Over the past few months, I've found I do some of my best thinking when I’m traveling. Sometimes it has nothing to do with our trip but some strange thoughts: like what happens if a cow takes a dump out the slats on a passing cattle truck? Seen it!!
Away from the hustle and bustle of life with seven people in a 270 square foot camper, I do get to relax in 'the-best-most-comfortable-bed my wife Shirley has 'built.' I being the deep thinker I am, can relax and philosophize in the clouds. But my deepest philosiphy'n happens on the open road staring out the window.
So here is the top 10 things we've learned so far on this trip:
- Every family has that one relative... you could be it!
- Cattle stock yards smell nothing like dad-farts! I've been accused wrongfully!
- North-east drivers are the only people who know how to merge in when entering highways [except for Massachusetts and Maine drivers...]
- We love having a bathroom and a kitchen available 24-7 and our toilet has had no scary truck driver sit on it.
- When the signs says 'Trucks Use Low Gear' Campers are included! We smoked our brakes in Gatlinburg, TN...
- We appreciate the traveling our parents did with us when we were young! It has helped us pass on the concept of how large this country is and how blessed we are.
- Although we miss school, it is an amazing blessing and a learning experience to see the States that represent the flag we pledge allegiance to! There is no better way to learn the state capitals than to see them LIVE and in person!
- Helping others has been very therapeutic. Seeing the look of joy of someone when they see a revamped home or room has been priceless. Helping a busy family sit down and enjoy a dinner together before soccer practice is rewarding. Creating community where needed has been our mission. We make it a practice to leave our mark, physically as a pile of rocks at a visited landmark or as a completed task on our host's honey-do list.
- Spending time with the kids has been amazing. Our morning chats have been relaxing and humorous. Some cool thoughts and interesting topics have come up. Anna's statement the other day was that even if she had a bad day, she at least gave the plants food by her breathing.
- The People! We have met so many awesome people in so many new places. We've also connected with and seen aunts, uncles, cousins, and longtime friends and their kids. Shirley and I were talking the other night, and we agreed that in looking back in our year plus roadtrip, our favorite memory was of people. Sure the sites and scenes shared on Facebook were great, but the people beyond those scenes in the campgrounds or towns were more memorable in all ways. Granted our RV has received a few one-finger waves, but it also is a magnet to curious passers-by who chat up a conversation of questions with anticipation of doing the same thing one day. We've also met retired folks who have traveled in the same manner who offered up some great advice. Then there are the other families doing the same thing who exchange stories in relief that they're/we're not the only crazy family to do this. Overall, the people are what makes the USA what it is. Their southern drawl or their Boston nasal come together to create the amazing stars and stripes patchwork of this HUGE country.
