Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Thirty Two
This morning began with a super-breakfast that came with the room. When you stay at the new Comfort Inns you get this lovely breakfast. Dad got to make his own waffles and away we went toward home.
We drove a long drive got to Great Falls got Starbucks coffee yeah!
On we went to the border only to get red lined once again. We're convinced that we look like criminals.
The toughest road was the Deerfoot in Calgary we hit it at 3:30pm and it was grid lock from McNight Blvd out to Carstairs. Those poor people that have to drive it everyday.
We made it home and walked into the bedroom with suitcases to our bedroom painted a calming taupe; drapes cleaning and the woodwork washed with lemon oil all by Andrea. Miles had helped her hang the quilt back up and put the furniture back. What an enormous qift!
We quickly went over there to thank them and Grams was in tears.
Glad to be home. Thanks for the calls welcoming us home.
HOME SWEET HOME!
We drove a long drive got to Great Falls got Starbucks coffee yeah!
On we went to the border only to get red lined once again. We're convinced that we look like criminals.
The toughest road was the Deerfoot in Calgary we hit it at 3:30pm and it was grid lock from McNight Blvd out to Carstairs. Those poor people that have to drive it everyday.
We made it home and walked into the bedroom with suitcases to our bedroom painted a calming taupe; drapes cleaning and the woodwork washed with lemon oil all by Andrea. Miles had helped her hang the quilt back up and put the furniture back. What an enormous qift!
We quickly went over there to thank them and Grams was in tears.
Glad to be home. Thanks for the calls welcoming us home.
HOME SWEET HOME!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Thirty One
Today we got up from the place across from the temple square and had a Starbucks coffee with porridge.
We made a false start got down the freeway and Grams forgot her coat in the Starbacks there in SLC. Believe it or not we drove for half an hour went back and there it was on the chair still. Thank goodness.
We drove like maniacs all day long and made it to Helena Montana tonight. We are really tired.
We drove through the mountain passes and luckily starting from Spencer Utah through to Lima Montana it was only dull and dreary not the terrible wind and blowing snow we had last time.
When we came into Lima Montana the sun was shining.
We are in a bit of shock and getting colds the weather has been quite a change from Scottsdale!
Yes, we know you aren't feeling sorry for us but we are it was so hard to leave.
We're hoping to get a good start tomorrow and make it into Canada. OH CANADA OUR HOME AND NATIVE LAND!
We made a false start got down the freeway and Grams forgot her coat in the Starbacks there in SLC. Believe it or not we drove for half an hour went back and there it was on the chair still. Thank goodness.
We drove like maniacs all day long and made it to Helena Montana tonight. We are really tired.
We drove through the mountain passes and luckily starting from Spencer Utah through to Lima Montana it was only dull and dreary not the terrible wind and blowing snow we had last time.
When we came into Lima Montana the sun was shining.
We are in a bit of shock and getting colds the weather has been quite a change from Scottsdale!
Yes, we know you aren't feeling sorry for us but we are it was so hard to leave.
We're hoping to get a good start tomorrow and make it into Canada. OH CANADA OUR HOME AND NATIVE LAND!
DayThirty
Yesterday we couldn't write a blog because we couldn't hook up at the hotel we were at.
We were way west and south again toward Lake Mead. We went south of Loganville and Overton to a valley created by the Hoover Dam.
The valley was called Moapa Valley. We had a BW but it was tough to smell. So Grams had an interesting respiratory night.
We left that area first thing in the morning a little excited and nervous about driving through SLC once again. A very nice transport driver was just ahead of us and we followed him right through until our exit. We had a discussion about whether to keep going or to listen to Rob and see the Temple.
Well all happy to report BOTH of us had an inspirtational religious experience there. We asked at the lobby of our hotel and they said The Temple Square is open 9 to 9. So we ventured out to the Square a very short walk and found the site. It is a walled large city block with many buildings. An elder gentleman met us at the wrought iron gate making us feel very welcome.
He gave us some history and suggested waiting for a tour. So we waited a very short time and along came two young women giving eighteen months of their lives of service.
They began showing the actual artifacts from 1837, wagons, granite, pews, chairs pillars etc.
Four oxen pulled the wagons with one great cube of granite 20miles and it took four days to go from the mountain to the building site. They had many operative masons from Europe volunteer their time for four years to complete the temple, old church, the Site where the Mormon Tablenacle and orchestra sing.
We were both awestruck with the gentleness of the young women; one from central state of Nebraska and one from Hong Kong. There were young people there from all over the world including one we chated with from the Philipeans.
The most impactful was the Statue hand carved of Jesus with about a 40 feet height. You couldn't help but be speechless.
Then we toured the MT Choir building a demonstration was put on by a young woman from Singapore. With no acoustics she riped a newspaper and dropped pins at the front and at the back where we sat you could hear it all even Gramps. Then they played part of the Hallujach chorus WOW! The choir is 310 volunteers with a live orchestra.
Also, there is a convention centre there that holds 21,000.
We were really inspired by the 33 ad approximation of what Jerusalem looked like then and now the lights for the stations of the cross.
Both of us could hardly talk on the way back to the hotel. We certainly felt heard when we said a prayer for each of you by name as we are called to do each day.
You should really be proud of yourself Rob because we sure didn't want to brave the lanes of traffic to find the place. We still can't believe how those people possibly got down the canyons and mountains into that valley and not only survived but thrived despite a plaque of grasshopers the first summer they were there. Gramps looked in the phone book and found over 100 Meyer listed there. At the turn of the century there was one of Great Granpa Meyer 1st cousins who settled in Salt Lake City with her 10 kids from Aarau Switzerland.....
We were way west and south again toward Lake Mead. We went south of Loganville and Overton to a valley created by the Hoover Dam.
The valley was called Moapa Valley. We had a BW but it was tough to smell. So Grams had an interesting respiratory night.
We left that area first thing in the morning a little excited and nervous about driving through SLC once again. A very nice transport driver was just ahead of us and we followed him right through until our exit. We had a discussion about whether to keep going or to listen to Rob and see the Temple.
Well all happy to report BOTH of us had an inspirtational religious experience there. We asked at the lobby of our hotel and they said The Temple Square is open 9 to 9. So we ventured out to the Square a very short walk and found the site. It is a walled large city block with many buildings. An elder gentleman met us at the wrought iron gate making us feel very welcome.
He gave us some history and suggested waiting for a tour. So we waited a very short time and along came two young women giving eighteen months of their lives of service.
They began showing the actual artifacts from 1837, wagons, granite, pews, chairs pillars etc.
Four oxen pulled the wagons with one great cube of granite 20miles and it took four days to go from the mountain to the building site. They had many operative masons from Europe volunteer their time for four years to complete the temple, old church, the Site where the Mormon Tablenacle and orchestra sing.
We were both awestruck with the gentleness of the young women; one from central state of Nebraska and one from Hong Kong. There were young people there from all over the world including one we chated with from the Philipeans.
The most impactful was the Statue hand carved of Jesus with about a 40 feet height. You couldn't help but be speechless.
Then we toured the MT Choir building a demonstration was put on by a young woman from Singapore. With no acoustics she riped a newspaper and dropped pins at the front and at the back where we sat you could hear it all even Gramps. Then they played part of the Hallujach chorus WOW! The choir is 310 volunteers with a live orchestra.
Also, there is a convention centre there that holds 21,000.
We were really inspired by the 33 ad approximation of what Jerusalem looked like then and now the lights for the stations of the cross.
Both of us could hardly talk on the way back to the hotel. We certainly felt heard when we said a prayer for each of you by name as we are called to do each day.
You should really be proud of yourself Rob because we sure didn't want to brave the lanes of traffic to find the place. We still can't believe how those people possibly got down the canyons and mountains into that valley and not only survived but thrived despite a plaque of grasshopers the first summer they were there. Gramps looked in the phone book and found over 100 Meyer listed there. At the turn of the century there was one of Great Granpa Meyer 1st cousins who settled in Salt Lake City with her 10 kids from Aarau Switzerland.....
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Day Twenty Nine
The Bell's had a day of contrasts from the first highway miles out of Scottsdale.
It was hard to leave our little condo. But, we were up at 10 to 6 and washing sheets, then we were off. We made a quick trip into the Kierland to Starbucks for a great coffee and we were off.
Thank goodness we did because we never had a decent cup of coffee anywhere we tried.
We stopped at Wickenburg, a quaint cowboy town and walked around.
We were beginning to see more mountains lavender, and reds with lots of Saguaro Cactii.
Then as we climbed into the higher ranges we passed through the Joshua Tree Forest Parkway where the Joshua trees are immense and they look austere standing out of the rock formations.
After that pass we began to see light pink rocks along the highway.
At Kingman Gramps noted there was snow on the tops of the mountains as we climbed higher in the mountains.
After Kingman heading North towards the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam we drove through the tops of a sage colored rock range that was sparce, spartan growth and very austere looking.
Along that highway is like driving through the Ozarks with very poor folks living in weird designed unfinished and delapitated trailers and shacks.
We did find one interesting outpost called Rosie's Den with many, many motorbikes stopped right along the Nevada state boundary?????????
There was very tight security with many police officers going through folks vehicles on both sides of the Hoover Dam. We got waved through...
The site was jammed with visitors from all over. The Hoover Dam spans 1,244 feet across redish black rock canyon. It is a picturesque and awe inspiring engineering feat.
The resevoir of the Dam has amazing constrast in rock color from the deep red to stark white lined rock. The mountains stretch back into a vista horizon.
The new construction also fascinated us. They are creating a massive highway system to bypass the Dam the two roads will meet spanning a massive canyon. The engineering of matching the two roads to join in the middle of the canyon is spectacular with people all along the narrow roadways trying to capture a pic.
The manmade Lake Mead had a sailing regatta on at the same time so that was neat to see also.
There were so many motor homes and tour buses. We now can see why after a Chinese motor tour accident that killed 7 and seriously wounded 11; that the road was closed over the dam and we couldn't go that way going down to Phoenix.
We navigated through LasVegas despite our major highway exit being closed. They detoured us through a ghetto area of the city with iron grates on folks windows and doors. A little unsettling but we made it through OK.
Gramps got us a BW in Overton just North and South again along North Lake Mead. Every hotel is booked in LV and Mesquite because of the huge Nascar races. Major roads were closed we noticed also going through LV with lots of police directing traffic along the raceways.
Gramps is having a much deserved nap.
We are having cheese and crackers for our supper.
A very Happy Birthday to our third son David Christopher! Hope your day went well. Nice to have a quick chat with Gramps.
Love to each of you.
It was hard to leave our little condo. But, we were up at 10 to 6 and washing sheets, then we were off. We made a quick trip into the Kierland to Starbucks for a great coffee and we were off.
Thank goodness we did because we never had a decent cup of coffee anywhere we tried.
We stopped at Wickenburg, a quaint cowboy town and walked around.
We were beginning to see more mountains lavender, and reds with lots of Saguaro Cactii.
Then as we climbed into the higher ranges we passed through the Joshua Tree Forest Parkway where the Joshua trees are immense and they look austere standing out of the rock formations.
After that pass we began to see light pink rocks along the highway.
At Kingman Gramps noted there was snow on the tops of the mountains as we climbed higher in the mountains.
After Kingman heading North towards the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam we drove through the tops of a sage colored rock range that was sparce, spartan growth and very austere looking.
Along that highway is like driving through the Ozarks with very poor folks living in weird designed unfinished and delapitated trailers and shacks.
We did find one interesting outpost called Rosie's Den with many, many motorbikes stopped right along the Nevada state boundary?????????
There was very tight security with many police officers going through folks vehicles on both sides of the Hoover Dam. We got waved through...
The site was jammed with visitors from all over. The Hoover Dam spans 1,244 feet across redish black rock canyon. It is a picturesque and awe inspiring engineering feat.
The resevoir of the Dam has amazing constrast in rock color from the deep red to stark white lined rock. The mountains stretch back into a vista horizon.
The new construction also fascinated us. They are creating a massive highway system to bypass the Dam the two roads will meet spanning a massive canyon. The engineering of matching the two roads to join in the middle of the canyon is spectacular with people all along the narrow roadways trying to capture a pic.
The manmade Lake Mead had a sailing regatta on at the same time so that was neat to see also.
There were so many motor homes and tour buses. We now can see why after a Chinese motor tour accident that killed 7 and seriously wounded 11; that the road was closed over the dam and we couldn't go that way going down to Phoenix.
We navigated through LasVegas despite our major highway exit being closed. They detoured us through a ghetto area of the city with iron grates on folks windows and doors. A little unsettling but we made it through OK.
Gramps got us a BW in Overton just North and South again along North Lake Mead. Every hotel is booked in LV and Mesquite because of the huge Nascar races. Major roads were closed we noticed also going through LV with lots of police directing traffic along the raceways.
Gramps is having a much deserved nap.
We are having cheese and crackers for our supper.
A very Happy Birthday to our third son David Christopher! Hope your day went well. Nice to have a quick chat with Gramps.
Love to each of you.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Day Twenty Eight
Our day today went really well.
We went to Butterfield's (a must in Scottsdale at least once) for breakfast.
We decided to walk the Paradise Valley Mall for our walk saw lots of bargains but bought nothing.
We cleaned and washed clothes and packed everything.
Gramps and Grams talked to the Hay's and they wanted to have supper together too, so, we ventured out at 4pm on a Friday and guess what some intersections on the 101 Freeway are now merged with lights in order to enable you to merge onto the 101. We found some of the intersections in gridlock typical Friday driving. It took over an hour this time to get over to the Hay's.
We visited for a while and then went out for supper to the Golden Coral, a nice supper for Auntie Betty's birthday on March 2nd because we won't be here. Its been really great to have some of our own family down here.
Gramps is busy vacuuming and then we'll load the truck tonight and we're leaving early morning.
Gramps had a lovely swimming laps this aft and didn't want to golf.
Grams rested and washed things up.
We couldn't find any hotels available at all in Mesquite. Quite a little surprise so we'll take our luck and see what happens on the road as we go along.
Thanks Rob for making this blog possible.
Thanks to each of you for your calls and emails. We will take our time on the road we don't want to miss the warm weekend weather.
From the lovely plaza residences we hope to talk to you soon.
We went to Butterfield's (a must in Scottsdale at least once) for breakfast.
We decided to walk the Paradise Valley Mall for our walk saw lots of bargains but bought nothing.
We cleaned and washed clothes and packed everything.
Gramps and Grams talked to the Hay's and they wanted to have supper together too, so, we ventured out at 4pm on a Friday and guess what some intersections on the 101 Freeway are now merged with lights in order to enable you to merge onto the 101. We found some of the intersections in gridlock typical Friday driving. It took over an hour this time to get over to the Hay's.
We visited for a while and then went out for supper to the Golden Coral, a nice supper for Auntie Betty's birthday on March 2nd because we won't be here. Its been really great to have some of our own family down here.
Gramps is busy vacuuming and then we'll load the truck tonight and we're leaving early morning.
Gramps had a lovely swimming laps this aft and didn't want to golf.
Grams rested and washed things up.
We couldn't find any hotels available at all in Mesquite. Quite a little surprise so we'll take our luck and see what happens on the road as we go along.
Thanks Rob for making this blog possible.
Thanks to each of you for your calls and emails. We will take our time on the road we don't want to miss the warm weekend weather.
From the lovely plaza residences we hope to talk to you soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
