Saddlestring, WY, to Big Sky, MT

 We did absolutely. Nothing. We drove to Sheridan, we ate Mexican for breakfast. We drove to Big Sky, we stopped immediately at Qdoba for more Mexican. BUT WE DID GO SHOPPING IN SHERIDAN.

Tell Louisa your favorite in the comments below

Anyway, the drive to Big Sky was probably, up until this point, the prettiest drive yet.

Suddenly, the little mountains started morphing into big ski resorts with snow dusting most of the peaks. During this ride, we tagged the four of us as the Highwaymen: Madelynne is Waylon Jennings, Corinne is Johnny Cash, Grace is Kris Kristofferson, and Louisa is Willie Nelson.

Our new album pre release occurs August, 2025 

This has taken many, many moons to establish so I know it's right. We also discovered our new favorite song, My Girls by Animal Collective. It's so cute uwu. A guy writes it about just wanting a house for his wife and daughter, and it's so precious Madelynne cried to it already, and Louisa has put it on aux four times per day. 

As we drove up into Big Sky, we found a little family of foxies running around a drain pipe. Louisa also discovered that not only does her father own the same jacket that she just bought, but also the jean jacket she stole from him saved him from falling off of a car--a wipeout I honestly have never heard of before.

After doing absolutely nothing all day, we walked over to an italian restaurant. We looked like a gang of hitchhikers, which was a stark contrast from our fellow posh diners. This pizza will soon be the soundtrack to our drive to come. It twas delicious. We ate before going to bed early in preparation for our big hike the next morning up Beehive Basin Numba 40. xo, us.

Badlands, SD, to Saddlestring, WY

Today we woke up in our cabin. Birds chirpin. We scooted over to Badlands for a little alone time runs/walks. Which meant we actually all stayed within five feet of one another on the same exact trail for one hour.

Said alone time

When we got back to the car it felt like we had been separated for years. Tears were shed, memories were shared, bonds were formed, laughter was had, sweat was sweat. I for one felt like I lost those I cared about most for 20 minutes, and they just missed out on monumental moments for me, like staring at the ground for rattlesnakes. I made Corinne go first for a while so they would bite her instead. Love you, though. Then we were on our way!!! Incoming to Josie! Super stinky and sweaty!

We stopped on an 80 mph highway to stare at these buffies. Most majestic animal in the US.

Not necessarily the cutest.

We made a pit stop at the one and only Mt. Rushmore. You never feel so patriotic as when you are paying your parking ticket in front of a rock shaped like Thomas Jefferson.

By the way, they did his nose so dirty it looks like a wedge you stick into a door to keep it open.

We fixed it though

✌️ because we solved the fundamental issue of a nation

Also they lowkey left Abe Lincoln out of the squad so hard - maybe bc he was too busy rizzing? Idk he was a hot commodity among our group... We naturally played kiss marry kill with the occupants of the mountain. Please comment your takes below. We have ours. Also, after watching Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer last night

(so scary) our opinion on him certainly changed. WOAH personally some of us are thinking that was an ick but others found it intruiging. Anywho- Roosevelt has a fun twang with the mustache and I love the idea of Washington's wig. ENOUGH OF THIS...

We drove to HF Bar, stopping at the local gas station for a brief celsius before tuning into Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa as we got excited to see real people our age. When we drove in, we originally entered the chef's driveway and almost took a wee in his backyard. It would've been nice if he came out and offered us a snack or maybe a cup of tea or maybe a beer for our trouble. But he didn't. Sometimes this life is so hard. Instead we screamed and held our bladders till we found miss Josie May.

Back to what matters. We finally found our way to HF entirely driven by our primal instinct for a nice restroom. Josie was plopped on the grass in front of the barn and we picked her up (she held on to the side of the car as I sped across (drove 2 mph) the gravel) and went to her cabin. We drove by a variety of coworkers and models? Let us know. We will be returning (**wink wink). We were ecstatic to find out that the gender bender party planned for that night was being postponed, so we could all actually dress like women instead of stinky dads which has been the outfit theme of our trip.

Big Honky, we will be back <3

We sat on Josie's bed as she chucked clothes at us and jackets galore before skipping over to their crew room for some leftover wings. Louisa was the only person who indulged in said wings.

The meal of a REAL woman

The coordination of a surgeon

She has no regrets. They were scrumptious. She was going to town until Josie's cool model friends--i mean coworkers--came into the room and were watching her rabidly consume the meat n bones. We were particularly excited to meet a couple in particular but were pleasantly surprised by Josie's friend Eric. Eric is new to the ranch as of this year. But recently, he found himself getting quite comfortable with the kitchen equipment. You see, last week Eric came into the crew room for a late night snack from their commercial industrial fridge. Been there, done that (like a lot, like you wonder where all the quesadillas and leftover burgers went. Jeff, I ate them all and they were delicious). But the HF fridge is a little unstable, and when Eric passionately ripped those two doors to heaven open, the entire contraption fell on him. So Eric was tackled, mowed down, annihilated, by a fridge. But don't worry, he got his revenge because while Eric lived to tell the tale, the fridge certainly did not. 

That night, we went into Josie's cute gender reveal pinkified room and realized squeezing onto her bed would be a bit of a task, so we split two on the bed and the strongest of us went to the floor. Only true champions can sleep on the floor, the absolute best of us. Therefore, Louisa Rawles slept on the floor. She is so good. We love her.

Love is a really strong word though. I mean, she's cool I guess? I think the other girls were mostly relieved to avoid the mega Dutch oven that would likely result from Lulu joining the group. So, sure... she's "strong" if that's how you would define it.

Madelynne, I am directing this at you right now. And it's a really mean bite. You're crying. I, tortoise, am laughing, however tortoises do that.

HF Bar, we will see you again. Badlands, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Dutch ovens... I could take em or leave em. RRR, we will see you soon. Daddy's coming home. 

Sioux Falls, SD to Badlands, SD

Hello world. We are writing to you from the cozy interior of the Badlands Frontier Cabins. Totally just doxxed ourselves but thats the price you pay for great writing, which this is. As we type away, the google tv is being set up so we can watch a family favorite: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. I love historical nonfiction.

A question for the poeple, please respond in the comments below if you are a TRUE fan of 4girls4runner: if a crab and a spider were in a mile foot race, who would win? 

Today started out with a BANG: missing our 8:30AM hot yoga class. Instead of getting bendy, we got sendy at a favorite HOLE in the wall (hahahahahahaha), Bagel Boy. And BOY, were those BAGELS delicious. Even i impress myself with my wordsmith abilities sometimes. After getting HOLY (lollllll) at Bagel Boy, it was time to get CORNY (rofllllll) at the Corn Palace. What is the Corn Palace, you may wonder? Well, look no further and gaze your eyes upon this sweet sweet corny structure:

At the Corn Palace, Louisa's agricultural instincts told hold, and she began asking things like, "How much do y'all think a pound of sweet corn runs a country girl these days?" and "Do y'all think they'd let go of that sweet thang for a couple bones?" The "sweet thang" she was referring to was in fact a fine piece of farm machinery. 

When Corrine and Madelynne began understandably questioning Lulu's committed to the farm life, considering as of last semester she was committed to CompSci and has never expressed the desire to become a corn farmer, sh*t got REAL. Louisa hopped on the tractor and REVVED that engine, aiming her hostilities at Corrine. 

"She bad"

But the tension did not last long, as bonds are strengthened not broken in the Corn Palace. Everyone knows that sweet sweet friendships are bred from sweet sweet corn. :,)

Corn picture of girls

Anyways, enough of that stupid girl feelings stuff. Lets talk about the SICKEST, most ILL and BAD*SS part of the day: the BADLANDS. YIPEE-KI-YAY mother frickers!!!! From here on out, its only sick hogs, leather cuts, and riding away the pain. 

Motorcycle picture

In the Badlands, Louisa and Corrine quickly became envious of Madelynne's Speed Goat Hokas. She was like, totally crushing it on that hike and they were like really suffering. Remember when we asked whether crabs or spiders were faster? Believe it or not, that had some real world inspiration.

Louisa crab walking

Despite the challenges we all faced, i.e. Corrine losing a family heriloom (her sister's Aeire sweatshirt) and Madelynne wearing a rain jacket despite there not being a single drop of rain, we all fell in love with the mystery and charm of the Badlands. The natural beauty was stunning, and the photoshoots were about as good as they could be.

The exploration was complete. Also, did you know the Badlands are called that because some dumb freakin settlers couldn't figure out how to traverse the terrain, so they were like, "Lets call this the Badlands, cause, you know, the land is bad." Real original guys. Don't quit your day job.

Peak the Cubs hat that ran away from Louisa's head. She must have lice.

According to local legend (Louisa's imagination), the holes are haunted by the ghosts of colonists past. If you are listening really, really, really closely, you can hear them say things like "Meow meow meow. Nom nom, meow meow meow. Space unicorn soaring through the sky, delivering the rainbows all across the world." Those guys were so weird. Glad they're dead lol!

The haunting in the hills

The ghosts really gave us a good scare (although I pretty sure Louisa wanted to pick one up so she could get haunted and have a life long companion) so we had to GTFO. We hopped in our chariot (see more in the "Chariot " tab") and fled the scene. But some questions were left unanswered: where are we going to get some grub? We went to the only place advertised just about 50 bazillion times along route 90, the Wall Drug, to deliberate our options.

A little road trip romance

Don't worry moms and dads, this isn't some psychedelic hang out for burnouts and college kids looking to score. This is the family friendly drug store that has just so many  different fun and exciting items to offer. For example: shot glasses.

 

Get yours for $5.99 today!

Wattle bottle shaped like bullet. John Wayne playing cards. Taffy. BB guns. Hey mom and dad, I'll be sending a Christmas list soon. 

The more we walked around, the more we wanted to stay. But our tummies were a grumbl'n and tensions were beginning rise once again. Y'all remember the tractor incident at the Corn Palace. Corrine cannot take anymore. The doctor say another peg leg could ruin her.

Off to the Red Rock Restaurant we go! Hey, that's the name of our ranch! Nostalgia ran high and Corrine had one goal in mind: BBQ plate. But poor peg leg just can't catch a break. The BBQ platter is only served Thursday through Sunday. Do you know what day it is? Monday. The day of sorrow and no BBQ plates. RATS!!!!!!! Instead, we got some fierce nachos, a burger, and a pork sandwich (like why couldn't they just use the pork from the sandwich for a plate???) and some beef sandwich thing with au jus dip. Solid stuff.

Gimme dat.

Even better, dinner with a view!! Our lucky butts got to see the world's largest chainsaw-carved jackalope sculpture. 

Hell yea.

Bloated and cold, like seriously it's sooooooo cold here. It was really warm in Iowa and Sioux Falls, and we have returned to our humble abode. And Abrahama Lincoln Vampire Hunter has loaded! YYAYAYAYYYAYAy! I can't wait to learn some super interesting facts about one of America's greats. Speaking of American GOATs, how do yall feel about Benjiman Franklin?

We love him up in this cabin, but certain disgruntled ex-roadtrippers have expressed negative feelings about literally the nicest quaker in American history. That guy is so cool and his glasses were on fleek. Please address all love notes about Benji to graceshook@circusfreak.com.

oxooxxoxoxoxoxoxox

Waterloo, IA, to Sioux Falls, SD

WOOT WOOT WE WOKE UP!!! And now we're in Lake Forest. We tuned back into our new favorite book that we simultaneously absolutely despise, The Teacher. We drove by quite possibly the largest field of wind turbines we have ever seen. Let's go clean energy.

Sponsored by Clean Wind Energy

Today was probably our most wholesome day thus far. A comeback from punch-bowl gate yesterday. Upon arrival, we parked across my aunt's driveway so that she could not escape from her home if she wanted to. We drove over to Lake Michigan and Louisa's mom's childhood home (hi, Mom— popcorn and Rombauer just don't taste the same without you). 

There are Great Whites and mermaids in here

Then we strolled around downtown and explored various shops. 

Flowers YAY

Tomato sign YAY

Soon after, we met up at Louisa's Mimi's house for a dinner at the PUB. We got to hear all the lore about Susie being the most difficult child, which made Louisa feel much better <3. I always appreciate mom mom gossip. Afterwards we popped over to Elewa farm across the street where Louisa's aunt used to live in a small cottage. We needed this walk. 

Walkie

Afterwards, we went to get ice cream. And back again Louisa's worst nightmare, aesthetic high schoolers. God, they are the worst. They are so much cooler than me and make me insecure. On our swift exit from the ice cream parlor, Louisa made us walk the long way out so that we would not pass these girls again. Some man was walking in as we were exiting, and tried to make a joke "Y'all must like ice cream." YEA we do. That's why we're in an ice cream parlor and I do not have time for this shi*t I'm running away from eighth graders. But once we escaped, our ice cream evening was enjoyable to say the least.

Ice cream cures all woes.

We sat on the park where Louisa used to chase her shadow as a kid while eating bugs. Afterwards, we went home to cuddle up before our big day tomorrow. Tank you Lake Forest, lovely as always.

Winnetka, IL, to Waterloo, IA

This morning was off to a rough start. But we got out all of Francie's ankle weights and walked it out. If you were in the Winnetka area this morning at 9 am and saw a fleet of women in what looked to be ankle monitors, it was us. 

Ankle monitors are a great way to get toned legs and meet new friends

BTW to the woman who stopped Madelynne and Francie on the street and told them they should move off the road DESPITE there not being a SINGLE sidewalk in the greater lake forest area (on this street) you know what you did. Sorry not sorry. PS maybe you should stop polluting and park that car and get your ankle monitors on and take a HIKE like the rest of us. HMPH.

Next up on the docket was the HOME ALONE house. It was a little underwhelming. I like the shed section at Lowes more tbh. 

Apparently a crazy family lives here, which is awesome. We also passed by a house with a ghost story. Legend holds that a girl was murdered and buried on top of the house and now there is a bust there and if you look at it, you die. JOKING! You are just haunted for the rest of your life. Not going to lie, that type of companionship sounds comforting actually, so I went ahead and laser eyed this bust until I felt I couldn't evoke this haunting any more (I got hungry). 

Then a little coffee coffee matcha matcha!

Afterwards we scooted on home, shoutout Gus for a lovely two minute phone call. We miss you <3. THEN WE PACKED UP AND GOT IT ROLLIN. Everyone warned us, "Iowa, the state of nothing," "Iowa, worst drive ever," "Iowa, y'all better be really patient and so talented at driving." Guess what, this drive was awesome! We tuned in a lil pop house and 2015 bangers and mosied on over to the Maquoketa Caves State Park. HOLY COOL.

There are more. Text break.

We came across a group of Girl Scouts scouting out a future hideout (We KNOW they up to no good) and p,aying Marco Polo, which was really cute. We wandered around and then realized we actually did not know how to escape. Lovely start to any horror movie, three girls go on a road trip and get lost in a cave and have to start becoming one with the forest. LUCKILY we have Juice Wrld's Goodbye and Good Riddance album downloaded, so being deserted could never be so bad (for me at least). We followed a pathway into a cave, which ended up being a tunnel. 

We MADE IT

At one point, we turned around and noticed we were being FOLLOWED (by a little boy in a minecraft t-shirt who was just sitting there staring; we could def take him. I think...) We then came across a 6 foot bull snake. 

Yea. FO REAL.

Anyways, we finally made it out. Im shocked honestly, started saying my goodbyes. Pssh. BUT YAY now we are en route to Waterloo.

This picture is best observed when listening to Waterloo from Mamma Mia (We didn't but you have to)

Vibes were high, especially when we found out our hotel was next to the John Deere Tractor and Engine Museum. Boy oh boy I have been wanting to go ever since I was a little girl. (It was closed). We went to get mexican (love middle America portions) and then went on a lovely walk instead. 

Nothing else. That's it. The end. They should make a Dirty Dancing but it's at a ranch.