Train #3

We splurged and upgraded to the sleeper car. Hopefully we'll be well rested when we hit Orlando!

Millennium Park

We had fun walking around downtown Chicago and riding the loop.

Union Station

One train ride under our belts. Now to explore The Windy City.

Nearing Chicago

It is hard to take a good picture on a moving train, especially with light behind the subject.

Not Back To School - 2015 version

Croquet with friends who also don't go back to school.

Mount Rushmore at Night

After an inspirational speech about liberty and a short movie about the history of the monument and the four presidents, the mountain was lit. They also asked all present and former military personnel to come to the stage. After we sang the National Anthem and the flag was retired, each service member said their name and branch, and the all received an ovation.

(Pictures are on a different camera and will be added later.)

Climbing Devils Tower

We all hiked up the trail to the base viewpoint of Devils Tower National Monument, but only Hans & Dad went clear to the boulder base. Hans even climbed up about 40 feet. The orange spot in this photo is him, and the red spot is Dad taking his picture.

Picnic in the Park

There are many things about this trip that remind me of a family trip taken 38 years ago. The picnic lunches remind me the most. This one is in Yellowstone National Park near Yellowstone Lake.

Pojos

After our first full day visiting Grandma, Grandpa, and Auntie, we had some fun at the local family arcade.

St. Louis Fun

Our plans changed again, and we had a good day anyway, again!

All four of us went up to the top of the Gateway Arch at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Hans liked it the most, and Fritz liked it the least. The museum and shops were a hit with everyone.

We also went to the St. Louis Science Center. Our original plan was the City Museum, but since it doesn't have reciprocal membership with Exploration Place, and we would have had only about 2 hours, we opted for plan B. Dad & Hans watched the planetarium show while Hans and I explored.

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Day 15 - Plan B

Today started out great! We checked out of the resort with 5 minutes to spare before a $50 late fine. We headed west, back toward Kansas.

After a couple of hours we had lunch which took longer than expected. Since Mom was driving when we passed the New River Gorge visitors center at Sandridge, we stopped to look around and get our National Parks passports stamped.

Those two things, and needing gas, prompted a stop in Beckley, WV. We all visited the Youth Museum of Southern West Virginia, and Hans and Dad took the underground tour of a coal mine.

Instead of driving on to Charleston and setting up camp in the dark, we opted to camp in Beckley. Tomorrow we will have about 90 more minutes of driving, but we hope to be able to hit the Children's Museum in Charleston if we get going early enough in addition to Mammoth Cave.

Today has ended up great, too, just with Plan B instead of Plan A.

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Rollercoaster Fiends!

Hans and Fritz rode the Ricochet at least 7 times in a row! Three of those were completely on their own when Mom and Dad went to ride Shenandoah Lumber Co. (log flume). Later Fritz rode it 3 more times solo while Hans went to ride the Hurler solo.

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Space Shuttle Discovery

There is a National Air and Space museum other than in DC at the National Mall. Here my 3 guys are looking at the real Discovery Space Shuttle!

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Dinner at Checkers

A walk-up & drive-up only burger joint. They had good burgers and hotdogs, and they had really good loaded potato skins and chocolate soft serve.

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Departing DC

Metro to VRE to car to resort. Four tired people, 8 very tired feet.

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E = m c ^2

Hans & Fritz reading Einstein's notes.

After visiting the Albert Einstein memorial outside the National Academy of Science, we went inside to cool off, rest our feet, have a snack, and look at the exhibits. I dont think the public comes down here to the cafeteria very much.

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Washington Monument

It is very humid in DC today. The Washington Monument is closed for repairs from the 2011 earthquake.

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VRE

Taking the train from Fredericksburg, VA to Washington, DC.

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O'Betty's Red Hots

Hot dog museum and restaurant, Athens, Ohio.

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And We're Off...

Less than 2 hours later than our target time, but it's all good! Packing was an exercise in 3-D Tetris.