Twittermoms and Discount Tire have teamed up and are asking bloggers to share memories of their favorite road trip along with any tips we may have.
I grew up traveling the U.S. with my Grandparents. We went all over the country. When I got older my travels extended to Europe, where I met my husband. After we met I spent several years going back and forth to Norway to be with him. Eventually he moved here and we were married. Being that he is not from my country it was only natural that he would want to travel once he arrived here. Therefore even though I have been on so many road trips and trips in general I would have to say that my favorite would be the first time my husband and I got to travel together. I also have to mention that this road trip was the very last time I was able to visit my Grandmother. I just lost her this year so this trip holds a lot of great memories for me.
This will be a sort of story in pictures.
Our trip started out in Michigan. We traveled to the U.P., otherwise known as the Upper Peninsula. We camped out at the Tahquamenon State Park where we visited the Tahquamenon Falls. Yes Michigan has falls! Aren’t they beautiful? I took this shot myself.
We then moved on to the Sand Dunes of Lake Superior. We actually had to walk quite some time to get to this area where you can see how different the landscapes of Michigan are. On the left you have forest. On the right you have sand and grass and in the middle you have Lake Superior.
After this we moved on towards South Dakota, which was our destination. We encountered this great place along the way. 1880 Town. You can see a picture of it in my last twittermoms post. While we were there we met Cisco of Dances With Wolves fame. He was absolutely beautiful and had a lovely little home set up in 1880 town where he was well taken care of.
Once we left 1880 town we were very close to our destination but before we got there we made a stop at a place called Wall Drug. My Grandparents had taken me there when I was a little girl and we have a picture of my Grandpa and I sitting with some statues on these benches outside the store. I wanted to take a picture of me all grown up in the same spot. Unfortunately I don’t have that picture to share at the moment so I’ll share another one that I took near 1880 Town.
When we moved on from there we headed towards Mt. Rushmore, which was our intended destination. When we were finally able to see the Mountain we were able to catch a glimpse of something that doesn’t happen very often. If you look very closely (and I’m sorry I cannot post bigger pics –too many pic thieves) you will see a man on Abe Lincoln’s forehead, cleaning! Imagine having that job. No thanks!
Once we left Mt. Rushmore we decided (ok my husband decided) that we had to see Deadwood. I have no pictures to share seeing as we were busy gambling for roughly 3 days! Yes our day trip lasted 3 days! The place is awesome and looks exactly like the show that they film there. Thankfully the residents don’t curse non-stop in this day and age. Have you ever watched that show? You’ll know what I mean. Phew.
While we were still in South Dakota we made a very cool trip to one of those places that you drive through to look at the wild animals. Wild they were! Here are a couple we encountered on the way. That’s a grizzly on the left and a timber wolf on the right.
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Unfortunately my minivan at the time decided to disperse transmission fluid all over the vehicle itself so we made a few extra stops along the way and then headed straight for Memphis where my family lives. My Uncle, his girlfriend, their kids and my Grandmother who was living there at the time. My Uncle is a mechanic and owns his own business so he checked out everything for us and it just so happened to be a fluke. However, the weird thing is that because we made this stop I was able to see my Grandma while she was still “here”. So, it may just be that the fluke was really fate.
Well, there you have it. There’s much more to my trip of course but we’d be here all day, or at least I would! lol. I hope you enjoy the pictures and story.
Before I go I’ll leave you with a few tips on having a safe and happy road trip.
* Always take a cell phone
* Keep emergency numbers written down in case you lose your cell phone
* Always keep a spare tire
* Always keep an emergency kit in your car that contains things like a blanket, can of fix-a-flat, flares, etc.
* Emergency First Aid Kit
There you have it. I wish you all safe and happy road trips this holiday season!
About Discount Tire:
Discount Tire specializes in tires and wheels. Their professionals are expertly trained in the latest product offerings, vehicle fitments, installation techniques, and safety and quality issues. This ensures the most appropriate products and services are presented for your vehicle. The type of vehicle, driving conditions, weather, and other issues all impact their custom recommendations to you. Their goal is to provide the lowest prices, quality products & the best customer service in the industry. Additionally, Discount Tire carries the largest selection of wheels and tires out there, including tire brands like Goodyear, Michelin & Yokohama, as well as wheel brands such as Enkei, MB and Voxx.
Winter Safety Tips
Winter Tires are designed to deliver safety and control in snow, ice, and cold weather conditions. Many people think that all-season tires can deliver this same performance, but this is not true. The superior traction that winter tires deliver, as much as a 25 to 50 percent increase over all-season tires, can very well be the margin you need to stop in time or turn to avoid trouble.
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Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Discount Tire blogging program, making me eligible to receive a $50 gift card and be entered for a chance to win a prize valued at $1,000. For more information on how you can participate, click here
