From eternity to here...

Frank Viola was generous enough to send me a free copy of his new book, From Eternity to Here. The thing Frank didn't know is that this book is way outside the lines of my concentration capacity. Did you see the list of doctors and theologians endorsing it? Ed Stetzer, Myles Monroe, Greg Boyd, Leonard Sweet, James Goll, Alan Hirsch, Shane Claiborne, Dan Kimball, Brian McLaren and more.

Uh, yeeeaaaah. Frank, I'm not a big brain like the giants on that list. But, I know people who know you and they say you and your book are legit. So I dedicate this post to you and will give away a free copy of your book to the winner of a little fun & friendly competition I've cooked up.

Next week, my family is hitting the road for Spring Break. We're driving from Indiana, to Mt. Rushmore, to Avon, Colorado (where we'll spend a week) and back to Indiana.

                 The Meyer Family Drive from Here to Eternity. (Like the tie-in? I try.)

 

Here's where you come in. I'm looking for fun, creative, must-see, must-do activities, eateries and experiences along the route or at our destination. We is smarter than me every time and we've never made this trek before as a family. What recommendations do you have? What should we see? What should we do? Where should we eat? What should we experience? What do you know that I don't know?

The comment I pick as the most creative, surprising, unexpected or fun (just make sure it's realistically do-able) wins a free copy of Frank's book, From Eternity to Here. I'll drop it in the mail right away. Doesn't this sound fun? Wanna play? Leave a comment.

Comments

[Chris McClure]

If you're going to Rushmore, you have to drive just a little further to see Crazy Horse...much more impacting when you hear the story. Also, drive through the Badlands...very cool. And you can actually drive through the Badlands and hit Wall Drugs which is world-renowned somehow. Those are your must-see stops in S.D.

[Aaron Asay]

YES! You're driving through Kearney, NE! That's where I live... be sure to Twitter (wave) on your way through!

[Kim Pagel]

Well, if I were you I would stop in Iowa City when you are on I80 and my wife and I will drive down from Cedar Rapids and take you to lunch. Or if you prefer to drive north on I380 and come to Cedar Rapids, I can show you the flood zone that devistated our city and then take you to lunch at the Flying Weenie http://www.theflyingwienie.com/ . It's a must see when you visit Cedar Rapids. Enjoy your trip!

Kim Pagel

[lisa a bauer]

I can't compete with the comments thus far, especially Flintstones Bedrock City... I just want a free copy of the book. :)

Anyway, have a great time and be sure not to take on TOO MUCH sightseeing so you end up like the Clark Griswold and say, "Everybody in the car! Boat leaves in two minutes... or perhaps you don't want to see the second largest ball of twine on the face of the earth, which is only four short hours away?"

Pick one unique thing a day to do with your family and be sure to LAUGH and LOVE like you never have before!

What a great opportunity. Enjoy!

~lisa

[becky]

http://www.pella.org/

if the tulips are blooming a beautiful stop!

[Jennifer Johnson]

Kem! Hey as you drive across the BEAUTIFUL state of Iowa you should stop in Coralville the exit is 240 I belive and they have a HUGE mall that has a really awesome Children's Musuem in it. It could take a few hours to go through. Also around Des Moines near Urbandale there is a resturant called Iowa Machine Shed. Very good home cooked meals with large portions! Also, in Omaha the Henry Doorly Zoo is a gem! Has an AMAZING aquirum and rainforest exhibit! Worth the stop! Hope you have a wonderful trip and safe travels!

[Matt Johnson]

I lived for two years in Glenwood Springs which is about an hour west of Avon on I-70. Just before you get there, you'll see an exit for Hanging Lake. It's a nice, short hike that leads to an absolutely beautiful body of water (it's not a lake...don't let the name fool you). You and the fam would enjoy that.

Also, in Glenwood there's a hot springs lodge that's pretty famous and Hotel Colorado where Teddy Roosevelt used to stay.

Finally, if you've never been to Aspen it might be worth the drive to go there one day and just walk around. It's probably an hour and a half from Avon.

That area is absolutely gorgeous...one of a kind! Enjoy!

[Aaron]

Hit a trail or two in Rocky Mountain National Park, ex. Bear Lake to Dream Lake. Watch the elk in Moraine Park. Then grab a bite to eat at Poppy's Pizza in Estes Park and stop by my buddy's photography gallery (Images of RMNP) on your way out.

[Greg on the Run]

My nephew and I made the trip to Mount Rushmore and spent a week exploring.

On the way, do stop at Wall Drup and the Mitchell Corn Palace. They're iconic.

Whne you're in the Mount Rushmore area, go to Custer State Park. It's a great place to watch bison - you can drive failry close to them. You can also find the wild burros who will come right up to your car and stick their noses in if you have the windows down.

One of the places we loved was Wind Cave National Monument. There are several different cave tours, most of which would be great for young, curious children. There are spectacular formations in the caves.

Both the state park and Wind Cave are south of Rapid City.

If you're driving on I-90, when you cross the river at Chamberlain, get off the highway and go to the scenic overlook - lots of history right there concerning early expeditions in the area. Help your kids imagine what it looked like when the first people came through and there were millions of bison on the plain below.

Have a great trip!

[Perry Hansen]

Kem,

I took the family from Oshkosh, WI to Rapid City (Mt Rushmore) and back over Thanksgiving. I went to visit my good friend who is a youth pastor that moved to Rapid City recently. I called him while at "Wall Drug" and said surely God was ticked off at him. There is nothing, and I mean nothing in South Dakota until you get to Mt. Rushmore.

While driving I was literally keeping track of the mile markers in case we had car trouble. Not that it would have helped since there is no one there.

The excitement I experienced on that road was when I actually saw a tumbleweed blow across the road right in front of me. It was AWESOME! I was out west! LOL.

So on the road in South Dakota, play a game. Like when you want to see your first robin for the year, just see who can find the first tumbleweed.

[Kelly Gubser]

You might enjoy (esp. the kids) Casa Bonita restaurant in Denver, too. http://www.casabonitadenver.com/

[Kelly Gubser]

Shortly before you get to the Black Hills visit an actual Minuteman Missile Silo and Control Center for a tour
http://www.nps.gov/mimi/

Alter your exit from SD by going South into NE so you can visit Carhenge (think Stonehenge, but with cars) http://www.carhenge.com/

[Isaiah Henni]

Its kind've crazy the route you're taking, as I've been most of the route from Rapid City, South Dakota on to Iowa. I live in Scottsbluff, Nebraska right now, but was in Riverton, Wyoming the previous 3 years and Julesburg, Colorado the rest of my years.
A few things I thought of...

South Dakota
Within Rapid City is an amusement place called Ranch Amusement Park. It has some of the fastest go-karts I have ever ridden in. My memories may fail, however, as it has been a few years.
Another one that could be cheesy, but I remember well from my childhood is this park: http://www.flintstonesbedrockcity.com/gallery.php
That's right, Flintstones Bedrock City...
Your mileage may vary.

Wyoming

Check out Ayers Natural Bridge - http://www.wyomingtourism.org/overview/Ayers-Natural-Bridge/4806
It is fairly unique and on your the route...
The route you're taking doesn't have much more to see, except lots of pronghorn (antelope). Cheyenne would be a great place to make a quick pitstop, but as it looks like your route is taking you to mostly spend your time in Avon... its probably about all you'll want to do there.

Colorado
Fort Collins is a great place to stop - grab a bite to eat, shop a bit and get back on the interstate. It has a beautiful downtown, and taking the College Ave exit will bring you right by CSU.

Barry is right about the Casa Bonita - pretty good entertainment, mediocre food. All in all it evens out to a fun family lunch.

Estes Park is a beautiful place, but the one drawback may be that the Trailridge Road may not be open all the way to the top due to the heavy snow. My wife and I had our honeymoon there, and stayed in The Stanley Hotel - which is ridiculously expensive, but great to tour in.

On your trip down I76 (Denver to Nebraska), there are many places I could tell you to visit, but I'm not sure what you and your family like. There's a great place for buffalo burgers on the road between Sedgwick, CO and the interstate, called Lucy's Place.

Blink and you'll miss Julesburg, Colorado.

Nebraska

Kearney
The Archway Museum may be what your family would enjoy, but since I grew up in the area I didn't think it was all that great. It is probably worth 1 trip through, however.

You can go ahead and email me with any other questions. Of course, after some of my suggestions, you probably think I'm crazy :D.

Enjoy the trip.

Isaiah

[Liz Wrigglesworth]

I would have to say I'm a bit of a "professional" when it comes to road trips to Mt Rushmore!! :-) During my sophmore year of college spring break - my roommate and I (I'm now 32) - travelled from Cedarville, OH to Elkart, IN (I was in a wedding), then to Chicago, Minneapolis MN, Fargo ND, Bismarck ND, Rapid City SD, Omaha NE, St. Louis MO, Nashville, TN and back to Cedarville, OH. I don't know if I can say anything about places from here to there.. because we needed to save money. We stayed in 1/2 hotels and half of the places we stayed in houses of friends or family. We made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the car and if we were lucky enough to be at our hotel at dinner time we had travelled with our dorm microwave and we would take it in a make mac and cheese OR green bean casserole for dinner!! WOW... we didn't eat much those days I guess! :-) We also were only in each city for 1 day. However, here's my take on a few of the places you might be going by!
Chicago - Field Museum and Science and Industry Museum were great!!
Rapid City - Mount Rushmore and The Black Hills are great!!
Colorado - Boulder, CO - Pearl St is GREAT!! Also - the Celestial Seasonings factory is in Boulder and it is A TON of fun!! It's free to go on a tour -- and it's just like being in the middle of "Mr Rogers neighborhood and how they make those crayons!" It's so much like that and you get to be a part of it!! It's REALLY cool!! :-) Plus you get a free sample of tea!!

Well.. that's my take on your trip -- have a GREAT time and let us know how it all goes! Also -- don't hesitate to take the kitchen microwave -- you can make a lot of yummy things in there! :-)

[Barry]

Well, you have to eat sometime? Why not throw food in with some amusement at the same time.

Just 20 minutes from downtown Denver is Lakewood, home to mythical "Casa Bonita." I've heard it's declined, but in it's day - it was home to cheezy entertainment and mediocre food - but worth a visit.

Try to go on a weekend if you can. I admit, I haven't been there for probably at least ten years - while on a business trip there.

Just look on YouTube for people's experiences at Casa Bonita. Also, here's someone's recent post:

http://boingboing.net/2008/09/08/a-visit-to-casa-boni.html
http://boingboing.net/2008/09/08/a-visit-to-casa-boni.html

Have Tums on hand. As with the food though... you can keep the book. I'll just be curious to see/know if you guys will be adventurous enough. ;-) Happy VayCay!

Barry
Portland, Oregon

[diane]

two for the price of one...i just noticed that lance mentioned visiting iron mountain road while at mt. rushmore and one of the letterbox clues is there as well ("rushmore view"). maybe the adventure would be trying all of our suggestions. :)

[diane]

my suggestion isn't so much about the destination, but the adventure - one that is available anywhere in the world and the whole family can do it. it's called letterboxing. the best quick way to describe it is like a treasure hunt - other letterbox teams leave clues on how to find a "treasure" (a stamp for your log book). i've done it here in missouri as well as with friends in michigan and they all loved it. the fun part is being sneaky about it bc other people around you aren't suppose to know what you are doing (one reason just to keep the boxes safe). i could explain it more here, but it's best to visit the official website at www.letterboxing.org and go to their "getting started" page. you'll just have to do some planning before you go and get a sketch book and a stamp. give yourself time to find the treasure - some are really quick an easy and some are more complicated (you'll know by reading the clues). i think all of your destinations, and many stops along the way, have letterboxes. (rushmore, denver, and south bend.) hope you get a chance to try it! enjoy your trip!

[Geoff]

I'm surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet, but you should swing by the Mitchell Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD (weird!)

Its a palace. Its corn. Its very Midwest.

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2215

[J.C.]

I would try Murdo, SD. I'll give you a few webpages to try.

http://www.murdosd.com/default.asp

the best thing is the pioneer auto show....

http://pioneerautoshow.com/

tons of classic cars, motorcycles, and trucks and they even have a treasure hunt for the kids. And a rock museum! Plus an oddity section of cars!!

http://www.pioneerautoshow.com/oddities.php

nothing like family fun for cheap check it out!

[Lance Bauslaugh]

I am not sure how much time you are planning for Mt. Rushmore. If you have time, some of the best views of the Mountain are located on Iron Mountain Road, or Highway 16 in both directions. Don't just go to the Mountain and then go back to the highway. There is also a stone tunnel that you drive through and the views are amazing! But, watch out for the buffalo and goats on the road! :-)

[Dave Welch]

I made a similar trip years ago. We stopped at all the "road-side" attractions. The best were:
Wall Drug (in Wall SD) gives out free ice water (and a generally fun quick stop) http://www.walldrug.com/

And the Corn Palace in Mitchell SD was cool as well. http://www.cornpalace.org/

[jason]

Key Kem - I live in Rapid City and can tell you this is a great time of year to visit Mt. Rushmore. Less people. Mild weather.

You might want to swing by the Crazy Horse memorial too if you're into things sculpted into hills.

Also, I'd have dinner at the Alpine Inn in Hill City (not far from Mt. Rushmore) if I were you.

Enjoy your trip!

[Jeff Marbut]

Like Colt, I'm a Denver-and-west guy. But I thought the Denver mint was surprisingly cool. They had a display of currencies through history that included a silver coin from Jesus' time. Kinda a cool visual of the cheapness of Judas' betrayal.

Also, if you pass through Golden, CO, be sure to tour the Coors factory. They have a bar at the end where they give you free beer! If you're running short on time, you can even ask for "the short tour" (which goes straight to the free beer).

The Tattered Cover (also in Denver -- www.tatteredcover.com) is the coolest bookstore I've ever been to.

Enjoy!

[Larry Boatright]

Also south of Denver (maybe 2-3 hours??) there is the Sand Dune national park.... we've been there and took a picnic basket- the mountain snow starts melting and makes a small wade-able river you can walk through and it's just beautiful!

[Larry Boatright]

Definitely Estes Park. This time of year it will start turning VERY beautiful, and tons to do for the whole fam... http://www.estes-park.com/go/kids.html

Kids will love it- hiking, fishing, you can even do river rafting (although I've always wanted to try that but am afraid I'd pee my pants!!)

larryboatright

[Jeremy Scheller]

Don't forget to checkout the backside of Mt. Rushmore...

http://www.yourfunnystuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/mt-rushmore-backside.jpg

[Larry Baxter]

You're asking blog-reading theology fans for advice on fun things to do on a family trip?? Seriously?! :)

Looking at your route I would swing by the Dells in Wisconsin (http://wisdells.com) It's the watermark capital of the world. Regardless of outdoor temp, there are indoor waterparks at a balmy 85 degrees.

Besides, it's better to send eternity for dell than to spend eternity in... well, you get the picture.

Have a great trip fellow Hoosier!

[Colt Melrose]

Kem,

While the only place I have been on that route is Denver and then west, I put my google fingers to the test and found what looks to be a great little museum in Kearney, NE. The link is below.

http://www.archway.org/About/default.aspx

I love the opening section of the about page, “splashy, brassy history museum that uses film, computer graphics, light and sound, life-size dioramas, re-enactors and classic cars to document over 150 years of transportation and communication across America.”

Really, What more could you want. You even get "classic cars".

Hope you enjoy the trip.