Now for today's post. Nothing got me more excited as a kid than the prospect of a road trip. It could take me as close as the nearest park or many states away, but each time I expected a new adventure. What treasures would I discover? What new sight would inspire me? How would I conquer the danger that lurked around every corner? (Yes, the writer in me was already at work.)We took several camping vacations when I was young, many to Kentucky. One year we toured Mammoth Cave, where I pestered the tour guide and constantly ran ahead of the group. Poor guy! But like a hero, he indulged my adventurous spirit and even encouraged my brother and I to scout ahead. Years later when I became a tour guide on a museum ship, kids on tour did exactly the same thing to me. Ah, paybacks!
My husband and I love road trips. Sometimes we fly or take a train or ship rather than drive, but adventure always awaits us. One of our favorite places is Glacier National Park in northwest Montana. We love to hike the mountains and thus far have escaped calamity, though we've had our close calls with grizzlies.These photos are from our last trip to Glacier National Park in 2010. The sheer beauty always leaves me breathless, and I wanted to share my love of this place with all of you in my upcoming book. All Roads Lead Home (January 2012) takes my fearless heroine to the edge of the Rocky Mountains to save an orphaned boy. Moreover, she drives there...in 1922!
After settling in with a cup of coffee or tea and a cinnamon roll, let's chat about our favorite road trips. Where did you go and what made it memorable? Where would you like to travel if you had the opportunity? And how would you prefer to get there - by car, plane, train or ship?
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Good morning! I've settled in with a cup of tea, trying to wake up. This time of year, with the days short and cold here in the north, I feel like hibernating...and eating lots of fattening foods. That's definitely not good for the waistline. So I'm skipping the sweet rolls this morning but feel free to help yourselves.
ReplyDeleteHmm, since we're talking travel, is anyone planning travel over the holidays? My hubbie and I are blessed to have all our parents with us still, so we travel to both of their homes around Christmastime. It's a lot of driving but well worth it.
Hi Christine!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting the blog, and the breathtaking photos ... GORGEOUS! I live vicariously through pictures.
As for holiday road trip? The only place I'm headed is a little town about 15 minutes from my house. Not much of a road trip, but I'm picking up my Mom, who will be spending Thanksgiving with my husband Steve and me. She's 89, and I'm very grateful she's still alive.
My last road trip? Driving to New York City this past June, to attend the RWA 2011 Conference. Seeing the NY skyline greet us as we crested the hill in New Jersey was an awesome sight!
Happy Holidays!
-Kathleen
Hi Christine!
ReplyDeleteI love the cover of your new book, All Roads Lead Home. Can't wait to read it! :)
And your Montana pictures are fabulous. When I was a kid, our big road trips were either back to Ohio - where my family is from, or to a cabin my Dad's family rented on an island in Jack's Lake, Canada. I LOVED going to Jack's Lake. There were so many pine trees, the place was covered with soft pine needles and the island was a rocky one with so many crevices to explore.
The older I get though, the less I want to travel by car.
"Are we THERE YET????" Seems to apply to me more as an adult then when I was kid.
What a wonderful post! My mother, grandmother, brother and I drove cross country to California. That's a trip that would make a great YA novel.
ReplyDeleteFirst, welcome Christine! We're so glad you're here.
ReplyDeleteNext, my husband and I go on lots of road trips. Our last one was short. We went to Cottonwood, AZ, took the Verde Train (which is a four hour round trip jaunt) an then explored an old mining town now touristy called Jerome.
Kathy, I had that same experience seeing New York's skyline. It's awe-inspiring, isn't it? What a blessing to have your Mom around for Thanksgiving. :-)
ReplyDeleteJenna, I can just see Jack's Lake from the way you described it. Sounds like the kind of place I would have loved as a kid. My brother and I got into every crevice and cave around. Of course now, you wouldn't catch me in a cave that didn't have a tour guide and a super high ceiling!
Hi Sherri! That would make a great YA novel! I imagine lots of humorous adventures (and maybe a bit of testiness) took place. A little like National Lampoon's Family Vacation?
ReplyDeletePamela, that train ride sounds fun. Does it go to the mining town? Or through the mountains?
Christine, your photos are amazing!!
ReplyDeleteI was tickled to hear you mention Mammoth Cave. I grew up near there and went through it many times!! Such great memories. :)
We love to take trips up to the Smoky Mountains. Love that drive! We like to do it at fall break or spring break for the kids. We have a favorite older motel we stay at that has fireplaces in the rooms and sits right on the river. And they bring homemade doughnuts to your room each morning!! Gorgeous!!
Missy, that motel sounds wonderful! (And the homemade donuts don't hurt.) :-) How fun that we share travel spots. The Smokies are gorgeous, aren't they.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Christine. What beautiful pictures. Thanks for bringing back memories of my own road trips. My two most memorable were both with destinations to meet up with old friends who'd moved away from our area. One was to the Colorado mountains where we even road horseback and along the way visited the Badlands and Mount Rushmore. The other was to Nova Scotia, Canada where we saw all sorts of breathtaking sights thanks to our friends' intimate knowledge of the best places to visit.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Christine.
ReplyDeleteWow Sandra, those are big, diverse trips with lots of gorgeous places to explore. Horseback riding, too. How cool! I've done a little of that on my trips west but always need the most docile mare. You know, the one lagging at the back of the pack so she can eat all the vegetation along the trail. Uh, yeah. No horsewoman here.
ReplyDeleteHi Leann! ((waving))
Hi Christine, as kids we use to go to HOrsham which is over the border where mum was born to visit her family. we would often visit the Gampians mountains which were nearby.
ReplyDeleteon caves we have heritage listed caves where I live so have been down them many times.
I love seeing different parts of the country.
My last road trip was to Hawaii and I flew! 10 hours from Sydney and saw lots of beautiful areas.
For Christmas I am going to Melbourne I hope.
Ausjenny, I'd love to visit your country one day. It sounds incredibly diverse with lots to explore...caves too! Of course, the plane ride would be incredibly long. Don't you love Hawaii? That's where my hubby and I went on our honeymoon, and the sights are still fresh in my memory almost 25 years later. So glad you were able to go there.
ReplyDeleteChristine I loved Hawaii and would love to go back more often. The trip to the states is long. to vancouver its 17 hours from Sydney. I think around the same to LA. But if you go via Hawaii it cuts it up. I am another 2 hours from Sydney to Adelaide then a 5 hour bus trip. its around 5 or so hours from one side of Australia to the other by plane. But yes we have a diverse country with different things.
ReplyDeleteMy husband, son and I used to go out to the Southwest and seeing the beautiful scenery and Indian ruins. My favorite places were Zion National Park and Bryce National Park. Both are gorgeous and close together but totally different.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, those are two places I hope to see one day. My husband visited them when he was a kid and says they're gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about wonderful, but the road trip I took across the country when my daughter was potty-training is burned into my memory for life. NEVER attempt toilet training in highway rest stops! Oh the stories I could tell...
ReplyDeleteAllie, thanks for the laugh! I can just imagine...
ReplyDelete