Calla and James: a travelogue.

James and I love to travel.

Here is a complete-ish record of the major places we've been together.

California: San Francisco, Muir Woods

Colorado: Canon City, Denver, Fort Collins, Manitou Springs, Mesa Verde, Rocky Mountain National Park, Royal Gorge

Illinois: Chicago 

Iowa: Okoboji, Orange City, Rock Rapids, Sioux City

Louisiana: New Orleans

Michigan: Mackinac Island, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, the UP 

Minnesota: Alexandria, Bemidji, Cannon River, Duluth, Grand Marais, Gunflint Trail, Mankato, Minneapolis, New Ulm, the North Shore, Red Wing, Rochester, Stillwater, Two Harbors, Two Rivers

Minnesota State Parks: Blue Mounds, Cascade River, George H. Crosby Manitou, Frontenac, Glacial Lakes, Gooseberry Falls, Grand Portage, Itasca, Jay Cooke, Judge C. R. Magney, Lake Carlos, Lake Bemidji, Lake Shetek, Minneopa, Myre-Big Island, Nerstrand Big Woods, Split Rock Creek, Split Rock Lighthouse, Temperance River, Tettegouche

Missouri: Kansas City, St Louis 

Nebraska: Carhenge, Lincoln, Omaha

New York: Buffalo, Niagara Falls

North Dakota: Fargo (for only about two hours, but still)

South Dakota: Aberdeen, the Badlands/Black Hills (Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, Deadwood, Needles Highway, Wind Cave), Buffalo Ridge Ghost Town, Lake Poinsett (always!) Palisades Park, Pickerel Lake, Rapid City 

Wisconsin: Apostle Islands, Apple River, Door County, Hudson, Madeline Island, Superior, Taylor's Falls

Wyoming: Devil's Tower, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone 

Jamaica: Montego Bay

Canada: Niagara Falls/wine country, Toronto, Winnipeg

We've set foot in all five Great Lakes. We've zip lined across the Royal Gorge and alongside Niagara Falls. We've hiked and biked and camped. We've tubed many rivers, kayaked many rivers and lakes. We once kayaked across the Gunflint Lake in northern Minnesota - the other side of the lake was Canada. We've been white water rafting in the Cache la Poudre River in Colorado and the St Louis River in Minnesota. We've been to countless breweries, creameries, donut shops, distilleries. We would go to Minneapolis at least once a month. We would see movies, concerts, and plays. We saw our friends and family. We drove everywhere but San Francisco, Montego Bay, and New Orleans (the second time). We've had adventures and - almost more memorably - misadventures.

All that came to a screeching halt in 2020.

Yeah, because of COVID.

Also because of this guy:

Honestly, if we were going to have a baby, we did it at the exact right time. One of my main concerns about having a baby was having to cut way back on travel. We sure did, but we would have anyway because of the global pandemic that hit at almost the exact same time Phineas was born.

We want Phineas to experience as much of the world as possible, but we also want not make ourselves and others miserable while doing it. 

So here's where we've taken Phineas so far:

Iowa: Orange City

Minnesota: Blue Mounds State Park, Marshall, Morris

Nebraska: Lincoln

South Dakota: Brookings, Buffalo Ridge Ghost Town, Lake Poinsett, Sioux Falls, Watertown

Not too bad for a 15-month-old born during a global pandemic.

The older he gets, the more we'll be able to do with him. So far, his limit in the car is about three-and-a-half hours. Soon, we'll be able to take him camping, and he'll start to appreciate sight-seeing and museums and cool food. 

Until then, my incredible parents are willing to hang out with Phineas so James and I can get away once in a while. When we do take Phineas on vacation with us, we'll stick within a three-and-a-half hour radius from home. We can find plenty to do.