Road Trip, Part 4

So, I promised my most wonderful friend, Heather, that I would blog today in an effort to actually finish the road trip entries sometime before our next road trip. Thanks for the little push, my friend :-)

My last entry had us landing in Pigeon Forge, TN after 2200 miles logged in the minivan, which is about 33 hours for those who like the stats. The kids were really exceptional in the car and I think I speak for all of us when I say the time together was a blessing. Once we arrived in Pigeon Forge we checked into our lodge which was perched precariously on a mountainside. The views of the lush Tennessee forests were breathtaking and the sound of the cicadas in the trees magical. The home itself was a little more run down than I would have liked, but the views and the arrival of family made up for it. Soon there were eighteen of us sharing the 8-bedroom home. Cousins quickly ran off to quiet corners to giggle and share highlights of the last year, while the adults breathed a contented sigh that vacation had come.

One of our first endeavors was to head over to MagiQuest to have a little fun and, boy, did we! What a fun and enjoyable time. Gustav and the older kids ran off to fight dragons, puzzle out riddles, and cast magic spells. Kurt and I acted as a team and had a blast. After the quests were completed we spent some time in the hall of mirrors getting ridiculously lost and loving it.

We finished the day off with some local TN BBQ and some more catching up with family. Happy tummies and happy hearts.

The following days brought plenty of adventure. We spent a day in the Smoky Mountain National Park. What a beautiful, lush place. The greenery, rivers, rolling fields, and old churches and homes were just beautiful. A wonderful time to appreciate the handiwork of God!

 Seeing as it was my 30-something-i-eth birthday, we stopped by a little riverside picnic area and enjoyed some sandwiches and cake (that was smuggled in by lots of adorable little girls!) I loved the way the bright sunshine streamed through the thick leafy canopy. It was breathtaking.

 After filling our tummies (again) we continued on through the park and found a delicious little swimming hole tucked into the forest. What a time watching all of the children swim with abandon, jump off rocks, and just be kids. Like the good old days. Gabriel's expression here says it all:

 The water was chilly, but no one seemed to care. Kurt had a blast crawling from rock to rock.

 And Gretchen learned to walk on water.

 It was really one of the most delightful days I can remember having as a family. Relaxing times in the beauty of God's lovely creation. So thankful.

 Later in the week we experienced what was probably the highlight of the family reunion for many: a zipline course through the breathtaking Tennessee forest. Most of the cousins (all except Kurt, who, sadly, was too young) suited up and set off on a 2-hour zipline tour at Foxfire Mountain. Kids and grown-ups alike had a fantastic time riding the different lines through the course, including a 1500-foot zipline!

 One of our final adventures that week was to hit the "upside-down house," a.k.a. Wonder Works. This was a brain-frying experience for those over 21. The lights, the sounds, the sheer number of people squealing, running, and crying. But, the kids, again, had a great time. Rock-climbing, hurricane chambers, puzzles, roller-coaster simulators, laser-tag, games, and a real, live bed of nails to lay down on. What's not to love?

We finished our week-long family reunion and sadly said goodbye to those we love. But the Hoyers were very excited to head down to Birmingham, AL to see their most wonderful friends, the Henriques Family!! And I'll tell you all about that, and our trip back to Cali next time :-)

Road Trip - Part 3

After a fast but enjoyable evening in Memphis, TN we jumped back on the I-40 east and came to Nashville where Gustav had a business lunch at The Hard Rock Cafe. The gracious man he was meeting didn't mind having the family tag along, so we all tucked into a cozy table for 8. Kurt loved the touch screen piano (below) and the rest of the kids enjoyed hearing about the people whose clothes, pictures, and instruments littered the walls...such greats as Johnny Cash, Elvis, and the Judds.

After our lunch and a quick glimpse of the city of Nashville we headed to visit our dear, dear friends, the Runkles. To say that Gustav and I were excited was an understatement as we had not seen them in a long time. We had trouble believing that Gabriel didn't remember them (which is understandable, since he was only 2 when we all lived in CT together!) Tom was Gustav's roomate through most of his time at the University of Hartford. They have known each other longer than I have known Gustav! We had a blast with them in Chattanooga. 

We did some swimming...

...ate some ice cream (you're welcome, Casie)...

...we went on a lovely river walk in downtown Chattanooga. We really loved this great city...

...we took some pictures...

...carried some adorable little people...

...and had Five Guys for the first time after church (which was super-yummy!)

We were sad to say goodbye to the Runkles, but we were hopeful that we would see them again on this trip. Our next stop was Pigeon Forge, TN where we would spend the next week with the Hoyer family for our annual family reunion. Some of us were so tuckered out when we got there that beds were optional.

And others of us were so tired that we momentarily lost our minds.

More to come...

Road Trip - Part 2

At the rate I am documenting our 3-week summer road trip, I should have us back home in sunny L.A. just about the time we leave for summer vacation 2012! Slow and steady, right? Anyway, I want to send a big shout out to my Mom and Dad who can now read this on their new iPad! Welcome to the 21st century, dear parents! I hope you enjoy all the pictures of your grandchildren!

After we left the Grand Canyon we traveled down to Flagstaff, AZ to spend the night. Don't ask Gustav how the hotel was. He will break into hives and start uttering under his breath about excessive points and lackluster facilities. He is right. It was a dud. 

However, after we cleaned out the dud hotel at free-breakfast-time (seven people can do that pretty easily) we were off on another fantastic adventure. We hopped back on I-40 heading east and exited onto Route 66 in Holbrook, AZ to head toward the Petrified Forest National Park. Along the main street we passed this gem...The Wigwam Hotel. Can you say 'inspiration for Cars??' We HAD to stop and takes some pics. It was so super-cool!

No, I haven't slept in a wigwam lately...or ever, for that matter. I highly doubt they sleep seven without the cozy factor becoming unbearable. The period cars were neat-o, though.

Ever Mater was there!!

After our little unplanned detour (one of the things we so love about road trips) we headed to Petrified Forest National Park which is located within the beautiful Painted Desert of Northern Arizona. This place was amazing - maybe because I had no expectations at all...but I REALLY loved it. Of course, there is no actual forest, as it is located in the middle of the desert (actually it is categorized as grassland, but it seemed super desert-y to me). But there are many, many trees and partial trunks that have, over time, become rock. Some of the colors are simply beautiful. Here is my budding geologist, Lillian, enjoying the sights:

The day was perfect with a deep blue sky and beautiful puffy clouds. Just gorgeous.

The Painted Desert is simply breathtaking to drive through. Pictures do not do it justice. 

After a bit more driving on scenic roads such as this one we made it to Albuquerque, NM. This time our hotel room was grand... a lovely little garden suite with a short walk to the pool and hot tub. The boys had endless fun with the luggage carts. I'm not sure which of my four boys enjoyed it most :-)

 After much swimming, eating, and watching "hotel TV" (aka cable) we headed out the next morning for our longest driving day of the eastward trip - approximately 550 miles. As we sailed through the Texas panhandle we encountered some weather.  The clouds were scary, but thankfully, they never started spinning around.

We spent a peaceful night in Oklahoma City and then moved on to Memphis the following day. Here's the gang getting ready to fill their faces with good 'ol Memphis BBQ at Marlowes Ribs & BBQ on Elvis Presley Blvd. Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives came through with that recommendation. The food was amazing!

Fat and Happy, Baby. Fat and Happy.

Road Trip!

Most people break out in hives at the very thought of being trapped in the car with their spouse and five children for a 6,000 mile, three week road trip. I, nut that I am, adore such circumstances. What a blessing and privilege it was to spend such a wonderful time with my dear ones, to see so much of this country and partake of the interesting cultures, and to glory in the Creator as we marveled at His beautiful creation.

To begin the story properly, I must begin with the farewell of Bessie, our trusty 2003 Dodge Grand Caravan. She was a great car, we had virtually no issues with her, but with 115,000 miles we decided a new van would give us a greater sense of security on our long trip. Enter Carmen, our 2011 Kia Sedona. How fun to start off on such a long journey in a brand new car. Definitely a blessing!

We started off on Sunday, July 31st, after collecting Nicholas from a 3-day stay at Camp Pendleton with the Young Marines. Heading east, we picked up the 40 (that's I-40 for you non-Californians!) in Barstow, CA and stayed on it until central TN! Crazy!

 One of the things that quickly caught my attention as we drove into open country was the beautiful clouds. You kind of forget what clouds look like in SoCal. I had forgotten how much I missed beautiful cloud formations in the sky.

We stayed in Kingston, AZ on our first night. I should say that we stayed in Marriott hotels all along the way, and because of Gustav's ridiculous number of points, all of our stays were free. YeeHaw! That means free lodging AND free breakfasts for seven. Jackpot, baby.

 We were all very anxious to see the Grand Canyon the next morning. The kids and I had never been there. I have wanted to see it since we moved out here to Cali, but alas, had not been able to make it. So I was psyched to go. Here is the gang walking the path to the rim. Gustav had been telling the children endlessly that the Grand Canyon was "just a big hole in the ground" for months prior to our visit. It had become a bit of a joke, really. I must have heard that statement twenty times as we approached the rim.

We chatted and giggled and skipped our way up the winding path. Then everyone fell silent. I had heard people telling stories of how quiet it is at the Grand Canyon. Everyone - young, old, foreign and domestic - stands in rapt awe as they come around the corner and see it for the first time. It is truly one of the most magnificent natural phenomena I have ever seen. Ever. Pictures cannot possibly do it justice. 

Spectacular.

We walked the rim for a while, taking pictures, watching the squirrels and birds, and periodically standing, mouth agape, at the wonder of it all. As much as I loved the sights, I did feel a particular anxiousness as my family moved in and out near the edge. It is, after all, a "big hole in the ground" and I had periodic irrational fears of offspring plunging to their untimely ends. Case in point:

 The happy ending of that part of the story is that nobody went over the edge. Whew!

As we approached one of the on-site museums we could hear some ominous, not-so-far-off thunder, and realized that the sky was getting rather dark. We, along with what seemed like hundreds of others, took refuge in said museum while the skies opened up. The sudden and violent storm was just another awesome event for us. Remember, it never rains in California. (Well, ALMOST never.) The lightening was amazing, and the deluge was captivating for all.

We walked more of the rim after the storm passed over, enjoying the fresh, cool, post-storm air. We hopped a bus for the trip back to the car. The bus driver was rude and brusque and not particularly helpful. I was aghast at the way he was treating the foreigners who clearly could not understand him. Then he gave himself away by saying, "Main pah-king lot next stop." Ah, he was from Massachusetts. My people. I should have recognized the charm :-)

After some more beautiful driving along the rim and into more canyons we made it to Flagstaff, checked into our hotel and had dinner. In the very wee hours of the morning Kurt began talking very loudly in his sleep. Both Gustav and I giggled in the dark as he shouted out, "it's a big hole in the ground!"