We’re always learning…aren’t we?

This weekend my younger sister, Ange, received her Masters of Science in Natural Resources Wildlife at Humboldt State University. That means there has been a whole lot of learning going on for her. She’s not done yet though. Remember, we’re always learning. But this weekend was for celebrating Ange’s hard work and achievement so far. She so deserves it.

Holly, Fallon, my Dad and I traveled to Arcata to celebrate with Ange, her mom and her friends. That means approximately 360 miles and over six hours of drive time….according to Google maps. Let’s just put it out there right now that Google maps lied! Of course we traveled with a five month old infant and my Dad.

Such an adventure will seriously test your sanity and make you desperate for a drink…a very strong drink. My sister forgot to warn us about that part…or perhaps we weren’t listening carefully enough. Personally, I am a learn by doing or seeing kind of learner so now I know.

I also learned:

• when you have three iPhones with navigation capabilities it doesn’t necessarily mean that there will be a navigator assisting the driver because the battery of one iPhone will die, one iPhone will belong to the driver who is unable to navigate because she is driving (and her phone is playing AWOLNation for the baby to keep her sort of, kind of happy and calm) and the owner of the iPhone riding shot-gun (which is where the navigator traditionally sits at least in my car that is how it works) can’t seem to use their navigator…or pass that phone on to someone who can…like the passenger in  the back who is managing the baby who hates to travel. So, no, navigation won’t be easy as one passenger declared before we even began our road trip.
• Apparently feeding a baby a bottle or changing them is a skill that is forgotten, you know like riding a bike is not forgotten. Good to know for when I am 25 years older and perhaps a great-grandparent.
• Cleaning bug guts off your windshield with brackish water from a gas station in some Podunk town in Humboldt County will only smear the dead bugs across your windshield AND when you drive into the setting sun will make the windshield opaque…even if your glasses have Transitions lenses. My Dad explained that my problem was I didn’t have Transition lenses. I do and they do indeed transition from clear to dark as the light changes…all the time. The transitioning lenses is a good thing, a very good thing; but it does nothing to help when the windshield is pretty much opaque. So. Much. Fun. Definitely fun winding along the Redwood Highway at sunset. At least for the driver it is like that. It was all clear on the passenger’s side. Bugs like to commit suicide on the driver’s side of the windshield.
• My daughter is an excellent driver.
• My daughter is a very patient, excellent driver…driving with her grandfather (finally actually navigating when Holly, the driver, asks for information) and her mother (having a MAJOR anxiety attack as a passenger which is what her mother does on road trips) and her baby (having a screaming get-me-out-of-this-damn-carseat-now fit).
• Apparently my Dad traumatized my daughter for life when it comes to riding/driving in a car over bridges. There were a lot of bridges we had to traverse along the way. Knowing this helped to distract me just a little from my own backseat anxiety attack…just a teeny-tiny bit.
• From Manteca to Arcata on a Friday during prime commute, get-away traffic drive time it ONLY takes one nearly eight hours. That would be factoring in three stops to change diapers, go to the bathroom, buy two smoothies at the slowest Burger King ever and to clean a windshield.
• But at sunset, driving along 101 as you approach Arcata, you get this view.

Makes it worth it…right? Even better we got to be here.

And celebrate my sister and all her hard work.

And have some cake.

And enjoy some celebratory hugging.

I’m totally related to those two beauties.

Congratulations Ange! Love you!

This week’s Focus 52 Project assignment was shooting whatever you like, wherever, whenever, however. So much awesomeness and inspiration to see!