Not much to say. We drove and drove and drove. We are in Arkadelphia, Arkansas tonight and will be home tomorrow.
Love N and P

This morning we headed for the Gateway Arch. Underneath the Arch is the Westward Expansion Museum. Ron has been looking forward to this since we went to Oregon and he found out that one of Lewis and Clark's peace metals is located here. This probably does not excite any of your too much but my historian husband really wanted to see it in person. We strolled around in downtown St. Louis for a while and then hit the road again. We stopped by the Transportation Museum and got caught in the rain so we had to sit down a few minutes. The picture is of Ron waiting out the 10 minute rain storm. We are now headed south (at least for now) and are staying about 30 miles south of St. Louis. We have no specific plans for tomorrow, but there is no telling what we will find!

Love N and P

This morning we found the burial site of Ron's great great grandfather. He was captured in the Civil War and sent to the prison camp at Alton, Illinois. He died about 6 month later and was buried in this cemetery. There is a monument dedicated to the soldiers and their names are on the monument. After that we had a full day of site seeing. We went to the place where Lewis and Clark began their journey, we took a tour of the dam and lock system on the Mississippi River and we went to a site of old Indian ruins. We finally made it to St. Louis and will stay here for the night.

Love N and P

Today we spent the day in Springfield, Illinois visiting museums and other sites about Abraham Lincoln. The presidential library and museum are just 2 years old and are excellent. I have learned so much about the history of our country that I am almost ready to go back and start teaching it. Well I guess I can wait awhile. The pictures are of me standing with the Lincoln family and Ron talking things over with young Abe. Tonight we are in Alton, Illinois - just across the river from St. Louis. Tomorrow we head for St. Louis, the Gateway Arch and more museums.

Love N and P

This afternoon we stopped at Hannibal, Missouri - the home of Mark Twain. We were able to visit his museum/homeplace and to see an actor portray him in a one man show. Who would have ever guessed that we would have found a lighthouse in Missouri, but we did. It was overlooking the Mississippi River at Hannibal. We walked up 234 steps and when we got to the top we found out there was a road that went up there! Oh well, I guess the exercise was good for us.

We looked on the map and discovered that Springfield, Illinois was only 100 miles east of Hannibal. Springfield is the home of Abraham Lincoln. So what is another 100 miles. We got into Springfield at about 6:00pm and discovered that there was a production of the musical Peter Pan at an outdoor theater. We went, the weather was perfect, and the talent was extraordinary.

Tomorrow we will go the Lincoln Presidential Library and all the related museums.

Love N and P

We slipped over into Kansas to visit Fort Scott this morning. Ron may get his fill of looking down cannon barrels on this trip. We drove north to Independence, Missouri and visited the Truman Presidential Library. I learned more about WWII and the effect it had on our country that I ever learned in school.

We stopped today in Macon, Missouri and will head to Hannibal, Missouri tomorrow to check out Mark Twain's Mississippi River attractions.

Love N and P

Downtown Eureka Springs is unique. Imagine the town of Fredricksburg smushed into a little mounatin town with really skinny streets. We walked up and down the streets, stopped at noon at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and had dark chocolate for lunch! --Well, we are on vacation!!! After leaving we drove up the western part of Missouri and stopped at the town of Carthage. We stopped at the Precious Moments museum and chapel. We spent about 3 hours walking the grounds of the complex and being amazed at the talent of the artist. He painted the chapel with murals of his Precious Moments children. In the picture you can see behind us the "playhouse" he built for his grandchildren on an island in the river that runs by his house. Sorry grandkids - no river so no island playhouse.

We stopped for the night in Nevada, Missouri.

Love N and P

We spent today at the Passion Play complex. The picture is in front of the Christ of the Ozarks -- a huge statue overlooking the town of Eureka Springs. We went on a tour of a representation of the Holy Land. We stopped at and listened to actors give information by playing the parts of several people in the Bible. One of the most interesting was the Tabernacle. We went to a wonderful bible museum. They had bibles dating back to the 1500's. Of course the highlight of the day - or night was the Passion Play. These people are really committed to portraying the events of Christ's last week. We will take the trolly into Eureka Springs tomorrow (it is too crazy to try to drive it) and then head out after that. We really have not decided where we are going yet!!

Love N and P

This morning we got up to rain, but -in the words of Michael Pittman - we put on our "nachos" and went on. We toured some more museums, forts and after the rain stopped -the Pea Ridge Civil War Site. We arrived in Eureka Springs after a roller coaster ride through the Ozarks. Tomorrow we have a full day here - tours, museums, food and the Passion Play.

Love N and P

Today we meandered through Western Arkansas. I felt like I was in North Georgia. On every trip we accidently find a "jewel" and for Ron we found it today. In the small town of Mena, Arkansas there is a museum - which is actually a private museum- that houses cars, motorcycles, old pedal cars and advertising. The man had some of the most remarkable cars and pedal cars in his collection. It was not open and the people at the visitors center called and had the owner come down. The car that I am sitting in is a 1947 Cadillac -- it is the same age as I am!!! Ron is standing by a T-bucket Roadster. Ron will probably remember all the details of the cars so he can fill you in when we get home. We are in Fort Smith, Arkansas tonight and will tour the local sights tomorrow.

Love N and P

On the road again!!! We left this morning around 8:00 and it took us almost all day to get out of Texas. We stopped today in Hope, Arkansas --- birthplace of Ann Metz! Tomorrow we will do a little genealogy and then head up the western part of Arkansas. We are staying across from a Baskin Robbins. Ron couldn't decide between Mint chocolate chip and Rocky road -- so he got both!!!

Love N and P

This morning we went to Mount St. Helens and toured the various visitor centers and information centers. We drove up to where the mountain erupted. --Very interesting--

Then we headed to Seatte and got a good look at Mount Rainier.

We delivered the car to Julie and are now waiting until morning to come home. It has been a great trip!

Love N and P

We finally made it to Washington. This morning we went to a Naval air museum that was housed in a blimp hanger. We saw a Corsair - the kind of airplane that Daddy worked on when he was in the Navy. We then drove up the Oregon Coast - breathtaking sights -and went to Fort Clatsop ---a Lewis and Clark Museum. It was excellent - especially for history lovers. As we were crossing into Washington we got our first glimps of Mount St. Helens. Tomorrow hopefully we will see Mount St. Helens and Mt. Rainier up close before we head into Seattle.

Love N and P

Today we went of a river boat cruise on the Columbia River. We saw some windsurfers and kite surfers. The boys would love to try this. We took some videos. It was so cold they had to wear wet suits.

Then we headed for the Oregon coast. Ron had seen an ad for a Flight Museum that housed the Spruce Goose. You will need to look this up. It is a huge airplane built in 1947. They build this museum just to house it. The best part was that they had a B-17 - one of the planes that Gramps was a navigator on. Today they just happened to have that airplane open so that you could go through it. So Ron got to investigate this plane. That was exciting for him.

WE are staying on the coast in Tillimook, Oregon. Tomorrow we will drive up the coat.

Love N and P

Today we left Utah and headed into Oregon where we are traveling along the Columbia River. We stopped for the night at Hood River and are staying right on the Columbia River. The moon is full and I feel like I am at the beach without the sand and humidity. We are close enough to Seattle that we can take it easy for the next 3 days and do some serious sightseeing -- historical sights -here we come. We will probably be near experts of Lewis and Clark when we get home ----of course Ron already is!

We drove south a few miles and saw Mount Hood. The sun was going down and parts of the mountain looked like it was on fire.

Love N and P

Today we drove all the way across Wyoming, across the northeast edge of Utah, and half way across the southern part of Idaho. We stopped for the night at Twin Falls, Idaho. We had a great drive --all flat interstate at 75 mph except the part through Utah. That was through the mountains. Ron had a blast going through those mountains at 75 mph. Me---I had my eyes shut!

Twin Falls is on the Snake River and over millions of years the river has cut a deep and wide canyon. The town has made a walking path along the rim of the canyon. We had a great workout on that path. There is a place on the rim of the canyon that Evil Kinevil tried to jump over the canyon on a motorcycle. Can you imagine anyone - even a nut- who would try to jump across this canyon?

Ron took about 50 pictures of this bridge across the canyon and river because it shows a parabolic curve. That is a term that only math teachers can love!!!

We are having a great time.

Love N and P

Today we traveled across Colorado. The entire way north we could see the Rocky Mountains -- the tops still covered with snow. We stopped tonight in Cheyenne, Wyoming. We ate at an old refurbished hotel in downtown Cheyenne. There was a plaza there with this boot.

Tomorrow we will head across Wyoming and through Utah.

Love N and P

We spent the night in Lubbock on Saturday night. It was a long day of driving but Papaw got to "hang out" with Buddy Holly -- at least his statue.

Today we went to Fort Davis National Park and had our daily history lesson. We also spent about 4 hours at McDonald Observtory. That was really a treat. We went on a tour of the place and got to see how those huge telescopes work. Then we went back tonight for a star party. They had about 10 telescopes set up on different stars or planets. That was really cool. We will have to get our telescope out when we get home to try to find some of them. Speaking of getting home --- that will be tomorrow or since it is now after midnight that will be today. We will see you soon. Love N and P

Today we went to Carlsbad Caverns. Papaw is about to head down into the cavern. The entrance to the cavern is a mile long walk down a slanted walkway that descends 750 feet. I felt like I was on a blue ski slope. The walk around the cavern was about 1.5 miles. It was 58 degrees. That was a wonderful switch from our 100 degree walks. Of course the sights down there were fantastic. We are staying tonight in Alpine, TX, and tomorrow we will go to McDonald Observatory. If the weather is good we will stay for the star gazing at night. We will be home probably Sat. evening. We can't wait to see all of you. Love, N and P

We left Durango this morning and drove and drove and drove and ended up in Carlsbad, NM. We drove all the way across New Mexico. We did not intend to travel so far but "there were no rooms in the inns" along the way. We did have two stops. We stopped at a Balloon Museum. It had a history of hot air balloons. It was quite intersting, however, it did not make me want to go up in one. We also went to the New Mexico National History Museum. Both stops were enjoyable. We had not planned on getting all the way to Carlsbad, but now that we are here we will not have to drive far to the cavern tomorrow. We love you and will be home probably Saturday. Love N and P

Today we visited Mesa Verde. These are ruins that were left by people 1200 years ago who lived in the sides of the canyon walls. The picture shows Papaw and me with the pueblo Cliff Palace in the background. We had to walk about 60 feet down very steep rock steps to get there and to get out we had to climb up ladders propped against the rock walls. I am really getting brave. We visited many more sites in the park. We are staying the night in Durango, CO. Unfortunately the ski slopes are not open. We are still having a wonderful time but we have started our homeward journey. Love N and P