Now, the rest of the story...

In an attempt at humor, I might have given a negative

impression about our road trip in my last blog--

Let me set the record straight--

We had a Blast!!

Flat tire, cd boom box, 2 am check-in and all--

We loved the time spent with Steven and Meredith and

we really enjoyed traveling through this amazing country.

(was that better, Steven? lol)

Now, on with the trip.....

DAY 4--WEDNESDAY--Chicago!!!

We woke up at 5 am in Iowa City so that we would

arrive in Chicago in time for the Cub's day game!!

And we made it!!

We were able to check in early at our hotel at the O'Hare airport !

Then caught the orange line on the"L"

Here we are--remember we got in at 2 am and woke up at 5 am...WHY?

THE CUBS!!

I have been a fan since the summer of 1984--

when we lived in Valentine, Nebraska

(Ron doing an Indian health internship)

I was pregnant with Steven---

Michael (who was 2 1/2) and I would watch WGN during nap time

(the only channel we received)

I became a fan of Sandberg, Dunston,Cey,Eckersley and Sutcliffe--

So, when we planned this trip--we had to see a game!!

The game was rain-delayed--which was great--

because we were able to get there in time.

We bought these fashion-forward rain gear--and then didn't

need them because we had great seats, protected from the rain.

The "Fans" in the Cub shirts--- tired, old man in stripes!!

Ron later got into the spirit and not only bought a t-shirt but also a hat!!

Ok, Ron and I look REALLY tired -

Steven and Meredith look REALLY great...

oh wait, that's right...they are YOUNG!!

The Cubs didn't win--but that didn't matter--still gotta love 'em!

(see Ron did become a "fan" --hat and smile!!)

Spent the rest of the day in Chicago--walking the cool streets,

eating at Harry Caray's restaurant and getting to bed EARLY!!

YEAH--sleep--sleep--sleep!!

DAY 5--THURSDAY

Back on the road--this is the day we travel through SIX states--

oh my,

Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York!!

And our goal today. . .

Sacred Grove, before dark--

Green, rolling Indiana--home of Larry Bird and Notre Dame!

Them roads, them road, them toll roads....

(sung to the tune of "Them bones")

Some inexpensive, $1.00-- some VERY expensive, $19.50!!

Ohio farms--home to ....

Cleveland-- ROCKS--

Now in Pennsylvania (wish it had gone by this fast!)

Ron thought they had the smoothest roads--

yes, by now we are ranking the roads!!

This is when it starts to get really green--sorry about the flash--

And I had no idea that Lake Erie was this large!!

Arrived in New York State--

I am sure we will get to Palmyra in time--

Look it's still light--

I am on the walkie-talkies encouraging that

"yes we can make it before dark"

as the sun slowly sets--

as we pass our hotel exit

as it gets darker and darker

and Meredith answers back

"they never close the Sacred Grove"

(but maybe the parking lot!)

As you can see, we arrived AFTER 9 pm--

but the grove is not closed---neither is the parking lot!

So without flash lights we enter--

The flash of the camera shows the way (and momentarily blinds us!)

And then we notice the FIRE FLIES--

I have never seen them before --it is amazing--

We walk the path in the light of the moon and the fireflies--

We turn around at the fork in the path

and return to a bench

where we read Joseph Smith First Vision on my iPhone--

An amazing place--amazing spirit--so glad to be here.

Smith's family home (not sure if it was a replica-

too dark to read the sign!)

Then we decided to see if the Temple grounds were

still open.

We drove up--gates still open--

parked the U-Haul and 4Runner.

As we got out a man was coming down the steps--

he said that the gate was going to be locked in a few

minutes, but he let us take some photos--

Thank you temple president--

This is the side showing the clear glass window

of the Temple--

looking out towards the Sacred Grove.

Beautiful--what more can you say.

We need to return.

Drove out past the dress rehearsal of the

Palmyra Pageant--

Saw the Hill Cumorah

Past the visitor center

Back to our hotel in West Henrietta--

11:30 pm check in--not too bad!

Set the alarm for 5 am--that was bad!

DAY 6--FRIDAY--LAST DAY ON THE ROAD

Up and out by 6:20--

Excited--Steven and Meredith are going "home"--

Started out all together--then when we got to Albany-

opps, Ron and I missed the exit--

(won't say who's fault is was...starts with R...won't point fingers)

So we told Steven and Meredith to continue and

Ron and I would figure it out--

which of course we did and only ended up about

15 minutes behind them.

Upstate New York was beautiful!!

And we actually went through the Adirondack area!!

Then we were in Vermont!!

Lots of covered bridges--tried so hard to take photos--

finally got this one--

sorry Ron--

I was a bit distracted by this time--

not really reading the map--just wanted to look at

everything--

to make a long story short--

we did find Dartmouth--ivy covered school and town

we did find the graduate housing--

nicer than ANY school housing I have seen--

and we did UNPACK it all!!

I didn't take photos of the unloading because,

well, we were working!!

But we got the truck all unloaded--

bed made up

washer/ dryer hooked up

And now it's their

"Home sweet Home"

Exhausted--hot, sweaty AND hungry--

so dinner at Molly's --

a "cool, hip" college hang out!!

Then to bed--or I should say,

Ron and I got the bed--

very kind Steven and Meredith took the floor--

Can't believe we are finally here--

Great school--great location--

Just a pinch of "we will miss you, so far away"

ON THE 7TH DAY--RESTED--SUNDAY

(ok the 7th day was actually saturday--a day of errands, unpacking boxes,

shopping and building--no photos--just a lot accomplished!!)

so skipping to sunday--

New t-shirts to add to our college collection

Going for a nature walk before church--

Great housing--great couple

Woods behind their home--crossing the stream--path to the hospital

The hospital that will soon be Steven's second home!!

Went to church--nice, new building in Lebanon--

Met students who were coming from UW and knew

Michael and Jessica--

Drove to Boston--stayed with Meredith's kind family--

thank you--thank you--

Another early wake up call to catch flight home--

Steven and Meredith dropping us off at the Boston

Airport at 6:30 am--

We had an amazing adventure and so glad to have spent

the time together--

On the drive from Seattle to home--Ron and I finally ran

out of things to talk about--that's amazing!!

Thanks to Steven and Meredith for sharing this time

with us--

Our children live in some terrific places and

we are so glad that they want us to visit them!!

Next time, though, I think we will fly!!

Road Trip July 2009--Seeing the country through the windshield of a U-Haul truck------------------bug splatters extra------------

Part one--DAY ONE--Sunday 3:15 pm

Finally on the road, after Ron and I

had finished teaching our lessons in church.

Have to make it to Ogden. . . .

So happy to finally be on the road. . . they were driving in comfort . . .

Ron and I were driving in a 17' U-Haul truck

with a boom-box rigged to play cds. . . (need I say more)

Outside of Baker--crazy hailstorm--had to pull to shoulder --twice--

cars in the ditch--CRAZY--and then blue skies!!

Glad to make it for dinner in Ontario!

We did make it to Ogden without any more problems. . .

other than it was 2:30AM

(an hour we would become very familiar with!)

------------------------------

Day TWO--Monday

Switched up drivers until we got to Provo. I went with Steven --

Meredith drove with Ron-"getting to know you" time!!

Had to get to Provo early to re-pack truck with their storage items!!

Brought back memories of our 13 moves!! I did not say GOOD memories!!

But everything fit--like a jig-saw puzzle--

Way to go Maxfield Moving Men!!

We finished right on time to have lunch with Meredith's sister, Carly

(I am letting her post that photo)

one last meal at Costa Vida--one of my favorite!!

Then on the road--another 11 hour drive--have to get to Colby, Kansas tonight!!

One of MANY rest stops along the way!!

The coolest "sand" mountain in Colorado!

I fell in love with Colorado, especially Glenwood Springs, Vail and Aspen.

I was looking out the window and forget to take any photos until we got

in the canyon--then I just couldn't stop trying to capture the beauty!!

This was the Pass that climbed so steeply that we were not just

Rocky Mountain High--- but 2 miles "high" in the Rockies--

ears popping--sinus pressure--but oh, so beautiful!

I know you can just imagine how fast we could make the U-Haul haul!!

We were just glad to finally reach the summit and this rest stop.

Beautiful rest stop and COLD!!

Amazing Colorado sunset as we approached Denver and

continued on to Colby, Kansas--

Arriving at 2:40 am---EXHAUSTED!!!

And we have an EARLY day tomorrow!!

------------------------------

DAY 3---Let's just say Kansas was a VERY interesting day!!!

We started out early and everything was great....

Everyone is still "happy"---but oh, Kansas is so FLAT!!

And they have the craziest road signs and attractions--

I missed taking a photo of the "5-legged calf" sign

(we were soooo tempted to find that attraction)

But I did capture the "Garden of Eden"

and they had all of these "religious" signs and also "ADULT" signs-

Ex-Stuckey buildings turned into ADULT stores--

What's with that, Bible -belt state?

Ok, so maybe I WAS having negative thoughts about Kansas--

but I am sure that had nothing to do with what happened next. . . .

Outside of Manhattan, KS (yes, I typed that right!)

an extended-cab truck pulling a camper, pulled up beside us

and the 3 men inside started to gesture. . . confusion,

no rude gestures, just hand movements and mouthing something. . .

then we understood--a flat tire--

demonstrated by squishing their two hands together.

And I was thinking something completely sinister and red-neck!!

So we pulled off the road--checked that YES, the inside back tire was flat.

..thought about driving to Manhattan (kansas not NYC)

then Ron, always the calm one, saw a rest stop.

Pulled in, parked under the shade of a cottonwood tree and called U-Haul.

They had a dealer 9 miles outside of Manhattan and

would send them out to find us. It was 1:20 pm.

We sent Steven and Meredith onto Kansas City to meet up with

her brother, Anthony and wife, Carrie.

They gave us their pillows to make our wait more comfortable.

Ron had found the perfect place to wait, nice clean rest stop

and a perfect place to nap!

I laid under the cottonwood trees and tried to be artistic!!

About an hour later.....Tow4Less arrived....

had to use his truck to jack up our truck and this is what he found..

..a near-disaster averted...

by 3 pm we were back on the road...but our adventure wasn't over,

oh no, we were still in Kansas and anything could happen. . .

Like almost running out of gas--so worried about tire,

we forgot to fill up.. had to almost coast to a station in Alma !

And still we were not free of the Kansas curse (as I was calling it by now!!)

Ron had to give the cashier his credit card BEFORE he filled up--

when he went in to pay--she had LOST the card!!

She was sure we had taken it back--we were sure we hadn't

A search began--checked under the register, under all the candy on the counter,

looked in all our pockets and then just before real panic ensued --

she found it on the FLOOR!!!

Whew, get me out of cursed-Kansas!!

We called the kids--and decided to meet up for dinner---BBQ-

-fortify ourselves to be able to handle whatever came next.

And here we are following the yellow-brick road in Kansas city.

Steven and Meredith with Carrie and Anthony and then with us.

I have to say, I think we all look pretty good considering

our adventures and lack of sleep!

I liked Kansas City--but I still don't have warm-fuzzies for the rest of the state!!

And I was glad to get on the road --spending the night in Coralville

outside of Iowa City.

It was an early night--got in by 12:30 am!!

So, have I made you as exhausted as we were?

I'll let you take a break but,

Stay tune for Part Two!!