939 Miles and One Pampers Part 1

It all began at 7:30 PM on April 10.  Ending at 7:00 PM April 15.  Total mileage: 2835.8 miles.  Number of states visited 6. 

It was an awesome road trip.

We did so much, I can't even write everything in one night or even one post!    Here's day one with pictures.

First of all, John has been planning this road trips for months!  Every hour was planned.  We invited John's parents to come with us because neither of them have been to North Dakota and, to be honest, we wanted to split the cost.  We left on Tuesday night after John got off work and started our journey by driving through the night.

First stop:  Panorama Point: the highest point in Nebraska.  Arrival time 4:00 AM.

John's goal is to climb the 50 highest peaks of the 50 states.  In this trip, we knocked out 3 of them.  He also collects a  rock from the top of each peak and plans on displaying them in a custom made coffee table some day.  I was asleep until the car pulled up to the top, but to get there, we took several dirt roads that went on for miles until we drove to the top of Nebraska.  We had to wake Olivia up and get out of the car for the experience:

Next, only 3 miles away and down several other dirt roads, we went to the spot where Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska all come to a point!  There John is on the top of all three states.  Jessica, Olivia, and I are in Nebraska, or Colorado in this picture.  There, Olivia was in 3 different states in a matter of 10 seconds!

Next, we went to Devil's Tower in Wyoming located in North East Wyoming.  Right as we entered the park, there were hundreds of Prairie Dogs just chillin on the side of the road.  Of course we had to take pictures:

Here's one dog.  Cooler looking in person than in picture.  While the grandparents were looking at these Prairie dogs, John and I went to change Olivia's diaper after 15 hours and 939 miles of NO CHANGING.  It weighed about 4 pounds, no leaks, and definitely Pampers commercial worthy.

 We pulled up to Devil's Tower and "hiked" around it.  It's not really a hike since it was a 1.3 mile paved walk.

 Olivia at a Gingersnap and posed for a hiking picture.

And here I am rock climbing Devil's Tower free handed.  Who needs ropes.

Next, we got into the car and drove toward Rapid City, South Dakota.  Our first stop was the Badlands.  It was amazing!  Pictures don't do it justice.

Olivia has a National Parks passport.  It's a little book that lists all the National Parks and whenever she visits one, she gets a stamp in her passport.  This park, the visitors center that has the stamp closed at 4.  We decided to walk a small path before going to the visitors center.  However, Olivia insisted on walking 1/4 mile of the path and she walks slower than my grandma, so we didn't make it to the visitors center.  But here she is walking!  John illegally climbed up the top of a hill and took this picture.

 Here we are overlooking the Badlands.

Olivia taking her precious time down the path.

After we missed the visitors center, we went to a disarmed Missile Silo.  It's a real missile in the middle of nowhere.

 That was the last thing that we did on day one! 4 states!  We checked into a hotel and ate dinner.  It was a long day, but awesome!