vacation bonanza- part one

Day 1- Everything you have ever heard about the Ozarks is true.

Today we drove 250-ish miles and it took a million years. For two reasons. #1- There is no direct route from Wichita, KS to Leasburg, MO only lots of tiny little two lane roads that require you to slow down to 25 mph as you drive through and #2- Ty drives like a little old lady when we are all in the car together because he loves us so much and gets all worried. Note to self- drive all the way to St. George and don't let Ty have any turns or it will take us three days to get there. It's really nice how much he loves us though, right? As we got into the Ozark region I started seeing things. Things that I thought were myths. I saw no fewer than 6 men/boys wearing overalls with nothing underneath them. Seriously. And there was possum on the menus and on the side of the road. Actual Possum. Apparently they make pies out of them. And- they have heard of computers and cell phones but they must not use them because the only place to find bars (you know, like cell phone bars, there are plenty of the other kind) is the interstate. But. There are miles and miles of oaks and hickories so thick you can't see anything else and shining lakes and long, wide, slow-moving rivers. And stars that go on forever. So I guess I can turn my phone off for a few days.

No, I didn't take this one but this is exactly what the entire area looks like.

Day 2- What we really need is a hole in the ground.

At our house we have a thing for caves. We grew up with Timpanogas and various unnamed caves throughout southern Utah. We have been to caves all over the States as well as in both Australia and New Zealand. The kids are just starting to learn about caves. Tommy did Timpanogas the last time I was in Utah and found it to be "great". These hills they call the Ozarks are riddled with the things. Today we went to Onondaga Cave. It's not a tourist cave. Just basic lights and a tour guide with a flashlight. It was amazing and the kids were completely enthralled. Mostly by the formations that look like ice cream cones but, hey, it's a start. The park ranger recommended we check out Marimac Springs in the afternoon. Both Ty and I have fond memories of Crystal Springs growing up, so off we went. A perfect clear spring that spreads into a river winding though parks and playgrounds and trout hatcheries. The boys fed the trout and we all soaked our hot feet in the frigid water.

Then back to our cabin for pizza from the grill, smokey campfires and giant marshmallows that never quite made it to be smores.

For grins like these I will walk a quarter of a mile to the nearest restroom.

Without even complaining hardly at all.