Wanderlust -Richard L. Kienlen and his Love of Travel (Originally published February 2019)
Wanderlust
52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks
Week 7 Theme: Love
Richard Leroy Kienlen
Generation 4
My Father
Rigsby, Kienlen
It started when I was a little girl. I remember my dad sitting on his bed, maps and AAA tour books spread out all around him. Excited at the thought of an adventure, I would climb up on his bed and ask, "Where are we going?" He would happily share his plans with me.
1971
We drove everywhere from our home in St. Louis, Missouri. From Vancouver to Nova Scotia to Arizona to Georgia. My dad eventually took us to all of the lower Canadian provinces, over the border into Mexico, and 43 U.S. states, all before I hit my teens. He carefully plotted his route on paper maps with a black sharpie. He even saved these maps so he could see where he'd been, and took pictures of the marked routes to show at the beginning of his vacation slide shows.
1969 Quebec City, Terrasse Dufferin
When my mom got sick, my dad gave me all of his travel books and maps. I remember he said, "I guess I won't need these anymore." That broke my heart, because I knew travel was his passion. He spent the next few years taking care of my mom and also my grandma who was failing in health. They both died in 2007.
I wanted my dad to travel again. I asked him where he would like to go if he went on a trip. He said, "I've never seen the Liberty Bell." We decided then to go on a trip together. We spent two weeks exploring, and he got to see the Liberty Bell.
2008 Mt. Vernon
My dad is gone now, but not a day goes by when I don't think of him. He was one of the first people I loved, and the one who passed down to me the things I love most about myself.
He researched and planned almost everything.
He appreciated the peace and solitude that comes with being alone.
He was interested in history.
He enjoyed long driving trips, including the driving.
Most of all, he loved travel.
What has been fun for me is to see these traits in my own children and their cousins.
My husband hates to travel, so it's definitely been passed down from my dad. I love having the "Wanderlust Gene!"
I hope as my girls get older, they will be able to develop their "Grandpa Kienlen traits". I want them to learn about their family history and how our ancestors fit into the story of America and beyond. I want them to know that being alone and even traveling alone is okay
and sometimes even preferable - even if you're a woman.
Most of all, I want them to be able to explore the world, if not
by travel but by researching and learning.
My dad would have wanted that.
Generation 4
My Father
Rigsby, Kienlen
It started when I was a little girl. I remember my dad sitting on his bed, maps and AAA tour books spread out all around him. Excited at the thought of an adventure, I would climb up on his bed and ask, "Where are we going?" He would happily share his plans with me.
We drove everywhere from our home in St. Louis, Missouri. From Vancouver to Nova Scotia to Arizona to Georgia. My dad eventually took us to all of the lower Canadian provinces, over the border into Mexico, and 43 U.S. states, all before I hit my teens. He carefully plotted his route on paper maps with a black sharpie. He even saved these maps so he could see where he'd been, and took pictures of the marked routes to show at the beginning of his vacation slide shows.
When my mom got sick, my dad gave me all of his travel books and maps. I remember he said, "I guess I won't need these anymore." That broke my heart, because I knew travel was his passion. He spent the next few years taking care of my mom and also my grandma who was failing in health. They both died in 2007.
I wanted my dad to travel again. I asked him where he would like to go if he went on a trip. He said, "I've never seen the Liberty Bell." We decided then to go on a trip together. We spent two weeks exploring, and he got to see the Liberty Bell.
2008 Liberty Bell and Independence Hall
My dad is gone now, but not a day goes by when I don't think of him. He was one of the first people I loved, and the one who passed down to me the things I love most about myself.
He researched and planned almost everything.
He appreciated the peace and solitude that comes with being alone.
He was interested in history.
He enjoyed long driving trips, including the driving.
Most of all, he loved travel.
Me and Dad 1966
What has been fun for me is to see these traits in my own children and their cousins.
My husband hates to travel, so it's definitely been passed down from my dad. I love having the "Wanderlust Gene!"
I hope as my girls get older, they will be able to develop their "Grandpa Kienlen traits". I want them to learn about their family history and how our ancestors fit into the story of America and beyond. I want them to know that being alone and even traveling alone is okay
and sometimes even preferable - even if you're a woman.
Most of all, I want them to be able to explore the world, if not
by travel but by researching and learning.
My dad would have wanted that.
Comments
Post a Comment