Okay. I’ve been back a week now, and am getting myself a little recombobulated, so now it’s time to jump back in to blogging. Thanks for your patience while I’ve been offline.

Our trip out west was phenomenal. As I’ve mentioned, my parents have a cabin north of Vancouver, and it’s really the place we try gather — holidays are nice, but really we all want to go to the cabin. My husband and I decided to drive because then we could visit friends along the way, and then we figured it would make less CO2 than flying to visit all those folks.

We started in Indiana, and spent nights in Nebraska (camping), Denver (friends), Bayfield (friends), Ridgeway State Park CO (camping), Jackson WY (hotel – because it was a long way from Ridgeway, and dark when we arrived), outside Livingston MT (camping), North Cascades (camping), and then to the cabin. On the way back, we meandered much less, camping near Anaconda MT and Bismark ND, then visiting friends and family in Eagan MN, Champaign IL, and then back home. Whew.

Some highlights with photographic evidence include:

Soaking in the Pagosa Springs Hot Springs with Joachim and Sarah, and their kid Sabina

Hiking near Silverton, CO with Sarah and Sabina(with Engineer Mountain in the background)

A stunning day in Mesa Verde National Park

Incredible rock paintings from ~800-1200 CE on the side of the road, south of Dinosaur CO

Seeing dinosaur bones still in the rock at Dinosaur National Monument

Going for a lovely hike in Grand Teton National Park

Seeing the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone in Yellowstone National Park

Finding our campground south of Livingston

Reaching the end of the road in Egmont, BC

Becoming the Blackberry Monster (that stick is my cougar-fighting Pointed Stick)

Our “Letting the outside come inside” cabin view

A sunny cabin day

The view from the cabin deck

Leaving the cabin in the rain and fog and being almost the last car on the ferry

Visiting the way cool Science Museum of Minnesota with friends Gina and Mike

Rocking out to Guitar Hero

Attending Ariana’s bat mitzvah

More photos are on Flickr here.

Final stats for the trip: 5931 miles at an average of 49.7 mpg.

We came home to a slightly overwrought (but very much alive!) garden, and the sad realization that school starts in a week.

However, upon reflection, I really liked going on our vacation right before school started. That allowed me to get stuff done in the summer, and then feel ok about staying offline for almost the entire vacation, knowing I had been productive earlier. But sharing the productivity will be a another post.

I also reflected on how our trips will change if we’re able to have(/get?) kids. All my reflection simply dumped me into the conclusion that I have no idea how much things will change. At least I know that I don’t know.