It's early, but soon we'll be making reservations and are trying to plan our race season for next year.

My plan for my 'A' race is an ultra in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. Toby and I are planning on driving out there - we're thinking of driving through the States on the way there, and through Canada on the way back.

We're thinking to take 3 days to go from Toronto to Crowsnest Pass. The admittedly very rough plan is:

Day 1 - Toronto to Wisconsin (central-ish, but haven't decided)
Day 2 - Wisconsin to South Dakota
Day 3 - South Dakota to Crowsnest Pass

We'll be heading through Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois (the last two fairly quickly) on our way to Wisconsin. We'll then go through Minnesota on our way to South Dakota.

Luc will be with us, the other dogs will be at home (Neb is a possible to come, but at this point, the plan is for Luc only - the dogs do have a live-in sitter though who is used to handling them).

We want to be able to do some site-seeing along the way.

I don't know too much about Wisconsin, but I thought it might be fun to stop and do a little hike on the Ice Age trail. I'd love to get up to the area of the state by Superior, since my favourite part of Ontario is the north shore of Lake Superior, but I think it's a bit out of the way.

Otherwise, both of us want to visit the Black Hills when we're in South Dakota. My academic background is in Aboriginal/Indigenous studies, I've published in it, and while I identify as white, it is part of my family background, so I have a personal and academic interest. I'd love to visit the Crazy Horse monument and maybe Custer State Park (I'm thinking the stuff that occurred in the 70s/Pine Ridge isn't really a tourist draw). Also interested in any spots that are good to stop for natural beauty/little hikes.

Anyways, any suggestions about places to stop and visit, must-sees, etc would be much appreciated!

YAY....and hopefully it works out that she gets to stop for a night in South Dakota and stay at my place which is "dog" friendly and FREE!!!!

Let me know what y'all like to eat and I will cook supper.

Of course the Black Hills is a beautiful place to visit.

That would be so cool! I hope so!

I'm super-excited to see the Black Hills....all the pics I've seen are just so beautiful, and I'm a total sucker for that stuff.

I admit, Mount Rushmore kinda weirds me out, but mind you, the Crazy Horse Memorial seems to be the same sort of thing (maybe the musuem is interesting? On the otherhand, Luc wouldn't be allowed in the museum, pets apparently are but they have to be contained or carried). Mount Rushmore we might visit, just b/c it is Mount Rushmore, but I'm not sure.

Jewel Cave sounds cool too.

The museum at Crazy Horse is really nice. As far as Mt. Rushmore goes, you can see it perfectly well as you drive past it, I wouldn't bother paying for parking and walking up there.

There are several nice caves if you like that sort of thing- walking around underneath tons of rock and all.

I think the badlands are a wonderful for hiking, very solitary.

Enjoy your trip, If I can be of any help let me know!

 Quote: carol boche

YAY....and hopefully it works out that she gets to stop for a night in South Dakota and stay at my place which is "dog" friendly and FREE!!!!

This was the first thing I thought when I saw the thread.

She's got 112(OK, I'm exaggerating) dogs, planes, and from what I hear now, a school......This is going to be one of the hottest tourist destinations in a few years.

Carol Boche Land. Fun for all ages and multiple species.

What a great trip you have ahead of you!

I second the Badlands...I was there in the late 70s, and it was very solitary and almost spooky (but in a cool way). It was late spring, overcast and dark...just beautiful.

When we drove by Mt. Rushmore, the clouds were so thick you couldn't see 10 feet in front of the vehicle, let alone the faces on the mountain<g>.

have fun,
leih

i know! i was like 'the school, the school....'

sarah, yeah, i was reading and dogs aren't allowed in the cave, even in the walking parts. i'd prefer to do things that are dog-friendly, or require leaving luc for a minimal amount of time. right now toby has a vw something....golf? (wow, you can tell i pay a lot of attention to cars....it's blue and has a hatchback). we're hoping to get a mitsuibishi delica (all from japan and with right side drive! cool!!!!) which would be a great travelling van, especially with his precious triathlete bike , but we'll see. not a great time financially at the moment, so don't know if that'll happen. anyways, so luc could be pretty comfortable if left, but it'll be summer and hot and yeah.

the badlands would be neat as well, hopefully at the least we can drive through (probably head straight up south dakota to get to montana and go through there to alberta). there's some 'badlands' in ontario near toronto, a tiny tiny area, that i've hiked through, but nothing what i imagine real badlands bigger than 1k square would be like!

hikes may be the best way to get to see stuff and have luc with us.

good to know about mount rushmore as well. phew!

Whatever you do and see, as long as you post pics, so I can do the vicarious thing...

Come to Madison!!!

Angela, for sure!

Ashley, hmmm, it's along the way....we could do a hike on the Ice Age Trail on the way, and then hang out in the city for the night Wanna meet for dinner?

Actually - is Madison where Ironman Wisconsin is held??? (I just checked, it is) Toby is going to do Ironman Lake Placid next July (on my mother's 65th birthday, sigh), but he'd be all over hanging out at another IM race site. He's going to be bringing his bike w/him, since he'll be tapering for IM LP, he'd probably love to ride part of the IM course in Madison. If we leave early, we'd have time to get out to Madison for him to do a short ride at least. Visiting Madison will satisfy the gigantic triathlon nerd in him!