Gannon Blogs

Well, season 5 of My little pony comes to Netflix on July 30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It will be the best!!!!!

And, I think this road trip should  be known all around the world, so I encourage everyone who knows about The Jolly Camper to upload videos on any social network  that YOU know of + YouTube so my family can pay off debt fast!  And don't forget Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!!!!!!

What I think about the road trip is that it has been very enjoyable.  I really enjoy it because I'm spending time with my family.  And it's very fun.

My favorite part of the trip so far has been going to my grandparents house and seeing them.  I like to play with things and playing with everyone.  I also like when Grandpa takes me fishing.  I am crocheting too.  They let me eat un-crustable peanut butter and jelly.

My least favorite part is losing my hat in new York city because it was from the Pentagon.  I hope mom will be able to buy me a new one on Amazon.  I was really sad when I lost it in Times Square.

The most challenging part so far is walking (what feels like) 200 miles.  It was very tiring.  Washington DC and New York City were the hardest walking times.  I got to see bike-man outside the White House though.

Next year I'm looking forward to earning money because it will pay our debt off faster.  People need to know about our road trip so we can pay off debt so we can go on more, cooler road trips.

Family road trips are important to me because it's family time. with my everyone but my dad.  My dad doesn't come because he's in Haiti working with orphans.  I'm very proud of my dad.  Plus, it only costs $10 to get into Haiti.  TEN DOLLARS!  THAT'S CHEAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where did I leave off?

I think this is probably the 08213972389th time I've started this specific post.  I've thought a hundred times why I procrastinate my blogging of trips for SOOOOOOooooooOOOOoooo long, and I've come to the conclusion that if I don't blog it, it doesn't have to be over.  I look so forward to a new adventure, I don't want to have space in between.

Well, I've now been on another adventure, and can safely finish off the road trip story. Where did I leave off?  We'd just left Niagara Falls, right?
Ok.

From Niagara Falls, we headed West.  We drove all the way through New York the top left corner of Pennsylvania, into Bowling Green, Ohio.  Our favorite sign? "Moose Crossing".  Every time I hear the word "Moose", I think of the comedian Brian Regan.  You have to listen to this guy.  Hillarious.  Boxen of Moosen.....HAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, sorry, back to the story....Now, I have a lot of cousins.  A LOT of cousins.  Like, cousins out the wazoo.  My absolutely favorite cousin blessed our family by joining when I was about 9.  Debbie married my cousin on my moms side, Thad.  When she got married, she had a row of roses over her bustle.  She called it her "Rose-Butt Dress".  I know.  Amazing.  She's the most gracious Christian (but not one of the loony right winged Christians), loving mother, and kind friend.  She offered us her home on our way to my parents, and we were glad to have a home cooked meal, a shower inside a house, and air conditioning!  Debbie is the kind of person who holds her morals and standards, but in such a way that it is neither offensive or exclusive.  She is a fantastic listener, a speaker of kind words, and just the kind of person you want to be around.  Imagine Mary Poppins, American style.  We got to talk to daddy at home (the picture below), catch up with family, and slept REALLY.....Really.....really well...zzzzzzzzzz.

We woke up in the morning, said our goodbyes, and drove off for Detroit.  Detriot wasn't one of the places I was super excited about visiting.  I'd had a few things in mind like, the Henry Ford museum, not getting shot, etc....but we decided to improvise instead.  Not getting shot remained at the top of my list. 

Cannolis are NEVER a bad choice.  Ok, I take that back.  Cannolis CAN be a bad choice, but when they're good, they're GOoooooOOOooood.  Supino Pizziaria was a recommendation from my BFF, indirectly, through Diners, Drive-In's and Dives.  IF there is a DDD place, she wants to try it, and I can't think of a time her food choice has sucked.  We downed our supper amazing pizza, and went in for the sugar and cheese filled fried dough.  You know the kind of cannoli that's crunchy on the outside and still super gooey on the inside with big 'ole chunks of chocolate that make your insides smile?  They were THAT kind of cannoli.  My pants were already tight driving into Detroit, and driving out, I unbuttoned.  

You know what I love about living in Texas?  The wide open spaces and beautiful skies where you can see for miles and miles.  I think I love that because it reminds me of home.  Home is a tiny town in Illinois where politicians and poets have walked, but few have heard of.  Galesburg, Illinois.  

Where I got really wet

Kayleigh took most of the burden of driving the night of the Lobster.  I couldn't button my pants or keep my eyes open.  Feeling like a complete glutton, I did what any other American would have done.  I handed the keys to the 17 year old, pointed west, and fell asleep.  She drove past the "Moose Crossing - Next 4 Miles" sign in Vermont.  She drove to a beautiful turnpike pull off in New Hampshire.  The next morning, we got Dunkin' Doughnuts because my girlish figure hadn't suffered enough damage the night before, and continued towards Niagara Falls.

We paid a ridiculous amount to park.  We paid a ridiculous amount to eat.  It was the most expensive, and by far, the WORST burrito I've ever eaten in my LIFE.  Oh well, it's New York, right?  My bad for not ordering lox and a bagel.  We finally made our way to the ticket booth for the observation deck and the Maid of the Mist.  I'd been to the Canadian side as a kid, but we'd not got to take the boat tour.  I was probably more excited than my kids!

The sound of the falls is overwhelming.  Millions of gallons of water pouring into the canal, mist soaking the parts of us exposed from the trash bag ponchos.  Everyone was smiles and happiness until Gannon realized he was steps from a foreign country, but couldn't cross over to Maple Leaf Land.  We compromised, and he stood on the left side of the boat.  I'm almost positive he was in international waters.  Whatever.  He was happy. 

Click here to see the video on the Maid of the Mist

We finished up and started our long trek out of New England.  Next Stop.....Bowling Green, OH

Where I started getting really fat

We returned from Plymouth and camped in our same site.  Up and at 'em in the morning meant a crazy drive into Boston.  

I'm just going to say it.  Boston drivers are CRAZY.  Cray-Zee.  Nutso.  Wackadoodle.  I thought things in Rome were out of sorts.  Boston was like Rome, but instead of 6 SmartCars lined up at a three lane signal, there are 6 Lexus SUV's!  In my head, I honked.  I also may have though one or two words I couldn't say out loud.  We survived the drive from the camp site to the parking garage and paid for valet.  I was not about to have another Philadelphia parking situation.  We took the lift to the ground floor and began our walk to the Boston Commons.  Now, if you've never been to Boston, you have to understand it is a VERY friendly town.  We hiked from the hill of the parking garage down and around towards the Boston Commons.  

   

We stopped and admired the beautiful architecture of the New State House.

We took pictures with the memorial to the 54th Mass. Reg.  The kids had watched "Glory" and understood the gravity and somnolence of the relief (well, Gannon and Siri did. Annika missed it, as you can tell by the poses).  We approached the visitors center, entered, and bought tickets for our Freedom Trail Tour.

We visited the tomb of Paul Revere, Sam Adams, and John Hancock,

We stood in the shadow of the Boston Massacre Site, walked through Faneuil Hall to Little Italy with my dear friend from birth, Christina, and ate some of the most delishous sandwiches I've ever eaten.  Huge, long, fresh sandwiches.  Christina and I got to catch up over lunch, and parted ways just past the Old North Church.  

We winnowed cocoa beans to make chocolate

and admired Paul Reveres horse.

We took the long way back to the car to admire another Holocaust memorial.  the engravings you see on the glass are the numbers tattooed on the Jews as they entered the Death camps.  I had more tears.  Some day, my kids will see Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen.

Walking though Boston, the contrast of the old and the new is stark.  It really is a beautiful city!  We collapsed in the parking garage (it was HOT) and awaited the return of our van from valet.  More "in my head" honking and words I shouldn't say, and we were back on I-95N.  Kittery, ME was our next stop.  Most people have never heard of the barely-in-Maine town of Kittery, but I'd heard story after story after story during Navy A-school down time.  My sweet friend Desiree was born and raised in the bay town, and loved it.  We picked her hometown as our lobster dinner destination.

Visiting my old friends home town, Missing our friends, the Warrens and eating at Warrens Lobster House, and thinking fondly of the Savoie family evoked quite the menagerie of sentimentalism.  Dinner didn't disappoint.  

Kayleigh LOVED her Lobster Alfredo,

and my dinner was all but a bead of seafood heaven on ritz crackers.  I could barely start the baked potato, but still managed to cram award winning bread pudding down my throat.  I left the restaurant with my pants unbuttoned.

It was going to be a long night, but Vermont and New Hampshire weren't going to visit themselves.  Next Stop....NEW YORK.  AGAIN!

The Time Vortex

From Disappointing New York (properly capitalized because that is its new name), we drove to Massachusetts.  It is surprisingly easy to find camping in Mass. We picked Wompatuck State Park due to its proximity to both Plymouth and Boston.  A two night stay is easier than packing up camp and moving two hours!  We had another late bedtime, but thankfully no wild animal activity.  The next day, we drove to Plymouth Plantation, which was only about 30 minutes from our site.  I'd been there as a kiddo with my parents and looooovvvvveeeeed it.

I wanted the kids to experience the tranquility, the peace, and the stark contrast from our consumer driven, technologically driven lives.  I wanted them to see how hard the founders of our country worked, and how easy things have become.

We paid the nominal fee and entered the park.  

Walking down a berry bush lined path, we noticed the wild grapes overhead and the crabapples that litter the ground.  Through the clearing, the Wampanoag village appeared.  A man sat carving a boat and women were working in the fields.  Now, the Wampanoag people are very helpful in explaining the culture and the work of the 17th century tribe.  Every participant in the home site is an ancestor of a local tribe.  They showed us the winter home, the summer home, and the fields they planted from seed.

Siri and a little boy made fast friends and spent the better part of an hour hunting "sparkle bugs", an enemy of the corn.  They talked about life outside the village, but there was no conversation about clothing or hair differences, just a solid kinship in the hunt for the bugs.

We moseyed at a leisurely pace further down the path, trying to catch the breeze off the bay.

  

The Plymouth Plantation is nestled on a downward slope from a steep hill overlooking the Bay.  The thing you have to understand about this part of the plantation is that the actors portraying the passengers of the Mayflower DO NOT BREAK CHARACTER.  AT ALL.  I tired to explain to Gannon that they are stuck in a time vortex and that we may not interfere with our modern knowledge.  Being an avid Dr. Who fan, he seemed to understand.  

We wandered through the village, speaking to people about their 66 day voyage and then 10 month anchor at Plymouth Rock.  We met Rosie the Cow and saw how manure is spread.

Reverend Robinson gave an excellent sermon, and we sang Psalms, which was really fantastic as my kids were missing their family at True Life Church.

"Where's the air conditioning?!?!?!?!"

We were leaving the village, getting a much needed drink from the "well" as I observed Gannon talking with a wood worker.

"No, no, no, no, you are ACTUALLY in the year 2015!"

"By what calendar do you mind, as this is the year of our Lord One Thousand Six Hundred and Twenty Seven?"

"No, you are stuck in a Time Vortex, you just don't know it!"

GAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

A short drive and a quick jaunt up the gangplank landed us onboard the the Mayflower II.  This ship was built in the 1950s and sailed the rout of the Pilgrims in 1957.  It now sits in the Massachusetts Bay with more people stuck in time vortexes.   

The ships gunman was kind enough to give us a musket demonstration.  He was the fastest shot on the ship, and was able to fire two rounds in one minute!

Just a quick walk around the corner and we were able to see the ACTUAL rock where the pilgrims landed.  An iron fence surrounded the small monument, and "1620" is etched into the sides.

The kids were done with that in about 15 seconds.  We hiked along the town creek to the gristmill where wheat was and watched in awe as the power of the small stream turned the water wheel to turn the millstones.

We left Plymouth with a renewed sense of appreciation for the luxuries of our camping trip.  Boston in the AM!

It's up to you, New York, New York!

We had high hopes for the city that doesn't sleep.  We got into our campground around 11 o'clock, and found out it was also the campground that doesn't sleep. Now, you have to understand, we are doing the vast majority of this trip in a tent. One of the priorities at state and federal parks is to find out the cleanliness of the bathrooms and showers. First thing in the morning, I headed down to the nearest bathroom to us. I took the van, because I had to go pretty badly. As I started to leave the van towards the restroom, a ranger stopped me.  "Ma'am, please stay in your car.  There's a big *** black bear right behind you!"
Sure enough, I turn around and a hundred fifty feet behind me was a 300 pound black bear. Headed for my tent. Isn't this New York? Are there supposed to be bears in New York? I hurriedly approached the tent where Kayleigh and the kids were sleeping and informed them to get the heck up and get in the van, there is a bear!

The bear headed off down its own trail, and we spent the next 15 minutes recovering.  

After the bear fiasco is done, and we were dressed and ready to go, it was a 20 minute drive to the nearest train station. We took it right into Penn Station. 

Doughnuts at Penn Station 

Getting off the subway, the anticipation was building.  Would the Big Apple meet our expectations?

First impression? Wow.  Buildings for miles.  Tall, looming building.  A forest of buildings.  Times Square was the stop for Kayleigh.  We waded through the sea of culture, attempting to shield ourselves (or at least Gannon) from the mostly nude women.  We got our picture and left.

Next, we attempted to navigate the subway system to the Empire State Building. After several failed attempts to find the correct station, we found out we had come within three blocks of walking. So we walked.

The size and splendor the building was really awesome.  The fact that it was going to cost my family and I $150 to ascend to the top, and we were not allowed to take pictures of the elevator was a quick reality check of the expenses of New York. We ended up taking a 45 minute snack break in the adjoining Walgreens. Nothing that some goldfish and sprite didn't fix.  

We successfully took the subway to the 9/11 memorial.  Phew.  I got over that anxiety attack jut in time to be immersed in one of the most emotional stops of our trip thus so far.  Standing by the Eternity Pool, emotions and memories came flooding back.  I didn't personally loose a friend or family member in the attacks, however, with my deeper sense of pride and appreciation for our nation, it hit me harder than I expected. 

Fortunately, we were able to meet my friend for dinner and had good talks and good burgers!

The kids got to meet New Yorder Finest as an added bonus.  We boarded in Penn Station, transfered to Secaucus, and made it to Tuxedo.

We were over New York.

Day 2 started with a cleansing torrential downpour.  It was lovely, until we had to pack up in the rain.  At least there weren't any bears.  We decided since we hated the subway, we'd take the Turnpike to Liberty State Park, NJ.  Good call, high five to us!  $7.00 for all day parking was an added bonus. We scarfed down some vendor hot dogs for breakfast and boarded the ferry. I'm not sure if the kids had ever been on a boat before. With Lady Liberty on one side, and the New York skyline on the other, a cool breeze, and each others company, it was a very enjoyable experience.

We got off at Ellis Island, and the kids immediately ran for the Junior Ranger program. We walked through the museum, and even checked the archives for our Sicilian family. Snacks outside on the patio gave us enough energy to go up to registration hall.

The kids finished their Junior Ranger program in no time, and we boarded the ferry to head over to Liberty Island. We were told of size comparisons since the Capitol Building in Washington DC. Lady Liberty can fit inside the nation's capital with room to spare in the dome, and the Capitol building can fit inside the inner courtyard of the Pentagon with room to spare. Since we were not the elite few who had a pedestal or crown tickets (which must be purchased up to 6 months in advance), we strolled around the island at a leisurely pace, drinking lemonade, and enjoying the view.

We loaded the car exhausted, hot, and done with New York City. I may like to go back some time with just my husband to see a Broadway show, but Frank Sinatra can keep his New York. It took us 30 dollars in tolls just to leave the city. Good grief.