Home at Last!

The later we drove last night the more the boys thoughts of reaching home, and shortly after entering Kentucky at midnight they decided we should just keep driving, so we did! We are all late night people, so until 2 am or so we passed the time with some great dscussions about world affairs, politics, our church, and summer plans. At 2:00 John went ot sleep in the back while Paul and I drove into Virginia for breakfast and our last tank of gas. We talked about his coming year at Appalacian State University and about making the coming weeks count in light of eternity.

After breakfast John was rested and took us the final 100 miles home, arriving in Clemmons at 9:45 am. And so our trip is over - 21 days, 7,600 miles and countless memories! But it sure is good to be back home.

It has been enjoyable to document our travels with this blog, and I hope that this will bring back many good memories for Paul and John in the years to come. Thanks to those of you who have sent encouraging notes to us along the way!

Heading Home

We awoke this morning with one thing on our minds – two more days driving and we are home! We started this trip in high spirits with a two-day push to get to Colorado Springs, and now we are ending still in high spirits and attempting to drive from Sioux City to Clemmons in two days. With three drivers, this should be no problem.

Today we crossed the “I” states – Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. I wonder if it is pure chance that these adjacent states all start with an “I”. The vegetable of the day was corn, and for the first 400 miles of our trip we were almost always driving next to corn fields. Every time I pass through the mid-west I am amazed at the vastness of the farm lands, and this trip was no exception.

I’ve been asked several times if I regret coming home a few days “early,” and the answer is not at all! What matters most to me is that we are following the route home that the boys choose in Vancouver. We have taken the time to visit attractions along the way each day, and have enjoyed seeing some spectacular land that we would have otherwise missed.

When the boys saw that we would be crossing Iowa on I-80, they remembered watching a History Channel show on Truck Stops two weeks ago and learning about “Iowa 80.” The world’s largest Truck Stop. They looked this up on the internet, saw that we would be passing by, and thus it became an afternoon destination for us! This was not a roadside gimmick, but was indeed a massive and impressive place. This is to Truck Stops what the Mall of America is to Malls, and we were there!

As we drove today I asked each son for five things that they think they will always remember from this trip. Interestingly, they named the exact same things for the first four: (1) Time in Vancouver and with the Andersons, (2) Time with their cousins and family in Fresno, CA, (3) Whitewater rafting in Colorado, and (4) Climbing rocks in the riverbeds in Yosemite. Paul’s number 5 was the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, and John’s number 5 was seeing the Giant Sequoia and Redwood trees in CA. It will be interesting to see what the boys remember most 30 years from now.

My memory will be of making the dream of showing my sons the USA into a reality! It’s been a wonderful three weeks with the boys – not one argument or disagreement on this trip, making me realize how much I have blessed by God with these boys! As great as this has been, I can’t wait to be with my wife and daughter again!

We are driving late tonight, as the boys have chosen to take us into Kentucky.

Tomorrow’s only destination is HOME!

South Dakota

Our journey since leaving Vancouver has been one through big States, mountain ranges, Indian Territory, and across and along rivers. What we haven’t seen much of are the cities that dot the eastern interstates. I don’t miss the cities at all!

Today’s State of the Day was South Dakota, the Mountains of the Day were the Black Hills, the Indians of the Day were the Sioux, and the River of the Day was the Missouri. I’ve enjoyed the three days of one-state-a-day travel, but this comes to an end after today as we will travel through eight states in our final two days on the road.

We had intended to spend last night in eastern Wyoming, but we found “no room at the Inn” and had to drive into South Dakota to find lodging. We ended up at the Best Western (our hotel of choice) in the small town of Sturgis. The boys knew about Sturgis as soon as they saw the name, having seen a National Geographic TV Special about the yearly motorcycle rally held there. The signs of this were everywhere! The hotel itself had a display of over 30 t-shirt designs for this years rally. There were also bikers everywhere, as the Black Hills and Sturgis have become a sort of Mecca to them. In the first week of August the town of Sturgis, population 8,000, will host the 67th annual rally and is anticipating 500,000 to 750,000 bikers, almost doubling the population of the state! (We’re staying tonight in Sioux Falls, SD, which with a population of 120,000 is listed as “South Dakota’s largest city except for one week in August.”)

Leaving Sturgis this morning we took a short drive to Rapid City, where we turned south and went through a 20 mile gauntlet of tourist traps on our way to the Mount Rushmore National Monument. The monument area itself was fortunately free of these distractions, and the “giant heads in the rock” were quite impressive to see. We took dozens of photos, along with almost everyone else who was there, despite the fact that we have all seen many professional photos of this monument. I guess we just wanted to document the fact that we, too, had been to this place.

After slightly more than an hour at Mount Rushmore we headed back to Rapid City for lunch and then continued our journey east on I-90, with 450 miles of South Dakota still ahead of us. Leaving the Black Hills we passed through the Badlands region of the state and then rolled into the flatter plains of central and eastern SD. Along the way we learned that many of the places here were named by the Sioux and Dakota Indians and adopted by the French trappers in the early 1800’s and the settlers from the east who followed later.

In the center of the state we passed over the scenic Missouri River, and then traveled through very rich farmland in the eastern part of the state, ending in Sioux City. The boys did all of the driving again today, and spent hours together in the front seats engaged in lengthy discussions about all the modifications they want to make to their cars. I later told them that I was planning on washing my car and having the oil changed, but that didn’t impress them!

We got take-out pizza tonight and are now enjoying Myth Busters on the Discovery Channel. We hope to get an earlier start tomorrow morning and to be only 600 miles from home by the end of the day.

Big Sky Country

We awoke in Missoula, Montana today to a clear cool day and a distant view of snow capped mountains in the west. After a big breakfast we set out to cross the mountains of western Montana and enter the plains in the east. Whenever I’m crossing the USA west to east I have somewhat of a feeling of sadness at leaving the mountains behind, but this is soon replaced by a feeling of anticipation as my thoughts turn to arriving back home.

The boys took note of the fact that I have been doing slightly more than mo share of the driving, and they decided to handle all the driving duties today. Although I am more comfortable behind the wheel, I ended up really enjoying being a passenger today. The boys were quite disappointed to learn that there is indeed a speed limit in Montana (75 mph)! The rumor of the absence of a speed limit here is so widely spread that prominent on the official Montana State roadmaps id the statement “Montana does have speed limits!”

We crossed several mountain passes between 5-6,000’ as we traveled east, and for much of the day we had 10-13,000’ snow capped mountain peaks in view. The driving was easy today, and for most of the day we wound between the mountains following the path carved out by various rivers. There are quite a few rivers running through Montana, and many of them were explored by Lewis and Clark 200 years ago. According to the Montana State map, morethan 2,000 of the 8,000 miles explored by Lewis and Clark are in Montana.

A side note: I learned many years ago that the official State Department of Transportation maps are vastly superior to any other state map, which makes sense since the states are using them to promote tourism. Best of all, they are free! As I was planning my bicycle journey in 1980 I wrote to each of the lower 48 states requesting a map, and these maps were what I took along on that trip. I still have many of these maps for sentimental reasons.

In eastern Montana the mountains disappeared into the distance behind us and we entered rolling plains of green hills punctuated by rocky outcroppings. In Southeast Montana we entered the Crow Indian Reservation and paid a visit to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. As a child I read many books about American Indians, including some who were prominent in this part of Montana - Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. (Thanks, Mom and Dad, for buying so many books for me when I was young!) Our neighbors in Yorktown, NY had a print of a painting depicting Custer’s Last Stand hanging in their garage, and I often would look at this and try to imagine the west in the Indian days. I have always felt a sense of shame at the way the American Indians were herded onto reservations, and my time at this monument today was a time for reflection. We listened to a talk explaining the events leading up to this battle, toured the grounds, studied the displays in the museum, and visited the National Cemetery. It was good to visit a place that I have read about and thought about for so long, and I was pleased that the boys seemed glad to study and learn while there.

Leaving the Monument we drove south into Wyoming. With the sun setting behind us and the moon illuminating a strangely-sculpted landscape, both boys decided that “Wyoming doesn’t look like earth, but like some other planet!” We are presently headed east towards the Black Hills and the South Dakota border. The boys wanted to drive late tonight, so I am writing as we travel. They decided to spend the night in Sundance, Wyoming, just inside the Black Hills. I look forward to the landscape that will awaken us tomorrow! We have another National landmark to see in the morning – Mt. Rushmore. We missed the Canadian Rockies and the trans-Canada highway, but are seeing some beautiful country and significant landmarks instead. We’re having a blast!

Crossing Washington

We got up before 6 this morning, packed our car, had a time of prayer with Steve and then headed south toward the US border. (The route that the boys have chosen for our return journey is just over 3,000 miles long, and we are going to try to cover this in 5-6 days.) We left early this morning hoping to avoid the Vancouver and border traffic that we struggled with on Friday, and our early departure paid off as we crossed the border only one hour after leaving North Vancouver. The skies were overcast as we headed south toward Seattle, which again limited our visibility of the mountains to the east. Reaching Seattle we turned east on I-90, our route for the next 1,500 miles. The boys were quiet this morning and rested quite a bit throughout the day. I drove most of the day and was content to just quietly take in the varying scenery along our route.

Just east of Seattle we entered the foothills of the Cascade Mountain Range. The hills were dense with green foliage and very beautiful, but the tops were again shrouded with clouds, concealing the full majesty of the mountain range. At the summit we found ourselves engulfed in thick clouds and light rain showers. The Cascades have chosen to conceal themselves from us again and will remain a mystery to me. I hope the Rocky Mountains in Montana will be more cooperative!

As we eased our way down the eastern slope of the Cascades, the clouds slowly parted to reveal a blue sky that would accompany us for the rest of our journey across Washington. Leaving the mountains behind the trees quickly vanished from the rolling hills and the rich green grass turned to brown. The rugged landscape here reminded us of the high prairie in eastern Colorado.

The mural of the landscape soon changed again as we entered a rich farmland with a wide variety of grains and other crops. There were many fruit stands in this area, but we didn’t see any orchards along I-90. A short while later the farmland turned to a barren landscape of rocky soil that eventually led down to a spectacular crossing of the Columbia River.

It was amazing to see how many times the landscape changed in the 130 miles we traveled from Seattle to the Columbia River in the middle of the state. It is for this reason that I once chose to cross the country by bicycle and now choose to transverse it by auto. Out West you never know what you will see around the next bend in the road, but chances are it will be something different. Within sixty miles we went from the lush mountains to rich farmland to a barren river gorge, and the day was just beginning.

Along the way we had a good chuckle as we passed a road sign for the town of George, Washington!

As we entered the eastern part of WA the landscape turned to one of rich farmland as far as the eye could see, melting into a vast blue sky above. It seemed at times that we were looking at thousands of acres of farmland and at times there wasn’t a single dwelling in sight. Thanks to signs along the roadway we knew that we were passing fields of wheat, hay, alfalfa, corn, peas, potatoes, and more.

We began to climb again as we neared Spokane, WA, and the 200 mile journey from Spokane across Idaho to Missoula, Montana has us climbing up and down the Couer D’Alene Mountains and the Bitterroot Mountains. With peaks in the 7-8,000’ range, and mountain passes over 4,000’, these mountains are but a prelude to the Rocky Mountains that we will cross tomorrow.

We ended the day in Missoula, with 625 miles behind us. While I am writing the boys are out in town, seeking out the local Wal-Mart to buy food and drinks. Afterward they are going to get a good workout in the fitness room and then they hope to watch Myth Busters on the Discovery Channel.

I am sitting in our 4th floor room in a luxurious Best Western Hotel, watching the sun set over the mountains. There’s no question about it; I love being in this part of the USA! Crossing Washington on I-90 was a spectacular journey that I would be glad to make again someday. And perhaps I might even see those shy Cascade Mountains! Tomorrow we cross Montana and hope to end the day another 600 miles closer to home.

Vancouver

We’re getting spoiled here in Vancouver with long nights of sleep, the Anderson’s hospitality and Kim’s cooking! It’s been a great rest before we turn around to head back home. After a long night’s sleep, we headed to downtown Vancouver this afternoon with Steve and his daughter Lydia (age 13). There is an different sort of mass transit here to take you from North Vancouver over the water to Vancouver – the SeaBus. It’s very convenient, with a SeaBus leaving every 15 minutes for the 12 minute trip across the water.


In downtown Vancouver we strolled through the Gastown district and did the usual tourist things – enjoyed looking around, taking photos, and shopping for gifts and souvenirs. Having Lydia along with us all day yesterday and today made me realize something – I sure do miss my daughter Amy and all the friends she so often has at our house! Lydia has been a great “substitute daughter” for the weekend, and she did a wonderful job today helping me to pick out the perfect gift for Amy. Thanks, Lydia – I won’t forget your kindness!

While walking along the boys suddenly broke into grins as they spotted a red sports car and a grey sports car inside of an upscale hotel. I didn’t see what the big deal was, but they pointed out that this was a Ferrari F430 and an Aston Martin Vantage – I guess to a car enthusiast this is as impressive as the mountains are to me! I wanted to take a photo of the boys in front of the cars but they told me that this was not proper car etiquette.

Vancouver is a big hub for cargo ships, and we saw quite a few being unloaded onto trains. We also saw several Cruise Ships preparing for trips north to Alaska. I might have to try that some day, as Alaska is one of only three states that I have not yet been to.

After dinner the boys and I sat down to discuss the various possible routs back to North Carolina, and they decided that what they wanted most was “the shortest route!” After two weeks on the road traveling well over 4,000 miles, I can understand this. We let MapQuest plan out route and it will be back down to Seattle and then east through Washington, Idaho, Montana and so on, following an ESE course. I will have to wait for another day to see the Canadian Rockies, but that’s OK with me. We will of course get to travel through the Rocky Mountains again in Montana, and we just may get to see the Cascade Mountains in Washington tomorrow.

With our course set, we are packing our bags and getting ready for an early start in hopes of crossing the border much quicker than we did on Friday. This has been an absolutely wonderful weekend with Steve and Kim and their family, and we will leave here well rested, well fed and in very high spirits!

Into Canada

We left Vancouver, WA on Friday morning and headed north toward Seattle and then Canada. The weather was overcast with intermittent showers, which prevented us from seeing the Cascade Mountains to our east. We had anticipated great views of Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Baker, but all we saw were grey clouds.

Approaching the Canadian border we thought ourselves to be just 45 minutes away from our destination in North Vancouver, but we instead had 3 tough hours ahead of us. First we had to wait for an hour at the border, inching along in a line of cars, before finally having our two minute talk with the border guard. Having our ID’s and birth certificates at hand, we were soon on our way. A short while later we found ourselves in a massive traffic jam that made the last 30 miles of our trip last almost 2 hours.

We finally reached North Vancouver around 7 pm and I had a wonderful reunion with Steve and Kim Anderson. We talked and ate and talked some more about how the Lord has guided our lives over the past 21 years.

One of the first things we noticed in Canada was that their gasoline is only about $1.15! With the exchange rate as it is, this would be only about $1.08 in US dollars, so we were quite surprised and wondered how this could be. After asking Steve about this, we got the very bad news that gas in Canada is priced by the liter! So we are looking at well over $4 per gallon here!

On Saturday we slept late, relaxed for awhile, and then took a drive with Steve, Kim and their son Dan to see some of the sights in North Vancouver. We went to Lynn Canyon Park where we walked over an impressive suspension bridge and along a beautiful mountain stream, to the beach where we had a picnic lunch and watched ocean freighters and sailboats in the harbor, and up the mountainside to an overlook point where we could look down on Vancouver from 1,300’ elevation. This is a very mountainous area, and there are peaks in view from all directions. Even looking west toward the Pacific Ocean you see Vancouver Island in the distance, with mountains of over 6,000’. Someday I may come back here and enjoy some of the remote mountains and the rocky coastline of Vancouver Island, but for now I am very content to rest and get re-acquainted with the Andersons.

The Pacific Northwest

We left Eureka, CA this morning and took a leisurely drive up the coast to Crescent City, stopping several times to enjoy the ocean views and to walk along the shore. This coastline is much more rugged and rocky than the NC coast. The beaches were full of deeply polished stones from the ocean, rather than the shells we had expected to find. The beaches were grey in color, and the texture seemed to be that of finely crushed granite rather than sand. John and I walked along the beach looking for perfect stones to collect, enjoying the sunshine and the cool breeze. Paul wasn’t feeling well this morning so he rested and took photos from a distance as we walked. It was nice to take a more relaxed drive today. The traffic was very light on this part of Hwy 101, and it was not unusual to come to a place where we were the only car in sight. We almost laughed at the “Congestion Ahead” signs that we saw as we approached some of the small coastal towns, as we saw nothing that even approached our idea of congestion.

At Crescent City we stopped at an ocean side park to play disc golf. The course was not well marked, and we were almost ready to abandon play when we saw an elderly man with a disc and decided to ask him for help. The man’s name was Don Shinn, and at age 87 he still plays almost every day “for the fun of the game and for exercise.” We had a great time playing a round with Don and talking to him about his lifers travels from Alexandria, VA to San Diego CA and then to Crescent City “to get away from the traffic and congestion.” Meeting people like Don is what makes traveling the country fun. He also gave me new hope that I might be able to play this game I love for another 40 years!

Leaving Crescent City we turned inland on Rte 199 and headed for Grants Pass, Oregon. Along this route we twisted our way through our last (I think) lush forest of Giant Redwoods. We continue to be amazed at the size of these trees and the density of the forests that hold them. John remarked at one point “Everything is bigger out west – the mountains, the canyons, and the trees.”


At Grants Pass we turned north on Interstate 5, and I turned the driving over to John. The first 170 miles of today’s travel traced over the route I had bicycled in 1981, and I actually saw a few places that I remembered from that trip. It was good to reminisce about my bicycling days, but my solo bike tour pales in significance to this auto tour with my sons!

At 5:30 pm we reached the 4,000 mile point of our journey, which I think is about the half-way mark. Our Mazda Tribute has performed extremely well, taking us over the mountains with ease and averaging close to 24 mpg. I have drive 40% of the time, John 35% and Paul 25%. (Paul has not felt well several days, which has cut down on his mileage.) We are one day ahead of schedule, and feeling quite rested. I’ve had more sleep in the past two weeks than I have had in a very long time.

As we moved north through Oregon we entered a farming area of red barns and wheat fields – something we had not seen singe eastern Colorado. It’s beautiful up here, with rolling hills to the east and west. Occasionally we still see the vineyards and orchards that dominated the California central valley, but for the most part we see what to us are “traditional farms.”


Approaching Portland, OR we took an eastern bypass (I-205) and had a stunning view of Mt. Hood, the highest point in Oregon (11,239’), rising up through the clouds. A short while later Mt. St. Helens (8,365’) came into sight. With darkness closing in and heavy cloud cover, we were not able to capture this view well with our cameras. I am hopeful that we will have a better view in the morning.

We arrived at our destination hotel just across the Washington border at 9 pm, and I sat down to write while the boys took a tour of the town. Their main destination was the local Wal-Mart, as has been their custom. Right now the boys are eating some supper (Ramen Noodles, one of their favorites!) and looking through a travel guide to plan Vancouver, BC destinations. This destination spot was of their choosing and what we do there over the weekend will be entirely up to them.

I realized today that I am truly relaxed for the first time in many years. I am enjoying having just one thing to do with my time, and I am hardly thinking about my responsibilities at home, at work and at church. I have to think to figure out what day it is and I don’t wear a watch. I’m just taking in the moments with my sons and thoroughly enjoying seeing the country coast-to-coast again. I have no idea at all what this trip will cost in dollars, but I don’t care at all because this time with my sons is truly priceless. I am blessed!

Happy Birthday, Dana!

Happy Birthday from the three of us! Sorry we can't be there, but we will have a party for you in a couple of weeks. (If anyone reading this knows Dana, please call her and wish her a Happy Birthday! Thanks!)

Turning North

We woke early this morning and departed Yosemite shortly after 6 am. The weather was cool as it has been every morning in Yosemite. Looking up from our cabin (most of our looking in Yosemite was “up”) I was struck by how much our “morning view” has changed over the past week. The photo below is what towered over us in Curry Village.



Leaving Yosemite Valley on CA 120 we once again faced winding climbs and steep descents as we first made out way over 6,000’ and then headed down towards sea level. As we approached San Leandro, just south of Oakland, I decided to make a quick stop for old-times sake and visit the church where I was an intern in 1985-1986. I was fortunate in that the two men I hoped to see, Ron Chin and Roger Raybuck, were both in the office. We had a good, though brief, time catching up, and then Roger prayed for us and sent us on our way.

Shortly afterward we crossed the Bay Bridge and entered San Francisco. We spent a short time at Pier 39, eating lunch and buying gifts and souvenirs, and then we headed for the Golden Gate Bridge and the trip north. There has always been something magical to me about this bridge, which I first crossed on a bicycle in 1981, and crossing it today meant that we had reached the end of the western part of our journey. This was the place where I had decided to turn over the route planning to the boys, and they decided to forgo the rugged coastal route 1 and travel north on Hwy 101 instead. Both boys are really looking forward to being in Vancouver, and they want to get there as soon as possible. I am looking forward to being there, too, but for a different reason; we will a couple that were close friends from my days in CA, and I’m looking forward to catching up on the past 21 years!

Driving north on Hwy 101 we passed through rolling fields of fruit orchards and vineyards, which were gradually overtaken by hills draped with evergreen trees. About 100 miles north of San Francisco we entered some dense forests of Redwood trees. At times we almost needed to turn our headlights on as the giant trees completely blocked the road from the sunlight. We all felt that these trees were more impressive than the Sequoias, because they were found much closer together.

The last 90 miles of today’s journey, ending in Eureka, CA, covered ground that was part of my bicycle tour. As is our custom, I relaxed in the hotel room and sorted through pictures and wrote while the boys went out to dinner and to explore this small city. Tomorrow we travel north along the coast and through more redwood country and make our way into Oregon.

Yosemite

We left Fresno late Monday morning and headed north on CA 41 towards Yosemite. The road wound and climbed quite a bit, which made for slow travel. We topped 6,000’ elevation several times along the route, and finally entered the park at 2 pm. Our first stop was at the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, just inside the park entrance. These trees were as splendid as those at Kings Canyon, with some being over 1500 years old. Very hard to imagine anything that old!

After another hour of driving we passed through the stone tunnel that marked the entrance to Yosemite Valley, and as I remembered from 1986, the view as you leave the tunnel is spectacular! El Capitan, rising over 3,500’, stands to the left, Half Dome, 8,800’ in elevation, is ahead in the distance and Bridalveil Fall sends water spraying over the rocks to the right, with a 620’ drop. I can think of no other view that speaks more powerfully to me of the majesty of creation. We stood in awe for a long time, just trying to take it all in.

Our destination for two nights was Curry Village, a little more rustic than we were used to, but the largest lodging establishment in Yosemite and the only place that had any openings when I called five months ago. We stayed in a tent-cabin, with beds reminiscent of what you would find at a youth camp. With hundreds of black bears in the valley, all food and “things that smell like food to a bear (toothpaste, deodorant, etc.)” had to be stored in bear-proof lockers. We were especially warned not to leave any of these items in our cars, as bears have learned to rip open car doors to get to these items. There are almost 1,000 people staying in this Village, gathering from all over the world to see the splendor of this place..

Shortly after arriving we set out on our first hike, a short walk to Mirror Lake. Within the first ½ mile we encountered some wildlife that made Paul question this destination. First we saw a large black bear about 100 yards off the trail, ripping apart a fallen log in search of food. As we were watching, John looked down and called to our attention a 5’ long rattlesnake that was passing by just about a yard in front of us. I think this was nature’s way of saying “Welcome to my world!” Fortunately, the only animals we saw up close for the remainder of our stay were deer, squirrels, and large blue birds sporting mohawks.

When Mirror Lake is full, it offers a splendid reflection of Half Dome, which towers above to the east. The water levels are low this year, due to a very light snowfall this past winter, so the water falls and river levels are not what they could have been. On the way back from Mirror Lake the boys were lured off the path and into the water, and they made their way down the river by leaping from boulder to boulder. They call this “boldering,” and they had a blast doing it! In my younger days I would have been right there with them.

On Tuesday morning John and I set out for a five mile hike to Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall. The weather was beautiful, and the views were spectacular. Even with a lesser volume of water, the views of the falls were worth the strain of the hike. (This five mile hike took a full four hours, and felt like 15 miles to me! I don’t think I have done anything this strenuous in almost 20 years.) Between us we took over 400 photos, as each bend in the trail brought a different view of the sheer cliffs, the roaring river and the thundering waterfalls.

Living in North Carolina I am frequently asked if I enjoy going to the beach, and I always answer “no.” The flat sand, salt water and scorching sun on the Carolina beaches are just not my thing. Just above Vernal Fall we came upon “my kind of beach.” There was a rapidly flowing part of the river that in its peak had carved smooth beaches on either side out of the solid rock. At a distance this smooth white rock leading up to the water looked very much like a beach. Here I would be content to lie down for hours watching the towering trees and massive rock formations, listening to the river and the falls in the distance, and feeling the spray of the water as it is carried by the cool mountain breezes. I first discovered this type of sanctuary while hiking in the Catskill Mountains (NY) as a teenager, and I have had a longing ever since for these quiet places of rocks, water and trees.

After returning to the valley a splash in the cold pool and a hot shower took some of the soreness away. We met with Paul, who isn’t feeling too well today, and had a good time reviewing all of our photos from the past two days. Then we headed over to Yosemite Village for dinner and for a short hike to the base of Yosemite Fall. At the viewing area for Yosemite Fall the boys spotted the massive boulders in the river bed and promptly set off to climb on the bed to the very base of the waterfall. I lay down on a rock in the riverbed and watched with great pleasure as my two sons spent the next hour picking their way up to the top and back, working together to pick a route one rock at a time. At one point I heard a young boy near me exclaim “Look at that boy jump!” That would have been John, who enjoyed testing his jumping ability with huge leaps from rock to rock. Paul, who made the climb in barefooted, was picking his way more cautiously. As I watched the boys my heart was filled with joy and thanksgiving to God who has blessed me so richly with my family.

While resting and taking in nature, I also had a great time praying for the members of my Small Group and the staff at my church, River Oaks Community Church in Clemmons, NC. This church has been a tremendous blessing to my family over the past three years, and I hated to miss last Sunday. When I am away from crowds and in the mountains I always feel closer to God – perhaps because I am then in His world, not thinking about the routine busyness of my daily routine.

It’s time to close and get some needed rest. Early tomorrow morning we leave for San Francisco, and from there the boys take over the route. It will be entirely up to them to plan the route to Vancouver and back home. I look forward to seeing the Golden Gate Bridge again, and to reaching the Pacific Ocean.

A side note: One of my purposes for this trip was to show the boys the grandeur of the country, and to open their minds to the possibilities that lie outside the familiar east coast. As we entered Arizona, John looked at the rocky terrain and said “Maybe I’ll take a trip back here with my friends some day to rock climb.” That was a great moment for me, reminding me of the time in 1973 that I determined to return to the Rocky Mountains someday, and the time in 1986 that I determined to return to Yosemite. John will be back out West someday, I am sure of that.

A Weekend with my Brother

The boys and I drove well into the night after leaving Grand Canyon on Friday, and arrived in Fresno, CA early Saturday morning for a much anticipated visit with my younger brother Paul and his family. This visit brought me back 21 years to the time Paul first came out to CA to see me. I lived in San Leandro CA, from August 1985 – July 1986, taking part in an intern program at a local church. In May of 1986 I got a surprise call telling me that Paul, just turned 20, was planning to move to CA to live with a friend. Paul had been through a very rough few years of his life, and being his older brother I wanted to do all I could to help. So I began to pray. Later that afternoon a man asked me what was on my mind. I told him about my brother, and he offered him a job on the spot! A few weeks later I finished my internship, Paul flew out to CA, and I took him on a one week journey to see Yosemite, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, and the Monument Valley area in Utah. Shortly afterwards I moved to NC where I met Dana and had my family, and Paul met Marita, married in the church where I had interned, and raised a beautiful family. So here we were, 21 years later, meeting in CA again I hadn’t seen Paul with his family since they were at my house in 2000, so I was meeting his children as teenagers (13, 14 & 16) for the first time. It was wonderful to see them all again, and to hear of all that God has been doing in their lives.

Today (Sunday) we drove up to Kings Canyon National Park to see the giant Sequoia trees. The drive west into the mountains of CA revealed a landscape that was in stark contrast to what we saw across the plains and in Colorado. The entire valley and mountain area of CA was shrouded in a thick smog that was hard on the throat and cut visibility greatly. Driving across the valley we saw endless fruit orchards rather than the grain fields in the central states. As we entered the mountains what stood out most was how brown everything was – the absence of green grass makes everything look different. As we climbed up to 6,500’, the terrain became very rugged, and the trees began to tower over us. Shortly after entering Kings Canyon we came upon a grove of the giant Sequoia trees, and they were breathtaking. The largest we saw had a diameter of 40’ and a height of almost 300’. There is no way that I could capture the magnificence of these trees in a photograph (but I tried!).

After returning from the mountains I took Paul and Marita out to dinner, and my sons took their three cousins out to dinner and a movie. It was so nice to be thinking of the five cousins being out and having fun together! I am really glad that we are taking this trip when the boys can both drive, as it has opened up many opportunities for them.



After two days here we are ready to move on, and tomorrow we head north 90 miles to Yosemite, where we will stay until Wednesday morning. I am looking forward to the spectacular waterfalls there, and to the hikes that we will take. I do not know if I will have internet access in the park, so this may be my last post until Wednesday.

I close with another “now and then” set of photos, one of my brother Paul and me in Yosemite in 1986, and another of the two of us in Kings Canyon today.

Crossing Arizona

Today’s journey was so different from yesterday’s that it was hard to believe that just 500 miles separated the day’s starting points. We began the day driving across the Navajo Indian Reservation in northeast Arizona. The landscape was barren – rocks and scrub brush. The journey was not pleasant because everywhere we looked we could see the poverty of the Indians who lived there. It was a sad sight to see.

At noon we reached Grand Canyon, and it was as beautiful as I had remembered from my last visit in 1986. The boys said “wow,” as the view from toe rim takes your breath away. We had a good time taking pictures and listening to the many languages spoken by the people around us. There were clearly people from all over the world gathered to see this sight. At the first lookout spot on the southeast end there is a metal sign with this engraved into it: “All the earth bows down to you; they sing praises to you, they sing praises to your name. Psalm 66:4”

I don’t think that even a professional photographer could capture the true beauty of this place, and my own photos here are a poor representation of the grandeur of this place. If you are ever in this area, you should visit! I’ve been here three times, and I will probably be back again.

Driving south from Grand Canyon (I learned today that it is not “the Grand Canyon” but simply “Grand Canyon”) we had great views of the 9,000’ mountains in the Flagstaff area. I have always been facinated with this mountain range i it started way back in high school and even got me thinking about attending Northern Arizona University for awhile before reality set in and I stayed in NY. I'm glad that my parents never stopped me from dreaming about the west!

After reaching I-40 just outside Flagstaff, we turned west and headed for California. It’s funny to see the I-40 signs here, as I live just 3 miles from this interstate in NC. We are in a desert area with many rocky hills and mountains looming in the distance. We are just now entering CA, and we are about to witness an incredible sunset. I’m writing this from the back of the car as the boys drive. As usual they are talking about things related to cars, and having a blast being together. They also really like being able to legally drive 75 mph! God has been good to me; I have a great feeling of contentment right now.

The marker at Grand Canyon got me thinking – If I were able to place a marker at Grand Canyon, what would it say? I think it would say this:

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord
Let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
And extol him with music and song.
For the Lord is a great God,
The great King above all gods.
In his hands are the depths of the earth,
And the mountain peaks belong to him.
The sea is his, for he made it,
And his hands formed the dry land.
Come, let us bow down in worship,
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker;
For he is our God
And we are the people of his pasture,
The flock under his care.
Psalm 95:1-7

Happy 50th Anniversarry, Mom & Dad!

As I woke up this morning my thoughts were with my parents, as today is their 50th wedding anniversary. As I reflect over the 47 years that I have known my parents, I realize that many of the things I do today can be traced back to the way I was raised. So, on this occasion, here are some rambling reflections on growing up in the Kwiatkowski home.

My parents taught me the importance of family time. With a family of seven, we didn’t have money to take fancy vacations, but we did a lot together as a family. We went camping together, we had frequent Sunday afternoon picnics, we twice drove across the country to Arizona and back (1968 and 1973) and we did many other things as a family. I have often thought that my own travels across the USA have been a result of my parents showing me the country, and it will be a special feeling today to show my boys the Grand Canyon, as my parents introduced me to this marvel back in 1973.

My parents taught me the importance of families serving others together. From 1969 to 1976, mom and dad would drive to Yonkers, NY at least once a month to try to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of men living at a mission for alcoholics. The mission had an evening religious service, and dad would preach there and our family would play some hymns on a variety of musical instruments. Then we would go downstairs and mingle with the men for a long time afterward. (I learned to play ping-pong with these men, among other things!) The compassion that my parents had for these men has left a lasting impression on me, and has given me the desire to impart this to my children.

My parents encouraged a spirit of adventure. We were free at a young age to roam the woods, to go camping with friends, to experiment, and to try new things. We were each allowed to pursue our own interests, and we were encouraged in these things.

My parents were always there for us. When George and I joined the cub scouts and boy scouts, dad became a leader there. When I started playing soccer, mom and dad were regularly in attendance. When George joined a rock band, dad would go along to his gigs to help carry and load equipment. When I started running track, dad came to meets and then became an official so he could help at meets. When we went to college, we were supported financially and also with encouragement and interest from my parents.

My parents encouraged the productive use of time. I have long felt that a significant aspect of my childhood was the fact that we did not have a TV in the house. My parents didn’t ban us from TV – we watched when at our grandparents and at friend’s homes – they just didn’t want one in our home. So what do you do with your time as a child in the absence of TV? You pursue hobbies and interests. You read books, take walks in the woods, build tree forts, build go-carts, ride and work on bicycles, plant a garden, play outside with neighbors, etc. I never missed TV, and I actually feel sorry for children who have spent thousands of hours in front of the TV or computer because of what they have not been able to do and learn with all of this time.

My parents showed me the importance of spiritual things. Both mom and dad had life-changing spiritual experiences while in college, and when they met and married they were determined to pass this along to their children. So it was church three times a week, Bible reading and prayer at the dinner table each night, and many other events meant to build a spiritual awareness. When I got to college I rebelled against all this and sought my own way for five years. It didn’t work, and at age 23 I turned back to God to fill the void in my life. Since then, my relationship with God has been the driving factor in all I have chosen to do. I know it was hard on my parents when I turned away from God in my late teens, but the influences that they put on me at an early age were always there, and remain today.

And so, mom and dad, I’m glad for the vow you made 50 years ago today, and for all the love and support you have shown me over these last 47 years! I have never felt that I was outside of your love, and you will never be outside of mine. Happy Anniversary!!

Over the Mountains

Today was a day of climbing and of change, as we started the day high in the mountains and ended in the Arizona desert. The first 323 miles of today’s journey were memorable for me because we drove over roads that were part of my 1986 bicycle tour of Utah and Colorado. Included in these 323 miles were three mountain passes over 11,000’.


I let both Paul and John drive over one of these huge mountain climbs just so they could say that they have driven over 11,000’! The switchbacks are incredible, there are often no guardrails, and after a 1’ shoulder the road often drops off 500’ or so – not for the faint of heart. The boys did great!

Monarch pass was a mountain climb that I remember well from my bicycling days (10 miles of non-stop climbing), and just for fun here I am in a 1986 photo, and here are the boys today at the same spot.


After reaching Durango the landscape began to change tremendously as we left the 14,000” mountains behind and headed toward the desert. The natural rock “sculptures” in this part of the USA are breathtaking, and for me their beauty is beyond that of any modern art sculptures I have seen.

We ended the day in Kayenta, AZ, on the Navajo Indian Reservation. The boys are in town getting some supper and seeing what this 2-light town has to offer. We are just 20 miles south of monument valley, which has been featured in hundreds of movies and TV commercials. Tomorrow we head to the Grand Canyon, then on to California. All of today’s driving was done on 2-lane roads; I’ll be glad to get back on the interstate (I 40) tomorrow afternoon!