The 101

So...imagine you were in the wine country. Vineyards on every street, beautiful, organic, enticing farms offering food pairings and wine tastings and a hotel/spa on every corner begging you to come in for an afternoon cocktail and pedicure. Now imagine you had three small children with you. Ruined it, didn't I? That's kind of how Kipper and I felt while camping in the wine country for three nights. Ha!

We drove into the wine country and discovered pretty quickly that there are very few places to park an RV in Sonoma or Napa. We ended up at the Santa Rosa Fairgrounds. It's basically a parking lot with friendly folks and full-hook-ups, laundry and showers...but it was centrally located and fine for what we needed. Kipper found a work spot, and I did some research on what to do with kids in the wine country. Surprisingly, there are some options! It seems so much of this trip has been exploring all of the amazing things volcanoes have done to our world, and how influential they have been over the years to so many parts of nature. Sticking to that theme, we decided to visit the Petrified Forest in Calistogo. These trees were amazingly big, and when the volcano (at Mt. St. Helena) erupted, it knocked down huge trees and lava flowed through the forest. Many of them are still lying untouched, but have turned to stone. It reminded me of those ceramic tiles that look like wood in home remodels...except it was actual wood turned to actual stone! Perhaps the most interesting thing about this forest is that many of these trees were already 2000+ years old when the volcano erupted and knocked them down millions of years ago. That kind of time span is almost too overwhelming to consider and makes us all feel so small in the big scheme of life on earth. How could anything be that old and still exist?!

We also visited the Old Faithful Geyser of California, which is another effect from that same volcano. This was an interesting place because you pay to get in, but then you hang out in this park with hula hoops, board games, a petting zoo and picnic areas while you wait for nature to decide to spray this boiling hot water out of the ground...basically whenever it feels like it. Luckily for us, this time of year it sprays about every 30-45 minutes. But, there are no sirens or warnings to let you know it's coming, no bells and whistles about the show at all...just nature. So, we waited and waited and fed the goats and waited some more, played some checkers and all of a sudden out of nowhere, the geyser went off! It sprays for about 5 minutes and then stops...and then you wait again. It's such a funny concept, but the boys got a real kick out of the whole thing and we studied geysers that week in home school...so it was worth seeing it in person.

We did manage to visit a vineyard in Healdsburg, and it happened to be one with really friendly staff, and they let the boys pick grapes, taste the different varieties and even take some home to make their own grape juice (which was actually delicious!). We also spent a couple of nights in downtown Healdsburg after school/work and enjoyed their delicious restaurants (our fave was The Shed, thank you Hermsen's for that recommendation!) and one of the best dessert spots ever! (Noble Folks on the square)

The rest of the week we caught up on some school and then headed into San Francisco on a Friday. If you google where to camp with an RV in SF...you'll discover there are about two locations (which are booked solid) and they are $100+/night...so we stayed with an old friend in Berkeley and saved our money. It was such a treat! We went to high school with Carrie...and now she is a mama of two boys and lives in Berkeley with her hubby and pup. Their home had incredible views of the city; their sweet family graciously gave a place to call home for the night and fed us a beautiful dinner. We hiked right out their front door to a nearby steam train for a little train ride, then hiked back. It was a real treat for our little train-lover and the hike was beautiful (minus the poison oak...which we avoided by some miracle! Yay!) It was so awesome to catch up with Carrie...it's probably been 15+ years since I've gotten to see her...but it seemed no time had passed, and I was thrilled to get to reconnect with her. Sending a huge thank you and big love to you Scarvie family!

We planned to see some sights in SF, but on our drive out of town, we decided to drive past the Golden Gate Bridge...and head out of town to less traffic and more peace and quiet again. We realized that we liked being near civilization...there are many conveniences we had missed these last few weeks...but we didn't want to be THAT near it. We wanted a town that offered ATM's and wifi...but when we start seeing Kohl's and Applebees...we run for the hills (or ocean) again!

Our next reservation was at Santa Cruz Redwoods RV Resort...and it was AMAZING! What a place to spend your birthday! Those trees...Oh my goodness, those trees...they are huge; they are peaceful and they are beautiful. There's a vibe in the Redwood forest that feels so safe, so established, so close to nature, so protected because these several hundred-year-old grandaddy trees are standing tall and you feel sheltered by them. I tried to take good pics, but you really need to come stand beneath them and look up yourself...I will never forget waking up in that forest. We spent some time in Santa Cruz, enjoyed the local antique market, boardwalk, downtown Santa Cruz, and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. We saw trees in the state park ("Redwood Grove") that were big enough for ten people to wrap their arms around and looked as high as the clouds. You could crawl through them, sit under them and something about these big guys made you want to give them a big hug. You know how sometimes when you plan a trip to somewhere you've never been...and you envision it one way, but then you get there and it's not like you dreamed it would be...like the brochure made it seem so much more magical than it really is. Well, this was the opposite of that...the Redwood Forest pleasantly surprised us....it was so much more captivating than we expected, and the energy at this specific campground was fun. We had a hard time leaving this one.

From Santa Cruz, we headed down the coast. We stopped in Monterey so Kipper could find a work-spot and the kids and I could visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. This was an aquarium on the ocean with fresh ocean water flowing in for many of their exhibits, and it's a pretty amazing place. I appreciate the work this place is doing to maintain a healthy ocean, help under-populated sea animals and help promote a more ocean-conscious world. Most of their exhibits are with rescued animals, and they keep them until they can release them back into the ocean if possible. They don't keep animals there just for our entertainment, and they have several wonderful ways for us to learn about creatures in the sea without having to see one in person. It was really educational for the boys to see how many different ways we over-fishing in the United States, and how important it is to be thinking about where our food comes from. Highlights - We watched a documentary about the Great White Sharks and how little we really know about them. They have a reputation for being nomads, but this aquarium has been tracking many of them with small gps tags and have learned that they always return to where they came from. No one has yet to find where their breeding grounds are, and no one has ever seen a Great White Shark give birth. They remain a mystery, but a lot of information is surfacing from the research today...without even taking them out of the ocean. 

We learned that the kelp forest on the ocean floor is much like the forest we had just been sleeping in...and like most things in nature, one thing depends on another there for survival. Unfortunately, the sea otters population is decreasing rapidly (likely due to ocean environment) and this is making the kelp forests also disappear. The sea otters eat the sea urchins, the sea urchins eat the kelp...if there are fewer otters, there are more urchins and the kelp forests disappear. Once again...nature is amazing, so strategic and it was captivating to learn about a little more of it here. 

looking for dolphins and whales

the jelly fish exhibit was SO cool! 

Next we drove down to Carmel by the Sea. We only stopped in this gorgeous little beach town for dinner, but it really was breathtaking. The beach there is white sand that feels like all-purpose flour. It kind of felt like a paradise you needed a special invitation to visit...but that didn't stop us from parking the Airstream in the middle of town to play by the water for awhile. 

Next we stopped in Morro Bay for two nights, and our campsite was basically on the water. We walked through a little gate and you were on the sand. The bike trail into town was right outside of our campsite, and after a quick five minutes of pedaling, you arrived at the heart of this little fishing bay. It was a breath of fresh air to see this community. It's the perfect balance between peaceful and naturally beautiful...but not entitled or pretentious. We only planned to stay for one night here...but liked it so much we couldn't leave right away. 

We planned to stop in a couple more coastal towns, but we needed to be in San Diego by Friday to hang out with some family, so we booked it straight there a little earlier than planned. We were feeling the need to spread out a little and enjoy the comforts of home (at Jaime's home of course ;). The Launais' have taken us in so graciously, and we're so thankful to have them in our lives...not to mention all they've done for us this week. We celebrated Kipper's birthday this weekend, and went surfing in La Jolla and out to dinner. 

He also got a haircut and a shave...here's what six weeks in a camper looks like. (before and after) Ha! It's amazing what a little civilization will do to ya! Notice I didn't post any pics of myself here...no way! 

Kipper heads back to Colorado for work tomorrow, and the kids & I will stay here for the week and enjoy San Diego. We don't like to see him go, and miss him so much while he's away, but we are so grateful for his job and what it allows us this year. I get to spend more quality time with Jaime,  Jon, Niko & Mila until Friday...then we'll head back toward Texas (through the Grand Canyon) next weekend. Our adventure has been so many things...I've been doing so much reflecting about how it feels to be so free. We've gained a lot of perspective and so far, my favorite part is watching the kids see something they've never seen before...over and over again. Watching them take it all in has been a blast. Living so simply is relieving...and it all just feels right. 

We do, however, look so forward to seeing our family in Texas again and spending Halloween and the month of November with them as well. Thanks again to all those following our journey...we send our love as always! 

xoxo, the Stiever family

The West Coast is Calling!

Wow, we got back on the road after a wonderful week in Colorado with such mixed feelings. Thrilled to be on our way to the coast, but sad to leave our old community there. We got to visit with some of our friends there, and we left feeling so sentimental about our sweet Colorado family. We didn't get to see everyone...but we cherish the time with those we did see. Thank you to all those who squeezed in a quick visit...it means so much to us to get to catch up with you! And thank you to our Pike Ct family...y'all rock!

So, we headed west from Arvada on Friday evening, and made it to Rawlins, WY. Gosh...I can't even remember what that campsite looked like! We only stayed there for a quick overnight...then kept right on going. We drove through Park City, UT and had lunch. I must go back to that adorable little town when I don't have three kids with me! 

We found a campsite in Willard Bay State Park (south marina) and although the campground itself was basically a marina parking lot with some trees and hook-ups, the views of the beach were so beautiful. Another quick stop...but wow it was beautiful.

One of my favorites so far was seeing the Salt Flats and all of the salt beaches along the Great Salt Lake. I realize it's called "Salt Lake," but I never really knew it was so...well...salty! So...let me re-phrase that...I knew it was salty...but there are HUGE piles of salt along the way, and it feels like you're driving through Antartica...it was unexpected beauty. I thought it would look like a big lake. ;) The lighting there was kind of magical because the ground matched the sky...it was surreal to stand in it. I kept feeling like I needed to grab my down coat for when we got out of the car...but it felt like summer outside. We were so curious, we pulled over on the side of the road so that we could touch it...and I am pretty sure Bodhi tasted it.

That night we decided it was Oregon or Bust! The beach was calling our name, and we came running! We found ourselves on this road of literally not one single thing. I think it was Highway 114...the absolute middle of nowhere is such an understatement. Thank goodness we had a full tank of gas because soon after making that turn, we saw a sign posted that read, "no gas for 179 miles." Not only was there no gas...there were no humans, no cell service, no buildings, no homes, no nothing...actually there were a LOT of animals. Warning signs included deer, cows, horses, donkeys, antelope, mountain goats...and something that looked like a dancing cow with horns (we think it was bull?). We saw about 20 deer...but the others never crossed our path. I was kind of terrified...what if we had car trouble? What if we ran out of food? What if I needed to check my Instagram account?! Obviously we survived...but it was a little scary! I've never been so happy to see a gas station in all my life. We were leaning dangerously close to the gas light when I saw that Shell station!

We did make it to Oregon...Klamath Falls. We parked there for three nights so Kipper could work. He found an awesome little wifi shop for people working remotely...it was owned and operated by other computer dudes who also love Landcruisers...so he was in heaven! While in Klamath Falls, we visited the Lava Beds National Monument (technically in California...but only about 45 mins away). Holy smokes (pun intended) another mind-blowing thing nature has done. When the volcanoes erupted (10-600,000 years ago...varying), hunormous (B's word) piles of lava flowed and created these big lava tubes, which plowed through the earth. As it cooled, the lava tubes cooled and remained in their tube-like shape (which look like huge water slides through the ground). So, today when you visit, you can follow the lava's path down into these amazing dark caves. You wear helmets and take flashlights...and there are bats. So, I waited at the trailhead for two of them...but most of them were thrilling to see. We all thought it was kind of amazing that they let you take self-guided tours into them...and we were all a little overwhelmed, once again, that nature can be so powerful. Again and again on this trip, we have been reminded that earth is a pretty amazing, powerful, intentional place...and it's so much bigger than we could ever wrap our minds around. It's massiveness has our family hooked, and we are equally in awe and living in honor of it's beauty this year. And...to top it off, our favorite song "Lava" came on our KidsPlace satellite radio channel...we lava that song so much and it was divine intervention that it played on our drive home. ;)

On our way toward the coast later that week, we stopped at Crater Lake National Park...another jaw-dropping sight. No streams or rivers feed this lake...it was formed when a volcano erupted and collapsed over 7,000 years ago...and now it's known as the cleanest water in the world. It has many rare species living in it, and because it sits alone, untouched by other bodies of water, it has a quiet, entitled, grandness that feels almost eery when you walk up to it. Perhaps it's depth added to that for me...in its deepest part, the lake is 1,900 feet deep! The water was SO clean and so blue; it was a magical place to see. Owen is always talking about inventing a time machine (thanks to Back to the Future Aunt Jennie ;) and if he pulls it off...I'd like to go back to the day this volcano collapsed into the earth to cause such a huge (4x6 miles) crater...from a helicopter of course, while sipping a glass of wine...then I want to come back to the present right away. ;)

From Crater Lake, we headed straight west for the ocean. We have been talking about camping near the ocean for MONTHS, and we could smell the salt water...we were ready for the beach! We stayed in Sunset Beach State Park...which was like a tropical forest with campsites. Again, we pulled in at night and didn't see how beautiful it really was until the sun came up (and the fog lifted). Very green, very damp, and then the sun comes out around 11am and tide fills up and the beach is beautiful and there are trails everywhere through the forest...and it was a whole new world for us. It was a bit cooler than we anticipated, but we managed to dress in layers and enjoy the beach just the same. It didn't stop the kids from jumping right in the water. 

Kipper worked in town at the one place in this fishing village with wifi, and we met some veteran crabbers. They told us to go buy a crab net ($20) and toss it off the dock to catch some dinner...so we did! Turns out, that's what people do in Coos Bay...especially on Friday nights. The city docks were full of people tossing in their crab nets, and since the Red Rock Crabs are so over-populated, there were plenty and you can keep all sizes. The other varieties had size limits (can't take the small ones), so they were more work...but it was a lot of fun for the boys. You toss about 90% back in the water, so their favorite part was chasing these fast little critters on the dock and helping them find their way back in the sea. Kipper learned how to clean them, and we boiled them up in the camper. (thanks to our camp neighbors...they loaned us a pot!) We had crab as our appetizer and local salmon for dinner. It was a real education for all of us to see that process, and it sure was delicious! We also had a couple of sea lions visit us on the dock, which we were SO excited about on the first day. But the second day...we realized they are everywhere in the bay...but honestly I was amazed every single time one swam up. It didn't get old to us! They look and act like big labrador retrievers.

From Coos Bay (Sunset Beach State Park), we drove south on highway 101 to Harris Beach State Park in Brookings, OR (just north of the California border). This state park is located across the street from a gorgeous beach, and your campsites look down onto it. The sunsets were so clear and so beautiful, we raced to see them each night before they sank beneath the surface (which happens fast!). We will miss that sky! The kids played in the water, on the sand, built teepee's and sand castles and jumped waves for hours. Brookings is another little fishing village...quaint, slow-paced and there's not much here. A grocery store, a harbor with an ice cream shop, and a few other local spots. I went to the laundromat and asked if anyone knew where an ATM in town was...and they looked at me like I was crazy..."the bank of course." (and that's about it!) 

Leaving Brookings today and heading south toward Sonoma. We have loved these slow-paced Oregon communities, but we are a little excited to get back into a little civilization. We desperately need a laundry room, and it will be nice for Kipper to have a few options for places to work...as opposed to the one coffee shop in town with wifi. He's gotten to know some of the Oregon locals pretty well since he's been sitting in their coffee shop for an entire day here and there! 

Speaking of Kipper...I must mention that there is NO way we'd be this far along on this trip without him. Our Airstream has been our haven, and each time we set foot in it, it really does feel like our home. But...it is a 1972, and we've had a few hurtles along the way. The hot water heater stopped working...and Kipper replaced the thermostat and the switch so we could continue to have hot showers. Our plumbing in the kitchen and bathroom (shower, not the toilet!) have been leaking on two different occasions...and he replaced the plumbing last weekend. When we came over Cottonwood pass in Colorado, it was a bumpy dirt road for about an hour, and several door latches and trim pieces shook loose...and he has repaired all of it. We are all so grateful that he knows all that he does...and we're giving him a huge shout out here! 

I know I keep saying it..."this place is amazing!" and "this was the most beautiful place we've seen" and  so on...but it's true! What I continue to realize again and again on this trip is that our world is such an extraordinary place, nature is mind-blowing and there IS still so much good in the world. I think when we get in our routines at home...we read a lot of negative news, and hear about all the hate and devastation in the world. That all exists too...no question about that. But, when you're on the open road, driving one mile at a time across the country...you get to see so much beauty. In the land, in the national treasures (thank God for these priceless national parks!) and in the people you meet. It's given me hope and reminded me that we are so fortunate to live here. It reminds me that we must remain humble and grateful and always make time to stop and take it all in. 

Homeschool continues, and we have easy days with fun adventures for field trips and we have days when the boys act like I am literally torturing them for making them read a book. I have a great appreciate for teachers in a way I have never realized. Sometimes Sawyer is a sweet boy in the background playing int he sand or with his trains and sometimes he is climbing all over Owen while he's trying to read his chapter books...but in the end it all works out somehow. 

So, we are off! Heading south...and we'll be in touch. Sending love! 

Kipper, Cary, Owen, Bodhi & Sawyer Bean