Even in this modern age of technology, with information galore readily available at our fingertips, it is not always possible to get a sense of a place before you see it in person. My Big Trip planning process involves varying amounts of research into potential waypoints each year. Some places are more well-known or have…
Virginia has been home to 8 American presidents. I’ve been to George Washington’s estate (Mt. Vernon) a few times, visited Monticello a few years ago, stopped by Woodrow Wilson’s Presidential Library (and birthplace home) last summer, and finally checked James Madison’s home, Montpelier, off my list this summer. Who was James Madison? James Madison…
Another summer, another Big Trip… Here’s a brief rundown of where we went this year and a return of the daily videos. (Don’t worry – each video is less than a minute long!) Day 1 We didn’t even leave the state of Virginia on Day 1. The beauty of a shorter distance to cover in…
“As our boat touched sand and the ramp went down I became a visitor to hell.” Private Charles Neighbor, 29th Division, Omaha Beach On June 6, 1944, thousands of Allied troops were tasked with the mission to jump, swim, run, and crawl ashore to the cliffs at Normandy and drive the Germans back. The Germans…
I’m so excited to announce that I am on an episode of This Indulgent Life, the Podcast! I spent an hour talking to Mary all about our annual Big Trip and could have kept talking all day long. I just love to talk about our trips. 😊 You can listen to the podcast on This…
We stumbled upon a land for giants in the cornfields of Illinois. We went in blind, as usual. I found a couple “World’s Largest” entries on Roadside America that happened to be in the same town. “Great! We can see two big things in one stop. How convenient!” What I didn’t realize was that this…
A pencil sharpener museum? Is that really a thing? Yes, it is! And I’m happy to say that I’ve been there! We began Day 2 of Big Trip Lucky 13 in Logan, Ohio. Rocco had us up early so while we waited for the museum to open we drove downtown to take a look around. …
Did you know the World’s Largest Slinky used to be displayed in Richmond, Virginia? Alas, it has moved to Pennsylvania. While I was initially quite disappointed to be missing the giant slinky, I ended up discovering something even more amazing on my afternoon tour of Richmond. There are a plethora of interesting outdoor activities and…
Did you know that the World’s Largest Pistachio is in New Mexico? Did you know that visiting this pistachio has been on my travel wish list for several years now? We had originally planned to stop at the pistachio farm during Big Trip 3 but the road over the mountain from El Paso was closed…
What is it about President Abe Lincoln that fascinates so many people? Why are so many locations and events in his life commemorated in historic sites still today? Perhaps it is his rise from poverty in his younger years to a man of such great character who became President. As an Illinois native I have…
I first heard about Grandma Gatewood several months ago on Sharon King’s blog, Midlife Moments. Emma Gatewood, better known as Grandma Gatewood, was the first woman to thru-hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail (AT), alone, in one continuous journey. In 1955, at the age of 67, she hiked 2,050 miles wearing canvas shoes and…
Weary Willie and Freddie the Freeloader are just two of many famous happy hobo and sad tramp clowns. Both Willie and Freddy are hobo clowns but with opposite personalities. Weary Willie is a sad, down in the dumps tramp clown and Freddy is an optimistic, happy hobo clown. What’s the difference between a hobo and a…