Why Not Walk to Arizona?

There is a place called "The Wave" just over the Utah border into Arizona that I read about in Reader's Digest a long time ago. Only 20 people are admitted into the entirety of the parks listed above per day with only two options for getting permits: Gamble on a 4-month advanced purchase lottery OR drive all the way down to Kanab to camp out at the BLM office and elbow your way past two smelly hikers to get the last available day-of, walk-up slots.  The first time I went there the lottery system was just a dream.  Instead the option was to glue yourself to the park website three months in advance and not blink at midnight when the open slots were posted. After three months of lost sleep and clicking "refresh" on the millisecond, an available slot appeared and I grabbed up the five remaining permits for the far-off month of February.

Public Service Announcement: Stay Away From the Squirrels

Don't think that squirrel isn't sneaking up on her...

To the lady in this most-unflattering rearview shot, I apologize, but a public service announcement needs to be made and you were unfortunate enough to be in my way...

Let be known that the Cape Meares, Oregon, squirrels are psychotic and crazy!  To all who with plans to every visit there, I plead with you to heed this warning.  They will not be afraid of you.  No amount of shooing or pretend-cawing or stamping or running away is going to deter them.  They want your food and your sandal-clad toes and aren't going to stop at any cost.

Don't bring a picnic lunch with the idyllic dream of sitting on this beautiful bench overlooking the most beautiful ocean view you've ever seen.  They will jump up behind you and stick their paws straight into your yogurt.

Don't give your kids anything.  Period. No food.  What kid have you ever met that doesn't drop their food on the ground while they're eating.  Let them eat and you're guaranteed to have rodents crawling over their own sandal-clad feet trying to get what's underneath.  Which leads us to my next advice...

Forget all notions you have of teaching your children that all God's creations need  love.  You need to share every horrible story you know about rabies and scabies and squirrels having babies.  Put the fear in them before they reach down and try to pet the very creature that's giving you clinical anxiety.

Do not think you'll be safe in the car.  Think about it.  Vacation, children, fast food addiction.  Your car is a ticking time bomb for squirrels with erratic behavior.  Open a door even a smidgen and you've invited in the entire crazy squirrel family.

And last but not least,

Leave your non-thinking, sleep-deprived, fairy tale tourist brain at home!  (This may also be loosely translated as your elderly)  Would you run out in your backyard shaking Ho-Ho's and peanut butter sandwich crumbs at the animals creeping through your trees?  If they were fat enough to carry away your youngest child (or grandchild), does it really seem like they need to have any more?  And if you see a frazzled mother running away from something with 4 kids in arms, could you maybe stop to see what's stalking her, rather than calling out, "Honey, Dear, KARL, here it comes, take my picture!"

Maybe I  write with too much emotion.  I didn't have any warning of the danger and peril I would be putting my family in on an innocent side trip to the sea.  There were no signs posted and no kind strangers giving the signal to beware.  Take it as my duty, to warn you, that the Cape Meares squirrels are not to be reckoned with.  This is my testimony:  If you get to close, they WILL try to carry you away!

If you've seen the world...

With this week's 4-hour bomb of a snow storm followed by immediately melting, I am convinced we have now seen the end of winter here in Utah (at least in the valleys-you snow lovers can keep on having your fun in the mountains).  It's okay with me!

It has been such a blessing to have a warm winter.  We haven't had to be bundled up and hurrying to keep from getting frostbite (In Iowa last winter, that was no exaggeration).  We've been able to walk everywhere we need to go-the library, the grocery store, the park, our homeschool co-op.  Where spring usually means getting back in to the habit of using our legs, this year my kids beg to walk instead of drive when it's time to run the errands.  They surprise me and I'm loving it!

Today as B and I walked to his art class, I held his hand and he told me all about the things he's been learning.  At almost 8-years-old I know the time is winding down when he'll let me be so close and it overwhelmed me today how much I really love him.  

He's a voracious reader and an extremely motivated independent learner.  We learned this week about Mt. Vesuvius and the ruins of Pompeii.  He's taken his history books to bed with him every night, and today he was telling me all about how the Romans treated their slaves, how the teachers reprimanded their naughty students, and the kind of pots the people of Pompeii used to grow their plants.  

It was while I listened to him share with me so animatedly that I felt a validation and an inspiration that lately I've been missing.  You see, I have been to Pompeii.  (Truth be told, B has also been to Pompeii, but he was barely 1 and off the hook for not remembering).  I've walked through the narrow streets.  I've seen the fresco paintings and looked into the bakeries.  I've sat in the the amphitheater that B was explaining to me.  

All along I've known I wasn't traveling just for me.  Wanderlust is not a selfish thing.  At the root it's so much bigger than me.  Without getting out and seeing, without being around other people in other places and smelling what they smell and hearing what they hear, the world would be as flat and lifeless as a printed map.  I've been and I've seen and I've done and I did it so that my kids, and your kids, and you, and I can understand how their space on earth fits in and belongs with every other one.  

As we walked, I told B about Pompeii and compared the volcano's distance to the distance of the Wasatch Range from us.  I told him about a map-reading little boy we saw there who has never left my memory and who always comes to mind when B himself is walking around a park with his nose squarely planted in a map.  And I told him that we would go back there someday so he can add to his mother's memories, bringing all his book learning to life.  

I know not everyone has had the opportunity, or the desire, to travel the world and smell stinky things and hear the clatter of busy streets.  Can I encourage you to think about the places you have gone, the ones that have touched you deep down inside, and share them with your children.  Make them part of who they are, who you can be together?  Wandering is powerful.  It's meaningful.  And it's something everyone of us has to share.

Stewart Falls: A Utah Waterfall Hike

It seems fitting that since my husband and I met and got engaged at a waterfall (in Alaska, but still a waterfall), we should continue making waterfall memories. A few years ago he nonchalantly informed me he wanted to take our two young boys toTimpenooke and Emerald Lake.  Only later did I translate what he was actually saying as, "I think we should drag ourselves and our little boys that mostly need carried 11,000 feet up to the top of Mt. Timpanogos."  Before being tricked into that one, I convinced him perhaps we should try a slightly shorter hike to see how far our little ones could make it.  

That is how we found ourselves on the relatively short (4 miles roundtrip and rated as "easy to moderate")  hike to Stewart Falls.  It was a BEAUTIFUL trek through wooded mountainsides.  Even in the height of Utah's dry summer season the trail was lush and green with wildflowers blooming everywhere.  It rivaled many of the hikes I've been on in the midwest and eastern states.  

Part of what makes the Stewart Falls Hike great is the fact that it is a relatively flat walk.  The initial ascent from the parking lot is steep and the eventual descent down to the waterfalls is tricky, but the 4-mile round-trip adventure really is quite relaxing.  Whether hiking with children or not, there are many areas perfectly suited for resting, snacking, and scenic gazing.  

The falls themselves are amazing!  You can hear them before you see them and the air temperature drops refreshingly just at the point when you really need it.  Be amazed as the triple-tier of cascading water comes into view, and then remember to follow the trail down and to the left.  We followed a group of teenagers to the right and discovered they were sliding down a scree field.  Not the safest way to go.  

My one piece of advice is this:  Plan to linger and enjoy your time at Stewart Falls.  There's no reason to rush along the way and you'll want time to cool down and replenish before making the journey back to your car.  Bring a lunch, dip your feet in the ice cold snowmelt stream, and enjoy being in one of the most beautiful places Utah has to offer.

Directions and information:

The Stewart Falls trailhead is on the Sundance end of the Alpine Loop.  Driving through Provo Canyon, follow the signs to Sundance, continue past the resort and BYU's Aspen Grove facility.  Just before coming to the Alpine Loop fee booth you will see a parking lot on the left of the road.  This is where the trail begins.  (You will have to pay the small Alpine loop fee-we tried to avoid it by parking on the side of the road and got a ticket).  

Several different trails begin from this parking lot so be sure to read and follow the signs.  Once you're on the right trail you'll be on your way.  

It is also possible to hike to Stewart Falls from the Sundance Resort.  

The hike will start at the top of Ray's Lift and be more of an uphill, 

then downhill hike than from the trailhead I've described above.

 Check out the Sundance website for more information on that alternative.

 (Be sure to read another waterfall post on the Battlecreek Trail)

We Always Turn Left...

The name A Local Wander did not come by me lightly.  I think it's important to get out, explore, and find new things in the areas we call home.  The challenge sometimes comes when I realize we've moved to the land where my husband was born and raised-he's pretty much seen and done everything.  He lives for those days when we find ourselves on a road he's never been on before, and last weekend's drive home from Goblin Valley did NOT disappoint!

Otherwise known as the middle of nowhere!

Let me take you on our journey...

Starting at our house, we drive on the interstate,
 a dangerous mountain road,
another interstate,
and then the road to Hanksville.

We rarely ever go to Hanksville, but when we do it's fun to stop in at the Hollow Mountain Gas Station, literally built into a hollowed out rock...

This time we forgot diapers (I guess the babies thought they were kind of important) so we did go to Hanksville and came across this historic church building...

Now back to the map. This is the road to Goblin Valley...

And this is where we always turn left...

We don't turn there because that's where the road ends, but just because that's always the way we go.  As we turned this time, though, my husband noticed a sign indicating that if we went straight it would, indeed, get us back to the interstate for our drive home in only 29 miles.  It was a road he'd never taken before, and so OF COURSE I decided this was the day that we were going to do it.  This time we went straight!

There's a whole amazing world back there!  Free camping (which is something VALUABLE that I'll address another day), restrooms, historic mining claims, and hiking...

We now know a couple of things:

1. This is Temple Mountain Road.  It is only 29 miles to the interstate, but that 29 miles is rough.  My good mid-western roots would call this Level B at best. 
2.  It is BEAUTIFUL!  After the first 5 miles there is literally no one and no thing out there with you.  
3. Just when you decide you must have gotten lost, there comes a fork in the road with a sign meant to reassure you...

10 more miles on that dusty gravel road and you pop out of the barren desert and back on to the populated interstate highway.  From experience we know at that moment that the drivers around us are confused to all extremes wondering where in the world we just came from. But because we didn't turn left, we've now found a whole new world to wander through.

Tell me something you've found after turning a different way!

Hiking White Owl Canyon

Miss the 1st part of our spontaneous road-trip to Lake Mead?

Catch up here...

By now you know that:
    1) I'm a slave to spontaneity,
    2)the rangers at the Lake Mead visitor center are moderately helpful, extremely entertaining, &
    3)the hike we chose looked promising...

So, let's get on it!

First, we found the tunnel...

Then, we found the slot canyon...

...and took some time to learn some things...

Learning all about owl poo

We saw a coyote.  We almost lost the kids (more on that coming, I promise).  We fought a little bit. We laughed a lot. And at the end of the day when we asked B & P what their favorite part of the day had been, they shouted at the top of their lungs, "THE HIKING!"  Me, too, boys.  Me, too.

More Information:
More information about Lake Mead

The White Owl Canyon Trailhead starts at

the 33 Hole Road Parking Area

off the Lake Mead Highway.

Stay to the left as you come to the 

3 parking areas. 

The trail drops down 

at the 2nd shelter house from the left.

The entire trail does make a big loop if you 

don't want to turn around like we did. 

A detailed description can be found here.

One caution: There is a LOT of trash and broken glass
along the trail 
before you reach the canyon.  
It is obviously a party hangout.
Especially with kids, be careful-
or turn it into a great service project for them!

The Grand Canyon and the Scariest Thing I've Ever Done With My Kids!

I know, I know, the Grand Canyon is one of the epic (translate over-populated with tourists) national parks, and if I espouse the virtues of getting away from the tourist-trap, it seems like a strange park to start off with.  It's precisely for that reason that I'm going to start with it.

Our trip to this most monstrous of geological wonders was completely an act of spontaneity.  We got a call from family two days before they were leaving for there on spring break and without hesitating we dropped what we were doing and started packing our bags.  Having never been to The Grand Canyon before, the 8-hour drive gave me plenty of time to think about what I knew about the park...

• It was big
• A river runs through it
• You can stand at the top and look down into it

That is embarrassing.  Thank goodness we were not there by ourselves, or that is probably all we would still know.  Fortunately, our the family were with was gung-ho to get their money's worth and we gladly went along for the ride...well, the hike.

That's what I can teach you about The Grand Canyon-the only way to truly experience it is to step off the lip and get down in it!  We hiked 3.5 miles of the South Kaibab Trail, but there are several other hikes to choose from.  Any one of them is going to be strenuous and taxing, but one trillion percent worth it.  

For us, the start was a little stop and go.  They were doing trail maintenance, which consisted of a throng of college-aged ranger interns throwing rocks and boulders over the side onto the trail below.  Once we were able to pass them, though, the hiking down got a lot more adventuresome.  And this is where I explain why The Grand Canyon is the scariest thing I've ever done with my kids.

My niece resting precariously close to the edge to watch the action down below

The canyon is STEEP and the drop-offs are HIGH!  I'm used to hiking with my kids, but this poor mama's heart did more than one pitter-patter as we made our way down into this desert hole.  It took awhile, but we finally mastered what we called, "Wall-side, Canyon-side."  At the end of each switchback, the adults and kids craftily traded sides of the trail we were walking.  Doing that tremendously cut down the number of times I found my hand reflexively reaching out to grab at a child's collar.

After mastering that, the 7-mile hike was just long, hard, and a load of fun!  

Passing a mule train

Perched on the top-This rock was literally cradled on top of another ,
which we didn't know until we were hiking further down below.

To sum up the Grand Canyon, yes, it can be packed FULL of people...at the top.  Definitely spend a little time there, and then immerse yourself fully in the landscape that is just below them all.  You'll find a park there that far fewer people have seen!

Have you been to the Grand Canyon?

What's your favorite thing to do there?

More information:

The Grand Canyon National Park website

Looking for an historic adventure while you're there?

Ride the Grand Canyon Railway that boards in Williams, AZ.

It's super cheesy, but gives you a unique perspective 

and keeps you out of traffic 

Please, remember, if you're hiking here to bring PLENTY of water.

The trails are long, and the air is dry.  

You're going to need it.  

And watch for condors!  

My husband and his brother saw one flying 

and ran chasing half-way around the Canyon Rim to watch it land.

Moab: Comparison of Two Options for Camping

This post contains affiliate links

Alright, it's time to spend a little blog space talking about Moab!  The Moab tourism board has done a superb job of making their town seem like "the" place for cool people to be. We all want to be cool, right? I have to tell you, it's worked on me!  Unfortunately, my anticipation and my reality never quite come together on the total excitement and enjoyment spectrum...until now!

One of the absolute most discouraging parts about going to Moab is finding available lodging. If you're a planner and like to make reservations months in advance, maybe this isn't such a hard task and you'd like to write something up for me.  My experiences, however, have been a little different, where the dozens of hotels are always full or ridiculously high-priced by the time we get down there, and so many of the campsites are on a first-come, first-served basis.  Trust me, even with the plethora of camping available in the Moab area, first-come, first-served is usually not really an option if you don't live down a secret grown-over footpath from the campground.

I'm not trying to turn you off of a jaunt down to slick rock country. Quite the contrary, actually.  I just want to be completely honest with my experiences-it can be really frustrating to drive the 3+ hours from the Salt Lake area only to spend as much time looking for a place to lay your head. That is why today I'm going to share with you two of my recent lodging success stories...

Camping in Moab, Utah

There are an endless number of camping facilities in the Moab area ranging all luxury levels.  Nearly free sites with absolutely no facilities to complete resort accommodations.  My two new favorites, Slickrock Campground and Moab Valley RV Resort, fall somewhere in between.   

Located directly on Hwy 191 on the north end of Moab, both campgrounds are in a convenient location to anything you are planning to do in the area.  And so, with that in mind, here are my impressions and recommendations...

Campsites

At this stage in life. my family and I are tent campers and the tent sites at these two campgrounds are in stark contrast to each other.  Staying first at Moab Valley RV Resort, our two tents were pitched in a well-marked-off area, but on hard dirt with barely a wisp of shade in sight.  We were lucky to be on the farthest row, but the road noise was still always in the background.  There are covered tent sites available, but I have a hard time seeing how you'd fit two tents underneath the awning and neither type of spot allows for any stretching out.

Source

At Slickrock Campground, on the other hand, shade and space are at a premium.  Especially shade.  There are full-grown cottonwood trees leafing out all over the place.  The day we checked in the desk clerk gave us a map of available sites and let us drive around looking for the one we wanted.  There are definitely sites with less shade and space, but even these are a breath of fresh air over the sun beating down on you at Moab Valley RV.  We were in space #120 with ample room for two tents and the kids to do a little running around.  It's directly across from the restrooms and off the main traffic path.  I'd definitely recommend trying to get something back in that area.

Source: Slick Rock Campground

Recreation Facilities

Moab Valley RV Resort wins this category.  They have a decent sized rectangular heated swimming pool and a gigantic hot tub attached on one end.  It's easy for parents and kids to enjoy both together without having to worry about running and slipping on the concrete or being too far away to safely see each other.  The deck area is as big as it needs to be with plenty of deck chairs, as well.  Slickrock Campground does also offer a pool and hot tub, but both are smaller and dirtier.  The weekend we were there, the pool had more tumbleweeds floating in it than people.  Also, at Slickrock, the hot tub patrons seemed much rowdier than at Moab Valley irregardless of the time of day.  This may be in part to the easy access to the cold beer cooler located only steps away in the office store.  

In addition to the pool, both campgrounds have other areas to keep families busy.  Slickrock has a pretty cool mounted motorcycle for kids to sit on outside the office, and a not so cool playground with an old school climbing dome and not much else.  Unlike the campsites at Slickrock, the playground is not in the shade.  Moab Valley has created a fun game area with life size chess and checkers in a quaint garden setting.  Just come prepared-the bugs can be REALLY annoying while you're playing.

Source

Bathrooms/Showers

In full disclosure, I can't remember the bathrooms at Moab Valley RV, other than having to walk a little ways to get there.  Not having terrible memories imprinted on my brain, I'm safely assuming they were clean and nice.  The pictures on their website certainly make them appear so.  I can say with certainty that the bathrooms at Slickrock Campground are clean and large and completely acceptable.  The bathhouse next to our campsite had huge toilet stalls, and plenty of shower stalls with dressing areas.  There was never a suspect odor wafting from the building into the campground, and it seemed like there were constantly staff members coming by to give it a once over.  The morning cleaning lady even serenaded us (though she probably didn't know it) while we were getting ready in the morning.  

Staff/Customer Service

I'm sure both places have great people working for them and that both places have employees that have bad days.  Based on my most recent experiences, though, I'm going to sing the praises of the employees at Slickrock Campground.  Stopping first at Moab Valley RV Resort because I'd stayed there before and loved it, I was less than impressed with the desk clerk who made us wait forever without greeting us at all and then snippily told us we could only stay one night and then we would have to find somewhere else to go.  The store and office at Moab Valley RV are more professional, but it doesn't make up for that kind of customer service.

Driving one minute down the road and walking into the Slickrock office was like licking a lollipop compared to that.  The desk clerk greeted us and started joking with us right away.  Like I mentioned before, he printed us a map and sent us on our merry way to choose the site that spoke to us.  Every encounter we had with the office staff at Slickrock was similar the entire weekend.  Be warned, though, multiple cats show up out of nooks and crannies in the office and store when you're least expecting...

Overall, both Moab Valley RV Resort and Slickrock Campground are worth a try the next time you find yourself in Moab cursing at your travel companions and burning all your gas looking for a place to stay.  Weigh out their ups and downs for yourself and let me know what you think!

When you're in Moab, where do you like to stay?

More Information: From Salt Lake/Utah Valley, take I-15 south to Exit #257 Spanish Fork/Price.  Follow Hwy 6 to Green River and merge onto I-70 eastbound.  Take Exit #182 Crescent Junction and follow Hwy 191 south until you enter Moab.

There are innumerable options for camping in the Moab area.  Here are some useful links for planning your stay...

• Private Campgrounds
• BLM Campgrounds (super cheap, minimal facilities, 1st-come 1st-serve)
• Park Campgrounds (includes Arches & Canyonlands National Parks & Deadhorse Point State Park)

Also Coming soon: Where to Eat in Moab, Getting Your Feet Dirty in Arches National Park, Moab mountain biking, and Moab off the beaten path

This review was not solicited and I was not compensated. 

 Just my honest opinions based on my own experiences.

Learning From Memory

Le Havre, France.  Not a town most people would know or remember.  Probably it's only claim to fame is being a logistically decent place for cruise ships to stop and send their passengers off for day tours of Omaha Beach and other noteworthy WWII sites.  Give me a few paragraphs, though, to convince you of it's redeeming property.

Travel back in time with me to April 2008.  My husband and I, with our 1-yr-old son B, set off on a celebratory tour of the continent of Europe.  My husband had finally finished his bachelor's degree so we packed our bags, got on a plane, and flew away!  Not until we were halfway across the Atlantic Ocean did we realize we'd left behind an important piece of equipment.

This is B:

No, he isn't what we left behind. But, at age one, you can imagine that B was an incredibly mobile child-not yet walking, but more than willing to get himself somewhere in a high-speed crawl.  Even at his best, however, we could hardly expect him to make do on his own for 6 weeks of budget traveling.

Figured out what the missing equipment was yet?  We'd left our backpack carrier in the car at home.  All of a sudden the idea of carrying a squirming, wiggly baby in our arms for hours and hours and days and days seemed daunting.  It was the first time we'd considered that traveling with a child might not be fun.

Enter Le Havre.  We happened to be there at the beginning of our journey and an angel of a tourism official directed us to a second-hand store where we might be able to find redemption.  She seemed ashamed not to be able to send us to a fancy department store.  We gave prayers of gratitude that our first unexpected purchase with euros might not break the bank.

This is the store:

Neither my husband nor I speak French and the shopkeeper of this adorable store knew very little English.  After a lot of pointing at B and then at our backs, we found ourselves following this nice lady out of her store and up three flights of stairs next door.  She unlocked a door and offered up her entire store room for us to find what we were looking for.  We were inundated with choices and she let us try on everyone.  Grateful and overwhelmed we finally settled on the pack we liked and hoped we had enough money in our pockets.  Truth is, to this day I don't know how much we paid for that backpack carrier.  What I do know is that it was worth it's weight in gold!

This is the pack: 

Honestly, it was perfect!  B slept in it, ate in it, laughed in it, played in it.  He rode on our backs through  eight countries.  It was incredibly comfortable and I carried him on my back for six of the seven miles on the Cinque Terre Trail in Italy.  That accomplishment is still a feather in my cap!  We have searched high and low and haven't found this exact backpack anywhere.  They don't exist.  But we have one.  It's our little miracle, and we've carried P and the babies in it now as well.

Why, you're asking, am I taking you on this trip down memory lane? 

These are the lessons: 

     ~It's What We Do.  People get confused and think we're being irrational to travel with our kids, but kids travel and we wouldn't think of leaving them home.

    ~Things will most certainly not go completely as planned.  Sometimes we'll forget things and there may be setbacks and delays.  That makes journeying all the more exhilarating.

    ~I love my family.  I easily get bogged down in my day-to-day.  Life doesn't magically become perfect when I hatch a new vacation plan, pack my bags and sail away.  My husband and four cute boys are always going to be there along the way.  If I can learn to make the most of the time I have with them, they'll make sure we live life to the fullest when they're out there (wherever there may be) with me. And that is all I'm hoping for.

And lastly:

    ~Don't leave the backpack carrier in the car at home!

What are the great lessons you've learned when things weren't going perfectly?

Travel Memories Saturday (Washington D.C.)

Washington D.C., 1997
Borrowed/re-posted from Wandering Still

This photo comes from the time in my life I like to call my "fountain days."  What happy memories come flooding back as I think about the free-spirit I was back then feeling the invitation of refreshing bubbling water.  And its impossible to think about fountain-hopping without also thinking of my old friend Jason.

I started college when the internet was still a novelty.  Sitting in the campus library I signed up on a Christian dating site and quickly met two fantastic people.  One of those people was Jason and it was only a matter of months before I hopped on a plane to New Jersey to meet him. My mom dropped me off at the airport a little confused and a lot scared and horrified.  I figured that out when I didn't think to call her upon arrival and she hunted me down by phone at Jason's grandmothers home.(Important clarification: Jason and I were always just friends.  Our hotel rooms always had two beds and we never even held hands.  I'm not sure my family has ever believed me.)

I learned a lot of important life lessons while cavorting around the country to meet Jason.  Here area few of the gems that stayed with me:

Always have food available for the needy.
I met Jason's grandmother that very first weekend.  In her kitchen drawer, where you and I might keep the dishtowels or utensils, she had a full stock of SPAM, just in case somebody ever stopped by collecting for the food bank.

There really is a wrong side of the tracks.
On a business trip in Baltimore, Jason's company put us up in the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in .  One night while out on a walk we crossed a bridge and immediately found ourselves in the most run-down neighborhood I've ever been in.  I was terrified and even Jason gave pause as we walked in one block, over one block, and out one block.  A girl followed two steps behind singing the theme from "Reading Rainbow" until we reached the bridge where she stopped and we high-tailed it back to luxury.

Security guards do a lot of looking at you funny, not much anything else.
Washington D.C. is fountain mecca and where I took my first wet foray.  (Don't panic, I never got up the nerve to actually walk through the reflecting pool on the National Mall!) This is where I also learned that the Benjamin Franklin monument is very slippery and that getting on a subway train while soaking wet is a freezing cold terrible idea.

I don't know why I eat the way I do.
Slipping into a local diner and sharing an order of fries, Jason looked perplexed when I quit eating halfway through.  When he asked why I answered without thinking, "Those ones don't have ketchup on them."  Only then did I realize I had that little oddity.  I pour ketchup all over the top of my fries and quit eating as soon as the ketchup-ed fries are gone.

Any place can be interesting.
Several times Jason's work took him to Killeen, TX, and I'd meet him down there.   Killeen, TX, is to pawn shops what Washington D.C. is to water fountains.  Aside from the military base there is no reason to go there.  South of Killeen, however, is Georgetown, TX, and a beautiful bed and breakfast with rooms in the carriage house.  Heading north halfway to my home in Iowa you'll find Wichita, KS-also a very boring city.  But if you're their on the right night you'll witness the most incredible lightening storm and then have the adventure of getting stuck in flash flooding.

Criminals can look just like you and me.
Jason always told me his older brother had been exiled from the country for bank embezzling.  Once while on a country drive he nonchalantly asked if I'd ever done anything illegal and then told me the details of his entrepreneurial side business producing fake credit cards for teenagers.  One of the last times I saw him he got notice that he was to have a meeting at the Pentagon and shortly after that a letter letting me know he wouldn't be contacting me anymore.  Either the most elaborate "Hey, I don't want to see you anymore" I've ever received, or a guy who got himself into some big trouble.  I'm still leaning towards the later.

And that's a shame.  I will forever look back on that relationship as one of the truest and most free of my lifetime.  The adventures we had and experiences I gained still make my happy heart leap.  We all need that one moment in time where the person we're with and the places we are fit magically into place and continue making us feel giddy, happy, goofy, and free no matter how it ended or where it led. 

Now you're heard mine, so tell me, when were your "fountain days?"

We all have those classic shots that capture travel memories without having to say one word. 

 Each Saturday morning, Sharon (from State by State Travel) and I post photos that express emotion, tell a story or make you wish you could be there.   Be sure to also stop by State by State Travel and see what travel memories she is sharing today!

Do you want to hop into the picture and join in the fun? 

What's your favorite travel memory photo? We'd love to see! 

If you would like to have your travel memory photo used, 

email it to alocalwander@gmail.com 

with a brief description of where it is or what is happening

 and we will schedule it

  for one of our weekly Travel Memories posts. 

If you are a blogger, 

you will get a free link back to your blog below the photo.

Places Far, Far Away

One of the many blessings I count in my life is the opportunity I've had to do some overseas traveling.  Today I thought I'd share some brief thoughts on the foreign countries (and one self-governing commonwealth) that I've visited:

Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

Belgium-My senior English teacher docked me a point on a paper for typing the Grand Place instead of the Grand Palace. It really is Grand Place and I still want my point back.  Make sure to see the night-time laser light show!

France

Luxembourg-Teeny tiny, but beautiful.  You know the capital city and country are the same, right?  Making it officially Luxembourg, Luxembourg.

France-After two trips to Paris I can officially say I could care less about ever going back there.  The Normandy Coast and the French Riviera, however, are definitely worth repeat visits.

Netherlands-My paternal ancestry and I LOVE this country!!!  

Canada-The thoroughfare for my multiple drives to and from Alaska. I'm still grateful for kind strangers 50km north of Edmonton who helped me change my flat tire.

Mexico-Anyone who tells me they're taking a Mexican Riviera cruise will probably never have to worry about me asking them for travel advice.    

London, England

England-I haven't made it out of London, yet, but definitely on my list to go again.

Bermuda-A GREAT cruise destination because all the ports are on the same island.  Get off at the first one and rent a scooter for the rest of your stay.  You don't have to be on the ship when it moves-but know that the island is a little step back in time and all-night gas pumps may not be readily available...

Bahamas-Okay, this is a little cheating because I've only been on the beach Princess Cruises leases.

Guatemala-Does anyone have insight on how safe it is to travel independently here?  Not knowing, we were overly cautious.

Costa Rica-Definitely do the zip-lining.  I went 5 months pregnant.  My husband and I were the only English speakers and after listening to a 20-minute safety speech in Spanish we were told, "Hold here, don't touch here. Go!"  

Panama-Traveling through the canal is amazing!  Tip for my LDS readers-the Panama LDS temple is viewable as you're entering/exiting the east end of the canal. 

Puerto Rico-I mostly remember it being dirty.

Barcelona, Spain

Taiwan-This also should be considered a cheat, but a 10-hour over-night layover anywhere counts in my book.

Thailand-Go here!!  Get out of Bangkok right away.  I went north to Chiang Mai and did a jungle trek.  Next time I'll go south to Phuket and the beaches!

Malaysia-Aqua blue beaches, snake temples, and English architecture-a surprisingly interesting destination.

Singapore-As clean as the news reports lead you to believe.  

Spain-Gaudi was such a freak!  A big-dreaming freak!

Australia-Really incredible-Perth was my absolute favorite.  Great opposite-side-of-the-road driving in Tasmania.

Cinque Terre, Italy

New Zealand-The mist in the fjords is worth getting up early for, but I'd spend the rest of my vacationing days on the north end of the north island if I could.  

Tahiti-French-speaking and you'll REALLY benefit from being french-speaking, too.

Italy-Where to start?  Go here...that's all I can say.

Portugal-All the blue & white tiles in Lisbon-enchanting!

Albania-Such a sad looking country.  The fall of communism, the rise of capitalism, and now?  Deserted developments as far as the eye can see.

Croatia-Everything wonderful that, for me, Albania was not. 

The Matterhorn, Switzerland

Switzerland-Idyllic and the greatest place to have family!

Gibraltar-Okay, the Rock of Gibraltar is a real place!  And at the top is a mess of wild monkeys. Totally awesome!

Do you have a story from any of these countries?