Fifteen months ago we embarked on our Great Family Adventure and now I am thrilled to report that WE ARE FINALLY BACK HOME!! HOORAY!!!! The renters have moved, so let the dogs run free and the unpacking ensue! We're all excited and I'm more than a little curious to see what sorts of things we'll uncover that I've forgotten about along the way.....
After returning to our first blog post, I can happily confirm that we've achieved every goal and have come a long way. A VERY long way. In fact, I think the best way to conclude this blog is with a recap of the highlights, so here goes!
We:
- Drove about 45,000 miles. (That's almost double the circumference of the earth!!)
- Are on our third set of tires for a car that is less than 2 years old.
- Had one flat tire (on the loneliest highway in America of all places...)
- Visited all four corners of the American roads system.
- Drove the entire length of both the Alcan and Dalton Highways.
- Drove the full length of the Alaska Pipeline.
- Slept in the barracks of oil workers on The North Slope.
- Slept in the barracks of oil workers on The North Slope.
- Drove through six time zones.
- Experienced 24 hour sunlight.
- Visited 43 states and 8 Canadian provinces.
- Visited 43 states and 8 Canadian provinces.
- Spent the night in 25 states.
- Walked on arctic tundra.
- Walked on Matanuska Glacier.
- Tasted glacial ice in our drinks after it had been fished out of the water in Prince William Sound.
- Tasted glacial ice in our drinks after it had been fished out of the water in Prince William Sound.
- Waded in the Arctic Ocean.
- Waded in Chena Hot Springs.
- Our oldest son flew a plane over Knick Glacier.
- Our youngest son drove a boat in the Everglades and rode on a camel.
- Were pulled by an Iditarod sled dog team.
- Witnessed the Aurora Borealis in it's full glory.
- Saw people surfing the Alaska Bore Tides.
- Learned how to use an authentic Eskimo Yo-Yo.
- Saw the tallest mountains in North America.
- Met and learned from Native people all over the continent.
- Visited long-unseen family from all four branches, in both the U.S. and Canada.
- Visited as many national parks as possible, both American and Canadian, during significant anniversaries.
- Saw the following animals in the wild: Grizzly Bear, Black Bear, Deer, Caribou/Reindeer, Moose, Javelina, Alligator, Eagle, Dall Sheep, Bison, Elk, Fox, Rabbit and Hare, Porcupine, Hawk, Squirrel, Coyote, Sandhill Crane, Loon, Bighorn Sheep, Raven, Crow, Seagull, Swan, Canadian Geese, Puffins, Seal, Whale, Cow, Musk Ox, Mountain Goats, Antelope, Ibis, Dolphin, Osprey, Pelican, Iguana, Chicken, Manatee (okay, this one was in a zoo of sorts, but we did see their natural habitat in person!), Peacock, Snake, and so many more!
- Learned about things like geothermal energy first-hand (Chena Hot Springs, Yellowstone...).
- Visited as many farmers markets as possible and tried many new regional foods (Square ice cream? Honeyberries? Pinon Nuts? Conch?).
- Got library cards and checked out books in each location we stayed (except Maine).
- Crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge and drove through a tree.
- Taught the kids about politics while watching a very controversial presidential election.
- Taught the kids about politics while watching a very controversial presidential election.
- Saw a cattle drive.
- Stood in four states at once.
- Visited cliff dwellings and petroglyphs.
- Participated in The Festival of Lights.
- Experienced snow in Arizona.
- Drove Historic Route 66.
- Took a left at Albuquerque.
- Slept by a graveyard.
- Ate beignets and drank chicory café au lait at Café du Monde.
- Witnessed a NASA Atlas 5 rocket launch in person.
- Had a nasty encounter with fire ants.
- Had season passes for Disney World.
- Ate Key Lime Pie in the Florida Keys.
- Discovered there's no such place as Kokomo.
- Swam in the ocean.
- Saw real-life mermaids eating and drinking under water.
- Visited lots of cheesy tourist attractions.
- Drove UNDER a body of water.
- Were chased by a snow storm.
- Ate a Boston Cream Donut at Dunkin' Donuts in Boston, Massachusetts.
- Had lunch at the original Wahlburgers location in Hingham, Massachusetts.
- Had lunch at the original Wahlburgers location in Hingham, Massachusetts.
- Saw frozen lakes.
- Walked through a covered bridge.
- Tasted the first candy to be commercially sold in America (No, not the ACTUAL candy!).
- Visited lighthouses.
- Visited a working Shaker Village where the last two actual Shakers live.
- Visited Prince Edward Island and Green Gables.
- Found Oak Island.
- Visited Civil War battlefields and stayed in a haunted(?) house.
- Toured America's Capitol.
- Visited the Canadian capital during Canada's 150th Anniversary.
- Were detained at a border crossing.
- Watched a race at Churchill Downs.
- Explored the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
- Ate a Kentucky Hot Brown at the Brown Hotel.
- Ate Kentucky Fried Chicken in Kentucky (It tasted the same).
- Found Col Sanders grave.
- Watched the making of a Louisville Slugger in person.
- Lost 1 credit card and a drivers license.
- Lost 1 credit card and a drivers license.
- Bought boots in Nashville.
- Attended a show at the Grand Ole Opry (wearing said boots).
- Drove through Rocky Top, Tennessee while singing "Rocky Top Tennessee".
- Ran moonshine across state lines.
- Ran moonshine across state lines.
- Saw a life-size replica of Noah's Arc.
- Experienced a total solar eclipse.
- Said goodbye to a loved one and celebrated the graduation and wedding of two more.
- Said goodbye to a loved one and celebrated the graduation and wedding of two more.
- Homeschooled all three of our children for a year....and survived!
- All five of us (plus two dogs) lived in a hotel room for one month...and survived!
- Reached over 30,000 hits on this blog, and saw it through to the end. <3
- Reached over 30,000 hits on this blog, and saw it through to the end. <3
We'd like to thank to each and every one of you for following along on our Great Family Adventure. May life bring you many wonderful adventures of your own! Who knows? We may be reading about YOU one day!
With much gratitude, this is the Schmidt Family signing off!
Love!
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