We have made it to Boston. The whole Marchlik clan was there to receive us. My dad got to see where Mike grew up and visit with the family. Scotty brought me my favorite bottle of vino. Steve and Erica came with cousins in tow. The cousins are all so happy to be together! We spent a great night gobbling up Grandma Trish’s Meatballs and spaghetti and talking about the journey!
We did however have to ay goodbye to papa. There were tears shed and Preston was beside himself that he lost his bunkmate. He got to sleep with papa every night and the two of them were like peas and carrots.
My dad and I have not done a road trip together in years and we had the best time! I love my dad and I love spending time with him. I think dad got the biggest ‘adventure’ part of the trip. The weather, the people, the roads, the smells, the time in that tiny car with fighting, and the history made this leg of the trip extreme in many ways.
The weather definitely contributed to the adventure. When we were driving to Shenandoah the fog and rain made visibility almost impossible. There were animals darting in front of us and there was even a tree down in the middle of the road. I actually tried to get dad to stop at a turn out and wait for morning. He was persistent and we made it. The next morning we saw the most secluded and beautiful campground. We hiked, did junior ranger stuff and made it back in time to watched and feel the biggest raindrops I have ever seen in my life!
The roads on these legs were particularly crazy. We would have 20 miles to go and it would take two hours. GPS lead us astray more then once and the narrow and winding roads were obviously not meant for RV’s. Trying to avoid low tunnels also added to the excitement. Overall the adventure led to great laughs and memories that my boys and I will always cherish.
I personally had so many favorite times with my dad. One of my favorites was the night we were staying on the river in the Smokey Mountains and the boys were eating inside. Dad and I sat out on the bank and ate dinner, drank wine, and talked for hours. In the background was the river lit by the moon and the lightening bugs blinking all around us. It was my favorite night. When it comes to dads I got the best one! I will cherish the memories I made with my dad and never forget watching him with my boys. Just when I don’t think I can love and appreciate my dad anymore, I see him share a moment with my boys and I love him even more!
THANKS DAD!