A visit with the Eberlys in Ohio

This was our last stop before home! We stayed near Toledo, Ohio with my cousin Liz, her husband Kevin and their two adorable girls Abby (3) and Kaylee (1 1/2). It was so much fun catching up and seeing where they live. We stayed for two nights, and I can't tell you how great it felt to take a day off from being on the road. It made our final day of travel so much more bearable.

Abby and Matt enjoying the swings

Liz and Kaylee on the slide

Kevin's parents own a beautiful house near theirs with their very own pond! We had fun swimming and playing with the girls and enjoyed a BBQ dinner that night. Thanks, Liz and Kevin, for having us!!

The Bad Lands, SD

It took some pleading and convincing, but Matt finally agreed to stop and see the Badlands. We were just starting out on our 9 1/2 hour drive to MN, when I spotted the Badlands on our map. I had heard from several people that they were NOT to be missed, so we decided that the extra hour added on to our already long day of driving would be worth it. And it was!!


The Badlands are a result of years and years of erosion and sedimentation. It was cool to learn about all of the history in this area, and archaeologists are still uncovering more fossils to this day. You can check out more at www.nps.gov/badl/ . This was defintely unlike anything I've seen before!

Yep, that's Mt. Rushmore!

It's funny, after seeing SO many postcards and pictures of this tourist-happy monument, actually SEEING Mt. Rushmore with my very own eyes was a bit of a letdown. It was definitely incredible, don't get me wrong. But it was something about the tacky billboards and tourist traps leading up to the site of the 4 presidents that was a big turn-off. Luckily, as we entered the protected Black Hills, the billboards faded and allowed us to enjoy the natural beauty around us (ahh). EVERYONE should see this once in their lifetime. My favorites were the pupils of their eyes....they were completely carved out with a long, open cylinder inside. So realistic! Apparently the artist had plans to carve out completely down to the waist of each president, but passed away before finishing. So...this is how they will stay. Can you name all 4 of these guys?


Here's a shot of the campsite where we stayed that night in the Black Hills. It was just 2 miles from Mt. Rushmore and was absolutely gorgeous! It's called Horsethief Lake Campground, in case you're ever passing through and need a place to camp!

Matt cooking up some sausages, peppers and onions:

Bozeman MT with the Broomells!

We have been thoroughly enjoying our time with Chris, Sarah and little Iain in Bozeman, MT. Yesterday, we departed from our campground in Spokane, WA and took an easy 5 hour drive to Bozeman. Matt was starting to doubt my ability to pick good campgrounds (c'mon, it's all done over the internet!!), but I thankfully redeemed myself in Spokane. We had a little trouble finding it, but when we did we were so happy to see that our spot was steps away from a lake. After enjoying several dips in Long Lake (officially the Spokane River) we hit the hay and were up early for our next driving adventure.

Sunset at our campsite in Spokane WA

It has been so great NOT being on the road today!! We had originally planned on making the 2 hour drive down to Yellowstone, but decided to take it easy and enjoy the natural wonders right here in Bozeman. This morning we took a hike in the Gallatin mountains. The trail took us along a gushing creek and ended at a beautiful waterfall. It has been over 5 months since we've last seen the Broomells, and we have been enjoying all of the new things that Iain can now do! He loved splashing in the creek and violently shaking his head "yes" whenever we asked him if he wanted a cracker. He's such a cutie!

Chris, Sarah and Iain Broomell

Hiking in the Gallatin Moutains

Sarah and Iain at the creekside

Tomorrow we're off to the Black Hills, SD where we will experience Mt. Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Monument for the first time. From there we will camp a second night in Minnestota. I'll try to write again from Ohio, where we'll be visiting my cousin Liz and fam. Hard to believe we'll be landing in PA in 5 days!!

(Not) Sleepless in Seattle

We are about to depart Seattle, after spending a fun day/night with friends Ben and Debbie. We had a short drive (probably our shortest!) from Portland yesterday and got up to Seattle by 2:00. After finding Ben and Debbie's great condo, we wandered downtown by foot to the famous Pike Place Market. Even though it was Monday, the area was bustling with so many people who were soaking in the sights of fresh fruits, local crafts, and flying fish! We met up with Ben and Debbie after work and had some dinner at a local French restaurant called Maximilien's. Then they took us up to an overlook at sunset where we had the most incredible views of the city. We could clearly see Mt. Rainier in the distance...quite impressive! After having some decadent desserts at a local coffee shop/bakery, we were full and ready for bed. What a fun day!! Thanks Ben and Debbie, for being our amazing hosts!

Enjoying a gyro at Pike Place Market

Matt walking into the market

Delicious grapes

Today we depart for Spokane, WA where we will camp. Then it's off to Bozeman for 2 days! I can't believe that today starts our actual journey east. We've already traveled 1200 miles....about 3000 more to go!!

Road Trippin'

Greetings from the road!! With the Subaru packed to the gills, we hit the road yesterday morning and embarked on our first day of travel - 9 hours to Whiskeytown, CA. As we approached the old mining town, the car's outdoor thermometer hit close to 100 degrees. Whew - we were hot. Luckily, the Oak Bottom Campground where we had reservations that night offered a refreshing dip in the cool waters of Whiskeytown Lake. What wasn't so refreshing, however, was the smoky air from the nearby wildfires. To top it off, we had some rowdy camping neighbors who decided it would be fun to stay up (with kids in tow) until all hours of the night, screaming and yelling obscenities! This didn't really bother us, however, since we were still enamored by the comforts of our new tent, which felt like an estate compared to our old one.

Playing Rummikub at the campsite

Brickoven pizza....almost

We got up early this morning and drove 7 hours to Portland, Oregon where we excitedly checked into our hotel: The McMenamin Kennedy School. It's an old elementary school from the early 1900's that was converted into a hotel. We both agreed that this was BY FAR the coolest place we've ever stayed. With original blackboards and coat racks in our very own hotel room, we could play school all day long (OK my dream, not so much Matt's...). There's also the hallways full of art and photos, the "Detention Hall" (a bar with unique brews), the "cafeteria" - a great restaurant, outdoor fireplaces......aah a teacher's haven!

Matt got sent to detention

Were these water fountains always this low??

Tomorrow we depart for Seattle - only 3 hours away! So far we are thoroughly enjoying our time both on the road and at our daily destinations. What a nice change from the hustle and bustle that preceeded this trip....it's so nice to RELAX!!

Goodbye California!

We are hitting the road on Saturday...farewell Santa Barbara! We are so grateful for 5 wonderful years out here. It's fun to sit back and think of how it all unfolded....coming out here with just 2 suitcases, no job, nowhere to live.....we have come so far!! This "5 year vacation" as Matt likes to call it has been full of amazing experiences. So now we're off to experience more. This Saturday, we will be starting our road trip across the US. We'll visit some friends and National Parks along the way, and end up on the east coast where we'll bounce between Philly and Boston for 1.5 months. Then in October it's off to Berlin for 2 years!!

Another fun update is that Matt defended his PhD yesterday! He's now Dr. Harrington. I'm soo proud of all of his hard work...it all paid off! Here's a pic of us at a celebratory dinner last night with Matt's dad, brother, and adviser Herb.


Here's our road trip itinerary (for the moment anyway...). Check back for more upadates from the road!!



Saturday, August 9th – Depart SB in the AM. Drive to Redding, CA and camp in Whiskeytown at the Oak Bottom Campground.


Sunday, August 10th – Drive to Portland, OR (6hrs). Stay at the McMenamin Kennedy School (an old elementary school converted into a hotel!) http://www.kennedyschool.com/index.php?loc=57


Monday, August 11th – Drive to Seattle, WA (3hrs). Stay with Ben & Debbie and explore the city.

Tuesday, August 12th – Drive to Nine Mile Campground near Spokane, WA (4.5 hrs). Camp by the water!


Wednesday, August 13th – Drive to Bozeman, MT and stay with the Broomells!

Thursday, August 14th – Day trip to Yellowstone Nat'l Park with the Broomells. Stay with the Broomells another night in Bozeman.


Friday, August 15th – Drive to Black Hills, SD (7 hrs). See Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monument. Camp at the Horsethief Lake Campground (only 12 miles from Mt. Rushmore!)


Saturday, August 16th – Head towards Chicago (~14 hrs. away). Stop somewhere in MN or WI to sleep.

Sunday, August 17th – Drive to Chicago. Sleep in a hotel in the city!


Monday, August 18th – Drive to Toledo, OH (4hrs). Spend the night at Liz & Kevin Eberly's!


Tuesday, August 19th – Drive to Bryn Mawr, PA (8.5hrs) WE DID IT!!!!!!!!

The Red Sox come to California!

Yesterday morning we boarded our Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and embarked on our journey south to Anaheim. The Red Sox were in town, and we were not about to miss it! Matt desperately needed a well-deserved break from his PhD-mania (he is done in 2 weeks!!!!), and when we heard that cousin Katie would be in town, we knew we couldn't miss it. Taking the train was SO nice compared to the dreaded LA traffic. We boarded with a few snacks and some books and sat back and enjoyed the ocean views. We got there at 10:30am and the game didn't start until 1pm, so we found a Starbucks and relaxed until game time. After meeting up with Katie and her friend Fletcher, we found our seats and enjoyed some good baseball. Even though the Sox lost, we enjoyed the hundreds of Red Sox fans around us and even met up with Tarzan. We caught the 6pm train back and were home by 10pm. Overall a fabulous day!

Summer Solstice

June 21st was Summer Solstice and marked the annual official wierdo parade in SB. It's incredible. All of the crazies come out of the woodwork for this colorful, spirited parade. We're not usually around for this spectacle, but this year was the exception. It could not be missed! It was a blazing hot day, but that did not stop all sorts of people from coming out and celebrating summer. And I mean ALL sorts of people....

It's officially SUMMER!

It's hard to believe. It always is. It feels like it was just February and I remember thinking, "Summer will NEVER get here". But here it is, and boy does it feel great! After giving lots of hugs and shedding a few tears, I said goodbye to the students and teachers of Kellogg school, and jumped RIGHT in to summer living. For the first week of summer, Matt and I have been house/dog sitting on the riviera of Santa Barbara. What a spot! Here has been a typical day:
7:30am - Wake up, make coffee, eat breakfast
8:00 - Read the paper while sipping coffee on the front porch overlooking the entire Santa Barbara area as well as the crystal clear Pacific Ocean
9:00 - Matt works away on his thesis in the guest house, looking up every once in a while to take in the inspiring views from up here in the hills. I lay in the hammock for hours, reading my book and breathing in the aromatic breeze of the salty ocean mixed with the sweet plums, lemons, apricots and peaches growing behind me.
10:30 - Time for a dip in the pool! As the temperatures climb into the 90's, we seek relief by floating around in the warm pool, while catching some incredible views down below.
12:00 - A leisurely lunch by the pool
1:00 - Another swim, followed by a long walk that takes me far up into the riviera. I stumble upon one amazing view after another, and spot several lizards, a bunny, and three quail!
3:00 - Back in the pool. Play with the dogs for a while and then decide to look through recipe books to decide what to have for dinner (this, by the way, is the biggest decision I've had to make all day...)
6:00 - Dinner outside while watching the sun go down and cast a gorgeous grapefruit-colored shadow on all of the buildings below.
7:00 - Venture out to the front porch with a glass of wine and contemplate the meaning of life.

LIFE IS GOOD!

And the best husband award goes to....

On my birthday, Matt decided that since I didn't have a cake, he would make me cookies! I nearly fell off my chair. If one knows Matt, they surely know that he does NOT bake! He's going to kill me for posting this, but I thought it was the cutest thing EVER. He kept asking me questions (like when the butter was only slightly softened why it wouldn't mix with the eggs), but when I went in to the kitchen to help, I got kicked out. He wanted to do it all by himself. What an incredible husband I have!!!! (The fun didn't stop there.....the cookies were a hit in the teachers lounge the next day!!)

Where do we live?!

Upon pulling into my parking spot after an hour of pilates this morning, I couldn't help but notice this sign posted EVERYWHERE:

I chuckled when I read the part about how police are waiting at Los Carneros Rd. (which is ours!) trying to prevent the bear from crossing. I can just picture the cop out there waving his arms saying STOP! BEAR, YOU CAN'T CROSS! Hmmm....so far, no sightings here in family student housing, but a little crazy to know that he might just pop up in our back yark looking for a snack!

Birthday in Big Sur

<--I've always admired this beautiful bridge that sits atop Big Creek, but never imagined that we'd get the chance to camp on and explore the untouched land that sits beneath (and above) it! What a great weekend it was! I felt so fortunate to be able to celebrate my 28th birthday at one of the most beautiful places on earth....Big Sur. Our friends Adrianne and Tom know the reserve manager of the Big Creek reserve right in the heart of Big Sur, so off we went for a fun getaway weekend. Click here for more info on the reserve: http://www.redshift.com/~bigcreek/ The looming clouds began to break as we approached the reserve, and I felt so thankful that we weren't hindered by a cloudy/chilly weekend forecast. I couldn't believe my good fortune as we pulled into the gated entrance to the reserve. After setting up camp (and realizing we left behind one of our tent poles---oops!) we headed off for a hike atop Whale Point. This sketchy but exhilarating climb took us along the side of the Big Creek canyon, and landed us with the most incredible views of the Big Sur coastline. Here are some shots from the hike:

We camped down here!

The next day we headed out for some more hiking....this time we took the "Interpretive Loop", which took us through a redwood forest and up along a ridge overlooking the Pacific. Along the way we saw some interesting critters, and did a lot of birdwatching. Later, after relaxing at the beach and saving a drowning seagull, we cooked an incredible tri-tip dinner before heading to bed. This trip just further confirmed how much we will miss California when we leave in August....but for now, we are just soaking it all in!

The Great Outdoors

This Mother's Day weekend since we couldn't be with our mothers, we decided to spend some time with Mother Nature. We went camping with our friends Janey and Mark! We decided to venture to a new part of the Los Padres National Forest - the destination being a group of natural hot springs! The journey there was a little interesting....we drove along a road that sits atop the Santa Ynez mountains called Camino Cielo, which turned out to be a very bumpy ride. First, the potholes...then, the rugged dirt road for about an hour. Finally, we made it to our campsite, so glad to find Mark and Janey there! The best part about this area is that there were only a few other crazy people willing to make this drive, and we basically had it all to ourselves!!


We went on a 4-hour hike along the Santa Ynez River, which naturally involved a lot of water crossings. At first we tried avoiding the water, but by the end we took the fastest route and got over the idea of sopping wet shoes and socks!

Laura leaping across:

Janey jumping for joy:

Mark charging the river:

Matt, the long jumper:

Along the way, we saw 4 different endangered species AND a rattlesnake! It was all truly amazing to see, but when we encountered the rattlesnake and saw that Mark and Matt were willing to get a little too close for comfort, Janey and I quickly ran in the opposite direction.

After the hike, we searched for and finally found the remote Little Caliente hot springs, where we found two nude bathers! oops! They were thankfully just finishing up their soak, and that left the sulfur-smelling spring just for us! It was HOT and relaxing!

Then we walked to the Mono campground, where we found this really cool dam along the river. It felt sooo nice to cool off after a long day of hiking! Overall, an awesome weekend!