Photography by Fritz Meitzen

2005 - 2006 Cross Country Road Trip

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- Sep 15th to Oct 12th

Fritz here - While in Oregon, we were fortunate enough to stay with family. Not only did it provide a chance to visit with loved ones, but it also provided a haven to prepare once again for the road. I ordered parts for the other website, Nicole built up kits, and lots of laundry was washed. Although you get used to the road very easily, you forget how nice it is to have a bathroom right down the hall. We were also able to visit a pumpkin patch with my sister's family, and the experience is not one I'll soon forget. I consider myself lucky to have experienced a little snippet of their lives.

Erika, Larry, Travis, Jane, and Tom - Thank you for letting us crash with y'all before we hit the road for the east! You all really took care of us and made our 'layover' an adventure in of itself!

Mt. Hood

Fresh Pears at a local orchard

Gourds

Our nephew pulling pumpkins

Assorted Gourds

- Oct 13th

When we started this trip I never imagined I would be walking on the moon- in southern Idaho. Craters of the Moon is a national park where astronauts have practiced space walking and NASA tested the Mars rover prototype. You walk on naturally preserved lava flows and can even hike inside an underground lava tube. With a surreal landscape and wide open blue skies for miles you can't go wrong.

Desolate Landscape

Lava Fragment

Crater

Lava Tube
approx 40 feet high

There is no dirt!

- Oct 14th - Oct 15th

Snow covered mountains, rolling fall colored valleys, glass like lakes and skies that seem to reach all the way from the edge of the atmosphere to your toes. Grand Teton's beauty comes from its isolation as there are no skyscrapers to be had.

Can you believe this picture

Nicole on bridge

Again, so pretty

looks more like a painting

We arrived in Yellowstone near the end of the main season so aside from the small crowds and bison we had the park to ourselves. Well known for Old Faithful, this park has so much more to offer; bison, elk, wolves, lakes, waterfalls, canyons, travertines, and rainbow like thermal features. Due to the cooler temps, we were able to see the steam of thermals that would be invisible during the spring and summer. Although Fritz has been to Yellowstone before he was able to see it in a new light.

Yellowstone is one of the few parks where you can be a part of geological history. The landscape is constantly, and visibly, shaped by the shifting of tectonic plates and volcanic features.

Fisherman's Bridge

Yellowstone Lake

Emerald Pools

Painting Landscape

Elk at Dawn

2 grey wolves

Poppa Elk

Ink Pots

Mammoth Springs

Mammoth Springs

North Entrance

Stay Clear!

Riverside Geyser

Old Faithful

Riverside Geyser
with rainbow on que

Morning Glory Pool

Nice Reflections

...here too

Tough grass, huh?

Isle - o - grass

Looking for handouts

- Oct 15th

Fritz here - We just clipped the bottom of the state passing through. The country is beautiful though and will likely return again to fully explore the wonders that this state has to offer. I will tell you about and experience I had in Montana about ten years ago though. My sister and I were camping across the US for the summer, and we stopped in Montana at what seemed to be a very popular campground. There were RV's, boats, cars, and other tents all setup on the property, all of which looked fairly new. However, we never saw another person the whole time. Where were the people in the RVs, why didn't we see people in the tents or even hear them for that matter. The only people we saw were the man and woman that run the place, and I have to admit that they were a bit scary when we checked in. They also had a very nasty unchained dog with one blue eye and one brown that starred at you and growled constantly. Needless to say, neither one of us slept very well that night. In the morning we were up early, going to hit the showers and get the hay out of Dodge. The bathroom was dark and dirty with the only light coming from a single flickering bulb. Coming out of the only shower, I was met by the owner, a man in his late 20's, maybe early 30's, long hair all the way down his back, unshaven. Apparently, their house did not have running water and he and his wife were using the shower facilities that the campers use. In an effort to be friendly, I made some small talk. I told him that I loved Montana because it reminded me of Texas. He took great offence to this remark and shuttered, "what do you mean by that!" I said that both Texas and Montana have big skies and lots of space. I was a little shaken but I thought my explanation would quell his growing impatience. I remember this moment as if out of a horror movie. It was deathly quiet when he leaned in close to me and said, "You know what I like about Montana...you can go off one of these back roads about ten feet and no one will ever find you."

Nicole and I have a deal now that if either one of us feels unsure about a place we are going to stay; we leave immediately and find something better. We both exercised this option a couple of times on this trip. I hope to avoid any experience like the one described above ever again.

- Oct 16th

When walking around Devil's Tower, you can truly feel why Native Americans declare it a sacred place. Seeing the volcanic formation jut into the sky takes your breath away. Watching the sun extinguish itself in the valley floor below was unforgettable.

For the movie buffs out there you may recognize Devil's Tower from Close Encounter's of the Third Kind.

Strangley beautiful

Basalt Formations

Cursing Climbers
(loud and disrespectful)

Sacred Land

Towards Dusk

Just a nice sunset

- Oct 17th

Although it pales in comparison to some of the natural wonders we have seen, Mount Rushmore is pretty darn amazing. That humans could shape rock into realistic images of some of our presidents is incredible. Most of the carving was done by manual laborers with the final touches done by professional sculptors.

Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore

Fritz here - No trip across South Dakota is complete without visiting Wall Drug. The signs for Wall Drug start about 600 miles away in all directions. "Come see us at Wall Drug", "Free ice water", "Souvenirs await" - all signs that can be seen along the road.

"The Wall Drug Store got its start during the Depression years by offering Free Ice Water to thirsty travelers and by building its reputation on friendly service." - quoted from their website

The people are still friendly, although the store itself is not much more than a tourist trap. Then again, that's all Mount Rushmore is as well. They even tell you when you visit Rushmore, the state wanted to construct the monument solely to bring in tourism.

Wall Drug

I made her do it

Nicole says, "Revenge is sweet!"

Wall Drug

Resembling a giant sand box, the Badlands is a park of multicolored sand mountains surrounded by nothing but blue sky. It is strikingly beautiful.

Beautiful in it's own way

Looks almost painted

I couldn't make up my mind between
this one and the last one

Picture by Nicole

Striking features

- Oct 18th to Oct 20th

We stopped in Minnesota to visit my Dad's older brother and his wife. They have a beautiful piece of land along a creek. While there, we visited a local animal rescue zoo and enjoyed the countryside's transition to fall. It felt like we chased fall all the way from Alaska to the northeast.

Ken and Carol - Thank you for welcoming us into your home. We had a lot of fun visiting with y'all in Minnesota. Thank you for taking us to the awesome zoo, Ken!

Fritz here - check out the picture of the Asian beetles. I know that they look like lady bugs but don't be fooled. Those little suckers bite. They were brought in to help fight the aphids on the soybean crops. Except, this is a non native species with no predators, soooooo they are left unchecked now to run ramped. They were literally swarming Ken and Carol's house and the ones in the picture were collected by Ken inside their house. They get in the walls, on the lights, around the windows, in your car, and in your face. Their bite is only mildly annoying and leaves no mark.

Coyote in local zoo

Local zoo

Fall is here too

Asian Beetles!

- Oct 20th

Fritz here - When we left Minnesota, we made a bee line for St. Louis. We didn't tell Nicole's parents that we were going to stop by, as we wanted to surprise them. We did make one quick stop in Boone to have lunch with a friend, but that was pretty much it for this state. We'll have to come back and explore a bit more someday.

Mike - Thank you for meeting up with us for lunch. We certainly enjoyed the meal and the company very much.

- Oct 20th to Oct 28th

We couldn't possibly go through the Midwest without visiting my folks. To add some dramatic flare to the scenario we did not tell my mom we were coming; of course she figured it out when she was on the phone with me and I was standing behind her. We enjoyed a week hanging out with my parents and friends. While we were there, my dad signed us up for a visit to a local Frank Lloyd Wright home, the Kraus Home. Although the house was beautiful and creative (it has only two 90 degree angles), it was not necessarily conducive to comfortable living. The shower was so small that if you dropped the soap you would pray that all that practice picking up pencils with your toes would pay off in retrieving the renegade soap. The most awkward aspects of the home were the parallelogram and hexagonal beds. Despite all the eccentricities, the home is quite beautiful.

Mom and Dad - We had a great week visiting with you. I missed you both so much. We love y'all.

Frank Lloyd Wright House

Frank Lloyd Wright House

- Oct 28th to Oct 29th

Sycamore Pumpkin Festival

Located outside of Chicago, Sycamore is a storybook town with one main thoroughfare surrounded by neighborhoods of two story homes with well manicured lawns. We came through town near Halloween so we were able to see the Pumpkin Festival and pumpkin decorating contest- the pumpkin pictures speak for themselves. My favorite is the pumpkin cannibal.

a Buck-kin

Town Center

Eating another - great!

Worm in apple

Girl Scout Troop

Cub Scout Pack

Local Radio Station

Flower Patch

Pumpkin Cactus - very clever

We spent most of our time walking in the park around Lake Michigan and enjoying the fall weather. We did visit the Museum of Science and Industry which had some interesting exhibits on health, technology, and transportation. They even have a full size submarine on the lower level.

Chicago Skyline

Making Travis a toy train

Old robot toys

A squiddy from the Matrix!

Lessons on genetics

Cool Model

Quite a model train setup!

The only captured U-Boat

- Oct 30th

Fritz here - We high tailed it through Indiana on our way to Maine. I am sure the state has much to offer and we look forward to one day exploring it further.

- Oct 30th

Fritz here - Again, we just drove right through this state. I do have to say that the fall foliage was on fire here. I kept telling Nicole that I wanted to stop and take some pictures, but I never did. I don't know why we didn't; I think we were both just ready to get to the East Coast.

- Oct 30th

Fritz here - We saw about as little of this state as possible. We only nicked the very top left corner traveling a mere 44 miles before entering New York State.

- Oct 30th to Oct 31st

We saw the falls from the Canadian side and they are as gorgeous as we imagined. The rush of water is so powerful and there are rainbows shooting off in all directions.

Fritz here - Nicole didn't tell you that the reason we saw it from the Canadian side was that I made a wrong turn and we had no other choice but to cross the river into Canada. We were both very upset until we realized that the parking was much cheaper and the view was 10 fold more amazing. The American side does not have the best vantage point and I would highly recommend that anyone venturing to see Niagara Falls should definitely take in the views from the Canadian side.

That's a lot of water

Rainbow on command

Again, that's a lot of water

Look at the crazy people in it

That's the US side

Extensive walkways

Cheese

...and crackers

We drove through the Adirondacks on our way to Maine. The trees were at the end of their fall transition but the colors were still amazing.

Check out those reflections

Almost doesn't look real

- Oct 31st

Fritz here - Wasn't the TV show "Newhart" filmed in Vermont? Actually, I just looked it up online and yes it was. We still didn't stop though. Nicole took some lovely pictures out the window as we went cruising down the highway.

Picture by Nicole

Picture by Nicole

- Oct 31st

Fritz here - We did not stop here either. I have to tell you, we were on a mission to get to Bar Harbor, Maine. We made a lot of miles this day and ended up spending the night in Bangor, which was only a short drive away from Bar Harbor and Acadia.

Picture by Nicole

- Nov 1st to Nov 5th

We arrived after the tourist season so all the campgrounds and RV parks were closed. Luckily, we found a beautiful bed and breakfast with AMAZING off season rates. We had a cozy room and enjoyed delicious breakfasts. We were near the heart of Bar Harbor so we were able to walk the town. We were also a short drive from Acadia National Park where we hiked everyday. The view of the valleys and ocean from the granite mountain tops was awe inspiring. We loved the hikes around Jordan Pond (my mom actually worked at the teahouse there when she was a teenager) and up the Bubbles (granite formations). Nothing is more peaceful than walking through a quiet forest draped in the crimsons, oranges and yellows of fall. It was a sad day when we left Acadia and Bar Harbor. We will definitely visit Maine again. I have been lobbying for a future move there as well.

Nice Proportions

View of Bar Harbor from above

Jordan Pond

Pond Weeds

Sand Beach

Path around Jordan Pond

Nicole spotted this guy

Hiking trail

Dew Drops

Reflected Leaves

Amazing huh?

Fall colors were so vibrant

Happy Beach 1

Happy Beach 2

Happy Beach 3

Happy Beach 4
Nicole is an optomist, she could not bring herself to make this rock unhappy, so he's just upside down

City Park

Dingy Central

Our bedroom at the B&B

Dining room at the B&B

B&B exterior

- Nov 5th

Fritz here - We had to pass through New Hamspire again to get to Boston. I'm sure that there is much this state has to offer, but we will have to explore it fully another trip.

- Nov 5th to Nov 21st

We had a blast in Boston staying with Fritz's uncle Blocker. He lives near the heart of Cambridge so we spent a lot of time in Harvard Square. We took the subway into town where we visited the art museum- they had a great Ansel Adams exhibit, walked the Freedom Trail to all the main historical points in the city, and took a tour of Beacon Hill that traced the path of the underground-railroad network. Boston is great because it has so much history. One of our favorite things was the glass flower exhibit at the Harvard Natural History Museum- they are so realistic it is hard to imagine they are glass.

One of the most memorable parts of the visit was when Blocker took us on a tour of the Charles River. He is one of the Harvard rowing coaches so he took us on the water. It was beautiful.

There are two culinary delights worth mentioning. First, if you are ever in Boston, visit Mike's Pastry Shop for some of the most amazing cannolis. For some great fajitas, better than any we have had in Texas, hit the Border Cafe. It is Blocker's favorite place and we could see why. They have great service, delicious food, and oddly enough delectable homemade blue cheese dressing. Mmmm!

Blocker - How can we thank you enough? We had a blast with you in Boston. We could not have had a more knowledgeable, enthusiastic and fun tour guide. Please take us up on our offer and visit us in Texas some time.

Fritz here - Thank you so much. It was wonderful to see you again. I enjoyed cooking for you and Mrs. Brazelton, and I will miss the late night cookies with a moat of melted peanut butter. If you are ever near wherever we are, please stay with us.

Cambridge

Fritz here - Uncle Blocker took us out on the Charles for a river tour of the city. He saved the day when the first boat had engine troubles. He paddled us to another local boathouse, shimmied around a fence, hailed a taxi back to the Harvard Boathouse, and brought another boat to tow the first one back. What a memorable experience. He was very embarrassed, but it made the experience even more memorable.

Then he took us around Harvard to see some of the campus, and we even got to eat lunch one day in the freshman dining hall. The inside of that building really and truly looked like the great dining hall from Harry Potter. Nicole and I both expected candles to be floating in mid-air when we walked in.

Harvard Men's Boathouse

Engine Trouble

Uncle Blocker to the rescue!

Boathouse

Only time a cat has appeared in a crew picture....oh yea, my uncle is in there too!

Touch John Harvard's toe for luck

Me too

Hook'em Horns
You can take the man away from Texas, but you will never take the Texas out of the man!

Freshman Dining Hall
It actually looks like the dining hall from Harry Potter in the inside.

Fritz here - Uncle Blocker showed us the ropes on the subways and we were off. One day we went down to the Boston Common and took the Freedom Trail. Talk about a lesson in this country's great history. I highly recommend that anyone visiting Boston make sure not to miss this. At the USS Constitution exhibit we met a very nice park employee. She gave a wonderful speech about the war of 1812 and also told us about Mike's Pastry Shop. God bless that nice woman.

Freedom Trail Map

Massachusetts State House

Granary Burying Ground

I liked the lighting

Paul Revere

Old State House

Quincy market

Faneuil Hall

Old North Church

Copp's Burying Ground

USS Constitution

Bunker Hill Monument

End on the Freedom Trail

Just a pretty bridge

Sunset at 4:00pm...yikes

Boston Skyline

Fritz here - This is the view from the Prudential Building. I think it was only a few dollars to take the elevator to the top, but the view was well worth every penny.

View from the Prudential Building

The Charles River

Red Sox Ballpark

It was a very clear day

Don't you just love the arcitecture?

Fritz here - Uncle Blocker even took us to a Harvard Football game, they were playing Penn that particular weekend. The feel was more that of a high school football game with all the good spirit and very little advertising.

Hike!

More people than I expected

Harvard Band was wonderful

Fritz here - What an honor it was to see this landmark! Anyone that knows me knows that I dearly love the TV show "Cheers." Though the actual bar (Bull & Finch Pub) was not as impressive, just standing outside imagining the TV set was wonderful.

Cheers

This was so cool

Recognize this shot from the TV show?

Fritz here - You have to go here. Everyone will have to see the amazing glass flower for themselves and even then you won't believe what you saw. How could anyone mimic nature in this way? I am certain that bees would fly to the flower should they be placed outside. The flowers were exquisitely intricate, expertly painted, and remarkably scaled.

Look at that!

I'm serious, they are made of glass and then painted.

I know it's hard to believe.

I was there in person, and I still didn't believe it.

This is glass!!!!

Everyone is muttering under their breathes, "there's no way."

Holy cow, this must have taken a really patient person a very very long time!

Mineral Collection

Specimen of Labradorite

Pink Fairly Armadillo - yes, it's real!

Fritz here - The day was cold and rainy. This was not the Cape Cod I had hoped to show Nicole. Needless to say, I was a bit grumpy about the weather. I guess we'll just have to come back.

That's not us

- Nov 21st

Fritz here - We made it through Rhode Island during the early evening after coming back from Cape Cod. Our next destination was New York City. Again, we didn't stop in this state, but the scenery was quite nice all the same.

- Nov 21st

Fritz here - Today was my birthday, so to celebrate we stopped off in Mystic, Connecticut and had a slice of heaven at Mystic Pizza. This was Nicole's idea so don't go thinking that this was some big fantasy of mine. The food was good, the staff friendly, and the prices were very reasonable. We filled our bellies and hit road again.

- Nov 21st to Nov 24th

What a city! Our visit to NYC was a three day whirlwind. We visited the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island (a great way to learn about relatives' entrance to the USA), the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Empire State Building (what a view), Grand Central Station and of course Times Square. We might have passed for locals if I had not wandered around pointing at landmarks and jumping up and down with glee like Tom Cruise on Oprah. We also saw Hairspray and Mama Mia on Broadway. They were both really fun shows but Hairspray really knocked our socks off- the entire cast was really talented and you could tell they have so much fun performing with each other. We celebrated Thanksgiving in NYC by going o the Macy's parade and chowing down at Whole Foods.

We actually stayed in Jersey City so we had to take the train into NYC. Our train route took us to the World Trade Center station. When you ride into the massive recess in the ground and realize two buildings used to stand there, it puts things into perspective. We are incredibly lucky be living the life we are- to be able to choose this lifestyle.

Ellis Island

We both had family walk through here

Looking back at Jersey City

New York Skyline

Lady Liberty

Look! A picture of us.

I love this shot.

New York Skyline

You can just make out Rockafeller Center
(bright white area middle of the picture, to the left)

These are taken from the top of Empire State Building

We got to see Mamma Mia!

Always Busy

Always Bustling

Taxi Heaven

Must be a huge electric bill

Happy Thanksgiving

We also got to see Hairspray!

Grand Central Station

Caught a subway from here

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

A very large Chicken Little

Kid on dad's shoulders

Picture for my dad

Scooby Dooby Doo!
Trump Tower on the left

Central Park

Trees - could be anywhere really

Quiet Pond
(shhhhh...the duck is sleeping)

Blurry on purpose - an artsy shot

- Nov 24th

Fritz here - Nicole mentioned that we stayed in Jersey City. We found the only RV campground in 100 miles of New York, and as luck would have it, there were vacancies, it was 10 minutes from a train station, and only 5 minutes on from that to the heart of Manhattan. We were so incredibly lucky to find this spot. Also, from our site we could see Lady Liberty just south of us.

- Oct 30th

While in Philly, we visited the Liberty Bell and saw the Body Worlds exhibit at the Franklin Institute Museum. The exhibit uses plastic preserved cadavers preserved to teach anatomy. Oddly enough, of all the things we saw, the cadaver with a hip replacement was the hardest to handle because a metal rod was stuck deep into the femur. If you know someone with a hip replacement, give them a hug and commend them for their physical fortitude. I'm going to take a rest now; my hip hurts just thinking about it.

Independence Hall

Liberty Bell

Both

- Nov 25th

Fritz here - We were just passing through.

- Nov 25th

Fritz here - We pass right through Maryland at first to get to a friend's place in Alexandria, Virginia. When we're done with DC though, we head back up to right outside Baltimore to visit some of Nicole's family.

- Nov 26th to Dec 1st

Washington DC

We had a lot of fun visiting the Capital. We visited quite a few of the Smithsonians and most of the monuments. One of the most moving museums was the Holocaust Museum. The information displayed, as well as the building itself, serves as a testament to the dark side of man, but also of peoples' ability to survive. Everyone who visits DC needs to see the museum and appreciate how lucky they are.

Another favorite was the International Spy museum- man do I want a lipstick gun and a tricked out BMW spy car now. You will learn the scoop on the worlds' spy organizations past and present and see a lot of the gear that has been used.

Kim - We had an amazing time staying with you in Virginia. We were both excited to have a chance to really visit with you and watch you kick some butt in hockey- despite a skate casualty. Also, thank you for the heads up about the International Spy Museum. It was one of my favorites!

Fritz here - Thank you again Kimbo! If you are ever anywhere near where we are, let us know.

Jefferson himself

Washington Monument and the Capital

Lincoln getting a face lift

Pillars at Lincoln Memorial

We did a drive by visit of Shenandoah. We had missed most of the fall foliage but saw some incredible ice formations on the cliffs and had spectacular views of the valley below the mountains.

Mostly Ice

Icy Flowers

- Dec 1st to Dec 3rd

Fritz here - Upon leaving DC, we headed back north towards Baltimore. We were fortunate enough to stay with some of Nicole's family. We were welcomed into their home even though they are in the middle of a very large renovation.

Kara and Dan - Thank you for letting us crash at your. It was so much fun hanging out with you and the boys!

Who would not love an island inhabited by wild ponies and comically small dear? The wind swept beaches and wild prairies weren't too bad either. Thank you Jessica for the recommendation to visit this gorgeous island.

Wild Horses

Self Portrait by Nicole

Beach fence

Picture taken for Nicole

What a weird sunset

Comically small buck
Only about 2.5 feet tall

- Dec 3rd

Fritz here - We left Assateague Island at dusk, so most of Virginia was in the dark. We decided to make some big miles and we ended up driving about 500 miles this night.

- Dec 3rd

Fritz here - We're still driving. We want to make it close to Hilton Head Island so we can visit there in the morning and then make another 500 miles or so.

- Dec 4th

In second grade, I saw the ocean for the first time on this island so it only made sense to stop by and pay Hilton Head a visit. We spent a couple of hours walking on the beach and collecting horseshoe crab shells. Fritz found the perfect specimen to hang on the wall of our future non mobile home.

Beautiful Beach

Horseshoe Crab

- Dec 4th

Fritz here - On this day we drove about 600 miles. We left Hilton Head Island around lunchtime and made it all the way the Key Largo, FL. Georgia was a bit of a blur. We definitely want to come back to see some of the old homes in Savannah.

- Dec 4th to Dec 10th

Florida Keys

Who could take a cross country trip without hitting the Keys? We spent our first night in Key Largo at an RV park on the ocean. The next morning we took in the view from the beach. It was hard to tell where the ocean met the sky - just blue for miles.

The next couple of nights we stayed on Key West at the heart of the historic district. We walked the town, visited the beach, saw the most amazing sunset at the pier, and took an eco tour. On the eco tour we went sailing, snorkeling, and kayaking. It felt amazing to be on and in the water. Perhaps our next adventure will be sailing around the country. It was very hard to leave the Keys. The laid back, go with the flow attitude there is refreshing.

Key Largo

Cockatoo - Wild?

Ahhhhh....sunset in Key West

Eco Tour

Pretty calm day so far
(where's the horizon?)

Mangrove Forest on the horizon

Baby Mangrove Tree

Cormorants

Mangrove Forest

Picture by Nicole

The ugly storm waiting for us at port

Fritz here - It has always been a dream of mine to dive for treasure with the team responsible for finding the Atocha. When I was kid, I saved up for years to buy a few coins from the wreck. It was amazing to finally visit this place. I actually spoke to someone on the staff about becoming a diver / photographer for their newest boat in the fleet. Nicole and I might consider it further someday. It would be at least a year commitment and the hours are long and hard. I would be away from Nicole for several days at a time living aboard a boat.

Gold Chain, each link weighs an ounce

Silver coins, cleaned up a bit

Silver coins in a cemented brick, that's how they are found on the ocean floor

This sort of chain was usually given as a wedding gift. The rings could be removed and used to buy goods as one traveled

We visited my Dad's sister and her husband who live in Everglades City, on the border of Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. The Everglades is the fusion of grasslands and tropical swamp. Where else would you have deer, bear, panthers, and alligators? It is a very magical place. We walked a lot of the boardwalks through the prairie and swamp lands.

My uncle took us on a boat tour of the small islands and mangroves nearby. We even had a chance to go shelling on Pavilion Key. What paradise! It is moments like that when you can't believe you are on such an adventure. I don't know if either one of us will be able to fully grasp all that we have seen and done. We are incredibly lucky.

Dar and Keith - Thank you for letting us stay with you in paradise. Keith - thank you for the boat rides. There is not better way to see Florida than on the water. Dar - it is always a pleasure, too bad we weren't on TV. We could not have asked for better company, or key lime pie.

Ugly mug

Just waiting

No swimming allowed

Aligator Boardwalk

These guys just look like they are up to something

Ouch

Wild growing bromeliads

Boardwalk through the glades

Truly a wild place

- Dec 11th

On our way to Tennessee, we stopped to visit my cousins and their wives in Atlanta. Kirk and Kim- thank you so much for letting us crash at your place. We had a great time visiting- it had been too long! Kim, the dinner was delicious. Kirk , I'm not too sure about those cinnamon rolls. Ken it was great to see you again and to meet Stephanie and Aaron- wonderful additions to the family!

- Dec 12th

Fritz here - We were supposed to be driving through the Great Smokey Mountains, but a snow storm had shut down the road through the park. We were forced to drive around and on into Knoxville, TN a day early.

- Dec 12th to Dec 14th

Haley - Thank you for letting us crash with you in Knoxville, We had a great time visiting with you- next time we can hit the ice-rink. Hopefully we will see you in Texas sometime!

- Dec 15th

Fritz here - We finished off the trip with a soak in the hot springs of Arkansas. We visited the Buckstaff Bath House. The Buckstaff is the last remaining original bath house still in operation. There are others of course, but the Buckstaff has that personality that cannot be beat. For $20 each we got our own whirl pool, scrub down, sauna, heat packs, and needle shower. We both felt like putty after that.

What a way to end the trip

Public Fountain

Old bath houses everywhere

Fritz here - I talked Nicole into this activity. The chances of actually finding anything are pretty slim, but it's fun to kill some time and try your luck. Needless to say, neither of us found anything worthwhile. Without further adieu, we pointed the truck towards Texas and punched the gas.

- Dec 15th

Fritz here - We were finally back in our home state! The feeling was one of sadness and joy...the end of one journey and the beginning of another. It had been over 7 months since we left on this trip, but now our truck was back on Texas soil. We talked a lot about the trip in the last couple of hundred miles; what we'd miss, what we'd seen, and all the things that we were looking forward to.