Road Trippin'

14 days.  6 people.  1 small RV.

From Atlanta, Georgia to Los Angeles, California and everywhere in between.  Over the course of those two weeks I would see the Grand Canyon, Universal Studios, the Painted Desert, Carlsbad Cavern, Mexico and just about every major site in between (and many minor ones as well!).  

I grew up on these.  Trips around the country in the backseat of whatever vehicle we were taking.  We drove to Boston, to Washington, D.C., Florida, Alabama and of course California.

It's how I grew up and I find that I still love the thought of a road trip!  As an adult I've driven to Pennsylvania, New Orleans, the Carolinas, and recently to Michigan.

One summer I took a bus up through the midwest to Chicago and the surrounding area.  

So this summer I've found myself on another of these road trips.  The first one with my parents in over twenty years.  This time with my two teen-aged kids and my new wife!  We started in Seattle and drove down to Cannon Beach, Oregon.  I was apprehensive at first, but it was a good week with Fireworks, a Beach Wedding, Kite flying, and "Goonies"!

But I don't know if any trip will surpass the 'misadventures' of that trip out to California.  It was my Grandmother's last trip with us.  She'd pass the next year to cancer.  We slept all cramped up in this little Winnebago and crossed the horizon chasing the sites and the sun.  I couldn't truly appreciate all of it until now, years later - when I see my 15 year old son and 13 year old daughter in a car with myself or one of the grandparents traversing the countryside in search for something to see.

So I'm thankful for the time spent in a car, van, station wagon or RV!

...the lawn of the Kennedy Center - where I fell in love with music of the world!

...the Grand Canyon - where I still find myself looking towards in all my hiking!

...Boston - where I was allowed the freedom to roam through a city alone.

...and all the other places that helped shape parts of me.

So I guess it's not too soon to plan my next road trip.  Who knows where I'll end up!