Like many of my ramblings this time of year, I am drafting this in a hotel room miles from home. Spring break gave our family an opportunity to drive to a corner of the country many of us had yet to explore – New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Along with giant waterfalls and busy city sidewalks, we aimed to walk our kids through a bit of American history, as well, but I underestimated how much our history would speak to me of our present, how far we have come and how far we have yet to go. As I sit here now, we are halfway through this East Coast adventure, and what stands out above all else is how vast and varied our nation is. The way each of us experiences this country differs wildly based on the plot of land we are born to, the family and culture to which we belong, and all those constantly moving parts that mold us as we grow. When I travel these separate yet united states, it often feels like I am visiting new and different countries all tangled up together in a glistening web of dreams and disappointment.
Lessons from Canada
A few summers ago, I convinced my husband to join me, our rapidly growing fetus, and our two-year-old and ten-month-old boys, on a 3,500 mile, 13 day trek to Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. This Canadian adventure was the very first of what has become our annual (sometimes semi-annual) family road trip, these unruly journeys that have cemented themselves at the very top of my favorite way to travel.
Yellowstone: A Rocky Start
We leave on a Tuesday around dinner and make it to North Dakota exactly two days later. The drive takes 19 hours, but with three kids, a business meeting, 27 potty breaks, a roadside picnic, three underwhelming fast food experiences, one temporarily closed water park, and a whirlwind tour of the North Dakota Heritage Center, two days feels right.