Prelude

In six days, I'm embarking on an adventure that I've been wanting to happen for many years.

I have very little memory of my grandfathers.  My family was not close to either set of grandparents, at least as I remember.  My mother's parents lived about 160 miles from where we lived.  In those days, a road trip sans  Interstate was a day-long ride, so we went only a couple of times a year.  My grandfather Malcolm Green (for whom I'm named) was an old man with white hair that was bedridden each time I ever saw him.  We had to be quiet and stay out of his room, so I never knew him at all.

My daddy's dad, Walter Blalock (also for whom I'm named) was an old man but still active.  My fondest memory of him was a ride to my dad's brother's cabin on Lake Tillery, some 25 or so miles from his home in Albemarle.  Driving to the cabin on a dirt road, he asked me if I wanted to drive some.  What 11 year old boy would say anything but YES?  Of course I did.  I couldn't reach the pedals, but I could and did steer as he worked the gas and brake pedals.  One other good memory is of a fishing trip to Carolina Beach with him and daddy.  We caught lots of fish and had a good time.  It's those memories I cherish, and the best of the very few memories of either grandfather.

Somewhere in my adulthood, when around friends talking and laughing about times with their grandfathers, it hit me that I missed a big part of life.  Good times with grandparents.  It saddened me that I had missed so much.  I then resolved to be a grandfather that my grandchildren would know and love.

Years later, my first grandson, Skyler, was born August 6, 2006.  Roughly 20 months later, Riley was born on April 16, 2008.  Grandchildren are simply wonderful!

Since their birth, I have done all I could do to be the very best "Gramps" ( their name for me) that grandboys could ever have.  I haven't spoiled them with "things", but I have set aside a good deal of cash for their college fund.  It will not cover it all, but it will be a great start for each of them.  I've kept each of them, and the two of them overnight many times.  We always had a good time, and neither of them ever got homesick or even whined for their parents.  Any time I mention them coming to stay with me, they're ready to go!  So, I know they love me and like to be around them.  

Some time after they were born, I started thinking of a trip I wanted to take them on.  It would be a trip of large proportions, multi-week, with many destinations and lots to see.  I wanted it to be one that might spur them to be adventurous and one they would remember.  I decided that their memories created after age 8 or so would indeed be remembered.

So, on Monday, July 25, Janice, the boys, and I are leaving Raleigh for a 4 week adventure seeing much of this beautiful country we call the United States.  We will take about 10 days to get to Yellowstone National Park, where we'll meet up with the boy's parents for 5 nights in Yellowstone.

As a tremendous bonus for the trip, my new bride, Janice, is a part of the adventure. She and I have made several trips, but none this long, and certainly not with my grandboys.  So, this adventure is extra special. Going with the woman I love and the boys is almost too good to be true.

This is enough for now, so I'll close and write more prelude in a few nights.