Family in front of Canadian RockiesI can still remember the great feeling of anticipation as we pulled out of the driveway to start our first cross country road trip. Technically, we had actually driven cross country the previous year, but that was only a one-way trip home after picking up our new motorhome in California. This was the real thing -- 3 ½ weeks and over 6,000 miles of adventure ahead of us. The RV was stocked, campground reservations had been made, an itinerary had been obsessively prepared -- now it was time for some fun.

We were much better equipped than the previous year. We had our four mountain bikes on the back of the RV, inflatable tubes in the side garages, and even a 12 foot Avon inflatable raft, complete with 6 hp motor. The raft was stored in a big bag at the foot of the kids' bed over the cab, the wooden floorboard was stored next to the refrigerator, and the 6 hp motor was attached to the back ladder of the RV often eliciting inane comments from strangers, such as, "Can that little motor really power this big vehicle," as if we were some kind of Magic School Bus.

Once again, our friends the Kalchbrenners were going to fly out, this time to Idaho, to rent an RV and join us for the Glacier/Yellowstone part of our trip. We were looking forward to having another great time with them.

Our plan this year was to explore the northern part of the U.S. visiting as many sights as realistically possible on the way.

Road Trip Highlights and Lowlights

• Boating the stunning shoreline of Pictured Rock National Lakeshore after a torturous 2 hour approach
• Enjoying the desolation of Theodore Roosevelt National Park
• Leaning into the fierce winds at the edge of the bluff by the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton-Glacier National Park
• Alexis breaking her forearm in Yellowstone National Park and finishing the trip in a cast.
• Rafting and fishing the Snake River in Grand Tetons National Park
• Hiking the rugged terrain of Badlands National Park

Well, let's get started and hit the road!