When we returned from our month long trip West during the summer of 2017, I knew I couldn't ask my kids to do another big trip right away. They needed to forget all the pitfalls of the open road and remember instead, all the fun we had and all the memories that we made. If you'd like to remember the good, the bad and the ugly, feel free to go back and take in the Desormeaux Cross Canada Adventure again. At the bottom of this post, simply click on older posts and it's all there.
A few days after we returned from that trip, I asked the kids what the highlights were. Just like I was done with driving, I was done with writing about driving as well. Thanks to my iPhone notes here are Abby's highlights:
-the Calgary Stampede (1st sno cone, the singing and dancing, fireworks, the actual stampede, barrel racing)
-Vancouver Island campground (Tofino)
-Lake Superior - it was really cold and I liked swimming in it
-Shopping in Jasper and the Bakery where we had to wait forever
-I like how you made fun of Daddy when he said 'Torfino"
-KOA with the huge pillow to jump on and the water slide
-Rainbow Falls campground when we had a campfire
-Going to Target
-Banff Mountains
-Calgary West Campground (staying there twice)
All great things, Abby! The same day she also told me that she didn't feel people were meant to drive as much as we drove, saying, 'It didn't feel right'. True story.
Parker on the other hand wasn't as descriptive but kind of mumbled his highlights:
-coming home
-ATVing
-Banff was really pretty
-I liked the trip, I liked it all
See? They've forgotten all the wrong turns, being hit twice, 2 flat tires on 2 separate occasions (but within 24hrs of each other), the fights, the swearing, the heat, the boredom of Montana...Despite all this, they now look back on that month in 2017 with fondness, enough fondness that no one has refused to come on the Desormeaux Epic East Coast Adventure. It's all part of my master plan. A week ago I asked each of them if they were excited to head out in Maje again. Abby told me she was VERY excited. 'Like so much mommy, like when I think about it, I get butterflies in my tummy. I love being together with my family and we are all together and playing cards and games and having campfires...' Awesome. Parker replied that yes, he was excited but, 'I really hope I don't run out of data...that would not be good.' Got it.
The addiction to wifi is real. As real as it was 2 years ago but for a different reason now. 2017 Parker was into Roman Atwood, YouTube videos of trick shots, Dude Perfect etc etc. He would literally shake thinking that he might have missed an uploaded video. I should've thanked my lucky stars. Silly, silly woman. 2019 Parker is in love and has just returned from the 'Drive In Goodbye Date' with the love of his life, Alexis. Now she might be reading this so I will say honestly, she is a lovely, lovely girl. It just makes for pretty dramatic foreshadowing when I think of my 13yr old, sad, lonely, grumpy son, in the middle of Nova Scotia with no data. We all will be watching our gb to make sure this doesn't happen.
There are a few differences on this trip. For one big thing, I'm not driving on my own. Driving out East is much less driving. There's no need to take a month to do what we are planning. This trip is 2 weeks long and Keith is taking the time to come with us. This means, flat tires, sewage issues and general maintenance is not all up to me, even though I know I can totally do it. Well, maybe I wouldn't be able to handle a sea of sewage like we encountered in Tofino (with Keith), but everything else - no problem. Again, click on the older posts, I can't make this up!
The most incredible thing that I realized after returning home, was that people were completely amazed that I even wanted to drive to Calgary and back with my 2 kids. Honestly, the second leg of the trip from the Manitoba border to Calgary was the most liberating, exhilarating experience I think I've ever had. We were still new to the adventure, a little jaded by some damn tires, but once we had new tires, we were rolling! Some of my fondest memories of the entire trip was the 3 nights we spent in the Prairies, just the three of us.
So here's the plan for the next 2 weeks. We are driving to Ottawa to spend July 1st in our nation's capital. Then, we are on to Quebec City for a few nights. After that we are headed to Tadoussac for some whale watching. After that we are off to Parlee Provincial Park and finally Cape Breton Island for a week. We are all packed and I'm pretty sure everyone is asleep, ready for an early start. Abby needed some melatonin because she was too excited. Parker wanted to leave tonight (good sign) and even contemplated sleeping in the RV (even better sign). Keith is looking forward to 2 weeks with his lovely family rather than his toilet snake and monkey wrench. He's grown to love the RV and has forgiven Maje for not being able to float on Georgian Bay. Me? I love the anticipation of adventure. I love seeing the world through my children's eyes. I cling to these moments when our kids are ours alone, to talk to, spend time with, connect with no outside distractions. The years are fleeting and I'm getting a glimpse of a time when my kids might refuse to come with me on these adventures. I'm going to savour this time and the memories that we'll make.
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