Gather 'round…
Aside from that unfortunate incident with the airbed that let us down, I don't know that I've ever slept better, and more consistently, on a vacation. Attribute it to utter exhaustion if you must. I don't really care. It's been nice. Even on a non-Coleman bed. Our bucket list for the day: Port Orford, the... Continue Reading →
An hour. That's all the sleep we got before--GET THIS--the winner, the only survivor of the airbed apocalypse back home, bit it. Rather unceremoniously, we both woke up on the ground. In the event of this somewhat familiar catastrophe occurring on any normal camping trip, we would simply disinter the backup airbed from the trailer.... Continue Reading →
Well, it wasn't a deluge, but it was raining when we woke up in the morning. Spitting. Spitting vigorously. Almost a week in and this is the first time we've had to tear down wet, so I won't whine too loudly. Dry tents are little miracles, every time. We only had 3+ hours on the... Continue Reading →
Our first day without miles and miles to put undertread. Deep breath. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I think today we entered the legendary realm of vacation, for real. All disasters have been quenched and quelled, and we're doing nothing but enjoy ourselves. Of course this means that emotions were somehow... Continue Reading →
It's 8:30. I've been up for an hour. Everyone else is still out cold in the tents behind me. I am overlooking Lost Creek Reservoir and surrounded by rhododendrons and all manner of exotic flora. It is peaceful here and I am doing my best to mirror that sentiment. Thank God we're here for three... Continue Reading →
Up at 5 this morning, and on the road for Oregon by 6. So far the day's drive has been a bit surreal. Idaho was over before we knew it, the SE corner of Washington was uncomfortable and strange, and Northern Oregon is it's own kind of strange. Within a few minutes of crossing over... Continue Reading →
Hitting the sack at Camp Coeur d'Alene tonight, the first RV park/campground I've ever experienced harboring FREE firewood. And us with not enough time in the day to even start a fire... Sigh. Up at 5:45, and only eight hours on the road today, but a nice four-hour stop at Lewis and Clark Caverns State... Continue Reading →
Columbus, MT, actually. Itch-Kep-Pe Park specifically. We hit the road at 4:20 this morning and drove for 14 hours through the flatlands of Minnesota and North Dakota, to make it here to our first stop, a free city campground on the Yellowstone River. This is the only place we will be without a reservation until... Continue Reading →
1 two-year-old $900 van 4 Ottingers (occasionally 5) 8 National Parks 14 States 23 Days 308 Gallons of gas (regular) 6,916 Miles Whew. I’ve yet to meet a good family vacation that was made better by the presence of a laptop. So I left mine at home. Thank God. I did blog. Sort of. I... Continue Reading →
There are airbeds everywhere. I'm in the throws of packing for a particularly ambitious three-week camping trip out West, a whirlwind tour of National Parks and wayward children. It is May. The camping gear emerges slowly from its slumber, and with each unearthing, there is fear and trepidation. For you never know what you'll find...... Continue Reading →
All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater My rating: 5 of 5 stars Can I give it six stars? Eight? I need more stars. A few weeks ago I was driving across the Colorado desert with my 18yo and she suddenly drops into a reminiscent haze in the midst of the red rocks and tumbleweed.... Continue Reading →
Lately I’ve been appalled at the state of the bathroom. There is an over-population here that can only be blamed on the raising of seven children, but now, at the cusp of that number plunging to two, the ammassment of toiletries here is looking more and more extravagant, possibly diagnosable. Let’s just address the lotions... Continue Reading →
Tales From the Nexus 