After two wonderful years in Korea, it was time to move back Stateside. We needed to pick up our car and most of our household goods from Idaho and transport them (or arrange for transport) from there to North Carolina. Jake had to go directly to work, so I was going to take care of that on my own (well, on my own, with the kids). Since it was spring, we decided that instead of trying to get the kids into a new school with only a few weeks left of the year, we'd "un-school" for awhile, and show Miriam and Hans (both born in Europe and in the process of moving back from Asia) the USA. So following a full school day, we said good-bye to South Korea with lots of hugs, kisses, tears, and last minute gifts shared with teachers, classmates, and friends. Time for our next adventure: The Great American Road Trip.
(The vast majority of our pictures from this year disappeared in a computer meltdown, but you get the general idea with these. The photos of Crater Lake, however, were taken in a different season.)
We spent the first week in Idaho connecting with old friends and revisiting our favorite haunts as we attempted to get back on American time and into American life. It took several days before we could sleep past 4am, and Hans, who by this time was fluent in Korean, was particularly amazed at the cars, houses, and people of all shades. Eventually we were over our jetlag enough to venture out and we crossed our first state line: Welcome to Oregon!
We proceeded to Portland where we spent a long weekend with some more wonderful friends and enjoyed plenty of recreation, highlighted by the first of our many educational tours: Bob's Red Mill, where we learned about grains, the milling process, and gluten. From Portland, on to Crater Lake, one of the world's most beautiful places, and a fascinating study on one of Miriam's favorite subjects, volcanoes. Then a tour of Harry & David's, where we learned about baking for millions, selecting fruit, and assembly lines. After seeing and smelling all of that wonderful chocolate, we probably ate a bit more than our share of Moose Munch.
California here we come! We marveled at the Pacific Ocean as seen from North America, learned about trains at the California railroad museum in Sacramento, and spent two days amazed at the giant red woods. We then arrived at Yosemite National Park, where we lived in a platform tent while spending 3 days hiking, rock climbing, and looking for wildlife.
In Nevada, we visited friends, explored Area 51 (where we did not find any aliens) and learned about the engineering marvel that is the Hoover Dam. Then in Arizona we joined historic Route 66. The Grand Canyon was magnificent, but was too cold and windy for the several days of hiking and camping we had planned, so after one night we continued on our way and warmed up at the Planes of Fame Aviation Museum. We spent another several days in Arizona, where I ran a marathon in Prescott, we saw a ghost town, learned about cacti and desert plants, and played at a natural swimming hole at Slide Rock State Park. We then visited friends near Phoenix before heading on to one of our favorite places of the entire trip, and the 4th national park of this adventure, the Petrified Forest.
New Mexico greeted us next, and we eventually found some proof that we really were making progress on our way east as we crossed the Continental Divide. We had spent a week exploring the "Land of Enchantment" shortly before moving to Korea, so this time we made a beeline for Albuquerque and friends, and revisited some favorite places like the children's science museum and zoo.
From New Mexico, we proceeded across Texas, with stops at the Cadillac Ranch and the Big Texan Steakhouse, where we did not eat their famed 72oz of steak within one hour, and continued to Oklahoma. There, we visited the Gen. Thomas P. Stafford Air & Space Museum in Weatherford, and spent the night in Tulsa.
Then into Missouri for a restful week in the Ozarks, where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived and wrote the "Little House" books, of which Miriam is a devotee. Across the state in St. Louis, we went up in the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, better known as the Gateway Arch. Also in St. Louis we toured a sculpture garden and Grant's Farm. (On subsequent stops in St. Louis we have become huge fans of the City Museum, although we did not go there on this trip. If you have any opportunity to be in St. Louis, make sure the City Museum is at the top of your list of things to do.).
Once in Illinois, we went to Lincoln's Tomb and Lincoln's New Salem, and stopped at the Peoria Zoo. Soon afterward, the first part of our journey was completed as we entered the great state of Wisconsin (and in an amazing coincidence, at the state line rest area ran into an acquaintance from our church in Korea). The Dairy State was our home for the next 6 weeks as we relaxed with family and friends. While there we also managed to fit in a couple more marathons and visited historic Lambeau Field, the Jelly Belly Distribution Center, and the ever popular National Mustard Museum, among other places.
After a lovely Wisconsin (with quick trips to Minnesota and Iowa) vacation full of tree-climbing, swimming, a high ropes course, and Hans' exploring construction sites with Grandpa, we set our sites for North Carolina. After a stop in Chicago, we ventured into Indiana, home of the Motor Speedway and one of the world's best children's museums. From that point, we lit out for home, crossing several state lines in the process, and finally arrived in North Carolina -- and back to Jake -- two and a half months after beginning our trip.
The trip was an adventure, but I was surprised to hear so often that people felt I was "brave" to be taking it...my country, and even my own car, with my family. Head out and get your kicks!
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