September 16, 2018: Road Trip 2009
Day 9 | 30 Days of Writing
In my Day 7 blog September 15, 2018 Blog Post, I promised the play-by-play of our beloved 2009 Road Trip. I have been planning for years to write about this favorite adventure and had asked my mom a few years back to send me her memories as well. Nine years later, here are the tidbits of both my mom and my recollections. I don't remember every detail, but the one thing I do remember is that we laughed, a lot.
Day One - 7/5/2009 - Las Vegas, NV
Mom: <she provided no comment on this day, so assume had nothing of note to contribute>
Me: I flew into the Las Vegas airport and we stayed with brother Mark and his family who were living in Henderson, NV at the time. After a good night's sleep, we started our adventure the next morning.
[Sidebar: I really have no recollection of getting picked up at the airport or getting up the next morning, but assumed it did happen.]
Day Two - 7/6/2009 - Northward through Nevada and Eastern Oregon to final destination of Richland, WA
Mom: Stopped at a deserted Oregon gas station in the morning, I tried to shield you from a passing vehicle while you took a potty break next to an out building (Didn't our feet get a little wet?). No doubt the people in the vehicle knew exactly what was "going" on.
Me: I fell asleep while Dad was driving us through Oregon. I woke up with the Rand McNally on my lap and drool running down my face to Dad going on and on about how that last ten miles were the most beautiful stretch of land he had every seen. "Breathtaking". I couldn't believe they didn't wake me up to enjoy with them.
"We didn't want to wake you. You were out!"
It became our running joke for the rest of the trip. "Please wake me if you seen the most amazing thing you have ever see in your life."
We checked out the Columbia River and walked around a bit, learning more about the tri-city area from the roomies mom/daughter combo, Kathy and Angelina. We spent the night with them and had a nice meal at their house with a freshly baked birthday cake to celebrate Mom's upcoming birthday.
Later Mom, Dad and I had a conference call with my divorce attorney (not a clue on why) and I overheard him telling my parents that they had a very nice daughter. That part I will never forget.
[Sidebar: I just looked at Google map and that day would have taken us close to 14 hours to drive. Not a clue how we accomplished this nor do I remember it being a long day. But based on photo dates, this route and timing is correct.]
Day Three - 7/7/2009 - Northeast to Coeur d' Alene, ID
Mom: <she provided no commentary, but sent four pictures. note that all pictures and descriptions on pics are courtesy of my mom.>
Me: It was a beautiful morning heading east out of Washington to Idaho. The road was a rolling country highway and the farmers were bustling in the potato fields. We had to stop in Lewiston for more divorce business. A call? A fax? I don't remember. I do remember that we stopped by a river and enjoyed a little quiet time there. Lemons to lemonade.
Heading north we went to Coeur d' Alene. It was stunningly beautiful. We walked around their downtown district taking in the shops, reading posted menus and finally choosing a restaurant with salads and sandwiches, enjoying at an outside table. And then we took an evening walk on the Broadwalk Marina.
[Sidebar: I have no recollection where we slept that night. I think I remember driving out of Coeur d'Alene in the dark, but don't hold me to it.]
Day Four - 7/8/2009 - Westward through northwest Montana
Mom: Bison Reserve in Montana-rain, wind & much colder temps didn't stop Sandy from climbing to the top of a "mountain" in spite of her parent's attempts to retreat & go back to the car. Mary remarked to Jim: "Sandy has always been a very determined child."
Me: It was a beautiful morning heading east out of Washington to Idaho. The road was a rolling country highway and the farmers were bustling in the potato fields. We had to stop in Lewiston for more divorce business. A call? A fax? I don't remember. I do remember that we stopped by a river and enjoyed a little quiet time there. Lemons to lemonade.
Heading north we went to Coeur d' Alene. It was stunningly beautiful. We walked around their downtown district taking in the shops, reading posted menus and finally choosing a restaurant with salads and sandwiches, enjoying at an outside table. And then we took an evening walk on the Broadwalk Marina.
[Sidebar: I have no recollection where we slept that night. I think I remember driving out of Coeur d'Alene in the dark, but don't hold me to it.]
Day Four - 7/8/2009 - Westward through northwest Montana
Mom: Bison Reserve in Montana-rain, wind & much colder temps didn't stop Sandy from climbing to the top of a "mountain" in spite of her parent's attempts to retreat & go back to the car. Mary remarked to Jim: "Sandy has always been a very determined child."
Oh yes, then there was the "do not miss" Catholic mission church (St. Ignatias). A lot of hype, but pretty nonetheless.
Me: Taking advantage of my dad giving me full charge of the map and our daily driving, I enthusiastically chose to drive through the National Bison Range and visit the St. Ignatius Mission Church. Both of these spots were highlighted in my Frommer's USA book. I assumed they had to be top ten sight-seeing experiences. Well...
Our drive through the Bison Range produced no bison for viewing, at least within range of our view. We could make out spots in the distance. Trying not to be disenchanted, we stopped at a trailhead and decided to hike a bit.
Halfway up our short walk, it started pouring rain. Mom and Dad wanted to go back. I wanted to go up. They said they would wait in the car as I started running up the trail in my flip-flops. It was hailing by the time I made it to my desired designation. I was greeted by a foreign couple eating their lunch covered in raincoats; the only other people who stayed on the trail. I couldn't see any of the proclaimed scenic views through the rain, hail, and cloud cover.
As I got back the car, soaking wet, Mom and Dad had the heater running on high.
My recollection is of Mom saying, "If I could describe you in one word it would be Determined."
Next stop was the much anticipated St. Ignatias Mission Church. Still wet, I walked into the church with Mom and Dad. Frankly if I wouldn't have known I was in Montana, you could have told me I walked into a church in South Omaha. It was Dad who quickly articulated what we were all thinking.
"Okay, we saw another church. Can we go now?"
[Sidebar: The laughs and conversations following this botched adventure were worth every minute of the day. I'm pretty sure we spent the night in Butte, but not 100% on this.]
Day Five - 7/9/2009 - Yellowstone to Gillette, WY
Mom: Missed most of Yellowstone-lines were so blasted long it would've been dark before we got in the gate! We passed on it.
Mom: Missed most of Yellowstone-lines were so blasted long it would've been dark before we got in the gate! We passed on it.
At dusk, lots of deer were jumping out of the woods to cross Hwy 120 in Wyoming.
Twas after 9 pm when we arrived in Gillette-all eating places were closed with the exception of a mini-mart. Birthday dinner was sandwiches & cookies.
Me: Mom's birthday! Number sixty-five. We excitedly headed to Yellowstone Park to find everyone else had the same idea. The Beetle Bugs had taken hold of large patches of trees making parts look very desolate. We did see some beautiful scenery and a stunning lake, but pretty much barreled through with mounds of other tourists.
Right at dusk I truly saw the most beautiful stretch of land that I had ever seen. Rand McNally nailed this one, highlighting this highway as one of the prettiest in the US. And I was awake this time.
It was straight out of Bambi, less the animation and talking deer. Highway 120 out of Cody was stunning. Every color populated the landscape and rolling hills. The variety of wildlife was unbelievable, with no regard to our car on the road beside them. They just pranced next to us like we weren't even there. I'll never forget it.
Then there was the golden memory. Our dinner celebration for Mom's birthday. Note that we were frugal travelers with a cooler filled with fruit, water, and snacks. We also kept a Costco-sized container of mini-pretzels in the back seat. Many nights were capped with a .49 cent drive-thru McDonald's ice cream cone.
Throughout the day, Dad kept telling Mom how that night would be our big meal. She was to pick what she wanted once we got to Gillette. The build-up was intense. And then we were running late. Google tells me this was a Thursday night. As Mom peered out her window looking for her birthday restaurant, we quickly found out everything, yes everything, was closed. Not even a Subway was open.
So we improvised the best we could and scoured the shelves of a 24-hour gas station for food.
Once again, Dad dead-panned it best as we asked the gas attendant to take our picture.
"Nothing but the best for my wife on her birthday."
Me: Mom's birthday! Number sixty-five. We excitedly headed to Yellowstone Park to find everyone else had the same idea. The Beetle Bugs had taken hold of large patches of trees making parts look very desolate. We did see some beautiful scenery and a stunning lake, but pretty much barreled through with mounds of other tourists.
Right at dusk I truly saw the most beautiful stretch of land that I had ever seen. Rand McNally nailed this one, highlighting this highway as one of the prettiest in the US. And I was awake this time.
It was straight out of Bambi, less the animation and talking deer. Highway 120 out of Cody was stunning. Every color populated the landscape and rolling hills. The variety of wildlife was unbelievable, with no regard to our car on the road beside them. They just pranced next to us like we weren't even there. I'll never forget it.
Then there was the golden memory. Our dinner celebration for Mom's birthday. Note that we were frugal travelers with a cooler filled with fruit, water, and snacks. We also kept a Costco-sized container of mini-pretzels in the back seat. Many nights were capped with a .49 cent drive-thru McDonald's ice cream cone.
Throughout the day, Dad kept telling Mom how that night would be our big meal. She was to pick what she wanted once we got to Gillette. The build-up was intense. And then we were running late. Google tells me this was a Thursday night. As Mom peered out her window looking for her birthday restaurant, we quickly found out everything, yes everything, was closed. Not even a Subway was open.
So we improvised the best we could and scoured the shelves of a 24-hour gas station for food.
Once again, Dad dead-panned it best as we asked the gas attendant to take our picture.
"Nothing but the best for my wife on her birthday."
[Sidebar: Last year Garrett and I took the same drive on Highway 120 mid-day on our drive back from Bozeman. Still stunning, but I would highly recommend driving it at nightfall.]
Day Six - 7/9/2009 - Black Hills and the Badlands
Mom: Custer State Park-amazing.
Jim put pretzels in the pretzel container lid and offered it to a donkey? burro? to eat from the driver's seat inside the car. Didn't it almost devour the lid AND the pretzels much to Jim's surprise?
We were so close to buffalo & it was so incredibly quiet that we could hear them munching on the grass.
Me: I remember really enjoying this day. It was nice enough to have our windows down with a nice breeze coming into the car. Lots of wildlife and sights. We weren't in a hurry and just taking in the beauty of the day. It must have been due to our high satisfaction with our prior night's feast.
We drove through the badlands next and found it interesting for a while, but quickly had enough.
There were A LOT of jokes about Mom not doing her part in hours fulfillment behind the wheel. Dad's favorite story was when Mom took the wheel from him and after an hour, he looked over to see her with her head halfway out the window while slapping her cheek.
The typical morning conversation went something like this:
"It looks like we will have about nine hour of drive time today. That is three hours each. Oh wait, Mom will only drive one, so that leaves four for you and me."
And we would laugh and laugh as Mom would argue about our miscalculations on her past drive time.
So much fun and just what I needed that July of 2009. When people talk about their extravagant bucket lists items, I tell them they don't know anything about a great adventure if they've never been on a road trip with my parents.
Me: I remember really enjoying this day. It was nice enough to have our windows down with a nice breeze coming into the car. Lots of wildlife and sights. We weren't in a hurry and just taking in the beauty of the day. It must have been due to our high satisfaction with our prior night's feast.
We drove through the badlands next and found it interesting for a while, but quickly had enough.
There were A LOT of jokes about Mom not doing her part in hours fulfillment behind the wheel. Dad's favorite story was when Mom took the wheel from him and after an hour, he looked over to see her with her head halfway out the window while slapping her cheek.
The typical morning conversation went something like this:
"It looks like we will have about nine hour of drive time today. That is three hours each. Oh wait, Mom will only drive one, so that leaves four for you and me."
And we would laugh and laugh as Mom would argue about our miscalculations on her past drive time.
So much fun and just what I needed that July of 2009. When people talk about their extravagant bucket lists items, I tell them they don't know anything about a great adventure if they've never been on a road trip with my parents.
[Sidebar: Once we hit the interstate after the Badlands, I couldn't wait to get home and see my boys. We just flew at that point and laughed as we rehashed our great adventure together.]
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