Day 36

So I guess we traded the barking dog for a crying baby breaking the silence of a beautiful campground at midnight. And 2am. And 4am. I commend the parents for bringing their toddler camping but ohmygoodness two nights in a row makes me feel like I have babies again. It definitely does not mix well with driving during the day. At least our drive today was relatively short!

I got up early and organized the laundry. At least I could get something done instead of starting my day off angry! When I finished and was packing it all away the best thing happened - I found my flip flops!  I'm from Florida and I spend just about every day of the year in flip flops. I'd spent the last 5 days in tennis shoes or hiking boots and I was running out of socks. I may have done a little dance.

We have had a pet roach with us on this trip. He has found his way into food, sleeping bags, on pillows, and in the RV. He had actually been missing for a few days when he showed up in Ryan's cereal! We all kinda missed him and were glad to have him back.

Breakfast ended with a full out impromptu game of ball tag with camp balls. The balls were flying and even if you weren't part of the game you were ducking every few seconds to avoid being hit!

After packing up we headed to the Visitor's Center to turn in the girls' junior ranger books. We all noticed the flag a half mast and wondered who had passed away. When I turned on the radio to see we realized it was September 11th. Most years I enjoy when I lose the dates and days of the weeks after about 10 days, but today I felt bad I hadn't at least thought about the day today.




After we both filled up with gas we stopped a couple miles down the road at the county jail where Sundance Kid was held. It was just supposed to be a quick photo stop, but we ducked into a museum to learn a little more about the history of the area and ended up spending about an hour learning about all kinds of things! We learned more about buffalo jumps, arrowheads, crime sprees, the westward expansion, one room schoolhouses and much much more.

Brayden gave away his cowboy & indian playset to his cousins but as soon as he saw a similar set today he had to have it. He missed playing with those guys and Ryan decided to spend some of her money on a set too. We were about to have a big war at the next campsite!

The museum guy gave us some advice about our next stops so we made a plan and got on the road. Dave wasn't working today so he definitely wanted to see Crazy Horse and Mt. Rushmore so we made them our priority. We found the South Dakota sign and tried our best to look like the presidents. then we arrived at Crazy Horse shortly after later ready to explore.

None of us knew much about the mountain carving but we were both excited to see it. We started at the museum with a movie and were blown away at the history of the project as well as the ongoing plans. We had no idea just how large it was. We had no idea it was a privately-funded project. We had no idea it was still underway. We had no idea the scale and intensity of the project. To say we are impressed is a huge understatement.

Then we walked into the collection of Native American historical documents and artifacts and we were amazed again. I could have spent three times the amount of time I did in there but I knew the kids would be pulling on me. I did read the original letter Chief Standing Bear wrote the sculptor asking if he would be interested in working on the his idea. The colloection of photographs, clothing, jewelry, weapons, and documents was overwhelming.

We made our way outside for a better view of the sculpture and a look at the 1/34th version of the project. This was when I realized this project will not be completed in my lifetime for sure. They are just starting the index finger pointing to Crazy Horse's land. There is so much more!!

Grammie decided we should make a pact to come back in 20 years to see what progress has been made. I'm pretty sure we won't be driving that time!

Next we toured the location of the family's original house. The sculptor, his wife, and their 10 kids lived right in the spot where we were standing with a beautiful view of the mountain. It was a very interesting glimpse into their life and a look at more of the art he created.

After one more peek at the mountain we all headed back to our vehicles and got on the road to Mt. Rushmore. This was the one spot Brayden mentioned wanting to go when we first started talking about this year's trip so I knew we had to make it happen. The kids immediately grabbed junior ranger books and started working.

The view of the mountain was wonderful and we stayed awhile on the terrace appreciating the time and effort put into it. We headed down to the museum exhibits and movie next. This project had quite a bit more backing from donors and the government so it was able to be finished in 14 years. We learned a lot about the plans, the workers, and the project while we were there. The kids even tried their best to draw the mountain for one of the activities in their books. Laney even ran over to hug a tree for one of her activities too!

We found out on the way out that Grammie would not be able to drive the two fun roads out of the park toward out campground - Iron Mountain Road and Needles Highway so while she drove around to our campsite, we headed down the Iron Mountain Road. The views were spectacular and the fun of driving it for me was even greater! In only 17 miles the road has 314 curves, 14 switchbacks, 3 one-lane tunnels and 3 pigtails, turns which loop over their own road, allowing the road to climb rapidly.

We made it into our campground just as Grammie was setting up at her spot. While I got veggie burgers started, the kids and Dave set up the tents and helped Grammie finish setting up so we could eat before dark. The macaroni ended up pretty cold, but the rest of the dinner was delicious. It may have had something to do with the fact that we were all quite hungry.

Dave and Laney decided to retire for the night so the rest of us stayed up and enjoyed a fire for awhile. Thinking back it had been about 4 weeks since we'd been able to make a fire with all the fire bans due to all the extreme dry conditions. When it was time to add a new log and Ryan was falling asleep in my lap we drowned the fire and go to bed. More driving on crazy roads tomorrow!

Day 32

Even though I went to bed early I didn't wake up until after then sunrise this morning - I guess I needed some rest! The view was smoky over the lake so I slipped back into my sleeping bag to warm up and read. I was in the best park of my book so I ended up reading a little later than I should have. I made myself stop and went to the car to check the time only to find out it was already after 9am! We were supposed to meet at Grammie's RV for her famous homemade buttermilk biscuits.

I grabbed clothes for everyone and we ran to the bathrooms to get changed. We hopped in the car and raced over to her campground for breakfast. The mountain that disappeared into the smoke was entirely visible this morning with blue sky we hadn't seen for days!

We pulled up 10 minutes late and Ryan poked her head out as if she'd been waiting for hours. After apologies for sleeping in we enjoyed a delicious breakfast and planned our day. Our first stop was Stewart Canyon for a hike. The view was so beautiful as we walked along the path to the canyon. The kids spotted a peninsula they just had to explor so we headed that way. I happened to find a rock that was just perfect for a bench for me!

While we were there we spotted what we thought was a broken kayak on the next peninsula but as we walked by we saw it was actually a sculpture. It's purpose was to concentrate the sounds of the water and wind and for everyone to listen. I listened and immediately thought it would be the perfect soundtrack to put me to sleep at night.

We moved along the trail and found a shelter the kids just had to go explore too. They were making big plans to change the world in there I'm sure.

We made it to the canyon bridge and stayed for awhile to enjoy the view of the water. The turquoise of the lake and this river looked like the Carribean to me!

The kids were walking with Grammie for awhile so Dave and I were enjoying the quiet and the view of the beautiful water on the walk. At some point I realized they were making plans to take over Grammie's house should a zombie apocalypse happen. They decided who they were going to have there to help and everything. This conversation ended up consuming them for the rest of the walk and back to our car. I'm glad they have a plan for me!



We dropped Lola back off at the RV then headed to the Cave and Basin National Monument next. We found out this was the first actual Canadian national area that inspired the national park movement there. The kids grabbed ranger books and began their searches to complete the activities. We learned all about the First Nation's beliefs and uses for the area as well as the discovery by European settlers.

We walked up the ramp to the cave and immediately walked into a wall of rotten-egg sulfur smell. The kids dramatically walked in making all kinds of noises while holding thier noses and back out as quick as possible. It was a pretty horrible smell but we got used to it after a few minutes. The water was that beautiful turquoise again.

There were a ton of other activites for learning about industry built around the springs as well as the railroad expansion in the area. The girls enjoyed walking around the camp set up like the areas the railroad workers would live in during construction. The tents were comically named things like "1st Class Hotel", "Finest Restaurant", and the girls played checkers in "The Boss" tent.

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We'd seen notices about Canada's red chairs at the visitor's centers so when the girls spotted them they had to get a picture. It's a great idea for social media for the National Parks to promote use of the parks and getting outside.

After everyone finished their ranger books we played a quick game of Snakes and Snails in the kids area while Grammie went upstairs for the view. They showed their books to the guide and received a fun dog tag necklace souvenier from the park. Outside while we waited for Grammie the girls found a fun time capsule from 1983 so they were calculating if they would be able to come back when it is opened in 2083.

We stopped at the little gift area for post cards and headed into town to walk around for the afternoon. As much as he does not like shopping (unless it's for toys), Brayden loves walking around different small towns. We were all ready for a snack when we came upon an ice cream place with a line out the door so we knew we were at the right spot. While we were wairing in line the girls picked up bottles of Raspberry Cordial from Anne of Green Gables, one of our favorite books. I didn't want to get them right then too so I whispered to Dave to find them as a Christmas surprise online hopefully.

Cows' flavors all sounded so delicious with fun names like Messy Bessy, Fluffer Udder, and Wowie Cowie. Of course Brayden picked the one with the most chocolate possible then the girls each picked the ones I was going with so I ended up with a pretty good caramel. The ice cream was really good, but the waffle cones were by far the best we have ever had. Banff would be a dangerous place for this ice cream-loving family to live!

Grammie and I were both looking for long-sleeve t-shirts so we were popping into each of the shops along the main street. Ryan went in one of the first shops with me and instantly fell in love with some giant bear feet slippers. They were an expensive thing for her to spend her money on so I asked her to wait to see if we could find them elsewhere and to make sure she really wanted them. We didn't find any shirts, but she did end up with her slippers!



Once we got back to the RV, Dave sauteed some shrimp to add to our clam chowder for dinner. Grammie and I planned out the next day on the road hoping to get away from smoke. After dishes there may have been a lot of camp ball batting practice in the middle of the road.

Back at our campsite we reorganized for the next day and went to the kitchen shelter to play games. We had a very long and intense game of Ludo that ended with Dave finally winning. I went to sleep telling my brain to wake up early for the sunrise since we were leaving in the morning.

Day 31

Our mountain home was pretty dark in the morning until about 8am, but my internal alarm went off and I got up to start packing for our drive. We were also pretty excited to get moving to our hike this morning. After breakfast we were derailed quite a bit on a search for Brayden's glasses. They weren't in the car, in Grammie's RV, at the campsite, in the tent, they had just disappeared. We all retraced the steps of the previous day and decided to pack up and search the couple places we'd stopped. We had the responsibility talk again on the way and didn't find them anywhere.

After a quick stop at the post office for Canadian stamps, we were on the road to Alberta. Our first stop was another of my most anticipated hikes of the trip to Stanley Glacier. The smoke was all around us still, but I was hoping we would at least be able to see it once we got there. If we didn't my people were going to strangle me as it was about a 5-mile hike!

This hike was rated "moderate" by the park service and I could certainly see why within the first 2 kilometers of straight up switchbacks! Our altitude-challenged crew were needing quite a few breaks as we kept going up and up. We got a peek at the cascades of the Stanley River on the way up as we recovered.

About an hour later, we made it to the river crossing and I promised Laney we would stop there for a snack on the way back. Our next 30 minutes were on the trail through a meadow where we tried to spot some wildlife but with no luck.

The trail then became very rocky as we climbed the last kilometer to the glacier viewing spot. Dave was the first to spot the waterfall off the side of Stanley Mountain so we knew we were close. The smoke had settled in quite a bit since we first parked but we could still see the glacier nestled in the mountain. Ryan wanted to go touch it so I contemplated adding at least an additional 2 hours to the hike while Grammie and Dave waited for us.

The kids were already tired, out of snacks, and we still had the trek back so I decided against it. Dave took a picture with strategic placement of Ryan's finger and the glacier to prove that she "touched" it.

I decided to hike in a little further to show the perspective of the mountain and glacier. It was difficult to capture with the camera because of the smoke, but we are the little people waving on the trail about 1/4 from the bottom of the picture. This place made me feel so small!!

We enjoyed the view for a little while longer then decided to head back. We still had a drive to our next campground today. We were much quicker on the return making it to the river in record time even with Brayden stopping briefly to take pictures.

The kids immediately all took off their shoes and stepped into the freezing glacier water. The look on each of their faces was priceless as their feet immediately and painfully froze.

The kids thawed their feet while I captured a visitor lurking in the woods hoping we might be having a snack. When I turned around to capture them they didn't even roll their eyes!



















We zoomed through the switchbacks with ease and very quickly because we all needed to pee by now! Ryan paused to watch her stick in the river then we headed to the car for the remainder of our drive. We all emptied what was left in our backpacks so they could be put away. Ryan decided to make a little design with her remaining water. How could you not smile seeing this?

I was actually not smiling at this point. After this long hike I was so ready to change into flip flops but I couldn't find them. It seems I was so frustrated and consumed with taking to Brayden about losing his glasses that I lost my flip flops. Life has a way of always keeping me humble. 

Before much more time on the road, we were crossing the border into Alberta. We were surprised to be able to see two of the highway wildlife overpasses along the way!

We were following Grammie through Canada because my GPS didn't allow download of Canada maps. When we arrived in Banff we stopped to take a picture at the sign and she promptly lost us. We were in Banff National Park but also in the city of Banff, Alberta so we drove around a little bit until I spied the park information center. I ran in and grabbed a map of the area to see if we could find our campground.

It took me a few minutes to figure out where we were supposed to be going but I finally got us to the area of the lake where we would be staying. This pretty girl was blocking the road for awhile, but we enjoyed watching her!

As we pulled into Two Jack Lake Dave and I were both taken aback by the large "closed" sign at the check in station. I thought maybe the station was just closed so we drove into the campground a little bit to find other roads closed as well.

It all seemed wrong to us so we went back out and stopped at the maintenance area where we saw a few trucks. I was worried the campground had been unexpectedly closed and was resigned to asking if we could stay on Grammie's site.  A man greeted us to help and he cleared up everything for us. Apparently we stopped at "Two Jack Lake" and we were supposed to be stopping at "Two Jack Lakeside". Crisis averted.

We were setting up within a few minutes at our assigned site nestled in the trees of the campground just off the lake. I was already excited to see the sunset or sunrise if the smoke cleared. Next we headed over to Grammie's spot to cook dinner but she'd already started tuna burgers. It was perfect timing as it was ready shortly after we arrived and we were all stuffed about 10 minutes later. Ryan and Brayden claimed they had a separate area for storing dessert so Grammie obliged with the rest of the peach and blueberry cobbler. Now we were really stuffed!

We headed back to the campsite and visited the lake for a few minutes before Dave and I immediately went to bed and Brayden and Laney went to read in their tent. I believe I woke up a little while later and told them to go to bed or I may have dreamed that!