Sunday, June 25, 2006

On the Road - Day 6 The Final Day

Well, this is it. The final day of our looooong road trip. I can't believe it is coming to an end. We all thought it would be good to sleep in some and get some rest since we did not have much driving to do today. As we hit the road, it is starting to set in that we will not be returning to California....that this trip was more than a vacation and served a purpose. Even though it is exciting to travel across the country and move your family to a new state, some of the pain of saying goodbye returned today. On this leg there would be no landmark or monument to see. Everything was now behind us. It made me somewhat sad. Also, the anxiety of starting a new job in a few days and meeting all kinds of new people started to hit me. But, I know that good things lie ahead and I will do what I always do......just be myself, put my faith in God and everything will be fine. It may not be easy, but it will work out.

We arrived at my cousin Doug and his wife, Dawn's home around 2:30. During the drive there, we missed one severe thunderstorm and got in just before another one got in. The storms out here are something to behold. It can be sunny in the morning and turn dark and stormy in the afternoon. It was good to get to Doug and Dawn's place. They live on a lake outside of Darwin, MN. The kids got right to doing what they do best, playing. Cameron and his second cousin, Jared started fishing right away off the dock. It made me happy to see them out and about and not cooped up in a car. It took me about an hour to unload the van an get ready to leave, I still had a two hour drive ahead of me. I was bringing Pat, Sarah, and Carl to their home in the Twin Cities where I will be staying during the week so I can be closer to work until our home is done in August.

If you have been reading all these posts, I just want to say thanks for checking in and sharing in our journey. It has been a blast! As I have been saying to a few people, we have seem more things on this trip than most people will ever see in their entire lifetime. What a beautiful country we live in. So rich in history and landscape. We are fortunate to be living in a place that is so varied and interesting. This will be a trip I will never forget.

As we settle in to life here in Minnesota, please think of us. Keep us in your prayers as we adjust to life. Pray for my family as we will be separated during the week. That is the part I am not looking forward to...not seeing my wife and kids every evening as I get 'home.' It is only for six weeks, but will be hard none the less. Pray that our home will be done in time and that our move into it will go smoothly. I am already missing my friends and family back in California and they will be in my thoughts over the next few weeks.

With that I will close the book on the 2700 mile Cloyd family road trip. It won't be the end of the blog though. Keep checking back and please use it as a way to keep in touch. I will look forward to hearing from all of you from time to time.

See ya!!!!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for posting your comments and photos each day. I was able to transfer the photos to My Pictures and from there print them off using my KodakShare Photo Dock. Thank you for encouraging me to purchase it as it has been very handy to use.

In fact I brought the photos to work today to brag about my son and his family.

As you head off to work you can relax with the knowledge that Julie and the kids are with family and you are, too, with family. A very neat idea.

What a great trip for you all. No major problems, just those pesky gas prices.

Anonymous said...

Wow! What a great write-up on your road trip adventures. I don't know what your new job is, but it would be a shame if it doesn't involve writing as you are very good at it. Hope all goes well in your new home and life.

Can't wait to see those winter photos...ha ha. :-)

--Curtis

Michael and Lorie Taylor said...

Dude. (That's all I can say right now ... sniff ... well, maybe I can say a little bit more.) Welcome to your new home. Wahhhhh!!!!!!! (Imagine me running out of the room crying.)

Your pal,
Mike

Cat said...

You know, I was just thinking about it....You guys pretty much made the exact same trip that we made on the way to California in 94 for your wedding! Long and tiring, right? My least favorite was our A/C going out in SD...on the WAY THERE! And Wyoming. Not a big fan. Can't wait to see you soon! I FINALLY GET MY BROTHER!

bassmastermarkiep said...

I hear they got mosquitoes the size of hummingbirds there, and that Minnesota is the only place on Earth where the humidity can actually go OVER 100%. And they talk kinda funny don't cha know. And the inevitable stories of cars sinking to the bottom of freezing lakes because the ice wasn't thick enough to support them. Oh wait a minute, I got Michigan and Minnesota mixed up. Am I the only one?

Doah said...

"please think of us. Keep us in your prayers" We'll do. I promise. I love that picture of you with your arms up in victory. --Doah