Gfpacificbee’s Insights & photography

What is a road trip you would like to take? Have you ever thought about what your next road trip, your next big adventure would be if you had all the time in the world and finances were not a problem? I have thought about it quite a bit off and on over the years.

I retired two years ago, and I had planned to take a long adventure. My plans got derailed and were delayed indefinitely due to shutdowns and stay at home recommendations from the Covid-19 pandemic. Have you ever had the best laid out plans and something came up to ruin, delay, or prevent those plans from occurring? What would you do if your road trip plans had to be cancelled or delayed?

What plans did I have for my road trip? Let me tell you. My plans were to travel across the USA and visit every state in America. I had planned to tent camp in at least one state or national park in every one of the 48 connected states in the USA. I had planned to visit relatives, cousins, that I had never met in person before. I had also planned to visit various cemeteries where my family and ancestors are buried. Do you like to visit cemeteries? Visiting cemeteries is not something everyone enjoys doing, but it is one thing that I enjoy.

I love to research my family history and visiting family cemeteries is just one aspect of my research. It helps bring my ancestors closer to me, helps me to feel close to them. Almost as if I’m able to communicate with them, and get to know apart of who they were, what they were like when they were alive. I have been able to meet a number of cousins online, some of which are DNA connections I’ve learned about through AncestryDNA, 23 and Me, or one the other genealogy websites that are available.

One of my many destinations was, and still is, South Coffeyville, Oklahoma. South Coffeyville is the location for some of my maternal cousins. They are descended from my maternal grandmother’s sister. I have become friends with them online through social media after finding out about our DNA connection. From there I was going to visit a family cemetery in Coffeyville, Kansas where my maternal maternal grandparents are buried. It may seem confusing to some, but what I am trying to say is my mother’s mother’s parents are buried in Coffeyville. In visiting my maternal great grandparents’ graves, it will help be to know more about my maternal grandmother’s side of the family and, in a way, more about me.

I could go on and on about the different places in each state that piques my interest and the reasoning behind my desires to visit them, but that could go on forever. So instead, I’ll just ask what a big adventure is, a long road trip, without having someone to be by your side while you are on your adventure? The person I would be having alongside me for my dream road trip is my grandson whom I adore. He is only 2 right now, but he is my life, my world, the love of my life. I would love to show him as much of the USA as I possibly can, to pass on my love for nature, the great outdoors, and camping. I hope to teach him about our family history and let him meet his many many cousins throughout America.