Road Trip - The Last Hours

Thursday, April 23rd

Snoqualmie Pass

While Brian was pumping gas and I was cleaning the bugs off the windshield and still wearing the summer clothes, we were shivering. We had packed up our winter clothes early in our trip, pushing them to the deep crevices in the back of the truck not knowing they would be needed again. After we left the redwoods we didn't need them. Yesterday I wished I had them on. It was down right cold. There was a part of me hoping that when we returned home it would be spring, not winter still.

Snoqualmie pass still has tons of snow. There wasn't any snow on the road but it was snowing as we crossed over.

It is good to be home so that we can see our girls again. I'm looking forward to seeing my local relatives and friends. I missed everyone but I must say that I didn't miss the cold.

**Note**

I'm going to fill in with additional photos on some of the previous days posts. The internet connection was slow on some days making it difficult if not impossible to upload photos.

Road Trip - Day 33

Thursday, April 23rd

Outside of Yellowstone National Park in MontanaLook closely at the photo above to see the long horn sheep speckled in the hillside. Looking up hillside we saw maybe ten long horn sheep camouflaged into the landscape. Seven in the photo above and three more nearby.

If the first three long horn sheep were not on the roadside we never would of noticed the ones on the hillside.

We are about four hours outside of Seattle, so this will most likely be my last post about our road trip. It definately was a trip that I'll never forget. Brian asked me yesterday which part was my favorite. I thought for a few minutes and I couldn't reply. There were too many, I couldn't choose just one or a couple. But I must say that visiting with all of our relatives and friends were great. Some of those people we hadn't seen in 15 years. Thank you to all our friends and relatives for their hospitality and when you make it to the Pacific Northwest we will try to make your trip as wonderful as you've made ours.

Road Trip - Day 32

Wednesday, April 22nd

Happy Birthday to my Mother-in-Law, Ellie

The Tetons

Road Trip - Day 31 (continued)

Tuesday, April 21st

(continued)

Yellowstone National ParkOld Faithful

Elk grazing

An up close and personal view with a Bison.
Check out the reflection in the hood of Brian's truck. It was definately too close for me, and Brian was on cloud 9.


An archway at the north entrance to the park:
Yellowstone National Park
For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People
Created by Act of Congress

March 1, 1872

This morning we intended to enter Yellowstone via the south entrance, however after driving up there, we found out the south entrance to the park was closed. We had to turn around and go in the west entrance. Boy that put a damper on the day, however we were able to see fantastic views of the Tetons. There wasn't a cloud in the sky at the time. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing after all. Immediately after entering Yellowstone we encountered some elk near the rivers edge, just a few feet from the road. Not far up the road there were bison in the road. There were approximately a dozen of them trotting down the middle of the road. We were blown away. I was frightened and Brian was excited. Wildlife sightings included swans, deer, geese, elk, bison, coyote or wolf, and moose. Mostly we saw Bison and Elk.

Road Trip - Day 31

Tuesday, April 21st

Jackson Hole, WyomingJust a few elk horns

Ski slope in Jackson Hole


Another view of the slopes in Jackson Hole. We saw several skiers and snowboarders making their way down the hills. Some with their dogs running behind. They must have hiked up in order to ski down since the lifts were not running. Now that is exercise.

I'll try to take a few more photos of the town today before we leave for Yellowstone. It is a beautiful community with an old western flair.

Road Trip - Day 30

Monday, April 20th

Scenic View of the mountains in Wyoming Hundreds of elk feeding off the side of the highway. This photo only shows a few of the many that were there. At first I thought they were sheep, but with a closer examination and with Brian yelling at me ( I mean "telling"), I was mistaken, they were ELK.

What a privilege to see this off the side of the road.

Afton, Wyoming
Elk horn Archway over the roadway in town.

We traveled north towards Jackson, weaving in and out of states. Starting out in Nephi, Utah, then crossing over into Wyoming, then back to Utah, back to Wyoming, then into Idaho and finally back into Wyoming. It was quite an interesting drive north towards Yellowstone.

See we did go over into Idaho.

Unfortunately Utah doesn't welcome its travelers with a sign. At first I thought that I had missed the sign when we first came over the state line from the Grand Canyon yesterday. However after traveling in and out of Utah today, there weren't any signs. So Brian and I decided to take photos of the Wyoming and Idaho welcome signs.

Mountain views, I think these mountains were outside of Provo, Utah. I could be wrong. As you know we had a long day and with all of those crossings over state lines, who knows what mountains they are.

Tomorrow we plan to go north and into Yellowstone National Park. Hopefully we'll be able to see some things. Our lunch waitress informed us that much of Yellowstone is still closed for winter. Old Faithful is suppose to be open, so at least we'll see that.

Road Trip - Day 29

Sunday, April 19th

Glen Canyon Dam and Bryce Canyon

A marina off in the distance and up river from the dam.

Glen Canyon Dam

Bryce Canyon

This morning we visited the Glen Canyon Dam. It is constructed in much the same manner as Hoover Dam. At the visitors center we purchased a Utah map so we could figure out our path for the day. We went north to Bryce Canyon. On our way into the park we saw a peek of the HooDoo’s They are rock columns and suppose to look like people. Some of the photos above show my favorite sights for the day. After going to Bryce Canyon we hit the highway again and ended our day in Nephi, Utah, just outside of Provo, Utah.

Road Trip - Day 28

Saturday, April 18th

The Grand Canyon

Vinnie, Carla and Brian

Snowy mountains somewhere around Flagstaff.

Indian Arts and Crafts Fair at a scenic overlook.

Scenic Overlook on our way to the Grand Canyon

Vinnie and Carla are leaving us and the Grand Canyon to head back to Sun City.

Good Bye and Thank you so much for your hospitality Vinnie and Carla.

I believe this is a Raven. We have tons of crows in Seattle, but I've never seen a raven.

Ravens are so big

Brian and I enjoyed our trip to Sedona and the Grand Canyon with my brother, Vinnie and his wife Carla. The sights were incredible. The Grand Canyon is a sight I hope everyone has a chance to see. You can't quite get the magnitude of the Grand Canyon until you see it in person. Many people told us that and when I stood on the overlook at the first vista point while in the park, I knew they were right. It is incredible!

At the end of our journey, Vinnie and Carla drove south and we drove east to get around the canyon so we could head north. We are grateful for their hospitality during the last week. It allowed us to be able to spend time with all of Brian's relatives in the greater Phoenix area. Thank you Vinnie and Carla. Tonight we are spending the night in Page, Arizona.

Road Trip - Day 27

Friday, April 17th

Trip to Sedona, Arizona

Wild Horse Burgers

This place is a no nonsense place but is quite well known for their burgers. I have to agree, great burgers.

Montezuma Castle National Monument

Check out the Hopi Indian homes carved into the mountain.

Red Rock formations near Sedona

Road Trip - Day 26

Thursday, April 16th

Dave Capeloto playing the piano at Ruffino's

Ellie, Dave and Brian

Brian with his Uncle Bill

Today we ventured out to Chandler, Arizona to visit Brian's relatives. First we tried to see his mother, who was vacationing down here, however she wasn't home so we tried his Uncle Bill and Aunt Jeanne's house around the corner. Jeanne wasn't home, but we did visit with Uncle Bill for a while. We decided to go to Ruffino's for lunch and hopefully meet up with Dave, Brian's cousin. Before heading out, we drove back around the corner to see if Ellie and Pam had returned. Luckily they were home. We chatted with both of them and then asked if they wanted to go see Dave. Ellie decided to go with us, because she had already seen the Titanic exhibit that the others were going to. We had a wonderful lunch and it was fun to reconnect with Dave again. It is amazing that the more people we see, we realize that everyone seems the same. I guess that is a good thing. We had another sunny day in Arizona. If you have a moment check back a few days to see the additional photos I am uploading of Vinnie and Carla's beautiful home.

Road Trip - Day 25

Tuesday, April 15th

Tax Day

Mike's Hot Tub

Mike and Claudia's hot tub seats something like twenty people. I can't remember how many jets he said it has but it has a ton of them. This hot tub was the most beautiful tub I've ever seen. Check out that waterfall. Another waterfall is on the far side that you can't see. The waterfall pools into a pond and has a bridge to walk over. Their backyard landscape incorporates many northwest elements like greenery, colorful flowers and water. These elements help them from missing the northwest. I wish that I had taken more photos.

Road Trip - Day 24

Tuesday, April 14th

Anthem, Arizona

Claudia and Mike

Brian and Mike

Today was spent visiting with Brian's cousin, Mike and his wife, Claudia. It's been a while since we were able to just sit down and chat. When Mike and Claudia come to Seattle they are so busy with so many relatives to visit that we never have that much time to chat. So today was nice, it was just the four of us.

Road Trip - Day 23

Monday, April 13th

Cave Creek, Arizona

Cave Creek Information Center

Metal Sculptures

Quiet Moments

Brian and I drove back up to Cave Creek to see the town. Saturday when we stopped in to visit Steve and Franca most of the town has closed up for the night. The pictures above show the town as if was a step back in time. We loved looking at all of the adobe homes and hillsides peppered with cactus. This trip has shown mother nature at its finest and we are totally enjoying every moment.

Road Trip - Day 22

Happy Easter!
Sunday, April 12th

Carla and Vinnie

Vinnie's morning ritual of relaxing in his back yard, by the pool with a golf course view

Golf course looking right from the back yard.

Golf course view looking left in the back yard.

Vinnie and Carla's home in Corta Bella

Pool in their back yard

Today has been such a kick back day. Vinnie golfed in the morning while Brian got his truck washed. Carla and I did a little shopping. After we got home I made a big pot of Chicken Chili for lunch. It was nice to see the sun shining again after yesterdays cold rainy day. This evening Carla and my brother made us a delicious dinner. Happy Easter everyone!

Road Trip - Day 21

Saturday, April 10th

Steve and FrancaGuess who we visited today in Cave Creek, AZ? Currently we are sitting back and enjoying our friends. More photos tomorrow...

Road Trip - Day 20

Friday, April 10th

Landscape photo on our way to Arizona.

The following are photos of the park in Indio, CA

Entrance gate to Rancho Casa Blanca
Side entrance water featureLooking down to the main clubhouseMain ClubhouseWater feature on the Golf Course
Today we have met up with my brother and excited to be visiting for a few days.

Road Trip - Day 19

Thursday, April 9th

I've been trying to upload some photos of the place that we stayed at while in Indio, however the internet is very slow, maybe tomorrow. We spent most of the day cleaning up and packing our things for our upcoming travels. Today we are heading out in the late afternoon for Sun City West, AZ.

Road Trip - Day 18

Wednesday, April 8th

Uncle Jack and Auntie Jan

Brian and Auntie Jan

Auntie Jan in her personalized golf cart. She is buzzing all around delivering artichokes to everyone this evening. The wind kicked up and was kinda chilly this evening. I had to put on a jacket. Tomorrow we plan to get things together for our travels. Again, as much as I'm excited to see my brother and sister-in-law, it will be hard to leave Brian's family. Vinnie, we'll be there soon!

I'm losing track of days and will have to go back to each post and put the day of the week. Some days I don't get to post and I think putting the days of the week will help me.

Road Trip - Day 17

Tuesday, April 7th

Bruce and Kim Capeloto

Kim and JoeyJannie Capeloto's son, Joey came down to visit his Grandma and Grandpa and his Aunt and Uncle. Joey had no idea that his neighbors in Seattle were here to visit.

Brian and I with his Uncle Larry Capeloto

Brian and I have shopped more since we have been on vacation than we ever do in Seattle. We had a dinner over at Bruce and Kim's house last night. Dinner was so good and there were so many choices. Brian's Auntie Jan and Uncle Jack were over as well, lots and lots of laughs. We really miss these guys. It would be nice to see them more often. This trip has been so much fun and I really love the sunshine.

Road Trip - Day 16

Monday April 6th

It is another wonderful sunny day in Palm Springs. Brian is not missing our Washington weather. We woke up and took off early to get some coffee and shopping. We are planning to spend a few days here. Brians friend has offered us his place in Indio to stay at while we visit relatives. Joey DiFabio is going to fly in this evening to spend his spring break with his Aunt Bunny (aka Kim) and Uncle Bruce, as well as his Grandma and Grandpa. Kim and Aunt Jan are planning a dinner tomorrow night with everyone. It is sure to bring lots of fun and laughter. We'll be sure to take some photos to share with you in the next couple of days.

Brian wants to buy a small space down here so we'll be able to come down each year for the winter. It is quite tempting.

Road Trip - Day 15

Sunday, April 5th

Carolyn with her one horsepower Corvette

Moorten's Botanical Garden

Linda and Kim

Cindy and Doug



Carolyn's shop, Vivant Interiors of Palm Desert

Road Trip - Day 14

Saturday, April 4th

Another day of shocking relatives. First it was Kim, unfortunately Bruce was out of town. Then it was Uncle Jack and Aunt Jan, which shocked both them and us as we were not expecting to see them. More detail to follow after we get back from dinner.

Road Trip - Day 13

Friday, April 3rd

Joe's Pool and Spa

Today was both a happy day and sad day. We left my sister and her family but we did have a great time this week. Here is a photo of Brian with my sisters fiance, Joe, in front of his pool supply store.

Traveling from Huntington Beach to Palm Springs was an experience. Neither Brian, nor I had ever been in a sand storm. The police were on the side of the highway with their sirens on to warn travelers of the danger up ahead. Needless to say Brian was grateful that he waited to wash his truck, however it being sandblasted was not fun.

On the up side we are renewing our friendship with my high school friend, Carolyn and her husband, Clark. It was a priceless moment when we walked into her store and surprised her. I'll never forget her expression. She did not know we were traveling and she definately didn't know that we would be standing outside her office door when she turned around to speak to her customer. I think it was a moment that I can say her mouth dropped to the floor. We gave each other great big hugs. When Carolyn explained to her customer who we were, her customer said that it gave her chills. I think she was just as excited for Carolyn as I was to see her. Oh and tomorrow I'll have to take photos of her store and Clark's (Carolyn's husband) botanical gardens.

We went out to dinner with them and realized that it had been way too long since we had communicated. I miss them. It is times like this that we wonder why do we wait so long? She is my best friend from high school and I need to stay in better contact with her. We have more plans in the next couple of days to catch up.

Road Trip - Day 12

Thursday, April 2nd

Adolfo's

Laguna Beach

This afternoon we stopped at Aldofo's Mexican Food for lunch. Even though you are almost sitting on the sidewalk outside the surrounding flowers give enough privacy from the passing traffic. Tonight will be more family time and our last night in Huntington Beach. Tomorrow we plan to travel east to Palm Springs, hopefully being able to visit with an old high school friend.

Road Trip - Day 11

Wednesday, April 1st

Huntington Beach, CA

Ruby and JoeNathan

A day late with my day 11 post.
Yesterday my sister and I spent most of the day beading while Brian spent most of the day with her fiance. I did take a couple of photos of the family but not of any scenic locations. Today should be different because Brian would like to go to Laguna Beach today. He didn't get to go the other day. I plan to take him to the same Mexican place that we had lunch at the other day. It was excellent. I'll take a photo of the cute little establishment and all the flowers around the outside dining.