October 2011, Gail retired and moved Part-time to NJ
In 2012, we did our first 2 X-Country Trips in the Prius
In 2013, we took our first 2 Civil War Sesquicentennial Trips
and Mark retired the end of December
2014 – 2015 – 2016 we kept traveling & visiting National Parks…
…trips included 3 more X-Country Trips & 3 more Civil War Trips
2011 Activities
A Life Changing Year!
On our New England Road Trip, the end of July, Gail made a 3-hour decision to retire, 4 years earlier than originally anticipated. By the end of October, her house was closed up (her 18 year old daughter was out of country for 8 months), she was retired, her Prius had been shipped to NJ, and she was mostly living on the Jersey Shore with Mark.
- Visited 1 new National Park Site – Total 16 of 419
- Took 0 new State Capitol Tours – Total 1 of 50
- Attended games at 0 new MLB Stadiums – Total 1 of 32
2012 Activities
An “interesting” year!
With Gail retired, she had more time to plan trips. She took short trips to California & Florida, both starting with a girl friend and ending with Mark on a business trip. In August, we took our first X-Country Road Trip in the Prius, going West mostly via I-90. We took our 2nd X-Country Road Trip over the Christmas/New Years holiday, mostly going East along I-40. (In Memphis, we realized we’d missed the 1st 2 years of the Civil War Sesquicentennial, and let that inspire our 2013 trips.)
- Visited 10 new National Park Sites – Total 26 of 419
- Took 0 new State Capitol Tours – Total 1 of 50
- Attended games at 2 new MLB Stadiums – Total 3 of 32
2013 Activities
The year we turned 60!
Having been inspired to visit Civil War sites during the Sesquicentennial, we planned our 2013 trips to do just that. First was an early summer visit to key Virginia Civil War Sites followed by 5 days at the Gettysburg Sesquicentennial. For our 60th Birthday Trip in the fall, we spent 2 weeks in Tennessee & Mississippi, mostly exploring Civil War sites. THEN…Mark got an offer he couldn’t refuse, and retired December 31!
- Visited 9 new National Park Sites – Total 35 of 419
- Took 0 new State Capitol Tours – Total 1 of 50
- Attended games at 0 new MLB Stadiums – Total 3 of 32
2014 Activities
Another year exploring National Parks & Civil War Sites!
Mark’s first retirement year, we visited Hanford. We took our 2nd Road Trip to Virginia in 2 years, including the Sesquicentennial of Cold Harbor, where Gail walked in the footsteps of her Great Great Grandfather, who was in the Massachusetts 25th there. We took a mid-Atlantic Trip where we saw games at 2 new MLB Stadiums, including 3 in-a-row Red Sox @ Pirates. Later in the year we did our 3rd X-Country Road Trip, East on I-90/I-94 to include North Dakota!
- Visited 19 new National Park Sites – Total 54 of 419
- Took 0 new State Capitol Tours – Total 1 of 50
- Attended games at 2 new MLB Stadiums – Total 5 of 32
2015 Activities
A Big Year for National Park Visits!
To see how we liked being “On-the-Road” for a longer period of time, we took our 4th, 2 month looong, X-Country Road Trip. Majority of travel was East on I-10 and around the coast of Florida. It was great, except for never being able to cook, and schlepping suitcases in and out of hotels! YES! Gail, especially, wants to travel with a trailer! We took our 3rd Road Trip to Virginia in 3 years, including more Civil War Sesquicentennial Events. We did a number of short trips around the Northeast, visiting National Parks.
- Visited 29 new National Park Sites – Total 83 of 419
- Took 0 new State Capitol Tours – Total 1 of 50
- Attended games at 0 new MLB Stadiums – Total 5 of 32
2016 Activities
Getting Close to getting an Airstream!
We took another spring trip to Virginia, attended Ken Griffey Jr.’s Induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in July, and took one Last X-Country Road Trip in the Prius. We left the Prius at home on the west coast, as we had decided 2017 was the year to buy a big truck and Airstream, sell the NJ house & start life on the road.
- Visited 16 new National Park Sites – Total 99 of 419
- Took 1 new State Capitol Tour – Total 2 of 50
- Attended games at 0 new MLB Stadiums – Total 5 of 32
