Road Trip Day 5- 4th of July, Tenino Style

Independence Day is different out in the country. Less hustle and bustle and more enjoyment of what's just outside the front door. The day was spent watching Ben perfect his golf swing (and I have to say, the boy is really impressive), helping Mari catch skidders, and watching the men prepare the field for the upcoming golf tournament. I piddled around the pond and daydreamed about my childhood. I spent some of my favorite days catching frogs and snakes in that yard. Growing up, I also spent more time in the water than I ever intended. I had a tendency to fall into the pond almost every day. Whether I wasn't paying enough attention to where I was walking or I was reaching just a tad too far for something gliding across the water, I ended up wet far too often. I prayed my klutziness didn't carry over into my children's genes because fishing a two year old out of a freezing cold body of water was not on my "must do" list this go round.  My paranoia led to my decision to have them wear life jackets when were playing near the water. The kids were not very happy about having to wear a constricting vest in the hot sun but they eventually realized it was the only way they were going to get anywhere near that water. Luckily, they managed to stay out of the pond and satisfied their need to get their feet wet in the stream.

Fireworks tend be less of the sparkler variety and more the M80 style. Families spend hundreds of dollars to put on a display for the whole neighborhood. Sitting in a field watching fireworks explode in the sky through a clearing between fir trees was so different than the 4ths that I have become accustomed to. There were no crowds to fight. Just family laughing over a couple beers at stories of alien abduction and years past. Sure it was loud. Fireworks do tend to let off quite the resonating boom. But it was also incredibly peaceful. It was just us, the trees, and the sparkling sky.

Road Trip Day 4- Northwest Trek

One of my dreams in life is to go on an African Safari. I want to pull up in a jeep next to a pride of lions at twilight and watch them share a kill with their cubs. I want to see giraffes graze on acacia trees and see wildebeests cross the Seregenti in a never ending herd. Africa may not be in the cards for me right now but North America is and there are plenty of amazing animals for me to check off my " spotted in the wild" list. As a patient and aware adult, I may be able to spot an elk peaking out behind a pine tree off in the distance but my two year olds probably won't. I want them to be able to get the same excitement and satisfaction that I do from spotting an animal but realistically a more controlled environment will probably be best for them to develop their wildlife viewing skills. This is just one of many reasons why I loved taking my kids to Northwest Trek.

Northwest Trek takes you on a safari through America's Serengeti. Here you board a tram, ride through the woods, and get up close an personal with elk, caribou, moose, bighorn sheep, and bison . You can watch animals living life in a habitat very similar to their wild counterparts and get a thrill out of spotting a moose in a marsh or behind a fir tree. I mean where else will my kids get to be 10 feet away from a bison having a dust bath?

 

 

In addition to the tram ride, there are exhibits with predators such as mountain lions, lynx, and bears. If you are wondering why the mountain lions aren't out in the forest with the other animals its because mixing predator and prey is a deadly combination. Throw a mountain lion into the mix and suddenly the bighorn sheep population is bound to take a dive.

 

Smaller mammals such as beavers, skunks, wolverines, and fishers are also on display in nicely designed habitats with viewing windows that showcase not only the outdoor enclosures but the dens as well.

Northwest Trek is a must do for anyone visiting western Washington. It is located near the base of Mt Rainier (another must see) in a gorgeous setting that makes you seriously consider packing up everything you own and moving to the Pacific Northwest. Now if only it didn't rain so much...

Road Trip Day 3- Washington or Bust!

Funny thing about right turns- you take them too soon and they lead you in an entirely different direction. Sometimes you end up discovering wonderful things you might not have never seen had you taken the expected path. Other times you just want to get the heck back on I5 so you can get out of the car already!

Silver Falls State Park was our big stop to break up a long day on the way to our ultimate destination, Aunt Dianne's house in Tenino, WA. It is an absolutely gorgeous place highlighted by ten waterfalls on a seven mile trail. We didn't have the time nor the ability to hike to all ten but we able to walk under the spectacular 177 foot South Falls. It was truly an oasis from the scorching heat and made me feel like we were on a tropical island instead of central Oregon. I loved being able to walk behind the waterfall and gaze at the solid rock that had been carved by thousands of years of pounding by water. Its a place I can't wait to return to as soon as the kids are old enough to make the full seven mile hike.

After we stopped to take a couple pictures of North Falls we started to make our way back to the interstate. Everything seemed to look the same. Wheat fields and Christmas tree farms. Was that our turn off? It looked like our turn off. But I don't remember passing that school. I certainly don't remember passing those fields of fluorescent orange flowers. No. That was definitely not our turn off. We had already driven so many miles. Was it worth turning around? We just needed to keep heading west. And so we did, in a round about sort of way. Finally after a few u-turns to follow the tiny signs the pointed us in the direction back to Salem, we reached the interstate. We were all drained. And we still had three hours of driving left. Or so we thought. Then- we hit Portland. The traffic in Portland is horrendous. It rivals anything I have ever had to deal with in LA. At 3PM on a Thursday we were barely crawling. It took every ounce of mental strength I had not to just drive down the shoulder like a bat out of hell. We drudged. And drudged. And then after what felt like 5 hours later, we left the Portland metro area. From then on it was smooth sailing. I had never been so relieved to pull onto a dirt driveway in my life. We were free! The kids were in heaven. Acres of land for them to run free and a dog to trot along side them. Cows in the forest across the street to clanging their bells and popping out their heads every once in a while to say hello . Hummingbirds to watch zip around and feed off of the vibrant flowers in the front yard. And Aunt Dianne happy to spoil them rotten.

Roadtrip Days 2: Up, Up, Up the Interstate We Go!

Interstate 5 is looonnnnngggggg..... California alone has 796 miles of nonstop I5 goodness for you to enjoy. It also attracts bugs made of super glue to my car. My kids think its funny to watch me scrub away at my windshield and curse at the remains of an insect that had a bad day.  I think its funny that they think its funny. Its one of those memories I know will stick in my mind forever. I have quite a few of those sticky memories from traveling up I5 as a child. I remember my fascination with the red dirt that is prevalent in the Lake Shasta region. I always thought it was the most beautiful dirt I had ever seen. As a matter of fact, it was probably the first time I really ever paid much attention to dirt at all. On this trip past Lake Shasta I saw much more red dirt than usual. The shoreline is considerably lower than usual due to drought. Luckily, the lack of water didn't seem to bother the kids. They were happy to get out of the car, strip down, and splash in the water for a bit.

We continued on through the mountains, gasped at Mount Shasta, mooed at happy California cows, and finally crossed the border into Oregon. Success. In the end we had conquered about 700 of those 796 California I5 miles. Success.

We drove through Ashland and I remembered the Memorial Day weekend in college I came home from class and announced to my roommates we were getting in the car and going north. We checked out the Shakespeare Festival, hung out at a dive bar in Grant's Pass, and slept under the stars near the Rogue River. What a great trip. It was also the same trip that inspired us to go on a 7 week road trip around the US when we graduated the next year. Now I am on a different sort of road trip. No dive bars with two year olds. The car is a bit more organized this go around. But it doesn't mean it won't be any less fun. I get to watch my kids see things that shaped me and hope that they shape them as well. And right now, those are the memories that I can't wait to have stick.

Road Trip Day 1: Congress Created Dust Bowls

 

I did it. I packed the car, managed to get both children inside, shut the doors, and started driving. I made my way through a haze filled LA while the kids remained transfixed on The Jungle Book. I cruised over the Grapevine as Lady and the Tramp managed to find true love once again. And then I grumbled as I watched the thermometer climb up into the high nineties. I grumbled a bit more as I started to be surrounded by melon, tomatoes, grape vines, and orchards, knowing it would be all I saw for hours upon hours. I know the drive up I5 all to well. I made it countless times when I trekked back in forth between Sacramento and Southern California during my 12 years as a Northern California resident. I know which fast food joints are at which exit. I know when to close the vents because a large cattle feed lot is just ahead and you don't want to be smelling that. But I don't know smelt. And until today I didn't know about the "Congress Created Dust Bowl".

(Photo courtesy of http://www.highwayhags.com )

I knew something seemed weird. There seemed to be alot more barren land than usual. I didn't remember there being so many acres along I5 without crops planted on them. And then it clicked. For some reason, the farmers were out of business and they were obviously blaming congress. The vastness of the area effected was staggering. It was eery to see so many acres with nothing but the skeletons of what used to be vibrant orchards. I figured it had to do with water. California has always seemed to have it battles with water. But tonight I began to research the issue and came to find out it had to do with more than just water. It had to do with smelt. Smelt are tiny little fish that live in the delta and have recently been put on the endangered species list. Their designation as an endangered species has made it much harder for farmers to get water due to regulations surrounding the newly protected smelt. Now I am no expert on smelt and do not know enough about this issue to take a stand on either side but I do know this. There is alot less land being farmed which means there are less people employed and less food going to market which in turn means produce will cost more for the consumer. I certainly hope the smelt are worth it. 

Torrey Pines State Reserve

As many of you know, California's State Parks are currently being threatened with closures due to California's fiscal crisis. In an attempt to bring attention to all the wonderful state parks California has to offer, my blogging friend Bridget at Family Adventure Guidebooks and I are participating in  State Park Saturdays. We will be featuring a different CA State Park every Saturday (or Sunday like today)  and we encourage you to do the same. If you don't live in CA then feature a state park in your home state. Let's bring attention to these treasures to increase awareness of what the state park system has to offer and encourage others to stand up and help protect these important places Last Sunday was Father's Day. It was also Save Our State Parks weekend. I felt it was important to participate in both so we combined the two and celebrated Father's Day in a place we had never been before, Torrey Pines State Reserve.

There are native pine trees along the coast of San Diego. For anyone who has visited the area, the concept is a bit bizarre. San Diego has a Mediterranean climate. Pine forests aren't exactly what typically come to mind. But there it is, perched on the bluffs of La Jolla. A pine forest. Torrey Pines are some of the most rare pines in the entire world. They only grow in and around the reserve  in San Diego and on Santa Rosa Island which is part of the Channel Islands off the coast of California.  Given the rarity and the beauty of these forests, protecting them is a no brainer. Especially since so many trees had been killed by an non-native beetle infestation in the 1960s. The remnants of the infestation remain along the trails and add a stark contrast to all the life that surrounds them. 

The Guy Fleming Trail is the perfect introduction to what Torrey Pines has to offer. Its a one mile loop trail that takes allows you to walk amongst the pines and enjoy amazing views of the great blue yonder from bluffside viewpoints.

 

Its a place where you can watch birds having a blast surfing the updrafts while parasailers make their best attempts at being birds themselves.

Its a place to enjoy wildflowers and the tiny forms of wildlife that come along with them.

But most of all its a place to enjoy the trees.

    

Happy Birthday Monkey!

Thank you for being an amazing father, a wonderful husband, and my best friend. You still look pretty hot for 35! Love ya!

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