Our coolest road trip as old people started with a stop at Arches National Park...I'd never been here before, and Pat had only been once about a thousand years ago. The weather was perfect, and so was the scenery! Highlights included the double arch and a hike to the delicate arch...we smoked several of the other senior hikers along the path...hooah!
After Arches, we headed for southern Colorado and drove through several scary mountain passes, but the scenery was celestial and compensated for winding around bottomless drop offs on narrow windy roads.
We took another byway to Chimney Rock, the one in southern Colorado, and the site of some Anastazi Indian ruins. The view from the top was spectacular. The people in this area would track the seasons by tracking how the moon rose between the rocks, timing their planting and other native stuff.
We spent the night at Ft. Carson and stopped by our old quarters from when we lived there (1980-82). We were surprised to see they were still standing! Ben and Joe should remember them; Katie was three when we moved and Steve, just 4 months old.
Fast forward to Whippoorwill Farm and James eyeing a cool walking stick.
Could there be any cuter kids on the planet? I don't think so!
Cousins and chicken nuggets...what could be better? The chow was GREAT, and we thank all you amazing women for being such good planners and cooks!
Well I guess if you add in a bounce house, that could make it better! Thanks again to Bethany!
Getting close to the perfect jump shot.
Discerning movie critics always like Tom and Jerry.
Our favorite church congregation ever.
The three amigos!
Handsome crew #1
Handsome crew #2
Line-up of adorables!
Handsome crew #3
Handsome crew #4
Handsome crew #5 and the ideal couple for a toothpaste commercial!
Handsome crew #6
Intrepid, fantastic, handsome crew #7
Best marshmallow roast ever!
Blue grass and raindrops
After the reunion, we spent a couple of days with Dave and family. One day we went to Theodore Roosevelt Island for a picnic. Dad worked there the summer before we got married, at least 1000 years ago.
The last time Pat and I visited the DC Temple was in 1998! It's still beautiful.
Raising a bunch of rockers!
Beautiful Stella with the old dude.
After visiting David and Wendy we spent a couple days with Ben and Marinda, and visited the National Capitol Mall which never gets old!
A proud parenting moment at Ben's promotion...most of our favorite soldiers in one photo...wonderful! It was great to have a follow-on mini reunion with the east coast contingent.
On the way back west, we first stopped at the Flight 93 Memorial in Pennsylvania, very moving and sobering. The next stop was in Cleveland where we went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and I almost swooned at being surrounded by all of the Beatles memorabilia...fun to feel 14 again for a few hours!
Quintessential Rocker! Doesn't he still look like he's 18 in spite of multiple wounds?!
Disclaimer: Dad posted the photos so the order is, as usual, somewhat jumbled. And the family photos were taken as you all were getting ready for the posed shots with the photographer, so we're confident the final versions will be even better. Thanks to all for making the effort to be with us and for making this such a wonderful month for our family. Keep up the good work raising those precious children of yours!!! And be happy!
Love, Gramma and Grampa
