Saturday, June 17, 2023
a metaphor for life
We’ve been doing this for awhile now.
And it truly gets better.
I thought we started the RV life in 2012 with our 45day road trip (still the record) to Cali for Seth & Michelle’s wedding, but Amanda reminded me we started in 2006 in New Zealand, 17 years ago!
I’ve come to the conclusion that RV life is a metaphor for life.
The list below will be incomplete, but the message will be clear - that planning and executing a road trip in an RV is a proxy for one way to live a meaningful life:
Start a fire
Be aware of your surroundings
Reduce challenging tasks by taking your time to understand
Build a team and contribute and support
Talk to strangers w kindness
Allow room for spontaneity
Respect Mother Nature
Love your family
Against the warnings, the boyz and I made the massive Dune Climb at Sleeping Bear yesterday - more metaphors for life in that decision and accomplishment.
Then we headed East w a quick stop in Traverse City, MI for lunch and a beautiful drive along their bay before arriving to Mackinaw Mill Creek where we woke up today and are spending two nights.
Boyz got some hoops in, mommy and I enjoyed the sunset over the bridge and the Friday night fireworks show.
We could have done w/o the barking this morning, but at least one of us is up now drinking coffee and journaling. 
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Ferry ride, bikes and adventures await on Mackinaw Island today.
Thursday, June 15, 2023
silver lake resort, Michigan
Here we are boyz.
Same but different.
You may be getting used to these RV trips every year, but I promise you that don’t happen accidentally.
Again, all credit to Mommy.
Planning, pre-planning, booking, packing, plotting, scheduling and checking everything twice -
We flew into Grand Rapids yesterday, took an Uber over to Lynette’s storage facility, got the run down from downer Derek and headed West to Silver Lake on our way up the west coast of Michigan.
We got a lot in already - unpacking, Meijers run, hoops, bikes, baseball, fire pit and sand dunes!
Y’all are still sleeping at 10.18am right now and we need to check out at 11 and get on the road for 100 miles up Lake Michigan to the next adventure.
#lfg
Labels: Michigan
Sunday, February 28, 2021
Animal EdVentures
Mommy did it again.
Leaving Hilton Head wasn’t easy, but life goes on and so do we - up I-95 although we considered the mountains, but they were too far west on our way home.
We knew we wanted to take our time on the way back using the last 2 nights of this road trip to find memorable experiences along the way.
So, just a couple hours north of HHI through the quaint town of Benson, NC, Amanda found Cory on HipCamp.
Cory owns and operates Animal EdVentures.
Cory is an incredible woman. Five years ago, she moved her life from Montana to Coats, NC to realize her dream of launching a sanctuary for surrendered animals - and she was very clear that she’s not a rescue center but an animal sanctuary aligned with grounding the human spirit.
We rolled up on a very rainy night and Cory was there to open the gate after we drove up her 900ft unpaved, bumpy driveway.
We made our way to her make-shift hookup using a converter to down-power our 50amp plug. We knew we wouldn’t have a water hookup tonight - all good.
Despite the muddy conditions, Amanda and the boyz enjoyed a guided tour of the sanctuary while I setup the rig alongside 3 Emu’s.
Grateful for auto-leveling on our RV, we turned-in early and enjoyed watching Hugo on our big screen TV, a book Linky is reading for school right now.
It was a perfect night.
Short lived, as the rooster started crowing around 4:30am!
But, we tried to sleep in knowing we’d be able to spend the morning at Cory’s “zoo” which was too surreal for words - emus at our door, Kangaroos jumping over dogs, Bart the pig enjoying breakfast, Isaac the Camel up front hanging w the goats and donkeys, the birds and parrots talking to us and setting off their version of the car alarm noise, foxes, turtles, coyotes, sloths, otters, bats, snakes, peacocks on the roof, dogs of all breeds running amuck, the biggest turkey we’ve ever seen and Riley telling us “I want to come back” when we had just started!
Please, if you’re ever in Coats, NC or looking to donate to a worthy cause, consider Cory and Animal EdVentures.
After some quality time w/ Cory learning about her background and philosophies, we literally reversed the 900ft down her driveway and headed north for one more sleep.
Stopping for lunch at Cracker Barrel on the way up, we ordered "take-out Cracker Barrel" for definitely the first time at this favorite road trip stop of Mommy’s.
It was a couple hours drive to Emporia, VA where we planned on staying at the Yogi Bear themed campground for our last night, but after pulling in and taking a drive around, we decided to continue on since most of the amenities (mini golf, bathrooms, showers) were closed due to Covid.
We just didn’t know where to stay.
Convinced you can't go wrong at a State Park with RV hookups, we found our way to Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield, VA - an hour closer to home and replete with power, water, a bath house and a fire pit - all we needed for our last night since we had sub sandwiches and a bottle of red on us.
And, so we drop Rad Rufus off this morning at Andrew's house, pick up and pack up Mommy's car and head back to Bridlepath with one less tooth in Lincoln's mouth.
This past week solidified some things we all know - family first, gratitude, actions speak louder than words, experiences over consumerism, virtual school sucks, phantom limb syndrome is real in children w/o their "devices"
Sadly, Riley & Lincoln didn't have those feelings although they may argue otherwise.
We did the best we could - great effort fam.
Link to Pictures:
Friday, February 26, 2021
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA
You welcomed us with open arms.
We were curious about your disposition, but you proved tolerant, efficient and so clean.
We can tell you’ve grown over the years, but you’ve aged so gracefully with timeless character.
You're so much more than golf and tennis.
You seem so accepting and forgiving.
You’re the game’s best referee - we don’t even notice you’re there while we perform our active lifestyles trying not to commit a foul or break the rules.
And, you’re a source of renewable energy.
In just four nights, we’ve recharged and are ready to get back after it.
Thank you Hilton Head Island for displaying all the good life has to offer.
We’ll be back for sure.
Our last breakfast at HHI on the Motor Coach so we decided to order out and pick up (on our bike):
Link to Pictures:
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Santee State Park
It is said that expectations often lead to disappointment.
In the inverse, then, maybe no expectations lead to exultation.
After much deliberation, shared equally by Mommy & Daddy, and extensive planning, borne solely by Mommy, we booked it.
We were determined to get back on the road although it had to be right - the right time (chronic snow in Balltown), the right size rig (virtual school) and the right destination (Hilton Head, SC).
So, on Saturday 2/20, we left in Mommy’s car for Clifton, VA where Rad Rufus (our 34ft Forest River RV named by its owner) was waiting for us at a local Church bc the ice and snow to get to the Owners house would have been too hard to get to.
It's important to reflect that technology undoubtedly helped us identify Rad Rufus through the Outdoorsy website, but there is no replacing the human element as we met and became friends with Andrew, the owner of Rad Rufus, a military Dad with 4 children.
Andrew grew up in Delaware, went to the Navy, flew planes, lived in Oregon for awhile for work and recently acquired Rad Rufus to travel back East for his new assignment in VA.
After living on Rad Rufus with his family for 2 MONTHS (4 kids AND 2 dogs!), he recently listed Rad Rufus for lease with just 10,000 miles on em.
Amanda snapped Rad Rufus up before Andrew could even get his instructional You Tube videos uploaded.
After a quick walk-thru, we vowed to take great care of Rad Rufus and we set off...for lunch.
Here’s where the expectation part always comes in.
We discovered the adorable Town of Clifton, opting for take-out Italian (covid safe to eat in your RV of course) that lasted us 2-3 meals. Although the ice-cream shop was closed, the latte was delicious and we were hopped up to get on 95 and head South.
As always, Mommy had us scheduled just right where we’d go about half-way to Hilton Head and stay in Raleigh, NC - which we did, sort of.
Instead of 2 nights in Raleigh, we continued on the next morning to Santee State Park, which we literally discovered on the road.
And, it turned out to be that destination experience that Amanda and I would uniquely compare to Hot Springs, Arkansas and OhioPyle, PA - places that were never on our radar but that will never be erased from our memories.
Santee was simple.
A South Carolina State Park - lush forests on the bluff of a muddy river with fishing, hiking, fire pits and some country music playing next door.
It was quick, but memorable.
Maybe bc I got lost on my hike w/o my phone and had to jog back in fear my family was searching for me, but they weren’t. The boys were just in school and Mommy was reading her book.
It was when I took too long at the Food Lion just outside Santee that Amanda and the boys stared angrily at my absence. But, no one is complaining about eating Prinkles & twinkies and drinking wine now.
And, so just a short 90 minute drive to Hilton Head from Santee, we arrived at this luxurious RV Park called MotorCoach RV Resort where we were valeted by a golf cart driver to our pad and aided in backing in our motor coach.
With our bicycles pre-delivered by Mommy’s doing, of course, we’ve been busy:
School, work, coffee, tennis, basketball, football, mini golf, reading, writing, biking.
It’s good here.
Link to Pictures:
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
I am NOT my Inbox
NO ONE is.
It didn't take a global pandemic to realize this, but just 24 hours with my phone off.
This blog is not for preaching, but we all need this sometimes and I challenge y'all to just turn it off - 24 hours.
In doing so, some things become overtly apparent:
- You can't take pictures
- You can't GPS your hikes and log your activity
- You can't listen to your music
- You can't Whats App the Lucky Bunch
- You can't use your phone as a mobile Hot Spot
- You can't really work
- You can't communicate with anyone who is not with you
What's on the other side of this disconnection or is it what’s on this side of this connection?
That's up to us - and I'll just say I could have gone longer.
The Choice is yours, right Dres:
And, safe to say, we're back on the road.
Peace and prayers to all and may your vaccine be with you!
Hilton Head 2021.
Link to Pictures:
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Until next decade
This is it for us.
In 2006, we started this thing as honeymooners traveling throughout Thailand, China, Australia and New Zealand.
When we get home tonight, we’ll have cemented four more of these things - 2012, 2015, 2017 & 2019.
These last four, of course, with the ones we wake up for:
Riley - you were about 4yo, 7yo, 9yo and now finishing up Year 10. Nice ride for you. Keep up the reading. Maybe nothing more important.
Link - you were just 6 months, 4yo, 6yo and now finishing up Year 7. Still not convinced you’re not an elf, but we’re proud of you for trying pancakes today even though they were covered in sugar and icing.
Traveling is humbling.
It exposes our brief moment in time.
Ironically, the more we travel, it seems the less we know.
In this age of information, there’s a lot out there telling us how to live:
What to do when we wake up, how to work, when to sleep, what to eat, how to think.
Yet, when we travel (and we’re biased to road trips) - these big ideas are neutralized by nature’s indifference to how we choose to live our lives. Nature has seen a lot more than us and our conventions and convictions may not always align with hers.
So, as we wrap up this decade in our brief moment in time, this is our way of documenting our experiences and capturing them digitally for our friends & family.
About the last couple days:
Falling Water is an architectural gem, no doubt.
The story goes that a wealthy family, the Kaufmann's, strike up a relationship through their son with
renowned architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. The Kaufmann’s want to design and build a weekend getaway from Pittsburgh and hire Wright to design this incredible home embedded into a waterfall. This is dutifully completed in the 1930's and enjoyed by the Kaufmann's until their only son, Edgar, entrusts it to the Western Pennsylvania Conservatory in the 1960's when it is museumed.
However, after reading more about the family's history, this may be the story for marketing purposes.
I would tell it in the context of Jewish history:
An immigrant family arrives in Pittsburgh from Germany and launches a wildly successful department store, Kaufmann's. Merchants at their core, their only son Edgar inherits the family business. Edgar falls in love w/ his first cousin(!) and they are forced to get married in New York b/c Pennsylvania does not accept this arrangement. Edgar and Lilliane, husband and wife (and first cousins - eeww!) have one son, Edgar Jr. who is gay, never marries, can't sustain the financial obligations of the family's weekend getaway and Falling Water is gifted away.
A marvel nonetheless.
Equally as marvelous, though, is discovering the unheralded gems.
On one of these roads trips, that was Hot Springs, Arkansas.
This road trip, it was OhioPyle.
OhioPyle is actually in Western PA, an old trader's post steeped in American history.
Once a center of commerce, there's now some endearing remnants of the old town mixed-in with yoga studios, ice cream parlors, and a book-drop outside a church!
In OhioPyle, the town is centered around the fast water systems - all kinds of white water rafting, waterfalls and rapids.
Cucumber Falls was undoubtedly the winner for us.
We got in a physical hike today and were able to get behind the falls for a really unique and fun experience.
Over these last 7 days and 6 nights, we were simply so lucky to define Spring Break 2019 as we imagined it.
Until next decade...
Peace.
In 2006, we started this thing as honeymooners traveling throughout Thailand, China, Australia and New Zealand.
When we get home tonight, we’ll have cemented four more of these things - 2012, 2015, 2017 & 2019.
These last four, of course, with the ones we wake up for:
Riley - you were about 4yo, 7yo, 9yo and now finishing up Year 10. Nice ride for you. Keep up the reading. Maybe nothing more important.
Link - you were just 6 months, 4yo, 6yo and now finishing up Year 7. Still not convinced you’re not an elf, but we’re proud of you for trying pancakes today even though they were covered in sugar and icing.
Traveling is humbling.
It exposes our brief moment in time.
Ironically, the more we travel, it seems the less we know.
In this age of information, there’s a lot out there telling us how to live:
What to do when we wake up, how to work, when to sleep, what to eat, how to think.
Yet, when we travel (and we’re biased to road trips) - these big ideas are neutralized by nature’s indifference to how we choose to live our lives. Nature has seen a lot more than us and our conventions and convictions may not always align with hers.
So, as we wrap up this decade in our brief moment in time, this is our way of documenting our experiences and capturing them digitally for our friends & family.
About the last couple days:
Falling Water is an architectural gem, no doubt.
The story goes that a wealthy family, the Kaufmann's, strike up a relationship through their son with
renowned architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. The Kaufmann’s want to design and build a weekend getaway from Pittsburgh and hire Wright to design this incredible home embedded into a waterfall. This is dutifully completed in the 1930's and enjoyed by the Kaufmann's until their only son, Edgar, entrusts it to the Western Pennsylvania Conservatory in the 1960's when it is museumed.
However, after reading more about the family's history, this may be the story for marketing purposes.
I would tell it in the context of Jewish history:
An immigrant family arrives in Pittsburgh from Germany and launches a wildly successful department store, Kaufmann's. Merchants at their core, their only son Edgar inherits the family business. Edgar falls in love w/ his first cousin(!) and they are forced to get married in New York b/c Pennsylvania does not accept this arrangement. Edgar and Lilliane, husband and wife (and first cousins - eeww!) have one son, Edgar Jr. who is gay, never marries, can't sustain the financial obligations of the family's weekend getaway and Falling Water is gifted away.
A marvel nonetheless.
Equally as marvelous, though, is discovering the unheralded gems.
On one of these roads trips, that was Hot Springs, Arkansas.
This road trip, it was OhioPyle.
OhioPyle is actually in Western PA, an old trader's post steeped in American history.
Once a center of commerce, there's now some endearing remnants of the old town mixed-in with yoga studios, ice cream parlors, and a book-drop outside a church!
In OhioPyle, the town is centered around the fast water systems - all kinds of white water rafting, waterfalls and rapids.
Cucumber Falls was undoubtedly the winner for us.
We got in a physical hike today and were able to get behind the falls for a really unique and fun experience.
Over these last 7 days and 6 nights, we were simply so lucky to define Spring Break 2019 as we imagined it.
Until next decade...
Peace.
