Oregon Trail - Day Five

Oregon Trail - Day Five
September 1, 2009
Locations: Hood River, The Falls, Troutdale, Portland

Our day started off wonderfully. We woke to the sun coming up over the Columbia River. We really enjoyed our visit to the River Lodge & Grill. It had a beautiful stone fireplace, great views and very plush rooms.
The River Lodge:

Our first stop of the day, was a scenic look at Mt. Hood. KMD tells me this is a great time to be here in the dry season because you can see so much. Many of the times she has been here, it has been too foggy and hazy to see the top on the drive in.
Since we were east of Portland and we had until 5pm to pick up the keys to KMD's new home, we stopped at the 'Falls'. We visited four different waterfall sites. The biggest is Multnomah Falls. It was stunning with a beautiful bridge intersecting the falls. We walked up to the bridge part for some pictures. This area was the most popular with a restaurant, gift shop and restrooms!
Multnomah Falls:

After visiting the gift shop for some postcards, we headed down the scenic drive to Ponytail Falls. Ponytail was smaller than Multnomah, but you could hike up half a mile and go behind the waterfall. We hiked up it, but it felt like much more the half a mile as we took a steep grade path up with hairpins turns. I definitely worked off breakfast. Being behind the waterfall was super cool, as you could see it rushing down below. The little waterfall below Ponytail is called Horsetail Falls.
Ponytail Falls (behind the falls):

Sheppard's Dell was a quick stop. We got out of the car, walked down a lovely bridge/ramp and snapped a picture.
Shepperd's Dell:

Latourell was my favorite waterfall. This one you feel the spray hitting you and it was so refreshing and natural. Somehow, I got brave and decided to use the rocks as stepping stones and walk into the waterfall. In case it wasn't clear, I am not a fan of nature in general. However, I love beautiful scenery and the majesty of the landscape of this country. Being up close and personal , not so much. I mean I live in a concrete jungle. Anyway, back to the story. I loved walking into the little creek and getting so close to the waterfall. My clothes were damp, my shoes were dirty, but I loved every minute of being in the waterfall and working to get there.
Latourell Falls (KMD walking in the falls):

After working up an appetite, we headed to Troutdale. Troutdale is a great example of not judging a book by it's cover. The name is not so cute, but the little town? Adorable. We had a ladies lunch of chicken salad and iced tea at a place called Celebrate Me Home. This was a home furnishings store, but with a little bistro inside. My favorite store by far was the Troutdale General Store. It had an old-fashioned soda and ice cream fountain on one side and the other was literally a whole store of cuteness. I could have purchased so many treats.

Our time was winding down and we needed to get the keys to the new home, so we hopped in the Viv the Volvo and headed into Portland. KMD is living in a totally cute area called Lake Oswego. After picking up the keys and making the mandatory trip to Target, we headed to Trader Joe's for a few groceries. It will be nice to have our own food and not eat out all the time. Although lots of places to dine out will still be had.

Happy Portlanding!

Oregon Trail - Day Four

Oregon Trail - Day Four
August 31, 2009
States: MT, ID, WA, OR

We are in the home stretch of driving. Today we covered about 600 miles of road. Our day started in Bozeman, MT. We had a very nice stay at the Wingate. Options are extremely limited and we were pleasantly surprised about nice this hotel was. After breakfast we made a little stop at Target for some magazines that I could read outloud. We have had a lot of music and needed a change. In toto- I spend $44 on magazines, from the trashy to the classy. It was pure enjoyment. We also picked up this lovely magazine called Sunset. It is a magazine about how to live in the west. It is really beautiful.

This leg of the trip was beautiful with changing landscapes, but also one of the toughest in terms of changing terrain. We went up and down huge huge hills and mountains.

The lush green mountains and hills, the vast farmland, rows and rows of trees - all stunning. For a long part of the drive, we drove next to a beautiful river/creek. It was straight out of A River Runs Through It.

Our big sightseeing stop today was Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. It was amazing. This crystal blue lake, rows of boats, the towering mountains in the background - we just took it all in. We walked around, visited a few cutie shops. Papillion Stationary was my favorite store there. We ended the little diversion with Idaho potato french fries and homemade ice cream.
The sign to the harbor:

The main street with shoppes and cafes:

The prettiest picture ever:


Our final leg of the day's drive was supposed to conclude in Pasco, WA. Upon arrival, we decided to keep on driving. There wasn't really anything there. Pasco was picked because on the map, it was the largest word, which usually means a larger city. As we kept driving, we noticed a complete lack of dinner options and we were getting really hungry. As a whim, we exited at Boardman and decided to give the River Lodge and Grill a try. It was really that or a pizza shack (eh). We were so completely surprised by how cute and nice this lodge was. We went into the dining room for dinner and sat by a big window overlooking the Columbia River. Our dinner was such a pleasant treat, we decided to stay the night here. I will have pictures of the lodge and lovely river setting tomorrow.

Ciao!

Oregon Trail - Day Three

Oregon Trail - Day Three
August 30, 2009
States: SD, WY, MT

This morning was another early morning for me. I was up and showered before 7:30am. I spent some time organizing my pictures and blogging while KMD got ready. Breakfast was communal style at the B&B. We had a strada (eh), yogurt, fruit and granola mixed together (like crack to me), cheese and bread. Very Euro. It was good and we sat with our new besties, Bev and Mary. Before we left, Bev approached us with her 'business card' and asked us to keep in touch. We felt this gesture warranted a picture with them. Bev kept saying we felt like her family. Weird, but nice. After saying our goodbyes, we took off for Mt. Rushmore.
The B&B:

This was what we drove along out of the black hills:


Mt. Rushmore was amazing. As we drove up the hill to the monument, we turned a curve and there it was! We stopped for a picture and kept going to the parking lot. Mt. Rushmore was very majestic. We walked through The Avenue of Flags. I loved walking through all the flags of the states and then Mt. Rushmore appears. I took a lot of pictures from different angles and spot around the park.
The Avenue of Flags:

Mt. Rushmore:

Departing, Mt. Rushmore we headed to Deadwood. Mostly, because ECW really wanted us to go there. He loves the show and we love him, so of course we had to stop. It was very cute and almost looked like the backlot of a movie studio. The weirdest part was everything was a casino. I mean everything. Every hotel,shop, bar - had slots and tables. We struggled for a while to find a place to eat. It was harder than you would think. Finally, we ended up at this dive bar (to us, others probably liked it) with bar food. This was the same place Buffalo Bill was shot. At least that was interesting.

Upon finishing our meal, we really needed to hit the road and get some miles under our belt. We went through the northern portion of Wyoming and it was less than beautiful, but my cell service was amazing. Most of SD, it was dicey. We paused in Billings, MT for a quick dinner and then headed to Bozeman. We stopped in Bozeman for the night.

After leaving Deadwood, this is the most time we spent in the car just driving with no sightseeing detours. It sounds like a lot, but there was lots of laughing, reading gossip blogs and chatting.

Good Night - I'm Dozing in Bozeman.

Oregon Trail - Day Two

Oregon Trail - Day Two
August 29, 2009
States: SD

KMD and I woke up early on Saturday, packed the car and headed off for the Falls of Sioux Falls. As we drove into Park Falls you could tell, they were going to be lovely. The falls were beautiful. We walked around for a few minutes and then headed back downtown for breakfast.

At first we were a little nervous because not that much seemed to be open, but KMD spotted this little cafe that looked just like 'us'. It was Cafe 334. We checked out the menu and headed inside. We were able to sit by the window and enjoy the scenery. Cafe 334 has pained little blue dish and little purple octopi on the storefront window.

They also had a sidewalk chalk advertisement out front. Sidewalk chalk as a special place in my big girl heart. During college, we also used sidewalk chalk to advertise our events. After a yummy breakfast of eggs, tomatoes, bacon and homemade english muffin's, we headed off in search of postcards. (I love to send postcards. Always have and always will.) Postcards in hand we began driving.

Last night, when I realized that we were not far from the Corn Palace, I knew we had to stop. My family visited the corn palace when I was 8 years old, during a cross country drive. I was curious to see if it was still as fun and neat as I remembered. Turns out, it was!

They were also having the Corn Palace Festival. Now, I love and I mean love a festival. The rides, the games, the food, the people, the colors. Growing up in the Midwest, all the Catholic churches have festivals during the summer and they are always a blast. So yes, I love a festival. We toured the outside of the Corn Palace. Fun Fact: It is decorated with a different theme each year. All the corn has to be replaced because the birds eat it. So it never looks the same way twice. After the tour, we rode the Ferris Wheel in the number 8 car. 8 is KMD's favorite number. We worked up an appetite riding the Ferris Wheel and indulged in some corn on the cob, a corn dog and lemonade. It was perfect for a sunny day.

Back in the car, our next sightseeing stop was Badlands National Park. I wasn't quite sure what to expect and I was blown away. For miles and miles (read: 300+) it was full on prairie. Then we enter the Badlands and it is huge stock and rock structures and deep deep valleys. The colors were beautiful. We stopped several times along the scenic route to take pictures and enjoy the surroundings. I am glad and thankful that I have been able to see another National Park and something so beautiful.

We were supposed to see Mt. Rushmore that day, but it was getting later and we are staying at a little bed & breakfast in the Black Hills. We knew it was off the beaten path and did not relish looking for it in the dark. That turned out to be a good choice. It was very very far off the beaten path and we needed the daylight and help from the Garmin to find it. We are staying at the Coyote Blues Village B&B. It is owned and operated by a very nice Swiss couple. We were very hungry upon arrival and immediately headed out in search of the recommended Horse Creek Inn. We were warned it looked like a cowboy bar (true), but the food was wonderful (also true). The decor was very old school and grandma-ish, but the food was so good. The craziest part was the price. For ice tea, homemade soup, tossed salad, filet cooked to order, fresh dinner roll, baked potato and tax & tip the bill came to $40.00. I am so not kidding. I mean that is a night out for one in Chicago. Amazing!

We returned to our lovely b&b to write postcards, upload pictures, check email, update blogs and get ready for bed. As KMD and I are out in one of the common areas working away, another bedroom door opens and a head pops out. It is an older woman, Beverly. She heard our voices and decided to check us out. She must have thought we looked okay, because she pulled up a chair and began chatting away. We both had the feeling, Beverly never met someone she didn't like talking too. She liked that there were some young people here now. She liked looking at all of our photo's from the past day and asking lots of questions about the purpose of our trip. She and her friend Mary, are here to see Mt. Rushmore. Beverly is very patriotic as evidenced by her flag and Mt. Rushmore shirt, pin and earrings. Beverly enjoyed drawing parallels between KMD & I and her & Mary. We had a really nice time with both of them and had the feeling if we were staying any longer, they would have planned an adventure for all of us to enjoy.

I have to take a moment and be thankful and mindful of our trip. While I am sad to be geographically losing one of my favorite people, I am grateful we have this trip and time together. We are two girls on the road traveling cross country. It sounds amazing when I say it out loud and write it down. Cross Country. It is something so few people have the time or opportunity to do. We are seeing large parts of this country, national treasures, different sights and spending time together. I couldn't ask for more.

Oregon Trail - Day One

Oregon Trail - Day One
August 28, 2009
States: IL, WI, MN, SD

One of my very favorite people and best friends is moving from Chicago, IL to Portland, OR. This move has been 10 months in the making and very early on, I decided I would go with KMD as she drove her car across the country. (All of her possessions are being moved by professional movers).

We rose bright and early on Friday morning (read 5:30am), loaded our luggage and snacks into the car and took off. Slowly. We had to take my car to the dealer, mail a letter, get gas and reach the interstate. Traffic getting to the Kennedy was backed up and moving very slow. Finally, we reached the interstate and were able to get outside of the city pretty quickly. We knew having several breaks to stretch and have something to eat were going to be important. I had also been working so much the prior four days in preparation of being gone for ten days, that I was pretty tired. Getting out of the car and into fresh air was important.

KMD has planned our entire trip! She planned our stops to give us several opportunities to sightsee. Our first official stop: F.A.S.T. Corp, makers of Fiberglass Animals, Shapes and Trademarks. They have the World's Largest Collection of Fiberglass Animals. It was unreal. Some were molds of animals, some were slides, some were shapes and some were even fully painted.

A sleeping ellie:

The symbol of preppiness:

The biggest one:

The most colorful:

After browsing this unusual collection, we headed into Downtown Sparta, WI. It was adorable. Very small town. I almost expected someone to be making a movie, it was so cute. We ended up eating at D's Pizza. It was a little place, that probably spent of its time as a bar. After lunch, we walked up and down Water Street, which is their Main Street. On the lookout for postcards, we waundered into the Sparta Pharmacy and Market. The cutest thing was when they delivered your medication, they also brought you a little bag of homemade popcorn. I love touches like that.

After lunch, we were back in the car and headed toward Minnesota. Our goal: The Jolly Green Giant!

Success:

We paused for a few pictures and a Dairy Queen treat. JGG was much bigger than I was expecting. After some Warrior moves by me to stretch, we continued on the road. Around 8:00, we arrived in Sioux Falls, SD. We are staying at a pretty nice Holiday Inn City Center. (You never know sometimes). We both decided a walk would be nice, so we set off for dinner. We stumbled upon the neatest 50's style chrome encased diner, The Phillips Avenue Diner. I had half of a hot turkey sandwich and some cottage cheese. Yes, sometimes I am an old lady. After a lovely dinner, we headed back to the hotel to plan Day Two and get some much needed sleep.

Happy Trails!