Day 4
Nebraska is a beautiful state, but it takes forever to cross! We saw so much corn that Sarah Elizabeth decided to order corn with her dinner. She was most disappointed it was frozen!
We did not get as far as we had hoped today. That’s ok, we will make it up in the coming days. We stopped in the town of Gothenburg. It was settled with Swedish immigrants. It was also one of the stops for the pony express. This was so cool to visit! The girls learned that a ride would ride 10 miles and change his horse multiple times to make the ride. Emily could not get over that the riders only had 2 minutes to change horse at each stop so he arrive on time! Her comment was I cannot even go to the rest stop in 2 minutes! I could never have been a pony express rider! ;0)
They had postcards stamped with the pony express seal and the stamp is canceled with the pony express seal. So we sent one to our selves and should be waiting on us when we arrive in Mountlake Terrace, Washington!
The kids continue to do great. They are really enjoying the trip. Emily loves the fact that we eat out every evening. Sarah Elizabeth has loved watching the sky and the surrounds. She has taken some beautiful pictures! Will upload those as soon as I find the cable!
Off to cowboy country, Wyoming!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Days 2 and 3
Day 2
Day two found us standing beside the mighty Mississippi River bank gazing at the Freedom Arch in St. Louis, Mo. We found out the hard way traveling with a trailer makes for parking VERY difficult. We had to park miles away and walk. Poor Joseph did not fair very well with all the walking and had to sit quite frequently. This made our journey walking to the Arch from the van to take about an hour. After getting stuck in the elevator on the waterfront in Seattle, Emily is now terrified of elevators. She has never really liked heights so thoughts of the elevators ride to the top made her ready to throw up. By the time we parked, walked, sat and admired the Arch the last trip up the Arch for the day was sold out, much to Emily’s relief. I on the other hand was quite disappointed. Jeff and I were going to take turns taking the kids up the arch so that Emily would not feel left out. There is a movie about the Arch as well as Lewis and Clark but that too was sold out.
So, we went outside and talked about how Hurricane Ike had made a huge impact on the Midwest. At breakfast we met a very nice gentleman who worked for Allstate. He shared with us that he had been working in Houston but was called to work in the Evansville, Indiana area due to flooding and wind damage. All of which were results of the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. When we arrived in St. Louis we found the riverfront road to be covered in icky slimy green mud. Part of the street was still covered in water and the statue at the riverfront was partly submerged. In the couple of hours we were there, we could actually see that the water had dropped several feet. The casino’s were using water cannon’s to clean off the sidewalks and entrances in hopes of being ready to open for business the next day.
We spoke with one of the guys working who told us that the area had been closed for more than a week and a half due to the high river~ thanks to Ike and that since spring the water had been at flood stage more 90 days. Emily was so taken aback how instead of the river being a good thing that it could also bring such destruction.
We were going to surprise the kids and take them on a helicopter ride around the city but because of the Cardinals baseball game the airspace around the city was restricted. Grrrrrr!
We almost made it to our goal driving but called it quits about 2 hours shy.
Our motel was a hoot! The room was big enough for two beds and 13 inch TV! Hey, the beds were clean and the room was quiet.
Day 3
A very long day is now behind us. We drove across Mo. And then up to Iowa and over to Nebraska. The weather was beautiful. The children could not get over all the corn they saw and how flat was the land.
Sarah Elizabeth got really excited a couple of times because she saw wind turbines. The were beautiful and massively HUGE!
Sarah Elizabeth had the foresight to pack Joseph’s kick ball. It certain has come in handy. At rest stops we pull it out and have the kids play to stretch their muscles and get rid of some of their energy. I must brag on how wonderfully behaved they have been and such troopers with the long hours of driving.
At one of our stops we ran into a family driving from Washington. They used a different route but gave us hope that we too could make it in three more days! :o)
Tomorrow we finish Nebraska and hope to make it across most of Wyoming
Day two found us standing beside the mighty Mississippi River bank gazing at the Freedom Arch in St. Louis, Mo. We found out the hard way traveling with a trailer makes for parking VERY difficult. We had to park miles away and walk. Poor Joseph did not fair very well with all the walking and had to sit quite frequently. This made our journey walking to the Arch from the van to take about an hour. After getting stuck in the elevator on the waterfront in Seattle, Emily is now terrified of elevators. She has never really liked heights so thoughts of the elevators ride to the top made her ready to throw up. By the time we parked, walked, sat and admired the Arch the last trip up the Arch for the day was sold out, much to Emily’s relief. I on the other hand was quite disappointed. Jeff and I were going to take turns taking the kids up the arch so that Emily would not feel left out. There is a movie about the Arch as well as Lewis and Clark but that too was sold out.
So, we went outside and talked about how Hurricane Ike had made a huge impact on the Midwest. At breakfast we met a very nice gentleman who worked for Allstate. He shared with us that he had been working in Houston but was called to work in the Evansville, Indiana area due to flooding and wind damage. All of which were results of the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. When we arrived in St. Louis we found the riverfront road to be covered in icky slimy green mud. Part of the street was still covered in water and the statue at the riverfront was partly submerged. In the couple of hours we were there, we could actually see that the water had dropped several feet. The casino’s were using water cannon’s to clean off the sidewalks and entrances in hopes of being ready to open for business the next day.
We spoke with one of the guys working who told us that the area had been closed for more than a week and a half due to the high river~ thanks to Ike and that since spring the water had been at flood stage more 90 days. Emily was so taken aback how instead of the river being a good thing that it could also bring such destruction.
We were going to surprise the kids and take them on a helicopter ride around the city but because of the Cardinals baseball game the airspace around the city was restricted. Grrrrrr!
We almost made it to our goal driving but called it quits about 2 hours shy.
Our motel was a hoot! The room was big enough for two beds and 13 inch TV! Hey, the beds were clean and the room was quiet.
Day 3
A very long day is now behind us. We drove across Mo. And then up to Iowa and over to Nebraska. The weather was beautiful. The children could not get over all the corn they saw and how flat was the land.
Sarah Elizabeth got really excited a couple of times because she saw wind turbines. The were beautiful and massively HUGE!
Sarah Elizabeth had the foresight to pack Joseph’s kick ball. It certain has come in handy. At rest stops we pull it out and have the kids play to stretch their muscles and get rid of some of their energy. I must brag on how wonderfully behaved they have been and such troopers with the long hours of driving.
At one of our stops we ran into a family driving from Washington. They used a different route but gave us hope that we too could make it in three more days! :o)
Tomorrow we finish Nebraska and hope to make it across most of Wyoming
Monday, September 22, 2008
Day one and counting!
I can hardly believe it! We are really driving cross country. The U Haul is way over packed. How in the heck did I pack so much extra things? The kids did great today.
We left later than planned, as per usual but this time with a purpose. We got to meet Heather and Sam for lunch in Hgtn on our way out. It was so good to get just one more hug and kiss before we left!
Our first day we only traveled about 300 miles. At this rate we will pull into Seattle say mid-October! I never realized how much slower we would be traveling with the trailer. We stopped in Evansville, Indiana. Next it is onto St. Louis and hoepfully we will make it to Kansas City...fingers, eyes, toes are all crossed. Joseph had a few moments in the car this afternoon but Sarah Elizabeth wsa able to distract him. She is such the saint.
Will sign off for now. Oh and don't you know that I forgot my camera charge back at the house. :0(
We left later than planned, as per usual but this time with a purpose. We got to meet Heather and Sam for lunch in Hgtn on our way out. It was so good to get just one more hug and kiss before we left!
Our first day we only traveled about 300 miles. At this rate we will pull into Seattle say mid-October! I never realized how much slower we would be traveling with the trailer. We stopped in Evansville, Indiana. Next it is onto St. Louis and hoepfully we will make it to Kansas City...fingers, eyes, toes are all crossed. Joseph had a few moments in the car this afternoon but Sarah Elizabeth wsa able to distract him. She is such the saint.
Will sign off for now. Oh and don't you know that I forgot my camera charge back at the house. :0(
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Go west young man, go west!
For the last three weeks we have been blessed with opportunity to go back to West Virginia. Our stay was longer thatn planned. Our new transmission had to be repaired and jeff's Mom took ill following major surgery. As Pastor Bill said in church this morning, God has a reason for where you were yesterday, were you are today and where life may lead you tommorrow.
We have loved spending time with all our friends while we were here. To be honest I think it helped recharge our spirits to face the future, what ever that may be whike we are in Seattle.
So tomorrow with a very stuffed U Haul we are driving west.
Destination: Washington State
I hope you will join us on this amazing journey. One does not get the opportunity to drive cross country and see this great country we call home. I will upload pictures as oftern as I can. sarah Elizabeth has been given a digital camera to also document our journey. I hope you enjoy following us as we head back to our pacific northwest home.
We have loved spending time with all our friends while we were here. To be honest I think it helped recharge our spirits to face the future, what ever that may be whike we are in Seattle.
So tomorrow with a very stuffed U Haul we are driving west.
Destination: Washington State
I hope you will join us on this amazing journey. One does not get the opportunity to drive cross country and see this great country we call home. I will upload pictures as oftern as I can. sarah Elizabeth has been given a digital camera to also document our journey. I hope you enjoy following us as we head back to our pacific northwest home.
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