My Journey
As a child, my journey landed me in a family of 6 who took two week vacations every summer. Oh, the stories I could tell, from the sunrise at the Grand Canyon to sharing a bag of ice to stay cool in the station wagon with no air conditioning as we crossed the state of Texas in the July heat. My dad did the driving and my mom held everything else together. We would often roll into a campground very late at night to pitch our tent and catch some rest before hitting the road early the next morning. So many journeys and memorable experiences, all of which I am most grateful to have had as a part of my growing up years.
After high school and college in my home state of Illinois, I married my high school sweetheart (of sorts) and we began our journeys together. The early years of marriage were a bit lean and our travels consisted of a camping trip in a two person pup tent at Kentucky Lake with minimal provisions.
As our family grew, so did our travel ensemble. We took a Lincoln Trail trip through Indiana and Illinois, with our two children (2 and 4) in the old pop up that we had acquired from my in-laws. It served us well until that trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan when, my three children by now (9, 7 & 5) and husband, made a video of why we needed to upgrade to something with air conditioning. It was cool in the gorgeous UP but we were planning a trip to Disney World the next summer and knew we'd want to stay cool as we enjoyed the sights and happenings of the most magical place on earth (man made I might add). Well, it worked! I was convinced!
The next 17 years of journeys were traveled in a 23 ft. Prowler travel trailer. And travel we did. The Lewis and Clark Trail was traveled with lots of miles covered, museums visited and Undaunted Courage read. Later, our 8th grader had real life experience as his history teacher attempted to bring to life for others that which our son had had first hand experience. One of our kids' favorite trips was to the northeast U.S., Bar Harbor, Maine. A Rocky shoreline to explore and sunset at Acadia National Park were some highlights. I added to my musical instrument collection when we attended a dulcimer festival. I was forever drawn to the dulcimer music I was introduced to several years before while visiting Epcot Center, that maiden voyage of a trip we took from our then home in MI to FL with our new air conditioned travel trailer.Illinois once again became home and such journeys continued as our children rapidly grew and began leaving home. The old travel trailer had covered many miles and slept many an adventurous and weary traveler but, itself, was growing tired.
In June before my 50th birthday, my husband and I found the Airstream we had often talked about, very gently used with a few pieces of straw left in the bumper from the old barn in which it had been parked and a nice little dent in the rear right indicating that the 30 ft. beauty may be a force to be reckoned with when backing. My husband was up for the challenge and the 75th Anniversary Airstream Classic, complete with the comforts needed for our middle aged years (including a queen sized bed, wardrobe, full bathroom, accommodating kitchen and doorbell), became our new mode of adventuring the US and continues to be to this day.
The Airstream has served us well for many a local camping trip with family, several cross country trips to the Rocky Mountains, an upstate NY adventure (where we met Lucky Arnold) and our now yearly trek to the Sonoran Desert and the many camping areas surrounding Phoenix every January through March. It is one amazing adventure after another, and more adventure awaits!
