We are heading Southwest and want to hug some big trees and see a part of the world different from our own. We are writing this down as we go along so we don’t forget!
- Fall 2023 Smith Family Adventure!Seize the day! Last year when Caleb turned 10 years…
- What I’m looking forward to – by IslaAugust 28 What I’m excited about: I am excited to…
- What I’m looking forward to – by CalebAugust 28 What I’m excited about: I am excited about…
- Day 1/33: We’ve hit the road – by TracyI picked the kids up from school at 2:30pm and…
- We’re getting McDonald’s by islaWe’ve been driving for a hour now and we are…
- Were almost at three hours in to are road trip and I see a bunch of windmills l am really excited to go to Disney and I am also excited to hike the narrows.By Isla
- Day 2: Welcome to the USAWe spent last night at a Costco parking lot in…
- We just got past the border I saw a RAM TRX and a rivian r1s for the first time. We r in Detroit. Detroit is called motor city because so many vehicle companies were started their.
- We just got breakfast at Burger King and the ketchup said Utah day two of driving .By Isla
- Culver’sWe at Mark’s favourite burger chain!
- World’s largest truck stopOn the I80 in Iowa
- Iowa by CalebGoing through tones of farm land of soy beans and…
- Day 3: Colorado boundWe spent last night camped in the Walmart parking lot…
- I80There are large ponds all along the side of I80…
- Colorado – by IslaWe just got to Colorado and you can see a…
- Blue heat Takis by caleb
- Rocky Mountains by IslaWe’re driving through the mountains right now and we can…
- Exhaust breaks by CalebIn our truck it it a it has an exhaust…
- Day 4: Utah here we come!We camped in a Walmart parking lot outside of Denver…
- Utah!
- First day in Arches National ParkAfter we got settled in to our campground, Sun Outdoors…
- Fiery Furnace by IslaWe just hiked the entire fiery furnace. you have to…
- Happy birthday Tracy!Happy birthday to our favourite person in the whole world:…
- Arches – Devil’s Garden by CalebAfter supper we went on a hike 3 km. We…
- Canyonlands National ParkCanyonlands National Park is made up of three districts that…
- Island in the Sky – by IslaTuesday morning we when to island of the sky .…
- The Needles by CalebMy favourite part of the Needles was Cave Springs. We…
- The Million Dollar Road (that I never want to do again)
- Capitol Reef National Park by Isla
- Bryce Canyon City – Ebenezer’s Barn and Grill Dinner and Country ShowThe next two nights we are staying at Ruby’s Inn…
- Bryce Canyon National Park – Wednesday September 20We watched the sunrise at Bryce Point. It was 4…
- Horse back riding through Red Canyon by IslaWe went horseback riding in red canyon .It was really…
- Bryce Canyon National Park: Hiking the Navajo Loop/Queens Garden trail from Sunrise Point – by CalebThis trail took us to the bottom of Bryce canyon.…
- Bryce Canyon Queens Garden and Navajo Loop
- Sunrise and Cutting trees at Yovimpa Point by CalebWe went for a sunrise and people were cutting tops…
- Zion National Park: Thursday September 21The drive from Bryce Canyon to Zion through Mount Carmel…
- Zion – Emerald Pools by IslaWe went to emerald pools and we saw a tarantula…
- Zion National Park: Friday September 22Every time we get to a new National Park I…
- Zion National Park – MuseumAfter the sunrise hike we went to a Ranger talk…
- Zion – Weeping Rock
- Off roading: Saturday September 23 by CalebWe rented a Kawasaki Teryx KRX 1000 s special edition…
- Dinosaur tracks – by IslaToday we went to see real dinosaurs tracks they were…
- Arizona – hello and we will be backWe drove through Arizona and then cut across to Nevada
- Nevada: Boulder CityWe are camping at Boulder City Campground. We were expecting…
- Fishing at Lake Mead by CalebWe went fishing of a pear we caught nothing but…
- The Hoover Dam by Caleb and IslaWe are 10 minutes from the hoover dam. It is…
- Owl Canyon HikeWhat is a day on vacation without a hike?! Hiking…
- Fishing at night by CalebWe went fishing last night someone caut a cat fish.…
- California!We left Nevada early this morning and are heading now…
- Star gazing at Arches by IslaOn Sunday night we went star gazing . We laid…
- Bonelli Bluffs RV campground by IslaThis is our campsite. There is a big cliff down…
- LA by CalebThere is really tall buildings tons of houses and people.…
- LA by IslaWhen we were in La i saw the homeless people…
- LAWe had time this evening with no plans so instead…
- Tuesday September 26: Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park – by IslaWe went to Disneyland and Disney California adventure .It was…
- Disneyland and Disney California Adventure By CalebWe went on a big roller coaster it did a…
- Wednesday September 27: Fishing at Bonelli Bluffs by CalebWe went fishing caught nothing my line got tangled. There…
- DisneyWe left our campground in the morning at 6:10am and…
- Wednesday September 27: Pismo Beach boundJoel worked today so I took the kids fishing and…
- Thursday September 28: Pismo beach and whale watchingWe started the day with Avila Beach Whale Watching. Quote…
- Breakawave RodeoAs the kids and I explored Pismo beach while Joel…
- Friday September 29: Fishing at Pismo Pier by CalebThis time we did catch something! I hooked 3 fish…
- Exploring Pismo Beach by IslaThis morning we were walking on the beach .we saw…
- Hello San Francisco!
- Saturday September 30: San Francisco morning
- The Rock by CalebIt was a big jail. It was crazy big and…
- The magic in San FranciscoIt’s the cable cars and the people. End of story.
- YosemiteWe got settled into our Campground just outside Yosemite: Indian…
- Sunday October 1: Muir Woods by IslaToday we went to see the redwoods it’s beautiful and…
- Monday October 2Today we explored Yosemite National Park. The best part was…
- Tuesday October 3We made it out of Yosemite no problem this morning.…
- Wednesday October 4Today Joel is working and so am I. At lunch…
- Wednesday October 4Today Joel is working and so am I. At lunch…
- Sequoia National Park: Moro RockThis was another activity that we were part of the…
- Sequoia National Park: Giants GroveI found the trees I was hoping for today. Massive…
- Bear! by IslaAs we were hiking mom spotted a black bear in…
- Sunsets in SequoiaI’ve never seen such long sunsets in my life. The…
- Driving through a tree – by CalebIt was 8 feet tall by 17 feet wide it…
- Sugar Pine Cones by CalebWe found large sugar pine cones. One a squirrel ate…
- Moro Rock by IslaWe went to Moro rock and Caleb said that there…
- Thursday October 5Joel spent the day working. The kids explored the campground.…
- Friday October 6: Leaving Kings Canyon and heading toward the Grand CanyonJoel works again today so the kids and I spent…
- Leaving CaliforniaCaleb: I’m ready to leave California. We’ve seen it all.…
- Joel’s happyWe finally found a legit fruit stand!
- Loud planes by CalebYou would think it was a huge sequoia fell and…
- Long trains by IslaToday when we were driving we saw a huge train.…
- Hours and hours of drivingIsla: I enjoy the driving. It’s fun. (She sings 80%…
- Cracker Barrel by IslaWe eat at Cracker Barrel and the chicken was good…
- Multiple layersOne thing that is totally different from home is when…
- Saturday October 7We drove the few more hours from Kingman, Arizona to…
- Sunday October 8Caleb got a startle when he stepped out of the…
- Sunday October 8Caleb got a startle when he stepped out of the…
- Sunday Bike Ride by CalebWe went a 45 min bike ride around the grand…
- Bright Angel TrailWe missed the sunrise because we were busy watching the…
- Goodbye Grand Canyon
- Monday October 9: Lower Antelope CanyonHappy Columbus Day! In the Navajo Nation we did a…
- Glen Canyon
- “I’m pretty tired. I think I’ll go home now.”
- Monument Valley and Valley of the GodsThe kids cheered when we pulled back into Utah. We…
- The moon looks like someone turned it 90 degrees counter clockwiseThe crescent moon is on its back…I wish I could…
- Tuesday October 10Spending every waking (and sleeping) moment together we all needed…
- Mesa Verde National Park by CalebWe did a ranger guided tour of balcony house in…
- Mesa Verde: Cliff Palace by IslaWe went to cliff palace and learnt about the history…
- 8,572 feet above sea levelWe watched the sunset over four states. To the north,…
- There are stars but where is the moon?!At each National Park we have made a point to…
- Wednesday October 11Today we start our journey home with no big plans…
- Wednesday October 11Today we start our journey home with no big plans…
- Carne asada tacos in New Mexico by CalebWe got tacos and they were so good I got…
- Hello Texas
- Thursday October 12We left our campsite at Cracker Barrel in Texas around…
- Friday October 13: St Louis Arch by CalebIt was a massive arch first we went to the…
- Rainy driveAs we drive through Illinois and Indiana it was hard…
- Saturday October 14Another rainy morning drive. We’ve left Indiana, drove through Ohio,…
- Sunday October 15We are on our way home! It’s nice as we…
- Home!So I may have cried like a baby when the…
- 13,440 KMWe’re home! Over the past 33 days we have happily…