Rhode Island - A Grand Time in the Smallest State

Why, yes, that is 2023 in our rearview mirror and 2024 peeking over the horizon.  Our family was blessed with a happy holiday season, and I hope the same is true for all of you.  We added a bunch of new memories to our cache of beloved Christmas favorites, and had a delightful time doing it.  During one of my gift shopping expeditions, I spotted an “Indoor Snowball Fight” – a box of 16 soft, fleecy, fabric “snowballs.”  Alan and I gifted one box to our son and daughter-in-law and one box to our daughter and her boyfriend as the last gifts of Christmas night.  Let’s just say that the expected ensued, no one was hurt, nothing was damaged and the “kids” finally understood why Alan didn’t want to light the fireplace that evening.

Now that the busy holiday season is rapidly coming to a close, I’m picking up where I left off on our Little States trip of June 2023.  Alan and I had already spent a long weekend at the quirky Winter Island Maritime Park in Massachusetts.  Our next stop was Rhode Island, and we set up base camp at Fishermen’s Memorial State Park in Narragansett for a quick, two-night visit.  We managed to pack a lot into our short stay but, before we get to that, let me tell you about a mistake I made.

Campfire Talk

Merriam-Webster defines the word “impromptu” as (1) “made, done or formed on or as if on the spur of the moment;” and (2) “composed or uttered without previous preparation.”  Welcome to an impromptu edition of Campfire Talk, a post consisting of the sort of things you might talk about around a campfire with friends or fellow travelers or even around the dinner table with your family.  It was composed with no preparation so, basically, I’m just winging it and you’ll be dealing with my “spur-of-the-momentness” regarding a variety of mostly unrelated topics.  Here’s hoping Mike doesn’t see fit to correct my grammer grammar.  Interspersed throughout the post are random photos from this fall’s tour of the southwest.

Regrets?  Ten days after we arrived home from our fall tour of the southwest (and well before we had worked our way through “catch up” and all the appointments I had scheduled), we found out from our sister-in-law, Joan, that Alan’s uncle was celebrating his 100^th birthday on November 28th.  Since Alan and Uncle Adolph share a November 28th birthday, and since Alan’s uncle is the last remaining aunt/uncle on either side of his family, Alan thought it would be a good idea to make a quick trip to Florida to wish his uncle a happy birthday in person.  The timing wasn’t the best.  We had Thanksgiving just ahead and Alan was scheduled for jury duty the week of December 4th. We talked about waiting until January, but that seemed like too far away.   Alan really wanted to go in November, and I agreed that it was the right thing to do.  So, with our camping gear still not packed away for the year, our Christmas newsletter not written, and virtually no holiday shopping or cleaning done, we told the kids that we were on our way out yet again, and we set off for Florida.  Since we prefer the pace of a road trip over an airline flight, it was three driving days down, four driving days back and three days to visit in Florida.  We left the day after Thanksgiving, and arrived home the night before Alan needed to report for jury duty.  Was it even worth it?

A Tour of the Southwest - 12,182 Miles of Adventure

A leisurely tour of the southwestern United States had long been on our bucket list.  Although Alan and I had visited the Grand Canyon at least twice, traveled to the Dallas/Fort Worth area for business and to check in on friends, attended an adoption conference in Houston and driven through the southwest on our way to the west coast during our most recent National Parks trip, we had never actually vacationed throughout Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.  Well, now we have.

Before we left home on September 4^th, I had scheduled a bunch of appointments between the date we planned to return home (November 2^nd) and Thanksgiving.  I was attempting to get the important stuff out of the way before the start of the holiday season.  Eight appointments – four medical, one dental, three auto-related - and one wedding were on the calendar even before we left home in September.  I thought I was brilliant.  I was not.  I forgot how much time it takes to process two months of mail and dirty laundry and empty the travel trailer for the season.  Plus, we wanted to catch up with the kids, which is always a priority.  We’re home, but we’re dragging.  Thankfully, the trip itself was amazing and we happily crossed off another major item on our bucket list.  Here’s the summary:

Winter Island Maritime Park - Weird and Wonderful!

This is the second of two posts about Winter Island Maritime Park, a city-owned park and campground in Salem, Massachusetts.  Winter Island was the first of three stops on our 12 day “Little States Trip” in June of this year.

Winter Island in Salem, Massachusetts, is (hands down) the most unique campground we have ever visited.  It’s a magnificent piece of property located at the entrance to Salem Harbor and it’s quite popular.  The history of the island is fascinating, too.  Alan and I had been looking forward to staying at this one-of-a-kind campground, and we were thrilled to have landed a waterfront site adjacent to the boat launch.

Massachusetts, Rhode Island & Connecticut - The "Little States Trip"

In June of this year, shortly after returning home from our adventures in Maine, Alan and I set out on what affectionately became known as the “Little States Trip.”  All of the photos in this post were taken at Winter Island Maritime Park in Salem, Massachusetts, over the course of Father’s Day weekend.

Last year, Alan and I were looking at our map of the states we had camped in since acquiring our first travel trailer in 2006.  (The map always appears at the bottom of the column to the right.)  We realized that we had only four states left to go in the contiguous United States, and all of them were clustered right here in the northeast, pretty close to home.  Go figure.  We quickly devised a driving loop that would take us through Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, leaving the state of New Jersey as the last piece of the puzzle.  (Alaska and Hawaii might pose problems, but we’re working on that.)

Choosing campgrounds in Rhode Island and Connecticut was as easy as pie.  And you know how much I love pie.  Fishermen’s Memorial State Park in Rhode Island had a wonderful reputation and would put us close to the coast.  Actually, now that I think about it, almost anywhere in Rhode Island is close to the coast.   As for Connecticut, after visiting Hammonasset Beach State Park when we were in Connecticut on personal business a year or two ago, we had already added it to our list of places we’d love to camp.  So, for those two states, the campground selection couldn’t have been easier.  However, for Massachusetts, choosing a campground couldn’t have been more difficult.

An Awful, Wonderful, Final Day on the Coast of Maine

The Friday after Memorial Day weekend would be our last day in Maine.  Sigh.  The combination of Acadia National Park and so many fascinating cities and villages to explore creates an irresistible draw for me.  I really do love coastal Maine.  Of course, I understand that the residents of Maine, like those in every other state, have issues to deal with, including the lack of affordable housing in many areas.  I can remain grateful for the countless opportunities we have to explore and enjoy Maine's natural beauty and learn about its history and heritage.  Hopefully, the tourist dollars that we and other visitors spend are a true benefit to this magnificent state.

Knowing that the next day would bring a day of travel, followed by the inevitable unpacking and the loads of laundry that go along with it, we tried not to over schedule ourselves on Friday.  A leisurely day of poking around Freeport, a visit to a State Park and a late lunch at the Five Islands Lobster Company – that was the extent of the day’s itinerary.  After a slow start – it was SO hard to leave the amazing water views at our campsite – Alan and I made our way to our first stop – the wharf in Freeport.

In and Around Portland, Maine - The Most Photogenic Lighthouse Award

Having arrived in Freeport on the Wednesday after Memorial Day, Alan and I were enjoying our waterfront campsite at Winslow Memorial Park and Campground.  With such a gorgeous view out our big back window, it was really hard to tear ourselves away from the campsite, but we put on our big kid pants and headed out to explore Portland.

Finding a Gem in Freeport, Maine

When I was planning this trip to Maine last year, I spent a bit of time poking around trying to find a campground in or near Freeport.  Alan and I had visited Freeport more than two decades ago when Ryan was only two, and Kyra wasn’t even a twinkle in anybody’s eye.  I remembered it as a sweet little town, and I remembered being impressed by L.L. Bean’s enormous flagship store there.  Thinking that it would be both fun to revisit and a good place to layover for a couple of nights on our return trip from Acadia National Park, I started searching for a campground that would be a good fit for us.  I happened across Winslow Memorial Park and Campground (link HERE), a 100 site city-run park on the outskirts of Freeport.

Farewell, Acadia!

We’ve just returned from our annual two week vacation at the Northampton Beach Campground on Great Lake Sacandaga.  Managing to snag a reservation in this park is always difficult; reserving a waterfront site is even more so.  Diligence and perseverance are required, but the time and effort spent securing a campsite is well worth the effort.  Believe me, we exerted quite the effort.  Many days, there were four of us with fingers poised on the “Book Now” button on ReserveAmerica; at one point, all five of us were trying for one particular campsite.  No luck that time, but we did triumph – eventually.

A view of the inlet and on out to the lake from the kids' campsite

Ryan and Anya, our son and daughter-in-law, camped at their own site with our former travel trailer.  Our daughter, Kyra, was there briefly, as allowed by her work schedule.  Although Alan was the one to secure our waterfront campsite, we gave it to the kids.  The Jayco, with its big dinette window on the curb side, was better suited to take advantage of the site (and the sights) than our Outdoors RV trailer with its big windows on the back and street side.  We were camped across the road, but took full advantage of “the neighbors’” excellent location, dragging our camp chairs and our morning coffee over to their site without apology.  (They assured us we were always welcome.  Had we not been, I’m not sure that would have stopped us.)  The views of both the lake and the never-disappointing entertainment at the boat launch were spectacular!  The weather was not as cooperative as we would have liked, but a good time was had by all.  We enjoyed boating and biking, coffee around the campfire and kayaking.  There may or may not have been a couple of trips to the local ice cream stand.  The day of departure is a challenge for all of us, because nobody wants to leave.  Whining, complaining and sniffling are not uncommon occurrences, and we all drag our feet when saying goodbye to the lake.  Now that we’re home, with the laundry done and the bills paid, let’s get back to our adventures in Maine over the Memorial Day weekend.

The Big Chicken Barn & Other Adventures in Mid-Coast Maine

I’ve said before that it doesn’t take much to make us happy.  A pretty and private campsite, a leisurely cup of coffee, scenic vistas, intriguing walking or biking paths, the sound of running water or ocean waves, fresh regional foods – all can be easily enjoyed without much effort or expense.  When we arrive at a destination, it’s often with a scavenger hunt type of list loaded with places that we think we’ll find interesting, good possibilities for a picnic lunch with a view and fun-filled activities we might want to try.  We’ve survived many an outing on nothing more than peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, granola bars and iced tea or water, but those PBJs are quickly swapped out for regional foods and unique dining opportunities that we come across by happenstance.

On the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, Alan and I began our day with another scavenger hunt list.  We have no idea whether or not other tourists do anything similar and, frankly, we don’t care.  To each his own.  Our particular brand of exploring suits us just fine, and we happily set out with our list of destinations.  The list included a couple of towns west of Ellsworth (the Gateway to Down East), so maybe we should consider Sunday’s adventures to be Up West.  Or Out West.  Never mind.  Instead of going “that a way,” we decided to head “this a way.”

Coastal Travels in Down East, Maine

This post continues the recounting of our travels in Maine at the end of May.  Alan and I had arrived at the Schoodic Woods Campground on the Schoodic Peninsula section of Acadia National Park the Wednesday before Memorial Day weekend.  Thursday and Friday were spent on the peninsula and in Acadia proper on Mt. Desert Island.  On the Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, we preferred to avoid as much of the holiday weekend crowd as possible, and decided that exploring the new-to-us section of Maine known as Down East (also called Downeast) would be the way to go.  But, really, which way are we going – up or down?

Acadia National Park - Dining Our Way Across Mt. Desert Island

Just the thought of spending any time over Memorial Day weekend in the tourist town of Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park on Mt. Desert Island was enough to inject fear into Alan’s heart and mine.  Those of us who are “socially selective” tend to favor opportunities for solitude in our National Parks over holiday bedlam.  That was reason enough to leap out of bed at o’dark-thirty on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend.  Okay, let’s face it, we no longer “leap” anywhere.  But we were up and out early on our way to Café This Way.  Which way?  This way . . .

Acadia National Park - Discovering Schoodic Woods

I just recently realized that we’ll need to quit traveling for about two years if I ever want to catch up on blog posts.  Alan and I spent 10 days in Maine toward the end of May, and then two weeks at home trying to catch up before heading out to Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut for another 12 days.  Now we’re back home and playing catch up.  Again.  I’m not complaining!  We’re blessed to be able to enjoy this lifestyle in retirement.  But I always struggle with the decision on what to post first – the remainder of past trips that I’m trying to document (our West Coast National Parks journey, in this case) or our most recent travels while they’re still fresh in my memory.  Because my memory seems to take a vacation of its own at times, I decided that it’s probably best to strike while the iron is hot and our experiences are fresh in my mind, so I’ve put the West Coast trip on pause for now.

I absolutely love Acadia National Park in Maine!  While I’ll never commit to a “favorite National Park,” Acadia is always in the Top Three.  The park has so much to offer – that magnificent Maine coastline, miles of well-marked carriage roads for walking and biking, sparkling lakes for paddling, hiking trails that range from easy-peasy to holy sh*t, and, of course, popovers at The Jordan Pond House.  The only feature of the Park that doesn’t thrill me is Blackwoods Campground.  Blackwoods is a lovely campground, but space for bigger rigs like our 32’ trailer is limited to only 29 sites.  The section where we do fit feels a bit too tightly packed for my taste.  To make matters worse, at the time of our first two visits (2011 and 2014), campers reserving a site in the “big rig” section weren’t able to select a specific campsite; your site was assigned at the time of your arrival.  It was definitely not my favorite type of camping experience.  I always considered putting up with the process and the close quarters as the cost of doing business if we wanted to wake up in the park each day – which we did.  But now, we have a much better option.

Crunching Numb3rs

Since this post isn’t about a specific destination, I’ve included a random assortment of favorite photos from past adventures for your viewing pleasure.  Alan and I just returned from a delightful eleven day trip to the coast of Maine; more current photos will soon be forthcoming.

“We all use math every day
to predict weather, to tell time, to handle money.
Math is more than formulas or equations;
it's logic, it's rationality,
it's using your mind to solve the biggest mysteries we know.”

I am a huge fan of the television show Numb3rs which ran for six seasons on CBS beginning in 2005.  The series is a police procedural about an FBI agent and his brother, a math professor, who work together to solve crimes.  The beginning of each episode during the first two or three seasons began with the quote above.  I didn’t watch the show when it originally aired; Alan and I were busy raising two young children.  I spent too much time attending PTA meetings and team sporting events to fit much TV into my evenings.  I found Numb3rs on daytime reruns when I was looking for something to help me pass the time while I indoor biked my 20 miles a day.

I was initially attracted to Numb3rs because it was a crime drama.  I liked it because the characters had varied and intriguing backgrounds, and the relationships among them were both simple and complex.  But I fell in love with the show because of the numbers.  Texas Instruments (TI) partnered with CBS on TI’s math initiative, “We All Use Math Every Day” – affectionately referred to as WAUMED in math circles.  For the first three seasons of Numb3rs, TI posted math lessons online that were related to the actual math rules, laws and formulas used in the show’s episodes to solve crimes.  For the final three seasons of the series, CBS partnered with Wolfram Research, and you can still find math lessons for the full six seasons on that organization’s website.  Fun fact: Cornell University also picked up on the WAUMED initiative, and you can still find math lessons for the first five seasons of Numb3rs on Cornell’s website.  Numb3rs and its creators actually received a Public Service Award in 2007 from the National Science Board for their contributions toward increasing scientific and mathematical literacy on a broad scale.  And just what, you ask, does all of this have to do with RVing?  Give me a minute; I’m getting there.

Last Day at Yosemite National Park – Tioga Road Pleasures (National Parks Trip #3)

This post represents another installment in the series documenting our West Coast National Parks trip in the summer of 2017.  Alan and I, along with our 18 year old daughter, Kyra, logged a total of 8,513 memorable miles of adventure over the course of five and a half weeks during the months of July and August.

Day #16 of our West Coast National Parks trip marked our third and final day in Yosemite.  It was definitely a whirlwind visit, but we did manage to squeeze quite a bit of sightseeing into those three days.  I have no doubt that we could easily while away at least two weeks in this magnificent Park.  Ah, if only we had the time.  The weather gods had granted us yet another blue sky day, and we wasted no time in heading out to explore the northern section of the Park.

Yosemite National Park - The Advenure Continues (National Parks Trip #3)

This post represents another installment in the series documenting our West Coast National Parks trip in the summer of 2017.  Alan and I, along with our 18 year old daughter, Kyra, logged a total of 8,513 memorable miles of adventure over the course of five and a half weeks during the months of July and August.

The three of us rolled out of bed early on Day #15 of our five week expedition, determined to fit as much sightseeing as possible into our day.  This would be our last visit to Yosemite Valley; the following day, we’d be exploring Tuolumne Meadow and the Tioga Pass area of the Park.  The first stop of the day was planned with “crowd avoidance” in mind.  We wanted an opportunity for a clear shot at one of Yosemite’s most iconic images, and we knew that the earlier we arrived the better our chances would be.  If you read my last post, and spent some time considering what this location might be, you’re about to find out whether or not you guessed correctly.

Yosemite National Park - So Worth the Effort! (National Parks Trip #3)

Early in March, Alan and I enjoyed our first snowbird adventure when we spent time in Florida, Georgia and Virginia.  Now that I’ve completed documenting that expedition, I’m returning to our West Coast National Parks trip in the summer of 2017.  On that trip, Alan and I, along with our 18 year old daughter, Kyra, logged a total of 8,513 memorable miles of adventure over the course of five and a half weeks during the months of July and August.

Yosemite National Park is a tough ticket to get.  Camping reservations within the Park are extraordinarily difficult to come by, crowds are extraordinarily easy to run into, and Mother Nature always feels free to throw one of her famous curve balls, making a ticket that’s tough to get even tougher to hold onto.  About a week before I began drafting this post, Yosemite Valley was closed to visitors for a number of days.  The record snowpack in the Sierra Nevada had started to melt, and above average temperatures were predicted, creating perfect conditions for the Merced River to reach flood stage and impact Yosemite Valley.  Visitors who had planned to arrive in late April and early May, had their hopes dashed, as the National Park Service closed Yosemite Valley out of concern for the public’s safety.  This year’s visitors aren’t out of the woods yet.

Chincoteague and Assateague - Where Are the Wild Ponies?

This is the final post covering our recent snowbird trip to Florida, Georgia and Virginia.  (After this, I’ll zip back to Yosemite National Park and continue the series on our third cross-country National Parks trip.)  Alan and I enjoyed the fun and frolic of our late winter escape from the snow and cold weather at home, but we really did miss our travel trailer.  I’m happy to say that spring is in the air, the cover is off the trailer and we can now prepare for another year of camping adventures.  Yay!

The final stop on our 13 day snowbird adventure was Chincoteague, Virginia, a small and quiet island off the coast of the Delmarva Peninsula.  As its name would suggest, the peninsula contains portions of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.  Although Interstate 95 is the most direct route from the northeast to the southeast, Alan and I aren’t huge fans of the busy highway.  The traffic around Baltimore, Washington (DC) and Richmond is annoying, at best, and exhausting, at worst.  If we’re traveling up and down the east coast, we’ll either take Interstate 81 to the west of I-95 or traverse the Delmarva Peninsula to the east of it.  Despite the number of times we’ve traveled the peninsula, this would be our first stay in Chincoteague, the gateway to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island.

Savannah - Hospitality with a Side of History

This post is the second of two posts related to the time we spent in Savannah, Georgia, during our snowbird adventure in early March of this year.

Because we haven’t traveled much during the winter lately, it seemed strange (but rather exciting) to see signs of spring all around us as we made our way through the southern states.  A number of trees were happily displaying their brand new buds, and some early flowers were popping up here and there.  It would probably be at least another month before we saw spring even beginning to stir in the mountains back home, so I was truly enjoying Mother Nature’s preview.  On our second full day in Savannah, with our winter coats jammed in the trunk of the car, we ventured into the “Hostess City of the South” to soak up the sun and the sights.

The Quiet Side of Savannah

Before we get into today’s post (the first of two about our adventures in Savannah), I have news to share about National Park Week 2023.  This year’s event will be celebrated from April 22^nd to April 30th.  Entrance fees will be waived on April 22^nd to kick off the week of celebration for anyone who would like to enjoy our National Parks in person.  If an actual visit isn’t an option, you can easily follow along via social media.  Find the links to the National Park Service’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn and YouTube accounts on the NPS website (link here).  Our amazing, educational, magnificent and spectacular National Parks properties truly are National Treasures that add extraordinary enjoyment and enrichment to our lives.  Don’t miss out!  And don’t let your kids and grandkids miss out either!    

Savannah was founded in 1733 and is the oldest city in Georgia.  Due to its charm and hospitality, it was nicknamed the “Hostess City of the South.”  In 1966, the city was designated a National Historic Landmark District – one of the largest in the country.  Cobblestone streets, a vibrant riverfront, amazing architecture and beautiful, park-like squares ensure that Savannah will remain a bucket list destination for romantics, historians and adventurers for many years to come.

Alan and I were eager to explore this lovely southern city, but we’re definitely not your typical tourists.  Personally, I think we’re a bit odd in our approach to exploration.  (I didn’t say we’re odd people, just odd in our approach when visiting a destination.  There’s a difference.)  We’re generally not interested in organized tours (such as the popular trolley tours in Savannah) or in spending much time in museums – although we do occasionally partake and enjoy.  Instead, we prefer what I’ll call a scavenger hunt.  My pre-trip research often produces a copious number of activities, attractions, oddities (there’s that word again) and regional specialties that I know we’ll find enjoyable and educational.  That list often includes stunning examples of architecture and construction, quiet places in which to enjoy nature and her wildlife, delicious samplings of regional cooking and the quirks and eccentricities that make a particular destination unique and fascinating.  While our itinerary may not be that of a typical tourist, it works perfectly well for us, and it usually leads to fun-filled days and memorable expeditions.  Here’s what we found “scavenger hunting” in Savannah . . .

A Brief Snowbird Adventure - Lessons From the Road

I’d like to extend a round of applause to all of you bloggers who somehow manage to post while on the road.  I truly can’t imagine how you do it.  I’ve often written posts ahead of time and set them to publish on future dates, but I’ve haven’t yet managed to draft and publish a post while we’ve been on the road and on the run.  This time, I went so far as to put my notes and photos on my laptop – and that’s as far as I got.  So, no post for the past three weeks and a well-deserved tip of my hat to those of you who are both road warriors and road writers.

Last year, Alan and I sold the second of two rental properties we owned.  For the first time since we had both escaped the workforce, we were truly free from responsibilities.  Winter travel had always been problematic for a variety of reasons, and this new-found freedom allowed us to enjoy the festivities of the Christmas season in both Pigeon Forge and Nashville, Tennessee, early in December.  Just recently, it also allowed us to escape the cold winter weather that plagues our area of the northeast.  In happy anticipation of wearing shorts and t-shirts, we set out to visit Alan’s brother and sister-in-law, Tom and Joan, in Florida.  We tacked on a few days in Savannah, Georgia, and a few more days on Chincoteague Island in Virginia, and we were looking forward to our first adventure as snowbirds.  Wow!  Did we learn a lot!

Yosemite National Park - The Ahwahnee Hotel: "Majestic No More" (National Parks Trip #3)

This post represents another installment in the series documenting our West Coast National Parks trip in the summer of 2017.  Alan and I, along with our 18 year old daughter, Kyra, logged a total of 8,513 memorable miles of adventure over the course of five and a half weeks during the months of July and August.

Yosemite National Park had been a bucket list item of ours for more years than I’d care to count.  Since a straight-line journey from our home to Yosemite is nearly 3,000 miles, we knew that this visit would require an extended trip.  We held off for a number of years, never feeling that the timing was right.  As it turned out, the summer of 2017, following Kyra’s high school graduation, provided the best opportunity.  As far as I’m concerned, our timing was about as far from impeccable as you can get.  Why?  At the time of our visit, the National Park Service was embroiled in a lawsuit with the Park’s former concessionaire.  Somehow, we managed to visit Yosemite National Park during the four years that the Park’s iconic hotel, the Ahwahnee, was not the Ahwahnee.

And . . . Ampersand! (National Parks Trip #3)

This post represents another installment in the series documenting our West Coast National Parks trip in the summer of 2017.  Alan and I, along with our 18 year old daughter, Kyra, logged a total of 8,513 memorable miles of adventure over the course of five and a half weeks during the months of July and August.

Despite the fact that Alan and I have been huge fans of our National Parks for more than 40 years, we had never visited Yosemite until this trip in 2017.  It was, in fact, the Park around which the entire trip was built.  To say we were excited about our next stop was an understatement.

The Moro Rock Trail - Yikes! (National Parks Trip #3)

With 2022 in our rear view mirror and 2023 already promising to provide a number of exceptional adventures, I’m up to my neck in travel planning.  So, it’s time to settle down and get our most recent National Parks trips documented and put to bed.  This post represents another installment in the series describing our West Coast National Parks trip in the summer of 2017.  Alan and I, along with our 18 year old daughter, Kyra, logged a total of 8,513 memorable miles of adventure over the course of five and a half weeks during the months of July and August.

Before I begin today’s post about Day #12 of our journey, I have to admit that I’m truly, truly enjoying documenting our past travels.  I believe that I’m the luckiest of family members.  I get to enjoy and anticipate our trips as I plan them, then I get to enjoy them while we’re actually on them and then I get to enjoy them all over again as I document them.  I get a LOT of mileage out of our travels and that makes my heart happy!

I’m not, by nature, a true adventurer.  Yes, I’m an outdoor enthusiast, but my idea of fun-filled outdoor activities includes the more sedate ones.  I prefer hiking, biking and kayaking over activities like trail-running, rock climbing, mountain biking and white water rafting.  Add in a fear of heights and I’ll admit that sometimes I’m a plain ol’ scaredy cat.  Then along comes our daughter – a curious explorer, outdoor adventurer and bundle of bravery all wrapped up in one petite package.