Started: Plymouth, MI
Ended: Plymouth, MI
Total Distance: Driving: 4 miles, Walk: laps around the field, Running: 2 home runs (carrying Noah ;)
For years I have hated road trips. I have this habit of falling asleep instantly whenever I stop moving. This is not exclusive to cars; trains, planes, boats, you name it and I’ve fallen asleep there. So as you can imagine, when J suggested we take an epic, summer road trip, my initial response did not take much thought, no.
So what changed my mind? Last summer, I took a vacation to Denver with my friend, Yara, to visit my friend from college, Darion. We spend two days at Lake Dillon and then traveled through the Rocky Mountains. It felt so good to be outside and hiking after 11 months of pacing my classroom. I could look around, not monitoring behavior or checking student work, but to experience the beauty around me. This trip was the first time I had gone hiking for an extended period of time.
Two months later, J and I took a trip to Seattle and made it out to Olympic National Park. Again, I experienced the same rush of excitement as we hiked new trails and experienced the temperate rainforest for the first time. I always loved to travel, but I realized I love being outside.
So, this summer is not about the road trip, it’s about the new experiences in new places and being OUTSIDE!
Our first stop is to Plymouth, Michigan to visit to J’s parents, we will be here for five days. Today is our first day and we spent the day at the Miracle League. J’s mom has spent the last, 5 years building something amazing and I was blessed to be a part of it for a day. The Miracle League is a baseball league for children and adults with physical or cognitive disabilities. I have to be honest, leading up to this day I was nervous to volunteer because I have never been athletically talented and I did not want to let any of the players down. Quickly I realized the Miracle League is not about any individual’s athletic abilities, it is about giving the players the opportunity to play baseball and have fun. I cannot imagine a better way to kick off our trip and I am excited for the adventures to come!