Our Final Adventure... with Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Jim! (by Walden)

Silly faces!

I've missed a lot of people while we've been on our trip. Dave the Minion. Big Winnie the Pooh. Oscar my goldfish. But two of the people I've missed an extra lot are Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Jim. Sure, we've Skyped whenever we could along the way, but, let's face it, it's hard to play tag through a computer screen. And I have a short attention span. They also sent me a neat book about the moon; when I turn the pages, I hear their voices reading the words. This has been fun too, but I would much rather be sitting on their laps and reading. So, when Mommy and Daddy told me that Grandma and Grandpa were coming to visit us on our trip in a month, I was super excited! But... when I learned that a month is really 30 "big sleeps" rather than 1 "big sleep" like I thought, I was so disappointed that I would have to wait soooooo long and I cried and cried.

Well, thank goodness that I survived all of those days waiting. Finally (on August 23), we drove from Iowa to a neat park in southeast Minnesota called Whitewater State Park. The park is surrounded by limestone bluffs carved by the twisting Whitewater River (named by Dakota Indians because the water turns milky white in spring).

Grandma, Grandpa, and their tent

Grandma and Grandpa beat us to the campground, where we had two campsites next to each other. Mommy said we were spoiled because the sites had electricity. I was excited to visit Grandma and Grandpa's camping trailer, which is MUCH BIGGER than ours and even has a TV for watching Scrat movies (Ice Age), my favorite thing to do with Grandpa. When we got to our campsite, I was so excited to see Grandma and Grandpa after almost 6 long months! I ran around like a crazy boy and wanted to play tag right away. But then I noticed that Grandma and Grandpa didn't have their trailer... they had a big tent instead on their campsite. They told me that they had to leave it at home because the truck was making funny noises. After thinking about it for a few minutes, I asked, "Does this mean we can't watch Scrat movies?" I was pretty disappointed. So were Grandma and Grandpa who had already started driving with the trailer before the noises started, and then had to drive back home, unhook the trailer, and pack all of their tent camping supplies in less than an hour. But we still had a great time cooking outside and playing in the tent!

Nice shirt, Grandpa!

Walking on a trail between our campsites, I had my first run in with a plant called stinging nettle. Mommy and Daddy had been warning me about it for the entire trip. Now I know why. Boy does it hurt! And the hurt just keeps going and going, no matter what. I avoided that nasty plant for the rest of our time.

Hamburger dinner

For supper, Grandpa grilled hamburgers and Grandma made sweet corn and strawberry/blueberry fruit salad. What a feast! For desert, Grandma made special gluten-free Rice Krispies treats with chocolate on top. Mmmmmmmm. I showed them how good I can cut with a scissors (little strips of paper were blowing everywhere) and played tag almost nonstop. We walked on a trail from the campground, over lots of bridges, and to a beach. At the beach, I threw sand at Grandpa and he said he was going to throw me in the water (but I knew he was just kidding). We also saw a Great Blue Heron in a tree. When we got back, I was pretty tired from all of the running around, but I helped Grandpa light his Coleman lantern, which was AMAZING!

Coleman lanterns are AMAZING

Mickey Mouse pancake

The next morning (August 24), Grandma made me a Mickey Mouse blueberry pancake with a strawberry nose and sausages. Yeah, I know, I'm spoiled! We then hiked up and explored some steep trails called the Chimney Rock Trail (0.7 mi) and the Inspiration Point Trail (1.2 mi). Grandma and I counted over a hundred stone steps as we climbed to the top of a bluff. Chimney Rock was a neat formation that stuck up like a hoodoo that I've seen in other states. It had a small cave in the bottom of it just big enough for me to fit through (Daddy was worried I would crawl through and fall over the cliff on the other side, but he worries too much). We hiked along the ridge to a lookout called Inspiration Point, where we could see the ridges, river, and woods far below. All of the grownups were very "inspired" (whatever that means), but I just liked looking over the edge of the big rock that hung out over the valley. On our way back to the campground, Mommy found some crazy seedpods on a plant called jewelweed... when you touch them, they shoot their seeds all over the place.

Taking a rest on the steps with Grandma

View from Chimney Rock tunnel

At the overlook

Inspiration Point

Catching minnows at the beach

In the afternoon, Grandma and Grandpa took me back to the beach so I could play in the sand and water. It was still pretty cold outside... not much sun and a strong wind... but I didn't mind. We built castles, a pond, and a river. I also tried catching little fish with a net that I borrowed from some other boys who were playing. I caught only caught two (they were so fast!), but I gave it my all and fell in the water a few times. Brrrrrrrrrr. My favorite game was taking sand balls that Grandma made and dropping them in a cup of water where they turned to "mushy mushy mush."

Mommy and Daddy selfie

While I played with Grandma and Grandpa, Mommy and Daddy went hiking on the Coyote Point Trail (2.7 mi), which they said led up to another bluff in the park and through a prairie. The steps down were so steep and narrow, they were labeled as a ladder. According to Mommy and Daddy, this was the first date they had alone since being in Arizona in May. Good for them! I needed my alone time with Grandma and Grandpa.

That night, I helped Grandpa build a fire. We waited patiently (well, some of us were more patient than others) until the wood became hot glowing embers. Then we roasted marshmallows and I got my second S'more of the trip. Grandpa told funny stories from when he was a park ranger at Kohler-Andrae State Park about a girl getting a marshmallow stuck on her nose and a chickadee getting stuck in a marshmallow.

I love S'mores!

Elba Fire Tower

The next day (August 25), we drove to the nearby town of Elba to climb the historic Elba Fire Tower. The fire tower was built on a high bluff, and it was long and steep climb up just to get to the top of the bluff... over 500 steps! As it said on the interpretive panel, it's like climbing up and down your basement stairs 50 times. But I held Grandma's hand and walked all the way to the top myself. She's a good "motivator" (as Daddy says). When we finally reached the top of the bluff, the metal fire tower rose high, high into the sky almost touching the clouds. Daddy put me in the backpack (what a worry wart), and we all held on tight to the rails as we climbed the spiraling steps to the top of the tower, 110 feet up. The wind made the tower move back and forth. The view from the top was amazing. We could see the bluffs and forests stretching out forever, the Whitewater River curving through the valley, and the little town of Elba. Daddy said that the fire tower was built in 1933 by the CCC for the State Division of Forestry. But it's not used anymore for spotting fires.

Climbing the tower

Grandma and Grandpa at the top of the tower

Panorama from top of fire tower

Secret spot on Whitewater River

That afternoon, we played at the visitor center, which had fun puppets, puzzles, and books to read. Grandma and Daddy loved sitting next to big windows and watching all of the birds at the feeders. We then went hiking on the Meadow Trail (1.7 mi), which loops through a meadow filled with grasses, yellow flowers, and fluttering butterflies. Daddy said it was probably the only flat trail in the park! We found a neat "secret spot" along the river where the water carved an overhang into the bluff and the stream makes a rushing sound. After some more playing at the beach, Grandma made ham, scalloped potatoes, and applesauce for supper. Daddy said it was the same meal Grandma made when he, Aunt Krissy, and Uncle Jojo went camping as a little kids. He was all "nostalgic" or something like that. But I just thought it was nummy and ate everything. After supper, I played shadow puppets with Grandma and Grandpa in their tent.

Last day with our Burro

On our last day of the trip (August 26), everything was wet because of the dew, and Mommy and Daddy thought it looked like the Burro was crying (they're so emotional). It sure was fun snuggling in my little bed and playing in the Burro for the past six months. It kept us dry in the rain, warm in the snow, and calm in the wind. It carried my tricycle and Minion bag filled with toys all over the country. It was our little home. But I'm also looking forward to getting back to our REAL home in Wee-scon-sin (as I call it).

We loaded up all of our stuff and drove from Minnesota to Wisconsin. Grandma and Grandpa wanted to stop at a place called Wildcat Mountain State Park on the way home, and we decided to join them. We had lunch, played on a playground, walked to an overlook of the Kickapoo River Valley, and hiked the Hemlock Nature Trail (1.3 mi), which climbs steeply (lots of steep trails on this trip!) through neat sandstone bluffs to Mt. Pisgah. At the top, we really did see smoke from a fire this time! Then, we hiked down and had to say goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa. I'm so happy that they were able to join us on our special trip. And I look forward to seeing them more, along with all of our other friends and family, now that we're back in Wisconsin again.

At the top of Mt. Pisgah, Wildcat Mountain State Park

[P.S. From Mom and Dad: Don't worry! This isn't our last Blog post. We'll be sharing our reflections of the trip, our transition back to a sedentary lifestyle, and our final trip numbers over the next few weeks.]

Where to Next? Mark Twain and the Mississippi River (by Sunshine)

Our first Luna Moth of the trip

As we left Kansas City we realized there were no more “must see” places to visit on our list. Yet we still had six days and two states before our final camping stop in Minnesota. We studied the atlas, checked the weather forecast, and decided a Mark Twain/Mississippi River theme sounded like fun. We drove east across Missouri to Mark Twain State Park on Monday, August 17^th. Since it was a weekday and Missouri schools must have started already, we were one of only a handful of people in the campground. Missouri was the first place we started to get the feel of home again. The air was humid and there was green everywhere – grass, understory, bushes, trees. There was dew in the morning and mosquitoes at night. Being back in the Midwest also brought a plethora of ticks, poison ivy, and nettles.

Being silly at Mark Twain Lake

In the morning (August 18), we hiked around Mark Twain Lake (a giant reservoir) which was quite low but to Jim’s delight exposed fossils of ancient sea creatures in the limestone layers. Then we went to see the home where Mark Twain was born. Walden couldn’t remember whose house we were going to see and kept asking “When will we get to John Denver’s house?” What does it say that after this trip the two people we’ve never met but can be identified by Walden are John Muir and John Denver? Anyway, the two-room log cabin has been relocated from its original location in the nearby town (if you can even call it that) of Florida. The cabin has been restored and is entirely enclosed inside a building that serves as a museum, visitor center, gift shop, and Mark Twain shrine (their word, not ours). Walden’s favorite part of the visit was pretending to pet the cat statues sitting in Mark Twain’s bedroom. Since it was still early in the day and we knew a series of thunderstorms were moving through the area that afternoon we drove about 20 minutes to the M. W. Boudreaux Visitor Center on the dam that creates Mark Twain Lake (reservoir). It was exciting to see the dark storm clouds sweep across the lake from the lookout. The Army Corps of Engineers building had some interesting exhibits and kids activities that kept Walden occupied for the duration of the storm. Not surprisingly though, we were the only ones there.

Whitewashing Tom Sawyer's fence

The next day (August 19), we drove east to Hannibal, Missouri. This is the more well-known center of Mark Twain historical sites. The entire town celebrates its connection to Mark Twain as every business is tied in some way to Twain’s writings – the Injun Joe Café, Mark Twain Brewery, Aunt Polly’s antiques, etc. Hannibal is the location of Twain’s boyhood home which is part of a museum. A ticket buys you entrance to Becky Thatcher’s House, Huckleberry Finn’s House, the Interpretive Center which encompasses Twain’s House, and a few other sites made famous by Twain’s stories. There is also a museum where you can become part of scenes from some of Twain’s books such as a cave, river raft, stagecoach, and steamboat. Walden even got to whitewash a fence like being a part of Tom Sawyer’s gang. It was an interesting experience and my big take away was learning that Mark Twain wrote a lot more books than I ever realized including stories about his world travels. After lunch, we took a stroll along the Mississippi to see the riverboats, stopped at a playground, and climbed 100 some stairs to a lighthouse built to commemorate Twain’s 100^th birthday. It blew over once in a windstorm (apparently plywood wasn’t an ideal choice for a tall building atop a cliff overlooking the Mississippi River) but was rebuilt (rebar was added to the plywood the second time) so has an interesting story. After leaving the historic part of town along the river, we discovered the newer part of town and made a pit stop for a much needed oil change. That evening we drove north to Wakonda State Park in Missouri.

Maybe Walden will carry Daddy one day

Wakonda State Park was rather interesting for several reasons. We found a beautiful campsite on the shore of a shallow lake shaded by cottonwoods, with only one other camper in sight. But the park is right next to a four lane highway. This seems like a rather odd location until you learn that it was developed around six lakes created by the highway department when they dug gravel for the road bed. The park is surrounded by farm fields, so the hiking trails provide a great view of corn and soybeans. The next morning (August 20), we took a hike on a trail recommended by the teenage girl working in the office. (The office was open from 7 am until 10 pm and there were a total of four people in the campground in addition to a campground host. The park charges no entrance fee for daily visitors so we are pretty sure the office staff gets a lot of reading done.) Our hike took us around one of the lakes which required swamping through tall grass and large mud puddles. Luckily Walden was in the backpack the entire time so kept dry. We spent time at the playground before leaving since we had several hours of driving ahead of us. Luckily we happened up on a garage sale on the outskirts of a small town and loaded up on new books for Walden and some other fun toys for the car ride. That afternoon we crossed into Iowa and camped at Maquoketa Caves State Park.

Before going to bed Jim and I noticed some itchy red bumps on our legs. We took note hoping it wasn’t poison ivy or tick bites. When we woke up, we both found several more bumps so we removed all of our bedding and shook it to loosen any spiders that might have crawled in. We didn’t see anything suspicious. By the time we ate breakfast I was developing new bumps by the minute. They were intensely itchy but thankfully Walden didn’t have any. Remember the hike we took through the tall wet grass at Wakonda State Park in Missouri? The one where Walden was on Jim’s back the whole time? It took an entire day of speculating, itching, and pondering to figure out we had CHIGGERS! We’d never had them before and boy do they suck. I’d heard stories of chiggers – little black bugs with red legs but this was my first encounter. The funny part of this is that Jim gives a program called Biting Bugs for his interpretive students every year. We don’t have chiggers in Wisconsin so he wasn’t familiar with them like he is with mosquitoes, deer flies, and ticks. After only five minutes of Googling, he was super excited about the tubular mouth parts chiggers use to squirt enzymes into your skin and liquefy the cells and slurp them up (we even had to look for the little red dots in the center of our chigger bites that are the mouth tubes left behind). I honestly think he’s disappointed chiggers aren’t found in Wisconsin because he can’t include them in his Biting Bugs program. Apparently you can take a man away from his office but you can’t take the interpretive passion out of his heart.

Cave explorer

Maquoketa Caves’ website explained the park contains Iowa’s largest concentration of caves. We kind of rolled our eyes at this since Iowa isn’t exactly known for caves like Kentucky is. We thought Walden might get a kick out of it since he enjoyed the lava tube caves in Idaho so much. Wow – this park is a gem! After getting a map and explanation of white-nosed syndrome, we are asked to walk over some mats to clean our shoes (which consequently were completely dry??) and then set free to explore. We were amazed that we could explore the caves on our own and for free. After seeing so many caves that were privately owned, charged fees that made us think twice, and being told not to touch anything or go off any trail, we were surprised by the freedom. There are 16 caves identified on the map and numerous others that could be seen high above the trails. The main trail follows a bubbling stream through a wooded gorge with steep limestone bluffs (filled with caves), tunnels through the largest cave (Dancehall Cave) under the park road, and dips underneath a massive natural rock arch that spans the valley. It’s an absolutely beautiful setting. Side trails wind through the woods every which way and aren’t well marked, but we decided this added to the feeling of exploring and discovering the unknown. The caves range from being large enough to stand in with paved walkways and lights, to holes just large enough to wiggle into that required a headlamp to explore. I preferred the larger caves, but Walden and Jim loved crawling into the tiny spaces and reporting back about the large rooms they found filled with crickets and interesting rocks. There are few cave formations (they were taken by visitors prior to the park being formed), but we didn’t miss them because exploring on our own was so much fun. I’d highly recommend this park if you’re looking for a fun weekend excursion in the upper Midwest. The campground is nice, the bathroom facility is new, and there is a playground. Iowa State Parks don’t charge a daily fee and non-electric camping is only $11 per night.

Just enough room to wiggle in

We found a caterpillar friend

So many neat caves

Where the Wisconsin River meets the Mississippi

After exploring the caves (August 21), we drove to Pike’s Peak State Park along the Mississippi River. Yep, we went to the summit of another Pikes Peak! It is named for Zebulon Pike - the same Pike of the Peak in Colorado. The park offers great views up and down the river from the high bluffs. Across the river from the park, we could see where the Wisconsin River meets the Mississippi River and got our first view of Wisconsin since we left in March.

Our last national site for the trip

In the morning (August 22), we hiked to a small waterfall that dribbles over limestone ledges and through woods that felt like those at home. We saw ruby-throated hummingbirds and picked blackberries. We began to feel a bit sad that our journey was coming to an end. That afternoon we visited Effigy Mounds National Monument just up the river from the park. Jim had been there as a young boy and reminisced that this was the first national monument he had been to. The visitor center was the place he gained ideas of what interpretation should be. It was from those ideas that he developed his own childhood nature center in an old storage shed behind his house in Kohler-Andrae State Park. The amazing experience he remembered from his childhood was not repeated as an adult. Now that his professional career revolves around interpretation – teaching about it, writing books about it, consulting and developing master plans for sites around the country – going back to Effigy Mounds was….well… rather disappointing. The park itself is interesting and contains significant historical meaning because it contains the largest concentration of effigy mounds left in the country. There are 16 miles of trails, boardwalks, and a visitor center.

Junior Ranger hike

I can’t imagine the site gets much funding from the federal government so they have to do the best they can with what they have. The movie is not one of the newly created high budget ones we’d seen on the trip. It appears to be from the 1970s or 80s and is great because it is so retro (like watching the Brady Bunch). The whole time we were at the site Jim kept saying “There’s so much potential here. They could have created a cross-section of a mound to show what they contain. They could have shown actual artifacts from the mounds. They could …” I felt a little sad for Jim. It was like one of his special childhood memories had been tarnished. You know, like when you go back to a place that is so awesome in your memory and discover that in reality it wasn’t at all like you picture in your head and you kind of wish you hadn’t gone back because you can’t erase the new image. Despite all this, we had a fun family experience and Walden earned his final Junior Ranger badge for the trip.

Feeding the geese Dandelion leaves

Ancient White Park Cattle from the British Isles

Rewind to last March - right before we left on our trip I received the Seed Saver’s Exchange catalog in the mail. Boy was I disappointed there would be no seeds and no garden this year because we would be away all summer. I noticed in the back of the catalog they had a visitor center in Iowa and thought it would be interesting to visit someday. Fast forward to now (August 23) – between Pike’s Peak State Park and our next destination in Minnesota is Decorah, Iowa – home of the Seed Saver’s Exchange Visitor Center! This is another place I’d highly recommend to anyone looking for a place to visit in Iowa (even if you aren’t a gardener). The visitor center is a new building that contains a sales area and small exhibit space. What they lack in exhibits they make up for in experience. There are acres and acres of demonstration gardens filled with beautiful flowers and vegetables. Everything is labeled in case you want to grow it yourself. There are heritage geese, ducks, turkeys, and chickens that love to be fed dandelion leaves through the fence. Miles of trails take you along a creek, over the bluffs, and through the woods. You can see the rare white cattle they preserve along with the greenhouses and cold storage. There is a new orchard with 400 varieties of apple trees once native to the Midwest. There is also an old apple orchard you can wander through and sample apples of every kind you’ve ever imagined. They also have a vineyard of cold hardy grapes. The entire property is immaculately kept. There is slide and sand play area for kids as well as picnic tables. Everything is free which is amazing.  With all this beautiful produce I was itching for some fresh vegetables. We were in farm country but unlike California, there were no roadside produce stands to be found. I’ll have my eyes open for something on the way home.

Ode to the Burro (by Sunshine)

You’ve kept us warm. You’ve kept us dry. You’ve protected us from blowing sand and insects of all kinds. You’ve given us space to sleep and cook.

We’ve taken you through sand and mud, rain and sleet. You’ve been on bumpy gravel roads and winding steep hills. Even with your bent axle you’ve always pulled straight.

We’ve listened to the rain on your roof and watched the sun shine through your windows. You’ve been our constant even when everything else is always changing. You’re enough to keep us feeling protected yet the outdoors is not far away.

You’re fast to set up and ready to go in a flash. We know – we’ve parked next to the pop-up types and watched them fiddle and adjust while we hike away ready for fun.

You have just enough space for the three of us to eat, sleep, and play (usually Uno) in the rain. You have more than enough storage room; if we filled it all you’d be too heavy.

I’ve learned my way around you in the dark; though you look great with your modern LEDs. You’ve carried our clothes, our food, and Walden’s tricycle from one ocean to the other.

You’ve been the perfect companion for this journey and held up remarkably well after nearly 20,000 miles. Yes, you have your leaks, creaks, and gaps but they were nothing we couldn’t manage. After all, you’re likely as old as I am and I’m starting to wrinkle, sag, and gray too.

You’ve become part of our story and so many have come to know you. People are curious where you came from and many have peeked inside. Though you are a fraction of the size of the big rigs we wouldn’t want any more.

  

Yes, dear Burro we will miss you for this journey is coming to an end. We can’t imagine traveling without you; you are like an old friend. Our house will feel like a mansion, spacious and full of convenience but in our hearts we’ll always feel that home is where the Burro is.

Cooking and Eating on the Road (by Jim)

Enjoying a meal on our kitchen table

For those who know me, you know how much I love food. And for those who have been following Sunshine’s dietary restrictions, you’re likely thinking, “Oh no, Jim must be starving!” But fear not! Despite our limited budget and limited food choices, Sunshine is an amazing chef who has kept us well fed and healthy on our journey. Quite a bit different from the typical “camp food” you might expect for a weekend trip. Fresh food is a must, so every few days we stop at grocery stores, farmers markets, or roadside stands to load up on produce, chicken, and other ingredients. Driving through major cities has provided access to specialty grocery stores that don’t exist near Stevens Point, such as Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and Natural Grocers, where Sunshine can find the natural foods she needs. She also orders hard-to-find food items online and sends them to friend's and family's homes we visit.

The small propane-powered refrigerator/freezer in the Burro has been a major necessity, as is our giant Coleman cooler in the back of the car.

Sunshine cooking pasta

[Note from Sunshine: though there are many things I fix for the boys that I cannot eat I’m thankful to have the refrigerator and freezer to save leftovers for myself. Jim has been amazingly patient with a finicky appliance that is likely older than he is. The refrigerator has required numerous adjustments to stay running, but he’s never given up on it. As for the cooler – wow, who knew it would be so difficult to find block ice? When it got warmer, we moved the wool blanket off our bed and onto the cooler to help with insulation. We still needed to buy ice about twice a week. Two ten-pound ice blocks last far longer than a 20-pound bag of cubes. It seems like every gas station in Wisconsin offers block or cubed ice, but we’ve been in states where they didn’t understand what block ice was even after I described it.]

Along the way, I have been treated to special dinners and restaurant meals with friends and family, for which I (and my stomach) are very thankful. But for this post, I would like to share some of our “everyday” meals that Sunshine prepares for us boys.

For breakfast, we have a couple of options. The first, and my personal favorite, is plain yogurt with homemade granola and fresh fruit (blueberries, strawberries, or berries we pick in the woods), with a bit of applesauce or honey mixed in for sweetener.

Yogurt with fresh huckleberries and raspberries

The second is homemade oatmeal also topped with fresh fruit.

Walden-approved breakfast

On special occasions, Sunshine makes gluten-free pancakes with a homemade berry sauce topping…. mmmmmmmm. Recently, Walden has switched to gluten-free cereal with milk as his favorite breakfast. Sunshine eats vegetables and nuts.

Pancakes with freshly picked blackberries

Lunch is typically my "gluten fest" (as Sunshine calls it) of a meat and cheese sandwich, potato chips, and banana (or other fruit). Walden gets either a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on gluten-free bread or rice cakes, or a “Daddy sandwich,” which is lunch meat and cheese. Sunshine eats, well… more vegetables, nuts, and sometimes chicken or tuna.

Suppers are where the magic happens. Sunshine has several “standard” meals that she rotates through each week. But the meals are anything but standard! They're an international experience in the woods...

1. Italian night: Gluten-free pasta with tomato sauce loaded with grass-fed beef or chicken and tasty vegetables, such as green beans, broccoli, and peppers. Fresh salad with veggies.

Italian night

2. Mexican night (a personal favorite): Chicken (or grass-fed beef) and beans seasoned with salsa and peppers, corn tortillas, and all of the fresh fixings a hungry boy could want… cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado. And, of course, tortilla chips and salsa. Yes, I always eat too much on Mexican night.

Mexican night

3. Asian night: Stir fry with a peanut butter sauce, chicken, water chestnuts, garbanzo beans, peanuts, and a wide array of vegetables like broccoli, green beans, peas, and peppers.

Asian night

4. American night: Chicken breasts seasoned with turmeric, garlic powder, and dill, potato slices fried with sunflower oil in a pan, and “soft” (cooked) broccoli and green beans (Walden always asks whether the broccoli is soft or hard).

American night

5. Fish night: Salmon fillets seasoned with turmeric, garlic powder, and dill. A mix of broccoli, asparagus, and green beans (the green veggie mix).

6. Hot dog night (my other personal favorite): Always a special night because we grill the hot dogs or sausages over a campfire. Walden helps me build the campfire. Along with the hot dogs, Sunshine prepares fried potatoes and fresh, crispy vegetables with hummus.

Walden cooking sausages over the fire

Hot dog night!

7. "Feel good" night (or, "We got back too late to prepare anything else" night): Tomato soup, tortilla chips, and grilled cheese on corn tortillas.

For me, each supper is typically accompanied by a local craft beer (or any beer I can find in a bind), the perfect balanced meal. Sunshine eats what she can of each meal and fills in the rest with… you guessed it… more vegetables.

A special treat... a plum from John Muir's orchard

And a quick note on SNACKS, which are a MUST for long car rides and hikes. My favorite, which I’ve eaten every day of the trip and I’m still not sick of, is trail mix with peanuts, mixed nuts, raisins, dried fruit, and M&Ms. Every time Sunshine found a snack that Walden liked and bought it again, he suddenly despised it and refused to eat it. This included giant raisins, purple grapes (green are okay), corn nuts, dried fruit, carrots, and brown-colored cereal puffs (but only the brown ones, not the yellow). He has yet to refuse a banana chip, M&M, marshmallow, or ice cream. Sunshine eats… yep, fresh vegetables and nuts.

Thank you, Mommy, for all of the good food!

So, as you can see, I’m FAR from starving on this trip. In fact, it’s the best and healthiest food that I’ve ever eaten. While Sunshine’s dietary restrictions can make it a challenge to eat on the road every day, she has developed a system that keeps our tummies happy, healthy, and satisfied. It’s amazing what a diversity of meals can be made out of the same ingredients by just switching a few things around. We’re blessed to have a wife and mommy who takes such good care of us boys.