Pipestone National Monument

    Before we left Iowa, we had to make a quick stop to get the camper looked at. Our hot water heater stopped working again so we found a repair shop along the way to Minnesota. The staff there was the greatest and found our problem in no time. Turns out Camping World never actually fixed the issue so we fried the heater again as soon as we tried to make hot water. So now we feel a lot better about the situation and don't foresee any problems with it for the rest of the trip.

    After lunch and a few hours in the truck, we arrived at Pipestone National Monument. This site preserves several quarries that Native Americans from all over the midwest would travel to for the soft, red rock that could be carved into ceremonial pipes. The most interesting thing I learned was that even though the pipestone is a sedimentary rock formed below an ancient sea, there are no fossils to be found in it because of its age. The stone layer is older than any known life on Earth so nothing was around to get fossilized.

    After we watched the informational video and the kids earned their Junior Ranger badges, we went outside and the kids immediately found a couple of birds' nests with very active parents. I'm raising them so well! Then we went for a walk through the surrounding prairie to see a couple of the quarries. The trail from the visitor center is a loop, but it was partially closed because of flooding so we decided to start on the north side and head toward a waterfall.

    The creek that the path followed was raging so it made for a fun sight. Once we made it to the waterfall we could see why the trail was closed going forward. The bridge over the creek was getting lapped by waves coming downstream. Definitely not a place you would want to slip. The kids got to climb up a rocky staircase and see the falls from above before we returned the way we came. Another great little park in the books!

Effigy Mounds National Monument

    We had a really long day of driving after our stay in Ohio. Our next campground was at Pikes Peak State Park in Iowa. Its located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River so we had to drive through Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin to get there. It took about eleven hours, but we did it.

    After a good night's rest we visited Effigy Mounds National Monument. This area preserves a series of earthen mounds constructed by Native Americans over a thousand years ago. The mounds are mostly conical or linear, but the namesake mounds are effigies of bears and birds. We enjoyed a three-mile hike while accompanied by more red-headed woodpeckers than I've ever seen. Once we reached an overlook of the Mississippi River and Wisconsin on its far side we returned to the visitor center so the kids could ask the rangers some of the questions they came up with during the hike.

    The kids also earned the first of many Junior Ranger badges on this trip. We made sure to bring along their Junior Ranger vests so they can keep adding to their collection while on the road. After resting for a while during the afternoon we let the kids ride their bikes around the campground and enjoyed a beautiful evening rainbow over the river to end the night.

And We're Off!

    After a mad rush to get the camper all set up once we got it back from the repair shop, we were ready to hit the road. Our first day's goal was to make it to Geneva state Park in Ohio. The truck was hooked up to the camper and soon after we pulled away from our house. The goats will be in charge of the place while we're gone so I hope they take good care of the property.

    One of the perks of towing a camper for this trip is the ability to stop and run into it for food or the bathroom. Every couple of hours we would take a break and stretch our legs this way. I have to admit that its pretty nice.

    Once we arrived at our campground I had to put my limited backing-up skills to the test. We managed to get the camper into our spot and I quickly hooked up the electricity and water lines while Adrienne got the kids ready for a bike ride. The state park had a nice bike path that followed the shore of Lake Erie and finished at a public beach.

    We let the kids take their shoes off and play in the sand for a bit before heading back. The night ended with a hot dinner and comfortable beds for everyone. Day one was a success!