Dad and I just hung out. We wandered the mall several times, browsed books at Barnes and Nobles, and just sat on a bench while waiting. After the girls were done shopping, we cruised back to Nathan's apartment, where we relaxed for a while. Soon after Nathan got home, we went to downtown St. Louis. We walked to the base of the arch, and hung out in that area for a while. The real reason we were down there though, was for the Cubs-Cardinals baseball game. Nathan had gotten tickets so that we could celebrate Dad's b-day with a Cubs win. Sadly, they lost 4-1, but dad seemed to have fun anyway; really, we all did. Nathan even caught a batting practice home-run ball. All-in-all, it was a fun, family day.
End day 3.
7.21.12
Yet another busy day was in store for us. We started out by going to the St. Louis Zoo, which is free. Oh, and totally cool! We spent three hours gawking at all kinds of things including: tigers, bears, lions in a tree, harbor seals, big and very deadly snakes, and more. The best part of the zoo though, is the penguin exhibit. You walk into a closed building and are met by cold temperatures and the smell of fish. You then are able to walk right up to a chest-high glass wall, and right on the other side is water with penguins! If you wanted to (get bit), you could reach out and touch them! I got splashed by a penguin. I wasn't mad though, it was awesome! After the zoo, we went to another mall nearby for a while. We then took a few hour break where we just rested. As evening approached, Mom, Dad, and Natalie went to a restaurant to eat, and Nathan, Allison, and I went to see The Dark Knight Rises! It was a very good movie. Allison even predicted the ending. A fiery plan crash over Pittsburgh, on a village of dwarfs. Imagine that. We then got Cold Stone ice cream. Yum.
End day 4.
7.22.12
Our last day in St. Louis was spent by going the arch, and actually traveling up to the top of it! We were there early and walked through the museums that us underneath, and then we got in line to board our trolley to ride to the top. The trolley cars are really small. Only five people can fit, and that makes a tight fit. The cool thing is that there are glass doors, so you can see the inside of the arch as you go up. Almost four minutes later, we reached the top and could see out the tiny little windows. At 630 feet, it gives a nice view of St. Louis. We stayed up there for a little while before catching a trolley back down the other side, so that we went completely up and over the arch. Having done that, we grabbed a bite to eat, went back to Nathan's apartment and loaded up Rexy. We said goodbye to Nathan and hit the road. We made it back home by mid afternoon, ending our mini-vacation.
End St. Louis Adventure.
End day 5.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Intense Wake-Up Call
7.19.12
(St. Louis Adventure) Day 2:
Today was the big day. The day that Natalie had been waiting for. Today was the day that we got to go to Six Flags Amusement Park!!!! She has been wanting to go on roller coasters for a really, really, really long time. We were finally made it to a park that had some pretty cool roller coasters.
Let's pause this story for a little back story...
The last time any of my family was on roller coasters was 14 years ago. We went to Disneyland and my dad took us to Space Mountain. I was six at the time and I was in the very front car. No one told me until the last minute that it was a roller coaster. I spent half of the ride with my hand firmly clamped over my eyes. Not like it mattered. The Space Mountain ride takes place in almost entire darkness, so whether my hand was over my eyes or not, it wouldn't have mattered, I couldn't see the track. Well, I lived to tell that tale, but I was pretty sure I wouldn't want to go on a roller coaster. Then Natalie said she wanted to go to Six Flags, and despite my Disneyland experience and my utter dislike of heights, I was the first one to say I would go. My mom, who doesn't even like coasters, said she would come too. Allison also told us that she would come. And so, with us not experiencing the thrill of a coaster in 14 years, and not sure of how we will react to it, the plot is set...let the adventure begin...
*cue dramatic music*
We entered the park about a half hour before they opened, and so we waited for the rides to open. We already had a game plan. We were going to be on of the first people in line for the popular roller coaster, Mr. Freeze. While waiting, we could see a coaster doing tests a little ways off, little did we know that it was the ride we were about to go on.
Finally, we were given the go to enter the rest of the park and enjoy the rides. We were one of the first people through the queue line for Mr. Freeze and were able to stake claim on the first ride of the day. Somehow, I managed to be in the very front car of the coaster. However, I didn't think it would matter much. This was a Reverse Coaster. Firmly strapped in, they counted down the seconds until launch. Not really knowing much about this coaster, I had no idea what I was in for. The countdown reached 'one,' the button was pushed and we were launched in reverse so fast that there was little time to think. Mr. Freeze raced out the 190 foot tunnel in reverse, then inverted us, righted us, took us through a banking curve, and then pushed us 200 feet straight in the air. Where we were suspended there for just the briefest of moments. Now, I was actually in the front of the roller coaster. I had enough time to remember to breath before we were shoved back in our seats as Mr. Freeze raced from 0-70 in under 4 seconds back the direction that it had just come, completing the track in reverse (or is it forwards?). The brakes were applied as we slowed to a stop at the start. It only took 40+ seconds to complete the entire circuit. It many have been the most intense seconds of my life, and I loved ever second of it. Giddy and wide awake now that my veins were saturated with adrenaline, I was ready for the rest of the day.
From Mr. Freeze, my sisters took my mom to a ride that she could handle (she didn't go on Mr. Freeze). They took her on the scrambler, I opted to watch. From there we did a log flume ride that was right in that area. We all four road in a 'boat' and it was fun. The best part was the drop at the end of the ride. My mom almost lost it as we crested the falls, but she managed to not flip out too bad.
Only a little wet, Natalie, Allison, and I ventured to the wooden coaster American Thunder. The ride was decent. It was a lot different from the short and intense Mr. Freeze, but it still had its moments of thrill. Having our adrenaline fix for at least a little while, we headed for some less extreme rides. Somehow, I got corralled into going on the Ferris Wheel. You know how I mentioned my utter dislike of heights? Yeah, that's going to come into play. At about 18 stories high, in a small cage that rocks with movement, I suddenly wasn't enjoying the ride. I managed to stay calm and not get too worked up about it. Actually, to think about it, after about one go around, I had settled in nicely. While we were up in the Ferris Wheel we had a nice view of the rides, including Mr. Freeze, which we noticed had broken down mid-ride. Everyone got off safe, but the ride remained closed for almost the entire day (it was a very good thing we were one of the first riders).
Now, safely on the ground, we scoped out our next rides. The water rapids ride that was right by the Ferris Wheel was still not open, so we decided to come back to it later and move to a ride Allison had interest in. It was called Excalibur. The only thing we knew about it was that, you get into your seat, and it spins in circles until you are lying on your back, then it swings. Mom said she couldn't handle it, and I wasn't sure I wanted to be spinning and swinging at the same time so, I sat this one out too. It was a good thing too. We watched as Natalie and Allison boarded the ride, and it started spinning. Once they were flat from the centrifugal forces, the pendulum began to move. We first thought it would just swing back and forth, but no, it just kept going up until it was 180 degrees opposite from where it started. The riders were upside down, spinning, a few stories off the ground. Mom and I could hardly watch it, let alone be on it. My sisters seemed to enjoy it though.
After being totally freaked out by a ride I didn't go on, we hit the now open water rapids ride, Thunder River. Mom and I got properly soaked as our side of the raft took most of the 'rapids'. It was actually refreshing since I was starting to get warm as the temperature heated up. We dripped our way all the way to our next ride. Pandemonium! This wasn't a super intense coaster, but it offered a different take on the classic coaster. Sure, we went through tight turns and steep drops, but we didn't do in an ordinary car. Ours spun in circles. Yep, it did cookies. It also let Allison and Natalie (who hadn't road in the same car until now) see my roller coaster face. No, its not a frown. Nor a smile. Sorry, if you were thinking a scream, you would be wrong as well. Its almost a completely blank face. I enjoy the rides, but I spend the rides concentrating on breathing. Weird, I know, but that is me.
We got a quick bite to eat, but we didnt' eat too much, because we had plenty more roller coasters to go on. We had to wait in line for a little while for our next ride, Screamin' Eagle, allowing our food to settle. That ride was OK, I don't really like the wooden coasters as much. They are kind of rough. From there we ventured to Superman, which is just a tower 23 stories tall. You get pulled up, and then you drop, straight down. Not liking the whole heights thing, I didn't go on it, and neither did Mom or Allison. Natalie, worked up her nerve and got in line. We watched as they took her up, and dropped her, as she made kind of a funny face. She told us she enjoyed the view, the drop was different apparently.
With Superman being concurred (by one of us), we went to another water ride. This one was a simple ride you are taken up, and then you drop down 50 feet with a gargantuan splash. It was pretty cool. In fact, so cool, we did it twice. We the stood on the bridge as another boat came down. A wave of water hurled towards us, and got the few areas that weren't already soaked, drenched. Wringing some of the water out of our clothes and shoes, we walked to the mine car roller coaster. It is a kids coaster, but mom wasn't sure she could do it, so us three kids went on it. The funny thing was that it actually was kind of fun. It was so gentle that you could enjoy the little thrills. We convinced mom to go on. I waited outside with our bag, so I didn't get to see Mom's reaction, but apparently she didn't enjoy the ride as much as her children.
Needing another shot of adrenaline, we ventured over to the other side of Six Flags where the final two steel roller coasters were. The first one was Ninja! After climbing, you take a short drop and start gaining speed, and then you really drop and then pushed into to back-to-back inverted loops. There is a small little break as you climb back up again. Enough time that you can catch your breath and think how awesome the ride is, before you are launched back down into a double helix, and finally finishing off the ride with a set of high-speed banking curves (my favorite). It was totally awesome! Once getting off the ride, we agreed to do it again later!
We walked the short distance to our next ride, Batman! Having to weave through the long, but empty, queue line, we finally made it to boarding area. We strapped ourselves three abreast (one empty seat next to us) with our feet dangling on nothing but air. This ride, was the one that I was the most nervous about. With nothing beneath me we made the long climb up. I asked my sisters, 'what did I get myself into?' They didn't answer, maybe they were as nervous as I was. We reached the top, crested, and raced...to our death!!!! OK, maybe not. We lived. Launched through so many loops and turns and flips, I don't even remember exactly how the track went. However, I for certain know this....IT. WAS. AWESOME!!! It was totally crazy, so totally fun, so bloody exciting! I loved it! We agreed to hit that ride again before we left.
With only one roller coaster that we hadn't hit, we trekked back across the park, hitting some of the rides again (log flume, scrambler (which was totally awesome)) and a couple other ones that we hadn't hit. Like Scooby Doo's Scary Swamp, a simple yet fun little ride. We then did the Boss, the final wooden coaster. That one had some intense moments, but wasn't really all that fun. I think because it is rough, it takes away from the thrill. We then got on the Mine Car coaster again. All of us this time, so I got to see Mom's reaction the the ride. She had to close her eyes at one point, and we were in a really dark tunnel...hmm. We decided to try the train that goes around the park. We got stopped mid-ways between stations for a skit though. I wasn't in the mood to be robbed, so when the 'hillbillies' tried talking to us, I responded in Japanese. He asked 'what', I repeated myself. He left. Eventually, the train left and made it to the next station. We promptly got off. Starting to get tired, we did the Ninja coaster again, and then just Natalie and I did the Batman ride for a second time. We were going to stop by the water park part of Six Flags, but it had just closed, so we left Six Flags all together.
We had spent almost the entire day at the park, and had an absolute blast. It is definitely something I would do again. One thing was for sure, when we got home, I knew I would sleep soundly.
End day 2.
P.S. Since this is such a long post (more like a novel!), I am not bothering to re-read it to edit it. Sorry, you'll just have to endure any errors.
(St. Louis Adventure) Day 2:
Today was the big day. The day that Natalie had been waiting for. Today was the day that we got to go to Six Flags Amusement Park!!!! She has been wanting to go on roller coasters for a really, really, really long time. We were finally made it to a park that had some pretty cool roller coasters.
Let's pause this story for a little back story...
The last time any of my family was on roller coasters was 14 years ago. We went to Disneyland and my dad took us to Space Mountain. I was six at the time and I was in the very front car. No one told me until the last minute that it was a roller coaster. I spent half of the ride with my hand firmly clamped over my eyes. Not like it mattered. The Space Mountain ride takes place in almost entire darkness, so whether my hand was over my eyes or not, it wouldn't have mattered, I couldn't see the track. Well, I lived to tell that tale, but I was pretty sure I wouldn't want to go on a roller coaster. Then Natalie said she wanted to go to Six Flags, and despite my Disneyland experience and my utter dislike of heights, I was the first one to say I would go. My mom, who doesn't even like coasters, said she would come too. Allison also told us that she would come. And so, with us not experiencing the thrill of a coaster in 14 years, and not sure of how we will react to it, the plot is set...let the adventure begin...
*cue dramatic music*
We entered the park about a half hour before they opened, and so we waited for the rides to open. We already had a game plan. We were going to be on of the first people in line for the popular roller coaster, Mr. Freeze. While waiting, we could see a coaster doing tests a little ways off, little did we know that it was the ride we were about to go on.
Finally, we were given the go to enter the rest of the park and enjoy the rides. We were one of the first people through the queue line for Mr. Freeze and were able to stake claim on the first ride of the day. Somehow, I managed to be in the very front car of the coaster. However, I didn't think it would matter much. This was a Reverse Coaster. Firmly strapped in, they counted down the seconds until launch. Not really knowing much about this coaster, I had no idea what I was in for. The countdown reached 'one,' the button was pushed and we were launched in reverse so fast that there was little time to think. Mr. Freeze raced out the 190 foot tunnel in reverse, then inverted us, righted us, took us through a banking curve, and then pushed us 200 feet straight in the air. Where we were suspended there for just the briefest of moments. Now, I was actually in the front of the roller coaster. I had enough time to remember to breath before we were shoved back in our seats as Mr. Freeze raced from 0-70 in under 4 seconds back the direction that it had just come, completing the track in reverse (or is it forwards?). The brakes were applied as we slowed to a stop at the start. It only took 40+ seconds to complete the entire circuit. It many have been the most intense seconds of my life, and I loved ever second of it. Giddy and wide awake now that my veins were saturated with adrenaline, I was ready for the rest of the day.
From Mr. Freeze, my sisters took my mom to a ride that she could handle (she didn't go on Mr. Freeze). They took her on the scrambler, I opted to watch. From there we did a log flume ride that was right in that area. We all four road in a 'boat' and it was fun. The best part was the drop at the end of the ride. My mom almost lost it as we crested the falls, but she managed to not flip out too bad.
Only a little wet, Natalie, Allison, and I ventured to the wooden coaster American Thunder. The ride was decent. It was a lot different from the short and intense Mr. Freeze, but it still had its moments of thrill. Having our adrenaline fix for at least a little while, we headed for some less extreme rides. Somehow, I got corralled into going on the Ferris Wheel. You know how I mentioned my utter dislike of heights? Yeah, that's going to come into play. At about 18 stories high, in a small cage that rocks with movement, I suddenly wasn't enjoying the ride. I managed to stay calm and not get too worked up about it. Actually, to think about it, after about one go around, I had settled in nicely. While we were up in the Ferris Wheel we had a nice view of the rides, including Mr. Freeze, which we noticed had broken down mid-ride. Everyone got off safe, but the ride remained closed for almost the entire day (it was a very good thing we were one of the first riders).
Now, safely on the ground, we scoped out our next rides. The water rapids ride that was right by the Ferris Wheel was still not open, so we decided to come back to it later and move to a ride Allison had interest in. It was called Excalibur. The only thing we knew about it was that, you get into your seat, and it spins in circles until you are lying on your back, then it swings. Mom said she couldn't handle it, and I wasn't sure I wanted to be spinning and swinging at the same time so, I sat this one out too. It was a good thing too. We watched as Natalie and Allison boarded the ride, and it started spinning. Once they were flat from the centrifugal forces, the pendulum began to move. We first thought it would just swing back and forth, but no, it just kept going up until it was 180 degrees opposite from where it started. The riders were upside down, spinning, a few stories off the ground. Mom and I could hardly watch it, let alone be on it. My sisters seemed to enjoy it though.
After being totally freaked out by a ride I didn't go on, we hit the now open water rapids ride, Thunder River. Mom and I got properly soaked as our side of the raft took most of the 'rapids'. It was actually refreshing since I was starting to get warm as the temperature heated up. We dripped our way all the way to our next ride. Pandemonium! This wasn't a super intense coaster, but it offered a different take on the classic coaster. Sure, we went through tight turns and steep drops, but we didn't do in an ordinary car. Ours spun in circles. Yep, it did cookies. It also let Allison and Natalie (who hadn't road in the same car until now) see my roller coaster face. No, its not a frown. Nor a smile. Sorry, if you were thinking a scream, you would be wrong as well. Its almost a completely blank face. I enjoy the rides, but I spend the rides concentrating on breathing. Weird, I know, but that is me.
We got a quick bite to eat, but we didnt' eat too much, because we had plenty more roller coasters to go on. We had to wait in line for a little while for our next ride, Screamin' Eagle, allowing our food to settle. That ride was OK, I don't really like the wooden coasters as much. They are kind of rough. From there we ventured to Superman, which is just a tower 23 stories tall. You get pulled up, and then you drop, straight down. Not liking the whole heights thing, I didn't go on it, and neither did Mom or Allison. Natalie, worked up her nerve and got in line. We watched as they took her up, and dropped her, as she made kind of a funny face. She told us she enjoyed the view, the drop was different apparently.
With Superman being concurred (by one of us), we went to another water ride. This one was a simple ride you are taken up, and then you drop down 50 feet with a gargantuan splash. It was pretty cool. In fact, so cool, we did it twice. We the stood on the bridge as another boat came down. A wave of water hurled towards us, and got the few areas that weren't already soaked, drenched. Wringing some of the water out of our clothes and shoes, we walked to the mine car roller coaster. It is a kids coaster, but mom wasn't sure she could do it, so us three kids went on it. The funny thing was that it actually was kind of fun. It was so gentle that you could enjoy the little thrills. We convinced mom to go on. I waited outside with our bag, so I didn't get to see Mom's reaction, but apparently she didn't enjoy the ride as much as her children.
Needing another shot of adrenaline, we ventured over to the other side of Six Flags where the final two steel roller coasters were. The first one was Ninja! After climbing, you take a short drop and start gaining speed, and then you really drop and then pushed into to back-to-back inverted loops. There is a small little break as you climb back up again. Enough time that you can catch your breath and think how awesome the ride is, before you are launched back down into a double helix, and finally finishing off the ride with a set of high-speed banking curves (my favorite). It was totally awesome! Once getting off the ride, we agreed to do it again later!
We walked the short distance to our next ride, Batman! Having to weave through the long, but empty, queue line, we finally made it to boarding area. We strapped ourselves three abreast (one empty seat next to us) with our feet dangling on nothing but air. This ride, was the one that I was the most nervous about. With nothing beneath me we made the long climb up. I asked my sisters, 'what did I get myself into?' They didn't answer, maybe they were as nervous as I was. We reached the top, crested, and raced...to our death!!!! OK, maybe not. We lived. Launched through so many loops and turns and flips, I don't even remember exactly how the track went. However, I for certain know this....IT. WAS. AWESOME!!! It was totally crazy, so totally fun, so bloody exciting! I loved it! We agreed to hit that ride again before we left.
With only one roller coaster that we hadn't hit, we trekked back across the park, hitting some of the rides again (log flume, scrambler (which was totally awesome)) and a couple other ones that we hadn't hit. Like Scooby Doo's Scary Swamp, a simple yet fun little ride. We then did the Boss, the final wooden coaster. That one had some intense moments, but wasn't really all that fun. I think because it is rough, it takes away from the thrill. We then got on the Mine Car coaster again. All of us this time, so I got to see Mom's reaction the the ride. She had to close her eyes at one point, and we were in a really dark tunnel...hmm. We decided to try the train that goes around the park. We got stopped mid-ways between stations for a skit though. I wasn't in the mood to be robbed, so when the 'hillbillies' tried talking to us, I responded in Japanese. He asked 'what', I repeated myself. He left. Eventually, the train left and made it to the next station. We promptly got off. Starting to get tired, we did the Ninja coaster again, and then just Natalie and I did the Batman ride for a second time. We were going to stop by the water park part of Six Flags, but it had just closed, so we left Six Flags all together.
We had spent almost the entire day at the park, and had an absolute blast. It is definitely something I would do again. One thing was for sure, when we got home, I knew I would sleep soundly.
End day 2.
P.S. Since this is such a long post (more like a novel!), I am not bothering to re-read it to edit it. Sorry, you'll just have to endure any errors.
Friday, July 20, 2012
White-wash a fence, anyone?
7.18.12
(St. Louis Adventure) Day 1:
Today was the start of yet another traveling adventure. This weekend is my father's birthday, and to celebrate we decided to head down to St. Louis to hang with my brother, Nathan, for a handful of days. Driving down to St. Louis we go right through Hannibal, Mo where Mark Twain was born. We stopped there for about an hour and walked through the downtown. We saw Mr. Twain's boyhood home, his father's law office, the famous white-wash fence, and some other historic buildings. It was a neat town, not stellar, but still neat.
We got back in the car and made our way to St. Louis. While Nathan was still at work, to kill some time, we went to the Boeing gift store. My parents were looking for fun things to show that they are proud parents of a Boeing employee, and my sister is obsessed with the AH-64 Apache helicopter, which the company makes. Mom found some fun things, but Allison was disappointed that there weren't more Apache items. After all, who wouldn't want awesome things about a military attack helicopter?
We then met Nathan back at his apartment were we unpacked. After we settled in, we all hit the pool! With the weather as hot as it has been, the water was pretty warm, yet it was still refreshing. One of the fun things of swimming is races! I raced my mom a couple of times, and then my sisters joined in. But the best part, is seeing how long you can hold your breath. I first started by swimming underwater to see how far I could go. The first time I did the length of the pool and then halfway back. My next attempt I was able to go the length times two! Allison then got out her stopwatch and we timed how long we could stay submerged. Allison got up to 56 seconds. Mom, Natalie, and Dad were about 30 seconds give or take a few seconds. After twice of having times of over a minute (1.19, 1.55), I was able to break the two minute mark with 2.06.
After swimming for a little while more, we all wandered back to the apartment and watched a movie. Ready for our day at Six Flags tomorrow, we went to grab some shut-eye.
End day 1.
(St. Louis Adventure) Day 1:
Today was the start of yet another traveling adventure. This weekend is my father's birthday, and to celebrate we decided to head down to St. Louis to hang with my brother, Nathan, for a handful of days. Driving down to St. Louis we go right through Hannibal, Mo where Mark Twain was born. We stopped there for about an hour and walked through the downtown. We saw Mr. Twain's boyhood home, his father's law office, the famous white-wash fence, and some other historic buildings. It was a neat town, not stellar, but still neat.
We got back in the car and made our way to St. Louis. While Nathan was still at work, to kill some time, we went to the Boeing gift store. My parents were looking for fun things to show that they are proud parents of a Boeing employee, and my sister is obsessed with the AH-64 Apache helicopter, which the company makes. Mom found some fun things, but Allison was disappointed that there weren't more Apache items. After all, who wouldn't want awesome things about a military attack helicopter?
We then met Nathan back at his apartment were we unpacked. After we settled in, we all hit the pool! With the weather as hot as it has been, the water was pretty warm, yet it was still refreshing. One of the fun things of swimming is races! I raced my mom a couple of times, and then my sisters joined in. But the best part, is seeing how long you can hold your breath. I first started by swimming underwater to see how far I could go. The first time I did the length of the pool and then halfway back. My next attempt I was able to go the length times two! Allison then got out her stopwatch and we timed how long we could stay submerged. Allison got up to 56 seconds. Mom, Natalie, and Dad were about 30 seconds give or take a few seconds. After twice of having times of over a minute (1.19, 1.55), I was able to break the two minute mark with 2.06.
After swimming for a little while more, we all wandered back to the apartment and watched a movie. Ready for our day at Six Flags tomorrow, we went to grab some shut-eye.
End day 1.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
May T-Rex ROARRRRR!
(SDA: Day 8)
Today was officially the final day of my mini vacation. We went to some local malls where my older sister was looking for shoes, she found some...and so did I. We then packed everything into my vehicle, which is named Rexy (no one can say Xterra, so its been dubbed T-Rex or Rexy), and headed back for Iowa and my home or I guess it is! I have been gone so long that it is very strange to be back, but at the same time, very good to be back. And that my friends is the end of this adventure!
Until my next adventure Minions!
End day 8 & SDA.
(sorry no stats on this trip!)
Today was officially the final day of my mini vacation. We went to some local malls where my older sister was looking for shoes, she found some...and so did I. We then packed everything into my vehicle, which is named Rexy (no one can say Xterra, so its been dubbed T-Rex or Rexy), and headed back for Iowa and my home or I guess it is! I have been gone so long that it is very strange to be back, but at the same time, very good to be back. And that my friends is the end of this adventure!
Until my next adventure Minions!
End day 8 & SDA.
(sorry no stats on this trip!)
Softball, Birthday, and Chinese...a trio to reckon with!
(SDA: Day 7)
Hello minions! Another quick post for everyone! Today my parents and older sister came down to St. Louis. It being my brothers birthday, we decorated his apartment while he was at work. With that done, we went to some local ball fields where Nathan plays softball for the Boeing league. They also let family members play, and since the team was short a guy, I was able to play. Our team lost in the final inning 14-13, but it was a fun game. I had a couple of miss played balls out in the outfield, but I did catch one! However, I did much better batting. I went 4 for 4 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored! After the game, we went back to Nathan's place and cleaned up, and went to dinner at a Chinese restaurant near by. The food was really good! Sadly, I didn't have much appetite, but I was able to bring it home for a later date. We then returned to the apartment where we sang happy birthday to Nathan and let him open his gifts! Oh, and then we had ice cream cake. YUM! All in all, it was a very fun day!
End day 7.
Hello minions! Another quick post for everyone! Today my parents and older sister came down to St. Louis. It being my brothers birthday, we decorated his apartment while he was at work. With that done, we went to some local ball fields where Nathan plays softball for the Boeing league. They also let family members play, and since the team was short a guy, I was able to play. Our team lost in the final inning 14-13, but it was a fun game. I had a couple of miss played balls out in the outfield, but I did catch one! However, I did much better batting. I went 4 for 4 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored! After the game, we went back to Nathan's place and cleaned up, and went to dinner at a Chinese restaurant near by. The food was really good! Sadly, I didn't have much appetite, but I was able to bring it home for a later date. We then returned to the apartment where we sang happy birthday to Nathan and let him open his gifts! Oh, and then we had ice cream cake. YUM! All in all, it was a very fun day!
End day 7.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Go Cubs Go!
(SDA: Day 6)
Today was pretty uneventful. I spent most of the day updating my blog so you readers can enjoy my adventures and I just relaxed at Nathan's apartment while he was at work. Then, when he got home, we quickly got ready to go to the Cubs-Cardinals game. We had some pretty amazing seats. We sat near the grass area in center field just one row back from the wall. Even though it was at Busch stadium, a lot of people around us were Cubs fans. Everyone to my right in the row were Cubs fans, and a good chunk of the people to our left were as well, plus a few people in the rows below and above us. It was fun to have so many people rooting for the better team! You may think otherwise, but the Cubs did beat the Cardinals 6 to 4, so they have to be the better team!!! After the game, we quickly got back to Penelope (what we have now dubbed Nathan's car) and headed back home, and that is the end of my adventurous day!
End day 6.
(Sorry, we didn't take any pictures at the game. Oh, and previous posts have been updated with pics, so enjoy!)
Today was pretty uneventful. I spent most of the day updating my blog so you readers can enjoy my adventures and I just relaxed at Nathan's apartment while he was at work. Then, when he got home, we quickly got ready to go to the Cubs-Cardinals game. We had some pretty amazing seats. We sat near the grass area in center field just one row back from the wall. Even though it was at Busch stadium, a lot of people around us were Cubs fans. Everyone to my right in the row were Cubs fans, and a good chunk of the people to our left were as well, plus a few people in the rows below and above us. It was fun to have so many people rooting for the better team! You may think otherwise, but the Cubs did beat the Cardinals 6 to 4, so they have to be the better team!!! After the game, we quickly got back to Penelope (what we have now dubbed Nathan's car) and headed back home, and that is the end of my adventurous day!
End day 6.
(Sorry, we didn't take any pictures at the game. Oh, and previous posts have been updated with pics, so enjoy!)
Monday, May 14, 2012
Battery Power Required
(SDA: Day 5)
We were going to wake up at five this morning, but Nathan's phone died so his alarm didn't go off. So we got to sleep in until 7:30. Quickly getting ready, we packed everything back into the car, and grabbed breakfast. The good news, they had CEREAL!! They even had my favorite kind! How did they know! After eating breakfast we hit the road. A few hours later we left I-90 behind us and headed south on I-29. We made it to Kansas City were Nathan and I parted ways with Michelle and Saumya. They were heading for Wichita, and us for St. Louis. By nine that night both groups made it home. And that is the end of our South Dakota Adventure. However, now that I am in St. Louis, it is the beginning of another adventure for me! More posts to come soon!
P.S. Happy Mother's Day!
End day 5.
We were going to wake up at five this morning, but Nathan's phone died so his alarm didn't go off. So we got to sleep in until 7:30. Quickly getting ready, we packed everything back into the car, and grabbed breakfast. The good news, they had CEREAL!! They even had my favorite kind! How did they know! After eating breakfast we hit the road. A few hours later we left I-90 behind us and headed south on I-29. We made it to Kansas City were Nathan and I parted ways with Michelle and Saumya. They were heading for Wichita, and us for St. Louis. By nine that night both groups made it home. And that is the end of our South Dakota Adventure. However, now that I am in St. Louis, it is the beginning of another adventure for me! More posts to come soon!
P.S. Happy Mother's Day!
End day 5.
Highway to Heaven
(SDA: Day 4)
Morning greeted us with cool, crisp air, and a beautiful sunrise that brought the brilliant colors of the badlands to life. With our camp packed up and in the car, we drove back through the park. We took a different route out of the park. This route brought us face to face with buffalo. It was Michelle and Saumya's first time seeing one. We also saw another bighorn sheep, lots of prairie dogs, a burrowing owl, and a MASSIVE golden eagle.
Leaving the badlands behind us, we flew down I-90 toward the black hills of South Dakota. We passed Ellsworth AFB and sadly didn't see any B-1s. We hopped off the interstate and cruised for a while before we came to Mount Rushmore. Both Nathan and I had seen it, but it was the first time visiting the monument for Michelle and Saumya. There are some trails that lead close to the base of the carved faces and we hiked those. We tried to get a picture of Michelle kissing Mr. Washington, but I am not sure that it turned out so well.
Did you know that originally, the presidents were going to have their bodies carved into the rock as well? Unfortunately, it didn't work out because the rock wasn't suitable, so that is why it is just their faces. Although, if you look closely, George has a bit of his coat carved. We all agree though that Abe should have his hat though.
Having soaked up Mount Rushmore, we stopped at a place called Teddy's Deli in Keystone. They had some pretty good sandwiches. Filled with food and energy, we piled into the car (which we had repacked that morning, so now there was a bit more room...key words...a bit!) and started for Custer State Park. I have to say, the road that lead from Rushmore to Custer Stat Park is A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!!! It twists, it turns, it has CORKSCREWS, and then there are narrow tunnels only one car can fit through. And if you look north through them, the tunnels perfectly frame Mt. Rushmore!!!!! I would totally do that section of the trip again...just for the road!!!!
We entered the park and drove the wildlife loop were we saw more buffalo, more prairie dogs, more antelope, and our first wild burros!
At the south end of the wildlife loop we made a jaunt south to Wind Cave National Park, to do a tour of the caves we would have had to wait a couple of hours, so we decided to just skip it (but at least we can say we have been to that national park :) ). We then joined back up with the wildlife loop and continued north to needles highway where we heard that white mountain goats had been spotted earlier. Before we got to that section we hiked Cathedral Trail which leads up rocky terrain to a section of rock pillars. That was an easy and fun hike to do.
Once down we did the only thing you can do. Eat chocolate! :) OK, after that, we kept going and passed through some more cool tunnels. Sadly, we didn't see and mountain goats. Michelle wanted to go to Sylvan lake, so we drove there and stopped. The combination of the deep blue water and massive grey rocks made it beautiful. Other people must have thought so as well, because by the lake, chairs were set up for a wedding that was going to take place later that evening.
Having seen everything that we wanted to see, we left Custer State Park, and drove out of the Black Hills, and got back on I-90 and started to head back east. We made it to Murdo, were we got a hotel for the night. The receptionist was really nice. She gave us a discount and begged us to take all of the cookies off of a platter in the lobby--we obliged.
End day 4.
Morning greeted us with cool, crisp air, and a beautiful sunrise that brought the brilliant colors of the badlands to life. With our camp packed up and in the car, we drove back through the park. We took a different route out of the park. This route brought us face to face with buffalo. It was Michelle and Saumya's first time seeing one. We also saw another bighorn sheep, lots of prairie dogs, a burrowing owl, and a MASSIVE golden eagle.
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| A Bighorn sheep. |
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| Big Buffalo!!! |
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| The Golden Eagle flying away from us. |
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| You know you are in South Dakota when Prairie Dogs outnumber people 10 to 1. |
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| Just barely managed to snap this picture of the Burrowing Owl. It was pretty skittish. |
Leaving the badlands behind us, we flew down I-90 toward the black hills of South Dakota. We passed Ellsworth AFB and sadly didn't see any B-1s. We hopped off the interstate and cruised for a while before we came to Mount Rushmore. Both Nathan and I had seen it, but it was the first time visiting the monument for Michelle and Saumya. There are some trails that lead close to the base of the carved faces and we hiked those. We tried to get a picture of Michelle kissing Mr. Washington, but I am not sure that it turned out so well.
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| Saumya and Michelle enjoying Mt. Rushmore. |
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| Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln all look a little stiff in this picture. |
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| Kissing George. |
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| Nathan and I proving that we really were there. |
Did you know that originally, the presidents were going to have their bodies carved into the rock as well? Unfortunately, it didn't work out because the rock wasn't suitable, so that is why it is just their faces. Although, if you look closely, George has a bit of his coat carved. We all agree though that Abe should have his hat though.
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| Saumya standing by a model of what Mt. Rushmore was supposed to look like. |
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| One of the tunnels we passed through. As you can see, Mt. Rushmore is perfectly framed. |
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| The Burro posed for us. Wasn't that nice? |
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| Being adventurous, I scaled this massive mountain!!!! |
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| OK, as you can see, it wasn't that big! |
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| Several rock pillars on Cathedral trail. |
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| Sylvan lake. |
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| I think they are trying to tell us "the lake is THAT way." |
End day 4.
May The Trail Be With You
(SDA: Day 3)
Well, the morning of the big day. What big day, you may ask. No, not a wedding. No, not a spaceship ride, but that one is close. It's the day I get to go to Badlands National Park! My companions for the trip were still a few hours away from were I was staying with my aunt and uncle, so my uncle and I went and breakfast and coffee. There is nothing like having a couple of eggs, and a giant cup of coffee to get you set to go on a road trip! When my brother Nathan, his friend Michelle, and her friend Saumya finally arrived, we loaded my things into the already stuffed car; we just managed to make everything fit between the trunk and the back seat. Unfortunately for those sitting in the back, the space was pretty small. No matter, excited, we set off!
The trip to the badlands was mostly uneventful. Michelle and Saumya were entranced, maybe even shocked, at the small towns of South Dakota that we drove through. By about noon we made it to the town of Wall, SD, which sits right outside the badlands. For all of you who are scratching your heads trying to think were you have heard of Wall, you probably know it from Wall Drug. Wall Drug is a massive store in the middle of the town. Actually, in reality, its a bunch of mini stores in one, but that is beside the point. Have you ever seen those pictures with some explorer in some random part of the world (like the south pole, atop a mountain, or in a desert) with a sign post that has the name of the towns near it with mileage, and then there is a sign for Wall Drug, SD with how many miles it is until there? Yeah, thats the same place I am talking about. I am not sure how it became famous, but it is! After spending some time there at the stores and grabbing a bite to eat, we made a beeline for the park.
The first lookout that we came to we stopped and enjoyed the magnificent view of Badlands National Park. We also spotted what we believe were Bighorn Sheep.
We then crammed back into the car and drove through the park stopping at different locations to snap pictures. We finally made it to the part of the park that had trails, we stopped and hiked two miles on Castle Trail. Most of that section of the trial was flat, prairie grasslands, but there was the occasional awesome formation. We then decided to hike back to the car and try another trail further in the park. This trail was AWESOME! The start of Notch Trail is filled with a lot of small up and downs at the bottom of a canyon, and then we came to this spot that has about a fifty-foot rock wall where there are twin cables running down it with wooden boards secured between to make a ladder. It starts of gradual at first, but then it becomes almost straight vertical the last fifteen feet. Once we climbed that, we were atop the cliff on ledge with more rock formations on our one side and a drop on the other. We skirted the edge for quite a ways, all the while scaling up and down the rocky path. At one point signs warned us of dangerous cliff area and pointed us up and around it. After a bit more hiking, the area leveled out and moved away from the cliff. We hiked on this terrain for some time before we reached a gradual climb. At the end of this climb was a break in rock around us and a sheer drop. The view from here was magical. We couldn't help but sit and stare.
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| Posing by the entrance to the Badlands. |
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| Our first view from inside the park. |
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| One of the many places we stopped to take pictures. |
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| Enjoying the view on Castle Trail. |
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| Michelle demonstrating how to climb the ladder. |
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| Saumya using her navigation skills to lead us. |
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| The end of Notch Trail; the beginning of a great view! |
After tearing ourselves from there we made our way back down the trail and down that awesome ladder. Almost at the car, Nathan and Michelle stopped to take pictures, Saumya and I walked to the car and waited. While waiting, I noticed a super short trail, so I decided to see what I could see from the end of it. After one look, I quickly waved the rest of the gang over to join me. We were all treated to yet another great view.
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| This picture does not do justice to the amazing view we saw. |
From there we decided to get a quick bite to eat in the small town of Interior, SD. Population? 67. The only place we found to get a bite to eat was the Wooden Wheel Bar, where we all shared a surprisingly good pizza. We drove back out of the town, all the while marveling at various things of the town. For instance, the town jail, which is actually smaller than my bedroom.
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| Proof that we were in Interior, SD and that it really only has 67 people....at least until Michelle and Saumya move there! |
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| Ok, maybe its a bit bigger than I first thought, but its still pretty small. |
With the sun quickly going down, we hightailed it back in the park and found(just in time, i might add) a good view point to watch the sunset.
We didn't stay there long though, we still wanted light for when we set up out tents. Getting a campsite was easy, and setting up camp was just as easy. With the camp set up, we waited for the stars to come out, killing some of the time by talking about previous adventures. With it now dark, we cruised up to the parking lot by Notch Trail and sat and stared at the stars. I am always amazed when I go star gazing. The sky is so majestic and utterly beautiful. We saw a dozen satellites, I saw two shooting stars, and Saumya saw one. With still a big day ahead of us tomorrow, we headed for camp and tucked in for the night.
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| The final glimpse of the sun. |
End day 3.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Clay Pigeons-R-Us
(SDA: Day 1-2)
Hey Everyone!
Since my major adventure last summer I have done some smaller (by comparison) trips. I've gone to Maine for thanksgiving, St. Louis for an auto show, and South Dakota for work and family fun.
For the past few months I have been in South Dakota painting for some former customers that built new homes and wanted us to come back and paint them. As of Tuesday, the job is done. What does that mean for me? V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N-! Yesterday, I spent most of the day with my grandpa. It was an enjoyable time of listening to stories of his adventures in WWII, filling in crossword puzzles, and trying to get pieces put in his jigsaw puzzle. I then spent the rest of the evening with my aunt and uncle. I had a lot of fun with them. We played guitar and went trap shooting! It was my first time trap shooting and I actually did OK. I shot two rounds. The first round I hit 14 out of 25 clay pigeons, and the second round I didn't keep count, but I know it was a lot worse than my first round. Oh well, it was a very fun experience that I hope I can try again someday.
There is not a lot planned for today, other than catching up on rest, for tomorrow with be the start of a busy adventure that starts with visiting Badlands National Park!!!!
Until my next post munchkins!
Hey Everyone!
Since my major adventure last summer I have done some smaller (by comparison) trips. I've gone to Maine for thanksgiving, St. Louis for an auto show, and South Dakota for work and family fun.
For the past few months I have been in South Dakota painting for some former customers that built new homes and wanted us to come back and paint them. As of Tuesday, the job is done. What does that mean for me? V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N-! Yesterday, I spent most of the day with my grandpa. It was an enjoyable time of listening to stories of his adventures in WWII, filling in crossword puzzles, and trying to get pieces put in his jigsaw puzzle. I then spent the rest of the evening with my aunt and uncle. I had a lot of fun with them. We played guitar and went trap shooting! It was my first time trap shooting and I actually did OK. I shot two rounds. The first round I hit 14 out of 25 clay pigeons, and the second round I didn't keep count, but I know it was a lot worse than my first round. Oh well, it was a very fun experience that I hope I can try again someday.
There is not a lot planned for today, other than catching up on rest, for tomorrow with be the start of a busy adventure that starts with visiting Badlands National Park!!!!
Until my next post munchkins!
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