Trips Fom The Past

The year was 1987, and I visited the Grand Canyon for the very first time. I was at a conference in Phoenix, rented a car and took the 4 hour drive to the south rim. I wasn't there for very long, but I was mesmerized. That was when I decided that I wanted my family to visit two places - Washington, DC and the Grand Canyon.

Growing up on a farm didn't leave time for vacations. When I was 4, my family took a long road trip to DC...I remember nothing. Other trips were to the beach after the chores were done. This was usually 2 hours in the late afternoon. That meant a dip in the ocean followed by a dinner of macaroni salad and sandwiches. My brother still insist that macaroni/tuna salad isn't the same without sand.

Randy didn't have memorable vacations either...his were to visit relatives in Louisiana or North Carolina. Later he did go some fun places with his youth group. But family trips were not necessarily of the sight-seeing variety, except to stop along the road and pick flowers/plants that his mom wanted to take home.

One of our goals for our family was to take trips with our kids. The first trip was to DC when I was pregnant with Kate. She has since been to DC...so all the kids have visited the nation's capital at least once!

Our first trip with all the kids was in 2002. Planning a trip for a family of 6 was a challenge. Most accommodations are for 4 or 5, not 6. That is when we asked our friends, and also neighbors, the Williams if they were game. Aaron would bunk with them on a rollaway! And hence, the travel agency of Nobles and Williams was born. This summer marks our 5th National Parks tour. When we started the kids were 3, 7, 8, 10, 12, & 14. Here is the Nobles clan at the south rim of the Grand Canyon. That year was the Grand Circle....Zion, Bryce and both rims of the Canyon. Hoover Dam and a flight in and out of Las Vegas.

In 2004 we visited the Pacific Northwest, and it definitely brought lots of 'ooo's and aaahhh's'. We flew into Seattle, visited Mt. Rainier (seen in the picture below).

We drove to Portland, visited the Rose Garden, then onto the Pacific coast of Oregon.

Tillamook meant ice cream and then the beaches. The beaches on the Olympic Coast are wonderful....lots of tide pools to explore. We also enjoyed the sea stacks on coast. So different from our east coast beaches & definitely cold water. That trip also included Victoria Canada via a ferry ride, and Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park. The bonus of Olympic is that you get mountains,beaches, and a rain forest. This trip was our first experience with snow in June, something we now look forward to! Here are all the kids on some drift wood. Emily & Brandon Williams are Stephen & Beth's children. The Williams are also Berry alumni!

As children began graduating from high school, we deemed it their senior trip. They got to choose the parks to see. Aaron was the first in 2006. It was his 3rd National Parks trip and his last. He decided he had outgrown the family vacation. Though he wishes he was going in 2010 he made the decision too late, and the reservations were already in place. This makes a group of 9 travelling, kids are now 11, 15, 16, 18 & 20...sadly the 22 year old stays home - taking a World Lit class.

The picture above is from Aaron's senior trip, Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park, Montana. We fell in love with Montana. We flew into Salt Lake City and took a LONG drive. We stopped in Butte Montana and stayed in a cabin that belonged to some family members of the Williams. This helped break up the drive. If you happen detour through Phillipsburg, Montana - just north of Butte - make sure to check out The Sweet Palace, an old fashioned candy shop. After several wonderful days in Glacier, we headed south to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. We like to stay in a parks lodge if possible, and have enjoyed many over the years. We look forward to some delicious meals in the lodges too. For a family that rarely eats out, we savor the cuisine we find on the road. One of the highlights in the Tetons was the float trip down the Snake River, which included a great dinner prepared on the banks of the river.

In the fall of 2006, we sent Aaron off to college and the other kids were old enough to stay alone, as Alyssa was driving. The four adults took off for a long weekend in October and revisited Zion National Park. Zion is in southern Utah. If you go, stay at the Desert Pearl - it's the BEST! It was quite a treat, and given the opportunity and cash we would go again!



2008 was Alyssa's choice - Acadia National Park and the New England States. We flew into Boston and did the Freedom trail. Alyssa is a huge New England Patriots fan, so we made the Pilgrimage to Gillette Stadium to pay homage to the Pats! Then off to New Hampshire and Vermont. This part of the country was very different from previous trips. The terrain was more like North Georgia...but still beautiful. Of course, Aaron wasn't along - so that made it different too. We did a couple of college tours - Harvard and Dartmouth. Alyssa had already settled on Berry, but Emily was now the one looking. At Dartmouth we were treated to a personal tour by Berry grad, Tommy Murphy. He was working at Dartmouth at the time. This trip had many stops for ice cream, including a tour and taste at Ben & Jerry's headquarters in Vermont.

Acadia was the only National Park during the 2008 trip, but it was wonderful. We stayed in Bar Harbor Maine, and explored the park on foot, car and went sea kayaking! That was an adventure, but fun....well, don't ask Randy - he got stuck with Kate who didn't really do much to help their kayak tour!

Most of our trips include several states and/or several parks. All of our trips include lots of planning, saving, laughing, fun and songs. We often have a trip song. In the Pacific NW, it was "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". In 2006 it was a the "Long and Winding Road", plus our own rendition of "These are a few of my Favorite Things".

Next week, we take Emily's senior trip. The west coast again - Northern California. We already have our trip song - "This Land is Your Land"! We fly to San Francisco, then drive up the coast to the Redwoods, over the Lassen National Park - where they still have LOTS of snow & cold weather! Then we drive to Yosemite for an adventure of sleeping in tent cabins.

I hope our family inspires you to explore the National Parks, spend some time with family and friends in God's beautiful world. I'll see you when we return.