Sabbatical in Review

Total miles: 8,948

Total days:  57

Pictures taken:  2, 684 (after editing)

Stops

1. Santa Rosa Beach, FL (7 nights)
2. Lafayette, LA (1 night)
3. San Antonio, TX (6 nights)
4. Amarillo, TX (1 night)
5. Buena Vista, CO (6 nights)
6. Moab, UT (1 night)
7. Cannonville, UT (1 night)
8. Springdale, UT (2 nights)
9. Grand Canyon, AZ (2 nights)
10. Las Vegas, NV (3 nights)
11. Sequoia National Park, CA (2 nights)
12. Yosemite National Park, CA (3 nights)
13. Baker, NV (3 nights)
14. Salt Lake City, UT (2 nights)
15. Teton Village, WY (4 nights)
16. Yellowstone National Park, WY (4 nights)
17. Rapid City, SD (1 night)
18. Badlands National Park, SD (2 nights)
19. De Smet, SD (1 night)
20. Decorah, IA (4 nights)
21. Caravelle, TN (1 night)

National Parks

1. Capulin Volcano National Monument
2. Arches
3. Capitol Reef
4. Bryce Canyon
5. Zion
6. Grand Canyon
7. Sequoia 
8. Yosemite
9. Great Basin
10. Teton
11. Yellowstone
12. Mount Rushmore
13. Badlands

States

1. Georgia
2. Florida
3. Alabama
4. Mississippi
5. Louisiana
6. Texas
7. New Mexico
8. Colorado
9. Utah
10. Arizona
11. Nevada
12. California
13. Idaho
14. Wyoming
15. Montana
16. South Dakota
17. Iowa
18. Illinois
19. Indiana
20. Kentucky
21. Tennessee
22. North Carolina
23. South Carolina

Animals seen

• llama
• fox
• deer
• jack rabbits
• bison
• dragonflys
• baby cliff swallows
• kittens
• wild turkeys
• fish
• chipmunks
• black bears
• grizzly bears
• squirrels
• snakes
• ducks
• geese
• tadpoles
• prairie dogs
• cows
• sheep
• woodpecker
• coyote
• lizards
• moose
• elk
• horses
• mules
• antelopes
• yellow bellied marmot
• big horn sheep
• porcupine
• bald eagles
• long horn steer

Favorite National Park

• Sarah Ellen:
• Badlands
• Yellowstone
• Sequoia
• Lily:
• Capitol Reef
• Teton
• Arches
• James
• Yellowstone
• Yosemite
• Teton
• Taryn
• Yellowstone
• Bryce Canyon
• Teton

Favorite Lodging

• Sarah Ellen:  Teton Village 
• Lily:  Teton Village
• James:  Yosemite cabin
• Taryn:  Trail West

This was the trip of a lifetime, made especially sweet because we could do it with the girls at 7 and 9 years old.  Our hope was that they would have a trip to remember forever.  I think we accomplished that, and it was the result of Taryn's time, patience, persistence, and dedication to the task.  She literally spent a year (hundreds of hours) researching, picking our stops, planning our route, arranging lodging, getting the girls set up with junior ranger materials, packing us for all possible scenarios (yet squeezing everything into one expertly-packed minivan), and arranging fun events along the way.  It was like a puzzle.  Surprisingly, the girls were exceptionally good travelers, largely because Taryn kept them busy with workbooks, flash cards, books (both in print and on tape), games, coloring books, movies, their journals, and more.  Thanks to an amazing wife and mother who crafted this trip with love.  What a gift!  

Home Sweet Home

I don't think any of us wanted to get back in the car this morning, but the pluff mud was calling us.  James put the pedal to the metal and we made it home in record time.  Some friends surprised us and were waiting on the front porch when we pulled in!!

 

I wish I could have gotten pictures of all the hugs.  We were all thrilled to see everyone.  This was an amazing homecoming!!

Donna and Ernie brought us dinner and lots more hugs!

We are blessed beyond words!

Home Sweet Home!

Heading Home

18 HOURS.  That is what is between us and Charleston.  I'm pretty sure if it were up to James, he would push on through.  We decided to drive as far as we could today.  We sadly left the Berlands' a little before 9 AM.

We drove through several big cities including Peoria, Indianapolis, Louisville, and Lexington.  We pushed through and made it to Caryville, TN!

We rolled into a Hampton Inn at 10:45 (we lost an hour to the time change).  Today, we were in the car for thirteen solid hours.  We ate lunch and dinner in the car.  This is one family that is ready to get back to Charleston!!

Friday in Decorah

Paul and I spent the morning kayaking the Upper Iowa River, paddling a stretch about 12 miles long and pulling out near Decorah.  It's so nice that the river runs through and around the downtown area, one of the many things that makes Decorah such a nice place to live.

This is a shot of one of the river's spring-fed waterfalls - cold, clean water coming through cracks in the limestone.   

The girls insisted we put up the tent.  Since we drove it to California and half way back without using it (messing up Taryn's pre-engineered packing plan in the process) that seemed like a good idea.  

After our trip, Taryn and Karen went downtown for a few hours of shopping by themselves.  They deserved it.  Paul and I left all four kids with babysitters and met the girls at Rubaiyat, a restaurant owned by Paul and Karen's friends Andy and Kim.  The food, craft beer, and dessert were all excellent, bested only by the company.  I like this quote from the menu:  "Drink wine. This is life eternal. This is all that youth will give you. It is the season for wine, roses and drunken friends. Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life."  

We followed dinner with a drink at La Rana, another nice bistro just around the corner.  We marveled at the blue moon on the ride home.  What a delightful way to end our time with great friends.  

Decorah - Fish Hatchery and Phelps Park

We enjoyed another lazy morning, then headed off to tour the fish hatchery.  The kids loved feeding the swarms of fish!

A nice lady let SE reel in a fish!

We then drove to Phelps Park.  The kids had a blast on the playground and then set out for a little hike.  SE wasn't down with hiking so she and I hung back.  I read my book under a tree while she played on the playground.  Everyone was happy!!

We ended the day with fabulous Mexican food at Don Jose's and, of course, one more stop at the ice cream shop.