Let the adventure begin!
This is what happens when a 67 year old father and 32 year old son take a 15 day road trip across the United States.
Before we get too far into this epic adventure, I should probably give you a little back story of how it all began.
Since we first moved out to Bend (in March 2015) we knew we'd be driving back to Bradenton, Florida for my sister's wedding in November 2015.
The plan was to use the opportunity for work/vacation time and to see a lot more of the country. Literally two weeks before we left Bend, I asked my wife what she thought of asking my dad to drive back (from Florida to Oregon) with me. She ended up thinking it was a great idea.
That was only the first hurdle though, because I honestly didn't know if my dad would be up for it, especially since it involved leaving my mom for probably 20 days or so.
The day after I called to ask him, he called me back with the news that he was in. And that's where this journey begins.
Tallahassee, FL
We left Bradenton at 8:58 a.m. and arrived at my in-laws house on Lake Talquin after almost eight hours of Thanksgiving traffic.
A quick stop by Zaxby's and we were all set to watch Florida State (FSU) take on Florida (UF).
Baton Rouge, LA
811 miles later we arrived at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This was more of a we-can't-drive-any-farther stop than anything else. We made the most of it by driving through LSU campus and stopping by the Tiger Stadium.
Houston, TX
We got up early on Day 3, for a quick 6 hour drive to Houston, one of the first cities we were really excited to see. Even though we completely underestimated how massive and busy the city actually is, we still had fun.
Johnson Space Center
Our first stop was the Johnson Space Center, followed by dinner at the Taste of Texas (which was amazing!).
San Antonio, TX
After Houston, we hopped back on I-10 and drove a few more hours west to San Antonio, where we crossed the 1000 mile mark. We were pumped to experience the history of The Alamo, and walk through the gorgeous Riverwalk.
Carlsbad, NM
Our 5th day on the road started with the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. We'd heard a lot about it, but having walked through the Lava River Cave in Bend, I didn't know what exactly to expect.
Inside the caverns was...well...amazing. Unfortunately we were on a pretty tight schedule, so we only got to walk in about an hour before we had to turn around. Maybe next time we'll have time for the Big Room.
Roswell, NM
On our way out of Carlsbad we drove north about 50 miles until we hit Roswell, New Mexico...home of the aliens. Except, there weren't any aliens.
To say this stop was a let down would be an understatement. So, we headed towards Tucson, AZ. This would turn out to be one of the longest days we spent on the road.
Tucson, AZ
Truth be told Tucson, Arizona was only meant to be a place to sleep before driving through Phoenix and onto Sedona. But...it was my dad's 68th birthday, so we made a quick (breakfast cookie!) stop at the Sugar Sweet Baker.
And then we discovered Davis-Monthan Air Force Boneyard in Tucson (thanks to a text from my father-in-law the night before).
P.S. We also happened to pass 2,500 miles today!
Happy 68th Birthday Dad!
The World's Largest Air Force Boneyard
And it being Arizona, of course, we found a cactus. This is what Floridians do when they find a cactus.
Sedona, AZ
When people found out we were planning this huge road trip back. The first thing they asked is "Where are you going?" Once they found out we were planning on driving through Arizona, the second thing they said is, "You HAVE to go to Sedona."
So...we did.
We couldn't leave Sedona without trying some new food. So, I forced my dad to eat rattlesnake sausage, bison skewers, and cactus fries at the Cowboy Club. (See the photo below)
Grand Canyon, AZ
In March of 2015 my wife and I got a chance to visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon for the first time. This time around we opted for the North Rim. We timed it out perfectly so we could see a sunset our first night, and a sunrise on our way out the next morning.
Zion National Park, UT
I had two thoughts when we first drove into Zion National Park:
- There should be a sign that says, "You are not prepared for what is ahead."
- There might be dinosaurs here.
Seriously, this place is EPIC. I can't believe more people aren't talking about Zion like they are Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, or Yosemite.
I'll definitely be back here.
Bonneville Salt Flats
On Day 12 we woke up in Salt Lake City, Idaho. The plan was to make a 4-5 hour drive to Jackson, Wyoming. But...we were so close to the salt flats. So, we changed plans and drove about 90 minutes directly west to the Bonneville Salt Flats. Unfortunately they were under about 2-3 inches of water and/or ice. Still it was worth the quick visit.
Jackson, WY
Nearly 4000 miles later and we arrived at Jackson, Wyoming.
Remember that quick trip to the salt flats though? Well, that might not have been the best decision because the sun set around 4:30 p.m., which meant we got to drive the last 2 hours through ice and snow...in the dark.
Seeing the Grand Tetons, big horn sheep, and mountain goats made it all worth it though.
Boise, ID
Pushing 4500 miles, and around 75 hours of driving, and we finally reached Boise, Idaho. I hate to admit it, but at this point in the trip all I could think about was sleeping in my own bed (which I hadn't done since we left Bend back in late October).
Bend, OR
Home Sweet Home.
After 15 days and nearly 5,000 miles later we arrived back in Bend, Oregon, but not before I got my first taste of driving on hundreds of miles of icy roads. Note to self, don't drive on Oregon 20 in winter.
I also wasn't expecting my driveway to be covered in several inches of snow by mid-December either...
Overall though, this was a trip of a life time.
