Post Trip Thoughts

A few observations:

Having our family together for every meal for 46 days is a positive thing.  I now understand the importance of, and have a greater appreciation of, having two parents together guiding the children each day.  I think this was a very important aspect of our journey.  I saw changes in the kids and everyone in the family has more respect and understanding of each other. 

Although there were times in the minivan when the children were squabbling and other times when they needed high decibel instruction, in general, they were really good and, for the most part, inquisitive.  I believe they were the appropriate age to take this journey and the window for the age span of the children was relatively narrow (i.e. if we slid the window two years later or one year earlier, I don't think it would have worked for various reasons).  

As I look back on this blog, I notice a strong geology theme throughout.  Our family is not particularly interested in geology per se.  The geology theme's genesis is probably the result of the fact that virtually all of the National Parks designations owe to their extremely impressive geologic features -- whether that be the Badlands, the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, etc.  Hawaii's stunning tropical islands are the result of the slow movement of tectonic plates over hotspots in the earth's crust.  And the Outer Banks are formed by a unique process on the trailing edge of the continent.   Even in Arkansas the gemstones and quartz crystals found there are the result of long-ago geologic processes now becoming evident through the slow erosion of the surface soils.  Even, Hoover Dam's awesome engineering is a function of the geologic environment in which it is built.  

There are a number of places we could have spent much more time.  There weren't any places we felt we could have spent less time.  On this particular journey, if we did not have to adhere to a schedule I would have definitely spent more time in the following places:

1. Western South Dakota (Deadwood, Custer, Wind and Jewel Cave National monuments, etc)
2. Cody, Wyoming
3. Grand Teton National Park and Jackson, Wyoming
4. Bishop, California -- I would have like to spend more time showing the kids a part of California I love, but they never get to see even though the spend a fair amount of time in that state
5. Arizona and New Mexico
6. Memphis (at least some time)

My question at the beginning of the trip as to whether it was going to be an epic adventure or a disaster turned out positively for an epic adventure.  I believe our family is closer because of it and I also believe I have imprinted upon my children a few positive memories and experiences.  Moreover, I believe Twiggy has finally bought into the idea that we should go!!!