The rest of the RV tour was phenominal. Memphis was a blast! We made sure to pay our respects to "The King" at Graceland. (I had no idea he was such a philanthropist!) We also went to the National Civil Rights Museum at the site where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assasinated. Getting lost on our way there, Nathan got out and asked for directions at a liquor store, where 3 African American brothers couldn't tell us where it was...and it was just blocks away! That made me sad. (Jumping ahead a bit, a gas station attendant in South Dakota hadn't seen Mt. Rushmore 2 hours away...)
After Tenessee, we headed up to Kentucky for the Zarb Brother's Street Festival, the event our whole trip was planned around. Hanging out with the beautiful Zarb family was definitely a trip highlight, and the world class music at the concert was blow-your-mind-amazing! It was an honor to be included in the lineup. Danielle, a super friend who was in our wedding, drove from Ohio with her energetic toddler and kind father to hang out with us there. We also saw our Buddies Daniel and Kerry and met their little one who is 8 days younger than our little one, and my long lost friend Amory from Hawaii came to a show as well. At Ophelia's Cup in Olney, Il, some friends drove 10ish hours to come and party on with us also. It warms my heart to know that wherever we go in this big bcountry of ours, friends aren't far away.
Another trip highlight occured in Kansas, when we met up with my Grandma who I hadn't seen in around 6 years. It was a wonderful reunion, centered around a great western themed restaurant and full of happy introductions--she had never met my husband, let alone my almost one year old.
So Mt. Rushmore was always a place I wanted to go, but never imagined actually being there--it isn't exactly "on the way". Seeing the sun set on the good 'ol boys was surreal. Just as surreal and much smellier was Old Faithful! True story, my Dad asked me if our little one had a dirty diaper and we all puzzled over the smell before we recognized it as sulfer. Yellowstone is the most amazing place I've ever been! Emrald Pool, dragon's mouth hot spring, ghostly burnt down forests with the toothpick remains of trees, over 300 elk and 400 bison, 5 bears and a handful of chipmunks and mule deer delighted us in our 3 days there. I could have spent 3 years there, photographing the different areas through the seasons. Did any of you know that Yellowstone was the world's first National Park?!
On our final stretch we stayed the night in Utah with Nathan's grandparents, getting in late and leaving early unfortunatrly, but it was great to see them.
It was a beautiful trip, the trip of a lifetime. I'm so thankful to my phenominal parents for taking 3 1/2 weeks out of their BUSY lives to hang out with their Grandbaby and us, and support Nathan and I in our music. It was an absolute blast hanging out with them, and though I can't speak for everyone, I didn't feel too cooped up in the RV at all, I was having too much fun enjoying the company. I reccommend that everyone take an RV trip at least once in their lives, and if you haven't been to Yellowstone yet, stop everything you're doing and plan it out, it's out of this world amazing!
