Leave: Ottawa, Illinois 7:15 AM
Arrive: Home 5:10 PM
Weather: 25 C (77 F)
Mileage: 503 miles (810 km)
We are home. 50 minutes at Sarnia border which is pretty good considering a long weekend and a lot of Americans coming over.
Houseboat with the kids was the high lite but enjoyed everything we did.
Parks & Monuments: 27
Attractions: 5
Total Mileage: 6,440 miles (10,387 km)
Friday, August 30, 2019
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Day 22
Leave: Sioux Falls, South Dakota 7:20 AM
Arrive: Ottawa, Illinois 4:45 PM
Weather: 29 C (84 F)
Mileage: 575 Miles (925 km)
We are on our way home. Left South Dakota and drove through Minnesota, Wisconsin and into Illinois. Besides lots of road construction there isn’t much to write about. We are making good time despite the construction.
Arrive: Ottawa, Illinois 4:45 PM
Weather: 29 C (84 F)
Mileage: 575 Miles (925 km)
We are on our way home. Left South Dakota and drove through Minnesota, Wisconsin and into Illinois. Besides lots of road construction there isn’t much to write about. We are making good time despite the construction.
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Day 21
Leave: Rapid City, South Dakota 8:20 AM
Arrive: Sioux Falls, South Dakota 4:51 PM
Weather: 28 C (82 F)
Mileage: 394 miles (634 km)
Another beautiful day as we drove through Badlands Nat’l Park. We saw buffalo and big horned sheep.
Minuteman Missile Nat’ Historic Park was interesting. We saw a missile aimed for Russia that was all set to go off during the Cold War.
They were working on the Corn Palace in Mitchell South Dakota. The exterior corn murals are replaced and redesigned each year with a new theme. The designs are created by local artists.
Arrive: Sioux Falls, South Dakota 4:51 PM
Weather: 28 C (82 F)
Mileage: 394 miles (634 km)
Another beautiful day as we drove through Badlands Nat’l Park. We saw buffalo and big horned sheep.
Minuteman Missile Nat’ Historic Park was interesting. We saw a missile aimed for Russia that was all set to go off during the Cold War.
They were working on the Corn Palace in Mitchell South Dakota. The exterior corn murals are replaced and redesigned each year with a new theme. The designs are created by local artists.
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Day 20
Leave: Gillette, Wyoming 8:00 AM
Arrive: Rapid City, South Dakota 4:00 PM
Weather: 23 C (73 F)
Mileage: 255 miles (410 km)
The 1st stop was Devils Tower Nat’l Monument in Wyoming. It rises 867 ft from base to top and is formed by an igneous intrusion. We saw 5 climbers half way up the tower. Hundreds of climbers scale the sheer rock wall every year. We walked around the tower (1.3 miles)
It is very sacred to the Indians, they conduct ceremonies around the tower during the month of June every year and hang prayer bundles and prayer cloths from the trees.
Prayer cloths hanging from trees
We drove through the Black Hills mainly in South Dakota and saw a couple waterfalls and sheer rock walls.
Our next stop was Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota. It was started in 1948 by Korczak Ziolkowski and his family of 10 kids.
We didn’t notice a big difference from when we were there 33 years ago.
The last stop was Mount Rushmore Nat’l Memorial not far from Crazy Horse. This was sculptured by Gutzon Borglum from 1927 - 1941
Arrive: Rapid City, South Dakota 4:00 PM
Weather: 23 C (73 F)
Mileage: 255 miles (410 km)
The 1st stop was Devils Tower Nat’l Monument in Wyoming. It rises 867 ft from base to top and is formed by an igneous intrusion. We saw 5 climbers half way up the tower. Hundreds of climbers scale the sheer rock wall every year. We walked around the tower (1.3 miles)
It is very sacred to the Indians, they conduct ceremonies around the tower during the month of June every year and hang prayer bundles and prayer cloths from the trees.
Prayer cloths hanging from trees
We drove through the Black Hills mainly in South Dakota and saw a couple waterfalls and sheer rock walls.
Our next stop was Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota. It was started in 1948 by Korczak Ziolkowski and his family of 10 kids.
We didn’t notice a big difference from when we were there 33 years ago.
The last stop was Mount Rushmore Nat’l Memorial not far from Crazy Horse. This was sculptured by Gutzon Borglum from 1927 - 1941
Monday, August 26, 2019
Day 19
Leave: Butte, Montana 8:05 AM (41 F when we left hotel)
Arrive: Gillette, Wyoming 4:30 PM
Weather: 22 C (71 F)
Mileage: 465 miles (748 km)
We did a driving tour of Little Big Horn Battlefield Nat’l Monument in Montana and saw the battlefield of Custer’s last stand. It took place June 25-26 1876
Wyoming Scenery
Arrive: Gillette, Wyoming 4:30 PM
Weather: 22 C (71 F)
Mileage: 465 miles (748 km)
We did a driving tour of Little Big Horn Battlefield Nat’l Monument in Montana and saw the battlefield of Custer’s last stand. It took place June 25-26 1876
Wyoming Scenery
Sunday, August 25, 2019
Day 18
Leave: Jerome, Idaho 8:15 AM
Arrive: Butte, Montana 3:45 PM
Weather: 31 C (87 F)
Mileage: 362 miles (582 km)
This morning we went to Craters of the Moon Nat’l Monument and were both totally impressed.
There are 3 major lava fields covering 400 sq miles. The first eruption happened 15 million years ago. The most recent volcanic eruptions ended 2,100 years ago. We looked into 2 spatter cones (miniature volcanoes) and followed a trail through Devils Orchard.
Lava fields
Devils Orchard
Can you find John? (tap pictures to enlarge)
Arrive: Butte, Montana 3:45 PM
Weather: 31 C (87 F)
Mileage: 362 miles (582 km)
This morning we went to Craters of the Moon Nat’l Monument and were both totally impressed.
There are 3 major lava fields covering 400 sq miles. The first eruption happened 15 million years ago. The most recent volcanic eruptions ended 2,100 years ago. We looked into 2 spatter cones (miniature volcanoes) and followed a trail through Devils Orchard.
Lava fields
Devils Orchard
Can you find John? (tap pictures to enlarge)
Saturday, August 24, 2019
Day 17
Leave: Cedar City, Utah 7:45 AM
Arrive: Jerome, Idaho 4:30 PM
Weather: 34 C (94 F)
Mileage: 483 miles (777 km)
It was a long drive today through desert and mountains. We managed to see some of Great Basin Nat’l Park in Nevada. We drove from 6000 ft. up to 9000 ft. on windy hairpin curves with no guard rails to a lookout and took pictures of Wheeler Peak. The mountain is 13,063 ft. and had a snow cap.
Scenery on way to Great Basin Nat’l Park
Arrive: Jerome, Idaho 4:30 PM
Weather: 34 C (94 F)
Mileage: 483 miles (777 km)
It was a long drive today through desert and mountains. We managed to see some of Great Basin Nat’l Park in Nevada. We drove from 6000 ft. up to 9000 ft. on windy hairpin curves with no guard rails to a lookout and took pictures of Wheeler Peak. The mountain is 13,063 ft. and had a snow cap.
Scenery on way to Great Basin Nat’l Park
Friday, August 23, 2019
Day 16
Leave: Antelope Marina 9:00 AM
Arrive: Cedar City 2:30 PM
Weather: 36 C (96 F)
Milage: 185 miles (297 km)
Today we stopped in Kanab, Utah for lunch. More Western movies and television programs have been filmed here than in any other single location outside of Hollywood. We made good time and decided to drive through Zion Nat’l Park.
Speed limit in Utah
Day 10 - 15
Day 10 & 11
This morning Captain Jamie did a great job driving the boat and we found a secluded bay (Kane Wash in Padre Bay) with a beach where we stayed two nights. We spent the time in the water, going down the slide, (and yes I did go down the slide) short treks on the rocks and sitting on the top deck watching fireworks and the moon rising over the canyon.
Day 12
We left our secluded bay in search of a new beach at Grand Bench. The girls, Jamie and John are becoming quite the crew navigating, anchoring and piloting the boat.
Day 13
Left this morning to gas up at Dangling Rope Marina (about 2 1/2 hours to marina) and came back to Grand Bench. Jamie looked like a pro pulling up the 70 ft. Titanium houseboat to the gas pump. We went back to Grand Beach for the night.
Day 14
Another gorgeous day of sun and fun, floating in the Colorado River and trekking. Hottest day so far 40C (104 F)
Day 15
We left Grand Beach and spent the day cruising back to the marina. We went to Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon Dam and then back to the boat where we spent our last night.
“We had an awesome vacation with the kids. (hope they thought so too) Kennedy and Hayley were super. Thanks again guys for all your hard work.”
Hayley helping aunt Jody packing
This morning Captain Jamie did a great job driving the boat and we found a secluded bay (Kane Wash in Padre Bay) with a beach where we stayed two nights. We spent the time in the water, going down the slide, (and yes I did go down the slide) short treks on the rocks and sitting on the top deck watching fireworks and the moon rising over the canyon.
Day 12
We left our secluded bay in search of a new beach at Grand Bench. The girls, Jamie and John are becoming quite the crew navigating, anchoring and piloting the boat.
Day 13
Left this morning to gas up at Dangling Rope Marina (about 2 1/2 hours to marina) and came back to Grand Bench. Jamie looked like a pro pulling up the 70 ft. Titanium houseboat to the gas pump. We went back to Grand Beach for the night.
Day 14
Another gorgeous day of sun and fun, floating in the Colorado River and trekking. Hottest day so far 40C (104 F)
Day 15
We left Grand Beach and spent the day cruising back to the marina. We went to Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon Dam and then back to the boat where we spent our last night.
“We had an awesome vacation with the kids. (hope they thought so too) Kennedy and Hayley were super. Thanks again guys for all your hard work.”
Hayley helping aunt Jody packing
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