Interesting facts and observations
about our trip
- We traveled just over 5,400 total miles in 21 days. This includes all the side trips.
- Kids can sleep in any position in a car at all times of the day whether they've slept an entire night or not.
- Same thing above goes for dogs.
- Dog farts in a car smell worse than any where else
- Dog poop bags come in handy for car sick kids
- Free Wi-Fi advertised is not always free
- KOA stands for Keep On Adding ($$$$) and is what I was referring to in the above statement!
- Gas stations in the middle of nowhere don't carry all octanes.
- Being limited to 65 MPH (because of tires) sucks!
- If you don't own cowboy boots, a large belt buckle, and a cowboy hat, you don't really fit in in Montana (male and female alike.)
- Montana has a lot of cows!
- Montana is actually pretty boring until the western side.
- We heard Payphone by Maroon 5 about 1000 times on satellite radio, as well as Call Me Maybe, Starships, Dark Side, Blow Me (One Last Kiss), and some Katy Perry song we've blocked out.
- The girls don't like the 80s or 90s music except for what they know from Rock Band.
- It's going to take days getting all the bug carcasses off the camper
- 3 weeks with 2 adults, 2 kids, and 2 dogs as well as all our stuff in less than 200 square feet is a REALLY long time!
- Maya wants a buffalo as a pet!
- We saw black bears and grizzly bears and cubs both in captivity and in the wild.
- We traveled through Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Nebraska.
- Camp Stores are expensive
- We won't let our 10 & 11 year go to the camp bathroom/showers alone, but evidently other parents let their 5 year olds do it.
- Some people spend mega money on a camper set up or class A RV Motorhome as well as all the toys to go along with it.
- Sand is a huge nuisance in the south. Pine needles and pine cone seeds are a nuisance in the north and west. I think I would choose sand over this crap!
- Dogs shed more in small spaces
- There is never enough storage for our stuff when camping and I pack very light.
- A Walmart is a Walmart no matter where you go, but the Walmart in Butte, Montana was the friendliest I've ever been in. Everyone knew everyone and people were willing to help and chat not matter what!
- The temperature in the top of the mountains is about 20 degrees cooler than at the base.
- Mt. Rushmore is interesting, but it is a “hey, there it is” kind of monument. And that is it!
- Quoting lines from a movie to go along with what is happening drives our children crazy!
- Referencing the above, I can think of daily events that coincide with National Lampoon's Vacation!
- The times the fridge opened while driving– 1. The times the cabinet door above the sink popped open – 2. How many times I wanted to hit my head against the wall because of this – 3.
- Thunder storms in our camper are loud and somewhat scary. Thunderstorms in the mountains are 10 times more intense, therefor they are louder and scarier. And I like thunderstorms (in Indiana)
- Camping next to the interstate makes for a difficult night's sleep.
- Camping next to night owls and loud kids who don't obey the “quiet time” rules make for a really difficult night's sleep.
- Following someone who is afraid of the curves and steep grade on mountain roads can be very, very frustrating!
- Cows look both ways before crossing the street! I am not making that up!
- We now know what people mean when they say smell that fresh mountain air! The smell of pine and the lack of exhaust makes the air smell beautiful!
- We had never been more excited to see an Indianapolis 200 miles sign than were were the day we were traveling home!
