Phase 4: Complete

 Briefly stopped at home for a night... and collected some kids to take up north for the 4th. Finally a car that looks normal for the summer!

Not the best pic though lol

The dogs got along like siblings:

And we had a great day boating on the 4th!

But when it rained - Indiana Jones came to the rescue:

And after a few days of family, my adventure has come to an end.

And... the return home. With a bonus child.

Lessons:

1. When did Abe become so funny?

2. Learn to play darts to avoid the longest game of darts in history. Definitely comparable to that longest game of pool with Charlie in Florida.

3. Three weeks consecutively might be too long to be gone for a year 1 of marriage. Maybe save it for year 10 or 15?

I managed to put 5,413 miles on the car in a few weeks - most of that solo driving, which means I found a new podcast and listened to 2 audiobooks - one being a Stephen King, so that got me through along with all of the music.

This summer feels the most weird yet. The kids are definitely growing up and not needing their mom - especially now that they are working, driving, full of social lives. I've always counted the summers I have left with them by how many before they move out, but it is looking like as soon as the first one goes, family road trips look...different. Optional. I'm struggling with this almost empty-nest feeling, and I can see why parents look forward to grandchildren. I would like to state here that I am NOT in fact ready for grandchildren, in case the kids are reading this, but I understand that feeling of wanting to recapture what life was like when the kids were young. Parenting is that strange mix of wanting them to grow up and be mature and make good choices but also stop growing, stay innocent, keep finding joy in everything. In the little things especially. 

Now I find myself with nowhere to be, no kids to drive to camp/work/lifting/etc. After being in that role for so long, I am struggling with what this new freedom could look like. But I'm sure I will find a way to fill my time. Summer blogs may become solo trip blogs, couple trip blogs, friend trip blogs, or single kid trip blogs because I'll never stop traveling - it's in my blood now. And eventually it will be the grandkid trip blogs - but not for at least 15 years (Hayden. Miles. Charlie.)

And we still have Hawaii to complete our 50 state adventure - summer of 2025 for the twins graduation. 

In the meantime... we will see where life takes us.

If you are still reading, thank you for traveling with me!

Adventure is out there!

🎈

Phase 3: Complete

 

Bar Harbor, Maine

Woke up in a tent - which is where I spent 2 of my nights. Solo tenting, although Hayden helped me set it up.

Night 1 was a good sleep, but I decided to try the air mattress for night 2. Not a good sleep for night 2. 

It rained. And rained. And just when it looked like it would clear up - it rained again. And the fog was no joke. This took several of the hikes I wanted to try off the list: Precipice and Bee Hive are semi-dangerous, but are not recommended AT ALL when it's been raining. Also- no point in climbing to the top if I'm not going to get the view due to fog. I managed to entertain myself while Hayden was at work.

I spent a good deal of time working while sitting in coffee shops. I could get used to that. And since the weather wouldn't cooperate, at least the tide did. I did a lot of tidepooling and a couple of hikes to get there.

I also found a winery.

And at night I would find a Hayden so we could enjoy some dinner.

There is a crab in this one, but it's hard to see.

Wonderland trail and Seawall trail both were amazing views. 

Checked out the lighthouse at Bass Harbor:

Went out to lunch and then became a pirate:

Got to spend Hayden's birthday with him... when he wasn't working.

His friends made him a Ween cake:

And because our whale watching tour was cancelled, we went and got his nose pierced instead. Seems like a fair trade?

And the food. Oh. My. The food.

Lessons from Maine:

1. I could get used to working while sitting in a coffee shop in a quaint little town. 

2. I was more comfortable leaving Hayden in Maine than I was leaving him at DePaul.

3. A little solitude on a trip (or a lot if you include all of the driving) is not a bad thing.

4. First time going over to Hayden's place to have coffee with him before work was, well, weird. Maybe surreal is a better word? When did he get so old?

5. Maybe explore with a map? Thankfully, my iPhone won't allow my trip to become a Blair Witch adventure.

Up Next:

Phase 4: 4th of July in the Northwoods

🎈