Harper's Ferry

Saturday, 1/14/12
So I decided this post was for me :)  That's what is so great about blogs... there is no feedback (like on FB) and so you don't expect any... leaving me to feel completely guilt free about what I write, and that it's all about my family... b/c that's what it's supposed to be :) 

And so this past weekend Chris & I took a trip, a SNOWMOBILING trip, to Harper's Ferry, IA.  My FIRST trip since Feb 1998 (I think??) I was in college... and I remember Donnie being there, and I think I was just home from the DR. I was so excited, and it brought back so many fond memories from my childhood :)

B/c to me, vacations w/my dad consisted of going snowmobiling in Michigan & houseboat trips in Dale Hollow. Dad always had it planned out... what trails we would go on (old skiing hills and gravel pits to play on too). What restaurants we'd eat at, the flow of quarters never stopped for Donnie or I (or our friends) to play video games, the juke-box, pool tables or shuffle board. And even the hotel was fun for us, complete with a pool & hot-tub after a long day of being cold.

I remember hanging on the back of mom or dad (or Kathy or Ami), and being allowed to ride up front when my hands got too cold. Dad would take my gloves off, put them directly on the handle-warmers and put his hands over mine. I remember him trying to shove my feet as close as he could to the engine to try and get them out of the wind. I remember taking off all our 'gear,' trying to warm up our hands and dry off our socks (sometimes by a fire) when we would stop at a bar or restaurant. I remember mom & dad letting us 'try to drive' while in the group, though it was hard for us to do when we were only 8 and 9. I remember being SO EXCITED when we finally did get our very own sled to share and how we had to promise we would drive it the whole time, even if our thumb got sore. :)

I loved the smell of the gas and glitter of the snow. I loved the trails & the super tall trees all in a row, and the snow on stumps of trees that looked like mushrooms. I remember flying across the lake and dad saying, "Just don't let up on the gas... there is ice under the slush, so don't worry, if you sink a little, you won't go all the way through." :))  Oh Mom just LOVED to go snowmobiling (kidding of course ;)... but I'm so happy she went... I'm so happy they took us. B/c as much as she would have loved to go somewhere else, Donnie & I did love it, and Dad loved 'treating' us and tried so hard to make everything perfect & fun. 

This trip felt so much like my first houseboat trip w/my friends...and how 'grown-up' I felt to do something on my own that my parents once did for me... I felt that same way about this brief, but fun snowmobile trip. I DID miss my Dad's careful planning... always knowing where the trails were and always having a map :) But figuring it out as we went was OK too..for 3 sleds :)  And I missed and admired my mom when we got home... as unpacking from a trip is a feat in itself, and I never took notice.

And so I share this fun group picture... of a super-fun 24-hours. In a perfect cabin (the cabin too reminded me of our cabins in Michigan, maybe a little nicer ;) and hope that next year all of our friends can ride, and that in years to come, I can also share my childhood experiences with our girls.  Only problem might be finding more sleds & someone to drive them :) But maybe that's what, "Dad Kenny" is for :))  THANK YOU Kelly for organizing the trip!