Our Travels

Tedx UCSD

2013-05-20T16:58:29+00:00

As our camp host position in AZ wound down, and my eyes were healing from cataract surgery, Mike and I had many discussions about where we would go for the summer. When we left MI last September, we were pretty sure we’d return to Michigan for a seasonal spot in Fremont. Now, after spending nearly 6 months in one general location, we had a hard time thinking about being stationary for another long period of time. We also felt that… View the entire Tedx UCSD entry >> (Text and photos).

Surfin’ Safari

2013-05-17T16:35:12+00:00

What do you do in southern California? You go surfing, of course!

We’d listened to too many Beach Boys songs to not try surfing. I must admit, I was slightly nervous. What if I hit my head on the board, knocked myself out, and drowned? Ok, maybe I wasn’t worried about that. Maybe. But I was excited.

We got there early. Since Boyink, Storybird, and I were the only ones signed up for that one time, we pretty much started… View the entire Surfin’ Safari entry >> (Text, photos and videos).

Meeting the “Trips”, Take 2

2013-05-17T16:23:18+00:00

We met the Trips the first time in Usery Mountain Regional Park where we camp hosted for a long time. After that first meeting, we have been wanting to get together with them again. Finally, we have.

We met up at Cabrillo National Monument. Harrison and Gary walked together, sometimes behind our group, sometimes in front, but never in the middle, I noticed. I walked in the middle with Kimberly and Becka, the two girls, beside the moms and my… View the entire Meeting the “Trips”, Take 2 entry >> (Text and photos).

Queen Califia’s Magical Circle

2013-05-15T06:32:12+00:00

Recently we were invited to join several other full-time traveling families for an evening of meeting and eating. Since our home-base was an hour away, we decided to leave early and make a couple of stops along the way. One of those stops was at the Kit Carson Park in Escondido to check out this Roadside America attraction.

Queen Califia’s Magical Circle is one of the last works of French artist Niki de Saint Phalle. The garden is named afterView the entire Queen Califia’s Magical Circle entry >> (Text and photos).

Grandma and Grandpa ‘A’

2013-05-13T16:18:33+00:00

My Mother’s Mother

She’s my mother’s mother
She only had sisters, not one brother
And when my mother had a little girl
My mother’s mother gave her a whirl

My mother’s mother makes root beer floats
And the ice cream bobs up top like a little boat
My mother’s mother sends Christmas across seven states
My mother’s mother uses colored bowls and pretty colored plates

My mother’s mother trusts entirely in the Lord
… View the entire Grandma and Grandpa ‘A’ entry >> (Text and photos).

Grandparents and the Olympic Training Center

2013-05-13T14:26:40+00:00

It was something the entire family had been looking forward to for weeks, ever since we learned about it while still in Arizona. Grandma and Grandpa “A” were flying out to San Diego to visit us!

The park we chose was Pio Pico, a Thousand Trails park east of San Diego. Because of the location, we had as close to zero phone coverage we could without actually hitting zero. Luckily, they had good wifi available for a fair price. It… View the entire Grandparents and the Olympic Training Center entry >> (Text and photos).

Border Field State Park

2013-05-08T20:41:33+00:00

This one was all me. No one else was really excited about going here but I made them come anyway.

Back on our first-year of traveling we visited Cape Flattery, the NW corner of the USA. You can go more north, but not be as far west. You can go more west, but not be as far north.

Border Field State Park is a bit like that at the Southern End of the Pacific Coast. You can go more… View the entire Border Field State Park entry >> (Text, photos and videos).

Escape from Suburbia: A Year Later

2013-04-29T03:17:56+00:00

One year ago today we dodged incoming contractors hired by the buyer of our house, moving the last things out while they came in with toolboxes and ladders to install up-to-code smoke detectors and replace a back window to ready it as a rental. We pulled the truck across the street into our neighbor / friends driveway, re-installed our bike rack, loaded up bikes, and then asked one of the contractors to move his van so we could hitch… View the entire Escape from Suburbia: A Year Later entry >> (Text and photos).

Change in California

2013-04-24T23:38:13+00:00

From Arizona to California
Such a change in sight
One a foot above sea level
The other at least a thousand in height

From towering green saguaros
To the home of palm trees
From the heat of the sun
To a cool, ocean-front breeze

From a dry, dusty climate
To a humid, grassy place
From a smile and shining eyes
To a longing look on my face

I will miss my… View the entire Change in California entry >> (Text and photos).

Picacho Peak

2013-04-22T18:02:44+00:00

Before leaving Arizona, we had one more stop to make. We had been told by many people that the Sonoran Desert Museum, in Tucson, was a must-see. We decided to set up a little ways out of Tucson at Picacho Peak State Park, since Catalina State Park was booked for the weekend. The campground was quite quiet and the internet was speedy fast.

We visited the Sonoran Desert Museum on Friday. It was a great place—lovely cactus blooms, animals(… View the entire Picacho Peak entry >> (Text and photos).