Tapas Camping in Rocky Mountain National Park

Our camping is like a tapas meal; a lot of variety but small intense portions. After we dropped our pop up at the Glacier Basin campground, our tapas serving of Rocky Mountain National Park started with a one-way trip up Fall River Road. It allowed us to explore the majestic beauty of the alpines with a side of nerves brought on by its dirt road precariously close to the cliff edges. Near the top of the road we encountered a herd of elk on the side of a mountain. We took our first family “elkie”. That evening Eli caught a nice brown trout at Sprague Lake. Early the next morning Sam was out of bed in record time. She was anxious to embark on the trail to Sky Pond. Due to 1700 feet of elevation change over the 10 miles round trip, the trail to Sky Pond is one of the most strenuous day hikes the park offers. On the way up, we were like fish out of water gasping for air because we are Delaware lowlanders. Eli commented that the hike took our breath away, literally. After we passed Alberta Falls and swichbacked our way to Loch Vale, our jaws dropped when we saw the Timberline falls rock scrambled before us. Ascending it was no easy feat for three of us however we discovered that Eli is spider-boy. At the top of the falls we were in a bowl canyon that had Lake of Glass, Sky Pond along with katabatic winds strong enough to send the yellow belly marmots flying. We were surrounded by rugged beauty like an uncut jewel. On the way down Matt caught a few fish but at about 2 ½ miles to go, Eli declared his feet were screaming at the top of their lungs. He spoke for all of us.

A better picture of the kids with the elk rather than our failed family Elkie
Sam and Spider-boy climbing up Timberline Falls
Glass Lake

Gateway Arch National Park

We left Mammoth Cave National Park early this morning and decided to stop in St. Louis to see the newly deemed Gateway National Park, aka St. Louis Arch. It did NOT disappoint! To reach the top of the arch, we sat inside a tram that is sort of like a capsule transport system that runs on tracks inside the hollow legs of the arch. It took us 4 short minutes to reach the top! While at the top of the arch, we could see the Mississippi River, the nearby courthouse and Busch Stadium. We learned that the Gateway Arch is a memorial site to remember the mass migration and settlement of the American West during the 1800s. We had a great time and highly recommend visiting the arch if you happen to be in St. Louis!

Gateway Arch National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the top!
Korin and Sam
Eli and Matt in front of the Courthouse

Click here for the Arch Trailer!

Mammoth Cave National Park

By: Sam

Hi there, Sam here. Today we saw something truly amazing: Mammoth Cave. Not just a big hole in the ground, this underground labyrinth, buried just beneath the small town of Cave City, Kentucky, is also the longest cave system in the world, boasting over 400 miles of dimly lit passages and glimmering gypsum draperies. Now after going on the Domes and Dripstone cave tour (which my dad and I had previously hiked, along with the Historic Tour) we understand why Mammoth Cave is not only a National Park, but a World Heritage site. As we started our tour, entering what looked like a porta-potty in a hill, the cave opening (hidden behind the porta-potty door) sent vague chills of apprehension down our spines. The feeling persisted as we made our way down several flights of subterranean stairs, entering a land that had never felt the warmth of the sun. That said, it was eerie but dreadfully exciting to be walking hidden from the world above and seeing a part of the Earth that few have seen before.

Historic Entrance to the cave

 

Domes and Dripstones Tour

 

Me and my boy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click here for the MammothMovie

Click here for the Mammoth Trailer: Mammoth Cave Trailer

Cool cars on the road

By Eli:

Today we drove from Lewes, DE to West Virginia. While we were driving I saw some cool cars pass us. Then we pulled into a gas station and 5 AMAZING cars pulled in. The cars cost between 200,000 and $400,000! We saw them at a GAS STATION!!! What are the chances that I would see a upgraded 2017 Z06 Corvette, 720S McLaren, Lamborghini Aventador and a Mercedes Benz and then another Corvette?? They were part of Gold Rush Car Club and were heading to Las Vegas. The 2 corvettes were not a part of the car club but happened to be at the gas station. The McLaren can go 0 to 60 in 2.7 SECONDS!!!!! When we got back on the road, they buzzed by us! A few minutes later some other cars came passed us.

McLaren 720S
Eli in Lamborghini Aventador
2017 Corvette Z06
Fast Benz Wagon

 

How we pack for a long trek

Packing the supplies necessary for a four person cross-country trip is not a simple task. To start, I take inventory of clothes that still fit. If we need additional clothes, we go shopping! For maximum convenience, I pack Sam and Eli’s clothes into Ziplock bags, making sure each bag has a complete outfit, that includes a shirt, a pair of socks, pants, and underwear. This way, when they head to the shower, all they need to do is grab a Ziplock bag instead of rummaging through their containers for clothes.We store our clothes in large plastic containers, which we call “bins”. We use a the bin system for a variety of supplies, including, clothes, shoes,  towels, etc. We stow our bins in the back of the truck while we travel because they are too big to stay inside the pop-up. At each destination, Matt unloads the bins from the truck to allow us to grab clothes. We also have small bins inside the truck which store books, games, and other items to keep us entertained while we travel.   Check out the photos below to get an idea of how we organize our necessities!


Our big bins


Eli’s bag ready to go!


Flashlights, binoculars, headphones, batteries


Toiletries and our medicine bin


Our small bins for in the truck