Buckingham

Hello again, I've been getting lazy with the blog, I've skipped a couple days here. Time to catch up, we spent our last day with June two days ago, going to a second Yoga class, this one was more of a power yoga session, it was very fun! That night we had arranged a little tea party with Grandma Verjane's antique tea cup set, it was fun, did i spell Verjane the right way any family member of mine? I'm not sure? Haha Then me and Andrew thoroughly cleaned out the van and got everything in it organized for hitting the road. June took us to breakfast the next morning at a wonderful little breakfast place called LePeeps, a very elegant.... and french little diner, we said our goodbyes to June shorty after as well as Chester and Bucky her animals we also bonded with while we were there. We really had a great time even though our Uncle Larry had to leave Monday, June made it a wonderful and relaxing visit! We then hit the road on interstate 80 East toward Le Clair, Iowa, from a map POV Omaha, NE and Le Clair, Iowa are two different ends of Iowa so we went from end to end of the state. This morning we are going pay the American Picker's show host a visit at one of his stores, Antique Archaeology,  here along the Missouri River and in addition to that the worlds largest truck store which is somewhere in this town of Davenport where we spent the night. As for breakfast, its going to be cereal, we wanna get moving this morning, if we go as planned to we should make it to the Tudela's cabin in Illinois after all this today too. Anyhow, we are off! Seeeeee ya, Davenport! 

Namaste

Yesterday was a very busy day, we began going to an Omaha Power Yoga class with our Aunt June. I told myself, "sure ill go to yoga, i can stretch!"... Yoga is alot more than stretching ladies and gentlemen, me and Andrew got to know our bodies better than we ever did. Shoulder stands, downward facing dogs, half moon sun salutations, crow poses, alot to learn in our first class of yoga but we kept up for the most part. I found a tick during one of the instructors poses on my stomach! Check out the last photo and see if your able to decide which mole is a tick. After yoga, Nate, Andrew and I all journeyed to the Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, which RULED! Andrew found a scorpion in the insect terrariums behind a sign.. he was exited about it even though he was defacing zoo property in order to discover it. haha Then Nathan touched a tiger we all we freaked! The zoo really was awesome, lots to see and very little walking to compared to some zoo's in recent places. 6 hours later we left the zoo at closing and went out for dinner at a place called Stellas which served great cheeseburgers. Then returned home, played frizz bee, became better acquainted with Lara Slack over face time and relaxed until bedtime, a very eventful day! As for this morning more thunder and lighting storms, which was soothing i thought, we slept in and just letting the thunder crack! We may be taking off this afternoon toward Illinois. Chandlersville i think, to the Tudela's cabin there! But we are enjoying our time here with our Aunt June so we may decided to stay one more day.   

Can you pick out the tick?

Cheesecakes and Tornados

We arrived in Omaha yesterday and were welcomed by our Aunt June and Uncle Larry cooking burgers and bratwurst on the grill. Andrew and I played frizzbee with Nate and Larry while June took photos. They took us through downtown Omaha to see a walking bridge that crosses over the Missouri River connecting Iowa and Nebraska, it was very nice out. We came back stopping at the Cheese Cake factory and grabbing desert for the next few days, that was a first for us the the cheese cake place, great cake! :) We came home, talked for awhile, then me and Andrew headed off to bed. We were woken up by the Omaha town tornado alarm that went off in the anticipation of a tornado in the next hour. Their was a big storm in the midst but the tornado's weren't expected until the funnel cloud was spotted of the weather watch station and those are the beginning

of a tornado, then they sounded there massive alarm and warning that everyone should go down into there basements and wait until the threat dies down. Andrew is waking up thinking how annoying that alarm is and telling himself, as he tries to shut his bedroom window from the noise, "Omaha sucks, its so loud." I was alerted because i had the top up on the van and Larry was worried the wind and rain would do it no good. So we stayed up letting the storm do its thing and the warning amounted to no tornado's but June said it was a pretty rare occurrence because they never sound that alarm! Really cool! So that was day and night number one here with Aunt June and Uncle Larry and so far its awesome! Goodmorning, Omaha, were off on a bike ride!    

The Rockhill Savior

This visit has now come to an end, we are packed up and taking off in the morning for Omaha, Nebraska. The angus state! We ate another great dinner at Houlihands and got one more night to share eachothers company, we even got to try an old fashion drink for the first time! We had a couple first(s) today. I had somewhere between 30 and 40 ticks on me from Andrew and I chasing a Grey Horned Owl out from behind my Aunts house, this animal sounded unreal "whoooing" and "haaaaing." So i scampered through the woods trying to flank the tree where the owl was to push it to Andrew and where i presumed it to be and once i reached the base, the view was impossible once the bird took flight, but Andrew's freaked out tone and noises following at the sight on this animal queued me that it was awsome and majestic. So much so that he was unable to put it to words when i said, "dude is it an owl, what is it?!?"  Andrew: "duude!! duaaw!  hmmmm! its aaaa!!"  ME: "DID YOU GET A PHOTO? GET A PHOTO!!" haha so that was cool. Then a snake and a deer and it was alot all at once and right behind my Aunt's house!! Once we recovered from the woods i had baby tickets, adult ticks and medium tick and just everywhere!!!... im still picking them off. Karen, Andrew and I also did a 5k together this morning, which was a nice thing to share between us all ! Karen got 38 mins and me and Andrew got 26 and 25 minutes, it was awsome. We also went to a zoo for real cheap. My Aunt learned being a resident of Jackson county means everyone gets half off on zoo admission tickets! So that was nice to walk off our 5k through a zoo. But for now we have the van packed up and we set forth for Omaha in the morning, its a three hour drive so nothing too climactic but another family we've never stayed with so a whole nother adventure! Goodnight Blue Springs

Priceless Pedicures

Me and Andrew have had a very nice time in Missouri so far, my Aunt and Uncle have been very accommodating and luckily my aunt didn't live far from work! Andrew and I got to go and job shadow my aunt Karen. She showed us the snapping-necks and cashing-checks responsibilities she deals with. We got a full tour of the office she helped design during it's construction and met all of her "girls," the receptionists, cast techs and surgical techs, who were mostly all women. I was able to participate in some office practical jokes with a rubber mouse.. i didn't expect that reaction.. felt kinda bad but that poor women didn't seem too mad after! Haha Seeing my aunt at her work was great, it was one of those places you heard all kinds of things about and have always imagined seeing and once i did, it was more clear why my aunt loves her job and appreciates it enough to work as hard as she does! For dinner, my Aunt and Uncle took us to the Hereford House, where all the food was good. Then this morning me, Bob and Andrew all went to Cracker Barrell for brunch, the food was also good... for dinner Aunt Karen made burgers at home, we decided eating out was a once a day thing while me and Andrew were here. The burgers were great! Earlier today me and Andrew did some fishing at lake Jacomo, no fish... they were jumping but not after anything we had. The most sighted bird on this trip so far is the Turkey Vulture, we have probably seen 100 vultures driving and visiting.  At the end of this day though we all did something very special together.... pedicure deluxe(s)! Goodnight, Blue Springs!

Southern Comfort

This morning was by far the most comfortable awakening in a Walmart, no noise, no car alarms, their were some birds after the garbage we left outside the van, but a nice morning in Walmart! After coffee we were approached by Granite City police officer who just wanted to entertain a conversation of past adventures and where we should go down our literal road and he left saying, "you know, their aren't enough adventurous people left in the world like you guys, check out Astoria, Oregon its beautiful." He left, then we continued enjoying the newly installed speakers i put in the van after someone.... not me.... blew out the others because he likes listening to loud music but didn't consider the capability of the original vanagon speakers! So we went in together on a pair of new ones, 440ws! We organized the van, cleaned dishes, swept the van out and headed to the St. Louis Arch! They had an awesome museum where we discovered alot about the trails lewis and clark blazed back in their days but learning why the architect chose the simple design he did and watching how it was built was my favorite.. lots of repetitive industrial level welding! Andrew's favorite part were the elevators, the doors were 4' tall! The whole arch was cool, and my national park pass knocked off 6$ on our 20 dollar bill for the arch, Lauren and Rick Ross your gift is just beginning to pay itself off! The parking inside the building had a ceiling height limit of 7' 6".. with the CB antenna the van is 9' ft tall, so Andrews hanging off the van bending the antenna so we don't get it caught on something and bust it off, both in and out of the parking structure! We left around 1, after eating sandwiches in the parking structure, toward Kansas City and arrived there were we are now! We found our Aunt Karen finally in Blue Springs and we ate a delicious dinner of Culvers thanks to my uncle Bob! That is all for today, Goodnight Blue Springs, MO

Woodchucks and Walmart

 So today we said our goodbye's to the grandfolks! We went to breakfast with just Grandma, as Grampa had work engagements to attend too, so we caught him at breakfast time for goodbye photos, but Gram and Andrew and I all went to breakfast at a nice cafe were the food and service was delicious and pleasant! Then toward home from the cafe we stopped by the side of the road to coax a baby woodchuck back into the woods Andrew ended up petting it and it seemed fine with that and even when i picked it up on a log it seemed ok! We then journeyed on 530 miles toward Nashville from Michighan where we just settled at a frantically searched for, Walmart finally. So near Hermatige, TN is where we reside for tonight. As for tomorrow, we head to Smokey Mountain National Park with Allison where we can hopfully camp out for the night! Goodnight Hermatige, TN

Back to the Future

Today held some of the most astounding and loving moments and connections than either Andrew or I had ever anticipated! We went back in time to when our parents were children and are age and learned of a life we never knew anything about! Where my parents were married and where my dad first practiced Veterinary Medicine, which was where he and my mom met! Bergmans Vet. Clinic in Cassopolis. Then we journeys on with our Aunt Tammy whom was a great tour guild and much loved and long lost aunt of ours, just a wonderful and insightful person! We spent the morning in Church attending the morning ceremony, the same church my parents were married at in 1972! After the many, many hours of eating and talking of memories past we came back to the house and spent the day adventuring through the woods, climbing trees, playing
frizzbee

and just sharing wonderful stories with Grandma and Grampa, who in their age still have loads to offer in my life and are still learning each day. Just a great piece of the family tree that we will never miss out on down the road. (Andrew is in this tree off in the middle photo here) -------->
Once the day simmered and the sun started to set me and Andrew fed the neighbor's bull some more, let it lick our faces and called it a night but we then again stayed up again talking with our much loved Grandparents! Michigan is a whole other home for us now! Goodnight Cassopolis!

Catsssssopolis

This morning was particularly fruitful as i made a delightful breakfast of french toast with bacon and eggs! The french toast had homemade vanilla extract and poured over it was Maine harvested pure maple syrup and for desert, Maine farm made Greek Yogurt! All the comforts of home at breakfast! We hit the road after a late morning frizzbee session at Evergreen Campgrounds. We drove for 350 miles from Ohio to Indiana to Michigan arriving at my Grandma Shirley's and Grampa Kens in Cassopolis, MI around 5:30. And the one big thing i have learned after all this driving is that racoons are the slowest by FAR of all the mammals to cross the road... and deer in Ohio but mostly the coons everywhere in the U.S. We settled in for the evening and are taking up vacancy with them. It didn't get dark here until 9:30, and the geese in the swamp down the road made my grandparents place sounds like an african serengeti, just calls i had never heard before and very primal sounding. Tomorrow holds many more tales of my parents roots here is Michigan so this post is short and sweet, a good end to a long day! Goodnight newly acquainted Grandparents and goodnight Cassopolis, MI!

Ohio Nice-guys

This is where we woke this morning, it was a pleasant first night, we had a SHERIFF doing some rounds around the parkinglot around us.. he never said a word. We woke up and ate a hardy breakfast of cream of wheat and then set forth towards Watkins Glen and once we found that place..... it was a whole new world! We met a few inspiring people whom spoke of Maine's National Park Acadia as being their favorites and which ones NOT to miss in our travels across the country. After we walked through all two miles of the park we settle back into the parking lot for lunch! Bumblebee tuna sandwiches! After lunch, we exited the vehicle and i had a hammer in my hand to smack my starter as it has failed during the daily starting of the vehicle and a man approaches in his vehicle and replies "hey you have your starter in your hand? haha." Its those moments when you realize your not alone in your travels, for their are many other people whom have been through the same turmoil and know the feeling of success and accomplishment when you can jimmy a starter and mobilize yourself once again! So we set forth toward Michigan and according to the GPS we were looking at a 10 hour drive so we split  the difference  and drove 6 hours to Ohio and found a campsite close to lake Erie. We learned from one stranger not to trust another stranger. One young guy replied when we asked him where a good campsite was, "nothing here for yeah." The next guy gave up precise instructions to Evergreen

Campgrounds, where we are now, and after he instructed us he relayed to us a short story of why never to trust a stranger because he was once led out of a town. I was told by many never to trust a stranger but the advice does't become valuable until you see it for yourself! So tonight we dine in a quite lot in Conneaut, Ohio and for tomorrow, its off to Cassopolis, MI! Goodnight, Ohio

The Dentist's and Horseheads

Today Andrew, Meghan and I went to our appointments to get our cavities filled (not Meghan, she didn't have any), and without diving into the procedure it was not possible for the dentists to determine ahead of time how many and how severe they are. Me and Andrew both had an equal amount, they just varied in depth and severity, Andrew's were all out the open while 2 of mine were deep in between my teeth. We both got many shots of novocaine and a clean bill of health.. its taken a day to recover and we are eating soft foods but we WILL floss for the rest of our lives because we will be paying for the procedure ourselves. Thankfully though, Meghan's connections to the dental community allowed us a happy discount! After an hour or so of recuperation, Andrew and I set forth toward New York, Waltkins Glen state park. Our efforts to reach the park and sleep there somewhere were unsuccessful. Luckily a nice Walmart was close by and we are bunked down here for the night! Just made some mac and cheese and are about to lay down to sleep! Goodnight Horseheads, NY

Arlington, MA once more

Today was fun, we woke up and decidedly we all went to brunch at the Arlington Diner! A nice place, Andrew learned once again that he should order one and could always order another.. this place served large waffles. After breakfast we adjourn home and i installed the air-loom dining chandaleer!

 Then once we digested breakfast and got our fill of light installations, we went to Robins Farm Park and played frizz, the van got to test out some inclined roads on this little venture, it handled well! We visited Waldens Pond next, too many fences for me there but it was cool to show Meghan how lunch was prepared in the van after! Then we came home to have Meghan's special chili and some appletinies to top off the 2nd day/ night of the road trip! goodnight Arlington, MA once again

Arlington, MA

Well family and friends, through the graces of a higher power (and mine and Mike Roderick's determination)  the van came together in the end very quickly and managed me and my brother down to Boston. Newton Center to be exact, where we had our teeth cleaned thanks to our sister Meghan! The hygienist gave some estimates for the dental work needing to be done... the estimate will not be posted. However donations totaling $1000.00 dollars would be happily accepted. ;) On another note, traffic here was a nice reminder of how fast-paced a city can be, and the serenity that is driving ANYwhere else at rush hour. Gladly the first day of the trip has gone fully according to plan, onto the next 139 days. Goodnight Arlington, MA