Head North for Summer

by


C H A P T E R  T W O 
FAMILY


 I should have written this first, but it's here, oh well. Anyway, the biggest and probably the only reason we went to Vermont was because of family. It's really the only justification for driving 1200+ miles non-stop. Don't misunderstand me, though, it was worth it. 



For most of the time, we stayed at my grandmother's backyard inside a three-bedroom tent. Yeah, three-bedroom, I couldn't believe it either. Nonetheless, we camped as a family for the first in time in like, ever. It was enjoyable for the most part, except for the fact that the railroad was ten feet away from us. And no, it wasn't the train that was the problem (it hardly came by anymore), but the teenagers and homeless people walking around in the middle of the night. I was a little bit apprehensive about the situation, considering what these people might be capable of doing. However, I think my dad's snoring scared them away, because there was one night when they (the teenagers or homeless people, or both) stepped into the backyard our tent was in. They came pretty close to a few feet from me, but then one of them said, "Do you hear that?" and then they ran back towards the railroad. I'm convinced that it was really my dad's snoring that frightened them. Anyway, other than that whole creepy event, it was enjoyable. 
On our first full day in Vermont, we visited my dad's father. Yeah, technically my grandfather, sure. But that's weird to say, and own for myself, for many reasons I'm not willing to go into. Anywho, my dad hadn't seen him in over twenty years, so that was quite a reunion that they had. It was mostly an emotionally-heavy reunion rather than being a fun and eventful one. Nonetheless, it was a privilege to finally meet the man behind the man that had been raising me all these years. 
Over the next couple of days, we went a tour of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. It's literally like three miles away from my grandmother's Vermont house, so it going there wasn't too much of a hassle. Also, and more importantly, my uncle Arnt works there, so it wasn't your typical tour. He brought us to the best restaurants in town, and gave the most in-depth historical and social facts about Dartmouth College. He talked so much at one point that he stopped and said, "Wow, I can't believe I know so much about this place." And he does. He used to do be in the graphic design team for Dartmouth's website, they completely rebuilt it from the ground up, now he's in something like public relations. I can say that he really moved up and I'm really proud of that.  
Next, I went camping with my parents, our dog Maya, Arnt, and his dog Basco. Arnt was hesitant about taking Basco with us because he was a large American Bulldog. Also, he's had knee problems, so every movement he makes causes him an intense amount of pain. But you know what? That dog was a trooper, he never whined about his pain, and actually ignored it. He ran, and played, and wrestled with Maya (which is a strange thing to look at because she's like 6 lbs and he's almost 100 lbs). So, yes, we brought him, because who knows if he'll ever get better (Basco is only 2 years old). 
It was my family's first camping trip (did I mention that already?). Yeah, we've moved so much and done so much other stuff that we'd never really taken time out from society to camp. Well, I mean we've gone on vacations to Disney World, the Philippines, and like Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA several times, but y'know we've never gone camping. I kayaked for the first then also, it was one of the most exhilarating activities I've ever done. There were many firsts done during those few days in the woods, and one that's like the most meaningful to me. I had my first beer. Or ale. Whatever. I had it with my dad and uncle, so it was like a rite of passage. I guess the sentiment and metaphors behind it was like the sweetest things to me, but the drink wasn't. I seriously don't believe the hype on that one. Anyway, but yeah, that was a thing. 
Many other things occurred during camping, mostly long, deep talks about everything, and long, deep talks about music, and long, deep talks about religion. And oh yeah, long, deep arguments about religion. I'll let that sit there for a while. 
Nonetheless, it was a really rejuvenating and fun-filled few days. Spending time outdoors with family and the dogs was just priceless. And oh yeah, Maya and Basco had a great time swimming in the lake. Basco even got into Arnt's kayak (completely ignoring his own pain and just enjoyed the ride with his best friend). Overall, getting to see family was great. We also got to catch up with my Uncle Joe, who's 68 years old and just got into riding bikes. Like legit riding bikes; like going up mountains and winding roads, and like doing it for cancer research, and going for like 50 miles at a time type of legit. Yeah, I'm pretty proud of him too. In the end, I had a great time (those are really the only words I can come with, sorry). I can't wait to go back. 

 C H A P T E R  T H R E E 
VIRGINIA 
(coming soon)



 #headnorthforsummer was a two-week photography project spanning over 2500+ miles, 700+ photos, and countless hours of driving up and down the Eastern region of the US. Photos are being uploaded regularly on Instagram, so be sure to not miss out!