Home

Home is a wonderful place. After 5207 total miles we arrived home Sunday night at 9:15 P.M.. Sunday was a very long day driving from the west side of Chicago to Shelby in one day (14 hours and 750+ miles). We all collapsed in bed after stowing the camper and slept like the dead. Monday morning brought work, football practice and a return to "normal" life. Over the last two days I have had some time to reflect on our journey and am amazed at all we did and saw over the 16 days of our journey. We were blessed with safety and minimal mechanical difficulties. We were blessed with the opportunity to see and enjoy some beautiful and unique parts of God's creation. We were also blessed with the chance to share this experience with good friends. This adventure will certainly be one of the most memorable times of my life. I hope that this blog/journal has allowed others to get a feeling for what we saw and experienced and perhaps will encourage them to pursue their own adventure.

Independence Day

Today was truly a day of rest. We were disappointed to awaken to rain and clouds, but the weather allowed us a day of relaxing and naps. Shannon fixed wonderful ham, cheese, spinach, onion and mushroom omelets for breakfast and given the weather we simply sat around and talked. The kids were able to do some activities around the campground in between rain showers and the adults all took naps. Around 5:00 P.M. the sun finally came out and the rain stopped. We were able to grill out some hot dogs and brats and play some "corn hole" (the bean bag tossing game). Finally we had our last campfire, ate some strawberry/rhubarb pie and were able to watch some of the local fireworks before doing some preliminary packing and hitting the sack. We have a 12 hour drive ahead of us tomorrow back to Shelby. This will put us near the 5000 mile mark. We all are looking forward to being home.

The Windy City

We'll Dorothy we're not in Yellowstone anymore. Yesterday (July 3rd) we awoke early again and headed into Chicago for the day. We met up with Judy Davis (a colleague of Ben's that works in Chicago) and her boss Manny Gandhi. We first toured Manny's business that produces parts for power plants (very interesting) and then headed into downtown Chicago with Judy as our tour guide. We did encounter a delay at the train station as all the trains headed downtown were full by the time they arrived at our station. After two full trains bypassed our stop, we hopped into 2 taxis and were quickly on our way. We got out at Union Station and then proceeded by water taxi to Michigan Avenue. From Michigan Avenue we walked to the Navy Pier. There was a sea of people in the downtown area for the "Taste of Chicago" event and the fireworks that were planned for the evening of the 3rd. The crowds did make us long for the solitude of the areas we left behind out west, but the sights were worth making our way through the throngs. After walking around the Navy Pier (a large collection of shops and restaurants with a Ferris wheel on a large pier at the waterfront) we ate lunch at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company (very good and we got to meet Forrest Gump himself!!). We then took a boat tour around the Chicago Harbor with good views of the Chicago skyline. After the boat tour we walked all around the Grant Park/Millennium Park area and then on to the Sears Tower. By that time the exhausted group walked back to Union Station and then rode the train back to our station and then drove back to Sycamore. En route we stopped for a deep dish pizza that was delicious. We arrived back at the campground around 11:00 P.M. for a good night's sleep. This very full day was tiring, but rewarding and we are all very thankful to Judy and Manny for their hospitality.

The Little House in the Big Woods

There was no post yesterday as we had no Internet connection last night. Yesterday we travelled from Wall, South Dakota to Lake City, Minnesota which was almost 500 miles. We camped at the Lake Pipen Campground on the shores of the Mississippi River. It was a nice stop for the evening, though somewhat cool (65 degrees when we arrived). After a dinner of hearty soup and a nice campfire we tucked in for the night. This morning we broke camp again and drove across the Mississippi to Pepin, Wisconsin and the Laura Ingalls Wilder birthplace. We saw a log cabin on the site of the "Little House in the Big Woods" that Laura was born in and wrote about in her books. The girls (and Millie!) were fascinated with the Little House connection. After touring the house and a small museum we headed out for Sycamore, Illinois on the outskirts of Chicago. We are staying in a campground with two small lakes with lots of activities for the kids. Tomorrow we are going into Chicago with a friend of Ben's. We are all excited about seeing the sights. It is hard to believe we are nearing the end of our adventure. It is amazing to think about all we have seen in such a short period of time. Today we passed the 4200 mile mark. We will be here through July 4th and then will head home on the 5th.

The Badlands

Today we visited our fourth national park (fifth if you count Mount Rushmore which is a national monument). We packed up and left Deadwood, South Dakota early this morning and drove straight to Wall, South Dakota. Wall is a tiny town on I-90, but is home to the famous Wall Drug. There are signs along I-90 that begin in Wyoming beckoning travelers to see Wall Drug. It is actually a large cafe/shopping complex that began as a drug store in 1931 and gradually expanded over the next several decades. Their claim to fame is free ice water (that was a big deal during the 1930's) and 5 cent cups of coffee. We ate lunch there and got the obligatory Wall Drug bumper sticker. Before lunch we dropped our campers at the campground and after eating we headed to Badlands National Park. The badlands are truly spectacular (I know I have used that description numerous times during our trip, but we have seen many spectacular sites). The barren nature of the topography combined with the stunningly beautiful rock formations are awe inspiring. The land has been carved by both water and wind and the colorful strata in the hills and canyons are difficult to describe. We drove through the park and also did a four and a half mile hike through the heart of the park. The vistas were amazing. We saw pronghorn antelope, huge prairie dog cities, blooming cacti and numerous varieties of wildflowers. The sun was intense, but we enjoyed the exercise. After our tour of the badlands we went back to Wall for a dinner at the Cactus Cafe across from Wall Drug (not much else in town). We then retired for the night as we have a long drive tomorrow to Lake City, Minnesota (almost 600 miles) and should come close to passing the 4000 mile mark on our journey. We hope everyone at home remains well.

Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and the Slide

Today the Davis/Kittrell Clan journeyed south from Deadwood to Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Monument. The drive through the Black Hills was very scenic. The rolling green mountains were reminiscent of the Blue Ridge Mountains, however there were large granite ridges that rose amongst the hills that were very different than the mountains of North Carolina. Mount Rushmore is one of these large granite mountains. We were all taken by the sight of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt carved on the side of that mountain. The group took in a short lecture by a park ranger while at Mount Rushmore and he explained to us the significance of each President and why they were chosen. Washington represents the founding of our nation and the winning of our freedom. Jefferson represents the essence of our freedoms that were endowed to us by our Creator and the expansion of the United States with the Louisiana Purchase. Lincoln represents the preservation of our nation and movement towards freedom for all. Teddy Roosevelt represents the modernization of the United States and the dedication to conserving our natural resources and great public places. After the tour of Mount Rushmore, we decided to go to the President's Slide. We rode to the top of a mountain on a ski-lift and ate lunch there (Good Bison Burgers!!) and then rode down a bobsled course on a wheeled platform. Everyone had a blast, except Shannon who flew partially off her sled while going a touch too fast in the corner. She suffered some mild elbow abrasions, but is recovering nicely. We then proceeded to the Crazy Horse Monument. This partially completed statue of the Indian chief Crazy Horse is huge! The entire four faces on Mount Rushmore would fit on Crazy Horse's head. This project was started in the 1940's and will likely not be done until around 2045. It is impressive now and will be truly amazing upon completion. After touring the Crazy Horse museum, we headed home to Deadwood, where we fixed baby back ribs for supper. We are now hitting the sack for another full day in the morning. We will be heading to Wall, South Dakota and will hit the Badlands National National Park.

Buffalo Bill and the Big Horn Mountains

Our last day in Wyoming began early as usual with breakfast and breaking camp. We then went straight to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody. This an amazing center with five museums under one roof. There is the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum, a natural history museum, a museum of western art, a Plains Indian museum and the Cody Firearms Museum. We spent most of our time in the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum and the natural history museum, but did see some of all the museums. They were all very interesting. Buffalo Bill was quite a character and we all learned much about his life. Katie and Ashley both enjoyed the natural history museum the most. There was also an exhibit of art about the Lewis and Clark expedition and Ben and Millie enjoyed this tremendously. After several hours at the museum we headed to Dairy Queen for a quick lunch (it was VERY good) and then hit the road for our journey to Deadwood, South Dakota. The trip took us the length of Wyoming and through the Big Horn Mountains. This is a beautiful mountain range with very unique scenery. After descending several thousand feet the topography flattened significantly and we entered the Black Hills and with them South Dakota. This is the 11th state we have visited on our journey and today we passed 3000 miles. Shortly after arriving in South Dakota we reached our destination of Deadwood. Deadwood is an old mining town that has seen a resurgence with several casinos, but seems to maintain an authentic western feel. Tomorrow we head to Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monument.

Sorry about the lack of pictures, but we have had some technical difficulties. We would like to thank everyone that has left a comment. It is nice to know that people are reading the blog. We invite anyone who is reading this to leave a comment. Just click on the word "comments" below.

Wild Wild West

The clouds and rain of yesterday disappeared overnight and we awoke to a beautiful sunny morning with some fog on the mountains surrounding Gardiner. We were able to break camp quickly, stop by downtown Gardiner for some coffee and souveiner shopping and were driving into Yellowstone by 9:30 A.M. Our first stop was by the Norris Geyser Basin to see some impressive geysers, crystal clear boiling pools of water and steam vents. The Norris Basin is the hottest of the geyser basins in Yellowstone and the heat was evident everywhere. The caravan then proceeded to the Mud Volcano to see some large mud pots which are basically boiling pools of mud. The most impressive feature there was a boiling spring called Dragon's Mouth Spring. This spring emerges from a cave with waves of boiling water and steam and a sound that mimics a dragon's breathing. We then headed south east to the eastern entrance of Yellowstone. Along the way we saw numerous buffalo with one herd standing right at the edge of the road and a pack of four wolves that crossed the road in front of our car. Their size was very impressive and they appeared to be stalking a group of buffalo. We then stopped for a hike up Avalanche Peak. This hike was cut short due to lots of snow on the path which made it difficult to follow. Upon returning to the trucks, we headed east out of Yellowstone. The entire group was slightly saddened by this departure as the time we spent in the park was very special and there was still much left unseen. I suppose that will have to wait for another trip someday. After exiting through the eastern gate we proceeded along the Shoshone River to Cody, Wyoming. After the short drive we settled quickly into the campground and went into town for supper. Prior to eating we watched a recreated gunfight in the street that the kids enjoyed thoroughly. There were outlaws, Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickock, a cavalry officer and two saloon women (Rickman and Trey both appreciated that). After the good guys won and the women were saved we went to dinner at the historic Hotel Irma that was built in 1903 by Buffalo Bill Cody and named after his daughter. After a very filling meal (with somewhat slow service...I think I'm seeing a trend here) we went to the Cody Rodeo. The rodeo featured bucking broncos, cattle roping, barrell racing, and bull riding. We all enjoyed this as well. Tomorrow we will break camp again and then tour the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum. After the museum we are off to Deadwood, South Dakota and the Black Hills.

Mammoth Hot Springs and the Fossil Forest

Our final full day in Yellowstone began with an overcast dawn. We awoke to the smell of Ben cooking Chorizo sausage for our breakfast. He has been our alarm clock on most days and is responsible for getting us moving in a timely manner. After the Chorizo and eggs we loaded up and headed through the Roosevelt Arch into Yellowstone. Our first stop was at Mammoth Hot Springs. We started at the visitor center there and then walked around the extensive hot springs. The terraced mineral deposits with varied coloration were spectacular. We then ate lunch in the restaurant in the hotel at Mammoth Hot Springs. The service was somewhat slow, but the food was good. It was nice to sit in a comfortable dining room and be waited on for a change. We then proceeded southeast to Roosevelt/Tower Junction. On the way we saw a coyote walking along the road and a black bear sow with two cubs as well as numerous bison. We then arrived at our destination, an unmarked trail that led to the largest fossilized forest in Yellowstone. The trail led through a glacial boulder field between two herds of buffalo and up 1200 feet in 1.5 miles to the petrified forest. The hike was challenging, but the view and the fossilized trees were amazing. While at the summit of the climb we noticed a storm developing and were able to rush down the ridge to our vehicles just as the rain began. We then headed back to Gardiner. The group was able to squeeze in some shopping in the small downtown area of Gardiner as the kids got some ice cream. We then returned to the campground to grill some pork chops and sing to Rickman and Trey's guitar playing. We had a wonderful evening and reflected on the fact that we were at our furthest point from home and that we will begin to head closer to home in the morning. The plan is to break camp and head back through Yellowstone for a few more sights before heading to Cody, Wyoming tomorrow evening.

The Grand Canyon

Today began early as most of days have. The sun rises around 5:30 A.M. and by 6:00 A.M. it is very bright. Rising early was helpful as we broke camp again and left the Walton/Simpson clan behind. We drove back through Grand Teton NP and were again amazed by the beauty of that mountain range. The caravan took a casual drive through Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. By the time we arrived at the canyon it was almost lunch time and we took the opportunity for some nourishment. We had sandwiches and spinach wraps that really hit the spot and prepared us for our hike along the south rim of the canyon. The recent snow melt made the waterfalls spectacular. We hiked to Artist Point (approximately 2.5 miles) and the troops did not want to hike back to where the car was parked. Ben and I then volunteered to walk back a shorter route along the road to get the vehicles (we're always willing to "take one for the team"). Shortly we were back on the road and heading north towards the North Entrance and Gardiner, Montana. Up to this point we still had not seen a significant amount of wildlife (other than the elk leaping in front of our truck). Today we were blessed with numerous close encounters with Bison and Elk. At one point we were stopped by a herd of buffalo crossing the road. Ashley has decided that Granddad needs to get a buffalo calf. We were all fascinated with watching the bison. They didn't seem to mind our presence and are huge! We were glad to be in the truck as one walked about 5 yards from us on the side of the road. The journey north revealed amazing changes in topography. Gardiner is a small town with many whitewater rafting companies and outfitters. It is very reminiscent of Hot Springs, NC. We got to the campground early and made a run to the grocery for supplies. We are now cooking carribean jerked chicken, listening to reggae, and sipping a tall cold one (a little St. John in Montana!). All in all it has been a good day and are looking forward to another day in Yellowstone tomorrow. We all hope that everyone at home is well.

P.S. The postings are timed by my computer which is still on eastern time, so its not as late as it seems.

Old Faithful and the Buffalo

Today seemed to be the first day where we actually did slow down some. After completing last nights blog this morning and having country ham, grits, fried spam and toast for a somewhat leisurely breakfast, we headed out for Yellowstone mid morning. We drove through Grand Teton National Park on our way to Yellowstone and were awed by the majesty of the Teton Range. We did experience some delays due to road construction, but did make it to the shores of Lake Lewis for lunch. We then went to the West Thumb Geyser Basin and saw many unique and beautiful geothermal wonders on the shore of Yellowstone Lake. While there we found out that Old Faithful was due to erupt in about an hour and a half. The group decided that it was time to see Old Faithful do her thing. We proceeded directly to the Old Faithful area and were treated to quite a show after waiting for about 40 minutes. The kids were then begging for ice cream (it was 75 degrees) and we opted to look around Old Faithful Inn while getting our ice cream. Everyone was awed by the architecture of the inn (which was built in 1903) and thoroughly enjoyed the dessert. From Old Faithful we went to the Lone Star Geyser Trail for a hike in hopes of seeing some wild life. We did a four mile hike, but saw only one snake. Everyone was disappointed, but as the day was drawing to a close we decided to head back to the campground in Moran (about a 45 minute drive back through Grand Teton NP along the shore of Jackson Lake). On the way we stopped by Flagg Ranch Resort just to check it out and were rewarded by an up close encounter with a Buffalo right outside the store/restaurant building at Flagg Ranch. Everyone was very excited as this was the one animal everyone wanted to see. We then finished the day at the campground with Brats, Hotdogs and a relatively early bedtime. Tomorrow we break camp again (which is not so bad as today a family that is a cross between the Waltons and the Simpsons moved in next to us and they are VERY loud) and head to Gardiner, Montana north of Yellowstone. I have not put the mileage in every day, but today we crossed 2500 miles. Everyone is having fun and we appreciate the comments. We are still working on the pictures. The main trouble is having time to put them on. Hopefully we will tomorrow. Ben and Millie want to say hey to there families and Dan and Shannon likewise hope everyone is doing well. Time to get in the sleeping bag (35 degrees tonight) and get some rest. Goodnight to all.

Crossing the Divide

I have often wondered where the middle of nowhere is and now I know. It is somewhere in the vicinity of northwestern Colorado and southwestern Wyoming, but I am ahead of myself. Tuesday began early as we broke camp in Estes Park and headed back into Rocky Mountain National Park for our journey over the continental divide and on to the Grand Teton/Yellowstone area. We chose to go the longer, more scenic route which led us over Trail Ridge Road in RMNP and up to an altitude of 12,300 feet. At the summit we hiked a half a mile (though in the thin air it felt more like 2 miles) to a survey marker that marked the highest point and gave distances to other national parks. We were 1200 miles from the Great Smokey Mountain National Park and only 700 miles from Yosemite. This really gave us a feeling of how far we have traveled. The views of the surrounding mountains and the alpine tundra were beautiful. After this brief interlude we headed down to the western entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park. On the way we saw a female moose with her two calves as well as several elk and deer. The caravan then exited the park and passed by Grand Lake, Colorado and Steam Boat Springs. We ate lunch at a roadside stand called the Dari-Delite in Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado (good double cheeseburgers!). The group then settled in for the long drive across western Colorado (to Craig, CO where we headed north to Wyoming). The scenery was stunning and made the time pass relatively quickly. The journey was a long one and instead of the Brats on the grill we had planned for supper, we had McDonalds in Rock Springs, Wyoming (not good cheeseburgers...but did the trick). The sun was begining to set as we approached the Rockies again and gave us a spectacular sunset. We came into Jackson, Wyoming at dusk. It is a very pretty town. Unfortunately it was almost completely dark when we came into Grand Teton National Park and saw only the shadows of the mountains. We arrived in Moran Junction at 10:45 P.M. after a 14 hour drive (though we did stop several times). The drive was long, but well worth it given the varied and unique landscapes we were able to enjoy. The drive through southwestern Wyoming, however was the stretch of the trip that did seem to drag as there was little sign of civilization or much sign of life at all for many miles. The serenity of that landscape was enjoyable in its own way. We did have two moments of near heartstopping excitement during our journey Tuesday. The first occurred on a stretch of desolate highway in Wyoming when a tire on a semi immediately in front of us exploded. The sound was similar to a shotgun, then the road was covered with tire debris that we managed to avoid. The second was just as we were arriving in Moran Junction. A female elk walked out of the bushes on the side of the road and right into our path. We were travelling 45 MPH (10 miles under the speed limit), but were able to stop and avoid hitting her. She then calmly walked into the woods on the other side of the road. Katie was in the front passenger seat for both of these events and subsequently told Shannon she preferred to ride in the back. All in all it was a long, but wonderful day that included crossing the continental divide three times and many remarkable sights. We awoke this morning to a beautiful sunny day with views of the Tetons from our campsite. We are eagerly awaiting today's adventures.

Rocky Mountain High

Today was the day we finally slowed down, though at least in theory. We started the day at Shannon's sister Jamie's house with breakfast and some final good-byes. Her family's hospitality was greatly appreciated by these weary travellers. The road then beckoned and we set out for Estes Park, Colorado. This journey took us through the heart of Denver, where we saw Invesco Field at Mile High (Mile High Stadium sounded better), and through Boulder. The trip to Estes Park only took about 2 hours and we were grateful for the limited time in the car today. We then were able to check into the campground (Elk Meadow), which is adjacent to Rocky Mountain National Park, and drop our campers. We then went into the park and started our half day hike to Lake Haiyaha. The total hike was about 6 miles and was challenging given an 800 foot altitude gain after starting at approximately 7200 feet. The altitude made us all somewhat winded, but we all did well. The hike took us past several beautiful alpine lakes and falls. The trail was initially busy, but as we started the more difficult section that led to Lake Haiyaha the crowds dwindled quickly. By the time we reached the Lake our group was alone. The view there was spectacular (see the picture above). The water was crystal clear and the surrounding mountains were amazing. To reach the lake we had to hike through several areas where the trail was covered with snow. The kids got a kick out of hiking through snow in late June. After reaching the lake and having a snack we headed back down the mountain to the trail head. The group then returned to the campground (which has stunning mountain views) to prepare supper. While getting everything ready to grill steaks, an evening thunderstorm developed to the southeast and caused us to delay preparations. After a spectacular lightning show to the east, the storm blew over and we were able to prepare our huge ribeyes. We did end up eating by lantern light because of the delay, but the meal was just what we needed after a long day hiking. The kids and everyone are sleeping and we have another long day planned for tomorrow, so I will sign off for tonight. In the morning we break camp again and head over the continental divide to Moran, Wyoming and the Grand Tetons/Yellowstone.

Vance, I am working on posting more pictures, but am having trouble with the link to the blog.

Fathers Day

Dorothy, we are not in Kansas anymore! Another long day of driving has brought us from Topeka, Kansas to Centennial, Colorado (a suburb of Denver). We started the day with the continental breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express in Topeka. After our sustenance we headed west on I-70 through the Flint Hills of Kansas. The scenery is actually very beautiful. After everyone had told us of the boring "flatness" of Kansas, we were pleasantly surprised by the vistas. Shortly after starting our journey we stopped by Fort Riley, Kansas in hopes of seeing the Custer Cavalry Museum, but we were too early. The caravan then started west again and in Abilene we stopped by the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Boyhood Home. It was fascinating to stand in the tiny house that Ike grew up in with his 5 brothers, parents and a great grandfather. We also visited the chapel that houses President and Mrs. Eisenhower's tombs. Dan, Ben and Rickman could have spent hours perusing the displays, but were forcibly removed by Shannon and Millie and were soon back on I-70. A brief lunch was enjoyed at a rest area in west central Kansas before the final afternoon push was made into Colorado. We did manage to bypass the numerous roadside wineries we saw today (after much wailing and gnashing of teeth). This did manage to save us enough time to arrive at Shannon's sister's house in time for a wonderful meal with her family (including her husband's parents). Jamie's husband Rich fixed us an authentic Mexican meal that was outstanding! We are now bedding down for the night at Jamie's house and will be up early in the morning to hit Rocky Mountain National Park. This was truly a wonderful Fathers Day and we all hope our fathers had a happy and rewarding day.



Miles today: 559 Total miles: 1551

Gateway to the West

The day of the long drive is now over and we have finished soaking in the hot tub. It is hard to believe that we woke this morning in a campground in Lebanon, Tennessee and are now in a Holiday Inn Express in Topeka, Kansas. In 11 1/2 hours we crossed five states (Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas), four major rivers (Tennessee, Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri) and saw 6 professional sports venues (LP Field...Tennessee Titans, Busch Stadium...St. Louis Cardinals, Edward Jones Dome...St. Louis Rams, Arrowhead Stadium...Kansas City Chiefs, Kauffman Stadium...Kansas City Royals, and Kansas Motor Speedway). We did see the Arch in St. Louis, but weren't able to stop due to lack of a 2 block long parking space to accommodate the trucks and campers. It is a truly impressive site even driving by while trying to avoid running over any pedestrians staring upwards. We also managed to squeeze in a stop at the Stone Hill Winery "Highway Outlet" in Missouri for a tasting en route. We stopped there even though the concept of a wine "outlet" made Ben and me a bit nervous about stopping with Millie and Shannon. We did not, however, see any more bikers with toy cars in tow. That still ranks as the most unique sight to date. We do feel that after passing the Gateway Arch that our trip "out west" has begun and are looking forward to further adventures. Tomorrow brings a drive to Denver, Colorado to stay the night with Shannon's sister Jamie and her family.

Today's miles: 671, Total miles: 992

The Road to Lebanon

The first day of our adventure is drawing to a close and thankfully it has been relatively unremarkable. The Davis/Kittrell caravan was able to leave home at 1:45 PM (slightly earlier than we had planned) and proceded up highway 74 to I-26 and then I-40 West in Asheville. The Suburban performed admirably pulling the camper, though the trip up Saluda Mountain was a bit slower than usual. Rush hour in Knoxville was fairly busy, but we avoided any accidents or major delays. The most interesting site in middle Tennessee was a shirtless biker pulling a trailer holding a Bozo the clown car behind his motorcycle (see the picture). The spectacle made us sort of sad to leave the south where such wonders seem commonplace. The campground in Lebanon, Tennessee was a welcome sight. The kids did get a chance to swim in the pool after we ate dinner. This was particularly refreshing given the 95 degree heat. We are looking forward to the cool weather forcasted for the Yellowstone area. Tomorrow we proceed on to Topeka, Kansas via St. Louis, Missouri. We do plan to stop to see the arch on the way. This message may not be posted until Saturday as we are having trouble getting internet access.

Today's miles: 321 Total miles: 321

Family Reunion

This weekend we made a trip to Spring Creek, NC to visit Dan's parents Layten and Veda. We had a small family reunion of sorts. Dan's brother Thad and his family (his wife Ingrid and their twin sons Jason and Nicolas) came from San Francisco, CA and his sister Amy and her family (her husband Jim, and their two children, Riley and Markie) came from Lexington, KY. Dan's uncle and aunt (Vance and Janet) also made it up from High Point, NC. We had a wonderful weekend and the kids had a great time playing together. We were able to attend the Bluff Mountain Festival in Hot Springs, NC and made some last minute purchases at an outfitter there (on the Appalachian Trail). We also spent a lot of time discussing our upcoming trip and now should have several more people following this blog. The upcoming week will be filled with final preparations. Everyone in the family remains very excited.

Welcome

Welcome to the "Davis Family Camping Trip" blog. We are nearing the start of a 2 week camping trip from Shelby, NC to Yellowstone National Park and back. We will be departing Friday June 19, 2009 and returning Sunday July 5, 2009. We have a 2008 Fleetwood Niagra pop-up camper that will be our home during our trip and are towing it with our 2003 Chevrolet Suburban. We are creating this blog so that family and friends can follow us on our journey.

We are being joined on this adventure by our good friends the Kittrell family. They will also be towing a pop-up camper. Together we have planned our itinerary over the last several months. Reservations are made and the route is planned. Final preparations for our trip (preparing menus, camper/truck maintenance, etc.) are underway. Both families are very excited about our upcoming adventure.

I do need to give credit to my cousin, C. V. Davis, who inspired us to plan this trip (and create this blog) with a cross country motorcycle trip he took last summer with his father. See his blog for details.