is where we are....not the musical. Today was a loooong haul. We left Albuquerqui early this morning and drove virtually non-stop to Amarillo, where we found the Cadillac Ranch as we closed in on the city. This is 1974 art, with about 8 Cadillacs with the front end buried into the ground, and the back end sticking up at an angle. It is on private property on a frontage road, right beside I-40, and people were going up to it non-stop. Of course, we stopped also, walked the 100 yards or so into a field where they were, and took pictures. People were spray painting grafitti on the cars when we came, and when we left. We should have taken a can of Krylon with us......it was the thing to do.
After that, we found a Fazolli's and had lunch. Following lunch, we continued our ride. One thing about Texas.....it smells like manure. Lots of stockyards beside the interstate. Hannah's words about the stockyard were "this is just wrong!"
It began to rain as we got closer to Oklahoma, and rained on us most of the way to Oklahoma City.
About 2 hours after lunch, somewhere in Oklahoma, we decided to stop for an M/M Blizzard at Dairy Queen. Wrong decision! It took 35 minutes in the drive through. We pulled up to the "order sign", and I kept saying...'hello.....hello....hello...." No response. Finally, I heard a "Hello", and I proceeded to order. Unfortunately, it wasn't the DQ person, it was Marissa behind me. Everyone laughed at my expense, and began talking about me not being able to hear.
We are staying at a Residence Inn right beside "Toby Keith's Restaurant and Bar" in downtown Oklahoma City. That is where dinner will be. I, however, am staying in tonight to rest. Driving way over 500 miles today, much of it in the rain, has me tired.
Tomorrow morning we will visit the Oklahoma City Memorial, then drive a looong way again. Tomorrow night's destination is Memphis.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
Take it Easy.....Painted and Petrified
O.K., Eagles fans....our first stop today was in Winslow, Arizona. For those of you who don't know what I am talking about, there is a song by the Eagles called "Take it Easy". One of the verses says, "Standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona.....such a fine site to see....it's a girl, my Lord, in a flat bed Ford slowing down to take a look at me."
So what did we do first today? We stopped in Winslow, Arizona, and had our picture taken while standing on the corner. while we were there, there was a constant flow of people doing the same thing. Music was playing the Eagles songs, and there was a mural of a girl in a flat bed Ford in the background. Cool was what it was.
Then we went to Holbrook, where you get off I-40 to go to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. We ate at a Mexican restaurant there, and it was not American....it was Mexican through and through. Red or Green chilis on everything. When we said we didn't want the chilis, or the beans, the lady taking our order yelled to the back, "these people don't want chilis or beans!" Did we stand out? Oh, yes. definately.
Then it was off to Petrified Forest. It is worth the visit....though I had forgotten that there is petrified wood in every state. The Painted Desert was really pretty at the end of the road. And that is where the excitement began. The kids are jumping at every site, having their picture taken while in the air. Well, at Painted desert, they jumped, and landed on each other. Hannah has a bad scrape on her foot, Marissa has a bruised kneed, and Ansley blew out a flip-flop (sounds like a Jimmy Buffet song!). Hannah got dizzy....almost threw up....lost all color in her face, and almost fainted. She is doing fine, now.....except a really sore scrape on the foot.
From there, Hannah rode in the front, and Julie in the back. We rode 200 more miles looking at no trees, lots of open land, and 75 MPH speed limits. Finally, we arrived in Albuquerqui, and we are about to go out to eat. Ansley has been DYING to get here, because this town is the scene of "High School Musical". She thinks we are going to see people dancing in the streets, I guess. In fact, High School Musical II is being advertised on TV right now.
Well, gotta go. We just had a toilet that went out of service, and you know who the "Plunger Pro" is (for the 4th time this trip!) Too many beans out west, I think!
For you pollsters, we are washing clothes tonight.
---WJLsr
So what did we do first today? We stopped in Winslow, Arizona, and had our picture taken while standing on the corner. while we were there, there was a constant flow of people doing the same thing. Music was playing the Eagles songs, and there was a mural of a girl in a flat bed Ford in the background. Cool was what it was.
Then we went to Holbrook, where you get off I-40 to go to the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. We ate at a Mexican restaurant there, and it was not American....it was Mexican through and through. Red or Green chilis on everything. When we said we didn't want the chilis, or the beans, the lady taking our order yelled to the back, "these people don't want chilis or beans!" Did we stand out? Oh, yes. definately.
Then it was off to Petrified Forest. It is worth the visit....though I had forgotten that there is petrified wood in every state. The Painted Desert was really pretty at the end of the road. And that is where the excitement began. The kids are jumping at every site, having their picture taken while in the air. Well, at Painted desert, they jumped, and landed on each other. Hannah has a bad scrape on her foot, Marissa has a bruised kneed, and Ansley blew out a flip-flop (sounds like a Jimmy Buffet song!). Hannah got dizzy....almost threw up....lost all color in her face, and almost fainted. She is doing fine, now.....except a really sore scrape on the foot.
From there, Hannah rode in the front, and Julie in the back. We rode 200 more miles looking at no trees, lots of open land, and 75 MPH speed limits. Finally, we arrived in Albuquerqui, and we are about to go out to eat. Ansley has been DYING to get here, because this town is the scene of "High School Musical". She thinks we are going to see people dancing in the streets, I guess. In fact, High School Musical II is being advertised on TV right now.
Well, gotta go. We just had a toilet that went out of service, and you know who the "Plunger Pro" is (for the 4th time this trip!) Too many beans out west, I think!
For you pollsters, we are washing clothes tonight.
---WJLsr
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Grand Canyon
As you can see from the picture, we went to the Grand Canyon today. The day started off slower than we expected, because when we went to enjoy our "high carb diet" continental breakfast that the Fairfield Inn always has, there were approximately 140 middle-schoolers from England already grazing. Yes, 140. Several bus loads. The girls heard one of their chaperones last night as he vomited all over the hall outside their room. Thank goodness it was all cleaned up this morning.
After our donut / muffin / toast breakfast, we drove to the Grand Canyon. Marissa felt the need to get hydrated, so she drank a liter of water on the way to the canyon. Of course, as we closed in on the entrance gate, she was about to burst. Ansley also needed to go to the bathroom. After entering the Park, we drove to the visitor's center. There was no parking place to be had. Marissa said, "You have to stop....Now!" I did, and she and Ansley ran off into the woods.....and the rest, as they say, was history....or should I say, "whiztory". Oh, and Will decided to find a snake hole as well. And guess what was around the next curve!!! Right!!! A bathroom. I parked right in front of it, and Julie, Hannah and I casually used the facility.
The Grand Canyon is bigger than you think. I can't describe it. Pictures do not accurately portray it. Ansley said, "this is overwhelming!" It was. We thoroughly enjoyed it, took some really good pictures, and we are totally glad we did this.
After the visit to the Canyon, we drove out of the park to a little town close by for lunch. It was o.k. The cool thing was a "Hopi Indian Art and Dance Exhibit". We went there and looked at their wares. There was this Hopi Indian beating a drum, and a "Ms. Hopi Indian" or something dancing. They called for volunteers to come out and dance with them, and all of our children....Hannah, Marissa, Ansley and Will.....all joined in. We have pictures of them. It was really funny and great.
We drove back to Williams, Az. where we are staying, and this evening visited the historic downtown area. This is where the Grand Canyon Railway leaves from, and the depot and railway hotel are really cute. It is also on historic "Route 66", and so we walked through the downtown area tonight and entered several of the stores on "Route 66". Guess we were getting our kicks.....on Route 66....O.k., corny, but true.
We leave for Albuquerquie tomorrow, and on the way will visit the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. Finally, beginning tomorrow, the sun will be setting behind us as we begin the long journey home. We solicit your prayers and comments. The trip isn't easy....sometimes long and not so much fun....but so far, the trip is well worth it.
Mom and Dad, you are right. I am sure that we are building memories that we will treasure for years. Can't wait to see you and tell you about it. That goes for all of our loved ones.....kin and friends alike.
---WJLsr
After our donut / muffin / toast breakfast, we drove to the Grand Canyon. Marissa felt the need to get hydrated, so she drank a liter of water on the way to the canyon. Of course, as we closed in on the entrance gate, she was about to burst. Ansley also needed to go to the bathroom. After entering the Park, we drove to the visitor's center. There was no parking place to be had. Marissa said, "You have to stop....Now!" I did, and she and Ansley ran off into the woods.....and the rest, as they say, was history....or should I say, "whiztory". Oh, and Will decided to find a snake hole as well. And guess what was around the next curve!!! Right!!! A bathroom. I parked right in front of it, and Julie, Hannah and I casually used the facility.
The Grand Canyon is bigger than you think. I can't describe it. Pictures do not accurately portray it. Ansley said, "this is overwhelming!" It was. We thoroughly enjoyed it, took some really good pictures, and we are totally glad we did this.
After the visit to the Canyon, we drove out of the park to a little town close by for lunch. It was o.k. The cool thing was a "Hopi Indian Art and Dance Exhibit". We went there and looked at their wares. There was this Hopi Indian beating a drum, and a "Ms. Hopi Indian" or something dancing. They called for volunteers to come out and dance with them, and all of our children....Hannah, Marissa, Ansley and Will.....all joined in. We have pictures of them. It was really funny and great.
We drove back to Williams, Az. where we are staying, and this evening visited the historic downtown area. This is where the Grand Canyon Railway leaves from, and the depot and railway hotel are really cute. It is also on historic "Route 66", and so we walked through the downtown area tonight and entered several of the stores on "Route 66". Guess we were getting our kicks.....on Route 66....O.k., corny, but true.
We leave for Albuquerquie tomorrow, and on the way will visit the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. Finally, beginning tomorrow, the sun will be setting behind us as we begin the long journey home. We solicit your prayers and comments. The trip isn't easy....sometimes long and not so much fun....but so far, the trip is well worth it.
Mom and Dad, you are right. I am sure that we are building memories that we will treasure for years. Can't wait to see you and tell you about it. That goes for all of our loved ones.....kin and friends alike.
---WJLsr
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Long rides, Mesas and more
Well, needless to say, there wasn't a post last night. That is because the place we were staying, The Far View Lodge in Mesa Verde National Park, had no television, no cell phone service and no internet service. One of the children who will remain nameless, said "what are we gonna do???"
Backing up....leaving Colorado Springs was difficult. There were so many things we wanted to see and do that we didn't have time for. So off we went for Cortez, Colorado and Mesa Verde. We were "somewhere" in the middle of "nowhere" when we had to stop to go to the bathroom. While there, a guy told Julie that we just had to see the Great Sand Dunes. After all, it was only two and a half hours from Mesa Verde.
We could see the dunes from 10 miles out, and when we got to the guard gate for the park and saw that we had to pay $3 per person to go in, we turned around.
Will summed it up best when he said, "Why do we need to pay to see sand we can already see?"
And was it two and a half hours to Mesa Verde? Nooooo...more like four hours. We had lunch at a Sonic somewhere, which is Julie's least favorite place to eat.
But going to Mesa Verde was worth it. We saw wild horses running around, deer, an eagle and a coyote. Our lodge was on the top of one of the Mesas, and we could see "forever".
We had dinner in the lodge, and it was great...I had buffalo, Julie had trout, others had Salmon.
This morning, at 5:00 a.m., the sun was a brilliant red as it rose over the Mesas. We could see it out of our picture window. We got up and drove to the "The Palace" archeological site. It was bigger and more overwhelming than I ever imagined it could be. Julie and I both said we would go back to this again sometime.
Traveling from Mesa Verde, we went to the four corners monument (where Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado come together). The kids had fun with pictures, playing "twister" over the four states.
Then, it was miles and miles and miles with no place to eat. We drove way too long without food until we came through Flagstaff to Williams, Az. Tonight, we had dinner in Williams, on historic Route 66. There was a rodeo today, and people in their "cowboy attire" were everywhere. Tonight we had a major lightning and rain storm, and even had small hail. Hope tomorrow is better.
Tomorrow morning we go to the Grand Canyon. Hannah is convinced the whole state of Arizona is one big canyon, and that the grand canyon is just deeper than the rest. I can't really argue with her.
Well....everyone but me is in bed now. It is 9:40 p.m. here.....12:40 a.m. back home. So, let me sign off and wish every one well.
We hope everything goes well at church tomorrow.
---WJLsr
Backing up....leaving Colorado Springs was difficult. There were so many things we wanted to see and do that we didn't have time for. So off we went for Cortez, Colorado and Mesa Verde. We were "somewhere" in the middle of "nowhere" when we had to stop to go to the bathroom. While there, a guy told Julie that we just had to see the Great Sand Dunes. After all, it was only two and a half hours from Mesa Verde.
We could see the dunes from 10 miles out, and when we got to the guard gate for the park and saw that we had to pay $3 per person to go in, we turned around.
Will summed it up best when he said, "Why do we need to pay to see sand we can already see?"
And was it two and a half hours to Mesa Verde? Nooooo...more like four hours. We had lunch at a Sonic somewhere, which is Julie's least favorite place to eat.
But going to Mesa Verde was worth it. We saw wild horses running around, deer, an eagle and a coyote. Our lodge was on the top of one of the Mesas, and we could see "forever".
We had dinner in the lodge, and it was great...I had buffalo, Julie had trout, others had Salmon.
This morning, at 5:00 a.m., the sun was a brilliant red as it rose over the Mesas. We could see it out of our picture window. We got up and drove to the "The Palace" archeological site. It was bigger and more overwhelming than I ever imagined it could be. Julie and I both said we would go back to this again sometime.
Traveling from Mesa Verde, we went to the four corners monument (where Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado come together). The kids had fun with pictures, playing "twister" over the four states.
Then, it was miles and miles and miles with no place to eat. We drove way too long without food until we came through Flagstaff to Williams, Az. Tonight, we had dinner in Williams, on historic Route 66. There was a rodeo today, and people in their "cowboy attire" were everywhere. Tonight we had a major lightning and rain storm, and even had small hail. Hope tomorrow is better.
Tomorrow morning we go to the Grand Canyon. Hannah is convinced the whole state of Arizona is one big canyon, and that the grand canyon is just deeper than the rest. I can't really argue with her.
Well....everyone but me is in bed now. It is 9:40 p.m. here.....12:40 a.m. back home. So, let me sign off and wish every one well.
We hope everything goes well at church tomorrow.
---WJLsr
More Thoughts from Hannah
So, I thought I'd might give my little spill on what I feel like is a pretty good sum of the states and places we have been so far.
Nashville, Tennessee: We didn't stay there that long, but we have been there before and it is a pretty cool city. I don't really like country music, but do like Nashville. Tennessee isn't too bad to look at out a window either.
Illinois: Even though we just drove through it it, I don't like it. Illinois stinks. No literally it smells bad. I don't know if it's all the Purina buildings or the corn, but Illinois is not pretty to look at and it smells bad. God farted when we made Illinois.
St. Louis, Missouri: I was pleasantly surprised by St. Louis. Not only does one of my favorite rappers, Nelly, come from here, but it is quite a beautiful city. The Arch is wonderful and we didn't get shot while we were there. Overall I loved Missouri.
Hays, Kansas: Hated it. There is nothing in Kansas. It's cool for about the first five minutes when you're like "wow, you can see for miles," but then it gets really old really fast. Ansley put it right when she said: "you know when I think of Kansas, I really don't think about anyone living here." Why would they? There is nothing in Kansas. Kansas could disappear, and I'm pretty sure only about 50 people might care.
Colorado Springs, Colorado: I love Colorado. I want to move here. It is beautiful. There are no words to describe it's beauty. We will DEFINITELY be coming back, and I will be rock climbing.
Mesa Verde, Colorado: Still loving it despite not having cell phone service or a tv. Cliff dwellers were insane though.
Flagstaff, Arizona: I think all of Arizona sunk at some point in time and the Grand Canyon just went really far down. It was a very pleasant ride and it is very beautiful. Grand Canyon is tomorrow, so maybe more to come.
Peace out.
-H
Nashville, Tennessee: We didn't stay there that long, but we have been there before and it is a pretty cool city. I don't really like country music, but do like Nashville. Tennessee isn't too bad to look at out a window either.
Illinois: Even though we just drove through it it, I don't like it. Illinois stinks. No literally it smells bad. I don't know if it's all the Purina buildings or the corn, but Illinois is not pretty to look at and it smells bad. God farted when we made Illinois.
St. Louis, Missouri: I was pleasantly surprised by St. Louis. Not only does one of my favorite rappers, Nelly, come from here, but it is quite a beautiful city. The Arch is wonderful and we didn't get shot while we were there. Overall I loved Missouri.
Hays, Kansas: Hated it. There is nothing in Kansas. It's cool for about the first five minutes when you're like "wow, you can see for miles," but then it gets really old really fast. Ansley put it right when she said: "you know when I think of Kansas, I really don't think about anyone living here." Why would they? There is nothing in Kansas. Kansas could disappear, and I'm pretty sure only about 50 people might care.
Colorado Springs, Colorado: I love Colorado. I want to move here. It is beautiful. There are no words to describe it's beauty. We will DEFINITELY be coming back, and I will be rock climbing.
Mesa Verde, Colorado: Still loving it despite not having cell phone service or a tv. Cliff dwellers were insane though.
Flagstaff, Arizona: I think all of Arizona sunk at some point in time and the Grand Canyon just went really far down. It was a very pleasant ride and it is very beautiful. Grand Canyon is tomorrow, so maybe more to come.
Peace out.
-H
Thursday, July 26, 2007
We didn't miss the train....
What a day this has been. It started this morning by taking the Pike's Peak Cog Railway to the top summit of Pike's Peak. The Lane family was in very close quarters, as we had three seats on one side of the aisle, facing three seats on the same side of that aisle. Elbow to elbow, cheek to cheek....for a train ride straight up for an hour. We climbed from 7,000 feet above sea level to over 14,000 feet above sea level. We saw little critters called "Marmots" running all around the tundra above the tree line. And the view was beyond beautiful. Julie, Marissa and Hannah all got "light headed and dizzy" at the summit. They had to sit down. Of course, Will, Ansley and I had no problems at all. (Or at least, we never admitted to having a problem!) Coming back down the mountain, everyone on the train was pretty "oxygen deprived", and many people fell asleep. Arriving back at the station, we huffed and puffed our way back to the car. Even people in great shape were struggling! Of course, we are worn out when we get back to the car, and Julie realized she didn't have her camera. Fortunately, and elderly couple parked next to us said they had found one, and left it on the handrail back at the depot. Julie and Marissa marched back down the hill and found it. We then went back to the "Focus on the Family" campus, and visited their visitor's center and book store. There is a huge slide on the inside of the welcome center, three stories high.....and of course, Will went down it several times. Julie saw the downstairs and how it is totally built and geared toward children, and she simply salivated!
From there, we came back to the hotel and sorted laundry. Julie went to the laundry mat down the street, while I went searching for rolls of quarters. This wasn't the easiest thing to find, as it took me 2 stores and 1 bank to find two rolls. Then, while Julie was washing clothes, I took Marissa and Ansley to a "Tattoo and Body Piercing" Parlor so that Marissa and Ansley could get........no, not a tattoo! Their ear pierced with a little hoop up kinda high on their right ear, like Hannah has. Then, I took Hannah and Darcy to "Wag and Wash", a funky dog store, dog wash parlor. Darcy got a good shampoo, and some new dog biscuits. We then picked up Julie and the folded clothes, got dressed and went to Outback Steakhouse. Our waitress was from Charlotte, NC. Following dinner, we went to the Garden of the Gods, and it was marvelous. We saw over 15 deer wandering around, and many photos were taken. Then we drove around the old city and came back to the hotel. Tomorrow morning we leave Colorado Springs, and I think all of us are sad to see this visit end. We loved the place. We could spend several more days here, but we must move on. There is a hole in the ground waiting for us to look at. Tomorrow we travel to Mesa Verde National Park to see the Cliff Dwellers archeological site. We are staying at the lodge there, and I don't know if we have internet access. If not, it may be a couple of days before we can communicate again. We are loving hearing from you, and hope you are enjoying our little blog.
Gotta get some sleep...the road awaits.
---WJLsr
From there, we came back to the hotel and sorted laundry. Julie went to the laundry mat down the street, while I went searching for rolls of quarters. This wasn't the easiest thing to find, as it took me 2 stores and 1 bank to find two rolls. Then, while Julie was washing clothes, I took Marissa and Ansley to a "Tattoo and Body Piercing" Parlor so that Marissa and Ansley could get........no, not a tattoo! Their ear pierced with a little hoop up kinda high on their right ear, like Hannah has. Then, I took Hannah and Darcy to "Wag and Wash", a funky dog store, dog wash parlor. Darcy got a good shampoo, and some new dog biscuits. We then picked up Julie and the folded clothes, got dressed and went to Outback Steakhouse. Our waitress was from Charlotte, NC. Following dinner, we went to the Garden of the Gods, and it was marvelous. We saw over 15 deer wandering around, and many photos were taken. Then we drove around the old city and came back to the hotel. Tomorrow morning we leave Colorado Springs, and I think all of us are sad to see this visit end. We loved the place. We could spend several more days here, but we must move on. There is a hole in the ground waiting for us to look at. Tomorrow we travel to Mesa Verde National Park to see the Cliff Dwellers archeological site. We are staying at the lodge there, and I don't know if we have internet access. If not, it may be a couple of days before we can communicate again. We are loving hearing from you, and hope you are enjoying our little blog.
Gotta get some sleep...the road awaits.
---WJLsr
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
A word from Ansley and Rissa
Mr. Bud & Mrs. Jane- No, I don't have blonde underneath my beautiful, stunning brown hair. I guess all the makeup I wear soaked up into my brain.
-Ansley!
Hey guys,
Well, our trip is going quite well if you ask me! I am shocked at the number of fights we haven't had. I thought by now Will would have had atleast 3 emotional break-downs, Hannah would have punched one of us, Ansley would have no voice from wining so much and I would be the only one that hadn't lost their minds (kidding!). Anyways, we had an exciting night! We went to the Flying W Ranch and it was quite an experience-to say the least! I enjoyed it, though. We sat with three Mennonites and they were very interesting. It made the little homeschooler in me excited when I saw that they were sitting at the same table as us. We learned a good bit about their culture as a whole. It was awesome! We also went to the USAFA, but daddy already told you all about that. I loved that dearly, though!
Oh, Aunt Sarah-- I played Ay BayBay for the parental units on the boring road between Hayes and Colorado Springs and they weren't impressed! Everytime I hear that song I think of you!!! Just thought I'd letcha know!
Love to all!
-Marissa
-Ansley!
Hey guys,
Well, our trip is going quite well if you ask me! I am shocked at the number of fights we haven't had. I thought by now Will would have had atleast 3 emotional break-downs, Hannah would have punched one of us, Ansley would have no voice from wining so much and I would be the only one that hadn't lost their minds (kidding!). Anyways, we had an exciting night! We went to the Flying W Ranch and it was quite an experience-to say the least! I enjoyed it, though. We sat with three Mennonites and they were very interesting. It made the little homeschooler in me excited when I saw that they were sitting at the same table as us. We learned a good bit about their culture as a whole. It was awesome! We also went to the USAFA, but daddy already told you all about that. I loved that dearly, though!
Oh, Aunt Sarah-- I played Ay BayBay for the parental units on the boring road between Hayes and Colorado Springs and they weren't impressed! Everytime I hear that song I think of you!!! Just thought I'd letcha know!
Love to all!
-Marissa
Home, home on the range......
at the Flying W Ranch. We just got back....we are full, and it was good. We sat with 3 Mennonite kids who were in Colorado on a mission trip from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It was pretty cool, because they were not from a rigorous branch of Mennonitism. Two boys, both 18, and one girl, 18. They were helping care for babies of mothers who are in prison. Although she had on the head covering, and the dress that Mennonites wear, they also had their digital cameras, and were even text messaging on their cell phones. Hannah, Marissa and Ansley had a good time talking to them. The kids really enjoyed the "cowboy music" after dinner....(right!) However, after we left, we found a Starbucks, so all was well with the girls. We have 10:30 a.m. reservations on the Cog Railway to the top of Pikes Peak in the morning. Tonight should be interesting, because like all good chuck-wagon meals.....everyone filled up on B-B-Q beans. Nothing like going back to small hotel rooms after that!
Well....good night all.
---WJLsr
Well....good night all.
---WJLsr
High noon at Colorado Springs
That's when we arrived....noon Mountain time. Here's the recap:
We decided to cut "cross country" in a straight line for Colorado Springs from Hays, Kansas. This meant getting off the interstate and taking U.S. Hwy 40. Talk about nothing....nowhere....no one! I mean, we were looking for the lone tree somewhere. If one of the Lanes had to go to the bathroom so bad that we couldn't go further, the other 5 of us would have to just close our eyes.
We finally found a little "welcome center" at Ft. Wallace, Kansas. A little lady showed up to open the place after we stopped, and she and the Lanes were the only ones there. She sold us each a "pop" for 50cents each. Of course, this meant out in Colorado somewhere....treeless and all....nature kicked in. We found a small store (FINALLY), and Marissa took Darcy for a walk while the other Lanes went inside "for a walk". What did Darcy do? Step on a "Dog-Gone" sand spur (we think). She yelped and whined for the next...oh....hour??? Really, maybe half an hour.
So we left the store and drove with open grasslands on both sides of us for another 2 hours. I mean there wasn't even a car in front or behind us. It was like a scene out of some Science Fiction movie. And the best was yet to come. We had to turn on Hwy 94, and there was a sign...."No Services for 70 Miles". Ansley whipped out her cell phone and said "Does this mean I have no cell service for 70 Miles?" Julie and I split a gut laughing. I told her...."No, silly....it means there are NO SERVICES AT ALL for 70 miles....no gas, no phone, no stores, no nothing!" Her idea of no service meant going out of range of a cell tower....my how times have changed.
But what happened...just over one of the buttes? There it was....Pikes Peak....barely visible.
After arriving at Colorado Springs, we checked in to our hotel and then immediately went and visited the Air Force Academy. Everyone bought T-shirts (Will got a hat), we saw a movie on the Academy, and then we went to the Chapel. How beautiful was all of that? Following this, we went on the campus of "Focus on the Family". As we entered, Julie began to whisper. I said, "Why are you whispering?"...and she replied, "This is like the Mecca for "Stay at home Moms and Homeschoolers.......what if Dr. Dobson is here?"
We will be visiting their welcome center tomorrow.
Right now, we are getting ready to go to the Flying W Ranch for a Western ChuckWagon Dinner and Cowboy Show, and then tomorrow morning we are taking the Cog Railroad to the top of Pikes Peak. Following that is Garden of the Gods, and on to see old Doc Dobson.
My cough is a nuisance....but I feel o.k. Keeps those comments coming.
For some reason, John Denver's music just keeps coming to my head.
"Rocky Mountain High".
---WJLsr
P.S. to Jane and Ilene....Julie received her Associates Degree from Young Harris College and her B.S. Degree in Education from North Georgia College. The nephew is Joshua Primm and he goes to Georgia Southern University in a Georgia Tech program.
We decided to cut "cross country" in a straight line for Colorado Springs from Hays, Kansas. This meant getting off the interstate and taking U.S. Hwy 40. Talk about nothing....nowhere....no one! I mean, we were looking for the lone tree somewhere. If one of the Lanes had to go to the bathroom so bad that we couldn't go further, the other 5 of us would have to just close our eyes.
We finally found a little "welcome center" at Ft. Wallace, Kansas. A little lady showed up to open the place after we stopped, and she and the Lanes were the only ones there. She sold us each a "pop" for 50cents each. Of course, this meant out in Colorado somewhere....treeless and all....nature kicked in. We found a small store (FINALLY), and Marissa took Darcy for a walk while the other Lanes went inside "for a walk". What did Darcy do? Step on a "Dog-Gone" sand spur (we think). She yelped and whined for the next...oh....hour??? Really, maybe half an hour.
So we left the store and drove with open grasslands on both sides of us for another 2 hours. I mean there wasn't even a car in front or behind us. It was like a scene out of some Science Fiction movie. And the best was yet to come. We had to turn on Hwy 94, and there was a sign...."No Services for 70 Miles". Ansley whipped out her cell phone and said "Does this mean I have no cell service for 70 Miles?" Julie and I split a gut laughing. I told her...."No, silly....it means there are NO SERVICES AT ALL for 70 miles....no gas, no phone, no stores, no nothing!" Her idea of no service meant going out of range of a cell tower....my how times have changed.
But what happened...just over one of the buttes? There it was....Pikes Peak....barely visible.
After arriving at Colorado Springs, we checked in to our hotel and then immediately went and visited the Air Force Academy. Everyone bought T-shirts (Will got a hat), we saw a movie on the Academy, and then we went to the Chapel. How beautiful was all of that? Following this, we went on the campus of "Focus on the Family". As we entered, Julie began to whisper. I said, "Why are you whispering?"...and she replied, "This is like the Mecca for "Stay at home Moms and Homeschoolers.......what if Dr. Dobson is here?"
We will be visiting their welcome center tomorrow.
Right now, we are getting ready to go to the Flying W Ranch for a Western ChuckWagon Dinner and Cowboy Show, and then tomorrow morning we are taking the Cog Railroad to the top of Pikes Peak. Following that is Garden of the Gods, and on to see old Doc Dobson.
My cough is a nuisance....but I feel o.k. Keeps those comments coming.
For some reason, John Denver's music just keeps coming to my head.
"Rocky Mountain High".
---WJLsr
P.S. to Jane and Ilene....Julie received her Associates Degree from Young Harris College and her B.S. Degree in Education from North Georgia College. The nephew is Joshua Primm and he goes to Georgia Southern University in a Georgia Tech program.
Morning has broken....
and my cold is a little better. Maybe wishful thinking, maybe actual.....not sure, but I feel a little better.
I want to respond to Julie's perspective regarding mattresses. I am thankful for them as well, but I have to tell you....sharing a bed with Will is like not experiencing a mattress at all. He totally hogs the bed. More than one time during the night was I either asking him to move over, or moving him over. And he makes these.....noises....when he sleeps. Julie says he is just like me....but couldn't be. I don't make noises in my sleep. And I am totally still. You can't make me believe otherwise.
O.K., maybe a little.
Anyway, we are packing up and heading to Colorado this morning. Dorothy's yellow brick road is calling.
---WJLsr
I want to respond to Julie's perspective regarding mattresses. I am thankful for them as well, but I have to tell you....sharing a bed with Will is like not experiencing a mattress at all. He totally hogs the bed. More than one time during the night was I either asking him to move over, or moving him over. And he makes these.....noises....when he sleeps. Julie says he is just like me....but couldn't be. I don't make noises in my sleep. And I am totally still. You can't make me believe otherwise.
O.K., maybe a little.
Anyway, we are packing up and heading to Colorado this morning. Dorothy's yellow brick road is calling.
---WJLsr
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Julie's View
Hi Everyone,
So glad our blog has a wide readership!! Anyone who knows the level of my computer skills knows why I haven't written yet!! We are having an interesting time . Tonight was an eye-opening experience. We ate at Applebees and they didn't serve sweet tea!! The girls were aghast! I think travel makes a person appreciate many things. I appreciate:
1) The mattresses in Marriotts
2) The new Harry Potter book (Hannah is quiet for hours)
3) A husband who likes to drive
4) Free breakfasts
5) Wearing no makeup and the same clothes(after all we will never see these people again)
6) Cars with DVD's
We are all excited about Colorado tomorrow and are leaving early so good night...
PS.Kim, Fort Hays State College is here. We rode around and looked at it. It was cute. I still don't understand how Jeff got here. Must have been a long trip
So glad our blog has a wide readership!! Anyone who knows the level of my computer skills knows why I haven't written yet!! We are having an interesting time . Tonight was an eye-opening experience. We ate at Applebees and they didn't serve sweet tea!! The girls were aghast! I think travel makes a person appreciate many things. I appreciate:
1) The mattresses in Marriotts
2) The new Harry Potter book (Hannah is quiet for hours)
3) A husband who likes to drive
4) Free breakfasts
5) Wearing no makeup and the same clothes(after all we will never see these people again)
6) Cars with DVD's
We are all excited about Colorado tomorrow and are leaving early so good night...
PS.Kim, Fort Hays State College is here. We rode around and looked at it. It was cute. I still don't understand how Jeff got here. Must have been a long trip
It's a looooong way to Hays, Kansas.....
Why in the world did Dorothy want to go home??? Home to what???? We drove....and drove....and drove today. I think we decided that we drove for almost 9 hours. The praries of Kansas are really pretty cool. Not much on them. Will kept looking for prarie dogs, and we saw three.........dead on the road. The last hour we began to see oil wells. Julie said that there is absolutely no overpopulation of the earth. All you have to do is transplant people to Kansas, and everyone would have more than enough land. The Kansas turnpike toll booth gave us the humor for the day, as I asked the young lady in the booth "Are there any tornadoes up yonder?" to which she laughed and replied, "No". Julie was so embarrassed that she covered her face with pillows, while the kids laughed and laughed.
Today we played scavenger hunt while driving....so you know it must have been a looooong drive. Tomorrow, we are up early, and driving to Colorado Springs. It is 5 hours, and we plan to be there for lunch. The afternoon is full with a visit to the "garden of the gods", a visit to the Air Force Academy and then a dinner at the Flying W Ranch.
I noticed that no one is leaving us any comments.....we solicit....no, we LIVE for those! O.K., so maybe we aren't that desperate, but we do like them. In fact we discuss as we are pulling into a new town "I wonder who has left us a comment?"
Till next time....
----WJLsr
Today we played scavenger hunt while driving....so you know it must have been a looooong drive. Tomorrow, we are up early, and driving to Colorado Springs. It is 5 hours, and we plan to be there for lunch. The afternoon is full with a visit to the "garden of the gods", a visit to the Air Force Academy and then a dinner at the Flying W Ranch.
I noticed that no one is leaving us any comments.....we solicit....no, we LIVE for those! O.K., so maybe we aren't that desperate, but we do like them. In fact we discuss as we are pulling into a new town "I wonder who has left us a comment?"
Till next time....
----WJLsr
Tuesday Morning and it's cold.....
No, not the temperature. It is what I have. I felt it coming on yesterday, and this morning I have it....a cold. Coughing.....grunge. Oh, well. Gotta push through. It is 7:40 Central Time, and we are going to try to leave by 9:00 a.m. No going up the arch. The news says the lines are long, long, long.
One more interesting tidbit....last night I was opening a starbucks coffee (cold one in a bottle). The lid burst off and coffee went everywhere. All over Julie's pocketbook, her two pillows, her magazine, my shirt, her shirt, the corner of the bed.
This morning, when we woke up, Julie looked at me and said, "I woke up to the smell coffee....would you go and get me some?" I told her "You are smelling the corner of the bed....". Her reply...."You're right....no wonder I dreamed about coffee all night long."
Well..gotta go. Too much to do, and my nose is running.
---WJLsr
One more interesting tidbit....last night I was opening a starbucks coffee (cold one in a bottle). The lid burst off and coffee went everywhere. All over Julie's pocketbook, her two pillows, her magazine, my shirt, her shirt, the corner of the bed.
This morning, when we woke up, Julie looked at me and said, "I woke up to the smell coffee....would you go and get me some?" I told her "You are smelling the corner of the bed....". Her reply...."You're right....no wonder I dreamed about coffee all night long."
Well..gotta go. Too much to do, and my nose is running.
---WJLsr
Monday, July 23, 2007
Monday in Missouri
First of all, we were NOT fighting....just a little bit frustrated. All is o.k., it was a momentary "tiff" while we were packing the car. I guess this means that, yes.....we too are human.
Anyway, I went shopping at Kroger early this morning in Nashville to buy ham and turkey for our picnic lunch. I also picked up some "healthy" snacks.....some kind of raisin, dried apple, cranberry, mystery berry combination. Boy, was that a hit! Let's see if I can recall...."What, no chocolate? What kind of snack is this? Let me do the shopping next time! Who eats this kind of stuff?" You get the picture.
Therefore, somewhere in Kentucky, we stopped at a Wendy's/BP Gas station (Will had to go to the bathroom). Three people said, "Yes!!!! I want a frostee!!" Being the ever-loving dad, who let's his arm get twisted WAY too often, I said o.k . I went into Wendy's, stood in line, finally got to the counter and order the Frostees, and the lady said "our machine isn't working...we don't have any frostee mix". Guess who got the DEEEP priviledge of going back outside to inform the gang that their freedom from healthfood by way of frostees wasn't going to happen. You got it.
Illinois seemed to be better, though, as by this time we had bought some candy, chocolate, etc. Plus, everyone watched a pretty funny movie. Darcy took a nice walk at the rest area, and on to St. Louis we came.
Crossing the river into St. Louis, we were able to see from a distance just how large the Arch really is. We found our hotel (Courtyard downtown), on market street, 4 blocks from Union Station. After checking in, we drove down to the arch and parked by the river. The sun was out, it was really pretty, and very few people around. We saw the local "FOX" news reporter, and we figured something was wrong. It was....the cable on one side of the arch had broken, and the people on the tram on that side had been stranded for over an hour and a half. We couldn't get tickets for the other half for this evening, so we went to Union Station. Will got a St. Louis Rams shirt, Hannah got some stuff for her dog, Julie got some fudge, and we ate at Houlihans. It was pretty, the waiter was kinda weird, and my chicken ceasar salad was a little dry. All in all, though, it was a good day. It goes to prove that just because things start off a little frisky, doesn't mean the day has to go that way!
We are contemplating going up the arch tomorrow...and then it is on to Hays Kansas. Hannah said today that she didn't think she had ever seen any place as flat as southern Illinois. I have news for her....wait until we cross Missouri and half of Kansas tomorrow. The definition of flat will change!
Until we reach Hays, Kansas......so long!
By the way, Marissa is trying very hard to win the "best kid award". Will, on the other hand, just wants someone to go swimming with him.
---WJLsr
Anyway, I went shopping at Kroger early this morning in Nashville to buy ham and turkey for our picnic lunch. I also picked up some "healthy" snacks.....some kind of raisin, dried apple, cranberry, mystery berry combination. Boy, was that a hit! Let's see if I can recall...."What, no chocolate? What kind of snack is this? Let me do the shopping next time! Who eats this kind of stuff?" You get the picture.
Therefore, somewhere in Kentucky, we stopped at a Wendy's/BP Gas station (Will had to go to the bathroom). Three people said, "Yes!!!! I want a frostee!!" Being the ever-loving dad, who let's his arm get twisted WAY too often, I said o.k . I went into Wendy's, stood in line, finally got to the counter and order the Frostees, and the lady said "our machine isn't working...we don't have any frostee mix". Guess who got the DEEEP priviledge of going back outside to inform the gang that their freedom from healthfood by way of frostees wasn't going to happen. You got it.
Illinois seemed to be better, though, as by this time we had bought some candy, chocolate, etc. Plus, everyone watched a pretty funny movie. Darcy took a nice walk at the rest area, and on to St. Louis we came.
Crossing the river into St. Louis, we were able to see from a distance just how large the Arch really is. We found our hotel (Courtyard downtown), on market street, 4 blocks from Union Station. After checking in, we drove down to the arch and parked by the river. The sun was out, it was really pretty, and very few people around. We saw the local "FOX" news reporter, and we figured something was wrong. It was....the cable on one side of the arch had broken, and the people on the tram on that side had been stranded for over an hour and a half. We couldn't get tickets for the other half for this evening, so we went to Union Station. Will got a St. Louis Rams shirt, Hannah got some stuff for her dog, Julie got some fudge, and we ate at Houlihans. It was pretty, the waiter was kinda weird, and my chicken ceasar salad was a little dry. All in all, though, it was a good day. It goes to prove that just because things start off a little frisky, doesn't mean the day has to go that way!
We are contemplating going up the arch tomorrow...and then it is on to Hays Kansas. Hannah said today that she didn't think she had ever seen any place as flat as southern Illinois. I have news for her....wait until we cross Missouri and half of Kansas tomorrow. The definition of flat will change!
Until we reach Hays, Kansas......so long!
By the way, Marissa is trying very hard to win the "best kid award". Will, on the other hand, just wants someone to go swimming with him.
---WJLsr
Thoughts from Hannah
Mom and Dad are fighting right now. "I hate vacations when we fuss. (insert naughty saying of the beach that cannot be displayed because mom and dad just freaked out and made me change it because it might hurt some people's feelings when really I thought it was just hilarious and showed how dramatic our family really is, and maybe if Dad was so embarrassed by what he said he shouldn't be saying those comments anyway! That was a run-on sentence, but I don't care!) If the world didn't have a beach it would be ok with me" -Dad "If the world didn't have a grand canyon it would be ok with me!" -Ansley
That's what I'm hearing right now.
Ansley is being a royal pain in the neck. She complains about everything that happens. I think this selfishness can be traced back to her childhood where our family motto for about 2 years was "what Ansley wants, Ansley gets." Darcy, on the other hand, has been wonderful. He sleeps a lot in the car and is overall happy. He slept with me through the whole night and only woke me up once by beating me in the head with his tail. He did pee on my blanket, but it's all good.
We're off to St. Louis where most of the world's crimes take place. Pray we don't get shot.
-H
That's what I'm hearing right now.
Ansley is being a royal pain in the neck. She complains about everything that happens. I think this selfishness can be traced back to her childhood where our family motto for about 2 years was "what Ansley wants, Ansley gets." Darcy, on the other hand, has been wonderful. He sleeps a lot in the car and is overall happy. He slept with me through the whole night and only woke me up once by beating me in the head with his tail. He did pee on my blanket, but it's all good.
We're off to St. Louis where most of the world's crimes take place. Pray we don't get shot.
-H
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Day 1 --- Country Music Nights
Well....not really. We are at the Fairfield Inn, Nashville Airport. Not exactly the Opryland Hotel. But I have to tell you, the whirlpool sure felt good!
Anyway, the kids had everything ready when I got home from Church, and all I had to do was load the SUV. And it's a good thing no one had gained any weight. We were (and are) packed like sardines (and no, I won't address the smell that sardines have in a small, enclosed space). The dumbo award for the day goes to me.....papa.....dad.....Jeff. It all started when Ansley didn't feel like eating before leaving the house. Of course, being the great, super father that I am, I made her eat a few bites of a turkey sandwich. Then, approximately 4 hours later....coming toward Rockwood, Tennessee....she was hungry...no, famished......or maybe even closer to dying of starvation. Much to my "stick to the schedule" shagrin, we stopped at McDonalds to buy her some fries, McNuggets (what part of the chicken is that made of, anyway?), and of course, everyone else wanted something also. We go to the drive-thru window, and here is where I won the bone-head award. The McDonald's cashier told me it would be $12.15. Soooo, I gave her a $10 dollar bill, and a $5 dollar bill. She looked at the money...looked at me.....and said, "it is $12.15..." I told her, "yes, I know, that is why i gave you a 10 and a 5...you can give me the change". She smiled, and said, "sir....you gave me a $100 bill and a $5 bill...." Yes, she was right. How stupid was I. How honest was she! Needless to say, while in Nashville tonight, any song by Johnny "CASH", would be very appropriate.
We are up and on the road by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, heading for St. Louis. Maybe I can do better with our money tomorrow.
--WJLsr
Anyway, the kids had everything ready when I got home from Church, and all I had to do was load the SUV. And it's a good thing no one had gained any weight. We were (and are) packed like sardines (and no, I won't address the smell that sardines have in a small, enclosed space). The dumbo award for the day goes to me.....papa.....dad.....Jeff. It all started when Ansley didn't feel like eating before leaving the house. Of course, being the great, super father that I am, I made her eat a few bites of a turkey sandwich. Then, approximately 4 hours later....coming toward Rockwood, Tennessee....she was hungry...no, famished......or maybe even closer to dying of starvation. Much to my "stick to the schedule" shagrin, we stopped at McDonalds to buy her some fries, McNuggets (what part of the chicken is that made of, anyway?), and of course, everyone else wanted something also. We go to the drive-thru window, and here is where I won the bone-head award. The McDonald's cashier told me it would be $12.15. Soooo, I gave her a $10 dollar bill, and a $5 dollar bill. She looked at the money...looked at me.....and said, "it is $12.15..." I told her, "yes, I know, that is why i gave you a 10 and a 5...you can give me the change". She smiled, and said, "sir....you gave me a $100 bill and a $5 bill...." Yes, she was right. How stupid was I. How honest was she! Needless to say, while in Nashville tonight, any song by Johnny "CASH", would be very appropriate.
We are up and on the road by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, heading for St. Louis. Maybe I can do better with our money tomorrow.
--WJLsr
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Getting Ready
O.K., so here's the deal. Julie and the kids are upstairs doing their "final preparations" for our trip to the Grand Canyon. IF we survive each other, we might just have the trip of a lifetime. However, tired is what we all are right now, and we haven't even left the driveway. I just returned from Japan last night, where I survived a typhoon AND an earthquake...while Hannah and Ansley just returned from Salkehatchee, a mission week working on substandard housing in rural South Carolina. That left Julie to handle all of the details this week, Marissa to finish working, and Will to attend basketball camp all week. Therefore....we are already TIRED!
BUT......tomorrow is another day. After church tomorrow, the LaneFamJam loads up in the Expedition (dog also!), and we drive from Spartanburg to Nashville. Night two will be in St. Louis, night three in the middle of nowhere Kansas, and nights four and five in Colorado Springs, Co. Pikes Peak, here we come! Then we travel to Mesa Verda, Four Corners, the Grand Canyon, Painted Desert, Winslow, Arizona (where we will stand on the corner), Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Cadillac Ranch, Lubbock Texas, Oklahoma City, and our final night in Memphis, Tennessee. Once again, survival is the key to the trip and we will try to keep you posted. Pray for us.....we will need it.
BUT......tomorrow is another day. After church tomorrow, the LaneFamJam loads up in the Expedition (dog also!), and we drive from Spartanburg to Nashville. Night two will be in St. Louis, night three in the middle of nowhere Kansas, and nights four and five in Colorado Springs, Co. Pikes Peak, here we come! Then we travel to Mesa Verda, Four Corners, the Grand Canyon, Painted Desert, Winslow, Arizona (where we will stand on the corner), Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Cadillac Ranch, Lubbock Texas, Oklahoma City, and our final night in Memphis, Tennessee. Once again, survival is the key to the trip and we will try to keep you posted. Pray for us.....we will need it.
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