Back for a while, but the heart lingers

Three weeks have past since we returned to Ithaca after our action-packed summer adventure, and a day hasn't passed without a daydream about some aspect of our trip. Like the boys, I wish we had a magical transportation device so that I could instantly pop up on Trail Ridge Road or Avalanche Lake or Arches or any number of our vacation spots. Last week I was watching the USA Pro Challenge bike race in Colorado, and the experience of cycling up Trail Ridge Road and beyond 12,000 ft. seemed like yesterday. Then I saw a cheesy TV ad for cheap sunglasses and they used stock footage of the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier and again I was instantly transported. I changed the screensaver on our desktop computer so that we get randomized photos from our trip, and I find myself fully absorbed in memories of the summer.

I had high hopes leading up to the trip that we would all learn a whole bunch, accumulate lots of memories that would last a lifetime, grow as a family and have more good times than bad. Ever the optimist, I had faith that Leo wouldn't experience car sickness, our boys would get along more often than not, and that Gail would sleep better than she thought she would.  If you read the blog, you'll know that the only real disappointments on our trip were the minor car accident and the rude campers at Arches, not a bad track record at all!

I love overhearing the boys talking to their friends about their travels. They clearly learned a lot and hopefully have developed a love for adventure that will keep them exploring for the rest of their lives. We have all taken chances and have done things outside of our comfort zones, and have been rewarded more often than not.

If you have ever considered a trip like this, I urge you to start planning. Yes, it will cost more than you think, and there will be some hardships along the way, but you and your loved ones will almost certainly be rewarded in ways that will be hard to quantify. Create your own agenda, take chances, and have faith that everything will work out—it usually does, and if not, you'll probably end up with a few good stories!