Amy Packer | FindPenguins

New Years in Key West Reisende
Day 5 AM - Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park
1. januar, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F
Continuing our quest to avoid crowds, Nate scored a big win with the suggestion to visit Zachary Taylor State Park on the westernmost part of Key West. On the way out to the reef yesterday, we noticed folks on a rocky outcropping, so Nate looked it up and read a bit about it and tossed it out as a morning outing spot. It was a good choice!

It was gorgeous to walk through the natural habitat and see trees and plants that have thrived in this subtropical climate for centuries. The trail opened up to the most lovely ocean view.

We spent a good while investigating tide pools and collecting coral piles and just admiring the sheer beauty of the place.

About the time we realized the boys were getting hungry, we stumbled upon the most robust and alcohol-filled state park cantina of all time. We enjoyed a decent meal with white sand beach views. The smoothies, sandwiches, pizzas and iced coffee fueled us up for the main event of the day, Snorkeling & Mangrove Island Kayaking.Les mer
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New Years in Key West Reisende
Day 4 - Key West & SNUBA Diving
31. desember 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F
After our eternal drive on Monday, it was a delight to be in the car as little as possible on Tuesday. Our big adventure for the day was SNUBA diving in the afternoon, so we spent the morning meandering around Key West. Unsurprisingly, lots of folks had the same idea but we did our best to avoid the crowds.

We snagged coffee & smoothies at the Southernmost Point and met some local roosters. The boys declared they had no interest in standing in line for the iconic picture with the dinghy, so we meandered on. We walked by Hemingway's house and onto the calm part of Duvall Street then headed back to the hotel to get ready for our afternoon outing.

When I was in Hawaii a billion years ago, we went SNUBA diving. It's basically shallow SCUBA diving, with the tanks on the surface and hoses connecting you. When I saw it was offered in Key West, I knew it was something we'd all want to do.

We set out on a boat called GOOD TIMES with 4 other tourists and a crew of 4. As we sailed out, I smiled at the array of quirky houseboats in the marina, no doubt part of the original Key West charm.

As we got closer to the dive site, the guides gave us basic instructions and tips. On the ride out I saw a sea turtle which was pretty wonderful and unexpected. The weather was absolutely perfect and the blue green of the ocean was unreal.

Once at the reef, we geared up and jumped in. It was mildly chaotic getting into place and managing the tubes and humans. It was all a learning curve, for sure. But despite the chaos,we immediately saw sea life - a stingray and gorgeous fish I don't know the names for. As we got our bearings, we began to explore a bit at the surface. In between Holden chastising me for not holding the raft exactly as the guide had instructed, Holden said a few times that he was a little nervous. He took a few breaths and didn't let those nerves deter him as he got the hang of it.

The excursion did not go without hiccups. Everett and his 0% body fat got super cold in the water and started coughing. Eventually the guide said it would be best for him to go back on the boat. The captain got him a warm towel and water while we continued on. Meanwhile Holden's weight belt wouldn't stay on, so he couldn't really descend too much, but he still saw a ton.

It was pretty amazing exploring underwater and seeing the coral up close. Every so often I would have a mild moment of panic and not be able to see Holden until I would look up we he gave me the okay sign as he hovered above us, happy as a clam.

As the dive went on, I began to feel a little nauseous. Being under the water that long was definitely a little disorienting, so I surfaced to catch my breath and feel the fresh air. I waved to E to make sure he was doing okay and he gave me a thumbs up. While I was above, Nate and Holden saw an eel swim below and Holden swears he saw a barracuda. The guides were great about pointing out wildlife and getting our attention with tapping sounds. Before getting out, I went down again and saw a puffer fish and more beautiful unnamed fish.

By the time we were all back on the boat, Nate and I were both battling a little nausea, so the ride back was a little more quiet but just as beautiful. Once back in the harbor I began to feel more like myself.

The biggest surprise as we got back to harbor was realizing that one of the houseboats I admired on the way out had suffered some kind of damage and was actively sinking as we passed by. The Coast Guard was on hand as everyone just stood by and watch the inevitable in progress.

Back on shore we waved goodbye to our guides and headed back to the hotel to shower off the saltwater and rest a bit.

Next we headed out to watch the last sunset of 2024. With so many folks on Key West, we decided to head up Highway 1 to catch the sunset in a place that wouldn't be crowded. We pulled into a boat ramp area and got out and talked about our favorite parts of 2024. Once the sun set, we headed to an Italian restaurant Nate found where I had the best lobster ravioli and the boys all enjoyed fantastic pizza.

We headed back to the hotel and bid farewell to 2024 long before midnight, happy & tired and ready for what the New Year has to bring.

Tomorrow, snorkeling and kayaking through a mangrove forest.Les mer
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New Years in Key West Reisende
Day 3 - Endless Travel Day
30. desember 2024, Forente stater ⋅ 🌙 75 °F
We got a late start on Monday. Everett had been up much of the night on Sunday with a cough. Who knew Florida had so many allergens? Not us! So we accidentally slept much later than we all expected.

After a late breakfast and packing and many more college tales, we hugged Bree and Chad goodbye and headed south.

Aside from big roads and fast cars, our main observation about driving through South Florida is that if you see a big hill, it's definitely a landfill!

Before venturing beyond the mainland, the boys made one request to stop at the Inter-Miami Stadium. We didn't get a Messi sighting, but did get to see where he plays. Fun fact: a private airport is right next door. The boys also scored a couple of bottles of Mas+, which E said "might be the highlight of the trip!" (Mas+ is Messi's version of Gatorade)

As it turns out, we were not the only folks who thought winter break in the Keys would be a good idea, because traffic was a MESS getting down Highway 1. The trip was supposed to take around 6 hours. I think we pulled in around some time after 8 hours in the car.

The condo that we're staying at was hosting a New Year's Eve Eve party, so after we unpacked, the boys got on their swimsuits and we headed to the pool for glow sticks, burgers and a fun evening swim. Once they tired out, we headed back to our apartment to watch a fireworks show from the balcony, then we doped E up with all the allergy drugs we bought on the way down and we all collapsed for a good night's sleep.

Tomorrow: explore Key West and Snuba Dive!Les mer
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New Years in Key West Reisende
Day 2 - Indian Harbor Beach & Area
29. desember 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F
Today, Chad and Bree took us to some of their favorite area spots. We started the day at the beach. Naively, Nate and I thought the boys would be content to just walk along the beach. WRONG. In no time they were jumping in the water, sprinting up the shore, tumbling in waves. At some point, I sent Nate and Chad back to the house to fetch towels and new clothes for our ocean-drenched duo.

For lunch they took us to one of their favorite restaurants, Backwater. Chad built the building several years ago, so if was fun to see his handiwork. And the food was so good.

Next we headed to a wetland refuge to walk off our enormous lunch and try to find some alligators. It was a really beautiful area with so many bird species. We only spied the back of one alligator, but that was enough for me! E and I nearly stepped on a Black Racer Snake which lives up to its name. It was so fast it was hard to keep track of!

After that, they took us by Lake Washington where we saw a Cottonmouth Snake (from a safe distance) then back over to the river that separates their island from the shore. We were keeping an eye on some storms rolling in but they wanted to make one last stop to see if we could spot dolphins. This was what Holden wanted to do more than anything. Eventually we saw a dolphin fin in the distance, then another. But sweet Holden was always looking in the wrong direction.

As the wind from the approaching storm was kicking up, Holden was getting upset that he wouldn't see a dolphin. We started to slowly head back to the car when he finally saw a dolphin fin in the distance. He was pretty pleased, at that sighting and was THRILLED a few minutes later when a pair of dolphins appeared really close to us and we got to watch them surface several times as they worked together. At this point the wind was really blowing and we made a beeline for the car.

We made it back to Chad & Bree's before the storm let loose. For our last night there, Bree made us a fajita feast with her amazing homemade salsa and Everett got a lesson about trying to wrestle a jui jitsu guy like Chad -- you shouldn't even try.

It was a really great day seeing so much wildlife and Chad & Bree's home turf.

Tomorrow we head to the Keys.Les mer
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ReisendeSo fun! I miss the beach!
31.12.2024SvarOversette
ReisendeIt had been so long since our last visit. It was really refreshing to be back. Hope you can make it again soon.
02.01.2025SvarOversette
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New Years in Key West Reisende
Day 1: Travel Day
28. desember 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F
Headed out today to start making our way to Key West. The weather was gray, chilly and foggy until we were almost to Florida. We had hoped to make it to Chad & Bree's in Indian Harbor before sunset, but alas, Florida traffic had other plans. The perk of arriving after dark was seeing the palm trees wrapped in lights, which Holden kept calling Florida Christmas Trees.

Chad and Bree welcomed us with big hugs and the kids quickly gelled over video games. They treated us to a feast of freshly harvested stone crab that they caught that morning from their own traps. They were INCREDIBLE and the boys got to try cracking the shells on their own. It really doesn't get much more Florida than that.

We stayed up late talking in their backyard while the boys swam in their street clothes in the pool. It was a pretty lovely first night in Florida.

We settled in for the night in their lovely newly built MIL suite. Just as we were about to fall asleep and alarm started chirping somewhere. We finally found it in the boys' room and Nate climbed up to take the fire alarm down. It kept chirping. We took the battery out. It kept chirping. Finally I took it to the garage where it chirped again and in my late night fog, I shoved it into the deep freezer by the door. We slept peacefully thereafter.Les mer
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ReisendeI’m glad you got there safely and hope the Air B & B situation got worked out. Have fun! I’m excited to follow along.
30.12.2024SvarOversette
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Summer '24 NYC & DC Reisende
Day 8 - Heading Home!
20. juli 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F
The boys lived it up on the last night of the trip with a sleepover with Griffin & Barrett. Saturday morning we grabbed donuts on the way to pick them up in the morning, said our goodbyes for now then started the drive home.

We got to see so many legendary sights on this trip, but we all agreed that getting to see some of our favorite people and the places they call home was the highlight for us all.Les mer
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ReisendeBeen fun to follow your trip
20.07.2024SvarOversette
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Summer '24 NYC & DC Reisende
Day 7 - DC & Takoma Park
19. juli 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F
After we saw the big landmarks on Wednesday, the boys declared the only thing they wanted to do the next day is go to the SPY MUSEUM and hang out with our friends, the Garners, who moved to the DC area last year.

The Garners met us at The Spy Museum and it was great for the boys to all get to run around and play their way through the museum. As an adult, I would now like to go through the museum WITHOUT kids and be able to spend more time with the exhibits. There were loads of interesting details about the broad range of tools & trades that encompass the espionage world.

After the Spy Museum we had lunch at a great Cuban place on the wharf, then Anabel took one for the team and took all the boys with her to a pool. With a few kid-free hours to ourselves, Nate and I visited the National Gallery. As a person who's been painting for a few years, viewing all that art by legends like Monet & Van Gogh was really inspiring. There were also a couple of enormous drawings of the Capitol, White House & Supreme Court that were incredible in detail and size.

From the gallery, Nate and I scooted our way down to a memorial for the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas McKean of Delaware is believed to be on of Nate's ancestors, so he took some pictures of the signature that is etched into the memorial stones. Next we headed to the MLK Jr Memorial, which is so beautifully done and includes many of his most impactful quotes.

Once we saw everything we wanted to fit into the day, we headed up to the Garner's home in Takoma Park, MD. We spent the evening catching up with them and an early bday celebration for Griffin who turned 12 the next day.Les mer
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Summer '24 NYC & DC Reisende
Day 5 - 1st Day in DC
18. juli 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F
Our first night in DC was pretty much a total mess after we arrived at our Airbnb. Among other issues, the electricity was off in part of it, after hunting for a while we finally got it back on, but then the new washer/dryer didn't work right, so we spent that evening wringing out our mountain of clothes until about 11p. The next morning we woke up to loads of thundering footsteps at 630a, so we were tired and cranky and frustrated.

While I spent the morning hunting for a laundromat, I dropped Nate & the boys off at the Smithsonian National Zoo to run out their energy. (The boys' energy, not Nate's. He was wiped out like me.) The Zoo was a great experience for the boys. While they did that, I alternated between laundry and dealing with Airbnb to try and cancel our reservation.

After a couple of hours of dealing with laundry stuff, I picked the guys up and headed to our one scheduled event - the Air & Space Museum. Our favorite things to see at the Museum were the Wright Brothers' original plane that they flew at Kitty Hawk. There were great interactive exhibits throughout.

After Air & Space, we started exploring the Mall and monuments. Holden was quickly crumbling from fatigue, so we grabbed some scooters and he quickly perked up at the prospect of riding. The Washington Monument was much more impressive than I expected. E has been most excited to see the Lincoln Memorial because of what's he's studied at school. His only disappointment was that he thought it would be bigger. I appreciated reading the words of Lincoln's address after being inaugurated the second time.

From there we walked over to the Korean Veterans Memorial. When I visited DC 25 years ago I took pictures of that memorial to share with my Grandad who fought in that war and was able to share some of that with the boys. We walked down to the WWII Memorial then found some more scooters and made our way to the White House for a quick pic. There were so many folks there we didn't bother staying too long.

We eventually made our way back to the car and hit up a local spot called the Banana Leaf for some great pan-Asian bites before heading back for the night.

While the day got off to a rough start, we had a great time the rest of the day. I feel really lucky that we got to share these places with the boys and am especially thankful that a cool front came through just before we arrived so it was much nicer to be outdoors all afternoon than when we were in NYC.Les mer
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Summer '24 NYC & DC Reisende
NYC - Last Day & Natural History Museum
17. juli 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 88 °F
After the late night at the play, we had a slow start to our last morning in NYC, but we made the most of it, starting off with a perfect diner breakfast.

From there we headed up to the American Museum of Natural History across from Central Park. The boys have watched all of the NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM movies, so had high expectations for this stop. Alas, they both lamented, "this looks NOTHING like the movie!" Despite that, they both had a great time exploring the museum. Holden was especially hooked right from the git go, spending at least 30 min in the reptile room and only seeing half of it before Nate finally got him to move on. The boys enjoyed seeing some of the artifacts/replicas that are characters in the movie along with loads more. Safe to say that Holden, especially, would be happy to go back and explore other areas again and again. I especially liked the Central/South and NW Americas sections.

Once we finished up at the museum we headed back to Hell's Kitchen for lunch, hugged Heather and Robbie goodbye and made our way to the train station to make our way back to DC.Les mer
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Summer '24 NYC & DC Reisende
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Day 4 - NYC - Park & Harry Potter
16. juli 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 93 °F
After some downtime, we made our way down to The Little Island on the Hudson. Little Island was developed on the remnants of an old pier and has an amphitheater and loads of native plants. It's a beautifully designed park not far from the Highline. The boys complained about how there are buildings everywhere in NYC, but this was a great chance to show them how the city creates green spaces. It was still hot, but the breeze from the river felt amazing. We also found popsicles that helped cool us down.

No trip to NYC is complete without a show, and this trip we joined the masses at Harry Potter & The Cursed Child at The Lyric Theater. It was a fantastic production with a solid story and incredible special effects. I will be wondering how they did some of the special effects for a long time. The boys really loved it.

The production was 3.5 hours long, so we weren't heading back to the hotel until almost 11. As we walked back, E was most astounded that so many people were still out and so many shops and restaurants were still open. He now knows what it means by "The city that never sleeps."

After over 19,000+ steps, we all collapsed into bed to rest up for our last day in the city.Les mer
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Reisende ❤️
17.07.2024Svar
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Summer '24 NYC & DC Reisende
Day 4 NYC - The Shops
16. juli 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 91 °F
After the Empire State Building, the boys felt their hard-earned chore money burning a hole in their pockets, so we started making our way to the LEGO Store, unsurprisingly we got sidetracked along the way.

We came around a corner and E's eyes nearly bugged out of his head and he made a beeline when he saw the Manchester City Football Club store. This summer has been full of soccer - the Euros, Copa - so he was stoked to find this shop.

I was delighted that he made us go in because that store had the most amazing air conditioning in the entire city. We managed to schedule this trip during a NYC heatwave. It was definitely hot, not quite as oppressive as we are used to, but still steamy & sweaty. Walking into that ice box of a store was absolutely divine. I joked with the doorman that having the best AC in the city must be part of the club's marketing to get Americans into futból.

We meandered a bit more, stumbling onto Rockefeller Plaza & Radio City Music Hall. Eventually we found the LEGO Store. I didn't really see the allure of the store but was fine to go there for the boys. But walking in was like walking into a fantasy land, it was such fun. I'm very happy to report that their prices were reasonable so the boys dropped more of their chore money there.

We finished up the morning by meeting Heather for lunch - the best slice in NYC, as multiple people told us.Les mer
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Summer '24 NYC & DC Reisende
Day 4 - NYC - Empire State & More
16. juli 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F
When we started planning this trip we did it primarily to introduce the boys to NYC. Their big requests were to go up the Empire State Building (ESB - or as it jokingly became known as the Eiffel Tower when E flubbed the name of it one time), Times Square & the M&M store, to see the Statue of Liberty & go to Central Park. We knocked the last two out in our first days and since we finally had a day of clear blue skies, we made our way over to 34th St.

Before we got to the ESB, we did a quick detour through Times Square, which wasn't too bad at 930a. Thankfully they weren't terribly interested in exploring more of it, so we hopped on the subway to 34th St.

I had been up to the top of the ESB one time when my Mom took me to NYC, but a lot has changed in the intervening 20 years. Instead of just cramming dozens of people into an elevator, now there's a whole museum and interactive element that was really well designed.

Once at the top, Holden made the most out of every viewfinder he could get his hands on. We were able to make out some landmarks and got some fun pictures while at it.Les mer
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Summer '24 NYC & DC Reisende
Day 3 - NYC (pt. 2)
15. juli 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F
After filling up in some great Chinese food for lunch we made our way over to one of the places that Holden was most excited about: The Ice Cream Museum.

Let's be clear. The Ice Cream Museum is light on the museum aspect, medium on the ice cream samples, but mega heavy on Sugar-fueled pink-fever-dream fun. Samples of ice cream abounded in a variety of different themed rooms. I personally love that right after the cotton candy room, the kids spilled into an indoor playground that would do well in Candyland.

At one point Holden said, "I am SO happy we came here. It's probably all the sugar that's making me so happy." Truer words were never spoken.

After the long morning of sightseeing and afternoon sugar rush we headed back to the hotel to crash, but not before getting sidetracked by the M&M Store. This was top on the boys' must-do list.

While Nate & the boys rested, I met Heather for a drink and we had some time to catch up one-on-one. Then we set out to meet the boys for dinner on the Upper West Side at Maison Pickle. Heather mentioned that they had the best French Dips and the boys were stoked to try, and also the 24-layer cake that we couldn't even finish between the 6 of us.Les mer
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ReisendeThat cake is impressive!
16.07.2024SvarOversette
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Summer '24 NYC & DC Reisende
Day 3 - NYC (pt 1)
15. juli 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F
We went hard on our first full day in NYC. First stop after bagels & muffins was at the 9/11 Memorial. The boys both have some general knowledge about what happened on 9/11, but it was a different experience for all of us being there and trying to explain what happened to these kids who weren't even born for over a decade after the attacks occurred. This was my second visit to the memorial and it remains a sacred and truly moving place to stop and remember, or as we were doing today, educating our kids about what happened.

After the Memorial, we got lost in the Oculus for a while before finally finding our subway stop. From there we made our way to The Battery where we checked out the sea glass carousel and hopped on the Staten Island Ferry to catch some glimpses of the Statue of Liberty.Les mer
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Summer '24 NYC & DC Reisende
Day 2 (pt 2) - NYC
14. juli 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F
From the train it was a straight shot up the subway to our hotel in Hell's Kitchen. We chose this spot for a few reasons - 1) close to Heather & Robbie's apartment, 2) close to Times Square & Central Park, both priorities for the boys, and 3) most importantly it's the only hotel I could find remotely within our budget that has rooms with 2 queen size beds - functional sleep is paramount for a happy Packers!

We checked in and promptly headed back out and to Heather & Rob's apartment a few blocks away. I didn't realize it had been over 2 years since we had last seen them at their wedding. It's safe to say the boys have gotten a smidgen bigger since our last reunion. The boys also loved playing with their cats and bonus dog.

We headed up to Central Park with Heather & Rob and of course E made a beeline for the Central Park boulders while Holden scouted the nearest food truck. We meandered through the park and wound up at the bar at Tavern on the Green where we shared some drinks & apps before saying our goodbyes for the night. We hopped back on the subway and headed south to meet one of Nate's best beds from college, Jon, & his family at their apartment in Soho.

Nate & Jon made the plan for us to meet there so they could watch the Copa America's Championship game. Argentina played Columbia and E sported his Messi jersey all day in preparation for the game. He did start getting a little nervous on the subway when he started getting unexpected - but good natured - attention from Columbian fans in their jerseys. He was relieved when they finally started walking in a different direction from us. There were LOADS of Columbian fans on the streets.

Jon's family welcomed us with open arms and we had a wonderful time catching up with them as the kids made fast friends. Jon also took us downstairs to his store's listening room which was a cool experience. It's a fully sound-proofed room that is slightly disorienting in its extreme quietness amidst the loudness of the city.

We finally headed home after 11p and we fulfilled Holden's NYC bucket list wish to ride in a NYC taxi cab.

Solid start to our first day in the city.Les mer
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Summer '24 NYC & DC Reisende
Day 2 (pt 1) DC → NYC
14. juli 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F
We started the morning off in DC. Since we had about 30 min to kill before heading to Union Station and it was a lazy Sunday morning with virtually no traffic, we drove through downtown DC on a mini-tour. The boys were excited to catch glimpses of the Washington Monument, White House, Capitol, Supreme Court and the legions of Smithsonians and as Holden said, "all those white buildings made with all that granite." It was a nice detour to whet our appetites for our official DC stops later in the week.

We easily made it to the station and onto our train. Yesterday it took us 9 hours of driving and only went through 2 states. This train ride was less than 4 hours and we'll traipse through 5 states, all of them new ones for the boys.

My favorite moment was when the train started coming into view of the NYC skyline. The boys lit up when they spotted 1 World Trade Center & the Empire State Building and Holden's eyes bugged out a few minutes later when I explained to him that yes, we were in a tunnel and that tunnel was going under the river.Les mer
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Summer '24 NYC & DC Reisende
2
Day 1 - Travel Day
13. juli 2024, Forente stater ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F
We hit the road for this trip on Saturday morning and made it to DC in time for dinner Saturday evening. Our hotel was in a great spot in Arlington. The boys played at a playground across the street from our hotel and in the pool for a while that night to get their energy out. And of course we got some ice cream at the park because what's a summer trip without daily ice cream?

Tomorrow we hop on the train to NYC!Les mer
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Nate’s got his game face on! [Julie Tumey]
15.07.2024SvarOversette
ReisendeRoad Warrior Nate smiles for no one.
15.07.2024SvarOversette
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El Potrero Chico, Mexico 2022 Reisende
Day 6: EPC & El Arbolon
31. desember 2022, Mexico ⋅ 🌙 68 °F
This day doubled as the last full day of our trip and New Years Eve! Dad and I began the day with a 5 mile roundtrip hike to El Arbolon, a tree that is thought to be at least 600 years old. Once we got through the canyon that makes up EPC, we were surprised to find such a verdant landscape. As we walked, we realized all this greenery was due to a mountain spring that provides water for the town. Things began to get more lush and shady as we drew closer to El Arbolon and crossed over a small creek. The tree itself has an enormous trunk and branches so thick they seem to defy gravity.

We headed back and eventually met up with the climbing crew. Nate had picked out a section called Wonderwall that had tons of routes for both kids & their grownups. It was fun getting to watch everyone take on new challenges.

We followed that up with tacos at Taco Locos and hung around until the rest of the crew left for their new accomodations. We went back to our house and enjoyed a few margaritas. We finished the evening with another delicious dinner at Leo's. Since it was NYE, they were prepping for a big party to ring in the new year. We enjoyed our dinner and left the partying to everyone else.

Our last day was pretty perfect. Grateful to get to explore these new environments and do it with friends and family.Les mer
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El Potrero Chico, Mexico 2022 Reisende
Day 5: EPC
30. desember 2022, Mexico ⋅ 🌙 66 °F
Friday was one of the big days Nate had been planning since someone first floated the idea of this trip. EPC is famous for its multi-pitch setups, which for a layman like me just means you can climb really high a bit more easily.

Nate and David left before I even woke up and hiked up to the base of a climb called Excalibur, a crazy tall pillar connected to a fin that branches off from the main mountain. Others in our group had done the climb the day before.

While the climb was challenging, Nate said the hardest part was the scrambled hike to get up to the base of the pillar. They hiked through lots of overgrowth and scree just to get to it the starting point. Compared to that hike, Nate said the climbing wasn't too tough.

The boys and I made our way up to the viewing area and looked for a loooong time before we could finally find them on the wall. We got to see them make it to the top and see a few arms waving from the distance.

The rest of the day was very uneventful. A lack of communication from the rest of the crew left us a bit in limbo and we basically just killed time at the house. We ended the day with tasty fajitas and margaritas and a few games at the house.Les mer
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El Potrero Chico, Mexico 2022 Reisende
Hidalgo: Day 4
29. desember 2022, Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F
After a full day of climbing on Wednesday and a big climb on the horizon for Nate on Friday, Thursday was a rest day. We had a lazy morning then walked into town to restock on a few supplies. In town we ran into others from our crew and the kids made the most of the 1980s playground.

Once we made it back, the kids and I made some paintings while the guys scouted routes for their climb the next day.

We finished the night at another local restaurant called Checo. I chowed on some delicious chicken mole while Dad accidentally ordered the biggest beer I've ever seen. Now we know when something says GRANDE it means GRANDE.Les mer
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El Potrero Chico, Mexico 2022 Reisende
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Day 3: EPC
28. desember 2022, Mexico ⋅ 🌙 70 °F
Tuesday we all headed up to EPC for a day of climbing. Holden was not interested in getting on the wall, so he and Papa hung out in a dry creek bed and threw a thousand rocks. I woke up feeling pretty rough from a poor sleep and with a constellation of canker sores in the back of my throat. Thankfully a good dose of ibuprofen and extra coffee from someone selling it on the side of the road helped perk me up. That and the 1.5 hr nap I took when we got back to the house that afternoon.

While Holden and I were not in the best of moods at the beginning, Everett & Nate were keen to get back at it, along with the rest of the crew. They climbed in an area called Moto and our group pretty well took over the section. It was fun watching the kids try new things and making it beyond their original comfort zones. Holden and Papa headed back to the house after watching E climb a time or two. Everett got a little stuck leading a 5.8 climb and learned a few good lessons about knowing his limits and when to let things go. Overall the kids did great and the adults got some good runs done in between.

Dinner was an absolute feast. We got tamales from a place our host recommended and cooked side dishes. Dan showed up at the house like the victor of an ultra marathon with 100 tamales in his backpack. Holden wanted none of them, but the rest of us sure did.

While we enjoyed the evening as a group, my Dad -- always a tamale hater -- headed back to Leo's. In true Terry Burr fashion, he wound up being befriended by the owner. Between Leo's basic English and Dad's translator app, they wound up having a great evening. Leo gave Dad a tour of his restaurant and he came home a full and happy man.Les mer
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Reisende It appears Owen has good taste. Is that an Argentina shirt I see?
29.12.2022Svar
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El Potrero Chico, Mexico 2022 Reisende
Hidalgo: Day 2
27. desember 2022, Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F
Day 2 we went our separate ways. Nate and Everett headed up to EPC and Holden, Dad and I made our way back into town. Tuesday is a market day and I wanted to see what that was all about. Mostly it was like a flea market with lots of shoes, clothes, electronics & produce for sale. We didn't find anything worth trying to translate for, except the street corn. I was thrilled when I saw that and happily waited in line for some. On our way back Holden was not happy about another long walk. The traveling gods must have heard his despair. A truck pulled up with a local driver and a bunch of Americans and they asked if we could use a ride. So that's how Holden had his first hitchhiking experience! He was giddy about getting to ride in the bed of a truck for the first time.

While we were in town, Nate and Everett headed up to EPC to climb. They both seemed happy and pleased with what they found and were ready for more the next day.

We finished the evening at a local restaurant that served margaritas bigger than my head.Les mer
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ReisendeV agreed with Holden on not enjoying the walking - until we had a beautiful ocean view to walk next to. 🙂
29.12.2022Svar
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El Potrero Chico, Mexico 2022 Reisende
Hidalgo: Day 1
26. desember 2022, Mexico ⋅ 🌙 61 °F
Day 2 of our trip brought us much improved circumstances! Our Wonderful host, Alberto picked us up at the hotel in Monterrey and drove us to our Airbnb in Hidalgo where we'll spend the week. The boys got another taste of non-American driving as the 4 of us crowded into the backseat and my Dad rode shotgun. Alberto speedily weaved down the road in a way that would get us pulled over for a DUI in the US, but here it's, just the way of the road.

As we got further away from the smog of the city, the mountains became more clear and impressive. We pulled into town and our host swung by the police station to let us get some pesos from the ATM. We cracked up that the first stop was the police station, but agreed that it's a good place to keep the money machine.

Hidalgo has plenty of modern services but is definitely a more rural and poorer town. Dogs roam about and are camped out at the gates of homes. Some are probably more effective security systems than others.

After dropping our bags at our cheerfully yellow Airbnb, Alberto drove Nate and I to the grocery store and walked through the market with us to make sure we didn't make too many cultural faux pas.

After settling into our charming house and resting a bit, we walked the mile to El Potrero Chico (EPC). Alberto told us that the name means Little Valley. As climbing goes, the volume of routes and ease of access is incredible. Looking up at the mountains, the climbers looked like colorful ants.

On the walk back, we greeted our friends who had just arrived and Nate happily headed back up to EPC with the guys to scout routes. The boys played and I caught up with the everyone.

We ended the night with THE BEST chicken I've ever tasted at a little restaurant down the road called Leo's. The food was incredible and we all had a great time catching up. The boys also discovered SQUIRT soda and are now big fans of new things in Mexico.

We headed to bed early, happy with our first day and ready for what the week brings.Les mer
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El Potrero Chico, Mexico 2022 Reisende
Travel Day: Wichita to Monterrey, Mexico
25. desember 2022, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F
It's not often that we start a trip from Wichita, but here we go! Let's rewind a few days... We flew into Wichita to spend a few days celebrating Christmas. It was a struggle bus of a journey to Kansas -- Holden started the trip with a fever, then E one-upped him by barfing at the gate in STL. It was an exhausting travel day, which pretty well set the tone for our stay in ICT. We arrived in Wichita the night before Winter Storm Elliot blew in and dropped us all into the coldest and deepest freeze I've ever experienced. Wind chills were in the -20°s. Everett struggled with a gnarly cough all week, which has kept us all pretty weary.

Fortunately by the time Christmas rolled around, we were feeling decent and the Christmas spirit is always a mood lifter! We had a great holiday with my brother, his family and my Dad. This was the first Christmas without my mom, but we still found a lot of joy with each other.

Sunday finally rolled around and we packed up and headed to the airport. Because of the winter storm earlier in the week, flights were majorly disrupted. Our first flight was over an hour late and then we landed in time for a 7 hour layover at DFW (was supposed to be 2 hours). We killed time by riding the Skylink train A LOT and sitting wherever we could find space. Then the layover gods smiled on us and we stumbled onto the swankiest public airport lounge where we killed the last 2 hours of our layover.

We didn't arrive in Monterrey until after midnight and between waiting for customs, baggage and finding a ride, we didn't make it to the hotel until 2am. After a very long day, and an extraordinarly sketchy cab ride, we finally made it to the hotel.Les mer
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Summer Road Trip 2022 Reisende
Home!
28. juli 2022, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F
We giddily drove into town around 5pm on Thursday. As we made our way to our neighborhood the boys kept exclaiming, "I remember that street! I remember that building!" We laughed and gently reminded them that we have only been gone two months and certainly hoped they remembered these well-worn roads.

We parked the camper across the street from our house and hauled a few essentials into the Airbnb that we'll be staying at for the next 8 weeks while our house remains under construction.

After that we crossed the road and entered into the construction zone that is our actual house. Walls have been torn down, new framing is up, a new stairway leads to a hole in the attic. We made our way through the interior maze and onto the back porch, where construction on the addition has begun.

The biggest surprise came when we got to the back. When I walked up the steps to the backyard I literally gasped when I saw the (relatively) huge framework of the new addition. It's a bit surreal to see the paper concepts unfolding into real life.

After we scoped out the new digs, we were delighted to have an impromptu dinner with the Tumeys & Baileys at one of the boys' favorite restaurants. It was so fun to reunite with everyone again, a really happy ending to our long journey.

My final musings (for now) on this trip...

We covered about 8,000 miles of incredibly diverse array of landscapes. I hope I never forget the feeling of driving into Canyonlands the first time and just being floored by the magnitude of the monoliths and the vastness of those endless canyons. It was an honor to get to properly introduce the boys to the Rocky Mountains, especially when Holden kept saying, "it's nothing like I ever imagined!" It was incredibly special to get to experience new terrain like Arches & Canyonlands with them for the first time. And I can't imagine my body will ever forget the shocking sensation of plunging into Lake Superior.

As I'm getting older these new experiences are even more exciting and energizing. I am so grateful I get to experience them with my kids and Nate. So, three cheers to have this epic trip in the books, and a secret cheer for wherever we venture to next.Les mer
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Summer Road Trip 2022 Reisende
Indiana: Warsaw
26. juli 2022, Forente stater ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F
Our last big stop on this epic adventure was to see Nate's family in Warsaw, Indiana. We rolled into town with Coltrane literally laying on piles of laundry because we had accumulated so many dirty clothes while camping in Michigan. I do think he enjoyed the extra cushy ride!

After we had a chance to do MANY loads of laundry, we headed from our Airbnb over to Grandma's house where everyone enjoyed an endless supply of food and goofy kids.

We enjoyed a lot of good cousin, grandma & playground time. On our last full day in town, Kelley & I took the kids to a water park in Columbia City. They played hard for 3 hours and cleaned out the concession stand.

It was the perfect last stop and so glad we got to spend so much time with family in this stop and throughout the trip!

We left late in the afternoon when Nate finished working and made it down to Elizabethtown, Kentucky (our 14th state of the trip) to stay the night at a hotel.

Next stop: CHATTANOOGA!!Les mer
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