Posts
6,183.6 miles later, we're finally home! No touristy stops - just gas and food driving...lots of driving.
Apparently we needed at least some adventure, so at mile 623 for the day (out of a total 643) we experienced a spectacular blowout of the driver-side rear tire (just NW of Shallowater. I remember the noise, the blur of black bits flying everywhere, and the fact that the car was no longer pointing straight down the highway. Somehow I had the presence of mind to click off the cruise control button rather than punching the brakes. The car was swerving wildly - lots of noise and screeching - I could hear the missus saying something that sounded like a prayer while intermittently (excitedly) encouraging me to "steer into it!"
Within a few short seconds we managed to avert disaster (and the ditch) and pull safely over to the shoulder. While the missus and I were feeling relieved to be alive and unharmed, the response from the munchkins in the back seat was closer to that of Dash after dad manages to 'park' the van in The Incredibles.
After catching our breath we dug through the glove compartment to find the number to roadside assistance (from the extended warranty that came with the car), only to discover that it had expired sometime last year. I got out the car with the intent of changing the tire, but quickly realized that wouldn't be feasible. Since we hadn't quite made it home yet, the car was still packed to the gills. Sure, I could have removed everything from the trunk in order to access the donut-sized spare, but there would be no way to fit the full-size tire *and* all the rest of our luggage back into the trunk.
My employer lives in Shallowater - so I called him on his mobile. He answered...from Disney World...but he encouraged me to go ahead and go by his place to change my tire and stash the blown tire. Fortunately, the tire had only shed its skin (albeit violently) and had not yet deflated - so we limped down the road with our hazard lights on at ~30 mph. We changed the flat, repacked the trunk, and headed back down the road (at 45 mph on the donut) for the final stretch. We made it home just after 9:15 (our critters were mighty glad to see us).
I want to give a special thanks to the two couples (you know who you are) who house/cat-sat for us while we were on the road - we couldn't have done it without you.
We (the entire family) also wish to sincerely express our gratitude for all of those far and near that covered our family with prayer while we were on this journey. When we think of all the places we've been (a hairpin turn on Highway 1) and all the other places the tire 'could have' blown out (rush hour traffic/road construction in a major city), we are especially grateful for the protection we received from harm.
Thank you all - and thanks for reading.
P.S. This concludes the "Summer Vacation 2009" portion of this young blog. I'll still write periodically (perhaps weekly) about the travels and travails of the Wares wherever we may roam (like maybe Muleshoe this weekend ;-).
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Eastbound and Not-So-Down
Recovery is well underway.
The car is pointed toward Lubbock and all is well. We passed the both the 5000 and 5500 mile marks on our nearly 600-mile drive today. Today was not about stopping and seeing the sites; it was about brief pit stops and getting back on the road. We didn't eat a proper meal (aside from breakfast) 'til we arrived in Flagstaff this evening. Though the kids weren't terribly hungry, mom and dad had a wonderful dining experience at the Tinderbox Kitchen. That's probably the 4th or 5th time that Urban Spoon has really come through for us on this trip.
I think I've got the missus convinced that we have time for a brief stop tomorrow at the Petrified Forest, but other than that - we'll be driving like mad 'til we roll into the Hub City.
[real-time side note]
I'm writing this (and the prior 3 posts) poolside while the kids are swimming in an outdoor pool. Since the weather's a bit cooler here in Flagstaff, I expected the kids to be spending more time in the hot tub than the pool. However, I overheard the children's voices in the pool longer than I expected: they'd made a new friend. My first clue was to hear the boy talk excitedly about his friends and toys in a way that made it clear his sister was his audience. When I looked up I saw another boy that was closer to my daughter's age than my son's. I could tell by the length of the conversation, and the fact that they never moved from the spot they'd been wading in the pool, that it was the older of my children that undoubtedly the older of my children that held this new boy's attention. Upon this revelation I set this blog aside for closer observation of 'the situation'. Rest assured that they never got closer than six to eight feet apart in the water. I began to think as I watched, "what [lies] will this boy tell his friends upon his return home?" After a subsequent conversation with the girl ("dad, did you see that cute boy I was talking to?"), I wondered about similar conversations she'd have with her friends. Do young girls boast of tall tales to their friends as young boys do?
Thanks for reading.
The car is pointed toward Lubbock and all is well. We passed the both the 5000 and 5500 mile marks on our nearly 600-mile drive today. Today was not about stopping and seeing the sites; it was about brief pit stops and getting back on the road. We didn't eat a proper meal (aside from breakfast) 'til we arrived in Flagstaff this evening. Though the kids weren't terribly hungry, mom and dad had a wonderful dining experience at the Tinderbox Kitchen. That's probably the 4th or 5th time that Urban Spoon has really come through for us on this trip.
I think I've got the missus convinced that we have time for a brief stop tomorrow at the Petrified Forest, but other than that - we'll be driving like mad 'til we roll into the Hub City.
[real-time side note]
I'm writing this (and the prior 3 posts) poolside while the kids are swimming in an outdoor pool. Since the weather's a bit cooler here in Flagstaff, I expected the kids to be spending more time in the hot tub than the pool. However, I overheard the children's voices in the pool longer than I expected: they'd made a new friend. My first clue was to hear the boy talk excitedly about his friends and toys in a way that made it clear his sister was his audience. When I looked up I saw another boy that was closer to my daughter's age than my son's. I could tell by the length of the conversation, and the fact that they never moved from the spot they'd been wading in the pool, that it was the older of my children that undoubtedly the older of my children that held this new boy's attention. Upon this revelation I set this blog aside for closer observation of 'the situation'. Rest assured that they never got closer than six to eight feet apart in the water. I began to think as I watched, "what [lies] will this boy tell his friends upon his return home?" After a subsequent conversation with the girl ("dad, did you see that cute boy I was talking to?"), I wondered about similar conversations she'd have with her friends. Do young girls boast of tall tales to their friends as young boys do?
Thanks for reading.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Work Day? (aka 'Gloom, Despair, and Agony on Me')
Ummm...not today. Ever heard of taking a sick day on vacation?
After a sleepless night, I called into the office early and let them know that I'd be canceling my appointment for the day and doing my best to recuperate. Even though 'the storm' had passed, I only managed to 'nap' until 9:00 a.m. The missus had mentioned during the drive down the coast the day prior (also pre-puke-fest) that having already had such a memorable, fun-filled vacation, she'd be just as happy to point the car toward Lubbock after our stop in San Francisco. This idea held even more appeal to us now as I lay in misery.
We decided to cut our losses and shorten our planned 3-day stay in SF to 'time served'. We slowly got our things together (carefully putting the 'hats' and other soiled items in a large plastic bag) and called for the bellhop. We settled our tab and headed South (instead of East) in hopes of finding a beach.
You see, the girl had been patiently waiting as we'd only been able to tip our toes into the frigid water at the beaches along the coast of the Pacific Northwest. We reckoned that once we got to the lower half of California that we'd find a spot warm enough to take a swim. We were wrong. We made it all the way down to Morro Bay and could tell right away (by the people wearing coats on the boardwalk) that to think that we'd find a warm Pacific beach at this time of year is folly.
I should mention that the drive (there was no way I could ask the missus to drive on California freeways) was awful. I would much rather have laid in bed all day, but it was an impractical option. Nevertheless, I was operating far below my typical level of energy. The boy and I didn't even bother entering the restaurant we stopped at for lunch. Instead, we opted to take a nap in the car. Honestly, I don't think I could have continued without that brief respite.
After the girl's tears of disappointment dried, we decided that the farthest I could continue on for the day was Paso Robles. Immediately after checking into the hotel, the kids were in the pool (it's not the ocean, but it will do). After a couple hours, we decided to go to dinner. I still didn't have an appetite, but I knew that my energy was unlikely to return 'til after I had some sustenance. I did feel considerably better after dinner; the missus (who had luckily dodged the stomach bug) felt much better after we'd stopped at the chocolate shop on the way back to the hotel.
We had intended to stay with the family of friends while in Paso
Robles, but with the upheaval of the night before, we thought it best to spare our hosts the risk. Having said that, I'd love to come back here again for a visit; Paso Robles is a warm, inviting burg in the heart of wine country.
Thanks for reading.
P.S. It was strange to be in California today. We heard of Farah Fawcett's death before we left the hotel in San Francisco and we heard of Michael Jackson's death while we were in a gift shop at Morrow Bay. I'm glad we'll be on the road for the next few days and avoid the media circus that is sure to follow.
After a sleepless night, I called into the office early and let them know that I'd be canceling my appointment for the day and doing my best to recuperate. Even though 'the storm' had passed, I only managed to 'nap' until 9:00 a.m. The missus had mentioned during the drive down the coast the day prior (also pre-puke-fest) that having already had such a memorable, fun-filled vacation, she'd be just as happy to point the car toward Lubbock after our stop in San Francisco. This idea held even more appeal to us now as I lay in misery.
We decided to cut our losses and shorten our planned 3-day stay in SF to 'time served'. We slowly got our things together (carefully putting the 'hats' and other soiled items in a large plastic bag) and called for the bellhop. We settled our tab and headed South (instead of East) in hopes of finding a beach.
You see, the girl had been patiently waiting as we'd only been able to tip our toes into the frigid water at the beaches along the coast of the Pacific Northwest. We reckoned that once we got to the lower half of California that we'd find a spot warm enough to take a swim. We were wrong. We made it all the way down to Morro Bay and could tell right away (by the people wearing coats on the boardwalk) that to think that we'd find a warm Pacific beach at this time of year is folly.
I should mention that the drive (there was no way I could ask the missus to drive on California freeways) was awful. I would much rather have laid in bed all day, but it was an impractical option. Nevertheless, I was operating far below my typical level of energy. The boy and I didn't even bother entering the restaurant we stopped at for lunch. Instead, we opted to take a nap in the car. Honestly, I don't think I could have continued without that brief respite.
After the girl's tears of disappointment dried, we decided that the farthest I could continue on for the day was Paso Robles. Immediately after checking into the hotel, the kids were in the pool (it's not the ocean, but it will do). After a couple hours, we decided to go to dinner. I still didn't have an appetite, but I knew that my energy was unlikely to return 'til after I had some sustenance. I did feel considerably better after dinner; the missus (who had luckily dodged the stomach bug) felt much better after we'd stopped at the chocolate shop on the way back to the hotel.
We had intended to stay with the family of friends while in Paso
Robles, but with the upheaval of the night before, we thought it best to spare our hosts the risk. Having said that, I'd love to come back here again for a visit; Paso Robles is a warm, inviting burg in the heart of wine country.
Thanks for reading.
P.S. It was strange to be in California today. We heard of Farah Fawcett's death before we left the hotel in San Francisco and we heard of Michael Jackson's death while we were in a gift shop at Morrow Bay. I'm glad we'll be on the road for the next few days and avoid the media circus that is sure to follow.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
From Tranquility Back to Turmoil
[written after the fact]
We slept very restfully last night...in a tent (I know!). The temperature was pleasant when we awoke and the kids immediately set out to gather berries. Before long we heard, "eww/cool a banana slug!"
A ranger came by and let us know that a nature walk would be starting soon. With the car packed up and ready to go, we decided to give it a try. We were lucky to have a very patient and knowledgeable (California State Park) ranger. She took time to explain the flora and the fauna and to answer questions anyone had. There were a number of young ones in our group (apart from our own), so there were lots of questions - and we decided to back out of the nature walk a bit early (45 minutes and 100 yards in).
We got back on 101 and yo-yo'd back and forth between Redwood Forest and more beaches. When we came to a the fork in the road, we decided to bid 101 farewell and take the coast-hugging Highway 1. We cursed ourselves with a case of 'famous last words' when we commented on the fact that neither of the kids had suffered any car sickness despite traveling well over 4000 miles. Literally seconds later, the boy began to lament that he was feeling a bit "pukish". I confiscated my iPhone (which he'd been playing for half an hour) and encouraged him to look to the horizon. It helped, but not much. The moaning subsided as he fell asleep.
Even though Highway 1 had some spectacular views of the ocean, we realized that if we stayed on it we'd arrive at our hotel in San Francisco close to midnight. We made our way through the 10 mph hairpin turns back to 101 amidst much groaning from the back seat. Fortunately, the boy slept most of the way to San Francisco. He was asleep as we rode across the fog-covered Golden Gate Bridge. However, he awoke when we were roughly a mile or so from our hotel - and he immediately let us know that vomiting was imminent.
[the faint of heart and weak of stomach should stop reading now and tune back in around Friday, June 26]
I immediately encouraged him that if there was no turning back, that he should utilize the hat (yes, my favorite hat) as a receptacle. We didn't have to wait long. Given that our last meal was many hours prior, I was impressed by the sheer volume of...smelly, recycled food. As you can well imagine, the detours, twists, and turns of the final mile to our hotel was...distinct. I should mention that the boy is a much more graceful puker than I. I'm prone to moan and groan and carry on, but the boy just hurls into a hat and goes on about his business.
Did I mention the smell? The volume of vomit, coupled with the length of the drive and the hat being made of cloth, necessitated that the missus contribute her hat to the cause as well.
I'm typically a La Quinta devotee, but I thought I'd splurge on a really nice hotel for our San Fran stay: The Westin. Since it's located in the middle of downtown, the only parking option was valet. You've stayed with me this long, let's go a little further...imagine this scene in your mind. A beleaguered family - 4500+ miles into a road trip that has included camping (the very night before) - traveling in a packed, messy car that has a very unpleasant aroma emanating from a hat-full o'sickness, pulling into up to the valet stand of a four-star hotel in the heart of San Francisco. We hurriedly scavenged a plastic bag we'd been saving for trash and slipped 'the hats' (of course I'm going to keep my hat!) into the bag. I then handed the valet the key and began to pile our luggage onto the luggage cart (dirty laundry and all). If you ever want to see a puzzled look on a bellhop's face, have them open the trunk and find it over-stuffed with used camping supplies.
The boy waited patiently on the curb, holding his 'bag', while we loaded the cart. He dutifully carried it as we checked in to the hotel, and onto the elevator as we headed to the 26th floor. I still feel bad for the guy that just made it into our elevator as the doors were closing (I'm guessing he wishes now he'd waited for the next one). Once we got to the room I set about rinsing out the hats in the bathtub (after dumping all I could down the toilet). I can tell you that fatherhood has presented me with many difficult and unpleasant duties over the years. We'll just categorize this task as 'memorable'.
Regrettably, the evening took a turn for the worse. Rather than being a one-off-car-sick puking episode, the boy emptied the tank of all he had left (on the very expensive bedding I should mention...the girl wasn't pleased) and then dry-heaved for hours more. The girl managed to get some sleep, but not mom and I. At some point during the night I told the missus, "I'm not feeling so good either."
Though you're undoubtedly a glutton for punishment - since you haven't managed to look away from this train wreck yet - but I'll spare you the gory details of my bout with the porcelain. Suffice to say it was no less intense than the boys, but with much less nobility.
It was a rough night. As I've said many times before, thanks for reading.
P.S. I really appreciate the comments you leave. It lets me know you're reading and enjoying this blog. Thanks again.
We slept very restfully last night...in a tent (I know!). The temperature was pleasant when we awoke and the kids immediately set out to gather berries. Before long we heard, "eww/cool a banana slug!"
A ranger came by and let us know that a nature walk would be starting soon. With the car packed up and ready to go, we decided to give it a try. We were lucky to have a very patient and knowledgeable (California State Park) ranger. She took time to explain the flora and the fauna and to answer questions anyone had. There were a number of young ones in our group (apart from our own), so there were lots of questions - and we decided to back out of the nature walk a bit early (45 minutes and 100 yards in).
We got back on 101 and yo-yo'd back and forth between Redwood Forest and more beaches. When we came to a the fork in the road, we decided to bid 101 farewell and take the coast-hugging Highway 1. We cursed ourselves with a case of 'famous last words' when we commented on the fact that neither of the kids had suffered any car sickness despite traveling well over 4000 miles. Literally seconds later, the boy began to lament that he was feeling a bit "pukish". I confiscated my iPhone (which he'd been playing for half an hour) and encouraged him to look to the horizon. It helped, but not much. The moaning subsided as he fell asleep.
Even though Highway 1 had some spectacular views of the ocean, we realized that if we stayed on it we'd arrive at our hotel in San Francisco close to midnight. We made our way through the 10 mph hairpin turns back to 101 amidst much groaning from the back seat. Fortunately, the boy slept most of the way to San Francisco. He was asleep as we rode across the fog-covered Golden Gate Bridge. However, he awoke when we were roughly a mile or so from our hotel - and he immediately let us know that vomiting was imminent.
[the faint of heart and weak of stomach should stop reading now and tune back in around Friday, June 26]
I immediately encouraged him that if there was no turning back, that he should utilize the hat (yes, my favorite hat) as a receptacle. We didn't have to wait long. Given that our last meal was many hours prior, I was impressed by the sheer volume of...smelly, recycled food. As you can well imagine, the detours, twists, and turns of the final mile to our hotel was...distinct. I should mention that the boy is a much more graceful puker than I. I'm prone to moan and groan and carry on, but the boy just hurls into a hat and goes on about his business.
Did I mention the smell? The volume of vomit, coupled with the length of the drive and the hat being made of cloth, necessitated that the missus contribute her hat to the cause as well.
I'm typically a La Quinta devotee, but I thought I'd splurge on a really nice hotel for our San Fran stay: The Westin. Since it's located in the middle of downtown, the only parking option was valet. You've stayed with me this long, let's go a little further...imagine this scene in your mind. A beleaguered family - 4500+ miles into a road trip that has included camping (the very night before) - traveling in a packed, messy car that has a very unpleasant aroma emanating from a hat-full o'sickness, pulling into up to the valet stand of a four-star hotel in the heart of San Francisco. We hurriedly scavenged a plastic bag we'd been saving for trash and slipped 'the hats' (of course I'm going to keep my hat!) into the bag. I then handed the valet the key and began to pile our luggage onto the luggage cart (dirty laundry and all). If you ever want to see a puzzled look on a bellhop's face, have them open the trunk and find it over-stuffed with used camping supplies.
The boy waited patiently on the curb, holding his 'bag', while we loaded the cart. He dutifully carried it as we checked in to the hotel, and onto the elevator as we headed to the 26th floor. I still feel bad for the guy that just made it into our elevator as the doors were closing (I'm guessing he wishes now he'd waited for the next one). Once we got to the room I set about rinsing out the hats in the bathtub (after dumping all I could down the toilet). I can tell you that fatherhood has presented me with many difficult and unpleasant duties over the years. We'll just categorize this task as 'memorable'.
Regrettably, the evening took a turn for the worse. Rather than being a one-off-car-sick puking episode, the boy emptied the tank of all he had left (on the very expensive bedding I should mention...the girl wasn't pleased) and then dry-heaved for hours more. The girl managed to get some sleep, but not mom and I. At some point during the night I told the missus, "I'm not feeling so good either."
Though you're undoubtedly a glutton for punishment - since you haven't managed to look away from this train wreck yet - but I'll spare you the gory details of my bout with the porcelain. Suffice to say it was no less intense than the boys, but with much less nobility.
It was a rough night. As I've said many times before, thanks for reading.
P.S. I really appreciate the comments you leave. It lets me know you're reading and enjoying this blog. Thanks again.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
From Turmoil to Tranquility
Much better. Much, much better.
Rather than hating all things Oregonian with the burning white-hot heat of a thousand suns, I've narrowed my disdain to the following two peeves: Oregon drivers & Portland ('nuff said). We found the southern part of the state to be much more hospitable (our dining experience in Eugene was quite nice) and the staff at the hotel we stayed at was very accommodating.
We began our day with drive to Crater Lake.
[pause here for a moment of silence]
It was...refreshing.
[insert some stuttering...then more silence]
Crater Lake is considered the cleanest and clearest body of water (of that size) in the world. It's the 7th deepest lake in the world and the deepest in America (just shy of 2000 feet deep. It was formed ~7700 years ago when Mount Mazama had such a terrific eruption that its emptied magma chamber collapsed forming a 5000' deep caldera atop what once was a 12000' mountain. The visibility into the lake is 144' (I repeat, 'lake').
Most of our time spent there was in private solitude (each found there own spot from which to take in the view). The kids enjoyed playing in the snow (yup, there was still plenty of it) as much as the lake itself. The whole scene had a unique impact on the grown folks.
After spending all the time we could reasonably allow, we got back on the road and headed to Northern California. I booked a spot at a state park campground months ago. We had some difficulty finding it (campground & state park had different names), but what a treat we had in store when we finally arrived.
Those of you who've been reading this post for awhile know what kind of camping appeals to me. Suffice to say that for a campground with over a hundred campsites, or one with less than ten for that matter, I couldn't have chosen a more ideal spot. It was secluded, cozy, and completely enclosed by a ten-foot-tall hedge of salmon-berries (yes, those were the ones by the beach). Even though it's sunset, the temperature is still pleasant - and I pitched our tents atop a level mound of moss (not joking). Of course I should mention that we're camping amongst 300' tall trees less than five miles from the ocean.
I could get used to this. Thanks for reading.
Rather than hating all things Oregonian with the burning white-hot heat of a thousand suns, I've narrowed my disdain to the following two peeves: Oregon drivers & Portland ('nuff said). We found the southern part of the state to be much more hospitable (our dining experience in Eugene was quite nice) and the staff at the hotel we stayed at was very accommodating.
We began our day with drive to Crater Lake.
[pause here for a moment of silence]
It was...refreshing.
[insert some stuttering...then more silence]
Crater Lake is considered the cleanest and clearest body of water (of that size) in the world. It's the 7th deepest lake in the world and the deepest in America (just shy of 2000 feet deep. It was formed ~7700 years ago when Mount Mazama had such a terrific eruption that its emptied magma chamber collapsed forming a 5000' deep caldera atop what once was a 12000' mountain. The visibility into the lake is 144' (I repeat, 'lake').
Most of our time spent there was in private solitude (each found there own spot from which to take in the view). The kids enjoyed playing in the snow (yup, there was still plenty of it) as much as the lake itself. The whole scene had a unique impact on the grown folks.
After spending all the time we could reasonably allow, we got back on the road and headed to Northern California. I booked a spot at a state park campground months ago. We had some difficulty finding it (campground & state park had different names), but what a treat we had in store when we finally arrived.
Those of you who've been reading this post for awhile know what kind of camping appeals to me. Suffice to say that for a campground with over a hundred campsites, or one with less than ten for that matter, I couldn't have chosen a more ideal spot. It was secluded, cozy, and completely enclosed by a ten-foot-tall hedge of salmon-berries (yes, those were the ones by the beach). Even though it's sunset, the temperature is still pleasant - and I pitched our tents atop a level mound of moss (not joking). Of course I should mention that we're camping amongst 300' tall trees less than five miles from the ocean.
I could get used to this. Thanks for reading.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Portland
I like to be more descriptive with my post titles, but I should probably choose my words carefully.
On the positive side:
Today was a work day - my first real travel day outside of Puget Sound - and it went very well. I accomplished what I set out to do and made some new contacts that hold great potential.
On the negative side:
We spent the day in Portland. Okay, save your rotten tomatoes...have you actually ever been here? I've been to a lot of places and have traveled neighborhoods many would fear to tread, but really...what is it with this place?! We had such high hopes before coming here, but even in the light of a new day I fail to understand the attraction to this city.
Washington Park is a treasure - and I'm sure that some of the city's other 'attractions' are lovely as well, but we found the city as a whole to be unwelcoming and seedy. Apart from leaving town at the end of the day, the bright spot came when I got to leave town shortly for an appointment to the north (Vancouver, WA) across the river. And that's all I have to say about that.
We have met some nice people (none of them drive cars in this state, I assure you) and I fully expect to have a more positive tale to tell about the southern half of the state after our visit to Crater Lake tomorrow.
In the meantime, thanks for reading.
On the positive side:
Today was a work day - my first real travel day outside of Puget Sound - and it went very well. I accomplished what I set out to do and made some new contacts that hold great potential.
On the negative side:
We spent the day in Portland. Okay, save your rotten tomatoes...have you actually ever been here? I've been to a lot of places and have traveled neighborhoods many would fear to tread, but really...what is it with this place?! We had such high hopes before coming here, but even in the light of a new day I fail to understand the attraction to this city.
Washington Park is a treasure - and I'm sure that some of the city's other 'attractions' are lovely as well, but we found the city as a whole to be unwelcoming and seedy. Apart from leaving town at the end of the day, the bright spot came when I got to leave town shortly for an appointment to the north (Vancouver, WA) across the river. And that's all I have to say about that.
We have met some nice people (none of them drive cars in this state, I assure you) and I fully expect to have a more positive tale to tell about the southern half of the state after our visit to Crater Lake tomorrow.
In the meantime, thanks for reading.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Farewell Washington
The Wares are on the move again.
We woke up to a stunning view from our 3rd floor bedroom window at the Hoh Humm Bed and Breakfast and the morning only got better from there. The very reasonable price of our room also included a farm-style breakfast. One of the things that drew us here in the first place was that they promoted the fact that they're kid-friendly (uncommon for many B&B's). After a pleasant visit with the other families over breakfast, the kids all followed the hosts around the farm while they did chores (feed the chickens, gather eggs, take care of the pigs, goats, llamas, etc.). It was just another unexpected, yet wonderful experience we've had on our vacation.
After a couple hours lingering at the farm, we loaded up the kids in the car and headed a short way back up the road for our visit to the Hoh Rain Forest. The words that come to mind as I reflect on it: big, old, mossy, peaceful.
A short drive down the road from the rain forest put us at Ruby Beach. I've traveled many places during my time in the Navy, but I've never seen anything quite like the shoreline of the Pacific NW. Mountains and tall trees near the beach make for quite a sight to see. The kids and I enjoyed sampling the wild berries that grew along the path on our walk down to the beach (the ripe ones were orange). This missus wasn't quite as keen to sample wild berries that she couldn't identify.
We'd lingered so long at Hoh and Ruby, that we decided to limit ourselves to only one more beach for the day. After all, we still had to make it to Portland to stay the night. A friend had recommended Cannon Beach in Oregon, so down the road we went. We wound up a few miles short of Cannon at Seaside, OR. The beach was picturesque, nice and sandy, and the water a good 5-10 degrees warmer than it was in Washington (we're still just dipping our toes in the water 'til we get to Southern California). However, there was a mysterious green substance at the edge of the surf that I couldn't quite identify that soured the experience a bit. Given that it's never fun to imagine yourself wading in...whatever...we got back in the car and headed to Portland.
I debated whether to write anything about this at all; I've decided to go with the abbreviated version: our lodging was less-than-ideal. Sludge on the beach + worst drivers in the west (so far) + bad lodging = the Wares with a very negative view of Oregon in general, and Portland specifically. We'll see if tomorrow (a work day) can help turn that perception around.
Thanks for reading.
We woke up to a stunning view from our 3rd floor bedroom window at the Hoh Humm Bed and Breakfast and the morning only got better from there. The very reasonable price of our room also included a farm-style breakfast. One of the things that drew us here in the first place was that they promoted the fact that they're kid-friendly (uncommon for many B&B's). After a pleasant visit with the other families over breakfast, the kids all followed the hosts around the farm while they did chores (feed the chickens, gather eggs, take care of the pigs, goats, llamas, etc.). It was just another unexpected, yet wonderful experience we've had on our vacation.
After a couple hours lingering at the farm, we loaded up the kids in the car and headed a short way back up the road for our visit to the Hoh Rain Forest. The words that come to mind as I reflect on it: big, old, mossy, peaceful.
A short drive down the road from the rain forest put us at Ruby Beach. I've traveled many places during my time in the Navy, but I've never seen anything quite like the shoreline of the Pacific NW. Mountains and tall trees near the beach make for quite a sight to see. The kids and I enjoyed sampling the wild berries that grew along the path on our walk down to the beach (the ripe ones were orange). This missus wasn't quite as keen to sample wild berries that she couldn't identify.
We'd lingered so long at Hoh and Ruby, that we decided to limit ourselves to only one more beach for the day. After all, we still had to make it to Portland to stay the night. A friend had recommended Cannon Beach in Oregon, so down the road we went. We wound up a few miles short of Cannon at Seaside, OR. The beach was picturesque, nice and sandy, and the water a good 5-10 degrees warmer than it was in Washington (we're still just dipping our toes in the water 'til we get to Southern California). However, there was a mysterious green substance at the edge of the surf that I couldn't quite identify that soured the experience a bit. Given that it's never fun to imagine yourself wading in...whatever...we got back in the car and headed to Portland.
I debated whether to write anything about this at all; I've decided to go with the abbreviated version: our lodging was less-than-ideal. Sludge on the beach + worst drivers in the west (so far) + bad lodging = the Wares with a very negative view of Oregon in general, and Portland specifically. We'll see if tomorrow (a work day) can help turn that perception around.
Thanks for reading.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
On the Road Again (aka 'The Longest Post')
Today saw the Ware Family farther North and West than any of us have ever been.
We left out from my sister's place this morning (THANKS SIS!!) and treated ourselves to some pancake gluttony in Bremerton. With our bellies full we made our way north, up the Kitsap Peninsula, across the Hood Canal (you know, it's that hook-shaped thing on the map), over to the Olympic Peninsula where we've spent the rest of our day. After the day we've had today, I'm embarrassed to confess that this was not part of the original plan.
Our first stop was at the Visitor's Center in Sequim (pronounced 'skwim') to get the lay of the land. I very helpful older gentleman gave us plenty of helpful advice. He suggested that the boy and the girl might enjoy at a stop at Troll Haven, an off-map-private attraction a dozen miles or so back East on 101. I'm glad we stopped, but I could tell we'd over-reached our welcome when we wandered into the realty office that was part of the compound.
We didn't remind the kids that Sequim was near the Olympic Game Farm we'd visited a few years prior, so the missus and I didn't take any heat for skipping that this time and moving down the road.
[Side note: Rats! I just noticed from the website that we missed our chance to meet Grizzly Adams today...d'oh!]
We made an essential pit stop in Port Angeles to get an oil change for the car. We were over 3200 miles in the last fifteen days. After the oil change we went south of Port Angeles to Olympic National Park's Hurricane Ridge. I recall mentioning in an earlier post that I worried about running short of descriptive language sufficient to describe all we've seen on this trip. It is no hyperbole to say that the drive to Hurricane Ridge is breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and...well...all I can seem to think of is the tears that filled my eyes as we made our way to the top. The sight of young Roosevelt Elk bounding through alpine meadows a la Pepe le Pew was truly a sight to behold. A short (less than 100 yard) walk over the ridge from the visitor center affords visitors views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Canada to the North.
After being eye level with snow-capped mountains, we made the short, 17-mile drive back down the mountain to Highway 101 and continued our journey West. We made a number of stops along the way including a brief respite at the scenic Lake Crescent. We eventually rounded the corner and began Heading South on 101 and went to the 'First Beach' at La Push - also a part of Olympic National Park. It is truly remarkable to be able to be on top of a snow-capped mountain, and dig your toes in the sand at the beach at the same national park on the same day. Olympic NP is only half the size of Yellowstone (meaning it's over a million acres) and is easily as diverse - if not more so. In fact, we intend to continue our Olympic NP adventure tomorrow with a trip to the Hoh Rain Forest.
A note about lodging: on this trip we've experienced the gracious hospitality of friends and family, a few nights camping (including one sleeping in the car) and a few nights in trusty ol' La Quinta. Tonight marks a new twist to the adventure: rustic B & B. As I type this post, the rest of the family is snoozing (I won't identify the snorers) away in a cozy room on the third floor of a quaint old farmhouse. Yes, I can hear the frogs and crickets outside. Yes, it is quite pleasant. Perhaps I can interview the family in the morning and post a short video about the place. Until then...
...thanks for reading.
P.S. - Check out these before and after videos...
We left out from my sister's place this morning (THANKS SIS!!) and treated ourselves to some pancake gluttony in Bremerton. With our bellies full we made our way north, up the Kitsap Peninsula, across the Hood Canal (you know, it's that hook-shaped thing on the map), over to the Olympic Peninsula where we've spent the rest of our day. After the day we've had today, I'm embarrassed to confess that this was not part of the original plan.
Our first stop was at the Visitor's Center in Sequim (pronounced 'skwim') to get the lay of the land. I very helpful older gentleman gave us plenty of helpful advice. He suggested that the boy and the girl might enjoy at a stop at Troll Haven, an off-map-private attraction a dozen miles or so back East on 101. I'm glad we stopped, but I could tell we'd over-reached our welcome when we wandered into the realty office that was part of the compound.
We didn't remind the kids that Sequim was near the Olympic Game Farm we'd visited a few years prior, so the missus and I didn't take any heat for skipping that this time and moving down the road.
[Side note: Rats! I just noticed from the website that we missed our chance to meet Grizzly Adams today...d'oh!]
We made an essential pit stop in Port Angeles to get an oil change for the car. We were over 3200 miles in the last fifteen days. After the oil change we went south of Port Angeles to Olympic National Park's Hurricane Ridge. I recall mentioning in an earlier post that I worried about running short of descriptive language sufficient to describe all we've seen on this trip. It is no hyperbole to say that the drive to Hurricane Ridge is breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and...well...all I can seem to think of is the tears that filled my eyes as we made our way to the top. The sight of young Roosevelt Elk bounding through alpine meadows a la Pepe le Pew was truly a sight to behold. A short (less than 100 yard) walk over the ridge from the visitor center affords visitors views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Canada to the North.
After being eye level with snow-capped mountains, we made the short, 17-mile drive back down the mountain to Highway 101 and continued our journey West. We made a number of stops along the way including a brief respite at the scenic Lake Crescent. We eventually rounded the corner and began Heading South on 101 and went to the 'First Beach' at La Push - also a part of Olympic National Park. It is truly remarkable to be able to be on top of a snow-capped mountain, and dig your toes in the sand at the beach at the same national park on the same day. Olympic NP is only half the size of Yellowstone (meaning it's over a million acres) and is easily as diverse - if not more so. In fact, we intend to continue our Olympic NP adventure tomorrow with a trip to the Hoh Rain Forest.
A note about lodging: on this trip we've experienced the gracious hospitality of friends and family, a few nights camping (including one sleeping in the car) and a few nights in trusty ol' La Quinta. Tonight marks a new twist to the adventure: rustic B & B. As I type this post, the rest of the family is snoozing (I won't identify the snorers) away in a cozy room on the third floor of a quaint old farmhouse. Yes, I can hear the frogs and crickets outside. Yes, it is quite pleasant. Perhaps I can interview the family in the morning and post a short video about the place. Until then...
...thanks for reading.
P.S. - Check out these before and after videos...
Friday, June 19, 2009
More Food and Fun in Seattle
We've elected to begin our trek down the coast a day early (starting tomorrow). With that in mind, we set out to squeeze in all the fun that would fit in our final day in Seattle.
I should mention that the weather has been fantastic while we've been here: nice and cool, but not too damp. The boy even lamented earlier in the week, "I miss rainy, gloomy Seattle." However, we witnessed the longest dry spell since the 1940s broken this morning. The soggy weather put the missus in the mood for some clam chowder, so the obvious first stop on our walking tour (we parked at Qwest Field after the ferry ride) was Ivars. We took it easy and ate light (had to make sure we left room for all the goodies at Pike Place).
After lunch, we headed over to Pioneer Square for the Seattle Underground Tour. Attention potential Seattle tourists: DON'T MISS THIS TOUR! If you find yourself in the Emerald City for any length of time, it's well worth the price of admission for this hour-long walking tour beneath the city's sidewalks.
After the tour and some window-shopping, we made our final visit over to Pike Place to get our last fix of pastries from the usual suspects. After more walking and window-shopping, we make our way up Pike Street to the corner of Pike and Boren: Tango Tapas.
I won't waste any time telling you how great the tapas were - because when it comes to Tango, it's all about the dessert. I'm not talking just any dessert; I'm talking about the best dessert I've ever had placed before me at a restaurant - of any kind. I'm not usually a big chocolate fan, but my love affair with chili and chocolate has it's origin with this dish. Though I've thrown several around already, words cannot do this dessert justice. It's a magnificent chocolate mousse sitting atop toasted meringue drizzled with tequila-caramel sauce. The mouse is dusted with a cayenne-infused dark chocolate powder and the plate is finished with a few toasted almonds to boot. Yummy. Even after hyping it up to the missus for a couple years, she was still blown away by the flavor.
Tomorrow we'll be taking this road trip back on the road. Until then, thanks for reading.
I should mention that the weather has been fantastic while we've been here: nice and cool, but not too damp. The boy even lamented earlier in the week, "I miss rainy, gloomy Seattle." However, we witnessed the longest dry spell since the 1940s broken this morning. The soggy weather put the missus in the mood for some clam chowder, so the obvious first stop on our walking tour (we parked at Qwest Field after the ferry ride) was Ivars. We took it easy and ate light (had to make sure we left room for all the goodies at Pike Place).
After lunch, we headed over to Pioneer Square for the Seattle Underground Tour. Attention potential Seattle tourists: DON'T MISS THIS TOUR! If you find yourself in the Emerald City for any length of time, it's well worth the price of admission for this hour-long walking tour beneath the city's sidewalks.
After the tour and some window-shopping, we made our final visit over to Pike Place to get our last fix of pastries from the usual suspects. After more walking and window-shopping, we make our way up Pike Street to the corner of Pike and Boren: Tango Tapas.
I won't waste any time telling you how great the tapas were - because when it comes to Tango, it's all about the dessert. I'm not talking just any dessert; I'm talking about the best dessert I've ever had placed before me at a restaurant - of any kind. I'm not usually a big chocolate fan, but my love affair with chili and chocolate has it's origin with this dish. Though I've thrown several around already, words cannot do this dessert justice. It's a magnificent chocolate mousse sitting atop toasted meringue drizzled with tequila-caramel sauce. The mouse is dusted with a cayenne-infused dark chocolate powder and the plate is finished with a few toasted almonds to boot. Yummy. Even after hyping it up to the missus for a couple years, she was still blown away by the flavor.
Tomorrow we'll be taking this road trip back on the road. Until then, thanks for reading.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Dull Boy No More
I finished up with work day 3 of 3 today. Enough with the work, now back to the play...
After work I sent the boy, the girl, and my sister back across the sound so that the missus and I could go out (gasp...alone) for dinner. Ever since I first learned of Chef Holly Smith's restaurant (Cafe Juanita) on a PBS special, I had longed to give it a try. We did, and it was...sublime.
I would tell you what we ate, if I could only remember the names (I could probably point most things out on the menu). I can tell you that the highlight of the meal for me was the soup of the day. Sadly, I don't have the words that would do it justice. For my foodie readers (you know who you are), I'll elaborate when we see each other again.
Thanks for reading.
After work I sent the boy, the girl, and my sister back across the sound so that the missus and I could go out (gasp...alone) for dinner. Ever since I first learned of Chef Holly Smith's restaurant (Cafe Juanita) on a PBS special, I had longed to give it a try. We did, and it was...sublime.
I would tell you what we ate, if I could only remember the names (I could probably point most things out on the menu). I can tell you that the highlight of the meal for me was the soup of the day. Sadly, I don't have the words that would do it justice. For my foodie readers (you know who you are), I'll elaborate when we see each other again.
Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Experiment #2
Given that Wednesday was another boring work-day for dad, we'll see if we can get the boy to share details of his day.
--
Dad: How was your day?
Boy: I liked it.
Dad: What did you do?
Boy: Uh...(sees that I'm writing what he says...glare...push)...I liked it when I got to play with my Potato Gun.
Dad: The one you bought at Archie McPhee?
Boy: Yes.
Dad: That couldn't have taken very long. What else did you do?
Boy: I really want to go back to Archie McPhee.
Dad: I know, what else did you do?
Boy: Um...hmm...will you stop that (writing what I actually say)?!
[boy attempts to hijack transcript by bring up an ugly episode where dad accidentally broke a slingshot - on the first use - that he bought at Four Corners]
Boy: I liked...(mentions things we did on Tuesday)...
Dad: Do you even remember what you did?
Boy: I forget things sometimes...(continues to mutter about the slingshot)
Dad: When I got home you were reading Garfield. The girls (mom, sis, aunt) said that you'd had a hard day: cabin fever from being sequestered with girls who made jewelry all day.
Boy: What does sequestered mean?
[interview breaks down]
--
After I got home we went out for Mexican food (begin mocking now...I know, I swore I wouldn't eat Mexican 'til we got back to TX), ice cream, and a walk along the boardwalk in Bremerton. We all got to see the Fountain Park that they'd seen the day before. If, for any reason, you ever find yourself in Bremerton, WA - don't miss out on the fountain walk. It was wonderful.
Tomorrow is the 3rd and final workday in Seattle; then it's back to vacation mode.
Thanks for reading.
--
Dad: How was your day?
Boy: I liked it.
Dad: What did you do?
Boy: Uh...(sees that I'm writing what he says...glare...push)...I liked it when I got to play with my Potato Gun.
Dad: The one you bought at Archie McPhee?
Boy: Yes.
Dad: That couldn't have taken very long. What else did you do?
Boy: I really want to go back to Archie McPhee.
Dad: I know, what else did you do?
Boy: Um...hmm...will you stop that (writing what I actually say)?!
[boy attempts to hijack transcript by bring up an ugly episode where dad accidentally broke a slingshot - on the first use - that he bought at Four Corners]
Boy: I liked...(mentions things we did on Tuesday)...
Dad: Do you even remember what you did?
Boy: I forget things sometimes...(continues to mutter about the slingshot)
Dad: When I got home you were reading Garfield. The girls (mom, sis, aunt) said that you'd had a hard day: cabin fever from being sequestered with girls who made jewelry all day.
Boy: What does sequestered mean?
[interview breaks down]
--
After I got home we went out for Mexican food (begin mocking now...I know, I swore I wouldn't eat Mexican 'til we got back to TX), ice cream, and a walk along the boardwalk in Bremerton. We all got to see the Fountain Park that they'd seen the day before. If, for any reason, you ever find yourself in Bremerton, WA - don't miss out on the fountain walk. It was wonderful.
Tomorrow is the 3rd and final workday in Seattle; then it's back to vacation mode.
Thanks for reading.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Work Day
Today the family got a break from me. I spent the whole day in Seattle, working.
It always feels like a cliche when I do it, but I found myself working from a Starbucks in Seattle this morning. I've got a co-worker in town this week, so I parked the car in Bremerton for the day, rode the ferry over, and waited for him to pick me up at a downtown Starbucks near Pioneer Square.
I got to meet with two of our favorite agencies today. You (dear reader) may think it's risky of me to call out favorites, but it's true. I'm also counting on the fact that it's less likely anyone other than one of my favorites would somehow stumble across this blog.
We lingered a little long over dinner and I wound up missing the 9:05 ferry by minutes. It looks like I won't make it back to my sister's place 'til close to midnight. At least that gives me time to catch up on posting blogs :)
No promises on a recap from the missus, but she told me (on the phone) that they discovered (by accident) a fountain park in Bremerton that even my sister was unaware of. Apparently, it was designed by the same folks who worked their magic at the Bellagio in Vegas.
Thanks for reading.
It always feels like a cliche when I do it, but I found myself working from a Starbucks in Seattle this morning. I've got a co-worker in town this week, so I parked the car in Bremerton for the day, rode the ferry over, and waited for him to pick me up at a downtown Starbucks near Pioneer Square.
I got to meet with two of our favorite agencies today. You (dear reader) may think it's risky of me to call out favorites, but it's true. I'm also counting on the fact that it's less likely anyone other than one of my favorites would somehow stumble across this blog.
We lingered a little long over dinner and I wound up missing the 9:05 ferry by minutes. It looks like I won't make it back to my sister's place 'til close to midnight. At least that gives me time to catch up on posting blogs :)
No promises on a recap from the missus, but she told me (on the phone) that they discovered (by accident) a fountain park in Bremerton that even my sister was unaware of. Apparently, it was designed by the same folks who worked their magic at the Bellagio in Vegas.
Thanks for reading.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Wares in Seattle
Sis had to work today. She's taking off the rest of the week, but since she was out of pocket today we decided to see (some of) the sights in Seattle. We'll have plenty of chances to ride the ferry this week, so we decided to drive in this morning. The drive to Seattle from the Kitsap Peninsula involves crossing the Tacoma Narrows bridge - site of the famous 'Galloping Gertie'.
As soon as we got to town we headed straight to Pike Place Market and spent a couple hours visiting old haunts (at least for me). I've been to Pike at least a dozen times and every single trip has included a visit to Piroshky, Pikroshky for some tasty pastries (apple cinnamon rolls and rhubarb piroshkies are favorites of mine).
From Pike we dropped by my favorite radio station in the world: KEXP. After a tour of the station we headed north to visit a local icon: The Fremont Troll. Following our stop at 36th & Troll, we visited Archie McPhee at their new location (the boy had really been looking forward to this). I was sorely tempted to pick up an 'Avenging Narwal' to go along with the 'Avenging Unicorn' I keep at the office, but I decided to postpone the purchase 'til my next trip up here on business.
The missus began to inquire why we hadn't yet been to a coffee shop, so we made a stop at a local favorite: Caffe Vita in Capitol Hill. We'd been advised not to miss out on a local ice cream shop (Molly Moon) so we paid them a visit while we were in the neighborhood (vacation = never having to make an excuse to eat ice cream). We decided we'd had enough fun for the day (pacing ourselves - we'll be in town for a week), so we headed back across the sound on the 4:20 ferry.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) though Thursday will be work days for me - so I likely won't have as much to post...though it's not likely to stop me either.
Thanks for reading.
As soon as we got to town we headed straight to Pike Place Market and spent a couple hours visiting old haunts (at least for me). I've been to Pike at least a dozen times and every single trip has included a visit to Piroshky, Pikroshky for some tasty pastries (apple cinnamon rolls and rhubarb piroshkies are favorites of mine).
From Pike we dropped by my favorite radio station in the world: KEXP. After a tour of the station we headed north to visit a local icon: The Fremont Troll. Following our stop at 36th & Troll, we visited Archie McPhee at their new location (the boy had really been looking forward to this). I was sorely tempted to pick up an 'Avenging Narwal' to go along with the 'Avenging Unicorn' I keep at the office, but I decided to postpone the purchase 'til my next trip up here on business.
The missus began to inquire why we hadn't yet been to a coffee shop, so we made a stop at a local favorite: Caffe Vita in Capitol Hill. We'd been advised not to miss out on a local ice cream shop (Molly Moon) so we paid them a visit while we were in the neighborhood (vacation = never having to make an excuse to eat ice cream). We decided we'd had enough fun for the day (pacing ourselves - we'll be in town for a week), so we headed back across the sound on the 4:20 ferry.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) though Thursday will be work days for me - so I likely won't have as much to post...though it's not likely to stop me either.
Thanks for reading.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Zero, You're My Hero
Okay, forget what I said in Missoula - today was our first zero day. Zero miles traveled. Zero dollars spent. Plenty of good coversation and catching up with sis; plenty of good (home cooked) food and plenty of rest. Not much to report other than the bead making lessons the girl and the missus got from sis. It was a really nice day.
Thanks for reading.
Thanks for reading.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
500 Miles
We've reached our destination...in a manner of speaking.
For those of you who have been following this blog from the beginning, you know that the 'destination' part of this trip is Seattle. The drive from Missoula to Seattle is ~475 miles; nevertheless, the original plan was to make the drive in a day. After covering over 2000 miles in 7 days, we thought we'd break that up into a two-day drive: spend some time in Couer d'Alene, ID (CDA) and stay in Spokane, WA.
We got a late start leaving Missoula. I've been purchasing post cards along the way and thought they might be better used to carry messages to our friends now instead of collecting dust on a shelf at home. We sat outside a local ice cream parlor (vacation means eating ice cream after breakfast) while I wrote half post cards. I really wanted to send them out with a Missoula post mark (have you ever recieved a post card from Missoula?). We finally got out of town right around noon.
We had a pleasant stop in CDA (classic car show, shopping, people watching, late lunch) and got back on the road again. We found ourselves in Spokane in early afternoon and decided to revert to the original plan and push on to Seattle. We made it all the way to my eldest sister's place on the Kitsap Peninsula (a ferry ride across the sound from Seattle) shortly after 10:30.
For those that may have been wondering, the children made it all the way to Ellensburg, WA before receiving their first round of discipline for the trip. The missus and I managed another 100 miles (all the way to Seattle) before our first fight. Even after that, all is well and we survived our first (and only, I hope) 500 mile day.
Thanks for reading.
For those of you who have been following this blog from the beginning, you know that the 'destination' part of this trip is Seattle. The drive from Missoula to Seattle is ~475 miles; nevertheless, the original plan was to make the drive in a day. After covering over 2000 miles in 7 days, we thought we'd break that up into a two-day drive: spend some time in Couer d'Alene, ID (CDA) and stay in Spokane, WA.
We got a late start leaving Missoula. I've been purchasing post cards along the way and thought they might be better used to carry messages to our friends now instead of collecting dust on a shelf at home. We sat outside a local ice cream parlor (vacation means eating ice cream after breakfast) while I wrote half post cards. I really wanted to send them out with a Missoula post mark (have you ever recieved a post card from Missoula?). We finally got out of town right around noon.
We had a pleasant stop in CDA (classic car show, shopping, people watching, late lunch) and got back on the road again. We found ourselves in Spokane in early afternoon and decided to revert to the original plan and push on to Seattle. We made it all the way to my eldest sister's place on the Kitsap Peninsula (a ferry ride across the sound from Seattle) shortly after 10:30.
For those that may have been wondering, the children made it all the way to Ellensburg, WA before receiving their first round of discipline for the trip. The missus and I managed another 100 miles (all the way to Seattle) before our first fight. Even after that, all is well and we survived our first (and only, I hope) 500 mile day.
Thanks for reading.
Friday, June 12, 2009
No Bears
This morning signaled the end of our Yellowstone adventure. On the drive out of the park we saw (more) Bison, Elk, Swans, Pelicans, Deer, and a Grey Fox (I had such high hopes that it was a wolf). Though bears were spotted in our campgrounds more than once, we never got to see any (the missus claims not to feel slighted by this).
The long drive out of Yellowstone led us to Earthquake Lake in Montana. It's an interesting/heart-breaking story (thanks to Debbie M for the suggestion).
The afternoon drive saw us cross a couple milestones on our journey: between Butte and Missoula we went over 2000 miles; we've been on vacation for exactly one week today (1 down, 3 to go). When was the last time you drove 2000 miles in a week - and still had a smile on your face?
We had plans to stay with friends in Missoula, but found out en route that their youngest had the stomach bug. Not wanting to flirt with disaster, we decided to take it easy and spend a night in the hotel. The kids and I actually convinced the Missus to pick up a swimsuit at the local Target and we enjoyed a swim (+ soak in the hot tub) at the hotel pool.
It seems funny to say this considering we drove 320+ miles today, but it was a bit like a 'zero day' that hikers take. We did laundry, hung around at the hotel, and took it easy. Which reminds me that there's no time like the present for a shameless plug of the trail journal for my brother-in-law and nephew's (my oldest sister's husband and son). They're on the final leg of the 'triple crown' of long-distance trails (Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail). My nephew, who will turn 15 in November, will be the youngest person (that we know of) to have completed all 3.
Keeping in the vein of taking things easy, we've decided not to push on all 475 miles to Seattle tomorrow. Instead, we'll break up the drive by spending tomorrow night in Spokane (another 'zero'? perhaps).
Until then, thanks for reading.
The long drive out of Yellowstone led us to Earthquake Lake in Montana. It's an interesting/heart-breaking story (thanks to Debbie M for the suggestion).
The afternoon drive saw us cross a couple milestones on our journey: between Butte and Missoula we went over 2000 miles; we've been on vacation for exactly one week today (1 down, 3 to go). When was the last time you drove 2000 miles in a week - and still had a smile on your face?
We had plans to stay with friends in Missoula, but found out en route that their youngest had the stomach bug. Not wanting to flirt with disaster, we decided to take it easy and spend a night in the hotel. The kids and I actually convinced the Missus to pick up a swimsuit at the local Target and we enjoyed a swim (+ soak in the hot tub) at the hotel pool.
It seems funny to say this considering we drove 320+ miles today, but it was a bit like a 'zero day' that hikers take. We did laundry, hung around at the hotel, and took it easy. Which reminds me that there's no time like the present for a shameless plug of the trail journal for my brother-in-law and nephew's (my oldest sister's husband and son). They're on the final leg of the 'triple crown' of long-distance trails (Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail). My nephew, who will turn 15 in November, will be the youngest person (that we know of) to have completed all 3.
Keeping in the vein of taking things easy, we've decided not to push on all 475 miles to Seattle tomorrow. Instead, we'll break up the drive by spending tomorrow night in Spokane (another 'zero'? perhaps).
Until then, thanks for reading.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Geysers
Today was a big (geyser) day.
Twenty percent of the known geysers in the world reside within a comparatively small area of Yellowstone NP. That's a lot - to be sure - but I guess I'd never really thought about them being anywhere else in the world. For the record, most of the rest are scattered throughout Iceland, Kamchatka (Siberia), and New Zealand.
We got lucky this morning and timed our arrival within 15 minutes of an Old Faithful eruption. It was impressive; however, as is often the case when expectations are high, it wasn't quite as impressive as I expected. That being the case, the most obvious course of action was to proceed a half-mile down the path to the largest 'predictable' geyser in the world: Grand Geyser.
The geyser 'forecast' (they only predict the timing of a handful of 'reliable' geysers…you've probably noticed I've been putting a lot in 'quotes') called for an eruption "within 2 hours of 11:45." Following the short tour of other thermal activity that proceeded on the path from Old Faithful, we arrived at Grand Geyser at roughly 10:55. Since we were within the 2-hour window, we made ourselves comfortable (there were benches) and we waited. 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 1:00…by 1:00 p.m. the knowing glances from my dear, sweet, patient wife were becoming less humorous. Nevertheless, I stood steadfast and let her know that we'd be waiting for this no matter what…c'mon, it's the biggest…right?!
By 1:15 the crowd was getting larger and was getting plenty restless. We overheard a conversation between two groups of people sitting to our left who began to share stories about sitting in the rain the day prior only to leave disappointed. I asked when the scheduled eruption (the day prior) was to have taken place (within 2 hours of 3:30) and asked how long they stayed (1:30 to 6:30) only to leave without having seen the geyser erupt. I conceded to this missus that the chance of seeing an eruption was looking pretty slim. Already during our wait two other large geysers down the path (Daisy and Riverside) had erupted; how much more of the day was I willing to wait on a bench?
Dejected, I set off down the path to see the other items nearby - always turning my head back to Grand to make sure I wasn't missing anything. We wound up seeing some really interesting thermal features on our walk. Grotto Geyser was erupting the whole time we were in the vicinity. Its eruptions can be as brief as 90 minutes, or as lengthy as 12 hours! After making it all the way back down to Morning Glory pool we decided to double back toward Grand.
I had begun to think that we'd already missed it when we were out of site. However, as we approached again I saw that the crowd had swelled even further. The missus no longer had any interest in this 'predictable' geyser and really wanted to see one of the largest log cabin structures in the world (Old Faithful Inn). We agreed that she and the kids would go on to the inn and leave me to wait for another hour at Grand. However, as we got within a hundred yards of Grand we heard the crowd let out a collective gasp and cheer as the geyser finally erupted. We rushed on and got to see the 11-minute eruption in it's entirety. It was spectacular :) We later found out that this geyser hadn't erupted for more than 11 hours prior to the eruption we witnessed. Those of you who know me in real life can check out a one-minute movie of the eruption on my Facebook page.
We saw many other wonders during the course of the day, but we had the good fortune of catching Old Faithful erupt again as we were headed to the parking lot. I think I enjoyed the second time more than the first :)
Thanks for reading.
P.S. Okay, I'm sure to break this post-script habit soon, but I couldn't sign off without sharing my 'prediction' observation. During the course of the day I couldn't help but be reminded of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry goes to pick up the car rental he's 'reserved' only to find they've run out of cars. I think that 'predictability' would indicate that you could reasonably forecast an event with some accuracy in the same way that a 'reservation' holds the car.
Twenty percent of the known geysers in the world reside within a comparatively small area of Yellowstone NP. That's a lot - to be sure - but I guess I'd never really thought about them being anywhere else in the world. For the record, most of the rest are scattered throughout Iceland, Kamchatka (Siberia), and New Zealand.
We got lucky this morning and timed our arrival within 15 minutes of an Old Faithful eruption. It was impressive; however, as is often the case when expectations are high, it wasn't quite as impressive as I expected. That being the case, the most obvious course of action was to proceed a half-mile down the path to the largest 'predictable' geyser in the world: Grand Geyser.
The geyser 'forecast' (they only predict the timing of a handful of 'reliable' geysers…you've probably noticed I've been putting a lot in 'quotes') called for an eruption "within 2 hours of 11:45." Following the short tour of other thermal activity that proceeded on the path from Old Faithful, we arrived at Grand Geyser at roughly 10:55. Since we were within the 2-hour window, we made ourselves comfortable (there were benches) and we waited. 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 1:00…by 1:00 p.m. the knowing glances from my dear, sweet, patient wife were becoming less humorous. Nevertheless, I stood steadfast and let her know that we'd be waiting for this no matter what…c'mon, it's the biggest…right?!
By 1:15 the crowd was getting larger and was getting plenty restless. We overheard a conversation between two groups of people sitting to our left who began to share stories about sitting in the rain the day prior only to leave disappointed. I asked when the scheduled eruption (the day prior) was to have taken place (within 2 hours of 3:30) and asked how long they stayed (1:30 to 6:30) only to leave without having seen the geyser erupt. I conceded to this missus that the chance of seeing an eruption was looking pretty slim. Already during our wait two other large geysers down the path (Daisy and Riverside) had erupted; how much more of the day was I willing to wait on a bench?
Dejected, I set off down the path to see the other items nearby - always turning my head back to Grand to make sure I wasn't missing anything. We wound up seeing some really interesting thermal features on our walk. Grotto Geyser was erupting the whole time we were in the vicinity. Its eruptions can be as brief as 90 minutes, or as lengthy as 12 hours! After making it all the way back down to Morning Glory pool we decided to double back toward Grand.
I had begun to think that we'd already missed it when we were out of site. However, as we approached again I saw that the crowd had swelled even further. The missus no longer had any interest in this 'predictable' geyser and really wanted to see one of the largest log cabin structures in the world (Old Faithful Inn). We agreed that she and the kids would go on to the inn and leave me to wait for another hour at Grand. However, as we got within a hundred yards of Grand we heard the crowd let out a collective gasp and cheer as the geyser finally erupted. We rushed on and got to see the 11-minute eruption in it's entirety. It was spectacular :) We later found out that this geyser hadn't erupted for more than 11 hours prior to the eruption we witnessed. Those of you who know me in real life can check out a one-minute movie of the eruption on my Facebook page.
We saw many other wonders during the course of the day, but we had the good fortune of catching Old Faithful erupt again as we were headed to the parking lot. I think I enjoyed the second time more than the first :)
Thanks for reading.
P.S. Okay, I'm sure to break this post-script habit soon, but I couldn't sign off without sharing my 'prediction' observation. During the course of the day I couldn't help but be reminded of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry goes to pick up the car rental he's 'reserved' only to find they've run out of cars. I think that 'predictability' would indicate that you could reasonably forecast an event with some accuracy in the same way that a 'reservation' holds the car.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Yellowstone National Park
Yesterday saw us out of Utah, across the corner of Idaho, and into Wyoming. After an all-too-brief stop at the Grand Teton NP, we were off to Yellowstone.
For those of you who have never been here, Yellowstone is HUGE (2 million + acres). It was getting late (and dark) and the campground where we'd intended to stay was another 30 minutes down the road…so we stopped at the first available campground: Bridge Bay.
I should tell you that my idea of camping is to be in an area so remote that you seldom (if ever) see other campers. Knowing that we were coming to a park that boasts more than 3 million visitors a year, I knew this wouldn't be a possibility and I adjusted my expectations accordingly. Nevertheless, I'll have to do my best not to let my disappointment with our campground show to the rest of the family.
We made our way to the visitor center and got our fourth NP Passport stamp in four days (Mesa Verde, Arches, Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone). We picked up the requisite souvenirs and what turned out to be a fantastic guide book. Even though we're spending 3 nights in Yellowstone NP, we really only have 2 days to see the sights and we wanted to plan accordingly.
We decided to put off the 'big stuff' (geysers, Old Faithful, etc.) until tomorrow. With the idea of starting small and finishing big, we started off the day with foul-smelling, bubbling mud (Mud Volcano). Trust me, it's cooler than it sounds, but you get the picture: if you start out the day with the smell of rotten eggs, it can only get better from there…right? Well, it did. But we may have peaked too early, because both kids were completely tuckered out by 2:00 p.m. By 3:00, I heard a phrase I never expected to hear in my life: [from the boy, with dread and apprehension] "What, are we going to see another waterfall?!"
More adventures lay ahead, so we'll be sure to get plenty of rest tonight.
Until tomorrow, thanks for reading.
P.S. I don't want to say it was cold when we awoke in our tents this morning, but both tents and our car were snow-covered.
For those of you who have never been here, Yellowstone is HUGE (2 million + acres). It was getting late (and dark) and the campground where we'd intended to stay was another 30 minutes down the road…so we stopped at the first available campground: Bridge Bay.
I should tell you that my idea of camping is to be in an area so remote that you seldom (if ever) see other campers. Knowing that we were coming to a park that boasts more than 3 million visitors a year, I knew this wouldn't be a possibility and I adjusted my expectations accordingly. Nevertheless, I'll have to do my best not to let my disappointment with our campground show to the rest of the family.
We made our way to the visitor center and got our fourth NP Passport stamp in four days (Mesa Verde, Arches, Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone). We picked up the requisite souvenirs and what turned out to be a fantastic guide book. Even though we're spending 3 nights in Yellowstone NP, we really only have 2 days to see the sights and we wanted to plan accordingly.
We decided to put off the 'big stuff' (geysers, Old Faithful, etc.) until tomorrow. With the idea of starting small and finishing big, we started off the day with foul-smelling, bubbling mud (Mud Volcano). Trust me, it's cooler than it sounds, but you get the picture: if you start out the day with the smell of rotten eggs, it can only get better from there…right? Well, it did. But we may have peaked too early, because both kids were completely tuckered out by 2:00 p.m. By 3:00, I heard a phrase I never expected to hear in my life: [from the boy, with dread and apprehension] "What, are we going to see another waterfall?!"
More adventures lay ahead, so we'll be sure to get plenty of rest tonight.
Until tomorrow, thanks for reading.
P.S. I don't want to say it was cold when we awoke in our tents this morning, but both tents and our car were snow-covered.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Different Perspective
I find myself in the passenger's seat for the first time since we left Texas. The missus has graciously consented to drive for a while to allow me to catch up on 'stuff'.
I get a little antsy when I go a couple days without balancing the checkbook - even more so when I'm spending money across the country. After reconciling the books, I'm pleased to report we're well under budget thus far. Our frugal ways and exceptionally hospitable friends have been helpful in staying within our means.
Last night found us north of Salt Lake City - back on our scheduled itinerary. We enjoyed a meal at a local Tepanyaki Steak House. The family that joined us at our table had two young daughters (2 and 4). The oldest was so surprised when our chef lit the grill aflame that she held the Macaulay Culkin Home Alone pose for a solid 3 minutes.
[just overheard from the back seat, "this is the best car trip ever!"]
We're driving through some amazing country outside Logan, UT on our way to Yellowstone NP. I've been excited about our vacation for months, but I've eagerly anticipated visiting Yellowstone (and Crater Lake) more than any other place. I likely won't fire up the laptop for a few days, so my Yellowstone entries likely won't be posted 'til we make our way to Missoula, Montana on Friday night.
Until then, thanks again for reading.
P.S. We stopped at Bear Lake to switch Drivers. Wow! It was simply beautiful. The view was spectacular and the air smelled so sweet. Something tells me I may run out of superlatives on this trip.
I get a little antsy when I go a couple days without balancing the checkbook - even more so when I'm spending money across the country. After reconciling the books, I'm pleased to report we're well under budget thus far. Our frugal ways and exceptionally hospitable friends have been helpful in staying within our means.
Last night found us north of Salt Lake City - back on our scheduled itinerary. We enjoyed a meal at a local Tepanyaki Steak House. The family that joined us at our table had two young daughters (2 and 4). The oldest was so surprised when our chef lit the grill aflame that she held the Macaulay Culkin Home Alone pose for a solid 3 minutes.
[just overheard from the back seat, "this is the best car trip ever!"]
We're driving through some amazing country outside Logan, UT on our way to Yellowstone NP. I've been excited about our vacation for months, but I've eagerly anticipated visiting Yellowstone (and Crater Lake) more than any other place. I likely won't fire up the laptop for a few days, so my Yellowstone entries likely won't be posted 'til we make our way to Missoula, Montana on Friday night.
Until then, thanks again for reading.
P.S. We stopped at Bear Lake to switch Drivers. Wow! It was simply beautiful. The view was spectacular and the air smelled so sweet. Something tells me I may run out of superlatives on this trip.
Monday, June 8, 2009
An Experiment
I'm not sure how this will turn out, but I'm willing to give it a try...
[begin interview]
Me: Girl, my firstborn, what's been your favorite part of the trip so far?
Girl: I don't know...heh.
Me: Boy, my youngest, what about you?
Boy: Uh...my favorite part of the trip...hey! Don't write that!
Me: Answer my question!
Boy: I don't know. Getting to see the arch.
Me: The Delicate Arch?
Boy: Yes...are you really going to write all this?!
Girl: [insert evil laugh here]
Me: Don't laugh, I still want to know what you think girly girl.
Girl: I liked going to visit my friend in New Mexico.
Boy: Me too!
Me: Mama, what about you?
Mama: Zzzzz
Girl: What are travails anyway?
--
That's it for this first attempt. Let's hear from you. Thanks for reading.
[begin interview]
Me: Girl, my firstborn, what's been your favorite part of the trip so far?
Girl: I don't know...heh.
Me: Boy, my youngest, what about you?
Boy: Uh...my favorite part of the trip...hey! Don't write that!
Me: Answer my question!
Boy: I don't know. Getting to see the arch.
Me: The Delicate Arch?
Boy: Yes...are you really going to write all this?!
Girl: [insert evil laugh here]
Me: Don't laugh, I still want to know what you think girly girl.
Girl: I liked going to visit my friend in New Mexico.
Boy: Me too!
Me: Mama, what about you?
Mama: Zzzzz
Girl: What are travails anyway?
--
That's it for this first attempt. Let's hear from you. Thanks for reading.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Four Corners & Mesa Verde
We've begun to develop a pattern.
I don't regret all the time I spent in preparation. However, our trip to this point doesn't look like what we had on paper...and it's been wonderful. Continuing with the theme from the first couple days, we decided to adjust our plans and take a trip to Mesa Verde instead of going straight to Moab. We drove through Mesa Verde on our (only other) vacation in 2004. For whatever reason, we didn't have time to take a tour to the ruins. If memory serves me correctly, the girl managed to get in trouble during our brief visit to the park. I have a picture of her (age 6 at the time) with the cliff dwellings in the distant background and a particularly sour expression on her face. It was that picture I had in mind when I suggested to the missus that we divert to Cortez and finally tour the cliff dwellings. We're glad we did, and I'm glad I have a new picture to contrast the old.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that today heralded the first appearance of grumpy dad. It wasn't too bad, but I shut the munchkins down when they got rowdy (tickle fight) as I was navigating the switchbacks and 20-mph curves on our descent from Mesa Verde. All in all, we've managed to keep the peace though our first 850+ miles.
I'd normally let you know what the plan for tomorrow is, but I honestly don't know at this point. We'll check out Arches in the morning, but we haven't decided how to get to Yellowstone from there. We no longer plan to route our trip through Salt Lake City, maybe we'll check out Dinosaur National Monument instead. If you have ideas, I'd love to hear them.
Thanks again for reading.
I don't regret all the time I spent in preparation. However, our trip to this point doesn't look like what we had on paper...and it's been wonderful. Continuing with the theme from the first couple days, we decided to adjust our plans and take a trip to Mesa Verde instead of going straight to Moab. We drove through Mesa Verde on our (only other) vacation in 2004. For whatever reason, we didn't have time to take a tour to the ruins. If memory serves me correctly, the girl managed to get in trouble during our brief visit to the park. I have a picture of her (age 6 at the time) with the cliff dwellings in the distant background and a particularly sour expression on her face. It was that picture I had in mind when I suggested to the missus that we divert to Cortez and finally tour the cliff dwellings. We're glad we did, and I'm glad I have a new picture to contrast the old.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that today heralded the first appearance of grumpy dad. It wasn't too bad, but I shut the munchkins down when they got rowdy (tickle fight) as I was navigating the switchbacks and 20-mph curves on our descent from Mesa Verde. All in all, we've managed to keep the peace though our first 850+ miles.
I'd normally let you know what the plan for tomorrow is, but I honestly don't know at this point. We'll check out Arches in the morning, but we haven't decided how to get to Yellowstone from there. We no longer plan to route our trip through Salt Lake City, maybe we'll check out Dinosaur National Monument instead. If you have ideas, I'd love to hear them.
Thanks again for reading.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Tucumcari, Rio Rancho, and Aztec, NM
We are having big fun :)
After the 'kickoff meal' with the in-laws in Muleshoe, we've enjoyed 3 home-cooked meals in a row. My sister whipped up some biscuits with sausage-gravy for breakfast, my niece made pasta salad and kebabs for lunch, and the friends we're staying with tonight had a wonderful meal (salad, lasagna) waiting for us when we arrived this evening.
Side note: maybe for our next vacation we can just drive across the country and let friends and family feed us. Hmm...
We continue to remain flexible with our plans: our first two stops on this trip were to be Corona and Farmington, instead we've stayed in Tucumcari and Aztec - and it's been better than anything I could have planned.
We went down to the local river walk after dinner this evening. We watched a rushing river, skipped rocks, and checked out the local talent at the skate park. For those of you who ever find yourself in this part of New Mexico, I highly recommend Aztec. It's a happening little town.
Starting tomorrow we move to the 'touristy' phase of the trip. We'll go to a national park, spend the night in a hotel, and probably have to pay for our own food :)
The rest of the family have begun writing in their journals. I'll see if I can get them to share their perspectives tomorrow.
Thanks for reading.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Flexibility Is Key
We left Lubbock at 6:30 this evening. Kudos to Mitch (and M & M Tire) for working diligently to get our car to us in time (we really appreciate you). In addition to leaving town a little later than planned, we've already changed our itinerary. Instead of heading to Corona, we're on our way to spend the night with my sister in Tucumcari, NM.
I'm writing this from the road; as I was writing the last sentence my son (aka "the boy") began to shriek. He was standing up in the (very cramped) back seat, doing a dance, and gasping, "Spider! Spider!" After he was able to muster enough courage to smash it (with his hand) we enjoyed our first hearty laugh of the trip.
We'll have dinner at Leal's in Muleshoe, then it's on to Tucumcari.
If you're reading this and you have suggestions or travel tips, I'd love to hear them. Please leave a comment below.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Enjoy The Ride (or 'Whistle While You Work')
I've been thinking about preparation.
I've been doing a fair bit of preparing:
- preparing for our vacation
- preparing a budget
- preparing our house-sitters (thanks! we couldn't do it without you)
- preparing to turn over work projects to co-workers
I've stayed up late and risen early in the morning to ensure we're 'prepared' for our trip. Take on the stress now so we have a pleasant trip. Delayed gratification...you get the picture.
All of this has got me thinking about the point of all this preparing. I don't want to fall into the trap of "I'll be happy when..." or "life would be great, if only..."
I pray for the wisdom and vision to be able to see the blessings (yes, even in chaos) that each day brings. One of my favorite Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes is:
The invariable mark of wisdom is the ability to see the miraculous in the common.
I'm not saying anything new; I'm just (consciously) remembering that the point is the journey. Even though I'm still in Lubbock, I'm on the journey already. I guess I won't wait to start enjoying the ride.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
More Sandwiches?
I took the car in to my mechanic today for an oil change and an inspection prior to the big trip. An oil change, a timing belt, and new brakes all around...looks like we'll be eating a few more sandwiches on the road than originally intended.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Three Days...
It's less than 72 hours 'til we leave on our 12-state, 5800-mile odyssey - and I'm nowhere near ready. Okay, maybe that's a stretch...I'm close...let's just say that there won't be a lot of leisure hours between now and Friday afternoon.
Who knew vacationing could be so much work?
I began planning this trip around Christmas-time last year. The Ware Family has only prior vacation under our belts (Summer 2004) so we're due for another. We've been saving for awhile (as to avoid the debt trap of '04...but let's not talk about that now) so at Christmas I said to the missus:
Me: We can go anywhere in the US that we can reach by car. Where do you want to go?
Missus: Seattle
Me: Really?!
Seattle's a great town and all, but those of you that know me know that I'm there every 4-6 weeks for work. I guess the tales of my travels piqued her interest - so Seattle it was.
It started out as a respectable three-week trip and has evolved into a month-long working vacation. It didn't take long to realize that the tension of being in the city where I do a lot of work for over a week without doing any work might cause some tension. So I decided to squeeze in a few days of work and strech the trip out another week.
As you've undoubtedly surmised, I've finally given in and started blogging. I've thought about blogging at work for some time now, but I thought it might be easier to begin having this conversation with friends. I started to say 'one-sided conversation' - then I realized that I don't just want to broadcast, I want to hear from you as well. Feel free to add your comments below.
My intent is to post frequent updates while we're traveling and to back off to a more sporadic schedule upon our return. I'm going to buy journals for the missus, the girl, and the boy prior to the trip. Hopefully I can persuade them to share some of their writings here as well.
Thanks for reading this all the way to the end :)
JDubFromTheHub
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