Day 6: Four States in One Day

Blogging from: Downtown Chicago, IL

Not too interesting today. We spent most of the day in the car and crossed Minnesota and Wisconsin and into Illinois.

Read 'em and weep - $3.639 a gallon for premium octane 91 gas, suckas.


I-90 South Dakota bugs:


Minnesota is big on windmills:


It started raining after Albert Lea, MN:


Illinois likes toll booths:


Traffic heading into Chicago:


Very excited about no driving tomorrow for the first time all week -- we're taking a break from driving and touring Chicago.

The "L" train runs right by my motel room in downtown Chicago. Do'h!

Miles covered today: 573
Road trip mileage count: 2,678


States visited: South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois
Miles to Columbus, OH: 364

Day 6: Hot Chocolate Break in Wisconsin

Blogging from: a block away from the State Capital in Madison, Wisconsin

Stopping for a coffee / hot drinks break.


I didn't know the Onion is in print in addition to the online version. Their office is in Madison, Wisconsin!


Go University of Wisconsin?


It's raining in the Heartland. We should arrive in Chicago in time for dinner tonight.

Day 5: Mount Rushmore and across South Dakota

Blogging from: Sioux Falls, SD

Milestone of sort for the GTi on the way to Mount Rushmore National Monument:


View of the Presidents from the 244:


Presidents' Faces:




Photo series by request. G. Washington:


T. Jefferson:


T. Roosevelt:


A. Lincoln:


Our impression the Presidents - Wendy as Washington, Heather as Jefferson, Yen as Roosevelt, me as Lincoln:


Nick Clifford was an original Rushmore driller, but he's kind of a jerk. He only let me take this photo because he's too old and frail to object and wouldn't sign my postcards because I didn't buy his book.


Yen devouring a buffalo rib for lunch:


Lots of hay by the interstate in South Dakota:


Corn Palace at Mitchell, South Dakota. It's the "only corn palace in the world," and "serves the local community as a venue for concerts, sports events, exhibits and other community events". The outside mural is redesigned each year with a new theme.


Streets of Mitchell, SD:


Lots of bugs on South Dakota interstate:



Doing another rear view mirror shot to end the day's post :P


Other highlights/random thoughts:

• Lost an hour again crossing into Central Time Zone. Not so good for traveling.
• Traveling with 3 girls = lots of Michael Buble
• There's no GPS signal in South Dakota...?
• I hate Wall Drug
  

Miles covered today: 466
Road trip mileage count: 2,105
States visited: Wyoming, South Dakota
Miles to Columbus, OH: 930

Day 5: I hate Wall Drug

Wall Drug is a drug store, restaurant, gift shop, museum, chapel, etc. all rolled into one in Wall, South Dakota. They are known for their bazillion billboards along highways in South Dakota and other neighboring states.

Blasting down the I-90 at 90 mph, that means I see a Wall Drug billboard every minute. It drove me nuts. Here's a small sample:




Still 30 miles from Wall Drug:













They even have a dinosaur?


I refuse to allow to let their annoying advertising tactics "get me". We did not stop at Wall Drug.

Not as ridiculous as these Wall Drug signs, though:

Day 4, Part II: To the Presidents' Faces!

Blogging from Sundance, WY.

Some snapshots on the drive out of Yellowstone and across Wyoming on the SD870.

Snow! In the summer!


Some rock thing we drove by / under:


More scenery:


Lake in Buffalo Bill State Park:


Cody, Wyoming:


Must be a big town! They have a Wal-Mart! Note the hills in the background:


I'd love to make this drive again in the future in a convertible, possibly a Miata:


5U? Yup, his license plate is just 5U. What a beast license plate number. You can only pull off something like this in a state like Wyoming.


Didn't know Wyoming is LDS/Mormon country:


These three-wheeled motorcycle things are pretty popular in Wyoming:


More road scenery:



Standard mountain driving maneuver - overtaking:


Free science lesson: air pressure is higher at lower altitude and lower in higher altitude. This is what our water bottle looks like after we descended 5,000 feet:


This speaks for itself:


What the heck is octane 85.5???


Blasting down the I-90 at dusk:


I leave you, my two readers, with this shot today:


Mt. Rushmore and South Dakota tomorrow!

Miles covered today: 440
Road trip mileage count: 1,639
States visited: Wyoming
Miles to Columbus, OH: 1,375

P.S. I lost the tumbleweed roof rack trophy :(