Sleichter Squad Summer Vacation 2020

Today, we proved our insanity. Seven Sleichters, 3500 miles, 10 days, 10 states.

Day 1: We got up at 3:30 and loaded kids and final bags. We were able to get out Clay Center by 4:45 a.m., which put us in Nebraska by 6:30ish, and all the way in Carhenge for lunch for our first stop.

Carhenge is a weird and facinating art display created a long time ago. It's basically cars stacked with style. It also has a trail around it, which allowed us to accomplish our other road trip goal: to run a mile in every state we visit. Three laps around the trail and we've got the mile. Our picnic lunch for that day was hawaiian roll sliders, applesauce, fresh fruit, and water/gatorade.

Then it was load up and head to Custer, SD, which wasn't too far away -- about 3 or 4 hours. The breathtaking part of that drive was Dawes County, an area called Box Butte. It had breath-taking views of a massive valley, an area I had never seen before. Last time we made this drive, it was in the dark. The Sand Hills of Nebraska made Clay Center look positively metropolitan, which is a great thing when we are in the midst (or tail end) of a Covid crisis.

We made such good time, that we weren't able to check into our hotel when we got to Custer. WE were too early! So instead, we drove the 20 minutes up to Mt Rushmore and walked 1.2 miles and about 300 steps up and 300 steps down on the trail to get close to Mt Rushmore itself. The exercise was invigorating, and all seven of us kept a pretty good attitude.

Hangry was on the horizon, though, so we headed to the same restaurant we had ate at 5 years earlier: The Purple Pie Place in Custer, SD. Not only did they have the Littles favorites (corn dog, grilled cheese, and hot dog), they also had pot pie and prime rib sandwiches. Best of all, fresh pie and ice cream!

A little shopping, a 4-H zoom, an online class, a little window shopping, and a little TV, and the kids called it a night. Jay and I snuck down the road for a night cap, date time. We want to get going early tomorrow, so we can eat at Sturgis Coffee Shop, a Katie request. But for this night, the only dark drink was my beer.