Ohio Road Trip - Part 1 - Travel Photography

WARNING lots and lots of pictures!!!

I used to say things like "Ohio is flat like a board" or "I wouldn't want to live anywhere in Ohio except for Cincinnati". Looking at a map though, I realized that I really haven't seen much of Ohio except for I-75. We decided that we needed to change that and so we left on our Ohio road trip.

I really didn't plan this trip like I plan other trips. I only had two nights/ three days for this trip and not much time to plan anything. Checking Pinterest brought a ton of ideas but what we really wanted to see where these three main things: Hocking Hills, Cuyahoga Valley and Put-In-Bay. We have been to Put-in-Bay but that was 13 years ago and without kids. Or other main goal was for the kids to collect more National Park Passports. See more about that HERE

Checking our National Park map we decided we would also add Hopewell Culture and First Ladies in Canton to our trip.

We left in the morning and our first stop was Hopewell Culture Historical Site in Chillicothe.  

As soon as we arrived we were invited to join a Atlatl demonstration. We never even heard of an atlatl (Have you?) and to hear about it's history and get to use one was an amazing start to this trip!

Afterwards we checked out the Indian mounds, learned about the history and Finn finished up his first Junior Ranger Program of the trip!

These pictures below crack me up... very typical if I try to take a picture and Finn is not the center of the universe (or the picture!)

From the Hopewell Culture we headed out towards Hocking Hills. Like on many trips (SEE HERE) we had to make a U-turn and save a turtle from it's looming death. We decided on Old Mans Cave for our first stop in Hocking Hills. But not before a quick lunch break with Spam sadwiches in the parking lot. Haha

It rained that morning and all the colors were so vibrant plus the waterfall was really strong!

We loved the stone bridges and all the little tunnels and caves so much we spent quiet a bit of time there.

We left Hocking Hills to head towards our tee pee we booked for the night near Logan, Ohio. It's only a short drive (maybe 25 minutes) and we checked out Logan Lake on the way. Another tip for road trips is that whenever you see a fruit stand.... STOP! We always buy something for a snack and talk to the locals about events or other things happening in the area!

We arrived at our tee pee mid afternoon. Set up camp and relaxed for a little bit. Our tee pee was next to this pond and as cute and entertaining it was for the kids during the day... at night it was LOUD! At some points during the night, I seriously thought there was a donkey in our tee pee. It was that LOUD! haha

After we settled in and relaxed we decided to head over to Rockhouse and take a (very) small hike there.

Rockhouse was really amazing and except for the million steps going up and down it was a relatively easy hike.

Back at the tee pee we fixed dinner... a family favorite and such an easy meal to make on a camping trip. Only three ingredients: Jambalaya Rice Mix, Crushed Tomatoes and Kielbasa.

We ended the night with a serious talk about behavior and expectations we have from the kids and settled in our tee pee.

My highlight of the day: driving down the winding roads towards Hocking Hills and realizing how stunning Ohio really is!

The kids highlight of the day: Throwing the Atlatl.

Scot's highlight of the day: learning about the Indian mounds.

 

Have you been to Hocking Hills? We can't wait to go back as there is so much more to do and see!

National Park Passports & Junior Ranger Program

A few years ago we visited Mammoth Caves with Jake's cub scout troop and my eyes caught the National Park Passports in the gift shop. I purchased two for the boys, we had them quickly stamped and that was it. I didn't realize then how much we would enjoy them and also they changed the way we travel.

You can purchase the passports at any National Park Site or online HERE. They are about $10 each.

There is a kids version and an adult version. I bought my kids the adult version and the reason is that I want this to be a lifelong collection and not just through their childhood. I am so glad I decided to go with the adult passport book because I know Jake would have already outgrown the kids one.

With the passport comes a map with all the National Parks/ Sites/ Monuments etc. in the country. Every time we travel we check the map to see if there is something at out destination or along the way we can visit. Many times have we made a pit stop on a long road trip at a place we would have never thought to visit and it turned out to be amazing. For example on our way down to Florida last winter we tried to break up the drive and visited the Ebenezer Church in Atlanta and we all loved it so much we still talk about that stop.

 

There are also a bunch of great apps to use to find the nearest parks, get some information and to collect online badges. I like to use the National Parks app by Chimani for my iPhone but I know there is also a really great one from National Geographic.

As of right now we have collected 22 stamps over the past 4-5 years! We have stamps from places like Grand Canyon, Zion, Everglades, Smokey Mountains, Mammoth Cave, Hopewell Culture, Cuyahoga Valley and many more.

You can also purchase actual stamps at the sites and collect these as well in your passports we decided against it and instead take a picture of the boys in front of the sign and tape that in the book!

Another great thing about our National Parks are the Junior Ranger Programs. Each park has a Junior Ranger Program which is a little booklet filled with activities. Some are very easy (like the one above), some include a Scavenger Hunt and we even had one that asked for you to pick up trash around the park! They are mostly free, the only one we have come across that you had to pay for was the one in the Smokey Mountains. The activities are all age appropriate and usually the older you are the more activities you have to do.

Once you are done with your booklet a ranger will check it with you and may ask you some questions about your answers. Once the ranger verifies you have done everything correctly he or she will swear you in to the Junior Ranger Program.

Once you are sworn in you receive a pin! Finn has been collecting them and adding them to his hat! I will add a picture of his hat in a little bit.

I hope you consider getting the National Park Passports and will enjoy them as much as we do! If you already have one, please comment with your favorite National Park you have visited so far! One of our favorites was the Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial in Put-In-Bay.

Stories from India - About Freeset - Travel Photography

I feel like before I continue I need to set the scene a little bit and tell you about Freeset.

Freeset is a Freedom business in Sonagachi, the largest red light district in India. Freeset employs woman who are trapped in the sex trafficking business. They sew jute bags and t-shirts and offer fair wages to woman who want out from the line.

 

Freeset's goal is to help other Freedom businesses get started in Sonagachi and turns this red light district into a business district! As of right now there are other freedom businesses such as The Loyal Workshop and Sari Bari. I will be talking about these business in a different blog post though.

Freeset recently bought the Gateway building. The Gateway building sits at the edge of Sonagachi and once renovations are done the hope is to turn it into a place where woman can feel safe, have tea with friends and also expand their t -shirt making business.

The renovations are slow (like everything in India) but there are a ton of volunteers helping with the work. Our goal was to support the people working at Freeset and the Gateway Building in any way we could.

That meant a few of us worked in the IT department, others did electric work, some others painted and then there was Kristen, Leslie and I and we got to clean toilets...

At first, I was like "I came all the way to India to clean toilets?" But, I soon realized how much of a blessing it was for the people living and working long hours at the Gateway Building to come home to deep cleaned bathrooms. It was just one tiny thing that they didn't have to worry about.

So we spent the majority of our first day cleaning bathrooms. It was no easy task with limited supplies and all we wanted was a large bottle of bleach and some rags! But we got the job done.

Hopefully, this gave you a little overview of Freeset. Please check out their website HERE and also their Cincinnati warehouse on Riverside Dr! Their T-shirts are amazing quality and just knowing what a difference Freeset is making in India is all I need to know to support them!

Stories from India - Mother Theresa's Home - Travel Photography

It's been almost 2 weeks since I have been in India and I have done very little sharing. There are two reasons: one, I am not really ready yet to share a lot. This trip was emotionally and physically exhausting (most days a 120 degree heat index, lost luggage, very long working days and very long travel) and I am still feeling a little lost from this trip. And two, most of my pictures still need to be approved by various organizations, so I can't really share many images with faces in them.

So, I thought I would start small. Instead of journaling this trip day by day (Like I have done with past trips), I will instead share small stories.

Funny enough I will start with a story from my last day in Kolkata.

If you talked to me before the trip, you know that my biggest fear was getting sick on this trip. I felt extremely lucky that it didn't hit me until the very last day. Even though most of our group has been sick from day 1, it really didn't hit me until the middle of the last night. It is debatable what made me sick (my bet is the McDonalds) but honestly that doesn't matter. I also wasn't sick like you might imagine me being sick... haha TMI... I woke up in the middle of the night with horrible stomach cramps and a really high fever, body aches etc.

So, let's get back to the story. The last day in Kolkata we went to visit the Mother Theresa House. Only 1 1/2 blocks away from where we stayed at the BMS. So we walked there. On the entire trip smells or even the heat didn't bother me. Even though I was running a fever I did not wanted to miss the chance to visit her home. BUT that morning the 1 1/2 block seemed like a 5 mile hike. The smells, the heat and even the sights (people sleeping on the sidewalk almost naked) really got to me. It got to me so much that when we finally arrived at the home all I could do was sit.

At first, I was so upset with myself that I just didn't have the energy to walk around but I felt a great sense of peace just sitting and people watching. I sat for a long time in front of her tomb (first picture) and when I could find a little more strength, I walked back out in the courtyard to sit in the shade there (second picture).

And that's all I could do. I didn't read the signs, I didn't see her room... I didn't take pictures. I rested.

I loved watching the nuns (all still wearing the blue and white robes) go on about their business and seeing visitor coming and going from all over the world to pay their respects.

Small gestures like a worker kissing the nuns feet and she praying over him, these are the things I will never forget.

So, from my visit to Mother Theresa's Home, I have two pictures. Both of them taken from the spot I sat down.

I felt absolutely privileged to be sitting there to rest! Of all the places to be feeling miserable her home is probably the best ;)

 

 

Out West Trip - Day 8 & 9 - Los Angeles

Day 8: arrived in the morning at Venice Beach, had breakfast on the beach. Swam all morning, drove around LA for a bit, had In-N-Out Burger for lunch at checked in at our Airbnb (which we booked in the middle of the night). Ended the day at Santa Monica Pier.

Day 9: Explored LA, hung out at Point Dume and spent the evening at Sycamore Cove Beach with a campfire.