Home
We finally made it home after 21 days, 17 states, 766 gallons of gas and about 8,000 miles of driving. The whole trip has been wonderful, exceeding all of our expectations. It is very hard to pick out a few highlights, and the real highlights are the shared experiences that we have had together and with others. The times that we got to surf together, build robots together, laugh together and sit in quiet awe together are priceless. Getting to spend a little time catching up with family and friends was really a treat as well. It has been well worth the time, effort, and money; and I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Some people have asked us if there were low-lights or things we would do differently if we did it all over again. There are a few, but they are minor. We would have skipped Vegas. It was expensive, hot, and didn’t offer much family activities, while exposed us to a lot of very non-family images. We also would have planned to save up a little more money for groceries. We had assumed that our regular grocery budget would be fine, but found that we had to purchase a lot of stuff at higher prices for convenience. We also should have planned on spending more money for souvenirs, and for eating out. We planned to eat in most of the time, but also really wanted to try the local restaurants. We had a rule that we couldn’t eat at any place where we had eaten before, and it turned out to be really fun. We also should have planned on driving more miles. We planned for about 6,200 miles, and really drove 8,000 due to driving around in different destinations. As I mentioned before though, that was off-set by our better than expected gas-mileage (over 10 mpg), and our better than expected fuel prices ($3.00 average).
If that’s all we can come up with for low-lights, then we were very blessed!
There are also a lot of things that we are really glad that we did do and bring. Taking the time every morning to read the Bible and pray was essential for guidance and overall well-being. He’s in control, and we counted on Him every single step of the way. We are also thankful that we brought Gladys for a different kind of guidance. We never wondered where we were, and never argued about how to get somewhere or missing an exit. She always knew where there was a Wal-Mart or a Laundromat, and showed us up to the second progress along the way. The motorhome itself was really the right way to do this kind of trip. We considered using a van and staying at hotels, or pulling a trailer, or even flying west and then renting; but having our home with us all along the way was truly ideal. Having internet service using Verizon Wireless’ “BraodBand Access” was very helpful for checking email, updating the blog, finding points of interest, and uploading pictures was really helpful. Speaking of uploading pictures, we sent all of our pictures to Flickr so that others could see them right away, and so that they would be safe in case the laptop got lost or stolen or broken. That really helped me have peace of mind that we wouldn’t lose all of our valuable pictures. Being together all the time was really the best thing of all. As we were almost home, we talked about not feeling too home-sick even after such a long time away. It was because we were all together that we really didn’t feel like there was much missing.
This was the trip of a lifetime, and we will carry these memories together forever.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Springfield
After leaving St. Louis late in the evening, Springfield, Il was a convenient place to stop for the night, and we really wanted to visit Abraham Lincoln’s house.
It was certainly worth the visit. Our 16th president was certainly a great man, and it was very interesting to gain some insight into his life. His farewell address to the people of Springfield as he left for the presidency was especially moving.
After touring the house and learning more about the man, we headed down to a park to have lunch and debrief before heading for home.
After leaving St. Louis late in the evening, Springfield, Il was a convenient place to stop for the night, and we really wanted to visit Abraham Lincoln’s house.
It was certainly worth the visit. Our 16th president was certainly a great man, and it was very interesting to gain some insight into his life. His farewell address to the people of Springfield as he left for the presidency was especially moving.
After touring the house and learning more about the man, we headed down to a park to have lunch and debrief before heading for home.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
St. Louis
We made our way all the way across Kansas, and Missouri, stopping in St. Louis late at night. After a restful sleep at the Wal-Mart, we headed down to the Science Center. I was really impressed with the St. Louis Science Center! Admission is free, and there is a ton of hands-on stuff that the kids (all five) really enjoyed. They also have some really cool demonstrations throughout the day that are fantastic. The demonstrators are fun, engaging, and very knowledgeable about the science of what they are demonstrating.
The one thing that we did pay for was the Lego Mindstorms activity. My son and I paid $3 to participate in a 7 person class where he built, programmed, and competed with a robot. He even won the tournament at the end of class!
Even the gift shop at the science center was reasonable. They had lots of relevant stuff to what we had learned about, and it was surprisingly not overpriced.
After seeing every demonstration, and almost all of the exhibits, we moved on to see the Gateway Arch. It turns out that there is parking specifically for RVs (and busses) right along the river, just south of the arch, which was really great. The short walk to the arch was nice on the perfect summer day, and we headed right in to the underground exhibits. The western history information was extensive, and we could have spent a long time learning about Louis and Clark, the Louisiana purchase, and other relevant information about westward expansion, but really just gave it a cursory look. We had wanted to take the tram to the top of the arch, but the only posted prices were $14 per person. It turns out though that the $14 price is a combo deal that includes one of the movies that play there, so I asked about a tram-only price and found out that it’s $10 for adults and $6 for kids. Furthermore, the prices all include a $3 national park fee, which we don’t have to pay because we have a National Parks Pass. So anyway, we initially thought we wouldn’t get to go to the top because it would cost $70, but it ended up being $27, so we went. It was worth it, and I highly recommend it to anyone.
By the time we were done at the Arch, it was getting late, so we decided not to cook dinner, but go out instead. We walked over to the Old Spaghetti Factory for some good family dining. Finally, we walked back to the RV and hit the road, telling Gladys for the first time to plot a route home. We knew we wouldn’t make it very far before getting too tired, but that’s the direction we’re heading now. We made it as far as Springfield, Il where we overnighted at Wal-Mart again, and plan to check out Abe’s house.
We made our way all the way across Kansas, and Missouri, stopping in St. Louis late at night. After a restful sleep at the Wal-Mart, we headed down to the Science Center. I was really impressed with the St. Louis Science Center! Admission is free, and there is a ton of hands-on stuff that the kids (all five) really enjoyed. They also have some really cool demonstrations throughout the day that are fantastic. The demonstrators are fun, engaging, and very knowledgeable about the science of what they are demonstrating.
The one thing that we did pay for was the Lego Mindstorms activity. My son and I paid $3 to participate in a 7 person class where he built, programmed, and competed with a robot. He even won the tournament at the end of class!
Even the gift shop at the science center was reasonable. They had lots of relevant stuff to what we had learned about, and it was surprisingly not overpriced.
After seeing every demonstration, and almost all of the exhibits, we moved on to see the Gateway Arch. It turns out that there is parking specifically for RVs (and busses) right along the river, just south of the arch, which was really great. The short walk to the arch was nice on the perfect summer day, and we headed right in to the underground exhibits. The western history information was extensive, and we could have spent a long time learning about Louis and Clark, the Louisiana purchase, and other relevant information about westward expansion, but really just gave it a cursory look. We had wanted to take the tram to the top of the arch, but the only posted prices were $14 per person. It turns out though that the $14 price is a combo deal that includes one of the movies that play there, so I asked about a tram-only price and found out that it’s $10 for adults and $6 for kids. Furthermore, the prices all include a $3 national park fee, which we don’t have to pay because we have a National Parks Pass. So anyway, we initially thought we wouldn’t get to go to the top because it would cost $70, but it ended up being $27, so we went. It was worth it, and I highly recommend it to anyone.
By the time we were done at the Arch, it was getting late, so we decided not to cook dinner, but go out instead. We walked over to the Old Spaghetti Factory for some good family dining. Finally, we walked back to the RV and hit the road, telling Gladys for the first time to plot a route home. We knew we wouldn’t make it very far before getting too tired, but that’s the direction we’re heading now. We made it as far as Springfield, Il where we overnighted at Wal-Mart again, and plan to check out Abe’s house.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Denver
We rolled in to Golden, Colorado late Saturday night and found the Wal-Mart to park for the night and to buy essentials. This store was a little harder to find because it looks different from the outside. There’s a lot more trees and the exterior matches the other buildings in the area. There must be some law that you have to have a certain architecture because even the McDonalds looked this way.
In the morning, I got on-line to try and find a Church to attend. We ended up at the new Mesa View Evangelical Free Church. It was very small, and very friendly. I think every person there greeted us at least once, and really engaged us in conversation. The worship was great, and the message was practical and challenging. One of the elders (in flip-flops and a bright Hawaiian shirt) gave us some advice for how to ascend Mount Evans, which came in handy the next day.
After Church, we dropped in on some family on short notice, and they were very gracious. They have a beautiful home in the mountains, and it was a blast to visit with them and catch up. She cooked up a phenomenal Italian dish for lunch that everyone enjoyed, then we took some pictures and continued on our way.
Mount Evans boasts the highest paved road in North America, though it’s not really accessible with a 29’ motorhome. We got there late in the afternoon, and thunderstorms prevented an immediate ascent, so we camped at the campground near Echo Lake, and made our attempt first thing Monday morning. We drove up to Summit Lake at 12,800 feet and parked the RV, setting out on foot by 8:00. Our oldest and I climbed the 1,400 feet up to the 14,288 foot peak.
It was a very difficult climb, and we almost gave up several times, taking frequent breaks and making modest goals to encourage each other to press on. Being accustomed to near sea-level, we were really struggling, and so when we got back to the bottom, we bought souvenir t-shirts that say “Got Oxygen?”
After conquering our fouteener, we headed in to Denver proper to get some coffee (I was out of my home-roast, and there’s a Peet’s store) and to eat out. I looked on wikitravel again, and found Tommy’s Thai in the budget listings (I even updated the listing because there was a typo in the address). We hadn’t had Thai yet, so this seemed like a good idea. Was it ever! The restaurant was the best. Very good food, very good service, very nice décor, and the prices were very reasonable. I would highly recommend this place to anyone. Even the kids liked it.
Finally, we stopped at Flying J on the way out of Denver to dump our tanks, and fill up on water and gas. Now we are on our way toward St. Louis.
We rolled in to Golden, Colorado late Saturday night and found the Wal-Mart to park for the night and to buy essentials. This store was a little harder to find because it looks different from the outside. There’s a lot more trees and the exterior matches the other buildings in the area. There must be some law that you have to have a certain architecture because even the McDonalds looked this way.
In the morning, I got on-line to try and find a Church to attend. We ended up at the new Mesa View Evangelical Free Church. It was very small, and very friendly. I think every person there greeted us at least once, and really engaged us in conversation. The worship was great, and the message was practical and challenging. One of the elders (in flip-flops and a bright Hawaiian shirt) gave us some advice for how to ascend Mount Evans, which came in handy the next day.
After Church, we dropped in on some family on short notice, and they were very gracious. They have a beautiful home in the mountains, and it was a blast to visit with them and catch up. She cooked up a phenomenal Italian dish for lunch that everyone enjoyed, then we took some pictures and continued on our way.
Mount Evans boasts the highest paved road in North America, though it’s not really accessible with a 29’ motorhome. We got there late in the afternoon, and thunderstorms prevented an immediate ascent, so we camped at the campground near Echo Lake, and made our attempt first thing Monday morning. We drove up to Summit Lake at 12,800 feet and parked the RV, setting out on foot by 8:00. Our oldest and I climbed the 1,400 feet up to the 14,288 foot peak.
It was a very difficult climb, and we almost gave up several times, taking frequent breaks and making modest goals to encourage each other to press on. Being accustomed to near sea-level, we were really struggling, and so when we got back to the bottom, we bought souvenir t-shirts that say “Got Oxygen?”
After conquering our fouteener, we headed in to Denver proper to get some coffee (I was out of my home-roast, and there’s a Peet’s store) and to eat out. I looked on wikitravel again, and found Tommy’s Thai in the budget listings (I even updated the listing because there was a typo in the address). We hadn’t had Thai yet, so this seemed like a good idea. Was it ever! The restaurant was the best. Very good food, very good service, very nice décor, and the prices were very reasonable. I would highly recommend this place to anyone. Even the kids liked it.
Finally, we stopped at Flying J on the way out of Denver to dump our tanks, and fill up on water and gas. Now we are on our way toward St. Louis.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Utah
… and New Mexico, and Arizona, and Colorado all at the same time. That’s right, we took a little side trip to the four-corners. There is not much there except the small monument with a marker in the middle. It’s a fun place to be because everyone is giggling and joking about being in different states than everyone else. We took a couple pictures, bought some Indian trinkets and continued on. Here’s a picture of the kids losing a game of twister … Right foot Arizona?!?
From there, we decided that it would be cool to see Arches National Park, so we headed north and a little bit back west to arrive late at night. It was hot and tough to sleep; there wasn’t enough gas in the tank to run the generator, and I was too lazy to drive down the street to get more until morning. On a side note, I discovered that there is an elevation adjustment on our generator. Some of you may be surprised that I didn’t know that before, but it sure explains some of the problems we were having in the mountains. At around 8,000 feet near the grand canyon, it wasn’t working even though we had plenty of gas, so I went out to tinker with it and discovered a little knob graduated between 0 and 10,000 feet. It was turned all the way down, and when I turned it to 8,000, the thing worked great!
In the morning, after filling up with Gas, we headed into the park, and did some great bouldering together as a family. It was a blast. Seeing the arches and balanced rocks was cool too. Morning was the time to be there because by noon, it started to get hot and get busy. We even got to see a big jack-rabbit, which apparently is a rare site during the day.
After the park, we went back into Moab to visit the Laundromat, shower, and drain our tanks. Now we’re on the road again towards Denver.
… and New Mexico, and Arizona, and Colorado all at the same time. That’s right, we took a little side trip to the four-corners. There is not much there except the small monument with a marker in the middle. It’s a fun place to be because everyone is giggling and joking about being in different states than everyone else. We took a couple pictures, bought some Indian trinkets and continued on. Here’s a picture of the kids losing a game of twister … Right foot Arizona?!?
From there, we decided that it would be cool to see Arches National Park, so we headed north and a little bit back west to arrive late at night. It was hot and tough to sleep; there wasn’t enough gas in the tank to run the generator, and I was too lazy to drive down the street to get more until morning. On a side note, I discovered that there is an elevation adjustment on our generator. Some of you may be surprised that I didn’t know that before, but it sure explains some of the problems we were having in the mountains. At around 8,000 feet near the grand canyon, it wasn’t working even though we had plenty of gas, so I went out to tinker with it and discovered a little knob graduated between 0 and 10,000 feet. It was turned all the way down, and when I turned it to 8,000, the thing worked great!
In the morning, after filling up with Gas, we headed into the park, and did some great bouldering together as a family. It was a blast. Seeing the arches and balanced rocks was cool too. Morning was the time to be there because by noon, it started to get hot and get busy. We even got to see a big jack-rabbit, which apparently is a rare site during the day.
After the park, we went back into Moab to visit the Laundromat, shower, and drain our tanks. Now we’re on the road again towards Denver.
Grand Canyon
We talked to a person in Vegas who tried to sell us a helicopter tour of the grand canyon, and it was pretty appealing, but way too much money. So before we left town, I checked out wiki travel for some canyon info, and found a link to Air Grand Canyon. Their airplane tour was just within our budget, so we decided to book the 8:00 flight for the next day (Friday). When we got to the canyon, it was dinner time, so we decided to find a comfortable parking lot and hunker down for the night. By the time we were ready to eat, it was almost sunset, so we put dinner on the back-burner, and walked over to the rim to watch.
The next morning, we headed the short drive over to the airport to get our air tour. We were not disappointed! The guys at Air Grand Canyon were the best! Our oldest got to sit in the co-pilot’s seat, and the pilot let her taxi the plane briefly after we landed while he took a picture of her. The tour was perfect, not too long or too short and seeing everything that we wanted to see. The pilot was very knowledgeable, and pointed out the major features. I can’t see why anyone would pay more for a helicopter tour since they can’t go below the rim anyway.
We talked to a person in Vegas who tried to sell us a helicopter tour of the grand canyon, and it was pretty appealing, but way too much money. So before we left town, I checked out wiki travel for some canyon info, and found a link to Air Grand Canyon. Their airplane tour was just within our budget, so we decided to book the 8:00 flight for the next day (Friday). When we got to the canyon, it was dinner time, so we decided to find a comfortable parking lot and hunker down for the night. By the time we were ready to eat, it was almost sunset, so we put dinner on the back-burner, and walked over to the rim to watch.
The next morning, we headed the short drive over to the airport to get our air tour. We were not disappointed! The guys at Air Grand Canyon were the best! Our oldest got to sit in the co-pilot’s seat, and the pilot let her taxi the plane briefly after we landed while he took a picture of her. The tour was perfect, not too long or too short and seeing everything that we wanted to see. The pilot was very knowledgeable, and pointed out the major features. I can’t see why anyone would pay more for a helicopter tour since they can’t go below the rim anyway.
Sin City
Once in Las Vegas, we set out to find the best family-friendly things to do. With the Aquarium at Mandalay Bay, the Tigers at MGM, Dolphins at the Mirage, and Circus acts at Circus Circus, we had high hopes. It turns out that everything costs a lot of money though, so we didn’t see the Aquarium or the Dolphins. The lion exhibit was closed, so all we really caught was a couple circus acts (a clown, an acrobat, and a juggler). It was really hot, so it was good that the RV was plugged in back at the KOA with the air conditioner running all day. We didn’t want to walk in the 103 heat, so we purchased passes on the “Deuce” double-decker bus. This turned out to be of little value because they were infrequent, and often too full to pick us up. We did enjoy a couple of the free outdoor shows. The Volcano at the Mirage was really cool, and the Pirate show at Treasure Island was impressive, but a little too blue to be called family-friendly. Even the food was more expensive than we expected, and the buffet that we had dinner at was not any better than Old Country Buffet back home. We did enjoy some of the stores, especially the m&m store, the Coke store, and the FAO Schwartz. The m&m store was many levels high, and was worth going to the top because they had a cool 3D movie theater that we got to experience. The Coke store was the best place for a modest t-shirt, a refreshing beverage, and some pictures. Finally, the FAO Schwartz store was cool, with the classic floor piano, and a three-story Trojan horse.
Overall, we were dissapointed with Vegas, and would not recommend it to anyone, though now we can truely say that we've been there, done that, and have the t-shirt!
Once in Las Vegas, we set out to find the best family-friendly things to do. With the Aquarium at Mandalay Bay, the Tigers at MGM, Dolphins at the Mirage, and Circus acts at Circus Circus, we had high hopes. It turns out that everything costs a lot of money though, so we didn’t see the Aquarium or the Dolphins. The lion exhibit was closed, so all we really caught was a couple circus acts (a clown, an acrobat, and a juggler). It was really hot, so it was good that the RV was plugged in back at the KOA with the air conditioner running all day. We didn’t want to walk in the 103 heat, so we purchased passes on the “Deuce” double-decker bus. This turned out to be of little value because they were infrequent, and often too full to pick us up. We did enjoy a couple of the free outdoor shows. The Volcano at the Mirage was really cool, and the Pirate show at Treasure Island was impressive, but a little too blue to be called family-friendly. Even the food was more expensive than we expected, and the buffet that we had dinner at was not any better than Old Country Buffet back home. We did enjoy some of the stores, especially the m&m store, the Coke store, and the FAO Schwartz. The m&m store was many levels high, and was worth going to the top because they had a cool 3D movie theater that we got to experience. The Coke store was the best place for a modest t-shirt, a refreshing beverage, and some pictures. Finally, the FAO Schwartz store was cool, with the classic floor piano, and a three-story Trojan horse.
Overall, we were dissapointed with Vegas, and would not recommend it to anyone, though now we can truely say that we've been there, done that, and have the t-shirt!
Big Trees
Sequoia National Park was really cool. The big trees are really something to see; There’s no way to understand until you’re there. To get a sense for it though, here’s a picture. Can you spot the kids sitting on the fence at the base of these trees?
We didn’t spend much time in Sequoia, and continued on to Las Vegas. We rolled in to the city at about 1:30 in the morning, and decided to cruise the strip before sacking out at Wal-Mart. In the morning, we headed back down to Circus-Circus, where there is a KOA on site where we could plug in the RV and take care of other essential tasks.
Sequoia National Park was really cool. The big trees are really something to see; There’s no way to understand until you’re there. To get a sense for it though, here’s a picture. Can you spot the kids sitting on the fence at the base of these trees?
We didn’t spend much time in Sequoia, and continued on to Las Vegas. We rolled in to the city at about 1:30 in the morning, and decided to cruise the strip before sacking out at Wal-Mart. In the morning, we headed back down to Circus-Circus, where there is a KOA on site where we could plug in the RV and take care of other essential tasks.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Progress
We've turned the corner now, and are heading back East. It's been about a week and a half, so we're right on track. We've also used about half of our fuel budget, so we're on target there too. We had planned on getting 8.5 mpg, and paying $3.19 per gallon, but we're getting closer to 9.5 mpg and paying closer to $3.00 per gallon. Those factors make up for the fact that we're driving way more miles than we had planned on. We're up to about 4,800 miles so far and we had planned on about 6,200 total (or about 3,300 up to this point).
This trip has really been exceeding our expectations, and we are really experiencing a lot of new and exciting things.
We've turned the corner now, and are heading back East. It's been about a week and a half, so we're right on track. We've also used about half of our fuel budget, so we're on target there too. We had planned on getting 8.5 mpg, and paying $3.19 per gallon, but we're getting closer to 9.5 mpg and paying closer to $3.00 per gallon. Those factors make up for the fact that we're driving way more miles than we had planned on. We're up to about 4,800 miles so far and we had planned on about 6,200 total (or about 3,300 up to this point).
This trip has really been exceeding our expectations, and we are really experiencing a lot of new and exciting things.
Santa Cruz
We drove the RV down to Santa Cruz to find the Santa Cruz Surf School because our 15 year old wants to play in the big waves. We chose this particular school because it was the only one that had it's schedule listed on-line, so we could get in on such short notice. We filled in the registration form on Sunday night, and they called me on Monday morning to verify that we really wanted to surf that same day. Everyone there was fun, knowledgeable, and professional; I'd recommend it to anyone. After a brief land-lesson, we carried our boards down to the beach and started paddling out. They warned us that it was an exceptionally big-wave day, and it was a lot more work than I thought it would be, but I was able to ride several waves in. They encourage you to ride in the first few in an "arch" position to get a feel for controlling the board without worrying about trying to stand up. After a while, one of the instructors helped me catch a good wave, and I was able to stand up and ride it in almost as if I knew what I was doing! That was enough of an accomplishment for me, and I quit while I was ahead. I was starting to feel a little sick from the combination of cheese-dogs, salt water, exertion, and wave action. Here's a picture of the two of us after we finished up our lesson time.
After surfing, we headed back to the RV to get changed, and then walked down to the Showgun Japanese restaurant. I really wanted to get some Sushi while we were on the west coast, and was not disappointed. The rolls were good, and the nigiri was huge! The kids had teriaki, of course, and Sam made a big deal about the sushi being gross. ;-)
Finally, it was back to the rig, and on the road toward sequoia National Park to see the big trees. We only drove until about 11:00 and sacked out in the Wal-Mart in Los Banos. Tomorrow, we'll see the big trees!
We drove the RV down to Santa Cruz to find the Santa Cruz Surf School because our 15 year old wants to play in the big waves. We chose this particular school because it was the only one that had it's schedule listed on-line, so we could get in on such short notice. We filled in the registration form on Sunday night, and they called me on Monday morning to verify that we really wanted to surf that same day. Everyone there was fun, knowledgeable, and professional; I'd recommend it to anyone. After a brief land-lesson, we carried our boards down to the beach and started paddling out. They warned us that it was an exceptionally big-wave day, and it was a lot more work than I thought it would be, but I was able to ride several waves in. They encourage you to ride in the first few in an "arch" position to get a feel for controlling the board without worrying about trying to stand up. After a while, one of the instructors helped me catch a good wave, and I was able to stand up and ride it in almost as if I knew what I was doing! That was enough of an accomplishment for me, and I quit while I was ahead. I was starting to feel a little sick from the combination of cheese-dogs, salt water, exertion, and wave action. Here's a picture of the two of us after we finished up our lesson time.
After surfing, we headed back to the RV to get changed, and then walked down to the Showgun Japanese restaurant. I really wanted to get some Sushi while we were on the west coast, and was not disappointed. The rolls were good, and the nigiri was huge! The kids had teriaki, of course, and Sam made a big deal about the sushi being gross. ;-)
Finally, it was back to the rig, and on the road toward sequoia National Park to see the big trees. We only drove until about 11:00 and sacked out in the Wal-Mart in Los Banos. Tomorrow, we'll see the big trees!
San Francisco
With the wise advice of our family members in the area, we decided to BART in to the city. We parked the RV at the North Berkeley BART station, and bought cards for everyone. The kids were very excited, because they had never ridden a subway before. It was a long walk from the Embacadero station down to Pier 39, but we got there without too much trouble. The kids were hungry, and since they don't like sea food, we got them some Stinkin' Pizza.
We really enjoyed Pier 39, especially the sea Lions and the aquarium. They had some animals that you could touch in there, which the kids really thought was cool. Here's a picture of a shark getting petted.
We also visited Ghiradelli square, and China town, riding a street car between the two.
We stopped at the REI store in Berkeley to buy a little tripod for our camera, and asked one of the people there about surf schools in the area. She advised that we go down to Santa Cruz for surf, so that's what we'll do tomorrow!
With the wise advice of our family members in the area, we decided to BART in to the city. We parked the RV at the North Berkeley BART station, and bought cards for everyone. The kids were very excited, because they had never ridden a subway before. It was a long walk from the Embacadero station down to Pier 39, but we got there without too much trouble. The kids were hungry, and since they don't like sea food, we got them some Stinkin' Pizza.
We really enjoyed Pier 39, especially the sea Lions and the aquarium. They had some animals that you could touch in there, which the kids really thought was cool. Here's a picture of a shark getting petted.
We also visited Ghiradelli square, and China town, riding a street car between the two.
We stopped at the REI store in Berkeley to buy a little tripod for our camera, and asked one of the people there about surf schools in the area. She advised that we go down to Santa Cruz for surf, so that's what we'll do tomorrow!
Saturday, August 05, 2006
California
It was a very long drive from Yellowstone to California. We actually stopped just short of Reno, NV and slept for a few hours before continuing on to Grass Valley, CA. I have some family in Grass Valley, and we called them from about 10 minutes away at 8:30 in the morning to see if we could stop by and see them. They were enthusiastic about our visit, and even made breakfast for us! They were a real treat to see, one of the highlights of the trip!
After leaving them, we proceeded on to the bay area with our first stop being the John Muir national monument but found out that Saturday afternoon is not the time to visit. The small parking lot was full, and there was no where to park within several miles, so we decided to skip it. We ate lunch in the RV, and then headed out to find a place to stay for the night. City Ordinances prohibit staying in Wal-Mart parking lots, so we had to find a campground. The one we settled on is in Napa, and will be so much more comfortable.
Tomorrow, we'll head into the city to see Pier 39 and other touristy things.
It was a very long drive from Yellowstone to California. We actually stopped just short of Reno, NV and slept for a few hours before continuing on to Grass Valley, CA. I have some family in Grass Valley, and we called them from about 10 minutes away at 8:30 in the morning to see if we could stop by and see them. They were enthusiastic about our visit, and even made breakfast for us! They were a real treat to see, one of the highlights of the trip!
After leaving them, we proceeded on to the bay area with our first stop being the John Muir national monument but found out that Saturday afternoon is not the time to visit. The small parking lot was full, and there was no where to park within several miles, so we decided to skip it. We ate lunch in the RV, and then headed out to find a place to stay for the night. City Ordinances prohibit staying in Wal-Mart parking lots, so we had to find a campground. The one we settled on is in Napa, and will be so much more comfortable.
Tomorrow, we'll head into the city to see Pier 39 and other touristy things.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Yellowstone
Unfortunately, my internet connection here at Yellowstone National Park is really slow, so I'm not uploading any pictures this time. We are really enjoying the park though.
From Mount Rushmore, we headed west toward Yellowstone and the mountains. We have been seeing a lot of bikers on their way to Sturgis for bike week. Anyway, the mountains are a real treat. It's not a lot of fun to drive the RV through, but the views have been spectacular! We got as far as Cody, WY and stayed in the Wal-Mart with all the other motorhomes. First thing in the morning on Wednesday, we headed into the park and got a campsite in the Grant Village.
Yellowstone is beautiful! After some relaxing and napping, we got the bikes down, and rode about 3 miles over to a nice thermal area to see some of the features. There is certainly a lot of stuff that none of us have seen (or smelled) before. After getting back to camp, I decided to make dinner, and baked some chicken breasts, prepared a cream sauce with a little sautéed onions, garlic, and mushroom. Not really camp food, but we're enjoying having the everything including the kitchen sink with us. We even enjoyed a bottle of white wine with dinner. After all that, we were ready to turn in, and enjoyed another restful night’s sleep. It was a little chilly by morning though, as the overnight low was in the 30’s, but the furnace took the chill off quickly.
With a pretty early start, we headed over to Old Faithful, saw some paint pots, and proceeded to meet some friends at the swimming area in Firehole River. The rapids are a blast to float through and the water is nice. After that, we continued around the south loop, and saw some more thermal features and wildlife. Finally, ending the day with packing up, and getting ready to leave first thing tomorrow. California here we come!
Unfortunately, my internet connection here at Yellowstone National Park is really slow, so I'm not uploading any pictures this time. We are really enjoying the park though.
From Mount Rushmore, we headed west toward Yellowstone and the mountains. We have been seeing a lot of bikers on their way to Sturgis for bike week. Anyway, the mountains are a real treat. It's not a lot of fun to drive the RV through, but the views have been spectacular! We got as far as Cody, WY and stayed in the Wal-Mart with all the other motorhomes. First thing in the morning on Wednesday, we headed into the park and got a campsite in the Grant Village.
Yellowstone is beautiful! After some relaxing and napping, we got the bikes down, and rode about 3 miles over to a nice thermal area to see some of the features. There is certainly a lot of stuff that none of us have seen (or smelled) before. After getting back to camp, I decided to make dinner, and baked some chicken breasts, prepared a cream sauce with a little sautéed onions, garlic, and mushroom. Not really camp food, but we're enjoying having the everything including the kitchen sink with us. We even enjoyed a bottle of white wine with dinner. After all that, we were ready to turn in, and enjoyed another restful night’s sleep. It was a little chilly by morning though, as the overnight low was in the 30’s, but the furnace took the chill off quickly.
With a pretty early start, we headed over to Old Faithful, saw some paint pots, and proceeded to meet some friends at the swimming area in Firehole River. The rapids are a blast to float through and the water is nice. After that, we continued around the south loop, and saw some more thermal features and wildlife. Finally, ending the day with packing up, and getting ready to leave first thing tomorrow. California here we come!
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Mount Rushmore
We’ve spent the last couple of days in South Dakota after traveling from Minneapolis. We spent the night in the parking lot near Wall Drug. It was hot, and noisy. We didn’t have enough gas in the tank to run the generator and air conditioner, and once we finally got comfortable enough to sleep, the train came through. We were right next to the tracks and the noise was impressive. With only a couple hours sleep, and no coffee, it was a rough morning, but it was fun to check out Wall Drug. It was better than I expected with lots of cool souvenirs, and interesting displays.
From there, we headed west toward Rapid City, SD to get the spare tire replaced, and to go to Mount Rushmore. The guys at Dale’s Tire were great and really helped us out. We dropped off the spare, and then headed up to the monument. Here’s a nice picture of us with the presidents:
After taking a bunch of pictures and having a nice time together, we proceeded to find a campground in the state park there. We meandered around Custer State Park until coming across a nice campground and really enjoyed some bouldering and some nice quiet rest. Finally a full night of quiet, dark, extended rest! Bright and early in the morning, we fired up the rig and set out on the wildlife drive to see some deer, prairie dogs, donkeys and buffalo.
From there, I stopped back at the gas station to recover our gas cap (oops), and then to Dale’s Tire to pick up the spare while the rest of the family utilized the local laundromat.
So now we’re preparing lunch in a parking lot before pressing on towards Yellowstone National Park.
As a recap, here is a map of where we’ve been so far, and how much we still get to see and experience:
We’ve spent the last couple of days in South Dakota after traveling from Minneapolis. We spent the night in the parking lot near Wall Drug. It was hot, and noisy. We didn’t have enough gas in the tank to run the generator and air conditioner, and once we finally got comfortable enough to sleep, the train came through. We were right next to the tracks and the noise was impressive. With only a couple hours sleep, and no coffee, it was a rough morning, but it was fun to check out Wall Drug. It was better than I expected with lots of cool souvenirs, and interesting displays.
From there, we headed west toward Rapid City, SD to get the spare tire replaced, and to go to Mount Rushmore. The guys at Dale’s Tire were great and really helped us out. We dropped off the spare, and then headed up to the monument. Here’s a nice picture of us with the presidents:
After taking a bunch of pictures and having a nice time together, we proceeded to find a campground in the state park there. We meandered around Custer State Park until coming across a nice campground and really enjoyed some bouldering and some nice quiet rest. Finally a full night of quiet, dark, extended rest! Bright and early in the morning, we fired up the rig and set out on the wildlife drive to see some deer, prairie dogs, donkeys and buffalo.From there, I stopped back at the gas station to recover our gas cap (oops), and then to Dale’s Tire to pick up the spare while the rest of the family utilized the local laundromat.So now we’re preparing lunch in a parking lot before pressing on towards Yellowstone National Park.
As a recap, here is a map of where we’ve been so far, and how much we still get to see and experience:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)