The Odyssey: 2015 edition - Part 1

About three and a half years ago, Scott shared this thought. It still makes me love him extra every time I think about it.

We took the idea to heart and had ourselves an epic adventure that summer, and I posted about it in six parts plus a movie. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, movie)

It went so well, we decided to give it another go. When we first started making plans we felt little nags of doubt. Could we really recreate our favorite vacation of all time? Would it live up? Could we catch lightening in a bottle again? Silly us, we needn't have worried. Different itinerary, different Honda Odyssey, same epicness.

About two weeks before the trip I started making lists and charts. What to pack, snacks to buy, what we needed to clean before we left home for two weeks, maps, travel times, when we would do laundry, what the temperatures we could expect, to do, to do.

And I got so happy I wanted to cry.

Part one: Metropolis, Mt. Rushmore, and Devil's Tower.

This year we had accomplices all along the way. We caravanned out with Conan and Cally and kids, which made for good company for everyone.

We made a quick stop for lunch and posing with the giant Superman on our first day of driving.

Last time we were here (2012), this was how Afton posed...

...so Emma and Ben tried to recreate it this year...

Monday morning we woke up in Rapid City, South Dakota and checked out Mt. Rushmore. It really is impressive, I'm glad we made it part of our itinerary. Side note: South Dakota is WAY prettier than I thought it would be. I was totally picturing a Kansas-like wasteland, but not so, it was green and hilly. Ten points to South Dakota.

Picking presidents' noses. Naturally.

Once we'd had our fill of historic monuments, we had ice cream for lunch.

Then we headed just down the road a bit to Devil's Tower. Another winner! It was such a striking formation from a distance, and totally unreal close up. We googled info and facts about both of the day's stops while we were there and really liked learning the background.

Every time Afton stands up on a big rock she automatically strikes a Simba pose.