Meeting in Kansas . . . or South Dakota . . . maybe

So we are underway!

Of course, things took longer than planned and some things planned didn't happen at all.  But we are on the way!  Andy helped me all day yesterday as road side assistance replaced the jack on the trailer and we got all the loose ends tied up in Dalton.  Nice to be at Andy and V's when something goes wrong with the truck.  It's actually always nice to be at their house.

Katie, Katie and Ashlin are in St. Louis while I find myself this morning in Marion, Illinois.  There were more issues with the truck's trailer so instead of meeting up with the girls (and Nicky) in St. Louis, it looks like we will try to rendezvous in either Hays, Kansas or Sioux Falls, South Dakota, maybe, depending on which route we decide to take.

The girls got to spend some time in Nashville which they enjoyed.  Ashlin did say that too many people wore cowboy boots and smoked cigarettes though.  Then last night they all got to take the crazy little twisty elevator to the top of the St Louis Arch!  Ash was so excited.  She loved watching the lightning come in from the horizon and got to do her first Jr Ranger book from the museum of Westward Expansion.  It sunk in that the whole arch deal is to celebrate what Lewis and Clark started and she felt pretty happy to already know some of the back story.

Well, I'm gonna hit the road so hopefully we can all wind up in the same place tonight.  There is a governor on the truck that makes it top out at 55 MPH.  When was the last tine you drove 2,163 miles at 55 MPH.  Shel says she now expects us at summer's end.

Update soon!

Wow.

So here it is, June 2nd, and this is the first post for this year's trip.  Pretty slack, I know.  There is good reason however.  For those of you who may not know yet, this year's trip is a little different.  Actually, its a lot different.

This year we are not coming back.

We are pulling up stakes and moving our slap-happy camping selves to Montana!!!  In about two weeks we drive away from Atlanta in a moving truck instead of Blue Car (there will be a post later about the status of the four-wheeled trip veteran).  We have been considering the move for years but this winter it really started making sense.  

The catalyst for the decision was actually a weekend trip last fall to the north Georgia mountains.  We stayed in a little one bedroom cabin we have rented several times over the past few years that Ashlin has affectionately named "Little Red Baby." This time, Little Red Baby was for sale, really cheap, and it got us thinking about getting out of the city and moving to the top of a mountain somewhere.  For most of the fall we searched the MLS for cabins really thinking we were going to move somewhere in the southern Appalachians.   For a few weeks it looked like we were moving to Asheville but then we got delightfully swamped with community love surrounding Home-Run-A-Thon (a fundraiser at Ashlin's school) and the Candler Park Fall Fest.  Late November and December's holiday warm fuzzies made us forget about moving for a while.

Two weeks into January the wandering wasp began buzzing our ears again but Ashville no longer felt right.  It was time to really move.  For the past few years we have been making a list of places we might want to live if we decided to move out west; Ouray, CO- Portland, OR- Arcata, CA and Bozeman, MT made the short list.  Portland was the first ruled out because we are ready for something other than a city.  Ouray was cut for reasons I don't recall.  Arcata and Bozeman were left and the later eventually won out because of our dear friends, the Sebrens and the Winks already living there.  

So now, we sit trying to figure out exactly which day to load the truck.  It looks like June 15th or 16th which is coming up pretty quick.  We'll keep you posted as the time approaches!

For now, here are some pics from the end of last year's trip.  Andy flew out to meet me and drive back from Long Beach but we stopped in Sequoia for a backpacking trip.

 

Goofing at the end of a little waterfall hike.

The same campsite Katie and I had on our first trip to Kings Canyon 10 years ago . . . How cute are we?

Doesn't get much better than burying stuff in dirt!

Except for throwing rocks maybe

We throw a lot of rocks on our trip.  It really is one of mine and Ash's favorite things to do.

On the drive out of the canyon.

Old gravity gas pumps out side Kings Canyon, CA

Ashlin's Surf Day for her birthday!!!!

So serious.  OC girl for sure rockin' it in Huntington Beach.

She had been waiting on this all summer.

Awesome spot to pitch a tent. In Sequoia NP at Franklin lake.

Yup.

Daybreak Pic

Andy coming down from the top.

My boy Andy here flew out to meet me in LA so I didn't have to make the cross country trip alone.  We tool a little detour here in Sequoia for a backpacking trip.

Yup.

Looking for the Camera

Hello all,

Although we were bummed out about the BKs leaving, we trickled down the eastern Sierras before doing a giant U-Turn in order to hit Kings Canyon Np from the west side of the mountain range.  We ended up getting the exact same campsite that Katie and I had our last time in the park . . . 8 years ago.  How cute is that?  Ash was confused because she still can't seem to grasp we camped (or anything else) before she was born.  We woke up and drove towards L.A. so we could be in position to begin Ashlin's B-Day celebration.  We ended up spending 3 nights in Long Beach (which is where Katie and I were living when we met) and we went nuts letting Ashlin pick out where to go.  We went to Huntington Beach where she rented a surf board for a couple of hours and "surfed" some real waves.  She went in and out of surf shops and even saw one of Bethany's boards (from Soul Surfer).  We bowled, played video games, ate ice cream, went swimming, hot tubbing and movie watching.  Pretty great for all of us after so long in the woods.

This morning was sad though . . . I took the girls to LAX this morning for their flight to Boston.  Boo.  But, as the great big silver lining . . . my boy Andy is flying in to drive back with me!  No Vegas this time, but we are going backpacking in the Sierras before heading east.  It makes a sad day much better.  Such good friends . . .

So, there are pics but I can't find the camera.  I hope it's on the plane with Kate and Ash.  Keep you posted.

The BK's + Yosemite = great combo

We arrived in Yosemite after dark the first night.  We got up early and raced to Bridalvale campground and locked down a site for the next two nights.  We waited impatiently for the Brian, Rachel and Sadie to arrive and when they did we took off for our first hike.  Sadie and Ash were thrilled to see each other and didn’t even seem to notice the view from atop Sentinel dome.  The next day we got up early and hiked some more before returning to camp.  We had a very noisy night thanks to the Techno-Twins but Brian and I struck out early for a tent only campground.  We got “the spot” at Yosemite Creek and stayed for three nights.  Rachel almost ripped her toe off on a rock but after performing some self- surgery she came through like a trooper.  We hiked, hung-out, had a great time and cooked as little as possible.  Can’t even begin to say how much fun we had and we have to leave to go try and get backcountry permits so ya’ll should just check out the pics! 

Hike up to Sentinel Dome

First family pic.  And, Sadies very earnest face

The girls playing wolf

Brian

self portrait?

Rachel dunking her head

Top Illouitte Falls

Picture of half dome

Going across a log on our hike back from Lukens lake

Parkor (sp?)

more (sorry B your pic didn't make it in)

The girls playing by our campsite

pretty

you looking at me

Hike down from Lembart Dome, tye die anyone?

Almost there

eating at the summitt

Girls playing in the water at Tenya Lake

Derek and I had a hike solo (thanks guys).  Top of Mt. Hoffman

Beautiful

Decided to blaze our own trail on the way down

Super steep

More

May Lake

Last night :(

Hike to Cathedral Lake

Brian at Cathedral Lake

Break/fishing

Girls goofing around

Trying to decide best route down

Farkle

Found a new favorite game and word all rolled into one.  Farkle.  Jared and Ryann have been friends for ten years now but teaching us this new game might just be their greatest offering to our relationship yet.  They learned of the game (played with six dice) on their recent outing to High Sierra Music fest and passed it onto Katie, Ashlin and I like an infection. We spent our nights in San Francisco locked in the apartment feverishly rolling dice and eating fried chicken (a gorgeous thing).  Last night ended with a battle for the Holy Grail - the last known Uno glass in existence (we picked up a pair at a yard sale here last year and Nicky broke the one we took back to Georgia, Jared and Ryann kept the other).  The battle reached Homeric proportions as it came to a slug-fest between Jared and Ashlin that had us all waking up neighbors with our roars.  Ashiln proved a worthy adversary but fell to the determined, home advantaged Jared on the last roll.  Farkle.  So for now, the Uno cup stays with the Thompson's.  Rematch in one year.  Denver?

So to backtrack a bit . . . After we left Arcata, we headed east into the Trinity Alps Wilderness and found a great little spot on Lake Mary Smith.  This was one of those places just made for a hammock -which thanks to Andy, we have!  We chilled by the water and decided to read rather than hike.  The next morning we turned back west and drove back into the redwoods.  We stayed for the night in the Humbolt Redwoods right underneath the always surprisingly large and majestic trees.  These groves of trees are breath taking and humbling each and every time we visit.  Each old-growth grove feels like a cathedral.  There is a silence that commands respect and forces one to breath deeply and slowly.  The day changes little since the canopy, some 300 feet over head, allows only traces of sunlight through to the forest floor.  Some of these trees took root before the Roman empire and it is an honor to walk among them, especially since the audacity of last century's advancement has left us with relatively few of these wonders.  We hiked around for awhile and moved on south, taking the coast highway instead of 101.  Ashlin played on the beach for a while but then hit the tent early because she was SOOOO excited about seeing Jared and Ryann's two cats.  We finished the drive down the coast and came across the Golden Gate to play Farkle.

We head off today for a week in Yosemite!!!  Brian, Rachel and Sadie will join us tomorrow and there shall be much rejoicing, hiking and fun!!!  After Yosemite we head into the John Muir Wilderness for a backpacking trip so this might be the last update for a while.  We'll do our best to get the next one up after a week or so.  Family, we'll be in touch even if we can't get service.

More pics!

She can spend a day playing near water.

Thanks again, Andy!  This thing has been awesome.  I tell everyone about your after market improvements.

Tent at bedtime.  

Big sand bar near redwoods.  There might be some yoga happening.

Bridges mean no wet feet and smiles.

New logo for her Fantasy Football team; The Tree-Huggers.

Tree cave.

Still can't tell how big they are.

Almost to the top

Like a ninja.

This one is called "Giant Tree."  We're big fans of matter-of-fact naming.

She sure loves the water!

Playing with a friend.  She was keeping a close eye on the surfer in the background.

Another slug buddy.

Farkle table at Jared and Ryann's.