Hello and welcome to the Dahl Family's space,
We are a family of eleven heading down the Pan-American highway this November to Costa Rica.
You may be saying why Costa Rica?
Well because our father ( Randolph D. Dahl Sr. ) sees Costa Rica not just as a destination but as a "state of mind."
Back when our grandfather passed away, when our father was only fourteen years old, our father's family looked at him as a rebel and sent him away to Valley Forge Military Academy there he met his good friend Don Rodrigo Debedot a native Costa Rican.
Our father was getting to know his new friend a little better although it was difficult at times because Rodrigo spoke very little English and our father spoke no Spanish.
Our father at fourteen had no idea there was such a place as the Rich Cost. In the one year our father spent in Valley Forge he learned more and more about Rodrigo and his native country by teaching Rodrigo to speak English .The boys began to build a bond that would last for many years. After our father left Valley Forge he had lost contact with Rodrigo but carried on through life just the same.
He met our mother, Mary K. Dahl in 1972. They were friends for three years and got married in 1975 and three years later in 1978 they had their first child, Randolph D. Dahl Jr. After Randy they had eight more children: Andrew, Chattele, Joseph, Nathaniel, Jonathan, Adolph, Katherine and then finally Mary.
Mom and Dad topped out at six boys and three girls a total of nine children.
Our father finally got back in touch with Rodrigo in the year of 1995 and went to visit him in Costa Rica
That was the first time our father has ever been to Costa Rica and where he first found his "state of mind"
Our first road trip as a family was full of photographs and unforgettable memories. It was during early spring of 1998. We traveled from our home in Pennsylvania; the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, to the sands of southern Florida beach. We traveled on through Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. In Texas we visited the Alamo then drove through New Mexico and Arizona. When in California we visited the famous Alcatraz prison and headed back toward the bright lights of Nevada to start our return trip. On our way home we traveled through Utah and Colorado and saw the many miles of wind mills throughout Kansas. After visiting Missouri we stopped for a visit in the windy city of Illinois where our trip was cut short do to the news that the first grandchild had been born on Independence Day . We excitedly rushed through Ohio back to Pennsylvania to see the new baby.
All these events are remembered as "The Road Trip Of 98" In the year of 1999 our father was at it again, but this time he wanted the whole gang to go. At this point our family had grown from eleven to fourteen, with a new daughter -in- law and two grandbabies. Our father took us to Costa Rica which is where we finally understood the "state of mind" he had always talked about.
We stepped out of the airport to find a world full of color and excitement waiting to be discovered. Throughout all are travels it is agreed that there is NO place like Costa Rica and it is truly a quixotic utopia. So here we are again in the year 2007 hungry for another adventure. Since the road trip of 98 was full of family bounding and Costa Rica is so full of wonder and excitement Dad thought it would be a good idea to combined the two and drive from our home on the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania to San Jose Cost Rica. We are taking a city transit bus which we converted into a comfortable coach that will take us through Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and last but not least our "state of mind" Costa Rica. ETD thirty-seven day and counting.
Many trials and triumphs as a family will follow which is why we will be filming this trip and posting them on our website.
check us out at www.myspace.com/thedahlfamily
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PAn american adventure13by stardust112341,178 views
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