Final Entry
And Then There Was One More.
New addition
Okay, so most of you already know what I am about to write about, ‘cause if I have a good secret, I can’t keep it very long. So, we were leaving NY State and headed thru Michigan, where we picked up our newest family member, Fern.
We actually bought her 3 weeks prior, and picked her out from a litter of 9 puppies. We wanted a female, and not a tan color like our first fur baby, Bailey. So that left chocolate and black. We video chatted and picked the orange color (they each had a different colored collar), which Wyatt promply named Fern. We decided as a family to keep her a secret until we actually got her. What a LONG 3 weeks. We requested pictures and video every 2-3 days which probably drove Tracey, at BT Bloodhounds, nuts, but she complied, and helped us to get to know her. She fits in so well!
The kids were very adamant that they could be responsible and look after a dog. 4 days in, and they have lost the drive. Now we are bugging them to watch Fern, as they want to do what they want, and Fern is getting comfortable, and wandering off from the campsite, and getting into trouble. Best story ever was when we left the kids to watch Fern, while we did an efficient shop at Walmart. We were in a hurry to get on the road again going west, and the kid’s job was to take Fern to the grass and exercise her a bit, and after she had gone pee, they could come back to the motorhome to wait for us. When we arrived back from shopping, I came into the motorhome to find both kids crying. I thought they were fighting again, which happened the last time we left them together, but no, it was Fern. Wyatt came out ranting that she bit them like 3 times, and they were DONE with her! Bhahaha. Their little sister and her teeth are a terror. I reminded them that they used to bite too!!! Bhahaha. So funny.
Fern is adapting well, and the kennel training is also going well. She is crying less and less every night. Our 4th night with her was almost no crying. She is a joy to have. She naps like her mom, but snores like her dad.
We spent 3 nights in Illinois, where we stayed at Starved Rock State Park. This park needs some serious attention, and it really makes us remember the ah-mazing Texas State Parks. Besides some sites being located right in large water puddles, the landscape was overgrown, the bathrooms were band-aided to work, and they were few and far between.
During the day we re-grouped from the busy driving, and enjoyed fires. Wyatt built his own bow, and played with Fern. She got so comfortable that we had to start leashing her so she wouldnt wander too far Maybe at our next campsite we will use the pet gate/pen thing we bought.
We are currently on a 2 day driving excursion to get to the Badlands in South Dakota. Because it’s 13hrs on google, we know with the slower motorhome, and the dog, it will be more like 20+ hours as we need to stop so much. This is not ideal, but she is worth it, and we are eager to get home. The problem that is arising is that there is a cold front coming in, and our planned stop in Glacier National Park will now be too cold!!! Along with snow in the forecast, they are also predicting lows of -6 to -8, and these are not something we want to endure. The possibility of freezing pipes isn’t worth it, so we need to change up our route home.
Okay, I thought the Bay of LA was windy, but here in South Dakota on the BLM land the wind is moving the motorhome like no other. The motorhome is a rocking, and not the fun kind😆, gusts up to 50+ km, and the next night is supposed to be up to 70km+ an hour. One night, and we are moving on! The view was amazing though. Just perched on the hill overlooking the badlands was stunning, and free! Good combo. We found a town that had a hot springs pool with some waterslides inside. Perfect to burn off some steam. We headed the long way to Hot Springs town so we could drive thru the Badlands National Park. This park had some dirt roads so we took our time. We arrived in 3 hours to the town, and were able to get a couple of hours of swimming in. Adam and I enjoyed the hot tub and sauna.
After our swimming, we headed to another campground at Wind Cave National Park, called Elk Mountain Campground. Here we got a nice spot to camp and watch the storm roll in. What a lightening show!! The wind came too, but we were sheltered better here. We actually think that the brutal winds from the night before might have bent our door, and now it is not closing properly. Makes me appreciate the wonders of Mother Nature. She sure can make the sky light up, rumble with noise, pound the rain, and move things across the sky so fast. So pretty, and as Gibson says “scary too”. Healthy respect 🙌.
South Dakota has the rolling hills, grasses, Bison, Elk, and a feel of cowboy land. We woke up the next morning and realized we have no desire to hang around in the cold, and want to go home. With the freezing temps, we are not as inclined to spend time outside, so, unanimously, we decided to skip the biking here, and head to Rapid city for a night. On the route to Rapid City, we cruised through the Black Hills. This mountain range was sacred to the Indigenous, and I can see why. The beautiful black rock formation, lush trees, and beautiful farm land calls to both Adam and I. I will be looking up property costs here as it’s actually some place Adam and I would live. Not that we will do anything about it, it’s just curiosity. We went through Pringle and Custer. They are so cute, and riddled with character. We stopped at a couple gem and stone shops in Custer SD. Here we got some information on the area, what rocks/gems we will find in the area when looking. Gibson now wants us to stop and go hiking to look for special rocks. I feel like it was so serendipitous that we left the view spot of the Badlands, and got to tour the Black Hills area, when it was not originally on our agenda. Now I wish we had more time to explore, but weather, and a new dog does affect the outcome. Adam and I will come back another time. We also drove past the iconic Mt. Rushmore. I didn’t really have any inclination to see past presidents, but the carving in a mountain was pretty skilled and I can appreciate it, regardless of the subject. Mt. Rushmore✅
While getting closer to home, my anxiety started to rear its ugly head. The trip was coming to an end, and what a year it was. Even with all the frustrations, the time I had with my family was priceless and invaluable. I loved it all! That year with my family was truly a dream come true. Now on the other side, I was super excited to be home!! Finally the 70’s house was ours to call home! Yay!
Once the excitement wore off……… I fell. I’m crying all the time, and my emotions are all over the map. This trip was something we looked forward too for many years, it was many years in the making, and now it’s over. I am beyond sad, I feel grief for the loss of the time I had with my family, and for the beautiful holiday that I will never do again. So, I am sorry if I seem off, and a bit distant since coming home, but it hurts. I am not managing these depressing feelings well at all. It is also scary, as life has changed and so have we. I am so outside the comfort zone. To quote a friend, ‘Dark rain clouds nourish the ground, and within it, growth begins. Here’s to growth and another chapter of my life, but I grieve for the past that shaped me and my family. We loved this time together!
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