The Barkers and Jackson Hole

Today we woke up after a great night sleep and Karen’s house and started to hike up a pretty big mountain which we decided to stop about half-way up and turn around. After lunch we went to the barkers where we played Xbox and swam in the Jacuzzi. We then went to the Rendevous café and I ordered a great burger and almost ate all of it. We then came back home ate some ice cream, watched some TV and fell asleep

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Wednesday, August 19th We got up early in Buffalo, Wyoming, where we stayed at the Seven Gables Inn. We hit the road by 8 am, headed for Jackson Hole. Our original destination was the battlefield at Little Bighorn, in southern Montana, but we decided to pass on George Custer’s last battle. Instead, with everyone getting fatigued, we headed west for Jackson Hole, where Eileen’s high school friend, Karen Kerr Romaine, lives. We arrived into the Teton valley at about 5 pm, saw a grizzly from the main road, passed probably the prettiest mountain view in America, and then showed up at Karen’s house in town. That night, Karen invited us to join her and several friends for a “going away” cookout for Karen, who is in the process of moving to Dallas. The boys played with all the dogs and later cooked Smores over the fire. A beautiful, warm, windless night in Jackson.

Mt. Rushmore

Tuesday, August 18th , we left Deadwood and headed south to Mt. Rushmore, where the crowds were big and the heat was intense. The boys said that the Presidents looked smaller in person than in photographs…but it was still pretty good. We then drove down the road to see Crazy Horse, the mountain sculpture that remains unfinished but was still impressive. Then we headed back to Deadwood, where the boys hit the go-kart track, which they said was much better then Cape Cod’s version. Then we got on I-90 and headed west, where the land got flat and very dry. We arrived in Buffalo, Wyoming, at 8 pm.

Deadwood South Dakota

Sunday, August 16th Left early for the long drive to Deadwood, South Dakota. We drove through the Badlands, bypassed Wall Drug, and finally arrived (after almost 11 hours) at about 7 pm in Deadwood, where Steve’s mother was born 75 years ago. Steve’s uncle, Vince Coyle, now lives in Deadwood, and Vince and his wife, Joanne, hosted us for the next two nights.
Monday, August 17th After a long night’s sleep, we had lunch in Kevin Costner’s saloon in Deadwood and then headed over to the historic Frawley Ranch, which is the ranch started and still operated by Steve’s Mom’s family (and is on US National Historic Register). The ranch, started in the 1880s, once comprised 4,500 acres in nearby Spearfish. The ranch, which at one time included dairies and cattle and also had its own community school house (still standing), is still used today for cattle and buffalo grazing. Steve’s great uncle, Hank Frawley, gave us a great 2 hour tour over all the different ranch buildings, many of which have been restored. The highlight was when Hank took us (in his old Suburban) through the pastures into a heard of Buffalo, which we fed with some grain treats. The huge Buffalo surrounded our car and followed us for a mile or so, where the biggest males almost stuck their heads in our car. Then back to Deadwood, where we watched the Giants game and where Mom and Dad played Black Jack at one of the gambling saloons (no luck but at least we didn’t end up like Wild Bill Hickok…).

Aunt Cathy

Saturday, August 15th. We left Lake Geneva, Wisconsin today at 1 pm. Beautiful lake and some of the prettiest farm country we’ve seen on the trip. Met up with good friend Carolyn Lesley, who was in town with some friends, about a 3D film deal. Got a parking ticket in town….slow breakfast service….eager to get on road. Started driving north to Minneapolis, which we hit by 6 pm. We stopped off to see Sam Salas, the former headmaster at Cranbrook School in Michigan, where Steve taught in the 1980s. Then we arrived at Steve’s cousin, Cathy Coyle, who hosted a family dinner, including Cathy’s sister and her new twins.

Lake Geneva

Friday, August 14th. We drove into hot, sunny Chicago at 10 am on Lake Shore Drive. Steve had some business meetings downtown, so Eileen took boys to the Aquarium, where the boys saw dolphins, otters, and king crabs. Eileen said there were about 5,000 people there at same time. Then we headed north to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and on the freeways outside of Chicago we got caught in the WORST traffic yet on our trip…it took us 2 ½ hours to go 25 miles (heck, you can run a marathon as fast). Arriving in Lake Geneva, we found that that we had made reservations at a bed and breakfast that was more like the Bates Hotel …..We quickly negotiated an exit and decamped at a place up the hill that was a little better but still pretty marginal (most places didn’t take dogs). The kids complained but watched Rudy and were quickly asleep.

Notre Dame

Wednesday, August 12th. Detroit and Henry Ford. Got up and ran with the boys down to the Detroit waterfront. Hot and humid. Big improvements made downtown here and two new stadiums, Ford Field and Tiger Stadium, were both impressive. Then we started the drive from Detroit to South Bend. Called Poppy and Kelly to wish them a happy birthday. Stopped off in Ann Arbor (on the way), where boys toured the impressive campus, saw the new business school, the law school, and rest of campus. As we left town we drove by the Michigan stadium (actually a huge bowl dug into the ground)….still reputed to be the largest in the US (102,000 capacity)….impressive, especially if you cheer for the maze and blue. Made it to South Bend by 630 pm, where the parents of Steve’s brother in law, the Cordills, were hosting us. After a gracious and delicious steak cook out, we were in bed, ready to tour ND the next day.
Thursday, August 13th. We visited the Notre Dame campus today, first time for the boys. It was sunny, hot, got into the low 90s in afternoon. Great campus….lots of new dorms and buildings since Eileen and Steve last saw campus 15 years ago. Boys loved it. Saw Golden Dome, Sacred Heart Basilica, Hammes Book Store. Campus is flat but handsome buildings and criss-crossing walkways make it a great walking experience. Sat thru an impromptu 1 hour admissions office video and presentation ….maybe a little premature but what the heck. Highlight of day was when Steve, Thomas and Pat “met” Jimmy Clausen outside the football team’s dining hall. Had dinner with our hosts, the Cordills at a local Italian legend, Bruno’s, in South Bend.