Everyone asks us the same question. What's been your favorite place?
Jack: Anyone who knows me well knows I hate making decisions like that so we will tell you our highlights instead. We picked places we wish we could have shown particular people.
Mom & Jack: Near impossible to choose because they are apples, oranges, kumquats and persimmons. One thing we have decided is you cannot compare things of this magnitude: places, music and art. Putting the Mona Lisa next to Monet next to Van Gogh there isn't a clear winning artist anymore than pitting Mumford against Alexi Murdoch next to Snow Patrol creates a "best" artist. (Mumford will always win anyway in any contest with us we all know :-) So, pitting place against place isn't possible. The weather the day we come, the people we encounter that day, the crowd level or even our attitude about what we are seeing plays a part in our experience there. Field of Dreams was hard to beat emotionally for the impact it had on us but at the end of the day it's a ball field in a corn field so it's no architectural wonder or cultural mecca. We can certainly give you a mood, impression or a review of what we came away with. We do know that if we come back it will be different than the first time and if we had friends and family our experiences would have been different too. So many of these we wish we could share with certain people who would find joys and treasures in particular.
Field of Dreams and Spook Cave in Iowa for the feelings we had when we visited. The Crockers would have adored our day there. We wished Rob/Dad could have come with to have a catch and he would have loved the cave. Pilot, Diver...Dad likes extreme places but has a sentimental side and we know he loves movies and stories, cool places like we do.
Fort Washington in Virginia for great colorful afternoon in sun by the water Boo would have liked for exploring. It was a great day we would have liked her to share with us.
Yellowstone, Craters of the Moon, Gulf Island Seashore for most drastic differences in landscape like you are in a moonscape or another planet. Tori would like the mashed potato looking sand and swimming. Nephews Rian and cousin JK..we wanted you to be there to see these places as I knew you would marvel at steaming geysers and rainbow pools but also enjoying the utter peace and calm, beauty and feel of this natural and extreme place. Rugged but gentle, with a vein of music running through it almost you could hear if you were quiet and nephew DJ would have so much to draw. To see such drastically different landscapes changes your view of the world.
Marceline, MO for getting to know a man our family admires so much for teaching people to follow their ideas and dreams and never forget to play and be silly. Manny, Grandma Phyllis, Aunt Pam would have liked this and the women volunteers there who were a hoot. The little diner on main street where they could sop up gravy with a cheap good lunch and a walk through time to simpler living seemed ideal for them.
Central Park and NYC for going somewhere so big and famous and finding our place in it. Jack didn't want to go because he thought he'd hate it and we were all intimidated a little but we found people so friendly and a buzz we liked in it's vibe and it was so big you were forced to find pieces that were tailored to your interest and we think Kendra & Crew and Stephine would get the most texture of this place and enjoyed the little things from subway rides to surprises around the corners.
Museum of Natural History and Georgia Aquarium were overwhelming in it's nature and science and we wish Jimmy and Aunt Judi could have been there as they are struck by wonder of the natural world and the amazing creatures in it. They would love it and it would have been fun to see their faces and excitement in giant turtles and whale sharks. Aubrey would love the dolphins. Josh and Kat would love the Aquarium and Gulf Seashore...there's sharks in these waters and they love them and sandy shores with crystal waters. We think of you at sunset.
Battlefields, Forts where you can feel the ghosts of the men who died for our freedoms where you simply feel more patriotic for just honoring the sacrifice with your interest and can smell the gunpowder still...Uncle Jim would have been fun to see it with as he likes muzzle loaders and history. We thought of you every time we came to one. Friend, Audun, would be the ideal friend to explore these with as he appreciates history, battles and adventure.
New Orleans had a feel we mostly attributed to nephew Ben and KaylaJo and friends Stephine/Kalah. There is a balance of energy and music, history and interesting tales in this walking city where they would love the tales and facts and oddities while wandering the streets exchanging with openly friendly people in a party atmosphere.
France & World Center in Epcot at Disney World: Nonny would have been fun to go here with and Benny who wants to see Norway. Aunt Barb/Hunter Dan would have enjoyed a less crowded "world" to explore and appreciated the good foods and far away places without the long, tiring travel. You can see the world walking around in a day. Tori loved it. Barb would have liked Soarin over California ride and Dan the Fast Track car ride too!
Niagara Falls...Canadian Side. In a word...AMAZING. Gretel, our Canadian friend we wished you were there along with the Rosenbaums who would love the view.
There are certainly places we were glad we were the only ones there because places feel different when they are quiet and you are in a reflective mood where the solitude enhances the experience. The empty beaches here at the Gulf of Mexico are a welcome respite and have sat well with us because you can relax staring at the water and find your thoughts that being busy on the road doesn't afford you. At times it's a trip of seeing places fly by the windows and you know you are missing great small towns and big cities filled with things we aren't getting to do. Choices. They are tough. We know we didn't get to know West Virginia or enough of Rhode Island/Conneticut but we can't do it all so it leaves room for more trips and adventures.
Life on road the way we are doing it is certainly filled with days of frustration at delays, broken parts, logistic problems for parking, camping, dumping and your vision gets flip-flopped from minute details of where to turn, get drinking water to how to approach a major city with narrow streets in a 30 foot behemoth. It's hard, we won't lie. Being alone, away from home, under-experienced with systems and places is tough...but people always ask if it's still fun and worth it? The answer is still...very much, yes. But there's an impression people get that it's a luxury of time and relaxation finding zen at every stop. Nope. We struggle and take each town, each day as it comes. Some good,some bad. We have grown stronger for sure. "Baby Steps" as Uncle Dan quips quoting Bill Murray in "What About Bob"...there are days like that where we have a tough time getting from the grocery store to the next hook-up spot in a new town. We grip the wheel, look at eachother, put on Mumford to ground ourselves, take a deep breath and plunge ahead trying to be brave and find grace in moments when we freak out or encounter scary things. We do... sketchy Walmart parking lots where we sleep with one eye open all night, places we almost get stuck to towns we don't realize are "hives of scum and villany". We remain as flexible as the first week when we learned weather drove our agenda. Gas may be $3.12 a gallon here but we plot our route carefully to maximize every dollar and getting creative with meals has been a game. Sure, granola yogurt and a bag of green beans is a dinner when you throw a piece of chopped up bacon it!
The days we aren't sure or feel weak or weary seem to still be the days we encounter strangers telling us we are on the right track. We turn to music for perspective and inspiration and inflate our bravery. We have learned to accept the signs and signals from the universe, road and keep on keepin' on. Some days are for deep reflection, some for processing and learning, some for crazy adventure, others are for connecting and we have even spent a couple doing absolutely nothing but reading and sleeping. It's a new year and while our was not a happy new year's eve in a foggy, noisy parking lot we know for sure that if you drive a few miles down the road there is another view and another day ahead to be found. You might be clearer or more graceful there. It might just have white sugar sand beaches with stunning sunsets and a chance to exhale and regroup but you won't know until you grip the wheel, take a deep breath and get going to new places.
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