The Smichna Adventures

We were too rushed yesterday so we got up early and set out to drive back thru The Badlands again.  Still amazing. This time we had time to do a couple small hikes.  It felt like being on another planet.  There are no real safety rails and they kinda let you just do whatever. Provided you don't ruin anyone's day by being stupid and dying.  (I'm not sure why some of these photos are sideways and I can't sort out how to fix on my phone) As usual the photos just don't do it justice.  Had some lunch in town and took off to Mt Rushmore.  I was keen to skip it but we made a promise to Uncle B from our last camp to take a photo with his shirts. Went on to Crazy Horse.  Absolutely loved it.  Well worth the time.  Great museum and a whole lot more. I don't know that we will see it finished in our lifetime. But I plan to come back.  The museum and grounds were well...

Neither of us slept great.  The wind was nuts.  We were thankfully in a small tree grove so we were spared direct wind but it was loud. Which is all the time here.  No thanks.  It's really is beautiful here but so eerie.  The constant howl and desolation of the land.   One the way out of town we made another cool stop at a Roadside attraction.   http://portersculpturepark.com/ Absolutely amazing.   We crossed the Missouri river.  Made a quick stop at the famous Chamberlain rest stop.  Bit of a museum there and this amazing statue After crossing the river the landscape immediately changed.  It's really very beautiful here.  Reminded us a little of Ireland.  As we drove the land got much flatter and increasingly brown and more and more desolate.  Having read all the Little House on the Prairie books many many times as a child,...

Packed up and hit the road early. Another travel day.  Looking at about 6-7 hours of driving.  We are officially heading to places neither of us have been before. Goal today: a cute farm/camp outside of Sioux Falls SD.  It seems right up our alley!  And it's even called "Uncle B's" which is Brendan's nieces and nephews call him.  Seemed too perfect.  Driving through very thick smoke from the Canadian Wildfires.  It's very ominous looking and a little depressing to be honest.  You could see the actual smoke clouds blowing around us.  Crossed the Mississippi River up between Wisconsin and Iowa.   Stopped in Austin Minnesota to see some things suggested on Roadside America.  A giant forkk made of forks.  As advertised: And the Spam museum! Then hours more driving with miles and miles of just....corn.  and some sunflowers!  Saw severa...

One goal for today: visit The House on the Rock again.  It was every bit as awe inspiring as the first time.  We really took our time going through this amazing place taking in every detail.  I don't know what it is about that carousel but it just drops my jaw. Photos don't do it justice.  If you have not heard of this wonderful Marvel please take a moment to search for it online. What started as a quirky Little House on top of a rock turned into a huge destination filled with so many Curiosities and collections of an eccentric and amazing man. Both thoroughly exhausted we went back into town to grab a few more supplies then back to camp. Brendan took a nap while I got some work done.  I'm not thrilled about working on the trip but I've had worse offices. Then we took another little hike and saw some beautiful scenery. Warming up for the bigger events yet to come. We've been through Wisconsin a couple times now and it's such an underrated...

Short trip today. Another gorgeous drive through the rolling hills and cornfields of Northern Illinois and Wisconsin. We got up super early and got to our next stop by 10am so killed some time getting some groceries and supplies.  Got some lunch at a nice cafe where I could take advantage of wifi and get some work done. Then we meandered over to our accommodations for the next two nights, Governor Dodge State Park.  Set up camp and napped awhile.  Got in another small hike and made dinner over the fire.  All in all a quiet and easy day.  Enjoying much cooler temps after this horrible summer so far. Tomorrow we make a return visit to a new favorite destination for us!  Miles driven: 636 Miles hiked: 3.5 State Count: 4

Well, we are off on another one of our big adventures.  Where this time?  You will find out in real time right along with us.  We've planned and unplanned this trip at least seven times so far this year.  We only have a very loose plan at this point.  We packed up the car with camping and backpacking gear and took off.  Goal for today; Northern Illinois.  Settled in at a site outside Utica IL.  Gorgeous day, easy drive.  Tomorrow: Wisconsin bound for a return adventure from 2020. Crossed 1 time zone Miles driven: 422 Miles hiked: 0

Kinda slept in a little.  We slept a little better last night.  Got up and had an amazing breakfast at the inn.  Such an amazing place! We decided to get one more overnight in at one of our most favorite spots, Bromely mountain.  It's a bit of a haul up the mountain and just as we remembered it.  But the ski hut we stayed in last year has some improvements.  A FRIGGIN DRYER!!!  We remembered they have power up here so people can charge their stuff but the put in a dang dryer!  That is a huge gift for hikers.  Lot of AT hikers up here hanging out and drying stuff. On the way up we totally ran into one of the SOBO AT hikers we met giving away soda yesterday!  Late Start.  And later on met another SOBO hiker we'd helped yesterday who's name I forget.  We explored the area a little.   Walking down another path that leads to the ski resort.  We didn't walk all the way down or anything but just around.  It was jus...