Driving through Nevada on our way to the Hoover Dam:
Jonas and I sang "Wide Open Spaces" by the Chicks...because you have to, in this part of the country!
Driving up and down into the Hoover Dam.
This experience was a little bit of a bust. While the dam itself is super impressive, it was SO HOT that no one felt like walking around much on it/outside. Which was a shame, because it's worth attention! If it was that hot in April, I can not even begin to imagine the summer there.
We spent the night in souther Utah and then headed out the next morning, going through the entire states of Utah and Wyoming. I have to say this: of all the states we drove through, Utah has my heart the most. It was gorgeous and inspiring. I kept taking pictures through our dirty car windows, because...I couldn't stop. The landscape just DESERVED a photo! I'm so glad we took the norther route home, just for our Utah drive.
This is where we stopped for lunch in norther Utah. It was insanely windy. We almost couldn't get out of the car, haha. But I loved it! Bring on wind and any sort of breeze for me, please!
Next we moved on to Wyoming. South western Wyoming is very beautiful...but as you go further north and east, it gets a bit creepy. Like a winter zombie movie or end times movie setting. We spend the night in the very north east corner of Wyoming, and boy were the kids happy to discover our hotel had a water park attached!
Desolate looking landscape of north easter Wyoming. Let me tell you this: you did NOT want to break down or run out of gas around here!
Every photo I have of the older 3 kids is like this: they didn't stop running up and down those water slide stairs for two solid hours.
Hunger and exhaustion meltdowns in progress:
Another meltdown in progress:
The next morning we headed out and crossed into South Dakota. Western South Dakota is delightful to drive through. Lovely! But the rest of the 9/10 of the state? Pretty darn boring. At least it was sunny the whole time!
My hair is long enough to braid like a toddler now:
This was 3 hours from home:
As soon as we crossed into Minnesota, this is what it looked like. I mean, come on! What a welcome home! 😒😒
The trip was a delight, start to finish, despite cranky toddler Kellan and some long days of driving. I'm so glad we drove and were able to get such a good view of the south western part of the United States. Jonas and I cracked up regularly at how much of the land we drove through was ENTIRELY empty. Like, no gas stations in sight to a dangerous level empty. Our system of representation is messed up if Wyoming and South Dakota get two senators on equal with places like California or New York! 😆. We are basically letting six ranchers run the country!😂😂
