Friday - Day 124 - Our Country

My husband found this link, www.roadtrippers.com.  It is great to use when traveling the United States via any type of vehicle.  Lots of interesting and unique places to visit on a road trip.  

Road Trippers 

As much as I love traveling outside the United States, I also enjoy traveling within my own county.  I love learning about the country I was born and raised in.  I try to understand my country through my own first hand images of the countryside.  I continually learn speaking with people raised in different states gives me a better sense of what and who America truly is. 

Climates and populations are unique and will change people.  For example, those raised in the country have little understanding of life in a city and city folk find it difficult to grasp living a country life.  Those in the North face different challenges than those in the Southern states.  No one way is better, but each type of American has a very different mind set and will view America quite differently.  

The more states traveled,
the easier it is to name them all.
The USA gets smaller, when it's well traveled

I believe generalizations and stereotypes do not hold true when we dig into the nitty gritty of why people from all over the world want to see all parts of America.  As Americans we take for granted how diverse our society and culture is, simply by crossing state borders.  These differences are what fascinate outsiders.   

On my recent, short, trip out west I observed foreigners.  There is a absolutely a fascination with the United States.  People from outside our country admire our diverse culture and want to emulate who we are.  This is something to be proud of. 

Check out this link, www.roadtrippers.com, plan a long or short road trip this summer and enjoy our country with a new found appreciation.  One day, this country will not look, feel or be the same, so enjoy it just the way it is today.  Then share your experiences with everyone who will listen.   

~Let's go Explore~

Thursday - Day 123 - The truth is stranger than fiction

I truly believe that the truth is always stranger and funnier than fiction.  

I walked into a McDonald's this morning for ice coffee and chocolate milk.  While placing my order I  overheard a man give his order.  When the cashier asked his name, he responded without pause, "Springsteen ......but if you prefer it can be Bon Jovi."

'The Real Boss!"

At that point I had to look.  I was disappointment he looked nothing like either rockstar.

As I left I noticed the place was filled with old men. Many old men, gathered to enjoy breakfast together.  I found it amusing, all the retires where at this particular McDonalds to have a Pow Wow.  

Later that day I took James to Chick Fil-A after school was over to kill two hours before his piano lessons.  I stepped inside to see balloons and a huge crowd of people.  I was wondering if there was a birthday party, the atmosphere was so jovial.  One of the employees quickly made sure we had a seat. "It's Bingo night!" She explained as she assured me and the boys we would get the last available table.  I'm thinking, "Am I in the right place?  Why is this woman taking care of us to play bingo?"  The line for food was long, she could have given the table to anyone.

I figured out Thursday was bingo night at this Chick Fil-A.  It was free to play and all the winners get a free dessert.  They also gave us a cow bell to ring if we had a winning Bingo card.  Wow!!  Bundles of fun. 

And Play BINGO!

It didn't take much thought to stay and play.  Tonight it would be bingo at the Chick Fil A until James' Piano lesson.  To top the entire experience off, his kid's meal was FREE, bonus on the meal plan that evening.   

Unfortunately, we did not win a free dessert; however, I was pleased with the kids toy, a mini book.  It kept Ty occupied as I sloppily managed two boards, James gave up way too quickly.  

I think the strangest aspect of the entire evening was how nice, friendly and accommodating the entire staff was to everyone.  Quite the unexpected fast food experience.  But that's the truth, and I'm sticking with it.  

Wednesday - Day 122 - Chaos in the Camper

I spent most of my morning working on some final details on our trip out west with the entire family late next month.
As soon as I'm home from one trip the next one seems to get completed.

For the most part, my day was uneventful, until I came home after picking James up from school.  

This is when my peaceful day turned into utter chaos.  

James accidentally opened the screen door to the camper too wide and Rabbit made an escape.   It had been a while since Rabbit made a run for it, and to say I was slightly annoyed, was an huge understatement.

I watched the dog scare a family and their small dog back into their RV bus.  I had to smile inside, my dog is very friendly, and seeing the new neighbors run for cover was just the right kind of crazy I needed to make the situation bearable.

I strapped Ty back into his car seat to go on a Rabbit Hunt.  A 13 year old girl, from the same scared, bus family, was on her bike helping James look for our dog.  She had a mix colored mullet of red, orange and blonde hair.  She was oddly nice, but I quickly determined why her family bolted inside their camper when they saw Rabbit galloping towards them.  They weren't from around these parts.

Thanks to another long time neighbor, who was nice enough to wave me down, I was informed where Rabbit was lurking and was able to quickly retrieve the crazy critter.  He received a well deserved spanking, which was quite a hilarious side show to see.  I probably would not have spanked him if he didn't defiantly run further from me the first two times he spotted me.

Later that day, James and Ty decided they wanted to eat chocolate ice cream during a much anticipated phone call with my sister.  I choose to monitor the boys with minimal supervision, resulting in an ice cream explosion by the time I was off the call.  The ice cream carton was licked clean, but the actual ice cream was all over their mouths, onto the floor, and carpet runners.  It's was a yucky, sticky mess.  

Chaos in the camper!

This is one of the few times I truly cherish my dog as he quickly followed the boys around liking up as much of the ice cream as he could muster.  I'm sure glad he likes chocolate. 

Rabbit is the perfect wet/dry vacuum

Not long after the ice cream escapade, Ty grabbed a full water bottle, managed to pry it open it and spill water all over his Cars futon seat, all over the floor and a pillow.  What's a little water between friends?  One more disaster to clean up. 

Ty'pulls the pillow onto his futon,
when he's ready to take a nap.

Every so often, I have these days I call "Chaos in the Camper".  There's food spilled everywhere, kids crying, complaining or whining, the dog escaping and I stop and think, "Is this MY chaotic life?"  And when it all settles down, the boys are sound asleep, and the camper gets cleaned, I know I wouldn't trade one little thing of my "Crazy Camper Life". 

Tuesday - Day 121 - Parallel Lives

While attempting to do a trunk full of laundry today, a nice gentleman began chatting with me.  Little did I know how much I would have in common with this stranger who was staying at the campground. 

Our bright orange Jeep with Texas plates is always an interesting draw for people to talk to me and ask questions.  I often forget I have Texas plates, until someone asks me if I moved here from Texas.  I find myself giving the abridge version of our move and how we used to live in New Smyrna Beach once upon a time. 

This gentleman and I continued to chat, he shared a few more things about himself and I found myself interested in his story as well. 

Unusually, it is uncommon for me to have long conversations with anyone at the campgroud, surface niceies are usually the norm, however something was different about this man and I soon would find out what.  

 As we compared notes on life I found out he vacationed for many years in Clayton, GA.  This coincidentally, is quite close to our cabin in Cleveland, GA and is less than an hour away.  We shared our love for the area and our experiences with hiring people to fix things in our homes.  

At one point we shared our experiences looking for homes and I mentioned my husband and I were set on finding a home in Port Orange because of the schools.  He had done the same thing when his, now grown children, were school aged, before Port Orange had grown up, to the town it is today.  He told me how he and his wife looked and looked for a house, but ultimately built a home because it was cheaper.  He went through the same exact process and mind set we did.  The most interesting aspect of his story was he and his family lived in their RV while figuring out where they would live.  Although, their camper was a lot smaller than ours, and I'm not sure how they did it, I was elated with this small piece of information.  He had come to Florida with no plan, just a destination and he built a life here for his family.  How ironic.  

The big question in my mind was where did he come from?  In conversation, I mentioned New York briefly and there was recognition in his face.   I was curious, was that where he was from?  He did not have a distinguishable accent for me to make any assumptions.  

As our conversation seemed to be coming to a close, we discovered we both grew up on Long Island, NY.  As a child he lived in a town I lived in for a few months, he had played near the same train tracks I used to commute into New York City.  He then moved to Hampton Bays which is at the far east end end of Long Island, the entire area commonly known as "The Hamptons."  I nannied for a brief stint in the small town of Hampton Bays one summer and drove through it many times each summer on my childhood vacations to Montauk.  In my twenty something years, when gas was cheap, I took weekend trips out to The Hamptons often. 

I understood the area more then most people he spoke with in Florida.  It is one of those areas, that unless you have been there, it's hard to grasp the culture that is "The Hamptons."   

We finally exchanged names.  The gentleman's name was Richie and he was also an air traffic controller until Reagan laid everyone off back in 1981.  I didn't have the heart to tell him I was too young to remember that on the news, but I empathize with his job loss.  I felt a connection having worked at an airport myself and being married to a  man who lives and breathes the aviation industry.  

At this point in the conversation, we jokingly decided we lived parallel lives  and it was at his moment I knew I would include him in my blog for the day. 

Hampton Bays, NY

Richie, ultimately took over his father's construction business, after his lay off, and did work for many high profile clients in the Hamptons.  It made me think it must have been a different world back then.  The stories about the extravagant tastes of his  celebrity clients fascinated me.  Those same homes he built were probably bought and sold many times since then and remodeled.  

He told me one of his clients had a personal shopper who traveled the world for a year to buy carpet for her new Hampton home.  Now, how does a person get that job?  "I'm going to go buy carpet, see ya in a year!!"   

He also shared a foreign head of state built a twenty-eight room house as a vacation home for his wife who only visited it a few times.  That all seems so excessive, I would love to get a glimpse into the mindset of the rich and famous.  When does excessive become irrelevant and how much money does one need to possess for this to happen? 

I learned two things chatting with this gentleman.  First, age is boundaryless when there are common life experiences shared.  Second, the world really is not very big, and it does not take much to shrink it, when you are able to connect the dots with someone on so many levels.  

I hope I run into Richie again with he and his wife make a return trip in October.  I want to be sure he knows I shared our chat with world. 

Monday - Day 120 - Christmas Day

Our first day home is always a welcomed one.  After enjoying luxury accommodations in Jackson Hole, sleeping in my own bed was still a great feeling.

We began our day in a sprint.  John took James to school by 7:37am despite the previous late night coming home.  I picked our dog, Rabbit, up at the kennel and took Ty to his swim lesson at 8:30am.  

Ty's last days of swim classes he wore his clothes.

Our older kids came over at around 9:15am, and watched Ty for a few hours while John and I attended our design center appointment for the new house at 10am.

Being at the design center made the entire process feel more like a reality, but having an actual home will not feel real until the day we discover all our things in storage again.  When we open up our boxes, in our home, as if it is Christmas Day.  It's ironic how close to Christmas it will actually be when this time comes.

In the meantime, we enjoyed the rest of the day at the pool and in the camper with all the kids.  We will remember this summer fondly, and I continue to cherish this time, especially when all the kids are spending time together.

Memories of our summer to come
(photo courtesy of Marcella)

I see a huge difference in James being around his siblings more often.  He is always very excited to see them and
he talks about them when they are not with us.  He wants them to experience everything he experiences.  

James always wants his siblings to be part of his life

Multiple times he told John and I, we should bring Haley, Marcella and Jack back to Yellowstone with us.  It is in these moments, I know we have continually made the best decisions for our family.  It makes everyday feel like Christmas Day, through the eyes of a child.

Through the eyes of a child

Sunday - Day 119 - "What if?"

"The House is Gone?"

This is the question John and I were both thinking when we entered the campground gates late Sunday evening.  

Traveling out west the previous week easily made us forget we live in our RV.  However, after a long day of traveling, John and James on one flight, Ty and I are another, we were happy to reunite at the Orlando airport gates to head back to our cozy home.  

James & John on their flight.
James looks so grown up, an experienced flyer at 5

John and I booked separate flights using a companion ticket and airline miles, because we could not coordinate our flights together.  This was not a problem, but I did wish the seat next to me would be empty, on at least one of my flights, since I had a connection in Memphis, TN.  

John snapped this pic as Ty & I
boarded a CRJ  (tiny plane!) 

The stars must have been aligned, the only open seat on the entire flight from Memphis was next to me.  Ty and I were sitting in the back of the plane, but Ty and I had plenty of space.  I deliberately waited to board last, as I walked through the packed plane with Ty on my arms I was anticoatig the look on whoever would be sitting next to us.  When I saw the empty seat next to mine, it was mind blowing.  There is a God!   

Ty did not sleep on this flight, but I laid him down with hopes he may take a nap, he didn't sleep, but he did very well.  I received compliments on his stellar behavior when we boarded off the plane.  It is always a challenge flying with a child, especially Ty's age, when all he wants to do is explore and run in every direction, away from me. 

While waiting for John's direct flight to arrive into Orlando, in the empty airport, I let Ty have some freedom.  I kept him busy by giving him small pieces of trash to throw away.  One by one, with endless energy, he ran back and forth to the garbage can.  I love my crazy child!!!

Ty likes to clean like his daddy!

Our drive home was enjoyable, John and I reflected on our week and looked forward to trips to come.  Our summer will be very busy.  But what if?  We both had the same thought at the same time pulling into our campground. "What if the camper is gone?"  "What would we do if someone stole our home?"

It was such an outrageous conclusion, yet it absolutely could happen.  This is why John and I are married, we both think alike about stuff like this and we both laughed out loud.  We turned down our road and there was our home, just as we left it.  There was nothing to be concerned about, but....... "What if?"

Saturday - Day 118 - Seeking out Wildlife - YNP2

I awoke in our canvas tent stinking of firewood and loving it.  There is that camping, fresh feeling, when you wake up in the cold weather and feel extremely rested, ready to start the day.  

The inside of our tent while Glamping

Although, the shared facilities were small, they were clean and private and the shower was hot with force.  I still knew I was camping, but the shower made all the difference.  There was also hot coffee in the reception tent to start our day.  Staying warm was priority one. 

James, he's all boy!

We did not encounter any bears during the night, but our bear spray was handy on our dresser, just in case.

We found a local eatery known for their excellent breakfast, filled our tanks and headed back into Wyoming to see more of Yellowstone Park. 

James fascinated with the Bear Prints outside
of "The Running Bear" restaurant

We had a map and a plan to venture back into the park with hopes of seeing much more wildlife then the day before.  

As we journeyed through the park we made all sorts of pit stops with funny names like Sheepeater Cliff and Mt. Washburn.  We drove the Blacktail Plateau Drive, and at the end was a petrified tree.  We enjoyed every minute of every mile of our trip.  

James climbed Sheepeater Cliff

James found a treasure on his climb down

My husband had dreamed of visiting Yellowstone National Park since he was a young boy.  He now had the opportunity to share his dream with our boys.  We promised we would come back in four years when Ty was older and he would remember the trip. 

This photo of Yellowstone reminds me of the beach

We chatted and contemplated our return trip, would we be driving an RV, camping and hiking, glamping or staying at one of many Yellowstone resorts?  We didn't know, but our options would remain open.  

We made an interesting observation that no large campers or RVs were allowed in many of the drive in scenic areas.  We would be certain not to take our current, large RV to Yellowstone.  We also noticed many cool retro RVs in all shapes and sizes.  I imagined what the insides looked like remodeled.  In addition, we paid attention to the types of people who were exploring YNP with us.  All ages, couples and families and everyone was smiling, happy and friendly.  Everyone! 

Retro RV 

When we were traveling the Blacktail Plateau, traffic slowed to a stop.  Our leaders had spotted something in the brush and we waited like excited children itching to get a peak.  We would soon observe a mama bear and her two cubs, scooting around and soon crossing the street below.  Growing up in New York, the only traffic jams I experienced were filled with honking horns and people cursing obscenities out their windows.  Not in Yellowstone, here people were in the mist of nature's wonder, and we were all anxious and thrilled to be a part of it.

Mamma Bear leading the way

Baby cubs crossing the street, following their Mamma

  

The Bear Family

We continued on after our bear encounter and we would see more bears, along with herds of American Bison, Mountain Goats, Elk and Pronghorn Antelope.  We climbed Mount Washburn, a chilly 10,243 feet as it began to snow flurry.  

Chipmunk

Pronghorn Antelope

Elk

American Bison

We exposed James to things he would  not have dreamed of, because he would not have known they existed.  He has now experienced Yellowstone at five, what will his dreams be as he gets older?

James at the top of Mt. Washburn

I personally found a new dream in Yellowstone, 

I am dreaming of an African Safari and I wish, one day, for my dream to come true.   

Friday - Day 117 - Sensory Overload - YNP1

We drove into Yellowstone National Park today, it was about a 90 minute drive North of our hotel in Teton Village. 

Yellowstone National Park

It was my first time here, a place I previously hadn't thought much about visiting.  It is one of those places, that once you have arrived, you start planning a second trip, because there is no possible way you'll see everything the first time. 

It is an overwhelmingly large National Park, larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined.  It is the country's first National Park and resides over three stay states, 96% in Wyoming, 3% in Montana and 1% in Idaho.  

All I wanted to do was take in the unbelievable beauty that came at me from every direction once we were inside the park.  

We began our journey waiting on Old Faithful to erupt.  It entertains visitors every 60-90 minutes without fail.  We sat patiently on benches surrounding the geyser with all the other onlookers.  We waited with anticipation for the big eruption.  It earned many ooooos and ahhhhhs. 

Old Faithful

We continued on to see mountains, and waterfalls, hot springs and bubbling mud holes, wildlife and caverns, peaks, valleys and lakes.  

Writing about Yellowstone and sharing photos will never do it justice.  However, I will do my best to share my personal experience.  

If you can imagine nature at its finest, nature before man lived on earth, the most untouched beauty in the world, it has survived in Yellowstone Park.  You may think you have seen nature's  beauty, but the enormous size of Yellowstone Park pulls you into a alternate world.  A world I had not known existed until I experienced it myself. 

I felt energized with fascination, like a child traveling back in time.  The wonders of life enveloping my entire being with all it's glory and grand power.  

Many questions came to mind as we drove through the park.  Who were the first settlers riding horseback through this area and what did they think?  Did they appreciate their surroundings or was it part of their everyday existence?  How has the park evolved since 1872?  All the travelers passing through, are they experiencing the same awe and wonder as I am?  

I grew more curious with each mile we drove, seeing new landscapes, colors and beauty.  When I thought nothing could surpass what I had just seen, a new stop would blow my mind more than the last.  Could it be possible?  What I was seeing, was exactly what people saw hundreds of years ago. 

As the day grew into evening, we headed to our new accommodations for the night.  Although, we enjoyed the daylight until late in the evening, hunger and fatigue pushed us over the Montana border.  We soon found our hotel/camping establishment, we would be "glamping" for the evening, short for "glamorous camping".  We had a king size bed, rustic furniture and a wood burning stove inside a large canvas tent.  We were truly roughing it, with a few comforts of home.  

Yellowstone Under Canvas

The young man who showed us our tent, also showed us how to use the bear spray, easily accessed on our dresser, just  in case we had a bear encounter.  I never knew how to use bear spray, never needed to until today.  We were also advised, no food in the campground, especially at night. This restriction was taken seriously. 

The temperature dropped to 28 degrees at night, the wood burning stove was well used and the down comforter created warmth for all of us, as we snuggled in that evening. 

Glamping was a far from the comforts of our five star resort we stayed at the previous three nights, but, I loved the experience and would absolutely do it again.  The boys loved it too.  I couldn't compare it to anywhere else I have ever stayed.  

We met the most interesting people, sitting around the campfire that evening.  We stayed in Montana, with more spectacular views, making the entire experience one of my top favorite vacation destinations.