Roadtripping 101

We have owned our car for one year and three months. It has taken us up to Canada and down to California and to a myriad of places in between and along this coast. Along the way from here to there this summer we managed to figure out how to make the long days in the car as comfortable as possible.

Harper was happiest when watching Dora the Explorer or Curious George. I know that Dora is true. Harper learned how to count with Backpack. And still says "I did it. I did it" throughout the day. She also liked all the extra treats she got for being such a good sport, or to keep her from being a bad sport.

We never meant for this blanket to become Harper's go-to comforter. For one thing it's heavy and hot. For another it was my baby blanket and I really don't want it to get ruined. But she loves it. Mostly for the fringe which she still sticks up her nose at bed time and nap time.

Marc is one of those people that can read in the car without getting sick. He finished four books on our vacation because of this ability, and because I drove a lot. I liked driving because I didn't feel as sick when I was at the wheel, and because I didn't have to take care of Harper. No offense.

The best thing I took along on this trip was my body pillow. I will do it again, and I will recommend it to anyone embarking on a trip longer than 3 hours. I actually had restful, comfortable sleep whenever it was my turn to take a nap. I also listened to Dido's Life for Rent album about a million times when it was my turn to drive. I know most of the words (which is rare) and the songs are so singable. I will recommend this CD for trips longer than 4 hours.

CO & MO

From Arizona we headed east to Colorado, camped for a night in Trinidad, drove some more, spent a night in a hotel in Hays, Kansas, drove some more and made it to St. Louis to see Tyler and Emily.

Feeling car sick after too many windy roads in Colorado.

At Bishop Castle on State Highway 165 in Colorado. Jim Bishop built (and is still building) this castle by himself. Not only did we walk up this scary staircase, we also walked up a million winding, wrought-iron stairs to the top of a tower where we had a nice view, and very wobbly legs.

Marc and Harper are a nice obstruction to the grand view at the top.

While passing through Colorado Springs Marc spotted the Garden of the Gods in the distance and drove towards it. We didn't get to explore for very long before we had to run from the rain. Marc also spotted a good Mexican restaurant, El Taco Rey, for lunch.

Harper enjoyed many special treats in the car like this doughnut, fruit snacks, pacifiers, and non-stop Dora videos.

Emily took us berry picking when we got to St. Louis. These blackberries were as big as Marc's thumb, and sweet, and tart, and very plentiful. The little girls couldn't eat them as fast as we picked them, but they tried. We made jam when we got home.

Harper now hangs on to her dad when he tries to throw her in the air.

Tyler and Emily took us to the new Citygarden sculpture park in downtown St. Louis. Harper surprised us by being delighted to splash around in the synchronized water spout fountain.

Splashing around in another fountain. And playing peek-a-boo.

And trying to make a little bed using this towel that has been in my family since I was a kid. We bought it at the Saan store on 2nd Street South in 1986.

Still making little beds.

At the zoo. Ruby and Harper watching the orangutan. And being friends.

A drinking fountain for people like Harper.

Tyler still hasn't turned 30.

AZ

After beach house clean-up we drove to Scottsdale, Arizona to see Marc's old roommate, Crato, and his family. Once in Scottsdale proper we ate dinner at New York Pizza Department and thought the food tasted delicious, and the tiled subway walls and black subway entrance signs looked really authentic. The food probably tasted better than it was because I was so excited to be going out for dinner instead of eating snacks in the car or Subway sandwiches at rest stops.

Crato and Melissa fed us lots of special treats including homemade slushies, ebelskivers and El Pollo Loco, and they gave us our own bathroom to use which felt luxurious after sharing bathrooms all summer with a million other people. Sadly we didn't take a single picture while we were there. But we did look at some nice pictures of their family taken by Leo Patrone. I hope our family can be in pictures taken by Leo Patrone someday.

Wilson Family Pictures: 2009 vs 2005

Mission Beach, San Diego - 2009

Mission Beach, San Diego - 2005

Now

Then

CA: 4

When gathered for family reunions John and Marc are either trying to throw their mother in the ocean or wrestle her to the ground. Good thing she is such a good sport.

This was the one time, besides our attempt to take family pictures, when everyone was on the beach at the same time.

Marc tried surfing for a couple days and determined that it's harder than it looks. So are his abs. I call this shot Hunk of Burning Love.

Fish and chips at Anthony's. After-dinner photo with this giant squid.

Pure concentration. Emma painted all 20 of Harper's nails. Fingers pink. Toes orange. Harper didn't move.

Harper loved having baby Avery around. Holding her was obviously a very special treat.

I have never visited San Diego without visiting the seals at La Jolla. And neither has Marc. And now neither has Harper. So now it's one of our family traditions.

Connor carefully passing his sand crab to Harper.

Harper liked collecting treasure on the beach, then passing it from one bucket...

...to the other.

CA: 3

Last time we family reunioned in San Diego Marc started and finished a tunnel big enough that he could crawl through. But not big enough for John to crawl through. Or at least John got stuck in the tunnel and had a small panic attack. Here are pictures of this year's tunnel. 2009 Tunnelers included Adam, Emma, Anna, Connor, Eric, Cade, Gabby, Harper, Erin, Me, Marc.

After our fun and games tunneling through sand we destroyed the tunnel so no one else could have this much fun. The truth is we didn't want any passersby to fall into a giant hole and get hurt. As Erin demonstrates in the next two photographs.