How It All Ends But Really Just Begins

We designate Labor Day as our very big driving day. Not only we are determined to gain some significant ground on getting home, we are also trying to outrun the weather system that fell as snow in South Dakota and rain everywhere south of it. We quickly consider dropping down south about 5 hours and stay in Boulder, Colorado. However, idea of possible hikes in the rain does not sound entertaining enough.

So, onward we drive due East, through South Dakota’s Bad Lands to Sioux Falls, Minnesota, then through the rest of it to cross Mississippi river into Wisconsin and Eastern United States. We drop South to go around Lake Michigan and pass Chicago already in the dark. We drive though downtown to show girls some night lights. ‘

Late that night we arrive at Indiana Dunes state park on the eastern shore of the Lake where we have a camp site. We are beat after a long day of driving but are undefeated. We have covered a lot of ground on our return, leaving only about two more days of travel left. As we sleep, the weather catches up with us, unleashing large amounts of rain onto our home away from home. Strangely, after dry west, it is calming and familiar.

In the morning we do school and I work as Sol and girls go to check out this great lake the size of an ocean. The lake is beautiful but the weather is chilly and waves are as high as Pacific Ocean, so, girls just play in the sand.

In the afternoon we make our way to lake Berlin in Ohio and spend the night at a camp where we are practically alone. The camp is empty after Labor Day.

Girls check out Lake Berlin and the local play ground while I finish up with meetings. After that, we are on the straight trajectory home quite literally. We get onto Ohio Turn Pike which turns into PA Turn Pike taking us all the way home aside form a few stops for coffee and may be play.

Turning onto our street we are giddy with excitement. Happy to be home after our nomadic life and hug our family. Girls are delighted to return to their animals we left in care of my mother, me and Sol are happy to regain some semblance of routine. I really missed my morning swims at a local Y.

As we are unpacking and wrapping up our travel we are thinking about what lies ahead. We would like to venture out some time very soon to see fall colors in the north. Sol is even more ambitious: Kennedy Space center in FL is on his mind . We will just have to settle into our home and see.

This blog is not a cautionary tale after all. The trip was a success. We have seen, done, learned so much and are hungry for more. This is a good story.

As far as lessons learned there are plenty. Main one being that the closeness of our 6 week/ 4 people – add a large dog – existence in 50 sq. feet of living space has brought us closer together and, in a sense, gave us (me) more room as, with the lack of physical space, we had an opportunity to turn inward, learning as much about ourselves as our ever changing surroundings. Perhaps, getting out of routine and reducing mental load of daily hamster wheel helped too.

Girls (and us) learned just how vast and diverse our country is, geographically, biologically, and culturally. They have become excellent adventure partners taking on a tasks that would challenge an adult. They hiked through forests, and rocky mountains, and giant trees; swam though lakes and rapid rivers; fell, and got bruised, and got blisters; got hot and cold; bitten by flies ,and mosquito, and some fish – all mostly without complaints.

Tamara read through majority of a 10 volume book series and is about half way through with learning all states’ capitals. Sasha’s physical abilities, sharp whit, and never wavering will had become more apparent.

They have also invented a million worlds they were lost in playing during our long hauls or hikes. The stories emerged and evolved, supported by drawn or crafted characters created on the fly. The epic dialog was played out, sometimes against the backdrop of some ‘remarkable’ landmark we unsuccessfully would try and draw their attention to. They fought too, naturally, and drove us (and others) nuts at times. However, in this ever suffocating world of Covid-19 they have found many ways to expand it. We are glad we could try and help with this trip.