Day 4: Monday, July 18th: Onondaga State Park to Springfield, MO

  • Jul 18, 2011
post-thumb

After the cave tour we headed to the closest camp ground.  We ate one of our favorite meals of tortillas, black beans, canned chicken, and cheese.  Scott added a little Tabasco Sauce which made Brooke crinkle up her nose a bit and Cody kept wiping off his tongue trying to get rid of the burning sensation.  We might have to leave out the Tabasco Sauce for everyone but Scott next time, but since he was the chef and the kitchen cleaning staff we gobbled it up and contemplated our next move.  Brooke wanted to camp right where we were.  Scott and I were sweating profusely just sitting still.  Brooke and Cody kept themselves busy playing in the water while Scott suggested something I never thought I would hear coming from his mouth, “Let’s get a hotel.”  We spent 77 days traveling through Canada and Alaska last year and there were plenty of times I would have loved to get out of the cold or the rain, but we spent 75 days in a tent, one night in the van, and one night in an abandoned church.  No nights were spent in a hotel.  Brooke was begging to camp, but in the end the lure of sleeping without sweating and the opportunity to shower proved to be too strong to allow another night of camping.

We found a friendly Super 8 in Cuba, MO.  Despite the ideal sleeping environment, Brooke still cried for at least an hour on and off through the night.  In addition to her bad dreams she also rolls, much like her father.  Good news for me who was sharing a bed with her, at least she is tiny enough that when she rolls I don’t get squished.  Scott finally suggested throwing some blankets on the floor for her around midnight.  That did the trick.  Brooke slept until almost 8.

Scott got up and went for his first bike ride in six weeks while we hung out at the hotel.  He went on-line and found a ride called the Indian Lakes Ride.  He was gone about an hour.  Cody and I read for more than a half hour and somehow managed to let Brooke keep sleeping.

We went for a hike that was recommended out of a book called Best 40 Hikes in Missouri. We hiked for about an hour, but it was hot.  The temperatures without the heat index hovered at 100 degrees all week long.  We started our hike by 9:30, but it was incredibly hot even by then.  We were able to see the triple padlocked entrance to a cave.  Brooke wanted to break in, but we kept walking.  (Remember the girl who was afraid of caves?) Cody once again commenced torturing Mama in order to escape the backpack.

When we reached the top of a very long hill I finally let him out to roam. Cody loved throwing rocks into a ditch.  We rested at the top for about ten minutes and Scott suggested (again I almost fell over from surprise, not the heat),  “Maybe we should turn around.” After pushing my agape mouth shut I asked why.  He thought it might be too hot for the kids.  Cody was bright red and the most hiking he did was to find his next rock to throw.  After we decided to turn around Scott suggested he carry Cody.  He claims it didn’t hurt his shoulder.

Now with Cody off my back Brooke decided it was her turn to be carried.  I told her I would carry her if she caught me first.  Suddenly the girl who couldn’t walk another step was flying down the hill chasing her running momma.  I would carry for a few minutes and we would start the process all over again.

Cody’s favorite activity: throwing rocks.  It reminded me of Brooke last year “fishing” with Scott.  She felt better if she was able to throw rocks into water at least once a day.

After our hike we hopped back into the van and headed to Rolla where we ate lunch at a park and pavilion and watched diggers and a dump truck.

We arrived at a friend’s house in the early afternoon.  Cody had just fallen asleep ten minutes before we arrived.  I tried carrying him in for a nap, but he caught site of the sea of balls in an Elmo tent, and rest time was over.  Their two-year-old was incredibly generous, as were her parents.  She shared all of her toys with Brooke and Cody who were in heaven.  Who knew there was another little girl out there who likes Strawberry Shortcake, forts, Elmo, puzzles,playing in water and dancing around?

We wrapped up the night with Pizza Hut take out for dinner.

<< Prev Next >>
comments powered by Disqus
LATEST POST
  • Post By April and Scott
  • Jan 29, 2022
Kubota SVL-90 Track Replacement
  • Post By April and Scott
  • Jul 17, 2021
Oak Alley Plantation
  • Post By April and Scott
  • Jul 17, 2021
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice
TAG