Trip of a Lifetime!

I wrote this little "snippet" for our friends at North Winona Church of the Brethren's Newsletter.

Thought you all would enjoy it too....

Trip of a Lifetime! 

September 1, 2014 - October 2, 2014

Proverbs 3:23, 26

You'll travel safely,

You'll neither tire or trip.

Because God will be right there with you; 

He'll keep you safe and sound.

-Almost everyday we woke up to sunshine and moderate temperatures.

-We traveled 7,501 miles.

-We were in 15 states and 2 Canadian Provinces. We were a few hours from Alaska and 15 minutes  from the Mexican Border.

-Our lowest temperature was 28 degrees in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada.

-Our highest temperature was 102 degrees in Southern Arizona.

-We crossed the Missouri River five different times in the states of Iowa, South Dakota, Montana, Kansas and Missouri.

-We were in 15 National Parks and Forests, plus numerous State Parks and Points of Interests.

-We saw buffalo, coyote, mountain goats, eagles, and different varieties western birds. We were hoping to see moose and elk and maybe a bear from a distance.....but, nothing appeared.....

-We stayed 22 nights in various Holiday Inn Expresses.

-We stayed other nights in Yellowstone Lodge, Glacier National Lodge,

Lake Louise Cottage, LaConner Channel Lodge in Washington, Mt. Shasta Resort in California and with my sister at their Condo in Coronado, California.

-We ate salmon and oysters........Isn't that what you're supposed to eat when you visit the Northwest? 

We chose not to eat at McDonalds too many times while traveling.

-Our snacks on the road were: Trail Mix, grapes, carrots and apples, fishy crackers, cheese and crackers, 

peanut M & M's and........Phil's gummi bears.

-The highest we paid for gas was $4.39/gal. in Arizona and $2.39/gal in New Mexico.

-We went to two places to just get "destination decals,".....

1. Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, traveling 5,200 feet in elevation.

2. Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota...... Suckered into a tourist trap!

-We went to three National Sites that were not planned; Badlands in South Dakota, 

Mt. St. Helens, Washington and the Petrified Forest in Arizona.

-Phil wanted to see the Monterey Peninsula and Pebble Beach Golf Course.

We were fortunate to have lunch "on" the 18th green at Pebble Beach Golf Course.

The first time we ever saw seals and sea lions in their natural habitat was on Monterey Peninsula on the Pacific Ocean driving the scenic "17 Mile Drive."

Phil played golf twice with my brother-in-law, Jim....... However, not at Pebble Beach!

-We ate lunch in the Hotel Del Coronado, in California, where the comedy movie in 1959, "Some Like It Hot," starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon was filmed. Our views at the Hotel Del were of the Pacific Ocean.

-We did not have time to see the Redwoods or the Sequoias or the Grand Canyon or Mesa Verde, Colorado (Cliff Dwellers)

-We planned to see the Canadian Rockies, Yellowstone, Glacier National Park,

LaConner, Washington, and the Pacific Ocean.

-But, most of all, I wanted to spend time with my sister and her family.....which we did in Mt. Shasta and Coronado, California and visiting my Aunt and Uncle and Family in Kansas City......totaling parts of 14 days.

-We planned this trip for two years prior to going......we felt that NOW was the time to take the trip, while we could still move and we both felt healthy....we would recommend going in late summer - to early fall.....missing the snow in the mountains and greater numbers of tourists at the National Parks...... However, Calgary, Alberta, Canada experienced an early 10 inches of snow the next day after we passed through when we were driving in 3 inches of snow.

-We were in awe of the majesty of the mountains, and how geologists were able to date rocks and their formations to over a billion years.

-We wondered how the pioneers survived getting to the "remote" areas of this mountainess wilderness.

-I enjoyed "doing" the blog and felt all of us were "connected."

-We thanked God every day for our safe journey. 

-My prayer was; 

"Dear Lord, please be with us every inch, every foot, every yard, every mile of this trip. Please take us home safely." ..........and He answered our prayer!

Journey Mercies