Family travels across country, visiting national parks along the way
Published 2:30 pm Wednesday, April 20, 2016
- Tre Cruzat, 9 and Andres Cruzat, 6, of Alameda, California, join in activities during National Junior Ranger Day on Saturday at George Washington Carver National Monument at Diamond. The brothers and their parents are on a yearlong nationwide tour of the country's national parks, with a goal of visiting at least 25 percent of the parks. Saturday's visit marked the 62nd of the 102 parks on the family's list.
DIAMOND, Mo. — Jun and A.J. Cruzat were 262 days and more than 20,000 miles into their yearlong road trip across America with their two young sons when they decided Saturday to stop at the national monument dedicated to George Washington Carver, who became a botanist after being born into slavery.
A photo posted by OurFamilyEdVenture (@ourfamilyedventure) on Apr 16, 2016 at 11:55am PDT
“We knew very little about George Washington Carver so we thought we’d check it out,” Jun Cruzat said.
The family has visited 40 states and 62 national parks so far, including Yellowstone and Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. They’re traveling in a 22-foot RV that includes a small kitchen and bathroom.
Good morning! #OurFamilyEdVenture #everykidinapark #indianadunesnationallakeshore
A photo posted by Jun Cruzat (@ejaysee) on Oct 5, 2015 at 7:41am PDT
The Cruzats were living in Alameda, California, where Jun Cruzat was a systems consultant and A.J. Cruzat was a physical therapist. Jun Cruzat said he was tired of the sometimes hectic pace that included his oldest son, Tre, now 9, participating in competitive gymnastics and the usual morning rush of getting Tre and Andres, now 6, to school.
“We decided to travel for a year,” said Jun Cruzat, who can work part-time from the road. “People tell us they grow up so fast.”
Their goal is to visit each of the 48 contiguous states. The family started on July 29 in Alameda where they stayed with relatives. Their first weeks of traveling were spent along the coast of California before they headed east. They stayed at Big Basin Redwoods State Park in California and at Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming.
You can follow along on their trip on their blog.
I spy climbers #ourfamilyedventure #devilstower #wyoming
A photo posted by Jun Cruzat (@ejaysee) on Sep 9, 2015 at 4:53pm PDT
They also parked their RV on lots at Cracker Barrels and Wal-Marts, and stayed with relatives.
Those relatives included those to whom they had vowed “‘Oh, we’ll come visit,’ and we never had,” Jun Cruzat said. “Now we have.”
They’ve also stayed with strangers who invited the Cruzats into their homes.
“One thing I’ve gained is not being as scared and realizing that the United States is a very friendly country,” Jun Cruzat said.
The family was in Maine in November before heading back west, staying at the Cades Cove Campground in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and at the Gulpha Gorge Campground at Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas.
A video posted by OurFamilyEdVenture (@ourfamilyedventure) on Nov 8, 2015 at 1:36pm PST
Before they visited George Washington Carver National Monument, the Cruzats visited Springfield, where they went to the Discovery Center and ate crepes at the Aviary Cafe and Creperie.
A photo posted by OurFamilyEdVenture (@ourfamilyedventure) on Apr 18, 2016 at 7:19am PDT
In Kansas, they drove on Route 66 and saw the Rainbow bridge across Brush Creek in Cherokee County.
A.J. Cruzat said their sons are a good age for the trip.
“They like to hang out with their parents,” she said.
The couple homeschool for now. They get up relatively late and don’t drive far each day. The couple is renting out their home in California.
The couple’s oldest son, Tre, said he likes the trip. He has 49 junior ranger badges so far from visiting national parks.
“It’s fun,” Tre said.
On Tuesday, the family was in Oklahoma City and planning to head north to Kansas.
A.J. Cruzat said other families should try trips like theirs.
“People should make time for family and slow down a little,” she said.
This week, National Park Week, people may visit any of the more than 400 parks free of charge.
Okeson is a reporter at The Jopin (Missouri) Globe.
