1500 Miles, headed West

What do you do with three kids, when driving 1500 miles to Montana on a small budget?  Lots of camping, and free activities, like rock throwing and marshmallow roasting. 

 Sylvia likes her s'mores with well-done marshmallows.   She stuck her marshmallow in the fire, and announced  "Let me show you how it's done!".   She pulled the marshmallow out, covered in flames, and leaned back to watch it burn.   It was very sticky entertainment - but very tasty.

The first night we camped in Maplewood State Park (Minnesota).  The park was deserted, so we had the beach to ourselves.  The kids threw lots of rocks, and Mattias and Sylvia gathered up dozens of snail shells,.

                                          Sylvia was very proud of her snail collection.

              The lake was beautiful, cold and windy.  A perfect place for McMullin camping.

The second night we stayed at Makoshika State Park in Montana.  The big entertainment here was stomping and sinking in quick sand.  They had fun trying to sink boulders as well.  There was much mud to scrape off legs and feet afterwards.

On our last day of driving, I noticed a newer park at Pompey's Pillar in eastern Montana.  Having caught a bit of Lewis and Clark- itis from my mom,  I decided we had to stop.   They allow you to hike up to the rocky pillar that Clark named after Sacajawea's year old son, Pompey.
 

At the top of the trail you can see a window frame with bullet proof plastic in it, covering the section of rock where William Lewis signed his name, and the date July 25, 1806.

 The kids were glad when Mom had finished her history side-trip, and we drove on to Missoula.