Mike, Sydney and myself have survived our first day as chaperons for Lucas and Eli's "Great South Dakota Adventure." They have tolerated us as a necessary encumbrance in order to arrive at their destination. Please keep in mind their own point of reference for the Badlands and Black Hills are the tourism ads on tv.
My first "mom" observation of the trip: Billboards are dangerous. Forget your standard ad placements for restaurants, the interstate across South Dakota is a mecca for kids learning to read English...they read ALL of them including those about reptiles, caves, snakes, cowboys, Mt. Rushmore, mazes.....it goes on forever. Eli spots one billboard that was definitely an oldy (I think I remember it from my trips here as a kid) it was a classic Indians chasing a cowboy and stagecoach....not on the side of today's politically correct line. Eli asked if Indians killed white people....so my wanting to give him both sides, I attempted to explain that yes and white people killed Indians a long time ago. He then asked, "did they kill brown people?" Ok. Then I had to explain that there weren't Filipinos in old west America....yep good luck there. Then to top this conversation off..."Mom. Are there Indians here now?" I must have had some sort of mental issue cause I said, "Yes there is (which there are and no I can't explain the correct terminology to him.) and there are two Filipinos. He hit the end of his seat belt so hard screaming, "WHERE?" I'm surprised he's not bruised. And so that was my revenge for having to explain 400 miles of billboards.
Once we entered the Badlands, where our campground is, the road twists and winds through the first part of the park, throw in a couple sharp turns and a vertical hillside and we hear Lucas chime in from the rear of the Yukon....."Mom! We're going to fall down!" We made it to the bottom in one piece and he didn't ask to get out and walk.
Sydney, having traveled to Manila and back when we brought the boys home, is quite a trouper when it comes to long distance traveling with them. Her only complaint today was after having endured about 120 miles of less than pristine road conditions, announced from her back seat, "I think I'm suffering from Shaken Pickle Syndrome!" She too arrive at the campsite in one piece.
The boys have played on the playground, checked out the pool, played basketball, ridden their bikes, played a board game and are now eating ice cream....yep, we'll never return to normal when we get back. We actually found time to take a hike up into the Badlands this afternoon. Mike and I are ready to fall into bed but the kids are going hard...suppose the ice cream was a mistake?
No comments:
Post a Comment