Winning!

Chris wins $5 at the slots!

Almost there...

The flight has been mostly smooth (if you don't count me smacking Ann's elbow so many times her coffee almost went flying)! Movie was horrible "Wrath of the Titans".

After an early morning flight to Washington we navigated five escalators, one train, one moving sidewalk and two terminals we are waiting to board the plane to Vegas!

Summer travels....

After a great warm-up at the Cape with our pals, Randi and Ann are on the road again.

Best of...

Best shot of two wild women on road trip: Universal Studios, California

Best presidential moment: Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota

Best tourist trap: Wall Drug, South Dakota

Best cautionary sign: Badlands, South Dakota

Best place to say, "wow": Grand Canyon, Arizona

Best lake: Yosemite National Park, California

Best place to view wildlife: Wildlife Loop, Custer State Park, South Dakota

Best Lauren moment: Los Angeles, California

Best view from a lunch spot: Lake Tahoe, California

Best indulgence: pedicures in LA

Best geyser moment: wet but worth it...at Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Best road to drive fast on: Route 90, Wyoming

Best Route 66 scene: Arizona

Best seafood dinner: Craig and Hum's in Indianapolis, Indiana

Best campsite:  Custer State Park, South Dakota

From sea to shining sea

We crossed the Rainbow Bridge that welcomed us back 

to the USA and we headed back to Fayetteville. The border patrol did not detain us.

 We brought back new boots for our little cowpoke. He loves them and clomps around the house rounding up the dogs.

A few days later we were back in the car and headed towards the east coast. We were not ready to end our vacation.

From Pacific to Atlantic and all points in between we had a great time but it was good to be back with the family at Robert Moses State Park.

Of course, we (meaning George and Matt) made the annual sand sculpture. The back was a castle...

...and the front morphed into a dragon. After a great day at the beach it was back to the Constantino's for the summer barbeque of surf and turf. Vacation is now officially over :(

Rain, rain go away..why must it rain on our last day?

We left Chicago at 8am and drove a LONG way through Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Canada in a continual downpour. When we finally stopped for lunch (our picnic plans were rained out) we had to wait out more thunder and lightening and rain as it was too dangerous to drive. One warning when you eat at Panera. When it rains, the small strip of metal at the bottom of the door gets wet and slick. When Randi went to run to the car she slipped and went flying into the sidewalk. No injuries; just hysterical laughing to relieve the boredom of our rainy drive.

After many hours we crossed the bridge to Canada. The border agent was a humorless young man who grilled us. Ann did not disclose our mace as a weapon when the agent specifically asked, "Do you have any mace or pepper spray or weapons?". We are now fugitives in Canada.

We had not made reservations in Hamilton as we anticipated stopping and just checking into a local hotel. Unfortunately, by 8 o'clock all hotels in Hamilton and St. Catherines were all booked due to some local flood, a football game, some festivals and a regatta! We were tired and hungry and found this oasis in the rain to stop and regroup. At this point a miracle occurred. We told our waitress our story and she began to call all around the city until she found us a room. We stayed in a beautiful downtown hotel called the Crown Plaza and had a great meal at the Fool and Flagon.