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Exploring, Monopoly Traveler Reflections, National Parks, Nebraska, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–Agate Fossil Beds

After a long, enjoyable week of exploring in the Badlands and Black Hills of South Dakota with a few days in Rocky Mountain National Park, there was one more stop from our Monopoly Board for this trip. The next destination was Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. We only left a few hours in our schedule to visit as it’s a smaller National Park and focuses on fossils. Great! More dirt formations that require the requisite paintings to portray what might have been roaming at one time millions of years ago. Not my favorite thing to see and learn about. In addition, it was another museum covering the importance of Native American History, which also wasn’t very interesting to me. With all of the exciting places we had seen over the past several days, I was not real enthusiastic for this park. Let’s pull in, see the must items, get our board signed, snap a few photos, and get back on the road. Trying to convince myself this would be a worthwhile stop, I tried to emphasize the positive things about this area to myself. The vast prairie, a bathroom break, and an opportunity to get out of the car and stretch our legs.

The trail to Fossil Hills

The vast prairie was beautiful with green grass waving in the breeze which could be seen for miles and miles. Agate Fossil Beds would be a great learning opportunity for our children…. and myself. Pulling into the park, we stopped for the necessary picture by the sign and headed towards the visitor’s center. Here we picked up packets for our future Junior Rangers and looked at the displays beginning to learn some of the history in this Western Nebraska place. Talking with the rangers and reading some of the plaques, I began to be more interested in the animals which once roamed here a long time ago (at the same time, I was smiling as my kids where learning about history also). Having walked around the visitor center and museum, we pulled out the National Parks Monopoly board for the required signature and presented it to the ranger. As he looked at it, he laughed because the picture used for the board was a photo he took years earlier of Fossil Hills in Agate Fossil Beds. Pictured above is Fossil Hills Trail with University Hill in the center, Carnegie Hill on the right, and the ranger, who signed the board, on the trail on the left side of this picture.

Heading to see the Devil's Corkscrew fossil

We decided it was time to get out and do some hiking. A short trail would be a good fit, before entering the car for several more hours, so we explored the Daemonelix Trail which led to a fossil of an ancient dry-land beaver which created these spiral dens. It was nice be outside hiking with my family surrounded by this beautiful landscape on a warm summer afternoon. It was early July after all. Arriving at the end of the trail, there was this box surrounding a corkscrew formation. We read the plaque describing what this was and the creature that created them. I could envision this ancient animal creating its den through the soil from this display made by the park. I began to wonder what else was hidden in these hills from long ago and why these creatures no longer existed?

The Devil's Corkscrew

Walking back towards the parking lot, I gazed out over the prairie and buildings and began to think about the Native Americans and how they used this land and their cooperation with people coming from different lands. Since this time I’ve become a lot more appreciative of the Native Americans and their importance in the history and development of the US. This was one of the parks that began to signify what these people mean to our country and how they helped shape where we are today for me.  Since Agate Fossil Beds, I’ve learned quite a bit more about Native Americans and how they worked with the each other, the land, and other people from National Parks. On this walk back, we encountered this different plant which I thought was really interesting with these yellow and orange pouches. I still haven’t been able to identify what it is though.

Climbing back into the car to continue our journey home after our junior rangers received their badges, I was really glad this was on our Monopoly board so we could learn about this place. Seeing the bones of animals that roamed the area a long time ago was interesting. Dinosaur bones from a far off place are what I think of when hearing about skeletons being found. Here there were animal remains discovered in Nebraska. I would never have guessed that. This was one of the parks that surprised me the most with how much I enjoyed my time here and what all I learned. That’s the point though, isn’t it?

With our last signature captured for this trip, the game board was safely stored back in it’s place for the rest of the trip home and we continued east once again. Shortly after driving out of Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, there was a rattlesnake coiled up in the middle of the road. We were warned of these in most of the parks we visited on this trip, but this was the only snake we saw. Thankfully it was from the safety of our car while we drove by!

Unknown plant

Family Ramblings, Monopoly Traveler Reflections, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–Driving Out West

Heading west always meant getting on an airplane and landing on the West Coast. Because of our determination to visit every National Park on our Monopoly board, we made plans to begin our adventures by driving to bordering states to explore those parks on our board which were closest. This seemed like the best opportunity to experience how this was going to go for our family. If it didn’t go great we could head home early since we drove. I had been as far west as Sioux Falls, South Dakota but that was as far as I had ever driven. I was excited to see the open prairies of the west but not certain were the west really started. Our first day brought us to Sioux Falls where we spent the morning getting breakfast and exploring. By late afternoon we made our way further west to Wall, South Dakota were we stopped for the day. A few days later we continued on to the Black Hills and then ventured into Wyoming. The vast openness was stunning watching the tall grasses sway in the breeze for hundreds of miles.

A Pronghorn near the side of the road

Once reaching the western side of South Dakota, we kept seeing attractions depicting the Old West. I always thought Wyoming would be the beginning of the west. The Prairies seem to begin around Wall, South Dakota though which start to transition from the Midwest to the West. While driving in Western South Dakota we saw critters not found in the Midwest such as Prairie Dogs and Pronghorn Deer. It was fun to see all of these pieces of the west and experience these low, rolling hills. Many people consider this a boring drive but I was just enthralled with the landscape. Almost mesmerized by it. The only thing that would have made it complete would have been to watch storms roll over the grasslands of the west.

The vast openness of the west

As we continued west, the scenery began to subtly change. The prairies continued on for miles and miles around us but off in the distance, hills began to pop up. A few hours later, which felt like less than an hour, larger hills became visible as we reached higher points on the road. It became clear we would soon be entering the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Another area I was excited to drive through. The day continued on as we drove through the prairie moving west. Eventually we entered Wyoming and soon after turned south. While we were still in the Prairie, larger hills  were getting closer. After a short time we entered Colorado, still in the western prairies with the Rockies definitely making their presence seen.

Entering the foothills of the Rocky Mountains

After driving for a little while in Colorado we once again turned west. The mountain foothills were now all around us and the excitement to begin climbing higher into the mountains increased. The drive continued to be beautiful watching the landscape slowly transition from the vast prairies to mountains just in front of us. Soon we began going up at a fast pace. We had definitely entered the Rocky Mountains. For the next hour and a half we climbed higher and higher with steep cliffs next to us, sharp corners to drive around, and raging rivers pouring down the Mountain all while the temperatures transitioned from summer to spring. It was all so breathtaking. Seeing this all for the first time from the windows of our car was incredible. Soon we reached Estes Park, our destination and as far west as we would travel on this adventure. What a great experience and amazing views during our entire trip.

Going up into the mountains

Adventure, New Experiences, Rocky Moutain National Park, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–Flattop Mountain

The entire reason we were in Rocky Mountain National Park was because of Flattop Mountain Trail. We had been exploring this incredible and gorgeous national park for the past day and a half but now it was time to see the trail that was on our Monopoly Board. Our family spent the day viewing snow capped mountains, amazing waterfalls, and wildlife which brought us to Bear Lake. The trailhead for Flattop. With all of the exploring we had already done, the energy level was draining. We could have decided that this was close enough but it wouldn’t have felt right. How could we ask a ranger to sign our board, as we had been doing at each park to this point, if we at didn’t at least see the sign for this trail? Ready to go we exited our car and headed for the trail.

Stoping to watch wildlife on the trail

The first part of this hike takes you to Bear Lake before veering off past the lake to Flattop Mountain Trail. As we worked our way up the trail we came across a little wildlife hopping through. It was fun to see this Snow Hare in it’s summer dress – mostly a gray coat. In the photo above you can see it on the right side at the edge of a boulder. The girls are looking in its direction. We enjoyed just observing this rabbit as it searched for food near the trail. Eventually we decided to press on as it was getting later in the day and we wanted to be back at the car before dark fell over the mountains. We continued to make our way up this relatively easy trail, following signs for Flattop Mountain. Altitude was certainly being felt but wasn’t seeming to be a major issue. A short time later we arrived at the beginning of Flattop Mountain Trail as announced by a sign at the side of this trail.

Made it to the Flattop sign

At this point we took a short break to enjoy accomplishing our goal of stepping on Flattop Mountain Trail. It was never our intention to hike this whole trail as we were pretty worn out from exploring this large, mountainous wilderness. I walked up the trail a little ways being accompanied by my daughters before turning around and retreating back to the sign just to say I hiked on this trail pictured in our Monopoly board. From here headed back to the car and returned to our hotel after eating dinner for some much needed rest. We had successfully achieved what we had set out to do but I couldn’t help but ponder if this really counted as exploring the trail that brought us out to these Rocky Mountains.

Our second attempt seven years later

Even though we managed to get to the trail we set out to find, A small part of me felt as though we kind of cheated and didn’t really experience the reason this trail was put on our Monopoly Board. Even so, there was really no intention of returning and hiking to the top of Flattop Mountain. As the years went by and we continued on family adventures, we came upon a summer with no park to explore. This feeling of not really hiking the Flattop Mountain Trail had grown more and more. This was also helped by our experience backpacking on Isle Royale for a few days. I grew in my confidence to be able to hike longer distances. And now wanting a summer trip to spend with the family decided to take on the challenge of getting to the top of this mountain and fulfilling this piece of the game. While planning this trip I also began to study maps, distances, and what we would need to do for this hike.

I began to train for the 10 mile hike round trip up into the mountains. Being unsure of how the altitude would affect me, I focused more on building my lung capacity than my leg muscles as I was pretty comfortable with the physical shape I was in. Eventually the time of our trip arrived. It was early August and we drove to Estes Park. This was the first time we returned to one of the National Parks we had already visited. Along the way we made stops at Pipestone National Monument and Scot’s Bluff National Monument so there were new places to see. Making it to Rocky Mountain National Park, I couldn’t stop thinking about whether or not I could really do this. Was I physically fit enough? How would the altitude impact me? The day before the planned hike my oldest daughter announced she was going to join me. She couldn’t let me do it alone. Who would be able to come back and tell mom if I got injured after all? I was thrilled to have company on this hike. Doing it alone just isn’t as enjoyable for me. I love sharing adventures with people.

At the top!

We woke up about 3am to get dressed and head to the trailhead. We wanted to get an early start so we could make it to the top and begin our descent before storms began to build. And storms had been active and were forecast to remain active in this area. We each grabbed a hiking pole, turned on our flashlights, and began the 5 mile journey up the mountain. Everything looked so different that it was seven years ago. Of course it was also dark out and the may have played a part. One foot in front of the other we climbed higher and higher. By sunrise we had put a couple of miles behind us and were about to go above the tree line. We would stop for breaks every now and then but for the most part this hike was going well. Getting above the trees we began to be greeted by marmots venturing out of their nighttime hiding places for the morning. As we continued on we noticed some hikers behind us. We were the first ones on the trail on this day but now others were coming into sight. And they seemed to be catching up to us. A little more motivated we continued moving up the mountain side getting closer and closer to the top.

Finally our destination came into view. We were going to make it. The altitude had become a bit more of an impact now but we were still able to go. And with the hikers gaining behind us, we kept pushing. They were not going to beat us to the top! Step after step we finally reached the summit of Flattop Mountain. A few minutes later the next pair of hikers arrived. We all found a few boulders to sit on and grab a bite to eat enjoying the view around us. Chatting a little we found out that these other two were Marines and came out hiking frequently. No wonder they were able to catch up so quickly. After a little rest we continued to explore the top of the mountain and came upon the Continental Divide Trail. I decided to follow it for a little ways before returning to the summit of Flattop. We have finally completed this property on our Monopoly Board.

But now something else was stirring in my mind. The next adventure was behind me in the photo below. Off in the distance, over my should, there it stands – Longs Peak! The highest point in Rocky Mountain National Park.

The next challenge is behind me

Adventure, Monopoly Traveler Reflections, New Experiences, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–Altitude

It was my first time exploring in a mountain landscape. Driving up into the Rocky Mountains with my wife, two children, and my dad made for an incredible experience as we were in awe of the beauty everywhere we turned. It was early July so only the mountain peaks had snow while the pine forests were green and the tundra alive with flowers everywhere. The sun was shining with puffy white clouds floating across the blue sky. In Estes Park where we started it was a nice, warm summer day but as we ascended towards the peaks it became windy and cooler. Only a light jacket was needed still but a noticeable difference. On this, our first full day in Rocky Mountain National Park, we started in the valleys but worked our way up the mountain stopping occasionally to gaze at the grandeur of the sights surrounding us. By lunch time we had arrived at the top of this peak to the Alpine Meadows Visitors center. Strangely breathing had become more labored. Our pace of walking needed to be slowed or it felt like we had run a distance and were now short of breath.

The highest elevation we've experienced so far

We were now over 11,000 feet in altitude and had never experienced this before. Getting use to it a little it became more intriguing to continuing exploring with this shortness of breath. After looking around in the visitor center and enjoying the views from this location, we grabbed something to eat and then headed for the short climb to the summit at 12, 000 feet. I felt as though I was back in training camp for high school football as each step required more and more effort. On top of this, the clouds seemed to be building and there was a sign warning not to be up there when there’s a threat of lightning and thunderstorms. With more clouds now filling the sky we wanted to make our way up somewhat hurriedly and return to the visitor’s center before any storms arrived. What a great experience and view to share with my family! Who would ever think it would be the beginning of more mountain adventures?

Learning the rules of high altitude hiking

Monopoly Traveler Reflections, Rocky Moutain National Park, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–Our First Encounter With a Bull Elk

It was the fourth National Park in our first week of our Monopoly Traveler Adventures. We had just entered Rocky Mountain National Park and had been there less then an hour before coming upon a huge traffic jam. What was this we wondered? Not having experienced one of these before we had no idea what to expect. Everyone was getting out of their cars after attempting to park them on the side of the road and walking towards a spot in the forest. Eventually we saw what had caused this sudden parking lot, it was a pair of Bull Elk laying down not far from the road. We decided to join in with the rest of the crowd, grabbing a spot recently vacated on the side of the road and walk to see these magnificent creatures.

Bull Elk wanting to be left alone

We couldn’t fully believe what we were seeing. Right next to the road with all of these people around are a pair of elks just resting as if all of this commotion was of no concern. This was the first time any of us had ever seen an elk and spent some time gazing as they would turn their heads swinging their huge, velvety anthers showing us just how large they were. What an introduction to this beautiful park! As if the mountainous landscape wasn’t enough of a reason to be here, now we had some great wildlife to add to the experience. Like many of those around us, I was snapping away with the camera unsure if we would have another opportunity to view another elk in this vast space.

The kids in the Rocky Mountains with a Bull Elk resting in the background

After photographing and watching these wild animals for awhile, I decided to have my two daughters stand with these elk in the background to highlight how close they actually were. Trying to stay the recommended distance away and making sure there was an easy escape should one of these elk stand up and threaten anyone, I continued taking pictures. Unfortunately others decided to approach the wildlife to see how close they could get and take a picture causing this pair of bulls to stand up and meander on through the forest.  This seemed so disrespectful and disappointing because now other visitors didn’t have the chance to see these wild animals. We returned to our vehicle to continue our journey exploring this amazing and beautiful park. By the end of our time in Rocky Mountain National Park, spotting elk would become a little more mundane and almost expected as we would continue to see these large deer in several areas along our adventure here.

The elk was disturbed enough it finally got up to move

Monopoly Traveler Reflections, Rocky Moutain National Park, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–Grandpa Was Told to Keep His Leg Elevated

Just before our first Monopoly adventure, my father had surgery on his knee. A few weeks had passed but he was still healing and wanted to come along with my wife and two daughters to explore some of the American West. His doctor told him he needed to keep his knee elevated at times to help in the healing. What better way to keep it elevated than to explore the Rocky Mountains? Our journey had taken us through the Badlands of South Dakota on to Mt. Rushmore before ascending into Estes, Colorado which resides at over 7,500 feet in elevation. At times we went to heights of over 12,000 feet elevation. We kept wondering if that was enough elevation for his knee. I’m not sure the doctor would see the humor in such an adventure.

Hiking to Flattop

During our time of elevating my dad’s knee we hiked a number of trails to see mountains, wildlife, flowers in bloom, and waterfalls. He continued on with us much more than I ever expected, walking through the pain as though it wasn’t really there. Knowing who he is I’m confident there were some challenging moments, which he never let on to the rest of us for fear of holding us back. At the time he likely would have preferred a little less exploring to rest his knee but is happy he pushed through his soreness for all of the great experiences we shared during a 10 day road trip. I’m grateful to have had this time to share with him out exploring such an amazing landscape which we continue to talk about to this day, even though it happened over a decade ago. When the time comes for me to have work done on my knees I know exactly how I want to keep it elevated as it heals!

Taking in a Waterfall

Monopoly Traveler Reflections, Rocky Moutain National Park, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–Playing in the Snow, But It’s July!

On our first Monopoly Traveling adventure, Rocky Mountain National Park was one of one of six National Parks we visited during a 10 day road trip. While there we were surrounded by beautiful landscapes everywhere we went including snow capped mountains. During one of our days in this large park with seemingly endless horizons, we drove up to the Alpine Visitor’s Center on the Old Fall River Road which is a narrow, winding gravel road that can only be driven up the mountain as it’s a one way road. While at the visitor center exploring, we walked near some large snow banks still melting in early July. We’re used to snow filled winters but rarely is there a snow bank to be found by Independence Day.  I grabbed one of the kids and threatened to throw her into the snow bank head first on this mid summer afternoon.

snowball fight

With her nervous laughter, I set her down but quickly grabbed a handful of snow and formed a snowball. Having a snowball fight with my kids at this time of year never, ever crossed my mind which is why it was something we had to do. Soon after I released the first one, my girls armed themselves with snowballs and returned fire. We continued this until our hands were cold from handling the melting snow without gloves. It was summer after all, why would we need gloves? Each of us having been pelted with snow, brushed ourselves off before continuing to explore the mountain tops nearby with smiles etched on our faces. It’s these moments that create memories making a trip like this even more special.

Returning fire

Monopoly Traveler Reflections, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–Hitting the Road

After months of planning, our first family National Parks Monopoly Board trip had arrived. It was over the 4th of July holiday week so we could take in the patriotic celebration at Mt. Rushmore. We just purchased a new vehicle and were excited to take it on this road trip which would cover over 2,000 miles by the time we were finished. The day before was spent packing the car preparing for a 4am departure. I was both extremely excited and nervous. This was the first road trip I’d planned with multiple stops. Will everything go according to plan? Will it be a positive experience for my family? There are many more trips to come and if this didn’t go well it could prevent us from continuing on our Monopoly travels. At the same time I was going to see places I’d only heard about and never really expected to see. Rocky Mountain National Park was the one I was most excited for on this adventure but we would also see the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore for the Independence Day Celebration, Wind Cave, as well as add Colorado and Wyoming to the states I’ve visited. The alarm couldn’t start blaring fast enough the next morning for me.

One of the many colorful butterflies at the Sioux Falls Butterfly Garden

Surprisingly I was sleeping as the alarm began screaming for us to get up. In just a short time the family was situated in the car heading out of the Twin Cities. Daylight was beginning to breach the horizon as the days are very long at this time of year. The goal was to reach Sioux Falls, South Dakota where we would take some time to get out of the car and find a place for breakfast. On the way I kept running through our adventures in my mind while trying to watch the countryside pass outside the car windows as we entered prairie country with fields of corn and tall grass waving in the summer breeze. My dad was joining us on this first trip but had knee surgery just weeks before. Would he be able to navigate hiking trails or stay in a seated position for long periods of time while we drove? Would the kids become frustrated with my desire to explore each of the places we were going? I was about to find out. While going over these things in my mind I would look into the rear view mirror to find them sleeping in the back seat bringing a smile to my face and a sense of comfort about the trip.

We reached Sioux Falls right on schedule and stopped to get out and stretch from the long ride before going into Perkins for some nourishment.  After breakfast we headed to the water falls this city is named for to begin exploring and climbing around the pink rock that make up this area. While walking around the different features of Falls Park we were stopped by a local news crew wanting to do an interview with us. Gas prices had risen to the highest prices up to that time and they were doing a story on its effect on summer travel plans. These fuel prices really didn’t alter our travel plans as we budgeted for them and they really were a relatively small part of the costs overall. I don’t know if our interview actually aired but it was fun to be considered for their story. We made one additional stop while in Sioux Falls to the Butterfly House before departing for our hotel in Wall, SD. There were many colorful and exotic butterflies. We had a great time watching and holding these delicate little creatures. It was getting later in the day and there were several more hours of driving to do. Everyone safely secured in the car, we once again entered the freeway heading west. This time I took a break from driving to catch a few winks.

The Famous Corn Palace in Mitchell

Soon I dozed off while watching billboards pass along the roadside only to be woken by the sound of the car slowing down. How long was I asleep? And then I saw a sign which read Mitchell. Immediately I looked up and asked what we were doing mentioning that this was an unauthorized stop? Apparently a bathroom break was needed. As luck would have it, it just happened to coincide with the place where the Corn Palace resides. This is a building which is decorated around the outside with drawings made out of corn. They really do an amazing job and create new drawings every year. Secretly I enjoyed this stop and was glad we made it sharing this place with my family. While it delayed our arrival in Wall, SD, it was a worthwhile stop on this new adventure.

Once again entering the freeway, I retook the wheel for our final leg of this long day of travel. A few hours later we arrived at our hotel in the little town known for Wall Drug. We got settled in and decided it was time to eat as it was now getting quite late in the day. Once dinner was finished I wanted to walk around town a bit. After all so many people have Wall bumper stickers on their cars and we passed numerous billboards throughout the day advertising this place. To be honest, I thought it was a hokey tourist trap that didn’t really excite me but many other people seem to really enjoy it. Of course I had to get a picture of the famous Jack-o-Lope before retiring to the hotel for some much needed rest. Our first National Park would be visited the next morning and I couldn’t wait to see it.

This adventure was off to a great beginning as we had a fantastic day seeing some of the sights of South Dakota. Excitement had definitely overcome my nervousness by this time. Now off to sleep!

Jack O Lope of Wall, South Dakota

Monopoly Traveler Reflections, Troy's Blog

Monopoly Traveler Reflections–The beginning

The end of our vacation was quickly approaching with only one day left. My wife and I had flown, along with several family members, to join my cousin as he was married on the beaches of Maui. It had been a beautiful five days with a sunset dinner cruise on the ocean along with fishing, snorkeling, whale watching, and of course a wedding. On the last few days I wanted to go see Honolulu and Pearl Harbor. Only my dad and an aunt decided they would join us on a quick flight from Maui to Oahu. It was a much smaller group now. For our final day, Karen and I decided to rent a vehicle and explore the island as much as we could. Climbing into our red Jeep, we were off. The first stop was Pearl Harbor National Memorial.

Our transportation around the Oahu

Soon after arriving we headed for the ticket area to secure our boat ride out to the USS Arizona. That tour begins with a film about Pearl Harbor. We had some time before we needed to get in line so we went into the gift store to browse for possible souvenirs for family members back home who were watching our daughters and our dogs. While looking over the shelves at all the T-shirts, hats, and books, I came across something very interesting to me. It was a National Parks Monopoly Board. I picked it up and examined all of the different places on it. There was Yosemite and Yellowstone along with the Grand Canyon. All places I wanted to visit. Even more so after being in Hawaii surrounded by all of the incredible landscapes.  Most of the other parks on this board also peaked my interest. After a minute of looking it over I held it up for my wife to see and suggested that we should visit all of the places on this game board. She came over and looked at it ending with her approval that it could be fun. Our time to get in line had arrived so I set the game back on its shelf, paid for a few gifts, and headed to the theater to begin our tour.

National Parks Monopoly game set

Several years passed without mention of this idea of visiting the parks on that Monopoly Board. Neither of us could even recall which parks were on it. Besides, our children were still pretty young. They had become our focus now. They were beginning to grow up causing us to move into a new home for them to be able to begin their education and form life long friendships. After getting settled in a new routine at this location for a year or so, I woke up one morning and thought we should really travel to all of those amazing places on that Monopoly board we’d seen several years earlier in Hawaii. Our children were now old enough to remember these places. I mentioned this to Karen and she agreed it would be a great idea and a good time to start. Sitting down at the computer I began to research the National Parks board and found a few pictures of it. From that I began to plan our journey and plot our course. We had nine years before our oldest daughter would graduate high school. This is when I wanted to be complete with all of the parks on this board.

Looking at the US map to plan our expeditions

As the year progressed, I would talk about different destinations with Karen and where our first trip would take us. June approached and the time to leave was getting closer. I would mention a certain park on the board and Karen would bring up a different park that wasn’t on the board and quickly try to adapt to the conversation. Later it became clear why. For Father’s Day the kids gave me a National Parks Monopoly board. Many of the destinations were different than the photos I was looking at which confused me. After a little investigating, I found out there where multiple versions of this board. I was planning off of the first edition while the children had found the second edition. Fortunately there where many of the same parks on both versions – mostly the more popular ones. I spent the afternoon revising the next nine years worth of expeditions. It didn’t matter which board we used as there were plenty of places of interest on both of them.

My list with year and month of travel along with the destinations

The first destination was South Dakota. Fortunately that didn’t have to change as there were multiple parks in that area on both editions of the board. As I continued to plan I looked into some of these parks. What would we do to visit Glacier Bay in Alaska or Isle Royale in Michigan? Both seemed challenging and didn’t really partner with any other park on the board well. Then there were other parks that were clustered heavily near one another. Especially on the East Coast. Should we try to do these all in one trip? Or should we break it up into two different vacations? Working on our potential explorations for nearly the next decade, I decided Alaska and Hawaii should be near the end. As our children would get older I thought it would be easier to entice them to go if the destinations were more appealing. Once the parks were clustered into possible trips, I began putting years next to them and even possible months to go. Some places would make good Spring Break destinations while others would be better suited to summer destinations. It was so exciting and I couldn’t wait to begin this experience!