…7 months, 15 National Parks, 25 states, 50 RV parks, 10,000 miles…
And so the adventurers have returned! We’ve been home for a few months now, and I’m finally getting around to reflecting on our amazing adventure (Fisher says we’re “adventurers” not “tourists”…yes!). What a trip! I think everyone should take some time off and explore this awe-inspiring country we live in…so full of boundless natural beauty. Though we experienced our share of difficulties (flat tires, scary road conditions, especially WIND!! – harness all the wind out west and we could do away with fossil fuels forever – and worst of all, gaining 20 pounds. Ugh!), we created memories that will last a lifetime. Here are few of the highlights, plus some “lessons learned”:
Kayaking and SUPing: The Bayou in Slidell, LA around huge cypress knees – White water on the Colorado River in Moab, UT – Lone Rock, Lake Powell, AZ – Morro Bay, CA – Hood River, OR (our favorite!) – Trillium Lake with Mount Hood in the distance – Deception Pass State Park, Anacortes, WA …that’s a lot of paddling!
Hiking: Down the Natural Entrance 750+ feet at Carlsbad Caverns (a BUCKET LIST item, for sure) – Point Lookout Trail at Mesa Verde, CO – Navajo Trail, Bryce Canyon, UT – Horseshoe Bend (unbelievable view), Page, AZ – South Rim Trail, Grand Canyon – Redwoods near Redcrest, CA – and the best hike of all..with LLAMAs!! Rio Grande River Gorge near Taos, NM with “Bucky” and Wild Earth Llama Adventures.
Tours: Bat Cruise, Austin, TX – Wagon ride for Dad’s birthday, Bryce Canyon City with Cowboy Dave, the poet – Boat trip to Channel Islands National Park…just wow! – Whale watching out of Moss Landing near Monterey…humpbacks everywhere – and of course, the Monterey Bay Aquarium…a must-visit.
Scenic drives: Best RV drives were the Avenue of the Giants…watch out for the Redwoods! and Highway 14 (Lewis & Clark Hwy) along the Columbia River Gorge on the OR/WA state line. Best off-road Jeep drives were the snowy Bachelor Loop in Creede, CO and the Shafer Trail with sheer drop-offs in Canyonlands National Park, Moab, UT…WHOA!!
Music & shows: Preservation Hall in New Orleans – Threadgill’s in Austin for SXSW Fest – a GIG for me at The Saloon at Laguna Vista, Eagle Nest, NM – Santana in Vegas – Blue Man Group in Vegas (Fisher loved them!) – Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Summer of Love in San Fran at the ”Summer Solstice Jam” in Golden Gate Park, complete with psychedelic light show – Aimee Mann & Rhiannon Giddens at the Portland Zoo – Targhee Bluegrass Camp and Festival…thanks to Val Mindel and Joe Newberry for the awesome workshops and inspiration! And thanks to Carter Vintage Guitars for installing a new pickup in my precious Gibson J-200 Jr…sounds fantastic.
FOOD: Well…let’s just say we sampled a lot of the local fare… A LOT! Here’s the (short) “Best of” list…
– Best Fine Dining: Brennan’s, New Orleans; Aureole, Las Vegas
– Best Margaritas: Maria’s, Santa Fe, NM; La Playa Azul Café, Santa Barbara…Hibiscus margarita. Yum!
– Best Micro-brewery: 3 Barrel Brewery, Del Norte, CO; Firehouse Brewing Company, Rapid City, SD
– Best Sushi: Stonefish, Cortez, CO; Sushi Kashiba (very expensive but worth it) Seattle, WA; King Sushi, Jackson Hole, WY
– Best desserts: Pie at Foster’s Steakhouse, Bryce Canyon City, UT and cake at Black Mountain Bistro, NC – pineapple coconut cake…oh yeah!
– Best dinner show: “Into the Grand” restaurant, Navajo traditional dance and music show, Page, AZ. Talented group of kids!
WINE! Here’s the best by region, according to my research… Napa: Rombauer Vineyards; Sonoma: Merry Edwards Winery; Oregon: Brooks Wines
ECLIPSE!! Path of totality in Glendo, WY. WOW!!
and can’t forget – NASCAR: Fisher’s passion… Daytona in February, Sonoma in June and Charlotte in October. We met Dale Earnhardt, Jr!!
Lessons learned: I was surprised to come to the conclusion that there’s no magical place…no Utopia…a place where I want to move to right away. Yes, it turns out, my home in SE Georgia is pretty great. Also, we’re not all that different in this huge country of ours. Every town has their share of both hippies and rednecks….and most of the time, they coexist pretty well! And the kind, generous people outweigh the rude ones by a long shot. But one thing I’m confused about… why is the rest of the U.S. so cold?? Snow in late-April in Colorado…brrrrr. And the Pacific Ocean is freezing, even in July! No wonder Jack O’Neill invented the wetsuit in Santa Cruz, CA. This southern girl needs her warmth and humidity (yes, humidity…my skin screams for it!). As far as lessons in RVing, I believe in thorough research in the planning phase (RVparkreviews.com and the Good Sam Club travel planner were essential), but don’t overplan…have plenty of fun adventures but also have “do-nothing” days to re-charge. Permanent vacation mode is exhausting! Finally, I learned that driving a big(ish) rig isn’t for wimps. Semi trucks go waaay too fast and almost knock you off the road. Yikes! And road construction is everywhere, which makes for a tight squeeze sometimes. But don’t let that stop you… y’all get out there and travel this beautiful country! And if you need any advice or opinions (I got lots of those) just let me know. This was indeed a trip of a lifetime…and I can’t wait for the next one!
Peace and miles of love y’all, KP
P.S. Check out my Instagram (kellieparrmusic) for a complete photo album of my roadtrip….lots of great pics.