For my road trip summary entry I am going to focus on restaurants. Sure we did a lot of other things such as tours and museums and that was all fun. But food, great food, was what I really loved in cities to be with family and relax.
Breakfast places were my favorite restaurants in which we dined for sure. My personal favorite breakfast stop was the Nugget at the Sitka, Alaska airport. It had great food and big portions. We all enjoyed the food very much and the McLains all agree it was one of our favorite breakfast places on the road. We played games and told jokes as a family in the Nugget. We went there 3 times in 3 days, even for dinner once. Overall, Alaska had the best breakfast places.
The best lunch place was in Couer D'Alene, Idaho. It was a hamburger place that only served 1 thing and did so very well. The food was great as we had immediate service at the counter. It fueled us up so we could continue down main street in a great little lake town, Couer D'Alene. We all enjoyed the place and Hudsons which was covered extensively in a previous blog. It was the best burger by far in our 75 day road trip and we ate a lot of burgers.
My favorite dinner place was Elliot's in Seattle. It had really good seafood from oysters to clam chowder. We ate a light meal because we weren't to hungry but it was still very good, fresh, local seafood. It had a great atmosphere and patio dining outside. We all enjoyed it except for Dagny who can't stand seafood. I found it to be my favorite because I love all seafood.
Because food was my favorite on the trip I found out that I wanted to write my final blog on the thing I enjoyed the most and used to create the best memories with my family on the trip. The trip was still great in all aspects.
Goodbye for the last time.
Alastair
A travel blog following the exploits of the McLain family as we tour around Africa and portions of the Mid-East for three months during the summer of 2023.
Saturday, August 18, 2018
Friday, August 17, 2018
Dagny's final thoughts on her sabbatical
When dad went to his new law firm 17 years ago they were all going to do a sabbatical every 10 years. His law firm eventually decided to move it to every 5 years because if it was 10 years we would only get to do it once. On May 30th we finished packing and got into the motor home to leave. The first day was mostly a travel day.
When we are on the road a travel day looks mostly like sitting at the table in the RV and playing board games, cards, eating, or sleeping in the back. Most of our drives were about 2 to 3 hours long. When we were driving we would normally stop to stretch our legs and take pictures then we would get back on the road.
When we get to where we are going we normally stay at KOA campgrounds that have a pool and a playground. When we are not staying in KOAs we have to find other things to do like hiking and biking. The campgrounds were usually really big and next to railroads. When we were stopping at a campground it normally meant that we would spend a few days there and go see something. Campgrounds all had a shower house where we would take showers and brush our teeth because our bathroom was not very big. Mom said she had her worst shower in Moab. She said the water pressure was terrible.
On the road we see lots of national parks which we get into for free because Maggie has her fourth grade park pass (www.everykidinapark.gov). Our first national park was Yellowstone. It had lots of mud pots and geysers. Our next national park we went to was Glacier national park and we rode from our site to the other side of the lake (27 miles). This day I had an awful cold so the bike ride was difficult. Then we went to Alaska and visited Denali national park. Denali doesn't let you take your car in so we took a bus ride to Kantishna. Yosemite was the next national park. Yosemite had a huge fire and it was too smokey so we left early. The next national park was the Grand Canyon. It was cool to see it because it was colorful and we got to see sunrise and sunset. The next national park was Zion and we did a great hike called The Narrows. We got to hike through water in a river the whole time. The next national park was Bryce Canyon which happened to fall on my birthday. We did a birthday hike from Sunset to Sunrise Point and it was really fun. The last national park was Arches. We did a short hike to Delicate Arch and had a UTV tour that afternoon.
On the road we saw lots of wildlife in the national parks. We saw deer, buffalo, eagles, bears, moose, wolves, crabs, starfish, fish, sea urchins, seals, sea lions, jellyfish, horses, and finally big horn sheep. My favorites were the moose, wolves and mountain goats. They were my favorites because they are hard to spot and they are not common. We got to get real close and get good pictures. The buffalo hears were cute because of the babies and grazing parents.
My favorite place on the trip was Alaska. We flew out from Seattle on day 19 and on day 20 we checked into our first hotel in Sitka called the Longliner. We went on a beautiful hike and then went tide pooling. Tide pooling was amazing! There were a bunch of star fish, crabs, baby fish, and baby eels. We went to the Sitka Sound Science Center which was so awesome because we got to touch all the star fish and sea cucumbers in their tanks. We also got to touch sea urchins and sea enemanies. We went on a boat tour that took us to a bird sanctuary and we saw all kinds of birds on the island and about 16 whales. Alaska has 50% of the bald eagle population in the world so seeing them became regular. To top it all off, we saw a bunch of glaciers in the Prince William Sound.
During the sabbatical we visited 7 different churches. We tried to visit lots of different churches from different denominations and we didn't visit the same denomination twice. The one that was most different from Presbyterian was the Catholic church in Huntington Beach. The funniest one was by the pool at KOA in Tahoe. The minister used a trash can as his pulpit.
In conclusion, our trip was spectacular and I hope I get another chance to do another sabbatical before I go off to college. It was really great to spend so much time with my family and wake up every day to something new. When we hit I-70 I started to cry because I didn't want to come home. We are about 70 miles from home and things are starting to look a bit familiar. I think it is going to be weird to drive through the neighborhood knowing the sabbatical is over. I feel so fortunate to be able to do this for as long as we did. I will be looking forward to this again for the next 5 years.
Dagny
When we are on the road a travel day looks mostly like sitting at the table in the RV and playing board games, cards, eating, or sleeping in the back. Most of our drives were about 2 to 3 hours long. When we were driving we would normally stop to stretch our legs and take pictures then we would get back on the road.
When we get to where we are going we normally stay at KOA campgrounds that have a pool and a playground. When we are not staying in KOAs we have to find other things to do like hiking and biking. The campgrounds were usually really big and next to railroads. When we were stopping at a campground it normally meant that we would spend a few days there and go see something. Campgrounds all had a shower house where we would take showers and brush our teeth because our bathroom was not very big. Mom said she had her worst shower in Moab. She said the water pressure was terrible.
On the road we see lots of national parks which we get into for free because Maggie has her fourth grade park pass (www.everykidinapark.gov). Our first national park was Yellowstone. It had lots of mud pots and geysers. Our next national park we went to was Glacier national park and we rode from our site to the other side of the lake (27 miles). This day I had an awful cold so the bike ride was difficult. Then we went to Alaska and visited Denali national park. Denali doesn't let you take your car in so we took a bus ride to Kantishna. Yosemite was the next national park. Yosemite had a huge fire and it was too smokey so we left early. The next national park was the Grand Canyon. It was cool to see it because it was colorful and we got to see sunrise and sunset. The next national park was Zion and we did a great hike called The Narrows. We got to hike through water in a river the whole time. The next national park was Bryce Canyon which happened to fall on my birthday. We did a birthday hike from Sunset to Sunrise Point and it was really fun. The last national park was Arches. We did a short hike to Delicate Arch and had a UTV tour that afternoon.
On the road we saw lots of wildlife in the national parks. We saw deer, buffalo, eagles, bears, moose, wolves, crabs, starfish, fish, sea urchins, seals, sea lions, jellyfish, horses, and finally big horn sheep. My favorites were the moose, wolves and mountain goats. They were my favorites because they are hard to spot and they are not common. We got to get real close and get good pictures. The buffalo hears were cute because of the babies and grazing parents.
My favorite place on the trip was Alaska. We flew out from Seattle on day 19 and on day 20 we checked into our first hotel in Sitka called the Longliner. We went on a beautiful hike and then went tide pooling. Tide pooling was amazing! There were a bunch of star fish, crabs, baby fish, and baby eels. We went to the Sitka Sound Science Center which was so awesome because we got to touch all the star fish and sea cucumbers in their tanks. We also got to touch sea urchins and sea enemanies. We went on a boat tour that took us to a bird sanctuary and we saw all kinds of birds on the island and about 16 whales. Alaska has 50% of the bald eagle population in the world so seeing them became regular. To top it all off, we saw a bunch of glaciers in the Prince William Sound.
During the sabbatical we visited 7 different churches. We tried to visit lots of different churches from different denominations and we didn't visit the same denomination twice. The one that was most different from Presbyterian was the Catholic church in Huntington Beach. The funniest one was by the pool at KOA in Tahoe. The minister used a trash can as his pulpit.
In conclusion, our trip was spectacular and I hope I get another chance to do another sabbatical before I go off to college. It was really great to spend so much time with my family and wake up every day to something new. When we hit I-70 I started to cry because I didn't want to come home. We are about 70 miles from home and things are starting to look a bit familiar. I think it is going to be weird to drive through the neighborhood knowing the sabbatical is over. I feel so fortunate to be able to do this for as long as we did. I will be looking forward to this again for the next 5 years.
Dagny
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Magnolia's Summer Summary
Our summer sabbatical was very fun for all of us. We all had a blast being together and playing games on our long RV rides. We played Monopoly, Palace, Rook, Yahtzee, and Sorry. We had fun playing on playgrounds and in pools. We could not count the minutes of the time we all had together as a family.
We ate at a lot of different restaurants. My favorite breakfast place was called the Nugget. It had lots of good options. Every time we were there I got the same thing off the kids menu. It had toast, hash browns, bacon, and an egg. It was a small dish, but I love sides so it was the right option for me. If we didn't go out to eat we would make a scramble for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, or pasta for dinner. Another good dinner option for our family was Eliott's Restaurants on the pier in Seattle. We ate oysters and clam chowder plus a bunch of other sides and appetizers before we got to our main courses. We ate out every day for at least 2 meals a day in Alaska. Sometimes a meal was substituted by ice cream.
As a family our favorite campgrounds were every KOA. Every KOA campground had a pool and all but one had a playground. We loved to swim in all the cool and refreshing pools and playing around on big and small playgrounds. KOA campgrounds were the most family friendly and some of the bigger ones had lots of shows and attractions. No other campgrounds were as fun as the KOA family campgrounds.
On our trip we had lots of family time all together. My favorite part was that I woke up in the same room as my whole family for the whole summer. We played games as a family, sang, and drove. I loved that I could be with my parents for 75 days and that I never had a day without my family; at least half of them. I hope that the same thing happens again in 5 years.
As a family we agree that Sitka, Alaska was the best place and our favorite place on the entire sabbatical. We were able to comb the beaches, look for creatures, and eat at our favorite restaurants. It took some flights to get there but it was very worth it.
We have had a lot of fun during our sabbatical this summer and I can't wait til next summer. I hope you liked reading this final blog of mine.
Maggie.
We ate at a lot of different restaurants. My favorite breakfast place was called the Nugget. It had lots of good options. Every time we were there I got the same thing off the kids menu. It had toast, hash browns, bacon, and an egg. It was a small dish, but I love sides so it was the right option for me. If we didn't go out to eat we would make a scramble for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, or pasta for dinner. Another good dinner option for our family was Eliott's Restaurants on the pier in Seattle. We ate oysters and clam chowder plus a bunch of other sides and appetizers before we got to our main courses. We ate out every day for at least 2 meals a day in Alaska. Sometimes a meal was substituted by ice cream.
As a family our favorite campgrounds were every KOA. Every KOA campground had a pool and all but one had a playground. We loved to swim in all the cool and refreshing pools and playing around on big and small playgrounds. KOA campgrounds were the most family friendly and some of the bigger ones had lots of shows and attractions. No other campgrounds were as fun as the KOA family campgrounds.
On our trip we had lots of family time all together. My favorite part was that I woke up in the same room as my whole family for the whole summer. We played games as a family, sang, and drove. I loved that I could be with my parents for 75 days and that I never had a day without my family; at least half of them. I hope that the same thing happens again in 5 years.
As a family we agree that Sitka, Alaska was the best place and our favorite place on the entire sabbatical. We were able to comb the beaches, look for creatures, and eat at our favorite restaurants. It took some flights to get there but it was very worth it.
We have had a lot of fun during our sabbatical this summer and I can't wait til next summer. I hope you liked reading this final blog of mine.
Maggie.
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Jll's sabbatical recap
We returned home on Saturday to mixed emotions. Sad the summer of fun was over and overwhelmingly grateful for our time away and to be safely home without any real challenges. We reflected on the people and places we were able to visit. The friends and family are always a huge part of these trips. We are so grateful to have claimed time with my sister Julie, Mike Patron, and the Inman family in Montana, The Jarrett, Alley, and Moore families in Seattle, the Dirkers in Hood River, my in-laws in San Fran, and the DiBenedettos in Huntington Beach. Special thanks to the Jarretts for babysitting the Honda and allowing us to use their home as our launch to and return from Alaska. Jules, for absorbing us always and without effort, and the DiBenedettos for babysitting the RV and essentially housing my crew for a week. You all made our time away so much better. Thank you all for joining the McLains on the Road.
We had such a wonderful time being together. Some of our favorite things to do all summer have been playing games; Rook, Palace, Yahtzee, and Monopoly. We like to sing together and have lots of inside jokes. We have eaten some very yummy ice cream, done a lot of swimming, eating out, playing groundies, watching movies, playing with slime, and holding hands.
It wasn't pure bliss all of the time. Real life challenges travel on the road with you as well. We always try to remind the children that our brains capture the top 10% of the good memories and the bottom 10% of the not so good memories. It is true, most of what we do in life gets forgotten in the middle 80%. That is ok. And it is ok to have some not so great experiences as long as lessons are learned and you are resilient and bounce back quickly from them. Those things can turn out to be good memories too, as many of them did for us. Here are a few of the things we might categorize in the bottom 10%; rain, heat, mosquitoes, flat tires, bike stealing, missed flights, minor injuries and colds, cracked windshields, dented car dollys, cracked bumpers, broken bike brakes, and wrong ways on scenic bypasses. These experiences made our time away just as rich as all the glorious things we saw and did together.
We were on the road for 75 days, made 44 stops along the way, visited 11 states, had at least 10 visits with friends and family, toured 9 National Parks, had 7 opportunities to worship in a new place and way, and took 5 flights. Here are the high points!
Rock Springs, WY-Claim to fame is the way-point to Jackson Hole.
Jackson Hole, WY-Revisited the many places and memories of when we visited Julie here in 2006-2008.
Grand Teton National Park, WY-So much rain and a really good bike ride with the girls.
Yellowstone National Park, MT-Great animal sightings, geysers and mud pots, bears, buffalo and waterfalls.
Bozeman, MT-Family time, fish hatchery, hiking and Rigby.
Glacier National Park, MT-Going to the Sun bike ride, boat ride, hiking, and Magnolia and Dagny's fairy village creation.
Whitefish, MT-Christ Lutheran Church
Coeur d'Alene, ID-Splashing in the lake, Hudson's, and hours on the playground.
Seattle, WA-Underground tour, Museum of Flight, ferry ride, Brewer's Fest, Mariners game, Pikes, Dick's, bike ride, Jarrett pool day and dinner, MoPop.
Sitka, AK-Tide pools, Science Center, ocean raft adventure, Russian dancers, raptor center, and fair.
Anchorage, AK-Saint Mary's Episcopal Church. Most McLains surprised by communion wine instead of grape juice.
Whittier, AK-Glacier cruise through Prince William Sound
Homer, AK-The Spit, Salty Dog Saloon, beach time, and lots of moose.
Wasilla, AK-Claim to fame is way-point to Denali.
Denali National Park, AK-12 hour bus ride, great animal sightings, sled dogs, off trail hike and raft trip.
Healy, AK-Valley Chapel Assembly of God church. McLains were half the congregation.
Talkeetna, AK-quirky little stop on the way back to Anchorage.
Cascade Locks, OR-PC Trail bridge between OR and WA, bike ride to ice cream and salmon/cherry vendor.
Hood River, OR-4th of July celebrations with the Dirkers to include the slip n slide party and parade.
Bandon Dunes, OR-Golf, punch bowl putting green, beach day with Magnolia.
Petaluma, CA-biggest KOA, magic show, giant playground and pool, petting zoo, and climbing wall. Replaced our wrecked tire.
San Francisco, CA-Visit from Papa and Nana, Musee Mecanique, sour dough, cable cars, Chinatown, fortune cookie factory, Alcatraz, Muir Woods, and Sausalito.
Pacifica, CA-Stayed right on the ocean, whale watching, bike ride with D to watch the para-gliders.
South Lake Tahoe, CA-Girls and boys day bike rides, goofy flea market, KOA church.
Yosemite National Park, CA-Ebbetts Pass scenic byway, so much smoke from forest fires led to our early exit.
Santa Cruz, CA-Biking through our KOA, surfing lessons, walking the pier and checking out sea lions.
Montery Bay, CA-The aquarium.
Pebble Beach, CA-Our night at the Inn at Spanish Bay and the bag piper.
Carmel, CA-Fancy shops and my yummy chocolate macaroon.
San Simeon, CA-Very cool tour of the Hearst Castle.
Huntington Beach, CA-Swimming in the DiBenedetto's pool, wiffle ball, meals together, Knott's Berry Farm, beach time and bonfire, bridge jumping in the harbor and Saint Bonaventure Catholic Church.
Hollywood, CA-Pinks, the wax museum, Hollywood sign, Ripleys and Guiness.
Denver, CO-Rockies game and time with Grands and friends.
Allenspark, CO-All things Scates.
Las Vegas, NV-Hoover Dam, crazy heat, Blue Man Group and walking the Strip.
Grand Canyon National Park, AZ-South Rim hiking and bike ride. Viewing sunrise and sunset.
Page, AZ-Antelope Canyon slot canyon tour.
Kanabe, AZ-Cliffview Chapel Baptist Church. Most welcoming church all summer.
Panguitch, UT-Horseback ride and meeting the Nelsons from Ithica.
Zion National Park, UT-Hiking the Narrows. Our most favorite hike all summer.
Bryce Canyon National Park, UT-Hoodoos and hiking the Navajo loop and Queens Garden trails, celebrating Dagny's 12th birthday!
Moab, UT-great pool, UTV ride, and more hanging out with our new friends from NY.
Arches National Park, UT-Delicate Arch hike.
Glenwood Springs, CO-Hot springs and Palisade peaches.
Our favorite stops were where we could spend time with our friends and family, but my favorite stops were we didn't have friends or family to visit were Yellowstone, Coeur d'Alene, Sitka, South Lake Tahoe, Santa Cruz, Grand Canyon, Zion, and Moab.
I keep telling my crew, I will show you the whole world and Colorado is still the very best place to live in the entire world. Colorado you have my loyalty forever. So grateful for travel and for home. My favorite place I have ever been is the next place I am visiting!
Jll
We had such a wonderful time being together. Some of our favorite things to do all summer have been playing games; Rook, Palace, Yahtzee, and Monopoly. We like to sing together and have lots of inside jokes. We have eaten some very yummy ice cream, done a lot of swimming, eating out, playing groundies, watching movies, playing with slime, and holding hands.
It wasn't pure bliss all of the time. Real life challenges travel on the road with you as well. We always try to remind the children that our brains capture the top 10% of the good memories and the bottom 10% of the not so good memories. It is true, most of what we do in life gets forgotten in the middle 80%. That is ok. And it is ok to have some not so great experiences as long as lessons are learned and you are resilient and bounce back quickly from them. Those things can turn out to be good memories too, as many of them did for us. Here are a few of the things we might categorize in the bottom 10%; rain, heat, mosquitoes, flat tires, bike stealing, missed flights, minor injuries and colds, cracked windshields, dented car dollys, cracked bumpers, broken bike brakes, and wrong ways on scenic bypasses. These experiences made our time away just as rich as all the glorious things we saw and did together.
We were on the road for 75 days, made 44 stops along the way, visited 11 states, had at least 10 visits with friends and family, toured 9 National Parks, had 7 opportunities to worship in a new place and way, and took 5 flights. Here are the high points!
Rock Springs, WY-Claim to fame is the way-point to Jackson Hole.
Jackson Hole, WY-Revisited the many places and memories of when we visited Julie here in 2006-2008.
Grand Teton National Park, WY-So much rain and a really good bike ride with the girls.
Yellowstone National Park, MT-Great animal sightings, geysers and mud pots, bears, buffalo and waterfalls.
Bozeman, MT-Family time, fish hatchery, hiking and Rigby.
Glacier National Park, MT-Going to the Sun bike ride, boat ride, hiking, and Magnolia and Dagny's fairy village creation.
Whitefish, MT-Christ Lutheran Church
Coeur d'Alene, ID-Splashing in the lake, Hudson's, and hours on the playground.
Seattle, WA-Underground tour, Museum of Flight, ferry ride, Brewer's Fest, Mariners game, Pikes, Dick's, bike ride, Jarrett pool day and dinner, MoPop.
Sitka, AK-Tide pools, Science Center, ocean raft adventure, Russian dancers, raptor center, and fair.
Anchorage, AK-Saint Mary's Episcopal Church. Most McLains surprised by communion wine instead of grape juice.
Whittier, AK-Glacier cruise through Prince William Sound
Homer, AK-The Spit, Salty Dog Saloon, beach time, and lots of moose.
Wasilla, AK-Claim to fame is way-point to Denali.
Denali National Park, AK-12 hour bus ride, great animal sightings, sled dogs, off trail hike and raft trip.
Healy, AK-Valley Chapel Assembly of God church. McLains were half the congregation.
Talkeetna, AK-quirky little stop on the way back to Anchorage.
Cascade Locks, OR-PC Trail bridge between OR and WA, bike ride to ice cream and salmon/cherry vendor.
Hood River, OR-4th of July celebrations with the Dirkers to include the slip n slide party and parade.
Bandon Dunes, OR-Golf, punch bowl putting green, beach day with Magnolia.
Petaluma, CA-biggest KOA, magic show, giant playground and pool, petting zoo, and climbing wall. Replaced our wrecked tire.
San Francisco, CA-Visit from Papa and Nana, Musee Mecanique, sour dough, cable cars, Chinatown, fortune cookie factory, Alcatraz, Muir Woods, and Sausalito.
Pacifica, CA-Stayed right on the ocean, whale watching, bike ride with D to watch the para-gliders.
South Lake Tahoe, CA-Girls and boys day bike rides, goofy flea market, KOA church.
Yosemite National Park, CA-Ebbetts Pass scenic byway, so much smoke from forest fires led to our early exit.
Santa Cruz, CA-Biking through our KOA, surfing lessons, walking the pier and checking out sea lions.
Montery Bay, CA-The aquarium.
Pebble Beach, CA-Our night at the Inn at Spanish Bay and the bag piper.
Carmel, CA-Fancy shops and my yummy chocolate macaroon.
San Simeon, CA-Very cool tour of the Hearst Castle.
Huntington Beach, CA-Swimming in the DiBenedetto's pool, wiffle ball, meals together, Knott's Berry Farm, beach time and bonfire, bridge jumping in the harbor and Saint Bonaventure Catholic Church.
Hollywood, CA-Pinks, the wax museum, Hollywood sign, Ripleys and Guiness.
Denver, CO-Rockies game and time with Grands and friends.
Allenspark, CO-All things Scates.
Las Vegas, NV-Hoover Dam, crazy heat, Blue Man Group and walking the Strip.
Grand Canyon National Park, AZ-South Rim hiking and bike ride. Viewing sunrise and sunset.
Page, AZ-Antelope Canyon slot canyon tour.
Kanabe, AZ-Cliffview Chapel Baptist Church. Most welcoming church all summer.
Panguitch, UT-Horseback ride and meeting the Nelsons from Ithica.
Zion National Park, UT-Hiking the Narrows. Our most favorite hike all summer.
Bryce Canyon National Park, UT-Hoodoos and hiking the Navajo loop and Queens Garden trails, celebrating Dagny's 12th birthday!
Moab, UT-great pool, UTV ride, and more hanging out with our new friends from NY.
Arches National Park, UT-Delicate Arch hike.
Glenwood Springs, CO-Hot springs and Palisade peaches.
Our favorite stops were where we could spend time with our friends and family, but my favorite stops were we didn't have friends or family to visit were Yellowstone, Coeur d'Alene, Sitka, South Lake Tahoe, Santa Cruz, Grand Canyon, Zion, and Moab.
I keep telling my crew, I will show you the whole world and Colorado is still the very best place to live in the entire world. Colorado you have my loyalty forever. So grateful for travel and for home. My favorite place I have ever been is the next place I am visiting!
Jll
Friday, August 10, 2018
Glenwood Springs
This morning we woke up and ate French Toast. Then I went outside with Dad and unhooked the motorhome for the second to last time. When went inside and started driving to our final stop, Glenwood Springs. Along the way we stopped in Palisade to get peaches and peach products, we also got peach ice cream. Then we finished the drive in our home state of Colorado. We drove for a couple hours until we got to our final destination.
When we got there we got unlimited waterslide passes and went to ride the 2 slides they have to offer. We kept running back and for top to bottom to ride the slide a bunch. After that we just played around in the water for a while. The little 2 decided to make snorkels out of drinking straws. Dad decided he was done swimming and went to walk around the town. We kept swimming for a bit. After that we got some ice cream at the snack shack.
We dried off after some more swimming and then headed back to the RV for our last night in the RV for this trip before we head back to Denver. We ate some peaches we got today that are very good. We wound down and got ready for bed for the last time.
Goodbye,
Alastair
When we got there we got unlimited waterslide passes and went to ride the 2 slides they have to offer. We kept running back and for top to bottom to ride the slide a bunch. After that we just played around in the water for a while. The little 2 decided to make snorkels out of drinking straws. Dad decided he was done swimming and went to walk around the town. We kept swimming for a bit. After that we got some ice cream at the snack shack.
We dried off after some more swimming and then headed back to the RV for our last night in the RV for this trip before we head back to Denver. We ate some peaches we got today that are very good. We wound down and got ready for bed for the last time.
Goodbye,
Alastair
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Maggie's Recap of Utah
On Wednesday we woke up and we got ready. We got ready to drive to Moab. We started the drive by playing Yahtzee. I didn't win but we still had fun. Next, we played Monopoly. We played for at least an hour and we had a blast! I won monopoly after a long game of teeter-tottering from loosing to winning. After monopoly I took a little rest in the back before we got to our KOA. A few of us headed to the pool and we met up with a few friends. We played in the water for a long time and we had loads of fun. After the pool the six of us went to go get dinner. We went to a Chinese restaurant and the only thing that they would not bring out was the only thing I wanted... eggrolls. Of course not including fortune cookies. After dinner we went back to the pool. Our friends were very nice to us. We met them in Bryce canyon a few days ago and we followed them into Moab. We have had a lot of fun with the Nelson's but they headed on their way to Denver while we are still stationed in Moab. After the pool we went back to our RV to play cards. We refreshed their memory of a fun card game and we played for a while. After card we got ready for bed.
Today we woke up with a quick start. Mom had already made to-go breakfast sandwiches. We got ready and we got into the car. We drove to Arches National Park and we drove a little ways in. We stopped at a trailhead for Delicate Arch and we hiked up to it. It was not the longest hike but it took us a while to climb the steep rock faces. We got to the top and we looked around. We hiked back down to the car and we drove to the visitor's center. In the visitor's center we watched a short film about the how the arches formed. After the film we looked around a little bit and got back in the car. We drove to the grocery store to get a couple of things and ran to the RV to put them away.
We drove back in to the UTV shop where we had a reservation for a guided tour. We went on our tour through the landscape of Arches National Park. We had a lot of fun and we enjoyed the ride. After the UTV ride we went back to the RV to swim in the pool. We cooled off in the water and we were at the pool for a very long time. At the end of the night, we came back to the RV and watched a little TV. Me and my mom headed to the shower house to get cleaned up. We came back and got ready for bed.
- Magnolia
- Magnolia
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Dagny's Birthday in Bryce
Today I woke up to the family singing "Happy Birthday". In Denver we always have breakfast in bed on our birthdays. This was the first time I have ever actually been woken up by the birthday song. Every other year I always wake up before the family comes into my room to sing because I am too excited. Mom turned on the air conditioning so the sound would cover up the sound of her setting up. They had apple turnovers, bananas, and strawberries for me for breakfast in bed. I got a couple cards and found out that I have a secret present waiting for me at home from my dad.
We got the day started after some cuddles and then got dressed and got in the car headed to our hike. On the way there we watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. We parked near the Visitor's Center at Bryce Canyon and found our trail head. The hike was spectacular. It was really, really, beautiful. There were hoodoos everywhere. Some of the rocks were really pointy and some of them looked like stalactites, but they were rocks. The hike was really long and downhill and uphill the whole time. When we were going downhill, my legs hurt. When we were going uphill, my legs hurt. Despite my legs hurting I had a wonderful time. One of my best birthdays yet.
When the hike was almost over we could see the viewpoint at Sunrise Point and when we went up there you could look out over all of Bryce Canyon and the entire amphitheater of stones. We got some Gatorade and walked to the car. It would have been easier to take the shuttle, but we wanted to walk. We got to the car and watched some more Harry Potter before stopping at the Big Fish Family Restaurant for some lunch. I got some chicken tenders and played some intense foos ball with my siblings. Alastair was the winner of the grand championship beating dad 10 to 7. When Addie and I were on a team we were beat by Alastair and Maggie too.
We came back to the pool while mom was doing laundry so we stole some of her quarters and played with them like a coin dive. We lost one of them in the pool, but that's O-Tay. When I was in the pool I got a birthday call from my cousins in Vermont. I haven't had a chance to call back my other family who called to wish me happy birthday, but I will do it tomorrow. We went to the playground and played some groundies, then went back to the pool to play some more. When we were done with the pool we went back to the RV and started to watch Stand By Me. I really liked the movie. The boys were really good actors. My favorite part of the movie was when they were running from the train. The looks on their faces were really hilarious.
My birthday has been really awesome and I was looking forward to this day for a long, long, time. I am really sad that our trip is coming to an end and I know I am going to miss it until the next one comes around the corner. It makes me sad when mom says things like, "only 5 more days,". I wish we had 127 more. Maybe I can convince them to do it every two years so I can do it two more times before I go to college. Daddy says I can come when I am in college, but I think I will be too busy.
Until next time...DT out.
We came back to the pool while mom was doing laundry so we stole some of her quarters and played with them like a coin dive. We lost one of them in the pool, but that's O-Tay. When I was in the pool I got a birthday call from my cousins in Vermont. I haven't had a chance to call back my other family who called to wish me happy birthday, but I will do it tomorrow. We went to the playground and played some groundies, then went back to the pool to play some more. When we were done with the pool we went back to the RV and started to watch Stand By Me. I really liked the movie. The boys were really good actors. My favorite part of the movie was when they were running from the train. The looks on their faces were really hilarious.
My birthday has been really awesome and I was looking forward to this day for a long, long, time. I am really sad that our trip is coming to an end and I know I am going to miss it until the next one comes around the corner. It makes me sad when mom says things like, "only 5 more days,". I wish we had 127 more. Maybe I can convince them to do it every two years so I can do it two more times before I go to college. Daddy says I can come when I am in college, but I think I will be too busy.
Until next time...DT out.
Monday, August 6, 2018
Jll's a monster
After a typical morning in the RV (coffee, breakfast, dressing and packing for the day) we left our RV park in Panguitch, Utah to head back to Zion National Park, which is about an hour and a half away. Because we were so far away, we did not get to the park until about 10:30 or 11 and it was crowded. Being an eternal optimist, I told Jll to drive into the parking lot nearest the visitor center. Lowe and behold, a spot opened up in the front row just in front of us and just like that, a car pulled in front of us from the other direction and poached our spot. Jll gave the driver the obligatory finger wave and when that was not enough to make the driver rethink his decision, she put the car in park and went out to have a word with him. Before she could make it half way to his car, he put it in reverse and got out of there. Smart move. On to the visitor's center we went.
Jll's cousin, Katie Brutinel, recently visited Zion and told us that her two favorite hikes were Angel's Landing Trail and the Narrows. In the visitor's center we learned that the Angel's Landing Trail closed about three weeks ago when parts of it were washed out by flash floods. That was just fine with me as the trail "is a strenuous climb on a narrow ridge over 1,400 feet above the canyon floor." People have fallen to their death on this trail, including a 13 year old girl last February. When I was growing up, I don't think I had a fear of heights and was always bothered on hikes when my father admonished me to get back from the edge. Now when I hike with my kids, I have discovered that I have become my father and I admonish them now to stay back from the edge. For that reason, I am okay to have missed the Angel's Landing Trail.
We took the park shuttle to the last stop, the Temple of Sinawava, and started our mile hike up the Narrows. I learned when I got back to the RV that the Narrows was named by Lonely Planet as one of the ten best treks in the world, and the only one of its treks in the US. Lonely Planet described the hike like this:
Needless the say, we did not hike all 16 miles, but we did hike about 2 miles up the Virgin River to a cool spot called Wall Street. On the way back down the river, Dagny and Magnolia found a log that they continued to free from rocks in an attempt to float it all the way to the extraction point. This plan worked until we hit the crowds again and I feared that they would float it right into the shins of another tourist, so we abandoned the log. After hiking back out and taking the shuttle back to the visitor's center, we headed into Springdale for dinner. We were all very tired and hungry, so it was nice to be able to get fed so quickly. On the way back to the RV, I informed Jll that the only grocery store in Panguitch closes at 9, and we were not likely to make it. Because we had nothing in the RV for Dagny's birthday breakfast tomorrow, Jll floored it and engaged in her own version of Cannonball Run driving. I feared that she would be pulled over, ensuring we missed our opportunity to get groceries, but she did not and we had a full 15 minutes of shopping before the store closed. Between her efforts in the parking lot in the morning and her run on the Autobahn this evening, Jll proved she is a monster. Do not get in her way.
All in all, it was a very good, long, and tiring today. Dagny turns 12 tomorrow, and we are all excited for her.
- Dave
Jll's cousin, Katie Brutinel, recently visited Zion and told us that her two favorite hikes were Angel's Landing Trail and the Narrows. In the visitor's center we learned that the Angel's Landing Trail closed about three weeks ago when parts of it were washed out by flash floods. That was just fine with me as the trail "is a strenuous climb on a narrow ridge over 1,400 feet above the canyon floor." People have fallen to their death on this trail, including a 13 year old girl last February. When I was growing up, I don't think I had a fear of heights and was always bothered on hikes when my father admonished me to get back from the edge. Now when I hike with my kids, I have discovered that I have become my father and I admonish them now to stay back from the edge. For that reason, I am okay to have missed the Angel's Landing Trail.
A 26km (16mi) journey through dramatic canyons carved over centuries by the Virgin River, the Narrows in Zion National Park is a hike like no other. The route is the river, with over half of the hike spent wading and sometimes swimming. The hike can be traversed in a day, though some choose to take the hanging gardens and natural springs at a more leisurely pace – spending a night at one of the park’s 12 camp grounds.
All in all, it was a very good, long, and tiring today. Dagny turns 12 tomorrow, and we are all excited for her.
- Dave
Sunday, August 5, 2018
Utah Adventures
Hello this is Adelaide again! Everyone else is either showering or in bed so... y'all get to hear from me! This morning, we woke up and got ready for church after eating some cinnamon rolls. We were in Kanab, Utah and we decided to visit the Baptist church in our small town. It was a relatively small congregation but they were very welcoming, loving, and sent us home with 2 bags of cookies! It was a very nice service with lots of hymns and prayer. Afterwards, we enjoyed leftover pie as we drove up here to Panguitch, Utah, another small town. We got all set up at our campground and I made reservations for our family to ride through a forest and by a lake on horseback. We had a lot of fun and my horse was names Tonic! We got some dinner at a local diner here in town. It was pretty good and then we dropped off Dad and Alastair at the movie theatre. They saw Mission Impossible. I did homework and the girls swam in the pool with Mom. We all took showers which were really nice, compared to other campgrounds, and now we are going to watch a movie. I might get to talk to friends too tonight! Goodnight!
Saturday, August 4, 2018
Bike days are the best days
Yesterday was really great! We had plans to ride our bikes into the South Rim of the Grand Canyon from our RV. We stayed about 8 miles away and there was a really great bike path that ran alongside the road into the park. We left at 10am and rode for a little over an hour. The ride in made us tired and we stopped at least 4 times for water breaks. We rode all the way into the Visitor's Center where we watched a movie about the history of the Grand Canyon and also listened to an interactive audio demonstration. We have learned a lot about the first people to live in the Grand Canyon as well as the first explorers and we have had lots of opportunities to brush up on our geology lessons.
We grabbed some sandwiches for lunch and then pointed our bikes to the east to ride out to Yaki Point which is as far east as you are able to go without a car. I loved this ride because there were fewer tourists and for much of the trail we were right next to the rim. Oddly enough, Dagny was the most bothered by our close ride to the edge. I think of her as my most adventurous but that ride made her nervous.
We rode our bikes many miles to the west back across the park to the Village for ice cream. We had visited much of this area the day before when there were fewer weekend visitors. I am again aware of how much more enjoyable it is to travel to our National Parks in the middle of the week. Weekend tourist traffic and congestion are noticeable.
We pointed our bikes for home at about 3:45 and we were pleasantly surprised by the downhill travel. Our ride home was noticeably easier than our ride up hill in the morning. On the ride home we had to stop and ride very slowly past a family of elk sitting just off of our bike path. We estimate our days adventure at just over 21 miles and we all had a really great time. Riding our bikes gives us unlimited opportunity to see the fun parts of nature, get exercise, a little sun, challenge ourselves, and stay away from the crowds. I have loved our biking adventures more than most other days. I am so glad we were able to bring our bikes this sabbatical and that we are all old enough, big enough, and strong enough to make these long bike days so much fun.
We quickly grabbed some drinks
and jumped into the Honda. The only part of the South Rim still to be discovered were the 20 miles to the east ending at Desert View. The girls and I explored the watchtower and Dave smoked a cigar. We caught up on journaling and spent 2 hours of quiet family time waiting for the sun to set. It was a nice way to round out this visit to the Grand Canyon. I feel like we saw every square inch of the South Rim and I think we all voted this one of our favorite stops.
Today was mostly a drive day. We headed east then north toward Page, Arizona. A few years ago David and Alastair had visited the Antelope Slot Canyons in the area and we had plans to check them out. At 1:30 we joined our little tour and walked down the very sandy trail to two different and very pretty canyons. Our guide shared a little information about the area and the Navajo Nation and gave us some good tips for capturing great photos within the Canyons.
Back to the RV for our last bit of driving for the day. We crossed into Utah this afternoon and all feel a little sad to be inside of our last state we will visit before heading home. We just have one more week together on this adventure and we are all feeling a little bit sad about that. I really do love having my children and David with me 24/7. We play games, sing songs, hold hands, and just enjoy being together. This sabbatical is a practice in doing what we want to do, not what we have to do. We all know the "have to do" is necessary but we sure wish the "want to do" could last a little longer.
- Jll
We rode our bikes many miles to the west back across the park to the Village for ice cream. We had visited much of this area the day before when there were fewer weekend visitors. I am again aware of how much more enjoyable it is to travel to our National Parks in the middle of the week. Weekend tourist traffic and congestion are noticeable.We pointed our bikes for home at about 3:45 and we were pleasantly surprised by the downhill travel. Our ride home was noticeably easier than our ride up hill in the morning. On the ride home we had to stop and ride very slowly past a family of elk sitting just off of our bike path. We estimate our days adventure at just over 21 miles and we all had a really great time. Riding our bikes gives us unlimited opportunity to see the fun parts of nature, get exercise, a little sun, challenge ourselves, and stay away from the crowds. I have loved our biking adventures more than most other days. I am so glad we were able to bring our bikes this sabbatical and that we are all old enough, big enough, and strong enough to make these long bike days so much fun.
We quickly grabbed some drinks
and jumped into the Honda. The only part of the South Rim still to be discovered were the 20 miles to the east ending at Desert View. The girls and I explored the watchtower and Dave smoked a cigar. We caught up on journaling and spent 2 hours of quiet family time waiting for the sun to set. It was a nice way to round out this visit to the Grand Canyon. I feel like we saw every square inch of the South Rim and I think we all voted this one of our favorite stops.
Back to the RV for our last bit of driving for the day. We crossed into Utah this afternoon and all feel a little sad to be inside of our last state we will visit before heading home. We just have one more week together on this adventure and we are all feeling a little bit sad about that. I really do love having my children and David with me 24/7. We play games, sing songs, hold hands, and just enjoy being together. This sabbatical is a practice in doing what we want to do, not what we have to do. We all know the "have to do" is necessary but we sure wish the "want to do" could last a little longer.
- Jll
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Sunrise and Sunset at the Grand Canyon
After our naps we finished watching Guys and Dolls and then went out side to play smash ball and
The End
Dagny
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Bike Burglars and the Grand Canyon
I would like to preface this blog by assuring you all that my family is safe and sound in our RV. We are all okay and are still enjoying our adventure. That being said, last sabbatical, I did a lot of writing about scary things that happened to us and about the anxiety I felt on the trip. I wrote many blogs about how worried I was all the time and how crazy life felt on the road. When we began our trip this summer my parents began to explain to me about my old blogging habits. I didn't even remember how scared I was which is probably a good thing. Anyways, this entire trip I have felt very calm and at home which has been an amazing way to take a break from all of the activities going on in my life back home. We have felt very comfortable in our RV and in the places we have stayed, that is, until this morning. I have decided this scary story is worth the telling...
I was woken up this morning by frantic screaming and banging. The voice was my mother's and she was so distraught that she could not get her words out properly. At first, I heard the banging noise and thought that perhaps someone had fallen off of the bed. I imagined that maybe one of my parents was having a stroke or a heart attack. Next, I considered maybe someone was attacking my parents and trying to hurt them. Everything happened so fast that I really didn't know what was going on and it was still 5 in the morning so my whole family was not thinking straight.
My mom is a light sleeper and was the first to wake up. She felt the RV moving but thought it was just one of us kids walking around to get to the bathroom. When she heard noises coming from outside, she opened her blind on the back of the RV and came face to face with a man on the other side of the glass. They looked at each other for a second and then she went into hysterics. She had something in her mouth that protects her teeth while she sleeps and her brain had not fully engaged yet so she began pounding on the window, trying to wake up my dad, and yelling what Dagny later described as sounding like a muffled, "THEY'RE STEALING OUR BODIES!!!" We now believe she was trying to say, "they're stealing our bikes!" My dad woke up, as did the rest of us, and he began to try to calm her down. Now, I know it is not very easy to picture all of this happening, but if I had to use one word to describe how mom acted, I would choose possessed. This scared the robber so badly that after cutting the cord and trying to lift the bike down (my dad's bike, the rest of them are worthless), he dropped the bike and ran.
By this point, we were all awake and freaked out, so my dad got dressed, unhooked the RV from the site, and we left Vegas. There is nothing like a 5 am almost-robbery to get you to pack your bags and leave Vegas. Entering the city, we all had a discussion about being more aware and careful because it was not as safe a place as the other cities which we had visited but none of us could have predicted the events of this morning.
After that, our day was pretty boring and normal. I finally fell back asleep along with Alastair and Mags. Dad and mom got a new bike lock cord for the RV and mom got some groceries at a Walmart. We drove all the way to our new campsite just outside of the Grand Canyon. We set up at our new campsite, relaxed, watched some movies, did some homework, Dad took a phone call, and we went to see an IMAX movie about the Grand Canyon. We grabbed some ice cream and drove around the park to check out our plan for tomorrow. Now we are trying to have a nice, calm, quiet night to counter our chaotic morning. Goodnight!
- Adelaide
I was woken up this morning by frantic screaming and banging. The voice was my mother's and she was so distraught that she could not get her words out properly. At first, I heard the banging noise and thought that perhaps someone had fallen off of the bed. I imagined that maybe one of my parents was having a stroke or a heart attack. Next, I considered maybe someone was attacking my parents and trying to hurt them. Everything happened so fast that I really didn't know what was going on and it was still 5 in the morning so my whole family was not thinking straight.
By this point, we were all awake and freaked out, so my dad got dressed, unhooked the RV from the site, and we left Vegas. There is nothing like a 5 am almost-robbery to get you to pack your bags and leave Vegas. Entering the city, we all had a discussion about being more aware and careful because it was not as safe a place as the other cities which we had visited but none of us could have predicted the events of this morning.
After that, our day was pretty boring and normal. I finally fell back asleep along with Alastair and Mags. Dad and mom got a new bike lock cord for the RV and mom got some groceries at a Walmart. We drove all the way to our new campsite just outside of the Grand Canyon. We set up at our new campsite, relaxed, watched some movies, did some homework, Dad took a phone call, and we went to see an IMAX movie about the Grand Canyon. We grabbed some ice cream and drove around the park to check out our plan for tomorrow. Now we are trying to have a nice, calm, quiet night to counter our chaotic morning. Goodnight!
- Adelaide
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