The Wizard Family

I had a friend in grade school who used to do this amazing card trick. He would ask you to select ANY card from a standard deck and hand it to him. Then, he would call this phone number and ask for the Wizard. After a brief hold, he would hand you the phone and the creepy voice on the other end would tell you what your card was. This kids name was Justin and he was a clever kid, one of the great thinkers in the neighborhood. He would do this trick 3-4 times in a row for a group of us and we would scratch our heads every time. He never revealed his secret.

Then, one day, after Justin went home, I decided to investigate. Who was the wizard? How did Justin get the wizard's number? Why wouldn't he share it with us so we could baffle others? I walked over the the phone that he had used earlier and pressed redial. After a few rings his mom answered. Hmm, he must have used the phone to check in after doing the trick. Or, perhaps he had purposely called home to erase the Wizard's number from my phones memory bank. While thinking about this, and also thinking about the least awkward way to address Justin's mom, it hit me. 

"Is this Wizard home?" I asked.

She replied, with military precision, "Ace, two, three, four..."

"Sure, I will hold." I said

When she heard these words she switched to naming suits, "Hearts, Spades..."

Then I said something like, "Okay, here he is." and she stopped.

Armed with a number and a suit, she waited patiently for an audience member to get on the phone. 

Holy shit. The secret of the Wizard revealed. I hung up the phone and immediately felt let-down. It seems whenever you learn the secret behind a magicians trick you unearth an explanation so basic, it leaves you underwhelmed and depressed. You realize you can never get that feeling of amazement back as, once again, ignorance proves to be bliss. 

I found myself gaining a tremendous amount of respect for his parents after this. I learned that everyone in the house was in on the trick so no matter who called or who answered, they all knew the drill. They were a cohesive unit that amazed their friends all around town with the secret of the Wizard. This single action from a family down the street made me realize something about parents. They all do things a little different but, all parents, no matter what their style, have the power to mold their household and children, whether intentionally or unintentionally. This tone, set by our parents, is what makes us reminisce about our childhood. It's the reason that, even as adults, it just feels good to have our parents around. 

This week we rolled up to a Florida State Park in Central Florida. The experience in this area isn't your typical Florida experience. Instead of oceans and sunsets you get dense forests and diverse wildlife. I love oceans just as much as the next guy but our family has a strong connection to the forest and when we get a chance to camp in a Florida hammock for a week, we take it. 

The hardwood stands that lie on the edges of wetlands are called Hammocks. The origin of the word is unclear but when you walk through one, you get a few ideas why they might call it this. 

When we arrived at our campsite, Noah and Sam immediately charmed a woman across the road from us and she entertained them while we unpacked. This was our first long stop in a while and it was the end of our 18-day, 2,500 mile trip across the country. In fact, this stop was the reason we had to take this long trek. In just a couple of hours, our Uncle Don and Aunt LuAnn were due to arrive and our week of family fun would be underway. So, we pulled out all the chairs, rugs, awnings and bikes so we could take full advantage of our time here. 

After we got set up we took a walk down to the playground and did some Geocaching. It's a family activity that we have been doing for years and the boys absolutely LOVE it. While I was sitting on a bench watching the red shouldered Hawks circle the playground, I got a text message from Aunt LuAnn - Where are you? I replied - On our way back now. And we started back towards camp. 

We were all really excited to see some family. We had planned to meet Don and LuAnn here months ago and as time went on, we learned that a LOT of Jessica's family would be in the area at the same time. We decided since we were all in town and the Tigers were doing Spring Training nearby, we would all buy tickets and meet up at a baseball game. At one point, we had tried really hard to convince Jessica's parents to come down but they couldn't get the time off work. Jessica was pretty bummed but still, she had a whole bunch of family to see. 

When we got to camp we exchanged hugs with our family and everyone was all smiles. Then, Aunt LuAnn asked Jessica if she could help her get something from the back seat. Jessica headed toward the car and her aunt looked at me and told me to start taking a video. Knowing there was a surprise in the car, I fumbled around in my pocket, reaching for my phone. Eventually, I managed to pull it out but it was too late. Jessica opened the back door and a familiar figure popped out of the backseat and wrapped her arms around Jessica in a full embrace. It was her mom. A long, tear filled hug followed and Jessica was, at that moment, the happiest girl on earth. Noah came riding up on his bike and hopped off and immediately ran into his grandmas arms. It was a fantastic moment and Jessica's family deserves a huge pat on the back for pulling it off. It was an awesome beginning to a really great week. 

Uncle Don and Aunt LuAnn have a pretty awesome teardrop setup. We hung out under the canopy all week. 

Arrival day. We finished setting up camp and had Korean soup. I think Jessica's smile says it all. 

Grandma playing baseball with the boys. Getting them ready for MLB Spring Training. 

Our spot on the berm at Marchant Stadium. 

The whole gang. Everyone just happened to be in Florida on the same day. 

The Tigers beat the O's 15-2. As a Michigan football fan. Uncle Chuck is not used to watching his team win in such convincing fashion. 

We did some more disc golfing. Sammy is showing his grandma how to throw. 

Grandma getting ready to take her shot from the fairway. 

Mother and daughter chatting with the boys in the stroller.

All of the fruit we found in the hammock was tested first by Uncle Don. The oranges were really bitter but the grapefruit was perfect. 

Sammy and Uncle Don

Noah and Uncle Don.

There is no replacement for family. They are the place from which you came and the reminder to never forget who you are. They gather around you at the beginning and end of your life and celebrate you. In between, they show you the things that make you a part of them. Your family is your home in this world.  Last I heard, my grade school friend, Justin, has a baby on the way. I have high hopes that when the time is right, he will bring his kid into the inner circle and make him a part of the Wizard family. 

PLACES WE HAVE BEEN! (Click map for pictures and notes)

For more pics, maps and other stuff visit our website. 

www.YumFam.com

Road + Schooling =

Something happens to the children when we are in the middle of a long-haul. They sit in their car seats for 6 hours, restrained, like lightning bolts trapped in a cloud. At first they sit and play with toys while mom sleeps and dad listens to NPR. Then, they start to fidget and get loud as their pent up energy reaches critical levels. Before you know it they're fighting, kicking seats, throwing toys, and pouring water on Hannah. We yell at them or try to offer them treats for good behavior but it's too late, the metamorphosis is complete, they have turned into monsters. 

When we arrive at our destination, we yell at them to go play and they keep coming back and kicking us while we are down. I issue them threats using a deep grunting voice that I deliver through my teeth. They respond by imitating me and laughing. This usually prompts them to cue up the ‘Best of Dad Grunts’ album where they growl hits like ‘Don't Pee on the Trail’ and “Get Over here". They're no kinder to their mother as they throw things around inside the RV while she tries to unpack and, in between attacks on the parents, they terrorize the dog. It is exhausting for everyone. 

Our current long-haul is a 2500 mile stretch of the United States that runs mostly along Interstate 10. We are about halfway through this 18 day trip that takes us from Central Arizona to Central Florida and we have seen some pretty cool stuff. We stay two nights in each place which equates to us driving every other day with a day in between to check out the area. It sometimes feels a little rushed but I think we do a pretty good job of enjoying the journey.

Replaced and upgraded the suspension on the truck. It's like driving a new car. 

Our first stop was outside of Tucson at Kartchner Caverns State Park. The big attraction there is an extremely well preserved cave system that features a massive column named Kubla Kahn. The only way to access the caves is if you go on a guided tour with a Ranger. The tours are intimate and spaced out so you gotta get there early to get tickets. The biggest take away from this place is an increased awareness of how fragile caves are. Their caves are pristine and they are serious about protecting them. For the boys, this experience ignited a curiosity in caves inside them that was fun to watch. On the tour, Noah was flexing his knowledge in front of the crowd. The rangers kept saying, “In a few more years, you’ll be back here guiding the tours.”

No cameras allowed in the caves but we spotted some wildlife in the park. 

Our next stop was White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. We checked into the KOA in Alamogordo. The people that run this park are top notch. They are beyond friendly and, because they are awesome, they have a bunch of sleds that they loan out to campers. So, we spent a day sledding at White Sands and it was a blast. This is one of the few national parks that allows pets on the trails and in the backcountry so Hannah got to come along. It was nice having her along. She brings a certain energy to our posse that reminds us all to step back and appreciate our surroundings.

After White Sands we spent a few hours in Roswell. It was about 30 miles out of the way from our next stop and I felt like I had to go see it. We sometimes talk about things that we regret not seeing (Glacier National Park and Crater Lake often come up) and I just didn’t want Roswell to be one of those things. Our visit to Roswell consisted of eating lunch aboard the RV inside of a dirt parking lot, buying a sticker and a post card from a gift shop and then eating frozen yogurt at a mall that reminded me of the movie Napoleon Dynamite. So, I can’t give it a fair assessment. I think what you’re supposed to do is spend the $5 to go see the UFO Museum and uncover a government conspiracy about aliens but I couldn’t get my kids within 100 feet of the entrance. What can I say? They are terrified of aliens, especially if you’re trying to convince them they are real.

ALIENS!

We continued on to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. We stayed at an RV park that basically offers you hookups and a parking spot so you can camp outside of the National Park. I spent the morning catching up on some work while Jessica and the boys brushed up on their cave knowledge. After lunch, we headed down to do some caving. Carlsbad Caverns offers a self guided hike that dives about a mile into the caves and puts you 700 feet underground. Then, there is a 1.5 mile loop that is outstanding. You spend the whole day walking along and seeing the most eerie and incredible things in this dimly lit, natural landscape. Then, you hop on an elevator that delivers you directly to the visitor center. The fluorescent lights and souvenirs appear in front of you and you wonder if it was all just a dream.

Hiking into a giant hole in the ground.

Enjoying the view

This column is over 60 feet high

What giant cave is complete without a snack bar?

With New Mexico in our rear view, we crossed into Texas on a back road that was lined with oil fields and packed with tanker trucks. This was the first driving day where the wind was not a serious issue. On most of the other days we have been crossing flat, barren landscapes on the edge of low pressure systems. I perfected the art of steering into an 18 wheeler when it passes so you don’t get blown off the road. It’s counter-intuitive but if you do it just right, you will experience little to no sway as you get passed.

We landed just outside of San Antonio at Medina Lake. What’s interesting about Medina Lake is there is no longer a lake there. And this thing just recently dried up. 5 years ago this was a deep lake where people brought their boats and had vacation homes around. Now, all of the marine related businesses have closed their doors and there is a big valley where the lake used to be. Everything is for sale and the campground was basically empty. Fortunately, we didn’t come to see the lake, we just needed a place to camp that was within striking distance of San Antonio.

Funky Cold Medina

Wow, San Antonio! Our favorite downtown so far. I had no idea this city was so awesome. Everything you need to see is neatly laid out in a clean and walkable city-center. We started at the Alamo which didn’t immediately grab the boys like the caves did but after a few minutes, they were asking questions and expressing a genuine interest. We walked around and started reading things and then watched a video about the battle. It made me realize that I didn’t know JACK about the Alamo so I was learning alongside the boys. Afterwards we headed to the River Walk which I had no idea existed until my friend, Andreanna. told me about it the night before. I am glad she did because this was a pleasant surprise. We took a boat tour, ate dinner and had ice cream in this spectacular setting and then drove back at night with sleeping children in the backseat.

Sorry, Pee Wee, no bike here. 

The ducks enjoyed all of the tortilla chips that Sammy dropped. 

Today, we left San Antonio and I drove in some of those crazy winds I mentioned earlier. As I drove I thought about when I first learned about caves. I remember a worksheet that showed poor illustrations of stalagmites and stalactites. Below the drawings were some clever ways to help me remember which was which. The beauty of a living, limestone cave cannot even be captured on a photograph, let alone a grade school ditto. Naturally, when I had learned about them all those years ago, I can’t say I was particularly interested. Noah and Sam will remember it as two full days of caving where they learned a stalagmite grows from the ground because it ‘mite’ grow up.

I thought about the Alamo too. Not the battle itself, but our trip there. I knew nothing about it because it got skimmed over in history class while I slept with my head on my desk. For my kids, it was a day where they got to see Davy Crockett’s rifle and walk inside of a room where most of those 200 men took their final breaths.

Roadschooling happens so naturally that it's easy to miss. It’s that moment when everyone is getting involved in the same thing and being kind to one another.  Everything is cool and calm. These are easier to come across when we are hiking a trail inside of a cave or talking a tour of a historic battleground. I realized this while I was driving today and just as I realized it, the boys began to stir in their car seats. This was my chance. I could tell they were trying to get our attention so I tuned down NPR and addressed them directly. I started asking them what they were gonna do when we arrived and what they missed most about Michigan. They were telling me about a ninja school that they founded where they learn to fight bad guys. I asked probing questions about their imaginary school that prompted them to be creative. Before long, we were laughing about the absurd things that came out of their brains and we were having a good time. I let them take turns picking what radio station we listened to and kept the conversation going.

When we arrived at the campground, outside of Houston, I assigned Sammy to team dad and Noah to team mom. We involved them in our routine of setting up camp and they responded well. When I offered Sam the drill to lower the stabilizing jacks, his eyes lit up. I smiled as I thought about the stress free car ride and the family bonding we were doing. I looked over at the RV across from us that had vinyl lettering all over it directing me to the website www.roadschoolamerica.com and I thought, it must be a sign.

Red Rocks, Canyons and RV Roof Men

It was 9:30am when the crew arrived – three California guys in a conversion van with a work trailer in tow. Ron, the RV roof guy, climbed out of the driver’s seat and started delegating to his guys. Within minutes drills were going and pieces of my camper were being pried off. The final phase of operation “Fix-It Phoenix” had begun. Let me back up…

So, the last time I blogged we had just crossed the Arizona state line. In fact, right before I clicked PUBLISH I was ordering a Date Shake at the Dateland Travel center. The shakes are good but, like anything that has been hyped up for years, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. It is an obligatory purchase if you are travelling I-8 in Arizona so, it doesn’t matter what I rate the shake, you’re going to have to buy one and form your own opinion which, in turn, will not help the next guy make a purchase decision.

We started our Arizona adventure at Lake Pleasant, a regional park just Northwest of Phoenix. The lake itself was created by putting a huge dam in the desert and pumping concrete in the ground to prevent drainage. The water in the lake was delivered courtesy of the Central Arizona Project, or CAP. The CAP is a long trench that diverts water from the Colorado River to Central Arizona so people in phoenix can have lawns, swimming pools and golf courses. If you ever make your way down to Mexico along the Colorado River, you will eventually come to a delta where the Colorado River disappears. It used to flow all the way to the Gulf of California but now it stops, a couple hundred miles short. Don’t get me wrong, the lake is beautiful, but it comes at a huge cost and represents the enormous impact humans have on nature.

The Colorado River according to a map. 

The Colorado River according to a satellite. 

Lake Pleasant

During the day it is not uncommon to spot wild burros running around in the desert surrounding our camper. At night, the coyotes come to life. They stay out of sight but they make their presence known with their unmistakable yipping and howling. Other critters that are native to this area are rattlesnakes, tarantulas, scorpions, and Javelinas. We haven’t met any of these critters but I am okay with just knowing they exist.

Our desert campsite!

While we were in the Phoenix area I was in talks with the insurance company to get our roof and water damage repaired. I was also working with a dealer who was talking to the manufacturer to get some items fixed under our warranty. If you have never dealt with an RV insurance company or an RV warranty department, you are guaranteed to live a life with less gray hairs than me. Being the persistent guy that I am, I managed to get the manufacturer to hand over a reimbursement check for a mobile mechanic that I hired in LA and they approved all of my current repairs. So, we were ready to take the rig in, we just needed a place to stay for 5 days. We dropped off our rig at the dealer and headed north.

Our first stop was in Sedona. If you are like us and you like cute towns, grand views, hiking, biking and laid back people – Sedona is paradise. It is easily in the top 3 places we have visited so far. Our stay in Sedona came courtesy of Diamond Vacations. They gave us a 3 night stay in a 2-room suite for $99 and all we had to do was go to a 2 hour presentation about their vacation club. After the presentation, they promised us a $100 Visa gift card so, at the end of the day, we were making $1 off of the stay. The sales person that they paired us with totally missed the mark. I was so bored with her that I literally stopped her and said, “Look, I want to help you. If I were selling to us, a family of full-time RVers, I might start by talking about how much we spend on camping and then play the angle of price comparison.”

She looked at me and said she was getting to that part and then continued making confusing scribbles on paper. She also spent a lot of time using the “rule of 72” to demonstrate inflation to us. She explained that buying into their vacation program today made us OWNERS and we would not have to ride the wave of inflation. We could lock in our vacations for LIFE. I have been through these presentations before and they are all the same. They do the math backwards to make it look appealing but if you simply pull out a calculator and add it all up, you are screwing yourself for life. Additionally, if ANYONE uses the “rule of 72” to explain ANYTHING to you, they are giving you the business.

Our rental in Sedona

Dining and living room too. Feels good to spread out after living in an RV for 6 months. 

We made it out of the presentation unscathed and we even managed to take most of the items from their snack basket and put them into our hiking backpack. So, armed with a backpack full of snacks we hit the trails. The trail system is amazing and it is endless. You can hike for hours or you can hike for days. On our final day in Sedona, Jessica took the boys on a long hike and I went mountain biking with my good friend, Dave. I am going to say this again just so we are clear. Sedona is paradise. Go there.

Bell Rock Trail

Taking a break at the top, listening to coyotes howl in the middle of the day. 

Things got pretty technical and well above my skill level. 

A video from my handlebar camera. 

After enjoying our last few moments in our free vacation rental, we headed to Kaibab National Forest just off the south rim of the Grand Canyon to stay with the some friends. Dave and Connie are good friends of ours that literally live on the edge of the Grand Canyon. They heat their home with a wood burning stove and they have books, music instruments, bikes and camping gear all around their house. They eat home cooked dinners every night and it really is a wonderful place to relax. 

South rim family photo

Hugging the canyon

During our stay we did some day hikes, played music together and had some amazing meals. In between the fun, I was still working with insurance to secure the funds to fix my roof. On the evening of our last full day, the money appeared in my account, Everything seemed to be coming together. To celebrate, we drank some beers, played some chess, and had some great conversations.  

One of our dinner views. 

Check Mate. I lost every match. 

Dave, cleaning house in his robe. Living the good life. 

We arrived back in Phoenix on Saturday and headed to pick up our rig. The camper has been outfitted with an electric tongue jack. I talked them into giving me a sweet deal on it while the camper was in for warranty. They also fixed the pulleys on the slide out and put everything inside back together. I pushed the button to slide out the side wall to test it out and it slid out like butter. It was so satisfying. 

We parked the RV back at Lake Pleasant, called our friends Ben and Erin and met them up at Peter Piper Pizza so our kids could play together. Ben has a daughter named Isabella who is one of the brightest and most social 5-year olds I have ever met and she fits right in with the boys. We actually closed out Peter Piper and the kids fell asleep on the ride home.

I laid in bed thinking about the awesome week we had. I thought about how some of the most amazing times we have had on this trip are when we strip down to the basics and take off for a while. It made me realize that you don’t need an RV to experience America. You can just load up the car and go. It has advantages too because you don’t have a big rig behind you everywhere you go. You can fit into some of the smaller nooks and crannies out there. I also realized that, as long as everything went well, in less than 24 hours, our critical RV issues would be completely behind us.

That brings us back to the California dudes in their work van. They do, in one day, what RV dealers do in two weeks. They bust ass and they do it right. By noon, the old roof was off and they were rolling out the material for the new roof. They use a much sturdier material than the manufacturers do and they are very liberal with the sealants. They guarantee everything for 10 years and, if you met Ron, the owner, you would be 100% confident that they are serious about this warranty.

Before

During. notice the spot where it was rotting. 

After

The roof guys spent most of the day working their assess off and I am happy to report that as of 6:00PM, the Yum family is back in action. Operation “Fix-It Phoenix” was a success.

Things can be pretty tricky on the road. For most people, a broken RV is something that gets handled in the background. They go about their normal lives and wait for a call from the shop. For us, it is a 5-day road trip to see new places and old friends...and a 1 day visit from the RV Roof Man and his band of hard working gypsies.

The amazing sunset we watched after our RV was all fixed. It really felt like the universe was smiling at us. 

If you are on the road and you need roof repairs call these guys: www.thervroofman.com - They work in just about any state. 

The decal on their van. They are more decorated travelers than us. 

If you are in Phoenix and you need a new RV, parts or service, check out these dudes: www.littledealer.com - Pat in service is awesome. 

If you are in jail and you need a bail, call these guys: www.freebailnow.com

California Uber Alles

I was still digesting the greasy lunch I insisted upon having, when we crossed the state line. There were large mountain peaks all around us that I had to try to ignore as I maneuvered our truck and trailer down a winding mountain pass. I drove past a sign that said '8% Grade' as my engine screamed at me for using the low gears to slow us down. As I rounded a steep curve, the first exit came into view. Exit #792. I couldn't ever remember seeing an exit number that high before. I considered the geography for a minute and realized that was probably the largest exit number in the country. It was also a symbol for us. We were going to be here for a while. Welcome to California. 

It's been about four months since that moment. We are near exit #15 now, just east of San Diego, in a town called Jamul. The area is really nice and the weather is fantastic. 70-80 degrees every day and not a single cloud in the sky. The park we are staying at is part of the Thousand Trails network and it leaves something to be desired. Not because the park itself is in bad shape. I mean, it could use some fresh paint and landscaping but it has great amenities like 4 swimming pools, 2 hot tubs, a bike trail, a restaurant and they even have an RC track that we have been driving Noah's RC on. But, we have had some incidents occur since we have been here that showcase the type of people that use this park. Like the guy who was in the site next to us who got drunk, got in his car and started racing around the park with techno music playing on full blast (the crappy trance kind, not the good Detroit kind). Eventually, the CHP showed up and arrested him. Thousand trails revoked his membership so now he is homeless. Well, technically he was already homeless because his previous residence was a tent. Anyhow, this dude was just an extreme example of the kind of seedy folks that live in this park. In addition to this, we are just 12 miles from the border so the Border Patrol has their hands full in the fields all around us. 

Despite all of this, we have really made the best of our situation. We found a park nearby in Rancho San Diego that the boys like to ride their bikes and scooters at. It's close to the grocery store and frozen yogurt place so we like to make an afternoon out of it. 

We took a field trip to the world famous San Diego Zoo. The boys each chose an animal the day before and did reports on them with their mom. At the zoo, they presented their reports to me and taught me all about the animals. Noah did a report on Rhinos and Sammy did one on Penguins. They really did a great job and showed a genuine understanding of their animals. I have to give some credit to Jessica on this too. Like always, she did an amazing job of engaging the boys in this activity. 

In between visits to the park and the zoo we have been using up our bonus visits at Legoland. We found that if you go on a Friday afternoon, everything is open but you have the park basically to yourself. 

If you read my last blog entry, you might be looking for an update on our recent RV problems. I have gotten a lot of professional opinions and I have educated myself on these types of problems and it has helped me to decide on a course of action. It looks like it is all going to come together in Phoenix. We will be getting the roof replaced and all of our slide-out issues will be resolved. Now, the nature of our issue is such that they might uncover other problems while taking everything apart so we are prepared to roll with the punches. We will just have to cross our fingers and hope for the best. While our rig is in the shop we plan to bum around the area with our backpacking gear. If it seems we are going to be without our RV for an extended period, we may look into a long term vacation rental or a last-minute Mexican cruise ($100 a person for 4 nights. You just have to be flexible). 

As we spend our final few days in California, we can't help but look back at all the memories we have made. We lived off the grid in a Redwood forest and hiked the steep, rocky trails of Yosemite. We ate Chinese food in San Francisco and Korean food in Los Angeles. We made new friends in Pismo and became members of the California State Parks family. We rode bikes on the Pacific Coast Highway and walked down Cannery Row. From the wildlife and pine trees in the High Sierras to the crashing waves and beaches of the coast, from the jagged peaks of lassen to the sunny deserts of Joshua Tree, the Golden State is one hell of an awesome place. I look forward to the day we meet again, California.