First month of full time down.

[Lizardqing]

And we are still loving it! So far we have been to four national parks, several national monuments and historical sites, a bunch of famous landmarks, a list of great museums, a string of state parks and currently getting to really indulge in the Olympic Peninsula. Not to mention having some really rad campsites at popular campgrounds we got to enjoy all to ourselves. Kind of helps being willing to experience the northern half of the country in winter conditions, but it was indeed an experience!

The kids have now been to more states and seen things that my wife and I only got to see in books growing up. They've been up close to animals they've seen in nature shows, had their heads in the jaws of a T-Rex, seen 10' of snow and played in the water at the beach in the same afternoon and who knows what adventures in their heads. Even currently sporting a goose egg from diving off the famous Pike Place pig, how many kids can brag about that? And to think there were people who said we were crazy for deciding to do this! I think they are crazy for wanting the same ole same ole day in and day out! They can have it though, we will take this for our front yard for the time being.



Of all the stops we made, I think the most relevant was the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. After all, we loaded our belongings up in our modern day covered wagon and hitched up the 385 horses of our Cummins to it and headed west not knowing what was in store for us really. While we can no way have a full understanding of the trials that the emigrants endured on their life changing journey along the trail over 100 years ago, we had a very small taste of some of their challenges, in a modern day spin. Such as trying to find water, everywhere seemed to have been still shut off for the winter for most of our trip. We had a wheel on our wagon break. We had to figure out what was important enough to bring along, while still staying under about 1000 pounds of things. And we followed a lot of their route not able to imagine doing it at a rate of about 10 miles a day with the unchanging sagebrush scenery. We did manage to make it to the Pacific though without loosing a kid to dysentery caused by a broken arm from being carried off by an eagle.







Ready to see more of what's coming down the road!

[D2Reid]

Thanks for sharing your pictures. Looks like you have it pretty well figure out.

I too like to see the evidence of our forefathers adversities. I am impressed by the native american cultures, and particularly the ancient ones. Can you imagine the difficulties they over came? Another group that I find amazing is the work done by the CCC, most of which is still very solid and serviceable 90 years later.

[GD0wner]

Congratulations on your journey. Looks like a fantastic experience for the whole family.

[DougW9876]

It looks like a great time is being had by all.

When I think of the pioneers on the trail out there I remember driving across relatively flat land in Idaho and suddenly finding ourselves on a bridge crossing the Snake River far below. The sides of the canyon are quite sheer. I can't imagine being the fellow that came along with a wagon pulled by Oxen, arriving at that precipice, and thinking "Just how are we supposed to cross that?"

[Dick Noble]

What grand memories you are building for you and the kids. You will instill a sense of America that very few have.

[Leon T]

Having raised all four of my kids with the camping lifestyle I congratulate you on your adventurism. We never full-timed it (work interfered with that idea), but took some magnificent trips that my kids (now in their 20's and 30's) still talk about. You will never, ever regret what you are doing. Have fun!

[orbiker]

Thanks for sharing your adventures.
When I was a Scoutmaster, in Harrisburg, Oregon (in all of the 90's) many of the scouts had never been out of the very local area. Some had never been to the ocean and it's only 60 miles away. I was able to widen their horizon a bit. It was great to be able to do that.
You and your family are SO very lucky to be doing what you are doing.

Be safe and enjoy ever second. KEN

[Lizardqing]

Thanks for sharing your pictures. Looks like you have it pretty well figure out.

I too like to see the evidence of our forefathers adversities. I am impressed by the native american cultures, and particularly the ancient ones. Can you imagine the difficulties they over came? Another group that I find amazing is the work done by the CCC, most of which is still very solid and serviceable 90 years later.

With our S&B home being in the Smokies just outside the park, we are highly familiar with the work the CCC did and are greatly appreciative of it. Even water fountains they built in the camps can still be found out in the middle of the woods if you know where to look, they were masters at built to last!

[Lizardqing]

It looks like a great time is being had by all.

When I think of the pioneers on the trail out there I remember driving across relatively flat land in Idaho and suddenly finding ourselves on a bridge crossing the Snake River far below. The sides of the canyon are quite sheer. I can't imagine being the fellow that came along with a wagon pulled by Oxen, arriving at that precipice, and thinking "Just how are we supposed to cross that?"

Or staring at the looking mountains getting bigger on the horizon and thinking we gotta get over those!

[Lizardqing]

What grand memories you are building for you and the kids. You will instill a sense of America that very few have.

And instilling that sense in ourselves as well!