Success!

We spent the past three days driving 9-13 hours, and camping...successfully!

Here are the past three days in a nutshell.

After staying with friends in Western Mass (sorry there are no pictures, I was much too busy soaking up their company), we had breakfast at Holyoke's Kennedy Park, drove by our old house, and then hit the road. We stopped in Ohio for lunch. 

We witnessed a magnificent Indiana sunset.

We camped in northern Indiana (THIS time we parked in the RIGHT SPOT), and had pan fried biscuits and gravy for breakfast. 

The kids learned how to help with clean up.

Back on the road, windows down, hair flying in the wind.

Oh, Chicago. How the rest of Illinois hates you and your Cook County thuggery.

We stopped just within the Minnesota border for lunch. It was a HOT tender box. We ate pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw with vinegar dressing, and cantaloupe. All I had to do to heat up the pork was to spread it out in the ziploc bag and set it in the sun on the concrete. Five minutes later (no kidding!) it was hot. Talk about harnessing the power of the sun! 

We camped in Minnesota, where we were attacked by swarms of "picnic bugs." I had never heard of them before. But I'll never forget the annoying little buggers. They attacked us and the food the entire time. 

Pancakes for breakfast.

They were a hit. 

They may be difficult to see, but in Minnesota there are fields of windmills. They resembled an army of clones.

Wall Drug, South Dakota. Advertised for hundreds of miles. But I'm not really sure why.

After passing through Wall Drug, we drove into a lovely storm.

Hill City, South Dakota. 

This is the welcome we received in South Dakota.

Camping in Custer, SD.

BBQ meatballs, cantaloupe, Brussels sprouts, and mashed sweet potato dinner. 

So far, no fast food. 

The kids are all excited because tomorrow we visit Mount Rushmore.