The days on the calendar on ticking by ever so quickly until school starts! Just over two weeks. Where does the time go? I’ve spent the better part of July gallivanting around the western part of the US and enjoying some much needed R & R and an abundance of adventures before the kids go back to school. I’m not one to overly post personal experiences, but I’ve had so many people ask about our recent trips so it seemed worth sharing.

We embarked on our first family road trip earlier this month with the final destination being the Oregon Treesort in Cave Junction. It was an ADVENTURE…10 days of driving through California while caravaning with some of our best friends. And, what road trip is complete without a total vehicular break down? Our poor friends had car repairs on the first day and the last day while we experienced a hotel evacuation in the middle of the night complete with swat team and gunshots.

Aside from all of the unexpected experiences (which is what makes it an adventure), we got to see some of the best parts of western California. We stopped off at Fort Bragg to visit the glass beach and collect a few samplings of the abundant sea glass!

We drove through Eureka where I insisted on making a stop at Eureka books so I could hunt down an antique edition of The Count of Monte Cristo (which, sad to say they didn’t have any). I did, however find a hilarious book published in the 1960’s that some lucky person just might get for Christmas.

Just Kidding…I didn’t actually buy the book but it gave me a good chuckle.

A drive through California isn’t complete without a side trip hiking through the Redwoods and driving through a hollowed out tree.

But, the real adventure was making our way into Oregon. We arrived on the 4th of July and celebrated Independence Day white water rafting on the Rogue River. The day was complete when we saw a beautiful bald eagle soaring through the sky while we floated along. Then, after just a short drive (with yet another detour through the Oregon Caves), we arrived at the Treesort.

Set amidst the sprawling Oregon mountains, seventeen treehouses  were built over acres of beautiful land. It reminded me a bit of church camp, with the community kitchen, BBQ areas and shared restrooms…only much nicer than anything you’d ever find at a campsite.

They day we got there, the kids took off and we didn’t see them again for two hours. Between the recreational zipline, the suspension bridges, rope swings, horses, swimming hole and off leash dogs roaming the property, they were entertained to their hearts content.

People think that when you run your own business that taking vacations is nothing more than a pipe dream. And, I suppose there are those out there who feel that way and don’t value time off. For virtually the entire trip, I was completely disconnected from the rest of the world. Once we got out of Central California, cell phone reception was patchy at best. And, I learned that a hotel may offer free wi-fi service, but by and large, they can’t accommodate the sheer quantity of devices tapped in. Consequently, I just unplugged. I really didn’t give much thought to what was happening at home and trusted my people to handle things appropriately.

This road trip was a time to bond with friends, experience the beauty of California, embark on adventures that for so long, we haven’t been able to do (because the kids aren’t old enough). In many ways, this trip was a right of passage for our family. Time spent together, entirely for ten days. I’m not gonna lie, but I thought for sure I would get to the breaking point at some point in time with my youngest (who knows precisely how to push my buttons). But, it never happened. In spite of keeping busy with so much sight-seeing, we were able to recharge our batteries and just enjoy the time spent with one another. By the time we got back, I was relaxed and ready to not only catch up with business, but get ready for another big trip, one of an entirely different nature…Hawaii, 2017!