Through the Woods and Over the Rivers

July 29. A damp night was spent at Cook Forest State Park, home of the largest old growth forest east of the Mississippi. The kids pedaled off to the play ground on arrival as I cooked up a gourmet dinner of grilled cheese and carrot sticks.

We managed to get the pop top up on the van, with two of us pushing and grunting. At our stay in Utica Rich found another storage box for the top of the van and collected the last of his belongings out of the family home. The pop top is super heavy and it is a struggle to raise the roof now. We are considering staying in hotels from here on out to prevent personal or property injury.

We camped near a couple with an '86 Westfalia Camper. Their van was in mint condition, and we traded stories as Gretchen served up some cornbread cooked on their open fire. The kids didn't want to leave. It was great to be a unit again, without cousins and extended family, horsing around and reading the kids to sleep.

We found the trail of the ancient forest without a map and with personal guidance from one of the state parks maintenance guys. While Rich and I marveled at the canopy of Eastern White Pine and Hemlock the kids took delight in finding toadstools of various shapes, colors and sizes. Do we not have toadstools in Idaho?  We took more back highways winding our way through the hills into Pittsburgh for an impromptu and all to brief lunch with two of my best friends from college--and earlier. Rich listened to Karen's dad tell stories while the women exchanged surface information. Mary's 11 year old, Jorja, and the kids paid more attention to us curtailing any hope of intimate conversation. We promised to keep better touch and exchanged big hugs and headed through downtown Pittsburgh, across the Allegheny and Monogahela rivers on yellow bridges before turning southwest to Athens, Ohio and my alma mater, Ohio University.

Watch out, Midwest, Here We Come!

July 28. Headed west into rain. The wipers battle it out with a rapid staccato  beat. We attempt to avoid the big trucks as limited visibility gets worse. The kids sleep in the back seat after staying up until midnight celebrating their last hurrah. We are tuned into Syracuse University's NPR station. I got a few things downloaded our last stop, but nothing for the adults. Our sanity rests on the happiness of our children.

Hours later and miles down the road it continues to rain, so much so that not only do we NOT use the AC that Rich fixed once the leak was found (YAY RICH!!!) but we now have the heat on!!!!  We drive through New York villages where we witness people pumping out their basements with large barrel hoses, streets closed due to flooding, even driving through an eighteen inch deep parking lot lake. Relentless, this rain, and not something we westerners are accustomed to. So far still on track for camping, although doubt is starting to creep into my mind.

Off of the interstate we travel back highways through farmland and villages of considerable age. Beautiful brick buildings line downtowns hosting large glass storefronts. Beautiful restored homes hold court over main thoroughfares. Corn in various stages of growth have accompanied us since leaving Utica this morning. As we passed through Mt Morris this afternoon Rich spied a sign marking the house where John Wesley Powell, explorer of the Grand Canyon, was born. The history we encounter here seems much older, exotic, even important than the West.

Westward Ho!

July 26th. We have visited the eastern most point of our trip, Provincetown and are now taking a westward course back toward home. The routines of the Cape are behind us; evening showers and nightly ice cream runs. We collectively finished a thousand piece puzzle and and ate as many of the left overs as we could. The last night we bounced on trampolines and raced Go-Karts before having our last visit to Sundae School, local ice cream.

We woke earlier than usual this morning than to race off of the Cape before traffic comes to a standstill, bottle necked at Sagamore or Bourne bridges A canal separates Cape Cod from Massachusetts and Rhode Island physically marking the end of vacation. The kids woke, stumbling out of their bedroom blinking like baby owls to be poured into car seats. Ruby is asleep again after a breakfast snack of Z bars. I still want more coffee.

I look forward to movement and momentum, having destinations and having a goal.  We are going to the Berkshires tonight, spending the afternoon and evening with Dan and Randy before stopping again in New Hartford. While I am not anxious to get home I am looking forward to traveling. It is difficult to believe the long anticipated trip is more than half over. That Yellowstone was a mere three weeks ago. Traveling as we are stretches time as when we are children, putting the moment first, thinking as far as the next meal. Ruby can see as far as visiting Gramma in Colorado. Reese looks to Hill AFB museum in Ogden, Utah.  In the meantime we play music and podcasts, watch the world go by and continue to create our adventure

Cape Cod

July 19. On the Cape.  Massachusetts has proven to have the worst drivers, it is not confined to Boston. Dunkin Donuts regular coffee is with cream and sugar, not black.  I found out the hard way, with Rich returning his coffee. Who knew?
 
July 21. Sitting on the beach, bundled in sweatshirts and under towels, we marvel at the fortitude of children. They race and jump in the 60 degree water screaming in either delight or chill. The beach hasn't been crowded, due to overcast, chilly, even rainy weather the past three days. Still, we make the pilgrimage to the beach daily. We can hear the surf from our rented 'camp' for it certainly doesn't qualify as a cottage or home. Not in the Cape Cod sense. It lacks the weathered grey shingles, blue shutters and white trim.  Nor does it have hydrangeas lining the yard. Hydrangeas of all colors, red magenta to pinks and deep purple, blues as deep as the sea and pale as the sky. Certainly it is someone's home, but in terms of updating for rental appeal, it makes no apologies. It is a seventies original; the stove and dishwasher, the robin's egg blue formica counter and the wood paneling are a testament to its origin. Even much of the furniture speaks of its nascence. The bathrooms and white washed paneling speak of an attempt to update it. It works fine for us, despite the interminable musty, fecund smell that accompanies most older beach homes. We love the surf echoing in our windows lulling us to sleep, and we loathe the noisy dehumidifier that cycles outside of our window.

The best part, of course, is family. Three of Rich's siblings are here, and five of Reese and Ruby's cousins. Reese and Danny are seven years apart and allied by their gender, being the only two boys.

The kids all generally get along, and on the beach if they aren't swimming/boogie boarding they are digging holes, making sand animals or sitting with us watching for seals and sea lions. The sea lions frequent Nauset Beach, spying on swimmers as they parallel the surf. They seem quite cute and curious from afar.

We wind up the day at the McMansion rental in a neighborhood not far from us. It is a large house where everyone else is staying.  We take turns making dinner, the kid's movie trying to out blare our Pandora. It turns into a bunch of yelling at the table, with the movie on one side and the music on the other before an adult breaks the stalemate.

There is the usual sibling bantering but without serious zingers. Three adults are from New York City, two from upstate New York and us westerners. Once again commonality prevails and I, for one feel so fortunate to have such people be my family. Especially for my children. I feel blessed.

Hitting the Beach Tomorrow!!

July 18.
Back in the van headed to the Cape, the kids asleep before hitting the interstate. It is comforting to be back in the familiar, Rich by my side. His family are wonderful hosts, and it was easy to fall into their routine without being too disruptive. The kids were up way too late every night, getting up to early. There was a definite break in parenting with children running amuck, watching as much TV as they wanted, playing capture the flag and catching fireflies until 11pm.   Reese went to the ravine with two of his older cousins and caught salamanders, crayfish and a frog.  Stuff memories are made of, one can only hope.

Despite all the nay-saying, the van is once again running with AC. The shop tracked down the leak and Rich fixed it. We'll see how long it lasts this time.  And no more brake squeaking!!!  Not sure what caused all that noise but it is gone and we no longer feel like the crazy people in the half broken down van rolling into town.

We have yet to figure out our Eastbound route, only that we will come back through Utica to pick up a few random items some of which Rich scavenged from his childhood home. He also bought a used PackaSport, a rooftop carrier. More storage, just what we need!  We will also be able to see one more niece. It is so tough to leave family!

Barreling down I-90 in New York we have noticed signs stating 'It Can Wait' and a mile down the road a pullout. It is for texting!  How brilliant!  Leaving Idaho we are reminded how backwards our state can be---no bottle bill (cans and plastic bottles here) and texting pullouts, where it is illegal to text and drive. C'mon Idaho, let's join the 21st century!  Hitting the beach tomorrow!!!

Family everywhere We Go

July 15. At home in New Hartford, surrounded by yet more family. Everyone who is home finally gathered at 9pm for dinner after work, lacrosse, and other responsibilities. Paul and Regina did not disappoint with delicious home made dinner and lots of laughs. Pete and Ellen came over with three of their kids who are home for the summer. Of the other three two are working and one is at a camp. I think I am busy until I witness the New York Rayhills picking up and dropping off their five or six kids at various activities. Serious planning!

Today has been at a nice, slow pace. Ruby has been running around in an Elsa dress, two of her cousins fighting over her attention. Reese has caught up on his movie watching, being deprived as he is. He watched 'How to Train Your Dragon' which made him very happy. Rich took the van in, 'don't count on it' he was told on both accounts, the AC and the brakes. They have been making a terrible noise our entire trip.  Me? I wondered today why I bothered to decant lotion Into a smaller container for the trip. I mean, I didn't use it camping because it feels like a dirt trap and then I hit humidity and don't use it because it makes you more sweaty!  So much for planning!

We are at the pool now, kids doing laps on the diving board. Eight cousins. Life is grand!

On to the Rayhill's!

July 14. On the road again, new creaks and rattles noticed after a couple of days away from driving. Rich plans to look at some stuff on the van while in Utica. We are headed to Rich's childhood home for a few days before heading to the Cape. We got off to a semi early start after a full day yesterday. Despite gloomy weather we managed to swim, fish, visit and swim some more. Reese found a new friend in a cousin. Tommy is eight, my cousin Tim's eldest. They caught crickets and spent lots of time jumping off the boathouse. He went with Tim and his family after playing with Tommy for an hour without looking back. They tubed and swam for hours. Stacey and Gillian showed up with baby Charley and the little girls went crazy saying 'I want to hold it!' which made us all laugh. Charley, as all nine month olds, ate up the attention. The adults marveled at where we are in our lives, and what we had done as youngsters. Adam, another of my cousins, (uncle Adam to the kids) helped end the day on high note with fish catching at the Marina. It is truly a kid's paradise up in the Muskoka Lakes. Not bad for adults either. We head south toward a stop at Niagara Falls before barreling across New York to the Rayhill side of the family. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful, kind, fun generous family!!! My heart is full!!

Stuck in Buffalo traffic after a stop for gas, it is 5pm and both kids are passed out in the back seat. We are anxious to put the last couple of hours behind us and be at Paul and Regina's place. We'll be staying with Rich's brother and sister in law for few days before we all pack up for Cape Cod. Peter, another of Rich's brothers, and his family live down the road so we get a lot of bang for our buck when we visit. We barely made it through the border again. The kind looking gentleman admonished me about crossing the border without a passport, as if I had done it purposefully. They can look up the electronic version which I found interesting. Niagara Falls is as you would expect. Lots of people, lots of gulls, lots of water. We went down to the falls in yellow ponchos and disposable shoes to get whipped into a wet waterfall frenzy before jumping back in the car. Ruby even liked it even though she was convinced she didn't want to go.

July 11. Broke open the music for the first time in the trip. Nine days without music. For such audiophiles it is odd we have been so quiet. We are 25 miles or so from from the border and it is strange to see convoys of army trucks and later a car marked Border Patrol. Don't think of our northern neighbor when considering border issues. We made it through the border despite my best efforts to prevent it from happening. In my packing frenzy I picked up the passports bound together with a rubber band and tossed them in the glove box without looking at them. Not only were there only three, it was Reese's expired passport, the picture taken when he was six months old. Needless to say, I was mortified and disappointed, but the border official let us through. It would have been a loooong detour through Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania if he chose to enforce the law. Let's hope the US Border Patrol is as forgiving. July 12. We pushed the kids hard today. At least they pushed back hard. It will be great to be out of the van for more than one night. We are staying at my cousin Amy's on Lake Joseph in the Muskoka Lakes of Ontario. I grew up spending at least a week every summer visiting grandparents here. Naturally my vision of what we will encounter is tainted by time and nostalgia. I hope it lives up to half of it. It will be exciting to meet up with east coast cousins again, as it has been at least ten years since I have seen them. We drove along Lake Huron, through Amish country and heavily wooded, wet lands. We spent the night in a Provencial Park. Unfortunately we didn't capitalize on what it had to offer, such as hikes and waterfalls. It was very nice, heavily wooded and more privacy than we have been accustomed to. There are KOAs here in Ontario, but none in striking distance. The kids were disappointed, but not I.

It happened. The inevitable. One day, only one day not using it and it stops working. The air conditioning. It blows great, in fact sometimes it blows detritus out at us, but the air is no longer icy. Or cool, even. At least not cooler than outside. So here comes better gas mileage, smelling the surroundings, more noise and personal swamp coolers when needed. The kids can't really hear the music either, the wiring went weird last night, maybe after Reese was kicking the rear speakers. The kids tend to turn the van into a gymnasium when we stop. They climb, hang, jump, whatever they can do in the van instead of running around outside.

July 13. We are here!!! Muskoka!! It is wonderful! Amy, Ross and Abby are wonderful! Amy is my cousin on my dad's side whom I haven't seen since we don't know when. Abby is 3 and a half, a perfect companion for Ruby and someone else for Reese to terrorize. Their house is beautiful, built from the ground up by themselves. We went down to the lake, to Ross's cousins where Reese was initiated into lake life by jumping off the boathouse into the crystal clear water. My heart was so full seeing him experience what I grew up experiencing! It is probably about a 12 foot drop off the boathouse to the lake. Reese did about 20 laps. Ruby and I raced off the dock together, but surprisingly she wouldn't consider going off the boathouse.

Another first for Reese---he caught a fish! A small mouth bass, which is quite the step up from sunfish or rock bass. Rock bass are the predominant fishing fare from the dock. Once again, my heart filled with pride and love. It was uncanny, as Ross and I were on the other side of the boathouse at that very moment talking about Reese fishing and getting him some bait. Once again, stopping through and visiting cousins, it seems blood runs thick. Homes and hearts are opened and connections are re-established. Shared interests and values are discovered. We draw on past experience and the knowledge we are bound together by shared ancestry. It is lovely. It is raining hard this morning, potentially squashing plans to go out on the boat, visit an old family island. We are getting together with Amy's siblings and my uncle as well as another Canadian cousin who is coming up with her family. So lucky! And so nice not to have to get in the van and drive away this morning!!!

Across the Mississippi!

July 10. Happy birthday Pop!!! Can't wait to see you!! And good by to Minnesota, where the state bird is the mosquito. The kids are constellations of bites to prove it. We exited the wind farms and corn fields of Minnesota across the Mississippi into Wisconsin. More corn fields but no wind farms. We have been traveling mainly back highways on our journey into the Upper Penisula to spend the night with my cousin Randy and his family. It is refreshing to be off the interstate seeing small towns with people lounging at the town pool, combines filling up at the local gas station, white picket fences and brightly filled flower pots. Rolling green hills of trees surrounding farmland. Silos. And more corn. Yup. We are in the Midwest!

Today is the first day we are eating on the run. Dished up last night's spaghetti and meatballs on the road to appease the monsters in the back seat. I have been avoiding eating in the van primarily because of potential mess. One has to find control somewhere, just ask Ruby. After reviewing the calendar, New Hartford, NY is just around the corner. His siblings and lots of cousins are there, and it is the jump point for Cape Cod. How slow and fast time seems to simultaneously move sometimes. Hard to believe we will be out of the van for a few days soon. Long day in the van without stops. Ruby wore out the battery on the iPad. Randy drives in tonight after us to catch us before we push off in the morning. Surreal to think how far we've come. How little conversation we have had outside of family. The windows are down because it is so pleasant and the mosquitoes can't get in. Trees tower over the road, clearing only when someone bothered to clear t

hem. Lakes slip by on either side. Birch has replaced Aspen as the white bark. Ferns everywhere. July 11. Great night, a bit too much wine, and lots of fun in the UP with family. Camp G is a wonderful spot. A couple of cute, comfortable cabins nestled in eleven acres of woods and lake. A lot of care and thought was put into decorating the cabins and landscaping the area around them. Mary and the girls spend the summers up there and Randy comes up for the weekends. The visit was entirely too short but we managed to fit a bit of fishing in. It reaffirmed connection, from the history of shared lineage as well as we are often more alike than different. There was no problem establishing common ground, we are all about the same age, with kids, shared values. I can't say enough how fortunate I feel to have spent time with Mary and Randy. We have just finished lunch at Lake Superior, the largest lake in the world. Reese says he can see Canada. I can't. On our way to the border. We are headed into Canada for a few days, to the Muskoka Lakes. I grew up going there to visit grandparents. Really looking forward to seeing Amy and her family, and anyone else who shows up. Won't be posting from across the border unless I have WIFI. Too expensive to use cellular data. See you soon. Thanks so much to Randy, Mary and the girls for a fabulous, but too short, stay!!

A lot of Interstate Time

July 9th. On the road after a relatively earlier bedtime, later wake up and relaxed morning. We just crossed into central time which may help. Not many pictures, lots of road time from here on out. Ruby is continually singing and coloring in the back seat, Reese is looking out the window. It is hazy overcast, and the AC is still working!! I had a mini-moment this morning wondering if it would just quit again. Life is good. We stopped in Sioux Falls for some excellent Arabic food at Sanaa. Found through Yelp, it gave us an excuse to explore the downtown and the falls themselves before hitting the interstate again. If you are ever in the area I recommend it. Another first (the first being Arabic food), was a bit of profiling on the interstate. Here is Rich's account of it: We got profiled by the South Dakota state police today. Rolling east on 90 about 100 miles west of Sioux Falls, 2 troopers in the median, west facing trooper spots the vanagon and shouts to his friend, "I'm off!" I saw him shift into drive and come out onto the highway with visions of methamphetamine dancing in his head. He closed quickly as I watched in the rearview. His shoulders sagged when, instead of kilos of cocaine, he spotted Ruby's pink and white hello-kitty bike. In under a minute he was westbound again to join his interdiction confederate.

Reese and Ruby are lifting a car with a giant lever outside of the Kirby Science Discovery Center. Leaving South Dakota, land of hand dryers instead of paper towels. I think I preferred the dryers despite the noise. We come into Minnesota, a big wind farm just over the border. There are more wind farms in Minnesota than Idaho and it is evident by the number we have seen in the first 100 miles. Headed for---you guessed it---a KOA. I spent a lot of time on my phone trying to find a state park with swimming within striking distance of the interstate to no avail. Oh well, at least the kids will be happy. Bikes and pools, ice cream, what else could a kid want???