Day 4 – A “Grand” Father’s Day at the Grand Canyon
Day 4
A “Grand” Father’s Day at the Grand Canyon
Not many dads can say they celebrated Father’s Day in as grand a way as Ross did today. We took him to the Grand Canyon. I hope he appreciated the view, because that was also his gift – considering we forgot his present amidst all the chaos of leaving for the trip.
We chose to visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, instead of the traditional South Rim. It’s harder to get there, which means fewer crowds.
As we drove the last 45 miles, it was hard to believe you were in Arizona. The North Rim Plateau is covered in green meadows and pine trees.
Our first stop was the Lodge. Upon entering the sunroom, we were facing a wall of windows, two-stories tall. They provided us with our first stunning view. It was like watching a movie of the Grand Canyon at the IMAX – only this was real.
When we walked out the sunroom doors and onto one of the viewing platforms, Ethan commented, “I imagined it being big, but I had no idea it would be this big.”
We selected one of the hiking trails and …
Day 3 (Continued) – Adventure with the RV
When traveling in an RV, sometimes you have unscheduled (and unwanted) adventures. We had left Bryce National Park and had just passed Four Corners. (This is the spot where 4 state borders meet – Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado).
I was ready to take a turn driving the RV for the first time, but Ross said it wasn’t a good idea. The wind gusts were terrible. Soon after, we heard a loud noise coming from the roof.
At first, we thought we’d left a vent open. No, it was closed. But there was a dark shadow flapping loudly over the vent cover. For a split second, I thought a giant bird had gotten trapped on the roof. (Guess I’ve been watching too many Science Fiction movies.)
Then, we realized it was the awning.
Ross pulled over. He had to climb atop the RV and fight with the awning. This wasn’t an easy job. Remember those wind gusts I mentioned? Not the best time to be climbing around the roof of an RV and fighting with a large piece of wayward canvas.
Ross was finally able to fix it with a hammer and some zip ties. (All we need is …
Family Adventures at Kentucky Science Center
I need to make a confession. I went somewhere I wasn’t supposed to go. I thoroughly enjoyed it. And, given the chance, I’d go again.
Technically, it was okay for me to be in the…
…“Science in Play” exhibit at the Kentucky Science Center. But, it was designed for someone else. Someone much younger – ages 3 to 7. Everything in the room was meant to be played with. It was also intended to help children build, test, and explore science using their senses and imagination.
I wasn’t the only guilty one. When my husband, Ross, and my children (Ethan, age 13, and Autumn, age 10) entered the Exhibit, they headed straight for one of the building areas. Scattered on the floor were various sections of ramps and supporting blocks. We worked together to collect blocks and elevate the ramps. We good-naturedly argued about how many loops and curves to put in. Then, we seriously argued about whose turn it was to let loose of the ball at the top of the ramp to see how far it would go along our loopdy-loop, curvy course.
Eventually, we migrated to the back section of the room, where an entire wall (floor …
Day 2 – On the Road
Still trying to figure out where we stuffed things in the RV. That mad dash to pack before we departed left everything in a mess. Ethan and Autumn were great help loading the RV the night before we left. They were up until 4am. I was feeling pretty guilty (as only moms can do) until I realized they stay up that late at sleepovers all the time!
Today, my wonderful helpers have turned back into teenagers. They weren’t nearly as interested in helping.
Ross only slept a few hours last night before he hit the road driving again today. We’re all a little tired and impatient.
At least it was exciting to start seeing new landscapes and scenery, as we drove across Oklahoma and northern Texas.
The canyons fascinate me. There’s no pattern to them. You can be walking along, and all the sudden, you’re looking over a cliff. (Or, if you’re walking too fast, you’re at the bottom of a cliff.) There are small mesas that are a few hundred yards long and have dropoffs that are 20 feet or so. Then, in the distance, there are massive mesas that extend for miles and drop off hundreds of feet.…
Day 1 – We’re Off
We’re on our way . . . And we’re only 26 1/2 hours behind schedule.
We had a few setbacks in the last week. Six days before time to leave, our RV rental fell through. Ugh! (and a few other choice words.) After searching every dealer who rents RVs in a 3-hour radius, we discovered there were no rentals available.
Ok, Plan B. Let’s buy a used RV . . . in 2 days.
No problem. I didn’t have anything else to do. I was just trying to leave for a month-long trip.
In order to find what we needed on such short notice, we had to drive all the way to Fletcher, Ohio. That’s 3 1/2 hours from our house. And, we had to do the deal on a Sunday. Thank goodness that Mike at Poor Farmers’s RV agreed to meet us.
I knew that buying an RV on a Sunday was going to be problematic. I tried to pre-plan and account for every variable.
Of course, this meant there were glitches everywhere – from the bank’s new cashier check system not working to the printer in Poor Farmer’s accounting office being cranky.
After four hours of Mike’s time …
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Day 15 – Still Wandering Nevada (and the Pioneer Center)
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Day 14 – Wandering Nevada (Virginia City mining)
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Day 13 – Yosemite (More Hiking)
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Day 12 – Yosemite (Unscheduled River Escapade)
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Day 11 – Yosemite (Phenomenal Views; Stupid Tourists)
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Day 10 – No RVs Allowed
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Day 9 – On the Road Again toward Sequoia
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Day 8 – Viva Las Vegas in an RV
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Day 7 – On the 7th Day, We Rested
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Day 6 – Zion Park & Tunnels with Windows