Usually, when you plan a vacation, you have a certain route picked out ahead of time. On this particular expedition, we are learning how to pivot and change plans at a moment’s notice. That’s what happened to us when we were deciding where to go after…
A lot of people have asked me to elaborate on some of the details of our National Parks road trip. I’m in the middle of writing a blog post about how the trip came to be because it’s a pretty unique and special story. In this…
Bryce Canyon was an Easter egg for me. Maybe that’s an unusual term to reference a National Park as it’s usually describing something in the digital world, but Bryce Canyon was a joyful surprise, hidden away with a really great personal message, and because of this,…
In the late 1800s, the first Mormon European settlers came to the area and called it “Zion” which is Hebrew for “Sanctuary” or “Refuge.” The Paiute Peoples who were native to the land called it “Mukuntuweap” which means “straight canyon” or “straight river.” As the lush…
Yosemite was the first park that took my breath away and moved me to tears. We came out of the mountain upon Tunnel View look-out and like everyone else just pulled over and stared. There was both grandeur and simplicity in the way the rock rose…
Our third stop was in northeastern California at the Lava Beds National Monument. Last year, the boys were especially enthralled with the idea of volcanic bombs, or lava bombs – molten rock that was catapulted into the air during an eruption. It was so neat for…
We only had one day in Bend, OR as it was a stopover we planned in order to break up a long drive on our way to Lava Beds National Park. There is so much to do in Bend, it’s really a destination all on its…
John Day / Day 1 While we were excited to go to the John Day Fossil Beds, it pays to do your research first! John Day National Monument is actually made up of three different “Units;” Sheep Rock, Painted Hills and Clarno. These areas all have…