The Road to Missoula #2

When we arrived in Iowa City a local fair was happening and the area was lively, almost as if the city was welcoming us.  We bypassed the fair but had the opportunity to try Big Grove Brewing.  Besides good beer, the pizza and salads were delicious.  I have come to realize that my favorite part of traveling is trying new food and beverages in each place we visit.  Only one problem - it gets expensive!  After I tallied our expenditures food accounted for almost half of the total, even more than lodging!

            My favorites to try are usually pizza places and breweries.  With two children pizza is an obvious choice but the breweries often have homemade root beer, which my girls love, and a kid’s menu.  I’ve asked Sofiah to create a blog about the ‘Best Macaroni and Cheese’, because she orders it almost everywhere we go and she even created a rating system.  We will see if the blog materializes.

The next state we visited, Minnesota, was a pleasant surprise.  We had no expectations and our time there was again a ‘scenic’ route and unplanned.  First, to appease out daughters, we stopped at the Mall of American in Minneapolis.  For some reason, I let slip about the largest mall being in Minneapolis where we would be passing through and of course they wanted to go.

Amazingly we were there maybe 2-3 hours at most.  Parking wasn’t difficult, and the crowd either.  Sofiah immediately wanted to go to a bookstore.  I love that girl!  And Kaia, she was hoping to find a toy store with Beanie Boos.  They had no interest in the large amusement park or the American Girl Store.  “I am raising them so well,” I thought to myself.

On to Duluth, a city we really enjoyed, and I became ecstatic when I learned it was the home of Bob Dylan. Somewhere I had heard it before, but it was a fact forgotten or hidden deep in my mind.  For the next two days we drove up Northshore Drive (Highway 61) playing Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited.  We visited his childhood home, not a museum but inhabited by some unknown family who probably gets random people stopping all the time. 

Lake Superior is akin to driving up the coast of an ocean; huge waves and the other side cannot be seen.  The cliffs and rocks are reminiscent of HWY 1 in California, not quite as steep and jagged, but nevertheless impressive and beautiful.   A two-hour drive turned in to at least double the time because the girls wanted to stop often and put their feet in the water.  Too cold to swim, but wading gave them just as much joy.  If we can promise water during a trip, especially a hike, then the girls are appeased. 

So close to the Canadian border, we had to make a visit…

Ask My Daughters...

Ask my daughters, Sofiah and Kaia, what they love most about traveling and without hesitation they will reply,

“The hotels with swimming pools and free breakfasts!” 

It’s true, they are seeing some of the most majestic sites this country offers and sometimes they are impressed, but when it comes down to it, jumping from bed to bed and a continental breakfast with sausage and three types of cereal to choose from cannot be beat.  Kids do not appreciate the same things as adults.

Yet traveling opens their minds and gives them firsthand experiences that cannot be measured, at least immediately.  So often my wife and I spit out facts or tell them a story or interrupt their play to show them a breathtaking piece of scenery.  They respond with a nod or an “OK” or even with a frustrated remark.  Then we get irritated, of course, because we cannot believe they are missing out on something that in our mind is so important.  How could they?

Because they are children.  Once upon a time we all were and we had other things on our mind as well.  I didn’t have the opportunity to travel as frequently, but I remember my mother trying to ‘educate’ me about my surroundings and pointing out this and that.  I could have cared less if it didn’t relate to Star Wars or Spider-Man. Yet looking back, I remember quite a bit of what my parents said to me, more than I care to admit sometimes. 

And suddenly one of my daughters will make a comment or regurgitate something I told them when I thought they weren’t listening.  It may be while they are playing.  It may be when a ranger speaks to them or sometimes just out of the blue.  What I love even more is when they discuss things they picked up on their own: differences in weather, people, landscapes or sometimes things I haven’t noticed.  

Kids seem to soak up information like a sponge.  Their minds are naturally curious and passionate to learn.  So whether I think they are listening or not, I will continue to ‘educate’ them. Even if they take just a fraction of what they learn with them into the future, I think they will appreciate and respect the world and others around them.

The Road to Missoula

The four of us and all we would carry for the next year or more were packed into the new automobile with a cargo carrier on top.  Our destination was Montana, Missoula to be exact, because the city is located between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.  The valley has long been a hub for the outdoors.  Lewis and Clark were supposedly the first US settlers to inhabit the area.  We had a bit more than two weeks to arrive and so time did not seem to be an issue, although we planned to spend most of our time in Yellowstone and Grand Teton. 

Five states in less than a day: MS, TN, AR, MO, and IA.  Except for Iowa we had lived or visited the others a number of times. I tell myself and the girls it doesn’t matter how many states we visit but how much time and experience we get out of them.  Still, I often tell myself, “I’ve been to 45 states now and my daughters have been to 15.”  It just sounds cool. 

            So much to explore in our country and we felt we had plenty of time.  One ‘scenic route’ led to another.

“Hey, we’ve never been to Iowa.  How about we drive along the Mississippi River?”  Beautiful, yes, and if time allowed we would take every scenic route.  The interstates look too similar.  Not the landscapes necessarily, but every exit has that same gas station, maybe a Subway, Wal-Mart, Home Depot or other well-known business.  Get off the beaten path, take the smaller highways and roads.  Only then can the uniqueness of the country be found, like the little hole in the wall diner with characters out of a David Lynch movie.

Iowa has cornfields for miles, mostly owned by large corporations such as DuPont and such.  The dark green of the cornstalks against the blue, cumulus cloud sky, create colors so vivid.  The Mississippi River seems cleaner up North.  Rather than the muddy color we are used to in Memphis, its waters have not yet been soiled.  Small islands dot the river, some even inhabited.  I assume they aren’t prone to flooding or else they have good insurance.  But the Old Man seems like an entirely different river than in the South, smoother and controlled.  Perhaps one day I will float it, a dream of mine, either by canoe or more likely a riverboat. 

As long as the roads would allow we drove close to the river in Iowa and Wisconsin until we crossed over into Minnesota…

The Journey Begins!

On the road finally!  What a whirlwind the last week before we left, surreal and rushed.  One minute we were living comfortable in our home in Olive Branch, Savage Manor, and the next we were rushing to move, to store and sell our possessions, and to plan our travels.  The four of us were literally homeless (and still are).  Our daughters, Sofiah and Kaia, jumped from my brother’s house to a friend’s house and then to grandma’s and back.  My wife and I stayed with friends and family as well.  They cooked for us, helped us move, and provided moral support in a way that made us feel loved and wanted.  We were almost sorry and scared to leave.

There were so many loose ends to tie up, especially after living in the Memphis area for most of our lives.  We had to close accounts, forward mail, pay bills, say goodbye to family and friends, and whittle our belongings to such a small amount that we could fit them all in one vehicle.  Driving two automobiles was not an option.  Even though we had two well running, newer autos we wanted one with a bit more cargo space, but mostly we wanted to spend more time together as family.  Taking two cars would be so much trouble!  Coordinating parking, each of us driving for hours without rest, more money for gas…

Honda reluctantly traded our two autos for one, not a deal in my mind, but the salesman was noticeably upset because he made little or no commission.   Our 2011 CRV and a 2013 Accord were traded for our new CRV with the crossbars on top.  We equipped it with a THULE storage box on top which fit more inside than we expected and so we were excited.  Closer by the minute we came to our goal, our dream of leaving the South behind and exploring the country, the world.

Finally, after piling a storage unit to the ceiling with the remainder of our belongings (even after selling so much!) we were ready for the adventure of a lifetime, the stuff dreams are made of.  The four of us, together as family, 24-7, exploring the country, left for Missoula, Montana.  We have a little more than two weeks to get there so we can take our time along the way, hopefully seeing as much as possible, but also relaxing and getting intimate with the best the country has to offer.  Follow us as we begin our adventures!