Keri got a shot in her back to help her with her pain and Neal loaded up the van like a master and we were ready to start our trip to Yellowstone! Neal would be joining us in Salt Lake City, Utah by plane.
Always the least exciting. We started at Buc-ee's and got garbage to eat and then we tried to make it across Texas. We almost always stop in Amarillo the first night. Fun at Cadillac Ranch (again) and then binging on TV in our hotel room.
Day 2
Our family loves when Kara and Nate (a young couple living the van life) repeat the current state over and over until they cross into the new state and joyfully yell the name of the new state. So we incorporated this into our travels, knowing we'd have plenty of opportunities.
We entered New Mexico in this fashion and stopped in Tucumcari to make our way around town to spot several of the many beautifully done murals there.
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| Embracing the weirdness |
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Day 3
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center today. We learned a ton and from a different perspective. We ate indigenous cuisine for lunch and, as beekeepers, we were curious to sample some local honeys. After an afternoon of driving to Durango, we walked by the river and waved at rafters.
Day 4
Morning horse riding and Mesa Verde for the afternoon. We went horse riding for 2 hours, which is exactly 1 hour and 15 minutes more than my backside could take. But Mancos was beautiful! My horse is a movie star but I don't remember what films because I generally live under a rock. Mesa Verde was hot, interesting, and quick. We started with an audio tour but ditched it half way through to just pop out to check out the ruins at our own speed. Saw Wilson Arch on our way into Moab and grabbed cold ice cream sundaes at a local diner to finish out my birthday.
Arches National Park was so much fun. When planning for this day, I asked the kids which of the hikes or sights they felt were the top three. This way we could make sure we got those in before the noon day sun and fill in with other things when possible. We entered the park at 6:30 am to beat the crowds and the heat. We went straight through to Landscape Arch and worked pass the crowds on our way back. With lots of water, salty snacks, and enthusiasm, we took on Arches like pros! I was really proud of the kids and myself. It was beautiful. We did hit our last stop at noon and made sure we rested in the shade of the arches before heading back to the van in full sun. The nearby La Sal Mountains were on fire and there was a lot of smoke in the background but it didn't affect us in the park.
Driving through Utah desert, passing only a few small towns that afternoon, I thought who would live here?! Well, apparently, my third great grandparents--James and Elizabeth Ivie! At the hotel, I was scrolling through my genealogy app, and realized my 3rd great grandparents were buried in a cemetery 20 minutes from where we were staying overnight! I backtracked 20 miles and found their gravestone just before dark! As and added bonus I also saw two large barn owls at the cemetery edge!
More dead people! On the way out to my cousin's we stopped in another isolated town my great-great grandparents had help establish, Scipio, Utah. This one I knew about and had planned on visiting Daniel and Lydia Thompson's graves. Then lots and lots of cousin time in the Salt Lake area! My kids literally ran around with their cousins non-stop for 3 days--no fights, no whining, just non-stop interaction and fun! I got some sweet time with my Aunt Lacey and visited my Uncle Rick's grave, who had passed during 2020 from cancer. Neal flew in and we did our last minute meal planning and shopping before heading out of town for Yellowstone!
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| Barbara, Keri, Elsie, Aunt Lacey |
