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.
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.
For the most part, our Airbnb’s on this trip have been great. We have stayed in a range of places from good to amazing and this was our first strike out! I know, as much as we tried to like it, it just wasn’t happening. The place was cave-like, not super clean and just really dingy. It was livable and always good for all of us to experience the not so perfect side of the world so we stuck it out but it didn’t create the best atmosphere for enjoying this quirky Southern Arizona town of Bisbee.
A Glimpse of Bisbee
Copper Mines
Bisbee sits in the mountains surrounding the Queen Mine where massive amounts of copper were mined. The mine is closed now but the pit remains and it is so enormous you can’t even see to the bottom from most vantage points. The town is very eclectic and it’s hard to tell the hipsters from the people who have lived this fad their entire life. Needless to say, it’s a cool place to visit despite being way off the beaten path.
A journey back in time and 2000 feet into the deep recesses of the earth. That’s how Matt and the girls spent their morning, exploring the old Queen mine. Lennox was too young to go so this was a daddy/daughter excursion. Colette and Sienna were both a bit nervous to go into the cave. After having watched Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom, I think they had a screwed up perspective of the “mine ride”. The actual tour was fantastic. Our guide played the tour like everyone was a new miner coming to work. He went over everything from safety, explosives, transportation, and ways to find the ore itself. They saw drilling tools, a mine elevator and even a bike modified to ride on the mine rails. A very fun way to spend a couple of hours and if you find yourself in this neck of the woods, definitely stop by. The kids really enjoyed riding the little train into the mine but I think for them the most fun part was picking out some dollar rocks from the gift shop!
Devil’s Claw Wash
We were lucky to visit Aunt Suzie and Uncle Jeff while in Arizona and even luckier to go on a great hike with our trekking guide Aunt Susie and her dog Bonita. Bonita was not so lucky as 8 devil’s claws (the biggest, gnarliest burrs I’ve ever seen) stuck to her fur. We hiked along a wash which was relatively dry and the kids loved the challenge of navigating through water and uncharted land. It was a lot of fun. Uncle Jeff didn’t join us because he was cooking a delicious meal which we all enjoyed following our hike. It is always great to meet up with family on the road and we really enjoyed our time together.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Tombstone
Just a half hour drive from Bisbee is what my kids have deemed the “OLD OLD WEST” I guess it makes sense, if it was the Old West to me it must be the really old west to them. Yes, Tombstone is a real town, and it was the center of cowboy fighting, saloon swinging ruckus for quite some time. I never watched many old westerns but Matt did and he knows all the characters from Doc Holiday to Billy the Kid who roamed the streets of Tombstone. It’s a tourist destination for sure but we bought into the stagecoaches, saloons, old time photos and ice cream shops creating our own Western adventure.
On our last day in Arizona before heading west to California we debated if we should make the 2-hour drive to Chiricahua National Monument. We decided to go for it and we’re so thankful we did. After driving miles and miles through flat barren desert land we came upon some trees, wound through some mountains and were faced with enormous rock formations. The rocks seem to be stacked and balanced on top of each other as far as the eye can see. Looking out at the formations is spectacular but we were lucky to find a hike which wound us down through the rocks and ended at a grotto we could climb into and explore. Climbing within the balanced rocks was even more thrilling than being surrounded by them. We have found whenever a hike involves scaling giant rocks the kids love it, and we do too, it was a great hike. The day was extremely windy which made for some interesting moments but thankfully our only windblown loss was a Junior Ranger book.
Our week in Tucson started on a positive note with the arrival at our home. It was a beautiful casita tucked away from the residential neighborhoods with a stunning view of Mt Lemon in the backyard. Plenty of cacti and desert wildlife to keep us all happy. One nice thing about having a house with space is that we can fully unload the car and get ourselves resituated again. We unloaded, got settled and looked forward to our adventures in the week to come.
Museum of the Desert
We always love to see family and friends on our journey. While in Tucson we got to see Katie’s aunt and uncle, Holly and Steve. As an added bonus we got to see Aunt Phyllis and her friend. All of them were down visiting from the midwest, so it was fortuitous that we were all there at the same time. We decided to meet and go see the Sonoran Desert Museum. What an incredible place. The museum is mostly outdoors and is right smack dab in the middle of Saguaro-ville. We got to see and learn about plenty of cacti, animals of the desert and other flora. The highlight of the day was a live presentation on birds of prey. We saw owls, raptors, and hawks flying all around us. These birds flew so close to my head that I think a wing beat hit me! It’s an exhilarating experience to see and feel these amazing birds fly around you. The trainers and staff were great, showing extreme care for the animals and controlling the audience. After the show, we spent the rest of the morning wandering the grounds. This museum has a hummingbird exhibit that you walk inside of with over 30 hummingbirds flying around you. So cool to watch these birds hover inches in front of your face then go 0-100 in the blink of an eye. If you’re in the Tucson area, this is a great day trip.
Sabino Canyon
Close to our house was a popular attraction known as Sabino Canyon. This canyon snakes up the foothills of Mt. Lemon and offers stunning scenery and some fun water activities. We didn’t realize that this location was on national land under BLM control. So even though it was not a national park, it was covered under their umbrella so to speak. This means that the kids could become Junior Rangers! They have a great JR program that revolves around a nice half-mile nature trail with great exhibit signs and a wonderful booklet to follow. The whole things take about an hour and both the kids and Katie and I learned a ton about the desert flora and fauna. Once done we made our way to the canyon tour. The way Sabino canyon works is that you ride a tram up 9 stops over the course of almost 4 miles. The drive up parallels a stream for most of the way. The driver narrates on the way up giving little tidbits of knowledge about the canyon and area. You can get off at any stop and walk down or up. On the way up the driver pointed out a cool place on the river where people can swim and relax on some big rocks. This was our stop, so we got off the tram, hiked down into the canyon and found an awesome spot on the river with big flat rocks and a waterfall! We had a nice picnic lunch in the hot sun and splashed around. Afterward, we walked down several stops and took in the majestic sites of the canyon.
Bio-Dome err… Biosphere 2
Hahaha Biodome, a cult classic and not a very good one at that. That movie represents a time in the 80’s when Brendan Fraser and Pauly Shore were at their zenith for bad slapstick comedy. Right buu-uuu-uuu-dy. When I found out the inspiration for that film was Biosphere 2, I knew I had to jump at the chance to visit. It’s important to note that no part of the movie was filmed at this location. For a brief moment, I was sad that none of my prepackaged, stale 80’s jokes referencing the movie would be given life. Now that we have that out of the way, the actual biosphere is a really cool experience. Eight people, only two of which were scientists, spent two years locked in this place with only the sustenance they created themselves to survive. The biosphere is a representation of earth so there are several different habitats under the dome. The desert, the ocean, the rainforest, and savannah are just a few of the replicated habitats. The tour takes you through most of these areas and also gives you a bit of a, behind the scenes, look at the machinery that supports the experience. Oh, I forgot to mention that this is still a working experiment. Even though people aren’t locked inside anymore, tons of science is being undertaken to see how life reacts to various environments. This science will serve as the unpinning of our exploration of earth and into the stars. Such a powerful hands-on lab. Colette, Sienna, and even Lennox picked up some great knowledge from the visit. They asked lots of questions afterward and showed us that they picked up a glimpse of the bigger world around them. A win for mom and dad!
The End was Near – Titan II Missle Silo
Having grown up in the 80’s I did experience the cold war in a childish sort of way. Movies like Red Dawn, The Day After, Spies Like Us, and Firefox color my perspective of that time. Just outside of Tucson is a very real reminder of the danger of that time. Buried deep in the desert earth protected by alarms, barbwire fences and armed guards sits a 100′ tall missile that could have leveled an area 17 miles in diameter. The Titan Missle Museum is a tour through the underground complex that housed the missile and the soldiers that held the fate of the world in their hands. The tour is about an hour and takes you to the control room and the silo itself. The decommissioned missile still sits in the silo so you can get a real feel for the size of this WMD. The girls got a lot out of this experience, more the wow factor I think. The history kinda bored them but they liked the old computers and the missile itself. I think their favorite part was a one minute ride down an old elevator into the silo. Lennox was crazy on this tour. Typical tired five-year-old laughing inappropriately and running around. Bless Katie’s heart as she wrestled the mini beast through the tour. This site is not the greatest for kids but it is a wonderful history lesson.
Saguaro National Park
Our final day in Tucson was spent visiting the Saguaro National Park. A great day in 80-degree weather and a few new Junior Rangers to boot! The park is split into two big wildernesses and we chose the east side. A dirt road loop went through this part of the park with a number of stopping points for hiking. The park is breathtaking. Sooo many giant Saguaro standing like sentinels in the hot desert sun. It had rained the day before so the cacti were vivid green against the blue sunny sky. We stopped at a few hiking spots and walked through the unearthly landscape marveling at the scene unfolding around us. Sienna and Lennox love to run full speed down the trials regardless of the spiky dangers lurking to either side. Colette takes a more considered approach, but one of wonder and inquisition. All the kids worked on their junior ranger packets, identifying the different cacti and looking for desert animals. We had a picnic on some rocks and just took it all in. On one of the hikes we even got to see 1000-year-old petroglyphs, reminding us of the humanity sewn throughout the wilds of our country. We are very blessed to be able to see these great wonders of America. We headed back to the visitor center and the kids took their solemn oath of the junior ranger. This park was a spectacular end to a great stay in Tucson.
After our wonderful time in Santa Fe, it was time for us to move on. We had another long journey to Sedona, AZ but we decided to break it up with a stop at a National Park. On the Way to our destination is the Petrified Forest National Park. This also contains the painted desert as well which is an amazing site. The park is a 28-mile long road with a dozen or so stopping points throughout where you can see magnificent vistas or get hands-on with pieces of petrified wood that are millions of years old. We spent a few hours driving through the park and exploring the various attractions. It was pretty awesome and well worth the pit stop. The path we traveled ended us at the visitor center where some of the largest specimens of petrified wood exist. The kids got to touch the petrified wood and climb all over some of the trees. They had a blast. Along with all the fun, they learned a few things as well by doing the Junior Ranger Program, bonus for us! We hope they take some of these nuggets of knowledge along with them after this journey.
Switchback Down into Heaven…Waking Up to Nirvana
After the park, we only had a couples hours to Sedona. It was late and the sun was setting as we came, unexpectedly, to the switchbacks of Oak Creek Canyon. The drop in elevation from the top of the canyon to the bottom is about 3000 feet and this happens within a short span of miles. It was exhilarating to come down through the canyon with the sun setting and hundred foot drops along the roadside. We could just barely make out the huge red rock cliffs as we came into town. Even in the dim light Katie and I were blown away and knew we would be waking up to something incredible.
When the sun broke the horizon the next morning we were greeted by one of the most majestic scenes of my life. All around us, rising like red titans, were red stone cliffs and mesas. And not just red, but every color from orange, rust, copper, to sand. The sky was a vivid azure blue and the sparse plant life showed deep green against the landscape. My words will not do justice so I will let the pictures do the talking. Just a taste…more to come.
Our first hike in this awesome place was Bell Rock. This hike crawls over the face of a red rock mesa and has you scrambling up the stone dodging cacti. The views are amazing. The kids had a blast climbing the stone and sliding down. They also gave Katie and I fits as they ran full speed towards the edge of cliffs, only to stop at the last minute and laugh at us. Oh, the joys of kids! This is an easy hike and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. It was nice to get our hands dirty.
One thing you notice as you drive around Sedona is the massive amount of jeeps, and pink jeeps to be specific. There is a famous tour company in town that runs people up the back dirt roads (if you can call them that) for off-roading fun. We decided it would be fun to take the kids up into the mountains and also give them a bumpy, jerky jeep experience. We had a great guide named Sean who told us all about the area as we drove. He had just the right amount of funny, seriousness and jokester. We had a blast bouncing through the hills and the views were spectacular. If you can believe it, our youngest Lennox almost fell asleep going up as his body bounced to and fro. We are scared for the future and this one getting up for school during high school.
DCIM100GOPROG0020399.JPG
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0402.JPG
DCIM100GOPROG0030406.JPG
DCIM100GOPROG0010388.JPG
DCIM100GOPROGOPR0403.JPG
Montezuma’s Castle
About a half hour from Sedona is the Montezuma Castle National Park containing the remains of the Sinagua people’s cliff dwellings. The dwellings are beautifully preserved and it’s really neat to see the structure embedded in the rock. As far as National parks go, this is a small one. You can experience the whole park in about a half hour. Sienna decided to do the Junior Ranger program, but Lennox and Colette passed. This was a nice quick side trip for the family. We also stopped by the Cliff Castle Casino. (which had a crazy game filled daycare center) for a couple hours. The kids didn’t want to leave, but Katie and I sure did after giving the casino ample operating funds.
Rainy Day Hiking
Although the weather has been extraordinary, rain was in our forecast. Before it hit we decided to take another hike up a short trail called Fay Canyon. This was a moderate hike that followed and arroyo up into a box canyon. Lots of scrubby trees and a nice little climb at the end to look back down the canyon. The cliff walls rose hundreds of feet on either side. Very different from our first hike but no less beautiful. I had read somewhere there was a secret arch along this trail. So on the way back, I kept looking for signs of the secondary trail that might lead us there. A couple of rock cairns on the path peaked my interest and we decided to venture off the trail up the less used path. The hike was steep, rock-strewn and full of cacti. However, we found our secret spot! Hiding next to a cliff face about twenty feet from the wall was our arch. We also found a rock structure resembling a native home at the top. It was obviously built by modern hands but the structure was still awesome. A super fun hike that we were able to get in just before a couple days of steady rain set in.
Misty Magic
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The Final Hike
For our last hike in Sedona we chose to go up Brin’s Mesa. For our little posse, it was a challenging hike. The trail is about 3 miles round trip and rises over 500ft. You start off meandering up a wide valley and then shoot steeply upward the rest of the way. Awesome vistas abounded on this hike, along with a lot of crying Lennox. When that kid is motivated he’s unstoppable, but when he’s not into something he’ll let you know! After about an hour we crested the top and were met with more stunning views. We really loved our time here. The beauty, the people, and the food all came together for a truly memorable visit. We will be back. (Most likely Katie and I alone next time!)
Downtown Santa Fe is a fun place to wander around with many little shops. It’s not as fun with kids, at least the shopping part, but we still enjoyed bopping around. Pop your head into St. Francis Cathedral, it is a beautiful space with spectacular designs.
I’m taking over for Katie for this section as she was gone to Colorado for a super fun girls weekend. The kids and I decided to head out and see some Petroglyphs. These marking are 600-800 years old and were used as detailed signposts by the native people. The meaning is a bit more spiritual than that, but hopefully, you get the basic idea. There are numerous sites around Albuquerque where you can view the petroglyphs in the National Park. We just hit one that had a few different stops. The glyphs are awesome to see. We all felt the cool sensation of watching something that was written when the land was still desolate and the people were few. On the sadder side of things, I also used this as an opportunity to talk to the kids about vandalism. Many areas within the park have been vandalized and stupid people have cut their names or dumb sayings into the rocks. It really hit home with the kids how bad this practice is and I think it’s a lesson they will take with them in life. ( at least the older ones). It was great spending the day in the hot sun, doing school (Junior Ranger), hiking and having some laughs.
What a hike! Tent Rocks is such a fun adventure and the geological formations you see blow your mind. Looking from afar is impressive but when you make your way through the narrow passages of the slot canyon to the tent rocks the views are magical. A climb at the end puts you above the rocks on a plateau looking out over vast land which seems to extend to the edge of the earth. Spectacular views and well worth the travel.
Chimayo/Taos
I read about the weavers in Chimayo and really wanted to check out this art. We ventured off on our way to Taos and what we found was amazing. We happened to stop in the Trujillo Weaving Shop first and we probably didn’t need to go anywhere else. The work was beautiful, we were able to see weaving in progress and the colors, yarns, patterns and finished products were all stunning. As 7th generation weavers, their story, tradition, and preservation of an art form is truly amazing.
From Chimayo, we took the scenic road to Taos which equated to lots of winding around, by the time we arrived Colette didn’t feel great. We didn’t stay long but the drive was beautiful and worth the curves to the top of the mountain.
There are a group of museums on “Museum Hill” in Santa Fe which is a pretty neat place. We choose to check out the Folk Art Museum and it was well worth the visit. It is hard to describe all the amazing things here, art from around the world and a really great hands-on section for the kids. One cool thing, we noticed a weaving created by the weavers in Chimayo we had just visited the day before.
This section of the trip took us from civilization to no man’s land. Well, that’s not entirely true. There were an awful lot of oil men drilling for black gold. It was a beautiful drive until we hit the last hundred miles to Carlsbad. This is where we turned on to a two-lane road with posted speed limits of 75mph and potholes that could rip the tranny out of a monster truck. There were semi’s barreling by and an uncountable number of F150’s. All these trucks were there to service the oil derricks that dotted the landscape like toothpicks on a party tray. Oh, and did I mention that the winds where gusting 25-30+mph which is really fun in a big land yacht with a topper on it. We made it just as the sun was setting. We tucked into our hotel and got ready for a fun day deep underground.
The Caverns of Carlsbad
The caverns aren’t actually in Carlsbad. (FYI) You need to drive about 30 minutes. It is well worth the effort. After a beautiful drive through the park and up to the cavern entrance, you’re greeted by a breathtaking vista of the Chihuahuan desert. On the way up we got to see a type of Bighorn sheep which was a cool surprise.
The visitor center is well staffed has an excellent museum to get you oriented. Once you’re ready to visit the caves you have two options. A quick 1 min elevator ride or a 45 min hike into the cave system from the mouth at the surface. We opted for the elevator on our first day as we had a guided tour we needed to meet. The next day we decided to hike in and it is AWESOME!
But I digress, day one we went to a cave system called the King’s Palace. This was a guided tour and was wonderful. The cave system was well lit and had thousands of stalagmites and stalactites, rock curtains, and impossibly thin rock tubes called soda straws. Truly an awe-inspiring experience. The guide also turned the lights out half way through so we could feel the intenseness of complete darkness. Colette and Sienna both loved the excursion into this hidden world. On day two we hiked into the cavern from the surface. This gives you a real sense of what it must have been like to first come upon these caverns and explore them. We highly recommend hiking in one of the days if you visit this place. Once at the bottom we went on the self-guided tour of what they call the “Big Room“. The Big Room tour is about two hours and takes you buy some of the most spectacular otherworldy structures you’ll ever see. Carlsbad Caverns is a remote location and we’d recommend tacking it on to a bigger exploration of the Southwest.
More of the Surreal
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
The caverns aren’t the only thing to see when in Carlsbad. About 20 minutes past the caverns lies the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. We are always in awe of the national park system and what they protect and this was no different. Beautiful mountains, pristine wilderness, and Jr. Ranger Program!!! We love these.
There are a few short hikes here, but it really caters to longer overnight hikes to experience the park. We opted to drive around and get some great shots after the kids became Junior Rangers at the museum.
Believe…….
We spent about three full days in the area exploring and found that to be a good window of time to experience a taste of the caverns and mountains. On the way to our next destination, we needed to make the pilgrimage to the town made famous by the alien spacecraft that crash landed there 72 years ago. Roswell, NM is a surprisingly big town, much bigger than Carlsbad. Our only focus for passing through was to visit the UFO Museum and have space lunch. The museum is a fun place to visit and does a great job recapping the history of the alien crash investigation. There’s are lots of fun and cool art and exhibits to enjoy as well. I love Aliens! So making the effort to land here definitely was a check off my bucket list. I’m not sure if Katie felt the same way, but the kids had a blast. A worthwhile place to spend an hour and get some lunch. Though space lunch was not found we did have a nice bite at a deli up the street. Our next stop is Santa Fe for a couple weeks.
So we all know Texas is big but man this state is fricken HUGE! We had a seven-hour drive from our stay in Louisiana so we buckled down and ground it out. We were on our way to San Antonio. The kids were taking turns studying school work and blowing off steam with the iDevices. The longest most stressful part of the drive was the hour it took getting through Houston. Eight lanes of traffic packed with cars all going 70+?! Glad that’s over and definitely not our cup of tea. We eased on into San Antonio and were pleasantly surprised by our Airbnb for the week. A beautiful Southwestern home North of the city. Plenty of great things to do close by and space to spread out.
I’m guessing the one thing everyone does when coming to this city is going to the Alamo. We were no different. It’s located right in the heart of the city near the famed Riverwalk. Nestled between towers of steel and concrete was the historic mission that gained so much fame from the fact the everyone defending it died. The people of Texas are very proud of this monument, and rightly so. It’s a testament to the resolve of early Americans to defend to the death what they believe in. 200 defenders went up against 2000+ professional Mexican soldiers under the leadership of López de Santa Anna. One thing That has come to surprise me (and somewhat sadden me as well) is that all the historical sites are heavily encroached upon by the modern world. I guess my mental image of these places was a more romanticized vision of the sites sitting pristine with nothing around them. I take great heart though in knowing that they are being protected and that no matter the marching progress of the future, they will stay the same. After visiting the Alamo we spent the rest of the day walking around the Riverwalk and checking out the downtown sites. Due to cool and wet weather, we didn’t spend a whole lot of time exploring the Riverwalk. I guess we’ll need to come back again for that.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Time to Monkey Around
It had been a while since we hit a zoo and we found out San Antonio had a nice one. We packed everyone into the ride and headed down. We love zoo’s I don’t know what it is but each of us has our favorite animals and we just love seeing these creatures in real life. We saw Jaguars, an untold number of funky monkeys, a baby anteater hitching a ride on its mom’s back and many others that would make Dr. Dolittle proud. This zoo really packs a lot of exhibits in a relatively small space while still keeping the animal environments decently big. We had a great time. The pics will tell a better story than I can. One cool thing we saw was during lunch, we had packed a picnic and decided to sit and watch the Giraffes. This zoo has a Giraffe feeding area that’s attached to the elevated lunch area we were sitting at and the animals come right up to within 5 or 6 feet of you. Very awesome to see these big guys at eye level. Colette, Sienna , and Lennox also made these plastic injected molded toys you can get at a machine in the park for $2. Both Katie and I had these little treasures when we were young so it was a cool moment to share that with the kiddos. San Antonio Zoo.
Cowboy hats, Cowboy Boots and….Cowboys!
One thing both Katie and I wanted to do on this trip when we were in the west was attending a rodeo. It just so happened that our timing was such that we hit town the same time as the huge San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. At first, we looked for tickets and found nothing for under $200. We thought we were out of luck. Then late one night, on a whim, I checked to see if anything was available. To my astonishment, we found five tickets in the nosebleeds. (center corral?) So the next day off to the rodeo we went. What a spectacle. So much pride in the event from both the attendees and the participants. You could really feel these people’s American pride and happiness. We saw buckin’ Broncos, steer wrestling, calf roping, barrel racing and of course bull riding. We won’t pretend that we’re longtime fans of the rodeo or even know much about what a “good” ride is, but we certainly found a new appreciation for the men and women that call this their profession. We had a blast and at the end, we were treated to a country concert from the band Midland. Katie the girls and Lennox really had a great time and hopefully made some memories.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
McLeod Kids – Texas Junior Rangers
So as many of you may know, our kids love the Jr. Ranger programs at the national parks. San Antonio just happens to have a National Park for the Spanish Missions. We decided to forgo our traditional homeschooling and supplement it with some good old-fashioned hands-on experience. There are four missions in the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park; Mission Conceptìon, Mission San José, Mission San Juan, Mission Espada. These beautiful structures are 250 years old and in many ways remarkably well preserved. Even though these missions evoke a sense of wonder for times long past, they also serve as a reminder of a dark chapter in history. A history filled with the exploitation of native peoples and the destruction of a noble culture. The missions were built on the backs of the native peoples that lived in the area at the time. they were forced to give up their traditions and embrace an alien way of life. It’s always a bit sobering to find out the true history of some of these landmarks. It serves a good teaching moment for the kids. Katie and I just hope that they come away with a deeper appreciation of cultural diversity and the notion of right and wrong. This is a really good tour and you can bike from mission to mission if the weather is nice. Our weather was cold so we drove, which is just as easy.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Meatfest 2018 – Chama Gaucha – A Dinner in Pictures
St. Valentines Day – Big Air and Time Machines
We always like to do something special for the kids when holidays come up. Valentine’s Day was no exception. Katie and I celebrated the night before so we could spend the whole day and night treating the kids to a fun outing. We chose a spot to go to during the day but we didn’t tell the kids. We like to surprise them! We just happened to be talking to my parents when we drove into the parking lot of the destination when all of a sudden Colette let out an ear piercing scream. This was quickly followed by Sienna and Lennox. My parents must have thought we crashed. Really we had just pulled into Altitude Trampoline Park. This place was awesome. The whole floor of this massive warehouse was covered in trampolines. There was a foam pit, basketball nets, and dodgeball courts to play at as well. We spent the day going nuts. I managed to reclaim some old days of glory by pulling a double front flip into the foam pit. The kids were in heaven. The only downside was that Katie and I Spent the next couple days recovering from pulled and sore muscles.
Later that evening we went to dinner at what we found out was a local San Antonio landmark; The Magic Time Machine. This place was the perfect place to end our day. First off, every table is built into its own nook and has a theme. The theme could be anything from a cave to dragons lair. We sat at a table with a rocker theme, which was cool for us old ones. The other really fun part about this place is that all the wait staff are dressed up as characters like Draco Malfoy, Thor or Wonder Woman. They also stay in character which adds tremendously to the wackiness of this place. We had a young lady dressed as sponge bob complete with all the funny one-liners and affectations. We highly recommend hitting this place up if you’re in San Antonio.This is a great city and we had an awesome time exploring at this stop. We’re looking forward to coming back someday. Next, we are heading out into the desert in search of some caves.
Two years ago we brought the kids to New Orleans for spring break during the French Quarter Jazz Fest. We fell in love with our time here, staying in the French Quarter, great music, swamp tour, cool museums, and yummy food. One of my clearest memories was Lennox, then 2, licking a lamp post on Royal Street, he is still alive! We were all super excited to return and explore a little more of New Orleans. This time we stayed in the Garden District, it was a bit cooler in February, less busy, but just as much fun. The cool thing is everyone was getting ready for Mardi Gras, it was such a treat to see all the houses decorated, the spirit of Mardi Gras coming to life and get to know the traditions of this event a bit better. Far more than my prior notions of Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
Mardi Gras World
We decided it would be a great time to check out Mardi Gras World thinking all the floats would be getting ready for their big day. To our amazement, we discovered they were already working on floats for 2019 Mardi Gras!!! Yes, it takes an entire year of planning and creating. From the moment you step in the door, you are surrounded by larger than life creations, each as spectacular as the next. Artists are sculpting, painting, drawing and they even have a robotic CNC machine who sculpts foam figures for the floats as well. It is a busy place full of color and creativity. We learned a lot about the history of Mardi Gras, the first parade actually took place in 1703 in Mobile, Alabama, to how it has turned into an over the top 2-week celebration in New Orleans. Parade after parade is put on by Krewes throughout New Orleans in the weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday and the celebrations are spectacular.
Mardi Gras Parade
We were lucky to be in New Orleans on the day of the first Mardi Gras parades. We were heading out the next morning but packed up early so not to miss this happening. We really didn’t know what to expect but what was in store for us was more than any of us could’ve anticipated. We lined up on the street for the Krewe of Oshun followed by the Krew of Cleopatra, since the parade route is so long we ended up waiting quite some time before the parade start. Oshun began with dance school after dance school of little girls probably from 5 years old to teenagers. It was cold and all the girls wore dance outfits but they didn’t seem to mind. Their moves had more rhythm and movement than I could dream of, and I know our girls probably learned a move or two by watching. Such a fun, energetic atmosphere. Dancers were followed by bands, (amazing marching bands playing pop music) with flags, batons, the whole nine yards. Horses followed the bands and then came the floats. Oh the floats, they were huge and elaborate and filled with people throwing everything from candy to beads to hula hoops to full-sized stuffed animals towards all the stretched out arms and screaming people. It was insane, and this lasted for hours. We left with bags full of beads, candy, toys and I don’t think we will ever top this parade experience. It was a highlight for all of us and special to join the local New Orleans scene on this big day.
One of our favorite things to do in New Orleans is wandering through the streets, listening to music, viewing art and enjoying the atmosphere of this unique city. Today was Colette’s lucky day as she was called on to be the “assistant” to this juggling comedian. She successfully tossed the bowling pins to this gentleman as he stood on a ladder, and was pretty excited to be a part of the show!
Well, this really doesn’t even need an explanation, but if you don’t know, chicory coffee and the most delicious beignets are served here as they have been since 1862! Expect to wait in line which is absolutely worth it, then use your hawk eyes to sweep up a table. Enjoy your time and don’t worry, you are guaranteed to leave covered in powdered sugar.
French Quarter
Strolling through the streets checking out the Mardi Gras decorations, music and eating King’s Cake makes for a perfect day.
We left New Orleans and headed to Cajun country, Lafayette, LA. On our way, we decided to tour Oak Alley Plantation, it was a sugarcane plantation along the Great River Road, sitting on the west bank of the Mississippi River. The spectacular 800 ft. alley of live oak trees leading up to the Greek Revival style mansion is beautiful and a great spot for a photo shoot. We toured the Mansion, learning about the history of the area and the family who owned the plantation. It is always interesting and humbling to step back in time and imagine the way life would’ve been and give thanks for the life we have today. One interesting fact is from the Mansion you couldn’t see the Mississippi River, this is due to the fact that the levee which once stood 5 feet tall is now over 20 feet!
Avery Island – the land of Tabasco
I’m not even a hot sauce fan but this place was intriguing and we heard it was worth the trek to visit. The history here is deep, Tabasco was first produced in 1868 and remains a family business headquartered on Avery Island, which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. The story of the deep red pepper and the creation of the sauce which became an essential condiment worldwide is complex and intriguing. I love to see how things are made and the self-guided tour takes you through the 3-year process of growing the peppers, fermenting the mash, to turning it into the beloved hot sauce. There was a tasting section full of Tabasco products including ice cream and soda. This was fun for all of us and too hot for most, besides Matt, and it seems Sienna is developing a fondness for heat as well. Overall, it was a fun day and I may have even become a fan of the spicy sauce.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Jungle Gardens
Also on Avery Island is a 170-acre botanical garden and bird sanctuary called Jungle Gardens. The gardens are home to migrating snowy egrets along with a multitude of beautiful plants, trees, and flowers. It is especially known for its camellia collection, beautiful flowering trees. For us, it was a peaceful drive and although it is winter and everything is slightly dull and not in bloom it was still beautiful scenery and we were excited to see an alligator.
So now we are to visit a set of parks I’ve never been to, Universal. We also get to celebrate a special day as my oldest is shedding her single digit age becoming a tenner! We booked a cool hotel that had a 50’s vibe called Cabana Bay. Katie loved the retro vibe. We had three days to explore all the cool experiences Universal had to offer. The most anticipated for us was the Harry Potter worlds of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.
Universal has two theme parks, Universal Studios, and Islands of Adventure. Both offer some awesome roller coasters, cool 3d rides and awesome theme areas like Dr. Seuss, The Simpsons and of course Harry Potter. Since we are on the road and space is a serious premium we decided to forgo any major physical birthday gifts. Instead, we promised the kids experiences for their birthdays. Colette’s choice was Harry Potter and she couldn’t have been more excited. In truth, I think we were all pretty excited for the experience. Harry Potter has two major areas, one in each park. Each of the areas is immaculately true to form in recreating the feeling of being in the wizarding world. The rides are exhilarating and feature all your favorite characters. The shops a fun and whimsical and all the workers (or cast members) stay in character as you interact with them. It’s a super fun experience that we highly recommend to any fan of the books. Of course, while we were there Colette and Sienna had to get wands at Ollivander’s. After watching a cool live performance of a young girl from the crowd getting a new wand from the man himself we moved into the store to pick our own. I won’t lie, the place was shoulder to shoulder packed so if you have a fear of tight spaces maybe nominate someone else to brave the crowd. Colette and Sienna got special wands that let them cast spells at locations throughout the two areas. There may have been a third wand purchased for a much older child in our group, but that will remain a mystery. Colette also got to get a robe and scarf to complete her birthday experience. She was in heaven! We cast spells, drank Butter Beer, and ate at the leaky cauldron smiles plastered to our faces.
More Harry Potter Memories
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The rest of the Story
There are a ton of cool rides at Universal and we got to ride some great ones. Two standouts for me and the girls were the roller coasters, The Incredible Hulk and Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket. The Hollywood coaster was my favorite because it starts by slowly taking you up vertically to the first drop and goes nuts from there on out. There’s a lot of 3D rides and tons of characters walking around the parks. We ate, rode and got pics with some of our favorites. We really liked Universal and we plan to go back someday.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The Great Space Coast
After all the parks and on the way to our next destination we decided to take a detour to the Kennedy Space Center. Being a bit of a space nerd I was really excited about this stop and it didn’t’ disappoint. One note here, it is pretty expensive to take the whole family to this experience. I had a bit of sticker shock but the exhibits more than made up for that. The day was spent learning about the great men and women who pioneered our journey to space. We got to get up close and personal with the old rockets and even got to see a full-scale replica of the solid rocket boosters that launched the shuttle fleet. The highlight of the visit is seeing the space shuttle Atlantis, which is one of only three left and our second we’ve seen on this adventure. There was a full schedule of rockets preparing for liftoff, including the Space X Falcon Heavy. Unfortunately, our plans didn’t line up with them but it was great to see that our mission to explore space is alive and well.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
A Great Ending
To end our marathon run in Florida we spent a week with my parents who get a place in Stuart. It was so very nice to spend a week relaxing, walking on the beach, swimming and laughing. Pete and Judy are a great couple and we enjoy having one on one time with them and the kids. We’ve been coming down to see them for a number of years and plan to continue as long as they have a place. We also made our yearly pilgrimage to Benihana. Always a great treat with food sizzling and flying through the sky. After a great week, we packed up the car to hit the road again. We were heading to the Alabama coast and uncharted territory, it was as exciting to get back on the road as it was to leave the first time. Great adventures await.
