When each of our grandchildren turn 10, Ed and I take them on a “Decade” trip (AKA “Skip-Gen” trip, no parents allowed) We choose this age because, according to the AARP article that inspired us, 10-year-olds can take care of themselves (mostly), have fairly flexible schedules, and are still eager to do things with their grandparents. Six summers ago we took our first decade trip with Michaela, and if you follow my blog you will remember the trip we took last summer with our special needs granddaughter Melanie.The RV Adventure Begins
This summer it was Lillian’s turn to celebrate her first decade of life . She is a bright, fun-loving girl who, as it turns out, is a savvy traveler. (Check out her hilarious travel-tips here: Travel Tips From a Ten-Year Old) Several years ago, we started a National Park Passport for Lillian, so her Decade trip was centered around the theme of National Parks and Monuments.
The Grand Canyon
Our trip began with a train ride from Williams, AZ to the Grand Canyon. The two-hour train ride takes you directly to the village at the South Rim. (If you have a National Park Pass, the park entrance fee is deducted from your ticket price) There are several packages to choose from, but we found the day trip was perfect for an introduction to the Canyon.
First glimpse
The first glimpse of the Canyon takes your breath away! We walked on the paved pathway around the rim, then went to the visitor’s center so Lillian could get her Jr. Ranger Booklet. We enjoyed lunch in the Canyon Room at the historic El Tovar Inn. Travel Tip: If you plan to eat at the Inn, make reservations ahead of time.
Lillian looks over her Jr Ranger book, while Ed peruses the menu.
On day three of Melanie’s Decade trip we visit McCormick’s Creek State Park where we hike, have a cookout, and are “bugged” by some noisy neighbors.
McCormick’s Creek State Park
Brings back childhood memories.
The historic Canyon Inn
A beautiful spot to relax
I grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, close to McCormick’s Creek (Indiana’s first state park) and have many fond memories of family picnics here. I love the historic Canyon Inn with its cozy lodge interior. It’s a great place for a relaxing get-away, but won’t be checking in. Today we have accommodations of the RV sort.
The road less traveled…
We wind our way down into the dense forest and find our campsite. Ed backs the RV in this time with remarkable ease. He’s getting the hang of this! This is my favorite campsite by far. We are nestled deep into the woods. Our “neighbors” like it, too. In fact, they’ve arrived in droves. This would be a good time to introduce the visitors who’ve been bugging us throughout this trip.
Meet the Cicadas
Although they have their own particular beauty, the red eyes creep me out.
Yes, it’s their year too. If you live anywhere in the Midwest, you’ve probably seen them. Timed perfectly with Melanie’s decade trip this June, these “Brood X” cicadas are actually 17 years old. They’ve spent their entire life underground, tunneling and feeding beneath the soil. Now they’ve come above ground to mate and die. The rhythmic drone the males emit is a mating call. We’ve had to swat a few away, and we’ve found dead ones on the ground, but mostly, they seem to be in the trees, looking to score and lay their eggs before birds gobble them up. Their chorus has been serenading us from dawn to dusk throughout this trip, but in the dense woods of McCormick’s Creek State Park, the sound is deafening.
Melanie loves to swing, the motion is calming to her.
The Cicada Serenade doesn’t seem to bother Melanie. After we set up camp, we headed out on a short hike. Then Melanie and I go to the playground.
Cookout
A good start…could use more wood.
Despite the rain we’ve been having, I was determined to have at least one campfire experience. We’d purchased a bundle of “state approved” firewood at a gas station on our way to the park. Just enough for a small fire. At 6:00, Melanie’s tummy alarm goes off. “Pancakes?” she asks. “No, Poppy is going to cook hot dogs on the fire tonight, let’s go watch!” I say. She’s only mildly interested and comes back inside to help me make microwave mac and cheese.
A speedy dinner
When the hot dogs are ready, we go outside for a family meal. Melanie gobbles down her meal, first the mac and cheese, then the hot dog, then the bun. Before Ed and I can even get started she wants to go back inside. This isn’t the “hallmark moment” I was expecting. I remind myself that she’s processing many new interactions and experiences on this trip and I’m learning to balance her need for stimulation with her need for down time.
S’more time!
Hey…does Poppy have two?
Our little fire is slowly dying. I wish we’d bought 2 bundles of wood, but we have just enough coals for S’mores. “Let’s take our marshmallows outside and make s’mores.” I say as I gather up the roasting sticks, graham crackers, and chocolate. This gets her attention. “Marshmallows?” she asks.
Yum!
We spear a marshmallow and Ed shows her where to put it so it will toast just right. She’s impatient, and her marshmallow catches fire. No worries. We blow out the flames and mash the charred, melty blob between two graham crackers. She chooses not to include the chocolate. “Would you like to do another one?” Ed asks. “Yes!”
Day is done…
Soon we’re back in the RV washing sticky fingers. Melanie settles into the loft with tonight’s movie feature: “Beauty and the Beast” and Ed and I resume our Gin Rummy tournament at the dinette. This time I won. Five games to four.
Tomorrow we’re on the move again. Our last stop on the Decade Trip RV tour is Versailles State Park where more adventures await…
Threads of thought:
How do you like your s’mores?
Classic: Marshmallows (roasted over a fire), Graham Crackers, Hershey’s chocolate
Gourmet: have you discovered a unique recipe?
Besides being Melanie’s grandmother, I’m a traveler, sewist, blogger, retired teacher, and author! Read about my transition from teaching to the world “outside of the Crayon Box”http://amazon.com/author/debravandeventer
Seams Like a Story is taking a break from sewing to go on some summer adventures. It’s the summer of Melanie’s Decade trip and we are determined to make it fun for our special needs granddaughter as we travel around Indiana State Parks. In this post we leave Brown County and head to Spring Mill State Park.
A New Day Begins
Cinnamon Toast Crunch, a good choice!
Melanie consults her iPad to make sure Ariel’s colors are just right.
After some initial resistance, Melanie slept well and we got a (sort-of) decent night’s sleep. We wake up to rain in Brown County. Coffee, tea and breakfast are the first order of business. Melanie finishes her cereal and begins a coloring project.
Do you remember these swings from your childhood?
When the rain stops, we get dressed and find a nearby playground. Melanie is very tactile. She’s attracted to the water-filled sand box, but I divert her attention to the novel tire swing. After a quick lunch we pack up the RV and are on our way to Spring Mill State Park. It rains on us through Bloomington, Bedford, and Mitchell.
The Pioneer Village
Umbrellas make everything more fun!
The old mill is no longer working, but sill impressive.
I wonder what Melanie is thinking.
When we got to Spring Mill State Park, we drove straight to the reconstructed pioneer village. By now the rain had slowed to a slight drizzle. Melanie was excited that we were using umbrellas! We weren’t sure how she would react to the old structures. Would they interest her? As we went inside each one, I made comments: “Look at that funny old bed.” “I wonder why they hung the chairs on the wall?” She was curious and followed along without complaining for nearly an hour. When we got to the last house I asked Melanie if she wanted to go in. “Bye House.” she said as she walked on. I think she’d had enough!
Our home on wheels
It was a short drive to our campsite. When we got there, I assumed my waving and yelling job again as Ed attempted to back the RV into the site. It took four tries, but we finally made it. This site has sewer and water hookups, but the hoses we have aren’t long enough to reach the outlets. Good thing we still have bottled water.
The weather cooperates and we explore our new surroundings. We meet the neighbors next door and discover just how friendly RV people are. They give me a guided tour of their new pull-behind. It has it all, even a special drawer to designed to hold wine bottles. Their RV is beautiful. Now I want one.
Settling in
After dinner, rain sets in again and we get cozy in our home on wheels. Time doesn’t really matter as we disconnect from the world. No TV, internet, and phone service is spotty. Kelli has downloaded Disney movies on an old laptop for Melanie and she’s content to watch “Lady and the Tramp” in her nest in the sleeping loft. Ed and I ramp up our Gin Rummy game at the dinette. This time we’re serious; we’ve looked up the official rules. He beats me 5 games to 3. Everyone is tired tonight and we begin the bedtime routine earlier. At 11:00 lights are out. Melanie rustles for a while, but falls asleep much faster than last night. Goodnight world.
Seams Like a Story is taking a break from sewing to go on some summer adventures. Come along on a three part RV trip that was a decade in the making! In this post…our RV adventure at Indiana State Parks begins!
What is a Decade Trip?
When each of our grandchildren turn 10, Ed and I take them on a “Decade” trip (AKA “Skip-Gen” trip, no parents allowed) We choose this age because, according to the AARP article that inspired us, 10-year-olds are are old enough to take care of themselves (mostly), have fairly flexible schedules, and still eager to do things with their grandparents. When our oldest grandchild Michaela turned 10, we took her on a road trip to the Grand Canyon, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, and St. Louis Arch. The Pandemic postponed her sister Melanie’s trip. She’s a decade plus one now, but this is her year!
Preparations:
Some extra thought and planning went into this trip. Melanie is a bright, beautiful, energetic eleven-year-old whose smile lights up the room. seamslikeastory.com/melanies-tutu/ She loves Disney princesses and developed a passion for RVing after a family trip last year. Melanie has autism and is mostly non verbal. Though she can communicate through short, repeated phrases or words, she cannot carry on a conversation. It takes dedicated family members and a team of professionals to meet her social, educational, and physical needs. We wanted to make sure the Decade trip would be fun, safe, and appropriate for her. We decided to do an RV adventure to Indiana State Parks, each within a 50-mile radius of her home.
RV Newbies
The newly anointed King of the Road
Ed and I had been tent camping when our kids were young, but were RV newbies. I was nervous. We knew nothing about RVs. I had visions of my husband Ed turning into “Cousin Eddie” from the Christmas Vacation movie. (you know the scene… “Shi**er’s full!”) We searched an online RV rental site (Outdoorsy) and found a 28 foot, class C motorhome (listen to me, I sound like a pro now) that was close to my daughter Kelli’s home and available for the dates we wanted. When the big day arrived, Kelli drove Ed to the pickup site where the owner went over the essentials; how to hook up electricity, water, sewage, and other basic operations. After a quick spin around the parking lot, the owner declared Ed an official RVer and handed off the keys.
While We Wait:
Its so hard to wait….
Melanie knew we were are about to go RVing and she was concerned when Ed and Kelli left without us.
“Poppy and Mommy will get the RV and bring it here,” I say. “We’ll have lunch, then get in the RV.”
“Lunch… RV” Melanie repeats.
After lunch, she put on her winter hat and waited in her sensory swing by the window. It was a hot, humid Indiana day. Was the hat fulfilling a sensory need, or was it a fashion statement? Maybe both.
Preparing for unpredictable Indiana weather.
Making a list, checking it twice…
While we waited for the RV’s arrival, I looked over the mountain of stuff we were taking for our 5 day trip and checked my list. I swear, we took much less than this when we trekked across country with our 2 kids and camped with just a mini van, tent, Coleman cook stove, and cooler. Finally, the RV arrived. It looked much larger than it did on the website listing. Can we really handle this thing? My anxiety mounts.
And We’re Off!
I’m looking more confident than I feel right now.
After packing in armfuls of food and clothing, we buckle in, say our goodbyes and Melanie’s Decade trip begins. “Don’t expect a smooth ride,” Ed said as our hotel-on-wheels rattled out of the neighborhood. I hope that’s not a premonition. Kelli smiles and waves exuberantly from the driveway. She has the week all to herself.
Brown County State Park
We had gotten a late start. Thankfully, our first campsite was not far. Brown County State park in southern Indiana is known for dense forests and beautiful rolling hills. Once we checked in and found our spot, I jumped out and assumed my role as “She Who Waves and Yells Until the RV is Properly Parked.” I wasn’t very good at my job, but eventually we got the big rig situated to Ed’s satisfaction. Brown County State Park doesn’t have water or sewer hook ups on site, but the owner of our RV assured us we had enough water and sewer storage available for the night. We will try to be conservative with both. We plugged in the electricity and got the AC going.
Make Yourself at Home
Melanie’s nest.
Melanie was excited and immediately staked out her spot. She piled blankets, pillows, her favorite Disney Princesses, and her iPad onto the mattress in the sleeping loft above the cab. I showed her how to climb the ladder. To get down, I turned tummy-to-the ladder; but she preferred to go down facing out. That works, too. I watched as she set her iPad on the table and filmed herself going up and down the ladder.
She found a quiet spot outside and watched herself in the ladder-climbing movie repeatedly. This is typical for Melanie; she depends on her iPad. The movies she makes are windows into her world.
Playground Challenges
One step at a time on this unusual ladder
There are only a few foods that Melanie will eat. For this trip we have packed some of her favorites. She had toaster pancakes with peanut butter, milk, and a fruit cup for dinner. Ed and I made tacos from the meat we’d prepared at home. Melanie was curious and tried a few bites. After dinner, we walked to the playground and found a climbing structure with a ladder. She practiced her new climbing skills to get to the top, but was nervous about getting back down this wonky ladder. The “facing out” technique she’d used to get down from the loft in the RV didn’t work here.
Getting down presents a challenge.
The only other way down was to navigate the slats on the side of the structure. This was out of her comfort zone. “Poppy” came to the rescue, and coxed her to the edge of the platform. “I’ve got you, now jump.” he cajoled as he lifted her down. She showed little emotion, but I could tell she’d been scared. “No, jump.” she said as she walked away giving the climbing structure a dirty look over her shoulder.
And to All a Goodnight
Back in the RV, Melanie watched a Disney movie on her iPad in the loft while Ed and I played Gin Rummy at the dinette. Melanie was restless and had a hard time winding down. At 11:00, I said, “Finish the movie, then bed.” “Movie, bed” she repeats. She doesn’t protest as I help her get ready for bed. The water coming out of the bathroom faucet sputters. Unsure of our supply, we used bottled water to brush our teeth. Melanie has no hesitation in using the tiny toilet; fortunately that system seems to be working, though I think it smells like a port-a potty. PJs on, into the loft, lights out for all. Ed and I aren’t far away in the queen size sleeping area that pops out at the push of a button. I worried that I’d roll over and hit the button, scrunching us in our sleep, though Ed thinks that’s unlikely to happen.
We heard Melanie chatting and moving around for another 30 minutes. Then all was quiet. I was “asleep”, but aware, like when my kids were little. At 1:30 I heard Melanie coming down the ladder heading for her iPad. “No, iPad,” I say. “Go back to bed.” She grins slyly, scrambles up the ladder and jerks the curtain closed as if the night escapade never happened. I fell asleep to the sound of rain on the roof. Decade trip…day one… in the books. Everyone is fed, all in one piece, and happy. We have AC, and are out of the rain. I think this just might work.
Playground pals
Threads of Thought:
What are your camping stories?
Something to think about: The climbing structure at the campsite seemed like fun, until I watched Melanie try to navigate it. The only other option for play was a swing set with 2 “squeeze your butt” type seats. How could we make our state park playgrounds accessible to all children?
(and their grandparents LOL)
I’m a grandmother, retired teacher, blogger and author. You can read about my transition from teaching in “Out of the Crayon Box: Thoughts on Teaching, Retirement, and Life http://amazon.com/author/debravandeventer/
