Washington DC - Day 2

Well here's a brilliant idea, let's take our bikes into DC and ride them around then we won't get so tired. We pack our bikes in the back of the truck and we start out our trip going to the store first so we can get a bike lock. Then off to park at Union Station. Well it took us about 45 minutes and 3 times around to finally figure out where the parking ramp was to get in. Next we get ourselves parked, yes inside a parking garage, so now we realize we have to walk our bikes down the stairs, that was a hoot. Well we made it out of the parking structure and onto the streets of DC. Of course it has to start sprinkling...it wasn't suppose to rain today. We headed to the Smithsonian Museum of American History. They had the best artifacts from Abe Lincoln. The kids were so excited to see his actual hat. This museum even had some pop culture: the ruby slippers, Fonzie's leather jacket, Kermit the frog and much more. Then we biked to the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the White House. And yes it continued to rain for most of the day, even getting a little heavier than I would have preferred when riding a bike. All in all it was a great way to see the sights and not get so tired from walking. Tomorrow it is suppose to storm all day - expecting 6 - 8 inches of rain. Needless to say, we will be staying indoors...no DC!

Washington DC

We arrived on Sunday evening to the Capitol KOA which is located in Millersville Maryland. It was raining as we were trying to get set up and it continued to rain the rest of the night. We hung around the campground on Monday doing school and watching it rain again.

Today, Tuesday 9/28 we took the shuttle bus into DC. It dropped us off at the Capitol, where we then walked to the Smithsonian Museum of Air and Space, and then across the way to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. Those were the only 2 things we got to see today. It takes up a lot of time. Not to mention we are exhausted from all of the walking!!! But well worth it, what an amazing sight to be in our nation's capitol.

Gettysburg Pennsylvania

Sunday on our way to Maryland we stopped at Gettysburg. This is definitely something everyone should try to do in their lifetime. What an experience. We again did a driving tour following a CD. This time it was fantastic. Great directions and an abundance of information. The amount of area the three days covered is unimaginable. It was a weird feeling being on the battlefield knowing and trying to feel what those soldiers felt when they were hiding and waiting. They say it is an extremely haunted area and I would love to do one of those night tours to experience that aspect of it. This was a wonderful treat on our journey. Thanks to all of those who have fought for our freedom!

Hershey Pennsylvania

WOW! A whole area dedicated to chocolate. We took the tour of the factory, it's not the real factory, but a simulation of what goes on in the factory. We then decided to participate in one of their new programs of making your own candy bar. This was absolutely great. First you have to put on an apron, hair net (yes we looked good), and gloves. You then go to a computer to choose the base of the candy bar, we only had one option of milk chocolate. They will soon add dark chocolate and white chocolate. Next you can add up to 3 options to put into your candy bar, you even have an option of sprinkles on top. Then it is into the factory part and you watch your candy bar move down an assembly line adding all of the choices you made. Then while it's drying, you get to go to another computer to design your wrapper. That was AWESOME. You could either choose one of their predesigns or create your own. We have posted our wrapper designs and would love for anyone to please take our poll regarding whose wrapper you like the best. We all decided to create our own. As you will see. We did not go to the amusement park, we decided we didn't need to do another one so soon.

We then headed out to Lancaster to the Amish country. We did one of those car tours where you buy the CD and then follow the directions as they give you information and tour you around. It was to say the least not very good. We did see the countryside and Amish farms and people. The CD however was very hard to follow and I think a little out of date. We found some shops and bought some local food and snacks.

We did wonder how the Amish feel with everyone coming to observe them and their way of life as an "attraction". It was a little bit of a weird feeling. I don't think I could handle people doing that to me. We then left to be on our way.

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

We left our stop near Pittsburgh and headed to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania which is right outside Hershey, Pennsylvania. Oh yes we are headed to CHOCOLATE WORLD!!! We will also be exploring the Amish countryside. The kids and I studied about their culture so that we could better understand their way of life before we go and see it. Before we left, our trailer has been invaded by those stink bugs that everyone is talking about on the news. These bugs have come from China and are in abundance in the mid- Atlantic states. We started out by killing them only to find out that they release a stink that attracts more of these little critters. So they are now hiding in every nook and cranny possible. We are using a spray bottle of vinegar and water, this causes them to leave the area and then we suck them up in the vacuum and discard them outside. Oh and by the way, we are still being invaded by those critters since we are still in Pennsylvania.

I will post more pictures soon.

Ruffs Dale, PA

Well we made it to just outside of Pittsburgh in a city called Ruffs Dale. We did however have to make a stop on the way to the Keystone dealer (yes, again). They did not tighten down the bolts on the air conditioner and as we found out last week in a big rain storm in Ohio, it leaked! Is there a lemon law for RVs? If it can go wrong, we have seen it! I am becoming very RV savvy. That is not to say that we aren't enjoying what we are doing, but it has been a little stressful at times. We are staying at a KOA here. It is more off the beaten path. We are enjoying this bouncy thing called a jumping pillow, and of course a fishing lake.

Yesterday (9/22) we had a straight line wind come through our campground. Boy it was scary. Rees and I were outside putting our chairs away, because we could see the dark clouds coming and the news had said that there would be thunderstorms later in the day. All of a sudden we heard this roar...I yelled at Rees to get inside. The boys were still down by the lake fishing. I had just sent Trent down there to get Jake. They came running back, having dropped all of their fishing stuff and bikes. Then just in front of them a large tree split in two and fell. We all got in the trailer and the kids (Rees and Trent) were crying and screaming. As we were calming ourselves down, the storm passed very quickly. When we went outside, there were trees down, bikes tipped over, some of our stuff was a couple of campsites over. Bryce was working and with his reps during this time, and they are fine. It just seems the excitement never stops coming!

Friday Sept.17th - Streetsboro Ohio

Well we are headed out on an actual field trip today. I took the kids to the Cleveland Art Museum. This is all of their first trip to an actual art museum. We saw all kinds of art from contemporary, impressionists, and art from BC and AD time periods. The kids took pictures of some of their favorite pieces, along with the artists name and the title of the piece. They will be doing a little report on their piece they pick. I will post these when they finish them up. This museum also had what they call a treasure hunt for kids. They had a some pictures of items that you needed to find in the museum and then put down the correct answer in the lines provided. We then headed to the BODIES exhibition. What a treat! It was fascinating to see what the inside of our bodies look like and how complicated we are inside. It is really hard to explain everything that was seen and what we learned regarding our bodies, unless you see it for yourself. Of course you are not allowed to take pictures, but I copied ones from their website. If you ever get to see this exhibit when it comes your way, it is a definite must see.

Tomorrow we head out and on to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.

Streetsboro, Ohio

Well here we are for the week at the KOA in Streetsboro, Ohio, what a beautiful place. I have, however, caught my first cold. Where did this come from? I'm not even in a classroom full of students anymore. It was a hard day trying to home school and really just wanting to sleep. The kids just started some of their home schooling on a computer program called Time 4 Learning. This helped to keep them some what going on their own today! Thanks to my wonderful husband who hung out with the kids for awhile so I could sleep, and went to the store to get me some much needed medicine!

Adventureland Park Resort, Iowa

We started our week out by going to the Adventureland Amusement and Water Park on Labor Day. It was a great day to go just before school was starting, there was hardly anyone there. We played at the water park for a long time. Jake was brave enough to try one of those really tall, high up water slides. After playing there for awhile we headed off to ride some roller coasters and other fun rides.

We then started home schooling the next day, like everyone else. It went well and the children really enjoyed it. I think it was harder for me not having a specific set schedule (as a teacher). It was funny not having all the normal routines I am used to doing in the beginning of a school year. When the kids were not schooling, they were fishing(they caught lots of fish), riding their bikes, and playing some arcade games here at the campground. In honor of school starting we only thought it appropriate to rename our blog the the Malone's Ultimate FieldTrip.

It was nice to be settled for the week, cook dinners, get laundry done (yes I said laundry), clean up the trailer, and be some what normal (for us).

We headed out yesterday towards Ohio, we will be stopping over in Michigan City, Indiana.

Altoona, Iowa

Well we left Oregon on September 1st and headed to Pendelton, OR to pick up our trailer. We decided to just stay at the KOA in Pendelton for the night. We picked up the trailer, but had to bring in back in the morning for a few final touches. We then began our long haul to Colorado and then onto Iowa. We decided to push it as far as we could the first day. We also forgot that it was Labor Day weekend, so finding places (last minute) was hard to find. We ended up staying in a hotel in Evanston, Wy the first night. Then we headed to Golden, CO to pick up the motorcycle that had been there since we left. It was being repaired and getting a new paint job. We stayed in a hotel that night too! Then we were off. We stayed in a KOA in Grand Island, Nebraska and then on into Altoona, Iowa. We are staying at the Adventureland Resort campground.

Oregon

I know, I know... I am behind in updating the blog. We spent a lot of time with my family in Oregon. It was a blast, hanging out, eating together, and seeing the kids together. We didn't spend very much time in our trailer. We did however have cousins Emma and Nolan over to our campsite to swim, play miniature golf, play arcade game, and hang out. We also took the kids to the waterpark in Corvallis. Again it was a little chilly and windy. Emma, my niece, and I got our haircut together. This was her first professional haircut and it was an honor to be able to share that with her.

We did visit the Tillamook Cheese factory, air museum, and hung out on the Oregon Coast.

We went rafting for 3 days (August 28 -30) with my dad, his wife, my sisters and their families for my dad's 70th birthday. It was nice seeing all the cousins together. We had a great time rafting, but the weather was not the best. It was a little cold and as usual in Oregon, it rained on us. Needless to say we still had a great time. The meals were amazing! The guides were great. We had 4 rafts and 3 kayaks. The dads took the kids in the kayaks, and some of the older kids (Emma, Jake, and Juma) did the kayaks on their own. What a great time we all had. ( I will add rafting pictures later, they are on water cameras)

Before we left, we had taken the trailer up to Pendelton, Oregon to the Keystone manufacturer. They had all work stop when we arrived to the plant. They were all instructed to find out what was wrong with the trailer. Within 20 minutes, they told us that the hangers and axels were off by 3/4 of an inch, which is why all the tires were blowing out. They worked on it while we were rafting.