Vacation through Instagram

A little more vacation...what a wonderful vacation it was...

I had to drive to Newcastle on my own due to work schedule crapiness...I made it to Cheyenne before I had to load up on brain fuel for the remaining 4 hours of my drive.  It worked, I didn't fall asleep.  However, I had this horrible issue with severe swelling in my lower legs for the next 5 days, and these drinks are the only thing I can attribute it to.  Weird. 

There is a part of Wyoming that is beautiful and has wonderful scenery and mountains.  This is not that part of Wyoming.  And that is a Quest bar in a ziploc baggie, cooking on my dash so it was nice and melty when I needed a snack. 

These are the normal conversations we have.  I get no response out of the ordinary for ridiculous comments about smoking crack.  Or being a country superstar.  Psh. 

The Clarks at the wedding!  We had a great time. 

Reg and I getting ready to feed our faces and dance our rears off. 

Awww...aren't they adorable?  I was impressed with Ronnie's ability to pull off the plum colored shirt.  What style that guy has :)

The couple's first drink...they incorporated some cool Irish stuff into the ceremony and the reception!

I may have had a piece of this.  I may not have.  Seriously, I have no idea.  But someone had some, cause it was gone quickly!

Sunday we stopped at the Firehouse Brewery in downtown Rapid City before taking JP to the airport.  Of course we needed to try some samplers.  This was pretty much setting the trend for the trip.  Food and alcohol. 

Don't worry!  I figured out a way to have my oatmeal every morning on the trip!  I brought some of my premade mason jars of oats and spices.  I microwaved a cup of water in a fresh jar, mixed in my egg whites and microwaved another couple minutes until I was satisfied they were cooked, mixed in my oats, microwaved some more, then took my jar of oats and sat on the picnic table to enjoy!  

See?  Oats and picnic table.  

Went to Bear Country.  Ronnie was in heaven.  I thought he might actually jump outta the Audi and attempt to kill an elk with his bare hands. 

Our first wine tasting at Prarie Berry Winery outside of Hill City, SD.  Some places had free wine tastings, some places charged a couple bucks.  All places had delicious wine. 

My view of Wilberforce for a good part of the trip.  Wine glass to face. 

Vinos!

At the end of every tasting, we of course had to buy a glass to enjoy on the patios.  Of course.  

Made the trip to Mount Rushmore!  Ronnie and Reg hadn't been there since Wilberforce was 4 years old.  Things had changed a bit.  There was a road to the base of the mountain.  And that's it.  Now there's an entire stadium of stuff. 

The Clarks at one of the coolest creations this side of the equator...and that side, too. 

He talked about how famous he was for the next 45 minutes.  I don't have the heart to tell him that 983,908,980 other men have the exact same name as him. 

The resort we stayed at was right on the edge of Rapid City.  There was a really nice paved bike trail around the lake that I ran every morning.  It wasn't quite long enough, so I also ran through some neighborhoods, but this was always the view on the last 100 yards of my run before I got back to the cabin.  Sunrise is the best time of the day, no matter where you are.  It's a fact. 

My first trip to Sturgis!  We hit up the Motorcycle Hall of Fame...pretty sweet.  Wilberforce also had the best sirloin tips of his life at one of the local restaurants...along with sweet potato fries.  Every place in the state of South Dakota has sweet potato fries and bison burgers, seriously.  

Another morning of running followed by a jar of oats.  I would probably die by 10 am if I didn't have my oatmeal. 

The morning Ronnie and Reg had to go back home, Wilberforce and I did some P90x Plyocide in the cabin before moving to our smaller cabin.  Plyocide pretty much means "death by jumping" and it's awesome.  We didn't die, but we did jump.  Then we went and drank more wine. 

This is Wilberforce doing a wall stretch.  Looks more like he's trying to get bed bugs to me. 

My Warrior 3 pose...harder than it looks.  Especially if you have to go from a lunge to this, 24 times in a row. 

Quest Protein Bar snack!  Microwaved, smothered in chocolate sauce, and ready to get in my belly. 

Stone Faces Winery, outside Hill City, SD.  They had a lot of Sturgis-esque wines and touristy wines.  Most of the wineries we went to had fruity wines...made with different berries and stuff.  I loved them even though I'm usually a dry white wine drinker!

I drank Buck Naked in Hill City.  Bahahaha. 

A glass of tasty on the patio by a creek in the Black Hills.  Wondered what the rich people were doing at the time. 

I think this was a glass of Buck Naked.  I can't be sure. 

The Clarks.

We drove the Wildlife Loop through Custer Park.  We almost hit a buffalo.  Twice. 

We almost hit a couple donkeys, too, but they were asking for it.

Where the buffalo roam...

So in Custer City, we decided we wanted to go to Naked Winery in Hill City for a tasting on the way back to the cabin.  But first, we wanted to walk the main street in Custer to work off our lunch and enjoy the sunshine.  Imagine our surprise when we walk right by the Naked Winery!  They have a tasting room in Custer, too!  So of course we went on it and had the best time ever!  The lady running the place was awesome and gave us 234 extra tastings.  We still stopped at the Naked Winery in Hill City on our way home to have a tasting there...the guy was not nearly as awesome as the lady in Custer, FYI. 

We also decided to hit up Prarie Berry for one more tasting before the day was over.  Yes, that is three wine tastings at three different tasting rooms in one day.  Don't judge.  

The Clarks = The Lushes. 

After 7 days away from home, this was a welcome sight.  The Rockies of Colorado on the horizon, which meant my front door wasn't too far away.  Home Sweet Home.

Nothing beats the first night in your own bed after an extended stay away from home. 

Less awesome about being home?  Laundry. 

Making my morning oats over a stove was a nice return to my morning routine.  So was my five mile run. 

Picked up a souvenir at Bear Country!  Worked perfectly.  

It was a chilly morning home, so warmed up with a homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte and nap by the fireplace. 

I wasn't feeling the greatest the morning after we returned home, so my snacks were simple and tasty.  Protein bar. 

The migraine went away by 8pm, so I tried out a new P90x workout...burned quite a few calories between that and my (short) morning run!

So there are the remainder of the vacation pictures!  Enjoy parentals :)