Things I Never Did Before Travel
Travel opens up numerous opportunities to explore new lands and new parts within ourselves. Each new adventure we embark on changes us in small ways. I’ve been mentally cataloging some of the ways our family’s small, daily tasks have been altered by full-time RV travel. Life inside a rolling 36 foot box can’t, and shouldn’t be, the same as living in a bricks ‘n sticks back home.
Here’s just a few of the things I’ve been reflecting on this week.
Before travel I never:
Thought about Finite Resources-
Of course when I lived in a house I tried to be mindful of how much energy or water I was consuming so that I didn’t have to pay a high utility bill, but I never thought about it in terms of their being a limit to it. The RV has a finite amount of water it can hold, and electricity is only available if we buy it (stay at an RV park) or run our gas generator, which we can only store a few gallons at a time.So we quickly became aware of how much we use on a daily basis and we’ve grown accustomed to the quirky changes our daily routines have made.For example:
- Amps have their limits. Usually we have to turn off most the lights to run the microwave or blow dry our hair. AC won’t work off a battery. I know more about kilowatt usage, and acceptable power payloads than any other mom I know.
- Water is precious commodity- 5 showers and 1 round of dishes will completely fill up our grey tank, so sometimes we shower every other day to stretch out our water tanks. Every time we wash our hands or flush our toilets, we are consciously aware that we are that much closer to needing to find a dump/fill station.
- Free wifi is a premium-We try to only use our portable WiFi hubs for work or online school, so we are constantly on the hunt for free wifi we can use for recreational surfing, watching TV online, etc.
- Laundry- Machines aren’t always available, so we can’t just throw a load in whenever. We’ve learned to wear things more than once, or make sure it is indeed dirty before haphazardly throwing it in the dirty clothes basket.
- Sewage. Not a pretty subject, or something I ever thought about back home. I just knew when I flushed it went off to some faraway place that I never had to worry about it. Now that we are in charge of disposing of it in designated places, we’ve become keenly grateful of modern plumbing, and empathetic of those who live in worse sanitation circumstances than this.
Used public resources regularly
Living in a traditional home we are more autonomous and self-contained. Being on the road we’ve needed to rely on outside resources to get some of our needs met.
- laundry mats- Never used them before, but are a great way to get 6 loads done at once. Not as scary as I’d perceived, and met some really nice people in them.
- parking lots- Didn’t realize people slept in store parking lots, or that I’d be joining them several nights each month.
- campground showers- Showering in a public bath house would’ve been at the very bottom of my comfort list before full-time travel. But now, it’s the only time I get to linger in hot water and take the time to shave my legs. (remember the limited RV water?)
- library- Sure I went occasionally to pick up books for my kids, but I never hung out there. Now, we frequent them in order to get school work done or print stuff off the computer.
- Chain stores-(starbucks- B&N, Apple store, McDonalds) Once again I’d only visit these placed if I had something specific to buy, but now they are staples in our weekly schedule as they offer free wifi and it’s sometimes easier to spread the kids out in a more spacious environment, and let them tackle their work load. They’ve become good at self-monitoring their learning and schedules.
An unexpected side benefit of our travels is that I believe these experiences have made them more adaptable and resourceful perhaps than their same-aged counterparts. When the time comes I’m confident they’ll be ready for college, missions, voluntary service, marriage, travel and whatever the future holds for them.
Grateful for the really small things
- Quarters- I never gave a second thought to loose change before now, but quarters have become a precious commodity in our household. Between laundry and toll roads, quarters pass through our hands like water. Finding one in my the bottom of my purse is as delightful as discovering a treasure chest.
- Streets w/o low branches- Visually, I love driving down tree-lined streets and basking in the beauty of the mature trees. As co-pilot of a 13 ft. tall vehicle, it can be a nightmare navigating through streets riddled with low hanging branches that are begging to rip through the roof of the RV. I thank the heavens every time we turn down a residential street that’s open and clear.
- Towns w/o low bridges- Growing up in the Southwest it’d never occurred to me that low bridges would become my biggest nemesis once we crossed into the Mid-west and East coast. Most of our travel nightmares have been caused by low bridges, so I say a silent prayer of gratitude in each city we don’t have to worry about clearance issues.
- Tires- They are an unglamorous part of any vehicle, but the work horse in any situation. We’ve put ours through a lot- Numerous surfaces, weather conditions, and situations. Usually they come out ok, but after 23, 000 miles, 4 flat tires and a cracked rim, I’ve come to appreciate and think about them more now than ever before. Tires are my friends!
These are just some of the ways my awareness levels have been raised through our travels. Each adjustment has brought it’s own teaching moment, and I’m grateful for what traveling has taught me and given my family.
What are some things you’ve done, or do now, that you never did before traveling? I’d love to hear your responses!
Is the Alamo still important?
While visiting San Antonio we couldn’t miss the chance to visit the Alamo. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but until this trip I think my kids biggest reference to the Alamo comes from Pee-wee’s Big Adventure movie. I’m not sure we even fully grasped the phrase, “Remember the Alamo” before arriving. I was eager to understand why the Alamo, and this one battle among many fought in the U.S., remains an important part of our history. I got my answer, and so much more.
#1 Something doesn’t have to be flashy to garnish attention
Upon arriving at the Alamo my first impressions weren’t what I’d expected. As the biggest tourist attraction in Texas, I guess I’d expected it to be well, BIG. Instead, the building is smaller and humbler than I’d anticipated. There were no flashy, touristy signs trying to lure us into the venue like at so many tourist attractions. On the contrary, it possessed a quiet, unassuming entrance on a busy street full of other buildings.
#2 Reverence in a loud world is still possible
However, once we got in line to go in, the amount of reverence and respect for this historic site was immediately felt. For starters, no photos are allowed to be taken inside. Also, they ask for complete silence once you walk through the doors in order to preserve sanctity for those who died there. In this day and age when public standards of behavior can be pretty low, and obsession with handheld tech devices is incredibly high, it was refreshing to see how the public abided by the museum’s request for reverence.
#3 Leave a legacy by believing in something bigger than yourself
In that silence I was able to read and ponder about the details of what happened there and could feel the spirit of the men who had laid down their lives for what they believed in, for a cause that was bigger than their individual lives. This is a lesson I want to instill in my children, but it’s hard lesson to teach verbally, it must be experienced. We felt it here. These men left a legacy by believing and acting in a cause bigger than their individual lives.
This is a lesson I want to instill in my children, but it’s hard lesson to teach verbally, it must be experienced. We felt it here.
Logistics
The tour inside the Alamo is short, but there’s more to see outside on the grounds. There’s an annex building that has great information about the war and the history of the Alamo. The gift shop also contains display cases with artifacts from the time period.
I encourage you to visit this historical place at least once. I will definitely “Remember the Alamo” as a special day in my travels.
Willis Tower in Chicago~ Going out on a Ledge
Would you be willing to step out on a ledge at the top of this??
It wasn’t as easy as I’d thought.
One thing I strive for in life is to get out of my comfort zone and stretch myself regularly. Our year of travel is, in itself, a big stretch but even within that we’ve built routines and created habits that become familiar and lull me back into comfortable complacency. So when an opportunity arises to get uncomfortable, experience new things, and ultimately grow as a human being I usually go for it. While In Chicago, I had a chance to do just that.
We got passes to theSkydeck atop the Willis Tower, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. We joined the 1.5 million annual visitors, and rode the one-minute, 20 mph elevator to the 103rd floor observation deck. It was spectacular being able to gaze out of floor length windows in every direction, and see far into the distance, where a view of the surrounding four states is possible on a clear day. However, the real thrill was the chance to step out on The Ledge.
One wall of the Skydeck consists of 4 special glass balconies that were constructed in 2009, and they protrude over four feet out over the city. Stepping inside puts you 1350 feet above ground, and gives you a unique view of Chicago below and all around you.
While waiting in line for my turn, I watched others walk out and I believed this would be an easy feat. However, when I got my chance to step out onto the glass floor, all kinds of buttons were being triggered inside of me. Fear, lack of trust, and a shot of vertigo coursed through my veins as my mind tried to make sense of my surroundings. My brain was having a hard time computing what it was seeing, the ant-like cars below, the low hanging clouds hovering above me, and the vast water and endless urban sprawl before me. It was dizzying.
As I looked across to the person in the glass balcony beside me, I remember thinking how fragile they looked, encased in a clear cocoon, attached to an enormous metal tree. The power and vulnerability of humanity were perfectly blended in that brief moment.
It took a few moments to get my sea legs back after coming in from the ledge. I’m not sure if my mind will ever recover, or if that moment will be indelibly imprinted on it. I’m hoping for the latter
What I do know is that once again, when faced with fear and discomfort, I forged ahead and didn’t let it stop me. And that my friends, is why getting out of my comfort zone is so rewarding.
{ MORE: Get to Know the Watts }
What do you think? Is getting out of your comfort zone easy or hard? What ways are you stretching your comfort level and growing yourself? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.
{ MORE: Leaping Into the Great Unknown }
Want to see more? Click another image!
Photo a Day- Skydeck at Willis Tower in Chicago
Photo a Day- Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier in Chicago
Taking the Leap into Full-time Travel
Why Biloxi caught me by surprise…
What I didn’t realize about Biloxi…
During our fabulous stay in New Orleans this spring, I noticed that Biloxi was only 90 miles away. With not much information except that the Gulf Coast is considered the “Playground of the South”, we took a spontaneous road trip to the state next door. While we were there, we quickly realized there’s a lot to see and do in Biloxi, and it’s a great place to visit with kids.
Here are just a few things that caught our eye when we were there. We will definitely go back and explore more.
Photo a Day: Olympic Park Park City, Utah
Ski jumps at olympic park
Park City, Utah
Want to see more? Click another image!
Watt Family Top Travel Adventures- Part 1: Moab Utah
Photo a Day- Skydeck at Willis Tower in Chicago
The Open Road is calling…
Photo a Day- Lake Havasu Balloon Fest
St. Louis Gateway Arch
It’s May~We are in St. Louis, Missouri. Avery wants to do something cool for her 14th birthday.
Since we can’t really have a party, and Hayden’s birthday is a week later, we decided to buy season pass tickets to Six Flags.
Six Flags wan’t open until the weekend, so what’s their to do in St. Louis, Missouri on her actual birthday?
We headed to the Gateway Arch, of course!
To be honest, I never really knew the background of why the arch was built. I guess I thought it was just an art piece, like The Bean in Millenial Park in Chicago. As I was doing a little research to prep us for our visit, I learned that it was built to commemorate Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase, which expanded our country from the current Missouri boundary out to the Southwest. It also celebrates the Mississippi River as the gateway to the West. The river was the edge of the USA until explorers like Lewis and Clark ventured out into the wild unknown.
The Movie
As a national park, there’s more to see and do than just visit the exterior of the 630 ft. Arch. There’s an underground visitor’s center, with a museum and two movies available to watch. The main attraction is the ability to ride a special elevator to the top of the Arch and look out the observation windows on each side.
We bought our tickets and while we awaited our departure, we watched the movie about how it was constructed. The movie was created in the 60′s and the video and narration are reflective of that time period. But if you can look past that, it was interesting to see how the Arch came to be.
I can’t believe how resourceful the engineers were in creating such an architectural feat, in such a short 3- year time period. Each leg was built, with the intention of meeting in the middle, but having no guarantee it’d work. The construction workers spent their days hundreds of feet in the air, with no harnesses or safety nets. It gave me anxiety just watching it! It was comforting to know that no one was injured in the construction.
Elevator to the Top
Our ride to the top was a little nerve-wracking. The cart that transported us to the top was small, similar to a ferris wheel cart.
It’s definitely not for the claustrophobic! After a 2-3 minute ride we were deposited on the walkway at the top of the arch. There’s small windows on each side, so we could see the city view, and the river view. You have to lean forward to look out the windows, and that was tricky for Avery, who has some issues with heights.
I enjoyed the views, and capturing pictures from this vantage point, but it was difficult with the amount of people crammed into this small space. Since there’s no time limit on how long you can remain at the top, elevators can keep bringing people up, even if no one is going down. I would’ve liked to stay longer, but the conditions were getting crowded, so we left.
The Museum
The most pleasant surprise of the day was 
the Westward Expansion museum. It was an open style setting, and you work clockwise around the room as the displays are set up chronologically.
Starting with the early frontier, mountain men, pioneers, wars, gold rush, etc. The information was in bite size chunks, with a great balance between the written word, photos and artifacts of the time periods.
We’ve seen a lot of museums in our travels, and I’d probably rank this in my Top 10 for how visually appealing it was, and how easy to consume the content.
We ended the day by taking the steamboat for a short jaunt down the Mississippi. It was nice to relax and see the city from a coastal perspective.
SUMMARY
The Gateway Arch was worth the day it took to explore it. Even if going to the top isn’t appealing to you,
seeing it first hand is spectacular. The museum and movies are a good way to experience what this national park has to offer.
Have you been to the Arch? What was your experience like? Share your thoughts below, I’d love to hear from you!
Want to see more? Click another image!
Oz Museum in Kansas
National Parks Week- Where will you go?
Water World, Denver + Watts = FUN
What’s new at the Denver Zoo
Photo a Day- Skydeck at Willis Tower in Chicago
What it’s like to stand over 1000 feet in the air! Willis Tower Skydeck in Chicago, Illinois
Visiting the Aquarium of the Bay
We had a great time getting a backstage tour of the Aquarium of the Bay. Thanks to the amazing staff who made this visit possible.
Here is a quick video on our experience.
Want to see more? Click another image!
Superhero Paradise tucked away in Smalltown, USA
By far one of the best part of our travels is the opportunity to take spontaneous detours and discover some of the lesser known attractions in small town USA.
Recently we drove through Oklahoma, and discovered a unique museum simply because of a billboard along the highway. Always the adventurer, we got off the freeway to explore what these humble, quaint towns have to offer.
We drove through the cobblestone streets of downtown Pauls Valley, Oklahoma in search of the Toy & Action Figure Museum. Amongst the classic turn of the century architecture we found our destination. Opened in 2005, the Action Figure Museum is the home of over 13,000 action figures, and hundreds of cartoonist drawings and other memorabilia
Most of the collection comes from the owner, Kevin Stark’s private collection. As an artist and private collector, he’s spent his entire life acquiring unique super hero memorabilia, especially the Batman series, which is his favorite.
As a skilled artist, he’s even been commissioned to work on franchises like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He graciously gave us a private tour of the museum, which made it even more interesting as we got to hear the back story to so many of the displays.
Ten minutes into our visit even I, who only went to see the action figures to please the men in my family, couldn’t help but be impressed by the breadth of items on display. From adult men sized Superhero Under-Roos, to the Stay Puff Marshmallow man in Ghostbusters, to classic GI Joe and Lone Ranger action figures, the museum covers at least 60 years of action heroes. It would’ve been fun to host one of Hayden’s childhood birthday parties here, it would’ve been a blast. 
As the mother of a boy who spent his early years in love with all things Spiderman, Power Rangers, and Star Wars, it was fun to watch my son take in the magnitude of all that’s on display. Even Dino, my husband was geeking out as the flood of memories from his own childhood washed over him each time he made a connection to a toy from the ‘80s.
Our stop over in this quaint town was only for about an hour, but it was well worth the detour. If you are driving through Oklahoma with your husband, son, or any other super hero enthusiast, I recommend you stop by and experience it in person. But if a trip to Pauls Valley isn’t in your near future, you can take an online tour from their website.
Want to see more? Click another image!
ATV Riding in St. George, UT
Not yet old enough to drive a car, Hannah was thrilled to learn she was old enough to drive solo on a ATV during our adventure in St. George. Check out how she did as well as the rest of us having fun int he St. George desert sun.
Want to see more? Click another image!
No related posts.
Stay Connected
Check this Out
Family Photos
