Vacations Through the Years

 

Alyssa, Steve and me at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Steve, Alyssa, and I recently went on a road trip to southwestern Colorado. It started me thinking of the many vacations we have taken over the years with family and friends. Growing up on a farm in Iowa, we didn’t go on “vacation”. Dad couldn’t be away from the farm and its chores, and there probably wasn’t extra money to spend on traveling. We spent Sundays, holidays and birthdays with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. In the summer we had picnics at the lake – starting with breakfast cooked by all the dads, burgers and hotdogs for lunch, lots of swimming and playing by the lake. We did take a trip to Okoboji Lake in northern Iowa one year. I don't remember it but have pictures of our family fishing (which I haven’t found yet after our move).

Dad passed away in 1971 when I was 14. Mom remarried and we became a family of 8. I was in high school, and the entire family took a trip to Indiana when my mom’s youngest sister, Loretta, got married. What stands out in my memory is sewing a long dress of pretty yellow seersucker-like fabric to wear to the wedding! At the time it was so fancy getting to wear a floor length dress!!

Fast forward to the years after college when I started dating Steve. His family vacations were trips to Wisconsin to see his grandmother. He started going on ski trips with friends during college, and traveled with Vicki and her husband, Fred. Not wanting him to be the third wheel any longer, I invited myself on a camping trip with them to Colorado and the Rockies! The rest is history. The four of us have been vacationing together for about 40 years. Kids joined the group when Kelli was born in 1985 (to Vicki and Fred), the year Steve and I were married. Then Lauren joined their family. The following year in 1990 Jaime was born and three and a half years later Alyssa. Travel slowed down a bit those first years and when the kids were busy in high school, but there were plenty of vacations and road trips while they were growing up.

Wilt and Behr families at Niagra Falls in 1997 or 1998

Since neither Steve or I traveled much as kids, we wanted our daughters to experience the beauty and wonder in all parts of the country. We’ve been to many states and national parks, as well as beaches in Florida and South Carolina. Most were road trips, driving in one of the many Dodge minivans we owned over the years.

Breckinridge in 2017 – the Behrs and the Wilts after a hike in the mountains

To keep the girls entertained when they were little Steve created the first of many systems to play movies. He built a small wooden bookshelf that held a small TV hooked up to a VHS player. Next was a combo Sylvania 9” TV and VHS player. I remember the specifics because I sold it last year before we moved to Minnesota. Yes, someone bought it! Of course, there were portable DVD players once they came out. I also packed activity bags with foil for making tin foil figures, car bingo, coloring books and other car games and activities. And lots of snacks!

Our trip to Colorado this summer included national parks and monuments as well as other more obscure sites. When planning the route, we look at smaller attractions along the way – me on Google Maps and Steve using the atlas. On this trip we drove a lot of state and county highways, with fewer interstate miles, so the scenery and unexpected sites were great! We drove a loop down through Kansas into Colorado then up into Nebraska and South Dakota before heading home to Minnesota.

In eastern Colorado we visited my brother, Brian, and his wife Nicci. It was great to catch up with them! Then we were off to the sites of southwestern Colorado. Highlights included Great Sand Dunes National Park, Chimney Rock National Monument, Mesa Verde, Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, the Million Dollar Highway between Durango and Silverton, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Colorado National Monument. We stopped at other points of interest along the way like the geographic center of the 48 states in Kansas, Scottsbluff National Monument, Chimney Rock in Nebraska and a late afternoon/evening drive through the Badlands.

Alyssa at Monument Rocks National Natural Landmark – located on a private ranch

Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde National Park

Hiking (or trudging) through the sand at Great Sand Dunes National Park

We had one unexpected surprise when we drove by Carhenge on County Road 59 near Alliance, Nebraska. Of course, we had to stop and walk through this unique art installation of wrecked cars arranged like England’s Stonehenge. 

 

Carhenge in the middle of nowhere in Nebraska!

Another unexpected find - an almost ghost town with cool brick buildings in Edmond Kansas

We look forward to many more years of vacations and trips with family and friends. Our next trip is coming up soon – to Glacier National Park and Canada’s Banff National Park with friends. Stay tuned for more on that trip. 

What are some of your favorite vacation memories?

Our final stop – Bison in the sunset at Badlands National Park