Plans? We don’t need no stinking plans.

Prologue

So, I don’t know about you all, but Jack and I were super-busy this year; so much so that we didn’t really get to plan this trip (although we kind-of knew what we wanted to do) until Memorial Day weekend. Seriously–no joke.

With the help of fellow travelers Sheri Drazner and Charlie and Tara Dai and a 10-year old copy of Let’s Go USA, Jack and I were able to map out where we wanted to be  and what we wanted to do. However, the whole how-are-we-getting-there-and-where-are-we-staying portion of our planning finally happened during a long-awaited 3-day weekend.

After much debate and knowing that time was no longer the luxury we once had, we decided to go the unconventional (for us, anyway) route of flying into Vegas to pick up a rental car. Flights to Vegas were cheap and places to sleep were plentiful. We found some Air BnBs and a few hotels for our 3-week tour of the Southwest and California. We also made the decision to fly out the day after school ended. This allows me to quickly decompress from a very long & stressful school year. Definitely one of the best decisions thus far.

Will last-minute planning create unforeseen problems? Will we be able to spend three weeks in a Yukon SUV rather than a beloved minivan? Will I run out of questions to ask for this prologue? Apparently so? Tune in tomorrow for the next installment of WeAreWayfaring (which I am going to write and publish in a few minutes).

Centennial & Denver

We were lucky to spend a few days with Uncle Kevin and Aunt Jen (an Mickey, of course!) We visited friends Aaron and Missy and were able to see The Avett Brothers at Red Rocks. Here are a few pictures from our week in the city.

The Great Sand Dunes National Park

In southern Colorado lies Great Sand Dunes National Park. When planning our trip, we weren’t sure whether this was a destination worth an additional ride, but in hindsight, it may be one of my favorite destinations during this trip. To see mountains and mountains of sand, buttressed by actually mountains is quite the sight. At the foot of the dunes is Medano Creek, which provided cool comfort for such a hot and dry day.

Word to the wise, the NPS suggests that you rent a sand sled to use on the dunes. Do not think you know better than the NPS. Do not think to yourself, “Ah, I’ll just trek my slow sled from Target…it will work just as well.” Do not think those things unless you would like to drag aforementioned winter sled up the dunes only to fall flat on your face and roll down in the sand. Seriously. Believe the NPS; they are our friends.

So, since our sledding didn’t really work out,  we spent most of the day in the creek and the kids enjoyed building a dam for the rest of the day. Fortunately for us, despite the warning of swarms of mosquitoes, we didn’t encounter any while playing in the creek. Our time at the Great Sand Dunes was relaxed and enjoyable. I am so glad we decided to make the trek.

As we headed on out to make our way back to Denver, we were lucky enough to spy some wild horses along the road.

Movie Manor, Monte Vista Colorado

After our stay in Estes Park for the night, we headed south towards the Great Sand Dunes. Jack’s friend Aaron Evans recommended staying in Movie Manor, which is located 40 minutes outside the park. I have to confess…I really wasn’t expecting much from this experience. The location was in an economically depressed, remote area. There wasn’t much around but abandoned homes, agricultural farms, and auto repair shops. The ride from Estes to Monte Vista was a scenic delight, but unfortunately the road was so narrow that we didn’t have an opportunity to pull over to take pictures.

When we got to Movie Manor, we realized that they offer two showings and that you can watch the movies from your hotel room. This was a welcomed surprise since we’ve been in the car for so long and it can be rather smelly.

The Best Western was rather quaint and had throw back quality reminiscent to the 50’s. This was especially felt at the playground located below the movie screen. This may be one of my favorite moments during the whole trip. There was such a beautiful, sparse simplicity punctuated by a cloud-filled sunset with sunbeams dancing between the clouds. The kids were happy to play with each on the rickety swing sets and other equipment that has been long ago banned from the safety codes of NYC.

Brendan spent some time skateboarding in the parking lot with a beautiful sunset as the backdrop. By 8:45, it was dark enough for showtime. We were lucky enough to watch the new Star Trek in our pajamas from our room with the audio pumping in through a speaker system. This was an unusual, once in a lifetime experience that I am so glad we all shared together.

The Stanley Hotel

Last year, when we were in Estes Park we saw this town was home to the Stanley Hotel. Most of you know the Stanley as the setting for Stephen King’s “The Shining.” Our kids know it as one of the settings for “Dumb and Dumber.” So part of our plan was to spend an evening at the Stanley. If you are a real Stephen King fan, I really suggest that you find the time and make the journey. There are tours and other pop culture references all around. We were slightly disappointed to learn that the hedgerow maze is no longer there and they replaced it with a smaller, lamer version. Also, word to the wise, there is a new hotel built on the grounds. If you are to make a reservation be sure to specify you want to sleep in the original hotel. Sadly, we did not know this was necessary and slept in the new hotel. The upside was that the new hotel was beautiful and had air conditioning (which the Stanley does not). We were literally the first guests on the third floor, which is kind of cool, right?

Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain NP

Our second full day in the Rockies took us to Trail Ridge Road so that we can make our way over to the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. Trail Ridge Road is really where you are able to experience the majesty of the Rockies and all that they can offer. No matter what altitude we were in, there was always something beautiful and lovely to behold, whether is was at the entrance where you are welcomed by sentinel mountains or the apex with sweeping landscapes the Rockies really prove why they are such a national treasure.

If you look through the pictures, you’ll see the kids sitting by a stream. Apparently, it’s not the best idea to drink from such a stream. Consider yourself warned because we weren’t! 🙂

 

Grand Lake Lodge & Highlands Ranch @ The Rockies

So after 3.5 days of driving, we made it to our destination: The Rockies! We stayed at Grand Lake Lodge, which is at the south western part of the park. The lodge was rustic and beautiful and our room was a quaint log cabin nestled in the woods. Needless to say the views were stunning and the kids had fun running around. The biggest adjustment that needed to be made was for the altitude, but once that happened we were good to go!

Once we were settled, we stopped by the visitor’s center at the park and were greeted by a mother moose and her baby. This was quite the welcoming and we were able to snap some cool pictures.

The next day we set aside for some hiking on the trails. At the first trail we encountered a Junior Ranger hike, so that worked out well as the kids followed along and learned the different terrains of a mountain ecology. During our hike we spotted different areas were either moose or elk had bedded for the night. You could tell because the grass was matted down and the droppings in the area. Brendan was particularly good at spotting animals before they fled. This led to a game of keeping track of who spotted what, but we lost count after so many days.  We found a few creeks and took some family pictures and headed back for lunch.

After lunch, we hit one more trail that was outside the park to see Adams Falls. That was a fun hike, a little steeper and rockier but the falls was definitely worth it.

After this hike, we spent more time in the town of Grand Lake which was beautiful and laid back. The boys were Pokemon hunting, throwing the football back and forth, and Maggie was mastering the jungle gym. It was a nice way to end the day.

Carry on my wayward so…

So, after visiting the Gateway Arch of St. Louis, we made it to our pitstop in Kansas City, MO.  As we approached the city we caught this fantastic glimpse of Kauffman Stadium from the George Brett Superhighway. The Royals were playing and the stadium faces the highway; we were driving so fast there was no time for a picture, but such a sight was worth a mention.

Spent the night in an AirBnB above a bagel shop. The apartment was good for a pitstop, but the bagel shop below was an anomaly…good bagels west of the NY border!!! So, if you are ever in Kansas City, MO (which I do recommend seeing if the opportunity occurs) stop by Mashugana’s for some morning bagels and coffee.

This day was a long 8 hour drive to Uncle Kevin’s in Centennial. Kansas is flat and full of farmlands so not much to report. We stopped in Hayes, Kansas to have lunch and stretch our legs and encountered a thunderstorm that traveled south with us along I-70. We had a fun last leg of the ride, singing songs like “Hooked on a Feeling,” “Coconut,” and Eminen’s “Lose Yourself.” Once we pulled up to Uncle Kevin’s we were greeted by a hawk in a tree right outside his house!

 

The Gateway to the West The St. Louis Arch

Editor’s Note (Who am I kidding…that should say “Writer’s Note” I can’t afford an editor): I am writing this late in the evening and did not proofread…please be kind. 🙂

As I write this from our quiet lodge in Grand Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, fire sirens are screaming outside our window. So take heart, city-dwellers…just because you are out of the city, doesn’t guarantee peace and quiet, but I digress…

Before we made it to Colorado, we needed to have a few stopovers along the way after Indianapolis (we hardly knew ye). The plan was to leave Indy, drive 3-4 hours to St. Louis, see the Arch and then head to our next stop in Kansas City, Missouri.  And believe it or not, the plan actually worked out. The biggest challenge that we faced is that the middle of the country is BLAZING hot, like you-can’t-move-without-soaking-your-shirt-with-sweat kind of hot. Now that may be because I am half Italian with active sweat glands, or because I forgot the camera and needed to walk more than Jack or the kids, but the most credible reason was that it was 97 degrees on the banks of the Mississippi River.

Currently, the area where the St. Louis Arch is located is going through a major renovation that is very similar to what has been done to Brooklyn overlooking Manhattan. Frankly, I can’t understand why this hasn’t happened before seeing that the Arch is probably one of the few things St. Louis has to offer, but who am I to judge city planning? Either way, it is getting done and the waterfront will be a beautiful site once construction and renovations are complete (and it is not 100 degrees out).

The kids were a bit reluctant to leave the comforts of the air-conditioned car (did I mention it was hot), but once they saw the Arch, they grew more excited. After walking about a half mile to the arch, and climbing a 50-step entrance (did I mention I sweat a lot…like a real lot), we made it to the entry. You need to go through an airport security-like line and enter into beneath the Arch. From there, you go through more of the inside of the Arch and then wait to take a ride to the top of the Arch.

So, you know when you go to the bank drive thru teller, and you put your money in a little tube and that little tube shoots over the cars and to the teller in the building? Yeah? Well, that is what it was like to ride a cart to the top of the Arch. See the following pictures:

After about a 3 minute slow, articulated climb we reached the top of the St. Louis Arch. What an amazing feeling to be inside such an icon of the American West and look down below at the city of St. Louis on one side, and the mighty Mississippi on the other. The kids were equally impressed. I know this because the boys were taking selfies of themselves and posting it on Instagram. It turns out that the Arch was the result of a hastily sketch design to be entered in a contest as a way to find the best symbol representing America’s Gateway to the West.  Not a bad job, if I do say so myself.

After the Arch, we luckily found a lovely restaurant called, “The Old Spaghetti Factory.” The architecture was one of an old time parlor with beautiful dark wood, spoke wood flooring on a spiral staircase, brass details, and stained class windows. Being the ever adventurous foodie, Jackie ordered Italian-cream sodas for himself and siblings.  This would have been perfect if we had read the placemat in front of us that said Italian cream soda are actually made with cream, which doesn’t work when you are allergic to milk. The good news is that I got Jackie’s black cherry Italian cream soda and everyone was happy with their meals.

Considering we got to visit a national icon and had a pleasant meal, it is safe to say that Monday was a success. We had a four drive to Kansas City, Missouri and made pretty good time on that. We spent the night in a Air BnB, which served our purposes. It was one of those lovely clean apartments that you see on HGTV, but lacked the soul and warmth of a home.  The best part was the bagel/coffee shop right down the steps. They made bagels that were comparable to NYC bagels – if you could believe it – with lovely and creative cream cheeses to go with them. Mashugana’s Bagels, if you ever make it to Kansas City, Missouri, which I really would love to make it back to because it is a charming city.

Thus concludes our adventures for Tuesday…Wednesday was a loooooong day of driving, peppered with a stop in Hays, Kansas and capped off with a wicked lightning storm.

And awaaaaay we went

We never were cured of our wanderlust after the last trip out West. As a matter of fact, I think it got worse for me (and possibly Brendan and Jack –the husband, not the son). As a result, we decided on a shorter trip to Colorado to see Uncle Kevin and Aunt Jenn, (Stef and Violet, too!), spend more time at the Rockies (and visit the Great Sand Dunes in southern CO), and catch another show at Red Rocks (one of my favorite live bands, The Avett Brothers–big thank you to Aaron Evans for helping us get tickets). 

After an eventful weekend of hosting friends and watching my beautiful friend Christina get married, we headed out Sunday morning. But first, nothing says “We’ll miss you and love you,” than my sisters coming by in the morning and bringing us bagels. When all the last minute packing was done, we hit the road by 9:30. 

Today was mostly a driving day, not much to write about other than the fact we one day ONE police car station on the highway (and that was western Ohio) the WHOLE ride to Indianapolis. We also saw only one adult entertainment center as well, so in that aspect the Midwest is proving to be slightly disappointed. We did pass on major accident, but didn’t have major traffic. There wasn’t much roadkill, either.  Dinner was awful at some place called “Smoky Bones.”  Seriously, how does BBQ screw things up?

Arrived in Indy at 9:40-not bad for such a long haul with three kids. 

One last thought: there is something about driving west that touches my soul. The hopes and possibilities when you drive west rise from your innermost being and lay themselves bare. Driving off into the sunset, doubles that feeling.