A Lightning-Fast Trip Across the Country

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Greetings from the McAdventurers!

 

It’s been a looooong time since I made my last blog post–did ya wonder what happened to us?? My next two posts are a quick summary of the last few months to get you all caught up.  There are A LOT of pictures in today’s post, but I tried to keep it short on words. I hope you like it!

 

From Northern CA to the Jersey Shore in 8 Days

 

Yes, we are nuts.  No, we didn’t stop to explore anything. Yes, we were sad to have to pass by so many cool places.

But we were on a schedule to join my extended family for our annual vacation at the beach house in NJ, and onto MD for the church youth retreat, so we did not have the luxury of meandering. 

We had lovely weather and very little traffic on Route 80 as we zoomed from Walmart to Walmart, taking advantage of their free overnight parking policy for RVers. On the way across the states, we took pictures out the windows. I have posted some below so put your seatbelt on and enjoy. 

Scroll quickly for the best effect 😉  Just kidding.  Please read the captions.

 

MONDAY JULY 31-MONDAY AUGUST 7

Something very different to us was the many different kinds of plants that grow in the hot dry climates. Round Mountain, CA

 

Piles of dirt in Sparks, NV.  Excellent blue sky!

 

One of the things that surprised me was just how many different kinds of mountains we have in the US. And I know we have only seen a small number of them. Sparks, NV

 

OK, so we did stop to check out the salt flats in Utah, but it was easy because it just meant pulling over into the rest area. So, so cool! Can you guess which two family members decided to taste the salt? Salt Lake Flats, UT

 

I did not expect for my favorite place from the trip to be in Utah, but Echo Reservoir stole my heart. I think I’ll have to return to this spot to get it back one day. Anyone wanna come??  Coalville, Utah

 

Christmas colors in Coalville, Utah. Pardon the blur.  As I said, we were on a schedule 😉

 

We awoke to this sight in the Walmart Parking Lot. Pretty cool! Rock Springs, WY

 

We were captivated by the many trains we saw crawling across the landscape. Since the land is so flat without anything to obstruct the view, we could see all the cars at once, often with multiple engines. Elk Mountain, WY

 

In WY, we met the coolest lady biker on her way to a biker’s rally in Sturges. She and I were side-by-side taking pictures of the beautiful scenery. As different as two women could be, but joined in awe of God’s Creation. Elk Mountain, WY

 

Mooo! I love the contrast of the black cows against the golden field. Carpenter, WY

 

I don’t know what this is. But there are two of them on either side of an overpass in Iowa. Iowans’ tax dollars at work. Council Bluffs, IA

 

There are a ton of windmills across the country and they are a sight to behold. We saw mile after mile of windmills in the Southwest. You can tell these ones are not those because there is green on the ground. There is nothing green in the Southwest. These windmills are in Anita, Iowa. It is green in Iowa and I am very glad. I like green.

 

This is a SOY-BEAN FIELD. Not green beans. I said green beans on Facebook, but I got educated. SOY-BEANS. I had a lot of fun taking pictures here. We stopped at a real campground for showers and laundry. And a photoshoot of the SOY-BEANS. Kellogg, Iowa

 

M-I-SS-I-SS-I-PP-I River. I knew it would come in handy one day to know how to spell that! Hampton Township, IL

 

Messing around and having a snack at the truck stop in Lasalle, IL

 

So here is something a little different. A quarry in Thornton, IL. Does anyone know what kind of rock this is?

 

When I think of the Midwest, this is what I picture. Sweet little barn, fruitful fields and puffy white clouds pinned onto a blue sky. Is makes me happy. Howe, Indiana

 

This is me in front of a cornfield in Genoa, Ohio. It was a good hair day and I felt good so I took my picture 😉 All the other pictures in Ohio were just a rainy windshield. So this…is Ohio!

 

After seeing no rain all summer long, it was refreshing to find it again when we returned east. Sugarloaf, PA

 

Check out the fog hanging over the valley in Sugarloaf, PA

 

This is how we keep from losing our minds as we wait for Dad to level the RV. We finally arrived at our campsite at Belleplain State Park. (Notice that the RV door is open, unknowingly letting in about 100 mosquitoes that we spent the rest of the evening trying to exterminate.)  Woodbine, NJ

 

A most peaceful sight. Our home for the week. Belleplain State Forest, Woodbine, NJ

 

From Sea to Shining Sea! We made it to the Atlantic Ocean! Lilly and Chris in Wildwood Crest, NJ

 

Stay tuned for more posts over the next few weeks as I get back to writing!  Please say “hello” in the comments section.  We’d love to know who is following our adventures!

 

TO KEEP UP WITH US in real time, find us on Facebook!!

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Hi, hi, hi!!!!! We are in Erie, PA and heading south, trying to outrun the cold. Had snow and high winds in the night. After the oil gets changed on the truck we are on our way to Williamstown, KY to visit the Ark Encounter. Then…???? 🙂

      Reply

  2. Whew…I’m exhausted following your cross country trip. We have traveled across the states too…just by car and stopping at motels along the way. Lots to appreciate in the USA…nature’s beauty fills me with joy. What a memorable experience your family is having!
    Ken, Jarrett and I are flying to LA on the 17th for Maka Koa’s 9th birthday and Thanksgiving. Looking forward to fun days in Southern Cal.

    Happy Thanksgiving!
    Estelle

    Reply

    • Thank you for keeping in touch–you have always been good at that! I hope you have a sweet time together in LA. Please say “hello” for me to Ken, Jarrett, and Rachel!

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  4. Niiiice! Love the pictures. “Cows” might be my favorite.

    So glad you get beach time as well as the youth retreat. <3

    Reply

    • Thank you for following me and encouraging me over the last few years–your kind smile and warm hugs have really meant a lot. I LOVED the surprise on your face when I walked into church in August!!!

      I’m glad you liked the cows. They are very peaceful to me. And they don’t fuss like people do when I go to take their picture!

      It was a sacrifice to get back east so quickly, but we are learning to balance our plans with care for each member. It meant so much to Bethany to attend Worthy (and we are actually going to be in town when the group goes to Allentown and she is ecstatic!) Oh, how much we are learning!!

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    • Donna, you have been one of our #1 cheerleader! So glad to have you along by Internet! Hope you and your family are well 🙂

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  7. So fun! Were those cows or steer?! Love living vicariously! We hope to have a 5-week trip across the country in a few years. It’s terrific to see your pictures.

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    • Oh, I am so glad to see you following. Its never too early to start planning and dreaming! Will you go by RV?

      I thought they were cows, but I am a suburban girl. Do you think they were steer?

      Reply

    • Great idea–I will tell them! Bethany has her own “about me” page but I am not sure how to make it appear (!)

      We will be in Gaithersburg for the whole month of December, so I hope to get a hug then 🙂 The last I saw you I was being whisked away by a tornado of hungry children!

      Reply

  9. Yeaaah! You’re back on the blog! Our friends have been asking what was happening. I knew you would return. What a great visual trip across the country…super photography of our beautiful country! Those structures on the 24th Street Bridge in Council Bluffs Iowa are Albert Paley’s “Odyssey”. It’s art work! http://www.publicartandpractice.com/projects_24thstbridge.html I too like the little barn and corn fields of Indiana. Hope you get to a warmer climate before it snows. (that dusting doesn’t count!) Love, Mom

    Reply

    • Thank you for looking that up for me. I figured that structure was artistic and that’s why I didn’t understand it! I’ve got a nice math degree, though, so I guess I’ll be OK 😉

      We have definitely learned that RVing in the cold is not for the faint of heart. It’s warmer now in Kentucky. Going to see the Ark on Monday!

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  10. Thanks for the update! I love following your family’s adventures and Chris, I love hearing your “voice” in your writing. Great photos, too! Can’t wait to see what’s next for the Open Range Family…

    Reply

    • Aw, thanks, friend 🙂 I am eager, as well, to see what’s next for us! This has been quite a transition and we still have so much to figure out. Definitely will see you in December 🙂

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  11. Most Midwestern quarries are for limestone, since its geological history is as a shallow sea and limestone is pretty much the only valuable stone that forms in that environment. So I’d guess the Thornton quarry is limestone.

    Source: Grew up near there.

    Reply

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