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After dropping the camper off, we drove to Birmingham, AL. On the way, it turned out that Matt had to go to Springfield, MO for work. So the next day we dropped him off at the airport in Birmingham.

Then the kids and I went to the Civil Rights National Monument which is comprised of several sites. We went to the Kelly Ingram Park where there is a walking tour with a timeline of the Civil Rights movement in Birmingham. This park is where the Children’s March/Crusade happened in May 1963 and it is kitty corner to the 16th Street Baptist Church that was bombed in September 1963. We also walked by the A.G. Gaston Motel (closed on Tuesdays) and got hot beverages at the coffee shop on site. The discipline and strength it took to peacefully protest in the face of all the hatred and violence is truly inspiring. (And unfortunate that it was needed. Why do we treat other humans that way? Why do we vilify whole groups of humans?)

We enjoyed BBQ pork sandwiches at SAW’S BBQ in Birmingham before hitting the road to Tupelo, MS. I didn’t realize that northern AL and even northern MS are the foothills to the Appalachian Mountains. It was another beautiful drive.

When we arrived in Tupelo we went to Elvis’s birthplace. We walked the grounds and learned a bit more about his life. There were a couple neat statues and a reflection pond – not at all the crazy opulence that I’ve heard Graceland is. And Reece shares a birthday with Elvis, so that was part of the draw of this stop.

After a night at the hotel with Christmas movies and swimming, we went to the Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center. It had a great video and displays about the history of the parkway. The Natchez Trace is a scenic drive from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN (444 miles) that is run by the National Park Service. We picked it up in Tupelo and took it to Nashville. It was a beautiful day and nice change of pace to drive 50 mph on a scenic drive without a gas station or store in sight. We stopped several places along the way to see some historic/significant spots.

We ended at Loveless Cafe and met our friend, Sarah, there for some southern dinner which they are known for – especially the biscuits! We were full after eating, but someday we may go back for homemade banana pudding – complete with homemade vanilla wafers!

We spent the next several nights in Nashville with our friends, the Scotts. They used to live right down the street from us and Sarah worked at the Dale House. We regrouped the first day we were there and dyed the tips of Claire’s hair (an early birthday present). (A new skill that’s totally of my wheelhouse, but between Sarah and I, we figured it out and it turned out alright!)

The next day we went to Fort Negley (in Nashville) and ended up helping with an archeological dig that the city was running before doing improvements at the Fort.

After that we picked up Matt at the Nashville airport and had lunch at the Tennessee State Farmer’s Market food court. It is located next door to the Tennessee State Museum which we visited after lunch. We didn’t realize how large it was and had woefully little time there, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

The rest of the weekend was spent hanging out, playing, and doing house projects. Also on Saturday we went back to Fort Negley with our friends and got to experience some living history – including soldiers, Abraham Lincoln, and live cannon fire. We also played some Civil War period games and dug for fossils at their display. A great time and a beautiful day!

Sunday morning we left early and drove to drop Matt off at the Indianapolis airport for a work trip. The kids and I continued on to cold, snowy MI. We’re glad we have a warm house to stay in and not a camper!

We celebrated Claire’s birthday and finished up our last week of school here. And we are picking up Matt from the airport/his work trip tomorrow.

We’re grateful to be spending the holidays with family and be off the road for a little while. It will be a good transition period before returning south and heading west next semester.

I probably won’t blog again until we hit the road in mid January. Hopefully you all have a lovely holiday season wherever you are! May you experience light and hope in this chaotic world. Love to all!

From the Gulf Coast Gator Farm we drove to Slidell, LA. Matt had to fly out for a work trip for a few days, and the best airport to fly from was New Orleans. So we found a campground in Slidell to stay at for the week.

We arrived on Monday. On Tuesday we dropped Matt off at the airport and did a little Christmas shopping on the way home and got school done. Wednesday the van went in for an oil change and tire rotation, we did school, and we went for a Christmas light walk around the campground.

Wednesday night it started raining – with rain in the forecast until Sunday… We were already feeling a little cabin fever with staying in the same spot, the cooler temps, and the campground didn’t have great outdoor space, and the rain did not help. So on Thursday, after doing school in the morning, we went to a trampoline park to expend some energy – it was great. When we got back in the car, we saw waves in the flooded parking lot – it had rained a lot (not as much as Titusville, but a lot).

On Friday we did some school in the morning and then decided to go on a field trip to the end of the Mississippi River (well, as far as we could drive at least). The end of the Mississippi River is over 76 miles SE of New Orleans! I didn’t think there was that much land past New Orleans.

We started driving past New Orleans and looked to the east to see the Mississippi and all we saw was a 10-12 foot green hill behind all the houses/fields/etc, but Google maps showed the river right there. Then we realized that the hill was the levee that was keeping the Mississippi in its banks. As we continued, a levee began on the other side as well, so the highway just drove between 2 levees for a long time. There were some houses along the way (some rundown, a few massive, some on stilts, some low to the ground), some farms, also several massive refineries/ports/etc.

It was a gray and cloudy day and we weren’t really excited to keep driving another 30-40 minutes south, so we turned off the highway onto a gravel road that looked like it had houses on stilts at the end, but it turned out to be a creepy seemingly abandoned area with old boats and trash strewn about. And then we turned around when we reached a parking lot with a bunch of newer cars and trucks parked there, but no one around… A fishing operation? It was a little creepy.

So then we drove up the other side with a number of run down houses, a cemetery (with above ground graves – standard in the area), and just a weird vibe. We never saw the Mississippi down there, but we did pick up some oranges and broccoli from a road side stand on the way back.

Then we still had time to kill before picking up Matt, so we did a little Christmas shopping and then drove around looking at Christmas lights in Kenner, LA (near where the airport is). It was really enjoyable – even without snow. And Matt got in on time!

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We spent Saturday celebrating Sinterklaas Day and relaxing and packing. Then Sunday we headed to the French Quarter in New Orleans. We decided to take the long route over the Pontchartrain Causeway – a 24 mile bridge over the widest point of Lake Pontchartrain (don’t worry – we listened to The Lakes of Pontchartrain (Be Good Tanyas version) as we crossed it). We had beignets and coffee at Café du Monde, walked the waterfront (Mississippi River), saw some massive ships, walked through shops, and came upon a Christmas parade! It was an impressive parade (and very family friendly)! And we got lots of beads!! My favorites were the Dolly Partons and the Chaissez Ladies. I may have a new bucket list item! All in all a great New Orleans experience!

We returned to camp to pack up. With Matt having some work trips scheduled and the kids are really craving a home for the holidays. We decided to store the camper and head to Michigan for the holidays. We’ll be back down to pick up the camper and head west in January.

We’re taking about a week to head back to MI, so there are a few more adventures before that. I’ll blog again soon.

Did you know that there were 4 African American women that refused to give up their seats to white people before Rosa Parks? I didn’t.

Also, I was struck by the holidays that Alabama celebrates…

From Camp McCall we drove through Atlanta (again!). This time we met up with our friends Patrick and Elizabeth, and their boys (one of which is 5 weeks old!). They helped us find a place to meet them that had space enough to park and great Venezuelan food! It was lovely to see them and meet both boys. We had visited them last time we went to Atlanta, but we realized that was 6 years ago! (Although it doesn’t feel that long.) After lunch we checked out the fire trucks at the fire station next door to the restaurant. The kids got to go in the trucks and we chatted with the very eager and personable fire fighters. It was great! Unfortunately we didn’t get any pictures with our friends, but we did get some at the park and with the firetrucks!

From Atlanta we drove down to Bama Bison RV Park outside Opelika, AL. We were surprised to discover that we were now on central time. It was chilly in Alabama, but it felt appropriate for Thanksgiving. We woke up, and Matt made pancakes and bacon for breakfast.

We hung out, had the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on in the background, went for a walk, made hand-print turkeys, and did dinner preparations. With everything cooking, we then got to take an ATV ride into the bison pasture with the owner.

After seeing the bison, we finished dinner prep and enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast. Grateful for rotisserie chickens and store bought pumpkin pie. We even had collard greens because we were in the south!

We were planning on staying at Bama Bison through Saturday, but we found out we were going to have to move sites, so we decided to head out on Friday. We also found out the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site was open on Friday, so we decided to go.

It was a great experience! We discovered that the airmen consist of everyone who participated in the program – pilots and support staff, who then went out to serve in many different places. They talked of a double victory, where they helped the US/Allies be victorious overseas, and how they earned respect in their own country when the military was desegregated in 1948 (16 years before the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964). But it was compelling to hear stories of African American soldiers fighting with US soldiers for freedoms of people overseas, and then not having those same freedoms when they returned to their own country. Just crazy and sad.

Claire and Reece did the Junior Ranger packets there and upon completion, the ranger gave them 3 badges, stickers, posters, and WWII model airplanes! He was very generous. He had also worked for the NPS for years and gave many recommendations and contacts in the areas where we are headed. Very helpful!

From there we drove to a campground in Montgomery, AL. The next morning we got up and went to The Legacy Sites (the Legacy Museum, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park). We took boat and bus shuttles between the sites. It was a heavy day, but an incredible experience. If you are every in Montgomery, be sure to visit.

I feel like I will botch the explanation for this moving place, so please check out the website and talk to us in person if you’re interested.

We didn’t get to take too many pictures, but we got a few, and you really need to go experience it yourself.

After the museum we went and saw Rosa Park’s statue at her bus stop near where she was arrested. It felt full circle because we had gotten to sit on her bus at the Henry Ford Museum. We found out Rosa Parks moved to Detroit shortly after the bus boycott. We also found out that she was an activist and involved with the NAACP before she ‘just decided she was too tired to give up her seat’. That narrative is not as accurate as her knowing exactly what she was doing. And there were several women that had done the same thing she did prior to her. But Parks’ attorney and another woman leader in the NAACP organized the bus boycott between Parks’ arrest Thursday evening and Monday morning when everyone need to use the buses – an impressive feat. MLK Jr. was also recruited at this time to speak to the people – at the age of 26. And obviously became a huge player in the civil rights movement.

One thing I’ve appreciated on this trip is to relearn/put together a lot of history that I wasn’t well-versed in. And realize there’s still so much to learn. I love it!

The next morning we left Montgomery and travelled to the Gulf Coast Gator Ranch (another Harvest Host that Matt found) near Moss Point, MS. We saw LOTS of gators at their ranch/rescue, and then went on an airboat ride – crazy fun!

The water levels are crazy low right now, so the cypress knees were rather exposed.

Also, did you know that the incubation temperature in the nest determines the gender of an alligator?! (https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/alligator.htm)

Hopefully you all had a lovely Thanksgiving! Miss you!

And congratulations to my father-in-law for OSU’s win on Saturday…

Hello again! Our camper has been at the same place for over two weeks, so I haven’t posted. So, here’s the update. (It’s a big one!)

From the Okefenokee Swamp, we drove up to Camp McCall in Sunset, SC. The camp is run by friends from Summit Adventure (where Libby guided backpacking trips in CA), Ginger and Spinner. They had invited us to come stay, so we took them up on it! It’s a beautiful spot in an arm of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

We arrived on Saturday and Matt flew out to Kansas for work on Sunday. He was gone for 10 days for work.

While he was gone, the kids and I enjoyed a slower week at Camp McCall. We had a couple play dates with the neighbor boys (camp staff sons), survived 24 degree overnight temps (and didn’t freeze), explored the camp, and visited the nearby Hagood’s Grist Mill and Petroglyph site.

Last Saturday the kids and I headed down to Atlanta to see my cousin, Michelle, and her family. We enjoyed a visit to the Botanical Gardens, good meals, and time at Candler Park.

After that we headed up to Amicalola Falls, just north of Atlanta. We hiked a couple/few miles on the Appalachian Trail Approach (technically the AT starts at Springer Mountain 8.5 miles in from Amicalola Falls). It was a beautiful area and peaceful day hiking. Then we discovered that Reece has a cider company in Ellijay, GA!

Then we returned to Atlanta to visit other cousins, Allison and Meredith. (This is the second time we’ve been able to met up with Meredith on this adventure!) We enjoyed the Georgia Aquarium, helped with some packing/moving, and got a lot of laundry done at Allison’s apartment. A very enjoyable and productive visit!

Then we returned to Camp McCall for a couple nights. We picked up Matt from the airport and left the next day for another visiting tour.

This time we drove to Aiken, SC to visit old friends/neighbors from Colorado Springs – the Swifts. We had been there 6 years ago, so it was good to see them again. They have an amazing and energetic community of neighbors/kids and we got to join in. They made us amazing dinner and breakfast and we got to go feed horses at an equine rescue facility. It was a whirlwind, but so fun. Eric and Maria had done the travel/RV life for almost a year before they moved to Colorado Springs, so it was fun to compare stories and get some good recommendations!

From Aiken, we drove up to Raleigh, NC to visit my cousin, Kara. She has lived in Raleigh since college, so I was excited to see her, and her spot in the world. After a couple of strikeouts (one restaurant had a pipe break and didn’t have running water when we showed up), we finally found a place to enjoy dinner. The next morning we went and saw the troll installation at Dix Park – 5 trolls total and they have hammocks! We have a few trolls in CO, so we’re excited to go check out our trolls when we get home. We finished our visit with a quick stop at the NC State Farmers Market. What a cool place!

Then we drove to Greensboro,NC where we had a short, but lovely visit with Kate (Davelaar) Guthrie – a college housemate and friend. She and her son, Abe (who is 5 days younger than Reece), hung out with us and showed us their house renovations. Thankful for old friends who welcome random visitors. Loving these connection points along the way!

From Greensboro we drove up to Pilot Mountain State Park to camp for the night. We enjoyed a rare campfire and all slept pretty well. The next morning we went up to the Pilot Mountain summit, hiked around it, and then climbed! We really only had time for one good climb (“Pole Dancing”), but it was a lovely day and fun to get out climbing!

That night we returned to Camp McCall. The plan was to leave the following day, but because of weather here, and weather where we were headed, we decided to delay a day.

This morning we said our goodbyes to Ginger and Spinner and their dog, Reggie (and their cats – Elvis and Zola). We will miss this beautiful place and such wonderful neighbors!