Reflections on a Summer in a Travel Trailer - Final Post

Now that we've returned home to Jacksonville, Florida, we've had time to reflect on our summer camping across America in a travel trailer.  As we look back, one descriptive word comes to the top of the heap . . .  FUN!!!!

Here we are in Monterey, California enjoying a steak and shrimp dinner grilled by Jerry in the great outdoors. Penny used the kitchen trailer to bake potatoes, and cook green beans, and corn.

In case you'd like to see pictures of the interior of our home on wheels, here they are . . . 

Our table was used for meals, games, and computer work.

This large ice cold fridge and freezer were the best!

Being able to cook in a real kitchen while camping was wonderful.

Some of the campgrounds had cable hook-ups so we could watch T.V. occasionally. Katherine introduced us to hulu.com and we learned there are loads of shows one can watch on the internet - for free!  It was also terrific to have our own full bath with a shower, but it's very difficult to take a tasteful photo of a bathroom, so I'll skip that one.   

Lots of time for bedtime stories . . . . 

. . .  and reading on your own on one of the two VERY comfortable queen-sized beds.

 We were all able to stay connected to the world through Verizon Broadband Air Cards for our computers - we had three computers in all! 

Playing games like Sequence and Uno were good family fun.  We also taught Benjamin how to play the card game Rummy, a new family favorite. 

We were so thankful to have this travel trailer that had room for all four of us (there was even sleeping room for one more person) and that we could pull with our Toyota Sienna Mini Van.  

We were able to camp in such beautiful parts of the USA.  This spot by a creek was at a county park in Nobelsville, just outside of Indianapolis, Indiana. 

It's a rare blessing to be able to see a dream fulfilled.  We are so grateful to God for allowing our family this experience of spending the summer camping across America.  To be together as a family for 7 weeks and 11,300 miles was a dream come true.  

We'll be selling our little travel trailer now.  It's in great condition, so just let us know if  you'd like to make some priceless family memories in it also. 

   

Our future plans were to move to Virginia for training in October - December to prepare for overseas service with our former company.  We would then be ready to move overseas in January.  We are planning to do agriculture work in East Asia again.  However our company has experienced a financial shortfall and many of us who are ready to go are being put on hold. It looks like we will not be able to go until late spring or summer.  Having sold our home and furniture in May in anticipation of moving right away, we have been praying about what to do and where to live.  

Penny's sister Melissa has generously offered us her luxury ocean front condo in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.  It is amazing that her renters moved out just when we needed a home.  We have moved in and are so happy that that Benjamin can continue at his school for 3rd grade.  Jerry and Penny go back to work on August 17th at their former jobs in the public schools as a School Psychologist and 8th grade Science Teacher.  We're thankful to have a beautiful home and good jobs while we wait on God's perfect timing for our move to East Asia. While we wait, we'll be enjoying this beautiful view from our balcony.  Come see us!       

Cumberland Gap and Family

We three stayed in Cumberland Gap National Park on August 8th at the point where Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee meet.  It was also at this point where we were reminded of how very hot and humid the South can be as we made the hike to Skylight Cave near the top of the Cumberland Gap. Daniel Boone led the way westward for millions of people through this gap.

In the car, Benjamin tried for many, many days to blow a bubble with bubble gum.  To his delight, he mastered the task and is now blowing beautiful bubbles to entertain us all! 

 

As we drove through Charlotte, North Carolina on August 10th, we were so glad to be able to stop at University Hospital to visit with Jerry's sister Beth Zaepfel, her daughter Lauren Pyles, and Lauren's two-week-old twins.  The twins are in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, but are doing beautifully and should be heading home soon.  We were so entranced with the tiny boys, that we forgot to take their picture!

After Charlotte, we decided to head back to Jacksonville, Florida a few days early to surprise my sister Melissa and her boys visiting from Germany.   They were flying back to Germany on August 11th, so we were thankful to have a short visit with them before they left. 

     

Abraham Lincoln and Mammoth Cave

We visited Knob Creek Farm near Hodgenville, Kentucky on August 7th. Benjamin is sitting on a split rail fence at this farm where Abraham Lincoln lived as a child just his age.

This cabin was owned by the family of Abraham Lincoln's best childhood friend. His own family would have owned a similar cabin.

Abraham Lincoln, our 16th President, was born in a log cabin at Sinking Spring Farm, Kentucky. On that spot this Memorial was built in honor of his 100th birthday in 1909. Several years later the same builder designed the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

Building with Lincoln Logs!

Later that same day we discovered that Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is the longest cave in the world and so different from Carlsbad Caverns which we visited in June. This cave system is like long tubes running for miles underground. Our favorite part was Fat Man's Misery where you had to squeeze yourself around and around the curving narrow walls. We wondered why they didn't ask weight and hip size before allowing you to enter!

Indianapolis

Indianapolis is home to Jerry's 95-year-old Grandma Rench.  It was a treat to visit with her on August 5th.  We enjoyed good meals and fellowship with her and Aunt Pat and Uncle Bob.    

Benjamin discovered how Great Grandma Rench's typewriter works and gave her great joy by typing a sweet letter for her.

Katherine introduced Great Grandma Rench to her 10-day-old great- great grandsons via the internet, born to  Jerry's niece Lauren and her husband Jeff Pyles, in Charlotte, NC.  Grandma was also amazed to experience a video chat with Jerry's dad via Skype.  She couldn't believe the new technology!  

The Indianapolis Children's Museum is the largest in the world.  Benjamin had a blast with all the hands-on activities and we all enjoyed seeing the King Tut exhibit.  

Indianapolis was the last stop for Katherine.  She flew from here to Jacksonville, FL to spend a few weeks with Penny's mom, as well as her aunt and cousins visiting from Germany, and her friends.  She'll head back for her sophomore year at Union University in Jackson, TN at the end of August.  What a blessing to be able to enjoy her fun sense of humor and sweet spirit for the entire summer.  We're so thankful for her journalism internship which allowed her to work remotely from any location throughout our travels via the internet.

The Amish of Northern Indiana

We spent August 3rd and 4th in Shipshewana, Indiana among the Amish.  Penny finds their peaceful life fascinating.  It is an intriguing idea to remove yourself from the modern conveniences of this world to draw closer to God.  There's a lesson for us in their simple way of life.  

We learned about Amish history and beliefs at a local museum, experienced an Amish flea market, and thoroughly enjoyed driving around observing their homes and way of life. We all learned that we don't burn off nearly enough calories to eat delicious traditional Amish meals on a regular basis.  There were so many pictures of Amish people, especially children, that we wanted to take, but out of respect we obstained.   

We saw miniature ponies everywhere.  Benjamin enjoyed feeding and petting the ones in the field next to our campsite.  

The Land of 10,000 Lakes

As we crossed into Wisconsin on July 31st and then drove across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, we were treated to glorious views of the Great Lakes. Benjamin was thrilled to stop to fly his kite and play in the sand. Swimming was definitely not possible in those icy cold waters. It wasn't long before we found ourselves talking like these Upper Peninsula (UP) folks, or "Youpers" as they're called. We sounded an awful lot like Tina Fey as Sarah Palin!

Benjamin and Katherine talked Jerry into paddleboating at our campsite in Iron River, Wisconsin.

As we crossed the Mackinac Bridge on August 2nd, which connects the Upper and Lower Peninusulas of Michigan, we had the privilege of seeing where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet. This is the third longest suspension bridge in the world.