5,000+miles part 2

4/1/14
MN-->IA-->NE-->CO roughly 14hrs.
Wake up super early (4:30 ish) and get on the road while it's still dark.
Watching the fog blanket the...corn. Scratch scratch. The haze over the maize. Iowa

 

 

Of course when we saw this sign by the gas station we stopped at we had to get a photo

The trails west. Nebraska

We have driven under this overpass museum a few times.  Always at inconvenient times, but this time we decided it would be a good place to stop and stretch our legs.  Something different than sitting.  It was a very good history of heading west tour. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I found this quote inspiring for journaling again.  It seemed like much of the understanding for the exhibits came from reading Mormon pioneer journals.  I think I remember reading something or hearing something about journalist sources or military sources being very biased in their writing, but the Mormon pioneers wrote about what they were experiencing, including the day to day stuff.  That kind of stuff is very helpful for re-creating an experience of what pioneer life was like.  Keep on writing!

"These excerpts, selected from thousands of faded Pioneer journals, tell us how it was on the trail for the Mormon Pioneers, who in spite of daily toil, hardships, and death, left us a thousand windows into the past." 

 

 

So far our journey is going well.  No major incidences.  No fighting kids.  Oh, I did assign seats and didn't allow for any switching.  It worked for us.  The kids checked out a bunch of books from the library and were pretty excited to read them.  No car sickness either.  Pretty straight and level roads this part of the journey though.  We enjoyed snacking on our Pringles.  The only time I buy them is for road trips.  It just makes it kind of fun.

Farm becomes ranch. Colorado

 

 Last stop, Colorado Springs, Colorado!  My cousin Wendy's house!  I haven't seen her in 21 years.  Crazy.  It was SO good to see her again.  We loved spending the night there.  Her kids are so wonderful and my kids miss them a little even though they only met them once.  I kinda wish we were neighbors.  Or at least much closer.  It was cute because Henry was saying things like, "We've never met them, what if we don't like the same stuff, what if they don't like us or think we are weird?"  "She has kids pretty close in age to each of you.  Trust me, you are going to like a lot of the same stuff.  You're going to get along great.  Her kids are very friendly.  Plus, they have a Henry too that's younger than you so you are going to be instant buddies."  I was totally right.  Because moms are ;-).  I stayed up until 1 in the morning talking to my cousin.  It was great.  The teenagers stayed up late too- and tried to convince me I should just pull an all-nighter.  I'm too old...and when Wendy and I last tried that as kids I threw up the next day. ;-)  Thank you for letting us stay, Wendy :-)