Lifestyle – Brightside Nomads

Adventure

Belated Musing of a Wandering Family

By PapaWanderer July 29, 2019

Time gives perspective, and since it’s been about a year since our return, I think I can finally put down a few words to sum up our journey. The intent of making this site was to create something that our kids could have and reflect on as they get older. It’s been great fun cataloging the journey and we will continue to do so as we venture further afield across this great planet. We also get a lot of pleasure from strangers and friends who have happened upon the site. The sharing of our travels and the conversations it prompts are fantastic.

As I look back at a year in a car with my family, traveling almost 24,000 miles, experiencing new adventures, and connecting with old places and friends I just feel blessed. Watching my children grow in wonder and knowledge is a gift that will be the greatest I have ever been given. Getting to know my children in a way few father’s get to is nothing short of amazing. I have a much more real and deep relationship with each child. They are more open to sharing with Katie and I, even when it’s embarrassing or personal. I’m not sure how the depth of the relationships with our children would have occurred had we not spent so much time together. As we move forward, back in our “normal” lives, the relationships keep getting stronger. Now I’ve always had a great relationship with the kiddos, but what I gained from our year wandering was a profound depth.

The relationship wasn’t just one way either. I feel our kids have a better understanding of mom and dad because they got to see many of the aspects of life that we hold dear. Adventure, nature, beauty in the simplest of things, great friendships, meeting new people, and respecting/taking care of the world we live in. One of the main goals Katie and I had for the trip was to give our children the ability to be flexible and to adapt quickly to new experiences. We also wanted to instill in them a sense of exploration of the world around them. We wanted them to know that the world is soo much bigger than the small town we live in. As Katie and I talk about the adventure, we feel all the kids have developed these traits and have started to incorporate them into their own personalities. Each child has been changed forever by the experience and it is exciting to see how they carry that forward as they grow up.

I would recommend this experience to every family. We know that taking a full year off to do so might not be realistic for everyone. But even a week or two of time with your kids, going somewhere you’ve never gone before, can be life-changing. Katie and I will always cherish this journey as something that was truly a once in a lifetime experience and profoundly life-affirming. We will always wander, sometimes alone, sometimes together, ever forward, and never lost.

The Nomads will Return…

Lifestyle

From South Dakota to East Jordan…The Final Miles

By PapaWanderer April 19, 2019

Mount Rushmore

It’s been an amazing journey as we’ve navigated the length and breadth of these beautiful United States. But as with all things, there has to be an end. Our end is coming soon, but we have a couple of stops left before we make the final push back to our home. After leaving Colorado we headed northeast to visit the Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Both Katie and I have visited before but we thought it would be a nice final spot for the kids. The area has all the history of Mt Rushmore and the gold rush but also plenty of touristy fun.

We spent twos days in the Black Hills taking in a little history and having some fun in town. Mount Rushmore is a cool stop. It’s very popular and crowded but learning the history of why and how it was created is fascinating. Seeing the big heads of the presidents is cool and you really get a sense of their sheer size while your there. It’s also amazing to think that they carved 90% of the faces using dynamite to blow away the surface rock. We had a fun day at the park and then headed to town for some food. We found a surprisingly great Indian restaurant and had a wonderful dinner to cap off our day.

The next day we stayed around town and took in some of the local flavor. One awesome place we found was the Rushmore Tramway Adventures park. The park offered one of the coolest ropes courses I’ve seen and an Alpine Slide!! Katie and the girls decided to go on the ropes course. Colette had been asking to do a ropes course for about 4 months so this was a special treat for her. Lennox and I went on the Alpine Slide and had a blast luging down the mountain and feeling the G’s as we sped much too fast around the corners. The day was awesome and we all had a great time. If you embrace the complete tourist trap this area is you can have a great time. The next day we were off to make the two-day journey to Chicago and an impromptu family get together before making the push home.

It’s Waiting for You…Wall Drug

No trip across the country would be complete without passing (and stopping) at Wall Drug. The curious roadside attraction has been going strong for decades and offers ridiculous attractions and curios for everyone in your family. There’s not much to see when traveling through the plains so it can be a welcome pitstop for bored children and weary parents. I’ve passed by this place many times on my travels across the country but never really stopped. We decided to stop and explore for a bit as we made our way back to the REAL world. We had a blast. The place is full of western nostalgia, boardwalk games, and cookie signs. It seemed like there was something new and curious around every corner. Please note that there are innumerable small items for sale that your children will want. They are strategically located close to the floor and in every nook and cranny. My prediction is you will not be able to leave empty handed…and that’s ok. A little piece of Americana can go a long way to making an enjoyable trip across the country.

The McLeod’s in Chicago

This was a short but sweet couple days in Chicago. We stayed with my older brother and his family so the kids were able to spend some quality time with their two cousins. We arrived late on Friday, and on Saturday we had a BBQ planned with my other brother who also lives in the Chicago area and my folks who came in from Michigan. We had a wonderful time together, as we always do, but it was much too quick. In the blink of an eye, it was Sunday and we had to pack up our car for the final drive home. We said our happy and tearful farewells and headed east for northern Michigan and the house we left behind. I would have said “our home” a year ago but one of the most profound things you realize when traveling for this long is that home is always with you as long as you have your loved ones close at hand. Next stop…The Epilogue…

Adventure

Revisiting My Life in the Mountains – Two Decades, A Beautiful Wife and Three Kids Later.

By PapaWanderer August 10, 2018

A Sweet Homecoming

I can’t explain the feeling of crossing the border into Colorado with my family in tow. I was so excited to show them a part of my life that so profoundly shaped the person I am today. As the landscape changed from desert to high mountain the anticipation only grew. Familiar landmarks started to jog in my mind and a feeling of coming home crept into my soul. Our destination for this leg of our journey was Crested Butte, CO. To get there you need to drive deep into the heart of the Rockies, past Blue Mesa reservoir, through the town of Gunnison (home to my college Western State Colorado University) and on to the 12 to 14 thousand foot peaks rising in the distance. Crested Butte is nestled at the foot of its namesake peak and surrounded by some of the most pristine mountain wilderness in America. This town just happens to be the wildflower capital of the state and we hit it at its peak. To make the trip all the sweeter I got to reconnect with a great college friend whom I hadn’t seen in 20 years. As we drove into town, we were greeted by locals and families walking the streets, townie bikes swirling around through the meandering traffic, and the sweet smell of mountain air. We found our home for the week and unloaded our car under the sunset kissed peak of Mt. Crested Butte looming serenely above us.

Mill Creek Adventures

One of my favorite hikes, when I was going to school at WSU, was Mill Creek. I really wanted to take the fam on this hike so we packed up the truck and drove out. Mill Creek is a nice hike that winds through Aspen groves and crosses a mountain stream. Canyon walls rise up hundreds of feet on both sides, with some cool hoodoo rock formations at the peaks. The valley was a nice contrast of vivid green down the center against dark rock walls to the left and right. We had a nice picnic by the stream and on the way back ran into a small herd of cattle, complete with Bull. We thought it was going to charge us but it just snorted and we survived. A great hike with the glorious sunny weather. I like taking the family to places I used to frequent when I was a slightly younger man.

Almost Paradise…

One place we loved to go in college was Paradise Divide. This was a pass high in the mountains overlooking Crested Butte. The dirt roads up to the divide were good but narrow and a small section had you driving along a steep sloping drop off that feels at least a thousand feet to the valley floor below. Knowing some in my family are a bit afraid of high places, we took the back road up. We got stopped a couple miles from the spot I wanted to go because the snow was still blocking the road on this side! It’s very common for snow to be present deep into summer in the high country. I was kind of bummed we couldn’t get all the way to the spot but we had a nice hike just the same that took us to Emerald Lake. This is an incredibly beautiful lake in the high mountains with a deep green color. We saw dozens of beautiful wildflowers on our hike and had a great time, again blessed by blue sunny skies.

Katie and I Reach the Peak

Mount Crested Butte offers a super cool day camp experience called Mountain Adventures. This camp offers rock climbing, ropes course, zip lining, archery, and other assorted outdoor activities. This camp is for the older kids 7+. For Lennox’s age, they offered the less strenuous Camp CB. He loved it! He would go to a climbing wall, bungee trampoline and even jump from 30 feet onto a huge airbag. The kids did a few days at the camps and loved every second. This also gave Katie and I the chance to do some activities on our own. One such activity was hiking to the peak of Mt Crested Butte at 12,162 ft. Though not an overly technical hike it was still a tough one for us due to the high drops and altitude. After hiking some well-traveled trails the path disappears and you are left to your own scrambling devices for the last 150 ft or so. The views from the top well outweighed any of the challenges to getting there. It felt exhilarating to be on top of the world. So many peaks can be seen from the top, it almost seems like you can see all of the Rockies from this vantage point. This a nice final accomplishment for us on our journey around the United States. It seemed there was a sort of spiritual parallel to climbing this peak and coming to the finish our journey that started almost a year ago. We highly recommend the hike, but make sure you’re ready for a mental and physical challenge. Especially if you’re not used to high exertion in the mountains.

Small Town 4th of July, Mountain Style!

Having lived in a small town for some years, we are used to the fun folksy vibe they give off during celebrations. Crested Butte was no different. The day was blue skies and sunshine and everyone was in a great mode. The highlight of the day was the parade. Most ski towns are full of unique individuals, characters if you will, and CB is no exception. A great mix of irreverent style, rebellious individualism, and patriotic spirit. I would imagine that the first Americans to celebrate independence day did not look much different. Everyone had a blast. The kids scampered around trying to get candy while locals threw water balloons at the floats and parade participants. It’s probably the only time I got to see and avocado and a cross-dressed Dorothy from the wizard of OZ take a water balloon to the face! Speaking of water, the parade culminated in an incredible water fight at the end of the main street. This fight is an epic mix of combatants including, kids with an assortment of squirt guns, adults with buckets and water balloons, and the local fire department armed with full-on water hoses. Such fun was had by the girls as they ran to and fro trying at the same to avoid and inflict watery attacks. Lennox was a bit overwhelmed by the spectacle and hung back on the fringes. Twenty minutes later it was over. The only remnants were small muddy streams flowing lazily away from the street and fragments of colorful rubber strewn across the street like some sort of birthday confetti. The rest of the day was spent shopping and seeing friends. We ended the day catching some music mountainside with our friends, an alternative to fireworks due to the stage 2 fire ban which was in effect. All in all a great way to spend the fourth in a home away from home.

An Afternoon on Irwin Lake

Heading Out

It was bittersweet to have to leave CB. On one hand, we are making our way back to our home in Michigan which we are all excited for, but on the other, we had such a great time we didn’t want to leave. I get a little emotional at being able to share the area where some of my most formative growth happened with my family and watch them all love it as much as I do. I think this place will be a special memory for all of us. The kids already want to come back every year and I think Katie has a new found understanding of what makes me tick. On our way out of the area, we stopped at my college, Western State, to snap some photos and show the kiddos some of my old haunts. We weren’t leaving Colorado yet though. We planned a couple days in Boulder before heading out for our final eastward trek home.

Random Access Memories

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Western State Colorado University

Hanging Out On a Boulder Near the Flat Irons

We only had a few days in Boulder, and we mainly planned to do some light hiking and shopping. We just wanted to have a little taste of urban life before heading out. We shopped and explored the Pearl Street Mall area. We found an awesome Acai bowl place and bought some gifts for friends and family. One day I snuck off the beaten path just a bit to see the house featured in Mork and Mindy. Now any of you who know that show, consider yourself old, but also feel lucky you saw some of the raw genius of Robin Williams. We took a nice hike in Chautauqua Park to the base of the Flatirons and took in the beauty of mountains giving way to the plains. We took off the final day and did some much-needed school shopping for the kids. Heading out of Boulder and Colorado we waved a sad farewell, but we all know we’ll be back many times to visit.

Adventure

Detour – East Coast Adventure

By mamawanderer August 3, 2018

School’s out and we are all ready to enjoy the added freedom that brings. The start of our summer vacation happened to coincide with the McLeod family get together so this was the perfect vacation to kick off summer fun. We were retracing our steps all the way back to the East Coast and Kiawah Island, South Carolina was our destination but first, we had some work to do. After arriving in Las Vegas we decided the safest bet would be to unload our entire car and all our belongings into a storage unit for safekeeping while we were away. Off we went unpacking in scorching desert heat. The good thing is by now we are pros at packing and unpacking so it was pretty speedy and left us time to enjoy some Vegas fun before heading out.

Our flight was smooth as we left the low hundred degrees desert heat and landed in the dripping humidity of South Carolina. Matt and his family vacationed on Kiawah Island when he was a child so it was fun to watch them relive memories and introduce this special place to the next generation of McLeod’s. It was a big clan with Mom and Dad, our 5, and Pete and Laura and their six kids. The more the merrier as we ran from the house to the rolling waves and sandy beach. The water was warm, the sun was hot and laughter was loud on this island paradise. There was sand castle building, body boarding, wave chasing, crab catching, cold drinks, great food and even better company. The kids are already making plans for next year as there is nothing like spending morning until night with your cousins by your side. We will see where that adventure takes us.

Adventure

Brian Head, Hurricane, St. George & Dinosaur Tracks… it’s sounding weird

By mamawanderer July 30, 2018

Welcome to Utah

We drove out of Yellowstone and made it to Salt Lake City where we spent a night to break up the drive. We have found the kids do better if we don’t have super long drives and it’s probably the same for the parents. We were also planning on camping for the next 4 days and with it being summer we wanted to find a campsite early. Our camping plans were quickly kiboshed after Lennox got sick. We decided to find an Airbnb rather than stay in a tent with a puking child. The temperatures were also dropping into the low 40’s at night in the area and although we could do it, that is pretty chilly for the kids. Our last minute search lead us to a place we had never heard of, Brian Head, Utah, for a few nights. It’s always good to be flexible while traveling and also can be fun to discover places you may never find otherwise. Brian Head is a super small town/ski resort sitting at an elevation of 10,000 ft. It is way up there and you can feel it. It is about an hour from Bryce Canyon National Park and we discovered 10 minutes away was Cedar Breaks National Monument. Being at a ski resort in summer meant we had the whole place to ourselves and it ended up being a perfect spot to relax and recover our sick little guy and then explore some spectacular parks.

Brian Head and Cedar Break National Monument

The drive up the mountain to Brian Head opened our eyes to the destruction a forest fire can cause. There were stretches of trees charred black for miles. In 2017 a wildfire burned 71,000 acres of the land here, the aftermath is very sad to view. Cedar Break National Monument is an enormous amphitheater of beautifully colored sedimentary rock that has been carved away into beautiful formations. We viewed this park from above and it was a spectacular site. It is part of the Grand Staircase, a geological formation which begins at the floor of the Grand Canyon and steps up across the Western US. Seeing these natural wonders and learning about the geology behind their formation makes you realize just how fluid the earth’s surface is and gives you perspective on time and the mere blink of an eye we stand on this earth.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon is out of this world. From your drive into the park the red-hued rock formations are spectacular and as you explore further it becomes even more impressive. Looking out from above the park offers amazing views of the hoodoos balancing below and as you walk into the canyon your perspective changes and you begin to appreciate the enormity of the formations surrounding you. We started our day here early to beat the heat and it is a good thing we did because it gets smoking hot at the bottom of the canyon. We took the Navajo Loop/Queens Garden trail which starts at the rim of the canyon and quickly descends in elevation while you walk along a windy path with steep drops. This always makes me a little nervous with the kids but they did great and the path was quite wide and well traveled. As we dropped down it was evident how difficult the steep hike up was and we knew we would have some work on the other side getting out. We enjoyed our time and our surroundings, many of the rock formations have names, like Thors Hammer, the Queens Garden, Wall Street, so it is fun to look at these and make up your own. Being at Bryce is like walking through a fairyland, each hoodoo formation is unique and unbelievable. I’m not going to lie our hike was tough, it was 3 miles and 600 ft of elevation but the heat was a factor, and the kids aren’t always sunshine and rainbows. They did realize in order to get back to our car we needed to climb out of this canyon so with many breaks and some snacks they pushed on. We were playing leapfrog with another family with small children so this added some excitement. I was happy when I saw the mom carrying her little one up the steep hills that Lennox was only pulling on my arm and still able to walk. There were definitely some big cheers as we reached the top of the canyon and cold drinks needed, it was a great accomplishment and well worth the trek to the bottom.

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Hurricane, Utah

After leaving Brian Head we had a short drive to our next Airbnb in Hurricane, Utah. It is right next to St. George which we discovered is the fastest growing metropolis in the United States! There is construction on every corner of this place and it is pretty wild. You can see why people are coming here in droves, the weather is warm and it is surrounded by amazing rock formations. It is an outdoor playground with lots of mountain biking and a short two-hour drive from Las Vegas. We had a week here and our main goal besides exploring was finishing school. I appreciate what teachers endure at the end of the school year so much now. The last month was a struggle, we, however, promised (or bribed) the girls if they finished their books by the end of this week they would be able to buy guinea pigs upon our return. With lots of hard work, they both busted through their books and I was as excited as they were to be done with their homeschooling year!!!

Zion National Park

We heard Zion gets super crowded and in order to secure parking, you have to arrive early. Early isn’t too hard for us so we were fine with that. In addition, it was going to be another hot one so the morning hikes are best. We didn’t anticipate just how many people were swarming on Zion though. By the time we got in line for the bus into the park, the wait was already an hour! The hour passed as the kids chased lizards and frogs and did some Junior Ranger work. Not so bad. We opted for 3 shorter hikes and this gave us a perfect first taste of Zion.

Searching for Dino Tracks

We were full of excitement to find out we were staying in an area with evidence of dinosaurs nearby. We had to go investigate. The first site we went to was ok but a bit of a letdown. We found the marked tracks after hiking a short ways in scorching heat, they were small and hard to decipher. To the non-paleontologist I think they look like scratches in the rock but that’s ok, knowing this was a path actual dinos stepped foot was amazing and we were glad we went, the hunt was still on though. The next day we ventured out to the second site. This was an adventure, lots of dirt road driving through the desert with no cell signal and no cars in site. It’s amazing how remote so much of the land in the United States is. It felt like if our car broke down we may never get help but that didn’t happen and we always are prepared with lots of water just in case. When we arrived at the actual site there was great signage explaining the tracks and what dinos they belonged to. These tracks were huge and it was well worth the desolate drive to see them.

Adventure

Yellowstone – Part 2 Lightning crashing and Colors colliding

By mamawanderer July 10, 2018

Yellowstone continued….

Day 4 – Norris Geyser Basin – Caught in the storm

Today was our day to explore the Norris Geyser Basin. Although it was sprinkling when we set off, we all had our raincoats and were ready for anything. There is so much to see here and we were not going to let the weather get in the way of any of it. The reward of bad weather in nature is usually abundant beauty which was definitely the case here. The misty grey cloud filled air enveloped the geysers and brought their milky colors to light. It was a breathtaking scene.

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The most fascinating part of the hot springs to me are the colors they produce. Streams of color spill along the flowing water and both the colors and patterns are ever changing. It is mesmerizing.

After walking the short loop around the geysers we came to Steamboat Geyser. This geyser has been in the news as of late because, after being dormant for 4 years, in 2018 it’s already erupted 11 times. This is considered a big change and when you are located on a supervolcano any significant pattern shift is cause for exploration. Of course, we were hoping to see this geyser in action but weren’t that lucky. It did erupt the day we arrived and the day after we left and we saw some steam and bubbling action from it which was cool. At Steamboat, we took a family vote whether to continue our trek of the 1.5 mile lower loop or head back. Although the rain was picking up the vote was to take the hike. It wasn’t long before it started to downpour, but long enough that turning back wasn’t an option either. Soon above us it started roaring, thunder and flashes of lightning lit the sky. We knew being surrounded by a basin of water wasn’t the best place to be during a thunderstorm so we quickened the pace and as the storm intensified started running. Colette was terrified, as in so scared she thought she was going to die. Meanwhile Sienna was skipping along loving the rain. We made it back and between laughs and tears and extremely wet clothes we will never forget our hike around the Norris Geyser.

As we exited the park we drove out of the thunderstorm, into the sunshine and saw this giant bison walking along the road. We went to dinner and the meat eaters had some pig fired sausage. After dinner, we walked out to hail! The weather is crazy here, quick changes and you should be prepared for a little bit of everything.

Day 5 – Bubbling Mud Holes

These mud holes are so cool to watch. Depending on how much water there is makes them more or less thick. It is amazing to watch this thick liquid bubble and pop.

Day 6

Our last day in Yellowstone and my birthday. Such a great place to spend it. We decided to rise early in an attempt to catch the animals and with the cold temperatures, our first animal encounters were frosty bison. The light, fog, and crisp air made for a very picturesque morning. Our travels were even delayed by a herd of bison meandering in the road. When we arrived at the Hayden Valley where we anticipated seeing animals it was totally covered by a thick blanket of fog so we shifted plans and made our way to the falls.

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Upper Yellowstone Falls

The falls were beautiful on this frosty morning. We only stayed a few minutes as the kids were complaining about how cold they were so early in the morning. You can hike down to the lower falls which would be amazing but we saved that experience for next time. On a side note, Matt saw a huge grizzly run out into the road and then quickly scurry back into the woods. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch much except maybe a little bear booty.

Yellowstone Lake

We drove the entire lower loop which brought us by Yellowstone Lake, a magnificent site. The blue water was calm with still morning air and the snow-covered mountains stood majestically in the background.

Wildlife sightings…. a swan, blue heron, elk and ice faces

Grand Prismatic

This was the granddaddy of Yellowstone for me. We hiked to the overlook to start our exploration of this hot spring and looking down I was in awe of the size, many colors and sheer beauty of this hot spring. After our hike to the overlook, we traveled to eye level where you can view the beautiful intricacies of this spectacular natural work of art. Amazing.

From above

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On the boardwalk – the Grand Prismatic, Excelsior Geyser, Turquoise Pool and Opal Pool

Overall, our Yellowstone experience was far more incredible than I think any of us anticipated. I would return in a heartbeat. There is unlimited exploring to do here, such a vast stretch of land filled with amazing natural wonders and wildlife. Truly a highlight of our National Parks in the United States.

Adventure

Yellowstone – Part 1 Birthday, Bison and Blasting Geysers

By mamawanderer July 2, 2018

Day 1 – Our first glimpse of Yellowstone

The vast land of the West makes for long drives, we try to keep a days drive between 3 and 5 hours but lately we’ve had some big ones. Spokane to West Yellowstone was a long haul, the good thing is the land is beyond beautiful. Skies that fill the earth and your eyes for infinity, mountains soaring, rivers rushing and we were even lucky enough to spot a moose wading through the waterlogged land. When we finally arrived in West Yellowstone our curiosity put us right back in the car to check out the park for a few hours. We spotted our first bison off in the distance and were trying to convince Matt to turn back to get a closer look. We weren’t successful but everyone began laughing when just up ahead we saw an entire herd in the field. It was beyond my expectation to come face to face with these larger than life creatures, it was astonishing. We were also lucky to see an elk and its baby nestled below the road in some trees which was really amazing, along with an Osprey perched on a branch staring directly at us. Our brief first day was enough to entice us to rise early on day 2 to head to the Lamar Valley where we heard there was potential to see wolves, bear, badgers, wolverines, bison, moose and elk.

Day 2 – Rise and Shine – to the Lamar Valley in search of animals

Bison in the early morning light gave us a spectacular start to our day. It was soon to get even better. After waiting for some road construction for 15 minutes we were anxious to continue our drive towards the Lamar Valley when suddenly we saw a gathering of people alongside the road. To our amazement, we came upon a mama grizzly bear with her two cubs grazing in the field. We watched the cubs wrestle and play and it was one of the most spectacular sites I have ever witnessed. I was also envious of all the people with their mega telephoto lenses capturing shots as our lens just couldn’t quite get as close as I wished. Hopefully, you can get a sense of this special moment and these incredible creatures.

The Lamar Valley greeted us with impossibly picturesque views, land stretching for miles shaded with every color of green until it meets the grey mountains and brilliant blue sky. The view alone is worth the visit but our search for wildlife was also a success. We saw elk, huge herds of bison roaming, and pronghorn. The cool thing about this time of year is seeing the baby bison. They are so sweet, walking alongside their mama’s with gangly legs learning the ways of the bison world. One thing about Yellowstone is it is vast, to get to the valley from West Yellowstone took us a good two hours. The park is actually 3,472 square miles! That is a lot of protected land to explore.

Mammoth Hot Springs

Our first views of hot springs did not disappoint. The thermal springs here average 170 degrees and have created the most amazing travertine terraces. The water is mesmerizing as the sun brings about various colors but even more so are the subtle shades of the stacked formations. The textures created by the mineral deposits are so beautiful its hard to believe nature’s design skills are this amazing. You could probably come each day and experience a new wonder among the flowing water and glowing rock. Incredible and a great contrast to our earlier animal encounters. We close out Day 2 in awe of our adventures and eager to discover more in this magnificent park.

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Day 3 – Celebrating Lennox’s birthday geyser style!

Today brought us a birthday boy, and the big 5 at that! For a long time, Lennox has stated his spirit animals are the buffalo and eagle so I think it was fortuitous his birthday fell while we were in Yellowstone. We woke up to a super excited boy, excited to open presents that is, and he went along with the idea of checking out the geysers. We started at Old Faithful which was scheduled to erupt around 9:30. After about 10 minutes of on and off spurting water and steam, each of which we and the rest of the crowd were sure was the start of the blast, Old Faithful finally showed us its power and there was no mistaking the real thing. It was spectacular to see all this water shooting up to the sky and hear the rushing sound and pressure exploding. I think the kids expected it to shoot all the way to the moon, their imagination can at times dampen the reality of mother nature. We did learn each eruption is different and they range from 130 to 180 feet which is pretty impressive.

5 years old!

Old Faithful

Geyser Loop Trail

After seeing Old Faithful I kind of expected everything on the Geyser Loop Trail to be less spectacular but I was so wrong. This thermal basin is full of geysers, hot springs and their colors, textures, bubbles and eruptions all are incredibly unique and amazing. We were lucky to catch some small geysers bubbling and erupting and super lucky to see the Beehive Geyser which shoots water 200 feet into the air and only erupts every 16 – 18 hours. We also saw the Grand Geyser erupt, you can see photos below of this spectacular geyser. If I could I would walk this loop 1000 times because it is everchanging and such a beautiful and rare piece of nature.

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Grand Geyser

We waited about 30 minutes for the Grand Geyser to erupt. Lennox was super impatient and repeatedly said, “But we already saw a geyser erupt!” I guess extra patience didn’t come with the number change to 5 but he does think he grew a few inches overnight. Anyway, the Grand Geyser was worth the wait and so different from Old Faithful. The eruption lasted a long time and it had a second side eruption at the end which was really cool.

Snow storm!

I don’t think this is unusual for Yellowstone but we have been in some pretty spectacular spring weather and our day was sunny enough to sunburn so coming across snow/hail as we exited the park was surprising. We first noticed cars approaching us with snow on them and were a bit perplexed. Then the traffic slowed as we ran into the snow. What followed was incredible, the bison began crossing a river with their babies, they were up to neck deep and the babies had to swim. It was quite a site and also fun to end Lennox’s birthday with some white stuff.

Yellowstone to be continued…..

Adventure

Santa Monica to Carona Del Mar…and Everything in Between

By mamawanderer May 7, 2018

Griffith Observatory

Cool place with great views. It was super windy when we went up and Colette is pretty sure she almost blew away. We had a picnic on the lawn, enjoyed the sunshine, views, and were mesmerized by the Foucault Pendulum which we watched until we saw a peg knocked over.

Glasses and Earrings at Fashion Mall

We had a little snafu which left Colette with broken glasses. The great thing is we weren’t in Joshua Tree or somewhere remote, we were in LA. (at least the LA area) It was a blessing in disguise as her prescription had changed. We ended up with same day glasses and she loves them! Killing two birds with one stone is our style so while getting the glasses we stopped by Claires and Sienna had her ears pierced. We told her she could get them when she turned 8 so she was pretty excited. After the first hole, she almost forfeited the second but she was a trooper and the earrings look beautiful on our not so little, little girl.

Crystal Cove State Park

Crystal Cove is a beautiful place which has been preserved from the housing takeover along the oceanside in this area of California. What an amazing place to protect, its natural beauty is spectacular. It is a little hike down to the ocean from the parking lot and the ranger told us a rattler snake lives along the way. This was true excitement for the kids even though we didn’t end up seeing it which I was pretty happy about. The ocean is always a peaceful place for Matt and I and a place of discovery for the kids. Sienna and Lennox especially love finding creatures among the rocks. Their little eyes seem to be able to spot even the most disguised creatures which is amazing, ocean time is always our favorite.

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Sienna’s Birthday Bash!!! – Knottsberry Farm

Sienna’s birthday was April 17th and we knew we were going to be in Yosemite. We told the kids this year for their birthday they can choose a big day of their choosing. Sienna had lots of options, Disney, 6 Flags, Universal Studios, but she landed on Knottsberry Farm. The day we went it was 85 degrees and I won’t say the park was empty but there were virtually no waits which pretty much never happens nowadays. The park turned out to be the perfect mix for our family, lots of fun rides for smaller kids along with some giant rollercoasters for the more adventurous. I think the overall favorite was Camp Snoopy. I ventured on the Silver Bullet with Colette, the only kid who was tall enough to ride, she almost backed out at the top, which I was encouraging her to do, but we went through with the dangle feet style, multi-loop winding coaster. It was super crazy and fun but I also was so dizzy after I’m not sure I’ll be able to go on many more of those. Matt went solo and we enjoyed watching him on the crazy ride doing loop-de-doos. Sienna enjoyed her special birthday at Knottsberry Farm and there was more celebrating to come at dinner.

Closing out Sienna’s Birthday Bash at Medieval Times

I remember going here as a kid and I thought it was the coolest place ever. Eating with your hands while watching Medieval Knights battle! My dad ended up being called from the audience to play horseshoes with a toilet seat so that in itself was pretty spectacular. While driving to Knottsberry Farm we happened to pass by the castle and quickly decided to see if we could spend Sienna’s birthday dinner here. It all worked out and I don’t think we could’ve found a more perfect place for our 8-year-old horse lover’s birthday. There were beautiful horses, knights jousting, a queen and messing eating which is Sienna’s forte. It was a great end to a fantastic day.

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Santa Monica to Redondo Beach – the only place it takes 1.5 hours to go 16 miles!!!

Santa Monica, the pier, the beach, the people…. quintessential “California,” so we joined the tourist crowd for the experience. The kids ate ice cream as we walked the pier and they tried to talk us into the boardwalk games but we passed. We took advantage of a quick trip to the REI store to replace Sienna’s backpack which had been eaten by a squirrel! haha… This is a totally different world from our camping stop a few weeks ago in Joshua Tree that’s for sure. The best part of the day was meeting up with our cousins Hannah and Michael for a wonderful dinner. We saw a “quieter” side of the LA area and enjoyed seeing family we don’t get a chance to spend time with very often.

The Hollywood Stars

The Hollywood stars! When in LA you must see the stars so we did. It is cool to walk down the street and read all the names, Sienna wanted lots of photos and was willing to lay down on for them. Colette was after the Harry Potter crew and Lennox found Star Wars. Following this we also experienced the full effect of LA traffic which is completely insane, I’m lucky Matt drove or I’m pretty sure I would’ve given up on getting back to our house. While driving in LA style we saw all lanes of the opposing traffic stopped, and an animal catcher chasing a small dog around in the middle of the highway, Crazy in California!

The Magic Castle

Entering The Magic Castle takes some magic in and of itself and we were lucky enough to have luck on our side and STB (soon to be) Aunt Taylor who hooked us up with a magician wielding tickets! This is a club for magicians and requires a magician’s invite to enter. We attended the brunch which is a bit more casual than typical suit coat attire. I won’t say too much but the experience was indeed magical. I have no clue how magicians practice their trade but I tell the kids I guarantee they spend most of their lives practicing to be that good. The slight of hand is the most amazing to me and we really enjoyed the shows and atmosphere. Thanks, Taylor for that special treat!

California Science Center

The California Science Center is an amazing place and entry is free which makes it even better. We only scratched the surface here but did see the Space Shuttle Endeavour and the King Tut exhibits which were phenomenal. We also timed the blossoming to the rose garden perfectly as you can see from the beautiful pictures taken in the park.

Space Shuttle Endeavour

We have officially seen the three remaining space shuttles on our trip! All three were displayed in their unique way, and all were spectacular. We love space exploration and teaching the kids about the history of space travel, very inspirational. At the California Science Center, they have the solid rocket booster which is absolutely enormous. A really cool site to see and not easy to get a picture of since it is so large.

King Tut – Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh

We were lucky to visit the California Science Center while they have the exhibit on King Tut. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen objects this old and the intricate beauty and details of each piece are awe-inspiring. 100 years ago they discovered King Tuts tomb and the history they uncovered at this time is amazing. It is hard to believe he was only 18 when he died in 1323bc and had ruled since the age of 9.

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Cool Places

We Have Definitely Found What We’re Looking For!!

By PapaWanderer April 30, 2018

BEHOLD!!!! Joshua Tree National Park

This place defies explanation. I’m going to give a brief synopsis of our visit, but I think the pictures that follow will tell the story much better. We camped for five days in this beautiful park. We knew we would have a special time when we got incredibly lucky and found an epic camping spot in the extremely coveted Hidden Valley campground. Rocks loomed all around our tent and they were formed in such a way that the kids could climb all around and really get hands-on with the rocks around us. Hidden Valley is a rock climbers paradise and the kids were amazed to see all the climbers high overhead scrambling up the massive rock faces. We did a ton of hiking and saw many of the parks major sights. The weather was glorious!! 80+ during the day and mid 50’s at night. We explored, cooked our camp meals and had one of the best adventures of our lives. The kids also completed a wonderful junior ranger program. If you get a chance to visit this park, run!! don’t walk to your car and get at it. For a treat, before we headed to the LA area, we spent a night in Palm Springs. The temperature was in the mid 90’s, we played in the pool, got much needed showers, and walked the streets of this hip destination. Next stop…la la land.

Hidden Valley Campground

Cholla Garden

Skull Rock and other Rocky Fun

Mountain Tops, Old Mines, and Joshua Trees

Bushwackin!

Joshua Tree City and Palm Springs

Cool Places

Staying Classy in San Diego

By PapaWanderer April 26, 2018

The Desert on the Way to the Ocean

The long drive from Arizona to SoCal is not without some magnificent sites. Along with the desert and mountains rising and falling, you will come upon a beautiful sand desert just outside of Yuma. We stopped here for a short leg stretcher and ran up and down the dunes. So much fun! The rest of the trip, we watched the landscape change from arid high desert to rugged coastline. We finally made it to the West Coast. It’s been a long and amazing journey so far and we are ready to make our turn north to experience new adventures.

Mission Beach

We had an unexpected surprise for the start of our San Diego stay. Uncle Jim and STBA (Soon To Be Aunt) Taylor, who happened to be in LA, decided to come down and spend a couple days with us. Such a welcome change to spend some fun times with family. Our Mission Beach location was great. Two blocks to the beach, boardwalk, and a small amusement park. Jim and Taylor took the kids to the boardwalk and park for the afternoon and they all had a blast. Katie and I spent our free time walking the beach and basking in the sunny SD weather.

San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo is world renowned, and after visiting this awesome place the accolades are more than earned. The park is laid out into a number of immersive habitats. The habitats are very well made, clean and open for the animals and broad walkways for the humans. The zoo has a deep valley running through the middle, an ariel tram that can take you from one side to the other, and Colette’s favorite animal; Pandas!! We only spent one day here but could have spent a couple easily. My words will not do justice to this excursion, so hopefully, the following images will give a small sense of the awe and wonder contained in this fabulous place.

Cruising Around Town

My great friend John lives in SD and he joined us for a couple days of fun. We went downtown for a nice seafood lunch and a visit to the USS Midway aircraft carrier. We found it very easy to get around SD and after a quick drive, we arrived at the pier. We have visited a number of USS Navy ships on our journey, but the Midway was the biggest so far. We walked the narrow berths within the ship and had fun checking out the planes on the deck. We even got to talk with a couple old veteran naval aviators, that regaled us with stories from the past on this ship and others. We love our veterans and it was great to have the kids hear some stories of the service they gave the country. We didn’t get to some of the other sights downtown, but there are tall sail ships and submarines to explore on our next visit.

Easter at The Del

For a special treat, we signed up for a brunch and Easter egg hunt at the world famous Hotel Del Coronado. We invited John to join us for the feast as well. After an unbelievably quick Catholic mass, we headed to The Del. The egg hunt was great. Lennox, Sienna, and Colette loved dressing up and running for eggs under palm trees in 80-degree weather. We walked the beach, ate some incredible food and had a beautiful Easter day.

Tidepooling

Our final day in San Diego was spent visiting the Point Loma Tide Pools. We had a great time climbing the rocky coast and searching the pools for hidden sea treasures. In the afternoon we headed back to Mission beach and got our final splash in the Pacific. Our next stop is an epic one!!!…but that will have to wait until the next post.